Dubai – The Blush Diaries | A Dubai Based Fashion and Beauty Blog by Rania Esper

International Friendship Day with Yalla Spree

In honor of International Friendship Day, which was on August 7th, I’ve partnered with Yalla Spree and Micaroon Makeup for the ultimate beauty giveaway. All participants receive a 20% discount, and 10 lucky winners will receive a goodie bag filled with some fabulous Micaroon products.

Yalla Spree is the UAE’s largest retail directory, offering everything from shop locations and reviews, to the hottest sales and bargains. I love visiting the many Dubai malls just to do some browsing and window shopping, but I was amazed at how many store locations I wasn’t aware of until I came across Yalla Spree. It’s also a great way to get updates on new items and special promotions that come up.

Macaroon Makeup just launched their liquid matte lipsticks, and this is the perfect opportunity to get your hands on some of their beautiful colors. To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is visit the Yalla Spree campaign page here and post a selfie telling us what your favorite color means to you. Tag your besties, share the love and show us your pretty pouts. Good luck babes!

xo Rania

“A friendship is a soul trapped in two bodies.”

Cocoville Cafe in Dubai

With the heat escalating in sunny Dubai, we’ve been exploring indoor locations to shoot in, which is how we came across the prettiest gem that is Cocoville. When planning a lunch or coffee date with a friend, the number one priority is a tasty menu, but finding an instagram friendly spot is a major plus. Cocoville has all the makings of the ideal coffee shop. From the quaint white and mint walls, the coppery elements and cute chairs, to the marble white table tops and a floor to make you the envy of all the ‘from where I stand’ hashtag users.

I think my outfit matched pretty nicely with decor, and I’m just loving blue and white this summer. The striped top and checkered skirt combination is my personal take on mixing prints. The light was pooling in so beautifully, giving the space a homey and serene atmosphere.

Now back to the chocolatey menu. I am one of those people who discovered hot chocolate a little later in life, so I immediately became addicted to it and will drink it all year round. Cocoville’s specialty is mainly everything chocolate, with a variety of candies, cookies, truffles and chocolate covered everything. If you’re a fan of sweets and a bright sunny space, I think you should pay Cocoville a visit as soon as your next craving materializes.

Are there any cute cafes or restaurants in Dubai you love to visit often? I’m always looking for new places to try and would love to hear your recommendations!

xo Rania

Flounced Top: Berksha | Checkered Skirt: Namshi | Wedges: New York & Company | Bag: Aldo | Hat: Mango.

Photography by Natelee Cocks.

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Vaniday App UAE

If you’re living in Dubai – or the UAE in general – then you already know there is an endless supply of salons at every corner. I find that once I have a place and person I like and am used to, I keep going back to them. When the ladies at Vaniday app approached me about testing out their app and reviewing it, I was so excited to discover a new place to try and get out of my comfort zone. I was absolutely shocked at how many salons there are around that I never knew existed and proceeded to book at Essentials Salon Dubai, mostly because the interior looked so quaint and serene. Luckily my experience there was wonderful and now I have a new badge under my ‘favorite salons’ belt.

The great thing about the Vaniday app is you can search for places by services or location and it includes reviews to help you choose. There are often discounts and promotions available through the app, which is an additional perk to booking through Vaniday. I like making bookings online rather than over the phone so I can figure out the best date and time while seeing the available options infront of me, and to be able to make changes or cancelations later on if need be. The only difficulty I faced was that I was unable to book multiple services at once, but other than that I found this to be a fast and easy way to make appointments, while discovering new salons in my area and even choosing s preferred stylist or nail therapist. Have you tried the Vaniday app and if so, what was your take on it?

xo Rania

Photography by Natelee Cocks. Dress: Chicwish.

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Wanderlust Collection

In December I shared with you a post called Wanderlusting with my friend Sara Japanwalla who gave me the full scoop on her latest venture into fashion design. She has finally launched The Wanderlust Collection, which captures the essence of each beautiful city (Paris, Venice and Santorini) on a canvas of wearable art for different tastes. Sara is an innately talented artist and now she has proven that she knows what looks good on women. The pieces range from playful midi skirts, capes and dresses all in a flattering scuba material. I got to work with a team of amazing ladies to create an editorial photoshoot for the collection, and we each were able to showcase our unique styles and how we would wear the outfits. Since the general vibe was colorful, fun and slightly retro, we decided to go for vintage hair and makeup. Some of the pictures were shot at Magnolia Bakery at The Beach in JBR which really was the icing on the proverbial cupcake. I don’t really like to play favorites, but the Paris Midi Skirt I got to model felt like it was made just for me because it really fit like a glove. I think The Wanderlust Collection has enough variety of prints and styles that work for different body types and will appeal to anyone with an affinity to something bold and cheeky. You can see the pictures from our photoshoot below, and I highly recommend you head to the Sara japanwalla biddi store and get yourself a wanderlust piece for the summer! I would love to know what you thought of our shoot and which outfit is your favorite.

xo Rania

Photography by Mrunmayi Pandit.

Hair and Makeup by Nina Ubhi and her team from the Nina Ubi Beauty and Hair Institute.

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Afternoon Tea Dubai

A while back, my girl Rhiannon of Bride Club ME and I decided to collaborate on a project again and we put together this fun Ladies’ Afternoon Tea Dubai. There’s so much to do in this city and that could be quite overwhelming, but I love the idea of celebrating a birthday, bridal shower or just some bonding time doing something simple yet out of the ordinary.

We started our morning getting pampered at Be Bar Blow Dry Bar in Jumeirah. The space is clean, relaxing and filled with light just how I like. The stylists are extremely skilled and professional, knowing exactly what suits us best. We decided to go for a 50’s pin up look for our hair and makeup, but with each of staying true to our personal style. Our makeup was done by Hayley Di Rito, who looks like an actual living pin up doll. I’m normally not adventurous in the hair and makeup department and I like to stick to my usual look, but the results turned out romantic and elegant so I will be trying new things more from now on.

The whole experience was so relaxing and smooth. We were spoiled with sparkling juice, popcorn, gummy bears and warm cappuccinos while getting our hair done. I noticed that all the stylists have the same technique so you’d always get the desired results.

Our next stop was to the Hamptons Cafe next door, which is a quaint place with all the rustic, beach-side New York elements that go along with it’s name perfectly. We shared a lovely deluxe tea for two complete with warm scones that crumble, sweet yet gooey macarons, soothing jasmine tea and most importantly the perfect company for such a day. We caught the golden light just before sunset on their rooftop seating area which gave the photos a warm and authentic feel.

We really enjoyed our day together and all the amazing ladies who worked with us to create this special Afternoon Tea Dubai. If you’re looking for a new salon to try out then I highly recommend you get a blow out at Be Bar and try it out for yourself, and then head over to Hamptons cafe for brunch because they have exceptionally good food and coffee. Like I said before, sometimes it’s best to seek out all the out of the ordinary places that are filled with all the right little touches.

xo Rania

Photography: Nabeela Huda

Makeup: Hayley Di Rito

Special Thanks to Be Bar Blow Dry Bar and Hamptons Cafe Dubai for their hospitality.

The Parlour at Fortnum & Mason Dubai

I’m always looking for the best cup of coffee in Dubai, and you know how much I love a beautifully set-up coffee shot. We all have our favorite places to eat or meet up with friends, but I’ve been making it a point to visit some place new any chance I get. I think the atmosphere of a restaurant or cafe can really put you in a good mood and brighten up your day.

If you’re living in Dubai or just here for a visit Fortnum & Mason Dubai is a must try. Whether you’re planning an afternoon with your girlfriends or want to take your little ones out for a treat, you can choose between the elegant Tea Salon and the playful Ice Cream Parlour.

The Parlour is a beautifully decorated candy land with the feel of a 1950’s diner. They have a variety of ice cream flavors with an assortment of all your dream toppings. You can also just enjoy a rich cappuccino that is the right balance of creamy milk and nutty coffee. It’s a very family-friendly spot, and although perfect for that insatiable sweet tooth they also serve a scrumptious savory breakfast.

I wanted my outfit to match the ambience at The Parlour, and so I thought some pink and red color-blocking would express that cute retro vibe I feel when I’m there. I hope you enjoyed this feature and are planning on checking out Fortnum & Mason for yourself.

xo Rania

Photography by Mrunmayi Pandit. For more photos of The Parlour and The Tea Salon, check out this feature I did with Rhiannon Downie Hurst of Bride Club ME, shot by Maria Sundin.

*Special thanks to Fortnum & Mason Dubai for letting us shoot at The Parlour.

De La Mer Spa Dubai

The founder of De La Mer Spa Dubai, Sara Pirzad, got in touch with me about trying a couple of treatments and sharing my experience. Since I just started the My Dubai series on my blog, this was the perfect timing for this post. De La Mer Spa Dubai is a family owned business and the spa treatments are primarily all-natural based, and by that I mean ingredients from your kitchen which is a major plus for my sensitive skin.

The Spa itself is beautiful on the inside and smells like fresh lemongrass in every room. There’s a relaxation room with a lounge, jacuzzi, sauna and lockers for your convenience. I wanted some gentle exfoliation so they recommended the Coconut Glow Scrub for my body and the Rose Petal Facial for my acne-prone skin. Sanny was my therapist and she was great, and even answered my endless questions for this article. They have numerous options for body scrubs and each batch is made for a one-time use for each client. The Coconut Scrub smelled so sweet and was followed with the Elemis Strawberry Lotion, both of which left my skin smooth and supple for the rest of the week. The Rose Petal facial was extremely gentle but actually cleaned out my pores. My face was glowing afterwards and my pores were no where to be seen.

Alongside their spa treatments, De La Mer Spa Dubai also offers hair and nail services. It’s a great one-stop-shop especially for brides and any lady looking to get pampered before an event. There are so many spas in Dubai but for girls like me with exceptionally sensitive skin, you can completely trust them to take good care of you here.

xo Rania

*This is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own.

Fraiche Cafe and Bistro

When you’ve lived in one place for a long time, there’s a chance the grass starts to seem greener anywhere else. Between my love for travel and the constant search for the feeling of novelty, I forgot to live in the now. I’ve decided to start this series about My Dubai, so that I can explore all the amazing places in my city and share my experiences with you. Continue reading Fraiche Cafe and Bistro

The Cove Rotana Resort

I caught the travel bug a few years back and I haven’t been able to shake it, nor do I want to. Because of busy schedules and other priorities we’ve been putting off travel plans lately, so we thought a staycation every once in a while is a good alternative for the mean time. Continue reading The Cove Rotana Resort

Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

We can get a little absorbed by our daily routines and responsibilities that we don’t take the time to make any special plans outside our usual outings. My birthday last month was the perfect excuse for a short getaway with my hubby, and The Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah turned out to be spellbinding. The weather in RAK is cooler and the air is cleaner, and the resort itself was picturesque.
The Waldorf Astoria is a worldwide chain, with signature design elements found in all their branches. You’ll notice unique differences that reflect the culture and character of each location. This particular resort has a peacock theme, as well as coral and sand undertones which mirror the most beautiful aspect of the UAE: it’s beaches.

The rooms are bright, airy and incredibly spacious with a walk-in-closet (yes, seriously.) and an incredible view. We had a lovely in-room treatment called the Bath Master Experience which was a relaxing bubble bath accompanied by chocolates and pretty rose petals.
To sum it all up: we enjoyed delicious food, topnotch customer service and an unforgettable escape from the city. Browse the gallery below for more photos.