Tuesday, May 31, 2016

May Favourites

Haven't done this in a while but I think I've accumulated some favourites over the past month that I'd let people know! 

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1. Matte Liquid Lipsticks
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Am I late to the party... again? I heard about Colourpop a while ago but didn't really take too much interest into it because I was still very much invested in taking care of my skin first and foremost (A 100 face masks later...). 

But I was at Boots the other day and for the first time in what seems forever, I found myself in the make-up aisle. And I got myself a couple of matte lipsticks because I loved the colours so much. 
It stays on forever, damn! I think that's my favourite part about it - that it stays on for so long without budging. Although, my lips are already quite dry without anything on so I usually slather on some lip balm before and after I use any kind of lip colour. And usually I'd try to stay away from all matte formulated make-up because I don't like how it looks on me but I had to make do with these liquid lipsticks! I've been spending my days reading reviews on all liquid lipsticks and watching Youtube videos on them. 

Also, can anyone here recommend me some brands with great liquid lipsticks? 

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2. Kathleen Lights
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My first favourite leads to my second favourite - Kathleen Lights! If you don't know who she is, she's a make-up Youtuber and probably has the most extensive collection of make-up I've ever seen. She is perhaps the only Youtuber that I really really like because she's so real. Real without being so over. I feel like some Youtube personalities have this need to please their audience by being a bit... excessive. Especially after Youtube fame. But she is so funny and sooooo relatable. The kind who midway filming would go, 

"OMG I just realised I didn't brush my hair... just saw myself in the viewfinder and well, girl you didn't even try". 

I love girls like that, the kind who isn't too hot and bothered about how they look 24/7. Just very very chilled and Kathleen is like that. I find her make-up videos to be really informative also because she buys and uses a LOT of drugstore brands which is great because she compares and tells her honest opinions. She's also SO funny from all her candid videos - her lepak ones where she talks about her life. Her Kat Chats videos are probably my favourite of the lot. 

Go check her out if you haven't already! So funny and so beautiful also I forgot to mention how pretty she is! 

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3. COSRX
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So this month... I broke out!!!!!!! A week after my period which was unusual, usually I'd get it a week before. I largely fault the change in weather and the essence I was using. Which was disappointing because I had just bought that essence (the Benton Snail and Bee one) and it broke me out!! Panic lah jugak because I haven't had zits in a while so I was wondering if it was coming back. So I quickly went online and did a bit of research and found that this brand, COSRX, is literally made and produced to target sensitive and acne-prone skin. 
*points at me, myself and I*

It's a brand that boasts of only using very minimal amount of ingredients in their products so as to not irritate the skin. It's one of the few brands that really do tell you what each ingredient is made of and what it does. I am currently using the essence, serum and moisturiser because quite coincidentally I was running out of all three ('cept for essence because I stopped after about 2 weeks of using).

I've read some amaaaaazing reviews in which they have often labeled COSRX products as their holy grail so I just had to try it myself. 

Verdict?

I personally really really like it. I don't know if it's just my skin adjusting to the weather or that I'm not using that essence anymore, but my skin is right on track!  

It did not negatively affect my skin so that in itself is already very good. I was quite worried that my skin would revert to how it was pre-Korean skincare but this saved the day. And it's quite assuring to know that they minimise the amount of unnecessary ingredients in their products. Acne-trigger chemicals were kept to the absolute minimum so I had faith that COSRX would not fail me.

And also for some odd reason my skin became ridiculously dry last three weeks. The kind of dry that showed visible dry flakes on my skin. I mean, I have combination skin so I do have the occasional dry patches but this was SO dry. My eyelids were painful because of how dry it was. And this was when I was drinking 3l of water every single day. I was quite confused as to why but again, it could just be the weather. But again, this COSRX was just SO moisturising. The essence is made up of 96% snail mucin !! 96% !!! That's already more than all snail products I've tried before this. The remaining 4% are made up of ingredients meant to hydrate your skin. And I really think it did because now my skin isn't dry... at all. No dry flakes around my jaw line, no visible dry wrinkles on my eye lids, nada! I don't know lah my skin damn weird ok but really, this brand helps!

AND in terms of quantity, COSRX is quite generous with its creams - for the price, it's definitely alot more value for money. Missha's snail cream, although smelt like flowers and unicorns, was so sikit. Was a bit disappointed with the quantity because it was relatively quite expensive.

Some of the reviews that convinced me, you can read here : 




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4. Churros
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Is it weird that I have this sudden INTENSE craving for churros?? I never did because you don't really find them as easy as you can find pisang goreng in KL so I never gave it any thought before this. But man, this month I've been wanting to eat churros everyday. So much so that I even attempted making them! 






My phone battery emptied half way so there's no actual photo of the plate of churros but they were pretty good for a first attempt! I think I overdid it with the sugar but good nevertheless! 

But man, the effort and the mess! After all that prep and cooking, I could only eat a few pieces because already quite muak. And I didn't have chocolate sauce which is something I'd usually have it with. 

I'm keen on trying to make new things in the kitchen but just realised puasa is in a week so not much I can do then. I'm quite nervous about Ramadhan to be honest - I'm quite used to drinking so much water these days so to go basically the whole day without it is intimidating to say the least. But hey, at least fewer trips to the loo.

But churros. So. Good!!!! And very easy to do actually! Go try. Then give me some.
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That's as far as I can come up with. Didn't want to force new favourites so I thought I'd keep it short and simple.

So as to how I've been doing! 

I'm still the same ol' same ol'. I've been trying to find jobs in the city specifically ones in retail but so far, none has yet to come up. To be fair, most of their deadlines are in mid-June so even if I do hear from someone, it'd only be then or later. Which is annoying because I want to work now!!!!!!

I'm planning on taking a trip to Italy sometime next month before the parents come over. I've only roughly planned it out so I'm still unsure of the dates and where exactly the trip will take me but definitely in the vicinity of Italia! I can't wait - I have always, always wanted to go and I think it'll be great to go in the warm summer. I might complain about the heat as I naturally do but Italy is beautiful under the sun. I can't wait for gelato and pizza time!!! 

I'm also looking to buy a camera to start vlogging. Or at least attempting to vlog. Like, travel vlogs specifically. Nothing daily because it'll just be me lazing in bed and well, vlogs are meant to be interesting and I'm not hahahah but I want to do ones for when I travel. Because my dad used to do it all the time when we were kids and those tapes were the BEST to watch when you're older. I think I'd like to give it a try. I love making videos (haaaaay Amal) so why not. It's not like I'm going to travel memana sangat pun but for the few times that I do, I'd like to make a series out of it! It'll test my video editing capabilities and it's just overall fun to watch them again later. I'm looking to get the new Canon G7X Mark II but I'm going to have to see how much I can trade my old camera first. Probably like £40 hahahahah SIGH SIGH SIGH why is money difficult SIGH SIGH SIGH

But speaking of vlogs, I've been watching Daphne Iking's vlogs these days and they're quite fun! Ala ala Judy and Benji (aka favourite daily vloggers ever!). It's quite interesting to see someone local doing these vlogs and I like how she and her husband very selamba in their everyday life. If you're bored, go watch! She had a bit of a problem with her maid a few weeks back and they did several videos on that. Funny but quite unfortunate for them! 

Ok that's it for this post - take care! Makan banyak banyak!

xx


Saturday, May 21, 2016

Got it good

Hello! 

So from the last time I've blogged, I have finally, *officially* completed my university years. Remember how I said I had one last obligation for uni? It was a presentation about a module this semester so although it wasn't like an exam exam it was still quite important so once I finally had that out of the way, I can finally say I'm done with university.

That is if I did enough in my papers to graduate. But let's not think about that.

So what have I been doing, y'ask? 

Nothing.

Which is nothing far off from what I already usually do hahahaha but I do admit it is weird seeing that I can just dump all my uni material in the recycle bin for good now. I never did it before because I had the fear that "What if I have to sit for the module again?" but now that third year is done and dusted I can finally just bin it all! I also deleted my uni folder for my dissertation module but have yet to delete the actual uni folder containing about 2 years worth of self-made notes. Or y'know copy pastin'. 

So after finishing with our presentation, Lynn, Jaden and I went to the shop to buy our university hoodies. Only like on our last ever day in university do we decide to buy the hoodie. We wore it straight away and took photos. 

I'm like a walking side-view mirror ; I appear shorter than I really am. I mean, I'm full aware I'm short but man, photos make me look short. And posing with feet like that really not the best of ideas.

The only decent jumping shot to which you see neither of our faces. 


This was a day before the presentation where some of us were in the library having group meetings. Our last time in uni together which was sentimental. We promise to meet again for food soon but to think that that was our last time together as a trio in uni was sad. So happy I met these girls, we met from just sitting next to each other in our first class on our first day and we just hit it off - I didn't need anyone else to be honest, was just really happy and content that I had these two to have lunch breaks together and to complain what a difficult assignment we had to do. 
So much love for Lynn and Agnes. Thanks for making me feel so welcome.

Speaking of another separation - my housemate of three years, Selina, has finally moved out. She's now in London staying with her boyfriend. To be fair, she hasn't really been in Bristol since like, January but she finally, officially moved out with her things last week and it was quite... sad. Seeing her room emptied out really did make me sad. Emotional, I know. 

Moving in this place three years ago was a complete last minute thing - I got lucky when one of the girls who initially wanted to stay in this house got a notification from the uni halls and decided to move there instead. I was just lucky that I got this place in time. And I met three very very very lovely Chinese Malaysian girls. Have to admit, I was scared in the beginning because I had never lived with people I didn't know at all with (I lived with Kaveetha and Diyana in college; girls whom I knew since high school). Would I get along with them? Would they like me? Would I like them? were only the very few things I had been occupying myself before I arrived at the front door.

The first person who opened the door when I first arrived was Selina.

And seeing her, I just knew I was going to be okay. 

You know how you just have a great feeling about someone upon just meeting them. Selina was that for me. I just knew we were going to be just fine with one another. Saying this, I don't mean Selina and I were the best of friends, like we never really hung out and cook dinners together in the kitchen. Which might sound like we were never friendly in the first place. But that's exactly what I liked! I wanted someone who wasn't too up in my business and I very much prefer the quiet and being by myself even at home and she was just the same so although we would always talk up a storm whenever we see each other in the house, we just both understood that we just wanted to go into our rooms and just be by ourselves. Does that remotely make any sense? I hope it does. I don't want it to look like we were unfriendly. 

We're very much alike. And we both realised this through our dinner dates together at our favourite go-to Indian place just like 10 steps away from the house. To be completely frank, I don't get along with a lot of people as much as people think I do. I'm not really the social butterfly some people have associated me to be. I'm just maybe good at striking up conversations - but whether I'd meet up with them for a second time, well, that's a different story. I have a very few that I can relate to and have actual love for and then I also have a lot that I am just plain friends with. Which is no big deal - we all have that. But I personally find that my 'criteria' with friends gets increasingly specific as I grow and so the circle becomes increasingly smaller. 

So when I meet someone who I can totally just vibe with, I love. Selina is like that with me. We realised that we were both on each others wavelength and we totally got each other when we were in deep conversation about friends and love. We've told each other things - we've cried in front one another in fact. We've watched movies, we've treated each other, we've gone grocery shopping together. Very trivial things but like I said, if I find someone I vibe with it doesn't really matter what we do - matters that I do it with her! 

Also helps that she's perhaps one of the most kind, most generous and just all-round biggest sweetheart I know. And she's been the only housemate I've had who has been with me three years in this house. So I have a special place in my heart for the girl. 

Just wanted to write this here so that future me can read this and be reminded that I was saved from all possible roommate drama and that I had it good. All three years at that! 

This is a photo of Selina and I after we went out for dinner and to the shop nearby to get ice-cream to which we later regretted. 

So this is all for this post. I don't have much to update anyone with anything. Which would explain the lack of updates. Puasa is coming soon. 18 hours of fasting. We'll see how that goes. 

It's now 6am and already bright outside but thank God for the sleeping mask I bought days back.
That thing blinds the brightest of suns.
To more sleeping in!

xx

Song I'm listening to : I Don't Care by Ariana Grande

Thursday, May 12, 2016

London with Nana!

Nana and I were on the bus on the way to have dinner one day and I told her how I was so tempted to go on a day trip to London to makan-makan and she, as she always is, was so game for it! 

So the next Tuesday, we got on an early morning bus ride to London! 

I felt bad though because we spend a majority of the day going in and out of shops hahahahaha Nans if you're reading this so sorry!!! I feel so bad! I'll make it up next time we meet, k!! 

We ate a lot, walked a lot and it was SO warm also btw I was wearing a grey jumper but it was getting so warm that I bought a light, white t-shirt to wear instead. I'm not complaining though - the weather has been so nice and so warm but not yet to the tahap of sweating profusely which is perfect! It's been raining a lot though this week and post-rain weather reminds me SO much of home. 

Saw this beautiful tree whilst walking towards Makan. Depan rumah orang but whatever, yknow.

My travel partner for the day - the very cheery and very patient Nana. Love this girl, always game for anything I want to do hahaha!



I'm still always in awe of the buildings along Regent Street. 

The one place that Nans really wanted to go was the Japan centre and I love how this place is just filled with Japanese food, snacks, magazines, utensils, everything through and through! 


This mango sorbet at Wahacas was SO GOOD. I live for mango sorbets basically. 

Still asking myself why didn't I just get a pair of trainers right from the get go instead. Saved me so much pain and susah payah. 





Don't know when my next trip to the big city is again but I hope soon enough! Now that I am free of alllllll university work (totally passed my dissertation module by the way heheh), I'm so free to do anything and everything I want. The only downside to finishing my papers so early is that no one else is done with theirs (some have not even started!). Once they do, I'll probably make another trip to London to see them. And eat roti canai because damn it, it's almost 2am now and it's all I can think about.

xx

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Sorbets and vegetables

And so 12:30 marked the end of my last final ever exam in university and insyaAllah everything goes well and I get to graduate this July!!! Quite nervous now but nothing I can do now but to just pray and wish for the best to come! 

As per usual, I stayed up late studying and woke up early to continue studying. This is possibly my last ever paper to ever sit for (I emphasise 'ever'!) and still I do things very last minute.

Kids, don't do this. 

I tell myself again and again last minute is not going to do you any good and you're going to regret it but still I do it. Sigh. 

But whatever because I'm done!!!! 

I wanted to leap and skip all the way after I left the examination hall but I was too tired to be excited. But I was hungry so Lynn and I went to Wahacas; a Mexican place because I was craving for churros. So good!! Lynn and I shared 6 dishes between us two so it felt like a taster session; try a bit of this and a bit of that. Good thing their portions were in twos so we got to fully try everything equally. Oddly satisfying.

I am completely convinced that I take the WORST food photos i will now stop doing it 

This is Lynn's plate, so clean as she ate all her vege...

... and then we have me who cannot give two hoots about eating THAT much vegetable in one sitting!

Our mango sorbets. Other than the strawberry ice-cream by Haagen Dazs, no other ice-cream I'd eat but mango sorbet.


Best bud in uni! 


I can't believe my three years in uni has finally come to an end. Technically, I still have one more obligation next Monday but I'm going to allow myself a bit of room to breathe before I occupy myself with that. 

Where did the years go. Felt like it was just two days ago I was complaining to Lynn about how difficult the first literature review we had to do for a module once.We were just talking about the different modules over the three years here and the different teachers we've had and just reminiscing which was really sentimental to me!! 

To think that when I first got here, three years felt like such a long stretch. 

I'm so happy that I took the course that I did and that I went to the university that I did and that I got into Bristol. This city is so close to my heart now and it'll be very difficult in the next few months when I have to finally move out of this place. But all that later in a different post! 

I'm just so happy to not have to study anymore and man, the satisfaction I got from deleting my 'Exam Prep' document folder on my laptop is ~ a m a z i n g ~

I still have no idea what I want to pursue but I'm just looking forward to whatever comes my way to be honest. 

But now I'm just going to catch up with my favourite Korean shows (new episodes come out Sunday nights so do you know how difficult it was to restrain myself from watching it last night?!?!!) and have fun in doing nothing.

xx