Want: Benefit Cosmetics' Fine One One

This went waaaay on top of my wishlist. I love Benefit- so, when I discovered their latest called Fine One One, the beauty alarm went off! It's a multi-purpose sheer lip and cheek trio (similar to my favorite cheek stain)- 3 colors in one and comes in a case that looks like those vintage cigarette lighters (no, I don't smoke).

 

The beauty of it is you apply all colors in one go. Sounds a bit "What the?!" but wait until you hear why. The pink champagne acts as a highlighter, right below that shade is a sheer watermelon followed by coral. When the last 2 colors are blended together, it give a natural flush of color on your cheeks. And of course, you can select which color you want on your lips.

Sounds like a fun product! Can't wait until it arrives in the UAE market. 

Competition: Mikyajy Make-up

Edit (Jan 7, 2013): This competition has concluded. Winner announced here.

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This week's giveaway includes some pretty products from Mikyajy. One lucky person will win:

1) Mikyajy Minx Ready to Wear Fluid Foundation. I've reviewed this product previously, read it here.
2) Mikyajy Minx Blind Date eyeshadow palette. Read my review here.
3) Mikyajy Sabaya Volume Waterproof Mascara. Read my review here.
  
How do you enter?

• Follow me on Twitter here and here [you must follow both]
• Confirm by tweeting: "I entered @KeepingUpWithN giveaway to win Mikyajy make-up http://bit.ly/RY25Md

Winner will be selected on random from a pool of all participants who have fulfilled the aforementioned conditions. Competition open to UAE residents only.

Review: Bourjois BB Cream

I would be a bit surprised if you haven't tried a BB cream- they are all over the beauty market! Everyone from Dior to Garnier have their versions of what a BB cream should be like. So behold, Bourjois' BB Cream.

What caught my eye was the name. Bourjois don't sell this as a BB cream...it's a BB Cream Foundation- a hybrid of make-up and cream that has 8 benefits. Apart from the usual requirements of a BB cream i.e. smooths the skin and provides hydration, this BB cream offers sun protection (SPF 20), has anti-ageing ingredients and is packed with mineral pigments. You know how most of the BB creams usually come in 2 shades? This one is available in 4 different shades so people don't complain.

So- on to what I think about it! I usually apply BB creams with my fingers as opposed to a brush/sponge so when I brushed my finger against the cream, I felt the swatch to be very sheer. Thus, raising doubts in my mind if this product would live up to its claims. It actually did. I applied the swatch directly onto my cheek and voila! It wasn't sheer. It was just about right. In other words, I didn't have to re-apply more on the same area. A little goes a long way.  The cream instantly blends into your skin and has a matte finish. I wonder why Bourjois decided to go for a matte version instead of a dewy one. I have normal-to-dry skin so, minor dry patches are inevitable- the cream happened to highlight that. That's the only concern I have. Perhaps next time, I'll slap on a moisturizing serum and then apply the BB cream.

*The product was sent by the brand/ its reps for a review. All reviews are based on my personal experience & outcome thereby presenting an honest opinion to the readers.

The Twilight Facial

When I read about this, my eyes almost popped out of their sockets. In Dubai, there exists a facial that uses your blood to give you a face lift, smooth out the wrinkles and all that jazz. Can you believe it?

Image credit: SheKnows.com

No, I haven't tried it and I won't and I don't know anyone who has either. I just find the concept of using your own blood in a facial (see how the words 'blood' and 'facial' do NOT go together?) a bit over the top. I mean, using green tea or fruits in a facial is fine, but your own blood? I don't know the complete process but from what I read, I know that your blood is injected into your skin.

The facial is aimed at an older age group so perhaps, it does help them in terms of refined skin texture, wrinkles and other things but this is the first facial I have heard of that makes use of something from your own body.

What are the other weird facials you've heard about?

Want: Manish Arora Spring Summer 2013

I've told myself a million times to quit buying anything that has leopard print because frankly, I've got at least 14 leopard print items (yes, I counted) from shoes to belts to handbags to tops. But whenever I see an accessory or piece of clothing that comes in leopard print, the alarm in my head goes off; I'm easily drawn to this print.

So, when I saw this piece from designer Manish Arora's Spring Summer 2013 collection...does anyone know where I can get this from in Dubai?

That pullover (I'm assuming it's a pullover) looks brilliant! I LOVE the leopard print on the sleeves. I'm not a fan of gold but gold foil leopard print is pure awesomeness!

How amazing is that skirt? Love the combination of light coral/ powder pink against the pale blue skirt. I want both, the pullover and the skirt although I'm not a fan of the gold detailing that appears towards the bottom of the skirt. Nor am I a fan of the leopard's/tiger's face.

I changed my mind. I want the pullover, skirt AND the clutch. How gorgeous do they all look? This just went on the wishlist!

I've checked the designer's official website to see where in Dubai they stock- nothing mentioned (although there's a mention of Kuwait). I also checked their online store to see if I could order the pieces, but they haven't updated it with the SS '13 collection. Debenhams are collaborating with the designer however, the pieces available at Debenhams will not feature any of SS '13 collection.  So, if anyone is aware where I can get these from in Dubai, leave a comment! 

Review: Mikyajy Winter Goodies

Just in time for the winter (or festive) season are new products from Mikyajy. They are fun, colorful, convenient and do the job whether it's for your face or lips or eye lashes.

Who doesn't love lip tints? For one, it eliminates the need to re-apply lip color every now and then.

 The Stained kit is packed with 4 lip stains with colors to suit every girl.

You can either keep the color light or build it up by applying multiple layers on your lips. The tints have crazy staying power and they don't transfer or smudge. They have a matte finish which I love. I was a bit taken back when I realized the tints have a really strong fragrance- people with sensitive noses may want to take precaution. The lip tints are extremely pigmented; I had to use two different makeup removers to take the color off my lips completely.

All in all - these are quite handy, fit in your bag, awesome colors and will be your good friend for the different seasons to come.

Next up is the Sabaya Caring Cream Foundation. If you don't know what the Sabaya range is, read my review here.

The foundation glides on smoothly and gives the face a refreshed natural matte look. If you don't like matte foundations, you can always mix it up with a little moisturizer to get that dewy finish.

 It lasts throughout the day and the texture is just like the name states- creamy (not liquid).

The Sabaya range also has a waterproof mascara, the older sister of the standard Sabaya mascara reviewed here; the mascara lengthens lashes and can be easily removed with waterproof eye makeup remover.

If you aren't a fan of cream foundations, then you must try Mikyajy's Minx Ready to Wear Fluid Foundation. It comes in a tube with a pump so you know exactly how much product you will need (no wastage, yay!).

The foundation gives a subtle glow and is light in weight. The best thing about this? It has SPF15. I love products with in-built sunscreen protection and I think almost all skincare and makeup should have such.

I loooooove these false lashes! They make evening/party eye-makeup look absolutely amazing. Eye-lash glue is included in each pack.

The Cleansing Wipes take away makeup in a jiffy! It has a small lid on the pack to keep the wipes from drying out which I think is a pretty nifty idea!

Head to your nearest Mikyajy to check out these and more fun products!

*The products were sent by the brand/ its reps for a review. All reviews are based on my personal experience & outcome thereby presenting an honest opinion to the readers. 

Holiday Picks

Being a huge fan of handbags, watches and statement necklaces among other things, I picked up  a couple of 2013 (and some old) items. They remain high on the never ending wishlist. Got a favorite?

Gucci Resort 2013

Fendi

Miu Miu

Marc Jacobs

Rolex

Gucci Resort 2013

Gucci Resort 2013

Miu Miu

Zac Posen

Jason Wu

Gucci Resort 2013

Competition: Goodies from Elemis FreshSkin

Updated Dec 13, 2012:
Competition has concluded. Winner is Nouria Al Ali.
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I have an amazing gift to giveaway this week! One winner will take home a goodie bag filled with products from Elemis FreshSkin- a brand new product range for the youth. You must know by now that Elemis is one of my favorites and I can vouch for the effectiveness of FreshSkin products; read my review to know more.

What do you win?

1. FreshSkin Discovery Kit: Peachy Perfect Gentle Face Wash, Softly Softly Daily Moisturizer, Dreamy Sleep Night Time Moisturizer, Skin Glow Exfoliating Face Wash, Deep Clean Purifying Face Masks
2. 2 packs of FreshSkin Cleansing Wipes (each pack has 25 wipes)

Want to grab these goodies? Head to my Facebook fan page to find out how.

Winner will be announced in a week's time and will be chosen at random. This competition is open to UAE residents only. Good luck!

Pixar's Little Lamp Is Alive!

Remember how before every single Pixar movie you see a little lamp hobbling it's way on the screen? No? Does this image bring back the memories? 

So- that lamp, named by Pixar as Luxo inspired 3 students from New Zealand to create a robot version of it. Called Pinokio, the object was created using 6 servos (motors used for controlling a system/process), a processor and a webcam.

Human beings have always been fascinated with robots (*cough* China, Korea, Japan *cough*) and when I watched this defenseless lamp come alive all I could think about was the movie, Terminator. Moving on...Pinokio tracks movement and reacts to the surrounding environment among other things. It relies on OpenCV (programming functions)...in other words- a lot of coding to make it what it is today. I'll avoid the programming jargon and leave you with this video but not before saying- I WANT!

December Beauty Bliss

Here's a new section on the blog- my favorite beauty products of the month. Although this list is a never ending one, I'll try to select a few (*rolls eyes) monthly favorites.

The first is the latest perfume from Marc Jacobs called Dot. Ladybugs are pretty and I'm guessing they were the inspiration behind the design.

How cute is the packaging and the bottle (sample size)? It fits right in my palm and smells amazing. It's not too floral or fruity- it's subtle floral (does that make sense?). The fragrance is a combination of Jasmine, coconut water, red berries and vanilla among other things. It's a refreshing fragrance of the month!

Next up is Elemis's Royal Collection. It's perfect for the festive season and has a plethora of products fit for queens and princesses.

From amazing bath time treats to products that make the skin glow, the Royal Collection is a must see if you want to pick something unique for this season or gift it to someone (hurray for unique festive season gifts). The Royal Collection also includes a gem for men! The JetSet Travel Collection consists of 5 products (cleanser, shaving foam, skin scrub, moisturizer, body wash) that will replenish tired skin. See all gift sets here

The third product is Benefit Cosmetic's POREfessional.

This got an image makeover but the product delivers the same results i.e. zapping pores and making them look like you've got no pores whatsoever.

I don't have a pores issue but I got my cousin to try this out and it worked like magic on her skin. The POREfessional balm minimizes the appearance of pores and you can re-apply it throughout the day. It also acts like a primer and is light weight (no clogging of the pores).

That wraps up this month's beauty favorites. What are yours?