Top 3 Exercises to get abs fast, and effectively!

Hello all!

Summer is almost here, and wanting to have a hot fit body is on the top of the bucket list for many people out there! What else could you want more than to flaunt your hardwork by the beach and not to mention, looking good in pictures?

I have been working on my abdominal muscles, and within a month to two, these few exercises have proven to be the most effective in working your core, or at least it worked on me. I had a hard time laughing the next day, the burn and the sore muscles are just a sign that you worked your muscles and it needs to repair itself. Muscles grow in size by repairing, so having a sore muscle is what many should look forward to.

Here are the TOP 3 exercises which effectively targets your abs.

1) Bicycle crunches and crunch twist, alternating in between
What i do: 10 second of bicycle crunches, switching to 10 crunch twist, and finishing with 5seconds of bicycle crunch. This really BURNS your abs, and are proven to be one of the top exercises for abdominal muscles.

Tip: Instead of laying flat on your back during bicycle crunches, try to cave your back and lift it off the ground, as if you're trying to reach your shoulders to the front. This targets your upper abs as well, and adds to the burn. However, dont do it so often as it might add stress to your lower back over time, which leads to my next exercise:

2) Leg Raises
What i do: 20 reps on the first set. 2 Sets after: until sore. Lay flat with back on a mat, slowly lift both your legs up to a 90 degree angle from the floor.

Tip: Rather than lowering your leg down in just a-second time, try lowering your leg slowly to your starting position against the floor, and without your heel touching the floor, lift it up again and slowly bring it down. This actually helps to gain muscle size and strength, because the time of tension is longer, which means the time that your muscles are under tension is longer, so your muscles have to work more.

3) Elbow to basic to elbow plank
What i do: Start of the first set by doing 15 repetitions. And 10 reps for the next 2 sets.

Tip: After each set, i would proceed to elbow plank for about 10 seconds, to work out the muscles more, as it causes more muscle damage and fatigue, so that the muscle needs to be repaired and increase in muscle size.

Of course, I strongly believe in the infamous tip of  'Abs are made in the kitchen'. And i have to admit, despite have a big appetite for food, that it is crucial to eat healthy and not diet. Opt for fruits as snack when you have a craving for sweet foodstuff, and drink more water. Usually cravings for sweet things are caused by dehydration. So it is very important to always stay hydrated.

I also do some cardio, such as sprinting to burn off fat and also compound exercises such as barbell squats and deadlifts. This is because compound exercises have a longer Time Under Tension and burns fat more effectively compared to a long distance jog.

I hope that all of you can eventually get to your fitness goals, and remember, its never too late to start. Consistency should be a habit.

Have a good day! :)

Review: DUP Volume Extension Mascara from Japan

Finally, i have understood the rave for Japanese mascara, and im proud to show you the holy grail of luscious lashes, the DUP Volume Extension Mascara!

// How the barrel of mascara looks like //

DUP Volume Extension Mascara is voted the No.1 Mascara in Cosme, as it was stated on its packaging. I bought it from my last trip to Tokyo, when there was a MASSIVE sale at Matsumoto Kiyoshi, and it costs me around RM35. I regretted not buying more!! Considering the quality of the mascara and its brush, for its price its worth the buy compared to other brands such as Maybelline or Revlon. But i still couldn't find this particular brand in Malaysian drug stores and beauty stores nationwide, not even SaSa. I have only come across Heavy Rotation Mascara or Kate Cosmetics in SaSa, so im still on the lookout for DUP. Its is also made in Japan so you can guarantee its quality.

Why i call it my Falsie Mascara?

1) It REALLY adds volume to your eyelashes.
I have really thin and sparse eyelashes and around the mid-eyelid area my eyelashes are so little, i could even count them! (Anyone have any recommendation on eyelash growth products or tips please do share my eyelashes are literally FALLING.)

After I applied the mascara, my eyelashes appear longer, fuller, and gave it a natural curl. It works in a way that it adds volume, Double the volume of any other ordinary volumizing mascara. Here's how it looks like with and without mascara.

// short sparse eyelashes without masacara (left) with mascara applied (right) //

Considering the length of my eyelashes, this mascara gave my lashes extra length, and the appearance of a thick curled long eyelashes, rather than just thicken it without giving it volume. with just one application, my eyelashes are instantly dolled up!

2) It does not Smudge or even CLUMP!
Yes ladies... Mascaras that do not smudge, clump or even melt does exist! This mascara evenly coats every strand  of eyelash without clumping  without making your eyelashes look like a pile of mess. Like i said its my falsie mascara because it separates each lash with an even coat WITHOUT clumping or smudging. Expect a very clean coat of mascara on your eyelashes. Yes i guarantee you that, as long as your mascara liquid does not start to dry up. The mascara gel is waterproof!

3) Easy removal.. with just lukewarm water
I remove my make-up after i take my warm bath, and by the time im finished, i just need to remove the mascara with a cotton pad by gently wiping my lids! The mascara comes off so easily, it wont damage your eyelashes and causing your lash to fall. You dont even need make-up remover for this! Wondering how warm water is used to remove it but its waterproof? The warm water softens the mascara gel and thus is easily removed with warm water. When i use waterproof mascara i tend to have difficulties in removing them with my makeup remover. It just doesnt come off and i have to take the time to slowly remove them from my lashes, sometimes resulting my lashes to fall.... i have weak lashes damn!

For my weak eyelash problem, I used cold-pressed castor oil to encourage the growth and strength of the lash follicles. So far it really gave my lashes some length, also strengthening it at the same time. I apply the oil to my lids every night and a generous amount on my eyelashes. One week into this method and im quite happy with the results!

Im still holding on to the hope that someday DUP mascara will be sold here in Malaysia, maybe any of you have an idea of where i can buy them? Its such a good product for its price! Any thoughts or suggestions on other good quality mascaras? Please do share it ! Id love to look into more mascaras that would hold up enough not to have my eyes looking like it went through a really rough day towards the end of the night, especially after late night parties.. ahaha

Thank you so very much ladies for taking the time to read this post. Your support is my motivation

Well, till then~ tata.

L'Herboflore Black Pearl Whitening Mask review

Hello dear readers! Id be more than glad to share my experience using this mask. Previously my friend gave me this mask to try it and i was amazed by its results! Since im already hooked on most of their products, I went ahead to get myself another pack of Black Pearl Whitening Mask. Its currently sold at RM10 per piece for any mask from the Aegan Sea Series. You can purchase L'Herboflore masks in Malaysia here . ( Lowyat forum is a trustworthy forum where fellow Malaysians put items up for buy and sell) They have included the price of the masks and they are selling quite a range of them here in......... Malaysia!! Yes finally L'Herboflore has made its way into our market and reaching to the interests of Taiwanese and Korean Beauty Products aficionado !!

Here's the packaging of the mask:

By the way, the facial cloth of this mask is not too thin nor thick, and so it doesnt dry out very fast and doesnt give your skin that uncomfortable feeling. Essence doesnt have a sticky consistency, and when left to be further absorbed by skin, the essence would slowly dry and wont leave you with a gooey icky face to only be washed off later.

I left it for 30 minutes, while I lay on my couch and let the mask do its magic.... or at least prove itself, AGAIN. As usual its fitting on my face, and here's me with the mask on:

 Here's how my skin looked like after:

As you can see from the picture above, there's a difference in my skin tone! near the top of my forehead where the mask does not cover, its slightly darker than the area of my face that was covered with the mask. I could literally see the skin tone difference! Another difference is that my eye area was slightly darker after putting on the mask because the mask didnt cover my eye area... and thus my very obvious round darkened eye area.... hahaha

Here's my second time using it: before (left), and after (right)

My skin was very hydrated, and bouncy boingy texture was there too! most importantly, it brightened my skin as you can see (no filter of course!) Honestly its a product worth trying, and there would definitely be positive results! I have also heard of the Rose Water Refining Hydromask which acts as a brightening and whitening mask with its very soothing aroma of Damask Rose. Its quite a best seller so maybe you can try that as well :)

So, what say you? have any of you tried it? If you have, how was your experience? I would love to hear your opinions and id be more than glad to answer any queries :)

Till then~ tata.

Taiwan L'Herboflore face mask review: Facial Pampering at its best, done at home

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The product is purchased with my own money.

Brief review on my experience with My Beauty Diary
I have always been keen on trying out new facial products, most of them recommended by my friends and also reviews from the internet. Im pretty sure many of us have heard the popular Taiwanese face masks brand, MyBeautyDiary (我的美丽日记) , and has hopped on the bandwagon to see what the hype was all about.

From my trip to Taiwan a couple of years ago, the positive reviews had me bagging back home the Arbutin Whitening Mask (freshening and whitening) and Birds Nest Mask (ultra whitening, revitalising, nourishing) which i got from SaSa at XiMenDing.

The packaging of the mask

The mask when you take it out, still with the plastic film intact

How it fits my face.

After using the mask, one thing that i disliked about this is that the essence leaves my skin feeling very sticky. Instead of being absorbed into the skin, my skin felt very uncomfortable and I straight away proceeded to wash my face instead. Also the way the slits of the masks were made didnt really fit my facial shape very well, as you can see from the picture above there are areas which it didnt really completely cover and it does not offer slight mobility. Moved a muscle on my face and i have to readjust the mask. However... MBD made a packet full of essence. I usually use the leftover essence by dabbing it on my face with a facial cotton. 

I dont know if it happens to other users, but my skin felt slightly tinglish around the nose area and the jaw area when i used it. It felt slightly itchy and i just couldnt wait for 20 minutes to pass. FAST FORWARD >>>> It left my skin feeling refreshed and bouncy, and made my skin appear more radiant and gives a hue of natural fresh glow which really appealed to me. However the only deal breaker for me was the ever sticky essence though because it remains sticky even after you leave the remaining essence to dry on your face

L'herboflore face mask review

One of my friends, Ben  decided to give me some samples of this breakthrough brand from Taiwan, called L'Herboflore (ler-bo-floor). Their price is a tad higher than MBD but i promise you, the price speaks for its own quality. One aromatherapy face mask costs around 15.00 MYR for a pack. Here's what i got:

The 5 masks he gave me :)

See the silver pack ?? Thats their most popular mask, as it is on par with luxury branded masks such as SKII or Shiseido. Its the Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Energy BioCellulose Mask that is featured in beauty magazines and has also made its debut appearance on the popular Taiwanese Beauty Talk Show, Queen 女人我最大！！

Right after I used the lavender mask, i have to say I have found a liking to this particular brand of face masks. The amount of essence that one pack contains is very saturated and the leftover essence lasted me for about 3 to 4 days. (one pack contains approx. 30ml of essence! Whoa..) I apply it using a facial cotton after a warm bath. 

Another benefit of the mask is that the packaging of the mask was made in a way that when you rip the foil packet you wont rip your face mask as well, and it has a plastic film below the face mask just like MBD. Peeled it off and applied to my face and let it do its magic! Left it for about 30 minutes.

// mask cloth is so thin that it doesnt look obvious, perfect for a facial pampering during long haul flights//

1) It Fits My Face.... Well!

Comparing MBD to L'Herboflore on how well it fits my face, L'Herboflore is the clear winner. It fits the contours of my face perfectly, especially at the eye and nose area. This is because the face mask is made with 12 slits to offer a perfect fit and mobility. This was really a plus point as my face does not feel uncomfortable and i could even sip on a cup of tea without the mask being distorted so much. The struggle of moving your facial muscles will always be there peeps! Also, the mask is thin enough to let the essence be more effectively absorbed by the skin. There's this really cooling soothing feeling that this face mask offers. So if you are on the lookout for a face mask that could also give you comfort when you wear it, L'Herboflore is the way to go.

2) Consistency of essence is not sticky

 I like to put it longer to test how would the drying of different masks make my skin feel. L'Herboflore really lets you peel it off with ease i was amazed on how it didnt really stick on my skin with its trace amounts of essence. The mask doesnt really stick on my face ... its because its essence does not have a sticky icky gooey consistency but rather a light consistency. And its light essence does not leave my skin feeling sticky even after i removed my mask.

3) Bouncier, brighter and moisturized skin 

30 minutes was up and the mask worked in a way that it left my skin looking more dewy and well moisturised. Also it really did improve my skin texture, but just slightly though, as it was bouncier and looked much radiant. I have anemia so my skin looks pale as if my skin was half alive ( I cant blush i have tried and tried but NA) Somehow my skin regain a little of its zest again. Couldnt be more pleased with the outcome! 

The lavender Moisturising face mask from the Aromatherapy Series :)

-I really liked this one-

L'herboflore Lavender Moisturising mask

- essence has a very light consistency

- essence is not sticky, after being absorbed leaves skin very smooth and supple, with a much refined skin texture

- fragrance of lavender is tolerable, not too overwhelming but soothing and natural

- fits very well on my face

- moisturising purpose as it contains sodium hyaluronate

verdict: for moisturising dry skin/ combination skin, especially if your working condition is rather dry or if you stay under a rather cold weather. Also recommended for people that are always exposed to the Sun's harmful UV rays.

Rose water Refining Hydromask from the Garden Of Venus Series.

the essence is actually made from damask rose, so it really has a soothing and light smell of rose to it. It also contains hyaluronic acid, which is a major key component to keeping skin moisturised.

L'herboflore Rose Water Refining Hydromask

The results are almost close to Lavender mask but not as effective as the Lavender mask. Everything from the essence consistency to its fragrance is the same compared with lavender mask except that it left my skin feeling moisturised and supple but not really the glow or the dewy effect. The good things about this mask is that the fragrance of the essence is somehow very oddly satisfying and relaxing. I could just throw on my face with this mask after a long days work and voila i feel so relaxed while my skin stays supple and moisturized.

- mask is very saturated so it does not dry out fast. ( i left it on for 30 minutes and its still moist :)

-contains hyaluronic acid to moisturise skin

- scent of Damask Rose is very soothing and relaxing

My personal favourite *drumrollllll*

My personal favourite: The Black Pearl Whitening Mask

-from the Aegan Sea Series-

They also offer a balancing mask in this series which is very suitable for people with combination/ oily skin

L'herboflore Black Pearl Whitening Mask

This will be my instant staple face mask in improving the brightness of my skin and improving skin tone. After removing the face mask, the effect was IMMEDIATE. I could literally see a difference in my skin tone as i could tell it through from the skin tone of my neck area and my face. ( A recent post with images after and before the application of mask, where you can see the difference in skin tone ) 

 

~As you can see from the picture above, there's a difference in my skin tone! near the top of my forehead where the mask does not cover, its slightly darker than the area of my face that was covered with the mask. I could literally see the skin tone difference! Another difference is that my eye area was slightly darker after putting on the mask because the mask didnt cover my eye area... and thus my very obvious round darkened eye area....

My skin was also left feeling very glowy and bouncy. Was really satisfied with how this mask works for me. I have tried several other brands of whitening masks including the whitening range from MBD, and im all in for this mask instead. I didnt take a before and after picture but honestly speaking it will leave you thinking whether you should save your bucks and splurge on this. ( well that was what i thought... bye kose medicated emulsion!) Im not sure about what other consumers have in mind about this one but I would definitely get my stocks up for this one.

There are more masks to be tried out like the:

Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Energy Biocellulose Mask

Marine Collagen Resilience Lift Mask

Lemon Balm Hydrating Mask

I hope this helps to provide you a rough expectation to what you can reap from it, as its price may be a tad pricier, but yes it offer you a certain quality for its price :) You can purchase L'Herboflore masks in Malaysia here . ( Lowyat forum is a trustworthy forum where fellow Malaysians put items up for buy and sell) They have included the price of the masks and they are selling quite a range of them.

~ Thank you for visiting and please do share your comment and feedback !

Coffee before workouts, get that extra kick

At a gym session recently, I met a friend that told me about having coffee before a workout. Apparently he said it gives him the extra kick and boosts his concentration, more like the focus that the boost of a scoop of pre workout would do to you.

And so yesterday i decided to give this tip a try, in hope that i can focus more and get the best out of my workout. I went to McDonalds to get my coffee and drank it 40 minutes before hitting the gym. Oh and i did legs yesterday :) But im more of a back day person. I did these for my legs usually, and recently im putting in more effort in strengthening my gluteus. Here's  what i did for my legs:

• Barbell squats 45kg 8 reps for 4 sets
• Lunges 10kg dumbbell 10 reps for 3 sets
• Glute kickback increasing form 65 to 100kg 8reps for 4 sets
• single legged squat 4 reps for 3 sets
• bulgarian split squats 35kg 8 reps for 4 sets

My favourite leg workout is the bulgarian split squat and glute kickback, and i have a good reason for that. The primary muscle targeted is the glute and you use most of your glute muscle, depending on the position of your front leg for the bulgariansplit squat. I will go in depth on my leg day workouts soon!

 My verdict? I definitely felt the extra kick in my workout as it pushes you to properly finish up your last rep of your workout. I felt more focused, where I have a better control of my breathing and the contractions of my muscle. In my case, my gluteus maximus. Maybe its just a placebo effect, but I definitely felt focused enough to get the burn out of the different workouts i did. It delivered the extra kick for each set.

Why is this so?

Well you know those energy drinks that contains caffeine? Its the glucose that gives you the energy and caffeine that makes you more focused and alert. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and it decreases the rate of muscle and mental fatigue.

Among the benefits it has been shown to provide are:

• Endurance athletes improved performance by an average of 3.3 percent (some reported up to 17 percent increases).
• Strength and power sports performance improved up to 20 percent.
• Sprinters improved performance on average by 6.5 percent.
• Weightlifters improved performance on average by 9.5 percent.
• Rate of perceived exertion (fatigue) is decreased by 6 percent on average.

Source:Robert Wildman, PhD, RD, FISSN 2015 from  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/boost-your-workout-with-caffeine.html

So coffee lovers! Reap the best out of your triple shot caramel macchiato by hitting the gym after you have got your coffee fixing!