Sunday, 17 July 2016

IMPORTANT !!

Style Unboxed has a new home!
Blogging has become such a huge part of my life and I decided to take Style Unboxed to the next level.
All blog posts will now be uploaded on styleunboxedblog.wordpress.com

Hope you enjoy the new and improved site!

Xoxo
Raeesa

Saturday, 9 July 2016

Eid Part 3: The Decor | Lifestyle

As I mentioned in one of my past blog posts, breakfast and supper happened at my home this Eid. That meant my mum and I were super busy getting everything done.

My mum and I are nowhere near professional caterers, but we always try our best to get our decor looking as cute as possible. It's a joyous occasion and it's only fair we try to make it as enjoyable for everyone else.

For our morning tables, we originally had a gold and turquoise theme in mind. That did, however, change to pastel blues with cute little paizley prints. We kept it simple since it was a buffet-style meal. Simple white square plates (which we purchased forever ago) completed the table along with some simple white cups and crystal glasses. Pretty cake stands and cute cutlery completed it.

Evening: For the evening, we went all out. Stunning reds, purples and copper tones were the colours of choice. Mirror underplates, silver and white dishes and crystal goblet glasses filled the table. Candle-lit lanterns and flower arrangements completed the look. In my opinion, the rich colours and beautiful glassware made it special.
The flower arrangements were done by me. It was the first time I'd ever played around with flowers, but I was super happy with the results!

 
 
 


 I hope you enjoyed this Eid series. Don't forget to check out @StyleUnboxed on Instagram.

Xoxo
Raeesa

Friday, 8 July 2016

Eid Part 2: The Food | Lifestyle

I come from a family who absolutely love food. I don't think there's a single one of us who doesn't jump at the thought of a good meal. And with such good cooks in the family, it's easy to understand why (shoutout to my mum!).

Our Eid menu is relatively similar every year. From children we've grown up with the whole family being together all day, sitting round tables filled with mouth watering foods. This Eid was our turn, meaning me and my mum had lots to do for breakfast and supper (my granny takes over lunch).

Our breakfast was a little different this year. Usually we go super heavy with delectable prawns served multiple ways, but this Eid we decided to go for a more "normal" type meal.
Breakfast consisted of a buffet-style spread including eggs cooked three ways, different types of toast, yummy fruit salads, an assortment of fruit juices and the good old yogurt and muesli. We also had the most divine pancakes, multiple kinds of baking including rose crouissants, eclairs, donuts and traditional biscuits. Not to forget the superb array of cereals, meat  and chicken options and the super fabulous Arabian egg. Our selection of hot drinks included multiple types of teas, coffee's and a variety of other drinks.
Needless to say, it was the best breakfast I've had in a while!

Lunch is always one of the best meals of the day. You'd think after a delightful breakfast like ours we'd be full, but no. I've been blessed with grannies who cook like chefs. My Nani (my mum's mum) loves cooking for the family and takes it upon herself to cook a huge spread for lunch. This year however, we enjoyed lunch with my dad's parents. A hot pot of freshly made breyani (an Indian rice dish) was the main dish, and it was divine!

And then, there's supper. After an entire day, there's still a little space for more. This year we decided to leave the prawns for the night. My mum and I took hours trying to make them to perfection and I think we did a pretty good job! We marinated prawns three ways so there was an option for everyone. Zingy Peri-Peri, tasty Lemon and Herb and spicy Portugese were the three flavours that stole the show! No prawn meal is complete without the sides. We served steaming garlic bread and freshly fried and spiced chips. We also served a gorgeous spice rice to complete it all. For drinks, we kept a simple with Kola Tonic being the star of the show.

After supper, everyone gathers around to enjoy some tea and baked goodies, and to share some stories (this is easily one of the best parts of the day). We had tea's and coffee's to go along with  different types of baking. Desserts filled the table along with a whole lot of yummy baked goodies.

After a day filled with food and family (and loads of carbs) , it's safe to say that I'll be starting an exercise plan immediately after the weekend!

Remember to see @StyleUnboxed on Instagram for more Eid pics and more!

P.S. Sorry for the lack of pictures. Since Eid was at my house, I was just too busy!

Xoxo
Raeesa

Thursday, 7 July 2016

Eid Part 1: The Clothing | Fashion

This may sound utterly insane but I absolutely love shopping for clothing. And so almost always, my outfits for Eid are bought even before Ramadhaan begins. Don't get me wrong, Eid isn't just about clothing, it's so much more than that. Fashion and clothing are just things I love and that's why for me, Eid is a day I can dress up.

For years my Eid wardrobe has included an abaya (an Islamic robe-like garment) in the morning and more dressy clothing in the evening. This year was no different.




 Morning: Pictured above is the abaya I wore on Eid morning. It is something I designed myself a few months ago and thought Eid would be the perfect time to use it. The outer robe is made from a creme-beige satin while the inner dress is made using a traditional abaya fabric in a similar colour. The scarf is from a store called Arabica and I knew the second I seen it that it would look gorgeous with this particular outfit. For my shoes, I decided to use something from my cupboard. The nude heels were bought from Woolworths a few months ago.




 Evening: With it being the middle of winter and me almost always freezing, I knew a coat was necessary. I bought this particular one (along with a few gorgeous others) from Yasmeen's Boutique (find her gorgeous page on Instagram @yasmeensboutique23). Underneath, an inner top from Woolworths and a skinny pants from H&M. The ankle boot is also from Woolworths. For my scarf, I decided to use something from my cupboard that I purchased a few months ago.

Remember to see @StyleUnboxed on Instagram for more Eid pics and more! Also, look out for a full and more in-depth review of my coat from Yasmeen's Boutique as well as a few other goodies I picked up from her!

Xoxo
Raeesa
The Eid Series | Lifestyle

As I'm sure most of you already know, the Islamic month of Ramadhaan has just passed, and what a great month it has been. There's just something special knowing every Muslim around the world is taking part in this amazing act of worship.
After Ramadhaan comes the glorious celebration of Eid, a joyous day meant as a reward for our month of sacrifice.
In my family, Eid is all about family. It's about spending time with uncles and aunts and catching up with cousins. It's probably the day in the year I look forward to most.
The following few posts will include a break down of my Eid- the clothes, the food, the decor. Think of it as my personal invite to you into my day of Eid.

Xoxo
Raeesa

Saturday, 2 July 2016


Enjoying Essence | Beauty

I often find myself complaining about the insane prices of makeup. There's so many products I really would like to try out, but there's only so much a 19 year old really can spend. And I know with certainty that there's a whole lot of other girls in the same boat. That's why I know how important it is to share good products that are affordable.

Essence is a brand that can be found in many South African stores (like Clicks and Dischem). Not only is the brand insanely inexpensive, the product selection is amazing and the quality even more amazing!
I've always enjoyed Essence cosmetics and recently I've expanded my collection even more. Today I'll be sharing with you my favourite products as well as sharing why I love them.

Essence Lipliners: I don't think there's a single other company out there who sells Lipliners at around R19! Not only are these Lipliners the most affordable (ever), they apply gorgeously. The texture is so creamy and smooth, and it stays on for hours. The colour selection is impressive- I personally own about 5 of the shades and I'm looking to expand on that. This is easily one of my most recommended products.

Essence All About Eyeshadows: These 8-shade eye palettes are everything! Costing just R70, they are extremely worth it. The colour pigmentation in these palettes are great, and they really do last for hours. There is also quite a good colour selection. Personally, I own all of the All-About eyeshadow palettes I could find (and I really did look everywhere to see if I was missing any).

Essence Beauty Brushes: I own two of the Essence brushes- one for blending out eyeshadow and one for placing shadow on the eye. The brushes look adorable in pastel colours with a lace pattern overtop. The bristles are extremely soft and pick up eyeshadow brilliantly. I especially like the blending brush and would definitely suggest adding it to your collection.

Essence Lipsticks: Lipsticks are probably my most favourite makeup items and I own hundreds. Essence has quite a few different types with a huge colour selection. Thus far, I've never been disappointed with Essence lipsticks- the creaminess of the lipstick during application is gorgeous, the pigmentation is pretty good and the colour lasts for quite a while. Plus, it's only around R40.

There are loads of other Essence products I absolutely love like their matt blush which I use everyday. I am also a huge fan of the mosaic compact powders.

I have recently purchased an Essence foundation, primer and BB cream which I am dying to try out. Look out for reviews coming soon!

Remember to follow @StyleUnboxed on Instagram for pics and more!

Xoxo
Raeesa

P.S. This post was not sponsored

Friday, 1 July 2016

Face Masking: Part 3 | Beauty

Store-Bought Face Masks


 Sometimes it's so much more convenient to just go out and buy some face masks to keep at home and use when needed. Plus, if you're purchasing from a trusted store, you can be rest assured that you're only putting good ingredients on your skin. There are a few store-bought face masks that I swear by. Not only are they all super affordable, they are of a great quality and they'll leave your skin feeling super happy!

1-Swiitch Beauty
By now I'm sure it's extremely clear what a huge fan I am of Swiitch Beauty. They are a local company storming the beauty world. On August 1, they are releasing a stream of products including a whole range of facial masks. This is something I'm extremely looking forward to, since I know the quality will be great, the masks will be crazy affordable and there'll be a huge range to choose from.

2- L'action Face Masks
These have been my all-time favourites for as long as I can remember. They are so, so affordable costing just a few rands for two masks! There are so many of these to choose from, from energizing to hydrating to energizing to brightening- L'actionhas it all! I usually purchase at least ten of these at a time from Clicks, so I know they're always ready for me to use.
I recently haven't been able to find these in store which is so disappointing.



 3- Sorbet Face Care
I'm a huge, huge Sorbet fan. All there products always leave me smiling. I'm extremely fond of their under-eye masks since my bags are horrific.
Sorbet's under-eye masks cost just R49 for three pairs, which is so extremely affordable! They feel so soft and gel-like on the skin, and leave the skin feeling brightened and renewed. They are also filled with Vitamins to ensure great looking under eyes!
I usually purchase mines at Clicks.



 4- Cettua Skin Care
A few weeks ago, I was out shopping for face masks at a local Clicks pharmacy. I usually always pick up the L'action ones, but since I just couldn't find them, I decided to try out a new brand called Cettua. Best decision ever!
These masks are super affordable (they cost just R28 for one sheet mask) and come in a variety of different types. I personally picked up a hydrating mask, an anti-redness mask, a brightening mask and a pore control mask. The packaging is super adorable too, which is something I always love.
Thus far, I'm super impressed with these masks. I haven't gotten down to trying all of them, but I would definitely recommend picking them up.



 I generally don't spend too much on face masks since I trust my home remedies so well. When I do spend on them though, it always one of the above.

Feel free to share with me your favourite face masks!

Xoxo
Raeesa

P.S. Follow Style Unboxed on Instagram @styleunboxed and tell us what you'd like to see next!