The Serenity Prayer

The Serenity Prayer 

God grant me the serenity 

to accept the things I cannot change; 

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference. 

Living one day at a time; 

Enjoying one moment at a time; 

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it; 

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life 

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen. 

Happy Easter

A NEW YEAR, A NEW RESOLUTION?

Gosh, I can't believe it has been this long since I last posted something here. Time flies and now half of the 1st month of this year is gone. I am huffing and puffing trying to keep up.

My new year's resolution this year is to make this blog more active than the other blog..yawnnnn....hehe... This blog after all was made to share some beauty and health tips.

Aside from my other interests like photography and handmade fashion accessories, I also love the art of making people beautiful. I have always loved make-up and skin care but had not had the opportunity to pursue it indepth and was contented with using my own skills.  Had some experience in doing make up for people and my sisters were my first 'victims' hahaha.. and did their make up during their weddings too. But was too busy being in the rat race then and so it just stayed just like that.

Being a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, was accidental. I had no intention whatsoever of being involved in direct selling especially at this age. But upon an insistence of my 'sifu' I reluctantly attended her invitation for a free Skin Care and Make-up Class and I fell in love with the product, the stringent research and development done for each product before it goes into the market, the values behind the company, the marketing plan, the history of the founder, Ms Mary Kay Ash.  Well, the rest is history..  I did sign up, attended the intensive training where we were taught the product knowledge, how to conduct a skin care class, sharing with friends and making them beautiful amongst other things.  Also, me being an Independent BC, it accorded me a premier product at a discounted price. Ahh.. that makes me a smart consumer don't you think so?

To sum up, why did I join Mary Kay? I joined because I genuinely like the product! Yes, it improved the texture of my skin and in sharing with friends about it's goodness, there's nothing wrong in making some side-income too, no?

Ms Mary Kay Ash, the founder of

Mary Kay

A personal favourite

11 skin-loving benefits in one system, the TimeWise® Miracle Set® is clinically shown to reduce the appearance of fine lines, target skin resilience and help skin tone look more even.

Will get this next. A little pricey but the good thing about Mary Kay is that once a month, some items would be offered on a promotional price.  Friends swore that this Serum + Vit C has done much to improve their skin.

Of course the health of our skin does not only depend on good product but also depend on our general well- being, how diligently we take care of it, balanced diet and not forgetting good genes. We can't hold the years forever, we can only delay it..

Have a great New Year folks!

IS EATING SPROUTED POTATOES SAFE?

I've heard that sprouted potatoes are not to be eaten and I wonder why.  Isn't it a waste to throw them away when large parts are still good? 

Potatoes when kept for certain time sprouts very fast. Leave it a few days and viola, some greens can be seen coming out of it!! 

Then I read this article that potatoes that have sprouted means the starch within the potato changed into sugar.  Eating green or sprouted potatoes is not life-threatening but potatoes under these conditions are indeed mildly poisonous. 

While effects are not severe, eating green parts of a potato or eating a potato while raw can cause stomach upset and digestive problems. Severity is however always dependent on the amount of the potato consumed and how much of the potato was green or raw.  

Me:  I love sweet potatoes, the purple kind. Why? Because it tastes heavenly and also it is packed with nutrients - anthocyanins, a powerful antioxidant that can help fight aging, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other ailments.  It is also loaded with carotenoids just like beta carotene, that reinforce eyesight and increase defense mechanisms. It also contains Vitamins C that creates collagen which will help keep up with the skin's youthful flexibility.  

My friend Agnes and I, on our usual visit to the market will load on this each hoping to keep them wrinkles away.   :)

There are several recipes for sweet potatoes but I prefer them simply boiled or baked.  Peel the skin and eat them while hot. I like them with a little salted butter.    

There are several other colours of sweet potatoes - orange, white and yellow all equally nice and nutritious. Just ensure, refrain from buying the sprouted ones.

All pictures are courtesy of the Net.

SOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY SKIN FOR WOMEN

More than a great wardrobe, great bones, skilled hand with make-up, it is no secret that glowing skin turn heads.  Some are lucky enough to be born with fine glowing poreless, lit-from-within complexion. Yes, some people are blessed when it comes to good skin. Not all skin is created equal. One must not underestimate the value of genetics. But then again, genes are just the starting point.

Dermatologist said that beautiful skin is also about good skin care habits practiced day in and  day out. So even if one is blessed with beautiful skin, one must not take it for granted and expect it to last. It must be respected and taken care of. 

It would help to adhere to the following tips:

 1. Wash your face at least twice each day, using a pure soap such as Ivory, and clean water. Hot water opens pores, so wash with hot water. Cold water closes pores, so splash your face with cold water after washing to ensure that your pores are protected from the environment. Splash with cold water before applying makeup as well.

2. Reduce the use of cosmetics as much as possible. If you must wear makeup, make sure that you are using hypoallergenic products, or products for sensitive skin.  Make sure you wash all the makeup away before going to bed. 

3. Keep you hair and hands off your face. Hair and hands contain oils that can cause acne breakouts. When applying creams or makeup to the face, use applicators - not your hands. Don't lean with your hands on your face either. Keep your hair pulled back off your face. 

4. Do not go outdoors without wearing sunscreen. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of 30 or higher even on cloudy days.

5. Do not smoke for the sake of overall health as well as appearance.

6. Good dietary habit by drinking plenty of fluids, more fruits and vegetables. Hydrate the body and the skin with water. Hydrated skin is healthy skin as water helps to detoxify our bodies, and our skin, ridding us of elements that make us ill, as well as elements that can cause acne.

7. Eat a well balanced diet, and make sure that you include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain quite a bit of natural vitamin A and vitamin E, which is essential to good skin care.

8. Exercise and a good solid seven or more hours of sleep at night.

All pics are courtesy of Google.