By Ayman Malik
04 Jan 2012 1 Comment
Photography by Ayman Malik
The Photographer
*******************************************************
Behind the scene of one of my photoshoot…
One product…
How to generate steam for an authentic Moroccan Bath experience
07 Jun 2011 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: Facial, Moroccan Bath, Steam
Hello Ladies,
I come to you with my latest discoveries or let say experiments. If you are like me crazy about the Moroccan bath but was unable to get the desired result due to inaccessibility of Sauna or steam room, then this post is for you …
aaah a taste of heaven 
To generate enough steam I bought a Humidifier from CVS for about $20 but maybe you can get it cheaper from Walmart and similar supermarkets. You will have to follow the included instructions to learn how to operate the humidifier which is fairly easy. For mine, which is suitable for a small room, all I had to do was fill it up with water, sprinkle little salt on the water then plug it in.
We have a medium size bathroom so it still took a while for it to become completely steamy. I also had hot water running through the shower for a while to intensify the heat and steam. You will probably have to turn off the AC and also place a towel or a piece of cloth over any openings that may let out your precious steam. All I had to do was place a towel over the bottom of the bathroom’s door.
It may also help if you have the steam closer to you for a while say after you apply the Moroccan soap but be careful, you don’t want it to be too close, over the tub, or on top of an uneven surface because in the end the humidifier is plugged in and the water will be heated. PLEASE make sure you read the instructions that comes with the humidifier.
Maybe you will need a bottle of water with you in case you become dehydrated. I didn’t really need one but I still had it with me.
*******
The Humidifier is also great for doing a home facial. I tried it and LOVED it. I try to exfoliate my face at least twice a week and it helps to just expose it to a little bit of a steam to open pores and such before using a scrub. It also makes blackhead extraction a bliss.
*******
Have fun and please keep it safe …
Love,
Hind
Understanding Beauty
29 May 2011 2 Comments
What is beauty and how do we define what is beautiful?
I find these questions to be more beautiful than the answers it demands. There shouldn’t be an exact answer to these questions hence the beauty of these questions is the absolute freedom it allows each free/thinking individual; but are we truly free anymore. Sadly, the majority of people may be so quick to answer these questions as we have become predisposed to images and certain beliefs of beauty that numbed our individual sensors and tamed our freedom to actively engage and define beauty through our own eyes in a way that is only unique to us (Don’t take it personal, it is only a marketing trick)
How do I find beauty?
I believe I am still in the process of mastering the art of Beauty. I began by experimenting with cosmetics thinking that it is where the secrets of beauty lies. I would not dare say that it was total waste for the world of Beauty is larger than Earth. Matter of fact, it is larger than the physical universe itself. Beauty is spiritual, it is divine, it is “psychological” as a friend once insisted, and it is physical in forms surpassing the shades of blush, eye liners, and henna tattoos. So far, I might of gotten closer to mastering an aspect of Beauty but now my goal is to set myself free to truly find beauty in places beyond the surface and beyond the cosmetic aisles. So here I begin my journey forming my own definition of what is beautiful.
Beauty was once on the eye of the beholder, now it is through the eyes of the media … Perhaps it is time we get our eyes back
KeraCare Shampoo and Conditioner
09 Feb 2011 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: Conditioner, Shampoo
Hello my wonderful ladies, So if you are looking for a new hair shampoo and conditioner, you will love this post. This is my top favorite shampoo and conditioner. I fell in love with it since my hairdresser told me about it. My hairdresser is from Ethiopia so she knowns exactly the type of hair I have and her advice was perfect. These products are a bit pricey but it is worth every drop of it. You will probably spend between $35-$40 on both of them and the bottles are not that big really. I can’t afford to buy it most of the time but whenever I feel that my hair is beginning to break or any sings of damage, I start using these two products. So give it a try if you don’t have a favorite yet and it might just be what you are looking for. I am trying to keep my posts short so please write me any questions you have and I will be glad to reply.
KeraCare Moisturizing Shampoo for color treated hair
And
KeraCare Moisturizing Conditioner for Color Treated Hair
I use these because I do dye my hair black every once in a while so it suits my hair very well but they have other products that you can try as well. You can find these any beauty supply or online.
Have a wonderful and beautiful day.
Hind
Make Up removers
08 Feb 2011 1 Comment
in Skin Care Tags: Mac, Make up removers
Hello Ladies,
So today I will show you the best two make up removers that I have been using. Make up removers and specially wipes are more important than the make up you use because if you don’t clean off your make up properly, it will affect your skin terribly as oil, dirt, and make up accumulate and clog your pores. However, even when using good make up removers, you have to remember to exfoliate your skin at least once or twice a week to make sure that your pores are clean. Failure to exfoliate usually leave me with so many blackheads.
So here are my favorite make up removers:
One is Mac wipe removers. They are $18 for 45 sheets. It does clean well and it is refreshing and moisturizing as well. The sheets are large so I usually cut it into two half because I rarely need the whole thing. I was addicted to Mac wipes for a while but then discovered a cheaper and a better substitute.
Neutrogena’s Make Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes- Night Calming. These are perfect. I have been using them for a year now and I love them. They clean off make up thoroughly and are refreshing and soothing as well. There are $7.99 and the package contain 25 sheets. They may not really be cheaper than Mac if you do the math but these are available everywhere in drug and grocery stores and you could always find better deals at Walmart. You could also split these sheets to half because you wouldn’t need the entire thing specially if you don’t wear a lot of foundation and powder.
One last thing, after using the wipes, I still wash my face with my face wash before applying moisturizing cream. I just feel it is better for my skin that way.
Good luck and have a wonderful day
Love,
Hind
Warning…Warning
31 Jan 2011 2 Comments
Vitamin C Facial Radiance Capsules
Ladies, You can go and research this product from the Body Shop and read reviews about it but I just wanted to post a quick warning about this product that is seemed to be sold internationally. Be Aware, this product sucks. It has seriously burned my face that I can’t even go out these days. There is no amount of cream or make up can cover these scars. After two or three days of using these capsules my skin started peeling and not in the good way. It also dried out and began to hurts as if it been cut. When I work out and sweat, I feel as if someone is putting chilies powder on my already bruised and damaged facial skin. This stuff looks good and the description is amazing but really it is not worth $28. I never buy anything without researching and read review about it first but I have no idea what came up to me and made me buy the moment I seen it.
I hope this would help some of you and maybe it just didn’t work with my skin type but anyhow, be careful and pray for me because I just can’t live weeks with this damage
15 Nov 2010 2 Comments
Beauty is a Perception. A professor of mine once said,
“Some people look into the mirror and they see imperfections; others see assets.”
My Moroccan Bath
12 Nov 2010 5 Comments
My Personalized Relaxing Time and Moroccan Bath
Hello Ladies,
As the title of this post gives away, I will write about Moroccan Bath. I also add ‘My’ to the title because the method I will write about is my modified version of the real Moroccan Bath. Before we get into that, I will give you a brief description of the Moroccan Bath.
The Moroccan Bath is a steam bath with certain gravitational soap made from Olive oil and washcloth that is originated in Morocco and found its way throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Just like the Bathhouses in ancient Italy, the Bath has beauty, cultural and social functions. It became a tradition for women, where they gather to relax after days of work and house chores. It also became a social event where women come together to chat and enjoy the company of each other away from all the hassle of the outside world. Therefore, the Bathhouse, come to have a significant influence in North African and Middle Eastern societies and culture.
In my last visit to Abu Dhabi, United Emirates, I was fortunate to try the authentic Moroccan Bath at one of the Salons in the area. I have to say, it was a life changing experience because I never in my life imagined that I would let some one see me in that state and scrub my dead skin away. It was an experience mixed with a bit of embracement and pain because the scrubbing was extreme. It takes a quite deal of energy to get the desired result and that is the lesson I learned to prefect my Moroccan Bath at home. So, be well energized and rested before you being this, because you will need all the energy you could put.
- 40 minutes to one hour of your time
- Moroccan Bath Soap. It is usually dark green and on a gel form. You could purchase it online or from any local Middle Eastern supermarket.
- The special Moroccan bath washcloth
- A tub filled with warm to hot water + bubble bath soap
- Deep conditioner for your hair and a plastic shower cap
Optional :
I recommend these because it is best to make this experiences more relaxing and enjoyable. Trust me, you will get bored so quickly in that tub if you don’t have entertainment. So take this time of your day, be creative and treat yourself to a luxurious bath.
- Candles. I believe candles also increase the heat and therefore you sweat more and scented candles are more relaxing as well
- Music. I listen to smooth Jazz
- Magazines or books
- Water and maybe some fruits
- Begin by washing your hair first and applying Deep conditioner to your hair and wear the plastic cap.
- Sit in the tub first for as much as you can stand. Maybe 15-20 Minutes is how long I usually stay there before applying the Moroccan Bath soap. This way your bores are open and your skin is more receptive to the soap.
- Then I lay back on the tub again for same amount of time and then begin to scrub using the special washcloth that is usually a bit rough. In circular motion, scrub as hard as you can but don’t hurt yourself now. I usually start with my legs while I am in the tub, then my upper part and then stand up to do the rest but it is all up to you.
- I noticed that I got the best result the second time I did this Bath on the same week. The first time, I didn’t see much difference but on the second time, I was truly amazed and couldn’t wait but to text my best friend about it. I just kept looking at the dead skin rolling off my skin.
- After I am too tired to scrub or scrubbed all my body parts, I get in the shower and wash my hair and body. And after drying off my body, I immediately apply body lotion. I actually came to put together my own personal mix of body lotion and I feel that it is been working nicely for me.
I mix proportionately St. Ives Renewing Collagen Elastin Body Moisturizer + Aloe Vera Skin Gel From GNC and it is 99% Aloe Vera Gel + Olive Oil
I really hope you take the time and treat yourself to this relaxing time and reap both the health and beauty benefits. It is really important, in this incredibly busy life of ours, to curb time for ourselves and just relaaaaax. You don’t have to go on a vacation or have a hubby to enjoy this incredible bath
Please let me know if you know other ways to get better results doing the Moroccan Bath. I am always willing to try new things.
Stay well,
Hind
A Prescription For A Perfect Day
08 Nov 2010 5 Comments
I came across this chapter while reading a book for class and I couldn’t resist but to steal few paragraph to share with you. Perhaps when you read this, sometimes during your day, it will come to alter the rhythm of the busy life that we became so accustomed to. Perhaps it will allow you to dig far inside yourselves, breathe deeply and open your senses and appetite for life. Perhaps it would allow us all to steal moments away from the cluttered schedules of adulthood and indulge in a little ‘silly’ pleasures that unleaches the Child Within us. Rain says that,
“ For most adults the fear that others’ negative opinions may somehow damage their image is the singular block to allowing that precious and adorable Child Within to express itself in whatever manner it chooses. This is a fear that‘s completely unwarranted and has no basis if one isn‘t giving the ego priority in life. To place the ego above all other personal concerns is to imprison oneself in a dark, musty cell in which life can never be fully experienced. It condemns one to a life of seeing only the dark, negative side of everything. It increases the incidence of melancholia and depression. It exacerbates anxiety and stress levels. It keeps joy under wraps. It buries the wholeness of self. And only the contrived façade of the self is allowed to be touched by the sunlight. Most folks call that living. I call it a voluntary slow death. I call it that because that‘s just what it is- suicide.”
So Rain suggest that we observe and learn from children the art of living, of happiness, and of laughter. That simple Childlike joy. She adds,
“ Children can Spontaneously laugh at almost anything that happens to tickle their fancy. Why shouldn’t adults have a similar response to their world? Releasing the Child Within is not the same as relinquishing one’s level of maturity.”
On the contrary. Every adult have a child within them that is repressed by nurture. Yet it is only natural to free our innocent desires and seek the blissful enchantment of our surroundings.
“ For the Childlike heart, enchantment can be found absolutely everywhere. If only all people realized that they could see the magnificent beauty and give in to the unrepressed expression of their natural feelings and responses instilled by the mesmerizing sensuality of their world. If only they opened their eyes, ears, and hearts to all that exists for their soul to sip and quench their spirits’ thirst. If only they’d allow themselves to experience the enchantment in all life that their Child Within is so desperately wanting to share. If only…”
So, forget about the ‘image’ you have to maintain for a minute and do yourself a favor. For sanity sake, let go of your nagging worries for a while. They will always be there on one form or another. For now, just do whatever makes you happy and jump like a child with excitement. Enjoy a walk in a garden, skip and run after a butterfly, buy yourself the action figure toy you always wanted, get a TinkerBell car set, decorate your room in your favorite girly pink color, be your kids’ playmate, or even just take a minutes and let your mind wander away to wonderland. Lyour childlike imagination run wild…
And Please don’t let your imagination be polluted by the emitted distractions of the modern life. Your spirited imagination is simply the key to the endless possibilities of life.
_________________________________________________
Mary Summer Rain. The enchanted forest- the Child within. Tao of Nature
MAC Pro Longwear SPF 10 Foundation
02 Nov 2010 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Foundation, Make up
Hello Ladies,
To keep this short, I am going to go directly into the subject. I have done quite a research on MAC new Pro Longwear SPF 10 Foundation and everyone seems to be in love with this product so finally I went ahead and bought it. According to their website, This product
“gives up to 15 hours of wear in any environmental condition. Lightweight and creamy, applies smoothly to provide sheer to medium even in hot and humid conditions, controls oil to keep skin fresh, natural and flawless. Provides everyday SPF protection.”
Let me just say that it is all true. I wore this foundation at 11:00 AM today and went to my classes, went to work, came back to the library, and then got home around 7:00 PM and this foundation still looks fresh and even better than when I applied it. Before, I used to only wear foundation for special occasions or when going out at night but this stuff is amazing. You wouldn’t even think that you are wearing foundation and at the same time, it eliminates (cover) any imperfections in your skin. I feel like I can wear it everyday and my skin doesn’t even breakout as it did with other products.
And with the advice of the sale representative at MAC and my best friend Suad, I also bought Mineralize Skin finish Natural Powder and I applied it with a brush to set the foundation. It made the foundation looks even more natural and you would have to get a magnifying glass to tell that I am wearing foundation. No lie. You would love this.
Also, if you have really dark scars that could not be covered with the foundation alone, you could use Select Cover-Up Concealer . There is a new concelar from the Pro Longwear line but I have not tried that yet.
If you are looking for a foundation, you REALLY have to give this a try. It is worth the price.
Extra Tips:
- Check out Video tutorials of this product on YouTube
- I heard that it is better to get shade lighter than what you usually get. Somehow, this foundation oxidizes quickly and darkens a little bit. My number is NC 45. And the powder is A49 Medium Dark.
- Use a brush to apply foundation. It gives a better distribution and a natural finish look. So do invest in good brushes. MAC brushes are expensive, so try Sonia Kashuk brushes from Target. They are great.
- Don’t layer up this foundation, it only gives a sheer to medium coverage and layering it would give a reverse result rather than a more natural/flawless look.
* I will write more if something arise as I continue to use this product.
Stay beautiful.
Love,
Hind
