Tuesday, May 21, 2013

How To Make Your Own Pore Strips

I'm currently into skin care (and a little make up). It isn't like I wasn't before, but I brought spending to a whole new level D: don't even get me started on the amount of money I splurged on products recently. I am after all investing in my skin, so you can't blame me for spending luxuriously. I however still like a fat bank balance so I learned how to make my own pore strips lolol. Kononnya to save money la (for my wedding).

Making your pore strip
Ingredients
Milk
Gelatine powder

Use approximately 1 tablespoon of whole milk and half a teaspoon of gelatine. It took me quite a while to get the consistency right. I like mine to be of the same thickness as that of mushroom soup. You can always adjust yours according to preference.

Pop the milk in the dish into the microwave for 5 seconds to heat it up. Then sprinkle the gelatine powder evenly across the milk to prevent clumping.


The milk usually won't be hot enough to dissolve the gelatine so pop the dish back into the microwave for an extra 5-10 seconds. Stir the mixture and you'll get something like this:


Now to apply (you may want to wash your face before preparing your pore strip as it hardens when it cools):

Step 1
Wash your face with your regular cleanser and warm water. This is to open up your pores so that your pore strip will be able to get a firmer grip on your 'heads' (white heads and black heads). Dab dry.

Step 2
Spread in an even layer your pore strip mixture across your T-zone using your finger or an unused make up brush. That is your forehead, nose, cheeks and  chin. Liddis:



If your mixture is too thin, you'll find that it does not form a nice even film across your face. It'll be all drippy and patchy. You'll have to either use less milk or more gelatine the next time.

Step 3
Let it dry! This will take approx 20-30 minutes.


It becomes translucent when dry. And very tight so very shiok (it doubles as a mask).

Step 4
Gently peel your pore strip away. Liddis:


It peels off easily. I can feel it pulling all my fine facial hairs out. Very shiok also lolol.

Step 5
And then you get nice clear skin. Rinse your face with cold water to close up the pores. Use your moisturiser or pore minimiser if you have one.


Yaya, I can see pimples. Exam stress, what to do, right?

Step 6
The funnest part of the whole process- looking at the all the dirt and 'heads' the strip managed to extract.


Can't see anything here because I used a digital camera but there are white heads on it. Pinky swear.

I was addicted to this I did it everyday until the skin around my nose started to peel hahahaha. I'm doing it every other day now and it's such a good alternative. It's so cost effective I can see my purse smiling up at me with pride in its zippers. Plus you get to spread it over as much skin as you please unlike the commercial pore strips that restrict application to your nose and the surrounding areas. The only drawback is THE SMELL. I must say gelatine is smelly, it is after all animal fat. But I got used to that.



Sunday, May 5, 2013

GE13

The 13th General Election (GE13). A big hoo-ha in Malaysia. We even gained international publicity for crying out loud. It's a known fact that corruption is rampant in this year's election, flip through any international newspaper and you'll be bound to read about it. Take CNN as an example    http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/02/world/asia/malaysia-election-preview/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter. What angers me most is the fact that this is happening under broad daylight and nothing has been done about it. Correct me if I'm wrong but I haven't read of a solution regarding the vote-buying in Malaysia thus far. Chartered flights from East Malaysia? How subtle is that? The Election Commission has failed the Rakyat on this. 

Next you give identification cards (IC) to illegal immigrants for your own selfish gains. You are willing to give everything at any cost to uphold your position, but at whose expense? I've read about cases where locals have yet to receive their ICs. Their children are not able to attend school because they do not have proper identification. But here you are, handing ICs out ever-so-effortlessly without (I believe) the proper procedures. 

So you win (albeit unfairly), and then what? Now that these people are citizens of Malaysia, you are obliged to protect them and care for them, like how any country would for her people. Are you able to put a roof over their heads and give their children and their children's children an education? My heart goes out to these people whose votes you bought with money. They become the subjects of ridicule and people lash out their dissatisfaction towards a certain local party at them (I do not in any way condone this). 

OK, maybe they accepted the bribe against their better judgement but if you put yourself in their shoes, wouldn't you do the same? I'm talking about people who are not very educated and in need of money. It's disheartening to see the insults and remarks hurled at them. Is this the Malaysian hospitality that you promote? It was wrong in the very first place to obtain votes by unlawful means, but you turned a deaf ear to the pleas of the Rakyat (during the Bersih 3.0 rally- duduk bantah). You therefore sparked hatred among the people. Why can't you see the larger picture?

And it all comes down to love. Do you love your people enough to sacrifice (your seat)? At this moment, I doubt that. But it's not even about sacrificing, it's about democracy- the Rakyat's choice. And we, the Rakyat, are deprived of this.

So in the midst of a heated election season, please let's not forget to show some love to those around you. 

On a lighter note...