Hi Guys,

This week I am bringing to you a blog post all about glasses. I have worn glasses from a very young age. Primary school in fact. I went through a long period of trying to get away with not wearing them, like a lot of kids probably do, however, I think they just gradually got worse. I used to do the whole thing where I would take them with me to school but only wear them when I was in lesson, but around sixth form and uni I gave in a decided to just wear them full time as I literally couldn't see clearly more than 2 metres in front of me. 

I do still battle constantly with wearing glasses for many reasons. I think I have one of those strange faces where my head is quite big and square so finding glasses that suit me is quite difficult. Also my prescription is quite high, so when I do wear them the thickness of the lens seems to reduce my eye size a little, which distorts what my actual face looks like. Saying that, I do wear glasses everyday and have come to accept my glasses as part of me. However, I do wear contact lenses sometimes for special occasions or a day out etc.

Glasses Direct appealed to me as I literally couldn't find any glasses at my recent eye test that suited me. I felt stuck. I had taken time out of my busy schedule to get my eyes tested but when it came to picking a frame I could not choose. Being a mum of two, working part - time and basically not having time in the day to wee let alone shop for glasses left me stuck. I then came across Glasses Direct and was left intrigued.

I found loads of glasses styles that I really loved and what's fab is they have a virtual try-on page where you can upload a picture of yourself and virtually try the glasses on. I tried this, but felt it wasn't a true representation. Still stuck, I delved a little bit deeper and found out they do a free 7 day home trial service where they send you up to four of your favourite styles for you to try on and all for free! I think this is such a great service as they even pay delivery for you. So in essence, you get to try before you buy. 

Once I got my glasses, this is where my lovely Instagram and Twitter followers came in, as I got them to vote for which glasses suited me best! Out of the four options, the majority voted for option four which I was over the moon with, as I liked them best too.

Literally all you then need is your prescription details, which are usually given to you when you go for your eye test. Once you select your frame online, you are then directed to complete the prescription details and it is as simple as that. You can then add on any extras such as anti-glare coating etc. Being so busy, it literally made my day that it was made so simple.

Up until this point, I was completely happy with the process. However, when my chosen frame did arrive, it felt quite loose and one of the arms were bent. The good thing about Glasses Direct is they have optometrists on hand via phone, so any problems and they are literally one call away from being contacted. I was then asked to send the glasses back in the pre-paid envelope and they would do their best to resolve the issue. However, I guess this is one thing to consider when opting to purchase glasses online, you don't get the glasses personally fitted to your face and this can make such a difference to your vision. Up until now, I have had to send the glasses back twice and they are still in for correction. This is something I will definitely consider next time I'm purchasing glasses.

I hope you enjoyed this week's post and has opened your eyes (pun intended) to a new way of selecting you future specs. Do you wear glasses? Where do you purchase from?

Amina  xx

Hey guys,

This week I am bringing to you a brand focus on Stila Cosmetics. They have appeared on the blog before in my Christmas Stocking Filler Gift Guide and New Year's Eve Makeup Look, however this time I am going to introduce you to some of their key products and new releases for Spring and end with a Spring make-up look, so be sure to scroll all the way down!

One thing I love about the brand is how easy their products are to work with. The products speak for themselves and help anyone achieve an effortless make-up routine. They are fast becoming my favourite make-up brand and something about the brand as a whole really connects with me. 

First up we have the Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadows. These are one of the products that Stila are well known for. The Glitter & Glow combines glitter and eyeshadow into one product, it applies wet and dries to a powder. No need for glitter glue, it is fuss free, with maximum impact and I think this is what really appeals to me. Below are some swatches from the christmas gift set which contains 3 mini's, however there are a range of over 20 shades. Including duo chrome shades new for Spring. I am obsessed by the way, and want them all.

Carrying on with the eye theme, Stila have also released a Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow for Spring, as easy to use as the Glitter & Glow but with less of the glitter and more of a pearly shimmer. This is perfect for a less obvious look and gives such a subtle shine, it is soft and beautiful. I love that the colour applies wet and dries to a powder. It also means it is buildable, you can apply a thin layer, or apply more to get fuller coverage. These can also be worn with the Glitter & Glow if you are looking for maximum impact. However on their own they give a pearlescent effect that is so stunning. 

One thing I find fantastic about Stila is the usability of the products. They are created with ease in mind. You don't have to be a make-up artist to use them but can still get a professional look. An example of this can be seen in the new Smudge Kajal Eyeliner. It is essentially kajal eyeliner with a smudge sponge and sharpener attached at the bottom.  The formula is lovely, very waxy and applies smoothly. Perfect for smudging and giving a blended look, but with a high intensity pigment. It comes in four colours and I need them all.

Another classic Stila staple is the Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, infused with Vitamin E and Avocado oil it keeps your lips hydrated throughout the day. As matte liquid lipsticks go, this is a very comfortable formula, one of the best I've tried. And that is saying something really as I am definitely a gloss girl! For Spring there is also a shimmer version which is metallic and just stunning. Shimmer for the win I say.

Also new for spring are the Stay All Day Sheer Liquid Lipsticks, same formula but somehow more transparent and less pigmented. Everyone is so caught up with high impact these days but these are surprisingly nice and lightweight. They offer a light wash of matte colour to the lip, and offer a great compromise for someone who loves a matte lip with a softer finish. 

If you are looking to jazz your lips up you need to get your hands on Stila's new Glitterati top coat! It is a clear liquid with tiny particles of pearl, perfect to apply over any of the Stay All Day liquid Lipsticks. Perfect for nightwear and gives your lips a little added extra. This is next on my wishlist!

I created my Bohemian Beauty look below with Shimmer & Glow in Carefree over the lid, with a dark brown shadow blended into the crease. Because the liquid dries to a powder you are still able to apply and blend powder eyeshadows to the rest of the eyes. I then applied the Smudge Kajal eyeliner in Intense Black over the lash line and used the smudger to blend it out. On the lips, I applied Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Bellissimo with Stay All Day Sheer Liquid Lipstick in Sheer Caramel over the top to give an ombre effect. I love the fact all the products can be layered to get different effects. 

So that's my round up of some of my fave Stila products and some of their new releases. Once again this is a brand I am totally falling in love with and will continue to purchase from. They somehow make beauty and make-up un-intimidating and make it exciting for everyone. Have you purchased from Stila? What are your faves? Let me know in the comments below.

Amina xx

*Contains PR samples. All opinions are my own.

Hey guys,

So throughout my two and a half years of blogging, I have never done an empties post. Can you believe it? So I thought I would put that right. For those of you who don't know, an empties post is basically a post about products that I have used up and I then go on to tell you whether I would repurchase, have already repurchased or would not recommend at all. I have been saving quite a few of my product empties for a while now, so here goes!

7. Dr Botanicals Neroli & Shea Butter Body Nourishing Cream* - A luxurious body cream that smells divine. It is very thick in consistency and you really don't need much to moisturise your whole body. Altogether a good product that I would happily use again. Cruelty and Vegan free too which is always good to know.

Repurchase? No, I would like to try something else. But would recommend.

8. Easy Nails Fast & Fruity Nail Polish Remover - I showcased this fabulous nail polish remover on my Instagram the other day. This little pot has a sponge with a hole cut through, it is soaked in nail polish and you simply dip your nail in a few times and the nail polish is removed. It has literally saved me so much time since I was introduced to it. It is acetone free and contains Vitamin E. I can't remember the price, but I tend to purchase from home bargains and is under £3.

Repurchase? Yes, or simply refill with nail polish remover!

Hey guys, 

As it is National Fragrance Week from the 5th - 11th March I thought what better way to celebrate then with a perfume themed blog post. I was invited to The Perfume Shop for a workshop on perfumes and learnt so much about how a fragrance is made and I thought it would be great to share my knowledge. Perfume has always been one of those things I love but find very hard to describe. And I have found out I am not alone as I often hear many bloggers/vloggers saying the same. So if you are looking to up your perfume game then keep on reading.

Firstly a little about the Perfume Shop Staff themselves. These guys are experts. So if you are ever in need, they knowledgeable. This isn't just from their experience with perfume, I was surprised to find out that the staff actually carry qualifications in fragrance and all take part in a 6 month in-house perfume school, which results in a diploma. Some then go onto gain a qualification from the Fragrance Foundation, an international independent education body. So these people really know their stuff and are there to guide you through your perfume experience.

I had a fabulous time at the event and love the way all of my senses were tantalised by pairing food with visual concepts and scents. For example we were given a rose flavoured chocolate while being shown a visual of roses and florals and then sprayed floral perfumes after. It intensified everything and was a very enjoyable way of experiencing a type of scent. I have come away knowing so much more about perfumes and feel a little more confident describing and talking about them. Here's what you need to know.

Ingredients:

To create a fragrance between 150-250 ingredients can be put together. There are three different types of ingredients:

Natural Ingredients - which are found in nature, for example rose, vanilla or patchouli

Nature identical Ingredients - these are natural but not traditionally used in general terms as they are quite expensive or may be unethical. For example Indian Sandalwood is a good example, as it is so hard to get hold of.

Synthetic Ingredients - an ingredient that is created to mimic the smell of something, for example a cupcake.

The Fragrance Wheel:

Fragrances can all be classified into a type and these have been categorised by Michael Edwards who is an expert in the field of fragrance. He has a wheel which shows where a fragrance can lie (click here). He has categorised more than 21,000 fragrances and has a book and app which can help you pick out certain scents, or find out ingredients of your favourite perfume. The Perfume Shop can then use this to help you pick a fragrance.

Floral - These are romantic scents which contain essential flowers. Think feminine, elegant and graceful, e.g Chloe, YSL Paris.

Oriental - This is a very rich scent, it is smooth and luxurious, almost creamy. The main ingredient is Vanilla. e.g Guerlain Shalimar, YSL Black Opium.

Woody - Deep, earthy scents that are very intense. e.g Dior Fahrenheit, Paco Rabanne Black XS.

Fresh - These can be water, citrus, green or fruit based scents e.g Chanel Allure homme sport, Issey Miyake L'eau D'issei.

These can all blend into one another, for example you can geta floral-oriental,  oriental-woody, woody-fresh, fresh-floral going around the wheel. 

Notes:

A fragrance is made up of a Top, middle/heart and base note.

Top  - This is the smell that first hits you and is usually a citrus smell or a synthetic fruit smell. It will evaporate quite quickly and only last up to 10 minutes.

Middle/Heart - This smell then builds on the top note and is usually a floral note, it  usually comes out at around 20 minutes after you have sprayed the product.

Base - The base note then appears 45 minutes after the product has been applied and builds on the middle note. Base notes tend to be quite intense ingredients such as musk, amber or vanilla.

It is interesting to note here that you get the true essence of the perfume 45 minutes after you have first applied. This actually might explain why I prefer classic perfumes as I have smelt them time and time again in their true state.

An Accord is a blend of three or four notes which create a unique odour and are the base character of a fragrance.

Oil concentration:

Parfum - Contains 20-30% pure perfume and can last up to 8 hours

Eau de Parfum - Contains 15-20% pure perfume and can last up to 6 hours

Eau de Toilette - Contains 5-15% pure perfume and can last up to 4 hours

Eau de Cologne - Contains 2-4% pure perfume and can last up to 2 hours

An example of what engraving may look like.

The Perfume Shop have also started to offer engraving on most bottles which I think is fantastic as it adds that little extra to a bottle especially if it is for a special occasion. With Mother's Day just around the corner this couldn't have come at more of a perfect time as it's the perfect present for Mother's day! The Perfume Shop luckily gifted me my Mother's Day Present for my mum, a 50ml bottle of Gucci Guilty which I'm hoping she will love!

If you still feel like you need a little more information, make sure you visit the Perfume Shops's website where they have videos to answer all your fragrance questions!

Amina xx

Hey guys,

This week I am bringing to you some of my recent favourites as I haven't done a post like this in a while. I thought I would take the opportunity to introduce you to some new brands on the blog and also some old favourites.

First up we have this gorgeous liquid highlighter by Nip and Fab in Rose Gold (£8.63, currently 25% off from Superdrug.). I got this as a Christmas present from my lovely sister in law and have been using it a lot over the past couple of months to give me a healthy glow in this dreadful weather. I love how versatile it is, in that you can apply it quite heavily to give a strong strobed look, or you can blend it in, or even mix with your foundation to give a more natural glowing effect. I really love the product however am not so keen on the dropper style packaging as I feel the gel like consistency is too thick for it. However I am no packaging expert so can't really suggest a better option. All I know is I never have to squeeze the dropper, instead I dot the product onto my face using the dropper as an applicator.

Something else I have also been using literally every time I have a shower is the *HEMPZ Vanilla Plum Relaxing Herbal Body Wash  (£16.99). It is packed with goodness for your skin with one of the main ingredients being Hemp seed oil, as well as Vitamin A, C and E and also Shea butter. The ingredients match the price tag and confirm you are buying a good quality product.  Hemp seed oil is quickly becoming very popular in skin care as it has a lot of benefits for the skin as an antioxidant, as well as being able to suit many skin types. A quick mention that Hemp seed oil does come from the same plant Cannabis comes from (as you may have found the icon on the tube familiar), however Cannabis is derived from the plants flower and leaves, whereas Hemp seed oil comes directly from the seed where there is no THC, which is responsible for the psychoactive effects.  So there is no need to worry! When I leave the shower, my skin is smooth, nourished and plump. I am really intrigued with hemp seed oil and can't wait to grow my collection. An added bonus is it is a vegan product and paragon, gluten and THC free.

Another product I seem to be using a lot after I have had a shower is the OUAI Rose Hair & Body Oil (£25), OUAI is a brand headed by the very famous hairstylist to many celebrities, including Kim K herself, Jen Atkin. I knew this was going to be a brand I would like to try as the products seemed so high end but also in an affordable range for me. The fact the oil is a multi - use products stands out to me because let's face it - I don't have much shelf space! I apply this all over my body and actually skip the step of moisturising my body, using this instead. I then apply a small squirt to my hands and apply through the ends of my hair. I have very dry skin and hair and the oil is absorbed well. The smell is heavenly, as you would imagine being Rose scented. But there are also hints of Bergamot and White Musk so it smells a dream. I think I would still class this as a luxury product because of the price tag, but it's nice to treat myself once in a while!

Next up is a brand I have already spoken about on the blog and it is *CND Vinylux Weekly Nail polishes (£6.95)! Read my post here for the in depth details of why I like these so much. The reason they have appeared again is because their new range of nudes have been released, and I am besotted. I love nudes, but it is like these were made for my skin tone. There are four colours in total, Uncovered, Unlocked, Unearthed and Unmasked and I am wearing the colours, Unearthed and Unlocked below. I can see these becoming my go to nail polishes. A quick round up of why these are some of my fave is that they are enriched with keratin, jojoba oil and Vitamin E, and its the weekly top coat you can expect your nail polish to last seven days. Need I say more.

The final product to end my recent faves post is these beautiful lashes by *Doll Beauty in Brandy  (£10). I have been looking for some really fluttery lashes for ages that are not extortionately priced and I have found them. They feel so nice and wispy when on and are not too much. The band is so nice and flexible, which I love as it means it can be applied tightly to the lash line. I love to wear these without any liner for that total natural wispy look. They have also recently launched in some Topshop stores and I can say they are definitely comparable to the likes of Huda Beauty, but for almost half the price. With the likes of PLouise (British Makeup academy & brand based in Manchester) using them, if they are good enough for her they are good enough for me! So look out for some make-up looks using these in the future!

I hope you liked my recent favourites. Are there any products you are loving at the moment? Let me know in the comments below.

Amina xx

*PR samples. All opinions are my own.