s e h a r

Finding makeup that doesn’t wash out medium skin or oxidize into orange has taken me years of trial and error. These are the foundations, blushes, and lip products I’ve kept coming back to…the ones that look like skin, melt in instead of sitting on top, and bring warmth without going terracotta. Sections below for base, cheek, and lip. Shade recommendations included where I have them.

I’ve been journaling since I was 9…it’s the practice that’s saved me more times than I can count. Over the years I’ve tried more pens, notebooks, and “systems” than I can count, and these are the ones that actually stuck. Some are splurges, some are $3. None are necessary to start (a composition notebook works), but if you’ve ever asked me where I got something, this is the real list. Sections below for journals, pens, and the little ritual extras.

People always ask why my bag is so heavy. The answer is I’m a “just in case” girl through and through…journals (yes, plural), a camera or two, a book I might not even read, and every little ritual item that makes a coffee shop feel like home. I’ve been refining this exact carry for years, and these are the pieces that have actually earned their spot. Sections below for the bag itself, the writing essentials, the reading + capturing, and the little extras.

I’m a city girl who’s perpetually homesick for somewhere greener. My house is full of mossy tones, woods that still smell like trees, botanical prints, and stones I keep touching when I walk by. These are the actual pieces I’ve collected over the years…the ones that make my home feel like a quiet woodland even on a regular Tuesday. Sections below for woods + organic textures, botanical art + prints, mossy + earthy tones, stone + ceramic, and the small grounding details.

Every product, pen, and page that earned a permanent spot this month. No random additions, just the intentional beauty, fragrance, and paper staples I tested, finished, and loved throughout August.

A quiet edit of everything that anchored my July routine. From stationery and fragrances to everyday skincare and makeup, these are the formulas, tools, and pages I reached for daily. Updated monthly as my routines evolve.

I’m Pakistani, and I grew up on poetry from a part of the world the West rarely teaches. Nizar Qabbani shaped me before I knew the word “shaped.” Faiz Ahmed Faiz was in my house before I could read. These are the poets — Arab, Persian, Pakistani, and across the Middle Eastern diaspora — whose work has carried entire generations through love, exile, war, and longing. If you’ve only ever read Rumi (and only the sanitized version), this list is your next chapter. Sections below for Pakistani poets, Arab poets, Persian classics, contemporary diaspora voices, and where to start if you’re brand new to this world.

I am just someone trying to build an interconnected web of knowledge, honoring my daily reading rituals, and remaining soft, curious, and a student of life. My reading life is a practice of showing up. I read to stay tender in a cruel world, to find the quiet corners where I can sit with my thoughts, and to see if I can articulate the things I once could not name. I treat my reviews as a map of my own evolution. I am less interested in summarizing the plot and more interested in how a book interacts with my life, what it prompts me to notice, and how it challenges my current blueprint. I write out of ignorance and curiosity. I am here to tie loose ends and create new threads. Take what you need. I hope it helps you, just as it has helped me. 🤍 🌀 adding more as i read more 🌀

A research-based guide to brands screened for cruelty-free practices, sustainability, animal welfare, human rights, labor and supply-chain practices, transparency, ownership and parent-company relationships, and relevant Israeli/BNC concerns. Brands are classified using documented evidence, not marketing claims.

A curated list of skincare products I’d actually spend my money on, organized by what they do and where they earn a place in a routine. Expect effective cleansers, evidence-backed treatments, moisturizers, SPF, Korean beauty, and a few higher-end products that justify the price. Every pick is here because it delivers something worth paying for, not because it’s simply popular.