How two Canadian Muslim YouTubers are sharing their culture with their audiences this Ramadan

Jasmine Egal, YouTube Beauty Content Creator

Jasmine Egal is a Toronto-based YouTube beauty creator sharing helpful skincare tips and a wide range of makeup tutorials. She also connects with her audience by sharing modest fashion inspo and encouraging them to experiment with their wardrobe while staying true to who they are.

While Ramadan is a fulfilling and spiritual time for many, there are several physical changes that Jasmine has learned to navigate through the years, like how to keep her skin hydrated during the month. Jasmine says:

• Be consistent. A decrease in water intake during Ramadan can leave skin needing a little extra love and that means a focus on hydration. Being consistent with morning and evening skincare can lock in moisture and go a long way.
• Replenish after wudu. Wudu is a purification ritual that is done before prayers. Reapplying all your skincare after making wudu throughout the day can be difficult, so Jasmine recommends using products that provide a lovely mist of hydration to make reapplying easier.
• Dark circles? We never heard of her! While many make the most out of Ramadan by going to the Mosque to pray Taraweeh (night prayers), staying up reading Quran, getting their workouts in or spending time with family, the change in sleep cycle can also mean dark circles under the eyes. Jasmine recommends extra care for the under eyes like retinol creams or alternatives to stabilize the skin’s moisture barrier.

For more skincare and wellness tips, or to keep up to date with the latest beauty trends, check out Jasmine on YouTube. You can also tune in to Jasmine’s recent interview with CP24 Breakfast for more Ramadan skincare tips and tricks.

Bilal Bhatti, YouTube Food & Recipe Content Creator

Bilal Bhatti is best known as GoldenGully on YouTube and is the author of a new cookbook called Beyond Measure. Growing up, Bilal paid close attention to his mother as she moved in the kitchen and quickly learned that cooking with intuition is at the heart of Pakistani cuisine. Bilal encourages his audience to enjoy the process and always cook with the senses.

For those observing Ramadan, meal planning can be an essential tool to help sustain a nutritious diet and reduce stress over what to make at suhoor and iftar. Bilal shared some of his top recipes for Ramadan on his channel, including his take on Daal with Rice and a Sehri Smoothie. Some additional meal planning tips from Bilal include:

• Stay hydrated. Keeping hydrated is a running theme which means there’s an emphasis on hydrating whenever possible especially in the morning before fast begins. Bilal recommends using electrolytes to stay hydrated for longer.
• Avoid fried foods and high fats. When you break your fast at iftar, try to avoid feeling sluggish by going for more nourishing foods.
• Focus on high proteins. Higher protein intake from a variety of sources (i.e. lean red meat, chicken, greek yogurt, lentils, protein powder) will leave you fuller for longer.

For more delicious Ramadan recipes and food tips, check out Bilal on The Good Stuff with Mary Berg.

Ramadan Mubarak to all those observing!