Youtube, suggested blogposts & update.

Salaam ladies!

Those who follow my blog will now know that I've become so quiet on here and have been instead frivulously updating my youtube channel with videos every other week or so. I have been blogging for just over a year now and I don't plan on loosing the essence that I've instilled here. I would like your suggestions on future blogposts; maybe a discussion post, a how-to post, outfit photos or even 'face-of-the-day' posts with makeup details (I like the sound of that!).

As for the 'update' side of things I have currently been quite busy with University work: as some may know I study English & Creative writing (second year) and I'm currently drowning in my Multiculturalism and Life-writing assignments/groupwork. Yes I am 19 (until July 3rd :DDDDD) and no I do not whiten my teeth and never have done (current FAQ's answered.) How are you all doing? Anything interesting happen in your lives? I think the most interesting thing that's last happened in mine in the past few months is when I accidentally opened a UNISEX toilet on a man *sigh*.

Love always,

Habiba x

Bespoke Cushion from WaterLilly

Recently I was sent a beautiful bespoke cushion done by a very talented henna artist. I told her that I was a cat lover and she came up with the cutest design! Not only that but the cushion itself is quite large & amazing quality, and it was packaged beautifully!

She also designs home decor, candles, canvases and does bridal/party henna.

To book her or order a bespoke design contact her on the following:

Instagram: @waterlillyb

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WaterLillyBespokeHennaArt

Email: waterlillybespokehennaart@gmail.com

Habiba xxx

Secret to a flawless, luminous base: Habiba's tips

One of the most frequent questions I get is how I get a luminous and flawless base. Here are a few tips and tricks at how I go about to get perfectly luminous, natural looking skin. Enjoy!

• Primer: I sometimes use Illamasqua's satin primer on the top of my cheekbones, bridge of my nose and cupids bow (before applying foundation). This primer gives a gorgeous natural luminous finish even after powdering the skin and makes foundations that often get cakey look beautifully smoothed and airbrushed.
• Powder: I've recently stopped powdering my face all together, I only powder areas that will eventually crease throughout the day such as my under eyes, around my mouth and around my nose. I use the Lancome translucent powder which is extremely light and provides moisture to the skin (perfect for winter).
• Foundation: It's very important not to use a heavy foundation that will end up caking throughout the day. I've recently fallen in love with the Estee Lauder double wear light which is a perfect natural looking yet long-wearing foundation (which is very hard to find). It sets to a satin/natural finish (not completely matte or completely shiny which is perfect for combination skin). Its lasting power will never cease to amaze me. I apply it using the beauty blender (the only thing I use for applying foundation. Ever.) which gives a perfect smooth finish.
• Highlighting: One of my favourite things to do in the winter! I've tried all kinds of highlighters, from cream to liquid to powder. My favourite highlighting routine at the moment is to use the Nourish Golden Glow Illuminating Face Shimmer (cream) as a base (after foundation) and then dusting it off with my all-time favourite shimmer powder - Stila eyeshadow in 'kitten' - this is one of my absolute FAVOURITE eyeshadows; for eyes and face. I dust this on the tops of my cheeks, cupids bow, tip and bridge of my nose. Just be careful no to overdo it... you don't wanna look like a ball of shimmer, now, do you? :S

Hope you enjoyed this post!

Love always,

Habiba xxx

Tuesday In Love new cosmetic line review & discount code

Some of you may know Tuesday In Love for their popular 'halal' (water permeable and peel-able) nail polishes. Tuesday In Love are an online brand based in Canada that specialise in their nailpolishes, their products contain no harsh chemicals and are not tested on animals. They have recently sent me a few of their new cosmetic and nail polish range which is now live on their website! Here is my 100% honest review w/ photos, links and of course a cheeky discount code. 

 I was sent two nail polishes; a top coat and 'Vampire kiss' a gorgeous dark raspberry shade. The application was great and I was very impressed with how long it stayed on before chipping (a few days) even though it is peel-able. How it is described on the website: a revolutionary polymer that allows water molecules to penetrate through micro pores. Easy to peel and remove without the use of harsh chemicals or nail polish remover. Does not contain any formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), or camphor.

Next was the cute eyeshadow trio - I received 'party girl' which had three shimmer colours: light pink, deep warm purple and blue toned dark purple. The pigment and creaminess of these eyeshadows truly astounded me. They're extremely easy to blend, I loved blending the middle shade in my crease paired with a neutral base and crease shade. Although unnecessarily large, the box is very cute & I just love the shimmer! The three colours are also great to create an easy smoky eye, great to experiment with. There are two other sets available (different shade ranges).

Crazy pigment with one swipe!

The liquid liner is very easy to apply and is very black. 

Most of you that follow me on Instagram will know that I'm a nude lip addict and steer quite clear from bold colours especially dark colours! But I'm so in love with the colour of this and the formula. It's slightly dry so I suggest using a lip moisturiser beforehand, the pigment is amazing, the colour is beautiful, what else do you want in a lipstick? Not only that, but the rich cranberry colour lasts amazingly well. How it is described on the website: Our exciting new lipsticks provide beautiful coverage and easy application for sustained color durability. These luxury lipsticks do not contain any animal fat or byproduct and are hypoallergenic. Our paraben free formula is enriched with Vitamin E and Vanillin extract for healthier, beautiful lips.

Wearing liquid liner and lipstick.

To get a 10% discount on Tuesday In Love products simply enter the coupon code lifelongpercussion (no capital letters or spaces).

Website: www.tuesdayinlove.com

Instagram: @tuesdayinlove

Habiba Da Silva xxx

My daily hijab style

Many of you who follow me on Instagram will already know that I've joined the Youtube bandwagon :O I will be doing videos whenever I'm feeling free, and since I don't start uni for a while now I thought why not?

Here's a link to my YT channel www.youtube.com/lifelongpercussion

Many of you ask me how I style my hijab, here's the video! I also have a brow tutorial up :)

Habiba xxx

How to deal with hate comments, i.e. Invalidity

Hello hello hello and salaam girls, I've always wanted to make a post some people might class as 'rants' - i.e. speaking my mind fluidly with no constrictions or conformations. This is just 100% Habiba Da Silva. Let me know if you'd like more posts like this with mention of topics and ideas. Enjoy!

To be behind an array of social networks these days takes a lot of heart and mind strength. The more the popularity, the more people will like you and hate you. This has become a well-known formula and is something everyone needs to take heed of because it is reality. For whatever reason, no matter how much good you do - religiously or morally - people will find reasons to go against you, your beliefs or your appearance. Now I'm not making this post to judge these people or downcast them (Allah and karma are good enough), this post is to enlighten you with a frame of mind I've imposed on myself to the point where I can honestly say no matter how bad a remark is said against me it does not affect me in any way.

Many of my friends try to sympathise with me when they see a negative comment on my social networks and are usually surprised when I tell them that it doesn't bother me. 

As long as you know yourself, your intentions, your capability and have belief in yourself nothing anyone says should bother you. You're the only one who knows you, the false accusations are thus invalid, the rude comments are fuelled from jealousy and the fact that you have something that person wants and cannot have/achieve should in fact make you happy and humbled to be you! 

Many girls these days like to mask their hate comments as 'advice' especially in the hijabi-globe. Yet don't they realise that their so called 'advice'  is given in the completely wrong method which contradicts their purpose. Therefore their comment is more or less invalid.

Keep that in mind the next time someone comments negatively on your social networks.

Habiba Da Silva x

Sadoq Review

Hello all! I know it's been so so long, I've been so caught up in assignments. But fear not, as I'm very free at the moment and planning on doing a lot of damage to my blog! Haha. I'm also recently changing up my blog layout, let me know what you think of it.. ;)

So a few months ago I received two gorgeous quality hijabs - and I know I've stopped reviewing hijabs on my blog and instead just feature them on Instagram, but the quality of these are amazing (as well as so easy to wear) and the company owner is lovely and so patient, so I just couldn't help but write a post entirely for them! 

To purchase these and more gorgeous hijabs head over to the Sadoq website here,

you can also follow them on Instagram (@sadoqmuslimfashionwear) and if you need to you can contact them at info@sadoq.com.

Habiba Da Silva xxx

Favourite beauty product of the month: December

Not only has this month been the beginning of a new season but it's also the beginnings of a festive and warm atmosphere. This month I've been loving browns, warm purples and maroons in general for makeup. The product I'm about to introduce has quickly made its way to my heart as it is versatile and absolutely stunning! Meet the Sleek blush by three palette in 'Sugar' a gorgeous collection of three extremely pigmented, different textured colours. 

I'm especially in love with the dark pink and middle shade (which actually looks bronze) that once you apply on the skin gives the perfect deep flushed look with gorgeous shimmer. I especially love using the middle colour in my crease to add warmth and shimmer to any look. One thing that you must watch out for is the crazy pigmentation! only pat your brush in gently and tap it off before application... unless you like the tomato face look..

What's your favourite beauty product this month?

Habiba Da SIilva x

Updated skincare routine (winter)

Since coming back from holiday my skincare routine has changed completely. I have combination skin that leans on either oily or dry depending on the weather, so in the winter I tend to make sure my skin is well moisturized. Before going abroad my skin was breaking out every once or twice per month, I used to get a couple of spots here and there. Because of my really bad habit of picking spots I used to get bad scarring too which didn't help at all! I didn't realize that the products I was using at the time only made it worse. Since changing my skincare routine I haven't even had one spot! It's been over four months and my skin has been very well behaved, thank you God. One of the products I've completely eliminated from my skincare routine is a scrub, I don't use scrubs anymore as I believe they cause breakouts, especially if they're soapy, instead now I use a mask every two days to detox the skin and break down all the dirt. Here is a step by step of my daily routine.

My skincare routine (morning)

Some people think that cleansing is only necessarily for removing makeup, when in fact cleansing removes any dirt on the skin. At night our skin is rejuvenating, dead skin cells are sitting on the skin and invisible to the naked eye, waiting for you the next morning. Cleanse girls.

1.Cleanse. I usually use either one of my current favourite cleasers. Emma Harding cleansing balm (retails for £34 - price might look scary but this product is definitely worth every penny! Great for dry/combo skin & removes ALL dirt as well as helps massage your face.) or my all time favourite Sanctuary Spa fresh faced cleanser (retails for £10) I've been repurchasing this cleanser for years - it's honestly the best drugstore cleanser as it removes makeup very well and has beneficial natural ingredients.

 2. I tap my skin dry using a towel - this keeps the moisture in as opposed to rubbing your face dry. 

3. Tone. I've been using two Clarins toners lately which I quite like, the exfoliating toner (Retails for £25) and the toning lotion with Iris (combo/oily) this one smells amaazinggggg (retails for £18). I use a cotton pad and I wipe it all over my face. 

4. Moisturize. I start by using a French eye cream which I bought from TK Maxx for quite cheap and works amazingly at moisturizing my under-eye area. Then I've recently switched to using a thick moisturizer by the name of Eucerin dry skin replenishing face cream (night) which retails for £12.50 and completely smooths out and moisturizes any dry patches or areas on my skin.

Night

My night routine is almost identical to my morning routine, only difference is the cleansing step because I usually have makeup on at this point. I NEVER EVER SLEEP WITH MAKEUP ON. That's the biggest beauty sin, you'd be literally begging for imperfections.

I usually double cleanse when removing makeup, I'll start with the Emma Hardie cleanser which is the BEST I've ever used to get rid of eye makeup easily and painlessly; I massage the balm into my skin and eyes then before washing it all off I get a cotton pad which I use to rub my eye makeup off with and it all comes off with one swipe. Literally. Then I'll wash off the Emma Hardie cleanser and proceed to double cleanse using the Sanctuary Spa cleanser.

Masks

As I mentioned above, I use a mask every two days instead of exfoliating. My favourite is the Lush mask called 'Catastrophe Cosmetic' which is made using blueberries; a great anti-oxidant. This mask is amazing for preventing any imperfections from surfacing and also leaves the skin feeling very moisturized on the long term, I also love that it doesn't take forever to dry (retails for £5.95 from Lush). When I'm in a hurry I'll use the Soap and Glory 'no clogs allowed' which is good temporarily, it moisturizes and gets rid of any dead skin and it's not abrasive enough to damage the skin so you can use frequently (£11). My third favourite is the No.7 Beautiful skin moisturising mask which is great when my skin is feeling a little dry as it leaves my skin feeling so soft and moisturized (£14). 

What products do you use? 

Hope you liked my post ^.^

Love,
Habiba Da Silva x

Purple Love: Occasional Kaftans

Firstly I'd like to apologize for the horrible quality of the photos, as you might know all of my pictures are taken using my iPhone5 and the best pictures come out great when I'm outside in daylight. But lately I've been too busy to shoot within the short hours of daylight and the weather hasn't been great. I am planning on buying a camera very soon (within the next few months hopefully). 

Anyway, I've been sent two gorgeous and VERY purple kaftans recently and thought I'd combine them in one post. I find purple to be one of the best colours that suits yellow-toned warm skin-tones and tend to wear it a lot - as it matches all skin tones alike. These kaftans are very vibrant in colour and are blinged out to impress! Why not wear one to an upcoming party, wedding or prom? Here are the humble photos. 

Hijab is from Love Hijab, I have a review for them here if you'd like to see more info about that company.

www.al-athari.com

www.al-athari.com

www.al-athari.com

www.rhondascollections.com

www.rhondascollections.com

Spice up your evening look with a bit of purple... or a lot ;)

Habiba x

Autumnal makeup favourites + OOTD: Casual & Sleek

Hello everyone! I really apologize for the lack of posts lately - I've been so overrun with uni work and assignments. I have many posts yet to come including a few reviews, my daily skincare routine & current favourite makeup bits and bobs. How does that sound? Also, you can always request a post of your choice. Simply contact me via the contact form on the right hand-side of my blog or comment underneath this post :)

This is a very simple outfit which brings together some of my favourite clothing pieces of the month. The makeup also is my favourite November look - smokey brown and natural. Read on for more info!

Hijab decided to do something funny here..

Hijab: Bank (it's a jersey scarf with fringes - initially an  infinity scarf but I cut it up - a current absolute favourite!)

Long grey sleeveless shirt: H&M

Coat: New Look (I get compliments on this coat wherever I am - strangers are always asking me about it- great quality, comfortable and great for this weather)

Skirt: Ebay

Shoes: H&M

Infinity woolly scarf: www.etsy.com/shop/ElaKnit


Makeup: This autumn I've been loving a brown natural smokey, I usually pat on a mid-town matte brown shadow on the lid and blend it outwards above the crease (from Stila 'happy ever after' palette) I also sometimes blend in a dark brown through the crease. Or if I'm in a hurry I'll use the Maybelline colour tattoo in 'On and on Bronze' which is a gorgeous shimmery brown and lasts all day! For eyebrows I'm currently having a love affair with HD Brows kit in 'Foxy' (I think this affair might go on to something serious!). A phenomenal product; lasts all day and colour pigment is amazing. For lips I have been mixing my favourite nude 'Yash' by Mac with Sleek's 'Vamp' to create a gorgeous neatral brownish/reddish/nudish colour, it's not very clear in the above photos. My favourite blushes are featured in the Sleek Blush-by-3 palette in the shade 'sugar' - amazing autumnal colours with stunning pigment and alternating textures.



I hope you enjoyed this post, many more are to come! :)

Habiba Da Silva x

Beauty B November Selections Box Review

Beauty B are a UK based website that sell well-known international brands such as Ben Nye, Coastal Scents, BH Cosmetics, Sigma and many more as well as their own brand with free UK delivery. I've purchased many products in the past mainly from Coastal Scents, Sigma and a few Beauty B brushes. Delivery and customer service has been on point on all occasions! This month there are a few products which have been highlighted by the Beauty B team and they have chosen me to review them. Here are some photos and my thoughts on each product. 

First of all is this 'Make-Up-Matte'  which is a little handy square matte with pockets to put on the floor or whatever surface you use when applying makeup. It's funny because my mum is always nagging me to use something to put my makeup on because I work on my carpet. It's also very handy because you can put your brushes in the little pockets. The material is amazingly soft and even though its quite thick can be folded compactly. And the print is so pretty and hard to resist! (there are other patterns to choose from.)

This is the Coastal Scents concealer camouflage palette. As you can see it has 10 very versatile colours. I LOVE this palette, it's perfect for contouring and highlighting, and the coverage is amazing! I love using this for concealing any scarring or blemishes before applying foundation as it has full coverage and lasts so well. You don't need too much product to completely conceal scars/blemishes. Also, as I've already mentioned, it's great for cream contouring using the deeper colours. 

This is the Sigma tapered highligher brush (F35) an amazingly soft and perfectly shaped brush to get the highlight right at the top of the cheekbones. I've even used this for blush. Love this! 

This is the Beauty B brush cup holder, in the picture above it is closed up and can hold your brushes in - great for MUA's who travel as it can also be used as a brush holder when opened. 

This Coastal Scents glitter is the icing on the cake. This is an amazing product! Very minimal fall-out which is so surprising since its a loose glitter. It looked so vibrant on the lid and stayed looking immaculate for over 8 hours. (For more details on this look check out my instagram @lifelongpercussion) 

Overall I'm honesty impressed by all of the mentioned products and they've been a pleasure to use. Make sure you check out Beauty B for even more amazing products, I will always be a faithful customer - they are one of my favourite websites for buying makeup, especially brushes.

Check out Beauty B at:

Their website: http://www.beautybcosmetics.com/

Instagram: @beautybcosmetics

***

For further inquiries do not hesitate to contact me using the contact form on your right. 

Habiba xxx

Project Akhirah & the Spoken Silence two-day event

As many of you (who follow me on Instagram) may have noticed I am involved in a non-profit organization called Project Akhirah - I will not bore you with a long introduction on them as you can read more about PA on their blog here with a touching introduction on the core members of the group (a must read). I first got involved with Project Akhirah when they had their first charity event in June of this year, we were initially only doing a blogger's meet & greet but then decided to organize  a whole fashion show as well (all organised in under 2 weeks only! You can only imagine how hectic it was). After the event I left them feeling very attached - the girls were lovely and their passion to do good really inspired me to keep in touch. Not only did we have a successful event and learn a lot more about becoming better people but I also made lovely friendships with genuine girls. Since then we've stayed in contact and met up for meetings to do bigger and better, and other meetings just for a nice warm chat. 

We are now drawing close to a big two-day event next Saturday & Sunday (16th/17th of November) - the first day will be a free-entry workshop day ranging from life-coaching and poetry to hijab and makeup tutorials. The second day will be a fundraising day with some inspiring performances. 

On the first day I will be holding a hijab tutorial & a makeup workshop. I will be showing you two of my most worn (and most asked about) hijab styles so make sure you come along to see it! And then I will be doing an everyday makeup tutorial with a few handy tips and tricks! It will be lovely to see you guys there - as many of you constantly ask me how I do this and how I do that and since I don't make YT videos this would be a great chance for some insight & answers to your many questions. 

Watch the following trailer for more information!

Follow Project Akhirah on Twitter: @project_akhirah - Instagram: @project_akhirah - or even email them at projectakhirah@hotmail.co.uk

For more questions or inquiries do not hesitate to contact me via the contact form or my email lifelongpercussion@gmail.com and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Habiba xxx