We’ve always known Farm Fresh as a local company that produces milk products. Despite being local, the price tag is astonishingly more expensive than Dutch Lady, the leading brand in Malaysia. Even then, Farm Fresh has a distinctive taste which is delicious, light and seemingly fresh. It is a very nice milk product to add to my coffee and tea to give it a milky taste.
It was only recently that I found out about Bright Cow. I was doing a search on Shopee for ‘fresh milk’ when this brand emerged as one of the options. Based on the reviews I read, consumers seem to love it a lot and the price is a tad lower compared to other milk brands on the platform. Bright Cow has a dairy farm in Linggi, Negeri Sembilan and they have a range of products from milk to yoghurt and kefir.
I thought I’d give it a try and bought 2 sets of white and chocolate milk in a mini pack of 6 from Shopee. My children loved it. The chocolate drink was not excessively sweet and the ‘normal’ milk tasted nice. It is almost like Farm Fresh but at a lower price range. A set of 6 cartons (200ml) only costs RM10.80. That is less than RM2 per box. Turns out, they are also selling at certain retail stores. I am glad my local Family Store has them too. At least I can buy some for my son. He should have more milk than all those sweet boxed drinks the dad packed him earlier.
So a big thank you to Bright Cow for emerging as an option to moms like me. I wish that they would start selling their yoghurt at my usual aisle.
It was my cousin’s wedding that weekend and he had extended his invitation at least 6 months before the date. I asked my husband if he wanted to come along but he said the Deepavali weekend was too short – so I went with my boyfriend. Kidding, I went with my sister and my dad.
I used Batik Airlines for this trip and I bought the ticket at least 2 months before the trip. It costs me a total of RM477.68 for the round tickets including all sorts of fees and charges. I had a 7kg hand carry allowance for the trip and that’s it. I did not buy extra cause I knew I wouldn’t have time to go shopping or anything.
Hence my carry-on bag was very light and minimal. I had to bring my laptop with me because I still have assignments pending submission. I deliberately bought this new backpack from Shopee. I believe it would be handy for someone taller cause, to be honest, it was quite bulky for a short lady like myself. It served its purpose but I am now left to contemplate whether I would like to use it for my upcoming MIRI trip.
I also bought the CUURA Travel pack. CUURA is a local brand and its skincare products are great. I bought the pack out of curiosity although I thought the price was quite steep. It was RM129.00 with a variety of petite products inside the plastic pouch. They could have gone for a more compact pouch although I understand that maybe they wanted other products to hop into the pouch during the travels. It is quite good as an introductory package as well for people who are CUURA-naive but if you intend to travel for more than 5 days, you would need backup. I was rationing mine. If they could market this for just under RM100, I think it would be great.
I only bought the essentials for my makeup as I knew no one would actually be that attentive towards me during the wedding. Plus, I intend to go light for my makeup on the plane. I bought two products from HYGR – a deodorant and a multipurpose lip balm in code Hibiscus. I thought it was a great local product to try and so with just the lip balm, I’ve got my eyeshadow, blusher and lipstick sorted. I brought with me Wawa Zainal’s mascara cause I loved its formula and then I packed together a mini Elianto perfume. I wore jeans with just enough tops for the stay including a set of Baju Kurung for the wedding reception. I did not bother with my shoes since the reception is in the masjid and we need to take off our shoes anyway once we are inside.
I stayed at my sister’s place the night before and my brother sent me to the airport the next morning. I had breakfast at KLIA1 minus the coffee because I fear I might pee too much. I had water instead. I checked in online the night before and since I did not want to risk it, I printed my electronic boarding pass as well. I could choose my seat when I checked in online but the only seat available for me was the 29F. LOL.
The flight from KLIA1 to Kuching International Airport took about 1 hour and 55 minutes. On arrival, I made the biggest rookie mistake. I took an unmetered taxi to Vivacity Shopping Mall which was less than 15 minutes away and was charged RM30 for the trip. My advice is to get a GRAB or a MAXIM. The MAXIM seems to be very responsive in Kuching. I used MAXIM for my trip from the mall to my hotel and later for my trip back to the airport.
TAKA PATISSERIE
Apart from lunch, my main objective going to Vivacity was to visit this bakery on the LG floor. I have seen it’s beautiful pastries on Instagram and I really wanted to try them. I have to say, the setup is so magnificent and the pastries were decently priced. The cakes were pretty and even normal pastries looked extravagant in the display cabinets. I ended up buying one of it’s speciality, the Sambal Laksa bun and a few others. I was tempted to get more but since I was planning to get coffee afterwards, I stopped myself from impulsive buying.
BING COFFEE, PADUNGAN
This is a very nostalgic cafe. I have been a fan of it since houseman-ship years. I really loved it’s chicken panini, cakes and coffee. I ordered the iced latte and the panini of course. I wanted to enjoy it in my hotel room which is just across the road. I like how the taste remains the same over the decades.
WEDDING
The wedding was held the next day at masjid Al-Abyad, Matang. We went there in my dad’s rented Pajero – man I hate the doors, it makes me claustrophobic because the only way for you to open the backseat door is for the front passenger to open theirs first. It was a seated wedding and I really loved the vibe of the wedding. I loved the food as well. It was also a very short and sweet ceremony. We arrived there by 1030am, ushered into the hall to our tables, he emcee made his opening speech at 11am, then the couple walked in, received some blessings, had their food, cut their cake and by the time it was 12pm, everything was done. Leaving just enough time for photos and the caterer to sort out the leftovers. We should do more itineraries like this. We were literally done by 1230pm.
When I reached the hotel, I actually managed to stop at Bing again to get coffee and cake. This time I settled on a caramel macchiato and a slice of carrot cake. It was delicious.
In my next entries, I will write about the hotel and what I ate whilst I was there.
The best sunscreen to use is whatever brand or type you like.
Recently I bought a new sunscreen from a local brand, Cuura. It was recommended by a few of my younger friends who are on social media for most of their life. The founder of this brand is Sarah Shahnor. Millennials would probably recognize her from the times of Modvier. She was a business icon and it seems that after all this while, she has developed her skincare line.
I know I know.. I have said it before that I’m very sceptical of products from our local celebrities. But she is an entrepreneur, it doesn’t count. Ha ha.
I bought their sunscreen and the glo nectar product. These items seem to have very very positive reviews from their clients. At least two of my colleagues are consuming the nectar as well. Perhaps it is because apart from it’s rich vitamin C content, it also has hithion which is an antioxidant. It should work well as an adjunct to my glutathione supplements.
Each sachet is 27kcal and certified Halal. Well, buah kan.. takkanlah tak halal.
The nectar has a very strong prune taste and needless to say, the sunscreen is a bomb. It is on par with Beauty of Joseon. The cream does not feel sticky after application and it does not leave a white cast. Sesuai dengan kulit orang Malaysia. Kinda explains it’s rather steep price but with such quality, I think it is worth it.
Local celebrities/ instafamous figures are popping out babies from their uterus like fart. And they seemed to be using almost the same postnatal services and baby products. Lately natalis postnatal treatment and happykiddo are appearing quite frequent on my feed. I had a look at the price of their packages. Ermmm.. maybe not for me. I will have my own mother as my confinement lady and I will buy my own confinement set.
When I had Ee 6 years ago, I did not use any set berpantang. (confinement set) But when I had Ninie, I thought I’d give them a go. I knew I was not going to consume much of pils or jamu, hence I chose Spa & Ma because the selection of items are more for external use as opposed to having to eat them.
Part of my reasons for opting this set are;
Relatively cheap as compared to other postnatal sets. It retails at about RM300 plus but I bought it for RM192 including postage on Shopee.
It smells nice and less herby. I enjoyed using its body scrub and intimate feminine wash. It leaves that fresh and minty feeling down below. Especially bila kita dah bertekang kan from all the heat and blood.
It had a FREE TRADISIONAL BENGKUNG. Previously I bought a long body corset from this very scandalous company which guaranteed me a lifetime warranty but I can’t seem to fit in it anymore this time. And my previous seller is no where contactable now.
The set included a manual to help you navigate through the many items in the package.
Unfortunately I found a few major flaws. The tungku had a very herbal smell to it which the cockroaches love. I had difficulties to maintain the dryness and hygiene aspect of the material. If I coverwrap it, it would not dry. If I keep it in high or secluded places – the roaches can still find it. In the end, I used my moms tungku – pure, original batu sungai.
The Gamat emulsion had no expiry date on its bottle. And the Kelapa Dara Oil too does not have any protective foil or cap to prevent contamination for it to be safe for consumption. Some may argue that it is organic but still biarlah penutup dia mcm yg botol mineral tu pun OK. Ni tak.. so I was not really convinced of its safety.
*product owner would probably say I bought a fake set online*
The Jamu capsules on the other hand was properly sealed, labelled with ingredients and had an expiry date. I took the trouble to go through each of the ingredients, which is a good thing. They have properly cautioned that it is not safe for pregnant women. Additional readings of the ingredients persuaded me not to consume it while I was still lactating. Now that I have stopped breastfeeding and expressing breast milk, I think its time to take care of my health properly. Perhaps slimming down a size or 2 eh? With this jamu? Cause my plantar fasciitis flares up once in a while and it hurts.
Disclaimer: This is not a paid review and this blogpost does not represent Hello Beautiful Skincare in any way. Any form of opinion expressed here are of mine alone exclusively. Hence, results or benefits obtained (if any) from using this serum are based on my own experience and may differ from other similar users.
I couldn’t commit myself to a proper 8 glasses of water per day to prevent myself shriveling like a raisin. I mean – who’s counting? But the effect of poor water intake is getting obvious with age.Most importantly, it shows on my complexion. As a woman, it bothers me. Especially when you’re the type of person who goes bare faced or minimal makeup all the time.
So I count on a baseline face which has at least a healthy non oily glow to it. I needed a replacement for my usual Korean serum which needs to be couriered from overseas and everything is so freaking expensive nowadays. However, I once trusted our local product Simply Siti with my facial cleanser and has since became a loyal customer .. thus I don’t see why I shouldn’t give Hello Beautiful Face Serum a try.
This serum boasts in its ability to;
even skin texture
increase glow & radiance
absorbs rapidly
boost collagen production
reduces wrinkles & fine lines
keeps skin healthy
I am counting on its ‘increased glow and radiance’ claims. I want to have that youthful pengantin glow at all times !! Hahaha.
WHO WOULD LOVE IT?
Women who needs to step out of their home, sometimes without makeup to run errands and rule the world yet look ‘Camera ready’ and radiant all the time. Sounds like you huh?
Women who needs to pick up their kids like instantly from school, night tuition, the mall or a camping trip. Like NOW!
Women who are fitness enthusiasts and enjoy any form of physical training in the gym. Think Nana al-haleq who works out without makeup girls!! Doesn’t she look stunning?
Women who have to work night shifts for instance at the Mc Donalds drive-thru, nurses or in my case be oncall the whole night and not look like hantu seeing my patients.
Women who proactively choose the organic way of living – who treats their body like a temple and wants the best for their skin rejuvenation therapy
Women who has sensitive skin and needs an alternative which is safe and affordable
Women who endures possible occupational hazard which may affect their complexion et cetera – for instance modelling with all the makeup, the surfing instructor in the rough sea, the volleyball trainer under that scorching & burning sun.
Women who loves selfies especially with that ‘good morning’ face
Then there are these rare group of men who could benefit from the product too. Men who;
loves selfies and gives that ‘good morning’ face too
frequents the gym and leads an organic lifestyle
are the face of modern men, a professional perhaps or a businessman who needs to look presentable and dashing all the time
WHO WOULD NOT NEED IT?
Those with severe skin conditions. In my opinion, if you have severe acne or super heavy pigmentation ( something like jeragat ), it’s best to not start on this product straight away because skin like these would need to be seen in a clinic for evaluation and aggressive treatment first to solve the root of the problem before it is rejuvenated with this serum. You will see my reason why afterwards
Young teenage population who intends to buy these with their parents hard earned money – unless they get them for you
Those already using an organic face serum. You wouldn’t need this one because what you’re already using is wonderful. But if you’re looking for a local alternative (there’s not many of them in Malaysia) then do consider switching to Hello Beautiful.
Those who are looking to be Snow White. This is not a product to make you fair and lovely – it is to enhance your natural glow regardless the pigment of your skin. So if you are Michael Jordan – you will not look like Michael Jackson but you will look fab as a Jordan.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT IT
I fell in love with its citrus scent immediately. I had to discipline myself and apply only 2 drops instead of trying to bath in the serum
Ingredients carefully selected by 2 practising doctors. I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t choose to put dangerous, life threatening stuff in this little potion, creating unrealistic expectations thus risking their job. See how they’ve included The Liquid Gold a.k.a. Argan Oil in the serum? Only the best for the skin
Application is so smooth and silky, it practically disappears into my skin. No sticky-sticky. No awkward sting. Nothing short of pure luxury.
SOME AFTERTHOUGHTS
Its a product that is strong enough to stand on its own without having to put drops of other essential oil in it. So do not feel pressured of having to buy other oil products to mix inside this already luxurious item.
The price is a hefty RM99.00 which is why its not a good idea to buy this as a salvation therapy for super troubled skin. For rejuvenation and minor repair, yes. Radiant? Yes. Mega repair, maybe not with 1 bottle of this serum. It only has 10mls of serum inside. The price is relatively expensive compared to the famous Olay Regenerist serum (50ML) itself but remember, this is 100% organic ingredients. No chemicals whatsoever.
Accessibility. This product has yet to make its way to the warehouse of FashionValet. Or local drug stores. If it does, then it’ll be really available to consumers throughout Malaysia at the click of a button. As of now, you could get it through their social media sites and accounts. And selected dropshippers. 😛
At the end of the day, do I feel like a glow worm? I am on my 13th day of serum which I apply once daily, usually at night. So far, it has yet to reduce my hyper-pigmented acne scars and thermal burn from an oil splash some time ago. Perhaps I need more time and more frequent application. But I do find that my skin tone is more even especially those red areas you see around the nasolabial fold.I use less foundation at those problem areas and it does not look cakey on my face despite not using a moisturizer before applying my makeup.
I think Hello Beautiful is worth trying. You will love it.
Minci Moss 