Much to my delight, Palestinian sisters Simi and Haze Khadra finally released their effortlessly cool celestial beauty brand SIMIHAZE BEAUTY in Dubai this year. Since then, I’ve been religiously testing each balm, lipstick, gloss and glitter pack with fervour, with the humble intention of bringing you a truthful verdict. Do the pigments last? Are they creamy and comfortable? Do the glitter stickers feel sharp? I confess – it’s a tough job but someone’s gotta do it.
I take testing seriously, and I rarely wear makeup that doesn’t abide by my tried-and-tested aesthetic. But for the past couple of months, I’ve been wearing colours and formulas that I wouldn’t naturally reach for to the office, social events and beyond. All my friends have heard me talk about recently is, “SIMIHAZE this” and “SIMIHAZE that”. I’m sure they’ll be glad to know that I’m finally – after such rigorous research – ready to give you the low-down.
VELVET BLUR Matte Lipstick Balm
I’m not a huge fan of lipstick. I used to be hooked, seldom sashaying around the GRAZIA offices at the ripe old age of 17 without a bright coral or pillar box-red that I’d then wipe off before my dad saw. Then it became cool to have unattainably large lips, and I felt like a bright lipstick only highlighted my own lips’ small size. Since then I’ve stuck to nude balms or – quelle horreur! – nothing atop my foundation-neutralised lips.
When these SIMIHAZE BEAUTY lipsticks arrived at my doorstep, I eyed the deep mocha and berry tones with some disdain, already assuming I wouldn’t like them. I’m no longer used to the feeling of lipstick, the dryness and the need to touch up every two minutes. It’s a no from me – I’m a low-fuss kinda gal. But, Simi and Haze describe these lipsticks as “a matte lip that feels hydrating, like a lip balm (…) light enough to wear every day”, so I had hope.
I began with the shade 12 DUSK – a scrumptious chocolatey brown that teeters between a nude and a bold lip. For me, this was… daring. I swiped it on and headed out for the ultimate test – pizza. Upon first thoughts, I was pleasantly surprised with the application. It was smooth and creamy, and the rounded bullet was like nothing I’d tried before. It gave for a slightly diffused, “French-girl” look, without the crisp edges that a sharper bullet or lip liner would give.
It lasted throughout dinner and, while it didn’t look as bold, it didn’t need a touch-up. The way that it faded throughout my feast was actually quite pretty – a nice side-effect of a more diffused lip look.
When I finally did touch up, my friends gasped, “So that’s why you look different today! I couldn’t put my finger on it! You look so nice. You should wear lipstick more often!”. Win. This formula had – dare I say it – wedged open the door between me and the lipstick world. It was a creamy, comfortable delight. It was cushiony and velvety. The matte wasn’t too matte. I was ready for more.
I graduated to 02 ROSEBERRY – a pinky-berry hue that stood out against my brown skin. I liked this less, just because of the colour and my nude-shade attachment issues, but I was still impressed and will wear it again.
SOLAR TINT Blush Duo
At the risk of sounding like the beauty grinch, I have to tell you that I don’t tend to go for cream blushes either. Something about them just doesn’t hit right for me. Maybe it’s the adult acne scars (emotional and physical) speaking, or the stickiness, but something has kept me on the powder side. Nevertheless, I tried the SIIMIHAZE BEAUTY Blush Duo with excitement. I want to be a cream blush girlie.
The compact houses two cream-based formulas – one sheer, glossy tint and one velvet matte, each infused with skin-soothing ingredients to give a comfortable, lit-from-within flush. There’s no visible mica in either formula, and any gloriously glowy dewiness comes from texture alone.
I wore 05 RED MOON on multiple busy days at the office, trying each side of the compact on its own and then together. While I did get compliments, and they looked nice for a few hours, I found that they just didn’t look as good at the end of the day as they did upon application. In the morning, I looked sun-flushed and healthy, but by the end of the day, the pigment looked a bit patchy. I figured it could be my foundation or primer, so I let my friend have a go. She loved it. It became her new staple.
EYE PLAY Astral Pack
Will I ever go to a club, concert or festival again without SIMIHAZE BEAUTY stickers? Probably not.
As we’ve already established, I’m not hugely experimental when it comes to my makeup, but my oh my, these stickers stole my heart. Solidifying the brand as a bona fide TikTok sensation, these 3D stickers elongate eyes with Swarovski crystal wings, iridescent sequins and lashings of glitter. This particular pack was released just in time for Coachella, but the Khadra sisters say you can use their fun, ethereal stickers anywhere you like – even to the pool.
I wore mine to a sweaty club, not expecting them to last the night. I’m happy to report that, not only did they last the night, but they looked perfect enough to wear again. A quick look at the brand’s website tells me they’re made to last around three times, but you can reuse them even more with the help of a little lash glue.
THE FINAL VERDICT
It’s safe to say I’m a SIMIHAZE BEAUTY convert. The packaging alone deserves a shout-out; each product feels like a work of art, housed in this incredibly weighty, luxurious, sculpted, stone-like outer that comes in different pastel shades. It’s kitsch and sophisticated all at once. I adore it.
The pigments are beautiful, and each formula is so easy to apply. The blush did let me down a little, but I remain convinced that this is down to my own oiliness because it looks so beautiful on my friend all day long. Everything SIMIHAZE BEAUTY is made with creativity and comfort in mind, and I love that it’s all cruelty-free and mostly vegan. I’m spying the ECLIPSE Mini Lip Balms next…
