Hi guys,

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas. This week I am bringing to you a make-up look for New Years Eve. This actually happens to be my christmas look as we never actually do anything for NYE, since having the kids. We are usually wrapped up warm in bed and get awoken at midnight by our neighbours' fireworks. At which point Aaron and I say happy new year to each other and fall straight back asleep. However if you do have something planned, then this make-up look will take you all through the evening into the early hours if needed. 

As I was rushed for time, I literally used three products after I had applied my base and brows. Firstly with the eyes. I used Luminous Bronze Light in my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette to create a bit of depth in the crease of my eye lid. I then applied the Stila Glitter & Glow in Smoky Storm half way over my lid. The sparkle was fantastic and gives the perfect amount of shine. This look is perfect for low lighting as whatever light their is just causes the glitter to sparkle even more. 

For the lips I decided to go with Creeper, a gorgeous matte red from my ColourPop Foxy collection. I can't emphasis enough how good the quality of these Ultra Matte Lips are. My lips lasted 8 hours without a top-up and all while eating non stop. I have always loved ColourPop but limit my purchases because of customs charges.  I don't always go for bold eyes and bold lips but with this look it just works.

I then used the Ambient Lighting palette all over my face! Diffused Light to set under my eyes, Hypnotic Strobe Light to highlight, Luminous Bronze Light again as a bronzer, and Surreal Halo as my blusher. This just tied the whole look together. I opted to go without lashes, but if you want a little added extra, then these Midnight Lashes from Lash Couture's Faux mink collection above would be perfect!

So that is the finished look. I hope you like it! I can't believe another year of blogging and life has gone by. It has been one which has had it's moments but I would be lying if I said I wasn't ready for  2018. Thanks to every one of you who read my blog, it means so much more than you know. I think however, after over 2 years of blogging, Ali & Her is more than ready for a small break. Fingers crossed for all of us that 2018 is one of the best yet. Looking forward to what's to come. Happy New Year! xx

Amina xx

Hey guys,

Christmas is literally around the corner and I can't wait.  Since I have had kids, Christmas has given us a new found excitement, however it has always been something which brings the family together and brings happiness and joy. Every year I see negative comments on social media about muslims having christmas trees and I seriously don't see what the problem is!? Since when was decorating your house a crime against religion?

 I am Muslim, we never used to have a tree when I was little, not necessarily because my parents said we couldn't, but just because that's just the way it was. Instead I can remember our presents always huddling around a big cheese plant my parents had and then pouring over and around the TV stand. Now in my own house and since having kids, that was one thing I knew I would like to have. Just putting the tree up and decorating it with christmas songs in the background has become a tradition and brings so much joy. I love getting involved with the christmas spirit.

Christmas is such a lovely time. Literally giving my loved ones gifts actually brings me so much happiness and getting to spend time with them, not just on christmas day but the weeks before and after, with most being off work, is the perfect end to the year.  Decorating my house is part of the fun, and that is it, just fun, so if it makes me happy I will continue to do it.

Christmas day is amazing as we all gather at my sister Romana's house, eat a proper Christmas dinner and enjoy each others company. So I thought I would put together a little 'get ready with me', of small bits and bobs I like to wear to get me ready for Christmas day. 

1. Christmas Jumper

Ok what Christmas day wouldn't be complete without a christmas jumper? In all honesty this is my daughter's as mine hasn't arrived yet! But mine is a gorgeous cobalt blue colour from ASOS and has Ho, Ho, Ho written on it in silver, red and gold sequins. It's the one time you can wear one (apart from Christmas Jumper Day) so we may as well make the most of it!

2. Glitter

 I always like to wear a bit of glitter on christmas day. It just gives that added extra and why not add a bit of sparkle. I think Christmas is all about being over the top. This year I will be wearing my Stila  Glitter & Glow in Smoky Storm, a lovely bronze/gold glitter. It literally sparkles so much and is the perfect way to do an easy glitter eye look.  You would have also seen these feature in my Stocking Filler Gift Guide post. It's not too late if you're stuck for ideas!

3. Red Lips

I find Christmas the perfect occasion for red lips. Red just goes with the festivities. I have to admit I don't always wear red lips on Christmas though, mainly because it is hard to maintain as we all know Christmas Day is all about eating, eating and more eating. So be prepared to reapply, but this year I might put in the extra effort and wear my favourite Chanel lipstick in Passion.

4. Jewellery

Keeping with the sparkling theme,  I have picked out a few key items to wear on the day. I'm all for bauble and christmas tree earrings too by the way, but this year I have picked out a couple of understated pieces from my collection. Firstly the lovely Pave Triangle Ear Climber from Stella & Dot, elegant but eye catching.  I will also wear his lovely ring from Accessorise which was bought for me as a Christmas present from my eldest sister, Sophia a few years back. I love the detail and it just shouts Christmas to  me!

5. Nails

Finally is the nails. Christmas Eve (or Christmas 'Eid', as my daughter calls it) also happens to be my sister Sheeba's birthday. So the whole family is always together celebrating. Without fail we will paint our nails and make them as festive as possible. We usually opt for some form of nail art, or glitter. But this year I was introduced to Kiss Impress Nails Fake Nails , and know for sure I will be wearing them! I love this set in particular as the burgundy colour is perfect but it also contains accent nails in a gold glitter . They are long lasting and just what I need to keep my hands looking pretty for a few days! (Also on offer for £5.32 from Superdrug at the moment so stock up!)

I literally can't wait! Hope you all have a fab Christmas and enjoy it whatever you are doing!

Amina xx

*contains PR samples. All opinions are my own.

Hey guys,

So this week I bring to you a review of some of Palmer's fabulous face products. When I think of Palmer's the first thing that comes to mind is definitely their Cocoa Butter Formula. Their Cocoa Butter Body Lotion is something I have used for years and I don't know why it didn't occur to me that they might do other great products too. So when I was contacted to review some of their other skincare I literally jumped at the opportunity. I love facial oils and if you follow my blog you will know that I love my St Ives Invigorating Exfoliator, so I was intrigued to see if this could compete.

I have been using the Multi-Effect Perfecting Facial Oil and Micro Fine Exfoliating Facial Scrub for a few weeks now. First with the Facial oil, I started off applying it twice a day, morning and night and added it to my skincare routine quite comfortably. However I did find my skin feeling a little too greasy, so I gradually found myself reducing it to once daily at night, as this way my skin could continue to absorb it while I sleep. 

The facial oil comes in a dropper style bottle which makes it really easy to apply straight to the face or drop into the hands. Once applied, I simply massage into the skin. Straight away you feel a suppleness to the skin and your skin is left with a healthy glow. What I have found with continued use it that my skin definitely feels more plump and hydrated.  Some deep lines I have in my forehead have also become less visible. This really fascinated me and encouraged me to look at the ingredients. What I found was some great key ingredients such as Retinol, which increases cell turnover, Vitamin C, which brightens the skin, and Vitamin E, which is great for scarring and Squalene which helps with surface hydration. The fact that you get all these fab ingredients and more all for £9.99 makes it a winner for me. I also love that it doesn't give you that horrible oil smell that some other facial oils have and, occasionally, when I want a really natural but dewy look, I wear this in the day and the natural highlight it gives my cheekbones is the BEST!

Now for the Micro Fine Exfoliating Facial Scrub. Like I said earlier, I like my facial scrub quite invigorating and for the little bits to be quite big to really get the dirt out, as my skin's sensitivity is normal. So as soon as I read 'Super Fine' and that it contained Evening Primrose, which is perfect for soothing, I thought that it would probably be more suitable for sensitive skin. However, when I tried it, I have to say I really liked it. Yes the crushed walnut shells and cocoa powder particles are very small, but it still leaves my skin feeling clean, fresh and smooth. 

Furthermore, because it is so gentle, it just means I can use it more often! I actually found myself using it three times a week, whereas I usually only exfoliate twice a week. Again the smell is lovely and that traditional cocoa butter formula definitely shines through. You can pick it up here for £5.49.

Hey guys,

This week I am reviewing a fabulous product I have been trying out over the past few weeks. If you follow me on Instagram (@aminaali_mua), you may have seen me raving about it in my stories. It's the Bio-essence 24K Bio-Gold Miracle Finisher. This product is used like a primer and, as the last step in your skincare routine, it is applied before make-up. From what I have seen so far, I am sold!

Let's start with the packaging first of all. The holographic shine is enough to get anyone's attention, but the sparkle doesn't stop there. Contained within this 30ml bottle is something that is going to get your skin shining like never before. I first wondered why this wasn't labelled as a primer. But its because this is not just your average primer. It does all the things a primer does, like giving you a fabulous base for your make-up and making it last that little bit longer, but also does a whole lot more. Not only does it work as a barrier to protect your skin from every day pollutants in the air, it also locks in the skincare you have already applied, allowing it to continue to work, without being disturbed by your make-up.  Finally it gives you added skincare by reducing the appearance of wrinkles with continued use.

I have used this product on myself and on my clients as I wanted to see how it works on different skin types. What I liked was that it gives all skin types a matte effect, but without taking away the dewy glow. The way it does this is because within the cream are tiny particles of bio-gold (contains added minerals), which when rubbed into the skin are easily absorbed and give a radiant finish. I love the effect it gives so much that I have actually worn this without any make-up over, as it gives you naturally looking flawless skin.

At £29.99 it doesn't come cheap but is worth the money in my opinion. If you like the sound of this, there is actually a whole 24K Bio-Gold range that I can't wait to get my hands on and is available at Superdrug now.

This little bit of luxury is something that I am definitely going to keep in my kit as the comments I get when I use it are fabulous! In the picture above I am wearing it under my foundation, but it has given me a perfectly matte base with underlying radiance and this is what I strive for in my make-up application. Have you used anything from the Bio-essence range? What do you use to get that glow?

Amina xx

*PR gift. All opinions are my own.

Hey Guys,

I thought I would do a post on what I use for my 'everyday' make-up. That's if I choose to wear make-up, as I love going make-up free as much as possible. So this post will include some staples in my make-up bag especially for the upcoming summer months.

If you read my blog regularly, you should know by now that I love a dewy and glowing look, and the products I use for my base reflect this. For my skincare routine click here but for everything else keep reading. Once moisturised, I have been applying The Body Shop Instaglow CC cream in Peachy Glow. This is the perfect corrector for my skin and also contains SPF20 which is a bonus. It seems to even out my skin tone and gives me that glow I love. I also apply the NYX Dark Circle Concealer in Medium under the eyes. If I feel my skin needs that extra coverage I tend to apply MAC Face and Body foundation. This foundation is very light weight and perfect for that 'no make-up' look. It's the perfect foundation if you don't have problematic skin. I don't usually set my foundation with powder as I like to emphasise the dewiness. I make sure I brush the foundation over the under-eye area too and then conceal using Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in shade 20. You may have heard about this concealer before but I can't emphasise enough how fab this product is. It is the perfect creamy texture and gives very good coverage!

When it comes to eyebrows I'm a total 'Benebabe'! I love my Benefit brow products. I use the Goof Proof Brow Pencil in 5 and it's just so easy. The shape of the pencil is a diamond so you get one really sharp side for outlining and then a slightly wider side for filling the brows. It's self sharpening, you simply twist it up, and it also has a spoolie on the other end to keep those brows tamed. I set my brows with the Ready, Set, Brow Gel as they have a habit of falling downwards. This stuff is strong. They don't budge all day, which leaves me feeling great, as I am kind of lost without my brows!

Moving onto the eyes, at the very least I will curl my lashes and apply mascara. But the question is which mascara?? Long gone are the days where I literally had one mascara and would replace it when I was finished. I now have about five but I tend to go for L'oreal Miss Manga when I want a bit of drama as it adds a lot of volume, or Lancome Hypnose when I want a more natural fluttery look.

For blush, I can't stop using my L'oreal Infallible Blush Paint Palette in Ambers. It has every colour I need for whatever mood I'm in. It made an appearance in my Spring Favourites post (click here) and I haven't stopped using it since! It smells amazing too. My everyday highlight is always Mary-Lou Manizer from The Balm Cosmetics. Actually this was just my everything highlighter until Huda Beauty's 3D highlight palette came out (click here for post). However now I tend to use it more for everyday! It's the perfect gold and suits my skin tone so much. I love that it's not too obvious.

Finally, we come to the lips. My favourite lip pencil that I use most regularly is Spice by MAC. I always apply Sebamed SPF 30 Lip Defence to the lips. It contains Vitamin E and Jojoba oil and just leaves your lips soft and ready for whatever you want to put on top. Most of the time I wear this on it's own and blend the liner into the lip for a super natural look. However, when I want a bit of colour on top, I love wearing L'oreal Infallible Lip Laquer in Gone. It gives a really natural looking finish on my naturally darker lip tone. Occasionally I will set my make-up depending on how long my working day is going to be. I really like the Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day Setting Spray, as your make-up really does last all day. That and it smells beautiful! They have a whole range of scents too. It just finishes of the make-up routine perfectly.

I also just want to touch on brushes. For my everyday day make-up I always use Real Techniques. There's something about these brushes that oozes good quality and they're decently priced. I use the expert face brush to apply foundation, the contour brush for contour or highlight and their blush brush for blusher. These are a great set to start with and will last you a very long time!

It's actually quite surprising to see all these products together as I didn't realise quite how much I am applying to my face! These are all products I have used almost daily and would highly recommend. Feel free to comment or ask any questions below.

Amina xx

Hi Guys,

This post is all about my favourite types of mask and which ones I use in my skin care routine.  I really enjoy masks as I find them the perfect way to pamper yourself while still being able to get on with my daily chores! I have tried to include a range of different types, so let's get stuck in.

1. The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask - (£16)

This is my holy grail mask. With a lot of masks, you need to continue to use them to see an effect, but not with this one. The effects are immediate. As the name suggests, this mask is actually a clay paste which can be applied to the face with a brush or fingers (I prefer a brush as it can get a bit messy). It contains charcoal, green tea leaves and tea tree oil and as it dries you can actually see it drawing out the impurities in your skin as they dry a darker colour. If you have oily skin this mask is perfect for you, as it absorbs all the excess oil and literally leaves your skin glowing. I love it so much I can't wait to try the other masks in this range. This mask is not for the light-hearted though, as it is very tingly!

2. *Jamela 24K Gold Crystal Facial Collagen Masks & Mineral Collagen Facial Masks - (£49.50, 5 pack)

3. *Exuviance Rejuvenating Masque Treatment - (from £23.75)

This mask is actually a peel off mask and one of the best parts is the peeling process! It's so satisfying. Like peeling PVA glue off my hand (tell me you used to do that at school too?!). You simply apply a thin layer over the face, leave to dry and then peel off. What I love about this mask is that it leaves my skin feeling hydrated and smooth. It is the type of mask that needs to be used consistently as it encourages cell turnover and therefore is anti-ageing. I absolutely love the smell of this mask, it is so refreshing. If you're into you anti-ageing then this one is definitely for you.

4. Skin & Tonic London Gentle Scrub - (£18)

Now I hear you saying this isn't a mask. No, you're right it's a scrub. However as suggested on the bottle, if mixed with honey and yoghurt this can me made into a mask! I love the idea of home made masks and this makes it feel even more organic. The bottle contains a clay powder which can be mixed with water for a daily scrub too. It contains things like rose hip powder, geranium leaf oil, and probiotic yoghurt powder which are full of vitamin C and great for evening out your complexion. If you don't mind getting your fingers dirty then get stuck in and have go.

Hi guys,

Ok so I got a bit carried away with the title, but imagine singing along to the sound of music. This is another way of me telling you these are my February favourites. Or things I got given/purchased in February that make me happy!

First of all let me start with these Sebamed products. I was kindly sent these products and have previously used the Sebamed liquid face and body wash as a product to clean my make-up brushes (click here for post). However I have recently been using the products on myself rather than my brushes and have been pleasantly surprised. The Limited Edition Grapefruit Shower Gel is so refreshing and perfect for a morning shower. The soap is alkaline free and is perfectly suited to dry or sensitive skin as the ph is balanced to suit all skin types. It even suits my daughter's skin and she has eczema. The stand out product for me though has to be the Lip Defense balm because it is a dupe for the MAC Prep & Prime lip. I use this lip primer on all my clients and both products contain Vitamin E which I think is what makes it so luxurious. I will be swapping over to Sebamed from now on as it's a fraction of the price too!

Next up we have this amazing Mermaid Glow Highlighter from Lottie which was an absolute bargain at £5.99 from ASOS. Now I hate to do this to you, but I can no longer find it to buy anywhere! But I'm sure if you keep your eye out they will have them back in stock in no time. What they do have though is a fabulous rainbow eyeshadow palette which is definitely on my wish list! To be honest, I bought the highlighter purely for aesthetic reasons. I haven't even swatched it yet, it is just too beautiful to use. So I can't comment on its wearability yet, but watch this space!

Now onto my all time loves; my lashes that I always find myself reaching for; my go to lash (you get the picture), Nouveau Lashes Glamour lashes in style 4. Now to be honest, these can be quite dramatic when you apply them, but what I love doing with these is customising them. They are so thick and luxurious I get my scissors out and cut away to make whatever eyelash I want. Call me a strip lash hairdresser if you will. I can't get enough.

Is any one else obsessed with face masks? Well I am. I can't seem to get enough of them these days. The ease of just throwing one on. But it doesn't stop at face masks. I got these feet masks, lip masks and under eye masks! Ok I need to stop, I know, but they all just leave my skin glowing and so soft. The lip and feet masks are by Starskin and are available from ASOS. The under eye masks are that little bit more special as they contain 24K gold. Yes, gold! They left my skin feeling super smoothe and promise to reduce dark circles with continued use. I was lucky enough to receive a five-pack and used three within one week! Addictive! You can purchase these direct from Jamelaskincare.co.uk

Hey Guys,

So as you can tell from the title, this post is a little bit different to what you are used to.  After posting my Valentine's look last week and with Valentine's itself edging nearer, I thought I would publish this post as a little alternative to what might be expected.

Diary: Home Bargains

Soap: English Soap Company.

For me, love comes in different forms. I have the loveliest, most kind, honourable, does-the-dishes, cooks and cleans, husband in the whole world and I am really appreciative of him. He deserves a medal. The love I have for him is something else. We met when we were 16, got married at 23 and had our first baby at 25. So cards and flowers etc. are a nice token but we save up and do a few special date nights a year and we are planning to go away, just the two of us, at some point as we haven't both left the girls before. Time alone is really rare, but precious.

Then there is love for your children which blows my mind and my heart all at the same time. I never knew it would be so powerful. It can be an ache sometimes. Loving something so much it actually hurts. I never understood that feeling until I had the babas. I don't know if it's the worry that hurts, but it's some powerful stuff.

My love for friends and family is special. The people you can rely on, the people you can go for ages without talking to, but are always there, you know, in your heart. They are in your thoughts somewhere along the way, even daily, but you might not speak to them every day. 

The last one can be difficult and it's loving yourself. It's such a tricky one isn't it? The self doubt within us can sometimes get the best of us. Like an internal voice constantly wondering and questioning. I remember this voice and constant worry of what others were thinking of me was quite prominent in my teenage years. Was I good enough? Now I've gotten a bit older I've learnt to love myself a little bit more. I've realised how important me time is and am very mindful when it comes to how I am feeling. Since having my kids I've learnt to not care about what others think largely due to the fact that I need to practise what I preach. I have learnt to show myself some love, be it a pamper day or a break with the girls. I think this is what everyone needs to do this Valentine's, regardless of whether they are in a relationship or not.

Hey Guys,

This week I have created a Valentine's make-up look for that special day. Whether you are all loved up or not, it's a fab make-up look that will suit anyone for any special occasion. I created it with a 'halo' effect because it is quite understated but makes an impact, which I think you want for a date. So let's get straight to it.

I started with my eyes as I was planning on using glitter so didn't want any fall out on my foundation! First I primed the eyes with Urban Decay Primer Potion. Then using Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'Creamy Beige' I applied this over the lid and up to the brow bone. I have to say, I love the Colour Tattoo range and literally want it in every single colour. It provides such a good base for pigments and is very long lasting.







Now I had my base, using Anastasia Beverley Hills Modern Renaissance palette (yes, it's my favourite!) I applied the shades 'RealGar' mixed with 'Red Ocre' through the crease in a semi circular motion. I used a very fluffy brush to apply this as I wanted a soft blended out look on the crease. I also took this under the eye. Next, to create the Halo effect I used Kiko Cream Crush Eyeshadow in 'Pearly Apricot' and applied a semi circle kind of shape around the middle part of the lid. Make sure not to cover the whole lid as it will turn more into a 'cut crease' kind of look. I then applied Barry M Dazzle Dust in 'Athena' over the top. To the outer corner and inner corners I applied Lola Make-up by Perse eyeshadow in '032' which is a gorgeous, highly pigmented, dark purple. I used a tapered brush to apply this as I really wanted to focus in on the inner and outer corner to create the halo effect. I then used a 'Cyprus Umber' from ABH Modern Renaissance to add depth to the inner and outer corner. Finally, over the highlighted part on the tip of the eyelid, I patted on some pink glitter by Eye Kandy Cosmetics.

To complete the look, I added black eyeliner to the water line and liquid liner over the lid. However, instead of creating a flick, I instead stuck to the eye lid as I wanted to keep the circular shape of the halo. The lashes are Huda Beauty in 'Scarlett' and I have to say I am in love. Believe the hype guys. They are lovely and such good quality! I love the fluttery feel. I curled them before applying as the heaviness of them can drag them down slightly. I used my trusted Nouveau Lashes Ultra Bond glue and they did not move one bit.

For the base I used MAC Pro Longwear foundation in NC35 and I applied this with my beauty blender. It just gives this flawless airbrushed finish that no other tool can give in my opinion. However, expect a thick layer of product when using this. It's not for the faint hearted. I contoured using the L.A. Girl Pro concealer in 'medium beige'. The amazing highlight I used is actually a Topshop one, which was the last one in the store and I can't seem to find again, but anything with a pinky undertone would be perfect.  For blush I used Makeup Geek in 'Valentine' (obvs!) and the lipstick was Kiko smart lipstick in '917'.

I hope you like the look and try it out! Have a fantastic Valentine's Day! What are your plans?

Amina xx