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,

Recently I was sent the Bourjois Vox Box by Influenster. If you haven't heard of Influenster it's a fab app where you can share make-up and product reviews. This wasn't my first box but there were so many goodies to try so I thought I should definitely share them with you. I have been a fan of Bourjois for quite a while, reasonably priced and good quality, I have a few of their lipsticks and love their blushers, mainly because of the lovely scents. Let me take you through the products and be sure to scroll all the way down to see the make-up look I have created! 

First up we have the Heathy Mix Anti-Fatigue Foundation (55 - Dark Beige, £9.99) and Concealer  (52 - Medium, £8.99) . This gives a semi radiant finish and has medium coverage. Those of you who know me, know I love a dewy finish to my foundation. This is somewhere in between matte and radiant however not radiant enough for me. Saying that I was still pleasantly surprised by the effect it gave. It was slightly too light for me, however I warmed it up with a coloured powder. For the price I think it is really good value for money and could easily see myself wearing it again. The concealer was just as impressive as the foundation. It is so great to see drug store brands producing fab quality. I still needed to use a colour corrector for my eye bags though.

The Bourjois Little Round Pot Blushers (£6.49) are some of my fave, so I knew I was going to love this. What's great about their blusher's is that they are not very pigmented. I know this sounds confusing, but it really allows you to build up the blusher which allows for a better blend and more natural effect. The brush that comes with it is actually pretty good as the bristles are quite tough, so when I'm in a rush I use it more, as it allows for quicker application. The effect this blusher gave was beautiful.

Hey Guys,

This week I am bringing to you the much anticipated NARS x Christopher Kane Limited Edition Chrome Couture Collection which features the Hardwired Eyeshadow Palette (£34) and Holographic Lipstick in Chroma Chrome (£23). If you don't know, Christopher Kane is a Scottish fashion designer and he has collaborated with NARS before in 2015. When I heard there was going to be an eye shadow palette in the new collection I knew I would need it. And when I set eyes on it, well to be honest I didn't even look at the price tag!

The packaging says it all. The holographic cover ensured me I was in for a treat. I couldn't wait to get inside! Let's start with the eyeshadow palette. It's a collection of six eyeshadows, three of which I would class as duo chrome, in that they shine two colours, two highly metallic shimmers, and one matte base with flecks of shimmer. My favourite has to be the duo chrome blue/purple shade (III). It is so stunning and just stole my attention straight away. The consistency of all the shadows are very smooth and creamy. All swatches are a one touch swatch, so you can see below that they are highly pigmented. I can't wait to start creating some make-up looks!

Low lighting. Top to Bottom VI, III, V, II, IV, I

Natural lighting. Top to Bottom VI, III, V, II, IV, I

One thing I was disappointed with is the size of the product. It is Limited edition so I didn't think it would be very big, but in fact, it is actually tiny. And to top it off I don't feel as though the pans are actually full of product as there is a good millimetre of metal pan visible around each eyeshadow. So I wouldn't exactly say this is value for money, but you are paying for quality and a designer product.

Swatches top to bottom, II, IV, I (eyeshadow palette), Chroma Chrome (lipstick)

Now for the Holographic lipstick. Going by the name, I think I was literally expecting it to be, well, holographic. But then I thought maybe this wouldn't be as wearable as I would hope. Still amazing though. I would class the li[stick as, a beautiful metallic pink colour with a slight highlight of rose pink running through it. So when the light catches it it gives you this beautiful highlight. It is very comfortable on the lips and is actually quite subtle which is not what I expected at all. The colour may be a little light for my skin but I love it and will continue to wear it. Once again, it is on the small side. Definitely not a full sized product but more of a deluxe sample size.

Now the big question is would I recommend? Of course! If you're an eyeshadow addict like me then you need this in your life. The fact it has duo chrome as well as highly pigmented shimmers all in one palette meant I had to have it, as they are the one thing that is was missing from collection. If your bank balance can take the hit, then I would definitely say it's worth it. Will you be buying? Tell me your all time favourite palettes!

Amina xx

To create the base I first used Mac Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage and then applied MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC35 on top with a foundation brush. I wanted to create quite a full coverage look for added drama. I set this with MAC Prep & Prime Translucent Powder. Once I had my base sorted I moved on to the eyes. I wanted a glossy and sparkly finish. As a eye lid primer I used Urban Decay Primer Potion and then applied Maybelline Color Tattoo in Eternal Gold over the top to get the perfect gold base. I then blended Kiko High Pigment Eyeshadow in Pearly Tangerine first and then over the top with Matte Hazelnut over the top. I blended through the crease with these ever so slightly, hardly picking up any product on my brush, just to create a slight shadow and contrast against the gold.

Next, using my finger, I put on MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Money Honey. It is such a beautiful glossy gold and brings the attention straight to the eye. Make sure you apply this after the shadow on the crease as otherwise it makes it very difficult to blend. If that wasn't enough, I wanted more glitter, so decided to add Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy over the top.

MAC Studio Eye Gloss swatch in Money Honey.

Some of the products used to create the look.

I then added Tarte Cosmetics Tartest liner in Black. It's important to note when applying all products don't go all the way down to the lash line as this makes it very difficult to apply the liner, it just slips over the glossy texture. To complete the look I applied Nouveau Lashes natural in style 1 which are perfect for a daytime look.

Rommel Lasting Finish Lipstick and NYX lip liner used.

On the cheeks I am wearing Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Reflex (one of my favourites) and for the lips I applied NYX lip liner in Plum/Prune and Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Bordeaux. I have to say I'm really impressed with the formula of this lipstick - it didn't bleed at all! To complete the look I added highlighter to my cheekbones and nose using The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer. 

I hope you like the look and it has inspired you to have a go! What will you be wearing this Christmas? Do you go all out with your make-up on Christmas Day?

Amina xx

Hi Guys,

So in this week's post I am sharing with you quite a bold lip look. And it includes glitter! With Pat McGrath (make-up artist to the stars, if you didn't know) releasing her 'Lust 004' Glitter lip collections I just had to have a go myself. I love all things glitter and incorporate it into quite a lot of my make-up looks but rarely on the lips. This is a daring, but very wearable lip and I can't wait to share it with you! For a close-up video of the final look be sure to check out my Instagram (aminaali_mua).

To start off, I always moisturise my lips by applying a lip balm like Suqqu lip essence cream (£35) or MAC Prep + Prime Lip (£13.50). This just makes sure those lips are soft and creaseless. Once moisturised, I then applied a flesh coloured lip liner (slightly darker than my lip colour) to enhance the shape of my lips and even them out. 

I then applied my lipstick base. When choosing the lipstick base make sure you pick a lipstick that is slightly deeper in shade than the glitter colour. This ensures the glitters stands out. I wanted a bold red so I opted for Ingot '416' . This is a deep berry shade but I just knew the red glitter would pop on it.