naaz magazine issue 1

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SPRING FLARE

Pretty inGREEN

Mar/Apr 2013

Post Winter BODY REPAIR

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CONTENTSIn house0 7 From the Editor

0 8 NAAZ in the making

Fashion10 Pretty in green

12 New York Fashion Week 14 Bangles and Bracelets

26 Spring Flare

Feature 16 Hypocrisy: The Real Plight of South Asian Woman

Beauty 20 Skin Revival

22 Fresh Face

Health 24 Post Winter Body Repair—The Natural Way

Home 32 Add a little—Shine


EDITORNaheeda Sayeeduddin

SENIOR EDITORZahra Ahmed

CONTRIBUTORSSummer Yasmin, Pardip Rai

LAYOUT/DESIGNFarah Hasnie

COPY EDITORJose Aguilar

PHOTOGRAPHERBrian Styles

MARKETING/ADVERTISINGShabana Rahman

PUBLISHED BYSweet Miasma Media and Publishing5826 New Territory Blvd, Suite 329Sugar Land, TX 77479

NAAZM A G A Z I N E

ModelSaher

PhotoBrian Styles

WardrobeParinaz Boutique10704 – A Fm 1960 Rd WestHouston, Texas 77070281.970.5400

Hair & Makeup ArtistSheila Renée Kirk

ABOUT NAAZ© Naaz Magazine 2013 All Rights Reserved

No part of this publication or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the publisher, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials.

Commercial use and distribution of the contents of the publication is not allowed without express and prior written consent of the author.

THE COVER


Welcome to the first issue of Naaz Magazine, a publication dedicated to empowering south Asian women.

Naaz in Urdu means Pride. It is what every woman should have – pride in our culture, pride in our heritage, pride in who we are.

Naaz Magazine is for today’s south Asian woman.

It brings in a mix of the traditional and the contemporary lifestyles we live.

The goal of this magazine is to explore the ever changing role of the south Asian woman. We no longer live in a society where we are expected to be bound to the home. Today’s south Asian woman lives a more dynamic life, yet still faces the challenges of stereotypes, double standards and hypocrisy.

We hope to shed light on these concerns in this issue and future ones.

After months of conceptualization, I am happy to finally see Naaz Magazine come to life.

It was a long and arduous journey – often times grueling and emotional – to the point where I almost threw in the towel.

But it was with the support of my peers that I carried on.

The making of this premiere issue consisted of long hours put in by several dedicated people.

A special thank you goes out to the individuals who helped me see this endeavor come

through. Thank you to Fahad Naveed for the encouragement and support in making this dream a reality. To Jose Aguilar, Zahra Ahmed and Farah Hasnie, my college buddies, you guys are incredible and I want to thank you guys for your support and hard work. A big thanks to Shabana Rahman, who came out of nowhere offering her assistance – you have been a big asset. Thank you to Brian Styles for the amazing work you did and for coming to the rescue by not letting me settle for less.

And last but not least, thank you to my parents, who could not have been any more supportive. I love you guys.

To my readers, I hope you enjoy reading this first issue of Naaz Magazine as much as we have enjoyed making it.

FROM THE EDITOR

Photo // Brian Styles


in the making...NAAZ

IN HOUSE


IN HOUSE


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NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

FASHION

BIBHU

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South Asian designers shined during New York Fashion Week at the Lincoln Center in February. Designers such as Naeem Khan, Prabal Gurung, Bibhu Mohapatra and many more, showcased the best of their collection to an audience of celebrities, editors and buyers.


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FEATURE

I believe that the most widespread and silent killer of women and girls

is a combination of poverty and the low

status awarded to women.”


HYPOCRISY: THE REAL PLIGHT OF SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN

The word “women” is very illustrative. I see it as the combination of two words: womb and men— she is a being that contains the future; both physically and spiritually. This expresses the fundamental

importance of her role and highlights her strong yet nurturing essence. Of course, there’s also the dumbed-down version where many have interpreted the composition of “women” as the idea that women cannot exist without

“men”. She is defined by him; her father, husband or son and also exists for him. It is the proverbial argument; Eve was created for Adam but it was because Adam needed her. Thus, does he own her or honor her? For the average woman busy navigating life, these alternating perceptions are the undercurrent of existence.

South Asia, which includes the countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, is an interesting crossroads of culture, religion, tradition, modernity and society. The women of

this subcontinent play both roles described above, and in a very covert fashion. They are the givers and the needy; the bread winners and the bread bakers. Call it hypocrisy or just circumstance, but the most challenging aspect of a South Asian woman’s existence is living these dual personalities.

For societies that are predominantly patriarchal, it ’s interesting that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have all had women in ruling positions. Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and India’s Sonia Gandhi are all powerful women who have commanded or are commanding male-dominated societies. On the streets of these countries, however, the same men who voted for female presidents can often be found holding their daughters back from pursuing an education or career.

Currently, the U.N. states that half the female population of South Asia is unable to read and/or write. It’s a conundrum

BY SUMMER YASMIN

FEATURE


that must confuse young women growing up in South Asia. It also sends the wrong message that opportunity and social equality are only for elite women—not the middle class, and definitely not the poor. Many women who want to gain an education are neither supported by their male counterparts nor in any substantial way by their female-run governments.

This double standard also applies to working women. The fight against poverty is a constantly raging battle for many families living in South Asia: the poor live it; the middle class fears descent into it; and the rich remain indifferent to it. Under these conditions, many families send each and every member into the work force. Men, women and children desperate for every dollar the damaged economy can spare them fill the region’s factories, fields and shops. South Asia’s child labor statistics are in the millions, and many of these laborers are young girls who will stay in these positions for a lifetime.

As a means to survive, the laboring of women and girls is not only acceptable, but expected. However, the act of a woman pursuing a career for the purpose of self-actualization is often frowned upon. There is a sharp distinction between a

“job” and a “career.” It’s OK for a woman to leave the home to perform a labor-intensive, often dangerous job for the benefit of the family, but it’s not OK for her to pursue a career for her own benefit.

The irony is that this cultural attitude keeps the cycle of poverty well-embedded in South Asian society. When women aren’t given educational opportunities and a chance at a respectable, stable career, they remain dependent on men. On one hand this is considered the traditional way of things, yet it doesn’t take long for those same women to be seen as burdens. The amalgamation of this is seen in the high rates of female feticide —studies suggest about 12 million over the past three decades in India alone—and the greater desire for male offspring that is still prevalent in South Asia today.

Although education and poverty are social and economic problems, their nucleus is the cultural framework around which they revolve. From this same framework come issues

such as women’s safety. According to U.N. Women, an act of violence is perpetrated against a woman in South Asia every three minutes. India and Pakistan are two of the five most dangerous countries for women in the world, as indicated by a poll carried out by the legal news service TrustLaw. What makes these countries so dangerous are lack of finances, education, and employment, health and nutrition, as well as weak social justice.

When a society defines its honor and morality through the actions of its women, it also places the burden of these on women and diminishes men’s responsibility in upholding them. The outcome of this is that women end up shouldering the blame when tragedies like rape occur, resulting in ignorant acts like honor killings and the silencing of victims through shame and duty. Even more astounding is that behind the scenes there is a whole different story unfolding.

An article in The Guardian UK recently highlighted the case of a 45-year-old Bangladeshi woman who admitted that she and many poor women like herself regularly migrate across the border to India to work as dancing girls in bars. "The men can't earn a living, so they send us across the border. All this I made with money I earned in Bombay,” the woman says in the article, pointing to her brick house before adding that the money also allowed her to put two sons through college and marry off her daughter. In a society where morality—especially for women—is vigorously policed, and conservative tradition is said to be a priority, this reality is simply hypocritical.

The challenges that South Asian women face on a daily basis are two-fold. In the fight for survival they are up against physical hardships that are compounded by social cultural norms, keeping many well ingrained in the cycle of abuse and poverty. Mario Joao Ralha, team leader for South Asia at the European Commission’s humanitarian aid arm (ECHO) sums it up precisely:

"I believe that the most widespread and silent killer of women and girls is a combination of poverty and the low status awarded to women,"

FEATURE


SKIN REVIVALTHE BODY SHOP, VITAMIN C FACIAL RADIANCE CAPSULES, thebodyshop-usa.comAntioxidant Vitamin C and Brazil nut oil in the Body Shop’s Vitamin C Facial Radiance Capsules create smoother skin and restore its natural glow by boosting collagen production, improving elasticity and protecting skin from the sun.

MURAD RAPID AGE-SPOT AND PIGMENT LIGHTENING SERUM, Murad.com This serum is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of sun and age spots by 33 percent in one week while restoring clarity, evening out skin tone and preventing new pigmentation.

BEAUTY


ANEW REVERSALIST ILLUMINATING EYE SYSTEM, Avon.comThe light-weight cream brightens the eye area while reducing the appearance of dark circles and fine wrinkles.

SOAP AND GLORY RIGHTEOUS BODY BUTTER, Sephora.comFormulated for dry skin, Soap & Glory’s Righteous Body Butter keeps skin hydrated and moisturized with softening shea butter and aloe vera.

BEAUTY

SEPHORA INSTANT MOISTURE MASK, Sephora.comThis mask leaves skin smoother, more rested and glowing, and can be created at home by mixing water with an included moisture mask packet.


Spring into the season with a fresh yet bold face, which is exactly what is trending when it comes to makeup looks for the spring. Just like a breath of fresh air, we can go bold by actually going more natural on our eyes,

lips, cheeks and hair—perfect for us South Asian beauties.

FRESH FACE BY PARDIP RAI

BEAUTY

HAIRD o n’t g e t s o s t ressed about having perfectly straight, blow-dried hair or even those bouncy curls. Go for more of a natural look—as if hair has been blow dried, but not to the point of perfection. Loose buns with wavy bangs can give an elegant yet fresh look for those evening and nighttime social scenes.

CHEEKSThis is the per-fect time to go easy on the cheeks and show more of a fresh face. To highlight cheek-bones, don’t go overboard on the blush. Also, choose colors like taupe, peach and coral that can add that special hint of color, but keep you looking fresh.

LIPSSkip the shimmer glosses and put on a coat of matte lipstick—wheth-er it is nude, cor-al, mauve or red. Shimmer and gloss

is out, and the matte lip is what it is all about.

EYESWhen it comes to eyes, you can nev-er go wrong with smoky eyes. This season smoky eyes come not just in black, but in pretty colors like browns,

gold and corals. These colors are perfect for nearly all skin tones and can brighten up the deepest brown eyes and the brightest blues and greens.

Pairing brown smoky eyes with a bold mauve lip and a natural up-do can look great for daytime. When it comes to evenings, go with smoky eyes that use more color or shimmer like gold and corals. Add a matte nude or coral lip and let your natural hair down and you have a perfect look for the night!

Just like that you can have yourself looking fresh yet bold, from daytime to evening. These looks are sure to impress, so don’t be afraid to let loose—spend a little less time on looking polished and instead just keep it natural.


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HEALTH

Post–Winter Body RepairTHE NATURAL WAY

Winter is about to throw in its towel, and it won’t be long before hats and boots step

aside to make room for spaghetti straps and sandals.

Spring is exciting because it’s a time of rejuvenation. The earth revives itself from inside out—roots to blossoms—setting the ideal example. It’s time to defrost, come out of hibernation and reincarnate your beautiful self. Fittingly, nature has provided us with everything we need to repair our bodies after a long, cold winter.

STAY ‘A HEAD’ OF THE GAME Cold, dry winter air leaves hair dull and dry. To get your locks out of lock down you need to clarify and then moisturize and protect. One of the easiest ways to remove buildup in your hair is with baking soda. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the normal amount of shampoo you use. For those with short hair, half a teaspoon is sufficient, while those with very long hair should consider two tea-spoons. Apply the shampoo and baking soda mixture once a week or once every

two weeks depending on the need. Bak-ing soda raises the cuticle, but you can seal it again with an acidic rinse (simply run some apple cider vinegar through the hair) and then condition.

Egg yolks are great natural conditioners. Mix an egg yolk with a little plain, white yogurt to form a paste. Apply the paste to your hair and wash after 30 minutes for a bright new shine.

If you want to go even more intense, amp it up by combining one tablespoon of honey, one egg yolk, half a teaspoon of

BY SUMMER YASMIN


almond oil, and one tablespoon of yogurt. They will come together to form a foamy paste, which you can apply to hair and let sit for 90 minutes. After you wash, the softness should be tangible.

During winter we tend to blow dry our hair more often. Heat exposure contrib-utes to dryness and breaking for most hair types. Natural oils are one of the best combatants for heat-damaged hair. Coconut, almond, castor, olive and jojoba oil are great to soothe brittle, winter-worn hair. These oils not only cure, but can also prevent hair dryer damage by working as great thermal heat protectors when com-bined with Shea butter.

FACE THE FACTS To put your best face forward you need to make sure it’s your ‘newest’ face. Skin often lacks freshness due to a buildup of dead skin cells on the surface. The win-ter atmosphere compounds this problem as we are increasingly exposed to dry air from heaters, which can leave a thick layer of dead skin. To reveal the new skin hid-ing underneath, try natural exfoliants that

are course in texture and will scrub away dead skin. Oatmeal can either be ground to form a paste or applied as whole oats on skin. Not only does it exfoliate, but oatmeal also has healing properties. Sea salt is another strong exfoliant that really opens your pores. You can mix sea

salt with water and use it on a daily basis. Not only does it remove dead skin, sodi-um is also a key ingredient in maintaining skin health.

Coffee grounds, fresh or used, will exfo-liate your skin while also giving it a good cleaning because they are antibacterial.

Almonds, when ground and combined with a moist ingredient, will slough off dead cells and also nourish and supple-ment the skin with vitamin E.

In winter we spend more time indoors and experience altered sleep/wake cycles that affect how we’re exposed to natural light. By the end of the season you may notice an uneven skin tone. Turmeric combined with buttermilk—milk is a natural light-ener when dealing with dark spots—can help clear blotchy skin. Apply it as a mask: one tablespoon turmeric; one tablespoon ground almonds, chick pea flower, or corn-meal; and two tablespoons of buttermilk.

Honey, due to its healing properties, can also even skin tone by repairing damage caused by dryness and acne scarring.

SPEAK THE BODY’S LANGUAGEHow your body looks on the outside has everything to do with how it feels on the inside. During the holiday season, we a re increasingly exposed to toxins such as alcohol, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats. This spring, a focus on eating well (fruits, greens, lemons, oranges, garlic, fiber—all natural detox-ifiers), combined with plenty of water and regular exercise, is a simple, straight forward detox program. Sweating out impurities and replenishing with healthy, body-boosting nutrients will make you beautiful, inside and out.

This material has not been medically re-viewed. You should not rely on this informa-tion as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The use of this information is solely at your own risk. Naaz magazine and its author are not responsible in any way for results or their effects.

HEALTH

Coffee grounds, fresh or used, will exfoliate your skin while also giving it a good cleaning because they are antibacterial.”


HERE WILL BE A TITLE

SPRING FLAREPhotos: Brian Styles Wardrobe: Parinaz BoutiqueMakeup: Sheila Renée Kirk


Add a littleSHINEYou can’t go wrong with adding a little bling to your home décor. A

bright tone like silver works well with almost any color scheme. Small doses of silver in a picture frame, vase or lamp act as highlights to brighten up a room and give new shine to last year’s furnishings.

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A novel full of mystery and twists.

A story about an Indian princess that is blinded by all herluxuries in life, soon to realize not everything is as it seems.Follow her as she takes you through a journey as she unveils

a devastating truth about the kindom.

A story about: Human Bonds/Relationships Greed Ego Love

e Veiled KingdomBy Pardip K. Rai

naaz magazine issue 1

Documents

issue of naaz magazine

empowering south asian

post winter body repair2

spring sale

premiere issue

prior written consent

urdu means pride

long hours