I used to feel everything. Too much. A shift in someone’s tone could ruin my whole day. One careless word, and I’d spiral into overthinking — questioning myself, replaying conversations, holding on too tightly to things that shouldn’t have held that much weight. I let the world get under my skin — way too easily. I thought that was just who I was.
Then April came. And everything changed. I lost my Aba — the only person who truly understood me. He didn’t need words. He could look at me, just once, and know something was off. He’d come straight to me and ask, “What’s wrong?” — no hesitation, no pretending. That kind of love doesn’t exist twice. And now, it’s gone. His absence forced something in me to shift.
Because here’s the truth: You either grow a thicker skin by choice — or life will build one for you.
Brick by brick.
Pain by pain.
Especially after you lose someone irreplaceable.
I didn’t want to harden. But grief doesn’t ask for permission. It teaches you. It changes you. Now, I move differently. Not colder — just clearer. Clear on what matters. Clear on what I feel. Clear on what I will no longer carry. I protect my peace — not because I’m numb, but because I’ve felt it all. And I know the cost. People say I’ve changed. They’re right. Because once you’ve felt real loss —you stop breaking over temporary things.
And the truth is:
His name still stirs fear in the hearts of the corrupt—whispered even in rooms he’s long since left.
He made me soft. His absence made me strong. Now I am both. And I don’t apologize for it.
It feels almost cruel to write this. Cruel that life moves forward when someone so deeply loved is no longer here. On 23rd April 2025, I lost the most incredible man I’ve ever known—my father. My Aba. The kind of parent who wasn’t just a father, but a protector, a guide, and the safest place I knew.
He loved us with a fierce, quiet strength. He stood between us and every storm. And now, the world feels quieter, colder, and undeniably incomplete.
But here we are—waking up every morning, eating meals, breathing, even laughing sometimes. It feels wrong, this act of living without him. How can the sun still rise when he’s not here to see it? How can life just continue, as if the axis of my world hasn’t tilted forever?
I still message him. His phone number is saved, untouched. I send him messages saying how much I love him, how much I miss him—knowing they won’t ever get delivered and read by him. But writing to him feels like a way to keep that thread connected, no matter how thin or one-sided it may seem.
He called me his princess when I was little, and to him, I never stopped being that girl. Not time, distance, or even death can take that love away.
Aba, you are deeply missed. Loved beyond words. And though everything feels wrong without you, we’ll carry your love with us, and somehow, we’ll keep going.
The day my world shifted. The day I lost not only my father—but my anchor, my teacher, my best friend. My Aba. Even now, it feels unreal to speak of him in the past tense. My heart resists it. How can someone so full of life, love, and kindness simply be gone?
Aba was a rare soul—soft in a world that often hardens people. He was kind beyond words, generous beyond measure, and his love knew no boundaries. His gentleness wasn’t weakness; it was strength in its purest form. A quiet, unshakable kind.
No matter where life took us, he remained a constant—our emotional compass. To this day, everyone who met him speaks of his warmth, his empathy, and how he made them feel seen and valued.
Aba’s click: 1st November 2022
He didn’t just raise me—he empowered me. As a girl growing up in Pakistani culture, I got to travel and experience life in ways most girls, and even many men, never do. All because Aba believed I deserved to see the world. He believed in my potential. There were still places left where we had to travel together and discover, Aba.
Dropping Asfandyar (my eldest brother) off to Aitchison College boarding school.Aba’s favourite restaurant in Amsterdam (August 2016)
To the world, Aba was soft-spoken and humble. But to those who knew him deeply, he was also fiercely just. He stood up for what was right—never afraid to challenge what was wrong. He didn’t waste his energy on those who weren’t worth it, but when it came to truth, he never backed down.
To us—his children—he showed only gentleness. He never said no to me. If I even hinted at wanting something, he made sure I had it. Not just things, but his time, his protection, his undivided love.
He often called me naïve. Not in judgment—but out of worry. He knew this world too well, and feared I hadn’t yet seen its cruelty. “I worry for you the most,” he used to say. That worry came from the deepest love a father can hold.
In the last few months, he became more delicate—more thoughtful. Maybe he felt something was coming. Maybe that’s why he held us all a little closer.
He was the youngest among his siblings and cousins, and yet, he left us first. It feels so wrong. So deeply unfair. There’s a void now—one that nothing and no one will ever fill.
He was our lion. He protected us with his strength and loved us with his soul.
Aba, I miss you. Every moment. I see you in every sunset, in every decision I make, in every act of compassion I try to embody. You live in my strength, in my courage, in the parts of me you helped shape.
You were my father, my mentor, my friend—and the greatest blessing of my life.
I love you.
I miss you.
Your legacy lives on in me.
— Your Sehru.
Aba and me 1996-1997.
We have a part of you living in all your three children, Aba Saeein. In our hearts, in our choices, in the love we carry forward. And we promise—we plan on making you proud the day we meet again, in the forever realm.
Thank you for giving us such an incredible taste in music, Aba—Pink Floyd, Robbie Williams, Dire Straits, Eagles, Cher, Enigma, Ricky Martin, Schiller, George Michael, Phil Collins, Guns N’ Roses, Ace of Base, Gipsy Kings, Simon & Garfunkel, U2, Chris de Burgh, Scorpions, and Modern Talking. Your music lives on in us, just like your love. I’ll carry your playlist—and you—in my heart forever. I love you so much, Aba.
In many South Asian communities, life often follows a traditional script. Expectations are clear, and deviation is discouraged. For women in particular, there’s an unspoken standard—live quietly, fulfill your roles, and don’t ask for too much. Over time, this has created a culture where many live on autopilot, checking boxes but rarely feeling fulfilled.
But what happens when someone dares to want more?
The idea of an “ideal life” is often dismissed as unrealistic. Society tells us perfection doesn’t exist, and chasing it will only lead to disappointment. Yet, for some, it’s not about perfection—it’s about living with purpose. It’s about waking up with hope rather than dread. It’s about refusing to accept a bare minimum existence as the default.
High standards are often misunderstood. They aren’t rooted in arrogance but in self-awareness. When someone has experienced being deeply valued—whether through family, friends, education, or personal insight—they develop a different emotional baseline. They begin to expect more than survival—they seek joy, peace, and meaning.
In cultures that glorify sacrifice, choosing self-fulfillment can be seen as rebellion. But maybe the real myth isn’t the ideal life—it’s the belief that we must all settle. The truth is, the ideal life looks different for everyone. It’s not about living flawlessly; it’s about living intentionally, on one’s own terms.
Chasing that life isn’t delusion. It’s courage.❤️
At the heart of it all, women deserve to choose themselves—boldly, unapologetically, and without guilt. Growth begins when they stop shrinking to fit into roles that were never made for them. Choosing yourself isn’t selfish; it’s the first step toward building a life that’s full, intentional, and truly your own.
This journey has been one of healing and self-discovery, and every word I’ve written reflects a piece of that growth. While I usually share lighthearted thoughts, recent blogs have been more personal—filled with honesty and heart. I hope whoever’s reading this remembers that they’re worth far more than what this society expects of them. Never settle for the bare minimum. Set your standards, honor your individuality, and pursue your dreams—unapologetically. Just because others choose a certain path doesn’t mean it’s yours to follow. We each live and dream differently—and that’s exactly how it should be ✨💛
The last time you hug a loved one without realizing it.
The last late-night drive with your best friend before life pulls you in different directions.
The last meal at your favorite spot before it closes.
The last time you’ll set foot in a city you’ll never be going back to.
The last time you laugh until you cry with people you won’t see again.
The last time you actually hear someone for who they truly are before life hits them with a serious crisis.
The last time you’ll be playing your favourite sport.
The last time you wear your school uniform because you’re done with it.
The last time when you’ll actually enjoy walking or playing in the rain.
The last time you let someone’s behaviour impact you because you’ll learn to stand up for yourself.
You won’t know it’s the last. It won’t feel special in the moment. It’ll feel like any other day. Until it isn’t. So be where your feet are. Look people in the eye. Say what you mean. Feel it fully. Because the ordinary moments? They’re only ordinary until they’re gone. We humans change. Our emotions and feelings towards people, places and things keep changing due to our experiences or the simple fact that we grow up. As the quote goes “You cannot step in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”
Time is ever changing. And you can only go ahead in life when you accept the fact that you literally have to make things happen or else you’ll run out of time. Accept what you want to and say no to what you know isn’t right for you. I miss the simplicity of childhood and the pre technology era. When you never cared about what you wore or what you did, all you did was do what made you happy in that moment. Getting your favourite chocolate or cookie left in the box so you could enjoy it. Everything turns so complicated when you grow up, you literally have access to everything, you can buy anything but that happiness won’t last and it won’t give you butterflies as it did when you were a kid. It was the little things which mattered. Life’s weird now we’re just a bunch of anxious adults with happening and happy pictures on social media whereas the true essence of happiness isn’t there anymore.
Appreciate what makes you happy at the moment before it’s too late✨
Spring has started along with ramzan and then there’s Eid. When there’s ramzan, there are Iftar gatherings and then boom it’s Eid. Even if you have no big plans on Eid you do intend on putting on your favourite outfit, style your hair and do your makeup the way you want. I don’t like summers at all, I hate now unbearable it gets outdoors. However here’s a list of designers you can consider for your Summer Wardrobe/Eid/Iftar gatherings:
ZAIB
This color palette literally has my heart. Absolutely love the deep dark color tones. The black can be casual and give you a formal look with a little bit of a glammed up look. Black is always a safe option to be honest because it can be worn anywhere and anyday. Blue however is something new i’ll be adding to my wardrobe with a keyhole neckline and cute minimal tassels. The self embroidery in most of these articles is what makes this collection more beautiful yet simple. It’s not something over the top for the hot summer Eid. If you order Pret know their sizes run big. Last year I accidentally ordered a size medium even though i’m a small and it was huge, two times my size. So be careful when ordering.
Coco by Zara Shahjahan
Zara Shahjahan’s coco collection is literally one of my favorites. The shirt duppata combination, the chikenkari kurtas, the embroidery patches everything is perfect. It’s not too heavy and not too light (holds the perfect balance). You can style them casually or just glam up the look and voila it’s the perfect outfit for Iftar gatherings or even Eid. Short shirts and farshi shalwar or loose fitted pants have made a major come back since a couple of months. You can consider getting it made out this particular collections since most of the models wore short shirts in this campaign.
Sapphire
Sapphire generally has my heart and I absolutely love their pajama sets and unstiched collection. They always have the most trendy prints and duppatas. I ordered a few summer articles and eid articles from their new collection. These are perfect when meeting friends, you can go for a casual and a full glam look by adding some darker makeup or just style your hair. Sapphire can be worn anywhere and anyday. I probably have 20-25 dresses from sapphire. I buy clothes thinking i’ll wear them causally at home but I end up choosing pyjamas instead. Ultimately your look will rely on how your tailor stitches your clothes, so make sure he does a good job.
Hussain Rehar Pret
If you’re someone who wants to go an extra mile and spend a big amount on your eid dress then hussain rehar just launched his new Eid Pret. These sizes aren’t customisable so you need to stick to what suits you exactly or near to that for you. It’s best you visit their outlet before getting the dress to see the actual work details. However you can’t wear heavily embellished Eid clothes for long specially in this Pakistani heat, you need to get back into your comfortable clothes as soon as you’re done meeting everyone and done taking pictures. But if you’re someone who actually has proper huge gatherings during Eid, you want to go an extra mile & you live in a cooler weather you should definitely consider Hussain Rehar.
Suffuse
Suffuse Pret is definitely worth splurging on. Their unique cuts, embroidery and the overall look is the worth the price and headache of ordering from them. However they might take up some time to deliver your dress make sure you order it via a good medium. They sell out within seconds of launch on their official website and usually you need to pay extra to get a hold of the articles you prefer from third party dealers. Suffuse is a perfect option if you want something good yet laid back.
Faiza Saqlain
This is the collection I am the most excited about. The long angrakhas, chooridar pajamas, heavily detailed shirts and duppatas. Personally I would rather obt for a silk or chiffon duppata because organza duppatas are almost impossible to carry. At the end your look will rely completely on how you carry yourself. Wearing long angrakha can be a task on Eid, but you need to sacrifice some comfort for fashion. Angrakhas are paired perfectly with heels or khussa shoes.
Zainab Salman
This is another Pret collection. The thing I like the most about zainab salman is the floral prints with a perfectly balanced embroidery and lace. Again if you’re someone who loves long gowns and flowy dresses you should definitely consider this. They give Sabyasachi vibes but on a budget (In a good way). There are some designs which honestly don’t make much sense to me but there is this maroon and black which actually caught my attention.
Lastly I’d like to add is that we really need to stop hoarding. If you have a dress and you know you wont be wearing it again it’s best to give it away to someone who needs it. You can’t have hundreds of outfits in your closet and keep on buying more. It’s best to buy whatever you know you can wear and if you have something and you know you wont be wearing it then justgive it to someone who might just wear it and be happy. I always end up getting clothes which I don’t even wear more than once, and some are still new with tags on them. I regret doing that but never stop doing it. I love buying clothes and designing them in different ways with small yet prominent detailing.
I hope we have a peaceful ramzan and a prosperous year! Peace.
You are not responsible for other people’s happiness. Let them be unhappy.
You are not responsible for making people understand your choices. Let them be confused.
You are not responsible for managing someone else’s emotions. Let them feel how they feel.
You are not responsible for proving your worth to people who don’t see it. Let them underestimate you.
You are not responsible for meeting everyone’s expectations. Let them be disappointed.
You are not responsible for rescuing people from their problems. Let them learn from life.
You are not responsible for managing everyone and everything around you. Let them be.
Disclaimer:Stop wasting your time and energy on things you can’t control (like other people’s moods, opinions and actions) and focus on one thing you can control: YOU
Our society and culture is still living and thriving on ideas which are beyond hundreds of years old. For instance the same practice of marriages within the family. We conveniently forget the illnesses which will result to such dumb decisions. Educated or not the thinking is still the same dumb, stupid and outdated.
One of the major diseases which people transfer to their children is thalassemia. It’s a deadly disease which gives the child a short span of life and the quality of life is not good too. It’s psychologically damaging and deadly. Yet what we do? Get more cousins married and create an entire generation of unwell children with compromised quality of life. My parents aren’t first cousins yet I inherited anemia thanks to my mom’s genes. Due to this I need to be more careful and selective about my diet intake. Another thing I inherited from my father’s side is migraines. Intense pain on the left side of my head, light sensitivity, smell sensitivity, nausea are a few things which happen when the migraine kicks off. For me they can get so bad that I need to rest for days if I don’t take a painkiller. Usually I avoid taking painkillers if I have nowhere to go and rest at home. And my migraine triggers? Fasting, Stress, Heavy intake of caffeine, standing too long in the heat (sunlight), if my sleep is incomplete or I don’t take naps when i’m tired. I’m the only one who has migraines in my household so people usually don’t know how painful it can get. Probably inherited all the problems from both the sides but nothing deadly because my parents weren’t immediately related.
I have seen deaths of children as a result of first cousins marriages or dna issues. Some people never learn. They rather have their head dug up in the ground like an ostrich and pretend to go with the flow. Another disease first cousin marriages lead to is Thyroid Issues, Diabetes, Cancer genes, Heart issues since birth, Mentally impaired children and even blindness at birth. Facial and physical deformities are also a result of such cases.
I had stumbled upon this documentary of a couple who resided in UK (pakistani origin). All the children they ever had were mentally impaired. Sure you can call it bad-luck but well it was due to their parents first cousin marriage which led to it. Personally first cousin marriage couples should be denied any citizenship. Immediate family marriages are just like a pandemic and it’s about time people put an end to it. People need to grow a brain with changing times and quit acting like ostriches pretending all is well. First cousin marriages now are just disgusting and pathetic. Sick.
The “Habsburg jaw”, a facial condition that afflicted these kings and queens, was well known. Now a new study says that this facial dysmorphism was due to to inbreeding.
This post is dedicated to everyone who wants to invest on basic yet effective must haves for winters. The cold weather leads to dry skin which means you need to have good products in your routine which protect your skin barrier. A good diet too helps a lot to combat harsh weather conditions. And try to limit your caffeine intake.
CICAPLAST BAUME B5+ REPAIRING BALM
This is something which goes everywhere. Your face & body. It’s for dry skin but the zinc in this helps fighting the acne as well. Usually i’ll put it on my face like a mask before I sleep and let it sink in my skin without rubbing it on. It literally does wonders for dry skin. And when you wake up the redness on your skin due to acne just goes away. It literally gives you baby skin. I use it on its own after my skin toner and serums or even after my retinols. This is perfect for sensitive skin. If you have active acne just use it as spot treatment on them and leave it overnight or even after your spf in the morning/noon.
CERAVE HEALING OINTMENT
If you get dry lips or generally want to add a lip care routine at the end of your skin care routine you should add this amazing balm to them. It has no tint or fragrance and only skin soothing ingredients. It’s not greasy like the typical petroleum jelly. It’s rich in Hyaluronic Acid (literally the best thing to add to your skin care routine).
CICAPLAST BALM B5 UV SPF 50
These winters I am obsessed with the cicaplast line of La Roche-Posay. This is a new product to their line and it is hands down one of the most amazing day creams/sunblocks I got. This is literally for every skin. Specially sensitive skin. It relieves and hydrates dry skin while protecting it from the UV rays. Remember you need an spf even if you stay at home all day.
L’Occitane SHEA BUTTER HAND CREAM
I’m a complete germaphobe and I tend to wash my hands a lot. I prefer using mild soap since they are less drying and then boom I got this hand cream and I always use it after I wash my hands. Specially at night before I sleep and put it a thick layer on my hands. It doesn’t have an extremely strong scent and it is very thick consistency and immensely hydrating (yet it’s not sticky or greasy). This can be used as a hand mask too for immense hydration.
LANEIGE LIP BALM
If you’re feeling a bit bougee and want something with a scrumptious scent definitely invest in Lip balms. Currently I am obsessed with my Laneige Lip balms. They are absolutely amazing and are literally like candy. Their gummy bear flavor is my top favorite. You can literally just put them in your handbag and reapply it whenever you want that extra hydration and glossy look.
CETAPHIL MOISTURIZING CREAM
This is perfect for your skin. If you’re someone who has extremely dry skin. Usually extremely hot showers do lead to dry and flaky skin and in order to combat that you need to have an amazing fragrance free moisturiser. It’s so important to invest on your yourself and your skin particularly. I literally spend a lot on my skin care and moisturisers. And consistency is the key to having a good skin. It won’t show overnight.
Fragrances:
YSL LIBRE INTENSE EDP, BURBERRY GODDESS EDP & Lush Let the good times roll spray.
Whenever you invest on a perfume make sure it’s EDP not EDT. EDT doesn’t have much of a lasting power (might be lighter on the pocket but not worth the money). If you want to talk about winter scents I’d say something woody, dark vanilla, oud, nougat, hints of caramel and Lavender. All these three scents have gotten me compliments and every time I use them I get asked what I’m wearing. The Lush Body spray literally makes you smell like sweet caramel popcorn or like you were baking something sweet at home and you carried on that scent with you. I recently got my hands on Perfumes de Marly Delina Exclusif (yet to use it). Will add it to the list if I find it dark/intense enough for winters.
Also it’s so important to get your monthly manicures & pedicures to make sure your nail, hands and feet are in good health. Just make sure you get your own tools and never use the tools used in salons generally (you never know who’s infected with what).
Cheers! 🥂
Lastly don’t ever let the negativity of people bother your peace. Know when to remove yourself from situations you don’t want to stay in. Ignore, remove and block. Don’t ever let this stupid world get on your nerves. It’s important to keep your composure in such a shitty world with blind and ignorant pathetic excuse of human beings. Sick.
What comes to our minds when we think about women? Except for the fact that they can literally make another human being, they make your walls a home with their warmth. If you have a daughter as a father she will probably love you more than anyone else. As a sister she will be your confidant . As a wife she’ll be your companion(only when treated right). But is this what women are only known as? Life/care givers? (I’m talking about majority of the women but there are a few exceptional cases who’re the complete opposite).
While she is conveniently living upto all the roles thrown at her we forget she too is a human being with goals, needs and emotions. Women are actually the most strongest yet the most fragile creatures alive. She goes through so many changes that almost break her, but she always gets through to all this and gets up stronger. There’s a lot of intolerance towards how you’re suppose to go about your life.
Pre Islamic times people used to bury their tiny newborn daughters, with no remorse whatsoever. Our Prophet(Pbuh) gave so many examples and rules on how you’re suppose to treat a lady. Once Islam came it gave women so many rights. They were businesswomen and self reliant. Our backward culture however has taken us back to those medieval times. You see so many people go and perform umrah or even hajj and they become more corrupt and a bigger fraud. You mistreating someone and going for pilgrimage won’t really help you in the next world. Moving forward I feel bad for the girls in this society generally particularly the ones who literally have no exposure, haven’t seen anything in this world except for the place where they’re born and bred. They literally have no expectations from their lives other than settling down with whatever’s convenient and later living with that decision throughout their life. The exposure actually helps you grow your thinking and shapes your personality on so many different levels. It makes you tolerate less bullshit and see people as what they are, not who they pretend to be. It’s like the woman has no life of her own other than living on other peoples terms and expectations. A woman is no commodity you can trade or keep. You need to act a certain way in order to make sure her self worth is never compromised.
I hope this society grows a brain and realises there is more to this world than what you see or know. However if you can’t let your brain to evolve with time please don’t bother coming out from your cave the world doesn’t need your existence.
This post is dedicated to all the girls/women standing up for themselves and I hope (those who aren’t) you all stop letting people walk all over you. You’re bigger than this society and its misogynistic mindset!
When a 2-3 generations become used to doing nothing, particularly the men (in a brown culture) the entire effort and hardwork of previous generations just goes to dust. When there’s nothing but generational hatred, selfishness, greed and lies passed on from family to family and your own blood relatives being envious of your success/happiness, know blood doesn’t mean anything it’s all about loyalty and pure intentions (which is extremely rare these days).
What men have these days are bigger weapons but smaller brains and fragile egos. There is lack of education or lack of implementation of that knowledge. Majorly it’s someone with a degree who refuses their caveman brain to evolve, they rather stick to how things have been rather change with time. So many known families have faced this rapid decline due to lack of growth with time. This easygoing attitude and literally not doing anything is what is a major source of decline to a huge reputable families in Pakistan.
The false idea that just because you’re related to someone who was widely respected and known would get you anywhere, it won’t. No matter how many titles you add to your name ultimately you’ll be known by your brains, words and actions. The people you brag about being related to are long gone for their final abode. This false sense of entitlement has gotten into the heads of the majority of the men/women thinking they can act as they like without being held accountable or questioned. Most of the people from such a prestigious backgrounds prefer staying lowkey and avoid standing out, because that’s how it’s suppose to be. Your name won’t get you anywhere for long, if you don’t bother moving ahead with time.
Rest there are no more “Land Lords” or “Feudal” left. From owning thousands of squares of land which were subjected to land reforms, laziness and later dumb decisions of selling them to buying fancy stuff or uniformed (Buckingham style) butlers/chauffeur to fit into cities. Building that false sense of power while destroying the main source of it.
Lastly and most importantly i’d like to add is that it’s about time we educate and give our daughters the freedom and space to build a career/life. Don’t suffocate them to the societies pathetic practices and expectations. About time people have their daughter financially independent on all levels. Don’t ever let them rely on a brother or a spouse particularly financially. Time changes people and priorities change hence they should never be left on anyone’s mercy. Our religion gave women the most amount of independence, while our culture and ideas weakened them. It’s time to evolve and change. They deserve to grow and live in an environment whilst feeling safe, it’s about time people start raising their sons/brothers right.
You only realise when you’ve taken someone’s presence for granted when you search for them and all you see is emptiness. A void or a hole in your chest which won’t ever be filled. No matter how many people you meet but that space left behind will never be filled by anyone. When waking up everyday we think the people around us are going to be there forever. We make our plans our routines being selfish until we realise the people who needed our time the most might not be there tomorrow, next month or the coming year. And when the loss hits you, you can’t utter a word, you try to speak words remembering them but you can’t. You remember the time you spent with them, the way you would put your head in their lap, the bedtime stories and the warm hugs. Ultimately we all move on from a dear one’s loss of life but we can never get over it. We grow around the grief of losing a loved one. A bond which can no longer be seen but felt deeply. So if you still have people who matter the most to you in this world make sure to tell them they’re loved and cherished before it’s too late. This can be immediate family and extremely close friends. You never know how long someone’s going to be there or how much someone needs to know they matter.
Time
When we’re young we forget how quickly time is going by. We take tomorrows for granted. We take our own time for granted. We prioritize the wrong things in life and ultimately when someone gets old all that is left is regret to make better use of our time. Time is literally flying and it hits you when you are a certain age and you see how things have changed and how things are now. This is your time, do whatever you want, wear your favourite sweater/outfit, put on your favourite perfume, get your hair coloured the way you want and wear your favourite pair of shoes, make plans, travel and focus on yourself. What if you have all those things but you no longer desire to dress up or dine out or go to your favourite place anymore? Circumstances and time changes a lot of things and because of this we too change. Our life, our surroundings and most importantly our mood. So try living in the present for yourself. This world is a bitter place and you deserve to do what you have to do in order to stay sane and happy. You come before anyone else, everyone and everything else comes later.
Health/Appearance
One of the phobias I have is Acne and being Fat. I cannot emphasis how much I dislike it when someone is extremely careless about their appearance. You don’t get fat overnight. It’s the lifestyle you follow and the poor diet habits you make which have led you to become like a balloon. Secondly for skin. I’m not saying you should have baby skin but at least it should be taken care of. Have a basic skin care routine and get clinical facials. Sure some people are genetically blessed with good skin but if you’re not you should start investing on yourself. Doctors give proper Accutane course for acne, it’s pricey and turns your skin into Sahara desert, but it’s only for 6 months. Someone who doesn’t take care of their appearance shows how much they truly don’t respect themselves and are pure lazy. There are tons of laser treatments to combat different skin concerns, but there are a few professional doctors who are good at what they do. Next focus on a clean and healthy diet and get your blood work done at least twice a year to see if your healthy diet is actually benefiting you.
Lastly I’d like to add is that tomorrow is never promised and yesterday is already gone, all you have is today and try making the most of it by doing what makes you feel good & happy. Draw boundaries and keep away from people you aren’t comfortable with.Don’t ever let someone make you feel bad about yourself or a situation. Peace.
You were the most gentlest soul. So forgiving, kind and warm. Your loss left a void or a hole in my chest which won’t ever be filled. No matter how many people I meet but that space left behind will never be filled by anyone.
Years after you left us, I read this quote on how cruel and difficult life has to be for someone to become so kind. Life was never easy for you. You were so young; came into a completely different family. The challenges you faced because of someone else’s insecurities and lack of morals. Your grace and your approach are still talked about in all the tribal family. I wish times weren’t so cruel and people weren’t that heartless.
I still remember the first time when I was travelling to The States and That one last hug I gave you while I wept thinking how fragile and old you were and questioned If I will ever be able to hold you again. It was a horrible feeling. I just wept for the entire time on your shoulder, you knew I was upset of going so far away for so long yet you just sat there quietly. Our tea times, Ludo (you always chose the blue color) games, how I used to think of you everytime I used to go for shopping and you told me you liked blues, greens and mustards. I always used to see what to get for you before proceeding with what I wanted for myself. Whenever we used to be on our flight back from vacation the only excitement I had was to see you. I knew there’s one person back home eagerly waiting and praying for our safe return. When you left that feeling ended and there was nothing to come back to.
The way you used to tell me about my craze to buy things and shop. The careless way I would talk my heart out and gossip with you. The two bedtime stories you used to tell us before we slept, and always used to hear it with the same level of excitement.
When you left I just felt empty. I couldn’t talk about your absence/loss for over a month. I used to wake and check my phone for your missed call, I was so used to talking to you first thing in the morning that I wanted to believe you might have called. Every time someone would bring up what had happened i’d just tear up and tried to focus on breathing. You’re in a place where there’s peace and your loved ones. Hopefully we meet on the right time because I want to hold you forever.
I’m leaving a digital footprint. For years to come. Because you need to remembered forever. People and bonds like you are impossible to find.
-12th November 2018
This post is dedicated to my Dadi (Paternal Grandmother).
You will forever be there in our hearts and we’ll tell about your gentleness and kindness to the people who weren’t lucky enough to meet you.
I absolutely loved focusing on my education and career. I wanted to be self reliant and never rely on some man to pay for me. That is what I had in my head when I was in my student years. I was the most hard working one in my group, heavily focused on the presentations, exams and all the class participation. I always stood out and almost every teacher pointed it out. I was so aware about what was happening on in this country and all the international news. Maybe it was my love for reading papers, scrolling through twitter and get all the latest updates or my father generally discussing what’s happening around the world.
I had so many dreams and ambitions. But I forgot the backward environment I belonged from. Sure I have traveled more than an average woman of my age. That broadened my horizons. Changed how I looked at things and people. Made me want to dissociate with people real quick. Life is too short to be around people you aren’t certain of.
When I was in my undergrad I had made it clear to my parents that I had a few universities in my head for my postgrad. Particularly King’s College London. While there was still time left the topic wasn’t really argued upon. But as soon as I graduated and obtained the GPA for the university I wanted to get into my sweet mother told me how girls from our culture can’t go abroad for further studies. That is the moment my world came crashing down. My parents could have easily sent me abroad and it was a one year course with no break straight. But the sick thought of what might the “society” say made them kill my goals and dreams. I wanted to pursue a career in journalism in a renowned foreign news channel. Away from the ruckus of this country.
I never wanted to repeat the cycle of how it was like being a girl from a huge Baloch Family. I had goals and dreams far bigger than this society. But another dream was wasted and life was lost. This all made me regret years of my education and studies. I wish either my family had never given me that exposure and if they did they should’ve been kind enough to encourage me to pursue my ambitions and dreams.
This society is not meant for women. They are only treasured when they suffer quietly and that too when they’re dead. I absolutely loathe it when a woman has to shrink herself for the society to feel big about itself. DONT EVER DO THAT. Support your child regardless of their gender to achieve their dream, careers or just don’t make them dream of it next time if you can’t help them achieve it. We put our culture before anything else without realising how much outdated it is. Repeating the same cycle for generations has led to nothing but a steep decline in a lot of families. Their thoughts and existence is limited. I hope we change the society and make it a better place for people (particularly girls) to pursue what they want.
Guess who went over board with lawn and promised herself she won’t be doing it anymore? ME. That’s right. ME. What’s summer without tons of lawn suits you’ll even probably not wear because you prefer staying in Pyjamas at home. Every girl/woman needs dresses just in case they might need to dress up.
HUSSAIN REHAR
I absolutely love his clothes. Specially the lawn unstitched suits. Though you need a lot of effort to find the right laces in at least 3-4 different shapes and designs. I wore his designs on both the Eids this year. His lawn quality is the best amongst Pakistani designers. He also launched Jugnu Pret and I got a yellow 2 piece dress from that collection it’s so cute and the best part is it’s super comfy and super loose. Loose fitted clothes are extremely comfortable to carry in this 44 degrees heat. Do check out his collection if you’re into something similar to these cute dresses.
ZARA SHAHJAHAN
I absolutely love all her collection. From the Eid RTW to her coco lawn collection. The quality never disappoints and they recently opened their outlet in my city previously they only had studios in Karachi. I just realised all the articles I got and/or planning to get are from the same color family, Blue.
If you’re into blues definitely check out her collection. My size in the Pret for completely sold out, will probably visit the studio to see if they have my size available over there. I absolutely love her Coco Collection, it’s perfect for day to day wear. I prefer having minimal embroidery for causal wear clothes because it’s very difficult to carry heavily embroidered lawn clothes in this heat. You want something soft, loose fitted and easy to carry anywhere anytime.
SERÁN
I got a few dresses from this particular collection. Absolutely loved the soft lawn fabric and the easy to carry cotton net and chiffon duppata. The only headache was to find the right laces and getting them dyed. I’m big on all the tiny details of my dresses. These are again easy to carry with minimal embroidery. They have had multiple collections launched too but this collection literally has all my heart for all the florals and cute prints.
ZAIB
Disclaimer: Their stitched options are very loose, if you’re a size small usually just get an extra small.
Absolutely loved the quality of their fabric however the sizing is a bit confusing so I’d recommend you to get in unstitched and get it stitched from your own tailor. Their models are super skinny which makes you think you might want to size up but trust me the fitting doesn’t come in slim fit, it’s loose. I got a dress and will probably never wear it or just give it to my tailor to fix it. Do check it out if you’d opt for something unstitched. Rest it’s all good and pretty.
SAPPHIRE
This is my everyday wear go to brand. The best part is it’s not that pricey and I experiment new designs on them and they turn out to be amazing every single time. The lace, necklines, hem and sleeves I experiment with every single thing. Again their cute minimal prints, duppatas and basic embroidery is what I love the most about this brand.
MIAASA
This is just another Pakistani Footwear brand which I absolutely love. I have a couple of pairs from this amazing brand. Got flats and heels. It’s a very unique brand and different from all these other common shoe brands. The way they sparkle and look is just too good. Whenever I go through their website I just want to order everything. I absolutely love buying shoes in different colors and designs to match my outfits. Just a quick tip make sure you get padded shoes not the ones with a hard plastic sole, otherwise your feet will start killing you and it’s terrible. Comfort needs to go hand in hand together with fashion. They recently started selling their shoes in New York too, and this brand has a long way to go.
Lastly i’d like to say is you can wear the most amazing outfit but at the end of the day it will all come down to how you carry yourself. Take care of yourselves, you are what you eat and think. So eat good and think good/positive too.
We’ve reached the end of the 5th month of this year and the time is just slipping by so fast. Anyways, I have been using some products this year which have been my go to every single time. I’d recommend these to anyone reading this blog post;
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics (SPF50+ PA++++)
This is a light yet very creamy and hydrating sunscreen and i’ve been using it for 3 months now. This is contains 30% rice extract which is highly nourishing for the skin. I use it twice throughout the day once after my morning skin routine and the other layer 4-5 hours later throughout the day. I generally use sunblock a lot, even if i’m home i’ll use it.
BeautyofJoseonGinseng Essence Water
I have been using this amazing toner and it’s my go to everytime I wash my face. Ginseng has been a cherished herb in Korean history, renowned for its benefits to our overall health and particularly our skin. This Ginseng Essence Water, is made with 80% ginseng water, harnesses the natural power of ginseng, nourishing and hydrating the skin deeply. This essence not only supplies your skin with ample moisture and nutrients but also ensures long-lasting hydration.
Bioderma Sensibio Gel Moussant
My skin has gotten really sensitive and I cannot use harsh chemicals or cleansers on my face. This has been my favourite facial wash since over a month now. They didn’t have the 200ML size available in my country to I had to order it from abroad. They had the 45ML sizes which hardly lasted me 10 days or maybe 12. This has no fragrance and is amazing when you want to wash off your stubborn mascara or even normally washing your face in the morning.
*remember you need to clean the excess makeup off before washing it with a face wash for a double cleanse and make sure everything comes off before you start your skincare*
Bioderma attoderm moisturiser
This is my favourite moisturiser. This is insanely hydrating. They stopped selling this particular moisturiser in my country *yet again* had to order it from boots and they had an amazing deal of buy 2 get the third one for free. Boots.uk has amazing deals so do check them out when ordering. Bioderma has been my favourite brand since last year.
Cosrx Pimple Patch
We all have that day when we have a pimple show up in the most obvious place on our face , and guess what I got? Cosrx pimple patch. You can literally do all your skincare and put up a patch over your annoying pimple and wait for it to go away.
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
This foundation is everything. I am so upset that I never listened to people suggesting me this hydrating , sheer coverage and silk foundation before. It feels like your own skin and it gives you such a natural glow. I have used it 3-4 times already and I absolutely love it. This is coming from someone who has used Nars, Huda Beauty, Fenty and Chanel foundations; Armani takes the cake. Also your makeup will only look good if you take care of your skin and your diet. You can get all the expensive stuff but if your skin isn’t doing good you won’t look good.
Nars Creamy Concealer
I’ve been using this concealer since I first got it 2022. Got 2 more this year. The best part? It’s not at all heavy can be used on its own or over your foundation for a more glammed up look.The shelf life of this product is 2 years making it a major plus point to anyone who, like me, throws away makeup after the shelf life has ended.
Kiko Colored LipBalms
I absolutely love these lip balms. They are so hydrating and not too pigmented. It has the perfect balance of both. Even if it comes off it leaves a hint of the pigment on your lips. It has this immense scent of shea butter with a creamy formula. If you’re someone who loves lip balms do try it out.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush & Lip Oil
Previously i’d used their lip oil when it came out and I usually just wear it under my lipgloss for that pop of color. It’s really long lasting and hydrating and a perfect substitute for lipsticks. The cheek tint however is absolutely lovely. A little goes a long way, one dot is enough for your cheeks and i’ll definitely be repurchasing these items. I got the dewy liquid blush in the shade happy.
L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
I’m a complete germaphobe and I tend to wash my hands a lot. I prefer using mild soap since they are less drying and then boom I got this hand cream and I always use it whenever I wash my hands. It doesn’t have an extremely strong scent and it is very thick consistency and immensely hydrating. This can be used as a hand mask too for immense hydration.
Summer Fridays Lip Balm
Another absolute favourite lip balm has to Summer Fridays lip balm in the flavor; pink sugar. The scent of vanilla is very overpowering in this lip balm and it gives a hint of sugar too making it really cute. This is the best product you can carry in your bag and if you’re someone who doesn’t like using lipsticks. For all my lip balm and lip gloss girlies I’d suggest this lip balm. I’m definitely getting 3-4 different flavors in this now.
YSL LIBRE INTENSE EDP
I am a huge fan of Vanilla and Tonka generally and whatever perfume has these two as base notes tend to grab my attention super quick. I got this a couple of weeks ago and I reach for this perfume every single time. I absolutely love how it dries down on skin, it’s a perfect balance of everything. If you’re a girl who loves buying perfumes and still hasn’t gotten their hands on this one i’d suggest go for it.
I hope you’re all doing well as this beautiful year comes to an end. I hope and pray we all get to see the coming years surrounded by our loved ones always.
Anyhow todays blog will be on some of my favourite new skin care routine and products. I have a dry and sensitive skin, so I need to be very careful when it comes to choosing what goes on my skin. I cannot just randomly buy stuff off without reading about it and seeing others reviewing the particular products. So this year I used some amazing Korean skin care products too. If you don’t know k-beauty products are legit game changers; they aren’t that pricey, come in a good size quantity and the quality is super good as well.
I started doing minimal make up and mostly I avoid doing makeup unnecessarily and focus more on my skin health by investing in a lot of serums and moisturisers. For me healthy skin is more important than heavy makeup. And to be very honest if your skin is dehydrated, if you have acne and all that stuff your makeup will never look good and it will always have an impact on your day to day life. One more thing I do is I don’t go to salons to get my any facials, they are extremely rough with your skin. Instead of salon facials I opt for clinical facials, particularly HydraFacial. Don’t get the hydra facials offered in salons (EVER) instead get them done from specialised doctors clinic. All it includes is a deep cleansing and then a red light therapy. Considering the level of smog in my city, you need to get it done once every 40 days at least. It barely takes 30 minutes.
Here’s a list of my skin care products:
Cleansing:
Cetaphil Gentle Make-up remover (oil free);
Perfect for someone who has a sensitive skin and wants to get rid off that stubborn mascara or makeup more gently. All you need it to mix or shake the bottle, put some product on a cotton pad and gently glide it over your makeup (voila you’re done). Just to do a double cleanse I wash my face with a good facial cleanser and also with a micellar water to extract whatever is left behind on my skin more gently.
Bioderma Micellar Water;
Bioderma is the brand I am in love with since a good 3-4 months now. I had used this micellar water a couple of years ago as well and recently switched back to it. I usually just add some to cotton pads and cleanse my face from the sunblock, makeup or even the pollution. Don’t ever forget to run the cotton pad through your neck area as well. This does not overly dry my skin and is extremely good for someone with a sensitive skin, particularly this micellar water with the pink lid.
Soap & Glory Vitamin C Facial Wash;
I absolutely love this facewash and I’m on my 5th bottle already. This does not over-dry my face and is very gentle. Would definitely recommend this to everyone, regardless of how your skin may be this is perfect for everyone. If you’re living in Pakistan you should definitely get your stock for a year considering how imports are being made less available for customers. I had to get my 3 extra bottles from a different city thanks to the entire import ban.
Serums:
Cosrx Advanced Snail Mucin Essence;
This serum is all you need. Literally. Whatever skin type you are you need to buy this. This gives you that glass skin shine. It soothes your skin, evens out your skin and gives you a extremely plumped up glow. I apply this on a 50% damp skin (right after washing my face). Idk why but I cannot just apply serum on dry skin. You need that extra boost of hydration on your face before adding in any serum. I apply this every time I wash my face. This is the first Korean Skin Care product in my list.
Moisturisers:
Cosrx Advanced Snail 92 All in one Cream;
This soothes and yet again hydrates your skin. I layer this on top of my snail mucine. The combination of this cream and the snail mucine will give you a glass glow finish. You wont need makeup with this on. This just plumps up your face and gives you a beautiful look. This is the second Korean skincare product i’m in love with. Both these products are a super safe investment for someone with sensitive skin.
Bioderma atoderm Créme;
This is an amazing moisturiser for your face or even skin specifically if you have a dry and sensitive skin. This is fragrance free and won’t clog your pores either. I apply this at least thrice in a day for a extremely plumped up and hydrated look. I layer this at times with my snail mucin during the morning time before I apply my sunblock or even with the Cosrx moisturiser as well. I just like adding layers of moisturisers on my skin. I like my skin to stay hydrated always. So I just keep layering moisturisers. These are super safe to use together for sensitive skin.
Sunblock;
Okay so my eyes are extremely sensitive and whenever I apply sunblock if it gets too close to my eyes they start watering, this sunblock is a game changer it doesn’t cause any irritation to my eyes hence making it super bearable. It is spf 50, best for sensitive eyes, sensitive skin and yet again it’s my favourite french brand, Bioderma. I have been using sunblocks since I was in my late teens and I started understanding skin care. If you are someone who doesn’t own a sunblock you should definitely invest on one, specifically this one. This isn’t the tinted one, it’s the invisible one. Even if I don’t go out I apply this in the end of my skin care routine every morning.
That’s my skincare routine and I have ordered more Korean skincare products and they’ll be coming next month. No one does skincare better than the French and Korean. Cosrx and Bioderma are literally my go to brands since a couple of months now.
Stay tuned for more posts!🩷🦋
Sehr
Bonus tips:
Okay so I started working on my diet since 3-4 months now. I never skip breakfast (EVER). Usually my breakfast consists of 2 fried eggs over easy (1 yolk and two whites), 2 slices of whole wheat bread, cheese or butter on the side and a cup of cardamom full fat milk tea. Other days i’d just replace the fried egg with an omelette. Also we use brown organic eggs instead of white farm grown eggs. Your breakfast is the most important meal of the day which nourishes you to go about your entire day. Also try adding 2 glasses of fresh beetroot and apple smoothie to your pre breakfast ritual. Beetroot does wonders to your skin and your body. It is extremely healthy, I literally put everyone in my house on it.
I have one meal a day either it’s lunch or dinner. I started adding more red meat to meals, because it’s good for your body and health (specifically for someone in their 20’s and 30’s). I usually get it made in minced meat form or just kebabs. Everything home made, made from scratch.
I have limited my caffeine in take, there were days I had 5-6 cups of coffee a day (when my parents weren’t there to check my caffeine in take). I started taking 3 cups of tea a day and maybe a cup of coffee (if i’m in the mood for something stronger). Caffeine drains iron and calcium out of your body. Legit too much of it isn’t good, so cut back on your caffeine in take.
Add nuts and seeds in your diet,
I have added Chia seeds in particular in my diet religiously since my birthday in June. I add 2 Tablespoons of chia seeds to a warm mug of milk at night time. I just mix it in the milk and let it sit there for 15-20 minutes and then consume it. I get my chia seeds from Tayyib Store (usually order it online and get it delivered the very next morning)
Always take your vitamin D. Literally. Get your vitamin D levels checked you’re probably deficient like the 90% of the population, and start taking these vitamins asap.
The more you start taking care of your self now the less issues you have in the coming years. So watch what you eat.
Hey girls! This blog is specifically for you and how you can sort out your formal wardrobe for this festive/wedding season. We all know fall brings in a lot of gatherings, weddings and festivities. These particular brands and cuts have caught my attention and I definitely want to splurge on some these stunning dresses.
I am obsessed with their sarees. They are so elegant and pretty. The swarovski & stones used on their dresses are hands down the best combination. If you can fit a saree in your budget you should definitely splurge on their sarees. I’m definitely getting one too. You can obviously customise the length of the sleeves and blouse according to your requirements. If you’re someone who wants classics in their wardrobe and something which would never lose its charm, you definitely need to invest in one of their sarees.
One word I would use for Suffuse is Elegant!Suffuse is mostly front open gowns with flowy pants or lehengas. I absolutely love the organza frilled lehengas. They look extremely different from typical desi lehengas (which gives old people vibes tbh). Suffuse is taking classical ideas and turning them into head turning modest yet fashion forward pieces. I just love the trendy cuts and beautiful fall of the dresses. I absolutely love love love their stitched formal/festive collections.
If you’re someone who cannot compromise on the cold in your city and you need to attend events/weddings look fabulous and yet be comfortable you need to check out Faiza Saqlain’s velvet collection. It’s comfy during the winters yet really heavily embellished. These two articles caught my eye, and I definitely think it’s worth the money too. I usually prefer getting custom size made or stitched articles from the designers themselves because the fall and cuts matters the most when it comes to dressing up. If you’re someone who’s tall and can pull of these looks you definitely need to check out their store/website.
This is all adda work, digital prints, Indian silk and organzas. This collection is a mix of everything. If you are someone who likes heavily embroidered clothes and something classic you need to check out his collection. These particular outfits give me a extremely old school vibe (in a good way). The clothes women used to wear back in the 80’s-90’s. It’s heavy gotta/tilla embroidery, shine and then the short shirt options as well as long frocks in this particular collection along with extremely loose fitted shalwar and block printed lehengas/sharara pants. These looks can be carried well by anyone. The tea pink long dress is my top favourite from this collection.
“So beautiful So Elegant, just looking like a wow”
This is what comes to my mind when I see her cuts, designs, floral prints and minimal yet classy embroidery. These dresses above are literally all my favourites and if you have your siblings or someone close to you getting married definitely check out her collection and you’ll definitely steal the show. They aren’t crazy expensive either, so it’s definitely worth whatever they’re charging you. I just love long flared gowns with either churidar or plazo pants. If you’re someone who’s tall you can definitely pull off this look too.
The shoot, the fabric, the heavy embellishment and the color palette are to die for. If you want something which you can get stitched yourself and only if you think your tailor can do a good job, invest on one of these dresses. The plus point is they aren’t mad expensive. I like extremely long shirts with sharara pants because it’s easier to carry and walk around in. I like heavily embroidered/embellished net fabric. This collection recently got launched do check out their site or stores.
Hussain rehar is one of my top favourite designers to choose from (in my city). I love how they manage to give high quality, unique designs on such good prices. It’s pricey but would not cost you an arm. His clothes are worth investing on. Specially if you’re girl who loves dressing up in classic yet trendy pieces. I love how he has paired long kurtas with churidars or flowry dresses with sharara pants (again my favourite). Do check out his designs. It’s all about raw silk and block prints here.
Guess who just chopped 3 inches off their golden locks? ME! I honestly don’t know how to feel about it at the moment but well they’ll grow back pretty soon too. I was constantly bleaching my hair and getting different shades of balayage for years. I THANK MY PARENTS AND GRANDMOTHER FOR GIVING ME THE GOOD HAIR GENE. Literally I have made my hair go through A LOT, I still have them🤧 THANK GOD.
And plenty (Ma Sha Allah 🧿) please say it. Emphasise on the word written inside the brackets.
Anyways, I decided to chop off my hair and get a fresh hair cut because I was sick of dealing with dry ends. I got long layers with some face framing. Usually I used to have a face framing with straight cut hair but well that changed. No matter what you do, you can never really hydrate a bleached strand or tips. I changed my shampoos and hair mask too, as well as my pre shampoo oiling routine.
Shampoo;
Resistance Bain Extentioniste Shampoo
This shampoo in particular promotes quicker hair growth, rebuilds hair fiber, makes your hair nourished and shiny. And this smells heavenly. Too good. I switched to Kerastase products after 2 years. They’re super mild yet super rich in amazing hair healthy ingredients like:
Creatine
an amino acid that penetrates deep to reinforce the internal structure of the hair fiber
Ceramide
provide surface recovery, assuring beautiful hair fiber as they smooth and soften
Taurine
an amino acid with a protective effect on the hair fiber to help ensure visibly healthy and stimulated scalp environment
Hair Mask;
Resistance Masque Therapiste Mask
This smells like heaven, and leaves your hair super healthy and soft as well. I usually use this twice a week after shampooing my hair. This particular hair mask needs to stay in your hair for 5-7 minutes and then you need to massage it in your scalp well before washing it off. Again smells too good 🍭 🍬
This again is rich in super amazing ingredients;
Gluco Peptide
Enters the deepest layers of the cuticule to strengthen existing hair and stimulate growth.
Wheat Protein Derivative
Repairs the flexibility and elasticity of damaged hair, restoring uniformity and smoothness.
Native Plant Cells
Ensure deep hydration, reducing the risk of weakened roots and leaving soft hair.
Note: Kerastase products are extremely mild and sulphate free. And a little goes a long way. If you’re someone who colors their hair, bleaches them or even uses hot tools on your hair you need to get a consultation and invest on their products. Secondly you need to switch to a microfibre towel for your hair. The normal towel can be extremely damaging for your hair and cause breakage and pulling. Microfibre towel however is extremely soft and gentle on your hair.
K18 hair mask
I usually use this after 2-3 months for 8 after washes and then I alternate it’s use and then slowly just stop using it. This is extremely amazing for you if you have bleached hair and need that extra boost of hydration. You can read the post I wrote about this particular mask;
These are the only oils I put on my hair for at least 2-3 hours before washing them. I use them at least twice a week. I add 4 Tablespoons of either olive oil or almond oil and add in 8 drops of rosemary oil, mix it all well and massage it on for about 5-7 minutes. I drench my hair (root to tip) in this amazing mixture. None of these oils have a bitter smell either and extremely bearable. I love how amazing the rosemary smells tbh, it just refreshes you and calms you down. Rosemary oil has tons of benefits, it helps give you shiny, long, strong and healthier hair.
Rosemary oil tip : seeing how much dengue cases are on the rise I usually add a few drops of Rosemary oil in my fragrance free lotion and rub it on my arms and ankles. Rosemary oil is far better than Mospil or any such lotions. All it has a is a minty scent. No mosquitoes will bite you and you’ll be all goody good and safe.
Lastly; Avoid putting heat on your hair, specifically Hair Straighteners, they literally fry your hair; if you’re someone who tends to do a lot of styling either invest on a Dyson Airwrap or a GHD wet to dry styler. Thank me later!🙌🏻
Tips:
– Don’t ever comb your wet hair ever.
– Use a Microfibre towel to dry your hair, don’t ever use a regular towel (I know i repeated it but please don’t take this lightly).
– Use mild, sulphate free shampoo.
– Don’t ever wash your hair with extremely hot water, it’s extremely drying.
– Take your vitamin D and Calcium supplements (at least an hour before or after caffeine, don’t take these vitamins with coffee or tea)
– Oil your hair (Read that again) and massage it well on your scalp.
– Use a good heat protectant before using any hot tools on your hair.
– For the girlies, get a trim regularly after every 2-3 months.
– Invest on a Dyson Airwrap.
Good precautions and tips can help save you a lot of trouble later in life. A lot of people face hair thinning and hair fall because they don’t have a good after care and they just are very rough with their hair. Be it a guy or a girl, we all need luscious, soft and smooth hair.
I really wanted to visit Paris ever since I was a kid specially because of Disneyland. I am so glad when the first time I went to Paris I was 22 and the memories I have are so clear. Kids don’t remember anything!! The best age to travel is actually when you can remember what you did, where you went and all those amazing strolls down the aesthetically pleasing streets! You need to stay in a good neighbourhood so that you can actually walk and enjoy your trip. Shopping and cafe culture is something you cannot miss out on in Paris. You need to dress a bit formally in Paris; unlike Los Angeles. They have the biggest Sephora in Paris and you can literally find anything! There was even a cute little Sephora next to our hotel as well. I hate how convenient shopping is in Paris and you literally end up buying whatever catches your eye. Which means you end up buying things you don’t need.
Amsterdam;
This is definitely the most safest city after Zurich. Literally everyone is so sweet and kind. I love the tram culture in Amsterdam, you can never get lost in this amazing dutch city. The canals, weather, food and super easy going lifestyle is what attracts people to visit this amazing place over and over again. You need to try seafood here, particularly the famous SeaFood bar. The weather is super pleasant and you might even need a jacket after sunset (that is if there’s no heat wave). Avoid going to Amsterdam in June & July since chances are you might get caught in middle of a heat wave and it might just ruin your trip. Personally for me, I hate summers and I hate hot weathers. The best time to visit Amsterdam is definitely Autumn and spring.
Norway (Fjords);
I have never visited Norway but this is on my bucket list for the future. Not every trip has to start and end at Champs-Élysées or Rodeo, You need to experience naturally aesthetically pleasing sites too. Fjords are a slice of what heaven would look like. If you don’t know what an amazing piece of land Norway is you need to start looking up (specifically their Fjords). I am grateful to my father to have told me about this amazing piece of land and one day I plan on going there with him and the rest of my family. I’ve always traveled with my entire family and I don’t understand how people can just fly off themselves whilst leaving their families on one side of the world. My father always included us in his plans and I will forever be grateful to him.
Los Angeles;
Flights to LA can be hell tiring and the the jet lag takes at least a week to get over. But is it worth it? HELL YESS!! As soon as you get out of LAX the cool breeze can make you forget about the long flight and how tired you actually are. You just need someone who knows all the places. You need to stay in a safe neighbourhood. I absolutely loved Glendale. The apartment where we stayed was a 5-6 minutes walk from Americana The Brand. I used to walk by myself every single time. People are extremely warm and welcoming. Three things I loved the most was my salt & straw ice cream, In-n-out burgers and Boiling crab. You need to try these things if you’re in Los Angeles(or some other city). I prefer walking when I’m travelling, I hate using any sort of transportation. Absolutely loved Laguna beach and Malibu Beach there, you just need to make sure you don’t slip when a wave comes right at you, just hold your ground. I once had my back towards the ocean, a huge wave just came right at me and I had to make sure I didn’t budge and stand perfectly still( i’m extremely bad at swimming); almost went into the pacific. Sharks are on of my major fears ever since growing up (probably because I watched ever single scary shark movie) I was the only one that close to the water. But oh well I was brave I guess. I just love walking on the beach, soaking my feet in the water and enjoy the sound of the waves. The skies in California are literally out of this world.
Iceland;
This place is yet again on my bucket list. You’ll see geothermal hot springs billowing with white smoke, moss-covered lava fields stretching into the distance, dazzling white glaciers slicked over mountainsides and if you’re lucky you’ll see the Northern lights too.
Nothern lights – Iceland
Peak viewing season for the northern lights is always September through March when the nights are long, during winters darkness can extend for approximately 19 hours. Arrive about five days before a new moon, and you will have a very dark week ahead, perfect for seeing the lights. List of places in Iceland where you can witness Northern lights;
– Hella
– Reykjavík
– Höfn
– Skógar
– Snaefellsnes
Next attraction is the Blue Lagoon. It’s a a geothermal spa, located in a lava field near Grindavík and in front of Mount Þorbjörn.
Lake Tahoe, Nevade;
I went to Lake Tahoe last year, it was summer the season, the lake had all shades of blue and it was so pretty. South Lake Tahoe is a more touristy spot and but you can definitely spot some secluded places with minimal or no people for your photography. Emerald bay was a bit crowded but definitely worth the views. Tahoe has lakes, Greenery and snow capped mountains at the same time. If you plan on going to The States do add driving to Lake Tahoe, you’d love it.
Yosemite National Park, California;
If you truely want to be awed and experience mother natures true beauty you need to visit Yosemite National Park. It includes peaks, canyons, cliffs, domes, rivers, lakes, immense waterfalls, lush green meadows, wildlife, and forests. If you’re lucky (or unlucky) you can also spot a bear just strolling around you. Just don’t feed them and don’t walk off by yourself since the park is packed with wildlife. I saw the biggest squirrels at Yosemite. Literally huge and fat. You’ll see the worlds tallest sequoia trees here too. You’ll feel like you stepped into a fairytale.
I’ll be adding more places to this amazing list. Stay tuned for more✨
Sehr 🩷
P.s if you’ve ever been to any of these places don’t forget to reach out and share your experience!
Hey gals! I hope you all had an amazing summer, I have always wanted to use Nars products but I never got a chance to get it. Previously i’ve used Mac, Estee Lauder, Huda beauty, Fenty and Chanel makeup, so Nars has always been on my bucket list.
Okay so one thing I do and I think everyone else should also do is get a matching concealer along with your foundation shade. I end up buying all the makeup products from that particular line except a few (Laure Mercier setting powder and my makeup setting spray). The only Nars product I had previously used of Nars was their lip balm (a year ago).
Here’s a list of NARS products I got and absolutely love them;
NARS RADIANT LONGWEAR FOUNDATION
This is a lightweight yet a long wear and medium to full (buildable) coverage foundation. Has an amazing finishing and feels so beautifully natural. It’s fragrance free (unlike Huda which is heavily scented) and Oil- Free. I don’t like scented foundations, the scent means more chemical and probable skin damage. I would always suggest go for something which has no artificial scent for your skin or face. This foundation basically has everything amazing yet just feels like your normal skin. It has a huge variety of shades, the lady at Sephora told me to go for the shade Santa Fe(it was a perfect match).You need to know your skin tone and undertones before going in to buy your foundation. This is an all time classic foundation.
NARS RADIANT CREAMY CORRECTOR
No matter how beautiful your skin is, you always need a color corrector. Orange is used to cancel out the dark circles while green color is used to cancel out redness. And trust me when you travel a lot and are immensely jet lagged you are more likely to end up with dark circles! And this magical bottle goes over your primed skin and below your foundation. Thank me later! I have previously used nyx corrector too but that one wasn’t available anywhere this time.
NARS RADIANT CREAMY CONCEALER
This is the concealer you need to get along with your nars foundation. Since my Shade was Santa Fe I ended up going for the shade Custard for my concealer. This isnt full coverage but does the job well with the foundation and the corrector. It’s lightweight yet has a beautiful texture.
NARS BRONZING POWDER
This gives you an amazing sun kissed look. I am a big fan of bronzing powders and how much they enhance your features. Gone are the days when you ended up looking like you had dried cheeks due to heavy blushes. Blush is important but bronzers are very much important too. I am not a fan of creamy bronzers though. I bought the hyped up Anastasia Beverly Hills infamous contour creme palette and it was a complete waste of money. Nars bronzing powder is one of my favourites along with Benefit cosmetics Hoola bronzer and even the NYX Bronzer powder.
NARS BLUSH
NARS blush comes in three finishings;
Sheer
Matte
Shimmer
Personally I love the shimmery effect more because you don’t really need a highlighter after that. And the texture just feels amazing. Would definitely recommend this to everyone. Also a quick tip you can use this over tinted cheeks too. Gives the perfect shade and glow.
After Glow Lip Balm
I personally would go for gloss or lip balms over lipsticks any day. Firstly they’re hydrating and coloured as well. The colors aren’t extra dramatic either, so it can be used by anyone. You can easily use it over a tint again for that extra pop of color.
Lastly, I’d like to add is that it’s very important to have a good skin care routine. No amount of expensive makeup can make your skin feeling good. Your makeup only looks good if you are consistent with your skin care (simple yet effective) and if you’re well hydrated! So take care of yourselves 🩷
Hey gals! If you’re someone who loves investing on themselves then you should definitely read about these amazing products i’ve discovered and ultimately added to my daily routine! I was new to some products and even some brands but it was an unexpected pleasant experience.
Olaplex Nº.7 Bonding Oil;
The Nº.7 Bond Building Oil, infused with patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology, is a weightless, reparative styling oil that dramatically increases shine, softness and color vibrancy while providing heat protection of up to 450º F (232º C). I prefer using this particular oil before and after i’m done styling my hair with my Dyson Airwrap. I love how it smooths away each strand while not weighing down my hair. This is perfect for someone with colored hair too, I have been using this product since a month now and absolutely love it.
Kerastase Serum Extentioniste Scalp & Hair Serum;
This can be used on wet or dry hair. Just section your hair and add in a few drops on the scalp and just slightly rub it in. Make sure you massage it into your roots properly and then you comb out your hair. This wont leave your hair greasy or oily and it has a very mild scent added as well. This serum helps supporting healthy hair length with key ingredients of Creatine R (which amino acid that reinforces the internal structure of the hair fiber) and Ceramides (enhances shine, elasticity and retains moisture in those locks).
Rare beauty Lip Oil;
This has to be my top favourite and my first ever purchase from Selena Gomez’s brand, Rare Beauty. This is so beautifully pigmented and I love how it can stay on for hours and doesn’t require reapplying regardless of whatever you do. I got the shade Joy which is a peach or coral shade. I love how it has this cooling effect on my lips. You need to buy this in order to tell how amazing this is. It’s a lip oil plus a long wear tint for your lips too. And super low maintenance. It contains Jojoba Seed Oil and Sunflower Seed Oil hence it’s highly hydrating and protects your lips from harsh environments. It’s not sticky nor is it heavily scented. I’ve been using this amazing product since 3 weeks and I always go for this from my dresser.
Givenchy: ROSE PERFECTO PLUMPING LIP BALM 24H HYDRATION;
This is extremely hydrating and leaves a very natural tint even when it comes off. The shade I’m using is Pink Irresistible. It’s rich in Hyaluronic Acid and Shea Butter. Perfect for winters or when travelling. It’s just super natural and just enhances your own natural lip color. I love the leather packing of this lip balm as well. This is extremely worth it and not that hyped up like The Dior Backstage Balm. Currently I am trying to get my hands on their new “Black” Lip balm which helps bring out your own natural lip color. It’s sold out everywhere right now, so it might take a few weeks.
NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip Lip Gloss
I recently got this and I cannot stop putting this on my lips. I am a huge fan of lip balms and lip glosses (ever since I was a kid). The shade I got from this line is, “Missed call” and I plan on getting, “Follow back” next. This enhances your own natural lip color and doesn’t really have much of a tint, it’s just glossy and hydrating. If you’re a fan of Lipglosses you need to buy this.
Bioderma Atoderm Ultra Nourishing Cream;
This is an amazing moisturiser for your face or even skin specifically if you have a dry and sensitive skin. This is fragrance free and won’t clog your pores either. I apply this at least thrice in a day for a extremely plumped up and hydrated look. Bioderma is an infamous french skin care brand and I’ve previously used their micellar water (which is a total winner too).
Cetaphil Gentle Oil-Free Makeup Remover;
Perfect for someone who has a sensitive skin and wants to get rid off that stubborn mascara or makeup more gently. All you need it to mix or shake the bottle, put some product on a cotton pad and gently glide it over your makeup (voila you’re done). Just to do a double cleanse I wash my face with a good facial cleanser.
Soap & Glory Facewash;
I absolutely love this facewash and I’m on my 4th bottle already. This does not over-dry my face and is very gentle. Would definitely recommend this to everyone, regardless of how your skin may be this is perfect for everyone. If you’re living in Pakistan you should definitely get your stock for a year considering how imports are being made less available for customers.
Lastly the greatest investment i’ve made this year was on my Dyson Air wrap;
I hope you’re all doing well. So I absolutely love styling my hair be it curls, beachwaves or simply straight and sleek, in order to make sure my hair gets minimal damage I spend a lot on heat protectants and oils which protect the hair from high heat. And I also got a Dyson Airwrap so my hair can legit get “minimal” damage when styling. Here are some of my favourite products tried and tested;
A highly-concentrated, weightless reparative styling oil. It’s also highly recommended to someone who colored their hair. Some of the other benefits it claims to have are that it; repairs damaged and compromised hair, strengthens and protects hair structure lastly restores healthy appearance and texture. I personally used this 4-5 times so far and I prefer using it before and after I style my hair with my Dyson AirWrap.
I absolutely love the scent of this serum and how amazing it makes my hair texture. Used 3 serums of Kerastase but this one takes the cake. This is my third bottle of this serum and sadly they don’t sell this one in my country now and I need to place an order online or ask someone to get it for me. This again acts like a really good heat protectant and leaving your hair super moisturised simultaneously. Out of the two serums mentioned here this one is more scented, I don’t know if it’s a good thing or not but this is my absolute favourite from the Kerastase range.
I discovered this product last year at Sephora Americana Glendale and this has been on my dresser ever since. I got 2 bottles, one mini/travel size and one full sized. This was pricey but this oil had a shelf life of 24 months once opened, so it’s worth the money. It’s enriched with 6 oils, meant for thicker hair to tame down the frizz and as well as to act as an excellent heat protector. I preferred using this particularly when curling my hair (since it takes a lot of heat to do it).
Lastly I’d like to add is that you need good organic oils on your hair too at least twice a week be it coconut, olive or almond oil. Nothing can beat organic hair care. Massaging oils can help relax your scalp and be good for your hair follicles as well as dried out strands while promoting growth.
You guys! I cannot tell you how much I’m obsessed with my New Dyson Airwrap. This was a long due treat to myself and the only thing I regret is that I couldn’t get my hands on this amazing device when it first came in. It was actually an advance/pre birthday gift(which practically I ordered myself). Well better late than never. If you’re new the airwrap comes in 2 barrel sizes, for short hair and for longer hair and I got the one for longer length hair. I got the grey color which has a gloss exterior and less prone to scratches. They had a violet color too with a free pouch and hair brushes but I didn’t go for it because it was more matte and more prone to scratches.
Pros;
Less time consuming:
My hair is long, colored and slightly difficult to manage. It used to take me atleast 2 hours to style my wet hair from scratch (blowdrying and then either curls or straightening them with a straightener). Whereas I am all done in 15-20 minutes with the Dyson Airwrap.
Far less damaging than (blowdrying, using a flat iron or curling rod):
Lets not forget the straightener and curling rods have metal on them and are used on super hot temperatures so a regular usage of that can easily damage and ultimately fry your hair. That’s where dyson airwrap comes in which automatically makes sure the heat doesn’t cross a certain temperature while styling your hair with only Air (no heated metal plates). There’s an automatic temperature control in it as well after every 40 seconds. The airwrap also has cool shot to lock in the curls.
Styling made easy:
My hair is thick hence styling them was literally a sport but Dyson has made it so much easy. The machine is super light to hold and style my hair with. Your arms won’t hurt once you’re done, unlike a regular blowdrying or older tools. As soon as you’re done you’ll feel like you stepped out of the salon not your room. All you need is damp/wet hair, a heat protectant (will be doing my next blog on that) and a good hairspray so your curls actually stay there for sometime.
Cons;
The only con for a Dyson Airwrap is the price. It’s gotten more expensive thanks to the inflation and currency devaluation in my country. But if you’re someone who can fix a dyson in their budget you should definitely get it for yourself.
I got it from UAE considering it has the same voltage as Pakistan230 volts. USA has a voltage of 120 so electronics from there are at a risk of getting spoilt if used in Pakistan. UAE, UK and EU are safer options for Pakistan.
P.s Dyson just launched their Airstrait device, and I’m definitely going to be investing on that too.
My grandfather was the person who supported Fatima Jinnah in her election campaigns whilst she was named a traitor just because she was opposing a dictator in elections which were later heavily rigged. Mind you Fatima Jinnah was Quaid-e-Azam’s sister and he was the founder of this country. But nothing could stop a dictator from naming her a traitor. Till this date there is no political independence in this country.
Imran Khan was brought in for Nawaz sharif and Zardari/Bhuttos like Sharif’s were brought in for Bhuttosmonopoly in Politics. These are all the same old tricks used and abused after every decade. Whoever becomes too influential they are removed out of the way by false cases or assassinations! Benazir Bhutto is the biggest example of such a thing. When politicians become too hard to handle they’re simply eliminated.
It’s gotten easier to buy off sitting mna’s and mpa’s, meaning you come into power on one parties ticket but as soon as you see this party ship going down you decide to jump off it. Either someone pays you money for switching or you get offered a ticket from another party willing to take you in. There should be a ban on such switchers for at least 2 general elections. They cannot be trusted they’d switch sides whenever it’s inconvenient for them to stand with the party they’re representing. You need no morals or ethics to do that. Then again politics is a selfish game.
The only reason Pakistan has not prospered like Bangladesh is because whoever comes into power starts thinking about personal short term gains while not caring what happens to the country in the long run. Increasing the defence budget whilst more than half the population is living under poverty and crisis doesn’t make sense. Education & health are completely ignored. Whilst the rich can travel the world for a basic treatment the poor to middle class is stuck with whatever options he/she has in this country.
I don’t support politicians who make policies for this country while their kids are sitting comfortably in Dubai, London or somewhere in States. Their kids won’t be facing the consequences of their decisions. The youth of this country however will be living with those consequences with no other option.
Personally I don’t think this country will get any leader good enough. Whoever will come will make money, get cars, invest in property abroad and fly off as soon as he starts seeing a dead end while leaving the people of this country to fall into the ditch they dug up!
Hey guys!! I hope you all had a good fall season. Mine was just okayish though. And I know i’ve been MIA but well here I am with a new blog regarding some desi fashion or sense of style these summers.
I am big on clothes. I love shopping. I love buying clothes and I love designing them in different ways. And i’m obviously an inspiration to some! The cuts and designing can give life to even simple clothes. I would definitely give credit to my mother, I learned after making obvious mistakes in deciding the wrong fabrics, lace or even designs. But i learned, and i’m self reliant now. I don’t even mind normal suits (non-designer) as long as they are designed right and you can carry them well. I have a very few top favourite brands! I stopped getting a certain brands because literally everyone has those particular suits and dresses, as a result they end up looking like a school uniform. I prefer something different than the rest. Well at least I try until someone’s discovers what i’m wearing and they get the same designer the next time. So yeah.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HIS CLOTHES! Literally my favourite designer in Lahore. The first time I got a formal wear was on my brothers wedding. I kept on buying his lawn and then winter fabric too. It was pricey and well I paid quite a lot of stitching too. Tailors are expensive these days. The material he uses, the color combination, embroidery and then the organza duppatas, promotion’s everything is on point. Most of the designers only focus on the shirt design and embroidery while matching it with a digital printed duppata, while Hussain Rehar changed the complete game by focusing on all the three pieces (shirt, duppata and pants). His duppatas are so pretty and personally I too prefer organza duppatas for formal gathering in summers while I can easily wear it over a perfectly embroidered lawn suit. I’ll definitely get one of these;
I already purchased 5 suits of sapphire from their daily casual wear lawn. Considering how warm/hot Pakistan gets during extreme summers you cannot really wear heavily embroidered clothes, plain or printed lawn is best and easy to carry. However the designing and cuts aren’t simple. I like to experiment with different designs and I did that this time again. I hope they end up being good though. Extremely excited to see what my tailor does. Sapphire was all about the good pricing and prints. A lot of floral prints (what everyone prefers in summers). I literally wanted to get a lot of items. But well five is enough from one collection. The thing I liked the most was their idea of small printed florals on shirt and pants. The shirts of this collection were lawn whilst the pants were cotton; but it’s okay. I just liked almost every article.
I usually get their Pret wear from seasonal collections, their new recent collection is definitely worth looking at. The colors, fabric and how minimalist yet great it looks. The right amount of embroidery, print and the cute color palette. These are some of their articles which caught my attention;
This was my first ever purchase from this brand. I am a huge fan of animal prints; cheetah, tiger, snake or any other animal. I instantly get attracted to animal printed dresses, clothes, shirts and everything. They’re a classic and you can never go wrong with them! I got a dress from their stitched cotton collection and I am absolutely obsessed with how beautiful it is and how amazingly I can carry it! I have the perfect sandals and bag to carry along with it. Just super excited! If you’re someone who’s obsessed with animal prints do check out their collection, you’ll love it.
If you’re looking for something fancier than a normal suit and something you’d wear formally at dinners or gatherings then this is the right collection for you. Specially if you’re someone who loves playing with different fabric and material. I personally like designing things on different fabrics so such collections really excite me. The mirror work, organza duppata and then the net cut work. This collection really is something i’m looking forward to.
Lastly, I would like to add that we women spend thousands on 1 suit yet we tend to bargain from people working in smaller shops like tailors or the ones selling laces! Knowing the amount of inflation in this country and how difficult it is for these small shop owners or workers to make ends meet please don’t bargain from them. They have families to feed. You might save a few hundreds but it would mean more to them than you! Tailors put in so much effort in making your perfect suits! What they ask for is what they truly deserve. Please be kind!
So I recently got my hair coloured *again* went in for more golds. Which means more hair damage, but guess what? I take good care of my hair. Literally getting all the best products out in the market to make sure my hair does not get immensely damaged. What’s the point of having the perfect hair color if your hair looks pathetic at the end of the day? No offence. You need to have a good after care for your hair specially after getting your hair coloured or even if you use heat regularly (blowdrying or straightening).
I came across k18 leave in hair mask on my trip to LA these summers, and I thoroughly used it throughout my trip there and got a bigger bottle to bring back with me, in case I wanted to use it again. This is hands down the best hair leave in mask i’ve ever used. This does not have a strong fake scent to it. It literally defines my hair texture. Makes my ends a lot smoother. I would recommend it to anyone who has bleached or coloured their hair.
I got the k18 PH balancing shampoo, and to be very honest it didn’t suit me. The only reason I got this shampoo is because I don’t want the quality of the water to effect my hair color or wash off my colour quicker. So I live in the city but at times I travel to my ancestral village and the water quality over there does not go on well for my hair or hair color. My colorist told me to get the shampoo in order to make sure my hair colour and hair in general isn’t exposed to those bad chemicals present in the water there. I used it for 2 weeks. Smells just like Lable.m Orange blossom sulphate free shampoo but this shampoo overly dried my hair for some reason. I used my k18 hair mask after it too.
It had such huge claims! As seen above. But this particular product did not work for me. This is double the price of my Loreal Serie vitamino color expert shampoo, but I didn’t like it as much. I might use it when travelling away from the city but generally won’t be using it much. This was my honest opinion about k18. *And this was not sponsored*
This is literally my go to place in this city. If there’s any plan or meet up this place just instantly comes to my mind. The Ambiance, Food Quality, Location (Defence and Gulberg) everything is good. Absolutely love their Anglio’Olio Pasta, Mozzarella sticks, Pepperoni Pizza (chicken), Chicken Sandwiches and Cafe Au’Lait. The thing I actually appreciate the most about this place is that they have maintained their quality ever since they have opened up. Also a little secret, they make seasonal fruit cakes (strawberry and mango) on orders and they are scrumptious. Their tea however is really pathetic so no point if ordering it. If you’re someone who likes separate tea then you might like it but if you’re someone like me, who loves *doodhpati chaaye* with elaichi, you will definitely not like it. So skip the tea and order a cup of coffee instead.
I just recently tried it and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to go to a good place in Lahore. What I loved the most about their cafe was their Rosemary chicken panini grilled sandwich, Margherita Pizza and Cafe Latte. The best part is they serve breakfast all day, so you can easily and definitely plan on going there for brunch(anytime). Will definitely be trying more things off their menu. The outdoor seating is best for winters just make sure you are wearing a super warm coat and accessories to keep yourself warm.
This is such a cute cafe. The seating is super limited but as soon as you step into the cafe it feels like a completely different dimension. I absolutely loved their Alfredo Pasta, Tarragon Chicken with mashed potatoes and Cafe Latte. I ordered a piece of their chocolate milk pastry too, but it was far too sweet for my taste. Anyhow this place is worth visiting if you’re in Lahore.
Okay I so prefer either takeaway or home deliveries from Nando’s. Currently i’m in Love with their Quarter chicken in extra hot peri peri sauce and I order spicy rice, potato wedges and garlic bread on the sides. This is so fulfilling. How can I forget about their Peri Peri bites?!This is a quite famous chain so chances are you might have already tried it, but if you haven’t what are you waiting for?
Also a top secret, their classic chocolate cake is extremely yummy. If you want to eat that perfect textured and perfectly balanced bitter sweet chocolate cake do try it. It’s my top top favourite one in town.
This is a place where all home based bakers and chefs send their stuff. I absolutely loved the Italian herbed and buttered chicken roast, the egg pudding and croissants sold here. Both butter and chocolate filled croissants had the perfect texture and taste(reminded me of the ones I had in Paris). These are high quality products. Everything is freshly home made. It’s niche. Unlike huge bakers making tons of things at one time and not maintaining the food quality.
If you love ice cream and particularly chocolate flavoured!! You need to try either of these places. Their Nutella ice cream is hands down the best ice cream i’ve had in Lahore or even Pakistan. It has chocolate chunks in it too (making it bitter sweet). Thank me later!🍫🍦
For the time being these are restaurants or cafes I would go back to any day or just get food from there and have it at home. I am very picky when it comes to my food and I’m super cautious about cleanliness. I don’t like going to new places and rather stick to my classic favourites.
Hey gals! Okay so I am obsessed with perfumes have almost 3 dozens of different fragrances and I always get my stock when travelling. If you’re from Pakistan, I would never recommend you investing in perfumes out here, I highly doubt they’re selling first hand perfumes except a few selective shops. Highly selective. But it’s still risky investing in anything expensive here. Anyways the best place to get perfumes from is when you’re abroad and travelling.
Autumn has started and winters are right around the corner, I have a few particular scents I specifically use during fall. Most of these aren’t the sweet or fruity (fresh) perfumes you’d use in the summers (but there are a few exceptions). These are a bit woody, chocolatety, vanilla, warm florals and spicy scents and tiny bit sweet too. And honestly I don’t know about you but I don’t like fresh floral throughout the year or even a scent heavily smelling like roses, it’s a huge no. Ew. I rather go for jasmine than roses.
JO MALONE MYRRH & TONKA COLOGNE INTENSE
This is my Top Favourite perfumes for winters! I am literally obsessed with the scent and how amazing it makes you feel. This is definitely a compliment getter as well. Everyone asks me what i’m wearing when I have this perfume on. This is unisex so it can be used by men and women both. Perfect for the winters. It has warm almond and vanilla notes. It’s not sweet. It’s just intense and woody (a perfect balance). My number 1 favourite perfume. I got my first bottle of Jo Malone perfume from their shop near the Louvre in Paris’2019 (and I just checked it’s gotten permanently closed now; post Covid).
Chanel N5 EDP
This is powdery, Vanilla yet a tinge of spice in a bottle. This is a classic favourite and almost every girl/woman has this on her dresser. But for me in particular this perfume holds a very special place. My Late Beloved Grandmother gifted me this perfume a year before she left us, this scent just is very close to my heart. This perfume I can use summer and winters, or whenever I miss her I just wear it. It gives me a feeling of warmth and comfort.
Chanel Chance Eau Tendre
Absolutely love this perfume since 2019. This is something you can use throughout the year summer, spring, autumn and winters. This is sweeter than all the other perfumes mentioned here. I don’t like the fragrance of rose and I was just reading about the notes this has and as surprising it can get, rose notes inside of it. But Thank God they aren’t obvious. It’s sort of fruity floral. If you like something with the perfect sweet balance definitely go for this.
Kayali DÈJÀ VU White Flower| 57
This again is a warm floral scent. It doesn’t blow on your face but it’s subtle yet very captivating. I had been wanting to get my hands on this amazing scent and I finally got it right before we flew out of LA these summers. I went rushing to the nearest Sephora(Pasadena) which was about 5 minute walk from my hotel and got it. This scent just grabs your attention. A must have if you’re someone who wants to invest in good perfumes.
GUCCI GUILTY POUR FEMME EDP
This has been my signature scent since 7-8 years now. I went for this new one this time (got it from LAX on my way back home)! I have used 2 bottles of their original gucci guilty and this was something I thought was a safe investment considering how much I really like this line of perfume from Gucci. Perfect for everyday! This again has a warm floral scent.
DIOR SAUVAGE Edp
Okay so this is a perfume for men but I use this in winters. This is woody with vanilla and bit of citrus. I just love this in winters specifically. It gives you that cozy and warm fuzzy feeling. Perfect for winters. Would recommend this to all the ladies if you like strong woody perfumes for winters.
MY BURBERRY BLACK EDP
This is yet another compliment getter. Yet again; I cannot explain it but this is a very strong, warm and spicy scent. That is what I exactly prefer for winters/autumn. This has floral notes but they aren’t as obvious as the original My Burberry this is a bit more intense. It’s not all girly girly type of perfume with sugary hints, it’s quite woody. I have 3 My Burberry perfumes; The Original, Blush and this black. Black is perfect for winters.
DIOR ADDICT EDT
This again is one of my my signature scents since I was 20. It has the perfect balance of sweet, citrus, fruity, woody, warm florals and vanilla. I would buy this over and over again. I know it’s an EDT but this stays on and has a very enchanting scent. I have no words for this scent except that it’s unique and beautiful.
I haven’t been regular at posting blogs! I’m coming up with new ideas and will definitely be working on them. Stay tuned for more!🤍
Hey guys! I hope you all had an amazing summer, today i’ll be listing my top favourite foundation I’ve previously used and currently i’m using.
P.s I always go for the same line(brand) for the primer and concealer. Just to make sure everything goes on well smoothly.
I have been in love with makeup since I was 5. I used to take my cousins metallic purple lipstick and put it on myself and do my nails metallic green. I was a baby. And metallic purple is a very ugly shade. I don’t know why I was obsessed with purple when I was a kid. Fast forward to now I still do love makeup (occasionally) but nothing as dramatic as a metallic purple lip shade, I’m more into subtle pinks and nude shades.
Moving on to my favourite foundations;
Huda Beauty Faux Filter Foundation: $42
This foundation was a game changer! This is a complete full coverage foundation yet it felt so much like my normal skin. The shade I got was Amaretti (it was quite yellow for my skin but the concealer evened out the look). I got their primer as well(which was heavily perfumed). I personally don’t like to put heavily and artificially scented cosmetics on my face because I have a sensitive skin, and artificial scent doesn’t go on well with my skin. This foundation is quite heavy and I would not recommend this to anyone with an acne prone skin. This will probably clog your pores and cause more breakouts. But it’s perfectly fine for normal skin. I remember I used this foundation at a family gathering and it didn’t even move a bit, got asked a lot on what foundation i’d used. There are immense number of shades and undertones to choose from. I would always recommend buying your foundation before your skin gets tanned while on a vacation and the people at Sephora end up giving you a shade different than your normal skin tone. I won’t be investing on this foundation anytime soon, it’s just not my cup of tea anymore.
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation: $39
So I got this foundation when it first launched (on my first trip to The States) and I absolutely loved it. It was the big thing back then because it was Rihana’s first makeup launch and everyone was gaga over this brand. I remember when I wanted to buy it they didn’t have my shade and the lady at Sephora gave a shade darker than my skin tone. I don’t understand this obsession with a tanned look but well I got it and I liked it. I used it mostly on my trip and I got it along with their primer. It’s good for someone with a sensitive skin, it won’t clog your pores. I however will not be buying it again. I have probably had better stuff so I would rather stick to that. I love fenty setting powder, Lip gloss (universal and fussy) and their diamond bomb highlighters.
Mac Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15: $39
This is an amazing foundation the coverage isn’t that good, but it’s perfect for anyone with a sensitive skin. I usually mix it with my Estee Lauder foundation to give that full coverage. I use their pink strobe cream as a primer underneath my foundation and later use their concealer to give that fully amazing glammed up look. My tip with this foundation is mix this it with any other foundation(which has more coverage) if you want something with fuller coverage. My Mac shade is nc25.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation: $48
Okay I ordered this foundation online and the shade was a bit lighter than my skin tone, I cannot solely use it by itself. I mix this foundation with my Mac foundation to even it out. I do 2 parts of mac and 1 part of Estee when doing my makeup. The results are amazing. Mixing this particular foundation with my Mac is something I still do and I restocked on these foundations as well. Both these foundations are perfect for sensitive skin. They don’t clog your pores and the formula is amazing yet easy to apply.
Nars radiant long wear foundation: $49
I have been waiting to get my hands on this foundation for a very long time and I ended up buying it on my last trip to Los Angeles (july’22). I got the corrector, foundation and the concealer all matching my foundation shade. I use my Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niancinamide dew drops as my primer, this is my holy grail (previously reviewed in my updated skin care post). They had those cameras at Sephora which would help you choose your matching foundation shade according to the undertones and color. My shade was Santa fe. This is such a light weight yet medium to full coverage foundation. It literally feels like skin. This particular foundation has a shelf life of 24 months which was amazing. This is perfect for someone like me who has to throw away half filled bottles just because their shelf life has expired within 6 or 12 months. Usually foundations have a shelf life of a year and you need to throw them away after that. It’s not perfumed, it’s oil free, easy to apply and transfer proof (Well I use a setting spray). I don’t know about you but my Urban decay all nighter setting spray didn’t go well with my Nars foundation, so I got the Charlotte Tilbury setting spray instead. I’ve been using Urban decay (original) setting spray since 2 years now but I guess the formula didn’t really work. Specially in corona times when you need a face mask, my urban decay literally locked in my makeup and there was absolutely no transfer.
In the end i’d like to add is that your makeup will only look good if you take care of your skin. No matter how full coverage or expensive your foundation may be, it won’t help in doing much. If you have a beautiful skin, which is well taken care of, your makeup too will look amazing. Don’t ever forget to use an SPF in the morning (at the very end of your skin care routine) and don’t ever sleep with your makeup on. Remember to drink plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated specially in this humid and hot weather. Please refrain from buying foundation which does not match your skin tone, getting foundation lighter than your skin tone will make you look like casper (grey ghost). No offence.
Hey guys! I hope you’re all having an amazing day and getting on well with 2022. It’s September already, 4 months for this year to end. Anyways, today i’ll be sharing a few super cute and amazing products from NYX cosmetics. It’s basically an American company and owned by Loreal or in other words its a subsidiary of Loreal. Their products are sold in 70 countries via thousands of retailers.
I absolutely love some of their products and I think it’s not given the hype it deserves. The products arent too expensive and way too reasonable than what you would find at sephora. You can literally spend 100 dollars in NYX and get tons of products whereas you honestly can’t count the amount of money you spend on buying basic makeup products from Sephora. I absolutely love sephora. Have been to multiple Sephora stores (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Paris, Barcelona and Dubai) my favourite one has to be the one on Champs-Élysées (Paris). NYX is a quite decent brand too. I have a particular products which I absolutely love from them and you should definitely try these if you haven’t tried them as yet. Lets start with the list;
3 STEPS TO SCULPT FACE SCULPTING PALETTE: $13
I love face palettes. My most favourite face palette has to be the Huda Beauty 3D Highlighter Palette(pink sands and golden sands) and it retails for $45 whereas this super convenient palette retails for way less ($13). I don’t use the plain powder and I hardly use the highlighter and I rather use my Fenty or Huda Beauty highlighter. The contour/bronzer powder however is amazing, absolutely love it. This is super pigmented so you need keep a super light hand when applying it. Contouring and giving yourself a bronzed up look is quite in since a couple of years now. People usually skip blush and go for a more bronzed up look to define their facial features. I absolutely hate cream contour and I ended up buying The Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour palette used it once hated it and threw it away. It was a complete waste. And every single celebrity was crazy about this palette. Don’t ever believe these so called influencers on social media, all they do is speak falsely about companies which send them free products. I have 3 favourite contour powders first one is NARS laguna Bronzer (Retails for $38), Benefit Cosmetics Matte Hoola Bronzer Powder (retails for $32) and lastly this particular NYX bronzer in this $13 palette. NYX has the price edge here (obviously).
HONEY DEW ME UP PRIMER: $17
This is an amazing primer. Best for all sorts of skin and it gives you such a plumped up and dewy look. The Gold Flakes inside it are so cute and eye catching. I love everything about this product and it is one of my personal favourite primers. Doesn’t feel heavy when applied and makes my foundation get applied smoothly. This goes on well with every foundation. I would either use this or my mac strobe cream (pinklite). Mac is obviously more expensive than NYX, retailing at $36 where as Nyx Honey dew me up is for $17.
SUEDE MATTE LIPSTICK (In Rose a day & Free Spirit): $8
I absolutely love their Matte lipsticks. I’m more into subtle pinks or nudes and nothing too dramatic. My personal 2 favourite shades from this entire line is Rose A Day & Free Spirit (both of these shades are quite similar) while retailing at only $8. You go to sephora and you wont find anything at a full size for less than $25. My other favourite go to lipstick is Too Faced melted matte in the shade Sell out (Amazing shade and lasts super long) and it costs around $26. I don’t invest much on new lipsticks since I have a particular favourite shade from a particular brand and I don’t like going for something new. Would definitely recommend both these shades if you want something other than reds or bright colors.
THAT’S THE POINT EYELINER: $11
Okay So I have been using NYX liners since 2019, I don’t usually use liners, only use it occasionally. If you’re someone who’s super bad at doing their own liner this marker is super easy. The marker is easier to hold and the liner dries out super quick too.
JUMBO EYE PENCIL: $5.50
My Go to look is definitely a white pencil in my waterline or smudged out black pencil in the outer ends of my eyes and mascara. It’s super quick and more convenient. I absolutely love this pencil and honestly there is no other alternative at such a good price. So if you’re someone who wants white in their waterline definitely get this. Overly dramatic eyes are way too old school these days, and people opt for a more natural/simple makeup than ending up looking like something they’re not.
CONTROL FREAK EYEBROW GEL: $7
I absolutely love Brow Mascaras/gels because they don’t give you that fake dramatic look and again they’re super quick and easy to use. That is it. This is perfectly fine for someone who doesn’t want to add more color to their brows (because this is transparent). If you’re someone who has thin brows and wants more life added to them then you should definitely not get this and rather go for something more pigmented!
At the end i’d like to say that it’s not always about the price tag, just because something is expensive it doesn’t make it good and just because something isn’t that expensive and reasonable it doesn’t make the product bad!
If you have a warm bed to sleep in, a family to look after you, if you have a place you can call home, healthy, food to eat, clean and running water. You need to Thank Allah. There are thousands of people who are without any of these blessings. These are our people. They need us now more than ever. Just help whoever you can wherever you can. People are already under stress and there is a lot of suffering, lets just make life liveable for them. We have been blessed with a lot if we help someone it won’t reduce our blessings or wealth!! Lets make a prayer for the people who have and are still suffering due to these.
August 27th 2022.
If you are still unaware of what’s happening in Pakistan go on twitter see the havoc these floods have caused! Millions of people have been affected. Their livelihoods taken away from them due to this natural disaster! At least a thousand are dead, as of now. This was just a post to tell each and everyone of you how blessed we all are to have made it out of this calamity and how much we are indebted to help the ones who have suffered the most! South Punjab, Balochistan, Kpk and Sindh (all four places have been severely hit).
People in the urban set up are so unaware about this current situation because the media was busy giving the spot light to politicians and their petty fights. But whoever reached out and showed concern regardless of what was being shown on TV, we’re/i’m really grateful.
Today i’ll write about my thoughts on the current political and flood situation in Pakistan, whoever is sitting in the assemblies and “representing” their hometown has their kids settled abroad. It’s quite natural for them to be unbothered or unconcerned about what happens to their home town or the poor people living there after 10-20 years. They have no stakes there. It’s quite natural to not care about a place when your kids won’t be living there (due to their foreign nationality and other interests).
After seeing these flood situations in South Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh I realised how unconcerned the urban class is about the lives of these people (baloch & sindhi). The way the media acted when people died in Murree due to road blockade had they shown 50% of the same interest this issue would have been highlighted and help would have been sent on time. While I write this, thousands of the people are homeless and misplaced while hundreds have lost their lives. Our media is busy showing the musical chairs between political parties. Just because the people who’re suffering, their lives don’t really matter.
There will be an immense disease outbreak because people have no access to clean drinking water and they’ve been abandoned. Coming months will be cold and terrible for such people. Why are minorities treated like that? They are only your concern when you’re in opposition? Once you get your seat you completely forget about them? This is such a shame. No one has any control on these Calamities but at least the elected government and their so called representatives can provide some relief to the ones who’re suffering, instead of attacking other political parties.
East Pakistan split because of injustice towards them on all levels. It’s about time our so called politicians and political parties end this inequality towards provinces and start thinking like one nation.
P.s please try helping people in whatever way or form and the least you can do is spread awareness about their sufferings. So in case if someone wants to help them, they can easily do so.
Ways you can help: tents, clean water supply, food (particularly dry rations), medical supply(first aid), blankets, clothes and lastly spread awareness.
Take care!🤍
A glimpse of the current flood situation in my Village. Video credits: My Brother
If you go on twitter you can see the terrible situation in Balochistan and Sindh too! Prayers needed.
Hey girls, I hope you’ll had an amazing summer. Previously on my skincare blog post I wrote about a few glow recipe products I used religiously, well I recently added two more amazing products to the list. If you’ve read my previous blog post regarding my skin care routine you can tell how much I love their Watermelon range, Particularly their Niacinamide. Well I was in Los Angeles and I literally stocked up on all my favourite products from them, and added two new amazing products to my routine from the same range.
Glow Recipe PHA+BHA Pore Tight Toner
This amazing toner hydrates and tightens your pores, while giving you an amazing and plumped up glow at the same time. I use it right after my cleanser, and before my Glow Recipe Dew drops (Niacinamide). It just makes everything absorb in so well. A little goes a long way, so this one full size bottle will be enough for 2 months or even more. I got the mini bottle (40ml) for 15 usd and i’m still using that bottle right now (for over a month now). Got the full sized one too, will use it once I get done with the mini.
Watermelon Glow Niancinamide Sunscreen SPF 50
I cannot tell you how much I love this product. I have been using this particular sunblock right after my glow recipe dew drops(in my morning routine) and my skin feels amazing (MashAllah🧿). When I went into sephora and asked for a sunscreen recommendation this is what everyone suggested and i’m so glad I listened to them. This is their new product in the watermelon range and is completely worth investing on. I got 3 extra bottles for myself, considering how much I love using my sunblock everyday regardless of my plans.
The thing I love the most about this particular brand, The Glow Recipe, is that they don’t use harsh chemicals or artificial scents which makes them highly suitable for someone with a sensitive skin. It’s all natural Korean beauty line manufactured in USA. Korean are known for their amazing skin care.
You should definitely read my updated skin care routine for 2022 featuring more of The Glow Recipe products;
Hey guys! I write this while I still fight my jet lag! My routine is still not on track. Anyways, we stayed in Pasadena, and were located in the heart of Pasadena about 5 minutes walk away from their famous Colorado Blvd. I opt for walking my way around places when on a vacation because we can’t do that back in my country. LA is known for its weather, it was pleasant during the days and got super chilly right after sunset (Similar to what it was in December 2017).
Salt & Straw
I cannot put into words on how much I loved their chocolate gooey brownie ice cream. The ice cream had brownie chunks in it and was super yummy. I have always been a Haagen-dazs kinda person but this ice cream was just AMAZING. Definitely worth every calorie. I wasn’t really calorie conscious on this trip. Also this is only Available in the States and was previously introduced in Portland, Oregon first.
In-n-Out burgers
This chain of burgers, fries and milkshakes is only available in the State of California. NO OTHER STATE or country. I’ve never really liked beef burgers but their burgers are an exception. The texture and they’re very basic yet taste amazing. At the end it all comes down to quality maintenance, something they’ve managed to do so well. Due to covid and monkeypox we just got it via Drive Thru instead of going in the outlet. The line at the drive thru used to be crazy, easily took us 20 minutes or more each time. You definitely should try their Burgers. Fries aren’t that good but the burger just melts into your mouth. So it’s definitely worth it.
Starbucks
Okay so starbucks is everywhere! But I have some favourite drinks which I would definitely recommend. Previously I had only tried their basic unflavoured latte but this time due to the summer and heatwave going on I opted for cooler drinks instead. I would definitely recommend strawberry creme frappe & cookie frappe. These two were my favourite. Plus I don’t know about you but I hate flavoured coffee. Makes me sick. Coffee itself had such an amazing and strong taste, why would anyone want to change to into caramel or any other pathetic taste? Just blows my mind. So if you want a hot drink just stick to their basic latte. Also before you order any new drink from them just ask the person taking your order if they would recommend that particular drink to you, and just tell them what you actually want/ or like, if they’re kind enough they will definitely recommend or suggest something. Atleast they were super sweet in Pasadena (Colorado blvd) Los Angeles. They even told me they’d change my drink if I didn’t like it. So shout out to them for being extra sweet.
85c cafe
They had an amazing collection of pastries, cakes and a huge variety of bread. The coffee was just average, but the hype regarding their bakery items was on point. This was a 3-4 minute walk from my hotel and a go to place due to the convenience. The funny part is that I actually went to this french crepe cafe near this bakery first (for breakfast) but their menu didn’t really fascinate me so I left that cafe and stumbled upon this cute bakery.
The Boiling Crab
Let me tell you one thing. I never liked seafood just because I grew up watching Little Mermaid. And I always believed that if I eat fish i’m causing harm to the mermaids. Yes! That was me growing up. And guess what? I never bothered eating sea food until we traveled and the first time I ever had sea food and king crab was in Amsterdam. My entire idea has completely changed. Number one there are no mermaids (as of now) and number two you definitely need to try seafood when travelling because Pakistan has the most pathetic quality seafood ever. I loved Fried COD and King crab, but this time I actually ate shrimps for the very first time and I LOVED IT. We got fried shrimps, boiled shrimps & king crab, fried calamari, corn on the cob and cajun fries (absolutely loved these). You don’t need anything except a crab shell cracker and your hands! This was definitely very unsophisticated but the taste was still worth the experience. Just make sure you wash your hands before and after the meal thoroughly. We went here twice. For the first time we ordered the spiciest sauce for our crabs and shrimps, I literally had tears in my eyes while I ate my meal. I couldn’t even wipe them off because my hands were a mess!! They literally give you a bib so you dont ruin your shirt and they lay out a disposable sheet on the paper on which you actually eat your meal! If you are ever travelling to LA you definitely need to try this!
On our short trip we also visited 4 Indian restaurants 1 in LA, 1 in Minden (Nevada), 1 in South Lake Tahoe and 1 in Oakhurst. Ended up ordering the same thing; Yellow tarka dal, chicken tikka masala (extra spicy), Palak Paneer(spinach and cheese), garlic naan/ green chilli naan and Vegetable samosa. My top favourite one would be the one in Tahoe, the best food. I am big fan of Dal. I mean who isn’t. Specially when you’re away from home and you want some good desi comfort food. We had also ordered barbecue but it was nothing like what you get in Pakistan, there was no taste just a red color added to the meat, so didn’t really give that barbecue vibe. Just remember ordering the food extra spicy when you’re travelling in the west, otherwise your desi food will be more towards a dessert. Thank me later.
Urth Cafe
Okay apparently this was the first time I had cucumbers in my veggie cheese omelette and it was so weird. Literally wasted the entire thing! I only thing I loved was their coffee. The lady serving us complimented me and told me how pretty I looked, so it made me forget about the cucumbers in my omelette. The croissant however wasn’t that fascinating either, Idk maybe my expectations were super high. The only thing I loved was the ambiance and how sweet their staff was. The breakfast was just okayish.
Porto’s Bakery And Cafe
This place had an amazing variety of breads & desserts. Personally I loved the Tres leches cake and their egg bread. The egg bread literally metled in your mouth, it was super soft and airy. While the Tres leches cake was just perfect. I absolutely love milk cakes and this was a good find.
Raffi’s Persian Food
I don’t eat beef. I prefer having lamb kebab’s over beef. When I was here in 2017, they had Lamb Koobe’deh which I loved but this time they only had beef koobe’deh and it was so disappointing. I ended up ordering their chicken option instead. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind having beef then this is definitely a place to go. This is a Persian restaurant and quite famous in Glendale.
Krispy KremeDoughnuts 🍩
Have you even lived your life if you haven’t had Krispy Kreme doughnuts? I’d been craving for these doughnuts since the past 4 years now (since my last trip to US). These aren’t available anywhere in Europe, which was shocking. Personally I don’t like doughnuts with fillings, I prefer the ones which are plain from the inside and loaded with flavour on top. My personal favourite will always be classic glazed, strawberry glazed with sprinkles and chocolate glazed with sprinkles. The strawberry glazed has a legit strawberry flavouring and would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves doughnuts. They’re always freshly made, super soft and flavourful.
Absolutely hated the Chinese food in Los Angeles. Though we went to one restaurant, Panda Inn (Glendale). It was overly priced and had no taste at all. The only thing I liked was Edamame wok fried. That is it. We had ordered vegetable chowmein, egg fried rice, sweet & sour chicken, orange beef and crispy garlic chicken. We ordered way too much food and it got wasted. I had high expectations for some reason. This is an old restaurant and was recommended by my father since it there since his college days. If you’re someone who wants to spend a lot on food which has almost no taste, you should definitely go there. Portions in America are huge so order accordingly.
Will be posting more from my trip! So stay tuned for more!✨🤍
Hey guys! I hope you’re all having an amazing summer and I hope you’re all safe. Today i’ll tell you about some of my favourite hair care products. I have bleached strands since I had gotten a balayage done so it needs a lot of after care to make sure my hair doesn’t lose it’s moisture and shine.
Hair Oil;
Olive oil or Zonano’s Hair oil.
I oil my hair atleast twice a week. I cannot skip it at any cost. This is a old yet very effective method to make sure your hair stays healthy, thick and keeps growing. First I used to use olive oil, make sure you don’t get the salad dressing oil by mistake. Olive oil is rich in vitamins and the best part is that it does not stink. I cannot stand a bad odour so I never use any oil with a bad smell. Moving on, I recently discovered this home made oil company, Zonano’s. Let me tell you one thing, this oil changed my hair game. It defined my natural hair texture which are long waves. Everyone loves how naturally my hair dries and how defined my waves are naturally (after using this oil). You need to try Zonano’s if you live in Pakistan. They have an Instagram handle as well, they’re available at all leading retailers (Alfatah and Naheed). I just hope they don’t lose their quality after expanding so much. This is my absolute favourite hair oil. I’m in LA right now and i packed my Zonano’s hair oil in my travel set, just so i’m able to keep up with my hair care.
Shampoo;
Loreal Serie Expert Vitamino Color.
Since I told you guys earlier I have color treated hair, my shampoo focuses on color protection. Just so my color does not come off unnecessarily. It’s high maintenance to color your hair. I’m very basic when it comes to my shampoo. I can easily find this brand everywhere. Something less complicated.
Mask;
Loreal Serie Expert biotin mask &/or K18 leave in Conditioner:
I have 2 hair masks. I always use a hair mask after shampooing. One of the options is the wash off hair mask which is the Loreal Serie Expert one and it smells amazing and my hair feels so silky smooth while the K18 leave-on conditioner/mask one is something I recently started using since 2 weeks. I absolutely love these two products. These cannot be used at the same time. It’s either one of these.You are suppose to skip conditioner/mask step when you use your K18 leave in mask. K18 is only good if you have color treated hair which reverses hair damage caused by color or bleaching. So you definitely need to get this if you want silky smooth balayage/golden locks.
Hair Serum;
Loreal Kerastase Serum & Bumble and Bumble invisible oil.
I have been using Loreal kerastase products way before people knew about it in Pakistan. I absolutely love their hair serums and how amazing and heavenly they smell. So this is my all time favourite brand. Recently I went to Sephora, Glendale, and they recommended me to try this amazing product from Bumble and Bumble. It helps giving heat protection when styling your hair. I absolutely love styling my hair all the time, so this was a must have. It protects your hair from irons, curling rods, blowdries and even the harsh sunlight. It is a bit pricey but completely worth it. Both these products help in eliminating the frizz as well. Would definitely recommend them. Again I use these one at a time, they aren’t supposed to be used together.
The most important part is to invest on a good microfibre towel for your hair. It’s super soft and safer for your strands. I would never advice you to use the regular towel on your hair. You can get a good microfibre towel from anywhere, I got mine from Zonano’s.
Ps. This was not sponsored and whatever is written above, it all comes from my personal experience. Stay tuned for more❤️
Hey guys! I hope you’re all having an amazing day. Today i’ll fill you in about how amazing this beautiful city of love/lights is! If you’re on your Euro Tour you cannot skip Paris. I remember the first trip we had planned for my 22nd birthday and everyone loves this city since then. On both our trips we stayed for at least 10 days in this city more than a week. Staying less than a week in Paris is of no use. There’s always so much to do and see.
Firstly it’s very important to choose a good place to stay specially safe and clean. I would not recommend staying in the middle of heavy crowds or sort of downtown areas since they get quite unsafe later at night. Safety is number one priority when it comes to travelling. And there is no point of staying in Paris if you cannot go out all by yourself regardless of what time it may be. We stayed in Saint-Germain. I absolutely loved our hotel location, we had Galeries Lafayette on a 7 minute walk, Le Bon Marché 8-9 minute walk away, Sephora a street away, Zara on a 3 minute walk and tons of outdoor cafes and amazing bakeries. Walking your way through to places is such a nice feeling specially when the weather is amazing, meaning there should not be a heatwave. Or just take a cab if you want to go to far off places. We stayed in this area on both our trips twice. It was super safe, we used to go for late night walks and never found anything off or strange! Prior to staying in Saint Germain our travel agent wanted us to stay right in the middle of Champs-Élysées. Thank God we didn’t. That place is heavily crowded and has too much tension going on. Not a fan of heavy crowds at all. You’re just surrounded with tons of designer stores and Arc De triumph. Whereas we could go to an authentic french cafe and enjoy an amazing cup of coffee, a strawberry and Nutella crepe, a good English Breakfast and the list goes on, that too a couple of minutes or even seconds walk away from our hotel, with less crowd and safer environment.
Next best thing you need to do in Paris is shop. I would prefer going to Champs-Élysées, Galeries Lafayette or Le Bon Marché for shopping (don’t forget to get a tax refund receipt) and a picture of your passport in your phone for all the details. Benefits of shopping in the malls is that you don’t need to keep changing shops in order to get what you want. Or just go to Champs-Élysées if want a full on Paris vibe. French and Italian brands are cheaper in Europe than America or UAE. They have huge variety of products there as all. Literally everything you need or article you need is right there. They also had a disney store there, and it made me want to be a kid all over again. I would have gotten so many things had I been a child, but I ended up buying a Little mermaid mug instead. And I still haven’t used it. Once you’re in Champs-Élysées you definitely need to go to Ladurée for a coffee/dessert or just get their macaroons. This is the prettiest bakery/cafe i’ve ever been too! The interiors and details will blow your mind. The staff is amazing as well.
You definitely need to take a cruise in Paris, particularly right before sunset, in order to see the amazing orange skies and the surreal architecture. Dinner cruises are just fine, you just enjoy the food and forget about enjoying the view completely (wouldn’t recommend that if you want to enjoy the views).
Lastly you need to go to Latin Quarter (it’s not as good as Gothic Quarter in Barcelona, but definitely does the job). Explore it while walking. There are some amazing hand made chocolatiers there and they had Häagen-Dazs there too(our must stop). This is a couple of minutes walk away from the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral(which got closed down due to a fire since 2019) but the outdoor views are still spectacular! Definitely worth exploring. We went inside of it in 2016. But it was closed down on our last trip.
Heyy guys! Today’s blog will be about things you need to do in Amsterdam & places you need to visit once you’re there.
DAM SQUARE
This place has everything on a good walk/distance, every event or shop is super close to this area. You’re literally in the middle of everything. So you definitely will have to go this place and lets not forget the amazing pictures/videos you can take in this location. The aesthetics are amazing.
Vleminckx Sausmeesters (1887)
The most amazing fries ever. No one recommended this to us, I discovered these fries while strolling across the street with my younger brother (while rest of the family was busy shopping). We saw a huge queue of people in order to get fries so we joined them and made an amazing discovery. We Went to this place multiple times on our second trip to Amsterdam. p.s I got plain salted fries but their garlic mayo ones were good too.
Paddle boat
This was by far a very fun experience! You need good amount of strength in your legs in order to keep up with who you’re with or just be with someone who’s physically stronger than you so you not need to put in that much effort. And I had my younger brother with me here. He didn’t complain when I stopped paddling. Good old times. We both paddled our way through the canal. This was in July, the canals are frozen during the winter season.
Cycling
This is good as long as you have company and you are aware of the routes. There was a bike/cycle lane right next to our hotel and we rented cycles from our hotel and went out. The only thing is that I got super confused when we got on the main road and the bicycle/bike lane merged with the main road with actual cars. I don’t drive and nor am I good at those skills. I almost got hit by a bike (due to my confusion) and when my parents found out about our little adventure I was scolded and told never to get the cycle again. And this was our first trip, I didn’t even bother renting the bicycle on the next trip.
Take a train to Delft
The train ride was for about 50 minutes and the weather here was super pleasant (while Amsterdam was facing a really bad heatwave). We booked a golf cart/ golf buggy which took us around this super cute yet historic city. Definitely worth the trip. We got back to Amsterdam after a tour and lunch at delft the very same day. There are multiple trains going back and forth from Amsterdam to Delft.
The Seafood Bar
If you like fish or seafood in any way or form, you need to visit this amazing place. This is our go to place whenever we’re in Amsterdam. Sort of a family tradition to go there almost everyday specially the Van Baerlestraat branch. They have multiple branches in Amsterdam but this is where we went all the time. The staff, the food, ambiance, menu everything was perfect! I Had king crab for the very first time here and I was never into crabs or lobsters before. This place just changed my taste buds!
D’JUICE HOUSE
They have an amazing range of smoothies! And some of them were super healthy too and filled with nutrients. I got the beetroot and apple smoothie all the time! This was next to the area we got our Belgium fries from.
The people in Amsterdam are super sweet and welcoming. They have trams which are super easy to understand and you can never lose your way. Plus it’s super safe. Just be careful to not interact with shady people (specially towards dam square).
You guys! I cannot put into words how much i’m in Love with, “The Glow Recipe” products. Their formulas are gentle yet effective. They’re AMAAA-ZING! I regret not knowing about this brand in the past. They literally have fruit extracts in their products and they’re clinically proven. I have no guilt of whatsoever on spending my pocket money on their products. IT LEFT MY SKIN PLUMPED UP AND GLOWY! And the glow was just so beautiful and came right from within.
Also i’ve said this earlier as well, Your makeup only looks good if your skin is good. My skin is sensitive to new products. And Glow recipe was the thing which went on so well for my skin. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with sensitive skin and someone who doesn’t mind going an extra mile for their skin care routine.
The first step is that I use a good cleanser ( I currently am using the one from neutrogena one)
This face wash does not over dry my face at all nor does it feel like my skin is getting stretched even though it contains Salicylic Acid. I got mine from a shop (Naheed) in Karachi, so if you live in Pakistan you can get it from there or Alfatah.
The second step is to apply/spray on a good toner or rose water. I don’t mind using local brands like Saeed Ghani & Marhaba rose water or you can use Thayers/Mario Badescu. Just a quick reminder you should store your rose water spray/bottle in the refrigerator to give a super cool feeling.
Words would not be enough to describe how much I love this serum and how amazing it feels on my skin. It has Watermelon extract, Niacinamide and HyaluronicAcid. This serum goes well with all skin types so this is pretty much a safe investment.
Moving on, I let this amazing serum to settle in and absorb completely on my skin and then I apply any of my two favourite Glow Recipe moisturiser;
I use them on alternate times(depending on my mood) I’ll use one in the morning after a cleanser, toner and serum and before my sunblock. For my night time routine I just follow all the steps and just don’t put on a sunblock. These two are the safest moisturiser investments. They’re hydrating and give your skin a plumped up glow. And always remember to never ever neglect your neck area while taking care of your face.
The last step is sunblock (after my morning routine). I personally love Neutrogena Products because they’re easily accessible in my country. I am currently using this sunblock;
I would never advice anyone to buy any high-end skin care products or makeup from local department stores in Pakistan (no matter how huge they may be).Temperature control is everything! You can invest on Neutrogena and Loreal since these are drug store products. At times certain products need to be kept in cool temperatures or else they will do more damage than good. Try ordering your products from trusted pages (there are many operating these days) instead. It’s safe to get locally manufactured products instead of that. I once ordered The Ordinary Hyaluronic Serum from a local shop (wont name it) but my skin started breaking out after using that product. I never had this issue in the past so it just got on my nerves, this explains my choice of my face cleanser/wash. I had previously used this serum bought from somewhere else and it went well on my skin; but this particular shop had no temperature control nothing! Glow recipe literally rescued my skin, THANK GOD.
In the end i’d like to tell you always apply sunblock with an SPF 50+ even if you don’t plan on going out it does wonders to your skin!
Today i’ll tell you about my personal favourite MAC products and what products I think are a hit or a miss (based on my personal experience)
*Basically i’m someone who hates it when their foundation is super white or fairer than their actual skin tone (I usually get scolded by one of friends because I end up spending a lot on tanner or something a shade/tone darker than my skin)*
So I invested on a few mac products early this year!
Hits;
MAC Studio Fix Fluid spf 15
Studio Fix Foundation: NC25
So this foundation feels super light on your skin and this is the same exact shade as my skin tone, it might oxidise a bit but I rather have that look rather than a white pastry cake.No offence to anyone who likes their foundation lighter regardless of their skin tone.
I would use this when going out to meet friends or family gatherings. It can go on with a full coverage with the pro longwear concealer. So my shade in this foundation is NC25 but the concealer is lighter shade since it goes under your eyes to give a brighter effect.
The MAC studio fix foundation comes in a variety of shades for all the different kind of undertones. Finding the right shade might be a bit tricky if you haven’t used their foundation before. But their website has this camera thing which can help you find your right shade too, just make sure you have the right lighting when using that camera on their website. It gave me an accurate suggestion of the shade.
The plus point of this foundation is it has an spf too. Meaning somewhat protection from the harmful UV lights, which can cause skin damage or early ageing if not taken care of.
MAC Strobe cream
Shade: Pinklite
This is my greatest discovery of 2021! I don’t know why I hadn’t invested on this cream earlier *Better late than never*
This goes on perfectly well under my MAC Studio fix foundation and gives you that beautiful natural glow. Be it part of your daily makeup regime or some other gathering. It just makes your skin super glowy and soft.
My shade is Pinklite.
It has 5 shades in total:
PinkLite
Peachlite
Redlite
Silverlite
Goldrite
Would definitely recommend this to someone who’s more into dewy or glowy looks.
MAC Pro Longwear waterproof eyebrow mascara
Eyebrow Mascara
So this was my first ever brow mascara back in 2016 *Currently i’m using Benefits Cosmetics gimme brow mascara instead*
But this was my favourite for quite sometime. Since I don’t like dramatic brows, just something soft and subtle. I don’t need eyebrow filling, so this mascara was just perfect for some touchup. But if you’re someone who fills their brows this can somewhat do the job since it’s tinted and it will give you some coverage in those thinner brows.
I have always loved brow mascaras because they’re super convenient and takes a minute or max 2 minutes to apply.
MAC Pro Longwear concealer
Shade: NC20
The only reason I invested on this was because I wanted brighter undereyes!
**Warning**
Before you apply a brightening concealer under your eyes always remember to color correct or else your undereyes will give a grey look and it looks awful in pictures with flash. You’ll end up looking like casper/ghost.
I use this once I have color corrected and applied my foundation. So this concealer is extremely full coverage and extremely thick. I hardly apply 2-3 dots under each of my each and blend it out. And later put on my setting powder (currently using Fenty Beauty Setting Powder)
The shade I got in this concealer was lighter than my foundation. I went for NC20, just for that pop of brightness under the eyes!
Miss;
MAC Prep and Prime spray
This product has been nothing but a complete disappointment. It’s not a primer nor is it a proper setting spray! It was a complete waste of money. It won’t lock in your foundation. You can use it on your eyeshadow brush but nothing more.
I have invested in Urban Decay all nighter instead and let me tell you the foundation or your makeup doesn’t even budge under the mask *thanks to this virus* so I always use the UD all nighter instead of this spray. Unfortunately my MAC Spray is just collecting dust on my dresser.
*Remember* guys your makeup only looks great if you have an amazing skin! Or else it will just look really bad and might even cause further harm to your inflamed skin. I know this weird autumn weather doesnt go well for our skin but keep yourself hydrated and have a good skin care routine ❤️
Since Eid is around the corner I thought of writing a blog to share some ideas with you regarding what you might want to wear. And I know we’re in middle of a deadly pandemic but lets celebrate being alive and getting through with 2020 and hopefully 2021 safely too (Inn Shaa Allah)
Okay so I promised myself I won’t be spending a lot on clothes this year. But guess who just spent hundreds and thousands of rupees on dresses she didn’t really “need” (ME!) 🙋🏻♀️ **guilty**
So i’ve been following some brands and here are the ones that’ve caught my eye. And they are AMAZING!
Suffuse : Casual Pret Summer 2021
I got an amazing flowy dress from them, which will hopefully be delivered within a week and i’m so damn excited to wear it. I did end up spending $97 dollars on it though. But the overall collection was really pretty and basic. I love how they didn’t use much print or embroidery. It was just plains and some lace with organza duppatas. Here’s what I loved from their collection;
Suffuse Causal Pret Summer 2021 (My personal favourites)
Elan Lawn 2021
Okay so I didn’t really have a pleasant experience with them last year because they mixed up the duppatas and sent me the wrong one. It took them a month to send me the right one. But I loved a few pieces from their 2021’s lawn campaign and got something super pretty for my mom. Didn’t personally get anything from Elan myself because there was too much embroidery and print definitely not for someone who likes plains; but they had some good colours. Here’s what I loved from their lawn collection;
Omg! I ABSOLUTELY love their clothes. They’re so unique and who doesnt love pret. Something super pretty and stitched (saving you some money and time from your tailor). Their “Meethi Eid” collection is so damn pretty. Block prints, saari, gota work, plains, shalwars and what not. And that too at a very reasonable price. Here’s what I loved;
I absolutely love his dresses! The finishing, the delicate embroidery and fitting is just too good. And he just launched his Luxury Eid pret, “Firni Shirni”. Hussain Rehar is doing an amazing job and the dresses are worth every penny! The way you carry it plays a vital role too. Here’s what I loved;
Hussain Rehar: Firni Shirni collection (some of my personal favourites)
Ali Xeeshan: Sanddal Luxury Pret
One thing I have to say about Ali Xeeshan and his team, They’re super cooperative and their dresses are amazinggg! The color palettes, the entire concept of the dresses he makes is just so good. It’s just so beautifully desi that anyone from any age group or background can easily carry it! Here’s what I loved;
I hope you all are having an amazing day. So today’s blog will be about my new skin care routine. I am highly obsessed with some of the Kiehl’s products, and would definitely recommend it anyone with sensitive to dry skin. NOT ACNE PRONE SKIN.
I do this skin care routine twice max thrice a day. Once in the morning, other time when I want to wash off make up (mid day) and lastly before going to bed. I double cleanse my face, Tone it and apply a corrective or hydrating Serum and lastly put on a moisturizer.
Here is a list of my GO TO PRODUCTS:
Cleansing Step 1
This is what I clean my face with before washing it off with a facial cleanser. Either the Micellar water with cotton pads or just these amazing wipes. I absolutely love these cleansing wipes, easily takes off the stubborn water proof mascara and the full coverage makeup. No matter how much I love make up i need it off my face ASAP! As soon as I get home the first thing I do is grab some wipes and follow the next steps.
Cleansing Step 2:
So this is my final cleansing part. I usually use the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush Cosmetics in the morning when waking up. I put it on for a good amount of time, 10-15 minutes. This gives my face a cooling sensation, thanks to all that mint. I use the Kiehl’s ultra facialcleanser other times throughout the day, like when I want to wash my face when coming back home or when I do my skincare routine before going to bed. This makes my skin feel AMAZING! This does not overly dry your skin and even good for people with acne prone skin, since it is super mild.
Tone Step 3:
I recently switched to these two amazing toners. I actually choose the one i want to use according to my mood, no time in particular. It has been almost close to a month since I have been using both it amazing products. The Kiehl’s Calendula actually works wonders for people with Acne or if they have an acne prone skin, but it works good for people with sensitive skin too since it’s alcohol free. Pixi Glow Tonic makes me feel great in general, I always put it on when i’m in a good mood and i want my skin to feel great too. Both these products are worth every dollar or rupee!
Step 4 Serum:
I have two serums and i’m absolutely in love with both of them. I use one in my morning skin care routine and the other one in my night skin care routine. I got both these products from Kiehl’s and it has been over 2 months since I’ve started using both of these amazing serums. I use the Daily Reviving Concentrate after my morning skin care routine and Midnight Recovery Concentrate after my night time skin care routine. Both of these oils leave my skin feel AMAZING! I won’t be recommending this to anyone having an acne prone skin, it works best for normal to dry skin.
Step 5 Treating Those Gorgeous Eyes:
I always wanted to invest in a good eye cream but was not really sure for which one to go for. Then I heard a lot of people reviewing and recommending Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. I will definitely recommend this to anyone reading this if they to want to invest in a great eye cream, this isn’t fancy but it does an amazing JOB!
Step 6 Moisturize:
Follow this link to see my go to moisturizer : Final Step
I hope this helped you guys because it took me quite sometime to write it.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. So this year i went to Europe for Summer Vacations.
We went to 4 countries;
Spain
France
Belgium
Netherlands
Today i’ll be sharing my experience in Gent or Ghent whatever way you want to write it. It’s pronounced as Gent, the h is completely silent.
Okay so we were traveling from Paris to Gent/Ghent. Trust me the trains were not easy, we had early morning trains. First we went to Brussels and then from Brussels we had to switch trains for Gent/Ghent. The train from Brussels to Gent actually didn’t have enough space for bags. We were 4 people with 2 suitcases each. Plus my handbag. It was not easy pushing the suitcases, but Ghent/Gent is such a hidden treasure hence it’s completely worth the hassle.
The location of our hotel was amazing, it was right in middle of everything, food or shopping you name it. We stayed at Hotel NH Gent Belfort. The rooms were huge and the washrooms were spacious, would highly recommend staying there.
Ghent has everything. The best food and the best scenery. I had the best Asian Cuisine there, we went there everyday for either lunch or dinner. It was open till 11 p.m the plus point. It was Pho Saigon Noodle Bar, loved their chicken skewers and vegetable spring rolls. Plus the rice noodles were FANTASTIC 😍
Here’s a picture of it:
Waffles and Fries are something the Belgium people are good at, and they had the most amazing waffles there. Thinking about them right now makes me super hungry, THEY WERE SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!!!
There were no high end brands in Gent/Ghent. Unlike Paris or other major cities. It’s such a undiscovered gem in Europe. The architecture over there was so beautiful, every street’s hundreds of years old. With beautiful history. Would definitely recommend going there.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. Today I’ve written about some amazing things you should try whenever you’re in Paris♥
Crepes:
If you have a sweet tooth and want something with your evening or afternoon cup of coffee, I would highly recommend an authentic french crepe, preferably with Nutella and Strawberries (YUMM). We had a lot of restaurants near our hotel, in Saint Germain and the thing I love the most about Paris is their outdoor cafes. The weather in July makes the experience even better. And they have the most amazing Cafe Lattes, I’m a coffee addict so i extremely love a good cup of coffee what else can make it even better? Amazing Nutella and strawberry crepes.
Macaroons:
If you have not tried macaroons, or have no idea what they are, you should definitely try these delightful cookies. Trust me when I say this, they are extremely addictive. My favorite flavors were of-course:
Chocolate
Vanilla
Coffee
Caramel
Strawberry Candy
Pistachio
The best places to get these amazing cookies are preferably Ladurée and PAUL. This is the best option for you, if you want something light and sweet with your coffee.
*However if you’re in some french country side I would highly recommend trying macaroons made by local bakers. The macaroons I had in Bayeux (France) were the best! Made freshly at home by local bakers*
Baguette
These are amazing and healthy sandwiches if you’re looking for something local, healthy and yummy. This is a healthy, more fresh and authentic version of subway. They have a variety of flavors and topping and they are all wrapped in amazing french bread. The french are very much careful about their breads and it is amazing. This is the best thing to get if you want something quick for your lunch or mid day snack.
Cafe au lait
I’m extremely careful about my coffee, I extremely love having an amazing cup of Cafe au lait, something not to bitter but also not extremely sweet. I would highly recommend local coffee shops rather than Starbucks, we can get Starbucks anywhere, but if you’re looking for something more authentic and amazing you should try these outdoor cafes. There is a happy hour too, for the ones who’re on a budget. But it is worth every Euro. On average a Cafe au lait costs 3€, and it’s amazing. If you’re a coffee addict i’d highly recommend these outdoor cafes. You can even add a crossiant to it, for breakfast.
I hope you all are having an amazing day, so today I’ll be telling you guys about some of the most amazing products Fenty Beauty came up with. There are some products I actually restocked, and they are worth every dollar.
So some of my favorites are:
PRO FILT’R Instant Retouch Primer
I have reviewed this product in my previous blog post, and this is amazing, it actually helps the makeup go on smoothly on your skin. I have an extremely sensitive skin, but this primer went on so well, it’s a must have. I’ve been using it ever since i first bought it and now restocked it.
Fenty Beauty came up with 40 different shades from light, medium, tan and deep. Everyone can get a perfect match thanks to RIRI. The best part about this foundation is that it has a buildable coverage, meaning you can go from medium to a full coverage thanks to this amazing product. This however oxidizes so I would recommend going a shade or two lighter from your actual shade.
This is one of my most favorite highlighters, it looks amazing. You can use it on the high points of your cheek bones, inner corner of your eyes and even eye lids.
If you love good highlighters, then this is a must have. It’s really different from any usual highlighter and it feels amazing. Here is an example of how AMAZINGGG 💎 this product is:
GLOSS BOMB Universal Lip Luminizer
This gloss bomb is everything. I can’t stop using it, and it lasts super long. I’m not a huge fan of lipsticks, but this tinted gloss bomb is everything. I bought the universal color but they have this pink-tinted gloss bomb available too. The best part it does not dry your lips, even if it comes off after sometime it wont look bad, unlike lipstick.
Stay tuned for more!♥
And guys, Fenty is coming up with, “The Cure”, it’s a concealer which will help hide those dark circles, pigment and acne scars. Say no more RIRI is going to help you achieve the most flawless makeup look.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. So today I’ll be writing about my trip to Portland. The first time I witnessed snowfall was last year, in Portland. And I just loved it.
So we stayed at Marriott Waterfront area and the views were amazing.
So we reached Portland on the Christmas Eve, hence all the restaurants and shopping places were closed down so we went to these food trucks selling the most amazing Persian food. The food was really good and the people were really very welcoming. Only thing you have to look out for are seagulls, so you had to keep your guard up the entire time.
I love good food, so we went to this Pizzeria, MOD Pizza. This is the subway version of pizzas, in other words. You decide whatever you want on your pizza and it was AMA-ZING.
We went to this Chinese restaurant which was right outside our hotel. The food was amazing but they were closing down the day we were leaving for San Francisco. So we went there as much as we could, the staff was really kind. We got a fortune cookie after every meal, which was kind a cute.
Coming to shopping, basically Portland is a tax-free area, you aren’t charged the 10% tax after every purchase. Personally I found America really expensive for shopping, a 10% tax equal to $100 for every $1000, and the worst part no tax refund. Portland was tax-free so I got most of my expensive things (Handbags and shoes) from Portland. The Sephora in Portland had no variety, so I did my Sephora shopping from Los Angeles.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. Today’s blog will be about my trip to San Francisco. So i reached San Francisco on new years eve. The weather was really good, you could be fine with a denim jacket and a cashmere scarf. Well that worked for me. It was really windy, so girls your hairstyle is most likely to get ruined. I curled my hair and we ended up taking a cruise and guess what? My curls were completely gone ***😂😂***
My advice: Keep it simple.
So we stayed at Sheraton. They had all the supplies you needed, I forgot to pack my hair dryer and curling wand and they were kind enough to send them to my room charging just a few dollars per hour * don’t remember the exact amount* We were in San Francisco for about a week or ten days. My hotel was couple of minutes walk from Krispy Kreme and In n Out which made it deliciously convenient . And guys, if it’s your first trip to California, you have to try In n Out, they make the most amazing beef burgers.
In-N-Out Burger
We usually used to go out for late night strolls and ended up getting coffee and doughnuts. One of the best family vacations ever. Krispy Kreme had a live counter, you could see the entire process of how those yummy doughnuts were made.
Lastly, If you’re living in the Fisherman’s wharf area you’ll get your hands on some amazing seafood. The Codmothers Fish and Chips was no doubt the best though it wasn’t a fancy restaurant but the food was nothing like Alioto’s. The Codmothers Fish and chips reminded me of The Seafood Bar in Amsterdam.Both these places were at a walking distance from our hotel. Alioto’s had an amazing italian cuisine however. Loved their Pizza.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. So today’s blog will be based on summer hair color ideas. I switched to a caramel/gold Balayage. I think the Gold tones are making a major comeback.
So this is my final look. I actually changed my hair color artist. Though it was a huge risk but after seeing the results, the risk was completely worth it.
Previously my hair color was more like:
I wanted to go for more gold in my hair, hence i changed the look completely🙈
Moving over you have to take major care of your hair after all that color cut down, use the right products. So basically the hair colorist, used Olaplex and let me tell you this product prevents your hair from getting damaged while coloring it. I absolutely have no regrets going in for more gold tones, and I just love L-O-V-E the final results.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. Today I’ll be telling you about the places you can shop in Barcelona Including various Spanish Brands, sold at comparatively lower prices. Brands like Zara and Massimo Dutti are sold at low prices at Spain. Since both of these brands are Spanish. Zara has three huge stores in Barcelona, and they have a huge variety of Zara products.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The second brand you should invest on is Massimo Dutti. This Brand is a lot cheaper (in terms of price) in Spain. Though the name may be Italian but this is entirely a Spanish company. These are the brands I would definitely recommend to buy if you’re heading to Spain for holidays. Massimo Dutti deals in clothing and fashion accessories for both men and women.
Besides for shopping, Barcelona has an amazing Architecture. Gothic quarter has some beautiful architecture, it’s also known as Old Barcelona.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
I would recommend going to La Rambla and the Gothic quarter before sunset. The Streets in the Gothic quarter are quite narrow and La Rambla gets a bit unsafe.
I regret not going to the beach, in Barcelona. We were there for about 4 nights including the day of arrival. 4-5 days are more than enough for Barcelona. I will definitely be revisiting Barcelona.
And lets not forget talking about the famous Spanish Churros. It’s a must to try them, specially when you’re in Spain.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. Today I’ll be sharing my experience with Amtrak. This journey is going to leave you breathless. Starting from the Pacific to a forest filled with snow. It was just too beautiful. I don’t have the words to describe this amazing experience. We were traveling from Los Angeles (CA) to Portland (OR). It was a 22 hour journey, was completely worth it.
Amtrak has a sitting area and a library with windows which go up to the roof. So can enjoy the amazing views, while waiting for your destination. So they have 2 restaurants on board.
My favorite meal was the breakfast. And I absolutely loved their beef and veggie burgers served during lunch and dinner hours. The salmon was amazing too.
I’m going to share some videos. Enjoy!
So you guys will get no network for about 5-6 hours, because you’ll be in middle of a beautiful forest. Just enjoy the view and forget about your phone for a while.Amtrak has you covered with free WiFi for the rest of your journey.
The staff was really sweet. The lady serving me lunch was kind enough to get me a cup of hot chocolate, even though it was not part of the menu. You even get a personal assistant who helps you with almost everything.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. So today I’ll be telling you guys about my favorite Body Shop Products. The Body shop is a British cosmetic and skin care company. I have a combination skin which is a bit sensitive too. So my skin tends to get dry in winters like everyone else and it gets a bit oily on the t-zone during summers.
I absolutely love the Tea Tree Range. It works wonders for people with acne or acne prone skin. It’s really good for combination skin and it does not over dry your face. And it helps clearing out blemishes. I’ve personally used 3 products from this range.
Tea Tree Skin Clearing Clay Mask – $17
Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash – $14
Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanse – $15Final verdict: If you have an acne prone, blemished skin which also tends to get oily this range and these face wash will help you fight your skin problems. This entire range is for people with blemished skin and acne prone skin. They also have cooling properties.
My next favorite range is the Vitamin E. This range is again for people with sensitive and dry skin. As my skin gets super dry during the winters I switch to the Vitamin E range. My 2 favorite Vitamin E products are:
Vitamin E Gentle Facial Wash – $6
Vitamin E Eye Cream – $19.50
Final Verdict: I would definitely recommend the vitamin E range to anyone who has a dry to sensitive skin. This face wash has non drying properties. I recently started doing a lot of eye makeup and the area around my eyes has gotten really dry. So I started using this Vitamin E eye Cream and it has helped a lot in fighting the dryness.
This next range has an amazing fragrance. I’m talking about the Strawberry range. I absolutely love strawberries and any moisturizer with its fragrance is just so cute. I tried two products from this range and I would recommend it to everyone, since it’s just too good.
Strawberry Hand Cream – $6
Strawberry Lip Butter – $7
Final Verdict: We need hand and lip moisturizer throughout the year, be in summers or winters. Hence this is the most safest investment you can make. And they have an AAA-MAZING scent. Would definitely recommend both of these products.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. So today I’ll be reviewing Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. It comes in 2 different shades one for Fair to tanned skin tones and the other for deep skin tones. This setting powder personally helps me to keep my makeup on for a long time, without giving a grey look. This does not give cakey look.
Translucent Powder locks makeup in for long-lasting wear without adding any weight or texture. This also helps in absorbing oil and gives a sheer coverage.This also helps in blurring out imperfections while making your look last longer. This product is used by all professionals in the makeup industry.
I would definitely recommend this product, whether you’re a makeup geek or someone new to makeup, this is one of the safest investment.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. So today I’ll be reviewing one of my favorite day-to-day wear foundation. It’s Clinique Super balanced foundation, and the best part is it comes with a SPF. In other words it perfects and protects.
The name super balanced means that this foundation helps control oil yet hydrates where it’s needed. And I used this foundation for an entire day and it was just perfect, I didn’t need any touch ups. It is for all skin types(dry, combination & oily). So as i said in my previous blogs, i have a sensitive skin and very few things go well with my skin, this foundation worked really well for me. The best part of Cinique is that their foundations are fragrance free and allergy tested. In other words this foundation does not cause breakouts, at least not in my case. My shade in this was Silk Sahara.
I would definitely recommend this foundation to anyone who wants something safe for their daily wear. The only drawback of Clinique is that it does not have many options in shades, so you might find it a bit difficult to find your true shade.
Lastly, always do makeup after your skin care routine(read the previous blog).
My next blog will be on primers I have used and swear by. Stay Tuned!
I hope you all are having an amazing day. So today’s blog will be about the skin care routine we all should follow, specially the ones with a sensitive skin. So I have tried a lot of products till I found the right ones, which go well with my skin.
Step 1: Cleanse
You can cleanse your skin from any sort of cleanser, if you have a dry skin I would suggest something milk based. Preferably Nivea Cleansing milk
But if you have a really sensitive to combination skin, I would recommend the BiodermaSensibio H2O. This is an alcohol and fragrance free cleanser which works wonders for sensitive and combination skin.
Both of these cleansers can be used to remove makeup or simply just cleansing your face when waking up or right before going to bed.
Step 2: Wash
It’s very important to wash your face with a right face wash to make sure your skin is clean and free of impurities. So one of the face wash I use and would definitely recommend is, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser. I swear by this product, it worked wonders for me. It’s the perfect face wash, it helps in removing the impurities while no over-drying your face. I usually use this in the winters as it doesn’t over dry my face.
The other face wash I use is by The Body Shop. It’s their tea tree face wash, this works best for anyone with a sensitive, acne prone and combination skin. I’ve used both the gel based and foaming face wash and both of them worked perfectly well. This face wash again doesn’t over dry your face.
Step 3: Tone
I use rose-water as my toner, as it’s all natural with less chemicals in it. I recently started using, Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rose Water. This again can be used in various ways, before or after moisturising your face, it can also be used over your makeup to give a boost.
Step 4: Moisturize
I personally prefer oil free moisturizers, they don’t clog your pores which makes sure you don’t break out. The two new moisturizers I got were Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 30 and Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture-Sensitive Skin. Both these moisturizer come with a SPF and they are perfect for sensitive skin.
This is my everyday Skin care routine, and I do it at least twice a day.
I hope you all are having an amazing day. Today’s blog will be about one of my interests, traveling.
So I love traveling, specially discovering new places. Though I have traveled little within Pakistan but I’ve been to the Northern Areas (Naran) twice or maybe thrice, I think. It breaks my heart seeing man destroy everything. Maybe its human nature? Cutting down trees and polluting everything. We should educate the people of this country of how important it is for them to stop throwing trash wherever it’s convenient for them.
Moving on to the places I’ve traveled outside of Pakistan. And the places I would definitely recommend anyone reading this. So I’ve been to Malaysia ( Kuala lumpur and Langkawi), Middle East (Dubai), England, Europe (Spain, France and Netherlands) and recently went to the United States (California).
I find Dubai highly overrated, I mean it has nothing but malls and a bad weather. Who would want to end up there, that to when you’re on a vacation. Dubai may seem fine at first but trust me, when you see Europe or America, Dubai doesn’t stand a chance. Whenever you go to Europe, you should definitely go to Paris and Amsterdam. The weather is amazing . And the best time to travel to Europe is in the summers. I was actually shocked when I went to Barcelona, it was in July and the weather was really good, there wasn’t any humidity. All I heard about Spain was that people go there for a good tan in the summers but well the weather was just too good.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Moving to my trip to the States, I traveled Via Qatar Airways. The service and the flight was amazing. It didn’t seem like a really long journey maybe because I was asleep half of the time. I would definitely recommend Qatar Airways to people traveling to the States. I traveled within America on Amtrak, and boy the views were breathtaking. So you have your own personal room on Amtrak and then there is a dinning area which is just like the train version of The Titanic (Just Saying). Would recommend it to anyone traveling within the United States.
So I’m back with another product review. And my hair care solely depends on the list of products I’ll be writing about today. So firstly talking about my hair condition. I have colored my hair multiple times but i was able to deal with the dryness by investing in some good products. These products might cost a lot but they work wonders and trust me, be it men or women, it’s really important to have amazing hair. No matter how short or long they may be, it should always be well maintained. For me it’s really important to invest on hair care, it should be important to everyone I guess, if I’m not wrong. **Confused emoji**
The products I’ll be talking about today are from Kérastase. It’s a luxury French hair care brand. L’Oréal is the Parent company of Kerastase. So products I’ve previously used and still swear by are divided in different categories, there are hair elixirs, shampoos and masks.
These elixirs can be used on wet as well as dry hair. And the best part is they are scented and they have benefits too. They give your hair a healthy shine and a frizz free look. So the elixirs I have previously used or still using are:
$ 58
Huile Originale Elixir (Still using it), It nourishes, protects and smooths hair. This again can be used on both wet or dried hair.
$ 58
Parfum en Hue Elixir (Still using it).,This Hair elixir is amazing, and it has a much stronger fragrance than the first one. This again leaves the hair nourished and with an amazing scent.
Hair Shampoos:
$ 43
Bain Densité (Still Using it), the name says it all. This shampoo helps in making you achieve healthier hair. In other words it’s a hair thickening shampoo helps strengthen the hair fiber and making hair more resistant. Hair starts losing it’s resistance due to styling, too much use of hair dryers (I always blow-dry my hair) as well as sun exposure.
$ 60
Bain Fluidéaliste (Still Using), this shampoo is amazing. And I keep on buying it whenever i run out of it. This is a anti frizz shampoo which helps smooth out your hair. The less the frizz the easier it is to manage your hair. Girls know how difficult it is to deal with super long hair. So if you have Medium to long hair this shampoo will make it easier for you to manage those locks. This shampoo has a smooth finish to it too, making it even better.
$ 43
Bain Oléo-Relax (Previously used), this again is an anti frizz shampoo.It helps nourishing the hair fiber and hair becomes more easier to manage. However I switched to the Bain Fluidéaliste later.
Hair Masks and Conditioners:
$ 45
Fondant Fluidéaliste (Still using), this conditioner is just amazing. It helps smooth out those locks and make your hair appear more soft and manageable. So if you’re looking for something to put an end to the rough and frizzy look, I would highly recommend this product.
$ 63
Masque Force Architecte (Still using), this mask works wonders for weak and damaged hair. It has anti breakage properties which helps in reducing hair fall. And as a result you have strong and soft hair.
You can buy these Kérastase products online and even from some high-end salons which are partnered with L’Oréal Kérastase in your area. You can buy them from other selected outlets too, but it highly depends on where you live.
Lastly, I would like to say that it’s really important to do oiling at least twice a week. No matter how many expensive products you use you still have to stick to some old traditions. My next post will be on the hair oils I use. So stay tuned.
Final verdict: If you have an acne prone, blemished skin which also tends to get oily this range and these face wash will help you fight your skin problems. This entire range is for people with blemished skin and acne prone skin. They also have cooling properties.
$ 58
$ 58
$ 43
$ 60
$ 43
$ 45
$ 63