I joined a men's shaving club...

 Hi there! 

Strange title for a girl right?...
well as a female I love to have silky smooth legs and skin as often as I can - it makes me feel feminine, not to mention it helps my tan to apply better and more evenly!
However, have you noticed how in supermarkets and pharmacies the razors aimed at females can be double the price of the men's selection! literally you can find an identical razor by the same brand - one is for a man and the other is pink and marketed toward women therefore it is far more expensive!

These pink and gimmicky razors may be better to look at but they can lack in quality! not to mention the blade refills can be almost as expensive as the first razor you bought!

Men's razors are predominately designed for shaving their beards and therefore they tend to be better quality as they are designed to flex and reach the angles of the face without cutting! the same can't be said for women's razors.. think about it: how often have you cut your knee or shin?

I found the Dollar Shave Club online and yeah it's marketed toward guys but girls can join too! why not!

What I got: 


 

I decided to go all out (lol) and try the "executive" which is a 6 blade razor and comes with 4 replacement blades and free shipping! The first month is only $1 so you literally have nothing to loose by trying it! after that for the executive (the most expensive of the bunch) it is $9/month however-I personally know I won't go through 4 blades a month as lets face it you can get a couple of goes out of one blade and if you're just using it for your legs/armpits it's not like you will be using it every day! 
 I shaved my legs 5 days ago now and they are still silky smooth and the executive offers a really close shave! SO if you don't want to fork out $9 a month as you don't need a new razor every month then you can simply pause the subscription and wait until you are running out of blades and then re-activate your account! easy-peasy!

 

As I was only paying $1 for my razor I also picked up the shave butter!

The shave butter literally feels like butter but it helps you to achieve that close shave and allows you to know where you have shaved already and where you have missed!
It's formulated without parabens, helps to moisturise your skin: leaving it so soft to touch and it is not tested on animals!
I really liked this product but I don't think I will be re-purchasing it and I wouldn't say it is an essential to pick up when selecting your razor as in my opinion shaving with conditioner (yes hair conditioner) works just as well!

To conclude: I would definitely recommend joining the Dollar Shave Club and picking up a razor of your choice because in my experience the blades are super sharp,they work excellently and the postage only takes a day or two! The best part is it saves you both money and convenience so what's not to like?!

Check out the Dollar Shave Club here!

Happy Shaving! haha 

Shahira Xo 

two of my favourite skin products for extra moisturised skin :)

Hey Blog Readers!

One thing I always get asked about is...

As I have gotten older one of the most important things to me (in terms of my skin care routine) is keeping my face moisturised!

Moisturising your skin is so important especially as we age! You wouldn't go a day without drinking water would you? (coffee and beer also contains water ;) well in that case you shouldn't go a day without hydrating your skin! It's not only important for today but also for the future!

Today:
In the short term using a moisturiser keeps your skin looking healthy and delivers immediate perking and plumping benefits. Moisturisers lock in water and prevent water loss in everyday conditions such as heat or wind. Not to mention your skin looks and feels so much smoother, softer and fresher looking when you moisturise regularly!

Tomorrow:
Using moisturiser is so important for your skin in the long run as proper hydration enables your skin to function at peak performance! skin cells in peak condition can rapidly repair themselves and turnover fresh cells quickly which means huge anti-ageing benefits! Those who use a moisturiser develop wrinkles at a fraction of the rate of those with dry skin! who doesn't want to look younger for longer?

It feels awesome:
As well as the tremendous benefits using a good moisturiser has on your skin it also feels amazing and instantly refreshing!

What I use

I am currently using two products to moisturise my skin and I am obsessed with them. After I cleanse my skin I use a serum and then I follow up with my moisturiser.

The Serum I am using!
I am using 'Truffle Therapy Serum' - this stuff is amazing! I love it! You can feel it immediately plumping your skin! it is anti-ageing magic used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles! I love the way it glides on and makes my skin feel so silky and soft! It is from a natural skincare line which is an extra perk as it doesn't contain any parabens etc..This product feels luxurious and beautiful - it is a treat for your skin :) you deserve it!

My Moisturiser! 
After I use the Truffle Therapy Serum I follow up with the 'Super Anti-Ageing Matrixyl Moisturiser'! (doesn't the name sound like magic in a bottle :) I love this product because unlike some other moisturisers that I have used in the past it doesn't make my skin feel greasy at all! This moisturiser was designed not only to address the visible signs of ageing but also to help the skin cells to renew for a long term anti-ageing effect while also provide a ton of antioxidants to the skin. An added bonus is that it contains natural ingredients (as does the Truffle Therapy serum) and was never tested on animals! (YAY)

My routine: I use both of these products after cleansing my face when I wake up in the morning and just before I go to bed at night! I use a light circle motion to apply each product. I love how this sits under makeup as it makes for a great primer and gives a illuminous subtle glow to the skin!

You can pick up both products on Amazon! Click here for the Truffle Therapy Serum and here for the Super Anti-Ageing Matrixyl Moisturiser! 

Of course I highly recommend both products because if I didn't they wouldn't appear here on my blog! :) but let me know if you try them out because I would love to hear if you love these products just as much as I do!

You can find me all over social Media @ShahiraBarry 

Lots of Love, 

Shahira Xo 

I've been taking Truvivity... and so has JLO!

Hi Everyone! 

So if you follow me on Snapchat (@ShahiraBarry) you may have already seen me post about the beauty supplement 'Truvivity' that I've been trying out lately... Well it's been a couple of weeks now since I started taking it so I thought I'd fill you in a bit more here on my blog :)

 

What is a beauty supplement? 

Beauty supplements are supplements (pills or drinks) that you take as part of your beauty regime... they work with the concept of "beauty from within". As we know when it comes to our fitness regime for example.. it's not all about exercise it's also about what you are putting in to your body! the food and nutrients that we are fuelling with... therefore the same idea can be applied to our beauty regime! We can use as many creams/serums etc.. as we like but taking a beauty supplement can also help with skincare, haircare, nail care etc... 

What beauty supplement am I taking?

As I mentioned above I have been taking Truvivity by Nutrilite for a couple of weeks now and it has become a steady part of my beauty regime! I really love it! 

I use both the pills and the powdered drink daily! and so does JLo! HEYYY if it's good enough for JLo ... it's good enough for me/you ;) 

What is Truvivity?

Truvivity is a ingestible moisture enhancing supplement designed to work from within to protect your skin's moisture and support elasticity and smoothness! 

 It is comprised of...

1. An ingestible pill with PhytoInfuse (antioxidant-rich wolfberry, rosehip and grape seed extracts combine to form a powerful natural formula) and PhytoCeraide (an innovative skin moisturising technology) complexes that works at night to help protect skin moisture and support skin elasticity and smoothness so you wake up to healthier, smooth skin. I take two of these every night before I go to sleep so it can work it's magic! :)
2. A powder that contains PhytoCeramides, Vitamin C and Cranberry Extract for antioxidant protection. Simply mix in water and drink whenever desired. I mix this in with my water when I'm going to workout! it's refreshing and it adds a nice subtle flavour to my water!:) I've also given a sachet to a few of my girlfriends to try and they love it!
   

How Truvivity by Nutrilite came About: 

Scientists evaluated the importance of ingestible supplements on the skin and carefully selected the right formula of botanical ingredients to provide the vital moisture protection your body needs!   

Why add yet another step to your beauty routine? 
As we age our skin can become thinner and as it does the skin's outer layer can become unable to serve as an effective barrier which can result in weaker looking, dryer skin! The Truvivity system provides a holistic yet effective solution! It works from the inside to relieve the skin from oxidative stress! the two pills work throughout the night during your restorative night time rhythm to combat negative side effects from the environment such as such sun exposure, pollution and general traces of a hectic lifestyle! the powdered drink compliments the pill by providing a wide range of nutrients that help to reduce tiredness and support skin health!

The beautiful Jennifer Lopez is known for THAT 'JLo Glow'! this powerful woman is 46 years old and yet she hasn't aged and looks absolutely amazing! if she believes in beauty from within SO DO I!! lol :)

Truvivity retails for €85 (the pills) and €47 (the drink sachets) or both for €115! It may be a little on the expensive side but the results are to live by! SO if you're interested in trying this beauty from within concept for yourself you can shop Truvivity by clicking here!

My skincare is so important to me! and I often get complimented on my skin! I am always asked what foundation I wear etc.. but the truth is it doesn't matter what makeup you wear because if you look after your skin first and foremost and provide the right base then you can get a way without wearing makeup! and you can simply provide the perfect base for makeup application which means a lot of foundations will look glowing and luminous from high-end to drugstore! that Jlo glow as they say.. truly starts from within so that's where I've begun starting from!

Anyone need their house cleaned...??? While everyone & their mothers are at Coachella 🌴🙆🏻😂 👸🏻

A video posted by Shahira (@shahirabarry) on Apr 16, 2016 at 6:49pm PDT

Lots of Love,

Shahira Xo

A Hair Straightening Brush? The Dafni!!

Hey Everyone!

So I know you all saw the viral video of a girl brushing her hair with some sort of electric hair brush and immediately having beautifully straight hair!

Well...the idea and the video got my attention straight away and after some quick Google research I found out it was called The Dafni!!

The Dafni is a hair straightening brush that is x10 faster than a traditional hair straightener! It is easy to use, saves time and is actually safer for your hair than a regular straightening iron!

At a perfect 365˚F the Dafni brushes your hair in to a sleek straight style in just three to five minutes!! 

The trick is its unique design which goes between the hair strands instead of pushing from either side with a flat iron. The Dafni works on all hair types whether curly, straight, frizzy or flyaways  - it's the perfect solution for a person with a busy lifestyle! 

How to Dafni: 

• Use only on dry tangle free hair!
• Brush slowly in a pulling motion (as you would a regular hair brush)
• Make sure your hair gets deep into the inner area of the brush!
• Use the brush to shape the hair inwards or outwards!

Some FAQ's

How does a straightener brush differ from a traditional flat iron?

Brushing is the ultimate most intuitive way to self-style the hair.. therefore, the DAFNI brush is a natural and convenient way to style both the front and the back of the hair!

the DAFNI brush consists of a unique 3D surface that is substantially wider than a traditional straightener; hence the brush styles very large strands of hair in each stroke!

Will the brush burn the scalp?

If you look at the purple ceramic surface you will notice that on top of each tooth is placed a springy (black) insulator that allows you to brush from the root while touching the scalp worry free! 

How long does it take for the brush to heat up?

The brush heats to 186 degrees C (365 degrees Fahrenheit)  in just 1 minute!

Does the Dafni damage the hair?

DAFNI is actually safer than most straighteners in the market. Thanks to the optimal working temperature which provides good quality and lasting results. Also when the hair runs between the teeth the hair’s cloak remains unharmed since it is not squeezed between two heating elements but rather it enjoys the heat and runs freely between the teeth! 

Where can you buy the dafni?

You can Shop the dafni here  

More FAQ's here! 

I was so intrigued by the Dafni that I had to get my hands on it to test it out for myself! I have really long hair and I wear it in a braid every night which makes it wavy and untamed.. so I love the idea that the Dafni could help me to get ready with ease each morning and save me time! (a few extra minutes sleeping in in the morning is always welcomed, lol). SO I finally got myself a dafni and put it to use! give my video a watch and you'll see what I thought of the dafni and what kind of results I got on my hair!!

The Dafni...You'll straight up love it!! 

Lots of Love 

Shahira Xo

Perfect-il Hair, Skin and Nails

Hi Everyone, 

 

So lately I've added something new to my beauty regime and I thought I'd tell you about it...

Pefectil is a triple active supplement for skin, hair and nails! 

The concept behind Perfectil is 'Beauty from within'

It's a known fact that what you put into your body has a huge impact on both your internal health as well as your outer appearance! Perfectil has been designed to compliment your daily skin, nail and hair care routine with a range of over 20 micronutrients. It is based on 40years of scientific research into the benefits of targeted optimal nutrition! 

Because certain nutrients are of great importance to the health of our hair, nails and skin Perfectil delivers these nutrients via the bloodstream (the deepest level) by means of a pill/tablet that you take once daily! 

The micronutrients within each tablet include:

• Vitamins B2, B3 and biotin which contribute to the maintenance of normal skin.
• Minerals selenium and zinc which contribute to the maintenance of normal hair and nails. 

Due to the large amounts of micronutrients found in Perfectil it doubles up as a multivitamin so a general multivitamin is not necessary. 

 

It may also be important to say that Perfectil does not contain any drugs or hormones and is produced in accordance to GMP standards of quality control, beyond those normally required for food supplements.

 

If you've followed me or have known me for awhile - you know that I have naturally long, strong hair - my family thank it to our "Bangladeshi roots" (roots..literally ;) lol). So noticing a huge difference with my hair can be difficult but I started taking Perfectil  about two months ago and I have noticed that the strength of my nails has improved greatly, my hair is shiny and my skin has remained clear. I also feel like I have more energy and that the whites of my eyes are brighter when I take Perfectil and this may be due to all of the nutrients and vitamins included! 

If you're in the UK or Ireland you can purchase Perfectil in Tesco, Boots, Superdrug, Asda, Saisburys. Morrisons or in a wide range of pharmacies and healthfood shops! If you are not in the UK or simply prefer shopping online you can pick up a packet for £9.15 by clicking here!  

Let me know if you decide to give it a go! 

Lots of Love, 

Shahira Xo 

NEW Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette

Hi Everyone! 

I love makeup (as we all know, lol) but the truth is I don't have a huge collection of eyeshadow palettes because I always go back to my old "reliables" (mainly urban decay and Inglot). However, I had been interested in trying one of the two faced palettes for awhile now so I was delighted to get my hands on the new Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette!

YES it was inspired by the lunch box staple and  yes it makes for the cutest little palette you've ever seen! it also smells delicious! but don't worry it's not over bearing... it's sweet with a hint of peanut butter but it's not ott! :)

SO what's in the palette? 
It is filled with a combination of 9 matte and shimmer shades! and it includes a large mirror which is great for on the go touch-ups!

There are essentially 3 sections: section 1 'Soft & Sweet' includes the famous medium brown entitled 'peanut butter', a muted peach 'spread the love' (lovely blush also;) and 'peanut butter cup' which is a shimmery deep brown shade.
Section 2 'Rich and Creamy' has the most beautiful shimmery purple shade 'Jammin', along with an orange toned gold shimmer 'peanut brittle' and a yellow toned gold shimmer 'bananas' which also makes for a beautiful highlight!
Section 3 'PB & J' contains a true bright purple 'jelly' (duh!), 'nuts about you' which is a bright brown and then the staple basic off-white/cream shade that's needed in any palette (in my opinion) called ' Extra Creamy'.

This beautiful 'Peanut Butter & Jelly' palette hit stores at the beginning of February and retails for $36 (approx €31.98).

I have not stopped using these shadows since I picked up this beauty - I am in love!

 

slice of toast anyone? lol 

The shadows are really well pigmented and true to colour! they glide on effortlessly, have amazing staying power and there are an endless amount of looks you could create! I can't wait to get creative!!

Seriously..How cute is this palette? Are you going to try it? Let me know and send me your pictures wearing the shadows-I'd love to see your creations! :)

Lots of Love, 

Shahira Xo 

Why I'm drinking Apple Cider Vinegar and putting it on my face and hair!

Hey Blog Readers!

So for a long time my sister has drank Apple Cider Vinegar diluted with water and raved about the health benefits but to be honest I didn't really listen... That was until deciding to use Apple cider vinegar as a toner! yup a toner on my face as part of my skincare routine!
I am a big believer in keeping your skin/beauty regime simple.. a lot of home remedies work and are the basis of some of the most expensive products out there so why splurge the cash when you can have equal if not better results doing it DIY style ;)
Since moving to Los Angeles my skin hasn't been as good as it was in Ireland and I believe that is because of the smog and pollution that exists in this big city compared to that fresh Galway air that I miss so much, lol, anyway while looking for a remedy to tone my skin and minimize pores I came across a bunch of videos (YouTube addict alert) on using Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic and with "the mother" ingredient) as a toner!
The videos and blog post I came across really sold me so off I went to Trader Joe's to pick some up! It was very easy to find and a lot cheaper than buying a toner on it's own + it's a big bottle so I imagine it will last me awhile! Anyway, ever since I've been applying it to my skin after washing my face and before moisturizing and I've already noticed a huge difference!
It feels refreshing! it's definitely minimizing my pores and my skin in so much clearer!!
(NB!!! Make sure you always dilute it by mixing in water to avoid it being too strong)

I'm AMAZED! :)

Benefits of using Apple Cider Vinegar on the skin! 

1. Oil control - Chronic oily skin leads to breakouts and oily patches on the face. This can make wearing makeup problematic. Apple vinegar toner can help control oil production and reduce the appearance of oiliness.
2. Antiseptic - Beauty mavens have used apple vinegar for centuries to clean their skin. As an antiseptic, apple cider vinegar kills bacteria and yeast that may trigger breakouts.
3. Balance pH - Enjoy good skin health by maintaining your pH level. Acids keep your skin remain elastic and youthful looking.
4. Natural skin care - Apple cider vinegar is an all-natural skin toner that you can make yourself. Using natural products will insure the best care for sensitive skin that may react adversely to harsh chemicals.
5. Stimulate circulation - For better looking skin, get your blood moving with an application of apple cider toner to the face and body. Natural alpha-hydroxy and acetic acids in this fluid stimulates the skin's capillaries. Improved circulation gives your skin a natural rosy flush.

Every now and then growing up I would rinse my hair in vinegar diluted in water (an old wives tale my mum told me about) and it always made my hair SO shiny!! so while I have the bottle in the house I decided to give it ago (it had been a few years) and YUP there were SUPER RESULTS! JESUS this stuff is like magic! I also felt that it really cleaned my hair and my hair seemed to stay non-oily/greasy for longer! (I got a few extra days out of it) If you plan on doing this though make sure you rinse your hair thoroughly as nobody wants to smell of vinegar!lol!

Why rinse hair in apple cider vinegar..  

1. removes clumpy residue and gunk in hair from product buildup!
2. Natural detangler!
3. Leaves hair soft and smooth! 
4. Accelerates hair growth!
5. Closes the cuticle of the hair which makes light reflect off it - in other words... it makes your hair ridiculously shiny!! :)

So while seeing such good results from my skin & hair I decided to research and see what all the fuss is about (what my sis raves on about) when it comes to drinking Apple cider vinegear..
I have been drinking two spoonfuls mixed in a glass of water every morning for about two weeks now and I'm actually secretly (not so secretly) loving it!

These are the benefits that can be seen when you drink apple cider vinegar daily 

1. Weight Loss! Experts believe that it may stimulate genes that help to break down fat! Another study found that it suppresses your appetite (I find this to be true for me). 
2. Kills bad breath! It has anti-bacterial properties which helps to break down plaque and kill bacteria!
3. This killing of bacteria can also stop infections such as halitosis and even a sore throat! 
4. Reduces blood pressure! Therefore it's great for keeping a healthy heart <3 
5. It keeps your blood sugar levels in check. Therefore it can help with diabetes and blood sugar regulation! Drinking it is shown to improve insulin sensitivity to high carbohydrate meals. 
6. It's rich in polyphenols, which help fight oxidative stress. Research has shown that eating diets high in antioxidant-rich foods may help reduce your cancer risk, but don’t expect a magic panacea!
7. It balances your PH levels! by helping to restore alkalinity in the body which can boost your metabolism, strengthen the immune system and slow the aging process to give you clearer and wrinkle free skin! 

So what are you waiting for?? get down to the supermarket and pick yourself up some of this miracle in a bottle that smells funny :) lol

Lots of Love,

Shahira Xo

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