Hey guys,

Recently I went to a fabulous event held by the lovely girls at Stella & Dot. I have to admit, I had never heard of the brand before, but once I did a quick search on good old google, I knew I had found something special. Stella & Dot are a jewellery brand who also do other accessories. They originate from the U.S and have something to cater for everybody. They have stand out pieces that are both multi-functional and beautiful at the same time. What I particularly like about this brand is they offer something a little bit different to most UK accessory brands. If you are the type of person who loves to gift unique presents, or likes to be the person who is wearing something no one else has, then this post is definitely for you.

Stella & Dot are accessible online in the UK, but also offer a 'Trunk Show' whereby a stylist can come to your house and style you and a few of your friends. A great excuse for a girls night in, in my opinion, but also a fantastic way to judge the quality for yourself. The quality definitely stood out to me, so my first impression was that the price tag would match, however I was surprised to hear half of their catalogue is under £40. There are some bigger pieces that have a lot of bead work, or are multi-functional (in that you can wear them different ways or detach to make different styles), that do carry a heavier price tag, but in my opinion they are totally worth it!

Something that definitely stole my attention at the event was the Bespoke Collection. These are pieces that you can get personalised, with a special date or initial for example. The gold pieces are plated up to eight times, so there is no worry of them discolouring! There are also lovely stories behind some of the pieces. For example, the Chantilly Lace Cuff (£85) seen in the pictures above has actually been taken from the owner's Grandmother's wedding dress, who is also the inspiration for the name of the company. Everything about the brand is personal and pays attention to detail, which I really think makes them stand out from the crowd.

One of my favourite pieces from the whole range have to be these Pavé Triangle Ear climbers - Gold (£32). I actually saw them on one of the stylists at the event and fell in love! They give the illusion of multiple piercings and look so stylish and classy. I decided to do a makeup look to go with and matched them to my liner, and my contour! I have already worn them numerous times and have had so many compliments on them. I also have really sensitive ears, so am always extra careful when wearing earrings, however have not had any problems! 

I am so happy to have found this fabulous brand and can't wait to start making some purchases. I'll try not to get carried away.  If you are interested in hosting a 'Trunk Show'  or even becoming a stylist, then definitely head to the website for more information, as from what I can see the perks are amazing!

Amina xx

*PR Gifts. All opinions are my own.

Hey Guys,

This week I have a fabulous giveaway as part of my review of these Lee Stafford Coco Loco Long Tongs (£24.99). Just scroll down to the bottom of the post for details on how to enter. I was so excited to receive these tongs as, believe it or not, I have never curled my hair with tongs in my life. This might sound strange but it's because I have naturally curly hair, so if I ever style my hair, it's usually with straighteners. However since receiving the tongs I have created a few curly styles which I'm quite proud of!

The tongs are infused with coconut oil and leave your hair feeling super shiny. I found that you could use them both as a tong with the clamp, but also as a curling wand where, for a more tousled effect, you could wind your hair around the tong without clamping it in. But be careful not to burn yourself! You will notice the tongs are quite long. This is because they are designed for longer hair and have a 205mm barrel, so that there is enough surface area to actually curl your hair. For long-haired girls this is definitely a bonus. However for me I found it quite hard to manoeuvre the tongs around my hair because of the length of the tong. I did need some help in creating my hair style, as I was too scared of burning myself. I definitely think, as with any hair tool, you get more confident the more you use it.

Another great aspect is the look of the tongs. Being rose gold and pink, it's just gorgeous to look at. I also liked the fact that the cord rotated with the wand. One thing to note however, is the length of the cord is quite short. For people who have a socket next to their dresser it would be fine; others may need an extension.

I definitely think for the price (£24.99), the tongs are worth their money. I was skeptical about the coconut oil infusion at first but I can genuinely say my hair was left looking shiny and healthy rather than dry from the heat. To get the look my sister helped me to segment my hair into sections and then wind around the tong. Once she let the hair go, she then rolled the curls back up and bobby pinned to root. Once the whole head was done, I left the hair to cool and set into place and then finally released the curls. I then brushed through with my fingers. For a more tousled look, I could have brushed the curls out with a comb. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Here's my gift guide for this Mother's Day. To all you fabulous mums out there, I hope you get spoilt rotten on this day. You deserve it. Being a mum is one of the hardest jobs in the world so you deserve all the praise you get. If you're struggling for things to buy, I hope this guide helps. These are all things I would love as a mum, and I'm sure my mum would love them too.

This is a beautiful skincare package that comes gift wrapped, ready for Mother's Day. It contains a cleanser, toner and cream, all scented with frankincense and rose (heaven in a bottle). It's perfect for anyone who wants to add something to their skincare routine or try something new. I know for a fact my mum doesn't use a cleanser or toner, but she loves her beauty products so I think they would be perfect for her. AA Skincare is a brand that is new to me but I can honestly say I am loving all the products I am trying. Such good quality and for a great price.

Flowers just go hand in hand with Mother's Day, but why not mix it up a bit with this beautiful birdcage planter from Lidl. I thought it was so beautiful and a great alternative to a bouquet. When the flowers die, you could replace them with more or try something different, like a big candle. I would be delighted to receive it. I can just see myself using that birdcage for a blog prop! 

These Burt's Bees lipsticks look absolutely fab and the fact they are 100% natural just draws me towards them. At £9.99 (10% going to British Bee Keeping Association) I would say they are pretty reasonably priced. The shade 'Blush Basin' particularly appeals to me, but what's fab is that the brand offers a shade selector on its website, where you can input details based on your skin colour, the occasion and your mood and it picks a shade for you, which I thought was quite fun!

4. Primark 'Tea-rrific Mum' Mug and Coaster Set (£3.00)

I love a good mug and there happens to be a fair amount of 'Mummy Mugs' on the market around this time of year, but I kind of fell in love with this one. You get a mug and a lovely coaster all for just £3! What a bargain. I actually picked this out for myself as a Mother's Day gift, as my old mummy mug got a chipped (RIP) and my tea hasn't been the same ever since. Let's hope this one lives up to the reputation of the last!

I recently got gifted a free LVL treatment and I was over the moon. Exactly what I needed. This treatment is a life changer and is the perfect treat for us busy mums. Let me explain why. Firstly, because the treatment itself only takes 45 minutes - all you need to do is lie down and close your eyes. Heck, I'd  pay £100 pound to get 45 minutes of peace, but that's another blog post! It also leaves you with beautiful lashes that don't need any mascara, which again is going to save you a few minutes in a day. Is it just me or are your eyelashes the thing you spend longest on? I do! It leaves you with immediate results - lashes that are low maintenance and last up to eight weeks. What more could you ask for? I have had this treatment before (click here for before and after pictures) and can't recommend it enough.

If you fancy splashing the cash then I think these initial pendants are beautiful. They are made with real diamond and look so dainty. I love personalised items and think this would make the perfect gift for any mum. For a first time mum, if buying as a gift for a friend, or partner, it would be nice to get the baby's initial. They are available in rose gold, gold and silver, I think the rose gold is my favourite.

If you read my last post about beauty sleep (click here) you will know that for the month of March you can get the Dr Botanicals Advanced Purifying Night Masque for £19.99 (down from £67!), using code ALIBLOG. It would make the perfect treat for those skincare lovers, as this overnight treatment leaves your skin looking super soft and fresh.

There's nothing better than getting away and having some relaxing 'me time'. I have been looking for a fab spa package to treat my mum with (and myself) and I think I might have found the perfect one. For £82 per person (Sunday Night Break) you get an overnight stay in a classic Hilton room at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, with breakfast, full access to leisure facilities, including heated pool, steam room, sauna and jacuzzi, a choice of a 60 minute treatment, Neal & Wolf Shampoo and conditioners and an Elemis Taster Sachet. For more deals across the UK follow them on twitter @TheOceanRooms.

So these are a few of my Mother's Day gift picks. When selecting gifts, my rule is to always buy something I would be happy to receive myself, and I would be delighted with any of the above. I hope you like them too! I think I might hint to my husband that he needs to check my blog out and maybe he'll get the picture. Have you got your Mother's Day gifts sorted yet?

Amina xx

Hi Guys,

This week I am reviewing the Paul Mitchell Ultimate Color Repair Three Step System. This consists of the shampoo (£17.50, 250ml), conditioner (£17.95, 250ml) and Triple Rescue spray (£17.95, 150ml). You can buy all three from LookFantastic.com for £40. I got these products from a blogging event and have had them for a while, but because my hair wasn't coloured I didn't use them. However, a couple of months ago I went for a hair cut and decided to get a subtle balyage done.

Because my hair is so dark in colour, if I want any colour put onto it, it has to be lightened first. This damages the hair slightly, but the things we do for beauty hey. Due to this, my hair isn't always left in the best condition. As the colour starts to fade I also get left with a horrible brassy undertone and straw like feel. Sometimes the colour washes out so quickly that I wonder if it's even worth colouring it.

On to the products! Paul Mitchell have been around for over 35 years and were the first hair care brand to pledge against animal testing. They specialise in professional hair care and the products are used by hairdressers all around the world. Paul Mitchell also have schools in 100 locations across the world so when it comes to hair care they really know what they are talking about.  I was really excited to try the products and see if they lived up to the claims of:

- Up to nine weeks of vibrant colour

- 88% less breakage

- Preventing thermal damage by 86%

- 59% more shine

All I am going to say is, I am very impressed by the results. After using the products for six weeks my colour hasn't faded. Ok, of course it has faded a little, but not to the extent it has faded in the past. The colour is definitely still there and hasn't turned that horrible brassy colour. It actually looks healthier and shiny. 

My hair is incredibly curly, dry and coarse and I straighten it often. I have been applying the Triple Rescue spray before straightening and it is working wonders because my hair isn't left looking dry,  but healthy and bouncy. I have also noticed less broken hairs. In addition to this, I have had at least five people comment on my hair and two have actually gone and asked their hairdressers for the same look.  I don't put that just down to the cut and colour by my fabulous hairdresser, but the way my hair is actually looking thanks to the Ultimate Colour Repair system. I would really advise using all three together and I don't think the results would be so visible if I hadn't. The only downside is the scent. It's not for me. It's hard to describe it, but doesn't really give my hair that fresh smell. However I can deal with it when my hair is left looking so good!

Here are a few pics I took a couple of weeks ago. My hair is still looking brown and there is no fade whatsoever. You may also recognise the pics from a previous make-up look post; click here for the make-up details.

Just incase you need any more incentive to use Paul Mitchell, the bran are very well known for giving back and they are currently donating $1 to one of their  favourite charities on our behalf! All you have to do is either post on Twitter or Instagram about how you like to give back with the hashtag #GivingIsMyStyle. To see the list of charities and for more information click here.

Have you ever tried Paul Mitchell products? What do you use for heat protection and to prevent fading colour?

Amina xx


*PR sample. All opinions are my own.

Hi Guys,

For my last post of the year, I'm feeling a little bit reflective. I'm sat here on my laptop while my eldest daughter (3) is finally asleep, after what I can only call a traumatic few days for her. She had a horrible fall. We were set to go shopping and decided to have our weekly Costa stop off. Unfortunately, she tripped and fell into a table, landing face first and bashing her mouth to the point where her front teeth have been pushed backwards. She won't eat, sleep, or talk. We are having to feed her with a syringe. But after being in hospital all day yesterday and seeing the emergency dentist, fingers crossed she will be ok (with a little help from some Calpol and Amoxicillin). The pain you feel when your child is in pain is the worst. An aching of helplessness right in the heart. It has really made me think about what's important and what I am planning for the next year.

I'm glad to say we had a fabulous Christmas. I love Christmas. It's that time of the year when we get to spend time with the people we love most and enjoy each others company, while having an excuse to scoff our faces. And having kids makes it that extra bit special because you get excited for them. Putting up the tree, giving and receiving presents, eating the chocolate from the advent calendar, and making gingerbread are all things that are becoming traditions we thoroughly enjoy and embrace. I wish the whole year was full of these kinds of highs.

We've had other highs this year too, a memorable one being our first family holiday to Cyprus. The most amazing memories were made there which I will carry with me for a lifetime. My eldest starting nursery and my youngest having her first birthday in February. All milestones that I cherish. My mum beat her breast cancer and completed Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca which I am so proud of her for. My Dad turned 70, which we celebrated with the whole family in Spain. These are all things that I can say truly made my year. A big part of my year was blogging once a week, every week. I think this was the biggest commitment I made in 2016 and I didn't realise how much it was going to occupy my life!

When I try to think of lows this year for me personally, I struggle. I am rich in the fact I have great family, a husband who is, well, much more than that. Two beautiful daughters. A home I can call my own. However, when I think of the bigger picture, there has been a few lows. Brexit being one, Trump being another, Aleppo breaking my heart. I saw a burnt Syrian baby's face the other day. All I could see was my child. There. Screaming,  All things which again I feel completely helpless but so strongly about. These all strike a chord with me.

Leaving 2016 in a low was not what I planned, my daughter isn't her normal self and neither am I.   But I suppose it will take time. Time is one thing I thought I had. But I think if I've learnt anything from 2016 it's that we are all running out of time. The amount of deaths this year alone has highlighted this. So many icons no longer with us: David Bowie, Muhammad Ali and Prince, to name a few. The only thing we can do however, is to embrace whatever 2017 has to throw at us and live it to it's fullest. Whatever that may be. Swimming with sharks, jumping from a plane, or maybe just stepping out the front door, or trying something new. I know I will appreciate what I have and make the most of it. So here's to 2017 - let's face it with strength, courage and an eagerness for more. 

Amina xx

Hi Everyone!

This week I was invited to the Beyond Beauty Bloggers Event where I was introduced to a whole new range of skincare that I had no idea existed. I was also lucky enough to try out some of the treatments and if you think you might like to too, then stay tuned as I have a 20% off discount code at the end of the post!

Beyond Beauty is a skin clinic that has been around for 10 years, however more recently they moved to their current location on Broad Street in Birmingham. This is the perfect location as you can combine a bit of shopping at the Mailbox with a bit of pampering at Beyond Beauty, only a 10 minute walk away!

Beyond Beauty offer a range of treatments at competitive prices from massages to laser hair removal and of course non-invasive skin procedures, with treatments starting from just £30. However what makes Beyond Beauty different to the rest is that they tailor everything to your particular wants and needs. They even combine treatments to make the most of the time you have with them. For example, you can have an arm and leg massage while wearing one of their LED masks, or combine two types of facials into one like I did! The girls really know their stuff and I came away feeling full to the brim of knowledge and knew what I needed to do to take my skin to the next level. 

So let me tell you a bit about some of the machines they use and what I had done.

My treatment first started with a facial mask which was mixed specifically for my skin needs. Whilst this was set to work I was then given a neck, shoulder and arm massage by the lovely Miriam (Seriously this woman's hands are magic and she has over 20 years' experience in the industry so I would highly recommend her). Once the mask had been removed, I then moved onto the next part of my treatment, the Geneo +, 4 in 1 'super' facial. It promises to exfoliate, infuse, oxygenate and tighten the skin. It reduces wrinkles and makes the skin brighter along the way. Think of this as a very deep exfoliation using oxygen with a bit of radio frequency in between to stimulate and tighten the collagen in the skin. I didn't know what to expect when it came to the treatment but the only way I can describe it, is it felt like little scratches all over the skin, which is actually the machine removing the dead skin cells and pumping it full of oxygen bubbles. At worst, it felt uncomfortable but not painful, and it actually felt like something was working on my skin!

Once the treatment was complete, the skin was cleansed and we then moved on to the next part of my treatment which used the Venus Freeze. This particular machine can be used all over the body and, unlike what the name suggests, it actually uses heat and pulsed magnetic fields to increase collagen and make the skin firmer. Christina (Skin Expert) then applied the Glycerin to the skin, and the Venus Freeze was rolled over it in circular motions very quickly at a temperature of 39 degrees. It feels like a very hot sensation but because it is being moved around so quickly it does not burn at all. I particularly enjoyed when this was smoothed over the eye area as it felt quite relaxing. As the machine beeped this signified the end of my treatment and I couldn't wait to see the results!

Before I even looked in the mirror my skin almost felt like a mask. I could feel the difference. When I looked in the mirror I was so happy with the results. The biggest difference for me was the brightness and plumpness I could see straight away. However on closer inspection I could visibly see some of my lines and wrinkles have reduced too! The price for the combination of treatments I got would come to around £150, but you do get what you are paying for. They recommend a course of five treatments (around £500) and I think it is definitely worth it! These treatments are for somebody who is serious about their skincare and wants to see visible results, rather than someone looking for relaxation and pampering. 

Beyond Beauty also offer other treatments such as laser or IPL hair removal, the DermaCo Pro system which offers diamond tip microdermabrasion and LED masks which you may have seen a few celebrities boasting about on their Instagram. All treatments I want to try next!

I have to say I was particularly impressed by the professionalism, knowledge and attention to detail the staff gave. I would be happy to receive any of their treatments, so much so I've booked in again next week! Very generously, Beyond Beauty are offering my readers 20% off any of their treatments, just quote code : #BBLASERUK16 when booking.

Have you ever tried non-invasive machine facial before? Are you tempted to? Let me know in the comments below!

Amina xx


*Treatment was gifted to me for review purposes but all opinions are my own.

Hi Guys,

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Nouveau Lashes Lash Gang 1st Birthday Party. If you haven't heard of Nouveau or the #LASHGANG  then 1. where have you been? and 2. here's a little info. Nouveau Lashes (NL) offer a range of treatments from LVL, which is a natural way of  enhancing your lashes (read about it here) to SVS, their version of eyelash extensions. They also offer a variety of strip lashes to suit every kind of occasion and other products such as eye & brow conditioning serum or their eye make-up remover. Everything you need to keep your lashes looking amazing.

Being part of the Lash Gang has been such a fantastic opportunity for me. I really love the brand. The Lash Gang is such a supportive group and I feel really valued by the team. They are open to ideas and really allow us members to be as creative as we like. They have a special place in my heart because they were actually one of the first brands I ever worked with as a blogger. It might sound a bit dramatic but when I first joined the gang I was only a month into blogging, but I think they saw some potential in me (I hope) and trusted me to do their products justice! So in a way NL have been their from the start of my blogging journey and I am so grateful for them! (Cue violins and crying Emoji face)😭.

The day started off great as I travelled down with Gweni from GBeauty.co.uk and Debra-Bow from DebraBow.com and we had a lot of laughs on our road trip. When we arrived it was so fantastic for me to meet other bloggers and girls from the NL team who I had spoken to over Twitter but never met in real life. Straight in front of us was a photo booth which everyone had so much fun using. Who knew taking picture after picture of yourself could be so amusing! 

The day was full of lots of party games and I could see a lot of effort had been put into the event. Here are some pics from the Pass the Parcel and Piñata (which was decapitated in the end)! 

After we had played some games it was time for some food and boy was it impressive! They really did put on an amazing spread for us. It was a tea party! Complete with teapots, cups and saucers, scones, jam, clotted cream, cucumber sandwiches, the list goes on! 

Once we had eaten it was time for the Lash Gang awards! I had found out earlier in the week that I had been shortlisted for 'Wannabe Bestie' and 'MUA all day'. The thought that someone had actually nominated me for this was so heart warming. But to actually win MUA all day, I couldn't believe it. I was so overjoyed! Other winners were (twitter handles): @g_beauty_blog for Wannabe Bestie @NishiV_MUA for Vlogging Queen, @natashattodd for Flatlays For Days, @justnadiene for Blogger Babe and @asyouwish for Snapchat Slayer.

The day ended with some great goody bags which included a #lashgang tote bag, lashes, tweezers, some fab pins, a mirror and a gorgeous make-up bag by EmJ company.

It really was a reflective day for me and it felt amazing to celebrate a year of Lashgang but also a year of blogging for me. Ending it with the award just showed me how far I had come and how much blogging actually means to me! 

Amina xx



*Thank you to Debra-Bow and Gweni for allowing me to use some of their pictures.