Today's Flowers

Ball of yellow and green (Chrysanthemum) flowers.

Today's Flowers - A Basket of Flowers

Our friend gave us IBM thinkpad R series (Lenovo). In gratefulness to their generosity, we sent them this bouquet of gerberas. I know almost all of my today's flowers entry is all about Gerberas. I just love them.

By the way, if you have food photos and you want to show them off... why don't you join us at Yummy Sunday?

Moisturize: The Number One Beauty Rule

Experts say keeping skin hydrated can help banish those "dimples." Moisturize daily is the kind of advice dispensed by both our mothers and beauty experts at glossy magazines. And while you know it can be great for your face, will it really help reduce cellulite on your bum?

Skin specialists assure us it can. That's because when you slather on moisturizer, it helps plump out your skin. The effects may be temporary but adding moisture can smooth out those dimples and orange-peel bits to a degree. This is according to Linda Bird and Eve Cameron, both beauty experts.

According to them, some of the best tried and tested brands of moisturizers include Dermalogica, Clarins, Decleor, and Nivea or Olay are great bargain buys. They make no claims about cellulite reduction, as they're simple body moisturisers but with regular use, chances are your skin will look plumper and smoother and cellulite that bit less troublesome.

Another great idea is: add avocado to your shopping list. They're full of mono-unsaturated fats and vitamin E, which are good for your skin. They make delicious snack or chuck a few slices in a sandwich or over a salad. You can even make a moisturizing beauty mask with them. Simple mush up two or three avocados into a soft paste and smother over your bottom - massaging it in using circular movements with the avocado stone (or get a willing bystander to do this for you! and you know who!) then just wash it off with warm water.

Angelina Jolie was caught saying (and I thought it was cute of her to say that): 'I love to put on lotion. Sometimes I'll watch TV and go into lotion trance for an hour. I try to find brands that don't taste bad in case anyone wants to taste me.'

benefits of sauna

I love going to sauna and steam baths. I love the after sauna feeling. Of course, the heat could be too much to bear at first. But as you stay longer, you would be able to take it more. What are the health benefits of sauna or steam bath, by the way?

According to Alice of Go Ask Alice: Sauna enthusiasts laud the health benefits of "sweat baths," attributing them with healing, preventative, and cleansing properties. The sauna of Finland is a tradition that some researchers date back over two thousand years. The Finns attribute their endurance and longevity to the tradition of sauna.

Basically, what happens to the body during a sauna is quite simple — your metabolism and pulse rates increase, your blood vessels become much more flexible, and your extremities benefit from increased circulation. Physical fitness fans will recognize that some of these changes can also be achieved through strenuous exercise. Not to say that a sauna would put you in excellent physical condition without moving a muscle (don't some of us wish!), but that it brings about the same metabolic results as physical exercise.

The effects of the sauna are numerous and varied. Proponents of dry heat bath mention a feeling of psychological peace and contentment as well as physical rejuvenation. Many people claim that the sauna relieves the symptoms of minor illnesses such as colds, revives the muscles after tough physical exertion, and clears the complexion. The sauna experience will often leave you feeling very much alive. Your senses will be sharpened, and your tactile sensitivity heightened.

Another aspect of the sauna that needs to be considered is your mental state prior to taking one. Many people attest to the healing powers of the sauna concerning mental depression and anxiety. They say that after leaving the sauna, the mind is in a relaxed, lucid state, free of the worries of the everyday world. Also, when the body feels soothed and energized, the mind and emotions often follow suit.

I Heart Clinique

I'm a Clinique user for 7 years now. I remember fully well the first time I stepped into the Clinique shop and had a skin test. Only then I discovered that I had a combination type of skin, which means oily on the T-zone and dry on the rest of the facial skin. I'd been wanting to find out my skin type and glad I did on that day. It was for free so I went for it. And of course since looking for the right cosmetics for me was a struggle, I decided to try this one. The sales lady said Clinique was water-based so it's great for oily skin. I knew then that my skin wasn't compatible with cosmetics products that are oily based or products that have vitamin E in them. Water-based product was something new to me... So I gave it a try. I never regretted that decision. 6 years later, I'm still using Clinique. I usually go to Subang Parade to get it. And I usually wait for sms from them to let me know of their promotion.

The latest promotion they had was to buy cosmetics products worth 300 and you get 7 piece gift. So I got my favorite 3-step skin care (facial soap for cleansing, clarifying lotion 2 for toning, and dramatically different mositurizing lotion). I usually get the biggest size that could last up to one year. I saw that they have new foundation that is exactly like my skin tone. So I had it. I actually bought 465RM worth of Clinique but what I got was more than that. I got other 7 piece gift that includes facial soap, hydrating mositurizing lotion for the face, lipstick that's perfect for my lip skin tone, all about eyes for eye care, blush on, mascara, and. Plus, I got 5x bonus link bonus, plus 70RM worth of voucher which I used to buy my husband's casual shirt (St. Barbara's). Actually, Clinique is one of the world's largest suppliers of prestige makeup and fragrance products. It was launched by Estée Lauder Inc. and premiered to the public at Saks Fifth Avenue in August 1968. With Clinique, I am acne free. That's why I heart Clinique.

Victoria Secret

I love Victoria secret. I especially like Love Spell. My sister used to send me Victoria Secret products she got from her friend in the US. My husband likes it too. So when he went to the US, without me telling him, he made sure he got this set for me. All Love Spell. We thought there's no Victoria Secret outlet here in Malaysia.

Actually, today a friend asked me if I knew there was a Victoria Secret outlet in Malaysia. I quickly checked over the net and I found that there's indeed Victoria Secret here. You can find it at Le Tresor Galleria, 1st floor same row with FOS (Factory Outlet Sale) at The Curve Shopping Mall, across Ikea Furniture Mall at Bandar Utama.

Basic Skin Care #4 - Protecting

This is a must and I am guilty of. Nothing will help you avoid sun damage and wrinkles more than using a daily sunblock or sunscreen. An SPF of 15 with UVA and UVB protection whould be the minimum you wear. Apply suncreen 30 minutes before going outside. I use, as you can guess by now, Clinique Super City Block. I usually get it as a giveaway after buying Clinique products for a certain amount. I actually have a few unopened because I am not a regular user.

Basic Skin Care #3 - Moisturizing

Moisturizers (moisturisers) deliver water to the skin, temporarily plump up fine lines, and smooth and soften the appearance of the skin. They also lock in the water that is already there. It's just a matter of choosing which formula is right for your skin type. Use an oil-free moisturizer if you have normal or oily skin. If you have dry skin, you can use a more enriched formula.

I am a clinique user so i use Clinique dramatically different moisturizing lotion.

Basic Skin Care #2 - Exfoliating

The difference between dull skin and glowing skin is right on the surface. The most common cause of dull complexion is a decreased rate of cell turnover. Exfoliation helps the skin look its freshest by refining the surface and restoring its natural radiance. Everyone can benefit from this vital step of removing dead skin cells, which results in a smoother complexion. Exfoliation also allows better penetration of treatment products and moisturizers. Always remember to use your sunscreen in conjunction with any kind of exfoliation, because the new skin you expose is especially vulnerable. How often you exfoliate depends on how your skin looks. If your skin looks dull or if makeup catches on your skin as you apply it, you need to exfoliate. Some people make it a part of their daily skin care regimen, and others do it no more than twice a week - the minimum which is recommended.

choices: masks and scrubs, ahas (alpha hydroxy acids) and bhas (beta hydroxy acids),

I personally use Clinique Clarifying lotion and exfoliate my skin daily.

Basic Skin Care #1 - Cleansing

No matter how tired or short on time you are, regular cleansing is an important part of healthy skin maintenance. Do not neglect this step! Its purpose is to remove makeup, debris, and dead skin cells.

Choices: cleansing balms, cleansing creams, cleansing washes, and cleansing bars. As a general rule, drier skins do better with creamier textures and oily skins do better with washes or bars.

I use Clinique facial bar soap for this. My skin is oily... and it truly works wonders on my skin.