jokeyhee

Last week I had my first Dubai spa experience and let me tell you, it was amazing. And thanks to my beautiful new Dubai buddy and her entertainer app, we got two 90 minute massages for the price of one; what better way to spend your Saturday afternoon.

I talked before about bronzers and my struggles with them and their incessant need to include shimmer. You may think, why does it matter anyway, but for a girl living in a sunshine infused city, a bronzer is a very important part of life. Ok maybe not life but certainly my make up bag. 

And for anyone else who is in the market for a shimmer free, brown hued bronzer, theBalm Bahama Mama is going to be your new best friend. Touted as a caribbean getaway contained in a compact, I would have to agree. 

After a few weeks of using this bronzer, I think I love it even more than the Benefit Hoola or the NYX Bronzer for many reasons. It's matte, it's shimmer free and has a dense pigment without being heavy. It's soft brown shade glides effortlessly across my cheekbones and gives that just-off-the-beach glow I always strive for. And it is paraben free. 

I ordered this little compact from feelunique and had a friend bring it out to Dubai for me and at just £13.50 which makes it a winner in my eyes. I had never used any of theBalm's products before, but I am certainly tempted now. I might have to see how feelunique's international delivery holds up in the UAE. 

This little pink tube of creamy goodness has been my saviour ever since I touched down in Dubai. Anyone who has holiday'd in a hot and humid country will know the problems that come with the weather; frizzy hair, oily skin etc. But managing the climate and your beauty routine whilst on holiday is very different from managing everyday life and the climate. Walking to the metro station, walking the dog, going to work, going for dinner; everything is affected by the climate and my skin is no different. 

I embraced the climate quickly and came to terms with the fact that a back sweat patch is the norm in Dubai; seriously, you won't be alone. But in an effort to manage my already oily skin, I enlisted the help of this Nutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Moisturiser. 

In the never ending battle against sliding make-up, this stuff is a great start. It has a light texture and absorbs into the skin really well and the grapefruit gives the cream a zesty smell and a refreshing feeling when applied. And for an oil-free moisturiser, it is surprisingly hydrating; my skin feels soft and nourished and looks healthier than it has done in recent months. 

The best thing about this cream is it doesn't clog my pores; living in Dubai with an oil-prone complexion and wearing make-up everyday quickly leads to clogged pores and skin problems. But it's microclear technology works hard behind the scenes to keep skin looking clear and smooth and after a months use, I can report very few skin breakouts. 

Teamed with the the Nutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Facial wash, this is the perfect duo for combatting oily skin. 

Sure I studied fashion writing but I have been so removed from "fashion" for so long that I feel like I have lost that part of me. And I am ok with that, except it is when it comes to clothes I feel a little out of my depth. I really need to channel my inner stylist because this summer, my wardrobe has been thrown into disarray and getting dressed has become such a chore. If I could do everything in my grey marl maxi dress I would. 

I think the heat and humidity in Dubai threw me off track after 2 months in London. I have resigned myself to being forever hot and sweaty, but taking things like fabric into account when shopping has never been my forte and my love for grey is being seriously challenged with the sweat patch situation. 

I want my summer style to be a blur of denim, crisp white vests, breton stipe t-shirts, tan accessories (including legs) satchels, sunglasses and cute summer dresses. Instead I feel like my style has hit a brick wall where nothing but black skinny jeans, sandals and shirts get through. 

I want to embrace colour and inject pattern into my wardrobe but I am yet to work up the courage to engage in shopping for either. What I have done is browse pinterest to source inspiration for when I finally brave the sweaty walk to the metro station and try not to get lost in Dubai Mall whilst searching for additions to my wardrobe. But as you can, it seems i'm not even brave enough to embrace colour on pinterest!

When you move to a new country you will find that certain areas of your life have to adapt to your new surroundings. This extends to your beauty routine. Dubai is notoriously hot and humid and it definitely took a few days to get over the extreme change in climate, especially for my hair! But after a month, I have found a great combination of products (nothing pricey or fancy) that are really helping to keep the frizz at bay. 

First things first, if you're going to fight frizz, you need a powerful shampoo and conditioner duo. Crammed with pink lilly and Asian silk extract, the Herbal Essences Silky Straight collection not only smells amazing, but has worked wonders for my hair. I have been using both the shampoo and conditioner for a little over a month and my hair is noticeably straighter and the frizz situation post-wash is more manageable. I've also noticed my hair isn't as dry (a miracle considering the sun and chlorine that have been pounding my tresses since I arrived) so this is duo is adding much needed moisture and nourishment to my mane. 

When my hair is still wet, I spritz a little protecting spray to keep from damaging my hair (too much) and this VO5 has quickly become a favourite of mine. I was using a Pantene heat protection spray and then a lovely friend gifted me with this VO5 Heat Protect Styling Spray and the rest is history. The smell compliments the shampoo and it isn't heavy nor does it leave a crispy feeling to my hair. The VO5 styling spray offers great protection from my daily straightening, with my locks staying shiny and even looking healthy despite the new climate. 

The Frizz Ease Touch Up Cream by John Frieda has been a favourite of mine for a long time. Despite the light texture, it offers great control and it's packed with avocado oil which seems to calm my hair and add a shiny appearance to my otherwise dry locks. A little goes a long way and there is no long lasting sticky feel; a brush through at the end of the day and almost all cream residue has gone. And it stands up to evening humidity pretty well, with just a few fly-aways by the end of a night on a sweaty roof terrace. Not bad going for a high-street/supermarket product with a modest price tag. 

While I have tried and tested these products on my wavy, frizzy and sometimes curly hair, on those evenings when the humidity reaches 80% nothing will help fight the frizz! Unless you can pull off a baseball cap. 

The Oil-Infused nourishing scrub has a great texture; it has the perfect balance of scrubbing particles and thick creamy wash which means my skin feels like new without being irritated. I think the oil really adds that much needed moisture that other scrubs sometimes miss.

The nourishing lotion is thick and creamy and glides onto your skin effortlessly. The best bit is it soaks in rather fast and doesn't leave a heavy residue on your skin like other rich lotions do, and because of the creamy consistency, a little goes a long way. I also love that handy pump action bottle which makes application a breeze. 

I have never really been a fan of Garnier body moisturisers; I often found their consistency to be gelish and a little sticky and the smells were never that appealing to me. But this collection has won a place on my bathroom shelf. If your looking for a rich, intense moisturising lotion this is definitely worth a try. 

I am a girl who loves a bronzer. A blush is fine, but those pinky shades don't do much for my complexion and I struggle to find an affordable, shimmer free, peach blush. If it is one thing I hate in my make up bag, it is a shimmer blush or bronzer. Shimmer was reserved for my teens when sparkles in eyeliner and nail varnish were used in abundance.

Now I am all grown up and less experimental with my make up (code for safe), a sparkle free bronzer is what does it for me. And even they are hard to come by. My holy grail of bronzing is Benefit Hoola box; the mere thought of that little maroon box, with it's soft bristled, turquoise handled brush warms my face. When the bank balance didn't stretch to Benefit I found Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzing Compact in Medium Matte worked a treat. 

Now there is a newbie in my make up bag; gifted to me by a lovely friend who raided her beauty cupboard at work, the NYX Bronzer in Medium is my new best friend. It's deep tones mean a liberal swish gives the perfect golden glow. And it's strong pigment means a little goes a long way. 

Plus it is a matte bronzer, with zero shimmer and as we discovered shimmer is my enemy. It's £8 price tag puts it in the middle of Rimmel Sunshimmer and the Benefit Hoola and is definitely worth the modest cost. An item I will certainly be purchasing once mine has run out, if I could only find a stockist in Dubai!

Dubai is probably one of the best sunburn prevention tools ever; I say that because it is too hot to stay in the sun long enough to get a tan, let alone get burnt!

Although thanks to my Mediterranean heritage, my skin soaks up any little bit of sun you give it. Yeh actually I have no Mediterranean family blood lines whatsoever; I am an adopted Cypriot through virtue of the boyfriend but that is where it ends. In fact my ancestors were Irish, so this olive skin I have been graced with is a big mystery to me. 

Regardless of my olive skin, I know I can burn, there have been some nightmarish occasions when the sun got the better of me. So moving here, where it is impossible to escape the sun, I knew I had to have some smart protection to call on. Hence the little selection of sun-care above. 

I never used to bother with a separate suncream for my face and would slap on the contents of any old bottle. But with my oily/combination complexion getting more unmanageable, most of the usual suncream's just clogged up my pores and then dripped off my sweaty face. Not an attractive look.

I think in the last year, I also became a lot more aware about sun damage to my face and I want to help my future self maintain a somewhat youthful appearance, so I introduced a factor 50 into my sun-care routine. The ROC Soleil Protexion tube is perfect carry-a-long size, doesn't have a thick or gloopy consistency and doesn't have an overpowering smell. Despite the factor 50 SPF, I still get a bit of colour, with a few freckles popping out across my nose, but no burn. Which means I am safe in the knowledge that I am protecting myself fully.

Garnier Ambre Solaire is a brand I remember my Mum slapping on us as kids and while I don't remember it having the slightly weird smell, my bottle has, it has done a great job at protecting me. Although the Garnier doesn't seem to like the humidity much and it is pretty difficult to get it rubbed in when it's a little sweaty, but I guess any suncream would struggle. And I haved noticed the odd white streaky patch on my skin appearing post-swim. Aside from that, it has protected me well and that is all that matters really isn't it! 

Now,  the Piz Buin Aftersun was stolen from my friends bathroom; she was leaving Dubai for 2 months for England and I figured she wouldn't need aftersun as much as me, so it left her apartment in my handbag and now graces my bathroom shelf.

I have never bought any Piz Buin products but I think I will be trialling their suncream options once the Garnier bottle runs out. I have fallen in love with it for a couple of reasons; the consistency of the cream is thick and nourishing without being sticky, it soaks into your skin well and the Tanimel accelerates my tan without even trying. What's not love. 

Any suggestions for sun-care with a nice fragrance please let me know; I want to smell like a tropical island while I soak up some sun. 

About 6 months ago, I saw a picture on instagram; a preview of the Adidas Originals x Farm women's Gazelle trainers that were to be released in time for summer and I got excited. At this point you should know that I have never been a trainer person and it is only in recent years that I have not only come to understand the trainer, but enjoy it for its style and above all, comfort!

The exclusive collaboration brings together two formidable fashion brands; combining Adidas Originals iconic silhouettes and history with Farm's eye-catching signature prints,  has resulted in a pretty explosive collection. With a range of feminine and fashion forward pieces, exotic prints and a bright, punchy colour palette, the collection screams hot, tropical summer.

The collaboration is one of several which see Adidas continuing to push the boundaries of sports apparel and blur the lines between functional sportswear and fashion forward street-wear. A second Farm collection is about to be released into stores, there was recently a collection with Topshop and for AW/14 a collection with Mary Katrantzou is on the cards.




The 1970's classic Adidas shoe, the Gazelle has had a strong and vibrant make-over and although all four prints caught my eye, the green tropical flower print, with flashes of purple and orange and those lime yellow accent stripes, made my heart skip a little beat.

One of the comfiest trainers I have ever worn and now one of the most feminine, they look perfect with denim shorts and a classic white t-shirt; because when you have shoes like that, you should let them do the talking. Accessorising with a bit of a tan is optional.

The full Adidas Originals x Farm collection shorts, tracksuit, t-shirt and tank top.

This first phase will soon make way for the second drop of the Adidas Originals x Farm collection, which will continue the tropical theme with four more exotic prints in bright purple, red and a whole rainbow of colours! Check out the adidas website for the full collection. 

I have never been a high maintenance type of girl no matter what the boyfriend will tell you. But getting my nails done is becoming more and more of an essential. I've spent years filing, caring for and painting my nails myself and the result is a mediocre manicure that chips within a few days. And if it is one thing I hate it's chipped nails. So a little Shellac manicure here and there makes me a happy girl. 

Paw Paw by Papaya Gold is a great multi-purpose balm that I feel is going to give Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream a run for her money.

The Elizabeth Arden is a miracle worker but sometimes I feel like the gloopy texture is a bit overwhelming on my skin. I love the healing properties of it but have been in pursuit of a multi-purpose balm that will give me moisture and nourishment without the greasy gloop. And on my return to London, a wonderful display in Boots caught my eye and the rest is history so to speak.

Papaya Gold's Paw Paw moisturizing balm is crammed full of Bio Active Manuka Honey 20+ which soothes and moisturises dry and irritated skin and lips. I have been using it on the dry skin on my hands, my lips, elbows and the sore patch of skin where my flip flops have been rubbing for the last few days.