HMNS Orgasm: One of The Best Local Fragrance? [REVIEW]

Hi, welcome back!

Seneng banget rasanya akhirnya bisa kembali mengisi kekosongan Blog yang nyaris tandus ini. Hahaha. First of all, I want to let you know that currently there's so much going on in my life that I almost forget why I started this blog. Luckily, aku terhenyak kala melihat salah satu kawanku yang menulis blog baru dan mulai teringat kalau aku pun ternyata punya buaaanyak sekali bahan untuk kupos di Blog ini. Shout out to Safira Nys karena postingan dia yang menginspirasiku untuk kembali menulis.

Anyway, sekarang aku sedang aktif membuat konten via aplikasi Instagram dan Female Daily Network. Jadi barangkali mau mampir untuk menjenguk isi tulisan singkatku boleh mampir di instagram @billiansyaha dan billycorna di aplikasi Female Daily Network.

Okay, let's get to business. Jadi, selain skin care, make up, kuliner, dan ulasan tempat, ada satu hal lagi yang aku sangat gemari: Koleksi parfum. YES, aku obsessed banget sama minyak wangi for as long as I can remember. Bahkan kayanya dari kecil tiap ke mall atau supermarket pasti gak lupa untuk mampir dan sekadar endus-endus minyak wangi.

One thing yang aku sadari setelah bertahun-tahun menggemari minyak wangi adalah ketertarikan aku pada parfum tipe gourmand, alias parfum parfum wangi manis/makanan. Meskipun ada beberapa parfumku yang floral, fruity, woody, spicy, dan lain sebagainya, parfum tipe gourmand tetap mendominasi koleksiku. Bagi banyak orang, parfum gourmand itu bikin eneg dan pusing. Bahkan gak sedikit perfume expert yang bilang parfum gourmand susah dipakai di cuaca tropis negeri tercinta Indonesia ini. Tapiiii... ada satu hal yang harus orang-orang ingat, bahwa parfum bersifat netral dan subjektif. Selama kamu suka dan nyaman menggunakannya, go for it! But remember to know your place as well, kalau misal suka wangi manis sepertiku dan mau pakai siang hari saat panas terik kalian bisa coba tone down aromanya dengan menggunakan body mist yang ringan instead of Eau de Parfum. Simply agar wanginya gak cloying/bikin eneg, sebab yang mencium parfum kalian nantinya bukan hanya hidung kalian aja, kan?

Setelah introduction yang cukup panjang tadi (hehe) mari masuk ke review parfum pertama di blogku ini. As you can read on the title, aku mau coba angkat parfum lokal dengan brand HMNS, yang dibaca humans. HMNS ini punya cukup banyak koleksi sebenarnya, tapi ada dua yang paling aku suka. One of them is their best-selling ORGASM. Yep, namanya orgasm. Untuk penamaannya aku kurang paham kenapa mereka pilih itu, sila cek postingan instagram mereka aja deh, tapi yang jelas Orgasm ini merupakan best-seller dari HMNS Perfumery. Reviewnya sendiri sebenarnya cukup beragam dan sudah wara-wiri di aplikasi kesayangan kalian, but here is my point of view:

PACKAGING

Secara packaging, HMNS ini punya jenis kemasan yang mirip mirip untuk semua variannya. Parfumnya datang dengan boks yang keras dan kokoh, lalu disegel dengan customized seal tape untuk menjaga kualitas di dalamnya. Cara buka boksnya cukup dengan menggeser isinya, sama seperti membuka sebuah laci lemari dan di dalamnya terdapat busa padat yang berfungsi menjaga botol parfumnya agar tidak pecah maupun bergeser sepanjang pengiriman. Di dalamnya juga diselipkan warranty card dan juga voucher Rp25.000,- untuk pembelian berikutnya. Cukup tandatangani vouchernya lalu klaim lewat WhatsApp ke Customer Service-nya.

★★★★★ 5 out of 5

THE PRODUCT

Produknya sendiri berisi 100mL, dikemas dalam botol kotak dengan desain stiker yang minimalis. Buatku, hal ini yang bikin 'prestige' karena kemasannya gak huru-hara gak jelas gitu. Neat, simple, chic, MEVVAH. Untuk 100mL harganya dibanderol Rp313.000,- which is a good deal! Mungkin terkesan mahal, but allow me to explain further. Tunggu sampai bawah, ya :)) Oke, lanjut, botolnya sendiri sangat enak digenggam tapi agak PR kalau lagi bawa tas kecil (especially for girls) karena dia cukup bulky dan berat.

Oh iya, meskipun parfum ini diberi label Gen XX alias feminim, boys can wear it too! Remember that fragrance has no rules. Prinsipnya: kamu suka, hajar bleh.

Dilansir dari akun instagram HMNS, Orgasm ini punya beberapa notes yang terdiri dari

Top Notes: Red Apple

Heart Notes: Rose, Jasmine, Peony

Base Notes: Amber, Vanilla Beans (natural)

Buatku, saat pertama disemprot wangi red apple-nya sangat dominan. Wanginya DUARRR apel. Seger gitu, tapi hanya bertahan selama beberapa menit saja sebelum berpindah ke wangi floral. Dan di hidungku, wangi floral paling dominannya adalah Peony campur Jasmine, walau sejujurnya meski masih fase heart notes, si wangi Vanilla-nya sudah memaksa keluar. And yes, you can guess correctly, wangi vanilla beans yang manisnya akan menjadi the last man standing dan yang menempel di tubuh kamu.

Please note, bahwa meskipun wangi vanillanya cukup strong, tapi Orgasm ini sedikit berbeda dari Vanilla pada umumnya. Dia ini tipe wangi Vanilla yang seger (karena ada campuran bunga dan buah apel-nya tadi, kali ya?) dan surprisingly nggak bikin eneg sama sekali. Perfect untuk siang maupun malam hari.

★★★★★ 5 stars out of 5

WEAR TEST

Sebelum akhirnya menulis review ini, aku sudah habiskan dua botol (yes, seriously) dan nggak jarang ketika aku pakai parfum ini, orang nanya "kamu pakai parfum apa?" karena rupanya, wangi HMNS Orgasm ini masih nggak begitu pasaran jadi mengundang orang untuk noleh dan nanya, at least seenggaknya mereka notice meskipun nggak terang terangan ngasih pujian. This means projectionnya cukup baik, khususnya di kulitku. Untuk sillage (jejak wangi) sepertinya juga cukup baik, soalnya kata temanku kalo aku lewat masih ada wangi floral-vanilla meskipun samar samar.

Parfumnya sendiri, tahan sekitar 5-6 jam untuk aktivitas indoor dan di rumah saja. Kalau outdoor sekitar 3 jam sudah agak memudar. For me, it's not that bad. Bahkan parfum YSL Black Opiumku saja punya performa di bawah ini, dengan range harga lima sampai enam kali lipat.

Untuk Rp313.000,- parfum ini bener-bener worth to try, sih. Terlebih melihat kualitas packaging, cairan parfumnya, longevity-nya, kenyamanan pakainya bahkan performa Customer Service-nya yang the best diluar nalar umat manusia :)) Sungguh 300ribu+ adalah harga yang ideal. Mahasiswa bisa pakai, pekerja bisa pakai, siapapun bisa pakai.

★★★★★ 4.5 out of 5 (gak ada emoji bintang separo, maap)

Parfum ini bisa kalian dapatkan di e-commerce kecintaan kalian (Shopee atau Tokopedia). Pilih aja yang mana yang banyak vouchernya :))

Sebagai penutup, aku cuma mau bilang lagi bahwa urusan parfum ini masih tetap menjadi sesuatu yang personal, ya. There is no right or wrong. What works on my skin belum tentu sama di kulitmu. Jadi, satu satunya cara untuk menentukan kamu suka atau tidak adalah dengan mencobanya. Kalau ragu beli yang full size, coba cari yang jual decant-nya. Jadi kalian bisa endus-endus dulu. But overall, HMNS Orgasm is a yes for me.

Wait for me to review the next variant, Essence of the Sun.. Ciao!

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Billy Corna

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Envygreen Dead Skin Cell Remover: Chemical Exfoliator Lokal Kualitas Interlokal

Envygreen Dead Skin Cell Remover

Selamat datang, 2020!

Wait~ sudah masuk bulan kelima dan rasanya kurang pas untuk bilang selamat datang tahun baru😜

Tetapi, terima kasih telah setia menunggu.

Setahun sudah kutinggalkan dunia tulis-menulis. A lot has happened. Yang terpenting, hari ini aku putuskan untuk kembali mengisi tulisan di blog-ku yang random ini. Niat awalku adalah banyak mengisi section lifestyle, karena section health and skin care sudah cukup banyak kuisi. Sayangnya, pandemi yang terjadi belum memberiku izin untuk mengeksplor sudut kota dan mengisi ruang lifestyle. Tak apa, masih akan ada banyak waktu setelah pandemi berakhir.

Beberapa bulan belakangan ini, kurasakan kulitku sedang bersahabat. Pasalnya, tidak ada masalah berarti selain satu-dua jerawat yang muncul karena ketidakseimbangan hormon; which is normal. Aku tidak mau ambil resiko dengan mengubah rutinitas skin care sembarangan, karena untuk mencapai titik ini tidak mudah :’)

Itulah kenapa, sudah cukup lama tidak ada tulisan baru yang muncul. Karena belum ada produk baru yang sempat kucoba. Beruntung, kemarin aku dikirimkan sebuah produk untuk kucoba. Sayang sekali kalau kucoba begitu saja tanpa berbagi info seputar produknya, that’s why I decided to write down my journey with this product.

First off, aku mau ucapkan terima kasih banyak kepada Kak Lutfia (Instagram @lutfiaa_) dan Envygreen Indonesia yang memberi jalan aku untuk mencoba produk ini dengan percuma. Sending you guys virtual hugs!

As you can read on the title, produk yang kuterima adalah produk milik Envygreen yang sudah cukup terkenal, yaitu dead skin cell remover-nya. Jauh-jauh hari sebelum produknya tiba, aku sudah mulai lakukan research terhadap produk yang akan kuterima. Tujuannya, jelas supaya tidak salah dalam mengambil langkah dalam penggunaan produknya in real life.

Banyak situs yang kuselami untuk mengenal produk ini lebih jauh, dan sejauh mata memandang review pengguna terhadap produk ini cukup baik. Bisa diukur dalam skala kepuasan 4.5/5.0. Eits, tapi ini belum termasuk penilaian pribadiku, ya! Hihi 😆

Produknya sendiri sangat simple, mungil dan compact. Isinya 10 gram. Sedikit? Ya, kalian berpikiran sama sepertiku. Berat bersih produk ini sangat jauh jika dibandingkan dengan dead skin cell remover yang biasa kupakai, St. Ives, dengan berat bersih 170 gram. Awalnya kupikir aku dikirimi produk sample, ternyata saat aku cek website Envygreen, kebanyakan produk Envygreen memiliki bobot yang ringan—berkisar antara 5 gram hingga 100 gram. Kisaran harga yang ditawarkan pun beraneka ragam, mulai dari Rp19.000,- per item hingga ratusan ribu rupiah untuk bundling pack. Jika dihitung per gram dan dibandingkan dengan skin care serupa yang dijual bebas di supermarket, harga yang dibanderol tidaklah murah. Tergolong pada tingkat menengah. Sudah selayaknya produk ini memberi kualitas yang diatas rata-rata.

Untuk dead skin cell removernya, dibanderol dengan harga Rp32.000,- per 10 gram. Terhitung cukup mahal jika dibandingkan dengan St. Ives yang dibanderol Rp69.000,- per 170 gram.

Produk ini merupakan chemical exfoliator, yang berarti berfungsi untuk mengeliminasi sel kulit mati secara kimiawi—kulit mati akan terangkat dengan proses kimia, bukan karena digosok secara fisik. Kalau pada umumnya exfoliator adalah produk (krim, cairan, padatan) dengan tekstur kasar yang digosok dengan gerakan memutar pada kulit untuk meluruhkan kulit mati, dengan tujuan menggerus sel kulit mati pada kulit, chemical exfoliator bekerja meresap ke dalam lapisan kulit mati dan merontokkannya dari dalam sehingga mampu meminimalisir pergesekan kulit yang berlebihan yang bisa mengakibatkan iritasi. Pada kasus ekstrem, eksfoliator yang terlalu kasar bisa melukai kulit. Itulah kenapa chemical exfoliator ini lebih bersahabat pada beberapa jenis kulit tertentu.

Kalau boleh jujur, ini akan menjadi pengalaman pertama saya untuk menggunakan chemical exfoliator. Sudah hampir dua tahun saya lebih memilih menggunakan exfoliator yang berupa scrub. Alasannya? Lebih berasa aja kalau kulitku sedang dieksfoliasi.

That’s why, ini juga akan jadi tulisan yang—tidak hanya review, tapi juga sekalian first impression.

Pertama dituangkan di punggung tangan, hal pertama yang kulakukan adalah mencium baunya. Rupanya produk ini memiliki wangi yang menyegarkan. Walau begitu, wangi yang dihasilkan tidak mengganggu sama sekali—dan mudah-mudahan tidak berimbas pada kulit (beberapa orang tidak dapat mentolerir wewangian, biasanya mereka dengan alergi).

Tekstur produk pertama kali dikeluarkan isinya

Menurut instruksi pemakaian, pemakai harus mencuci wajah dengan sabun (jangan lupa bersihkan juga make up-mu—jika menggunakan riasan) dan menggunakan hydrating toner; atau memastikan kulit dalam keadaan lembap—bukan basah. Oke, kuikuti sarannya~

Produknya sendiri memiliki tekstur krim yang tidak pekat dan agak cair. Bisa kubilang mirip tekstur pelembap gel cream milik Pixy (in case you wonder). Saat dibaurkan, tidak meninggalkan residu dan tidak cepat kering. Semakin lama diusap, akan menghasilkan tekstur seperti remah remah hapusan pada penghapus karet; tandanya, produknya hampir selesai bertugas dan klaim produknya adalah turut membawa serta sel kulit mati pada tahap ini. Jika sudah dirasa kering dan tidak ada gumpalan saat mengusap kulit, pengguna bisa membilas produknya dengan air (tidak perlu menggunakan sabun—tadi kan sudah). Ingat, ya, diusap aja. Nggak perlu digosok keras keras.

Seperti gel cream

Setelah membilas, perubahannya langsung terasa saat itu juga (bukan, bukan karena saya diberi produknya cuma-cuma). Seperti habis menggunakan exfoliator pada umumnya, kulitmu akan terasa lebih halus dan lembut saat selesai membilas produk. Yang membedakan, setelah dibilas kulitmu akan terasa bersih dan lembut saja. Jika kamu pengguna physical exfoliator, kamu akan segera paham bahwa setelah meng-eksfoliasi kulitmu akan terasa lebih kering, kencang dan seperti ditarik—nah, setelah pakai ini tidak ada perasaan ditarik tersebut.

Sesaat setelah dibaurkan

This is also why I am able to write down the result shortly after I receive the product, karena hasilnya tidak seperti krim dan/atau serum yang mesti berminggu-minggu dipakai. Aku pun sengaja tidak meng-eksfoliasi kulit selama seminggu belakangan untuk merasakan hasil dari Envygreen Dead Skin Cell Remover ini 😜

Sel kulit mati yang terangkat (klaimnya)

Oh ya, ada satu hal yang hampir lupa kusertakan. Mungkin terdengar klise bagi para skincare junkies, tapi barangkali ada pembaca yang belum terinformasi: Jangan pernah gunakan exfoliator lebih dari dua kali dalam satu minggu. Gunakan sesuai jenis kulit dan banyaknya aktifitas yang memengaruhi regenerasi kulit. Kulitmu—percaya atau tidak, butuh waktu untuk beregenerasi. Berikan kesempatan untuk kulitmu sembuh secara alami, skin care mu hanya penunjang kesehatan kulitmu.

Overall, setelah seharian aku tidak merasakan ada rasa gatal, iritasi maupun kemerahan setelah menggunakan produk ini. Berarti, aku sudah boleh mengunggah tulisanku ini dan dibagikan pada pembaca. Kalau nanti ada reaksi tiba-tiba, pasti kuedit tulisan ini dan menulisnya secara jujur karena aku pun sama seperti kalian, aku hanya konsumen yang tidak menerima rupiah dari penulisan review produk. HEHEHE

FINAL THOUGHT
Hasil 9.00 / 10.00
Harga 8.00 / 10.00
Re-purchase? Kita lihat setelah habis 😉

Dan terima kasih, buatmu yang sudah berhasil baca sampai paragraf ini. Jaga kesehatanmu, jangan lupa Bahagia dan ciptakan pikiran positif pada masa seperti ini. Anggap saja ini bonus dari pemerintah untukmu merawat kulit yang bebas dari polusi 😉 beres pandemi, kita bertemu, ya!

Thank you 💕

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Billy Corna

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Ambrogio Pattiserie: A One-stop Dining Option

Hola todos! It’s been a long time, right?

I think I can see a pattern here; I now start to write something down only once in several months. I don’t know, it’s kind of difficult to set the writing mood up. Anyway, I happen to plan to write about this place for quite some times but you know I’m not that write-y guy. I really am only getting the writing mood last night, hahaha 😆

The very first time I came to this place was several months ago. I have been putting this place up on my bookmark, but only have the opportunity months later. When I paid a visit to this place, I was so overwhelmed that I decided to come back the second and third time during my birthday dinner on July, and a friend’s birthday dinner exactly a week after mine. This place is THAT good.

I knew this place from my acquaintance’s InstaStory. I thought “why not? this place seems cool” and put it right on my bookmark. From the total of three visits so far, I have not found anything off the scoring system. All three visits were at the same amount of good. I think it’s better to write just the summary and my overall impression of my visit.

Ambrogio Pattiserie

The place is named Ambrogio Pattiserie. It is located at Jalan Banda, Bandung. Exactly by the Saparua Jogging Track. It is not that difficult to find your way here. The place is located in a very strategic place, amidst the busy life of the city, and it has quite huge name on its front building. So, don't you worry about finding this place.

Though specializing at pastries, they serve a lot of foods and beverages. The range was so good. They have lots of Western dishes as well as Local dishes. Thumbs up. Unfortunately, in my personal thought the price range is a bit high for students. Though, I have to admit the taste of the dishes was worth the price.

As it is named, you can find various pastries as well (it is their specialty after all). I strongly suggest you to order their Creamy Mango cake. Well, why don’t we start the review by this food? Okay, the cake is what I liked the most from ALL the things I have tried and ordered. It was half-round, colored bright yellow, smoothly glazed (go find such thing on their display). It costs you Rp35.000,- per piece. Not a cheap one, but not that expensive. The taste, though, it was HEAVENLY. The crust, the crumbs, the creamy part (I believe it was cream cheese), the mango bits, the glaze, they did compliment each other. The sweet, sour taste is so refreshing that I demand for more. Definitely the first thing I order when coming back in the future!

Along with the Mango, comes its friend. The CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY cake. I seriously was in food heaven. The mango was so good, and so does the chocolate. One thing I noticed is that now you can find a cake this good in many places, you name it: the Harvest cakes, Exquise Pattiserie, so on, so forth. Nothing signature, but STILL SO GOOD.

I honestly got these two cakes as a birthday surprise from friends of mine. They really ain't that creative at arranging a surprise LMAO, I was at the place and they surprised me with cakes on the menu HAHAHA. I'm still grateful!!! I love them no matter what, it is the thought that counts 😜😜😜

Still coming from the dessert clan, I tried their smoothies bowl. It costs Rp50.000,- per bowl, or semi-bowl? How do I describe? The serving container was a cup in some way, but bigger. It was also a bowl, but smaller. Any way, it was good, but honestly the fruit juice a.k.a. the base, the soup, or whatever you name it, was a little too sweet for me. They should have just blended plain fruits. No sugars needed. They still have a long way to go before taking the spot of Sejiwa’s Smoothies Bowl as my favorite smoothies bowl in town (will write one soon but I want to come back first and order more).

Up next is their drinks. I personally love their Blueberry Lavender that I ordered them twice out of three times coming here. It was so good. There was a hint of flower kind-of taste. The drink was not overly sweet as well. Just the right amount of sweet. It costs you Rp35.000,-

The other drinks I have tried here is their Caramel Macchiato. The coffee was so basic that I dare to say I can get better in other place. Don’t get me wrong, though, it tastes good. Coffee is just not Ambrogio’s specialty. The price was Rp30.000,-

P.S. I didn't snap any pictures of the coffee. It is straight brown, and I was not the fan of the presentation.

Moving on to the foods, the first thing on my list is their Salmon en Croute. It was salmon, fine-chopped, wrapped in a puff pastry. SOOO GEWD. It costs you Rp58.000,- Also, the portion was so generous! I had a full tummy by one plate. For real! The salmon was a little overcooked FOR MY BELLY, because I prefer salmon not to be fully cooked.

P.P.S. So sorry for not taking pictures of this food as well, it was so good I forgot to take pictures :(

The next one is their Chicken Parmigiana. It was good, but a little basic since I can find the same menu with similar taste as their Chicken Parmigiana. In other words, it was good but there’s no such thing as a signature touch. You can get one full plate for Rp65.000,-

The last one is the Chicken Cordon Bleu. It costs you Rp.60.000,- and again, I must say their cordon bleu was a little basic. But good. No you won’t regret buying it but you can find similar taste in other cafes under the same name.

Remember, all the prices I stated above was the price during my visit in 2019. Might change a bit. Tax and service excluded (15%)

Now talking about my favorite part, the service. This is very vital. I determine whether or not I will come back by the services. I don’t care if their foods are the best in the world, if the service is crappy then goodbye, I’m not coming back.

Fortunately, I had good experiences with the services. They were all good, well-trained, fast-respond and giving every detail clearly. 9.5 out of 10!

Decorations and stuffs, I don’t have to talk about this. Go browse ‘Ambrogio Pattiserie’ on Google and Instagram, click their tag section an voila, you will find thousands of pictures of their interiors, exteriors, food pictures and so on. Not to mention the InstaStories. Go browse now, you will understand.

Overall, this place is my new favorite place to eat and hang out. Will come back in the near future, I swear!

Thank you for reading! Here's some additional pictures I snapped for you~

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Billy Corna

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KAMA Eatery, A Tiny Bit of Joy Amidst the City Life

Hi ya, it’s been a while since the last time I get to write my food & lifestyle section. I think I just found the right place to write –and of course, to review! That’s what I do all the time LMAO.

Usually, I’ll get to hang out and try new places to chill, enjoy some coffee, enjoy some foods, or maybe some company. The moment I leave the place is the time I decided whether or not I should write this up on blog. I religiously write my review on Zomato app but if there’s something special in it (bad or good) I’ll write them up on blog.

I found this place by accident; it was one time I get back home from Balai Bahasa Jawa Barat and decided to alter the route to Jalan Manado to avoid huge traffic. While passing the crossroad at Jalan Sumbawa, I saw this all-white interior with a huge “KAMA” board on its wall. Found out that it was an eatery so I browsed them up on Instagram. The search resulted a delightful result, I read some pretty good sayings about this place so I decided to come the next week.

The very first problem I encountered coming here was finding the place to park my bike. They don’t have the space to park your bike/car so you have to park them in the nearby building a.k.a. numpang parkir or just put them in this tiny spot under the tree, right in front of the place. Okay, one problem solved.

The moment I entered the place, I was soo overwhelmed with joy. The place is so homey and comfortable, despite of being not-so-spacious. There are three seating options; the semi-outdoor, where you can chill and smoke, the indoor, where you can be seated under the breeze of the air conditioner, and the bar-seating, you know the ones with high stools and you can see right through their bar.

At the time I was there, the place was a bit packed but I was lucky enough to be seated under the exposure of the AC. It was freaking hot outside! (P.s. It’s kind of summer here). Oh, by the way this ain’t the place where the waiter comes to you showing where to sit and provide you the menu. You do it yourself. You come find your seat, grab the menu and straight order and pay at the cashier. I think this kind of method is pretty smart considering their place is not that big, so the employees can multitask.

Talking about service; this point is crucial for myself personally. Service determines whether or not the customers want to go back there. This is the highest point I see at EVERY place. I don’t care if the food is the best in the world but if the workers don’t treat the customers well, then I’m not coming back. KAMA provides an EXCELLENT service. They treat their customers well. I had a really good time here I must say.

From the point I sit

Now, let’s get to the food.

The menu is a bit standard; you can find all the similar names at other places but that’s completely okay, I don’t see a problem here. My suggestion is that they should probably add one or two signature dishes to make them even more stand out (they probably have one by now, I don’t know).

The range of the price is quite reachable –they are not that expensive, but they aren’t cheap as well. The price of the dishes starts at Rp45.000 – Rp100.000 (Probably slight less), tax included. They also provide Light Meals, non-coffee and –of course the coffee for NO MORE than Rp50.000 each.

The Chicken Cordon Bleu

During my visit, I ordered

Chicken Cordon Bleu (Rp55.000). The chicken is well-cooked. Tastes soooo gewd. They are served with cooked vegetables (I don’t know how they treated the veggies, but the point is they were not raw), Fried diced potatoes (I prefer them mashed, but okay) and mushroom sauce (served with real mushroom inside, I liked them). Overall, nothing is overlapping the other. They complimented each other well.

Iced Caramel Macchiato

and an Iced Caramel Macchiato (Rp35.000), I liked this beverage since you can still taste the bitterness of the coffee. Most places serve a stronger caramel and/or the other condiments rather than the coffee.

Overall, both deserved their price and the taste. I would NOT say this is overpriced. This is just okay.

I believe it would be even excellent if in the future they would provide us some pastry box –to choose sweet foods or at least providing them at the menu. I think that would be perfect.

I would say this is an excellent place to eat, to chill, to hang out with your friends, but a big NO for bigger group. This is perfect to curl up on your own, or having small talks with smaller circle. The food and the ambiance support each other very well, complimented by a great service.

I would totally come back in the future!

P.S. Check out my other pictures at KAMA down here!
P.P.S. Sorry about the quality, still on the learn to upgrade the picture quality. On my way towards betterment, though!

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Billy Corna

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Freeman Beauty: Five-star Quality in a five-dollar product

¡Hola, todos!

Setelah lama tandus, akhirnya blog ini kembali terisi! Sorry for that. Anyway, selama vakum menulis aku menemukan banyak produk baru, yang terlalu sayang untuk dilewatkan begitu saja. Some are ‘ew, no’ and some other become my holy grail.

Salah satu produk yang masuk kategori holy grail-ku akan kubahas sekarang. Ini produk sudah melegenda, sudah ada sejak 1976. Memang aku aja yang kampungan, baru nemu sekarang :’)

Technically, ini bukan barang yang baru ditemukan gitu aja. Aku sudah mengincar barang ini sejak 2015 silam. Sayang, saat itu produk ini teramat sangat sulit ditemukan di Indonesia (offline). Terakhir kutemukan di Targét, saat aku kuliah di Melbourne 2016 lalu. Kalau kamu pembaca lama di blog-ku, kamu pasti tahu seberapa bencinya aku belanja online. Aku bukan tipe orang yang mudah mengeluarkan uang, lalu menunggu demi sebuah barang. Aku lebih suka barangnya langsung kupegang saat itu juga. Aku juga lebih suka belanja di official store ketimbang di toko-toko sembarangan yang random gitu aja. Walau harganya lebih mahal sedikit, tapi tokonya resmi. Jadi, kalau mereka sampai jual barang palsu, bisa dipidana :D Lebih aman aja, gitu.

Dan karena alasan itulah, aku baru memutuskan istiqomah (aw) pakai produk ini, setelah tahu ada distributor resminya di Indonesia.

Produk yang kumaksud (yakin banget, nih, udah pada kenal) adalah FREEMAN MASK. IYA! Masker keluaran Freeman Beauty ini sudah ada distributor RESMI-nya di Indonesia. HUZZAH! 

Produk ini asli dari negeri KFC, Amerika (tulisannya made in USA soalnya, hahaha) dan kabarnya 

udah ribuan orang jatuh hati sama merek ini. Buktinya, kalau kalian googling “freeman beauty” maka yang keluar biasanya kata kata macem “cheap mask that makes you glow”, “skin savers under $10” dan sejenisnya, yang mengindikasikan bahwa produk ini murah tapi kualitasnya jempolan. Hal itu juga yang bikin seorang Billy penasaran sejak 2015.

Di Indonesia, importir dan distributor produk-produk Freeman adalah NEWAGE S/B (ngga tahu itu apaan, hahaha) dan sudah bisa kalian temukan di drugstore maupun swalayan. Aku sendiri nemu Freeman ini di toserba Yogya Riaujunction, Bandung dengan harga Rp125.000,- per tube, untuk SEMUA varian di rangkaian ‘feeling beautiful’. Jadi, mau pilih varian apapun, harganya sama, Rp125.000,-. Isinya pun banyak banget, 175 mL.

Freeman sendiri, makin kesini makin banyak variannya. Tapi tetep, yang paling best-sellingnya di rangkaian feeling beautiful. Mungkin karena khasiatnya udah melegenda (?). Variannya ada BANYAK! Jenis maskernya sendiri ada macem-macem, ada mud mask, clay mask, overnight mask, peel-off mask dsb. Aku sampe jongkok setengah jam, literally, buat memilih masker mana yang bakal kubeli (ya, maklum dompetnya terbatas. Maunya, sih, beli semua satu-satu).

Setelah semedi dan komat kamit sana sini, kuputuskan untuk membeli tiga varian dengan pertimbangan isi dompet dan kebutuhan kulitku. Itu pun sudah off-budget, karena target saya hanya mencoba satu tube hahahaha.

Saat itu, kulitku sedang breakout super parah dan beruntusan sana-sini. Tiga varian yang kubeli adalah Freeman Detoxifying Charcoal + Black Sugar Mud Mask, Freeman Cleansing Apple Cider Vinegar Clay Mask + Scrub, dan Freeman Hydrating Honeydew + Chamomile Overnight Cream Mask.

Mari kita terjun dan mengupas kegunaan maskernya satu persatu :P

Freeman Detoxifying Charcoal + Black Sugar Mud Mask

Kalau kamu suka nonton YouTube-nya Female Daily Network, pasti tahu bahwa masker ini sempat dibahas oleh kak Affi Assegaf di segmen Skincare 101. Bahkan, beliau lebih memilih masker ini ketimbang masker milik The Body Shop yang harganya hamper 3x lipat! Dari video itu juga, saya ingin mencoba masker ini. Ini masker tipe mud mask, dan klaim-nya akan membantu men-detoks kulitmu. Jelas kuambil karena saat itu kulitku sedang butuh detoxifier :’)

Klaim maskernya sendiri adalah to moisturize, re-mineralize, and make skin sensationally soft! Oke, berani juga ini masker klaim begitu. Ini adalah masker pertama yang kucoba.

Saat dikeluarkan, sedikit agak sulit. Cairannya seperti lumpur (yaiyalah mud mask) dan berwarna abu abu super pekat. Saat diaplikasikan, aku qaget! Biasanya mud mask begini akan sedikit kasar, tapi yang ini super duper halus dan glides on smoothly aja, gitu. Bener-bener kaya mentega, teksturnya halus dan nggak ada ‘grinjel-grinjelnya’. Maskernya wangi, kayanya sedikit flowery. Ini juga bikin kaget, biasanya masker yang charcoal begini bau baunya kaya tanah campur pasir gitu. Paham, kan? Hahaha, ya begitu, tapi ini enggak! Wangi banget.

Pas dipakai, sensasi ketariknya kerasa tapi nggak ganggu. Masih dalam batas wajar. Dan masalah utamanya ada saat proses bilas, susah coy! Hahahaha. Maskernya nempel di kulit, dan sedikit butuh waktu untuk membilasnya, tapi setelah pemakaian kedua aku paham cara membilas masker ini lebih cepat. Triknya, saat masker sudah kering (ngga masalah pemakaiannya tebal ataupun tipis) kamu basahi muka dengan air agak banyak, dan usap pelan pelan dengan tangan. Setelah sekitar 10 detik atau masker berubah menjadi lembek, bantu hilangkan maskernya dengan lap handuk kecil. Trust me, waktu bilasnya akan jauh lebih cepat dan lebih bersih ketimbang dibilas pakai air dan tangan saja.

Hasilnya, wajah beneran (sumpah, ngga bohong) kerasa lebih bersih. Rasanya itu persis kaya kita habis cuci piring super kotor, yang beresnya bersih + wangi terus keset. Gitu, lho. Gimana ya jelasinnya, intinya dia enak banget dan wajah bener bener kerasa bersihan. Pertamanya, kupikir itu hanya sugesti karena aku excited sama masker ini. Lalu, kucoba aplikasikan masker ini ke temenku yang ngga paham skin care. Reaksinya persis reaksiku :’) kata dia, mukanya jadi lebih keset, dan kerasa banget bersihnya. Beda dengan muka yang hanya dibersihkan pake facial foam. Se-seneng itu, karena maskernya beneran bekerja! Masker ini rutin kupakai dua kali seminggu, tiap hari Senin dan Kamis.

Freeman Cleansing Apple Cider Vinegar Clay Mask + Scrub

Ini masker yang kucoba dua hari setelah pertama kali mencoba masker pertama. Alasan kubeli varian ini, simply karena varian ini menang Best of Beauty Award, Allure 2016. Ngga mungkin sampe menang award kalau maskernya biasa aja, dong? Masker ini –katanya multifungsi. Dia bisa jadi masker, tapi sekalian jadi scrub, tapi bisa juga dipakai jadi facial foam. Canggih, kan?

Klaimnya masker ini bisa dipakai untuk tone-up, menyerap minyak, membersihkan, dan menghaluskan. Karena judulnya bisa buat scrubbing, of course maskernya ini ada grinjel-grinjel halus. Wanginya, yaa ampun tolong enak bener. Kaya Sabun cuci tangan indomaret gitu, yang apel. Tapi, emang wanginya agak mencolok ketimbang yang mud mask tadi, tapi buatku amat sangat nggak ganggu.

Yang ini, ngga mau kupakai jadi facial foam (walaupun bisa). Sayang, Rp125.000, buatku mahal. Kalau tiap hari dipakai, awetnya Cuma sebulan :p

Maskernya sangat amat gampang disebar, teksturnya seperti odol. Ngga perlu kuas masker, pakai jari pun cukup. Se-gampang itu diaplikasikannya! Maskernya ngga boleh didiamkan lebih dari 10 menit, katanya. Tapi memang cepet banget keringnya, ngga sampe 10 menit sudah kering. Padahal aku pakai tebel-tebel.

Saat dibilas, ini lebih gampang larut ketimbang yang mud mask. Cuma, kalo yang ini aku nggak lap pakai handuk, karena masker ini menawarkan sensasi scrub. Jadi sambil kubilas maskernya, sambil ku scrub wajahku. Sambil menyelam minum air.

Hasilnya, wajahku lebih seger dan lebih halus! Memang dia ngga terlalu deep-cleanse seperti yang mud mask, tapi untuk membersihkan dan menghaluskan dia jago banget! Kali ini, aku bangga karena aku beli combo yang paten untuk kulitku :’) Mud mask + Clay mask = kulit yang bersih + halus, sumpah.

Freeman Hydrating Honeydew + Chamomile Overnight Cream Mask.

Nah, kalau yang ini adalah the lucky buy. Awalnya beli karena iseng, warnanya bagus. Ternyata, dia compliment kerja dua masker diatas! Nangis gak, lo?!

Masker ini jenisnya leave-on. Teksturnya gel cream, separo gel separo cream. Kaya conditioner, tapi lebih encer gitu. Hebatnya, doi ngga bikin greasy dan lengket :’) bangga akutu. Nyerapnya super cepet dan wanginya seger! Wangi melon, kaya susu melon indomilk!

Awalnya, aku perang batin mau pilih varian ini atau yang peony (yang warna biru+pink) tapi at the end kupilih yang ini, ngga tau kenapa.

Sesuai statement-ku diatas, masker ini compliment kedua masker yang kubeli. Kenapa? karena tiap habis pakai mud mask atau clay mask, wajahku jadi keset dan matte. Kalau kudiamkan gitu aja, bakal produksi minyak lebih banyak karena wajahku pun butuh kelembapan (aside of it producing excessive oil) jadi selalu kupakaikan masker ini setelah pakai salah satu masker diatas. Biasanya, kalau aku pakai masker ini, aku ngga akan pakai moisturizer lagi. Buat kulitku, Masker ini sendiri sudah lebih dari cukup untuk menghidrasi kulit. Teksturnya yang light juga sering jadi opsiku kalau beneran lagi buru buru pengen tidur. Biasanya kupakai Nature Republic Aloe Vera sebagai moisturizer, tapi karena butuh waktu hampir setengah jam biar menyerap kadang aku ganti pakai Freeman ini supaya bisa cepat tidur. Hasilnya sama persis dengan Nature Republic, saat bangun dan cuci muka pakai air (tanpa sabun) wajahku masih akan kerasa lembab dan alus.

Sejauh ini, ketiganya bener bener bagus banget untuk kulitku, terutama mereka sangat amat berperan besar mengatasi breakout-ku yang kemarin sedang parah parahnya.

Tekstur masing masing masker

Dua minggu aku hanya pakai Micellar water, facial foam, nature republic, dan tambahan ketiga freeman ini (selang-seling). Bahkan aku stop penggunaan sheet mask karena khawatir cairannya menyumbat pori-pori. Biasanya rangkaian skin careku cukup Panjang, tapi saat breakout kemarin fokusku hanya memastikan kulit bebas dari kotoran.

setelah masker dibaurkan

Hasilnya? Jerawat dan beruntusanku beneran mengering dalam dua minggu :’) sekarang aku sudah pakai skin care secara normal, rasio pemakaian freeman pun sudah tidak se-intens saat breakout.

No wonder people love Freeman mask soooo much, because they are freaking good! Buat dompetku mungkin tidak murah (tapi tidak mahal juga), tapi dipikir-pikir dengan hasil dan jumlah sebanyak itu rasanya worth the price! Rp125.000,- untuk 175mL is a huge deal! Apalagi hasilnya terpampang nyata menembus cakrawala merasuk ke dalam sanubari, jelas ini masuk kategori “harus istiqomah” milikku.

OVERALL RESULT(untuk ketiga produk) 

Harga: 9.10 / 10.00

Hasil di kulit: 9.75 / 10.00

Re-purchase? DAMN YES!

Mungkin kedepannya aku akan coba varian lain, ada beberapa yang sudah kuincar diantaranya varian Hydrating Glacier Water + Pink Peony, Purifying Avocado + Oatmeal Clay Mask dan Rejuvenating Cucumber + Pink Salt Clay Mask. Can’t wait! (Padahal yang tiga ini masih banyak banget, hahaha)

Thanks for stopping by! See you! 😁

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Billy Corna

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Road to Miss Universe 2018 Final: The Impression

In around 12 hours, we will have our new Miss Universe. The final will take place on Monday, December 17th 2018 (GMT+7) and will be aired LIVE on FOX from Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand and we will finally see who will succeed Demi-leigh.

This year the activities are not that tight, the girls spend most of their times video-taping, visiting cultural places and—of course the competition itself. Earlier this week the preliminary round has been conducted as well as the in-depth interview. Some said these three determine most of the cut. Well, not all the top 15 come from these three but MOST are. I’m positive the girls have given their A-games to the battle of the crown. Nevertheless, tomorrow we will find out which girl taking the crown back home.

I just recently learned that the top 20 formatting is BACK! Yes! That means there will be more girls having the chance to showcase their hard work. The format, apparently, will also stays with their continental zoning like last year. That means the girls will be competing against their continental mate to lock down the top 20 spots. Afterwards, they have to work their asses up for themselves because in the top 20 they will vie against each other.

During rehearsal, the top 20 semifinalists was divided into 4. 5 of the African and Asia-Pacific, 5 of the Europe, 5 of the Americas, and the other 5 is the wildcards (from any continent and in any number)

Another rumored format is that the Miss Universe is now using a 15-second speech to narrow down the top 20 to the top 10. My honest reaction was “ew!”. Come on, Miss Universe used to be cool! Not like this, please! After the top 10 are selected, they will be competing in both swimsuit and evening gown. Then as usual they will go to top 5 and then top 3. I really wish they would keep the old format.

Returning to our main point right here, it has not been easy for me to determine Miss Universe’s hot lists, I faced failures and successes throughout my journey of listing favorites (I’ve been following Miss Universe since 2003 but only writing opinions about them since 2014). Anyway, it’s off the case again hahaha. The point is this is not a prediction, I write all these for fun and to speak out my notes for the ladies.
For tomorrow's final, I suggest you to brace yourselves for anything. IMG is definitely unpredictable!

So, enjoy and good luck, ladies!

African and Asia-Pacific Group

1. PHILIPPINES

Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray

Clearly the one to win it! Sorry, I’m not being biased. I’ll say good to those in my eyes are good and bad to those in my eyes are bad and she is definitely the ONE in my “good” zone. I will simply say she is a pure-bred to the title. She has been consistently amazing. Not only since the Miss Universe kicked off but ever since she declared her rally to Binibining Pilipinas. Definitely up for a spot in top 3

2. NEPAL

Manita Devkota

Apparently, this Nepali beauty will come up as a silent murderer. She reminds me of Miss Sri Lanka 2017 who suddenly came out locking a spot in top 16. I just find it hard to see her more in the involvement of the activities but I’m sure she is digging her way up from behind the lenses. She seems smart and eloquent, to be honest!

3. AUSTRALIA

Francesca Hung

This girl won’t stop growing like crazy! She came so close and super-worthy of the title! She has poise and charm of her own. Regarding recent issue addressed to her and other two women, I believe it's just a misunderstanding (to Australia)

4. SOUTH AFRICA

Tamaryn Green

Being a successor is never easy, especially when your predecessor won the earlier year. Tamaryn makes the job looks easy. So far, she is still the strongest out of the African community. She is beautiful, tall, eloquent, a nurse in-the-making, bubbly and of course cameras love her! What else is lacking from her? She can definitely up for any spot, but sorry to say it's a NO for a back-to-back wins.

5. NAMIBIA

Selma Kamanya

Namibia made history as the winner of Miss Universe 1992 in Thailand. Now the pageant comes back to the country. Will she claim what Michelle McLean claimed back in 1992? Who knows! So far, she is doing a nice job and I find her pleasant to be seen on camera. Michelle McLean was also known for being among the interview and preliminary judges so this might be an advantage for Namibia to climb up on top.

Watch her out, everyone!

POSSIBLE PLACEMENTS:
THAILAND, JAPAN, CAMBODIA, NIGERIA, ANGOLA

Europe Group

1. HUNGARY

Enikő Kecskès

Hungary was off everyone's list but somehow I see potentials in her. She is promising and might be one of the names coming up on finals among other European queens.

2. IRELAND

Grainne Gallanagh

Ireland sends a promising candidate this year. She is a blonde bombshell --just like the USA and a total babe during the Miss Universe days! One thing I disappointed about her was her gown choice during prelims, it was somehow weird compared to other contestants but hey IMG judge the dress no more! personality matters now and she has it!

3. GREAT BRITAIN

Dee-ann Kentish-Rogers

A black beauty from the land of britain! She is the first black representative of Great Britain and this might be a huge milestone for black beauties of Britain. She seemed to be super calm during the Miss Universe days and she definitely has nice personality!

4. SPAIN

Angela Ponce

She has stories to tell the universe. She is an example, a role model and a voice of all LGBTQ community across the world. She will definitely lock a spot in top 20, to show the world no matter what, your personality is what matters.

5. BELGIUM

Zoé Brunet

She is something! Fresh and beautiful, ready to compete. She is more than beauty, she is unique. You can spot her from distance and say "That's miss Belgium"

POSSIBLE PLACEMENTS:
ICELAND, SWITZERLAND, POLAND

Americas Group

1. PUERTO RICO

Kiara Liz Ortega

Kiara keeps growing each day and showing her true potential! She looks regal and poised during the Thai night and the preliminary round which rocketed her into the top of my list. Just seeing the presence of herself I can say, “Yep, she is the one”

Puerto Rico recently won the Miss Supranational title, can Kiara match her fellow Puerto Rican and bring Puerto Rico another crown? Sure, she could!

2. CHILE

Andrea Diaz

I didn't expect her to be on top but seeing her overall performances made me reconsider my list. The Americas is the most difficult continental zone to narrow down. Too many beautiful women but I must be extra careful because beauty itself is not sufficient. Chile has the whole of it.

3. CANADA

Marta Magdalena Stepien

Canada won Miss Universe 2005 in Thailand. Now the event is back in Thailand. It feels like Canada didn't want to lose the momentum and send this angelic candidate to Miss Universe. I bet Thailand has its own magical effect on Canada.

4. MEXICO

Andrea Toscano

See that face? That is the face of the universe! So silly of me for not including her in my previous list but in my defense she was off my list before because I did not see much coming from her. Her presence is a WOW during the Thai Night event which instantly lift her placement on my list. After her gracious walk with the Thai dress, I could not possibly put her off the list. She truly left a nice mark on my brain and eyes!

5. VENEZUELA

Sthefany Gutierrez

Venezuela unwrapped herself slowly during the Miss Universe 2018 and that's a nice trick. In previous editions, every single miss Venezuela always come in "BAM!" from the beginning but she chose different trick and that is good, I believe. She was not emerged as a heavy favorite but slowly aimed a gun to the crown. Don't be surprised if Venezuela climbed up to the top.

POSSIBLE PLACEMENTS:
CURAÇAO, EL SALVADOR

The Wildcards

1.USA

Sarah Rose Summers

She came real strong but made herself a dent in the competition. In a live interaction with Miss Colombia and Australia she said things that probably hurt some people (PROBABLY). She is currently a hot topic in several news platform saying she was a racist and xenophobic. No matter what the issues are, I believe she just need to hold her mouth especially when she is a girl under the spotlight. Everything you do and say matters, honey.

2. COLOMBIA

Valeria Morales

Just like Miss USA. She is currently a hot topic regarding some issues, the problem is that the issues against her is more than the case with Miss USA and Australia. Earlier, she is accused of being snobby and arrogant. I just don't understand whether people is trying to bring her down or she really is like that. However, Steve Harvey is still hosting! She might stand among the top due to the mistake Steve did in 2015. My hunch says as long as Steve hosts the competition, miss Colombia--no matter who and what happened is still going to be up there.

3. VIETNAM

H'Hen Niê

Hennie--that's how I write her name, comes from a small village in her country. She is also among the minority race in Vietnam--the first from her race to represent her country. She has mission, she is strong and just gorgeous. I believe it is enough to bring her up to the top. One critique for her is about her inconsistency of the overall performances.

4. BRAZIL

Mayra Dias

Brazil has never been this weak in Miss Universe but considering her sash factor she might emerge as one of the top 20. One thing I really like about her is her facial feature, just so gorgeous!

5. INDONESIA

Sonia Fergina Citra

One of the most prepared girls towards the universe! She has been in the spotlight lately and her charm is definitely everything! her smile never fades as she always shows her best smile to everyone. Truly gorgeous queen!

Please note that those are not in certain order, I had trouble ordering who's going to be on top so I made the grouping zone instead. Regardless, everything can happen tomorrow!

By the way, I really must narrow these girls down. In no particular order, these FIVE are THE NEAREST to the crown:

AUSTRALIA
CANADA
PHILIPPINES
PUERTO RICO
SOUTH AFRICA

Last, I really wish all the girls good luck. No matter what happens tomorrow, you already give the best shot for your country and they must be proud of you! Love 💕

See you at another pageant content and stay tune for more!

Regards,

@billiansyaha

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Billy Corna

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