Eid prep: Ramadan house cleaning
As Ramadan comes to an end and we eagerly await Eid, our homes obviously deserve some attention.
Grooming ahead of Eid: Things you should keep in mind
Eid is almost here, it is time we consider personal grooming too, to look and feel our best on the big day.
Tips for hosting a grand iftar party
A few days into Ramadan and most of us start looking for the perfect time to throw a bigger and better Iftar party than last year.
Weekly Ramadan planner to make your life easier
The few days before Ramadan can sometimes be more hectic than the first day of Ramadan itself with so much to prepare for in such little time. With weekly and daily goals set in writing, it can be a little bit more helpful and can prepare you well ahead so you can step into the Holy Month with a clear mind ready for actions.
Blessings of Ramadan
A month of opportunity, and a month of change — Ramadan begins this year just as we welcome summer. This is the month that Muslims await all year long, and prepare for weeks ahead of time because of all the religious practices, fun activities, great food, and countless blessings.
Return of the Baguette Bag
While most things have gone downhill in 2020, some have gone up, and we are glad that small purses are one of them. Large chunky bags were big until last year, and while they have not gone redundant, smaller bags have been more popular, in particular baguette bags.
4 fashion styling tricks to bring down from the runway
This used to be big a few years ago, but is now back for 2020 couture. Brands like Chloé and Balmain showcased some in the form of dresses, pant suits, flowy skirts, but whichever form you choose, make sure to pay close attention to the material.
For the love of stationery hoarding
It may be a digital age where, instead of paper, notes are taken on a scribble pad app on our smartphones, but a true stationery-nerd knows to keep a pen and notepad in their bags.
Top 10 must-have beauty products
The past decade has certainly brought us a plethora of beauty products and lots of new brands, but that is not where it ends.
Trends that need to be on your radar
Home décor is much like fashion; it changes with each season, bringing with it something new to keep our surroundings fresh.
Week2: Getting into the flow
With roughly two-third of Ramadan ahead, it’s the perfect time to do some essential tidying up and have a look at the things you have or need to buy. There is nothing worse than leaving things for the last week and ending up with a hodgepodge of activities.
The most eye-catching jewelleries of 2020
One of the easiest ways to spice up an outfit is adding on some bling. Before you decide to get your hands on some new pieces, pay close attention to all the new trends that have been emerging, because not just the seasons, jewellery trends also change and evolve with time.
Week1
Pre-plan your meals in Ramadan. The main focus of the month is supposed to be abstinence. Let us not take that away with worrying about our meals every day.
Nail Art - Self-expression with flair
For a better understanding of all these new techniques and trends, we spoke to Tasnim Monzur Labiba, a freelance nail artist with her Facebook page Nail Art Desire.
Art on eyelids
While some call it watercolour eye makeup, others call it a pastel splash, but the simplest way to describe this emerging eye shadow trend is to call it art on the eyes — for it looks very similar to a bunch of crayons rubbed on the lid, or a wash of watercolours gently laid on by a brush.
Beauty regimens of the past : Still going strong
Looking at our mothers, grandmothers, and their entire generations with supple, glowing skins can make us wonder what we are doing wrong, for their beauty seems everlasting, that too without a drop from bottled concoctions.
Floral delicacies
Flowers are a joyous thing to look at, beautiful as decorations, appreciated in the home, and loved as gifts.
Décor mistakes that age the home
Decorating mistakes are part of the homemaker’s coming of age process— even the best interior designers have had their fair shares
Scarves and socks for winter
It is time to put away our linens and cottons, and make room for lots of bulky clothes in our wardrobe.
Rose Water for Skin Care
A time tested beauty element, rose water is a popular ingredient in many skincare products all around the world today, because of its countless benefits.
Dandruff and hair care for men
Look for dandruff specific products that target your problem and try to incorporate them into your routines.
We like big belts and we cannot lie
Sometimes a single buckle just does not cut it. At times like these just bring out two. Coming out symmetrically from both ends to create a bigger centre buckle, these look great when paired with casuals, and is an easy way to step up your denim game.
A La Greek
All of us have, at least once, come across a beautiful scenery of white houses with little blue roofs and a majestic blue backdrop of the water and the sky merging into one. Santorini is one of the most popular travel destinations today, boasting the exact scenery described, and their special cuisine is one of the most sought after for its mouth-watering taste.
Face Massages – Secret to youthfulness
If done right, face massages can be thought of as an equivalent to the fountain of youth.
Celebrating Health, Celebrating Coffee
On the first day of every October, the world gathers to celebrate the one bean we all love to bits, coffee.
Open letter to the bride’s father
Dear fathers, whose daughters are three months to a year away from the BIG day --
Coffee, mate?
With tea, we always seem to have a wide selection of snacks to serve as sides, be it alu-puri, toast or muri. However, it gets more difficult with coffee, and even harder so when it is served cold.
Rev up the regular roti
Start off with a large piece of roti on a pan, and cover half of it with a mixture of seasoned chicken or beef, add on some green onions and cilantro for crunch and cheese to your taste.
Handling anxiety attacks
Now, these symptoms are a vague description of what can be happening to a person since everyone feels a different version of it and on different scales. However, they give us a rough idea of when we can term a behaviour as an anxiety or panic attack. Both physical and emotional symptoms can occur simultaneously during an attack, leaving a person even more frightened.
Hues of the earth
Every year, a brand new colour with a catchy name pops up, and takes the fashion world by storm, in turn, making our wardrobes
Summer Eid: dos and don’ts
Summer Eids are going to be the norm for the next few years, and thus we must remember to adjust expectations and plans to make it the most fun.
The last moment check list
We have successfully made it to the end of another Ramadan. However, despite all the preparations and checklists through the month, there are things that often skip our attention. From that one missing condiment to the un-ironed curtains, a last look always helps.
Zero hour Tailor tweets
“A(fa) go maaf koiren ami ‘sick’ asilam apner ka(f)orer kaj shesh korte (f)ari nai,” ping went my Viber, in the middle of the night! I wouldn’t have worried much if it wasn’t chaand raat already. But, did you think I was born yesterday, or completely at the mercy of the tailor
Wear your pride
The thrill of cricket has made jerseys one of the biggest selling items in the country, letting you wear your favourite number and name on the back; this particular shade of green stands for nothing but pride. While we support and love one country, the jerseys we sport can be of different designs
Finger foods for the big match
With the series of big games coming up, we need a pile of snacks, if only to keep us from fidgeting over the scores. Instead of loading up on packaged sugary goodies, which we all regret later on, as a sugar rush on top of the match excitement is not really fun, why not try making some easy snacks
Smart shopping
From groceries to condiments, to gifts, the list seems never-ending as Eid arrives. A little organisation, smart use of all the different transaction methods, and having detailed lists of what one actually requires, as opposed to what we end up buying on impulse, can narrow down the entire process and make it stress-free.
Fragrances that can help save the planet
They are great; they provide our signature scents that leave a lasting first impression; mask any unwanted odour create our personal auras. But one of the biggest problem with these incredibly over-the-top pretty bottles of fragrances are that they are not reusable.
Nail care done right
The first step to nail care is to avoid cutting off the cuticles, a common mistake done by many in order to get cleaner and bigger nail beds.
Curries around the world
Growing up in an Asian home, we could not be more familiar with the sublime, yet chunky and mouth-watering curry. But while we devour our own form of this delicious dish, the world is enjoying a different version, recipe, and consistency in every corner.
Going off the grid
A healthy amount of screen time has never been the root of trouble, but here in 2019, we seem to have surpassed the healthy limit by a lot. So it does not matter if you are staring at a screen for work or leisure, the harm done is equal.
Clean Air in the Home
The first step to clean and breathable air in the home starts with some healthy ventilation. While older apartments come with permanent ventilators, newer ones mostly do not.
Sharing workspace
Dhaka is a city booming with ambitious people who dream high and achieve big, and the surge of entrepreneurs are proof of that.
Beginner's guide to face masks
Oily skin, open pores, blackheads or acne; you name a problem, and there will be a whole army of face masks ready, from all kinds of brands, types, prices, and sometimes, even colours, to take care of it.
An out of the ordinary Pitha Festival
As winter almost bids adieu for the year, we turn to our favourite winter dessert to officially end the season. A handful of pitha festivals have taken place all over the country to
Breaking down dry shampoos
Dry shampoo means you use it only on dry hair; applying it on wet or rinsed hair will simply not work. The point of using this product is to the results of shampooing the hair you do not actually wash your hair.
Breaking down beach wear
There is nothing like a good old relaxing holiday by the beach. Fun activities, great food, some sun bathing and an occasional good splash is all you need to wash away weeks' worth of stress. Planning is half the fun with destinations and resorts, but the one place we often get stuck at is the beach wear.
Lucky lips are always kissin’
In the case of piling up lipsticks, we rarely find a non-enthusiast…but when it comes to lip care regimen, the opposite is true, as most are quite neglectful.
Make a sweet little sin with The SweetSin Coffees
Found on the 8th floor of Navana GH Heights, this has become the go-to place for most coffee lovers in town, as well as the sweet-tooths out there always looking for a different form of dessert. Scrumptious waffles and coffees that feel like a hug are their specialty, but they also offer other dishes.
January 15, 2019
Shuttle — A new ride in town
Transportation is one of the biggest issues the country faces, especially here in the capital where traffic has no mercy. For women it is harder finding the right vehicle given public transport is not always deemed safe.
January 15, 2019
Realistic Resolutions
What really happens on 1st January is a massive headache from all the partying and screaming about, followed by forgetting what the heck you were babbling about doing starting that day.
January 8, 2019
Geriatric care in winter
While most of us go crazy over purchasing the right winter wear, and opt for the perfect skin care solution and planning activities for the holidays, senior citizens often get left out of the equation. When we talk about care for the elderly, the care comes in many forms, and not just health.
January 8, 2019
The weight of obesity
Through the year we sometimes gain and lose weight without paying much heed. But when the gaining starts it gets hard to stop it. Start by measuring your BMI. This measures your height to your weight and tells you if you are obese or not.
January 1, 2019
Culture of bespoke tailoring
Anything tailor-made to our preferences and measurements can be categorised as bespoke tailoring, and unlike what some might perceive it-- as a designer dress, it does not need to be one.
January 1, 2019
Lacy opulence
The simplest of fabrics, and the most mundane of dresses can be turned into a stunning piece with the addition of a lace. No single picture ever comes to the mind when we hear the word lace for the hundreds of types and designs we are used to seeing.
January 1, 2019
Great expectations for 2019
Nothing gets the nation more hyped up than cricket. The 2019 Cricket World Cup, set to be held in England and Wales, is already on the lips of the nation. How will the 'famous five' of the National Team hold up? The English pitch and weather are meant to suit our bowlers just fine, but shouldn't the reverse be also true?
December 25, 2018
Seasonal changes and children
Winter is usually when children love to go out, spend a nice vacation and participate in some fun winter sports. Falling ill takes away all the fun, and not to mention is dreadful to the child and their family, so prevention is always better than cure.
December 18, 2018
Abayaholic: a label to look out for
The Fashion scene is always evolving and the wave of so many new fashion designers in town are testament to that. While every designer has a unique style and element to their designs, which make them all great in a different way, one particular designer stands out from the rest with her bespoke pieces.
December 18, 2018
Self-care in winter
A change in the season calls for some changes in our daily routines and habits as well. While it might take a while for our bodies to warm up to the new season, there are surely catalysts that will help with the process while keeping us healthy and well.
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