Monthly Archives

July 2015

in Beauty & Fashion, Skincare

Beauty: Clinelle Caviar Gold Range Serum Review + Discount Code For You!

In my quest to find the answers to ageing gracefully, I often find myself testing out products I’ve never heard of or always deemed as something I have no need of. Only to realise during the short testing period of mine – which usually ranges between two weeks to a month – will have a lasting effect on me and that certain products sent to me will actually be the catalyst to a new step in my skin care regimen.

I’m talking about serums.

While I’ve been loyal to my creams – from hand, eye, face, to whatever (you name the body part and I will probably have a cream for it) – I always thought that serums are just a redundant product. Why would I need one when I’m actually diligent in using my moisturisers? They’re the same thing right?

That was until I tried some serums from a Korean brand called Purebeauty and most recently, when I was sent serums by Clinelle –  a brand I’ve never heard of until I moved to Malaysia.

I admit to buying their toner when the toner I brought from Manila during our big move to KL last year ran out. I was attracted to the clean, professional, and no frills look and the product literature it came with. It worked well on my dry skin that I developed a certain level of respect for the brand. So when they asked me to review their new line, of course I had to say yes. They mentioned caviar, black, and gold in one sentence so I thought back then that this was bound to be interesting.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Makeup, Video

Beauty: Super Fast and Easy Go-To Makeup Look! (VIDEO)

In celebration of the recent .com purchase and after really thinking about whether I should do this or not, here’s my first ever makeup tutorial video! 🙂

I decided to show you guys the easiest look I do when I’m often in a hurry – say, when my husband tells me that we have to attend a function in 30 minutes (yes, these things happen sometimes). Instead of just posting this as a blog entry, I decided to make a video to fully show you guys how easy it can be done. 😀

WATCH IN HD! 🙂

Comments, feedback, (constructive) criticisms, and suggestions are welcome! Would love to hear what you guys think! But keep in mind that this is a first timer’s video, okay?

Love,

Carol

in Diplomatic Incidents, How-Tos, Recipes

Career Girl Cooking Series: Choco-Cherry Almond Cookies

Career Girl Cooking Series, Baking, Cookies, Cherry, Cherry Season, Cherries Malaysia, Cherries Kuala Lumpur, Cherry Recipe, Chocolate, Almonds, Easy Cookie Recipe, Dessert, Domestic Diva, Domestication, Diplomat's Wife, Cookie, #Foodporn, Food

Yet another super easy recipe coming your way just in time for cherry season, my loves!

Baking is therapeutic. It is also a great way to impress people around you with your ‘domestic diva’ skills and make them think you’re like the best diplomat’s wife ever when in fact, you’ve only exerted a wee bit of effort. Haha! I do admit to them later on that baking is easy-peasy. You just have to get yourself into the kitchen, drop the fear that you might blow up your whole building, and dive right in. It takes a lot of time but it’s definitely fun and worth it. 😉

I haven’t been baking for quite a while since my husband and I have been so busy. I was actually looking for an excuse to bake something just so I can make some desserts and disrupt his dieting. 😛

Career Girl Cooking Series, Baking, Cookies, Cherry, Cherry Season, Cherries Malaysia, Cherries Kuala Lumpur, Cherry Recipe, Chocolate, Almonds, Easy Cookie Recipe, Dessert, Domestic Diva, Domestication, Diplomat's Wife, Cookie, #Foodporn, Food

It’s currently cherry season so that’s a wonderful excuse to bake something sweet and fruity. 😉 I was also recently given a pack of Northwest Cherries to try. Been eating them fresh and adding them to shakes. Naturally, the next step would actually be baking with them. I decided to try a recipe I found on the internet for plain cookies then adding my choice of toppings.

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy! 😉

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in Diplomatic Incidents, Events

Events + Photos: Oh My India! A Journey Around India Through Her Many Dance Traditions

A few weeks ago, my husband and I found ourselves with (awesome) seats to a dance showcase that I’ve been looking forward to for quite a while. When my good friend Thana mentioned earlier that he’s been studying traditional Indian dance and added that he will be inviting Alvin and I to their showcase – naturally – I was extremely excited. Theirs is one of the most fascinating and colourful cultures I have ever encountered so I definitely had to see this show.

India – the most populous democracy, the land of Ghandi, where the Taj Mahal is located, Bollywood land, Hinduism’s homecourt, and the birthplace of Karma and Kama Sutra. And while I’m sure the last bit totally got your attention, I have to admit that my favourites are actually these two: Indian food and their art! Indian food in Malaysia is one of the reasons (Three words: Chicken Tikka Masala) I have to go to the gym and their art forms – from visuals to performances, to wearables – always leave me in awe.

I have been bugging my friends of Indian heritage to bring me along to any of their celebrations just so I can wear a saree. That’s how eager I am. Haha!

Oh My India, was an event that highlighted 10 of the dances found in the country’s different states. It’s a great way of peeking into the culture, religion, and lore that’s so unique and captivating. The event was held in Black Box in Publika and lasted for about 2 hours which, in my opinion, went by quite fast. I actually wanted to see more! 🙁

Oh My India, Indian Dance, Traditional Indian Dance, Karam, Yakshagana, Sattriya, Manipuri, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Oddisi, Kathakali, Mohiniattyam, Kathak, Black Box, Publika, Event, Dance Showcase, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Diplomat's Wife

Oh My India, Indian Dance, Traditional Indian Dance, Karam, Yakshagana, Sattriya, Manipuri, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Oddisi, Kathakali, Mohiniattyam, Kathak, Black Box, Publika, Event, Dance Showcase, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Diplomat's Wife

Oh My India, Indian Dance, Traditional Indian Dance, Karam, Yakshagana, Sattriya, Manipuri, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Oddisi, Kathakali, Mohiniattyam, Kathak, Black Box, Publika, Event, Dance Showcase, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Diplomat's Wife

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in Diplomatic Incidents, How-Tos

Career Girl Cooking Series: ‘Malaysianised’ Pasta Dishes!

San Remo, San Remo Pasta, Pasta Dish, Malaysian Food, Malaysian Dish, Malaysian Pasta, Malaysian Noodle Dish, Hari Raya, Recipes, Cooking, Diplomat's Wife

This weekend, our Muslim brothers and sisters will be celebrating Eid al-Fitr (Hari Raya) or the end of the Ramadan season. It’s going to be a huge celebration among families here in Malaysia. Being ‘that’ kind of foreigner who tries to immerse herself in different cultures to the point of either looking silly or too eager, I found myself quite excited for this year’s Hari Raya.

Last year – only a few weeks after our arrival here in KL – we were invited to a couple of open house celebrations which were the cause of major weight gain for us. Food in Malaysia is just too good and hard to pass up so I’ve been working out to get ready for this year’s celebrations! 😉 (But really, eating more should not be your motivation in working out! Don’t be like me! Haha!)

(Read more about the Career Girl Cooking Series here: Career Girl Cooking Series – Ham, Bacon, and Mushroom Alfredo)

I even found myself thinking as to what should I be cooking for Alvin and I this long weekend. I think it’s a great excuse for me to get myself back in the kitchen and enhance my cooking skills. 😉 While I am not confident that I can make Nasi Lemak from scratch yet, I can truly say that I can impress my husband by making pasta – my field of expertise. But for Raya, I shall be Malaysianizing (is that a word?) my usual pasta dishes!

Thanks to San Remo for teaching me some new recipes btw. They invited me to an event a while back where there was a cooking demo and some tips on how to make pasta that’s perfect for the Asian tastebuds. We even had a cooking challenge wherein the people who attended the event were divided into groups and were tasked to create their own, Asian pasta dish. That was a lot of fun!

https://instagram.com/p/2pnjZTCqeq/

I will be sharing with you two recipes! One that was shown to us during the event and another which is in the cook book they gave us and have already tried myself a couple of weeks back. They are super easy and they take very little time to prepare!

San Remo Angel Hair Pasta in Curry Gravy

San Remo, San Remo Pasta, Pasta Dish, Malaysian Food, Malaysian Dish, Malaysian Pasta, Malaysian Noodle Dish, Hari Raya, Recipes, Cooking, Diplomat's Wife

Ingredients:

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in Beauty & Fashion

Beauty + Photos: Hair Makeover at Andy Ho Haute Coiffure

Up until last week, I can honestly say that I never really had a full hair makeover. I would usually give myself drastic hair cuts or get my hair treated. I even tried experimenting with with hair colour by dyeing my bangs blue or pink (Don’t judge. I was a But of a rebel). But all these happened one at a time – never all at once. I also never coloured my hair in full.

I guess I’ve always been comfortable with my dark brown curls. Brunette through and through here! 😉 It even took a while for me to actually consider highlights!

I love my curls a lot and I’ve always been very particular about who touched my hair. In Manila, there was only one person I’d go to for a hair cut. This is because – being curly haired and all – I cannot afford a bad hair cut. I’ve been told before that dealing with curls is a lot harder than dealing with straight hair. My curls which are composed of big rings and waves, look best when layered and layering curls can be quite a task.

Andy Ho, Andy Ho Haute Coiffure, Hair Stylist, Hair Cut, Hair Colour, Hair Salon, Salon, Kuala Lumpur, KLCC, Pavilion, Bukit Bintang, Top Stylist, Hair Cut Kuala Lumpur, Hair Stylist Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Hair, Beauty,

I haven’t gotten a hair cut since moving to Malaysia (don’t judge!) mainly because I just didn’t know who I can trust to give me layers that won’t leave me looking like a long-haired poodle. By the time we hit June of this year, my layers which I got exactly a year ago was just all over the place, my curls weren’t swirling to their proper rings anymore.

So when I got the invitation to go to meet Andy Ho (!!) himself for a haircut, I was over the moon. Andy Ho is a name that you hear a lot here in KL – especially in the beauty scene. With two decades of experience plus his own, in-born talent, Andy has become synonymous to classy hair styling here in Malaysia.

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in Uncategorized

Fitness + Video: Win 10 Sessions of EMS Training at Impulse Studio!

Impulse Studio, EMS Training, Workout, Quick Workout, Fast Workout, Bangsar, Platinum Sentral, KL Sentral, Electric Muscular Stimulation, Promo, Giveaway, Free

Hi my loves! Since January, I’ve made the decision to be healthier by training regularly and burning all the food I eat (which is a lot, I admit). I tried Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) training in Impulse Studio and I never looked back. 😉 I got so hooked, especially with the crazy-fast results and the fact that I only have to do 2 sessions a week for 20 minutes each.

I’ve been writing about my journey ever since and I’ve been so passionate about it that I cant help but tell you guys how awesome it’s been for me through this blog. I look fit and I’m actually stronger that I ever was before, thanks to to this training. I won’t babble too much about it anymore since I have written about this extensively in the past. However, I want to share some good news to my fellow clients at Impulse and lovers of EMS training here in Malaysia.

By sharing your success story to your family and friends, you might just win yourself an extra 10 sessions! All you have to do is talk about your progress and how the training is working out for you so far and share it on social media. Are your arms toned now just by going for a few sessions? Has it helped you over come stress?

Let our friends in Impulse Studio know about your success as well by using the hashtag #impulsing. They will be gathering your entries soon so do view the terms and conditions of the contest by clicking here.

If you haven’t tried EMS training yet, you still have a chance to join and experience the benefits it can give you. I felt the first changes in my body just after 3 sessions! You might just make it to the contest deadline. 😉

And if this hasn’t convinced you enough, I guess you should read more about why I fell in love with EMS training as well as the results that I got just after 12 sessions. You can also watch this video Impulse Studio recently put together where you can see me doing actual training – at my most unglamorous state ever! But don’t worry. It’s totally worth it! 😉

You can also watch this video at Impulse Studio’s blog. They have branches in Jalan Telawi 3 (Bangsar), Platinum Sentral (KL Sentral), and G Tower (KLCC) – and a couple more opening soon!

Hope to bump into you guys at the studio soon!

Love,

Carol

in Beauty & Fashion, Expat Life, KL Shopping, Kuala Lumpur, Skincare

Smart Buys: Bath and Body Works Summer Scents, Sale Haul, and Weekend Raya Promotion! ;)

Bath and Body Works, BBW, Bath and Body Works Malaysia, Lotion, Fragrance, Candles, Body Care, Skin Care, Moisturisers, Bubble Bath, Love and Sunshine, New Collection, Sale, Home,

It’s sale season here in Malaysia so that means only one thing – the cheapskate in me is totally bursting with so much happiness! I’m not the type who shops for a lot of things in one go but when I entered Bath and Body Works recently, I came out buying more than I actually planned. I came out with 8 items!

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in Asia, Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur, Travel

Foodie Adventures: Coco Ichibanya’s Spicy Japanese Curry!

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

I’m a huge lover of Japanese food. From sushi, sashimi, ramen, down to all the -dons you can find on the menu. I will gladly gobble them all. But one thing that not a lot of people know about Japanese cuisine is how diverse it is.

They even have their own version of curry (which tastes quite Westernised in my humble opinion)!

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Recently, I was invited to try out some of the dishes offered by Coco Ichibanya – Japan’s largest curry restaurant chain – which recently opened their first store here in Malaysia. In this restaurant, it’s all about choices – particularly in how spicy you want your curry to be.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the dishes we tried!

BEEF YAKINIKU CURRY

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Tender and flavourful yakiniku beed served with curry sauce that has the ‘standard’ level of spiciness. Despite the chillies in this photo, I didn’t feel that it was one bit spicy. This curry sauce is for people who love the curry taste but can’t deal with the spice – a.k.a. children or me.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Makeup, Skincare

Beauty + Reviews: Win the War Against Pores with Laneige’s New Mini Pore Range!

Laneige, Mini Pore, Waterclay Mask, Pore Mask, BB Cushion, Pore Control, Blurring Cream, Pore Tightener, Oil Control, Pore Tightening, Korean, Skin Care, BB Cream, Mini Pore Range, Blurring Tightener

The road to flawless skin can be a tricky and full of side trips when you’re living in a tropical country. It’s hot and extremely humid which makes caring for your skin throughout the day a bit of a nightmare. Even my dry-as-a-desert skin is starting to show a few signs of wear and tear. Of course, that’s enough to send my personal alarm system into overdrive. Great skin is always on top of my list after all. :-S

One thing I also noticed recently was how I can now see some of the pores on my nose which were practically invisible before. Thankfully, they still haven’t reached a monstrous size as of the moment but that’s enough for me to consider trying to prevent any further damage to my skin.

I also noticed blackheads as well as whiteheads popping out on my nose and chin. This resulted to a nasty habit of picking them out using a metal tool used by dermatologists. I know, I know. I shouldn’t be doing this to myself as I might damage my skin more but my OCD kicks in when it comes to my skin. One little ‘irregularity’ and I fuss and worry like crazy.

The problem with picking out your black/whiteheads by yourself – aside from the fact that it hurts like a b*tch – is that you might end up with bigger pores that are left open, making it vulnerable to dirt and new blackheads. Eeep! You wouldn’t want to be trapped in such a vicious cycle.

Thank goodness for products that will actually help me break this bad habit by actually doing the job for me. Who doesn’t want tight, almost-invisible pores anyway?

Laneige, a Korean brand that I’ve always trusted since it was introduced to me here in KL, recently launched the new Mini Pore Range which contains products that will clean, tighten, and make sure you’re looking flawless all day!

Let’s start with the reviews, shall we? 😉

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