Black Star by Avril Lavigne Review

I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my head. Well, maybe minus the flowers but you get the drift, right? And this is one perfume that surely makes me feel like a punk rocker. Today I’ll be reviewing Black Star by Avril Lavigne, which a very dear friend of mine got for me while she was returning from Scotland.
Black Star is the first signature fragrance by Avril Lavigne, and is exactly what you’d expect it to be: edgy and individualistic. As Avril herself said: “It’s all about being edgy and feminine in a fun way!”
Have a look at what my gift pack included:

Black Star by Avril Lavigne – Body Lotion

Black Star by Avril Lavigne – Perfume

Black Star by Avril Lavigne – Gift Set

One of the things that I love about Black Star is it’s unique star-shaped bottle with a black metal studded cap. Looks like somebody is about to rock the night!

Black Star is a fusion of vibrant floral, fruity and gourmand accords, each with a distinctive, lively appeal. The notes blend to create a swirling, sparkling cloud of fragrance, for a truly energetic scent.

I really like the offbeat vibe it gives and all in all it’s a pretty trendy fragrance. I love the studded packaging, the vibrant colours, the whole deal. And that is why I must remember to thank her one more time.

Avril Lavigne BlackStar

The perfume is available is 15, 30 and 50ml bottles, whereas the body lotion and deodorant are available in 150ml packaging.

MTV VMA 2013: Best Dressed Celebrities

Thankfully not everyone went as cuckoo as Miley Cyrus that night, and we still got to see a decent amount of decency! Honestly, white trash never looked this bad! I know it’s just a little too late, BUT, to help everyone, mainly myself, get over her not-so-forgettable performance, I decided to compile a best dressed list for MTV VMA 2013.

Ellie Goulding – She not only knows how to sing well, she knows how to dress well too! The turtleneck sleeveless studded dress with a thigh high slit by Brian Atwood was the perfect combination of skin and style. However, I do believe a little effort on the hair would’ve been nice. Love, love, love the studs!

Paula Patton – Paula donned a strapless shiny black Lever Couture gown that flaunted her figure just the right way. She paired it up with Guiseppe Zanotti pumps, and looked absolutely ravishing!

Melanie Iglesias – I love how she kept it simple with this purple backless floor length gown. Sassiness was dropping off of every inch of this beauty!

Coco Rocha – Coco has always been a head-turner! She was right on spot this time as well with a Fausto Puglisi crystal encrusted leather jacket and a pixie cut, this canadian beauty easily made it to the top 5 best dressed celebs at the VMA 2013 night. The zippers and the jewels made her look effortlessly cool.

Taylor Swift – Not a fan of her music, but that’s a classic beauty in the making right there! She looks as elegant as usual in that figure hugging Hervé Léger By Max Azria gown, the deep red lips, the Pradashoes and those retro soft blonde curls.

Oh, and while we’re at it, let’s add Mr. Lambert to the list too! It’s only fair after all, isn’t it?

Adam Lambert - He really did shine in his grey Lanvin suit, his perfectly made up face and the coiffed hair.

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In the press: At L’Oréal Professionnel Fiberceutic Launch Event via Lounge Weekly Magazine

L’Oréal Professionnel launched Fiberceutic –  another breakthrough in hair care technology on June 7, 2012 at PC, Karachi. The event was attended by industry experts, socialites and beauty bloggers alike. For more information on the launch refer to my previous post here.
The event was featured in Lounge Weekly Magazine July 1, 2012 issue. Here is the press clipping from the event:

Lounge Weekly Magazine – 1st July, 2012

That’s Sidrah Nayyer from Beauteous Blog, Nida Moughal from GlitterSmitter and me in the bottom right corner!
The highlights of the event can be viewed here.

Amazonian Wild Lily Fragrance Mist by The Body Shop Review

Amazonian Wild Lily Fragrance Mist by The Body Shop Review

This amazing body mist was launched in 2012 by the house of the Body Shop, as a part of their collection called “Scents of the World”. Amazonian Wild Lily is “inspired by the rain-kissed freshness of the jungle, and it is a crisp and luminous eau de toilette with a blend of floral and aquatic accords”.

Scents of the World collection comprises of the following scents:

• Japanese Cherry Blossom
• Indian Night Jasmine
• Atlas Mountain Rose
• Madagascan Vanilla Flower
• Amazonian Wild Lily

The Body Shop – Scents of the World Range

It makes me feel like I am a jungle princess and I just set foot into my Amazon rainforest with this light spritz. With its airy floral notes of white lily, iris, and orchid, enriched with papaya fruit zest. If you have a thing for the exotic, well, this is just your mist. You will feel an aquatic touch and hear the green notes the moment you spray it.

Amazonian Wild Lily Fragrance Mist – Th Body Shop

This exotic mist lives up to its claim of being refreshing. It smells like spring, one splash and you feel like you are in a blooming jungle with dew kissed grass under your feet. It has a calming effect on you.

Pros:

• It makes you feel fresh, like you have just showered
• It’s perfect for summertime use as it gives you a cool feeling

Cons:

• Lasts max up to 3 to 4 hours and then you will need to splash yourself again.

It is available in 100ml bottle, and it gets 4 BeautyBalls on my meter!

Etalage – An eclectic clothing brand from Lahore

Mesmerising colors and elegant cuts is what this brand is all about. A touch of sequins here, a dash of color there and you get something unique out of it, just like the brand itself!

Etalage‘s Philosophy:

The idea behind Etalage is; “Less Is More” which is why the cuts, lines, colors and the overall outlook of our outfits is toned down, subtle and elegant. Our primary aim is to make clothes that are very practical yet trendy at the same time. 

Meet Sidra and Amara:

Amara – Owner of Etalage

Sidra – Owner of Etalage

Etalage is the brainchild of Sidra Rana and Amara, two very talented and beautiful young ladies from Lahore. They both come from diverse backgrounds, having expertise in the field of textile, business studies, fashion design & literature. The team behind Etalage is a fusion of contemporary and old-school principles, which is reflected in their designs. They know how to make the clothes look flattering and how to play the colors right!
As working, independent women they believe and live by the words:

“Don’t be into trends. Don’t let fashion own you. But you decide who you are; what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.” - Gianni Versace

So we shot some questions to Sidra and Amara, and here is what they had to say:
What’s the story behind the brand name?
Well, the name itself is derived from a french word that means ‘to showcase/show window’. What we had in mind when we started Etalage was to create a lifestyle that is affordable yet appeals to the aesthetics also. Hence, we didn’t want to limit the brand name to just one thing and what is more diverse than a ‘show window’?
Name 3 celebrities/designers, local or otherwise, that have been your fashion idols?
We are especially fond of Shehla Chatoor’s use of silk and like any regular pakistani woman, love the way Mahira Khan carries herself simply but so elegantly. And last but not the least, we believe Victoria Beckham to be the ultimate style icon.
What is the next milestone for your brand?
Well, speaking of milestones, we are now working on a new line that will focus solely on formal wear. The key idea is to revive the cultural identity of a ‘desi woman’ as we feel there is nothing more appealing than chooridars, angrakhas and gota kinari when it comes to our traditional parties and events. We aim to achieve this by amalgamating certain western cuts in a very ‘desi’ fashion.
And then of course we are more than just excited to share that we are looking forward to a Fashion Show in NYC real soon Insha’Allah.  *fingers crossed*

Etalage – SS Collection ’13:

Let’s have a look at their latest collection which features Faiza Chaudhry wearing some really classy jumpsuits:

Etalage – SS Collection ’13

Etalage – SS Collection ’13

Etalage – SS Collection ’13

Etalage – SS Collection ’13

Etalage – SS Collection ’13

Etalage – SS Collection ’13

Etalage – SS Collection ’13

Etalage Giveaway coming up soon! Stay Tuned!

Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection – Special Texture Edition

I’d been yearning for textured nail colors lately, so my friends decided to get these for me as a surprise gift. Seems like all my friends are getting me something or the other these days, I should consider myself lucky!

Infused with magic and wonder! The latest “must-have” nail polish finish – textured, matte and sparkling! This newly developed formula is sure to captivate with a magical sparkle and sugary finish like no other. The color experts at Zoya have created six, long-wearing stunners for the introduction of this enchanting look.

Needless to say, I fell in love with these immediately like I do for all things shiny!

Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection – Special Texture Edition

The first thing I would like to say about Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection is that these are highly pigmented and extreeemely long-lasting. This one time I went on two weeks without changing my nail colour, and there wasn’t a single chip or crack on the surface! Can you imagine that? Two weeks!!! I was in nail-heaven!
I have the entire collection of Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish – Special Texture Edition, take a look at the lovely shades:

DAHLIA – Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection – Special Texture Edition

CHYNA – Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection – Special Texture Edition

NYX – Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection – Special Texture Edition

LONDON – Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection – Special Texture Edition

VESPA – Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection – Special Texture Edition

GODIVA – Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection – Special Texture Edition

Godiva, Chyna and Dahlia are my top 3 favourites! What are yours? I also have my dibs on Zoya PixieDust Summer Collection, they have such vibrant colors I can’t keep my eyes off them!

Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish – Special Texture Edition