Fun with Lush, Eggs and Surprises

I only happened to discover more of Lush recently and am in love with what they offer. They always have something fun for every occasion.  Be it Christmas or Mother's Day. For the day that is eggs and bunnies and all things nice (Easter), Lush have a handful of delightful limited edition products that kept making me go, "Ooooh so pretty". And they give off an amazing fragrance.

This is known as The Fluffy Egg.

It's a bath bomb (pop it into the tub and wait for the water to turn into cotton candy pink) but not your ordinary one. The bubblegum and vanilla smelling egg has so many surprises inside so wait for it to melt and enjoy the hunt!

Right next to The Fluffy Egg, sits The Secret Garden. It smells aaaaamaaazing. And why wouldn't it? It's got rose, sweet wild orange and rosewood oil.

There's a reason why it's named The Secret Garden. Pop it into your bath tub and watch the hidden surprises reveal themselves- petals, petals and more petals from flowers such as rose, marigold and blue mallow.

Too tired after a day's work? Zero energy left to even raise your hand? Then you should give The Brightside a go.

 It's a bath bar with citrus fragrance that will help you relax. It is also responsible for creating hundreds of orange and yellow bubbles. Two key ingredients include Tangerine and Bergamot Oil.

When I first saw this soap, I went "Woaah"- it looked like those Whack-a-Mole surfaces except that it was green, circular and had colorful Easter eggs on it's surface. See, I told you Lush comes up with funky stuff.

Of course, you get to take a slice of the soap home instead of the whole thing. The Egg Hunt soap is a blend of citrus essential oils, coconut oil and rapeseed oil to name a few. Hello, smooth skin!

The duck shaped bath product, Henata is full of surprises. You know how bath and rubber duckies go together? And you know how a pinata is full of surprises? So Lush gives you the Henata!

Just like the Fluffy Egg, the Henata has surprises too! Too bad you can't break it before hand...well, you can- but put it into the tub and watch the surprises float! Pretty cool for a bath product, I say.

Apart from this, I spotted a few cool things for mum. We don't need Mother's Day to gift our mums something right? Here are 2 fun fun fun products:

Say hello to The Washing Up Fairy (located on the right). I was surprised to learn that Lush not only makes skin and hair care products but also something to clean up those dishes! Yep, The Washing Up Fairy is a reusable solid detergent that melts in water so those dishes can be squeaky clean.

Madame Butterfly is an amazing rose jam scented reusable bath bar that helps improve the skin's appearance  while dissipating a lingering rose fragrance.

Lush also has those sweet gifts for your mum packed with amazing soaps, body conditioners and bath bombs among other things.  

There are several other limited edition surprises waiting in store! Head to Lush and I'm sure you won't leave empty handed.

Banana Republic x Mad Men Spring/Summer 2013 Collection

There's one thing I love about Banana Republic- the collections keep getting better and better. To top that, your wishlist keeps getting longer. If you liked last year's Spring/Summer collection or the Holiday collection, you will love the latest Mad Men inspired line.

Bringing the late 60s back in style, Banana Republic's Spring/Summer 2013 collection offers appealing pieces for both men and women.

The women's collection infuses vibrant colors, bold prints and eye catching accessories all combined to mirror vital style aspects  from the Man Men series. Now you can channel your inner Megan!

The pieces are washed in monochrome, green and coral among others and prints such as psychedelic, geometric and gingham keep you on trend. Banana Republic makes it easy to incorporate two trends in one look- monochrome and green.

A well dressed man always captures one's attention and if you aspire to be the next Don Draper or just be sophisticated in your choice of clothing, the men's collection will not fail to impress you.

Think plaids, stripes,  skinny ties and suits that would make James Bond command the attention of a room full of sleep deprived people.

In addition to the Mad Men inspired line, the Spring/Summer collection features shift dresses, knit shorts, jackets, polos and linen shorts among others.

How gorgeous does the combination of a white print top and cyan skirt look? The tan colored bag adds a punch to the entire outfit.

Love the monochrome striped skirt and top look (far right)- just goes to show you can wear monochrome from head to toe and not go overboard. Balance your look with the size of the print.

Here's how to do it right- different prints in one look combined with pastel colored accessories.

How gorgeous does this dress look?

Whites, greens, navy blues...these would look perfect for an evening in Paris. Dapper men and glamorous women.

A combination of yellow and monochrome is my new favorite! Incorporating this into my wardrobe today.

The Banana Republic Spring/Summer 2013 collection is now available in stores across the UAE.

Bourjois Sixties Remix Collection

Flowers, peace and hippies. That's what I think of when someone mentions the 1960s. And Bourjois is bringing back the 60s in style.

The Sixties Remix collection is all about colors that fit within this season's trend. Think pink doll like lips, bright nails and a radiant complexion.

To start off with, the collection features gorgeous products to enhance the beauty of your eyes. The famous Round Pot Eyeshadow is one of them.

True to the 60s era, the blue in Bleu Passe is a vintage blue that contains silvery pearl extracts.

Left side swatch is the dry version of the eye shadow while the right side is the wet version

If you apply it directly from the pot, you'll see a pale blue but moisten the eye shadow applicator for an intense color pay-off.

Dress up your lips in the new Rogue Edition lipsticks. The Corail en Vogue is a radiant coral that will brighten up your look. Perfect for Dubai's summer!

The nail polish is reviewed here. The Sixties Remix collection also includes a primer, eyeliner, mascara, nail polishes and stick on tattoos.

The collection is available in stores across the UAE.

*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.

Review: L'occitane Imortelle Brightening Mist

L'occitane has stuff that you'd find in a Disney princess's bedroom. Really. Have you seen/ used any of their products? I have and my love affair with L'occitane began when I bought the cleanser and moisturizer from their Angelica range. Every ingredient is carefully selected and when you read about them and its benefits, it's almost like reading a fairytale.

The Brightening Mist is a product that includes Imortelle. When I found out about the story of this flower, I was flabbergasted and still am. It is known as an everlasting flower because even when it dries out, the flower retains its form and color. What?! Can I have a bouquet of these?

So precious is Imortelle that L'occitane decided to give us the gift of beautiful skin within the Imortelle collection. The Brightening Mist acts as a dual product- you can either use it as a toner and or as a setting spray right after make-up. It is alcohol free (bonus!) and contains Imortelle floral water (sounds heavenly) among other ingredients to help soften and brighten the complexion.

The mist has a refreshing fragrance and has extremely fine light reflecting particles. I noticed it when, instead of a cotton pad I used my fingers to smooth away the product on my face.

People often confuse brightening to bleaching of the skin or products that fade away scars/ pigmentation. I just want to clear it out that the Brightening Mist is not a bleaching product. You can think of it as a very subtle version of shimmer powder but in liquid form. It gives you a subtle glow while pampering your skin with the flower's properties (anti- wrinkle, supple and smooth skin).

The Brightening Mist is great to give you and your face a blast of freshness anytime, anywhere.

Available at all L'occitane stores across the UAE.

*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.

Review: Une Frosty Eye Shadow

The Une Frosty Eye Shadow is from the Winter Collection but the colors are beautiful enough to wear throughout the year.

Une dubs it as 'fairy dust for the eye lids' and I can tell you it has incredible staying power. I tried the Frosty Eye Shadow in 01. It is a white to silver shade that reflects light to create a sparkle.

Left swatch is the dry version; right swatch is the wet version

One of the things that caught my attention was the fact that a few ingredients are organically farmed. I love makeup that has organic ingredients. The eye shadow is made up of Mica mineral powder that creates the micro pearly shimmer on the eye lids.

Here's a silver-washed eyes look you can create with the Une Frosty Eye Shadow.

The Une Frosty Eye Shadow comes in 4 shades- 2 cool colors and 2 warm colors. It is suitable for all complexions.

The eye shadows are available across stores in the UAE.

*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.

Happy 150th Birthday, Bourjois

Bourjois, the French cosmetics brand turned 150 years old this year! Can you believe it? That's a long way to go and to celebrate, they launched a bunch of new products.

The new nail collection entitled 'Rendez vous a Paris' features the So Laque Glossy nail polishes and the Easy Nail Art Kit.

The nail polishes come in 8 pastel and vibrant shades and last up to 10 days. The 'Coton sur ton' is a gorgeous pale pink. It's great for those who aren't into bold colors.

The Easy Nail Art Kit makes nail art so much fun! It includes nail stickers, stencils and silver thread to make your talons stand out from the crowd.

The Mini Nail Enamel collection is my favorite! This is an exclusive collection of 15 new shades that are inspired by this season's trends and the brand's history. I love it when companies include a little something that is part of them. So, let me tell you why this collection is so much fun and interesting.

Each of the 15 polishes have a distinct color and a mention of a year on the bottle. What's the significance behind this?

It is because each color reflects a certain trend/story within the specified year. If you are like me i.e. love history then you will find this concept interesting. Take this color for example:

It is called Les Theatres and the date is 1863. Bourjois was born in the era of theatres and arts. But what connection does Les Theatres have with this? Well, for starters- the deep red was inspired by the stage curtains. And everyone knows how red is reminiscent of old Hollywood glamor.

My favorite color out of the whole pack? The 1928 Soir de Paris. I LOVE this color so much, I didn't want to take it off.

Similarly, in 2006 Bourjois launched their Clubbing Mascara. And to reflect this within the 2006 nail polish, they launched a metallic gold version (it's on trend too!). And to celebrate this year, Bourjois offers you a traditional pink mini.

There are so many gorgeous colors such as the 1995 Grain de beaute, a pale pink to lilac, the 1980 La Petite Boite Ronde, a deep blue polish that celebrates the trademark Little Round Pots eye shadows and blushes, the 2001 Coupe de theatres, an intense shimmering black.

They are so cute- they fit into your handbag and are ideal for instant color on the go. I'll be hosting a giveaway for these, so watch this space.

The 150th Anniversary collection is available across stores in the UAE.

Reiss Launches Spring/Summer '13 Collection in Dubai

One word to describe the pieces of clothing I saw at Reiss's Spring/Summer '13 collection launch: 'gorgeous'. From long flowy dresses to jackets and peplums, the display had me making a mental wishlist of all the things I wanted.

Reiss took me and a handful of other bloggers on a yacht cruise to showcase the collection. I got to learn Reiss's history, some info on how Kate Middleton shops at Reiss (read on to find out!) and see firsthand the amazing pieces that exude opulence and bold fashion.  I've also been named as one of Reiss's brand ambassadors!

The Spring/Summer '13 collection boasts of colors and prints that are eye-catching and trendy, clean cuts and sheer fabrics.

The boxy jacket when paired with a floral skirt (think hydrangea, lotus and poppy prints) makes the entire outfit feminine yet bold. Don't you love the color of the jacket? It's bang-on for this season.

Reiss brings pastels back with this beautiful sheer top that is just about perfect for day or night. It's one of my favorite looks.

Subtle ruffles and intricate detailing make their mark on clean cut tops and dresses.

And here are the two dresses that caught my attention and are definitely making their way to my wardrobe. On the right is my first favorite- an absolutely beautiful piece known as 'Giselle' that is available in 2 colors: white with a black kaleidoscope print and a green to blue (not necessarily turquoise) version. This particular version you see is exclusive to the Middle East region while Europe and others have a shorter version. There are very few dresses that instantly make me go, "Yea, I'm buying that" and this was one of them.

On the left is Reiss's take on pleats and peplums (I love how this peplum version doesn't look like you've stuffed pillows around the waist/hips). Known as 'Semra' , it is a powder blue sleeveless dress. There was so much talk about how this is the perfect dress for the horse races this month- hello Best Dressed Woman?

Along with this came a new wave of accessories- from totes to oversized clutches and heels, Reiss has you covered for this season.

The Spring/Summer '13 collection is now available in all stores across the UAE. I've been informed though, that certain pieces (Giselle for example) are selling out quick.

And here's a little secret on the shopping habits of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge. Kate is known to wear quite a few Reiss pieces and her choices are incredible. She can make a dull grey look chic. Remember this picture? She's wearing a Reiss dress and everyone went crazy about it.

Here's what Reiss's brand manager, Alberta told me about how Kate shops at Reiss. When she picks up dresses or other pieces of clothing, she doesn't necessarily wear them in that season. That's why when she is spotted wearing one, people rush to the store(s) and aren't able to find it. Then based on demand, Reiss manufactures those pieces again but in limited quantity. I've been told Kate has recently picked up a yellow floral print dress that she has yet to wear. I'm guessing this will make an appearance after the baby has arrived so keep an eye out!

Thank you to the Reiss and Emirates Woman team for a wonderful event. It's one of the best I've attended. Now, I'm off to buy that Giselle dress.