Trending Shoes Obsession - Sophia Webster

My Dearest Beauties,

I love watching E!, the tv channel. They have a fun show called The Fashion Police, I love the fashion but I really enjoy watching the show because of how funny Joan Rivers is. Anyway, I had spotted these shoes on some celebrities, among them Rihanna and I thought they are the coolest pair of shoes I've spotted recently. On one of the episodes they talked a bit about them and right there and then I cleared my doubts.

They are candy colored and have a fun stylish design that seems like it would be comfortable to walk in. The pair is actually called the Riri Leather Sandal.

If you live in Lebanon and would like to get your hands on these babies or any other Sophia Webster design then head over to the Plum store in Down Town.

What are your thoughts on these shoes? Tell me in the comments!

Much love,

Samar

Travel Shampoo - Lush Solid Shampoo

Photo Credit to www.lushlebanon.com

My Dearest Beauties, 

Solid shampoo! Yes, you got it right! It is not only one of the coolest products I have used but also a very practical one. You can easily wrap this baby up in some paper and drop it in your suitcase without having to worry about it exploding and ruining your much loved clothes. 

Lush offers a variety of these for different hair needs and they act as good as any other typical liquid shampoo. I do have to say that it is very effective in cleaning, so much so that it will leave your hair squeaky clean, literally! So just pack your favorite conditioner or even go ahead and try the solid conditioners from Lush. I personally use this solid Shampoo with Retread which is a heavy traditional conditioner from Lush. They work perfectly with each other, they are good at balancing each other out. One more reason to buy this shampoo is that you can use it as a clarifying shampoo. Use it once per week to really clear your hair from all the products you use on it throughout the week. Clarifying shampoos help your hair get it's shine and vitality back.

When the shampoo is dry there is noway it will be staining or making anything dirty around it. But when you work with it under running water, it instantly foams into an amazing cloud. Last but not least, you will not believe how long this bar will last you. I have been using mine for about two months, I don't think I have gone through half of it yet.

I personally think that this product is a must try and a must have. What do you think?

Much love, 

Samar

Autumn/Winter Smokey Eye for Hazel/Brown Eyes

My Dearest Beauties,

Plums and dark warm browns are really in this season. They are not only beautiful colors to use for a smoldering smokey eye but they are also very flattering against hazel and brown eyes. If you have been reading my blog for a long time you may have seen my lovely cousin in a previous makeup pictorial, see it here. So, without further due, I am going to try to explain the steps to achieving this look.

I started off by applying Clinique's Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup, concentrating on the center of the face and diffusing it with my fingers to the edges and neck. I concealed the under eye circles and highlighted the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, center of the forehead chin and cupid's bow with Maybelline's DreamLumi Touch Highlighting Concealer. I don't rub this on the skin but I rather tap it away until it is undetectable. Applying a highlighting concealer helps to sculpt and lift the face which gives more dimension. I set all of that liquid makeup with translucent powder in order to keep the face as fresh as possible. My favorite is Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre applied with Real Technique's Blush Brush.

The key to a great eye makeup is layering. I like to start off by applying a creamy or gel type product. For that I heat the tip of my Dali pencil in Electric Mauve just a tiny bit with a kitchen lighter. This transforms it into a gel that will easily glides onto the eyelid without having to tug or pull on this delicate area. Once I apply it on the eyelid and lower lash line, I blend the edges with the warmth of my fingertips. I then pack the lovely and matte MaxFactor Mono Eye Shadow in Dark Plum #8 using an Ecotools flat shadow brush. Once again, blend, blend, blend. I love to line the upper and lower waterline of the eye with an intense Dali Black Pencil. The combination of the glittery and shimmery base with the matte shadow gives a dimensional and interesting finish to the eyes.

I take the lightest eyeshadow color in the Benefit's Cabana Glama palette and apply it to the inner corner of the eyes to bring light and open them up. I, then, use the Real Technique's Duo Fibre Eye Brush with Hoola bronzer from the same palette and blend it just over the plum color to wrap the smokey eye up and make the lovely Lorena almost look like she was born with a smokey eye on.  I also go in with the the Real Technique Duo Fibre Contour brush with Hoola again, this time I use it along the hair line, a little on the temples and on the sides of the nose to warm Lorena's complexion up.

To finish the skin off I use a very fresh and shimmery blush, on the cheeks blending it up towards the temples, from Benefit called Coralista using again a Real Techniques Duo Fiber Face Brush. Duo fiber brushes are great because they allow you to build up color slowly which helps you avoid applying too much product. Remember that it is easier to put more that to take off.

I then go on and fill in the lips with this amazing Seventeen lip pencil and then add a little shine with Dior's clear gloss. Last but not least, is L'oreal Lash Architect Waterproof Mascara on the top and bottom lashes. A smokey eye calls for a LOT of mascara. I didn't show it, but I did use some Samoa Clear mascara on the eyebrows to ensure they are not moving around.

This last picture was taken with the camera's flash on to see if the makeup passes the picture test. Help me be the judge. Tell me what you think on the comments below.

Remember that you can use any products that you have at home to achieve this look. In case you are to buy any of these, know that I only use my trusted products for makeup pictorials. I hope you found this fun and useful.

Much love,

Samar

Reem's Outfits: Orange Stripes

My Dearest Beauties, 

Casual with a touch of chic. Love the buttoned up shirt with the lovely soft statement necklace. 

Reem's wearing:

Zara Shirt

Abercrombie & Fitch Jeans

Mango Belt

Accessorize Necklace

Ted Baker Purse 

Converse Sneakers

Much love, 

Samar

Cellulite Talk with Nutritionist Magie Tamraz

My Dearest Beauties,

Most of us ladies dread it! I do not blame you, cellulite is a nightmare. For that reason I thought I would share the solutions of a professional. 

Cellulite is mainly caused by the accumulation of saturated fats, that are generally found in animal products. It doesn't stop there. It is also caused by many other mistakes we commit in our everyday life. Mistakes like:

1. High consumption of simple carbs (like soft drinks). When consumed in excess, these convert into fats.
2. High salt consumption and drink water during meals. This causes water retention which expands the fat in our body.
3. Low consumption of fruits and vegetables. 
4. Lack of physical activity.

It is easier to think of solutions once you know the causes. Avoid these mistakes and you will experience less cellulite. Start by, substituting butter, ghee and lard with olive and canola oil. Reduce saturated fats, you can always opt for 0% fat cuts of meat and diary products. Try to season your food with less salt and avoid water during and immediately after meals (wait for an hour). Substitute your simple carbs with whole grain products and diet drinks. Add more veggies, fruits and exercise to your everyday life.

At this point you might be asking yourself if cellulite reducing massages are of any help. Well, they are, if and only if you stick to the solutions above.

I hope you have found this post interesting and helpful. You can always visit Magie for a more personalized look at your fitness inquiries.

Find Magie Tamraz at: 

• Doha Aramoun, main street, facing Al Doha Pharmacy. 05 813 730
• Hamra, Abdel Aziz street, Al Mabani Bldg., 1st floor. 01 745 036
• Choueifat, Old Saida Road, Inside of Avalon gym. 70 684 910 

Much love, 

Samar

Crushing on the Pixie Cut

My Dearest Beauties,

If you are looking for a game changing hair cut, look no further! I think that the pixie cut is beyond stylish, it is straight out cool. I feel like ladies opting for this cut have an admirable level of confidence. I am yet to find the courage to get the cut but beyond the point I think it is sassy. Sporting statement haircuts almost make any of your outfits look bolder and sharper.

Here are some celebrities that are known for their amazing pixie cuts. Jennifer Lawrence joined the club quite recently but it suits her so well that it looks like she's been rocking it forever.

Jennifer Lawrene

Anne Hathaway

Halle Berry

Michelle Williams

Miley Cyrus

Charlize Theron

What is your favorite celebrity and would you dare to go for this daring look?

Much love, 

Samar

The Coat Uniform for Winter 2014 - Checked/Checkered Coats

My Dearest Beauties,

I wanted to share this new trend that I am kind of obsessing on with you. Checked coats are so in and so chic in my opinion. I have been doing some online shopping but haven't actually bought the piece yet. They can easily transform a very simple and rather mundane outfit. For that reason I thought I would put some interesting pieces together and let you make up your mind on the fun checkered trend.

Make sure to press on the captions below every picture if you want to know more about the coat.

Asos Checked Coat

Asos Brushed Check Coat

Zara Checked Coat

Zara Checked Coat

Topshop Panel Check Coat

Burberry Brit Checked Coat

Bimba y Lola Coat

Checkered pieces are in whether they are coats, pants, tops, skirts, scarfs, you name it! I think that a checkered coat is a fun and easy way to update your wardrobe and make it fun. What are your thoughts on this trend? YAY or NAY? 

Much love,

Samar

Long, Luscious & Curly Lashes

My Dearest Beauties,

Some of us were not blessed with those amazing super long, thick and curly lashes. Well, don't worry, a lot of mascaras out there got us covered. My lashes are of the same nature as the hair on my head; they are thin and straight. I tried a lot of different mascaras claiming to hold the curl while adding volume and length. Unfortunately, my lashes ended up longer and thicker but they were never perky and curly. Having really oily skin made me try waterproof mascara and that was when I realized that waterproof mascaras are the only ones that hold the curl.

Let's just jump right into my current eyelash routine. You will end up with curly lashes that are longer and thicker at the same time. I use three super effective products:

1. Tweezerman Eyelash Curlers: I carefully curl my lashes as close to the base as possible. 
2. L'Oreal False Lash Effect Lash Architect 4D Waterproof Mascara: this mascara adds length by adding tiny micro fibers. I use it from the base to the ends of my lashes to secure the curl. But, because it is very lengthening I concentrate most of the product on the ends of my lashes.
3. Dali Full Volume Mascara: I finish off with this volumizing mascara and I concentrate it on the base of my lashes. I love this one because it makes my lashes thicker without clumping them together, which is always a plus for thin lashes.  

What is your mascara routine? Tell me in the comments!

Much love, 

Samar

Coconut Oil for Healthy Hair

My Dearest Beauties,

Taking care of our hair can get hectic sometimes. It is easy to get confused with all those different products striking the market every day.  Sometimes we are just simply looking for a single hair product whether it is a mask or oil that will instantly bring back life to our hair. Well, I recently discovered the easy, affordable, accessible and super effective coconut oil.

Let us talk a bit of science! Coconut oil is a low molecular weight oil that is easily absorbed therefore it helps maintain a healthy and nurtured scalp. It also helps lock in moisture which makes your hair stronger and more elastic which will result in less dryness, breakage and dullness.  

I found this big bottle in Hamra for only 8$, in the little Philippino product shops. It is of the Indian brand Parachute. It doesn't necessarily have to be this same brand but when you are shopping for coconut oil just make sure it is virgin and pure.

Coconut oil is very effective on hair. It adds shine, vitality and strength to your hair from the first application. I personally like to apply a generous amount to all of my hair, leave it overnight and wash it the next morning. Before washing it, the next morning, you will see how your hair absorbed more than half of the oil. It literally is food for your hair. Try to use the oil once a week even if it is only for a couple of hours while you take care of some laundry.  

Have you tried coconut oil? What are your thoughts?

Much love,

Samar