Ms SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
ISSUE NO. 171
Follow the stars Pakistani A-listers reveal their beauty secrets
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Unique kitchen tips page
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inside En vogue — Shine with sheep
Domestic goddess —
Nargisi koftay
Section In-Charge: Dilaira Dubash Sub-Editors: Amna Hashmi Nisma Chauhan Designer: Umar Waqas Feedback: women@tribune.com.pk
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The creative Mahvish Hassan
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The buzz
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
By Sadaf Pervez
It really is a wonder how some female celebrities can look so fresh and young all the time, despite their hectic schedules. They might be making an appearance on a television serial or heading out on some mundane activities in the middle of the week but one thing is for sure: they will be looking fabulous! Despite the layers of makeup slathered onto their faces every day and the excessive hair styling, these beauties can put anyone to shame. While some of them might employ specialists to maintain themselves, not all of them do. It is these evergreen ladies that we spoke with to find out the secret behind their appearance. And much to our surprise, most of them revealed tried and tested beauty rituals as part of their daily routines! Their skincare regimes are easy to follow and will spare you the expensive chemical products, so why not give them a shot? Read on to find out just how Zeba Bakhtiar, Sanam Saeed, Saniya Mumtaz, Mehreen Rahael and Meesha Shafi keep their skin healthy and happy.
Uncanny as it may seem, Zeba simply does not age! She still looks about as fresh as when she first ventured into the entertainment industry over 20 years ago and her youthful appearance shows no signs of waning. “My secret is that I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables which is key if you want to lock the ageing, wrinkles and saggy skin,” says Zeba. “A good night’s sleep is extremely important too so make sure you get into bed early.” The talented actor is firmly against the chemical-laden beauty products that are sold in the markets these days. Instead, she religiously applies olive oil to her face (to remove makeup, dirt and impurities) and almond oil on her hair. “Another point to note is that you must be burning up all the food you consume so regular exercise is a must!” Zeba adds.
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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
Soon to be a mother for the second time, Mehreen is becoming increasingly cautious about packaged foods and their impact on the human body. “Our skin is a clear reflection of what is going on inside so skincare is not only about what you apply on top. It should cover what is being put into our bodies as well,” she says. “I think if a person is content and thankful inside, they will glow on the outside naturally.” She prescribes fruits but points out one distinction. “Try and have the whole fruit, not just its juice. The fruit is more nutritional.” Sunblock is a must for Mehreen, as is supplementing her diet with multi-vitamins as these can help alleviate all skin problems. “Vitamins cured some pigmentation that I developed earlier in my pregnancy,” shares Mehreen.
For Samiya, acting is secondary. Her love for nature is and always will be her top priority. Few people would know this but she is learned about farming practices and actually manages her own organic farm herself. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the simple Samiya includes a whole lot of fruit in her diet and avoids junk food strictly. “Your skin is a direct reflection of whatever is in your food palette,” explains Samiya, which is why she drinks warm water throughout the day. For this acting powerhouse, less is always more: the fewer products one uses on their skin, the more the skin will be able to breathe. And therefore, Samiya only signs up for roles that demand minimal makeup. “I am very particular about what is being applied to my skin,” she admits. “I have never used any moisturisers or cleansers which have been formulated chemically. I would rather apply whatever I have in front of me whether it’s the skin of a fruit or vegetable.” Samiya reveals a secret beauty recipe as well: “Mix some basin (gram flour) and apricot oil to make a natural moisturiser.”
This fresh-faced beauty shows that all your skin needs is a little bit of tender love and care to reach its utmost potential. Sanam’s immaculate skin and self-confidence can be attributed to her loving approach towards skincare: she does not believe in excuses. Instead, she pushes herself to get up and raid her kitchen for ingredients to conjure her own scrubs. “It is amazing what you can whip up with sugar, coffee grains and different fragrances! It makes me feel so good inside,” says Sanam. Her favourite recipe includes ground oats mixed with water for gentle, bi-weekly exfoliation. She also often indulges in the popular apple-cider vinegar mixture to add quick and long-standing shine to her hair. “Just mix one cup of vinegar into a jug of water,” she advises. “This totka is really no joke – you will definitely feel a difference.” Other than this, Sanam sticks to a healthy diet of fruits, warm lemon water and natural oils to remain strong, inside out.
Acclaimed makeup artist Mickey Contractor’s 40 years of experience, as a Bollywood make-up artist to celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan have taught him a great deal. Below, Mickey shares his top five make-up tips to help you look like an A-lister.
Moisturise first No matter how much time you have to get ready, be sure to moisturise your face first and then apply makeup. Moisturising makes the application of foundation and concealer smooth.
Pop the eyes If you have small eyes, Mickey suggests applying highlighter to the middle part of your cheeks and blending it in. This will make your eyes look bigger and brighter.
Embrace your natural skin tone Don’t jump onto the fairness bandwagon and opt for a foundation much lighter than your natural skin colour. Instead, pick one that is closest to it and blend it in.
The bridal blush Mickey loves peach or pink blushes. Apply blush on the apple of your cheeks and work upwards and outwards to define your jaw.
Avoid sharp lines Lock your lip colour by using a lip liner first. Then, blend in a pale shade of lipstick to avoid sharp lines. SOURCE: STYLECRAZE.COM
Sadaf Parvez is a freelance writer and blogger. She tweets @sadafpervez
With her bubbling personality, enchanting voice and uber chic style, Meesha is no stranger to the world of fashion and beauty. Ironically, the starlet does not require a specific range of beauty products to pamper herself with – she simply uses different things at different times. Nonetheless, her favourite concoction is coffee grounds mixed with coconut oil for scrubbing her body. According to Meesha, this natural solution improves the texture of skin and minimises the appearance of cellulite greatly. “I also wash my face with baking soda and water often,” shares Meesha. “This helps delay the process of aging and goes more than skin-deep.” Hydration is of utmost importance, especially during the hot Lahori summer. “I drink lots of fluids. Not sugary drinks but detoxifying water distilled with cucumber, lemon and other fruits. It makes me feel refreshed,” says Meesha.
Design by Hira Fareed
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En vogue
Shine this Eid with Sheep’s latest collection Coordination: Umer Mushtaq Hair and Make-up: Saba Ansari at Sabs Label: Sheep Photography and Styling: Rohail Khaled Model: Misbah Mumtaz
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
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Lifestyle
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
By: Hurmat Majid
Even though it has become much easier for learners to cook nowadays, thanks to the numerous recipe portals available online, many desi women still believe that old kitchen tips are what keep the practice interesting. In this quest to keep good food alive, our mothers and grandmothers often pass down valuable cooking tips, hoping that the family taste will be retained for years to come. MsT has spoken to some seasoned family cooks and collected some of their unusual cooking secrets to help you out through the learning process. Read on and be on your way to culinary success!
Perfecting an omelette: One of Saira’s oldest family cooking secrets is adding a portion of milk to the batter of an omelette. “Just two tablespoons of milk can yield fluffiness,” says Saira.
Cook Smart
Getting the biryani right: Biryani is undoubtedly the most popular rice dish in Pakistan. It is also one of the first recipes newbie cooks experiment with, owing to the easy process and delicious taste. But getting the tantalising aroma right can be difficult. This is why homemaker Naheed Shafiq resorts to milk. “I pour in about half a cup of milk to my biryani pot after I am done layering it and before I put it on steam,” says Naheed, who hails from a Bihari background. On the other hand is Sajida Rao of Lucknowy descent who was taught to add bhagaar to the dish before serving. “Before setting the pot on steam, I add bhagaar on top,” says Sajida. “It not only helps the rice look fresher for longer but also adds a distinct flavour and smell to it,” she adds.
Turn around over salting: If you have added more salt than required by accident, then fret not! All you have to do is add a peeled piece of raw potato to the dish. “The potato sucks up all the extra sodium out of the food,” explains Lahore-based homemaker Saira Khan. “And the best part is that no one suspects a thing!”
Rescue burnt rice: Before you embark on another culinary adventure, you should get one thing straight. There is absolutely no hack to make overcooked food taste good. This means that should you burn the rice, it can never go back to being uncooked! That said, there is a unique way to effectively conceal the aroma of burnt ingredients in your dish: simply place a slice of white bread on top. Allow the bread to rest on the rice for five to 10 minutes, giving it ample time to to draw out the burned smell and flavour.
These quick kitchen tips can make your new life as a chef much easier:
1. If you’re unsure of an egg’s freshness, see how it behaves in a cup of water. Fresh eggs sink while bad ones remain afloat.
2. If you need only a few drops of lemon juice, avoid cutting the lemon into two halves lest the unused half dries out quickly. Instead, puncture the fruit with a metal skewer and squeeze out exact the amount that is required.
3. A bay leaf slipped into a container of flour, pasta, or rice will help repel bugs. 4. Put rice in your saltshaker to stop the salt from hardening. The rice absorbs condensation that can causes clumps.
5. Believe it or not, honey is the only non-perishable food substance in the world. Therefore, don’t get rid of the jar if it crystallises or becomes cloudy. Give the honey new life by putting it in a microwave on medium heat in 30-second increments until it becomes clear again.
Hurmat Majid is a subeditor at The Express Tribune. She tweets @bhandprogramme
Lemon drops: Most greens, owing to their habitat, are sandy and have an unpleasant metallic taste. Fortunately, a few drops of lemon juice can, however, cure this. Sajida, for instance, regularly adds lemon juice to her spinach dish to make it taste better. Add in the whites: For most cooks, new or experienced, getting the consistency on desi sweetmeats like gulab jamuns or ras malai is quite difficult. Naheed, however, shares a useful tip: She adds misri or makhana to the mix which prevents them from hardening.
Design by Eesha Azam
Domestic goddess 7
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
By Amna Javed
Nargisi koftay
Method For the koftay:
This Eid, indulge in this recipe for hearty, meaty koftay.
• Begin by combining the boiled and un-boiled minced meat together in a large bowl. Meanwhile, boil eggs in a pot. • Add the remaining ingredients to the meat and mix them all in a food processor. • Place the mixture on a tray and add one beaten egg to it. Mix it well to form dough. • Once the meat is ready, take each boiled egg and cover it with the mince on all sides. Repeat the process for all of the eggs. • Heat oil in a large pan and fry the koftay until they become golden-brown in colour. For the gravy: • Heat some oil in another pan and fry onions in it until they become golden-brown. Allow the onions to cool on a plate once they have been fried. • Mix the remaining ingredients in yogurt to form a curry paste. Cook the mixture for about five minutes, adding the fried onions to it. • One by one, add the koftay prepared earlier along with a cup of water and cook for another five to seven minutes. • Add another cup of water and cover the bowl. Allow the koftay to simmer over low flame for about five minutes. • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm. Your dish is now ready!
PHOTO: AMNA JAVED
How to make the perfect koftay
Ingredients For the koftay: • Eggs (boiled) 8 • Beef or mutton mince (half boiled and half uncooked) 1 kg • Small onions (finely chopped and browned) 2 • Khashkhash 2 tbsp • White cumin seeds 1 tsp • Almonds (roasted) 6 • Whole black peppers 8 • Salt to taste • Baked chickpeas 2 tbsp • Black cumin seeds 1 tsp • Small cardamoms 8 • Red pepper powder 1 tsp
Getting the meat to stick in a ball can be tricky. They could either be too soft, collapsing into the gravy or too hard to be eaten. The consistency has to be just right. The following tips can help you: For the gravy: • Garam masala 1 tsp • Yogurt 1/2 cup • Onions (finely chopped) 3 • Ghee/Oil 1 cup • Coriander seeds powder 2 tbsp • Small cardamoms 4 • Ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp • Red pepper powder 1 tbsp • Salt to taste
1. Make sure that the meat is minced finely, even if you have to do it more than once. 2. The meat should also be completely fat free as fat doesn’t allow meatballs to link. 3. Avoid adding water to the meat. 4. When adding chopped onions, make sure they are water free too. Once finely chopped, rinse the onions and then press them slightly in the bowl before adding it to the mixture. SOURCE: THECHEFINME.COM
Woman of the week 8
Living the go od
life.
Out and about.
Beauty salon owner and make-up artist
Yours truly.
By Natasha Khalid Getting married is an essential part of one’s life. In our part of the world, boys and girls are met with intense pressure to find a partner and ‘settle down’ as soon as they graduate from university. Girls, in particular, set great store by the idea of marriage and being a bride, although many of them develop anxiety as their big day draws closer. Of course, feeling apprehensive about starting a new life before hundreds of people is completely natural but some of us take it a little too seriously. With all the stress of bridal joras, hair, makeup and organising the entire event, many brides begin to lose their composure, revealing the tension on their faces. Fortunately for you, MsT has some valuable advice to offer! Read on for some simple and easy tricks that can spare you the pre-wedding jitters and help you look your best self on the day. Have a happy wedding! Get organised, save time: To get started, prepare a checklist of all the things you need to get done and get started on them as soon as possible. We say this because the more time you waste, the more your chores will pile up, especially considering the advance booking local designers and wedding planners are running on. Know what you have to do, when you have to do it and in what order to get the major tasks like booking a venue out of the way at least. Alleviate your anxiety: As we said earlier, feeling nervous is perfectly fine. In fact, it is probably healthy. But that does not mean you should try and calm yourself. In the day leading up to your wedding, why not take out some much needed me-time and attend relaxation and meditation classes? In fact, routine spa sessions with your friends and family can be of great help too. Surrounding yourself with positive people will not only help keep your emotions at bay but develop your understanding of your inner self as well.
Your wedding, your rules: In our experience, we have seen that many brides get upset as their wedding is not going as they had always imagined it would. Too many of us have had to cut down on the guest-list or settle for a certain dress just to please our in-laws. While that is somewhat inevitable, seeing as how weddings are family affairs, you should not give up on all of your ideas too easily. Fight for what you want, provided that it is feasible and make your opinion count. Trust your instincts and go ahead. Avoid experimenting: Never, ever, try out a new hair style, colour, makeup product or even new type of food for at least two weeks before your events begin. You never know what might go wrong – what if you end up with a bad colouring job or an unprecedented skin allergy? It is best to stick to whatever you have been using so far as you know it is safe and suits you. Keep to yourself: Having to entertain too many people will only aggravate you more. So surround yourself with a small but positive group of people only, i.e. your family and closest friends as they will understand you and never steer you wrong. Your wedding is your wedding – not a big party for acquaintances to enjoy. Natasha Khalid is a doctor by profession. She likes to write about fashion, people and social affairs. She tweets @natashakhalidxs
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