Back to School Makeup Look + Mini Product Reviews

My Dearest Beauties,

Reem and I wanted to come out with a makeup look that is wearable and durable. We also wanted it to give a very a awake and healthy look provided that it'd be almost undetectable. We came up with this.

I picked out products that I know last a long time and don’t need any touching up during the day. Now, the main thing to keep in mind with a back to school makeup is that the main aim is to look pulled together and presentable without much effort. These simple steps will make you look much more awake and ready to attack your day at school with full confidence.

All these products are pretty affordable and easy to find. 

Maybelline Super Stay 24H Concealer. Use this to lightly conceal under eye circles and any blemishes. This formula is very long lasting and doesn't move at all (not even on my oily skin). Dusting some loose powder is good to lock it in place just to make sure you won’t have trouble with it.

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR in shade 45-Infinate White. Apply this to the inner corner of the eyes to make your eyes pop and look more awake. This cream shadow sets and doesn't move at all. Great for school! 

Dali Brown Khol Pen. Apply this to line the outer corner of the eye (top and bottom). You can smudge it with a finger for the undetectable definition or you can leave it as it is and have super defined eyes. I chose brown because it is a lot more natural than black. This eyeliner pen will give you great color pay off and it will sure stay put all day.

Samoa Clear Mascara. Brush it through your eyebrows to tame them and keep them in place all day.

Dali Mosaic Blush Powder. Apply this to the apples of your cheeks to give yourself a healthy look. This product has great color pay off so be careful and don’t over apply. Remember you can put more but you can’t take off. So start with a small amount and build the blush to get the desired effect. This product is really cool because you can swirl your brush through the tiny squares and create your custom blush shade.

Maybelline The Collossal Volum’ Express. Apply a couple of coats to your lashes and get the most voluminous clump-free lashes ever. I love this mascara. It gives an amazing effect and it doesn't smudge at all, which is one of the most important features in mascara.

Bourjois Rose Cachemire-82 Lipstick. Apply to the lips. I love this shade because it is very pearlescent. So it looks like a gloss but it actually is a lipstick, which gives it more longevity. 

There you have it. Easy and with the use of not so many products. I hope you like this look. Tell me what makeup look you wear to school. 

Much love, 

Samar

Leather Trend is Going Strong For Fall & Winter 2013

My Dearest Beauties,

We've seen leather going strong the past couple of seasons, and it seems like it is only getting stronger. You can always find at least one piece made of leather (other than the must have biker leather jacket) in almost all collections out there.

I can see why it is so loved! Leather makes you look fierce in an understated kind of way. You add edge without having to go crazy. Be careful though, because over doing might be too much. One leather piece in your outfit of a subtle and neutral color will make you stylish in a snap. I say, a subtle and neutral color because that is the best way to start, but if you already are on the band wagon then experiment, what's stopping you?

Below I will show you some of the picks I made from the lovely online shopping website Net-A-Porter. The captions under the images are direct links in case you want to see more details on the pieces.

Acne Leather Skinny Pants

Alice + Olivia Pleated Leather Mini-Skirt

Alice by Temperley Leather Peplum Jacket

J Brand Leather Stretch Skinny Pants

Lanvin Leather Pencil Skirt

Red Valentino Leather and Tulle Jacket

Roberto Cavalli Quilted Stretch-Leather Skirt

Saint Laurent Leather Biker Jacket

Theory Washed Leather Peplum Top

Victoria Beckham Leather Leggings

Please tell me what you think of these pieces and how you might style them in the comments.

Much love,

Samar

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil Review

My Dearest Beauties,

Are you looking for a pampering shower experience? Look no further! This is the answer. Stop reading and go pick one of these up! This delicious shower oil smells like a dream, feels amazing on the skin and lathers into the most luxurious milky foam you have ever tried. I just love everything about it, and I had to share it with all of you. It is divinely enriched with sweet almond oil, grapevine and rosemary. This magic potion makes it have the most beautiful subtle smell that will leave a very understated aroma on your skin. You will, definitely, smell of it when you come out of the shower but the smell is so soft that it will not disturb your other scents.

I usually apply it and spread it on my damp skin using my hands. It first goes on like a rich and emollient oil and then it quickly transforms into a softening milk. It will leave you with beautiful and supple skin. You will not need to to use lotion, which gives it yet another useful option; when you're in a hurry and need to be out the door in flash time the almond shower oil will give take away the moisturizing step. And, it is a luxurious way of cutting out a step. I think you can tell how much I love this stuff.

A final using tip. I use it after waxing in place of the oil. It gets rid of all the wax that is stuck to your skin. Again, putting all the steps together. Instead of oiling your skin to get rid of the wax and then showering to get rid of the oil. You can simply go straight to applying a generous amount of the almond shower oil and then rinse it off, rinse it all off! You will be left with clean and soothed skin after waxing torture.

It comes in different sizes. From the large 500 ml bottle that can beautifully sit in your shower to the small travel sizes and even a plastic bag for refills. L'Occitane thinks of everything!

I'm just in love with the Almond Shower Oil. It is a very high quality product and I think it can make a special little gift for anyone you know loves to pamper her or himself. Have you tried it? I'm sure you will love it.

Much  love,

Samar

My Take on Ombre Manicure using Dali Nail Polishes

My Dearest Beauties,

I think you may have noticed that I have a slight obsession over blue nail polish. To top that, ombre nails have been catching my eye all this season. I gave it a try and thought I would show you what I came out with.

I used all Dali Le Maquillage nail polishes. They have an amazing selection of nail polish colors, that have really good formulation and dry really quickly.

I used the shades: 286, 260, FBb. (from darkest to lightest)

I personally loved the darkest shade. It is the perfect shade for us ladies that love the almost black shades. The light shade of blue is a really nice warm based powder blue.

These nail polishes are not only pretty but they also help the Children's Cancer Center in Lebanon. So, don't feel bad if you want a bunch of them because 5% of the proceeds will be going straight out to help the fighting children.

What do you think on my take on ombre nails?

Much  love,

Samar
  

Quick Outfit of the Day or Night: Lacey Pants

My Dearest Beauties,

I was planning to wear this outfit in the day time. But the other night, I went out for dinner and drinks. I was super excited to wear this pair of pants so I gave it a go. I thought that if I paired it with a smokey eye and a statement necklace, it would look good. So, that is what I did. I think it turned out pretty good.

I bought this outfit from a boutique close to where I live, called Vanilla Room located in the main road of Doha Aramoun. They carry a really nice selection of Turkish fashion worth checking out.

The smokey eye that I did is the one I once did a pictorial on. Link is below if you are interested.

Wearing:

Airport Shirt (Vanilla Room)

Koton Pants (Vanilla Room)

Zara Necklace and Shoes 

Ted Baker Clutch

Smokey Eye Tutorial

This is how I convert a simple daytime outfit into a night time look. I always think of the bigger picture. What do you think? What do you use to give your daytime outfit an evening and glamorous feel?

Much love, 

Samar

Zara Statement Necklaces Lovin'

My Dearest Beauties,

I recently have been loving statement necklaces. They are so versatile, they can elevate a simple outfits, completely, to the next level. Make your LBD look like a completely new dress or even convert your white shirt and jeans daily outfit into a night on the town kind of look. This season, I have been loving how Zara translated their understanding of a statement necklace to the world.  Here are my top three:

Chain Chord and Stone Necklace

Crystal Flower Necklace

Jeweled Flowers Necklace

I actually already picked up the last piece. I will show you how I wear it in an outfit of the day. I love these different and striking pieces, but I would love to know what you think of them. Tell me in the comments below if you would dare to go bold with these lovely necklaces.

Much love,

Samar

Reem's Outfits: My Heart's Made of Cream

My Dearest Beauties,

If you have been following Reem's style from the beginning you might have noticed that Reem always goes for simple looks that have something special. She decided to go for this flawless skater dress that has a really special back. This look is the essence of romance, I think, hopefully you will agree with me. 

Reem's wearing:

Topshop Dress (similar here & here) 

Ted Baker Pumps (similar here)

Damas & Swarovski Jewelry

Fossil Watch

Samoa Nail Polish #7

What do you think of this lovely and romantic dress?

Thank you Reem, for always making the blog richer with your style!

Much love, 

Samar

How to Make the Most out of: Perfume

My Dearest Beauties, 

One of my dear readers, Carolina, sent me this amazing image indicating where you should apply perfume. So, I thought it would be fun to share my tricks on layering and applying perfume. Perfumes give us a scent identity, because even when hundreds of people apply the same perfume, each and every person smells differently. The way that each body interacts with a scent is different!

Now, this picture is about maximizing the life of your perfume. I have always heard that one should apply perfume where we usually check for pulse. That is because as blood travels it heats up the perfume making it linger. For that reason it is very important that you apply perfume on the right areas.

My personal trick is layering scents. I always buy beautifully and subtly scented lotions and body sprays that are in tune with my perfume. It isn't a bad idea if you buy your favorite perfume's shower gel, body lotion and body spray. The more layers, the better! Go as far as googling your perfume and finding out the components, so if the main scent is amber, you can go and pick up an amber body spray and body butter, to highlight and layer the aroma.

Most people change their fragrance from season to season. Personally, I go with my mood. If I feel like wearing a strong and musky scent in the middle of August, I will wear it. I mean, why not? It just depends on what you like and what your nose tolerates during the heat months or the cold months. 

If you find that no matter what you do, that specific perfume doesn't stay. Then it isn't the right one for your body chemistry. Try it on before investing. Ask people if they can smell your fragrance. It often happens that you love the scent and you can smell it all day long, but unfortunately no one else can. I personally love to leave a scent impression. People will tend to recognize and link the specific smell to you. 

Remember, everyone has a signature scent, and it is very easy to make the most of your perfumes. Carolina thank you so much for this lovely input.

Tell me what you think on the comments below. 

Much love, 

Samar

A Little Miracle Worker

My Dearest Beauties,

We have all been out in uncomfortable shoes. They might be too tight or even too loose, they give us the worst blisters at the end of the night. Well, I recently bumped across this miracle worker at the supermarket. I was a bit skeptical about it at first but when I used it I was utterly impressed.

Let me tell you about the Instant Pain Relief plaster by Scholl. These are transparent and cushioned plasters that come in two sizes which you can stick on the risky areas of your foot. You can stick them before being in pain to prevent it or when you start to get uncomfortable. They are conveniently packaged in a container that could easily fit in your clutch or day to day handbag.

They work perfectly, these plasters do not move. Once they are on you can go back to whatever activity you were doing and not worry about these moving around and ending up all wrinkled up in your shoe. Another amazing feature of this product is how perfectly transparent they are, so you can sport your strappy sandals with full confidence. About the cushion, it works wonders, it perfectly covers and protects the damaged area relieving you of any pain.

This is a perfect "just in case" product that you ought to have in your bag. Remember, your shoes might feel just fine when you walk out the door but as the day or night goes by, they might start to be unbearable.

Give these a try and tell me how they worked for you in the comments below.

Much love,

Samar

Quick Outfit of the Day: Almost Camouflage Print and Denim

My Dearest Beauties, 

Camouflage is so in this season and I am loving it. But, some of us ladies like to climb the style ladder very slowly, and wearing army green is a very good first step. You will make up your mind of whether or not you are up to the real deal. I personally looked for the pants that had the most of an army feel to them, pockets every where and thick material. 

As you can see I decided to leave the whole outfit looking very boyish. I balanced out the boyishness and made it feminine with the shoes and the pop of color of the handbag. The mirrored shades are very in and made the look go from all season round to instantly summer season. 

This is a look that you can sport everyday; it is stylish, easy and comfortable. It quickly makes you look very pulled together without looking one bit boring. The best part is that you can upgrade these pants to a camo print and turn heads everywhere. As a last thought for you ladies out there, whether you are 20 or 50, rocking this will leave you looking chic and youthful. 

Wearing:

Zara Soft Denim Shirt (similar here and here)

Promod Pants here

Mango Touch Sandals (similar here)

Breo Sunglasses here

Bimba & Lola Bracelets here and here

Michael Kors Bag

I personally think this look is neat. Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Much love, 

Samar

When Makeup Goes Wrong: Foundation

My Dearest Beauties,

Today, I am addressing a mistake that is, I believe, one of the easiest ones to make. Foundation that is too light or maybe too dark. When your facial makeup doesn't match your whole body you will kind of look like you borrowed someone's face. When matching foundation, it is essential to think that our foundation perfectly matches the skin tone of our body not the color of our face. We always think that the color of the foundation should match our face but the fact is that most of us ladies either have lighter or darker faces. As I have said before in my foundation post, you should always match your foundation to your chest, shoulders, hands and your neck. I said neck last, because most of the times our neck is much lighter than our bodies. With foundation it is all about the big picture.

In this picture I just applied my winter foundation shade, I only use this when I am at my palest. That is a very important point as well, try to always have two shades as a minimum. One for winter use and another for summer, unless you don't go up and down shades in between seasons.

Wearing a different color of foundation also makes you give the impression of low self esteem, because it may seem to some people like you are not comfortable in your own skin. Remember, makeup is designed to make you more beautiful, to highlight your best features, and hide some of your tiny imperfections. Not to give you a new face.

I don't get extremely dark during summer and that is because I don't expose myself to the sun much. You may not be able to see a huge contrast between my face and my body but it is different, it doesn't look as natural and I don't look as healthy as I usually try to look.

I hope these tips were useful. Don't worry I have committed foundation shade suicide before. Just go to your favorite makeup counter and spend as much time as you need until you get the perfect shade. You might also need to go outside and make sure that the shade looks okay under natural light.  

Much love,
Happy Eid,

Samar xoxo

You might also like to take a look:
Diffused Eyeliner Look
When Makeup Goes Wrong: Nude Lips

Joumana's Style: In Mint

My Dearest Beauties,

Simple can be everything but simple and the right color, well, it becomes perfection, I think. Choosing on trend colors with a classic cut is a very fun way to style your closet and dress like a princess.

Joumana is wearing:

Karen Millen Dress

Stella Luna Shoes from Maria Pino Store

CN Jewels

What do you all think of this minty dress?

Much love, 

Samar

Reem's Outfits: Pink and Tribal

My Dearest Beauties,

Reem is all about shorts for summer. Dressing them up or down is what she loves to do. She decided to pair tribal print shorts with a delicate pink blouse. Meshing classic with tribal. Unique, I find.

Reem's wearing:

Zara Blouse 

Pull & Bear Shorts

Aldo Sandals

Lancome Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss

What do you all think of styling shorts for summer?

Much love,

Samar