I Don't Like Beauty Salons

I hate beauty salons.

Okay, it's a strong word. Let me rephrase. I dislike beauty salons.
I only cut my hair once a year. The maximum would be three times if I ever bothered to get it trimmed. Every time I have to go to a salon, I need someone else to come with me because I hate it. (yes, I'm a girl and I'm almost 20)

Why do I hate salons?

The place is full of judgemental looking people. I have no idea about hair care/regime/products/and so on. And, because the salon is only 5 minutes from my house by motor cycle, I always go there with shorts and my brother's old t-shirt that looks baggy on me. You would not think that I'm a girl who knows fashion and/or beauty when you see me. (But that is literally who I am)

The receptionist in salons always looks like they know everything and they will judge you by how you look. They ask me what I want and I was like, "I want a cut". Then they always look at me like I haven't finished my sentence.

After quite a long pause, then they would ask you if you want a wash, and a blow dry, do you want treatment or color, who is your preferred hairdresser, and so on and so forth. To which I would answer, yes, maybe, no, I don't know... And the receptionist would look at me like I'm a 3 year old child.

Everyone who come in and out of salons when I'm in one would always know everything. They would know the receptionists (first and foremost). If the receptionist says something along the lines of, "You have to wait for (insert hairdresser name)", those people would walk right to the person and chat to them like they're some old friend (but you wouldn't be able to hear it).

What are they talking about???

Next. I don't know if this is just me or do other people's hairdresser would do whatever they think looks good on you? Maybe because I cut my hair only once a year (or less) that I don't get the same hairdresser every time?

Like, last time I cut my hair, the hairdresser asked me how I want to cut it. I answered, "Just cut it shoulder length, one length."
Next thing I know he started to explain all this things he's going to do with my hair because he said one length cut would look to stiff around my face and because I didn't want to argue, I just smiled sheepishly which he translated it as a yes.

Then comes the blow dry, which was pleasant just like when they wash your hair :)

When I came out of the salon, like most girls would feel, I hated my hair cut.
But I would come again at some point in time...
Oh the dilemma.

Want to earn money and gift cards by playing apps?

Download FeaturePoints on http://featu.re/C9Q23Z and enter the referral code: C9Q23Z

Thanks, guys! x :)

Why I Adore Louise Pentland from SprinkleofGlitter

If you don't know who Louise is, she is a beauty and lifestyle blogger, Youtuber, a mother and a wife, a friend, an inspiration, a ray of sunshine, and a sprinkle of glitter from the UK. And I will glitteducate you and list my reasons on why I adore this lady so much.

1. Louise is just like every one of us.
(Okay, maybe the more-awesome-glittery-version of normal people)
You know how a lot of beauty gurus on Youtube trying hard to portray 'the perfect woman'? Every time you see them you can only think about how your life is not as glamorous as them, how you feel like what they are doing is so not achievable, and so on and so on. But you know deep down, that nobody is perfect. We are who we are because of our imperfections and we have to learn to embrace them because we know there are better things in life.

In essence, that is Louise and her blog, her Youtube videos, her twitter, instagram, everything. When you see/read her social media, you know that she is relatable. She never looked like she tries so hard to be someone she is not. She looks and sounds real honest and that is what's important. You see her cries in her vlog when she was in LA missing her baby (Baby Glitter or Darcy Jane). You see her gets excited and super happy on 'This is Us' premiere vlog. You see her laugh and joke around with all of her friends, too. Even talking about her worst dates and times she sh*t herself. You know, just like every one of us.

2. SprinkleofGlitter is full of positivity
Despite going through a rough childhood and dark times, she successfully overcome all of those to find her own happiness. Louise shows every one that happiness exists if you fight for it. That you will get rewarded of your times feeling down and out.

Louise teaches me to be comfortable in my own skin. She teaches me that shapes, colour, clothes and all that superficial things in life does not matter. She emphasises that happiness does not have to come from glittery grandeur things but from those small little things in life that makes you smile once in a while. She sprinkles the fact that living and enjoying the present is good for you (and lowers the stress). Louise always welcomes people to her home and to her life. She also does not care about what other people say about her and fights all the hate with love.

3. She is a wonderful mother to her baby
Louise has a beautiful daughter named Darcy Jane or as we (blogger readers & Youtube fangirls) call her Baby Glitter. Darcy is one precious little lady. She is now a beautiful two and a half years old, loves Peppa Pig and beauty related things, playful and active just like her mummy.

Darcy sometimes features on SprinkleofGlitter or SprinkleofChatter channel and you can see her playing around, being a happy child and acts her age. I love how Louise always dresses her in cute colorful clothes that suit Baby Glitter's age. Darcy is also always very playful with people (other Youtubers like Zoe, Joe, Alfie, etc) and almost never fussy. (Well she might be but not on camera) But, I just love how Mummy Glitter lets Baby Glitter to interact with people older than her age as well as kids at her own age.

4. Louise is basically an inspiring life-coach. 
Other than all the amazing things I just listed in the previous numbers, SprinkleofGlitter offers so much more than you can imagine.

She dyed her hair tips bright pink because she wanted to. Yep, please yourself first, make yourself happy and the rest will follow. She *tried* to set a friend up to help him get a date. She films and writes things like Dating advice, Being Confident, Having Hope, and other great life-coach-slash-advice type of videos. She had Motivational Monday on her blog for a couple of months, where she posted motivational and reflective articles. She now has Q&A every Monday on her blog where you can ask her real questions and she answers! She only posts certain things online to teach us not to expose all the dramas online and to be mature to face it in real life. She shares bits of her life for a reason. You can seriously learn so much from her without feeling like you're being schooled.

If you don't know who Louise or SprinkleofGlitter is, you really should check her out, read her blog, watch her videos, follow her and send her nice comments and she will love you forever. Also comment down below on why you adore Louise :)

*photos from sprinkleofglitter.blogspot.com and tumblr*

Louise Pentland's links (CLICK LINK TO GO):
Blog: http://sprinkleofglitter.blogspot.com
Youtube #1: http://www.youtube.com/user/Sprinkleofglitter
Youtube #2: http://www.youtube.com/user/SprinkleofChatter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sprinkleofglitr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sprinkleofglitter
Instagram: http://instagram.com/sprinkleofglitr

Want to earn money and gift cards by playing apps?

Download FeaturePoints on http://featu.re/C9Q23Z and enter the referral code: C9Q23Z

Thanks, guys! x :)

Riviera Lavender - L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Colour

Since I started college a few month ago, I become obsessed with taking care of my nails. I use the session of self-manicure-pedicure (the cheapest method possible, of course!) as relaxation with my friends after a long long hard week.

Last Monday was the due date of one of my group assignment. There were a lot of things to be done but all of the students (that I've spoken to) didn't think it's worth the mark. Hands down, that assignment was the most stressful for this semester.

Once we finished the project, I decided to wind down and do a wee bit of taking-care-of-myself/nail ritual. It is fall here so I think pastel color would look lovely on nails.

I tested out my L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Colour in shade 507, Riviera Lavender. I am not sure if this available in all countries, but I really hope it does since this shade is so beautiful!

This is how the bottle looks like. I'm a sucker for cute small bottles of nail polish, since I rarely finish one standard bottle and it does not take up a large space to store. Since Lavender is indeed my favorite flower and smell, the color appeals to me the most. This is how the nail polish looks like once you put it on:

The color come out to be pastel purple with a little bit of blue hue in it. The formula is great, creamy in a very good consistency. I used two coats and top it up with one layer of top coat and it covers my 10 nails beautifully. The brush is so easy to use and it feels soft on your nails as well. It stays on my nails very well too. The picture was taken on third day of using it. As I'm writing, it's day 6 and it has only chipped a little bit on the edges (most likely because I had to crawl and use a lot of hand movement for something :P)

Overall, I give L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Colour 5 stars because it is very pretty, looks lovely and stays really good on my nails for quite a good price (for a uni student! Thus, it might be cheap for you lovelies out there who work?). You can give L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Colour a go by going to your nearest drugstore or department store :) x

It is Okay

I'm writing this down not because I want to be inspirational or anything. In my 19 years of life, I've been in the same situation for lots and lots of time and I always feel uncomfortable about this.

As you probably know, I'm in a family with loads of males. I have female cousins from my dad's side but they all live so far away that I don't get to see them very often.

Being the only girl in the family and having 5 other male cousins and an older brother is very very amazing. I am very grateful and I wouldn't wish for anything else to happen. Anyway... This pretty much makes me a lot like them, like a guy.

I really don't want to explain myself to find justice but in a nutshell, I'm not that girly. Yes, sure, I know and like stuffs about make up and fashion, but it stops there. I don't really dress up or plan my outfit just to go to school. I don't really wear make up (I still wear it sometimes). I don't have a ladylike curve/figure. And, I wear glasses.

All these were never a problem until I move away from home. I did not expect people's view about girls is that twisted...

It was really annoying when people ask me why I wear glasses and lecture me about how uncomfortable it is to wear glasses. Told me to lose the glasses and wear contacts and whatever. Excuse me. It's not like I devote my life and try hard to wear glasses. I wear it because I have to, my eyesight is not healthy thus I wear glasses. And I'm still scared to wear contacts, but I will try hard because I really have to in a few months from now.

I have scars on my face from acne. It is annoying when people say why not cover it up with make up, why don't you want to wear make up, come here and I'll make your face up, and I will not let you get away with no make up to this event. I don't know why I don't want to cover my scars up with make up. I wear make up when I feel like it. And sometimes I just don't think I need to hide my scars. It's not like I spray blood from my face, anyway.

I have a wavy/curly/thick hair. And let me tell you, it is annoying when people told me to straightened my hair, "you look better with straight hair", "why don't you straightened your hair", "let me straightened your hair" and all the stuffs. No, you don't know how I looked like with straight hair. No, I  don't want you to straightened my hair and I do not want to do it myself. This is my hair, I like it natural, get over it.

I'm a medium size and you would not believe how annoyed I am when people start to compare figures, telling me that I'm so lucky I'm skinny, I have small this small that (while sometimes the person who said this are smaller than I am). Despite this, I eat a lot. And I don't appreciate when people starts telling me about how much fat/sugar/carbohydrate are in the food that I eat, keep asking "why do you eat that? It's so unhealthy" and then coming back to the first comment about body figure. I have been called anorexic for many times and you have no idea how much I wanted to throw a rack full of shoes.

And (probably) you don't know how much it hurts when you hear those comments from people you know, people you love, or even people whom you just met.

Enough of me rambling, the point is I do not see anything wrong with wearing glasses, having a wavy/curly hair or acne scars on my face. It was never a problem, why is it a problem now? Do you judge people from their size? From their outfit and make up? NO.

In the end, nobody is perfect. If anything, I am totally unfit in all the ways you could ever think of. I don't do sports anymore. The only thing I do now is walk or cycle to and fro campus. And IT IS OKAY to have imperfections because every single person in this world have at least one. IT IS OKAY to wear comfortable clothes or not to wear make up or glasses as long as you look presentable as a human being (not like wearing underwear outside and all that crap).

I don't like to be a standard for anything. As long as you are healthy, you feel good about yourself, you fulfil your needs, and you are not bothering other people, IT IS OKAY.

Sephora Curaçao

Lately, I've been having the urge to paint my finger nails. I don't do this very often as I suck at making it look neat. (I like to do my toes, though)

I bought this one quite a while ago for an event, I guess. I wanted a bright blue color and I pick this one, Curaçao.

It looks bright and blue. I was hoping that it will look as vibrant when I apply it to my nails. However, it gotten a bit dark but still very blue which is lovely.

What's more interesting is that under different light condition (a little bit orange-colored light), the color would look slightly green.

The good thing about this is that it stays quite well. It's my third day, and it still looks good. The bottle itself is also small. It's good for me because I rarely finish a bottle of nail polish. Moreover, it's not that expensive for a "high-end-ish" product (under $10) compared to other brand which charge sometimes more than $15.

Slogtember 28 - Heaven on Earth

I miss weekend and going to places. This picture below is one of the places I want to go again. This is like the paradise in the middle of the jungle (like literally). Jembatan gantung ini cuman muat satu orang lebarnya dan di kanan kirinya adalah pohon pohon yang tingginya tinggi banget. Serunya adalah kalo udah naik sini tuh rasanya adeeem banget walaupun kena terik matahari dari atas tanpa ada halangannya. Pemandangannya, walaupun nggak terlalu bervariasi, hijaaaauu banget. Cocok buat ngademin mata dan lepasin beban beban mental...

Satu hal yang disarankan: semoga lo nggak takut sama monyet liar. Karena monyet-monyetnya beneran bakal gelantungan dimana-mana, nggak bohong. Dia bahkan bisa ikutan ke jembatan juga loh... Dan itu satu hal yang gue agak ga suka karena gue jujur aja takut sama binatang liar jadi kemaren waktu kesini, gue bener2 jerit jerit di atas jembatan ini setiap kali ada monyet yang keliaran. Bahkan waktu gue lewat ada monyet berantem segala.... -____-

Tapi balik lagi, tempat ini adalah salah satu tempat terdamai dan terenak dan terseru yang pernah gue kunjungin. Selain hutan ada juga running track dan danau yang dibuat latihan dayung :) plus nggak jauh dr rumah jadi makin enak (walaupun jalan untuk ke jembatan ini sangat jauh dan bikin capekk)

Lokasi: MacRitchie Reservoir

Part 2: TV and Commercials

I watched a lot of television program in Indonesia. By a lot, I mean very very many. I have nothing to do (Well actually I had a lot but I'm too frigging lazy to do it so yeah) I always watched television majority of times.

Most of Indo TV involves thousands of different SINETRON and FTV. Kalo lo orang indon pasti tau lah... Dari Bertukar Putra Putri sampe sinetron engga jelas yang isinya pelet peletan engga jelas. Sepanjang tiga minggu summer kemarin, yang gue lihat di TV secara reguler adalah a lot of Barbie Movies sepert Fairytopia, Fairytopia Mermaida (berasa maksa banget ga sih?) dan satu lagi yang Barbienya main band gitu deh lupa judulnya apa. Bioskop TransTV, Global sama RCTI. Dan percaya nggak percaya, gue masih nonton Arti Sahabat (silakan ngakak) untuk tertawaa. ha. ha. ha.

Ada juga adaptasi dari acara acara luar negeri yang gue ga ngerti sama sekali walaupun udah nonton berkali kali. Ada acara yang cerita orang rame-rame hidup dalam ruangan tertutup entah ngapain disitu. Mereka kaya diawasin sm orang dari luar dan mereka tidak terlihat seperti tahu keadaan dunia luar. Mereka nurutin perintah dari suara yang mereka cuman denger. Mereka bahkan kayaknya gatau itu suara siapa. Dan menurut gue acara ini aneh. Sekian.

Ada lagi acara reality show yang bener-bener jauh dari reality. Seperti Terme**k-m***k yang terlihat seperti di script. Yang tadinya masalah selesai di satu episode, sekarang harus pake bersambung dulu. Ceritanya juga makin sureal dan ngga jelas. Ada lagi yang judulnya bilangnya cerita dari kehidupan nyata orang disekitar, tapi semuanya terlihat tidak nyata. Jadi kalo menurut gue, reality show disana adalah sama dengan sinetron dengan tambahan efek kamera yag bergoyang hebat.

Yang harus wajib musti kudu ditonton kalo di indo tetep aja lah acara yang satu ini yang bernama OPERA VAN JAVA! Yang dari 2 tahun lalu sampe sekarang gue kalo pulang harus nonton setiap hari. Yang selalu sukses mengisi malam malam hampa gue (cailah) yang selalu sukses membuat gue ketawa tanpa henti membuat perut gue sukses sakit setiap malam (lebih terlihat menyakit daripada menghibur tapi ini acara beneran masih lucu aja).

Tetapi ada satu hal yang gue ga suka dari TV Indo dan hal ini adalaaaah.... IKLANNYA. Iklan di tivi sana itu super banyak dan super lama. Bayangin yaaaa setiap segment yang lamanya paling palingbanter 10 menit (yang bahkan ga kerasa kaya 10 menit) berbayar iklan bejibun yang lamanya 100 abad, ehm maksud gue 10 menit juga. Apalagi kalo acaranya laris bisa bisa segmentnya cuman 5 menit kali -,-

Dan iklan disana cuman berkisar iklan acara, iklan rokok, iklan hape yang bisa buat internet, iklan provider hape daaaaan iklan beauty products. Dan gue akan bahas yang terakhir.

Menurut gue iklan beauty products disana cuman bertujuan untuk... membuat kulit para perempuan menjadi lebih putih. and that's that. fullstop.

Setau gue yaaaaaa... orang indo itu kulitnya kalo ngga kuning langsat ya sawo matang. Bukan putih. OKE ADA YANG PUTIH tapi bukan putih yang seperti ituuu. Hampir semua iklan iklan di tivi itu selalu objektifnya untuk membuat kulit si cewek menjadi lebih putih, lebih cerah, lebih putih. Padahal kulit orang indo bukan putih (yang seperti itu).

Ada satu iklan yang ceritanya mereka lagi mau foto buat yearbook or whatever. Trus ini fotografer entah darimana asalnya dapet alat yang digunakan untuk mengukur kecerahan dan keputihan kulit seseorang. Terus ini cewe kulitnya putih sendiri. Yang dua temennya kulitnya gelap *tipikal cewe indo* jadi mereka butuh lebih banyak lampu supaya pas difoto mereka terlihat lebih terang. Trus cewe ini promosi ini body lotion trus tiba2 mereka jadi putih cemerlang.

HA. HA. HA.

Lucunya disaat orang bule bersusah payah mendapatkan kulit yang kuning langsat, kecoklatan atau sawo matang. Mereka susah payah ngeluarin duit beli tanning spray atau lotion, ke pantai berjemur lama lama, sampe ke salon pake tanning bed. Sampe kulitnya ada yang rusak segala. Tapi di sisi lain dunia, orang yang kulitnya udah tan malah minta kulitnya putih. Hmm.

Gue jadi inget komentar guru basa inggris favorit gue tentang istrinya.. Yang intinya hampir mirip dengan isi paragraf diatas. Untuk lebih jelas lagi intinya adalah..

Kita susah puas. *gue salah satunya juga loh*

Strawberry Banana

HELLOOO~

so, i bought a new lip balm last week because i don't really like my previous lip balm. It feels nice for the first hour but then it will be dried out and makes my lips pale. so, I was just browsing lip balm on a drugstore. (Yo, I'm a student with tight allowance so I don't buy stuff on a very expensive make up store as such) and my eyes are attracted to a very cute packaging of this lip balm/gloss (it says lip gloss on the packaging but it moisturizes my lip a lot) . I read about this product since last year's December and that was a limited edition collection so I'm not sure if this is still around. But I found it!!

Here it is...

Paul Frank Lip Gloss Julius' Strawberry Banana - Lip Smacker from Paul Frank Industries

I love the very cute packaging! And I LOVE the smell. It smells really nice. It's sweet and it's not strong. The color makes my lips look fuller. The gloss is very nice it's not too glossy, ah it's hard to describe but it's beautiful. It tastes good and if you drink or eat it won't be gone very fast. It stays. Overall, it's just very good and I love this! :D It's also not expensive and this is absolutely worth it for something less than S$5.00 :D

Btw, I think I need to drink more water and I haven't do any sport except PE. I've been living a very unhealthy life :( total dislike