Shea Butter DXB & Benefits

I am a huge fan of beauty products that are natural. Most drugstore or even luxury brands claim to contain more natural ingredients but actual content of in terms of percentage is found to be lower.

If you are someone like me who loves natural products then this product is certainly for you.

Shea Butter DXB offers Shea butter straight from West Africa! Packed in a beautiful glass jar this product is one of most interesting natural products I have tried.

What is Shea butter? ivory colored butter is basically fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree. As its refined it gets the ivory/whitish color.

Texture: It is exactly like butter but a off white-ish color. Consistency is that of a petroleum jelly and once in contact with heat of you palms this will melt which makes it easier to apply.

Application: Just like your regular lotions except here you need to scoop out a smaller quantity to begin with.

Results:

I have been using this for a month now and I have noticed massive difference in my skin. It feels more hydrated and the product leaves a healthy sheen on the skin. I wouldn’t advise it to wear during humid days but this can be a great add to your night skincare routine. If you are situated in a colder region then this can substitute your day cream as well.

Benefits of Shea Butter

–  Helps in getting rid of sunburns

– Moisturises and hydrates skin

– Reduces stretch marks

– Can substitute as a makeup base & lip balm

– Helps strengthening cuticles

The only thing I found a bit strange was the fragrance of this product. Since its  au naturale there is no added fragrance to it. At the beginning I was a bit turned off but the results within a week encouraged me to continue application. I have a dry sensitive skin and this works fine for me.

Want to try it yourself? Visit @sheabutter_dxb for orders or call on 0505982393. Large jar costs AED120

Veet Sensitive Precision™ Beauty Styler Review

My long time beautician & a dear friend :”I am going for a vacation”
Me: please don’t go! who will do my eyebrows? *puppy eyes*

I am okay to get anything else done other than my eyebrows at any other salon. However when I am away from my favorite beautician, I feel scared to even try out any new salon for my eyebrows.

Being an Asian, I am blessed with super thick eyebrows that don’t take much time to grow. I don’t wish to ruin the shape but the problem is how do I maintain it? I am sure many of you have faced this problem too. Especially when one is travelling, you can’t really pack your beautician with you.

Our prayers have been answered ladies! Veet’s sensitive precision trimmer is an easy way to maintain the shape of your eyebrows & keep it always on fleek! Besides eyebrows, this lovely trimmer can also be used for trimming sensitive body parts such as bikini and underarms.

Let’s find out the benefits as described on the pack:

Introducing the NEW Veet Sensitive Precision™ Beauty Styler, designed for use on the face, underarms and bikini area where skin is more sensitive and requires more gentleness.

It’s quick and gentle with cutting blades that don’t touch the skin, so no fear of cuts! And thanks to its two different sized trimming heads and dedicated accessories you can achieve high precision whilst shaping and styling

How to Use

Use the desired trimmer head to achieve the perfect shape of your brows or bikini line. The additionally comb attachments are ideal for achieving a uniform hair length for the perfect finish. Use on dry skin only.

Hazards and Cautions

• Please read all instructions before using this product

• If your skin is sensitive, allergic to cosmetics, or easily irritated when shaving, please try on arms or legs before using the product

• Do not use with shaving gel or foam. Use on dry skin only

• Do not dismantle

• Keep out of reach of children

My review

On eyebrows: Loved it! it’s effortless and you can’t feel the blade but it does the job really well. The styler along with the eyebrow trimmer though I felt was a bit too big and instead I felt comfortable to use the blade without styler brush.

On sensitive areas: I generally prefer waxing bi-weekly to get rid of hair in these sensitive areas such as bikini and underarms. This time I tried Veet trimmer, it’s definitely not like a full fledged epilator and the process of trimming these areas is really slow. I somehow felt the blades should have been a bit sharper for as the hair growth is generally thicker.

Pros:

– Perfect for carrying while travelling
– Easy eyebrow trimming tutorial
– Good to even trim hair in smaller area
– no risk of cuts! literally not, I tried it personally and the blades are safe to use.
– Reasonably priced
– doesn’t require and shaving gel/cream application prior usage.
– wireless
– Cleaning brush included

Cons:

– battery operated! I would prefer it being with charging device.

– works only on dry skin, cannot be used in water

– Battery wears off soon!

– needs noise cancellation! there is too much of a buzzing sound while using the device which is a bit distracting.

-instructions manual : a tad bit of clarity on instructions paper is required for users to understand how to use the product.

– needs eyebrow stencil

Final Verdict

There is a reason why this sensitive trimmer is marketed more like eyebrow shaper. Definitely does wonderful job of trimming eyebrows and keeping the shape intact. I have tried the general blades and even electric blades for eyebrows earlier and I made a disaster out of my eyebrows but thanks to Veet,  I will not face that issue anymore. The USP of this product is the blades which promise no cuts and is exactly that! good for those who have hyper sensitive skin because I have it too but Veet styler doesn’t cause any redness.

I am unsure of the bikini area and underarms as I would have loved if the blades were a bit sharper for this. The product cannot be used in showers as it cannot be in contact with water. The blades can be separated and washed.

Overall, I am glad that a Veet has innovated such a wonderful product that is so easy to carry. Perfect for busy women of today!

Veet Sensitive Precision Trimmer is available in all leading hypermarket, supermarkets and drugstores across UAE, currently retailing at AED139.

Click here to watch Veet Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler – Tutorial

Johnson’s & Johnson’s Hydration Essentials Cleansing Wipes

As a busy woman who is always travelling, I am always on lookout for products that make life hassle free. When I first heard of Johnsons & Johnsons hydration face cleansing wipes I was very much interested in trying it out.

I tested the Johnsons & Johnsons hydration face cleansing wipes for normal & combination skin that comes with extra ocean minerals which help in keeping skin hydrated. The fragrance is a familiar one, the kind you always associate with baby powders from J&J. The packaging comes with sticker on top that doesn’t let your wipes dry off and best part is that the sticker stays despite all the dust in my handbag (opps confession, my handbag is a well :P). A pack of 25 is perfect as one for each of working days.

Verdict

this little drugstore beauty product is a treat for your skin! Easily removes layers of makeup without damaging the skin. The product is designed as such to remove the toughest of makeup layers especially the mascara which most of us tend to go overboard with. Since the wipe has tendency to get abrasive, I would suggest to gently wipe sensitive areas such as under/over the eyes. My skin feels refreshed and hydrated post use of these.

In case you are one of those who don’t use makeup or keep it minimal, this product still works wonders in keeping skin moisturized.

Available at all leading supermarkets, hypermarkets & drugstores.

 

Reviewing 7th Heaven Beauty Products-Part 2

As I mentioned in the earlier post, 7th heaven products are really reasonable and effective. Now I was sent quite a few of masks so it took time to try them all but I finally did it! Also many of you have been inquiring of the prices for these facemasks and since they have huge variety, I decided to add a photo of the entire section which I took at the nearest Carrefour as Spinneys near my house just closed down :(. Hope that helps you folks.

I tried these masks are results are below:

Argan Oil Mud Mask

While Mud masks generally absorb off the excess oil that skin produces they tend to dry off the skin too. That’s certainly not what we are looking for.. now 7th heaven has introduced a well balanced formula to work both ways. The Mediterranean Clay absorbs the excess oil while the Argan oil does the moisturizing magic. Paired with subtle scents Jasmine, Chamomile and Vanilla this masque does the trick! My skin a combination of dry & oily felt so much better after the use of this masque. This is by far the most impressive Sachet face masque I have tried.

Pulped Papaya Rescue Masque – Hair & Roots

These Herbalist at 7th Heaven are creating magic with these masques! Just when you thought they had ended with series of facemasks, 7th heaven introduces hair and root masque. Simple application, just follow the instructions as per the pack. The difference is noticeable as soon as hair have dried. The goodness of all those botanical oils & papaya  made my hair shiny & the fragrance lasted for about good 8-10 hours. One disadvantage is that one sachet was not enough for my shoulder length hair. I had to use two of these to cover the entire area.

AloeVera Face Spa

Aloevera comes with a lot of healing and moisturizing properties. Some prefer to drink aloevera juice for healthy skin (which is yuck btw, I tried it once) and some apply the aloe gel on the skin directly. The gels are available across drugstores but they do get mixed with chemicals and the original plant gel will only save your skin for upto days unless applied every week consistently. In such scenarios, it is best to use a aloevera mask by 7th heaven. Needs a weekly application, skin felt clean but not much difference though. I think this mask needs multiple applications to see the difference. I tried only twice.

Banana & Honey Masque

If you have been my blog follower for a long time then I am sure you definitely know how crazy I am about DIY beauty. I had even created a DIY masque blogpost last year you can have a look here) Now Honey & Banana are age old combination for good skin. So if you dont have time to make your own mask, this one works just fine. Lightens the skin, makes its brighter & radiant!

Tea Tree Masque Sheet

Tea tree oil has been known to treat acne problem. Now since I dont have much acne I thought to experiment this masque on my sister who has acne issues during PMS. You can choose to use the mask otherwise too as there is no harm in that, it will definitely help in increasing the radiance. Anyhow my trial on the sister was successful and I was so right about the acne reduction. Her acne did actually dry out the very next day and within a week the skin was clearer! Acne prone people.. this masque maybe a blessing in disguise!

Overall it was a fun thing to experiment with all these masques and understand the properties, advantages and disadvantages of each. Actually disadvantages are so minor because these masques are herbal and made with fresh ingredients. Also these products are so budget friendly that even if I buy 10 masques I am still paying under 100AED (36$)

I am adding a high res image below..just click on the image and you will be able to zoom in to see the prices.

Reviewing 7th Heaven Beauty Products-Part 1

A few weeks back I gave away some fabulous beauty masks all courtesy of the generous sponsor 7TH Heaven(formerly known as our household favorite Montage Jeunesse). I was sent their lovely and colorful PR kit to try out the masks myself and share the opinion with you all. A bit of spoiler, these masks are definitely going to help you achieve that Pre Eid Glow!

I would have posted these reviews earlier but I like to see the effect of each mask within a week’s time to conclude on my reviews. So it took me a bit of time to try them all, the fantastic masks. I am going to post my reviews in parts so its easier for everyone. First up, I am reviewing the two tube masks i.e Cucumber Peel off mask and Dead Sea Mud Pac.

Dead Sea Mud Pac

Three main ingredients that make up this face mask is lavender, Dead sea Mud and Dead sea salt. Now I am not sure if you folks have heard about this but dead sea mud is a very popular product towards Morocco and also some Moroccan bath houses(hamams) use dead sea salt & mud extensively to clean the skin. While the lavender is used for reducing acne and even helps in eliminating eczema.

I was impressed with the contents but does the mask do the job? Yes it does indeed! Post the very first application, my skin felt clean and my T zone was looking a bit better. I have a combination skin with T zone being oily and the rest of skin being dry. I feared this face mask will dry out the skin but luckily such was not the case. Its thick and greenish color paste, easy to apply on skin. I am super recommending this one to all my combination skin buddies.

Recommended use: Once a week

Tube lasts: 12- 15 applications

Cucumber Peel off Mask

As the name suggests, the peel off mask has the main ingredient as cucumber known for its cooling properties. There is also lime oil and pressed flowers if cucumber doesn’t impress you enough. This mask is certainly as cool as cucumber! Its a peel off one and generally I dont prefer peel off ones. However this mask was very refreshing and good to use on all skin types. Its light and the skin feels slightly tighter after the application. Pulls out all the dead skin cells leaving the skin looking brighter.

Recommended use: Twice a week

Tube lasts 12 applications

Both of these masks are available at all leading supermarket/hypermarkets near to you. These are budget friendly drug store treasures that do the job while costing you almost nothing. All 7th Heaven products are vegetarian and cruelty free! They love animals like myself 🙂

Are you impressed with what you have read so far? Well there is certainly more to come! Stay tuned for the review of remaining masks from 7th in my next post.

 

 

Reviewing Izil Golden Glow Face Mask

As you all know by now I am a natural products fan, I try leaning on them for solutions. Why I prefer natural products over others is because there are less chances of reactions/side effects happening from it.

Seeing my love for natural products, Izil beauty folks decided to send me one of their favorites, Golden Glow Face Mask. Lets firstly learn about this gorgeous product.

Ingredients

Honey: For soft & supple skin ❤

Argan oil: to rejuvenate the skin and moisturize deep within.

Saffron: A royal choice, an expensive ingredient known from ancient times as a wonder flower that provides skin the glow unlike any other.

Product Claims  

1. Moisturizes the skin and prevents its dryness
2. Makes skin feels silky soft and supple.
3. Brightens, illuminates and gives it a healthy, rosy & glowy complexion
4. Helps clear spots and blemishes.
5. Improves skin suppleness and elasticity.
6. Tightens the skin and helps close the skin pores

My Review

Firstly the fragrance is fabulous! Its sweet and almost like I have opened a jar of dessert! Its sweet, its sticky and thick liquid in terms of texture. I almost wanted to lick it..hehe. There is a generous portion of saffron in the product and it is well visible. Picked out a strand and I could whiff the sweet scents that perfumed the entire jar. Its in the purest form, beautiful and vibrant.

Just a generous teaspoon, yes! A teaspoon was enough to cover my face and neck part.The product is runny so its easier to apply and remove. Even after 20 minutes It does not dry out, after washing the face I started seeing difference immediately. My skin felt soft, supple and refreshed. Though I dint find anything to scrub on, as the product claims its an exfoliator as well. I just gently massaged the product on the face and prayed for miracles.

Mirror mirror on the wall.. did the mask work at all?

Prior use I had terrible acne due to allergic reaction to a medicine. The acne dried out but I had a tough time getting rid of the marks. Post use of this face mask, the marks have started disappearing. I noticed the change after the second use. Also to add, I did not experiment using any other creams/masks throughout the process just to get a clear perspective on the product. A clean, bright and healthy skin is what I have right now!

Even though the ingredients are just three, these are way powerful than any other chemicals. The results are obviously not immediate because these are in their purest form. No play with the contents, no parebens, colors, fragrance or preservatives. The product is safe to use on any skin type. Mine being an extra sensitive one didn’t have any side effects on them.

Usage recommended: Once in a week.

 

Product purchase & cost

You can purchase this product by ordering through their website – Izil Beauty or visit their stores at Festival City in Dubai or Dalma Mall in Abu Dhabi. If you aren’t too keen on purchasing online, just whatsapp your order request on  +971 558 243 993.

Cost: Aed 160/-

Fallen in love with Izil? Learn more about their gorgeous Argan oil by clicking here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Reviewing Desk: Izil Multi-purpose Argan Oil

I love using multipurpose products as they provide you the option to use the product in your own way. One such fantastic product that we are talking about today is Izil’s multi-purpose argan oil. This bottle of goodness is harvested from Argan tree manually by the Berber women. Argan oil has incredibly high concentration of Vitamin E (twice as much as Olive Oil), antioxidants, carotenoids, polyphenols, and fatty acids including Omega 3, 6 and 9.

When I first got the bottle to try out, I was just trying it out on my hands & feet to check how it reacts to my skin. Once it started suiting me, I tried it out on my hair too. Given below are my observations made in trial that I did for a month.

Skin: As mentioned previously, I started with hands & feet to see how the product reacts to my skin. As it’s a natural product, I didn’t face any issues such as redness or itching. It leaves a healthy sheen on the skin and the difference is visible but it did take time for the same to reflect. As it’s winter, I did try the product on my skin instead of moisturizer. Works well but then again if I don’t apply it regularly the difference wouldn’t reflect. Surprisingly, the product did help with lightening of the under eye circles & strengthening of nails.

Hair: Applied Argan oil and left it overnight to see the effects next day. Honestly the product did not work on my dry hair type. I couldn’t find any difference on the hair after a wash so I am unable to decide whether or not I should continue applying it on my hair.

Overall, Argan oil is one of those products I would recommend everyone to have at home. It mat not be as common as petroleum jelly but this natural product can do wonders to your skin and nails.  The spraying nozzle makes it easier to spray equal amount of oil and the bottle is easy to carry around.

Easy to use nozzle spray

Cost : AED 250

Purchase from: IZIL BEAUTY 

 

Top Five Skin & Lip Care Products For Winters

I have been testing various products this winter so that I could provide an accurate summary of the products  I feel are perfect for my lovely fans!

These products are in no particular order & may be luxury or drugstore products, however these are great to use and perfect to keep your skin & lips moisturized.

L’occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

This classic hand cream is an absolute must have. With a combination of 20% shea butter, honey, almond extracts & coconut oil this cream works wonders! I love how light it is and how easily it blends on the skin. This product can be used in all seasons, recommending this product specially to those who are always sitting in airconditioned areas. No more dry skin with this fab product! Its luxuriously thick & wonderfully fragranced.

Purchase from: http://ae.loccitane.com/ or Loccitane stores nearest to you.

Figs & Rouge Hand Cream

Another fantastic product to add to your beauty kit is the figs & rouge hand cream. If you are someone having excessive dry hands, this product is for you. Its non greasy and makes your skin soft & smooth. I noticed a huge difference on my skin after application of this cream in just a week. This cream contains coco Butter, Natural Antioxidants & Algae extract for Protection against daily elements. Infused with Glycerine & Ginseng to soften & nourish throughout the day.

Purchase from: Boots the Pharmacy, United Pharmacies, Marina Pharmacies, Organic Foods & Café, The Change Initiative and Make-Up Etc.

Labello Lip butters 

Lips are a very fragile part of your face. The cold wintery air can not only make your lips dry but also really chappy. However with Labello I have noticed a great difference in lips. Firstly Labello butters are not at all sticky, they perfectly blend on lips leaving a healthy sheen. Found in various flavors, this drugstore product is an absolute necessity for your lips.

Purchase from: Nearest drugstores & all leading supermarkets/hypermarkets.

Human+Kind Day and Night Cream

I found this product of great use during winters. Though you can use it throughout the seasons but in winters it has worked well. It is a bit greasy than the other products, however it moisturizes well and keeps the skin looking fresh.

Purchase from:  Boots the Pharmacy, United Pharmacies, Organic Foods & Café, Make Up Etc. in Palm Strip Mall Jumeirah, The Change Initiative, and Down To Earth.

Figs & Rouge Lip Balm

This one definitely is in my list of top five products because its a multitasking product. Packed in an adorable tin, this product is wonder fixer for moments when you realise that your dry skin has patches. Just rub in the lip balm and see the difference on your skin. Also keeps your lips soft, supple and protected. Read my detailed review on this product right here

Purchase from: Boots the Pharmacy,Organic Foods & Café, The Change Initiative and Make-Up Etc.

Featuring Labello lip butter & Loccitane Shea Butter hand cream.

 

 

A Skin Care Resolution that is easy to stick to!

When making resolutions for 2016, working out or eating healthier may be at the top of your list. But, why not also make a resolution to be good to your skin and commit to making some positive changes? After all, you’ll wear your skin every day for the rest of your life. Making a few simple changes and tweaks in the New Year can yield lasting, radiant results.

When it comes to our faces, we don’t rely on just anyone to tell us what our skin needs to get that ever-elusive glow. Instead, we turn to our skin-care favourite Human+Kind who know just what it takes to get radiant and beautiful skin.

Human+Kind All-In-One Wash Off Facial Cleanser is a rich, chemical-free, facial cleanser that delivers exceptionally soft, clear and completely clean skin. Including a free luxurious deep-cleansing cloth that lathers away excess dirt, face and eye make-up, your skin will be left feeling clean and refreshed. It’s hard working formulation exfoliates dead skin cells, cleanses and moisturises to soften wrinkles and reduce ageing, and gives skin an overall natural, radiant glow.

Crammed full of healthy nutrients, the Facial Cleanser contains super ingredients such as Centella Asiatica extract which boosts circulation, improves the collagen foundation of the skin, and fights oxidation. The ever- powerful Aloe Vera penetrates the skin supplying moisture directly to the tissues and improves skin tone and colour by increasing the blood flow to the areas of application, reducing skin redness. An addition of Cocoa Butter provides extra moisture and keeps skin smelling delicious and feeling soft.

Why not begin the New Year with a new you and make Human+Kind All-In-One Wash Off Facial Cleanser a daily part of your beauty regime… say goodbye to those old cells, and hello to beautiful skin!

Human + Kind All-in-One Wash Off Facial Cleanser

Human + Kind All-in-One Wash Off Facial Cleanser with re-useable deep cleansing cloth retails for AED 85. A pack of 2 re-useable deep cleansing cloths is also available for AED 35.

Human + Kind products are available in Boots the Pharmacy, United Pharmacies, Organic Foods & Café, Make Up Etc. in Palm Strip Mall Jumeirah, The Change Initiative, and Down To Earth, as well as online through Glambox.me & Zanedo.com.

To learn more about the story of the Human+Kind brand, log on to http://www.humanandkind.com.

Text and Image source: Official Press Release

International Giveaway Alert! Beauty Basket Up For Grabs!

Its been a year & more to P.A.B. For all the love on my blog and social media, I have decided to giveaway a cute basket full of beauty goodies. Read on to know more..

Firstly let’s look at the awesome basket:

Ooooo nice isn’t it?

It contains the following products:

• Victoria’s Secret Lustrous Hold Hairspray
• Victoria’s Secret Hydrating Secret Charm Body Lotion
• Neutrogena Spot Control Daily Scrub
• Make Up Forever Aqua Cream Eye Shadow
• One Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Varnish
• Samples from Jergens, Rahua Luxury hair care, Nivea (not pictured here and I will keep adding more samples till the end of giveaway)

How To Win?

Winning is easy peasy with Pink Asfoura Blog. All you need to do is follow any of Two steps below or both!

Option 1: Subscribe to the blog & leave a comment below with your name, country and email address with which you have subscribed.

Option 2: Follow me on Instagram @PinkAsfouraBlog and repost the entry using #PABgiveaway . No restrictions at reposting, you can repost as many times as you want and most importantly invite your friends to participate in the giveaway as well. Comment with your name, country & invite 5 friends to join the giveaway.

Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

Terms & Conditions

• Giveaway is worldwide, delivery costs will be taken care by me.
• Delivery will be arranged for areas only covered by Aramex Couriers
• There will be only one winner that will be selected at random from combined entries of blog & instagram.
• Winner will be asked to email a copy of identification document
• Contest ends on 20th November 2015
• This giveaway is not sponsored by any brand and all products are purchased by me. The samples are something that I have received for reviewing.
• Participants that unfollow the blog/instagram accounts after the giveaway ends will be noted & banned from future Pink Asfoura Giveaways.