Wednesday 21 June 2017

[Review]: Khyber Namkeen Restaurant

I love to try out new cuisines so when I was invited to try out the Pashtun/Afghan cuisine aka shinwari food by a new eatery called Khyber Namkeen Resturant I was excited about the whole experience.


Situated in F-11 markaz the Resturant is a cozy little place which has setting to house customers inside as well as outside( personal opinion: Shinwari is enjoyed best when sitting out breathing in the fresh air). The decor is nothing special to write about but its the food which is promising and great


According to the owner of the restaurant Mrs Tahir ( A lady of cheerful disposition) the Resturant has been functional since last december.  And all the Shinwari dishes are prepared by Pashtun cooks.
Afghan / Pashtun have a very carnivorous diet so meat (specially red meat) is chief ingredient of most of the dishes

We ( my fellow bloggers and I)  were served 4 dishes to try out
Here is my take on each dish

Chicken tikka

The chicken was juicy and tender. The spices were added in moderation. The taste seeped deep so every bite was delicious. they were served with raita


Lamb tikka


This was a bit salty for my my taste but this is how it should be. This was grilled over charcoal so it had the signature smoky barbeque flavour.
Moving on  there was mutton karhai served with naan. the  meat was soft and chewy and the curry tasted good too.


Saving the best for the last is Kabli Pulao. This is basically a jazzed up version of desi pulao haha just kidding, this is riced cooked in broth which is then mixed in with carrots, raisins and lamb giving it a very distinct sweet and salty taste ( that's like the best of the two worlds for your taste buds).the rice grains were separate and steamed to perfection the carrots very crunchy and the meat was shredded into long pieces


What I liked best about this Resturant was that all the ingredients used to prepare dishes were fresh.
This resturant also serves desi dishes (daal makhni a local favourite) and have the regular fast food listed in their menu as well. The dessert corner is a bit lacking but then who can say no to good old gajjar ka halwa or kheer ?


If you happen to visit Islamabad or live in Islamabad and are looking for something new to try I recommends you to pay a visit to Khyber Namkeen Resturant I promise you wont regret it. And if you are a lazy bum like me just pick up your phone and have the food delivered to your doorstep as they offer delivery service to many sectors in Islamabad. Plus they are also available at Foodpanda pakistan
Happy dining!!!!
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Saturday 17 June 2017

Masarrat Misbah Makeup New MMSummerPop lipvarnish in Viola and Iconic Woman review


Nothing is more exciting than getting hold makeup the day it is launched. (These beautiful lipsticks which were sent to me courtesy Masarrat Misbah Makeup )



 The two vibrant and bold
Lip varnishes launched are MMOrange and Viola. From what I have heard the formula of these lipsticks is reformulated so its better Tha the previous one. I will be sharing my views on the new lip varnish Viola and the old lip varnish in shade  Iconic women


Price :750PKR
Quantity: whopping 5gms average lipsticks have 3.2-3.8 gms
Packaging:
These lipsticks are cased in such beautiful gold and matte black tube. The plastic packaging is sturdy and looks so luxurious Just like high end makeup
About the lip varnishes

Viola


Out of the two lipsticks Viola is my favourite. I don't own a shade like this in my lipstick collection. It is a beautiful cool toned purple lipstick with pink undertones. The shade looks flattering on both fair and dusky skin. In terms of pigmentation this gives  maximum color payoff on one swipe. The texture of lipvarnish is creamy and light. Even though its a matte lipstick it glides smoothly on the lips.most of the matte lipsticks I have tried out in the past dry out my lips like crazy but this kept my lips hydrated for some hours. Unlike the old formula these have very faint scent.


 Iconic woman


Iconic women is a lip varnish from the previous formulas. I have noticed that old version had fruity scent to it( B.t.w I like the fruity scent) and the formula is a bit sheer and drying . The color of this lipstick is quite unique. The shade Is midway between orange and red. This shade is vibrant too and suitable for summer


The staying power of these lip varnishes is good. These stay on the lips for some time and leave with a slight stain on the lips. They do transfer a little when eating or drinking. I think for the price these lipsticks have amazing quality and quantity too. It takes about four months of constant use to use up a 3.2 gms of lipstick imagine how long these 5gm lipsticks are going to last even if you used these everyday
You can order you lip varnish to make your summers and Eid extra special this year

Currently Viola is available for pre orders at Masarrat Misbah Makeup online while Iconic Woman can be purchased at the official store as well as Daraz , Masarrat Misbah makeup counters and Depilex

Massarat Misbah Makeup is a Halal Makeup brand owned by the beautiful beautician sans philanthropist Massarat Misbah
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Saturday 10 June 2017

Welcos Jeju Natural Aloe and Canola honey mask review

I received these masks on my mail a few days back and after trying them out I am posting my verdict. I decided to share one mask with my sister so she choose the aloe one while I went for the canola honey.
For reference my sister and I both have oily skin


Unlike most of the masks I have tried out in the past. The comes in a relatively small packaging. The packing is bright and cheerful
These masks contain 20ml of product which is less compared to other mask but that's ok as less serum means less mess. These make are not  scented. The scent is mild and refreshing. The fit of the mask is good not too big nor too small. These is also flap to cover the nose area



The Canola honey has nice scent the serum is not sticky . It absorbs easily into the skin. One thing which I notices using this was it sting slightly more like an itch . Which I weird because I haven't Experienced. anything  like this sort ever in my past. I let this mask sit on my face for 20 mins and then patted the left over serum onto my face. This made my skin soft and hydrated. The effect lasted for a couple of hours



As for the aloe. My sister enjoyed this a lot.it was her first Time trying out a sheet mask. She has a bit of redness and pimples going on her cheeks and chin so this mask did calmed her skin down and felt soothing. According to her, she noticed that there was less redness and her skin felt moisturized. Unlike the canola honey mask she didn't Experience itching
I thinks these masks are good for the value ser long-lasting results one must use them continuously for weeks to see results
These masks are available at skin18 fir purchase
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Friday 9 June 2017

Nature republic aloe cleansing gel cream

Hello
My skin has thankful gone back to normal and luckily the scars have reduced considerably. So I am now back to. Using cleansers which reduce oil production. One of the products which is still a part of my skincare routine is this gel cleanser by nature republic. If you look through my cabinet you might be very amused to see the number of cleansers/makeup removers I currently own Its insane .I think I don't have to buy another cleanser for next two years now 😊




Back to the review, I purchased this cleanser from the skinmaskaurade exhibition. I feel like kicking myself now for not purchasing more things from the exhibition( major regrets) this cleanser comes in a mint green squeezable tube which holds about 150ml of product inside. The nozzle was sealed when I purchased this. This has a green cap which does not close properly.( I think I got one with faulty lid)


Now onto the real deal which is inside the tube. Nature republic markets this product as a makeup remover which hydrates and moisturizes skin. When I removed the seal I was met with a very pleasant fresh scent of the cleanser. On squeezing the tube gel came out . The gel is clear and has a watery feel to it. It doesn't lather up at all and has a bitter taste to it. After using this the scent remained on my face for sometime.
 Now Nature republic recommends to massage this gel  onto the face to remove makeup and impurities and then wipe it off with a tissue and then follow it with a foam cleanser. I improvised on the instructions a bit and after massaging this on my face I removed it with water. Here's what I noticed this didn't completely remove my makeup. The base makeup was definitely gone but traces of eyeliner, mascara and liquid lipstick were still there for reference I use non water proof mascara.


Since makeup removing properties are not on par with my Garnier and Bioderma Micellar water I have decided to use this as a regular face wash and I am very pleased to tell you guys that this has helped my skin so much. It removes the oil from my face so well moreover my sebaceous glands have started behaving themselves. This does hydrate and moisture the skin unlike many of face washes I have tried in the past this does not leaves my skin overly dry and flaky.



As a makeup cleanser this product has some deficiencies but as a face wash / face cleanser I think this is a good product
This retails for 6$ on nature republic's official website and can be purchased in Pakistan for about 900 Pkr.
Have you tried anything by nature republic? Would you recommend any product by this brand to me??
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Tuesday 30 May 2017

Haul post

salam


I have been a smart shopper lately so every time I go out I think twice when purchasing something. And I am happy to report that for the past couple of months I haven't bought any makeup/skincare item on a whim.


Since I am a contact lens user I switched from optiplus contact lens cleaner to Renu contact lens cleaning solution lets see how this works for both my eyes and contact lens
After trying out the bioderma sensibio h2o micellar water I have been quite curious about the performance of garnier micellar water so I bought a small bottle of it to test out. I will post a detailed review on it soon also I might do a comparison post on the two.
Moving on I bought another cleanser from the skin maskeurade exhibition. First impressions: This smells so good . I also got some samples so lets see if I like them or not


I also purchased Maybelline baby lips lip balm a staple for every purse. And since summer is here I picked out a fun green colored nail enamel . And a pen eyeliner. Some nail enamel removing pads and the color changing lip oil. Rhinestone Bobby pins and a garnier sample size face wash that I got with a purchase of a hair dye .
That's all guys. Are you a smart shopper or do you purchase things on a whim. Do let me know in comments section down below
Virtual hugs
Farya
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Wednesday 24 May 2017

My current skincare 2017

Hello
The holy month of Ramadan is almost here and I am so excited 😃. Even though it has been over a month since i got measles my skin has not come back to its normal pattern. So my there has been some major changes skincare routine to deal with the dry flaky skin.

Before I share the products with you guys here is a request. If you haven't got measles as of yet please get vaccinated because trust me adult measles are more severe than childhood measles. The disease is very exhausting and takes a very long time to recover. The sign and symptoms are severe and more pronounced. And the measles scar take a long time to disappear so just save your self from all the trouble and get vaccinated. As vaccination gives life long protection
Ok back to the original post. I will start of with cleanser first. My skin is normally oily. So I use cleanser which reduce oil production and combat acne but as my skin is now very dry I have switched to a hydrating cleanser by nature republic. Now this is basically a cleanser to remove makeup but honestly jt was not doing a good job at removing makeup so now I use this as a face wash. This aloe cleanser leaves the skin soft and moisturized.


Moving on to makeup removers i like to switch between bioderma sensibio H2O micellar water and the Garnier micellar water. Both are gentle on the skin and remove makeup without much effort.
To achieve smooth, flake free skin I use a very mild and gentle green tea scrub by ST.Ives. This is has such fine round granules which are non abrasive and very gentle on the skin. Plus the exfoliate the skin quite thoroughly.
For moisturizer I like to use oriflame tea tree moisturizer during day time and at night I use some thing more hydrating so stelatopia cream by mustella is my choice. Both moisturize the skin well without leaving an oily film.




Even though my skin is dry I like to wear a mud mask once every week, currently i am using the one by freemans ( oatmeal and avocado version)
 
I like to spritz my face with rose water during the day. This makes my face look dewy and fresh.
Lastly I am enjoying the scent of Maybelline baby lips lip balm in berry crush. This unfortunately doesn't leave a tint on the lips but does keeps my lips soft and smooth
That's all for my current routine. Would you recommend any skincare product I should try out?
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Thursday 18 May 2017

BioDerma SensioBio H2O Micellar water for sensitive skin review



I am a hygiene freak you can confirm this by asking my classmates . So when it comes to cleaning whether its a surface or my face I like to be very thorough. For reference
I wear makeup 6 days a week for about 6hrs/day . Special occasions (party/events are exception)


 micellar water has been around for a fairly long time and the Bioderma Micellar water is the pioneer of all micellar waters(they came up with the whole concept) micellar water actually contains minute micelles of oil which when combined with water removes stubborn makeup


As you can see the packaging is quite simple. It a transparent plastic bottle which has a pink very secure cap. This micellar water comes in 100ml travel friendly bottle one medium bottle of 250ml and a big bottle of 400ml
Product is inside is clear and transparent just like water upon shaking some bubbles a re formed. This is scent free which makes it ideal for sensitive skin

Bioderma claims that this has the ph exactly same as that of our skin which is 5.5 (acidic). Which means that it does not disturbs the normal flora of the skin nor does it makes the skin overly dry or oily. It also retains the moisture of the skin and is very gently

My thought: I soak a round cotton makeup remover pad with the water micellar water and which the gentlest pressure remove makeup from my eyes and face. What I have noticed is that it easily removes makeup without much effort or tugging. Moreover I don't have to go over the same spot on my face several times. I easily breaks down foundation, mascara,eyeliner and matte lipstick. Though micellar water does not requires one to rinse water after use I do so just to be extra extra thorough


Ever since I have started using this I have noticed that I have less open comedones . Moreover my pimples have reduced considerable. Also my eyelashes look healthy and full ( no tugging means less eyelash fall)
This micellar water is really very gentle on the skin and my oily skin is behave a lot better with this makeup cleanser

Even though the price tag is a bit steep I am going to continue purchasing bioderma micellar water until I find some thing which works better or similar to this micellar water(I highly doubt that )
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Thursday 11 May 2017

Beauty Friends II essence mask sheet pack Royal Jelly

Hello
I am back with  a sheet mask review . I was sent this mask in exchange for an honest review so after using this mask here is what I think of it.


I got measles a few weeks back and ever since that incident my skin has numerous scars, and is now dry, patchy and flaky. So to tame the dryness I often slather on a lot of moisturizer on my face to keep it hydrated and make my makeup look smooth and flawless
The chief ingredient of Beauty Friends II mask is royal jelly
Now Royal jelly has a  lot of medicinal and skin benefiting properties. It heals the skin, hydrates and moisturizes it. It even fights tumours. Cool right !!!
Quantity: 23 g of serum

This mask is packed in a very vibrant packing. It's travel friendly and secure to keep the mask safe. The instructions written at the back are unfortunately written in Korean but there is an illustrated tutorial/guide for directions.
Upon opening the mask I was greeted with mild sweet scent. Now I don't mind scented products as long as they don't smell if they don't have the weird metallic scent. So this smell very nice to me.  I pulled out the mask which thankfully had adequate serum but was not dripping. And unfolded it. Them I placed it on my clean, washed face( I cleansed my face before applying the sheet mask so that the serum of the mask absorbed better) unlike the Foodaholic 3D mask, this fit my face shape quite nicely. The material of the sheet mask was soft and non scratchy. I leaned back on the couch with the mask on and after 30 minutes I removed it. I patted my face amd neck with remaining serum.


Here is what I noticed my face looked plump. The scars looked less flaky. My skin felt hydrated and smooth. More importantly my makeup went on so easily on my face. I didn't had to spent extra time trying to blend the foundation and make it look even . The effect of the sheet mask lasted for one day only unfortunately because the next day my skin was back to it horrible self again. But I guess this has something to do with post measles skin. This mask is pretty good and is the price is very budget friendly. Skin18.com currently has this mask and a lot of other sheet masks on sale right now. So girls go and grab them before the stock runs out .
you can purchase this mask here

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Sunday 7 May 2017

The skin maskeurade exhibition


Hello




Its so hard to find original Korean/Japanese makeup and skin care in Pakistan. And even if you luckily do locate an online store the prices are exorbitant. Recently an online store called "The SkinMaskeurade" held an exhibition at Chaye Khana Islamabad to introduce the Korean and Japanese skincare to the masses.


When I arrived at Chaye Khana I was directed to a the exhibition room where I was greeted warmly by the organizers and the people working behind the online store. The place was decorated with a lots of flowers and fairy lights. All the skincare products where sorted out on the bases of skin types which made it super easy to locate the products. There weren't many makeup products to choose from but skincare section was well stocked. All the cult favourite and popular brands and products were there. The prices in my opinion were a bit high but then I think this can be justified if you add the custom duty, shipping cost and the profit.




  The owner Ms Faiza and her team were well prepared and had knowledge about all the products showcased at the exhibition. They guided everyone on choosing products. After looking around and taking a lot of pictures. I picked out an aloe cleanser by nature republic. Two free samples were added to my purchase
I had a lot of fun at the exhibition. Besides I got an idea about the products bottle size so that next time when I place an order I wont be disappointed.






I am so glad that Korean makeup and  skincare products have finally made it to the pakistani shores
Best of luck team "The SkinMaskeurade

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Tuesday 2 May 2017

Essence The False Lashes Mascara Dramatic volume unlimited


I have been longing to try the innisfree microcara mascara for a very long time  but its not easy to find original Korean makeup products in Pakistan so while I am still searching around for a suitable online store which ships Korean makeup and skincare products to Pakistan with a pocket friendly shipping I bought this essence mascara on a whim and luckily it has a very slim long brush



The mascara tube is very colorful and long and has a secure black cap. The mascara wand has a slim conical brush which is tapered at one end

The mascara has dry dry formula so it makes the lashes thick on one swipe. The tapered conical shape helps to reach the lashes on the inner corner of the eye with ease. Also the brush reduces smudging.


I also noticed how incredibly easy it was to apply mascara to my bottom lashes with this mascara. This mascara is not waterproof which is what I like because waterproof  formulas can be such a pain to remove.


 this  mascara flaked slightly after 3hrs but it was not so noticeable or messy. I didnt experience any lash hair fall or irritation after using this. The formula is very gentle on the eyes and removes easily with soap and water.
It held the curl on my eyelashes well. This mascara is definitely buildable . I applied 3-4 coats on my eyelashes and they didn't clump or look spidery at all.



You can easily  have the false lash effect with this mascara as it gives tons of volume and length to the eye lashes
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