mama amir

New Life

2012-01-16T01:52:00.000-08:00

I feels really bad for not putting up any update in this blog. Seems like forever since I last post on this blog. I even forgot the password. *sigh*

So many things had happened since I my last entry. Many seems has long fade my memories. This entry mainly to simplify many of those sweet and bitter moment.

I made a major change in my career. There was definitely a moment where I clearly said to myself that this is the end of it but in my heart I truly love this job and now I am a working mum again. I recently moved to Singapore with the whole clans but only managed to stay for almost 3 months due to the expensive cost of living. We decided to move back to JB where I drove back and forth from JB to Singapore everyday *another sigh* but we are much better off in JB. Sometimes I lost count of how many times we actually moving houses. As my husband said, we are the 'nomad'..hehe

I guess its never easy to get back on your job after a long break. Both mentally and physically challenging to me. I guess the hardest things I had to do as a full-time housewife was planning my weekly meals menu but now everyday there are always new things to learn, novice skills to acquire and the lists goes on. I am thankful that I have the husband that has been very supportive and understanding and remains calms and collected during our greatest predicament. Always my greatest strength and source of comfort

We actually just went back from a one-week holiday. I used my annual leave last week and we both had a great time at Pangkor Island Beach Resort and then Taiping and lastly Cameroon Highlands. Wish my holiday was longer.

I tried and tested a lot of beauty products. Some great and cheap beauty steals like Safi Rania Gold and much expensive Murad products. I'll try to post as many reviews after this in this blog

I hope that its not too late to wish Happy New Year to all. May all our wishes and resolutions come true. InsyaAllah..

Review of Avon Eye Creams and cleanser

2011-04-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

After I finished my Olay eye cream, I decided to try out the eye creams from Avon. And I'm hooked. I tried the Anew Clinical Eye Lift after reading many good review on this eye cream and I like it a lot. I'm on my 3rd jar now. I bought the other eye cream, Advanced Eye Perfector because it was sold so cheap at my local Avon store (RM10) and I like it too. Now I'm using both and loving it!

Avon ANEW Clinical Eye Lift

Product Description:

Visibly lifts the brow bone, upper and under eye areas. Includes Upper Eye/Brow Bone Gel and Under Eye Cream.

Brow Bone/Upper Eye Gel with Dimensional Lift Technology is formulated to firm brow bone area, to help provide an instant lift and to instantly help the brow bone area feel tighter

Under Eye Cream with Derma-Refine Technology and Sweet Almond Extract to instantly minimizes visible under eye shadowing. After 4 weeks, reduces dark circles & crepiness

As you can this product has two separate compartment. The first compartment is the brown/orange gel for the upper eye and the yellow cream for the under eye area. The orange gel contains Sweet Almond Extract, Caffeine, pomegranate juice with olive, coffee and fennel extract. It helps to tighten the upper eye area and prevent sagging. The yellow cream contains Shea butter, sweet almond extract, coconut and pomegranate juice, olive, grape and carrot extract, Biotin (vitamin B7) and Ceramide to help with dark circles and fine lines.

I loved this eye cream and I can see myself using this for a long time. It absorb really well on the skin and it instantly reduce the appearance of dark circle and brighten the under eye area. I can't really tell the effect of the upper eye gel because I don't have any problem on that area but for this just take away all my fine lines instantly. I think this helps my under eye area a lot. I noticed the appearance of my dark circles and fine lines has reduced since using this. This eye cream doesn't mix well with compact powder foundation. You need to put on a liquid foundation/concealer on top of your eye creams first before your compact powder. I wish this come in tube or pump because its not very hygienic to dip your fingers inside the jar. The smell is neutral to me. Not frangrance-y or chemical-y to me. I always bought this when there is promotion. Usually around RM45+-RM55. You can get much cheaper if you're an Avon member. This last me quite a while. Maybe a good two months with frequent use. This is the first Avon product that I actually love and will continue using ;))

Avon Solutions Advanced Eye Perfector with Peptides

Product description:

For normal/combination skin. This soothing gel refreshes and revives the eye area. Minimizes the appearance of under eye bags and helps brighten dark circles. Hypoallergenic. Dermatologist-tested. Fragrance-free.

The eye gel comes in orange in color and the smell is refreshing. This contains Witch Hazel Extract, Sweet Almond, Bitter orange and Sunflower seed extract, Caffeine, Vitamin A, B and C. The ingredients are equally as good as Anew Clinical Lift and it absorb well too. I like this eye cream but probably not as much as Anew Clinical Lift. The difference is that this eye cream take a bit longer to absorb compared to the Anew eye cream. This is a cheap replacement for my Anew eye but equally good. I actually put this in my refrigerator and once I put this under my eye, it instantly cool down my area, reduce the appearance of dark circles and fine lines.

Avon ANEW Perfect Cleanser

I actually got this cleanser for free with my Anew eye cream purchase. I actually don't have much expectation for this cleanser but I like it. This cleanser come in a clear gel and it foams and take off my makeup really well too. I was using the L'oreal Hydrafresh Cleanser (also in green tube and clear gel) at the same time and I find that Avon cleanser is way better than the L'oreal cleanser. This cleanser make my skin so soft and non-drying. My face felt a bit tight and drying after cleansing with the L'oreal cleanser. All in all, I like this cleanser a lot and might come back to this again and again.

Review of Artistry Essentials Polishing Scrub and Artistry Skin Refinishing Lotion

2011-04-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a review of other Artistry products that I've tried. The Artistry Essentials Polishing Scrub and Artistry Skin Refinishing Lotion.

Artistry Essential Polishing Scrub

Product Description:

The Polishing Scrub is a new formulation that gently exfoliates the skin. Its refreshing fragrance is a treat for your senses. A transparent blue foaming gel with dual exfoliation beads and a refreshing tangerine-berry fragrance.

I bought this together with the rest of Artistry Balancing set after reading good reviews on this product. The scrub contains hydrogenated jojoba beads and smells nice. The scrub has blue and white spherical beads in transparent gel. I tend to go for scrub with spherical beads because its more gentle compared to harsh scrub like Apricot scrub. It foams well and the scrub is not as harsh to me. I like this scrub but I don't really see any improvement with this product. In fact after I used this scrub more than 2 times a week, this scrub cause some redness on my face from over-exfoliation. The problem is that this scrub doesn't get rid a few dry flakes around my nose. An okay scrub but a bit overprice I think.

Artistry Skin Refinishing Lotion

Product Description:

Artistry scientists learned that Oat Extract is very effective at increasing cell turnover without acids. Time Defiance Skin Refinishing Lotion contains Sugar and Algae with Oat Extract, all three ingredients act synergistically to dramatically increase cell turnover.

Time Defiance Skin Refinishing Lotion contains patent-pending specialized Oat Extract and an exclusive Sugar derivative complex and Algae Extract. It also contains Nutrilite-approved green tea extract and exclusive artistry Hydrolipid Matrix.

I was so excited to try this serum because of its best-selling reputation. This is the serum from the Time Defiance line, the anti-ageing line from this brand. And this cause clogged pores and breakout on my face. What a disappointment! The one thing I like about this is the packaging. The luxurious-looking golden cap and the pump. Hygienic and its easy to dispense the serum. One pump is enough to cover the whole face. The smell is okay. The serum has a creamy yellow color. This serum has the typical silicone-y feeling. It absorb well but this make my face so oily and since I broke out from this serum, I stopped.I have high expectation on Artistry but nothing special. Its quite over-price and for the price, I can easily find something better and cheaper than Artistry. So long Artistry!!

Review of Origins High Potency Night- A- Mins

2011-04-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

I watched this video on Youtube from Beauty Consultants (Ada and Arlene) on their HG night cream, Origins High Potency Night- A-Mins. Since I was looking for a good night cream, I decided to try this. I've never tried anything from Origins line and was excited to check out this line. I had no luck finding a good night cream before because all the night cream that I've tried were causing too much oiliness on my face and causing so much discomfort and difficulties to fall asleep at night. Most of the time I ended up washing my face and sleep with nothing.

Product Description:

Let the hypnotic aromas of nature’s nightcaps summon the sandman. Newly-formulated with extra vitamins (including B-complex, C, E and A), extra minerals and exfoliating extracts, this mega moisture cream fortifies skin’s own nocturnal nature to help it repair damage done by day and rebuild itself to face tomorrow. Worn out cells are gently released to reveal brighter, more youthful texture and tone. Skin awakens rested, renewed and richly replenished.

So, onto this lotion. This is the lotion version of the Origins High Potency Night- A-Mins. They also have the cream version for dry skin. Since I have combination skin, I decided to try the lotion instead. The first thing I like about this lotion is the smell. SOoo divine. It has a citrus-y smell, like those in aromatherapy oil. I fell in love instantly. This lotion absorb so well on my face. Doesn't leave a sticky oily feeling. I don't have any trouble falling asleep with this and my face wasn't too oily when I woke up in the morning. In fact I noticed that this lotion make my skin soft and glowing in the morning. The packaging is hygienic. Its a bit difficult to get the product out from the small hole especially when not much left in the bottle. It has all the anti-oxidants that are important for the skin. Almost the perfect night cream. The problem was that this broke me out after a few weeks. Arrgggghhh... I was so in love with this night cream but once I stopped using this, my face cleared up. Maybe this wasn't the right lotion for my skin but I think its worth trying especially for those who still looking for a good night cream. So the hunt for my HG night cream continue!!

Review of Artistry Product (The Balancing Set)

2011-03-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to review Artistry products from Amway that I've been using for the past few months. I decided to try this because I wanted to find a cheaper skincare replacement for my SK-II. Artistry is a brand from Amway, one of the famous MLM/direct-selling in the world. Artistry products are not readily available at any local stores/pharmacy and you need to contact one of the Independent Business Operator (IBO) or contact Amway Headquarter directly. So, looking at the range of Artistry product, I decided to try the Balancing series, for normal/combination skin. I bought the Balancing Lotion first because I'm not sure whether this brand will be suitable for my skin or not. It works very well for my skin and so as the whole set. Here is the review of the rest of the Artistry product I used.

Artistry Balancing Set

Product Description:
Exclusive Tri-Balance Complex (unique phytonutrients and natural micro-sponge technology) in the Balancing System helps balance and normalise the skin’s water-to-oil ratio with 3 unique compounds: Dessert Hydration Complex, Balancing Matrix Complex and Hydrolipid Matrix (HLM)

Dessert Hydration Complex: A blend of naturally derived botanical ingredients to enhance skin’s moisture content and help hold it in.

Balancing Matrix Complex: Featuring Acerola Cherry Fibre that helps control shine and reduces the appearance and production of surface oil.

Hydrolipid Matrix: Humectant / emollient combination designed to maintain optimum moisture balance.

Artistry Balancing Lotion

Product description: Unique micro-sponge and mattifying powders absorb excess oil and diminish shine, and oil production and balances moisture levels all day long. Enhancing the skin’s own natural protection mechanism, this lightweight lotion offers unparalleled protection to shield and defend from environmental assaults and UV rays with a patent-pending complex – Aura of Protection.

On Artistry Balancing Lotion, I liked this lotion because it absorbed well, smell really nice and and this helps with a few minor breakout I had. Despite what it said about controlling-oil properties, I'm not sure whether this lotion does that. It leaves a dewy finish but this lotion doesn't control my oil production as well as I wanted. I looked really oily after 2 hours or so. And fortunately this doesn't cause any breakout on my skin. Overall I like this lotion very much because it has SPF 15 protection and it gave a good moisture on my face.

Artistry Balancing Cleanser

Product description: Natural cleansing agents gently whisk away excess sebum, dirt and debris without stripping the skin. This cleanser/exfoliator-in-one clears and clarifies as it evens tone and texture. Surface dullness is improved, leaving skin revived and refreshed immediately after cleansing.

Move on to Artistry Balancing Cleanser. This is also a good cleanser. It cleanse really well and smell nice too. It has a gel consistency and removed my make-up well. It was quite difficult at first to work with this cleanser because it doesn't foam as well as I like. So, instead on using the cleanser directly on my face, I rubbed the cleanser between my palms and it foams really well after that. Quite a nice cleanser to me.

Artistry Balancing Toner

Product description: This unique toner optimises the skin’s own ability to control oil throughout the day. Revealing clearer, smoother skin ready to receive the benefits of the Balancing Lotion, it leaves skin feeling refreshed, toned and with a fresh matte finish.

The Artistry Balancing Toner is a bit strange to me at first. This toner has two parts, a clear green solution on top and white solution on the bottom. You need to shake it well before using this. It smells really nice too. The problem is that this toner doesn't exactly do what it suppose to do which is to control oil. I see no difference using lotion with or without the toner. I think you can find a cheaper drug store toner easily to replace this toner. Nothing that special about it

All in all, I think this is a great simple 1-2-3 steps of skincare for combination/oily skin. However I don't think that this system delivered the best for controlling oilies and breakouts. It doesn't give you that flat matte looks but not the best at controlling oil either. Garnier oil-control lotion beat this up easily. And because these products are not easily available at the store, I felt not worth it to continue using it. Its a good essential line especially for younger people but not sure about the anti-ageing benefits of this product long-term. To me this provide a good simple moisture which I can simply replace with other cheaper and easily accessible products.

Update again..

2011-01-28T05:52:00.000-08:00

Its been such a long long time that that I update anything in this blog. My laptop broke down and problem with Streamyx coverage and so on that I totally forgot that I have a blog..hahaha. We moved back to Shah Alam, very near to our families home because we feel that there were nothing else left for us in Cheras. And I think this is the best decision we made. We officially moved out last month to Shah Alam and I've been very busy cleaning and arranging stuff at our new house. Amir seemed to be very happy since my mum's house is just next door so he has lots of uncle and 'nenek' and 'atuk' to play with. We celebrated his birthday on 22nd January this month. He is officially 2 years old now and he certainly make my husband and I occupied with his new development.

New year resolution? I don't know. I never really talked about a New Year resolution because it usually just the same thing every year...hehe. You know things like losing weight, more money and striving career, more love and happiness and all. We all want it all year around and not just new year. I'm hoping for a more prosperous year for our family, hoping to have a clear sense of direction for myself, my career and my study because I sometimes have no idea what I wanna do in life. I don't know. So many uncertainties and 'what if' that just complicate things.

I wanted to do so many product reviews. I will try to make time for the next few weeks I hope. I started a new skin care regime a few months back with Artistry which I religiously used but I ended up not liking it. I think its an okay line but nothing special. I've been loving a new line, Origins and hoping to try out more products from this line. The smell of the products are just divine and yummy. I LIKE!..hehe

That's all now from me now. Bye..

Publish Post

Update..

2010-11-15T22:36:00.000-08:00

Just a short update from me. My sis-in law just gave birth to a baby boy on 14th of November last week. She gave birth at 32 weeks, earlier than expected. The baby is still in the hospital and need nutritional support through feeding tube but the baby is showing positive signs. I'm hoping it won't be long till he discharge home. And Selamat Hari Raya Aidul Adha to all. May this Eid brings lots and lots of happiness to my family. InsyaAllah..

Take care...

Pre-birthday celebration @ Bora Ombak

2010-11-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

Last nite we went out for dinner at Bora Ombak @ Ampang. The ambience of the restaurant was amazing with Bali-inspired deco. We choose to sit under one of the hut for some privacy. The pricing was quite affordable as well. We ordered quite a lot for two and a half people and it was delicious especially the Seafood Thai Tom Yam. We'll definitely be back for more.hehe Thank you sayang ;))

Amir was extra 'manja' with abah

Amir trying really hard to pull some serious seductive pose

Amir's model style

Amir and mak

Seafood Thai Tomyam

Kailan with salted fish

Balinese Sate with tumeric rice

Fresh 'ulam'

French fries

Thai Chicken Pandan

Express Lunch Menu: Simple Pizza Bread

2010-11-04T04:22:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to cook a spagetti for amir and pizza bread for myself. Its so easy to prepare. Of course amir loves his spagetti and eat like a champion.hehe..here are some photos of him eating spagetti..

Do you want some mak?...erkkk! no thanx sayang

Yummy spagetti and chicken nuggets

Yummmmmyy..

Trying to pose cute with fork..

And here is the recipe for making a simple Pizza bread..


The ingredients: Bread, Hot Dog, Spagetti sauce, Mayonnaise, Cheese, Mix Veges, and Garlic Spread

Preheat oven at 150 degrees

Spread some butter/margarine on the pan

Spread some garlic spread/butter on the bread

Generous amount of spagetti sauce

And lots of hot dog

Add some mix veges

Some mayonnaise won't hurt

Last but not least..cheese

Baked in the oven at 170-200 degrees for 10 mins

Done...Mangiamo!! (let's eat in Italian)..yum yum

Review of SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil

2010-11-03T03:09:00.000-07:00

In this post, I'm going to review the SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil. I've been using cleansing oil since few years back as I started using makeup a lot. Some people think that cleansing oil is more of a luxury beauty product but I think of it as an essential item. Since I started using cleansing oil, I never had any problem with makeup. Some people have problems like acne, clogged pores and duller complexion using makeup because I think they didn't clean their makeup properly. It might looked clean after cleansing but its actually not. You really need a good cleansing oil to clean your make-up properly. Most foundation claimed to be oil-free but its actually very hard to find an oil-free liquid foundation. Oil is very important in making foundation because the oil actually make the foundation sticks longer and better on your skin and helps to better preserve the shelf life of the foundation. So, its very important that you use a good moisturizer on your face before your foundation so that the foundation sticks on your moisturizer and not directly on your skin and also to remove them properly.

Oil loves oil and oil hates water and that's why they are called 'hydrophobic'. So, since most liquid foundation have some oil in it, using cleansing oil will helps to attract the oil from the skin because oil loves oil remember? Cleansing oil will dissolve all the makeup on your face and get rid of most makeup even the stubborn waterproff makeup. Previously I used Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse and I like it as well as this one. If you like your cleansing oil to smell nice, choose Dermalogica cleansing because it smell really nice. This one smell okay to me. But both cleanse really well. I heard the Shu Uemura Cleansing oil is pretty good as well

About this cleansing oil, it comes in a pump, hence a plus for this product. With full face makeup, you probably need about 2 pumps. What I usually do is, I clean my makeup with wet wipes. I used the one from Tesco because its really cheap but doesn't matter. Any wet wipes to remove the makeup. After that you only need one pump of this cleansing oil to remove the rest of it so that you can save on your cleansing oil because they usually pretty expensive but lasts a long long time. I bought this cleansing oil 6 months ago and I still have 60% left.

So, I did a little beauty experiment with this cleansing oil just to show you how it worked.

Here is all the item I used: Bobbi Brown palette, Dior foundation, Mac lipstick and SK-II cleansing oil

Bobbi brown has among the best eye shadow I've tried. They last a long time even without primer.

Put all the makeup on my hand- not in a good way

Put one pump of SK-II cleansing oil

Massage the cleansing oil in gentle circular motion. It dissolves all the makeup instantly


Put a bit of water and continue massaging the skin. It helps the cleansing oil emulsify into a milky solution and help the cleansing oil to penetrate the skin deeply to remove all the makeup from your pores


Take a wipe and remove all the makeup and followed with cleansing with your favorite cleanser

It might seemed like a long process but it does clean your makeup really well. That's all...bye

Express Lunch Menu: Chicken Mayo Sandwich

2010-11-03T01:23:00.000-07:00

Today menu for lunch is a simple Chicken Mayo Sandwich. Its delicious, easy to prepare and healthy too. Did I mention that its sooooooo yummy? hehe. Here is how its done..

The ingredients:
Boiled bone-less chicken meat
Mayonnaise
Mixed veges
Cheese
Bread
Salad

Add two spoons of mayonnaise to the chicken and blend in the mixer

Add mix veges and sprinkle some pepper if you like it hot


Put half slice/slice of cheese on the bread

Add salad to make it looks like a 'healthy' dish

And then put all the yummy stuff on top of it

Done.Bon Appetit! Yummy..

Review of L'oreal Derma Genesis Pore Minimising Smoother Scrub

2010-11-03T00:57:00.000-07:00

This is a review of the L'oreal Derma Genesis Pore Minimising Smoother Scrub from Derma Genesis line. This scrub contains BHA and polishing micro-beads to smooth, refresh and brighten skin. What I like about this scrub is that it is a clay-based scrub that helps to purify and control oil production on the face. Clay-based cleanser/scrub/mask are usually used to deep cleanse the skin.This scrub has tiny red and white micro-beads to gently exfoliate the epidermal (outer layer of the skin). Not only that, it also has BHA (salicylic acid) that help to minimize pore by penetrating deep into the pore. I think this a good scrub, not great. This scrub is not harsh on skin and to be used daily after cleansing.However, I don't see any improvement on my pores or my whiteheads. I have a few whitehead on my nose area and this scrub doesn't help to reduce any of that. This scrub can be a bit drying because of the clay. Clay (or kaolin) is very good mattifying agent and it does a good job to absorb oil and making your face less oily throughout the day but at the same time can be a bit drying. I'm still searching for a good and cheaper replacement of my HG scrub, Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub which to me is the best scrub out there. Its not as harsh as St Ives Apricot scrub but not as soft as this scrub. But for the price, it still a good scrub and worth buying.

Pics of me and my baby son, Amir

2010-11-02T03:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the photos of me and my baby son Amir taken last weekend. Everytime I tried to snap a photo of us, he will pose like a model. Acting cute. I know he's cute. So adorable....Sayang Amir..muahxx

Review of Garnier Light Oil Control Whitening Cream

2010-11-02T03:16:00.000-07:00

This is a review of an exciting addition to the Garnier Whitening Line, Garnier Light Oil Control Whitening Cream. I think this is a great cheap product for people who has issue both with tone and acne/shine. It promise 8hr shine-free look and at the same time, whitens skin, visibly lighten acne marks and reduces excess oil. It contained natural AHA- ingredients from pure lemon essence to exfoliate and BHA- (salicylic acid) to help acne prone skin. This product has almost a mousse-y texture and smells divine. I loved the lemon-y smell of this lotion. So refreshing. What I like about this product is that, it really does control oil as it claimed. Almost TOO well. With this cream, you really need to spread the cream really quickly because it dries up too fast and gave almost too matte look.I don't have that much issue with oily skin but this cream act just like a sponge that absorbs all the oil in your face and this is why I don't like to use this cream. It dries my skin like crazy and when I used my foundation on top of this cream, the foundation just didn't spread easily because there are not much moist left on the skin for the foundation to cling onto.And if you used too much of the cream, it will started to dust out a little bit from your face which I hate. I don't think this has SPF as well. Having said that, I recommended this product for those people who just tired of oily face and this is so damn cheap as well. I like it but I don't think I'm going to repurchase. As far as the lightening/whitening effect, I'm not sure. I've tried this whole line and honestly said, I don't see much improvement in my skin tone. Maybe you need to use this really consistently like for a year or so. I guess, for the price, its quite reasonable.

Just wanna add, this reminds me so much of an Olay Total Effect with salicylic acid version for the acne prone skin which I loved so much. It has been discontinued in most pharmacy/store in Malaysia but I saw this product sold at a few Giant stores but not a lot. I think this is a good product for younger people battling with acne and at the same time wanted to keep ageing at bay, Olay Total Effect with Salicylic acid is the way to go and Garnier Light Oil Control for tone problem. All in all, this is a good product. Worth a try ;))

Review of Olay and L'oreal Eye Cream

2010-11-02T02:17:00.000-07:00

Its been such a long time I haven't write any product review but today I'm going to move my lazy and stiff fingers and wrote a review on few products that I've tried. And on this post I'm going to write a review on two drug store eye creams that I've used. First is the Olay White Radiance Eye Serum.

Olay White Radiance eye serum is part of Cellucent Fairness Line (previously known as White Radiance) which is the whitening/lightening line from this brand. This serum is light-weight, almost odourless,doesn't sting my eyes and absorb really well on eye area.The secret behind Olay White Radiance line is the Cellucent Whitening active- a combination of Niacinamide, Pro-Vitamin B5, vitamin E and Hesperidin to inhibit melanin production, nourish skin and prevent premature aging to ensure a naturally lighter, translucent complexion that radiates fairness from deep within. This eye serum worked to lessen the appearance of dark circles, minimize puffiness of eye bags and fight overall dullness for radiant skin around the eye area. I like this serum because it does give a good moisture to my eye area and makes concealer blend really well but after using this for few months, I don't think this serum improves any dark circle or puffiness or whatsoever. It does have an instant brightening effect but doesn't last long. I'm pretty disappointed with this eye serum because I probably expect a little bit more from Olay but if you need a good eye cream just to moisturize the eye area, this is a good one I think. Just don't expect this to do anything more than that. Generally, I like the packaging. Its hygienic and easy to dispense the right amount of product from the container.

The second eye cream that I've tried is the L'oreal White Perfect Double Eye Zone Brightener. This product is part of L'oreal White Perfect Re-Lighting Whitening line. This is a two steps system where there are two different compartment in the product. The first ingredient (the blue compartment) is the first step of the system, which is the anti-dark circle gel contains rich Peptide Complex, encouraging blood circulation around the eye area and caffeine to help with dark circle and puffiness. The second ingredients which is the second step of the product (the white compartment) is the whitening cream that has optical diffusers along with Niacinamide, Shea Butter, and Caffeine which makes the eye area instantly brighter and well moisturised. The cream is quite thick especially in comparison to the Olay eye serum and it does give an instant brightening effect under the eye area but sadly no long lasting effect.When I first started using this, I like it. It absorbs really well, doesn't sting my eye area but after almost a week, I noticed a few milias and redness under my eye area. So, I stopped using this cream immediately and the milias and redness has lessened and until now I'm afraid to use this cream again.I liked this eye cream but I don't appreciate having milias under my area. I might not be using this cream anymore because I think this eye cream is a bit too heavy for my eye area.

All in all, I prefer the Olay eye serum more than the L'oreal eye brightener simply because the L'oreal one is not suitable for my skin. I find it very difficult to find and eye cream that really worked. Most eye cream are overpriced and not to mention small amount of product. I've used sample of high end eye cream such as La Mer which stings my eyes like acid, I almost believe that I'm going to lose my vision and over-priced Estee Lauder Advanced Eye Repair which does nothing except a simple moisture which I can also get from cheaper drug store brand. Eye area is very complex and sadly the first thing that give away our age and so far, I'm still trying to find affordable eye cream that actually worked and not just some over-hyped product sthat sell empthy promises...So melodramatic...hahah!

My experience with Bell's Palsy..

2010-10-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

Bell's Palsy is NOT fun.I noticed strange feeling on the left side of my face two weeks ago. When I smile or laugh, it felt so unnatural and my left eye was watery and painful. I also noticed that I couldn't puff my cheek, can't spit and even the left side of my tongue felt numb. At first I thought it was nothing and will improved in no time but it doesn't. And every time I had my bath, my left eye was so painful because the shampoo just kept pouring into my eyes.It had to physically use my hands to properly close the left eye. After a few days and still no improvement, my hubby took me to the clinic. She referred me to a neurologist. I made an appointment to see a neurologist at KPJ Shah Alam and she once again confirmed the diagnosis and started me on high dose of steroid and anti-viral. I had to take 13 tablets/day all together for 5 days. Yuck. The steroid came in 5mg tablet and I had to take 8 /day and 5 half tablets of the anti-viral (acyclovir). The steroid was the worst. I vomited a few time because it left such strange taste even after I swallowed the tablet. I completed my meds and after 10 days, my face went back to normal again. Now I can smile like normal again. What a relief ;))

Weekend FOTD

2010-10-04T00:07:00.000-07:00

Took this photo with beloved son before we went out. Very simple, minimalist makeup.

Face:
SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
Artistry Balancing Lotion
Dior Extreme Fit in 030
Mac Select MoistureCover in NC30
MAC Prep+Prime Loose Powder
Bobbi Brown 'pink' blush

Eye:
Bobbi Brown collection (came in a 04 palette with blush and lip gloss)
Maybelline Volume Express Mascara

Lips:
Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lip Balm
Mac Lustre Lipstick

So happy that everyone loves my Almond and Oreo Choc Fudge and even asked for the recipe.Yeayyy!!hihi :)

Peniaga pasar malam kurang ajar..

2010-10-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

Marah. Geram. Kecewa. Rasa bengang giler malam ni. Saya and husband gi lah pasar malam dekat2 CIMB cheras (near padang sekolah dkt hukm). After kitorg round satu pasar tu amir asyik tgk2 mainan dkt pasar. Saya pun bawak amir tgk2 mainan kat tempat jual mainan tu sementara husband beli spring potato.Penjual tu mmg tak mesra langsung. Masa sy tgh tgk2 satu mainan kereta ni, sy try lah bukak depan kereta tu. Kereta tu mcm blh jd transformer and sy pun bukak sikit part depan kereta tu. Dia tiba2 ckp, tak blh bukak, takut rosak. Sy pun pelik. Mcm mana blh rosak plk. And then husband sy pun tengok2 kereta tu jgk and then dia ckp kereta tu dh rosak, dh tak blh tutup. Dia suruh kitorg beli jgk kereta tu sbb part yg terbukak tu dh tak blh nak tutup. So, my husband pun ckp kat dia mcm mana nak repair kereta tu sbb dh rosak mcm tu and dia pun patut lah letak sign kat situ tak blh pegang sbb cepat rosak. And then dia kata tak kira lah sbb dh rosak kitorg kena bayar jgk.Tiba2 dia pegi hempaskan kat jalan kereta tu. Berkecai. Melampau betul. Ape lagi kitorg pun naik bengang lah dgn dia. My husband pun yg dr tadi try cakap baik2 terus sound dkt dia. Sebagai customer dia tak boleh buat mcm tu. Mmg heated argument dkt peniaga tu. Tak pernah tengok husband marah macam tu. Tapi saya pun dah rasa nak meletup jgk kat situ. Tapi dia mmg terduduk lah tak dpt nak balas balik. Mgkn dia malu. My husband pun bagi kat dia 10 ringgit. Nah, amik sgt duit ni. Bagi dia malu skit.Ambik jgk, tak menolak pun. Mmg kecewa sgt peniaga mcm ni. Dia dah lah meniaga barang2 mainan utk kanak2, tapi perangai dia tak mcm peniaga langsung. Dia dah lah dah tua tapi perangai macam budak kecik. Macam tulah amir biler dia grumpy. Campak2 barang. Serik saya and husband nak dtg balik kat situ. Orang melayu pulak tu. Manalah budi bahasa dia. Kalau dia buat camtu kat anak2 dia takpelah, tapi ni dgn customer. Peniaga mcm ni mmg lah takkan kaya sampai biler2. Customer dia layan mcm orang gaji dia. Sesiapa yang pergi pasar ni, TOLONG lah jangan beli barang2 mainan dekat peniaga tu. Nasib baiklah ader kuew teow yang sedap sgt. Berbaloi jugak.hehe. Amir pun happy sangat dapat kereta Ben 10 dia yg kitorg beli kat kedai lain. Tengok dia mcm takut2 je masa nak beli kereta kat kedai lagi satu tu. Mgkin dia trauma pun.Rosak mood dibuatnya. Apepun, bukan rezeki amir nak dpt kereta transformer tu.

My Yummy Guilty Pleasure: Almond and Oreo Chocolate Fudge

2010-10-02T04:05:00.000-07:00

Chocolate is the best comfort food you can ever have. Chocolate has been known to increase the level of serotonin and endorphin ("happy hormone") in your brain and has mild anti-depressant effect. I used to eat lots and lots of chocolate when I was a bit younger but now I still enjoy my chocolate so much but in moderation. Today I'm doing an almond and Oreo chocolate fudge and it taste so delicious. This is the easiest recipe for fudge and it so simple to prepare. Just a perfect weekend indulgence. Yummy!

So, here is the ingredients:
400g of cooking chocolate
450g of sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoon of oil
Half cup of diced almond
One cup of crushed Oreo biscuit (without the cream)

Steps:
1. Using a slow fire, melt the chocolate and then add condensed milk, oil and stir well

2. Add almond and Oreo biscuit and stir again

3. Transfer to bowl
4. Refrigerate until its hardened. DONE!

Yummy Yummy!!

I'm going to get another bite of this yummy fudge. Bye

p/s: just wanna let my beloved hubby know that I loved him to bits ;))

Jalan2 hujung minggu...

2010-09-25T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hari ni jalan2 jap kat shopping centre Empire, Subang yang baru bukak tu. Saje2.Nampak cam best je. Chili's kat KLCC tu selalu je penuh. Tgk takdelah ramai sgt orang, so hubby kata jom singgah makan kat Chili's. Amir dan abah makan burger and fries. Saya pulak makan rib eye stik. Sedap, tapi tak habis jgk.hehe. Sedap lah burger yang guna daging yg dibuat sendiri. Tp maybe lack herb sikit lah. Rasa blend sgt. Mashed potato dgn gravy dier pulak yg sedap giler.hehe. Anyway, mmg berbaloi lah makan kat sini. Empire Shopping Centre ni nampak cam besar tp dalam kecik je. Kedai pun takdelh byk sgt lg. Thanx syg sbb belanja..hehe ;))

Dah lapar dah ni!

Ni boleh makan tak mak?

Amir dgn mak..senyum tunjuk gigi yang mahal tu

Suami tersayang....

Amir nak!

Nyum nyum..

Sedap!

Nak! nak!

Makanan kami..(ader tangan amir cuba nak curi fries)


Naik kete jap dgn abah and Mr Teddy Bear

Sekian...

Updated product reviews...

2010-09-22T03:28:00.000-07:00

I just wanna update on my reviews of a few products that I used. The first product is the SK-II Cellumination Essence which I think is probably a bit rich on my skin to be used every day and was causing a few clogged pores. So, I reduce the usage of this essence to probably only 2-3 times a week and focus on several spots (acne marks and pigmented spots) rather than the whole face.

Same goes for Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid which I think causing breakout on my face. So, I decided to use it like once everyday as a mask but no improvement. I really like this product but its probably too rich for my skin. After I stopped using this, my skin improved. So, this is probably not suitable for my skin. But this probably great for people with dry skin because I noticed my skin looks more hydrated (probably too much!) from using this.

The next product that I want to review is from Hada Labo range as well, the Hada Labo AHA + BHA cleanser. I've used several AHA/BHA- based products previously such as MD Forte, SK-II, Dermalogica and L'oreal and I loved it. I preferred a chemical exfoliation much more than physical exfoliation and AHA/BHA- containing products are just the great way to achieve a glowing skin. Even though some people believe that using the AHA/BHA based cleanser will not be as effective due to the short duration of skin exposure to the AHA/BHA ingredients, I decided to give it a try anyway because it was pretty cheap for a drugstore brand. I didn't really care much about cleanser anyway because as long as the cleanser cleanse well, I don't mind at all. So, I decided to try this and after using it for almost 1+ months, all I can say this is a crappy cleanser.I used a lot of heavy-duty make up and because this product doesn't clean well, I ended up with dry, clogged pore and breakout even though I used cleansing oil to clean my makeup.The texture of this cleanser is creamy, foams well but it leave the skin tight and dry after that. Even though I have combination/oily skin, this cleanser just stripped the moisture off my skin completely. Not exactly what I want in a cleanser. As I said before, this doesn't clean the skin well and if you used a lot of foundation, this is a terrible product for you. I stopped using this and my skin improved after that. So, no more HADA LABO for me. Bye bye. hehe

The next product that I want to review is one of my favourite cleanser, the L'oreal White Perfect Re-Lighting Whitening cleanser as shown by my cute model. hehe. This is by far the best drugstore cleanser I've tried. I've been searching for a good drugstore cleanser but none cleanse as well as this one. This cleanser is comparable to other high-end cleanser such as SK-II and Estee Lauder. Actually this cleanser reminds me so much of Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Splash Away cleanser in term of the texture and smell. I'm on my third tube and I even gave one to my mother and she loved it. This cleanser has a creamy texture and foams so well even without cleansing oil and non-drying too.I don't mind a cheap cleanser because that means I can save more for my other products and this is definitely HG product. Not sure much about the lightening or whitening effect of this cleanser because I don't really use this cleanser for that purpose. But as cleanser, this does a great job.

Selamat Hari Raya semua ;)

2010-09-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

Rasa macam dah lama giler tak update apa2 dalam blog ni. Takde mood sgt bulan puasa tu.hehe.Hopefully tak terlambat nak wish Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and maaf zahir batin to all especially to my beloved husband, son and families.Ini lah first time sy and husband beraya kat malaysia sebagai suami isteri and first time selepas 6 tahun sy beraya kat msia sebab duduk kat melbourne. Rasanya mmg best lah beraya kat msia ni berbanding kat melb dulu. Biasanya hari raya first je sy beraya kat sana, pastu dah takde pape. Ader jgk yg sy tak beraya langsung sbb exam exactly time hari raya pertama. Itulah adat anak perantau namanya..hehe. Tradisi raya sy mmg wajib call mak abah (and boyfriend..hehe) malam raya tu and masak ala kadar je. Kdg2 tak masak langsung..hehe

Raya ni sy bersyukur sbb kitorg dpt beraya dgn semua family. Happy sgt tgk Amir dapat beraya dgn nenek, atok and makcik pakcik and sedara2 yg lain. Persiapan kami pun ala kadar je.

Yang menyedihkan raya tahun ni ialah kisah jutawan kosmetik, Datok Sosilawati Lawiya dan empat individu lain yang dengan kejam telah ditangkap, dipukul sehingga mati dan dibakar. Sangat sadis dan kejam.Modus operandi suspek menunjukkan dia mmg dh banyak kali buat benda ni (reported dia dh pernah bunuh 17 org sebelum ni) and mmg takde belas kasihan langsung. Semoga roh2 mereka dicucuri rahmat dan diampunkan dosa. Kerana wang ringgit manusia buta hati sehingga sanggup membunuh manusia lain. Nauzubillah.

Apepun selamat hari raya to all again and semoga syawal kali ni membawa keberkatan dalam hidup kita semua..;))

What do you want to wear for raya?

2010-08-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

O M G! I'm so green with envy looking at the beautiful kaftan dresses wore by these ladies. I want one too..hehe. Modern kaftan is definitely the current trend today. Its so comfortable, fashionable and just looked at the beautiful embellishment! Kaftan definitely has been modernized and no longer known as 'baju kelawar' only. 'Baju kelawar' is definitely very comfortable to use in bed even though so NOT sexy because it has such good 'aeration' almost weightless.haha.But the modern kaftan are so expensive probably around RM2000- RM4000!No way.Way out of my budget for a dress. So, I guess I just have to 'cuci mata' jelah looking at these dresses.

Exfoliation- is it a must?

2010-08-20T01:33:00.000-07:00

I've been a long and firm believer that there are only three essential steps in caring for your skin: cleanser, toner and then moisturizer.Only for the past few years that I heard this word 'exfoliation' and its crucial function to our skin because all healthy skin has its own turnover rate and shed dead skin cells (stratum corneum) every 21-28 days. But as we aged, the turnover rate is slowing down and you have build up of the dead skin layer and renewal of the skin is also delayed. Not only that, exfoliation has so many great benefits to the skin. For oily skin, it helps unclogged pores, reduce sebum production and helps to clear acne. And for dry skin, it helps to remove all the dead skin cells and help better penetration of moisturizer to the skin.

There are two ways you can exfoliate your skin:

1. Physical exfoliation which as the name implied requiring a physical contact using abrasive materials such as granules, brush or washcloths. The best example will be the scrub that we used or microdermabrasion

2. Chemical exfoliation is basically using acid to 'unglue' the outer layer of the skins, increase cell turnover and removing the built-up top layers of the skin. Most commonly used acids are AHAs (glycolic, lactic, malic, citric, and tartaric acids) and BHAs (such as salicylic acid)

These two methods helps to accelerate skin turnover rate so that new healthy young skins can come to the surface. I basically have used both and personally I preferred chemical exfoliation than physical exfoliation. Its difficult to overexfoliate with chemical exfoliant because it only removed the dead skin layer and leave the healthy skin alone and produce better result. I started to use scrubs such as St. Ives Apricot Scrub which I personally hate it. Its easy to overexfoliate because the granules are so big and so harsh on facial skin and ended up with red face. Not cool. And this granules are so harsh that it damage the pores and cause them to enlarge. I know there are a lot of women out there that are afraid to use chemical exfoliant because all that are acid and you don't want to put acid on your face. Even though these are acid but they are weak acids compared to hydrochloric or sulfuric acid which can make hole on our skin. These are strong acids with pH of 1 which is damaging to skin. The weak acids on the other hands have pH of 3-4 which is not that bad.

My verdict:
1. I think exfoliation is a MUST and is as essential as cleansing or putting moisturizer on your face.If you like to use physical exfoliant, do not rub it more than 2 minutes and avoid using scrub everyday. Just use gentle circular motion every 2-3 days is enough. Avoid using scrub with big granules. For those with oily-acne prone skin, avoid scrubbing on your acne because it will just irritate it even more and try to use scrub with BHAs because while you scrubbing the dead skin cells, the salicylic can penetrate the oil in the pores and help with the blemishes/whiteheads.

2. For those who like to use chemical exfoliant, use a thin layer of the mask and gradually thickened it up if you like. Preferably used at night and don't leave it more than 15-20 mins. Always avoid the eye area and put a little bit more on the congested areas such as your nose or chin and you can also combine with physical exfoliant on these congested area by using toothbrush or washclothes. For those chemical exfoliant virgin, give it a try and it might sting and itchy like hell for the first time but be patience as the result worth the pain. Chemical exfoliant can be a bit drying and its best to follow with moisturizing mask or serum after that. For those who used chemical exfoliant regularly, you will noticed that your skin might not have much improvement after a while. This means that your skin has getting used to it and you probably need a stronger chemical exfoliant. But this means with time your skin will required higher and higher acid concentration which is probably not a good idea. My advice is to stop using it for 2 weeks and then restart again or try to change to different brand and then come back using the brand that you like.

3. For those with sensitive skin, exfoliate cautiously and always do a patch test first in case it might not suit your skin. Best to avoid physical exfoliant and use chemical exfoliant instead maybe like once a week or once in forth night.

4. And last but not least, always remember to use sunscreen at least SPF 15 as exfoliation can increase your skin sensitivity to sun exposure and you want to protect the renewed skin as much as possible.

Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Lotion .. I LIKE!!!

2010-08-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for a good product that rich in Hyaluronic acid after seeing a video of interview with beauty guru, Kate Somerville about her secret to make that 'healthy glow' on famous Hollywood celebrities before their red carpet. She said her secret was simply Hyaluronic acid. And another interesting thing she mentioned was hydration versus moisture. I thought they were the same thing. But nope. They were two different things. Our skin need hydration AND moisture not OR. Hydration come from ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid and moisture from our moisturizer/lotion. Hyaluronic acid forms a major constituent in our skin and is an effective topical humectant. It has major role in wound healing by providing a hydrated micro-environment for cell repair and its interaction with other cell factors drives collagen synthesis. Injectable hyaluronic acid (such as Restylane) has been widely used in lip augmentation and improve wrinkles by restoring dermal integrity.

Good enough right? I decided to try the Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Lotion. Hada Labo is a Japanese brand and quite new in Malaysia. I saw their products at the local pharmacy, Guardian and Watson but not all branch sell this products. After reading a few review from blog raving about it, I'm convinced. I'm a bit worried at first because I have combination/oily skin and I'm worried that this product might be too rich or oily and clogged my pores.But I decided to buy it anyway because I loved SK-II (also Japenese brand) and one bottle of these sold out in every 4 seconds in Japan.

So, I bought this lotion and after using it for 2 weeks, I'm sold out! Hello new HG!

Yup, definitely a new HG for me. I used it everyday like 3-4 times a day in hot day. Just pat and pat and pat it on my skin and let it dry. It cooled down my skin instantly. Its like giving your skin a 'drink' literally.hehe.And my skin loving it. I thought it would be too rich for my combination skin but this lotion just soaked in your skin and doesn't cause oiliness. It gives a plump, more hydrated skin that just glows. I even incorporate this lotion with my daily regime and it works so well. I used under my moisturizer and it just blend it really well and I even used it on my eyes and it helps with all the fine lines too. This is definitely HG material and I'm loving it!!!