What's In Her Bag? The Artistic Hands

Today we get in the bag of  the talented Saudi Makeup artist and beauty blogger Wafa Ahmed, better known as The Artistic Hands. Wafa is a makeup guru, and I learned a lot of makeup tips from her. I was curious to know what she caries in her bag, and the makeup she uses for quick retouches.

So when asked what's in her bag she said: "Honestly I’ve always been a fan of huge bags and I used to carry so much stuff with me that I don’t even need I’m sure a lot of you girls can relate with me! Lol But lately I’ve switched to smaller/mini bags. It’s just so much easier and lighter for everyday.My bag is Fendi Baguette in dark navy I got it last year. I like that it fits a lot of stuff but it doesn’t feel heavy at all!

My wallet is the Glitter Bug Stacy in rose gold from Kate Spade. I LOVE this wallet sometimes when I’m in a hurry I only take it with me and it has a pocket that fits my phone, which it’s perfect!

For makeup touch ups throughout the day I always have my Diorskin Forever Pressed Powder. Lip butter or lip balm and I like to give myself a couple of options for the lips hehe!

Something I can’t forget is my hand cream I have dry hands that need to be moisturized all the time and my favorite one at the moment is Clarins Hands and Nails Treatment Cream. I keep them all in a mini makeup pouch I got from Benefit. Lastly I like to carry my little notebook with me to list down any ideas or things I don’t want to forget.

Follow Wafa: @theartistichads

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The Day I visited Benefit Shop

Benefit has always been one of my favourite makeup brands, and it's no secret to anyone. I remember first time I saw Benefit's products in Sephora Paris 8 years ago, and how the cute packaging attracted my eyes and made me try all of the Benefit stand at the Champs Elysee branch. I still can remember the very first things I bought from my allowance then, and how by time I know own almost the entire Benefit collection for makeup and perfume. I have become a Benefit addict, so when I knew that Benefit has opened a shop in a shop at Sephora City Walk in Dubai, I was like a Benefit shop, that could be easily any girl's dream little boudoir room.

The benefit shop is all pink, it's super cute. Taking a huge part of the already huge Sephora store. The place is divided into many sections, a place where all the products are displayed, a place where you can let a specialized makeup artist put makeup for you, using all Benefit Cosmetics products. Beside makeup there are two private rooms, one for wax hair removal using organic non-allergic wax, and for threading as well,  the other is for spray tan, where you can get a wonderful pretty colour in matter of minutes without burning your self by the sun,using super high quality tanning colours imported straight from the USA.

Beside the private rooms, there is a space for blow drying the hair, and ladies and mmm ladies "drum roll here please" a brow bar, yeah finally I got to try the famous Benefit brow bar, where a very professional eyebrows technician comes and talk to you, ask you what you want your eye brows to be, choose the perfect arch, then use a special organic wax for eyebrows, that can never cause sensitivity or redness. After the shaping process, the technician uses a special tint to fill in your eyebrows, that unlike Henna, never stain your skin, looks super natural and stays for up to 3 weeks. I loved doing my brows there, and I have learned that the do apply fake eyelashes for you. All of this for unbelievably affordable prices, compared to the regular salons.

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Interview and What's in her bag?! With Sofia Guellaty

Couple of months ago I got the chance to interview the beautiful Sofia Guellaty, the great fashonista and the editor in chief of Style Arabia. Unfortnayely I got busy traveling around the globe, and I didn't post that interview earlier, but here I am posting it now, an interview and what's in her bag, with one of the Arab world and (my) favourite style icons.

Photo Credit: Carolinesmode

- Tell us more about yourself.
I was born and raised in Tunisia. My parents raised me to be open-minded and curious. I went to French school and after high school moved to Paris. I lived a bit in NYC, worked in fashion since my first internship with little breaks in TV and wrote a book when I was 21 about an Egyptian writer named Albert Cossery. I also have a serious addiction to sugar. 

Photo Credit: Sartorialist.com

-How and when did you first you become interested in fashion?
I remember very well the day I told my mom that I wanted to be Editor in Chief of a fashion magazine, I was around 8. Since then it was a very conscious path towards fashion and media. My first internship was at Elite Model Look, a model competition that was held in Tunis, I knew from that moment I wouldn't be happier anywhere else. 

Photo Credit:  Silhouetted Skyline

- Tell us more about your personal style?
My style is happy, sporty, and elegant at the same time. I break all my outfits with an element of surprise. If I am wearing a beautiful embroidered coat I will break it with a T-shirt and if I'm wearing glitter then I will break it with Converse etc. I am also very big on statement jewelry, shoes, and the ethnic chic element.

Photo Credit: taken from tumblr

- What are your favorite brands?
Well it depends on the season. My job is to assess each collection one by one and no brand has continuously won me over as much as Azzedine Alaïa, the last master and Valentino who always brings me my fairytale romantic moment. I love brands for different reasons. Right now, after Fashion Month, I wouldn't mind owning the whole Ostwald Helgason collection and I really love what Madiyah Al Sharqi does. I have great hopes for the new generation of Arab designers.

Photo Credit: Styleograph

- What inspires you?
Love, moments of kindness, flowers, soap bubbles, sun, sea, boats... I am very girly in fact. 

- Has fashion changed your lifestyle and how you pick your friends?
Well it is true that most of my friends work in fashion, I work so much that I don't get out much outside of the scene but my best friends are the ones I met in kindergarten. They are my sisters and they are completely out of the whole fashion circus, I need this balance.

Photo Credit: Styleograph

- Describe the best fashionable day for you.
Beautiful shows at fashion week, the lobby of a hotel in Milan or New York watching older ladies who lunch in their chignons and pearls, meeting my fashion idols, learning from them. Receiving my Net a Porter order etc...

Photo Credit: fashionwelkie

How do you see the fashion scene in Tunisia? Any favorite Tunisian designer?
The fashion scene in Tunisia is very strong. I wear designs by Ahmed Talfit and Ali Karoui. Remember those names, they are extremely talented. I am heading to Tunis Fashion Week at the end of May, cannot wait!

As Senior Editor of Style.com/Arabia, how do you deal with daily deadlines?
Working in this industry doesn't sit well with long week ends and an aversion for late nights at the office. My team and I are on call like doctors, especially for a platform likeStyle.com/Arabia that is online. But when you are passionate about what you do, working for such a huge company like Condé Nast is a privilege that I don't even consider work. 

photo credit: Savoir Flair

 What is your favorite city in the world?
I keep on changing my mind, I really like Dubai for it's a place where people of all backgrounds meet. It is rather a happy place. I adore Istanbul also and New York.

Shoes or bags?
Definitely shoes, I don't care too much for bags.

What are your future plans?
Trying as hard as I can to make the fashion industry in the Middle East a more qualitative one. I am tired of the Arab woman being seen as a giant walking wallet that likes rhinestones and neon, we have so much more to offer. I hope that with Style.com/Arabia we will find great talents that we will promote and show the world our true colors.

What is in your bag Sofia?
As I told you I am not a big bags fan. The only brand I really love to wear is Corto Moltedo. Being the workaholic that I am, I received the perfect gift for the holiday season, a laptop case that I also use as a bag. 
- I carry my computer everywhere.Sunglasses are a must in Dubai, I like these Etnia Barcelona for their cute pink mirrored lenses 

- This is a photo of my desk crowded with press material

- I interviewed one of the world's best perfumer today (that was in April), Frederic Malle. He suggested I should wear Portrait of a Lady, I love the refinement and the sophistication of this man, his perfumes are worn by the most elegant ladies.

- I use Bobbi Brown's BB cream as a sunblock.

- I never wear make up during the day, but I often have to attend events or dinners right from the office, so I carry my makeup essentials with me.

- They're Real! by Benefit is the absolute best mascara ever, trust me on this one.

- I love the versatility of MAC's shimmer. If you apply it on your cheekbones it will give you a healthy glow and you can also use it to give shine to your eyelids.

- I always carry Eight Hour cream or a Labello stick, I am addicted to having hydrated lips

- I have terrible dark circles. I bought this Hourglass concealer in NYC and it works like a charm, it stays all day long and has an amazing coverage.

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Say Goodbye to Black heads and Big Pores

Black heads and the oily T.zone every girl's nightmare, isn't it ? My facial pores have the tendency to get black heads, so I am in a constant fight with them to let me enjoy a pure clean face, I am always searching and trying new products for this problem, but now I think I have found a routine that almost helped me getting rid of them for good.

The products I use

 I use these nose strips every other week, I tried so many kinds, and Biore were the best so far. I love the moment when I remove them from my nose and find all the dirt and excess oils coming out.  disgusting and good feeling at the same time :)

For Scrub I was using the Neutrogena for black heads mask and scrub for long time, only to find it's really making my skin super dry, so now I am using the Soap & Glory nose scrub, and it's amazing, it's only for nose and have strong but lovely mint smell that helps to wakes me up in the morning, and yes it doesn't leave the skin dry afterwards.
www.soapandglory.com

 Then after moisturizing my face, I use the Clinique pore minimizer serum. This one of the best products that Clinique ever made, it does shrinks the pores immediately after applying, and controls oils secretion for around 6 hours

 If I am applying makeup, I will use the MAC prep and prime primer, so it even out the colour between my nose and face and helps makeup glides easily.
www.maccosmetics.com

The Benefit's Porefessinal is just a miracle, it's like magic, you just apply it with your finger and voila, no bug pores, no black heads and also works very well for preventing the excess oils. Read my previous product review about here.

 I don't put makeup everyday, and if I am, I won't necessary apply foundation, but if I am putting something I will use the MAC mineralize finish, it doesn't clog the pores and leave them to breathe.

 Lastly I will always carry with me the Balm's translucent powder "Sexy Mama", it's an anti-shine clear powder that whenever I feel my face is starting to get oily, I brush it with this product and in a seconds all the shine is gone.

The Balm is a somehow new brand to me, first I got it because I thought the packaging is too cool, but then after trying them and see how the quality is so good, I am now looking forward to try more products from them.

I think if you use good products and with constant care, the black heads/ big bores and shine won't be bothering you any more. If you use different routine I would like to hear what are you using! so leave it below in the comment box. And Don't Forget to Like Our Facebook page.

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What's in her bag ?! Zinab Chahine

Zinab Chahine is one of the most famous young designer in the Middle East, she is the one behind the funky accessories brand Ctrl+Z .
Today we get to see what's inside Zinab's 2D bag from a brand called Jump From Paper, which was a Christmas gift from her husband.

Zinab says: inside my pursue you can find a container of cat food for the cats on the street, bottle caps that I pick up to use in my jewelry,  I got money stuck in a pocket of the purse because I don't carry a wallet, Rose Salve balm; because its great for everything from lips to elbows, Benefit Cosmetics perfume, my passport, my inhaler for my asthma, iPhone  and iPhone headphones, small mirror from h&m and a hairband.

Zinab's a huge animal lover. Always adapting cats from the streets

Isn't it fabulous

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