April Favorites!

Hello Beautiful!

Oh my! Karachi needs to calm down! The temperature is rising with every passing day and hence the need to keep my face matte and shine free because I have given up on the idea of "sweat-proof/free" considering the humid and hot weather here where I live. My April Favorites consist of the products that didn't fail me in this weather and I didn't need to touch them up frequently, well not even once in some cases. Let's start with what my favorites were.

1. Bourjois - 123 Perfect Foundation - Light Beige 53.

          This has to be my best friend for the hot and humid weather. It is everything EVERYTHING I want from a foundation in this weather. It blends so smoothly with both my Real Technique Buffing Brush and Miracle Sponge, doesn't sit on top of skin, in fact blends in looking very natural. Sets completely matte and is shine free without looking Sahara Dessert dry or cakey. I absolutely love it and will be sticking to this all through Summers.

2. Makeup Revolution - Powder Blush - Treat.
          This is literally the only Blusher I used all through April! The formula is so soft and it blends seamlessly. It has a satin finish and gives the most beautiful peachy color to your cheeks. Also, it stays put for a good amount of time.I loved it enough to even travel with it.

3. e.l.f Cosmetics - Baked Highlighter - Moonlight Pearls.
          This is a re-discovered product from my stash and I fell in love with it all over again. I love to highlight the top of my cheeks, brow-bone and inner corners of my eyes with this. Read the full review here.

4. Morphe Brushes - Individual Eyeshadow - Caramelized.
          This is for my eyes what bronzer is for the face. All of you know by now how much I like to keep my makeup minimal and fresh and when I just a want a little extra for my eyes (apart from Mascara) I just blend this in my crease to warm up the eyes and for a natural contoured look. This buffed into my crease, inner corners and brow-bone highlighted with Moonlight Pearls and two coats of Mascara -and my eye look is complete.
Read the full review here.

5. Jordana - Best Lash Extreme Mascara.
          This Mascara is loveeeee the formula is neither too thin or too thick, just the right consistency and it gets better with each use. I love how just one swipe of this provides both length and volume. I have used this Mascara here.

6. Rimmel - Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer - In The Nude.

          I love to use this in my University days to eliminate the redness and for the well-rested eye look. I hardly get any sleep these days thanks to my studies and this helps me brighten up my eyes. The pencil glides smoothly on the waterline and stays put for a long time without any smudging.

7. Wet n Wild - Megalast Lipstick - Bare It All.
          The first time I got it I wasn't really impressed because I was use to Maybelline Coffee Craze which is a neutral toned brown where as Bare It All is a warm toned brown but with time it grew on me and I gravitated towards it the most all through April, so much so that with the beginning of May I had to remind myself to put this down and use something else. It is a beautiful warm nude shade nonetheless.

I make it a point to switch up and change the products I use every month so that I can share my favorites with you. April was all about keeping my makeup fresh, shine free and long lasting in this humid weather.

What were your favorite products to use in April? How do you keep your makeup shine-free and long lasting? I plan to do my makeup routine for

April with April Favorites, would you like that? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time. Good Luck and Ciao!

Discount / Promo Codes:

GULZEN75 : Get free shipping on your order above Rs. 7500 from Zensky

ASHOOG12 : Get 12% discount on the whole Bag collection at Ashootabby. (Valid until 31st March 2016)

VIOLETTEG10 : Avail 10% discount on your total at Violette - Online Clothing Brand

GULLOVESCHIC : Avail a 10% discount on each item at Urban Chic.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the website link(s) and discount codes provided in this post and do not earn or get anything, in return, in anyway if you click on or use the links -except Urban Chic & Violette -that I own.

The Halo Eye Makeup | Navy and Rose Gold|

Hello Beautiful,

I finally tried the halo eye makeup after being inspired by Kathleen Lights and Jaclyn Hill! Although it looked very hard to do at first but I have to say I really enjoyed doing it. 
This would look beautiful for a night out, weddings and even prom or graduation party! You can totally switch up the colors, sticking to the same technique used here of course. Dark colors in the corners and a light bright color in the middle, you can even go all matte or all shimmer but make sure to use the shimmer in the center if you wanna work with mattes and shimmers. 

Okay so let's get started with this tutorial. 

Products Used:

• L.A. Girl Pro Concealer - Creamy Beige.
• e.l.f Mineral Eye Primer.
• LORAC Pro 2 Palette (Buff, Lt. Brown, Nectar, Snow, Navy and Rose) 
• Color Studio Professional Hypno Black Eye Marker.
• Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara.
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil - Milk.
• Artmatic Lashes

Tools Used:

• Morphe Brushes Blending Brush MB23.
• e.l.f Blending Brush.
• e.l.f Shader Brush.
• A pencil Brush.

Steps:

1. After applying a thin layer of concealer and blending it, I primed my lids with the eye primer and set the whole area with Buff from the palette to get rid of the tackiness.
2. Taking Nectar on MB23, I blended it in the crease keeping it below the brow-bone, from the outer corner to the inner corner. I went in with the shade a few times to build up the intensity.
3. With a small shader brush I patted on Navy on the inner and outer corners and blended it in the crease with Lt. Brown with an e.l.f blending brush. 
4. I patted on the Navy shade again to intensify the color.
5. With a little bit of Nectar on MB23 I blended around the edges to get rid of any harsh lines and for a more blended and diffused look.
6. With a flat shader brush I patted on Rose in the center and blended the edges into the Navy shade.
7. With a pencil brush I smoked the lower lash line with Navy and patted Rose in the center.
8. I decided to apply a winged liner and used Color Studio Eye Marker for that.
9. After highlighting my brow-bone and inner corners with Snow and Buff, I lined my water line with NYX Milk and coated my lashes with two coats of mascara.
10. I decided to put on fake lashes and that really made the whole look more glamorous.

I really like the pop of Rose Gold on Navy. You can definitely skip the winged eye liner but remember to tight-line your upper lash line to make your lashes look fuller. If you use fake lashes with this look, I'll suggest you to go over the band and upper lash liner with a thin eye-liner so that the band of the lashes blends in with the eye-liner.

Also I'm in love with the amazing pigmentation of LORAC 2! I now need to get more LORAC palettes *_*

I also did this makeup look on Snapchat too so if you want to see more makeup looks, swatches and short reviews, follow me at Snapchat (gulexehra).

Do try this and don't forget to share the pictures of your work with me using the hash-tag #gulezehrasblog, I'd love to check out and share your looks. 

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao!

Discount / Promo Codes:

GULZEN75 : Get free shipping on your order above Rs. 7500 from Zensky

ASHOOG12 : Get 12% discount on the whole Bag collection at Ashootabby. (Valid until 31st March 2016)

VIOLETTEG10 : Avail 10% discount on your total at Violette - Online Clothing Brand

GULLOVESCHIC : Avail a 10% discount on each item at Urban Chic.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the website link(s) and discount codes provided in this post and do not earn or get anything, in return, in anyway if you click on or use the links -except Urban Chic & Violette -that I own.

A Jewelry Haul & Review | Sheer Class|

Hello Beautiful!

I remember the time I wasn't into accessories at all except for those little butterfly catchers/clips, I'm sure all the 90s peeps here remember, I finally started out with a watch and ear-studs and now that I am into accessories I'm really in!! From bold statement pieces to delicate and dainty jewelry, but I am picky about what I wear. You wont find me all oohs and aahs over everything, I only talk about with passion what I really really like and believe in. Like I have nothing to say about Fawwad Khan or Hamza Ali Abbasi, I don't find myself going gaga over them -now please don't kill me over that, I have nothing against them haha! :D

Coming back to the topic, I am here to review an accessory brand called Sheer Class which has made it's good name within a very short amount of time and after trying their accessories from their Classy Pouch- April (read review here) I had to place an order from their drool-worthy collection! Let's see what I have to say about each of the pieces I got in my haul. This is a haul and review, combined in one post.

What I Hauled and My Thoughts:

1) 18K Gold Plated Faux Pearl & Cubic Zirconia Exquisite Pendant Set.

This set is a class on it own! I love how beautiful and unique the pendant and ear-studs are, how the pearl is set in midst of the gorgeous band! I absolutely love love pearls and this one is so unique. One can either wear the whole set to a party or a wedding or like me can wear either of the pendant or studs to accessorize without going overboard, I specially like to wear the pendant for lunch-outs and ear-studs for dinner. I'm also very very impressed with the high quality of this.

Price: Rs. 1499.

2) 18 K gold Plated Tear Drop Cubic Zirconia Jumbo Solitaire Pendant Set.

I am in love with this set!!!! Oh my! High quality and so so beautiful! I actually wore the studs for two days straight! Yes I love these so much, I also wore the pendant for the whole day and it looks so pretty without looking 'too much'. It's pretty, delicate and perfect for daily wear. I wore this on a lunch and got a lot of compliments.
Despite of the long wear, I didn't experience any oxidizing although jewelry oxidizes on me very fast. I also have a little trick up my sleeve to avoid that which I'll let you all know at the end of this post. If there is one thing you want to get from Sheer Class, it's this, it's a MUST HAVE for good reasons!

Price: Rs. 999.

3) 18 K gold Plated Ring with center Faux Pearl studded with Cubic Zirconia Double Band.

I ordered this for my Mom as she loves wearing rings and she loved this one so much that she kept it in her rings-for-big-events stash! She has all her favorite and classy rings in that set. That says a lot about how much she liked it. 
It has a beautiful big pearl in center of two Zirconia studded bands and a beautifully carved ring band. I'm going to post a picture on my social media as soon as my mom wears it for an upcoming event. 
I'm very happy with the high quality of this beautiful ring.

Price: Rs. 599

4) 18K Gold Plated Bracelet with Cubic Zirconia.

I hardly wear anything around my wrists other than my wrist watch but this bracelet changed that, Not that it has replaced my watch but I now like to wear it along with the watch and as it's so delicate it pairs up beautifully with other wrist accessories. I love how delicate and high quality this is.

Price: Rs. 499

Over all I'm very very happy with my purchase. right from the quality to the pricing. Sheer Class is so on point with their jewelry collections and variety of both statement and delicate pieces. If you love to wear jewelry then you must give them a go, I'm sure you'd love it. Also I'm very happy with the customer service provided as Saadiah - the Owner, takes care of your order herself and make sure you have a smooth experience.  

You can view Sheer Class collection and order from their Facebook Page and use the code GULZ15 for 15% discount on the whole collection.

Safety Tip: Paint/coat your jewelry with a clear Nail Top Coat, let it dry completely before using. It provides a barrier between your skin and the alloy/paint to avoid any blackening or oxidizing. As the Top Coat is clear it doesn't alter the color and shine of the jewelry.

In case you're wondering, I haven't coated any of these so that you can see pictures of them after I have used them.

Have you bought anything from Sheer Class? How was your experience? Don't forget to share your favorites from Sheer Class with me.

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao!

Discount / Promo Codes:

GULZEN75 : Get free shipping on your order above Rs. 7500 from Zensky

GULZ15 : a) Avail 15% discount on accessories at Sheer Class.

                b) Get The Classy Pouch for Rs. 850 instead of Rs. 1000 by using me code as a Coupon Code! 

ASHOOG12 : Get 12% discount on the whole Bag collection at Ashootabby. (Valid until 31st March 2016)

VIOLETTEG10 : Avail 10% discount on your total at Violette - Online Clothing Brand

GULLOVESCHIC : Avail a 10% discount on each item at Urban Chic.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the website link(s) and discount codes provided in this post and do not earn or get anything, in return, in anyway if you click on or use the links -except Sheer Class (Affiliate), Urban Chic & Violette -that I own.

March Favorites !

Hello Beautiful!

How have you been? Me? Oh, I've just been so mentally and physically exhausted due to MBA and other activities but Blogging is my happy space and I always feel better here. I hope my posts do the same for you (:

So it is time to share my most used and loved products in the month of March. It is going to be a mix of beauty and non beauty related products and as you will see I kept quite low on the Makeup in March but don't you worry my makeup game is back in swing in April :D I like to switch things up you know ;) Okay without any more babbling, here are my favorites from March:

1. J. - Junaid Jamshed Deodorant Body Spray - COLORS:
     I rediscovered this in the beginning of March and it has been my travelling fragrance ever since and went everywhere with me in my hand-bag through out March. I love how long lasting it is on me and how fresh it smells. I'm not into fruity fragrance at all and I like how it's not very sweet smelling, has more of a strong element to it and I love my fragrances a little muskier.

2. Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara:
     This Mascara is love! It's the only one I used and loved loved throughout March. I love how it provides both volume and length in just one coat. it is the perfect pick me up for my lashes. You can see it doing its magic here.

3. The Balm Cosmetics - Hot Mama:
     It is what it is, Hot Mama! I'm in lovvvveeeeeee with this Blusher! It blends so flawlessly on the skin and gives just the right peachy gorgeousness to the cheeks with a subtle golden sheen. I can even apply it with no light source and it'll still look flawless. 

4. NYX - Dark Circle Concealer in Medium:
     As much as I kept my makeup minimum, I had to cover these dark dark under eye circles I have acquired thanks to insomnia. This concealer is more of a corrector than a concealer because it has a strong peach undertone that contracts the blue undertones of our dark circles and this stuff corrects my dark circles so well! I used it every time I used foundation.

5. Freeman Facial Polishing Mask- Charcoal & Black Sugar:
     This is hands down my favorite scrub for my face so far! I like how slightly warm it feels on the skin and that it's neither harsh nor too soft as an exfoliator/scrub. It even gets rid of the blackheads on the nose. I finally repurchased it and have been using and loving it in the previous month.

6. Crest White Deluxe - High Shine - Toothpaste:
     I've always been a little picky when it came to toothpastes. I stick to what I like and do not experiment but in March I gave Crest a go and now that's all I use. I can't really say if it has brighten my teeth but it has definitely cured the sensitivity to a great extent. I have sensitive gums and this isn't harsh on them. I'm not going back to my old or another toothpaste for a long time now.

7. LISTERINE Mouthwash - Fresh Burst:
     I started using it in the beginning of March and this is now my favorite thing to do in the mornings, nights and in between meals. I like how it's not harsh to my gums and although it's very strongly minty but I really like that in a mouth wash. 

I really like the combination of Crest Toothpaste with Listerine because the former has a very subtle taste of mint. Let me know what fragrances you like from Junaid Jamshed Perfumes and if you like sweet fragrances or muskier ones? 

What were your favorite products to use for the previous month? Would you like a detailed review on any of the above? Do let me know. (:

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao!

Spring Detox & Skin Care Ideas | Guest Post |

Spring has always been the season when you can wipe the slate clean and start fresh. Some people like to enter this season with new clothes, others by cleaning their homes thoroughly, and me, I like to enter it with a clean and glowing skin. And who could blame me? Winter has always been terrible to my skin, and I suppose to you too. I cannot stand when my skin is dry, dull and damaged, so with the first blossoms of spring, I do a full blown skin detox and nourish my skin according to the season. Let me share some of my ideas with you.

Step 1: Eat Your Way to Clean Skin

This step will benefit not only your skin, but also your overall health. I do not know about you, but one more reason winter leaves my skin devastated during the winter is all the fatty and sugary holiday food. So, when spring arrives, I change my diet and drink more water (at least 8 glasses). Some of the best detox foods around are hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, tahini, citrus fruit, cabagge, beets, sesame, pomegranate… I found a lot of food inspirations at Dish For Diet health magazine.

Step 2: Exfoliate

Time to take off your skin’s “winter coat”. Now, it is important to remember that for a proper exfoliation you will need a wholesome scrub, not just for your face and neck, but also for lips, chest, arms, hands, legs and feet. If you feel too lazy for the good old honey+ sugar + oatmeal scrub, then you can buy shelve products or tone down the DIY part with simple baking soda + water recipe. No matter what your choice might be, it is important to rub that scrub in circular movements for several minutes.

Step 3: Steam

Put some distilled water on the stove, pour a couple of drops of essential oil (I prefer lavender but you can choose from a bunch of them), and leave to boil. After pour the water into a glass bowl, grab yourself a towel, place your head above the bowl, put the towel over your head and stay over steam for 7 to 10 minutes. Just rinse, and voila! Your skin is clean of the dead cells remaining after exfoliating and the dirt that was once trapped in your pores is gone.

Step 4: Moisturize

This is a major step that should never miss out on. Especially because one of the main reasons you are exfoliating is to help your skin absorb moisturizer and other skincare products. Now, the choice of moisturizer will depend on your skin type and the body part that is being treated. I have very sensitive skin (to say at the least) but I have discovered that Dermalogica skincare products suit my needs the best.

Face – Find the one (nighttime and daytime) that suits you the best, do not try anything new right after the scrub. Daytime moisturizer should have at least SPF30.

Body – It is enough to use simple body butter or even olive oil to retain the moisture.

Lips – Use balms rich in ingredients such as essential oils, jojoba, lanolin and vitamins.

Feet – Find a medicated feet cream designed to heal cracked heels, a lotion that matches your level of skin dryness or simply moisturize with petroleum oil. After, cover the feet with cotton socks and sleep on it.

Step 5: Establish a Healthy Skincare Routine

All of your efforts will worth nothing if you do not continue to take proper care of your skin. So, here is a little trick, after you establish your skincare routine, write it down, hang it on the bathroom wall, and arrange all of your products accordingly. It should go something like this (depending on your skin type): wash, cleanse, tone (apply a toner) and moisturize. Exfoliate once in two weeks.

Those were my skin detox and care tips: nothing too difficult, nothing too expensive, just a natural way to return your skin to its previous glory and make it smooth and gentle again. 

Hello Beautiful!

Peter Minkoff is a beauty & fashion editor for High Style Life magazine located in Brisbane, Australia. After graduating from Australian Institute of Creative Design, he worked as a stylist for few fashion events in Brisbane. Beside fashion & beauty, he loves reading, making DIY cosmetics and traveling around tropical destinations. He plans to create a business for beauty & style advising.

It was a pleasure having Peter contribute his precious time and effort. I love how thorough and informative this post is and so helpful specially for this time of the year. Don't forget to follow his writings on the Hgh Style Life Magazine  I'll definitely be looking into detoxing my skin. What's your favorite way to detox your skin? 

If you want to guest post on my Blog, feel free to contact me at thegulezehrablog@gmail.com. I'd love to have you over.

Until next time, Good Luck & Ciao!

The Classy Pouch by Sheer Class | Unboxing & First Impression |

Hello Beautiful!

I'm so excited about this post! If you saw the recent pictures and activity on my Instagram and Facebook (which you should *wink*) you must know what The Classy Pouch is and why exactly I'm excited about this post. So I received my first Classy Pouch from Sheer Class yesterday and want to share the unboxing and first impressions of it with all of you. Before that let me fill you in about what exactly The Classy Pouch is.

The Classy Pouch is a subscription service by Sheer Class. where you get a bunch of accessories which values for Rs. 2000+ but the pouch is priced at Rs. 1000 (You can get it for Rs.850 by using GULZ15). The contents of the pouch are a surprise but one can customize the pouch at time of placing the order. The Classy Pouch is a great way to get a variety of accessory in such an amazing price.

Unboxing and First Impression:

The Classy Pouch reached me the very next day after it was dispatched so I was super impressed with the delivery. It came packed in a box which assured me of the safe transit. Let's get to the unboxing part which is really exciting for me.

The Pouch is in Green color as it was launched on 23rd March i.e. Pakistan Day. Sheer Class Tag and a little hand written card by Saadiah (which I found very sweet) was attached to the pouch. 

Inside the pouch the contents were all wrapped up in Plastic which was covered in Crepe Paper and Ribbon. 

Now to the fun part -unwrapping the surprises.

1- Platinum Coated Rings Set.

The first thing I unwrapped was this beautiful set of Rings which included Midi Rings! I have been into Midi Rings lately and I'm so glad I received this. The rings are exactly how I prefer, not over the top but delicate and a little edgy. They set perfectly around my fingers, I mostly don't find rings my size in the markets as they stock them sized 16 and up and me being a 14.5 never find a good match. These rings were an exception and fit me well. I'll definitely be wearing them a lot.
These are available separately for Rs. 599.

2- Statement Square Pendant:

It's a beautiful golden long-chained Hollow Square Pendant, filled with crystals. I absolutely loveeee this pendant!!! I love love bold and boho-chic statement necklaces as much as I love delicate pieces and this pendant here is both delicate in terms of the long chain and a 3D Hollowed Square Pendant which is definitely a statement piece. I love this one so much and will be pairing it up with my plain colored tops and shirts -it'll look so cool!

This is available separately for Rs. 899.

3- Nail Art Self-Adhesive Decals.

I have always wanted to try these because they are so effortless, just paint your nails, stick some of these on and layer on a top coat to seal everything and viola, perfectly decorated nails! I like the theme on this set, it's cute and pretty with flowers and bows and the Eiffel Tower!! *_*  I wore two of these immediately and loved it! They are still going strong without a Top Coat and even survived a shower! Yes they stick pretty good, not even a part of it came off! Also it's so affordable that you can stock them up.
Nail Art Self-Adhesive Decals is available for Rs. 60.

4- Statement Metal Bracelet.

Now this is what you call a Bold Statement Piece. This would look perfect with an all Black attire. I was specially impressed with the good quality clasp on this one. It's unlike those cheap loose clasps, this one shuts securely. There's nothing in it which might not be comfortable. I love the look and feel of it. 
On The Edge Turquoise Metal Clasp Bracelet is available separately for Rs. 650.

All of these accessories sum up to Rs. 2358 as you can see in the invoice but The Classy Pouch is priced at Rs. 1000 ( Rs. 850 by using GULZ15 as coupon code), so you are getting a pretty good deal here.

Over all I am very happy with everything in The Classy Pouch. My favorite out of the bunch is the Necklace and the Ring Set.
Each and every piece is of high quality and this pouch is an awesome deal but if you liked any of the accessories included in the pouch then you can purchase them separately from Sheer Class and get a 15% discount on your purchase by using the code GULZ15.
Don't forget to visit Sheer Class and check out the beautiful variety of accessories.


I'll post pictures showing how I paired them up with my outfit on my social media in the coming weeks, so make sure you are following me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Also don't forget to follow Sheer Class on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated.

I'm also thinking to do a Giveaway with something from The Classy Pouch by Sheer Class as my Facebook just recently reached 1000 likes and I want to thank all of you lovely ladies for all the support and love you've given me. Let me know what you liked the best in The Classy Pouch.

Until next time, Good Luck & Ciao! 

Discount / Promo Codes:

GULZEN75 : Get free shipping on your order above Rs. 7500 from Zensky

GULZ15 : a) Avail 15% discount on accessories at Sheer Class.

                b) Get The Classy Pouch for Rs. 850 instead of Rs. 1000 by using me code as a Coupon Code! 

ASHOOG12 : Get 12% discount on the whole Bag collection at Ashootabby. (Valid until 31st March 2016)

VIOLETTEG10 : Avail 10% discount on your total at Violette - Online Clothing Brand

GULLOVESCHIC : Avail a 10% discount on each item at Urban Chic.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the website link(s) and discount codes provided in this post and do not earn or get anything, in return, in anyway if you click on or use the links -except Sheer Class (Affiliate), Urban Chic & Violette -that I own.