Hey Guys,

This week I am bringing to you Benefit's 'They're Real' Collection in collaboration with Debenham's Beauty. You all know how much I bang on about Benefit's eyebrow products. I use their 'Goof Proof' Brow pencil religiously and love their 'Ready, Set, Go' Clear Brow Gel to keep my brows in place all day. Just have a look back at any of my make-up look blog posts and you will see how I adore the brow pencil.

More recently, I have been using a few other products from their eye range. I am excited to share them with you, one, because they are great quality and long lasting but two, because they have been saving me a lot of time in the morning, which I am definitely in need of now I have the school run to add to my never ending list before work! 

First up we have an amazing set, The 'Big Lash Blow Out' (£20.50) which includes the famous 'They're Real!' Mascara as well as a handy travel size mini. I had heard so much about this mascara so couldn't wait to see if it lived up to the hype. And guess what... it did! The lift and curl it gave my lashes (see below) was exactly what my flat stubby lashes needed. And with two coats it's even better. I love the brush head on the mascara as it is not your typical brush. It is made from silicone bristles which vary in size. They also extend out from the tip of the brush so you can use it to get product on those hard to reach lashes.

I have been using the mascara together with the 'They're Real' Tinted Mascara Primer (£19.50) and it just gives your lashes the added drama they need. It is tinted a mink brown and adds a coating onto your eyelashes so the mascara applies smoothly. No one likes spider leg lashes! It can also be used on it's own to give your lashes a naturally more defined look.

Now for the time saver's that I mentioned earlier! Did you know Benefit do eyeshadows?! Not just any eyeshadow. This is an eyeshadow duo that requires no skill, technique, or blending. Yes please! It is literally effortless, while giving you a professional look. It's the 'They're Real' duo Eyeshadow Blender in 'Beyond Nude' (£19.50). This innovative compact comes with a sponge ball applicator which allows you to simply swish the ball back and forth in the product, and then repeat on your eye making sure the middle line is horizontal. I apply it so the darker shade applies in the crease and the lighter shade on the lid. The colours give a slight shimmer but nothing too dramatic and can literally save me five minutes of my morning routine.

This paired with the 'They're Real' Push-up Liner (£20) takes this look from day to evening. The push up liner, twists up, so no need for sharpening and is a gel-like formula which comes out of a silicone nib. The silicone nib is so soft that it can be pushed along the water line without it causing any irritation whatsoever (unlike normal wooden/plastic ones).  It can also be used above the lash line to create a feline flick. It's pigmented and pretty budge proof which is always a bonus!

The final product I am going to share with you is the 'They're Real' Lipstick and Liner in one (£16.50). And it is exactly that! No need for a separate liner, which usually takes me half an hour to find, before then searching for my lipstick! Benefit have combined the liner and lipstick into one to give you an all in one product that leaves you with luscious 'ombre effect' lips. The liner is slightly darker and lipstick lighter to give the illusion of fuller lips. The tear-drop shape of the lipstick gives    precise application of product.

Overall I have been thrilled with the products and can happily add them to my growing collection of Benefit Products. Have you tried Benefit before? What products do you swear by?

Amina xx

*PR gift. All opinions are my own.

Hey Guys,

This week I thought I would share with you some perfumes that I have recently purchased, or been gifted, that I am loving. It's funny how it's not until you do a blog post, you realise how many perfumes you have. But it just so happened that I had run out of a few perfumes, and it coincided with my birthday, so I decided to treat myself. I'll stop trying to justify myself now.

Perfumes are definitely a very personal thing, however I have got a mixed bag of scents coming up, so make sure you have a look through to see if anything suits you!

Jo Malone London - Woodsage & Sea Salt (Cologne, 30ml, £44)

So first up I have this amazing Jo Malone Cologne in Woodsage & Sea Salt. I was lucky enough to receive a voucher from my friends for my birthday, so decided to splurge on this beautiful perfume and an accompanying shower gel in Peony & Blush Suede. I felt very spoiled when I attended the store as I managed to get a lovely arm and hand massage, which added a little bit of luxury to my experience. And this is totally what this brand is - luxury. Because of this you can expect the scent to linger for ages and to be honest their scents are very original and not your average. I opted for  Woodsage & Sea Salt, as I love woody fragrances with a little bit of spice. It has a top note of ambrette seed which gives a very opulent feel and a base note of sage which makes it very earthy and fresh. What makes it even better is it is unisex, so the hubby and I can match (barf!)

Monsoon - Rose Gold (EDP, 30ml, £24)*

Carrying on with the luxurious feel, next up we have Monsoon's signature fragrance - Rose Gold. You all know what I'm going to say... ROSE GOLD! *Heart eyes emoji* As soon as I saw the packaging I was like forget what it smells like, this is going pride of place on my dresser, and it hasn't moved since! But the beauty doesn't stop at the packaging, it truly is a lovely fragrance too. When I sprayed it, I loved it straight away as it just oozed sophistication. It is a feminine scent, with vanilla, musk and amber notes. It has a fruity accord with notes of mandarin and lemon, which when combined produce a more-ish fragrance. It's definitely one I would wear on date night and I can see myself using for a very long time - it has become a favourite.

Accessorize - Lovelily (EDP, 75ml, £19)*

Now for another great addition to my collection, Lovelily by Accessorize. When I saw the packaging I immediately thought it would be a very floral and sweet scent, which is totally not me. However I was pleasantly surprised at how wearable this fragrance actually is. I thought it would be over-bearing, and a little heady, but it's not at all. I would describe the overall smell as floral, as it has hints of jasmine and vanilla. It's quite a fun fragrance and I could definitely see myself wearing it when I go out shopping or when meeting my best girl friends for a catch up. It's quite versatile, in that I have also found myself spritzing my little girls with it and it would be perfect as a gift too. I love the packaging and how the bottle is hexagonal. The little flower in the lid just adds that extra bit of excitement and I like how the pink follows down into the bottle to resemble a stem.

Primark Private collection - Rose Oud (EDP, 100ml, £8)

Now when I say bargain, I actually mean BARGAIN. Seeing how this product is eau de parfum (EDP), meaning it has a higher percentage of pure perfume compared to eau de toilette (EDT) or eau de cologne (EDC), this is value for money.  I love rose-scented products and had heard so much about these in the blogosphere, that I had to get my hands on whatever stock Primark had, which just so happened to be Rose Oud and Jasmine & Honey scents. Rose Oud is not for the faint-hearted, it is a very strong smell which is quite opulent and decadent. It is floral with quite a woody top note. It reminds me of sandal wood incense and I'm still not sure the scent is for me. However, the price is for me and it had to be bought. In terms of staying power, I wouldn't say it lasts quite as long as other EDPs I have, so maybe it's on the lower percentage of pure perfume, but it is definitely worth a purchase!

Primary Private Collection - Jasmine & Honey (EDP, 20ml, £3)

I bought this perfume because of the fantastic size it comes in, I thought it would be perfect for my hand bag when I need a quick top up and it really has been. Again I bought this because it was one of the only scents that were left but I have really enjoyed using it. It is not a stand out scent, in that I don't think it will get people asking you what you are wearing, if you know what I mean. However it is a very pleasant smell which is quite sweet, zesty and refreshing at the same time.

So those are my recent perfume buys and none of them really break the bank (well apart from the Jo Malone), but I think I also have some great alternative options to the standard designer brands. What's your favourite perfume? Have you tried any of these recently?

Amina xx

*PR Gift. All opinions are my own.

Hey guys,

Recently I have been loving my base and thought I would share with you what I have been using to create it. (Cue "All about that base" by Meghan Trainor). I am all about the flawless finish to my skin when applying make-up and love for it to look it's best all of the time. I think that might be where my  skin care obsession comes from and, needless to say flawless skin leads to flawless make-up application. I was recently sent a few products by Image Skincare, a brand that was new to me, but I am so glad to have been introduced to them, as their products have upped my skin game. More about them in a little while.

So, to start with, I would recommend a good skincare routine prior to foundation application (see my post here for details).  I cleanse my skin with DHC Cleansing Oil, apply Pixi Glow Tonic as my toner, and have then been using a trio of Bio-essence products. I start with their 24k Gold Water, followed by the 24K moisturiser and then finish off with the 24k Miracle Finisher, I have a whole blog post about this miracle primer here.

If you are looking for that extra glow to your skin I recommend using a sheet mask either the night before or a few hours before make-up application. If you watch my Instagram stories (@aminaali_mua) you will have seen I was blown away by the Image Skincare Bio-molecular Anti-ageing Radiance Mask (£9). It rejuvenated my skin. It contains volcanic water, red algae and anti-oxidants, all of which help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and also work to brighten the skin. I felt like it had literally reset my skin and left it feeling brighter, plumper and even.

Image skincare are the 'fastest growing skincare company in the world'. From what I can see so far this is totally understandable, as I saw results after one use of their mask. I was also sent their foundation, which is another stand out product. The I-conceal Flawless Foundation SPF 30 (£50) is a medium-to-high coverage foundation with a dewy finish. Perfect for the likes of me, who likes to glow! If you have oily skin I would recommend a matte primer. The smoothness of the foundation is lovely and leaves your skin looking silky - almost like a second skin, and the texture is just how I like it. It is more than just a foundation and has a whole host of skincare inside which continues to work on your skin all day. The only down side to the foundation is the lack of shade range. It comes in six colours, however I found the shade I'm wearing (Beige) slightly too light on me and the next shade up would have been too dark. I would love to see some more added to the range, as it grows in popularity, as I could see it as a staple in my kit. The great thing is, I feel like I've finally found that medium-to-high coverage foundation that doesn't leave my face looking cakey. 

I applied it using the Image Skincare 101 Flawless Foundation Brush (£38). This was a brush I knew I would like a soon as I set eyes on it. The perfect density, softness and fantastic shape makes it ideal for foundation application. The brush is angled so meets the skin at exactly the right angle and is so comfortable to hold. I started off by dabbing the product evenly across the skin and smoothing it out and then finally used a patting motion to really set it into the skin. I didn't use powder, as I wanted to demonstrate the true effect of the foundation (see below), however I would usually set with MAC Mineralise Skin Finish and then a fix spray like MAC Prep & Prime.






So that's it guys. I am totally obsessed with my base at the moment and this is how I achieve the perfect one. You can purchase the Bio-essence products  from Superdrug and they currently have 1/3 off! Image Skincare is a professional skincare brand, so you can only buy from stockists. To find your nearest stockist call 0345 504 0461 or email info_uk@imageskincare.com. What are your base must haves?

Amina xx


*PR gifts. 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.