Beauty bloggers, stylists and makeup artists are always on the hunt for quick and effortless beauty tips and tricks.
From clearer skin to fuller lips, we have narrowed things down to arrive at a “best of the best” list of tricks that actually do what they promise. Use these tips for a special occasion or to everyday work, adding them to your routine can help save money on beauty products. Use less, and get the most out of every powder, cream, and potion you own.
1) Foundation stippling brush:
Liquid and cream foundations are usually applied with your fingers or with a sponge (Beauty Blender sponge is recommended). The best way to apply these kinds of foundations is with a stippling brush (a round brush with flat bristles). Brushes are always better for the sponges soak up plenty of your precious product and fingers don’t always blend foundation well, both problems can be avoided with the stippling brush.
The best way to use this kind of brush — just dot the foundation on the face, use the brush to press it into your pores and then sweep in circles to blend. This technique gives the skin a perfect airbrush finish with fewer products.
2) Scrubbing the lips:
Smooth lips help make the lipsticks look vibrant and soft. Applying lipstick over chapped, flaky lips would highlight it even more and dry the lips out. Lips are made up of thin skin, this makes them prone to drying out and flaking. The lip color thus looks messy, bleeds outside of the lip line and doesn’t last as long. Exfoliating is a must for face, body and lips as well, you can use a clean, soft toothbrush to remove dry flakes for good. Just wet it and run it over your lips in a circular motion. Then, make sure to moisturize well with a quality lip balm. Do this once a week and you will never have to deal with flaky lips again. You can also use a sugar scrub, mix some brown sugar with olive oil and rub it on the lips, if you want to plump it a little add some clove oil.
3) Mascara magic:
Getting down to the bottom of your favorite tube of mascara usually means a pricey trip to the department store to reload. But before you make that trip, be sure to get every bit of formula you can before throwing the tube. Simply put a few drops of contact lens saline solution in and shake it up to re-moisten any mascara that’s dried on the inside. This can get you another week’s worth of product.
If you don’t wear contact lenses, mix up your own saline solution. Just grab a teaspoon of non-iodized salt and add it to one cup of warm water, stirring until dissolved, then drop some into the mascara tube.
4) Extended eyelashes:
Everyone loves some false lashes, it is the latest beauty craze. Many think it’s a little painful and maybe too much for everyday. You can skip the glue and tweezers and go for something much easier. A simple technique is to curl the eyelashes, then apply a coat of mascara. Then dip a clean mascara wand or cotton swab into some baby powder and sweep it along the underside of the lashes. Then, apply another coat. The mascara sticks to the baby powder, creating dark fibers that make your lashes look longer and fuller and without the falsies.
5) Plumped lips:
There are an endless number of lipsticks, lip balms, lip-glosses and chap-sticks in the market that promise to swell the lips but they generally present two problems. These products work by irritating the lips, which can be painful and these products only show short-term effects. You can make your plumped lips last longer by using a little bit of eye shadow for a volume effect. Applying your lipstick and brushing some shimmery ivory eyes shadow to the center of the lips only creates a 3D effect that makes them look fuller without any irritation or special products required. The same goes for clear lip-gloss. Just dab it on the center of your lips and you will instantly have fuller lips.
6) Perfect liner:
Whether you are a makeup artist or a wanna be makeup artist, everyone wants to perfect the smoky eye makeup. This timeless look can make a woman’s eyes pop. The key to getting it right is to avoid any harsh lines and achieving the perfect smudge. If the eyeliner does not cooperate with that, try heating it up to loosen the pigment color a bit. This can happen by using a lighter and holding it to the tip of the eyeliner for two seconds maximum. Let it cool for around 15 seconds before applying and then smudge it with a brush or your finger. The color of a traditional smoky eye is black or gray, but that can be a bit too much for a daily get-up. When wearing it in the morning time, always choose a color that can look less dramatic such as green, plum, gold or even blue.
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Makeup hacks that actually work
Makeup hacks that actually work
Saudi Arabia announces Red Sea Fashion Week
DUBAI: The Kingdom is all set to host the inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week. Set against the waters of Ummahat Island, the glitzy event is scheduled to take place from May 16-18 at The St. Regis Red Sea Resort.
Red Sea Fashion Week, which is organized by the Saudi Fashion Commission, will showcase local and international designers. It aims to celebrate the fusion of traditional Saudi aesthetics with cutting-edge contemporary design.
Among the highlights will be the participation of Saudi 100 Brands, an initiative spearheaded by the Fashion Commission to support and promote emerging local talent.
Saudi Arabia played host to its first fashion week in 2023, in Riyadh. The event took place in the King Abdullah Financial District from Oct. 20-23 and set the stage for a new fashion capital in the Middle East.
Bella Hadid launches Orebella fragrances
DUBAI: American fashion model Bella Hadid has launched a range of fragrances under her beauty brand, Orebella.
The entrepreneur, of Dutch and Palestinian descent, posted pictures of herself alongside the products — Salted Muse, Blooming Fire and Window2Soul — on Instagram.
The fragrances are available in 10, 50 and 100 mL bottles.
Hadid described them as “hydrating, alcohol-free and enriched with essential oils.”
According to reports, the Salted Muse fragrance has top notes of sea salt, pink pepper and carbon dioxide extract, heart notes of olive tree accord, fig and lavender, and base notes of cedarwood, sandalwood and amber.
Blooming Fire has bergamot, cedarwood, clove leaf and cardamom, followed by Tahitian monoi and jasmine and finishes with patchouli.
Window2Soul has a blend of lemon, geranium and mint in its top notes, transitions to jasmine and damask rose and ends with a base of tonka bean.
“For me, fragrance has always been at the center of my life, helping me feel in charge of who I am and my surroundings,” Hadid said on her website.
“From my home to nostalgic memories, to my own energy and connection with others, scent has been an outlet for me. It made me feel safe in my own world.
“Through my healing journey, I found that I was extremely sensitive to the alcohol in traditional perfumes, both physically and mentally, it became something that was more overwhelming than calming to me.
“That is the main reason I wanted to find an alternative, so essential oils became an artistic and experimental process for me.”
Hadid said she started growing lavender on her farm and learned about her family’s tradition of making scents.
“I realized I might have a calling in this. I found healing, joy and love within nature’s scents.
“This is why I am so proud of Orebella. It was truly a dream and a passion that through the universe and authentic dedication was able to become this brand.”
Riyadh-based soap-maker Mayssam Tamim’s compelling chemistry of Saudi fragrances and flavors
- Businesswoman uses locally-sourced ingredients, no chemicals
- Olive oil, camel milk, honey, dates, Zamzam water key materials
RIYADH: Mayssam Tamim has had a passion for handmade soaps from a young age, and as an adult would search the globe for such products.
She discovered various products in several cities including Tripoli’s eco-friendly creations at Khan Al-Saboun and Provence’s boutique lavender offerings.
In 2018, she decided to set up her own company, the Riyadh-based Mayassem, that produces luxury handmade soaps from Saudi Arabia-sourced natural ingredients.
She told Arab News: “My hope is these soaps, at least a few of the ones that become traditional, are going to help establish something in Saudi Arabia that is considered pure to the region. It doesn’t have to be just my brand of soap, but it can be an industry that is localized.
“We’re doing everything new in Saudi Arabia. Why not this?”
Her products have no harmful chemicals and are handcrafted at her home atelier using sustainable, organic ingredients to ensure that they are gentle on the skin. The materials are locally sourced including extra-virgin olive oil from Al-Jouf, camel milk from Janadriyah, honey from Baha, and dates from Qassim.
She considers the soaps mini canvases, each splashed with a unique blend of non-toxic coloring inspired by their ingredients. The “Bliss” bar for example, made with Zamzam water and lavender fragrance, is crafted to resemble the Kaaba. The “Tamr” bar reflects the palette of the Saudi Arabia landscape as it features oud, saffron and turmeric fragrance, date paste, and camel milk.
“I know it’s a soap and not a painting but sometimes it is a feeling in me. I was very sad at the loss of a cousin, Rana, which in Arabic means song. So for one of my soaps, I decided to go with blue colors and called it ‘Celestial Melody.’ Sometimes it’s just things that simple,” the artisan said.
The soaps come in floral, fruity, woody, citrus, or unscented options. While their main categories are classic, seasonal and signature, she also crafts limited-edition soaps, including an 18-box drop featuring bars encrusted with crystals such as lapis lazuli and black onyx. The brand also offers hand-poured candles made with natural soy, coconut and beeswax, as well as hand cream.
“People can buy soap 10 times cheaper at the supermarket. If I’m not offering them something that adds to the moisturization, that is organic, that does not harm them, and remains beautiful as long as they’re using it, I might as well not start at all,” she said.
With her background in biology, the chemistry of soap-making came naturally to her. She began experimenting, with aesthetics and organic products in mind, over a couple of years until she began testing her final product on family and friends.
After retiring from the UN Development Program, Mayassem began investing her time in her business. Her products have been featured in shops at Jeddah’s Islamic Arts Biennale and Diriyah’s Contemporary Arts Biennale, various homegrown market locations, and pop-up stores.
“I think I’m living the best years of my life because I’m thoroughly working on something that I’m enjoying tremendously. Not to say that I did not enjoy my career. I was very happy with the work I did, but it was time to start a new chapter in my life,” she said.
While artisans have been embedded in local culture for ages, the brand aims to call attention to their value by keeping the business hand-crafted and artisanal in line with its ethos. “I don’t want it to become a job. I want it to stay a passion,” she said. “Artisans, whether they’re making soap, embroidery, or painting, bring out the value in a country. And we have different regions, so it also brings out the identity of a country.”
Jordan’s Princess Rajwa turns heads with maternity fashion statement
DUBAI: Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein of Jordan was spotted shopping in Amman on Wednesday, her growing baby bump proudly on show.
The princess, who is from Saudi Arabia, wore a blue denim maternity jumpsuit from the Tencel Denim Maternity range by British label Seraphine.
She completed her look with white sneakers and accessorized with a Bottega Veneta Mini Cabat Mini leather tote bag.
Princess Rajwa, the wife of Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, celebrated her birthday last week. The crown prince took to social media to send her birthday greetings as an official portrait of the princess was unveiled.
“May God continue to bless and nurture the bond between us. Happy Birthday Rajwa,” he wrote on Instagram, sharing a new photo of the couple.
The new official portrait of Princess Rajwa shows the princess wearing a blue outfit from French label Rabanne against a matching blue background.
Earlier this month it was announced that the royal couple, who married in June last year, were expecting their first baby this summer.
Renowned London restaurant and Emirati fashion label launch t-shirt collection
DUBAI: Acclaimed Persian restaurant Berenjak Dubai, hailing from London, has joined forces with Shabab Intl. to launch a range of stylish t-shirts.
In sleek black, the t-shirts – now on sale at the restaurant – feature a Berenjak-inspired print on the back. The logos of both the restaurant and Shabab Intl. are depicted on the front.
Images for the launch campaign were shot by Dubai creative Cheb Moha, who leads the fashion label.
“We’re thrilled to be at Berenjak,” he told Arab News. “Personally, I am a huge fan and make it a point to dine there at least once especially when I’m in London.”
Moha’s deep appreciation for Berenjak stems from an enduring passion for Persian cuisine and cultural heritage, he said.
“Having Shabab there is particularly special for us, and I am confident that it will open doors for more collaborations. With our Shabab community present, it is exciting for them to witness this crossover between our origins and the spaces we inhabit at the restaurant. We are thrilled to stand alongside Berenjak and to have Shabab represented there.”
Moha added his t-shirt designs aimed for simplicity and clarity.
“I wanted to incorporate our identity with Berenjak’s identity and the identity of (the) city we are in, which is Dubai,” he said.
“If you notice, the graphic on the back of the t-shirt is sort of sun shaped. That is part of the Shabab spirit, the sunrise. And if you look in the windows, Berenjak also has a sun motif in the glass. I wanted to incorporate that and feel like there is a nice synergy between both brands.”
Moha also feels there is a crossover between fashion and food. “I feel like there’s always been a pipeline between both. They do complement each other in some way,” he said.
Berenjak, founded by chef Kian Samyani and award-winning London restaurant group JKS Restaurants, is a renowned Persian restaurant that has made its mark by bringing a contemporary twist to classic dishes.
