YOU do know you're beautiful

Nothing beats us like boredom. Trust me. A very high-tide day might turn out to be our best day. Or, okay… our worst. But a boring day would end up even worse, left us feeling that tomorrow must have had something weary to make up the day. We usually got lost and grumpy during that kind of day; we craved for dry humor, slurpy diets, and endless surfing on the internet.

However, tight-scheduled day also knocked us out. It yanked us into migraine and nausea. Some people called, sometimes kind of yelled. Some people were not showing up to do the commitments, made us wanted to bang someone. Data screeched to be examined and be dag endlessly. Co-workers howled. The machine stopped working properly. The system was off. We said to ourselves, “Seriously??? Come on, you can’t do this to me…”.

A day like that may come one, two, four to five times a week, depends on how lucky we were at work. Neither is good: a long boring day or a tight-pants day. So what’s good, then?

A change. Any (good) change would do us fine. Including putting make up (and big smiles) on our faces. Do you remember when was the last time you feel you are the prettiest girl in the world? Do we remember the last time our big smiles melt people’s heart down? I hardly remember me doing that. “What’s the point of being pretty like Barbie? Would that make my life easier? Why should I smile more?”

So when I received The Body Shop invitation to a free beauty class at Grand Indonesia, I jumped in excitement (I could bring friends). Despite the fact that it can’t replace sincere smiles and warm hearts, wearing make up usually springs girls’ mood up. That is just what we need… A little get-away from daily routine with the number. Here we go!  *too bad I couldn't make it since it was Miss K's swimming race day*

So it was just Ade and Fera. Go get it, girls! Just enjoy the session and don't look at the number. Coz any number (a.k.a. the price) can make you suffer.

How do they look?
Stunning!

Now, the girls know they’re (MORE) beautiful !!!

1st year Running Anniversary : Adidas King of The Road 2013

This October month marks my one year journey to the world of WJR, walking-jogging-running. It was one great year. Don’t ask me about my running logs, since I didn’t have any. That was because there were too few runnings to put into the log. My now-shutdown miCoach reported 25 km during January to April 2013. The Nike+ recorded 48.87 km so far since January 2013 (I used miCoach or Nike+). That made the average of 2 km per week or less than 1.5 miles/week. Haa.

But let me put it another way. That might also mean I (slowly) did a good job of taking off my butt then putting one of my foot in front of another repeatedly (please put some serious consideration on the word “repeat”, that’s probably the success factor in nearly every thing in the world). From that angle, 2 km is better than zero km.

Don’t ask me about my running pace. I always hide behind the slogan “Neither distance nor pace really matters”. This perfect jargon suits me, pampers me when I was down, realizing there were too little improvement during some specified periods I worked on. I have everything in the world to blame on. Works interrupted. I got sick. My Nike+ must had some error in calculating the pace (I got slower each time! Can’t you believe it?). We had a whole fasting month and holiday travel. The office gym was too crowded. The weather was too hot. I got up late and missed the Commuter Line. I barely had the energy to tightened my shoe-laces. I forgot to bring the apparels. My kid (kind of) needed me at home. And the list would go on and on…

So here I am, a faithful member to the turtle-crowds after one year. I felt a little terrible about that, but what could I do beside not moaning and keep going? In every 5K event  I was in, I foolishly hoped the timer would somehow slow down so I could make my PR. Amazingly, that happened one day.

It was Adidas King of the Road 5K, Sept 29, 2013 at BSD City. The route was a long up-and-down road around a nice newly-built neighborhood. Although it was not too steep, my untrained legs and huffing lung were protested after the first 2.5 km. I dragged them until the 4 km distance mark. I wanted to finish this 5K strong and not walking. I have had myself prepared a little bit more serious this time: I started logging my running, training the 3-2 breathing pattern, doing postrun stretching, also putting attention on nutrition. The fact that I had to take a walk break during AKoTR just dropped my confidence and made me wanted to scream. But I nodded and said to myself “Keep going. Breathe. Keep going.”.

After the up road ended, I could manage to boost the pace in the last 500 m (flat course, of course) and booked 40:55 min on my chiptime. It was far off my office runners’ time who are in sub 40 or 30 minutes but I got my 5K PR.  

I learned something from my 5th race: it is the (wrong) perception (of walking) that slows us down. Walking is not a sin. The reality is: the walking time had saved me (and millions of other beginner runners). It gave us time to refocus, recharge, and refuel to let us running strong again.

After the photo-taking with my office-runners, we dismissed with some endorphin left in our system. My best guess after the Adidas King of the Road 2013: we had something in our mind about running, about the upcoming races in town, about the goal tapping, about all we can think about when we think about running.  

Just like I did. I’m all in for 5K Mandiri Run this week end. I am super excited. It will be a familiar 5K route. My family will join to run or walk. My co-workers are also thrilled by the event. I want to have fun, yet I still have the same things in mind: to finish strong and not walking and to make my new PR. Let’s see what happens this Sunday.

If I can make it, be happy with me, guys. If I don’t, at least it is the first time my little family run together. Also there are other races and runs I can do to make it up. It’s a win-win game. So let’s play it.

Halo Fit Run Jakarta 2013: Our first 5K together



Dengan Mbak Siti setelah Halo Fit Run 2013, Jakarta

Masih tentang lari. Kali ini saya ajak-ajak keluarga. Meski gagal ngajak Babe, tapi akhirnya Miss K, Mbak Siti (kakak ipar saya yang kenes), dan Ade (temen kantor) berhasil saya komporin untuk ikut Halo Fit Run 2013 di Jakarta tanggal 9 Juni 2013. Rute 5K-nya adalah start di gerbang GBK, muter di Semanggi, trus menuju Patung Pemuda, muter di sana, masuk ke arah Hotel Atlet Century, muterin Masjid Al Bina, baru masuk Sudirman lagi dan finish di depan gerbang GBK.

5K lagi? Ya eya laah… Hati saya masih tertambat di 5K, belom berani untuk nyoba yang 10K. Next year my target would be hitting the 10K mark. Target tahun ini adalah tetap hidup, bernafas, dan sehat di garis finish 5K. Soal waktu nggak terlalu dipikirin deh. Miss K mulai saya ajak supaya dia dapat pengalaman mencoba berbagai jenis olahraga. Syukur-syukur dia menikmati lari jadi kami bisa berlari bersama. Sebelum latian renang sih biasanya dia lari 3 keliling kolam renang sambil becanda-canda dengan temennya. Di sekolah dia cerita, hobinya kejar-kejaran sama temen sekelas yang gokil-gokil. Jadi saya pikir, kenapa ngga sekalian aja lari bareng, hehehe…

Pagi itu kami pergi dari rumah jam 5 pagi. Udah siap dengan shirt, bib number, dan RIFD tag di sepatu. Sampai di seputar GBK sekitar jam 5.30, kami bertemu pemuda-pemudi ganteng dan cantik yang baru selesai dugem di parkiran. Ada anak muda ganteng sempoyongan, ada seorang gadis muda cantik berpakaian minim yang jalannya dipapah, ada yang teriak-teriak, ada yang baunya minta ampun. Waduuuhh, serem deh. Miss K nanya, “Mereka ini abis ngapain sih, Bu?”  Saya jawab aja, “Nah, itu dia, K... Mungkin mereka juga ngga tau abis ngapain atau diapain.” Miss K bengong dengan jawaban yang dipikirnya nggak nyambung itu.

Sampai di depan gerbang GBK ternyata udah banyak banget para pelari dan pelari wanna-be yang dengan bebasnya berkumpul dan berpendapat (ngobrol, maksudnya). Kebetulan saya juga ketemu sama Ade di sana. Bukannya siap-siap dengan pemanasan, kita malah asyik foto-foto.  Sementara Babe sibuk dititipin tas dan ini-itu.

Sebelum start saya udah bilang sama Miss K agar pelan-pelan aja larinya, kalau ngga kuat bisa bareng jalan kaki sama Mbak Siti. Mbak Siti juga menyambut baik ide itu, supaya ada alasan “Nemenin keponakan yang masih di bawah umur, jadinya ngga bisa cepet sampe finish deh”.

Ketika start, Miss K berlari bareng saya. Kelihatannya dia terpancing dengan laju pelari lain (termasuk anak-anak sesusianya) yang langsung melesat. Jadinya dia mau buru-buru aja, kaya kalo becandaan dengan temen-temennya. Setelah KM1, baru deh dia mulai ngos-ngosan. Saya tunjukin pesawat kecil yang dikendalikan jarak jauh di atas kepala kami, “Itu tuh ada kameranya lho, yuk kita senyum dan dadah-dadah…”.

Di tanjakan Semanggi, Miss K nyerah dan kami berjalan kaki sambil mengambil gelang di Panitia. Kami mencoba berlari lagi di turunan Semanggi. Pas di 2K, Miss K mulai mempertanyakan lokasi water station yang dia udah pelajari di peta brosur Halo Fit Run. “Di mana sih air minumnya? Janjinya ada setelah 2K lho, Bu” katanya sambil meringis. Ternyata jatah air minum ada di KM2,5-an dan setelah minum Miss K memutuskan mau jalan aja. Setelah beberapa ratus meter, Miss K melanjutkan lari bersama saya karena Mbak Siti, yang mau saya titipi Miss K, belum kelihatan posisinya di mana.

Kami memutari Patung Pemuda dan mulai berbicara tentang garis finish. Kebetulan ada seorang bapak dan 2 anak laki-lakinya yang berusia sedikit lebih tua dari Miss K berada di sebelah kami dalam status jalan-lari-jalan-jalan-jalan, gitu. “Look at us, K. We’re good. We can make it”.

Ketika melewati tanda 4K, saya genggam tangan dinginnya dan mencoba berlari lagi. Sama seperti saya dulu, cara berlarinya juga rada-rada memprihatinkan. Dia mendarat dengan jari dan kaki bagian depan. Nafasnya pendek-pendek. Tangannya keliatan berat menjuntai di samping badan. Jadi saya tau dia pasti merasa capek dan tersiksa. Apalagi dia belum terbiasa lari jauh seperti ini. Karena itu seringkali kami berjalan kaki diselingi dengan lari 100-200 meter.

Run, K, run !!!

Di depan Masjid Al Bina, Miss K terlihat udah ngga bisa senyum lagi. Saya sadar mungkin ini adalah kesalahan besar, mengajak Miss K ikutan 5K tanpa mengajaknya berlatih dan membiasakan diri sebelumnya. Mungkin memang dia senang lari-lari di sekolah, mungkin dia lari di kolam renang pada waktu pemanasan. Tapi untuk menaklukkan 5K? Waaaah, saya tega banget yaaaks?? Seharusnya saya lebih bersabar menunggu event lari yang ada Kids Race-nya (meski kayanya rada jarang di Indonesia). Mestinya saya ajak dia sejak jauh hari untuk mencoba jarak yang lebih pendek. Mestinya kan anak-anak lari dengan benar secara bertahap. Harusnya. Yah, sudah lah, sesal kemudian nggak berguna juga.

Menjelang garis finish saya bilang pada Miss K untuk bisa bertahan sedikiiiiit lebih lama lagi. “Tuuh, lihat… finish-nya udah deket banget. Kita coba lagi yuk larinya. Babe di sana, K..pasti Babe bangga lhoo kita bisa selesaikan sampai finish”.



Run like a celeb!

Akhirnya kami sampai juga di garis finish, disambut dengan lambaian tangan Babe di pinggir marka jalan, sambil merekam kami di beberapa meter terakhir (ternyata kemudian file rekamannya ngga sengaja keapus...grrgggh).

Supaya ngga kejadian lagi ada pose foto kayak di Mandiri Run Mei 2013, saya ngga lupa untuk memaksakan diri tersenyum lebar dan melambaikan tangan bak selebriti. As if 5K was a piece of cake.



Yeayy, we're finishers!



Meski kecapekan, Miss K --gadis kecil 9 tahun saya--  ternyata senang juga. Apalagi setelah menerima finisher medal. Kebetulan banget dia sedang keranjingan dan penasaran dengan medali, karena belum pernah punya. Sementara Miss K mengagumi medalinya, saya lirik timer di pinggir tiang finish. Ternyata lumayan juga. Miss K dan saya menyelesaikan 5K bersama kami yang pertama dengan waktu 46 menit 9 detik.

Pas Babe nanya gimana perasaannya bisa ngatasi rasa capek harus lari dan jalan kaki sepanjang 5K, dia menjawab enteng "Yah, lumayan seneng, tapi aku capek buangeeeeet, Be. Trus sekarang aku lapar, kita makan di mana nih?"  Hehehe..

Akhirnya pagi itu kami sempurnakan dengan sarapan Soto Mie di sebelahnya Giant - Pondok Bambu. What a day!

5K Mandiri Run 2013

Saya yang penakut ini akhirnya memberanikan diri mencoba Mandiri Run 5K tanggal 26 Mei 2013. Nggak terlalu banyak persiapan ini-itu sih, soalnya niatnya adalah merasakan nuansa race lari barengan ratusan bahkan ribuan orang lain. Saya yakin pasti ada sesuatu yang membuat orang melakukannya lagi dan lagi. Kalau cuma lari 5K barangkali nggak usah nunggu ada race, tapi there’s something about the race that keep and stick people together (atau lebih tepatnya sendiri dalam kebersamaan serta bersama dalam kemandirian, soalnya kan larinya sendiri-sendiri juga hehe…).

Ternyata dugaan saya benar. Yaitu ada beberapa “sesuatu”. Yang pertama, butuh niat yang lebih dari sekedar mendaftar online, bayar, dan ambil race pack-nya. Banyak banget deh godaannya pas hari H itu. Bangun aja rasanya berat, masih ngantuk dan nggak rela mesti melek lebih pagi. Saya paksain mandi kilat biar seger pagi itu. Trus urusan transportasi ke lokasi race juga kadang jadi masalah tuh, terutama kalo males bawa mobil sendiri dan harus pakai taksi. Kuatir juga si taksi belum datang pada waktunya. Senewen deh. Untungnya pas Mandiri Run itu taksinya tepat waktu. Belum lagi keraguan menentukan mesti diisi apa ya perutnya? Sarapan ngga mungkin, ntar side stiches-nya bisa parah. Kalo minum kebanyakan juga ujungnya suka kebelet di lokasi race (susah cari toiletnya). Akhirnya saya balik ke selera asal: setangkup peanut butter sandwich plus secangkir teh manis. Lumayan nendang buat 1-2 jam di pagi hari. Terakhir, pas mendekati lokasi… hati makin deg-degan…alias nggak pede. Bisa-bisa pulang lagi tuh kalo jiwa pengecutnya dipiara. Untungnya saya berhasil mengalahkan negativity  itu dan tiba dengan selamat di depan Senayan City. Itu aja udah boleh lho dianggap "kesuksesan" yang ingin diulang dan diulang lagi.

Kedua, seperti acara massal lainnya, acara lari ini juga ternyata jadi ajang bersosialisasi dan mejeng. Nggak seperti di Ragunan, kali ini saya berhasil ketemu beberapa orang teman kantor dan kenalan dengan teman baru. Seru deh…dengerin obrolan temen-temen ttg lari, lari, dan lari (3 orang pertama kenalan baru adalah peserta Bali Marathon kelas Half… jadi untuk 5K atau 10K mah mereka sangat “selektif”). Yang ngga kalah seru adalah sesi foto-fotonya sebelum race dimulai. Pada centil dan heboh deh.. hehehe.. terutama recreational runners. Apalagi dengan kostum dan aksesoris lari yang beragam dan keren. Alasan mereka “Soal lari belakangan, yang penting eksis dulu dooong”.

                                                           --Bareng Neng Yesi dan Ira--

Ketiga, pas lomba dimulai, dimulai juga tuh pelepasan dari segala kecamuk yang ada dalam pikiran saya. Ketidakyakinan bercampur keinginan. Hati panas didahului pelari lain versus kepala dingin untuk mempertahankan kecepatan lari yang stabil (alias alon-alon asal kelakon). Ambisi pribadi disandingkan dengan kenyataan. Waaahh pokoknya macem-macem deh. Makanya ada yang bilang bahwa sewaktu berlari, sesungguhnya mereka sedang berdialog dengan diri sendiri atau bermeditasi.
 

                                                         --mega-megap mau pengsan--

Keempat, sensasi ketika kita mencapai finish. Apalagi ini baru pertama kali saya nyoba 5K non stop. Sayangnya, kesuksesan mencapai finish nggak dibarengi dengan hasil dokumentasi yang mengesankan. Lihat aja ekspresi dan postur tubuh saya ketika menginjak garis finish, udah loyo dan sempoyongan kaya gitu. Enggak gaya sama sekali. Padahal konon salah satu tips mengikuti race dengan sukses adalah finish STRONG and WITH STYLE!

Nggak papa deh. Yang penting finish. Catatan waktu 5K saya kali ini 41 menit 13 detik sudah sangat menghibur dan sungguh memberikan angin segar. Lumayan banget, secara jarang-jarang sanggup lari segitu lama !!!!

Itulah pengalaman ikutan race (resmi) pertama. Next time ajak-ajak Miss K, Babe, temen-temen ahh... Biar lebih seru. Lagian kan ngajakinnya ke hal yang enak... hehehe. Terbukti kok, lari 5K nggak bikin pingsan, menyenangkan, dan layak untuk dicoba. Niiih, buktinya...

My First (unofficial) 5K at JFS Run

It was more than a month ago that I finally got myself in a race. I consider it was historical. It was almost 8 months since my first attempt to run and I still belong to the Turtoise Club. Keeping my 8-minutes a kilo only succeeded for the first 2K, after that I began slowing down to 9, then 10 and finally ended up walking in the last kilo in my 5K training. So I signed up for 2.5K at Wintermar Jakarta Free Spirit Run at Ragunan Zoo, much with confidence that I would do it right.

So, this was what happen on the race day. May 5, 2013.
I arrived at 5.30 in the morning. Alone. My buddy was not able to show up because her son was sick. So, like a perfect stranger, I followed the crowd and began queueing behind the “FUN RUN” sign to pick up my race pack. All other people were busy in their lines. They lined up at ‘Under 12’ (mostly kids with their parents), 12-19 (fresh teenager looking for both fun and more fun), 19-40 (most determined and rigorous participants were there), and 40+ (from their appearances, this group was for kinda more experienced runners). After some time, say about 30 minutes, there was still no one else in my line. The organizer said that there were not many people signed up for this category. There was also no timing chip and bib with number for the fun runners. “You just go ahead when you hear the gunshot,” said the organizer lady.

What?
Always expect the unexpected. That’s the mantra for any first time event. Turned out the Fun Run was no fun at all. What’s the point of running in a race if we couldn’t show off the picture of us (with the bib showing our race numbers) passing the finish line with big smiles and strong up-punching hands?

I couldn’t believe it. However, amid my dissapointment, I decided to run along the race path for approximately 2.5K before the gunshot, just to get the feeling that if I didn’t do the Fun Run race on schedule, I wouldn’t judge myself as a deserter. I could then walk out and went home.

I finished the 2.5K when other runners were warming up with Zumba Dance. Ten minutes later, they prepared themselves in the start position. Every runner looked very eager, enthusiastic and high-spirited. The youngs and the olders. The Indonesians and the foreigners. Both the bigger and slimmer, though-like ones.

Then an idea came up. Why wouldn’t I  run again? The race seemed to be a rather open event anyway and many people bring their family (without the number). Hell with the timing chip. I didn’t care about the race number not shown anywhere in my shirt. I didn’t care that I haven’t prepared to run 5K nonstop. I could always walk, right? After all, it was about trying out and having fun.

So I started to run, long after the sub 20-minutes runners roared. It was a moment of doubt. Mostly because I never thought I could do it, because I wasn’t well trained for it, because I was there as alone as I could be. The zoo terrain was also hilly and a little bit wet after heavy rain the night before. I kept running with that hopeless thoughts and of course I began to slow down after the 2K sign, knowing that I was almost hit my limit. The 3^rdK was hard. I could barely run. It was harder in the 4^th. I ran, I walked, I dragged, I jumped, anything I could do to make one of my feet move in front of another. People passed me by in the last kilo. They wanted to finish strong. I wanted it, too, but my limbs just couldn’t do my brain’s recommendation to go faster. The Marshalls shouted loud cheers and clapped their hands. “Just few hundreds more. Come on!” they cried.

And there it was. Standing strong and tall and graceful. Full of crowds, of course. It must be the finish gate. Yes! I did make it! For some seconds, it felt like all people along the finish line shared my victory. I didn’t know them. They didn’t know me. But we had something in common. We were finishers. Run or walk. Jog or drag. Alone or with the clubs. We were still the finishers. My first record of 5K then was 47:26. And it was more than satisfying at that time. I danced inside, celebrating this little triumph.

Then another day, another week after the moment passed by so fast. So, what’s left from the race? What’s make that 47 minutes something joyful? Well, I don’t know. One thing I know, I would keep running because another run could means another race. Another chance. Another dance. Or else, I’d be happy with just doing it with no stress.

My Last Decade Make Up Essentials

In the last 2 weeks it seems that I’m having “make up” fever. Kalo lagi iseng, browsing-nya ttg make up melulu. Feel lucky that some of my co-workers are really into it. Apalagi yang muda-muda dan bergaya, hebring deh mereka pokoknya. As a forever newbie, I believe I need them more this time. They share their vision, knowledge, and even skill... (we will have a make-over class with the most prominent make up expert in our building as our instructor). Tapi kudu tahan-tahan aja dihina-dina ama instrukturnya yang berselera tinggi (katanya sih harga dan mutu itu nggak boong! Worth invested, gitu)

So here are my daily (or not) make up essentials. Dipakenya sekali-kali doang, kalo lagi insyaf. Jadi kok rasanya saya kurang mensyukuri nikmat ya… Udah dikasih rezeki lebih biar bisa beli, dikasih sehat biar bisa beraktifitas, dikasih suami untuk dibahagiain, dikasih waktu luang untuk belajar…tapi kok ngga dimanfaatin.

Nah, mulai sekarang deh, dikit-dikit dioptimalkan barang-barang berikut ini:

Cleansing series : Aloe Vera Cream Cleanser from Skinfood $$, erha ACS-BP $, erha 1 Facial Wash (Normal to Dry Skin) $, Make up Remover from Maybelline $. Ini cleanser series top abis deh. Cocok banget buat saya. Apalagi cream cleanser Skinfood, enak banget buat bersihin make up di wajah dan nggak bikin kering. Tp ada satu ganjelan, cream cleanser Skin Food lumayan mahal, sekitar 200ribuan untuk 130 ml saja. Hiks. Coba-coba pake cleanser lain dari Viva, waduuuh..panas banget di kulit muka. Belum sempat nyoba Nivea atau brand lain yang kira-kira cocok dan harganya lebih masuk akal. ACS-BP dari erha juga andalan saya untuk scrub muka setiap pulang kantor (kan mukanya abis nampung debu jalanan selama perjalanan pulang naik kereta). Saya juga cocok pakai make up remover Maybelline karena ringan dan lembut. Saya pernah coba Revlon, tp terlalu berminyak dan bikin mata perih kalo kapasnya ngga sengaja masuk mata.

Night Cream : erha Evalen $ + erha 6 $

Moisturizer : Lettuce Cucumber Emulsion from Skinfood $$. Saya masih taraf coba-coba pake moisturizer ini karena tergoda bahan dasarnya yang konon membuat kulit adem tanpa berminyak. Saya lumayan suka karena ringan dan wangi, meskipun kurang melembabkan karena berbahan dasar air. Biasanya saya males pake pelembab karena bikin lengket dan berminyak, tapi emulsion ini bikin daya disiplin pakai moisturizer walaupun di rumah. Harganya sekitar 130ribuan untuk 135 ml.

Sunscreen : erha Sun Block Perfect Shield UVA+UVB Gel $. Alhamdulillah dapet sunscreen yang cocok di kulit. Lumayan mantep untuk penggunaan sehari-hari dan asal saya rajin bersihin muka setiap malam, ngga bakal ada masalah dengan jerawat atau komedo. Nah, masalahnya saya suka males. Kurang joss untuk penggunaan di udara terbuka dalam waktu yang lama, spt utk berenang, olahraga > 1 jam. Tetep perlu sunblock yang lebih kuat.

BB Cream : Aloe Vera #2 from Skinfood $$. Saya mulai ikutan demam BB Cream di Des tahun 2011, trus mampir di SkinFood Store di PvJ Bandung. BB Cream berfungsi sebagai pelembab, foundation, dan concealer. Wiih, lengkap yah. Dengan mengucapkan bismillah, saya memutuskan mencoba varian Aloe Vera ini karena diformulasikan untuk kulit sensitif dan mengandung SPF 20. Shade #2 dipilih karena merupakan pilihan yang lebih gelap (cuman ada #1 ama #2) dan sekilas ada nuansa pink-nya. Harga sekitar 130ribuan untuk 50ml yang bisa awet sampe 1 tahun jika dipakai sedang-sedang saja 1x sehari. So far, saya cocok pakai BB Cream ini karena masuk ke golongan light shg cocok utk penggunaan sehari-hari (asal dibersihin pake cream cleanser biar ngga komedo-an). Nih, ada review dari penggemar BB Cream SkinFood http://joveetalee-art.blogspot.com/2012/08/skinfood-aloe-sun-bb-cream-spf20-pa.html

Face Powder : erha Translucent $. Sebenernya saya beli bedak tabur ini untuk syarat aja supaya saya punya bedak. Kurang bagus karena nempel sama sekali di kulit saya, tapi yah sudah lah…yang penting bisa buat final touch, ngga menimbulkan jerawat dan ngga bikin kayak topeng di muka. Kalo ada produk lain yang bisa cocok di muka saya sih, mungkin saya bakal pindah ke lain hati.

Eye Concealer : Bio Detox Organic from Bourjois $$. Ternyata concealer ini ngga cocok buat saya yang kulit kelopak matanya tergolong normal, akibatnya jadi mudah kering dan tidak bisa menyatu di kulit. Produk ini cocoknya buat yang kelopak matanya berminyak. Saya salah beli nih. Biasanya pakai Healthy Mix Correcting Concealer dari Bourjois juga, tp saat itu stok-nya habis. Harga Bio Detox atau Healthy Mix concealer sekitar 150ribuan.

Eye Shadow : #5 Rose Vintage + #12 Gris Lilac + #5 Mordore Chic (all from Bourjois $$)  and #465 Moonshine Meadows from Max Factor $. Produknya lumayan bagus (taunya dari online review sih), tapi entah mengapa… eye shadow trio saya jadi mengeras dan sulit diaplikasikan. Kata mbak-mbak di counter Bourjois sih, itu karena pallete-nya berada di udara lembab atau terkena air. Jadinya setiap mau make, kudu dikerok dulu supaya dapet lapisan yang bisa nempel di kelopak mata dengan baik. Ujungnya boros ya, jeuuung! Trus, saya kan makenya pakai gagang aplikator pendek dari Bourjois, jadi rada susah tuh untuk blending warna. Berhubung teknik menggunakan eye shadow belum saya kuasai, ya hasilnya begitu-begitu aja. Tapi kapan pinternya kalo nggak nyoba. Iya nggak? Apalagi harganya lumayan nohok juga, sekitar 150ribuan per set. Sayang kalo nggak dipake.

Blush : from Caring Colors $. Blush on ini light banget warnanya, tp lumayan bisa memberikan kesegaran tersamar di wajah saya (halahh…). Dulu beli ini karena harganya murah dan warnanya natural. Tapi ya gitu deh, nggak ada efek shimmering-nya dan paling sejam doang bertahan di pipi.

Lipstick : C11, B23 and B43 all from Maybelline $. Saya kurang konsentrasi pada lipstick nih, padahal it will make a big difference once kita dapet yang cocok dengan kulit bibir, tone wajah, baju, dan suasana. I’m still in process in finding my true-lipstick-mate.

Lip Gloss : SpiceBerry from Smashbox (oleh-oleh dari Dike) and #13 from Body Shop. Dipakenya kalo inget aja, padahal lip gloss itu penting banget untuk kasih sheer dan volume pada bibir kita. Dasar saya pemalesan sih!

Eyebrow pencil : Black from Viva 20ribuan. Juara banget. Murah, warnanya mantep. Sayangnya udah murah begitu, masih juga ada yang malsuin. BT juga kalo dapet yang palsu, gampang patah dan susah diserut.

Eyeliner : Black Eyeliner Pencil from Oriflame. Hmm, gimana yah? Berhubung saya newbie, jadi beli yang pensil. Waktu itu sempet dibeliin My Darling liquid eyeliner (bagus dan murmer sekitar 15ribuan) sama kakak ipar, tp selalu gagal make-nya so saya jd males deh. Ntar mau nyoba eye liner yang direkomendasiin Dike, yaitu Maybelline Eye Liner Pencil. Murah, meriah dan hasilnya wah, gitu katanya.

Mascara : Volume Express Turbo Boost from Maybelline $. Direkomendasiin temen2 yang rajin pake mascara ke kantor. Lumayan nambah volume tp ngga menggumpal dan cukup terasa ringan di pelupuk mata saya. Harga bersahabat. Mungkin teknik mengaplikasikannya aja yang perlu saya asah supaya optimal.

Brushes : Masami Shouko and Guardian drug-store blush brush. Nyoba yang murah dulu ah, sambil mikir dan ngerasanin diri sendiri “Am I really into it?”. Hasilnya yaaah, lumayan aja lah. Saya bakal kena kritik abis-abisan dari sang instruktur hehehe. Menurut sang instruktur tsb, rahasia make up ada pada kuas. “Beli deh kuas yang bagus, nggak papa mahal. Bisa awet dan bbrp malah bisa multi purpose. Nggak rugi deh!”. Harga kuas yang dia maksud ternyata selangit!

50rb-100rb $

100rb-200rb $$

200rb-300rb $$$

Nah, itulah daftar aset (atau kewajiban?) saya. Wiih, banyak juga kan? (kuantitas, my friend… belom ke kualitas heuheu…karena koleksi saya soooo last decade alias jadul!). Semoga semangat baru ini nggak cepet luntur, ditelan kesibukan dan kemalasan.

Does my face need make up? What happens to inner beauty?

Sometimes boredom could be a good trigger to think about something (hopefully) more energizing and productive. So when I am feeling a bit low, I decide to give myself a second thought about what might be important in my daily routine other than being grumpy at the office about my kryptonite and catching up the commuter line to/from work.

And I find one of them. The make up. I never realized that just thinking about me, in prettier and better look, has lifted my mood most of the time as high as 1000%.

Back then when I was a teenager, I always thought it was not cool to wear make up; it was like a scary mask that cover up the truth. Kinda distrusted the most important part of yourself. Nay. Not me. When I was in my 20s, I never thought that I needed to wear it. Light-colored lipstick did fine for me to go around the campus; of course, totally unnoticed by every cool guys there. When I was in my 30s, my eyes couldn’t be fooled anymore: women do look better when they are wearing suitable and decent make up, no matter what lies inside (we’re not talking about kindness and compassion and good heart, as well as intelligence). But with the baby coming out, back to school matters, and more works at the office, I barely had time to learn and practice it properly.

Then, my 40s will come pretty soon, just in couple of years. And when I looked at the mirror, I couldn’t help raising my eye brows, asking “What have (not) I done to my face?”. I surely do put some items on my face but I still have no idea about make up. I bought some make up then threw them away untouched.

Now I finally consider it important… and urgent. Not because I don’t believe in inner beauty anymore, or because I was intimidated by glamour (a.k.a. threatening) beauty around me, or because I have lost my self-confidence in going natural (the term ‘natural’ has changed, by the way. It now means wearing make up but succesfully “look stunning without too much effort”). Definitely not because I'm going into the 40s tick-box.

The reasons are so simple, at least for me. It’s been 6 months since the first time I walked and started running on treadmill; it was 2 months ago that I developed fondness of running outdoor. And despite the challenges to take off my butt from the bed early in the morning, it was all fun. No pressure. Targets are made to be broken occassionally when things went so wrong after I started. So why not try on something new, something definitely as fun, something that make you see and feel better about life?

Wearing or not wearing make up could be a way to respect and live your own values. Mine are not clearly defined, but I’m a big fans of equality and acceptance, and I believe in hard work (smart work is already included). So when I popped out from ‘make-over box’, I want to feel the same comfort and confidence as while I’m not wearing make up at all. I am not in the effortlessly beautiful crowds. Just like any other things in my life that I have to do or give up something to get something, beauty surely costs me many things. But I’m ready to get more serious in that field (although I won’t make the make up essentials as my staples).

Lastly, I already have some basic items that I rarely use. It would be such a waste if I don't use it. Anything under our control that has already cost you but not generating any benefit is considered liabilities. So, let's turn my limited collections into assets!

The point is, I want to have more fun. There are a lot of other things in life considered uncontrollable, messy and pathetic. I could deal with some, but some were not that easy or they are beyond my power. So even if people don't see me the same way, just let me feel  beautiful and gorgeous!

I wouldn’t ask for more.

Except Naked pallete from Urban Decay, Orgasm Blush from Nars, Mary Loumanizer from theBalm, Sigma brush set, and maybe couple of lipsticks and lip gloss. LOL.