#TRESMakeover: A Beauty & Style Session With TRESemme

I quite love sessions with the beauty and haircare industry thought leaders. You know you are going to walk out of that session empowered with tricks of the trade and secrets that make you go, "Why didn't I think of that?".

It's always enlightening to listen to experts converse about how a particular trend initiated on the global runways, would work in the region or how you could emulate Victoria Beckham's gorgeous choppier bob and still look glam despite not having her cheekbones. Haircare expert, TRESemme launched the #TRESMakeover campaign, showcased some beautiful hairstyles that can be easily replicated for occasions and invited me to be part of a session to witness a live makeover. Hairstylist Georges El Mendelek, fashion designer Alanoud Badr and makeup artist Sarah Al Wadaani dished out some interesting tricks and trends.

Have you ever used a hair mask and witnessed that it weighs down your hair? How about trying to put on false eyelashes? I have to raise my hand because I can't put on falsies. I just can't, no matter how much I try. Kudos to the girls who actually apply it in seconds!

The Key To Beautiful Skin With Bioderma

I'm so grateful to the Bioderma team who developed the famed Sensibio H2O. They've made makeup removal a breeze. It's also one of my travel essentials and I always have a bottle sitting on my makeup table. The French brand plays host to several skincare gems and every product I used/use delivers what it claims. From cleansers to sunscreens and everything in between, Bioderma never disappoints.

It's one of the few French brands I blindly trust, truly love and one that impresses me time and time again. Bioderma took the brilliant initiative to set up a Skin Academy and impart all the secrets to beautiful skin. It almost sounds like a secret society made for beauty enthusiasts! At the Academy, we were made aware of how our skin is affected by extreme temperatures, exposure to the harsh sun and tricks of the trade when it comes to maintaining beautiful, supple skin.

Double Cleansing Method: I Tried It and Here's Why You Should Too

I know it's a chore. After a long day at work (or a night of partying), you return home and don't have the patience to remove the gunk of makeup off your face. You reach out for a face wipe, use it and hit the sack. Next day you wake up, apply makeup and the vicious cycle continues.

I say vicious because those wet wipes don't quite take off makeup and sunscreen completely. Yes, they will wipe your face clean but it isn't completely clean. Face wipes can use irritation (since you are rubbing the skin and I've read that there are added preservatives in wipes to prolong the shelf life). Even though the companies manufacturing the wet wipes state you don't necessarily require a secondary cleanser, the fact is you do.

Throughout the day, our skin tends to be a target for pollutants and grime. You can't use wipes and claim your skin is clean. When you spot a zit or two or dull skin tone, it all goes back to how to maintain the health of your skin (that includes your diet, as well). I've learnt it the hard way. I used to reach out for a face wipe as well.

Reviewed: Palmer's Moisture Repair Raw Shea Hair Care Range

If you've lived in Dubai long enough, you will agree when I say the summer just keeps getting harsher and harsher. The heat is unforgiving and it becomes unbearable to walk outside for 10 mins without breaking into a sweat that will pretty much stain the back of your shirt.

The heat plays havoc on the skin, hair and health. We are advised to apply sunscreen, stay indoors and be wary of the symptoms of a heat stroke. Watermelon juice becomes a favorite of mine when the summer season arrives. And super moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter for skin is a staple in my skincare routine.

So when Palmer's sent across their Moisture Repair hair care range, the words Shea Butter stuck out like the brightest crayon.

Marlay Creme Raparatrice: An Ultra Hydrating Hand & Foot Cream

It's quite common for women to pay attention to the face when it comes to skincare and ignore the areas where the signs of ageing show up quickly- the neck and hands. We also tend to ignore taking care of the feet unless we have an appointment at the nail salon. 

The weather tends to play havoc on our skin and there's no getting around dry/chapped skin, especially in the summer season unless you take time to pamper it. And by pampering, I don't necessarily refer to the spa. Super moisturizing ingredients are key when it comes to dry skin and with several brands narrowing down their main ingredients to shea butter and the likes, pampering the skin takes a few seconds. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again- I genuinely love beauty products from France. Having used (I still do) several luxury Parisienne beauty/skincare products, I can vouch for their effectiveness. It's not only the luxe brands that do the job well but also others, namely this new brand I discovered- Marlay Cosmetics. 

Parisienne Beauty With Arcancil

When I paid a visit to Paris, France sometime ago, I noticed the Parisienne girls had barely any makeup on during the day. They walked about with their flawless porcelain skin whilst holding what looked like spring water sealed in a bottle. Their hair was something Rapunzel would be proud of; it wasn't voluminous or long but short and well maintained.

The girls there know how to take care of their skin and don't really have complex routines when it comes to beauty. Whilst browsing a well known skincare brand, I spoke to one of the attendants and the conversation careened into beauty routine; she told me that glam for the French girls meant a bit of mascara, perhaps "some color on the cheeks and lips". 

France is a country that is credible when it comes to the beauty industry. The French churn out innovations in beauty that pretty much make most girls (including myself) want to buy it in an instant. I started using a Parisienne skincare brand a couple of years ago and have never looked back. The products are A+, deliver on everything they claim and while the price is on the higher end, it is worth every penny. Even the brand's beauty segment is beyond brilliant. From there on, I tried a handful of other Parisienne brands and loved them. There's not one that has failed me. Hence, I blindly trust skin and beauty care from France. 

So when another Parisienne brand popped on the my desk, I was excited to try them. 

Summer Skin and Hair Ready With Palmer's

Some people are night owls and others are early birds. Some bask in the glory of the summer's glistening sun while others wait patiently for the breeze of the winter season. I'm the latter and I really can't stand the harsh, unforgiving heat that the summer season brings to the country. I speak for more than a handful when I say the season is unbearable. Hey, if you keep a tube of sunscreen or forgot a chocolate bar in your parked car for about 15mins, you can kiss both of them goodbye.

It's not just lotions or the food the heat plays havoc on. It's skin and hair too. Girls will relate to this when I say, Hello Summer, Hello Frizz. Or hair takes the brunt of the heat and no matter how gorgeous blow dried hair looks once you step out of the salon, a short walk to the parking lot is frizz guaranteed. Let's talk about how nutritionists/doctors advise us to drink more water in the season. I still end up with patches of dry skin (it aggravates in the winter, but I'm cool with that season).

So, when Palmer's sent across a summer ready kit I was quite intrigued by one particular product.

Review: Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Oud Satin Mood

I love oud. And it's not because I live in a country where oud and oud based fragrances are the epitome of local Arab households when it comes to scents. In the UAE, oud has taken a rather interesting turn. While we have local perfumeries that create classic oud fragrances, established global brands have studied and understood our love for oud thereby, developing their own versions.

Oud is beautiful and luxurious. It gives off a wonderful and pleasing fragrance. For some, it is overwhelming and immediately disregarded. For the rest (like me), it is one of the most unique ingredients in a fragrance. Having said that, I buy only a few oud fragrances as opposed to the collection of oriental/woody fragrances I own. And I don't really deviate from the local brands that develop my favorite oud fragrances. Having said that, there's one particular French perfumerie that blew me away with their oud fragrance.

Summer Beauty Picks

On a daily basis, we are all inundated with beauty products and recommendations from magazine editors, friends, bloggers and the likes. It can get overwhelming especially for me. Let's face it, there are atleast 4 new beauty products launched every day. And each of them are marketed so well that you want to head straight to either Bloomingdale's or Sephora to buy it. I know, I know...I shouldn't give in, considering I'm in the media industry.

Nonetheless, there are a few that when discovered tend to gain brownie points either immediately or after a couple of uses. They either end up becoming a summer or winter favorites. I tend to change my skincare and beauty routine in the summer. I don't usually use heavy moisturizers or foundations and tend to skip products that aren't necessarily made for the summer.

Having said that, here's a round up of a few products I've discovered (and love) that are apt for the unforgiving summer season.

Reviewed: Palmer's Ultra Moisturizing Lip Balms

You know, there are certain brands that do so well when they develop products particularly for the summer? They either end up as limited edition or permanently due to the surge in demand. While I dislike the summer season (hello, burnt skin and uncomfortable temperatures), I always look forward to the new products devised for the summer. And I'm grateful that I haven't come across any disappointing ones (at least, I don't remember them if I have).

I'm a firm believer of sunscreen and because my skin burns easily (not a pleasant sight or feeling), I tend to slap on sunscreen that contains SPF 100 or 50. The days that I do forget sunscreen are the days I tend to scurry for shade when walking outdoors.

Having said that, I've discovered yet another interesting product that doesn't disappoint. Palmer's Ultra Moisturizing Lip Balms may look like the run of the mill balms, but they aren't.

Nailed It At The White Room Spa, Dubai

While I have my go-to nail salon, every now and then I deviate from it and visit other salons. I usually tend to discover either new services (chrome nails in certain salons before every other salon started to offer them) or new products. In Dubai, there's a funky new salon popping up every now and then and some of them certainly have an edge over the others.

One such example is that of The White Room Spa. This quaint salon offers the expected beauty services with a handful of special offers thrown in every now and then. How many times have you gone into a salon, shown the picture and walked out with the hairstyle you wanted?

Reviewed: Bioderma's latest, Photoderm Nude Touch

For several people, summer means frolicking on the beach and having a fantastic time. For me, it's the complete opposite. When you live in a city like Dubai, you begin to detest the unbearable heat. Walk 2 mins in the parking lot towards your car, and you will end up with a sweaty back and frizzy hair. The heat has no mercy. If you've forgotten a chocolate bar in the car, you can take the now liquid chocolate and discard it.

The summer season plays havoc with skin, hair, health, food and everything you can think of. There are only a few reasons why I like summer such as ice-cream, embellished flip flops/sliders, dining indoors and having iced tea.

One of the core reasons I don't quite enjoy the summer season is due to the fact that my skin burns easily. It's not a pleasant feeling or sight and the sting of the sun rays becomes unbearable. You'd find multiple tubes of sunscreen at home and in my handbag. I religiously apply sunscreen and always buy Bioderma's Photoderm Max SPF 100. I trust the brand because the first product I bought lived up to its claims (the famous Sensibio H20) and then I went on to purchase a handful of others. It's one of the few brands that did not disappoint. Hence, when I was invited to the launch of their latest product, Photoderm Nude Touch, I was quite intrigued.

All Glammed Up With Glamazle.com

One of the things I absolutely love about online beauty stores is the fact that they manage to acquire certain cosmetics and skincare/haircare brands that aren't available in the UAE yet. I spend a chunk of my monthly savings on online shopping (be it clothes or cosmetics or accessories) and it's because they have something unique to offer. And I doubt I will shy away from the trend of purchasing online- it's quick and you can return products you aren't happy with.

Performance aside, I also tend to buy beauty products because of the packaging. One look at Giorgio Armani's sleek casing or Tom Ford's luxe lipsticks is enough to make me buy them, but never use them (weird, I know). How about Diptyque? Among other things, I love the brand for it's minimalist designs.  

I think I speak on everyone's behalf when I say buying beauty products online can get a bit tricky. Consider foundation, for example- this is where you have to swatch the product on your skin in order to ensure you buy the right shade. Lipsticks can get challenging as well. There's one brand I am itching to try and discovered it about 2 years ago. The ever so popular Colour Pop Cosmetics. Because this brand isn't available in the UAE, I watched countless videos on YouTube and read blog posts in order to narrow down which matte lipsticks (about 90% of my lip colors are matte) and eye shadows would best suit me. After months of deliberation, I finally decided to place my order during a sale weekend (the brand has these every now and then). I placed my order and every 24 hours, logged onto the delivery site to check on the status. For 15 days straight, my package was still marked as being at the "facility of origin". I finally lost patience and cancelled my order. I never got to try the brand and their wonderful lip colors. 

That was until I discovered local online beauty store, Glamazle.com stocked the brand! I was ecstatic and had stars in my eyes. During their second birthday celebration, they displayed quite a few brands that I had no idea were stocked locally. I was pleasantly surprised (and impressed).

Reviewed: Palmer's His & Her's Cocoa Butter Body Lotions

In an industry that is saturated with beauty products, there are only a few that become firm favorites and make it to the list of re-purchases. There are some that I love in an instance and others take a while to grow on me. One such brand that had the instant love effect is Palmer's. While the first product was a body lotion (discovered through Glambox), the product that caught my attention was their face oil. I loved the consistency and how my skin felt after using it.

From then on, I went on to try their variations of body lotions (Coconut and Olive Oil are my favorite!) and was quite impressed by the brand and the overall performance of each product. For Valentine's Day, Palmer's sent across a his and her version of their classic Cocoa Butter body lotion. While I have used the lotion previously (it is one of the most hydrating lotions I've used), I was quite intrigued by the version developed for men.

Reviewed: Fillerina Plus Night Cream

Every weekly magazine features atleast one article on flawless skin and how to achieve it. There are various ways including tapping into cosmetology. After all, isn't flawless skin on top of everyone's wishlist?

When you live in a cosmopolitan city such as Dubai, you have more than a handful of options to choose from- you either shell out AED 955 for a cream that works its magic while you blissfully sleep or you can step into the doctor's office for perfect skin. Let's talk about the latter. If I could get a penny for everytime I opened a magazine and saw a full page picture of a model with super smooth skin, I'd have built my own skyscraper. Editors across the city always introduce us to new skincare products especially anti-ageing. Because, let's face it- we all want to turn back the clock. I know of girls in their early 20s (my cousin sis for one) who has a very annoying horizontal line on her forehead. It's not that visible but when she points it out, you can see it staring back at you.

It's unfortunate that some individuals develop these skin 'flaws' earlier on. So when I attended the launch of the Swiss brand, Labo Suisse's Fillerina Plus launch, the annoying wrinkle came to mind. I was quite intrigued as the overall reviews I read were quite positive.

Reviewed: Palmer's Amazing Body Lotions

If you've lived in the glorious city of Dubai long enough, you know that body lotions and rich moisturizers are a regular part of one's beauty arsenal. The summer season lasts for a while here, so we tend to consumer a lot of water, coconut water and slather more than required moisturizers on our faces and bodies with the hopes of creating a dry skin barrier.

While we have access to a plethora of products (there's a launch almost every month), there are some brands that have become part of my favorites list right away. I've mentioned this before and I'll say it again, Palmer's is one of them. They seem to get quite a few things right and don't fail to impress.

When the new body lotions landed on my desk, I was a bit intrigued by the Olive Oil version.

Beauty Launch: Beautiful Skin With Bioderma's Sensibio Gel Moussant Cleanser

Bioderma became a staple of my beauty arsenal the day I used the ever so popular Sensibio H20. Post the first empty bottle, I went to repurchase the stellar makeup remover and ended up paying for other skin benefiting products such as the Photoderm (sunscreen) and the Hydrabio Serum, to name a few.

It's one of those French brands that make you fall head over heels from the moment you first use it. I genuinely love Bioderma and if I could choose any 3 skincare brands, this one would definitely make the cut. Coincidentally, my go-to and all-time favorite skincare brand also happens to be French!

Bioderma is one of the few brands that excel in skincare and deliver on what they claim. Every product I've used to date hasn't failed the first impression test. And the latest from the brand, the Sensibio Gel Moussant cleanser is no different.

November Glambox Revealed

Let's talk about luscious locks. What's the first thing that comes to mind? TV commercials featuring models with beautiful (let's-face-it-unattainable) hair or rolling of the eyes because you know hair once damaged, is hair that will never go back to being healthy?

For me, it's Rapunzel. As a kid, right after The Little Mermaid, Rapunzel was one princess that intrigued me. I was in awe of her long, beautiful locks and pitied her for the way Grizelda treated her. Then Disney decided to revamp the princess with beyond gorgeous hair in a 20th century version known as Tangled. I loved the movie because of the new characters (Flynn) and just how empowered Rapunzel was projected to be. I mean, beauty with brains?

In my world, Rapunzel will always remain the girl with beautiful hair and kudos to the writer who penned the original story. Beautiful hair is a result of several factors. It goes without saying genes also play a vital role. Nonetheless, damaged hair or tresses that require a pick me up are easy to achieve- be it through tapping into nature or by sitting in a salon, whilst hoping the hairdresser doesn't mess up your hair.

Beauty Launch: Rimmel Scandaleyes Reloaded Mascara

Rimmel is one of those drugstore English brands that keeps churning out one good product after the other. My love affair with Rimmel first began years ago when I was gifted the Exaggerate eyeliner and the Kate Moss approved Long Lasting lipstick.

I used those two products religiously considering they were the first few makeup products in my arsenal. That beauty kit has now changed and expanded but my love for Rimmel stays constant. I particularly love their eye shadows, eyeliners and lipsticks (although I'm a matte fan, I can do with a little shine and gloss every now and then). And of course, no eye look is complete without a mascara.

To celebrate the launch of their latest Scandaleyes Reloaded mascara, they tapped into the girl who brought back strong eyebrows, Cara Delevingne. I love this girl's unique look and so thankful that she was brave enough to walk around with power eyebrows. She makes a fitting choice as Rimmel's brand ambassador!

Reviewed: Palmer's Skin Therapy Face Oil

Aren't face oil all the rage right now? I love straight-forward skincare routine that doesn't take up much of my time. I don't layer a plethora of products on my face such as serums, activators, oils and other creams because I don't have the time and neither the patience.

Having said that, there are several brands that have jumped on the face oil bandwagon. I'm not one of those who assumed a face oil would, by default reflect a greasy residue on the face post application. But my best friend was. It took a little convincing to get her to see the 'after-effects' on the face oil and today, she uses it religiously.

For as long as I can remember, I have included face oils in my skincare routine. It's become an essential now rather than an option. Skincare brands then moved from standard face oils to the ones packed with skin boosters. Each brands competes to deliver the best and there are only a few that are my favorite. Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil devised for the face just landed on that list.