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Thursday 19 February 2015

Gratitude: Birthday Budget

Today I am grateful for awesome PIL who let me choose my own birthday presents. 
 
They had been busy and grounded at The House due to a bathroom remodelling recently and going to shop for my "complicated" taste naturally had to be shelved. They got me a lovely card and a budget on top of a sumptuous lunch at B.Bap!

I love budgets! It gives me a free hand to choose what I really need, which is a win-win! Got my Dior Skincare replenished today. I am one happy DIL/wife/mum.


Dior Skincare and I have a long history. The first time I owned anything from its cosmetics and skincare range was an eyebrow pencil and shaper in dark brown. It came with its own sharpener and the even the metallic blue shavings were pretty in their own right. I was still reading law in my undergraduate years and that was probably the most luxurious eye brow pencil I had. Now, the brow pencil is a twist without having to sharpen and styler brush is capped neatly. Innovation.

The violet mascara, oh how I loved how they perked up my post-LASIK peepers back in 2001! I had hidden behind thick glasses for about 14 years before so can you just imagine my excitement then and now?

Over the years, I added sunblock, lipstick, tinted lip balm but the turning point was when I left Clinique and SKII for Dior after pregnancy hormones whacked my skin. Broken sleep to breastfeed started showing on my face, inevitably. Ageing gracefully, yes?

Thanks to Dior, my skin has survived 5 years without facial! The secrets are no secret: drink lots of water and try to sleep as sufficiently as possible. I love fruits and vegetables, I believe this grazing habit helps with my skin too. Regiment of sleeping only with clean and hydrated skin is the bottom line.

When The Little Girl was a toddler, she used to watch BabyTV while I "put my face on". That is code phrase for wash, tone, serum, moisturiser sunblock, powder, eyebrow pencil and lip balm. 

She would occasionally leave the TV to come and peep at me getting ready and willingly let me rub some of her sunblock onto her cheeks. Sweet memories now when I reminisce. The hairdryer would occasionally be directed at her duck tails which guaranteed chuckles as she got ready to escape the ticklish sensation.

"Take my face off" still means eye makeup removal, wash, tone, serum and night cream/midnight recovery oil in our household. The Other Half knows to keep the children at bay, good on him!

Despite that, when I put my face on before going out or take it off in the evening, I can hear pitter patter feet coming my way and I would try to finish up as fast as I can so that I can lift Bean up to kiss his cheeks and squeeze a happy smile from him. Sometimes I forget my face cream after being interrupted *gasp* 

I believe these skincare memories are worth noting down. I can live happily with good skin and happy children who see their mum trying to take good care of herself. Whilst I can never get back my baby smooth skin, I can try taking good care of what I still have.

My personal strive is to work on my inner beauty. The light/Nur one derives from a beautiful soul and face already washed with ablution is best. May Allah Grant me His Light, Amin!

To my ever kind PIL, thank you. I love the birthday presents! I love you both! JazakAllah khairan for another year. 


2 comments:

  1. Salam Hampshire Mummy,

    Such nice PIL you have :)

    Your daily face on ritual sounds like mine, except that I put on my powder and tinted lip balm in the car before reaching the LRT station.
    You just reminded me to wash my face and put on my serum and night cream. I used to not care much about putting anything on my face at night so this is new.. But I managed to do it for 2 weeks now!

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    Replies
    1. Salam Puan L,

      Great that you are starting to care for your skin, I look forward to seeing your updates. As for myself, someday when breastfeeding is over, I would like to resume collagen mask when sleeping, in sha Allah. Wake up to smooth and hydrated skin!!

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