The women in my family always talked about the importance of wrapping your stomach after giving birth, but what they didn’t mention was how hard that would be considering I still looked to be about 6 months pregnant. So I decided to try bengkung postpartum massages. An Indonesian therapist came highly recommended from a friend of mine and the best part was that she came directly to my house. She performed a bengkung wrap which I believe is a traditional Malaysian technique. Using just ginger cream and olive oil, the massage actually focused on my entire body with an emphasis at the end on my stomach. It involved lots of pulling and pushing of my stomach muscles to pull everything back to the middle. The ginger cream was incredibly strong and felt more like icy hot than anything else, but I felt so much better after each session. In total I had seven 1-hour sessions for $580 SGD in total. It seemed like a lot of money when I was considering it, but can I really put a price on my well being?

Here is what I looked like 7 days after giving birth, before having any massages.

Benefits of Bengkung Massage and Wrap

• Helps shrink the uterus to its pre-pregnancy size
• Tones the stretched skin
• Speeds the recovery process
• Stimulates milk production
• Reduction of postpartum depression
• Relieves constipation and helps remove blood clots
• Helps eliminate toxins and excess gas

After each session I had to wear the wrap for at least 6 hours and I was bound in two different cloths. Both had zero stretch, so at the end of the day I was more than ready to take it off. I think this would have been much easier to handle in a cooler climate, but with all of the wrappings I was pretty uncomfortable after only an hour or so.

This was taken after the first massage. I have two layers of wrappings on here, which I kept on for about 8 hours.

But, did it work?

Absolutely. I felt more like myself after each session. It was incredible how it really did help me to get rid of excess fluids and pulled everything together. Is my stomach back to its pre-pregnancy shape…not yet. But I feel like once I can actually do some abdominal exercises I won’t have such a hard time getting myself to snap back. More than anything it helped tremendously with my mental state. Not being able to exercise when I’m used to working out five days a week was awful. The wrap was essentially the only thing I could actually do while my body recovered from childbirth. I truly felt so much better with each massage and wrap. I will say that I think eventually my body would have eliminated waste and returned to its original state on its own, but this definitely helped speed up the process. The only thing I didn’t love about it was being separated from my newborn baby each day for an hour. With breastfeeding on demand it was almost impossible to do. And the only benefit listed which I can confidently say it did not help with was my milk production. However, I think the other benefits really did come as a result of the wrap and I’m glad I did it.

After just one massage and wrap.

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I don’t know if it’s just me, but I could watch Youtube videos all day on natural diy hairstyles. The trouble is, once you try them you quickly see that it’s not as easy as it looks. Add the humidity of Singapore to the equation and working out five days a week and I can firmly say that I have never actually achieved one of these styles. Ok maybe once or twice, but I don’t even want to tell you how much product had to be used to secure it. So after having failed over and over again, and settled for a bun or headband for the thousandth time, I finally decided it was time for something more drastic. I had been building a pretty large Pinterest board for some time with pictures of the most beautiful Sisterlocks, but I didn’t know how or when I was going to make this happen. (This is not easy when you live in Asia.) I even signed up for the class to become a certified Sisterlock consultant, only to have it cancelled. So after all of my wedding planning was done and I had some time to research and plan it out, I pulled the trigger.  I made an appointment for shortly after I arrived home for the Christmas holiday. It took 26 hours in total, broken up over two days, but I am now officially “Sisterlocked”.

Getting Started

I had to do a lot of research before going through with this. For starters you’re supposed to do a tester lock. I didn’t have the luxury of time to do this step, so I found a consultant located in California near my family and did the consultation over email essentially. I then had to find a consultant in Asia that could do the first 6 months of retightening for me. The only consultant I could find and who actually was responsive enough to set everything up with me over email was located in Okinawa, Japan. I relied heavily on the Sisterlock website for suggestions and the listings of consultants. Sisterlocks can be self maintained, but it’s suggested that you have passed the 6-month mark first and have them in good condition before looking into self-retightening.  

My first few Sisterlocks.

I think I may win the award for the biggest sacrifice ever made to get your hair done. I’ve flown twice now to Okinawa to get it retightened and will have to learn to maintain them myself earlier than I originally planned because my consultant is gasp…moving back to the United States. My most recent visit will be my last and I now have to hold it together until I fly to London in June. Thankfully there are a ton of consultants in London, including some who are R-certified and teach retightening.

How’s it going so far?

Well, it is certainly a process and you learn a lot about yourself and your hair. As thick and unruly as my hair can be, I thought it would lock easily. Turns out it’s not the perfect hair type for locks. I went through all of that and it’s still frizzy and unravels on its own quite a bit. In fact I have a few sisterlocks in the front of my scalp that unravel completely in between retigtenings. And I still have a ton of shrinkage. My hair is quite long, but you can’t tell. So far I haven’t gotten the confidence to really wear it out. I can’t wet it much and as a result it just seems a bit thin to me and lacking in texture. In fact if you follow my social media you may have noticed very few pictures of me because, well, I’m still adjusting and becoming comfortable with my new look. Even when I had to throw it in a bun previously I could still slick it down and have a more refined look, but in these early stages I haven’t been able to showcase my hair as much as I would have liked. And in three full months I haven’t used a single product aside from shampoo. I am anxiously awaiting the day I can use conditioner, but I am also finding that my hair is not as dry as I thought it would be. I can’t speak for my scalp though. It has a mind of its own and seems to be purging every product I’ve ever used.

This has been my go to style as I wait for it to grow and thicken.

I can say that I’m enjoying the process and I enjoyed getting to see Okinawa and a bit of the military life here. But I’m happy to not have to travel just to get my hair done anymore. Stay tuned for more updates.

After a wash. I’m going to have to embrace the frizz.

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If you find yourself in a bit of a holiday or travel workout slump, with a need to pump some iron, here are a few quick fixes.

Globo Gym

Find the local “Globo Gym.” These massive gyms often give free visits to newbies. Even though I prefer going to a Crossfit box, free is hard to beat. While in South Africa, Virgin Active gyms were scattered throughout the country and we were able to work out completely free for a day, which was perfect for what we needed. 24 Hour Fitness and Gold’s are two other huge chains that usually offer free visits to test out the facilities.

Crossfit

Crossfit is my drug of choice, so I always try to go whenever visiting a new city. I get to check out their facilities, but also pick up tips and tricks I can use when coaching. Usually in exchange for buying a t-shirt I can work out. The shirts actually make great souvenirs or you can start a collection like many people I know. The best part though, is seeing people from a completely different part of the world practicing the same thing I do everyday. I see the subtle differences and even different terms they use for the same activities.

About a month into my South African adventure, I inexplicably became very bitchy. That’s when I realized I hadn’t been getting enough exercise. So we visited Cape Crossfit and had an exhausting workout, surrounded by very friendly people.

Groupon

When I know I’m going to be in one place for longer than a week, I like to find Groupons for workout classes. I’ve tried yoga, complete gym memberships and crossfit. They are always very reasonably priced and conveniently located. I’ve enjoyed these Groupons so much in the past that I even bought a few extra as Christmas gifts.

Hotel Gym

My least favorite quick fix is a hotel gym. These gyms usually come standard with cardio machinery but crappy weights and little to no room to move. Sometimes it’s worth it to splurge on the hotel a bit, if you can find one with an upgraded gym.

Bring Your Own

My boyfriend and I rarely travel without a speed rope. Jumping rope is a great workout that requires very little space-space to do the exercise and space in your suitcase. If we can find a decent park we throw a whole workout together, using our bodies as the machines. Got an empty bench or bleachers? Box jumps. Monkey bars? Pull-ups or toes to bar. Flat space? Sit-ups. It can actually be very easy to get resourceful.

My boyfriend working out in Botswana. There was no gym for miles, so we used what we had.

 Local Colleges or Universities

Last but not least, check out the local college. If you happen to be in a city with a university you may be able to utilize their facilities. This is especially possible if the students are away for vacation and the college has become a ghost town. It doesn’t always work, but you also get to see a college campus in the process.

Did I miss anything? Comment below with your tips for lifting and working out on the road.

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Outlet Shopping

The outlets are located in various shopping districts. You could easily spend a few hours in one of the districts, hopping from place to place. They all carried a combination of men, women and children’s clothing, local and western clothing, plus shoes, purses and accessories. And with the exception of the shoes and some purses, I think everything was nice quality. The best part was the prices. I didn’t spend more than $12 on any item and walked away with some high quality pieces.

Jl. Setiabudi

Rumah Mode

This was by far the best outlet. It had the best variety of brands (Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, DKNY, Miu Miu, Mango, Zara, etc.) nicest dressing rooms, and even had a food court and courtyard. It was also well lit, had ample parking and was well staffed. If I could only visit one outlet, it would be this one.

Fashion World

This store was next door to Rumah Mode. It had some items, but I was actually turned off by the personal shopper. The moment I picked something up there was someone to assist me. I couldn’t relax and inspect everything the way I wanted to with someone following behind me and holding my bags.

Jl. Riau

Heritage, Summit, Passion, The Secret

These four outlets are all within walking distance from each other and are all relatively similar. They carried similar brands to Rumah Mode and were well organized and clean, but the clothing felt a bit more dated. Still there were very good deals and some even sold house ware.

Jl. Dago is another shopping area, but I would actually skip it. Some of the more famous outlets in the area have since closed down. The remaining outlets seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum, with Nike being way too expensive and Donatella looking really cheap.

Beauty Services

When you grow tired of shopping the Tribeca Nail and Wax Bar is a total must. The salon could easily be located in an upscale U.S. neighborhood in terms of the layout, design and quality of the services. I got a spa mani and pedi along with eyebrow threading for about $30 USD total. And I must say it was one of the best eyebrow threadings I’ve ever had. I didn’t even have to do the customary skin stretch so that the threader can get in closer. Instead they had two people providing the service. It was very relaxing. The polish was also top notch with a range of OPI products as well as organic products for pregnant women or the more health conscious customer. I also enjoyed a massage at the Amaia Spa. For the equivalent of $11.50 USD, I had a 1.5 hour massage in a private room. The spa even had an adjacent kiddie spa and playroom.

So is Bandung a girl’s best friend? It was certainly an interesting experience, but because of the traffic in the city I would say only do this trip if you are already in the area. I would also suggest splurging for your hotel room. After a long day of shopping, you will want to relax and be comfortable.

The post Bandung, Indonesia: A Girl’s Best Friend? appeared first on Maya the Explorer - Expat Blog | Travel & Lifestyle.

What is it?

The system is designed to improve the moisture levels of your hair, while also eliminating products from your regimen that can strip your hair, such as sodium lauryl sulfate. It starts with a special cherry lola treatment (when done for the first time) and has 5 steps afterwards, apple cider vinegar wash, overnight deep conditioning treatment, clay mask, leave-in conditioner, and last but not least gel.

A few of the beauty supplies you will need. Apple cider vinegar, deep conditioner, clay mask, leave-in conditioner (gel not pictured).

My results after trying it just once.

Pros

• Curls on curls. I had a head full of curls after just one try. And with each cycle of the method I can see the curl pattern develop even more.
• The products can all be found in grocery stores or health food stores making it easy to do even from Singapore or elsewhere in the world.
• My hair is becoming more manageable with each cycle and I’m seeing MUCH less shedding.
• Withstands extreme humidity and high intensity workouts.
• It looks good. I’ve gotten tons of compliments since using the method.
• It’s natural. I’m sure a lot of people have tried to get the same results via chemical options such as texturizers, but this is completely natural.
• It’s also a lot less work and way more effective than some of the other options I’ve tried to achieve the same result, such as the curly girl method or a twist or braid-out.

My results after trying it twice. Curls are becoming more defined, especially in troubled spots.

Cons

• The process is quite time consuming. I’ve pretty much dedicated one night and the following morning (per week) to letting the products sit in my hair for the recommended time.
• It’s messy. The apple cider vinegar isn’t the best smell in the world and it drips all over when applying. There is a baking soda option for this step, but because I love the results of the ACV I haven’t tried it. The clay mask is also very messy. I have to basically sit in one spot during this step so the clean up is restricted to a smaller area.
• Shrinkage is real. My hair seems a lot shorter with my hair being this curly. But it does lengthen a bit as the week goes on and gets bigger and better.

Despite the cons, I really am amazed at the results. The compliments have been great, but I’m just thrilled that after all of these years I’m not only content but also delighted with my hair in it’s natural form, with really low manipulation or styling.

The results on my 3rd time. My hair is yet to dry, but you can see the curl pattern.

I will be putting it to the test in a couple of weeks as I visit the Maldives and will be diving and swimming a lot, but I think it’s safe to say I’m a believer. Has any one else out there tried it? Comment below.

The post The Max Hydration Method Tested in Max Humidity appeared first on Maya the Explorer - Expat Blog | Travel & Lifestyle.

I tried everything. I started natural (which I’ve been for most of my life), but it took a while to find someone who could rebraid my hair. In the meantime I got a Brazilian blowout. When I returned to my hairdresser stateside he laughed. What Brazilian blowout? Guess formaldehyde didn’t have sh!@ on my hair. Next was a weave. Hated that. I even went as far as going to China to get my own supply. In the process I visited Guangzhou and found out more than one person ever needs to know about where hair really comes from. Chris Rock only scratched the surface. In the end, I felt fake. I worried someone was always staring at my tracks or noticed that my hair had grown several inches over night and I thought What a waste? I’ve got a beautiful full head of hair sitting underneath this peluca.

Weaved up in Boracay. The irony of wearing this shirt when I’m not even embracing my own hair.

Healthy hair in Puerto Rico before the perm.

From there I went to flat irons, which was an endless struggle in the constant humidity. So I jumped to the creamy crack, which almost instantly caused my once long, healthy hair to break off. Feeling disgusted with myself, I gave up. I cut it all off and went back to square one, natural. Braids, twists, braids again. Even that gets old. It’s a constant cycle of taking them down and putting them back in. It’s too much work and constant stress on my hair.  Are my edges thinning?????, I’m always thinking to myself.

I quit. For once I’m going to wear my hair the way it comes out of my scalp and just stop caring about what people think. As I write, I’m taking out the braids, hoping for the best without a comb in sight. Stay tuned for more.

My cousin helping me take out my braids in Indonesia.

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