Pu Niao's Beauty Junkie Reviews

Important: Blog Update

2017-03-01T12:36:00.000+08:00

I will consolidate and merge this blog with my main blog as it takes too much time and effort to maintain 2 separate blogs while trying to look like I am adopting 2 different personas. It will take some time to transfer blog posts from this blog over to my main blog but rest assured that this blog will still stay with its old blog posts still intact so that followers will still be able to look for old post easily. But at the same time, these same posts will also be available over at my main blog as well. So yeah, rest assured.

Meanwhile, I need some time to mourn the death of my mother in 2016. Hence, there won't be any blog postings for a few months or at least until the end of the year depending on the situation I have at hand.

But, just to clarify, my mother didn't die of old age and with natural causes. Her supervisor at her part-time workplace refused to let my mother take leave to rest properly at home despite that heartless supervisor being fully aware that my mother is tired from work. Let's just say, her supervisor caused her death. And the best part is this murderer (I called him a murderer since he directly/indirectly caused my mother's death at the unfortunate age of 64-years-old) didn't once showed his face at my mother's funeral and since I was still working at the same shopping mall as my mother, he actually had the audacity to live his life as if he didn't do anything wrong at all.

Therefore, you can imagine the pain and sorrow I am going through while trying to pick up pieces of my life. It is hard to go on, knowing that the person who caused my mother's death is just living his life as usual while I am trying to move on. Therefore, please do accept my humble apologies as I am on hiatus mode for now. I will come back to blogging, slowly and gradually. But right now, I need the time to heal and to move on. It is a difficult time in my journey from now to the future but I am trying my hardest too. So, thank you for being understanding and see you all within the year after my heart has healed a little.

BeautyKeeper 美麗掌櫃 by Sample Store Review [Sponsored]

2017-02-24T13:18:00.000+08:00

Before I start off with this review, let's talk a little about anti-aging/age defying. As we all know, as soon as we reach our 20s, we have to start considering anti-aging and age-defying options. In short, our skin cannot possible stay young forever well into our 60s or 80s (unless you *ahem* consider susuk a.k.a "charm needles"). But that will be another horror story for another time :P

Anyway, as I was saying, we should be focusing on developing an anti-aging treatment routine into our daily skincare regime. Once you start at the sweet young age of 20, you need not have to play catch-up as soon as you go into your 30s. Imagine not investing in anti-aging products in your 20s, only to have your skin feel loose like a worn sweater when you are in your 30s. By then, no matter how much anti-aging products you buy or how expensive the product is or how fast you are supposed to "see results", it would have been a little too late.

And as the saying goes "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", start early and it falls into a simple but foolproof routine that you can even do with your eyes closed. And for that, I shall present to you, BeautyKeeper brought to you exclusively by Sample Store.

Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner / Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence
Waterdrop Cream
PSK's Color correction CC Cream
Ethel Pharmaceutical AHA Source of Citric Acid Tablet

But before I proceed to introduce the awesome goodies I've received, let's discuss a little more about Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) from Taiwan. Here is what Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) is about in their own words, taken from Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) website.

First up: Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner / Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence

The toner comes in a cylindrical frosted glass bottle. Ooh~ I feel classy already wor~

Here's a look at the list of ingredients that went into this bottle, for those of you interested

Literally clear in color and there is no scent to this toner

It actually felt pretty easy to glide the toner around and get it absorbed into my skin

VERDICT: The essence is a clear liquid but is of a slightly thick texture. I personally couldn't "detect" any particular scent to it, folks who don't like their products to have any discernible scent to it are probably going to love this product. I personally find that the product feels watery when applied to the skin and it actually absorbed pretty well. My skin felt a little sticky for a little short while and the sticky sensation slowly dissipates in no time at all while making my skin feel that "boing boing" sensation without the tight and taut sensation.

Second: Mdmmd Waterdrop Cream

This water drop cream is actually a toner, serum and lotion all in one, literally a 3-in-1 product. For those of us who doesn't want to spend too much time on a separate toner, serum and lotion, this is definitely a must-have :D And the gold color cylindrical bottle is really a classy touch, feels like I am using an expensive product. Machiam like a few hundred or thousand dollars cream to keep me looking oh-so-young :P

Here's a look at the list of ingredients that went into this bottle, for those of you interested

The waterdrop cream is milky white in color while the consistency isn't so thick in texture. This cream literally liquify instantly as soon as I start to pat into my face.

You can literally see the waterdrop cream liquifying and gliding into my skin efortlessly.

VERDICT: My skin actually felt hydrated even after a few hours has passed while my skintone actually looked slightly more radiant as opposed to my usual sallow, sickly and ghostly looking skin. As I personally do not have any fine lines, wrinkles and such on my face, I am unable to state how well my non-existence lines and wrinkles will cope with this product. However, the good thing is that, my skin doesn't look greasy/oily throughout the day/night. As most facial creams, whether it's serum, gel-based or cream-based will actually make my skin look a little "glossy" a few hours after application. But this! This products doesn't, in fact, my skin actually looked sufficiently hydrated AND dewy-looking.

Third: PSK's Color correction CC Cream

Welp, when I first lay eyes on this box, I thought the box itself looked "minimalist" to me, just simple and straightfoward to the point. None of those overly-fancy looking CC cream packaging I am used to seeing. Or maybe it's just because I tend to make side trips to the expensive cosmetic counter :P

The sponge provided is similar to those air cushion type of sponges intended for BB/CC cream, but I find that this sponge is a little more dense than normal ones. The CC Cream itself first looked a little too yellow for my liking, but, looks are definitely deceiving. It actually matches my pale as a ghost skintone O.O

Here's a look at the ingredients that goes into this CC Cream. Sorry, I really tried but the light reflected rather badly. Didn't help that the ingredient list is literally on the glossy side of the box D:

As you can see from this swatch, the CC Cream in contrast to my skin is already this obvious. And I was thinking it will get worse if it goes onto my skin. But...

This shade when applied evenly to my skin is actually the perfect shade for my skintone, I am pleasantly and genuinely surprised. As with other BB and CC Creams I have tried, I can literally see the different in color tone between my face and my neck area. But this, is literally the perfect coverage. It does hide my old and slightly faded acne scars without any problem and the best part is that, it's really lightweight on my skin. Yep, impressed with a capital letter I!

VERDICT: The texture is similar to cream-based foundation, and it seemed to take a little effort to blend evenly onto my skin in the beginning. Initially, I tried applying with the sponge it came in, but it proved to be rather difficult to do so. To compare, catching a seemingly rare-ish Pokemon seemed like a walk in the park than trying to get this CC Cream from sponge to my face. Although attempting application with my fingers seemed slightly better. There seemed to be a scent to this CC Cream but I can't really tell what it is exactly, the scent itself isn't bad and anyways, I am not too bothered by the scent as I don't really smell anything after applying to my skin. I like the fact that it gave my skin a natural finished look inside of looking too pale even though I am of the pale skintone variety. I am really impressed by this product throughout.

And lastly: Ethel Pharmaceutical AHA Source of Citric Acid Tablet

White, round and actually small enough to swallow. To be honest, I am spooked when it's time to swallow pills of any variety since I am a constant user of different painkillers and paracetamol (from doctors) due to my constant regular migraine and back pain. But this is actually surprising to swallow, although I can literally taste the sourness of the citric acid the first time round due to the fact that I forgot to swallow it down. Don't ask me why, since I don't know either... ^.^;

A look at the list of ingredients that goes into this product for those of you folks who needs to know.

Verdict: As this pouch/packet cames in a quantity of 50 and the packet itself suggests that I am meant to ingest 5 tablets on a daily basis within 10 days. But I took only 2 tablets per day, basically just before bedtime so it can do it's work after it gets absorbed into my system while I do my part in the sleeping department. So far for the first few days after application, my skin feels okay and I did notice less pimples showing up as my skin is really prone to problematic pimples when I least expect it. So, I am going to say that this is working rather well.

Where to Purchase BeautyKeeper products?

You can buy these award winning Taiwanese products directly from BeautyKeeper website over at Beauty Keeper 美麗掌櫃 and at the same time check out more awesome beauty products from BeautyKeeper as well.

All products are conveniently priced in Singapore dollars, so you don't have to convert the amount between different currencies from random websites. How convenient is that?

Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner/Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence is priced at S$41.00 while Waterdrop Cream is priced at S$47.00 (Prices have been rechecked and updated in this blogpost by me)

Where to get BeautyKeeper samples?

Samples cane be requested directly from Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) Facebook page.

P/S: If I happened to purchase anymore Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) products to complement the retail-sized samples I am currently using, I will also make another separate entry and update this blog post as well :D

Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh Review

2016-06-29T16:53:00.000+08:00

WHAT IS IT: Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh

THE PRODUCT(S):

Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh: Regular bathing with Lifebuoy body wash helps to prevent the spread of germs. With advanced germ protection ingredient Active5, it's menthol extract helps you feel cool and fresh.

The shower foam actually has this really light blue base color, it smells clean and fresh with a light hint of menthol that doesn't overpower the nose. And my skin feels so clean and refreshed without feeling overly dry nor taut.

VERDICT: As a kid, I used to hate showering. Don't ask, but most kids just hated showering partly because that moment after a shower, everything feels insanely cold. It doesn't help that there always seemed to be a nice and cooling breeze that is ever present right as soon as you stepped out of the shower. However, when I stopped/finished schooling and entered the workforce, my appreciation of having a long, comfortable, enjoyable and relaxing shower suddenly ranks much higher than having food or fun. In fact, it goes like this, where #1 is the highest and the lowest is at the bottom:

Shower
Sleep
Skincare
Enjoy the breeze, warm sunshine, breathe some clean air
Food and Drinks

I don't know about everyone and anyone else, but this is the order of what's important and what isn't the important anymore. Maybe when one gets older, one will actually appreciate the little pleasures in life more than before. I mean, see it this way, work (and school for some of us) is like a second home. 10 hours is spent on transport and at work while the remaining time in a day is at home. Minus the minimum 8 hours of sleep and you're only left with only 4 hours which you try to cram as many activities as you can before you need to get out of the house and get to work or school. That's life for most of us when we realized the concept of the word "time".

But sometimes, too much activity outside work results in sensitive skin that is prone to slight damage and sensitivity which in turns makes one scratch like a monkey. Like as if our workload isn't enough, add in skin irritants and this already feels like too much to handle on our plate already. But luckily, Lifebuoy is here to the rescue. Lifebuoy Cool Fresh actually contains menthol crystals that are derived from nourishing peppermint leaf oil and at the same time gives an invigorating refreshment to one's senses. The wonderful cooling sensation I get all over my skin is an instant refreshment and a perk-me-up and leaves me feeling fresh, revitalized and energised to continue where I left off with my activities.

People who know me will realize that I am famous for having "itchy" hands, touch touch a little here, grope grope a little there. And bam! Itchy skin occurs suddenly making me feel like I have ants and fleas crawling all over my skin. And yes, that is just how "sensitive" my skin is. Just a little irritant and I feel like I have dozens and tons of things crawling all over me. But Lifebuoy Cool Fresh is always there to the rescue for my skin. Let's just say it sucks a little when my skin feels a little strained due to sensitivity and I have to stop using my fancy scented shower gels for a day or two, so I can concentrate on getting that sensitivity issue out of the way with my trusted Lifebuoy Cool Fresh.

For Lifebuoy Cool Fresh, the shower gel itself is actually a pearlescent blue color and I like that it foams up really well. Once the foams are all foamy and whatnot, you can smell the cleanness and freshness of the shower gel. And the shower gel also rinses off easily without having to spend too much time, effort nor trouble on it. And I like the fact that my skin feels clean and refreshed from a day's dull tiredness without feeling it's too drying and taut/tight to the touch.

PRODUCT RATING: ✓✓✓

WHAT I THINK: Basically, I am a sucker for scented shower gels and every once or twice a week, I would take the time and effort to use a Lifebuoy product to ensure my skin is in tip top condition to minimise the risk of skin problems. Also my shower sessions is that time of the day where I can totally relax and chill and take a breathe, so a full pump into my shower puff for all the clean and refreshed foamy goodness.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No samples for redemption.

The 10 Commandments of Foundation

2016-06-23T20:20:00.002+08:00

So, I was browsing around YouTube, which in turned led me to Pinterest due to a particular series of videos that features makeup myths found on Pinterest. I found this informative tidbit and felt that I should share it with my readers. We all know the basics of foundation starts from clean skin all the way to flawless makeup while at the same time serving as a protective barrier against environmental damage and stress.

Right off the bat, applying foundation sounds easy-peasy, right? Not exactly. It's only until you think you are done with applying your makeup do you finally notice that your preferred foundation, which you thought was flawless, actually looks cakey from all different angles. Cakey makeup isn't the only thing that looks and feels traumatic, many factors are also present as well.

But fret not! This infographic that I found, and posted just below, teaches you how to apply your favorite foundation flawlessly for even radiant, beautiful looking skin. A little something for us ladies, doesn't matter whether you are a pro or just starting to use makeup, this really benefits us all :D

~Infographic Source: Pinterest~

Prizes Won [JĀSÖN Singapore]

2016-06-21T14:29:00.001+08:00

Well, JĀSÖN Singapore had an awesome contest on Facebook and the rules are really simple to join. In fact, I think it's one of the best type of contest, instead of the usual voting type of contest where unscrupulous Facebook users always tend to cheat in. All contestants need to do is to stop the animated GIF in their post at the right time to reveal the full bottle, or in other words the actual scent they carry in their range. In other words, no top half Tea Tre Oil while the lower half is of another scent/color. Basically, they will randonly choose 3 winners to walk away with a set of JĀSÖN body washes!

Honestly, I just joined for fun with no idea I might be so lucky to be one of the 3 lucky winners to actually win a set of JĀSÖN body washes. Maybe my luck as the Queen of Shower Gels is working right for once in my life LOL Anyways, I didn't even know I actually won until someone tagged on the winner's post, which in turned pointed me to a new notification which in turned prompted me to go check out what's going on. A few clicks here and there and I was like "OMAGARR!! I WON!!"

You can check out my entry/comment over at JASONPersonalCareSG/posts/1015430655201287 or take a look at the shower gels I've won right below.

Calming Lavender Body Wash at 887ml

Invigorating Rosewater Body Wash at 887ml

Considering that a 887ml bottle of JĀSÖN body wash retails at S$12.90, I wasn't really expecting a big bottle, no scrap that, 2 big bottles of body washes. Well, needless to say, I am just smiling and grinning deliriously from the moment I knew I won until now, a week after I've redeemed my prize(s).

It's still not too late to join and be one of the lucky ones to win a set of JĀSÖN body washes. Just go over to JĀSÖN Singapore Facebook page at facebook.com/JASONPersonalCareSG/, Like their page and join in. Here's wishing you Good Luck and once more, a fantastical THANK YOU to JĀSÖN Singapore for picking me as one of the winners :D

Shopping Haul [Venus Beauty + The Body Shop]

2016-06-18T15:46:00.001+08:00

I recently did a small shopping haul around my neighbourhood, partly because there's a new Venus Beauty outlet despite their location being under renovation recently. Well, the renovation is supposedly going to benefit stall owners and shoppers alike as there will be shelter from the sun and rain. And not forgetting ventilation as well. This also saves me the trouble of going all the way to Choa Chu Kang MRT station or Causeway Point at Woodlands just for a Venus Beauty shopping haul.

Some of the few items I got are facial scrubs, shower gels (I love shower gels a lot) and a body sorbet. Body sorbets from The Body Shop are the next best thing, as body creams and body butter are too rich for my skin. Despite the fact that I am not using a huge blob, body butter tend to leave a sticky and oily residue on my skin. However, body sorbets are a totally different league altogether as they are just right to use in Sunny Singapore, it absorbs so fast leaving a refreshingly wonderful scent minus the sticky and oily sensation caused by body creams and body butter.

However, users with really dry skin are still recommended to stick with the body creams and butter as your skin is dry, hence the utmost need for a slightly more intensive moisturiser to the rescue. My skin isn't that dry, so body sorbets are just right for my skin type.

Another reason for this Shopping Haul post is also because I intend to separate my posts according to samples received and redeemed, shopping hauls and prizes won so it won't look utterly messy having jammed everything into a "Samples Received and Redeemed" post. Also because when it comes to labels on the blog itself, it's easier to search through if there's a need to find something. Part of the reason for the Shopping Hauls and Prizes Won post is to point readers in the right direction to products I think are really awesome to give a try and as a thank you for having a chance to win some prizes :D

I first saw this St Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub a couple of years ago at the Watsons in Bukit Panjang Plaza when they just barely finished with their store renovations. I was contemplating for a few days and decided to want to get it. But alas, it was completely sold out before I even knew it. And thereafter, it seems that this particular Watsons outlet never did seem to re-stock it again. The only St Ives Facial Scrub available ever since is only limited to the Even & Bright series. Maybe they think everyone has the same type of skin type lol

Anyways, I happened to know of Venus Beauty having an outlet at my area, saw the Apricot Scrub and decided after a few months just for the sake of seeing if they will continue to being in this particular series of facial scrub. Turns out they do, they even have a range for my mother as well and on top of that, I found that Venus Beauty tended to price their products slightly cheaper and more affordable than Watsons. Watsons is mostly for when you really need a product, but can't find it anywhere, not even places like Venus Beauty and SaSa for example, that you have to absolutely buy from them.

I practically got this St Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub for almost half the price if I were to buy it straight from Watsons. So, it's worth the buy in terms of price. Besides, the contents are the same anyways, so it's wiser to buy the cheaper alternative so I can save up more money for products to buy and try :D

Has anyone noticed that some products in The Body Shop seemed to have a new look to them? The Eau De Toilette, to quote for example, has this very expensive look and feel to it. And get this straight, The Body Shop products are also reasonably priced and their EDT scents are to die for. There was also a English Dawn Gardenia EDT, but I find the initial scent a little too strong. I tend to favour scents that aren't so heavy from the first whiff as I am asthmatic as scents too heavy from the start makes me cough and wheeze a little. However, flowery scents are different though, I don't seem to have an adverse allergic reaction to heady floral scents. Weird~

I chose this Polynesian Island Tiaré EDT (retailing at S$36.90 for 50ml) since the scent isn't too light to the point it feels like it's fading away in hot and humid Singapore and yet feels exotic with a deep level of sweetness to it. Just a FYI, the Tiaré flower's snow white petals are a symbol of purity and its suave and addictive fragrance is the signature of Tahiti and the Islands of French Polynesia. Polynesians wear this iconic flower tucked behind their ear – on the right if the heart is free, on the left if not. It is also the flower offered to welcome those who arrive in Tahiti – an invitation to well-being.

But beyond its symbolic and sensual dimensions, the Tiaré flower is one of the most important plants of the Raau Tahiti, the traditional pharmacopoeia of Tahiti. The flower is largely used in many preparations: the treatment for some eczemas, headaches, insect bites. It's sensual and soothing emulsions, body oils, tonics, fragrance is now the composition of personal care products from major brands around the world.

Next up is the newest range from The Body Shop, playful and cheeky Piñita Colada range. They have the usual full range with the body butter and so on and so forth, but I always favour the shower gels and body sorbets. The Piñita Colada Shower Gel on the left retails at S$12.90 for 250ml and the Piñita Colada Fresh Body Sorbet on the right retails at S$19.90 for 200ml.

The exotic and dreamy scent of hand-harvested coconuts from the Antilles region of the Caribbean, as well as juicy pineapples from the Santo-Domingo area will send you into beach heaven in an instant. I love how the scent is like a fruity cocktail that seems to lift your mood and senses and it's as if you can keep sniffing more variety of sunshine-y fruits that makes you feel glad to be in a tropical place, all that summer fragrances is bound to make you feel good from the inside to the outside.

On a side note, Singapore is too hot and humid sometimes to feel anything tropical nor even worth trying to get into the tropical mood though lol It's just plain sweat, sweat and more sweat no matter where you turn, makes me wonder if there's an invisible sun following me 24/7 since I can pretty much sweat a lot just by going to the mama shop downstairs D:

Well, I'm not the Queen of Shower Gels for no reason. Every single time I pop by The Body Shop, it will always be about shower gels, shower gels and even more shower gels. Most ladies are crazy towards high heel shoes, expensive branded bags, the latest fashion trend or the latest makeup trend, I am personally crazy about the shower gels from The Body Shop. As I always believe in this mantra I read more a geisha book (I forgot the title anyway), a geisha's utmost importance is to ensure her hair doesn't smell as they are in constant close contact, or in other words, they are sitting next to their clients and smelly hair will put off even the customer who is capable of spending big bucks on a geisha house entertainment.

That is where I based my principality on smelling good as much as I possibly can, it's not for the guys who passed by me. It's more of a, "I smell great, I feel great and I can do great things today because I am in a great mood" sort of feeling, if you understand what I'm trying to explain here.

On the left is the English Dawn Gardenia Shower Gel retailing at S$15.90 for 250ml and on the right, Polynesian Island Tiaré Shower Gel retailing at S$15.90 for 250ml. I won't go on anymore about the Polynesian Island Tiaré Shower Gel since I've pretty much said my part for the EDT. However, the English Dawn Gardenia Shower Gel isn't as "strong" as the EDT itself, the scent is definitely heavy but it doesn't linger heavily either. I feel that this shower gel is going to be refreshing wonderful after I stepped out of the bathroom from using it in the shower.

Samples Received & Redeemed: May 2016

2016-06-03T10:48:00.000+08:00

First off, my humble apologies for taking so long to write up this monthly post. My Canon camera is in the midst of douche-ness since I've been trying to charge it since 2 to 3 weeks ago, but it time, the battery bar just refused to fill up. It's not even charging at all, despite having the correct charger and the switch is on. Maybe I need to consider buying those cheapo charging wires that can be bought cheaply from Box Boss that you can find in neighborhood shopping malls. Anyway, I ended up giving up on the camera and used my Samsung S6 for the photo-taking of all these samples instead.

Sometimes, I think Post-It isn't really actually giving out any samples at all, the package is always so flat it makes me wonder if there's anything useful inside.

The sampling activity for this time is the Post-It flags, which I personally think are rather miserable, to be honest. It states 6, which means 3 of each size, which still boils down to 2 types of Post-It flags. I'd rather they give a little more of the flags as it's easier to gauge how useful the flags are if I need to make notes, for example, inside a travel guide book.

Not sure why Post-It always gives this, their sampling activity is always misleading to a certain degree lol

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I can safely presume sampling redemption is over as I can't seem to find any info or the actual link that brings me to the redemption page.

I got to know about it on Facebook rather late, and to be honest, just 2 days before the closing date for the sampling activity. But anyway, I managed to get a CALECIM® Moisturising Cream (10g).

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: CALECIM® Moisturising Cream giveaway has now been fully redeemed.

The sample(s) comes with a sachet each for day and night cream, as stated just below:

Age Reverse Day Repair SPF 30 @ 2g (left)
Age Reverse Night Lift @ 2g (right)

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Fully redeemed.

It feels like ages since I redeemed something a little more atas from The Sample Store's "Free Samples" tab.

I redeemed a IQueen Wrapping Mask EX @ 7g, it consists of:

Power Lifting Serum (top)
Wrapping Mask EX (bottom)

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Fully redeemed.

Expat Living Singapore was previously giving away complimentary one year magazine, Expat Living Singapore Body & Mind Guide 2016-2017. I haven't gotten around to browsing through it yet though ^^;

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to http://expatliving.force.com/Checkout... and fill in your details. As the link is still working, the giveaway could still be available, so go on and request your copy.

Nescafe was previously hosting a samppling activity for their latest product, the NESCAFÉ Zero Sugar added and the samples I've gotten consists of 7 sachets which is just enough for my personal porcelain cup. Sometimes, instant coffee can be overly sweet, so it's nice to see Nescafe coming up with a version that does not contain sugar at all. Well, if you still want it just a teeny wee sweet, you can add in a splash of sugar yourself, but it defeats the purpose of getting a zero sugar coffee instead.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling is over, although I still see their Sponsored Post floating around still.

Alpen Singapore was previously hosting a sampling activity, I've gotten:

Alpen Original Muesli @ 50g
Alpen Fruit & Nut @ 28g
Alpen Trail Bar Big Berries @ 48g

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling has ended.

Bioderma was having a sampling acitivty, I got the 3-day trial of Hydrabio Perfecteur SPF 30 @ 5ml.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to bioderma_fb/sg/redeem, fill in your details and wait for the sample to arrive in your mailbox. As the link and webpage is still working, I believe the sampling activity is still ongoing.

Freebie redemption with purchase, but I'm not going to go all the way to Jurong Point for a tumbler ^^

EverSoft was hosting a sampling acitivity, and I got a 30ml travel pack Yuzu & Mint Beauty Shower Foam @ 30ml. And needless to say, the scent is refreshing~

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I've tried the link, but it isn't working. So it's safe to presume the sampling activity is over as well.

No blog updates until 18th May 2016

2016-05-13T12:23:00.001+08:00

My apologies, I'm not feeling well and won't be able to commit 100% here. Life sucks a little for females every month due to this natural occurrence called Menstruation and mine is always the heavy and painful variety and the pain always lasts for exactly almost 1 week in all. However, if the pains do slowly subside, I'll resume blogging at the earliest convenience. Meanwhile, posts will be limited to only Facebook posts related to sampling redemption. Have a wonderful weekend and stay positive :)

The real reason you can't lose weight

2016-05-10T12:58:00.000+08:00

Why do most dieters put all the weight they lose back on ... and often a bit more too? It's not lack of willpower or not enough exercise. Nor is it motivation. So why is it so hard ... and is there any point ever going on a diet again?

~Image Source: Fitness Bin~

It's easier to quit smoking than lose weight. What's more, the nicotine in cigarettes is as addictive as heroin – so that means one of the most potently addictive drugs is easier to kick than losing weight. And yet chocolate and other fattening foods are not actually addictive (though they may feel like it sometimes). So why do only 4 or 5 percent of dieters succeed, while between 20 to 30 percent of those who try to quit smoking stay off cigs for good?

It's partly because to quit smoking, you just stop, if you can. But with food, it's impossible. You have to eat. Food is something we both use and abuse; abuse in the sense of taking in more than we need, using it for pleasure beyond physical need. That's why so many of us in the Westernised world have a weight problem: food has moved way beyond mere survival.

But our brains still program us for survival, to find calorie-dense food – such as high-fat foods – the most attractive of all. Our brains don't yet know that for us, there's an abundance of such food freely available and if anything, we need to re-program our brains to find healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables equally as attractive.

Big bodies, big biz

Obesity is now a major health problem for all Westernised countries, making a major contribution towards death from heart disease, strokes and diabetes. And this at a time when the pressure to be thin has never been greater. Americans, for example, spend between US$30-50 billion a year on weight-reduction, yet 90 to 95 percent of people who lose weight put it back on – two-thirds within a year, and the rest within five years. Failure brings feelings of guilt and self-hatred. Ever more desperate means are tried to lose weight, including drugs that may have harmful side effects.

So why is it so hard, given that we know the health benefits to being around the right weight for our height and age? The reason seems to be related to a system far more complex than a simple conflict between energy intake (calories) and energy expenditure (exercise).

For example, the average man or woman between the ages of 25 and 55 gains 9.1kg over 30 years. This represents an excess energy intake of only about 0.3 percent over energy expenditure. It seems that a person's weight is stable around a set point that is defended ruthlessly by a control mechanism in the central nervous system.

Your weight tends to go back on after a diet because your brain works like crazy to make sure it does. And some of us, due mainly to the genes we inherit, have a higher set point than others. Sounds pretty hopeless, doesn't it?

Bluffing your body

Your set point can be overridden but only by severe calorie restriction combined with rigorous exercise. That's how the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Calista Flockhart maintain their reed-like figures. Excessive exercise. Little eating. But as soon as you stop these measures, the weight will go back on. So those stars will look like real women again the minute they let up!

Far better than dieting is to prevent the extra weight going on in the first place, if you can. But if it's already there, it is best to concentrate on a healthy diet and enjoyable, not excessive exercise. Those who are only mildly overweight are best advised to maintain their current weight with these measures rather than trying to lose it.

There are many psychological reasons that militate against successful weight control. One major way is how our brains program us to eat. It's all done via a neuro-transmitter called dopamine. Neuroscientists still don't have the entire picture of how the chemical soup that is our brains. But they do know that dopamine is responsible for flooding our bodies with feelings of pleasure and enjoyment each time we eat. It's a reward mechanism (we get similar sensations when we have sex because the brain recognises this as something that promotes the continuation of the species).

Without the dopamine reward, or “hit”, we wouldn't have the same desire to eat. There is definitely a psychological reason why it is hard to restrain ourselves from eating and that reason involves neurochemicals. But the story is not yet fully understood.

But what we do understand thus far is that many of our most basic human drives come from the desire to get that natural dopamine “hit” even though we're mostly unaware of it. We just know it feels nice! Because our brains run on chemicals, we can fool them by using chemicals to hijack the process behind our survival drives. Drugs work by mimicking the dopamine hit without doing anything to promote our survival. And that's why some dieters take amphetamines to try and reduce their appetite – the amphetamines increase the dopamine in our system, thereby fooling the brain into thinking we've already eaten, or eaten enough when we haven't.

~Image Source: Weight Loss Miss~

Diet dependencies

Amphetamines, like cocaine and heroin, are addictive and have powerful side effects, such as feelings of paranoia. This is why they tend not to be prescribed for weight control, though they were in the past. However, they are still taken by some for recreational purposes and weight control. Drugs obtained this way carry great dangers as there is no way of knowing their exact contents. But some dieters are that desperate.

This desperation could also be one of the reasons why many young women take up smoking and refuse to give it up – they think it will help them stay thinner. Smoking does increase the body's metabolic rate and nicotine may act as an appetite suppressant. Nicotine may also encourage the heart to beat faster thus burning calories more quickly.

However, a smoking-induced increase in metabolic rate only accounts for about half the difference in weight between average smokers and non-smokers. Smoking can also lower the body's set weight point so the weight gained on stopping reflects a return to the body's natural weight.

Also, it's been found in fact that on average the gain for ex-smokers is at most 2-3kg and those who increase their physical activity after they give up gain only 1.3-1.8 kg. Furthermore, it's been found that the weight gain is most common immediately after stopping. In the longer term, an ex-smoker's weight can return to normal.

Alcohol is also a short-cut to a dopamine high. But if you're of Chinese descent, you may have a problem metabolising alcohol. Whereas Westerners have somehow evolved a series of liver enzymes to metabolise alcohol and its breakdown product, acetaldehyde, Eastern populations have not been so lucky. About 50 percent of Chinese and Japanese people lack the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and so just one glass of wine taken by people without this enzyme gives them a very unpleasant reaction.

Due to the build-up of acetaldehyde they become flushed, dizzy, nauseated and may even collapse. And without any of the pleasant feelings of intoxication.

And in fact, cutting back on alcohol should make it easier to control your weight because as well as alcohol flooding our bodies with useless calories and filling us up with poison, alcohol lowers our blood-sugar levels making us hungrier. This is why we drink appetisers before a meal and also why you can feel so ravenous for food after a night out on a pub crawl.

So if you have the enzyme that lets you drink freely, try not to. And if you're constantly losing the battle to lose weight, why not experiment with cutting out alcohol for a few weeks? It can make a massive difference, for example, singer Robbie Williams said, in his own words, he was really “lardy” until he went into rehab for his drink and drug abuse. The weight fell off when he stopped drinking.

Starving doesn't help

There's one further main reason why diets don't work: they actually lower our metabolic rate and so make it easier, not harder, to gain weight. It works like this: you start restricting calories and your body think there's a famine going on – which for many thousands of years of human evolution was very likely and sadly still is very likely in many parts of the world. So the dieter's body slows down the metabolism to try and make the most of what food is available. The brain pushes and pushes you to eat more and eventually, most of us can't exist for long on semi-starvation diets so we do what our brains want us to: we resume normal eating. Bang goes the weight back on because our metabolism has been lowered.

Oprah Winfrey once said she had completely ruined her metabolism by constant dieting and bingeing. But none of us should blame ourselves for the inevitable binge that follows the diet. If you go too low on your calorie intake, your brain simply won't let you stay there. The few who can override the constant hunger signals from their brain either become anorexic or go crazy from the effects it takes.

Imagine all the energy Elizabeth Hurley and her Hollywood size 0 friends must use not eating. They fight their bodies every day. They fight the message their brains send out. They become terrified of food. Glorious, wonderful, gorgeous, fabulous food. Seriously, is that any way to live?

Surely the way forward is to become as comfortable as we can with our bodies. To exercise for healthy and enjoyment, not weight control, and to eat for pleasure as well as survival. Many women find that once they get off the diet-binge merry go round, nothing terrible happens. Their weight settles down its set point and they release tons and tons of energy to enjoy life instead of fearing it.

Diets don't work. Evolution is against you. So chuck out the calorie counter and just relax. Food won't kill you. But constantly cutting down on one of the most pleasurable activities known to humans can make life really miserable. Even then, it's unlikely to give you the slyph-like figure you crave. Give it up. Enjoy life.

Innisfree Bija Anti-Trouble Spot Essence R Review

2016-05-06T11:11:00.001+08:00

WHAT IS IT: Innisfree Bija Anti-Trouble Spot Essence R

THE PRODUCTS:

Innisfree Bija Anti-Trouble Spot Essence R: This spot essence rapidly calms down sudden apparent breakouts with its torreya seed oil and green calamine ingredients.

Enriched with torreya seed extract, bija anti-trouble helps control blemish for clear skin. Use cotton swab to gently apply to troubled areas.

As you can see, this spot essence have a slight whitening effect when applied. I purposely refrain from applying with a cotton swab so readers can see what the spot essence is like, if not the cotton swab will probably soak up the essence itself and nothing much will show up.

VERDICT: Well, the first reason I got this product is that, my chin area is mostly prone to breakouts. When one pimple heal, another will pop up within the chin area to replace it's previous fallen comrade. Every. Single. Time. It is really frustrating when you thought you've dealt and get it over with one pimple, only to have another show up. Sometimes, it's a heal 1 and get 2 more "promotion" going on though. As you all might have probably noticed, I got the Spot Essence R as it's meant for pimples that are more red and angry. And besides, the Innisfree in Singapore that I've been to only carries the "R" version, instead of both "R" and "W" version.

The color is similar to dark algae-green color, and the texture and consistency is actually rather creamy and powdery at the same time . The nearest and closest example I can name on the spot is the Oxy Cover Acne Pimple Medication, slightly thick and this "R" version is also slightly whitening so it actually works rather decently in covering up pimples and acne if you are wearing makeup as well. But because my skin tone is more towards the pale variety and my pimples tend to look rather red and angry, it doesn't really cover well even when I wear makeup. I would still have to dab Oxy Cover Acne Pimple Medication on top to literally make the pimple look really less obvious.

Normally, my body and skin doesn't react at all to products that are of the weaker variety. Allow me to explain in another way: When I fall sick and visit the doctor, I always ask for stronger medication as my body doesn't react to medication that is "mild". "Mild" medication simply meant I would take even longer to recover, for example, from a fever. But with stronger medication, my fever literally can go down in as fast as half a day's time after medical application. That is exactly what I meant when I say my body and skin do not react to products that are "weak and mild". It's the equivalent of wasting money on a product that I know do not work. And I think it's also because Singapore is humid all year round and it's actually easy for majority of the under 35-year-old population to have pimples and acne problems that are of the red and angry variety too.

I would say that I am rather "pro" at noticing new pimples that haven't quite turned red on my skin yet, so I practically knew when I should start using this product as soon as I "feel" a pimple coming. But because I'm working, I can't simply go to the toilet during break-time for the sake of washing off a layer of makeup just for the sake of re-applying this product. Only to re-apply another layer of makeup to cover it all over again. It's rather troublesome to go through so much trouble just for the sake of re-applying throughout the day. So most times, I just simply skip applying makeup altogether. This means it's actually easier to see if the product does actually work. And it does work for me rather well.

Although 15ml sounds like a lot, since I'm only dabbing a really small and adequate amount to cover and apply on the pimple itself, it can pretty much last me quite a while. But also because I tend to re-apply this product at least twice a day when my pimples seemed extra hyper, it really doesn't last that long in the long run. I gave it probably around 6 to 7 months before I have to re-stock this product again. All in all, the scent isn't much of an issue as I only apply a really thin and sparing layer on my angsty pimples.

PRODUCT RATING:✓✓

WHAT I THINK: For readers with sensitive skin, you might want to enquire more at Innisfree to check if they do have sample sachets for both the "R" and "W" version as the "R" version can be too strong for the skin to handle. But it works quite good for me though, as I have oily/combination skin. It has a whitening effect and literally covers new pimples rather well, but doesn't do any decent coverage if your pimple is really reddish-looking. Be careful to apply only to affected areas or it may dry out the skin around the pimple.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No sample for redemption. But you can pop by any Innisfree retail outlet and test out the tester tube.

Benefits of Face Steaming

2016-05-03T15:44:00.002+08:00

Although it might sound scary, but it is a relatively simple procedure in one of the many steps in ensuring your skin reap some benefits from it. If you happened to be someone who is suffering from mild acne from time to time, the biggest benefit of facial steaming is that, it helps clear up your skin. Because the gentle heat softens the surface layer of dead skin cells called the stratum corneum, this simple process helps to free any dead cells, dirt, bacteria and other trapped gunk that could be causing that breakout that keeps showing up unexpectedly. Facial steaming actually helps and allow the skin to better absorb any other products you are using immediately after the steaming, in short it opens up the pores for cleaning while cleaning it at the same time. But if you suffer from a bad case of severe acne, steaming might make it worse on the other hand, so it's best to check with your doctor or a dermatologist first.

~Image Source: Only My Health~

The gentle warm humidty from steaming may increase perspiration and at the same time stimulate blood circulation, depending on how easy it is for your skin to "sweat". To look at a human body's natural cooling system in a little more detail, our sweat consists mostly of water. But it is also mixed with a small amount of our body's waste and toxins, hence sweating literally washes these waste and toxins away. And also, increasing blood circulation in our facial skin can help to give a warm and colorful glow, all complimentary of a facial steaming. This is better than layering on layers of blush repeatedly throughout the day.

But also be aware, skin that is suffering from sweating or blood circulations, such as rosacea or fungal infections may actually do more harm than good. So, always check and check with your doctor and/or dermatologist. It helps if you are aware of your latest skin conditions in the event that you are considering facial steaming.

If you're someone like me who tend to want to save money via the do-it-yourself route, the other benefits wil be the cost and convenience of facial steaming. There are plenty of at-home facial steaming products, like the one you can buy at any Watsons outlet in Singapore, and it's less than S$30 the last time I checked. And the best part, you don't even need any special lotions just to do a DIY facial steaming in the comforts of your own home. Even if you do not have the intention to plonk down S$30 for it, as long as you have running water, a kettle, a small wash basin large enough for your face and a big towel, you're already set to start doing a facial steaming immediately.

Facial steaming might sound easy, but at the same time, there is a wrong way and a right way to go about doing it. Below are a couple of steps to steam your face without doing your skin any harm.

~Image Source: Afrophire Magazine~

Method 1: Steaming your Face

Because a basic DIY steam involves only water and your skin, it doesn't require much water

While the water is boiling, wash your face using a gentle cleanser to thoroughly remove all traces of makeup, dirt, oil and sweat that is sitting on the surface of your skin

Pour the boiling water into a bowl and let it cool for a minute or two. If you're doing the steam treatment as a follow up to any at-home spa treatment, pour the water into a big ceramic or glass bowl. The prettiness of the bowl is optional

Add your favorite essential oils or herbs to make the treatment a little special and luxurious. Be sure to add extras after you've taken the water off the oil as the scents will evaporate quickly

Place a towel over your head and drape it so that it drops down on either side of your face. This traps the steam so that it will concentrate near your skin. Place your face just close enough to feel the steam on your face, but not too close to the point where your skin feels like it's burning or you are having trouble breathing in fresh air

As the steam treatment leaves your pores wide open, this is the perfect time to draw out dirt and other impurities by following up your steam treatment with a clay mask suitable for your skin type. Simple apply the mask over your face in a thin layer, let sit for 10-15 minutes and wash away with warm water before patting dry with a soft towel

After rinsing your mask away, use a facial toner to help your pores close back up. Apply gently to your face using a cotton ball

Steam and heat can cause our skin to dry out, so it's the most important step to follow up after your steam treatment with a good moisturizer that is right for your skin type. Use a moisturizer that has soothing oils, such as aloe vera or butter to prevent your skin from getting too dry after the steam treatment. Let the moisturizer completely absorb into your skin before applying makeup

Method 2: Cold Relief Steam

Steams can help to clear sinuses when you have a cold, especially when your nose is so blocked that you are practically breathing through your mouth like a koi. Not a pretty sight, right? Simply use herbs such as Mint, Chamomile or Eucalyptus and/or essential oils such as Eucalyptus, Bergamot or Mint. Follow the steps in Method 1 while using the forementioned herbs or essential oils.

Method 3: Stress Relief Steam

Herbs such as Lavender, Chamomile and Lemon Verbena and essential oils such as Bergamot, Sandalwood and Passionflower are wonderful scents to help you to alleviate your stress while calming and soothing your nerves, mind and emotions. Steaming can also help soothe the soul as it is a relaxing procedure that lets your breathe in wonderful scents while you sit back and relax. Again, follow Method 1 and use the forementioned herbs and/or essential oils for a stress-relieving steam.

Method 4: Sleeping Aid Steam

If you are someone who tend to lose sleep easily, suffer from insomnia once-in-a-while, doing a facial steaming for at least 10 minutes can actually help you to relax and sleep more peacefully. You can consider using herbs such as Chamomile, Lavender, Valerian or essential oils such as Geranium Rose, Lavender, Patchouli. You can add all of the herbs/essential oils or add the the scents you referred to help you to sleep more easily. Best of all? No sleeping drugs needed.

NOTE: You should steam your face no more than once a week. If your pores are particularly clogged, you can steam your face twice a week until your condition improves. Steaming your face too often can actually lead to more breakouts.

Samples Received & Redeemed: April 2016

2016-04-30T13:41:00.000+08:00

At last, it's time for that post of the month that accumulates samples and some cheap buys included. Sometimes, it really amazes me when I walked into a run-down and small looking Giant hypermarket, only to find really cheap shower gels which makes me wonder, how come I never saw these cheap buys before when I browsed around inside? Anyways, here's a look at what I've gotten my grubby hands on for the month of April :D

Zen Garden Goat Milk Bath & Shower Gel @ 300ml (left)
Zen Garden Lavender Bath & Shower Gel @ 300ml (right)

Goat Milk retails at S$1.00 per 300ml bottle while Lavender retails at S$2.00 per bottle, if you were to buy the bundle pack of 1 litre and the 300ml bottle together, you only need to pay S$3.00 altogether. Because I haven't tried this brand before, I didn't dare to buy the bundle pack in case my skin has an allergic reaction to it.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No samples for redemption.

Pure Clarifying Foam Wash @ 125ml (left)
Black Musk Shower Gel @ 250ml (right)

Well, I've tested a small amount of the Pure Clarifying Foam Wash right inside the retail shop itself, and I dare say, the skin on my left hand looks brighter when compard to the right hand. The shower gel is because I don't use soap bars at all due to sensitive skin.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I don't recall seeing sample sachets for shower gels, but for the foam wash, you can try asking. As I've tried it inside the retail shop, I'm guessing there's no sample sachet for the foam wash as well.

Essential Deep Cleansing Care Shampoo @ 15ml (left)
Essential Deep Cleansing Care Conditioner @ 15ml (right)

Well, I forgot where I saw the sample ad from. But no doubt, these samples are kinda "late" after I bought the trial-size version almost 6 months back LOL

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to essentialsg.com/deepcleanse/ and fill out your details. The samples will be mailed to your mailbox and it's while stocks last. Hurry~

Creighton Manga & Papaya Balance Bath & Shower @ 500ml (left)
Creighton Cherry & Wild Fig Sensual Bath & Shower @ 500ml (right)

Creighton Vanilla & Macadamia Cocoon Bath & Shower @ 500ml (left)
Creighton Raspberry & Pomegranate Revive Bath & Shower @ 500ml (right)

There's a new Venus Beauty outlet opened at my neighborhood, so I went for a look-see and happened to see these 4 bottles retailing at S$6.95 per bottle, which is rather affordable. I debated for 2 nights and went back on the 3rd day and got all 4 flavours. And I regret not! The scents are heavenly~ xD

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No samples for redemption.

Dove Sensitive Skin Nourishing Body Wash @ 200ml

Well, a visit to The Sample Store's "Free Samples" page reminded me of how long I've been deprived of writing anything on this blog. NEVER AGAIN!!!

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: The last I check, the "Redeem" button is still in blue, which means there should still be samples up for grabs. Hurry~

Crème Simon Brightening Detox Gentle Double Exfoliation Scrub @ 5ml (left)
Crème Simon Crème Universelle @ 5ml (right)

Happened to know about 2 samples available for redemption at Crème Simon's website, but you need to register an account on their website first.

Just a warning, while attempting to check out my samples, the website kept giving me weird error messages and I though it didn't went through. Tried to re-request again and the website stated that I've already requested for the samples. If you encountered the same thing as I've mentioned, try re-requesting once again and it should inform you that you've already requested for the sample. Delivery took less than a week, so no harm in waiting.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to creme-simon.com/collections/, scroll down until you see the above 2 products, there will be a "REQUEST FOR SAMPLE" button that is clickable. The samples will be mailed to your mailbox.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50+ @ 15ml

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Also redeemable at The Sample Store, under the "Free Samples" tab. Same thing, it's while stocks last. So, hurry~

Cetaphil DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion @ 14g (left)
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser @ 29ml (middle)
Cetaphil Daylong SPF 50+ PA++++ (right)

Anyway, I got my samples as Cetaphil was organizing some sort of online FB contest. But you can just skip the contest and get the samples instead, if you don't wish to join.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to cetaphil.com.sg/samples/ and fill in your details. The samples will be mailed to your mailbox.

Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Lotion @ 2ml (left)
Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Water Gel @ 2g (right)

Hada Labo wasn't organizing anything on FB, I was just bored and randomly surfing around. Saw Hada Labo website has samples, and requested for them xD

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to hadalabo.com.sg/, on the right of the website, you'll see "Free Samples" flag. Doesn't matter which sample you picked, you'll get one of each when they mailed it out to you.

Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer @ 5ml

I don't really recall how I got to know about this sampling activity for Jergens, but the website is still working and it's while stocks last. Hurry~

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to ksgpromo.com/jergens/, fill in your details and the sample will be delivered to your mailbox.

That's it for April's samples and cheap buys. See you all in this segment next month in May~ Walalala~

Quickie Review: White Musk Libertine Eau De Toilette

2016-04-28T10:33:00.000+08:00

White Musk Libertine feat. Bun & Skip

Q: So tell us, what's the notes for this particular Eau De Toilette?

A: It's is a fragrance with vegetable musk note in the top, middle and the base note. The composition also includes Turkish delight (rose, almond, honey) and whipped cream. We just love vegetables also, it is so healthy and hearty for small furry folks like us ❤❤

Q: What does this Eau De Toilette reminds you of?

A: *sniffs* It smells like Burberry Brit EDT's younger, and much more shy sibling and a little bit sweet~

Q: How long does the Eau De Toilette lasts after spraying?

A: The scent is strong at first, smoky and heavy with a rose scent at the beginning, but then slowly dries down to a cozy sweet musk of cream and honey that lasts quite long ❤❤❤ Omigosh!! Sweet cream and honey!!

Q: Is this Eau De Toilette good for the climate in Singapore?

A: As woodland creatures, we know the 4 seasons very well. We even know where to gather berries and nuts when winter is nearing. During winter, this scent seems to be only just a pleasant light sweet musk, nothing too heavy-headed. But now that it's getting really warm recently, we can smell every single note! And this is the first time we noticed how soft, sweet and creamy it smells. ❤❤ Definitely a must-have for months when the weather is slightly warmer.

Q: How would you rate this Eau De Toilette as a whole?

A: This is a really versatile scent no matter the scenario, weather or location. Reminds us of running freely in the woods, dreaming of cream and honey ❤❤❤

Q: How many points would you guys rate this Eau De Toilette, out of say, 100 points?

A: 90 points!!! We love the cream and honey ❤❤

~ The End ~

Innisfree Bija Anti-Trouble Lotion Review

2016-04-26T20:35:00.002+08:00

WHAT IS IT: Innisfree Bija Anti-Trouble Lotion

THE PRODUCT(S):

Innisfree Bija Anti-Trouble Lotion: This watery moisturizing lotion helps to clear and treat troubled skin with its outstanding protection power of jeju torreya seed oil and natural originated salicylic acid.

A moisture rich antiblemish lotion with natural Jeju torreya seed oil, outstanding healing effects of the torreya seed oil help troubled skin. Contains natural salicylic acid for exfoliation and blemish care, oil-free moisturizer and 100% Natural essential oil: The scent of pine, juniper berries, and the forest comforts your mind and body.

This lotion comes in a white opaque milky liquid consistency while the texture doesn't feel heavy like a cream. The scent is rather splended, somewhat like a forest-y type of scent and the lightweight lotion spreads evenly without making my skin feel heavy and clogged.

VERDICT: Despite the product claiming to have the scent of pine, juniper berries, and the forest, I think I pretty much get the "forest" part. It doesn't help that most Singaporeans wouldn't have known what Pine and Juniper Berries are supposed to feel like, while Pine products seems manaufactured to the point you won't even know if the pine scent is real or manufactured. But anyways, that forest scent I mentioned, it's almost like skipping through a magical forest somewhere where your skin feels relaxed and calm.

I was actually recommended this range by the SA at Plaza Singapura Innisfree sometime in March/April a year ago. Reason for going to Innisfree to find a good daycare skin regime product is really due to the reason that their Innisfree products seems just about enough and straight forward. Instead of the usual skin/body-based product shops that seems to sell a bazillion products that makes you feel as if every item is a must-have. Over at Innisfree, the ranges seemed few but well detailed and the SA actually seemed to know their products pretty well too. No matter how I tried to explain my skin problems by tweaking it, I kept being recommended back to this Innisfree Bija Anti-Trouble range without fail. It's like, their SA doesn't get sidetracked easily and is dedicated to ensureing you make the right purchases for your skin type.

The lotion itself is a white color milky liquid, that at first glance looks heavy like a cream-based moisturizer. But as soon as you rub it into your skin, the lotion simply melts into your skin with gently massaging. And naturally, no parabens were located anywhere on the tube itself, instead, I got Jeju torreya seed oil and salicylic acid with extracts such as from Japanese Camellia, Camellia Sinensis, Opuntia, Satsuma and white willow. During and after application, my skin doesn't feel sticky, heavy, nor clogged at all although it has a slight cooling sensation that makes your skin feel relaxed at the cooling sensation.

After using it for around 2-3 weeks, I noticed that my skin started behaving better. Meaning: pimple outbreaks were less as compared to before using this product. Existing pimples weren't irritated at all and didn't even "sit" clueless on my face for days and weeks on end, instead, my existing pimples actually cleared up normally. My skin doesn't even look that oily during the day, and neither did it feel heavy from having a product applied on it. Normally, my skin feels like it's been through a week of existence even though it's only a mere 24 hours. You'd understand the feeling on your face when you didn't apply or apply the wrong facial moisturizer.

And I actually use the toner and this lotion as my daytime skincare regime, short and simple with 2 products during the day as I'm not too fond of loading extra products on my face during daytime as I sweat rather easily from the humidity. Basically, this helps to treat skin with acne and pimple issues, not an overall product that gets rid of acnes and pimples and blemishes. But I find that this product works just well for my skin without bad aftereffects.

PRODUCT RATING: ✓✓✓

WHAT I THINK: Honestly, I didn't expect much from this product as I've been using so many different types I'm almost jaded in trying anymore sometimes. But this product range surprises me quite well with it's simple promises. My skin feels calmer and refreshed without feeling heavy nor clogged at all. And it's really lightweight and absorbs easily into my skin without hassle.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I haven't encountered any sample products for this range, but you can try asking in any Innisfree if they have samples for trying first.

Teeth Whitening at Home

2016-04-25T16:55:00.002+08:00

One of the top most common complaint we all have about our teeth is that they're discolored from so many things. Such as drinking coffee, tea, smoking, eating highly pigmented foods, to quote a few as an example. This always result in an ugly yellowish tinge on our teeth that everyone of us loathes to see when we look into the mirror.

~Image Source: 123RF Stock Photography~

If we do have extra money to ~~burn~~ spend, we can always visit a dentist for a quick whitening treatment. But let's face it, no matter the economy, we either don't have the extra money or even want to spend that extra money on teeth whitening. Unless we're earning S$10,000 a month from our jobs, that would have been a different story though. And this is one of the few reasons people start getting creative and looking in their own pantry for household products that does the job, but for a mere fraction of the price.

Cheap Ways to Whiten Teeth

DIY teeth whitening is one of those beauty treatments that sounds like it involves science and seemed rather hard to do, but honestly, it really isn't all that difficult to grasp and do note, no matter what your budget is, it will never ever burn a hole in your pocket and wallet for that. But be aware that if you are a regular caffeine drinker (coffee, black tea) or a regular smoker for years already, this DIY teeth whitening method might not be enough to restore the former whitening glory of your teeth. Maybe only just a little, in fact, these DIY tips are better suited for you if you just want your teeth to be a few shades whiter as it does not totally eliminate and get rid of severe stains.

Basically, you only need 2 products: Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda.

Yes, Hydrogen Peroxide is mainly used for cleaning cuts and scrapes, but surprisingly it works. Unsure still? Next time when you are out shopping in the supermarket, look at the ingredients in teeth whiteners and quality toothpastes as most times, hydrogen peroxide and/or baking soda is included in the ingredients list as well.

Hydrogen Peroxide as Mouthwash

Swap out your normal mouth rinse with hydrogen peroxide or mix it with a ratio of half cup mouth rinse and half cup hydrogen peroxide. Swish liquid (not gargle) around your mouth for at least a full minute before you spit it out. You can rinse your mouth again with plain tap water to get rid of the weird taste too. Just don't forgo the plain water mouth rinse please.

Baking Soda as Toothpaste

Make a mixture using a tiny amount of toothpaste (roughly the amount you need to brush your teeth with) in a small container, add in 1 teaspoon of baking soda and half a teaspoon of plain tap water. Once the mixture is thoroughly mixed and resembles the consistency of toothpaste, use it to brush your teeth for a full 2 minutes gently like how you would brush your teeth on a regular basis. Spit out and rinse your mouth thoroughly with plain tap water. Check your reflection in the mirror, does your teeth looks as if you've treated it with those expensive teeth whitener and expensive toothpaste products?

But please be aware that this is only recommended for a once weekly usage until you get the desired shade of white you want for your teeth while at the same time cutting down on teeth-staining food and drinks. If you must have these, at least do rinse your teeth with plain tap water and brush gently without toothpaste after consuming teeth-staining food and drinks to prevent your teeth from getting stained again. Once your teeth is in the shade of white you desired, limit the baking soda treatment to only once a month to maintain the whiteness.

Because if you use the baking soda treatment on a regular basis, it will gradually wear down the enamel on our teeth and make your teeth more susceptible to cavities. Basically, while you have a megawatt white smile, you'll at the same time suffer from sensitive teeth and cavities, which is worse than having teeth discoloration in the first place. Without overdoing this simple DIY, you can have a beautiful smile full of clean white teeth while saving hundreds of dollars to the dentist for professional teeth whitening. Because if you realized, I doubt dentists will ask you to go back for a weekly teeth whitening session.

First time round, they'll whiten your teeth as much as they possibly can without trying to do much damage to the enamel in your teeth. The rest is up to you on whether you want to take care of it or not. If you don't, you're just giving the dentist extra money on a monthly basis for teeth whitening.

The Face Shop Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask Review

2016-04-24T16:49:00.001+08:00

WHAT IS IT: The Face Shop Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask

THE PRODUCT(S):

The Face Shop Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask: Drawing on the pure and natural strength of the Himalayas, extract of Himalayan raspberry root tones and lifts skin for refined facial contours.

Skin problems? Try sleeping on it with this overnight beauty mask and wake up to porcelain smooth skin. Himalayan Raspberry Roots and Grain Extracts optimize elasticity and tighten pores while thoroughly hydrating and replenishing skin of lost nutrients. Additions of plant extracts in the formulation promote the natural secretion of pleasure-inducing beta endorphins and stimulate the formation of collagen for more youthful skin.

It comes in a cloudy gel form that spreads like water easily without much hassle, although it leaves a layer of shine and sheen on my face after application.

VERDICT: I got this trial/sample version while on my previous a.k.a last The Face Shop haul for hair products, I really had no intention of getting a sleeping mask from Korean beauty shops as I believe most of them are somewhat overhyped. But for their shampoos, it's a different story as it's under-hyped but reliable, trustworthy and useful. Anyway, despite the sales staff in getting me to buy a sleeping mask, which I politely reject, they gave me this trial/sample tube instead so I can try out while reassuring me that it's a really good product that gets rave reviews and is really popular among their clientele.

This sleeping mask has a wonderful fruity smell that is clean and fresh, kind of reminds you of walking through a field with nothing but beautiful sweet smelling fruits as far as the naked eye can see. Just don't ask what fruit though as my sense of smell can be quite bad sometimes, so it's a little hard to differentiate scents sometimes, but this fruity smell isn't overpowering nor cloying at all. And the scent actually dissipates upon spreading it on your skin, which I think is rather great. It's better than trying to struggle with a sleeping mask that smells weird and puts you off in using it, huh?

Unfortunately, I think it's a over-hyped product that doesn't quite deliver as compared to "how popular it is with our clientele", which I quote the SA saying to me. Maybe it's my skin problem, maybe it's not me but them, I don't know. But I can assure you that after dutifully using this for close to a year, I don't really see much improvement in the pore tightening claim it has. Skin elasticity-wise, there might be some improvement, but it isn't that obvious to tell at first glance either. Kinda like a "Meh!?" to me, to be truthfully honest.

Hydration wise, it's a little hydrating as my skin doesn't look too dry and taut when I wake up in the morning. Let's just say, my skin doesn't have bedsheet lines showing when I check with the mirror in the morning, it didn't help that I toss and turn like a human burrito when I sleep, so it's definitely going to leave bedsheet and pillow lines on my face and I am also prone to lying face down when I sleep. It's just that I fall asleep and sleep better than I lie face down instead of face up, yeah, I'm a weird sleeper alright LOL

However, I find that after applying this sleeping mask, my face tend to look a little greasy and oily and mind you, I don't put that much products on my face before bed. I literally followed the application instructions to a T as I don't like having my skin feel "heavy" with products just before bedtime. I only apply sparingly, but a quick check on my face seems to suggest that I overload the products instead. But the saving grace is that it doesn't make my skin feel oily upon application as it's a gel-like consistency and texture that spreads easily and evenly on my skin, just that it makes my skin looks oily and greasy though.

Thankfully, it doesn't make my skin look red nor make it feel itchy after a night of application. And the best part is that it doesn't trigger my sensitive pimples that I might have on certain days too. But the ultimate gross part? It has parabens in it, so how it got popular among Singaporean females amazes me. If it's a sample sachet, I don't mind the parabens as it is just one-off. But to have to use a product that contains paraben on a daily basis or even twice weekly is enough to make our skin go astray in the long run.

PRODUCT RATING: ✓

WHAT I THINK: It's actually a good product for me as it doesn't irritate my skin or even irritate existing pimples on my skin, but it's the presence of 5 different types of parabens that make it a turn-off for me. If it's just 1 type and it's a product that is recommended to be used once a week, I still find it acceptable. But because my skin tends to suffer from dehydration overnight, I tend to use it up to 3 or 4 times a week to combat the dryness of my skin at night, which makes it a bad product to use on a long-term basis.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I think The Face Shop should have sample sachets for buyers to take home and try. I got this small tube due to a $100+ purchase.

Benefits of Green Tea: Your New BFF

2016-04-18T13:45:00.003+08:00

“A cup of tea would restore my normality," Douglas Adams once wrote in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. And he was definitely onto something healthy and good. Turns out that regularly drinking green tea can do lots and lots of wonders for your body and health. Here are 7 easy ways the drink gives you a much needed health boost:

~Image Source: Shutterstock~

#1. Green Tea is good for your bones

Everyone from our mothers to health experts used to say "Milk is good for your bones", although personally, I don't find myself growing any taller all these years. But according to a study published in the journal Nutrition Research, green tea can help slow down the process of age-related bone loss and at the same time help to decrease the risk of fractures caused mainly by osteoporosis. Especially women who made the effort to drink at least 3 cups of green tea per day have a 30% chance to lower the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures, most noticeably from the hip.

#2. Green Tea prevents cancer

If we are to take a look at Japan for example, cancer rates are actually lower there, because green tea is the number 1 go-to drink. While researchers cannot be absolutely sure that just consuming green tea alone is responsible for low cancer rates, we do know that tea contains chemicals EGCG, EGC and EC, which are highly known for their antioxidant activity. These chemicals help protect our cells from DNA damage, which is one of the first steps in growth cancer cells. Also, the properties in green tea can help protect your skin from UV damage which is also a leading cause of skin cancer.

#3. Green tea to lose weight

Not only does green tea helps you to maintain a healthy weight when taken on a long-time regular basis, it can also help to reduce body fat at the same time. According to a 12-week study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, green tea extracts may also have the power to help decrease obesity and obesity-related illness, like diabetes to quote for example.

#4. Green tea lowers your cholesterol

Green tea has been linked to lower levels of LDL which is known as the "bad" cholesterol, according to a paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In short, tea drinkers have slightly lower levels of LDL compare to those who do not drink green tea at all. So, load up on all that green tea.

#5. Green tea gives you healthy gums

Those of you who drink green tea on a regular basis would have realized that their gum-tissue and gum bleeding problems doesn't happen that much, as compared to the rest of us who probably don't even touch a single drop of tea at all. According to researchers at a Japanese university, the more tea their test subjects drank, the fewer symptoms of periodontal disease are displayed, so drinking more than a cup of green tea a day is definitely the way to improving your oral health. Psst! It's not just about the specific brand and type of toothbrush and mouth rinse anymore huh?

#6. Green tea helps your heart <3

According to Harvard Medical School, drinking green tea daily can help you to lower the risk of heart disease. Reguar tea drinkers also showed a 26% lower risk of dying from a stroke or heart attack in a Japanese study of over 40,000 participants. And to further back this up, all these 40,000 participants consumed at the very least, 5 cups of green tea on a daily basis. So, do drink up on your green tea.

#7. Green tea gives you energy

Those of us (me especially) who are trying to cut down on caffeine can also reap the energy benefits of green tea as well. One 8-ounce cup of green tea contains at least 24 to 45 miligrams of caffeine, as compared to 95 to 200 milligrams in a cup of coffee, tea itself offers a boost of much-needed energy with the chance of a lower risk of headaches, shakiness and nausea that comes complimentary with caffeine overload. And that healthy jolt of caffeine in tea can boost exercise endurance, according to a research published in the American Journal of Physiology. So it doesn't matter whether you're an athlete or just a normal person looking for a quick and healthy instant pick-me-up, it definitely helps to go the path of green tea.

Innisfree Bija Anti-trouble Skin with Torreya Seed Oil and Green Complex Review

2016-04-15T11:50:00.002+08:00

WHAT IS IT: Innisfree Bija Anti-trouble Skin with Torreya Seed Oil and Green Complex

THE PRODUCT(S):

Innisfree Bija Anti-trouble Skin with Torreya Seed Oil and Green Complex: Natural originated salicylic acid, natural originated alcohol presents you with a clear complexion as it exfoliates dead skin cells that cause skin trouble and removes impurities left inside pores. A toner made from natural Jeju torreya for treating blemished skin! The outstanding healing effects of the torreya seed oil help troubled skin. Contains natural salicylic acid for exfoliation and blemish care. The naturally fermented alcohol soothes skin. 100% Natural essential oil: The scent of pine, juniper berries, and the forest comforts your mind and body.

Despite the bottle looking all blue on the outside, this toner is actually a clear liquid instead of the blue we expect it to be.

VERDICT: Scent-wise, there's a strong scent of alcohol with a hint of herbal tonic in it although the herbal tonic scent is more towards lemon grass scent. For those of us who are sensitive to the scent of alcohol or whose skin is sensitive and allergic to alcohol, this product might actually do more harm than good. Although funnily enough, part of the product describes this product having the scent of pine, Juniper berries and woods and most reviews for this product I have come across have a varying difference when it comes to the scent. And at the same time, it's a toner made from natural Jeju torreya, which means it should smell more like torreya instead. But personally, I don't find the scent too "dramatic" in terms of the difference in scent.

Upon using this toner, it gives a refreshing and clean feel to my skin after using it. And to be honest, a toner is essentially a liquid that delivers beneficial ingredients directly onto the skin after cleansing. And depending on the formulation of the toner, it can also "close" or minimize pores and smooth the texture of the skin, ready for the application of moisturizer and/or makeup. Although toners containing alcohol can be somewhat controversial towards certain toner users as alcohol can be drying. But at the same time, the drying part can actually clear the skin of any excess sebum on the spot to ensure sebum doesn't mess with the moisturizer that follows soon after.

For me, this toner helps to control oil and sebum on my skin without making my skin feel too dry after using and luckily for me, the toner doesn't irritate my skin too much especially when pimples are present. And upon using, I can feel and see my skin brighten up a little although I doubt it helps in the whitening department though. I mean, I haven't heard of any toner that whitens complexion. Complexion whitening tend to be products in the serum or moisturizer range, as far as I am aware. And personally on my skin, it actually feels a tad hydrating instead of the usual dryness I encountered when using other brand toners.

Sometimes, when my skin feels too oily and shine-reflective, I just use this to clear off the excess sebum on my skin. But I don't recommend continuously using the toner throughout the entire day repeatedly just for the sake of getting sebum off your face though. I tend to use it only when my face and skin actually feels "heavy" from the serum and I want a quick refresh on my face to feel better. It does help dry out the whiteheads, on a side note. As I've noticed less whiteheads showing up on my skin after using this product for the past 1.5 years.

PRODUCT RATING: ✓✓✓

WHAT I THINK: Although this toner contains alcohol, I personally find that it doesn't over-dry my skin at all. In fact, my whiteheads are noticeably lesser after using this toner. It hydrates and also reduces the amount of sebum on my skin as my skin condition is of the combination type. Whitening wise, I don't really see much difference but it actually brightens up my skin a little after using.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: You can pop by any Innisfree outlet and enquire for sample sachets to bring home and try it out before committing to this product on a permanent basis. Or alternatively, there should be opened sample bottles in their outlets. But I still recommend asking for sample sachets that you can bring home and try instead.

Six Amazing Beauty Hacks

2016-04-13T13:41:00.001+08:00

It is with no surprise that beauty has now fast grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry over the past few decades. And as most us women know, the multitude range of hair products, various skin potions, and wonderful cosmetics available at any drugstore or mall is just enormous to count with just a calculator. In this infographic below, the kind folks at Ogle School reveal 6 amazing beauty hacks that you can instantly and easily raid your pantry and kitchen right about now and get gorgeous instantly.

Courtesy of: Infographic Journal

I don't know about you all, but out of the 6 featured in the infographic I posted above, I am currently following all of them except for the Vaseline one. How about you all pretties?

The Face Shop: Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam Peach Review

2016-04-12T10:42:00.000+08:00

WHAT IS IT: The Face Shop: Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam Peach

THE PRODUCT(S):

The Face Shop: Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam Peach: A natural hydrating facial foam wash-Formulated with peach extract & nine kinds of herb extracts-Penetrates deep into pores to remove impurities & buildup that can cause clogged pores & blackheads. Provides moisture & nutrition to skin-Leaves skin soft clear elastic & youthful looking. Perfect for all skin types. To use, simply apply a moderate amount & massage onto wet face. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water & follow with daily day or night skincare regimens.

Personally, I like the fact that most Korean beauty products almost always comes with a foil seal. In the event I only start using this after buying, for example 3 months ago, the foil seal ensures the product doesn't get contaminated in any way. Useful and helpful for folks like me who likes to sniff existing on-hand beauty products every now and then.

As you can see here, the cleansing foam itself comes in a light pink pearlescent color that shimmers a little here and a little there when you tilt your hand left and right. That shimmery feeling~

It suds up rather decently and have this wonderful peach scent that isn't too heavy. In fact, it's actually light and mild only before you apply it to your face/skin to use.

VERDICT: Let's start with the scent of this product in slightly more detail. The Face Shop actually has 6 more scents/flavors to this range, but I think Peach is probably more of a better choice in terms of scent. I can't remember what the other range smells like, they were't that bad to be honest. But Peach just smells gentler and warmer, if you get what I meant here. The scent is really light and mild, instead of overpowering, to quote for example, Tea Tree which distinctively has this menthol-minty scent to it, making it obvious what exact scent or product it is. The scent slowly dissipates upon contact with the skin, without lingering on obsessively.

Anyway, I was browsing around The Face Shop at Bukit Panjang Plaza, wandered into The Face Shop roughly 2-3 weeks after it opened solely for the main purpose of being able to shop or browse in peace without pesky humans gushing over everything and ending up not buying anything. (They take up a lot of standing space by just standing at the same spot going "Ooh!" and "Aah!") Anyway, the sales staff who attended to me was patient in hearing me describe my skin woes and problems and lament on not knowing what products to correctly use for cleansing my skin. I think most sales staff probably will cut you off right after the very first sentence you said to them and immediately start recommending. Or maybe I just luck out and encountered a patient sales staff or probably because I said the next sentence fast enough so she can't "cut" in, I'm not sure though ^^

I was in the market for at least 2 different types of cleanser, 1 for day and 1 for night usage. I wanted a cleanser in the daytime when my skin is a little more prone to showing bedsheet marks after getting out of bed, while at the same time being gentle without making my skin feels overly cleansed which some cleansing products always managed to do. I like that this cleanser cleanses my face well without making my skin feels taut and dry after using. And it also leaves my skin feeling soft and the best part? When I do have pimples, it doesn't irritate the pimple as it is a really soft cleanser. It's just a matter of not using too much force when cleansing your face.

To be honest, this is one of those few and rare cleanser products that I've been continuously using for the past year without changing it. But be warned, no copious amount of "foam" nor "foaming" was noticed when using this. It actually feels and behaves more like a cream cleanser instead of a foam cleanser, it just lathers up nicely only. And the "herb" part in the product's name hints at the 9 different herbs it contains:

Marronnier - Tightens pores
Soapwort - Cleansing
Lady's Mantle - Anti-aging and astringent
Sage - Anti-aging and helps clarify skin
Rooibos - Antioxidants
Camomile - Reduces redness
Borage - Moisturizing
Centaurea Cyanus - Astringent and antioxidant

Sure, this product isn't exactly a heavy-duty cleanser like those that comes with micro-beads for exfoliation. But as my skin is liable to angsty moments with pimples like a teenager denied fast food and junk food, I personally like that my skin feels so clean and fresh, and SOFT LIKE A BABY'S without the usual tightness, dryness and tautness I mostly get with other facial cleansers. I also noticed that because it is a soft and gentle cleanser, if you do take the time to slowly and gently massage into your skin, it still gives that clean, fresh and gentle feeling to your skin. Unlike other brand's facial cleansers that seems to work against what it promises if you attempt to massage and cleanse your skin slightly longer. Maybe it's just me who appreciates facial cleansing and shower times, but I do assure you, it is what I described above.

PRODUCT RATING: ✓✓✓

WHAT I THINK: Gentles on your skin even when pimples are present, cleanses quite well and leaves your skin feeling soft, cleansed and clean. And sometimes I wear light makeup, I find that this product is able to cleanse off the light makeup I have on my skin and once again, no tightness, no tautness nor drying sensation observed on my skin after cleansing. Still that clean, gentle and soft feeling.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No sample for redemption. Not that I've encountered any samples for the other scents in the range I didn't buy. But I believe you are able to give this product a try right at their retail outlet, just ask if you can. And also, each scent/flavor is meant for different skin problems, but most of them are suitable for oily to combination skin.

Product Reviews versus Sponsored Reviews

2016-04-10T13:17:00.002+08:00

Honestly, I really wanted to put up a product review today. But in light of this peculiar comment I received during my past year hiatus, not once, not twice, but 3 times about a Sponsored Review post (Peripera Peri's Lip Tint Crayon in No.1 Fruit Pink [Sponsored] Review]) I had done in February 2014. And considering the fact that her comment showed up last year in 2015, set my mind into working and thinking. Thankfully, not the unthinkable but more of the unfathamoble. And I believe every and any blogger who has a blog and have at least 1 or many sponsored reviews should write about and place it somewhere on their blog as a permanent link to deter such weird commentators from asking even weirder questions. But just a quick update before I proceed: I deleted all 3 of her comments so I definitely have nothing to show to back up this post, but as this is the first time I received such a ridiculous comment, I am bound-by-beauty-blogger duty to actually talk, discuss and share about it, in the event this girl (or a boy in disguise?) decided to comment once more.

~Image Source: iHomeschool Network~

I logged into my Blogger account on the 7th April this year sometime just after 12 noon, intending to focus on the topic about Singapore bloggers receiving letters from IRAS, "requesting" (request sounds better than demand lol) to pay taxes for doing sponsored reviews on their blogs and the big hoo-ha brewing around this topic. And I noticed I had 4 comments, in which 3 of them were all from the same person commenting on that one single post. A closer and detailed look at her comment just sort of had me bursting out in laughter for a good 5 minutes and wondering, "Did this person just returned from another planet to Singapore last year?"

In her comment which I had since deleted on the 7th April, she sort of "demanded" to see a proof of receipt to prove the sole fact that I "bought" the Peripera Peri's Lip Tint Crayon in No.1 Fruit Pink from Tampines to review. All sorts of things went through my mind all at once, ranging from:

Doesn't she realized it's a "Sponsored Review"?
Does she even know what the phrase "Sponsored Review" mean?
Is she even legally an earthian to ask such a weird question?
What the heck receipt she is talking about?

~Image Source: Shutterstock~

By now, most of you my dear readers and fans are probably thinking the same thing as I am thinking? Seriously? Is she for real?

I mean, it isn't that hard to try and Google for the differences between Sponsored Reviews and Non-Sponsored Reviews or a.k.a Product Reviews. Really, it isn't that hard? Uncle Google is just a URL link away on your desktop. And the answer is just a sentence away as well, it's not that hard, isn't it? And before I go on even longer than I need to, here's a short introduction on the differences between a Sponsored Reviews and Non-Sponsored Reviews or a.k.a Product Reviews.

What is a Sponsored Review

A Sponsored Review or a Paid Post is when you write a blog post and you get remuneration for it, in other words, you are paid for writing something and the rewards is either money or the product itself. Or more specifically, a Sponsored Review is when a company send you a product for you to try, test, review and then write about it on your blog, thereby generating buzz, activity, interest, pageviews and whatnots to both your blog and that company's blog. While a Paid Post is when either the company contact/request you to write a certain topic or you reach out to the company to request for an opportunity to write about something that company endorses and at the end get paid a small (or big) amount of money depending on how popular or unpopular your blog is.

What happens in a Sponsored Review is that, the company decides your blog is a good fit for their company's product that they are intending to launch and hence you (and probably a few more other bloggers) are mailed their soon-to-be-launched product to test it out, try it out and then write about that product on your blog. Pro? You get to keep the product after testing, trying and reviewing it, hence the "Sponsored" in Sponsored Review. You don't need to return it back. Besides, who wants a lipstick back after you have used it for a week at most? The only thing companies can do with the used product is mostly disposed of, due to hygienic reasons or in the rare case, get sent to a retail outlet as a sample piece for interested shoppers and browsers to swatch on the back of their hands. But I personally stick to "disposing of", because Ewww!.. Do you want to use a lipstick that I have used for almost a full entire week already? Nope? Neither would I..

And in the course of writing a Sponsored Review, bloggers are not necessary needed to list out the various shades of that particular product that they are reviewing, only the actual product that they were sent for reviewing. For example, to reference the (Peripera Peri's Lip Tint Crayon in No.1 Fruit Pink [Sponsored] Review]) post. This lip tint crayon comes in shades of 3 only, namely:

No. 1 Fruity Pink
No. 2 Fruit Orange
No. 3 Fruity Mint

As personally, I have really dry cracked lips that bleeds on sight when lip crayons, lip tints, lip sticks are involved, applying one means a rather arduous process of applying and re-applying moisturizing lip balm on my lips continuously within a span of 30 minutes until my lips feels and looks sufficiently hydrated before I can proceed to apply whatever lip product I need to, have to or want to. Therefore, it's impossible for me to request more colors (or flavors) or even remotely buy the "missing" other 2 shades for the sake of being able to review all 3 products in the same range, but under different color shades. However, if a blogger loves the product upon trying the sponsored product and wants to give some love and shout-out to the company for giving them the chance and opportunity to review their products. Moi? I'm just thankful and honored that Lifestyle Post - Brand Advocates Network gave me and my humble blog the chance to write a sponsored review for them and I still cannot thank them enough, even now.

Cons? Despite being given a sponsored product to review, try, test and blog about, bloggers on their side have to introduce the product as best as they can with their own personal viewpoint on it. And at the same time, inform their readers where they can purchase or swatch the products if they are interested in it despite probably never going to the locations stated where said product can be purchased. No where in my Sponsored Review did I anyway state that the sponsored product itself was purchased or gotten from the purchase locations listed at the bottom of the post. And because it is a Sponsored Review, bloggers who are selected to try, test and review about it need not have to pay a single cent as the company itself mailed out the product to the respective bloggers for reviewing. Hence, the "Sponsored" in Sponsored Review, get it?

In accordance with FTC regulations you should always mention that it’s a sponsored blog post, usually at the end of the post with a byline such as:

Even if you are not legally bound to disclose that you’ve been paid to publish a post, you should. Trust and authenticity are important and your readers will soon become disillusioned and jaded if you mislead them, whether intentionally or accidentally.

What is a Paid Post

As the heading above states, a paid post is when you are being paid a measely few cents to a measely few dollars (I'm talking about less than USD2.00 here, mind you!) to even worse, *gasp!* a few measely points for writing a blog post on a topic they want you to write about. The thing with Paid Post is that, beggars can't be choosers when so many millions and billions of bloggers want a share of that Paid Post pie that companies dangled in front of them. They're paying only a few cents and that's the only Paid Post assignment you can get from them, nothing more and nothing less. You of course grab that chance or opportunity, and as the saying goes, little goes a long way. In fact, way too long to get the big dollars. That's why I prefer Sponsored Reviews to Paid Post, as I get to choose the products I want to test, try and review instead of having to write about something I probably have no interest or no clue in. And take my word for it, don't ever do Paid Post blogging unless you have too much time to spare when you could have used that same amount of time to write up quality content that you are more adept and comfortable with.

Now, if a company approaches you to do a write-up promising monetary gains, that's a whole different story altogether. As depending on your blog stats and such, you can easily negotiate say, USD5.00 or SGD10.00 (if you are trying to be a humble Singaporean blogger) for a blog post consisting of a fixed amount of words-per-count. If you are a famous blogger, walala~, you can easily ask for up to a few hundred dollars to blog whatever the company wants you to blog. But if your blog is in the vicinity of virtual unknown entity, just be glad that you are able to get at least bwtween SGD5.00 to SGD30.00 at most. We all want to be as big as XX or BQQ, don't we all? Sigh...

To sum it up, if you're a nobody blogger, you're just risking the chance of underselling yourself and your blog because companies can and will do that. I've learned the hard way from my main blog before and it was years before I even managed to reach a miserable USD20.00 in my PayPal account (-_-)"

In accordance with FTC regulations you should always mention that it’s a sponsored blog post, usually at the end of the post with a byline such as:

What is a Product Review

As stated on the World Wide Web, a Product Review in electronic commerce terms meant that product reviews are used on shopping sites to give customers an opportunity to rate and comment on products they have purchased, right on the product page. Other consumers can read these when making a purchase decision.

Kindly allow me to break it down further for you, if you're a little unsure or a first-time blogger to the world of blogging.

Say, Riih randomly went window-shopping and jalan-jalan into Sephora because she was feeling bored and wanted to look-see around at some girly stuffs to feel upbeat and energetic once again. Window-shopping turned into a actual shopping-for-something mood, and Riih decided that she wants to buy a Bliss Fabulips Foaming Lip Cleanser because she is tired of wiping lipstick off her lips and causing her lips to bleed and crack and dry up. After buying and using the product, Riih realized "Omigosh!! This product is sho aweshome!!!!" and therefore decided to write about this wonderful product on her own blog or website, sharing a good find with her readers and fans.

The above scenario is what dictates a Product Review. I buy something with my own money, liked and loved the product so much that I want to talk about it and share my buy(s) with people I care about, in this case, my readers and fans. As the product is not sponsored by Sephora nor Blissful, but bought with my own money, therefore, it is just simply as it is called, a Product Review. Along the way, I will include (necessarily) where I bought the item and (not necessarily maybe a receipt to prove that I didn't borrow it from a friend or acquaintance just for the sake of reviewing. Besides, if anyone is reading that post happened to be in JEM Sephora, they can simply pop inside and see for themselves whether the product is there or not, another way to "prove" I didn't lie about purchasing or not purchasing it.

And lastly, before I sign off this post, I would also like to clarify something else as well.

The Peripera New Peri's Tint Water No. 1 Cherry Juice (left, small bottle) and Peripera New Peri's Tint Marker No. 3 Pink Stain (right, marker-looking) was bought with my own money around a week AFTER I reviewed the Peripera Peri's Lip Tint Crayon in No.1 Fruit Pink product and paid with a credit card, I don't keep receipts because I throw them away but I still remember which credit card I used to pay for these 2 above-mentioned items at Takashimaya Watsons.

Samples Received & Redeemed: January - March 2016

2016-04-09T15:36:00.001+08:00

Before I started this off, a little bit more information on this long-awaited post. The reason why it's dated January to March 2016 is because towards the start of this year, I know I need to put up this post. But at the same time, I am still a little unsure how soon I will start blogging back on this space, although hopefully, I don't wish to take too long either. It's also partly because, as I have already mentioned in at least a post back that sample redemption seemed to have taken a back burner sometime from when I went on a un-announced hiatus and I was rather confident the samples I can get my hands on for the first 3 months of 2016 is going to be little by comparison to the samples I first got my hands on when I first started blogging here.

And because the samples I can get my hands on for the start of 2016 is rather little, chances are that, I will and definitely forgot exactly when I got them, so simply put, I'm just going to label this post as samples collected from January to March 2016 instead of the usual monthly. But rest assured that next month onwards, I will get it back to a monthly sample acquired post or as we all know it, the monthly sample ritual. And before I start, I would also like to clarify that most sampling activity featured for the samples in this post will most probably be over. But honestly, less talk from me and onwards to the sample which everyone is long waiting for~

Kustie Lavender Shower & Bath Gel @ 100ml

I first saw this in it's full retail size glory in Watsons last year, but then, I didn't wanted a big bottle of shower gel back then as I've never tried this before, especially shower gel that claims to have flower petals in it. So, I sort of bypass this. But a year later, Watsons came up with a travel-size version of this and I instantly grab a small bottle of the Lavender one without any hesitation. Lavender has the benefit of treating insomnia, nervous stomach, and anxiety. And at the same time, Lavender can be used as a treatment for flatulence, colic, and depressive headaches, and many modern herbal practitioners use the herb to treat migraines in menopause.

The most important part of Lavender? It has a long history of use in natural remedies and as a natural scent and perfume. It’s calming scent makes it soothing to the respiratory system and it is often suggested to be diffused to calm coughs and colds. Many massage and beauty products use lavender for its scent and its supposed ability to promote relaxation and stress relief, though this has not been well studied. In alternative medicine, use of lavender essential oil or lavender salves is sometimes recommended for muscle pain or aches or to promote restful sleep. (As quoted from Wellness Mama)

Besides, how many shower gels have boasted of real hand-picked flower petals? Not much from my personal encounters and experiences, so it's like a small travel-size luxurious treat I can have without burning a hole in my pocket. Not that Watsons stock up much expensive products in the first place :D

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No sample for redemption. However, small travel-size versions of shower gels tend to get snapped out rather quick at Watsons (at least the one at my heighborhood), so good luck if you intend to find the same exact travel-size version. But hey, the actual retail size version isn't really expensive too, might as well get the big one and treat yourself lavishly to the wonderful scent of Lavender and flower petals.

Kleenex Moist Toilet Tissue @ 8 sheets in a pack

Kleenex Moist Toilet Tissue - Contents of Sample Pack

When I first saw this commercial online (I haven't watched television in like, 4 years+. So, I cannot confirmed nor give a date on when it should have appeared on the television), I was a little mystified in all senses. I mean, I understand the part where after the shampoo session, none of the shampoo were washed off. It's more like, how does a human's head get compared to a human's butt all in one context is the entirety that baffles me. In my humble opinion, they should use a scene from a baby's diaper changing session to better reference this new product.

The real actual method to promote this product is to have a baby diaper changing scene where after wiping a baby's bottom with toilet paper, the second final step is to use this moist toilet tissue to ensure the baby's bottom is thoroughly wiped clean as the human eye is prone to over-looking parts of a baby's poo poo. It's just typical human nature to over-look this part. Then, the final step to dust a layer of baby powder on said baby's bottom to ensure dryness until the next poop session progresses. This, I would have understand at the first video outlook that it is a product made for human butts.

To be honest, from when I first saw the video until I received the sample version of this product and opened it up to take a peek at the usage instructions, I was still very convinced it's a lie that it's for human butts. I kept thinking its actually for when you decided to wash your hair with shampoo, but got tired and lazy from washing off the shampoo and hence, decided it's a good idea to wipe off the shampoo with this product. Sorry Kleenex, you did the commercial wrong. Or rather, Kleenex, please fire the person who came up with the commercial as that person doesn't understand your products in the first place T_T

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling activity is over. However, take note this is a product meant for human butts instead of human heads when purchasing the retail version.

Summer' Eve sample product kit

1. Summer's Eve Feminine Wash for Normal Skin @ 5ml
2. Summer's Eve Feminine Cleansing Wipes for Normal Skin @ 1 Wipe

Sometimes, I think Summer's Eve is a much more better cleansing wipe product for our female bits then other brands, cos Singapore is "Summer" all year round and the "Summer" in "Summer' Eve" really reflects that well. Plus, it's mostly "summer" in our female bits most of the time too, not that I want to emphasis this part -_-

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling activity is over.

Moist, Diane featuring Hebe as it's Spokesperson. I like that Moist, Diane products looks so luxurious but yet affordable at the same time.

Moist, Diane Shiny Shampoo Extra Shine @ 10ml
Moist, Diane Shiny Hair Mask Extra Shine @ 10g

The first time I saw Moist, Diane was inside Tokyu Hands, it was a off-day from my ex-job and I had also received my bonus. So I was thinking of splurging myself a litle on Japanese products to feel pampered like a princess although I ended up only buying a cute-looking makeup remover and pore peeling pack. Too much "feast" for my eyes and senses, literally as the "princess" in me wants everything there while at the same time, I don't want everything there as not every product is suitable for me to use LOL

Anyways, I would gladly purchase the Conditioner and Hair Mask instead as my hair and scalp has gradually gotten used to another hair care brand and I really don't want to mess it up by using another brand new product until my hair and scalp condition has settled down.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling activity is over.

John Frieda Full Repair Strengthen + Restore Shampoo @ 50ml
John Frieda Full Repair Strengthen + Restore Conditioner @ 50ml

John Frieda was originally conceived by John Frieda a.k.a Alan Howard Frieda, a British celebrity hairstylist and founder of hair salon and hair product businesses. The hair product business was acquired in 2002 by Kao Corporation, Japan. So essentially, the pro-Japanese wave personality in me is ecstatic that Japan has another product. despite not originally conceived by them, but yet has another award-winning product up their sleeves. Take that, Korea! But on a serious note, this product does sounds like it has a really long history with hair and has also established itself with fashion magazine cover shoots, judging by the glamorous Caucasian model photos I see on their FB page.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling activity is over.

Que Origin samples I received.

Que Origin Lavender Shower Bath @ 10g
Que Origin Lemongrass Shower Bath @ 10g

I first got to know about Que Origin via FB, subsequently joined one of it's contests and promptly forgot all about it. Until just a few months back while browsing around and saw that one of my favorite beauty blogger (her link is listed in my "BLOGS I ♥") had this post on Que Origin. And being Singapore, contests kinda gets known by us simply because we love to share the news of new sampling activity and contests. And when I checked my email, I realized that I was really a few hours away from redeeming my so-called complimentary Que Origins shower bath sets.

All went well at the check-out page, until I realized that although the website and email received claimed that it is "free", I still have to pay for shipping costs. Now that my friends, is not free no matter how you look at it. If you say it is free, it means free shipping as well. If I have to pay for shipping, then it's not entirely free, isn't it? And besides, they held the contest and picked only that many winners, not the entire country. Hence, I am really sure that it wouldn't kill them to do a little good by forgoing the shipping charges for the folks who supposedly "won" in their contest.

Needless to say, I simply forgot about getting the so-called free complimentary shower bath gels when I still have to "pay" for something. In return, they ended up sending another email urging for my mailing address so they can send me the sachet samples instead, which conveniently comes free without any shipping. In other words, they are sort of "cheating" with the tagline "free" when it isn't :(

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling activity is over.

Nivea sample, which I belived I have redeemed from The Sampling Store

>br> Nivea In-Shower Skin Conditioner Whitening x 2 sachets @ 10ml each

Honestly, I really hate and detest the current The Sampling Store sample redemption procedure. I don't even know if there's any more free samples left to redeemed. The old platform was easier and relatively simply to look at and understand. The current platform is more like a "Request" and/or "Redeem" button that you click on that doesn't let you know if there's still samples remaining or exactly how many samples remain. It's like, for all I know, there's only that final sample left and subsequently, I didn't know there are at least X amount of people logged in at the same time as me and all of us clicked that horrid button at the same time. How ah?

And besides, the not-so-clear "Fully Redeemed" button at the top left of the image is so easily over-looked that it may take a few pages until the person trying to redeem the sample finally sees it and realized "Wow! Waste of my time requesting so many things only to realize there's nothing left because it's fully redeemed"..

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I believed it's also fully redeemed since they had so many fully redeemed samples. They should at least remove images for samples fully redeemed to save us the grief from thinking there's something left only to find out nothing is left. Or at the very least, slap the "Fully Redeemed" image right across the product itself, which will make seeing it even clearer.

I got to know about this sampling activity on Facebook.

Physiogel Hypoallergenic Calming Relief Gentle Cream Cleanser @ 10ml
Physiogel Hypoallergenic Calming Relief Face Cream @ 5ml

Pamphlet detailing various Physiogel products in it's range and a Contest sticker thingy

Luckily, my skin doesn't get red most of the time. But when pimples are about to show up, the red spots are the tell-tale sign, so let's hope it works for me before the pimples decides to make a special appearance.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to https://freeinmyskin.com/sg/sample.aspx and fill in the form. Wait for sample to show up in your mailbox. As the page is still working at the time of this post's release, I think the sampling activity is still on-going for now.

Singapore Bloggers to Pay Tax to IRAS?

2016-04-07T13:56:00.000+08:00

~Image Source: FetchScape~

In a weird way, I am glad my work was so demanding to the point that I was too tired and exhausted to blog here for the past year or so. As most of us by now would have known, especially those of you who blog whether on a regular or irregular basis that IRAS has sent out letters to some big name bloggers in Singapore asking them to pay taxes for writing sponsored blog posts. And as some bloggers pointed out in our local newspaper report, the reason why bloggers take on sponsored reviews/products is solely for the main reason of creating content.

To phrase it in another way, if you were to see me posting only and only samples on this blog, would you lose interest in what I write? Probably. Because anyone else can do the same. But if I were to include sponsored posts on products given to me on a complimentary basis, there's something new I bring to my blog, other than blogging solely on samples only. And to tell the truth, I personally feel that sample redemptions seemed to have slowed down quite a margin ever since I went on a year plus hiatus. When I first started out on this blog, there were samples left, right, front and back, no matter which part of the Internet I go to. But now, it seems that online FB contests are the rage to me.

Worst type of online FB contest are those that ask for votes, as it's easy for the same group of people to cheat repeatedly before the rest of us honest contest junkies found out that they are cheating the system. And that isn't the so-called "worse-case scenario". Upon being caught and reported, these cheaters would blatantly look for means and ways to turn the tables back on you who dared to report their cheating ways, instead of repenting and playing fair. But enough of this old issue, as I'm rather way past these type of contests. I'd prefer the type of contests where winners are picked by the group of people who hold these contests, so that players who play fair know that cheating is not allowed in any way. Not that there is a way to cheat, as long as it doesn't involve "votes".

Back to the issue of paying tax for writing sponsored products.

This letter could very well come our way too in the near future, especially my way too, if we were to indulge in sponsored products blogging. I still think I could be a niche in this world of beauty products blogging, as my primary source of materials actually comes from samples most of the time. From now on, I guess I should probably include products that I bought on my own, as I've usually done since the start of this blog. Or in other words, I've successfully averted receiving a IRAS letter, no doubt thanks to my old job which I have quit a few months back. Just on the path of finding a part-time job instead, which is nearer to my home would meant more time being able to spend on this blog and with my loyal fans who haven't yet ditched me while I was busy trying to "heal" myself by resting more.

In future, I would still be blogging via using samples but also on products I've bought myself. no doubt. But another way to combat not having receipts of any kind for sponsored product blogging would be to have a list of what sponsored product(s) one has written before. I have this inkling something like this might happened, hence the Sponsored link above where I can keep track of what sponsored products I have reviewed previously. This isn't really a foolproof idea, no matter how you look at it, as a sponsored product doesn't come with a receipt in the first place. Whoever has heard of a sponsored product that comes with one anyway, not that I personally have heard of ever since I started blogging on my "still-on-hiatus" main blog since early April 2007 :o

But to have a page where you list your various and all sponsored products sent to you for blogging makes it easier to keep track of things. The heck! I even tag product name of the product I am blogging about as a label for easy searching and referencing, although the down point to this method is that your labels just keep getting bigger and bigger over time as you keep on blogging more and more LOL

This issue can be a boon or a bane to some of us, if you look at it from another viewpoint. Those of us bloggers who only seemed to get that few sponsored products for blogging once in a while would probably rejoice, as this means those lucky enough to keep bagging sponsored product reviewing has to *ahem* "pay" their dues as they seemed so lucky. But at the same time, those who are lucky enough to get sponsored products for reviewing could probably use the IRAS letter as a bragging rights in another way, to maybe gain more publicity for their blogs, which in turn meant more ad revenue for their pockets though. (Admit it, most of us probably flock to these big-name bloggers blog's just to see what they say about getting that dreaded IRAS letter.)

I'm kinda stuck in between these 2 viewpoints I have thought up as personally, I'm glad I am not too popular to be blogging free beauty stuffs on a really regular basis, while part of me still want my blog to be famous, but in a good way because I know I can bring quality writing to the sponsored product I am tasked with testing, reviewing and writing. Ah~ the woes of a beauty product blogger who cannot decide whether she wants her blog to be well-know or not @_@

To sum this issue up, I personally think it is unfair to ask bloggers to pay taxes just for reviewing sponsored products. Because the bottom line is, everyone wants to be the lucky one to get their hands on a new product and share their viewpoints on the pros and cons of it. Hence it's called "Sponsored Review" for a good reason, as the product is sent free only to a selected few bloggers. And also for companies who held these sponsored products reviewing projects only want the sole purpose to drum up good reviews and good hype for a soon-to-be launched product that will be released in Singapore, and hopefully stay as a much needed commodity for a long-term basis. No companies would want to do this sponsored review projects if the product itself isn't going to be a permanent fixture in the Singapore market.

And to the Singapore government, please lah! This is actually a way to boost the economy also. See? Companies wants to launch new products in Singapore, but need a group of people to review, try and write about their experiences in using it. Normal people who just don't blog, but take pleasure in reading comments on whether this new product will work for them or not. Normal people and people who have tested the sponsored products wants to buy said products, means Singapore is earning from that imported product somehow. It's actually a 2 way win-win situation no matter how you look at it. Just scrap that IRAS letter to bloggers who bothered to review and write sponsored products, not penalised them for it :(

Semi-Hiatus until the end of 2015.

2015-11-10T22:41:00.001+08:00

As most of my readers are aware, I've not been updating this blog for the past few months. Was kinda brainstorming here and there a little until my job dropped a bombshell, from a 6-day work week, 8 hours daily to a 5-day work week, 10 to 12 hours long on some days. One thing led to another and I just conveniently forgot quite a lot of things, especially this blog. It's tiring, and I feel like a zombie almost on a daily basis and it would be most rude and insulting to post up new blog posts with a half-assed feeling. It's even worse when the post itself lacks a lively "voice" telling you the wonders and joys of a product and/or sample that went through trial-and-test before it gets unveiled.

It didn't help that I fell sick too often and most days, I'm just too tired after work to actually have the time to sit down and prepare a blog post. (Yes, I write my blog post on the spot. Not pre-write days in advance and schedule them to go live on different dates and times. Although I am looking at this option as a possibility for next years new posts in the event my job schedule is way too overboard to even consider humane) Off-days and Rest-days are even more precious now as it means I get to sleep in a little longer instead of worrying that I cannot wake up early or on-time. It's frustrating when your boss thinks "Oh~ You all get 2 off days now instead of the previous 1-off-day-a-week". It gets even worse when the people who planned job schedules, where instead of just planning for a daily 10-hour work shift where it is less tiring, decides to give you a 8-hour shift, immediately followed by at least one or two 12-hour shifts. It's as if people are planning work shifts for droids and robots, instead of humans.. If you all get and understand my drift -.-"

Meanwhile, I'll continue my semi-hiatus on this blog until the end of this year to adjust to a newly retarded phase of work and hopefully by the start of 2016, I'll settled a little more comfortably in my new work shift hours and be able to churn up almost daily blog posts once more :)

Meanwhile, stay happy, energetic and postive and see you all in 2016 :D

Monthly Topic #33: The Parent Trap

2015-10-04T10:36:00.000+08:00

Living with your parents is tough when you're 25 and still being treated like a child.

~Image Source: Kezia Noble~

It's 11am, Sunday morning. Bang... bang... bang... goes my door, followed by the piercing pitch of my mother's voice yelling "Wake up! Come on, wake up! Look at the time!" How many times have I been startled from slumber in that manner after a late night out? How many times have mother and daughter descended into the same old Sunday morning wrangles? To be honest, I've lost count. I'm already 25, single and earning my keep as an account co-ordinator with an advertising agency. But finding my own place is still a pipe-dream, as I struggle rather miserably with my personal finances. I know there's that old saying "beggars can't be choosers", but beggars have a right to privacy and are allowed certain liberties at home aren't they? I keep trying to impress the fact on my parents, but they just don't seem to listen.

Take my mother, for instance. She still hasn't recognized that I am no longer 12 years old. I'm guessing she finds it hard to let go. I could never broach the subject of moving out, having my own space or even making my own decisions. The very suggestion of me leaving home would be absolute sacrilege to her. To impose such a though would have catastrophic consequences. God forbid such unpleasantries, I want none of that. So I hold my tongue and grumble to friends instead. And then there are my father's etched-in-stone house rules:

» No boys allowed home (which has caused many nerve-wrecking episodes when I've to attempt to sneak boyfriends out in broad daylight).

» No friends allowed in the family home without prior permissions.

» Home by 7:30pm for dinner every night.

» No smoking or drinking in the house.

» No vacation plans to be made without consulting my parents first. And, definitely no vacations with boyfrends.

»No loud music.

» Home by 3am after clubbing.

» No phone calls after 11:30pm because I should be asleep by then.

I know I sound like a complete ingrate, but I'll remind you again that I'm a working woman in her mid-20s, and all I want after a hard day at the office is to head back to my very own little sanctuary for some peace and quiet. I don't hate living with my parents, but I wish they'd ease up just a little. Of course, I realize it's not always the parents who are at fault. There are always two sides to every story - I'll admit that I'm a total pain to live with sometimes. After all, none of us are perfect, we're all only human.

Eventually, I will pack my bags and fly from my parents' nest. And that's both a desirable and scary prospect. I'll finally consider myself brave enough to face the social responsibilities and unknown realities of living in the adult world, all the stuff my parents have been shielding and gingerly guiding me through for the past 25 years. When that day comes, I'm sure they'll be nothing but incredibly supportive and proud of me.