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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Natural Beauty


I may seem to be a person who's into salon treatments, spas, etc. but truthfully, I've only had 2 hot oil treatments in a salon, twice for body scrub and my facial treatment experience, maybe less than 10 times. 

The reason for this is because I don't really like to mess around with what doesn't need fixing. Besides, these are things I can do myself at home. And my preference for using natural products we already have in the kitchen. Ok, fine. And because I'm a cheapskate too! I mean, why pay for something that you can do a better job at?

So, here's my run-down of the beauty tips and tricks using natural products. This may look like too many things to do. It's not really, as long as you don't do all of them at the same time! For me, it's on as-needed basis only.

1. Coconut milk  I was probably younger than school age when my mother started using this on my hair. Oftentimes, this was because our viand had some coconut milk in it and she'd usually save some for my hair. Fast forward to the day when I developed some vanity. My hair had been my crowning glory growing up and so I took pains to maintain and enhance what I had. As early as grade school. It became a weekend routine to have my coconut milk treatment, done by just adding half a cup of water to freshly grated coconut and squeezing the milk out of it. In college, I heard about "hot oil treatments" and experimented heating the coconut milk and adding a bit of lemon juice.



Coconut milk darkens the hair, makes it smooth and supple and shiny. Sure, it took a couple of days for the smell and oiliness to come off. But you have 5 glorious days of fabulous hair! The only consequence of this is that my hair darkened from being naturally light brown. 


2. EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil. My love for this developed when I was pregnant. I'm uncertain whether I read this tip from somewhere or I thought of using this in lieu of Body Shop's cocoa butter stick. Sure, I was greasy everyday but lo and behold! 9 months later I was stretch-mark free from my pregnancy. And one bottle lasted for months. Cheap, huh?



While my tummy was free of stretch marks, other parts of me didn't come out unscathed. My hair suffered the most post-pregnancy. About that time, people were going organic and natural and so there were tips all over the web using olive oil for hair treatments, body scrub by adding sugar or iodized salt to it. Whatever the claims are about this miracle product, they are all TRUE and EFFECTIVE. That I can promise you. 

My friend who writes her blog http://www.appleandbees.com/ will do a feature on this, so watch out for that.


3.  Petroleum Jelly - I'm sure a lot of you know about using this for the feet. But what I do is to wrap my feet in Cling Wrap before putting on socks. I always end up kicking everything off while sleeping but at least I had a good number of hours before that for the jelly to work. Lazy me can't do this straight for 1 whole week but that's what I advice you to do for faster result and then once a week after that for maintenance.




4. Avocado Mask. Just research on the benefits of avocado. haha! This isn't a must-do for me but whenever we have it at home, I scrape off whatever is left on the peel and apply it to my face. Waste not, alright? I don't mix anything else with it. This is especially good for those with dry skin as the natural oil helps to moisturize your skin.



photo credits to grannydr.com



5. Yogurt and Oatmeal Mask. Firstly, I wouldn't buy yogurt just for this. It would be an expensive waste especially when all you need is a spoonful of this and oatmeal to make a thick paste. It's enough to cover your face. So, it's only-when-available-at-home- basis for me.
 





photo credits to ladyzona.com


6. Water.  Last on the list but of greatest importance is drinking lots of water everyday. This is not just for vanity's sake but for your entire body. It's somewhat a challenge for some people to meet the daily requirements of water intake. My tip is to always bring water with you. Our entire family always brings a bottle of water whenever we leave the house. For each of us. And at night we bring a jug of water up to our room too. Always have water readily available and pretty soon you'll always feel the need to drink it.


Somewhere along the way I've had some misses too with my experimentation. You might come across them somewhere so here's my 2-cents on them.

Mayonnaise for hair which I tried in high school made me smell like salad for an entire week. 

Baking Soda as facial scrub. Even just reading about this made me doubt if it's going to do any good. Firstly, baking soda is used to rid pots and pans of stains, albeit with vinegar. So it may be too abrasive and strong. But I gave it a try anyway. My verdict? Stick to commercially available exfoliants. Nothing bad happened to my face but I just don't want to risk it.

It's not a long list after all, right?  And quite easy to prepare too. Maybe this will convert you into going natural and healthy and cheap. If only I can find a remedy for occasional zits too. 


'Til next time!


Sandee


My Must-Haves

     I find it so boring to use the same product over and over again. I can't wait to finish one product before using a new one. Although this fickleness has vastly improved, our bathroom is still lined with bottles of different shampoos, body wash, etc. But it's only about half of what I used to have. Much like my manner of dressing, the pick for the day depends on the mood I'm in.  It's just fortunate that I can use almost anything without having any adverse reaction. 

     But there are products that I do need to have all the time, the Must-Haves that I've remained loyal to for years. They are exactly what I need and nothing else worked for me as well as they did.


1.Garnier Skin Naturals UV Protect SPF 50- I've used this for years because for so many reasons. High SPF, light-weight and non-greasy, non-sticky and comes in tinted formula. But even the white one just blends so well into my skin without giving me a white-cast. I stock up on this because unfortunately, so far I've only been able to buy it in Singapore and Hong Kong.

photo credits to mywomenstuff.com


2. Kissful Tint Chou from Etude House- I don't like lip glosses that feel like fly-traps and dust catchers with their stickiness. Thankfully Etude House has this lipgloss that has the perfect gloss sans the stickiness. What I love most about them (4 shades available and I have all 3) is that the tint lasts for hours long after the gloss has gone. It leaves my lips looking naturally rosy.






 
3. Sterimar Nasal Spray-  My nasal passages tend to dry and bleed in cold places. I've suffered a sort of nose bleeding before I discovered how else it could work for me. It's definitely a travel Must-Have.




4. Dove Shampoo Hair Fall Rescue- While others face dryness and dullness of scalp and hair, I was faced with a different problem. My scalp got really oily to the extent that I had pimples. Not even oral medication prescribed by a dermatologist worked. Good thing this shampoo did. Within a week of continued use, I saw the result. 




5. Orange Soap from Dermalosophy - Far from using it to whiten my skin as I'd probably be invisible if I get any whiter. I need this for seasonal pimples on my back when I sweat a lot or whenever I forget to re-soap after using hair conditioner. Of course, pimples almost always leave marks and this works as an "eraser" for them too.  http://dermalosophy.biz/


6. Carmex Lip Balm- For my occasionally cracked lips due to heat or cold, I swear by 
this and nothing else. I once tried petroleum jelly at daytime and my lips got sunburned, complete with actual peeling a few days later. The one in tube works best for me and there is no waxy feel on the lips.
                  


7. Skinwhite Whitening Deodorant- While I cannot assure anyone that this works to whiten the underarms, I can however say this doesn't cause darkening. 






So there you have it. My tried and tested Must-Haves. Finding products that work for you is really all about your body's chemistry with it and it may take a few trials and errors before you find The One.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Kiriya



     I may seem to always be hanging out in cafes but truthfully, I'd be as happy to have a cup at home. Going to one has just become a way to pass time. Occasionally, I get to enjoy the company of family or friends. But for the most part, I'm by my lonesome. That's why the place itself matters to me even more than the coffee itself sometimes.

     I have mentioned on my FB shout-outs that St 51 has become a coffee district because of the coffee shops literally at almost every corner. That works to our advantage though because we get to have our pick among the lot.

   Last Wednesday I had a couple of hours to wile away before our Christmas Party with the Pinay ladies. Out of convenience because of close proximity to the kids' school, I decided to go to Kiriya. I've been there a few times and it's easily becoming my to-go cafe nowadays because I like the way the place is set up. It is quite spacious that I don't fear having someone look over my shoulder as I'm using my laptop. It also works too for those times when conversations become very engaging and voices get louder. This can happen quite often (always, really) when in the company of good friends.



  
     To my delight, they have an on-going promotion of your choice of bread and coffee for only $3. Now who doesn't like getting good deals? Mind you, the coffee was in "tall" size too. While I can't claim to have a discriminating palate for coffee, I at least know a good one from a crappy one. And I've been quite satisfied with mine. 



     I have to mention that their pastries are quite good. This one, I am particular about. Tough pastry and a good cup of coffee just don't go well together. I must have been quite sleepy to miss seeing the Raisin Cinnamon roll. But I did really like the Vanilla Double I ordered.






    Their cakes look delectable. Sweets aren't my thing though. But I might try it when the mood strikes me.

 


     So, good coffee, check. Yummy pastries, check. Nice and bright cafe interior, check. I just like places that are well-lit. Just like my preference for bright colors over dark ones. Oh, I might add that my bum didn't hurt from prolonged sitting because the seats are cushioned. It does matter, you know.

     As the saying goes, the earliest caffeine-addicts get their caffeine fix at a good deal. The promotion is only until 9am. But if you get the craving even earlier than that, fret not. They're open from 6am-2am of the next day. 

    Kiriya is at the corner of Sts 51 and 370 Boeng Keng Kang 1. 



'Til next post.


Sandee

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Happy Feet

     I love getting pedicures. For me it's an equivalent of having a full spa treatment, without the long, boring hours of just lying there, waiting for it all to end. Massage is a necessity when the back screams for attention and care. Pedicure is pure indulgence. It may sound crazy but it makes me happy to look down at my feet and see those bright colored toenails.

    Believe it or not, when I finally found a salon that I could trust to do my nails, I felt everything was going to be alright with our being here. And to my double delight, nail art is a very common practice here, thus cheaper than what it would cost back home. 


     Occasionally, my daughter gets treated to one too. We usually take a photo of a design from the web and show it to the ladies. Today, she wanted a cupcake design. One can't help but be amazed at the skill and control of the ladies. Such steady hands!




Lucky for her, she has long, oval-shaped fingernails so the designs are bigger and more detailed.



     So pretty, right? Srey, the lady who did this really made the effort to surpass the sample we showed her. Such a steal for $4, I must say. This can last for 2 weeks with an occasional application of a clear top coat and longer than that for the toenails.



  
     I chose a design that's more age appropriate and classy. They use nail polishes from OPI, Essie and China Glaze for base colors and acrylic paint for designs like mine. They have nail paints especially for nail art that has long needle-thin brushes. My base color is Flirty Tankini by OPI. It's actually more of a carnation pink to almost neon pink hue which makes the design really stand out.





     Predictably I always opt for bright, eye-catching colors. Even if the only eyes they may ever catch are my own. 


The salon I frequent is on the ground floor of Sovannah Mall. 


'Til next post!

xoxo

Sandee