My Thoughts Corner

I’m an organizing freak and I loooove a good declutter … Every now and then I go around the house downsizing all categories and my makeup drawers ain’t any exception.  Though, in this process, there are some bits I find myself torn if I should keep or not; afraid that one day I might need them but in reality, if there is no added value then there is no point keeping it… To give an end to my misery, I usually give my maybe pile a last try and settle on which ones are worth holding on to and those to be tossed/given away. 

E.L.F Beautifully Bare Foundation Serum | I have listed this one back in 2016 in my “Disappointing Products”, yet I kept it to give it a proper go as a “tinted primer” and I haven’t. I certainly couldn’t wear it on its own as I love a good coverage, but this time, I went on with my concealer on top of my flaws and to my surprise this little bottle wowed me; it’s insanely lightweight and it makes my skin look so radiant and even. With an SPF 25, this foundation would make a great choice for summer days and the no makeup looks. For the time being, this bottle is going nowhere and will definitely retain it. 

Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Palette | Regular readers would know by now that I’m a huge fan of Makeup Revolution as it stands and when I spotted this palette I had to have it. It is certainly a different palette than the MR’s typical ones in terms of design, shadow size pan and versatility. Though I do like the great finish/color diversity, the pigmentation of some shades didn’t do a whole lot for me making them quite hard to work with. I have been trying this one on and off but, despite all the hype it was around it, I couldn’t make myself love it as much as the Iconic Pro 1, Pro 2 or the recently reviewed Neutrals Vs New-trals palette. Therefore, I’m passing this along to someone who could make a better use out of it.

Catrice High Glow Mineral Highlighting Powder | It is the only baked highlighter I own. I was very excited to have it but not so much after I tried it. It is a silvery champagne shade that’s supposed to provide a glamorous glow, but that was too obvious on my skin tone. The texture as well is quiet dry for my liking and has a lot of kick off leaving a chaos of stubborn glitter on my face. Unfortunately, this is a pass. 

Too Faced Rock N Roll Palette | I first got this palette for the packaging. I loved the color theme of the eyeshadows but never thought that’s what I would go for one day. And I did. And I loved it! To make the whole story short it’s a “glam meets pretty”. However, two things not to forget with this palette; wet your brush for an intense metallic/foiled effect and DO YOUR EYES FIRST. The shadows easily last for a good 8-9 hours. This is another one that’s for now going nowhere. It is a KEEP. 

Maybelline Colossal Go Extreme! Leather Black Volume Mascara | It is usually difficult for me to fall in love with a mascara and once I do I stick to it. Maybelline makes some of my favorite ones and when I got my hand on the Colossal Go Extreme I assumed it’s at the same level of quality. But No. I normally look for volume and length, as I’m blessed with none, and this one claims to offer extra volume and that’s not at all what I got… I’m also not a big of the wand shape as I like it to get to the tiniest of my lashes which is not the case here. I couldn’t see any added value. Currently, I have few other mascaras that I love way more than this one. 

At last, I’m keeping 2 products out of 5. It surely makes me feel good despite that’s not a huge number looking at my entire makeup collection. This is it for today. Stay tuned as there is more to come!

The contouring is far from over. I have never though been into the super done contouring, well except in the first beginning. But, since I heard about this craze, I always made the link to cream products especially for a defined look. Today’s review is about a cream product; the Maybelline Master Contour V Shape Duo Stick, that’s made to make the contouring fool proof.

Maybelline is known to offer a quality to blow you mind away, and this new product is no different. The Master ContourV Shape Duo Stick is a 2-in-1 product; contour & highlighter, that’s available in only two shades, and I’ve got the medium one. It is presented in a retractable chubby stick which makes it super handy for travelling or just throw in your bag.

The formula is extremely creamy and applies effortlessly. For a fact, it’s as simple as “swipe, switch, swipe, blend and you’re ready to go!”. The shades are intensely pigmented with a matte finish. Once all blended seamlessly, you are left with a very natural but sculpted look and the best of all; it lasts all day. I would though recommend setting it with a powder because of consistency.

Overall I think that the MaybellineMaster Contour V Shape Duo Stick is such a handy stick that’s literally the easiest product for contouring. I was certainly able to get the naturally lifted and sculpted cheeks with this little one instead of the stripes that are better suited for Social Media photos. However, it can be difficult to use each side separately once the product starts to grind down.

Hope you enjoyed this review as much as I enjoy using my contour stick every single day!!

Thank you for reading.

Lightweight is a main norm for me to pick a foundation and that goes hand in hand along with the medium to full coverage that it offers. In 2016 I’ve been enjoying few of them so let’s get started.

My latest purchase is the Urban Decay Naked SkinWeightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup that I love since I got it. It’s such a nice foundation that feels like nothing, just like the name states, and gives a great coverage without being heavy or cakey. It also enables the skin to seem more radiant thanks to its light reflecting pigments and blurs all imperfections.

The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind The Eraser TreatmentMakeup is another foundation of choice of mine. It makes my skin look radiant and healthy and provides a medium coverage with a lovely satin finish.

The next foundation I will talk about is my first on its category and I’m so addicted to it; the Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in shades NC20 and NC35. This product is one of those smart ones as it reacts as a foundation and setting powder. The coverage offered is medium to full and feels like skin with a great staying power. For a fact, it’s my top foundation of the moment along with the Urban Decay.

Time for setting all that foundation and for that purpose I’ve been liking few. I will start with the banana powder in elfcontour palette which I use to set my concealer and brighten my under eye.  The powder itself is very soft, pigmented and blends easily.

Loose powders are not my thing just because it tends to be messy however I still own some and The NYX Mineral Matte Finishing Powder is my favorite. I was attracted by how soft and finely milled the powder is. It gives such a natural silky finish and I also appreciate how comfortable it feels once on.

My latest acquisition is the Urban Decay De-SlickMattifying Powder. Let’s first take a moment to appreciate the stunning packaging of this beauty. It’s a great pressed powder that adds radiance and glow to the skin without providing a natural and flawless finish.  

This is my current trust-y bunch of base products but I certainly have a longer wish list that I want to try.

Thank you for reading!!! 

Hi Everyone,

2016 went crazily fast and during this year, I tried so many products and since it is December, my favorite month, I wanted to post a roundup of my favorite products of this year, mainly makeup ones. I preferred to mention the products in accordance with my order of application. Without further ado, I will be talking about base products; namely primers and concealers.

Sunscreen is always my first step that I never missed even in winter time. For years, I’ve been using my trusty La Roche PosayAnthelios XL 50+ spf. It’s a light, paraben free and non-perfumed sunblock that prevent sunspot and age spots.

For primers, my first is technically a skin care product. In other words, it’s a tinted moisturizer, namely the La Roche PosayEffaclar Duo (+) Unifiant that I picked while in Paris. Check my haul here and here. It is one of those clever products that fall in the midst of skin care and makeup that works on unifying the skin and correcting the marks.

The l’oreal Nude Magique Blur Cream is one of those late discoveries of mine. However, when I tried it, I loved it. Though I’m not a silicon base product lover, I figured that this one works perfectly underneath my powder foundation without feeling on the top of my skin like most of silicon base primers.

My second product category is concealers and I’ve got to admit is my second favorite beauty product after bronzers. I will start with a staple one; the Mac Pro Longwear Concealer. It is long wearing with a creamy liquid consistency and offers medium to full coverage.

My second under eye concealer is the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, which I believe is a great one for a drugstore. Though its thin consistency that doesn’t settle into the fine line, it gives good coverage and impressive staying power.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer is again another staple with a lot of hype but it’s for a reason. It’s a lightweight concealer with a medium coverage and creamy velvety texture. The product brightens up the under-eye area without accentuating the fine lines.

Last but not least is the Mac Prep and Prime Highlighter. It is a beautiful concealer that I particularly like to use along with my Mac Pro Long Wear. It is lightweight yet creamy with a good pigmentation and doesn’t crease.

This is my first part of the base products and I will shortly be back with the second part that covers foundations and setting powders.

What’s your favorite products? Please comment below if I should try any of it.

This is my second and final round of my Paris haul which include four more items. I have to say that I’m proud of myself for making smart buys during this trip. Let’s just hope that the performance of these products will be as high as my hopes…!!!

The first purchase is a CC cream that’s the first in my collection and I was for so long, keen to try one of these with no brand limitation. I got my hands on the L’Oréal Nude Magic CC Cream in Effet Bonne Mine for dull and tired skin. It has an SPF 20 and supposed to provide hydration for 24 hours.

I’ve got another cream contouring product that I’ve heard only good things about. It is the Maybelline Master Contour V-Shape Duo Stick Contour & Highlight in 02 Medium .. Damn it, that’s a long name. I first opened the tube, whilst typing this post and tried it on the back of my hand and so far, I’m liking it. I’m also in love with the packaging; it is very compact and easy to throw in your bag.

La Roche-Posay is by far my favorite French skin care brand. Everything I tried from them made a difference to my skin. That’s why I got the Effaclar Duo (+) Unifiant (€14.90) in Light to immediately lessen imperfections and marks for a more even skin tone and texture.

Lastly, I decided to gift myself the Limited Edition Nars Orgasm Blush (€39.90) which was in my wishlist for so long but I simply could never justify the price. I don’t think I need to add to all the hype this particular product is having, however I have to say that the color is so beautifully exquisite that I’m not surprised that everyone raves about it.

I hope you enjoyed, thank you for stopping by and keep your eyes up on some upcoming reviews!!

I’m finally back after not showing up for a whole month. September was a busy one but mainly exciting especially that I’ve been in Paris and enjoyed the wonderful city, weather, family and friends and that the comeback very hard but…. C’est la vie!

Whilst in Paris, I obviously did some shopping however I didn’t go crazy as I focused on things I can’t get (or get easily) here in Dubai despite the fact that I was quite restrained as the price of the French pharmacy are extremely cheap across abroad.

I’ve decided to divide this post into two parts to give me more time to chat about all products. I’ve got to say that I haven’t tried any of these except for 2 or 3 items, however I’ll take you through each product and specify what made it interesting to me.

The first beauty shop that was on my way was KIKO which is known for their good quality products at an affordable price. I start off with the In The Shade Eyeshadow And Kajal (€5) in 01 and 05 and are from the limited edition collection for 2016. These are double ended pencils with an intense color payoff and extreme hold. I always loved the idea of eye shadow pencils especially when travelling or when I am short on time in the mornings. The colors are beautiful and perfect for everyday wear with a soft and creamy texture.

Next up is another limited edition product; the Strobe & Sculpt Cream Contour Palette (€14.90) in 02 medium to dark. I’m not into cream contouring as much as powder which made my collection in that category narrow and that’s what made me go for this one. This is one of those I haven’t tried yet however when swatched; the colors are subtle and the texture is creamy.

My last purchase from Kiko is their pencil lip gloss (€3.90) in 10, which is a nude dark rose shade; nothing surprising here. It is very comfortable and easy to apply. In fact, I wish I picked other shades but unfortunately there weren’t many left in the store I was in.

The last product for this first round of the haul is the Maybelline Instant Anti-Age L’Effaceur Fond De Teint which I believe is the Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup. I couldn’t resist picking up this foundation, hoping that it will be as good as the age rewind concealer which happens to be one of my holy grail concealers. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

So that sums up my first round of Paris Beauty Haul. I’ll be posting my second part in tomorrow’s post so stay tuned for that.

The Lash Sensational was one of Maybelline’s well-loved in the beauty community so when I spotted the Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara I had to have it… Technically it promises the same fan effect as the original one using oil based formula for supple and nourished lashes.

The packaging is absolutely attractive; black matte packaging with pink accents and the wand is sort of different in shape from all mascaras I own; it is called a “fanning reservoir Brush” with short bristles and deep gabs that arouse the product from the roots. The formula was the main reason why I wanted to give the Luscious Lash Sensational a go, as it’s infused with precious oils for healthy lashes.  In fact it is pretty wet but dries out quickly adding volume and length for that natural “fanned out” and soft lashes without smudging or clumping.

The Maybelline Luscious Lash Sensational Mascara is definitely a keeper! Though I wasn’t a fan of it when I just got it, I find it creeping into my everyday makeup slowly and I’ve got to say I started to like it. My lashes for a fact remain soft all day and a bit dramatic with only one coat.

Hopefully that was helpful!!! Thanks for reading,

Until next time!

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.