When In Mexico : Dia de Los Muertos

Another important cultural celebration that we learnt in Mexico is the celebration of Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It happens after Halloween, usually on 1 and 2 November every year. The people believe that the spirit of the dead people will come back to visit the family on these days.. a fellow Mexican told me 1 November is where the older spirit come, and the babies and kids spirit come on 2 November. During these days Mexicans will visit the graves of their loved ones and make altars with their dead family photos and food that they loved at their houses. Ever seen the orange flowers that commemorate the day? The flower's name is cempasuchil. Some people (especially the American expats) celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with Halloween hence they prepared for a trick or treat event for the kids.. also usually there is a big parade to celebrate this day at Avenida Reforma and Zocalo.

Amna's school requested each student to bring a cempasuchil to decorate their altar

Amna as skeleton girl

                                                              Alea wants to join too!

The kids are ready for trick or treat

                                           We dressed up to watch the Parade at Avenida Reforma

When In Mexico : Birthday Piñata!

 Previously, I was not really fond of celebrating birthdays for my kids.. usually it was just a small family event with a cake and a birthday song. However, living in Mexico changes the way I look at birthdays!  Every birthday MUST have a piñata, it is as compulsory as the cake and the birthday person. Luckily the price is not too expensive, a decent one cost about RM10-RM100 depending on the size and shape. Once I even thought to open my own piñata shop when I am back in Malaysia.. 

Adni's 4th birthday in 2018

Adni's birthday in 2019

Alea's birthday in 2020

When In Mexico : Typical school days routine

[Nov 2019, Polanco]

My typical morning routine consist of waking up for my morning prayer, heating the kettle and preparing lunchboxes for my kids. Although the kindergarten provides food for my kid, she did not fancy Mexican food and too shy to try new things.. so while preparing for her older sister, I prepared hers too. Usually a lunch box consist of fruits, biscuits/small choc bar and main dish - either pasta, rice or nasi himpit. Then the older kid is ready, and I escorted her downstairs to the lobby so the school transport will send her to school. Well, since the winter is coming, chill breeze greets us when we get outside so best to get ready with that jumper or sweater.

Then I wake the smaller kids, gently cause the last thing you want in a busy school day routine is a kid's tantrum! Many times especially when daddy is not around, I need to prepare the breakfast with a small toddler hugging my knee..or some days I laid her blanket on the kitchen floor so she can just watch me preparing the food.It is so cold outside, around 12 deg C hence the kids usually did not have a morning bath.. just a brief wash of the face and body and brushing the teeth.. that's it. The kindergarten usual uniform is the school shirt and pants, but my kid always hate them.. she usually looked forward for Friday, which is a non uniform day so she can wear her favorite princess dress. Then, only I get dressed to send them off to school.

In front of our house foyer 

Previously I took the Spanish class which was held 3 times per week, I was on my third semester already (Basico Tres).. when it was the Spanish class day, I would walk for 20 minutes from the kindergarten at Calle Julio Verne 18 to the language center. I went to the CEPE (Center of Foreign Students) which is a part of a renowned university of Mexico, the UNAM. It is actually a small center on Calle Hipolito Taine where the foreigners enrolled for variety of Spanish classes including the general ones, spoken Spanish classes, and even cooking classes in Spanish. Usually per semester we will have about 15 classmates from all over countries, mostly ladies who followed their husbands to Mexico for work. The language center is also near a shopping mall, Liverpool hence it is a plus point for me, yeay! Each class usually took about 2.5 hours, then I will rush home for a quick lunch and prayer before I fetch the kids from school at 3pm.

Jacarandas during spring on the park

During the days when I do not have any classes, I will go back home with the school transport or walk back when I feel like I need a break and enjoy the fresh morning air. It was a lovely walk through the Lincoln Park, then the lines of cafes, fancily called Polanquito (small Polanco) before I reach the Avenida Masaryk. Sometimes I got my coffee fix from one of the cafes- usually Joselo or Starbucks or NY Coffee (my, their cappuccino is the bomb!)..and someeetimes a sweet treat from a small artisan panaderia, Da Silva and walk through the parks, row of expensive houses or the tiny shops until we reach home. Once or twice a week I would stop by at Soriana Supermarket to get my grocery needs. I really love the supermarket as it is very near to my house and it opens 24 hours daily
! Also most of supermarkets here has their own in house bakery hence I'd like to get the freshest bread or doughnuts in the morning for my quick breakfast...but if I have free time I would search for the best panaderia (bakery) for the best breads or croissant in town!

Antara shopping mall always have pretty decorations

The kids come home from school at around 3pm, usually I finished all the house chores and food preparation before that. After the kids come home, it is either free play, visit to the playground or the tiny park downstairs or swimming class, or piano class for them. There are many teachers that offer classes at the comfort of our own home hence it is perfect for a family with small kids like ours. We were lucky to have an English speaking piano teacher, Hector who is great at teaching beginners and small kids, and we also adore Julio, the swimming teacher that does not speak English but we do communicate well with my broken Spanish haha.

My kid and her piano teacher

Then the kids washed, had dinner while waiting for daddy to come home from work and share their daily activities. Every Friday night, we go to the Malaysian Embassy for religious classes and Malaysian class.. this is actually a weekly activity for Malaysians to meet ups with scrumptious Malaysian themed potluck! My mouth watered already by thinking of the heavenly food cooked by the embassy ladies...

Going places : Quick tour of central Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX)

 Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX) means capital of Mexico.. a very colorful city which always being misunderstood by outsiders. Thanks to its high altitude, the weather is always cool and chilly all year long. You may notice the changes of four seasons but never too extremely hot or cold.. it is just nice and perfect for a daily stroll or bicycle ride. If you are a first timer, this is a list of must go places in central CDMX:

                                                    Aquario Inbursa - similar to Aquaria 

1) Polanco : Avenida Masaryk, Lincoln Park, Museo Sumayya, Aquario Bursa

Stroll around the posh Avenida Masaryk street lined with designer boutiques and artesanal stuff. Have a coffee or visit the morning market (every Saturdays) at Lincoln park. Walk a bit to check out the Antara shopping mall (it has a public play ground infront of Hamleys), Museo Sumayya and Museo Jumex. Bring your kids to enjoy the fish at Aquario Bursa.

2) Chapultepec : Park, Zoologico, Chapultepec Castle

Check out the huge Chapultepec Park for a picnic, a jog or even a boat ride. There is a train inside the park for you to enjoy the scenery and a merry go round to entertain the kids. A lot of local merchandise and food are sold here. Don't forget to visit the free public zoo.Also visit the Chapultepec Castle up on the hill to learn about Mexico history and enjoy the view.

Outside Palais de Bella Artes

Inside!

Pretty wall at Calle de Condesa (near Calle de Madero)

Calle de Madero is always alive !

3) Centro historico: Zocalo, Palais de Bella Artes, Calle de Madero, Avenida Reforma, Ciudadela

Get on the Avenida Reforma towards Zocalo by car or the various tourist buses to enjoy the historic and modern buildings assimilate together. Stop near Palais de Bella Artes (Palace of Beautiful Arts) and enjoy the many historic buildings around it. Walk through Calle de Madero (Wood Road?) to find small shops selling beautiful handcrafts and rows of coffee shops... at the end of this road you will find the famous Zocalo - a place where they declare independence and a center of various celebration. This place resembles Dataran Merdeka and its colorful, historic buildings around it. A MUST SEE. And its free! If you're looking to buy souvenirs, go to none other than Ciudadela, you can find all sorts of souvenirs here.

4) Condesa & Roma Norte

These two are photo worthy places which are lines with lots of hipster coffee shops and bars.

Some traveling tips :

1)Best public transport to stroll the cities will be the hop on hop off buses and metro line buses. 

2)Rent the public bicycles to enjoy the historical buildings and amazing views. 

3)The metro subway train connects most important places in the city but beware of pick pockets.

4)Wear your most comfortable shoes and clothes - usually shirts, jackets, jeans and sneakers are sufficient

5)Always check the weather forecast! The weather changes are sometimes quite extreme in CDMX.

6)Always alert with your surroundings - either from unwanted bad attention (thief, pickpocket) or the earthquake alert (sismo). Be in a green zone (safe zone) when you stroll around this humongous city. Best to keep yourself at the touristy places and avoid the shabby and small alleys

7) Learn few basic Spanish language ;) it may be extremely beneficial for you.

When in Mexico : Just arrived and reality check

 When I first step on the soil of Mexico in April 2018, precisely in the capital, Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX) my first impression is ' Wow, nice weather!' thanks to its high altitude location.And since we just completed a grueling 30+ hours flight journey with one transit (KUL-LHR-MEX) and 3 kids in tow including a 45 days old baby, we just skip the amusement later and focused to cure our jetlag..

Luckily the company provides a decent apartment in the heart of Polanco, a nice neighbourhood in CDMX... wikipedia describes Polanco as this :

Polanco is an affluent neighborhood in the Miguel Hidalgo borough of Mexico City. Polanco is an upscale community, famed for its luxury shopping on Avenida Presidente Masaryk, one of the most expensive streets in the Americas, as well as for the numerous prominent cultural institutions located within the neighborhood, such as the Museo Soumaya and the Colección Jumex. Polanco is often called the "Beverly Hills of Mexico", having one of the country's densest concentrations of luxury shopping, with the most Michelin star restaurants, high-net-worth individuals, upscale hotels, and diplomatic missions and embassies. Additionally, it is one of the most desirable real estate markets in Latin America.

Well, I must admit the neighborhood is pretty cool and most locals and expats living here are loaded with money (us excluded). I like the fact that there is a 24 hours supermarket located at ground floor of our apartment, a posh branded boutique mall beside our building and many green parks around us.. also I like the fact that most people walk or ride bicycles everywhere. They have an efficient public transports like buses and metro,but if you're a first timer and outsiders please be more aware of your belongings as you can be easily spotted - not by your looks though because our skin complexion might be quite similar with Mexican, but the fact that you cant speak their language and also if you wear tudung like me.

After few days, the reality hit me. As this is my first time actually living abroad, i just realized that visiting foreign countries is NOT the same as actually living in a foreign country.. I immediately realize the challenges - language barriers, security and safety issues, lack of halal food and muslim community, not many Malaysians around, different culture and high living cost..the list goes on and on. Additional challenge for me to adapt with my just habis pantang baby! Overall it took me 4 months to battle my emotional issues.. I settled down when my kids are safe in school, even the baby went to school when she was 5 months old, and this mommy joined the bandwagon of newly enrolled students! Yay! 

I enrolled for Spanish class mainly to talk to my kids' teachers and also for other domestic chores as well like buying groceries and ordering food. This was when I felt like human again, enjoying my me time before the chaos begin again when I fetched the kids from school at around 3pm. Good thing is the language centre, CEPE was also in the neighborhood, about 20 mins walking or 10 mins on bike.

As time goes by, more Malaysians were coming hence we made more friends, some even turned family. Our weekends were filled with jalan2 inside and outside the city.. or small gatherings among ourselves... i will furnish the jalan2 part more later...

After 2 years, we started to feel at ease with our routine here.. but of course never a day passed without me thinking about Malaysia, my families, the food and my job that I left temporarily... 

to be continued😎

Breastpump comparison

 I've been using few breast pumps for the last 8 years and thought this comparison might be useful for new mommies out there.. well, actually the best breast pump for you should address all your priority needs.. so identify those first, then only choose. My priority features are double electric pump, compact and mobile.

1) Medela freestyle double electric pump

This was my first pump and obviously most expensive.. I bought this just because there were not many brands available 8 years ago.. the big names were just Medela and Spectra at that time. So I choose this since I need a double pump to pump at work. So far it is quite durable and reliable too.. however by the 5th year the battery was dead but I still can use it with power point.

Pros: Durable, double pump, sleek, pretty, good suction, has 2 funnel sizes to choose, long lasting battery time, comes with a chic bag n cooler bag, has hands free clip feature

Con: EXPENSiVE! Last i check the price is about RM2,000.Many parts so leceh to wash and assemble, quite noisy

2) Avent manual pump

I bought this as back up incase my Medela has issue.. but dont really like it coz produce low yield and need strength to pump it.. or maybe i just dont know the correct way to use it! guess manual is really not for me😛 But few of my friends really like this manual pump.

Pros: Sturdy, less parts hence easier to assemble and wash, cheap

Cons: its manual😂 and single pump

3) Cimilre F1 double electric pump

Since my Medela batteries were dead i need a new pump so i can mobilize and pump anywhere. Bought this for my 3rd kid in 2018.. I actually like it. With quarter of Medela price, I would say it match the performance and yield.

Pros: Easy to assemble, sturdy, less parts compared to medela, light weight, less noisy compared to Medela, cheaper of course, long lasting battery, has hands free feature

Cons: I dont have anything that I dont like about this pump.. the price is quite affordable, i think around RM500 now

4) Treenie Konvito double electric pump

I bought this since both my Medela and Cimilre were left in Mexico and i needed one quickly as my 4th baby was due soon! While naturally people upgrade, i downgraded my pump as I was curious why some breastpumps are too expensive while some are too cheap?? So i resorted to one of the cheapest in the market, Treenie Konvito. I bought at RM129 from FabulousMom recently.I was quite sceptical at first coz apsal murah sangattt.. consult hubby about it and he said try je la, kalo x best pun padan je dgn investment. So i tried. Amazingly it works wonders.. as currently I am a stay at home mom, i just used sparingly to keep some stocks when my baby is left at home for a short while, or to pump when I am out and about..so I just pumped about once per day..it works perfectly for me. With that price I totally satisfied! But if you're a working mom and looking for durable pump for pumping few times a day, perhaps you need to invest on a better priced one. 

Pros: Super cheap!!!! use usb port to charge, quietest compared to Medela and Cimilre, compact size, less parts, easy to wash and assemble

Cons: No timer, no LED screen, no hands free feature, short battery time hence need to charge every 3-4 times usage, only one standard funnel size available.

Hope this review will help those in need😃

All images from google.com

Simple and Easy Choc Chip Cookies Recipe

 I am an avid cookie monster, so do my kids! I've tried many recipes so far but this one is the easiest and most delicious for my palate, I must say. Whenever my kids beg to bake something, this is always my favourite choice :) Hence I'm sharing with you guys.

The best and easiest choc chip cookies recipe

Ingredients :

250g butter 

250g brown sugar

100g granulated sugar

500g flour

2 eggs

500g blended oatmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

200g chop chips (preferably Hersheys/Beryls)

Cream together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract - not too long. In a separate bowl, mix flour, blended oatmeal, baking powder and salt.

Then mix both mixture together and add in chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for 20 mins, or sometimes I cant wait and skip this part..

Arrange bite sized dough on a tray lined with baking sheet.

Heat oven and bake for 20 mins at 150degC.

Done!

When in Mexico: Hola!

Well, people from Malaysia will usually NOT choose Mexico as their travel destination. Why? I guess due to its location which is very very far from our country (some of us might say, alang2 pegi sana baik pegi US terus..) and also due to limited promotion and knowledge transfer from both countries... I mean, yes we heard the name of the country before, and we usually imagine cowboys, natives (Pocahontas? Merida?) narcs and drugs cartels.. nothing fancy or exciting though.

I was thinking the same as well.. even I never would want to go to US because it is too far.. with small kids on tow, I would rather let my husband went alone for his few business trips.Until the day that we were all forced to move to Mexico.. well the nicer term was my husband was transferred to Mexico fork work and all of us moved there.

It was a memorable and rather fancy experience for me. Reminiscing 1.5 years back, we fled to the new, mysterious country after 45 days I delivered my third baby.. alot of people prayed for our smooth journey, and alhamdulillah, after a total 24 hours flight time (2 legs,1 transit) later, we arrived to Mexico City. Since that day, our life changed.. the routine, the people, the culture, the food.. everything were new and strange. And exciting. I remembered we were confused,excited,happy,scared and sad at the same time.. no words can describe the feeling of settling in a new place, until you experience it yourself. I've been to many countries before for vacations, mostly to touristy places.. but this, i tell you is hell different from what I ever expect or experience.

I will write in detail about tips on adapting to new surroundings.. until then.

Come back alert!

Salam and hye all!
Yes.. finally I decided to make a come back in blogging world.. after a 2 years hiatus. Like most of you I turned to Instagram for my sharings... but now since my Insta is dedicated to record my personal milestone and life anecdotes, I will write about my public sharing here..

My current interest is obviously motherhood and travel and also tips on living abroad.. since it is now almost 1.5 years I live away from my home country, I have lots of tips, tricks and experience to share, which hopefully will be beneficial to you and even myself in the future😄

And please pray for my consistency in writing😁

Love lots, Shiera I.

Reminiscing 2016

Well, its been a while since I write my personal post here.

2016 was a colourful year.. and i hope 2017 will bring more good things ahead :)

My 2016 in a glance (if i can fairly summarize everything here) :

1. Since early of the year we attended the weekly kursus haji at the mosque near our house. We had appealed for Hajj this year after i declined the offer in 2014 due to pregnancy.. however His plan superseded all plans. We were not selected - nak dijadikan sebab adalah my appeal letter was missing/did not reach Tabung Haji! Well maybe belum rezeki.Tahun ni kami akan cuba lagi :)

2. My company's major restructuring that affected our job scope and way we do things. In a nutshell, we need to do more work with less resource. A number of friends got laid off.. so things were not the same again.

3. Slow global economy and low oil prices affected our lifestyle too.. we tend to be more prudent and cautious with our spending.

4. Our family trip to KK and Kundasang was the highlight of our family event. KK was SO HOT at that time while Kundasang's whether is worth the 3 hours hilly and bumpy ride!! We got to view Kinabalu Mountain every day, thanks to the clear air and good weather. We can even see the mountain peak post earthquake (tanah runtuh and different peak shape was evident).

5. Kids are getting bigger and cheekier.. Amna is certainly everybody's sweetheart, while Adni makin besar makin clingy and mengada :P Managed to completely wean her off in few days before the year ends.. so she is a proud wean off child at 2 years n 1 month. Not so far from my target (2 years)

6. Adni has severe eczema since Sept and we were in constant battle with her eczema which sometime makes both of us tired and cranky at the same time. Mind you its not easy to see your child constantly scratching hard her hand and legs until it bleeds.. and then we moisturized and applied medicine only to see her scratch again and the cycle continues. We met countless doctors and dermatologists. We learnt new type of treatment like wet wraps... we even tried many type of moisturizer and medicine just to see which suit her best. Our current favourite now is Mustela brand range.. it suits Adni very well. Cuma harga nya tak berapa suit Mommy's pocket huhu mahal gila! But not the most expensive in town i guess. You can find the products in Mothercare or selected pharmacies including Prince Court Hospital's.

And finally during our last visit, doctor prescribes antibiotics and antivirus since she might had infections due to constant scratching and perhaps contact with people/surroundings.. her condition improved a bit now. Owh just to share once we brought her to the beach and bath her with seawater, and her scars healed like magic. Maybe we should go to the beach more often.

7. I cooked more. Yeay!

8. I completed reading 10 books this year, so yeay!! Do you know that on average each Malaysian only read just 2 books per year, so I am above par i guess :P

9. I joined a whatsapp group that tracked daily Quran reading.. so more or less improve the frequency of my Quran recitation. Although i need to admit that i am quite lagged behind due to the time of the month and also, not proud to admit that some days i am too tired/busy to recite. Need to improve more in 2017.

10. I forgot this point earlier  but among the best thing happened in 2016 was I met Freshpicks and instantly fell in love with the product range. It is home made with love by my uni senior and using premium ingredients.. if you are like me who dream to make your own skincare to ensure the best ingredients to be used to your skin.. then Freshpicks is the best for you. Seriously! I really enjoyed the homemade soaps that is enriched with essential oils.. wangi sangat. Not to mention my most awaited product -homemade deodorant!!! OK i can rant for 10 pages about Freshpicks alone, so i better stop here. Dont worry i will be updating about Freshpicks from time to time :)
 May you to had a great 2016 and may 2017 be better.

Vanilla latte Body Scrub

Untuk penggemar kopi, Freshpicks ada produk Vanilla Latte Body scrub dan Coffee Soap tau :)

Produk2 berasaskan kopi sangat sesuai sebagai ejen de-stress selepas penat seharian bekerja dan/atau melakukan tugas harian.. dengan bau yang sangat best (ever wonder kenapa ramai yang addicted to coffee??) dan mampu membersihkan kulit dan membangkitkan seri secara semulajadi (natural glow) :)

Antara bahan2 premium yang digunakan dan fungsi2 nya :

Pure Coconut Oil – Minyak kelapa berfungsi melembapkan kulit dan menyuburkan kesihatan kulit

Castor Oil – Castor oil adalah minyak yang sangat bagus untuk menyamakan tona kulit.

Coffee- Caffeine ada efek perangsang untuk menegangkan kulit, merawat selulit,juga kaya khasiat untuk anti antiaging

Sugar- Mungkin ramai yang belum tahu, gula sangat bagus sebagai ejen pengelupasan yg lembut pada kulit dan mampu membersihkan sel2 kulit mati.

Vanilla extracts – sebagai aromaterapi,meredakan stress,kurangkan mual(jika hamil), anti inflamasi,kaya vit B untuk mencerahkan kulit

Dapatkan body scrub Freshpicks sekarang :) Cuma RM15 untuk 50 gram.. boleh tahan sampai 4-6 bulan tau!

Cod available in KLCC/Setiawangsa | Postage fee : RM 8 (SM) / RM12 (EM)

WA sekarang 019 3755 133 ataupun layari http://freshpickskualalumpur.com/ untuk pembelian online.

Love lots from your beauty agent!

Bahaya merkuri dalam kosmetik

Salam semua..

Anda tau tak..dalam kosmetik komersil banyak mengandungi merkuri... macam mana nak tau? Kena rajin la baca kandungan bahan dan google maksud setiap bahan. Hehe memang la leceh.. tapi kalau dah biasa u ols akan jadi lali dan ok jer sampai jadi tabiat :) Jangan buang tabiat sudah

So ape masalahnya dengan merkuri ni?

Ada kawan2 share poster penerangan pasal bahaya merkuri ni.. so boleh la baca dan fahamkan. Rumusan poster ni senang je :

Kesan sampingan merkuri dalam kosmetik :

1) menyebabkan penyakit kulit seperti ruam, perubahan warna kulit, parut dan kegagalan kulit melawan bakteria

2) menyebabkan kegagalan ginjal 

3) gangguan mental/kemurungan

Kita pakai produk kecantikan/kosmetik ni sebab nak cantik kan.. tapi jangan sampai sebab nak cantik punya pasal long term effects kita lupakan. Kalau dah pernah pakai tu takpe takperlu menangis di bucu katil, boleh la slow2 berubah ke produk2 natural/organik dan mesra kulit. Cegah sebelum parah ye :)

ESSENTIAL OIL - GERANIUM

Gambar pokok geranium (pic dari Google)

Antara feedback yang kami dari terima customer yang menggunakan set Primo adalah :

"suka bau face oil complex dan serum tu.. refreshing sangat"

Nak tahu kenapa?
Kerana kami menggabungkan beberapa essential oil sebagai ramuan premium dalam bancuhan face oil complex dan juga face serum. ESSENTIAL OIL bukan sahaja kaya mewah dengan khasiat yang baik untuk kulit malah ia menenangkan...

Antara essential oil yang terdapat dalam face serum dan face oil complex freshpicks adalah GERANIUM

The botanical name for Geranium is Pelargonium Odorantissimum.

Geranium Essential Oil terkenal dengan fungsi sebagai
Astringent
Antibacterial
Antimicrobial
Deodorant

Apa manfaatnya terhadap kulit kita?
Mengalakkan kesihatan sel dan regeneration sel baru
Membantu menghalang kulit dari mengendur
memulihkan jerawat dan parut
sebagai antiseptic untuk luka
mengurangkan radang
Mengurangkan kedutan
Mencantikkan kulit
Insect reppelant and bug bite healer

Apa pula manfaatnya terhadap minda kita?

Geranium essential oil terkenal untuk menggalakan fungsi mental dan menaikkan semangat. Bagus untuk people yang ada masalah   depression, anxiety and anger.

Antara produk Freshpicks yang terdapat geranium essential oil di dalamnya adalah:

Ultra moisturizer
Arganne face oil complex
face serum hyaluronic acid

Bertuah anda yang menggunakan freshpicks
Bukan sahaja kulit anda mendapat manfaat
Malah anda juga akan lebih tenang dan rileks menghadapi kehidupan harian

Dan info tambahan yang menarik.. geranium essential oil ni juga bagus sebagai insect repelant dan bug bite healer.Jadi anda yang ada anak2 kecil atau untuk diri sendiri gak, pastikan sentiasa ada bersama ULTRAMOISTURIZER bersama...

Pure Prime Pressed Cocoa Butter

#freshpicksPREMIUM

Mentega koko (Cocoa butter) diekstrak daripada biji koko atau kekacang koko. Ianya berwarna kuning krim, mentega koko asli adalah semata-mata mentega koko dalam bentuknya yang mentah dan sangat kaya dengan khasiat.

Tidak seperti metega koko ditapis, mentega koko yang diperolehi daripada kaedah Pure Prime Pressed (PPP) dapat mengekalkan bau yang kaya dengan coklat berserta memastikan semua kebaikan semula jadinya dikekalkan.

Kebiasaannya ia digunakan untuk memberi lebih khasiat kepada  bibir atau lipbalm, mentega badan (body butter), sentalan badan (body scrub) dan losyen. Sangat baik untuk kulit yang kering, mempunyai tanda calar pada kulit dan kulit yang sensitif.
Mentega koko akan cair dalam suhu kulit.

PPP  ini diperbuat daripada bahan-bahan yang bukan GMO dengan kaedah pensterilan berwap dan diproses selaras dengan Amalan Pengilangan Yang Baik (Good Manufacturing Practice - GMP) dan HACCP kawalan keselamatan makanan (HACCP).

Tahukah anda, produk freshpicks menggunakan PPP Cocoa butter sebagai ramuan premium untuk produk kami seperti

Lipbalm
Irresistible Lip Treatment
BodyScrub
Deodorant
Ultra moisturizer

Sebab itu ramai yang memberi feedback yang positif apabila menggunakan freshpicks

Kebaikan Mentega koko (Cocoa butter):

Antioksidan yang hebat
Kulit yang lembut, berseri, dan licin
Mengurangkan tanda calar, parut dan jerawat
Melegakan ekzema dan psoriasis
Melegakan dermatitis atau ruam
Menghidrat kulit secara mendalam
Menyembuhkan kulit sensitif
Mengurangkan parut
Menguatkan rambut yang rosak

#freshpicks

Paed Dermatologist' advice for Eczema Prone Children

Last weekend i brought Adni to meet a paediatric dermatologist for the first time...just to look for other opinions regarding her eczema.Usually we just went to her paed and get the usual medicine supplies.Recently she was having continuous flares for quite some time that makes me think to get another expert's opinion.She was restless,cranky and scratching non stop until her skin bleeds.

And the fact that i myself was quite anxious and rimas with her neverending scratching. So when i brought her to her last vax schedule, her paed suggested to see the new visiting paed dermatologist consultant in PCMC, Dr Sabeera Begum.FYI she is a specialist in HKL and only have clinic sessions in PCMS on Saturdays. Being an eczema patient myself, I think this session i had with Dr Sabeera is an eye opener and helps to manage my eczema prone children (and mine and my hubby!) better.

So just thought of summarizing the advice that we got from Dr Sabeera for my own reference and for other eczema patient parents out there :

1 The first question i asked the doctor, why are kids nowadays are prone to eczema?

She said it has something to do with kids nowadays are `too clean'.. they are not used to playing in mud, water puddles, grass etc hence their immune system does not tolerate with the `dirty' environment. Hence the system is always on alert and sometimes identify even dust and heat as 'potential danger' hence triggers eczema to some kids.Overtime, the eczema will normally subside when the immune system is relax and used to the environment.

2. Generally the eczema patient needs this combo to keep moisturizing the skin : special wash (non soap base) + moisturizer + medicine (be it steroid/non steroid) and a strict schedule. Moisturizer can be applied 3-4 times a day, while wash and medicine shall be used twice a day.

3.When you see the eczema subsides from the skin after 2-3 days, DON'T STOP applying the combo until the itchiness subsides and gone. Usually this takes about 2-3 weeks. However you can reduce the frequency of applying the medicine ointment i.e from twice a day to once a day, then gradually stop after 3 weeks.

4.Is topical steroid safe for kids? Generally it is safe if you use it the correct way, and ask your doctor first since steroid creams had several types; from mild until potent and super potent. Usually the ones prescribed for children is mild until potent. If your child had a severe eczema flares and moisturizer/non steroid cream does not work, you are obliged to reduce it by what ever ways, parents. Some anti histamine also available in syrup form - ask your doctor to find out more. 

5.If your child is having severe eczema, it is advised to get ointment type rather than cream type since cream requires more preservatives that might not be good for your child's skin.

6.Parents need to be patient, patient and more patient (i'm talking to my self, really).Treating eczema needs about 2-3 weeks and no certain medicine will make the overnight wonders.

7.If you want some guide on the available products, here are some suggestions :

i. Wash - use old fashion homemade soap (like Freshpicks Criansa Soap for kids, or goat's milk soap) or special non soap body wash i.e QV moisturize wash/Cetaphil for kids. Avoid commercial soap! 

ii. Moisturizer - organic balms (my favourite is Earth Mama Angel baby bottom balm or Freshpicks ultramoisturizer), coconut oil/olive oil/shea butter or QV intensive moisturizer. Avoid watery lotion/cream as much as possible.

iii.Medicine - steroid type includes Hydrocortisone (mild), Elomet (potent). non steroid type includes Protopic (but it is deemed mild - does not work for my kid.And super expensive too!). You need to try and error to know which product suits your kids skin and condition.

8.Keep your child clean and ensure their surrounding is clean and cool - wipe the excess food/saliva from her/his face as it might trigger flares as well. If possible get an air purifier.

Usually the eczema will subside as they grow up, so less thing to worry about, parents :)

Apa beza toner, moisturizer dan serum?

Ni saya share cara mudah saya membezakan ketiga2 benda ni :

Definasi :

TONER

Toner adalah untuk membersikan kulit dan mengecilkan pori2 muka. So it is an essential first step of face care regime selepas membasuh muka

MOISTURIZER
Moisturizer mempunyai molekul lebih besar dari serum. Ia membentuk barrier untuk mengurangkan proses kehilangan air atau dehydration dari kulit kita. Boleh dipakai dua kali sehari untuk kesan lebih optimum.

SERUM
Serum ni molekulnya lebih kecil dari moisturizer maka ia boleh bertindak pantas memasukkan unsur2 tertentu terus ke kulit kita jauh ke dalam lapisan kulit. Jadi ia sangat sesuai untuk treat masalah2 urgent dan important anda contohnya untuk hilangkan garis2 halus dan panda eyes.

Antara unsur yg sangat bagus sebagai serum adalah vitamin c yang boleh menganjalkan kulit, dan hyaluronic acid yang boleh menambah moisture dan mencantikkan kulit.

Cara2 nak pakai :

toner >serum>moisturizer

If you skip any of them, please follow the turutan ye.

Soalan2 FAQ seterusnya semestinya adalah :

PERLU KAH SAYA PAKAI TONER?

If you ask me, jawapan saya yes. Sebab saya dah experience few years skipping toner sebab rasa macam tak penting je huhu... tapi bila saya start pakai toner i think it leaves better effect to my skin. So now i continue pakai toner prior to serum and moisturizer.

PERLU KE SAYA PAKAI SERUM KALAU SAYA DAH PAKAI MOISTURIZER?

Jawapan mudah adalah... kalau kulit you tak bermasalah, cantik mulus gebu..tak payah pakai serum pun takpe. Especially kalau anda baru belasan tahun.. tak payah pun pakai sebab kulit you tengah cantik. In fact elakkan pakai banyak sgt skin care ye.. pakai yang organik dan nipis2 sahaja. Sayang kalau kulit muda2 dan rosak.

Tapi biasanya bermula dari umur 30 tahun ke atas.. anda akan perasan perubahan kulit dan mulalah mencari macam2 produk penjagaan kulit utk mencantikkan kulit :) Macam saya pun after 30 years old baru la saya mula pakai serum. Lagipun my skin jenis sensitive and super dry.. hence serum sangat diperlukan. Cuma serum ni texture dia a bit oily and pakai sekali sehari je sebelum tidur.

BOLEH KE SAYA PAKAI SERUM JE, TAK PAKAI MOISTURIZER?

Pun boleh kalau nak.. tapi serum ni generally harga lebih mahal dari moisturizer :) So up to you.

Sekian simple beautytips by your trusted beauty agent :P

Kaolin clay

#freshpicksPREMIUM

Kaolin Clay (tanah liat kaolin)

Tanah liat Kaolin (Tanah Liat Kosmetik Putih) sering digunakan dalam pembuatan sabun, skrub, deodorant, pupur muka. Ianya salah satu tanah liat yang paling bagus dan tidak terlalu kuat.

Sesuai untuk kulit sensitif yang membantu menyingkirkan bendasing, menstimulasi peredaran, mengelupas dan membersih.

Sesuai untuk kulit kering kerana ia tidak akan menghakis minyak semulajadi kulit.

Juga popular kerana kebolehannya memberikan bau yang lebih wangi.

Antara rangkaian produk freshpicks yang menggunakan kaoilin clay adalah

Refreshing Deodorant (available & best seller)
Scrub, Sabun (coming soon)

Berminat?
Whatsapp 0193755133 for info and order.

I am a proud Ambivert

Definition of ambivert. : a person having characteristics of both extrovert and introvert.

I came across to an article in facebook today, about ambivert... and I am so happy at last i belong to a group. Hahaaaa

All this while i thought i am a weirdo.. I love socialising but at times i just love to be alone. Back in school, i was always in a group of girls. Primary school, secondary school and even in uni days :) i always always make sure i was not alone, even eating alone made me feels like i am a loser.

But when i grow older, i feel the need to be alone once in a while. i learn to enjoy alone time in public, like reading in bookstores, or eat at my favourite sushi joints, or just strolling/jogging in the park alone. But at the same time i always need to subscribe to a society, or clubs or group of people with same interests...which are beyond my circle of friends.... :) My current interest group includes this one ladies NGO, charity and latest is Freshpicks family :p But as usual, i need to have my me time once in a while to re energize and self motivate myself. 

So does the above made me an ambivert? :P

Kebaikan mentega koko (cocoa butter)

#freshpicksPREMIUM

PURE PRIME PRESSED(PPP) COCOA BUTTER

Mentega koko (Cocoa butter) diekstrak daripada biji koko atau kekacang koko. Ianya berwarna kuning krim, mentega koko asli adalah semata-mata mentega koko dalam bentuknya yang mentah dan sangat kaya dengan khasiat.

Tidak seperti metega koko ditapis, mentega koko yang diperolehi daripada kaedah Pure Prime Pressed (PPP) dapat mengekalkan bau yang kaya dengan coklat berserta memastikan semua kebaikan semula jadinya dikekalkan.

Kebiasaannya ia digunakan untuk memberi lebih khasiat kepada bibir atau lipbalm, mentega badan (body butter), sentalan badan (body scrub) dan losyen. Sangat baik untuk kulit yang kering, mempunyai tanda calar pada kulit dan kulit yang sensitif.
Mentega koko akan cair dalam suhu kulit.

PPP ini diperbuat daripada bahan-bahan yang bukan GMO dengan kaedah pensterilan berwap dan diproses selaras dengan Amalan Pengilangan Yang Baik (Good Manufacturing Practice - GMP) dan HACCP kawalan keselamatan makanan (HACCP).

Tahukah anda, produk freshpicks menggunakan PPP Cocoa butter sebagai ramuan premium untuk produk kami seperti

Lipbalm
Irresistible Lip Treatment
Shampoo Bar
BodyScrub
Deodorant
Ultra moisturizer
Multipurpose magic cream

Sebab itu ramai yang memberi feedback yang positif apabila menggunakan freshpicks

Kebaikan Mentega koko (Cocoa butter):

Antioksidan yang hebat
Kulit yang lembut, berseri, dan licin
Mengurangkan tanda calar, parut dan jerawat
Melegakan ekzema dan psoriasis
Melegakan dermatitis atau ruam
Menghidrat kulit secara mendalam
Menyembuhkan kulit sensitif
Mengurangkan parut
Menguatkan rambut yang rosak

Apa yang anda perlu tahu : Minyak jojoba

Minyak jojoba memang banyak digunakan dalam syampu dan produk2 penjagaan kulit.

Tahukah anda kenapa??

Sebab tekstur minyak jojoba menyamai minyak semulajadi pada kulit kita..jadi dengan memakai minyak jojoba badan kita akan rasa minyak pada kulit telah mencukupi dan tidak akan menghasilkan lebihan minyak...seterusnya kulit kita akan menjadi seimbang - tak terlalu kering atau terlalu berminyak.

Sumber:livelovefruit

#premiumingredients