Beauty on the Outside: LiaWear Interview

Salaams and Salutations Beautifuls,

Did you all follow Love HFW this year? Well they included sports wear this year. I WAS SOOOOO excited. Did I participate??...sadly no..but I'm thinking about doing so the next one this fall.

Back to the fashions during Hijabi Fashion Week there was only TWO sister that profiled swimwear as workout wear and it WASN'T LiaWear (sad inside). Check out *bluewendy* and *Kakikusukaberialan*. Of course there were lots of attempts to piece together workout wear. Most did a great job but its better to have something made for you that fits the activity you want to do, whether its swimming or zumba or yoga. Well we're so happy to have LiaWear!!!


Beautiful Ummah: What is the philosophy behind LiaWear?

LiaWear: GET ACTIVE. KEEP MODEST. LiaWear allows you to get in motion and take care of the body you have been blessed with. I want for modest women to experience life, not just sit on the sidelines. Being fit adds quality to your life and that is what I want for my sisters. Women who are already active have pieced together outfits. Women who are not, stay inactive. LiaWear offers sportswear and swimsuits as a solution for the woman who values modesty.

BU: Have you always had an eye for fashion?

LW: I have always had an eye and love for detail and quality. My strength is in garment construction, I love a well made garment and do my best to offer the same. When I was younger, my mother took me to different Muslim Fashion shows and I just loved the color, excitement and beauty of the designs.

BU: What types of products to you provide for your line?

LW: Currently, I offer modest swimsuits, coverups, jogging suits, long sleeve tunic tees, sport hijabs, yoga wear, and workout wear. Each design is custom made to the size and shape of the customer. I love collaborating with customers because the synergy usually produces a new design or a unique idea. This is how I now offer a nursing swimsuit and a water park swimsuit. I have been asked to design a horse riding outfit, too! Answering the needs of the modest woman is my service to community.

BU: What drives you to bring modest affordable fashions to American sisters?

LW: The fact that American sisters don't have everything they need in terms of clothing choices. I have traveled to Syria, Dubai and Yemen and there are choices available particularly in Dubai. If an American sister registered for an exercise class and needs to buy a long sleeve T-shirt that covers her, she should be able to so. The same if she needs a modest business suit for work, or a fancy dress for a party. One day I would like to offer all these clothing categories for my Muslim sister so that she can be free to express herself in every facet of her life without compromising her deen. Wouldn't it be nice to have the right modest outfit for any occasion already in your closet?

BU: What is your definition of beauty?

LW: Symmetry. I love when color, design detail, shape and size are all balanced.

Jazkallah Kheir Sister Latifa for participating. Check out Sister Latifah and LiaWear on FB here. Or email her for more info at liawear (at) gmail (dot)com. Size is NO problem. I actually have one cover up that I love. Soon to purchase swim suits for my kids. LiaWear also has LiaWear Prayer...also on facebook. Prayer garments for adults and kids.

B Beautiful!
Umm Amirah

Desperately Seeking ...an Intern

Salaams and Saluations,

Beautiful Ummah is desperatly seeking and intern. Umm Amirah needs help with the blog as well as the new addition, The BU Trunk Show.

I'm looking for someone 16 to 23 that is interested in:
-learning about running a blog
- can write
- can take and edit photos
- can use the internet *don't laugh*
- knows or knows how to look up basic HTML (website)
- likes or is interested in make up
- will be willing to test products (hijabs, make up, skin care)
- interested in modest fashion

as well as

- wants to learn about a small buisness
- lives in MD proper or can travel no prob
- can work 2 conference, 2 fashions shows and maybe a third
- work on inventory
- is organized
- and likes kids

If its YOU or someone you know please have them email Umm Amirah a:
- writing sample
- a 'moc' BU post with photos
- a CV
to ummamirah (at) beautifulummah (dot) com

B Beautiful,
Umm Amirah

Beauty on the Outside: Najmati

Salaams and Salutations,

This post had been removed per the company.
Please contact Hanifa@najmati.com for more info.

Be Beautiful!
Umm Amirah

Beauty on the Outside: Taqwa Iman

Salaams and Salutations Beauties,

Time for another installment of 'Beauty on the Outside'. This post will feature Taqwa Iman. I must say that when I first came across this line, I was not enthused. I made an early assumption without trying the product. Sister Taqwa sent me a skirt to try out and it was nice. More so NOT my style but I payed it forward to my sister HA.

I then came across Taqwa Iman at ISNA. It was so nice to be able to touch and feel their clothes. Mind you that they have added some great new pieces to their line and I'm so feeling those. It was great to see a lot of 'online' stores at ISNA. Its nice to be able to try on the close you admire online.




Below is my interview with Taqwa Iman's President, Taqwa Aquil. Enjoy.

#1: What is the philosophy behind Taqwa Iman?

The Taqwa Iman philosophy is rather simple. Taqwa Iman is dedicated to making clothes that fit YOUR beliefs and YOUR style.

#2: Have you always had an eye for fashion?
Dressing modest requires you to be innovative with fashion. Prior to my line, I had to always think of ways to make an outfit in a store fit the modest guidelines. I did this from the early age of 11. Despite my young age during this time, my older sisters often requested my assistance and advice on how to combine style and modesty. I got great joy out of doing this then and I still do now!

#3: When did you launch you website?
Taqwa Iman began in 2005 and the website was launched in 2007




#4: What drives you to bring modest fashions to American sisters?

The number one motivation is the lack of choices American sisters currently have when they shop. Shopping should be a joy, a happy experience, but unfortunately, for a lot of American sisters it is a chore and a let down. Time and time again, I have had the experience of trying to find a long skirt and going from store to store without any luck. For American sisters, shopping for modest clothes gets even harder during the summer months when retailers primarily sell clothes that are short and/or revealing. American sisters deserve the right to be able to find great clothes no matter what season.

#5: Did you like your ISNA experience?
It was wonderful! Any designer will tell you that the best feeling in the world is meeting and interacting with the people they design for. Praise God, ISNA allowed me to do that. I met so many wonderful women who had such great style. Women like this who believe in being modest and who take pride in who they are and what they believe in are my inspiration and my motivation!

#6: What is your definition of beauty?
Beauty has no definition, shape, color, or form. It is unique to every person, piece of art, flower, etc. What one person may consider ugly another may see as beautiful.

Shukran Sister Taqwa for the interview. Insha~allah Taqwa Iman is on my EID list of clothes. May Allah(swt) continue to bless your business and all you provide for the ulimah.



*note: all images were taken from the Taqwa Iman site with permission from the President*B Beauitful
Umm Amirah

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!!!

Beautiful Interview with YouTuber Caramelle47!!!

Salaams Beautiful Ones!!! I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my fave makeup mavens on YouTube, Caramelle47 aka Wafa! She dishes about makeup, Islam and the haraam police ;). I was scanning through YouTube and I saw a hijabi in a stunning (check it out below! swoon) blue hijab/dupatta and I had to know more about our sister in Islam :).




Hijabi Apprentice: Masha Allah, you are 19 and already so skilled in makeup! When did you get started? What were your influences?

Wafa:

I’ve been experimenting with makeup since I was 13 years old. When I was 14, I started wearing eyeliner to school and I am now addicted. I wasn’t very good in the beginning, but Alhamdulillah I’ve picked up quite a few skills from the YouTube makeup community.

HA: Do you ever face (in real life or on YouTube) the "haraam police" or people who feel as a hijabi you should not wear makeup? If so how do you deal with that?

W:

Oh all the time! I get people preaching about Islam and Islamic etiquette for women underneath my videos and I get comments calling me names. I normally just block the users who present hatred and I try not to comment back because most of the negative comments are just spam. I have even made it clear on my homepage that I’m not preaching Islam on my channel, I strictly present my love for makeup and beauty, but many don’t understand that. Just because I wear a hijab doesn’t mean that I don’t have other interests, I’m a Muslim girl who absolutely loves makeup! J

HA: Do you have a muse or an inspiration for your makeup looks?

W:

I love bright colours and funky looks. My inspirations usually come from the clothes that I wear and the mood I’m in for that particular day. Sometimes I hardly wear any makeup!

HA: What is your favourite makeup brand?

W:

I don’t have a favourite makeup brand because I like to use a variety of things. If the colour payoff for the product is very good, I’ll love it! I like to use a variety of high end and drugstore products because it all depends on the quality, price, and type of makeup that I’m buying.

HA: If you only had 5 - 10 minutes to put together a makeup look what would it consist of?

W:

If I had 10 minutes, I would definitely have my liquid or cream black eyeliner, mascara and a lip-gloss. Usually that’s all the time I have for makeup in the morning, so that’s what I wear on a daily basis.

HA: When do you go all out with your makeup looks?

W:

I go all out at weddings and events where there will be lots of pictures taken. You’ve gotta look good for the flash! =D




HA: How has your culture influenced your beauty preferences?

W:

My parents are Pakistani (and I’ve been raised in Canada since I was five years old). The South Asian culture is known for its bold and bright colours during party time. When I wear my cultural clothing, I normally do bright and colourful looks to go along with the fancy outfits.

HA: Okay time for the cliche question LOL! Which 5 items (beauty or otherwise) would you take with you on a desert island?

W:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... This one is hard!

If I had to pick I would choose:

1) Cream Eyeliner

2) A nude lipgloss

3) Blush

4) Trendy hijab

5) CELL PHONE!

HA: What was your last makeup haul?

W:

My last makeup haul would have been about a month ago (before Valentine’s Day). It was a collective haul (I visited the MAC three times that week) and bought lots of things each time.

HA: What is your definition of beauty?

W:

My definition of beauty is someone who can portray themselves through any art form and still shine through. That also includes people who can be themselves, be original and unique at the same time. True beauty to me is not about how a person looks necessarily, but how they carry themselves regardless of the situation. It’s about the person’s inner character, their true definition of who they are and how they combine that with their outside to present their utmost self.

HA: Which aspect of Islam do you find most beautiful?

W:

I find that within Islam, you can always find an answer. There is peace, patience, and good character amongst those who practice Islam. Islam is a beautiful religion when it is properly understood. Islam itself means peace, so for one to live their life with that sole definition, it can alter the way many think and feel about life in general (in a very good way of course).

Thank you Wafa from all of us at Beautiful Ummah!

Interview with a Beauty Blogger featuring: Amina of Coup de Coeur!!

Salaams and Salutations Beautiful Ones,

It is my great pleasure to conduct my first interview as a beauty editor with Amina of Coup de Coeur! Coup de Coeur is a multi-lingual beauty blog that has just celebrated its first anniversary! Amina was gracious enough to take time away from her busy schedule of teaching and procuring the most coveted handmade products to talk to me! I had such a blast talking to Amina! I felt as if I was talking to an old dear friend (I have nicknamed her Pusher go to her blog and you'll see why)! So cozy up and enjoy beauties!



HijabiApprentice of Beautiful Ummah:

Have you always been into beauty products (hair, skincare, makeup)? If so, did you have any childhood inspirations?

Amina of Coup de Coeur:

I haven't always been into beauty products as I was a tomboy for the longest time (until college to be honest). As a child, all we used was Vaseline for the body, Dax or Blue Magic for hair. I started wearing make-up at 21. Same thing with skincare, I learned about it when I went to college and I started caring about bath and body products when I discovered Carol's Daughter products.

I have always been intrigued by perfumes and scents though. My grandmother owned a small store where she sold spices and that's how I developed my nose, having a preference for warm oriental notes. At age 13, I received my first eau de cologne Bien etre and started getting obsessed with perfumes. It didn't help that my mother also had a huge collection and so many coffrets.

HA: Now that I know you are a "nose" may I ask what your top 3 fave perfumes?

Amina:

Babydoll by Yves Saint Laurent
Amor by Kenzo
Lei / Elle by Armani

HA: I recall reading a post on your fab blog Coup de Coeur where you said your exposure to "extreme" beauty looks kind of made you make up shy. Can you elaborate?

Amina:

Definitely! Growing up, the makeup application I saw was always over the top and not flattering in my humble opinion: wearing baby powder over a foundation (yes ma'am), wearing black eye liner as a lipliner, wearing a blood red lipstick, too much eye kohl, light pink eyeshadow, silver lipstick or one that is too gold, plucking all the eyebrow and drawing a harsh line. All these practices made me shy away from make up because I started believing the words of my uncle" le maquillage est la beaute des laides" i.e "make up is a way for ugly people to be beautiful".


My first appointment to a MAC make over in 2002 was forced. I have to say that the MUA listened to me and showed me that make up can be subtle, flattering and no one should be walking with black eyeliner used as a lip liner. Sadly it is a trend that some of my friends in Senegal still do.


HA: How have your beauty preferences evolved over the years?

Amina:

That's a great question! For a long time, I used to rely a lot on magazines to tell me what I should buy or sometimes I'll ask friends. Discovering Carol's Daughter products made me change my preferences. I knew you could use shea butter on your hair but it has never occurred to me that you could create a line of products with shea butter and others oils.
Plus when I lived in Ghana and Senegal, I rarely used shea butter because products from outside were more valued. I remember when ORS hair mayonnaise came out in Dakar; it was THE treatment to do at every salon. Same thing with Motions products!

The very same year I discovered Carol's Daughter, I went to Zimbabwe for the first time and discovered a boutique "Indigo Tree" where everything was made from scratch using only butters, essential oils, oils with little to none preservatives. My favorite one was cocoa butter and lavender lotion. I could spend hours in that boutique and at the end of the summer, I came back with a suitcase full of their products. My mother thought I lost my mind. Same thing when another boutique Fleurette opened for business. The salesperson even asked me whether I was a massage therapist and was shocked when I told her it's for my personal usage.

Going natural also brought another perspective. As I was dealing with dry, brittle hair, I read an article about 10 ingredients/ chemicals to avoid and all the products that I was using had at least 7 or 8 of them. That's when I decided to only switch to handmade, organic products whether it's for my hair, face and body.

Today I am committed to it and support mostly black owned businesses.

HA: Do you have a favorite makeup artist? If so what about him/her inspires you?

Amina:

Not really but I do have favorite beauty bloggers. Three of my favorite are Seymone from Reflections of Beauty, Jen of Her Juvenescent Elixir and Erin from Makeup Fiend. One thing that I have learned from both of them is that women of color can wear color. I mostly wore browns, golds and since I've been watching their FOTDS and watching Erin's tutorials, I am proud to say that I also experiment more with color especially greens and purples.


HA: I was reading Victoria Beckham's book That Extra Half an Inch and she mentioned that everyone has a beauty crutch and that her's was lip liner. I have 2 crutches bold eye makeup and my bff bronzer! What about you? Any makeup crutches?

Amina: Mine is blushes and a bronze eyeliner (like MAC Teddy).


HA: What is your definition of beauty?

Amina:

That's a great question because it is recently that I realized that I have to define my own standards of beauty. I've always struggled with self-esteem and always kept comparing myself to other women, beating myself up because I wasn't skinny enough, didn't have long hair, etc...
Today I can say and I am learning that each person is unique and special because we are the creation of God. Beauty for me goes along with a person's soul and her relationship to Mother Nature. I wish I had a definition but right now it is still an ongoing process for me to define it.


HA: When do you feel most beautiful?

Amina:

That's also a great and tough question because once again, I always thought that we see our own beauty through the lenses of someone else: family, friends, and loved ones. I don't feel most beautiful when I am all made up, dressed up ready to go out on outing. For me it is deeper than that and it has to come from within. I usually feel most beautiful when I am reflecting, writing or praying.
I've also felt very beautiful when I let someone go beyond the walls I built around my heart and let my guard down.


HA: You seem to be a talented mixtress, masha Allah! Will your goodies ever be available to the beauty world?

Amina:

Aaw..thank you! That's my dream!! I am trying to find what makes me unique, what will make my products stand out because they are so many talented mixtresses out there who work so hard. I do believe that there's a place for everyone and I really pray that Inch'allah I can have the honor to present my own line of bath and body products one day. I know for sure that it will include cocoa butter, lavender and vanilla because these are my three favorite products for bath and body.


HA: What is your go to look?

Amina:

Depending on how many minutes I have and how much sleep I got, I'll either go au naturale or wear mascara, concealer and a blush that can double as a lip gloss such as Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge or Stila convertible color. (HA: Amina has me lemming the BB Rouge desperately!)


HA: I know this one will be hard but what are your top 5 fave products?

Amina:

Such a tough question for a product junkie ..

-Sweet almond oil: great for hair, face, body
-Karen's Body Beautiful hair milk
-MAC eyeshadow in Mulch
-Bobbi Brown Pot rouge in Raspberry
-Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll perfume



HA: Any beauty tips, hints, secrets you want to share with us here at Beautiful Ummah?

Amina:

They'll seem so cliché because that's the one everyone repeats. These are the following beauty tips I am trying to follow:

-Get enough sleep
-Exercise
-Laugh every day
-Forgive yourself
-Don't sweat the small stuff
and most importantly, learn how to let go!

I am a very anxious person so this is huge for me because the more I sweat about the small stuff or don't let go, I am insomniac, and....gasp hello dark circles

HA: I am also an anxiety ridden insomniac lol so I'll try to take some of your suggestions to heart!

Amina:

Thank you so much for having me!!
It was such an honor!

HA: Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us Amina!! Cheek smooches!