DIY: Face Scrub

I dont want to sound like the typical old trumpet or want to write the same old cliche, but sadly its the truth and here it goes. Being a mom of two kids ( i know how typical) i usually dont get the time or have the energy or sometimes its just not my priority looking after myself. Sometimes changing my clothes and taking an uninterrupted  long (15 min) hot shower seems like the biggest luxury of my current life.

But i do like my skin better when its taken care of.  these days i dont get the time to go to a Saloon and get a facial. well there are a number of things hindering that.

1. No. 1 being that it kinda gets a bit expensive if i keep an appointment for every week. As much as i would enjoy it.its just not feasible for me.
2. Its hard taking time out. I know i can if i want to. But i rather do something else

So, with the above mentioned. I still try to some pampering that is not expensive. does not take up much of my time. AND give me good results.

Here are some of the things i like to do to keep myself from looking like  the crypt keeper.

Homemade Exfoliating Scrubs:

Lemon, Sugar and Cinnamon Scrubs: I usually use this scrubs, while I am in the kitchen making a vinegrate for a salad.

•  Just cut up a lemon, Squeeze all the juice out but dont throw the skin. 
• Take some sugar and put a little cinnamon in it.
•  Dip the lemon in it and rub around your face. You can use brown sugar if you want. 
• The sugar exfoliates, the lemon lightens the skin and the cinnamon give off a really nice aroma.
•  When u have exfoliated for 5 min. Just let it sit on your face for 5 more min. Then wash with cold water. If u have acne just add a little honey in the mixture.

Baking Soda:

 This a Miracle powder I tell ya. It has so many uses. You can jump of here and see for yourself. I use it as an Exfoliate, tooth whitener, deodorant and  for cleaning my kitchen. But we are talking about face wash here. So here is how we go about it.

•  Just take a very little amount, 1 tsp in your palm. 
• Put a few drop of water or if your skin is really dry like mine some olive oil to make a paste.
•  Rub it on your face in circle avoiding the under eye area. 1-2 min. 
• Wash and moisturize.
•  If u have dry skin dont do this for more than once a week. I put milk on my face afterwards as a toner to soothe my skin.

Apart from that i do use the trustee old  Saint Ives. I love this scrub and have been using it since my teens. good for a weekly scrub on the face and an overall body scrubs. Smells good, works well.

I love the Body Shop Tea Tree oil range when my skin in not doing so well and is breaking out. I usually use its scrub, bleminsh cream and cleansing foam.. You can buy a sample kit before buying the full range.

Have a happy healthy Skin people.

Fashion Wednesday: Spring Trend

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."

Doug Larson 

I was in the Mall the other day and saw a lot of colors in the windows. Indicating very very Happily that the Spring is here. One of the latest trends i spotted were the colored skinny jeans.

They looked good on the mannequins but i don't know about the longevity of this trend.

Personally for me the regular jeans is the way to go. but if you do need to add some color to your wardrobe it would certainly be a colorful addition.


But if its something that is not your cup of tea as me there are many other options for your color fix.
The bright color trend is extended in all areas of accessories as well. But be careful when wearing them. Limit your bright to one or two pieces at a time.

The shoe stores windows were full of colors as well. the Ones that popped up for me were ALDO, Spring, NINE WEST. I saw a wide variety of colorful moccasins in Payless and Center Point as well.


My intersest these days is in finding a colorful sturdy bag that can easily double as a baby bag. So it needs to be big, have lots of pockets and yes Bright.

And what better way to add the spring colors if you wear Abaya or  Hijaab... Just use colored scarves :) You can get them very easily from any malls in Khobar and Jeddah and for cheaper option i always head to "Souuq Shatee" where you can get amazing variety of scraves.

 WE loveeeee colors..... nd as we showed you some of colored Abaya creations in our previous post..... not every one might be comfortable in doing so, maybe not even wearing a very colorful scarf... In that case adding a colorful brooch, or a colored under scarf can work for you. It will keep you comfortable as well as have you bring some kind of "springiness" in your look...     

You can also add colorful accessories like chunky bangles or a statement colored ring to your outfit or Abaya.

And last but not the least, if you want to follow the trend without breaking your bank just buy a new nail color.

The details for the nails color from here

Hope you enjoyed the post, Have a Fun, Bright and colorful Spring.

Fashion Wednesday: Colorful Abayas

We have been in the Kingdom for quite sometime now. I have been told that there was a time in Saudi not that long ago when it was not obligatory to wear an abaya. I have many of my baby pics with my mom in a park in Riyadh with no abaya. The desi clothing we wear, the shalwar and qameez are in my opinion if not very fitted are very hijab friendly.

      Anyways, I dont know exactly but its in the early eighties when it became obligatory for every woman      ( dont know if its a written law anywhere but they do enforce it strictly) in the Kingdom to wear an abaya. The strictness of wearing the headscarf, I have seen varies from city to city. I havent seen Mutawwa or the vice police roaming the roads or the malls in Jeddah. maybe once or twice in my entire life there. And even then they weren't directly talking to a woman, they were just saying aloud to everyone to cover up.   I know that its  really really strict in Riyadh you can read the stories here. I know for sure its much more strict in other cities of KSA. In a mall in Hail. the mutawa are ALWAYS present and you HAVE to cover even your face. Khobar is another story. In the past three years, i havent seen many mutawwa out and about. I have seen westerners without an abaya or a headscarf in the malls in dahran. But yes I was once caught up by one. I was wearing  a very plain cotton abaya the only thing different in it was it was Purple. I was coming out of a shop and my husband was stopped by the vice GMC. they told him that your wife is not wearing an abaya as an abaya is suppose to be black.

       I am not an expert on Islam or How we should be covering up, or how much we should be covering up. I do know that it is left to the person in question. Modesty is the First rule in clothing in men and women alike, followed by no skin showing and the clothes being lose. The rest is between me and my Allah. I didn't get the Abaya being only black part much either. An abaya (outer covering) is suppose to help me cover myself up but what color it should be and how it should be made is not dictated. I do not like myself to be  lost in the sea of black. I do not like to be the black ghost either. I posted about this matter awhile back here.

 For that me and my sister have come up with some new abaya ideas. We wanted them to be simple, modest and not over  the top but it let us be the individuals we are ( helps my husband spot me in the mall when i am drooling over the jeweler store window as well).

Do tell what you think of them, We had made some dark colored abayas as well. Will show you those soon as well.

Fashion Wednesday: Revamp your Abaya

Today's Fashion Wednesday is all about Jazzing up your plain old abayas. These days the jersey abayas are quite in fashion, but most of them are simple. They work well for everyday errands and strolling the malls.But if you have a party to go to where we cant take our abayas off or a little coffee morning where we would love to be a little more then just simple and plain. For those occasions you can turn your abayas from plain old boring to completely bedazzling in just a few moments and without spending more then 20sr which is the way the desi's love to work cheap, quick and fabulous.

so these are some of the things we need to jazz up our look. 

It consist of an earring, one crystal broach, some random buttons and thread and needle

So tranformation no1.

You can easily attach the earring to the sleeves of the abaya using a thread and needle and sew it on. You can attach them with safety pins as well for less permanent look and easy removal.

   

In this one the crystal broach has been attached to the center of the abaya for a little bedazzling. It changes its look completely. And now you have one abaya and two looks for it. More broaches can be added to acheive a more formal look like for a wedding or something.

In short all your lost earring counterparts can be useful now. Just play around with the looks a little and have fun. Will keep you posted with more transformations in the future. 


Cheerios.

Pregnant Saturdays: Pregnant and Alone???

Living in foreign country with not many friends and no family is really hard. Add a pregnancy into it becomes much much HARDER. When i was pregnant with my first baby i was back home. It still is hard with all the emotions, hormones and my weight going haphazard, but with all my people around it was much easier to handle.
I am still very lucky to have my mom and sis here with me the second time i am going through this journey which makes me think what would i have done if they couldn't be here with me. Most of the expats cant have there families with them. The reasons can be endless. Visa problems, money issues, family members not being available for this much time etc etc.
So I thought of writing a post about how you can cope or try to cope with this situation. I am no expert and these are only my suggestions so please before following any of them consider your situation.


1. Try to find Friends:

This is really funny cause i have been here in Khobar for the past 3 years and havent made any friends yet. But i do encourage other people to do that. Try knocking doors in your building or compound. You are bound to find someone you will love to spend time with. Having somebody to talk to at a time like this is really important. 


2. If Not the building try the Internet:

I did this the first time i was pregnant and again before my mom came to me. Its really easy to find online groups of Pregnant ladies you can be friends with and share your experiences and concerns. iVillage is one such website. You can learn alot from this website. From knowing how your baby is looking inside you to what changes in yourself you can expect. 
Facebook is another very interesting place you can find friends nowadays. There are many specific groups for ladies according to cities, nationalities that you can join. The ladies in these groups meet up many times. so you get plenty of opportunities to find people you have stuff in common.


3. Learn And Research:


The best tool to handle any situation is knowledge. Get yourself informed about being pregnant as much as you can. There is so much available on the internet, buy books and ACTUALLY read them. Information is your best weapon. Be ready.
I have been refering to two websites for all my problems relating babies and pregnancy. You can get a subscriotion for free and weekly mails could be sent to your inbox. The first one is that I mentioned above iVillage and the second one is Baby Center. But before trying anything out do consult your doctor.


4. Learn Something New:


A friend of mine did that while she was pregnant with her first. She started to learn how to knit. I know its a bit cliche but it was something that kept her mind occupied with something useful. Learning something new is always a good thing. Living here we dont always have the resources or information to a place where we can go and learn. For that purposes I think YouTube is the perfect place. I learnt the basics of knitting and crochet form Youtube. Because of pregnancy induced insomnia i have the nights to myself so I am trying to learn Excell from there and I plan to start Learning Photoshop from Youtube as well. I am an avid watcher of Makeup tutorials on Youtube which have taught me alot. In short when I am alone Youtube is my friend. A friend that is teaching me alot.


Stay tuned next Saturday for more on How to get prepared for a new born when alone.


Take care.

Fashion Wednesday: We are Back!!

A fresh start of the blog, hopefully with more dedication, more information and  with wide range of topics to be discussed!!!

Like today i share a new interest i have acquired over the past few years i.e. Nail Art.... Its history dates back to 3000 BC and it has been popular in the Chinese, Egyptian and Indian history. At one point the nail color would show the status one has socially. In the 19th century it started to get mainstreamed and a brand called "Revlon" was among the pioneers to shape up this industry!! Now you see all kinds of amazing nail tutorials on YouTube teaching you how to apply a basic nail color to making all kind of different themed nails.

Keeping in mind about our fresh start of the blog and the season we are in i.e. Spring, I thought i share my simple springy nails.       

Product used: Grey color from Golden Rose and hot pink color from Bourjois (no. 15) & Black color (black queen) from Sweet Touch.

You are more than welcome to join and try doing a simple spring nails and share with us!!

Keep watching the space...Good stuff on its way :)

Arabian Dreams

I love this look and the makeupartist Jangsara who does them is an awesome makeup artisit.

She did this look a while back ago on her first blog


But no tutorial.

This time she is doing the same look different color palete but with a tutorial. Hurrah!!!

You can see the Tutorial here.

Hope U enjoy. Do check Jangsara's blog and all her looks, amzaing really. And if u try the look do send me a pic. i would love to see how it turned out.



Have Fun

How to do Arabic Makeup

So hopefully you enjoyed the last video I posted on how to do Arabic makeup. This one is kinda of step further, but i think still easy to do. I liked the tecnique the artist used. It looks doable. Try and tell me how it turned out for you.

~How to do Arabic Makeup~

A friend requested Arabic makeup. I LOVVVVEEEE how the arabs do their makeup and i do it most of the time. But I am not very good at it. So to keep on learning how to do the makeup I watch a lot of how to videos. This is the easiest one. I will keep on adding them every week.

This is marlene from Makeup Geek i love love her turorials. They are easy and very adorable.

This video is from youtube if you cant open it, maybe if u visit the site makeupgeek you can directly see the tutorial from there.

Hope you enjoy and look lovely!!! ;)

I Dont Speak Arabic

Have I told u I am a desi in an Arab land. oh yeah my titles clears it. I love this Arab Land. I actually enjoy many of the strict policies which other expats might find annoying or anything like that. I do call this land my home. And yes I do wish that I will be able to live here without the fear of leaving evrything behind or my iqama renewal or not being able to have my family here just because they dont fulfil a certain condition the government has.

Anyways, one of the things I love here is the way the arab women are always so made up and looking nice even when they out to the malls. I love going to the malls just to look at the well groomed ladies. Getting confused as the ladies are all covered up in black here???? Thats the MOST astonishing part. I mean even when these ladies are coverd in Black they still tend to be stylish. With their trendy shoes, fun bags( most of the time designer ones, still cant figure out if all of the ladies in the mall are carrying original Loiu Vitton or fakes and if they r fake i need one too), colorful nail colors and gorgeous makeup.

Sometimes when I am in the mood, I dress up as well when going to the mall. Peole have told me and many a times have mistaken for an arab which flatters me alot ( if an arab is getting offended, not my intention, ask the arabs who mistake me for it). Sometimes the flattery truns into embarassment. WHY???? Let me tell you a scene.

ME (all madeup with kohl eyes and nicely done scarf)

Me roaming a shop

Arab lady (nicely made up, obviously better than me) comes up to me and starts saying something in fluent arabic.

ME NOW

Anyhow I tell I dont speak arabic or understand whatever you are trying to say to me.
The nice lady starts to tell me how she got confused because I looked so much like an arab and I tell her oh no worries I have lived here for 25 years. I have the look down.

And now she looks likes this



ME and my Big mouth, and now I am like this

Really this is embarrasing, I mean I have lived here for all my life really and I dont speak or understand the language. I can however shop in Arabic.

Kum haza?(how much?)

Kum akhir?(what will be the last price?).

Ghali kateer( too expensive), and oh I can count in arabic too (important if u want to shop). But thats about it.

I dont know who to blame for my lack of language skills. I mean living here all my life I have never had arabic speaking friends, I had when I was very little, and I dont know how I comunicated with them, but me and my sister used to spend hours with them. I guess kids have a universal language, and I lost it when I grew up.

The only socializing I had with arabs were the families my dad used to work with and they spoke english. The shopkeepers in the malls didnt used to be arabs, mostly filipinos or indian and they spoke english as well ( these days i have prolems shoping sometimes cause the salespersons are arabs now and have very little english skils). These were the problems in Jeddah. In Khobar its a whole new story. Evrybody in khobar speaks english. I actually have seen Arabs speaking in english with Arabs (i know i am sounding jugdmental but in KSA english speaking arabs is not a norm). When I came to KSA again after a break, I commited that I will learn the language this time for sure, but it seems that I wont need to again, who am I going to learn it for. I mean you normally learn a foreign language because you NEED to communicate. The great thing about KSA is that the country has accomodated so many nationalities. And MOST of the time they are welcomed by the people. But still I think I need to learn arabic just so that i dont have to roam the malls like this

I have a comeback

For years and years i have been a part of this discuusion. Whether i am the one intializing it, listening to it, reading it, researching it or trying to convince someone that a woman covered from head to toe and hovering around like a black ghost doesnt seem to me the right thing.my argument being that if there is nothing to see except black clothing then the men shouldnt have been asked to lower their gaze. but i think my understanding was put into much better words on this blog which i love by the way http://hegab-rehab.blogspot.com/2010/04/sick-of-this-mentality.html

i mean next time if i ever have to explain y i woman should not be covered to the extent that she is literally dosent exist, this the blog i am reffereing to.