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Review

Hello, Sleepy

July 31st, 2017 by Sandi Leave a Comment

Sleepy Hand and Body Lotion by Lush. I love the Arabic branding on the lid.

I’m a Lushie. A big one.

I was first introduced to Lush back in 2008, and, honestly, it’s been love ever since. From lotions, to solid toothpaste, I’ve tried almost everything they have to offer, and I’m keen on giving their shampoo bars a whirl next. The main reason I’m a huge fan of Lush is because their products are cruelty free and are made using natural ingredients.

I passed by Lush at 360 Mall a few days ago to pick up Sleepy, which is now part of their permanent range. Initially launched as part of Lush’s limited edition 2016 winter line up, Sleepy is an amazing body lotion that’s chock-full of natural ingredients, SLS free, and is lavender scented. The lavender isn’t camphorous, and mixed with the tonka absolute oil the overall scent is malty and floral; it’s such a comforting smell. In addition to cocoa butter, jojoba, and almond oil, the lotion has an oatmeal infusion base, which is perfect for those who have sensitive skin.

I apply this cream right before going to sleep, and what I love is that not only does it help me go to sleep a tad faster (falling asleep is very difficult for me), but it’s moisturising levels are immediately noticeable without the greasiness some lotions leave behind. As a matter of fact, in less than 10 minutes, I’ve found that it sinks into my skin beautifully. I also love how with the warmth of my skin, the scent is activated to its fullest. A plus for me is the fact that when I wake up in the morning, I can still smell the lotion’s malty lavender scent on my skin. This lotion is a definite favourite after Lush’s Dream Cream, which cured my eczema after a week of daily use. However, unlike Dream Cream, Sleepy is of a slightly lighter consistency and doesn’t have chamomile in it (that, and Sleepy is purple with lustre glitter in it – those are the only things I’m not so big on about the lotion).

Obviously fangirling over Sleepy.

Some of my favourite Lush products (and my cat Siegfried!).

Photographed above (clockwise):

  • R&B Hair Moisturiser: I recently found out R&B stood for Revive & Balance, and this product does exactly that perfectly! This moisturiser works best for those who have dry or curly hair (I have both). A little goes a very long way with this product; I just swipe my fingers of the top so there’s enough product on my fingertips, and add it to damp hair (from my ears down) post-shower. The dominant scents are that of jasmine and orange blossom – it’s strong; we’re talking hits you hard kind of strong. I sometimes use this on dry hair when I need to tame my baby hairs. Again, a little goes a long way, so build up the amount of product and don’t go digging into that tub from the get go!
  • Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion: I had a nasty bout of eczema on my right hand that didn’t seem to respond to any medication (cortisone and cortisone-free) for 6 months. I used Dream Cream on it as a last resort, and lo and behold, 2 days into using it twice a day, my eczema started to heal. Like I mentioned earlier in the post, a week of using this lotion put an end to my eczema. The oat milk is the star of this lotion, and paired with the lavender, chamomile, and cocoa butter the anti-inflammatory properties work together beautifully to provide relief to those with sensitive skin/eczema, and also moisturise like a dream (no pun intended). Just like with R&B, a little goes a long way. Unfortunately, the lotion leaves a greasy residue and isn’t as quickly absorbed into the skin – I wouldn’t suggest handling anything after application for at least 30 minutes.
  • H’Suan Wen Hua Hair Treatment: Pronounced Shwen Wen Hua. I love that everything in this is fresh, but I’m not keen on the smell. Unlike most products I purchase at Lush, I didn’t smell this in the store; I was literally sold by how enthused the saleswoman was about the treatment. Never disappointed by a Lush product, I purchased it blindly. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to go about the smell. My initial whiff picked up on eggs, bay leaf, and cinnamon, which are amongst the key ingredients that also include banana and avocado. After using this, and no matter how many times I shampooed, my hair still smells like pumpkin pie (which I love, but not in my hair!). The only consolation is that my troubled damaged curly hair is supple and shiny after I was out the treatment. So, sucking up the smell is well worth it when the result is incredible. I apply this to dry hair, leave it on for an hour, shampoo and condition as normal, then apply R&B Hair Moisturiser on my towel-dried hair from the ears down.
  • My cat Siegfried (whom I call Siggy), who’s just as much a fan of Lush as I am, apparently!
  • Sleepy Hand and Body Lotion.

A quick shout out to the lovely ladies at Lush 360 Mall who are super sweet and helpful, and a special shout out to Jemma who totally caught me off guard and recognised my voice from the radio!

You can find Lush Kuwait at The Avenues, 360 Mall, The Gate Mall, and Promenade Mall, and will be opening in Hamra Mall soon. Follow them online on: Instagram: www.instagram.com/LushKuwait or www.mena.lush.com

 

Filed Under: Body Care, Kuwait, Lush, Review, Siegfried

Hello, Blueair

September 20th, 2016 by Sandi Leave a Comment

Our handsome cats getting acquainted with the Blueair 650E.

Our handsome cats, Siegfried and Scully, getting acquainted with the Blueair 650E. Well, except for Siegfried (because he hates everything).

Abdulla and I have been suffering with the issue of dust (and cat dander) ever since we moved into our new apartment last June. No matter how much we dust or vacuum around the house, a thin veil of fuzzy greyness will find itself on everything. Everything.

After complaining to my colleagues at work (isn’t that what they’re there for?!), they suggested I get an air purifier by Blueair; they both swore by them. Naturally, I embarked on my usual, “Scour the Internet for Reviews” adventure, and wow! People barely had anything negative to say about Blueair. Satisfied with what I read, but still undecided between the 503 and 650E models, I went to Xcite at the Avenues to find the perfect purifier for the house.

The 503 model (129 KD) seemed like a good choice; however,  I went with the 650E (149 KD* at the time I bought it) because it came with more options that I felt would make my life easier down the line. There’s an LCD panel that indicates smoke and smell levels, fan speeds, and when its time to change the filters. But all in all, I may or may not have been swayed to get a Blueair because of how I love everything Swedish. May or may not.

No shame in admitting it, I'm a fan of everything Scandinavian (especially Swedish), so this gave me butterflies in my stomach!

Fan speeds:

  • Low (1) is almost inaudible.
  • Medium (2) is audible but not unpleasant (it’s actually recommended to keep it at 2 throughout the day).
  • High (3) is loud – like, really freaking loud.

So, what do I think? I’ve been using the Blueair 650E for almost a month now, and I’ve noticed a significant decrease in my dust allergies. My chest doesn’t feel heavy when I wake up in the morning, and I can’t remember the last time I saw cat dander floating in the air. Success! Here’s a quick run down of my thoughts on the Blueair 650E:

Pros:

  • It wipes out floating particles in the air (dust/pet fluff), and the smell of food (if your neighbours fry everything [like ours!] then you’ll love this feature).
  • The Low level is very quiet, and is perfect for when we’re sleeping.
  • The unit is made of metal and comes with a magnetised remote. This is extremely convenient as it sticks to the sides of the purifier (or any magnetic surface of your choice).
  • Setup is very simple: plug it in and turn it on – the end. Once switched on, you can choose the different fan speeds from the LCD panel or the remote.
  • Auto mode runs on Low until dust or smells are detected, then it goes up to Medium or High.
  • The unit has 4 heavy duty castors, and I can easily move it around from one room to the next.
  • Frowny and smiley faces indicate whether the air has been purified or if there’s dust/smoke. (It’s cute, come on!)
  • Comes with a timer so you can adjust how long you want the purifier to be on.

Cons:

  • The Blueair 650E is quite large, but luckily blends well with our predominately white furniture.
  • The stench of death (aka the smell emanating from our cats’ litter boxes) was slightly lessened even after placing the purifier in the same room on High for 10 hours. TEN.FREAKING.HOURS. Guess Blueair can’t triumph against cat litter; but then again, nothing can. Nothing…
  • The price. The Blueair 650E is almost 2-3 times more expensive than other purifiers in the market.
  • The High (3) level is ridiculously loud; so loud, actually, that my cats run out of the room every time!
  • Auto mode. I know I put it under pros, but when we’re sleeping at night and one of the cats sleeps on top of the purifier (they like the cool air blowing up on their bellies), it’ll kick the fans to High mode and wake us up. I wasn’t kidding when I said it’s loud.
  • The LCD display is awkwardly placed. It’s located at the bottom of the unit, and I must lean over/squat to read it.
  • Carrying the unit up the stairs on my own is not easy. Definitely a job for two.
  • Blueair recommends changing the HEPA filters (45 KD for all 3) every 6 months. That’s an additional 90 KD every year for a machine that costs 149 KD.
Ready to get unboxed!
Remote and extra battery included in the box.
Multilingual manuals.
Awkwardly placed LCD screen.
Status of the purifier when I first switched it on.

Despite the cons, would I recommend the Blueair purifier? YES! The pros totally outweigh the cons, and I can’t imagine the house without it. If you decide to purchase the Blueair 650E, I would suggest to bypass Auto mode when you first switch it on and crank it up on High for 5 hours; this will help get rid of the icky particles and odours in the room faster.

Goodbye allergies, hello clean breathing!

*At time of publishing this, the price of the Blueair 650E model increased to 159 KD from 149 KD at Xcite.

Filed Under: Review

Hello, Lego

December 30th, 2015 by Sandi Leave a Comment

IMG_2166

Showered with legos as a child (literally, I wish!), it was safe to say I was extremely excited to find out The Lego Store officially opened in Kuwait yesterday. Located above Sephora, in 2nd Avenue – The Avenues, I rushed there right after work – inner child in tow.

Just for the record, this isn’t my first encounter with a Lego establishment. My first foray into brick paradise was The Lego Shop in Beirut, Lebanon in October 2014. Tucked away in Beirut Souks, that’s when I first came face to face with a (I’m assuming) life-size lego Darth Vader.

What first hits you when you approach The Lego Store is how yellow everything is. Obviously. The yellow brick walls on the sides frame the store window perfectly – making it look like a lego creation. The window display was filled with Star Wars themed sets, and the first thing you see when you walk in is even more Star Wars sets. I’m assuming they’re riding on the wave of Star Wars: The Force Awakens coming out two weeks ago. Not that I minded!

Towards the back end of The Lego Store.

Towards the back of The Lego Store. Can you spot the Pick-A-Brick wall?

I’ll have you know, it was very hard trying to maintain any semblance of being an adult in the store. Everything, and I mean every thing, screams for you to unleash your inner child. From the old school lego collections, to the Architecture collection. I wanted, nay, needed, everything! I especially liked the Pick-A-Brick wall in the back of the store. So here’s how the Pick-A-Brick works: there are little cubbies that house a specific lego size and colour, and all you have to do is mix and match (or pick one specific type), then fill them in one of two cups. The large cup costs 7.950 KD, and the small cup costs 4.950 KD. You can put as many pieces as you want in either cup as long as the cup closes. I checked the US prices of these cups and the large fills to the brink at $16 (approx. 4.850 KD) and the small one fills at $9 (approx. 2.750 KD). Umm, come again? Are we talking about ridiculous price jacking? Yes, we are.

IMG_3104

Pick-A-Brick cups and prices.

If we’re just judging the variety, then yes, there’s a huge variety of collections and sets in the store. The staff are extremely friendly and approachable, and the overall look of the store makes one feel like they were transported to a Lego world – it’s everything you’d imagine, really. The prices, however, are beyond exorbitant. I mean, I’ve heard of companies adding 30% to the prices of imported goods, but over 100%? That’s quite unreasonable. Some pieces like The Simpsons House – is priced at almost 135 KD. I checked online, and the very same set costs $200, which is approximately 60 KD. That’s a 125% price increase. Despite the unreasonable prices, I couldn’t walk out without the Wonder Woman keychain (priced at 2.750 KD) I’ve been coveting for a few years. I checked the online US Lego Store, and  found the very same keychain for $5 (approximately 1.500) – hello, 83% increase.

IMG_3078

The ‘hard to find’ Lego Simpsons House.

IMG_2177

Loving my Lego Wonder Woman keychain!

There’s really something for everyone and almost every age, at the store; so, unless piling on sets from The Lego Store in Kuwait doesn’t break your bank, then start piling!

Lego Store Facade
Part of a huge Lego City wall.
Christmas Lego
Classic Lego pieces. Some old school lovin’!

Star Wars and DC Comics Lego keychains
Pick-A-Brick Wall
Green legos
Blue legos

Filed Under: Kuwait, Review, Store Launch

Hello, TBS: Fuji Green Tea

April 9th, 2015 by Sandi Leave a Comment

IMG_9092I’m a sucker for anything The Body Shop. There, I said it! My earliest memories of body/skin care are of me dousing myself in my mother’s body butters, make up, lotions – you name it, I’ve most probably tried/ruined(!) it. So it was no surprise I came to a screeching halt when I saw their shop window splashed in a beautiful mint colour. Their Fuji Green Tea branding was everywhere. Like a moth to a flame, I entered the store.

…

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Filed Under: Body Care, Kuwait, Review, The Body Shop Tagged With: Fuji Green Tea, The Body Shop

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Sandi is a self-professed expert TV binge-watcher by day, and a radio host on RKFM 99.7 by night. This blog is about the things Sandi enjoys, the people she enjoys them with, and a few things she's learnt along the way. Learn More.

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  • One of my intentions for 2019 was to learn embroidery. 🧵 So, when I saw @salma.reads' Story of her finished hoop a week ago, it just felt like a sign to make my intention a reality. After watching numerous videos on YouTube, I finally marched to @barakat_kuwait to get my embroidery 'gear'. I'll be honest, I stood there for a good 30 minutes overwhelmed by the insane collection of thread and colours they have. How thick is the thread supposed to be? Where are the needles? Why are there what seems like 500 shades of each colour?!
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I finally picked out my embroidery floss (check me out using embroidery "lingo!") and hoop, and sketched this design yesterday afternoon (which includes my initial in arabic س [pronounced 'seen' for my non-Arabic speaking friends]). I finished it this morning, and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out for someone who's never embroidered before!
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Here's to more embroidery and hopefully looking back at my stitching and cringing at how far I've come since starting. 😅
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  • Cairo, thank you for the last three days. I've seen family celebrate happiness together for the first time in over three years. I binged on amazing Egyptian food (shout out to whoever first created mombar, I love you), and I enjoyed your blue skies, cool winds, and all the inviting people I've come across. I'll be back soon, I promise.
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in Kuwait, so figured I'd post this #throwback. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (Take. Me. Back. PLEASE.)
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PS. Does anyone know what to do with their hands in photos? ✌🏻️🤙🏻🖖🏻🤟🏻✊🏻🤦🏻‍♀️
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📷: @byshirine
  • Visiting my parents today, and my sister snapped this the second my mom said lunch would be an hour late. 😩 As demonstrated on my sweater, I need to constantly be fed.
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Also, how cute is this weather-appropriate (and cruelty-free) fuzzy goodness that is my @ocho.shop sunnies chain? 🕶 And as @its.lailah says, "It's leopard, NOT tiger!"
  • The first time I was instructed to do this asana, I didn't exactly understand what on earth was happening. I kept thinking, "What do you mean you want me to twist the soles of my feet to face me? What. Do. You. Mean?!" Today, it's a moment that helps me ground my focus while I flow (and makes my [tired] ankles feel great!). So, basically, here's to not being a Judging Judy.
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  • At the start of 2018, I set an intention to be more resilient and try to overcome my fears and anxieties. It was/is an uphill climb, but I'm stronger today than I was a year ago.
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What really stood out to me last year, however, were the people in my life that stuck by while I battled with myself on a mental and emotional level - to them I say: I see you, and I love you. To those who couldn't: It isn't your fight, you aren't expected to understand, and your mental health matters too.
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2019, my heart is open; let's do this! ✨
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Now excuse me while I nestle myself into @yara.meraki's painting.

ABOUT SANDI

Sandi is a TV binge-watcher by day, and a radio host on RKFM 99.7 by night. This blog is about the things Sandi enjoys, the people she enjoys them with, and a few things she's learnt along the way. Learn More.

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