Going To Dubai: Whats In My Travel Make-Up Bag

I'm leaving for Dubai tomorrow monrning and I am so excited!!! I am visting my best friend (who I've known since class 3) who lives there. I'm going to be staying with her for eight days. To be honest I still have a couple of things to do, so I'm a little more tense than excited right now.

My suitcase is (almost) packed and ready. My make-up and accessories are in their bags. Tomorrow can't come fast enough. :)

I'm taking more blushes than I need. A girl can never have enough blushes, right?

Bella Bamba 

NARS Deep Throat (just so I can get some use out of it)

MAC Pink Swoon (this is one of my go to blushes)

Sleek Rose Gold (I just got this recently and it's so prettty)

My trusty Benefit 10

MAC Mineralize Skinfish

NARS Albatross

Benefit Watts Up

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer 

Benefit They're Real Mascara 

MAC Creme Cup

Sephora lip gloss in Pink-o-Lada

(I'm not taking my new L'Oreal lipsticks because my mother uses them a lot. I decided to leave them behind for her)

Urban Decay De-Slick

I'm taking my Eco Tools mini brushes and some bangles in another bag. I'm not planning on taking any earrings.

So, tell me how much make-up do you take you when you travel? Do you keep it to bare minimum or try to stuff as much as possible?

My Make-Up Routine For The Wedding Season

Two of my best friends got married days apart from each other. I have been busy with dholki's and dance practises for an entire month. It has been pretty hectic. I had to miss one friends function to attend the others. I'm going to get ready for my friend Sara's wedding in a bit and I thought I'd show what make-up products I have been using.

I use a lot of stuff, but it doesn't come across as too much when I put it on. I have been using the same things every day (boring I know). The only things have been changing around is my blush and highlighter. 

Foundation

Urban Decay Deslick 

BareMinerals Original foundation (read review here)

Prime Time primer

The Body Shop Mineral Foundation Brush

I don't use foundation every day but on one of the formal dholki's I used this foundation and my friend Aroosa was sitting next to me and she told me that my skin looked 'flawless'. Well that did it, I used this on every function after that. 

I don't set my make-up during the winter because I don't want to look too matte. I use Deslick before I apply the primer. There have been times when I used to forget spraying it after I was done and despite that my make-up used to last all day. So now I just spray it before the primer and be done with it, and by the time I come home my make-up looks the same!!! (full review coming soon with pictures)

Blush+ Highlighter

Bella Bamba (review)

MAC Pink Swoon

MAC Pinch O Peach

 Benefit 10 (for contouring)

Benefit Watts Up (review)

NARS Albatross

Eyes

Benefit They're Real (review)

Bobbie Brown Gel Eye Liner

These two are my favourite! The Bobbi Brown gel eye liner is amazing! (review coming soon). I am so in love the mascara that I've bought a back-up.

Lips

MAC Creme Cup

MAC Right Image

Okay, so I know I can take risks with my lipstick/gloss but creme cup looks SO good with kohl lined eyes. It's a really pretty pinkish nude.

Result

I don't have creme cup on my lips in this picture because I misplaced it yesterday.

Review: Benefit Watts Up!

I admit Benefit lures me in with their gimmicky products, but that does not mean that the products themselves aren't great. I always find myself reaching for Benefit products the most when I'm getting ready. Every time I use Bella Bamba, I get asked what I have on my cheeks. Watts Up has quickly become another favourite. 

I used to reach for NARS Albatross the most for highlighting. I'm someone who doesn't do a lot of make-up. With that in mind I start getting ready minutes before I'm about to leave, and that always results in me doing my make-up in a rush. You would think I'd learn from my mistakes, but I obviously haven't. I have to leave for a friends dance practice in a bit, and I'm sitting here writing a blog post. So yeah, I used to reach for Albatross the most because it did not require much effort. With Benefit High Beam I had to work a little to blend it to perfection.

Watts Up, has now become my favourite highlighter (that didn't take long). It's a shimmery champaign beige that looks a little scary at first, but when blended it transforms into a mega-watt glow. I just swipe it on to the desired places and blend a little. I don't have to work hard or use a brush.I recommend using your fingers, rather than the sponge tip that it comes with. I used the sponge tip the first time I tried Watts Up, and it smeared my make-up a little. 

It lasts pretty for almost the entire day. I've really had time to test it out because I've been on the go with one friend or the other this entire month, and I'd come home with Watts Up still lighting up my cheeks. 

I asked my friend Anum (aka- Fairy godmother) if she'd like to model Watts Up for me.

Even though it's expensive at 30$, it's well worth the investment. 

(Yesterday, when I tried Watts Up on Anum it looked so good she now wants to use it on her Mayon (a pre-wedding celebration).)

Review: Benefit 'They're Real' Mascara

I know I've been MIA these last few days, but I had a lot on my plate and couldn't find the time to write a new post. I've been requested to do a review on Benefits 'They're Real' mascara, and before my day actually starts I shall get on with it. 

First of all, how witty is their campaign for the mascara? Too cute!

The Good

Benefit had me captivated the moment I saw the adds. I'm a sucker for witty/gimmicky adds. (It is sheer will power that has stopped me from purchasing their 'Watts Up' highlighter. How can one resist a fairy in a light bulb?). With the hype that surrounds the 'They're Real' mascara, it should do what it claims to do, right?When I finally got it, I desperately wanted  it to be THAT good, and I wasn't disappointed. After two three coats it does lengthen my lashes more than any mascara I've tried before. 

Yesterday, I was in a rush and I wanted to take a before and after picture for this post. So on one eye I did three coats of the mascara and didn't use it on the other one. I tried to take a few pictures, but had to give up because I wasn't able take any good ones, and trust me I was in a hurry. Giving up I quickly layered a coat on the other eye and went to meet my friend for coffee. In the car I did a check up on my make-up, and I was shocked to see that my left eye lashes looked enormous and the right seemed baby size in comparison.  The difference was really obvious and I was a little embarrassed going with two different sized lashes. 

However, It made me realise how good really the mascara is. It's long lasting and even though it's not water proof, it doesn't budge. I have watery eyes and my mascara tends to smear. I don't have a problem with this mascara. This mascara doesn't clump either. Even if you put on multiple coats you won't find any clumping. It also gives a very natural finish. Even though the lashes look enormousness, it does't look like there is a lot of product on them. ( I don't know how to describe it any other words). 

The mascara has a circular end with spikes which is great for the corner of the eyes. It really gets in to those annoying corners that other mascara's just refuse to reach. Also, I love it because it doesn't get product on my eye lids when I'm applying it. (I'm not the best at applying mascara and I find that sometimes while applying I get product on my lower eye lids by mistake).

Before

The Bad

Oh, I really wish this mascara would thicken the lashes as well. My Bourjois mascara doesn't lengthen the lashes as much 'They're Real' does, but it really thickens them, making my lashes look super dramatic. I love the sweeping long lashes 'They're Real' creates but my only complaint is that it doesn't thicken them as much as I would like. 

Final Thoughts

I do love this mascara and try to use it sparingly  because I don't want to use it up too quickly. Honestly, I get why it's so hyped. It helps create sweepingly long lashes. 

Would I repurchase it? Yes, I would. The only reason I'd get second thoughts would be because of the price ( I can buy a high end blush in the same price). It is expensive for a mascara, but then again it is a really good good one.  Perfect for hot, humid Pakistani days. Ideal for the 'no make-up, make-up look' because it accentuates ones lashes without making them look too mascara-ey. If that even makes sense. 

Price: 22$

PS.I'm sorry I'm not very good with pictures.

Have you tried it? Is this something on your wish list?

Sana

Review: Benefit Bella Bamba

Even though I'm a self confessed blushaholic, and I hoard blushes as if they're running out of style, I have a very limited range of colours that makes my heart skip a beat at times. I usually stay in the pink-peach colour palette. Yes, I'm not very adventurous when it comes to the colour of my cheeks. 

When Benefit Bella Bamba came out, I was bombarded with all the YouTube videos that claimed it was one of Benefit's best blushes. Now when they put it like that, how could I resist?