Monday, December 31, 2007

My Top 10 Beauty Product

Since it's the last day of the year, I'm gonna share with you guys my top 10 best beauty product so far. I had a tough time choosing only ten of all the beauty products I've ever used, and I also have to be sure that I don't choose 'em just bcoz of the brand names - bcoz I can be a weebit brand conscious.


So after some deep thinking, here are the 10 products which I think deserve my "award" as the most outstanding beauty product:


1) Herbalife Formula 1 Nutritious Mixed Soy Powder (Vanilla flavor)
I don't think I have to tell you why this is at the top of my list. Hellooo! I've transformed from chubby-bubby girl to a slimmer lady, who is told by one of her officemates as "having a nice body shape"! (gosh, it's quite embarrassing, but pleasing at the same time ;p). And since it's a cellular nutrition, I get all the health and beauty benefits from it ;) It's an inside-out beauty product, I must say!


2) Dior Crayon Eyeliner in Noir
This is my number 1 makeup staple! It goes on smoothly and pekat and last the whole day (if I don't rub my eyes). I don't mind not wearing any foundation or powder or lipgloss, but this, I have to wear. I'm always after the "big eye" look, so this gives me the look I want. I get compliments and sometimes queries as to what eyeliner I use, so now you know ;)


3) Nouri Fusion MultiVitamin Clarifying Mask
I could actually see the difference after wearing this mask, especially a day after I have applied it. I swear my skin looks more radiant and glowy after using this mask! And I think MZ notices that too bcoz usually after the next day I've used the mask (I usually do my own facials at night before bedtime) he will say that my face is glowing. The other thing I love about this mask is that it helps to clear out pimples. If I have like a whitehead that has been poked (you know, the ugly reddish + whitish spot), I just dab a little bit of the mask onto the spot and leave it overnight, and walla~ the next day it's almost gone (well, it depends on how badly it was poked by me tho. hihi)!


4) Radiant C Daily Facial Scrub Cleanser
Love the smell (it's orangy!), the texture and the feel after washing my face with this cleanser. It has jojoba and beeswax beads so it acts like a scrub (a very very very gentle scrub) to polish up your skin. It's loaded with Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant, so that is a plus.


5) Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder
Got shine? Well this loose powder helps to matify your skin so that you won't look like you've been deep-fried. I've tried a few brands of loose powders before (Lancome, Stila, Clinique, Clarins, Estee Lauder, Loreal just to name a few) and so far this is the very best. Of course I still have shine, but it's not as bad as before. I only need to blot my face like 1-2 times a day.


6) L'occitane Almond Milk Concentrate
Oh God, this is so luxurious! I can't express it in words how soft and silky and light this cream feels on your skin. It's almost like a whipped cream. It's not greasy AT ALL and the smell is oh-so-delectable (especially if I use it together with this Almond Supple Skin Oil), I could almost lick myself! It's quite pricey, but it's all worth it.


7) Fasio Point Make-up Remover
Aha! This is only a drug-store brand, but never judge a book by it's title. Waterproof, heavy makeup, etc etc, just bring it on! This makeup remover gently removes everything and it's not oily. It has a very nice floral smell, which might be the smell of water lily as it has water lily extract in it. The best part is, it's less than RM20! It's cheap and it works better than department-store brands, so it's a steal!


8) Lancome Hypnose mascara in Noir
My number 2 makeup staple. I don't really mind the length when it comes to lashes, but I do want volume. It does not clump, it does not smudge - all it does is giving you hypnotizing lashes! The name says it all. Enough said.


9) Chanel Double Perfection Fluide
This is actually my first makeup product from Chanel, and it's also the best foundation I have ever used so far. It gives me a polished look without the heavy "made-up" look bcoz it gives light to medium coverage, and it's most suitable for oily/shiny skin as it controls them well. A little goes a long way. Love it!


10) Giorgio Armani Shine Lipstick in #5
I don't like wearing lipstick at all (I'm a lipgloss/lipbalm girl), but I have to give an exception for this one. It's sheer, moisturizing, not scented, smooooooth and feels nice on your lips. I love the color - dusty pink (well, if you remembered my GA makeover photo; the one with MZ - this is the lipstick that I worn).


So what's your favorite beauty product of the year?

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She slipped off her pink stilettos at 7:01 PM |





Friday, December 28, 2007

In love...

I think you've probably known how much I adore white - be it clothes, shoes, bags, fancy rings or even my dream car - white has always topped my choice. Well if you don't, now you know. I think the color white looks simple yet chic, and has just the right amount of femininity without being too girly.

Okay, let's get straight to the point. I am currently lusting over these 2 white bags:
If I were to have my very first LV bag, it would definitely be one of the Speedy bags. I know LV Speedy bag is SO common (especially the monogram canvas) and although there are like thousands of fake LV bags being produced every day, the Speedy remains an iconic timeless shape. It's almost like LV's signature bag shape. I know Dior, Fendi, Celine and probably some other designer brand bags have the similar Speedy-shaped bags with their own monograms splashed all over it, but the LV Monogram Canvas Speedy bag remains classic as ever. It could be a family heirloom; a classic investment! And the good news is, the price is reasonable if being compared to other LV bags. But I probably won't choose the canvas one, as my eyes have landed on the new cruise collection - Louis Vuitton Mini Lin Croisette Speedy 30 bag. It's a limited edition, so that makes it even more special!



The other bag would be this luscious pebble-grained leather bag from Marc by Marc Jacobs...
Somehow, this reminds me of Prada Antik Metallic Dome bag, which I could only dream for at the moment. The features of this Dr. Q Groovee bag that I love the most are the front pintucked pleats and the metal logo tag. It's the little details that makes a bag fab, isn't it? And I love that there are two ways to hold the bag - the rolled handles and the shoulder strap, which is really practical. This bag is really simple yet chic, and it doesn't scream "look-at-me-I'm-a-designer-brand-bag". It's perfect for an everyday-bag, and it's also available in Tan and Chocolate (both looks just as fab btw). For those who want to invest in a great bag that won't break your bank accounts, this is the bag! Enough of Coaches already, let's have a new groove!


Now here comes the good and bad news.


The good news is, not only am I "allowed" to drool over the bag, I could actually have one!


But the bad news is, the LV Mini Lin Croisette Speedy bag in blue is sold out at LV KLCC, and I'm not sure if Star Hill still has it or not. The last time the LV lady at KLCC checked it for me, she said there's only 3 more left at Star Hill. But it's not allowable to reserve the bag bcoz it's a limited edition collection. And that was like 5 days ago. Anything can happen in 5 days! I'm not sure when I could actually go to Star Hill.... *sobs*


The Marc Jacobs bag on the other hand, is not available in Malaysia. I've looked for it at KLCC and The Gardens, but nada. So my only hope now would be the one from LV.


Please God, let me have that LV bag.... I don't mind getting the displayed one, but please let me have it.

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She slipped off her pink stilettos at 5:45 PM |





Thursday, December 27, 2007

Waxing S.O.S

Does anyone here knows a good waxing place? I've been so busy lately and I don't have the time to wax my legs myself, so I wanna seek a professional help to do it for me. Just for half legs tho. I'm not sure the price range for that, but I think I'm only willing to spend about RM300 for it (the lesser, the better). Preferably somewhere in KL area.


Do let me know the whole process, the price, how long it took and whatnot as well.


Thank you.

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She slipped off her pink stilettos at 11:01 PM |





Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Excited!

Dear anybody (especially those who are on diet),


Have you ever wished there's a snack that you could eat in between your meal, that's sinful enough, say like a bar of chocolate that could satisfy yourself instead of the same plain crackers you forced yourself to eat, but at the same time it's healthy, makes you feel full, and could actually help you to lose weight?


Well, I have a great news for you: There is such thing as that!


The long-awaited Herbalife Chocolate Peanut protein bar is finally available here in Malaysia! Ever since last year, MZ and I had been hoping that one of Herbalife chocolate protein bars would be available here, so you could imagine how excited we were when we heard the news yesterday (we're both choc-lover btw). I'm not really into the Lemon protein bars tho, bcoz I'm not too fond of lemon flavored sweet-stuff, except for ice lemon tea.




This protein bar is covered with rich milk chocolate, and the inside is chewy with bits of peanuts and if I'm not mistaken, there's nougat as well (although it does not state there's nougat in it, but it sure looks and tastes like one!). The best part is, one bar has only 139 calories, which is half of the calories contain in a Snickers bar, and less than 1/3 calories in a Mars bar. Why am I comparing it with these 2 chocolates? BCOZ the taste reminds me of them - no kidding!


ANd also, this yummy protein bar contains Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Calcium, and it's high in protein (well, obviously!). Pardon my excitement, as it's not a common thing to get health benefits from eating something so delectable; at least to me it's not. Imagine eating a J.Co Donut and you get all those nutrients and vitamins instead of piling up the fat in your body. Mesti la syiokk kan! In case you don't know, protein is essential for weight loss bcoz it builds lean muscle so that you could burn more calories, and this protein bar helps to build and maintain lean muscle in your body, bcoz it's high in protein. Fabulous!


Now I don't have to feel guilty anymore whenever I have a sudden craving for chocolates (especially during PMS), bcoz I have a healthier substitute. Yummy and healthy, me likey! Well if you're interested to get one, just leave your email and I will give the details to you.


Btw, I hope Herbalife's other chocolate-flavored protein bars - Chocolate Fudge and Chocolate Coconut (I bet this one tastes like Bounty Choc, which is my favorite!) - would be available soon too!



Speaking of Herbalife, let me share with you my weight loss progress. Remember in my previous entry I said that I've lost some weight, and that I have lost 0.5" on my waist? Well, tiny mistake there. I actually lost 0.5" on my butt, not my waist; which is even greater! My waist is still 24", which I'm currently pleased with and I do not wish to lose anymore now.


I did my own body analysis yesterday, and I am currently weighing at 45.3 kg (well, I guess if minus the tudung, pants, cardy + sleeveless, brooch, watch and the rings that I was wearing, I would be 45kg. hehee). My body fat percentage has decreased for about 2% which is just so great, my body system is 1 year younger than before, and surprisingly, my metabolic rate has increased! Eventho it's not that much, but it's increasing - which is a good sign. Must be the Tea Mix, bcoz ever since working on a shift yg tak tentu masa, I sleep more than I always do which means logically, my metabolic rate should be decreasing since less activity is being done to burn my calories. But instead it went the other way round!


Anyway, here's some of my body analysis info that I've recorded since July this year. I didn't measure that often tho, but you could definitely see the progress:


Photobucket



I tell ya what all of that numbers mean... I'm not an expert tho, I just attend trainings and read books, so do correct me if any of these infos in italic font are not exactly right (the rest I got from the brochure of the body analysis scale).


Body fat % for women of the age 20-24:
Excellent= 18.2, Healthy= 22.1, Medium= 25.0, Obese= >29.6

(Fyi, body fat % is much more important than your weight bcoz it determines whether the amount of fat in your body is healthy or not. You may be in ideal weight, but your body fat % does not necessarily be in the healthy-excellent range. Sometimes a person in ideal weight may be obese in terms of fat %, so it's not the kilos that you should really watch out, it's the body fat %. This is bcoz your weight (KG) comprises of not only fat, but also muscles, water, bone, etc. Which is why it's important to follow a healthy weight loss program bcoz you don't wanna lose water and muscles instead!)


Muscle Mass:
For every extra KG of muscles gained, the body uses approximately 100 extra calories a day. Because muscle is denser than fat, monitoring your muscle mass gives you a more accurate understanding of your overall body compositions and changes in your total body weight.

(Basically, this means the more muscle mass you gained, the more calories you can burn. How can you gain muscles, you may ask? It's protein that does the work! You should also monitor your calorie intake accordingly.)


Basal Metabolic Age (BMA):
Basal Metabolic Rate starts to decrease after the age 16/17 years old. Your Metabolic Age Rating indicates what age level your body is currently rated at. If the age indicated is higher than your actual age, then you need to improve your basal Metabolic Rate. Increasing exercise levels will build healthier muscle tissue which burn more calories, consequently improving your Metabolic Age Rating.

(The BMA means that your body is functioning at the specific age as indicated. So let say if u're 25 but your BMA is 40, it means your body is functioning like a 40-year-old, which is not good at all. Well, I don't exercise at all so I suppose the "young" Basal Metabolic Age that I have right now is as a result of consuming Herbalife shakes and tea as it burns calories and build muscles and whatnot. You could see that as months went by, my body system is improving which is why I'm getting "younger" bcoz of the consistency of my shake intake. After all, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! Just so you know, when I first started doing this body analysis, my BMA was 25 and that was AFTER I started Herbalife for about 2-3 months, which was around end of last year. I suppose I was way older than 25 before getting on Herbalife products!)


Visceral Fat:
Visceral fat is fat that surrounds the vital organs in the trunk/stomach area of the body. High visceral fat level increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Lowering your visceral fat levels can stabilized insulin action substantially, reducing your risk of diabetes and other related illnesses.

Excellent: 1-4
Healthy: 5-8
Bad: 9-12
Alarming: over 13

(I am SO excellent! hikhik ;p)


I could say that I'm very pleased with my overall weight loss and health improvement so far, and if you ask me whether I want to lose more.. Well, maybe just the body fat % and BMA (if I'm not mistaken, 16 is the youngest and bestest BMA).
So whoever says Herbalife does not work must either not know how the body works to lose weight or just merely saying it. If you don't get the result, don't blame the product - blame yourself. I know it may sound unpleasant, but c'mon... If I and another 60 million people from around the world can get the result, then why can't you, right? ;)


Btw, Slamat Hari Raya AidilAdha everyone!

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She slipped off her pink stilettos at 9:08 PM |





Sunday, December 16, 2007

"Jet-lagged"

It's 6ish in the morning and I'm still wide awake. Well, that's no surprise as this is the time where I would sit at my desk doing the things I would be doing at work. My parents were off to Japan last night (well it could be considered as today, as their flight was at 12 midnight) so my sister and her hubby are staying here until my parents get back *yay* and I'm yay-ing bcoz it means I get to mengadap Hariz for the rest of the week *yay again*.


Anyway, MZ and I have been on night shift (10pm-7am) for 2 weeks now, and starting next week our shifts will start at 5.45 in the morning until 3pm. Which means, next Monday is an off-day for us bcoz we're only gonna start our shift at 5.45am, and that would be on Tuesday morning (but in American time, it would be Monday). My off-days are not on weekends anymore; it's gonna be on Wednesday and Thursday, which, in Malaysian time, would be Thursday and Friday. MZ on the other hand, has off-days on Saturday and Sunday, which means Sunday and Monday Malaysian time. Sounds confusing? Well, we're more confused. Sometimes we lost track what day is it, and like now, if I'm not looking at the calender I would have thought it's Saturday morning. I feel like I'm living in a different time zone with a different time system or something. Wait till you hear my daily meal routine...


But it's not a bad thing, it's just... a new experience. And to be honest, I find this new experience rather exciting. I mean, I love changes bcoz I'm the type of person who gets bored easily doing the same thing or having the same routine or whatsoever (which explains the need to update my wardrobe every so often, and letting go the stuff that "I'm done with" ;p). But then when I discovered something that I really love (like a favorite food or a bag or something), I don't mind having/wearing it all the time. Okay, now I'm babbling.


I was hoping to be on the night shift for a little longer - in fact, I wish I work only at night. I tell you why. It's bcoz:


- parking is free, so we saved RM25 a week
- there's no traffic jam pergi dan balik, which means lesser money spent on petrol
- we don't have to spend money for "lunch" as we brought our bekal from home bcoz our "lunch" is at 2am, so malas nak kuar mlm2 buta; we saved about Rm20 there
- we get to wear casual clothes (read: jeans!)
- and most importantly, we get allowances! :D


And to top that up, since working on night shift I have actually lose some weight. My waist is 0.5" smaller (I do not wish to lose anymore, except maybe my lower tummy part), and most importantly, my love handle has also shrunken to 0.5" smaller! You know why? Coz I only have 2 meals a day. My breakfast would be around 8pm where I would have my usual Herbalife shake (I woke up at around 6pm btw), and my lunch would be at 2am, and that's it (notice the Pm and Am). By the time I reached home, which is around 8am, I was too sleepy to have my dinner so I hit the pillow straight away. I'm not sure if that's a healthy routine, but then it's not good to have your meal right before you go to sleep, right? And it's not like I starved myself. Tido lagi sedap dari makan kot.. huhu. I haven't weigh myself tho, but if I do lose any kg/fat %, I will let you know.


Okay, I'd better hit the sack. I'm going shopping with my sisters later in the afternoon and it's sunrise already!

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She slipped off her pink stilettos at 7:05 AM |





Saturday, December 15, 2007

Have you heard?

Bet you have, especially Kinsella's fans.


There will be a movie based on the Confessions of A Shopaholic book which will be released somewhere around middle of next year, and I'm so excited as I've been waiting for like ever, and bcoz that is one of my favorite Shopaholic series of all! But I'm also a little anxious as to how the movie and the book would be related to each other bcoz the whole plot would be in New York instead of London, and Becky is NOT a British. I mean, all this while I've been imagining Becky's posh-but-friendly British accent and the whole London thingy when reading the book, so if the movie "turned" Becky into an American - well, something is just not right. Hmm...


I guess we'll just have to wait and see, huh!


Anyways, I think it's about time that Sophie releases a new book and walla~ my prayers were answered!



I know it's not here yet, but it will, so that's what matters. Let's just hope it won't take ages to reach Malaysia! ;p


p/s: I don't know why, but I keep on picturing Victoria Beckham as Becky (bcoz of her fashionable sense of style), and Julian McMahon as Luke. Who do you have in mind to play the characters, btw?

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She slipped off her pink stilettos at 11:19 PM |





Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Shoe Woes

Remember the bronze GUESS peep-toe wedges that I bought about a decade ago? Yeah well, since buying it I have only worn it once - which was about 2 hours or so bcoz within the first 30 minutes of walking, it started to bite my feet like nobody's business and I was actually limping trying to walk in those, bcoz the shoes are a weeeeee bit small for my feet and well, it's a pump (I can never wear any pumps! *sobs*).


Then recently I've found a way that could 'enlarge' the front part of the shoe without having to go to the cobbler or any shoe experts. What I did was squatting on the tips of my toes, with my shoes on for a few minutes. It helps to expand it a little, and so the too-tight-front-part problem has now been solved.


I'm still searching for the solution for my other shoe problem tho, which I always always have with pump shoes. I do not have a problem wearing high heels (except the tiredness after a 6-hour walk, which is pretty normal), but when it comes to pump shoes, my feet totally refuse to tolerate. It's kind of like a love-hate relationship, you know. I've tried everything - biting the shoe, waxing it with candle (I could not find a proper candle so I used the birthday candle from Secret Recipe), folding the edge of the shoe to expand it and I also tried Bama Smiling Feet invisible gel strips which I put at the back edge of the shoe. But nothing works so far. The shoe still hurts. It's so frustrating bcoz I personally think pump shoes look more posh and elegant than sling backs, and there's about a hundred pumps I've been longing to wear, like these beauties from GUESS and Forever 21...






How do you wear pump shoes? Is it just me, or is pump shoe really that agonizing?
I really want to be able to wear my GUESS wedge-pump. Help!


Sticking the handsaplast (is that how u spell it?) thingy at the back of my feet would be the last resort bcoz it's kinda leceh la, especially sbb nak solat...

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She slipped off her pink stilettos at 7:23 PM |





Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Sleepyhead

I'm done with my trainings, and starting today (well, yesterday actually) we'll be working on night shift, which is from 9pm till 6am. I'm still adjusting my sleeping time and it ain't easy, I'm telling ya. I had no problem staying up and sleeping after Subuh and then woke up in the afternoon during my uni years, but since 2 months ago, my body was trained to automatically shut down around 10-11pm.. so you can imagine how damn sleepy I was when the clock struck 12 last night.


But despite being all lethargic and groggy, I managed to get the highest score in class for the 1st test (mind you, only 2 out of 30 people got 100%, and I'm one of them - and the only girl too. *ehem* Not bad for someone who despise IT huh. hehe). Anyway, we're currently in the midst of tests which will determine our positions with The Company, and if I'm not mistaken there're like 9 tests altogether. We had 3 tests today (I mean last night - on Monday) and I've done well except for the last one. Well, what d'ya expect.. it was 5 in the morning and my eyes were sore (wearing contact lens only worsen it) and I could barely think straight, let alone nak jawab soklan! And it happened to be the toughest paper of all. Bummer. I hope I could score fabulously for the next next tests. Do pray for me. MZ on the other hand, got the highest score in his class for all of the tests. In fact, the trainer asked him to come early tomorrow to train his classmates. Maybe I should be in his class too....


Okay it's almost 9am now, I'd better get some sleep. I do not want to end up looking like a racoon now. But before that, I took this interesting quiz which was forwarded to my email by my bestie. It's a quiz that estimates your duit hantaran (click here to take it). C'mon, it'd be fun!


According to the quiz,


Based on the matrimonial information you have supplied and considering prevailing economic conditions, your Hantaran would be $11,000.


(Hmm...that's pretty much what we had in mind. I mean, kind of ;p)

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She slipped off her pink stilettos at 8:06 AM |





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