fashion
Met Gala 2022: Kardashian as Monroe, a gilded Blake Lively
Kim Kardashian shut down the Met Gala red carpet Monday in one of Marilyn Monroe’s most iconic dresses, a gold-beaded body hugger Monroe wore when she sexily sang happy birthday to President John F. Kennedy 60 years ago.
Kardashian had to lose 16 pounds to fit into the dress, designed by Jean Louis and purchased in 2016 by the Ripley’s Believe or Not! museum in Orlando, Florida, for a whopping $4.81 million.
“It was such a challenge,” she said. “I was determined to fit it.”
The dress originally cost $12,000. It was so tight Monroe had to be sewn into it when she purred “Happy birthday, Mr. president” on May 19, 1962, at a Madison Square Garden fundraiser. She died three months later. It has been known as the “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress ever since.
Kardashian, with boyfriend Pete Davidson at her side, paired the dress with Cartier white gold drop diamond earrings and a furry white jacket she kept strategically low to cover her backside. Her hair was platinum and pulled tightly into a bun. But she only wore the fragile original dress for her walk up the Grand Staircase at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, changing into a replica after that, according to Vogue.
Earlier, Blake Lively smiled for the cameras in a grand Atelier Versace gown, with husband Ryan Reynolds in brown velvet, Billie Eilish went with an upcycled green lace-trim dress from Gucci and Cynthia Erivo wore sheer white Louis Vuitton with a matching head piece as the Met Gala returned to its berth on the first Monday in May after years of pandemic upheaval.
The celebration of American design was themed to gilded glamour, sprouting classic black tailed tuxedoes for many of the men and lots of dresses in black and white for the women. Others paid literal homage to New York City, home base for the Gilded Age, and still more shimmered in metallic golds and silver.
“Black and white are THE colors for the evening,” said Holly Katz, a stylist and host of the Fashion Crimes podcast.
Lively, one of the evening’s co-hosts, wore a bronze and rose gold look that transformed into a shimmery layer of baby blue as a large bow was pulled. Her look drew inspiration from the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and the blue ceiling of Grand Central Station.
“Instead of looking to fashion to influence the dress, I looked to New York City architecture,” Lively said.
Cardi B, accompanied by Donatella Versace, was an over-the-top golden goddess in a dress of mesh and chains, a fitting birthday for the designer.
Gigi Hadid was more redefined cat woman than golden girl. She wore a tight-as-skin, blood red Latex catsuit with a corseted bodice and huge, heavy quilted coat from Versace. She walked gingerly up the steps.
Lizzo, meanwhile, got the crowd cheering when she played her gold flute for fans watching the parade of fashion outside. She wore a black dress under a stunning gold-embroidered black coat, all by Thom Browne.
Camila Cabello worked a huge white gown with a midriff top, from Prabal Gurung, while Jordan Roth, the theater producer, provided a reveal of his own, removing a black, egg-like shell to a matching bulbous suit, all by Thom Browne. Janelle Monáe offered a royal wave in a black and white bedazzled helmet piece and slinky gown with head piece.
“Amazing. I’m proud to be American. I’m proud to be wearing Ralph Lauren. This is gilded glamour from the future,” Monáe told The Associated Press.
New York Mayor Eric Adams put politics front and center in a tux emblazoned with “End Gun Violence” on the back. Former presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton was in a Bordeaux-colored gown designed by Joseph Altuzarra with the names of historic women sewn into the hem and neckline. They include Abigail Adams, Shirley Chisolm and Madeleine Albright.
Clinton’s last Met Gala was a while ago.
“I told Anna I would come every 20 years,” she said.
Vogue livestream co-host Vanessa Hudgens made her way up the steps in a vaguely Victorian black sheer lace gown with a long train by Moschino. She was joined by La La Anthony, her fellow Vogue host who wore a deep red look with cut out shoulders from LaQuan Smith.
“I’m practically naked,” Hudgens joked.
Anthony said: “Those stairs are intimidating.”
And if the Met Gala’s return feels like one of those what, already moments, it is.
It’s been just under eight months since the last gala, an annual fundraiser that raises eight-figure sums for the Met’s Costume Institute. More than $16.4 million was raised last year. The starry event is the institute’s primary budget feeder.
This year’s gala coincides with the opening of the second part of a two-part exhibit at the Costume Institute focused on American fashion and style. The evening’s dress code was gilded glamour and white tie, a la the Gilded Age, that tumultuous period between the Civil War and the turn of the 20th century known for its robber barons, drama and grandeur.
Some of the stars included extra touches. Gabrielle Union said the red jewels in her hair to go with her silver Versace dress represented the blood shed by people of color during the Gilded Age. The dress included a large red flower embellishment at the waist.
Vogue’s Anna Wintour, who has run the gala since 1995, wore feathery Chanel and a jeweled tiara that has been in her family since 1910. She continues as one of the night’s honorary co-chairs, along with designer Tom Ford and Instagram’s Adam Mosseri. The other official co-chairs for 2022 are Regina King and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Eilish wore a custom Gucci corset look of ivory and duchesse satin with green lace and a padded bustle. Erivo’s look came with a large train as she held hands with Sarah Jessica Parker, who wore custom Christopher John Rogers, a white and black striped Cinderella ballgown with a towering pink and black feather head piece by Philip Treacy.
Parker’s dress was inspired by the work of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, the first Black female fashion designer in the White House, a confidante of first lady Mary Todd Lincoln.
Alicia Keys’ Ralph Lauren dress was inspired by her native New York City, with a cape evoking the New York City skyline outlined in small hand-placed crystals. Her husband, Swizz Beatz, also a native New Yorker, donned a New York sports jacket.
Keys said her dress was meant to “represent an empire state of mind and a city of gods here tonight.”
Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, showed up with his mother, Maye Musk a former model adorned in Chopard pearls and other jewels. Her son went with a classic tux with tails.
Ariana DeBose was resplendent in golden Moschino by Jeremy Scott.
“This guy turned me into a fashion Oscar,” she said.
And the gala included a marriage proposal. Former state Assembly candidate Bobby Digi Olisa got down on one knee to pop the question to a stunned Laurie Cumbo, the city’s commissioner of cultural affairs.
What’s a Met Gala without more than one Kardashian, or six. The entire family showed up, including Kylie Jenner in a white ballgown with a matching hat and big sister Kourtney Kardashian in deconstructed Thom Browne to go with beaux Travis Barker’s Thom Browne suit. Kendall Jenner was in black Prada as she played “devil and angel” with Kylie. Sister Khloe Kardashian was in gold Moschino and matriarch Kris Jenner wore canary yellow from Oscar de la Renta, an ode to Jackie Kennedy Onassis — her hair in a ’60s flip. Megan Thee Stallion was also a golden goddess. Her Moschino shiner had wings at the shoulders. Quannah Chasinghorse wore a beaded blue strapless gown created in partnership with Indigenous designer Lenise Omeasoo.
Sans husband Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber walked in an elegant Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello slip dress with a feather-trimmed coat in white.
Katy Perry, usually a showstopper as a cheeseburger and other wacky looks over the years, donned understated Oscar de la Renta this time around.
Teyana Taylor wasn’t quite on theme but her dramatic Iris Van Herpen gown certainly made a statement, said Claire Sulmers, a fashion writer and pop culture observer who writes The State of Fashion column on Meta’s publishing platform Bulletin. It was a breathtaking purple worn with a metal, cage-like piece around her head and face.
“The drama and metallic adornment certainly made her one of the best dressed of the night,” Sulmers said.
While many wore European brands, the American vibe remained, said Rachel Tashjian, fashion news director for Harper’s Bazaar.
“Many of the best looks were the most straightforward ones. Kate Moss in a velvet Le Smoking Tuxedo gown, Hailey Bieber in slinky ice-colored silk and marabou feathers, for example. They were both in Saint Laurent, which is of course not an American brand, but the simplicity and directness of their beauty and allure was extraordinarily, well, patriotic,” she said.
Todd Snyder, the New York-based designer, appreciated many of the night’s interpretations on the white tie dress code.
“Seeing how people pushed beyond the expected interpretation was refreshing this year. I loved Austin Butler in custom Prada swapping the classic bow tie for a silk scarf over a cropped tux jacket. Ryan Reynolds and Rege Jean Page reminded us of the elegance of velvet in a tux. While the era from the outside was opulent, Riz Ahmed’s statement of wearing a workwear inspired outfit to represent the immigrant workers that kept the Gilded Age going is a statement that must not be forgotten.”
Also read: Inside the Met Gala: Glitter, glamour and 275,000 pink roses
Inside the Met Gala: Glitter, glamour and 275,000 pink roses
Met Galas, he’s been to a few. But James Corden, schmoozing at this year’s cocktail reception, looked around and pronounced that this might be his favorite yet.
“Classy,” he explained. “It just feels really classy.”
The TV host waved his arm around the room, taking in the hundreds of guests who’d followed the sartorial instructions – “gilded glamour” — and came in the best Gilded Age finery they could muster. Elegant gowns, shimmering with gold. Classic black and white. Tails and even some tophats. Headpieces and bustles and perhaps the accessory of the night: the tiara, sported by none other than Vogue’s Anna Wintour, who runs the gala, wearing a family heirloom. Even allowing for creativity, this was not the night for artfully ripped jeans.
Of course, take one letter off “classy” and you have “class,” with all the tricky implications of channeling an era that saw the creation of excessive wealth and income inequality in the United States. Some guests wrestled with that thought as they pondered the meaning of the evening. Others pointed out, accurately, that the gala funds the Met’s Costume Institute, allowing for exhibits such “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” which opens this week and seeks to uncover unsung heroes and untold stories in American fashion history, especially women, and women of color.
Others said the night was an important way of showing that New York was back in full force, even with the pandemic still upon us. “We’re celebrating craftsmanship and we’re celebrating America,” said celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, who again this year curated the night’s menu, choosing a slate of female chefs and taking on the main course himself — a barbecue-style beef, he said, with corn and succotash. “We’re showing that New York is back.”
Certainly New York florists were back, if they hadn’t been already. The question is whether there were any pink roses left in the city after Monday’s gala. The outside steps to the Metropolitan Museum of Art were lined with 50,000, with another 75,000 surrounding the lobby centerpiece. Another 150,000 roses bathed every inch of the Great Hall staircase — a striking backdrop for the hosts’ receiving line.
Also striking: The giant centerpiece, this year the tallest it’s ever been — a 50-foot, golden creation representing the torch in the hand of Lady Liberty. (Museum officials said this year for the first time, the centerpiece will remain in place another day, for public view).
As guests entered from the red carpet, with crowds screaming outside, they passed a 12-piece chamber orchestra that played American classics like “At Last” until dinner. After greeting Wintour and her celebrity hosts (Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Regina King) guests wandered through the Arms and Armor galleries toward the American Wing and the huge Charles Engelhard Court, where cocktails were served and where curators built a bridge to access the exhibit in the period rooms.
Usually, guests eschew the exhibit for the cocktails, but there was a decent flow of people in and out of the show, for which nine film directors were tapped to create cinematic vignettes. It was, said some of the directors, a chance to engage in a different kind of storytelling.
“It was really fun,” said Tom Ford, not only a top fashion designer but one of those nine directors. Ford, assigned a room housing a grand, circular painting of Versailles and its gardens, chose to dramatize the story of the Battle of Versailles — a famous night for American fashion in 1973, when American sportswear designers showed up their French couture counterparts. Ford decided to stage a real conflict, involving weapons like fencing foils. “My 9-year-old kid was watching a lot of ‘Mulan,’” he quipped, when asked his inspiration. “I’d better go see that now,” said actor and producer-director Mindy Kaling, who’d been chatting with Ford. “Yes!” he encouraged her, and off she went.
Inside the exhibit, meanwhile, director Autumn de Wilde (“Emma”) was showing her own work in the period rooms to a few friends. “That woman has probably just lost the house with her gambling,” she said, pointing to a clearly distressed woman mannequin next to an overturned cards table. “I wanted to show how messy people’s lives are,” she said. “A beautiful home doesn’t mean a beautiful life.”
At that moment, a real “Gilded Age” character walked in — actress Denée Benton, who stars in HBO’s series of the same name. She congratulated de Wilde for her work, and de Wilde told her she was “obsessed” with her show.
Benton may not have chosen to wear a Gilded Age bustle, but Franklin Leonard did — two of them, actually. Leonard, a film executive who helped curator Andrew Bolton pick the diverse slate of film directors for the exhibit, said he was channeling Frederick Douglass in a coat that had not one bustle but two — on either side — one of the more clever looks of the night.
“I guess it’s a double bustle,” he said, crediting designer Ken Nicholson. Leonard, attending his first gala, said it was a surreal experience. “I, the captain of the high school math team in Columbus, Georgia, never thought I’d be wearing a double bustle jacket, inspired by Frederick Douglass, at the Met Ball,” he said. “It wasn’t part of the plan.”
“Listen,” Leonard said, pondering the uneasy balance between art and excess. “For all the excess, this is a fundraiser for the Costume Institute.” And he was said was proud to have helped put together the slate of filmmakers for the show, who include not only gala hosts Ford and King but Radha Blank, Janicza Bravo, Sofia Coppola, Julie Dash, de Wilde, Martin Scorsese and Chloé Zhao, last year’s Oscar winner. “They were the best group of filmmakers out there,” he said.
Though many sipping cocktails and munching on coconut ceviche hors d’oeuvres were gala veterans, there were a number of first-timers. Many remarked that the most surreal part was seeing such a concentration of stars from all walks of life, where there’s always someone more famous around the corner. Or when, as happened Monday, a fun band starts snaking through cocktails, with drums and a tuba and a guy leading it with a melodica, you look more closely and the melodica guy is Jon Batiste, who just won five Grammys.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he was thrilled to attend his first gala. He wasn’t even the only New York mayor in attendance — Michael Bloomberg was there, too.
Adams, who wore a tuxedo with the words “End Gun Violence” on the back and featuring symbols of the city he has run for several months, said he was thinking about the “very real” income inequality that stemmed from the Gilded Age, as the city now recovers from the pandemic.
Noting that the wealthiest two percent of the city was represented in the room, he said his role was “to come among these New Yorkers and talk about the issues that the other 98% of New Yorkers need that are not in this room …. Not to divide us, but to unite us.”
Adams also joked about a tabloid report that he had been dying to come to the gala for years.
“They’ve been trying to get ME to come for years,” he quipped.
Also read: Met Gala 2022: Kardashian as Monroe, a gilded Blake Lively
Creative Ways to Decorate Your Home for Eid
Eid is a very special occasion for Muslims around the globe. The natural tradition of Eid is going to relatives' homes and exchanging blessings. As friends and relatives visit our home during this festival, we can try some home decorations to make the house look clean, nice and sober. Continue scrolling to get some creative and effective ways to decorate your home for eid.
Cost-effective Home Decor Ideas to Embellish Your House in Eid
Eid banner
Eid is one of the most religious festivals to enjoy with family. It has the ability to get together with everyone. An eid banner can make your eid more lovely to welcome friends, relatives, and near and dear ones.
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Decoration of doors
With what do you enter a house? Of course the front door. The front door is the first and last impression you get of that house. Generally, friends and relatives visit your house, especially on the occasion of eid. So you can amaze them with the creative decoration of your front door.
Diverse ways are available to jazz up a door but the best and easiest way to decorate your front door is with wreaths. If you have enough opportunity, you can also decor all the doors of your homes. If you have the ability and you don’t have enough time, you can buy them from the store.
However, if you are creative, you can make one yourself! You will find a floral ready-made wreath in the market. Just bring them and decorate with some cutout moons, stars, and a little sign saying, Eid Mubarak. All is done!
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Gorgeous wall
Wish to decorate your home on Eid but forget about wall decoration. Is it possible? You need to touch upon every nook and corner of the house for eid decoration. Remember, walls are the most important to be taken into account.
If you don’t have enough time and opportunity just hang a few Eid garlands on the main walls of the house. To offer a new look to different rooms and corners of your house, splash them with new colours. However, make sure you hang a pretty garland that says “Eid Mubarak'' to make it interesting.
New Curtains
As a Bengali, you cannot forget about curtains no matter how decorative the walls are! It can’t be ignored that during Eid celebrations curtains bring out a unique festive look. Generally, we put away a few selective drapes only to be used on special occasions.
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If you have already saved some for the festival, then great! But if your existing ones look torn down and old then you need to think about buying some new ones. You can also use sarees like Jamdaani to make great blinders for windows. However, a new one would be better.
Floor Decoration
The floor spaces of your house can also be decorated before the holy Eid festival. You can decorate and beautify the floor of different rooms with gorgeous carpets. Using the soft, smooth, and traditional carpets adorned with embellished accessories, you can attract everyone’s attention and also gather a lot of compliments.
You will find plenty in the market to choose from. Make sure you choose carpets considering the respective room’s size, and design. Furthermore, the colours of walls, curtains and other furniture of the room should also complement the carpet as you are decorating for Eid.
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Colourful Balloons
When you think of celebration and decoration, the first thing you consider is balloons. Honestly, a festival is incomplete without balloons. They make the kids happy and they are a wonderful way to add something extra to the decorations.
You can use plain, glittery or with inscriptions balloons- they are all pretty. Balloons are the best things to give Eidi to the children. You can put some money and treats inside the balloon and hand them over to the kids because Eidi is the best part for them.
Majestic Lighting
Can anyone imagine a festival without lighting? No way! A festival is really incomplete without the bright and stylish light décor. It can be a great idea to decorate your lovely home with fabulous lighting elements.
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You can use lanterns which are the most traditional lighting pieces and introduce amazing beauty to the place. They are one of the most modish forms of lighting with the ability to illuminate magic in a darkened room.
However, if you don’t have time for shopping or planning under a tight budget, make DIY lanterns. Just make a paper lantern yourself at home. Using the strings of light bulbs is another best way of lighting.
Beautiful Candles
Decorative candles are another best source of lighting and beauty. You can decorate candles with jewels, calligraphy, or stickers to make them look festive. You can take a bunch of colourful candles and decorate your front door with lighting candles. Besides, You can take small candles to float them in a bowl of water. This will create a great table centrepiece. Everyone will love this and this will amazingly give a festive look to your home.
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Sweet Fragrance
Festivals mean sweet fragrances. You can grow the festive look of your house with a sweet fragrance. It will not only refresh the minds of everyone but also lift up the spirits of the host as well as the guests.
You can keep fresh flowers on the table, in the ignored corners, kitchen, next to the door. This will give a heavenly touch to your home. Furthermore, you can place sweet smelling candles at different places of your house.
Eid Special Dining Table
Who can deny that a huge part of Eid is the food? Make sure you welcome your guests with delicious treats, savoury or sweet cuisines. Don’t forget to engage your friends and family with a feast which is one of the most pleasing things to look forward to on Eid.
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Remember presentation is very important in the case of food and so make sure you beautifully set up the table to prepare everyone’s palette before a hearty meal. Of course, you will prepare mouth-watering food but you can make it even more interesting by decorating the table.
You can decorate your dining table in many ways. In the centre, you can put a cake stand wrapped in flowers and topped with a tall candle. Besides, folding napkins in the shape of a star or a crescent moon can give a gorgeous look to your table.
Truce Beauty: A Bangladeshi Brand for Desi Skin Tones Breaking New Ground
All types of skin need care as it is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Further, skincare can help to prevent skin problems and promote a healthy complexion. However, the way people care for their skin may vary depending on where they live. And most of the skincare products are based in the western region. While South Asian skin tone and weather are different, South Asian women don't have many options in choosing skincare products. Therefore, they need to rely on western products.
Nevertheless, the South Asian skin tone is a rear tone, which is prone to different skin problems, such as sunspots, hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and acne scarring. So, the olive-toned skin needs to be pampered in a special and unique way. Keeping that in mind, a Bangladeshi brand, 'Truce Beauty,' has been introducing skincare products, especially for South Asian skin.
Read 10 Tips to Make Your Perfume Last Longer
About Truce Beauty
Truce Beauty is a Bangladeshi skincare brand that aims to produce skincare products for Bangladeshi skin tones, perhaps the South Asian skin. The brand uses advanced Korean skincare technology to make its skincare products. Truce products are designed in a way that can improve your skin health naturally. Additionally, the products can be used for a diverse range of skin tones.
Background of Truce Beauty
We have seen for decades that South Asian culture promotes fair products and focuses on whitening. The local brands in Sound East Asia ignore the fact that women, for this reason, have sensitive skin tones and can have different skin-related problems.
The research found that local products not only neglect the skin-related issues but produce them in an unhealthy way focusing on whitening. While producing beauty care products should consider skin-related problems too. Keeping all these in mind, Truce Beauty comes up with a solution focusing on Desi skin.
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Truce Beauty is the brainchild of CEO Samira Quasem. In 2020 she got inspiration from local anti-fairness activism. Surprisingly, she came to know the unavailability of products for olive skin tone, especially for the Desi skin. After that, she decided it was the right time to develop products for our skin type. The next thing we knew, Samira worked with Korean beauty experts to create products for south Asian skins.
Truce Beauty's mission is to bring out your inner self-confidence and self-love by maintaining your beautiful olive skin tone.
The Truce Beauty products are made with high-quality, enriching ingredients which are suitable for sensitive skin. Most importantly, the products are cruelty-free. Moreover, the sulfate, paraben, synthetic dye-free formulation, and mineral oil help to build an effortless skin care regime.
Read Tasnuva Anan Shishir: First Bangladeshi Trans Model at New York City Fashion Week
Some Products of Truce Beauty
Currently, Truce Beauty has three products in its line Truce Anti-pollution Face Wash, Truce Brightening TLC cream, and Truce Hydra Peel Toner. Let's get to know the details about the products.
Truce Anti-pollution Face Wash
If you are looking for a face wash that will help reduce the amount of pollution that your skin takes, then look no further than Truce Anti-Pollution Face Wash. This product is made with natural ingredients such as Glycerin, Niacinamide, Lemon Peel Oil, Salicylic Acid, and more. The face wash can clean your skin deeply and remove all the pollution you absorbed all day.
Moreover, the enriched Beta-hydroxy Acid (BHA) removes dead skin cells, blackheads, and clogged pores by revealing a fresh, smoother complexion. The niacinamide helps remove sun spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation, giving you a more even makeup look. Furthermore, the BHA functions as a makeup remover if you use it without water.
Read Is Your Lipstick Slowly Killing You?
Comes in 150ml Truce Anti-pollution Face Wash costs Tk. 1600.
Is Your Lipstick Slowly Killing You?
Have you ever thought about what lipstick is made of? Lipstick is one of the most popular beauty products used by modern women. But how many women actually know how dangerous and harmful ingredients are used in Lipstick? Some of these elements in lipstick are sensitive and simply absorb products through the thin layer of skin. Let’s discuss hazardous lipstick ingredients to avoid.
Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Lipstick
To choose chemical free lipstick it is essential to know which toxic chemicals are used in the lipsticks. Some ingredients in lipstick include a number of toxic chemicals. Here are some of the harmful chemicals used in Lipstick.
Lead
Lead metals may be found in many lipsticks. It can accidentally impair other ingredients during production or procedure. As contaminants are not mixed up intentionally they won’t be listed as ingredients. But, this unlisted toxic element can have serious consequences for the skin and gut when someone intakes.
Read Fairness Creams: Dangerous Side effects of Skin Whitening Beauty Products
Methylparaben
Methylparaben is mixed with lipstick as an antifungal and a preservative to prevent fungal growth in the product generally. This preservative is restricted in most of Europe due to the possible cancer risk. It may alter the endocrine system or can be toxic in different ways.
Critically, methylparaben is sometimes a hidden ingredient, which means that it can’t be shown on the ingredient list, making it nearly impossible for consumers to be cautious of the presence of this poisonous ingredient. Methylparaben, as a moderate risk, should be avoided and alternatively should use essential vitamins, oils, and some herbal take out that are effective against bacteria.
Polyparaben
Polyparaben is a “high-risk” product for lipstick to add with. Researches show that it is an endocrine provoker which can be hypersensitive for some people. Without Polyparaben the soft, oily part of the lipstick ingredients can get rotten. To prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria and mold preservatives are used in cosmetics including lipstick. This chemical keeps the lipstick fresh for longer.
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Retinyl Palmitate
Retinyl palmitate is included in lipsticks as an antioxidant. Retinyl palmitate is used as an artificial product as a synthetic form of vitamin ‘A’ which can be harmful to pregnant women. The chemical is considered as a “moderate hazard” because of some evidence that links it to some cancers and reproductive problems.
If you can't help but use lipstick containing this ingredient, it’s best to avoid it during pregnancy and to keep away from direct exposure to sunlight.
Tasnuva Anan Shishir: First Bangladeshi Trans Model at New York City Fashion Week
Tasnuva Anan Shishir walked on the ramp of New York City Fashion Week as the first Bangladeshi trans model. She achieved this feat by participating in the show held in New York on the 13th February 2022. The background of her success is not like the story of random successful people. Let's get to know about her life story along with this outstanding success.
The story of a Tasnuva Anan Shishir
June 16, 1991; The baby born in Bagerhat, Khulna was named Kamal Hossain. Before he reached the high school level, Kamal began to feel the presence of femininity throughout his movements and attire. It was not well accepted by the people, even his family. At one point, Kamal Hossain had to leave the house thinking of the prestige of his parents.
He came to Narayanganj from Bagerhat and studied social work there at Government Tolaram College. After completing the Honors and Masters, he received another one-year Master's degree in Public Health from BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health. Throughout this period, Kamal has expressed himself in front of society as a woman. Then, at the end of 2016, he finally made up his mind. In Calcutta, on the advice of a doctor, he transformed physically from Kamal Hossain to Tasnuva Anan Shishir.
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Later, at one stage of her career, she got acquainted with the famous drama director Chayanika Chowdhury. In regard to this acquaintance, she got the opportunity to enter the newsroom of Baishakhi TV.
Participation at New York City Fashion Week
Tasnuva traveled to North America to receive the award for Best Bangladeshi News Presenter at the invitation of Showtime Music. That's when she happened to get the news from New York City Fashion Week. Every year in February and September, this international event is held in Manhattan, New York City.
Omar Chowdhury, the strategic partner of this world-renowned event, and Ariful Islam, executive producer of 4M TV USA, invited Tasnuva Anan to join the ramp. Since Shishir does not have a work permit in the United States, this invitation was made for a guest appearance.
Read:10 Tips to Make Your Perfume Last Longer
Plutz's Fashion Marketing was in the production of this grand event titled 'Plitz New York City Fashion Week'. Tasnuva Anan Shishir took part as the first Bangladeshi trans model with models from different countries.
She was wearing a dress designed by the famous costume designer Oscar Gonzalez Montanez.
The theme of the dress was decided based on Valentine's Day. The chosen colors are black, white, and red. Tasnuva wore two outfits on the day of the event; One was a gown, and another was a winter hoodie.
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Ideal for breaking the shackles of stereotyped society
In adolescence, she could easily carry out activities including tuition and dance like other boys. But after becoming a trans woman, life became even more critical for Tasnuva. She used to work as a voice artist which was stopped eventually; as she was not getting any call from the programs.
Tasnuva had no proper communication with her other four sisters and one brother. All of her siblings were busy with their family and children. Even when she got a chance to talk to her siblings for a couple of minutes a year, they used to avoid sharing each other's addresses. Although there was no way to meet in person, Tasnuva herself had been taking care of her parents.
Though Tasnuva faced innumerable difficulties imposed by society, nothing could stop her talent. With hard work and perseverance, a new dawn broke in Tasnuva's life.
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Hope for Transgender Cimmunity
Tasnuva Anan Shishir has been continuing her dance, which was discontinued in childhood. She has acted in a movie named 'Kasai'. Currently, she is working with various well-known brands. All in all, she is constantly overcoming all obstacles and moving forward with her best efforts.
Now more transgender people are following the path shown by Tasnuva Anan Shishir. People who have been oppressed by thousands of contempt for ages have started to think about life anew. This international recognition of Tasnuva Shishir is not only a beacon of hope for this particular community, it is a huge progress in the fashion industry for the whole country. In fact, class, religion, caste, and community should not be the determinant of a person's identity and respect.
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Perfect Hair Color: Ways to find out and making the most of it
Do you want to color your hair? A wrong hair color can not only degrade your look and personality, but also harm the health of your natural hair. So, it is quite normal to get confused about how to select the right hair color. You need a good consultation with yourself and your hair stylist to figure out the perfect color shade for your hair. While choosing the best hair color, several factors should be considered such as skin tone, presence of gray hair, etc. You should also check out the color duration, color quality, color applying time, color applying process before choosing any hair color formula. Keep scrolling to know some tips to pick the most suitable color for your hair. We have also mentioned some effective ways to get the best results from your hair color.
What to consider to pick the best hair color?
Status of Your Hair
Hair color is part of fashion nowadays. But the status of your health is the most important thing. Consider the current health status of your hair. Consider a good hair specialist and do the necessary hair care steps to make your hair suitable for coloring. If you want to prevent damage and breakage, choose a shade that ensures the most even, natural-looking effect.
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Effects of Hues, Shades
When you like the light color, go in the slow pause. Experts say you need to go slow, while base color can take your hair 1 to 2 shades lighter. Follow the rule of thumb of the experts that are going half a shade lighter every time you color your hair.
If you love to cover your silver sparkles, choose a paler shade. This shade can disguise them because they actually start to act like little slivers of light within your locks. Besides, they don’t stand out about as much as they would against dark hair because the contrast of color simply isn’t there.
Presence of Gray Hairs
You will find that many women seem to go lighter as they age and this is most definitely one reason. Moreover, you can blend away grays with light home hair color hues with Blonde highlights. They mix with your gray and create a soft, beautiful effect that can take years off of your appearance when painted around your face.
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Consider your Skin Tone
It will be easy and simple for you to choose the perfect hair color for your skin tone if you take a look in your jewelry box first. That means the wedding brand color you chose or the sunglass frames you love, also goes for you too. If you think you look good in gold, chances are you have a warm skin tone that looks gorgeous in shades such as chocolate brown and platinum. If you have a cool complexion, try a deep golden brown, warm red, or blonde.
Check out Hair Color Duration
Checkout this quick lesson for hair-color formulas. Perpetual hair color opens the hair stick and fixes the color deep within it to actually change the shade. While the color fades slowly, it grows out step by step after about seven to eight weeks. In that case, roots will need to be touched again, but the deposited color on the remaining hair is there to stay. S
emi-permanent hair color deposits color around the streak so it swaps the tone of the hair rather than the real color. And because it abolishes over about 24 shampoos, there’s less root maintenance. It’s an amazing choice for an elusive color change.
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Choose Quality Hair Color Formula
Make sure you choose the products that pamper your new color, moisturize your strands, and protect the vibrancy of the shade. Take time if necessary to look for those that are sulfate-free and specifically formulated for color-treated hair. If you show nastiness for choosing the products that are not good and of perfect quality, that would damage your lovely hair.
Hair Maintenance Routine
Before choosing any hair color, consider how much time you can invest to care for your hair on a regular basis. The necessity of hair maintenance can differ depending on the shades.
Bright and pop-arty shades such as copper, violet, and red are surely lovely but they generally fade quicker than hues that create more of a subtle change. If you are indifferent to the accretion in maintenance, go for it anyway! You can extend the appearance of any permanent hair color by using Tint Rinse, which is designed to breathe new life into any color and help keep it healthy, even, and vibrant. But if you’re planning for low-maintenance, keep going with a neutral shade that will take your current color up a notch in shine and richness without making a dramatic difference.
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10 Tips to Make Your Perfume Last Longer
French designer Coco Chanel says, “No elegance is possible without perfume. It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory.” Fragrance has authoritative power. It is one of the few keys that can open and invite one into memories, with a single note taking to a specific place, event, person or time. As a result, a perfume can define a person. It becomes their signature and leaves an indelible mark on people's memories. Most people spend a lot of money on perfumes, but it gets really annoying to spray it on if the scent evaporates quickly. While some perfume formulas do not last as long as others, there are ways to ensure that your scent lasts a little longer.
Fragrance Hacks to make your perfume or body spray last longer
Here are some tips to make the fragrance linger on for a bit longer.
Spraying on pulse points
Scent is activated by body heat. The pulse points of the wrists are hot due to the blood pumps near the surface of the skin, which is the ideal area to apply perfume. Other hot spots on your body include behind your ears, behind your throat, inside your elbows, and behind your knees. Applying to the pulse points can help release the scent throughout the day.
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Applying Vaseline
Vaseline ointment keeps the scent longer. Apply to wrists, neck, inside elbows, behind knees, ankles and calves. The sticky properties of this petroleum jelly can act as a glue for the molecules of the perfume. These molecules stay on longer than the ones without the Vaseline and so it helps to disseminate the fragrance longer than usual.
After showering
If a person has just jumped out of the bath or shower, they should take advantage of the fact that their skin is ready to absorb the smell. After a shower, clean pores open up with water vapor, so this is the best time to apply perfume. However, do not apply perfume while the skin is still damp as the perfume will not be able to latch on in this case and will diminish quite easily.
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Wood Types: Guide to choose the best wood for furniture
Human beings have a friendly relationship with the tree from the beginning of creation. The role of wood in our daily life is immense. People have been using wood as fuel since ancient times. Most importantly, we use wood to make houses, appliances, etc. Besides, the role of wood in the field of art is immense. But, above all, wood comes to the best use to make furniture. Hence, to meet the demand of people, various wooden pieces of furniture can be seen in the market now. These are usually made of different types of wood. But which wood is best for making furniture? Let’s get to know the best wood for furniture.
Wood types for Furniture
Although you may need different materials or items to make furniture, wood is the basic element. However, depending on the furniture types, several types of wood are available. But, two basic kinds of wood types- solid woods and manufactured woods are used to make furniture. Solid wood comprises both soft and hardwoods.
Solid woods
Solid woods usually come from pure lumber, which has two categories hardwood and softwood. Hardwood is dense and found in slowly grown deciduous trees. This type of wood is usually used in high-quality, expensive furniture. Commonly known hardwoods are Oak, Teak (shogun), Hickory, Beech, Maple, Mahogany, and walnut.
Softwood, on the other hand, is found in quickly grown coniferous trees. Compared to hardwood, this type of wood is less dense. Some commonly used softwoods are Pine, Spruce, and Fur.
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Manufactured wood
When solid woods are expensive for some people, they can opt for the manufactured woods. It is mainly made with various types of wood but may not contain any solid wood pieces. Manufactured wood comes in two types, Plywood and Particleboard.
Plywood
Plywood is usually made by taking 3-5 slices of thin lumber. These slices are then combined together with adhesive. Hence, it is called engineered woods.
Particleboard
It is also called fiberboard. To make the particleboard lumbers are broken down into tiny fibers through a wood chipper and glued together with adhesive.
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Best wood for furniture
When it comes to wood selection for furniture, there are several kinds of wood available. However, the quality may vary depending on the price and type. Following are the best woods to get for making different types of furniture.
Teak wood (Shegun)
Teak wood, also known as Shegun, is one of the best wood available in Asian countries, perhaps in the world. In present-day Teak is widely planted in Bangladesh as a high-quality timber tree. The teak tree is native to Myanmar. The tree usually grows to 20 to 30 meters high. In adulthood, teak trunks are 1.5-2 m in height and 1-1.25 m in diameter. At first, the color of this wood stays golden yellow, but with time being, this wood becomes dark in color.
The demand for teak wood in recent days has been immense. This wood is very hard, strong, heavy, durable, and can be polished easily. Teak wood is widely applied in building furniture. Besides, this wood is also used in the construction of doors, windows, railway carriages, ships, etc.
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Oakwood
Although more than 300 types of oak wood are available worldwide, some types of oak wood are very hard and strong in nature. Therefore, different types of furniture can be made with this kind of tree. However, due to the demand and price of oak wood, the scarcity of this wood is increasing. The density of oak wood is about 0.75 g / cubic cm. As a result, its wood becomes very strong and tough. Furthermore, this wood is popular as an insect repellent.
Mahogany
Though Mahogany is found all over the world, it is native to the tropics of North America. Mahogany trees can grow up to 50 feet tall. Mahogany wood is more stiff and densely fibrous and cannot be attacked by insects. However, the price is relatively low. So mahogany wood is used to make the most used furniture for everyday life.
Maple wood
Maple is considered an ideal furniture wood in North American countries. It is because maple wood is durable, gorgeous, and wears extremely well. The kitchen furniture is often made with maple as this wood is nontoxic. Nevertheless, maple wood has several grain patterns. The density of maple wood is 0.63-0.75 g/cm3.
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Gamari
Gamari basically originated in India. Its scientific name is Gmelina Arborea. It is usually 15 to 20 meters high, but the wood is relatively thin compared to other woods. This plywood is valued for making various pieces of furniture. Though people use this wood to make doors, the door frames cannot be made with this wood. Gamari wood takes twice as long to season as other woods. There are different types of Gamari wood available in the market at present. The most common of these are Shil Gamari and Ful Gamari.
Garjan
Garjan is a mountain tree, so it is rarely seen in the plain lands. However, it is found in the Sundarbans, the largest forest in Bangladesh. The scientific name of this wood is Rhizophora apiculate. Although this wood is widely used for making furniture and frames for the doors, it has several medicinal uses. The wood of the garjan tree is very valuable. Usually, the color of the wood is reddish-brown, but the furniture is bright in color and looks very attractive. There is a lot of demand for garjan wood in the current market.
Bottom Line
Although there are various options and wood alternatives available in the market, the demand for wood has not decreased. Furniture made of wood not only decorates the house but also expresses art and aristocracy. In addition to furniture, there is the use of wood for everything from housing, office decoration to fuel. So, those who are looking to make furniture, they can research these options to choose the best furniture wood featuring durability, aesthetics, and aristocracy.
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Woke revolution: The latest fad in fashion!
Fashion has always been about fitting in. But the last two decades of the 21st century has witnessed a paradigm shift in the global fashion trends, the latest being "woke" -- a Gen Z and millennial term for being "awake" to the social and environmental issues.
Appearing Woke In Fashion
The views of these young shoppers are critical when it comes to social injustice, and most of them are more than willing to switch or shun brands based on their stance on contentious issues. This trend is increasingly forcing brands to integrate social and green themes into their products.
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According to McKinsey & Company, an American management consulting firm, the rise of “woke” consumers was nine of 10 trends in the fashion industry in 2019.
They believe that the companies have a responsibility to address environmental and social issues. This category of consumers spends around $350 billion in the United States alone. Some 40 percent of the global consumers is Gen Z. Not only young consumers but also two-thirds of consumers worldwide are certain to evolve with their stance on greening. Half of them are activists and driven by passion while the other half is destined to make a decision based on a given situation.
Brands like Levi's and Nike have taken a clear stance on social issues in recent months. Nike is supporting Colin Kaepernick, the face of the NFL’s anthem protests, and Levi’s is leading a campaign against gun violence in the US. Gucci has also come forward to support a student-led march calling for more gun control in the US.
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Fast Retailing, the parent company of Japanese retailer Uniqlo, has been recruiting refugees since 2016. British retailer ASOS has launched an exclusive lingerie line in partnership with designer Katharine Hamnett. A fashion player, Balenciaga collaborated with World Food Programme.
Companies like Ben & Jerry’s, Danone, Patagonia, Allbirds, and Eileen Fisher have been certified for the impact of their decisions on people, society and the planet. From just seven in 2010, nearly 200 companies worldwide have risen up to woke as of April 2018. Some 40 percent of their products are made of recycled and sustainable materials.
Woke In Place Of Fast Fashion
Woke goes for companies that are aligned with values and social responsibilities. Rapid production is, in fact, now considered bad for the environment as it pollutes water, dissipates toxic chemicals.
With per annum 100 billion plus global textile production, environmental groups claim that if this trend continues, the environmental balance will be destroyed. As a result, the woke generation has become a conscious fashion movement against this fast trend. The influence of woke precisely gives importance to quality, ethics and sustainability over brief trends, cheap labour and wasteful manufacturing.
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Summary
Developing greener themes into products in order to appeal to woke consumers can be risky for firms, but opportunities galore. The situation is likely to change soon, as stakeholders in the fashion industry currently tend to dominate the movement for environmental and social conscience. The number of consumers in other industries can be expected to rise to ensure the social commitment of global brands.