Wakilala - Solution for Dark Armpits


Ahhhh... dark armpits! I think it looks really " not nice '' especially for people who likes to wear sleeveless clothing. But then, nobody wants to have dark armpits, so here comes the wakilala!

I was introduced this brand long time ago, I used this before and the result is very clear and almost instant. Some pregnant lady tend to have darker armpits, well, I'm one of them. Few weeks ago, when I was trying to remove a toothpaste stained on my glass mirror, I noticed my armpits looks so dark and it horrified me. I quickly tell my hubby and I showed him my dark armpits, yes, hubby is so straight forward too. He told me my armpits look so dark and dirty as if I'm never wash my armpit at all during my shower. Oh dear...

The next day, I went to Sasa and bought a set of wakilala, a tube of exfoliating cream and a bottle of armpit toner. I went home happily and immediately popped into shower AGAIN!

So, I applied the exfoliator onto my dry armpits and massage it gently for few minutes, then, add some tap water and massage it for another few seconds. Later on, I went for shower. Using a cotton pad, apply the armpit toner, apply onto the dark area, more like rubbing of the dark stain at my armpits.
Have a look on the cotton pad, yucks! the dirt on my armpit was transferred to the cotton pad.  Well, I would say the exfoliator and the armpit toner works really well also it deodorize any body odour too.

I have been using it for weeks now, the results is good but because the main cause of having dark armpits is due to pregnancy pigmentation I only hope it reduces the appearance of dark armpits instead of getting back my fair armpits. Haha... too much information!  Some people will have darker bikini lines too, and this can be used around the bikini area too.

All in all, I really enjoy using this Wakilala set. It doesn't mean this set targeted consumer must have dark armpits/ bikini line, those who have body odour can use this too because it smells really clean and fresh. Unlike other deodorant in the market, which actually blocks your sweat glands to keep you smell good, but this actually works like a sterilizer, killing/removing the smelly bacteria from your armpit surface to keep you fresh. At the end of the day, you'll still sweat, but with nice smell.

My Pregnancy Skincare

Good morning.... I think for being able to wake up early in the morning feel so amazing. I know that are days that I dragged my body out of the bed and feel terrible too. Anyway, I hope today will be a productive day for me. 

Getting into pregnancy during my 1st trimester, well, my skin feel so dry which I ended up signing a lot of intensive hydration treatment for my skin because my face feel itchy and flakes. Later on, when I entered my 2nd trimester my skin condition become better and people starts to give some good compliments on my skin condition even I've no makeup on or only have a touch of powder and eyebrow powder. However, when I entered my 3rd trimester (currently week 37) my skin gets oily easily and with little red spots (acne), also it is so true that pregnant lady got skin pigmentation easily.  Anyway, I'm enjoying the whole pregnancy process because who doesn't get excited to be a momma!

Let's see what I've for my cleansing routine...

1. Cellnique Vital Repair Cleansing Milk - since I don't really put on tons of makeup I think using this makeup remover will be just fine for my skin. I like how it smells very vanilla and coconut -ish. Pump out as a lotion to cream texture and apply all over the face. Gently massage to remove any dirts then rinse of with water or use a cleansing towelette. I like how gentle it is but I definitely wouldn't recommend for people who have heavy makeup.

2. Aveeno Brightening Cleanser - this is a drugstore products and smells so nice. I like how the liquid cleanser looks, very fine shimmery and glowy. Normally I use 1-2 pumps, mix with water and massage onto my face. It is very gentle and not to drying. I always have issue with drugstore cleanser because most of them makes my skin feels too dry and flakes, glad that this works. Also, it has a brightening effects, so it is great for dull and spotted skin.  Somehow, I don't think it has any significant brightening effect on me.

3. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser - this stuff is amazing. I mean if your budget is there, try this, you'll never regret of getting it. It foams up nicely but most important is, it doesn't stripped your skin. For those who has sensitive or dry skin, this will be something nice to have. It doesn't have any fragrance too. I will get the large tube after this little freebies ran out.

4. Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub - when your skin is dull a good facial is very helpful, but no one will have that much of time and money to visit a beauty salon regularly. I think this facial scrub is super gently and the little exfoliating bits is so fine. I mean, you certainly feel it but really not to be too worry that you'll over exfoliate your skin. It has the same smell like the Aveeno brightening cleanser. Some people like to use it daily, I don't see it will give any problems if use it daily but myself, I prefer to use it once or twice per week.

5. St.Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub - compare this one to the Aveeno scrub, this is way hard core. The bits are definitely bigger and grainier which is always more suitable to be used once a week or every two weeks. I like to use this in my deep cleansing routine which I will top up with a hydrating mask later on. Because the grains are very big, it is very easy to over scrub or hurt the skin if used too often. My face always feels amazingly soft and smooth after using this. And a drugstore product normally wouldn't hurt your wallet that much! 

Next, move to my toner, serum, lotion and eye care. I try to keep my skincare as simple as possible because I'm really not in the mood to spend tons of my times putting this and that on my skin... but it doesn't mean I don't care about my skin. I think a good skincare is keep things simple but choose those that works well and suits for your current skin needs.





After my cleansing routine, these are what I use for my skin =]

1. Kose Moisture Skin Repair - this is the 1st thing to use after my cleansing routine. Apply this onto clean, dry face before toner. It helps to increase the hydration level of skin, keeping it soft and supple. Normally I use 1 to 2 pumps and apply it all over, then top up with toner or face mist.

2. Kose Sekkisei Toner - mine is the Save the Blue environmental friendly edition, 2pumps onto cotton pads and wipe all over the face, then use the other side, pat in the remaining toner. This toner is light and cooling which makes my skin feels very nice and soothes. Sekkisei toner is also famous for its brightening effects. I don't really worry using toner like this because the ingredients are mainly chinese herbs. Sometimes, I soaks my cotton pads or a plain cotton face mask sheets with this toner and leave it on for 5mins. It brightening effects is very obvious and my skin temperature instantly decrease!

3. Kose Infinity Protective White XX - this bottle only consist of 40ml essence. Well, I think it works more like a serum which I use this after my toner. It has a runny texture, white in color and smell like most of the Kose Infinity products. I only use this during night time because I find the texture is slightly moist for day use, especially hot days. It claims to reduce pigmentation and dark spots, well,  as a pregnant lady and my pigmentation just pop out here and there, it is very hard for me to justify whether this really helps or not. But, I can certainly tell, my pigmentation is there but hardly noticeable after I put on my sunscreen and a thin layer of face powder. Also, the area of my pigmentation is spotty not patches.

4. Kose Infinity Serum Complete I - this is the moisturizer. I think this works very well during the night time. I think it is moist enough for my skin during the night time, not too oily and keep my skin really soft and smooth to the touch. Half pump and rub between my palms before apply onto my face. This is be nice for people who have dry to combination skin but certainly not suitable for people with oily skin because it might be too rich/ overly moist. If the weather is cold and dry it can be used during the day, but in my country, I don't think it will feel that comfortable to use as a day time moisturizer. So, I only use this during the night.

5. Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturizer - oh my, my skin loves this so much! It truly keeps my skin hydrated but look fresh and clean. I think for those who have acne prone skin, this moisturizer will work just nice too. Very good skincare product for my current skin condition and budget friendly! I plan to buy another tube to use during my upcoming confinement.

6. 1st Aid Beauty Detox Eye Roller - this little glass tube comes with 8.5ml. First of all, I'm used to my Kose eye jelly as my eye area skincare and it has been so long that I didn't get hook up with any eye roller. When you wake up constantly during the night, running in and out from the toilet, I bet you the little panda will never leave your eyes. True! the next day, not only you look and size like a panda you also have puffy little CUTE eyes! So, I think this eye roller really helps my puffy eyes because the roller itself has a cool tingling effect for the eye area the massage effects also helps a lot too. This is a very small handy tube so I consider it to be travel friendly too. The liquid itself looks slightly shimmery but after apply the liquid just sink into the skin nicely and non sticky at all.

Overall, these are my little pregnancy skincare sets and reviews. Hopefully it will give some idea for mom-to-be. Just remember, pregnancy is a very enjoyable process, no matter how tired you are, do not forget to take care of you skin. The products that you use doesn't need to be high end/ expensive, as long as it works and suits your skin, just go for it. Just make sure it is safe for pregnancy will do.

Have a nice day!

Leg Rescuer: Mama Bee Leg & Foot cream


Having swollen legs during the late pregnancy is normal but it will always be nice if there's something to be there to help sort out the problems.

During me late 2nd trimester I noticed I've slight, just very slight swollen legs which mainly targeted around the ankles and a little sore at my calf, but it was bearable. I'm very cautions with products that I'm going to use, so I searched and watched some Youtube videos, most people recommend Burts Bee and good to know that it is made from naturals ingredients. So, I ordered a tube of Mama Bee leg & foot cream. It has a mixture of reviews from internet but because I'm so eagerly to make my legs and feet feel better, I placed my order.

The scent is very fresh sort of minty and upon application it feels cool and nice. It comes out as a white thick cream and all you have to do is rub onto your swollen legs, ankles... wherever you need it. I really enjoy the cool, tingling sensation, around 5mins later, I will put on my compression stockings and off to bed.

Oh well, there are days where I only put on cream and have a good thorough massage around my calf, ankles and feet. It always feel nice after having a good massage around the legs. Some people even recommend to put a pillow under your leg before bed, which sort of lift the legs higher than usual so that the swelling can be reduced. Also, some people choose to soak their legs with warm water. The water should above your ankles and if possible fill the water until your knee and have your legs soak for 5-10mins with temperature around 40celcius. Anyway, if I'm just a housewife, I think I would really spend the time enjoy myself with all these but working is always tired especially if you're entering the final stage of your pregnancy.
So, after shower, I just rub the cream onto my legs, easy peasy!

I think using a compression stockings during your pregnancy really helps, especially for those lady who prone to have veriscous veins, swollen legs, overweight or those whose work requires a lot of walking and standing. I only use it during night time because I'm worried of the veins issues and also to reduce the swelling. There are a lot of brands and length in the market, somehow, I just prefer the length starts from my knee till my feet, personally I think it is easier to wear and I feel more comfortable with the shorter length.

Now, if your legs sore and swelling way too much, do visit your doctor and get advice from them. I hope my little sharing helps and have a nice motherhood journey!

Prenatal Supplements




 

These 3 supplements are the main which I have everyday. I took Pharmaton Matruelle since the beginning when I started to plan for pregnancy. One thing I really like about it is 1 capsule for everything. Well, sometimes, especially those busy days, it is quite hard to be compliance and consistently to have your supplements. I do miss out a day or two too. I will take 1 capsule right after I have my breakfast which I think is the best way to prevent miss out pill again. Aha~

During the night time, I will have 2 tablets of Moo (calcium) tablets before bed. This is a tricky one because when I'm too tired, all I can remember is the bed and Zzzzz.  Before I started to take calcium tablet, especially at the beginning of pregnancy, my legs tend to cramp a lot but after taking some calcium pills all things get better. Less body ache and less sore legs. Another thing is, it is made from milk instead of calcium carbonate which normally found from shells.

When I entered my 3rd trimester, my OB-GYN advised to add on fish oil which is very important for baby's brain development. Normally, I take the fish oil together with my prenatal multivitamins and have a chewable vitamin C. Fish oil can be very stinky sometimes which makes me want to vomit. 

All these 3 supplements are still recommended by my doctor as postnatal supplements especially if you are still breastfeeding.



Other than the 3 supplements above, my cousin sister is kind enough for sending me the pregnacare vitamins from UK. I tried it for 45days, so far so good. I think it will be good to take this during your early pregnancy because the content doesn't include omega/DHA. So, if you're in your 3rd trimester, you can always add on a capsule of fish oil (get those specially for pregnancy)!

Talking about the content from Pregnacare and Pharmaton Matruelle, a healthcare professional told me selenium plays an important role keeping the mother and little one from overly stressed. I, myself agreed very much with this fact. Also, selenium will reduce the risk of miscarriage too. 

Overall, I hope my little sharing helps. Have a nice day! Currently in week 36... weeeee~~




35 weeks


Entering week 35th makes me feel so excited but I started to feel anxious on certain things. 

Well, lets talk about physical changes. This week, I do really notice swelling on my feet and a slight numb sensation when I wake up or walk down the stairs. Not to very serious but I can feel it, so the Burts Bee Mama Bee foot cream come up for help for the time being.

Skin changes, more and more dark spots on my face and even my armpit and inner tight looks dark and dull. People said the dark spots on face will go off eventually after give birth and it is normal to have dark spots and skin looks dull and dark. Anyway, I bought my trusted Wakilala set last week from Sasa, so far it has been working quite nicely. At least, I saw some improvement on the pigmentation around my armpit. Shame!!!  As for my face, I just stick with my usual skin care regime because I'm so not in the mood with all these skincare and makeup stuffs at this moment.

Energy level, oh gosh, I think I nap almost everyday for an hour. Once my body touches the bed and pillow I just fell asleep. Even right now, 12.36pm, just afternoon, I already feel tired and sleepy. Today, I woke up at 9am doing nothing but boiling a big ceramic bowl of white fungus sweet soups for tea break. Energy level is low and got tired very easily although I only do a little bit of things. Hmm... which makes me even anxious on the preparation of hospital bags and baby stuffs.
 
Somehow, not all seems to be negative. I'm glad I have a good night sleep other than toilet visit during early morning or middle of the night. Sleeping side way definitely makes me feel better and less suffocating. As usual my nose blocked every single day for nothing, I don't sneeze but it just blocked! It goes off after 15-20mins after I off to bed. Also, the side that I sleep tends to have more pillow than my hubby. 2 pillows for my head, 1 small pillow for my face, 1 rectangular pillow for my tummy, 1 regular pillow for my feet, 1 bolster for my back and etc... Holy molly! One main reason why I need so many pillows because it makes the bed feel cozier and softer. I also need a pillow between my leg, I feel my muscle between my V area pain every single morning and once I stand up, I can hear bones cracking sound. Oh dear, I feel like an old granny!

By the way, I weighted at 81.5kg last Friday and baby at 2.53kg. Looking forward for next Friday OB-GYN visit. I walked like a penguin too. Many people advise me to walk more because it helps the delivery later. Some claim that my tummy looks huge whereas some think it looks cute. Huh... sometimes their compliment can be quite annoying for me. Oh well, too busy body I supposed.

I still left some bits and bops to purchase and to pick up, baby clothes, baby bed sheets, pillow cases to wash, bag to pack to be done. " Finger cross'' I can get all these done latest by next Sunday... hopefully things got ready without stressing myself too much.



29,30,31,32,33,34 weeks


 the most awkward position of taking photo (>.<)
taken during week 32th 

Ohhh... time flies and I'm getting really nervous but excited at the same time. Baby is growing and is moving sporadically these days. Despite of that, I also done a little bit of baby shopping which is so enjoyable. We'll touch to that in some other post. Besides, I'll be posting my pregnancy photo regularly the for the weeks to come.Getting into 3rd trimester feels like reaching target soon.... uhhhh.

One thing for sure is I'm getting tired easily these days. Also, I tend to feel hungry easily too. My appetite is good but I can eat up that much of food already because it is either making me feel too full or trigger stomach discomfort such as acid reflux and burping and indigestion problems. So, small and frequent meal is the best for the time being.

I'm craving for sweet things especially desserts a lot. Since I'm having gestational diabetes, I got slightly worried too. Anyway, when the cravings hit, I just need to eat the cakes and donuts, Man, it feels so good! but later on, I got to control my carbohydrates intake and poke my fingers to ensure my sugar level stays within the limit. hmm~

Well, for stretch marks, I don't know whether this is the genetic thing or what but I starts to have little strokes of stretch marks under my stomach. It is not nice at all! Although I have been using anti stretch marks cream and lotion twice daily, at the end, I still got to deal with it. Anyway, it is not a big issue.

Oh, any mom-to-be has the similar problem like I do? I pee on my panties few times when I cough or sneeze. Oh dear, it is really embarrass, but it is really hard to control not to accidentally pee on it. I feel want to pee all the time even if I had just finish the business in toilet.

Talking about sleep position, I used to sleep flat till week 31-32 ish? Well, I can't sleep in that 'comfy' position now, my whole body hurts the next day and I feel like I'm suffocating in the middle of night. I'm either lying on my left or right side or both side, depends how my baby wriggles, any side that both of us feels really comfortable. Visiting the toilet before bed is always very helpful because it ensures me a good rest. Normally, I will only need to visit the toilet somewhere around 6am or 7am OR if it were good enough, I can awake somewhere around 8-9am..Wee, happy mood!

Some people started to have restless leg syndrome (RLS) around 29weeks, but glad to tell, I don't. I have pain butt syndrome most of the time once entered this 3rd trimester. It gets so obvious when I got to sit patiently during Sunday service in church which I got to sit at the same spot for almost 2hours... oh, my butt just move a lot! to the left and to the right. Now, week 34th I started to feel the RLS. I noticed a minor swelling on my both legs, not to obvious but it is noticeable. I'm glad the Burts Bee MamaBee foot cream come to the rescue. Then, with the help of compression stocking, my legs feel much better the next day. I try not to stand or walk too much during working hour because I'm worried of thrombosis. Other than that, I think everything move on nice and smoothly! Thank God!