Shopping at Souq Waqif in Qatar

Hi ladies! So I am back from my short trip to Qatar. I must say that I did a lot of damage to my credit card this time round, as I shopped up a storm. I have two hauls I would like to show you. The first one is my Souq shopping haul and the second one is my Sephora and mall hauls in Qatar. I will blog about the latter one later. I decided to go crazy with the shopping spree on this trip as it was my birthday on the 24 January and I really wanted to spoil myself. Plus I made a list of all the things that I wanted to get this time that I didn't get in my last trip. I don't know when I will return to Qatar again so I stocked up on some serious beauty supplies. Before I show you what I bought let me first explain to you what the souq is all about!

When walking through Souq Waqif, you feel as if you have been transported back in time to ancient Qatar, as the shopping buildings are all built out of stone and designed in the ancient Islamic architecture. It is quite an experience to walk through there and experience Qatari culture. The best time to go to the souq is from 18:00pm through to midnight on a Thursday night (there Friday night) as local and tourists come out in hundreds to socialise at the restaurants and shop. There are also live traditional bands and performances in the souq streets. 

I absolutely love walking through the souqs and eating at restaurants there. The atmosphere and vibe is electric and you really feel like you are part of Middle Eastern culture. The restaurants sell the most amazing and delicious foods with big portions, so you will always get your money's worth. The souq is actually quite big and I haven't seen all the shops at the Souq even though I have lived in Qatar for a month!

So back to the shopping! I bought lots of Qatari souvenir gifts such as pashmina's and cashmere scarves. I bought traditional handmade jewelry boxes and traditional handmade Qatari bags and pillow cases decked out in beautiful Islamic art prints. I bought lots of bangles, magnets, pens and of cause camel toys:-) I never paid the full price for any of the items I bought but always barter them down to half price. I realised through these trips that I am damn good at bargaining, working my diva charm:-) I become friends with most of the men that work at the souq because I kept buying at their shops and became a familiar face. I would spend a long time chatting to them and joking around with  them. They started calling me their friend and would give me free stuff with my purchases as they said I was their best customer!

I really love the souq. It is one of the best places I have ever been to. It has a unique beauty to it and it is a unique cultural experience. If you ever travel to the Middle East, spend time at the souqs as there are many in the different Islamic countries. Take in the aromas of the Arabic perfume shops, enjoy the delicious Middle Eastern cuisine and be friendly to the shop owners as they will value your friendliness and sincerity and give you more in return than what you have bargained for.

Hope you enjoyed this post divas.

Lots of love.

XXXX

Birthday Giveaway 2014

Can I get a WHOOP!!!

 Ladies I won't tell you how old I am because 'cough' I am getting embarrassingly old, lol. Any way I have a great big birthday gift to give to one lovely diva. This is not a sponsored giveaway. I am giving this box out of love for all of you.

Here is what is in the box:


-SH'ZEN Cleansing Cream
-SH'ZEN Floral Hydrating Mist
-SH'ZEN SPF30 Day Cream
-SH'ZEN Facial Essence
-2 ESSENCE Stay All Day Eye Shadows
-AVROY SHLAIN Lipstick
-AVROY SHLAIN Nail Polish
-LIPGLOSS I bought in Qatar
-SKIN SOLUTIONS Night Repair Gel
-RADIANT COMPLEXIONS Capsule Box
-PINK Earrings
-GREEN Diary/Notebook
-MAYNARDS Sweeties:-))))))


 Rules to enter:
1. Follow @DivaDesle on Twitter and share the giveaway. You can tweet about it or retweet it (If you have a Twitter account).

2. Like the Diva Desle Facebook page and share the giveaway picture on your Facebook Wall. (If you have a Facebook account).

3. Follow Diva Desle on Instagram and like the giveaway picture.  (If you have an Instagram account)

4. Place your email address in the comment box below!

The giveaway will run for a week and end on the 31 January 2014.  This giveaway is only open to South African residents. It is a beauty box filled with awesome 13 items, so get entering!:-)))

All the best ladies!!!! Xxx

Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara & Rouge In Love Lipstick

 I won a wonderful Lancome hamper from PrincessNoo's blog giveaway last year and did a review on the Lancome Vernis in Love nail polish here, which was included in the prize. I have never owned Lancome makeup products before so I was very excited to try these luxury products.

Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara

I have heard so many people rave about Lancome mascara's a while back and I couldn't understand what the fuss was all about. Ok people, now I understand! The mascara comes in a chic black wand applicator. It is the perfect shape and length for a easy and hassle free mascara application. The wand is very steady and fits perfectly in my hand. The mascara brush has a slight curve which creates the perfect curl on my lashes. The bristles are soft and glide effortlessly through my lashes coating it evenly and lengthen them.

Some mascara's throughout the day tend to become hard on the lashes which irritate the eyes or damages the lashes. The Hypnose Drama Mascara feels really light on my lashes and does not become hard or dried out. At the end of the day my lashes still look great and are in perfect shape. Removing the mascara is a breeze with my facial wash and will be easy to remove with makeup remover liquid too. I give this mascara a perfect score. I would love to save up and splurge on another Lancome Mascara when this one is finished. It really is top quality. 

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick in Rose En Deshabille
  The Rouge in love lipstick comes in a pretty silver casing. The lipstick is quite creamy in texture and glides smoothly on the lips. This colour is quite light to what I usually wear and I would often pair it with a dramatic smokey eye. It gives a natural pink tint on my lips which is great for when you don't want to look too overdone on certain days.

To tell you the honest truth I don't know where I stand on the like or dislike scale when it comes to this lipstick. On some days the lipstick would glide on great and give my lips a creamy pink satin look. On other days the lipstick was too creamy and the pigments seemed to separate on my lips. It is pretty hard to explain, but the texture was not even on my lips. I found that this usually happened on very hot days. So I would conclude that this lipstick works best in colder temperatures than in hot weather. I would probably not buy this lipstick again as I would prefer shades and textures I can wear all year round. Have any of you lovely ladies tried this lipstick? What are your thoughts?


Thanks for reading!
Many divalicious kisses
Xxxx

Travel Flight Essentials

Hi Divas!

As you read this I am on a flight to Qatar again! Can you believe it? Well me neither. I can't believe I am starting off my year travelling to the Middle East again! All I can say is God is great! I am going to work in Qatar for a few days doing shows at the Al Rayyan theatre. I actually can't wait to go back and explore the Qatari desert and of cause do some serious damage to my credit card by shopping up a storm. I will be doing more travel posts about Qatar so look out for that too.

I really had to pack fast as this is a quick trip. I have become quite good at economical packing. I hate taking too much stuff with me when I travel. I like to pack light and make sure I have enough space for all my shopping goodies when I fly back.  Packing makeup and toiletries for your big hand-in luggage is a breeze. Although packing for your hand luggage is quite a challenge. Firstly the obvious challenge is the 100ml bottle restrictions and of cause the second challenge is figuring out what sort of beauty products do you need on a plane? 

 Here is my travel flight essential list:

1. Clarins Toiletry bag

There is no need to look frumpy on a plane. I love to keep all my little travel beauty products in this chic red Clarins toiletry bag. I love that it looks like a sexy red clutch instead of a predictable floral toiletry bag.

2. T.L.C Facial wipes

Since washing your face is out of the question for the next 9 hours and more, I love using these 3 in 1 facial wipes, that cleanses, tones and moisturises the face. My face feels squeaky clean after I use these and it smells great too.

3. Clarins Daily Energizing Cream 50ml

 So after spending 9 hours on an air conditioned flight, sleeping and drooling all over your neck pillow, your face is bound to look a little beaten up. I love using the Clarins energizing cream as it moisturises my skin perfectly while waking up my skin and making it look radiant and energized.

4. Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream

The 8hour cream is great to use on the lips and anywhere else on your body where there is a minor burn, scratch or dry spot. I love that it is so versatile and long lasting. I use a travel size tube.

5. Nivea 48h Anti-Perspirant Roll On

So you have been on this flight for 5hours and you starting to smell a little funky when the air hostess comes around and asks ''chicken or beef?''  Please don't make the air hostess's job more unbearable than it already is.  Rub that underarm on and feel like a fresh human being again. Believe me the crew and I have had some horrifying and gagging experiences when other people on the flight were not so courteous in the hygiene apartment. Sigh!

6. Clarins Hand Lotion 30ml

Lather your hands up in some lotion on the flight as it is the best place to pamper your hands since you won't be using it so much in those hours. I love the travel size Clarins hand lotion because it smells amazing and helps me to relax.

7. Pocket Tissues

You never know when you might need an extra tissue on hand. Turbulence can hit the plane at the most surprising times and there goes your coffee all over your little tray. Those tissues help!:-)

8. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

So this is for the vanity problem in me. I hate wearing makeup on a long plane flight. Ladies don't do it! You can't wash all that foundation and mascara off your face and sleeping with it on is a skin care crime. I go all natural when I take long plane flights. I lather my face up with moisturiser and I am good to go. So I must admit that when that sexy male air hostess comes my way I do feel a little ugly. So I slap on some pink Revlon Just Bitten Lip Balm to make me feel like a pretty woman again and flash that 'I woke up like this smile' as Beyonce sings in 'Flawless'. No harm done there! It is also great to glide the balm on your lips when getting off the flight and you  have to walk through custom checks. Again, flash that 'I woke up like this' flawless smile at the security guard, because he looks great in that uniform, and collect your luggage!

Do you have any travel essentials that you love to take on the plane with you? Let me know below:-)

 Hi ladies! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, New Year and Holiday. I had a great break spending time with my family and enjoying my beautiful city, Cape Town. I am technically still on holiday as I only start work next week Monday.

I thought I would start off my blogging year with a fun blog tag as I usually do. It seems that my first blog post for the year is always a blog tag. I think I will keep up this tradition for as long as I can. My blog is an expression of me and I love having fun with it. I want you to have fun and enjoy my blog too. Thank you all for reading Diva Desle and subscribing on varies social platforms. It means a lot to me.

FUN TAG:


1.What is your dream vacation?
I absolutely love being near the sea. The ocean is such a beautiful, serene and yet powerful place for me. I feel really connected to it. So any place that has a beautiful beach has my heart. I would love to go to Croatia as the sea views are just breathtaking. Go google Croatia right now and see what I mean:-) While you at it google Montenegro too, as that country is second on the list for a dream vacation. It is too beautiful for words.

 

2. Are you spontaneous or do you like to plan ahead?
I am quite a spontaneous person. When it comes to daily activities I prefer to let things progress naturally than plan a few months in advance. I find planning quite tedious and boring even though I know planning is important for huge decisions. It definitely takes a lot of effort for me to plan something. If there is a plan in place I generally stick to it.

 

3. Tell us one thing you want to do but don’t dare do it. 

Well, I am a theatre performer which means I sing and act on stage for my daily bread. I am passionate about singing and have been doing it since a young age. Everybody is always telling me to enter Idols. Maybe I should do it. But I know I never will.

 

4. What’s your biggest phobia?
My biggest phobia is definitely scoleciphobia: fear of parasitic worms. I have a huge fear of parasites but worms top the list. I heard a horrible story when I was young about the subject and it stuck with me for years to come. Just thinking about it makes me shudder...Brrrr. Scary stuff!


5. If you were stranded on a desert island-what three things would you want with you? (Not including your laptop or family) 

1. A big pot of Vaseline would be on the list. I can't stand dry skin and chapped lips. Being on a desert island I imagine that would be a problem. Plus I saw an episode on the Tyra Banks show (don't judge me!) on many ways Vaseline could be used, lol. So that's a keeper.

2. Well since there would be no electricity and I would probably run out of battery power I would need a solar system operated radio or iPod gadget. I can't live my life without music. There would be a serious whole in my heart if that were to happen. Music soothes my soul and stimulates my mind. Plus a desert island would be a perfect place to run around in your birthday suite dancing like a crazy person to some awesome tunes.

3. Can I make this one plural? I need like three books: my bible and two novels. I fear I may lose all my sanity being all alone on that island. My bible would help me keep faith and keep me spiritually grounded. Plus I really enjoy reading it:-) The other two books would be novels like a good drama and comedy. Even if I read those books a million times they wouldn't become boring for me. I'd still enjoy them.


6. Name three things in your life that you are thankful for.
1. I am thankful for so many things in my life. Top of the list would be that I was able to study and receive my postgraduate degree in something that I love and am passionate about. Plus I get to have a full time career in something that I studied and love doing. Not many people had the opportunity to study or love the jobs they are in. So I am very grateful for that.

2. I am thankful for the close relationship I have with my family. We are super tight and have each other's backs till the end of time.

3. I am thankful for the many amazing opportunities that I have received such as travelling overseas, getting to explore a new country. Riding in the middle of the Qatari desert on a camel is an experience that I will forever cherish and a story I will be able to tell my grandchildren one day.


7. What was your nickname in High School?
I never had a nickname in high school but I realised at university and at my various work places, people started calling me kleintjie. It is an Afrikaans word for little one. I was always the shortest amongst my peers and in the work place so that name kind of stuck with me.


8. If you could meet the President of the United States, what would you say to him?
''Can I have a selfie with you, Obama?'' Hahaha. Then I will post the living daylights out of that picture on every social networking site possible.


9. If you could be any literary character, who would you be?
Wow, what an amazing question! I had to think long and hard about this one because I am a serious book worm and choosing was really difficult. I want to be Carrie from the Stephen King novel. I want to be able to move objects with my mind. If anybody makes me angry I would be able to move a book and hit it against the person's head and no one will ever know it's me! Hahahaha. I am only joking; I would never want to be Carrie!

 

10. What is your favourite quote?
One of my favourite quotes are: ''Faith is not knowing what the future holds, but knowing who holds the future.'' (Author Unknown)



Hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for reading!

*In other news, it's my BIRTHDAY in two weeks. Whoop! Look out for a birthday giveaway coming up.

Mwah Xxx