In the latest issue of Lucky, the magazine shows us a cool spin on the smoky eye. Basically, work black eye liner into the top and bottom lashes, then lay teal down directly over the black. This teal will be surprisingly subtle, yet catch anyone’s attention!

Here’s some great teal products:

L’Oreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner

Stila Convertible Lash + Line #05 Teal

NARS Single Eye Shadow in Tropic

Remember that awkwardly shaded eye shadow that made you feel like you were dressing up more for Halloween, rather than a night out on the town? How long has it lingered around in your make-up bag?

What about your mascara?

As you shift around items in your collection, you may have wonder if your make-up ever goes bad or expires. The answer is an astounding: YES!

Continual exposure to air and bacteria causes your make-up to loose its effectiveness and may cause infections. Most make-ups contain preservatives that prevent common-use bacteria from growing, but improper storage and extended use will increase the chances of you breaking-out or getting something ghastly, like pink eye!

There are some easy things that you can do to stretch that dollar and keep your make-up in tip-top shape.

• DO NOT share your make-up! That’s the quickest way to a downhill spiral. You love your friends, not their germs.
• Store your make-up in a cool, dry place.  Keep all bottles and containers tightly sealed when not in use.
• Wash your brushes with a mild detergent at least once a month if they’re natural, at 3-4 times a month if they’re made from synthetic fibers. Baby shampoo will do the trick.
• Sponges should be washed after every use and thrown out monthly.
• Before you put on your face, wash it and your hands with soap and water.
• Try not to touch your make-up directly with your fingers, pour some out or scoop it up with an applicator.

The FDA doesn’t require cosmetic companies to print expiration dates on their products. So, here are some general guidelines on the shelf life of some of your make-up items.

MASCARA: 3 months! – ‘Pumping’ your mascara (pulling it in and out quickly) only introduces more bacteria, so don’t do it!

LIQUID FOUNDATION: Water-based foundations – up to 12 months; Oil-based foundations – 18 months. Wider mouthed jars should be let go earlier. If the ingredients settle or separates, thickens or thinks, or if the smell changes – let it hit the road. CREAM FOUNDATION: 4-6 months.

CONCEALER: 6-8 months

POWDER: 2 years

CREAMS AND GELS: 1 year

PENCIL EYE/LIP LINER: Up to 3 years, if regularly sharpened. If the pencil dries or crumbles – it has gone bad.

EYESHADOWS: Up to 3 years. Dark eyeshadows can also be used as eyeliners – dampen an extremely flat-brush (Aveda, MAC, Sephora have some good ones) dab it in your eyeshadow. Wiggle the brush into your lash line (focusing on the little spaces between your lashes), and sweep the color just above it.

LIPSTICK: 1-2 years, longer if refrigerated. If it starts to smell – out it goes!

NAIL POLISH: Up to 1 year, depending on quality.

Most importantly, if your make-up changes color, texture, or smell, toss it out immediately.

So that’s it ladies, if your make-up isn’t making you feel like it used to, or is getting out of shape…let’em go. It’s not you, it’s them.

Recently, BG sat down with Iram Zaidi, the Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer of Profound Aesthetic. The hip young t-shirt company had recently caught our eye not only for its fashionable tees, but for do-good attitude.

According to Zaidi, Profound Aesthetic is a clothing brand designed to inspire and spark innovation as a creative outlet of expression delivered through the universal language of art on a “t-shirt”. Each piece is carefully designed by the staff to be visually appealing and also present a positive message.

“[The brand] renders a positive message, pushing the limits of intellectual creativity and at the same time fitting an eclectic taste in fashion, suitable for every citizen of humanity,” said Zaidi of Profound Aesthetic’s goals as a business and design company.

The Company began as a collaborative effort between Zaidi, her brother Faraz Zaidi, and her cousin Nabil Zaidi while driving back from a road trip from Chicago in 2007.

“With seventeen hours to kill, a lot of topics  came up and we somehow stumbled upon a general consensus: there is a serious lack of substance in the t-shirt market and we were going to make that change,” said Zaidi.

Profound Aesthetic was officially founded in August of 2008 after the team found a name they all loved.  After that, the pieces seemed to fall into place. Zaidi purchased the domain name, developed the website, and began marketing the brand through Myspace and Facebook. Their first tee, “Peace By Piece” started it all.

“When Ferdinand Porsche, founder of Porsche couldn’t find a car that fit what he was seeking in an automobile, he built his very own. That was our precise motive behind Profound Aesthetic. The three of us are a team of artists, graphic designers, musicians, philosophers, photographers,  and thinkers who are driven by the idea of every individual regardless of race or creed, status or disposition, to be able to pick up a shirt and wear it with pride and appreciate it for its message,” said Zaidi.

Profound Aesthetic is a three person team in which every person contributes their own talents. The respective roles have been distributed to ensure that every aspect of the company’s goals is covered even though. Even then, their roles overlap.

“Essentially, Faraz is the President and designer, turning our vision and concept into a reality by developing a design that is then printed onto a t-shirt. Nabil is the Marketing Director and mainly keeps us informed of any sort of events that will be beneficial to us. In addition to that, he has a “street team” of students from all over the country that help in distribution of flyers and marketing pieces. Lastly, I take care of every aspect of the business from booking events, to taking care of e-commerce orders through our online store, to customer relations, to sales and expanding Profound Aesthetic into retailers all across the globe.”

Faraz, a graduate from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and a top notch graphic designer that has worked with fortune 500 companies develops all the graphics from scratch. However, many new design concepts are a collaborative effort. Each design has its own story from where the idea come from and how it came to fruition.

“The “Create the Sound” tee was a concept developed after  watching a Spike Lee movie from the early 90′s. We discussed the transitioning of how the creation of music has evolved over the years. It was certainly an epiphany; a keyboard on Nabil’s shoulders as a visual to this magnificent concept. Nabil was the model, I did the photography and Faraz turned it into a graphic. It was magical and a true example of our collaborative efforts,” said Zaidi.

Other design concepts have even been developed by their fans. The “Universal Tee” was developed when Profound Aesthetics did a show in Washington D.C. and a fan handed the team over a piece of paper with the quote “you can bomb the world to pieces, but you can’t bring peace with bombs”.

“We loved the quote! Not to mention it used Peace and Piece like our very  first shirt. We went home, brainstormed and designed a shirt with the universal symbol of peace resting on the bottom corner of the t-shirt. The next day, our email was full of orders!” said Zaidi.

The young company has grown tremendously in the past year and sells its designs throughout the world. Even, Zaidi finds it hard to believe the Company only sold its first shirt November 2008. For the 2010 collection, Profound Aesthetic is looking into even more designs, introducing a premium denim line, winter attire such as cardigans, sweatshirts, jackets and accessories as well as an expanded women’s line.

“At times I am astonished at the progression we have made and I strongly feel that it is due to our tremendous passion and  love for what we do, along with the beauty of present day technology and a solid plan for success. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that we will achieve our aspired goals and it certainly feels amazing when I am reminded of that at every point in my day as I get notifications of purchases on my blackberry from all over the world,” said Zaidi.

Just a short visit to the Profound Aesthetic’s website and you can see why they have had their success. Their shirts are unique and stylish and present a design that’s beautiful and thought provoking. Their best selling shirt, the “Peace by Piece” tee, presents a fun play on words and simplicity of design. The shirt appeals to all, men and women, regardless or race, gender, and ethnicity.

” A great deal of thought is put into each and every design to ensure that it is purely unique and unlike anything. We take an enormous amount of pride in creating the most creative and penetrating designs that exceed anything else that is out in today’s market. We were simply sick and  tired of designs with absolutely no substance or meaning and a t-shirt  in recent years has become a great method of expression and art. It was our perfect opportunity to make a difference.”

To learn more about Profound Aesthetic visit them at http://profoundaesthetic.com/.  Keep up with all their events and networking initiatives through their “I AM PROFOUND” Magazine Blog, facebook, and twitter.

Syeda with her parents in Pakistan.

by Syeda Hasan

This past December, my trip to Pakistan was filled with first times – my first time in a foreign country, first time flying alone, first beachside camel ride – among countless other adventures. It was also the first time I got to see my family in over a year.

My family moved to Karachi, Pakistan last December during my senior year of high school. After much convincing and pleading to my mom, I stayed to finish high school and then move on to the University of Texas at Austin. The image of them leaving me at the Houston airport is forever engrained in my mind: they ascended the escalator, struggling to squeeze in every possible wave goodbye while we could still see each other.

Staying here was my choice, and as much as I knew it was the right decision, it became very difficult to be without my family at times. There were a few moments when I really felt I couldn’t stand it anymore and I was almost willing to leave – fly, sail, do anything just to be with them again. It took a long time and a lot of learning before I became comfortable with being on my own. And at the same time as I was adjusting, my family was going through the transition of being in a new country without me.

My mom would call me religiously at 9:30 every night and we’d fill each other in on school, work, how my two brothers were doing. My dad and I emailed each other every day. Over time, our conversations shifted from discussing the difficulty of the adjustment to “just wait till you come visit. You’re going to love the….” My big brother would send me pictures of things he saw around town, and I’d stare at those foreign images on my computer screen forever, trying to make sense of what I saw. The rickshaws, arms with dozens of bangles, and street side restaurants all seemed like artifacts from an unimaginable place. My family seemed to be adjusting so well, it made me wonder what it was about Pakistan that could be so enticing.

Syeda and her mother.

Now as I sat in my departure gate, a million thoughts raced through my head. What would it be like to see my family again? And what should I expect Pakistan to be like? Would it really be a vibrant Bollywood-esque fantasy, or would I be counting the days till my return flight? I tried to relax as the loud speaker called my row to board the plane. I would just have to wait and see.

Thirty hours, three meals, and about 10 airplane movies later, I arrived at Karachi International Airport. I felt a wave of excitement at the thought that I was in a foreign country and massive butterflies in my stomach at the thought of seeing my family again. After what felt like hours in the immigration line and baggage claim, I passed through the arrival gate and was met with a hundred eager faces of people waiting for their family and friends. I held my breath as I scanned the crowd – and then there they were. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more just plain happy than I did at that moment. My family was here and I was home – only I had no idea where I was.

Witnessing culture first hand in Pakistan.

On the drive home, I got my first taste of culture shock. I’d heard lots of stories from my friends and family about how no one followed the rules on the road, but I couldn’t help but be shocked as a bus suddenly swerved into our lane without indicating, coming inches away from my dad’s car. That terrifying traffic moment could serve as an analogy for my entire first week in Pakistan; everything was like a swerving bus coming at me from out of nowhere. The power went out at random times throughout the day, and people made due with the few lights in the house that were powered by a noisy generator outside. In the markets, a dozen vendors tried to sell you a dozen different things all at once. I also never became comfortable with the stark contrast of luxury and poverty that seemed to surround me. From the car, I saw countless beggars of all ages. I never got used to seeing so many of them sleeping on road medians, using makeshift fires to keep warm at night. Aside from the beggars and reckless traffic, the roads were also filled with donkey carts, rickshaws, stray cows and goats. And after an exhaustive search, I’d relinquished any hope of finding a decent cup of coffee anywhere on the subcontinent.

I felt overwhelmed in this strange environment, and I didn’t quite understand how my family could have adjusted so well. When I arrived, my dad told me that there was a certain charm about Pakistan that was not describable in words, something I couldn’t find anywhere else in the world, and it took me a while to understand what he meant. My family took me on many adventures around town. We visited the Mohatta Palace Museum, which housed gorgeous collections of tile art from around South Asia. We took a trip to the beach where I gathered the courage to take a ride on a camel. There was also an inexhaustible list of relatives to be visited, and I never got tired of the bear hugs and hearing how much I’d grown.

Syeda with her father.

My favorite way to observe the city was to stand on the balcony and watch the road below, people out running errands, vendors with overflowing wooden carts calling out for potential customers. There was something so genuine and charming about seeing people’s daily routines, especially since they were so different than my own. There was such beauty in the traditional ways of life there. Where else could I find things like an old bangle seller, face sprinkled with glitter from his shimmering merchandise, or women in vibrant saris effortlessly balancing baskets on their heads? Despite being a country plagued with material poverty, it was one of the most culturally rich.

As the days went by, I fell in love with Pakistan. Despite the underdevelopments, and never having been there before, I felt at home. As the day of my return flight grew nearer, the thought of leaving tugged at my heartstrings.

Even though it was tough to say goodbye, I was happy to be taking a new perspective (and a suitcase full of presents) back with me. I gained peace of mind from seeing my family again. And I finally understood what my dad had meant about the charm Pakistan had to offer. It was a one-of-a-kind, beautiful and enlightening place, and I was proud to have it as part of my heritage.

Darshana, our Design Correspondent

by Pooja Patel with Darshana Magan

Have you been thinking about decorating your room, but keep putting it off because of the slumping economy? With these great tips from Darshana Magan, our Design Correspondent, you can decorate with little impact on your wallet!

Darshana dropped in to give us great advice on decorating small spaces, like your dormroom or apartment, on a budget. Her advice is simple yet effective.

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Style Tips:

1)      Don’t be afraid to use color.

2)      Add personality, not clutter.

3)      Make it personal and homey.

4)      Simplicity equals success.

Using Color:

Darshana's re-decorated room.

• A fun way to add color to your room is to create it yourself. Grab a couple of canvases and some cheap brushes and release your inner Michelangelo! Anyone can do it!

• If painting isn’t your game, you can always add color by using art pieces and framing them. Some examples are: postcards, scrapbook paper, handmade paper, posters, or some of your own photography. Try TJ Maxx, Marshall’s or Target for some cute, inexpensive frames.

• Wall art isn’t the only way to add color. Use your bedding to give your room that extra zing. However, if you choose to go bold with bedding, keep accessories down to a minimum. Too much color is overwhelming to the eye. I prefer neutral bedding and bringing in color through throw pillows and accessories. Check out these websites to get great deals on pillows, rugs, bedding, and more:

Urban Outfitters

Target

Add Personality, Not Clutter:

Working with a color palette that fits your personality, is very important.  The Target link above has this nifty tool that lets you choose your bedding color palette.

If you are going neutral (brown, creams, and greys) then you will more than likely bring in color through one toss pillow, a throw at the end of your bed, curtains, knick knacks, vases, picture frames and maybe even a rug. Remember that lively patterns are great for small spaces, because you only need a modest amount to make a big impact!

This color palette flows well. This would be a jewel tone palette.

Because this is a small space you may want to get a maximum of three frames, and maybe an actual corkboard where you can use some pieces of scrap book paper, or cut out alphabet letters to personalize it.

3) Make it personal and homey:

- This is simply done by adding photographs of loved ones, family members, and friends! Add your personal touch by adding humor, personal quotes, and life to the room. Stack your favorite books on the night stand next to your bed. Bring the outside in by adding a small plant and putting it in nice pottery.

Simple, yet elegant frames can easily add color to your room.

Simplicity equals Success:

1) Check out an Ikea store if you have one around you. It is an ideal one-stop shopping for all your decorating needs. It’s even great for finding storage containers on the cheap!

2) I find myself browsing Target.com all the time. This place has it all! You can get simple and unique items for clearance prices.

3) Bedding and accessories can always be found on sale at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Burlington Coat Factory, Overstock.com and Pier 1 Imports. For more quirky items check out Urban Outfitters, your local thrift store, West Elm or EBAY!

]]> http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/02/decorate-your-space-big-on-impact-small-on-cash/feed/ 3 http://browngirlmagazine.com/2008/10/colors/ http://browngirlmagazine.com/2008/10/colors/#comments Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:18:19 +0000 browngirlmag http://browngirlmagazine.com/blog/?p=233

by Asma Hassan

My driver and I ready to hit the road.

I dug out my travel diary to write this article, which I got especially for my trip to Pakistan in December 2006. It was one of the most expensive hand painted diaries from Barnes and Noble, with the Earth beautifully imprinted on it in gold foil. I thought it was perfectly appropriate to record my first real travel experience.

I was more than ecstatic. It was my first trip to anywhere, and it was Pakistan (I had gone once before when I was only 9 months old). All the excitement and hype boiled down to the morning of my flight. I made sure one last time that I had everything I needed, and a lot of that which I didn’t. I was traveling alone since my mom was already there.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled and energized! Peanuts on the plane, reading my book and writing my diary, chewing gum to prevent my ears from popping, I had it all planned out.

As the plane took off, I was feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. It would be the first time, for the most part, that I would be meeting most of my family. Besides that, it would also be the first time I saw any place other than Houston, Texas.

From what my friends had told me, Pakistan and India were “so much fun!” From family, to food, to shopping, to weddings and parties, I was anticipating a Bollywood-type set with a burst of color every where I looked. With that in mind, I did not question the reality of what I would face when I stepped off the plane: CULTURE SHOCK.

After that I continued to be electrocuted, shock after shock after shock…

To my surprise, cows always seemed to be crossing the roads.

SHOCK #1: “Where are the restrooms? Wait, what? That hole in the floor??” For any one who has been to Pakistan/India, you know what I am talking about. For those of you who haven’t, let me inform you, though no one felt the need to inform me: most “toilets” consist of holes in the restroom floor. I guess no one felt the need to inform me that I would need impeccable balance and thigh strength to endure one of those. Needless to say, I had to change my clothes after every restroom break until we finally got a toilet installed in my restroom.

SHOCK #2: “On the roads, there is only one rule: there are NO rules.” If you want to know paranoia, that would be me in the car/rickshaw/taxi. No one follows road rules – and honking is considered an indicator to move out of the way and move out of the way NOW! I do have to admit, however, that it was almost as fun sometimes as it was horrifying. And, if you thought motorcycles were built for one, think family of 7.

Definitely tasty! (But, I paid for it later...)

SHOCK #3: “Don’t drink that water, or eat that food…” For anyone not accustomed to the food overseas, it may not be the best idea for your body to expose it to the diarrhea/vomit-inducing food of the overseas. Though, I have to admit the hours spent in the “toilet” were well worth the deliciousness of the food! I carried a 2-liter boiled-water bottle around with me everywhere I went, but I did allow myself a taste of this and a taste of that.

SHOCK #4: “Don’t open your mouth.” Unless, of course, you want to seriously tick off your bargaining-award winning aunt trying to get you a good deal on that already ridiculously cheap (fill in the blank). Most of the time the vendors were already well-aware that you were foreign but if they get the faintest idea that you have beaucoup-rupees, well, face it, you’re going to get ripped off. But this rule doesn’t apply just while shopping for clothes, jewelry and shoes – it applies to anywhere outside of your house and sometimes inside too…
One particular district – the color dying district was especially fascinating to me. There, within minutes, you could dye anything to any color – and when I say any, I mean it in the literal term. Be it cloth, furniture, jewelry. I found it to be so amazing walking down a long street with men working meticulously by their large steaming/boiling pots of water. Situated all around them were the finest of fine colored dye powders which they would add to the water to get the precise color one wanted. They managed to dip their hands and arms into the boiling hot water, twirling the cloth into the dying water. My “wows” and “dangs” definitely did not manage to get us any discounts there.

Driving around was always an experience.

SHOCK #5-Infinite… I can write on and on about my observances in Pakistan, the list and experiences are endless.

Honestly, through all the culture shocks, I had the greatest time of my life… Every corner I turned and every character I met was so meaningful – every corner shop was full of nothing but colors. Not exactly the Bollywood I was expecting, but colors, music, characters, sights and experiences everywhere nonetheless.

I have to admit that while actually there, I did find certain things (and people) to be unbearable. I wanted to do nothing but leave. However, now in retrospect, I did live through it, and loved every second of it – and if only I had $1,900 for a plane ticket, I would go back in a heartbeat!

The lookout from the terrace where I was staying.

I will write more, as well as post excerpts from my travel diary, about the crazy things I experienced in the future… Leave a comment about your overseas experiences too!