u/Just-Reply-9607

Hey everyone! I’ve been getting into Pakistani fragrances recently and wanted to know what local brands or perfumes you guys would recommend. I honestly don’t know much about the local perfume scene beyond a few I’ve tried or received as gifts.

So far I’ve tried Bonanza Satrangi’s Intense Oud Noir, Saeed Ghani’s Cool Breeze, and Scents & Secrets’ Dreamy Musk. I actually really liked Dreamy Musk, it has this soft, slightly sweet scent that develops nicely on the skin without being too gourmand or cloying.

I’m mainly looking for fragrances with good longevity and projection, but I’m open to anything that you think is worth trying. I’d especially love to hear your thoughts on Ideas Velvet, Almirah IVY, Kind of Whisper Cherry Riot, Sapphire Diamond, and Saeed Ghani Ishq Symphony if you’ve tried any of them.

What are your favorite Pakistani fragrance brands or perfumes? I’d love to hear about some hidden gems too. Thanks!

I've been trying to get into local Pakistani fragrance houses recently, but I honestly don't know many beyond a few I've either received as gifts or picked up out of curiosity.

So far I've tried:

• Bonanza Satrangi – Intense Oud Noir
• Saeed Ghani – Cool Breeze (and a few of their attars)
• Scents & Secrets – Dreamy Musk

None of them were bad, especially considering most were gifts. Dreamy Musk is interesting because it melts into the skin and develops this soft, slightly sweet scent. It even leaves a sweet taste on the skin somehow, but it's not gourmand or cloying.

I'm curious what other Pakistani fragrance houses are worth trying? I have almost zero knowledge of the local perfume scene.

My biggest priorities are:

• Longevity
• Sillage/projection

I'd also love to hear your thoughts if you've tried any of these:

• Ideas – Velvet
• Almirah – IVY
• Kind of Whisper – Cherry Piot
• Sapphire – Diamond
• Saeed Ghani – Ishq Symphony

What are your favorite local houses and which perfumes would you recommend? Feel free to mention hidden gems too. Thanks!

I was looking for a good lip plumper and came across an Instagram reel by rabikaatahir, where she recommended the AQ Cosmetics BurnBaby Intense Plump Gloss.

Has anyone here actually used it? Is it worth the hype? How noticeable is the plumping effect, and how long does it last? Also, is the burning sensation bearable?

I'd also love recommendations for other lip plumpers available in Pakistan or internationally. If you've tried the AQ Cosmetics one, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience before I buy it!

Seen countless influencers and celebrities parading obese children. Something is wrong. Period. It could be a thyroid issue, a metabolic problem, a mental health condition like compulsive eating, or just poor diet and lack of activity. But whatever it is, it's not being addressed. And that's on the adults.

Let's be honest: in most of these households, the parents are just as bad as the kids. Whole families with circle-shaped doorways. Nobody sees anything wrong because we've started making being grossly unhealthy "inclusive." I believe they grew up too deprived and keep hoarding all the bullshit and stuffing their kids. To be honest, I had two aunts do the same with their kids. One ended up ruining their metabolism by making it too fast, and the other by making it too slow.

Kids don't choose what groceries are bought. They don't control portion sizes. They don't prepare their own meals. Parents do. Making an obese kid do a sport, being strict about portions instead of a "rough estimate," locking up snacks...these things can go a long way. Even if the kid is being greedy, you're the parent. Control the portions. Buy healthier food. Look at My 600-lb Life. Most of those people were ginormous as kids too. It started early, and it was enabled.

What frustrates me is that nobody wants to even speak on this because the moment you do, here come fifty people downvoting or dogpiling you for "fat shaming," as if pointing out something horribly unhealthy is the real problem. I feel sorry for them. They're the ones who have to live with the lifelong physical, psychological, and social consequences. This is how we end up with more episodes of that show. This is how we normalize the abnormal.

Kids deserve better.

I'm on the hunt for an aquatic or fresh fragrance that actually works for the cooler months. My go-to is Acqua di Gioia, and I naturally gravitate toward aquatic, ozonic, green, white floral, and bright citrus scents. I love the idea of cozy fall/winter perfumes, but warm gourmands, heavy musks, and sweet vanilla fragrances become cloying on my skin almost immediately. Since Karachi barely gets a proper winter, I want to make the most of the cooler days with something that still feels crisp, clean, and airy, but has a cozy, rainy-day, curl-up-in-a-pholon-wala-kambal vibe instead of a sunny beach feel. Think misty mornings, rain on concrete, cold sea breeze, damp woods, fresh tea, or clean skin after a shower rather than sunscreen and tropical vacations. I'm open to designer, niche, indie, or even Pakistani perfume houses any recommendations for fresh fragrances that feel made for cold weather?

I'm on the hunt for an aquatic or fresh fragrance that actually works for the cooler months. My go-to is Acqua di Gioia, and I naturally gravitate toward aquatic, ozonic, green, white floral, and bright citrus scents. I love the idea of cozy fall/winter perfumes, but warm gourmands, heavy musks, and sweet vanilla fragrances become cloying on my skin almost immediately. Since Karachi barely gets a proper winter, I want to make the most of the cooler days with something that still feels crisp, clean, and airy, but has a cozy, rainy-day, curl-up-in-a-pholon-wala-kambal vibe instead of a sunny beach feel. Think misty mornings, rain on concrete, cold sea breeze, damp woods, fresh tea, or clean skin after a shower rather than sunscreen and tropical vacations. I'm open to designer, niche, indie, or even Pakistani perfume houses any recommendations for fresh fragrances that feel made for cold weather?

I just finished playing the RE series, and it made me wonder: Why hasn't Pakistan produced a survival-horror/action game on that scale? We have ancient forts, bustling urban cities, folklore, and a rich ethnic diversity of landscapes. Imagine a co-op shooter set in the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro, or a survival horror set in a Balochistan. Why aren't we tapping into this?

I've seen a few creative examples from a jinn comic artist on Instagram, and it feels weird and corny. How can we stop this corniness from the content we create? I'm not saying copy the West or stay relevant to the topics they care about. I'm talking about presentation. People who clearly have more experience have a thing or two we can learn from when it comes to storytelling and the technical path they paved.

A lot of Pakistani narratives in media tend to focus on social issues like harassment or poverty. While those stories are important, I'd love to see a mainstream action/horror game where the conflict is purely supernatural or zombie-based. A game where our heroes are just fighting monsters, not societal issues. Sometimes, we just want fun escapism.

I'm also seeing too many games about women's issues. Not that I have a problem with them, but clichés become repetitive, and it's not done outright like I said with the jinn plotline. I think our devs sometimes try too hard to be serious or "artistic." Give me a tough protagonist who makes terrible puns in slang right before head-shotting a zombie. Give me over-the-top character designs inspired by our truck art or shalwar kameez tactical gear. Being a little "cringe" and fun is better than being overly serious and boring. Let's have fun with our identity!

Why not make a game centered around the Balti people, the people of Hunza, or the Kalash? Use regional architecture, clothing, folklore, and even background music inspired by styles like Qataghani. Those kinds of details make a world memorable and uniquely ours without feeling forced.

Bring in niche cultural or childhood references, like glass bottles of Apple Sidra cold drinks or mustard fields. There are tons of groups on Facebook where you can source this material and photography references.

We don't have Capcom's budget, and that's fine. I'm not asking for RE6's global scale. I'm asking for an RE1 or RE2 Remake-scale game a focused game set in one big, detailed location, like a single fort, a university, or a market. We have the Unreal Engine 5 talent; we just need to stop thinking we have to make a GTA-sized map and focus on tight, high-quality corridors. I don't know where else to post this but i thought it's better to ask the people who are already knee deep into this stuff.

Looking for some budget-friendly fragrances in NYC that don't smell like a craft fair explosion or some $5 oil that fades in 10 minutes. I'm talking hidden gems, whether they're drugstore finds, random mom-and-pop shops, Middle Eastern houses, Zara steals, or anything else that punches way above its price tag. Ideally under $50, but bonus points if it's under $30. I'm not into the whole "buy 20 samples from some indie Etsy seller and pray" thing. I'd rather smell it in person or buy from a legit shop in the city. I've heard about Exotic Fragrances in Harlem and Alfursan in Brooklyn. Has anyone been? Are they worth it? I'm also open to Zara hidden gems, Arabic perfumes like Lattafa or Armaf sold locally, and random beauty supply stores with sleeper hits. Drop your recommendations. Where in NYC do you go when you want to smell like a million bucks on a broke boy/girl budget?

Okay so long story short, my dad just got back from a work trip to the Middle East and casually handed me a little pouch He just said "You can keep them" and walked off. No certificate, no receipt...like you usually get for diamonds.  I have zero clue how to take care of these little guys. I know Basra is supposed to be a big deal historically, but are they even worth anything on the resale market right now? Or are they just cool to look at? I’m not trying to flip them for a quick buck (they’re from my dad, so they’re sentimental), but I’d like to know if I’m holding a down payment or just really nice souvenirs. I already have a pearl ring that was designed for me by a local jeweler (silver setting, super cute). But I’ve noticed the sides of the pearl where the silver prongs grip it are literally losing their luster. Like, they’re getting dull and chalky on the edges. The silver is fine, the jeweler did a great job, but the pearl itself looks tired. Is this because the pearl is fake? Or is it because I’m an idiot who doesn’t know how to take care of pearls?

I don’t want the same thing to happen to these new ones. I feel like I should get them set into something maybe a necklace? A bracelet? Can you even use pearls in a bracelet without them getting destroyed from wrist sweat? I literally don't know the rules.

I'm asking this honestly, not as a gotcha. I've been thinking about how slashers, even the ones I genuinely enjoy, handle violence differently depending on who's on screen. Everyone gets killed in horrific ways, sure. But when it's a woman, there's often this extra layer. The camera lingers. The kill is more intimate. The setup feels more like punishment than spectacle. Then there's the sex thing. You know the scene. A couple sneaks off, things get hot, and within two minutes she's getting a blade through the chest while he's already dead on the floor. It happens so often it's a cliché, but the why still bothers me. People say "sex equals death" is just about isolating characters so the killer can strike. Fine. But why does the woman's death feel so much more... earned? Like she was asking for it by being into it? The weird part is, I have zero issue with the gore. Kill everyone. Make it gross. Go nuts. I'm here for the mayhem. But the creativity in slashers seems to shift when it's a female victim, like the director suddenly remembers they can make it mean something about her sexuality, her body, or her worth. Men get stabbed. Women get judged while being stabbed. So I'm asking, can men write horror that's brutal, scary, and creative without slipping into that? Without the weird moralizing, without the "use it one last time" logic, and without making the kill feel like a verdict on her character? I'm not saying all men do this. I'm saying it's common enough to be a pattern, and I want to know if there are legitimate examples, including Hollywood and other mainstream films, where the horror is just horror and women get the same brutal treatment as everyone else, with no extra sauce. Hit me with recommendations or counterexamples. I want to be proven wrong.