Hi Guys,

This post is coming straight from the heart. It's something I truly believe in and want every other person to believe in too. This became even more important to me, as with a lot of things, when I became a mum. What I am talking about is the pressure men and women feel these days to look a certain way. 

I know this post might come across as hypocritical coming from a part time beauty blogger and make-up artist but actually I think it puts me in a great position to talk about this topic. Like I said, this all came about when I had my first baby girl. As with a lot of other strange things that you never thought you would think about, thoughts about what she would be like when she was older started to creep into my head and this happened all over again when I had my second. I found myself worrying   about them being concerned over their image, as I once did when I was a teenager. I didn't want them to be so concerned with it that it took over their thoughts, or worse, gave them anxiety. 

I think my teenage years was when I really started to worry abut my appearance, to the point when it would effect my health in terms of anxiety. I was bullied at school about my appearance. My curly frizzy hair was where it stemmed from and because of this, the way I looked became a big thing to me. I wanted to 'fit in'. Well what I thought was fitting in. Now I look back I am so grateful I didn't. Without this experience I would not have been the strong, thick-skinned, determined woman I am today.

Beauty has now become a passion of mine. Yes, I am a beauty blogger and make-up artist, but that is because I find make-up fun! Not because I need it to hide behind. Most days I am make-up free and comfortable in my own skin. I've posted numerous times on my blog without any make-up or with my curly hair out and proud. I have stretch marks as thick as tiger stripes, muffin tops which hang over my trousers, but I am secure in what I am. I'm not saying I don't have the odd insecurity, it's natural to, but in no way do I let my appearance take over my thoughts or give me anxiety.

I hope my girls see it as fun like I do. There is so much pressure put on girls and boys that I worry about how I can actually protect them from this. What can I actively do to make them feel secure? I just want them to feel comfortable in their own skin and not feel like they have to put make-up on or be a certain size because that's the norm. I can only be open and honest with them and let them explore. Teach them good eating habits and make them feel happy about who they are and what they look like. I naturally find myself telling them they're beautiful and that I love them with all my heart, and hopefully this will give them some inner confidence too.

More recently I found myself reading Sunita's blog post, from LuckyThings.co.uk, on the Be Real Campaign and my ten line comment made me think I needed to write a post about it. The Be Real Campaign, if you don't know, is a pledge to be exactly that. It is a campaign that hopes to change attitudes to body image and help us to put health before appearance. It also encourages diversity in media and advertising and to promote body confidence. It's a great campaign that gives you practical things you can do to actually support the campaign. From complimenting your friends to speaking out about this issue. With the media playing such a big part in people's expectations, it is so important  for them to make a conscious effort to make these realistic. Brands such as Dove, New Look and Superdrug, all sponsor and support the campaign which is a step in the right direction. However there is still a long way to go. So the more people that can read and be aware of the campaign, the better!

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!

Hi everyone,

This week I'm bringing you a make-up look I created using some products I received from Lisa Blur London. There's also a fabulous discount code further down so you can get your hands on some of the lovely products too! Lisa Blur London is a make-up brand which provides professional products at reasonable prices. The collection is described as bringing 'luxury as well as practicality' to you.

I used the Metallic Ultra Eyeshadow in 'Fierce' (£10) and Cheek Blush in 'First Blush' (£15) from the range. I wanted to create a smokey look that was wearable from day to evening to show how practical the products really are. 

To create the look I applied my foundation base as usual and those all important brows. I contoured using the L.A. Girl Concealer in Espresso and used MAC bonzer in Matte Bronze, as I wanted a sun-kissed look.

For the eyes, I applied Urban Decay Primer Potion to hold the product in place. The first colour I applied was actually a dark matte brown colour (Kiko Infinity Eyeshadow in Metallic Rose) for Fierce to sit on top of. I did this as I wanted to deepen the colour for a more dramatic look. If you wanted to go a step further you could even apply a black eyeshadow first and then apply Fierce over the top. This really brings out the true colour of the green gold. I made sure to apply the brown quite high over the lid so it would blend into the transition colour too. Next I applied a liberal amount of Fierce over the top. If you watch my snapchat or Instagram Stories (aminaali_mua) you would have heard me say that there was a little bit of fall out. However it was a very small amount and is expected with the amount I was applying. I used a clean brush to brush it away. Overall I was happy with the pigmentation and the eyeshadow performed as I would expect an eyeshadow to in the price range. It was long lasting and blended easily.

Through the crease I then applied a Kiko High Pigment Eyeshadow in Sienna (a matte orange colour) and blended it through with a blending brush. I applied a Rimmel Kohl liner to the upper and lower lash line and to the water line and smudged using a smudging brush. To complete the look I added Nouveau Lashes in Natural Style 1. If you wanted more of a dramatic look you could add lashes from their Glamour range.

I then moved onto the blush. I have to say I love the colour of First Blush. It is such a beautiful peach and perfect for my skin tone. It has tiny flecks of gold glitter in it and kind of reminds me of Chanel Joues Contrast Blush in Reflex but for a fraction of the price.

On the lips I applied MAC Spice lip liner and Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick in Melted Nude. The combination of these two is perfection.

Lisa Blur cosmetics are definitely something I can see in my kit and looking at the whole range I also like the look of their Contour Palette (£29) which looks comparable to the Anastasia Beverley Hills one, and their Sheer Glo Illuminators (£15), which come in four colours and can be mixed in with foundation or used on their own. I think I will be trying these next!

Hey guys,

This week I attended Blog Con London and had such a fabulous time! This was the first time I had travelled to London on my own, so I was a bit worried, but I managed to navigate my way through the tube and arrived raring to go!

It was great to hear some good advice by experienced bloggers who were doing talks on the day about how to turn your blog into a profession and how to work more with brands. There was the opportunity to network with brands too. However, I have to say what I loved most was actually meeting so many other people who have similar interests. I saw a few familiar faces, got to hang out with people I have become friends with online and also met bloggers who were new to me. All round it was lovely and Scarlett, the organiser, did a great job. She runs a few of these blogger events every year so if you are interested in attending click here to visit her website.

There were many brands there on the day. One I really loved was Love Inc Ltd. They sell gifts and home furnishings, like this neon light which can be personalised to any style and font.

I also got to visit the Chi Chi London stand. They sell beautiful clothing and accessories. I literally wanted to take all their dresses home with me. If you want something that will stand out, but is chic at the same time, be sure to check them out.

I also got talking to the lovely girls at the Johnny Loves Rosie stand. The jewellery and accessories speak for themselves. So beautiful and perfect for any occasion. I am particularly loving their bridal range at the moment and was blown away by the quality and price of some of the items.

We were lucky enough to be gifted samples from some of the brands. One that stood out was Lola's Apothecary. Not only because of the aroma that was coming from the stall but the beautiful display they had put on. I was able to take away one of their mini massage oils but was told it can be used as a perfume too. How pretty does it look!

All in all I had a great day socialising and chatting to like minded people, which is probably what I enjoyed most.  So if you want to network with brands and other bloggers it's definitely worth going.  The event was new but I can see it growing year by year. I think next time I might try a different Scarlett event like, The Bloggers Ball.

I will let you know how I get on testing the products. Do any of these products interest you? Let me know which ones intrigue you and I'll be sure to review them!

Amina xx