Bahrain Edition
BEAUTY | FASHION | HOME | WELLBEING | LOCAL ISSUES
January 2022 | Issue 225
BEAUTY
OPINION
Winter-friendly skincare, makeup & more
Why Your Child Needs Extracurricular Activities
FASHION Embracing Fashion in 2022!
INTERVIEW Layan Raed Al Samahiji’s Spectacular Digital Art
LIFESTYLE Cosy Bedroom Decor
Stepping into Syamily James’ Shoes! www.womanthismonth.com
FASHION | styling
y l b a n o i h FaYsours in
Everyday Aesthetics
0 2 0 2
Strut into the New Year with impeccable elan brought to you by fresh new pieces and styling ideas for your existing ones. Don’t be shy to sway from your usual fashion path in 2022; this year is all about breaking the mould and embracing the previously unfamiliar.
TODS
BALLY
Givenchy
TODS
BALLY
TODS
Versace La Medusa
Check out the winter collections by the likes of Givenchy, Moschino and Tods to get that fashion inspiration straight from the runways of London, Paris, New York and Milan.
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Messika Paris
FASHION | styling
GIVENCHY
GIVENCHY
Moschino donna
Moschino donna
Rene Coavilla
Messika Paris
Glam up for the Gala
Editors Pick:
ETRO
ETRO
n tterns that ador r its paisley pa fo g this n di ow so kn al l e el w W use, Etro, is on the town. t ho n gh io ni sh ’s fa rl ther n gi he ia y w Ital r a girl semble, utch, perfect fo mplete your en co ill w at th t this adorable cl p fla d-up ankle stra delicate, blinge abaya. an or s om tt with cropped bo
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PEOPLE | interview
r e h t o n a n i t Ar ension dim With technology and online platforms consistently developing, every aspect of our lives including art has grown, developed and transcended the tangible world to take on a life of its own in the digital realm. 21-year-old Layan Raed Al Samahiji, one of Bahrain’s finest upcoming digital artists, spoke to Woman This Month about her inspirations, ideas and multidimensional art.
D
igital art is a relatively new form of the medium which has been a staple of civilisation for thousands of years. At times it has struggled for legitimacy amongst traditional or even elitist naysayers who see it as inferior to ‘the old way’, but with a new generation of supremely creative artists and a growing acceptance of technology, these attitudes are diminishing. This comes as no surprise to those who have seen the work one of the Kingdom’s young, enthusiastic creators, of which Layan Raed Al Samahiji represents the pinnacle. The visionary artist creates futuristic digital art in a kaleidoscope of colours that merges recognisable locations with celestial imagery and more to create an image that is quite magical… to say the least. The Bahrain Bayan School graduate is currently in her final year studying ¬Business with Marketing Management in Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK.
Becoming an Artist Layan’s journey began with her passion for drawing and painting when she was just four years old. “I come from a family of artists of different
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mediums,” she says. “I was easily inspired by so much creativity and I am so grateful that my mother instilled a love for art in me. I've been displaying artwork on my Instagram account since 2016, but took it more seriously in 2018, right after I completed the International Baccalaureate course in high school and graduated.” Since then, Layan has been able to share her mind-bending art with an ever-growing audience while steadily increasing her digital footprint, and gaining notoriety and recognition in the Kingdom and beyond. “I know my fan base grows when I post regularly as people share my work, reaching many accounts, and expanding my fanbase. I am really grateful to know that there are people who support the effort I put into my work and all of the support has helped me find the lighthouse that illuminates my creative journey,” she says. “I’ve also been able to meet and collaborate with many other great creators,” says the young
artist modestly. Digital art can come in many forms including animations, photographs, illustrations, videos, digital paintings and more, but Layan originally started out with traditional zentangle designs. These are meditative, relaxing doodles in the form of geometric patterns. “I created various mandalas and zentangles based on my imagination, finding a fun and inspiring idea of different colours and repeating patterns. This was very therapeutic for me,” she says.
Exploring the Cosmos “Even though I have had a dramatic change in my art since the start of the pandemic, switching my art environment from traditional to semidigital and bringing all my drawings by hand to psychedelic and cosmic animations was a very big step forward for me,” she explains. The main themes of Layan’s work revolve around www.womanthismonth.com
PEOPLE | interview the concepts of sci-fi and space that mesmerise the viewer. “The themes create a heavenly atmosphere with a psychedelic aspect that takes them on a journey through many galaxies and alternate realities,” she enthuses, adding that she characterises her art as multidimensional. “My inspiration comes mainly from my surroundings: the music I listen to, watching creative music videos, reading quotes, feeling old memories and, most importantly, my love and obsession with science fiction and astronomy. I’m also inspired by my favourite movies such as Spider-Man, Interstellar, and Back to the Future,” she adds. When delving more into the intricate details of the universe, the young artist realised that the concept of the universe is equally beautiful and frightening. “The idea that we are looking for other planets with stars and some form of life that have been around for trillions of years shows that we are not only in the universe, we are part of it. Many people find this concept interesting and resonant,” she says.
Creatives of Bahrain The Kingdom of Bahrain is no stranger to creativity with musicians, poets, writers, artists and more thriving on the island; so, it’s no surprise that its artistic talent pool continues to expand rapidly. In order to further cultivate it, Layan decided to create a platform to bolster it. Thus, Creatives of Bahrain was launched online in July 2020 with the goal of inspiring and supporting local creators in the Kingdom who use the platform to generate amazing content and also find the right audience. “During the pandemic, writers and artists were incredibly invested in promoting their work remotely. My vision with CoB is to help local talent expand their platform and earn the recognition they deserve.
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The account has a broad target audience of different creative categories, with an audience including young people and adults across the world,” she says.
Challenges – A Part of the Process Despite her amazing work, Layan details some of the issues she faces as a content creator and how it isn’t always smooth sailing. “Firstly, the biggest challenge I face when making art is the art block phase, which is similar to writer’s block,” she explains. “This usually lasts for several weeks. Sometimes it can be very challenging to stare at a blank canvas without finding the right inspiration. There’s also something wild about the concept of maintaining an online presence as an artist by posting regularly, and learning the right skills to market my art on a daily basis because analytics can be very distracting,” she says, adding that the process can be exhausting and demoralising to many creators since the value then becomes more about algorithms and less about the work. The second major problem, as highlighted by Layan, is plagiarism. “As an artist, plagiarism is the scariest and most hurtful thing to me because I’ve encountered many instances where my art was stolen, copied or reposted without giving credit,” she laments.
“I think it’s important to implement a fair use policy and credit artists on social media because it shows appreciation and recognition of their work and intellectual property. I’m currently in the process of copyrighting my artworks and learning licensing properties,” she says.
Onwards and Upwards As for her future plans, Layan is currently collaborating with Bahrain-based musician Xenai (@xenaimuzik), who was featured in Bahrain This Month recently, with the goal of creating cover art for individual songs. As part of the collaboration, each track features a different planet, so each one takes you to a different world with its own unique vibe. As Layan puts it: “We’re basically creating a galaxy together.” Artistically, she plans on working with new mediums of art and going back to her Zentangle roots, incorporating it with her new digital art style. She also hopes to open her own NFT (Non-Fungible Token) shop where she can sell her work. Currently, all of Layan’s works are available for purchase at the online store redbubble.com. The site has different product categories such as accessories, phone cases, wall art, hoodies and stickers. To check out Layan’s work, follow @magnanimousbylayan on Instagram, visit www.opensea.io/ MagnanimousByLayan or www. redbubble.com/people/layanraed/ shop?asc=u. You can also keep up with Creatives of Bahrain on Instagram using the handle @ creatives.of.bahrain.
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bystander
Exhibition - Highlights from the Islamic Collection On the occasion of the International Day Islamic Art, BACA held an exhibition titled “Intersections II - Highlights from the Islamic collection of the Bahrain National Museum”.“
Book Launch by Khulood al Qattan
A Book Launch by Khulood al Qattan was held at The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa, Manama.
Gracy’s Baby Shower
A baby shower was held at Merchant House for Gracy.
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bystander
cooler weather and the smell of gingerbread in the air, The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain reopened its pop-up restaurant Ritz Winter Chalet Wbyiththethebeach, its Alpine themed Winter Chalet.
Turkish Dinner Turkish Ambassador, HE Esin Çakıl, hosted a dinner at The Merchant House.
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BEAUTY | news
Winter Moisturise, contour and perfect with Skin Story Skin Story – a premium, clean beauty brand is changing the landscape of makeup with the launch of three vegan, crueltyfree, non-toxic multisticks that can easily be applied on lips, eyes or cheeks. Whether you’re always on the go or looking for an effortlessly easy look, Skin Story multisticks are the staple products needed in every makeup routine. Skin Story is available in three beautiful shades; Legacy, Bold and Bare. Pamper yourself with the Legacy multistick’s rosy hues and satin-like texture. Discover Bold shade, the perfect on-the-go
contour companion. Rehydrate your skin using Bare, the 50 SPF facial moisturiser stick that also doubles up as a primer. Skin Story embodies the new form of premium, clean beauty. The multistick collection includes all the essential makeup tools for lips, eyes and face allowing for smooth, on-the-go application. The multisticks are mindfully-made in Korea with avocado oil, japonica seed oil and marula oil and are free from parabens, silicones, sulphates, talc, and mineral oil. Available at skinstory.me.
Look your very best this winter with Woman This Month’s carefully curated selection of beauty essentials! We’re not sure about you, but we sure have been feeling a bit chilly this winter. While we love cosying up in thick knits and boots, we don’t quite enjoy the adverse effects of the season. So, we’ve got some solutions for you, while having you glow with some fabulous highlighter and fierce eyeliner.
Battle Winter-Dry Skin with these Body Oils
Winter is cheerful and festive, but can have quite the negative effect on your skin. With dropping temperatures adversely affecting the health of the skin, it takes a bit of extra TLC to prevent dryness and itchiness from taking over. Natural oils, packed with nutrients and antioxidants, are the perfect solution as they prevent the skin from going dry while helping to replenish and rejuvenate. Oils with a higher proportion of palmitic and stearic acids, and a well-balanced ratio of oleic and linoleic acids, are ideal. Aroma Tierra’s Avocado Oil listed restores and transforms dry, dehydrated skin into supple, vitamin-rich skin. Avocado Oil has excellent fatty acid profile for dry or dehydrated skin. Its potent moisturising and emollient properties make the skin soft, supple, and radiant. It also contains several skin-loving nutrients such as vitamin E, phytosterols, and antioxidants. Available at Aroma Tierra in City Centre Mirdif, Dubai and online at www.aromatierra.com
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BEAUTY | news
Reveal the Beauty of your Hair Transform your tresses with Rossano Ferretti – a premium hair care brand with a sensational product range. With over 30 years experience in the hair care industry, the trusted salon brand has launched a personal hair care line that can be used at home every day. Of the new range, the Prodigio – Regenerating Oil and Treatment range is designed to restore your hair’s health making it an instant favourite in our books. It consists of three products; a miracle oil, containing a precious blend of vegetable oils and Sphingolipid Complex to protect the hair from heat and styling, a reconstructing treatment which leaves the hair shiny and silky after just one application and a cleansing Scalp Scrub which removes impurities, excess oils, product build up and dead skin cells. The beautifully scented, sulphate free formulas are made with a selection of the finest ingredients that combine powerful natural elements alongside the best bio-technology principles to help hair become stronger, softer and naturally more beautiful. The Rossano Ferretti product range is available exclusively in Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa, Park Hyatt Dubai, EnerBeauty.com and TheSecretSkin.com.
Eyes & Shine with Wet n Wild
Dress up and step out in bold and creative looks with Wet n Wild’s fabulous eyeliner. The Los Angeles-based beauty brand Wet n Wild® is popular for its cruelty-free, vegan, and high-performance formulations. This WnW Break-Up Proof Liquid Eyeliner eyeliner is long-lasting, waterproof, smudge-proof, and break-up proof (as the name so aptly states). Featuring an ultra-fine brush-tip that delivers any look – from a thin line to a bold, dramatic stroke that lasts up to 16 hours, it glides on seamlessly and smoothly, while delivering intense, highly-concentrated pigmentation in one easy swipe. Say ‘hello’ to the easiest dramatic wings and cat-eyes. WetnWild® products are available for purchase at leading department stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets in the UAE and online at www.glambeaute.com and www.namshi.com.
Glow like Never Before with Siella Beauty
We’re in the middle of winter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a summer time glow. Siella Beauty’s ultra glowy highly pigmented Glowria Highlighter comes in three mesmerising shades; Bronzed up, Gold dipped and Sugar Coated to suit every skin tone. Glowria Highlighter has a radiant finish that gives the face a dewy glow enhancing all skin types without emphasising the pores. Since the launch of Siella Beauty, their goal has been to always provide high-quality, practical, and easy-to-use beauty products which highlight natural features. Available at www.siellabeauty.com and at Siella beauty’s Booth in City Center Mirdif, Dubai. www.womanthismonth.com
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skincare
JUANA SKIN’S FACE OIL
What makes Juana Skin unique is the fact that it uses a high-potency CBD farmed in Europe to the strictest quality standards. The clinically-tested line combines naturally effective botanical extracts with CBD for the best of results. The brand’s divine face oil combines 90mg of Hemp, Rhodiola Rosea and Grapeseed Oil to create a transformative formula which dramatically improves skin hydration while smoothing and toning the skin surface. Grapeseed oil and golden root extract work together to boost skin moisture while its earthy natural fragrance helps calm you. Available on www.juanaskin.com.
THE WILD ROSE EYE BRIGHTENER Revive and smooth your eye area with this light-reflecting, certified organic eye brightener with organic wild rosehip seed oil from Neal’s Yard Remedies. Lightweight and fast absorbing, it visibly improves radiance around the eye area instantly. With hyaluronic acid to instantly smooth and plump, and light-reflecting mineral pigments to improve the appearance of dark circles. Soothing green tea caffeine works to energise and revitalise the skin, reducing dark circles and puffiness for a brighter and more awake-looking eye area.
FILORGA’S TIME-FILLER INTENSIVE SERUM
Internationally acclaimed skincare brand, FILORGA, helps women overcome one of their biggest skin concerns - wrinkles. Their unique Time-Filler Intensive serum contains a set of active ingredients to smoothen most types of wrinkles on the face and neck and is inspired by five recognised aesthetic medicine techniques including Botox, filler injections and peels. It acts on four types of physiological wrinkles including expression wrinkles, deep wrinkles, surface wrinkles and dryness wrinkles resulting in relaxed features, filled-in wrinkles, smoother and plumper skin in as little as seven days. Available at leading pharmacies and at www.basharacare.com.
REFRESHING & REJUVENATING SKINCARE Give your skin some TLC with these 5 restorative skincare products. Long days, excessive screen time and pollutants have a way of dulling your glow and adversely affecting the health of your skin. These five products come with the promise of rejuvenating your skin whether it’s by smoothening out wrinkles, hydrating your skin or buffing away dead skin cells.
[TQ] FACE CREAM – FROM THE DRIEST LANDSCAPES FOR THE SOFTEST SKIN
Visit www.nealsyardremedies.com for more information.
HYDROPEPTIDE ANTI-WRINKLE POLISH AND PLUMP KIT When looking for glowing, smooth skin, the stars turn to dermabrasion, but what can you do in the comfort of your home? Look no further than Lauren Conrad’s go-to facial peel, HydroPeptide’s Polish and Plump Peel.
This advanced two-step system is said to visibly improves the tone and texture of your skin in minutes. Powered by lactic acid, this anti-aging set reduces age spots, fine lines and wrinkles while vitamin C and peptides protect collagen and brighten your complexion. Green tea antioxidants defend cells against environmental damage and cucumber extract soothes irritation.
De L’Arta is the first Emirati personal care brand, made with innovative, all-natural formulations using native flora. Formulated with nature’s best ingredients, this moisturiser uses Aloe Vera, Vitamin E & [Tq] to boost the skin’s regenerative properties with the ability to combat the effects of environmental toxins. Considering that this nutritious moisturiser is infused with shea butter, almond, argan and geranium oil, your skin is sure to look visibly younger and feel noticeably softer with continued use. Available online on delarta.com.
Available at EnerBeauty.com and TheSecretSkin.com.
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HERE’S WHY YOUR CHILD NEEDS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
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LIFESTYLE | opinion
Ouiam El Hassani tells you why extracurricular activities are a necessity for your child in the new year.
arenting has gone through many changes over the years, from a time when children weren’t even sent to school to an era when academics have become the main focus of parents all over the world. Kids now are continuously pressured to excel in Maths, Science, Physics, and other subjects from a very young age. They are required to do homework when they are supposed to be playing and enjoying their lives to the fullest. In recent years, however, we have seen a slight shift towards extracurricular activities, where parents support their kids’ physical activity just as much as they encourage their education. We now see children enrolled in different sports, practice almost daily, and even though it can be hectic sometimes – for kids and parents alike - they persist and are very satisfied and accomplished; the reason being that physical activity is one of the most essential parts of a child’s health, wellbeing and learning. Strong bodies make strong minds, which is especially true for children; partaking in sports not only helps them keep their bodies strong but also helps their growing minds tremendously. A child’s primary form of interaction with the world is through physical touch and play. Children pick things up and examine them with their hands. www.womanthismonth.com
They touch, smell, taste whatever they can as a way of familiarising themselves with their surroundings. They learn the exhilarating sensation of running and becoming winded; they learn to kick and throw the ball; they learn to throw kicks and punches and more. So, in a way, being physically active comes naturally to children. Extracurricular activities allow children to develop positive character traits and soak up many quality values that will help them in the future. Principles like teamwork, friendship, and fun naturally arise from these activities, and they form neural connections that contribute heavily to a child’s emotional and intellectual growth. Moreover, children who are actively engaged in sports can be good role models for their peers from school and their neighbourhood, and can inspire them to start playing some sports as well. Playing sports at a young age enables children to create life-long friendships they otherwise might not have formed. Kids learn that they are part of a team that requires the same effort from all members to succeed and how to win with class and lose with dignity. Sports bring people together from all over the world, regardless of their nationality,
religion, culture, or skin colour. What is even more important is that engaging kids in physical activities can help them release accumulated stress and improve their mental wellbeing. It can help them cope better with the pressure put on them at school (or at home); in fact, numerous studies have shown that children who play sports perform better at school. What better time to register your children in new activities than the beginning of a new year! New resolutions, new habits, and new adventures. Bahrain offers a wide range of extracurricular activities from basketball, football, tennis, and gymnastics to robotics, coding, and STEM classes. There is something for everyone, scattered all around the island, bringing different nationalities together, introducing different concepts, and different disciplines. Ballet classes for your little girl, or maybe some art classes for your young artist, choose whatever fits your child’s interests and passion and start them young. Start your child’s year right. Happy New Year! January 2022
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LIFESTYLE | home
Bedroom Banter We may be raring to go at the start of 2022; our to-do lists full of great plans and new resolutions. But to achieve all that we dream of, deep rest and recuperation is most essential, and here is where our bedrooms take centre stage. Let's cosy-up this space with the right kind of décor and essentials to give this private sanctuary a touch of personality with a statement vibe.
Doll Up Here
For Them Knickknacks
Dressing Table THE One
Box THE One
Earthy Ensemble Cabinet THE One
Home Centre
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LIFESTYLE | home
Metallic Reflections
Nicely Knitted
Mirror Lifestyle
Throw Lifestyle
Friendly Reminder
Scents of Sleep
Cushion Namshi.com
Fragrance Diffuser Lifestyle
Whimsy Hang Macrame Shelf Amazon.com
Handmade and Handy Pouf Home Box
Accent Light
Floor Lamp Home box
Nocturnal Greetings Wooden Sign Amazon.com
Snuggle Under Comforter Home Box
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bystander
AWA National Day Celebration American Women’s Association celebrated Bahrain’s 50th National Day at their general meeting
held at Mövenpick Bahrain. There were many festivities for the members and guests including Arabic cuisine, coffee and henna. Guests were also able to interact with a falcon and take photographs for memories.
Bahrain Women’s Day
On the occasion of Bahraini Women’s Day and under the patronage of Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain International Federation of Business and Professional Women, Marjan Space celebrated Bahraini Women Entrepreneurs’ support, successes and challenges at Al Andalus Garden.
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bystander
Italian Opera
An Italian Opera Arias and Songs evening was held at Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research with Italian Opera singer, Laura Baldassari performing.
Bahrain International Challenge
The grand inauguration of “BKS-Bahrain International challenge 2021” Badminton tournament was held at the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam Diamond Jubilee Hall with Chief Guest HE Piyush Srivastava, Indian Ambassador.
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bystander
Brazil Grill’s Christmas Tree Lighting
Brazil Rodizio Grill and Lounge held a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Adliya.
WEAR A FACE MASK
WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN
DISINFECT HANDS WITH SANITISER
AVOID SHAKING HANDS bahrainthismonth
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In Her Shoes What are three things you never leave the house without?
last word
There’s something special about people that are capable of finding happiness in even the smallest of positive gestures, and that’s exactly the kind of person Syamily James is. Sham (as most people call her) is a Marketing Executive at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention & Spa, and an ambivert depending on where you place her. She’s slightly OCD, but not but not to an extent that would make her loved ones disown her. Here’s a little sneak peek into her life:
My ear pods (I just checked my bag to make sure I didn't forget it), my moisturiser and my husband (no pun intended).
What is your dream holiday destination?
Cats or dogs?
Switzerland!
Cats! I've got two boys - Shadow and Leo. I feel cats are extremely underrated by the world. They love us back relentlessly. But you've got to give them the space to trust you and let them take their time in warming up to you.
Sham
Who would your life be incomplete without? Definitely my family.
What is your greatest aspiration?
I aspire to be a singer and a cat mom. Might try to create a remix for Phoebe's 'Smelly Cat'.
What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
In a tradition like mine, the scariest thing you can do is stand up to your society and follow the dreams and goals you have set for yourself. And yes, I did that and I am glad I did that. www.womanthismonth.com
If you won the lottery, what would you do?
Travel to every single country in the world, depending on the money I won of course. Also, I would love to sponsor food for the animal rescue centers I come across. January 2022
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bystander
Indonesian Embassy hosted an Indonesian Culinary Night “A Spice Route: from Nusantara Indonesian Embassy’s Spice Route TtoheDilmunia” at Mövenpick Bahrain.
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