The beginning.

As this is my first post, I suppose it might be a good idea to introduce the blog and its purpose.

I'm expecting to post a few reviews here and there on beauty products- particularly budget-friendly make-up, face and body products. Interesting news articles, videos, recipes, etc, will also find their way on here, as well.

Just a bit of insight into the name of my blog. Though the word 'Noor' has a number of etymologies, in the Arabic language, it translates as light, light of life, with a connotation of spiritual enlightenment. It is also a term used to describe the spiritual health/vitality of an individual, as in one might have a great deal of 'noor' or one might be lacking 'noor'. In the Islamic scriptures, there is a chapter entitled 'The Light'. In verse 35, the Quranic concept of God's light is discussed. It is said that "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things."

Apart from being a short form for my own name, I've used the word 'Noor' in my blog title to represent the sharing of my perspectives on life, but also to convey that I am (humbly) shedding light/providing enlightenment on issues/views/subjects that I feel warrant some attention.

-Noor