April 2020 Favourites

Assalam alaykum lovelies!

A few weeks ago, a friend messaged and reminded me that it’s been a long time since I updated my current favourite list on my blog so I’m here to change that fact. The truth is I have been compiling the list for a while and was only waiting to hit a particular target before publishing this post. As some of you may already know, I am not a product junkie. If I purchase something for the first time and I discover that the item works well for me, best believe I’ll stick to the product or brand like glue, except it stops working for me later down the line or I am recommended something that is more effective.

I have a few beauty products mentioned on this list that I LOVE and I am excited to share them all with you. So without further ado, let’s dive right into the things I’ve been loving the past few months!

1. Khanums

They are an exclusive/high-end London based fashion brand that I discovered a few months ago on Instagram. The word ‘Khanum’ means women of class, of high social status and rank; otherwise known as a Lady or Queen. Honestly, words can’t describe how much I love their art. I call their clothing a piece of art, because they truly are a piece of art and you will agree with me as soon as you see their collection. If you are a fan of statement blazers and kimonos then Khanum should be your go to store. All of their pieces are hand embellished with crystals, pearls, diamantés and pearls. If you are able to afford their pieces (they are quite expensive), I guarantee you that you will feel like a million bucks and everywhere you go, you will be the centre of attention. To find out more about their pricing click here.

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2. Moorea Seal Journal

Journaling is an activity I find very therapeutic and would highly recommend to others. When purchasing journals, I would usually opt for the leather bound journals with blank pages but when I travelled for the holidays earlier this year, I decided to buy a guidance journal from one of my favourite bookstores; Barnes & Noble. I came across the Moorea Seal Journals and decided to buy two from the 52 List Series: 52 Lists for Calm and 52 Lists Project. The 52 List for Calm is a journal that includes tips and inspiration for soothing anxiety, stress and creating a peaceful life. The 52 List Project is a journal that helps to challenge you to take action and make your dreams a reality, by helping to nurture self-expression and self-development. This journal has done many wonders for me including: improving my emotional wellbeing, helping me to better navigate my tangled thoughts and to understand my person a lot more.

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3. Miracle In Cell No 7 (2019)

I’m a big fan of foreign movies and TV shows. I can’t count the number of French, Hindi, Malian, Iranian, Spanish, Lebanese, Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Turkish movies and shows I’ve seen in the past. I just love languages and enjoy learning about different cultures. Miracle In Cell No 7 is a Turkish movie that was highly rated and recommended by Habiba Da Silva (the queen of Netflix) and other people I follow on social media. I delayed watching the movie because I had seen the movie reviews and a lot of people mentioned they had cried, and if you know me well then you must know how much of a cry baby I am when it comes to movies. If I were to witness any moving or emotional scene, there’s a 99.9% chance I would tear up and cry. I need to learn how to stop over investing my emotions in the character’s lives I watch. I got bored one night and decided to watch the movie and boy did I cry my eyes out. I have a list of movies that I love and can re-watch a million times without getting tired but I’m happy to mention that Miracle in Cell no 7 has made its way to the top of that list. The movie does an excellent job of capturing the true essence of humanity, what it means to sacrifice, what it means to forgive and give second chances to people. Another great lesson that the movie reinforces is that as human beings, we can plot and plan but Allah is truly the best of planners. I’ll say no more so I won’t spoil the movie for those of you who haven’t watched it but believe me when I say the acting and storyline is phenomenal and the movie is 10000% worth your time.

4. Hum, Glow Sweet Glow Vegan Gummies

When it comes to beauty I never joke with my vitamins. I’ve been taking skin vitamins for a few years now and I absolutely adore them and can’t part with them when it comes to my skincare regime. Earlier in the year, I went shopping at Sephora and decided to stock up on some of my favourite skincare products. I lingered around their vitamins sections for a long time researching and reading reviews on some vitamins I didn’t know about. A short while later, I was approached by one of their staff that I had been eyeing from the corner of my eyes for a while. The lady was African-American and had one of the most healthiest and gorgeous dark skin tones I’ve ever seen; her skin was literally glowing. She eyed the vitamin in my hand and asked if she could recommend a better skin vitamin for my skin. I probably barked a yes in reply. She handed me a bottle of the Hum, Glow Sweet Glow Vitamins and mentioned it was the best out there and it was also the one she was presently using. I complimented her lovely skin and she mentioned her skin game changed after she started taking the vitamins a few months prior. I thanked her and bought several bottles of the vitamins. I’ve been taking these vitamins for over a month now and GUYS the texture of my skin has improved greatly; the surface of my skin is so much smoother and softer. My skin looks and feels plump and is very hydrated. The vitamins contain hyaluronic acid; a compound that helps hold moisture into our skin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and amla fruit. I absolutely love this vitamin and it is so delicious and vegan friendly! I highly recommend to others that want to achieve or maintain a smooth and glowy skin.

5. Revuele, Hydralift Hyaluron Micellar Express Lotion

This is a make up remover/pre-cleaner that was recommended to me by my dermatologist and I haven’t been able to stop using it since the first time I tried it. My skin loves this little magic that’s contained in a bottle. They are very affordable and help to improve skin elasticity and smoothness. Every night before I go to sleep, I apply some of the lotion to a cotton pad and wipe off the dirt that might have build up on my face over the course of the day. I’ll then leave it for a minute to soak into my skin before rising off and lathering my face with my facial cleanser. I hardly wear make up except for the days I want to take pictures but the days I do wear make up, I use the hydralift lotion to take off my make up. I love that it’s so lightweight and refreshing. Some of its key ingredients are hyaluronic acid, grape seed oil and wheat germ oil.

6. Clean and Clear Advantage Rapid Gel

God bless the day I found this product. If you wake up and discover a little pimple or acne is breaking on your face, this gel is your cure. After two days of consistent use (morning & night), the acne will disappear and I’m speaking from experience. I must warn that it does give a slight stinging/burning sensation because it does its job to dry up the pimple and bacteria on your face, but you’ll only feel the sting for a rough second. I’ve learnt that the gel does not clear the breakouts I get during my period. My period acne is hormonal and will only clear after I’m done with my period. In other words, I advice you save up this beautiful product to only tackle the little stubborn and occasional breakouts that greets your face from time to time and not cases of hormonal or severe acne. If you have a serious acne condition I strongly recommend you go see a dermatologist. Some of the key ingredients that the gel contains are salicylic acid (2%) and witch hazel. If you are based in abuja you can purchase this product from Amigo supermarket (aka 4U).

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7. Jewellery Organizer, Miniso

One of my few guilty pleasures is shopping for the house. If I have to choose between shopping for my dream wardrobe and shopping for my dream house, best believe I’d choose the latter. I can spend hours on Pinterest looking at different interior home designs and storage spaces. I have a minor OCD for organising spaces; I like things to be neatly and aesthetically arranged and organised. I don’t wear or have that much jewellery at home, but I’ve always wanted to buy a jewellery hanger for my modest jewellery collection. I went shopping for a yoga mat at Miniso the other day and found a small white minimalist looking jewellery hanger. I loved how simple they were and decided to buy two sets; one for my gold sets of jewellery and the second for my silver sets of jewellery. I loved how well it transformed and beautified my vanity space even more.

8. YSL, Black Opium

I remember the first time I caught whiff of this scent, I tried to convince myself I didn’t need it only for me to lose sleep over it for some days. I genuinely couldn’t stop thinking about the perfume and I knew my mind wouldn’t let me rest until I purchased a bottle for myself. I absolutely adore this perfume. The seductive fragrance from Yves Saint Laurent Beauté has the opening notes of adrenaline-rich coffee and the sweet sensuality of vanilla.

9. Passing Through Podcast, Nneka Julia

Nneka Julia is an incredible story-teller and one of my favourite creatives on Instagram. To be honest, I’ve never heard a woman speak as eloquently as she does on a consistent basis. She knows how to bring life and tell stories through her powerful words and vivid descriptions and stunning photography. Her podcast ‘passing through’ is one of my favourite podcasts to listen to. She provides well-traveled and cultured perspective on some of her most beautiful encounters with different places, states, countries and best of all, people. Not only would you find her voice alluring and soothing, there’s a little light or fire that gets ignited inside your soul whenever you listen to her speak. The kind of light or fire that pushes you to reflect and want to do more and be more.

10. Max Siollun, Soldiers of Fortune

This political book was shortlisted and recommended by a member of my bookclub, and was later discussed at one of our book hangouts. Prior to reading the book, I had very limited knowledge and understanding of what the political climate was like in Nigeria, but Max Siollun did a remarkable job in providing an objective yet enlightening & factual recount of the different regimes that took place in Nigerian since Nigeria gained her independence in 1960. When I finally got my hands on a copy of the book, I was super eager to devour the content of the book because Nigerian politics was an interest I had newly developed. As a citizen that has the power to vote and drive change for the country, I owe myself a duty to learn about the past and current leaders and the key figures that have profited and contributed into making Nigeria what it is today. Ignorance is a disease and I learnt SO MUCH from this book and highly recommend the book to anybody that’s a novice or curious about Nigerian politics.

That brings us to an end of the things I’ve been loving for the past few months; I’d love to hear the things you’ve been loving as well!

I’ll catch you in my next post In Sha Allah x

Ma Salam!