METAMORPHOSIS

Could you guess what made me stand still,
In the cocoon I was in, out of free will?
You told me my existence wasn't enough to fulfill,
So I embraced quietude, you know, as an act of Goodwill.

For all that time I was silent, I was healing from within,
Discovering all of the energies that I had, built-in,
From the little hole in the cocoon I let sunshine in,
That warmed my heart, my soul and my blooming skin.

In a few years, the transformation of me surprised myself,
My fragility learned to fight for itself,
There was this voice nudging me, 'you gotta stand up for yourself,
For how long will you stay in a capsule, this protective shell?'

In no time it struck to me, it was my time to shine,
I realized my eccentricities were entirely benign,
To be different than the others is actually a good sign,
It was time that was required and all was meant to be fine.

Soon I knew I didn't come this far only to come this far,
I learnt, 'You can't be sorry for the person that you are',
I waited long for this metamorphosis, the witness are the stars,
Already feels like ages that I'm not feeling up to par.

It was about time I learn how to fly,
And look at people, audaciously, in the eye,
I've finally come to a conclusion, don't even ask why,
This is not a world for the feeble and or the shy.

There's a handful of advice, in my bag I  have stowed,
When you're feeling low, you just have to know,
True colours bling bright, virtuousness surely shows,
And if they don't, don't worry, you gotta take it slow.

Good Enough.

For all those times you told me,
I wasn't good enough,
I cried in the bathroom,
Just so from the outside, I could look tough.

Tough like that bridge that'll never break,
Or that muscle in your body that'll never ache,
Maybe, the foundation of that bridge was hit by an earthquake,
Wanting all of your care and empathy, or perhaps just a flake.

What do I need to do to be good enough?
Climb mountains or swim seas,
Or run through deserts, barefooted.
Would that appease?

But what if I reach to you, bleary and beaten?
Or my reliance on you, fully eaten?
Would that feed your masculinity, your misogyny,
Or should another prick furthermore sweeten?

Sweeten to the extent that it turns bittersweet,
Your words had wounded me, from top to the feet,
I felt like the machine that's weary and obsolete,
Whose axles and pulleys could be thrown out in the street.

You never had known, I wasn't street meat,
I was farm-grown, golden, sunkissed wheat,
A household delicacy, a delectable treat,
But darling! You'd never know. Your cognition was never neat.

For all those times I swam through oceanic waves,
There's this handful of lessons, I've proudly embraced,
From the lot, there's one I've highly placed,
It is, that 'regret has the most lasting after-taste.'

The other ones being, 'what glitters is not gold',
'When you don't get something, you just gotta hold,
Even when it's terribly scorching, or relentlessly cold,'
'Some cuts leave scars that hurt even more, when they're old'.

REVIEW: Essence Longlasting Lipsticks

Hey my angels! Welcome back to my blog. If you're new here, hey! Nice to meet ya.
Alrighty, so today I'll be reviewing a few lipsticks by a drugstore brand called Essence. They're affordable, lightweight and ideal for girls on-the-go, who like only a wash of color on the lips which is subtle enough to be worn on an everyday basis.
However, I've found that these lippies can double up as a lip stain and a lipstick topper if worn over insanely matte liquid lipsticks.

So, Essence Cosmetics launched their new line of long lasting lipsticks a while ago. The fact that this brand is my ultra favourite one for nail colours and nail treatment therapy polishes, it was mandatory for me to try their lipsticks. You guys, I was not disappointed at all. To be honest, I was pleased to the extent that now I own six of these goodies. Now, onto the actual review.

The Packaging
So these lipsticks come in a nice and sophisticated, matte black standard casing. The case feels luxurious to the touch and definitely are not flimsy or of cheap quality. However, they don't come in a cardboard box that normal lipsticks come in, which in complete honesty is not a big issue for me. It also has a plastic ring at the centre of the casing which is different for every tube, corresponding to the colour of the actual lipstick. Once you open the lid, you reveal a perfect lipstick which has the 'e' logo embossed on the bullet. The applicator edge is perfectly cut to ensure you can go over your lips with precision. I must add that this edge remains sharp for a couple of uses, unlike many other lipsticks I've tried from the drugstore and/or high-end.

The Formula:
These lipsticks are semi-glossy/satin-finished once applied on the lips. They are sheer and not as highly pigmented. I mean obviously, you can't expect Mac's pigmentation from a product as cheap as this. It has a balmy feel once applied on the lips. It's incredibly light-weight on the lips and you don't even feel like you're wearing lipstick, because it almost feels like Baby Lips from Maybelline.
You know what? I kinda like the fact that they're sheer and buildable. You can go over the lipstick again and again to intensify the colour pay-off.
They're highly moisturizing and don't dry out the lips at all. Neither do they accentuate dryness or lines on the lips. So kudos to essence for that!
The lipsticks aren't as long-lasting, though. For me, the colour stays on for about 2-3 hours without eating or drinking.
These lippies are perfect for teenagers out there. The colours are playful and girly, yet not too loud or bold that they'll look nasty on young girls.

The Shades/Colours:

01 Coral Calling
As the name may explain itself, it's a nice orangey, peachy pink colour. It's an okay-ish colour for me. I think it'll suit much paler/lighter complexions out there. On my darker girls, I suggest you skip on this colour as I think it'll look sickly and sorta dirty. But if you apply one thin layer, I think it would look good because then, it wouldn't be as in-your-face.
In my opinion, it's a perfect summery go-to shade for lighter skinned girls.

04 On the Catwalk!
Looking out for a lipcolor that makes a statement like red but isn't as overpowering? Well then see no further because this is what awaits for you. This is a light red with dark pink undertones, to the extent that it looks like a really pretty your lips but darker and brighter kinda colour.
Definitely would suit any skin-tone.
It's a must-have​ for me atleast. It's just perrrrrfect!

06 Barely There!
As the name suggests, it's a perfect your lips but better sort of a colour. Once you apply it, it doesn't even show as if your lips are covered in lipstick. It's one of the prettiest nudes that I have. It's just that perfect kind of nude which is suitable to be worn on an everyday basis to give just a tiny tint of color or with an intense smokey eye where your lips have to be understated. If you don't own this colour, I highly highly urge you to. It is an exact dupe to Mac's Half and Half.
It's an ideal combo of brown and pink with a slightly mauvy, Kylie Jenner kinda undertone. Can it be any better?!

09 Wear Berries!
A really beautiful and girly pink colour. It's a pretty blue-undertonal vivid pink. Ideally a very spring-appropriate colour. If you're into wearing alot of girly pinks, you surely wouldn't want to miss this one out.
Also I've noticed, it can make your teeth appear whiter, so that's a plus.

03 Dare to Wear
It is a sheerer and a semi-glossy dupe to Mac's Ruby Woo. It's a deep brick red with blue undertones. Perfect for every skin-tone, in my opinion. This stuff is definitely not for the faint-hearted ones!

15 Oh So Matt!
I'd suggest you pass this one out. It's the most pathetic lipstick I own. Super pale, concealer-looking and slippy. Yikes! Also this is so pigmented and matte that you'll always overdo it. Also the formula of this lipstick is very different than the others. It's an extremely pale pink nude which is meant for porcelain beauties. I'd you're even more than NC-15 at Mac, don't even think of getting this. You'll be in regrets.

Availability
These lippies are available at any essence makeup counter. It isn't a brand which you'll have trouble with finding. If you live in Islamabad, D'Watson carries Essence's makeup. These lipsticks retail for PKR 430 each.

REVIEW: MAYBELLINE MASCARAS (Four of 'em)

Hey my divas! Welcome back to my blog. Okay, so today what I'm reviewing is very close to my heart. I feel like a good mascara can absolutely change the look of your eyelashes and hence your eyes. For me, a perfect mascara should build on volume without getting clumpy, should lengthen my otherwise limpy eyelashes and should hold on the curl of my lash. If a mascara does that for me, I'm good-to-go!

ALL the mascaras that I've tried from Maybelline are really good. And if somebody asks me "Which mascara clan are you in, Maybelline, Covergirl or L'oreal?", I would without a a doubt say Maybelline! Their mascaras are close to perfection. For you all, I'm going to be reviewing four of them right now. Each one has specific characteristics and what I call 'super-powers' and I leave it to you to find your perfect match.

The Rocket Volume Express
This is my favourite mascara in the whole universe. Definitely my ride-or-die. I love this one, to the point that I keep repurchasing it once it gets over. I'm on my ninth tube of this goodness.
It has a massive jet-glide shaped brush, as they like to call it. But it's just a nice, gigantic silicone brush with lots of minute bristles to really work through every tiny lash. The brush looks a little like Benefit's They're Real Mascara. The formula of this mascara is magical. It's unicorn goodness for me. It catches every single baby lash of mine and builds on intense volume making them look a thousand times thicker, blacker and voluminous than they actually are. However I don't think it does a good job in the lengthening part. But that isn't an issue for me because my lashes are long, just not thick.
One coat of this, superb! Two coats, MAGIC! Three coats, just on point spidery eyelashes which are so in vogue these days.
Definitely get this one if you can. It's a STUNNER!
I'd give it a 5/5.

The Falsies Volume Express
As the name suggests, it's a nice buildable mascara which give you a false lash effect. However, it didn't work for me that great. It does provide volume and depth but doesn't multiply your lashes to give it a falsies-effect. I did observe, however, that it really helps to fan out the lashes. But I think Maybelline has gone a little over-board in naming this one. It's a pretty good mascara, though.
It's brush is an ordinary mascara wand but with a light curvature. When you wiggle the spoon-feeding side across your lashline, it builds alot of drama and volume. The curvature helps to curl your lashes slightly. I've  also noticed that it lengthens the lash hair nicely, too.
So I'd suggest if you have fairly thick lashes which are stunted and grow straight, this mascara might become your holy grail.
I'd give it a 4.5/5.

The One by One Volume Express
A nice mascara to keep. Has a really cool bristly, comby silicone mascara wand that really separates and coats each individual lash. It's more of a lengthening mascara in my opinion, since it doesn't really volumize or thicken the lashes.
It's good for people who are born with naturally gorgeous lashes and just need a little bit of drama and pigment to accentuate them. Also, if your lashes are a little unruly and grow all over the place, I think it's a great one to choose because of its great separating powers.
I'd give it a 3.5/5.

The Great Lash
One of the very first mascaras that Maybelline ever created. It has a normal kind of a wand, not too special in any way. It builds onto lashes, intensifies, gives a tiny bit of volume and holds the curl of your lash.
Apart from that, the main issue of this mascara is how drying it is to the lashes. I observed flaking and itsy bitsy mascara clinging onto my under-eyes once it dries off. I also observed that I lose alot of eyelash hairs in it's removal which was a complete turn off.
However if you're in search of a pocket-friendly mascara, this maybe the one you're trying to find.
I'd give it a 2.5/5.

Availability
All of these mascaras are available at any Maybelline counter. The volume express mascars retail for PKR 995-1050 each, depending onto the retailer. While, the Great Lash is for PKR 445.

I hope this review was helpful to you in any way, shape or form. Have a good day!

10 Ways to be More Confident.

Confidence, to me, is so personal. It's about how you feel from the inside and then what you showcase to the world. When you actually feel good, is the time when you start exhibiting how you're feeling, in your actions.
So today I'm going to be giving you ten tips on how you can boost your confidence level and show-off as a self-assured person to others. Some things are those that you can do right now and away, while some would need some extra work and conscious effort from your side. So we'll start off with the easy ones.

1. Sit Straight
Yes friends. Keeping your back straight is so important. And hell yes, I'm guilty of always​ having a slouchy posture, too, but I'm trying. It wasn't long ago that I was going through an article about good body postures. In it, they explained how slouching over is such a defeated pose. Whereas, if you're​ sitting straight and open, people perceive you as a much confident individual. They would want to talk to you more often and hence you'll have more chances of making friends.
So the next time, you see yourself stooping your head out of your shoulders, remind yourself to sit taller. You'll seem more self-assertive!

2. Exercise
I feel as I've grown older, my reason for exercising and getting into physical activity has changed drastically. Initially, I used to exercise to become thin and have a slim waist and lean legs, because society told me to look like a particular being. Whereas now, exercising to me is just letting my toxins out through sweat. Trust me, now I don't even get tired after exercise as I used to in the past. Now I feel much more energized and confident. And you are what you feel, right? So if you're more of a couch potato and don't really exercise and stuff, please do. You'll feel great!

3. Compliment Yourself
This will do wonders. Go, stand infront of a mirror. See what you hate about yourself. Look closely. Did you find something? You will, I'm sure. Is this something you're least proud of out of your appearance? Start appreciating it. In no time you'd be more accepting towards your flaws. Once you accept them, people around you will be no-one to to tell you how bad your flaws make you seem. You'd stop caring about people's opinions. Always remember, that your opinions about yourself are the only opinions that matter.

4. Compliment Others
It feels so good, you guys! Trust me. This also ensures that you are more on the giving side, rather than taking. It shows your generosity and bigheartedness. Also, this makes others feel good about themselves which make them happy. And seeing others happy makes you happy which heaves your self-esteem and confidence.
So the next time you meet someone, always make sure to give them an admiring remark. It works wonders.

5. Explore your Talents
Do what you can, to know what you can do. Not only does it make you a useful person but knowing you're capable of doing something in life, can greatly improve your confidence level.

6. Be Yourself
The world is in dire need of YOU. I keep saying this, I knowww. But man, I'm serious. Your journey to confidence starts  when you decide to be yourself. You don't have to be pretentious. You just don't need to.

7. Surround Yourself with Positive People
People who appreciate you for what you're doing, these are the kind of people you want to be with. You guys, appreciation plays such a vital role in shaping you as a person and retaining self-assurance. And getting it from the people you're around and close to, brings that bar of confidence a thousand notches up. So the next time, you sit with someone who literally makes you feel like a more empowered person, don't let them go. Ever.

8. Write a Journal.
Record everything you do. Good, bad, worst. EVERYTHING. Two, three maybe ten, twenty years down the road, when you open that journal and flip some pages back, you'll realize how you've grown as a person. It'll be such a pumper for your confidence, in the long run. You might thank me.

9. Work towards Self-improvement.
To be very honest, I believe that you can take the horse to water but can't make it drink it. No body can enhance what you already have, until youre not willing to. Observe yourself, maybe microscopically, see what your shortcomings are, what makes you lag behind and work towards improving them. Knowing that you tried working towards achieving something is better than life long regrets, believe or not.

10. Smile.
If you don't do any of the above, just do this. Not only will you feel positive but also, people will percieve you as much positive and self-assured person. They start liking you more because there are supposedly much less people who are confident enough to show off their beautiful smiles. Remember, happy people are the most attractive ones!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. If you did, make sure to lemme know in the comments section down below. I'd love to know if you have any tips to fuel self-confidence. Drop them in the comments section, too.
Good Bye and of course, Good Luck!

Isolate, Ponder, then Repeat.

Salute fellas! Hope you're doing well.
So, today I thought why not write about something I highly, highly believe in. To the extent, that now I do it as a daily ritual. You people won't believe, that the day I forget doing it, I feel like I am missing on an essential part of myself. I'm just so used to it. And, here's why....

I'm a firm creditor of giving yourself some 'me-time' out of the twenty four hours God has blessed you with. It may even be as short as seven minutes or as long as thirty; it is entirely up to you. But make sure that you do. I cannot stress enough on how important it is to get a breather from the world's ongoing. You need time to think, to cogitate and to meditate. You all NEED it. It isn't vanity. It's a requirement. Something that you HAVE to do, to carry on with the rest of your daily activities, effectively.

Your heart, mind, body and soul need time to rejuvenate. To relax. To renew. To freshen, regenerate and restore all of their powers. All of their energies. All of their capabilities. They all need time to breathe. To expel all the negativities they behold. A heart that feels, a mind that thinks, a body that moves and soul that fervors are the greatest gifts you've got from Him. The problem is, that all these things are like a machine, that works hand in hand. If you keep using this machine without a break, it may dismember into fragments, without you even realizing it. You know, what happens then? That machine never gets repaired, ever. The adverse outcome of this, is you feeling strangely. Stress, anxiety, depression etc. are all the aftermath of this. All you're left to do is to fight with these and in turn, yourself!

Therefore, I say, meditate! 'Meditate'. Such a fancy word, isn't it? Do you picture a woman sitting on a yoga mat with her eyes closed, legs crossed and hands placed on her thighs, breathing in and out, the moment you hear the word 'meditate'? I'd be honest, at least that's what I used to think of, the moment I'd hear this word. This was when I didn't know the true meaning of meditation. Meditation is spending your time in quiet thought. And that's it. It may even be in the comfort of your bedroom or in a garden, encircled by nature. Anywhere you feel peaceful and secluded and alone. Just a little time to be with yourself and only yourself!

But what to do once you're isolated and away from the cacophony of the world? The answer is, do whatever you like. Leave your smartphone aside and think. It may be as silly as 'why am I wearing different socks on both my feet?' to as deep as 'why is the universe infinite?' If you aren't a much of a "closing your eyes and deeply thinking" sort of a person, do what makes you happy. I think by now, half of the world knows my way of meditation. And that is, painting my nails! Yes, peeps. I'm not kidding. I de-stress as the brush of the nail paint glides seamlessly on the surface of my nails. It may be weird to you but it totally works for me. For some of you it might be watering plants in your garden or baking something or maybe, assembling your wardrobe. Just doing something that allows you enough time to unwind and loosen up a bit can make a world of a difference.

If doing something makes you feel revived, recharged and resuscitated, congratulations! Because you've just found your own, distinct way of meditation. Once you've discovered it, stick to it. Do it daily. Revive your energies, good or bad. Let your entire self let out the toxins it beholds. Don't let it build up inside you to the point that it gets suffocating. Don't let anything or anyone come into your happiness. Let it all out. Breathe.
It will be a conscious effort for a day or two, or even week. But in no time, it'll become a habit. You'd just know the exact thing to do, to make you feel alive and more like yourself. Now you'd be ready to deal with humanity, again.

Good Luck!👍

REVIEW: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

As much as I love putting on makeup on my face, you might be surprised to know that I absolutely hate taking it all off. Removing makeup, is one of my least favorite tasks ever. I find it extremely annoying, tedious and the most boring thing ever.
Back in the day, my favourite method of removing makeup was, to take a generous amount of coconut oil in the palm of my hand and gently massage it all over the face. Then I'd take a mueslin cloth, wet it in some warm water, squeeze and place it on my face for about ten seconds. The steam from the cloth helped to open up  pores and melt every residue of makeup clung in them. It also provides the perfect amount of emollients to slip the makeup right off without tugging or rubbing so hard. This still tops of the list of my favorite makeup removal methods.
On my lazy days, I would use the ever-so-famous makeup removing wipes by Neutrogena. It used to do a good job and
I was happy using them.
It wasn't long ago that I got my hands on a revolutionary product called The Micellar Water, and I couldn't wait to give it a shot. Since it was also something my aunt was raving about and was comparing to the H2O (Micellar Water) by BioDerma, I obviously had to try it out. You guys, I must say, I am not disappointed. But does this stuff live up to the hype? Read along to find out!

This product claims that it removes makeup, cleanses and soothes. It's safe to use on the face, eyes and lips. It is hypoallergenic, free of alcohol, perfume and parabens. It says that you don't even need to rinse your face post usage. It's meant for all skin types, even sensitive. It promises that the micells( micelle: a unit of structure built up from polymeric molecules or ions) capture makeup, impurities and pollution like magnets.
At least this is what it says on the bottle it comes in.

The Packaging:
This stuff comes in a standard, hard and clear plastic bottle. It's cover is pink and has a lid. Once you lift the lid, you see a perfect size of hole to get just the right quantity of this liquid. This product is deceiving, though. It is clear and looks exactly like water. But if you shake the bottle slightly, some bubbles appear on the surface hinting that it isn't plain water.
It comes in two sizes. One contains 125ml of the water and claims that it'll last you for up to 60 uses. The other one is a bigger bottle which contains 400ml of product which should last you for up to 200 uses.

The Product:
This stuff is really revolutionary. Imagine a few drops of water removing gunk from your face! Isn't it weird?
I like to take two cotton rounds/balls and saturate them with this stuff and place them on my eyes for about ten seconds. This really helps down to break down makeup bits so it slides right off of your face. I must say that it removes every trace of eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner. Even gel eyeliner comes off like a dream, with no rubbing or tugging at your skin, whatsoever. However, I did notice that it isn't as effective for taking off waterproof mascara. I had to go over with the cotton a couple of times to remove even the last residue of it. The pro is that it doesn't burn the eyes at all. So thumbs up for that!

For the rest of the face, I'd usually flip those same cotton rounds the other way and use it all over my face. I wouldn't lie, it does a pretty impressive job.
It removes foundation, concealer, even the most stubborn liquid lipstick, just everything! But I must add that even though it removes everything, it still doesn't give you that squeaky clean feeling. I'd rather go ahead and use a face wash to be extra sure that my skin is clean and clear. If you're not a squeaky-clean feeling fan, you're at liberty to go ahead with another clean cotton round with the Micellar water to douse off every last bit of makeup leftovers. Post that, you should be good to go!
I didn't observe my skin breaking out or this stuff making my skin extra dry, to the extent that it leaves dry patches of rough skin, like normal makeup removing cleansers do. I think this thing is awesome for all skin types. From teens to oldies, all can benefit from this product.
You may also use it to remove dirt from your face and neck after a long day. It feels so refreshing, like a fresh breath of air.
Not to mention, I've also been using it to clean any makeup fallouts on the cheek and perfecting my winged eyeliner with a Q-tip. It works amazing for that too.
Pro tip: It can be used as a brush cleaner if you're in a rut.

Availability:
This Micellar water by Garnier is available in almost all departmental stores, supermarkets and cosmetic counters all over Pakistan. I bought it from D'Watson in Islamabad. The small bottle costs PKR 199 and the larger bottle costs PKR 499, which isn't a bad deal at all.
Now you guys know how I like to bring my basic arithmetic skills into use. Here is the breakdown:-
If you buy the small bottle, you merely spend Rs.3.00 per use. And if you have the bigger bottle, you barely spend Rs.2.50 per use. Which means that the larger bottle is slightly more cost-effective.

My thoughts:
I really like this stuff. I would totally rebuy it once it's over. I'll give it a 4.25/5. I cut the 0.75 mark just because I need to go over with my face wash. If that hadn't been so much of an issue for me, it was definitely a 4.5/5.
Btw, I think it absolutely is worth the hype!

You Deserve, Nothing!

Hey friends! I hope you all are doing well and indeed had a very meethi Eid. I'm so sorry that I couldn't keep up with my blog in the Eid days. Y'all know how you get invited to family feasts during these days. And trust me, all I was doing was stuffing my belly with every Eid delicacy I could get my hands on. There are chances I might have to shed some extra pounds than before. Phew! All the things you do post Eid!
I missed y'all so much. Now, onto the actual post. (I've recently noticed that my intros are usually so out of context, but what can I possibly do? I am such a chatterbox. You know that, right?)

While I was getting dressed for Eid, a thought struck through my mind. I thought of how God is kind enough to let me wear that ivory coloured gharara outfit that I handsdown, got obsessed with, the moment I saw a mannequin adorned in it.
I immediately went down the memory lane trying to remember something I might have done in the few previous days for which I might have gotten that attire of my dreams, as a reward. I pondered hard, but to no avail. I couldn't think of anything. Not even one deed I had done, which was worthy of getting me the outfit that I liked so much. I looked inside my wardrobe and discovered tonnes of beautiful clothes, hung in allignment and my rack of footwear, had my ever-so-loved collection of shoes that I've been stocking on for a few years now. I opened my drawer of my dearly makeup stash, something with which I've had a love relationship since the beginning of time. It's always been the most beautiful sight I've ever seen- my makeup. Aaahhh! I might me sounding a little crazy to you guys but y'all know how makeup gives me feelings of ecstasy. Right?

I went to the breakfast table and saw an array of breakfast kickshaws neatly arranged in the axis of it. Now because I'm not the one who'd devour in the sheer khurma stuff, I poured myself a cup of tea and headed to my room. I perched onto the edge of the bed, lowered my back to buckle up my sandals and suddenly, epiphany hit me. I considered of thinking about something that I might have done, for which God had bestowed me with stuff, materialistic or not, as a prize. I thought hard, but couldn't come up with anything. I tried figuring out the truth behind my possessions being mine, my controls staying with me, my blessings walking down to me, even though my subordinate-self doesn't deserve even a piece of it. I wondered if all of this that I had; clothes to wear and fill my wardrobe with, shoes to decorate and save my feet from getting dirty, delish food to devour into and endless other things I can never even think of, do I deserve them? DO I DESERVE THEM?

The answer came, "NO! YOU DON'T!", from the corner of my head somewhere. That taught me a lesson. I learnt, that all that you have, had or will get, is not because you deserve them or have EARNED them. They're with you because God is kind enough to bestow them on you. God doesn't owe you to bless you in the best way possible. You have everything because He loves you enough to grant your wishes. You aren't deserving and never will, in any way. It is Him who's treasures are affluent enough to entitle you with everything and anything that you ever desired for. The things that you have aren't yours. They belong to God, and forever will. They're just with you for safekeeping. It's just that He's kind enough to let you make use of them. And share them, with the less fortunate ones. Hearken, you're fortunate only because He wanted you to be. You never merited this for yourself.

Moral of the "story" is, keeping on thanking God for whatever you have. I urge you to say a big ALHAMDULILLAH right now and away.
And as always, Good Luck!

Countdown to Eid Prep: Head to Toe!

Hey Beauties! How are you all? I hope Ramadan is going according to your plans. There're only a few days left of this blessed month. I can't believe it's almost over. But each passing day gets me even more excited because it means that we're getting closer and closer to EIDDD! Yippee!!!! I get so excited for Eid that sometimes it looks (errr, and feels) abnormal. It is one of the few days in the year that me and you look forward to and trust me, I'm literally counting days to Eid, this time as well.

Since Eid is right around the corner, I thought why not give you people a day to day skincare plan with which you can pamper yourself, relax and look your very best on the BIG DAY.

Day 1
Repair your skin
If you have acne-prone​ skin, apply eye drops to the area. It helps to constrict vessels around the region, which inturn reduces redness. You may also take an aspirin tablet and crush it in a bowl. Add water to make a paste and apply it to the affected area. Keep it for five minutes then rinse with water. Your skin will feel like butter.
Moisturize your hair.
Saturate your hair with coconut oil or any oil of your choice, make a tight braid and go to bed. Wash, the next morning.

Day 2
Brighten your skin
Cut a lemon into two halves. Dip the pulpy side into some sugar and rub that on your entire face. The lemon juice helps to lighten and perk up your face, while the sugar exfoliates removing all dead skin cells. Wash off with cold water.
Donot forget to moisturize your face and body before going to bed. It may be your regular facial cream or coconut oil. Slather a lotion over your entire body. It may even be again, coconut oil.
If you have oily skin, use a peel-off mask. Just egg whites work just as fine.
For normal to dry skin, use any clay mask of your choice.

Day 3
Cleanse, tone and moisturize.
Invest in a good cleanser for your face. Your face wash would work okay too. You just need to apply the foaming cleanser, cleansing milk or even coconut oil on your face, not forgetting the neck. Massage for two to three minutes. Then, take a mueslin cloth soaked in warm water and wipe the cleanser off, gently.
Spray toner on a cotton swab/round/ball. Run it over your entire face. It helps to freshen and disinfect your skin. If you don't have a toner, mist your face with rose water.
Next step is moisturizing. You may use a facial serum (bio oil is the best) or coconut (which is my Elixir). Massage over your entire face and relax your muscles. You may even choose to put it on your arms and legs for some extra TLC.
Don't forget the hair.
Prepare a special hair mayonnaise for your hair. It softens and smoothens your hair adding a spectacular shine. It is my holy-grail. I love to use it whenever my hair feels dry and dull.
So, to make this you'll need to break a large egg into a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and one cup of olive oil. Blend. Make sure you add the oil slowly to the blender while it's turned on so the mayonnaise is thicker and smoother in consistency. Saturate your hair with this stuff and leave it on for two to three hours then wash your hair, normally.
There are chances your hair will smell really bad and you're gonna hate me. But trust me, it's worth it. The smell is going to go away, the next time you take a shower.

Day 4
Clean and clear your skin.
The key to healthy looking skin is EXFOLIATION. This day, we'll be scrubbing our skin off of dead skin cells. You may use a body scrub that you already own or DIY it.
For making your own, you'll need a cup of brown sugar, two tablespoons of ground coffee and five tablespoons of coconut oil. Mix the contents in a bowl. You may have to put more oil as per your needs. Prior to taking a shower, rub this mixture over all of your body. Exfoliate thoroughly, but make sure you're gentle. You don't want to peel your actual skin off. Wash off with warm water.
Haircare.
Add in a leave in conditioner or, coconut oil to your hair and go to bed.

Day 5
The night before the big day.
Alright, so Chand Raat excites me hundred times more than the Eid day does. It HAS to be my favourite outta the lot.
Shower. Shampoo and condition your hair. Put some detangling spray or hair serum into the lengths of your towel-dried hair. Scrub your heels to get rid of calluses. Exfoliate your face with with a very very very gentle facial scrub. You don't want to irritate your face.
Paint your nails. Put on loads of lip-balm on your lips. Moisturize your feet, hands and face so they are nice and supple for the Eid day. Get your stuff ready for the morning. Press your clothes, take your jewellery out and place them on a reachable spot. Colour your hands (and your feet, probably) with henna. Relax, smile and have fun.
We all know we ain't sleeping on Chand Raat. I mean, who does?!
HAVE A VERY HAPPY EID YOU ALL!

I hope this was helpful to all my girls out there. This isn't too much. It's Eid, you guys. You all deserve to feel a little pampered and well-taken-care-of. I tried to incorporate as many things as you might already be having. Lemme know if this was helpful to you. This routine can even be used if there's a big event coming up like a wedding or a party etc. Atleast, this regimen will ensure that you look your very best on this day. Have a heavenly sweet Eid, y'all!

Go, Learn!

Yes, you guys. Go and learn something. Consider it to be an order, a suggestion a request, just anything. Go and get yourself a hobby. Borrow it, buy it or produce it. But just be sure that you have something in you, that you're capable of doing without getting things messed up. I know how most of us think that our hidden talent is so hidden that even we haven't found it ourselves. Phew, story of every life!
But I'll tell you in a second why getting a pastime is so important.
First off I'd like to ask you people some questions. How many times have you thought to yourself of how useless and incapable you are? How many times have you thought of acquiring a new skill? How many times have you thought of making use of a talent that you're naturally gifted with?
It isn't long ago that I was listening to a professor of a university in the States, who was talking about people, who never get to know what talent breeds in them. He flashed light over how people think talent is knowing how to play the guitar, doing ballet, singing and dancing. Which he said, were in reality, not talents at all. They are skills. Talent is something that you're born with. That you already have in you. That are God-given. On the contrary, a skill is something that you learn and perfect with time and practice. He extended by explaining how ballet-dancing is a skill but how graceful, seamless and flexible your bodily movement is, your talent. Ofcourse, practicing plays a big part too. But are you getting what I'm telling you here? Like, being born with a good voice is your talent. But singing melodiously is a skill because you acquire it either from learning or practicing.
So, what is a 'talent'? The answer is that anything that you can do that you don't see many people around you doing, is your talent! Being a good listener, a good observer, a fast learner, or even a good cleaner is your talent. Because not many have this in them. You didn't get it from anywhere, you just had it instilled in you.
Alright, so getting back to the point. I was claiming of how essential it is for you to develop a skill. Trust me, it is going to make you feel wanted, important and useful. You'll feel like you've been reborn. Not only will this widen your horizons but would keep you busy, as well. You'll feel less bored and can kill time being productive. Moreover, it's interesting of how renewing and rejuvenating the process of learning and creating can be. During this process of mastering the art of something, you never know, you might be able to find some more talents buried somewhere inside you. Fun fact, there are chances you may get into less trouble than usual because an activity will surely keep you employed and engaged and may save you from worldly skirmishes. How cool is that?
So, the meat and potato of this post is, to go to the piano class you always wanted to go to, learn the acrobatic ice-skating you always wanted to learn, take that painting class you forever wanted to take! Do what makes you feel like yourself. You are amazing and capable and beautiful and special. You're a unicorn, with your distinct powers and energies and skills and talents. You are sui generis!
Good Luck... This is me signing off..xoxo

Looks you can try this Eid

Hey my angels! Since eid is right around the corner, I thought why not give my girls some ideas of how you can look BANGINGGG and beat the heat, since eid is in the summertime again.
Girls, I know how eid is a busy day for most of us. Not only does it call for being on your toes than usual, getting dressed up and doing all of the work adds more to the hassle. But do not worry. I listed some looks that are easy to achieve, consume less time and assures you look your best. They're simple and are going to make sure you look selfie-ready and cute.

Look #1: Edgy, but Simple.

For the Face:
1. Start by moisturizing your face with a light moisturizer meant for your face. Wait for five to six minutes so it sinks into your skin well. Then take a blob of your sunscreen and smear it on your entire face, not forgetting your neck.
You guys, this step is crucial even if you have oily skin. It helps your foundation to glide on better and makes your makeup stay on for longer.
2. Put on your primer if you want to. Or you can just start with your foundation. Blend it all nicely either with a kabuki brush, a sponge or your fingers. Don't forget the neck. Then put on a concealer if you wish to and have imperfections to cover.
3. Finish off with a powder to soak up grease on your face. Remember, this also increases the longevity of your makeup. Concentrate this product on your T-zone (which is your forehead, down the bridge of your nose and the chin) because they tend to be the oiliest.
4. Prime your eyelids if you want to. This makes sure your eyeshadow lasts. Powder ontop of concealer works fine too.
5. Take a medium brown coloured shadow on a fluffy brush and start blending it into the crease. This defines the shape of your eyes.
6. Next, take a black eyeliner of your choice and start drawing a thin line on your lashline. Now flick the line out directing towards the tail of your eyebrow. But make sure it isn't touching it. Connect that flick with the line on the lashline. Fill into the triangle that you've made. You'll end up with a winged eyeliner-look.
7. Put loads of black mascara onto the top and bottom lashes. Two coats are enough.
8. Darken and define your eyebrows with the product of your choice. An eyebrow pencil, a dark brown eyeshadow or an eyebrow gel, anything works. But make sure you don't skip this step. Your eyebrows are the frames to your eyes. They have to be on fleek!
9. Put on a little bit of blush on the apples of your cheeks. A muted pink or a nice corally peach would be awesome for daytime. Just make sure it's not too overpowering.
9. Highlight. It ends up looking amazing in pictures, reflects light and looks like you're glowing. Put it onto the tops of your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose, your cupid's bow and a tiny bit on the chin and the forehead.
10. Finish off by applying a lipcolour of your choice. I'd suggest you to go with a soft pink or peach colour so that the eyes are the focal point. And you are done.

For the hair:
Since this is an edgy look, we'd keep the hair looking a bit non-girly too. Sonam Kapoor and Kendall Jenner seem to be rocking this hairstyle on the red carpet. The good thing is that it's very simple and super achievable too.
1. Make sure your hair is dry. Take a pea-sized amount of hair serum and smear it down your hair strands. Put a heat protectant of your choice and brush your hair gently to detangle and smoothen it.
2. Straighten your hair in sections with your hair straightener. Make sure the heat setting isn't too high that your hair gets burnt.
3. Once you've done straightening, part your hair onto the middle. You may use a tailcomb or a pencil to be extra sure that your parting is straight.
4. Tuck the frontal section of your hair behind your ears and pin it into place near the nape of your neck so that it is concealed.
5. Brush the rest of your hair and finish with a glossing spray to add shine.

I'd suggest you could try this look if you're wearing a pastel coloured dress. This adds just the right amount of statement and swish to your otherwise subtle appearance.

Look #2: Fresh and Dewy

For the Face:
1. Start with a clean face. Dab on some sunscreen and wait for a few minutes.
2. Take a dime sized amount of your light moisturizer and a thick blob of your liquid foundation and mix them together at the back of your hand. Blend it all over your face and neck.
This sheers out your foundation and gives you a healthy, skin like finish.
3. Correct and conceal your problem areas. Make sure it's nicely blended.
4. Put a little bit of powder over your entire face to eliminate shine with a big, fluffy face brush.
5. Dab on a little bit of a shimmery champagne coloured eyeshadow onto the centre of your eyelid, into the inner corners of your eyes and onto the browbone. Then put a medium brown into the crease making sure it looks nice and blended.
6. Take a dark brown or black eyeliner pencil and draw a thin line onto your upper lashline. Then taking that same coloured eyeshadow, smudge that eyeliner for a softer eye look. With a white or flesh-toned pencil, colour into your waterline. This gives you an appearance of bigger and brighter eyes.
7. Put loads of volumising mascara onto the upper and lower lashes.
8. Darken and define your eyebrows.
9. Do a slightest bit of contouring with a natural, matte brown colour beneath your cheekbones, onto the temples and down to your jawline. Think of it this way; you're​ making an E on one side of your face and a 3 on the other side.
10. Put a light blush.
11. Go a tad bit overboard with the highlighter. Use a rose-gold or a super champagne coloured highlighter on the highest points of your face.
12. Dab on a soft, nude coloured lip stain/stick and blot on a tissue to remove any excess.
13. Finish off with a finishing spray. You can even use rose water if you don't have one. This adds to the glow and sheen.

For the hair:
1. Make sure your hair is completely dry. Spray on a thermal protectant.
2. Tie your hair into a very high ponytail at the top of your head. Brush the ponytail smooth.
3. Use your curling tongs/wand/iron to curl large sections of your hair.
4. Spray a good holding hairspray all over.
5. Take the elastic band off and you'll end up with really pretty, old Hollywood, loose waves. Brush them with a wide-toothed comb.
This is my favourite way of curling my hair if I'm running outta time. And the results are pretty dope.

I'd suggest you pair this look up with probably a plain, non-glitzy kind of a dress. The luminosity on the skin will surely compliment the simplicity of of your attire.

Look #3: Bold and Beautiful

1. Do step 1-5 of the Look #1.
2. Then swipe a gold eyeshadow all over your lid till the socket. Put a white eyeliner into the waterline.
3. Finish off the eyes with tonnes of mascara on the top and bottom lashes.
4. Shape and sculpt your eyebrows.
5. Dab a little bit of a neutral blush colour onto your cheeks.
6. Line your lips with a lipliner and also fill them in. Put on the bold coloured lipstick as per your liking. It can be a brick-red, fuschia, burgundy or wine colour. Anything that your heart desires. Blot your lips on a tissue paper and you're done.

For the hair:
1. Grab all your hair into a high ponytail making sure you have no bumps or fly aways.
2. Insert a hair donut or simply start twisting all your hair. The goal here is to make a sleek top-knot.
3. Wind the hair around itself and pin it into place. Pouf up the entire top-knot to make it bigger. Pin any hair popping out.
4. Spray hairspray all over your hair
5. Pull a few pieces out to frame your face and straighten them. Bold lips call for a sleek updo like this one.

I'd suggest you to pair this look up with a simple, one colour outfit so that the pop of colour on the lips is a showstopper.

Look #4: Fun and Peppy

1. Follow steps 1-4 of Look #2 tutorial.
2. Take a coloured liquid eyeliner of your choice. I'd suggest you to not go with any crazy colours since it's Eid. Greens, blues or purples are fine. Draw a winged eyeliner making sure the wing isn't too statement-y. It should be wearable.
3. Coat your lashes with black mascara. This makes sure that the colour pops even more.
4. Fill in your eyebrows.
5. Dab some blush and highlighter.
6. Finish off with a rosy or terracotta lipstick.
7. Spray some fixing spray or rosewater all over. And you're done.

For the hair:
1. Straighten or curl your hair as per your liking.
2. Since we'll be making a pouf, grab the front section of your hair and tease gently. It's a great way to add volume to your hair.
3. Smoothen your hair and pin it at the back of your head. Incorporate some braids if you wish to.
4. Finish off with a hairspray.

I'd suggest you to wear this look if you're wearing a lawn outfit. It's fresh and dynamic and would really go with the summery vibes in the air.

Look #5: Bronzed Goddess

For the face:
1. Start by prepping the skin with moisturizer, sunscreen and primer.
2. Squirt out your liquid foundation​ on the back of your hand and add two to three drops of a liquid or cream highlighter of your choice. Mix them both together. Put this mixture on your face for a subtle glow. Blend for a seamless finish.
3. Conceal and correct all your problematic areas.
4. Powder your entire face making sure the foundation still peeks through. You don't want to make your face look Cakey.
5. Put a mauvy blush on the apples of your cheek. Then brush on a champagne coloured highlighter onto the highest points of your face. Then bronze the perimeters of your face.
6. Dab on a bronzy eyeshadow onto the lid. Darken the outer corners of your eyes in a V-shape to add depth, with a darker brown. Blend to diffuse the colours together.
7. Line your upper lashline with a dark brown or black eyeliner. Make sure it's a thin line. Load your eyelashes with a black mascara.
8. Groom and fill in your eyebrows.
9. Put a muted pink or peach lipstick or lipgloss. Dab a gold eyeshadow onto the centre of your lip so that your lips gleam in the day light. Metallic lips are very much in vogue this season.
For the hair:
1. Straighten or curl your hair as you like making sure you put a thermal protectant prior to applying heat.
2. Section your hair from ear to ear. Leave the front section loose and tie the hair at the back to keep them away from the face.
3. With a middle part, make two french braids going towards your ears. Secure them into place. Don't care about them being too neat. The messier, the better.
4. Untie the back section and let it loose, finishing​ off with a hairspray to tame any frizz.

I'd suggest you wear this look if you're wearing something bling-bling and traditional. The golds and earthy tones will surely compliment your attire.

I hope these mini tutorials by me, were helpful. These are just ideas that you can adopt if you're in a rut and want to look presentable. They are easy and achievable. Obviously, you can mix and match however you like. If you don't wanna wear any of these looks, it's fine. It's Eid day. Just follow your heart and be happy. That's the idea behind makeup. If it makes you feel good, you'll automatically look good too. Happy Eid!
Also, lemme know in the comment's section down below which look you'd be trying out, out of the five. I'd love to know what you'll be wearing this Eid so drop that down below too.
Much love xoxo.

What Matters is your Present

A few weeks back, I was watching Kung Fu Panda with my little cousins. By the way, my cousins drag me to sit in front of the television screen with them and make me watch animated movies, forcefully. And since I unofficially run a babysitting agency with my brother in the family, usually there is no way out but to sit with these little "angels" and "enjoy" the movie. Most of the time, I am the one who gets duties during the film to provide them with drinks and popcorn but I guess that day was my lucky one. My brother was the one devotedly doing this task and I watched the movie.
In that movie there was a dialogue that almost won my heart. I quote, 'Yesterday was History, Tomorrow is a Mystery and Today is a Gift, that's why it is called the Present!'
You guys, isn't this beautiful? Isn't this the most awakening thing you have heard in a while? Isn't this so spot on accurate? Isn't this thought provoking? At least it made me think for a few seconds.
How many times have we wondered of what will happen to us tomorrow? How many times have we worried for our future? How many times we have regretted over the things we've said or did in the past? How many times have we lamented over all the things, materialistic or not, that we lost in our past? How many times have we planned something else for ourselves but ended up with the exact opposite of that, hinting how we have no control over the universe or our own destiny? It has happened to ALL of us. No?

If our fate is trying to trace how we have no bridle over what's going to happen next, then why even bother worrying? Over the years I've learnt how we have control over everything, except one. Fortune. We can restrain our the thoughts in our mind and the size and shape of our body but we can't control what happens to us next. We are puppets of whom the strings are held in God's hands. The things that we have today, might not even be with us tomorrow. He drops off hints of how unpredictable and way par our thoughts life can be.
All the times you've blamed yourself for not saying something that you should have, done something that you should have, eaten something that you should have, bought something that you should have, did you no good than have endless regrets. They say that regret, is like a hungry virus. It eats up a person little by little but it's so hungry that even then, it's hunger never terminates. Even though in the process, there is nothing left of the person. Not even reminisces.The past is done. The only things you're left with are lessons and memories. All the mistakes that you've made, are only mistakes if you don't learn from them.

But the one thing that we have absolute control over is...the present! We have authority over the life we want to live, the people we want to surround ourselves with, doing deeds that makes people remember us in good words and doing things that make us happy.What really matters is the present. We are gifted with Today, it's time we celebrate it! Glorify every Today you're presented with. Make every Today count. Enshrine every Today by spreading nothing but virtuousness and love. Embrace every Today with doing activities​ that ends you up with no regrets. And welcome every Today with open arms hoping that it brings joy and happiness.

May your every Today be brighter and bigger than yesterday's Today. And may your tomorrow's Today be brighter than today's Today! (Amen)
Have a good day, everyone! And don't forget to leave your virtues, love and acceptance for the world, back home.

REVIEW: Nabila No Makeup Palette

Hella fellas! Hope y'all are doing good.
So first off, I'd like to tell you a back story. People who know me in person know how OBSESSED I am with makeup and how big of a makeup junkie I am. I buy wayyyy lot of makeup than normal people do (maybe, wear a lot of makeup than normal people do, too. But that anecdote later) . I frequently am on a hunt for products that suit me. In this hunt, I've found tonnes of hits and misses, wasted a lot of money on things I never even needed, discovered some holy grails and some ride-or-die makeup products.
I've been using Nabila's No Makeup Palette for over a year now. To the extent that now I plan on getting my second Palette. I got to know about this Palette through a morning show where Nabila, a makeup genius and the creator of this Palette was endorsing this baby. I tried finding reviews on the internet before getting my hands on this palette, but sadly found one or two which were way too brief and unhelpful for my liking. I thought of taking the risk and finally bought the palette last year. I plan on writing a comprehensive review on this palette to let you all know if it is worthy of getting a spot in your makeup stash or not. Do I approve of this product? Read along to find out.

Packaging:
Alright, first things first. Let's talk about the packaging. This palette is a nice square shaped compact-looking-like palette. It is a warm, matte gray colour and feels sorta sturdy too. The material is kind of a hybrid between rubber and plastic, which feels more like a thick, compressed rubber. On it, there are Nabila's initials imprinted in white colour which looks simple. Nothing too overpowering in that respect. Once you open the lid you see a nice mirror stuck inside which comes in quite handy, especially when you're on the go. The four cream products in the palette are protected from drying out and bacteria by a plastic covering, when you get it. The plastic also is printed showing you what is what. You need to peel it off to reveal the actual product. But hang on. Wait for the actual surprise. When you lift the cream palette, there's a compact powder that awaits for you. Not a new concept at all. I already have a lot of makeup with this "technology" but I wonder why this fascinated me so much? But, I guess makeup in general, fascinates me so whatever. This comes with a powder pouf kinda thing which is crappy but I guess a lot of you would probably appreciate that.

Pigmentation and Texture:
FYI: I have a medium to dark complexion with golden/deep yellow undertones. I am NC-42 in MAC, for reference. A lot of you might call mine an Indian complexion. For ages I thought I had olive skin, but apparently it isn't. It was when I went to the counter to test this stuff that I got to know that I have a honey skin tone. Therefore, the palette tailor-made for me was N-GAGE.
This palette consists of a concealer, a base, a blusher, a lipstick and a powder, as mentioned at the back of the palette.
Concealer/Corrector:
You guys, this stuff is my absolute favourite from the palette. It is basically a concealer and a colour-corrector, all in one. Now because I have it in N-gage, the colour corrector tends to be more of a deeper orange than my mom's palette (she has it in N-LIGHT which is meant for creamy skin tones). This orange is the PERFECT orange for my panda eyes. Now because I lean more towards the darker side, the hyperpigmentation on my face (under my eyes, around my mouth and tan lines down my cheekbones) is dark too. So I always needed something that would hide those without being too heavy or too patchy or without the hassle of adding another something to my makeup routine- a colour-corrector. This gets the job done beautifully. But because this stuff is so highly pigmented and so high coverage, it only has to be used a little. A thin layer tends to do a good job. It is thick, but not too thick to look cakey or gunky on your face. After some blending, it looks natural. The texture is soft and creamy and is best applied with your fingers, as suggested by Nabila. But I like to live the fancy life so I tend to use the BeautyBlender. It blends super nice with that too. But I would definitely suggest you to warm it between your fingers and then dab on because then, it blends like a dream. This has to be my favourite from the entire palette.
Foundation/Blender:
An okay-ish foundation. Not something that makes me say WOWWW. The texture is creamy and emollient and applies nicely onto the skin. A little goes a long way, especially if you use it to school, work or college. But if you wanna rock it in a party or a wedding, as a guest, you can absolutely do it. It gives a semi-dewy finish and is pretty buildable. It is medium to super full coverage so I'd suggest you to use it sparingly. Also, I did observe that it does not give flash-back in pictures which makes it photography-friendly too. However, the thing that bugs me the most is the quantity. Foundation is my most used product. I run out of them a lot quicker than any other thing. I think everybody does. I have already hit pan in the foundation compartment which makes me sad. Now I would have to buy another palette, just for the foundation and that would mean the contents of my older palette get wasted.
Blusher
Hmmm. Something that I have a love-hate relationship with. It is a nice deep, mauvy pink with cool undertones. I think this compliments my golden skin beautifully. I have no issues with the colour of this stuff. Definitely, a good addition to my blush collection because I don't know if I had this kind of a shade before. The problem is with the formulation. It's supposed to be a cream blush but it lacks in the creaminess. It is stiff and weird and have to rub your finger many times to really warm up the product to melt it. It is not too pigmented but I like that about it because then it means we have more control over the intensity of the colour. Nobody wants to look like Aunt Sally, eh?
It is buildable and looks pretty on the skin, even without the base underneath.
Lip-stick/stain
See, I have no issues with the colours and shades of these things. The concept behind this palette is to provide you with complementary colours for your skin tone. I think they are spot on. And once you have this on, you just look fresh and have a I-wokeup-like-this kinda face. Which I appreciate with all my heart. The issue is with the formulation. The lipstick is a perfect shade for :'a my lips but better' kind of a day. It's a deep burgundy-ish mauvy brown. Love the shade. The problem is that it smells really bad. It almost has that typical smell lipsticks have when they lose their shelf life. The nail to the coffin is the that I started to experience this smell exactly a month after I started using it. I has a satin finish on the lips but leans more to the glossier side. I often tend to blot my lips with a tissue paper, and then all is well. There is also another issue for which turns me off completely. Read on to find out.
Compact Powder:
Hands down, one of the best powders I have ever used. A blot of this really ties the look of your face, together. It is one of the butteriest and the most finely milled powder I have ever used. It mattifies your face, gives you an ample amount of coverage and leaves your skin looking poreless and flawless. Love this stuff! However I am heartbroken cause I dropped the palette on the floor once and this powder being so soft, got smashed. I guess, I can fix it with the rubbing alcohol hack so no worries.

Longevity:
The concealer tends to crease under my eyes even though I set it with the powder after 3-4 hours. The rest of the face looks okay even after 5-6 hours. However your oil glands do show their activity and there are chances you may want to blot again during the day with the compact. The compact is not translucent, so remember that a lot of it may give you a cakey appearance. Touch ups can obviously be  done. The blush doesn't wear off completely so that's a plus. And the whole and sole reason, I hate the lipstick is that it doesn't stay on the lips for even one straight hour, without you even eating or drinking anything. It just DOESN'T stay!

Availability:
This palette retails for PKR 6999 at any outlet of Scentsation. I do think that it is a little bit on the pricier side but that should mean everything SHOULD be spot on, which it isn't. There is room for improvement. It is available in six shades.
N-VITE for fair skin
N-GELIC for ivory skin
N-LIGHT for creamy skin
N-GAGE for honey skin
N-CHANT for olive skin
N-TICE for almond skin
Good luck in getting your match. If you do, you're set for your life.
It is also available via a courier service called TCS. But I'll highly suggest you to go in store and get it tested on your skin. Colours may vary in images. However, if you're rebuying it, it isn't a bad option at all.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely! I can't wait to get my hands on my second palette. If you're a deeper skin tone, you know the struggles of finding your perfect match. I literally endorse this product anywhere I go. I get asked by people of how flawless and poreless my skin looks. The answer is always this perfecting palette. I'd give it a 4.5/5 because getting my perfect base is everything for me.
Disclaimer: These thoughts are my own. This review is 100% honest and is not sponsored by any third-party.
(Tell me if you wanna see swatches and I will)

Confide in Someone

Hola Fam! I hope you guys are doing well.
I hope you people are not too annoyed with the hurly burly of the world and of course, the summers. You know there was a time when I used to say that summers are my favourite spell of the year. But I guess, I would have to take my words back. Summertime is a monster, especially if you're fasting too. Phew! Okay, enough of my diatribe. Now onto the point.
Do you ever want to breakdown but can't because you're too ashamed to be shedding tears in front of someone, so all you do is go to your bathroom, turn the tap on (well, for obvious reasons) and start crying as silently as you can because that's the best that you can do? Do you ever feel so out of place that you think you just don't belong to this world and nobody understands you and you're weird and a loser and just too tired to explain because nobody gets your state of mind , whatsoever? Have you ever experienced that feeling when nothing feels alright and you feel like a crumpled paper or a useless plastic bag drifting through the wind trying to find its destination? Do you want to be somebody else because you're sick of feeling left out or unheard and not given attention to and useless? Do you feel like you're anxious and depressed at the same time and there's something building up inside you which is choking you and suffocating you but you just can't do anything about it because even you can't seem to help yourself out because even you don't know what it is?
Well, if the things mentioned above seem and feel familiar to you then there's only one thing that I will highly, highly suggest you in doing. And, that is.....
TO CONFIDE IN SOMEONE OR SOMETHING!
You guys, trust me you'll feel so light and good about yourself that it will almost feel unreal. I just cannot stress on the vitality of unloading your problems and gunk on someone whom you trust and believe in. Find someone in your family or friends who has rightfully won your trust. It may be your Mom, your Dad, a sibling, another relative that you're close to or a friend whom you can repose your faith in. But make sure that that person is truly there to be your listening ear, is ready to lend you a shoulder that you can cry on and is ready to give you sincere suggestions. Someone who is ready to keep your secrets safe with them and don't just say what you would want to hear, but gives you suggestions and opinions that are faithful. But beware, not all people are worthy of listening to your problems. So choose wisely.
If you think there isn't anybody with whom you can talk to, do what Anne Frank did. Write a journal or a daily diary. That diary may not be able to give you suggestions like an actual person would but it'll surely lighten the build up inside you.
Also, try to be a listening ear to someone. You never know what the other person is going through. I confide in my Mummy. She has always been and forever be my best friend with whom I can talk about absolutely anything without the fear of being judged. She has seen me when I was at my best, at my good, at my bad and at my worst. She has seen all my faces, the faces that the rest of the world haven't seen. The faces you wouldn't even imagine I can have.
You also, find yourself an ear that listens and a heart that loves you. Find someone with whom you are a hundred percent comfortable showing the best and the worst you. One who is ready to see a vulnerable you. A broken you. An exhausted you. A heartbroken you. One who is ready to listen to you.
Good Luck!

Dark and Divine

She had always been told that she's not up to the mark,
Because she had skin that was dusky and dark,
But did this mean she failed to hit the mark?
For she always believed her personality to have that spark.

Is it her fault that gold eyeshadow perches better on her eyelid?
That her face doesn't need a nimbus to seem lit?
For the amount of melanin she has under her skin?
Or that she doesn't need fake tanners, like girls in Berlin?

She's brown in colour, but with golden undertones,
Which gives her a luminescence, a 'lit from within' glow,
Because beauty standards in the world come and go,
But this 'dark-skinned' stigma dwells, and nothing grows.

For a beauty pageant she went, but was kept away from the mains,
Little did they know, she was a beauty with brains,
So she struggled to keep her guard up with all the pains,
And longed for something to be a part of all domains.

In ten years time, she went on and explained,
How if you were dark, you had to extra extra try,
Because societal norms will push you and make you cry,
But one day, your fate will smile back in wry.

Being dark didn't mean she was any less than the others,
Her whole life she remained exceptional than her brothers,
She had wanted to soar, if she had the duthers,
After all, she was really the mother of all Godmothers.

Now she's at the top, against that remark,
That she was tall and thin, but oh! so dark!
For they were strangers to the truth that her aura wasn't stark,
It was only her shell that was infinitely divine, but dark!

(Inspired by my favourite model, Amna Ilyas. She truly is dark and divine)

Create Happiness

Hello my people! How are you all? I hope you guys are enjoying the holy month of Ramadan, if you're a Muslim. Not that you can't enjoy if you aren't a Muslim. Ramadan is all about spreading goodness and making God and people around you happy.
Happy. What is being happy towards you? What is happiness for you? Well, for me, happiness is satisfaction. It is gratification. It's accepting the fact that whatever you're blessed with is to be thanked for and whatever you do not have is to be patient and uncomplaining for. Happiness is like a drug. The more you have it, the more you would want to have it. This drug gives you pleasure and gives you feelings of Euphoria. Happiness is something that not all have, just like an addiction for drugs. Not all have it, but someday or the other, you covet to have a taste of it.
If you think money buys happiness, then I must say that it's pretty much delusional. And trust me on this one. Over the years I've learnt how money can buy comfort, peace of mind, status, anything but happiness. Some people spend their whole lives trying to be successful. Creating a world of their own because they think, the more productive they are, the more successful they'd become and hence the more happy they would be. In the process their inner child dies without them even realizing. They have to find themselves until they lose themselves completely. After some time, they realise how foolish they were. At the end of this path they had chosen to walk on, they realise how unhappy they are. The happiness that they were trying to find in the way, flew higher than they were flying. Happiness is like dry sand. The more tightly you clench your fist to hold it, the more you start losing it. The lighter your fist is, the more you'll be able to hold it in your hand.
Happiness doesn't come to you served in a plate. You have to work on and for it. You have to CREATE it. Around you, beside you. You need to let go of things, materialistic or not, people, habits, everything that you think is coming in your way of seeking happiness. You need to flush off all the negativities, all the toxins you behold, whether in your body or in your life. Surround yourself with people you make you feel like it's you. If there's someone in your life who makes you want to hate yourself, those are the kind of people you need to get rid of. Envelope yourself with people who not only you love but who make you fall in love with yourself. Only then, you would truly feel happy as warm fuzzies. Are you feelin' me here?!
I'll wind up by saying that you're only happy when you're truly contented. Find your way to contentment. It'll be worth it.
Good Luck!

YOU are your own Competitor

You, yes you, the one who's reading this. This is a reminder that you are not in competition with anyone. And by anyone, I MEAN ANYONE. Never have you ever been, never will you ever be. You were not born to compete with others in any way, shape or form. Nobody is like you in any way, physically, psychologically or emotionally.
We are all different. We shall forever be different. We were born to be different. Our own kind of different. We make different choices, choose different paths to walk on in life, think differently, act differently, have different personalities, different interests, different faces, different bodies, different souls and different smiles. If we can be this different from one another, why do we waste our time trying to compete with one another? We all have different strengths, different weaknesses, different talents, different mindsets, different abilities for a reason. If we weren't born the same, why do we keep on getting far ahead a person who isn't even this close to who we are?

Aren't we all in the same team? Aren't we supposed to play with each other instead of against? Aren't we supposed to pick the ones who have fallen down instead of winning our own races? If we aren't in competition with other humans, then why even bother winning.
Life is like a relay race. Each one of you have to play your part efficiently. Only then will your team win. Only then will OUR team win.
But oops. I lied. I lied when I said we aren't in competition with ANYONE. Actually, we are. We are in competition with our OWN SELVES!
YOU are your own competitor! Today, you should be a better version of yourself from yesterday. And tomorrow, you should be a better version of yourself from today. You are in constant competition with your own self, your own conscience, your own thoughts, your own weaknesses.
You shall rise today, tomorrow and always.
May you, me and everyone be successful in this competition with ourselves with flying colours!
Good luck.

Be Grateful and Patient

You are reminded how God, the universe or whichever higher powers you believe in, has three answers to your prayers. 'Yes', 'not yet' or ' I have something better'. But never 'no'.
It will happen. It is MEANT to happen. After all, you asked God for something. One of His attributes includes to never disappoint His people. He will never let you down.
Remember, that anybody can disappoint you but Him. Remember, what you prayed for, if it's taking time, will not be good but the best. Remember, even fruits take time to grow ripe, sweet and succulent. Imagine how 'fruitful' your prayers will become if they're getting delayed by the Authority! Remember, everything comes to you at the right time. You just need to be patient and trust the process.
Every prayer that you make, you learn two things; sometimes one at a time, sometimes both together. They are PATIENCE and GRATITUDE. Two really amazing qualities that not all have, including myself maybe.
So the next time if He makes you wait, feel yourself as the lucky one because it means He wants to instill these two special qualities in you.
On this very note, remember that it takes time for good things to come to you. You just need to believe in your very belief.
Good luck! There's an amazing day ahead of you. Enjoy!

YOU are Irreplaceable

What does being yourself mean to you? Do you ever feel insecure over how your nose looks? Or how you completely lack in the eyebrow department? Or how thin or strange your voice sounds? Or your visits to a weighing scale and back have been full of stress and anxiety? Does reading this makes your head nod in agreement? Yes? No? Yes? Well if it does, then don't worry. I've got your back because it's entirely normal. It's absolutely perfect being imperfect.

During giving me a pep talk one day, my Mom told me how your imperfections make you YOU! Imagine how plain and boring life could be if everybody was born with perfect hair, flawless skin and perfect body. There would be nothing special about anybody. Nobody would be different. We'd all look the same. There would have been no concept of individuality.

Trust me people, the best thing you can be is YOU. You are different. You are the best. You are awesome. And you are awesome only because you are yourself. There wasn't a person like you in history. There will never be a person like you in the future. There could be similar people but still not the same. Very similar meanings but still very different.

You radiate your own distinct kind of energies to the universe. All of you. The universe is in dire need of the energies that you radiate. Your energies, good or bad, are irreplaceable. You are irreplaceable. 

The choices that you make are like your fingerprints. They make you unique. The mistakes that you make, conscious or not, doesn't make you a bad human being. They just confirm that you ARE a human being. Nobody has the heart, mind, body and soul that you do. Remember that you are too valuable and rare to be replaced. You do not owe anything to anybody, except yourself. You are not anybody's privilege, except your own. You are YOU. You are needed. You are beautiful. You are AWESOME! You are capable of so much. You just need to try yourself out.

Good luck!

Create!

How much time do you spend working on yourself? How much time do you spend working on your dream? In the last last 90 days, how many good books you've read? And in the past few months, what new skill or knowledge have you acquired? What kind of investment have you made in you?
See, whatever you're doing, how you spend your time, that tells you who you are. You need to find yourself until you lose yourself completely.
This is a life class. That means that we have an oppurtunity to learn how to maximize our lives. Think of the things that you're doing that somebody else could be doing. And think of yourself as a precious commodity that you're going to reserve your energies for your highest and best use. Think of it in this way. Have you ever asked yourself, are you being effective? In a world like today's, are you really effective or is your life cluttered with all kinds of stuff that demands you and drains you and taxes you and stops you from being your highest and best self?
They say, "If you want to fly higher, you must leave everything that weighs you down". And you would want to soar, wouldn't you?
I think that the best way to find and be yourself is to be creative. And fellas trust me on this one, it takes time to be creative. You were created in the likeness and image of a Creator and in that likeness of that image, you have creativity! There's a part of you that wants to create. So let that part free. Let that part of you create a masterpiece on the canvas of LIFE.
So, what are you going to do today?
Good luck with whatever it is!
Remember that you're capable of so much, you may even surprise yourself someday.

Listen to Yourself

You guys, this is what I always say and believe in. Do stuff that makes YOU happy. If you're happy, only then you'd be able to radiate good and happy vibes to people around you. Take a little time out for yourself. Listen to yourself. Listen to what your heart, mind and body want to tell you. Meditate. Think. Go out for a jog. And i always stand by my way of meditation i.e. painting your nails! It's kinda foolproof. Just do something that fills you with contentment and peace. And this coming from a hyperactive soul like me is pretty weird. No? But folks, its important. It's important to know what your ownself wants to tell you. Sometimes the dead frequency of your soul doesn't necessarily reach your ears because the other frequencies are superior. Sometimes the frequency of your heart, mind and body are either lower than 20Hz or greater than 20kHz. But friends reach out and be your own Bestfriend. Take in positivity. Let your body breathe. And folks, breathing doesn't merely mean to take in oxygen and expel out carbon dioxide from your lungs. That may be the literal meaning of "breathing".
Towards me, breathing is taking in all the good things the world has to offer and releasing all the negativities you behold. Self-love is important. More than you think it is.
Because at the end of the day, it all begins with YOU.
Have a good night sleep, everyone!