Fantastic Manga Films You Should See

   If you have never seen an anime, you might think it's just cutesy stuff for kids / weird Japanese stuff / Pokemon. Actually, Manga is a word for animated Japanese films, and they come in all genres -- from cutsey family fun to deep thoughtful stories to science fiction and action to romance to stuff so gory I can't watch it. There are full-length movies, serials, shorts and everything in between. Some have breathtakingly beautiful animation, the likes of which is rarely seen in western animated stuff. Also, if you think that anime is something for girly-girls, my husband (who would run far, far away if someone made him watch a chic flick) loves anime as much as I do (actually, even more)!

   Here I would like to share a couple of my favourite Mangas. Be sure to share yours at the end, I'm dying for new good stuff to watch!

 My Neighbour Totoro:

   I love all Miyasaki's films, but this is the most magical and captivating one. I could re-watch it a hundred times and never get tired of it. I highly recommend Miyasaki's films for kids, as they are fabulously gender-neutral (my daughter loves the kick-ass princess Nausicaa), and the story is uplifting and not just mindless entertainment. For adults, the Pom Poko is one of the most hilariously WTF movies I have ever seen.

Cherry Blossom / Cosmonaut / 5 Centimeters Per Second

   These three episodes make up the most beautifully animated film I have ever seen. It is a slow and bittersweet story of lovers drifting apart. Stunning.

Ghost in the Shell

   For those of you who love action and science fiction, Ghost in the Shell is a great choice. A seriously good story, powerful animation, and the music. Ah, the music.

Wolf's Rain

   One of my favourite manga series, taking place in a post-apocalyptic world. The protagonists are a bunch of young people who are actually shape-shifting wolves on the search for Paradise. The ending still haunts me.

Howl's Moving Castle 

   A young girl gets turned into an old woman by a magic spell, and her adventures lead her to a young egoistic wizard, a walking castle and a cute evil fire demon. I loved this one.

Samurai X

   A series the story of a young boy who is an ex-assassin, trying to atone and build a new life. The tale has lots of dark moments, but a lot of delightful humour too. Oh, and butt-kicking ladies. The story also has a historical background, and I was fascinated about the history of the last of the samurais, the first contacts with the west, as well as the crazy "son of god" who led an early christian sect. I didn't find a trailer for the series, but here is the first episode on Youtube. There is also a movie based on the series, titled Rurouni Kenshin.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

    A fun story of a tomboyish schoolgirl who accidentally acquires the ability to time travel. Also, love the spunky lead character. This film is totally adorable!

Voices of a Distant Star 

   Imagine your loved one sets off in a spaceship into space. You text each other, but the time it takes for the message to arrive takes longer and longer: minutes, then months, then years...

Neon Genesis Evangelion

   A apocalyptic mecha action story one for fans of sci-fi / robots. It starts out as your regular the-world-will-end-and-only-this-boy-can-save-it thing and gradually develops into something powerful, scary and at times seriously weird. I also love all the hidden symbolism and double-meanings. The series has been remade into the slightly more compact film Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth, which I personally liked more (even though I fell asleep before the end -- I was dead tired and it was very late, but I still can't forgive myself!). Oh, and I loved the Pen Pen the penguin who makes random appearances throughout the story.



   A couple of others that I enjoyed are: The Animatrix (my favourite was Beyond), Inuyasha (which my brothers religiously watched but I had missed the beginning and could never quite follow the story). I also watched a couple episodes of Elfen Lied, but it was too gory even though brilliantly made (but I did grow to love Klimt's paintings thanks to this series). Also, I watched a bit of Emma which is a Victorian romance -- a good one if you like Victorian romances (I couldn't sit through it, just like I couldn't sit through Pride and Prejudice even though I adore Keira Knightley).

   Do you like to watch mangas? Got any recommendations for me?

Nude Eyeshadow Palette From Zoeva -- A Great Neutral Palette, Especially For Hooded Eyes

click to see large

     I have been searching far and wide for a good neutral eyeshadow palette. My everyday look is the "invisible makeup look", aka the "pretending to be naturally gorgeous without giving on that I have tons of warpaint on" look.
     Anyway I was looking for a palette with a decent amount of warm browns and warm beiges; and lots of matte, especially in the dark shades. Shimmer gives away the fact that I'm actually wearing makeup, and also when you have hooded eyelids you should wear only matte darks on the crease.
     The Sleek palette had too much shimmer and sparkle for my taste. I thought of getting something from MAC, but decided that I don't want to spend that much cash. So, I ended up choosing the Zoeva nude palette, about which I read plenty of good stuff on blogs.
    I bought in on Zoeva.de I was a bit confused to read that the Zoeva nude palette is the same as the one from Coastal Scents, and there also also some of these palettes without the name on Ebay from China. I did read on some forum that these are not exactly identical, so I decided to get the one from Zoeva.

My thoughts:

   The Zoeva Nude Palette has decent amount of colours (of you'd like to see swatches, this lady did a great job). I would have preferred less space between the colours thereby making the whole thing smaller -- the palette is around the size of a small netbook, and that's a big big for me. As for the intensity of the colours and staying power, it's pretty good, although it varies from colour to colour. I always wear eyeshadow over a base anyway, and don't do extremely intense makeup looks so I guess I'm not very demanding.
   I hope that the Zoeva Nude Palette will give me a clear idea about which nude shades flatter my skintone best. In the future when it's used up I will probably put together a minimalistic custom one with 5-6 nude shades.
   The ingredients aren't exactly natural (mineral oil, parabens), but I haven't seen a proper nude palette from a natural brand yet. It's not ideal, but since you use only small amounts of eye shadow I don't worry about it.

The palette set me back 14,95€, plus shipping costs. Zoeva ships within Europe.

     Which is your favourite nude palette? Or do you avoid nude eyeshadow?

Products I'm Excited About (Rossmann, Dm, Müller)

    I'm having a crappy week: my computer, vacuum cleaner and MP3 player are all not working, and I managed to injure a foot and get my finger smashed by a door. Craptastic!
    To take my mind off thing, I have been doing a bit of window shopping, testing recent buys and planning cosmetic purchases for this month. Those of you who have Rossman, Müller and DM in your country, here is some stuff I am excited about: (the rest of you: do come and visit!)

All Natural Perfume Stick from Denim Delight from P2 (DM drogerie)

   I was really excited to find a natural perfume that a) smells sophisticated and not like a bunch of essential oils and b) I can actually afford. Perfumes are the most toxic cosmetics of all so I don't buy conventional any more. Not that I would want to: I developed a very keen sense of smell since I was pregnant and the chemical undertones of most conventional perfumes are unpleasant for me.
    The All Natural Perfume Stick from P2 is flowery-fruity with a hint of a powdery scent that Kenzo perfumes have. Ok, I know I'm terrible at describing scent so I'll stop. I like the scent since it's not overpowering, and besides that a solid perfume is something every girl should have in her handbag. This product is limited-edition, so hurry if you want one.

Sunscreen from Eco Cosmetics

     This is the only nano-free mineral sunscreen in Germany. They seem to have two wearable sunscreen products for the face: a gel (which is actually more like an oil) and a toned cream. These two products are new, so I can't decide which I should order. Help!

Hopefully less toxic nail polish:

     I have started paining my nails again (the last time I did that was in school!) and I have been looking for affordable and less toxic brands. I found out that nail Polish from Rival de Loop and Essence both got best notes from Öko test. Rossman also announced the first ever BDIH-certified natural nail topcoat (I can't remember the brand, but probably its also Rival de Loop).

Nail Polish Remover from Isana (Rossman)

     Great to remove the Hopefully Less Toxic Nail Polish. This got a "very good" from Öko Test, so I will be buying it after my current (crappy) product runs out.

Eyeshadow Primer from Rival de Loop (Rossman)

   The cheapest of the four best eyeshadow primers available here (those from Urban Decay, Art Deco, Zoeva and Rival de Loop). Different reviews favour different ones of these fours, but the one from Rival de Loop has the advantages of being dirt cheap and only lightly sparkly. Oh, and it doesn't dry out in the container, unlike the base from Zoeva and Art Deco. I have been using the Rival de Loop base since two weeks, and it's great so long as you remember to use small amounts (as you should). I just wish it was completely matt, I have hooded eyes and shimmer in the wrong places isn't flattering).

Concealer from Terra Naturi (Müller)

   I'm talking about the one that comes in a twist-up tube. I tried it out at the store and loved the way it's slippery-smooth, almost silicon-y. Not too wet or creamy. I will probably buy this, unless the cream-to-powder one from Alverde (DM) turns out to be better.


   I have been thinking to write a small natural cosmetic shopping guide to Germany, aimed at travellers. I often want to buy beauty products when I travel, but I never know where to start, especially with a limited time and budget! What do you think?

Zeta Tries Out: A Turkish Bath

   I really wanted to try the fabled Turkish Bath. In Göreme, Cappadocia there was a Hamam there that was supposed to be quite nice, though geared for tourists (but then, all Cappadocia is, but that hasn't spoiled it yet). So the day after the amazing tour of fairy chimney monasteries, I was ready to wash away the ochre dust and experience something luxurious.
   I choose the traditional package with the exfoliation and massage. It cost me 60 Turkish Liras, which is not cheap for Turkey. I didn't know very much what to expect when the attendant led me into the Hamam. Here is what happened:
   First I got some kind of clay mask pained on with a silicone baking brush (a brill idea to use that, btw). Then I undressed and got a towel which was so narrow I could barely wrap myself with it (tall or busty ladies beware!). Later on I learned that I should have kept my undies on, but as all the tourist women I saw there were butt-naked as well, so I guess I didn't shock anyone. Anyway, it was the women-only section.
   I was led into what looked very similar to a Sauna, but mildly warm and not very humid. I lay there remembering the blazing heat of the Saunas in Germany and doubting the point of being in a lukewarm Sauna. Suddenly near the end of the 15 minutes I was supposed to be there, my body broke out into rivers of sweat. Honestly, I can't remembering sweating so much, ever. There was a Japanese girl lying next to me, she didn't have a single drop of sweat on here and that made me feel like a sweaty pig. I made myself stay in there and sweat a bit more, then escaped into the main hall which looked like this. I got water to drink and was told to spread out my towel on the marble block in the middle (it was hot!). I relaxed there for a while, listening to the musical plunking of water drops into the pretty sinks. After a while the Japanese girl came out of the Sauna -- I guess she hadn't read the don't stay-longer-than-15-minutes warning: she looked very red, and yes, also very sweaty.

Hamam in Safranbolu. Guess what the glass bottles in the roof are for ?*

    Then the Hamam woman came, and the fun part began. First she splashed me with bowlfuls of cool water. Heavenly, I could do this for hours. After that she got a cloth bag, dipped it in soapy water, then swung it to an fro to fill it with air. Then she proceeded to squeeze amazing quantities of foam all over me. (I was thinking that the kids will love me now that I possess the secret of making foam!) Meanwhile the lady started massaging me, a very smooth and relaxing massage. Then she grabbed a mitt and proceeded to scrub me down, from neck to feet. The mitt was very mildly rough and felt really nice, and the lady used quite a bit of muscle-power while scrubbing. When she told me to turn around, I threw a glance at my body and got totally shocked by the black rolls of dead skin all over me! Eeek! Apparently I should exfoliate more often. The Hamam lady grinned at the face I made, she  probably gets that with every client.
    After the scrub was over I was once again doused with water, and to my dismay that was the end of it. Now I could shower, go to the pool and maybe back to the Sauna. BTW a Turkish girl I talked to told me that women often go to the Hamam with their friends --- I imagine sitting around with your besties in your birthday suits might be awkward at first, but very liberating. The closest I got to that was playing catch with a ball in the pool with the Japanese girl (the one that got cooked in the Sauna). I also discovered that the changing room was also a lot of fun --- girls moisturizing every inch of their skin, peeks at each other's exotic beauty products (all the east-Asian girls had these face masks from Hongkong that come out of a sachet and look like cut out of tissue paper. Wanna try!) After that I decided to meet up with the rest of my family and eat something. I walked on air --- I felt amazingly fresh and relaxed.

   I wanted to go to a Hamam again later on in the trip in Safranbolu, since that is supposed to be one of the nicest ones in turkey, but unfortunately I was low on cash and time. What I did do is buy some Hamam scrubbing mitts and olive oil soaps. I also wanted one of those beautiful Hamam bowls, but they were a bit too heavy!

   In retrospect, I wish I had also gotten the oil massage --- the skin really gets dry easily after such an intensive exfoliation. At least I should have been more diligent in moisturising for a week after the Hamam. Oh, well, the next time I am in Turkey I will know. Oh, you bet there will be a next time in Turkey. I mean, they cook so good, they have amazing baths, cats everywhere, and something to explore everywhere you turn -- what more could a girl want?


* The glass bottles light up inside, just like in this video.

Todoist, the Zen-est of task managers

Warning: this love letter will be very interesting for all the other Penelopes. If the word "organized" disturbs you, just escape.

   I use Todoist manage my to-do lists, plans, as well as affirmations and motivating images . I love it because it's uncluttered, easy to use, and yet has some powerful features. I think that Todoist really nailed Einstein's "Everything should be made as simple as possible. But not simpler." And this simplicity makes Todoist a really flexible and powerful tool.

   When I was looking for a task manager, I signed up for half a dozen free online services and did some test runs. They all fell through at some point. Then Unclutterer pointed me towards Todoist.

Why I´m such a fan

   I chose Todoist because of its simplicity. There are no distractions. Adding a task is easy, especially with keyboard shortcuts. Also, it's really easy to get several different overviews of your tasks (by list, by tag, by due date, by priority, etc). I love that you aren't forced to use these extra features: if you don't need to use lists, priority, sub-tasks, tags, you don't have to. You can even add tasks without a due date (Yay ! can you imagine that many scheduling software doesn't let you do this ? Am I the only one who doesn't know when she will finally feel like making that book clock ?) 

   Also, I dig how Todoist understands typed commands such as "thurs", "every day" or "every 25". (Granted, if the event is biweekly, bimonthly or biyearly I have to add it twice).

   To organise stuff, I can create sub-tasks. And sub-sub tasks. And lists can have sub-lists. The sub-tasks can be collapsed to cut visual clutter.

    I can add tags such as @errand, @home @computer or @husband. If I'm going out with an errand, I can look up @errands to see what else I can do on the way. 

How I use Todoist

Since Todoist has become my life command center, I will show you how I use it for different things:

I put in everything that I have to do, want to do, or just think about doing someday. 

Tasks that I I do regularly are set to repeat. I water the plants every Tuesday. Translating a text that I'm working on is on wed.Cleaning my house is divided into chunks for each day of the week. Updating my medicine cabinet is twice a year. I also add reminders to wish people on birthdays, buy gifts, send cards. And then I can forget them until they pop up.

I save mental energy by not having to think about when was it last that I had vacuumed the fridge coils or watered my dracaena.

Lists ahoy !

    I also use Todoist as a list maker. That's right, random, rambling lists. Books and movies that sound interesting. Hoop tricks (along with video URLs) that I want to master. Things that sound interesting enough to try them some day. Blog post ideas. A wish list. A gardening list with all the garden tasks & chores arranged by month.

   I can change these items into to-dos: when I decide that I want to work on this hoop move on sunday afternoon, I just need to add a date next to the item. And it will appear in my to-do list on that day.

Inform and inspire

   Those scraps of wisdom, pretty quotes and affirmations that you're told to write some place obvious ? They're on my Todoist. A quote on saving appears on Mondays. Astrological advice to re-check everything during Merc retrograde appears daily during that period. I´m so happy I thought of this because I never notice stuff when it´s on my bulletin board or my notebook.

   This is why I love Todoist. Did I mention it's free ? I also like their about page.

Menstrual Cups = Cleaner, Easier Periods

Why I'll never use pad an tampons again

    I have been trying out a menstrual cup since several months. Here is my (hopefully) PG-13 review.
Warning: some my genteel readers might be shocked and surprised at first. Others might go: wow, what an amazing idea. Some of you probably use them and love them.

    When I first heard about menstrual cups I wrote them off as something useful or female mountaineers who can´t find tampons in the Andes, or those really hard-core green people who use cloth toilet paper. However, years later, I still kept chancing on bloggers writing love posts to these cups. Several of them were even fashion bloggers. With stylish outfits and Chanel mascara. And they loved the cup.

    Reassured that the cup was for "normal" people too, I decided to try one. I got a Meluna for 12€, and I have been using it since half a year. (The Diva Cup is the most advertised brand, but reviews show that it's the most expensive and not the best).

     I´ll never go back.

The thing I love most about the cup is the cleanness.

    I thought pads were gross when I started using tampons. Now I find tampons gross, because they smell ! The blood in the cup doesn´t have any unpleasant smell, because there is no chance for the bacteria to multiply. It just has the slightly metallic smell of normal blood.

The second thing I love about the cup: I can put it in before my period starts.

   You can´t do that with tampons, since the area would be too dry. If your cycle tends to be irregular, it's amazing how you can pop the cup in and go out, confident that you won't be caught unawares. You can also wear the cup to catch any, ummm, extra wetness when you´re not in your period.

I'm all for wildlife preservation.

     Like tampons, the cups leave you dry on the outside. Unlike them, they don´t dry out the inside. They keep the natural inner flora and fauna intact. Also, no bleach and other nasties near your lady bits. And less waste in the landfills too.
      Also, they won´t give you TSS: a rare but dangerous medical condition which happens when the bacteria in the tampon suddenly have a baby boom. This is why the pamphlet on the tampon box tell you to never leave in in longer than 8 hours. Any why you should wake up at 3:00 AM to change your tampon.

How about insertion ? 

   You will get familiar with certain parts of your anatomy, which is a good thing. Also, you need to know that you fold the cup smaller to insert it, it then opens itself once it´s up there.

   There is a learning curve, and it will take a couple of cycles till you´ve really mastered it. I have had some accidents-incidents, but nothing that a panty liner wouldn´t catch. I must say that my first attempts with a tampon were much harder. If you want to know, the issue was dryness, and it got stuck halfway. I couldn´t get it out and I couldn´t get it in. It was also the middle of the night on an international train. Stupid time for a first try, I know.

Doesn´t it fall out ? 

   No, our vaginal muscles keep it in. A full tampon is much more likely to slide out.

What about emptying on the go ? 

    This is not hard. You just need to dump, rinse / wipe and re-insert. You don´t need to really clean the cup because it doesn´t have anything on it that is not from inside your vajayjay anyway. You just need to clean your hands well beforehand.

    A cup can be left in for 12 hours, so you will be making less changes than with a tampon. Also because of no TSS risk, and also because all cups have more capacity than any tampon available. I find this extremely convenient, apart from the first day I just need to empty the cup in the morning and in the evening. Of course, this also depends on how heavy your flow is, and what size your cup is.

Is it comfortable ?

I don´t feel it at all after it´s inserted properly.

If it's so amazing, why doesn't everyone use it ?
   Since you need just one cup for 10 years, obviously companies don earn much on these cups. There is way more money in selling pads & tampons.

I wanna know more ! Where do I get one ? Which one should I get ?

The best resource is the menstrual cup community on livejournal. They cover everything: sizes, brands, folding techniques, troubleshooting and everything in between.

Also read: What is a menstrual cup ?

How My MP3 Player Helped Me Stop Running Late

 

   I've been running late ever since I've been old enough to commute by myself. I got away with it by living in a country where everyone was always, always late. I actually think that "Indian Punctuality" has become an idiom. I remember the shock and horror on the hosts' faces when we arrived on time at a birthday party... nothing was ready as they hadn't been expecting anyone till 2 hours later. We learned fast.
    Perverse life unexpectedly threw me into a country where everyone is always, always  on time. "German Punctuality" is an idiom for sure. They even announce 2-minute train delays ! 
    Needless to say, I had a hard time adjusting. I was surprised that buses didn't wait for me. I was running late most of the time, spending the commute trying to think up an excuse that I knew the German words to explain. Turns out Germans don't like excuses anyway. 

    My efforts at reform were valiant but fruitless. It helped to know exact commuting time, and to realise that I actually have to get to the bus stop first, and that the bus might not always be right there waiting for me, and that it might take me some minutes to get to the destination once I stepped off the bus. Oh, and the Germans even have websites that tell you exactly how much time you need for all that !
    So I started calculating the time I need to get out of the house. It's works better to think "I need to be out of the house by 09:10" than "I need to catch the 09:20 bus".
    Guess what ? I was still running late. I had ignored the time between getting to the door and going out of it: putting on (and coordinating) jacket, shoes, scarf,cap ... ditto for the kids, picking up my sunglasses, spare tissues, keys... So I did two things: I started thinking "I need to be in the hallway at 09:00"; and I created a 'going-out center', fancily known as launch pad. Mine is an Ikea Leksvik bookcase with everything that I need for going out: handbag, lip balm, diapering supplies, gym bag, stuff that needs to be returned, posted or whatever, and much much more.

    I was still running late.

    Finally I realised that I simply dislike my commute, not because it's unpleasant, but because it's such a waste of time.  Somehow I felt that starting early to get ready would be wasting more of that precious time. (So not true, I know, but the subconscious believes the opposite...) 
    That's when the MP3 player comes in. I bought it because I wanted to hoop to music. I ended up taking it with me everywhere, and finally on the buses and trams listened to all of those podcasts and audio books that I didn't find the time to hear till now ! Not that I'm so super busy, but I somehow can't allow myself the leisure of just sitting there and listening to stuff.
    Then I realised that I was looking forward to my next commute to hear the second part of the Quantum touch podcast... hey, I'm not wasting my commute time any more ! Arriving early for the buy means more time to listen to my podcast !

PS You don't actually need an MP3 player to be on time. You can write, make origami or plan world domination.

PPS Don't buy an Ipod. The Sansa Fuze is way better and half the price of the nano. I totally love mine.

PPPS I'm not German yet, I'm still late sometimes. It's just become more of an exception that the rule.

PPPPS I did try reading, but it made me nauseous in the bus.

PPPPPS the photo shows the famous astronomical clock of Prague. Psssst, that photo got featured in the Schmap Prague Guide !

Photo by Eternal*Voyageur    

Bengkung: Malaysian Postpartum Girdle

 About belly-binding, my experience with the Malaysian Bengkung wrap, and my belly-binding tips.

 

   I had to try out postpartum belly-wraps after Tunisian friends told me that their slim postbaby waists were due to their mothers binding them as tight as they could. These ladies couldn't imagine why the Germans didn't tie their abdomens after giving birth.
   Looking at my belly after my first baby, I decided to try out belly-binding the second time round. Contrary to my optimistic expectations, my abdomen hadn't show any talent for automatically shrinking (no thanks for the genes, mom). I had wanted hoped and willed my postpartum abs to look like Demi Moore's. Actually they looked like Demi Moore's when she was 3 month pregnant.

   I found out that most cultures have some form of postpartum belly binding. What I tried out after my second baby was a traditional Malaysian belly corset, called Bengkung.

Why belly-binding ?

It's a practice of tying a strip(s) of clothe around the abdomen during the postpartum recovery period.

• It helps to slim the ribcage, belly and hips.
• Pulls the separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) get back together.
• Prevents back pain: while wearing it, you are forced to sit and walk straight, a good antidote to the "nursing-slouch".
• You know that feeling of your guts falling out in the postpartum weeks ? I don't but a lot of women have described it to me. A Bengkung gives you a nice, supported feeling.
• I read somewhere that using a tight corset makes the bust grow bigger, since apparently the fat has nowhere else to go. Just after pregnancy you won't be wanting a bigger bust, but it will get smaller very soon, so you might be interested in this tip !
• Belly binding speeds up getting rid of waste blood. I experienced this myself, since I was having issues (no bleeding), until I started using the Bengkung.
• More info from Natural Health After Birth.

Does belly binding stop the abdominal muscles from working ?

   I don't see how tying a postpartum girdle would prevent any muscle from working. I mean, you still obviously use those muscles when you get up, walk, whatever. If these were somehow "prevented" from working, you wouldn't be able to do move at all. SO yes, all the muscles work, they are just prevented from bulging out.

What's a Bengkung ?

   It's a traditional Malaysian belly binding method. Actually they look like long mummy-wraps, but the Mia Bengkung is an "instant" version that is easy to put on, even without anyone else helping you.

Traditional Benkung: skip to 1:40

What makes a Bengkung different from western postpartum girdles like Belly Bandit ?

  It's the length: a Bengkung starts right under the breasts and goes over the hips. This way, it doesn't just work on the waist, but also helps the ribcage and the hips go back to their former dimensions. Also, it stays put when you move, and so it doesn't press on the abdomen.

 

Note the cute green towel Karen added !

REVIEW OF BENGKUNG MIA

I bought Bengkung Mia from here. and have been using it throughout my postpartum recovery period, day and night. Here is my experience:

Quality:

• Nice cotton, comfortable and breathable, yet sturdy.
• Beige outside, doesn't show much through clothes.
• Navy blue inside front: absorbs stains from oils & creams
• Strongly made. After a lot of using, the only sign of fraying was on the straps

Comfort of putting on & wear:

• The material is nonslip, that makes it easy to tighten and tie.
• The Bengkung goes till below your hips, so going to the toilet is a bit tricky.
• Since the hooks & band are nonslip, you can tie it tighter in some places and looser in others. It stays that way for quite a while.
• I hate tight things, but i was pleasantly surprised to find that the Bengkung was painless. The tightness was supportive and comfortable.
• I had issues with the lower edge: if I tied it tight it would cut into the skin. If it was loose it would bunch up. I solved this by putting a folded cloth as padding under the edge and tying it tight. I'm wondering whether this was caused by the fact that I have a really low raise, and that's why the Bengkung reached only till the widest part of my hips, and that made it bunch up (I imagine it would stay put if it went below my hips).
• I could tie it myself pretty well, though it is easier if someone else does it. And you get to hear their jokes about moulding you to suit their tastes.
• I wore it out of the house under clothes. In fact it was the only thing that saved my pride by flattening my postpartum melon into some kind of nonpregnant shape. The clothes worn over it can't be too tight, though.

Effects:

• The Bengkung helped with healing my abdominal muscles split (diastasis recti). My midwife was surprised how quickly they were closing, and asked me if I have been "using" anything.
• The flattening down of my belly was really quick during the first 2-3 postpartum weeks.
• The Bengkung did help me to stand and sit straighter, as if I'd swallowed a stick. It worked at preventing back & shoulder pain much better than the constant admonishing of the Mr to stop slouching.
• Karen has been very helpful answering a whole bunch of questions about the Bengkung, helping me to choose my size and telling me about traditional Malaysian confinement eating rules.
• I paid a bit over 10€ for the Bengkung + extra for shipping. I must say this is very affordable ! Plus, a malaysian friend of mine commented that that's a good price. Karen also offers discounts on combined orders.

Husbands's review in one sentence: 
"It's not every day that you get the chance to mold your wife."

 

Temperature and padding concerns:

Karen offers a padded and a non-padded version of the Bengkung corset. I choose the padded since it's supposed to be more comfortable, and I wore it at 25 degrees without feeling too hot (I do overheat fast !).

Bengkung vs tying a cloth/scarf:

   Before my Bengkung arrived, I used my Diddymos baby sling (long & non-stretchy & nonslip fabric) to tie myself up. It was doable, but I couldn't get it on as tight as the Bengkung, and you can't really cover the bust-to-hips area with it. It all gets bunched up in the end.

Eternal*Voyageur's tips for Mia Bengkung

• I actually preferred to wear mine back-to-front most of the time. I didn't like the feeling of my belly protruding between the band when it was in the front. I didn't tie it myself, of course.
• It works best when you put it on last thing at night. Since you won't be getting up any more, you can have it as tight as you want it and it won't bunch. Lie in the bed, and get your partner to lace you in. Warning: he might develop a corset fetish.
• Karen says to ties it moderately tight, while my Tunisian friends advised me to tighten it till I think I'll split in two. Either way, remember that it does loosen up while wearing, so tie it a bit tighter than you want it.
• If you live in a hot climate, you might need two Bengkungs, since you'll be washing them frequently.
• Wear your panties over the Bengkung. Yes, that looks ridiculous, but trust me, much easier in the toilet.
• The Bengkung should start immediately under the bra. Otherwise you get a roll of fat there.
• If unsure about the size, get the smaller one. Or send Karen your measurements, she'll help you make the right choice.
• Order in advance. Paypal takes time to process foreign transactions, and the post from Malaysia isn't lightning quick either. You need to start wearing the Benkung a few days after giving birth.
• Don't forget to choose your Bengkung type and size! 

Urut, creams and oils
I did order 3 bottles of Biotrim Herbal Lotion, but I can't review it's effectiveness as I alternated it with several other products.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I have paid for the item myself. I would use it myself again, and would recommend it to my friends.

EFT For Releasing Fears, Addictions And Problems By Tapping

 

   I want to write about a healing technique called EFT.

   EFT means Emotional Freedom Technique. It is a psychoanalyst technique combined with acupressure. 
   Basically, you tap on certain points of your body (the meridians), while focusing on your problem or a negative emotion.

What can I use it for ?

Try it on everything ! Food cravings, body image issues, jealousy, fear of the dentist, cigarette addiction, painful memories, asthma, nervousness before an exam... practically anything that bothers you !

   The effects of these are strong: people start crying, some break into laughter. Some problems are erased instantly, some need a few sessions. But it really does work !

An Aussie girl's experience with EFT, she used it on her asthma and eating disorder:
http://galadarling.com/article/eft

Another EFT experience:
http://sparkleandglitter.co.uk/tag/eft/

How do I do it ?

   Choose a problem, try to keep it specific. Then you repeat “Even though XYZ, I deeply and completely accept myself”, and you tap like this. If “I deeply and completely accept myself” is too corny for you, you can say “I totally rock !” in it's place !

   Get the full explanation and detailed instructions on how to tap on www.emofree.com . Yes, I know that the site looks terribly commercial, but the free instructions are really well written, so you don't need to buy anything at all.

How does EFT work ?

My theory on EFT:

    EFT is based on free association, (a technique that helps repressed stuff like past pains and emotions to come out from the unconscious mind). For most of us it's not easy to think calmly and objectively about our problems, and to analyze our emotions and find the factors behind them. Most of the time we avoid thinking about negative stuff. And when we do think about our problems, it's always with a load of negative emotions: we whinge, we blame ourselves, we get angry at others, we look for excuses... well, you get the point. Hardly objective and constructive.

   In EFT you repeat a statement that describes your problem. When you tap and repeat the statements, you are foxusing on the problem but your conscious mind is busy repeating and tapping. So there is no room left for whingeing or anything else, and the mind stops censoring... that leaves space for stuff to come out from the unconscious without getting censored by the brain.
   In practice, that means that suddenly related memories, clues and answers arise in your brain. Suddenly you might find yourself saying something else than what you started out with, something that totally explains the reason of the problem. For example, I was saying "even though I have xyz" and suddenly I was saying "even though I WANT xyz", and that made me realise that I was holding on to that problem, I didn't want to let go of it ! So I tapped on "even though I WANT xyz" to find the reason -- I was holding on because then a certain person gave me attention !


   I don't know whether the tapping does anything, but for sure it keeps you focused, your mind doesn't wander away

   Theoretically it's supposed to clear up energy blocks in the meridians, but studies have shown that EFT works even if you tap all wrong.

More EFT resources

EFT tips and tricks: a must read !
http://galadarling.com/article/eft-tips-tricks

EFT Information & troubleshooting
http://galadarling.com/article/more-eft-information

Si Dawson has a lot of extremely interesting EFT ideas on his new and old blog, such astapping+mind mapping, How To Tap All Day (& Not Look Like A Nutcase), You have to read through the archives to find lots more on EFT.

Photo by Tom T