10.21.2008

孔子 - 禮運大同篇 Confucius - Liyun - The Conveyance of Rites


大道之行也,天下為公
When the great way prevails, the world is equally shared by all.

選賢與能
The talent and virtue are elected.

講信修睦
Mutual confidence was emphasized and brotherhood was cultivated.

故人不獨親其親,不獨子其子
Therefore, people regard all parents as their own, and treat all children as their own.

始老有所終,壯有所用,幼有所長
The elders can live in happiness, the adults are employed by their talent, the youths can grow and educate.

鰥、寡、孤、獨、廢疾者皆有所養
Widows and widowers, orphans, childless, ills and invalids are all well taken care of.

男有分,女有歸
Men and women all have an appropriate role in the society and family.

貨惡其棄於地也,不必藏於己
Nature resources were fully used for the benefit of all, and not appropriated for selfish ends.

力惡其不出於身也,不必為己
People contribute their ability to society and not for the private gain.

是故謀閉而不興,盜竊亂賊而不作
Thus evil scheming is repressed, and crimes fail to arise.

故外戶而不閉,是謂大同
So the doors do not have to be shut. This is called "the Age of Great Harmony".

10.08.2008

Sautéed ??!! Which language is that?!

from www.verb2verbe.com


The word Sautéed "I guess" is originally from the French word Sauter. Means jump or here in the cuisine term, make food jump in the pan - fry. So here above the french word's conjugation table. That the verb Sauter is the actual action. The past tense is Sautée. That's what we often see on the Chinese menu in France, or in some Haute Cuisine (high end) restaurant in english speaking countries.

So where is this Sautéed came from?
If we study the word orthographically. "Sautéed" is a past tense of Sauté?
I'm very confused. But it is ridiculously true that in American English. Sauter became Sauté, which is already a misspelled from the french past tense Sautée. And it is not the end. Guess what? The verb in action is Sautéeing.

I can imaging how french speaking people are having a good laugh about it. And since the word is not existed in Oxford dictionary. I really wonder who the heck was the one invented this odd urban word by reason of lack of language knowledge? Simply wanted to americanizing the french or to evaluating the american?

So how about the word "Déjà vu" ? Is there any Déjà vued or Déjà vuing? And how about Prêt-à-porter in prêt-à-ported and prêt-à-porteing? Critiqued and Critiqueing?

10.03.2008

My acne war - Best products to have a healthy skin!



I used to have a perfect skin that everyone jealous about, and even at my not so young age now, I still have a so called great skin without showing a winkle. But ever since I stopped my birth control pills few years back, and a severe sun allergy while I was working in Miami 4 years ago. My skin just went fatally wrong with pimples and pigments. I've went through all products and visited many famous doctors and consultants, and of course I ended up spent tons of money and guinea pigged myself to many odd cures and got even more allergies.

Anyhow. When I finally sort of lost hope on my adult acne problem. My Gynecology doctor told me that she can cure it easily at once, but before she magic wands me with any medical cure which may toxic me in and out. She wants me to start with a few simple products first to be safe.
She suggested me to use alternatively on every second day with Dial Antibacterial Complete Foaming Hand Soap US$2.19, Phisoderm Deep Cleaning Cream Cleanser US$4 and Proactive US$39.95. But a hand soap?!! Are you sure?
Yes. No kidding. I can almost see her nodding firmly over the phone. The correct way to clean your face is to wash it gently with mousse, and never scrub it. She added.

So that's how I having my skin back to it's beauty self by cleaning my face with an Antibacterial foaming hand soap. But damn! That hurt like hell when I just started. It was like a thousand and million's miniscule needles sting my face all over, and it hurts even more and stretchy once I dry my face. I then have to put on a very gentle and expansive cream right the way on my face to calm it down. Of course. I was mumbling at my doctor for a while with many doubts, but yet I'm still washing my face with this killer hand soap every second day which can shrink my acne properly and disappear faster too.

I know the pain when I wash my face with it was from all my acne wounds and over scrubbed thin skin, that antibacterial soap is cleaning those nasty acne bacteria living in my pores. And within about only 2 weeks. I don't feel pain anymore when I wash my face. With the combination of PH balance Phisoderm and the famous Proactive. They've not only largely improved my skin condition, they've also refined my pore, can cleaning up black heads.
And now, I'm healing my acne scars and detoxing my skin with a very gentle, herbal J.B. Elements mask from jenbeauty US$99 (very expansive). And hopfully I can finally have my perfect skin back very soon and say bye to concealer.


April 2009 update:

Two Galenic Cauterets thermal spring water based products are efficient to your acne and gentle to your skin.

Purifying Cleanser Gel & 3 in 1 Clarifying Mask (These products has been discontinued)


March 2010 update:

I now very careful on what i eat. No chocolate, no fried food and less meat. And also found or readapted some other good solutions to replace the maybe harmful Proactive & expansive J.B. Elements mask.

Galenic Cauterets Purifying Correcting Concentrate-15ml (US$ 22)
a small tube but you only need a little drop per acne day & night or as often as need. The gel is transparent and can use under or over the make-up.



RareMinerals Blemish Therapy US$ 28
It's a very nature powder to dry out the pimples and cure them fast. Great to use after popped white or black heads on the nose before sleep and wake up with clean and pore less nose. And it works also like concealer under and over make-up.



Tända Clear Acne Light Therapy Treatment (Blue) US$ 250 (US$ 75 / head)
Very expansive but it's much better than applying lots product on the skin and it works like charm and effortless to disappear the early pimples, calm the acne area, shrink the mature ones and heal quick the popped ones.



But before you spend any dime on all these products. The greatest and most nature magic wand is ... EGG WHITE.
It's the cheapest collagen, cleaning and firming mask in the world and it's magically fast. Just use the rest of the egg white after your morning omelet or save the entire egg white in a small bowl, or even in a Muji transparent tube while you travel. Use it before make-up or after cleaning your face before putting on night cream before sleep. Add a little bit salt for severe acne victims. But be careful. The egg white dries fast. Wash it off before it dried too much to avoid the possible winkles and damage the skin.

September 2013 update:

Some products I've mentioned previously might has been discontinued or not specially safe to use...
Some more products and methods here work amazingly good and practically no more breakout so I can finally healing my acne scars and feeling confident.

My top product now to balance my skin is

Biologique Recherche Lotion P50W US$ 24 - 57 - 88 (depend on the size)
This high technology cosmetic line from France is pricy but you will love how your skin turns out.

Texture: Clear liquid.
What it does: Balance, clear and renew your skin all in one.
Result: Clear and healthy glow skin in just few weeks. You pretty much no need any other skin care product anymore unless you have other special issue. 
Important: 3 formulas - P50, P50V, P50W. (Strong, less strong and mild)
How to use: Pour on a cotton pad then dabbing on your skin day & night or only night. Water moist the cotton pad before pouring the lotion for sensitive skin type.
A biggest size can last for 2 to 3 months.

The company has a luxury Spa on Champs Elysées in Paris, where you can also do your hair and purchase all their products.

I first used the original P50 suggested by my physician, the strong version for mature skin, it tingles a lot and has a strong medical smell which is not very southing before sleep. It clears out my skin by forcing break out like crazy for a week then my skin look much better and healthier by the coming weeks. After my first bottle, I went to the Spa in Paris and the physicians there suggested me to picked up the mild version P50W because is safer, much less smell and more comfy to use. 

They've also suggested me to use another very pricy Biologique Recherche Serum 3R (170 Euro) to fade my Acne scars, sun spot and prickles. It works magically so far or at least I don't need an heavy laser treatment.


And just in case if you like to go for a more organic way...

Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar US$ 38.  is magic!


Texture: Solid clay in bar shape.
What it does: Clean, detox & dry out your acne instantly.
Result: Clean pore, calm acne and heal faster. 
Important: 100% nature.
How to use: Circle massage on damp skin or dab in water and massage on to your acne as mask, leave it on till it dry and wash up with warm water.

After the clay mask, you can always use a acne treatment to speed up the healing. Well. I actually layer two products below to really kill the bacteria at once! 😝

Ducray Keracnyl Topical Emergency Spot Treatment (Stop Bouton) 9 Euro.
Texture: Clear gel.


And Zapzyt Acne Treatment Gel US$ 5.
Texture: Creamy white grained gel.
To heal and smooth the skin on entire face or locally after acne sacred:

Perricone MD Vitamin C Easter 15 US$ 120.

Of course. My make-up removal routine:

Sisley Eau Efficace Gentle Make-up Remover US$120.
It's pricy but it can remove all make-up and moist your skin nicely with no need of much skin care product after. I not only use it as make-up remover, I use also to clean my face in the morning, and it last at least 6 months for me.


Texture: Clear liquid.
What it does: Remove eye, lip and face make-up in one. Clean fast, moist skin and leave it matt.
Result: Clean, southing and it smell so good and feel relax. 
Important: Gentle for sensitive skin and contact lenses user.
How to use: Press the cotton pad on the pump and remove make-up start from eyes, lips then the face. No rinse needed.


Clarisonic's electric brushes Cleansing devices are the must have.
I've a Mia 2 US$ 150 that I use after I removed my makeup.


What I use with my Clarisonic Mia 2 :

Clinique Facial Soap US$ 12.50
I use it when I travel or when I feel organic. 😀
Sampar Daily Dose Foaming Cleanser (Mouse Fraicheur Vitale) 20 Euro.
I use it specially during summer when my skin got oily easily.


Ren Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleasing Gel US$ 32.
I use it during winter when my skin turns dry.

Here is an article I've found about how to DIY blackhead cleaner with Toothpaste and Salt.

I'll update some masks soon! ... or I'll just start another blog to only talk about my favorite beauty products. 😜

Please let me know what you think or tell me what's your favorite products.
Viva the healthy skin and a pretty face !!