The original hijab fashion, hijab style, beauty and entertainment blog for Muslim women

While I’m not a big fan of Jessica Simpson, I am intrigued by her latest project. She’s doing a show for VH1 called “The Price of Beauty.”
Simpson travels around the world with her two friends to explore what beauty means in different cultures. The show also looks at the things women go through to meet those ideals.

There’s been a lot written about Simpson’s weight fluctuations, which is ridiculous. She’s not big by any means, but it shouldn’t be a big deal even if she was. Weight is so arbitrary; it goes up and down all the time for everyone. People are simply different shapes and sizes.
It’s kind of like people’s idea of beauty. It really is in the eye of the beholder.

I think one of the things I hate most is when someone is called ugly. Have you really met anyone who is ugly? There are always things that make people beautiful. It’s just how we were made.

But the idea of beauty is a strange one. It’s spawned a huge industry that women spend millions of dollars on, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Everyone should feel that they’re looking their best.

It’s just the idea that one way of looking is more beautiful than another.

I can look at my own culture for examples of that. Pakistanis and Indians often see people with fair skin as better-looking than those with darker hues. I always saw that as ironic, since the subcontinent was overtaken by the British, who are fair-skinned.
It’s fine to see someone with light skin as pretty, but I don’t think that should be to the detriment of someone that simply was born a different way. I’m personally a big fan of dark skin. I think it looks regal and striking.

Obviously, it’s a cultural perspective. People have that ingrained in themselves.  It’s very intriguing to see that some cultures love women who are fat while others worship those who are emaciated. The differences are what make us all great.
It’s an interesting thing to look at, and I applaud VH1 for taking that on. It’ll be exciting to see what Jessica Simpson finds out.

Want to read more posts like this? Click on Pop Culture Hijabi for the full collection.

Pop Culture Hijabi is a weekly column by Nadia Malik. Malik is a former newspaper reporter based in Chicago who’s now making her way as a freelancer. She spends entirely too much time watching TV and reading pop culture, fashion and TV blogs. She also occasionally consumes serious books and news. No, really. You can reach her at info@hijabtrendz.com with “pop culture hijabi” in the subject line, follow her at www.twitter.com/nadiamalik or simply leave a comment below.

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If you’ve always loved department store and other expensive makeup brands, but didn’t want to spend all that money, we have a few tips for you from Anna De Souza of True Hollywood Makeup.

1. Try using drugstore brands that you find in places like Target, Walmart, Walgreens etc. These are usually cheaper and essentially do the same thing as the ones that cost more.

2. Matte nails are a big trend and if you long for Chanel nail color in a matte finish but don’t want to bust your budget then use what you already have. Forget about purchasing new shades. According to De Souza all you need is to top your existing polish with a top coat that will matte the base color.

4. Don’t worry about eye shadow that creases. De Souza says standard drugstore eyeshadows tend to have less pigment than their department store counterparts which means they don’t have that much color or staying power. She recommends pumping up drugstore shadow’s staying power with eyelid primers such as Urban Decay’s Primer Potion or L’Oreal’s De-Crease Eyeshadow Base and Primer.

5. Buy a better mascara wand for your eyelashes. Mascara formulas may change, but the biggest qualifier for lush lashes is the mascara wand. De Souza advises to go ahead and pick up the iconic Maybelline Great Lash but dump that flimsy brush and replace it with another one. Her picks include one that MAC offers which contains high quality synthetic fibers that help distribute the product without clumps as well as the Suki Brow Lash Brush from Skin Botanica for its thickness and blendability.

Do any of you have special things you do to save money on your favorite makeup brands?

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We previously talked about Sula nail polish and now we can officially tell you what we think of it.

Sula Beauty sent us some samples to try out and here is what we concluded:

• Almost odorless (unless you stick your nose into the bottle)
• Clear and smooth finish if you follow the directions
• Easily peels off

Here are some pics from our personal trial:

We conclude that this is a great alternative to nail polish because you don’t breath unhealthy chemicals and you can change up your color quickly without all the mess of nail polish remover.

You have to be careful though and make sure to put on two coats and let it dry thoroughly so it doesn’t peel. Also make sure not to do anything that you’re going to be rough on your hands with (i.e. dishes, rock climbing, etc.)

Other than that this product is a winner!

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Everyone has moments of crash and burn when the only thing that keeps them going is chocolate or some other tasty sweet.

Lately we’ve been trying to do our best and bust out the healthy stuff. What’s amazing is how much better we feel once we’ve eaten something substantial.

It’s not rocket science, we know, but it’s great to remind ourselves every now and then.

Here are some of the things we try to munch on when the Gremlin inside is trying to get us to “eat that Kit Kat, it’s OK you’ll workout later”:

1. Handful of almonds and Craisins.
2. A bowl of mixed greens with mandarin orange pieces, balsamic vinaigrette.
3. A small 6 oz yogurt (we avoid fat free because of the fake sweetener, but you can find 99% fat free).
4. Handful of baby carrots.
5. Water or seltzer water with frozen fruit instead of ice.
6. A bowl of Arugula with beets, avocado, and balsamic vinaigrette.
7. Fresh piece of fruit that’s in season.
8. Green pepper sliced in strips with a tiny dash of lemon and salt.
9. Pretzels
10. Pudding mixed with some whipped topping and fresh fruit chunks.

**Make sure you always eat a decent breakfast, lunch, and dinner then you won’t be snacking all the time on an empty stomach.**

What are your tips for beating the snacking habit with something healthy?

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Sisters-in-law Sara and Afshan put together a custom henna design business based in Toronto, Canada called Sisters by Design or SbD.

The service gives non-Muslim and Muslim women the chance to get decked out in fabulous and decadent henna designs for a small fee.

What’s unique about the girls is that they have put together a non-profit business in order to donate 100% of their proceeds towards charity.

Afshi says they wanted to do something different, “We wanted a creative way to gather funds and to give something in return. We have done bridal henna, henna for
birthday parties, and also for those who may not know much about Henna, but are interested in applying the work of art on themselves.”

The response they’ve received has been positive and Afshan says with Chanel introducing temporary tattoos in their Spring 2010 line, “Henna is always an occasion, and our
motto is: Give us Your Hand, Open Your Heart.”

To learn more about the group or if you’re in Canada and want to have your henna done checkout their website: Sistersbydesign.weebly.com

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