Guest Post: How To Make An Elegant Perfume Last All Day

Learn the art of making your perfume last all 

day with Zohoor AlReef.

-VicinityMakeup

________________________________________________________________________

THE ART OF MAKING AN ELEGANT PERFUME LAST ALL DAY

The scent of a beautiful perfume shouldn’t be a fleeting luxury; it should last all day. And while there’s a true art to making a fragrance last longer, even the lightest, most delicate perfume can be made to linger by mastering the art of applying it. 

The first golden rule is to always apply your perfume to the skin before dressing. Heat and chemical reactions activate your perfume’s aroma, so you can maximise its effectiveness by applying it to the body rather than to clothing. The perfect place to apply perfume is at your pulse points – where your heart rate can be felt through blood vessels that lie close to the skin. The warmth of your blood at these points will activate the perfume, making it even more fragrant and noticeable. Being strategic is essential, so apply it to your temple, below the ear lobe, inside the wrist and elbow and at the base of the throat to produce maximum effect.

Dabbing is likely to leave much of the perfume on your fingertips, so spraying your perfume is always best. Spray the perfume about 20cm (8 inches) away from the skin to apply the fragrance across a wider area. And most importantly, avoid rubbing the perfume after you’ve applied it as this will break down the molecules and “crush the fragrance” – potentially making it disappear completely.

Use other products with the same scent

The best way to ensure a long-lasting fragrance is not just to rely on perfume. Fragrance gift sets that contain several different products with the same scent are ideal for this as they allow you to incorporate a fragrance into your whole beauty regime.

Enhance the rich scent of your perfume with scented shower gels, moisturisers and deodorants that can be bought all together for a complete perfume experience.

Adapt your perfume to seasonal changes

If you’re worried that the scent of your perfume isn’t lasting very long, it could actually be linked to seasonal changes in the weather. Heat encourages chemical reactions that release fragrances and create stronger scents; so on those warm summer nights you probably won’t need to apply as much as usual.

Heat also speeds up evaporation so if you’re wearing a light eau de parfum or eau de toilette, you’ll probably need to reapply it more often in hot weather. And in winter, the cooler weather will lead to slower chemical reactions and fragrances that develop gradually and with less intensity. So in winter, you may just need to give your perfume that extra spritz to ensure it stays fragrant. This would also be an ideal time to start using scented toiletries that enhance the scent of your perfume.

Store your perfume well

Making your perfume longer is not just about how you apply it; it’s also about how you store it. Storing your perfume badly can make it lose its scent and if certain new chemical compounds are formed, it could start to irritate your skin or develop an unpleasant smell.

The best way to preserve your perfumes is to store them in cool, dry conditions away from sources of heat and direct sunlight. Avoid keeping them in the bathroom as this will allow humid air to infiltrate the bottle.

Finally, buy your perfume in a spray bottle to let in less air and protect it against evaporation and contamination. Following these storage tips will keep it at its best for as long as possible and if your perfume is in its optimum condition, it’ll last longer on your skin too.

About the author

Inspired by the sights and sounds of the Orient and beyond, Zohoor Alreef has been creating luxury perfumes for over 20 years. There are now 200 stores in the Gulf region with exotic fragrances inspired by countries as far afield as France. Now available to buy online, browse our range of luxury perfumes online at http://www.zohooralreef.com/.

Guest Post: How Anti-Oxidants Help Protect Your Skin Against Aging

Here is a guest post on behalf of skinfo.com
educating us about anti-oxidants and the
role they play in protecting the skin against aging.
We found it truly insightful and hope you do too!

-VicinityMakeup

________________________________________________________________________

The beauty world has been buzzing for many years about antioxidants, the powerful “cure-all” for  nature’s effects on skin. Although many products, creams, powders and even foods claim antioxidant benefits, many still don’t’ know what they are, how they work or what antioxidants can do for your skin.

Antioxidants are both nutrients (i.e. vitamins and minerals) and enzymes (proteins in your body that assist chemical reactions.) These elements help reduce the effects of oxidation, or the stress that occurs when free radicals (chemically active atoms) grab electrons from cells, protein and DNA. In other words, antioxidants protect healthy cells from damage. Oxidants are necessary for many biological processes like metabolism and breathing. Although it’s impossible to avoid some damage from free radicals (as some are a normal part of our bodies) antioxidants can help protect your skin from the free radicals found in environmental factors: pollution, sunlight, smoking and alcohol.

A healthy diet combined with antioxidant-rich skincare products can benefit your skin in a variety of ways. 

Here are a few of the top ways:

1) Increased Collagen Production – Collagen is the main protein that gives your skin elasticity (or, in other words, a tight, youthful skin tone.) Collagen is highly susceptible to free radical damage; collagen is easily broken down, causing wrinkles. Strengthen your skin and neutralize free radicals by applying an antioxidant night cream daily. This type of cream is often thicker than daily moisturizers, and can work with the restorative process of sleep to improve skin ton and allow collagen production to continue.

http://www.smashinglists.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Moisturize.jpg

2) Reduce Age Spots  -- Age spots, sometimes known as liver spots (or solar lentigines to doctors), are harmless discolorations of skin. They often appear and darken over time, and happen when sun exposure speeds up the skin pigment melanin, which becomes clumped together. To reduce the appearance of age spots, search for a daily sunscreen that includes vitamin C. The sunscreen can help stop future melanin overproduction, and the vitamin C is known to lighten age spots already existing on the skin.

3) Reduced Acne – Acne isn’t just a teenage problem; many adults suffer from this problem, too (in addition to other skin issues, like age spots or wrinkles.) Acne can be caused by different things, but if you have oily skin, this can be a culprit. Vitamin A is an amazing antioxidant to help with acne for several reasons. Vitamin A helps reduce the overall level of oil in the pores of the skin, and also move deep into pores to remove keratin plugs, which are also a known cause for acne. For adults suffering from acne, search for a daily wrinkle cream moisturizer that includes Vitamin A that can help you get clear, wrinkle-free skin tone.

4) Anti-Inflammation – Dry, cracked and inflamed skin not only looks painful, it feels painful. Individuals with dry skin can experience flare-ups due to weather or environmental factors, but antioxidants can help calm skin and restore moisture. Alpha lipoic acid, found in pine bark and green tea, have great anti-inflammatory properties and can increase circulation and promote cell regrowth. With this antioxidant, you’ll see a more even skin tone and less stress on your skin.  If you’re faced with inflamed skin, try a natural cleanser with green tea to soothe and restore.

About the author

Amanda is a social media manager for a health care organization by day and a blogger and freelance writer by night. She's also a mom to an amazing 2 year-old boy and wife to a great guy who indulges all her celebrity gossip. Amanda loves coffee, fashion, Twitter, makeup, nail polish, and cats (not always in that order.) Her work has been published on family.com and blogher.com. For more celebrity gossip, fashion, beauty and DIY, visit Amanda's blog, It's Blogworthy (http://itsblogworthy.com) or follow her on Twitter and Google+.

Guest Post: Four Beverages That Can Contribute to Poor Health

Special thanks to mercola.com for reaching out to

us with their immensely beneficial guest post, we love it and

hope you all do too!

-VicinityMakeup

________________________________________________________________________

In addition to knowing what you eat, paying attention to the beverages you drink is a critical aspect of health. Water is an important component of your diet, as it makes up more than half of your body’s tissues and has a role in almost all of your body functions, including detoxification, temperature regulation, and cushioning of joints.

It’s best to stick to just pure water. The following are some beverages you should consume less of or eliminate from your diet completely:

1.       Coffee and other caffeinated drinks – Prolonged consumption of caffeinated drinks, like coffee and energy drinks, can make you prone to a number of health problems, such as insomnia, irregular blood pressure, palpitations, anxiety, and mineral deficiencies.

2.       Alcohol – Consumption of beer and other types of alcohol should be limited (or eliminated completely) if you want to improve your health. It should be completely avoided if you have high uric acid levels. Overconsumption of alcohol can lead to metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, poor liver health, and more.

3.       Fruit juices – Most commercial fruit juices contain only 10 percent fruit juice. They may as well be called “sugar water,” as they are loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, which can cause great damage to your system. Fruit juices also contain synthetic nutrients, artificial colors, and preservatives.

4.       Soda – Whether it’s regular soda or diet soda, you should not drink it at all. While regular soda contains high concentrations of fructose and synthetic ingredients, diet soda contains artificial sweeteners that are linked to brain and neurological disorders.

How to Get ‘Healthy’ Water

To determine if you’re drinking enough water, check your urine: it should be light yellow. A darker shade of color may mean that you are dehydrated. It is important to stay hydrated, as insufficient water levels in your body can cause fatigue, dry skin, headaches, and constipation.

However, you shouldn’t settle for just any water. Having some type of water filtration system at home is highly recommended, because the water treatment procedures done by your local water company can add contaminants to your water.

Adding chlorine to water is one of the most common treatment methods used to clear water of inorganic material. Once chlorine reacts with the organic substances in water, toxic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) can form. Studies show that DBPs are carcinogenic and can cause reproductive problems in lab rats.

Some treatment plants add fluoride to the water, as it is believed that fluoride can help promote oral health. The truth is fluoride is a neurotoxin that can worsen dental health and accumulate in your bones, causing skeletal fluorosis.

Aside from investing in a high-quality water filter, you can also:

·         Avoid distilled water – Aside from being too acidic, it can leach minerals from your body.

·         Avoid alkaline water – While distilled water’s pH level makes it too acidic, alkaline water’s pH makes it too ionized. This type of water is only good for short-term use (about two weeks) or detoxification.

·         Avoid bottled water – 40 percent of bottled water is actually tap water, which may have not been treated. Plus, there are over 30 contaminants found in bottled water, including arsenic and carcinogenic compounds.

·         Store water in the right containers – Even if you have the purest water on the planet, storing it in a plastic container can cause chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA) to transfer to the water. Use glass containers instead.

·         Add lemons or limes to water – Adding these can normalize water pH levels, especially if your pH is too acidic, and provide a refreshing twist to your drink.

About the Author

Because of her interest in natural health, Adrienne Nicole R. regularly reads about health news and strategies. She is subscribed to the Mercola natural health newsletter, which enables her to discover steps to take control of her health. She is currently researching the benefits of having an efficient whole house water filtration system in your home.

Shop and Tell #4 - Drugstore Lipsticks and Swatches

Heyyy alllll :) I thought I'd do a show and tell for these lipsticks I got in the past month. All of these ended up becoming some of my FAVES. I got some crazy brights, and some neutral pinks. Hope you all enjoy the post :)

1. Maybelline ColorSensational Vivid lipstick #902 Fuschia Flash

    Its just a crazy bright pink with purple undertones with a slightly glossy finish although over time it dries kinda matte. I saw makeupbycamila2 on YouTube use this in one of her videos and I just knew I had to get it cos I've nothing like it!! On my bare lips, it comes out more purple than a pink, but when I conceal my lips first and then apply it, it comes out more pink :) 

2. Maybelline ColorSensational Vivid lipstick #910 Shocking Coral

   I think the name itself describes it the best. Its a beautiful shocking coral color with a slightly glossy finish but it looks matte over time. Once again, it comes off more orange on my bare lips, so I like concealing my lips before applying to get the true color of this lipstick. For some reason, in the first picture the lipstick looks more orange. I took another picture just so you can see its true color :)

3. Rimmel Colour Show Off lipstick #110 Pink Gossip

    I was shopping with my bestie when we spotted a buy two get one free sale on all the cosmetic brands in Centerpoint. Both of us went CRAZY and bought three lipsticks each from Rimmel! So the first color I gravitated towards was this one- its a bright pink with warm undertones and a matte finish. If you look closely on the tube of the lipstick, you can see some golden sparkles but when applied you can't really see them. 

4. Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate lipstick #102

    This is a beautiful neutral pink with a matte finish which looks very natural on the lips. Its a basic pink that all girls should have because it goes with every makeup look! 

 

5. Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick #070 Airy Fairy 

   Its a pink nude with a finish that feels like its right in between a glazed and a frost. Perfect for those days when you want a nude lip without looking washed out :) 

Here are swatches of the lipsticks I've mentioned-

(from top to bottom)

1. Maybelline ColorSensational Vivid #902 Fuchsia Flash

2. Maybelline ColorSensational Vivid #910 Shocking Coral

3. Rimmel Color Show Off #110 Pink Gossip

4. Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate #102

5. Rimmel Lasting Finish #070 Airy Fairy

Where to get these:

I get all my drugstore brands like Maybelline, Rimmel, NYX, etc from Centerpoint in Andalus Mall.

How much do they cost?

Maybelline Vivids for 51 sr each.

Rimmel lipsticks for around 42 sr each.

I really hope you enjoyed reading this post and it proved helpful. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comment section below or contact us on our Facebook or Twitter.

Ramadan Kareem!

Assalamu alaykum all!

Wishing a blessed Ramadan to all our lovely readers!

May Allah Most Merciful make this the best Ramadan yet! ^_^

How I Store My Lipsticks + Kyara 2 Drawer Acrylic Container review

Hiiiii everyone! :D

Today I'm very excited to share with ya'll how I organize my lipsticks and a sort of a review on this storage item. 

Earlier I used to store my lipsticks in one of those acrylic cubic lipstick holders which was great but I always ended up getting dust on my lipsticks that way, also- my nieces are ALWAYS out and about to get their hands on my makeup, so that didn't help either. However I continued to use it regardless until I ran out of storage space, and had nowhere to store my new lipsticks.

I ALWAYS wanted to get the MUJI acrylic containers (kinda still do, cos they have more sizes), but the lazy me didn't want to go through all that hassle to order it online. 

So, I began on a hunt to find something similar here in Jeddah. And I found this:

The Kyara 2 Drawer Jewelry Box

What it is:

A two drawer acrylic desk, ideal for storing pieces of jewelry and in my case- lipsticks

Where I got it:

At Home Center in Al-Andalus Mall

How much I got it for:

49 sr

What it looks like:

Here are some pictures so you get an idea of what it looks like from all sides and angles :)

MY THOUGHTS:

-As you can tell, these drawers are clear acrylic see-through- so I love how I can see the color and name of the lipsticks.

-It is lined with this black thing that kind of resembles shelf-liners- which is good because it will keep your things from sliding around in the drawers. Although it is easily removable if you don't like the look.

-The drawers slides in and out easily, thanks to the handles on it.

-The entire drawer is made up of a comparatively thicker acrylic than most drawers I've seen on the MUJI website- so I'd say its pretty heavy duty and durable.

-Although one thing I'd like to share is how BUMMED I was when I found out the drawers are not stack-able. Although they do stand side by side very well- kinda looks like this:

Here are some more pictures with my lipsticks in, so you can see what it looks like with the lipsticks in-

As you can see in the picture above, in my top drawer, it fits around 8 lipsticks when placed vertically.

And in my second drawer, you can see that the longer lipsticks don't fit vertically, so I store like 5 of my longer lipsticks horizontally and 3 of my other lipsticks vertically.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase as this drawer stores all of my lipsticks very well! I think, being a concealer junkie, it'd be ideal to store lots of concealers as well.

Who would I recommend this drawer?

I'd recommend this to anyone who was looking for acrylic drawers to store their makeup such as lipsticks, concealers, jumbo pencils, paint pots from MAC, or the Maybelline color tattoos etc. 

And HAPPY SUMMERS to all of you out there!! I know I'm very late at this but my summers started only about a week ago, and inshallah I will try my best to post a lot more frequently now :)

I really hope you enjoyed reading this post and it proved helpful. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comment section below or contact us on our Facebook or Twitter.

Sephora- Store locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Assalamu alaykum!

This post is a directory entry for Sephora store locations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

About Sephora:

Sephora is a unique place that brings beauty within everyone’s reach. It is a unique concept that reinvents the desire to live and dream about beauty every day. It excels at finding creative brands, highlighting trends, shaping aesthetic codes and administering tailor-made advice that hits the target every time.  It offers total freedom to walk in, feel, dream, have fun, experiment and leave without feeling obliged to make a purchase. It stimulates emotion by initiating the pleasure of learning, combined with the discovery of a place, an atmosphere and an attentive ear. With its original products, avant-garde services and innovative communication, Sephora constantly celebrates audacity whilst paving the way for modernity.

To enter a Sephora shop is to discover the latest trends, play in one’s free time, experiment with perfumes, meet up, fall in love with a lipstick, get in a fluster, ask for the moon, surrender yourself to fantasies… and feel happy.

For the epitome of beauty at the best price, think Sephora! An audacious brand with 1400 products, Sephora enriches its range every year by adding a minimum of 300 new products.

In its quest for pleasure and beauty, Sephora has developed a made-to-measure brand that is recognizable for is affordable prices, as well as for its efficient formulas, spectacular designs and commitment to superior quality. The proof? All of the brand’s products are tested in independent laboratories that strictly comply with worldwide cosmetic regulations. They also conform to environmental, social and ethical charter.

Locations:

Andalus Mall
Ground Floor
Jeddah


Mall of Arabia
Ground Floor
Jeddah


Red Sea Mall
Ground Floor
Jeddah

Sources:

http://www.sephora-me.com/ar/pid3881/stores.html?search=jeddah

http://www.sephora-me.com/ar/pid3971/sephora-history.html

Like Sephora Middle East on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/sephora.me

Check out the Sephora Middle East website for more information and store locations:
http://www.sephora-me.com/

Stay in touch with us!
https://twitter.com/vicinitymakeup
http://www.facebook.com/vicinitymakeupjeddah

Take care!

I ♥ Drugstore Makeup [TAG]

Assalamu alaykum! 

If you watch beauty YouTube videos, you may be familiar with this Tag. As mentioned, it's called the "I ♥ Drugstore Makeup Tag"- all about one's love of Drugstore makeup.

For us Jeddawis- as far as I'm aware, 'drugstore' is not usually the name chosen for makeup brands that supposedly come under the 'drugstore' category. I'm thinking this term stuck to the makeup brands under this category because these particular brands are usually/only sold in drugstores in the western countries. 

One can say that these brands are on the more easily accessible and affordable spectrum among all the existing makeup brands. Which is great since everybody loves to get great deals on good quality makeup! :D

And for that reason, I'm attempting to do a "blog post" version of this tag! So as to share the love of Drugstore/affordable makeup with everyone and hear the same from you! Also, this specific tag video is one of my favourite kinds to watch, along with the "$20 Makeup Challenge"- its amazing how one can find amazing quality makeup and create stunning looks for such low prices!! :D 

So on to the tag I proceed! 

1. What is your favorite drugstore makeup brand?

Milani! Although I do enjoy other brands, Milani is the one which I'm always excited about and most of their products truly don't disappoint.

2. What are your favorite face, cheek and lip products?

Face- Milani Even-Tone Powder Foundation. See my review of this product here. 

Cheek- NYX Powder Blush in Peach. I love it! It goes amazingly with every look. Perfect as on-the-go for my skin tone with a lovely satin finish.

Lip- Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss in Pink Crystals and Nivea lip gloss in "Copper". These two glosses were among the first ones to come in my makeup collection and have stayed strong in my favourites! The Revlon lip gloss is my favourite "on-the-go/goes-with-everything" pink gloss and the Nivea gloss is the same for me as a peachy shade. 

3. Least favorite product?

Something that I can remember off the top of my head- Max Factor Compact powder. It will be a shocker for most, since its one of the popular ones. My sisters and friends use it and they love it, but on my dry skin- it just doesn't do it right :( 

4. What is the best makeup bargain?

Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow. This is amazing quality cream eyeshadow at a super afforable price.

Also, the Garnier Essentials moisturizer deserves a mention here. I LOVE this moisturizer and it's under 30 riyals for sure. I find the product to be of such high quality for the price and I truly hope Garnier does not ever discontinue it or increase its price.

5. What is your favorite underdog product? (Something you love that often gets overlooked?)

I feel most of the products on here that I've already mentioned make this category lol So in order not to be repetitive, the first thing that comes to my mind are the Mikyajy Travel Brush set and the Eyeshadow Blender Brush (see picture). Yes, they are synthetic, but they work pretty awesome for the price and the eyeshadow blender brush is my go-to e/s brush. InshaaAllah I will do a more in-depth feature on these brushes in one of the posts for the Minamalist Beauty series. So stay tuned! :D 

Second- the brand Bourjois in general! Bourjois has given me a hope in the foundation arena for dry skin- loving their foundations! The best I could find for my dry skin so far. As of late, after acquiring a few bourjois products and finding my faves from among them, I'm thinking- "Hey, why aren't these talked about as much as others?" The main reason comes to my mind is the price, it is a bit more expensive than other drugstore brands but they really have delivered considering what I experienced from their products lately. If you want me to do post on my Bourjois loves lately, do let me know and I'll be happy to oblige :D 

6. A drugstore product that is overpriced? 

Keeping in mind the brands that are available here in Jeddah, I will have to say ELF. Really, for something that is supposed to cost 2 Dollars for the most part (7.5 Saudi Riyals at the time of this post), it costs a whopping 39 Riyals!! 

While I do realize most drugstore products available here are overpriced compared to their US prices, for some brands I really don't mind paying a little more if its something I really enjoy- but ELF's super hyped price just doesn't do it for now.

7. Show your best drugstore dupe(s)

Milani 12 hour eyeshadow sticks- for Urban Decay 24/7 shadow sticks (As mentioned by DivaMakeupQueen here)
NYX single e/s in black- for MAC Carbon. NYX is so much better than MAC's new formula for Carbon. Seriously!
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation original- for Chanel Pro Lumiere (as mentioned by the pixiwoo sisters here)

8. Drugstore product that isn't worth the hype?

Honestly speaking, I've had more "isn't worth the hype" moments with higher end brands rather than drugstore ones. No drugstore product has, at least so far, given me this moment (or at least something I will immediately remember because of how strongly I felt about it). If I had to say something, then again- it will have be from E.LF- their HD Powder blush in Coral. Beautiful colour, great colour pay-off and even the application is impressive- but it doesn't stay on like that for as long as I'd want it to. It's not necessarily a bad product, but just not worth the hype for me, to put it that way.

I TAG:

Obscure Beauty

Samar Khan

... and YOU! 

Leave YOUR favourite affordable/drugstore beauty products in the comments  or write a blog post and share it with us! ^_^ We'd love to know!

That's all for this post, hope you enjoyed!

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter or follow us here via Blogger so that you'll know when the next post is up!

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Until then, tc!

Spring Clean Your Makeup Bag [Tip Of The Day]

Head on over to handbag.com to know all that you need in order to clear away the makeup clutter! I personally feel the steps are quite relevant without getting too technical on how to know the bad makeup from the good and to clean away the makeup mess.

I recently "spring cleaned" my makeup collection and and ended up with a bag full of products I haven't used- in a long time, won't use, or are as good as new *hides* lol!

It may be surprising but I love how light I feel after that- Alhamdullilah! All those products, not being put to better use is a real shame on my part. InshaaAllah I will be giving them way to family and friends as soon as I am able (after I sanitize them properly ofcourse!).

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE HOW TO: http://www.handbag.com/beauty/news/a468330/how-to-spring-clean-your-makeup-bag-with-help-from-clinique.html

Here is a snap of the items that (sadly) had to be put out of my makeup collection :(

Hope you enjoyed!

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter or follow us here via Blogger so that you'll know when the next post is up!

https://twitter.com/vicinitymakeup
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Until then, tc!

Find affordable Makeup Brushes in Jeddah!

Assalamu alaykum all!!

Hope you are well!

In my last post, I mentioned about finding good quality affordable brushes here in Jeddah and well- this is the post in which I will share with you what I found ^_^

The Beauty Keys shop in Andalus Mall (which also happens to be one of my favourite shops ever) got in stock these beautiful brush sets to cater to everyone's needs, especially the average makeup consumer.

Brush Set No.1 
Price: SAR 175

To me, this brush set seems to be the best among all the sets. MashaaAllah it has got a lovely range of all the basic brushes one would need to do their makeup. It has the basic Eye brushes: flat shader (small and large), crease brushes (small and large), detail brushes for liner and detail eye makeup, and the same goes for Face brushes.
The price for the entire brush set is 175 riyals, which may seem a lot at first but when you break it down, it comes to 9.7 riyals per brush (there are 17 brushes in total)!! That's an excellent deal in my opinion, and the brushes would certainly cost more if one were to buy them individually. For the average makeup consumer, a single set would be an investment of a lifetime, lol okay maybe not lifetime but definitely a long time for sure provided one takes good care of them.

Brush Set No.2
Price: SAR 175

This set, if I recall correctly- costs the same as Brush Set No.1 but comes with a different colour and style of brush holder. I apologize for the unclear picture, the entire brush set is not in frame. But I'm assuming it has the same amount of brushes and is of the same price.

Brush Set No. 3
Price: SAR 375 

This is the most expensive of the bunch, costing a whopping 375 Riyals! From what I can tell, I think that apart from the extra brushes provided in this kit, the quality of these also seems superior to the other brush sets.

If one breaks down the price of this set, it comes to around 16.3 riyals per brush (as there are 23 brushes in total). I feel this set is pretty neat, but there seems to be no proper crease brush which is a concern since crease brushes do play a vital role in eye makeup application from my experience.

Brush Set No.4
Price: SAR 125

From the immediate looks of it, you can definitely tell this is a travel brush set. Break down of the price will result in 10.4 Riyals per brush (12 brushes in total, the twelfth one seems to be hiding vertically in the picture lol). For this set, my concerns are same regarding set No.3- no obvious crease brushes and a lot of the brushes seem to be very similar making this one not all that special, even for its price.

Also, I have bought some of the brushes from this set individually in the past, the flat shader ones to be precise- and while they are affordable, of decent quality and I still continue to use them, they do have shedding issues.

Individual Brushes

If you are not particularly interested in buying complete sets and just looking for specific brushes to fill your brush collection, it may be worthwhile checking out the individual brushes they have to offer. MashaaAllah, again- great prices! I recently bought a crease brush costing 15 Riyals. There are many other face and eye brushes also.

Fan Brush for body- SAR 25

Okay, great- where can I purchase these brushes from?
You can purchase these from Beauty Keys shop opp. to S-Mart in Andalus Mall

Would you call these dupes for MAC or Sigma brushes (or any other high end brush company for that matter)?
These are good quality brushes for the price. No, these will not be as well made as MAC or Sigma, will have shedding issues but- for the average makeup consumer, these are a wonderful investment in my opinion. With proper caring and cleaning techniques, one can increase the life span of the brushes and stretch its worth beyond it's normal life.

These brushes seem to be similar to brush sets offered by online wholesale makeup companies, and the fact that us girls are able to get it here without all the shipping costs and hurdles is wonderful! Alhamdullilah.

I truly hope this was helpful to some of you looking for affordable makeup brushes here in Jeddah. I also use and have makeup brushes from Mikyajy, which I will be more than happy to talk about in another post about my experience with them if you like ^_^ Let me know!

Happy shopping!!


Check us out on Facebook and Twitter or follow us here via Blogger so that you'll know when the next post is up!

https://twitter.com/vicinitymakeup
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Until then, tc!

(mini) Shop and Tell #3 [+ my favourite shop in Andalus Mall!]

Assalamu alaykum all!

Hope you are well :)

A few days ago, I went to Andalus Mall and here is a mini Shop and Tell of what I bought-

1- Maybelline Baby Lips for SAR15
Where I purchased it from: Orjwan beauty shop opp. to Hyper Panda in Andalus Mall

After hearing all the hype on YouTube about it, I decided to get this, especially since it was just for 15 Riyals! I picked up two extra ones for my nieces.
So, after trying them my first impression is that-- I can totally get what the hype is about! These are amazing mashaaAllah! This one in specific at least since this is the only one I've tried so far. I was sort of skeptical about them, but the colour is build-able, it feels smooth on the lips and it stains them too! Will definitely be going and getting more ^_^

2- Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Care Mascara for SAR45 
Where I purchased it from: Orjwan beauty shop opp. to Hyper Panda in Andalus Mall

This was a repurchase because my previous tube was getting old, this is the only mascara I've been liking at present. However, I'm still on the look-out for amazing mascaras so any suggestions are welcome! Especially anything that has a shorter wand, is extremely black and gives great lengthening.

3- Maybelline Colossal Kajal eyeliner for SAR20
Where I purchased it from: Orjwan beauty shop opp. to Hyper Panda in Andalus Mall

I was on the look-out for a good black eyeliner, and a lovely blog reader suggested this one as being her HG- so I bought it!

4- Eye makeup brush (Stiff dome) for SAR15
Where I purchased it from: Beauty Keys shop opp. to S-Mart in Andalus Mall

I was looking for a bigger stiff dome eye makeup brush than a Mikyajy one that I had- and lo and behold! My favourite shop in Andalus had it at a great price!

My favourite shop in Andalus...

... well, ONE of my favourite shops! Hahah! I love the products they have and the affordable prices. This is the shop in Jeddah where you can get Milani cosmetics. Also, they recently got an amazing range of affordable makeup brushes which I will soon talk about in another upcoming post, so keep an eye out for it ^_^

A sneak peek of the post ;)

That's all for this post, hope you enjoyed!

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Until then, tc!

Va Va Voom- Store locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Assalamu alaykum!

This post is a directory entry for locations of Va Va Voom stores in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

About Va Va Voom:

VaVaVoom is an exciting concept that brings together the most exclusive and innovative international brands from the world of fragrance, colour and skincare - all within one store.
VaVaVoom is led by the belief that every womans beauty needs are unique. Whether it is to create a look just for the day or planning something new for that special occasion, customers can make a private appointment for a personalized make over with one of VaVaVoom’s artists from our top beauty brands.
At VaVaVoom, we provide personal attention to our customers, helping them to choose products that suit their unique beauty requirements. Our purpose is to help our customers look good and create an impression!

Store Locations in Jeddah:

Name                        City           Contact Number
Al Sulaimania Plaza     Jeddah     +966 2 2523846
AlAndalus Mall           Jeddah     +966 02 6303980
Heraa Intl Market       Jeddah     +966 02 6120247
Mall of Arabia            Jeddah     +966 2 6123586
Red Sea Mall             Jeddah     +966 2 2150319
Roshan Mall              Jeddah     +966 02 2368538

For rest of Saudi Arabia, follow the link:
http://www.alshaya.com/kingdom-of-saudi-arabia/vavavoom-stores-locations/?location=1

Like Va Va Voom on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/VavavoomBeauty

Resources used in the compilation of this post:
http://alshaya.com/brands/health-beauty/vavavoom/
http://www.alshaya.com/kingdom-of-saudi-arabia/vavavoom-stores-locations/?location=1
https://www.facebook.com/VavavoomBeauty

Stay in touch with us!
https://twitter.com/vicinitymakeup
http://www.facebook.com/vicinitymakeupjeddah