My Skincare Routine (Oily/Combination Skin)

Over the years, I have tried and tested, tried and tested and tried and tested. Some products have worked wonderfully, some horribly wrong and some haven't worked at all.
Since I have had oily skin ever since I can remember and acne ever since I was a teenager,  you would think I have had my fair share of time to test products and finally come to a good set of products that are best for my skin right? Wrong.
I don't know if it's just me(?!) but I have tried some amazing products that work amazingly well the first time round and whenever I have repurchased them the second time around, I am disappointed 99% of the time. This means I have to change around my skin routine quite often (so expect an updated blogpost on this a few months down the line!)

So since my skin has been feeling quite nice and healthy and looking comparatively clear (touchwood!), I thought this would be a great time to tell you what products I am using at the moment.

Morning routine:
Cleansing:
I don't like to use any harsh cleansers in the morning since my skin doesn't have much product on it, So I start with a product that isn't so popular but had definitely worked wonders for me: The Raw African Black Soap. Now this is a completely natural product that I got from a lovely lady here in Saudi who sells and makes natural skin products at home. You can learn more about this soap here. It helps reduce blemishes, acne marks, age spots etc.

Toning:
For toning I use - and have used for a long long time- Breath of Fresh Air from Lush. They describe it as "The sea breeze captured in a bottle" and it is just that.
A little story about this product though, I once got a really bad allergy on my face with the Neutrogena face wash (grapefruit) and this is the only product that would calm my skin down!

Moisturizing:
So over the years I have experimented with more than a dozen different moisturizers, some of which have worked well, but I still change this up a little bit. Right now I am using the Olay beauty fluid for oily/combo skin and I think it's the most basic, safest, tried and tested product out there. Other great ones that have worked for me are Dermalogica active moist and Elemis.
I am also using Kiehls's Avocado eye cream and I think its such an amazing light formula.

Afternoon:
After I get home from work, the first thing I do is take my makeup off. This is so so important specially if you have sensitive and acne-prone skin.
I double cleanse use my (amazing) Bioderma Sensibio to take the makeup off and Breath of fresh air. If you want to know what double cleansing and its benefits are, Hafsa's Muslimah Beauty blog is an amazing source, this is where I learnt it!
I then go ahead and moisturize and apply eye cream.

Night:
My night routine is pretty similar to the morning routine but I make sure to use my trusted Dalacin-T topical solution on any active acne I may have.

And thats it!

I hope you enjoyed this post but I would like to know what kind of products you guys use? what is working for you at the moment.?What is your holy grail product that your skin can't live without? Let me know in the comments below.

S.

Spring Colour Trends 2013!!

So here is something I thought was interesting to share... the spring pantone colours for 2013!

These are the colour to look out for this spring: (from left to right)

Poppy Red, Monaco Blue, Dusk Blue, Lemon Zest, Nectarine, Tender Shoots, African Violet, Linen, Emerald and Grayed Jade

If you want to read more about this, have a look at http://duveramagazine.com/ :)

- Ulfat -

NOTD: Nail of the day - Gold French Manicure

Base: Barry M Raspberry

Tips: Barry M Foil Effects 210

S.

Happy new year!

We wish all our followers a fashionble new year! Thankyou so much for supporting us through 2012 :) we hope the future is even better and brighter!

X
Saman, Aneesa and Ulfat

Outfit of the Day!

Top: Primark

Trouser: Red Tag

Shoes: Shoe Mart

- Ulfat -

OOTD: Gold Spots and Studs

Top: Cotton On

Jeans: Newlook

Shoes: Unknown (gift)

Necklace: Koton

Watch: DKNY

x - Ulfat - x

OOTD: Green Day!

Top: Splash

Trousers: Primark

Shoes: Primark

Bag: Louis Vuitton

x - Ulfat - x

Baby OOTD: Dinner Party

It's another Baby OOTD! We went to a dinner party yesterday and I loved the outfit my nephew was wearing, so I just had to share the cuteness.

Jumper: H&M | Jeans: Next | Shoes: Carters

I just love the coloured jeans he's wearing and the matching elbow patches on the jumper just make the outfit look so put together - for a 1 year old

Make sure to check back for more Baby OOTD's - provided he can stay still long enough for me to take any pictures of him!

-Aneesa

My Current Obsession: Studs

To me, studs are such a versatile piece of detail as they can not only be used to make a statement, they can also be used subtly to add an exciting feature to otherwise plain items. The versatility of studs means they can be used in a variety of fashion pieces from jackets to jumpers and shoes as well as accessories; so there is something that would fit anyone's style.

Since there are so many different options for incorporating studs into your style; these are some of the ways you can easily add some studs to your outfits for that extra detail and edge.

Jackets:

Jackets are perfect for layering, so you can enhance your look by adding a studded jacket or coat on top of your outfit. The jacket can be worn as the main statement piece, like the studded leather jacket (1) or as an addition to your outfit, like the denim jacket (2).

1: Leather Biker Jacket - Zara
2: Studded Denim Jacket - Windsor 
3: Collarless Studded Sleeve Coat - Warehouse
4: Studded Mac Coat - Lipsy

Jumpers:

For the current dismal weather here in London, jumpers are essential and what better way to spruce up a plain old jumper than with, yup you guessed it, STUDS!

1: Knitted Necklace Stud Jumper - Topshop
2: Spiked Drop Shoulder Sweater - Forever21
3: Studded Sweater - Next
4: Nadine Oversized Jumper with Stud detail - Boohoo
5: Cable Knit Sweater with Studs - Zara

Shoes:

1: Agasi Taupe Studded Trainers - Topshop
2: Studded Cowboy Ankle Boot - Zara
3: Studded Loafers - Topshop  - Primark are also selling their version of these for just £10; which can be seen in my previous OOTD here.

Subtle Details:

If you don't feel like going all out on the studded detail, you could opt for things that have a much more subtle incorporation of studs.

1: Sweater with Studded Collar - Zara
2: Studded Neck Swing Top - Topshop
3: Denim shirt with Studded Pocket - Zara
4: Shirt with Studded Collar - Zara
5: Chiffon Blouse - H&M

That seems like enough studs for one blogpost! Hope you got some serious stud inspiration and make sure to check back to see what my next fashion obsession will be.

- Aneesa