Eco Friendly Household Products - METHOD

A while ago, i joined a contest organised by Small Kuching - method to the rescue! Contest, and surprisingly I am one of the winner!! And I almost missed the boat to claim the prize as I was away for business trip and forgot all about checking my personal emails. :P

After a couple of emails to Small Kuching & METHOD, the prize was sent to me & mom!

The prize consist of
Laundry Detergent with Smartclean Tech -25 Load - Lavender Cedar
Laundry Detergent with Smartclean Tech -50 Load - Fresh Air
Bathroom Cleaner Spray (828ml)
Squirt & Mop All Purpose Floor Cleaner (739ml)
Designed for Good Hand Wash Gel (354ml)
Flushable Wipes (28 wipes)

And with Chinese New Year around the corner, I am busy doing house cleaning. SO i decided to put the  Squirt & Mop All Purpose Floor Cleaner (739ml) into test!

739ml, I am thinking I would be finishing this in just few usage? But wait!

Instead of pouring it into the pail, I'm suppose to squirt this on the floor and mop with long stroke! Sounds fantastic coz I can curi tulang and save a bit of energy mopping

Do I like this product?
Yeah, I think so, not only because it's environmental friendly and the floor is quite clean after mopping. Down side is that it's slightly pricey. But still I am sold. In fact I am tempted to try out the Squirt & Mop Wood Floor Cleaner (739ml) which is specially designed for wooden floor.

Hmmm let me draft s script to talk to my financial sponsor :))

Exotic food

Last week, while i was having dinner at mom's house she mention something like there was a news in the paper that people dried the sharks fin on top of the roof in Hong Kong. I was like... SO? That seems like a perfectly normal and sane way to dry sharks fin. What's the big deal?

Well, being a chinese I was taught to enjoy sharks fin soup and this superior delicacies were not something common back in my younger days. I only get to enjoy a small bowl during Chinese New Year at my grand parent's house. And I would say it's definitely something delicious! Little do I know that, where the fins were from and how to get it. As i grow, I get to know that sharks fin come from Sharks! (Obviously, DUH!) And that's why it's so expensive because this big fish is not very friendly. Neither do i aware on the cruelty of how the fins was "retreived" till last year!

The unethical fisherman just cut the Shark's fin from its body and throw it back to the sea! And without the fin, how does the sharks swim? Almost none of those fish survived and normally when it was throw back to the sea, it would slowly sunk into the sea and slowly die there. I can't imagine how painful it is!!! Why human are so cruel, but hey... am I part of the cruel human?? Just like how I feel so disgusted about hearing people eating live monkey's brain, but isn't eating the sharks fin equally the same?

I think I should move away from eating sharks fin and try to influence the people around me. Luckily my mom is starting to move away from eating/ cooking sharks fin as much as possible :) But for sure I know there would be a voice coming back to me when I try to say no to sharks fin "what's the big deal? your own family also eat shark fin what" I think to avoid getting big quarrel, I shall try to influence all others except the only one?

Anyway, sharks fin soup is delicious not because of the fin, but because of all other ingredients that was added in to the soup. The delicious shark fin soup will still taste the same even with the absence of the fin!

In case you are curious on the news, you can read more about it here.

Think twice of what you eat!

2012.... A year to remember

The reads on my regular reading list are writing about how have 2012 been treating them, I guess I should join them so that I can remind myself how fortunate I am this year.

In life there were UPs n DOWNs but this year things are generally cool with a few interesting moments. 

First I went for the stand up comedy by Jan Lam @ Genting.

Then, my dear surprise me to a concert by Jacky Cheung (which i am still reminiscing till now)

Then i welcome a lil princess (niece) to the family.

I started bakings and still enjoy it, hopefully I can carry on the enthusias in 2013.

Went for some great getaway trip to Melaka which is very rejuvenating.

And also a family trip to Bangkok!! It's really w trip worth remembering.

Oh yah and not forgetting that I got a great bay pressie! Thanks dear~

There were some misses accompanied by the hits but generally things are moving on track.

In 2013, I wish for more getaway trips, slim down few kg (it's in my list every year) and one more resolution which I am not sharing publicly but if it materialize then only I shall Akeem u updated.

GOD BLESSED 2013!!!

Twilight

I begin to realize that I have moved into another stage of life when I slowly began I don't fancy the korean series, the K-pops... etc In fact, till now I only know big bang are very hit korean pop boy band, but if i were to bump into them on the street, I wouldn't be able to recognise them!

Same goes for the Twilight series. Don't know why I am never a fan of them. Teenage girl fell in love with a vampire? That's too "young" for me to appreciate. Despite a movie goer, i have conveniently avoid the twilight saga until the last part of the series - Breaking Dawn Part 2

I was sent 2 complimentary movie tickets. And the tickets were specifically for this twilight movie ONLY, not redeemable with any other movie, with this, I check with my dear partner if he wants to just utilise the voucher before me giving away to whoever interested. To my surprise he agreed and suggested we should go for a Martini Show on Sunday after his haircut. 

When we reached Paradigm Mall, he head to his favourite saloon while I go to exchange the voucher to movie tickets. 

How was the show? Frankly I find it very lengthy and boring, and I was really puzzled at few points. Even tough I have not watched the previous movies, but I roughly know what is it about, Bella, Edward and Jacob. But this ending part is really uninteresting, it's more of a movie existed just to tell how does the story ends.

In fact I am glad that I did not fork out RM26 for this movie as I could have spent it better elsewhere!

P/S: No offence to twilight fans, it's just me who doesn't understand and appreciate this ONLY

Dim Sum Memories

Weather lately have been really bad, it rains every afternoon. I'm lucky if the rain starts only after I get back to office, or else I had to take an umbrella or just run back to office. Never attempt to wait for the rain to stop cos it can rain for hours and gets heavier.

Some days it started to rain early even before lunch time. Those were the time where I had to survive on bread as the nearby cafeteria would be heavily flooded with people and I don't really feel like joining the crowd. And by 3-4pm, my stomach would start a small orchestra performance and those were the time I really miss Dim Sum!

If you ask me where to go for Dim Sum, frankly I do not know how to answer coz I have yet to find the perfect place for dim sum yet! My fond memories of dim sum date back to my younger days where my dad would invite my grandparents and us to this place nearby Imbi for Dim Sum. Sometimes I dreaded to go coz it's really crowded and I had to really wake up early just for the Dim Sum, but i never regretted waking up early for this!

Back then, my dad would always bring us to this Restauran TeoChew 潮州丰食园酒家 at Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah. (which is no longer in operation now)
 

We were always seated in the biggest table available as we normally come in a group of 12-13 people depending on occasion. Once seated, the waitress would push their dim sum cart (in case you are wondering what is it about, refer to the reference pix below, of course I took it from somewhere and not the actual picture of the place) with steam smoking out to our tables and within minutes, our tables would filled with 10-15 baskets of Dim Sum! And next round it would be the fried stuff & Paussss

I really like their Dim Sum cart way as I get to see the hot steaming dim sum and decide if I want, instead of ordering it from the menu. Of course nowadays a more wallet friendly option dim sum place, they would hire human to carry a big tray and walk around. You still get to see the dim sum before decide. But the important part is missing, the STEAM. Without the steam, the dim sum gets cold easily or the skin could turn "hard" after a while.

Those were the days........ :))

SkinTown @ Beauty Expo 12

Have you ever imagined what's it going to be like in a Beauty Expo? Lots and lots of beauty related item? Masks? Hair dryer? Nail polish? Shampoos? Cosmetics? Skin care?

This year, I am very very happy that I finally get to go to the first beauty expo in my life!! (how could that be?? what happen to me in the past?)

 Particularly, I am there to attend the official launch of Skin Town, A Korea concept Beauty Salon (First of its kind!). Skin Town provide Korea Han Bang Aesthetic (Traditional Herb) using a very popular brand in Korea - Charmzone.

They have also included a product demonstration on stage using their STAR PRODUCT - Control cream

This control cream is used after your cleanser and before the toner! Yes, you got me right, after cleanser before toner. Charmzone believe, there is a blind spot in between cleansing & moisturizing. When we clean the face, the PH blance is interrupted and at the same time the skin gets dehydrated (That's why toner is important!) . With the use of toner to address the PH balance & dehydration, it might not be able prep the skin well to absorb the serum or moisturizer and hence the birth of control cream! So  now you see why  it's applied before the toner ya.

After the product demo, I went to check out their booth wanting to find out more about this control cream. The friendly lady in the booth demonstrated the product to me.  First, applied the desired amount on a properly cleansed face (double cleanse is preferred) and then massage in a gentle circular motion. After a while, the cream will become shiny, but fret not, just wipe it with tissue and apply your toner. Of course, the demo was not done on my face but on my hand, however I am impressed that the control cream is not oily! Even when it turned shiny and looked oily, when i wipe it away with tissue, it doesn't even leave any traces of oil!! I am getting more and more interested with the product!

At the end, I have decided to give Charmzone a try! To start it off, I have purposed their Blue Range:  DeAge Blue Skin Finisher which is also a moisturiser which can address my oily face concern.

The packing is filled with Korean words, which I have no clue on what is it about. :P

It's about the size of a dutch lady milk drink. It cost about RM160 for 50ml if my memory didn't fail me.

One pump dispenses just the right amount for my whole face which I like most, unlike some moisturiser that I got, 1 pump is way too much that makes the whole face wet! The moisturizer is absorbed into the skin almost immediate and I don't really need to wait a bit before applying the sunscreen every morning, and I love the fact that the moisturizer gives a clean and dry feeling. Instead of the sticky wet feeling by some of the moisturizer

I'm completing my first week of use by today, and I am quite happy with the moisturizer, doesn't cause any breakout. I have also noticed my face wasn't that oily till midday, and in fact the face stayed matte for the whole day. Now, it gives me more confidence on trying their other products!

P/S: I have also purchased their facial voucher. Will keep you posted on this later~

Mousse

I love curls on hair! It's so versatile, you can bun it up easily or let loose for a casual look for perhaps a half up romantic look! However, pretty thing needs maintenance, especially if you want to have nicely curled locks!

Ever since I permed my hair, I have to diligently use conditioner to make my hair softer and then use the hair oil to give the extra smooth and shine.

I am currently using this Loreal Smooth Intense which is an anti-frizz leave in serum. What I like most about this serum is that it smells good and it's not overly oily for my oily scalp. As for the anti frizz, it doesn't really tame my stubborn frizz.

After applying the serum, I used the mousse recommended by my hair stylist - Armina Spice Form in Hard.

 

The reason she recomended me is because I have frizzy hair and using the "hard" mousse is suppose to help with the frizz a bit. I like this mousse though it's slighly pricy, around RM68 for this bottle if my memory did not fail me.

First is the bottle cap design, it's a twist to open design which is good for me that I don't have to pick up the dropped capped

The mousse smells good, doesn't have the plunging alcohol smell you get in most mousse and it feels very thick and I normally will need about 2 handful of foam for the whole hair. And mind you, I do have a lot of hairSSS. Almost every stylist that I went to said that I have a lot of hair! (The one that didn't complaint is because she used to cut my mom's hair and that's y she already know that I got the genes from her!)

After finishing this mousse, I went on to try another moussefrom Vidal Sasson. Why I didn't stick to the Arimino? Well, never try never know, I am greedy and always think that there should be something better out there! But I am wrong on this bet. I didn't like this Vidal Sasson mousse, it has a strong amonia smell and I must apply the mousse in the bathroom so that it doesn't stink my room! Second, the product is too dilute, when I apply it to my hair.... i don't feel it gives a nice coat, and I often have to put 4-5 handful of foam to the whole hair, i reckon it's about double the volume I need from Armino. And yet, the effect is not so good.

I am now just done with this mousse and starting a lookout on the 3rd mousse already. Till then, I shall keep you updated!