Burberry's Back with Body EDT and Bombshell Rosie Huntingdon-Whitely

Burberry launched the hugely successful Burberry Body Eau De Parfum last summer, it was described as a  fruity composition that begins with notes of fresh green absinthe, peach and freesia. Roses and iris are in the heart, leaning on the base of sandalwood, cashmerean, musk, amber and vanilla I felt it was more woody and musky than fruity but suitable as an EDP.

This summer Burberry decided they had a good thing going and differentiated their product by launching Burberry Body EDP  which is a lighter fruitier fragrance blending new ingredients like green apple and tea.

'The stunning Rosie Huntingdon Whitely remains the face of the perfume, if it ain't broke, why fix it?

Burberry is very popular in Saudi Arabia, the ladies here just love it. The brand exudes high fashion and luxury and its haymarket check is a well-loved icon.

Have you tried the perfume yet, what do you think of it ?

My Ramadan Hacks: A Guide to a More Spiritual Ramadan

Dear Readers,

I know I'm rather late in wishing you Ramadan Mubarak, but if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, I was wishing my followers as soon as reports of the crescent moon had been sighted were confirmed.
In Ramadans past have you ever felt that you weren't able to accomplish much, or that you were unproductive, or though you wanted to be more spiritual this month and you weren't? Did you feel guilty or subdued and wondered how you could have a better Ramadan?

What if I told you there are resources and tools out there to help you have the best Ramadan ever!

I meant to do this post on how you can make the most of this blessed month and how to prepare for Ramadan two weeks ago, but due to personal commitments I couldn't.

But better late than never, right?


Ramadan isn't over yet so I decided to go ahead and share with you some of the resources and tools out there that I think will help you get more out of this Ramadan.

1) Quran Explorer I just love this site. You launch it and you can read the quran on your iPad/laptop/PC, you can listen to various recitations, by well known Qaris such Sheik Sudais, Shuraim, Mishary Al-Afasy and many more. You can also read or listen to the interpretation of the meaning if Arabic isn't your native language. Ramadan is the month when Angel Jibraeel used to revise the Quran with our Prophet (peace be upon him), and you should make an effort to try and complete the Quran once in this month..and then develope a habit of daily recitation in other months.

2) Productive Muslim's fabulous daily tips on how to have to Productive Ramadan are the very motivation I need to keep upbeat and prevent me from slipping into a lazy stupor while pre and post the iftar! Sign up for their Ramadan newsletter for a short and sweet practical tips on how to increase your productivity and spirituality this Ramadan.

3)  iloveAllaah.com is another great site with lectures, articles and more what I particularly like is their checklist that's been circulating on Facebook. It's covers things that you can incorporate in life after Ramadan as well, but you can use Ramadan as a boot camp and be extra spiritually productive and reap the many rewards.



4) Duaa, it is  the single most powerful tool we have. Make lots of duaa, wherever you are, whatever your situation, when ever you want, but in the last third of the night before iftar, and between the adhaan and salaah, ask for forgiveness, for mercy, for guidance, whatever you want, for peace and security for all of us, and remember me in your duaas too!

Have a wonderful Ramadan!

8 Trendy Peplums at Topshop: Hollywood Style Inspiration

Dear Readers,

Peplums are all the rage rigth now  with hot actresses like Blake Lively to prim and proper Kate Middleton all embracing the craze. Topshop is right on trend with a number of dresses to choose from. What I love about peplum dresses is that they really accentuate your curves by highlighting your waist and creating the perfect hour-glass figure sillouhette.

Check out my favourite trendy Topshop offerings:

1) The body-con peplum dress
The whole look is a bit retro inspired, and really appeals to me, I can imagine wearing with a bold lip and a few statement accessories. It is a slightly less intimidating version of the body-con dress and thus more wearable

I love the clean lines and sillouhette sometimes simple is the best way to go. This dress is also available in navy blue and white, click here

2) The mini peplum  pencil shift dress
The gorgeous pink colour will make you glow and its a more comfortable and forgiving option compared to the body con dress.

Pink shift mini peplum dress

3)Bandeau Chiffon Peplum Dress by Oh My Love

What I like about this dress is that you can enjoy the trendy peplum without it adding too much bulk to your figure/dress as it is a made of light chiffon material. The bandeau top transform the look into someting more modern.

Bandeau Chiffon Peplum By Oh my Mlove at Topshop

4) Peplum dress with tan belt and keyhole back detail.

For me this is take on the peplum dress is very contemporary, I especially like the tan-belt detail, though I'm not too fond of the colour.

Peplum dress with tan belt

5 )Colour-blocking strapless peplum dress by Love

Colour blocking strapless dress by Love at Topshop

6)LIMITED EDITION Strappy Oriental Green Peplum Dress

A beautiful printed silk strappy peplum dress ideal for your summer evenings.

Strappy silk peplum dress

 7)LIMITED EDITION Strappy Pink Peplum Dress

This strappy combination of printed and shaded is both edgy and feminine.

Strappy silk peplum dress

8) Lace back and front detailing with peplum black dress by Rare London.
For that special evening out, Rare London's transforms the LBD into a stunner.

Back view LBD by Rare London Lace and Peplum

Front view-LBD by Rare London Lace and Peplum

All Topshop dresses via Topshop.com

I Heart Strawberries: A Review of The Body Shop's Strawberry Body Mist, Body Butter, and Beautifying Oil

Dear Readers,

As promised here’s my review of The Body Shop’s Strawberry body mist, beautifying oil and body butter.

Image credit: groedibles.com

Personally, I’m a fan of strawberries, I love eating them; go crazy for desserts with a strawberry garnish, especially cakes! There’s just something so sensual about strawberries, the attractive shiny red colour the tangy yet sweet burst of flavour when you bite into one; the invigorating scent. It reminds me of summer holidays, parties at the beach and decadent desserts.

But, dear readers, do I necessarily want to smell like strawberries? 

Strawberry body mist

Well, I’m happy to report that the strawberry body mist does NOT turn you into a walking ad for strawberry ice cream. 

The fragrance is fruity, fresh and sweet, without being overpowering or overly saccharine, balanced by underlying citrusy tones. It smells slightly ‘perfumey’ (for lack of a better word) as compared to the Strawberry body butter. (A positive point in my book)

It’s fairly light so you will need to top it up several times a day, but the bottle is also light so you can conveniently stash it in your bag when you are on the go, and spray when you need a refreshing pick-me-up.

*Tip: Try using it with the TBS Satsuma  body mist for an even zestier fragrance.

Strawberry beautifying oil

I love a product that wears many hats (multi-purpose), I feel that you get more bang for your buck, and it makes life so much more easier when you travel.

This game changing dry oil not only moisturises, but smoothes and illuminates as well. It can be used on the face, body and even hair! Its versatility has won it a place in my travel toiletries’ bag.

What I like about dry oil is that it gives a satin non-greasy finish, compared to regular oil which leaves that slick overtly shiny/greasy look and feel.

The strawberry beautifying oil contains nature’s goodness in the form of strawberry seed oil, Community Fair Trade marula oil, sweet almond oil and kukui nut oil.

It absorbs very quickly leaves you skin looking luminous instead of flaky. The strawberry fragrance is very light and similar to the strawberry body mist which I like.

*Tip: I use the dry oil all over my body after showering and use body butter on my dry areas: hand, feet, elbows, knees where an extra rich moisturiser is necessary.

Strawberry body butter

Living in a heavily air-conditioned atmosphere to survive the Saudi summer can leave you with extremely dry skin. The fact that in the summer there is no such thing as cold tap water, you have a recipe for severely parched skin.

The strawberry body butter rehydrates your skin and it is a very rich moisturiser containing community sourced shea butter. Use it at night before bed so that it can be absorbed in your skin as you sleep. I wash my hands obsessively so I use it on my hands throughout the day. I would probably use this product more in the winter when my skin gets bone- dry all over.

The funniest thing about it the strawberry body butter is that there’s a sign and they’ve clearly stated not fit for consumption! I laughed out loud when I saw that. After all, it smells temptingly sweet like a strawberries and cream trifle or something.

Image credit Brett Stevens

It is advised to keep it out of reach of small children who may understandably mistake it for something to eat. In my opinion the fragrance, of the body butter is stronger, sweeter and a tad candy like, and my family immediately noticed the fragrance and asked me what I was wearing. 

Personally, I like the strawberry body mist fragrance the best, as it has a more grown up fragrance compared to the body butter. Try it out tell me what you think.

For more info on products from The Body Shop follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Don't miss future reviews click to follow me on Facebook ,

How the Pulse Boutique In Jeddah Stole My Heart

Dear Readers,

Earlier in the week I shared with you the invitation to attend the grand opening of the Pulse boutique, if you weren’t able to make it, you need to read this post.

The entrance of the Pulse boutique moments before the opening

On Tuesday, I fought, the driver fought rush-hour traffic and I arrived at Aziz Mall at 5:30pm for the grand opening of The Body Shop brand new Pulse boutique. There was a crowd of expectant men women buzzing with anticipation. It was a glam event complete with a green grass carpet, high-tech spotlights, cameraman and photographers; it really did look like a grand opening. Then the moment we’d all been waiting for arrived: the spotlights came on and The Body Shop banner dramatically fell away amid applause to reveal the shiny new boutique. 

The VIPs made their way in followed closely by eager customer and there were a few short and sweet speeches highlighting how The Body Shop brand is different: against animal testing, for fair trade, community conscious, and environmentally friendly to name a few. To complete the scene, pretty waitresses served us with scrumptious finger food and refreshments while the customers browsed in the new surroundings taking it all in.

The first thing I noticed was how much bigger than the Pulse boutique was, and it was definitely a lot brighter. The entire marketing team was very approachable, friendly and informative. A special shout out to Alaa Abdullah who showed me around and informed me about the new products. I also had the opportunity to speak with Qasar Qayyum the Middle East Franchise Account Director who was had flown in for the opening of Pulse boutique in Jeddah. He assiduously answered all my questions and queries and suggested I try out the Honey Bronze shimmering dry oil (Review coming soon). 

Qasar Qayyum the Middle East Franchise Account Director in front of the Ramdan gifts display

It was refreshing to meet such a professional and capable marketing team in Jeddah. They explained that the Pulse boutique brand concept is Beauty with Heart, emphasising on a kind of beauty that isn’t skin-deep; true beauty comes from the heart.

The brand concept really resonated with me, and I’m sure other young women in the Middle East would agree. We love to pamper ourselves with luxurious body butters and enhance our beauty with the latest make-up, but we scorn when we are considered as ‘just another pretty face.’

8 new body mists in a variety of fruity and fresh fragrances

The youth today, like you and I, want to make a difference in the world and a positive contribution in the community.I believe consumption with a conscience is a form of activism.

The Pulse boutique allows you to do just that, through their Look Good, Feel Good, and just as importantly Do Good mantra! The Do Good aspect really touched me, and it perfectly captures the essence of the Beauty with Heart brand.

Look Good

The gorgeous  cruelty-free make-up range at The Body Shop not only help you look good, the products are carefully crafted using nature sourced ingredients, free from animal-testing and without disgusting ingredients such as fish scales or bug shells (do you know what’s in your make-up?!) Personally, I love the Lily Cole - Puff On Radiance, and Lily Cole Lip and Cheek dome the products are great-but the packaging is simply adorable!  Lily Cole is a model, actress and an activist who is aptly the Pulse brand’s global brand advocate; The Pulse boutique also has female staff at hand to provide skin consultations and even a makeover if you wish. 

Lily Cole -Cruelty free make-up range

Feel Good

I’m sure you know that when you make a loved one happy, it infuses you in a warm glow that money can’t buy. The Pulse boutique is offering Ramadan/Eid gift packs which you can shower on your family friends and feel good in the knowledge that you’ve made someone dear to you happy. So this Ramadan when you are invited to a Suhoor/Iftar why not take something that doesn't add to your hostess' waistline, take one of these thoughtful gift packs- there's something for every taste and budget.

Ramadan Gift packs at Pulse boutique, Jeddah

Do Good

You may ask, Misha that sounds great, but how do I actually Do Good, and what has it got to do with the Pulse boutique?

When you purchase The Body Shop’s products you contribute to growth and welfare of local communities involved in the process. You can also sign-up on petitions for a cause that you feel passionately about.  For example, the gift bag that the marketing team generously gave us helps create awareness about the ‘Stop $ex trafficking of children and young people’. The bag is yours for life, unlike plastic bags which are an innocent looking menaces to the environment.  

A bag for life

In short, other competitors may sell you make-up and moisturisers, in other words hope in a bottle, but Pulse, in a heartbeat  offers you a globally holistic experience.

Pulse is where activism, beauty and community collide.

Go check out Pulse boutique in Aziz Mall, you can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

A big thank you to the marketing team for the great gift pack!

Stay tuned for more reviews of The Body Shop products in the coming weeks, don’t miss my post hurry follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

Launch of The Body Shop Pulse Boutique at Aziz Mall, Jeddah

Dear Readers,

I'm very excited to inform you that The Body Shop is launching an all new Pulse boutique 
Where: in Aziz Mall, Jeddah
When:  on 10th July at 530pm .

This new boutique will offer beauty gems such as free skin consultations, free makeovers (love), and of course you can shop all your beauty cosmetics with a clear conscience knowing that The Body Shop uses the best raw ingredients that nature has to offer and takes care of the welfare of the communities where these ingredients are harvested.

So save the date ladies, (and gentlemen), and get ready for a beauty-full evening ;-).

You can follow The Body Shop on Twitter and on Facebook.

and

you can follow me on Twitter  and on Facebook as well .

Olympia Center Gym Jeddah

Dear Readers,

Picture this: It is a lazy summer afternoon; it's too hot to go outside. You've already hit the shops and exhausted what the sales have to offer. If you continue hitting the cafes and restaurants with your family and friends, soon you won’t be able to wear those cute sundresses that you bought as they will only emphasize your chicken wings; you will also have to shun your comfy yet figure hugging maxi dresses as people may suspect that you are trying to hide a baby bump. 

Yes, you painfully realise it’s time to hit the gym, lose some weight, gain some muscle tone, and get a head start against fighting the inevitable Ramadan weight gain( I know it’s a paradox), and of course, look hot in that gorgeous outfit you’ve got lined up for Eid. 

 

Olympia Center Gym Jeddah

Which gym, you might ask? Well why not try out one of the largest and longest running health fitness facilities in Jeddah-Olympia Center (adjacent to Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital).

I’ve recently been going to the Olympia gym, and I must say they really have something for everyone. They have a full schedule of various classes run by different fitness instructors for all fitness levels. Whether you are a hesitant beginner or a well-oiled fitness machine there’s a class for you. Classes run  Saturday to Thursday from 945am-830pm

Olympia's Features

Olympia has around 20 treadmills, many with an accompanying entertainment screen, which you can watch while you walk/ run; these seem to be the most popular method of working out, and are occupied most of the day. There are also the elliptical, the stepper machines, stationery bikes, single station machines with weight to work every part of your body-and boy do they work it.

Olympia has a designated area for spinning classes, as well Pilates classes, the apparatus looks like tools employed in medieval torture.

Going for a swim is the best way to stay cool during Jeddah’s sweltering summer, and enjoy a full body workout at the same time

Oh I almost forgot to mention, there is also a spa, offering LPG treatment, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi, if you’d like to relax after a long workout.

There is also a beauty salon where you can get a facial, get your hair, nails and make up done so another incentive to go the gym, you can pamper yourself as a reward for working out.

Fitness classes

I have also tried the Aqua classes (with Eve), which are fun excuse to splash around in the swimming pool, and work out without getting sore, they are ideal for beginners and older women suffering from osteoporosis as you can exercise without straining the joints.

My personal favourite is the kickboxing class with Rosalie, who looks down at us mere mortals with a mixture contempt and amusement as she conducts, in my opinion, the most enjoyable workout I have tried. With fast paced music albeit from 90s, and punches, hooks, and sidekicks, what’s not to love? 

(Bonus: you can imagine you are kicking someone you don’t like, you’ll be surprised at how good it feels and how much heavier your blows are ;-)) Another motivator is that you hope if you keep up with the kickboxing you will end up being as toned as Rosalie who’s could be an Asian version of Jessica Alba minus the boob job.

If you are starting out and would like to go for a more Zen workout then Yoga with is the class to go.  She smatters her English with generous helping of Arabic but she’s friendly and has a suitable hands-on approach, giving every attendee personal attention, encouraging them and correcting their posture, if need be. She’s exactly like how I imagined a yoga instructor to be like.

If you are a hard-core exercise enthusiast, then I recommend Nicky’s notorious ‘Legs, Bums and Tums’ class. If you are not super fit, this class may make you cry- I kid you not. You find yourself wondering, am I masochist? Why am I doing this to myself, why? One look at Nicky is enough to tell you that she never met an exercise she didn’t like and probably doesn’t have an ounce of fat in her body. 

She flashes the biggest smiles, and that and her music keep you going through what seems like the longest workout ever. I was sore for many days after her workout, so you have been warned, only the foolish or the  fabulously fit should proceed.

Over all the staff is polite and friendly and so are most of the members.

Men’s gym section

In addition, to the swimming pool, treadmill, and machines there’s also a men’s spa, squash court, tennis court and more. Please check out the Olympia website for more information.

Children section

There’s a nursery day-care section, and special activity centre for kids, with a special offer running during the summer, great place for the kids to enjoy while you workout.

Trust me, do go check it, out not only will you look good, but feel great (once your muscles get toned and stop being sore, but it’s a good sore).

Timings

9am-9pm

Membership fees

Daily SR 100 for day visit

Monthly SR1320

3 months SR 2900

6 months SR 4235

1 year  SR6800

Special rates for students, couples, corporate customers

Contact information

www.olympia-center.com

Tel: 02 665 5000 Ext 1501/03

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Hot Gucci Ad for New Perfume Premiere with Blake Lively

Ooh la la, is that Blake Lively or Marilyn Monroe?

Have you been missing your weekly dose of Blake Lively glamour, ever since Gossip Girl ended , I certainly have. Not to worry, the Gossip Girl star has been making waves as she has been cast as the new face of the Gucci's latest perfume Premiere. Blake Lively exudes old Hollywood glamour, the golden waves, and dark eyes transform her perfectly. In fact, I'm wondering if she hasn't got more of a Marilyn Monroe likeness as compared to Michelle Williams who played her in the movie 'My Week With Marilyn'.

Left: Blake Lively as Serena as Marilyn Monroe in Gossip Girl's 100th episode, and Right the screen siren Marilyn Monroe herself

 Here's a colour photo of Blake Lively at the shooting of the Italian fashion house's new fragrance ad. Blake look's even better in colour don't you think?

Blake Lively exuding old Hollywood glamour at the shoot of Gucci's Premiere ad

There has been some controvery circling the web that the Gucci ad for Premiere 'starring' Blake Livey is very similar to the Mademoiselle bags advert she did for Chanel. I think the ads have just two things in common Blake Lively, and her reflection in the mirror. I don't think that's enough to declare Gucci copied Chanel, and I personally prefer the Gucci ad over the Chanel one. Gucci's ad is very much classic, old Hollywood glamour, and a black and white shot. The Chanel ad on the other hand has more contemporary vibe to its more 'Serena' edgy, modern, a bit dark.

See the ad below what do you think? Which one is hotter? Do you think Blake Lively exudes a Marilyn Monroe-esque charm?

Shexy Serena Blake Livey in Chanel's Mademoiselle bags ad