Ode to Cleansing

I love looking at pictures of my old self and thinking "ugh I'll never look like that again or wear that again." Have you ever done that? Or better yet, looking at pictures of your totally hot girlfriends wishing "if only"? Lucky for me one of my totally hot girlfriends just so happens to be a personal trainer and an imparter of nutritional guidance and wisdom. I met up with her over lunch recently to catch up and she told me all about this miraculous 30 day cleanse she was doing meant to help you lose weight, boost your energy levels, rid your body of pesky toxins and kick bad eating habits more generally. After lugging around baby weight for over a year and returning from a week of all you can eat and drink in the Dominican, this sounded like a dream come true.

So here I am in day 13 of my Isagenix 30 day cleansing and fat burning system. And surprisingly...I feel great.I have lost 7 lbs and almost 10 inches. I do not look or feel as bloated as I was and that in and of itself is a great improvement for me in such a short period of time. I am sleeping better, feeling more energized, less stressed and I have noticed an incredible improvement in my skin. In just 12 days. I am looking forward to seeing what the next two weeks bring :)

Younique 3D Mascara - Review

There seems to be a renewed hype over Yonique Moodstruck 3D Fiberlash Mascara. I've had it for a while now.

 

The before and after pictures everyone sees are phenomenal. It's what persuaded me to purchase it. Relatively inexpensive for what it claims to do. It comes with two products, a Transplanting Gel and Natural Fibers. You are instructed to put on a single coat of your regular mascara and allow it to dry. Once dried you are to put on a coat of the gel, followed by a coat of the fibers which is what really gives you the appearance of long lashes, followed by another coat of the gel. Once you get the hang of it, it really becomes a quick and easy process. You do have to be very light handed and careful in your application, because a heavy application of the fibers can give you the dreaded "spider lashes" appearance.

At first I was impressed. I really did like the look of longer lashes that it gave me. However, I found that three different products on my lashes, with two coats of the Transplanting Gel, really weighed them down as time passed. My lashes went from curving upwards to sort of sticking out front, defeating the purpose of the mascara all together.

I wouldn't not recommend this product, but I don't think it fully met my expectations either. For me, My eyelash curler and regular mascara do the trick for every day wear, and for those times where I'm feeling a little more glamorous I prefer false lashes. But give it a go - and I hope if you do you have better luck with the results than I did.



XoXo
Saira  


p.s. my current favourite mascaras

Fall Fashion 2014

With the fall season just around the corner, what's more exciting than anticipating the new fashion trends? There is quite a bit happening in the world of fashion this fall so I thought I would share my top 4 trends, adaptable for both casual and more formal wear. All of my highlighted pieces are less than $200CAD as you likely won't catch me purchsing anything more expensive than that on a government salary ;)

1. Animal Attraction
Meow!!! Love seeing the feline prints in this fall. I was never big on animal prints but I am slowly and surely getting into this trend. If you are not into rocking a whole feline frock, try adding some printed accents into your wardrobe this fall. 

  Nine West Martina Pump ($120CAD)

  Chapters/Indigo ($45CAD) 

2. Snow White

Who says you can't wear white after labour day. Personally I won't be rocking any white jeans this fall and winter because somehow I just can't bring myself to do it. But there's nothing more crisp to me than topping a great look off with a white blazer, jacket or coat.

 Belted Kimono Jacket - Mango ($149.95CAD)

 Structured Coat - Zara ($149CAD)

 3. Plaid it Up

Plaid is back - yes that's right - plaid is back.Whether you prefer tartan or something a little less bold you won't be the odd man out anymore. Well maybe sometimes, but fashion is about standing out in a crowd. Now - if we can only get men to wear kilts.

 Stretch plaid skirt - RW&Co ($65.90CAD)

 Ralph Lauren Shirt - ASOS ($173.91CAD)

4. EmbelishMENT

If you like your bling, the bling is in. Studded shoes or ankle booties, beaded shirts...anything goes so have fun with it. 

 Aldo ($90CAD)

Beaded denim shirt - Mango ($79.95CAD)

Can't wait to rock these looks. 

XoXo
Saira










                      



      



      

10 Tips for a Flawless Face of Makeup

Alright...Finally time for another blog post after what seems like too long. I have a lot of ideas lined up it was just a matter of getting around to it in between sleepless nights and 2 needy children. Make that three, forgot about the husband ;).

Who knows me well knows I'm obsessed with makeup. And over the last few years I've come across some great tips and tricks to a flawless makeup application that has great staying power throughout the day. So here are my 10 tips for achieving this along with some favourites of mine.

XoXo
Saira



1. Wash and Exfoliate - Working backwards but also a key ingredient to healthy looking skin is washing your face properly in the evening and getting rid of all makeup, dirt and toxin build-up. Exfoliating your face is an absolute must. Whether you have dry, normal, or combination-oily skin, and whether your skin is sensitive or not, exfoliation is important.

My favourite exfoliator has been by Forever Living Products (check out my previous post for more info). However last week I began using the Clairisonic Mia 2 to try and combat some of the issues I've had with my skin.



2. Moisturize - hydration is key. Make sure that after cleansing you apply a moisturizer. Selecting the appropriate cream for your sking type is also important. In the morning I use an Origins moisturizer that's light but hydrating and refreshing and at night I use a Joisie Maran argan oil (light) to provide extra moisturization for my skin especially in these dry winter months.



3. Prime - a lot of people do not use a primer before they apply makeup. However it is important to do so. Selecting a good primer will ensure you have a flawless makeup application by filling your pores and making them less visivle and allowing for a longer days wear for your makeup. My absolute favourite primer is the light photofinish primer by Smashbox.

 

 

4. Conceal - conceal all dark spots, blemishes and scars before applying your foundation. The concelear you choose should usually be slightly lighter than the shade of foundation that you wear. This will ensure that once you apply your foundation your concealer doesn't stand, and it will also allow you to brighten up your undereye area. My absolute holy grail is MAC pro longwear concealer.

 

5. Select appropriate foundation - there is nothing worse than an oily person wearing an extremely luminous foundation...or the opposite...a person with very dry skin wearing a truly matte foundation. While there are foundations out there that sometimes allow for an exception to this, these scenarios will usually not work.




6. Application - choose a good applicator for your foundation. This can make a world of difference in how your makeup looks. The three methods I have used that I would recommend is the flat top kabuki brush by Sigma, a Beauty Blender sponge or your fingers.

 

 

 

7. Conceal and brighten undereye area - covering up dark circles is soooo important. Leaving them uncovered will make you look sick and tired. Literally! I prefer to use regular concelear to cover circles and then a peachy/salmon colour highlighter to brighten up my undereye area and further counteract the dark circles. I like using MAC prep + prime highlighters in Radiant Rose and Light Boost.

Tip: salmon counteracts dark circles and green counteracts blemishes. This is why in professional concealer palettes you often find these shades.

 

8. Set with powder - Unless you are super oily I do not recommend setting your entire face with powder but your T-Zone and undereye area is a must. This is not only the oiliest part of the face but also the part of our face that moves most often as we make expressions. Setting with powder (translucent for everyday wear) will keep everything in place.

 

 

 

9. Set with spray - best tip I can give anyone is to set all of your makeup once applied with a setting spray. This will help your makeup look achieve perfection and will allow your makeup to last longer. I like using MAC's Fix + spray as well as Urban Decay's All Nighter.

 

 

 

10. Live Clean - flawless makeup starts and ends with hefalthy looking skin. Lord knows I've had my challenges on this front with hormonal brakeouts. One thing to always be cautious of is what you eat and drink. Most importantly avoid greasy foods and drink pleanty of H2O.

 

Natural and Affordable

Since launching this blog I've been pondering what my first full length blog post should be about and then over the last few days I have experienced a few AHA moments while talking to friends. As consumers in this day and age we get bombarded with various personal care products, most of which aren't healthy for us. Apparently even the foam found in baby car seats is anti-flammable (aka dipped in 3 different chemicals). As a mother I find this appalingly scary. In fact I haven't stopped thinkig about it since I found out. 

 

So when I talked to a friend recently about the dangers of deodarant for women, and as another friend asked for a recommendation for a facewash for her sensitive skin I began wondering how many of us out there are aware of the chemicals we consume everyday and how many of us dig a little deeper into our pockets in order to choose the healthier alternatives?

A few years ago I was introduced to a company that produces some amazing products that are mostly aloe based, but offer an array of other products such as bee products and nutritional supplements. Because I think a lot of folks out there are as stumped as I am sometimes as to what to use I thought I would introduce, for those of you who are not already familiar with, Forever Living Products. Forever Living is based out of Arizona but ship Internationally, and have a distribution centre in Toronto for those of you who are not big online shoppers. You can visit their website for more information about the company, the science and the benefits of aloe as well as to find out how you can become a distributor and get a discount on the merchandise. Even if you are not a distributor this company offers great prices on some amazing products. A few of my favourites are listed below. Please do note that Forever Living Products do have all the following certificates:

1. International Aloe Science Council
2. PETA Cruelty Free
3. Islamic Seal of Approval
4. Kosher
5. Kosher Dairy
6. Halal

             

So here are a few of my recommended items:

1. Deodorant (aluminum free - am only about to try this product so I am not sure how well it does in the combating stink department)














2. Aloe Lips (this product is amazingly creamy and provides great moisture for the lips especially in the winter months)



3. Aloe Facial Cleanser (this cleanser is mild and gentle on the skin, hypo-allergenic and leaves your skin feeling super smooth and fresh)



4. Aloe Activator (this baby is found in the skin care section and you can use it as a facial cleanser and re-freshener, however because of its natural ingredients it can really be used for anything - in my household we use it as eye drops, and all you mommies out there will be happy to note that this is great to use as ear drops when your little one has an ear infection.)




5. Clean-9 (This is a 9 day natural cleansing program that I have done many times. I have to say the first 2 days are the most difficult but if you can get through it you will see amazing results. The most I have ever lost is 12lbs in 9 days and I have always felt better and more energized once completed. Note: this program comes with the natural tasting aloe juice which I find disgusting. You can always pick up the flavoured aloe juices which are sold separately on the CAD website anyway.)





To look into Forever Living a little more please visit www.foreverliving.com and feel free to drop me any questions.

Saira
XoXo

So I've caught the blogging bug?

So recently I stopped working to go on maternity leave after having my second child. And as women out there who are super multi-taskers can appreciate, staying home and doing the mommy thing, as rewarding as it is, is just not enough. Yes I said it and I have no shame in saying it. Personally, I'm used to chaos. Working full time, being a mother and wife, and even going to school to complete my Masters Degree.

And so now that school has been officially, and forever, done and while I sit at home and do the mommy thing exclusively for a while I feel myself already itching to take something new on to keep occupied. So I'm turning to my passion of writing and all things fashion and beauty. Originally I was going to call this blog "confessions of a shopaholic" but I'd like to think I'm defined by more than that so mixed with all things fashion and beauty will be some of my recommendations on exercise, dieting, books and other tidbits. I will limit my shopaholic confessions to a single post.

So welcome and happy reading.

Saira
XoXo

P.s. I promise to pimp out the blog a little more as I go along.