What I've been loving all week

Here's a few of the things I've been loving all week...

What I'm watching...
I had such a blast reading the book memoir #Girlboss months ago and even back then I thought "What if this is an actual film? It would be such a bad-ass film for sure." Well, imagine my surprise when Netflix finally released its first season which I ended up binge-watching ALL WEEKEND of course. Yes, it was actually pretty good that I spent my entire weekend finishing the entire season! Though it's only loosely based on the book, the series was incredibly addicting.

Actress Britt Robertson did a fine job adding her natural spunk to the role of Sophia, but I guess I'm just so used to seeing Anne Hathaway nailing these types of characters a million times before that I half-wished it’s her playing Sophia instead. I know I'm typecasting, but I love Hathaway. With 13 Reasons Why and Riverdale both boring the life out of me, the timing of #Girlboss on Netflix couldn’t be more perfect. While I’m well aware of how the glory days of Amoruso’s Nasty Gal empire ended with bankruptcy and all, I didn’t want the series to end exactly how it did in real life. I hope they turn things around atleast for the series. Definitely hoping for a second season! 

What I'm reading...
My husband and I had the funniest phone conversation last weekend because of this new book I'm loving. He was in the mall to pick up a gift wrapper for a friend's birthday and called me up to ask the weirdest question ever: "Do you have the not so perfect life?" I wanted to immediately answer a resounding yes since I was doing our laundry at that time, but was too weirded out by the question that I had to ask him back what he's talking about. "The book, silly." Apparently, he meant Sophie Kinsella's book My Not So Perfect Life which he spotted on display in Borders. Of course he earned extra brownie points for remembering how much I adore Kinsella.

Since I struggled to finish reading Finding Audrey and Wedding Night (both novels failed to connect with me), this new book was a refreshing change of pace. How good is it? I managed to finish it in one night! This is Sophie Kinsella finally back in her element: funny, charming, and relatable characters. The theme of the book is very now and reading it was exactly the kind of escape I needed in these stressful days we're living in. Well, it kind of helped too that the main character and I work on the same industry and that we’re both lured deeply by social media. This novel is a definite thumbs up! 

What I'm raving...
Real Techniques went on sale in Centrepoint over the weekend so I decided to purchase a couple of their Miracle Complexion Sponge. I've been hearing so many good things about this sponge for so long now with some even claiming it's the closest one to the Beauty Blender in terms of performance. It's been merely two days since I began using it and I gotta say I'm impressed. The flat edge is actually quite handy for contour and though it may not be an exact dupe of the Beauty Blender, this one's a lot less expensive so definitely worth getting.

I’m a total blush junkie with a natural soft spot for coral-shade blushes, so Mac Pro Long Wear Blush in the shade Fleeting Romance and I already had a full blown love affair before we even met. It’s a very flattering warm shade of coral with a semi-matte finish and light sheen. Looking like Ronald McDonald on one swipe of blush is a big no-no for me, so I really love the fact that the color of this lovely blush is buildable. The powder is very smooth and could easily be blended, enough to achieve a healthy and naturally flushed look. And when they say long wear, they really mean long wear. I have oily skin and this blush managed to stay put even after more than eight hours. That's amazing! No wonder it’s always sold out. 

Our local Sephora here in Dubai just added the brand Skin Food to their product range recently and I finally got to purchase a tub of Black Sugar Perfect Cleansing Balm from this Korean brand. This is a well-loved product all over the interwebs and for good reason. On days I’m wearing makeup, I use this balm at night for double-cleansing to melt down any waterproof mascara and makeup before following it up with my usual facial foam. It’s very gentle and has not broken out my skin so far. This cleansing balm has instantly become a nice addition to my nighttime skincare routine. I also appreciate the fact that it also comes with a tiny spoon to scoop out the product for hygienic purposes. Win!

This small bottle of Caudalie Beauty Elixir has been sitting inside my drawer since last Christmas but I somehow never got around to using it until a few weeks ago. If you’re easily turned off by strong scents, this spray toner is not for you. The first time I sprayed it on my face, I was actually ready to toss it out. The smell is just too strong for me; like horrible lawn clippings that's too concentrated to be anything but pleasant. However, I love how cool and refreshing it feels against my skin so I just sucked it up and after a couple of days, I got used to the scent that it no longer bothers me.

I spray this all over my face in the morning before applying moisturizer and also at night after washing my face. I’d like to think that my skin retains its natural moisture and feels a little more supple than usual because of this toner. I’ve been using this for more than two weeks now and so far so good!

What are the things you’ve been loving all week?