Gelish Nail update! 2013

Errmm, It's been quite sometime since I last posted the gelish nail update.

This year, my love to gelish nail is surprisingly decrease. Not so fancy anymore to Gelish. Especially now, I'm on tight budget, saving up for my Dec holiday :-D So eventhough I managed to find good quality and cheap nail shop, still I rather save up and utilise my money for holiday.

This year, I think I did gelish like two months one time. Don't even bother to go to the nail shop to do also. I don't know why. Lose interest. 

March's Nail which can last till my Japan trip in April
Quite amazed coz I can keep till 2 months plus.

May's nail. I think I keep till 2 months also. Haiz.

August's nail. See if can tahan till October? Crazy rite???

Week 3 on Isotretinoin

Fiuh. Finally have some time to write post about week 3. Now it’s 2 am in the morning. Talking about commitment!

This week is like hell week for me. Seriously. Busy like hell in the office. Plus the side effects of this medication. Totally hell.  

These are side effects:

1. Other than dry lips and dry skin on my chin, I also suffer from dry eyes. It’s been very dry till I need to put eye drops. But still is endurable.
2. Back-ache,muscle-ache, and whatever ache. Till to the extent that I need to reduce my physical exercise in weekly basis. Instead of jogging twice a week, I reduced to once a week. Last week, I just jogged for 45 mins as per usual; end up my muscle aching till the next 2 consecutive days. Sigh. But still is bearable.
3. Occasionally headache, especially when I try to use my brain to think. Too much think= headache. I felt that this meds makes me stupid L On the top of that, I feel like I cannot focus too long. Or results short term memory loss. Or losing passion +patience towards people around me. Every emotion will be heightened. For example, if I feel happy, will be very very overjoyfully happy. If I feel sad, will be like crying for weeks. If I feel angry, will be like want to kill someone, *kidding*. Ahhh best word to describe= mood swing! But it’s still tolerable.
4. IBS- Inconsistence Bowel Syndrome. Well, I have this IBS before so, well…bring it on!  I know how to tackle this by taking my gastric pills. It’s still ok-able.
5. Feeling tired all the time. Yesterday I had my class and I struggled to stay awake and focus during the class. Although I slept for 9 hours straight in the night, wake up, still feeling tired. I patch Koyo *medicated patch* to so-called lighten the back-ache but it’s only temporary. Haiz. But it’s still acceptable.
6. Isotretinoin makes my skin fragile. I got cuts or blisters from wearing my heels and it took a while to heal. Now I  need to be careful with my skin. Like Putri kaca ler. Oh ya talking about that, I now, become vampire, very super photo sensitive one. Coz of retin-A that I’m wearing, it makes my skin sensitive to sun and must wear sunblock all the time. The derma gave me SPF 60. 

On the bright side…

1.  I don’t really have oily skin now thus there’s no need to blot my face.
2. My make-up stays longer than I thought. Normal days, my powder melts right after I stepped out the house but now, I can see my powder last till evening time.
3. Hey, this is gross. I have occasionally back acne but now all cleared up, hip hip hooray…

Still 1 more week to go for before the next consultation. With these crazy side effects and yet, less positive effects, I will definitely asking my doctor to lighten or stop my dosage. Let's see how. Obviously, 20mg a day is too much for me, man.  I need my life back! And I hope the side effects will wears off after completion of cycle.

Ok, will update again! See you next week. 

-Deb-

My Little Pony- a new addiction.

I knew this cartoon, My Little Pony, from Giselle. Although story line is very simple (for kids audience). I find it quite interesting. Sometime adult needs brainless entertainment to de-stress, rite?

My fave is Twilight, coz she likes to read books and spend time in library. haha talking about nerd!

Applejack also cute, likes to eat apple. yummeh!

Rainbow dash. Dashing....flying....in the sky....

Princess Celestia. She is the ruler of Equestria. Gorgeous princess. Full of Charisma. Pretty face and sophisticate hair (which I find her hair is always in motion like a wind blowing directly to her face). But I kind of hate her coz every time she appear, she always appear in the last part of episodes. When she came into picture, the case is already solved. Haiz. Might as well don't come.

So having My Little Pony's fanatics, me and Giselle draws it with the help of google... I draw the outline, she colours it. Not bad mother and daughter teamwork. Now I realised this phrase, *Buah jatuh tak jauh dari pohonnya*. Meaning like mother like daughter. I love drawings (mostly anime/ manga) when I was in school. Now I feel (and confirm) Giselle also likes drawing.

Now it's been like 6 years already I never put on my pencil and drawing. Seems like my skill not bad eh after few year's break. hehehe....

-Deb-

-Deb

Obagi NuDerm System + Isotretinoin week 2

Updates!

This is week 2 of me, wearing Obagi NuDerm System and Isotretinoin. So far so good.

Inside view: as I expected, redness and itchy at the cheek area and flaky around mouth area. To tackle this, I slap tons of moisturiser cream (which already given by my derma) and wear lip balm often (like maybe 3-4 hours apart).

And then, taken vit C or E intermittently. Oops, I mean I will take those vitamins if I remember, hahaha....

The funniest thing is that, I laughed at my usual big laugh this afternoon and found that my skin (near lips area) cracking a bit and it's a freaking painful hmmpfhh! Oh ya! After washing my face it's very tight, man, like having face-lift like that :-D Lagi best, when prep my skin with toner, the residue or dead cell-skin comes off easily, making it easy to absorb the topical cream. How I loveeee that! :-D

Oh another side effect is that, the antibiotics does make my stomach bloated. So I need to take after food. There's one time I can't take it anymore, and the doctor gimme gastric pills for a month supply.


Outside view: as I expected, lots people asking why my face looks like getting sunburnt or snake -like face. Super red skin like after going to Boracay for beach holiday. I just told them yeah, Boracay is one of my dreamiest holiday, ever, I love beaches but to explain my sunburnt face now, yep, I 'm on medication for my skin and it will be lasted for the next few weeks.

Side effects of Acnotin. hmm...if you google the side effects of Acnotin or Accutane, you will be surprised coz it's quite scary side effects, such as,  high cholesterol, hair loss, photo-sensitvity, hearing problem, body aching, depression which leads to suicide, and etc. Seriously. here is the link. But for me personally, I just experienced photosensitivity, flaky and redness skin only. *fiuh....at least minor side effects which is still bearable.

Ok, that's all. will update again next week. Week 3. :-D

-Deb-

Final Fantasy soundtracks, my childhood memory.

What a memory!! 

These are all the OST/ background music from (almost) all Final Fantasy series. Almost teared when playing this video, it's really brings back my childhood memory. Thanks for whoever uploaded this! 

Some of them are my fave:

1. Hymn of the Fayth (FF X )

2. Suteki da ne (FF X)

3. Eyes on Me  (FF VIII)

4. Kiss Me Goodbye (FF XII) 

5. Swing de Chocobo ( FF series) I want Chocobo as pet! :-D 

Ah, 1 more, To Zanarkand (FF X)

-Deb-

Aug, 12 th, 2013

August, 12th, 2013

I think July and August are the month where I really do soul-searching. And put more efforts to grow my spiritual-walk with Him. Again, I do feel blessed that I have a God...who always guide me, whom his path is fragrant, and endless joy and peace linger, when I always count on Him.

Amen.

Obagi NuDerm System + Isotretinoin

As much as I'd like to keep this post really real. I got much to do on hand. Hence this is the only time that I have now, to quiet down, to relax myself....to sit down and blogging. 

One day, I've been so tired to having battle with my skin condition. The most nemesis in my life. Acne. Pimple. Zits. Spots. Bumps. Whatever you call that...hmm...White heads. Black heads. Any heads. All these names are the results of CLOGGED PORES.

I know if you see my photos or see me in my real life, you were like, oh are you sure, Deb, you really have a bad acne? Your face seems like very smooth and clear. You don't need to waste money to see dermatologist and bla bla bla....Oh snap! 

If I ever get that kind of questions from someone (or rather, I think I already got that kind of questions recently, haha). Deep inside my heart I'm gonna curse him/her upside down but errmm...okay. Different people have different minds and opinions. I have mine and you have yours so let it be and pls don't judge me (at least don't judge in front of me la). 

Maybe some of you have a super duper perfect skin. Flawless. No acne or whatsoever. Bless you. But for me, this type of skin condition has been bugging me and affecting me so much. Worst, it's also affected my confidence level. Hey, who doesn't like a clear and acne-free skin? So again, if you were like, really Deb, you really have a pretty clear and smooth skin. I'll take it as a compliment that maybe my skill in make up, concealing or hiding with a concealer is not bad. Seriously, now I am the master of  concealing my acne spots,  hehe.  

Oh one more, If I ever get to hear an opinion, Deb, skin it's just a skin. It's an outer appearance. The most important part is to nurture inside. Not outside. Again, I will say, ya.... but who doesn't like to see women / man with clear skin? You prefer to have girlfriend/ boyfriend/ spouse/ children with acne spot all over their face, don't you? Slowly deteriorating their skin condition, their mind, or even their confidence level. How many people agrees that acne always associated with dirty and unhygienic lifestyle? How many people have suffered from acne and slowly decreasing their level of confidence. I don't know about you, ( and I don't want to know), but for me, skin is the biggest part in human body (yep we all covered by skin can't you imagine how scary if it's not!? *think about Jack Skellington*) And when we meet people outside, the first part of the body that they'll see is....face. So obviously, face plays a big part in our life. :-D 

Enough for the rambling. Here we go.

So beginning of this week. I went to see dermatologist. I consulted my skin condition. I shared on how last time during my teenage and college year I didn't have acne at all. Literally, very good and smooth skin....oh how I missed that period of time :-(    

 But now, since I moved to Singapore six years ago.  Stressed out and found out that acne is something that I suffered for quite sometime. I did try to eat healthy, exercise, yoga, double cleansing, double mask, did holistic facials, etc etc...You name it, I have done it. ALL. SERIOUSLY. And IT'S SEEMS DOESNT WORK AT ALL. OKAY, IT WORKED BUT ONLY TEMPORARILY. I have pretty much occasionally zits. Once its there, It will ripe pretty fast (like maybe 2-3 days) but the zits keep on popping out here and there, all over my face.  I don't know whyyyy.....Oh did I tell you, that every single zits popped out, it will scarred? If I itchy hand, pick on the acne, the scar is bigger. If I didn't pick on that acne, there's still a scar but smaller la. Yep, thank you very much. 

So after short consultation, the doctor examined my skin thoroughly and explained how the acne can be formed, etc, etc....(yes yes doc, I knew it already la all the theory) and then, she prescribed me topical treatment and oral treatment.

Have you heard about Accutane before? 

It's oral treatment which contain Isotretinoin which combat acne by shrinking pores thus help to control sebum. Small pores= small sebum production= small chance of bacteria to grow and small chance of getting inflammation to skin= less acne. Seems like heaven, right? But there are some side-effects which is pretty critical such as loss hair, chapped lips, dry skin, emotional breakdown, the worst, if you are planning to get pregnant or you are pregnant during the Accutane course, there's high chance of birth-defects and disturb the growth of foetus. So after explanation, I did sign consent letter to agree that I understand this and will not get conceieve or whatsoever during the course. The course I think take few months. Haiz. This is my sacrifice for the sake of good skin. Call me crazy. I don't even care. I just want to have perfect clear skin. Full stop. 

Acnotin is generic brand of Isotretinoin and for first month I've been given 20mg everyday. 

And for topical treatment, the dermatologist prescribed me mix and match products, which contain Obagi.

I've been dreading to try Obagi coz they said, I mean internet said, that Obagi works very well to treat adult acne. Not teenagers acne like Clean and Clear or Proactive (yep, I tried both. Works few months. That's it, man. It doesn't work anymore) Although it's a bit expensive but I think personally it's still affordable if you compare to over the counter topical cream. Talking about Murad, Clinique, Shiseido, that kind of brand. 

From left to right
step 1,2,3,4,5- morning (with sunblock)
step 1,2,3,4- night (without sunblock)

So today is the third day of my course, I did feel red and tighten up especially my eyes area and mouth area. Not yet flaking but I expected that already. For this 6 weeks, I will have a major skin reconditioning means that all peels and flaking, in order to shed those impurities and dead skin cells, to regenerate new skin cells. But on the fourth week, I need to go back there again for re-evaluation and maybe given another dose of oral and topical treatment. 

What I like about this doctor is that, consultation is only S$ 15. 

And the doctor allowed me to keep on using my own facial wash and toner, not really hard sell of her products or whatsoever. But maybe next visit must buy liao :-( oh ya but end up I paid few hundred bucks :-( 

Okay, so as I said above, pls pray for me for these 6 weeks and don't ask me why my skin red and flaky like a sunburnt like that. I'll tell you the same I'm on medication for my acne but to be precise pls read my blog. LOL. 

I think I will need to continue the oral treatment for few more months and need to maintain topical treatment for the rest of my life but well, I don't mind. 

I will update again after second consultation next month. Wish me luck. Bye.

-Deb-

What He spoke to me.

Sometime God speaks to us, in different ways. Some people being spoken during quiet time, some's during praise and worship, some's during shepherding or sharing time.

For me personally, I am a *word* person. Not only I like to read, write, *cough* blogging, and stuff. I do love meeting people to share or maybe just even to talk or catching up each other's life.

But since my age increase, I do more reading and writing, rather than interact with people. Ok....I am a true loner. I feel like I prefer quality rather than quantity in terms of friendship. I'm happy and contented just o have few people that I can call *sahabat* rather than lots of *teman*....alamak I don't know how to translate it in English, man....

So what today, He spoke to me. 

God is so big He can cover the whole world with His love. And yet so small He can curl up inside your heart. Yep, and my heart, too :-)

Thanks God, for your word. 

Amen.

-Deb-