E.L.F Studio 50% off

Salaams and Salutations Beauties,

E.L.F. is doing it again...pulling us in to BUY stuff. Well the studio line is actually decent. I love the brushes. So...I guess this is my opportunity to get some studio supplies. You can never have too many packs of make up remover at $1.50 a pop!! I'm also going to pick up the eyebrow gel, a kabuki brush and a angled liner brush.

What are YOU lemming from the E.L.F Studio sale?




Or in general...what are you lemming? Body products, Make up, Hair ...I'd love to see what you want to pick up...sooner, or later.

B Beautiful,

Umm Amirah

New York State of Mind Trip: 1st up, MoMA

Salaams and Salutations Beauties,

It is time to sit down and talk about the BU NYC State of Mind trip. Boy...did we have a GREAT time in NYC. Will ALL the planning and working to make sure things turned out right...it DID. Although it wasn't a large crowd each time, it was good enough. We met a lot of lovely sisters and some great new connections in NYC. Insha~allah we'll be back for another BU adventure.

So I know your like, umm excuse me- where are the pictures? Well Here they are. There are too many to only have ONE post on NYC. I mean MoMA, the wax museum and the Designer's Delight....that's a LOT. So the first break down will include pics from MoMA and Time Square.

When we first got to NYC we went to Target Free Friday's at the MoMA. I'd never been there but it was SOOO nice. FREE IS GOOD!! lol. Art is beauty..and I took lots of pics. The wax museum was so fun....a time to relax and let loose.

Free is no JOKE. This was the line to get in.
MoMA is just a pretty place period.


I'm not too into Tim Burton..he's scary

Great question






Famous pic
Monet's Water Lily, Soooo pretty
Our stop in Brooklyn

What is a trip to NYC without hanging out in TIME SQUARE!!
Taking pictures on a phone...the usual.
Umm Amirah in Time Square
Umm Aminah Honest..iPhoning.
We did make our way to the MAC pro shop in NYC. Now I heard that it was tucked away from the business of NYC on YouTube...and its TRUE. MAC pro is on a side street in an unsuspecting building. As you can see Umm Aminah Honest was in her element in the MAC pro shop.


Okay Beauties, here is the 1st installment. More to come soon.
Be Beautiful,
Umm Amirah

Beauty on the Outside: Najm Designs

Salaams and Salations Beauties,
It is another installment of 'Beauty on the Outside'. Now we're featuring Najm Designs. I have LOVED Najm Designs for YEARS. For those who live in the Maryland and KNOW about the Sister's conference here, you've seen her prints and grafics. My girls and I have 3 of her bags. With out further typing... I present you with NAJM Designs.

BU: What's the philosophy behind NAJM*?(meaning star, also the 53rd Surah in Qur'an)

NJ: My slogan is "Design With Purpose". The concept here is even our dress is a form of worship and serves a purpose for us as women so it should mean something. I design practical, comfortable clothing. I also design a graphic line that expresses the pride and ideals of the muslimah ummah as a whole.


BU: Have you always had an eye for fashion?

ND:I have always been an artistic soul, mashaAllah. I was in the Arts Honors Society in HS and also performed my poetry at various events. I knew I wanted to have a creative career and use my talents. Allah blessed me to take my shahadah, and I learned about human images being haram. At the same time becoming a hijabi and did not like the products available in my local stores. I realized my purpose, and enrolled in college and majored in Fashion Design with a goal of bringing stylish islamic clothing to my sisters.



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

ND: I provide Modest clothing for women (jilbabs,dresses, skirts, tunics, skirts & wideleg pants). I also have a graphic line which consists of tees (mens,womens,childrens), bags(totes, messengers, bookbags), accessories (jewelry, key chains, mousepads, travel mugs) that have bold, yet fun islamic themed sayings on them. (ex. "Hijabi-Liberated & Educated", "America's Next Top Muslimah", "Pretty, Proud & Muslim", "Righteous Wife-I make you better"

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

ND: My drive comes from only Allah(swt)! He's blessed me with the creative talent to come up with these ideas and put them out there. Also I feed off the energy of my muslimah sisters. We have all experienced the discrimination and stereotypes that are attached to muslimahs and hijabis. I wanted to develop a way to speak out against it without even opening your mouth. As one customer said "just talk to the bag!". Sisters have personally thanked me and told me my bags have "broke the ice" among non-muslim co-workers and family members, who just didn't know they felt so much passion about wearing hijab. They thought it was a forced decision and that there was no way they voluntarily enjoyed wearing hijab.



BU: What is your definition of beauty?

ND: My definition of beauty is being pleasing in mind, body, and soul. To be truly beautiful all 3 must be in place. I also want to note that I meet beautiful sisters regularly that wear a variety of displeasing clothing(ie. too tight, wrinkled, stained or ripped). It is absolutely possible to obey Allah and be modest, as well as being conscience that our outer appearances are a dawah to other people. Be proud of who you are as a person, be proud of your commitment to Allah as a Hijabi, be proud to be a role model to your daughters and be proud of the status Allah have given you in our ummah! There is no excuse to have low self-esteem and walk around looking like a hot mess! You don't have to be the "designer diva" muslimah type,lol it's not about that. And if you need help finding your islamic fashion identity there are designers out there like me, who are passionate about what we do and have the expertise to help you look and feel beautiful.


You can also put my contact info: najmdesigns@gmail.com, coming soon:www.najmdesigns.com



JazakAllah khair for interviewing me and including me. Please let me know when it comes out. Great to see you as usual, talk to you soon, inshaAllah.

NAJMAH*

Beautiful Ummah thanks Sister Najmah for the interview. We also thank her for comming out to our 'Designer's Delight' in NYC a couple of weeks ago. Insha~allah we'll see her soon.

B Beautiful,
Umm Amirah

Beautiful Ummah is One Year Old!!

Salaams and Saluations,

Beautiful Ummah is ONE year old!! Can't believe it. Can't believe we've had some nice events, great subscribers and learned alot of the beauty blogging community.

Soooo in celebration of our 1st year...we are having a contest. It is open till the end of the month. The prices will be broken up into LOCAL winners (in the D/M/V) and Non LOCAL(mailing) winners. The rules are as followed: Create a beauty look. Take 3 pictures: before, during, after. Submit the pics a long with a little something about YOU to me (Umm Amirah) at ummamirah[at]beautifulummah[dot]com. Evening looks, everyday looks, whatever!!!

There will be 3 prize. Entries will be posted on this blog (just the last pic). Entries will be judged by all Beautiful Ummah contributors.

Don't forget about our Poetry Event at RJ Cafe in Maryland. If you live in between DC and Baltimore, we hope to see you there. Also there is that Artizara promo during this month...go go and enjoy.

Get to getting beauties!!

B Beautiful,

Umm Amirah

Beautiful Recessionista: Baking Soda

Salaams Beauties! Baking soda is one of the hardest working beauty essentials EVER! I love it as a facial exfoliant and I've also been using it as a pre tooth paste teeth cleanser. There are a million and 1 uses for baking soda and you can pick up a box for under a buck!


To quote the Domestic Diva Martha Stewart: Baking soda, it's a good thing.

BEAUTIFUL UMMAH ANNIVERSARY!

Greetings Beauties!

Beautiful Ummah has been around for an entire year in February...Can you believe it! We are hosting a bunch of events for the occasion, the first is:

Open Mic Poetry Night
February 13, 2010
All are welcome, this is NOT just a Sisters event.
A purchase from R.J.'s is required.

Poets please come at 5pm to register.
Readings will start at 6pm-10pm.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
R.J. Cafe
12111 Indian Creek Court
Beltsville, Maryland 20705-4223
240-264-1990

As always, there will be prizes!!! If you have never been to R.J.'s you do not know what you are missing...check them out!!!

Come share, enjoy and B Beautiful!

Product Review- Artizara.com

Greetings Beauties!

I am doing a product review on a blouse I received from Artizara an Islamic fashion company. I just want to say I LOVE IT! As far as modesty is concerned, I think this is one of the best made garments I have worn from any of the Islamic clothing stores in a very long time. The material is high quality and it fits really nice. I waited until after I laundered the shirt to do the review. It washes well, and is easy to iron. I love the way the fabric falls. I found the shirt to be long enough for modesty, but not too long. The side slits open at the right length for me. I loved the sleeve length. Ladies, no one said you have to give up looking stylish and professional when you are dressed in modest, Islamicly appropriate clothing.

My only complaint is if you are a lady that is well endowed, you may not want to get a shirt that buttons from them. The cost was great. With shipping the total cost was less than $35.00. On the site there are things on there for every girl...as long as you are smaller than a size 20. I received plenty of complements on this top! My husband even liked it and he rarely admits he likes anything.

Check out the website, it is really user friendly! I love this shirt and look forward to ordering more things from them! They even have coordinating hijabs the items to help coordinate your hijab with your outfit. Now that is priceless beauties! http://www.artizara.com
Keep Being Beautiful!

Umm Aminah Honest

FCC Disclaimer: This item was sent from the company for product review. None of the Beautiful Ummah Bloggers are employed by Artizara and all opinions expressed are original.