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.

Mother's Day Gift Guide (Luxury/Bargains/Steals)

Birthdays, Valentines day, Father's Day, Mother's Day..blah blah blah..SO many holidays, so little gift ideas!
I find it so difficult to find presents for people, even people I know and am very close to. Have to admit though, when you handpick a present for someone and they love it, the feeling is definitely priceless!

Getting to the point of this post, we have been looking around and handpicking Mother's Day gifts and came up with a gift guide for you! Now, if you eventually do not end up buying these exact products, at least you will have some ideas.

Now we know that our readers are varied, some are students, some are very young and some are even working professionals. So, for your ease, we have divided this post into three categories: Luxurious, Bargains and Steals. As you can tell, you will definitely find something that will fit your budget. So lets jump right into it!

Luxurious

Pinks Boutique Spa Candles/£35/Available in-spa or online
3 Scents to choose from: Jasmine and Ylang Ylang, Grapefruit and Ginger and Orange and Clove

Hand poured using only eco-friendly soya wax (no toxic paraffin or palm oil) and pure natural essential oils, each candle arrives nestled in fuchsia pink tissue paper and dried rose buds and a re-usable box.
Now you might be wondering why I have featured just a normal candle. Well, it is NOT a normal candle. Once melted, the sumptuous blend of oils and waxes can be used as a luxurious body moisturiser that sinks into the skin and nourishes and hydrates while smelling amazing!


Paco Rabanne Lady Million Perfume gift set/£45.99/Available at The Perfume Shop
Gift Set Contains: Eau De Parfum 50ml and Cuff

Fruity and floral is how I can describe this fragrance, but the smell, the bottle, the packaging, everything oozes luxury and glamour. The perfect present to make your mother feel like the queen that she is.
With notes of raspberry, orange and patchouli and Arabian jasmine in the heart of it all, you know this was probably inspired by an Arabian desert princess.
And what could be better than a gold cuff paired with it to top it all of!

Bargains

Lush Mamma Mia Gift Box (Orange or Pink)/£19.95/Available in-store or online: pink/orange 

This is definitely the best gift to give your mum a break and let her indulge in some 'me time'. This box contains products that will pamper her hands: the luxurious Sultana of Soap bar, Tiny hands Serum and the amazing Lemony Flutter for the cuticles. To add to that, there is Ro's Argan body conditioner, which is every bit the indulgence it sounds, leaving you with fresh skin "kissed by the first rays of the morning sun". And if that wasn't enough, you have the Washing up fairy (pictured above) that is a more eco-friendly and fun alternative to normal washing up liquid. All this with a price tag of just under £20? I wouldn't even think twice! 

The Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company- Bespoke Pizzas/£9-£17/Available online

Available in 7",10" and 12" sizes

We are BIG fans of chocolates and desserts! And if your mum is anything like ours, she will LOVE this present! The gourmet chocolate pizza company makes and delivers bespoke order-made pizzas (have you looked at the low price tag?) where is gives you a choice to choose your own base as well as 3 toppings (lots of choices for that!) and even customise the chocolate curls to top it all off. This can be a present on its own or a great alternative to a regular cake on Mother's Day.

Steals

Argos Black Onyx Glitter Ball Bracelet/£4.99/Available in-store or online 

A very cheap alternative to designer jewellery but with a substantially low price tag. We love this beautiful Onyx bracelet that will look great for evening looks or paired with an LBD just to add a little sparkle to any outfit. This is for the low-key mum with subtle elegance.

ELF Makeup Clutch Palette/£7.50/Available online

32 Eyeshadows, 6 Lipcolours, 2 Blushes, 1 Bronzer, 1 Brow Powder, 1 Eyebrow Cream, 1 Face Shimmer, 3 Dual ended applicators, 1 Mirror

WOAH! Have you seen that list of things? And the price tags? Do I need to say more? Well, it turns into a little portable clutch. YES!

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We hope you liked this handpicked list as we have worked quite hard on this over the past month or so. We know its a long post and lots of info to read through, but do hope you got some great ideas. Let us know in the comments below what you will be buying for Mother's Day!

Saman and Aneesa x

Product Raves!

Over the years, I have searched and searched for products that will suit my sensitive, acne-prone, oily skin. Ofcourse, the search still continues to find the perfect product, but that doesn't mean I haven't found some seriously amazing stuff already. You can say these are my 'holy grail' products, and usually part of my daily routine. I have tried most these products over a couple years, so I can safely say that they work really well for me and my skin type. What are some of your favourite products?

MAC Green Gel Cleanser

I use this every single morning. I found this after Estee Lauder's facewash got discontinued. I have probably gone through about 3 bottles of this already, and it lasts VERY long.

Olay Classic Beauty Fluid

I searched far and wide for the best daily moisturiser for my skin. Lush, neutrogena, body shop, nothing worked for me over longer periods of time. Then I decided to use my mum's Olay that she has used for so many years and it was PERFECT! I even mix this with my foundation for lighter everyday use.

Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner

I have gone through countless bottles of these. Best. Toner. Ever.

Just a couple of months ago I had a really bad reaction to Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit facewash and this was the only thing that calmed my skin down.

ELF High Definition Powder

Before this I used to think HD Powders are a scam and don't work. I don't know about others, but this is pretty amazing (with an amazingly low price tag!) I usually use this when I know I will be out for longer periods of time with makeup on because it keeps my makeup fresh and looking matte.

Soap & Glory Hand Food hand cream

I could not decide between this and Handy Gurugu from Lush as I switch between them all the time. But since I am using this one these days Im in love with it all over again. Smells Divine!

Revlon ColourStay Foundation (for combination/oily skin)

After using MAC for a couple of years, I decided it was time to move on as I felt it was too heavy on my skin. This stays on FOREVER! I have also gone through countless bottles of this. Easily the best foundation I have used till now among many brands that I have tried.

Let me know in the comments below what YOUR fav products are, I would love to know.

Saman x