Facials : which treatment to skip and to maintain?

I got this from Yahoo! Shine, more specifically, here’s the web address (http://shine.yahoo.com/event/financiallyfit/are-facials-worth-the-money-2406020/). It is really a useful article because I was always at loss on which treatments I should do and is actually beneficial to me, also which ones that work! Now here’s a list of treatments to keep in mind and the ones that are just bogus.

1. Steaming : I used to watch my cousin do this regularly and wonder what was she doing? =p The objective is to unclog the pores and clean out the dirt without excessive pressure. You should do it on clean skin only. So, wash up first then face-steam! The process? Just put your face over a large bowl of hot water and cover your head with a towel. The towel helps direct the hot water vapour to your face.

2. Extractions : Do not use bare hands to clean out a pimple, not even with gloves. Instead, use a comedone extractor. It will avoid redness and swelling that is caused by bacteria residing on your hands.

3. Masks : Soothing and exfoliating masks give the best results. Collagen masks are not advisable because it does not penetrate the skin, according to the doctors. Anti-oxidant masks works on the surface of the skin that neutralize the environmental damages to skin.

4. Facial Massage : There’s no scientific evidence that it does good to the skin, except feeling pampered? =)

5. Microcurrent/ Electricity : It produces a subtle, temporary toning to your skin. Good to do it before a party or a hot date!

6. Oxygen : Pressurized oxygen increases free radicals into your skin which leads to aging. Skip it for sure!

7. Peels : The experts advises to use peels which has glycolic, salicylic, malic, lactic, or citric acid which exfoliates skin more effectively than grainy scrub. Based on research, high-concentration AHA peel (20%-30%) produces more collagen into the skin. Now, this is a must when your signs of aging are starting to get visible.

Celcom postpaid : charged but unused!

Celcom were having a promotion back then at a Youth event. They called it the postpaid couple plan (2simpax) where you have to pay RM50 monthly and you can call and text all you want to each other! (of course to a certain limit) They were giving it away for free, all you have to do is to register. Simple ain’t it? Well, that is where the problem starts.. I was told by the promoter that my account will activate once the first call was made. I did none of that sort. But hey, they charge it anyway. So 4 months later, I received a letter with a very fat bill of RM195. I was shocked beyond imagination! The debt recovery officer called me up and told me that I’ve signed an agreement. And I should have read that first. Yeah, very stupid of me! So, I have to pay that fat grossingly amount if I didn’t want to get blacklisted. The thing is.. I called up celcom’s hotline to cancel that account 2months after registration and he said there was no bill, no charges! Plus he also said that my account will only activate if I made a first call with that sim. And I didn’t! This is sooo puzzling! I wish I could settle this as early as I can. But currently, I’m in a middle of my finals~~ This is such a bad timing! It adds up the stress, ya know?
The conclusion: please read the damn contract/agreement before signing it! As petty the thing is.. or as honest the promoter might seem. Just read it for your own sake! This is certainly a lesson not to register just about anything in just a whim.. Eventhough it is for free, it can turned out not to be free at all -.-!

Melaka : historical + shopping!

A big surprise ain't it? I mean, Melaka is mostly known to all as a historical city with a heritage of baba nyonya and portugese decendents. However now, just add a shopping city to that. =) It has been a loong loooong time since I set foot into the city. I remember then, me and other adventurous youngsters visited all the historic sightings there is by foot! There were souvenir 'pasar' stalls lining up at the side of the road and 'beca' too. But that was it. No fancy shopping malls or Sg Wang-like retails. Now, Melaka can give you a shopping experience with a historic touch! This is because the Dataran Pahlawan (a shopping hub) was built directly in the front yard of A-Famosa. There is also the Mahkota Parade just opposite of Dataran Pahlawan. But personally, I prefer Dataran Pahlawan as it gives u a Sg Wang-like retails and high-end brands (not very) such as Elle, MNG.. while maintaining its' mall-like experience. (It juz means that it is more organised than Sg Wang. hehe =p) I found some very quirky statement rings there at a shockingly low price! RM5 each! can you believe that?? I end up looking through each and every single one (seriously) with the help of my lil systa and managed to come down to just three.. There was also this shop selling beautiful mouth watering heels.. prices are RM80 and above. And I was broke. So, nvm I'm still happy with just three rings... ahhahahah!

Here's a list of nearby hotels to stay (Didn't manage find the cheap ones) :
1. Mahkota Hotel Melaka
2. Holiday Inn
3. Equatorial Hotel Melaka

Tailoring baju kurung : important details to remember!

I'm up again with a post that will surely benefit me in the future.. hoho =3 im such a forgetful person~ so, here are the details that I should not forget when tailoring my baju kurung!

1. 'Pesak gantung' style. Accentuate your curves. hehe.
2. 'Lipatan kain' on my left.
3. Top 'kurung' must be at knee or below.
4. 'Kain kurung' has to reach the floor. (for heels)
5. Don't forget the buttons! I hope the tailor would not.
6. Shoulder padding unsewed. (but i dun think i mind a shoulder pad now =p)

And when you're buying your textiles to be sown, they usually come in two sizes :
1. 6.5, for this I only need to buy 3metres.
2. lower, need to buy 4metres.

Practical ways of hair care!

Yesterday, I stumbled upon an article on practical ways to care for your hair. I mean really, practical & realistic. I know it's impossible to go out without using that straightener or hair curler or yes, the hair dryer! Any professional would tell you to swear off these after examining your damaged hair. So, here I would like to summarize and adapt some of those hair care for me! =D
If anyone bumped in & find that this suits you too, I'd be glad! Here goes :-

1. With our late get-ups to meeting or outing,we just can't wait for our hair to air-dry! So, a practical way is to wait til your hair is 2/3 dry then use the hair dryer. You'd want to keep your hair to be less exposed to heat.
(p/s : Wrapping your hair into a giant turban is not a good solution either as it puts strain to your hair.)

2. It's good to get your hair dry before it could overheat. The solution lies with a good hair-dryer.
It is advisable to look for a 2000watts of power minimum.

3. Malaysia is hot & yes, it is inevitable to get all sweaty. I find it impossible to shampoo my hair every other day. I find it more comfortable to be shampooing evryday! So, try using less shampoo by concentrating lathering it 2inches closest to scalp. And the best shampoo for damaged hair must contain 'quaternium' or 'cetrimonium chloride'.OR...it's easier to find lables with 'anti-breakage', 'strengthening', 'restorative' & ' renewal'.

4. When using a straightener, please go for ones with ceramics plates rather than metal. If possible, use it twice a week at max.

5. Fans of chemical straightening should consider for a keratin treatment but opt to keep away from 'Brazilian' keratin treatment. While the keratin treatment does not make your curly hair straight, it will make your hair soft and glossy. (I'm seriously reminded of Elseve)

6. Apply deep conditioner once a week. For severe damaged hair, you can leave it on for overnight. Conditioners wiht 'amino acids', 'panthonol' or 'glycerin' can even penetrate into hair's cuticle. So, look out for that yeah!

That's all for now. I'll update the article in case, I'd stumble upon more practical & realistic & affordable hair cares. Meanwhile, I'm trying these out guys!

Things you should ask before buying that long-distance bus ticket

1. A double decker bus or single?
If possible ask for a photo of the bus, you can even gauge the comfort of the seats from there.
2. How many stops do you make?
Some buses will stop at other terminals from other states to pick up passengers. This will prolong your journey.
3. Specific location of drop-off.
4. Departure time & approximate arrival time.
Unless you're boarding Transnasional or Plusliner, chances are the bus operators will not depart on time. They will wait until the bus is half-full. So, it would be useful to know the number of passengers boarding.
5. Number of seats left.
To gauge the number of passengers that has bought the tickets.
6. The name of bus you're boarding.
Some operators will send you off to a different bus upon boarding.
7. The ticket price.
Compare the prices, but cheaper does not mean better. Keep in mind of the points above.