Sadia Moyeen Special

Cinderella central

Ramadan is finally here, and its time for the beauty businesses to recuperate, relax, re-do and re-invent themselves for the big day of celebration. The ladies of Dhaka sure do know how to make the most of themselves. Everybody is out to match their Libasse ensembles to their shoes from Bangkok and jewellery from Dia Gold -- there's much excitement in the air!

Needless to say they never forget the final beautification of themselves at the favourite salons, thankfully for us in the business!

So ladies, I've got a few tips for you so you can get the best out of your beauty salon. It will be easier for you if you do not leave everything for the last day and organise yourself in a way that will save time as well as ensure good service at your salon.

Tip No 1- If you are colouring, straightening, perming, or highlighting, do it at least 2 weeks before Eid. This way, you have the option of changing or redoing or touching up the service if, God forbid it isn't to your liking, instead of being stuck with it on the big day.

Tip No 2- Facials can be done a week ahead as well. The freshness of the face us quite evident even after a few days. The benefits of a facial are not temporary. The skin is thoroughly cleansed, toned hydrated and should feel supple for the next 2-3 weeks.

Tip No 3- Manicure and Pedicure can be done fairly earlier, unless you're planning to walk the city streets without shoes, 3-4 days ahead should be fine.

Tip No 4- Mehendi colour needs 12 to 24 hours to mature to its full potential.

Tip No 5 -Leave only your hair for the day before, since the weather is quite humid and hair tends to become limp for some.

Tip No- 6. To retain your blow dry on Eid morning, bend your head and brush the hair forward. Then flip them back and spray on the roots only for a full-bodied, healthy look.

So Ladies, go ahead look good, enjoy yourself and Eid Mubarak.

By Sadia Moyeen

Beautt Talk

Sadia Moyeen Beautician, La Belle

Dear Sadia
I am having some problems with my facial skin. I play in the sun a lot, so my face has gotten darker. My skin is also getting burnt. Please give me some advice on how to prevent this problem. Priyima

Dear Priyima,
Use a sun-block with a Sun Protecting Factor (SPP) of 30 whenever you are out in the sun. Lakme sun block now has a TPI or Tan Protecting Ingredient as well. Wash your face with a mixture of uptan, yoghurt, and a few drops of lemon juice. Keep on your face for 10-15 minutes then gently massage off the face.

Dear Sadia
Thanks for your early reply. I have now decided to go to a beauty parlour for waxing my underarms. It would be kind of you to tell me where should I go and what the cost would be like. I am very shy, so I want to know if I would be requested to remove my clothes or not. Will it be as painful as I heard it was? I would really appreciate it if you could answer my queries. Naina

Dear Naina,
You're welcome at La Belle. If would cost you Tk 100 to wax your under arms. Wear a front open shirt so you won't have to undress completely.

Dear Sadia
I am facing problems choosing the right size brassiere. I am 20. My size is 34 B. But in Dhaka, it's very difficult to find a B cup bra; they are all either a size 34 or a 36. I always prefer half cup & silky fabrics without pads. At Doza Market , I hardly found the proper size, and even that was not fitting well. It's not always possible to bring stuff from abroad. Please help me out. Maria Ehsan

Dear Maria,
I'd love to help you out but I'm in a similar dilemma and have no clue where to shop for under clothes.

Dear Sadia,
I really like your advice column and many tips, which I had tried, was very useful. I am facing a serious problem. For a long time I have been struggling to keep long hair, but have failed. My hair soaks a lot of oil and is very dry. Recently they have started falling a lot. My hair is also very dull and doesn't grow at all. Could you please find a remedy for this? Distressed

Thank you, I'm glad you find my column useful. I do enjoy writing it! If your hair is dry, the chances are high that you have split ends as well. If hair is not healthy, it will not grow quickly.
Step 1- Trim your hair just a bit
Step 2- Apply oil twice a week
Step 3- Shampoo with your regular brand but also condition it afterwards.
Once a week, shampoo with Selsun Blue anti dandruff shampoo
Step 4- Rinse your hair with ½ cup of vinegar and ½ cup water and towel dry. This will add shine to your hair.

Dear Sadia,
I am a 19 year old male having problems with my face. The colour of my face used to be very bright, but now it is slowly turning darker. How can I prevent skin darkening? I have an oily face and because of work, I have to go around in the scorching sun. Even though I use a cap regularly, it isn't really working. If I spend a lot of time in the sun, my face starts to burn and itches a lot. I use soap rather than face wash. Could you please suggest how I can improve my skin and have it return to its original colour. Rasel

Dear Rasel,
Continue to wear your cap but also use sun block suitable for oily skin. Whenever you return home, wash your face with chilled water and use a face wash to clean your skin. Use calamine lotion before going out. Once a week, wash your face with uptan, yoghurt a few drops of lemon juice.

Dear Sadia
I am 24 years old, and whenever I pluck my eyebrows, the part swells up. Also, after I thread my upper lips, I find visible dark lines on the areas threaded. I use toner on the wrinkled part of my skin, but it seems they are getting firm as I continue to do threading. Can you suggest how I can overcome these problems? Sadia

Hello Sadia
Please don't use toner on the threaded area as it will dry your skin further and make it more sensitive that it already is. Rub an ice cube on your brows upper lips after threading and apply Lactocalamine lotion for 5 to 10 mins. This will reduce the redness and swelling as well.

Hi Sadia,
I am 16 years old and have quite a large and ugly black mark on the left side of my face, right next to my lips. I don't look good anyway, but this mark adds extra ugliness to my face. It has not been there since birth. I got it only a year back. I didn't realize this coming as back then it looked faint, but now it is black and ugly. Is there anything I can do about it? Lamia

Dear Lamia,
I'd prefer to see the mark before I tell you how to deal with it.

Dear Sadia,
I need your help. I am a 19-year-old boy with normal hair, but for the last three months or so, my hair has become weak and are falling every now and then. What should I do to prevent it from falling and making it healthy like before? Any home remedies you could suggest, or perhaps a change of diet? Zubair Raza

Dear Zubair,
Do you have dandruff? Oil your hair on a weekly basis with a gentle massage. Add a Vit E capsule to the oil. (Shampoo with anti-dandruff shampoo until the dandruff goes away, that is if you have dandruff) Apply, freshly crushed amla to your scalp after the oil and keep on for a few minutes, then shampoo off.

Hello Sadia
I am a girl of 17. My legs are very ugly, as they are full of hair. It is very disgusting. I would like to know about a good hair remover lotion that will not cause any harm to my skin. I have normal skin. Please also tell me about the price of the product and from where I can get it. 'K'

Dear 'K'
Use 'Nair' hair removing lotion. You'll find it at 'Nandan' super store or Almas General Store. It should cost between Tk 280 to 300. Don't forget that waxing could be a great option too. Repeated waxing lessens hair growth.

Dear Sadia
My problem is with my hair style. I have a pear shaped face, so I need more volume on top. I went to your parlour, and they gave me the short step cut, but my problem remains the same. The hair near my forehead sticks out, and gets frizzy. Overall, I want to give my hair some volume. Paddo

Paddo dear, that's a terrible description of your hair style! Since you have been to La Belle before, please make an appointment to see me and allow me to help you. See you soon!

Dear Sadia,
I am totally depressed about my skin. It is basically rough and dry, but the face sweats a lot. Whenever I go out, my skin begins to sweat within 5 minutes. As my skin colour is dark, the grease on my skin makes it look darker, and this also causes pimples. Also, I have a lot of black spots on my face. One of my spots turned into a tumour, so I had a surgery done, which has left a scar.
1. What can I do with my spots? Is there any good cosmetic surgeon in Dhaka?
2. What should I do to stop sweating a lot?
3. What can I do with my oily skin as I already use a toner?
4.How can I look a little brighter? By FRUSTRATED one

Hi! you are the perfect candidate for the use of Fair Polish. Not only will it brighten the skin, it will also remove excess oil build-up on your skin and will lessen pimples. Blocked skin pores become infected, apply Soframycin on such spots for quick healing.
Wash you face 2-3 times a day with chilled water or rub an ice cube on your face when ever you feel the need. Carry wet tissues with you in your bag for a quick fresh feeling when you get too sweaty.
Apply a pack made with 1tsp neem leaves paste, pinch of haldi, and ½ tsp mint leaves. Use every night followed by an astringent.

Hey Sadia
I am an eighteen-year-old girl and I really need your help. I have normal skin and am quite fair. However, for the last few weeks my skin is looking dark and very dull. So, to make my skin bright I use face powder sometimes. Is it harmful if I use baby powder on my face daily? Could you please suggest something that would help my skin become brighter? These days though I use astringent and wash my face often, yet I'm having pimples. Please help me out. Thank you. Anonymous

Hi! Using powder is fine as long as it does not look too chalky. Fair polish is great to brighten up skin. Don't use astringent all over the face, only apply on pimples with a cotton bud 3-4 times a day and before going to bed.

Hi
I m here with a problem of my cousin. She is an 18 year old girl suffering from facial hair growth. Nowadays, it seems that a lot of girls are having this problem. She wants to remove it, but not by waxing or threading! Can you suggest any other method? Many people use creams to remove unwanted hair. Is it harmful to use cream? If not, then which one she should use? Is there any permanent solution for this? Looking forward for your help. Tamanna

Dear Tamanna,
Use 'Nair hair removing cream' for the face. They have one for the body as well, so make sure you get the right one. It is safe to use.

Hi Sadia,
I'm facing a problem and I think you might be able to solve it. The thing is, I used to wear a lot of tight shoes, sneakers without socks, and fitted strappy sandals, which has now resulted in a lot of dark areas on my foot. Could you please tell me ways to get rid of them?

Step 1- Soak your feet in soapy water with 1 tsp salt.
Step 2 - Scrub soles and heels with a foot scrubber, and the top of the foot with Apricot foot scrub and massage well. Do this twice a week.

Dear Sadia,
I`ve a problem with my hair. It`s short, straight, and is almost silky. But the problem is, it has recently become very thin and dull. I`ve to wash my hair daily with shampoo. If I don`t, then it becomes dull , oily the next day. What can I do to make my hair look beautiful everyday? Do I need to shampoo everyday? Is it good for the health of my hair? I want to use amla on my hair. How can I use it? Would you please suggest a light shampoo and conditioner for my hair? Thank you. Farhana

Dear Farhana,
Wash your hair every alternate day with a 'volumising' shampoo for 'limp' hair. Use conditioner only once a week. Try Vidal Sassoon , Herbal Essence or Clairol to name a few. Buy from a reliable store. Fresh amla can be crushed and its juice mixed with oil and used once or twice a week.

Dear Sadia,
I have oily hair and I shampoo my hair 4 times a week, but on the second day after shampooing, my hair is a greasy mess. Any herbal remedies?
I'd lost a lot of hair about a year back due to stress and dandruff. Is there any way I can increase my hair growth? Does Vitamin E tablets help? Anna

Dear Anna,
Use shampoo that is specifically meant for oily hair.
Before shampoo apply a mixture of
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp vinegar
to the scalp. Keep on for 10 minutes, then shampoo off. This will help remove excess oil from the hair and dandruff from the scalp as well.

 

UNDER A DIFFERENT SKY

A common tale…but is it?

I am back home now. Back home where it all started. Around my parents and my siblings who all my life gave me constant support and comfortable negligence. I am back here, since I couldn't become a comfortable part of anyone else's home.

This is the second time it has happened. First time was arranged. He was not a looker nor was he talented in any form. He just…was…And it broke the girl inside me to find him, being married to just another average Bengali man, average Bengali being below average in the world standard, or rather the western standard. It broke my over-active, fluent 19-year-old heart.

I could have coped with his average height, his average facial hair and average thinking process, but when his above average ego started popping its head out I was startled. That would have been okay too, and it was, with that promise I was carrying someone inside of me. That's when the beating started. Why and how I am not sure. Of course there were reasons from his side, many reasons, and like everyone is blind to themselves I was no exception and saw no fault of mine. As I do believe there is no crime that can be committed by a mere pregnant high-school graduate house wife that deserves physical violence. Just for clarification I want to inform that I was not cheating on him, I made three and a half meals a day, and wore proper attires covering most parts of my body and I was (as I have been told all my life) sweet natured.

But it continued, the physical and mental abuses, it was his way of making sure I knew my place at his home. It was important that I knew where I belong, not next to him, but in a naked dark corner, to cook, clean and carry. The romantic fool inside of me still would seek, it would seek a glimpse of appreciation, or a touch of love, but I was no match for him, his average mind definitely found me below average and with a six-month-old daughter I returned home.

My parents were upset, but they let me and my daughter live and breathe the way we wanted to. There was not much that I wanted, I wanted a roof over my head and some reassurance, reassurance that I was still wanted by some out there, reassurance that I was worthy of love and happiness, and that's when I found the internet and the numerous chat rooms.

I didn't go out much anymore; I didn't like seeing the Bengali community with their bitter questions specially made for young divorced single mothers like me. I didn't feel like hanging out with my old friends either, I had out-grown them, which was not necessarily a good thing. So the chat rooms became a window to my new world. That's where I met the second man (in the marrying sense) of my life. It started with a few flirting sessions, a few picture exchanges, then a few e-greetings and then finally we dialed our numbers and from then on pulled all nighters, nights consuming just me and him and sometimes the cry of my 2-year-old daughter awaken by nightmares.

Emotions harvested fast, my mind had accumulated years of untold feelings, feelings which upon sharing made both of our hearts throb with a new impetus. He accepted my divorce, my two-year-old daughter, he wanted me, maybe not as much as I wanted him, since my wants went beyond needing and reached direness, he still wanted me enough to ask me to marry him.

In an impulse I married him, my parents were happy, this time they were more careless to hand me over, I happily accepted the rushed marriage they set up, I left my daughter with my mother scheduled to be picked up the week after. But the weeks went by and the week after never came. And I found like they reveal in day-time talk shows, online personalities and real-life ones are different by day and night. As was mine and so was his. We were just two losers who found each other on a virtual thread trying to locate some empty dreams. I was a bigger loser than him, trying to hold on to hollow words while exchanging bodies and trying to erase pasts.

After more misery, drama and sorrow I came back to my daughter. She is now accustomed to not having me around. I am now accustomed to being invisible to all who are around me. But that's okay, I want to be taken for granted for who I am; I don't want anyone giving me special attention, no special adornment or assurance. I want to in this negligence suffocate that romantic girl inside of me, who still forgets to weep and doesn't believe in mannequins.

 

By Iffat Nawaz