Pink and Undecided: eyebrow shaping

Review : Browhaus Grand Indonesia, Jakarta

Hellow hellow...

I promised to review Browhaus' services more properly (i mentioned them before here) and i finally got the chance to visit them again (the Grand Indonesia branch) last July so i snapped some pics.

I didn't snap A LOT of pics though, because... well, like most salons and stores in Indonesia, they didn't exactly let us take pics. I nonchalantly snapped some, when the staffs started looking at me-of course i started to feel self-conscious even though they didn't say anything (the... errrr i'm not even sure what to call the person who's doing the services-should i just call them beauticians?-yeah she told me that i cannot take pictures during the process. Which i find a bit stupid. Why would any company refuse a free advert? I'm spreading their names, for goodness sake! They should at least ask the purpose and be more lenient towards bloggers, i'm not even asking for a free treatment :p!) so...I'm borrowing a few pics that i found in the internet.

Both pictures taken from Plaza Indonesia's website (it's a different branch but they look pretty similar :p, so sorry i couldn't find the Grand Indonesia's one). I like their simple, modern and quirky decor.

Apparently Browhaus originated from Singapore and now have 28 outlets in 8 major cities across the globe, wow!

Anyway, this was my second time visiting this branch and obviously i was very satisfied with the result or i wouldn't bother coming the second time-right? I got my eyebrows tweezed (i am used to eyebrow plucking but threading looks a bit more painful and i am a chicken *___* obviously they're not that different *LOL* but the heart believes what the heart wants to believe!) last time and i tried maintaining the shape myself (not very successfully because i'm hopeless when it comes to eyebrows!)-but i let it grew the last few months before going to Jakarta because i wanted them to shape it again haha *kiasu*.

I went there without making any appointment before so i was told that i had to wait for a while (an hour? I can't remember) until there's a beautician that can attend to me, i expected this (because they told me the same thing on my previous visit, even though back then turned out there's a free beautician and i was then attended right away) and had no problem with it because i already planned on doing some shopping at Forever 21 while waiting, but those of you who doesn't have the luxury of time to do so might want to make a prior appointment before patronizing their salons.

They have this reclining sofa and it was very comfortable even though i felt a bit weird laying down like this hehe :

That's the beautician that attended to me

It's been a while so i kinda forgot the details, but i believe she cleaned my eyebrow areas before start the tweezing process

Even though i'm a bit annoyed that she told me no pictures were allowed during the treatment (i'm just a bit confused, are they scared that we might try to steal their method or something? Coz i obviously cannot copy a threading/tweezing method just by looking at the pictures @__@) but i'm glad she was nice enough to let us snap some pictures before she actually began so at least i have some pictures of the treatment area to show you!

In both visits, i found the beauticians to be moderately friendly (not super friendly *but the reception staffs are very friendly though!* or anything, but still totally acceptable and not annoying at all), professional and work really really swift.

I asked for another Modern Tweezing and she worked really fast, and she also didn't forget to ask me if i was in pain-which i was *LOL*. I'm not gonna sugar coat and say that it's completely painless, i pluck my own stray eyebrows regularly and cannot find a method to make it painless and i'm used to tweezing since i was a teenager so i expected the pain. Very tolerable (and worth ever single pluck for the end result hahaha) and nothing anyone can't handle.

This is my eyebrow before the tweezing

And after (taken the next day)

Super neat

And they actually managed to make my eyebrows look fuller somehow! Amazing method hahaha

I spent years over-plucking my eyebrows (because it was the "in" look back then) and now i am trying to grow back my naturally thick eyebrows (they're jet black, very thick and long that both times the beauticians had to trim them >.< i feel like some grandpa with his overgrown eyebrows needing trimming!) so i am left with some empty spaces where they hairs refused to grow back :(. After doing a Modern Tweezing in Browhaus, they managed to minimize the bald spots and makes my eyebrows look much better! Totally love the end result.

Modern Tweezing costed IDR 125.000 and like i said, it's worth every penny.

Other than eyebrows, i've also always wanted to do my slight mustache that i didn't pay much attention to until my last visit to Browhaus (when the beautician asked me if i want them removed, then i was shocked into the reality that i have a mustache and they're very visible!)-then i began feeling over-sensitive about them particularly after i start taking close up pics of my FOTD, especially when i'm doing reviews of lip products where i have to snap pics of my lip area! The overly blown pics of my 'stache really start to bother me then!

So even though i was actually a bit scared (coz it must hurts! Plus my mum is the typical traditional Chinese lady with her millions of old wives' tales, always warning me against trying to pluck my hairs or else they'd grow back harsher and thicker. I have no idea why i believed her even though i pluck my eyebrows for years and nothing of the sorts ever happened! I feel silly thinking about it now) i gather up the courage to ask the beautician to do upper lip threading (coz i want to at least experience a threading and i have less hairs on my upper lips than my eyebrows so i figured at least she'd pull less hairs if it's in fact more painful than tweezing!) as well.

And holy anything that i shouldn't mention, does it HURT! LOL. It hurts probably 3x worse than eyebrow tweezing (again probably due to the fact that i am used to eyebrow plucking so i'm a little more desensitized to the sensation in those areas), i was quite shocked of the intensity of the pain that i felt my eyes quickly filled with tears *LOLOLOL* #wimp. Yep, it hurts alright, but i really love the results!!!

Didn't really plan to really do the upper lip before so i didn't take any pics (but you can see from old lip product reviews of FOTD posts) though, sorry! Here's the after :

Super smooth and clean!

Upper lip threading costs IDR 50.000 and it's super worth it too!

Both my eyebrows and especially my upper lips were kinda reddish and tender after the procedure, the beautician also told me not to put any makeup (powder, anything la) for at least 2-3 hours (i'm paranoid so i didn't touch the area for 24 hours except for cleaning and washing my face) to prevent any infection. But the redness and sensitivity diminished after a fer hours so there's nothing to worry about, really.

A selca taken right after the treatment, the lighting was a bit dim though so you can't really see the redness hehe

I asked the beautician if there's any ounce of truth in the hair growing back to be thicker and harsher and she said nonsense #relieved, she also told me they'd grow back softer and less instead-which is true. I now tweeze them myself every few weeks (they aren't as many of them as before even though they were never that scary in the first place, i am not Iis Dahlia alright...) to keep the area hair free and smooth (maybe i should consider SHR for that area, my upper lip's hairs are very fine anyway so probably one treatment would be enough hahaha).

I am very satisfied with the results and highly recommend Browhaus to anyone looking for a nice place (and reasonable pricing) to shape their eyebrow or remove unwanted facial hairs. My only negative feedback would be : why aren't you available in Surabaya??? There's no salons that specializes in eyebrows and does threading yet here, i have to wait until the next time i'm going to Jakarta for my next visit (and my eyebrow's going crazy again now)!

I would definitely return (they have three branches in Jakarta, but i'm a boring person-and i like to stick to what i know so imma return to the Grand Indo branch again most probably) for both eyebrow and upper lip procedure-already planning to do it next month when i'm in Jakarta!

I am in no way affiliated or sponsored by them, just a very satisfied customer spreading the love. Here's their contacts in case you're interested!

Grand Indonesia

West Mall, Lower Ground – 19

Jl. MH. Thamrin no.1

Jakarta Pusat 10310, Indonesia

Tel: +62 21 2358 0316

Maybe mention to them that you know them from this blog so they'd consider sponsoring me? LOL. Kidding!

#Pink

10:48:00 PM
7 Comments

Jakarta May'13 (+Review of the Browhaus)

accessories

Hi everybody!

We're finally back home! Left Taiwan very late last night and after being stranded in KL's airport from before even the crack of dawn for a few hours, we're home at last! I am extremely tired, sleepy (been napping for three hours this afternoon but it wasn't enough) plus another horrible bout of flu's got its hold on me again. *Sigh* I know i know, i barely had a day of complete health since June. WTF. Cold, please go away already!

Anyway, we have plenty of fun stories to share about out Taiwan trip, but of course it has to wait (they're all going to be joint travel entries, of course) and in the meantime, i'm gonna post this drafted post i've prepared since before i left for Taiwan.

The real entry starts HERE :

I know i know, from the title you'd already know that this is an extremely backdated entry :p, but i've been incredibly busy since May *excuses excuses*, and i am so OCD *and keeping true to the concept that this is my online diary-nothing is too late when you write on a personal diary, right?* i have to blog about anything and everything.

This is actually still a continuation of my European trip diary lah *LOL*, because i went back to Indonesia from the trip to Jakarta and stayed there for another two days. But mainly i just wanna show you my OOTDs and haul while i was in Jakarta (i obvi went to Jakarta twice after this, and shopped a lot more FML) and a little review of the Browhaus.

So, the story actually started on the day we arrived in Jakarta. We were sooo lucky, that one of the aunties from this trip (i told you there were quite a few who were outstandingly nice!) actually went through all the hassle of sending two cars to the airport, one to pick her up and another (complete with the driver) just to drive the four of us to my family's apartment in Ancol. She told us a few days before the trip ended that she'd drive us home, but then we found out that her luggage were left behind by GA FHL and had to wait an hour or so before she can have it.

Naturally we told her, it's ok aunty, we'll just grab a taxi home! But she just won't let us. Such a sweet aunty! I don't think she'd ever read this but who knows, someone who knows her might and they can tell her that i just wanna thank her again (of course, we thanked her already in person!) for being so kind. Thanks so much, Auntie Tenny!

On a stupid note, L and i showed our bimbotic sides and were squealing and screaming when our brand new (branded) bags had to go through the x-ray for final security check *LOL*. You know how girls are with their brand new purchases, especially the pricey ones. ZZZ. Btw, we were warned by so many people of annoying immigration officers who might be looking forward to tax us *happened to many people* if we carry brand new branded bags into Indonesia from overseas? Well, fortunately that didn't happen to us.

And we needn't worry because there was this one aunty who bought like... 3 Chanel bags, 2 LVs and a bunch of Long Champs (oh yeah, in Asia Long Champ is considered moderately branded)-and probably a lot other stuffs we weren't aware of, and she cruised by leisurely-and without disturbance. I did hear (and experience) that Surabaya immigration officers were a lot more fussy (and money hungry). FML for that!

Another bimbotic moment for L, while she was waiting for her checked-in luggage, she actually lost her hand carry one! LOLOLOL WTF indeed. Not so surprised though, she can be super blur sometimes (and she dares call me Blondie. Who's blondier, most of the time anyway? And no, i'm not talking about hair color because hers is obviously natural black). She totally freaked out once she realized her hand carry was nowhere in sight, and we almost walked out of the arrival gate already! Turned out she totally abandoned it in the middle of nowhere that one of the officer brought it to the lost and found section. FHL.

We rented a car for the next day, and we told them 10 AM at first, but then L changed her mind because she needed to meet someone (for her work) in the morning, so we changed to pick up time to 9 AM. Problem was? I was up at 7.20, when my alarm woke me up. Got ready and stuff, but NOBODY else woke up!!! I had to scream at them to WAKE UPPP and they still had the decency to ask me "Why?", well-because it was 9.30 already!!! Dafug. They all scrambled out afterward *LOL*. This is when L finally realize that i always follow schedules, with military precision. Don't ever doubt my punctuality. In the end we left the apartment at 10 AM WTF, should've never changed the pick up time, now we lost a solid hour! ZZZ.

Here's my OOTD!

I was packed for cool Europe, totally forgot to bring decent tops for my days in Jakarta WTF, the top was knitted and thick. Thankfully i brought a short to pair it with so i wasn't completely fried in them. My feet were amazingly tight and muscly after the never ending walks in Europe (in heels!), i miss my tight thighs :p

Knitted Striped Top : Online, Baby Pink Shorts : Matahari Dept Store (i think it was Aero)

It was taken in my 'rents room (where we stayed because it was the biggest and en suite), please excuse the chord on the background hehe *don't know how to photoshop*.

Lisa's meeting up with the person for her work in STC or something, just next door to Plaza Senayan so hunny and i decided to walk to Plaza Senayan to wait for them there. I was hot and bothered, and immediately missing European spring weather *LOL*, it was pretty shocking-the difference. Anyway, went to Metro in PS and... well... You know.

Here's the collective haul while i was in Jakarta first :

In Metro i found these :

You know i'm not a big shoes kind of girl, out of all of my outfit collection i have the least number of shoes (okay, so the least number means i own like, 40-50 pairs? That's NOTHING compared to my other collections okay! *defensive*) mainly because i like to hoard things, and maybe wear it once and wait like... years to wear it again, and shoes falls apart if you neglect it for a long time, so i try to buy less shoes (there's always the possibility that they fall apart because i usually buy cheaper kind of shoes (coz as usual i am more attracted to cutesy designs than anything else)? None that costs me like millions. Does super expensive shoes lasts even if you neglect them for years and years?), but these two beauties beckoned to me and their charm was too strong to resist >.<. Plus they were on sale, IDR 299.000 (around USD 30) for two.

Yes, i am crazy about jelly-textures. On shoes too. I am obsessed with them lately. Been thinking of purchasing genuine Vivienne Westwood shoes one of these days... And i think Jelly shoes won't crumble, at least not as fast as mock/real leathers and other materials..

This also came in a super cute bright blue that i also really wanted, but i couldn't justify buying two exactly the same shoes in different colors (though i wouldn't say the same for clothes and accessories..). I asked hunny and he said the baby pink one's cuter so i picked it... Still longing for the blue one though... But i really wanted the other design too, i shouldn't buy four, right!!! (coz if i bought three it'd be more expensive!)

I've worn it a couple of times (okay, two...), once in #Undecided's birthday (when we plowed through wet soils, thank God i was wearing these jelly babies so it was really easy to clean!) and one more just last week when we caught Turbo with Baby Boy.

Yes, i attracted lots of stares dressing like this and holding my little boy. My hunny complained because he was worried people would think he's a paedophillia, dating an underaged girl zzzz

This one's also a jelly shoes but with Velvety touch. It's super pretty on!

Yeah, i haven't had the chance to wear this. I originally wanted the electric blue one but sadly they didn't have one on my size :(... But this one's pretty too!

L was done pretty fast and we went to Senayan City, watched Iron Man 3 (L's treat! She used her Citibank point and the bill came up to IDR 0! We need more offers like that in Surabaya, how come all of the good deals are only good in Jakarta???). We also shopped at the speed of lighting (because we didn't have much time), i only bought this high low sleeveless top from Top Shop, it was only IDR 99.000 (from IDR 199.000) and there was an added discount for using one of the credit cards L had (so i borrowed hers), 10% off!

It'd be superb over a legging!

Saw a lot more pretty things (especially in Miss Selfridge-which is like my ultimate fave shop if only their things aren't so crazily priced in Asia!!!), also cursed when i saw lots of cute flat booties in various shops (when i had such hard time finding any in Surabaya that i had to settle the one with a wegdie-style heels), a super cute *and fluffy* one on a high street shop that i can no longer remember the name. Dammit, hurry come to Surabaya, will ya!

Also accompanied L shopping for nail supplies for her work at Metro *again*, she went back to her normal, confused self *she was super chilled and relaxed in Europe, not something you see in everyday life*, even standing in the middle of the department store *like, blocking the way* for a full 10 minutes, typing away on her Blackberry, she was miles away really. It really was embarrassing for her companions, okay!

After watching Iron Man 3 (it was super cold in the cinema, hunny and i compete on who can pee the most during the movie) we left immediately to drop them off at the airport, and then rushed back home *detouring as fast as we could to Mangga Dua Square to buy food* before we run out of time *didn't fancy having to pay overtime for the car rental, you see...* and then just chilled at home.

We're going back to Surabaya in the evening the next day, so we had time to do some last minute shopping *i specifically told hunny i NEEDED to go back to Plaza Indonesia because i want to shop at Forever 21-after only being able to ogle at the already closed store two weeks earlier!* and i also wanted to try out the eye brow shaping at The Browhaus, i desperately needed it!

Here's my OOTD first :

I totally forgot to check and my tights were apparently footless/step on type! And i didn't have any more socks (i did, but they were in the securely wrapped suitcase and i had no intention to unwrap it before we arrived in Surabaya!) so i had to wear the booties without any socks WTF

Floral Bodycon Dress : from my own boutique, Maroon Step OnTights : random Korean style boutiques

Here's the condition of my eyebrows before the eye brow shaping *keep in mind i've been letting it grow wildly for about two or three months because i wanted to try out this service, so don't be shocked* :

Crazy uneven and holey from my unprofessional plucking method *LOL*

Been keeping it thin and arched for far too long, all the hair under the arch were new hairs

Here's a picture of The Browhaus in PI, taken from their official website :

I went there and asked for eyebrow shaping, it was completely empty but the receptionist told me i should go back at 2 (it was 12) or something because they were completely booked. I was naturally like... WHY??? But i wasn't in a bitchy mode so i just said okay (coz then i can shop at Forever 21 first... That was more important okay!), but then they were busy whispering amongst themselves and suddenly asked me to go to the booth to be attended immediately. WTH *___*. Wasn't happy with the receptionist's service.

I've been there a year before, my niece Au and her mum CL had their brows done there, i thought they did a pretty decent job and since i'm dying to reshape my scary eyebrow *they make me look angry all the time* that's not been touched by a professional for far too long, i decided to try them out. Also, due to my crappy plucking, my eyebrows were a bit holey at some parts, CL's eyebrow were sliced in the middle by a scar (she was bitten by a big dog when she was really small, the dog's mouth covered her head and eyebrow!), she claimed The Browhaus brow specialist were able to make the scar less visible and the eyebrow appeared connected, so i was sold!

The place was comfy, the seat even more so *even though they reminded me of dentist's chair for a bit...*, and the booths were quite private so you won't feel self conscious there. The result :

I LOVE the result! My eyebrows were neat, even, shapely (not so angry looking anymore...) and i believe they no longer looked holey or bald in the middle! Plus maintaining it somehow is very easy, i just pluck the stray hairs underneath, i now don't have to pluck as often as i used to, once in a few week's enough! And i don't look crazy if i forget to pluck them for a while! So will i return? Definitely! It's worth every penny (I think it costs me IDR 120.000, i don't remember exactly though)-and you don't have to do it all that often anyway.

The brow specialist that worked on me was quite nice too *not super nice, but acceptable. She was a bit sassy, which is not something that really pleases me from someone who's doing a job for me*. She also told me not to put on any powder for at least a few hours (three i think) so not to irritate the newly opened pores. She kept on offering me different products though *which made me uncomfortable, i hate when people shoving stuffs they sell to my face*, as well as plucking my mustache. WTF. I didn't even know my mustache's visible enough to have to be plucked out. Now i am very self conscious of them and thinking of having them plucked next time FML.

Anyway, afterward i left my hunny with a glass of coffee in The Coffee Bean *where else* and i ran off to Forever 21! They were having a huge sale so, i went a little nutz...

I think i was there for half an hour only, rushing here and there, being productive and all *___*

A romantic chiffon sleeveless pale lilac (my second fave color of all time) long top with lace in the middle (it was in their lingerie section i think, but it's too pretty to wear inside the bedroom only. I will layer it and wear it out!) IDR 150.000 (from IDR 219.000). Hesitated about buying it, but once i tried it on... I just gotta have it!

High low neon green chiffon skirt-don't think it's on a sale, IDR 179.000 wasn't bad though. And as like the previous item, once i put it on, i can't part with it :(...

A bit crazy over neon colors (it's probably out of fashion already, but when did i ever follow any trend anyway...), and saw almost exactly the same shade on a top (a bit less neon though) and i loved it!

It's also wasn't on sale i think (I'm checking the tags as i type, you don't expect me to remember the prices, yes?) IDR 169.000 is awfully reasonable though. Stuffs like this sells at the same price at a non-branded, local chain stores/independent boutiques. That's why i am much more into high street brands nowadays. Forever 21 is my love obvi, but Zara's creeping up behind it!

Gradation Minidress in Blue...

And green

Purposefully bought them in different sizes (i wear M mostly for Forever 21) so i can wear the L one on a fat day *when my tummy doesn't look flat enough. It was on a huge sale, it was IDR 70.000 or 50.000 (why else would i get two of them, the cashier even asked me if i wanted the third color, which fortunately i didn't fancy), can't be sure because they tore off the price tag.

The last and most expensive item :

High low pale lilac tube dress with sequins on the chest

This is one of the most expensive dress i've ever purchased by myself (don't count the ones my mum bought me okay there were plenty), it was IDR 499.900 i think. I must have lost my mind because i would normally never spend so much money on a piece of clothing but this thing was so beautiful and mermaid-like (yes, i am obsessed with mermaid, in fact i call my current gel polish my mermaid nails and i am crazy about them. You'll see them soon enough) that i couldn't even think straight. M size fits me perfectly however the zipper on the back is dainty and the type that my hunny always struggle (and quiver, shake and grunts) to zip them up so i had to get them in L so i can zip it up myself and move it to the front easily :( i hope it won't fall off when i wear it though!

I also bought a few accessories :

Studded headband, always wanted them! Now i need to hunt for the other one on my wish list, the cat earred pearl ones!

IDR 79.000, also not the price i'd normally pay for a headband, but i can't find studded ones in cheap accessories chain stores LOL

Purple dangly earrings

It was on sale, IDR 40.000 (from IDR 69.000)

A dainty Cartier-looking luxe necklace, IDR 49.000, it just looked so much more expensive than it really is. Gotta have it!

We were stuck in a super horrible jam on the way to PI (i even fell asleep, and when i woke up we were still around the same area FML) so we were really worried about being late *will never ever miss a flight, don't jinx it though!* so afterward we just rushed to the dept store to buy a toy for Baby Boy, had lunch at Yoshinoya (hunny's newest obsession), tried to find Watsons (that apparently wasn't there) for my work, and jet to the airport.

Guess what? Yes, no jam whatsoever! LOL. We arrived in no time, like... three hours before the flight time? FOL. But that's okay, i'd rather be super early than late! We spent the hours laughing our asses off watching a few Running Man episodes that it felt super brief anyway!

Me at Jakarta International Airport, clutching on my priced posession

Thanks to ANZ credit card we were not short on coffee and snacks (for free! Frequent fliers should defo get the card!), and before we know it we were called to board the plane. Lion Air was so stupid though, we had to use a half elephant trunk followed by a stair! WTF! LOL! Weirdest experience ever!

That's how our brief stay in Jakarta was, i had so much fun *although a little broke* shopping my heart out! Please come to Surabaya soon, Forever 21, i heart you so much!

#Pink