3-in-1 Anti-aging, Brightening and Moisturising mask

I've been using this face mask for a long time! Very moisturising for the skin, smells good enough to be eaten. It has mild exfoliation properties.

 

 

 

Things you need:

• 1 tsp of roughly grinded rice powder - You can grind your own rice or purchase rice mask, e.g. Skin Food Rice Mask.
• 1/2 tsp of green tea powder - tea leaves are not a good idea because it doesn't stick well to the face.
• 1 tsp of raw honey - I'm using Manuka honey.
• Some pre-boiled and cooled water if you're using rice powder. Skip the water if you're using Skin Food Rice Mask.

 

Instructions:

1. Mix the rice powder, green tea and honey in a clean bowl. Add water bit by bit to dilute the mask into a semi-thick consistency. It shouldn't be too runny.
2. Apply to face and décolleté.
3. After leaving it on for 15 minutes, wet your fingers and gently massage your face in circular movements for 1 minute.
4. Rinse off thereafter. Preferably, use twice a weekly.

Annie's Way jelly masks & Supreme Diamond Light Feather mask sheets

If you're looking for a good face mask, I have a recommendation. Nothing I use is expensive but it's effective. That's what matters most. This is not a sponsored post; I write good reviews when the products show good results and vice versa.

I found this Taiwan made mask called Annie's Way (hate the name!). Nothing fancy or glamorous about its name here but the products, work like a miracle.

Annie's Way has gel type masks that come in a jar and face mask sheets. I'm using both types. The Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid Jelly mask is wonderful! Instant brightening effect and skin stay soft and supple throughout the night. The trick here is not to wash off the mask but towel it off. Not a good idea to tissue it off because the leftover mask residue is really sticky. So, use a damp towel instead. I also bought the new Charcoal black jelly mask, which is more for oily skin, to draw out impurities from the skin.

 

The other type of mask that I'm using is the Annie's Way Supreme Diamond Light Feather mask sheet. It claims to prevent wrinkles, whitens, tones and moisturises skin in 1 easy step. An easy alternative for me when I need something quick to perk up my skin. The mask sheet is so thin (it looks almost transparent on my face) and its essence doesn't dry out as fast as other typical mask sheets in the market. The effect: my skin is well moisturised after each usage although the brightening effect is not as good as the Arbutin Jelly mask.

Currently Annie's Way is available in Malaysia. You can get it at any MaskSlim outlets. Not available in Singapore yet, I've checked. The good news is Mask Slim is also available online.

They're having good promos now. Jelly mask is selling for RM76.50 per 250ml jar at MaskSlim online store. If you shop at their outlets, the jelly masks cost RM85 (normal price) but it comes with FOC 3 pieces of mask sheet that cost RM7 each. Jelly masks are also available in trial/travel packs costing RM8 per 25ml pack. The Supreme Diamond Light Feather mask is selling for RM9 per piece. The promotion now is purchase 5 pieces, and you'll get another 5 pieces for free!

 

Green Tea Milk Bath: Anti aging & Moisturising

Milk contains vitamin A, D and E, some proteins and fats. Our skin will not be able to absorb those vitamins from milk through bathing (unless through consumption). However, milk proteins and milk fats do wonders for the skin by moisturising it. It also helps to soothe dry itchy skin during cold weather.

 

It is important to use whole milk for milk bath. Skim and low fat don't work as well as whole milk because the milk proteins and milk fats are what we want.

 

As for green tea, it is well known for its anti-oxidant properties either through consumption or topical use. Its sun protection properties are also well documented. Therefore, in my morning bath routine, I always include green tea as an extra sun protection.

Snow fungus - a natural loofah to gently exfoliate my face while soaking in the bath.

 

 

Bath ingredients:
• 1 litre of whole milk (i.e. full cream / fresh milk)
• 3 tbsp of green tea powder, or 5 teabags of green tea

 

Instructions:
1. Run a warm bath.
2. Stir 3 tbsp of green tea powder with warm water in a mug. If using teabags, infuse them in hot water for 5 minutes.
3. Pour the green tea into the bath water. You can also throw in the teabags if you like.
4. Just before stepping in, pour the milk into the bath water.
5. Soak for 20 minutes before rinsing it off. Apply light lotion all over your body to seal in the moisture.

 

Tips: Letting your hair down to soak in the milk goodness helps to condition dry, brittle hair. Be sure to rinse off before stepping out of bath to avoid smelling like stale milk though.

  

I won't always be this small, mommy.

When they were babies, it was so tough with all the sleepless nights and night feeds that never seem to end. Now that they're older, I'm missing the baby bits.

Punishable Offences & Penalties: Overstaying, Breach of Pass/Permit's Conditions & Harboring Illegals

Taken from Immigration Department of Malaysia (under Enforcement)

Overstaying in Malaysia

Offence: 
Living in Malaysia after a pass / permit has expired or revoked.

Violates: 
Section 15 (1) (c) Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155).

Penalty:
Section 15 (4) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) provides a fine of not less than RM 10,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or both.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 24 April 2012 02:28 by Immigration Department of Malaysia
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Violation of Conditions stipulated in the Pass/Permit

Offence: 
Working or Undertaking Activities That Are Contrary To the Conditions of the Issuance of a Pass or Permit. Breach of the pass, permit or border passes conditions

Violates: 
Rule 39 (b) Immigration Regulations 1963.

Penalty:
Upon conviction punishable by a fine not exceeding RM 1, 000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.

Last Updated on Friday, 09 March 2012 02:13 by Immigration Department of Malaysia
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Involvement As An Employer Hiring /Harbouring Illegal Immigrants In The Premises

Offence:
The act of employing one or more persons other than citizens or Entry Permit holders who do not have a valid pass.

Violates: 
Section 55 B Immigration Act 1959/63

Penalty:

• A fine of not less than RM 10,000 but not more than RM 50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or both for each illegal immigrant under his employ. 
• A person who employs more than 5 illegal immigrants at the same time is liable to imprisonment of not less than 6 months but not more than 5 years and is subject to whipping of not more than 6 strokes.

Offence:
A person shall not knowingly harbour any person whom he knows or has reasonable grounds for supposing to have contravened the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Violates:
Section 56 (1) (d) Immigration Act 1959/63

Penalty:

• A fine of not less than RM 10,000 but not more than RM 50,000 is imposed on the offender who harbours an illegal immigrant. 
• A person who harbours more than 5 illegal immigrants at the same time is liable to imprisonment of not less than 6 months but not more than 5 years and is subject to whipping of not more than 6 strokes.

Offence: 
Any person (occupier) who allows any illegal immigrant (PATI) to enter or stay in the premises where he has direct interest and control as a supervisor or manager.

Violates: 
Section 55E Immigration Act 1959/63

Penalty:

• A fine of not less than RM 5,000 but not more than RM 30,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or both for each illegal immigrant. 
• For the second offence, a fine of not less than RM 10,000 but not exceeding 2 years or both.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 24 April 2012 04:03 by Immigration Department of Malaysia
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What to expect if you choose to hire illegals

A photocopy of a fake passport. Spot the mistakes?

Ever since I wrote the post on How to apply for maid's JP visa yourself, I've received tons of comments and questions asking for advice. I'm no pro in this field but I try my best to help employers (and even maids/workers) who are clueless about the system. 

From all the comments and feedback, I gather that employers are getting more desperate due to the long waiting period and the steep agency fees which come without any guarantee that the new hire is going to be acceptable (chances of getting a good maid is 1%, thus acceptable is a better word). 

I also have workers who wrote in to me regarding their employers who insisted them to foot their own cost of work permit renewals, as high as RM 3,000! There were more complaints about maids these days too, from stealing to lying and runaways.

Due to all those problems, no doubt it gives rise to bogus agents who claim to be able to do illegal stuff in a legal way with a fraction of the cost. Some employers asked me, "Sounds too good to be true?". Of course! If you don't know already, there's no free lunch in this world. And these bogus agents love to target runaway maids who need new passports or work permits as much as a desperate employer who's urgently in need of a maid.

Here's a summary of the most common services provided by bogus agents:

• Overstay - Renewal of maid's work permit which has expired months or years ago without having to pay overstay penalty or face deportation. 
• Transfer of maid's work permit after her contract expires without having to go back to home country and serve the cooling off period of 3 months.
• Transfer of maid's work permit to a new employer after first year of service, and/or above 3 times. (FYI, a new maid is only allowed to do transfer in her first year of service but not more than 3 times.)
• Renewal of maid's expired passport and issuance of a new work permit under new employer's name.
• Issuance of new passport, complete with police report of lost passport and a new work permit under new employer's name.
• Provide temporary maid under other employer's name to you for more than 2 weeks.
• Free lancers (maids) who claim to have their own visa/work permits.

There you go. All the above are illegal and not do-able! So when some self proclaimed agent comes to you and offer some of the services stated above for a mere RM 5,000, run! If you're thinking twice (or trice) about trusting the bogus agent, let me highlight to you the consequences that may happen along the way.

Possible consequences (very likely to happen!):

• Fake work permit sticker (yes, it does exist!)
• Fake passport (also printable - see the pic above)
• Hiring a maid who doesn't has a work permit under your name violates Rule 39(b) Immigration Regulations 1963 (Malaysia) that upon conviction is punishable by a fine of not exceeding RM 1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months, or both.
• Maids who claim to have own work permits are illegals. They are either runaway maids or their work permits are fake. No other possibilities for sure. Harboring illegals are punishable under Section 55 B, Section 55 E and Section 56 (1)(d) of Immigration Act 1959/63 in Malaysia.
• Agent keeps asking for more payment along the process. No refund on previous amount paid if you decide to drop the application/renewal. Therefore, you have no choice but to keep paying since your maid's passport should be in agent's hand by now.
• Agent disappears with your maid's passport and the partial payment.
• Getting caught by the enforcer!

The worst part is you can't lodge a police report when any of that happens because you're paying for an illegal service in the first place. So no, don't hire through black market. Illegal maids and agents don't solve your problems, they will make it worse for you.

Read on the offences and penalties for overstaying, breach of pass/permit's conditions and harboring illegals here.

Escape Hunt Bangkok: Guidelines for the Murder Mystery

If you prefer to play the Murder Mystery by your own, do not continue reading these guidelines. Here goes.....
 

1. Look under the furniture. Don't leave anything unturned.
2. Nothing is on the ceiling. Don't bother looking for clues in places which are unreachable.
3. The belt is for wrapping around something to show the codes. That something is made out of cardboard.
4. There are 4 pieces of domino blocks to be found in the first 2 rooms. It gives the clue to one of the books.
5. One of the book's page contains important information. Look through that page properly for subsequent clue.
6. There are 3 rooms in this game before you find all clues.
7. The 2 telephones holds vital clues. One of the clues is in the phone.
8. The small torchlight is essential. Find the batteries!
9. Some clues appear in the dark. Use the torch on the wall.
10. There are many codes to be found. The codes are to open the numbered padlocks.
11. The murderer will be found in the last room.
12. Know your world map well. It's the key to open the brief case that contain the key to your freedom.

 

All the best, players!