Everyone claims to be the best when it comes to taking care of your little one’s skin. But how’d you really know who to trust?
My children wasn’t lucky enough to have a silky smooth baby skin. I think they took it after me. I have skin asthma that causes my skin to be rough (at times) and itchy. And sadly, my 3 kids got it too.
My youngest, I say the luckiest, did not get the severe type. He only has rough dry patches on his arms and thighs. Good thing they’re not too obvious and it seems like he’s not uncomfortable with it. But still, baby’s dry skin is still something you should not ignore.
Back to my question “how do know who to trust when it comes to baby products?” I believe, being in the business for so many years is one of my criteria. They’re already in the market for so long that they already made a lot of studies when it comes to product improvement and such. So when Baby Carrie sent me a box of baby care products, I was so giddy to try it to my 1 month old.
A box full of goodies!
The box contains a head to toe wash, baby bath, baby lotion and baby oil.
This new line from Carrie is specially formulated for parents who want to ensure safety of their newborn babies with 100% organic and natural plant actives. Meaning, no harmful chemical was used in formulating these products. Hence, they are safe for my baby’s sensitive skin.
Happy 1 month Baby Kale! 🙂
These products are infused with organic oat milk and milk of almonds to improve baby’s skin moisture (perfect for dry skin). They also limits moisutre loss and strengthen baby’s skin.
They enhances baby’s skin elasticity with Vitamins A & E which also acts as an antioxidant to protect their delicate skin.
All products are suitable for newborn and you won’t have to worry about bad reactions to harsh chemicals as they are not present in these products. They are also tear-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested, ophthalmologist tested and most especially, free of soap, parabens, colourants and MIT (Methylisothiazolinone).
Bath time!
After a month of using these products, Baby Carrie did a lot of moisturizing Kale’s skin. Rough patches were smoothen, and dry skin was now smooth like it should be. It is safe to say that Baby Carrie products is doing a good job in taking care of baby’s skin for more than 2 decades now.
So stop the trial and error in baby bath products. Buy the product that has been in the market for years and proved that they really care.
As cliché at it may sound, they say the we aew what we eat. With all the good food we have here in Malaysia, once in a while everyone is guilty of overeating. Including me of course. With the fast paced lifestyle we are currently doing, balancing a healthy diet is a challenge.
Blackmores made something that they know will help Malaysians to manage their weight. A perfect fit for the on-the-go people that can be their meal replacement in a healthy way. They are now offering a natural and scientifically formulated meals that provides pire whey protein in the right balance and unique ingredients like prebiotics and probiotics for a good gut health while helping people effectively manage thrir weight with confidencr and lead a healthier lifestyle.
✔️ 100% whey protein sourced from grass fed cow. ✔️ A combination of probiotics and prebiotics. ✔️ With digestive enzymes. ✔️ High dietary fiber. ✔️ With added 18 vitamins and minerals for optimal health.
It is already available at your nearest @guardianmy. Blackmores Isowhey Shakes retails at RM129 and comes in three delicious flavours: ▪️ Madagascan Vanilla ▪️ Ivory Coast Chocolate ▪️ Classic Coffee
I love matcha that whenever I go to Japan, I alwasy look for a quality one to drink. This green powder is such a wonder that it is believed to prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes and even cancer. It also boosts metabolism and promotes weight loss. It does a lot to our body when consumed so what more if it’s applied to face, right?
Today’s #maskmonday is from @nk_herb. It’s antibacterial and it has agent that can reduce inflammation also it can enhances uneven skin tones. So when I was ask if I wanted to try and do a review for it, I didn’t think twice.
Product Name: Matcha Clay Mask Brand: NK Herb Origin: Malaysia
PACKAGING Box: It is in a stand alone jar that doesn’t have box. It has a see-through sticker with a short instruction on how to use. Bottle: The lid is made out of plastic and the it’s in a glass jar. It’s in a simple but quite elegant jar. Content: Nothing was written.
PRODUCT Texture: Super fine powder. It’s so fine that the wind can blew it in an instant when exposed. Smell/Scent: MATCHA SCENT 😍 Drying Power: It took to long to dry when I applied it on our faces. Or maybe I made a mistake on the mixing proportion.
CLAIMS It claims to: ✔️ Removes dead skin cells. ✔️ Pull out toxins and impurities. ✔️ Controls excess sebum. ✔️ Evens skin tone. ✔️ Cleanse clogged pores. ✔️ Shrink acne and pores. ✔️ Softens skin.
This was during my birthday on the 2nd of November
APPLICATION Mix 1 tspn of Matcha Clay Mask Powder with 1.5 tspn of water and mix them will until you achieve a sticky liquid. Use a brush and apply it on your face. You can also double coat if necessary. Watch the video of how I did it.
VALIDITY It is not written on the jar but I was told that it cam last for 3-6mos if properly kept. But I think it would be great if there’s an expiration stated on the jar.
COST They’re having an opening sale of 50RM for 2 bottles.
SIMILARS 🔅 Boscia Matcha Magic Super Antioxidant Mask 167RM 🔅 Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask 97RM
AVAILABILITY You can get it from @nk_herb.
RECOMMENDATION If you guys are looking for something new to try that has good results, go get yourself a jar. Though it’s messy and a little hard to remove, it left my skin soft to touch. I also noticed that my skin took a long time to start secreting oil again after I removed the mask.
PRO ✔️ Fresh product to try in Malaysia’s beauty market. ✔️ It’s true to its claim. ✔️ You’ll enjoy applying because of the matcha scent. ✔️ Super fine powder. ✔️ A jar won’t break the bank.
CONS ❌ No expiration or best before date on the bottle.
“Aging is a fact of life but looking your age, is not!” – Howard Murad MD
Exactly a month ago today, I have started using Murad’s Rapid Age Spot Correcting Serum.
At first, just like any other women (I think 🤔) is in denial that they are really aging. Not just only by age, but also, due to all the stress that currently there is, it is slowly manifesting in our appearance. Not to mention all the dark circles under our eyes and lines on our faces.
I have an oily skin. That’s why fine lines doesn’t bother me at the moment. But all the circle spots under my eyes that are caused by lack of sleep, stress and of course aging, are almist hard to hide with make up. That’s when I realized that I should start focusing on preventing all these aging signs to show up. Then, Murad happened.
Very fancy glass-looking bottle.Silk like lotion that has a glittery/pearly effect when applied to face. There’s a touch of citrus on its scent and easily absorbed by skin when applied.
About The Product
Murad Rapid Age Spot Correcting Serum is said to reduce the appearance of dark spots, age spots and hyperpigmentation in 6 weeks. Its Vitamin C content enhance skin radiance and helps brighten tone over time.
It works for:
Normal, oily, combination, dry and sensitive skin. Basically for everyone!
Contents:
Its main contents are Niacinamide and Vitamin C, Oligopeptides and Subtle Light-Reflecting Pearls.
Niacinamide is said to visibly reduce the appearance of dark spots while targeting key signs of aging and revitalizing skin’s natural tone. While Vitamin C, as we all know, it works to brighten tone and lighten dark spots.
Cost:
It is priced at RM448. Quite expensive though for others (especially for me!). But, when you think of looking younger with just this product and ditch the aesthetic procedures that can help you look young, this is way more cheaper than those procedures.
My Experience
Before vs After September 20 vs October 19
There’s a noticeable lightening of my acne marks. Redness and a little peeling is due to the treatment I have undergone on the 17th of October.I have encircled the parts that I think the effects of Murad demonstrated.
As of writing, I believe my Murad will still last for a week or two before I can empty it. I will still continue using it to see its effects on me for 6 weeks. As it claims that visible change or offect will take effect at least 6 weeks of using it.
And lastly, there’s is really no short cut to beautiful and flawless skin. It takes a lot of process, products and money to get that younger and fresher look. So my journey does not stop with this Murad. Will continue to explore more from their line of products which I believe will be effective on my skin too!
On October 6th, we were fortunate enough to have been witnessed the celebration of the 5th anniversary of Premier Clinic in the business. And to thank their patrons and loyal clients, they have launched two new program for us to enjoy!
Starting up a business is very easy. You can just come up with an idea, hire people, and start operating. But a lot of people doesn’t know that for you to stay in the business, you have to do more than just operating. What’s hard in keeping a business is how you keep your clients satisfied with your services, treat your employees very well and you have to provide good results. That’s what Premier Clinic has been doing! They’ve been named as one of Malaysia’s Top Aesthetic Clinic all because they have served best results in 5 years! Yes, 5 years! They have been in the game for 5 long years. Imagine competing with big names that was established earlier but they gave nothing but their A game to be side by side with the top brands.
You can see how great a company is when you look at their progress from where they started and to where they are right now. Premier Clinic started with just 5 employees at their first branch and now, they have 80 in their 6 branches. All ready to serve you with quality service and with top of the line equipment.
“Take care of your employees and they will take care of your business for you.” -Dr. Chen
THE BRAIN
With his proper training, knowledge and mindset, Dr. Chen Tai Ho started Premier Clinic in 2014. His drive to give quality results gave him the support and loyalty from his clients that sprung into a program that made them one of the top aesthetic clinic in Malaysia. He’s so talented that the he can do treatments to anyone of any age. He did a V Shape Face Botox to a young 18y/o and a lift to an 83 year old woman. With his experiences and grip, he also invested in themselves for quality training and top of the line equipment so that they can provide more procedures to minimal to no side effects at all!
Dr. Chen opening the program. He’s a cool CEO!
PROGRAM LAUNCH
During the event, aside from celebrating their 5th anniversary, they also launched the two new program to serve their clients more. Premier Ex Loyalty Program and Result Guarantee Policy. With Premier Ex Loyalty Program, it is a rewards system which you can enjoy all year long. Where in you can start your treatment with confidence, which is first in Malaysia that offers guaranteed results! And the Result Guarantee Policy, a program that will ensure you get the results promised to you or the results you wanted until you get to be satisfied with the outcome. They will not charge you for anything extra to the initial costs that has been agreed for the additional services that they will be doing to you to achieve you goal look. Well, not with other aesthetic providers, you can be at ease that they will not just keep stealing money out of your pocket. But guarantee you looking at your best in years!
Premier Clinic Bangsar Branch Where we had the 5th year celebration and launch.Look at her! Gorgeous isn’t she? The content creators taking notes and photos.
COSTS
Premier Clinic has the top skilled aesthetician and they personalize package treatments due to your needs and budget. What’s good about their packages is that you don’t need to pay the whole package upfront. You can just pay for every time you go for treatment! So that’s like paying in installment. That’s good for us moms who are in tight budget too!
They have a good referral program too!
EVENT
On that day, they have also introduced three (3) satisfied clients who have undergone services from Premier Clinic.
First one was Michelle, mom, 53 years old, first time to undergo these kind of procedure and complains her uneven face shape, tired-looking face and sunken eyes. Dr. Kee did an on-the-spot HA (Hyaluronic Acid) Filler treatment. The treatment was done in 40 mins and it’s so lucky for us to witness the process. What’s good about the HA Filler Treatment is that it has no downtime, no stitches, tolerable to no pain and especially, you can live normally after the treatment! Needles pricking your face is a bit scary so I asked Michelle how was she feeling prior to start the treatment. She said she feels great and safe with Dr. Kee’s hand. Which we all believe that he does his craft best.
Dr. Kee introducing and explaing the treatment that Michelle will undergo.
Entering the door where the magic is happening. Dr. Kee in action. Currently in the process of injecting HA Fillers. It can last up to 18 months!
Everything’s so sterile!The content creators capturing the procedure.
After an hour, Michelle got back with a big smile and a brighter face. She said, she can now go out at talk to people with confidence. Beauty is indeed giving us more confidence to do our everyday lives. Now seeing her like this makes me want to go get my fillers too!
With all smiles! Before and After As you can see, she has now fuller cheeks, lessen sunken eyes with no visible marks.
Second was the comedian, Along Cham. He did 6 treatments in total but his top complain is he wanted to have fuller beard. Not so long ago, implanting hair with Biofiber became a top choice for this kind of complain but as Dr. Chen mentioned that it wasn’t really the best option because Biofiber is synthetic and synthetic hair does not grow and since it’s synthetic, it has a tendency for the body to reject it hence, higher rejection rate. So using their prime equipment, they started the FUE Hair Transplant Treatment. While watching the video of the procedure, I can tell that the work is very tedious but experts at Premier Clinic has everything they need to get the job (well) done.
Along Cham explaining his concerns. Along Cham being interviewed by Dr Chen himself. Watching his procedure.
FUE Hair Transplant procedure on Along Cham. Before and After
And lastly, a month ago, Premier Clinic has launched a weight loss program. during that day, they unveiled the person who’s lost as much as she could in one month’s time. Her name is Vasanthi. She shared that she did intermittent fasting + Keto diet for her to lose 7 kilos in 30 days. She’s still far from her goal weight but she is currently happy with her progress right now. And to congratulate her, she received a RM20000 worth of services and a gift basket of make up from Klara Cosmetics. With her weight lost journey, I am now motivated to start the Intermittent Fasting + Keto diet.
QUESTIONS
Does Premier Clinic does installment?
If your credit card provided allows installments, then yes you can. But with Premier Clinic’s program, they are not asking you to pay the package one time. You can pay with your every visit so that’s like paying in installment too!
Who can get treatments?
Anyone who are interested to enhance themselves are welcome to do any treatments. Just visit any branch of Premier Clinic and have a consultation with one of their experts.
If in can you have an ailment (Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, or etc.) unless you are taking medications and it is controlled, you can avail the treatment that you like.
If I want to look younger faster, what treatment can be done?
Nowadays, treatments that has minimal invasion is the most common and popular treatment for fast results. There’s no down time and you can be fully recovered as soon as you get the treatment done. It has less swelling and it is also less painful. You can visit the clinic for diagnosis.
SNIPPETS
BRANCHES
As of writing, Premier Clinic has 6 branches in Malaysia. They are at:
As a work from home mother, it would be great for me if I take care of myself seriously. Not just to be prettier to my husband’s eye but for myself confidence too! Attending events, meeting new people and creating content for brand would be easier for me if I have all the confidence in myself. Thus, more clients and brands will trust my work if they see how confident I am in myself.
We arrived in Kuala Lumpur in 25th of August and of course, scouting good food is one of my top agenda.
As an Asian, food is one of our passion and when we travel to different countries and places, eating good food has been a priority. As expected, Malaysia is a country with mixed race and most of that race came from Asian ethnicity. So I expected food with strong aroma and/or flavors. Now imagine my surprise when I found out there’s a spot in the city that offers a different taste with delectable twists and operated by a local. I started to drool.
In the middle of Nasi Goreng, Mi Goreng and Char Kuey Teow, Naughty Italian is a breath of fresh air. This gem is located at Mainroad Ampang along Jalan Ampang that operates from 5:00PM til 3:00AM. You can now reward yourself with an al dente pasta dishes after work or get it at when you crave something Italian in the middle of the night.
During dinner, we were served a total of 8 mouthwatering Italian dishes.
⚠ WARNING CRAVING FOOD AHEAD
Trio Mushroom Bruschetta
Wild forest mushroom with Tarragon Cream and Rocket Salad.
Price: 💰💰
Taste: 🤤🤤🤤🤤
Worth Buying: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Overall: Definitely! The perfect slice of French Bread topped with creamy mushrooms that bursts with flavors with every bite. You can’t have their pasta without this side.
Virgin Lamb Brasato
Fettuccine in lamb broth, fresh parsley, shaved grana padano, and a drizzle of basil oil.
Price: 💰💰💰
Taste: 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
Worth Buying: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Overall: This is my favorite among all the dishes that were served. Al dente fettuccine in red sauce with generous soft lamb cuts. Will definitely go back and order this for myself.
Mac & Blue Cheese
Trio formage in cream and toast crumbs.
Price: 💰💰
Taste: 🤤🤤🤤🤤
Worth buying: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Overall: You can never go wrong with mac and cheese. But Naughty Italian raised the bar for your everyday go to pasta. With its cheesy flavor, you can taste garlic, chewy cheese and a little kick of spiciness which made my son ask for more.
Shroom and Beef Lasagne
Braised mushroom and beef in demi-glace with layered bechamel and topped with torched cheese.
Price: 💰💰
Taste: 🤤🤤🤤🤤
Worth buying:❤️❤️❤️
Overall: When you talk about Italian dishes, Lasagna is always on the list. This one does not disappoint!
Basil Almond Pesto
Sautéed trio mushroom with almond basil pesto and cream chantilly.
Price: 💰💰
Taste: 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
Worth buying: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Overall: Another hit from the mastermind! I love how they incorporated the nuts to the leafy taste of pesto and the creaminess kicks with every bite! Gahd! I miss this already.
Sicilian Aglio Olio
Garlic and oil based with scented chili, wild mushroom, fresh chopped parsley and pangritata.
Price: 💰💰
Taste: 🤤🤤🤤🤤
Worth buying: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Overall: You might find the plate a little messy but oh boy! Pasta is cooked perfectly! Al dente! Balanced taste of oil, garlic and chili. Not too oily and not dry. You might want to grab this if you feel a little sad, because the taste can bring back happy memories!
Naughty’s Carbonara
Fettuccine in garlic cream with crispy bacon bits, trio wild mushrooms and topped with poached egg.
Price: 💰💰💰
Taste: 🤤🤤🤤
Worth buying: ❤️❤️❤️
Overall: I can say this is my least favorite amongst the dishes that were served. I think I am looking for a missing taste that I am not sure what is. But we enjoyed boomerang-ing the egg when @angelineclw poked it. That was fun!
Last but not the least,
Italian Nachos
Braised beef in tomato pomodoro, tomato salsa in crispy corn nachos.
Price: 💰💰💰
Taste: 🤤🤤🤤🤤
Worth buying: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Overall: Salsa is perfectly complimented by the beef toppings. Its crispy nachos maintained its crispiness even when its drizzled with toppings.
The Owner
I had a small talk with the owner, Eddie and I asked him few questions about how did the Naughty Italian came about.
When and how did it start? “It started from a passion of me as the owner towards Italian dish, passion in serving people good food, and passion in being in the kitchen.”
Your favorite in the menu. “My favourite dish in the menu will be a Naughty Carbonara. This dish is our best seller pasta. A fettuccine pasta cook with beef bacon, mushroom and béchamel sauce and served with poached egg, parsley oil and sprinkle of breadcrumbs and fresh English parsley. Having said that, we are launching our ‘Smoke Duck Carbonara’ very soon.”
Was it hard to start a business in Malaysia? “It’s not hard to start a business in Malaysia if you have knowledge. Knowledge in studying the market, the food costing, the marketing strategy and getting a good supplier is the must have if you want to start an f&b business.”
“We have an extremely challenges on the first month of opening, where we received numbers of complaint from customers. Refuse to give up, we stand up and improve our food quality, services and cooking technique. And now, we are among the top 3 vendor in Mainroad Jalan Ampang. We have also created a raving fans consist of local and International people. Our food was given positive review in ISKL (International School of Kuala Lumpur) web forum by the lectures. Even though Naughty Italian is a small kitchen, we have a high standard SOP that similar to any big restaurant. Everything is made from early from the sauce, the meatballs and the gravy. We do not use a ready made item bought from some supermarket.”
Do give discounts for first time goers? “We have ‘Traffic Hour’ campaign where you can get 15% discount on Monday til Friday, from 5.00pm to 7.00pm.”
Deliver? Food Panda/Grab Food/Lalamove? “At the moment we do not participate in any delivery partner, as we are trying to settle down with the responsibilities of serving walk in customers.”
Do you plan to have a second location? “Right now at this moment, we are doing some study and research of a good spot to open our next branch. We welcome anyone who have passion in food, to be our partner and join us in expanding the brand.”
I really had a good time eating what Eddie had prepared for us. As a new expat in Malaysia, I would definitely consider this Italian restaurant a go to place if I have visitors who wants to try something different than the local food.
Operation hour: 5.00pm – 3.00am (Monday to Sunday)
Buskers performance: Every Wednesday to Sunday (by different buskers)
Traffic Hour Promo: 15% discount for Monday to Friday, 5.00pm to 7.00pm only.
As a wife of a Filipino expat, there are a lot of things to do before we were able to enter Malaysia as a resident.
Filipinos who are visiting Malaysia does not need a visa if staying within 30 days and with our case, we will be living in Kuala Lumpur as long as my husband is working here.
So here are some things we did before we were able to get our dependent passes.
1. We were asked to have our documents authenticated by DFA. Birth certificate and marriage certificate are the things that we had authenticated. Charge is P100/document. Process may take 3-5 business days.
2. After getting the authenticated documents, you have to submit then to Embassy of Malaysia in Makati for their authentication as well. Charge is P300/document and process may take 1-3 days.
3. Once done, you have to submit the docs to the authorizing party in Malaysia and wait for the approval. Process will take about 7-10 business days.
4. Once approved, you have to go to VFS Global in Makati to obtain a Single Entry Visa. They will switch the SEV to Multiple Entry Visa once processed. Process will take about 3-5 business days.
5. Once visa is realeased, we booked our one way tickets to KL.
Process was well discussed by the third party agency who have assisted us all through out. Now, we’re just starting to settle in in our comfy unit in Sentul. If you’re reading this, I hope you’ll have a smooth transition to Malaysia too. 😊
Expat Mama in KL 