Waxing it Off - Strip Style

Today I'm going to talk about Waxing. Not for your car but for your hairy-self. Let's skip the question about why we need to be hairless in the first place in any or many places and just accept it as a choice some of us make. 

Personally, I started about 7-8 years ago if I remember correctly. My aunt took my mom and me to a place in Bangsar that did waxing and threading which was all new to me at that time. My first Brazillian wax was just before I got married =) . The waxing technician told me that it was nothing to be shy about...that they did this as a profession...that it was normal. So, from the time I decided to start Brazillian waxing with her I called her Dr. Bulu at her amusement.The place eventually closed down and I was left hopping here and there.

I had heard of this place called StripKL but was of the thinking that it was very uppity and not my thing till recently this year my friend Elaine recommended me to give it a try. To my surprise not only were the packages quite affordable, the comfort level and superior standard of cleanliness was definitely worth the extra buck. Thinking back now, I wonder how I settled for anything less. Some places use the same spatula to apply wax time and time again on many different customers eyuuuweeeeeeeeeeeeee

Here I wanna share the reasons (and some behind the scene pics) as many of you have been asking me about it after I posted my pic with the cute Orang Utan on Facebook & Instagram. 

Strawberry Wax, Chocolate Wax and Soft Wax 

StripKL works on appointment basis so you must call to make one. This time around I went to the one is Sunway Pyramid. I usually go to the one in KLCC as it is nearer to my office. Once I stepped inside I was impressed with the details on the space created. It felt like a pet grooming centre to me.. suitable for us hairy animals lol. Just so you know..every Strip's interior is differently decorated.

Anywho, the girl at the counter, which will be my Stripper today asked me if I was pregnant and if so how many months. I later learned from her thru our chit chat during the waxing session that women pregnant 3 months and below are not allowed to do waxing. She explain that it is because the 1st Trimester is an unstable one and they won't take the risk.

She then ushered me to the room, and asked me to change into the 'sarong' hanging in the locker. She also handed me a silver packet that looked like a condom which is actually an anti-septic wipe you need to use if you are waxing your privates. Always clean the front first and then the back, yeah it's a no brainer but you know...just in case you didn't know.

Next I climbed up on the bed and lay down waiting for her to arrive. She gently knocked the door and stepped in, put on a new pair of latex gloves and asked me if I'd like Chocolate flavour today or would like to try out the new Christmas flavour - Cranberry. I opted for good ol Chocolate as the Cranberry one can't be deducted from my credit package =p

She started with the Brazillian first. You  know what they tell you ... the more and more you wax the less it will hurt? Well, I can tell you it still freaking hurts after so many years. However Hard Wax is a lot less painful the the regular soft wax. The good thing is it is over very quickly.

After that she did my legs with the soft wax. The soft wax they use is different as it smoothly roles out of a bottle at a very tolerable temperature so you can expect to NOT get burned.

Why I choose Strip: Ministry of Waxing? 

1. Clean - Staff make sure to wear new gloves everytime they tend to you and use a new spatula for every glob of wax spread on you 

2. The staff are very well trained

3. It has the most yummily scented Strawberry & Chocolate Hard Wax. There is also a Vanilla 'Ice-cream' that they apply to soothe sore areas after the wax.

4. Comfy - Nice fluffy pillows & sheets & towels to keep you comfy 

5. They are super fast > 15 mins is all they take

6. Funky - Chic Deco > You can't miss that this joint definitely has taste

7. Unisex - Men & Women welcomed to step in and get stripped of (hair that is). In case you didn't know a lot of the Indian places in Bangsar don't do male clients.

At StripKL, they use Hard Wax for sensitive areas such as the privates & face areas. Hard wax does require the use of strip cloth or paper. The wax is applied generously and dries in a few seconds as it cools. The hard wax does not stick to skin but encapsulates even the tiniest hair so the technician then just peels off the hard wax and walla! Hello smooth skin! Oh, and hard was is also less painful then soft wax.

Some Things I Think You Should Know About Waxing
- Don't go to near or during menstruation as your body will be more sensitive to pain
- If waxing your face area for the first time don't do it right before a big event..you don't want red patches on your face
- DO Wear loose clothing to your waxing appointment
- Don't use any scented lotions, deodorant  or alcohol based products on the waxed area for 24 hours (it will burn like mad)
- Don't shave between waxing appointments (the hair will grown stronger and be painful when waxed)
- No hot baths, sauna, steam baths for 24 hours






Brazillian Wax?

- If you are a newbie aka noob just be prepared for the pain but remember its only 10 mins and this will make you a stronger person LOL. I have read some sites suggesting to take pain killers before going but I've never tried ..I'm quite the trooper.
- Don't touch the area for at least 24 hours
- No sexy time as this will further aggravate the vaginal flora which may cause infection (remember you just stripped of the hair which is actually natures way of protecting your precious area tsk tsk tsk)
- Wear loose fitting undies and stay away from them synthetic maetrials as well as those stringy ones that stick into your buns
- Enjoy the breeze =)

So if it is your first time or you are looking for a better hair removal experience why not head on down to a StripKL near you and give it a go? They have branches all over the world including New York, Hongkong, Singapore, Manila, Jakarta and such.

Checkout their official website here http://www.strip-my.com there is a whole host of areas that both He and Her can get waxed, some maybe you never thought possible. 

BFF Leena pinching Hairy Missy's cheek

Also if it's your first time at Strip you can get a 30% OFF if you are referred by a member, so feel free to drop my name 'Aberami Jaishana'. 

StripKL - Sunway Pyramid 

SURIA KLCCT 03-21815-579/ 572

BANGSART 03-22836-092/ 094/ 096

THE CURVET 03-77265-119/ 75-119/ 76-119

SUNWAYT 03-56215-119/ 6-119

SOLARIST 03-62079-012/ 013

PENANG GURNEYT 04-2287-835/ 836

NIP - What is It? Would you Do it?

I remember quite clearly one day when I was in my early 20s, I was traveling back from work on LRT. There was a young woman sitting across me carrying a small baby (1 guess it was around 2 months old). The baby started to cry and the young mother just coolly popped a nipple into the baby's mouth instantly stopping her cry, pacifying her. I was taken a back, jaw dropped, gob smacked, totally weirded out by this woman. Couldn't she see that she was making people around her uncomfortable? Foreigners, men, women, students all distracted not wanting to look her way but same time wanting to look. 

For many many years this image never disappeared. You know how you only remember only certain things in the many many years of your life? The things that make an impact? This was one of them. I do not remember her face or the gender of her child. I do not remember the faces that were trying hard to look away. But I remembered the feelings I had. How I judged her.....

Art by Shawn Hancock

While I was pregnant I was hungry for whatever information I could get. Breastfeeding seemed to be the buzzword. But why? Isn't it a strange feeling to have a little human sucking on you? But the more and more I read, the more I was determined to breastfeed.

It was quite a new concept for most of the family, I guess during the time we grew up the Baby Formula guys were bombarding the market with false advertising (Isn't it ever so peculiar that something not from the mom / same species is deemed better? Ah the power of marketing and psychological manipulation).

What further motivated me was my mom did tell me she breastfed my first brother till about 7 months, I also had 2 relatives (about my age) that were successfully breastfeeding, this really drew my interest and lastly the  World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding till the child is 6 months.

I initially tried to pump and bring my milk around. But this proved to be super tedious. Firstly, I would need water to warm the milk, Secondly if Bub didn't finish the milk in an hour after putting his mouth on the bottle it may spoil and I'd have to throw it away, Thirdly, he just refused to take the bottle if I was around cos I guess he could smell the fresh one haha :p

I then invested in a nursing scarf. Which was very short lived as he did not want to be covered. I was advised by some elders to nurse in private. That would mean I have to be 24/7 locked away as my Bub was the kind who was constantly latched for the first 2 months at least.

Its amazing what knowledge and new info can do to you. Since the above didn't work I CHOSE to change the frame of my mind. These were the factors that pushed me to Nurse In Public:

1. Baby will get hungry anytime anywhere, as a mom my sole responsibility is to nurture and nourish my son
2. Would you want to put a cloth over your head when you eat? No? Thought so. Baby is the same.
3. The primary function of the Mammary Glands are to nurture ones offspring

However I just like to add that I don't do it cos of suka-suka. I usually check if there is a place for us to Nurse... If there isn't...well my baby has to eat!

The first time I NIP was is Hard Rock Cafe Malacca.(Ok actually it was at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit when Bub was in for jaundice and most of the moms there with and without hijab a like didn't give a rats ass who was watching and coolly nursed their little nipper! Damn, that was some MOTIVATION!). Our little fellow was 4 months and had the nibbles so I asked the waitress and she told me there was no where but the toilet. Would you eat or feed someone in a toilet? No? Thought So. That's when I whipped out a Scarf to cover myself and nurse my little insatiable Bub. No one even noticed!

"Hi mom! I'm hungry"    |   " I'm full and back to slumberland!"

Once I did it and realised how easy it was, I was now confident. I felt like SUPERMOM and prepared to do it wherever and whenever. Yes, I'll be there for you baby! Against all odds! Whatever people may say! Cheh..getting a lil too carried away here..but you get the picture =)

All you need really are some strategic clothes, some practice and the right frame of mind (superhero, angel, warrior princess cave-woman etc). Places I have NIP and managed to not get stared at include Old Town Cafe at Sungai Petani, in a corner sitting on the floor in front of Sephora KLCC, KLIA while waiting to board and many many more. Its great if you can educate your loved ones and build your own support system if there isn't one already.

When I look back at how I judged the angel young mom when I was younger I really feel ashamed of myself.

Thankfully this has not happened (yet?)

I'm so glad that Malaysian's or maybe people in general have come to accept this idea. No stares. Only people trying to be helpful. So, if you are thinking about it and  haven't tried it please do. I'm sure people around you will be happy especially if it means the sound of baby not crying to help. Cheers.

P.S. Looking forward to hearing YOUR experience XOXO

You CAN lose your Baby Weight. I lost 30+ kg

I use to be around 57kg when I was modelling. When I first found out I was pregnant I was 60kgs. I slowly (actually no, it was quite rapid) watched the digits increase at every weigh in. It didn't help that my appetite was ever increasing and just insatiable. During lunch (or anytime I felt like) I would wander off into the mall and treat myself to Haagen Dazs and became a loyal customer of The Fudge Factory. Food Glorious Food!

waiting for baby to pop!

During the third trimester I had  this really bad burp that brings out a really bad bile into your mouth. My stomach felt as if I was having gastric. So, I like many 1st time moms did not know this was acid reflux. I thought it was hunger so I kept on eating! (this one one of the reasons of my weight gain I believe).

At full term I was a hefty 90kg! You could say it was the baby..yes my baby was pretty big (4.05kg) but even that plus with all the amniotic fluids, placenta could not be more than 12kg right? After baby was out, I was so excited to be a mom but when I looked at my body I felt sad. The nice round bump had gone..not to be replaced by flat stomach but a lump of blubber..

My blubber belly, My In-laws, My hubby and Little Muchkin

When I was asleep, in my dreams... I was still that slim girl with wild curls. When I woke up it was far from it. Yet I was determined to get back to my old self. I would like to share with you how I got it all back. Well with 1 or 2 kgs fluctuating of course ;) 

1. Breastfeed (I am a huge advocate for this! You can burn up to 500 calories a day just by exclusive breast feeding. Your womb will also shrink back to its original size faster.

The Breastfeeding Advocates Network

This Milk Matters: Lactation Support Group

2. Shut Your Ears -  (Sorry to say but shut your ears to the old aunties & nay sayers. Be ready for 'supportive' words like "She is starving herself", "No need to diet la", "You won't get back to your original figure", "Just eat only!","I made you some cake" etc. 

3. Count Calories -Keep a food diary. I used calorie counter app called MyFitness Pal. Tip: You can add 300-500 calories for Breastfeeding or you can add it under 'My Exercises' (Ahh..the rewards of breastfeeding). They also have a phone app version.

My Fitness Pal

4. Balanced Diet - I ate as clean as I possibly could. From the 4th month onwards I totally did not consume rice and processed bread. I ate a lot of fruits, vegetables, chicken and fish and baked my own wholewheat muffins. If you are Breastfeeding I recommend only to start cutting your portions gradually as a sudden drop will cause your body to produce less milk. 

My very own Healthy Muffins packed with Anti-Oxidants 

5. Jumping Jacks - When you are up to it (like for me it was after 3 months). I started my day with 50 jumping jacks. It helps to wake up your body and keep your metabolism up and its great for those who cant afford to go out for a jog.

And THATS ALL there is to it.

Other things I did along my weight loss journey:

1. Final goal. Project the desired image of you in your head so your body and mind will work towards it.

2. Take my time (It took 9 months for my body to get this way anyway)

3. Invest in Flattering clothes for my new body (if you look good you wont feel so bad about yourself). Remember your body will keep changing. I got my self a new pair of jeans (the biggest I have ever owned, a size 34!), 2 dresses in my new size 'XL' that flattered the new curves, a few nice tops to begin with.) My favorite go-to shop for Breastfeeding dresses is The Fabulous Mom. I still wear them today and get compliments.

One of my favorite dresses from The Fabulous Mom. This is 6 months post-pregnancy.

4. Wear a Bengkung or girdle. It was quite uncomfortable at first but you will get used to it. Bengkung is better than normal Girdle because it pushes your hips back to its original size. Some people even say that their hips got smaller that pre-pregnancy. This is because our pelvic bone is soft and expands when the baby comes out. So we need to push it back into shape while its still soft which is like within 2 - 3 months when the oxytocin level in our system is still high. Best results if you wear it religiously day and night tho you will be walking with itsy bitsy steps and picking your crying baby up could be quite a challenge. I don't miss the Bengkung! Haha but it gave wonderful results.

Mine looked like this. This is from TANAMERA. I had to buy2 and join it cos Im tall LOL

5. Appreciate Myself - Have a positive image about yourself. I appreciated my new E Cup! 

To new mama's good luck and Ganbate!

To not so new mama's you can still do it!

To anyone looking to lose weight, the choice is yours!

A recent picture with birthday boy Ravin at his party. 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet is hard work. Build a support system around you that keeps you going. I'm quite lucky that my parents were instrumental for me.

Happy Chinese New Year!

P.S. Although I know my lovely hubby preferred the meatier, huggable me he did not stop me from reaching my goal. I would like to ad a special hug and big kiss to my man =x Thanks for telling me I am beautiful all the way thru and for telling me the little pouch of fat left on my belly now is cute and reminds you that I once was the vessel that carried our little snuggle puff.

An old Unpublished Post..

As I was pondering weather or not to revive ye ol blog.. I found this old post sitting in the draft. It was written over 2 years ago. Just thought I would share it..


Do you evaluate yourself? I do. Too much and too constantly. When I use the word 'too' I really don't know what I'm comparing it with. Oops... 'don't know' is one of the 3 things that my new Boss says he dislikes.

'Don't know', 'Don't like' and '...' and I don't remember the third one. Hmm perhaps it was 'don't remember' ?? eheh

So well, we had a division meeting today. It was an induction for our new Boss if you must. For us to tell him about us and for us to gain his trust.

So we did the usual round the table introduce name, hobbies, family etc. When it came to my turn ...I didnt seem to have sold myself at all.

Gosh if I was a product I would be one that had a nice packaging with no nutrition facts written on it. Like if I was a biscuit...you wouldn't buy me cos you wouldn't find anywhere in the packaging stating that Im made of Pure Belgian Chocolate and Trans Fat Free. You would just see the words 'Biscuit' and 'made in france' and that surely wouldn't be enough for you to buy in.

If I know all these why didn't I do my best to make my first impression a lasting one? All I said was my name, where I worked before and mentioned that I had been a writer for an online magazine before and meekly added I was a model and that I lived in Cyberjaya and have no kids yet. Such a pity..a bimbo.

Sigh. I just didn't feel comfrotable getting excited telling everyone

- how I enjoyed go-karting (for fear of being challenged for a race. I am not the best but I enjoy it!),

- of how I felt so free on the dance floor and on a stage (again..for fear of being forced to prove myself),

- of how I am obsessed with the beauty of the subconscious mind - deciphering dreams and putting them on paper and one day plan to publish a beautiful (but dark) picture book,

- and of the current dance/artform that I have taken up (yeah, Im not revealing it here either but its something like gymnastics)

Then I ponder (I hate getting after thought because I believe that the moment is HERE and NOW). I start to evaluate myself : Why did't I sell myself. Was it because I had my guard up? Was it because I didn't see the need to share my personal life with everyone just for the heck of it? Was it because I was not proud of myself? Was it because I was self conscious?

I have no idea what impression that I gave of...but for me judging myself I think seemed like a pretty boring person

Fast forward to current times and it is pretty much the same, I still don't over sell myself especially to people who I meet the first time. But I don't think I'm boring, instead I think if you spend enough time with me I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve!