Food Review: Yamagoya Ramen at Publika

Hi Friends

Yesterday, I went to Yamagoya Ramen at Publika, Solaris Dutamas for food tasting. I am not a big fan of ramen nor a fan of Japanese food. However, I was invited by the lovely people at Yamagoya to try out their ramen. I was quite reluctant at first but due to Chloe's sincere invitation I agreed to go with 2 other blogger friends.

Yamagoya Ramen at Publika is a nice and cosy restaurant serving "non-halal" ramen and other side dishes. We were attended by Bosco, the outlet manager who recommended their signature ramen for us to try out.

The cozy ambience inside the restaurant

The founder of Yamagoya Ramen is Mr Masatoshi Ogata who after countless research came up with the Yamagoya recipe. Today, Yamagoya Ramen has over 100 outlets in Japan and this outlet in Publika is the 1st in Malaysia and was opened on 8 Apr 2012. How lucky we are to be given the opportunity to savour the Yamagoya recipe prepared by their Japanese chef!

What is special about Yamagoya Ramen is that the ramen is freshly prepared at the shop every morning. I can taste that the ramen is fresh. We also tried the Gyoza (similar to "Sui Kau") and the "kampung" fried chicken. The Gyoza is very tasty and the filling is nice. The fried chicken is very tender and juicy. 

 

Mugi cha - RM2 (I like this tea very much!)

Mukashi Special Ramen RM24 - I tried this one and I love it, the soup is tasty but not too salty

The pork is tender and tasty

The egg is very nice because the yolk is still transparent

Kimchi Ramen - RM22

Spicy Tobanjan Ramen - RM22

The Tasty Gyoza - RM11

The tender and juicy Fried Chicken - RM11

Thanks for your visit! Do try out this restaurant if you are at Publika!

Yamagoya Ramen

A2-G2-8

Solaris Dutamas

No 1, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-62062220

Note: This is not a paid post, all opinion is entirely my own.

Product Review: Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask with Pink Clay

Hi My Beauty Buddies,

I have not discussed about facial mask lately and I think that it is time for me to share another of my favourite mask. 

I was first introduced to Clarins Pure & Radiant Mask with Pink Clay when I received a 5ml sample to try out. After using the sample, I have fond memories of it, partly because of its lovely sounding ingredient name - "Pink Clay". I remember the mask as Pink Clay mask from then on. When I finished my Origins Out of Trouble 10 min mask, I took the opportunity to grab myself this one as a "replacement". Well, it cannot exactly replace the Origins one ...... read on to find out why.

Being the person who love to own many types of mask, if you followed my review, you would know that I have tried more than 10 types of mask so far and am thinking of getting more. I have to stop myself from buying in case I can't finish them by the expiry date. Enough of rambling, I shall get on with the review. 

50ml is RM124 (Sept 2011 price)

You can't really see the color but it is slightly pink

Product Description (obtained from Clarins' website):

Shine-Control

Skin Type: Oily, Combination

Texture: Cream

A deep-purifying mask—with refreshing Pink Clay and Alpine Willow Herb—cleans, tightens and refines pores, leaving a fresh matte result in just 5 minutes. Softens, smoothes and comforts irritated skin with Linden extract. Non-drying texture rinses easily and is suitable for even the most sensitive skin. 

My Review:

What I like about this mask?

1. It is lightly scented and not overpowering

2. It is easy to apply and easy to wash off with room temperature water

3. It leaves the skin feeling soft, no drying effect

4. Skin feels clean and nice

However, this mask does not help to dry up pimples like the Origins Out of Trouble 10 min mask.

But then again, Clarins did do not claim that it can do the "pimple busting job". I'm just sharing so that you know that even though both are clay masks, they are not the same. So, if you have oily skin but no pimples, you can try this Clarins Pink Clay mask, but if you have pimples and also oily skin, you should consider Origins Out of Trouble mask instead.

Having said that, I am happy that Clarins Pink Clay mask does make my skin feel happy and cleansed after each application. Whenever I feel my skin is a bit congested and need some deep cleansing, I would reach for this mask to do the task and I am so far happy with its result.

Do you have the same Clarins Pink Clay mask? How do you rate it?

Do share and let me know what is your favourite clay mask (if you have one).

Thanks for reading and do come back again for another story.

Lavender♥

How To: Recipe of Home Made Yogurt without fancy equipment

Hi My Beauty Buddies

As promised, I will share with you my home made yogurt recipe that is easy as ABC. You do not need any gadget. You only need a glass bottle with cover and a dry cloth.

Please make sure the bottle is clean (you can rinse with hot water)

My serving suggestion

You need a bottle like this

The yogurt is formed / done!

Ingredients

300ml of warm water (use 150ml hot water and mix with 150ml room temperature water)

8 table spoon (heaps) of milk powder (you can use low fat or full cream milk powder)

1.5 table spoon of plain yogurt (I use Marigold brand)

Steps

Scoop the milk powder into the warm water in a bottle

Stir well

Add in the plain yogurt (as the starter)

Stir again until everything is smooth

Cover the bottle with the lid and wrap with a dry cloth

Put at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours

The yogurt will form faster during a sunny day compared to a rainy day

I normally make my yogurt at 9pm and by 6am it will be ready as shown in the picture.

I have also prepared the recipe measurement for other volume

430ml of water - 11 tbs milk powder & 2 tbs plain yogurt (base)

225ml of water - 6 tbs milk powder & 1 tbs plain yogurt

Tip

I eat my yogurt with orange and strawberries or mango. You can add some honey or raisins or prunes etc.

You can eat with any fruit you like but eating it with rambutan is very nice too. I have tried that and I love rambutan yogurt. You cannot find it anywhere. 

You can use yogurt as a facial mask, just leave on your face for 10mins and rinse well.
You can use yogurt as a salad dressing. See the recipe here.

Other Info

1. The yogurt must be kept in the fridge when it is formed.

2. Typically, the yogurt stays fresh for about 10 days. Make sure you use a dry spoon to scoop the yogurt.

3. If you notice a thick transparent liquid after you kept the yogurt for 3-4 days in the fridge, fret not - it is whey protein that is good for burning our body fat and as a result you can be slimmer

So, I hope you can try this out and let me know the result. Stay healthy and come back for my next post. 

Lavender♥

Tofu Salad Recipe

Dear Friends

I have been into healthy eating lately and I have created some salad recipe that I want to share with you.

Ingredients (You can use anything you like)

Tofu

Carrot

Cherry tomato

Glass lettuce

onion

cucumber

Low Fat Dressing

Butter Milk 30ml (it is a mixture of Milk and lemon - 200ml of milk and 1 tablesppon lemon juice)

pepper

apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon)

home made low fat plain yogurt (3 table spoons)

Note: I am trying to avoid using mayonaise as it is very fattening!

I used my home made yogurt in this recipe. Read my post on how to make your own yogurt without any gadget.

Stay healthy and do try this simple recipe.

Lavender♥

Product Review: Sukin Facial Scrub

Dear Beauty Buddies

Have you seen this brand before? I came across Sukin last year and I have tried their facial cleanser and Scrub. It is an inexpensive Organic product from Australia.

I can't remember the price of this scrub but it is around RM20 - RM30. I bought it together with the facial cleanser and have been loving both the products. Sorry for the delayed sharing as I have so many other products to review. ha.ha..

See the fine grain?

Why do I love this product?

- Organic ingredients

- No Paraben

- No SLS

-contains essential oil & some good ingredients: roseship, jojoba & sesame, aloe vera, chamomile, bamboo extract, walnut shell

- not expensive

-smells nice

- the grain is fine

The only thing I dislike is the packaging - the cap cannot close properly

Have you tried Sukin facial products before? Let me know if you like Sukin.

Lavender♥

Product Review: Personal Microderm (PMD)

Dear Beauty Buddies,

Have you heard of Personal Microderm (PMD)?

If you have not, what about Microdermabrasion? I'm sure many of you have heard of Microdermabrasion?

Personal Microderm (PMD) is an equipment that is similar to the one used by your dermatologist. PMD uses an alluminium oxide disc to polish away dead skin cells. During your microdermabrasion procedure in your dermatologist's clinic, alluminium oxide disc is also used. So, what's the difference? To me it is the cost factor that is different. You need to pay a fee each time you visit your dermatologist but with PMD, you just buy the equipment once and you can use it over and over again at the comfort of your own home. Of course you need to replace the disc from time to time and you must not be lazy. That's all. If you are a discipline person, you may want to try PMD. You will save some money in the long run.

PMD is currently selling at USD 179 (as at April 2012)

Just in case you are not familiar with microdermabrasion, I have obtained some information from PMD's website just for your reading pleasure:

What is Microdermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion is a noninvasive form of exfoliation and mild skin resurfacing that removes the dead skin cells from the Stratum Corneum, the outer most lay of the skin. The Stratum Corneum is the layer of the skin affected by fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, acne, and scaring. The concentrated microdermabrasion treatment exfoliates this skin layer to break apart these common imperfections. This then triggers the body’s healing mechanisms, causing the removed dead skin cells to be rapidly replaced with healthy, new ones.

What are the Benefits of Microdermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion provides several important benefits for the skin. The treatment smoothes away dull and rough skin texture, and it softens fine lines, wrinkles, burn scars, and acne scars. The treatment also improves the skin’s tone by fading uneven pigmentation, sun damage, age spots, and skin blemishes. In addition, microdermabrasion, which combines the power of a vacuum suction with exfoliation, reduces the formation of acne. The vacuum achieves this by clearing out clogged pores and releasing trapped dirt and oil. This leaves skin more clear, vibrant, and beautiful.

The benefits of microdermabrasion cause skin to become rejuvenated, while promoting new collagen growth and cell renewal. Also, since the dead skin cells on the Stratum Corneum act as a barrier for the skin, once they are removed through microdermabrasion, skin care products will be more fully absorbed into the skin, maximizing their effectiveness. All these microdermabrasion benefits combine to uncover youthful and radiant skin.

My Experience using the PMD device

I received the PMD device for review. At first, I was sent the wrong adapter and I had to wait for the Asian compatible adapter to arrive before I could test the product.

Note: If you are ordering from an Asian country, please make sure you order the device with the adapter that is compatible.

I have used the product 2 times and would like to share with you my experience. I have never own any skincare device before this and I was pretty excited when I received this. The first thing I did was to watch the Instructional DVD that comes with the device. The instruction was very clear and I could understand how to operate the device.

Steps

Wash your face and wipe dry. Make sure your face is free from oil and makeup.

Pull your face tight with your fingers to create a smooth surface to allow PMD to work properly.

Test on your arm/chin area. If you have sensitive skin, you will see a pink spot quickly. Do not grind too deep or hover at the same area for too long.

Make straight line motion like vacumming your carpet.

You will see a pattern forming on your skin surface.

Never go near eye area.

Wash your skin properly after treatment.

Use toner, serum & moisturiser. (This is very important to see great result)

Your skin will be extra sensitive to the sun for 3 - 4 days after treatment. (Please use sunblock)

You can only assume the next treatment after 5 - 6 days to allow the skin cells to recover and rejuvenate (I personally prefer to wait for 10 days before the next treatment to make sure my skin is completely ready)

The recommended frequency of treatments are as follows:

use every week for  the first 10 to 12 weeks (2.5 to 3 months)

use once in 2 weeks for the next 2 to 3 months

use once a month for maintenance

There are 2 types of disc size and 2 types of grit:

Blue disc - moderate grit

Green disc - coarse grit

The green and blue disc in 2 sizes with 2 different cap size

This is the larger disc

I would recommend that you use the blue disc for a start. The Alluminium Oxide disc will wear off after several usage (about 2 to 3 times of use). Replacement disc can be ordered from www.personalmicroderm.com

Dead skin cells will be accumulated on the cap and filter, you have to clean them properly after each treatment:

Dead skin cells on the cap - you have to wash the cap after each use

Dead skin cells on the filter - you have to wash the filter after each use

After my first treatment, I experienced very dry skin. This is because I grind too deep and too long at the same spot. On my 2nd treatment, I was more careful and although my skin felt extra sensitive to the sun, it recovers faster than the first treatment.

After using PMD for 2 times, my skin felt smoother (although it looks very rough due to the severe acne scarring many years ago). My skin felt less oily too and the serums/creams absorbs more easily.  I hope I will be diligent to continue using the device and see more improvements.

Before - open pores with acne scarring

After - looks slightly better

The above are my pictures before and after 2 treatments, do you see any improvements?

Have you tried PMD before? Would like to hear your experience. Thanks for sharing.

Lavender♥

Note: The device was provided by PMD for review. This not a paid post. The opinions are entirely my own. 

My trip to Klong Nin Beach, Koh Lanta Yai, Krabi, Thailand

Hi Friends

I went for a short trip to Krabi, Thailand on 3-7 March 2012. I booked the hotel, Amantra Resort & Spa from Groupon without checking the actual location. 99% of the guests in Amantra Resort are from European countries and we later found out why they love this far away Island.

Upon reaching Krabi International Airport, our hotel guide did not pick us up. We had to arrange our own transport and it was then that we found out the distance from Krabi airport!! We were really shocked and surprised! However, we cannot do anything but to endure the journey. It took us 4 hours (including waiting time) to reach the hotel. By the time we reached the hotel, we were dead tired as it was 8pm Krabi time. Fortunately, we managed to enjoy our Island trip that we booked while we were waiting for the transit to the hotel.

Amantra Resort & Spa is located at Klong Nin Beach at Koh Lanta Yai, Krabi. Little did we know that it was a little island south of Krabi that is linked by 2 ferry rides. The journey from the airport to the hotel is about 2.5 hours. We will never booked this hotel if we did our research. Incidentally, Amantra Resort's tag line is "You'll never forget us" - indeed we will never forget them as it is so far from the airport!! Most Malaysian tourists will visit Au Nang beach at Krabi but Koh Lanta is a very special place that is not popular among asians. We were glad we accidentally went there!!

It was an enjoyable trip as my travel partner is a very flexible and adventurous girl. It is very important to have the right travel partner. It can make or break your holiday.

Here are my pics.

Island trip, on the long tail boat

Hungry fish

On the boat - Island trip

Magnificent sea

Sea and mountain - off Krabi

Snorkelling at Krabi

At Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island

Sunset at Klong Nin Beach, Koh Lanta Yai, Krabi, Thailand

Sunset at Klong Nin Beach, Koh Lanta Yai, Krabi, Thailand

  

Sunset at Klong Nin Beach

 

Dinner at the beach

breakfast at the beach

Pool view

At Klong Nin Beach, Koh Lanta Yai, Krabi

Our elepant ride, our first time

After the elephant ride, a group photo taken with other tourists - Celine from Germany (middle), another 2 from Norway

, 

From Krabi airport, we had to take 2 ferries to reach Koh Lanta, Krabi (This pic was taken on our way back)

That's all folks. Come again for other beauty post!

Lavender♥

Product Review: Tebe Skincare

Dear Friends

Have you heard of Tebe, an organic skincare product from New Zealand? Tebe was launched in Malaysia last year.

Just a few weeks ago, I was handed 3 products for review. After using the products for several weeks, I felt that it is time to share with you my thoughts.

Product Background (obtained from Tebe's website)

Tebe® (pronounced teh-be which means "For You"), is an exciting new product range from the Simunovich Olive Estate for face, lips, hands and body that combines the ancient traditions of olive oil based skin care, with the powerful antioxidant ingredient, olive leaf extract.

Tebe’s products are made from a carefully selected blend of natural and organic plant extracts and oils, balanced to enhance and protect all skin types. The olive leaf extract found in Tebe products is rich in Oleuropein, a powerful anti-oxidant. Olive leaf extract helps to combat fungal, yeast and parasitic infections.


What I thought exciting about this product is that the olive oil and olive leaf extract used in Tebe's product came from their own Simunovich Olive Estate!So I think that the extract must be very fresh and the active ingredients well preserved.  Don't you think so?

 

Left : Tebe Day Cream , Right: Tebe Night Cream

Tebe Face Day Cream

Product Description

A nourishing cream to hydrate and revitalise the appearance of your skin. Combining natural plant oils, this light, antioxidant rich cream leaves your skin feeling smooth, soft and conditioned, all-day long.

Beneficial for all skin types. Use only as directed.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Decyl Cocoate, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Macadamia ternifolia (Macadamia) Oil, Glycine soja (Soybean) Oil, Persea gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Bisabolol, Triticum vulgare (Wheat) Bran Extract, Calendula officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla recutita (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Fucus vesiculosus Extract, Glycerin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cymbidium grandiflorum (Orchid) Flower Extract, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter), Olea europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Mangifera indica (Mango) Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Olea europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Zingiber officinalis (Ginger) Extract

My review:

This day cream has a very creamy texture but it is not oily. As I have very oily skin, I only use a tiny amount for my face and neck. The cream absorbs very easily and does not leave any sticky feeling. Although my skin is naturally oily, Tebe Day Cream does not turn my face into an oil slick. I gues it must be due to the good formulation. After 4 hours of application, my face looks shiny but it is not extremely oily which is very surprising to me. I just need to use a blotter to absorb the shine. Tebe day cream does not clog my pores and I do not suffer from any breakouts.

My Recommendation:

In my personal opinion, Tebe Face Day Cream would be very suitable for people with normal/dry/matured skin. For those who live in cold countries, this day cream will be very handy during winter or when your skin is under a dry spell.

My suggestion:
I would like to suggest that Tebe create a lighter version of the day cream, maybe a gel base moisturiser for Oily skin. That will be great.

Tebe Face Night Cream

Product Description

A rich, nourishing treatment to hydrate  your skin while you’re sleeping.

Awake to hydrated and well-rested skin when you  use Tebe Night Cream, a perfect blend of natural  plant oils, extracts and extra virgin olive oil.  Regularly applied, this rich, nourishing treatment containing olive leaf extract will help keep skin  supple and smooth.

Beneficial for all skin types. Use only as directed.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Cetearyl Olivate,  Sorbitan Olivate, Decyl Cocoate, Glycerin, Beta  Glucan, Persea gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Macadamia ternifolia (Macadamia) Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Cymbidium grandiflorum (Orchid) Flower Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, D-Panthenol, Mangifera indica  (Mango) Butter, Narcissus tazetta Bulb Extract, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Rosa rubiginosa (Rosehip) Oil, Olea europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Triticum vulgare (Wheat) Gluten, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Parfum (Fragrance), Xanthan Gum,  Olea europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract

My review:

Tebe Face Night Cream has a thicker consistency as compared to the day cream. It is not oily although it is very creamy. This night cream absorbs very quickly into my skin despite its creamy texture. Similar with the day cream, I only need to use a small amount. I am very pleased with the night cream as it leaves my skin hydrated.

My Recommendation:

Tebe Face Night Cream will benefit people with normal/dry/matured skin and even those with oily skin like me. For those who sleeps in an air-conditioned room, this cream will prevent dehydration.

Tebe Face Cleansing Milk

 

 

Product Descrption

A creamy cleanser to remove make-up, tone skin and protect from dryness. Tebe Cleansing Milk, a gentle, milky cleanser with olive leaf extract, helps remove your make-up while toning your skin and protecting it from dryness. Combining extra virgin olive oil with a specially selected blend of natural plant oils and extracts that gently moisturise, soothe and soften your skin. Cleansing and make-up removal has never felt better.

Beneficial for all skin types. Use only as directed.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Decyl Cocoate, Glycerin, Cocoglycerides, C14-22 Alcohol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucosides, Olea europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) Butter, Xanthan Gum, Chamomilla recutita (Chamomile) Extract, Olea europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Parfum (Fragrance), Tocopheryl Acetate

My review:

Tebe Face Cleansing Milk is a very concentrated milk cleanser suitable for all skin types. I only used 2 pumps to clean my whole face and neck. I found that this cleansing milk can remove very light eye makeup as well. As with other cleansing milk, I double cleanse using another gel cleanser.

My Overall Opinion about Tebe's products

1. Only very little products is required, a little goes a long way

2. Organic ingredients are used (Key ingredients - oilve fruit oil and olive leaf extract from Simunovich Olive Estate 

3. If you scan through the list of ingredients for each product, you will notice that most of the ingredients are plant based.

4. No parabens

5. No animal testing

6. No strong perfume smell can be traced, the products smell like natural plant extract

7. Available locally

Price List

Tebe Face Day Cream 45ml 154.00
Tebe Face Night Cream 45ml 160.00
Tebe Face Cleansing Milk 100ml 116.00

If you are interested in this product, do visit their website at http://www.olivetebe.com.my/

Tebe is running a lucky draw at FB now, click here to join.

Note: The products are provided by PR for consideration. The opinions are entirely mine. This is not a paid post.