Hi Guys,

As it's National Bed Month I thought I would share some tips and products I use to get a good night's sleep. Sleep is so important to me. I'm one of those people who needs at least eight hours (if not more), otherwise I'm just grumpy all day. That said, it's crazy how you adapt when you have kids. You have no choice but to function on three hour's sleep sometimes, but hopefully following these few tips will still at least make you feel like you've had more!

The first thing I will advise is turning off your TV, phone, or any type of electronic device at least an hour before you plan to sleep. Allow yourself time to wind down. Having a sleep routine is so important and just doing this one simple thing will make such a difference.

Next, I have a bath. I didn't start having evening baths until I had kids. I found with my children that if I bathe them at night they sleep so much better, so I took it upon myself to try it too. I have mentioned before how I love my baths, but I can't emphasise enough how the essential oils and ingredients in bath bombs, oils or salts actually get absorbed by the skin and can relax you. Recently I've been loving the Guardians of the Forest bath bomb by, you guessed it, Lush. It is so calming and contains rosewood oil, so just smells awesome. It feels like you are literally transported to a mystical forest - it's brilliant.

Once out of my bath I then spritz L'Occitane Relaxing Pillow Mist over and around my pillow. This contains 100% natural essential oils like lavender, bergamot, mandarin and geranium. I'm sure I have spoken about this mist on my blog before but it literally relaxes you straight away and I've found it gives me such a deep sleep. It's perfect for those days when you have had a really long day, and are feeling a little bit over tired and irritable. It knocks you straight out.The recommendation is to spray this 15 minutes before going to bed so it is given time to create an atmosphere.

While I wait for the mist to set in, I have recently been applying my Dr Botanicals Advanced Purifying Overnight Masque. This product was sent to me for review and at first I was a little bit wary of the lack of smell with the product. Actually, if there is one negative about the product I would say this is it. However the results it produces are pretty spectacular. You wake up with skin as soft as a baby's bum.  The skin is said to regenerate faster while we sleep, and that is what the jojoba oil, sweet almond oil and papaya, that the masque contains, allow your skin to do. 

The consistency is quite thick and when you apply it onto the skin it doesn't rub in as easily as you would imagine. However, as you give it time, it sinks into the skin and leaves your skin feeling tight, similar to any other masque. It needs about 10 minutes before I am comfortable to lie on my pillow without leaving any residue. Once you wake up in the morning you cleanse as usual. At £67 you may think it's a little pricey, but lucky for you, I have a code which can get you the product for just £19.99! Click the link above and apply the code 'ALIBLOG' at checkout. It's only available until the end of the month though, so be quick. It would make a perfect Mother's Day gift!

For the next 10 minutes I reflect and meditate. I sometimes open up my diary and write down any of my concerns or thoughts good or bad. This then allows my mind to be clear and gives me time to meditate. I try to clear my mind of everything and basically think of nothing. It can be quite hard to 'think of nothing' and some days are easier than others, but by the time this is done, I find the pillow mist has worked its magic and the face masque is dry. I'm now ready to sleep.

And that is it my loves. If you have any tips please feel free to share below and here's to a great night's sleep!

Amina xx



*contains PR gifts. All opinions are my own.

Hi Guys,

I remember doing one of these posts last year (link here), and when I read it back I thought, wow my skincare routine has evolved! I'm quite lucky in the fact that I have never had problematic skin. I would describe my skin as combination i.e. I can get an oily T-zone but nothing worth worrying about, other than that it is pretty normal. For some reason recently, my biggest concern has really been the fact that it has started to age. Probably due to the fact I have two kids under four, however also because once you hit your 20s, the production of elastin and collagen starts to reduce, and by your mid 20s you start to notice the affects of this. Well I did anyway. So here is my regime.

1. Cleanse

I never used to cleanse, apart from splashing water across my face. However I have tried various cleansers over the last year. Currently I am using Dermalogica and it's going well. I quite like changing and using different cleansers just to see what's out there. One of my faves was Heaven skincare's Hydro cleansing Milk (click here for my review), however as long as it's keeping your skin clean it's good. I think next I would really like to try an oil based cleanser, like the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, as they are said to get the dirt out of oily areas too, as water just slides over oil.

When I wear make-up, I remove this using Garnier Simply Essentials eye make-up remover and then cleanse on top.

2. Tone

This is a step in my routine that I have played around with. It's always been one of those things I only did when I could be bothered. Again I was using Garnier Simply Essentials Cleansing Lotion. However since Christmas I have been using the cult favourite Pixi Glow Tonic. It has been almost three weeks and I have noticed a change in my skin. It does have a certain glow to it and is looking more even. I don't know if this is specifically down to the glow tonic or the fact I've been taking my skincare more seriously. Either way I'm liking it. I don't like the smell though! Think ginseng, green tea.

3. Facial Serums

Dr Botanicals Advanced Light Essence Serum is my go to (see my review here). Well, that is until my two year old emptied half the bottle on the bedroom floor! *crying face*.  It doesn't leave your skin feeling drenched but just gives it this burst of freshness. Sometimes I apply this and then moisturise on top. However sometimes when I need my skin to breathe I apply this on its own. 

I occasionally apply the Balm Balm Rose Geranium Face Balm all over my face, just before bed. I received this in my My Little Box subscription. It feels grainy when you squeeze it out of the tube but when you warm it in your palms this melts into a beautiful oil. I tend to apply this last thing before bed as it gives the skin a chance to absorb all the oil. It's not something I would apply in the day as it is very greasy in texture, but perfect for those days when you skin is feeling dry.

4. Moisturise

My moisture all comes from the Lacura range at Aldi. I use their Expert Double Effect Eye Gel and their Expert Special Care Wrinkle Smoother around the eyes, as well as their Q-10 Anti-wrinkle Day Cream over the face. I would say these have made the biggest difference in my skin. I have literally noticed the crows feet around my eyes disappear over time. And the value for money in these products is just amazing. The fact that they are award winning says it all. I love the fact the day cream also has SPF 20 in it, as exposure to sun is one of the most damaging things for skin.

1. Face Masks

I love to do a face mask once a fortnight and particularly love Tony Moly ones which I pick up from TKMaxx whenever I get a chance. I also love these B Beauty Ltd ones which are just as good and a great price (see my full review here). 

2. Exfoliation

I exfoliate twice a week and just use St Ives Fresh Skin Invigorating Apricot Scrub. It might not be anything fancy but it works for me and I have used it since I was a teenager. It's important to not over-exfoliate as it can be too excessive for the skin.

Hey Guys,

 I'm the type of person that leaves Christmas shopping to the last minute and definitely do not buy anything or put any decorations up before December! However, as Christmas is edging closer, I thought I would post my Christmas gift guide this week. I say gift guide but it's really a wishlist as I would be happy to get anything on the list. It is purely beauty related and if you are as beauty obsessed as I am, you will love what it has to offer. So let's get straight on.

If you haven't already heard about or seen these they look amazing. Handmade in Sheffield and cruelty free, these eyeshadows and highlighters would be a great Christmas gift to any beauty lover. Some of my favourite products are the Rainbow glow highlight powder (£18, 59mm compact) and the eyeshadow in Polilla (£10, 37mm compact). The shimmer on Phee's products is indescribable and the colour combos are just perfection. The powders are all mineral, making them better for your skin, and they're vegan friendly too! Phee herself is pretty darn good at makeup application and you can see some of her creativity on instagram @Pheesmakeuptips.

Have you ever wanted your own line of make-up? Think Huda Beauty, Zoella, Tanya Burr. Well you too can now have your own personalised range of liquid lipsticks - kind of. Crowd Colour provides a range of personalised palettes, brushes and other items and I think their matte liquid lips would make the perfect Christmas gift! The great thing is, you can personalise it with the person's name or even write a festive message on it. One will set you back £7.99 or you can buy a set of 6 for £35! Perfect for a gift or stocking filler.

Burt's Bees have some great Christmas gifts this year (there are just too many to choose from), however in particular I am loving their 'Endless Shine Trio' (£9.99), a selection of three lip glosses, and their 'A bit of Burt's Bees' (£5.99), which includes their classic lip balm and hand salve. The glosses are beautiful in colour and the lip balm has that perfect creamy texture to it, which we all need during these cold months. These would be great as stocking fillers or even as a Secret Santa gift! They have free delivery on all gift sets at the moment and what's even better is that 10% of all proceeds go to the British Bee Keeping Association! We all know how important bees are to our environment so being able to support this great cause while looking beautiful is great.

I was lucky enough to receive these at a blogging event and love the look and feel of these brushes. The rose gold ferrule and bright pink hair would look good in anyone's brush kit. These offer real value for money at just £6 and why not pair them with some make-up for a smokey makeup, such as a smokey eyeshadow, for a great little gift set.

This gift is for the skincare lover. Dr Botanicals was a company I was introduced to at the Blogger Halloween Party. I fell in love with the products straight away as they just smelled and felt divine. I have been using these two products for over a month now and have nothing but good things to say about them. The body cream is so thick and creamy and leaves your skin feeling hydrated and nourished. The smell of neroli is so refreshing. The facial essence serum smells of elderflower and gives your skin that certain glow that it lacks in this dull weather. It absorbs into the skin really quickly which I love too. They do a Limited edition bottle for the serum, which comes in an extra special bottle and bamboo case, which I thought would be lovely for Christmas. These are real luxury items and may sound pricey at £113 and £77.90, however I have a 70% discount code (yes you read right) for my readers: 'BLOGDB', which can be used site wide. So knock yourself out and why not spoil yourself too?

What's Christmas without some crackers? I can definitely imagine cracking these around the table (at least with the females). Inside are cute little lip glosses and eyeshadows - perfect for my girls - which i'll be putting into their stockings this year. They would also make great additions to the Christmas tree decorations. They are down to £5 from £8 for a pack of 6.

One of the best thing's about the lead up to Christmas is getting to open up the advent calendar every day. The only thing that could possibly beat a chocolate advent calendar is a beauty one! Just imagine  the excitement of opening each door and finding a beauty gift - my idea of happiness. This year I think the M&S one looks fab! The best part is, it only costs £35 when you spend £35 on clothing or beauty, and the contents are worth £250! I think this would make a great pre-Christmas, Christmas gift!

No beauty gift guide this year would be complete without something from the Mac 'Nutcracker' collection. I honestly could have bought the whole line, it was so beautiful. From what's left of it (i.e not sold out) I think the 'Sweet Pink' collection (£26) has some fabulous colours, especially to wear during the festive period, from Christmas to New Year's Eve.

So these are my favourites for this year. I better get a move on as Christmas is so close now. Did you like any of the products? What are you wishing for this Christmas?

Hi guys,

Last week I attended the Blogger Halloween party hosted by Kirsty (@kirstyleanne92) and Ashton (@ashtongibbs) . I really enjoy blogging events. Not just because you get to meet lots of fabulous brands but also because you get to meet lots of lovely bloggers! There are so many bloggers that I speak to on social media all the time, some daily! However we rarely get to meet because we are spread across the country or lives get in the way. So I knew when attending the event it was going to be a great one. What made it even more fantastic was everyone was in fancy dress!

I was a black cat for the #bloggerhalloweenparty today. Had a fab time meeting some lovely bloggers! #blog #blogger #bloggingevent #halloween #brands #blackcat #meow

A photo posted by Amina Ali (@aminaali_mua) on Oct 29, 2016 at 10:46am PDT

The event didn't disappoint. The first brand I talked to was The Perfume Studio. They are a company that specialise in bespoke fragrances and offer the chance for you to create your own at special scent events such as a hen party or pamper day. They allowed us to create our very own perfume on the day which was fantastic, although I came to realise that I created a men's fragrance! However the longer I wear it the more I'm starting to smell the feminine side to it. Let's call it unisex. I really enjoyed getting to learn about the different notes that create a perfume. After much consideration and, well, smelling, I decided to choose Woody, Amber, Gentle Floral and Transparent notes ... and my aptly named fragrance 'Ali & Her' was made.

I think this is such a great idea for a hen party and will definitely keep it in mind for any friends' future hen parties. The Perfume Studio also allows you to repurchase your fragrance at any time and offers personalisation on bottles (£9.95). What's even better is that they sell a 'design your own fragrance' gift box which includes all the fragrances you need to create your own perfume at home. The perfect gift for Christmas.

Another brand that attended the event was Dr Botanicals - a British vegan skincare company that produce luxurious skincare products. I was lucky to be gifted their Neroli body cream which I can't wait to try out! So watch this space for my review and discount code!

My favourite part of the event was actually getting to know other bloggers. We had loads of time to sit down and chat while taking part in little games that were situated around the venue. Here is a pic of myself and the lovely NishiV. How gorgeous does she look!? 

Obviously I have to talk about the goody bags. As usual, Ashton and Kirsty spoilt us. Below are pictures of some of the things that interested me most, so watch out for some in depth reviews coming your way. I love the look of those Urban Beauty United Brushes!

How did you celebrate Halloween this year? Have you got any questions on any of the products? Which one are you looking forward to me reviewing most? 

Amina xx