GAYA-Aug2016

August 2016
Jilbabs’R’’us
& MODERN
MODEST
Slay
Summer
with style & beauty
beautiful PAIN

Contents
August 2016
Click Here
Fashion
Jilbabs’R’Us
Modesty Caravan
takes Perth
The Value of the Hijab
How to Slay
Summer Fashion
Azha Jewelry
Click Here
Cover Story
Jilbabs’R’Us
Click Here
Beauty
Pack your makeup,
we’re going on Holiday!
Is it time to throw away
your makeup?
Inspire
Overcoming Sadness
Food
Cajun Chicken Salad
Film
Redha - Beautiful Pain
Click Here
Work
Pink is the New Drug
Gadget
Launch of The Halal
Dining Club App
Click Here
Travel
Halal Eats in Hong Kong
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TEAMGAYA
gayamagazine.com
Our Writers
Co‐founder & CEO
Editor‐in‐chief
Juliana Iskandar
juliana@gayamagazine.com
Country Editor
Australia
Mastura Koelmeyer
Aateka Samara
Ana Maria
Aneesa
Asma Toujani
Assil Taha
Ayesha Khan
Aylim Duran
Azrina Naimuddin
Bushra Amjad
Hakeemah Cummings
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Hajar Masri
Hira Ali
Idil Mohamed Ali
Iqra Arif
Lamya Ayad
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Malikah Ebrahim
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Editor’s Letter
I
usually don’t let politics take over the
topic of my Editor’s note to you. But
I am going to make an exception today.
I had a rare phone call recently and was asked
for my time to assist with a survey. It asked
me my views on terrorism and if the country
was ready to battle a terrorist attack. I was
asked if the community would band together
to fight it or break down and fight against each
other instead. It got me thinking. Why is
Singapore conducting a consensus to
determine if the country and its people can
stand against terrorism? Singapore may be
a tiny dot on the world map and may seem far
away from all the big happenings in the world
like the US. But that doesn’t mean we are not
vulnerable to terrorism.
More than ever we are faced with hate politics.
Politicians standing up on that pedestal
spewing hate and dividing the world. From
Trump in the US to Hanson in Australia.
As many of you know, I grew up in
a multiracial home. In spite of that, I had
a wonderful childhood. I didn’t grow up in
a hateful community. I didn’t grow up with
hateful rhetoric. I grew up with love and lots
of it. And that is the world I want my future
children to grow up in. Unfortunately for many
of us, that is not the world we live in today.
Whilst multiculturism and religious stability
is something we Singaporeans enjoy and hold
dear, this is not necessarily something our
Muslim brothers and sisters have in their
countries. I want to take this opportunity to
stand united with our Muslim brothers and
sisters in the US, Australia, Europe and
everywhere else, who face hateful speeches,
who are marginalized and who have to face
these ‘hate politics’. We are with you and we
send our love.
Terrorism is a threat to anyone regardless of
race, religion or ethnicity. We can all fall
victim to senseless killings. So to paint an
entire community with one broad brush based
on the actions of one or a few people, is utterly
wrong. We all fight a common enemy.
It’s easy to return hate with hate. It’s easy to
shout back hateful rhetoric when we get them
thrown at us. It’s easy to scream and shout
when some people say that Islam and its
teachings are hateful. But let us not fall victim
of destruction. Let us rise above and show
who we really are and what Islam really
teaches – love and peace.
#Breakthehatecycle
Love to all...
Juliana Iskandar
@dayinthelifeof_jules

—————— Fashion ——————
Jilbabs’R’Us
Modern, Modest Clothing
for Everyday Living
6

B
ased in London, Jilbabs‘R‘Us
was born in 2011, having
discovered there was a gap in
the Modest Fashion market.
Jilbabs‘R‘Us is a modest fashion
brand specialising in a combination
of traditional Islamic clothing with
a modern, modest look for all occasions.
Our garments are for today’s Muslim
women and can be worn from casual
to formal.
Over the last five years, we have built
ourselves a reputation for providing
quality goods for Muslim women.
At Jilbabs‘R‘Us, we take great care
in ensuring that our products are of the
highest quality. We source our own
fabrics and are in total control of our
garments from production to end result.
Hence, the quality of our products is
very important, and defines our brand
equity and ethnic of the brand.
Our full collection of products include
everything for modest clothing; abayas,
hijabs and accessories, with a customer
base that includes the United States
and Europe.
Everything that a woman needs can be
found on our website; from the latest
modest every day wear to abayas for
special occasions, from kaftans to
jilbabs, from hijabs to accessories.
jilbabsrus.co.uk
7

8
Simply Elegant
Abaya in Rose

9
Linen
Embroidered
Abaya
in Teal Blue &
Cinnamon

10
Classic Drawstring
in Blue & Black

11
Damask
Abaya
with
matching
scarf

—————— Fashion ——————
Recognizing a gap in the market is an outstanding way to initiate a
business concept appealing to a targeted modest market. Inspired by
the Islamic way of life, taking cues from the Ancient Silk Road,
Modesty Caravan is a travelling boutique which pops up in different
cities around Australia and soon to be, around the world.
Written & Photos
by Mastura Koelmeyer
12

I
ngeniously providing a mix of global
curated brands including fashion,
homeware, cosmetics, art, books and
lifestyle products, multiple international
vendors are brought by Modesty Caravan
straight to their stylish, modest, fashion
forward customers.
Being an inspired idea unlike any other,
each pop up is carefully merchandised
by a professional stylist to showcase
each piece and label in a way that is
easily discoverable by their customers
in a beautifully looking space. The
caravan emphasises on all their labels
whilst employing the excitement from
a fashion runway show including a fun
shopping day event.
The Modesty Caravan team consists of
four extremely talented Directors each
bringing their skills, experience and
professionalism to be drawn upon with
vast skills ranging from designing,
styling, entrepreneurship, blogging,
digital influencing and event planning.
All the products showcased by the
caravan have been scrutinisingly
selected, vetted against high standards
of workmanship, quality and design
ethic. The Directors understand every
detail in processes, design, textiles,
trends and global styles and therefore
only allow the best of the very best to
be part of the boutique. The Directors
of Modesty Caravan are:
13

Eisha Saleh, designer of her label
Baraka Women since 2008. Amalina
Aman, owner and designer of her selftitled
label Amalina Aman beginning her
career in 2004.
Delina Darusman-Gala is a street style
blogger of Muslim Street Fashion.
Harbouring her cult following of her
blog, she then started her much
anticipated own label named Delina.
Ebru Yagci, who started her label
Sorayya The Label in 2007 along with
opening her own boutique.
I speak to one of the Directors, the
original founder of Modesty Caravan
to better understand the concept and
masterminds behind the modest
travelling boutique, Eisha Saleh.
Mastura: Eisha, how did Modesty
Caravan eventuate and why?
Eisha: First and foremost I had a vision
of the Prophet's (SAAS) caravans that
he took from Mecca and have fantasied
so much about what they would have
been like. This idea appealed to me.
I imagined he must have carried
beautiful things made in Mecca.
What were his trips like? He must have
developed relationships with people
he met, shared food and created
connections. And this is what I wanted
too. Why can’t we have a space that
celebrates these exact things and to
14
experience things he experienced? On
top of that as an online clothing designer
myself, my customers were always
asking me how they can touch and feel
my clothing.
I thought if my customers were asking
me then likely all other designers were
also being asked the same thing. I’ve
also been listening to friends and family
complain about shipping charges of
items they want to buy from international
suppliers or did not make a purchase
because they couldn’t experience the
items first hand.
M: Can you tell me who is part of the
Modesty Caravan team?
E: We might all have different styles
and backgrounds but our hearts are the
same. We want the same things and
have the same idea of success. The team
consists of three directors including
myself, Amalina, Delina and Ebru. We
also have a team of supporters who help
make the pop-ups come alive ranging
from volunteers, interns, models, Island
Dreams Cafe, Humble Bakes
and others.
M: How did Modesty Caravan become
what it is?
E: The caravan started once I had met
the right people with the same passion
for the idea as myself. I was lucky to
find the right team to bring this vision

to reality. Ebru used to own a clothing
store and stocked my label for a while.
Amalina I knew way before I even
became a designer as she owned a local
cafe. Delina was a customer and blogger
and we had started working closer
together due to a Fashion exhibition put
together by the MAAS Museum in
Sydney. I met with all of them and it
was a mutual love and motivation for
the idea; Alhumdulillah.
M: It sounds like you picked the perfect
people to be part of your amazing team!
What is Modesty Caravan's mission?
E: The caravan is about supporting
talent especially new brands and finding
success together. It’s easy to design but
so much harder to sell and on your own,
it’s harder again.
The caravan was about putting all the
brands together in one place that people
wanted to buy alongside the new ones
for exposure. We also wanted to be sure
the caravan was a special place to build
friendships, so our VIP event is an
integral part of the process.
15
—— end ——
Modesty Caravan arrived in Perth on the
28 th and 29 th of May 2016 for the very
first time. The caravan brought all their
well-known brands and products to
Perth residents in a celebration of good
company, pre-Ramadhan shopping,
special guest appearances, entertainment,
lunch, VIP bags, piñata, hijab styling
and fashion shows.
The team’s aim was to come to Perth as
“both Amalina and Delina have friends
and family there who always complained
about the lack of modest vendors. Diary
of Ange is someone we love and respect
in the online world and her view was
there was a need for boutiques like us to
visit. Perth is very beautiful, any excuse
to go.”
It came as no surprise when the Modesty
Caravan VIP Luncheon event was
completely sold out after announcing
they were coming to Perth. Perth has
been crying out for a need to supply the
ever growing demand of modest fashion.
Unlike the Eastern States in Australia
such as Sydney and Melbourne, Perth
lacks the access to readily available
fashion boutiques and clothing stores
stocking apparel catering to the modest
fashion forward ladies of the community.
The travelling boutique was an answer
to the demand in Perth, though only for
a short period of time which helped with
that desire to see, feel and touch items
- a shopping experience and luxury not
attainable whilst online shopping.
Curious to see how Perth’s event
compared to Sydney and Melbourne’s,
Eisha revealed, “We had a great time

and I know the ladies were excited about
the brands we bought along. We had
great support from the Perthies!!
The only difference was the amount
of people really due to a smaller
community. But they had the same kind
of support, enjoyment and experience as
the other events. Perth ladies can party
just like the others.”
Perth’s Modesty Caravan event was
a successful one, with local bloggers,
models, businesses and entertainment
coming together to make it a triumphant
collaboration between all creatives and
Modesty Caravan.
The best of Perth together for the first
time ever! Special guests included Perth
bloggers Diary of Ange, Missy-Lia and
Trendy Melbourne, local hijab styling
business Hijab Artistry and performers
from Andhy Style.
Perth is now on the annual calendar to
be visited as part of the ongoing growth
of the caravan boutique. After the very
first caravan pop up appearing in Sydney
in late 2015, followed by Melbourne and
Perth, MC’s aim is to introduce itself to
Brisbane and then put in an annual
calendar for all the states. There is also
works for building an online store and
negotiating with international locations
16

like Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur to be part
of the road map of Modesty Caravan’s
travels. The team are always looking for
new exciting labels to be part of their
boutique and also want to be known as
the place to discover new and upcoming
designers and labels as well as all the
much loved established ones.
Modesty Caravan is not only about
marketing and selling products but is
also a platform that supports other
skilled individuals areas such as
merchandising, event management,
graphic design, public relations as well
as entertainment and brand management.
“If we can provide a space for success
for many creatives then we can be very
proud of the boutique we’ve created,”
say the team.
COUNTRY EDITOR, PERTH, AUSTRALIA: MASTURA KOELMEYER
Eurasian by heritage, an Australian born girl who lives in the small but vibrant city of Perth. She
is a mother of three beautiful children and a lover of fashion. Usually a full time worker, she
juggles the upbringing of her children and her blog, as well as is the Marketing Director of Tulyss
Design - an emerging fashion designer shoe label in Australia and Malaysia. Mastura is the avid
blogger behind Missy-Lia, which mainly focuses on motherhood, modest fashion and lifestyle.
missy-lia.com
@missylia
17

—————— Fashion ——————
The Value
of the Hijab
Written by Lamya Ayad
Photos by Aya Zaatari
18

I
started wearing the hijab when I
was only 11 years old attending the
elementary school. At that time, for
a very young girl like me, the hijab was
a choice I made in an attempt to please
God and follow a religious phenomenon
that I used to see in my area.
I didn’t know the true value of the hijab
except that it became part of my school
uniform and naturally entered into my
everyday life. But with time, I started
to explore my identity as a hijabi and
searched for the true value of and the
main purpose behind the hijab.
During my experimental stage and up
till now, I have come to understand the
hijab from many different aspects.
The main thing that I recognized is that
a hijab is not necessarily an indicator
of a woman’s level of faith. Wearing the
hijab, or in other words being a hijabi,
does not put a girl religiously or
spiritually above a non-hijabi girl. We
all know women who wear the hijab and
those who do not, and we can see that
both have varying levels of faith and
relationship with God. Some of them
wear the hijab because they are obliged
to or because it is part of their culture.
And for both parties, the hijab is not put
on after a conscious decision that’s why
they struggle with it.
However, for some ladies, wearing
a hijab is a choice made through a
woman’s own thought and devotion to
19
Allah (swt). They do believe in its value
and they strive to please God. That’s
why I see that the hijab should not be
taken as a measure of faith since the
reason behind wearing it varies
according to the lady herself. Another
point I’d like to underline is the purpose
behind the way a hijab should be worn.
We all know that the hijab symbolizes
modesty. But every hijabi has her own
interpretation of modesty.
Every girl has her own style and her
own understanding of hijab fashion.
As a fashion passionate, I see that hijab
fashion is about loose, long, modest
tunics and stylish maxi skirts, while
others see it as tight jeans, short shirts,
and turbans. Sure, hijab is not a uniform,
and hijabis should not be wearing
exactly the same “costume”, but
a little uniformity and attention to the

It is really nice of a hijabi who manages
to establish respect and dignity for
herself amongst others in public or even
non-Muslims that without having to
explain the rules of our religion, people
are able to grasp her character through
her behavior so that they act accordingly.
This is the type of respect that a hijabi
deserves from society.
“modesty” aspect of the hijab is highly
recommended. Moreover, I believe that
the hijab should be drawn not only over
our head and body, but also over our
behavior. From here, I would like to
highlight on the “Social Hijab” which is
the way a female presents herself,
behaves, and interacts with others.
The hijab does not prevent a lady from
interacting with others and building
good relationships; however, it is vital
for a hijabi to maintain good manners
and conscious behavior. As women are
being constantly judged by society,
hijabis are judged more based on their
actions. That’s why the value of the
hijab requires a girl to be careful while
interacting with others especially with
the opposite gender.
At the end of the day, every hijabi has
her own definition of the hijab and
every woman’s journey with the hijab
is personal and unique. My main idea is
not to point fingers towards my hijabi
sisters because I am not the perfect
example of a hijabi, but rather to say
that the way the hijab is practiced highly
affects the way non-Muslims interpret
Islam as a whole.
Wearing the hijab comes with a certain
set of how a Muslim girl should behave
and dress, that’s why hijabis should be
careful of how they are portraying it.
Every girl whether she wears the hijab
or not, should strive all the way to be
a very good example of a Muslim lady
in order to please God first, and present
a good image of Islam second.
THE WRITER: LAMYA AYAD
My name is Lamya, I am a fashion lover and a self-taught designer who seeks to show a beautiful image of
Islam through Hijab (Veil). I believe in an individual’s self-expression of faith through dress and I love
creating stylish looks that make the Hijab modern, approachable, and chic. The purpose of my blog is to
share with you my fashion inspirations as well as to show to the world that Muslim ladies are modern,
stylish, powerful, and strong.
theveiledbeauty.wordpress.com
@theveiledbeauty_
20

—————— Fashion ——————
how to slay
Summer
Fashion
Summer is a very tricky season to work with when it comes to fashion.
Even though you want to lay on the beach or by the poolside all day
long, unfortunately not all of us have the pleasure of being Kylie Jenner
and we can’t kiss the sun all the way through summer. There are a couple
of key ingredients to bake the perfect summer outfit every day.
Written & Photos by Nouhailah
21

22
Pastel
This is a no-brainer. Pastel or light colors are a
necessity for summer. Summer is a season for fun
in the sun, that’s why you don’t see dark colors
like black making the ways in summer trends. It is
a major dress code that we should keep in mind
every time we open up our closets for summer.
You need that bright yet subtle color palate to be
the main key to your summer style.

Fabrics
Wool and knits are two
fabrics you should never ever
look or even think about
during these hot months. Instead opt for the fabrics that will keep you cool. Pay
attention to weight and breathability while shopping for summer.
Linen is the ultimate summer fabric. It is light and comfy, and with some added
texture, it’s the ultimate grab and go fabric. If linen took the thrown for king of
summer fabrics, then Cotton will be it’s little brother waiting for his turn for the
crown. Rayon absorbs humidity making it a great fabric for summer. Just make
sure you give it a little extra care. Don’t wash it in the washing machine. Dry
clean it instead.
23

Prints &
Patterns
Prints and patterns are probably the hardest thing to style during the warm
months. You want to be super careful when picking up prints.
You can’t go wrong with bright florals and light prints that has summer written
all over them. Stripes are a great option to begin with but pay attention to the
color. Always stay in the summer color wheel. If you are feeling a bit more
edgy, you can spice it up with some metallic, lace and maybe a pinch of neon.
THE WRITER: NOUHAILAH
My name is Nouhaila. I'm 18 years old from the very north of Morocco, born and raised in the beautiful city
of Tangier. I have a huge passion for fashion. I can easily get lost in the mesmerizing world of fabrics, cuts
and textures. I also love to express my love for fashion through writing. I hope you enjoy my article and I
would like to know your humble opinion. Catch me up on Instagram.
@nouhailah
24

—————— Fashion ——————
You probably walked into a Pandora, or
Swarovski and always found signifiers of the
Christian and Jewish faiths, like the Cross and
the Star of David, but you rarely find an option
available for the Muslim faith...
25

W
e realized that there is a big
gap in the market place. The
market lacked jewelry that
gave the Muslim and the Middle Eastern
community the opportunity to visually
represent themselves. That is how Azha
was born.
Azha was created by our Founder and
Designer Rawaa Bakhsh, who is a third
generation jeweler (both her father and
grandfather were pronoun jewelers in
Mecca and Jeddah/ Saudi Arabia).
Azha brings Arabic heritage, faith, and
unique cultures to your contemporary
lifestyle. At Azha, we work to inspire
individuals to fashionably display their
identities in a modern form. Currently,
we sell curated jewelry that are modern
yet Middle Eastern cultured.
One of our most successful lines, the
Visual Verses, was based on a two year
research process (Rawaa’s MFA thesis),
which slowly translated into a jewelry
collection. Visual verses line is created
from a soundwave of certain verses in
Arabic that can be referenced by anyone
and in any faith for example our
“alhamdullilah” necklace which means
Thank God.
She believed that the research was too
precious to stay in written form and that
individuals should have the opportunity
to have small prayers close to their
hearts without worrying about being
judged from others. Our necklaces are
eye-catching and spark curiosity which
make them great conversation starters.
We currently have two lines: Visual
Verses and Timeless Culture.
26

Visual verses is a line that transforms
the form of spirit, to the spirit of form.
Inspired by holy Islamic scriptures from
the “Quran” and visually represented
through sound waves. Visual verses are
then able to encapsulate the spirituality
through the process of visual translation.
We then carve the generated sound
waves of the prayers and verses into
timeless 18K gold, rose gold and silver
pieces of jewelry that allow individuals
to have a constant reminder laying
around their neck wherever they are.
The soundwave allows the wearer to
wear it without worrying about what
others are thinking. Only they will know
what it means. At the same time, it is a
great conversation starter. This line
currently has 3 pieces with a new piece
coming out soon.
Alhamdullilah
We all have something to be thankful
for whether it’s an amazing partner,
a loving family, or being alive. Our
Alhamdulliah necklace, which means
thank you God, is one of our most
sought after pieces.
This soundwave makes a clear
connection to your feelings of gratitude
and content without others knowing
what it says. Just seeing it on your neck
reminds you of all the small things that
you can be thankful for.
27

Allah
Imagine having a piece that resonates
so deeply with your beliefs. The sound
wave of the word "Allah", which means
God in Arabic, is a constant reminder
that no matter where you are or what
you are doing, God will always be there.
This necklace makes a clear connection
to your faith without others knowing
what it actually says. It is unique and
universal which also makes it a great
conversation starter.
Bismillah
Before going on a new adventure, or
starting a new chapter in your life, take
a moment to appreciate everything that
brought you to this moment by saying
bismillah. The soundwave of Bismillah,
which means in the name of God in
Arabic, visualizes new beginnings.
In the name of God, you do what you
believe in your heart is true. So take
charge of your destiny, say bismillah,
and venture forward.
28

29
Timeless Culture, is a line of
cultural icons that represent ones
complex and cultural background.
They are simple objects that might
trigger connections to where
people lived, their history,
backgrounds, or roots. Through
this collection, we give the
opportunity for individuals to see
the beauty behind classical pieces
that have been in this world for
almost a thousand years. All the
pieces are available in rose gold,
gold, and silver plating.

Safar
This camel is named Safar, which means
traveler in Arabic. Safar’s name
identifies who he is, a nomad. He loves
to travel to new places, experience
adventure, and treasure the moments.
People have taken him to Suriname,
Saudi Arabia, USA, Mauritius, and
Canada. But he still has a lot more to
see. He aims to go around the world,
one continent at a time. He can't do it
alone, he needs the help of people like
you to help him reach his goal!
It is easy, all you have to do is take your
Safar necklace with you every time you
travel, take a photo focused on Safar,
an interesting background, and tag us
on Instagram.
Shahada
The shahada, which means "There is
no God but God and the prophet is his
messenger" is written using the Kufic
font. This necklace is based on the
Arabic geometric font called Kufic
(Alkufi in Arabic).
This font is one of the oldest calligraphic
fonts in the Arabic script. It was created
in the 7 th Century and is well known
for its geometric style. This necklace
serves as a reminder to you of your
commitment to God, your history, and
your perseverance to follow the path
you believe is right.
azha.ca
30

—————— Beauty ——————
Pack your makeup,
we’re going on holiday!
It’s time to jump on a jet and fly away, and take our makeup with us.
Now we don’t want to be taking our whole kit with us as hand luggage,
do we? So I’ve put together the makeup items I’m taking with away
with me, to achieve the dewy healthy holiday look that we are all
craving this summer! Remember the key is simplicity and glow.
Written by Naira Ghanem
31

Face - The base of any makeup look is essential from primer
to foundation. Choose products that match your makeup
routine and other makeup products that you own.
YSL Touché Éclat
Blur Primer
This has been my favourite primer for so long.
It’s a blurring and illuminating primer and
maximising skin radiance and minimises pores.
What’s so amazing about this is that it can be
worn with or without foundation and still give
you that blur effect.
32
CLARINS Skin Illusion
Natural Radiance Foundation
This is a new foundation I’ve purchased. It’s super light
and has medium coverage with a satin finish, which is
what we need for holidays. And most importantly it’s oilfree
so it’s suitable for pretty much every skin type.
Because it’s medium coverage, the blur primer is so
useful in giving you a flawless look. It has light reflecting
properties such as mineral and plant ingredients giving
you a natural radiant complexion.

Benefit Porefessional
Agent Zero Shine
This is an invisible powder I recently purchased.
It’s so useful because it comes with a built-in
brush making it easy to apply for zero shine all
day long. It’s perfect to use after your foundation
for mattifying and pore perfecting.
Revlon PhotoReady
Skin Lights
This product is so underrated. It’s
a liquid face illuminator that can
be used as a highlighter or blended
in with foundation for all round
glow. It gives a really natural
dewy look both ways.
33

Maybelline Lash
Sensational
Multiplying
Mascara
This mascara is so amazing
I have it both in the normal
and waterproof versions. Its
black is so intense and gives
you so much bouncy
volume. Most importantly
WATERPROOF!!!
Benefit Goof
Proof Pencil
This is from the new
benefit brow collection
and its one of my
favourites. The pencil
isn’t too pigmented that it
makes your brows look
like they’ve been drawn
on, but enough pigment to
fill in any gaps naturally.
It comes with an eyebrow
comb on the other side
making it super handy and
doesn’t take any space!
YSL Rouge
Volupte
Shine
This is a super sheer
coral that can be
built up so easily.
It’s not a neon coral,
its super juicy with
a slightly pink base,
which will look
perfect under the
summer sun.
NARS Satin
Lipstick
I’ve had this for so long but
completely forgot about it and
now I’ve found it, I’m not
letting go! Similarly it’s a coral
shade but more orangey and
will suit any bronzed up look
day or night. This is a satin
finish for a fuller look.
34

Eyes - Stick to sparkly shades and avoid matte shades so you get a brighter eye
look routine for the holiday. You don’t want to be carrying around several
eyeshadow palletes so it’s best to stick to a few single shadows, or maybe a
smaller pallete.
NYX Jumbo
Eye Pencils
Recently I’ve become
addicted to eyeshadow
pencils. They are so neat (no
drop off) and easy to use.
I purchased these shades 611
yoghurt, 605 strawberry milk
and 610 oyster from Nyx.
You can use them on their
own or combine them with a
soft Smokey eye using any
brown shadow.
In terms of eyeliner, I’m
personally avoiding the effort
this holiday. I’m just going to
stick to a soft black kohl
pencil blended into my
eyeshadow.
THE WRITER: NAIRA GHANEM
Hey I’m Naira, just an ordinary student with big dream! Whether its fashion, make up or
daily life, join me on my journey. Whether big or small, we can take on the world, with a
pretty face and a pretty heart.
touchofsparkle15.wordpress.com
@naira_gh
35

—————— Beauty ——————
Is it time
to throw away
your makeup?
W
hen last did you go through your make-up bag and weed out the
stuff that you have had for a really long time? You know what I
am talking about - the favourite lipstick that you can’t throw out
because you will never find the colour again or the eyeliner that is super
soft that you refuse to part with. Most of us are guilty of holding onto
something in our make-up bag that we know we should throw out.
So, why be bothered with expiry dates on make-up? After all it’s not
like you are going to eat it? To sum it up in one...bacteria.
There is a symbol on most make-up called the Period After Opening
symbol (PAO). It looks like a container with its lid open. The time period
is represented as a number of months, followed by "M" for months, so, if
the makeup is good for one year or 12 months the PAO will be 12M.
Written by Nadia Ali
36

Lipstick
1 year
In a recent interview Bobbi Brown who is the founder and CCO of Bobbi
Brown Cosmetics, said lipsticks have a shelf life of one year, after which
you should throw it away. But if you can’t remember how long you have
had your lipstick you can tell its gone bad simply by smelling it. A few
lipsticks will also be drier.
37

Eyeliner
Pencil 1 year | Gel or
Liquid 3 months
Nowadays, there is the pencil, gel and liquid
types of eyeliners. Only the pencil is typically
good for one year. Do look for any discolouration
like a white tip, which means it has started to go
bad. The liquid eyeliner may get clumpy. It is also
important to know where to line your eye – the
inside usually waters away whereas if you line the
skin just on the outside of your eye it will tend to
stay longer without causing harm to your eye.
38

Mascara
3 months
Mascara is probably the easiest
cosmetic to determine when it
has gone bad or not. It will begin
by drying up, instead of gliding
through your eyelashes it starts
tugging at them and soon it’s
pulling your upper eyelid away
from your eye revealing the
white. It will eventually deposit
lumps of mascara on your
eyelashes making them a mess.
39

Eye Shadow
12 - 18 months
The experts say always apply eye shadow with clean hands especially if
you tend to blend colours with your fingertips. Pressed powder or cream
eye shadows should only be used for one to one and a half years. Always
be careful with products that contain glitter which can fall into your eye
causing damage or an infection.
40

Foundation
Liquid 6 months | Powder 2 years
There are liquid and powder foundations. The liquid one has a much
shorter shelf life because of the oil/water content which can harbour
bacteria. The powder foundations can keep well for up to two years.
Just remember using any expired makeup on our lips, eyes, lashes, eye
lids or on your face can cause some serious problems. The chemicals in
these cosmetics accumulate germs and bacteria and can result in
infections, blotching irritation, redness and even serious eye damage.
You can ensure your make–up stays good by securing the lid tightly,
cleaning out your make-up brushes and by storing it in a cool place. Also,
when you buy new make-up write the date on it with a permanent marker
so you can keep tabs on how old it is, so your make up bag remains up-todate
with no expired cosmetics.
41

—————— Inspire ——————
Overcoming
Sadness
Written by Hanisah Maskon
42

without invitation. Days would pass
and I was not sure if I had been a part
of it. I wanted someone to ask me
what’s wrong but then again, they knew
and I wasn’t so sure I want them to ask
me one more time because that would
lead me to remember the pain and feel
it again.
Swollen. Red. Ache. Pain.
I think those 4 words would lightly
describe the immense sadness I felt
when I went through a despairingly
painful period a few years ago.
I avoided using the word “depressed” as
I was not sure then and am still not sure
now if what I went through was a phase
of depression. Then again, I am not sure
if depression is just a phase that one can
get over with easily.
What I was sure of was the pain.
I thought ‘heartache’ is just a noun that
denotes the idea of emotional pain. But
I felt it. I felt the pain and it was real.
Like a dagger that pierced through my
heart. Every time I cried, it felt as if the
dagger was further pushed in deeper and
harder. I remember running out of the
lecture hall and into the washroom
because suddenly tears would fall
43
In my mind, I knew I needed to let go.
In my heart, the pain refused to part.
For a moment, I felt as if my life was
being driven by my despair and
I functioned by setting myself on
‘autopilot’. Everyone told me to move
on; to busy myself with something
happy; to try and do something,
anything. And I wanted to but I couldn’t.
It was as if my mind was busy enough.
Every minute, and every second it was
filled with unwanted thoughts and
images. Flashbacks. Words. Wonders.
Immobilised and paralysed by my own
thoughts and emotions.
I was young but I was also aware. I do
not want to be stuck in a well of despair
and emotional agony for a prolonged
period of time. I wanted to recover and
I knew that I had to gather my strength
and distract my thoughts each time it
started to seep into the past.
During prayers, I prayed and begged for
His mercy and for Him to take the pain
away. I cried so much that exhaustion
became my lullaby each night. My
prayer mat became a platform for me

to share my feelings to the One, who as
far as I was certain, knew what I felt.
Just sitting, just believing, just by being
on my prayer mat, alone, I felt sane
and belonged.
In those moments, I felt I was loved
and I was not and had never been
alone. At the same time, I knew I had
to try and find myself again.
Slowly, I looked for a friend and I found
her. A friend who never probes but who
patiently gives. She gave me space to
wander and wonder without dictating
which path I should walk on or what
kind of thoughts that should be on my
mind. With her, I felt free. Her name
was Nature.
Being somewhere secluded and alone
with my own thoughts, I began to write.
I wrote about the anger, the bitterness,
the regret, the guilt. I wrote, day in and
day out.
Sometimes, I wrote about the same thing
again and again but it did not matter. As
long as I was thinking about it, I would
write about it.
One day, I grew tired of the “pain”. It
felt mundane and dated. I didn’t feel the
need to write it anymore because I no
longer feel anything about it. I was okay.
As I went through that agonising period,
deep inside, I have always had hope
because I know that He is always there.
What I had to do for myself then, was
to find a way to find myself. Hope was
one of the things that kept me going
because I knew, I will be alright.
Looking back, I was glad that I did not
rush myself to heal nor did I turn away
from my feelings of sadness.
Embracing it and believing that it is
okay to feel the sadness is as important
as finding ways to overcome it. So many
people who knew me see myself as
someone who is always filled with
laughter. But I too, like many, have felt
despair and lost, and it was not an
experience to be ashamed about.
In fact, emotion is what makes us
human. So talk about it. Write about it.
Express it. Your experiences and feelings
are yours and that makes you, you.
THE WRITER: HANISAH MASKON
My name is Hanisah Maskon. I’m 26 years old from Singapore. My friends describe me as random
and unpredictable. That’s probably true. I had always been fascinated by the human behavior and
mind and believe that everyone has a story to tell. I love exchanging thoughts and ideas with
people, while balancing it by seeking solitude and seclusion. And I day dream a lot too.
daedreamerr.blogspot.com
@hanisahmaskon
44

—————— Food ——————
Cajun Chicken Salad
The cajun chicken salad is smoky and deep and paired with a
yummy sour ranch dressing and avocados and griddled corn. I did
use spinach in this salad, but you could always use romaine
lettuce instead. There's one piece of cucumber in this salad picture
that really bothers me. Can you guess which one? *wink*
Written by Safira Adam
tiffinandteaofficial.com
45

Ingredients
For the Chicken
1lb chicken breast washed
1 tbsp oil
1 flat tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
For the Salad
1 avocado stoned and sliced finely
1/2 cucumber deseeded and chopped
into 2cm strips
handful of spinach leaves
1 tbsp gherkins
1 tbsp pickled jalapeños
2 tbsp corn
For the Avocado dressing
Juice of half lime
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
pinch of salt and black pepper
For the Dressing
115g sour cream sauce
115g mayonnaise
120 ml milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 tsp chives
1/2 tsp black pepper
46

Method
Marinade the chicken in all the
ingredients listed.
Add the oil to a nonstick pan and add
the chicken.
Cook over a medium heat for about
10 minutes.
Flip the chicken over and cook for
a further ten minutes.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes and cut
into strips.
Combine all the salad ingredients in
a bowl, apart from the avocado and
corn.
In a small nonstick griddle pan, heat
the corn for 3-4 minutes.
Whisk together the ingredients for the
dressing and set aside.
Assemble
In a small plate arrange the avocado
and top with the avocado dressing.
Add the remaining salad ingredients
next to the avocado.
Add the cooked chicken.
Top with the dressing.
47

48
—————— Film ——————

W
e’ve all been there. Life
throws you hardballs and it
all seems bleak. As the
imperfect human beings that we are
made to be, instinctively we wallow in
self-pity and denial.
But for us Muslims, we learn to ‘redha’,
to submit our fate to Allah. There’s
always a reason why certain fate befalls
us. These are Allah’s tests as they say.
And that is the premise of the film
Redha – a Malaysian film directed by
Tunku Mona, which has won
international accolades and has made
waves in the Philippines and Taiwan,
just to name a few. Our team had the
privilege of attending the Gala Premier
on 26 th July 2016.
Redha, a film about a little boy
diagnosed with Autism and how his
parents face this hard reality, is inspired
by true events and sheds light on Autism
as a condition and everything that it
affects - the struggles of parents raising
the child, the judgement they face from
the outside world and ultimately the
beauty of God’s mercy.
Autism is a condition that needs requires
more awareness. Personally I’ve had
my share of experience with Autism and
autistic children. Firstly it is not an easy
feat to raise such a special child but
more often than not the bigger challenge
is facing and overcoming the stigma
and judgement that the outside world
inflicts on you. Let’s think about this
for a minute. When we witness a child
“misbehaving” in public, it is really easy
to point the finger at the parents and
conclude that the behavior is a result of
bad parenting. But are we really certain
that’s the case?
Autistic children may look normal on
the surface but they behave differently.
It is difficult for autistic children to
focus and grasp what we consider
normal or simple. This doesn’t make
them any lesser than other children.
They are just different. Unique.
The film opens our eyes and hearts to
these differences, to the struggles of
the parents, to the judgement of the
outside world, and ultimately it teaches
us to love...
Tap to watch the trailer below.
/RedhaMovie
49

—————— Gadget ——————
Launch of The
Halal Dining Club App
Muslim female entrepreneur launches new App in Singapore and UK,
on the back of growing Muslim spend on halal dining.
Written by Saddika Jaffer
halaldiningclub.com
50

T
he Halal Dining Club has
launched a new App to make
dining Halal easy and rewarding.
The App, launched on the 8th of July in
Singapore and London simultaneously,
is free to download from the Apple
App Store.
The App targets the large, fast growing
and relatively underserved global halal
food market, which is set to be worth
US$2.6 trillion by 2020. Siddika
explains, “You would think finding
a place to dine out would be easy, but
for the 427 million Muslims living in
non-Muslim countries it is not. Our
research shows that Halal diners
typically have to spend up to 90 minutes
to find and book a suitable place, and
this involves trawling multiple websites,
blog and reviews; messaging friends and
calling the restaurant itself”. In their beta
launch, users of The Halal Dining Club
app were impressed by the convenience
and usefulness of the app. One user, Mr
Riaz Valji from London commented,
“I found myself in a new part of London
on the weekend and I used the app to
find somewhere near me, booked the
restaurant directly from the app and had
a great dining experience at a halal steak
place instead of being stuck with the
usual vegetarian option.”
On the rationale behind launching in
the UK and Singapore as first markets,
Siddika Jaffer explained, “The halal
dining out markets in Singapore and the
UK are worth US$1.2 billion and US$
3.7 billion respectively.
51

These markets are characterized by
a Muslim population that loves dining
out and a high number of inbound
Muslim tourists from Indonesia and
Malaysia into Singapore and from the
GCC countries into the UK.”
Halal tourism is on the rise anticipated
to hit $200 billion in spend by 2020
and a report published in April 2016
commissioned by Amadeus, a leading
technology solution provider for the
global travel industry, revealed that
limited dining options are an issue for
halal travellers.
Indeed whilst lots of halal travel sites
such as Halalbooking.com offer holidays
in countries such as Turkey, UAE and
Indonesia, The Halal Dining Club sees
the real opportunity in allowing halal
travellers explore non-Muslim majority
countries where halal options exist but
may be harder to find.
Another Halal Dining Club App user,
Sufian Shafi, an IT professional required
to travel frequently for his work at
a large bank said, “It can be really
challenging to find halal options when
you travel to a new country for work.
You also want to know that you’re going
somewhere that is good to eat, not just
anywhere that may be halal.”
Restaurants serving Halal food also
have a significant challenge. According
to an info-graphic produced by mobile
payment summit CONNECT 2014,
83% of smart phone users search for
restaurants on their phone, but only 16%
of restaurants have a mobile presence.
The App aims to make restaurants
visible and enable Halal diners to
discover, book, review and earn
rewards in one place.
An exclusive partnership with Quandoo,
the fastest growing online restaurant
reservation service globally also holding
the number one position in Singapore,
will secure an early revenue stream
through in-App restaurant bookings.
Recent fears around slowing economic
growth in Singapore and Brexit in the
UK mean that restaurants may come
under increasing pressure.
In the UK, the weakening currency
means the increase in the cost of
imported halal meats such as New
Zealand lamb will put a pinch on the
already tight margins restaurants
operate on.
The Halal Dining Club offers a helping
hand to restaurants by making their
limited marketing budgets work harder
through the use of digital marketing
services and analytics to help
restaurants continue to bring
in new customers and
retain them.
52

Furthermore, the halal diner is
increasingly being recognized as one
of the few fast growing segments in
otherwise mature markets.
MUIS, the halal certifying body in
Singapore, reported a 5-fold increase in
halal certified premises between 2000
and 2014 despite only 15% of its
population being Muslim.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
places Singapore as one of 15 countries
that has a Muslim population with the
highest purchasing power.
“We already have over 8300 loyal
Facebook fans who are eager to get their
hands on the App, a database of over
1300 Halal restaurants and high profile
investors lined up.” explains Siddika,
whose start-up was incubated by
Singapore Management University,
“we’ve recently seen a spike in requests
for recommendations for places to eat
post Eid, so we thought this was
a perfect time of year to launch.”
About The Halal Dining Club
The Halal Dining Club is a one-stop
solution for Halal diners that enable
them to discover, book and review
restaurants, while earning rewards,
all in one simple App. Founded in May
2015 by Siddika Jaffer, the App has
been be launched in Singapore and
UK simultaneously.
53

—————— Work ——————
Pink Is The
New Drug
Written by Shuhada Alauddin
Y
es...Pink is an American singer,
songwriter, dancer and actress
who is very much well known for her
real and I-don’t-give-a-fudge songs.
But...that’s not the PINK we’re talking
about today (hehe…got you there for a
bit, didn’t I?) No, I’m talking about the
colour PINK.
Let’s do a quick test here: what came to
mind when you think of pink? For me
(other than the celebrity) I instantly
think of love. I bet a lot of you will see
it more or less the same way. How do
I know this? Simply because pink is
a colour that has qualities which signify
unconditional love.
For example, in terms of Colour
Personality; someone whose personality
colour is pink is someone who can give
a lot of love, care and attention to their
partner (So those Valentine’s marketing
campaigns that use loads of pink is very
much on point!).
But don’t even think for a moment that
because it’s a colour of love, that makes
it a mellow colour. Pink is actually very
powerful, in fact so powerful that it can
weaken the strongest of men.
An experiment was once conducted on
a body builder where he was exposed
to the colour pink, and it was discovered
that (drum roll) his capability to lift
weights was tremendously reduced.
Due to that and several other
experiments done on the effects of
pink, the colour has been labeled as
“natural anesthesia”.
54

So, you’re thinking…okay great facts
sharing, Shuhada, but how does that
help me with my career or work (seeing
that this is a work column right)?
Here are my 3 suggestions on how you
can make use of the colour to work in
your favour:
Use pink to create a sense of wellbeing,
comfort and understated power
at work;
If you have to deal with difficult
clients or colleagues or superiors:
try using pink to get them to be more
amicable and agreeable with your
ideas or propositions because it subtly
conveys well-being yet strong enough
to be persuasive;
Wearing or having pink within the
space of someone can help them
understand others around them better
and creates empathy; this can help
pave the way for better
communication between friends,
colleagues and peers.
55

I hope this helps you see the versatility
of pink (well at least for those who are
not in favour of the colour). Do bear in
mind that all colours need to be used
moderately because no matter how much
positive effects a colour can make, too
much of a particular colour can also
create a negative impact. (so puhleeezzz
don’t start making plans to decorate
your entire work space in pink!)
You know I would love to hear your
thoughts on this after you’ve read it.
So please do share with me your
thoughts via my instagram
@shuhadaalauddin or @myryl_official.
Or should you have any questions on
the subject matter, you can also reach
me at ask.us@myrylpoint.net.
THE WRITER: SHUHADA ALAUDDIN
Shuhada Alauddin is a coach, consultant, speaker & writer at myryl.net where her forte is Personality Development, Colour
Therapy & Behavioral Analysis. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, The Star, The Star Online, Her World,
Cosmopolitan Malaysia, Marie Claire, Bella NTV7, The Breakfast Show NTV7 and many others. On top of that she has her
own TV shows and segments with the local broadcasting stations where she shares on her expertise. She is also the creator of
“Colours & Career: I Love The Donut; But What Else Is New” training program; to help those who would like to make a
career change, start a business or is simply looking for the perfect career path using her colour expertise.
myryl.net
@myryl_official
56

—————— Travel ——————
HALAL EATS IN HONG KONG
You know what makes us really happy? Having authentic halal local food in
Hong Kong! That includes dim sum, roast duck…Unfortunately, it’s impossible
to head to Islamic centre canteen for every single meal so we’ve compiled a
guide to halal-certified food in Hong Kong!
Written & Photos by
Have Halal Will Travel
havehalalwilltravel.com
57

No visit to Hong Kong is complete
without having a dim sum feast and the
good news is you can try authentic halal
dim sum! At Islamic Centre Canteen,
you’ll find almost every type of dim
sum available.
Opening Hours:
Breakfast & Lunch (Halal Dim Sum):
10am to 3pm,
Dinner (Halal Cantonese Dishes):
6pm to 9pm
Address:
5th floor, Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic
Centre, 40 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai,
Hong Kong
Get ready to feast on Siu Mai, Har Gow,
Xiao Long Pao, Steamed Glutinous Rice
with Chicken in Lotus Leaf and so
much more!
Although it’s a little confusing to walk
from the MTR, we promise it’s worth it.
Do not, we repeat, do not, leave Hong
Kong without trying this!
58

Islam
Food
If you have to pick only one dish at Islam Food, let
it be the veal goulash. So crispy and juicy, you’ll be
wanting more! But do be careful as you take your
first bite, the stew is hot and it may squirt. Other
local dishes we would recommend include the
chicken with sesame sauce and beef dumplings.
#HHWT tip: It’s best to visit Islam Food with your
friends and family so that you can try a wider range
of dishes! Also, if you dislike crowded eateries,
try to avoid the 12 to 2pm peak period during lunch.
Outlet 1 Address:
G/F, No. 1 Lung Kong Rd,
Kowloon City, Kowloon –
Next to Chow Sang Sang
Securities
Opening Hours: 11am
to 11pm
Outlet 2 Address:
G/F, No. 33-35 Tak Ku
Ling Rd, Kowloon City,
Kowloon
Opening hours: 11am
to 11pm
59

Address:
No 5, Cooked Food
Centre, 1 st Floor,
Bowrington Road
Market, Wanchai,
Hong Kong (Inside
a food centre)
Opening Hours: 10am
to 6pm
Wai Kee
Wai Kee has one of the best duck rice in Hong Kong. The best part? It’s halal!
Imagine brown crispy skin and tender duck meat...The flavor and aroma of the roast
duck is something you’ll never forget. How we wish we could have this right now!
If there’s still room in your tummy after, do try their lamb curry, it’s superb!
Address: Shop A,
21-25 Cheung Sha Wan
Road, Kowloon,
Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
11.30am to 11pm
Ma’s Restaurant
Beef goulash. You’ll find this on every diner’s table in Ma’s Restaurant. As you sink
your teeth into this fried-to-perfection pastry, get ready for super juicy minced
beef and steaming flavorful soup to fill your mouth. Need we say more?
60

Explorer’s Club
Restaurant
Take your pick from four
different cuisines at
Explorer’s Club Restaurant –
Indonesian, Japanese,
Korean and Southeast Asian!
You get to enjoy your meal
at any of the 5 elaborate
themed rooms and...You get
to satisfy your ginseng
chicken soup craving.
Address:
Mystic Point, Hong Kong
Disneyland
Tahitian
Terrace
Expect to have Asian cuisine as
well at this casual eatery! You’ll
find everything from laksa to Thai
chicken curry with Rendang beef
to vegetarian options on the menu.
Address:
Adventureland,
Hong Kong Disneyland
61

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