A Thousand Shades Of Awe: June 2014

So I went out and bought a couple of things that may or may not be appropriate for the summer time.

Here's what I got:

The first thing I got was a book, I haven't actually got the chance to read the Perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky yet, so I'm looking forward to reading this book.

I also found these cute pineapple socks at forever 21 and had to get them!

I love statement necklaces and think they spice up any basic outfit. I got this one because not only does it have the jewel flowers but they are attached to a gold chain necklace, its basically the best of both world.

This is a jumper crop top that I got from Zara, although its not very summery I had to get it. I could still wear it if I'm going to be spending time indoors.

Finally is this electric blue pencil skirt, I fell in love with the color of this skirt and I also liked the shape of it and thought it looked very sophisticated and perfect for a special event where I don't want to look too dressed up.

This was a very mini "haul", but I needed some basic pieces for the summer time.

Haya xx

Dolce and Gabbana have released their womenswear and menswear autumn/

winter 2014 campaign, entitled 'Enchanted Sicily'. The collection was inspired by

the time in the 11th and 12th centuries where the Sicily were under the control

of French Invaders.

The images were set in a fantasy forest, where the Sicilian men are seen to be

serving fruit to the models. The campaign showcased supermodel Claudia

Schiffer, accompanying Bianca Balti, Natasya Sten and Kate Bogucharskaia.

I absolutely love the whole medieval times theme, the twist of modern in the

clothing is incredible. The pictures do seem to resemble the game of thrones

series a lot for me. I am in awe at the fabric textures and gorgeous patterns

that Dolce is known for. The sweaters are a piece of art with all the beautiful

paintings drawn on them. The collection features a lot of precise details of the

embroider and the embellishments of the accessories and gowns.

The color scheme is incredible, screaming winter to me. Dolce and Gabbana is

staying true themselves and continue to use their floral prints in some of the

gowns in the winter collection. I am loving the pop of color of the red and

purples, this adds more life to the entire collection.

D & G has also simulated a collection for children that was inspired by the

womenswear and menswear, it is utterly adorable!

I have to say this Dolce and Gabbana never lets you down with their collections

and this surely did not.

Haya xx

We all want to fulfill our summer holiday before we get back to school or work.... don't worry I have this covered for you. I have accumulated a list of all the things that I think everyone needs for the summer time.

Lets start off with the basic things that everyone needs for this time of the year...

Protection!

& by protection I mean protecting your skin using sunscreen. My favorite sunscreen of all time is the Neutrogena ultra sheer dry touch sunblock, this sunscreen is very moisturizing and blends in beautifully into your skin. Another very important feature of sunblock is that its waterproof, this means its job won't wear off if you sweat or decide to jump into a pool.

You also want to make sure you are protecting your eyes from all the harmful UV rays of the sun. The more pigmented the lens is the more rays it will absorb. I absolutely love my Versace sunglasses which was a lovely gift from my mum ♥ ♥

Another essential thing this summer is you want to make sure your skin looks flawless and stays matte! I adore the pore- fessional from Benefit, not only does it minimize the appearance of pores but it also helps prevents your face from looking like a disco ball at the end of a hot and humid summer day.

I love to keep my face refreshed especially by splashing water on it, but you are out and want a quick refresher that will also help soothe your skin from any irritation. I like to use the La Roche-posay thermal spring water, which is naturally anti-free radical, soothes and decongests.

You also want to make sure you are keeping your skin moisturized at all times especially during the summer when you are constantly loosing water through sweat - Obviously you should also be drinking eight glasses of water a day as well! I am currently using the Floris moisturizing body lotion with Joboba oil, it smells super fresh.

I tend to break out loads during the summer due my skin producing extra oil at this time. So one of the best remedies is a good clay mask. One of the workers at the body shop recommended the seaweed ionic clay mask for combination/ oily skin.

The summer time is an opportunity to read all the books you never got to read through out the rest of the year and no reading experience is complete without a good smelling candle. Bath and body works probably has the best smelling candles... EVER!!

Currently I am burning my way through the Tiki beach candle because I am not the best the best at describing scents here is what their website says about the candle:

A scent as warm as the sun! A luxurious blend of toasted coconut, vanilla musk and orchids brings the glamour of a resort-stay to you.

Your room isn't the only thing that should be smelling nice this summer, I think perfumes are way too heavy and overwhelming for the hot weather and so a good body mist is just right! It has a settle and long lasting smell without being too overpowering

Colorful accessories are what accentuate this season for me!

I think a colorful scarf is a must for the summer time! It bright, fun and adds an instant pop of color to every outfit.

Changing up your phone cover to one with more patterns and color is such a small gesture but makes a big difference in your mood and the environment.

The final and most essential thing is good pool or beach flip flops, you want comfortable and robust sandals or flip flops that are simplistic and nice looking. I adore my pink flip flops, the bow at the front instantly dresses it up.

What is one thing that you can't live with in the summer time?

For me personally its a good sunscreen.

Hope you guys found this helpful in any way,

Haya xx

My night time skin care routine is constantly changing depending on the season and the condition of my skin.

I am in no way shape or form a professional and neither am I saying that this would work on your skin. This is what has personally worked for my skin type and we all have different types of skin. If you are wondering I have combination skin (probably the most annoying type), this means that my T-Zone - that is my forehead, nose and chin- is the oily type and my checks are relatively normal to dry.

Cleanse

The first step of my night time skin care routine is to cleanse, this is a vital step for me as it helps get rid of any left over makeup (if I had any on) and to clean out my pores from all the dirt that has built up in their. I love my Clearasil skin perfecting wash, I have been using this cleanser for as long as I could remember. You could find this product at any drugstore. What I really like about this face wash is that it helps get my skin squeaky clean without being too harsh and drying (which is exactly what you don't want), the creamy consistency of the product helps in that. You shouldn't be drying out your skin completely because your skin will only counteract and produce more oils.

In order to wash my face I wet my Sensai sponge chief and simply glide it all over my face, it makes my skin feel soft and amazing.

Exfoliate

I dont do this step everyday, I only exfoliate once or twice a week. You don't want to be exfoliating your skin everyday, you should be given your skin enough time to repair it self. To exfoliate I like to use my Clean & Clear morning energy shine control daily facial scrub. This scrub is ideal for oily skin types and sensitive skin like mine, it comes in a mixture of of small and big beads which are really gentle on the skin. When exfoliating I focus mainly on my T-Zone, specifically around the nose where its a problematic area for me due to black heads and between my eyebrows as I tend to break out in this area of my face.

Tone

After practically stripping your skin from its natural protecting barrier, you want to help your skin regain its natural balance. This is why a toner is essential in my skin care. I use rose water in order to do so, its all natural and is an excellent toner.

Moisturize

It is very important to moisturize your skin no matter your skin type, your skin needs the moisture from both inside and outside of your body. Moisturizing helps to slow down aging and keep your skin looking bright and fresh. To moisturize I like to use a combination of a lotion and an emulsion. I'm currently loving my Sensai silk softening lotion and then after that sets in I use my Sensai silk emulsion. When applying my moisturizer I don't rub in the product into my face but instead pat it onto my face and then give my face a mini message, this helps the blood circulation of your face.

Eye Cream

Your skin isn't the only thing that needs moisturizing your eyes are important too, this is where aging tends to happen first and you want to slow this down. I am currently using a sample I got, it has lasted me for a while now. I am using the Sensai silk moisture supply eye cream. I like to use it on days where I have stayed up late at night, it helps in getting rid of eye puffiness.

Lips

You also have to moisturize your lips before you go to sleep at night. I am loving my coconut lip balm that I got at one of the hotels I was staying at. It makes my lips super soft and plum.

Hands

Your hands are one of the first places where you could spot aging, and so again you need to keep it moisturized. I can't live without my hand food by soap and glory, it smells delicious and keeps my hand nice and young without leaving an icky residue behind.

Cotton pads

This may seem like an odd product to mention but I think that choosing a good quality cotton pad to use on your skin is important. I got organic cotton round from the body shop, I really like the double sides. It comes with a textured surface to remove makeup and dirt of the face and a soft side which is good for gently applying on products onto the face. I like to use the cotton pads with my toner typically.

That's it!

It might seem very long and tedious, but I don't do every step mentioned above everyday, and you need to take special care of your skin. Your skin is constantly battling with the environment around it and needs some pampering every once in a while.

Hope this was somewhat helpful to you,

Haya xx

Over the entire school year I have managed to accumulate a large selection of books, but I didn't get the chance to read many of them. Therefore my summer's reading list is pretty long and ambitious. I am aware that I may not be able to read all of these books this summer but at least I will try...

Nothing says summer for me but a nice cold drink, candle lit in the background and a good book to read while basking underneath the blazing sun.

Without further ado here are the books that have made it to my summer reading list:

Handle with care by Jodi Picoult
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Matched by Ally Condle
The magic by Rhonda Bynrne
The night circus by Erin Morgenstern
Mind games by Kiersten White
Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
A game of thrones by George R.R. Martin
It's kind of a funny story by Ned Vizzini

With one down I have eight more to go, I am currently enjoying the lovely book wonder and I am absolutely loving it! This book is such an eye-opener.

Haya xx

This smoothie recipe is ideal for the summer, it gives you an astounding boost of energy. This delicious smoothie was inspired by one of my favorite bloggers Essena O'Neill.

Here's what you will need: