” beauty has so many forms. and I think the most beautiful thing is confidence and loving yourself”
How old are you?
I was asked many times and every time there’s oh..?? you’re kidding!
Even my millennial patients would rush and look at my license certificate on the wall and read my birth yearđ
1959!
yes! There’s no secret and I think I look natural at my age. Hmmm..what natural? for myself? or what society dictates? depends on my mood , I guess đ
You see, when you don’t exert effort on how to look young, it mirrors on your photo.
You don’t have to look like when you’re on your 30’s! You just have to look like a better version of it when you’re fifty and beyondđ
Example?
Eye bags
Well, as we grow older, our eye bags got deeper, you don’t need a filler or bleph , just wear you’re eyeglasses and pronto! eye bag is gone!
Eyebrows
it’s a trial and error how to get the best eyebrow that really looks natural on your age. It took me awhile to master how I want it to be. I think having tattoo will look you more older.
and
find your angle lookđ when someone wants to take your photo.
practice.. practice..
look at the mirror which is your best side.. right? or left?and practice smiling. It really makes a difference. You can also turn your shoulder at 45 degrees angle but don’t tilt your head, instead bring your ears to the front to minimize double chin . Position the tip of your tongue at the back of your teeth and SMILE!
Ladies, at our age, I think the best is to smile confidently and I am hundred percent sure , you will look younger.
Here are some sample of ladies who smile beautifully without editing or using filter.
Remember, we all have our time of beauty at a different stages of life so embrace it whether you are fifty or beyond.
I was invited for a Tea party with Filipino Women’s League in Aiea at Dr. Amy Jacang residence. It was a beautiful day with beautiful women in a beautiful location overlooking the city, I would say they are the Beauties beyond fifties đ
Each guest brought some Filipino dishes, it was like “fiesta” with a twist of camaraderie .A lovely afternoon was spent with bona fide members giving speeches , songs and dances. The new would be members were asked to introduce themselves. It was an afternoon of smiles and I was excited and privileged to get some photos of the day. The usual meeting is held every first Friday of the month at various locations in central or west of Oahu.
The Filipino Women’s League
– promoting Filipino sisterhood through culture, companionship and community service.
It was also announced that the Filipino Women’s league have helped  students who are brilliant in their field of studies but can not further their education due to lack of finances through their scholarship program. It caters for male and female students with Filipino descent who intend to pursue a career in college or university.
In addition, I also learned they have cook book for sale entitled “Hawaii Filipinas Favorite Recipes” for Usd 15 plus shipping but through my research, it is also available in Amazon for Usd 25.
Wow! It’s amazing to meet all these women  and one thing I am delighted about is they all look beautiful in photos. I think because their smile are genuine and confident.. Confidently beautiful đ
Thank you Pat for taking me to this wonderful event.
The third episode of “The Vin and Noira Show” is here
Are you a OFW? Expatriates? born in KSA? back in Philippines? you should listen to vin oh! and noira too, she is from Indonesia but studied in Australia.
Where are you from?
I usually say, from Philippines to make the story short, because I was born in Davao and was raised in Bicol, my father is from Cabanatuan City and my mother is from Taytay ,Rizal and you can find these places in the Philippines.
but..
What about if you are born in another country like Saudi Arabia with Filipino parents and was raised in Saudi Arabia and never had the chance to actually live in Philippines?
What about.. if you are born in Saudi Arabia and never had the opportunity to really live in Philippines but your parents are both Filipino and you immigrated to United Kingdom or Canada?
What about..if your mother is Filipina and your father is American and you are born and raised in Saudi Arabia?
Where are you from?
photo grabs from “the vin and noira show” Ep3
As my youngest always say ” WE ARE NOMAD” đ
GLOBAL nomad – one who grows up in a country other than their passport country.
EXpatriate – one who lives outside of his/her own home culture.
I got interested with the topic of “Third Culture Kids” since the first episode of the show and it’s relatable to all expatriates alike, not only for the kids but for the adult and parents as well.
What is TCK? Third Culture Kids is a term they used for kids who were raised in a culture other than their parents country and a combination of both. A good example is my son , who has both Filipino parents (first culture) but was born and raised in Saudi Arabia(second culture) and being exposed on both cultures (third culture). He studied in a multicultural environment and later on went to Europe and USA to finish his Bachelors degree.
It gives me a goose bump, remembering the day I organized a club named KFC (Kids Fun Club) and TFCKÂ ( Teens Fun Club with Kids). My main goal is for him to be exposed in a Filipino culture while in Saudi Arabia at the same time teaching children to enhance their creativity in arts,reading and our culture.
So whats the big deal?
Is there more advantages than disadvantages?
Well, it’s a matter of perspective, I can’t speak for himself so listen to his show here hahahaha, kidding aside, but what I observed TCK has more adaptability and capability than those who has mono cultural exposure. Mostly of the studies done for TCK are American children living abroad, so let’s narrowed down the topic to Filipino kids who were raised in Saudi Arabia because of their parents employment.
They speak fluent english and have difficulty in Tagalog (Filipino language), unless all their friends speaks Tagalog or they are studying in Philippine School, then there’s no tagalog difficulties but definitely they don’t speak their parent’s dialect. Yes! one of the advantage of being TCK is the fluency in the English Language, they learned different languages too, but sad to say they are not well versed in Tagalog. Is this the fault of a parent? Well, in my case, I choose to speak one language to them, so they will not be confused in their accent and pronunciation. I was raised in Bicol, speaks taglish (tagalog-English) with a Philippine accent, I was afraid they gonna pick up my accent and other students will make fun of them. You see, living in Saudi Arabia is not easy, unfortunately,bullying is rampant at school and at work as well. And being in American School, Filipino subject is not included in the curriculum, it’s either French or Spanish, and of course the Arabic language of host country. I just wish, I insisted on learning them Tagalog and Arabic more fluently.
Even for us, as OFW, we tend to speak comfortably in English than in Tagalog, As for me, I still speak taglish (tagalog-English) but can speak English well if needed and  can conversed in Arabic with my patients đ
One of the privilege of being TCK is traveling. It gives them a broader view of the world, a better understanding of different culture but at the same time, they tend to wonder, the need to see other places and at times lost their interest to go back home.Even in food, they acquired the taste of arabic cuisine. Who doesn’t? Oh ! I love it too! Â kabsa, shawerma,sambusak and broast đ hmmm I’m getting hungry đ
Another advantage of being TCK is education, not only having the chance to study abroad but the ability to adjust, experience and learn to live in a multicultural environment. This is a real education to see how people live, interact, socialize in different places. This give you a broader perspective and independence.
What about emotionally?
I remembered my son, on one of his low point of being a Nomad, he uttered in a depressed tone of “just give me a home” to which I answered, your home is ME! Home is where your family! But at that time we were all in a different continent. It was a realization for me, yeah, home is everywhere and nowhere!
Saudi Arabia is my comfort zone, we live in a big house with free car, air ticket , free education and this is where my career started and bloom. But we al knew, this is temporary, and time will come we are all going home…where?
No one was prepared to go back home to Philippines, we were all fascinated and taken away by the comfort of living abroad, having friends all over the world,going to places.. though at times we feel we don’t belong anywhere, still living abroad has its own aura. Like what is expensive in Philippines, its just a normal affordable thing abroad. Communication is easier too, though we don’t speak arabic fluently, a lot of people here tried to speak English or even tagalog to us.(this is just me, ok?) I know, I am working in a private clinic with a good position so what I meet everyday are professionals, VIPs, but I think mostly of expatriate would have the same opinion. Am I wrong or right?
Sad to say, back home, speaking English with american accent and an Asian look, sometimes doesn’t create a good start without being perceived to be showing off.
the feeling of..
you don’t fit in… reverse culture shock… out of place
Vin and noira will surely tackle these feelings of being a tourist on your own home country. As for me, I am not yet there, but I am anticipating my retirement soon and I knew, I would feel the same way but hey! life is what we make it, if we were able to survived in the Middle East, we will surely survive in Asia!
Did I say ? TCK includes adult and parents?
Accept reality, face our own fear and sooner than we think, we can say, it’s not bad as we expected it too be đ
Ladies, I think Vin and Noira did express their take on TCK better than I did here đ
One friday morning’, the only friday off I have đ after working for five consecutive days, here I am waking up early at 4:30 in the morning, so I can meet my friends and hike in a mountain full of dust đ and not to mention hills full of rocks and sands.
but don’t get me wrong, I always looked forward to the weekend activities with friends, full of laughters and of course, our tummy is full of food as well đ
So, here are some photos we took in between hiking up and down the hills.
biker and hiker in tandemmissing home?long walk to shopping mall đbikes on topsunrisehappy
Back from hiatus of self-imposed seclusion! Wondering what’s happening around? The crackdown of illegal immigrants in Saudi Arabia,new rules in medical licensing and most of all, the super typhoon in Philippines in particular, having dreaded thoughts…what about if it was our island in the province of Catanduanes? Probably, the island with the entire population will disappear completely, Oh my! đ
My heart goes out with the victims of Typhoon ” Yolanda”. The aftermath was disastrous and yet I saw in pictures the smiling faces of children, playing amidst the background of destructions and the adult as well, having good time watching the fight between Pacquiao and Rios. Their life goes on, surely the recovery will be slow and hard but as the saying goes… When there’s life, there’s hope and when there’s hope, coupled with will and determination, the journey is as gratifying as fulfilling when you get to your destination.
And with this thought, I have asked myself what are the things I learned after four years beyond fifty?
Beauty…
Well, beautybeyondfifty continues to roar, no matter how my belly button goes out of my pants, I will continue my gym work out every day. Though I gained weight, who cares? as long as I can move,dance and flex my muscles (muscles? do I have one? maybe fats!) đ
Wrinkles? yes! It’s becoming more noticeable but I am not bothered…keep on smiling at least I can say, that’s my “smile line” as opposed to say “my age line”, makes sense?
To reiterate once more, when you’re fifty and beyond it doesn’t mean you have to look like one, by all means look modestly younger than your age, believe me…it adds to your graceful exit in this world of ours!
Career…
My passion in Dentistry is still soaring high! I learned when you have the job you are passionate about, even when you are fifty and beyond, enthusiasm doesn’t goes away. I continued to push myself into a higher level if not into perfection.
Adult children…
I must admit, I miss the good old days when the children was preschoolers, when everything I say, they mimic my words, and actions, I remember their smile, their giggles and yet talking to them as an adult is fulfilling, I am proud to say I have raised two boys every parents would like to have!
I have learned to go with their dreams, with their passion and I love every minute of it.
Love and marriage…
I have learned the hard way… I have given so much love to the point there was nothing more to give! Marriage is not a barometer of true love, I knew there are couples who stayed together beyond 25th wedding anniversary or even more but secretly annoyed each other’s company. They profess their love in public or even post their happy family pictures in social media but they don’t even sleep in the same bedroom. However, it’s not my business! It takes two to tango and if you ask me which one to put in the marriage box? I would definitely say “respect”.
of being alone…
I have learned being alone is not sadness, it is “me time” I have time to pursue my other passion “photography”. I have more choices whether to stay in bed or see my friends, clean or read books, cook or buy food outside and many more!
Health…
Health is wealth: I agreed completely, without good health, the learning process for 54 yrs is nothing!
Knowing what I have been through, celebrating my 54th birthday is a privilege; this is the time of excitement; of looking forward of what will happen next, of moving forward, learning new things, meeting new people and who knows,what it might bring… a new beginning… a  new adventure to discover and explore life!
So ladies be happy..make some roar and keep smiling! đ
My patient yesterday asked: how i maintained my “young looks” Â having reached my golden years three years ago. Honestly, I don’t have any secret at all when it comes to beauty tips, I guess I am lucky to have good genes. đ
However,let me share some of the things I used when I hit fifty and I wished I did it ten years ago (would have been better) and some of the activities I do and beliefs I can share which I think help me through my fifties and beyond.
1) sunblock
I prefer to use tinted sunblock because I don’t have to use foundation.
2) mask
to avoid Botox/filler injection, I used “meso-mask”, once a week for three months and once every two weeks for another three months, together with ‘Meso C” for another month. This is my brand and I don’t endorsed it to everyone, Each individual has preference and different kind of sensitivities, please consult your doctor before using it.
3) Eye cream and concealer
I have used eye glass since college years, so I took care of my eye bag even before I hit fifty. I have assisted in Blepharoplasty and I think I wont submit myself to that kind of surgery.
4) Diet – plenty of fruits and vegetable surely helps and regular exercise too.
I go to gym three times a week and walk once a week. When I am hungry, I usually choose fruits or carrots as substitute for chocolates and chips. I do have a “cheat day” once a week so i don’t deprive myself eating ice cream, chocolates and red meat.
5) Changing hair colour.
Experiment which colour of the hair that suits you best.
6) Eyeglass
I can’t use contact lens, so I have to use an eyeglass that suits the shape of my face, I think a shade of red when your face is a bit fair will do some trick, instead of using the traditional black.
7) SMILE – the cheapest !
please read my blog  (june 21, 2011) on “Power of Smile” under the category of ‘Beauty and fashion”.
8) Camera 360
It’s a good app to motivate myself, If I look good, I feel good and it change my mood for the day.
9) stress buster
I like photography but there’s some restrictions in the Kingdom so I used my coffee to paint. Look for something to do that you are passionate about. You can even experiment different style of make up or dress up even though you are just at home. My day always starts… looking at the mirror and give myself smile, believing today is one of the best day!
coffee art
10) Friends
I keep trusted friends with utmost positive outlook in life, even in moment of hardships, we manage to look at the mishap in a funny way.
There you go ladies, beautybeyondfifty beauty tips,…Â have a nice day đ
Hello single ladies! its been awhile…well, as usual got caught up with a very busy schedule. Yesterday, i got a ” herbench” dress from my loving husband.It’s simple but so comfy and sexy too! Thanks dad!
Though i am not comfortable wearing it in public,My son took a few shots of how can I be comfortable on it.
do you know? ur knees can give away your age?
Do you know?if your face doesn’t show you’re fifty and above, your knees and back of the hand will give your age away! Who cares? I have reached this age and no one would dare ..would you hahahahaha đ
From simple to demure to classy mom
Ok ladies, i’m back, i’ll be posting about beauty and fashion without spending much, i bet your husband is smiling hmmmm no way…. go shopping and enjoy!
dress – herbench, flat sandal-Â berkinstock,shoes-aldo, top -Coast (white)Â – Zara (blue)
October 27, 2011, flying high aboard Royal Jordanian Airlines, My friend Nabil warned not to travel on my birthday but I have a little superstitious belief that If I die, I die in style! đ
So, I reached my destination Amman, Jordan…in one piece… kicking and alive! Yeheyyy!
We had sumptuous lunch at my second family house. As much as I would like to eat more arabic dish, I was thinking about the 5 kilos I lost… hmmm i told myself…,”stop eating” otherwise your dress wont fit! SPandexxxxx!
After meeting the family members and old friends, we headed to Marriott  resort and spa at Dead Sea. Wonderful place, large swimming pools ( I think they were 4 of them), I was booked as one of the bride’s family member so for the meantime, i signed my name with their family name, (for discount purposes) yay!
beautiful sunset
After getting my things into the room , I hurried up to see the beautiful sunset, while walking along the shore, I met old friends, we sat down at the lobby of the hotel, few more minutes, familiar faces came in and I’m still dressed with shirt and jogging pants, I excused myself but they said it’s alright no need to change…so, dinner is served!
52nd b-day dinner
At the very end, waiters were getting closer to our table, I thought for a while, they were already closing but to my surprised, one is carrying a big cake with one big candle. Hurray! it’s my 52nd b-day. Cheers!
thanx for coming!
Thank you for an awesome night, a night to remember!
Poison me…feel betterâŚ???
Mirror…mirror on the wall…Why do I have all this lines in my face? Well, my dear…this is the sign of aging process either within the norm or under stress. Every line represents your daily stresses in lifeâŚwork…family…Husband/wife…children and money.
I have a patient today, her glabella (the space between eyebrows on the front) has a deep crease (wrinkle) that even she doesnât make an effort to squint, it is still visible. Her husband is not happy that I will inject poison(?) on her face to erase that mark. The wife argues that she got her wrinkle from him and she claimed he is the poison in her life. Gosh!
 Keep holding the mirrorâŚI bet few would agree with her, lol!Why poison? What is Botox? ⢠BotoxÂŽ (Botulinum Toxin Type-A, Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA) is supplied as a sterile, preservative-free, vacuum dried powder consisting of 100 units of Clostridium botulinum toxin, 0.5 mg human albumin, and 0.9 mg of sodium chloride.Botulinum toxin, a potent neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. Yes, the same bacterium that can cause food poisoning! Clostridium botulinum is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium that produces neurotoxins known as botulinum neurotoxins types A-G, which causes flaccid muscular paralysis seen in botulism, and is also the main paralytic agent in botox.
OMG! Your frown lines would not only disappear…hahahaha you will also disappear foreverâŚlol!Kidding asideâŚIs there any danger of botulism from BOTOX Cosmeticâ˘?
No. Given by a trained Doctor in the correct amount, there is no danger of botulism from BOTOX Cosmeticâ˘. Botulism is caused by very large amounts of the toxin in the system usually from eating contaminated food. Very high doses, often 100 times more than would normally be used, would have to be injected to cause harm.
The dose is very minimal, very superficial like mosquito bites. The effect can be seen after 3- 4 days. Botulinum toxin type A is purified into a protein that blocks the release of acetylcholine. The effects are 100% reversible but BotoxŽ typically lasts for a few months. The effect of BotoxŽ is to temporarily weaken overactive muscles.
poison me…feel better! part 2 journal august 8, 2010
 Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 5:34pm
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Ladies and GentlemenâŚYes why not? GentlemenâŚHaving nice body and nice faces are not only for ladies…Itâs also for men. Why men are so demanding that their ladies should maintain their figure and beauty? …While men can maintain their big tummy and wrinkles???? Why?? (This call for another blog lol!)
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Now…grab your mirror againâŚwhat do you see? Any lines? Horizontal, vertical and diagonal âŚHmmmm⌠a couple maybe! Hahahaha the more you look at the mirror the more prominent the lines areâŚ
keep holding and lookâŚjust look at yourself without any emotions.
Nasolabial fold (line from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth) this is âSMILE LINEâ if this gets deeper than usual… you need derma filler (I will discuss later what the difference between a filler and Botox)âŚkeep smiling⌠tell yourself… Youâre beautiful!!… Indeed! Big Smile pls!
If you find your teeth darker than usual, consider cleaning, bleaching or veneer. If the alignment is not good, you have deep bite…then consider braces…if you have cavities, restore it and if your gum looks so reddish and puffy then you need to treat that first…If you have gummy smile, be happyâŚimagine yourself 10 years from now…it will just be fine. And if you donât have budget…come on pat yourself at the back…everyone will grow old.:-) Why your lines get deeper? As I mentioned earlier on my previous notes, as we age, our skin sag, like it goes down vertically⌠now keep smiling⌠do you see a line at the corner of your eyes?Crowâs feet (tiny lines around the outer corner of the eyes thatâs branch out) some people think its wrinkle and some people thinks its shows wisdom. Ahhhh…I rather show my knowledge and skills in actions not in wrinkle. Lol!Marionette lines ( lines from the corner of your mouth to jaw line)
Now, try to move your eyebrows up and down, try to look angry, in pain, worried and sad. What do you see? Lines..lines..lines⌠hahahahaha …I bet you want to buy a new mirrorâŚbe cool!
Glabella line (do you see number 11 in between your eyebrow, in the middle of your nose bridge?) how about horizontal lines across your forehead (Frontal lines)..
I bet… if you can see me now..you would tell me ..jamilamimi please stop, you’re not helping.. lol! this is the reality, whether you like it or not, we will have these  lines,remember, I am trying to explain this as simple as I can and as painless as I can….
next..do you really need to remove all these lines of aging?
Poison me..Feel better( Part 3) journal August 9, 2010
on Monday, August 9, 2010 at 9:05pm
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Who wanted to be young and beautiful? Itaas ang mga paa!!! (put your feet up :-)) Hahahaha…Mirror, oh my mirror who are the fairest of them all⌠of course lahat kaming single ladies!
Scoop: Cosmetic Dentistry plus Botox cosmetic and derma fillerâŚguaranteed to make you 10-15 years younger!What is the difference between Botox and derma filler?Botox cosmetic- works by relaxing the muscles, thus preventing wrinkles and smoothing out lines.
Botox is a safe-to-use bacterial toxin which, when injected into the facial muscles in minute quantities, relaxes the muscles and effectively improves the appearance of wrinkles that are caused by the movement of these muscles. Dermal fillers -Dermal fillers s(ie. restylane) are based on a degradable hyaluronic acid in the form of a clear gel. This gel is injected into the skin to create volume, smooth out wrinkles and restore fullness to lips. Due to its degradable nature, dermal fillers also need to be injected regularly.
Botox and dermal filler can be used together.I have seen patient who had botox and dermal filler in her lips done by dermatologist but her dentist didnât do a good job on her teeth.Itâs just depressing to even look at her mouth.I would suggest that before you do any rejuvenation procedure, check out your teeth first, then your gums and then your skin and if you need any enhancement, removing few lines then go ahead with botox or filler or a combination of both.
Donât even attempt to change YOU⌠some people wants to erase all the lines in their face that they forget their neckâŚ(though it can be treated now) and you canât even know whether they are smiling or just being stoic .
And some wants to have Angelina Jolie lips, Marilyn Monroe eyebrow, Mix and match! it just doesnât work most of the time.
To put volume on your lips (donât use too much filler) but do your teeth first. Imagine yourself, with a pouty lips but when you smile..yakksss..the teeth looks horrible..it doesnât make sense.
Your frontal lines and glabella lines are the easiest lines to remove but you still want people to recognize whether you are mad or not, so I suggest..donât overdo it..
And you have to be very careful, botox can lift your eyebrow, if you donât want your eyebrow lifted, just tell your doctor and if ever you ask for it, make sure it is balance on both sides.
Summary of therapeutic and cosmetic of Botox and derma filler:
-Blepharospasm (abdnormal twitching (winking) of eyelids)
-Cervical Dystonia (painful contraction of neck muscles)
-Hyperhydrosis of the axillae ( kili-kiling palaging pawis)
-gummy smile (too much showing of the gum when in full smile)
– Wrinkles, eyebrow lift
– add volume to lips
Well ladies, are you still holding your mirror? If youâre happy on what you see, donât think about it..
YOU are the most important…of what you feel about yourself, not your husband, not your friends but yourself.. If you can look at the mirror everyday and be satisfied of what you seeâŚBE HAPPY!
If you still want to rejuvenateâŚbe a better version of yourself!
October 27, 2011, flying high aboard Royal Jordanian Airlines, My friend Nabil warned not to travel on my birthday but I have a little superstitious belief that If I die, I die in style! đ
After meeting the family members and old friends, we headed to Marriott  resort and spa at Dead Sea. Wonderful place, large swimming pools ( I think they were 4 of them), I was booked as one of the bride’s family member so for the meantime, i signed my name with their family name, (for discount purposes) yay!
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