African Paradise Body Conditioner by Lush Cosmetics - Review

African Paradise is my first product from Lush that I've tried--- and finished entirely already!

Yes, it's that good.

This is an all natural body conditioner by Lush. Now, body conditioner is something we don't get to hear about every day, so allow me to explain...

Essentially, this body conditioner is to the body what hair conditioner is to hair. After washing the body with soap/shower gel as usual, you take some amount of this conditioner, smooth it over the body, and then rinse it off. Result: instant moisture!

You are free to skip your post-shower body moisturizer after using this- it's that good! If you find applying body moisturizer a chore- this will make hydrating your body ten times easier, quicker, and less messy!

Having dry skin issues day in and out, this conditioner relieved me from using my daily hand cream. Alhamdullilah. A good result with this product has held true for me, and I hope it does for you too!

Review card time!
Decide for yourself if you think this is something that will be worth a look :)

So, comment below and let me know- do you think this will be helpful in your body care routine? Why/why not? I'd love to know! ^_^

If you have dry skin issues like myself- do give this a try. I'm positive you'll benefit from it as much as I did!

In other news, I'm contemplating a regular 'chat' post series of sorts on here like I'm doing for my personal blog. Mainly because I feel it's fun to talk about a variety of things in one short post every now and then! However, I haven't found a series idea yet. If you have some ideas, please share! It could be anything beauty related or a mix of beauty and life. I'm just really out of ideas at the moment and would appreciate any input!

See you in my next post!

♥ Soul food for the day ♥

“My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, 
and I intend to end up there.” 
― Rumi

High Beam Liquid Highlighter Review

I know friends- this post is long overdue. I sincerely apologize for the delay. Life happens, I'm sure you awesome folks understand and so, I will get right to the point!

O High Beam highlighter, how I love thee.

Swatches

I am absolutely loving this. The more I use it, the more I love it.

The packaging is designed like a nail polish. The one you see in the picture above is a sample size from a set I purchased by Benefit. It still is the same nail polish application concept but just smaller than the original.

As for the product itself, the application is easier than you'd expect from a liquid product. I like to apply this by drawing lines along the tops of my cheekbones, down the middle of my nose, and dot it under my eyebrow. Then, with a clean finger I blend until it's all nice and highlighted! It dries from a liquid to an ever-so-slight powder finish. You can definitely go without setting it with another powder highlighter.

The result of the highlighter by itself- softly glowy highlighted cheeks. Can definitely be worn with minimal makeup!

The fact that I can use this product, by itself, without needing a setting agent is what makes it such a favourite. It has taken a place in my to-go makeup routine for when I need to look just put together enough in a rush! Alhamdullilah :D

I'm positive you've already heard a lot about this from YouTube as well. However, it is also one of those products which makes you think- "Ok, so this works for her. But- will it work for me?".

I've made a quick review card for you to decide yourself! Is it worth it for your beauty (and wallet)? You decide! :)

I also mentioned in my previous post that there is very little difference between this and the NYX highlighter. The only difference is that NYX has a stronger highlight with larger glitter particles that makes it more suitable for nighttime wear whereas High Beam has a 'soft glow' effect to it with dispersed sparkles. NYX's highlighter also dries quicker and so it's trickier to blend compared to High Beam.

I personally enjoy using both according to the demand of the occasion. High Beam is my choice for the daytime/lighter looks whereas NYX is what I reach out for nighttime occasions/weddings!

What do you think? If you already own high beam- please share your thoughts. If not, would you consider purchasing it after this review? I love conversation :D

Until the next post, have an awesome day!

♥ Soul food for the day ♥

"And still, after all this time, the Sun has never said to the Earth, 

"You owe me."

Look what happens with love like that.

It lights up the sky."

- Hafez

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
http://www.facebook.com/vicinitymakeupjeddah

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
http://www.facebook.com/vicinitymakeupjeddah

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

BOURJOIS Volume Glamour Ultra Care Mascara Review

Hello everyone!

This post is a review of the Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Care Mascara. :)

Here is a product blurb from the Bourjois website:

ULTRA VOLUME FOR SENSITIVE EYES

Its ultra volumising formula coats lashes from root to tip and protects them against harsh external factors (pollution, rubbing, air conditioning).

Enriched with regenerating and nourishing cotton and sweet almond oils, it has been specially formulated for sensitive eyes.

Its brush that applies so softly thanks to its rounded shape and ultra-soft fibres, gently coats lashes to build volume without clumping.

Result: after only 3 weeks of use, lashes are visually stronger and more resistant, as if nourished from within*
*Clinical test on 22 women with sensitive eyes, of which 7 contact lens wearer

The Good-
-Intense black colour payoff compared to most drugstore mascaras.
-Gives a subtle liner effect on the lash line.
-No hard/stiff lashes, lashes remain soft even after two coats.
-Minimal clumping. One of the least clumping mascara I've ever used!
-Great for a natural look.
-Very comfortable to wear.
-Easy to remove.

The Not-so-Good-
-Not impressive in making lashes voluminous or increasing them length. The mascara pretty much darkens your natural lashes and gives them a bit more body with separation and that's all.

The verdict-- Love it or leave it?
At first I didn't love it... but now I do! It's a great mascara to achieve that natural look and more importantly, it will be very helpful for a daily basis if one wears mascara that often- because with this, you forget that you're wearing mascara at all because it's so light weight and non-irritating to the eyes! I literally forgot I even had eye makeup on with this mascara just because it's so comfortable to wear! Those who are new to makeup and/or mascaras may really enjoy this one if they've always hated the hard lash look and feel some mascaras give.
If you love drama with your lashes- this mascara may not be your top choice as it doesn't do much for a dramatic look.

About the formula- its a bit on the thicker side. I usually don't prefer thicker formulas but the way in which this specific mascara is made, it somehow seems to work out well.

Mascara wand- a standard bristle brush

Swatch

A word of caution-
Mascara reviews (in specific) are something I feel can be "hit and miss". Each individual has a different lash structure- some have naturally thick lashes, some thin, some naturally have a curl, some have dark lashes and some don't, some have long lashes naturally, and such. So when a person would purchase a mascara, they would do so depending upon their natural lash make up. Your needs may differ from mine and vice versa.
The point I'm trying to make is- while this specific mascara worked out for me, it may not for you. Or if I find it amazing, you may not because it doesn't fit your needs. Regardless, I have done a review in any case this is something you've been looking for :) I hope you find it helpful.

Bourjois Middle East Facebook page- http://www.facebook.com/BourjoisMiddleEast
Bourjois UK website- http://www.bourjois.co.uk/

What is your favourite mascara? 
Have you tried this mascara? What was your experience with it? Let us know :D 

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

https://twitter.com/vicinitymakeup

http://www.facebook.com/vicinitymakeupjeddah?fref=ts  

Until then, tc!

Tip Of The Day (TOTD)

"النصيحة الجمالية لليوم..أفضل طريقة لوضع العطر حتى يدوم طويلاً هو وضعه على مناطق النبض في الجسم؛ كالمعصمين، داخل الكوعين، وخلف الأذنين. فهذا سيمنحك التمتع برائحة جذابة وخفيفة تدوم طويلاً.

The beauty tip of the day ..

The best way to put perfume for a long-lasting scent is to apply the fragrance on the pulse zones of the body; like the wrists, inside the elbows, and behind the ears. Which this will make you enjoy the long-lasting, light, and attractive smell."

Source: Yves Rocher Saudi Arabia

 ♥ What is your favourite perfume? Share with us in the comment section below! ♥