meemz and oddities

this blog was created when i was 16 to explore and collate what i study and nerd over every day; enjoy

[meemzandoddities]

When did we stop doing things for the sake of it? 

When did we stop doing things for the sake of it? A question that comes to mind as I stitch an amateurish orange tree onto a scrap piece of denim that I saved from shortening my denim skirt. I’m trying to spend less time consuming and more creating.  Did you know that the word amateur comes from the Latin word “amare”  which means “to love”? It used to refer to someone who who did something…

View On WordPress

[meemzandoddities]

On Keratin

What is Keratin? A structural protein that our hair, nails and epidermis are made of. Keratin is used widely by our bodies with 54 known types but we’re focusing on its application in haircare in this post. What’s its purpose in our skin and hair? The main topical purpose of this protein is to create a water-resistant barrier to protect the epithelial cells from coming into contact with…

View On WordPress

[meemzandoddities]

Yellowface book review 

Yellowface was a horrifyingly fascinating social commentary that explores racial diversity, white privilege and a writer’s greed for success. It’s strange to be in the mind of a selfish, and sociopathic character who gaslights herself that she’s righteous. It’s melodramatic, absurd and very detailed but the plot twists and turns enough to keep it interesting. It raises questions about creative…

View On WordPress

[meemzandoddities]

When A Brown Girl Flees book review

This was a lovely read. Zahra, a Muslim Pakistani American girl runs away to New York shortly after her mother gives her an ultimatum: become a doctor or get married. Emotive and unexpected, the story has themes of shame, healing, gaining independence and reclaiming faith. We go on journey with her when she gets the safety to process her experiences, discovers found family and ultimately,…

View On WordPress

[meemzandoddities]

On 25

I turned 25 the other day which feels like an intimidating number so I wrote lists to cope. When I was younger I would try to make lists like this every year but fell out of the habit. I guess it’s as good a time as any to pick it up again. So without further ado, here are 25 things I’m grateful for at 25 The words of the Qur’aan Earth’s elements particularly air, sunlight and water My found…

[meemzandoddities]

Maqluba

Maqluba recipe: 1. Combine the following spices in a bowl: 1 TBSP allspice 1 TBSP coriander powder 1 TSP nutmeg 1 TSP sumac 1 TBSP cinnamon 1 TSP white pepper 2. In a pot drizzle some oil, add 1kg chicken pieces, a tablespoon of the spice mixture you made, 3 bay leaves, 4 whole cloves, 3 cardamom pods, 4 whole peppercorns, 1 tsp crushed garlic and 1 tsp paprika. Add 2 cups of water and…

View On WordPress

[meemzandoddities]

Thoughts on silicones

Did you know that most commercial cosmetic companies market silicone based products as hair oils? Let’s unpack Firstly, silicones in general have been vilified as an ingredient class which builds residue on the hair which can be true for certain water resistant silicones like amodimethicone or dimethicone but if you’re using a good clarifying shampoo (that has sulfates preferably!) it’s…

View On WordPress

[meemzandoddities]

Color haircare 🍒

Have you ever wondered whether hair color maintenance products are really worth using? Well, according to science when we use normal shampoos and conditioners on colored hair, the color fades a little with each wash especially if hot water is used but with color shampoo or conditioners, semi permanent pigments are deposited onto the outer hair cuticle (as opposed to the inner cortex where…

View On WordPress

[meemzandoddities]

Testing 1,2, 3