Life By Asha Singh

I started the South Africa Small Towns Holiday Guide Series as a way to show off the best small town getaways in SA . Too often people focus on the big cities for holidays and don't take advantage of the amazing small towns.  I've discovered some hidden gems all around the country , all near major cities, which make them perfect for day trips or long weekend getaways.  To start off the series I have a Midlands Meander Travel Guide, Hartebeespoort Travel Guide and KZN South Coast Travel Guide . Next on the agenda is a Stellenbosch Travel Guide and Clarens Travel Guide so let me know if you enjoy this series!

Now let's not get ahead of ourselves, my "everyday makeup look" is no makeup. I don't wear makeup everyday especially not to work or when I'm just going to be home. But some days if I'm going shopping or feel like looking pretty or being creative I'll do my makeup . These are some of the products I'll use as well as some suggestions. 

Since 2016 I've had almost every hair color under the sun - black (natural), brown, blonde, ginger, red and even purple. I've been fully embracing the different hair dying trends of our time (Platinum blonde, I've got my eyes on you). I won't even deny that this has led to my hair getting very damaged. Luckily for me, my hair is very thick and hasn't thinned due to it but it's definitely gotten more dry and doesn't look as healthy as before.

If you follow me on Instagram (@lifebyashasingh - do the things!) you'll probably already know what I wore on my UAE trip . With Dubai being such a popular holiday destination, I know this is something most people aren't really sure about.  So I'll break it down for you and show you what I wore.

Every girl deserves to treat herself every now and then and what better way then some gorgeous jewellery . I'm not one for a whole cupboard of jewelley and I definitely prefer to have one or 2 amazing pieces that I can mix and match and play around with. Of course, Local is Lekker and I'm all about supporting local South African brands , but I know it's not always easy to find local businesses especially online - sometimes I'm tempted to just buy something off Wish (Which isn't ideal - I'd prefer a local small business getting my support). So just in time for mothers Day, here are some local small businesses you can buy a gift from (Or just treat yourself girl!). High-end Jewellery These aren't even just for more of a splurge - every girl deserves some high-end quality pieces . Especially now that I'm growing up, I find that I'd rather spend a bit more money and get something timeless that I can wear often and feel proud of. L...

You gotta admit, when it comes to local TV and movies we aren't exactly spoilt for choice. You get the classics like 7de Laan and Carte Blanche but apart from that? Recently there have been some gems that were produced in the motherland and that actually give Hollywood a run for their money . While the South African film industry seems to still be finding its feet, I have high hopes for the content that will be produced locally in the next few years. I'll include selections from DSTV, Netflix, Showmax, BoxOffice and even the cinema to give you some options for your next binge watch session.

Accomodation in Istanbul, Turkey Where to stay in Istanbul? Choosing where to stay was possibly the most time consuming decision I had to make when planning the trip. I took about 2 hours to plan the itinerary and yet I spent weeks deciding where to stay! There are  lots of options for accommodation  and many are similar however choosing an area to stay in can be difficult. So basically it comes down to 2 options  Sultanahmet (the old city) and Beyoglu (modern Istanbul).  Eminönü and Fatih fall under the old city while Beyoglu consists of Taksim, Sisli, Besiktas etc. The two areas are actually neighboring, divided only by the Golden Horn body of water and Galata bridge.

Known as the city where east meets west , the only city in the world in two continents - Europe and Asia - is none other than incredible Istanbul. Awe-inspiring architecture, rich history and immersive culture , Istanbul is a true gem and a must see city. Sunsets over the Bhosphurus with the stunning silhouette of grand mosques - that's the image in my head when I think of the city.

When asked what to do for my 21st birthday, I didn't even have to give it a second thought - Turkey had been on my bucket list for the past 2 years . So after a very last minute thought, my mom and I booked our flights and were off to Turkey! In the next few posts I'll tell you a bit more about my adventures and what I got up to in Istanbul and Cappadocia. Here are some travel tips and advice for planning your trip to Istanbul !

Unicorns, Rapunzel and a magical land of fairy chimneys and hot air balloons filling the sky at sunrise - what do they all have in common? They're all fairytales - or so you think!  Cappadocia (meaning: "the land of beautiful horses" ) is very much a REAL PLACE in Central Turkey that has the most otherworldly feel. 

The difference between success and failure is in taking the initiative. The Girl Boss series aims to highlight the achievements of women just like you and me who are doing amazing things. Hopefully their stories will inspire you as much as they inspire me. This week we chat to  Rukaya Mansoor , founder of Woman of the World (WoW), a female empowerment initiative, and a qualified chemist at Esse Skincare.

More often than not, the world passes us by. Be it because we’re caught up in reaching the next deadline or because we are simply too tired to notice , but some days just go by. We can’t account for what we’ve done nor can we fathom a memory that is worthwhile to speak about. Although sad, it's not uncommon. That's why, when you live life, you need to make sure you are living it for yourself and for those dependent on you. 

A skincare range that is tailored to your age instead of skin type ? This really intrigued me! A new skincare range in South Africa by professional skincare brand Nimue , AgeWell is their retail arm which can be found in Foschini stores and purchased online on their website.

The difference between success and failure is in taking the initiative. The Girl Boss series aims to highlight the achievements by women just like you and me who are doing amazing things. Hopefully their stories will inspire you as much as they inspire me. This week we chat to Tasneem Randeree , founder of Nura, an online accessories store, and MSc Molecular Biology student. 1. Who is your favorite female fictional character and why? Wow, so many to even mention, I really love Khaleesi and Sansa Stark from Game of Thrones . But, if you asked my brother, he would say Mulan (both fictional and real) because I was totally obsessed with the movie growing up (still am and can recite the movie back to front). 2. Everyone's been making New Years resolutions. What are your New Years resolutions? I’m not big on resolutions; I like to work through goals at my own pace . But if I had to pick one it would be ; to be less judgey , there is way too much hate going on i...

Hello, February! A month of love and affection , chocolates and roses and of course, my new favorite fake holiday, GALENTINES DAY .

With the New Year, New Me mindset wearing off it's time to go back to doing what we do best - binge watching series and movies on Netflix ! It's actually the best time to do it considering the academic year has barely started, and most of us have some free time on our hands before things get crazy.

No family is perfect - that's the tagline for the new local movie, 3 Days To Go . Can it get any more relatable?

In 2019 I’m leveling up my New Year’s resolutions by setting realistic goals and actually pursuing them with help from the Uber Eats app .

Although not a South African tradition, for the past 3 years I've made it my own tradition and made eggnog . Eggnog is a dairy, alcoholic beverage   (Or non-alcoholic)  mainly enjoyed during the festive season  (November-December). Eggnog originated in the United Kingdom and was passed onto American colonies in the 18th century. It was typically a drink enjoyed by the aristocracies as its main ingredients, milk, eggs and sherry, were foods of the wealthy. In the 21st century it became more popular with North Americans and Canadians . Home made eggnog is typically preferred over store bought eggnog. As far as I know, you can't buy eggnog in any of our South African supermarkets so why not just make our own! This is a quick and easy eggnog recipe that I make. I prefer to make non-alcoholic eggnog because I don't like the mix of dairy and alcohol but you can easily make it an alcoholic drink if that's what you prefer.