13.9.12

'HAIR OUT' BY ENERCOS. HAIR COLOR REMOVER

Hello ladies,
I thought I had nearly given up blogging. But one never knows :D
Anyways I want to write a quick blog about a hair product,that basically removes hair color that you think doesn't suit, and in a moment of madness or sheer misjudgment you have subjected your hair to.

Let me start from the start.

I went to one salon for highlights. They messed my hair. Went to a second salon and they fixed it, added a hair base and did an impressive job. After some time the highlights seemed to bleached out and white. I thought to cover them, without thinking straight I colored my hair with IGORAS DARK BROWN AUBURN using the mildest of developers. To my dismay my hair turned black brown with just the slightest of auburn showing. I had basically messed up the hair job that the hair stylist had done and the one that I had paid an arm and leg for. Totally depressed I looked online for something that would take the color out without ruining my hair. The one I found only ships to U.S which was useless for me since I am in the U.A.E. still looking I browsed NAZIH’s website which is one of the major salon product provider in the U.A.E.
The product I found is ‘COLOR OUT’ . I searched for reviews and found none. Except a basic description for what it does. Well since I was desperate there was only one way of finding it. I went and bought the product. They are two red bottles. You mix both of them and basically use it. It smells a bit awful, but it is bleach free. Anyways  so I applied the mixture to my hair and waited 20 minutes and washed out.  Well, they did not go back to their pretty self, but im glad to say I got rid of the blackish color and could clearly see my highlights and low lights. It has given a tint of orange to my hair which can be fixed with a a toner I believe. So hope this post helps. Since I googled and couldn’t come up with a solution.



PRODUCT NAME : COLOR OUT BY ENERCOS

PRICE: 54 AED

AVAILABLE : NAZIH RETAIL [ AT ETIHAD MALL [ 
MIRDIFF] ] AND THEIR OTHER STORES.

SMELL : YES, BUT YOU JUST IGNORE IT , THOUGH A BIT STRONG.

NOTE: I DID DO A SMALL PATCH TEST ON MY SKIN AND ON MY HAIR STRAND TO SEE WHAT COLOR IT WOULD TURN OUT TO BE, BEFORE I WORSENED THE DISASTER :D, [ I also did not use gloves while applying, but common sense dictates that one should, just to be safe.]

The instruction leaflet says " color out removes oxidation dye pigments only and does not remove direct dyes. for optimum color reduction Color Out should be used immediately after the application of color to be corrected. 
Color out does not lighten natural color pigment [ it did not  lighten the regrowth near my roots.]"

I actually bought two packs since I have waist length hair but one pack was enough for me and still some left over.


10.5.12

Urban Decay Naked Palette 2

I have just received this product in the post today, and since I'm so excited, I will just put up pictures for the time being and then update the swatches after a while. To be quite frank I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the palette. I had imagined it to be half of the actual size!

Here go the pictures, as you can see Ive put a scale next to it. just so you get an idea of the size :)

The length is 8 inches and width is 2.50 inches. How cool is that?




There are 12 eye-shadows in total 1.30 gms each. One two-sided brush for crease and shadow. One mini  lip gloss called " Lip Junkie lip gloss".

The names of the shadows are FOXY, HALF BAKED, BOOTYCALL, CHOPPER, TEASE, SNAKE BITE ,SUSPECT, PISTOL, VERVE, YDK, BUSTED AND BLACKOUT.




 Snake bite is missing from these two pictures. Its placed bewteeb Tease and Suspect.


The back of the packaging.....
Out of the lot only tease and foxy are without any shimmer or glitter.
The details for the rest are to follow soon.




The product packaging is outer metallic case and the shadows are in a plastic brown palette. I had ordered this product online from LOOK FANTASTIC and they did do a fantastic job of delivering. I received it actually after a month of ordering, but that had to do with the mail system here and not misplaced as I had initially thought. The customer service at 'look fantastic' were very cooperative in answering my queries promptly. Plus they do free international delivery. So that was pretty cool. I do not know the price for Naked2 in Dubai, but it should be stocked by Sephora. Will drop by Sephora and update this post when i do. Till then , enjoy the pictures :).

Price : At look fantastic i was charged UK Pound 36 [ Equivalent to A.E.D :217]

Urban Decay Website : U$ 50 [ Approx 183.75 [ Do not ship International]


9.5.12

Shampoo vs Body wash

This post is about a discovery i made a few years ago and i feel quite happy about it. Though for some i know it is no big deal. Anyways, the discovery is not life altering :) Just that i started substituting body wash for regular shampoo for no other reason than price and common sense. I realized that regular shampoos were being sold cheaper and in much larger quantity that body washes. Even of the same company. Looking at it logically, I figured my hair and scalp are more sensitive than my skin and would need more attention. Thus, if something is being sold  for my hair and scalp it should be good enough for my skin too? Isn't it?

I usually look for a good brand of shampoo, not something pricey, usually a big bottle and something for dry hair, as that will not dry out  your skin. If its on offer even better. So you get a good quantity at a good rate. After I started substituting, I really have not missed using body washes much. I will wait till I discover something that has amazing claims and then maybe will I switch back :).

So would you think about substituting your body was for shampoo? Would love to hear your views!





Camomile Gentle Eye Make up Remover


Have had a hectic week, making some travelling plans [ yayyyy], but I'm back , doing what I love! Today's post is about an eye shadow cleanser. Something we make up crazy people can't really do without! Hope you enjoy reading this post!




COMPANY : Body Shop

WHAT IT IS : A transparent, light weight liquid  to remove eye make up.

PRODUCT CLAIMS : 
  • "Float away the day with refreshing rosewater to gently cleanse and dissolve eye makeup. Also conditions lashes so they feel soft and silky."

SCENT : None that I could detect



Product packaging : Plastic bottle wit flip top.

GOOD STUFF : Light weight. Gentle, not a harsh product, yet effective in removing make up ( I use it for my whole face - not just eyes). Leaves no residue or sticky feeling after cleaning ( but I always rinse my face afterwards - nothing like water). Non - irritating. Does a good job of removing mascara as well. One bottle goes a long way. I have had mine for one year and upon frequent use I still have nearly half a bottle remaining. The flip top opens to a small hole so a lot of product does not spill over , sometimes i just stick a cotton bud in it and flip the bottle so I get exactly how much i need , while fixing makeup.

NOT SO GOOD STUFF: None

INGREDIENTS:



PRODUCT QUANTITY : 250 ml

AVAILABILITY: All body shop stores.

PRICE : 80 AED [ when I bought]

WEBSITE PRICE : U$ 15 [ Approx :  AED 55 ]


VERDICT: Good product.

RE-PURCHASE : Yes

4.5.12

VICHY NUTRI EXTRA

Since I was dragged to the pharmacy with my brother I decided to make the most of it and started browsing the skin care products section. There was a line-up  of AVEDA, VICHY, LA ROCHE-POSY , BIO DERMA..etc...

The one product that caught my interest was, "NUTRI-EXTRA MAINS/HANDS" which claims " 1 Application = 1 Day Protection".




NAME : Nutri Extra

COMPANY : VICHY Laboratories

WHAT IT IS: Hand (Repair) Cream

PRODUCT CLAIMS: Nutri-Filling concentrate. One application is enough for one day , even after washing. Designed for women who do not like tp re-apply a hand cream ten times a day [ Yes, that's me! :D] And according to their website:


"1 application = 1 day of protection, even after washing hands! A dermatologically tested lasting protection. 
Clinical Corneometry tests in Laboratories.
Moisturization: +20.4 %* maintained after 24H
Confirmed by women
Protects throughout the day: 85%**
Handwashing-resistant comfort: 83%**
* Corneometry test, 24 subjects.
** Consumer dermatological test, 53 subjects."







GOOD STUFF: Since I'm excited about this product I immediately sat down to review it. I haven't tested it for long. The first day impression is that I like it a lot , since the other hand creams i have used, barely lasted an hour or so till i needed to re-apply, especially in this dry Dubai weather where you are either exposed to consistent heat or air conditioning and they both are horrendous on skin. The product claims to be paraben free. Good for sensitive skin too. Since I drive I usually put sub block over this or under it. Does not leave hands greasy, gets totally absorbed [ since I handle gemstones and jewelry, this is an important factor]. No residue. Even after washing my hands did not feel dry [ as per product claim] nor did I feel the need to re-apply the product through the day. Three year expiry duration.

NOT SO GOOD STUFF : Adding SPF would have made it perfect.

SCENT : Yes (Faint and fruity)

PRODUCT QUANTITY: 50 ml

PACKAGING:  Plastic, squeezable, flip top tube. Easily carried around in your bag.

AVAILABILITY : Super care pharmacy. [ I picked mine from Dubai Festival City ]

PRICE : AED 56

VERDICT: Happy so far. Its day 5 today :). 

RE-PURCHASE : Yes.

Tid bit ; Hydroxyethyl urea which is one of the key ingredients in this product is a moisturizer much like glycerin, except that it's synthetically manufactured. It absorbs into the skin quickly, helps attract moisture and locks it in. It also provides a subtle shine that helps lotioned-up legs look fabulous.While internal urea transported by the kidneys plays a vital role in human metabolism, synthetic urea often finds its way into topical dermatological products to rehydrate the skin. Lab-manufactured urea can be helpful in treating scaly skin, corns, calluses, and ingrown nails. By increasing moisture levels within the skin, urea not only softens and reduces rough texture, but it also has a localized anesthetic effect, helping to curtail cycles of itching, irritation, and flare-ups. It may also be used in helping remove dead tissue to speed wound healing because it can improve the capacity of the epidermal barrier to regenerate.




Ingredients [ what I could manage]


Hope you enjoyed reading this post. Have a nice weekend :) Do tell me if you used this product and how you feel about it? 


concerts for latin shows
concerts for new age events
concerts and other tickets


Ticketamerica.com has latin tickets as well as new age shows and all other concert and entertainment performances.

29.4.12

SHADOW INSURANCE : EYE LID PRIMER by TOO FACED

Welcome back to the wonderful world of makeup! :) My post today is about an eye-shadow primer called " Shadow Insurance". The basic purpose of this Primer is to hold onto your shadow, make it last and give the eye-shadow color the pop it deserves. All you have to do is just squeeze out the tiniest bit possible of the product, pat it on your eyelid, make sure you have your entire lid covered and continue with your makeup routine. 



NAME:  Shadow Insurance.

COMPANY: Too Faced.

WHAT IT IS: Eye-shadow primer.

INGREDIENTS: Isododecane, Talc, Cyclopentasiloxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Triethylhexanoin, Polyethylene, Trihydroxystearin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Isopropyl Lanolate, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Propylene Carbonate, Dimethicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Mica. (+/-): Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).

PRODUCT CLAIMS:

This is your full-coverage insurance policy against all fading, creasing, melting, blurring, oil slicked, and hard-to-blend eye shadow accidents. Our silicone based eye shadow primer transforms any eye shadow into a perfectly blendable, color-drenched, intensified version of itself, then locks it down perfectly until you take it off. This soothing formula evens out the skintone on your lids and smoothes lines while securing a barrier between the oils of your skin and your makeup, so no shadow catastrophes will ever happen again.

WEARABILTY: I've only tried 3-4 hours.

SCENT: None.

GOOD STUFF: Does what it claims. Eye-shadow stays on. Makes blending eye-shadows really easy. Enhances the eye-shadow color. Sephora website also claims that it is formulated without ;

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates

NOT SO GOOD STUFF: Price

AVAILABILITY: Sephora.

DUBAI PRICE: AED 110

WEBSITE PRICE: U$ 18 [Approx AED 65 ]

PRODUCT QUANTITY: 11gms.

VERDICT: Good product.

RE-PURCHASE: Yes, when i manage to finish it. You really use the tiniest of product each time. So its going to be a while before you need to re-purchase it.


Small squeezable plastic tube [ In the palm of my hand, so you get an idea of the size]


Though the product looks opaque and cream in color it totally disappears once you pat it on your eye lid.

The nozzle is really small, so you do not end up wasting product



WITH EYE-SHADOW PRIMER                 WITHOUT PRIMER                                  EYE-SHADOW USED.



Hope you enjoyed reading this post and found it informative.
Thank you! :)

27.4.12

Macadamia Deep Repair [Hair] Masque


A few days ago while just checking for split ends, I realized how dead and dry my hair looked. Well, its dead anyways so will just replace 'dead' with 'limp' and 'dehydrated' my hair looked. I had been skipping conditioner after shampoos [ I can be pretty lazy sometimes] so I guess my hair was just reflecting my neglect towards them. While I was just reflecting on the state of my hair, I remembered a sample sachet i had been given at NAZIH  [known for supplying beauty products to salons and customers both]. I guess it was time to try it.
I am quite happy i did. The results were pretty awesome. I'm not exaggerating. Each hair strand seemed shiny, separate and nourished. My hair looked like it had been blow dried. I was quite impressed with this product which consists of Argan oil and Macadamia oil.
So i decided to write a post about it. In case your hair is as neglected as mine was, you can give this product a shot. I am not sure of the exact price, but i do know the Macadamia products are priced higher than the average products. When i do visit Nazih  next I will update this post regarding the price. The product details are as follows;



NAME : Deep Repair Masque


WHAT IT IS : A hair repair masque with Macadamia and Argan oil. 

PRODUCT CLAIMS: 

DEEP REPAIR MASQUE

Our Deep Repair Masque is a hair reconstructor that will penetrate and rebuild damaged hair for improved shine and elasticity.
  • enriched with Macadamia & Argan oils
  • deep nourishment & long-lasting conditioning
  • ultra-conditioning hair reconstruction

PRODUCT QUANTITY : 30 ml in one sachet [ already used twice and some still left over]

AVAILABILITY: At NAZIH in Etihad Mall towards Mirdiff. I haven't seen this product stocked anywhere. So Nazih may be the sole supplier for it.

DUBAI PRICE: Dont know.

WEBSITE PRICE : U$ 33. for 8.5 oz

SCENT: Yes, but not over powering.

GOOD STUFF: Leaves hair looking awesome. Cruety free. Paraben Free. Has argan and moroccon oil. 

NOT SO GOOD STUFF: Price maybe.

VERDICT: Really good product. Would recommend for dry, limp hair

RE-PURCHASE: Yes.





Hope you enjoyed reading this post. Do share if you have tried this product or are tempted t try it.
Thank you.

26.4.12

L'oreal Face Wash






NAME: Hydra Fresh Comfort Face Wash for Dry & Sensitive skin

COMPANY : L'oreal

WHAT IT IS: Face Wash.

DESCRIPTION: Thick transparent gel. Not runny. I use it as a regular face wash and makeup remover. Comes with a three year expiry date.

PRODUCT CLAIMS: " Gently cleanses the skin everyday: Instantly removes make-up, cleanses skin thoroughly and eliminates all impurities for an impeccably clean skin.
Result:
Skin feels soft, supple and perfectly cleansed.
"
INGREDIENTS: [Since I'm too lazy to type it out, I will simply insert a snap :)]



SCENT: Yes [Not over whelming, but cannot be ignored. Pleasant to me]

GOOD STUFF: Does not dry skin. I was looking for something that i could use that was not harsh, since i began using Retin A for my face. This is a really good facewash. I do feel a slight dryness, but that is because of the use of Retin A. I've made my mom buy it too and my sister has started using it too. In one month my product is 3/4th over.

NOT SO GOOD STUFF: Scent [for some], does not remove black liner/shadow too well.


PRODUCT QUANTITY : 150 ml

PACKAGING: Semi transparent, [you can see how much product is left], squeezable tube with a flip top.

AVAILABILITY: All supermarkets, L'oreal booths in Dubai

PRICE: AED 24.00

VERDICT: Over all a good product.

RE-PURCHASE: Yes.

21.4.12

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss :NOUGAT 41, BUFF 4, NUDE 8, COCOA SUGAR 4






Hello,

Hope you all are having a fantastic week. I ended up going to Fujairah friday market and enjoying myself with some outdoor fun. Will post pics soon maybe! This post is about 4 of bobbi browns lip glosses i picked up in one go, when i was on a shopping spree! Hope you enjoy!!!

NAME: NOUGAT 41, BUFF 4, NUDE 8, COCOA SUGAR 4

COMPANY ; BOBBI BROWN

WHAT IT IS : LIPGLOSS

PRODUCT CLAIMS: Bobbi has sized up all her glosses to give you an extra dose of shine. Lip Gloss is formulated with soothing botanical extracts - including Avocado, Jojoba and Chamomile Oils, and Aloe Extract - to keep lips soft and supple; plus the new tapered applicator lets you apply it like a pro. Scented with a hint of Vanilla. [ i have the old brush, which is quite good too ]

What I Say: I liked the colors. Nougat  and Buff really dont show up on my lip color. But I love them because they are long lasting and i can just swipe them on and I'm good to go. Nude is a plum-ish brown shade that does show up as slight color and cocoa sugar looks like a browner and shimmery version of nude 8.

Wear-ability : Long. Approx hours

Scent : YES


Good stuff : Stays long and hydrates

Not so good stuff: : Scent and Price. Plus one of the glosses smells off. I cant fathom why, since i bought all of them together.

VERDICT : 3/5

Re-purchase : No. 

Reason : Pricey @ 90 dirhams per gloss plus the smell factor.


Product Quantity: 0.14 FL OZ / 4.2 ML

Availability : Bobbi Brown stores / Booths

DUBAI, U.A.E PRICE :  AED 90  [ U$  23 approx]




17.4.12

M.A.C BRUSH CLEANSER

If you love makeup, you will also know of the need to keep your brushes clean and hygienic. So today I will be reviewing MAC Brush Cleanser.


So this bottle holds approximately 235ml of pink liquid cleanser for your brushes. When i went to MAC counter the SA asked me if i knew how to use this product. Since it was my first time purchase , I replied negative. So the following is similar to the demo of what i got on how to use this product. My brush has some leftover blush on it. its peach-ish pink [ sorry for the poor image quality, i am kind of lacking in photography skills. As long as you can detect the peach pink you should be ok]


So according to the SA , just take a wad of tissue or thick napkin dampen it with some MAC brush cleanser liquid..


take your make up brush and go back and forth on the napkin till you have gotten rid of all the makeup 


The blush that i managed to get rid off on the tissue below..



As I said the image quality lacks, the ends of the make up brush's' bristles were cleaned up , but residue still remained inside of the brush bristles.....


Since I wasn't totally satisfied with how clean my makeup brush was, I decided to follow instructions at the back of the bottle which simply stated ' Apply to damp brushes, work through and rinse well". So, that's what i tried next, the result is the picture below which I STILL was not satisfied with.........



So, i resorted to my last and true method of simply shampooing my brushes. I used Herbal essences since its meant to be quite strong. I took a plastic bowl, filled it with warm water and shampoo, dunked the brush in, worked the bristles with my fingers and rinsed. And Voila! We have finally got our brush all nice and clean.



Availability: All M.A.C counters
Price : 70 AED

 Verdict: I am not happy with MAC brush cleanser since it is quite inefficient to use. The method shown by the SA doesn't really manage to get rid of all the accumulated powder on the makeup brush. Secondly, working through each and every single brush with the liquid seems to be a lot of waste of time. Therefore i rarely use the M.A.C make up cleanser since it is very time consuming and doesn't even deliver results. I find the shampoo method more convenient and effective.

Do you own this product? Did it work for you? Share your thoughts......
Thank you.



14.4.12

Lights, Camera, Action!

MUSIK WALL LAMP [IKEA]
Image courtesy:  Ikea

Well another fantabulous product from Ikea is the MUSIK  wall lamp. This lamp will make you sigh and sigh some more. Don't we all wish for a little glamour? Well this product certainly brings it to your makeup routine. Plus the lighting does not hurt. For make up application, especially when applying foundations, lighting is of key importance. One can quickly transform from a fairy tale princess into a real life witch if one don't have the proper lighting. Before stepping out - always make sure to check your makeup under different lighting  and if possible under a camera flash. I've seen a few scary surprises upon checking my camera images :D. Oh well, some of us learn the hard way. So anyways, back to our magical MUSIK wall lamp. Or more like light strip.


According to IKEA
"Product description
Base plate: Polycarbonate plastic


Cover cap: Stainless steel

good to know:

Light source is sold separately. IKEA recommends 


SPARSAM low-energy bulb E14 7W."


The lamp strip [ which holds five bulbs] is partly plastic and partly metal. Although 7W is suggested on the website the product suggests 15W , and the sales assistant at IKEA told me i can go up to 40W but that would heat up the product. I asked if it would damage it and he replied negative. Just might turn out into a 'learn a lesson the hard way' incident :)




Here are some pictures of the wall lamp without the romance. [Light bulbs i mean.] 


                         The facing side of the lamp [Above]





        The wall side of the lamp strip and the closure at the back 





Close up of where the bulbs will be fixed.

Package measurement and weight
Packages: 1
Article Number : 202.174.85 
Width : 8 cm 
Height : 4 cm 
Length : 61 cm
Weight : 0.7 kg

I was quite excited when i saw this lamp at Ikea, because spotting something at Ikea usually means something affordable. I haven't spotted something like this elsewhere. 


Assembly requirements:
You will need a wall connection to connect the wires to and four nails to be drilled in the wall.
Assembly instructions


Availability: Ikea [Dubai Festival City]
Retails at : AED 95 [without the bulbs]


Overall Product Impression: Initially i was quite excited when i spotted this product. [Actually i still am], the only down side would be the fact that when i pulled the product out from the packaging i realized that its quite light weight [ due to the plastic] so i really don't know how long it will last. Also the lamp needs to be connected to a wall socket and not just a switch, so not the easiest of click and use. But the fact that i haven't spotted something similar to this in other stores is a big plus and that fact that i was really really wanting something like this.


Tell me what you think of this product and would you be tempted to buy it?


Thank you :)




12.4.12

Art Deco Liquid Eyeliner

The only liquid eyeliner that I own and am happy with is the Art Deco Liquid Eyeliner.





I love the black intense color and the fact that I find it quite easy to use.The tip is quite fine but depending on how heavy a hand you use you can thicken the line accordingly. The most important thing with black eyeliners [ besides not causing allergy or irritation ] is how black are they really. With art deco eyeliner the first line is a weak black, go over the line atleast twice or thrice and you will be having a nice solid black. The liner dries to a matt black color which i like. It is not waterproof.

The top line has three sweep [ it looks shiny because its still damp at the time I took the picture]

The middle line is just one sweep

The last ; I went over four times to get to the color i like.

Product Details:
Content : 1.5ml

Availability: Art Deco products are now available at Paris Gallery
Price: I bought mine from Pakistan just under AED 100

Verdict: I like this liner, it did not cause any irritation. Its good for on the go. The cap closes tight so no accidental mess up happening in your bag with this liner. I am quite happy with this product. Rinses off easily since it is not water proof. 

What do you think of this product? Would you consider buying it? Do you own any other art deco products/


Thank you. 





Shoe Storage made cool!


So the other day I went browsing in Ikea, to search for something to organize my over flowing makeup in. Well didn’t find anything that suited me but I did find something else of interest! Ikea has come up with some funky and flowery shoe storage ideas. The cases are packed flat with a zipper at the back. When you open them you open them into rectangular boxes, and zip them from the back. The front closure  has a see through mesh which allows you to see which footwear you have stored inside.
This model is GARNITYR and a pack has two pieces and retails for AED 35
As per Ikea :
 Key features
Transparent mesh window lets you see what shoes are inside the box.
- Handle on one side makes the box easy to pull out.
- Hook and loop fastener makes it easy to open and close the window.

This model is SKUBB shoe box. One pack consists of 4 pieces and retails for AED 45 per pack.


The SKUBB shoe bos available in black, white and a deep gorgeous purple. I was tempted by purple but practicality ruled. The white allows you to see inside the box, whereas the back and purple are so dark you can’t tell what shoes or slippers you have stored inside. The GARNITYR is only available in white and beige print.



I managed to put in 3 slippers per box and two shoes per box. I totally love these boxes and find them really convenient compared to storing in shoe boxes. 

Availablity : IKEA , DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY

SKUBB SHOE BOX 
Product details
W x L x H
22x34x16cm
4 boxes in one pack : AED 45
Colors: Black, White, Purple

GARNITYR
Beige and White floral print
2 boxes in one pack : AED 35

The products are recyclable.

All in all I simple love this product!
What do you think of it? Would you go and check them out on your next visit to IKEA?