EarthQuake Relief Donation thru MObile Banking App

 Here is a very helpful initiative from NBK, a simple way to donate in any amount you can give to EARTH QUAKE RELIEF donation for Syria and Turkey

I donated through the mobile app. It's super easy and convenient!!

There's no such thing as too small when it comes to helping others. Every bit counts!

Do your share and help!

Clothing Shop & Swap: Weekend Activity

This weekend the British Ladies Society is hosting a clothing swap and shop. My first awareness of such an activity. It takes place on Saturday 11th of February. 

Check out their instagram post for more details

Horses and Yoga-- WEEKEND Thing to do

 

As someone who has worked in the equestrian industry for years, I have learned a lot about horses. They are loving, lovable, and gentle creatures. Although I cannot afford to own one, being a part of an industry where I can be of service to these beautiful creatures is more than enough for me!

It seems like a pretty interesting activity when I see it on my Instagram feed! 

SECRET to Filipinos Shiny Manageable hair

Photo Credit: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/shoppingandfashion/782024/heart-evangelista-swears-by-this-next-big-thing-in-hair-care/story/

Ok, Let's get this straight!!

One of many qualities or shall I say, Physical features of a filipino that really stands-out from other nationality is the HAIR, SKIN COLOR and NOSE (😂😂😂), a typical filipina can be described as medium height, "brownish" Skin (morena), long black hair and cute/big nose--  but more emphasis on the HAIR and Skin, !! Period!!!

I remember walking in the parking lot moths ago, a group of ARABIC ladies suddenly stopped me from getting myself inside my car,  I was so scared, like I can feel my heart pumping so hard going up to my throat, I thought they going to hurt me, but opposite happens, they were friendly and  they just ask where did I bought my WIG (😂😂😂) to my surprise, I burst out laughing telling them that my hair is not a wig its natural but colored ( Mahoghany color at that time) , I even dare them to pull my hair  if they are not convince that it is indeed natural.  but anyway to cut the story short,  one of the ladies is getting married in a week time and her hair was falling, super wavy, and thin ( you can almost see the scalp), she was looking for instant solution like wig or something, she was desperate to find the perfect wig like a filipina hair long thick and shiny.

Most Filipinos are naturally gifted with thick, shiny, straight hair,   if you happen to see some filipino with damage and thin hair, perhaps this is partly that they overdo any treatments or has to do with the environment like in kuwait the water seems to be very hard that taking a bath everyday will eventually damage the hair.  I once joked with my officemates that the reason FILIPINOS have a nice hair because we ate a lot of fish and banana, a week after " BANANA and Tuna" has become  a super trend in the office packed lunch, and it is where I fully convinced myself  that HAIR may not be that important part of the body (we can live without our hair) but it is indeed a crowning glory for everyone to feel beautiful and confident.

HONESTLY, There is no secret to FILIPINOS black shiny hair, it's purely GENETICS, but I can tell you few practices and rituals on how  to maintain/ take care of our precious hair, and even how to cheat to get that super shiny flawless hair,  interested??? here we go...

1.)  SHOWER everyday  ( at least once)

One of the essential step to great hair is to keep your Scalp and hair clean.

In my 15 years living in kuwait, working in a diverse multi-cultural environment SHOWER is not a common practice here, ( I don't judge) but in many occasions, I get to observe women with pretty faces but fails to see the importance of taking a bath (in general) everyday, so if you want to get that beautiful healthy hair, starts by REMINDING yourself that washing your hair everyday keeps the dandruff and odor away. 

2.) FIND the right Products for your HAIR

We often observed that when we use harsh shampoo on our hair, we tends to get dandruff or falling hair, it's always best get to know your hair type, (Oily, Normal, Colored, Wavy, so on...) these things matter,  I for one, tried many shampoos from the past, my biggest mistake is using products which are recommended by others, I mean, there's nothing wrong taking recommendations from others or specially endorsed by famous people, remember, NOT all that are suitable to them is automatically suitable to you, always check the ingredients, test if needed then maintain if you find the right one!

3.) SHAMPOO and CONDITIONER -They are BEST of FRIEND!!

These two should go hand and hand,  Get the right SHAMPOO and partner it with the perfect condition,  always have that handy conditioner after every shampoo this is to keep your hair super smooth specially if you are aiming for straight smooth hair. CONDITIONER on the hair and not on the scalp.

oh.. CREAMSILK conditioner is like DUH!! Filipino ultimate brand !! try it!! 😁😎

4.)  Let your HAIR breathe

YES!! let your hair breathe,  avoid anything that caused suffocation, I understand that most women here are wearing hijab,  let your hair dry before putting hijab, maintain clean and healthy scalp above all things , avoid putting oil or cream when wearing hijab, this is to let your hair breath, if one is not wearing hijab, let it flow for sometime, use hair friendly hair tie, stay away from rubber bands, do not tie your tight and hard to the extreme.

5.)  HAVE a TREATMENT at least once a week

Hair Treatment, does not always mean going to the salon, sometimes, the best treatment is just at the comfort of your home mixing all natural ingredients, here are few example how to pamper your hair at home:

        a.) Coconut Oil - a common extra virgin coconut oil available in a department store will do,  do this during you off day, massage a handful of coconut oil into your hair, covering root to tip, and leave it for like an hour or two then rinse ( do not forget to use hair conditioner for extra smooth)

        b.) Argan Oil --- same process as per the coconut oil, Argan oil is good for colored treated hair, preventing damage and falling

        c.) Natural Aloe Vera --  Promotes Hair Growth with Moisturizing effect, it has anti-fugal properties preventing fungus on the scalp, reducing/preventing dandruff and anything alike

        d.) Olive oil as Hot oil treatment, do not use excessively just enough to treat your hair, rinse and do not forget to conditioner

These are just few of many natural ingredients to pamper your hair naturally, if you feel that you do not incline in all natural, you can always buy a hot oil treatment products available in the market, the important is, take time to pamper your hair at least once a week and always use the right products suitable to your hair type

6.)  Eat the Right Food and Stay Hydrated

Eat food that are high protein, biotin ( for hair growth), Vitamin A and foods that contain Omega 3, you scalp is like skin,  drinking water can keep your scalp hydrated and healthy preventing problems like dandruff, itchiness and so on.  prevention is better than cure, any problem in our scalp can lead to hair problem overall thinning or hair loss

7.) Find the right professional to do your hair

I always believed that, not all are given the right hands/skills to handle hair,  I tried so many salons even on the length of Home service and I feel that, there is always that person who are naturally gifted or in plants (GREEN THUMB) when it comes to hair, in our Filipino tradition there is what we called "heavy hands" these are people working in the salon that has very negative impact on hair's energy, when this type of person works on your hair as to whether  a simple cut or treatment, it may look good at the beginning but "the after effects", your hair feels completely stress unmanageable, in my case, I feel like my hair is growing too slow, dry, dying and losing its energy to grow.

Always go to the SALON where the reviews are good and are highly recommended by people who actually tried the service,  Well, I cannot convince you to be as  superstitious as I am but trust me, find the right person to handle your hair.

Also, you can cheat your way to super shiny, straight hair thru salon's appropriate hair treatments, my TAKE is to, Thoroughly check and find the right salon, go ONLY to the PROFESSIONALS/EXPERTS to handle your hair specially when you do it the first time.

8.)   Keep it Simple and Maintain an Easy Routine

If you cannot keep up with the routine, find ways to make  it simple,  Taking care of your hair should be simple and budget friendly,  taking a shower everyday with right products, maintain a simple hair routine like combing it right before sleeping (not excessively),  

These are simple things that can be part of our daily routine without exerting too much effort. make it a habit to keep your hair clean and healthy THAT's all... 

KDRAMAS on NETFLIX: My Recommendation

It's funny!! few days ago I visited mom for lunch and found her multi-tasking:  Watching KDRAMA while ironing the clothes, even at the distant before pressing the doorbell I can hear that sweet tone (Korean language) coming from her TV, although I don't understand the language but the tone itself is something I am indeed familiar!!  in my mind, oh no!! I guess,  I just have to eat and go!! I won't be able to disturb mom once she started a Kdrama series.  

I don't know but in my experience there is something in Korean TV series/ movies that keeps you hook and slave to the comfort of your sit,  u'll become a vampire for like days wanting to finish all 16 or 20 episodes non-stop, I was addicted to all these TV series at some point,  I have to completely disown anything Korean at home to be free from the addiction (sort of self-Rehabilitation process 😂😂😂) 

So being free from that addiction, I want to share all my recommendations on the best and binge worthy Korean series available on NETFLiX, I guess, this is like my reward after all those dark yet emotionally great days addicted to Korean TV series, I have something to blog about ( 😉😉😁😁) and let others experience that temporary ecstasy.

One more thing, in KUWAIT we have some restrictions on certain kdramas, so not all kdramas accessible to other countries can be seen in kuwait, so this recommendation as per kuwait viewers mix old and new streams, and in no particular order, 

Here we go.......

Dr. ROmantic- Season 1 &2

Dr. Strange

It's ok not to be ok

Crash Landing on You

Flower Crew

I can go on and on, of course!! there are many more great kdramas to watch and look for, but I will leave you with these highly recommended ones, if you haven't watch any of these, go for it!!  Don't forget to prepare all snacks, pillow and blankets ( you'll need it!!) and of course, take some time off to take a bath and brush your teeth!!

Love lots,

Wisemummy

Local Events

Pure JoJoba Oil, my Miracle Oil

I found this Jojoba Oil in Kuwait city last week and been using for days now and it's giving me a really good result, I'm using it as a moisturizer after toning my face, my acne has become small and dry, giving me a less pores, smooth and soft skin not perfectly flawless but soft, for anyone who knew me, they know how much I've suffered from breakouts especially during the monthly cycle, it's terrible!! but after using Apple cider toner with this jojoba oil, my skin improved drastically!! I would call it a miracle!! 

Here are many benefits using jojoba oil according to https://draxe.com/jojoba-oil/

Jojoba Oil Uses 

You can purchase jojoba oil from any health food store, and recently it’s been in department stores and supermarkets as well. Typically, it costs between $5–$10 for a bottle. When shopping for jojoba oil, stick with the organic brands — you want to make sure it’s 100 percent jojoba oil and there aren’t any additives that may irritate your skin.

There are so many ways to use jojoba oil, so don’t be afraid to experiment with your hair and skin products by adding a few drops of this beneficial ingredient. Here are some recommended uses:

Face Moisturizer

Apply four to six drops in the morning and at night before bed.

Hair Moisturizer

Add three to five drops to your conditioner or apply one to two drops to damp hair after showering.

Remove Wrinkles

Use one to three drops of jojoba oil and apply it to wrinkled areas, then rub it into your skin in a circular motion until it’s absorbed.

Makeup Removal

Add three to five drops of jojoba oil to a cotton ball or pad and wipe off makeup.

Lip Balm

Apply one to two drops of jojoba oil to your lips whenever needed.

Fight Infections

Add one to three drops of jojoba oil to the infected or irritated area twice daily.

8 Proven Jojoba Oil Benefits

1. Moisturizes Skin

Our sebaceous glands are microscopic glands in our skin that secrete an oily or waxy matter called sebum. The texture and use of sebum is very similar to jojoba oil, so as we age our sebaceous glands produce less sebum, which is why we get dry skin and hair — it can even lead to dandruff or itchy scalp.

A jojoba oil benefit is that it plays the role of sebum and moisturizes our skin and hair when our body stops doing it naturally. On the other hand, too much sebum, which happens during puberty or when hormone levels are high, can result in oily skin and acne. Jojoba oil removes sticky buildup or excess oil, too; it keeps your oil levels balanced. That makes it a strong natural treatment for eczema as well as a home remedy for acne, plus well suited for other dry-skin conditions.

Jojoba oil is an emollient — meaning it moisturizes our skin and prevents irritations or scaly and rough patches. Dry skin is caused by a loss of water in the upper layer of the skin. Jojoba oil works by forming an oily layer on the top of the skin that traps water in the skin. It works on your face, neck, hands, feet and hair; you can use it anywhere on your body because it’s completely natural and contains no chemicals that lead to an allergic reaction.

2. Removes Makeup Safely

It’s perfectly safe to use jojoba oil on your face; in fact, it’s good for your skin. Instead of using makeup removers that contain chemicals, jojoba oil is a natural tool that removes the dirt, makeup, and bacteria from your face as you use it. It’s even safe for cleaning eye makeup, and it’s hypoallergenic.

3. Prevents Razor Burn

You don’t have to use shaving cream anymore; instead, jojoba oil’s waxy texture eliminates the threat of shaving incidents like cuts and razor burn. Plus, unlike some shaving creams that contain chemicals that clog your pores, jojoba oil is 100 percent natural and promotes healthy skin. Try applying jojoba oil before you shave so it creates a smooth surface for shaving, and then apply it after you shave to moisturize your skin and heal cuts quickly.

4. Promotes Skin Health

Jojoba oil is noncomedogenic, meaning it doesn’t clog pores. Although it’s an oil — and we usually think that oil that sits on our skin is what causes breakouts — jojoba oil works as a protectant and cleanser. Jojoba oil is rich in iodine, which fights harmful bacteria growth that leads to breakouts. The antioxidants present in jojoba oil soothe fine lines, wrinkles and naturally slow down other signs of aging.

Jojoba oil can also accelerate the wound-healing process, as indicated in a study done at the Department of Environment and Life Sciences in Italy. The results proved that jojoba oil speeds up wound closures and stimulates collagen synthesis; the study also noted that jojoba oil had extremely low toxic effects when used on the skin.

A 2012 study conducted in Germany examined jojoba oil’s ability to reduce skin lesions and improve overall skin condition for 194 participants, who applied clay masks with jojoba oil to their faces two to three times per week; 54 percent of the participants reported that skin lesions were reduced significantly after six weeks of using jojoba oil.

Breaking my Beliefs: The black Cat and its Luck

 I was driving home yesterday when a black cat suddenly appeared crossing the road in front of me, I can’t help holding into my rosary and uttered: “In Jesus name”, sort of precautions, I know, most of you know exactly what comes into my head seeing a black cat passing by. 

HuffPost.com photo credit

I never thought that all this time, the superstitious beliefs from granny lingered into my system unconsciously, it's becoming an automatic practice when a situation calls for it, even on a distant or in a place where vast modernization and technologies are fast arising. maybe, it has something to do with being Asian and grew up in a very traditional conservative Filipino environment.

My granny used to say: There’s no harm in believing PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE, after all, it’s a belief to prevent us from bad luck or anything alike.

Let me share some common superstitious belief I always keep to myself even today, some might be weird but it is what it is!!

Here goes…. 

1.) If the pregnant woman hops over her husband, her morning sickness will transfer to her husband.

2.) Anyone who shares the food being eaten by a pregnant woman will suffer from spells of drowsiness, dizziness and vomiting.

3.) Paying a debt at night brings bad luck.

4.) Showering the rooms of a new house with coins before moving in will bring prosperity.

5.) Ornamental plants with round leaves inside the house are signs of good luck while keeping vines that grow downward are bad luck.

6.) Wear a polka-dot shirt or dress to prosperity on New Year’s Eve to attract prosperity the whole year round.

7.) It is unlucky to cut one’s hair or fingernails after sundown.

8.) If one accidentally bites his tongue people are talking about him.

9.) A black cat crossing your path means bad luck

10.) Dropped utensils announce the arrival of a visitor

11.) Don’t clear the dining table unless everyone has finished eating. If you do, you doom the last single dinner guest to a life of loneliness.

And for sure, you also have yours …. What do you believe??

EVENTS : Local events in kuwait

Starting the "BER" month with a fun things to do in Kuwait

Math and Science Quality Education Index 2018

Just wondering why China not even on the top 10 ??

I Super Agree on the top 1 spot!! after visiting Singapore, I'm actually saving for my kid's college fund for them to study in Singapore!! (parenting bucket list 101)

and Not bad for the Philippines to be in top 100 but I know, we can make a better ranking next time.... 

A Walk in the Fantasy World Universal Studio Singapore

Singapore is just too amazing to let go, but we have to bid farewell to go back to our lives in kuwait to make a living, anyhow, here’s a glimpse in this so called fantasy world UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE,  I apologize for the pictures as I have to limit my uploads due to space restrictions, I’m using only a “NOT-SO FAMOUS CHINESE TAB” to blog this,  will update more on this when I get back to Kuwait