Yesterday at Aveda!!!

Hello Beauties!

Yesterday, I participated in my first hair and makeup show and it was PHENOMENAL! Check out the Beautiful Ummah Group page for the details. We had a blast! If anyone has ever done a show, you understand the adrenaline rush. Here is my favorite detail...I used all Aveda colors for this look because it was a requirement for the show, however you can get a better result from MAC. Here is how to create that smokey eye.....

1. Prep and Prime the entire face and prime the eyes. I prefer the Urban Decay Primer, however a coat of your foundation will do fine.
2. Layer on your favorite gold shimmer eyeshadow over the entire lid. I prefer Bronze frost.
3. Under the brow use Goldmine as highlight. Blend well to erase the line of demarkation.
4. Use a smokey color in the crease and near the lashes. Blend well.
5. Use Goldmine to line under the eyes making sure to get as close to the lashes as possible. Use a damp brush to lay it on thick.
6. Apply Black liner using the cat eye shape and extend the line put into a tail.
7. Smudge the line so it is not so hard and line under the eyes as well.
8. Apply goldmine under the tail and blend well.
9. Do your brows, make them count!
10. Smile- Your done!

I am going to the International Beauty Show in New York Tomorrow, I will post all my finds and deals!

You've Got the LOOK: Summer look....and a contest!!

Salaams and Salutations Beauties!!!

In the D/M/V today...it's HOT! Its going to be a high 91 degrees today..Spring showed up with her cousin Summer. HAHAHA.

Well in celebration of the impending warmer weather..I'd like to know what your 'warm weather look is'? Is it MINIMAL. Is it OVER THE TOP? Is it soft and sensual? Is it nude? I'll post my look tonight...but please send your submissions to ME at ummamirah (at) beautifulummah (dot) com . Contests ENDS May 1st, 2009 at 11:59 am.

Beautiful Ummah will be 3 months old then. This is a way to THANK all the 'Beauties' who follow us, those who make comments and suggestion and those who follow 'anon'. LOL. Fess up!! Sign up?

EDIT:
When I say look...I mean your face? What do you wear on your face? A little blush, A pop of color on the eye, a nice lip gloss?

Be Beautiful
Umm Amirah

Sorry for the haitus

Hello Beauties,

I have a snippet of information to share that I thought was useful. I found in the back office of the Aveda website a chart for brushes and what they are classically used for. I found this very useful and interesting and I hope you do too. By the way, I am off to the International Beauty Show in NY this weekend so will have a report ready to share as soon as retun.

Should you want a hard copy for yourself, let me know and I can email it to you....

Asta lavista!

OYIN: the interview

Inside the store.



Products stocked on the shelves.





Asalaamu Alaikum Beauties,
As you know Ummie and Umm Aminah Honest visited our friendly local OYIN store last month. Here finally is the Oyin inteview with Jamyla the Mixtress and more pics.

Umm Amirah: How was OYIN born?

The Mixtress: I have always been crafty. . . oyin was born when in my experiments and testing w/handmade recipes, I found some stuff that actually worked great for my hair! in my excitement I started sharing with friends and family, selling at local craft fairs, and then built a website.

There are more details about how oyin began in the 'about us' page at the site ;o)
http://oyinhandmade.com/oyin/index.php?main_page=page&id=2


Umm Amirah: What is the philosophy of OYIN?

The Mixtress: We are all about feeding good nutrition to your skin and hair. and also sweetness. (oyin means honey) ;o) We want to help our customers focus on what is both nourishing and delightful in life.


Umm Amirah: How has your business changed with the opening of Exit the Apple?

The Mixtress: Well, we lost one of our few days off (LOL) but it's more than worth it since we now have so many wonderful faces to put with the names of our customers. We've been online for about six years now, and it's been great to send out thousands of little packages of love over the years. Still, it's such a treat to meet so many of the customers who use our goodies, and to introduce new customers to all that we do. We also feel like we're growing more firmly entrenched in our local community, which is lovely.

Umm Amirah: OYIN is not the only natural beauty product line in the hair care market today, with that being said, what makes OYIN different from the other natural beauty product lines?

The Mixtress: The loooooOOOOooOOOve!! :o)


Umm Amirah: What is an OYIN Honey?

The Mixtress: Someone who appreciates the naturally sweet side of life.


Umm Amirah: As OYIN's mixtress, what is your definition of beauty?

The Mixtress: Hmm. This is an interesting question. I am not sure that I have one. Ihave things that encompass the principle of beauty in my life: my baby's smile, the setting sun, the first flowers of spring - but I don't know that I've ever tried to define what beauty is. I'll have to get back to you on that.

Thank you Jamyla (and Pierre) for bringing to light the beauty of honey in your products. Know that your local Oyin Honey's revel in the opening of Exit to Apple. We love the pod casts, the love the two of you exude and the products you lovingly give.
As always.....

B. Beautiful
Umm Amirah


Come listen.

Pick up a Tshirt or a bag.


The Mixtress and The Hubster hard at work.




BU family and the Oyin Family..including Honey Baby!!!

New Series: Beauty on the Outside

Salaams and Salutations Beauties,

So in true BU tradition...we all know that beauty is on the inside and the out. When you think of outside beauty you think of...CLOTHES!! I love clothes, like most hijabi muslimahs I have an extensive hijab collection. In this series I will be bringin you interviews of islamic fashion designers. From affordable to the extraordinary. For the sister looking for fashionable EID clothes to the sister looking for modest work clothes.

Please note that I am combating a stereotype here. Muslim women who wear hijab are NOT: asexual, want to look like potatoe sack or only wear black. We are women who love to look good, smell good and feel good. Weather we are out with our Nice Husbands, going to a Sister's party for EID, off to work or a play date.

Enjoy the piece below...because this series is dispelling myths and bringing out beauty.




B Beautiful
Umm Amirah

PSA (Public Service Announcement): Pedicures

Salaams and Salutations Beautiful Ones!

How can I put this? Please for your hard working feet get a pedicure! Whether you are a DIYer, wear polish, henna or like to leave your feet unadorned take care of your feet. We as Muslims who remove our shoes at home and in the masajid need to keep our feet in tip top shape! I had a mani-pedi today and not only was it relaxing I feel so much more attractive now that I don't have to hide my toes ;).

Recessionista Tip for Cleaning Brushes

Salaams and Salutations Beautiful Ones!

So I just washed my brushes and decided to try something new. I have mostly MAC brushes and I bought the MAC brush cleanser. I followed the directions but it seemed that my favorite brush, MAC's 187 stippling brush, was stained :(. So today I decided to use some diluted Dr Bonner's soap in lavendar to clean my brushes and voilà I once again had white bristles!! I also have the Coastal Scents stippling brush (not even close to MAC's) and it's bristles got snow white as well with the Dr Bonner's! Can I tell you I will not be repurchasing MAC's brush cleanser? No maam!

Smooches,

HA

Me and my Coastal Scents Palette

Salaams and Salutations Beauties...

Have you picked up your Coastal Scents palette yet? Well if you haven't I've decided to post some of my looks from using it. I will admit that I have dropped the ball on taking pics ( yeah yeah I know). These are some neutral looks...I've used UDEPP with each of them. Coastal scents colors are highly pigmented...they are GREAT. And it's great on the wallet. They have also come out with new paletts, I'm trying to resist because there are MAC brushes I want for my birthday next month.

Enjoy....

EYES UDEPP, Coastal Scents palette
LIPS MAC Dazzleglass Rags to Riches
FACE Benefits HULA, NARS Crazed
hijab by Al Mujalbaba




B Beautiful
Umm Amirah

Etsy haul: Njoi Creations

Salaams and Salutations Beauties,

As I've been moving to more natural products I came across Njoi Creations on Etsy. Etsy is a 'kinder/gentler' Ebay. Mostly for persons that make things with their hands. (Its a site that deserves its own post..but that will happen another day)Thanks Amina for 'putting a sista on'..lol.

So Njoi Creations sells a couple of products that I use. One is the Herbal hairdressing ( all natural grease). We all use it. It is great!! Not heavy, will great for the summer time for sure.



The next product is the Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo bar. In the natural hair world, ACV rinses are use to naturally strip your hair of product build up. Amina did a post about ACV here. Check out what she does and how she uses it there. ACV rinses are especially for locks and for those who braid their hair a lot. Since I do the girls hair weekly Big A does tend to have a lot more build up. Its less messy than the liquid ACV. I love it.

Here are the pics of girls hair after using the hairdressing. Now I do mix products. On Little A I use Oyin's Burnt Sugar palmade and on Big A's hair I use Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Milk (thanks to AMINA!!) and Burnt Sugar on the ends.

Big A's hair after using KBB and Njoi hair dressing


Little A's hair after the Oyin and Njoi hair dressing


Little A's face...she's trying to smile? lol

I'm really happy with these product choices for my girls hair. Big ups to Njoi Creations...she does great work. If your looking to make that change to more natural products..please check her out. Check out ETSY man...its a creative peoples paradise...lol. Oh and when you order from Njoi Creations you always get extra goodies (samples) in the box!!


B Beautiful
Umm Amirah

Easy Fix For Dull Hair

HijabiApprentice gave me some great advice once, when I was complaining about how my curly hair gets "used" to the shampoos and conditioners I use, and begins to look dull and lifeless--until I change brands, that is.  She told me that this is because of buildup on my hair, and the reason that using a new product seems to helps is because it's washing off the residue from the previous product.  And if I clarified my hair, I would't have this problem (or need to change brands).  

So, for the past few months I've been clarifying my hair with baking soda about once a week, and I am AMAZED at how much better, fresher and *bouncier* my hair is!  Here's how I use it, although there are other methods that are used:  I take a small handful of baking soda, squirt some cheap shampoo into my hand along with it, mix it together and wash my hair with the mixture.  Then, I rinse and wash again with shampoo only.  When I condition afterwards, my hair absorbs the conditioner much better than it had before, and as soon as I step out of the shower, I can tell the difference in texture.  My hair is sooo well moisturized and looks and feels so much healthier.  So.. if you have a problem with dull hair, try this method of stripping off the buildup--it's cheap, and easy, and it works.

(image borrowed from www.bestofbakingsoda.com)