Earrings haul from the 2011 Eid-ul-Fitr Festival in Mississauga

Earrings haul from the 2011 Eid-ul-Fitr Festival in Mississauga

Those who are familiar with the 2 Eids will probably wonder why I'm doing an Eid-ul-Fitr haul post when Eid-al-Adha is in 3 days. There's a reason to this madness, I promise.

I wanted to post about this earrings haul earlier, but I thought I'd save this post for now because I wanted to share my experience at the first Eid festival (or what many desi's call the chaand raat mela) I visited in Canada.

Yeah... I've lived in Canada for 10 years & finally decided to visit one of these festivals/mela's. I didn't have many expectations going in because desi (South Asian) clothes & accessories are overpriced in North America.

I was in a horrible mood on the drive there (the whole 1 & a half hours), but I was all smiles within 10 minutes of browsing around in the festival/mela. Not only did the stalls have an amazing collection of big earrings & jhumkas, but they were SO reasonable (as compared to regular store prices in Canada anyway).

By the way, examples of jhumka's are the pink & blue earrings in this post.

When I say reasonable, I mean I got all 3 earrings in this post for under $40. That's a bargain considering that the gorgeous blue jhumka's in the pic below alone would easily cost $50+ in a store in Canada. That seems pricey but the blue jhumka's are huge (compare them to the size of my finger).

It's true that these are much cheaper in certain areas of Pakistan &/or India, but you need to know those areas. I went to Dubai, U.A.E & a few other cities in India in the summer of 2010, but I didn't find earrings like these.

The people who set up stalls at the Eid festivals here own small businesses and get beautiful earrings from all over & they have so much variety!

Besides jewelry there were desi outfits (a lot of variety in the latest Pakistani styles), clutches, shoes, & an area where you could get henna applied. I was so mesmerized by the huge earrings that I didn't really pay much attention to the clothes & clutches.

I definitely enjoyed the Eid festival & it was worth visiting it. If you want to check out the upcoming 2011 Eid-al-Adha festival/chaand raat mela in Mississauga on November 4th, 5th, & 6th, check out their flyer above.

I had gone to the 2011 Eid-ul-Fitr festival/chaand raat mela at Maple Banquet Hall early in the evening. I highly suggest that you go earlier on in the day once the festival/mela starts. That way you will avoid the night rush since the banquet hall (after the stalls are set up) isn't that big & I've heard it gets extremely crowded at night.

Let me know if you've visited any of these Eid festivals/melas in your area & whether you think it's worth visiting them.

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Review: BornPrettyStore.com false eyelashes 40

Review: BornPrettyStore.com false eyelashes 40

I was sent a box of 10 pairs of eyelashes (same style) by BornPrettyStore.com to review. Having used different styles of eyelashes in the past, I knew I would love these eyelashes as soon as I opened the box. Did I love them as much as I thought I would? Keep on reading to find out!

Since all 10 pairs come in one box, the band of the falsies is extended (as shown up close in the picture below) on both sides & inserted into holes. Before applying the falsies you will have to cut off the extended band, which means that you wont be able to insert the band back in the holes & store the falsies that way if you want to reuse them.

Item ID: 40

Price: $4.23 for a box of 10

Buy it here

Pros:

• The box comes with a "window" so you can easily see what style of lashes they are.

• Easy to apply even for beginners.

• Give you a nice amount of volume & length without looking over-the-top even though the lashes are thick.

• Blend in well with your natural lashes.

Cons:

• The corner was cut off of 1 of the lashes (see the picture on the right above). You could always cut the pair of lashes & use them as outer half lashes I guess, but if you're purchasing 10 pairs of lashes, you expect 10 full pairs of lashes.

• The website lists the falsies by item #, but the falsies style # on the box does not match the item #. This can be a problem if you bought a box of eyelashes previously & want to buy the same style again but don't remember the item #.

• This style of falsies did not match the picture provided on the website! I liked the falsies better in person than the picture that is advertised on their website, but obviously this is a huge disadvantage when you're ordering things online because what you see is NOT what you'll get!

• Their pricing chart can be a bit confusing for some people. What it says is that if you buy 1 or 2 boxes, you will be paying $4.23 per box; however, if you buy 3 or 4 boxes, you will be paying $3.97 per box, & so on.

• Not suitable for everyday wear.

Bare in mind that my opinion of these falsies is based on how I felt after wearing these falsies in terms of comfort & the way the falsies looked on me based on my eye & face shape.

Check out BornPrettyStore.com for more eyelashes, nail art, & Hello Kitty items. The coupon code "SAIMESEK31" will give you 10% off your purchase till December 31, 2011.

For more pictures & information on this makeup look check out my Sun & Storm post (http://saimese.blogspot.com/2011/08/sun-storm.html).

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Anushka Sharma's 26 Desi Outfits in Band Baaja Baaraat (Bollywood Movie)

Anushka Sharma's 26 Desi Outfits in Band Baaja Baaraat (Bollywood Movie)

When I saw the Bollywood movie Band Baaja Baaraat, I completely fell in love with the outfits that the actress, Anushka Sharma, was wearing. Everything that she wore in the movie was bold & colourful just like the movie itself. What caught my eye the most was the contrasting colours in the South Asian outfits that she wore: churidaar, shalwar kameez, a saree, & a lehenga. While watching the movie, I knew I wanted to do a post just on the outfits (besides the Western outfits & short kurtis/shirts with jeans) that she wore in the movie.

I would wear every single one of these outfits because even the simple ones are pretty & I have always loved outfits with bold & contrasting colours!

Before I get to the main bulk of the post, which is of course the pictures, I have included a short description for those who are not familiar with South Asian outfits.
Here's how you can differentiate between the different types of outfits:

Churidaar: churidaar pyjama (tight pants - these are longer than your legs, so when you put them on, they are supposed to pleat at the end around the ankle area), kurta (long shirt), dupatta (long scarf)
- Example: Outfit 1


Shalwar kameez: shalwar (loose pants), kameez (long shirt - different word for a 'kurta'), dupatta (long scarf)
Note: Since the actress is shown as Punjabi, she is mostly wearing semi-patiala or patiala shalwars, which just means that there is a lot more material & pleating involved as compared to a regular shalwar.
- Example: Outfit 2


Saree: blouse, petticoat (this is the skirt that the saree material is wrapped around - you're not supposed to see this part of the outfit), saree material
- Example: Outfit 25


Lehenga: blouse/shirt, skirt, dupatta (long scarf)
- Example: Outfit 26

Now that all that is out of the way, I won't keep you waiting any longer. I've created a slideshow of the images, so just hit play & sit back & enjoy looking at the 26 outfits!



Some of the pictures taken from the movie's website (these have the Band Baaja Baaraat logo on them), some were found online, & others are all screenshots from the movie. Some of the screenshots are really blurry because she was moving so fast & it was hard to capture the outfit at a time when the details of the outfit were showing properly.

Click the image below to visit the official Band Baaja Baaraat website.


Hope you guys enjoyed looking at all the outfits. Would you wear something with such bold, contrasting colours?
I definitely have in the past & will continue to do so! ;)

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A Foot Henna Design... On My Hand?

A Foot Henna Design... On My Hand?

My parents always tell me I should apply henna on Eid, but I'm moody so I usually don't. A few days ago (after Eid) I was in the mood so I decided to finally apply henna on the back of one hand.



I usually prefer having a henna design that I like in front of me so I don't mess up my hands experimenting with designs. This time I chose a foot henna design that I had been wanting to try on my hands for a while.

The original design (pictured below) is by Nadra from NJ's Unique Henna Art.


I came across NJ's Unique Henna Art when my best friend asked me to find her a henna artist for her summer (2010) wedding. I researched & found quite a few henna artists but I was impressed with Nadra's online portfolio as soon as I saw it. Her designs are super neat, intricate, & just completely amazing!
& I do realize that it sounds like I'm being compensated for this post by Nadra, but I'm not. Her work is actually that awesome.

To see more of NJ's Unique Henna Art, check out the links below.
Website: www.nj-uniquehenna.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NJsUniqueHennaArt

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Sun & Storm

Sun & Storm

I've probably used coloured eyeshadows while doing my makeup less than 20 times since my January 2011 series. I usually grab the browns & a matte white just to open up my eyes a bit & to define my crease. The other day, however, I felt like playing around with colours, so here's what I came up with. It's very similar to a look that I've done before on Jan 14th as part of my January 2011 series.

Products Used:

• NYX jumbo eye pencil in Milk [eyeshadow base]
  
• Pure Luxe Cosmetics mineral eyeshadow in Sunny Side Up [lid + between upper & lower wing]]
  
• MAC eyeshadow in Stormwatch [crease & blended upward till highlight + smudged on the outer half under the black eyeliner on the lower lashline]
  
• Prestige Cosmetics eyeshadow in C-153 Angel [highlight]
  
• e.l.f. studio cream eyeliner in Black
• Almay blendable eye pencil in Black [waterline]
  
• False eyelashes
  
• MAC Plush Lash mascara in PlushBlack [upper & lower lashes]
  

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Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan Mubarak to all the Muslims.



I decided to play around with my camera & this is the end result. I just cropped the pic & added the text. It would have been much better if the lily was fresh, but I still love how the picture turned out.

Appreciating the little things in life,
♥ Saimese

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Shattered

Shattered

Left to Right: Forever21 Love & Beauty - Purple; OPI - Silver Shatter.




I never really liked the shattered/crackled nails trend but I thought I'd give it a try. I found that OPI's Silver Shatter shatters/crackles the most when you apply a thin layer of it.

My mum said my nails remind her of Halloween, haha! How do you like the shattered/crackled nails trend?

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Bangle & Bracelet Storage

Bangle & Bracelet Storage

My aunt got me a bangle stand from India & I've been using it to hang both bangles & bracelets. I don't really get the chance to wear bangles as much since I usually wear them with South Asian/desi outfits, so I don't see the point of having all bangle sets on display in my room collecting dust. The hot pink bangle set has 48 bangles itself so what I like to do instead of having just bangle sets on display is have a few bangles from each set out on display, so I have a quick visual of all the bangles that I own & I hang up my bracelets on the stand as well. That way I have an easy access to all my bracelets & bangles.



I love storing my bracelets this way. I actually get to see all of them more, which means that I wear them a lot more too as compared to when they were stored in my drawer. Plus, they are all organized in one place too & all the colours add a nice touch to my room.

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Review: Crystal Bowknot Shape Diamond 3D Nail Art

Review: Crystal Bowknot Shape Diamond 3D Nail Art

I had the opportunity to try some nail art from BornPrettyStore.com so here's my review. I had never tried 3D nail art before so I thought I'd give it a try & chose the Crystal Bowknot Shape Diamond 3D Nail Art DIY Decoration.



On their website, the price for 10 pieces is listed as $4.95, however, since I'm a reviewer I was sent 5 pieces but I didn't end up using those either. I'd usually make a pros & cons list, but the only pro that I have is that the bows are sparkly.

One of my biggest concerns was that the site did not have a size specified for the bows, so I was hoping that the bows were small so I could use them on one of my nails since putting bows on all my nails just isn't my thing. Sadly, when I received the bows I realized that they were a bit too big. Having that big of a bow on just one nail is a bit too much for me.
Then when I flipped them over, I was more disappointed when I looked at their back. The picture on the site shows the back of the bows, but I didn't think it would be that bad. I'm sure someone who is in to nail art could figure out a way on how to get the bows stuck to their nails without damaging their nails, but for the average person I think it's going to be a bit hard to do so with such a protruding back.

These 3D bows would be great for scrapbooking or other DIY decor projects, but using them for nail art doesn't seem practical to me. BornPrettyStore.com has a lot of nail art products such as rhinestones & nail dangles/charms & other things including false eyelashes.



I will be reviewing their falsies soon . Till then, check out BornPrettyStore.com & if you'd like to purchase something, you can use the coupon code SAIMESEK31 for 10% off your purchase before October 31st, 2011.

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Review: ES false eyelashes [style A101, A013, A134]

Review: ES false eyelashes [style A101, A013, A134]

I was sent 3 styles of ES brand false eyelashes by KKCenterHK.com to review. At the time I was going through the site, I was a little disappointed. The prices were great but the site looked unprofessional & unpleasant. However, improvements have been made to the site & it looks a lot better than it used to.



Each style of ES falsies that I chose came in a box of 10 pairs.



Since all 10 pairs come in one box, the band of the falsies is extended (as shown up close in the picture below) on both sides & inserted into holes. Before applying the falsies you will have to cut off the extended band, which means that you wont be able to insert the band back in the holes & store the falsies that way if you want to reuse them.



Now I'm going to give my opinion on each style of falsies. I'm no expert on falsies since I hardly wear them but I think that every woman must know how to apply falsies since it adds that extra bit of glamour to any look based on the style of falsies. Also, bare in mind that my opinion of these falsies is based on how I felt after wearing these falsies in terms of comfort & the way the falsies looked on me based on my eye & face shape.

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ES A101
Price: $4.89 for a box of 10
Buy it here

Pros:

• Thick band so it's easier to apply for beginners.
• Makes your lashes look full & adds instant drama.
• Even though this style is full & dramatic, it doesn't look too over-the-top if you pair it with dramatic makeup.

Cons:

• Slightly stiff.
  
• These would have been my favourite falsies out of all 3 styles, but I hate how the falsies look super unnatural when you look down & people can see the top part of your lashes (for reference see the middle picture in the last picture collage). Since it's not human hair, from that angle it looks so stiff & so wrong. I think it would look bad if someone was wearing these falsies & looking down in a picture, or if the picture was taken from a birds-eye view.
• Some of the lashes were not shaped in a nice curve (for reference see the 2nd picture). Maybe I'm being picky because you could take the falsies & wrap it around your finger for a few seconds to reshape it, but I think that's a bit of a hassle especially when you're in a rush.

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ES A013
Price: $4.89 for a box of 10
Buy it here


I wore these falsies in my Back in to Makeup Mode? post.

Pros:

• Thick band so it's easy to apply for beginners.
• The criss-cross pattern makes the lashes look full, yet in a natural way.
• Opens up your eye since the falsies go from short in the inner corner to long in the outer corner.
• Medium curl.
  

Cons:

• Slightly stiff.
• This isn't really a negative point if I had applied the falsies properly, but the first time I applied these falsies, I applied it too much toward the outer corner on one eye. Since the lashes are long at the outer corner & have a medium curl, it made one eye look a bit droopy as compared to the other. You couldn't tell unless you were staring at me right in the eyes for 10 seconds or longer, but I knew about it so it annoyed me a bit.

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ES A134
Currently not available on the site

Pros:

• Thin band makes it easier to apply the falsies really close to the upper lashes & cover up the band & glue with a thin line of eyeliner.
• Natural looking.
  
• Blends in very easily with your own lashes.
• Amazing curl.
• Out of the 3 styles, these falsies are the closest to feeling like human hair.
  

Cons:

• Thin band makes it a bit harder to apply the falsies.
• While taking the glue off the band, you have to be gentle. I was in a rush while taking the glue off on one of the falsies so I can reuse the lashes, but ended up ruining the falsies instead since the band wasn't strong enough for me tugging on that glue.
• Really long. These eyelashes are deceiving when they're in the box & look shorter because they are so curled.

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To demonstrate the last 'con' for the A134 style & to compare all 3 styles of the ES brand falsies side-by-side, here are 2 pictures:

See how different all the styles are?


Now look at the curl on the A134! Notice how the A101 is the heaviest pair of lashes & has the least amount of curl.


Overall, these ES falsies from KKCenterHK are an amazing deal especially since they can be reused depending on how you take care of them.

Which one of the 3 styles did you like best?

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