Three things that I love about living in Pakistan are winters (since they are extra special for us as after a long spell of summer and dry fall season), weddings (because why not?!) and winter weddings! So, I am naturally a bit hyper-excited about the wedding season. Kickstarting a new series whereby I would be talking about my wardrobe essentials for weddings, making intelligent choices for your wardrobe without creating a hole in the pocket, as well as, my first-hand experiences with different salons and photographers. 

While there are various brands popping up with their luxe ready-to-wear collection every wedding season, I am an advocate of smart shopping and customising clothes to my liking every now and then. While the process of shopping for lose fabric and customising the kaam wala jora is a pain for many, I enjoy the entire process - from finding the perfect fabrics for mix and match to getting it stitched, unless the darzi imposes his marzi a bit more than required! 

Since the trends keep changing, sometimes it is hard to keep up with them, especially when it comes to formal wear as one does not get to wear formal dresses every now and then. (I never have a problem in repeating them if I like them.) For this purpose, I would be sharing some of the outfits from my closet, which have passed the test of time and saved me from getting a new dress made every time. 

In the first look of this series, I am sharing one of the wedding party wear dresses - a multi-layered dress (yes, you can layer up for the winter weddings by making smart choices and not feel cold even if it is an outdoor night event): a panelled maxi with a front open gown and a heavily embellished dupatta with you folks. 

The reason that I have picked up this particular look for the first post is that it is easily one of the most easy-on-pocket dresses that I designed myself. Since it was for an extended family wedding and I did not want to spend too much and yet go for something better than a usual shirt and trouser. 

OOTD BREAKDOWN:

Dupatta: I have had my eyes on this embellished dupatta for as long as I can remember. It was from my eldest sister's dowry (who got married ten years ago, FYI) and she promised to hand it over to me after she'd be done wearing it multiple times. lol. She did not use it as much (since she one of the kind who never repeat their dresses) as it deserved and it took her nine years to finally have the generosity to pass it on (because it was one of her favourites - and a part of the first dress she had got on the first day of her wedding shopping). 

It is a black chiffon barosha dupatta with heavy traditional (re: classic) hand embroidery with embellishments (sequence, diamontes, katt daana etc.) in plum and green. The dress that it was originally a part of was an original from Usama Silk, F-10 Markaz, Islamabad since what seems like forever. Back in the day, they used to make exclusive formal dresses (only one unstitched dress in one design and colour). Cannot emphasize much on how I miss those. 

Front Open Gown: 

I got this shirt front and sleeves piece from Faisal Fabrics, also located in F-10 Markaz. It cost me around 3000 PKR only. 

For the back, I got the plain black net fabric with a hint of gold from a Pakhtun's shop, located in F-10 Markaz's basement, adjacent to Usama Silk, for PKR 300 per yard. They have a huge variety of embellished and plain polyester and cotton net amongst many other fabrics. One can simply design a gazillion dresses on a single visit. I have actually met a couple of local designers who stock at Latelier, Islamabad, over there. My mom dreads accompanying me there as I can never leave the shop empty-handed. 

Kaamdani/Mukesh Fabric:

I had purchased two kaamdaani/mukesh dupattas from Lahore for PKR 3000 two years ago. This flared/panelled maxi required about 5 metres of cloth. 

Kundan Lace: 

Purchased it from a local lace shop in Islamabad for around 1000 PKR. 

Stitching: 

2500 PKR. 

ACCESSORIES: 

Earrings: My brother got me this from one of his official trips to China long back. The katt daana details went so well with my outfit. 

Bangles: From my first and what seems like the only trip to Anaarkali Bazaar, Lahore - Best bangles at the best price - PKR 250. Can you believe that? 

Also pictured here is the wedding reception dress, also designed by yours truly!

Bracelet: Random jewellery seller at Jinnah Super, Islamabad - PKR 250. 

Rings: Chunky black one: Random jewellery seller at Jinnah Super, Islamabad - PKR 250 and the rest from Haroon's Gift Shop - PKR 290 each.

Clutch: Haroon's Gift Shop - PKR 1200. Quite a steal for the price.

MAKEOVER:

Party makeup from Seemi's Salon and Studio. I had not made an advance booking so this one is NOT their signature party makeover. One of the junior makeup artists did it but Seemi herself gave the final touches. It had cost me PKR 3500 since the escorts of the bride were offered a special discount. 

All I would say is that I was disappointed. Although I am not a pro when it comes to makeup, I could have easily done a better job myself. However, I would neither recommend their Signature Party Makeup (that some of my family members got done - Charges: PKR 5000) nor the Bridal Makeover (that my extended family member got done for her walima).  

Nail Colour: Colourstudio Haute Nails 232 Royal - PKR 250.  

HAIR: 

Seemi's Salon and Studio again. The party makeover included hair styling. I wanted a side bun with my hair twisted and tucked to one side (without looking older than I am. And I did not. At least I think so). Since I was unhappy with the makeover - no colour correction for the blemishes and pigmentation, and uneven and patchy foundation, the hairstyle kind of saved the day for me.

In my zone!! No colour correction and the basic-esttt eyeshadow :/

The idea is to share some cult classic tips and tricks that add a personal touch to your formal dresses and save them from being labelled "outdated" before you've worn them more than once even (as one does not get to wear desi formal clothes often). I don't. I hope there are many like me out there who would find these tips useful.

P.S. Since this was a customised dress and you may not find exactly the same stuff everywhere, there are a few tips and tricks to save the day for you. 

A. Dupatta is the desi swag. Choose one and design the entire outfit accordingly. Find a vintage dupatta at home (raid your mum's closet) or simply go for those jamawar, cotton net, organza dupattas and made-to-order/embellished velvet shawls, which are all rage and easily available in the market these days, can serve the same purpose. I have my eyes on a few since last year. Just waiting for someone to get married so that I can find an excuse to go get one. 

When you're not high on budget and you still want to make a style statement, let the dupatta do the talking. Just pair it up with a plain jora and drape it on one shoulder or the front and you're good to go. I already plan to make a plain raw silk black dress (shirt and pants)with this one.  

B. You can make the outfit heavier (and more expensive) by using a heavy kaamdaani fabric for the maxi/kurta (whatever you want to pair the dupatta/shawl up with) instead or you can just go for a plain dress and let the dupatta stand out as stated in A. 

C. The key is to mix and match. I used chiffon barosha, chiffon with mukesh/kaamdaani and net in this one dress. 

D. Stitching makes all the difference. Even a simple outfit stitched to perfection can make you stand out. I usually prefer maxis and anarkalis etc. when it comes to formal wear because they never go out of fashion. As for shirts and pants/shalwar, the trends keep on changing. 

Do not forget to share your outfit ideas for this wedding season in the comments' section below. 

Until next time, 

Samra. 

While I always knew that the commercial skincare and hair care products that we use contain harmful chemicals, I never bothered to check the ingredients (haw!) because as long as they were not harming my skin, all was forgiven and forgotten (quite literally lol). But little did I know that our bloodstream absorbs 70% of the things that we put on our skin within seconds....WHOA!

It was after reading through certain green beauty blogs, I realised the amount of chemicals I am putting on my skin. I slowly began to chuck commercial products out of my stash and replaced them with products from commercially available brands that marketed their products as natural and herbal, while they contained toxins. Here in India and even Pakistan, we have little or no awareness when it comes to green beauty because the commercially available brands have been misleading us for many years and we do not bother to go through the ingredients list. While browsing through the aisles in stores, we literally pick up anything that attracts our eyes without caring a hoot about the damage we will be doing to ourselves in the long run.

I delved deeper and began to learn about ingredients, beyond the usual ones - parabens, SLS, SLES etc which was an eye opener. Sadly in India and Pakistan, we do not have any regulatory bodies as opposed to USA or European countries that ban harmful chemicals being used personal care products.

It took me a whole year to transition to clean beauty but it has been one heck of a journey. It has been more than 30 months since I ditched commercially available personal care products and I find my facial skin, hair, and body skin in a better condition now.

WHY YOUR SKIN DESERVES CLEAN BEAUTY PRODUCTS:

A QUICK LIST OF INGREDIENTS WHICH ARE A BIG NO:

Prefixes Ethyl, Methyl, Butyl or Propyl 

What It Is: Parabens

Health Risks: Endocrine disrupters that mimic estrogen; linked to weight gain and breast cancer

Found In: Lotions and shampoos

Fragrance, DEHP, DHP, DBP 5, Dibutyl Phthalate 

What It Is: Phthalates

Health Risks: Sperm damage, infertility

Found In: Nail polish, shampoo, deodorant, lotion

Dyes: Blue 1, Green 3, Yellow 5 & 6, Red 33 

What It Is: Coal tar

Health Risks: Carcinogenic

Found In: Hair color, medicated shampoos

Triclosan, Chloro, Phenol, Irgasan 

What It Is: Triclosan

Health Risks: Endocrine and thyroid disrupter; promotes antibiotic-resistant bacteria; bioaccumulates in the body

Found In: Antibacterial soap, shampoo, facial cleanser, toothpaste, deodorant

3-(4-methylbenzylidene)-camphor (4-MBC), octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC), octyl-dimethyl-PABA (OD-PABA), bexophenome-3 (Bp-3), homosalate (HMS) 

What It Is: Sunscreen chemicals

Health Risks: Estrogenic activity; enhances the potential for pesticides to penetrate the skin

Found In: Sunscreens

Polyethylene glycol (PEG, PPG, Cocoate), propylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, polyethoxyethylene, polyethoxyethylene mineral oil 

What It Is: Petroleum byproducts

Health Risks: Carcinogen; liver and kidney effects

Found In: Lotions

Petrolatum 

What It Is: Derivative of petroleum

Health Risks: Endocrine disrupter; carcinogen

Found In: Lotions

Lead acetate, thimerosal, mercurius solubilis, mercurius sublimates, mercurius corrosives, mercuric chloride 

What It Is: Lead and mercury

Health Risks: Found in higher levels in women with breast cancer; neurotoxin

Found In: Hair color, wound treatments, artificial tears

Isobutene 

What It Is: Propellant made from petroleum processing

Health Risks: Carcinogen

Found In: Moisturizer, shaving cream, foot spray, breath freshener

Placenta 

What It Is: Placenta, placental enzymes, placental extract

Health Risks: Filled with hormones that upset your own balance and increase estrogen

Found In: Skin and hair conditioner

Hydroquinone 

What It Is: Hydroquinone

Health Risks: Can cause a skin disease called ochronosis

Found In: Skin whitener

Nano zinc oxide 

What It Is: Nanoparticles

Health Risks: The safety of nanoparticles has not been tested, but they can cross the blood/brain barrier and move along nerves.

Found In: Sunscreens, lotions

If you are interested in learning more about the ingredients, I would recommend this article. Another great resource is this one.

While I have night time skincare regimen sorted, as I prefer using oils during that time, it's the day time regimen which becomes quite a task in order to pick up the right cream for my skin type. I am a very picky person when it comes to choosing a day cream for my overly dry winter skin because I do not use commercial skincare products anymore.

My search ended when I came across Aloe Day Cream by Venustas Essentials. VE is a Pune, Maharashtra based brand spearheaded by Mrs Seema Rai who painstakingly handcrafts body butters, day cream, scrubs, soaps etc in her kitchen. Some of the products that I have used from the brand have given me good results (you can search 'Venustas Essentials' on the blog to read the reviews). I mean seriously, her products are SO good and chemical free, of course.

About The Product: 

While the night creams repair the skin while you sleep, it is equally or rather more important to use a good quality Natural day cream. As it is during the day that your skin is exposed to maximum pollution, Sun and stress that damage the skin and lead to skin discoloration and premature ageing.

This all Natural, non-greasy Day cream has been specially formulated for warm summer days. With Hydrating and rejuvenating Aloe, cool Cucumber extracts and potent essential oils like Sandalwood, Carrot seed and rose hip that protect, hydrate and rejuvenate your skin all day.

Ingredients: 

Aloe, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Vitamin E, Rose, Sandal, Virgin Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, Blend of Essential Oils.

Venustas Essentials Aloe Day Cream

My Experience:

I am on my second jar of the cream and that says a lot about it, right? I first got this cream in the month of July and me and my mother loved it a lot! It has a relaxing cucumber aroma (due to the presence of cucumber EO) which is mild and calming for the senses. I cannot stand overly scented skincare products. I just can't.

The cream comes in a 50 gm pot with an inner lid to protect the contents. I have been using this cream consistently since July and this cream is such a rockstar. It literally sinks into the skin and provides just the right amount of moisturisation to my overly dry skin (I had combination skin during July-Oct and it didn't cause any flare-ups) without feeling heavy or leaving an awful greasy residue behind. The presence of aloe soothes the skin immediately. And guess what, the surprise element of this cream is, the  lovely dewy finish it gives a few minutes after it's application. Expect a healthy glow as well as unbeaten moisturisation for up to 8-10 hours (this is coming from someone that has overly dry skin!) before your skin screams for moisturisation again.

I love my essential oils and this cream contains rose and sandalwood EO alongside aloe which make it all the more special. According to various researches, rose EO contains certain therapeautic compounds that promote healing. Rose EO also defines skin texture and tone. Whereas, sandalwood EO helps soothe the skin, relieve inflammation and irritation.

Aloe vera is a great moisturiser! It soothes, softens the skin and is loaded with anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties in abundance.

There are two important things which I would like to point out - 1) It does not replace sunscreen as it contains no SPF. 2) It didn't do anything for the dry patches as mine are more of an hormonal issue.

Yays:

• Handmade. 
• Not tested on animals.
• Contains no harmful chemicals.
• Provides adequate amount of moisturisation.
• Causes no irritation.
• Reasonably priced for the quantity. 
• Has a relaxing aroma of cucumbers. Won't bother sensitive noses.
• Contains a potent blend of oils.
• Gives a dewy finish.
• Lightweight and leaves no greasy residue behind.
• Great for all skin types.

Face masks are an absolute must among other things if you want healthy and smooth skin and it's very easy to make a nourishing face mask by using ingredients which are available right in your kitchen at a very low cost and since you are in control of the ingredients that will be used to whip up the face mask that means there are no harmful chemicals involved, yay!

The particular face mask recipe that I am going to share is made using the goodness of papaya seeds and honey, which will provide hydration to the skin other than making the skin smooth, brightening up the complexion and ridding your skin of dead skin cells. While one application won't show miraculous result but it will definitely make the skin soft. And to see proper results, one has to use it consistently!

Check out the recipe for this easy peasy DIY face mask below!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp papaya seeds

1 tsp raw honey (I didn't have raw honey so I used commercial honey but I would recommend using raw honey)

2 drops sweet almond oil

2 drops lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

Blend papaya seeds (my papaya didn't have that many seeds so I used a piece of papaya), honey and lemon juice in a blender till it turns into a fine paste and the seeds are grind well. Pour the mixture into a clean bowl, add sweet almond oil and stir everything well. Apply the mask on a clean and dry face, leave it on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off with tepid water. While rinsing off, massage your face super gently using circular strokes in order to remove dead skin cells. The mask can be stored up to a week in the fridge.

Benefits of the Ingredients Used: 

Papaya Seeds: 

Papaya contains papain, which are special enzymes that can help in exfoliating the skin by breaking down skin cell's surface. These enzymes lock in moisture, reduce pore size and keep wrinkles at bay.

Raw Honey:

Raw honey acts as a natural emollient that increases water content in skin and reduces dryness. It also helps in tissue healing and regeneration. The powerful botanical in honey neutralises blemish and wrinkle-causing free radicals.

Sweet Almond Oil: 

Being a lightweight oil, it easily penetrates into the deeper layers of skin by softening and dislodging the dirt and debris. This carrier oil prevents blackheads and acne. Almond oil can be used on sensitive skin too as it is not likely to cause skin infections.

Buy the one I use HERE.

Lemon Juice:

It's not advised to use rub lemon directly on the face, but it could be mixed with face masks to reap its benefits. The vitamin C and citric acid content in lemon juice act as a natural bleach. Lemon juice bleaches freckles and tiny dark spots. However, do not expose your skin to sunlight for at least 12 hours after using lemon because it causes a photo-toxic reaction.

Let me know if you try this mask in the comments below.

XO,

Deepika.