Road to Minimalism: Homemade/ DIY natural cosmetics

Oh well, look who's back? I'm still here. Enjoying life at the moment. Alright......

Let's get real!

Lately, I'm embracing minimalism to the core. From letting go of toxic friends and relationships that only put me into "mental patol" and a job that robbed my time with my family.

Going forward with my weirdo-ness...

I went all out with my spring cleaning and threw out 90% of my cosmetics that contains harmful ingredients and in plastic containers that can't be recycled.

I don't know if this is by product of me aging (*wink) or is it because a lot of things makes sense to me at this age, how we live our life everyday is mostly patterned with what we see on TV ( commercials, shops,etc.) And what celebrities are endorsing. That i just want to cover my ears, eyes and say enough! It makes me tired, stress and weak..... reading and researching about minimalism put me into that implications that I only need simple basic things for me to survive and live life happily with content. That everyday G is wondering what I'm up to and keeping me busy..reading..trying.. researching.

Yesterday, I formulated my first ever homemade deodorant, dry shampoo, changed my shower/bath products to only one bar soap that could wash my hair, body,face in one and it is handmade from Aleppo, Syria. The tawas that I bought from a vegan shop gave me so much pride coz it is made in Philippines.

Next project,to change my laundry washing soaps to a more sustainable- eco friendly one. My cleaning paraphernalias in the house are all eco friendly already- usually made out of vinegar-solution ,vodka-water solution or that with baking soda. Though still working hard on some cleaning solutions. Anyways,sharing this to inspire and I hope not to scare you what's up with me. But hey, I'm okay and this makes me so happy. I'm proud of myself. I hope i make a lot of sense here and I hope i inspire you in one way or another . 

Homemade Deodorant

 For this you'll need:

2 tbsps cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon essential oils ( of your choice)
2 tbsps of baking soda
1/2 cup of organic coconut oil
*mix them all in a double broiler with hot water until fully blend together.
*adjust the essential oils according to your preference or that the baking soda

Tested and proven that I don't smell stinky the whole day.l tried it while I'm out all day running some important errands under the now warm springy Polish weather. So far, I'm satisfied with the results. I will probably adjust my next formulation. :-)

Homemade Dry Shampoo

For this you'll need:

2 tbsps of cocoa powder -organic is the best

2 tbsps of cornstarch

drops of essential oils of your choice (optional) since the smell of the cocoa powder itself is great

A spice bottle that I bought in Flying tiger store (like a dollar store in Poland)

Test and review:

My son and daughter loves this formulation. It goes well with their hair colour and after two days of no shampoo they feel like no greasy  hair at all. I love it to my hair too.

homemade Coffee body/face scrub 

For this you'll need:

ground coffee - i recycled the coffee grounds that I have in that day's morning coffee

2 tbsps of coconut oil- I'm using organic from Philippines

mix all them so well and apply to your face and body twice a week. This bottle is also a recycled one from my empty moisturizer

Crsystal deodorant from Mydlarnia that cost 36pln

But, I found similar one and in cheaper price at  Rossman like so...

crystal deodorant for 13 Pln.

Who's into this minimalism thing, let me know!

I will be back for more DIY/ zero-waste recipes and if you tried this formulation, please let me know by commenting down below. Your words truly counts.

P.S. next post...probably, I'm selling my wardrobes. LOL

Have a great day folks!

XOAi

3 books about Philippines written by Polish authors

Filipiny - Philippines, the country I was born and culture I grow up with.

A lot have been written in other countries in Asia, but none much about my country. I'm so glad to have found some more travellers - Polish in particular, found an inspiration to write about my country. Not only about their travels or how to travel there, but how it is to live in the Philippines.

Twarze Tajfunu - written Małgorzata Szumska is a book and story about the author's unique travel to Philippines where she helped people devastated by the strong typhoon Yolanda, where she helped restore back their homes and found love, optimism in the endd at this great island paradise.

If you don't know much about my country, it is a Typhoon prone area. Typhoon is a common calamity and usually challenges us Filipino so well to remain strong despite of. 

How I wish I could give you a more wonderful narrative of this book, but due to my lack of knowledge of  the Polish language, I could only give you what I only know basing from the excerpt and what I understand.

Filipiny written by Anna Błażejewska . This book is purely a traveller's guide to Philippines, its islands and big cities. I've known Ania for quite awhile now from her blog wazji.pl . I love her photos of my country and she lived there for quite awhile before moving outside the Philippines. This book is wonderfully written and curated. 

Pod Ciemną Skórą Filipin written by Tomasz Omsiany is a book that my husband is currently reading. A book enrich with life learnings, where he visited some tribes and experience life by living with them.  How I wish again there is an English version of this book so that I could read it with thorough understanding. My husband find this book wonderfully written with much humor mixed into its stories. 

All of these, gave me such gratefulness that my country is slowly recognized not only with how beautiful our crystal beaches are, but how our history influence our culture in general. If you're Polish, perhaps you may want to grab a copy of these books. Links are in the descriptions....

Someday, (maybe) I'm going to write my own book about my quest here in Poland. Although, I did one with one of Polish author here about being a Filpina mum here. However, there is much difference when you put into words your experience with the culture, language and people.

Who knows! The ambitious me kicks in once again. But yeah, I always love to express my thoughts and experience through writing. I think growing up as a child with a diary in hand all the time could be blame with this secret ambition, that is no longer a secret.

*wink!

Alright, thank you for dropping by once again. 

Ai

xo

My 2017 Defining Moments!

2018 has begun and it is time for me to look back on my 2017 defining moments.
I don't want to focus on the worst things that happened last year, I'd rather focus on the good things for this is a great way to start the new year right.
 Let me start with my..

First moments:

• Visited  Niedzica castle and palace in Przyczna. 

Niedzica castle

• Went on a trek/hike in one of the highest mountain peak in Slovakia and in the Tatra mountain and visited the lake of love in Slovakia.

The Tatras

• Went on a water rafting course at Dunajec river Gorge. It is at Pieniny National Park. It is a lovely soothing 2-3 raft trip. 

• Went inside Slovakia's one of the highest and biggest cave, the Belianska's cave. A wonderful cave located in the Tatra National Park. Taking photos inside is strictly not allowed. But, it was a tough yet spectacularly wonderful trek inside.
• Actively participated in an expat group of bloggers that promotes Polish culture where we can alo share our experience living here. We created a Facebook page named, Hello Poland. Link is on the side of my screen, if you want to visit know more about Poland.
• Watched my very first concert and even had a 5 mins chat with Gregory Porter. If you know me, I'm a number 1 Jazz fanatic especially of that Gregory Porter's music. I had that amazing feeling when he hugged me for the first time and got ecstatic to see my CD signed by such amazing artist. With that...



Me with Mr. Gregory Porter

• I travelled for the first time through a very relaxing long train journey to Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot just to meet Mr. Porter.

• Visited/travelled to Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia (Tricity) for the very first time. I'm mesmerized by the city's old town and architectures. There's a different ambiance in the baltic sea.

• This year, I became a minimalist. I learnt what I want and needed to keep in my life.
• I was able to run my first grand prix in the city where we are currently living.

• 

  first time joining a grand prix. Despite I'm sick that time I pursue to run and join... this is such a goal.

• 
  

  
  

  I want to end this post from this quote from today's learning at #Brave2018Challenge 

 " Remember when you wanted what you currently have."

Looking back, this is what I really want to achieved and I could not say that 2017 is not a success after all. It was alll successfull. I made amazing things.

We'll see what 2018 has to offer. How about you, what are your defining moments? Don't only count the bad ones, okay?

See you soon...

xo
Ai

2017

2017 will come to an end. 2017 has been all about letting go of what is not but at the same time opening new doors to something new. It's all about reshaping and accepting.
2017 has been a year that I would always look back with a great smile on my face and proud of what I have accomplished.

A year for forgiveness to mend a broken heart and connecting new relationship.

As I say goodbye to 2017, allow me to extend my gratefulness for being there and i hope still reading my blog.

Today, I won't let the day pass by without greeting you all a Merry Christmas. As we greet in Polish, Wesoły Świąt!

xoAi

A tropical girl tips on how to survive the Winter in Poland - Part 1

The world is all white outside. It snowed hard for a couple of days here in Poland.

Oh well, I always like first days of snow though but then tend to dislike it when it started to melt that caused the streets ugly and filthy.

The first days of snow looks like this.....

Amazingly magical, isn't it? That's how I always describe white powdery snow when it's just freshly falling from the sky.

I have to admit that winter in Poland is beautiful and amazing especially if you are in the mountain top. Winter in the city when it is not snowing is harsh, ugly, boring, chaotic and depressing.

I'm lucky that I live in an area where I could experience and witness this magical snow experience in a whole different level. We are surrounded with fields of cabbages, carrots and potatotoes and that makes the white wintery snowy amazing to look at. Pity I didn't take a full walk in the fields these days. I have to do some photo walk so soon before all these snow melts away.

A lot have been asking me how I like the snow, much more how I survive the winter here since I came from a tropical country. Oh well, let me give you some of tips on how a tropical girl like me continue to live here despite the cold harsh winter. 

How to survive the winter in Poland. 

1. Build a snowman with your friends and with the whole family.

There is nothing more fun and entertaining in a snowy cold day than making a snowman. It is our fun time activity with my children.

Look!  our first snowman this year. 

A drunkard snowman who loves to drink Żubr beer. 

Meet our version of Olaf. 

Część, Jestem Olaf!

2. Dress up like a Ninja. 

Me, wrapping myself with layers of layers of warm knits and a big scarf. 

"There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes."

This is true. We call this way of layering clothes - dress up like onions. I always make sure that I'm wearing a warmer clothing and an appropriate shoes for the cold weather. 

Twinning with a colleague - we're too ready for the winter. 

3. Bake.

There is nothing more enjoyable when it is cold outside is to bake my hearts out for an afternoon of coffee and tea with my family or with friends. Apple pie is the best option for me this time since Apple is the fruit of this season.  I like apple pie and yearning to make them since then. I usually bake Polish pie called, Szarlotka, but then I always want to try the American pie. So, asked my fellow blogger friend Lois Britton of Polishhousewife blog for a recipe and somehow take some tips from her recipe since she's more expert in the kitchen than me. (Thank you, Lois!) 

My homemade Apple Pie

This is such a heart warming and so comforting pie over a coffee and tea. My house smells so lovely with the mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and apple. How is that? *wink

4. Go for a walk.

It doesn't matter if it is a short walk or a long walk as long as your body is moving and burning calories. It can be pretty boring staying indoors all the time when you aren't working. When I was still nurturing my children when they were still young, I go for a walk with them and pull them with a sledge. They love it and It is also good for my mind and body. 

Now that they are grown ups, we still go for a walk and find some hills and make fun sledging. ( Is that the term?). 

5. Find some winter sports or activity in the city where you live in Poland. 

There is always winter sports and activity that the city is organizing or a local group is organizing. There is the usual ice skating rink in the center of every city now in Poland. In Katowice there is one open in Spodek - Lodowisko Spodek or right infront of Spodek in a very wintery months usually opens in January to February.( I have to look up the schedules soon.) And in the city where we live there are lodowisko or skating rink as well where adults and children can enjoy. 

If you are more adventurous in nature, why not go for a weekend trip with family and friends in the mountain and enjoy a wintery walk over Tatras or nearby Polish winter resorts. This is one thing I would like to try someday, to spend winter in the Tatras and learn how to ski. Must be exciting! Polish mountains are spectacularly amazing, but note that it tends to get too crowded as well especially during winter vacations - feria zimowe. 

If you are more of an indoor person like me, watch winter sports on TV where Polish are fan of watching to support Polish team. I used to watch a lot of ski jumping because I just like watching Adam Małysz jumping. If you don't know him, he is one very popular world ski jumper in Poland. He retire from this ski jumping though and now into rally. So, I stop watching. But would love to watch it live. Polish ski jumpers are one of the finest in the world. 

Adam Małysz

I would like to try Morsowanie someday. I'm still thinking about this..i think It needs a lot of thinking If you know what that is, well, you will understand. It is where you run wearing your swimwear and dip yourself in the frosty lake or water. My friends are urging me to try and join them, but I think I need to encourage myself a gazzilion times for I don't like to bath in a very cold water. Although, It has its own health benefits. 

Let this photo explain itself. 

How are you there?

photo taken here 

These are 5 tips I know from a tropical girl like me on how to survive when it is winter in Poland.

If this does not persuade you to enjoy winter, then let me know.

I will come back for more tips soon. 

Enjoy snowy Poland and keep yourself warm.

XOAi