Halal and Organic Skin Scrub [review]

14:46 bargain, body scrub, halal, organic, skincare 3 comments

I purchased the Sweet Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey Skin Scrub from Halal & Organic at the Smoky not Smudgy event in November. I've only used it a few times, but thought it would be useful to do a review as it's currently on sale on the website!

The scrub smells pretty good, sort of spicy and warm (which comes from the ginger and honey), and is exactly what is needed in this cold winter weather. It's a coarse sugar scrub, so I wouldn't personally use it on my face. I've been instead using it on my legs and on my arms, by applying and massaging onto damp skin and then washing it off. The lemon, olive and argan oils in the scrub means that the skin stays moisturised and doesn't need any extra moisturising afterwards (unless you have really dry skin). The website recommends this particular scrub for oily, normal or sensitive skin, but I think it would work just as well on dry skin types too!

Halal and Organic also have other scrubs available too, including Pink Himalayan Rose and Lavender (Sensitive skin), Sea Orange and Mustard Seed (Normal/Dry skin), Sea Lemon and Poppy Seed (Normal/Oily) , and a few others too. Be sure to check out the website here and their facebook page here =)

Winter Warmer - Yankee Candles

18:05 2013, candles, winter 3 comments

I've always heard about Yankee Candles but have only been purchasing them for a few months now as Clinton Cards stock a small selection in stores. I love burning candles (especially in the Winter) as they add warmth and fragrance to any room. The Yankee Candles in particular are scented enough that you can smell the fragrance while it's burning (I've used candles before which smell great when they're still packaged, but have no scent when you burn them).

I recently picked up samplers in Pink Dragonfruit, Black Coconut, Fluffy Towels, Midsummer's Night and Cinnamon Stick. I prefer the samplers as they are small and easy to store (no big jars) but still burn for upto 15 hours. I have a glass tealight holder to stand them up in when they burn, otherwise I'd have a puddle of wax to clean up!

Red Velvet Yankee Candle burning away (while the snow falls outside)

What do you think of Yankee Candles? Any favourite scents that you have?

Back to University!

19:20 2013, arabic, university Leave a Comment

So I'm not going back to university full time (just yet), but I did enrol in an Arabic Language class which started in September. So far I've learnt the Arabic Alphabet and quite a few words and simple phrases. I'm enjoying the course as it's given me the chance to start learning a new language and although it isn't Quranic Arabic (which differs from spoken Arabic), I am able to understand bits and pieces of the Quran. If anyone is wondering, the course isn't one particular dialect, but is called Modern Standard Arabic =)

The second term starts tomorrow, and I haven't done any reading over the holidays whatsoever!
What is everyone else planning to do this year? Any New Years resolutions?

Blog-versary Giveaway Winner and Something New

16:14 2013, blog-versary, camera, gift, giveaway, shopping, winner 2 comments

I thought I'd start off the new year by announcing the blog-versary winner! And the person who I will be sending the giveaway prize to is...

Subah Raja!

Congratulations! Please email me (chocoholic-hijabi@hotmail.co.uk) with your details and I'll send the giveaway prize out to you soon =)

As a little treat I decided to buy a blog-versary gift for myself (and of course take advantage of the sales that are on at the moment). I purchased the Nikon 1 J1 compact system camera (okay so it's not that little of a gift) in the twin lens kit from Jessops (link here). Hopefully I'll be able to improve my photography skills and this will then mean I can take better pictures for the blog. Also, it'll give me the chance to learn something new!