I have been wanting to get an Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palette ever since forever. YouTube beauty gurus have always been singing praises about it, and even my makeup artist at TV3 (back when I was a newscaster) highly recommended it.
UPDATE: The contest has ended. Winners will be announced on my Instagram and Facebook page!
I’m giving away another Sothys goodie bag worth RM424 to FIVE lucky readers! Read till the end to find out what’s in the goodie bag and how you can win one!
I recently read about a scientific study that apparently found that mothers enjoy parenting less than fathers. One of the reasons was because fathers equate parenting with fun and leisure activities (like playing with the kids), while mothers equate parenting with more work: feeding, bathing, teaching, cleaning, etc.
The study also said mothers report more fatigue, especially since even their rest time (day and night) is constantly interrupted by the kids.
I was like, tell me something I don’t already know.
Motherhood has totally changed my life. From being a carefree girl who could do anything I wanted at any time, I now have another little life under my responsibility, and a thousand and one things on my mind.
It is in a mother’s nature to give herself up for her children. Perhaps it is due to the bond that started when the foetus was conceived in her womb. I don’t know. But no matter how tired she is, a mother would never turn away from her child’s needs.
Yet, another article warned that some mothers could become too overwhelmed that they sink into serious depression. There are so many news stories about mothers who hurt their own children, or take their own lives, due to the unchecked emotional stress.
Therefore, I make it a point to have my own ‘me’ time. Sure, the ‘mummy guilt’ may nag at me sometimes, but I need to carve out some time just for myself to make sure that I remain sane.
I do believe that to be able to take good care of my child, I need to first take good care of myself. Happy mummy, happy baby.
(Actually, happy mummy happy family. We hold such powers.)
And the ‘me’ time doesn’t have to be super elaborate. Here are some of the things I do.
#1 Make time for hobbies and interests
Before I sleep at night, I like to wind down by watching some movies or YouTube videos on my phone. One of the series I’m really enjoying right now on Netflix is “Elementary”, which is a modern take on Sherlock Holmes. Love love love it.
I also like to read, although I have not been reading as much as I would love to (blogs and articles are not really counted). Recently I have started on the Harry Potter series! (I know, I’m so slow) I also love Mitch Albom, and am finally reading his famous ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’. Love it. (Yes, to make up for lost time, I’m reading two books at the same time…)
One hobby I have recently picked up is painting! I’ve always wanted to be a painter. But I still don’t know if I am able to be consistent in practising and painting. It is challenging in terms of time and preparation (and skill *coughs*), but, where there is a will, there is a way right?
#2 Hang out with friends
As much as I love listening and speaking to Amy, I still need my adult conversations. It’s especially helpful when I hang out with fellow mummy friends, because we get to share our experiences and gain support, amid all the toddler tantrum madness.
And it really helps to know that you are not the only one going through the craziness. Somehow, knowing that another person has similar experiences, or that they go through similar emotions, boosts my ability to handle whatever challenges that come my way.
There are also some occasions where I just enjoy spending time with people without ever talking about kids or parenting. It’s nice to explore the other aspects of me, instead of just my role as a mom.
#3 Pamper myself
Ooohhh, this is like a world without end. There are so many ways to pamper yourself!
When I need a quick and relatively affordable fix, I go for sweet stuff. Give me cakes and ice creams and desserts, and my mood will be instantly lifted!
I also love spas and massages, but I’m so picky with the type of massages that I get, that I find myself not going for spas as often any more.
Mani/pedi sessions, on the other hand, can work wonders in making me feel that I have loved myself well. Haha! Somehow, there is something about having beautiful, neat nails that makes a girl really really happy.
And of course, facials. I used to struggle a lot with my skin, and at the peak of my bad skin condition, it really affected my confidence and self-esteem. With the right facial treatment and skincare, my skin has improved a lot over the years, and every time I get to go for a facial, I feel so good.
But facials alone can’t guarantee good skin forever. I have to make sure I am diligent with my own skincare routine at home to maintain my skin condition too. So every time I get my hands on a good skincare product, I feel extremely loved (by myself haha).
As I wrote before, Sothys had kindly sponsored me four boxes of their Essential Ampoules, and boy, these little ones seriously do a good job in pampering my skin!
As a mom, I now probably have a maximum of 10 minutes for my skincare routine (actually usually it’s less than that. With a toddler banging on the toilet door demanding for mama to come out). Luckily, these Sothys Essential Ampoules are intensive goodness packed in quick convenience.
All I have to do is make sure my face has been cleansed and toned, before dabbing the essence from the Essential Ampoules all over my skin. Then I just have to finish it off by applying my moisturiser, and I’m done!
And the results speak for themselves. Even without going for facial treatments for the past few months, my skin has shown so much improvement. Plus, being able to end a long, tiring day with a good skincare routine with power-packed products makes me feel very pampered.
Sothys and I want to pamper you too!
We are giving away another goodie bag to FIVE lucky readers. This goodie bag includes:
Sothys Treatment Voucher x 1 (worth RM100)
Complimentary SkinScope x 1 (worth RM80)
Sothys Product Voucher x 1 (worth RM50)
Product Sample x 1
Sothys Cleansing Milk 40ml x 1 (worth RM116)
Sothys Essential Ampoules x 2 pieces (worth RM78)
All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me:
How do you spend your ‘me’ time?
Don’t forget to put down your email address too. This contest closes on 16th December 2016, and is open to Malaysian residents only. Winners will be announced on my Instagram and Facebook page, so do follow me there OK?
Good luck!
Love,
Nat
UPDATE: The contest has closed. Winners have been announced on my Instagram and Facebook page. Thank you for joining!
I am giving away Sothys goodie bags worth RM388 each to FIVE lucky readers! Read till the end to find out how you can get one!
I’ve been hearing so much about Sothys and have been wanting to try their products, so imagine my excitement when they asked me if I would like to give their latest essential ampoules a try!
Beauty ampoules have been all the rage in skincare lately, but did you know that Sothys was actually the creator of beauty ampoules?
OK. But what are ampoules?
Beauty ampoules are basically concentrated serums sealed in a vacuum sterile vial. They are enriched products that work intensively on your skin, helping you with your specific concerns.
There are basically four variants of Sothys essential ampoules.
The Oxygenating Essential Ampoules.
This is targeted to boost skin metabolism and energize dull, stressed skin. It’s also quite good for those who are going through post-acne phase as it helps your skin recover faster.
The Hydrating Essential Ampoules.
If, like me, you admire the Korean actresses’ flawless, bouncy, glowy skin, the secret is actually: hydration. When your skin is hydrated enough, it will be supple and smooth. This variant of ampoules is the perfect treat for thirsty skin.
The Anti-Ageing Essential Ampoules.
I used to turn away from anti-ageing products because I was young and didn’t need them. At least, that was what I kept telling myself. But now, I have accepted reality.
It’s not that I refuse to grow old, but if I can grow old gracefully and beautifully, why not? And if just by dabbing these ampoules on my face, I can protect my skin from the free-radicals that cause wrinkles and sagginess, I’ll do it!
The Brightening Essential Ampoules.
This helps to give you that sought-after glow and prevents dark spots on your face. It also provides a natural exfoliation to help your skin maintain an even complexion.
What I think
I’ve been trying them out for the past two months. What I did was I used one box of ampoules (7 pieces) consecutively for a week, and then rested for a week, before continuing with another box (and the cycle continues).
I started with Oxygenating, followed by Hydrating, Anti-Ageing and then Brightening.
What’s the verdict?
My skin is visibly smoother and softer, and overall it is less oily! I find that my skin is also more hydrated now, which leaves it looking more supple and plump.
My dear husband actually stared at my without-make-up face the other night and said that my skin is so smooth. It was the most romantic statement he has ever said since we had Amy. Hahaha.
It’s really easy to use too. All you have to do is pick up the small vial, break it, pour half of the content onto your hands, and dab it all over your face (after toner, before moisturiser). You can save the other half for your night routine.
Now is the perfect time for you to try out the Essential Ampoules for yourself because Sothys is having the Ampoule Mania promotion! For just RM169, you can get a set of products that includes:
1 box of Essential Ampoule (1.5ml x 7)
1 Morning Cleanser 15ml
1 Vitality Lotion 40ml
1 Hydra3Ha Gel-Cream 15ml
These products are worth RM420 in total, so this is definitely an offer you can’t miss. For more information on this, go check out Sothys Malaysia’s Facebook page!
Also, thanks to Sothys, I am doing a GIVEAWAY!
This bag of goodies include:
1 RM100 Treatment Voucher
1 Complimentary SkinScope (worth RM80)
1 RM50 Product Voucher
1 Travel Size Anti-Ageing Cream Grade 2 10ml (worth RM158)
1 Product Sample
The total worth of the goodies is RM388, and FIVE lucky readers will get a bag each!
All you need to do is: leave a comment below to tell me why you want to win!
Don’t forget to leave your email address too. This contest ends on 11th November 2016. Winners will then be announced on my Instagram (@natalie_sia) and Facebook (natthenatfactor) pages, so make sure you are following me there OK?
*This contest is only open to Malaysian residents
Good luck!
Love,
Nat
Lately I have been on a hunt for good lip products. To be honest, I have always been skipping the lips when putting on my makeup, simply because a) I don’t particularly like the texture of lip glosses; and b) I haven’t found any lipsticks that I like. But I’m beginning to realise that having the right lips on can make such a huge difference.
If you have a face full of makeup and no lip colour at all, you can still turn out looking very pale. On the contrary, when you have the right colour on, it can instantly brighten your face and complete your look.
The few lipsticks, lip glosses and tinted lip balms that I have tried were mostly misses. It’s hard to get the right texture and the right colour. Also, since my lips are two-toned (the upper lip is darker than the lower lip), it’s quite a challenge to find a light, natural looking lipstick that can cover the darker lip.
But today, I found this Laneige Silk Intense Lipstick in my makeup pouch!
I must have bought it a while ago… I can’t remember when and where though. And I don’t even remember wearing it before. But since I found it, I thought, why not give it a try today?
And so far, I’m loving it. It glides on smoothly onto the lips, the colour is bright and natural enough for me, AND it does a good job in neutralising my two-toned lips!
The one I have is in YR22 Orange Flavour.
I’m quite happy that I now have a lipstick that I can actually use!
Love,
Nat
Earlier this year I went to Seoul, South Korea, and, being in the land of beauty, I knew I had to pick up some face care products. So I did some research, and one of the products I decided to get was this Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask.
It is made from clean Jeju volcanic ingredients (like hardened lava), to remove sebum, treat blemishes and purify the skin.
I heard a lot of good things about this, so I was more than excited to try it out. And I love it!
As my TV job requires me to put on a ton of makeup, I really need a good clay mask to cleanse out all impurities, tighten my pores, restore and brighten my skin. This clay mask glides on my skin so smoothly, which makes application a joy! It also doesn’t sting my face, which is a big bonus. And once I wash it off, I could see an immediate difference – my skin looks brighter, and it feels so much softer and smoother.
Since becoming a mom, time for masks is a luxury though, so I usually just quickly slap on this mask while I’m in the shower and let it dry as much as it can for about 5 minutes before rinsing it off. I try to use it at least once every week… if I remember haha.
Have you tried this mask before? Let me know if you like it!
Love,
Nat