Sponsored Video: Help A Child Reach 5

When washing my hands, I hum the Happy Birthday song from start to end twice. The 20 seconds I spend humming the song is an adequate amount of time to sud up, clean my hands, and improve hand hygiene. Keeping our hands clean is the easiest way to avoid getting sick because there are a lot of diseases that start and spread with dirty hands. One of them is diarrhoea. 

Diarrhoea, as we know it, is having three or more loose bowel movements in a day. For most of us, having diarrhoea is quite common. Some of us have it twice a year or so but we recover and move on quickly from it. However, did you know that diarrhoea is a common cause of death in developing countries? It’s also the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide that in 2009, 1.5 million children under the age of 5 died because of diarrhoea. 

The residents of Thesgora

Lifebuoy, the soap company launched in England by the Lever Brothers in 1895, has been committed to health and hygiene education and has been helping various communities in the world to prevent diseases like diarrhoea through proper hand washing. One of these communities is Thesgora, a village in India with one of the highest rates of diarrhoea in the country. Lifebuoy aims to bring more awareness to Thesgora, and eventually to other villages, through a series of on-the-ground charity work to help more children reach their fifth birthday. 

Watch this heartwarming video of Gondappa, a resident of Thesgora, celebrate his son’s firth birthday… his first child to reach the age of 5. 

It’s easy for most of us to ignore proper hand washing but Lifebuoy educates us that the simple act of washing hands with soap can reduce the risk of diarrhoeal diseases by 42-47%. With Lifebuoy’s help, more and more children in Thesgora will survive to the age of 5 and beyond. Clean hands can definitely save lives! Encourage your children to wash their hands properly and frequently today! Start singing "Happy Birthdays" not only for washing hands but also for children in villages like Thesgora who will live to celebrate more birthdays in their lives. ;) 

Here are the reactions of parents to Gondappa's story...

This entry is sponsored by Lifebuoy.

A Beauty Shop in a Boheme Basement

Picking up from the last beauty post, The Pink Tarha is bringing to you a beauty store that opened last month. I wouldn't even discover it if it weren't for the Pecha Kucha event I attended last night with a friend. We went to Maison Bo-M in Nujoud Mall to attend the event and also to check out the latest metallic satchels from Cambridge Satchels Co. and some washi tapes (decorated Japanese masking tapes). I saw from Maison Bo-M's Instagram that they have a beauty shop already. Apparently, it's not just beauty corner... it's  rustic, charming room in the lady's section basement that's filled with huge mirrors surrounded by lights. While the collection of available make-up and beauty products are not yet as extensive, the brands are really worth raving about.

Iconic wallpaper on the stairs going down the basement

On soft opening...

Rustic and intimate store for your beauty needs

How huge are the mirrors in that wall?! :P

The Beautyblender (SR 80) is one of the must-have beauty products. It's the ultimate make up sponge applicator! The elliptical shape of this tool makes the application of foundation foolproof and even. It fits the contours of your face and works efficiently that it's been awarded the Allure's Best of Beauty Award Winner for four years. 

The perfect blender

The new kind of blender in the block.

Maison Bo-M also offers the Beautycleanser, the perfect companion to the Beautyblender.

Another award-winning brand is Essie, the nail polish launched in 1981 that still gets massive raves nowadays. This nail polish brand is a favorite of Hollywood stars. While the collection in Maison Bo-M features mostly safe colors, there are a few bottles of fashion-forward colors that pop up every now and then from the racks (SR 40 each).

For your tips and toes.

What color are you sporting today?

I do love the subtle colors though because they're wearable and suitable for the office. Essie also has a full range of products that take care the nails. I wasn't too excited seeing Essie because I've already seen it in more accessible pharmacies in the city... however, there's one brand I'm quite excited to see in this store...

Butter London is a welcome addition to the nail lacquer brands available in Riyadh. Founded in 2005 by British entrepreneur Sasha Muir, Butter London has now a cult following and is always present in Fashion Week. The colors of Butter London are vibrant, bold, and rebellious. They're perfect for night outs and glamorous events.

London has arrived!

Bold colors for the adventurous you!

If you're passionate for nail polishes, share the love with your little girls! That way, they can enjoy the mani session with you too. Little BU is a nice introduction to the world of nail polishes for your little girls. The nail polishes created by former New Yorker and current London resident Patricia Dente Haimes are contained in a cute little bottle and has the sweetest colors! The polishes are water-based and are created with a non-toxic formula.Yup, they're totally safe for nail biters! (SR100 each)

The little girls will love these!

Maison Bo-M also brings Japanese brand Komenuka Bijin NS-K to Riyadh. Komenuka Bijin (Beauty Within) uses rice bran in their products for the skin and hair. Rice bran is believed to give Japanese women luminous skin and hair. The available NS-K products in Maison Bo-M will make a good test to this claim.

For your skin and mane

This following line will totally save you from fashion emergencies...

Hollywood Fashion Secrets provides invisible tricks, fabulous extras, and little secrets that will save you from any wardrobe malfunction. Their most popular product in the Fashion Tape. It's available in Maison Bo-M along with Silicone CoverUps, Temporary Hem Tape, and Garment Shields. Now, if you're really such a clutz (like most of us when we're tensed before a big event right?), there's the Fashion Emergency Kit that contains 14 fashion emergency savers.

Fashion fixes

Stash this up!

The highlight of Maison Bo-M's beauty store is the Valerie Beverly Hills cosmetics. The brand didn't ring a bell for me at first because I wasn't exposed to it before and I wasn't really exposed to a lot of makeup brands (so I tell you, I am not an expert in these beauty stuff, lol). I haven't seen it so I am surprised to find out that it's quite popular! Made by celebrity makeup artist Valerie Sarnelle, Valerie cosmetics has a long list of celebrity clientelle from Nicole Kidman, Debra Messing to Mile Cyrus and Hillary Duff. So if you're into trying new cosmetics, go for Valerie. The stuff are a bit expensive but who knows? Your holy grail makeup might just be this.

Organic and safe for your sensitive skin

Cute testers for blushes!

Lippies and glosses

I enjoyed browsing Maison Bo-M's beauty shop. Though the brands featured are not as numerous like the beauty stores in the malls, they feature fresh and interesting brands that makes this atelier the indie venue to have a pleasurable shopping experience. True to the 'boheme' vibe of Maison Bo-M, the beauty store is perfect for the lady who strays once in a while from the prim and proper, standard path of the fashion and beauty world. Check out Maison Bo-M for quirky finds and the breezy, airy, bright cafe at the first floor. ~ Sundrenched

Maison Bo-M
Nujoud Mall (beside Intercon Hotel)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
T: +966-1-202-1205
E: info@maisonbo-m.com
FB: www.facebook.com/Maison.BoM
Twitter: @MaisonBoM
Website: www.maisonbo-m.com
IG: instagram.com/maisonbom

PS. I didn't get the prices of some products. Sorry! If no price is indicated beside the product name, that means you need to call Maison Bo-M to inquire. ;)

Top 5 Instant Face Brighteners For The Busy You

It’s been quite a while since we had a beauty entry in the blog. If you see The Pink Tarha ladies in real life, we don’t usually adhere to a strict made up look every day. We have our literally ‘no make up look’ days which Eyecandy usually refer to as the literal “wala pa akong mukhang ihaharap sa mundo.” (I don’t have a face to face the world.) And then there are those days when we woke up on the right side of the bed and had enough time to do our make up for work. "Maganda ka nang bongga today!" (You're extra beautiful today!)

I can say that I had a routine down pat: foundation + BB cream (to get my right skin tone color... because when it comes to foundation, I tend to be color blind :P), eyebrow pencil (lighter than what E and Sampaguita Pride would recommend), a bit of eyeshadow swipes, blush, powder to set everything in, and lipstick. That simple. But what if you just have a minute or less before you have to really face the world? What would make a difference in your face? What would make it bright in an instant? 

In Saudi Arabia, most expat women work and most are in the medical field where time is of essence. Sometimes, you’re too tired to even put powder before a shift. So, here are a few instant face brighteners that I’ve tried and tested over the years. Please note that I am not a makeup artist (I’m prone to tsamba) nor an expert in beauty products. I’m not even a nurse to make hurried choices in front of the mirror (I’m just lazy sometimes, lol!). 

1. BB Cream 

One of the available BB creams in KSA

Saudi Arabia is a bit far behind when it comes to the Blemish Balm craze. May panibago nang uso, nasa BB cream pa lang tayo. But I must say that BB creams do wonders! It's an all-in-one product that all you need to do is put them all over your face and you get moisturizer, sunscreen, foundation, etc. in one. What a time saver! I haven’t tried a lot of BB creams but I would recommend The Face Shop’s Power Perfection BB Cream. However, it’s not available here so I also tried Garnier’s version. While it’s not as effective as The Face Shop’s, it’s good enough for every day wear. Wish it has more shades though. The Body Shop also launched their BB Cream and the lighter shades are gone in an instant. What’s your favorite BB Cream that’s available here in Riyadh? 

2. Bright Colored Lipstick 

Choose your hue!

You can leave most of your face bare, just don’t forget to put on a hued lipstick that instantly brightens your face and gets attention. I’m not saying you wear shocking red or hot pink (although you can if it’s permitted in your work place). Wear a color that you don’t usually wear. I am a fan of nude and beige shades but once in a while, I switch to fun, playful colors like pink, purple, and coral. If you think they’re too bright that a religious police might suddenly ask you to wipe them off, then tone the color a bit with lip balm or lip butter. I like Nyx Lip Crème (available in Centrepoint), MAC (available in Kingdom Mall, Harvey Nichols, and Granada Mall), and Make Up For Ever (available in Debenhams). 

3. Black Eyeliner Pencil 

Perfecting the art of putting eyeliners takes time. Well, not if you’re an Arab lady. They have a way of putting their eyeliners effortlessly flawless! I envy them for such grace. I am such a klutz when it comes to eyeliners but I cannot deny the fact that they’re an instant solution to a lazy make up day. And so, I present to you, the pencils. Forget the eyeliner gel or liquid eyeliner pen. Use the pencils. They’re easier to control and easier to erase when you commit a mistake. And use a black one because it’s classy and suited for work. Create simple lines. Smoldering looks must be left for a night-out with friends. Very affordable eyeliner pencils include the ones in Riyalin (only SR2 each!) and the eyeliners of Essense (available in Whites Pharmacy). 

4. Hair Part 

We’re such creatures of habit eh? When I was younger, I used to part my hair in the middle. Every day of my school life! (Told you I was boring.) Only when I worked and gone to a really good salon did I consider parting my hair on the side and voila! An instant “makeover”! So, try parting your hair in the side or center, if you’re used to the side angle. It instantly updates your look! You might feel awkward at the “new look” at first but it’ll pay off especially when other people take notice. “Hey, there’s something new with you!” I bet they wouldn’t even guess what it is but there’s definitely something new in you! ;) 

5. Earrings 

Nope, choose the subtle ones for work.

Eyecandy is the “girl with the many earrings” among The Pink Tarha. And with good reason. It instantly gives her beauty a boost (because she’s naturally beautiful already!). It’s like she’s always made up without even putting too much effort on make up. I’m the one who doesn’t wear earrings often because my ears get irritated easily (sadya s’yang maarte, pasensya na, haha!). But whenever I can handle the itchiness, I insert a pair once in a while to update my simple look. I and Shoegarfreeruby are all for studs while E and SP like danglings. 

While these top five face brighteners are not new to you, it’s nice to take note of them especially with your lives getting busier by the minute. That’s the beauty of these tips… they only need a second or two to help you face the world every day. That's why they're "instant." (Count how many times I used the word "instantly" in this entry! Haha!) 

Stay beautiful, Riyadhizens! ~ Sundrenched

Images via Google.

Cameras in Qomra

If it's not baking, expats in Saudi Arabia are into photography. I'd be surprised if you tell me right now that you don't have a camera. It wasn't long ago that I became interested in learning how to take photos with a DSLR but the convenience of not bringing one every time I step out of the house won me over. So iPhone camera it is. But throughout the years, we've seen the rise of camera-toting people and photography clubs in the city. What about photography stores then? 

Well, good news to photography and videography aficionados... even those who are into vintage cameras! There's one store you should definitely check out: QOMRA.

Welcome to QOMRA!

Located along Khurais Road, just beside the NCB ATM and just before you reach the intersection of Dabab Road and Khurais (to your left is King Fahd Medical City if you're coming from King Fahd Road), Qomra beckons to those with keen eyes for beautiful things seen through lenses. Without further ado, here's what's inside the store:

The first one that got my attention was their collection of Instax cameras. You do know that we love Instax right? We saw our Instax Mini 7 there selling for SR260 each while the pack of 10 films go for SR35 each. The wide format camera is more expensive at around SR300. There's even bags for the Instax and cute straps for cameras. 

INSTAX!!!

Bags for Instax and accessories for cameras

Another interesting shelf is their items for kids and kids-at-heart. There's a full array of iPhone cases with cameras as theme. Also, there are available lenses for the iPhone or any other phone with camera! Just attach the small lens and voila! You either have a wide or macro effect. The one on the top corner of this photo is a lens priced at SR99.

Quirky ideas

For kids!

Can you see that Lego camera just beside the wooden mannequin? That's a real camera (not a toy, promise!). Yup, it works! 

iPhone skin with an Instagram design.

Another shelf that caught my attention is the vintage shelf. It's been a long time since I saw these cameras. The last one was in college when a professor in Photo Journalism was showing off his vintage camera collection! 

Love this!

Homaygahhhd! Collectors would snap these up!

Most of the old cameras are no longer working but they're really fun to own. If I had the money to spare, I'm definitely getting these two, priced at around SR1,000+ each:

Land camera

Kodak Instamatic with film!

Of course, the modern cameras and filmmaker paraphernalia and gizmos are the stars of this store...

Starting your studio?

Fujifilm cameras

Sturdy tripods

I was amused to find the cheetah that symbolizes National Geographic... so cool!

National Geographic collection

Ready for the great outdoors?

Again, Qomra is not only offering products for photographers. They're also selling products for you videographers and filmmakers. We haven't been interested in the other gadgets though after the Instax and vintage cameras had us at hello so... you can inquire at Qomra for your specific photography and filmmaking needs through the details below.

You might be wondering what I bought. Apart from a pack of Instax Mini 7 film, I got this really cheap jelly lens for my iPhone. C'mon, for SR19, should I even think about getting this? 

My cutie patootie lens

Here's a few photos I took with it. 

Up close and personal. :P

The left photo shows the normal size of a sweet pastry and salt in a plate taken by my iPhone. With the close up lens, I had the chance to go really, really close. Whoah, macro powers huh! The salt appeared like tiny diamonds! Haha! But since the lens is really cheap, don't expect much on the quality of the plastic itself. The Jelly Lens are come in Starburst, Vignette, 3-shots-in-1, 6-shots-in-1, etc. I was mostly interested in the macro lens because all the other effects can be done in other iPhone apps. But for SR19 a piece?! Oh yes, go get them. Now! (Because they're probably out of stock come tomorrow! LOL!)

Whether you're a traditional or modern, manual or automatic shooter, happy capturing those moments that you just won't pass by! ;) ~ Sundrenched

Qomra Pro Photography and Filmmaking Store

Khurais Road, near Dabab Street

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

T: + 966-1-4610171

FB: www.facebook.com/qomrapro.store

Twitter: QomraPro

The BBFS (The Best of Britain Fashion Show)

THINK STELLA MCCARTNEY. Alexander McQueen. Victoria Beckham alone. These are just few of the respected brands in fashion history and they are first and foremost, grandiosely British. 

The recently held Best of Britain Fashion Show was a first of its kind for the British Embassy, as part of the Best of Britain Saudi Arabia 2013 Exhibition and Workshops. Sponsored by Harvey Nichols and other local enterprises, the event marked yet another step for the thriving fashion scene here in Riyadh. We were invited as one of the press people to cover the groundbreaking event and Sundrenched and I were more than happy to attend. 

The garden area of the Ambassador's residence was transformed into a chic, yet charming atmosphere fit for a catwalk. There were flowers, lights and mannequins dressed in selected designer wear, featuring of course, the best of British designers under the Harvey Nichols' line. Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails were flowing along for the guests while the house music composed of Bee Gees, Freddie Mercury and The Beatles, definitely putting us in a Great Britain state-of-mind. 

Harvey Nichols' goddie bags for the special guests. :)

The catwalk.

Since the press people were allowed first dibs on the venue, I was able to take a lot of photos before the rest of the guests arrived. Meanwhile, Sundrenched was going around meeting our fellow bloggers who also graced the event (Special shoutout to Danya Ismail, HudaAlsomali, FashionLocator and RubaFahhd).

A figure-hugging Alexander McQueen piece.

A maxi tube dress with dragonflies. Perfect for a sunny day.

Is your style simple and classy? This may be for you.

Another flowy, maxi dress with a beige belt for accent.

Fringe on cream by Stella McCartney.

Empower your wardrobe with color. And mean business.

Very casual chic.

Maybe abstract is more your style? 

I love the dresses on display because they all catered to different kinds of women. From the carefree, to the business-minded to the ultra-feminine. While waiting for the show to begin, I was able to get a sneak peek at the action backstage.

Bobbi Brown essentials for the models.

I loved their energy backstage. Happy and excited models.

         

Stylist Nahar, the fashion icon behind the mask. Photo by Salman Thamer.

                                       
I also caught one of the most fabulously dressed ladies at the event. Her dress is from Dubai and I must say, it complemented her look and personality very well. 

Finally, the show began by 8:30PM. There was an opening message by the British Ambassador, Sir John Jenkins (which he did in Arabic AND English, very cool!) and then the models began to showcase the clothes thereafter. While there was a mix-up on whether we were allowed to take photos or not, I just opted to blur out the faces of the models to just follow in line with the general ruling of showing Arab women's faces. By the way, they were all beautiful.

Also, please pardon me if I am not able to identify all the labels of all the dresses shown on the runway, since they were not mentioned during the show. I can only note some that I was sure of to be of a particular designer. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy seeing what they wore and checking out my favorites of the bunch.

Floral day dress. 

Fringe on lace by Stella McCartney. THIS I LOVE. :) 

Coral cut-out dress, Sundrenched's choice for a nice day out and about.

Bright orange maxi. It would be nice for a formal occasion.

The color of the year in a cocktail, wrap-around dress. Fab pair with those nude sling backs.

Another cocktail dress, this time in midnight blue. 

A darker, emerald green with some major bling on the front.

Be the sunshine in this long, flowy yellow dress.

A form fitting, orange evening dress. 

Definitely an Alexander McQueen creation. Feel like a goddess in this dress.

Sundrenched's FAVORITE: A nude dress that definitely spelled "airy and free."

And there you have it! We were very pleased with the turnout of the show and we really hope that this would just be the first of many other shows to come. All dresses featured in the show can be found at Harvey Nichols at the Faisaliah Tower and don't forget that the Best of Britain Saudi Arabia 2013 Exhibition and Workshops is now ongoing at Nayyara Banqueting and Convention Centre here in Riyadh until tomorrow, 9:00AM-12PM and 4:00PM to 10:00PM. 

At the end of that night, Sundrenched and I were very thankful that the fashion scene here in Riyadh is really on its way and we're taking these growing number of fashion events as a positive sign that an established fashion industry will be booming in this desert city faster than we've expected it to.



xoxo,
Eyecandy