"God is protecting you from the unseen"

This...

This is what I needed.  Just randomly browsing Instagram, then I stumbled upon this quote.  Quite late, but it's okay.  I know in my heart, that "God is protecting me from the unseen."  I truly believe that now.  My thoughts and proven to be true!!

credits to: shawn.mckenzie

Have a Blessed Day to all!! 

Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Shampoo, Conditioner, Oil Treament and more

Good day to all!

Let's talk about hair!  Ever since I gave birth to my first child, my hair became frizzy, dry and dull.  I hated my hair for so long.  I cannot do layered hairstyle anymore.  Worst, I got tons of hair fall and breakage.  I ended up always tying my hair.  It helps when I go to salon, which I do regularly when we were home.  But then, since we live here and find quite expensive, I don't.  I've been trying a lot of shampoo, conditioner and even hair serum to solve my hair problem. 

Few years ago,  I stumbled upon Marc Anthony products in Watsons. Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Treatment came to my attention.  Per box, its says...

Combat damage, breakage, dryness, dullness and frizz.  Infused with ultra-light Mediterranean Olive Oil and Argan Oil - the ancestral beauty secret Morocco.  It deeply penetrates to strengthen, protect and condition.  Vitamin E and Shea Butter hydrate and soften.  

It is quite expensive for me.  It cost S$18.90 for 50ML.  This is good for few months.  I only use it when I clean my hair.  I shampoo and condition my hair every other day even in humid country.  If the weather is good, I can go until day three.  I apply 3 to 4 drops / pumps on my damp hair from mid to ends.  

My hair doesn't feel oily once dried.  It is very light weight.  It's true what it says on the box, but not all.  Well, I don't get frizzy hair.  It improved my hair, no more dryness and dullness.  My hair feels soft.  The argan oil treatment is the reason why I've grown my hair long and I can put it down.  When I go out, I can let my hair down.  I only do my pony tail when I am home.  On the other hand, I don't think it strengthen and reduces breakage.  I still have a lot of hair fall / breakage.  

But when I tried their shampoo and conditioner, I feel like my hair fall lessens, perhaps less breakage. And it also helps with the dryness and controls the frizz.  Now I have a layered hair but I don't get frizzy.  

I feel it cleanses my hair and condition.  I like the smell too, not strong.   A big plus, it is Sulfate Free and infused with Keratin.   It also claims to protect hair color.  

I also tried Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream and Beach Spray.  I used it to maintain my permed hair before.  The curl envy cream is really good one.  It is also light weight. It really enhanced the curl.  I just apply generous amount on my wet curl hair, massaging and scrunching my curls and I also twist my hair around my fingertip to enhance the curls.  Please note that Marc Anthony Strictly Curls has lotion and a cream, depends on the curl and hair type.  

I did a mini haul of Marc Anthony, this lunch.  Watsons have a Member's sale, I got 20 percent off plus five percent off for members.  By the way,  the shampoo and conditioner cost S$17.90 each (reg price).  

I would recommend this to anyone who has the same hair problem.

Til next time, laters!! ;-)

How to Save all your Instagram Photos

I just saved all my Instagram Photos in Instaport.me using PC.  The Instaport is the best way to go if you want to save a bulk images.  I changed my settings on Instagram and disabled the "save original photos" from the very beginning.  Now, I needed a backup just in case I want to delete my account and what not.  

All you need to do is sign in with Instagram.

Then choose from this options, I chose "All my photos" then click "New Export"

It will take a few minutes to export your photos depending on the size of the download...

then after a while, this box will appear.  Just click the "donate & download" or "download only"

For donate and download, you will be redirected to Paypal.  

I saved mine in a .zip file.  The file-name is by date, the exact date you uploaded photos on Instagram. Please note that the maximum resolution is 612 x 612.   

Til next time, laters! 

French Baguette Pizza

Another family fave, easy french baguette pizza with only two main ingredients needed.  This is the simplest french pizza I make often cos my kids only wants cheese and the bread :-P  Aside from the main, it is best if you add pizza sauce and other preferred toppings.  Easy to play around recipe.  

Well, I already tried the homemade pizza dough, great but time consuming.  We even tried the frozen pizza pie sold in grocery store.  But this is the one we best-loved!! Our bomb-diggity!!

Preheat oven to 400F / 200C. 

Sliced short baguette in half, lengthwise.  

Place in large baking tray lined with baking paper.  

Brush with melted butter on each bread, (optional: spread with pizza sauce). 

Top with preferred shredded cheese and other desired toppings.  

Season with salt and pepper. 

Bake for at least 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is heated through.  

I've also used the leftover beef taco and sliced cherry tomato, 

yeah, beef taco pizza...nom nom!! ;-) 

Serve and enjoy ;-)

Beef Taco and Romaine

Our fave family snack.  We usually have it with real taco but this time, I go for more healthy yet budget friendly snack.  

All you need:  olive oil, 1x med red onions - minced, minced beef (I used 300g), taco spice mix,  3/4 cup water, fresh romaine, honey cherry tomato, shredded cheese, and taco sauce (I used on hand, chunky salsa) 

Wash and dry romaine, set aside.  Cut honey cherry tomato, preferred size, set aside.  In a pan, heat olive oil.  Saute minced onions until soft.  Add beef, stir occasionally.  Simmer for a few minutes.  Add 3/4 cup of water and taco spice mix, stir.  Simmer until the sauce thickens. 

Serve with veggies, shredded cheese and taco sauce. 

Enjoy!! ;-)

The Girl on the Train

What kept me busy over the weekend... is this book, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.

A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives. 

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?A compulsively readable, emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller that draws comparisons to Gone Girl, The Silent Wife, or Before I Go to Sleep, this is an electrifying debut embraced by readers across markets and categories. 

I bought the book before the weekend. I needed a paperback cos of the format of the book.  Had difficulty of tracing back if there's anything I want to recall from previous chapters.  It has the same format as Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, the chapters go by dates / timeline, like a journal / diary.  The Gone Girl has two narrators.  Whilst The Girl on the Train has three narrators with different viewpoints.

The beginning was a bit dull, I find.   I had a hunch from the start and got impatient on some part and want to know the ending right away.   And surprised that my theory was right all along.  

To quote the book which I find very interesting and true....

You can feel it: it's like the hum of electric lights, the change in atmosphere as the train pulls up to the red signal.
I am not the only one who looks now.  I don't suppose I ever was.
I suppose that everyone does it - 
looks out at the houses they pass - 
only we all see them differently.
All saw them differently. 

That would be all.  Laters!  

Going through a rough patch at the moment

image source: wikihow.com

I got ejected...just like that because I let that person endures pain, left hanging and made the person small.  I caused pain to that person without me knowing it.  I hurt that person without me knowing it??  I never thought I was that insensitive!!  For the past months, I was tied up of keeping my promise but on the other hand that person has in mind to boot me out anyways.  You should have told me. You should have told me straight about the problem!! You should have told me you have terms.  You should have told me I should do the same thing like what you did to me before.  You did not give me a chance.  You did not give me chance to explain before you boot me out.  But I am sorry, I do not close doors!! And I am truly sorry I caused you pain.  I am sorry I left you hanging.  I am so sorry that I ignored your feelings.  I am truly sorry if I didn't ask you first if it's okay.  I am so sorry!! 

image credit: boardofwisdom.com

Orange-Red Lipsticks

For the past years, I've been hunting for orange-red lipsticks.  My starters were all drugstore lipsticks, cos there are dupes, right.  Most of my past collections were Revlon and Maybelline, I don't have with me anymore.  I do not keep makeup that long especially the ones that I don't like and no plans of using.   I just keep it with me for months, and when there's opportunity I send it to my mother, sister and cousin.  I cannot name them here cos I never took a pics of those lippies.  

Anyway, last year I finally bought the famous and best seller Mac Lady Danger.  I was avoiding the Mac cos it is expensive cos there are dupes but then I kept on buying dupes that I end up not liking it worst I spent more.  All the while I thought, red orange lippy are not for me.  So one day, I went to Mac section from Sephora and splurge, cos I did not buy only a lippy but I added two more items.  The Mac photos were taken a year ago, the phone shots are a bit blur, sorry.  Just so you know, majority of my photos in the blog were all phone shots. 

Right there and then, I knew why it was so famous and best seller!!  I should have bought it from the very beginning.  I love it!!  It looks good on me.  I wear it when I was working and my colleagues told me that it suits me hihi.  

There's another lipstick that I am really curious of, the Revlon Strawberry Suede, another famous lippy.  Everybody knows who are lipstick addict that Revlon Strawberry Suede has been discontinued but you can still purchase it from Ebay and Amazon.  

So few months after I bought the Mac, I decided to buy the Revlon.  I bought it from eBay.  Likewise, it suits me!! My colleagues told the same.  But I wear the Strawberry Suede more often cos it is not intense as the Lady Danger.  I find the Strawberry Suede is really true to its name and it has also a touch of pink on it.  The Strawberry Suede I find that it is more on everyday wear than Lady Danger.  But if I have to choose from the two...I still prefer Lady Danger. 

I should have stop there, I am satisfied with the two lippy.  Over a week ago, there's an email from Sephora that I can get a complimentary Benefit Roller Lash Deluxe sample.  Well, I need to try the product cos I am always on a hunt of mascaras that really works for me.  But I thought, I just cannot queue there and flash the membership card without buying anything.  I have no idea of what to buy for the money I have on hand, which by the way I asked my hubby if he could give me a twenty.  Furthermore, I only had a few minutes to spend that time as I have other mum errands to attend to. 

  

 In short, I spent my money on Laneige K-Secret Cushion Tint and I chose Red-Orange at random.  It cost $22.00.  And I got the complimentary Benefit Mascara ;-P  I don't feel ashamed queuing there cos at least I bought something :-D      

Oops, sorry for the zit :-P

So this is me after I bought the new lipstick... 

...my happy face after trying my new lippy hihi 

So here's the three orange-red lippy I have on hand... 

without flash: Mac Lady Danger, Laneige K-Secret Cushion Tint
and Revlon Strawberry Suede

Without flash: Mac Lady Danger, Laneige K-Secret Cushion Tint in Red Orange
and Revlon Strawberry Suede

Artificial ligh from left to right:
 Mac Lady Danger, Laneige Red Orange & Revlon Strawberry Suede

Normal light from left to right:
Mac Lady Danger, Laneige Red Orange & Revlon Strawberry Suede

I find the shades from the swatches above are almost alike but then again the strawberry suede leans to pink.  

To end this post, my top one is the Mac Lady Danger, I will definitely repurchase if ever I run out.  Then second place is Revlon Strawbery Suede, I might not repurchase.  Then my third is my latest purchase, Laneige Red Orange.  

What is your favorite orange-red lipstick?  

Til then, thank you!! Laters!! 

<

Stewed Pork and Pumpkin

This recipe was inspired from My Recipes, Stewed Pork and Squash.  I altered and modified the ingredients.  The main ingredients like the part of the pork and the veggie, were not available at the time I bought them.  Moreover, I did not include the chili powder cos I have a child who don't like strong spices yet.  What's more, I replaced the ground red pepper to just ordinary crushed black pepper.  On top of that, I used chicken cube instead of a broth.  

Here's my version - 

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon canola oil 

1 medium red onion, chopped 

1 teaspoon of garlic, minced 

at least 1/2 kg pork, twee bak, sliced at least 1/2 inch

1 teaspoon of ground cumin 

1/4 teaspoon of crushed black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can Hunts stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups of water

1 Knorr chicken cube

less than a pound pumpkin, cut into cubes 

fish sauce or salt to taste 

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic, saute until onions are soft, stirring frequently.  Add crushed black pepper, stir.  Add pork.  Stir and cook for few minutes until pork change color, not raw.  Stir in stewed tomatoes, add water and chicken cube.  Bring to a simmer.  Cover in low heat and simmer until the pork is tender, stirring occasionally.  Add the pumpkin then simmer until the vegetable are soft.  Add fish sauce to taste.  Good for 4 pax. 

The dish was great.  It was flavorful even without the other spices.  I believed if I did not modify the ingredients, the dish will be more savory.  By the way, I find the recipe in the budget meal category.