Carpe: The Solution for Sweaty Palms

Imagine yourself in an interview, and the interviewer offers his hand for a handshake. You smile but silently curse as you wipe your palm on your pants before meeting his outstretched hand. Or, during exams you write furiously in hopes of beating the clock, but before you know it, your exam sheet is totally drenched in your palm sweat and some words are smudged. Or when you're playing your guitar, you leave watery streaks on the bridge. You know what is happening and your heart sinks just a little bit.

Before you say I'm just jabbering, I want to remind you that these situations are real. At least for those of us who suffer from palmar hyperhidrosis. Usually people with this issue suffer from another problem as well - sweaty feet. I've been through some horrendous moments in my life thus far involving social faux pas and personal problems caused by this medical condition. Even though it is nothing life-threatening, it is super annoying, troublesome and downright embarrassing. 

Inspired by Carpe Diem - Seize the Moment!

So when I chanced upon this little tube that claims to work wonders on people like me, I immediately contacted the founders of Carpe to request for a tube for review. But knowing it probably wouldn't arrive on time, I went ahead and bought myself a tube from Amazon, because it will be at least 24 hours of flight for me and I want to prevent cold, sticky hands (and feet!) during the whole journey. And I was so happy that it works! I was sweat-free for the whole flight, and remained so even after I landed in Malaysia. 

But in the name of science, I decided to test it for a little longer to see how well it works in different situations. But first, let me share how to use this little tube of magic:

This is the texture of the lotion. Rather viscous.

Initially it's gonna leave you with a weird feeling as the lotion absorbs into your skin.
But after that, you can't see or technically feel any trace of it. 

What I like about Carpe is that the anti-perspiration power stays even though you wash your hands after applying the lotion. Just a small pea-size will be enough. Take note not to slather on too much lotion because the excess lotion is going to make your palms sticky.

I used Carpe in various different settings at different times of a day.  

1. At work (8.45am-5.45pm)

I slather on a thin layer of Carpe on my palms and feet before going to work. It works well, no sweating at all. I have a feeling if it works on my palms, it works on my feet. No shame in admitting that. 

2. Sports (6-7pm)

Usually, I will put Carpe on my palms and feet. My palms and feet are sweat-free even after exercise. No smelly socks, yay!

3. Playing musical instruments (8-9pm)

I find this one to be more of a hit-and-miss. Perhaps my fingers get a bit overworked sometimes, or maybe it's just my brain stressing. But even when I do sweat while playing piano or guitar, it's dramatically less than what I used to have. No more water puddles on piano keys or guitar bridges, just a slight moisture on my palms. 

4. Social settings (random time, usually on weekends)

This one is also a bit of a hit-and-miss, though most of the times it works perfectly. If I sweat, it's real little though my palms will still feel a little cold and clammy. 

I have a feeling that how well Carpe works depends on my emotional state. If I'm super hyped, I might start to sweat a little even with Carpe, but when I'm in a relaxed state of mind, it works perfectly fine. Nonetheless, it's a really great product when you need to be sweat-free instantly.

I'd say Carpe is a good investment for long-term victims of palmar hyperhidrosis since a tube of 40ml / $14.95 can last you for 1.5 months (44 days) with regular daily use. That's only approximately $0.35 daily. It also claims to be able to stop sweating completely with constant use, I tried to experiment it in short-term usage, like putting it on Day 1 and stop on Day 2 to see the results. And even though no Carpe is applied on Day 2, my palms are still sweat free. But Kasper clarified that sweat-free situation can only be achieved with long-term usage, if you stop using it completely sweating will probably return to normal levels within a week or two. The main active ingredient in Carpe is Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate (15%). Rest assured that it is used commonly in anti-antiperspirants products and is shown to be highly useful without any harmful side effects.

I'm happy to know that Kasper is from Utah! Call it Utahn pride!

Thanks to Kasper Kubica from Carpe for providing me with a tube of this life-saving lotion for this review! I'm very glad I bought a tube earlier on Amazon Prime (it's not available in Malaysia!) because I'm going to be needing it very much (though to my displeasure Amazon sent me one that expires in October 2016 so I only have 3 months left to use it). Mark my words I'm gonna make sure every drop counts.

WHERE TO BUY

1.  The official Carpe website (They ship worldwide, exact charges please refer below*) 
2. Amazon (US only, 2-day free shipping with Amazon Prime)

*Shipping to Malaysia for 1 tube of Carpe:

*Shipping within US for 1 tube of Carpe:

Update by Kasper 07/04/2016: You noticed that 10/2016 expiration date on the tube - that's actually an extremely conservative estimate, since we were only able to get a very small amount of expiration date testing done before we produced that batch of Carpe. While I can't legally guarantee an expiration date beyond that, I can tell you from personal experience that the tube will easily last at least another year without any noticeable changes - especially if you give it a shake before using.

Tracy Aviary

Before I came back to Malaysia, I had the privilege to pay a visit to Tracy Aviary, a popular bird sanctuary in Salt Lake City. This 8-acre land located in Liberty Park, SLC offers exhibits, shows and bird-feeding activities. I was provided with free entrance in exchange for a write-up for this place. I've heard so many people saying what a nice place this is, so I was really excited to take a look for myself.

This is how the main building looked from the outside. It has a modern, simplistic and artsy feel.

The gift shop close to the entrance is full of quirky and artistic stuff. 

I particularly love the indoor tree decoration, reminds me of the wild.

A manpower merry-go-round close to the entrance.

Dani posing as Princess Mononoke. 

The beautiful teepee!

Before every enclosure, there is a sign explaining the types of animals that reside within and some basic information of the species, including diet, habitat and nesting.

It's a bit sad to see the great Golden Eagle in this small space, but I feel better knowing it's for its own good. The eagles placed here are either injured or disabled, making them unfit for life in the wild. Hence, they are put under the care of Tracy Aviary.

Quaint little flower steps that Dani calls volcano plates.

A makeshift hut that children are bound to love.

The ferocity when it was cleaning its feathers looked like he was about to pluck them right off!

I really like this small bridge, it's so dainty.

This pretty bird is very talkative!

Sunny's its name!

Birdie birdie where art thou?

Je suis la!

Owl be prowling!

The pond for duckies and all other birds who enjoy a good afternoon swim.

Kids getting excited to see cute baby mandarin ducks! I love how they keep on cooing "Oooohhhh, look at the babies, they're so cute!"

I don't know why but this birdie just sits there basking in the warmth of the evening sun. When it stands up, it has unusually long legs that surprises me a little.

Finally a photo on the roundabout before leaving. It gets really hot in Utah after noon, so I would recommend you to visit in the morning to avoid the heat! I'm wearing my leather jacket here for good photos sake but I'm actually sweating on the inside!

What I like about Tracy Aviary:

1. Conservation efforts that are carried out to ensure the life quality of birds.
2. A beautiful, well-kept area that exudes tranquility.
3. Signboards are present to explain all the species available. 
4. Several artsy makeshift structures like the teepee and hut that are suitable for kids.
5. Family-friendly environment that provides quality family-bonding opportunities.

Suggestions for improvement:

1. If possible, I'd like to see water dispensers in the park. 
2. Build more attractions for kids like interactive manual games for children, for example a clay model of a bird's claw, fun facts for kids etc.

Visit

If you'd like to pay a visit to Tracy Aviary, it is open 7 days a week, 9am-5pm and ticket prices are as shown below. Click on the picture to be directed to the page.

Volunteer

Tracy Aviary also provides volunteer opportunities to local youth. Click here to find out more.

I would like to extend my gratitude to Jamie, the Communications and Membership Coordinator of Tracy Aviary for granting me media credentials to visit the aviary in exchange for a post-visit write-up. Visiting Tracy Aviary was definitely an eye-opening experience, and I had so much fun exploring it with Danielle, my photographer of the day.

* I was provided with free entrance in exchange for a post-visit write-up. No compensation monetary or otherwise is involved. This is an honest account of my explorations in Tracy Aviary and all photos used are either my own or extracted from Tracy Aviary's official website. 

Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival

I decided to visit the Tulip Festival in Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah during my last days in Salt Lake City. I've never attended a tulip festival before, especially not in Malaysia cos it's too hot for a single tulip to grow. I was pretty excited about it because it's gonna be a flower fest! I went there with Dani and Tayyeb. I received 2 media passes, so Tayyeb bought his own ticket.

At the entrance it says Ashton Gardens.

 
We reached around 10am, and although the sun is up, it is not too hot. There's already a huge crowd near the entrance and gift shop areas. I would recommend you to come as soon as the gates open, because when the clock strikes 12, it's going to be very, very hot! 

Tayyeb's awesome photography skills. I really don't know how he manages to capture this, but it's really cool.

Love this colour, so vibrant and fiery!

As usual, Dani poses like a queen.

Dani and Tayyeb taking a selfie shot while pretending to photograph me.

This one turned out really nice! I'm trying to catch umbrellas which are flying into the sky. A surreal Miyazaki-style scene.

Please excuse my pained look. I've got the sun in my eyes.

My face looks a bit distorted in this but it's ok!

Beautiful blossoms.

You almost can't see my eyes.

My yoga pose.

We absolutely love the waterfall! I can sense a slight temperature drop near the waterfall as the water absorbs heat. But the scorch is still there. I would recommend you to put on sunscreen before coming here. I did not put any sunscreen, and when I came home to Malaysia 2 days later, I swear I was 3 shades darker. Dani suffered a mild burn on her face and arms. So don't risk it ok?

Me and Tayyeb.

Me and Tayyeb doing the unbeatable pose at the Waterfall.

The Rose Garden was pretty, but the flowers were withering under the Sun, and so were we.

Me and bae.

Last but not least, a beautiful photo of the 3 of us. :)

Pros: A beautiful place perfect for family outings, child-friendly, wheelchair accessible.

Suggestions for improvement: 

1. Plant tulips in abundance on one particular piece of land (my suggestion is at least 1 acre), not just by the walkways.
2. Set up markers to identify the different species available. 
3. Install water dispensers throughout the walkway for thirsty visitors. 
4. Set up more benches in the shades for visitors to take a quick rest. It gets really hot at noon.
5. Open doors earlier, say at 7am, because the sun is up by then, and the weather is cooler.

A big thanks to Josh, the Communications Director of Thanksgiving Point for the media credentials. We really enjoyed ourselves at Thanksgiving Point and would love to visit again!