Bing Ragsag ---
my APSM orgmate, Lingkod sis, chatmate, friend. She now works for the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta (one of my dream jobs) and is currently in the last leg of her Ph.D. She is one of my many accomplished girlfriends (I am such, by affiliation!) yet she remains so humble, very family-oriented and generous at heart.
I am writing this for Pie’s “Caravan of Beautiful People”, though I really doubt whether I am part of the main caravan, or you know, watching those beautiful people parading in this caravan. :p This took quite a while as I have been in my third weekend of being out of my work station.
Some may say I am not low-maintenance as I claim I am. But really, all I want for myself is to wash and go. However, I have been suffering from eczema, a severe dryness of the skin, which requires me to put on more time and lather on my face.
To wash my face, I regularly use Dove soap, any variant will do. But there’s also these in my sink (Nivea Cleansing Milk, Olay Total Effects Facial Wash, Olay Regenerist [these two came in a package together], and a local Indonesian brand that my younger colleagues swear by, Sariayu Mask by Martha Tillaar).
For moisturisers, the creamier, the better. My facial skin really gets regenerated with this product called La Roche Posay Nutritic Cream 5%, however after moving from grad school in Germany, where these are relatively cheap, I could not find one of these anymore. So for the meantime, I alternate between these ones which also claim to turn back time (Ponds Age Miracle, L’Oreal Revitalift, Bodyshop Seaweed Pore Perfector). I tried Olay Total Effects too, but they make my skin tone fairer, which is something I am really not excited about. For me, the browner I am, the better!
I have a stash of Estee Lauder foundation from my sister. While a friend gave me a sampler of Vitalumiere Chanel Foundation. But usually, I skip the foundation and just pat myself with MAC NC40. Not only does it fit me like second skin, the whole package lasts me a year, of everyday use!)
Once on a foreign trip, my husband asked me what I wanted him to buy for me. I said lipstick and blush on. I was thinking of Maybelline and L’Oreal. The average fare I use. And he forgot the brands, and went on to buy me Clarins instead, which explains the Clarins abberation in the picture! I also use H&M lipglosses.
And my hair! I used to be very bothered of my curly locks, you know how grade school boys tease. Until university days, I did all I can to tame them into straight tresses. But after college, I just gave up, and let the curls have their day, every day! But just as people with straight hair use maintenance products to keep theirs in place, people blessed with curly hair like me don’t [or should I say can’t] leave our manes to chance, as well. So from shampoo, to conditioner, to frizz control, to setting, I always use products specifically made for curly hair. A Mexican friend who have these beautiful strawberry blond curls have taught me how to set my hair after each shower. She is a miracle worker!
I swear by Body Shop Body Butter (and my preference is always Shea and Strawberry, which are incidentally my husband’s favorites too!) Then I also have Jergen’s Shea Butter which I bring with me during my swims.
Then a whiff of some scent sends me on my way to work. Right now, I switch between a Bulgari from my sister Che, Gucci Flora from Joy, a childhood friend, Versace which is the other half of the buy-one-take-one sale that Ces, a uni friend and I chanced upon, and Elizabeth Arden Green Tea (which PhD compatriot Lani hand-delivered to me during her tour). Of these, Green Tea works as an all-time favorite, not strong nor cloying. As I write, I am also packing a favorite scent – Lavender - from our neighbourhood organic store, Nefertari. (I have a secret to tell, I have been lusting to have another bottle of Hermes Jardin Sur le Nile. But it is always expensive and doesn’t go on sale at all! So if anyone wants to give me an all-event gift, please come forward. LOL) You may notice the frost from my bottles of perfume. It’s because I store them in the fridge (see the egg on the left), not in my dresser. Why? To preserve the potency of their scents. (i didn't know this! thanks for the tip, bing! ~ pie)
So with these, I am always set to go for the day. I work for an office where I was almost threatened with a disciplinary action (LOL) over wearing jeans (and blazer). It’s an international organisation where diplomacy and yes, politics (and politicking?) play a role. Where people wear black suits, generally. Which I sometimes challenge with my lime and pink jackets (it’s not jeans anyway). I have to maintain the mystery of how I look like, or else I may lose a slot in these caravan of beautiful people. Haha. ;-)
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