Hijabi: For My Sisters

I chanced upon this poem on someone's FB feed and shared it on my profile. Thought to share it with a bigger audience. :)

Baby, it's all good!

(author unknown)

What do you see when you look at me
Do you see someone limited, or someone free
All some people can do is just look and stare
Simply because they can't see my hair
Others think I am controlled and uneducated
They think that I am limited and un-liberated
They are so thankful that they are not me
Because they would like to remain 'free'

Well free isn't exactly the word I would've used
Describing women who are cheated on and abused
They think that I do not have opinions or voice
They think that being hooded isn't my choice
They think that the hood makes me look caged
That my husband or dad are totally outraged
All they can do is look at me in fear
And in my eye there is a tear
Not because I have been stared at or made fun of
But because people are ignoring the One up above
On the day of judgment they will be the fools
Because they were too ashamed to play by their own rules
Maybe the guys won't think I am a cutie
But at least I am filled with more inner beauty
See I have declined from being a guy's toy
Because I won't let myself be controlled by a boy

Real men are able to appreciate my mind
And aren't busy looking at my behind
Hooded girls are the ones really helping the Muslim cause
The role that we play definitely deserves applause
I will be recognized because I am smart and bright
And because some people are inspired by my sight
The smart ones are attracted by my tranquillity
In the back of their mind they wish they were me

We have the strength to do what we think is right
Even if it means putting up a life long fight
You see we are not controlled by a mini skirt and tight shirt
We are given only respect, and never treated like dirt
So you see, we are the ones that are free and liberated
We are not the ones that are sexually terrorized and violated
We are the ones that are free and pure
We're free of STD's that have no cure

So when people ask you how you feel about the hood
Just sum it up by saying, 'Baby its all good'

If anyone knows who the author is, do leave a comment below and let me know. I'd love to post her name up here for recognition. :)


Peace lovies.

Til the next post.

xx

Beauty: The under-eye dilemma

Let's face it. Life is hard. It's even harder when you wake up in the morning looking like you've had 20 minutes of sleep in the last 24 hours. Waiting for your dark circles to go away is just like waiting for your knight in shining armor to prance through the streets on his white steed.

Never

gonna

happen.


And let's be honest, there's so much a man can do anyways. I say, save yourself, especially when it comes to your under-eye area.

Under-eye concealers are different from regular ones. Normal concealers usually (but not always) have a thicker consistency and are used to cover blemishes (think pimple scars). But our under-eye area is one of the most delicate areas on our face - it has less elasticity and the skin is thinner as compared to the rest of face. So, just like there are different moisturizers for the under-eye area and the face, we use a different type of concealer.

Under-eye concealers (sometimes known as correctors) usually contain color correcting pigments (most of the time it's a salmon/orange color to counter the dark blue that causes discoloration). One of my favorite under-eye concealers is Benefit's Erase Paste (in Deep No.3). 

One of the things I love about Benefit is that they make it e a s y  for every girl to become a makeup aficionado. So instead of 20 different shades, they stick with 3 - Light, Medium and Deep. No head scratching, swatch-fest happening at the Benefit counters for sure!

I use a spatula to get a teensy amount of product, with a concealer brush dab it on and with my (uber-clean and hygienic!) ring finger, spread and blend the product wherever needed. In seconds, I go from sleep-deprived to A W A K E .

The horrid thing about the ever-sunny and humid weather of our climate is that things tend to slip and slide, and no, not in a good way. The only good thing that slips and slides is you when you're playing on a slip and slide. Anything else, not good.

Most people use their face powder to set their concealers and while they're not wrong to do so, I often find that it creates a ridiculously cakey look. To me, cakey = you look like you're 1000 years old and could dissipate into dust when the wind blows.

In comes Benefit's Powderflage to save the day!

 

This stuff is my honest to goodness lifesaver. I love it so much, I use it to set my regular concealer as well as my under-eye concealer! Powderflage is a special light weight powder that sets your under-eye woes to rest. Seriously, a few swipes of this baby and nothing moves! However, instead of using the flager (i.e. the tiny fan brush it comes with), I usually use a fluffier brush like a crease brush (think MAC 224) to set my concealer.

Under-eye concealer can do wonders to your look. It makes you look like you've had 10 hours of sleep the night before (prepare for enviable stares!). Using a good under-eye concealer is especially vital when you're going for a dark smokey eye look. Smokey eye + dark circles = racoon eyes. Not good at all. 

A good trick to know? Applying under-eye concealer in an upside down triangle shape helps highlight the highest points of your face, making you look like you were born with amazing cheekbones. 

What's your favorite under-eye concealer? Do you use one or just stick with your regular concealer?

Til the next post!

Peace lovelies.