As someone who has been using topical acne medication on a daily basis, my skin dries out quite terribly. The dryness is concentrated in and around the areas where I apply the gel (cheeks and chins area). Prior to using Cetaphil, it was really an uphill battle trying to find the right type of moisturizer that helps hydrate my skin when using acne medications.
I first learnt about Cetaphil when several Beauty bloggers raved about this product. I had to jump in, try it for myself to really understand what the big fuss was all about. Well, after initially trying it out, I can say that this product was worthy for all the big fuss it generated among skincare enthusiasts.
Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion
I have been using this product for over a year and my skin has been loved it since day 1. During winter months is when I could really tell how this product works on those cold wintery days. A word of warning though, I would not recommend this product if you have an oily skin type. Due to this reason, I only use this product in the evening after I apply my acne medication before I go to bed. The next morning, I’m always woken up to soft and hydrated skin which is always wonderful!
If your skin type is dry, then this is the moisturizer for you. Your skin will surely love it. It is also a wonderful base product to be applied before applying foundation. A few things to note:
One 230ml bottle of Cetaphil lasts at least 6 months.
You can buy this product from Boots for the price of £8.99.
The Bad
All you Cetaphil lovers, you are not going to like what you are about to read. You might have heard about this or might not, but it just wouldn’t be right if I didn’t share this with you even after knowing about it.
In the past few weeks, I have read blog posts that explain how Cetaphil is not the simple and innocent moisturizer it claims to be. The blogs explain that Cetaphil uses toxic ingredients which are harmful to the skin. Surprised? Shocked? This was how I genuinely felt after I read about it. As someone who has been using it for a long time, it really made me think. Click here to read more about this. I have to say, my once positive opinion about this product has been swayed after knowing the unpleasant truth about Cetaphil.
Have you used Cetaphil Moisturizing lotion? What are your thoughts about it? Let me know by commenting below!
This time last weekend was an adventurous one. As a family, we took a trip to explore the historic, yet hip city of Brussels for a day. In addition, we also spent two days in the bicycle loving city of Amsterdam.
I love visiting other countries, learning about their histories, cultures and any quirky facts that only the people of that country or city might know. For example, did you know that most people of Amsterdam have two or more bikes? One that is used for work and another one used for an everyday purpose!
Visiting these cities also presented me with the opportunity to capture moments with my dad’s Nikon D90 that that were breathtaking. Scroll on ahead and be prepared to be hit by a myriad of incredible gothic style architecture of Brussels and the sea of stunning tulips from the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens.
The weather was really not on our side, but we made the best of what we had and it was great. Indeed, a couple of days were certainly not enough to explore all the nooks and crannies of the cities! This just means one thing – another visit is a must!
The King’s House (a.k.a Het Broodhuis)The Guild Houses (Above: The House of the Dukes of Brabant)St.Hubert GalleryTinTin, Snowy and Captain HaddockYummy waffles from The Waffle Factory!Manneken PisSuch Posers! 🙂The AtomiumKeukenhof Tulip GardensKeukenhof Tulip GardensKeukenhof Tulip GardensKeukenhof Tulip GardensKeukenhof Tulip GardensCheese galore! Only in Amsterdam!Cute Clogs!
I hope you enjoyed this post. As always, I look forward to reading your thoughts! Please comment below!
It is nearly the end of March and that can only mean one thing for me (drum roll, please!) – writing up Purchase of the Month! If you had read my previous Purchase Of the Month posts (found here, here and here), you can probably tell that there is a pattern. Have you had a quick look at those posts? What do you think?
Yes, that’s right. I love shoes. My love for them has taken over precedence when it came to writing up my Purchase of the Month posts. This month is no different. March’s Purchase of the Month is Nike Air Max Lunar1 Trainers. However, this month’s winner has a little bit of a sentimental and emotional value to it. Let me enlighten you the reason behind this.
Purchase of the Month [MAR] – Nike Air Max Lunar1 Trainers My dad had been wanting a new pair of trainers for the longest time. He just doesn’t have the time to go to a shop to get them as, he has been working crazy hours. He had an evening off one day but was too tired to get dressed and go out to buy it. This is the moment when I stepped in, I persuaded my dad to buy a pair online. He wasn’t thrilled about the idea as he is not much of an online shopper. However, he reluctantly agreed (which was a surprise to me!) and we sat on the couch literally shopping for a pair of trainers on ASOS. There were many contenders that dad and I had to sieve through but, in the end only one made it to the basket. When it came to the final checkout stage, I simply took out my debit card and said, “Daddy, I got this.”
Purchase of the Month [MAR] – Nike Air Max Lunar1 Trainers Everyday I’m thankful and blessed for the job that I have which has been keeping my bank account on a high. My dad has bought me many things – small and big and sometimes even surprised me! I was really happy that I was able to treat my dad with his new pair of trainers and it really is the best feeling in the world.
The next hurdle is waiting for the delivery and making sure the shoe fits him and it is how it looked online. Since, I have signed up to ASOS Premier customer, I get Guaranteed Next Day delivery. You can be a VIP customer too! Click here to find out how! The delivery came first thing in the morning and my dad tried it on.
Purchase of the Month [MAR] – Nike Air Max Lunar1 Trainers
He loved it. I felt relieved and glad.
For a pair of trainers, they are indeed very stylish and my dad says that it is very comfy and undeniably lightweight. All in all, I can say that he is very pleased with his new pair of trainers.
Want to buy these pair of trainers for that special person in your life? Click here!
Certainly this month’s Purchase of the Month has been a little different. What are your thoughts? I would love to hear from you! 🙂
Disco ball. This is the only word I think is the most appropriate to visually describe my skin at the end of a long day. My oily skin type is taking all the blame for that. I was under the pretence that any kind of facial wash that was specifically developed for the oily skin type was all just a gimmick. It was a hard concept for my head to wrap around the idea that using a facial wash helps in dealing with this problem. I knew of and have used great moisturisers/primers that have aided me in fighting this problem, but certainly not facial washes.
This cynical view of mine took a great big U-turn when I started using this product from Body Shop. Initially, I bought this product as it helped me reach a set price so that I will eligible to redeem a voucher. I didn’t have any expectations and really just assumed it is just another facial wash for me to try.
Product Praise ft. The Body Shop
After my first attempt at using this product, I was genuinely shocked to find my face a lot less shiny at the end of a very long day. I was very pleased and surprised that this product actually works for oily skin types. I made sure no Primers were used when testing the facial wash to get reliable and fair result. So imagine, if I did use a facial wash and a great face Primer? The results would be even more impressive.
This facial wash has a very lovely scent and a little of it goes a long way too. For £8.50, it is just great. My perceptions about using facial washes specially designed for oily skin has changed for the better.
Product Praise ft. The Body Shop
Do you have oily skin? What steps do you take to combat this issue? Please do leave your thoughts below!
Ever since starting my internship at this big corporate company, on an everyday basis, there was always this one day I looked forward to the most. Apart from the obvious being a Friday, there was another day I looked forward to the most. This day is none other than Pay Day! Since I was handsomely getting paid each month, I took an adult decision of what I should do with all this money in my bank. I decided that I set aside a specific amount of money into my savings account and a little amount of money to spend on it whatever I wished (within limits, of course!).
January’s pay day meant that this month I could possibly get a pair of knee boots, for a decent price. A few days after my pay day, it was a joyful coincidence when an email from Office read, ‘30% off selected Boots!’ and the timing of this couldn’t be more perfect. My search began immediately and I came across this beaut of a boot which had the following characteristics:
Leather
No heel
Knee high
Sale price of £68.60, reduced from a huge £98!
I was in love.
Purchase of the month – Office Knee High Boots
There was no looking back, several buttons were clicked and the order was placed for Office Nautical Knee Boot. Ordering online, I’m always a little apprehensive till I physically see and try on the item I purchased. A few days later, my boots arrived and on this occasion, I realised that all my worrying was a waste of time. These boots fit me like a glove and the gold zip details gives a sophisticated look for these simple knee high boots. Of course, the quality of these boots is top-notch too! I could definitely see these boots lasting for a very long time (with lots TLC!).
Purchase of the month – Office Knee High BootsPurchase of the month – Office Knee Boot
These boots have been a real hero in saving me from having numb toes on those cold and frosty mornings we have recently been experiencing here in the UK. They are extremely comfy to walk or run (for my bus or train!) and also, it gives that extra oomph to an outfit to be extra special. I have been pairing these equestrian-ish type boots with skirts but, I think they look their best when paired with black leggings and a big cosy knit jumper. For working ladies out there, I pair these with my skinny formal trousers and a chiffon blouse or a smart shirt with a jumper.
How would you pair these boots? Do you love it as much as I do too?
Since starting this series, I have really enjoyed writing them so far without fail on a monthly basis. I would love to get your feedback on whether you like reading them too! Please drop me a comment and let me know.
Thank you for all your continued love and support!
Rebellious. That’s one of the ways I describe the personality of my hair. Some days, my hair just does not want to listen to the way I would want to style my hair. Combining the rebellious nature of my hair along with my wavy and frizzy hair type, most days, it is hair war (usually in the mornings when rushing around to go to work!).
However, a product that has revolutionised the behaviour of my hair is John Frieda Frizz – Ease Thermal Protection Hair Serum. This serum was first introduced to me by my hairdresser and since then I have repurchased this countless times as it has been working brilliantly on my hair.
John Frieda Frizz – Ease Thermal Protection Hair Serum
How do I apply it?
I concentrate on applying the serum evenly to the ends and the length of my hair (freshly washed and dried hair). Don’t even think about going anywhere near your roots! Having done that mistake before, my hair was a greasy mess a day later. You really do not want that! Using the serum after a heat protectant is applied is a lot more effective. This is because as the hair is a little bit damp from the heat protectant, the serum is absorbed a lot better which helps reduce the frizz significantly when any heat tool is used.
How much do I need?
When I previously had longer locks of hair, two pumps about the size of a pea was more than enough to keep my hair frizz free. Now, since having shorter hair, one pea size amount of serum is plenty. This actually means that even though it is only 50ml in the bottle, it actually takes a few months till I purchase my next bottle!
This serum also does something else to your hair. It adds a healthy shine which is very helpful if you have damaged hair but want to give the illusion of having lush hair. Of course, this is not a permanent remedy; giving that extra TLC to your damaged hair could turn around your damaged hair in just 4 weeks! Another huge advantage of this product is that this serum also acts as a defence against heat tools!
If you had read this post and this post you would have got some insight about the personality of my skin. If you haven’t read it, please take a few minutes to speed-read through those posts (they are quite long!) to get an idea of how I deal with my skin’s moody personality.
As you can already tell from the title, this blog post is all about Aveeno. Before I begin to praise this product, I need to tell you a story. This short story is all about how I started using this product and what made me choose this particular product.
Currently, Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion is my every day morning moisturising lotion (yes that means I use a different moisturiser in the evenings/night and the reasons behind this must be justified in a whole new blog post!). Before using this product, I was obsessed with using Vitamin E Moisture Cream or Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream.
Vitamin E Moisture Cream & Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream
My obsessions into using these products spread and now even my sister and mum uses them. My skin loved this moisturiser, but after a while, like usual, my skin started to protest and the aftermath left on my skin was a little sore for the eyes. The moisturiser was too rich for my oily and acne-prone skin and since that protest, I have been very cautious and was on the hunt for a perfect moisturiser for my not-so-perfect skin. This hunt led me to Aveeno. Now if you ask me why I chose Aveeno as my morning moisturiser, I can sum them up in just two reasons:
These reasons pushed me to be brave enough to introduce my skin to Aveeno and I haven’t looked back since.
Let the Product Praise begin!
For someone who is dealing with acne-prone skin, Aveeno Moisturising Lotion has been a real treat and my skin is been loving it since day one of me using it. It is very light and easy on the skin. Moreover, a little of it goes a long way and also, its fragrant free nature is an added bonus too. It has always been a struggle finding a moisturiser that is suitable for my acne-prone, oily skin type but this product has proved its worth. My foundation stays on for a lot longer and the best part is that, my face does not end up looking like a disco ball at the end of the day!
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion
The price of this product is very reasonable for the full 300ml bottle, coming in at (full price) £7.15 in Superdrug and £7.64 in Boots (currently on sale in Boots for £5.10!). My positive experience with Aveeno has encouraged me to venture out and try other Aveeno products and one of products that I am equally loving is the Aveeno Moisturising Creamy Oil. It smells gorgeous and feels divine on my skin.
An email from Body Shop over a week ago included a very enticing set of offers that could be used either in-store or online. Wondering what the offers were? Have a look below:
Now isn’t that amazing, my eye shot towards the £25 offer, because it’s literally 50% off! I usually stock up on my Body Shop products whenever there’s a massive sale or discount offers. This happens quite often in my opinion as there’s always some kind of sale in Body Shop.
Whenever an offer like this comes along, I like to play a little math game. To make sure that I use this offer effectively, I make sure I buy products up to exactly the offer amount, in this case being £50 (yes, which means not even a penny more or less!). This time, I purchased products that was running low and needed to be stocked up also, to hit the £50 target I bought myself a new product that has been raved quite a lot.
Below are the products (all-time favourite ones) below that I needed restocking as they were running low:
Below is the new product that I have bought but never tried before. I’m very much looking forward to trying this product out!
This was all delivered to me yesterday, however, today on a Sunday, it was a satisfying feeling opening up the package which had technically “£50” worth of products, when I paid only £25!
Last week was pretty exciting for me mainly because of three things. I found out that that I have been nominated not for one, but three awards! I will be combining all of the 3 award nominations into this single post and I hope that this is okay!
Naomi from chiquessence nominated me for the Creative Bloggers Award
Fiona from fislittleblog nominated me for the Very Inspirational Blogger Award
And last but certainly not the least, Dena from thestylecoordi nominated me for the Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award. I just found out about this nomination last night!
Naomi, Fiona and Dena are such beautiful ladies whose blog is a dedicated space for all things fashion and beauty. Dena also loves K-pop, something I love too. I encourage you to explore their blogs and I’m sure you will love it too.
Thanking each one of you for the nomination and I’m very grateful for it.
This was my facial reaction when I found out about the first award nomination and it was something like this:
(Source: Giphy.com)
So imagine the excitement when I found out I was nominated for a second time for a different award?! It was something like this:
(Source: images.virgula.uol.com)
Let’s not forget how I reacted to my third nomination, it was something like this:
(Source: Reddit.com)
I’m genuinely thankful for these award nominations and this encourages me a lot to write more too. I can’t put into words the support and encouragement that I have been receiving from just starting my blog only nearly two months ago and I very truly appreciate it. A lot!
Thank you to my lovely readers!
(Source: the-house-of-anubis.wikia.com)
A little shout out and thank you to my little sister who was really the one who pushed me to start a blog. Any of you guys thinking of starting a blog but not sure as to what to write about? I’d say write about anything and everything. It is very therapeutic and I think of it as an accomplishment because we creating something unique. This reminds of this quote from one of my all-time favourite Rom-Com movies: PS. I Love You.
All I know is, if you don’t figure out the “something,” you’ll just stay ordinary.
And it doesn’t matter if it’s a work of art, or a taco, or a pair of socks.
Just create something new and there it is.
And it’s you, out in the world, outside of you.
And you can look at it, or hear it, or read it, or feel it…
…and you know
a little bit more about you.
A little bit more than anybody else does.
Now onto the important stuff which are the rules for the award.
Thank the blogger who nominated you & link back to their site.
Put the award logo on your blog.
Answer the ten questions sent to you.
Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.
Nominate seven bloggers who you feel deserve the award.
What’s the story behind the name of your blog?
There isn’t a story as such. I wanted to pick a name that’s simple but still wanted to convey what my blog is about. My blog is a space I share my adventures with you. With Tinu, you will find out my journey whether it be anything from fashion to cooking (I still need practice in this area!).
What’s one clothing/beauty item you can’t live without?
A comfortable pair of jeans. I get mine from New Look. Decent price and good quality.
List three things you like about yourself and why (physically or characteristically).
This question is actually quite hard! If I have to pick then it would be
– My hair. I had a love/hate relationship with it because of its curly frizzy nature. However, now I think I understand my hair a lot more (as strange as that may sound!) and I have learnt to love the curly/frizzy nature of my hair.
– I’m a good listener. If you have a story to tell, I’m here. I’ll listen. J
– I have a lot of moles or beauty mark some call it. I have one on my chin, right bang in the middle and I think that’s unique.
Current song you’re obsessed with?
Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This time last year, I never imagined I would be blogging or even be nominated for awards. So, my honest answer would be that I really don’t have a clue.
What are some things on your bucket list?
Visit Japan. Bungee Jumping. Scuba Diving.
Name one resolution you have for 2015.
Read books. This might be a ‘meh’ resolution but when I read, I tend to skip chapters or read the end of the book to know if it is a happy or sad ending!
Tips for anyone starting a blog?
Write things that you like talking to your friends about. Write as if you are talking to your best friend.
Name one celebrity/idol/character you would trade closets with.
Taylor Swift ❤
Favorite quote/phrase/saying?
Writing this blog post reminded me of the quote from the movie PS.I Love you. Please scroll up to read it 🙂
January 2015 is coming to an end and that’s means I get to share with you with my Purchase of the Month! How exciting! Before getting into that, don’t you think that this month has flown by super quick? Bring on February! Any of you guys celebrating your birthday next month?
Anyway, I went a little off-topic there for a bit! Apologies! Let’s get back to what this blog post is all about! You read the title right? My Purchase of the Month is a Bellfield winter coat from ASOS. Every winter I am always on the hunt for the perfect coat that I could wear on a day to day basis which would protect me from the unpredictable, and moody weather conditions here in the UK.
The search for this year’s perfect winter coat started in October last year. Now you might think this is strange, but I have a few requirements that I need my ideal everyday winter coat to have. This makes the search a lot harder. They are:
Hood is a must for the coat.
The faux fur accessory attached to the hood must not be detachable.
Reasonable pockets are needed.
Must be able to keep me warm and protect me from rain, sleet or snow!
The length of the coat must be long enough to cover my bottom. (Writing ‘bottom’ there reminded me of the minion joke from the movie Despicable Me 2 and I giggled! Let me remind you what that joke is: Click Me!)
Do you think these requirements are bit over the top? Let me know…
Let me tell you, finding a coat that ticks all those boxes is really hard. My search began in the shops where I could physically try the coats on, when I didn’t find the one in the shops, I turned to on-line shopping. After countless on and off hours of scouring the internet shops, I found the one. Not only this coat ticks all the boxes written above, the price that I got this coat for, could possibly blow your mind.
£39 from a huge £65!
The bargain made the coat even more irresistible and I went for it! I have to say shopping online can be a super hit or the biggest flop, so I was apprehensive till I actually got it in my hand and tried it on. It is safe to say now, that I do indeed love it! A few weeks back, UK experienced and still experiencing a cold snap where the temperatures dropped below the sub-zeros. Happy to report that my winter coat kept me warm and snuggled up and I’m very glad it did!
Purchase of the Month: Bellfield Winter Coat
Outfit Details
| coat: ASOS |
| jeans: New Look |
| jumper: Primark |
| boots: Clarks |
Purchase of the Month: Bellfield Winter Coat
All credits to my beautiful mum for being the photographer (it was her first time!). Thank You Mum! Don’t you think she did a good job?!
Purchase of the Month: Bellfield Winter CoatPurchase of the Month: Bellfield Winter Coat
This coat is still on sale in ASOS, so if you are still looking for that winter coat, I’d say go grab it now!
Do let me know your thoughts on this winter coat!
Is this coat a super hit or the biggest flop for you?
![Purchase of the Month [MAR] - Nike Air Max Lunar1 Trainers](https://withtinu.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/nike3-001.jpg)
![Purchase of the Month [MAR] - Nike Air Max Lunar1 Trainers](https://withtinu.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/nike2-002.jpg)
![Purchase of the Month [MAR] - Nike Air Max Lunar1 Trainers](https://withtinu.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/nike1-001.jpg)
...with Tinu 