So you thought all cleansers are the same....

** patience... I'll be getting to this...**


Kose Softymo Airy Whip


Clinique Soap Bar


Pure and Mild Moisturizing Cleanser



Shu Uemura Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium A/O


Shiseido Pureness Cleanser

No More Tobacco-Stink Hair From Clubs...

Kose Happy Bath Day Hair Fragrance Spray

No... I'm not advertising for Kose... lol... Don't their adverts just look so pretty on the blog... :p

And so... Why Hair Cologne? Isn't that too much ^^wiff^^ to take from one's hair??

Okay, so imagine these scenarios:

• You look hot, you look sexy.... coming out from the club... But... when your bf and friend's accidentally sniffs your hair... Ewwwwwwww.... Smoked laden hair!
• Hawker stalls... Chinese food... Those huge woks and yummy aromas of asian cuisine! While you sit there... looking pretty... waiting for the food to be served... and your hair decides its a sponge which absorbs all the tasteful aroma of deep fried food... And... when that sexy dude decides to take a chair and sits next to you... You fling your hair flirtatiously... And... release the aroma of emm... deep fried cuttlefish! Uh-huh....
• You go in the karaoke lounge... ready to be this minute's hot pop-star... And.... dance around with the mic in hand... and a sing-along partner undecidedly takes a wiff at your hair... and he thinks... "she smells like ciggies".. woooooo....

Talk about mood spoilers...

So now... there are stuff in this world that actually helps you avoid the scenes above. Yeah... said it earlier... Hair Cologne. Apart from neutralising unwanted ordor in your hair... they can be protective layering for your beloved crown too... Take Sexy Girl Hair Cologne for example, moisturises and protects hair from heat as well. Now... thats a muti-use cologne...

But since I've only got the Kose one, I'll do a review on it:

• Kinda too sweet smelling for me... So one little spray on the hair goes a long way...
• Does not dry the hair
• Pretty good at keeping your hair smoke-scent-free
• Affordable but not cheap... Got this at about RM40 if I'm not wrong... So I use this only when I need it... :p

(Update 8th Oct 2009)
Link to the latest revamped Jap site:
http://www.kose.co.jp/jp/ja/products/brand/hbd/sp/top.html#/products/detail/hair_colon

Red Acne Marks... Be gone... be gone!

Ettusais Medicated Whitening Essence Vs DHC Acne Whitening Gel

I don't have flawless skin.... and will probably never have flawless skin... unless I stop eating food I'm actually allergic to... but-but.... I love my food... sigh... So now, after a very short cycle of being a good girl and actually having skin with no blemishes... I'll finally return to the days of blemish loaded skin... sighhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

Now. That, I have to deal with... since I have hardly any discipline when it comes to food.. But the aftermath is always horrendous! Imagine... suffering itchy skin for almost a week... then... watching the zits slowly pop up on the skin with puss... then... all the whiteheads and blackheads start clogging my pores... and... then.... the scars!!! (--)" lousy red marks that take forever to heal...

So I did some research on fading all these red marks and found that products that contains bleaching agents gets rid of these scars in matter of days! But, the most commonly used bleaching agent in skincare would be hydroquinone (go check your skin lightening product). Yeah... it works... but... its been banned by the FDA cause it contains cancer causing properties! So yeah... I avoid beauty products that contains hydroquinone... Anyway, I aim to be tan... not fair-skinned...

So next in the line would be high concentration of stable vit-c... That's what the 2 products below contains... And yeah... these two Japanese products shows satisfactory results! Read my conclusions on them...

Ettusais Medicated Whitening Essence

DHC Acne Whitening Gel

Conclusion:

• Both Ettusais and DHC works well to diminish red marks left by acne on the skin, though... not immediately... Come on... give it a few days... You don't expect good-stuff to work like miracle...
  
• You need only a fair bit on the red scars and... after a week... voila...!
• Both doesn't get rid of blemishes as they claim.. But... they do get rid of red marks left by acne...
• Both are fragrance-free clear-coloured liquid..
  
• Ettusais one costs more... I got that for about RM112 while DHC for about RM50++ and... they both bottled at 50ml
• Ettusais is easily available in Isetan in KL but... I'm not sure about other countries. DHC is harder to find in KL... I got mine off internet shopping...

Updated Verdict 29th Sept 2010:

• After years of sticking to this... go get the Ettusais one..
  
• Reason: A bottle lasts up to a year and its a keeper! Also.... you'd see the effects sooner! :p
  

Why I won't really do a blog on BB creams...?

BB Cream - Faking an almost flawless complexion..

**to be continued**

Don't get me wrong here... It's not that I don't intend to blog about BB creams aka Blemish Balms.. But... there are just too many blogs on them... Heck... there are even blogs with very visual effects on what BB creams will do to your skin in matter of seconds! And... upon discovering BB creams... I've never looked back on liquid foundations.. Once you get started on BB creams... there's no turning back. Cos'.... you just wouldn't!

Curling your hair - Lucido-l Japan Hair Pre-Curl Water Vs L'Oreal Studio Hot Curl Spray

Curly Locks... curly locks... Ooo you pretty Curls!

Now, I did a blog earlier on BaByliss Ceramic Curling Thong. You're probably wondering if I added anything to my hair before curling it with some heated device. Of course I did.... duh... Imagine heating your hair with no protection. No sooner you'll realize... hey! Welcome to frizz world! Lol...

Okay... So I did try out several curling products to hold the curls and protect my hair during the curling process. But... Here are the two products worth commenting on. And... what do you know... they are easily available off the shelves of your local store! - and umm... relatively affordable... I think both are more or less about RM20. Pretty okay since they lasted for quite some curl sessions. Yeah... at one point... I curled my hair every morning before heading to the office... (--)" crazy crazy woman...

Lucido-l Japan Hair Pre-Curl Water

• Unscented - which is good for people who don't want styling products scent overpowering their fragrance
  
• Spray on (and blow dry) before curling to protect hair and hold your curls
• I think now they've got new packaging for this
• Non greasy... very lightweight... Feels like spraying plain water on your hair. But hey... your curl will definitely hold better with this
• Fexible curls
  
• Very good product that does not weigh the hair down

L'Oreal Studio Hot Curl Spray

• Sweetly scented - pretty nice
  
• Holds curls very well, but your hair will feel a little crusty
• Sorta like hairsrayed curls
• Claims to protect hair from heat
• Cute packaging
• Non greasy and does not weigh hair down

But for the final verdict, I'd say Lucido-l Japan Hair Pre-Curl Water wins tops! Cos' I like flexible movable curls - and... unscented sprays!

SlimFit Spa - Natural Breast Enlargement Centre? Yeah right...

One word of advice... Don't...

I'm a person who tries almost anything... (provided they are safe and have very little risk). So okay, 3 years ago, a close friend of mine showed me an advert of this place called the SlimFit Spa. They provide slimming and breast massage therapies which they claim will guarantee to give you full bust and perfect figure! Slimming seems to me as just one of their side income (and yeah... we weren't there for slimming)... Know what? I think its a hush hush thing but.. they're earning tons from the breast treatments! Imagine... people paying up to RM16k for bigger firmer boobs!! They've got their adverts in "Female" mags in Malaysia and are quite popular center in S'pore too.

This are their websites

• http://www.slimfit.com.sg/
  
• http://www.slimfitspa.com/

You'll see this vid at the Slimfit Spa. Checkout the women's (Lynn Poh) boobs!

Aww....That was the time when I haven't found the magic of Googling... If I did... that would have saved me about RM4.5k... LOL... Look at the rantings of all these girls who went for their services...

http://www.malaysianbabes.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=22179
http://www.malaysianbabes.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=21936&st=30

They've got really really really persuasive consultants there! Man.. when you step in to the centre... you'd wonder how could a huge reputable company like this lie about a "guarantee" which equals "warranty" in women's term... lol... Imagine... people telling you they guarantee you huge boobs in 6 months... We were persuaded to.... ~stonners~.. (drooooooool...) LOL... We were zombified into parting with so much $$! LOL... I think we paid up to about RM4.5k each for painful breast massages... Thinking back... I would really like to say we were foolish and naive to even trust a stranger's persuasion... But... I think... more than that... we were stupidly curious!!! hahahhahahhaha...

The procedure:

• Every 2 weeks you go for breast massages that kinda hurts cos they kneed your breast really really hard... yeowch...
  
• The ocasionally, they'll place you on a breast pump which is really a machine that does the same thing as the Hai Sun Fong Breast Pump (check out my blog on that)
• You'll need to spend about RM600-RM700 on their massage oils and serum which they claim can boost your boobs naturally
• You will be thought how to self massage your boobs... and... you HAVE TO do the massage everyday with the massage oils and serums...
  
• Ocasionally, their consultant will come talk to you for mativational boost...
  

Okay... now for the hard cold truth... Now ladies... trust me on this...
SLIMFIT BREAST ENLARGEMENT IS A HOAX! THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN GAIN BOOB CUPS IN 6 MONTHS WITHOUT ANY SURGERY... SLIMFIT CONSULTANTS NEEDS TO RETHINK KARMA... WHEN YOU FAKE TOO MANY LIES ON BOOBS... SOMEDAY... KARMA IS GOING TO GET BACK AT YOUR BOOBS... (well said in "My Name Is Earl")

LOL... Then again... If my friend and I didn't go for this... I wouldn't have been able to blog about this 3 years after... So umm... rather than going to some lousy breast therapy...go check out the mere RM160 with 1 year warranty Hai Sun Fong breast pump... lol... no... I'm not advertising for them pumps.. But... I think they're a much cheaper experience...

Conclusion:
SlimFit...? JUST DON'T!

The Bag Organiser - say goodbye to messy handbags

For the Messy Lenglui

pics credit to http://www.malaysiashoppingqueen.com

Lenglui's never appear to look like they are rummaging their handbags for thier mobiles or wallets. Instead, they just reach into their bags, and voila - the wallet... or keys... or mobile. And that is why... I was psyched when I saw the Bag Organiser! All your stuff go into little organised pockets. And... there's even a string that hooks you to your keys so you'll never have problem finding your keys again! Below is a pic on how its used.

pics credit to http://www.malaysiashoppingqueen.com

Below is a pic on the one I got from the Curve in Damansara. (I got mine at RM29.90... but I think this retails at about RM39.90 - RM49.90) Mine's the one in grey:

pics credit to http://www.malaysiashoppingqueen.com

Okay, so I admit.. I only got excited over this for a couple of months. After that I decided, hell... this is proving to be an extra weight in my bag so its out of my bag for now. The only important thing that I'm always having trouble searching for are my keys and... the Kipling bag has got that problem sorted out for me. Depends... if you think you've got a bag with too many little stuff that are hard to find, I think this would really help. Besides, this definitely helps if you frequently switch bags. Just take out the bag organiser with all your stuff still in the compartments, and switch bags!

Conclusion:

• Great for medium to bigger size bags. Not for pursesize bags or wristlets
  
• Even tho you can adjust the size of the bag organiser (the pockets are detachables), I think this adds on the extra weight to your smaller bags
• Not for bigger items like water bottles or umbrellas (duh)
• Perfect for wallets, tissues, cameras, pens, mobiles, cosmetics (if you don't already have a pocket size cosmetic bag)
  

Talk To The Tan (by Benefit)

I wanna be a Tan Babe!!

You must be thinking... this women is nuts!? Why else would an Asian women want to be tan? Isn't she already tan by nature? No. Not exactly. Not everyone is blessed with fair SnowWhite skin and not everyone is exotically tan like Pocahontas (sorry, that's the best comparison I could come up with).

I have a fair complexion... and my skin can be white pale depending on how it's acting up for the day. And.... I have blemish marks from all my food allergy and the fair complexion I have doesn't exactly camouflage any of those pesky imperfections. And that is why....... I WANT TO BE A TAN LENGLUI! So yeah... I've already got the Loreal Sublime Bronze fake tan... which lasts weeks for one application. But... I think that's not really what I want to put on my face (imagine, one mistake... and its gonna stay on you for that whole week! Look here for a tan gone wrong).... So I went and did some Googling.... That's when I found..........

TALK TO THE TAN (by Benefit)

It comes off easily with just one wash. And.... you needn't worry about smudging or streaking... 'cos... it doesn't!

Cooooooooooooooooooolnesssssssssssssssssssssssss.... Of course, it would be cheaper to ask a friend to get it for you from the US, rather than buying it off the counter in KL. But... if you're that desperate... go ahead. I had no regrets buying this. Though... its kind of a splurge (retails at RM129 for a 50ml tube) considering the price for such a small tube... (--)".. You only need so little out of the tube for one application though...

Conclusion:

• Works perfect
  
• Not for very bad acne skin
• Women with open pores... emm... perhaps you can mix this with some of your foundation or BB cream rather than using it directly (that's what I did)
• If you hate it... wash it off... as easy as that...
• Say hello to the tan..... baby!
  

Kinohimitsu J'pan D'tox Juice (6 Day Program)

The Cranberry One
(not the plum one - I haven't tried that and don't plan to)

Excerpted From the Kinohimitsu D'tox Juice box... (will upload the pic of the box soon enough)

Do you suffer from:

• Poor digestion, stomach bloating
• Fatigue, low energy, sticky body
• Poor complexion, blemishes, skin allergies
• Bad breath, body odor
• Headache, migraine

Do you have:

• Busy stressful life
• Irregular meals and eating processed food
• Constant explosure to unhealthy environment; air, water pollution

In just 6 days Kinohimitsu J'pan D'tox Juice leaves you feeling renew, refresh and revitalize!

Natural, Safe:

• 100% natural, concntrated fruit juices
• No additives - No sugar added, No preservatives, No artifical coloring/flavoring, No chemicals, No laxatives

Effective:

• Fast results within 2-4 hours, after intake
• Smooth motion, without strenuous effort

So okay... I decided I want blemish-free skin (since I have very bad skin allergies).. And, the Kinohimitsu Collagen Drink was working perfectly well... so I thought... maybe I ought to just try the detox juice as well... Its stated 100% natural... Yeah... that was until I saw the ingredients on the bottle and the side of the box.

So now I'm thinking... what made 100% natural juices so effective that you'd definitely go to the loo after 2-4 hours. I drink a lot of juice but... non of them made me go to the loo in 2-4hrs tops. And... I was experiencing mild IBS soon enough right after drinking a bottle... Seriously... you will not have problems going to the loo in that 2-4hrs.. Wow.. juices can do that?!

So I scanned through the labels on the box and individual bottles. That was when I found Mannitol and Sorbitol listed as one of the ingredients on the bottle. (possible diuretics and laxatives!!) That.... my friend... explains so much! If you don't trust Wikipedia, I suggest you Google up for more info on these...

Conclusion:

• Don't trust everything you read on packaging boxes (I know - I know)
  
• There's no such thing as 100% au-naturel and as effective as before you can even say... whooooaaa sshiiiitt!
• Detox should not leave you feeling bloated with stomach discomfort.... (--)"
  
• This is my first and last box. Okay, think I'll just be sticking to the collagen drink. Other than that... no more purchases of consumables from Kinohimitsu for now... My body needs a break..
  

Eyebrow Perfection - with Fatima Olive

EyeBrow 101 with Fatima Olive

Yeah.. make-up tutorials on YouTube...... most of us have gone through this phase... So now... I love the tutorials by Fatima Olive... Here's a tute by Fatima on eyebrows...

Eyebrows says alot about yourself... and... makeup artist Fatima Olive Looks stunning even though you know she's not as young as the models she does-up... Attached below is a link to the vidclip for some handy tips on getting your eyebrows groomed to perfection..

Click for Link to Video

Look for more grooming tips from FordModels... Not all clips are easily accomplished as they look though...

Talkman - I've got a travel companion who's a linguist

**patience** I'll be getting to this

Pink Sony PSP

A Girl's Gotta Have....

It takes about 1hr++ and 2 modes of transportation for me to get to work... To sum it in 5 words --> I hate traveling to work..

I drive for 10 to 30 mins (depending on the traffic's mood for the day) to the LRT station to take the train to town. Then stare into space for about 30mins in the train before it drops me off at my destination. Yeah... I'm not the only one having to go through this every workday...

And 2 years ago... I decided. Thats it. No more staring into space for a whole 30mins to and fro from work. And lo behold............


The Pink PSP - In case you didn't know... that acronym stands for Playstation Portable. See? I even got a bag-case to match (a gift from Lengcai)... And... the mini case which looks like a compact powder casing? Thats where I store all my memory cards....

See the nice heart charm? hehehe... thats an attempt at personalising my PSP....


And the memory card case.... (which is actually a limited edition compact powder casing from Ettusais) which doubles up as a portable mini mirror..

Now for all of you who thinks the PSP is merely a gamer's gadget... You ARE INDEED SOOOO VERY WRONG my friend... See below for the daily tasks of my PSP...

• Personal Stylist (MyStylist)
  
• Show Korean/TVB/English Drama Series
• Movie Player
  
• MP3 Player
• YouTube Flash Player
• Photo Journal (MyStylist)
  
• Clothes Organiser (MyStylist)
  
• A Linguist Travel Companion (Talkman)
• WiFi Gaming
• VideoCam

And... the list goes on... This is sorta like my "Blackberry"... except that.. its not as "hi-tech" and... I'm no yuppie...

So... the days of starring into space in the LRT is no more... Muahahahahhaa.... PSP, you're my next best friend... after Google of course.. (cos' thats how you came about... when I Googled you up!)

MyStylist - I have a personal stylist - thats not human (lol)

Hire a Personal Stylist... on the PSP

I have a clothes color-clashing syndrome. Mum or boss at work would then start commenting that I look kinda "ah lian" or even worse... "harajuku". Jeez.... I wanna look lenglui okay? Not like "ah lian" or like some "harajuku girl". And while Googling for some PSP girly-games, I found this... MyStylist by Sony. Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa........ its a personal stylist, clothes organiser, appointment organiser, photo journal all in one! Purrrrr-fect!!!!




So... I have my clothes in some organised colour, type, occasion-manner. Heck, there's even a statistical graph-chart to show me how many of a blue-coloured skirt I've got in my wardrobe! Talk about cooooool-ness!!!! See the screenshot below... these are part of my wardrobe!


And these are arranged for the days I'll be wearing them. No more cracking my head trying to decide what to wear every morning... Also... the clothes and accesorries matched by MyStylist has got no colour clashing flaws. And... it won't let you wear the same clothes to meet the same person in that same week! Wooooooooooo........ talk about being organised...


See..... It even has a photo journal... where you can set a date/appointment with any of your friends. And... when you've decided on what to wear, MyStylist will simulate a cartooned pic of a girl wearing the clothes you chose... Cool-ness huh??


Guess what?! On the second day I followed MyStylist's suggestion on what to wear to work, a colleague commented to another... "Hey... doesn't xxxxx looks sharp these days?"... LoL.... Who says you've gotta be a Hollywood Star to have a stylist... kekekekekeke....

How to Make Your Clothes Look Good On You

Lee the Tailor

Okay... I'm not some filthy rich girl who has everything... Not every dress fits me right.. (I'm pear-shape by the way) But... wearing real expensive quality clothes won't make you the dressiest girl in the room... Take a HINT... Alter your clothes to fit your figure!

pic credit to Sony

Clothes we buy are not custom-made to fit our bodies. They go by the general measurements to fit a certain generic size. No, not everyone has the perfectly proportioned bust-waist-hips-height... That's why we spend more time on actually trying out clothes in the dressing room rather than buying what we saw that we thought would look good on us in the first place.

You know that dress in the closet that you wouldn't touch even though you thought it looks fantastic... but really... it looks fugly on you? Yeah... so look for a nice tailor in your housing area... If you can't find any, ask your friends! Let me emulate how an alteration can change how you look in that dress...

Before Alteration
Dress makes you look bulkier than you really are and doesn't sit well on your figure

After Alteration
Dress looks figure-flattering and just as you thought it would look on you when you decided to buy it

And..... Puuuuh..... leeeeeease............. there's no such thing as not being able to afford a tailor. For altering a simple blouse you'll only need about RM3-RM10 depending on what you're altering. For most part, my blouses or dresses altered are between RM5-RM10. And for simple darts... you only need about RM3. If you can afford to buy that dress... Don't tell me you can't afford a simple alteration.. (--)" The dress probably cost's way more than RM3. Of course... you'll need to find a home-tailor that you can trust. Rule of thumb: don't go to those alteration-pro shops... unless you're prepared to fork out more $$ on your clothes.

Women's Chest Enhancing Underwear (Lavaya)

BEFORE and AFTER

I went nuts over some Chinese video again. Seriously... if you're a ditsy women... watch the clip below... You'll be tempted to get one just because.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xly60BHg_Ec

This is the package I got:


This is how it looks from the back:


Conclusion:

• Works well for straightening your back if you're hunch (you'll feel like you're strapped to sit straighter)
  
• If you've got low boobs... yeah, this helps! ('cos my friend's got low boobs and she says wow... its good for her.. lol) You'll get err... not so low boobs.. while wearing it. I don't believe its going to grow your boobs though... lol... It hasn't done anything to mine.
  
• Honestly, it is going to be a waste of your $$$... unless you plan to be forever fully covered... In Malaysia... you're just going to want to wear sleeveless, figure hugging, thin material clothes or spaghetti strap tops at some point. And, you'll notice there are too many straps on this that your clothes are not going to be able to hide. Yeah... go figure. So much for dreaming of having bigger sets of boobs...

Body Shapers / Slimming Wear

Tummy + Hip + Leg Shaping Pants

My hips and butt has always been a problem. No matter how much food I down... I will never gain much weight above or below my hips... All the bad stuff... they go to the hips and butt... The rest.. remains pretty much the same. I don't know if you call that lucky for a food lover... lol... no.. you don't consider someone who's pear-shape lucky. Its always hard to get nice pants that fit you. And... you can kiss goodbye to nice skimpy bikini bottoms or pretty little thongs and g-strings.. they'll look ridiculous on you... lol..

So now, okay... I'm not complaining about being pear-shape or bottom heavy.
All I'm saying is that... I wanna be wearing a thin tightly fitted skirt or dress or pants confidently... So here's to Googling:

Was browsing through this site by a seller names Sherry... She brings in stuff from Taiwan and sells online in her site:

And... I saw this!
http://myprettywomen.com/goods.php?id=297

so umm... as usual... it was real tempting so I just went on to get one...

Conclusion:

• say hello to nice looking butt (even though its partly faked... lol)
• trust me.. its really difficult to get yourself into a slimming wear... imagine... squeezing yourself into something thats 1/4 of your usual size... hahhahhaha
• but eventually when you get yourself into it... its surprisingly quite snug. Not uncomfortable like what you'd expect
• but... don't have it on for over 3 hours... you're going to start feeling uncomfortable
• perfect! for wearing tight fitting pants or dresses.. hehehehehe... nice pushed up but... and slimmer looking thighs..
• quite affordable so get one just for that skimpy butt sticking dress! (but uh-huh... get a good one since I heard those cheap lousy quality ones are mighty uncomfortable to be sitting in)
  

The Nose Shaper...

Reshape your nose... No surgery involved!

Yes, this is one of the craziest thing I actually bought. Given the fact that my nose already looks fine, there's no point in getting this? No?

Asian daughters have gone through a stage where their mothers will tell them... "If you pinch your nose often enough, you will grow up with a sharp pretty nose"... (^^) Know what? They have a point there! That's how this whole nose-shaper thing came about...

See below on how to use this...

pic credit to http://nexus404.com/Blog/2006/10/23/curious-gadget1/

Conclusion:
No. It does nothing to give you sharp pretty nose.. not unless you're still a growing kid and your skin and bone structure is still shaping...

You can have it on for hours till your nose get those red pinch marks on the sides. But.... your nose is going to bounce back to its original shape when you start rubbing it or sneezing or breathe hard enough. NO. YOU WILL NOT GET A PRETTY NOSE JUST BY CLIPPING IT.

Stupid as it sounds... I still went ahead to purchase it from "Shins". Heck... its only RM6 and... I just had to. I mean... In the end... its all in the mind. In those rare ultimately bored moments I'll just clip my nose for about 3mins... in hopes that its doing something... good to my nose.. yeah... crazy women.

To beauty... To Apple Cider Vinegar (-_-)"

The ACV

Now, everyone's bound to rely on home remedies when off the shelves stuff don't work and becomes be costly. Yeah.. so I went and google up the Apple Cider Vinegar. Its been known to relieve gout, helps detoxify your body, control weight problems (in ancient egyptian times) and an overall good-for-your-body natural remedy.

But the only reason I decided to try this was........... because... I was having horrible acne breakouts from seafood allergy... sigh... (--)" I WANNA GET RID OF MY BLEMISHES>>>>

So... okay... I needn't even go and purchase this... a bottle of ACV's already sitting on the kitchen rack in the house. Now... I would really like to explain what's this vinegar all about and how it actually helps... but... lets just summarise my findings since anyone can google all this up :p

What do people say?

• It's suggested that ACV has such curative abilities because it causes one's pH levels to become more alkaline. ACV has been known to relieve symptoms of allergies and gout.
• Several small studies suggest that vinegar (both apple cider vinegar and other types) may help to lower glucose levels. Good for diabetics
• Apple cider vinegar has become popular as a “fat-burner” and as a natural appetite suppressant. Historical facts show that ACV was used to weight loss in Egyptians.
• The acidic nature of this vinegar has been said to help scalp problems such as dandruff, itchy scalp, baldness and thinning hair. ACV can also help gastric problems as well.

What I tried with it?

• Tonic drink (2 teasspoon diluted with water each morning) - feels refreshing... must be cos' of the sour taste
• Using it as a toner (1:1 water:ACV) to help clear my pimple - err... doesn't really seem to do much for my skin... skin probablyy smoothen a little... and I ended up smelling like ACV. Read this
• Using it as a hair conditioner (1:1 water:ACV) - wow... works like a conditioner... but then again... I ended up smelling like ACV again... I think I'll stick to regular conditioners

My Conclusion...

• Pretty good as a pick-me-up in the mornings
• Seems to help my sinus too
• No... it didn't get rid of my blemishes
  
• The acidity seems to help tigthen my tummy in the mornings... so I think this would be good for people trying to lose a little weight on the tummy (but... this is not really a hard-core weight reducing remedy)
• Other than that... research shows that ACV is really just a folk remedy. So its not all that tonic liquid everyone gushes about... More than that... I think... again... this is really a psychological thing. If you believe the ACV works for you... then it does!

Piercings (what not to get...)

Why pierce?

pic credit from www1.istockphoto.com

I've had my share of going through the piercing rage stage. It was during college where everyone was getting piercings and tattoos.. More like I was peer-pressured into doing it... But, come to think of it... I guess its partly cos' it looks pretty to have nice studs on my ears (7 altogether) and belly (1 belly ring)...

Okay, now, I've been working for 4 years... And... I had removed all my piercings by end of year 2008!! except the 2 usual ear studs.... The crazy thing is... Lengcai, sis and bro... were disappointed...!! They said the 7 ear studs looked cool! Huh? I always thought my piercings were err... a little "mafan"... there were so many that every time I wanted to do my hair or changed out of small collared clothes, they were a nuisance 'cos they get hooked easily. And every time my ear itched... whoaa.. they were just plain irritating... Sadly... I'm prone to keloid scars... So after removing all those piercings... I now have 2 noticable keloid scars on my left ear cartilage and a small keloid scar right above my belly. For those who are prone to keloid scars... my advice is... DON'T.

What not to get? And, why not?

• Cartilage ear piercings... They are painful and... not worth the scarring... Unless you never plan to take them off...
• Nose ring... Hey... if you do take them off... there's gonna be a hole in your nose... forever. DON'T
• Below the lips... Err... if you fancy having a freak show draining water through when the stud is removed... by all means...
• Eyebrow rings... Just DON'T. Every person I know with an eyebrow ring has a nice streak scar on their brow where the piercing WAS.
• Anything on the face... DON'T
• Actually, belly ring is pretty nice. But.... most people don't make though it without scarring...
• Nipples or genitals... DON'T EVER
• Tongue piercings? The whole process is way-too-gross... A good friend did that... and yeah... she regretted the whole stages of having to go through liquid food for weeks and feeling weird trying to talk... So you thought it'd be great for oral sex? Think again... My advice is.. DON'T (unless you think sticking your pierced tongue out for photos looks cool... honestly? It doesn't)
  

For the sake of being a lenglui.... the above are some lousy humble advices of a person who's tried and tested piercings... belly rings and non-cartilage ear piercings are your safest and prettiest bets.

How to con me into buying a beauty product! (lol)

Come on... we're not that difficult to con right?

Okay... Female shoppers... they are an easy bunch to con! Seriously... I mean... Is this a sexist remark or... am I just wrong to label... most shopaholics... as WOMEN? Duh.....

Now... after years of being naughty and deciding that every little thing that looks good, feels good and makes one look good owning it should indeed be mine.. I think I've grown to understand that... a little research before doing that purchase goes a long.... long.... long.... way.

Now, what is it about that product that make us itch to try it out?

• PACKAGING AND VISUAL BROCHURES! Now, I'll say it once and over and over again! A really good, pretty, classy, convincing packaging spells disaster for us women.. That pretty little thing looks like its just so worth the buy! (Even... if it might not work) But-but... how do you know it won't work till you've tried it?! Maybe it WILL work!
• ADVERTS! Yeah... Adverts are a sign that tells us... this product is actually well-known. People has actually tried it. At least its a genuine sign that this may be safe to use and it's not some maybe-cancer-causing-long-term-effect of a lousy product that we're going to put on our faces or bodies
• VERY CONVINCING LAB TESTS AND TESTIMONIALS - why.... not everyone's a risk taker. I mean... what are the chances that you'll be splurging on something that no one else you know have ever tried it before? So yeah... testimonials and clinical proves are a boost to all the cons in the world.
• VERY VISUAL ADVERTS! hahahahha... okay... maybe this only applies to me.. Have you watched the links to adverts from my blogs on SlimFit Spa and the Lavaya Chest Enhancing Underwear? Yeah... go watch those... You'll see what I mean... lol...
• SALES REP WHO ARE TOO PRETTY TO BE REAL WHO SAYS THEY OWE THEIR BEAUTY TO THE PRODUCT THEY ARE TRYING TO SELL YOU - Yeah... this occasionally works. As long as the sales rep is a really down-to-earth non-snob ultra-convincing person.. you're so gonna fall to her hypnotic persuasion. Hell.. maybe she's too pretty thanks to the product and... she just wants to share her ever gratitude to a product that gave her that beauty. Maybe I could be that pretty to if I tried it. LOL...
• FEEL GOOD STUFF - Products that are easy to buy are products that feels good when you use it. I mean... if you're going to have to use it as part of your beauty regime, should they at least feel good on you?
• PRODUCTS THAT SHOWS RESULTS - INSTANTLY! See? We're all impatient people. No one wants to wait for years to see the effect of a product. If it shows good stuff the minute you lay it on your body, that should be good right??? right...........

Sigh... its never easy to part with money... but... when there's good stuff there... I mean.... who could resist a trade with printed paper $$$ and a chunk of pretty bottled stuff. After all... $$$ is really just made of paper huh? LOL...

How not to get conned buying some beauty device!!

**patience** I'll be getting to this

Where I get all my stuff from?? (Google, Pharmacies and Lowyat.Net)

You can shop anywhere... ANYWHERE!

I think if there's an award given to for pharmacy loyalty... I might be on the way to earning it. Yeah... lay it on... I'm addicted to pharmacies! But WHY?? You'd be surprise how many useful beauty products you can actually buy from a pharmacy! Special Shampoos, Detox stuff, Collagen Drinks, Supplements, Skin products, DIY Hair Dyes, Affordable Makeups from Reputable Brands, Styling Products, Grooming Tools, Weird Beauty Tools, and the list goes on... They have almost EVERYTHING... for your head... to your insides... to your toes! Literally!

In KL... there's the usual Guardian and Watsons 'cos they are easily accessible from where I work. But... if you could find Caring or other less popular pharmacy around, you'll notice that you may end up with the same product of the same brand at a better price. So yeah.... Watsons and Guardian are marking up some of their products to a little higher price. Still... I love them pharmacies...


Occasionally, Google recommends some products that may not be available at your local store. So yeah... that's when I stick to online purchases. Besides... purchasing online is so easy these days. All you have to do is do a little research on a trustworthy seller and check out for the best pricing. Then you 'click'... lol... Also places like eBay are cool... But for Malaysia, I actually like Lowyat.net under "Stuff for the Ladies" thread 'cos.... online purchases from overseas may be costly when you count shipping and probably tax. In Lowyat, there's the option of following bulk purchases and sharing group shipping with fellow buyers. I always choose to go through a middle person... saves me the worrying of dealing with a supplier. Though... there's always the wait and abit of worrying if your seller's a trustworthy one. You might end up with your money gone and no goods arriving at your doorstep...



Hmm... I think places like Shins and SaSa are nice places for browsing too. For browsing that is - Don't just buy something the sales rep tells you to. Remember, they are earning on commission. It'd be wise to do a little research on product and pricing before deciding to get that something which you thought was going to make a difference..

Sometimes... random shopping online gets you introduced to stuff you've never ever heard of... Like my nose shaper and the epistick.. lol... But... you know... some things are better left unknown than to risk trying it out without much research.

LHE: Permanent Hair Removal?

Zap those unsightly hair... permanently
LHE Light Based Hair Removal: Long Term Facial/Body Hair Removal

pic credit to www.skincancercosmetic.com.au

A year++ ago... I signed up a course for "permanent hair removal" - legs, underarms and bikini line. You don't want to know the exact price I paid for that course... Lets just say its no less than RM4k and that's the already discounted beautician staff pricing... But since its permanent, wouldn't it be worth the investment? (^^)" Then again... this is not really permanent, hormonal flux can cause the hair to grow back as explained by my beautician friend. The only reason I decided to do it was because... my friend's sis was a beautician (sssshh... that was how we got staff price and she kept telling us how smooth her client's skin were after the treatment) and I had someone to try it out with me. Hmm... then again... also... there are infinite other reasons why I signed up... but, that was it --> one of my year 2007 resolution accomplished --> no more waxing or epilating... Thanks to LHE... Read more about LHE here

Reasons to do this:

• If you've got the $$$ or if you know a beautician who can get you staff price for this
• If you're fed-up with reddish bumps of ingrown hair from waxing, shaving or epilating
• If your beautician is a close friend.. otherwise... I think you're gonna regret signing up... trust me... you don't want to be screaming at a stranger...
  
• If you've researched enough and decided this is what you really want to do
• If you go swimming very often
• If you are pain-proof... lol.. (okay... I'm not kidding)
  

Reasons NOT to do this:

• If you're pain intolerable (Seriously... I'll explain why)
  
• If you don't have the extra $$$
• If your skin is dark and so is your hair (LHE works best on people with lighter skin tone and darker hair)
  
• If you're uncomfortable with beauticians
• If you think this is a one-time thing
• If you've already got hardly noticeable very fine hair on your skin (I don't understand why you're reading this then... go away.. I'm envious) (--)"
  

Now... for the procedure..

• You'll be asked to undress and wear a towel-like robe.. The whole process looks like the image below...
  

pic credit to www.healthandbeautybysamantha.co.uk

• Next to you will see a device that looks like this "SpaTouch"

pic credit to www.britnett-carver.co.uk

• Then the beautician will explain to you what you'll be expecting next... the "BEEP" sound... then Zzzzaaaaapp!! the pain... Even if its only for a second... It hurts... like hell! Feels like you've been zapped with high voltage! Yeeeowwcchhhhh....
  
• So there you go... beep-zzapp-beep-zzapp... by that time, you'll cringe every time you hear the beep sound!
• So there... if you're doing lower-legs, underarms and bikini line... its going to take about 1hr++ depending on how well you cope with pain...
• The zapped hair will look like burnt hair and the room will smell faintly of burnt hair
• There will still be hair growth though... very much finer...
• You'll be advised not to swim or go in the sun. Having a bath with very warm/hot water is complete a no-no. Your skin is now experiencing a temporary sun-burnt-like effect... It'll need about 3 days to cool down.
  
• You'll be returning to the saloon every month to do this... aarggghhh... I dread the treatment... but... I've got only one thing to say on the results... SATISFACTORY!

Update 5th June 2010:

• Spoken to beautician friend on this new pain-free laser hair removal recently
• But..... sadnessssssssssssss.... disappointedly she told me that, laser hair removal may be pain-free. But, the hair-free effect does not last as long as LHE. And... you need to go back to the saloon more often than the LHE.
  
• And I thought, the next time my hair on the legs or underarms ever grow back, I wanna go for the pain-free one!! Sigh..................
  

Yoga for Beauty (trust me on this)

I am now going to tell you the shallow honest truth.

Why is there the need to go for Yoga a couple of times a week?

• Seriously, it eventually makes you body beautiful! (long term effect okay? no such thing as going for 1 week and you become beautiful overnight. lol... how I wish)
• The regular aunties in yoga class (which I'll probably turn into one day)... are body beautiful!! Take a look at the aged regulars in a yoga class... You'd know that lady (yes, she has crows feet at the corner of her eyes, and her hands and feet shows her age) BUT........... she has a body of a twenty-something!! Come on, you may load gunks on your face, hands, feet... But when you age, you think weekly spa's gonna help that aging body of yours?? I don't think so. Think yoga, women!
• Yoga lets you relax your mind... and teaches you good breathing practices where you'll eventually subconsciously apply in your daily life...
• Your mind stays young
  
• I'm telling you from a women to another... trust me on this. You're gonna thank yoga when your body reaches an age where your joints starts to make that cracking noise and your shoulders, back and necks starts to ache...
• I'm no yoga addict... and I really loath exercise... But I do this... for the sake of... BEAUTY! I know this sounds utmost shallow and vain... but women... I'm telling you... when you look good, feel good... you're ready to take on the world.
• If you think you won't be able to afford the classes, do this... go for a week or two... let the instructor correct your postures in the classes... learn them as you go. Then.... stop the classes, buy your own yoga mat and do it at home. An hour a day is all you need!
  

I'm crazy over an insanely addictive site "popsugar".. They even have a page just for Yoga:
http://www.fitsugar.com/tag/yoga

Olympus Mju 725 - Waterproof, shockproof, and girl-proof hahahhaha...

The Camera That Won't Drown

My first digital camera drowned - in the sea. Though I managed to retrieve it from the water, my itchy hand that turned on the camera while it was still drenched in saltwater short-circuited it. I was heartbroken...

Below is the pic of my current digital camera... The tougher than ever Olympus Mju 725!

pic credit to http://www.dpreview.com/news/0608/06082306oly725sw.asp

No, this camera will not drown. It is to some extent shockproof and waterproof.. Before getting this, I was trying to decide between this and the Pink Sony T-10. (see below... pink to match my PSP ma...)

The Hot Sony Pink T-10

But, Lengcai got me the Mju 725 as a x'mas gift last year... So... we can now stop thinking about pink cameras. Now you're probably wondering... what's with women and the color of a camera?! Aren't the features in the camera more important? LOL... Well yeah.. that too and the outlook of the camera.

A Good Review on the Olympus Mju 725

The Mju-725 is slim, easy to pocket in the handbag, and... it can withstand butterfingers! Also... I love watersports... Surfing, water rafting, swimming, waterfalls, snorkeling, jet-skiing... So yeah... anything with water... and so, the camera has got to be drown-proof! I know that Olympus came up with way better versions of the Mju-725... Women... if you've got butterfingers, love the outdoors, and haven't got time to worry that your camera will drown in mud, snow, sand or saltwater... I'd hugely recommend you to look at the Olympus shockproof and waterproof compact camera range! You'd be surprise how many ground-falls it can take and how many underwater pics you can capture!

Conclusion:

• Been my baby since!
• It has gone snorkeling with me like for the whole year and still... working just fine
• It has weathered through my betterfingers
• Not exactly a camera for nightshots unless you have a tripod
• Not as pretty as the pink T-10, but.... imagine... if the T-10 drowned... uh-huh.... I wouldn't want to imagine that... lol..
  
• The screen display is nowhere close to the ones on a Sony or a Lumix.. but.. heck... its good enough for me
• Picture quality not as pretty as a Cannon... but yeah? Can a Cannon survive a 1m fall?

I (heart) Surfing - helps get rid of cellulites too hehehe

Surfer Chicks - Not as easy as it looks babe...

pic credit to roxy - no I'm not advertising for roxy... lol

Okay... So surfing is probably one of the most difficult sport to learn. And... feels like you've got to be really fit to be able to do surfing.. But... if you have got a good stamina, strong determination, loves swimming and beaches and don't mind the occasional jellyfish stings and bruises from falls or getting hit by your surfboard... I think we'd make very good friends! lol...

Some YouTube vids from "Surfing for girls" which I found were really helpful:

• Surfing for Girls : How to Stand While Surfing
• Surfing for Girls : How to Choose Your First Surfboard
• Surfing for Girls : Surfing & How to Get Through Waves
• Surfing for Girls : How to Carry a Surfboard
  

Now, I can't really explain to you WHY all the fuss about surfing... You'll just have to try it out for yourself. If you do manage to stand on the surfboard, glide through the water, and feeling the breeze of salty air in your face... you will understand.

Here are some tips from a lousy beginner to another on making your first stand (pop-up):

• Take lessons if possible! (I had some and the instructor was really strong, since he needs to hold your board when the waves are pounding in and you're struggling to stay on it)
• Watch the vids before going to your first lesson
• Remember sunblock - suffering from sunburn is not part of the learning experience
  
• You'll need rash guards and board shorts... Normal cotton wear is going to wear you down... And... you don't want to get rashes on your bod on your first lesson...
• Yes, wearing a bikini looks hot but... no... you won't look hot sputtering and choking on seawater in a bikini.. And later having red rashes on your body... Get a rash guard!
  
• Practice on land to get your body positioning right and your feet right
• Learn how to carry the surfboard correctly... This will save you tons of muscle aches
• Learn how to get through the waves correctly... Otherwise you're so gonna suffer in the water when the waves are hammering you through... You're just gonna get no where
• Talk to your instructor... Don't be shy to ask... He/She's not gonna eat you...
  
• When catching a wave, lift your chest up (very important!), otherwise you might just drown head on with your surfboard... I'm forever getting that... lol
  
• When exhausted, take a break... Otherwise you might just decide... surfing is a torture and you never want to do it again...

Why surfing is not for you?

• The beach?? Sticky salty air... Eewww...
  
• Can't swim well enough to not drown in waves
• Getting a tan? No way... you love your Snow White skin way too much!
  
• Even the weight of your handbag is enough to wear you out... Imagining yourself carrying a 4 liter bottle or mineral water up a stairs?! What?! You must be kidding...
• You're easily embarrassed and hate looking stupid in front of hot chicks or hot studs
• Forget about the thought of having sticky saltwater on your skin... you'd rather go to a spa and zen out...
  

I'm still having lotsa trouble popping up on the board... But... heck... its worth all the effort when you do manage to stand up. Surfing... feels pretty amazing...

Massage Oils (DIY) - Self Massage

**to be continued**

Why spend when you can save? lol... wise words that are hard to keep... But seriously, trips to massages are $$$ and time consuming so, lets keep that for special occasions..

Self massage is NOT difficult. And, can be quite relaxing once you've gotten the hang of it. I'm a lazy person.. but by nature, who's not? So... initially I just like the idea of buying massage oils for the sake displaying it on the shelf. So it looks as though I did use them. I got all my massage oils from Body Shop. Okay... massage oils need no branding. But then again... the Body Shop was having its annual sale... So there goes a splurge... On my shelf you will find... soya carrier oil, almond oil, lavender massage oil, ylang ylang massage oil and lavender essential oil.



After about a year++ on the shelf... (they were collecting dust), I decided. What the heck... how tiresome can self massage be? So I Googled for some tips on self massage techniques...

http://www.livestrong.com/article/12454-do-selfmassage-/

which were pretty good actually... Occasionally, I'll practice this before going to bed... Not everyday though.. But... You do wake up feeling... emm... your muscles have loosen a little... That's a good sign right? I guess, 'cos it felt good.

I Hate Cellulites - cellulites be gone

I hate cellulite. (period)

Life's unfair. Why are women more prone to cellulite? Why isn't there a miracle cream that zaps cellulite away? (Okay, forget laser - that's too $$$ extreme for me). So when I decided that enough was enough... it was time... to combat those unsightly curdles below my butt.

After some several hours of research, I realize... no amount of miracle cream/gel is going to get rid of them cellulite. So what would help?


Fake a tan
- darker skin tend to hide cellulite well, especially if you do want to hang out at the beach in a bikini. I think, I don't mind a tan butt!!! lol
- I got the Loreal Sublime Bronze self tanning gel from UK cos this can be applied on both face and body. Alternately, you can try "Jiffy Tan" by Benefit or other tanning products for the body....
- tolerable scent
- easy to use but... you gotta stay garment-free for 1 hour till it dries completely to avoid streaking.. Imagine.. staying naked for 1 hour worrying that if you sit or do anything... its gonna just streak or stain the chair/bed.. (--)"





Get a Cellulite Massager
- cellulite massagers are commonly sold everywhere
- I got mine from Watsons.
- Lather up and massage at problem areas during shower
- Yes, this helps! So do it!





Take Collagen Supplements
- collagen strengthens our connective tissue... so... ditto
- see my Kinohimitsu J'pan Beauty Drink blog

Invest in cellulite cream/gel/serum
- Its all in the mind... Its all in the mind.... Mentally helps us fight cellulite... lol
- Believe it or not... combined with the above attempts... the appearance of the cellulite below my bum was reduced. At least something is working...

Sana Esteny Hip and Leg Gel

- requested Lengcai to get this from Tokyo... Imagine... he has to show the pic to some Jap uncle at the store...










Lengcai: Hello mister... err... do you sell this? (showing pic of Sana Esteny in mobile phone)
Japanese Uncle: Summimasen?? Hmm... aaaaa..... oooo... Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa SO!!!!
Lengcai: (this is soooo embarrassing... kill me... kill me now.....)
Japanese Uncle: Arigato! Arigato!! (the kids got cellulite?? LOL)

- relatively cheap
- hot tingling sensation
- smells like orange peel
- skin feels smooth after application


Yves Rocher 3D Body Definition Serum
- mum got this for me..
- claims to transform bumpy, orange-peel skin into an ultra-smooth texture in just 7 days
- Forgotten how much this was. Definitely < RM100
- Not much feeling on my butt... and the smell is irritating although its actually lightly scented. but, I think this works better than the Sana one! Cos the bumpy texture on my butt seems to be less visible... Hmm... then again... maybe its the massager...