My Thoughts Corner

Hello Everyone,

Since contouring has become a part of our daily makeup routine, you find nowadays as many products to make your head spin, however we aren’t really spoiled in choice when shopping for cream contour palettes from the drugstore. Luckily for us, more and more affordable brands are into launching their own kits to get those Kim K cheekbones! For those who are following me on Instagram, must have already taken note that not long ago I picked the L’Oreal Infallible Sculpt Contouring Designer Kit which includes the Contouring Palette in Medium/Dark, The Trio Contouring Blush in Nude Beige and a double sided brush.

First off the packaging is typical to the drugstore; nothing fancy about it. The contour shade is more in the warmer side which works really well for enhancing the face’s features. However you have to aapply more than just one layer as it simply disappears with the blending. The formula, though it’s creamy and blends really well but it turns a bit dry and caky on the skin as it has a powder-y finish. I think the key with this contour is a “wet” hydrating base which will make things look just fine. One more downside is the “highlighting” shade which I think is simply useless; it is absolutely not a highlighter, nor a concealer it’s simply a matte silicone balm sitting there.

Next is the trio contouring blush and that’s once again is another failure as it’s very pigmented yet difficult to work with unless you own the tiniest blush brush. Instead a brush swirl around the 3 shades gives you a lovely orange-y blush.

My wining point of the whole kit is the double-ended brush though I used only the flat side and I’m really impressed with how it performs.

To be honest I prefer to continue using my darker shades of concealers than spending money on this kit. At the end, contouring is about shaping the face which the Infallible Sculpt Contouring Designer Kit failed to do. It’s really sad because I was having high hopes on L’Oreal but this is how it is.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Hi Everyone,

Today I will take you through my summer morning skin care routine and if you are new to my blog, I have normal to dry skin and I live in very hot and humid Dubai. In my choice of products here I mainly focused on hydrating and protecting my skin as it gets unbelievably dehydrated and tend to look dull due to high temperatures and continuous running AC everywhere. Saying that, lightweight products are definitely my picks.

It is a very simple and minimal regimen featuring some nice products I have been lovin’ lately. I first start by splashing cold water on my face and brushing my teeth of course and I will then grab my Garnier Smoothing Cream Cleanser. This is a gentle and creamy cleanser that helps restore the softness of the skin without drying it out. It contains Jojoba and Macadamia Oils and I really enjoy it however I won’t be repurchasing it as it has paraben.  Right after, and it’s probably my favorite part, which is toning. For that, I spritz my DIY toner or facial mist, whatever you wanna call it, which consists of ½ cup Organic Witch Hazel, ½ cup rose water and lavender essential oil (you can add any essential oil of your choice). I’ve got to say that I’m so in love with this toner, it’s so refreshing and the smell is just stunning; it’s exactly what you need to start your day.

Next, is a step I’ve been re-applying lately and I’m really lovin’ it. It is the serum and I’m using the organic Argan Oil for that. I don’t think I need to talk any further about how amazing this oil is; it helps keep my skin incredibly hydrated and supple throughout the whole day. The last step is moisturizing and I start by applying the Clinique Superdefense SPF 20 age defense eye cream, which is my favorite because it’s so lightweight and has SPF 20 which is really rare finding in eye creams and coming to my face and neck I applied for the past couple of months the Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream, which I reviewed here but for the past week or ten day I’ve been enjoying the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light. I’m really liking this one because it’s so lightweight with a typical scent of the french skin care products, as I believe is based on water and sinks immediately into the skin providing the necessary hydration you need for the day. Another reason why I love this moisturizer is because it reminds me a lot of my adorable auntie Latifa in Paris as she used to have exactly the same scent and I just wonder if she wasn’t using the same cream???  

Last but certainly not least, and this step comes just before applying my makeup, I apply a sunscreen, even if I’m not leaving the house and my go-to one is the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL Comfort Cream. I’ve got to say that it’s NOT a lightweight one. It gets a tiny bit sticky on the face and has a thin white layer, just like most of sunscreens but for a maximum protection of SPF50+ I don’t really mind that. Not to forget my lips, I’ve been using the Avene Cold Cream Lip Balm which kinda works for me only in hot months and I can’t stand it in winter. Weird No????

This is it for my morning summer skin care routine. Hope this post was helpful and stay tuned for the evening one. Have a great day!

I’ve never been lips over eyes/cheeks type of girl and I can easily get stuck in the same groove; reaching for my pink and nude colors, however I like to go a little bolder in summer days. Today I’m sharing the lipsticks I’ve been reaching for the most lately. I included here only the shades I won’t wear the rest of the year and will organize them by colors starting by orange, corals and then fuchsia.

Orange Shades:

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Flirt – One of, if not the best orange shade lipstick I’ve got. The color appears as a bright orange but translates to a pretty pale orange coral with a combined formula of a lipstick with a glossy finish. It’s certainly the perfect summer lipstick you can ever have.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Smoked Peach – This one is a matte orange that’s creamy in formula, lightweight and pigmented, not the best in the latter but it’s still pretty good.

Coral Shades:

Wet’N’Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Just Peachy – Here is another matte lipstick but in a beautiful bright coral shade. The pigmentation of this lipstick line is just incredible and though they might seem drying the lips at first, they actually don’t.

Maybelline Colordrama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in In With Coral – A bright neon coral that screams summer! The pencil is very creamy, pigmented with a semi matte finish and unlike the regular lip pencils, the Maybelline intense velvet lip pencils are very comfortable and don’t dry the lips.

Fuchsia Shades:

e.l.f Moisturizing Lipstick in Pink Minx – This is one of the lipsticks that has been laying on my vanity for so long but never tried for no reason until lately and I wish I did any sooner. The shade comes as a bright true pink. It is very moisturizing, highly pigmented and extremely lightweight.

NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in Fig – This is a bright pink with pastel undertones with a very creamy and great pigmentation.

Essence Longlasting Lipstick in Love Me – I love how easy this lipstick applies. It is very creamy and pigmented. The color is a lovely light pink but more on the neutral side; which makes it perfect for everyday wear.   

Wet’N’Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Mauve Outta Here – Another Wet’N’Wild Lipstick that I’m obsessed with. The texture is exactly the same as the Just Peachy but the color is stunning, at least for me. It’s a medium toned mauve/pink that could look scary in the packaging but believe it is wonderful on the lips.

This is it for my summer lipstick picks, stay tuned as I’m planning to have a series of this type of posts featuring the picks of the season for different products.

Until next time.