Category: lifestyle

14 THINGS I DON’T SPEND MY MONEY ON

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1. Mouthwash

Mouthwash doesn’t fix bad breath, oral hygiene does. I brush my teeth, I floss every day and visit the dentists every 6 months. That’s it.

2. Shampoo on a bottle/body wash/body scrubber

I’m using small towels that I have for ages as a scrubber, a way cheaper bar soap, and a bar shampoo that lasts up to 3 months. It’s a low waste too and good for the environment. It is a win-win.

3. Packaged Food

I slice and make my own food with youtube. It’s cost-effective and healthier.

4. Hair Dye

I’m embracing my natural hair colour, though sometimes when I see photos of my dyed hair I kinda miss it. But no, I can’t. It’s too much work maintaining it and it’s costly. Besides, black hair is cool, too.

5. Trendy Items

I never buy them anymore. I’ve learned my lesson when I was decluttering my stuff and found the items that I bought because at that time it was on-trend. You forget about them in a matter of weeks and eventually will toss them. It’s sad, don’t do that.

6. Getting my nails done

I’m doing them myself. The amount of time I came home disappointed because the shape wasn’t right against the fact that you paid for it, is just a little bit much.

7. Stationeries

I am the type of person who used to write on actual papers, loved to stick cute post-its on the wall and just fancy collecting beautiful looking notebooks or journals. Up to these days, I am still trying to finish up the ones I have accumulated over the past years. I never buy them anymore.

8. Subscriptions

I only have one subscription now and that is the Lightroom that I use to when I edit photos for my Instagram and blog. I terminated my Netflix subscription plus the multiple photo editing apps subscriptions because honestly I don’t need them and I can sort on some other ways totally for free. Like watching movies online or youtube.

9. Knick-knacks

They make the space looking cluttered and they do not serve a purpose at all. They collect dirt and have to spend time cleaning them. So, no.

10. Alcohol

I don’t do alcohol anymore. I had my time during school days.

11. Meat

Fruits and vegetables are way cheaper and packed with nutrients.

12. Coffee Shops

I have minimized my consumption of coffee to only if I’m on night duty and that my ways of having to stay awake aren’t working. Thus, coffee shops serve a purpose no more. I write or read at home or in the park.

13. Sugary Beverages

I don’t drink soda or processed juice or anything of such. I drink plain water and fresh juices on occasion.

14. Taxi Fares

I don’t know if it’s just me but I don’t like the smell of a taxi, it makes me dizzy. Here in UAE taxis are unreasonably expensive! I don’t mind taking the bus. I can take a nap, listen to a podcast or just be alone and take time to read or think. Bonus point, it’s cheap. You’ll have to make time though, but it’s doable. I can make time. *wink*

 

These are the things I don’t spend my money on anymore. Things that I have completely stopped buying, replaced with healthier option or more affordable option. Whatever works for me might not work for you. I hope you found this helpful.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love,

Jinky xx

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50 THINGS TO GET RID OF TODAY

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When I became interested in a minimalist lifestyle, decluttering physical things was the first step I did to get to know what I need and don’t. Today I’m sharing 50 Things To Get Rid of, that might jump-start your spirit if by any chance you want to declutter.

  1. Borrowed items
  2. Flyers and business cards (store them digitally)
  3. Knick-knacks (mine’s a bottle opener I bought in Malaysia that I NEVER USE, among other things)
  4. Receipts (again digitized them)
  5. Paper bags and plastic bags
  6. Pens that aren’t working
  7. Expired certificates (everything is digital, don’t print and save the planet)
  8. Plane tickets (I mean who else is printing plane tickets? Well, I used to and glued them in my memory book. But now I have my memories in photos)
  9. Shoe boxes or any boxes with the thing that it comes with (you will not need those boxes in the future if you don’t have so much stuff)
  10. Sentimental items (I mean surely you can treasure someone by their good heart rather than by a physical item)
  11. Things you keep holding on from your ex-friend/boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband (unless you’re using them and they’re serving an actual purpose)
  12. Chargers or wires of old gadgets
  13. Alarm clocks (use your phone as your alarm)
  14. Not working hot tools
  15. Extra hair brushes/hair ties/hairpins
  16. Expired hair products
  17. Expired makeup products
  18. Broken or wacked makeup products
  19. Empty bottles of lotion
  20. Free samples
  21. Empty perfume bottles
  22. Perfumes that you don’t like
  23. Dirty and unused makeup brushes
  24. Empty lipsticks
  25. Skincare products that you are allergic to
  26. Skincare products that break you out
  27. Skincare products that never used
  28. Dressers and vanities (keep and fit everything in one closet)
  29. Extra garbage bins (you consume less, you produce waste less, you will not need tons of bins)
  30. Decorative rags
  31. Mismatched pillowcases
  32. Uncomfortable pillows
  33. Extra blankets/sheets
  34. Mismatched socks
  35. Old and loose underwears
  36. Ill-fitting clothes
  37. Never worn clothes
  38. Free and promotional t-shirts/hats you will never wear
  39. Bags you have never used for a year
  40. Coloured belts
  41. Extra sunglasses
  42. Broken hangers
  43. Uncomfortable shoes
  44. Extra mugs
  45. Extra plates
  46. Kitchen gadgets
  47. Duplicate tools
  48. Expired goods
  49. Foods with mould in the fridge
  50. Empty bottles of shampoo, conditioner and whatnot

Here are some ideas you can do with your decluttered stuff:

  • sell them
  • donate
  • re-purpose
  • give to your friends and families
  • simply throw them away and don’t repurchase

I hope you enjoyed reading this list, found it inspirational and gave you some ideas of the things you can declutter. Whatever isn’t serving a purpose in my life might be serving a purpose in yours.

Thank you for reading and please don’t keep more than you need!

Love,

Jinky xx

 

 Image via Unsplash

OWN LESS, LIVE MORE

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I have been a hoarder and a shopaholic for a very long time and didn’t realize it until around August last year. It was one of the irresponsible actions I dealt with in the past. It kills me inside that it took me 30 years of existence before realizing it. Looking back at the time when I was decluttering, is maddening how many useless things I had and wasted my money and time on. From bags, shoes that aren’t comfortable to walk in, accessories, makeups and food that went bad because sometimes I forget or just too lazy to make a meal. I couldn’t be more lucky to have found and established a relationship with Minimalism in my definition and understanding of what it means to live a meaningful life with less.

The society’s idea of owning more to express who we are and where we stand is ridiculous. Imagine the irresponsible purchases you’ve made that cause you tons of money and the time you spent and wasted arranging and cleaning the things you own. It’s funny how I haven’t even thought of it for years until I do.

Welcome to my first entry about Minimalism. If this topic interests you, please follow through by subscribing to my email list.

What is Minimalism?

For me, Minimalism is a template of your lifestyle. It doesn’t only revolve around the realm of owning less but also about controlling what is coming in and allowing only the things that serve a purpose. It is also an intentional promotion of the things that we value the most and removing anything that hinders from doing what we love and supposed to be doing. Taking back the freedom on how you would want to spend your time given the fact that we live in a fast-paced world, tells much about how you are and where you stand.

That would be it for now. I hope somehow this gives you motivation.

Love,

Jinky xx

MY SUMMER SKINCARE ESSENTIALS

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Hello, again! Summer is definitely a time of the year where taking an extra mile when it comes to skincare is acceptable. We tend to be in the sun longer than usual; thus, having products that deliver what we need most is a must.

Today’s post I’m going to share the products I use regularly in the summer and why I love them. I hope this will help you if you’re looking for new products to try and hopefully what works for me will do for you.

FACE WASH

I use this not only in the summer but all year round. I believe there is a scrub version but this one, in particular, is the product I re-purchase after I went to try out other products and didn’t work. It has a creamy texture and especially when you have it lather up, it just feels satisfying into the skin. If you’re like me who love their face wash floppy so they know that all the specks of dirt are coming off, this one might also be for you. After washing it off it makes my skin smooth and clean without that feeling of tightness that makes me so uncomfortable. Definitely my favourite out of every single face washes I have ever tried.

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TONER 

I have an oily skin and almost into the sensitive side thus using a toner is a big help. This one, in particular, is soothing and actually kind of calming my skin down especially this summer season. I get tiny red bumps around my forehead and chin but when I started using this toner they disappeared. Another thing is, we know washing alone does not really remove all the dirt. Therefore, using a toner on a cotton pad also removes the residues that I missed from washing. It feels refreshing and it claims to be moisturizing as well, which it really is. The consistency is watery with a very light scent to it.

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MOISTURIZER

I can’t even tell you how much I really love these moisturizers! These are the Essentials Urban Skin Detox Night Cream and Essentials Urban Skin Defence Day Cream Moisturiser SPF 20. You can already tell which is which. I have used different moisturizers before; high-end or drug store but nothing really made my skin the way it is now. The main ingredient of this product is green tea and that’s presumably why it’s not harsh and heavy for my skin. Perfect for summer because it’s light, fast absorbing, and provides you with the moisture that you need particularly in the summertime. This doesn’t break me out and it makes my skin extra glowy. Highly recommend this for my Asian girls out there who are looking for new products to try!

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SUNSCREEN

This is a no-brainer. We need to wear sunscreen people, especially during the summertime. I have been using this product for 3 months now and it’s been doing wonders for me. I love myself some anti-ageing factor from anything I get my hands into, hence I am sold by this.

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BODY MOISTURIZER

I used to be so diligent when it comes to moisturising my body. I remember I even do it night and day, then I became super bad at it. At nighttime, I hardly apply lotion and during the day if I’m not running late then I can go through applying such. The reason is that sometimes I get lazy and I don’t like the sticky feeling that it gives me. I have been trying to be better at it though. I am using the Jergens Daily Moisture for day to day moisturizer and the Hawaiian Silk Hydration with SPF 50 when I am actually in the sun. To go extra, I use the Shimmer Effect for a golden glow finish mainly when I’m out and about having fun under the summer sun. Each product absorbs quickly, it feels light in my skin, doesn’t make me feel greasy, and it smells like an absolute summer!

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Okay, that is it for now, thank you so much for reading. Until next Saturday!

Love,

Jinky xx

SKINCARE ROUTINE

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I mess around with so many different products but these are my top picks. I have been keeping it simple, and the lesser the product the better. When it comes to skincare I mostly focusing on keeping my skin moisturized, protected from the sun, and all that age-rewind sort of things.

 

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SEPHORA CLEANSING WATER

 

Makeup Remover wise. I recently discover this from Sephora (obviously), when I was swatching products from them, the lady working there used this on my hands and I was impressed (so much that I have to purchase it) on how it clears your skin off of everything! It is a cleansing water but it works well in removing all your makeup. You just put on a cotton pad or two and rub it around your face. It’s amazing, highly recommend it.

 

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HADA LABO

 

Onto Moisturizer. I am using a moisturizer by Hada Labo. It is a Japanese skin care product that provides you with an intense hydration with its super smooth light texture, that is quickly absorbed by your skin without feeling it heavy or greasy at all. It is so good, it doesn’t cause me breakouts and you can see the difference between a well-moisturized skin and that’s not, the very next morning you wake up. I will link their site here so you can have a look if some of you are wondering. I got mine from a friend and she ordered them from Japan. The 140ml bottle goes a long way and I’m obsessed!

 

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DR.BELMEUR DAILY REPAIR ATO SALT CREAM

 

So, I have been experiencing itchiness in some areas of my face that are believed to be caused by dryness and probably because the season’s changing. This product has been a huge help in calming the itch and resolving the dryness. I use just a small amount and apply it to the affected areas.

 

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EUCERIN SUNSCREEN

 

SUNSCREEN. Yes, they are in capital letters to show how passionate I am about sunscreens. In here we get too much sun and I always and always put sunscreen, it is a huge thing for me. In fact, I use them night and day every day. It is not being extra, it is necessary to have it in your routine helping you avoid skin damages from UV lights, mentioning two of so many: wrinkles and dark spots. I love this one, it has SPF 50 in it and specifically resists and reduces the appearance of UV-Induced Aging.

 

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JEJU VOLCANIC LAVA PEEL OFF CLAY NOSE MASK

 

Nose Mask. This has been my best find for effectively clearing out my nose pores. I do it once every other week and I kid you not, it causes me tears everytime I peel off the mask but hey it is good and it is working, so everything’s fine. It gives me joy how it makes my nose bright, clear, and smooth.

 

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Face Mask. Often times, I switched things up from a peel-off mask to sheet mask depending on what my skin needs. But this one works so well for me that is why I’m sticking with it. I love this because it is not too intense but it does the job, declogging my pores from all the gunk that might have been accumulated from wearing makeup every day. I do this once a week and I absolutely love it, it leaves my skin smooth, fresh, and clean.

DISCLAIMER: I am asian and I tend to gravitate towards asian skincare products just because I have found that my skin reacts differently and there are products that do not work for me.

Alright, that is going to be it for today. Thank you so much for reading. Until next time!

Love,

Jinky