My Hijab Story

Hello My Lovelies

Today's post is a very personal and something about my life which I changed for the better. This all happened on July 13th 2015. As you all know I am a Muslim and a very proud one. Last year was the year I started wearing the Hijab everyday till I die. Wearing the hijab was a choice I made and I don't regret at all. Before July 13th I been having deep thoughts and questioning myself 'am I ready', 'should I start now', 'will I be treated differently and 'will people try and hurt me'. All these questions were going through my mind for about 2 years because I felt something which needed to changed. 

So after questioning myself, I finally told myself 'Look just do it what is there to loose and how will you know what will happen if I don't try'. So few days before I told my sister 'What would you do if I started wearing the scarf' and she gave me a look like you really asking me this question. Then she replied 'It's your choice and I wouldn't mind'. Then I asked my mum and as mothers she gave me a pep talk. Do this for the right reasons and once you do it, you have to wear it all the time. My mum also said you should wear it and it's good for a woman to. Mums advice are always the best because they know you better than anyone else. 

So my sister and mum were both happy for me to it. The Monday came and I woke up and felt like I should start. So I did and went to college and to be honest no one even cared. My sister saw me that day and she was shocked to see me because she wasn't expecting it to happen so quickly. So I finished the day feeling very happy and different in a good way. I felt like this was something I needed to do because I am getting closer to Allah (SWT). 

I have to say when I went to work people were very shocked to see me wearing the hijab. Some thought I was only wearing it because Ramadhan was coming and once it was over I would take it off. However I kept it on and I told them I didn't do it for that reason I had my own intentions. Some also thought I was forced to wear it by my parents which I really wasn't. If my mum forced me would I not be wearing the hijab already. My mum always told me if I forced you to wear it, your intention would be to please me and not Allah. Also when you get older you might take off and that's even worse. To be honest I agree with my mum. Like your intentions should be for the right reasons. Some thought I was wearing it because I was getting married. When they told me I laughed and was like no way. I'm only 19 and I'm not ready for that just yet. Also side note I wouldn't start wearing the hijab because I'm getting married. My husband should be happy with the way I am and how I look. He should respect that I need time and the intentions are right. Don't let a guy force you to wear it because that is so wrong. 

Anyway moving on, over a year later I am still wearing the hijab and I am loving it. My scarf collection is growing and I have many colours. I don't wear printed scarf but I am planning on starting to. So that when I wear an all black outfit my hijab will be the statement piece. 

All the thoughts I was thinking was just me being scared and nothing changed. All my family and friends treated me the same. Alhamdulillah I haven't experienced anyone trying to hurt me or trying to take off my hijab. So all of my thoughts I was thinking was me just being scared and I should of had more faith in Allah (Swt). 

For anyone woman wanting to wear the hijab. My advice is go for it and don't be scared like me. Allah will guide you and he will protect you no matter what. Wearing the scarf can be challenging (know what clothes to wear) but really you have so many blessing with it as well.

So thats my hijab story and hope you have enjoyed it. Something personal and hope you got to know a little better. 

Take care

Amina

xx

Current 5 Favourites

Hello My Lovelies 

Today post is what I have been currently loving and wanted to share to my followers. So let's begin. The first item is a ring which is from Accessories. I have been wearing it everyday since I have bought it and loving it. It's a sterling silver encrusted ring band. Which is encrusted with crystals gems all the way round. It is very dainty with a lot of bling and it's a good ring to stack. I want to get more rings with less crystals and stack it on top. 

I have also been loving my new piercing, I have had the new piercing for about 2 weeks now and I love it. So I got a double vertical helix and I am IN LOVE. I cannot stop looking at it and I just loving it. I cannot wait to change the piercing to a different stud. I think the next stif will be a crescent moon and star which will look amazing.  

I have a new liquid matte lipstick which I been wearing all the time when I go out. The lipstick is Colour Sensational Vivid Matte Liquid by Maybelline in the shade Nude Frill. It's your perfect nude shade for my skin tone. It's very light and hydrating on the lips feels like your not wearing anything however it does not really last long when your eating. That is the only disadvantage however I don't mind reapplying it. Would still recommend it. So go check out the collection.

Shawn Mendez new album called Illuminate is AMAZING!! I am loving this album and has been on repeat since I got it. My favourite songs are Treat You Better, No Promises and Mercy. Another album which I love is Craig David's new one called FMI (Follow My Intuition). This album has so many good tunes which are fast and some that are slow. I am glad he is back because his music is amazing. My top three songs are 16, Sink or Swim Ain't Giving Up however all are my favourites. If you haven't heard both these albums, go check it out on YouTube or Apple Music because they are worth a listen. 

Those are my 5 favourites. What are yours? Would love to know 

Take care 

Love Amina

xx

Life Update

Hello My Lovlies 

I thought I would do a life update as there hasn't been any posts for a while. So lets begin:

I been MIA for the past few months for a couple of reasons. The first reason was because over the summer I went on holiday. I will do a post on the travelling in a few days time. I love travelling and once I finish my degree, I want to do more. I went to Oman for the first time which was one of the best holidays ever, then drove to Dubai which was alright (explain more in a Dubai post) then went to Kenya. Kenya is my 2nd home all my family is there and I had ALOT of weddings to attend. So been very busy with wedding and spending time with my family.

I have started my third year of my degree which has been quite stressful because I need to start thinking about my dissertation. Which I will properly start next April. So I'm at the trying to figure out what I need to do it on and how I should be doing it. They always say there will be a term which is a dry run to your dissertation. Well this is the term and I really want to give my all in the presentation and report. So I need to focus on that as much as I can. 

Another reason why I haven't blogged is that I have been feeling bit down and not wanting to blog about anything. I have been dealing with a lot the passed 2 years which has affected me physically and emotionally. I might touch upon it later on in my life but for now just know I am okay and dealing with it. It is in the past and I am moving past that now. 

All I want to think about is my faith, studies and blog. 

Hope you guys understand

Take care 

Amina

xx

Ramadan Goals for 2016

Hello My Lovlies 

This is a long over due post and sorry for the lack of posts as well.  I have been busy finishing my 2nd year of University. I am back and there will more posts coming up. 

Firstly I would like to say Ramadan Kareem. I hope it is going well and not finding it too difficult. I would love to know which part of the world you are fasting. So comment below the country. 

May Allah accept all our fasts and duas during this special month and may he fill it with love, happiness, strength, patience and worship....Ameen

I wanted to share with you my aims/goals for this Ramadhan. 

1. Is to finish the Qur'an within this month because the Qur'an was revealed during this month. 

2. Go to Taraweeh prayers because you hear the most amazing recitation of the Qur'an and it's a beautiful atmosphere to be in. 

3. Watch YouTube videos about Islam. I have been addicted to Qur'an Weekly because during this month, they are doing a series called Get To Know...This is when each day they go through a Surah in the Qur'an and go into depth about it. You will gain knowledge about the Surah and what the meaning is. They will explain the stories in the Surah. I would recommend this series because you learn so much about the Surah which you didn't even know and you can pass it on to your family and friends. 

4. Read books about Islam, this is an amazing month to increase your knowledge about Islam and how to become a better muslimah. I have ordered a book and will do a book review after I have finished it. If you have any islamic books to recommend, fill free to comment below. 

5. Charity also known as Zakat is very important during this month because you want to give those who are less fortunate as you an Eid. So they can experience nice clothes and nice food. Not only that but Zakat is one the five pillars of Islam. So don't forget to give money to poor and needy. This is one of the reason why we fast during this month. 

So those are my 5 goals during the month of Ramadan. I hope you enjoyed it and comment below what your goals during this month. Would love to know and we can share ideas. 

Love Amina

xxx

NYX Haul

Hello My Lovlies 

This is a long overdue post that I wanted to do for while. I did a NYX purchase last month on the Boots website. I was excited to make a purchase because people have been raving about their products and I wanted to try some of products. I would be purchasing more products from NYX because I am loving every single item and using them all the time.

So lets begin with the haul!

Jumbo Eye-pencil in Milk

This eye pencil is raved on youtube because it was good for underneath your eyeshadow and it makes the eyeshadow stay longer but be more pigmented. When I swathed this it is very bendable and you are able to pack other eyeshadows onto it. So I can not wait to use this for my eye base. This retails for £5 which is really good. I want to get a brown colour eye pencil which will be good as a base.

Butter Gloss

I bought one lip gloss from this range in the shade Tiramisu. I absolutely love tis shade and can not wait to try more shades from this range. Tiramisu is a nude gloss which I have been using past month. I love this when I am wearing a nude lipstick and I put it on top to create shine on the lips but I mostly put it on the centre if the lips. To create dimension and to make them look bigger but without using lip fillers. The butter gloss smells like chocolate and it doesn't have a sticky texture at all. This retails for £5 and is very cheap. Would so recommend this. 

Intense Butter Gloss

I bought two shades from this range because I haven't heard much about them on youtube. I wanted to see how they were different but also how intense they were comported to the original ones. When I watched these oh my they are so intense and the pigmentation is amazaing. You literally need one application to get the colour payoff. They smell amazing as well like candy. They aren't too glossy and feel lovely on the lips. I only bought two shades and I will buy some more  colours from this range as well. These retail for £5.50, which is really cheap and affordable. 

The first shade I bought is chocolate crepe which is dark brown colour. I love how it feels on the lips and its not too sticky or glossy either. The second shade is a light brown which is a good nude. I love how pigmented these are and I would recommend people to try these out because they are needed in life. It so quick and no lipliner needed either. 

Soft Matte Lip Cream

I bought 4 shades from this range and I have to say I love them. I really want to purchase some more because they are matte, feel hydrating and not drying. They feel like nothing are on your lips which is the best feeling. You do not have to worry about topping up because they last well on the lips and leave a nice stain on the lips when you are eating. I would so recommend you buy some of their Lip Creams. They are so worth it and are a bargain as well. They all retail for £5.00. 

The first shade is Ibiza which is a pink shade and I love it because its not to bright on the lips. You are able to wear it during the day and also mix it in with another colour to deepen it a bit more. This shade will suit a lot of skin tones and will look different on everyone. 

The next shade is London is a light brown shade which is lovely on the lips and suits my skin tone very well. On a darker skin tone it could look a bit washed out however you can over come this by using a darker lipliner. I do love this shade for mixing because you can lighten a colour using this shade. 

The third shade is Zurich which is a pinky nude shade. I was quite disappointed with this shade because it looks like it's gonna be a nude but when you open it its more pinker. So I felt a bit like ohh okay however when i switched it I loved it because on my skin tone its my lips but better shade. 

The final shade is Cannes this is deeper than Zurich because it has a reddish undertone to it. I do love this shade when you want your lips to look darker but also natural as well. You can wear this during the day and at night time as well. 

All the shades I bought I do love and I sometimes do mix them togethe to get a different colour because I just love mixing lipsticks together. So that I have dimension to my lips and look more fuller. The application is good and the pigmentation is amazing. the one thing which I loved this the scent because the smell is amazing. I can't describe it but it just smell wonderful. I would so recommend checking these shades and they have more many more as well. 

High Voltage Lipstick

I bought one lipstick from this range in the shade number 5. This is a nude colour which is really creamy and has a velvet feel to it on the lips. I do love this shade and would recommend this colour. I would love to buy more from this range. The retail price is £5.50 which affordable. 

NYX is a very affordable brand and I want to make another purchase from there. So please recommend in the comments, would love to know. 

I hope You Enjoyed the Haul

Please leave a comment and suggest any products for me try from NYX.

Love Amina 
xxx

March Favourites

Hello My Lovlies 

Today is going to to be a favourites for the whole month. I actually can't believe we have done another month of 2016, this year is going fast. This month I have been loving a range of different  products from beauty to non beauty. So let's begin with what I have been loving. 

Swatches from left to right:  Kiko Lip Liner, Bare Lipstick and Tiramisu lipgloss

Beauty

So I have been loving a lip combo this month. It's a pinky nude and been wearing it whenever I go out or during the day even. The lip combo is a lip liner from Kiko (Smart Pencil in the shade 700 Light Sienna), Lipstick from Illamasqua (in the shade Bare) and Lipgloss from NYX (Butter gloss in shade Tiramisu) . This combo is glossy but not so sticky, hydrating on the lips and staying power is fantastic. This combo is the perfect pinky nude for my skin tone. 

I have been loving a BB cream from L'oreal called Nude Magique in the shade Medium. Is a white liquid to start of with but when you start to blend it out it will change and adapt to your skin tone. I love the finish of it and I love how it feels on the skin. It is a light coverage and it makes your skin look better but flawless. 

I have been loving the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I love this sponge because it has a flat side which is good for your under eye concealer and the pointer side is great for the inter part of your eye to blend. I also use the flat side to blend out my foundation and creates a flawless look. I have been reaching for this more than my buffing brush. 

I hace been loving a body scrub and body lotion from Soap and Glory. The body scrub is the Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub. I love this scrub because it leaves my body feeling smooth and soft. The 3 main ingredients are oats, sugar and Shea butter. These ingredients are great for your skin.  I also love the smell of the body scrub, would so recommend this. The body lotion smell wonderful and hydrates my skin without feeling sticky like some body lotions do. Once you start rubbing it into your skin it leaves the skin looking hydrated and glowy which I love. So I would recommend these two products.

Non-Beauty

A non beauty item is actually a game called Best Fiends. This is a super addictive game which I can't put down. You have different levels and each level have different challenges. The aim is kill the slugs. You have to make a sequence of the same colour and the longer the sequence the better score you get. It is so addictive and I can't stop playing the game. Definitely download the game.

I have been watching Suits this month and I love it. Harvey is just stunning! Suits is just amazing. So the plot.....Mike Ross on the run from a drug deal that doesn't go to plan. Who is a genius. Finds himself a job working with Harvey Specter, One of New York City best lawyers. That's the plot in a nutshell. If you like law and scandal. Then you have to watch this series. You can get season 1-3 on Netflix. 

I have been loving a lot of music especially Afrobeats. The songs which I have been loving are: 

Fifth Harmony - Work from Home F.t Ty Dolla $ign
Kelly Clarkson - Piece by Piece
Candice - Singles Out
Aaron Fresh- RATCHET
Rhianna - Work F.t Drake
Alikiba - Lupela, Mwana, Chekecha Cheketua 
Tiwa Savage and Koredo Bello - Romantic
Davido - The Money

I hope you enjoyed what I have enjoyed this month and thank you for reading

Amina

xxx

Visiting London

Hello My Lovlies 

So last weekend I went to London and took some photographs of the places we visited. The reason why I went was because my Aunty and 2 Cousins came to visit us from Ireland, so I wanted to take them to London. We were able to see all the attractions we wanted to see in one day and to be honest it was such a good day because we were just taking the tube and walking around enjoying being a tourist. The places we visited where the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, The Shard, Big Ben, The Science Museum and went on Oxford Street. We weren't able to go to the Natural History Museum or Trafalgar Square because we didn't have time. However we visited majority of places. 

Here are some of the photos I took in London. 

Thank You for reading

Amina 
xxx

Gosh Cosmetics

Hello My Lovelies 

So today I am doing a brand review on GOSH Cosmetics which is found in Superdrug. I went into Superdrug and wanted to try out new products from a brand which I haven't tried before. So I bought two new lip products and an eye brow gel. I have to say GOSH cosmetics do not get mentioned enough because their products are pigmented. GOSH is based in Denmark and was founded in 1945. GOSH is very affordable as well. 

The two lipsticks I bought were from the Velvet Touch range. I have to say I need more lipsticks from this range because they glide on the lips without streaking or going patchy. It also leaves your lips very hydrated and it stays on well because I was able to drink and eat without it smudging. The two shades are both dry to a matte finish and it doesn't leave a drying feeling to the lips. The lipstick retail for £6.99 each which is very reasonable for a matte formula lipstick. 

The first lipstick colour is 004 which is called Matt Coral. I was looking for a coral lipstick for a while however I wanted more of a orange coral than a pink. So when swatched this on my hand, I fell in love because colour is what I wanted. This will suit medium to dark skin tones very well. The pigmentation is amazing and glides very well on the lips. 

The second lipstick colour is 006 which is called Matt Raspberry. This is a bright pink colour with a slight reddish/blue undertone. I do love this pink because you can blend it out to have a tint to your lips which is nice during the day. You can build it up very easily and it doesn't go patchy. This shade will suit a lot of skin tones. So would recommend you check out this colour when your next in Superdrug. 

Left: 006 Matt Raspberry Swatch and 004 Matt Coral Swatch

The Eyebrow Gel is really good it keeps my eyebrows hairs in place. The only thing I dislike about the eyebrow gel is the wand because the brush is really long, it is like your putting mascara on your eyebrows. So I would only make the brush smaller so that it is easier to apply however I love the product it self. The product is so natural. I love it because I can just put it on and my eyebrows look I spent a good few minutes on them rather than seconds. The Eyebrow Gel Retail for £4.99 which is reasonable. 

You should check out GOSH Cosmetics in Superdrug because they have such good range of makeup and they are really affordable. The packaging of the products is very sturdy and   it doesn't fee cheap. I love how the lipsticks have a matte texture and had the gloss shine in the middle. I can not wait to try out more of their products. 

Please comment below if you have any recommendations of what I should try out from the brand. 

I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading

Amina

xxx