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    Here’s why the Selena Gomez vs. Hailey Bieber narrative needs to end

    Lifestyle

    by Ruman Baig
    4 hours ago

    It’s 2023, how are women still pitting womnen against each other over issues so trivial, that should have been best left in high-school.
    Unless you’re living under a rock, you must be aware of the whole scoial media drama between Hailey Beiber and Selena Gomez — orchestrated by unhappy people on the internet. While the latest edition of this tomfoolery may have begun in February, the real catty narrative around Hailey and Selena have been doing the rounds since the former married Justin Bieber in 2018, six months after his reported breakup with Selena. Ever since, everything the two women do — right from posting a song on their personal IG stories to writing a slightly vague caption, everything is turned into a planned dig by theory makers on Instagram and TikTok.

    While the ladies have reportedly mentioned under various platforms that there’s no bad blood between the two — netizens cannot seem to let the two women live in peace. Back in 2022, Selena and Hailey even publically posed together for a photo op, in an attempt to put the past behind at the Academy Museum Gala. And for a fleating moment, both beauty entrepreneurs could breathe a sigh of relief.
    Cut to a month ago, the Rare Beauty founder posted about accidentally overlaminating her brows. On the same day, Kylie Jenner shared a video of herself and Hailey on FaceTime highlighting their eyebrows, which was instantly translated as an attack on the singer. TikToker Nuha, @devotedly.yours, shared her theory and left the internet in a frenzy. Both Selena and Kylie resorted to comment on this absurd theory. “This is reaching,” wrote Jenner, “U guys are making something out of nothing. This is silly,” selena backed the reality star with her comment on the same TikTok.

    @devotedly.yours Replying to @its_alexhilton Half asleep making this but @piamia’s latest video says a lot without saying a single thing #selenagomez ♬ Calm Down – Rema & Selena Gomez

    Despite the invidual involved in the supposed fued clearing the air, fans of both parties continued to vandalize their social media with hateful comments, Hailey more than Selena. Things grew even more tensed when online hate started picking up heat in real life. Recently, at a Justin Bieber concert, the crowd heckled him by chanting “Fuck Hailey Bieber” leaving the singer and his wife in complete dismay.
    Amidst the chaos, Selena took a break from social media, dethroned kylie Jenner as the most followed women on Instagram and then came back to regular programming, posting about the filming of her show. But the bitter fans apparently weren’t done berating Mrs. Bieber on her behalf. The online bullying progressed to death threats for the Canadian singer’s wife and the two women had to yet again take a stand for each other publically.

    On 24th March, 2023, Selena shared an Instagram story almost pleading her followers to leave Hailey alone. In the said story, she wrote, “Hailey Bieber reached out to me and let me know that she has been receiving death threats and such hateful negativity. This isn’t what I stand for.”
    Following her statement, Hailey posted, “I want to thank Selena for speaking out, as her and I have been discussing the last few weeks how to move past this ongoing narrative between her and I. The last few weeks have been very hard for everyone involved and millions of people are seeing so much hate around this which is extremely harmful.”
    Hailey and Selena’s official statements

    After this, they may just have to come out in the open and sign a peace treaty for the people to finally let them move one. In this entirely fabricated chaos, one can visibly see how easy it is to keep a triangle involving two women go on for so long. Ever since time immemorial, celebrities have been dating, breaking up and then dating ex partners of other celebrities. While men are seldom in the limelight for choosing a happily ever after with one half of a popularly shipped couple, female celebrities cannot seem to see the end of it. Both women in this situation are highly accomplished and are constantly striving to grow in their space, while allowing other women to do the same. Yet, they cannot catch a break about a decison in their lives involving the same man.
    Even if any of the fan cooked up theories held any semblence of truth, does a sketchy comment or a shade-throwing IG story deserve a death threat in reaction? I don’t think so. Celebrity or not, no women needs to be answerable for her personal choices, irrespective of public opinion. It is about time we go back to treating social media like a space to harbour community spirit, instead of using it as a false court of law where the general public writes a death sentence for any one and everyone they don’t agree with.
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Instagram More

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    Selena Gomez becomes the first-ever woman to cross 400 million followers on Instagram

    Lifestyle

    by Ruman Baig
    2 hours ago

    Celebrating this major milestone with her insta-family through a heartfelt post, Selena stated, “Wishing I could hug all 400 million of you.”

    Being the only woman to cross this massive number, the Disney alumni is known for keeping it raw, real and relatable on social media. This also makes her the third-most-followed person on the platform after football players Cristiano Ronaldo (with 562 million followers) and Lionel Messi (with 482 million followers).

    Recently, the Rare Beauty founder has been in the news because of cooked-up social media drama with reality-star Kylie Jenner and model Hailey Bieber. While the trio maintained their silence about all multiple theories emerging on both TikTok and Instagram—Selena took a sabatical from the platform, right after she dethroned fellow beauty-moghul Kylie Jenner as the most followed woman, who held the top slot for a while. Setting an example even through this, Selena’s move declared that even when you’re on the top of your game, you are allowed to take a step back.

    Returning to the platform to share her gratitude, Selena shared snippets of moments with fans that she cherishes. Over the years, the singer-actor-producer has been vocal about all her struggles on social media and has used the platform to constantly voice her opinion on issues that matter. Whether it was publically thanking her bestfriend and Kindey donor Francia Raisa for saving her life or candidly talking about her constant battle with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.

    Taking unfiltered to a whole new level, her authenticity on Instagram is what sets her apart. A platform where images are constantly retouched and only the best parts of a celebrity’s life are careully revealed, Selena unabashedly showcases herself sans any filter or alteration. Embracing everythng from weight fluctuations to bad hair days, Selena is continually inspiring millions of women to love themselves regardless. Her Apple TV documentary, My Mind & Me, shows an extension of her jounery from a child star to a pop sensation, and how life under the limelight is more than what meets the eyes.

    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Instagram More

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    TikTok MENA on how digital and social media innovation is growing in the region

    Lifestyle

    by Camille Macawili
    1 hour ago

    At the forefront of content creation lies TikTok with its innovative social algorithm that allows large traction within seconds.
    To understand more, Emirates Woman speaks to Hany Kamel, Content Partnerships Manager TikTok MENA on digital and social media innovation in the region.
    What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine?
    I usually try to wake up early to give myself time to get ready for the day. I have my breakfast and listen to some music just to set the mood for the rest of the day and before I get to work. After this, I spend a few minutes scrolling through TikTok. It inspires me every day to see new and upcoming creators sharing authentically with their audiences or even trends that have started on the platform. I  always discover new talent through this medium.
    Can you talk us through your career and how you ended up in your position as Content Partnerships Manager with TikTok?
    Previously, I was a journalist in Egypt, where my work had always included investigating interesting and niche topics that I would then develop into stories, and this has been my passion ever since. I joined TikTok four years ago with the aim of exploring new stories and talent through the lens of TikTok, helping nurture and showcase the incredible creative talent we have here in the region.
    How does your role drive the business forward and what have been the clear goals?
    My role is quite diverse. It includes planning a variety of in-app activations and engaging campaigns for the community, music selection, and working on user management for the platform. I dedicate myself to leveling up the content in the MENA region by exploring unique talents in every category on the platform and helping them grow their talents and elevate their content.
    I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work towards these goals and help to drive the business forward and reach exciting milestones. At the end of last year, we worked to enhance the entertainment narrative for the community. Since we have an active community of movie lovers and TV series reviewers, we launched #WhatToWatch which is an entertainment hub on TikTok that not only highlights reviews but also inspires and celebrates some of their favourites. We also managed to create partnerships with movie festivals across the region. This helped us to level up the young filmmakers to use their talents and skills in the movie-making industry.
    How is the MENA region interacting with content on TikTok, how do you keep innovating to ensure the content is fresh and engaging?
     TikTok’s prominence in the Arab world is expanding due to the platform’s one-of-a-kind approach which prioritizes engaging and authentic short-form video content. The content you see on TikTok is easy to create and discover, and users feel comfortable on the platform engaging with one another, becoming part of unique communities both locally and globally, and of course, being entertained.
    In order to ensure the content is fresh and engaging, users need to feel safe expressing themselves. To foster a welcoming and supportive community, TikTok has various app settings that allow individuals to control their TikTok experience, in addition to our Community Guidelines, which work to safeguard our users. We have also introduced various safety controls and campaigns available on the platform, including Screen Time Management and increasing the age to go LIVE to 18 years and above.

    TikTok has become extremely popular, especially in Saudi Arabia – what do you think keeps it relevant and people posting?
    People come to the platform to create and engage with diverse and welcoming communities; giving us a unique position in the market. This has led to authentic connections, grassroots movements, and the birthplace of culture, created by communities on the platform. Every community can find its home on TikTok and I believe this is one of the key reasons the platform has become popular in Saudi Arabia. All kinds of interests, such as gaming, food, fashion, sports or even cultural occasions like Ramadan, which are all very relevant to the Saudi audience, are represented on the platform.

    Have you had any mentors to date and what knowledge did they impart?
    My father has been my mentor since day one, he is a self-made man, he taught me how to be honest, how to respect others and how to always speak my mind no matter what, he was (and still) inspires me to do better and how one should always seek opportunities and develop themself no matter what. When I was a journalist he used to talk to me about everything, now that my work is a bit different and complex to understand he still feels proud anytime he sees my work or hears about it, and this is my biggest motivation everyday.
    How do you maintain clarity in your work life and work practice?
    I maintain clarity by having a clear goal set in place throughout all my projects, and through constant communication with my talented colleagues. We are all committed to working towards a shared goal – namely, inspiring our community to create meaningful and authentic content, and further nurturing creative talents in our region, and this goal fuels everything we do.
    What are the top 3 tips for someone who is downloading TikTok for the first time?

    Engage with content that you enjoy and would like to see to have a better viewing experience on your For You page.
    Explore our various communities, ranging from #BookTok to #MomTok to #TechTok, to find like-minded people or discover new interests.
    Don’t be afraid to start creating. TikTok’s assortment of creator tools ranging from Duets, Stitch, Effects, and Sounds make it easy and fun to join the conversation.

    What piece of advice would you give to someone entering the Social Media career space?
    The number one piece of advice would be to create content that is authentic, spontaneous and genuine because people want to see and engage with real-life experiences that are relevant to them.
    This is “The Innovation Issue”, what does innovation mean to you?
    Innovation is a driving force of economic growth. It means creating new ideas, products and services that have the potential to solve problems and improve our lives. To be innovative to me is to be creative and think outside of the box by coming up with ideas that can benefit the community and create new opportunities for them; for example how some of our TikTok creators turned their passions into careers as content creators, proving how it such a powerful tool that we need to embrace and encourage.
    February’s – The Innovation Issue – Download Now 
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Supplied; Getty Images More

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    9 wellness-inspired accounts to follow on Instagram

    Lifestyle

    by Sarah Joseph
    2 hours ago

    A curated guide of all the inspiring accounts to #follow and reset this month
    The Nue Co.@thenue_co

    Science-backed supplements to cleanse from the inside-out.
    Augustinus Bader@augustinusbader

    Award-winning formulas founded in regenerative medicine.
    The Beauty Society@thebeautysociety.ae
    The beauty go-to was founded by Wdeema Almheiri.
    WelleCo@welleco

    Plant-based power to supercharge your wellness.
    POSTURE.@thisisposture_
    An exclusive boutique Pilates and wellness studio.
    ZOYA Health & Wellbeing Resort@zoyawellbeing
    The UAE’s first wellness resort dedicated to your wellbeing journey.
    Tiffany & Co.@tiffanyandco

    This season’s collection is a real reset.
    Sheikha Majdah Al Sabah@majdajs

    Founder of The Houna Initiative dedicated to supporting mental health.
    JSHEALTH@jshealth
    Reset from within with Jessica Sepel’s super brand.
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Instagram @haileybieber More

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    9 Instagram accounts to follow this December

    Beauty

    by Sarah Joseph
    43 mins ago

    A curated guide of all the leading accounts to #follow this festive season.
    Dr. Barbara Sturm@drbarbarasturm
    The secret to anti-ageing!
    Alanui@alanui

    Cosy and cool for uber luxe winter dressing.
    The Attico@the_attico
    For the cool girls.
    Harry Winston@harrywinston
    The ultimate fine jewellery from the renowned NY-based brand.
    Giarité@giarite
    The party season accessories you need.
    Cheval Blanc@chevalblancofficial
    True luxury when it comes to travel.
    Azza@azzashowroom
    Multi-brand fine jewellery boutique in Bahrain curated with precision.
    RAEY@raeyofficial

    Elevated basics designed to last.
    Hôtel Lutetia@hotellutetia

    Palace Appeal in the heart of Saint Germain in Paris.
    December’s – The Winter Escape Issue – Download Now
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Supplied More

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    You need to see this video from Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum to mark UAE Flag Day

    Lifestyle

    by Team Emirates Woman
    9 hours ago

    The UAE celebrated a very important occasion on November 3, 2022, which Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum paid homage to.
    To mark UAE Flag Day this year, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum shared a heartfelt video on Instagram highlighting the essence of the day.
    The caption “O God make this country safe and secure and bless its people with fruits, O God make this land safe, reassured, generous, prosperous and all Muslim countries.”

    In the video, a lion, horse and tiger were all seen at the beach set against the azure waters. The UAE flag takes centre stage along with the Burj Al Arab as the backdrop, as the horses gallivant across the expansive sandy shores of the beach.
    What is UAE Flag Day?
    UAE Flag Day was first launched in 2013 and is celebrated every year on November 3. However, it is not recognised as a public holiday.
    Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid was the one with the idea to launch the annual Flag Day as a commemoration to Sheikh Khalifa who was elected President of the UAE on November 3, 2004.
    The history of the UAE flag
    The UAE flag was designed in 1971 by 19-year-old Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, who was inspired by a poem of Safiul Din Al Holi in his design. The poem touches on the themes of benevolence, goodness and kindness, which are represented in the colours of the flag.
    Last year, the now President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan explained the UAE flag is “an enduring display of national unity”.
    The flag was designed in 1971 by 19-year-old Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, who was inspired by a poem by Safiul Din Al Holi in his design. The poem touches on the themes of benevolence, goodness and kindness, which are represented in the colours of the flag.
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Instagram @latifaalmaktoum & feature image: Pexel @sujisu More

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    Khloé Kardashian denies posting warped photoshopped Instagram snap

    Lifestyle

    by Team Emirates Woman
    3 hours ago

    The Kardashian-Jenners are no strangers of being accused of photoshopping their Instagram snaps every now and then, but it’s not often you’ll ever see the family entertaining the claims.
    However, it appears for Khloé Kardashian enough is enough.
    A photo emerged of the reality star in her hotel room in Paris, where she had travelled for fashion week, where Kardashian is posing, but some parts of the photo look incredibly warped, leading many to accuse her of photoshopping herself.
    The same photo was also posted on Kardashian’s makeup artist Ash Kolm’s Instagram page, but was seemingly unaltered, further fuelling speculation the 38-year-old had photoshopped herself.

    Why does Khloe Kardashian photoshop her pics anyway? pic.twitter.com/lo3cKX9lWf
    — mahri 🔴⚽️🔰MUFC 🐝 POGBA (@MancityReynolds) October 5, 2022

    But it seems, according to Kardashian, the photoshopped image in question was never posted to her Instagram.
    “I never even posted this photo,” she responded to a fan on Twitter. “Maybe my glam did but I didn’t. Also I mean… The bent lines in the back lol please.”
    In a follow-up Twitter post, Kardashian clarified the statement about her glam team.

    Wait not sayin my glam did that either in just saying I didn’t post this photo on my page. Where’s the receipts that I did lol people are so weird
    — Khloé (@khloekardashian) October 5, 2022

    “Wait not saying my glam did that either,” she said. “[I’m] just saying I didn’t post this photo on my page. Where’s the receipts that I did lol [?] People are so weird.”
    It’s not the first time Kardashian has been accused of photoshopping her Instagram photos, but it may be the first time she’s been accused of sharing a photo she allegedly never posted in the first place.
    The internet loves to stir the pot…
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Instagram/Twitter More

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    9 Instagram accounts founded by inspiring entrepreneurs to follow

    Fashion

    by Sarah Joseph
    2 hours ago

    A curated guide of all the inspiring accounts to #follow.
    Rhode skin@rhode

    Hailey Bieber’s new vegan skincare brand.
    THREADS@threadsstyling

    The first platform to take shopping to Instagram.
    Morpho@morpholabel

    Content Creator Rania Fawaz’s newly launched brand, referencing 90’s style.
    Nadine Jewellery@nadine_jewellery

    Innovating fine jewellery, all handmade in Italy and Switzerland.
    Fajer Fahad@fajer

    The founder behind the new beauty platform @beaulinebeauty.
    Marli@marli

    Taking a new approach to principles of timelessness jewellery pieces
    Hala Al Gergawi@halgergawi

    Emirati entrepreneur and founder of ‘Tea Before Noon’.
    Saanté Selfcare@saanteselfcare

    Family-founded slow beauty skincare brand.
    Tutus Kurniati@tutuskurniatiofficial

    Entrepreneur and founder of her own namesake brand both on and offline.
    September’s – The Entrepreneur Issue – Download Now
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Instagram @rhode More