2022: First Quarter Current Favourites

Assalam alaykum lovelies!

I put up a poll on my instagram story a while ago and asked if you guys would like me to share an updated list of my current favourite things and 100% of those of you that voted said yes. It warms my heart to know that a number of you enjoy this series and look forward to me sharing more of the things I enjoy in my personal life. This compilation of my favourite things is without a doubt my favourite one yet and I’m super excited to share with you all the things I’ve been loving for the past couple of months.

So without further ado, let’s dive right into it!

Daniel Wellington Iconic Rose Gold Wrist Watch and Classic Rose Gold Bracelet: I cannot stress how much I love this watch and bracelet or how many compliments I’ve received on it. I’m a fan of Daniel Wellington Wristwatches and I own a couple of items from them but my most recent purchase of the black Iconic Rose Gold wrist watch in size 22mm with their classic rose gold bracelet is my favourite so far. I initially wanted the green watch (because green is my favourite colour and I felt it would be a statement piece to own) but it got sold out immediately. I was disheartened to hear it was sold out at first but in hindsight, I’m super pleased I settled for the black version because it goes with almost everything I wear. If you are a lover of simple, classy and minimal jewellery, this gorgeous time piece is for you.

Byredo Perfume: Bal D’afrique: If you follow me on my personal instagram page, then you already know about this perfume. Bal D’afrique is a gorgeous and fresh scent formulated by Byredo. It’s genuinely one of the few scents that I own that has the power to instantly put me in a good mood. It makes me want to dance care-freely in the living room while still feeling like a goddess. It’s what I call a warm and tight hug in a bottle. I don’t mean to exaggerate but ladies purchasing this perfume is a form of self-care.

Dolce Sheriff Humrah Perfumes: If you know me well then you must know I’m a big fan of supporting local brands. When I came across Dolce Sheriff’s online fragrance store for the first time, the first thing that drew my attention was their packaging. It was absolutely beautiful and their products were aesthetically curated on their social media page. I didn’t know which of their humrah perfumes to purchase so I decided to place an order for their 30 ml gift box of 10, which contained all of their perfumes. When my package arrived I was pleased with my purchase and thought it was great value for money. My favourite scent from their range has got to be Yakolo, Karast3 and Amne. They all have a rich, exotic and seductive scent and are long lasting. After I shower at night, I always reach out for one of their bottles to apply before going to sleep.

Amani Hair Carrot Hair Butter: If you follow me on Instagram then you must also be familiar with this Nigerian natural hair care and skin care brand. On multiple occasions I’ve made mention of how highly effective their products are and how I am a die-hard loyal customer of theirs . Their hair care products perform wonders to my hair and my most recent obsession is their new carrot hair growth butter. I honestly cannot express the love my hair has for this product. It’s deeply moisturising and provides so much nourishment to my hair. Ever since I started religiously applying the product to my hair, my hair has never been the same. My hair is so much more softer, lusher and longer; even my hair stylist testifies to this! You can place an order for any of their amazing hair care and skin care products via their website here.

The Mindset Podcast : For the past six months I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts and I truly can’t emphasis the impact and value it has added to my life. After researching and listening to hours worth long of podcasts from different podcasters from around the world, I’m happy to have been able to curate my own list of favourite podcasters that I love and significantly benefit from and listen to on a daily basis. The mindset podcast is one of the earliest podcasts I discovered and started listening to religiously. I got hooked on this podcast from the very beginning. The host Rob Dial is an incredible fella who knows how to grip and keep his audiences attention while sharing incredible motivational content that inspires one to do and become their best. I listen to Rob Dial every morning on my commute to work because I often always need that little boost of motivation to take control of my day and kick ass at work. If you desire motivation, direction and focus in your life then I highly recommend the The Mindset Podcast.

Secrets of Divine Love by A. Helwa: Secrets of Divine Love is a life changing book and one I believe every muslim should read to get a deeper understanding of Allah and His unconditional love for His creations. I’ve never read a book that significantly increased my love for Allah and positively impacted my relationship with Allah swt. May Allah bless and reward the author of this book. I truly love this book, If I were to show you the pages of the copy of my book you would find several highlighted verses and pages from it because the texts are truly thought provoking and inspiring. If you have been longing to experience a more intimate and loving relationship with Allah, then this book was written for you.

Van Cleef and Arpel’s Bracelet: For my 3rd year anniversary my partner gifted me a Frivole Yellow Gold, Diamond Van Cleef Bracelet. When I opened the beautiful sage gift box, I gasped and fell instantly in love with it; the bracelet exuded so much elegance and feminism. Usually before my partner purchases anything for me he always runs it by me because I have very specific tastes and he prefers to buy things for me that he knows for certain I would actually like and appreciate. To my pleasant surprise he managed to keep the Van Cleef purchase from me. After 3 years of marriage, I believe he finally has an idea of the kind of things I like. When it comes to accessories, I love simple, minimal and dainty jewellery. I do not like things that attract too much attention or scream ‘designer’. I’m drawn to simpler jewellery that still have the power to elevate your look and provide a sophisticated and elegant touch. I’ve come across a lot of the more popular Van Cleef designs that many celebrities, rich influencers and wealthy people wear and they would often layer their wrists with other pieces like the Cartier and Hermes bracelets. The fact that the designs are so popular and their fake and knock of versions have now saturated the market made me like them less. However, I love the design my husband chose because it screams me and at first glance you wouldn’t even know it’s Van Cleef except you’re very familiar with their designs. Upon first glance you would first appreciate its timeless beauty and simpleness and how delicate it is rather than first acknowledging its ‘name’ and prestigiousness. Although their jewelleries are very expensive they have a fair resale value of about 74% of its original price.

Sealed Envelope Date Cards: After having children it’s very easy for parents to get sucked into the work of raising and caring for their kids whilst also working hard to provide for the family. As a result, the parents end up having very little quality time for themselves. A couple of months ago it dawned on me that Yusuf and I were almost threading that path and I decided to do something about it. I prepared 30 envelopes that contained 30 different date cards with different date ideas for us try every two weeks. Every two weeks, Yusuf will select an envelop at random and we would do whatever was in it and we take it very seriously. Anybody that is unable to honour the date (i.e because of work) will pay a penalty to be determined by the other party. It’s been an amazing experience so far and I’m grateful to Krissy Cela for the inspiration of the sealed date cards. The dates we’ve been on have been amazing and has helped reveal other parts of us that the other didn’t even know about. Also, the excitement, mystery and anticipation of ‘what are we going to do next’ makes it so much more special and has helped to bring us closer. Yusuf and I have been on more dates in just the past few months than we have in our entire 3 years of marriage. The only downside to this is that I’m beginning to run out of creative date ideas for us to go on hahaha. I’ll be happy to receive some interesting and out of the box date idea suggestions in the comment section below. I believe in the creativity of our small community! Don’t let me down guys!

Haifaz Guava Zobo: Zobo was one of those drinks that I neither loved or hated. However, if you offered it to me I would warmly accept but I would never go out in search for it. This all changed until I tried Haifaz Guava zobo. Guava has always been one my favourite fruits so the blend of the fruit with the zobo leaves and whatever else the owner included in it was divine. I’ve tried other flavoured zobo from Haifaz and they are all good but I always found them too sweet for my liking. This guava zobo is the GOAT.

Family Feud Board Game: Family Feud is one of my favourite family game shows to watch on Netflix. When I randomly spotted the board game in one of the shelves of an unknown store I wandered into in Gwarimpa, you can imagine how elated I was! I’m a big fan of board games, it brings out my inner child and everyone in my family knows how highly competitive I am when it comes to my games. The Family Feud Board game is one we’ve enjoyed playing in my household. Whenever we have guests around, we always gather round and play this wholesome quiz game that leaves everyone in stitches and in a great mood.

Hermes Black Oran Sandals: This sandal is a minimal, classy and staple footwear I recommend any woman to own (if they can afford it). It’s one of the most comfortable and versatile pair of sandals I own; they go with almost everything. However, because the sandals are on the pricier side and are made from calfskin with ecru stitching and hazelnut lining I’m cautious of where I wear them to ( I avoid construction sites, beachy/sandy areas or wet places). They are perfect for running quick errands at the mall in my mum jeans or palazzo pants. They also pair beautifully well with a dress, skirt or an abaya. Like I said they go literally with everything. If you have wide feet, you might consider sizing up because they are quite slim fitted but with constant wear, it will loosen up and expand. The oran sandal is definitely one of my favourite sandals to wear.

That brings us to the end of the things I’ve been loving for the past few months. I plan on making this a quarterly post so keep your eyes out for the next one.

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

Ma Salam!