N°7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serums now available in the UAE...

I've always been intrigued with the brand N°7 ever since I first saw it at Boots during my first trip in Dubai some 2 years ago.  I'm amazed that aside from their wide selection of makeup, they also have skincare.  I must admit that I hesitated checking them out until I got a chance to attend a launch event of their newest serums and I realized, the brand is indeed in a quest for excellence when it comes to anti-aging skincare.

The Journey

It started in 2007 when they launched the N°7 Protect & Perfect Serum and at the time when serums are still quite unknown. A clinical trial was made and presented into the public.  The research showed that the product helped in increasing fibrillin, a glycoprotein which is essential for the formation of elastic fibers found in our skin.  The same effect can be achieved by using tretinoin, but we all know that it's a prescription-only treatment and when used excessively, it may do more harm than good.  After airing the research, the product became sold out almost everywhere.  People lined up at the stores to buy and those who were able to get some even tried selling it thrice its original price.  The demand was that high!

On 2009, they again launched a new serum, the N°7 Protect & Perfect Intense which aims to target deeper lines and wrinkles and also contains additional anti-ageing active ingredients like their first serum.  Again, a clinical study has been made and 70% of those who volunteered to test the product showed big improvements on their skin.

Come 2013, they have developed their 3rd clinically proven serum, the N°7 Lift & Luminate Day & Night serums. These serums are proven to tackle the 3 key signs of ageing for those aged 45+ (lines and wrinkles, loss of firmness and uneven skin tone) plus hyper pigmentation. The study showed that their new serums have proved to have the ability to lighten and shrink age spots just like Hydroquinone, which is commonly regarded by dermatologists to be the gold standard topical treatment against hyper pigmentation.

Grand Opening of Zayzafoon Restaurant and Lounge at Bawabat Al Sharq Mall….

One fact about me: I love to eat.  And that I can also be adventurous when it comes to food. I love trying out new cuisines and no matter how weird a dish might look like, I'd still try it. What the heck, life is too short not to come out of your comfort zone when it comes to food. 

So weeks ago, when I got an invite to try out Arabian cuisine at the grand opening of the Zayzafoon Restaurant and Lounge at Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in Baniyas, I didn't think twice of saying yes.  I did have an idea that the place is an hour bus ride from Abu Dhabi (thanks to Google) but that didn't stop me from going. Now, unlike me, my husband's not a fan of Arabic Cuisine (he is missing a lot, I know!) so I asked a good friend of mine to join me. Good thing she's up for it so after office, we took the bus and off we went to Baniyas.

It was a long ride indeed, but it was all worth it.  We were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff and then immediately ushered to our table so we can right away start with the Arabic feast.

A typical middle eastern meal starts with a mezza (or appetizers) which can be hot or cold. When we arrived, the hot mezza dishes are already served on the table. The selection is so huge, it was actually a mezza feast!  I had a hard time deciding which one to eat first, LOL!

Half an hour later, our server approached our table and asked us if they can serve the cold mezza next. I  was like, "What!!? We aren't done yet with appetizers?" 

^_^

Clarins Ladylike Makeup Collection: Swatches + First Impressions...

Last month, I featured the Autumn 2014 Makeup Collection from Clarins called Ladylike. And as promised, here's another post with swatches, plus my first impressions on some of the products sent to me from our friends from Clarins PR. (Thanks so much!)

Some goodies from Clarins Ladylike Makeup Collection

First up is the Perfect Eyes and Brows Palette:

Perfect Eyes and Brows Palette

(AED 210)

On my previous post, I said that if there's one item in this collection that I would love to have, it would be this 'lil pretty.  So imagine my excitement when I saw it inside the goodie bag!  I cartwheeled 3x! LOL.  

Its packaging, just like the other items I got, is so luxurious. It's housed in a gold metal compact with everything you'd need to create that perfect set of brows: a mirror, three brow powders, a brow wax, a highlighter, a mini pair of tweezers, a mini-spoolie and a dual-ended applicator. I've had brow compacts in the past which also includes mini tools but so far, this one has the most useful set. The tweezers can grab even the smallest of hair despite its size.  The spoolie does a great job in softening the brow color, in case you've applied too much.  I don't use the angled brow brush end of the dual applicator to apply brow color (I still use my HG brush for that from Charm), but I use the sponge tip to apply the highlighter powder on the brow bone and on the inner corners of my eyes.  

Learn Makeup In Minutes with MAC Instant Artistry….

Do you want to learn some basic makeup skills in just minutes?  Then check out the MAC Instant Artistry event: the quickest, easiest and most interactive way to learn makeup skill from the pros.

November 12 - 15

Star Atrium in Dubai Mall

I got an invite to check it out on the first day and since I have a one-week off before I start with a new job, I happily braved the almost half an hour metro ride going to Dubai Mall. I learned that this is the first time for such event to be held here in the UAE.  So yes, I do consider myself lucky to be one of the firsts to experience it. 

The setup:

'twas also my first time to attend such event (I think the first MAC Instant Artistry in Manila was held just this year too!) so I was quite surprised to see the setup: almost everything was in white, instead of the usual black which is the sort-of branding color of the brand. 

Anastasia Amrezy Palette: Swatches + First Impressions...

And finally, I got my hands on this Anastasia Amrezy Eyeshadow Palette! I know I have tons of eyeshadows enough to last me a lifetime but when I saw photos of this online, I just knew I had to have one because…I am a makeup junkie like that! Hahaha!  

 Anastasia Amrezy Eyeshadow Palette

(USD 29)

Actually, it's been a while since I last bought an eyeshadow palette and what really made me buy this one is the colours in it.  I've been so into earth-tones lately but I still try to add a pop of colour just so my peepers won't look too boring (or normal, hahah!) And this palette has all that: perfect shades great for an everyday makeup look plus two of my most favourite colours, purple and green! 

Isn't this a beauty?