Metamorphosis?

I just can't believe that those pieces of dead skin were mine.

"See, your skin", the manicurist enthused.

A little embarassed in the beginning because of my dry and chapped heels, I was very satisfied with her service in the end. One must be passionate to do this job. No joke. Who loves hugging strangers' heels while scraping off the stubborn and unsightly cracks and dead skin? Who loves going through each toe while trying to trim them as nice as possible?

After the session has ended, I felt really 'new' and 'clean'. I own a layer of 'new' and better looking skin. No need to be shy and try to hide my heels, at least for a while. The session wasn't expensive. For both manicure and pedicure, it costs less than RM60 and it's located at Ampang Point.

Too red at first

It kind of look too red for me. The hairstylist insists it looks nice on me. Well, I have to submit since my hair is in their hands. The colour will eventually change to a lighter brown, so I don't think I need to worry too much. I probably have to wait for 3 months to see the toned down colour.

I told my younger 'associates' I used a wrong coloured-shampoo one fine day and this is how my hair turned out to be. The hue on my hair definitely drew attention and comments from them. My response sort of convinced them that I choose to look 'red'.

To get VIP discount

Not too bad a deal if I can accumulate RM300 worth of spending in 3 months. Initially, I mistook that I have to spend it in one month and was rushing to have hairwashes. Since, I still have so many weeks and I probably need another RM100 or so, I don't think it's much of a problem to get a VIP discount card.

5% is not too big deal but if I need to spend approximately RM20 every 3 to 4 weeks, then the savings can be quite significant.

A good massage

This is the first time I have ever been massaged since my post-natal during my confinement period of my older son. It's been more than a decade!

I signed up this upper-back massage. A little too much strength was applied though. But, it all depends on the massager. Since this is just my 'first' experience, I will demand for something that suits me in my next visit.

But, I definitely dislike the hot blanket. It kind of 'burnt' my abdomen skin especially when I was lying on my 'folded' abdomen skin. Am I having too much of loose skin,or what? After the session, I was told that they can adjust the temperature of the blanket. So, next time I'll ask for a lower temperature one.

Getting worse

Now that I do more washing and rinsing, deep ugly cracks on my heels are more prominent. Wet slippers in the bathroom worsen the situation especially I am one of those who stay up late and frequenting the bathroom spells disaster to my heels. Some slippers tend to 'hold' water.

So, a wonderful product come into the market. What they call the 'waterproof' slippers. Not sure if it is just a marketing gimmick with such 'convincing' name. But, what I can see is the slippers have holes where water can drain away if it ever get onto the slipper.

Seems to be good news to my heels. Let's see how it goes.

How do you tell if your whitening products are effective?

Even if the freckles or pigments don't look less darker, do you still think you are using the right products?

My beautician told me that if they don't darken, at least they maintain their colour. So, the products are considered effective.

I'm not so sure but I would never go for more drastic treatment such as laser treatment.

To renew my membership

My membership is expiring. I was told that if I pay a certain amount of money I will be able to renew it and in addition, I'll be able to get service voucher equivalent to this amount. If I don't do anything, my membership shall be downgraded (to a lower one with less benefits).

Whenever I tell myself that I'm not going to spend a single dime at the salon, I will most of the time end up signing up for a programme and this means cash outflow, what else? Anyway, I have to replenish a few products, that's inevitable spending.

If you really do want to know the price, do drop a comment with your email address or better still email me.

Normal hair-conditioner won't do the job

I can't use normal hair-conditioner, my hairstylist advised me. Those available on the shelves will not do the job. With the texture of my hair, I need special hair-conditioner, those recommended by hairstylists and mostly not available widely.

So, this means burning a bigger hole in my pocket? Looks like it. Or, I'll just be extra careful when I use normal hair-conditioner so that it won't contact my scalp.

Can I do without hair-conditioner?

Of course not! Quipped my hairstylist. In fact, with my kind of hair, even a little hair-conditioner at the ends help a lot.

'It's obvious', she said, my hair looks dry with dry ends jutting out when I walked into the salon. Actually, I have stopped using hair-conditioner a few months ago. I thought this would help alleviate my oily scalp problem.

I have to heed her advice else my hair will look like hay.

All-in-one package for fresh locks

Hair highlight + trim + treatment, all these for RM168 (approximately USD49), not bad, right?

I wanted to just have my hair highlighted and a trim. The hairstylist recommended this package which includes hair treatment. Afterall, I had resisted any offer to have hair treatment for umpteen years, so I don't think it's sinful to give in this time. A normal hair treatment costs RM60 (hopefully my hairstylist is truthful as I've not done any treatment for the last, don't know how many, years).

So, for this amount of money, it's worth it. Of course, the most important is I love the result. Nice, freshly toned, soft locks.

Another way to prevent oily scalp

I have just learnt something new from my hairstylist. She said we should refrain from using warm or hot water to wash our hair. If possible, use cold water. Warm water will stimulate production of oil on our scalp especially those with oily scalp problem.

That's news to me. I never realise this. So, from today onwards, it's cold water to wash my hair.

When do we start using anti-aging products?

My beautician said we should start using anti-aging products when we reach 25 years of age. It this is the case, I had long broken this rule.

I didn't challenge her or ask her why do we need to start so young. She probably wanted to convince me to buy some anti-aging products...

Too much of facial treatment is bad

Is it true that too much of facial treatment actually thin the skin? If this is true, then this might explain why the sight of green veins on my face is becoming more and more obvious.

I remember my beautician told me that regular facial treatment cleansed the face off impuritants and make it clear. Hence, marks/stains or in my case the veins which were not clearly visible earlier will begin to be more obvious.

I don't mind if the above is true. Or else something may be very wrong if there is green stuff growing on my face!

Budget facial

With the increase of petrol price and the impending electricity tariff hike tomorrow, everything is expected to be more expensive.

So,what does changing lifestyle entail? One of my tactics is to phase out going for my ever important facial treatment. This means instead of the recommended 3 weeks (or the most one month frequency), I will be going after more than one month. Since mine is on programme, I will take longer time to complete my programme. Which means less cash outflow...

Is it better to use facial sponge?

I have been using facial sponge since a few years ago when I was first introduced to milky cleanser. Somehow, I feel not 'clean' if I remove the cleanser (after a cleansing regime) with my bare hands. Hence, I tried using a facial sponge as what my salon does. By using this, the first layer of milky cleanser is washed off first with the sponge. The subsequent washing seems much easier.

Anyone can enlighten?

Too lazy to have a facial mask

Facial mask is very good for the skin. I have the mask and scrub too. Yet, I am too lazy to do it. After a scrub followed by a mask, my face feels smoother and fresher.

Sometimes, I wonder if there is a much faster way to do facial mask for lazy and busy people like me. For mine, I have wait for 5-10 minutes for the mask to absorb and then rinse off after that. Oh, yes, mask like SK II is more convenient but also costs a bomb.

When does a woman start using anti-aging products?

Want to make a guess? I thought it will be when a woman approaches her 40's or mid 30's (isn't this the time when the lines on our faces seem to become deeper or more prominent?)

My beautician gave me a shocking advice that a woman should start using anti-aging products as soon as she reaches mid-20's. What?! I suppose it's a preventative regime. You don't wait until those creases appear before you take any remedial action.

If this is the case, then mine is a delinquent case....

Is too much whitening products not good for skin?

Not sure if this is true. But, my beauty consultant advised me so.

I was using Loreal whitening foam cleanser alternating with Artistry whitening cleanser and that's when my beauty consultant told me not to overuse whitening products. Could she be referring to cleanser only or other whitening products?

The reason she gave me was whitening products contain 'harsher' ingredients which function to remove or reduce pigments. Maybe, she's only cautioning me to use less whitening cleaser and not other whitening products.

Is there a more effective way of thickening eye-brow?

I have thin eyebrows. Sometimes, I feel embarassed to ask my beautician to trim my eyebrow. There is practically nothing much to pluck, except for some hair growing on the upper lid that needs to be removed. With this kind of thinness, it takes some skill not to 'overtrim', alas not much hair will be left to be shaped.

I have to darken it a little to give it a sharper look with an eyebrow pencil. Otherwise, I will really look eyebrowless. So, this is a daily regime which I don't look forward to especially in days of blues. The stroke of the hand just doesn't seem right.

I was told that there is a type of liquid that can thicken eyebrow. This liquid is applied to the part where thickening is required, twice daily. My sister recommended it to me and she bought it from her beauty salon. She claimed that it worked on her eyebrow almost a few days after. I've tried for about more than a week but it doesn't seem to give any effect.

Sun block doubles up as foundation

One stone kills two birds. For a busy mom, that's what I need. It's SPF 25 and with tinted foundation. Also, not too bad as a concealer of faint marks or depigmentation.

I don't leave home without this sun block.