Original Source

Natural ingredients is something that you can definitely bet on inside all these wonderful products from Original Source. Thanks to Expat Living I am able to try more of Original Source products. I got Lavender, Lime, Lemon and Mint Shower Gels, Mint shampoo and conditioner too. All in one beautiful package. I've tried their Lime first and really loving it. I really can't get enough of that juicy feeling and all the senses in me are open. It's a great way to rejuvenate and for a while I'm thinking I must be in one of those Caribbean island having my getaway from those things that stress me out. The gels are so thick and slippery, many foams come up and each time I the bubble burst the fresh lime just pop up in my mind and filled the air with their juiciness. It's really a wonderful experience for taking a shower.



Next is their Lemon shower gel, I though it will be somehow the same as their Lime but surprisingly this citrus offer different experience to me. A more refreshed mind and that crisp smell that reminds me to be more active and feels so clean. It's still in a wonderful way but in different dimension from the Lime. For me the Lemon shower gel is perfect to perk up any lazy day. The scent reminds me or squeaky clean.



The best thing about Original Source for me so far is really taking my time during shower time. these fresh juicy scent is perfect for shower anytime anywhere.




Different from their citrus friend but Lavender deliver a soothing sensation that calms every nerve and senses. A perfect way to end a day when you just want to get some peace of mind. Different gels too, Lavender shower gel is more liquid and the scents is building up gently and gradually while the citrus range scent just burst up the moment they are release from the bottle. And I found the Lavender scent linger longer on the skin after shower leaving me an inducing feeling to rest and unwind.




Last but not the least is their Mint and Tea tree shampoo and conditioner. A real concentration of mint are here alright. And they are getting intense by the minute, the longer I they are on my head the colder it get. Oh and the shower gel too (Mint), it's just chilling. No hot days with these range, it will be subzero after 5 minutes spend with them. My pores are open wide and the days seems so cool again even thou you're in a tropical island.

The shampoo clean the hair easily and the scalp too, the cool mint also wonderfully penetrate and creating a wonderful sensation that match the conditioner that are light but adequately moisturize my hairs. I can't say I fall in love with the Mint range but they give me a nice cooling sensation that help me throughout those hot days.

Why do I love Rene Furterer

I've been using Rene Furterer since I was in University. So pretty much it's almost 10 years now. Back then I still live in Jakarta, I don't have any particular problem with my hair, but I slightly dislike the oiliness on my scalp due to tropical weather. After using Rene F for just a few weeks my hair getting more and more voluminous. My hair look thicker and more strands. I can feel the rapid growth and it is shown on their analyzer (a TV connected to a machine that can show the surface on the scalp).

Now in Singapore I am happy to find that they still have all the range I use daily. You can check them out through their website about their philosophy, products and anything related to Rene Furterer.My hair condition is pretty much dry due to hair coloring, constant hair dryer (like every time I wash my hair), oily scalp and sometime frizzy. So my main problem is dry edges. That's why the first thing they recommend me is Karite range, just for the conditioner. They keep telling me to use it just a little bit since the product work really well....and it is true. But not as a small amount as they say, I add from a teaspoon to a tablespoon for my shoulder length hair.

After shampooing I use Karite conditioner and during application I didn't feel immediate effect, but when I blow my hair dry, my hair frizzines are gone. The result are a more calm and relaxed hair.

Now this is my favorite product. A scalp mask, made from the clay that absorb the oiliness of my scalp. I use them after shampooing with Curbicia shampoo. I use it once a week and it works like wonder to me. I used to use dead sea mineral clay but the effect sometime can be too drying for my scalp and the hair that tangled with it, but with Curbicia Clay Mask the scalp are clean but the hair are still soft and smooth. I just love them so much.

Beside using Curbicia shampoo I also like using Myrrhea shampoo since it help soothe my hair. So I used Curbicia shampoo like 1-2 a week with Curbicia Clay Mask, and the rest of the days within that week with Myrrhea and Karite Conditioner.

I also use Complexe 5 about 1-2 times a week. This is a pre-shampoo treatment. Usually I just put them on directly to my scalp at the area needed and seems more oily and prone to thinning. Massage them for about 5 minutes. I really like the refreshing soothing natural scent of it. It is fresh but not too citrus-sy. A bottle for me can last about 3 months, it is better to buy the bottle than ampules. Complexe 5 help the scalp to absorb the nutrients (hair tonic) better.

A little advice from me is since Rene Furterer is a premium product, well the cost is above average, take your time and enjoy yourself while using it. Like when you massage the Complexe 5, just do it gently and massage it well so the scalp got enough stimulation it need. During shampooing I also recommend you to just gently massage them and smell that gorgeous kind-a-spa feeling of the products.

Last but definitely not least is RF80. It is used like a hair tonic (on the scalp surface). It contains plants extracts and essentials oils needed for hair re-growth and slowing down the hair loss process. This product once applied on the scalp is soothing and doesn't leave a sting feeling like Complexe 5 if you leave them too long on the scalp. The scent is not as strong as Complexe 5 but more calm and subtle.

Besides all of these product I review above I still use their other shampoo (except for dandruff hair) and their leave-in products. Overall, Rene Furterer did bring the quality and assurance that I need to pamper my hair and scalp.

Despicable Me

It is the best movie so far for me. Entertaining, fun to watch and best of all I got them free and watched it in 3D. Not that unreal 3D but that experience that really bring all the goodness in 3D.

The Cathay theater that I'm in is very big and grand, I really like the ambiance. The toilet should provide more cubicle, it's hardly enough for not even 1% of the whole community there.

Back to the movie, I really like how Gru change from a despicable man to a very loving dad. I guess Agnes made him change, since she the one that like him in the first place. I also like how the girls hearts change, I guess they've been through a lot before in the orphanage because of the mean lady that took care of them. Too bad they didn't let us know what happen to her next. Gru's mom also suddenly have a change of heart in an instant.

Maybe the moral of the story is how parents treat their kids will affect how will they grow and in this movie is so significantly obvious. So parents, wise up okie :)

Not a comfort food after all

Going to Plaza Singapura yesterday with my sis, thinking of having a comfort food at Hot Tomato and got completely disappoint.

I order a beef stew for 8.90 and my sis order half chicken roasted with rosemary. My sis did enjoyed her food completely, with all the abundance of the meal. We also have the meal on set (add another 2.90$ for drink, soup with a garlic bread).

The beef stew was really bad for me. Old Chang Kee beef stew is a lot better, thicker, juicier. Yes, Hot Tomato gave more chunk of beef but they really hard to chew and I choose the order to come with a rice. Sadly, I forgot to mention a warm steam rice, because they serve me a cold hard rice that really difficult to chew nonetheless swallow. Rice is basic lah, a restaurant should have know how to properly cook and or serve one.

Well anyway, after try to hold on to the unforgiving smoke from another stall stand quite near to our seat, finally we finished the meal and went out and the air is unbelievably so fresh au contraire with the air in the Hot Tomato area....this must be a feeling of a tomato being smoked...HOT!

Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku Hotel

Going to Tokyo for a first time and really don't know where to stay and on a budget? I suggest this wonderful place at Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku Hotel. I stayed there for 3 nights and really enjoy the whole experience. I don't even know where to start. First of all the location couldn't be better. From Narita I took a Narita Express to JR Shinjuku Station, get out from South Terrance Exit. Well actually there's another entrance/exit (Toei Oedo Line) using the elevator that really just next to the hotel, but for first timer it will be hard for me to explain. Since in Shinjuku Station all major line crossing here and just really close to each other.

Going around from here also so easy and I almost doesn't have any reason to stay away from here since it's like the center or everything I want in Tokyo (except Disneyland and Puroland). The bus station is near and I can almost anywhere from there. There's Takashimaya, a huge shopping mall that got every store that famous around the world and originally Japanese, there's Keio that at the basement floor sell all those wonderful Japanese snacks and sushi and bento's oh I just can't stop!

Just walk towards the right side there's am/pm (a convenience store that really convenient), it sell all yummy food and snack that was so cheap and taste so good. I love this sandwiches filled with chicken yakitori and mayo, I can't get enough, I bought it everyday. They also sell fruits, parfaits, coffee, drinks, mangas, magazines, daily needs, to hot warm food. Also in the same area they have Yoshinoya, and other Japanese restaurant (ramen, bars, and many more). Lumine I and II also just around the corner, right the opposite of Takashimaya. The opposite direction is Isetan and other Japanese malls. I just love this location so much since they got every mall I wanted to be, and the food is so easy to access. I don't complement my booking with a breakfast or any meals but that's really not a problem at all. We came here during rainy season (tsuyu) and everywhere we can find shelter easily.



This is the building. It's not that difficult to find it since surrounding there's no other building in this color. The lobby is superb, I thought it was a 5 star hotel. All the staff speak English fluently and can help you with almost anything. I ask them to write in kanji when I want to purchase a bus ticket to Disneyland in advance, gladly I did since the guy at the bus station can not speak English at all. But no worries most young adult in Tokyo are able to speak English very well and not so shy in showing it, and I'm thankful for them.



At the lobby the checking in was really a breeze and fast, coming in the middle of the night is not a problem at all, I never see them off guard or lack of staff. They also inform us to get all the amenities (shower cap, sponge, shaver, cotton buds, and yes, many more) at the lobby, near to the lift. When we got to the room, it was just like I imagine, spotlessly clean and no smoke or traces of them anywhere. We did request for the non smoking room, but some hotels still have that awful smell. The room is lovely, all white and they provide all we need. From sleeping robe, perfect bed, slippers, TV with ALL HD shows (seriously Japan makes any TV look really bad) I never see a cooking show look so pretty and REAL. Even though the size is compact (small is not appropriate since everything is measure correctly) we feel comfortable. The toilet is equipped with a high technology potty (heehee), got all the button to make the seat warm, got a button for women (?), to do the big one, small one.

Also in the bathroom they have bathtub (yup, mini but complete), shower, curtains, foaming soap for hand and face, towels, shampoo, shower gel and conditioner. I need to mention this the toiletries inside is not those cheap products that bad for everyone that use them BUT they got POLA. The product was so good, the shampoo is gentle but clean effectively without striping the moisture from my hair, so does the shower gel to my skin, the conditioner is light but protect each strand where it needed. The hair dryer also functioning really well and so does everything in the room. They cleaned the room daily around 10 pm and make sure each room got a pair (or more) sleeping robe fresh cleaned daily.




Lesson learn from my stay in Tokyo/Japan is that no need to bring so many toiletries, extra clothes for sleep, or any other daily needs, they provide everything from toothbrush to even a sponge. A disposable sponge that come in each vacuumed pack packaging. I'm really in love with all the details they put in this hotel. I will definitely come here again

Let's go to Hong Kong....if you can stand the people

The best thing about taking a Cathay Pacific flight to Tokyo is they transit in Hong Kong and on the way back we can stay there a little while. The comparison is unbearable. They are rude, easily annoyed and so impolite. Hey, I don't need to be treated like a queen, just a basic human being interaction dude. Start from the taxi driver has been smoking inside his vehicle, people in the airport (I'm talking staff here) are careless and ignored passengers that asking for directions, bad hygiene in toilet and almost anywhere in the city, seriously, if it haven't been for the cheap stuff (busted) I'm not here.

The perfumes are a lot cheaper, not that fake one, the one that sold in reputable store, like can be 45% cheaper than in Singapore. Luggage that sold in Giant (Singapore) can be 50% cheaper there, but not the food. The food there is expensive. Instant noodle with spam cost like 6S$. That's 2x the price from Singapore. But the good thing is, people in Hong Kong make Singaporean seems a lot nicer, at least most of the staff at the mall gave me direction to the toilet with decency and sometime a smile, with them, you got a big inhale, avoiding eye contact and really want to shoo-you-out attitude.

Here are some of the view in Hong Kong during our visit. The first one is taken at Avenue of Stars, 2nd one is from Victoria Peak and last when we are taking Star Ferry to the Central.

Hong Kong itself for me personally is a beautiful place to visit, their land is nothing like I used to stay in, many hills side, tall buildings and really a busy town 24/7. It's just the people that need to be a bit (nope! A LOT) nicer, the only nice people we met is those people in our hotel, the staff there is pretty much helpful and I have no complain against them in the front line staff. And surprisingly those in the cheap market (like at the Ladies Market) some of them are nicer that the sales person at malls. I thought air conditioner supposed to make people more comfortable, maybe Hong Kong people hate cool air and get irritated easily by that...hey, it's just thought?!

(Never) Lost in Translation

In June 2010, me and my family were in Japan. Buckled with experience from our previous trip to Seoul in 2007 we make sure, we've done our homework this time. But, against all odds ;p many can speak English well, and we found no meaningful hardship there.


This is the map to Sanrio Puroland, a place where it's not as famous as Disneyland and only locals were found visiting the place during our visit. It was a real treat for anyone who love Hello Kitty or anything that got to do with her, including her friends and stuff.



There's not many rides inside, mainly shows, visitor can ask for an English based schedule, but since the show is presented in Japanese language, we're just goo goo ga ga about how pretty the dress is or how cute KeroKeroKeroppi jump.

information and details about the place can be found on their website. Don't forget to print out a discount coupon if you want to go there.

Here are some things that you must see and check in this place:
1.Their restaurant on the 2nd floor, every meals purchased is included with the container you can bring home, we go the Hello Kitty container with separator for rice and dish.
2. Kitty Lab, check the opening time, and enjoy a fun adventure.
3. Their shows. It is fun to watch and see how high spirited Japanese people are.

Sanrio Puroland closed at 5 pm, and whether we like it or not, it is time for us to go. It is pouring rain outside and near the exit they sell balloons, very cute and I really regret not buying one.

We ate ramen near the train station, and any other place where we ate in Tokyo (and surrounding) water are free and they provide cups too. Japanese people are very polite, it feel like 180 degree so different from local people here in Singapore.

The next day we visited Mt.Fuji, and thank God the weather is clear and we can see the whole thing in clear view.Then Hakone which just about 1-2 hour bus ride.Apparently this tour is really worth paying since it's almost impossible for us to went there all on our own since we have no access.

The thing I love about our trip is there's never a dull moment and everywhere I go the amenities is right around the corner, either food, a convenient store, or things to see. So many vending machine, it's like wherever you go, there it is.

On the way back to Tokyo we took Shinkansen, which, well, it's not as 'cool' as I thought, the feeling inside is really just like taking other train....without any bump and sound, since they didn't touch the ground (so it does cool a bit).

Our next destination is Disneyland, we visit Tokyo DisneySea on Sunday, there are crowds but not so much, I meant not so overwhelming. The queue on each ride still under an hour. For us it is quite okay, since there are many things to see around here...and eat. They have popcorn in containers that collectibles and so cute. Hard to resist since they have so many designs and inside each container got different flavor popcorn.

Then Tokyo Disneyland on the following day. It's Monday but the crowd is so much worst than the yesterday, one ride the queue can be as long as 180 minutes. But we are smarter and get more fastpass. Many shows to see, many things to eat and more ride that we enter this time, we really enjoy our time here in Disneyland.

Our trip in Tokyo-Japan was a blast and would really love to come back here again. For more info about Tokyo Disneyland and Sea you can visit their website or even book tickets there (which I think unnecessary) but there are 2 places in Disneyland that need pre -book online, so be sure to do that.