♥ Fenny's blog ♥

Outing to Farmart

2015-07-07T01:32:00.000+08:00

Hi~

Met Angie for a bonding day awhile ago. Supposingly we went to the River Safari because Angie had free tix, but we ended up at Farmart because the tix were expired. The trip to Farmart totally savaged the day!

The place is easily accessible by taking a shuttle bus ($1 each way) that comes every 30 mins, opposite Choa Chu Kang Lot 1. It was an eye-opener for me. It felt like Malaysia. Lol.

There was a pet food store cum pet hotel and I bought some food (vitakraft sticks & fish fillets) for my favourite neighbourhood cats. The pricing is slightly cheaper than town prices so I bought a bigger pack. The place mainly is a farm and food place, as online articles mentioned that they sell cheaper seafood but the stalls were mostly closed that day. There were also a bird shop and prawning area. The farm.. is really interesting.

There were super tamed parrots (or mini parrots lol)

Stacked tortoises

Creepy toads

Sleepy birds

We bought the feed while we were there. The $5 set was totally worth it cos by right each portion costs $2. Rabbit food were just carrots, fish/tortoise food were the pellets, goat food were some random leafy veg and parrot food was sunflower seeds. Let the feeding begin!

It was really scary feeding the birds. Feels like they're gonna snap ma finger anytime. Cute tho.

Fed the goats too. The uncle taught us how to touch them and he even mentioned that he had just bathed them and were quite clean. True enough!

There were so many rabbits there and I think some were up for sale. There were local breeds as well as imported breeds, so there was a variety of cute. The cages were quite small tho :( How I wish I had the ability to buy them all some carrots :(

There was a free-roaming ground for a few animals and there were some hungry guinea pigs.

Chickens walk around the place #likeaboss and drinking the goat's water lolol

Then there was this monstrousity known as the cat fish.

Look at that monstrousity!!!!!

Had coconut juice and it was the end of our trip to farmart. Abrupt ending cos I don't know how to end my posts properly >.<

Farmart Centre Singapore

67 Sungei Tengah Road

Singapore 669008

DIY blusher cushion with a finished compact

2015-05-09T18:19:00.002+08:00

Hi!

I always wanted to buy a cushion blusher, seeing how convenient how cushion foundations are but I've never actually gotten down to get one seeing how expensive they were. The one that I wanted was an IOPE one cos it comes in a usual cushion compact with a mirror and it looks so easy to use! So I took out my finished cushion compacts (an Etude House Lock'n Summer one and an IOPE Air Cushion XP) and washed them really clean. Also, I found myself rarely using the Etude House Water Color cream blushes (I only tried the orange once and the rest were brand new and sealed.. man, the result of hoarding and forgetting what you have) because I don't know of a proper way to blend creamy blushes lol. I liked its colors and finish though; feels matte and smooth but it does not look overly powdery. The blushers are the right texture for the deed, so I used them for my DIY blusher cushion. P/s. this isn't exactly a tutorial as I think most people can do this without instructions, just sharing what I did :)

Things you need:

-Finished cushion compact with its cushion sponge
-New or cleaned rubycell/cushion puff
-Cream blusher of your choice
-Spatula

1. Wash out your old cushion case and cushion sponge. I recommend the Daiso brush & puff cleanser for removing the toughest of foundations inside your cushion. Then dry it out and you're ready for the fun part!

2. Put your cream blusher into the empty case. You need a cream blusher because a liquid one would be too liquid to use with a rubycell puff and a blusher that is too dense will not absorb properly into the cushion and puff. To make an easy reference, compare the consistency of your cream blusher to the foundation that was inside the puff. If the textures are similar, it's gonna work (congratulations!) but if its quite different, then I suggest not doing it, or mix in a serum (at your own risk hehe) to get the texture right. The Etude House ones I'm using are probably discontinued, but there are many Korean brands that make similar products at a cheap price :)

3. Using a spatula, spread it evenly over the base of the container. The blusher should cover about 5mm depth.

4. Ease the cushion in gently, making sure all sides are securely inside the case to prevent spills. Don't push it in too hard or the blusher may come out from the sides.

5. Use the spatula (or your finger) to press the sponge till all the blusher gets onto the surface. This was fun!

6. Put it back into the casing, top it with a clean rubycell puff and now you have your own cushion blusher! Best of all, the case was re-used so there wasn't any wastage.

I really enjoy the finished product! Its soooo easy to use and the finish is really natural, smooth and sheer, just how I wanted it to be. Anyway, I made two. I put the orange blusher into the IOPE case and in the Etude House case, I mixed the pink, coral and lilac colors into a peachy pink.

left: Apricot, right: mix of the pink, coral & lilac

Something more..?

Press in a blusher of a different color for extra cuteness and girliness!

Layer the cream in the shape of your choice on top of the cushion.

Then gently press on the shape layer for the sponge to absorb. The keyword here is gently, as you don't want to bring too much of the peach onto the surface to mess with your pink color. I'm pressing in a heart shape with the pink cream blush because it may look good together with the peach, and its the simplest yet cutest thing I can think of now haha

I think its quite unique, why havn't any brand released something like this yet? Anyway the heart shape will diffuse with use so this is just a one-time thing...until you finish your blusher again!

Hehehe thank you for reading~

Words: 에뛰드하우스 하트쿠션블러셔 아이오페

Korea in March 2015

2015-05-04T03:23:00.001+08:00

Hi!

I was in Korea back in March, and here's my trip in pictures. Not very much of a touristy trip, as my bro and I both really wanted to just shop and not really be picky about food, and also to not visit any attractions. Hope you'd still enjoy my post!

friday//DAY ONE//13032015

Extensions + blingbling nails whoop #SPICANAILS

Had some meh food from SG>HK but this snacker set was quite decent, from HK>KR. What is this VLT tea man it was so awesome.

As we touchdown, I forgot to really take a pic of my hostel but it was fab and I'd totally live there the next time I go to Korea. Its Residence EO in Myeongdong.

A pic of my bro cos his get up for the day was nice while I was looking tired and zombified

It was too cold at that time so I had coffee even though I don't usually drink coffee, just to get a warm cuppa something to warm ma hands. Didn't expect Korea to be this cold at this time!

Neighbourhood of our place, in Myeongdong.

We barely started out the day and I already got a lot of beauty products by the first hour. THIS. IS. THE LIFE. Staying just across a street from the popular Myeongdong shopping area, I made many trips to and fro the hostel to load and unload my shopping loots :P

And a mandatory shot of Myeongdong's shopping street

Had gooksu (noodles in soup) for lunch. Surprisingly it was really good!

Side dishes

And we decided to head to Hongdae. Presenting a birthday banner of minomino whom I really like!

I took a picture of this shop that sells alcohol because it was so Konglish wordplay. Sul (pronounced sool) is alcohol in Korean, so the name of this place (Sulpermarket) tickles me.

A clown from Samsung in the middle.. and a clown from my family on the left

Street busker in Hongdae! We stumbled across it while looking for the renown shopping area.

Stylenanda was meh. Why is it that this brand is so desireable in Singapore but somehow it just feels really meh there. Most people who hauls stuff there are not Koreans. My Korean friend Boyoon also told me that to Koreans, stylenanda's items were overpriced and there were so much other places you can get similar stuff from. And I didn't get anything from 3CE because honestly I already have everything that I wanted from the brand.

Budae jigae (army stew) to end the day. I can't take spiciness and this was quite spicy... but ok la I mean I'm in Korea, I have to do what they do! Didn't shop much in Hongdae because their clothes were quite expensive for what they are and I really see no point in splurging on the first day in Korea, before going to the other places. BUT I bought a coat in some random shop in Hongdae that was too big for me anyway and wore it throughout my trip in Korea cos I NEVER EXPECTED IT TO BE THIS COLD.

saturday//DAY TWO//14032015

Began our day with some expensive but super yummy breakfast @ A Twosome Place. Honestly I'm not very picky about food and I don't really go to cafes to look hipster/ take vsco instagram pictures so I didn't patronise many unique cafes in Korea though I know that Hongdae has lots of dainty cafes. However, food quality in chain cafes e.g. Paris Baguette, Caffe Bene and A Twosome Place are quite standard, and often they taste good so I usually go to those instead.

Finally a (huge) selfie. Bro & I were on the way to Bucheon where my friend Boyoon lives. She agreed to take us to lunch and her house :')

This was a random station along the Incheon line as we travelled the wrong direction. Wrong place, but not very much a wrong time as I get to see this side of Korea.

Met up with Boyoon and she took us to one of her favourite restaurants near her house. This is.. dubu kimchi jigae (kimchi & beancurd stew)? I dunno

And bossam (steamed pork wrap platter? haha I don't know how to describe it)! I never thought of eating really traditional food because my main motive was to really shop to the max, and not hunt for good food. This was a new flavour to my Singaporean taste buds, and I really appreciate this meal.

Boyoon > meeee > bro. And our delicious meal!

It was KPOPSTAR4 on tv. Not bad. Though I really hoped for Jung Seung Hwan to win :(

And we went to Boyoon's place! Strawberries were in season so they were soooooo nice and fresh (and reasonably priced).

Her cat Nongkul~

And Bokdung~ its hard to capture cats in a clear photo dayum

We headed out for dinner and this was a restroom in Starbucks. Like man Starbucks, you've got some next level tap.

I always wanted to ~~get drunk~~ try eating in a tent! Its like the it-thing for everyone ~~heartbroken~~ to do, according to Korean dramas. And why does my eyes look so edited.......

Mixed stuff with soondae (random animal innards/blood and glass noodles wrapped in glutinous rice) which gave my bro a bad tummyache. It was so bad, I don't even wanna remember about it. It tastes funky too, something which I will not try for a second time.

And then I wonder why we didn't get other food available. Hahaha. Maybe the soondae set the standards for the shop so we couldn't wait to leave. We didn't even eat a lot of it :(

Boyoon took us to another popular street stall in that area (still in Bucheon) for awesome odeng (random stuff cooked in broth, usually fish cakes in seafood broth). It was really yummy, and cheap. Haha I could eat like 20 of it but I didn't want to lose my friend >.< Odeng is like my favourite street food in Korea. Tried other stuff like dokbokki (spicy rice cakes), dakkochi (skewered chicken), gyeran bbang (egg bread) etc but they just don't get me going for a second one. Odeng5eva.

They had an honesty payment system where you'd let them bill you according to your empty sticks. The ajummas were so busy cooking and serving but they trust you not to throw it into the bin right there after eating, but to pay for it!

Bucheon was a really nice shopping spot in Korea too! Never would we discover this place if I didn't have Boyoon hahaha.

sunday//DAY THREE//15032015

Started the day from lunch.Yassss its Macdonalds ermagerd

I totally love the Double Bulgogi Burger. Its like one of the yummiest burger in ma life. No shit.

And we went to Express Bus Terminal to shop. The things were cheap there, but its hard to find special, unique pieces. Infact, the stuff there can be quite out of fashion. But its cheap. You can get basic items there at a really cheap price but do be prepared to compromise on its quality.

Went back to Myeongdong to unload stuff and have dinner at a cheap place nearby. A long roll of kimbab (rice roll) at like 3000 won! I honestly prefer sushi because kimbab has this leaf that tastes funky.. It's neglectable but it still tastes funky.

Odeng soup (fishcake in broth)

It didn't occur to me to take a pic of it, only till I dug in. Its jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) btw. Tastes..normal. Beans are not my thing, in the first place.

Shopping makes me super hungry so I had like kimbab + odeng soup + jajangmyeon. I don't even eat this much in SG! For some reason, I lost weight when I came back from Korea. I guess I ate a lot but there was a hell lot of walking (and stairs in the mrt) as well.

Went to dongdaemun after dinner!

There were two areas in dongdaemun. The retail/consumer malls (New Pyonghwa, Migliore, Doota, apM, Maxtyle etc) and wholesale malls (Art Plaza, Studio W, Nam Pyeonghwa etc)

Performance infront of Migliore.

Was excited as this was the first mall we walked into. Forgot where this place was (it was one of the retail/consumer mall) but it was one hella shopping experience. Lots of random staff talking to you, enticing you with discounts just for your but the price is still crazy. The malls are categorized by what they sell. Quite useful if you're rich and you can buy meh quality at departmental store pricing.

A better glimpse of the level. Most shops in the mall were pushy like that so we left the place in a jiffy. It was so scary. However, there may be some nice sellers and they are often located on the first level.

Out of all the retail malls, I recommend Maxtyle. The items are reasonably priced and sellers are slightly more friendly there hehehe. Doota also sells really fashionable indie designer labels but they are not so reasonably priced.

Went back to Myeongdong and it was nearing Xiumin's birthday! This was just put up near the main exit of the mrt.

monday//DAY FOUR//16032015

This was the Pooh & Friends collection at Dunkin Donuts. Not a fan, but they were pretty cute!

Didn't have a picture of what we ate but the donuts were so cute!!!

Went to Bucheon again! It was noon by the time we reached as it was quite a distance away. We didn't have time to really shop so we came back. Boyoon recommended this takoyaki shop and we had to try it since it was too crowded the other time.

Box of goodness, with free water #ILOVEKOREA #FREESERVICE

I am so going back to Bucheon for you. Sadly most places and the underground shopping mall in Bucheon were closed so we went to another area along the same MRT line, but most shops were also closed. Why!

We also tried going to Jongno but its just not the awesome shopping place we saw online! From Jongno, we also walked by Gwangjang Shijang which is a popular tourist spot for local food but nah, ain't no time for that. Besides, we were really disheartened by all the closures seemingly we wasted a day travelling :(

Anyways we went back to Myeongdong and just shopped randomly over there. Always good to just randomly walk about in Myeongdong even though we live a street across haha.

Had Yoogane for dinner at Myeongdong before we headed to the cat cafe!

This cat cafe is called goyangi noriteo which is "cat playground". It has a cat mascot along the shopping street of Myeongdong who'd kindly show you to the cafe. Entrance fee was 8,000 with a free drink, and it gets you a spot in the cafe for a whole day.

The cats were mostly minding their own business. They won't even peck at your food cos they've got their lifetime supply here.

Awwwwww

I liked his collar so its the focus of that picture. Lol.

Is this a cushion, or a cat? Find out by sitting on it! Okay its quite obviously a cat.

tuesday//DAY FIVE//17032015

Bought the popular Isaac toast from downstairs our hostel. Had some kinda bulgogi cheese sandwich (yes I really love bulgogi) and iced tea, which were both yums but there's so many flavours I'll probably never eat the same ones again. Check out my polka dots pants.

They also had an honesty payment system where they have two baskets of small change for you to put your money in and get your own change. Koreans, expect so much of humanity.

Headed to some river at dongdaemun as it was still early in the noon. This is one of my favourite makeup item that I discovered in Korea! Its the Ameli Baked Powder, and I bought it from Myeongdong's Lotte Young Plaza before getting here. I'll show a better pic in another post (of my makeup haul woohoo)

Not the scene I'd imagine (cherry blossoms floating around) as we went too early in the year.

We were lucky to catch some ducks in action!

Had some Mexican food. I had quesadillas (left) and bro had a burrito (right). Dayum do Koreans do Mexican food right.

And most of dongdaemun wasn't open till like 8pm so we headed to Sinchon/ Edae after

It was amusing that a coca cola can had braille! Awesome!

Headed to Sinchon/ Edae in the evening. Quite a long stretch of retail but its really similar with Myeongdong. I think I like Myeongdong better anyway. Didn't spend much time there. We'll go back to Edae area another day in the day time.

There was a huge SPAO in Sinchon so we bought a few things. The main point of the shop is EXO even though there wasn't any EXO printed on any apparel.

Q: What is Sehun's shirt made of?

A: Boyfriend material

And Xiumin! Most of their stuff are reasonably priced, like Uniqlo in Singapore. Their style is also really similar with Uniqlo, like basic stuff.

wednesday//DAY SIX//18032015

Didn't do much in the day, but in the evening we went to dongdaemun (yes fkin again) cos the last time we came, the other area was not opened yet so we moved on and did not decide to wait for them to open at 8pm. Had doshirak (Korean traditional lunch box) for dinner in a random homely small shop in dongdaemun.

I'm not sure of how I should eat it. I saw it on EXO Showtime that they shaked the whole box up to mix the rice but it was too hot so I mixed it a la bibimbab style.

Checked out the other side of wholesale malls. All of these malls were super crowded. This is U:US.

On one side of the junction we have Designer Club and NUZZON, also wholesale malls.

apM Luxe, a wholesale mall. There is a retail mall called apM on the other side so please head to that rather than this cos you won't be able to buy anything here.

Here's Studio W and Art Plaza behind. Still wholesale malls.

Art Plaza from the front.

Nam Pyeong Hwa. These wholesale malls that I mentioned opens from 8pm till 3am, and they are literally wholesale malls. The apparels they sell are the latest and most fashion forward in Korea, as shop owners from all over Korea come here and buy them to sell in their stores. The thing about these shops is that you can't buy just one piece, or be prepared to pay a much higher price for one piece. A super good quality leather jacket caught my bro's eye but he was not allowed to buy one piece. It was only going for 18,000won a piece... if you buy 20 pieces. The retail malls in dongdaemun also gets their supply here so you have to buy it from those malls instead. It was still nice to walk through these malls cos you get to witness a business frenzy and also the latest Korean trends.

Bought supper along our hostel area as shopping really makes us hungry. Bro had kimbab (he is hypnotized by kimbab that he ate so much of it during our trip) and I had random chinese noodles. They even packed in the free side dishes for us awww. Oh, and every night I'll have a random Korean drink and its grape juice this time (tried the tomato juice, aloe juice and apple juice from the same brand so I thought it was gonna be good too but) this was toooo sweet ugh. Bro was also hypnotized by chilsung cider, this green can that tastes really similar with Sprite, imo. He hunted for it when we came back to Singapore, lol.

thursday//DAY SEVEN//19032015

Shopped in Edae area for pretty much the whole day! Not much pics because I stopped bringing my camera out on shopping days. Too much load!

Then we met Boyoon again! This time in Bupyeong where there was a crazy underground shopping mall. She brought us to have jjim dak which is like sauteed chicken and other stuff like potatoes, glass noodles and veggies. Super yumz!!! Follow a Korean to know where all the good food are!

And finally had bingsu (shaved ice + flavour)! There are many shops selling bingsu but Sulbing was really popular. It was strawberry season so their most saleable one was this!

friday//DAY EIGHT//20032015

Spent the day crying in bed, that it was our last day in Korea hahahahaha. We planned to visit the Namsan Tower which was just behind our hostel but the host told us that it was freezing cold up there. Ended up revisiting places like Hongdae, Edae, Dongdaemun and last minute shopping in Myeongdong before packing our bags.

Rushed to Myeongdong shopping streets to look for a hand-carry bag to bring home ALL of our things despite me bringing a 28-inch luggage. Also bought supper on the way back.

Drowned our sorrows in a takeaway food binge. Had Boor Chicken which was just downstairs our hostel. We bought pizza, half a spicy fried chicken, half an original friend chicken and half a teriyaki-marinated fried chicken. And my brother's chilsung cider addiction is still going strong. Everything was super yummy, I need to go back to Korea for Boor Chicken.

saturday//DAY NINE//21032015

Goodbye!

And I had a really bad fever, sorethroat and cough till I didn't have any voice due to the binge on the last day. I was sick for an entire 10 days before seeing signs of recovery. Its ok Boor Chicken, its totally not your fault and I'll go back to Korea and eat a lot of Boor Chicken.

I'll do a makeup haul video since I bought too much makeup to talk about in a blog post like this. Seeya~

Back from Korea

2015-03-29T17:54:00.000+08:00

Hello!

I came back from Korea just a week ago before falling REALLY SICK for a week. Korea was awesome and I couldn't wait to blog about it...until I found out that I only left about 20 pictures of a cat cafe throughout my whole trip. I brought my camera to many places and took many photos so I'm quite sad to only find cat cafe pics in my memory card :( Well I dropped my camera once but that was on the 2nd day of my 9 days trip and I think I went to the cat cafe on the 5th night so I don't know how all this happened. Sure, I'm sad but well it was a darned good trip etched in my head. So yes, the photo of me is terribly yellow due to the lighting in the cat cafe :(

Yes I bought soooo much cosmetics and skincare also and my luggage was 30kg when I came back (excluding my 10kg carry-on hehehe) because there were sales everywhere it was crayyy. Can't wait to post my haul!

A moment for my lost photos, please. Meanwhile I'll try to salvage them :'(

Annie's Way masks

2015-03-10T02:37:00.000+08:00

Hi!

Its been awhile since I posted anything, and here's a review of my current holy grail mask!!! I actually already heard of it (bubzbeauty & other beauty bloggers rave so much about it!) and it just landed in Singapore SASA a few weeks ago.

The first time I saw it, I wanted the best selling Hyaluronic (blue one) but they were sold out so I got the charcoal one (was on some kinda introductory offer, 20% off $32.90 = $26.32). I loveeedd it so I thought I'd pick 2 more from the range. On the pamphlet, it felt like the Hyaluronic one and Rose one would suit my skin so I went back for more. But the staff mentioned that the Hyaluronic one was still out of stock and that the Rose one was not gonna be sold in SG. Bummer! I settled for two other ones, Aloe & Calendula (was again on some kinda introductory offer, 2 for $50 = 1 for $25). I placed an order and had the staff contact me once the Hyaluronic one is back in stock. I asked if there was any offer and they said it was now a "buy a second one at half price offer" so it works out to be $49.35 for 2 = $24.65 each lolol why does it keep getting cheaper?! Okay anyway its still the "buy a second one at half price offer" from now till 22/3 so hurry and get your hands on them while they last!

So my summarized review for each item is:

Calendula Softening Jelly Mask
Said to effectively balance skin moisture and oil level, I feel that it also soothes irritated skin while being very gentle to sensitive skin. I need to use it longer to actually see a difference in my skin's moisture level but each use was super comforting and my skin's redness is greatly reduced, leaving only super soft skin albeit blurred pores. My skin also became brighter after just one use. Sounds crazy but yes it was like that. Smells very calming too.

Charcoal Black Jelly Mask
It is supposed to be the best of the bunch in removing impurities, blackheads and stuff. I apply this on my entire face and I do see some dirt in the gel! The most important thing is that it softens the skin and it lifts the gunk to the surface so you can remove them easily. The most effective way yet, to clean my nose, is to use a nose strip right after this mask. It draws out so much more blackheads and dirt than a heating mask do (face shop & laneige, tried and disliked lol). Has the same brightening effect on my complexion as the other masks. It cleanses my skin but is not drying like other charcoal masks do because they re-structure their charcoal ratio to appropriately draw out impurities but not dehydrating the skin. REPURCHASE 5EVA!!!

Aloe Moisturizing Jelly Mask
Aloe is meant to calm the skin and also moisturizes. This was the most "general" mask but it atleast brightens up my complexion quite visibly. Feels comfortable but not exactly very moisturized. This product is said to be able to reduce oil for oily skin peeps and also for after-sun care even on your body. If you're looking for a mask to relax and soothe your skin in this very humid country then go for it! Not gonna lie that its more for people who don't have much skin concerns. Most likely not gonna repurchase this and gonna try another from their abundance hehehe.

Usage of the mask is really simple. I like to apply a serum first, then slather on like 3mm thick of product, let it sit for 20 mins and use the provided spatula to scrape off, inwards, with very slight force. Then tissue off the rest and rinse your face, and continue with your skincare. And behold, the magic. The mask can be kept in the fridge (but remember to slightly "defrost" it or it'll cause cold burns to your skin) or simply in a cool, dry & dark place. I personally like using it straight out of the fridge hehe. Also, do not apply too thinly as it will dry and you will not be able to scrape the product off.

And after religiously using (and loving) them for a few weeks, I was invited to a workshop by SASA and Annie's Way to try out their mask! I was already a well-researched student (yes I am) when I went for the workshop so I was all interested and attentively agreeing to what they were saying, since I experienced the great effects myself.

Ms. Annie Wu, founder of Annie's Way explaining the miracles she created. Her skin was glowing, probably from using all the awesome products from the brand. They actually make spa products so you can count on this brand for a home-spa experience at a fraction of the price!

This very decadent one is on my shopping list next.

I was also briefed that all the jelly masks are able to draw out dirt to the surface of your skin and it softens the skin as well. Its like a home-spa product. Finishing it off with a sheet of their mask will give you the best results. Being alcohol & paraben free, this product can be used everyday.. if you have the budget.

L-R: Ms Annie Wu, Model, Ms Zhang (demonstrator) and a SASA SG rep. The effects demonstrated on the model definitely wow-ed the audience with a really obvious brightening effect!

I spy their new range of skincare! Tried them today and I can't wait for them to arrive in SG. They're generally botanical skincare and smells AWESOME. Don't they look so princessy? Its what every girl needs at her dressing table! Ms Annie was really nice to provide me samples of these products. SO GONNA BUY ALL OF IT WHEN IT COMES.

I think.. my prayers were answered. We were gifted more masks to try out after the workshop and it was just what I was looking for, exactly :') Can't wait to try them out and review them too! Heard that the Rose one just arrived so you're getting the first dibs!

Annie's Way Jelly Masks are now available at SASA Singapore at $32.90 each (Rose Essence Jelly Mask at $45.90) with a "buy a second one at 50% off" offer only from now till 22/3! Its a super good chance to try these out!

Mossy eyeshadows :(

2014-12-14T00:30:00.000+08:00

Hi there!

I've never had a makeup item that mosses up even though its expired and stuff, so this was quite an amusement when I saw. It is exactly a year now, and these glitter eyeshadows from Etude House seem to be layered with some fuzzy moss on top. Its quite a waste that they are part of a palette so I threw both palettes away :( Just a disclaimer that I really loved Etude House eyeshadows as they're well pigmented, available in many colors and very affordable.

NASTY

Dear My Blooming eyeshadow palette. I hardly use this so I didn't feel that sad when I dumped it.

&Rose eyeshadow palette. I was really sad, as this palette is my favourite go-to eyeshadow :( This palette's colors were very easy to wear & well coordinated, for a fuss-free yet complementing look. I would buy it again if its still sold!

Oh well

[REVIEW] K-Palette 1 Day Magic Series

2014-09-20T01:18:00.000+08:00

Hi!

I was given the latest series of K-Palette's, the 1 Day Magic series and I'm ready to give my verdict after using it the past month!

At the launch, we were taught by a Japanese makeup artist on how to create a big-eyed and dolly look using these products. Here's a pic on how Japanese use these items to change their look pretty dramatically >.< I used the items according to this page and this is how I turned out, at the end of the post >.<

Now on to the review!

The mascara is double-ended; one end is the fibres and one end is the mascara. I always use fibre mascaras but the fibres are already inside the mascaras, and not seperated and in loose form like this. This mascara is able to transform the pathetic, thin and sparse lashes of mine into natural looking falsies (and I'm not even exaggerating!) when layered on. The thing about this mascara is that I personally feel that the loose fibre is lighter than those fibre that comes in white liquid tubes, so it doesn't feel heavy despite building the layers. I took 2 times of mascara and 1 time of fibers to attain this result. However, I add an extra step to comb the lashes with an eyebrow comb after each layer so it doesn't clump, as I predicted that it will since its layering. If you only want a natural look, do only use the mascara (and maybe a layer of fibre) as it is waterproof so it holds curls well too!

I once owned their tattoo eyeliner and I find this eyeliner more suitable for me. The tattoo eyeliner left a blue stain on my eyelids (honestly I hated it) though being extremely long-lasting. Consistent with their previous liners, the tip is super fine and is of a good rigidity to draw a smooth and intense line without breaks. This is long-lasting yet it doesn't stain! Woohoo! I think the price is also reasonable considering the quality of this product. Definitely able to withstand the humidity in Singapore!

I was also given this eyelid glue which can be used to create eyelid creases or as a falsie glue. I already have double eyelids so I tried this as a falsie glue instead. I feel that it lasts about 4 hours before the inner end of it started to come slightly loose. I think it'll work better as an eyelid glue even though I never tried. Maybe I should try to make my eyelids higher... maybe. Its a clear liquid (not white) so it looked very natural :)

Lastly, an awesome all-in-one palette. This contour palette is really good! You can highlight, shade and there's even two blush colors for your to match your skin tone. I really like the peach!!!!!!!!! This can be used on the whole face so I believe this can be used as an eyeshadow as well. The contouring effect is really good considering this is only one small palette. It'll be great to use as a touch-up when you're outside too. Only downside probably that the brush is a little too tiny for the purpose, though being small, you can better define your features.

Here's a before > after! (excuse the cui face > derp face haha)

Its been awhile since I used Japanese cosmetics (all the Korean rage now) and I'm thankful to be able
to try this set out. They're all so useful and affordable, I would recommend this to anyone, especially beginners because they're easy to use and gives a great result.

It's already launched in Watsons and more so do check them out!

Favourite daily lippies!

2014-09-17T23:35:00.000+08:00

Hi!

Its been awhile! I have been (as usual) trying out stuff and here I have some of my favourite lippies for awhile. I rotate among them everyday and here's my review!

I shall spare you the sight of my very well-used lippies but here are the names:

- Tory Burch Pas du Tout (orange and gold boxy casing)
- Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers 304 (black casing)
- Jill Stuart Lip Blossom 09 Brilliant Lily (silver casing)
- Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss Liar
- Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss Streak

Swatches

Tory Burch Pas du Tout
Creamy, sheer and slightly glittery nude pink-brown color. It is said to be slightly scented with some kinda Tory Burch perfume but I honestly find that it smelt like cheap lipsticks. This is pretty sheer but it does match my skin tone and the color does show up on my not-very-pigmented lips. Very moisturizing during its approximately 3 hours wear time but not much beyond that. Oh, and the packaging is really pretty!! Tory Burch cosmetics is available at Robinsons Orchard, if you're wondering. This lipstick costed $45.

Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers 304
Also a sheer lipstick as stated in the name. More of a coral color but leaning to pink. Its a little on the not-so-moisturizing side for a sheer lipstick and will accentuate any dryness or flakes on the lips. The wearing time is however very long, about 5 hours with eating and drinking. It also has no significant scent. Giorgio Armani cosmetics is exclusively sold at DFS Scotts and I don't remember how much this costs.. haha. Keep in mind that this is meant to be sheer (their satin series is not bad too, but not a fave haha)

Jill Stuart Lip Blossom 09 Brilliant Lily
A glittery, translucent reddish orange color. Its very smooth, and more of a jelly than creamy texture. It has noticeable glitters and the finish is very glossy. Doesn't last very long with eating and drinking, probably like 2 hours (haha) but I really like the color while it lasts. Smells like most other Jill Stuart products... which I don't know how to describe but its very prominent. Got this in Hong Kong and I would definitely get more the next time I'm there!

Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss in Liar and Streak
Liar is a pinkish color and Streak is a coral-peach color. Both have no glitter is of the same creamy, sticky, rich texture despite the colors being sheer. Most reviews on the internet mentioned that its way too sheer and should have better pigmentation since its not exactly cheap. Honestly, I use this as a lipbalm; by applying a very thin layer for less gloss and less color. I have two of these because I couldn't decide on one #girlproblems. This gloss is my favouritest gloss ever, and its coming from a girl who don't like using lipglosses. It gives a very even and smooth finish which makes my lips look very full and healthy. Upon application, there is a slightly minty feeling and it taste/smells of the food item I dislike... peanut butter. Thank goodness the smell don't last and is quite faint. It is also meant to nourish the lips and there's some study that consumers find that their lip conditions (lip lines, dryness etc) get better from wearing this gloss, and I have to say that this claim is true. The moisturizing effect lasts the day even if I wear it for a few hours. Wear time for these is about 3 hours w/o eating or drinking. I wouldn't say that the price is reasonable but I really felt that it was well worth the price as it delivers not just a temporary color but also a lasting moisture. This retails for $32 each in Sephora Singapore.

As you can see, all the colors are very neutral and I feel very comfortable in them most of the time. Will update more, thanks for reading!

[REVIEW] ioma Cell Protector SPF 50+ PA+++

2014-08-10T23:40:00.001+08:00

Hi!

Its been a really long time since I updated! Besides being busy with my daily work, I'm also trying out new products so here's a review of a product I was given awhile ago!

I was invited to the ioma Cell Protector launch awhile ago and had a skin analysis. Through this machine, I better understand my skin's concerns. It was totally not what I thought it was! For a long time, I thought my skin was dehydrated and kept spamming moisturizers and mists, but it turned out that my main concern was bacterial activity (the rest were within the healthy range). That explains the pimples and all but I totally have no idea how to deal with that. ioma provides customized solutions to almost every type of skin so do get your FREE skin analysis to better understand how to address your concerns! It is really important to get a professionally analysed skin because who knows, you are doing your skincare all wrong.

Only the bacterial activity was in the "bad" level, and I'm glad to see that I'm doing fine for the rest of the conditions.

Moving on to introduce their latest product, the ioma Cell Protector SPF 50+ PA+++! Its a sunscreen which does more that preventing sun damage - but also environmental stress (pollution, smoking, climate etc). According to the product info, "the combination of all environmental stress factors can cause premature skin ageing: loss of elasticity and firmness, the appearance of dark spots, loss of radiance and wrinkle formation." This product should be used after your skincare (ioma products are numbered for easy usage, and the number 7 on the product meant it should be used as a step 7, while e.g. moisturizers are 3 and cleansers are 1.)

It is a good size to travel with and the pump is also really cool. You have to twist silver cap to erect the pump.

The product comes out off-white, while fully blending gives your skin a subtle glow.

I have used it daily the past month or so, as a first step for my makeup routine. The product is easily blendable, does not feel dry, but a wee bit sticky. Then I apply my powder foundation and the rest of the routine. I feel that it prolongs the powder and my face is relatively matte for about 6 hours. It doesn't cause me any breakouts or reactions, and I really love it as a primer and sunscreen, withstanding Singapore's humidity.

The ioma Cell Protector SPF 50+ PA+++ is available at Isetan Singapore, at $85 (30ml).

Thanks for reading!

Cushion all thing err thing

2014-06-20T01:13:00.001+08:00

Hi!

As you would have probably came across since some time ago, most (Korean) beauty brands have released their own versions of a cushion compact, that either stores BB creams, bases, CC creams, foundations etc. Thanks to my friend Andy, I got one of Etude House's latest BB cushion compact! Its not exactly a review since I havn't used it a lot, but I just wanted to talk about its first impression. Its called Etude House Lock'n Summer Precious Mineral Proof Any Cushion, which has SPF 50 and supposedly is very lasting and "summer proof". Singapore has always been wet (hot or cold) so I am always open to such summery products, recalling how much I loved their Sun BB.

I think it lasted pretty much the same as their original Any Cushion formula, just that the coverage is not as good. Any Cushion has greatttt coverage and lasts pretty much like 8 hours on me, only that the SPF is slightly lower and it was more dewy. This one had a coverage which is somewhat like a tinted moisturizer without the moisture, but it looks natural and not overly dewy. I did not regret buying this summer edition, and I think I may grow to like it soon enough. I only bought the refill since I had the casing, hehehe.

Edit: I LOVE IT! Under powder, it pretty much never fades, never cakes and never smudges in the Singapore heat. Repurchase 5eva!!

No proper pictures because I didn't plan to review it. Anyway the inside it looks the same as all the other cushion BB thingies :)

I went to Etude House's website just only, and guess what.. They released more cushions.. I'M LIKE WHUTTT EYELINER CUSHION?! Blusher cushion is probably fathomable but whuttt, eyeliner..? (Wouldn't the brush get split ends when you stick it into the cushion/sponge?) Okay so the full name is Lock'n Summer Proof 10 Cushion Lock'n Liner and the blusher is simply Cushion Blusher. The names of the colors are so rock-ish, and I guess therefore the name Lock'n?

Colors: PK001 Hey Yo Pink & OR201 Shake It Coral -.-...

Colors: BK801 DJ Black, BR401 Peace Brown, RD301 Scream Red, BL601 Go Blue & PP501 Luck Purple -.-...

Definitely wanna try these just to see how summer proof they are! So far, I'd say that you can skip the Proof Any Cushion if you already have the original formula of Any Cushion. Hehehe thanks for reading!

Picture credits: etudehouse.co.kr

Penang Street Food Affair at Feast@East Buffet Restaurant

2014-06-13T01:19:00.003+08:00

Hi!

Was invited to try Feast@East Buffet's Restaurant new spread of Penang street food a few days ago. Frankly I never had a taste for spicy food so I was on the edge about it before I went. Feast@East is a buffet restaurant inside Grand Mecure Roxy Hotel which usually serves an international spread of food. For a limited time only (till 15/6/14), they are dishing out popular Penang street food like Assam Laksa, Penang Kway Teow and a colorful array of desserts on top of some typical buffet dishes like fresh seafood and fruits.

Clean and bright setting

DIY Rojak area

No buffet is complete without these!

Fresh seafood upon your order

I especially loved how the colorful dessert area was adorned!

I sampled a few of their specialities - Chilli Crab, Beef with X.O. Sauce, Steamed Beancurd with Oyster Sauce and Assam Curry Fish with Yam Rice. It was actually really good!

Beef with X.O. Sauce was one of my favourite meat dish at the spread

I thought this was really cute - an ice-kachang machine!! Omg how fun it is to make your own and drizzle the syrup and all

Top, clockwise: Prawn Noodles, Assam Laksa, Penang Kway Teow, Laksa.

Besides the help-yourself setting, there's also a station for fresh and on-the-spot cooked food which I truly appreciate. They serve prawn noodles, laksa, Penang kway teow, assam laksa and freshly shucked seafood. The assam laksa has gotta be my fave food from their Penang spread!!! I've never tasted anything like that and I thought it was nice to incorporate traditional food in modern hotel buffets. Definitely recommend this place to please daddy's palate this Fathers' Day!

Mention "Eastie Brekkie" for 10% off their Fathers' Day promo from now till 15/6!

More info:

Mon – Thu (except eve of & on P.H.)

Lunch: Adults $42 Child $21 Senior Citizens $34

Dinner: Adults $45 Child $23 Senior Citizens $36

Fri – Sun (except eve of & on P.H.)

Lunch: Adults $48 Child $24 Senior Citizens $38

Dinner: Adults $52 Child $26 Senior Citizens $40

Address:

Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore

50 East Coast Road

Roxy Square

Level 3

Contact number:

+65 6340 5665

[REVIEW] 3 Concept Eyes Lip Color in #305 Double Shot

2014-05-25T00:00:00.000+08:00

Hi!

Recently I was given some 3CE products to try and review by Luxola.com because they now carry this awesome Korean cult brand! Say goodbye to paying $20 for shipping :') Also, shop with faith on Luxola because you can trust that the products you're getting are authentic. Many blogshops these days carry 3CE too but for sure we can't testify for their authenticity, while some look downright fake. Ok now down to the review!

I've never tried their lipsticks, so I didn't know what to expect. Judging from reviews online, its a long-wearing color and is also very pigmented.

Edgy, black and so 3CE!

The bullet is kinda small as compared to my other lippies... or maybe the packaging was just excessively bigger.

This is the truest color swatch I can give. Its a bright, milky coral that leaves a slight stain after wearing off.

This lipstick is indeed, very pigmented and long-lasting! Its also super glittery, with glitters big enough to be seen. Its a ~my type~ of color but I didn't really like the glitters. I would still wear it because, its creamy and pigmented and really, lasted long. 3 Concept Eyes generally price their products higher than generic Korean cosmetics, but I've tried a lot of them and only the lip laquer really disappoints.

Will be reviewing more items soon (loose powder, blusher and gel eyeliner)! Check out Luxola for more 3CE!

#SummerIndulgence with Tsubaki, Aqualabel & Senka

2014-05-21T23:50:00.000+08:00

Hi!

Last Thursday, I was invited to the launch of some products under Shiseido brands Tsubaki, Aqualabel and Senka at Coastes Sentosa! They are some products to counteract summer and protect your skin from the harmful sun rays. I've got to say, that they are the perfect type of products to be launched in Singapore because its summer all day err day here!

It was held in a beachy pubby restaurant, Coastes, in Sentosa and it was mildly warm there ~natural air~ Generally there were game booths where we could take home some samples of the brands, but I didn't take pictures due to bad lighting (or my bad camera that couldn't take photos in that sort of lighting).

Aqualabel introducing their Whitening Jelly Essence

Senka introducing their Mineral Essence UV

And Tsubaki introducing their Head Spa Sparkling Serum

The displays were veryyyyyy cute. Love the Senka sunblock one the most. Diggin' that mini chairs and sandy floor!

I've been trying the products since the next day when I received it (that explains how excited I was to try them) till today as I'm writing this post. Not exactly a review, but more of a first impression kinda post.

Firstly, I saw this Aqualabel Whitening Jelly Essence on a video from my favourite beauty blogger. She was mentioning how much it helps her sun spots and I am sold. Not exaggerating, but I am very easily influenced when it comes to products that sounded like it works great. Prologue: I have combination skin and am acne prone. I use this as a last-step item for my nightly routine (have always been using emulsions as a last step at night) and use this right before my makeup in the day. As quoted from the press release, its a 4-in-one product where you can use it to substitute any of this step in your routine: Lotion/ Emulsion/ Serum/ Astringent or use it as an all-in-one, one-step product. I will share more when I do a full review on it about its effects, but I do like the astringent effect best as it DOES shrink my pores and makeup goes on nicely. Also, only a small amount is needed each time as the jelly breaks down into liquid upon massaging onto the face. It costs $29.90 and is already launched on 1/5/14 exclusively at selected Watsons stores :) Super worth the money I would say, considering each bottle is 200ml.

Next, I tried the Senka Mineral Essence UV daily. Havn't seen much of a skincare effect, and I would have to say that this product reduces the longevity of my liquid foundation. However, it helps powder foundation stick on better throughout the day. It does feel gel-like which helps spread better on the face, without a dry feeling. It also feels light and not heavy like some of my sunblocks do, and do not leave a white cast (as opposed to most high-protection sunblocks). This is more of a moisturizing product, which on the press release says "UV Essence made from mineral water, it has protection as high as SPF50++++ against strong UV rays while retaining the freshness on your skin. It also prevents the formation of dark spots and includes generous amount of dewy fresh, moisturizing and skincare ingredients to keep skin looking youthful, resilient and firm." It sure boasts a whole lot of uses in one sunblock; high sun protection of SPF50++++, anti-ageing (contains Q10 and Hyaluronic acid), made with 100% mineral water, resistant to sweat and sebum, pre-makeup base, easily removed with a normal cleanser, and is free of fragrance, mineral oil and artificial colors. Still trying to testify its claims besides being a sunblock of awesome protection. Senka Mineral Essence UV is sold exclusively in selected Watsons stores for just $17.90 :)

And behold~ My favourite product from the launch! Its the Tsubaki Head Spa Sparkling Serum! I've used some Tsubaki products and honestly I felt that it was too rich for my scalp; it makes my scalp oily. This product is a "leave-in scalp essence that delivers a range of head spa effects - from moisturizing, softening to stimulating blood circulation for a healthy, moisturized scalp." I was taught some massage techniques at the event and after washing my hair that night, I tried it. Its waaaaay too therapeutic for my busy brain!!! Had a good sleep that night. Its a pretty interesting product because the serum sizzles upon releasing and also when you apply (press) it onto areas of your head, it feels cooling and sizzles even more; it meant that the serum is penetrating the scalp. I do agree that it is non-sticky, softening and relaxing. I use it about twice a week and hope to use it thrice a week if I'm not lazy :P Will go into details of this product when I use it enough to give a review. In the mean time, this is freakin awesome!!! #notPRatall. Oh, not forgetting that it smells heavenly. This Tsubaki Head Spa Sparkling Serum is available exclusively in Watsons from 29/05/2014 onwards, for $18.90. Its a large spray can; 130g of spa goodness!

Ermagerd. Antique photo.

Currently enjoying these products and will probably be posting em' reviews by mid next month, so do look out for it!

Collective haul from March till now

2014-05-13T00:58:00.001+08:00

Hi~

*please bear with me as this is a pretty long rambly post on quite a lot of things to touch on :P*

I've been to Hong Kong in end March, and this is my (very controlled) haul! I tried to get more stuff that were not available in SG and also shopped a bit at Changi Airport's duty free.

Missing a few but not many items from the picture

So basically I got:

1. 3 Concept Eyes

Made me feel like I went to Korea instead! 3CE in HK can be found in most I.T. store and they recently opened a Stylenanda shop in Harbour City. The prices were very comparable to Korean prices (e.g. "paint lip gloss" was HKD119 ~USD15.40 while it is USD14.31 on the site) so it was definitely okay to buy it on your trip to Hong Kong. Always loved 3CE's colorful makeup so I went for those instead of face bases. I got: nail polishes, lip pigments and a blusher. Exactly, these are the names:

Nail lacquer: NV01, BL04, GY08, MT01, PE02, OR01, RD02.

Lip pigments: Modern White, Issue, Electro Pink, Yellow.

Duo Color Face Blush: Retro Drive

I got all the colors of the lip pigments used in this demo video because Park Sora made it look so useful and versatile hahaha. I also wanna get more Duo Color Face Blush cos its very lasting on the face and the colors are sooooo pretty!

2. Jill Stuart

It should be available in Singapore but why is it not?? Okay anyways I got a few items that made me a member lol.

Melty lipbalm #03 Orange Coral

Lip Blossom #09 Brilliant Lily

Jelly Eye Color N 19 Passion Fruit

Nail Lacquer R 103 Ripen Strawberry

and got a free mini Jelly Lip Gloss N in 07 Cherry Frame and Luminance Makeup Primer

3. Miscellaneous + drugstore stuff

SASA and Bonjour were aplenty there, and it was a tough time controlling myself there. Most of the items were available in Singapore so I thought I should not waste baggage space and buy it here instead. I only got some lipbalms (not pictured), a Fairy Drops mascara (which is awesome) and some Topshop polishes which weren't that much a diff in term of prices when compared to SG.

4. Changi Duty-free

This was the bomb. Picked up some a Shu Uemura lightbulb foundation, some Shu Uemura lipsticks, Guerlain Travelling Meteorites and some skincare for the folks (not pictured). I love love love Changi Duty-free and its gotta be the most awesome place on Earth.

-----------------------------

That was for March, and when back in SG, I was still pretty much in the mood for some shopping so I gotten some stuff as below:

OPI Minis!!! Super cute!!! I bought the Sheer Tints, Brazil Copaca Babies and MLB sets because there were too many praises about them online. I like buying small nail polishes because it occured to me that I'll never ever finish them. My favourite set has gotta be the MLB one, with super my-type of colors like navy and reds.

Also I recently purchased a Chanel Les Beiges in their Summer limited color N1. I don't regret buying it (looks too pretty and smells awesome) but I don't know what to expect. Is it a glow? Is it some kinda highlight? Or does it set my makeup? Cos I don't see any effect actually :P It just feels good to use it. Ya know, psychological thing. I am trying my best to use it everyday as a highlight and tell myself, it does give a natural glow :( Also within the same day, I bought a sheer lipstick (Rouge d'Armani Sheers 304) from Giorgio Armani and I love love love it. Such soft color and sophisticated design. Was contemplating between a YSL Sheer candy, Dior Lipglow and this because I wanted a sheer lippy but the other two seemed to be pretty scented. The magnetic casing was a stunner too!

Okay and lastly, I bought some stuff impulsively. A Revlon color stay foundie, a KATE Powderless foundie, a Maybelline Nude lipstick (which I hate cos it isn't nude at all and smells like rubber) and a Canmake duo blusher. Lesson learnt: never buy cosmetic without swatching it first!! Because of the "nude" label, I thought it was gonna be a nude pink and who could tell that it was gonna smell like rubber? Eek >.< Also not pictured are some Revlon lipsticks in Honey Bare and Pink In The Afternoon. Chanced upon them while looking to pick up my old fave "Soft Nude" but it was not available (anymore?). These lippies are awesome stuff at an affordable price!

Okay so its the end of my long post (or rambling) on some stuff I bought recently. I should totally go on a makeup ban and I mean it even though I can never make it :P well, atleast I tried!

NOTW: 3 Concept Eyes NV01

2014-04-02T00:59:00.001+08:00

I'm back from HK~~~

Just wanna update on the color that's currently on my nail - NV01 from 3 concept eyes. Its a dark navy color that looks darkkkk navy to black unless in light or seen upclose. I would say that application is smooth, non-streaky but takes two coats to be opaque. It does not have a glossy finish so I applied my HG top coat from Seche Vite. Am totally loving how it makes my short nails look polished (in real life, haha) and picture does it no justice.

Please pardon the messy edges! I'm not good at applying nail polishes :(

My current nail routine goes like this: cuticle scrub (Holika Holika), OPI Nail Envy as base coat, Nail Color, Seche Vite Top Coat and OPI Avoplex cuticle oil applied lightly. I recently try having nail care products in the routine to protect the cuticles and nail bed. Working great!

[FOOD REVIEW] Yum Cha @ Changi

2014-03-20T02:15:00.000+08:00

Hi!

Its been awhile since I had the time to sit down and wind down with a blog post. Life has been really fulfilling for me so far.. and I have a food review to share with you today!

Yum Cha started their first branch in Chinatown (I remember that it was always crowded last time!) and to cater to the ever-growing dim sum lovers, they opened up a few other branches and I was very generously hosted with their best dishes at their new branch in Changi Business Park.

I had the Dry Beef Brisket Noodles ($7.80) because I never had beef a la Chinese cuisine. The meat was a little on the dry and streaky side, but noodles were good nonetheless! Perhaps next time I'll order the wanton kind because you can never go wrong with wanton!!!

Met a new friend, Rusty at the food tasting! She had Prawn Wanton Noodles ($7.20)

After each of us chosen a main dish, we were literally flooded with dim sum. Not complaining!!

I am not a fan of prawns but I enjoyed the Yum Cha Prawn Dumpling ($4.60 for 3pcs) because the prawn filling was springy fresh. Like omg.

I was also looking forward to the Custard Bun ($4.50 for 3pcs) cos I heard so much good things about it yet I never had it.

Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice ($4.20 for 2pcs) is a must-have when I have dim sum! It makes a good sharing dish while this dish isn't way too oily at Yum Cha as compared to other restaurants.

I pretty much not eat all kinds of prawns with the exception of siew mai!!! This Fish Roe Siew Mai ($3.80 for 3pcs) was really yummy with their homemade chilli sauce... which I don't have a picture of. But fret not, it is a staple on each table!

And then there's the Beancurd roll with Superior Sauce ($3.80)

And then the Prawn Wanton Crisp ($4.00 for 3pcs) which I skipped because I'm not a fan of prawns.

I recently had this from another restaurant and I have to say that the Shrimp Beancurd Roll ($4.00 for 3pcs) at Yum Cha is way better. Yum Cha really makes some great prawn dishes!

This was a creative dish which I loved! Prawn & Mango Fritters ($4.00 for 3pcs) was a good mix of springy prawns and tangy mango. It tastes like the kind of prawn salad you get at Chinese restaurants, except that its not chilled.

Their Fried Carrot Cake ($3.80 for 3pcs) tasted just like all the other carrot cakes out there, with the exception of.. the slightly charred sides. Somehow its fragrant and crispy and not soggy like how other places do it!

Crispy Red Bean with Banana ($3.80 for 3pcs) was William's recommendation so I had to try it! It was just the right amount of sweetness and the outside is kinda like a pie. This should be sold everywhere in Singapore!! Its like a super awesome desert! Or dim sum. Lol.

Lastly, we were pleasantly surprised with this platter of roasted goodness. There's roasted duck, roasted pork, char siew, roasted chicken and spring rolls served with a side of 3 sauces - a sour plummish sauce, mustard (really spicy!) and a ginger sauce. I had to really talk about the ginger sauce. Its pretty much the same kind as the chicken rice stalls but it went so well with this platter! I mean, most platters I came across only had one damned honey sauce. I frankly also appreciated the idea of adorning the sides with tomato and cucumber slices. Was refreshing to have a slice after some oily food.

I ended my meal with the lemongrass jelly with mixed fruits ($4.00)! Interesting and fragrant combi. I picked this dish because I love the scent of lemongrass~ and it was a good decision.

Angie had the Pomelo Sago in Mango Juice ($4.00) which was delicious too! I know, I made the bowl look really big in this picture and also it wasn't focused correctly.. I was probably in a food coma when I snapped it.

This is (part of) the interior of their Changi Business Park branch! I would say that its Chinese Chic. Lol. But yeah.

Now now, here comes the great deals. Yum Cha @ Changi is offering this Set Menu Special at a nett price! I think the price is reasonable and I would totally come for lunch here if my office is nearer.

Ok and lasttttttlllyyyy (really last already) you get a membership card with just $30 spent! Which entitles you to a $20 voucher (WOW), 10% off at all their outlets and more!

Yum Cha at Changi

6 Changi Business Park Ave 1 #01-33

UE Bizhub East

Singapore 486017

Tel: 6789 1717

P/s: this is not a scheduled post. Time check: 2.15am. Goodnight!

[REVIEW] Miss Hana Pencil Eyeliner

2014-02-08T00:08:00.001+08:00

Hi!

I've been diligently using up stuff so here's a review of a popular eyeliner pencil (more popular to the Asian following) that originates from Taiwanish Hong Kong.... because I don't exactly know where. I got it on Qoo10 and I believe that its not a fake since it worked well! I forgot how much it costed though.

I use this eyeliner daily for work, and it lasts about 6 hours before transfering just a little to my under waterline. I use mostly the brown one (thats the shorter one) because the black is really intense, and it makes me look too fierce >:( The brown one looks like black when applied, I guess its because it blends together with my eyelashes and yeah. The formula is soft and creamy, goes on easily, waterproof, smudgeproof blablabla but like I always say, it depends on your own skin type so do not quote me if it does not work with you :P It is currently my favourite eyeliner, unexpectedly. I tried many pencil eyeliner which gets good reviews, like UD's 24/7, MUFE Aqualiner, Etude House, Face Shop, Solone and Shu Uemura but they always disappoint me at the end of the day.

I never used any pencil eyeliner this much!

To justify: I don't have very oily lids, but I do have very teary eyes (because I tear a lot.. because I yawn a lot.. because I'm always sleepy :P) so my lashline needs a super waterproof eyeliner. And smudge proof is also an important factor because I wipe my eyes a lot, since I tear a lot. I work in an air-con environment, and I believe it helps in the lasting factor as sometimes I wear it out in Singapore's heat and it transfers in about 4 hours.

So I give this eyeliner.... 4/5! Waterproof, smudge proof, affordable, long lasting.

I like to review stuff only when I'm very sure of it, and that probably means until I'm somewhat done with a product. Let's see what I'll use up next! Hehehe thanks for reading!

[REVIEW] Bioderma Sensibio H2O

2014-02-04T00:08:00.000+08:00

Hi~

Its been awhile since I posted, and I'm back with a product emptied and ready to be reviewed. Its the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution for Sensitive Skin, and its the 500ml red bottle. I dived right into the largest size when I ran out of my previous makeup remover because I heard some good reviews about this, and it was more worth it in this size ($49 or $39, at Guardian). I would consider this an impulse buy because I was just shopping around and I was like "I think I heard that this was good?" so I bought it lol. I don't know how long I have used it for, but I reckon its about 3 months.

Initially, I didn't like it as I felt like it took like 5 cotton pads to remove the makeup off my entire face. Its quite a lot, comparing to the 3 cotton pads per face when I was using Bifesta. (I minded the amount of cotton pads used because it measures the amount of friction put onto your face just to remove makeup) I thought it was just very average makeup remover. But.. I came to love it when it was down to half the bottle. I did more research on this product (come on, what happened to the good stuff people said about it) and found it to be more suited for me, as a cleanser. I'm not even sure if I'm using it the correct way but I wipe my face with this in place of my usual foam cleanser every morning, and it helps soothe my acne, a lot. I rinse it off with water though it is not required, because I felt that it has this weird sticky feeling afterwards, or too dry and smooth afterwards. At night, I use it to remove my makeup, then a foam cleanser (Etude House AC Clinic Foam Cleanser, pretty drying but good for acne) and then to my skincare, which is currently just aloe vera gel lol. No thanks to the Chinese New Year feasting that broke me out even more recently :( Because of this routine, it kept my acne under control and I do see some improvement. I'll probably use it just as a face makeup remover but for my eye area, I still need the oil removers to minimise friction that cotton pads do, because I realised that my eye area is getting really dry from Bioderma :( Overall, I recommend this product if you are acne-prone, and have combination skin. I believe there's the blue one for hydration and green one for sebum care, but I prefer this one for my skin type.

At first, I was like "I'm never gonna repurchase this" but now, I definitely am, and I'm glad to have bought it on impulse :P

But! Before getting a second bottle, I'm gonna try out some cleansing oils that I recently acquired, first :P Left to right: MUJI Cleansing Oil, Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils, and Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing BB Deep Cleansing Oil. I am down to the last drops of Shu Uemura ones, and it feels soooo comfortable removing makeup with these. But we'll see how the others fare, haha.

Thanks for reading!

First impression of YSL Rouge Volupte 15 Corail Extreme... & dupes

2014-01-13T23:43:00.000+08:00

Hi~

I had a very eventful week, and because I was feeling pretty happy, I hauled some stuff over the weekend and you would have saw it on my instagram. One of my very happy buys is the YSL Rouge Volupte in 15 Extreme Coral. I was swatching at the store, while deciding between their Rouge Volupte line and their Rouge Volupte Shine line. The latter made my dry lips look really sad, so I decided on this. Its a really creamy, pigmented and long-lasting lipstick. Even after half a day, it barely fades and if it does, it leaves a stain (love!). When I got home and happily showed it to my bro, him being the wet blanket as usual, said: I think you have similar colours right? I was like NOOOO but then I did a swatchfest and I found not one but three possible dupes for this. I still reallllyyyy love the lipstick, don't get me wrong! I just thought that wow, I really love this sort of color huh.

The Etude House Color Pop series was my favourite ever collection from them because there are many orange-coral shades! I was sent this lip tint in a pink box last year, and I think this might be a possible dupe for YSL's Glossy Stains. Its very similar to this color but the texture, lasting power and finish is veryyyy similar to the glossy stains. I don't find that they last very long on my lips. This color is #2.

The second product is probably the closest dupe I have in my stash - its the Holika Holika Heartful Moisture Lipstick in OR210. It has a very similar colour, texture, feeling except the stick is in a heart shape hehe. I would say that YSL's is a tad creamier, but everything else is really similar, but not the same. This product is really cheap, like not exceeding $20SGD I believe.

And the last product was part of my Christmas wishlist - Shu Uemura's 6 Heart Princess lip & cheek fun-tasy in Princess Coral. The color is very alike, but the texture is drier and more matte (it is meant to be like that). It also doesn't outlast YSL's, but it does win the Etude House tint. Pricing wise, this gives you a bang for your buck because the tube is rather big, at 15g for just $33. But its limited edition so I'm not sure if you can still get it now.

The colours are really similar, but definitely not the same. Girls are girls, cosmetics are cosmetics. Still makes me super happy to have bought this YSL baby :P

Chat: Eyebrow Makeup

2014-01-05T02:50:00.001+08:00

Hi~

First post of 2014! Which reminds me of how long I havn't posted anything. SO ANYWAY! HAPPY 2014!!!! May this be a beautiful year for everyone :)

Random rambling post - I wanna talk about eyebrow makeup. For the minimalist, its just an eyebrow pencil. For me, I like exploring the different items so I have a pencil (dayum forgot to picture it, but its Shiseido's Natural Pencil that I pictured here), a crayon type, a crayon type with chiselled tip, liquid type, eyebrow mascaras, eyebrow hair concealer (wtf but yeah) and eyebrow powder. I havn't gotten around trying a gel or wax type, because I thought it'll look too dark or too opaque. Generally the ones in a twist-up pen type are considered crayon type to me, due to its slightly waxy texture. Wax is often used to give that waterproof and oil-proof ability, but it smudges slightly in humid weather because heat melts wax. Nothing really disastrous though.

So for me, I like using a crayon type on the front part of my brows, then define the ends with the liquid type, then go over with the powder type. Because my hair is a dark color now, I don't use an eyebrow mascara as mine are all in lighter shades of brown. I feel that this method makes my eyebrow makeup last longer, looking more defined. I totally advise that you use an eyebrow mascara when you have lighter colored hair because it really does help your overall look a lot, that your eyebrow color is matched to your hair. I also recommend Etude House's Coloring Eyebrow mascaras because there are quite a few colors for your to choose from, and the brush makes coating your brows really easy. I hoarded 5 out of 6 of the colors, including concealer, because they're that good!

Products shown:
Browlash EX W Eyebrow
Etude House Coloring Eyebrow
Lavshuca Eyebrow Compact
Etude House Drawing Eyebrow

Budweiser Made For Music Festival 2013

2013-11-28T23:12:00.000+08:00

Hi~

Heads up! There'll be a super cool party at tomorrow showcasing local talents and aspiring singers to take the stage at one of Singapore's hottest music scene - Mansion @ Esplanade!

That's my awesome friend Mint on the top left! She'll be hosting this awesome event!

Day 1 (29/11): Performance Night where local artistes, Tay Kewei, Kevin Lester and Jonathan Leong will be performing on the 29^th. They have also invited local band, LGF, that performs regularly at Switch, Shuffle and ROCKU weekly.

Day 2 (30/11): Final Showdown of Budweiser 'MADE FOR MUSIC' 2013 Singing Competition. EIGHT finalists, who have submitted their works via the Budweiser Singapore Facebook Page, will be chosen to battle it out for the winning title! The judging panel includes Tay Kewei, Kevin Lester, The Muttons & a representative from S2S recording firm.

And if you havn't already known, Budweiser MADE for Music is celebrated in more than 85 countries and it kicked off with Jay Z and Rihanna this year in America. With the purpose of showcasing local talents, this festival aims to provide a platform for them and what better place than Esplanade? If you are too shy to be in this contest this time, you can head there to chill (and recce) this time and soak up the spirit, and get an idea of what to prepare for next year's! :) Afterall its a Friday night! Awesome place to chill with some Budweiser!

Let's end November with a bang! Seeya there!

Tis' the season

2013-11-20T00:42:00.000+08:00

Hi!

Omg its Christmas again soon. Personally, I don't exactly love Christmas, but I LOVE shopping when it comes to this festive season. Cosmetics brands release gift sets, Christmas editions and also limited and exclusive stuff! Here's some stuff that caught my eye.. and heart. My poor, poor weak heart for limited editions.

1. Shu Uemura x Takashi Murakami collection
I'm a fan of Takashi Murakami, and a fan of Shu Uemura! What caught my eyes was the "lip & cheek fun-tasy" because there was a coral colour :3 I can never have enough coral stuff!!!

Soooooo cuteeeee omgggggg.

This item is a piece of art.

I have it in the colour Princess Coral *strike this item off le Christmas wishlist* and I'm loving it! It applies matte so moisturize if you don't like it matte. It makes a nice blusher too! Omg. Fab item!

2. Dior Golden Winter collection
This is so freakin' gorgeous I would buy it to look at it everyday since I don't wear eyeshadows. Dear Dior palette, please stop talking to me.

"Hey, take me home, you know you want me!"

3. 13rushes Expert 13 pieces collection

Chanced upon 13rushes.com today, adding them to my list. I can never ever have enough makeup brushes! Plus, these are made in Singapore, and most importantly, cruelty-free.

*picture from 13rushes.com

4. Zalora Christmas sets

Get a $10 voucher when you sign up for their newsletter! What better time to shop? Get your voucher here @ http://www.zalora.sg/christmas/ and shop their latest gift sets! P/s: do you know that Zalora carries more than 50,000 items? That's like a virtual mall to choose your gifts from, minus the walking, and you window shop through your internet window :D

5. Starbucks Christmas drinks

Its the time of the year for me to drink Starbucks whenever I can! Can't love the Cranberry White Choc Mocha more :') Its so awesome why can't it be on the permanent menu? :(

I totally love Christmas now. All the fab deals. All the gorgeous stuff. Can't wait to bring 'em home!!!

[Pink Box August & September 2013] and some gifts from a friend!

2013-11-03T23:58:00.000+08:00

Hi!

Finally~ A video. What a pain editing videos... Anyways! I finally got to sharing the Pink Boxes from August and September. I always feel like if a post is TLDR, you can simply *listen* to the video to know more about the product.

So in this video, I did a really quick look with the products from both boxes. The &Rose series is REALLY PRETTY! I will update on swatches and a proper review post soon, so please watch the video in the mean time.

This was the August Pink Box containing:

Moistfull Collagen Cream + small First Essence

Proof 10 eyeliner in Black

Fresh Cherry Tint in PK001

Nail & Body Painting in Cooling Pink

A very cute plastic pouch with confetti inside! Very summery :)

And for September's Pink Box:

& Rose Flowering Eyes

& Rose Flowering Nails in Watery Rose

& Rose Rosy Tint Lips in #5 Baby Peony & #8 After Blossom

Drawing Show Creamy Pencil in BR404 Sunset Brown & BE103 Creamy Romance

Full list of products used in the video:

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream*

Etude House Any Cushion W24*

YSL Touche Eclat compact foundation

Etude House Drawing Eyebrows #2

Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer

Etude House &Rose Flowering Eyes Palette*

Etude House Proof 10 Eyeliner in Black*

Shu Uemura S Curler

Etude House All Shockara*

Etude House &Rose Rosy Tint Lips #8 After Blossom*

*Products are given in Pink Boxes by Etude House Global

Bio-oil now comes in 125ml!

2013-10-29T00:00:00.000+08:00

Hi~

I'm pretty sure you've heard about this miraculous product before, from the raves of your pregnant aunt, the praises from your friend battling with ugly scars and maybe also, commercials (lol). Bio-oil was first launched with the smallie 60ml bottle in Singapore, and now they launched a doubly-big one, in 125ml!

It contains PurCellin Oil which forms the easily-absorbed yet extremely moisturizing oil, and is fortified with Vitamins A & E and floral extracts. It is suitable for use on both face and body, and it is hypoallergenic so rest assured if you have sensitive skin :)

Bio-Oil contains extracts of Calendula, Lavender, Chamomile and Rosemary!

From the launch, I learnt that besides fading scars, there are other ways to incorporate Bio-Oil into your daily regime too! Here are some methods I thought would optimize the usage of Bio-Oil:

1. As a fake-tan lotion
Fake a tan, but be really moisturized! Simply mix some brown pigments (from a bronzer, blusher or eyeshadow) into a few drops of Bio-Oil and voila! Since Bio-Oil is a great all-over moisturizer, this fake tan lotion will moisturize your skin while giving it a shiny bronzey glow :) You can use the same method to make a liquid blusher by using pink pigments too! Its gonna look very natural and healthy.

My camera failed in capturing the glow, but the tan can be customised to your preference by adjusting the ratio of pigment : Bio-Oil. It does absorb fully with no oily residue, if you're wondering :)

2. As a radiant foundation
Mix some foundation with a few drops of Bio-Oil and voila again! You get a moisturizing, glowy and radiant foundation! I tried it, and felt that although the coverage is being sheered out, it gives a healthy radiance while not feeling too oily. Most radiant foundations are too oily for me, so I was pretty glad about this moisturizing-yet-not-too-oily mix.

3. As a cuticle oil
Simply dab it onto cuticles. I admit that I don't take care of my nails - I do manicures often yet I don't ever use a cuticle oil because they are very oily and prevents me from carrying out the daily activities in life LOL. I hated the feeling so I tried it and I stayed away. Bio-Oil left me glad again, because it absorbed really fast and I can say bye to peeling, flaky cuticles in minutes!

Primarily, Bio-Oil reduces the appearance of scars and stretch marks (that's why its a cult product for pregnant ladies!), improves uneven skin tone, moisturizes ageing skin and dehydrated skin. Some of its other uses includes using it as a soothing after-sun product, pre-shave product, makeup primer, hair serum, body massage oil and bath oil. And of course, as many other ways you can think of.

I once used it in the bath, just by adding some into the bath tub, fill it with warm water and soak. My skin felt soft afterwards! No more dry skin due to prolonged soak in the bath! Not to mention that the lavender scent made the soak such a relaxing treat, perfect for winding down into the weekends. I also apply to my eyelashes (with a Q-tip) and I felt that they strengthened a lot, and looked thicker and lusher! Because Vitamin E is an effective ingredient for hair growth and Bio-Oil is abundant with it :)

Thought of more ways to use this already-very-multi-usage product? Now's a good time to get your hands on this limited introductory package of a 125ml bottle of Bio-Oil with free wet wipes at just $25.90 (the 60ml one is $15.90 on its own) at all leading pharmacies, personal care stores, selected hospitals and departmental stores this October 2013 :)

[FOOD REVIEW] Ramen Champion

2013-10-28T00:00:00.000+08:00

Hi!

Was invited to a food tasting at Ramen Champion at Bugis+, to specially try the competitive ramens prided by two Japanese ramen masters. They fought, they battled, and competed - all the in the will of winning the Tonkotsu Ramen Champion title. Contenders are Mendokoro Aoi, headed by chef Kazuo Sakuraoka - with his weapon of springy ramen in his special broth that it light and does not contain the smell of pork bones, and Tonkotsu Itto, owned by Tokyo's number 1 ramen shop Menya Itto (this is the first branch outside Japan, btw!) - which stands by the traditional recipe of Tonkotsu ramen. Customers were given the power of a vote in deciding the fate of the titans, so who will emerge champion?

P/s: I don't know how to take nice pictures of food. Please do not mind :/ I have no sense of angles and like getting straight to the point :P

We were served an appetizer first, which is the Prawn Dipping Sauce with Crackers ($4) from Mendokoro Aoi. I loved it! Japanese crackers go really well with this prawny mayo-ny onion-y sauce. I loved how the different ingredients inside provided an explosion of textures too :)

Special Tonkotsu Ramen ($16.50) from Tonkotsu Itto! Idk but I didn't have much feels towards this. It tasted normal like other ramens, and I was hoping that there would be a better flavour to the broth or special texture to it. Still a good dish, but not as good as what I'm about to show you :P

Tonkotsu - Ramen Champion ($16.50) from Mendokoro Aoi! I love this! The meat slices are lovely and tender and the broth is super flavourful! The broth is probably flavoured by boiled pork and bones but it does not taste overly salty or thick - it was the right amount of thickness and fragrance a soup base should have. Everything goes well together, and is truly to my taste. And the egg! Loves! Okay, this is a very sinful dish with the generous succulent fatty char shu and thick fragrant broth, but it was well worth the calories! Why didn't I feel an ounce of guilt at all? >:)

I think both the ramen contained the same ingradients (noodles, bamboo shoots, char shu, an egg and some spring onions) but the broths made a world of difference. My opinions are judged from my tastebuds, and it you may have a different opinion. I'd still recommend the Tonkotsu - Ramen Champion from Mendokoro Aoi :P

Ramen overloaded

We also had gyoza ($6) from Tonkotsu Itto! An absolute must-try when you dine there, because it is one of the best dishes that night. I think it was pork inside. Japanese love their pork huh? Its okay, I love my pork too :3

Char shu Carpaccio ($7) from Mendokoro Aoi. To begin with, I can't take very spicy food so yeah, I don't eat Carpaccio dishes at all after trying it once. This was pretty spicy but my friends seemed to love it. I took a small bite in fear of the spice :P

Garlic Butter Potato ($5) from Mendokoro Aoi. This was yums!!! It is fragrant, buttery, garlicky potato wedges topped with fish flakes. The potatoes were boiled I think, very soft and well marinated. Definitely a party-pleaser dish for sharing among friends.. or you can have it all by yourself if you aren't full with the ramen yet.

Deep-fried tofu with Japanese sauce ($4) from Mendokoro Aoi. Frankly, it tastes just like all the other fried Japanese tofu out there. Not better and definitely not worse. I liked how the skin absorbed the sauce, makes every mouth very flavourful :D

And lastly, Sukiyaki Bun ($3 each) from Buta God. Thank you Buta God, for such an amazing dish. You are truly the Buta God. This was my favourite side dish of the night! *confetti* the pork was so succulent like no other I've tried. Even without the need for much sauce or garnish, it tastes so good. The bun is sweet, just like all the other mantou buns. How can pork taste so effortlessly awesome?! I must go back for this! Must!

Ramen Champion is a restaurant a la foodcourt style that houses the most popular, delicious and authentic ramen and other Japanese food from Japan. I like the style this restaurant operates - you get to savour the best of Japan in one place! They are currently one of the largest ramen operations in Singapore, satisfying over a million customers in its two branches at Bugis+ and Changi Airport. They are opening a new branch at Great World City to spread more ramen goodness to you! Are they really that awesome? I tried it and I believed it. You should too!

Interior was designed like Japan's traditional ramen houses.

For more information, visit Ramen Champion Singapore at www.ramenchampion.com.sgor Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RamenChampionSingapore. P/s. they are running a big-eater contest too. Check out their site for more information!