Dubai, UAE
The Journal
Straight answers to what people really ask about living in Dubai: what to wear, what works on your skin here, where to buy gold, where to eat and rest.
Where to buy Indian wedding clothes in Dubai
You do not need to fly to Mumbai or Jaipur every time there is a wedding on the calendar. Dubai has Meena Bazaar for budgets, boutique names like Frontier Raas and Neeru's for mid-
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Skincare in Dubai: the routine that works here and the mistakes I made
The best skincare routine for Dubai's climate hydrates instead of stripping, uses SPF 50 every day and keeps actives to a minimum.…
What a facial costs in Dubai, and how to pick one that is worth it
A salon facial in Dubai starts around AED 150 and a HydraFacial is advertised anywhere from AED 199 to AED 1,500 depending on the…
Why body skin gets so dry in Dubai and how to fix it
Body skin dries out in Dubai because of desalinated water, year-round air conditioning and strong sun. Swap your foaming wash for…
Where to buy makeup in Dubai: drugstore finds, homegrown brands and what is worth the money
Buy drugstore makeup at Carrefour, Life Pharmacy, Boots and Watsons or on noon; prestige at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and the Dubai Mal…
Fragrance
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How to make perfume last all day in Dubai heat
Perfume lasts longer in Dubai heat when you put it on moisturised skin, choose an eau de parfum or an oil, and layer once instead…
Best Arabic perfumes for women to try first
Start with five: Lattafa Yara if you like sweet, Lattafa Khamrah for spiced warmth, Swiss Arabian Shaghaf Oud for rose and oud, a…
Where to buy perfume in Dubai (and how to know it is real)
Buy oud, attar and bakhoor at the Deira Perfume Souk, designer bottles at brand boutiques or Dubai Duty Free, and Arabic perfume f…
Fashion
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What to wear in Dubai as a woman: heat, dress codes and every occasion
Wear loose, covered clothes in linen or cotton, keep shoulders and knees covered in malls, souks and mosques, carry a scarf and on…
What to wear to a wedding in Dubai as a female guest
Ask what kind of wedding it is first. Emirati weddings want long, covered and colourful; South Asian weddings want a saree, leheng…
How to do matching family outfits without looking like a costume
Do not dress everyone identically. Pick one colour family, let one person carry the boldest print or shade, and put everyone else…
How to wear bold prints and colour without looking like you are trying
Choose a print by the colours inside it, make it the only loud thing in the outfit, and give the eye one clean line. Mix two print…
Jewellery
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Where to buy gold in Dubai and what you will actually pay
Buy at the Deira Gold Souk for range and bargaining, at Gold and Diamond Park for bespoke work, and in a mall for fixed prices. Yo…
How to clean gold jewellery at home (and keep it shining in Dubai's heat)
Warm water, a drop of washing-up liquid and a soft toothbrush will clean almost any gold piece in ten minutes. Baking soda and vin…
How to buy diamonds and an engagement ring in Dubai without overpaying
Buy the stone and the setting as two separate line items, get an independent GIA or IGI report, and compare the identical specific…
How to style statement jewellery: one hero piece, every neckline
Wear one hero piece and keep everything else quiet, let one metal lead if you are mixing, and let the neckline decide the necklace…
Wellness
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Best spas in Dubai: where to reset, what it costs, and the couples and hammam options
Pick a Dubai spa by what you want: Talise at Madinat Jumeirah for a full resort day, Dior Spa at The Lana for one treatment with a…
How to start playing padel in Dubai (courts, prices, finding a game)
Start padel in Dubai by downloading Playtomic, joining a beginner open match (roughly AED 50 to 90 per person once the court is sp…
How to start yoga in Dubai as a beginner (studios, beach classes, what it costs)
Start yoga in Dubai by booking a beginner Hatha or gentle flow class on a studio intro offer, usually AED 99 to 199 for a week or…
Best gyms and fitness studios in Dubai (and what they cost)
The best gym in Dubai depends on how you train. GymNation for a cheap 24-hour floor, Fitness First or The Warehouse Gym for a full…
Eat & Stay
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Best brunch in Dubai, by the kind of day you want
Pick the mood first, the venue second: a garden family brunch like Reform Social and Grill, a chic set menu like Viceroy's Table o…
Where to take the whole family for lunch in Dubai
Choose the restaurant around the youngest person at the table. Toddlers need a play area inside the restaurant and a fast kitchen.…
Afternoon tea in Dubai with a view: what it costs and which table to ask for
Afternoon tea in Dubai comes in three tiers: landmark teas at At.mosphere and the Burj Al Arab from about AED 430 a head, hotel cl…
Best staycations in Dubai for residents (and how to get the resident rate)
Match the hotel to the weekend: a mall-connected hotel like the Sheraton Mall of the Emirates for a family in summer, The Lana for…
Travel
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Best day trips from Dubai: drive times, routes and what to bring
The best day trips from Dubai are Hatta, Abu Dhabi, Jebel Jais, the Fujairah east coast and Al Ain, all 90 minutes to two hours by…
London in summer from Dubai: what I packed and how we planned it with kids
What to pack for London in summer: layers, not outfits. One light jacket, two knits, a packable rain layer and two pairs of walkin…
Best beaches in Dubai: free beaches, night swimming and where to watch the sunset
The best beaches in Dubai are free: Kite Beach for a full day, JBR for cafes, Sunset Beach for the Burj Al Arab at golden hour. Ni…
Weekend getaways from Dubai, by season
The best weekend getaways from Dubai by car are Ras Al Khaimah, Hatta, Fujairah, Liwa and Musandam, all one to three and a half ho…
Shopping
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Best malls in Dubai, by what you are shopping for
There is no single best mall in Dubai, only the best one for what you need that day. Dubai Mall for designer labels and new launch…
Where to buy Indian clothes in Dubai: kurtis, sarees, lehengas and the pop-ups worth knowing
Meena Bazaar in Bur Dubai for everyday kurtis and sarees, FabIndia and Ritu Kumar at BurJuman for fixed prices, Charisma Kurtis in…
Where to find local and regional designers in Dubai
Start at The Meld Concept in Jumeirah 1, see the new names at Dubai Fashion Week in d3, follow be.divalicious and Boulevard One fo…
Where to buy home decor in Dubai: how I refresh a rented apartment on a budget
You do not need to renovate to make a Dubai rental feel like yours. IKEA, Dragon Mart and Daiso for the basics, H&M Home and Home…