Beauty Tricks Blog

The people who know me know that I am a shopaholic in the blood. Though my shopaholic spirit doesn’t happen everyday, it definitely happens more than once a full moon time.

These days, I have been obsessed to catch up with my beauty product stock. I used to have so many stock that whenever I think of doing a facial mask, I had to literally spend 5 minutes to pick through my stock. Yea, call me crazy. If I am not that obsessed, how could I even build a beauty product review site? I guess you all benefit from the review site to a certain extent, at least you have something to make reference to when you want to try a new product.

Since I reckon that my stock was getting less and less, I decided to splurge some money in the category. Some of them I did some research on, and some of them I just felt like buying along the way. The attached photos are my new “family members” added to my beauty family in the past 2/ 3 weeks (of course, reviews will be added to Beauty Product Review once they are thoroughly tested by me *smiles*).

Talking about mushroom maniacs, I am definitely one of the mentioned kind. I love mushrooms mostly because they don’t taste “grassy” and they give out “meat”-taste but are regarded as one of the most healthy food to eat, mainly due to their abilities of reducing cholesterol level in our systems. Sounds good huh?

“Mushroom Ragout

Prep and Cook Time: 3 hours, including soaking time
Makes: About 10 to 12 servings
Notes: You can make the recipe through step 2 a day ahead. Cover beans and chill in the cooking liquid. Before proceeding with step 3, drain beans, reserving liquid.

½ lb. dried cannelloni or small lima beans
1 whole carrot
1 whole celery stalk
1 peeled halved onion, plus 1 chopped onion
4 whole garlic cloves, plus 3 chopped cloves
2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, plus ½ cup chopped leaves
2 sprigs thyme
6 black peppercorns
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2½ lbs. Wild mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned, and cut into large bite-size pieces
About 1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Put cannelloni beans in a medium pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and turn off heat. Let sit 1 hour.

2. Drain beans, then return to pot and add carrot, celery, halved onion, whole garlic cloves, parsley sprigs, thyme, and peppercorns. Cover with water by 1 in. and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook until beans are tender, 1 to 1½ hours. Discard vegetables and herbs and let beans cool. Drain, reserving liquid, and set liquid and beans aside.

3. Put 1 tbsp. olive oil, mushrooms, and 1 tsp. salt in a large (not nonstick) frying pan over high heat. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms stop giving off liquid and start to brown. Transfer to a large bowl.

4. In same frying pan over medium-high heat, add remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil and chopped onion. Cooked until onion is soft, 3 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vinegar and cook, scraping up to any brown bits, until pan is almost dry. Return mushrooms to pan along with reserved beans and ¼ cup reserved bean-cooking liquid. Cook, stirring, until well combined and hot. Stir in chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or warm.

Per Serving: 128 Cal., 26% (33 Cal.) from Fat; 6.6 G Protein; 3.7 G Fat (0.5 G Sat.); 19 G Carbo (3.7 G Fiber); 200 MG Sodium; 0 MG Chol.”

(sources: extract from Sunset Magazine November 2007 issue)

It’s been awhile since I added a personal entry here, so I thought, “maybe it’s about time to be all about me this time!” Voila.

These days, I have suddenly become superwoman magically and mysteriously to fight against those weirdos, monsters or people who threaten the “world” at my new work place. Too bad, I am missing the movie fun of slapping their faces, gripping their necks or even kicking their butts. I could just deal with them mentally/ verbally but not physically (that’s why my brain cells start to die so fast).

It’s really a struggle at work everyday (I’ll assume many of you feel the same), I start to think in addition to giving myself beauty treats, I should give my stomach good treats from time to time (as I need energy to fight). So, I start developing a passion for cooking, experiencing different flavors and cuisines. I think cooking helps get my mind off the negative thoughts and boost my creativity and sense of fulfillment once the “creation” is completed. I even start sharing our (me and my other cooking buddies’) recipes collection by posting them in our Cooking Recipe Site - I Cook Everything. I don’t know how many of you love to/ need to cook, but I hope you would have one more location for look for your favorite dish recipe when you cook next time. Have fun, the photos in the cooking recipe site are absolutely “delicious”. Browse around and locate your next great dish!

“…that have nothing to do with diet or exercise

1. Open door. Go to park.
British researchers recently found that strolling in a park reduced tension twice as much as walking indoors. Just eyeing pictures of nature has been shown to lower blood pressure and muscle tension within five minutes.

2. Dust off your uno deck.
Bowling, sand-castle building, Scabulous - turns out games are more than fun. ‘Playing seems to improve immunity and help people rebound from illness,’ says Stuart Brown, M.D., who researches the health benefits of play.

3. Love your body more.
In one recent study, women who liked their bodies (even if they were overweight) felt sick about 30 percent less often than women who wished they were thinner. ‘Feeling bad about yourself activates stress centers in the brain that can actually lead to disease,’ explains study author Peter Muenning, M.D.

4. Get to a pool and float.
Recent Swedish research found that floatation therapy in a silent, water-filled tank can reduce pain and speed healing. Lying back in a quiet pool for 20 minutes could boost health too, says the study’s coauthor, Sven-Ake Bood, Ph.D.: ‘Floating produces a deep state of relaxation in the body.’

5. Hug someone.
Cuddling, hugging or even just holding hands can trigger the release of oxytocin, ‘a hormone that has been shown to reduce stress, improve immune function and increase cardiovascular health.’ says James Fallon, Ph.D., professor of human behavior at the University of California, Irvine.”

Personnally, I love Tip 5 the best! It surely gives an excuse to hug more. What are you waiting for? Go hug someone! *smiles*

(sources: Glamour August 2008)

Everyone who knows me knows that I love the sun but hate the humidity in the summer time (it’s really hot and humid in Hong Kong), not to mention the sicky yucky STICKY feeling that comes with it. So, it has always been a headache for me to find the right face cream and body lotion in the summer time, as the stickiness would only make me feel even “hotter”.

I have dry skin, so I can’t really go without putting cream on my face at night, as this would only dry out my skin further. However, when I put on some cream or lotion on my face, it makes me feel like it’s never gotten absorbed and I will have a terrible oily face the next day when I wake up. But since I am not a person who gives up easily, I keep looking and trying. Finally, I found my best friend – Jamieson Aloe Vera Soothing Moisturizing Gel – which could finally accompany me through the summer time.

I have used some of the other aloe vera gels before, but I found most of them leave a sticky feeling on skin afterwards. However, Jamieson’s is quite different. It is of a greenish gel texture and I apply a thin layer on face and massage it in. It is totally absorbed after a minute and it doesn’t leave any trace on skin. I apply it before going to bed at night and I don’t have the oily face next morning; I wake up only to find a moisturized and brightened up face. The bonuses are that my pores appear smaller and blackheads are less stubborn. I even recommended it to a friend whose face is bothered by pimples and she has been using it for a week and she experiences an improvement on her face (which I am glad for her!). Oh, not only it can be used as a moisturizer, it can also be used as a moisturizing facial mask – what a treat!

If you can’t find anything to put on your face in this dreadful summer time, I recommend you try this aloe vera gel and see if you would like it as much as I do. *winks*

There is no such a thing called “too much veggies and fruits” and since it’s good for our systems and great diet companion, I figure I would share another delicious salad recipe here, it’s great for a party item too:

“Radicchio Salad with Citrus, Dates, Almonds, and Parmesan Cheese

Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes
Makes: About 25 servings
(if you are doing it for a party) Notes: Assemble the ingredients for this salad the morning of the party – segment the citrus, slice the dates, chop the almonds, shave the cheese into curls with a vegetable peeler – and then toss them together when you’re ready to serve, to keep the dates from getting mushy. The dressing can be made up to 1 week ahead and chilled.

1 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with ½ tsp. coarse kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 grapefruit
3 navel oranges
1½ cups pitted whole Medjool dates (about 15)
2 large heads radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup parmesan cheese shavings (each about 1 in.; see Notes), divided
¾ cup roasted almonds, divided

1. In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine garlic paste, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Cap jar and shake vigorously until dressing is emulsified.

2. With a small, sharp knife, cut ends off grapefruit and oranges. Working with 1 fruit at a time, set it cut side down on a cutting board. Following curve of fruit with knife, slice off peal and white pith. Cut between inner membranes and peel. Pour off juices (or just pour into a glass and drink) too keep salad from getting soggy.

3. Thinly slice dates and add to bowl along with radicchio, ½ cup parmesan shavings, and ¼ cup almonds. Pour dressing over salad; toss thoroughly to coat. Turn salad onto a large platter or into a bowl and top with remaining ½ cup parmesan and ½ cup almonds.

Per Serving: 130 Cal., 52% (68 Cal.) from Fat; 3.8 G Protein; 7.6 G Fat (1.7 G Sat.); 13 G Carbo (2 G Fiber); 161 MG Sodium; 3.9 MG Chol.”

(sources: extract from Sunset Magazine November 2007 issue)

It’s time to love and enjoy the sun, but what about you accidentally get a sunburn? Hope the following remedies could ease your pain *oops*,

“If your burn isn’t too bad, slit an aloe leaf and apply it to the skin to relieve stinging and redness. But if you need to soothe vast swaths of your sunburned skin, break open a few aloe leaves and float them in a cool bath. Soak for ten minutes.

Dump half a jar of Nestea in a bath, and soak.

Steep two regular tea bags in boiling water. Let cool. Pat the bags on your face for five to ten minutes. The tannic acid draws out the burn. (This will soothe any burn, not just sunburn.)

Take Advil or another over-the-counter anti-inflammatory every four hours to reduce redness and sooth the swelling.

Apply an antioxidant cream - with green or white tea, vitamin E, or shea butter - or lavender oil, which can reduce the redness and neutralize free-radical damages.

Drink lots of water - you’re likely to be dehydrated, and it will make you feel better.

To prevent blisters: Apply a compress soaked in red wine vinegar and ice to sun-baked skin.

To soothe peeling skin: Dip a cloth in a mix of half cool water, half apple cider vinegar, and pat it on bits of peeling skin on chest or shoulders. Apply moisturizing body oil. Certain oils (buckthorn, sweet almond, sesame) not only act as intense moisturizers, they absorb more quickly into the skin, and you’ll see faster results.”

(sources: extract from Fast Beauty: 1,000 Quick Fixes by Rona Berg)

Want something a little different and a bit more fulfilling than a regular salad? Why not try something more of an Asian style? See if you like this:

“Glass Noodle Salad with Shrimp

Prep and Cook Time: About 40 minutes
Makes: 8 first-course servings
Notes: This colorful salad has a light, sweet-tart dressing punctuated by pickled garlic. The salad and dressing can be prepared through step 2 up to 1 day ahead; cover separately and chill.

6 ounces boned, skinned chicken breast
4 ounces dried bean threads (saifun) or dried angel hair paste
6 ounces shelled cooked tiny shrimp, rinsed
½ cup slivered red onion
½ cup chopped pickled garlic
¼ cup slivered red or yellow bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
3 tablespoons liquid from pickled garlic
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
About 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce or about ½ teaspoon salt
5 cups baby arugula leaves or baby salad mix (5 oz.), rinsed and crisped

1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 1½to 2 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse chicken; chop into ¼ -inch pieces. Add bean threads or angel hair paste to boiling water and stir to separate; cook until barely tender to bite, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook just until chicken is white in center of thickest part (cut to test) and noodles are tender, about 1 minute. Drain noodles and chicken; rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.

2. In a bowl, combine noodle mixture with shrimp, red onion, picked garlic, bell pepper, cilantro, and green onion. In a small bowl, mix liquid from picked garlic, lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce to taste.

3. Just before serving, combine dressing with noodle mixture. Divide arugula equally among dinner plates, or arrange all on a large platter. Mound glass noodle salad on or next to greens. Drizzle any remaining dressing left in bowl over arugula.

Per Serving: 157 Cal., 5% (8.1 Cal.) from Fat; 11 G Protein; 0.9 G Fat (0.2 G Sat.); 27 G Carbo (1 G Fiber); 291 MG Sodium; 54 MG Chol.”

(sources: extract from Sunset Magazine August 2004 issue)

Cod Fillet with Vegetables (Serves 1) (104 kcal)

Ingredients

Steps
1. Cut the cod fillet into 3 pieces.
2. Cut carrot into 4cm long stripes, and cut the broccoli. Slightly cook in boiling water.
3. Pour chicken stock, cooking wine, soy sauce salt and ginger into a pot, bring to boil over medium heat. Add cod fillets and carrots stripes into the pot and cook until the fillet is done. Then add broccoli and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and serve.

(recipe source from the Japanese book called Extra Fat, Goodbye)

Need something crunchy and fulfilling yet healthy as a regular meal? Why don’t you experiment this different version of Icebox Salad and see if you love it:

“The top layers of chopped vegetables keep the dressing from soaking and wilting the bottom layer of lettuce. Believe it or not, this salad improves after a few hours in the refrigerator. The dressing works its way into the peas, cucumbers, and radishes, the flavors meld, and the vegetables become sweeter.

Prep Time: 45 minutes, plus at least 2 hours to chill
Makes: 12 servings
Notes: To prepare fresh peas, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add peas and 1 tsp. salt. Boil for 1 minute, drain and plunge peas into ice water to stop cooking. Drain peas and proceed with step 5.

2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
1 small head romaine lettuce
10 oz. sugar snap peas
1 bunch radishes (about 12)
1 English cucumber
4 green onions
1 package (10 oz.) frozen peas or 2 cups shelled fresh peas (see Notes)
3 tbsp. olive oil
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly grounded black pepper
2 tbsp. minced fresh dill
4 large leaves fresh mint, minced
½ cup finely chopped chives (about 1 bunch)

1. Line a fine-mesh strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth and put strainer over a bowl. Put yogurt in strainer, cover with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes.

2. Tear romaine into bite-size pieces, rinse, and dry thoroughly between layers of paper towels. Arrange lettuce evenly in a 9- by 13-in. baking pan or other 2-qt. Dish.

3. Chop sugar snap peas and arrange evenly on top of lettuce. Wash, trim, and thinly slice radishes. Arrange them on top of sugar snap peas.

4. Peel cucumber, halve lengthwise, and, using a spoon, scoop out and discard pulpy flesh and small seeds in the center. Cut each cucumber half lengthwise again and chop. Arrange cucumber on top of radishes. Trim green onions, thinly slice white and light green parts, and sprinkle evenly on top of cucumber.

5. If using frozen peas, put in a colander or strainer and run under hot water for 1 to 2 minutes to thaw. If using fresh peas, follow cooking instructions in Notes. Dry peas thoroughly on paper towels and sprinkle evenly over green onions.

6. Transfer yogurt to a bowl (discard liquid beneath strainer). Stir in oil, salt, and pepper, then stir in dill and mint. Spread yogurt mixture evenly over salad and sprinkle with chives. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Serve cold, cut into 12 pieces.

Per Serving: 95 cal, 39% (37 cal) from fat; 4.7 G Protein; 4.2 G Fat (0.8 G Sat.); 10 G Carbo (2.5 G Fiber); 205 MG Sodium; 2.3 MG Chol.”

(sources: extract from Sunset Magazine July 2007 issue)