Pink and Undecided

Black, White and Red Are Match Made in Fashion Heaven

Hey hey ^^.

Usually i try to post outfit pictures before the event where i wear the outfit to, but sometimes the event is too exciting that i feel like i should blog about it ASAP-or i got distracted by other posts *LOL*. This outfit is what i wore to Av's birthday bash. Yes, on November. Don't worry, i have outfits from 2013 that i might post here when i'm bored #LOL. Hey, there are such thing as "throwback" and "walking down the memory lane #queenofexcuses.

Look how bitchy my face is in this pic. Red lips+resting bitch face=sinetron's antagonist's lookalike *sigh*. I need to remember to SMILE when i wear red lippies!!!

I used to be very self-conscious about taking outfit pictures on public, but gradually i learn to care a bit less about the stares of strangers *LOL*. Especially when there are a lot of friends around, then i care even less :p.

LOL at my come hither stare :p

The black dress i was wearing is actually around one/two size too big (this happens a lot when you bargain shopping *LOL*, what's left on the sale section are usually ridiculously small or ridiculously big, despite being somewhat of a giant for an Asian girl, i am apparently wearing a very popular size) and it's a tube dress so... I was in danger of losing the dress one too may times during the evening hahaha

If you've been following this blog for a while then you'd know that my style normally is a lot girlier with floaty dresses, but there are days when i feel like i can pull off maturer, dare-i-say slightly sexy look. That day was one of those rare days hahaha. I love love love structured blazer and i couldn't snap it fast enough when i saw it on sale in Cotton On (IDR 150.000?) . I love to pair it with dresses and even pants when i feel like i want to rock a more boyish look (that is even rarer days, but it happens hahaha). When i love something, i want to own it in thousands of different colors zzzz. It'd be pretty amazing with patterns too! Floral, stripes, polkadots... The possibilities are endless! Now i wish i could say the same about my closet space....

My #FOTD :

I immediately planned on wearing a deep red lipstick once i heard that the dress code was Black & White, red lips is the best accessory for monochromatic outfits! I like to wear natural, almost nude eye shadows when i'm wearing red lipsticks, but on special occasions i also like to pair it with a more dramatic eyeshadow. Since this look was for a birthday party, i decided it wouldn't hurt to give my eye makeup more effort hehe.

One needs to be very meticulous when using bold lip colors, that i need to practice on for sure. Seems like i missed the corners of my lips in this pic!

Thick eyeliner combined with pearly white eyeliner to widen my eyes

Red lips emphasize the paleness of my complexion-this makes me very Geisha looking most of the time -___- but i don't mind hahaha

List of products used :

1. Etude House AC Clinic Daily Sun BB
2. Clinique All About Eyes Concealer in 01 Neutral
3. DHC Medicated Acne Care Concealer
4. Simply Stay by Mustika Ratu Two Way Cake

5. Esprique Precious Double Shine Face Powder (to highlight my nose bridge)
6. e.l.f Eye Primer
7. C/o Collection Work the Color Trio (3, Smoke Screen)
8. Mai Doll Black Liquid Eyeliner
9. Unbranded Cream Silver Liner
10. Unbranded red blush on from a makeup palette (Bought in Sogo)
11. Oriflame Tender Care
12. Pixy Moisture Lipstick in R-01

Can you believe that gorgeous deep red lipstick is IDR 16.000 (around USD 1.20!)? I'm in love with it! I fell so fast and hard for Pixy now i bought loads of their products since zzz. But seriously, i cannot recommend it enough if you're looking for a darker deep red but doesn't want to break the bank-or not sure if you'll like it, with IDR 16.000 you can simply give it away to a friend if you dislike it, right? No heartache. LOL.

As for accessories, i decided to wear one of my biggest statement necklace, since the outfit's pretty simple! I really do love statement necklaces, i just don't wear them enough because most of my clothes are too loud already! No bracelet because i was wearing a long sleeved blazer (what's the point?) and i think i even forgot to wear earrings for once (or just forgot to snap a picture of) but i did wear this beautiful diamente star fish and pearl ring that i've had forever but never worn yet because it's a little too grown up/classy for my usual attires :p.

Zara inspired crystal statement necklace : Av's Online Shop!
Starfish and Pearl Ring : a boutique in Ps Atum (i do not remember the name >.< but they used to have an outlet in TP too)

The pictures couldn't capture the real item's beauty *sigh*, it's really sparkly and pretty!

Because my arms are twice the size i want them to be *LOL WTF*, i will never wear this dress by itself (i remember when i was young and skinny, i found my friend who never wears sleeveless or even short sleeved clothes because she thinks her arms are huge to be weird-i guess karma really is a bitch! LOL. I have not worn sleeveless clothes *except in Bali, it's a total exception!* for 5 or 6 years now, and probably never will again because even though i lost quite some weight lately, my arms stubbornly refuse to be slimmer-they are more toned because i do yoga regularly, but super stocky and even a bit muscular zzzzzz. Sometimes i want to chop the extra fat off and feed it to the hungry hehehe), but with mirror selfie you can always adjust your positioning and angling to make yourself a lot slimmer, so here's one to show you how the dress looks on its own :

I paired the outfit with a black heart shaped little bag, but since it's the same color as the skirt you can hardly see it *sigh*


Outfit details : Black tube dress with white lace : Sogo Department Store (i do not remember the brand >.<, i think it was either Panelli or Vornera) White Blazer : Cotton On Shoes : Everbest Bag : N.Y.L.A

I have a love-hate relationship with this bag, i love how cute it is but i HATE the fact that it stains! I got two other bags ruined because i placed it beside this heart shaped bag! Oh and the awkward length (actually i just dislike shoulder bags hehe) chain is super fragile, i snapped it off accidentally. No matter, i actually prefer it to be a clutch anyway!

I definitely mentioned this before, i love black and white and i have other black and white outfit posts to share, i just need to find the will to prep them...

One outfit snap with the birthday girl, i LOVE her skirt!

And one more with Le BFFs!

I should be writing my monthly movie reviews, but oh-so-lazy.... I hope i'd be a little less lazy tomorrow >.<!

#Pink

11:25:00 PM
2 Comments

Makassar Diary Day 3 : Odang's Engagement

chinese engagement

Hey guys ^^.

If my previous posts of my Makassar Diary were very touristy, this post is definitely more personal. I do document pretty much everything in my life now haha, but of course-as always, you are very welcome to nose around ^^!

It's Day 3 and finally one of the real reasons we're in Makassar in the first place : It's Odang's engagement day!

I do realize that it's his engagement day and i should probably be posting a picture of him and his (then) fiance as the first pic, but... I am the writer of this blog leh! I forever have to be in the first picture *LOLOLOL* and we didn't snap any picture with the two of them for some reasons (which i do not know *LOL*, most probably we were too busy joking around ourselves and didn't even notice them WTF, some cousins we are!).

Anyway, the picture above consists of my cousins (plus KC, CL and hunny) and i and was taken AFTER the whole engagement procession's been done. In case you do not know, Chinese engagement is totally different than Western's engagement. Instead of diamond ring, the guy gave the girl a golden (preferably with old fashioned Chinese symbol for happiness/good luck and not white but true gold, the tackier the better hehehe) and it involves the whole family. Technically the guy's family's asking the girl's family's permission for the girl's hand in marriage (oh WAIT! Actually traditionally the guy's family's asking the girl's family for the girl!!! Like we're some kind of item zzz). There are also a lot of traditions to be done with both parties' extended family.

Like Western engagement, some prefer longer engagement-but most view short ones (as short as one day before the wedding haha-like Odang's!, i too had a very short engagement) as the best options since Chinese are mostly very traditional *of course there are very modern Chinese people too, but they wouldn't even bother going through all of the rituals and steps, i guess* and have a "save face" mentality and for us (them), broken engagement is considered shameful so what's the best way to prevent one but to make the engagement as short as possible right, hehe.

Since Odang's not really living in Makassar (he is residing in Banjarmasin, my actual hometown-but i only go there very very rarely so i don't even feel any connection with the city-sadly), the starting point of the engagement was this boarding house he and his siblings were staying in.

Odang with his uncles and aunties (well, my parents and MY uncles and aunties as well hahaha)

Both of Odang's parents sadly had passed (his mom was my dad's elder sister) so he asked my parents to take their places and marry him off (mostly because my dad is the eldest brother in the family-another Chinese thing, of course-and the only sibling older than him is not very mobile anymore so it would be very inconvenient of we forced my eldest aunt to marry him off).

Those baskets wrapped in papers and ribbons are what we call sangjit/seserahan, which are the betrotal's gifts given by the groom's family to the bride consisting fashion and beauty stuffs, golden jewelries, etc.

While the elders were busy conducting the whole ritual and snapping pictures, i also had my pic snapped, by my hunny.

I'm talking about my #OOTD, of course! I opted for something feminine, girly but also airy and comfortable! Rightfully so because not only Makassar was constantly super hot during our stay there, i also ended up having to carry one of the sangjit (normally the unmarried youngsters would be carrying them but we lacked unmarried people and youngsters both since we're not in our actual city!) and it was pretty heavy!

#MOTD, not bad for something hastily applied-because i am not a morning person and it took plenty of self coaxing to try to look decent so early in the morning

Also took selfie with CL, this is obviously the sexy lips filter on Camera 360 which people seems to be hating, but i find it pretty cute! I also think i can pull off ashy hair color after seeing the result...

Then we got to abuse Odang...

LOL (yep, i forgot to change the filter hehehe sorry! KC and RD look like they were wearing lippies in this pic...)

I posted this pic on my social media and my old penpal (yes, i used to have lots of penpals all over the globe... This girl from Brazil was my best penpal and the longest running one...) commented that it's the first time she saw me smiling so happily in my pictures, wow... I guess i do post too many unsmiling pictures LOLOLOL. It's just that i hate how chubby my cheeks are when i am laughing so hard zzz.

These two always pose happily whenever i'm snapping their pics hehe

There were very very noisy doggies in the boarding house, i think those are pit bulls? Sorry, i am not a dog expert like #Undecided! Everybody's super scared of them because they are huge and black and loud hehe, but hunny was taught a lot from #Undecided and her hubby so he made friends with them very quickly. They were shaking their tails and acted like puppies in no time hehe!

After the whole photo shoot and video taping were done, we jet to the bride to be's place. In Makassar, they have these ready-to-use places for sangjit and wedding processions, which is another thing we found fascinating because there is no such thing in Surabaya/Jakarta (and i must add, Singapore). Usually we'd just do it at home or hotels. The ruko (shop houses) accommodating such services are located within one complex, very convenient!

One of KC's fave pic type, playing James Bond! Of course CL doesn't mind when the girls he poses with are his sister and cousins hehe

Then the very narcissistic Odang (never peg him as that kind of person before LOL, but then again i never opened up enough for my cousins other than L to get to know them better either before this >.<)insisted to have his photograph taken as well

And my mum, who hates leaving anyone behind (she cares too much about people's feelings hahaha) insisted on this pic that included all of us that were around already. By this time i think Odang's wife's (God, i do not remember her name >.< i'm a horrible person!!!) family were staring at us and started wondering what they got themselves into...

This is the first floor of the ruko where the ceremony would take place, there are rooms on the upper levels and the bride and groom (and their families) can stay there (depending on the type of packages they take, i believe)

It's so... Chinese

LOL. I mean, we're Chinese (by race, we are Indonesian as you know) and our family's pretty traditional, but Makassar's Chinese really take it to the next level! We'd usually be happy with just some red and gold stickers plus some red cloth to decorate our doors to show the world we're celebrating an engagement/wedding, but definitely don't have a whole set up like these!

Without having to wait too long, the ceremony began.

Like filming a sinetron, eh? LOL. I dunno why i laughed until so happy liddat zzz

After handing the sangjit (we had to line up and the sangjit were accepted by youths from the female's family one on one), our job's pretty much done so we just sat and joked around making so much noises it was embarrassing -___-. I'm pretty sure Lisa's (i'm positive that Odang's wife's name is Lisa!) family thought we were barbars... My mum had to explain that Banjamasin people are really loud, rowdy and we love to joke around hahaha

The whole ceremony's actually just evolved around the elders of the groom's family formally ask the bride's family's permission to "take" their daughter. As if the whole family doesn't know already LOLOLOL.

And then finally Lisa (who look so different with makeups on, that's what's so interesting when people don't wear makeup normally-they look stunning when they actually do!) was called down and the groom's parents (in this case my parents lah) put the necklace on her

And it's official! They are engaged! For one day! Because the next day they are married! LOL

We also snapped lots of nonsense pics so imma just post a few here :

My dad (the one with a blue long sleeved shirt) and his siblings (minus Odang's mum, of course :(... )

For some reasons, my uncle OT (RD, DD and MD's dad) got super jealous (joking la) because the siblings kept on taking pictures so he insisted for the sibling in laws to take one too hahaha. My mum became Mrs Bond because my uncle's wife didn't come (my dad only has one brother)

Then we took an extended family's pic, of course

Odang was really unhappy because he was not asked to be in the picture, then he insisted to get his picture taken nonstop.

Even when he's just handing out empty plates -____-. I dunno why hunny indulged him but i actually found pictures of Odang handing out empty plates (while posing) to all of his uncles and aunties -_____-

Even trying to feed our uncle, KM

Since all of the food provided are the typical Chinese food available on family functions, i didn't take any pictures (embarrassed as well lah, Lisa's family's already astounded by our behavior without me going on full blogger mode hahaha) but the rainbow jelly's too cute not to be snapped!

And cam-whored with :p

After the whole engagement deal was done, we... went to eat some more -____-. We seriously did nothing but eat 80% of our stay in Makassar!

Another very vintage looking place

My nutty hunny and bewildered looking KC

Went for Coto Makassar. I don't remember much, but i think it was quite nice hehe

And afterward, we had nowhere to go and CL wanted to try Nyuk Nyang OMG. LOL. Yes, three meals back to back.

We split one portion for three or more people because seriously... Cannot eat anymore lah! I'm a fussy eater, i love my meat balls and these are just okay for me. Maybe because i was seriously full already!

It was super hot though, i decided not to post the closeup picture of me becaus i looked super sweaty and yucky hahaha

Afterwards we just went to a mall, the elders (and some old soul-ed youths *AHEM MD*) went for massage while the rest shopped. I was looking for flat sandals because i only brought my sneakers and high heels, and i would probably die if i have to wear heels the whole day on the wedding day... I did found one, super cheap and pretty (full of bling)-so pretty that CW tried to buy it off me when she saw it. Zzz. LOL.

Didn't take any pictures in the mall (because. It's a mall. And not particularly pretty either *LOL*), where we stayed until late afternoon before going back to the hotel to rest. For some reasons i do not remember, we + KC and CL went to the supermarket next to our hotel and ended up having KFC. LOLOLOL. When you eat too much unfamiliar foods, you suddenly crave something familiar. But weirdly KFC didn't even taste the same there, and not in a good way...

We actually went to dinner (gosh, how many meals did we have???? Although mostly we had small portions and split portions, it's still quite crazy in total!) for... guess what... SEAFOOD LOLOLOL. We had crabs almost every single day there. I am a HUGE fan of crabs, but even i refused to even look at crabs for a bit afterwards (we ended up having crabs in Surabaya just on a very short period of the time since we went back and that really made me stopped craving it for months on end). But yeah, apparently i didn't take any pictures *most of the pictures in Makassar were taken by hunny so i should say, he didn't take any ahahaha*. Just another seafood dinner in Makassar, it was getting repetitive hahaha.

Later when we got back to our hotel, hunny and KC went to check out the top floor and found this lounge that we planned on patronizing as an "after party" the next day but was super packed that we cancelled *LOL*. I didn't come with them so i also only got to see the pictures :

Of the view from the rooftop

And one as a proof that he had been there, i guess hahahaha

The lounge, which looked quiet that night but super full by the time we wanted to come zzz *LOL*. I guess there were too little tables too...

I stayed and lazed around in my room instead. So glad that i loved our room in Aston Makassar, i actually didn't mind doing nothing but hang out in my room with hunny. Btw, did any of you wondered where Baby Boy was? This trip happened during school term and Baby Boy's school's pretty hard (sometimes i read his school books and mumbled how i learnt them in a much later school level) so skipping school for five days is not an option. He stayed in hunny's mum's place while we were in Makassar.

It was the first time that both the parents and the grandparents leave at the same time since he can understand (we did it once when he was very little, just a few months old to Jakarta to attend hunny's friend's wedding and a much needed escape for me. I know it might not seem possible if you only know me recently, but we did had a rough couple of years at the start of our marriage. Not the relationship between hunny and i, but the relationship between us and some of my siblings and also financially. So next time you want to say that we don't know what being broke/struggling is like, think again. I just don't think people need to know when we are struggling/having problems, other than my BFF hehe) so my mum's actually really stressed out and kept on wondering if he's okay (if you think i'm paranoid, then meet the original paranoid-my mom!).

While i did miss him a LOT, i actually enjoyed being with hunny and my extended family-feeling young and irresponsible again, even for just a few days. Parents need breaks too you know, and i love feeling like we're dating again once in a while-that's why i insist on having "honeymoon" or adult trips at least once a year-to keep the romance alive and do things that we cannot do with a child around (as in visiting places that aren't child friendly or do stuffs without worrying about overtiring the kid/make him sick! Nothing dirty, mind you! Get your brain outta the gutter! LOLOLOL).-if you have the opportunity and the sources (as in people you trust 100% to leave you child to-in my case my parents, obviously)... why not?

This post turned out to be a lot wordier than i originally thought it would be (hahahaha, thanks to my tendency to ramble), so i better stop now. I am battling the sleepiness caused by cold medicine (oh yeah, i'm getting them again zzzz. I need Red Pine oil ASAP, i am addicted. More info about this on my Korea trip's post, which should begin soon since i am two posts away from wrapping up my Makassar Diary, yay!) that already engulfed me since before i start writing this post (i thought it'd be impossible to blog coz i am so sleepy and drowsy, but apparently i can focus and write a long-ass post while being high too hahahah).

Toodles!

#Pink

12:01:00 AM
2 Comments

Clean-O-Matter 06 : Follow Me Oil Control+Whitening Anti Shine Cleanser

drugstore brands

Hey hey...

HOW IS THIS THE SECOND MONTH OF 2015 ALREADY! Mentally i'm somewhere in mid 2014 -___- LOL. Time flies so fast when you're older *sigh*. Anyway....

Remember the last time i told you i'm trying to be more diligent when it comes to product reviews? Sigh... Yeah... Actually i think i review products and services quite often in this blog lately, problem is... They're all sponsored/advertisement, which means i did feel obligated to review them quickly, that resulting in my non-sponsored products got shoved back so far, i don't even remember them anymore. I have backlogs from 2013 WTF is wrong with me...

Anyhoo, better late than never is my motto now *LOL* and here i am with Arum would describe as "Zimbabwe products" LOL. Not literally from Zimbabwe lah, more like... Not available in Indonesia (and probably won't be easy to find online as well :P) :

Follow Me Oil Control+Whitening Anti Shine Cleanser

Instead of Zimbabwe, Follow Me is actually from Malaysia (but developed in Japan) and part of the Tohtonku company. Their products are easily available in Malaysia and Singapore's drugstores and i've heard about the brand since i was little from my mum-so it's been around forever haha. I honestly have no idea if you can find this locally (in Indonesia) because they claim their products to be popular in Indonesia as well, but i never saw Follow Me products in my city *maybe in Jakarta, coz they got plenty more brands than poor us in Surabaya, we're forever the step child in this case hahaha*.

I bought the Oil Control+Whitening Anti Shine Cleanser (my God that's so long! Let me just shortened it to Oil Control Cleanser from now on okay) in either in Singapore or Malaysia-i honestly cannot remember-in one of my countless drugstore shopping sprees. I tend to just pick many different brands without really thinking because i like to try new things, but this product obviously attracted me with its oil control promises, i am forever battling my built-in oil tank, you see :D.

Let's see the (very old) pic of my own bottle of the cleanser :

Sorry ya, last time i anyhow just snap product pictures wherever and however :p. Now i am much better and try to take nicer pictures of course, just bear with me while i clear my old products review list okayyy

Packaging wise, it's definitely nothing special. Just your regular squeeze tube with flip top made from decent quality plastic that ensure it won't break or leak. I have plenty of experiences with broken flip tops, or those which refuse to close properly after a few use. No such problems with this. It's simple, not interesting *LOL* but it works and is secure. The main color is white with lovely neon green accents-the usual color combo for oil control/acne preventing products.

Oh yeah, it is certified Halal already so my Moslem readers should feel at ease if they want to try this product out!

It contains Sea Algae to reduce excess sebum and unclogs pores, Tea Tree Oil to reduce blemishes and appearance of large pores, Solar White C for fairer skin and minimizes pigmentation plus Pre-Biotic that stimulates and maintains balance of friendly bacteria on the skin.

Sorry the picture's so blurry T.T and now the product's finished so i cannot retake the pic >.<

The texture of this cleanser is thick cream and white in color. Unlike some cleansers (that look as thick as this Follow Me cleanser) which would feel very dense/solid and draggy when lathered, Follow Me Oil Control cleanser actually feels super creamy and soft instead. I usually prefer gel-consistency facial washes because i hate the sticky feeling that some creamy facial washes leave (and the draggy feeling while being lathered) but i love Follow Me Oil Control cleanser because it possess none of the bad qualities i hate from those thick cream facial washes type that promise to control your oil.

The consistency is thick enough that it doesn't drip when being tilted like this!

Follow Me Oil Control cleanser turns into a soft paste when it got in contact with water (so it's more pasty than foamy), it has a minty, refreshing scent which i do not find offensive in anyway. In fact, i find the scent to be uplifting instead. I know tea tree scents can be unfavorable for some people (i don't mind it too much), but the scent in this cleanser is subtle enough so it shouldn't be a problem (the tea tree scent's the one that's subtle okay, it still has a pretty noticable minty scent that might not be everybody's favorite).

As it is creamy and soft, it feels very gentle on my skin. It leaves a cooling sensation afterward, but nothing too harsh. Some cleansers have such a strong minty sensation on my skin that it stings a bit when my skin's feeling a bit sensitive, but that didn't happen with this cleanser. I love how cool and refreshing it is against my skin!

It claims to : Works by deep cleansing your skin & removing excess oil. It washes away impurities and oil to reveal a smoother and fairer complexion. It has a non-drying effect on skin.

What do i think about those claims? It does cleanse my skin very very well and remove all excess oil from my skin (but i don't think it reduces the oil production on my skin though). As for smoother and fairer complexion? Well, it does leave my skin soft and supple-but i don't know about the whitening effect. I never specifically look for whitening effects anyway (because 1. I am already very fair and 2. I do not believe that fair = pretty. Beauty comes with all colors-and sizes!). And it is non-drying for my very oily skin (but still manages to make my skin feels very clean)

I also believe that when i was using this cleanser, my skin behaved! LOL. It is not acne prone in the first place, but some products help maintain the acne free-ness of my skin better than others, Follow Me Oil Control definitely one of those that helps, but it definitely did not make my pores appear any smaller hahaha.

I obviously do not remember how much i paid for this cleanser, but after some Googling, i come to the conclusion that it is retailing at around RM 9.90-or around IDR 35.000 with current exchange rate. It's in the normal drugstore cleanser price range category, but certainly not what i'd describe as dirt cheap (coz we have cleansers as low as IDR 13.000 here...).

In conclusion, it's a nice drugstore facial cleanser that works pretty well especially for oily skin (i do not recommend this for people with dry skin-although hunny used this and nothing bad happened, but i believe in using products that caters for your skin needs so maybe it's better if dry skinned people stick to cleansers that are specifically formulated for their skin type!), it eliminates excess oil, giving skin a soft and refreshed feeling.

I would recommend this for those with oily skin and looking for a fuss-free, refreshing cleanser that is not too expensive (oh and those who are living/often travel to Malaysia/Singapore hehe, i'm not sure which other countries they are available in for sure). Would not really recommend this for those with dry skin because i do not feel that this would be beneficial for them.

Would i repurchase it? I already stated before, i like to try out different products-while i do not like to experiment with my skin care, i do not care so much when it comes to facial washes (coz my facial skin's not really sensitive and all facial washes i've tried work at least okay for me) so i would most probably be attracted to other brands/types the next time i'm in Singapore/Malaysia, but if it's on a huge promo or i have run out of brands/types that i have never tried before (yeah, fat chance of that! New brands are popping up everyday, not to mention old brands also come up with new variants all the time!) then i definitely would. It is good enough to be purchased repeatedly, i believe.

Have you ever heard the brand Follow Me before? Have you ever tried their products?