Olay Miracle Duo!

Olay has always been one of those drugstore skincare brands that I like. I've been using Olay (on and off) since I was 20 years old. They’re one of the few drugstore skincare brands that offer a good percentage of useful anti-aging ingredients like peptides and niacinamide, sometimes even more than what a number of high-end skincare brands offered. 

 Like I mentioned in my previous post, I've tried their Olay Miracle Duo range - the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Night Cream and the Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence. I had great result on my skin! I thought my skin looked somewhat glowing and more radiant after using those two for a while. Hence, I thought I give their Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream try too since I heard it is one of their best seller item! ^_^

The Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence is designed to be applied every morning and evening after cleansing and toning. It features an advanced skin energy complex with hydra firming complex that instantly give a smooth, radiant and flawless skin. With its skin energy complex, it helps your skin look energized and strengthens skin barriers to give you a healthy looking skin.

 This Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence will allow the essence or serum that you’re currently using to work better as they absorb better. As they mentioned it on the box, the Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence will work better when combine with their Olay Day Cream. So I thought I'd give it a try!

As mentioned earlier, this Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence is very light and watery. It is absorbed very well by the skin unlike most serums that leave your face a little oily.

 My serums are still performing optimally when I use this with them. From the list of ingredients, this contains quite a high percentage of niacinamide (Vitamin B3) that is a good anti-aging ingredient that can help improve skin’s elasticity, enhance its barrier function, help erase discoloration and revive skin’s healthy tone and texture. I used this after my toner and before applying my serum and moisturizer.

The Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream on the other hand is a really effective moisturizer. It is an anti-aging day cream moisturizer that aims to firm lines, smoother looking skin plus intense hydration. This cream moisturizer is loaded with (again) niacinamide and peptides too, which are great in improving my skin’s overall tone and texture.

My face is so dry most of the time and this is exactly what I needed to make my skin look healthier and dewy. I love that it is lightweight and gentle yet my skin remains hydrated with its star ingredient. It also has a smooth finish and absorbs/dries up quickly, allowing even makeup application that's safe from caking. It helps renew skin's surface layers revealing youthful look and it hydrates to help plump up the skin too.

These characteristics make them perfect to use during the day or even at night. And it's perfect for our hot weather too, because the products don't feel heavy or sticky on my skin. I would highly recommend this for women who would like to prevent fine lines. I’ve used this for a while now and I can see the difference in my skin!

For more info, do check out their website here https://www.everydayme.com.my/olay


XOXO,
Shazzy.

Be Your Best Beautiful!

For years and years my obsession with beauty and makeup is driven by insecurity. From a very young age, (around 12 years old) I’ve been in a constant state of wanting to look "perfect". Maybe because I was surrounded with negative people.. People who told me I'm ugly. People who told me I should be looking like her. People who said I can't do this and that. People who told me I'm not good enough.. and et cetera. Hence I always wanting to look better. Never feeling good enough with myself.

But as I grew older, things changed. Probably because I've been surrounding myself with positive, happy people. I don't really feel the same way I did when I was younger.. I chose to surround myself with phenomenal people who are confident and secure enough to know that there is enough room for all of us to make it to the finish line! And I learned that empowered women never bring each other down. They empower women to do more, to see more and to be more!

Sometimes I ask myself - do I want to wear make up because it makes me happy, or because I don’t feel good enough without it? Well..to be honest, I love being all girly and pretty. But I don't wear make up to impress others. I just wear them to make myself happy and feel good.

But the truth is, we all have been flogged with the idea that to look beautiful we need to look a certain way... thin/slim, youthful, smooth-skinned, fair-skinned, big-eyed, pointy/small-nosed, silky-haired, etc. As contradictory as it sounds, the individual is slowly becoming the determining factor in cultural standards of being pretty.

Blogging has actually enabled me to kinda break the beauty mould in order to have an influential voice. I used to be really insecure with the way I look...But now, I don't really feel the need to be in certain size and shape,  I don't need to have the most fair skinned and I certainly don't need to be perfect all the time to have a voice. I just need to be me. We all know that beauty is only skin deep. What's more important is to be kind and be your beautiful self!

I love the fact that technology these days is allowing a more diverse expression of beauty. I think that technology is creating a more open and accessible beauty culture now.. Which I love so much! We embrace individual beauty and find our own ‘beauty tribe’ online! It's amazing to see different shapes, sizes, colors influencing others! At the end of the day, the most important women to impress is the one in the mirror! ^_^

The real beauty is all about celebrating the unique splendor of every woman and enabling them to express their identity in the mode that they choose, rather than undermining their confidence. So let us embrace the diversity! Everyone know that true beauty comes from within. And with the right skincare products, it'll help making you feel good by bringing your beauty to the surface! ;)

We all know that skin is the foundation of all the beauty in the beauty industry. Feeling beautiful is powerful. It is vital to your health and well-being. Every woman deserves access to the best skin care possible, be it science, aesthetics and knowledge! Thus it's important to choose products that actually work for your skin!

Beauty remedy can be such a therapeutic experience that makes you feel so good about yourself and inspires confidence, and your unique style and most importantly restore radiance! With the new Olay Miracle Duo skincare, this product offers advanced anti-ageing skin care that help regenerate skin’s appearance without drastic measures. Healthy beautiful skin that is radiant, soft and smooth! ^_^

It has been awhile now since I last wrote a review on beauty product.. So today, I'll be giving my thoughts on these two products from Olay. I've been using the Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre Essence and Micro-Sculpting Night Cream for awhile now.. These two products are somewhat thin and quite light. They both go on so smoothly on the skin. It’s like patting a silky, liquefied cloud-pudding onto your face. Oh, heavenly!

With my combination skin type and the recent deathly-humid weather, I decided to use this duo as a final moisturizing step in my night routine because of its ingredients and, well, it says “Night Cream” on it. Lol. Anyway, I am in LOVE with these products!! I recently added the Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre Essence to my daily skin routine (day and night) and I'm loving the result I'm seeing, My skin is glowing!

After cleansing the face and using my toner, I apply this Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre Essence before applying my night serum and night cream moisturizer. 

This Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence is a facial essence designed to be used in conjunction with a daily skin care regimen to help boost skin cell metabolism and renewal. The essence starts the renewal of a million surface cells and helps visibly reduce fine lines, pores and firms the skin. It penetrates quickly, leaving behind hydrated, smooth and supple skin.

The bottle dropper is genius, when you open the lid it draws the serum into the dropper providing the perfect amount to cover my face and neck, it is a clear serum with a nice consistency that the product doesn't run everywhere and covers the skin smoothly. 

It's so easy to dispense the product with a push of the applicator.. The pump makes it very hygienic to use and it dispenses just the right amount of product. 

Testing on my hands for you to have a clearer visual of them! I find that the fragrance is very subtle too, which is great as it isn't overpowering. My face is looking and feeling so smooth, and bright and I feel like I am glowing when I apply this product!

Look at that sheer light texture! It has a runny gel texture that is easily absorbed by the skin. I like how my skin feels moisturized and dewy after I use this pre-essence. 

The product rapidly penetrates into your skin and the key actives work within the epidermis layer. 

After applying the Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre Essence and my night serum, I apply the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Night Cream as a final step in my night routine. This cream also has the highest concentration of their signature amino-peptide complex and Hydra-Firming Complex to hydrate all night long. This is perfect to use with the Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre Essence as they both can work together so perfectly. 

Now let me show you the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Night Cream.

This night cream is actually more like a gel-type moisture cream that soothes the skin with a cool and invigorating texture. It luxuriously hydrates and supplies moisture and soothes the skin with a non-sticky, refreshing texture

The texture of this night cream is thicker than the pre-essence and it takes a little bit more time to absorb. Some gel products feel sticky though..and I am happy to tell you guys that this product doesn't feel that way at all!

This is a luxurious moisturizing and hydrating cream for soft and plump skin. It gives you long lasting moisture with strong hydrating effect and a rich texture to refine rough skin into smooth radiant skin! It absorbs so quickly and hydrates all night long!! 

After using these two in my skincare regime for awhile now, I can see that my face felt a bit plumper and firmer..and certainly more hydrated than usual when I woke up. Normally I had greasy skin when I woke up..but after applying these two, my face is somewhat glowing! It does provide moisture and hydration. So it's perfect for our hot and humid weather because the product don't feel heavy or sticky. I would highly recommend this for women who would like to prevent fine lines caused by dryness! I also love that I did not break out from using these products too! My skin is so sensitive that sometimes if I change skincare products so often, I'll break out like crazy! But with these two, none! In fact, I am glowing!! Love it! :)

The new Olay Miracle Duo range renews from within, plumping surface cells for a dramatic transformation without the need for fillers. The result is a stunning, youthful skin that is proven to look up to 10 years younger. Let's not settle for less. Let's be the #BestBeautiful you can be!

Oh and check out their products here! https://www.everydayme.com.my/olay


XOXO,
Shazzy.

Get Ready To Wonderstruck With These Extraordinary Ipoh Hotels!

You know that blissful feeling when you wake up after a long night’s sleep in a hotel bed, slip into your warm fuzzy hotel-issued slippers and robe...and think, why can't we wake up like this every morning?! Ahhhhh.. the joy of staying in an amazing hotel room! Now I'm planning to have a little family trip in the next couple of months.. We are still contemplating on where to stay. So get ready to wonderstruck with these extraordinary Ipoh Hotels that I wanted to share with you guys!

Ipoh is commonly known as the gateway to Cameron Highland. Even so, this city has a special charm that makes Ipoh is worth to be selected as your favorite holiday destination.

Join the whole package of adventurous nature, stunning Orang Asli culture, mouth-watering delicacies, and artistic city, there are various Ipoh Hotels ready to pamper you.

Commit to the perfectness, these special Ipoh Hotels are presented extraordinary. The charm of each hotel will surely make you wonderstruck! Be ready! Apart from these hotels, you can simply check https://www.traveloka.com/en-my for more.

Ipoh Bali Hotel
Lorong Cheah Cheang Lim 12A, Off Jalan Tambun 
Here is the place for embracing Bali taste in Malaysia. Built into Bali architecture, using original material from the god's island, the guest can experience remarkable times in Ipoh. The hotel tastefully decorated with antique yet luxurious wooden furniture, also beautified with 60-year-old Frangipani trees to freshen the ambiance.

The Bali taste Ipoh hotel hosts 12 rooms with the tropical setting and features plush amenities in 4-star hotel standard, comprising AC, TV with satellite Astro, minibar, electric kettle, Wi-Fi, in-room safe, and ironing facilities. Selected rooms come with balcony or garden with pleasant lounge, also the bathroom with bathtub. The facilities comprise spa and salon, also a restaurant with stunning rooftop venues.

M Boutique Hotel Ipoh
2 Hala Datuk 5, Off Jalan Leong Boon Swee 
This boutique hotel will surprise you with the eclectic concept. The appearance of this hotel really looks like a high-class boutique that mixing the Malaysia's colonial heritage to the modern urban decoration. Each floor is tastefully designed in distinctive theme. The first floor is Adventure Themed inspired by the Malaysia's Safari Expedition circa 1800's, the second floor is more majestic embracing the industrial era, whereas the third floor is Excelsior Themed with vibrantly colorful display fashioned with butterflies.

The outstanding Ipoh hotel hosts nearly 100 eclectic rooms complemented with amenities that suits to the urban traveler, such as TV, minibar, USB port, Wi-Fi, and in-room safe. As the additional features, there are Oldtown White Coffee Grand as the dining outlet, Myth Eatery and Bar that offers continental delicacies, also M Shop to cater the shopping lover.

The Happy 8 Retreat
This is the Ipoh hotel with an outstanding combination of art, nature, and technology. Stepping inside the hotel brings you surrounded by nature and art. From the facade to the interior are designed with artistic taste, showing the natural theme using such as wooden and stone material.

There are 2 the Happy 8 Retreat hotel in Ipoh: one at Pasir Putih (at Jalan Shah Bandar, Taman Happy) offering exclusively 5 guestrooms feature a private garden with bamboo trees and outdoor bathtub. The other is at Old Town (Market Street no.46), offering 13 artistic guestrooms with modern amenities, pervades TV, electric kettle, and minibar. The property has an on-site restaurant to humor the guest, together with a bar and coffee cafe. There is also yoga class to complete your retreat here. 

Sarang Paloh Heritage Stay & Event Hall
Jalan Sultan Iskandar 16 
The heritage Ipoh hotel consistently presents the outstanding culture of Ipoh Old Town. It is housed inside the iconic Yick Woh and Oversea Building, may take you back to the old era of 1930 while step inside the property. The decoration is full of antique wooden furniture from the old days. Most former guests compliments the rustic setting and the quiet environment at the Sarang Paloh Heritages Stay since the name "Sarang" means "nest" that literally images the essential of the nest as the perfect place for staying and living.

The entire rooms are tastefully decorated with wooden material and warm golden lighting. The concept is inspired by various resident birds of Perak. Some amenities you get inside the room are AC, TV, Wi-Fi, electric kettle, and in-room safe. Tropical garden, coffee lounge, and event hall are also available in this 4-star Ipoh hotel.


Oh decisions..decisions! xD


XOXO,
Shazzy.

3 Ways How You Can Pick a Stroller You DON’T Need!

Becoming a first-time parent has a somewhat weird feeling associated to it. On one hand, it’s really exciting, and on the other, it can be quite nerve wrecking! For me, I was particularly overwhelmed with the sheer amount of baby products out there and the different variations of a particular baby product. At that time, like Shazwani did in her post here, I had also created a list of baby products I should be getting for the new addition to the family. However, when I started going through my list, I faced a major hurdle when it came to the strollers. There were just way too many strollers to choose from, so my husband and I ended up spending a good amount of time researching to make sure we picked out the best stroller for our first child. It was during then when we figured that we should create a resource to help parents pick out the right stroller for their family’s needs; and that’s how Mommy Stroller came about.

Instead of providing tips on how one can pick out the right stroller for their needs, I thought it’d be fun to contribute a guest post on how NOT to pick the right stroller. These are common mistakes made by many parents, so be sure to not practice them. Let’s dive in!

#1 Purchasing the Cheapest or the Most Expensive Stroller 
 Depending on individual circumstances, different parents have different shopping preferences. Most however opt to go for the cheapest (to save money) stroller, while others go for the most expensive (supposedly “best”) stroller. Unfortunately, neither one of these reasons for buying a stroller work well. The right way to shop for a stroller is by figuring what your needs are and how you really plan to use the stroller. After all, you don’t want to end up spending $500 on a double jogging stroller when you won’t be using it to jog or explore the outdoors with your little ones. In such a case, a double umbrella stroller would likely work best.

#2 Picking Something that Meet Your Immediate Needs 
Another great way to pick a stroller you don’t need is by picking a stroller only to meet your immediate needs. This will meet your needs in the short term, but may or may not in the long term. The most common mistake I’ve seen involves parents who do child planning and know that they will be having more kids in the near future, but still end up purchasing a single, non-expandable stroller for their first child. Such a purchase usually only lasts less than a year, up to the point when the second child arrives. If you know beforehand that you will be having more kids in the near futures, it’s best to get an expandable stroller like the Baby Jogger City Select. You can read my review of this stroller here.

#3 Buying a Stroller That Comes with All the Fancy Features
The innovation and new designs in the stroller industry are pretty amazing, especially if you compare strollers a few years back and those that are in the market today. There are even self-folding strollers out in the market today! Amazing right? While all these fancy features are “nice to have”, they are rarely essentials. In fact, if you’re like me, you’ll rarely make use of these features even if you had a fancy stroller. I would recommend going over what is important to you and from there, pick out a stroller that matches your needs (rather than wants) as closely as possible. For example, if all you are looking for is an umbrella stroller that you can use to run errands, you can get a pretty high quality stroller for less than $150 versus a fancy stroller that can almost double the cost.


Yes, stroller selection is extremely confusing given the number of options out there. However, that shouldn’t be an excuse or reason that parents use when they end up picking a stroller they don’t need. The truth is, even with all the many different stroller choices out there, with some planning and rational thinking, every parent should be able to pick out the right stroller that meets the needs of their family pretty easily. So, the next time you want to purchase a stroller (or any baby product for that matter), be sure to go over the 3 points discussed in this post to help steer you towards the right product. What about you – have you bought a baby product that you were excited at the time of buying but just don’t find a use for it after a while?

 Who’s the Writer?

Evelyn is the main person behind Mommy Stroller, which focuses on helping parents figure out which stroller they should get. Evelyn and her husband, Paul, decided to blog about strollers after the overwhelming feeling they experienced when trying to pick out their first stroller. Both of them enjoy spending time with family and friend, live music, and going on jogs with their kids (in a stroller). You can also connect with the Mommy Stroller crew on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.

Ariani Lebaran 2016!

Assalamualaikum and hello!

First off, Selamat Hari Raya! Wow...we're already in the mid of Syawal month. Cepatnya masa...Rasa macam baru je Ramadhan! huhu.. So far, this year our Raya was not really meriah as before because Ayden had chickenpox just a week before Raya! So we had to quarantine him from everyone with kids, thus no beraya for us! Sobs...

I was so excited for this year's Raya because Ayden can finally walk! (Last Raya he was just 2 months old!) So that means he can now wear the classic Baju Melayu with songkok and sandals! Awww..cuteness! And of course, mummy also bought a lot of Baju Raya with shawls/scarves too! Mana lagi kalau bukan pergi beli dekat Jakel Mall kan! Semua ada..senang! hehe

Oh my god... Boleh gila kalau pergi Jakel. Semua nakkkk! haha. Especially kalau pergi Ariani! I gotta say, I really love Ariani’s new range of satin printed scarves! Very pretty!!! I seriously had a hard time choosing which one to get! So I ended up with 5! Heeee

Me wearing one of my Ariani purchases on the first day of Raya! I love this range! The lace look so real! - It's a printed shawl by the way!

Anyway, a few weeks ago I got the invitation to the Ariani Lebaran Fashion Show! The amazing event was held at The Grand Ballroom, St. Regis Hotel in KL, just a couple of weeks before Ramadhan.

Wearing Ariani square series scarf!

Sat next to the beautiful twin sisters!

Went there with my sister!

Ariani’s lebaran collection this year featured a combination of beautiful colours, materials and prints that are more unique, modern and elegant, with over 100 designs to choose from. Ranging from shawls to instant hijabs, Ariani 2016 Lebaran Collection includes hijabs in pastel and vibrant colours which are available in both plain and printed options, with price starting from just RM69.

In conjunction with Ramadhan this year, Ariani also featured a beautiful collection of telekung, known as Tarawikh Telekung Ariani X Siti Nurhaliza. This telekung collection is made from soft and comfortable materials, and they come in various designs and colours.

The last part of the fashion show is Ariani’s ready-to-wear collection. This year’s theme is Glam Lebaran and there are several special collections including The Maya Series, The Blooming Series as well as The Chantilly Series, which are priced affordably, starting from only RM179! There’s also The Premium Series RTW collection, which is specially designed for those who loves a bit of luxury and exclusivity. I love the minimal and elegant designs in this collection!

These are some of my fave collection. SO pretty!!

Oh by the way! Ariani ready-to-wear collection is also available in plus sizes! Yay! We are all shaped so differently so having a choice of sizes ranging from XS to XXXL is just great! I love how everyone just cheered and clapped loudly when the curvy models strutted down the runway. Yes, it's pretty refreshing to get to see real people with real body on the runway! Heeee

In case you guys still looking for Open House Raya outfits and shawls, Ariani RTW boutique is located at Wisma Jakel Shah Alam. Some of the Lebaran collections are also available online at www.arianionline.my. Go check it out!


*Official photos taken from Galeri Ariani Instagram. 

XOXO,
Shazy.

Buka Puasa at 9Kedondong

Remember last time we did Ayden's Aqiqah at 9Kedondong, Ampang? Well..apparently they don't just cater for weddings and events only..they also have a buffet feast for this Ramadhan!! At only RM 55 nett, you can eat everything that they have to offer!

So last Thursday we went there to check out their Ramadhan Buffet..we were there a wee bit late because of the traffic jam! Huuuu. You know how KL traffic can be kan... What else is new? Lol. I think we arrived around 7.40 pm kot? Not that late, but we had to break our fast in the car first. haha. A little tip, always have dates and water in the car during this month! xD

Anyway, this place is in Ampang Hilir...at Jalan Kedondong. It's a big white bungalow house, number 9. Hence their name; 9Kedondong. So this place being in the heart of KL city, I think it's just perfect for people who work in the KL area and don't know where else to break fast during the weekdays! Murah, sedap, dekat! Wah...dah macam tagline iklan apa je ni...hehe. But they're open during weekends too!

For me, for the price of RM 55 nett (adult) and RM 28 (Child: 7-12 years old), their variety of food is pretty awesome! Look!

Siput Masak Lemak + Keladi

Ikan Asam Pedas

Sambal Telur Puyuh!

Ikan Kembung Bercili

Daging Masak Lemak Minang

Ayam Opor

Sup Sayur, Sayur Kobis Goreng Puteri.. 

and other ulam-ulam kampung and kerabu

They have 9 stalls all together!

They have the Live Cook Stall where they serve Mee Goreng Mamak and Kuey Teow Goreng. They have the Desserts Stall, Rojak Stall, Drinks Stall, and Cucur Stall. - Their Goreng Pisang and Cucur Udang is the besssssstttt! Me likey! They also have the Sup Stall as well, where you can get Soto, Sup Daging, Mee Sup and Bihun Sup there.

Yummm!

Oh, and Nasi Kerabu Stall too! 

And for the lamb lovers, don't forget to singgah the Kambing Golek Stall!

Dah macam kenduri kahwin...Ramainya manusia! hehee

Surau is provided too! But for the ladies, I suggest you to bring your own praying attire/telekung because they only have a few. So it's better to bring your own

Oh and exclusive for my readers, if you buy for 10 pax, you get 1 pax free! For bookings, kindly contact Mr. Haziq at 017 225 0705 / 016 886 8311

Selamat berpuasa and berbuka guys! hehe ;)

- pictures credit to Razzwey

XOXO,

Shazzy.