Whether you like it or not…activewear has become clothing attire, which has earned respect, in terms of when and where you wear it. No longer is it frowned upon, to show up to lunch, a play-date, appointments, your child’s school play or run errands around the malls and supermarket in your gym gear – it is now seen as the most easiest, most wearable ensemble to throw on in the morning. Lets face it, even if you’re not a member of a fitness club or have signed up to 10 Pilates Reformer classes, by wearing your gym clothes, you’re giving off that aura of ‘Hi, I know life is so busy, I still find time to fit in a 6am Body Pump class!’ Hands up who wears their gym clothes on the school run but never actually goes to the gym? Guilty……….

I admit, since I’ve joined a gym here in Dubai two months ago, I find myself drawn to activewear more and more. I’ve become obsessed with co-ordinating my separates, frequently think about purchasing another few pairs of kick-ass cool trainers and just want the coolest gear around coz lets face it…active wear is now the new outerwear in many respects.

So…let’s have a look at what I’ve had my eye on recently and a few options to ‘up your activewear style’…don’t worry, gym membership is not a requirement here ha, ha!

The post The Activewear You Need In Your Wardrobe Right Now… appeared first on Sassy Mama.

It’s that time of year again…where we all think about escaping the sauna (Dubai summer) and head on our summer hols – usually back to our home countries to enjoy a cooler climate, long evenings and that outdoorsy lifestyle. But for a lot of us – in particular those of us who are from Northern Hemisphere countries whose summer is – lets just say – quite temperamental at the best of times (I’m looking at you Ireland and the UK in particular!!) the whole packing situation is a minefield to say the least. For those of you lucky to be going ‘home’ to countries where more than likely – summer means actual ‘summer’ – you’re sorted! Just pack what you wear here on a day-to-day basis in Dubai and you’re good to go! But for the rest of us going to much cooler (emphasis on the ‘much’ here!) – the fact that the majority of our wardrobes in Dubai cater for desert temperatures, it leaves us wondering, what the hell we pack, buy and need!

I myself will be heading home to Ireland for a couple of months with the family and because I’m back and forth quite a bit now, I actually have a wardrobe at home to cater for my cold little body which finds it difficult to acclimatise back to Irish weather every summer as I basically have sand in my veins now! When I say a wardrobe, it mainly consists of coats, jackets, cardigans, all types of knits, boots and Christmas jumpers! So it’s basically a winter wardrobe – which I turn into a summer wardrobe every year!

So I’m going to let you in on a secret – when it comes to packing for the summer – LAYERS, LAYERS, and LAYERS! Put it this way, layering is now your best friend! Think vest tops, t-shirts, denim shirts, long-sleeve shirts, cardigans, jump-suits, light scarf, midi-length dresses, couple pair of jeans, trainers, flat sandals, light ankle boots, light summer jackets (khaki ones are great), blazers, cropped trousers and midi-skirts. Cardigans in particular are probably my favourite item to travel with and have everywhere I go. They have a multitude of uses and one of the most versatile items of clothing you can own especially for summer in cooler climates.

Depending on the weather (where I’m from – its usually four seasons in one day) by layering you are prepared for all eventualities. Remember also, to try and keep your wardrobe for your destination a similar colour palette. This makes pairing options a lot simpler plus if you purchase additional items whilst on holiday, it’s always easier to buy knowing what you have with you and what will go with your holiday wardrobe.

Put it this way – for traveling home to summers which are cool and rainy – just pack some items from your Dubai winter wardrobe.

Top Tip: If you do require more wardrobe basics plus pieces which will keep you warm, dry and prepared for a colder climate – buy online in advance and get them sent to the address which you will be staying at for your holidays. It just means, it’s less for you to pack and they are waiting for you when you arrive.

Scroll through the gallery for items that I feel serve a good purpose when ‘summering’ in a colder climate and which you probably already have in your Dubai winter wardrobe here – plus if not – are easily available in most online retailers.

The post Going ‘Home’ For The Summer? Here’s What to Pack appeared first on Sassy Mama.

Here’s the thing. Sometimes there’s just no time for a full hair wash/blow dry (you know, after those crazy sleepless nights combined with that mad morning rush) but there’s no way we can leave the house with dull, dirty locks. And this is where our absolute mama must-have product comes in (seriously, it’s the secret to many a great style).

We’re talking dry shampoo and in-particular the ones by Batiste whose fragrance range includes 5 unique scents – Blush, Original, Floral, Cherry and Oriental (it’s hard to pick a fave, we’ve got them all). Yup, this world-fave has had hundreds of glowing reviews and we totally get why – it does exactly what it says on the tin (or can) by targeting excess oil and grease and helping eliminate it at the roots so all you gotta do is spray it onto your dry hair, massage in and brush. Easy!

Oh and in addition to giving your lifeless hair that makeover it needs without the need for water it also adds body and texture plus a gorgeous fresh smell – perfect! In fact, you can use a spritz of Batiste dry shampoo for those days when your hair just needs a pick-me-up (literally) – when the humidity has taken its toll or you’re running errands in the heat before needing to be glam and ready to go out.

Here comes a little of the science part (in case you’re wondering how dry shampoo works and whether it’s good for your hair). All Batiste dry shampoos have an innovative starch based formulation and all are vegetarian and vegan friendly. The products are not only wallet friendly but also great for all hair types and super easy to use too. So, mamas, for those days when time is tight or you need to refresh your look – there’s no need to hide your hair under a hat or head out with lank locks if you make Batiste part of your beauty kit. We love.

Batiste dry shampoos are available in Carrefour (MOE, Midriff and Marina Mall), Panda, Spinneys, Union Co-Op, Abela, Sharjah Co-Op, West Zone, Geant,  All day Minimart, ANSAR, Aster Pharmacy, SuperCare, MED 7 Pharmacy, Community Pharmacy, Planet Pharmacy, United Pharmacy, Makkah Pharmacy- Fujairah.

WIN: Our lovely friends at Batiste are giving 3 lucky mamas the chance to win a hamper of goodies including: Batiste Dry Shampoo 2 large cans, 1 mini can, Shower Cap, mirror, eye mask, bath salts, bath bombs, hair brush and scented candle. All you gotta do is click on the link below to enter, then cross your fingers and wait a little until we announce the winners. Good luck!
psst.. for an extra chance to win, follow @batistearabia on Instagram 

This Giveaway is now closed. Winners will be contacted via e-mail by Monday, 2 July, 2018.

The post Why This Dry Shampoo Is An Absolute Mama Must-Have (& The Chance To Win!) appeared first on Sassy Mama.

Is your hair looking a little flat rather than fab? As we reach the dizzying heights of summer and the dreaded humidity, our locks can take a serious turn for the worst. Throw in chlorine to the mix after an abundance of pool days and frizzy, dry tresses are fast becoming our new best friend. However, help is at hand mamas! With the right products and a little bit of prep, you can rock healthy locks faster than you can say ‘drab to fab’!

Scroll through the gallery for some of our top tips and go-to’s for when we need a helping hair hand…

Keen on knowing what is trending this Summer, mama? Read more below…

Nailing It: Hottest Nail Trends To Sport This Summer
Our Favourite Statement Earrings Trending Right Now
Get The Look: Glowing Summer Skin

The post Help Your Hair Survive the Heat this Summer appeared first on Sassy Mama.

I think, I can vouch for others along with myself in saying, we were all pretty excited when & Other Stories finally opened a store here in the UAE. Based in Dubai Mall, the store is not only Instagram friendly and inviting – it’s also quite difficult to leave the place without purchasing something from it’s fab clothing, accessories, beauty, stationery and home ware range.

Founded in 2010 by a small group of creative and under the H&M group, & Other Stories grew from the wish to give women the freedom of expression through one brand. They market themselves as a one-stop styling destination filled with collections from three design ateliers in Paris, Stockholm and LA. Amongst filling their shelves with the most coolest, contemporary designs and styles around, they co-create every year (Co-labs) with a few selected designers from around the world (for example – Rodarte, Clare Vivier, Toms and Sadie Williams) who compliment the & Other Stories collections.

Price-wise, I would say they are more on the ‘upper High Street’ bracket equivalent to Ted Baker, Reiss and Massimo Dutti. Their sales in particular are quite good and worth waiting for if you do want to invest in some of their fab pieces.

For this post, I’ve picked out a few of my favourites in-store and online right now…Scroll through the gallery to view my picks and oh, you’re welcome…

Read more: Twinning is Winning…ALWAYS

The post Our Top Fashion Picks from ‘& Others Stories’ appeared first on Sassy Mama.

There’s nothing to make you feel glam and ready to face the world like a fresh mani, right mamas?! Nails reveal a lot about a person: the shape, the length, the colour and choice of nail art all hint at someone’s style and personality! Much of the time ours say ‘I’m a mama who has no time to go to the nail bar’ but sometimes we do get those precious few hours to ourselves to indulge in a mani/pedi and feel semi-human again! Whether you’re going out for a special occasion or just want to up your style game, what’s going on your fingertips is more important than ever – and these nail trends will help you to feel a little more glam.

So, click through the gallery to find out a couple of our favourite nail trends…

For more fashion tips read below articles:

Our Favourite Statement Earrings Trending Right Now
The Pastel Pieces You Need In Your Wardrobe This Season
Twinning is Winning…ALWAYS

The post Nailing It: Hottest Nail Trends To Sport This Summer appeared first on Sassy Mama.