Unwrapping Limited Editions' Beauty

The good thing about living in Riyadh is living tax-free so we all have this mentality that prices are cheaper and we can buy almost all we want and need. However, if you look closely, we are lacking many brands in the market that are otherwise very popular in other countries. The options here are enough, yes, but we are often left thinking if what we're getting is a good bargain if we buy it somewhere else. It looks as if most of the prices are jacked up, except when it's sale season where of course, we expect discounts and promos (but even this is up for debate). What's frustrating in Riyadh sometimes is we can't find what we're looking for most of the time. Brands and items are not as accessible. We need to shop online and that's not always a possibility to most of us who do not have credit cards (and those like me who don't trust ourselves with credit cards, haha!) But then again, there are so many ways to acquire stuff. You just have to go and look for these ways especially when it comes to beauty products. 

There are a lot of beauty products in huge cosmetics stores in the Kingdom. You've probably been to those one-stop stores like Debenhams, Paris Gallery, Faces, and Sephora. Found what you're looking for? Good. Didn't find what you're looking far? Too bad. But all hope's not lost. Online stores that bring make-up and beauty and wellness stuff in Saudi Arabia are opening in Facebook and they do cash on delivery! Have you discovered Limited Editions? I did! 

The Limited Edition/s Store

Limited Editions is an online beauty store selling the best cosmetics and beauty brands in Saudi Arabia. They offer options for us Riyadhizens to get our hands on the latest, trend-setting beauty products with an easy online ordering process and a quick and convenient delivery service. They carry popular brands like Urban Decay, Clarisonic, Olay, BH Cosmetics, Tarte, Stila, Beauty Blender, and other well-loved brands. I saw the Facebook page of Limited Editions when they were still fairly new in the business and now, as I perused their photo albums of products, I see that they've grown, offering over 1,800 products from 150 different brands and garnering more than 35,000 likes as we speak! So imagine my indecision just by looking at all these wonderful products available with just a click of a button. I thought I already knew what I will buy even before I clicked on Limited Editions. Sister was I wrong! 

Visit their Facebook page and satisfy your beauty (products) craving!

So I've always wanted the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. I have a lot of eyeshadow palettes at home but I have a need to buy this palette. I have no idea where this irrational craving for a beauty product came from. Haha! Anyway, I visited Limited Editions and guess what I ordered after an hour of going back and forth the page? An Olay ProX Advance Cleansing System! Uhmn what?! Hahah! Told you, just by going over the hundred of albums of thousand of products in Limited Editions, my mind changed. I’ve always thought I wanted that rose palette since forever! Turns out I need a face cleansing tool more. Hahaha! 

Which ones are you buying?

The good thing about Limited Editions is that their photo albums of products are labeled. However, searching for the product you want (or think you need) is a bit hard, especially when a Search button (we're spoiled by Google) is not available in Facebook pages. But, it's also so simple to send them a message for any query that you have and you get your reply almost immediately. LE has a dedicated customer service that mans the messages they receive so feedback is immediate. 

Another con for most women might be the waiting period. We all know that when ordering online, it takes days to receive the products. But with LE, 8-12 days is not too bad of a waiting time. And you don't have to worry about the bureaucracy in the post office; you won't be left wondering where in the Kingdom your package landed or what happened to it or if someone too his sweet time going through your box. Anyway, if you have a low EQ like me (I hate waiting for stuff), you can always go to their On-Hand Products folder and look at the items that are immediately available and can be delivered in a matter of 1-3 days. 

Too many beautiful, bestselling, trendy cosmetics to choose from!

Another factor in considering when buying online is, of course, the price. LE's prices are higher than what most websites advertise because they also bear the local US/UK taes/VAT and shipping costs. I recommend you go for products that are not really available here in the Kingdom so you really get the best bang for your bucks. But then again, LE doesn’t usually carry the brands that are widely available in Saudi Arabia. If they do (like Smashbox, Bobbi Brown, Mac, etc.), it means these items are from a limited edition or special range and are not released in Saudi Arabia. 

Here are my suggested buys for you: Coastal Scents (wide range of eyeshadows in handy palettes), Sara Happ lip scrubs, Philosophy, Burt's Bees, Lime Crime (highly pigmented lippies), Cetaphil, and Clarisonic and Olay brush cleansing systems. Now, if you can't find the product you're looking for, you can always ask and request it from them. 

Popular brands at your fingertips!

After deciding on the Olay ProX, I messaged my order on Tuesday afternoon and received a reply in less than 10 minutes. They informed me that the product will be available for delivery on Thursday, 9:00AM to 3:00PM. After that, they asked me for my address and contact number. On Thursday morning, I received a call from the delivery guy and he delivered the product to me after 30 minutes (the guy gave me a wrong estimate time of arrival; he kept saying "10 minutes.") I gave the money, signed the receipt, and voila! The product is in my hands! With a free L'oreal lipstick and a Patchi chocolate to boot. They all came in a Limited Edition paper bag that makes this online business really professional-looking. Goes to show how committed they are in their work. 

My loot! Yeyyy!

LE offers free delivery within Riyadh and SR 19 shipping fee for those outside Riyadh. They deliver to Gulf countries too for a minimal fee. 

Here's the good news, when you buy any stuff from Limited Editions, mention the code PINKTARHA in your message to them and you'll get 5% off in your order! This is valid from June 1 to June 15, 2014.  

Promo code for you gals!

Don’t forget to check out Limited Edition’s Facebook page for ongoing promos! 

So, are you ready to be mesmerized with thousands of beauty products you don't even know are available to you? Go for it! Quench your thirst for cosmetics. You don't get a second chance in making a first impression, so buy and wear that gahd darn lipstick! Happy shopping and be your own kind of beautiful! ;) ~ Sundrenched

LIMITED EDITIONS

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

W: http://www.limitededitionsksa.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/LimitedEditionsKSA

Twitter: @LimitedEditionsKSA

Email: LimitedEditionsKSA@gmail.com


Disclosure: The Pink Tarha was given a 20% discount for a one-time purchase in Limited Editions online store.

Getting Fit @ NuYu

I HAVE BECOME quite the gym buff lately. Make no mistake, I am the larger one out of all The Pink Tarha ladies, but that's all the more reason I have started a lifestyle change more than six weeks ago. And while my personal weight loss journey won't be the highlight of what you'll be reading today, the reason I mentioned it is because my NuYu experience came at the perfect time.

First off, NuYu is a fun and dynamic new fitness studio led by impressively passionate individuals who are keen in making a difference in the lives of women in Saudi Arabia by encouraging them to be active and healthy in a fun environment at an amazingly affordable price. I was fortunate enough to meet the "mothership" of NuYu composed of its Owner, HRH Princess Sara Al Saud, Ms. Susan Cass, General Manager and Ms. Kate Fearon, Consulting Manager along with Ms. Yasmin and fitness trainers, Ellie, Dominique and Keriyah. In our conversations, I noticed how enthusiastic they were about their vision and they shared how fitness has changed their own lives. I was inspired.

And inspired is just one of the feelings you'd encounter as you walk through the halls of NuYu. You will be welcomed with a brief, security check in the entrance but with very accommodating receptionists (Shoutout to one of our loyal readers, Amantullah who was as ecstatic as I am to meet her!). Their lounge area is inviting and plain cozy, something you'd feel if you were coming home to your own, chic apartment. The hallway leading up to the studios has a "cinema" feel to them and rightly so, their changing rooms look like a prep-room for a theater production - complete with the big light bulbs, mirrors and all. (Pardon me, it was hard to take personal photos for The Pink Tarha since it was an area filled with abaya-less women, so I will be showing you official photos provided by NuYu instead.)

The cozy and chic lobby.

The Spin Room, fashioned after New York's Radio City Music Hall. 

This is where you get your sexy back! 

On my day at Nuyu, I had the opportunity to try out their latest training program called the Private Group Training.

It's the latest fitness trend that's treading the line between a one-on-one class and a group class. The difference being is that in a one-on-one class, it's pretty much self-motivation and you can easily fall off the wagon without a proper support group; meanwhile a group class usually runs the risk of being too generic and not necessarily addressing the specific needs of every student in the class. What PGT is trying to achieve in a class of 6 to 8 people (maximum) is to offer every participant the opportunity to benefit from effective and personal training whilst giving its participants  the feeling of teamwork and solidarity that can only come from a sense of belonging. 

PGT is essentially a six-week program that is result-focused and notably affordable since there are 6 to 8 of you sharing the services of a dedicated trainer. My one-day PGT experience began first with an InBody Assessment which will let me know what I am starting with. The InBody Assessment is done with a simple-looking machine that I can only later on describe to be magical. It's important to have the assessment done prior to starting your PGT so that you can be well aware of your current state and from there, plot the goal you need to reach in six weeks' time. 

Now nothing can be more scarier than the truth, but it can also set you free. After reading my InBody Assessment, I had a better sense of how hard I needed to work to lose all the "bad weight" I've put on through the years. The assessment will print your details on your body's composition (Skeletal Muscle Mass, Body Fat Mass, Total Body Water), an obesity diagnosis (Body Mass Index, Percent Body Fat, Waist-Hip Ratio), reading of your Segmental Fat and Segmental Lean Mass and an Exercise Planner that suggests several activities for you to work on. 

Dominique facilitated our InBody Assessment and explained to us what we needed to do and how PGT was going to help us achieve that. And so, off we went to get a taste of NuShape (one of the aspects of the PGT) with fitness trainer, Ellie. This is where the sweat starts. 

One of their workout studios.

NuShape was NoJoke. I had just started to learn planking a few days back and after my NuShape session, I have officially become a planking addict. The NuShape session was comprised of warm-ups,  a circuit training of weight lifting and core strengthening exercises. Think repetitions of weight-lifting machines, squats, planking and more planking! Hahaha! I was compelled to do more than six 30-second plankings after having just learned how to do 15-second ones days ago. But that's how workouts are I suppose, it's about pushing yourself to doing more than you think you can. 

Ellie was great. I started to see what they mean about the attention PGT can offer to its participants. She was equally watching and guiding each of us in our moves and positions. My fellow blogger Daniyah, who was also a participant in the event, was very encouraging to me all throughout the session and I started to get a glimpse of that team spirit that PGT takes pride in. Feels good, so far! 

After the 30-minute NuShape session, it was time for the NuVibe session which was headed by fitness trainer, Keriyah. NuVibe is conducted using the Power Plate -- a state-of-the-art exercise equipment with a vibrating platform initially developed by NASA. It may look intimidating at first, but the results that a Power Plate delivers are astounding. Think of doing 30 squats on a regular floor -- if you do the same number of squats while on the Power Plate, you double that amount while exerting the same effort. It maximizes your time in the gym with favorable outcomes. 

The Power Plate Studio.

The Power Plate, for me, had me a little disoriented. I suppose as a first timer on it, it was only natural to feel a bit dizzy while doing the exercises on a vibrating platform. But Keriyah was very accommodating and she always asked me if I could still manage. I did my best, but I was ready to give up at that point, truth be told. A NuVibe session can also go for 30 minutes and you'd definitely need an instructor to constantly guide you. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish the entire session as I had a driver waiting overtime for me already. I bid Keriyah and Daniyah goodbye and thanked them for an awesome, sweaty time. 

You would think that I was ready to collapse at this point, but after a couple of minutes recovering and hydrating, I actually felt really good. Yay for happy hormones thanks to exercising! I really thought all the planking and power plate-ing was enough to make me slash my wrists, but funny enough, it made me want it more! 

If this got you thinking about considering PGT or merely changing your lifestyle into a healthier one, please do go and check out NuYu personally or at their website here. All of your questions regarding price and schedules can be accommodated by their wonderful team of people. Right now, they only have that one branch in Exit 8 but by 2014, two more new branches are set to open in the city. I am excited! 

Cheers to all the gym gals out there! You all rock! xoxo

-Eyecandy

NuYu
King Abdulaziz Road,
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
T: +966-11-810-4111

W: http://www.nuyu-ksa.com

Email: community@nuyu-ksa.com

Location Map:

Because You're Prettylicious!

"You create beauty with your attitude, your behavior, and your actions."

Sooo deep. I can't fathom it. Haha! Well, it's more of the explanation for the concept of putting value to the beauty inside all of us (aka personality and character) instead of the beauty outside. We say, we can have them both! Because we're 'shallow' (no, not really), this entry will concentrate on the outside beauty. Hahaha! It's not rocket science nowadays to be beautiful in our physical appearance. Especially in Riyadh where salons and ladies centers are frolicking. But which is which? Which is a good salon? What about the affordable ones? Are there ladies centers that offer beauty and fitness services?

There are! And one of them is tucked in Building 7 of the Iskan Almaather Building (aka Kuwaiti Housing) near the intersection of Dabab and Al-Matther streets. The salon is located in front of the parking space just off Dabab (map below). 

Prettylicious Ladies Center might be the answer to our beauty and fitness problems. It's a one-stop place that offers beauty and spa services and fitness packages. It has a gym and also a place for aerobics classes. Granted that it's not as big and grand as most of the fitness centers in Riyadh, they're certainly more affordable! Also, with the smaller number of members, you'll feel right at home! All of their beauticians and fitness instructor are Filipinas too. 

The gym area

Prettylicious Salon has been in business for years. It's not exactly new and their space shows that but it does what it says it offers: good hair services and a fitness and aerobics center that can help you lose weight or tone your bodies. It's pretty much a straightforward and simple salon. A lounge welcomes guests while the rooms inside are divided into the aerobics room, the gym, the sauna/jacuzzi area, and the salon. 

Get your fit on!

I can totally hear the treadmills calling me.

The gym area is not too wide but it doesn't get too crowded so it's still conducive for your fitness regimen. You can use the exercise machines anytime you want if you're enrolled in their gym membership program.

The aerobics room 

Mirror mirror on the wall as walls.

You can use some balls! Haha!

The aerobics area is clean and has enough room for a fun and engaging class. They usually conduct two aerobics classes per day. Lockers are available for members too. Prettylicious offers a different membership for aerobics alone but you can combine both in their mixed membership package (rates, promos, and types below).

Time for some jacuzzi

The sauna

You can also relax in their sauna and jacuzzi. Pamper me time! Mix enrollees can avail of the jacuzzi and sauna twice a week for free! ;)

The salon area

Prettylicious Salon offers a lot of hair services like cuts, coloring, blow drying, and rebonding. The prices depend on the hair length. They also do hair styles and makeup for your special occasions. There's also a room for your waxing needs. Their spa list includes the usual mani and pedi and foot massage.

I had my hair trimmed when I visited and I must say that Edina, one of their hair stylists, did a good job. And she went beyond the call of duty when she blow dried by hair really, really well! When I stepped out of the salon, I felt like going to a party pronto because my curls were so perfectly in place. But then, I have no party to attend to that night. Hahaha! 

Prettylicious comes up with promos monthly. And look at their December promo! Sulit!

Sometimes, you create beauty with a good ladies center! ;) ~ Sundrenched

Prettylicious Ladies Center

Ground Floor, Building No. 7

ISKAN Almaather Building, Dabab Street

T: +966-11-466-0423

Opening times:

10AM to 10PM from Saturday to Thursday

1PM to 10PM on Fridays

Website: https://prettyliciousladiescenter.shutterfly.com

Map:

Pink always marks the spot.

Directions: 

If you're coming from King Fahd Road, take the roundabout (aka Cairo Square) to go to Khurais Road. Once you reach the intersection of King Fahd Medical City, turn right in Dabab Street and go straight. Stay on the right side (don't take the underpass). You'll find the Iskan housing on your right. Find number 7 and turn right towards the parking area. You'll find Prettylicious in your right. (It's always right huh! Hehe!)

The cluster of similar building is the ISKAN Housing aka Kuwaiti housing

Price List for Salon Services:

What would you like madame? ;)

The Many Scents of Zohoor Alreef

We all know that a woman is never fully dressed without a perfume. And at this age and time, there are so many perfumes and scents out there enough to drive us nuts in just the selection process. But we still go on the search for the best fragrance because 'it's always wonderful to be elegant, it's always fashionable to have grace, it's always glamorous to be brave, and it's always important to own a delectable perfume!' 

So let Zohoor Alreef, Saudi Arabia's very own fragrance company, show you how beautiful fragrance is always in style, at any age, at any form! Zohoor Alreef is the brainchild of brothers Faisal and Waleed AlKhaldi. They started making perfumes from natural ingredients in AlKhobar in 1991. From catering to their families and neighbors' requests, they opened stores in Hofuf, Jeddah, and Riyadh in 1993. Today, they have over 200 stores worldwide. This proves how far Zohoor Alreef has gone in terms of providing high quality products to their customers whom they consider as family. 

What started as a family business widens into an even larger family, extending to the company's growing employee numbers and loyal patrons over the years. Customers are given a special participation in the creation of Zohoor Alreef's products. And with the introduction of social media platforms, more voices are heard and more feedback are gathered. Zohoor Alreef listens to their family members thus creating a range of products that are perfect for each and every one. Welcome to Zohoor Alreef! 

Welcome to Zohoor Alreef!

Walking into a Zohoor Alreef store provides relief from the busyness of life. Its subtle yet chic interiors matched with the pastels and muted colors of the products’ packaging make shopping a breeze. The ranges are lined up on wide shelves not overcrowded with products. Every shelf and rack are well-curated with items that go well together and are suited with every personality. 

Your choice begins here...

In 2001, the AlKhaldis acquired a production facility in France that produces similar products using natural ingredients giving birth to Zohoor Alreef's bestselling line, La Verger Shop. La Verger, which means "the orchard" truly encapsulates the meaning of its name by taking different fresh fruits and flowers and whipping them up with extraordinary perfume creation skills into an unparalleled body care range. From the orchard into the bottle... the French orchard comes to each and every one's homes through Zohoor Alreef. 

One of the bestselling lines... lily of the valley.

From body creams and lotions to shower gels and creams... they have it for you!

Selecting the right scent is mind-boggling because they're all fragrant! Popular scents are lily of the valley, pomegranate, sweet camellia, papaya and sweet rose. They also have unique blends like neptune (a fresh, vibrant scent with hints of the surf), raisin rouge (a full fruity fragrance) and green tea (a refreshing scent of Japan's most popular drink). It's not only the scent that will make your decision difficult, it's also the colors. From light to deep, passionate hues, La Verger products look good in the bottles, jars, and tubes they come in. 

I'm in love with the raspberry scent...

But I like the color of Lily of the Valley.

Massage oil candles... how cool are these?

Apart from La Verger Shop, Zohoor Alreef has other exclusive ranges from houses like Le Maison de la Vanille and Collines de Provence. 

Gorgeous packaging, luxurious scents

Everything vanilla added to other fragrances

Le Maison de la Vanille combines the classic vanilla scent with other popular notes: powdery, oriental, druity, floral, and woody. These products come in gorgeous packs that are great for gift-giving. 

Popular products from La Maison de la Vanille

Moai is a popular Le Maison de la Vanille product for men. It has an energetic and fiery scent but has notes that make it tender and soft. If you describe your man as authentic and emotional, then you have to get him this! Meanwhile, Vanahe is magical and sensual. It brings the exotic flowers, fruits, and the ocean together to create a harmonious and mysterious fragrance. 

The Collines de Provence, on the other hand, is a company inspired by nature. Since 1995, it has been churning out aromatic home fragrances and linen fragrance as well as organic cosmetics and soaps. 

Minimalist packaging, big on fragrance

While the brands above are great, we could not disregard the fact that Zohoor Alreef's heart is its perfumes and fragrances. After all, it's what made Zohoor Alreef really famous. 

The exclusive perfumes

Sniff the Orient and the Parisian aromas

We've written about one of their newest releases, the Signature D'Orient collection. They also offer the Four Winds collection, inspired by the winds that travel throughout France. It features Mistral, Greco, Garbino, and Calima. With just these names, I'm already enthralled to try them all. 

Zohoor Alreef also has perfumes on-the-go suitable for the younger ones, or just those like us who don't leave the house without a small bottle of our favorite scent. Reserve Naturelle's 'flavors' are young, hip, and fun. I'm intrigued with the marshmallow and chocolate varieties. 

Travel size

Lots of 'flavors' to choose from

Apart from these eau de parfum and eau de toilette, Zohoor Alreef is also best known for their signature oil perfumes. So many scents to choose from! I personally thought these oils were expensive but they're really affordable. This potent fragrant liquid makes for a distinctive smell. Choosing your very own fragrance will prove to be difficult for the indecisive but once found, you'll get your home's own principle of scent. When enveloped with it, your home can welcome anyone from your friends to your VIP guests! 

The classic signature line

What do you want to smell like today?

The luxury oils come in beautiful, elegant bottles

I had fun reading the names of the oils. Wonder what Broken Heart, Be Happy, Good Mood, Perfect Love, and Sunny Smile smell like? You should try them all in Zohoor Alreef! And you should try them using these cute burners... 

Say, if you're not into perfume oils... what is a good alternative? Why scented candles and wax melts, of course! I got to know Zohoor Alreef on my first year in the Kingdom because I was looking for Tarts wax melts and voila! They're carrying the Yankee Candle brand. I love the clean scent of Clean Cotton and Soft Blanket. 

Your room, instantly refreshed

See? There are so many great brands that Zohoor Alreef carries and if I were you, try their high quality products. Whether for yourself or for your home, you'll find something fragrant in their store. 

Mix and match!

Oh wait, you don't even have to go to their store to get their products! You can purchase them online and they get delivered to your doorstep! Visit www.zohooralreef.com now! Don't miss their special deals and promos too. 

When they say that a perfume is the most intense form of memory, Zohoor Alreef must be one of the greatest memory keepers then. The good thing is, they share their wonderful gifts of fragrances to everyone so that we can all have our own delectable perfume. They even went as far as providing us with the best body care products and home fragrances lines. Now, that's Zohoor Alreef for you. ~ Sundrenched

Zohoor Alreef

Riyadh branches

Saudi Arabia branches

T: +800-3044-666 | +966-92000-2277

E: CRM@ZohoorAlreef.com

FB: www.facebook.com/ZohoorAlreefStores

Twitter: @ZARStores