REVIEW: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Hello everyone, 

So I thought I'd add something extra to this blog and it is reviews of books that I've read or am currently reading. I love reading - there are days when I start reading something and because I get hooked onto the storyline, I can't put it down which results in no sleep.

Very bad, I know but it's a habit that I can't break.

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once."

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

What I can say about this book is that although it seems like an easy read, it questions things that normally would not be mentioned in the open. It has the power to surprise, make you laugh out loud and cry all at the same time. 

I was recommended this book by many people - from cousins to school friends - and I am the kind of person who if someone tells me to read something, I can't but if I pick it up on my own accord, I have no problem whatsoever. 

This book was different though because the initial idea of two cancer sufferers was already interesting as it is and I can safely say that this was a lovely book to read. I am glad that I gave it a chance because I know that I would have regretted it if I hadn't.

The Fault In Our Stars is actually in the midst of becoming a movie which is said to be released in cinemas in 2014 so I would highly highly recommend reading this.

Let me know your thoughts on this book if you have read it or any other books that you're currently loving.

Have a nice day/evening.

Nadia x

Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort are set to play Hazel & Gus in the movie.

REVIEW: Eyelure Naturalites 155

Hi all,

So if you had read my previous post you'd know that recently I purchased a pair of false eyelashes for Eid.

The eyelashes themselves are very natural looking, which is what I wanted, because I wanted to look very simple this Eid. I felt that the pair that I chose did this really well.

The price is also fine. It retails between 5 to 6 pounds and can be found in most drug stores like Boots and Superdrug. With the eyelashes comes a tube of eyelash glue and a set of instructions leaflet; there are also pictures at the back to help you as well. I'm not going to lie, I didn't read the leaflet at all. (I've watched way too many youtube tutorials on how to apply false eyelashes to last me a lifetime you see!)

I had to use some scissors to cut a little bit off as it was too long for my eyes and once I had done this, it didn't look too bad. 

However, one thing that was a little bit disappointing was the glue that was attached to it. It's great for if you are only looking to apply false eyelashes for a few hours at most, but for a whole day it's not that great. The glue tends to dry out which means that if you are on the go (as I was) then you would have to carry it around with you to make sure that the corners were properly attached.

Aside from that, I found that when I used my Maybelline Falsies flared mascara, my eyelashes looked really good but not too over the top. The product claimed to be ultra lightweight, which when I first read it, I thought they were lying but I can put my hand up and say, they really were lightweight. Sometimes during the day, I completely forgot that I was wearing them!

Overall, I would say that if you are looking for a pair of natural eyelashes that aren't too much of a fuss and are a reasonable price, make sure you look into Eyelure ones. Celebrities have often used lashes from this particular company and I can see why.

I actually really liked wearing false eyelashes this year and I may, dare I say it, start wearing them more often.

I hope this has given you a true picture of what eyelure eyelashes are like and I really hope you check them out. They're great!

Have a nice day.

Nadia x

My Favourite Lip Products :)

Hello there,

With the last few fasts taking place and Eid approaching fast, I thought I would tell you how I tend to do my makeup. I think I like to keep my eyes really simple - I'm no expert at eyeshadow blending - but I do like to sport a bright lip a lot of the time. Also, I find that by adding colour to my lips, I look more made up than I actually am. 

Below are some of the lip products that I am loving at the moment.

1) Barry M Lip-Paint in 153/308

This lipstick has been in my makeup bag for a few years now and I never get tired of using it. It's a coral pink and it glides very smoothly onto the lips. I love using Barry M lipsticks on a daily basis because they are very pigmented and it means that I don't need to worry about touching up during the day.

 This particular range comes in 22 different shades from a nude to a bright red or pink. This is definitely one of my favourite lipsticks because it's a great bold colour and I find that it suits my skin tone very well. This retails at £4.49 from the Barry M website but can also be found in drug stores like Superdrug or Boots.

2) Maybelline Colour Sensational - 540/ Hollywood Red

When I first read the label at the bottom of this lipstick, I'm not going to lie - I was a little bit apprehensive. As much as I love bold colours, I don't think I could pull off wearing red all the time. The word 'Hollywood' doesn't help matters either because I don't know about you but I think of Anne Hathaway on the red carpet with her shining white teeth and trademark lipstick. However, when I looked at the samples, I was shocked to see that it wasn't a bright red but it had undertones of purple making it more muted than your average lipstick. 

The next thing that I noticed was the smell - yes I know how odd that sounds, I promise I don't go sniffing every lipstick I buy - but this was smelt quite sweet. I bought it on impulse and have worn it many times. It has quite a creamy formula which makes it glide onto the lips, it is very pigmented and because of the undertones present, it makes my teeth whiter than unusual. This is great if you want to switch up your normal red lipstick for something more muted but still has impressive results. This retails at £7.19 in Drug stores like Superdrug and Boots and there are also a whopping 68 shades so there should be something for everyone. 

3) Dior Addict Extreme 536 Lucky

I was given a sample of this lipstick when I purchased a foundation from the Dior counter in West Thurrock. This is a gorgeous red-pink which is just the perfect as it isn't too bright but then it isn't a dark red either. I find that the quality of this lipstick is much better than the previous two as it feels like it is moisturising the lips as well as adding a tint to it. 

This is a high end product so it is a lot more expensive than the previous two; it retails at £24.00 from House of Fraser. I ended up finishing my sample really quickly and just had to replace it for the full size. The packaging is great because its  bigger than your average lipstick. It is black with the iconic Dior engraved onto the side which gives it a very timeless yet classy feel. The Addict Extreme range is fortunate now part of the permanent line of lipsticks so do check them out if you get the chance. They are just lovely!

4) Carmex in Cherry 

This is one of the products that I am forever having to replace because I use it all the time. I use this at night before I go to sleep because I like my lips to be moisturised. Carmex is designed to moisturise dry or chapped lips and it has SPF 15 so it even protects you from the sun. Amazing! I find that the tingling sensation of the balm relaxes my lips and in the morning, it leaves them feeling nice and smooth. There are now many different types of flavours like Strawberry and Pomegranate but I personally prefer cherry  because it's one of my favourite fruits and it smells divine.  

It also comes in a range of different forms from tubes to lip balms. There is something that caters to nearly every persons needs and this is one of the lip products that I absolutely love and don't think I'll ever stop using, because it's just that good. This retails at £2.69 in drug stores like Boots or Superdrug so again, do check it out if you're like me and can't help treating your lips all the time.

5) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Balm

Let me just start by saying that this smells ah-mazing! Seriously, I will never get sick of it. That being said, this lip balm also has a lot of benefits. For example, it has SPF 15 so it protects your lips from the sun. It also  has vitamin E inside it so you can check that off your list too. It is also wacky in the design aspect too - A lot of the time, you would find lip balms to be a circle and in a tube right? 

But, this one is oval. Yes, oval! I like it because it's different so really, it's the best of both worlds. You have a product that does what it says on the tin and smells delicious. As well as that, it is also surprisingly cheap - £1.89 in Superdrug- so next time you go to Superdrug, definitely go and check it out!  

And there you have it, some of my favourite lip products. I hope this has given you an insight into what kind of a person I am and I hope I have influenced some of you to go and check some of these products out!

Have a nice day.

Nadia x

REVIEW: Dior Skin Forever Foundation :)

Hi guys,

I have a confession to make: I only started wearing foundation about two or three years ago. Shocking right?!

I don't know why I never experimented during my secondary school years - probably because I spend all my money on sweets rather than cosmetics. Looking back, I probably should have invested in at least one foundation which helped to cover all the scars from my acne but I didn't think about that too much. Instead, I bought little chapsticks from the nearby chemists which came in a wide array of scents like lemon, watermelon and mint -they were my favourite as a kid :)

Anyway, I finally plucked up the courage to go to a cosmetic stand in House of Fraser one day whilst I was shopping in West Thurrock. You can probably imagine me looking at every possible makeup item on show and thinking "What does this do? Where does that go?" 

I dragged my sister with me because she also has never worn foundation and I figured that it was time to finally buy it and use it for special occasions like Eid or upcoming weddings. The reason why we didn't go to a drug store or high street shop like Superdrug or Boots was because we didn't really know what products would be good for our skin, which ones are actually good etc so we thought we'd use the help of one of the makeup specialist.

A very lovely woman who worked in the Dior counter helped us both get matched up to the desired foundation and it was because of her passion and genuine love for the products that made the experience very lovely and it gave me an insight as to what its like to be interested in makeup and all things beauty.

This is the first ever foundation that I bought and it is the one that I will be reviewing for you all.

First of all, the packaging is very sophisticated. It comes in a rectangular bottle which isn't very exciting because after all, it is a foundation but the contrast between the glass and blue lid with the Dior engraving really reminds you that this is a high end product. 

I am the shade 031 (sable/sand) and it retails in House of Fraser at £32.00 for 30ml. It comes in a range of 11 shades so hopefully there should be something for everyone regardless of your skin tone.  I would say that this foundation is medium coverage but it's buildable. One thing that you might find odd is that I always smell the foundation because if it smells awful I don't think I'd buy it but when I put this on, I actually really liked the smell. It's not overpowering and it makes you feel quite fresh.

This is one of those foundations which does justice to the statement 'your skin but better'. It glides onto the skin very easily leaving a dewy and natural finish. I find that if you prep your skin very well with a serum or moisturiser before applying, it can make your skin look and feel absolutely amazing. 

This also lasts an incredibly long time. If you apply it in the morning, it tends to stay for an average of 12+ hours so it's very good if you are the kind of person who doesn't like to touch up their makeup every hour. I can honestly say that this is great for me because the pigmentation really allows all my imperfections to be covered up but it doesn't feel cakey at all. 

I hope that you have enjoyed this review and I hope I have persuaded you to pop to your nearest Dior counter to get matched today. 

PS: If you ever shop in House of Fraser, expect lots of amazing samples being slipped into your bag at the till. If that's not a good reason to buy this product then nothing is! (heehee)

Have a nice day

Nadia x

REVIEW: Maybelline The Falsies Flared Volume Express Mascara

Hey guys,

So I thought I'd do a review today of Maybelline The Falsies Flared Volume Express Mascara. I've always seen this Superdrug or Boots and always picked it up, pondered for a few seconds and then put it back because I was fine with my Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara. However, because this is nearly finishing I thought that there wasn't a better opportunity to finally test out one of the most raved about products this year!

First of all, The packaging is really nice. It is purple (one of my favourite colours) so that's a definite bonus for me personally. The bottle is quite curved which is different but funnily enough, I like it. One thing that is a little bit odd is that it is thicker than your average mascara but I know that Maybelline like to make most of their mascaras chunky looking so I don't really have a big problem with it. 

When I applied it the first time, I found that it helped to lengthen each lash with just the right amount of product without clumping it. Also, because it doesn't clump together it helps to give the impression of false lashes. But, what I discovered after that coat had dried was that it is very hard to volumise your lashes without making them look like spiders. I guess with more practice, it may get better but for now, I'm dissapointed in that. 

Another thing is that there are two sides to the brush - hence the reason why its flared- one side is curved and the other is straight which might confuse you a little bit. It confused me at the beginning because I didn't read the instructions properly and whacked it on like any other mascara (heehee) but then I actually read it and used the two sides of the brushes as best as I could but again, i didn't understand the point of it because it didn't really help much. 

When you apply the mascara, it doesn't heaps and heaps of product onto your face which I like and overall it can help to lift your face. It honestly is one of those mascaras that you can wear by itself and leave the house because it really opens up your eyes more.

If you have eyelashes that belong to a five year old, like mine, then it would help if you curl them with an eyelash curler before applying the mascara. You can also  put two coats of the mascara on and not curl your eyelashes at all. It is completely up to you. 

In a sense, I do understand why youtubers and bloggers rave about this product quite a lot because it does make you feel a little bit more jazzy and perfect when you haven't really done much. It does give the impression of a false eyelash because it does lengthen each eyelash with just enough product.

 I would probably give this mascara an 8/10 because it does lift and curl my lashes a lot more than the previous mascaras I have used but it can clump your eyelashes if you use too much product which leaves behind spidery eyelashes which is not a good look.

I can definitely see myself using one coat of this mascara on the curved end to help lengthen my lashes on a daily basis. I hope you enjoyed this review and let me know your thoughts.

Have a nice day.

Nadia x