Lush Kitchen: Exclusive Fresh Cosmetics

This Springtime, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics are launching the Lush Kitchen to produce exclusive, pre-release and customer favorite products. A brand new concept, small batches of limited edition products will be made daily and available to purchase exclusively online. Products will then be sent out on the day they are made, fresh from the Kitchen!

You will also be able to view real-time updates from behind the scenes activity in the Lush Kitchen, with special events and expert Q&A’s streamed live through the new Lush.co.uk website.

For the first time, fans of Lush will be able to see the inner workings of the factory and just how the Lush Compounders (aka, cosmetic chefs) hand make Lush’s products, using the best quality and ethically sourced ingredients at their freshest and most effective. Everything about Lush is about what’s inside – from the fresh ingredients and beautiful essential oils used in their products, to the way they make you feel on the inside. By showcasing and exploring the magic in the transformation from source to product, customers will have access to the Lush experts in their craft and see the real, transparent and engaging way the products are made.

Follow the @lushkitchen to find out what we’re cooking up!

NYLA Method Launches Barre-based Fitness Classes for Women in the UAE

The barre fitness concept pioneered by Andrea DeBellis, a leader in the New York and London’s wellness scenes, recently announced the launch of NYLA Method in the UAE. From 19 March 2014, female-only classes will be taught across the UAE, to be followed with the exciting opening of a spacious villa, NYLA Method studio in Dubai in the upcoming months. Taught by one of six female instructors, NYLA Method sets a new standard in the UAE’s growing fitness scene, offering a fun workout that promises outstanding results.

NYLA Method combines the best of the barre fitness concept with other complimentary disciplines, taught by highly talented instructors who have relocated to the UAE from New York, Los Angeles, and Australia. Food enthusiasts will also be able to enjoy NYLA Kitchen, a sanctuary for the uber health conscious, where they can fuel up on an array of organically sourced super foods with gluten-free and dairy-free options; the ideal social hangout before or after a workout.

As part of a perfect regime to tone up and take a break from the daily routine, NYLA Method classes are cutting-edge when it comes to fitness trends. Founder Andrea DeBellis has collaborated alongside health and wellness experts from a variety of disciplines including Ballet, Yoga, Pilates and Physiotherapy to create the method, with an overall goal of empowering women through fitness and nutrition. An essential part of the NYLA Method also includes guiding women on the value of a balanced diet, to further emphasize the importance of a holistic approach to healthy living.

Sheer Bliss for Glamistas

From Hollywood to Hong Kong, from Dallas to Dubai… since launching in New York City in 1996, ladies all over the world have been pampered, achieving a higher state of happy. And the reason? bliss!

Yes, bliss is always here to make your life more relaxed, more fun and less stressful by offering out-of-the-ordinary products with colorful, upbeat designs. Urging you to enjoy yourself and not take life too seriously, bliss asks you, what good is perfect skin if it doesn’t make you smile?

As a very special treat for all subscribers to GlamBox, this February every Glamista will receive a limited-edition bliss GlamBox, featuring a total of six fun-filled products.

There are two variations of the bliss GlamBox, either lemon & sage or blood orange & white pepper, designed in bright summery shades of blue, orange and yellow. Waiting inside each box to make you happy will be:

• soapy suds (lemon+sage or blood orange+white pepper) 60ml – Paraben free liquid soap to whip up a luxe lather for supremely soft skin.
• body butter (lemon+sage or blood orange+white pepper) 50ml – Vibrantly scented and long lasting body moisturiser to leave skin smooth and supple.
• fabulous foaming face wash 60ml – A 2-in-1 cleanser and exfoliator that calms the skin with soothing botanicals.
• that’s incredi-‘peel’ 2ml packette – Magical spa-strength ‘peel’ to create an overnight facial that targets fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots.
• triple oxygen face mask 5ml – A super quick-fix for dull, tired skin, voted ‘Best Beauty Buy’ 5 years in a row by InStyle magazine.
• triple oxygen +c cream 10ml – A lightweight gel-cream that releases oxygen to instantly recharge dull skin to brighten it up and super-charged with vitamin-C

You won’t want to miss out on sheer bliss, will you? So how can you get your very own limited edition box?

Simple. You can subscribe to GlamBox by visiting glambox.me and purchasing either 3, 6 or 12 months from as little as AED 70 per month. The search for happiness has never been easier. Just be quick as February subscriptions close on the 20th February!

Achieve a higher state of happy today this February with bliss and GlamBox.me

Product Review: No7 Lift & Luminate Day & Night Serum

I love beauty products, and as a blogger, I receive my fair share of them to review, a few of them suck, some make no difference, and a bunch are actually amazing, and I do stick to them for a long time. The last option was exactly how I felt about this No7 Lift & Luminate Day and Night Serum. After using it for about 3-4 weeks, I’m absolutely hooked!

For start, the idea of having both day & night serums in one package is very convenient. Rather than having to purchase 2 separate products, for day and night, like we’re used to, these two come together and compliment each other.

The Day formula serves to inhibit further melanin over-production, and is designed to brighten, protect against free radicals, and firm skin. The skin brightening complex includes sopora, kiwi, and vitamin C, the antioxidant complex adds mulberry and ginseng, and the firming complex repairs structural protein with vitamin A, peptides, and DPHP (an ingredient known for hydrating and boosting collagen production.)

Whilst the night serum works to remove existing surface melanin. Firming complexes in both serums smooth out lines and wrinkles and promotes skin firmness. It contains newer skincare ingredient, PHA (polyhydroxy acids); this wrinkle-fighter is an exfoliant and is described as a gentler alpha hydroxy acid making it suitable for sensitive skin. It claims to have a number of anti-aging benefits including increased cell turnover, skin brightening, and reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, and pore size. It also hydrates and strengthens skin’s barrier function.

One of the things I noticed about using this product, beside the long term results, was the instant improvement of the condition of my skin, every time I applied it, let it be the day or the night serum, they both worked like a primer whevever I applied them, which was even more impressive.

Verdict? Highly recommended if you’re looking for an instant glow and over all skin improvement in about 4 weeks time. Available at all Boots stores for 13 Kuwaiti Dinars, or 130 Emarati Dirhams.

Product Review: Herbline Essentials Firm Skin Cream

I was recently introduced to Herbline Essentials Products. One of the products I’ve been using is their Firm Skin Cream and I absolutely love it! This powerful cell simulator works by soothing away wrinkles and dark patches leaving your skin firm, supple and younger looking. I’ve been overwhelmed with work and it’s showing on my skin, specially my face and eyes area, and the cold weather does not help either. I try to apply the cream at night before I sleep as many times as I can every week and it really does leave me with a different feel to my skin when I wake up in the morning.

It’s all in the amazing mix of natural and organic ingredients this products carries, highly effective blend of herbs, including nutmeg, cloves, citrus oil and coriander seed oil, which are all high in antioxidants and work to detoxify the skin with their strong antiseptic properties. Enriched with coco palm wax and sunflower oil, the base cream helps to retain the water in the skin, hydrating and restoring the skin’s natural elasticity.

I highly recommend it for a an amazing over-night skin care, specially if you’re feeling that your skin has been tired or needs that extra protection to look radiant and glowing. Try it out! Stay gorgeous xx

Product Review: Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion

I’ve been using this product for less than a week, but I couldn’t hold it any longer not to share! Nivea’s new in-shower Body Lotion. This goes on as a last product, after your regular foaming shower gel, shaving foam, scrub, or whatever else you use in your shower, as it doesn’t contain any cleansing properties. It’s easy-to-use and leaves my skin feeling fresh, moist, and most importantly, not sticky. After you’ve used all your shower products, massage the Nivea in-shower body lotion onto your body, then rinse it off! You can dry your self and get dressed immediately, hassle-free! An Uh-Mazing time-saver too!

It’s not completely a substitute for your usual body cream, but this works as a bonus moisturizer if you’re not in the mood for that (Aren’t we all sometimes?). It’s also perfect for the morning-showers, where you can literally jump in the shower and run to work, without having to wake up earlier to apply a moisturizer. Over all, a brilliant product, and very much recommended, specially now that the winter is making our skin more dry. If you love a glowing, younger looking silky skin, or if you have problems with dry skin, this products will work wonders.

Product Review: L’Occitane 5 Essential Oils Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner

I Love this pair! Since I’ve started using them about 3 months ago, my hair feels great and looks silkier, fuller, and shinier. They both smell absolutely gorgeous and really do nourish my hair.

Formulated with natural origin vegetable complex of 5 essential oils of Chamomile, Mandarin, Cedar, Basil and Lemongrass with wheat proteins. This series of shampoo and conditioner helps soothe a sensitive or irritated scalp beside helping to get a healthier and more beautiful hair.

No BHA, No BHT, No synthetic colorants, No EDTA, No formol or formaldehyde, No animal ingredients, No parabens, No phenoxyethanol, No phtalates, No silicone, No triclosan. An absolute must in my shower!

Available at all L’Occitane stores.

Foundation Education: BB Vs. CC Creams

From BB to CC here’s a breakdown to help you determine which option is best for you.

BB Cream

Focusing on skincare benefits, BB cream (short for beauty balm) is an all-in-one serum, moisturizer, primer, SPF and foundation that first gained popularity in Asia. It is convenient, natural-looking, and has skin-boosting benefits.

CC Cream

Short for color correction, CC creams contain all of the BB benefits, plus color correcting ingredients like Vitamin C, to brighten dark spots and improve overall skin tone. Some even have different colored undertones to help counteract redness in skin. These creams tend to offer more coverage, and they’re especially great for people who have dark spots, acne, or unevenness.

BB Cream Picks: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB; Kiehl’s BB Cream; Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm, Dior skin Nude BB Creme SPF 10, MAC Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF 35, No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream, La Roche Posay Hydreane BB Cream.

CC Cream Picks: L’Oréal Paris Visible Lift CC Cream, Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream SPF 30 Hydrating Colour Corrector, Olay Regenerist CC cream, Max Factor CC Cream, L’Oreal Nude Magique CC Cream.

How to Choose

Keep in mind that every BB and CC cream has unique benefits, but in general, reach for a CC Cream over a BB Cream if you want fuller, foundation-like coverage. Either option is a great multi-tasking product that will make room in your makeup bag!

Stay gorgeous! xx

Makeup Masterclass: The Perfect Brow

Charlotte Tilbury reveals her three steps to striking, full arches. Discover how to shape, define and set your brows to supermodel standard. Plus, our expert columnist shares her icons of this timeless beauty trend, from Audrey Hepburn to Cara Delevingne.

The Yoga Center Event by PLT

Last week, I got an invitation from the sweet Noaf of PLT for an event she put together for The Yoga Center to introduce us to the place and get us to try some of their classes. I got my yoga gear on and went there not knowing what to expect other than a gym offering some yoga classes. and boy was I wrong! The place is specialized for yoga only. Offering more than 10 types of classes, from pre-natal to breathing and hot. The hot room, with its sophisticated heating and humidifying system is the first of its kind in Kuwait, built to enhance the detoxifying and purification of the practice.

The Yoga Center Kuwait was created on the idea of bringing awareness to the Kuwaiti community by integrating the yoga lifestyle into everyday life. Yoga is a powerful tool to create balance physically, mentally and spiritually. Building this awareness through its varying components; breathing, posture, control of surroundings and a continuing education in making better choices in our many dimensions of wellbeing.

What makes The Yoga Center special is that it provides the perfect environment to achieve this awareness and the serenity for you to be true to yourself. The Yoga Center seeks to improve develop a better way and for dealing with these issues. For more information visit their website, here, or follow them on Instagram @Yogacenterkw