Being told I look like my mother is by far one of the best compliments I’ve ever received. If only I had her effortless grace and cooking abilities to match. The photo below is of my mother infront of the iconic Taj Mahal, sometime in the late seventies.

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Mothers and daughters share a very special bond, and I definitely don’t need a commercially whipped up Mother’s Day to tell her how much she means to me. However, going by convention, I wish her twice a year! You see, although the West celebrates Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May, the Arab world honors mothers on 21st March.

Have you bought your mother something special yet? Hurry! You only have this weekend to get yourself sorted! I have a list of ideas that might help… and these do away with the conventional gifting of bouquets and chocolate, I promise! Read on for more…

Happy Napping Day peeps! Did you know that today, the 14th of March, is officially the day we get to celebrate napping? The lovely people at Casper, the makers of luxury mattresses, point out the significance of this date and what it means to all of us.

Before you grab that pillow and doze off in celebratory bliss, do have a read on the importance of napping. Very few of us have the luxury of doing the ‘Full Monty’ of 8 hours straight. The good news is even short power naps can make a world of difference.

About a month or so ago, I was craving a very red lipstick. A fiery, bright engine-truck red that would add oomph to anything I wear. I also wanted it in a matte finish, which, I believe is best for keeping bright lipstick colours wearable for any time of day.

I reached out to the counters of two of my favorite lipstick brands; Mac and Makeup Forever. “Give me your reddest lipstick in matte please!” And I ended up with Mac’s Ruby Woo from their Retro Matte collection, and Makeup Forever’s M8 Matte Bright Red from their Rouge Artist Intense collection.

I know this is not exactly a comparison of apples to apples, but these are the two shades that were recommended to me for fitting into my ‘very red and matte’ criteria. The reddest lipstick Mac Ruby Woo versus Makeup Forever M8 Matte Bright Red The Tezzy Files Beauty Blog Dubai (3)

rania gamal interview health beauty fitness tips dubai uae the tezzy files blogRania Gamal is much more than just a pretty face. This stunning young woman has aced in her career as Dubai’s top model, hosts a number of local television shows, and is obsessed with keeping up with her fitness regime.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Rania, and noting down some pearls of wisdom on fitness, health and overall beauty and well-being. If you are an aspiring model yourself, you might find her advice on the UAE modelling scene very useful! Read on for more.

I am a huge fan of Dr. Hauschka, and it has been a struggle finding their gorgeous, organic beauty products in the UAE. Then I discovered Bashara Care, an online beauty store operating in the UAE, and got super excited!

One of my favorite products from the Dr. Hauschka range is the Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream. It was my favorite facial cream during my late teens, and when my little parcel of Dr. Hauschka goodies arrived from Bashara Care (exactly one day after placing my order!), this little tube brought back a whole flood of memories.

Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream Review on The Tezzy Files Beauty Blog Dubai UAE (3)

The taboo linked to tattooing is progressively fading (pun intended!). A great deal of discrimination has been linked to the inked. Tattoo enthusiasts have often been stereotyped as society outcasts, and even today, we are prone to hiding our tats in formal settings, especially the workplace.

Your body is your canvas, if you want to decorate it with tattoos, its totally your business! I’ve recently had my second one done, and thought I’d share my experience with you.

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I’m travelling home to New Zealand, and the direct flight from Dubai will take me just over 18 hours in a compressed, air-conditioner thawed plane. This really sets the scene for dry, dehydrated skin. To avoid the all too common ‘jet-lagged’ look, keeping the skin well moisturized, and staying hydrated is key.

I decided to whip up my very own, all-natural, multi-purpose beauty balm for the journey. Why tow along a whole heap of products when you can make do with just one multitasking jar of goodness that you can proudly DIY yourself?

Best of all, this Beauty Balm takes under 10 minutes to create, and you only need 2 easy-to-find ingredients. Read on for the recipe! 

For the second year running, Wall Street Exchange (UAE’s leading money exchange provider and member of the Emirates Post Group) has been teaming up with the Municipality of Health to encourage residents to donate blood.2a9f12cd9242c4d4ec6049c41788487a.jpg

The blood drive takes place 3 times a year, and the next one is scheduled for this Wednesday 27th January at the Wall Street Exchange branch in Karama (next to the Central Post Office). Blood donations will be carried out from 10 am till 3 pm, and is open to the general public.

Why should you donate blood? Did you know giving blood is just as beneficial for the donor as it is for the receiver? Read on for more.

I’m a sucker for pretty packaging, and when I saw this adorably cute palette by Too Faced dedicated to #selfies, there was no stopping me from getting it.

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I can’t help admiring Too Faced. They sure know how to wring the wallet dry with all their cuteness, and here they are taking absolute advantage of this generation’s biggest obsession, the perfect selfie!