June 30, 2013

Statement Jewellery at TOPSHOP

I was browsing through TOPSHOP's (Link) website looking for a 'Get the Look for Less' post and I discovered a whole NEW collection of recently launched jewellery! Everything is amazing, affordable, and really tasteful. Happy Browsing ladies :)

Here are a few of my favourite picks


This is a great accessory to complete a boho-chic look - 
Team it with a maxi dress and summer sandals






Which of these items is your favourite?

June 28, 2013

The BEST Eye Makeup Remover


For a LONG time now, I have been searching for the PERFECT eye make-up remover and I FINALLY found it! I am the type of person who either puts barely any makeup on or goes all out for occasions. When I go all out, I usually do smokey eyes with the thick black mascara, black kohl and liquid eyeliner. Sure, it looks great on but is IMPOSSIBLE to take off! 

CLARINS Instant Eye Makeup remover claims to remove all traces of eye makeup including long wearing and waterproof formulas and it really does. With one swipe of the cotton almost all my makeup went off last night. It is oil-based but didn't burn my eyes. Make sure to wash your face well after you use it. It is suitable for all skin types. 



How I Used it:
- Soak a cotton with lots of this product and swipe it over your eyelids, face and neck
- Use a dry new cotton ball and re-swipe your face (lots of makeup  will came off)
- Wash your face well
- Voila makeup free!! :)

Do you have a makeup remover you absolutely love 
& is super effective? 
PLEASE share!

June 24, 2013

How to wear Floral Headbands

Celebrities in their floral headbands
Clockwise from top left: Kirsten Dunst, Lana Del Rey, Alex Chung, Keira Knightley 

I'm currently OBSESSING over floral headbands. They have been worn by every single celebrity on the planet and are the accessory of choice for summer vacations and music festivals. This season, the trend is to wear your floral headband like an actual headband on top of your head and not as a halo like a bridesmaid. They are available in all sizes and it's up to you to choose how big you want to go. Nothing screams Boho-chic quite like these headbands.

How to wear floral headbands:  Expect to look a little 'cuter' than you usually do as they are fun and playful. Complete the look with a flowy dress or top. Don't wear anything too rigid. I think they look best with hair parted in the middle and pushed back away from the hairline. Let some hair show between the headband and your face (like all of the celebrities in the above picture.

If you want to make a statement on your holidays this summer, this is THE trend to be sporting! Just choose your favourite flower and colour and you're set :)

Here are a few floral headbands I Love

A selection at S*uce Boutique in the U.A.E


You can even wear it slightly to the side like this one and not necessarily in the center of your head

These are only $4.80 (AED 18) -
 Buy them in all three colours to match with all your clothes this season!


This floral head wrap is smaller and more subtle than the others and is less 'Look at Me' than the others. Wear it like a headband and not as shown in the pic

Will you be wearing a floral headband this summer??

June 23, 2013

COMPETITION ALERT: A FABULOUS Swarovski Bracelet


Today I have a special post - THREE treats in 1! I don't personally wear abayas but I always buy Persil Abaya because I find that it makes a HUGE difference with my black washes. The colours of my black clothes never fade with this shampoo. It's honestly quite amazing! 

From June 1 till July 31, Swarovski Elements has teamed up with Persil Abaya Shampoo (Link) to offer women across the GCC a special summer treat. For each Persil Abaya Shampoo Bottle that you buy, you will receive a coupon which entitles you to a 25% discount on abayas adorned with Swarovski Crystals at THESE PARTICIPATING RETAILERS (Link) across the GCC (KSA, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain & Qatar).


Second, at the back of each Persil Abaya Shampoo bottle, you will find a barcode. Scan it with your smartphone and you could win one of the stunning 13 abayas below. I wish I wore abayas because they are so pretty and special! CLICK HERE for more info on the touch points where you must send your barcodes TO WIN. 


Third, to celebrate SWAROVSKI and PERSIL ABAYA's collaboration, SWAROVSKI is offering the chance for one of YOU, my readers, to win a FABULOUS Swarovski Bracelet from the four shown below!


How to enter the competition:

1) LIKE SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS on Facebook (Link)
2) LIKE MYSMALLOBSESSIONS on Facebook (Link)
3) Provide your name and email address with  the tag line 'I LOVE Swarovski' 
4) You can enter your details in the comments section below or on my Facebook Page 

The winner will be chosen at RANDOM. GOOD LUCK! :)

June 22, 2013

Outfit Du Jour- Laid back Weekends






Dress: Juicy Couture (Link)
Bag: Celine
Bracelet: Aquazzura
Panama Hat: Ibiza
Sandals: Moschino

June 21, 2013

SEPHORA Color Hit Nailpolish Set - A Review


Nail Art is all the RAGE this season so I picked up this nail set on my recent visit to SEPHORA at Dubai Mall. It has 4 of the newest colours from the Color Hit Nailpolish Collection and 3 nail effects- Gold Croco Print, Tie & Dye, and Marble Art. The nail polishes have light-reflecting pigments that deliver long lasting 5 day shine and dry fast. The BEST thing is that they are free of harmful parabens. 


For the purposes of this post, I tested out a different nail polish on each finger 

I loved all of the colours and definitely see myself wearing them this summer
The gold is nice and sheer and the blue, purple and fuchsia are all beautiful deep colours 
They dry really fast and the wand is thicker than a regular brush so it fully coated my nails much faster and more evenly than other brands

For the nail effects, I had to apply 2 coats of polish, wait 2 minutes for them to dry then apply the effects. Marble Art shows immediately but you need to wait 5 minutes for the others

Marble Art was the only one that showed - it looks like spots
The crocodile effect shows up close and looks like cracked polish
I saw no effect with the tie die except that I got a big hole in my pink nailpolish. 
Perhaps I applied it wrong?

There are 43 colours in the Color Hit Nail Polish Collection (Link Here). They dry really fast and are beautiful, deep colours. Also, the lack of parabens (chemicals) made me feel really good about wearing them! 

June 20, 2013

Up Close & Personal: Dr. Lamees Hamdan of Shiffa Beauty Products


I met with Dr. Lamees Hamdan, owner of Dubai based dermatology skincare brand SHIFFA, on the eve of launching her first ever fragrance, AYA. I found her to be a wonderful, extremely impressive woman who should be a role model to us all! Still in her 30s, Dr. Lamees has 4 children and runs a very successful company which sells award winning beauty products. She has also won countless awards such as L'oreal's Women of the Year in 2009, Best Female Business Leader and Best Health and Wellcare Business from the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Awards for Young Business Leaders. 

SHIFFA has just introduced the new fragrance AYA to the market.  It is a beautiful fresh scent that I believe many women will enjoy wearing. :)


How did you come up with the name AYA for your perfume?
This perfume is very fresh, delicate, and pure and reminded me of the clouds and the air. Aya is a verse that descends form heaven  and our catch phrase is 'Aya- Where Earth Meets Heaven'. I am trying to use earthly ingredients to create nirvana, a preciousness that alchemists in the old ages used to strive to reach in their creation of perfumes. 

What notes are in the perfume?
Ambrette Seeds, Cinnamon bark Oil from Laos, Yellow Mandarin Essence from Italy, Orange Flower, Rosa Damascena, Patchouli from Indonesia, Labdanum Resinoid from Spain, Tonka Bean from Venezuela, and 7 types of musks. All of the notes used are the original oils and pure scents, are very high quality, and I do not use any synthetic smells. 

How long did it take to produce AYA?
Four years! 

How did you design the packaging?
I worked with a team of designers who helped me create a stylized version of a cloud which points up to heaven. I also worked with a Feng Shui expert to try to make it as 'heavenly' as possible. 


Where is the perfume created?
While theperfume was created in Europe, I brought all of the ingredients back here for the perfume to be made in the U.A.E I am very proud to be able to EXPORT this perfume to the rest of the world. AYA is the first real luxury perfume fragrance to be created in the U.A.E 

Where will AYA be sold?
Selfridges London in August, and America and Japan in September. The perfume will be launched at Sephora Middle East where it will be exclusively sold in the Middle East.

'AYA: Where Earth Meets Heaven'

How did you test the perfume?
I actually tested it on a lot of men because lets face it, men don't like women who smell like cherries or grapefruit! They like sensual and powdery smells. 

Will SHIFFA be introducing more perfumes in the future?
Yes, I will be releasing a perfume at Christmas and am in the process of producing a men's perfume.


What makes SHIFFA Products different from others on the market?
The results - the very high end beauty brands on the market only have 6 active ingredients. SHIFFA products have between 19 and 26 active ingredients and are all in therapeutic concentrations. We are organic because I believe that organic products are better absorbed by the body and give better results. People who use SHIFFA generally see a difference in their skin in only 3 weeks! 

What is the target age group for your products?
Anyone can use SHIFFA products from as young as 11 years old. My own daughters who are 11 and 13 already use the cleanser and the pregnancy body oil to prevent stretch marks which happen during growth spurts. I urge ALL mothers who have teenage children to use this oil to prepare their skin for growth spurts which can happen overnight. 

What is your inspiration to start a new SHIFFA product line?
I use all of the products and only produce what I need and what I feel my clients will need. For example, I think that my clients 35 and older need a serum so I am in the process of producing one. 

SHIFFA products are sold online (Link here) and exclusively at SEPHORA in the Middle EastThey are also available at premium spas across the world. 
AYA will be available to purchase from today


Have you tried any products by SHIFFA?

June 19, 2013

DANNIJO's 5th Anniversary Collection

The creators of DANNIJO - Sisters Danielle & Jodie

Even if you THINK you never heard of the jewellery brand DANNIJO - I am almost certain that you have seen it while shopping or worn by someone. It is a Jewellery brand based out of New York that is designed by sister duo Danielle and Jodie. They design stand out statement necklaces, vinetage-y cocktail rings, bracelets, earrings, and funky accessories. DANNIJO has been worn by almost every single celebrity and is sold in 120 stores worldwide including online retailes like Shopbop.com,  StyleBop.com, and matchesfashion.comIn the U.A.E, DANNIJO is sold at S*uce, Bloomingdales, Harvey Nichols, Boom & Mellow and SophiesCloset.com (Link).  

In honor of their 5th Anniversary, DANNIJO have created a 6-piece limited edition capsule collection. It includes their most popular necklaces, earrings, and bracelets which have been tweaked into different colours and materials. Each of these beautiful pieces falls in the range of $295 to $425 (AED 1085 - AED 1560) which is cheaper than the original pieces. I am absolutely OBSESSED with them ALL! 

This is a no-fuss statement piece that can be re-worn with ALL your favourite outfits well into Fall!

Perfect for summer



This is DANNIJO's signature Cappuccino necklace remade with colourful Swarovski crystals

This Capsule 5 Year Anniversary Collection can only be purchased on the DANNIJO website (Link Here)

Which of these pieces is your Favourite? Mine are the AVA earrings!

June 18, 2013

Get the Look for MUCH Less!

It's been a while since I wrote a 'Get the Look for Less' Post so I made sure that my comeback would be worth your while! One of my favourite things for summer is white lace- it has a fresh, light, airy feel to it and it goes so well against the backdrop of sun, sand, deep blue skies and a tan. You can wear it any way you like and will still look amazing.

I originally fell in LOVE with this Zimmerman Lace Playsuit and was super excited to find it in the Net-A-Porter Sale. THEN, while browsing through TOPSHOP's swimwear section on their website, I found an even nicer one at a fraction of the cost! Both will look stunning this summer vacation, and it's your choice to SPLURGE or to SAVE! 

SPLURGE!! 

Material: Broderie Anglaise Cotton and Silk Blend
Colour: Cream and White
£177.63/ AED 1,022

SAVE!!

Material: Cotton, Nylon, Viscose
Colour: Cream
£30 / AED 173

HAPPY SHOPPING LADIES! :) 

June 17, 2013

Cute flat Sandals and Ballerinas for Summer

Summer is here! With it comes summer holidays, plenty of sightseeing, casual day wear, hot weather & open sandals and flats. For this season, don't choose regular boring flats - buy shoes that have rhinestones and are metallic or colourful. Espadrilles in particular are making a HUGE comeback!  Here are my picks of cute, stand-out summer flats. Make them even more special by pairing them with bright nail polish and don't forget regular pedicures!   








These are my favourite pair from this list- hopefully they will go on sale soon! 


Which pair of flats is your favourite??