Time to Get Jewelry for Eid 2021

I truly have to say this: Every piece of jewelry is so pretty and for what? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bad one – well maybe I have, but you get my point. If you’ve seen ugly pieces more than you’ve seen the beautiful ones, I’m so incredibly sorry for you. May you come upon Tiffany’s jewelry soon.

Or maybe you don’t have to look at Tiffany’s jewelry. Maybe you can find something attractive at much lower prices. Find where, you ask? I’m glad to answer.

“Mary Kay Is Worth Every Penny. …” – A Beauty Consultant on Animal-Testing, Career Path, and More

The cosmetic industry is under fire due to Save Ralph short film, which exposes the industry as animal abuser and bring attention to the problematic animal testing. I had a conversation with a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant (who is also my friend) about the topic (animal testing), in which she quoted the details straight from Mary Kay company:

“Kindly be informed that Mary Kay is committed to the elimination of animal testing! We do not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients, nor ask others to do so on our behalf, except when required by law. Regulations on cosmetics constantly change, but Mary Kay has never wavered from our commitment to using alternative testing methods. We understand that in China, under certain circumstances, some product categories and new ingredients must be submitted to the government for safety testing, which may include animal testing. When Mary Kay learned of requirements by regulatory agencies in China, we were obliged to follow the law, as we do in every country where we operate. But, rest assured, our commitment to the elimination of animal testing has never changed or wavered. We are working with the Chinese government to demonstrate that alternative testing methods on cosmetics ensure safe and effective products. For more than two decades, Mary Kay has been a global leader in helping develop alternative testing methods for product safety. In addition, we stand by our commitment.”

I took the chance to ask questions about her career as well as other related topics.

Ku Sorfina binti Ku Zurishan, 19 years old, has already had a job she loves and an adequate monthly income, all while still studying at a local university. What more could a girl that young want? However she refuses to stay in her current position and always aims for more – such an inspiration.

Eternally Chanel: What is the best thing about being a consultant at Mary Kay?

Ku Sorfina: Okay, first thing first, Mary Kay Beauty Consultant is different compared to other agents, dropshippers, or stockists of skincare brands. Why? Because being a beauty consultant itself means you must have knowledge of skin concerns, products, and the best solutions in order for people to get their skin goal. So, what is the best thing about being a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant? Actually, there are a lot of things that I gain from this business… but I will highlight on the strong sisterhood, why? Because being in a positive circle, you will be guided by the great mentors and sisters-by-choice. To be honest, I am among the youngest beauty consultant in my unit, but I can treat my sisters-by-choice like my friends, my buddies – they are so friendly, cool, smart, and they will be there whenever I need their help. This is what I can tell you. (Because) I never knew that there is a business which have like, very, very strong sisterhood. We are like one big family. I love them.

EC: How do you manage being a beauty consultant and a student at the same time? Especially when you have several beauty consultants, whom you recruited, to take care of.

KS: Okay, I manage my time – I have my own schedule book which is my planner. Every single thing I want to do, I plan in my planner. So, by doing that, I’m able to balance my Mary Kay business and my education. Usually, I study at night because I want to have my own me-time. During this time, I switch off all social media and focus on studying. As for the beauty consultants I recruited, I usually make time for them during weekends; I call them, I guide them to get sales as well. But, if they have any curiosity, they may ask me directly on any day.

EC: In your opinion, how important is skin health, and why?

KS: In my opinion, it is necessary to have healthy skin to avoid any acne or skin breakout. Not only that, having a healthy skin also makes us feel more confident and comfortable to hang around friends, family members, and even the community, right? We don’t need to be flawless to be beautiful, but skin is the biggest part of our body. So, we must take care of it and make sure it’s in healthy condition and looks fresh.

EC: If I’m not mistaken, Mary Kay mostly uses natural ingredients. Natural ingredients work on skin slower than chemicals (in cheap skincare products) do. As a Mary Kay user yourself, how effective is Mary Kay products?

KS: Yes, Mary Kay uses natural ingredients in the products. I’d like to share my experience of using Mary Kay – as a user, I happily fell in love with Mary Kay products, not because I am a beauty consultant, but because I’ve been using them for 6 months now and Alhamdulillah my skin is getting better. It takes about 1-2 months to see the progress (of Mary Kay effects) on our skin, based on the skin conditions. So, what I must say is that Mary Kay skincare products work very well on my skin and I often see the result shortly!

EC: How do you know what products to recommend to potential customers? Like, what do you do or say during consultation?

KS: I ask them their skincare routine, skincare history (all the previous products they use), and their lifestyle. Then, I suggest the best (product or set) that suits their skin. Every regime in Mary Kay has their own special qualities and ingredients that are specific to particular skin problems. Another thing, in case of any problem, all products come with 90-days-satisfaction guarantee, which means customers can get a new, better product for free.

EC: Have your customers ever complained or cause troubles?

KS: Alhamdulillah, so far all my customers are satisfied with my service and most of them order from me repeatedly.

EC: Personally, which products from Mary Kay do you like the most?

KS: I prefer Botanical Effects and Naturally because I use these two sets and so in love with them.

EC: Do you think Mary Kay is worth it?

KS: Mary Kay skincare is worth every penny. Why? It’s because Mary Kay products can last 6 months and above – so if we calculate, (we’d find out that) we invest only a few ringgits on our skincare. It’s very affordable and worth it.

EC: I saw you posted pictures of yourself wearing a red jacket – the Mary Kay Red Jacket. May you tell us where, or what event were you at, and what is it about?

KS: That was my first time attending a Mary Kay event. That event I posted was at Neo Damansara Hall – we had a virtual career conference as the appreciation of Mary Kay Beauty Consultants’ achievements in Malaysia and Singapore. There were rewards, lucky draw, and advice-sharing with the best mentor in Mary Kay. I was having so much fun and excited to be better and successful like my leaders.

EC: What is your hope for the future?

KS: In Mary Kay, we have a career path which consists of career levels based on our work performance and how good we are in helping and guiding our own unit members to be as successful as we are. My next target is to become a Mary Kay Malaysia & Singapore Sales Director. I want to help people out there to have better life and financial freedom. I hope I can guide many people and make them happy with the changes in their life.

EC: Do you think you will ever stop working with Mary Kay?

KS: For now, I will not stop being a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant, because I love my job and I’m happy with it. Please pray for my journey to help people out there and be inspired by others.

Speak Their Love Languages

I was going to talk about how people in relationships need to respect each other’s boundaries, but I gave it a second thought and decided to ditch the idea until the right time comes. It’s a somewhat heavy topic, so much so that I don’t think I can deliver the message accurately and properly. Crazy how (many) people find bare minimums like respect difficult to be done, as if they’re heavy burdens to carry; I know this for a fact because I’ve known enough people whose boundaries are violated by their partners in the name of “love”.

I’m no expert, so I’m keeping this “advice” as straightforward as possible.

The five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, physical touch. Maybe you already know this, but I’m still explaining them just in case.

Words of affirmation are any spoken or written words that confirm, support, uplift, and empathize with another person in a positive manner (source: mindbodygreen). You know, the “I love you’s”, compliments, encouragements, solaces, etc. The most common love language, according to Gary Chapman.

Quality time is time in which one’s child, partner, or other loved person receives one’s undivided attention, in such a way as to strengthen the relationship (source: Oxford Languages). I’m sure this one is pretty simple to understand; you spend time with your loved ones, whether it be your partner or your friends, doing something together without any distraction.

Receiving gifts is feeling love from all of those small presents that one’s partner gets them (source: Crated with Love). No, it’s not rooted in materialism. You can give them a painted pebble and say “I made this for you” and they will be so grateful, they might even protect the pebble forever.

Acts of service is a language that can best be described as doing something for your partner that you know they would like, such as filling up their gas, watering their plants, or cooking them a meal. When you give acts of service, you give up your time (source: Verywell Mind).

Physical touch refers to expressing and receiving affection through touch, physical closeness, and other forms of physical connection (source: mindbodygreen). It’s not necessarily about romantic, intimate touch; people with this love language also feels so much comfort and affection from hugs, massages, etc.

Love languages exist as the best forms of communication, and everyone speaks at least one of them. It’s how we show how much we care without actually admitting how much we care. Our personal love language is actually our personal opinion on the best form of love (some believe that it’s something we lack of in our childhood). However, there’s a rule you need to understand:  It’s not about your love language, it’s always about your partner’s. Say, yours is physical touch and theirs is receiving gifts. Of course you can touch them with their consent, but it’s not encouraging strong bond anytime soon if you completely ignore that they like gifts. Worse, if they’re not comfortable with your love language but you keep speaking it instead of theirs.

The rule goes both ways – you have to speak theirs, and they have to speak yours. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it and you definitely have to try. That’s how you connect beautifully to the love of your life. That’s how the relationship stays robust.

Oh, and love languages are not only for people who are dating or married! They’re also for parents-children, grandparents-grandchildren, siblings, friends, etc. Again, the rule applies for everyone. You see, parents have to speak their children’s love language, and vice versa.

To Muslims celebrating Eid with your loved ones: Salam Eid al-Fitr! I wish you and your loved ones all blessings of Eid al-Fitr. Do spend quality time with your loved ones, but still remember to respect their boundaries! Also, try your best to speak their love language to make this year’s Eid more meaningful. Most importantly, don’t forget to do ibadat.

How to Convince Your Mother That You Appreciate Her?

Mother’s Day is coming very soon. Although not all of us have the best relationship with our mothers, we have to admit our mothers have done so much for us. How do we show them that we appreciate her efforts and care for her? The least we can do is celebrate them, but what else?

Many mothers find it hard to believe that their children love their existence, and we can’t really blame them nor can we blame their children. Mothers can be so (I’m sorry for saying this) toxic sometimes – we can’t pressure children to just accept it, it’s so unhealthy and degrading.

My message to people with mommy issues: Baby, it’s okay if you’re not ready to celebrate Mother’s Day this year, it’s okay if you’re not emotionally strong enough to spend time with your mother this year. Trust me, it’s okay. I just hope you can find it in your heart to forgive her, okay sweetheart? I understand if you don’t want to do anything for Mother’s Day, I wish you will at least send her a short text, but you don’t have to, alright? You’re precious and I wish your mother will see it one day.

To everyone who wants to prove to their mothers how much they value them, you need to try:

  • Spend time doing things your mother loves. Bake cookies with her, or watch her favorite shows together; do anything as long as it makes her happy.
  • Hug your mother. She deserves the hug. Kiss her forehead, kiss her cheek. Let her know you’ve been wanting to hug and kiss her since forever.
  • Give her one or more gifts; a simple card at least – she will cherish the gift for the rest of her life.
  • Ask her to tell you stories. Listen to her with obvious interest.
  • Do something simple but memorable. Make coffee for her, tell her she looks amazing, lay a comforter on her while she’s sleeping.

Eternally Chanel wishes you and your mother a very Happy Mother’s Day.

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started