Last minute gifts ideas

Ok, it's 5 days to Christmas now and who has not finished their Christmas shopping?

This is no miracle list, but I have gathered a tiny number of items which I think may be useful to some of you out there who are still struggling for gift ideas. They may not be the best but c'mon! You know you saw this coming when you thought, "Nah, I'll wait a week more..." in November.


Crabtree and Evelyn Gift Sets

Lavender Vanity Treasures, 12-piece hand cream set, Ltd Editon Festive Triple Choc Chunk Biscuits,  Festive Cookie Tin, Aloe Vera Body Lotion, and Aloe Vera Travel Set 

Walking past Crabtree and Evelyn today, I still saw stacks of X'mas gifts available for purchase. My biggest haul this year hails from there during the member's preview sale. Their gift sets range from $18 Aloe Travel Sets to the $69 12-piece hand cream sets. Members do get extra discounts so be sure to check out their promotions before purchasing. Really amazing stuff they have at affordable prices.

Yankee Candles and Jo Malone Gift Sets

Can't really go wrong with amazing smelling candles at Christmas. Works just fine at getting one into the Christmas mood coming home to smells of rich vanilla buttery cookies and cinnamon with hints of freshly brewed tea. Or perhaps classic Jo Malone gift sets are just right up your alley. Get me anything Jo Malone I'd be a super happy X'mas camper. They have the best kind of packaging that screams pure class.  Price ranges from $59.90 for Yankee Candles to $200 plus for a JM Gift Set.

SK-II Pitera Set

Got this for mummy dearest this year, courier guy dropped it in my arms yesterday and it went straight into hers. She was uber excited of course, SK-II is like the classic Chanel Flap bag that never seems to go out of style. Anyway she was really happy because hers was about to run out, so Merry Christmas Mumsy! :)
Retails for $99 with a 15% off if a POSB / DBS credit card is used on www.luxola.com. Free home delivery too! Whilst stocks last!

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

A colleague asked me for recommendations on products for acne-prone teen skin for her teenage daughter suffering from puberty spots. La Roche-Posay is a brand which I've recently tried out and I'm over the moon with the results I've gotten with these 2 miraculous drugstore duo. The set consists of a gel cleanser, perfect for someone dealing with oily or acne-prone skin and the amazing anti-clogging Effaclar moisturizer which was the main star at clearing up my spots and preventing others from emerging. My skin went through a very temperamental phase a couple of weeks back. I suffered massive breakouts all over the bottom half of my face with concentrations near the jawline and I was freaking out in all different directions. The last time I had skin this bad was back in Secondary school and those were not good years to reminisce. I went to Watson's just yesterday and was really happy to see that they packaged the 2 star products I've been using together at a very reasonable price. But the SA told me that there are limited stocks left, so for peeps wondering what to get for someone who has trouble with their spots, La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Set is the clear way to go!
Retails for $49.90 and you can get more out of it with your POSB credit card and Watson's membership!

Hugo Boss Nuit Pour Femme and Chanel Noir

I'm currently obsessing over these 2 perfumes at the moment. Dark, mysterious and very very sensual. The perfect Christmas scent. Oh..... me likey very muchie!

Famous Amos Cookies

If you're still lost, I've not met anyone who is not a fan of the world's most popular cookies. Grab the biggest pack you can get your hands on and place them in those really adorable X'mas cookie containers. Then go book a pair of Gold Class tickets to watch Les Miserables followed by a really fantastic meal and top it up with a festive looking bouquet.

And you're done :)

HAPPY last minute SHOPPING! :)

Disclaimer: All products were purchased by me and none of the items in this post were sponsored.

GWP from Kerastase

I got a surprise in the mail yesterday when my Kerastase Bain chroma riche arrived from UK. A complimentary Kerastase home fragrance diffuser with reeds. Oh my how quaint! Über excited because I'm a huge home fragrance junkie.

But... a show of hands who knew that Kerastase made home fragrances.
Hmm...thought so.

How cool is that yeah? :) Kerastase rocks. Best hair care range EVER!

Happy Saturday everyone!

It smells amaaaazing!

Anne Fontaine Evasion

Favorite room fragrance at the moment. Got it after getting a whiff of the Anne Fontaine store at Scotts Square. I adore shops that strive to give their customers the whole experience of stimulating all the senses. Makes the shopping experience that bit more special. Extremely feminine and smells sooo darn good!! I'm going back for the candle after this!

Selling: Brand New Givenchy Noir Couture 4 in 1 Mascara

What it is:
A four-in-one mascara that creates intense volume, strong curl, infinite length, and complete lash care.

What it does:
This multitasking mascara is formulated with Givenchy’s exclusive Lash Booster Expert Complex that provides nutrition, revitalization, fortification, and protection.

What else you need to know:
A classic brush has been included for traditional mascara application.

Research results:
-Based on a self-evaluation on 32 women after 4 weeks of daily application, 91 % had visibly volumized, curled, and lengthened lashes.
-Based on clinical scoring on 32 women after 8 weeks of daily applications, 102 % recorded lash beauty and strength, surface shine, evenness, and suppleness. Sz: 0.28oz
Colour: Black Satin

 

RRP: S$50 (bought from Sephora ION)

Now Selling: S$42 (normal mail)

 

Finally joined the cult! After 3 yrs of pondering, I caved in. Will post a review soon :) Stay tuned!

My baby pink Mia 2 :)

The One with the Allergy

I have rather sensitive skin which reacts quickly to products that it disagrees with. The red blotches that appear often feel warm to touch, aggravated and just plain painful. But thankfully, I have not had such reactions in a while... till last week.

The culprit?

Belif Creamy Cleansing Foam Moist

This didn't come cheap. At $33 per tube and with the hype about natural plant and herb ingredients, I was really excited to try out this new facial foam. Formulated with Soapwort, Sweet Flag and Wormwood to remove toxins, this cleansing foam supposedly produces clean skin without dryness after washing.

Soapwort, rich with vitamin C and natural foaming agents, cleanses the skin gently. It has been used instead of soap for centuries.

Sweet Flag, has appealed to women for generations, is known to make hair and skin beautiful, silky and smooth.

Wormwood, possesses breakout-prevention properties and excels at removing toxins . 

For those who are wondering, Belif is a Korean herbal skincare and cosmetic brand.

What happened to me:

I tried this facial wash on a Sunday night before going to bed. I really liked the pleasant herb smell that I got from the facial wash. It smelt really good and made me feel happy knowing that I'm washing my face with natural ingredients and I washed my face with great zest thinking my skin is gonna be super appreciative about the natural goodness I'm foaming it up with.

Was my skin happy? Not.one.bit

Right after drying my face I experienced a tingling sensation which intensified over the next 2-3 mins. I didn't think much about it and went to change into nightwear and prepare for my nightly skincare routine. Boy, did I get a shock when I looked in the mirror. My face was red, and felt really hot, as though I've just slapped myself really hard. I thought perhaps because it was my first try with the facial wash, hence my skin needed some getting used to. I skipped my normal nightly skincare routine and slapped my face with pure aloe vera gel before going to bed. I woke up the next day sans redness, and because I refused to believe that my skin would protest against natural ingredients, I took the plunge and slattered my face with the foaming wash once more.

Good gawd. My face was burning hot and redness covered my entire face. My skin felt really painful to touch and I wanted to die from the burning and tightening sensation. But there was nothing to rub off, I couldn't remove anything to stop the pain from intensifying. I could only ride it out and curse my stupidity.

I picked up the phone and called Belif at Wisma to explain my situation. They were nice enough to allow me a replacement of other products to replace the foaming wash if I provided them with a picture of my allergic reaction. I snapped some pictures of myself while writhing in pain for 10 mins. It was a real shame, because I really wanted to like the cleanser. I asked for samples of all the products which I got from Belif to try to do a patch test since the rest were unopened. I wasn't gonna risk torturing my face again. Thankfully I wasn't allergic to the rest which led the manager to conclude that I was allergic to Soapwart, then only ingredient present in the cleanser that was absent from the rest of my stash.

My stash and what I think about them are as follows:

Belif True Cream Aqua Bomb - Love the gel texture, great for combination / oily skin and for Singapore's weather. Lightweight and non-oily. Suitable for day usage.

Belif Hungarian Water Essence - I tried this because I was wondering if I could replace the Laneige's water bank essence with it. Belif's water essence is more liquid and Laniege's water bank essence has a more creamy texture to it. Reminds me of the Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid. But based on the breakdown of ingredients and benefits, I'm leaning more towards the Belif's one because there's no addition of synthetic preservatives.

Belif Bergamot Extract Toner - I love the toner because I love the smell of it. I'm a huge fan of Bergamot because it perks me up and makes me a happy camper. I'm not a fan of Laneige's Power Essential Skin Refiner EX because it's far too sticky for my liking. This toner definitely replaces the Laneige's one for me.

Belif Deep Pore Care Mask - A green clay mask that deep cleanses your skin. I use this more frequently than my Omorovicza and Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask because it's cheaper and easier to get. My face looks cleaner and feels softer after I wash off the mask. I wouldn't say it DEEP cleanses but it serves as a good maintenance mask.

So, do give this brand a whirl if you enjoy treating your skin to herbal remedies that do not contain nasties which harm your skin in the long run. Belif is located at Wisma Atria, B1-6 and The Atrium@Orchard (Plaza Singapura). Do get some free samples from them and do a patch test to see if you are allergic to any ingredients within. I learnt it the hard way.

Mon Shu Uemura

Karl Lagerfeld x Shu Uemura Holiday 2012 Makeup Collection - The 'Mon Shu Uemura' .
This Holiday season, Karl Lagerfeld is teaming up with Shu Uemura to bring us a fabulous collection. The collection is set to be called The 'Mon Shu Uemura', and features the best of both worlds from the pair, Karl's creative artistic style, with  Shu Uemura's high quality beauty products.

Introducing Mon Shu (picture above), the manga-inspired make-up mascot created by fashion genius and Chanel legend Karl Lagerfeld to front his collaboration with Japanese cosmetics brand Shu Uemura.

The collaboration has been a long time coming, given that Lagerfeld and the late Shu Uemura-san (1928 - 2007) were friends and long-time admirers of each other’s work. Karl allegedly using the extensive and colourful range of Shu Uemura eyeshadows to sketch his fashion illustrations because pastel manufacturers’ range of colours simply didn’t suffice.

A whimsical fusion of fashion, pop culture and cosmetics, everything about Mon Shu has been carefully designed to imbue her with meaning. Based on Lagerfeld’s “personal vision of a Japanese manga”  her name is a charming play on the French term of endearment ‘chou’ as well as reflecting the name of the Japanese make-up brand and its founder. Her unusual red eyes represent the Japanese flag (a red disc in the centre of a white rectangle) whilst her white collared shirt and black tie are classic Lagerfeld.

Yess... I completely get why Mon Shu is being compared to the Dora the Explorer -_-"" and no, I do not believe that Karl ripped off the design to add red eyes and a suit to transform her into Mon Shu.

Despite some opinions of Mon Shu being a scary ass voodoo doll, I think she's the cutest thing I've ever set my eyes upon. Am I biased because it's a character thought out and drawn by Karl? Perhaps :) To me, Mon Shu is as cute as it gets, but she's a doll. A very very girly doll.

I particularly love this sketch of the adult Mon-Shu. All I wanna do is blow it up, have it framed and hang it somewhere in my room next to my makeup table.

Jumped the wagon I did... couldn't resist owning a few signature pieces from this uber rare collaboration between 2 icons. Comes with a free lipgloss, a monshu pin, a sample foundation and a very festive looking cylinder makeup bag. Very shimmery and glossy! Love at first sight. Particularly in love with the revamped eyelash curler with a dangly little monshu. Shu's eyelash curlers are legendary! Go grab this while you can!

Do go check out SUKL (Shu Uemura Karl Lagerfeld) 17 items collection out in stores now!

What do you guys think of this collaboration? Eeky or fantastic?

 

Shiseido Warehouse Sale Oct 2012

I'm a Shiseido junkie, and I love my colleague for alerting me to the Shiseido bi-annual warehouse sale. I had soo much fun! In and out in less than 25 minutes. Even had time to squeeze in a 10min conversation with the one of the managers on duty.

Haul for the day! From $10 hair mask to 60% off retail spot targeting serum. What more can an addict want? Stock up stock up!!

perfect for travel!

dirt cheap!



It is a known fact that warehouse sales can be pretty dangerous on the pocket book. You tend to throw all the "I shall control myself" logic out the window when you enter a roomful of women who are frantically grabbing all the good deals they can wrap their arms around. The Aqualabel makeup base was such a good deal. At 3 for $15 when the RRP is $26.90 for one, I was stalked around the room when some ladies realize that the last of the bases were in my hands. I felt eyes drilling into my back as I went from one counter to the next with this one lady looming over my shoulders. Whatever I placed into my shopping bag, she followed suit.  Without much ado, I concluded my purchases and left the premises. Now thinking back, I really outta thank her. My damages could have been worse...

There's still a few hours more! Go grab some cheap stock while you can! :)

All about haircare

There is no excuse for anyone walking the streets sporting frizzy and unruly hair. Not with these 2 products anyway. They are my holy grail of holy grails when it comes to haircare. I honestly don't think I can live without them given my twice a year rebonding addiction and my constant quest for smooth and manageable hair. I covert after Jennifer Aniston lovely locks like a junkie. Oh what I wouldn't give...



holy grails!


It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Conditioner

I discovered this product not too long ago watching youtube gurus talk about their haircare routine.
First off, I love the convenience of this product. I need not get my hands dirty or oily. All I do is spray the product on my semi-wet hair hair from the ears down and comb through. I have bust-length hair so 4 sprays is more than sufficient for me. This product is AMAZING! It smells good and it works great! My hair felt really really soft as I brushed it out after application.. No tangling and my hair felt well conditioned and healthy. It continues to feel silky and nice-smelling throughout the day, I really couldn't ask for more in a leave-in conditioner.

It's a 10 miracle leave-in strives to do 10 things instantly;
1. Repairs dry damaged hair
2. Adds shine
3. Smoothes and controls frizz
4. Seas and protects hair color
5. Detangles
6. Prevents split ends
7. Stops hair breakage
8. Creates silkiness
9. Enhances natural body
10.Flat iron spray and thermal protector

Indications for usage
Frizzy, dry damaged hair product

Ingredients
Purified aqua, cetearyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride, methylparaben, propylparaben, propylene glycol, panthenol, cydomethicone, silk amino acids, sunflower seed extract, tea leaf extract, quaternium80, fragrance, eugenol3, coumarin3, cinnamal3, linalo

Directions
After shampoo and conditioner, spray product all over hair and comb through.

It's a 10 products are not tested on animals. It is also fortified with natural ingredients such as Panthenol, sunflower seed extract, green tea-leaf extract, silk amino acid and citric acid (Vitamin-C)

This leave-in conditioner is sadly not available in Singapore. I got mine from eBay and had it shipped over from the US. Cost me about S$25 for the 120ml one and well worth the money I'd say. It's not as cheap as the Revlon one I used to purchase from Watson's but I'm definitely sticking to this one from now on. I love the colour of the packaging too! Definitely a must-have for me! Why can't all the good stuff be found locally?!? ^&%&^$^

Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue

I have migrated my love for the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil to the Shu Uemura Hairworks line. I wash my hair every single day (I know.... cardinal hair sin) because I cannot stand the oiliness of my scalp weighing down my hair. I have a thick mane of hair so keeping it lightweight takes quite a bit of effort.

Main points:

• This delivers glorious shine and moisture to dry areas of your hair. It seems to close down any frizzy areas, leaving remarkably soft, smooth, and healthy-looking hair behind.
• It acts as a leave-in conditioner, by delivering beneficial oils to the hair.
• The oil has a UV protectant.
• This is safe on color-treated hair

How to use:  You can use Shu Uemura Essence Absolue every day, by applying a pump into your palm and applying to dry parts before or after styling. I’d recommend using it before styling on dry hair, it absorbs very quickly. You can also use it to pre-treat your hair before shampooing as a mask.

Ingredient list:  Cyclopentasiloxane, dimethiconol, camellia kissi/camellia kissi seed oil, ethylhexyl, mehtoxycinnamate, butylphenyl methylpropional, hexyl cinnamal, hydroxycitronellal, parfum/fragrance

I absolutely adore this oil! This is liquid gold for my hair.I never ever want to live without it and will repurchase it till one day Shu decides to cruelly cease production. I personally have not tried the renowned Moroccanoil but I heard that with the Essence Absolue I need not anymore because it's lighter and runnier in texture, making it easier to apply. It smells great too. My hair feels soooo amazing after I applied it through my hair. Looks shiny, feels bouncy and soft. This works on dry, frizzy hair and provides 'nutrition' because of the camellia oil. Hands down, holy grail hair oil!

This product is crazy expensive. At S$99 in salons for a 150ml bottle, it delivers what it promises to do. To make life easier for the pocket, I alternate this between my favourite leave-in conditioner. What I usually do is get it online here because it's cheaper and has free worldwide delivery.

If you suffer from dry and unruly hair, I recommend trying these. I consider these a most worthwhile investment.

Pai Skincare and Promotion!

I love Ruth from amodelrecommends. She's an amazing british blogger and youtube guru whose webite I frequent for honest and clear advice on skincare and fashion. She's a model who takes time off her busy schedule to share skincare or makeup reviews and give tips on living healthy as well as sharing with her readers little snippets into her life as a model. I love her little fat britishshorthair Mr Bear. Watch her youtube videos, you'll see what I mean.

Her blog if anyone is keen http://www.amodelrecommends.com/

Pai Anti-Ageing Echium Eye Cream

Amodelrecommends is running an exclusive offer for readers on one of my favourite skincare line, Pai Skincare. Pai is giving away a free Echium Anti-Ageing eye cream with every purchase over £20/€20/$30. It’s a full-size cream that usually costs £24, so its an excellent deal! My first ever Pai purchase was the Bioregenerate Rosehip Oil and it's an amazing little bottle of orangey goodness. It helps with scarring, fine lines and when I apply it before I hit the hay, I always wake up to extremely soft and supple skin. The smell takes a little getting used to. Non-scented, hence au naturale. It's really not too bad, but some may not like it.

Pai Bioregenerate Rosehip Oil

Why is Rosehip Oil good for you?

Pai Rosehip Oil is rich in concentrated Trans-Retinic Acid -- this is an essential fuel for the skins natural repair function. When you use the Rosehip Oil it is soaked into your skin and the Trans-Retinic Acid is converted to Vitamin A which in turn boosts the skins natural healing process and cell regeneration. This in turn helps to delay the effects of skin ageing and causes collagen and elastin levels to increase which results in firmer, smoother younger looking skin. Helps with stretchmarks for new mums too!

Pai skincare ranges are free from any nasty chemicals, alcohol and are not tested on animals. It is also suitable for all skin types! Yay for that!

The code for the free eye cream is PAIEYE. The eye cream won't appear in your basket, but you’ll see a discount of one cent. Once you’ve seen the discount, you’ll know the code has worked. It’s valid until 23.59 on Sunday 7th October 2012.

Since my dad is constantly coming into my room and stealing my rosehip oil because he loves it so much, I've decided to get him his own and keep the eye cream for myself. Ruth says it's one of the best anti-aging eye cream that she has used till date. I'll review it after using and keep you guys updated :)

Pai skincare line is part of A-lister's Miranda Kerr and Natalie Portman's skincare routine.

I am a well-known bag whore. I baby my bags like I baby a human being because I love knowing that even though my bag is X yrs old, it looks as though it just came fresh from the store. Of course some bags are easier to maintain than others, hence I try to make sure that the leather I choose can last a real long time. Surely an investment piece that cost a hefty sum shouldn't look like crap after a year yes?

The first thing I believe in is keeping the shape of my bags. Nothing says old than a slouchy out of shape bag thrown into your wardrobe or onto a bag hook leaving it to deform and stretch out of shape. So my first rule of maintaining expensive handbags? Stuffings.

Not just any stuffings of course. I do not like to use old newspapers because they smell. Some of my friends create their own stuffings with mahjong paper and peanut packings. I'm guilty of doing that for some of my bigger bags/ But like I said, I baby my bags, especially the pricier ones. So I've got a seamstress to custom some bag pillows and chain wraps for my Chanels.

I specified that I only want to use suede for the insides, and a light coloured one at that to not stain the insides of the bags. The bag pillow is firm and keeps the shape of my 2.55s. I can now safely store it knowing it won't get squashed and that the chains won't cause scuffings on the delicate leather.

P.S: Pls store your bags if possible without dustbags. It's too humid in Singapore. The leather needs to breathe. If you're afraid of dust, try storing them in a closed cabinet with a moisture absorber (i.e thirsty hippo) to prevent any mould forming on the precious leather. Mould is bag cancer!

If anyone is interested, the prices for the high-quality suede bag pillow and chain wrap sets are;

1) 1 x Medium Purse Pillow – 9.75”W x 4.5”H  
    1 x Medium Chain Wrap – 6.5”W x 3.75”H
    Price: S$45 (includes free registered postage)

2) 1 x Jumbo Purse Pillow – 12”W x 6”H
    1 x Jumbo Chain Wrap – 8.5”W x 3.75”H
    Price: S$50 (includes free registered postage)

3) 1 x Maxi Purse Pillow – 12”W x 7.5”H
    1 x Maxi Chain Wrap – 9”W x 3.75”H
    Price: S$55 (includes free registered postage)

All pillows and chain wraps are handsewn :) Rest assure that there'll be no shoddy workmanship!

Pre-Wedding Shoot Skincare

When I went for a facial last month, my facialist reminded me to keep my skin hydrated to prep for the photoshoot. I was skeptical at first because I have combination / oily skin and I was afraid that over hydrating my skin will only worsen the problem. Thank goodness for the amazing Hyaluronic acid which I believe is one of my favourite and go-to hydrating product of ALL TIME! I love that it hydrates your skin without the oily greasy feel that most moisturizers (other than gel ones) give.

SK-II Facial Treatment Masks, Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid, V10Plus Hyaluronic Serum, Chanel Eye Tonic,
Clarins Hydra-Quench Cream Melt, Laneige Water Sleeping Pack, Estee Lauder ANR, Alpha-H Liquid Gold

I used Alpha-H Liquid Gold serum the first week to rejuvenate my skin so that I'll appear more refreshed before I sink into my moisture intensive routine for the 2nd week. I also pulled out my trusty Liz Earle deep cleansing mask and applied it twice that week to make sure that I had thoroughly gotten rid of potential zits. Perhaps I was being paranoid but I really wanted to just cleanse it well so that I can focus solely on moisturizing on week 2.  After the mask, I'll slap on my trusty ANR, Clarins Hydra-Quench Cream Melt and Chanel eye tonic for good measure.

On the second week, I went full on with the moisture routine. I decided to use products that I know will keep my skin hydrated without increasing sebum production. So I turned to my trusty Hyaluronic products, the easily available Hada-Labo Hyaluronic Acid for morning before moisturizer instead of my usual Laneige pore-minimizing (hence drying) toner and the more concentrated V10Plus serum in the evening before my Clarins moisturizer.
I alternated this routine with my Laneige water sleeping pack which I'll apply generously all over my face followed by my eye tonic. No neglecting our little peepers! :)

I had a facial on Thursday at Body Wellness and Wendy my facial therapist recommended a trial facial called the Golden Rose for a more intensive hydrating treatment as opposed to my usual oil control one. I was glad I gave it a try because the result was amazing! With Wendy, I love how she always recommend different treatments according to my skin condition. That makes me feel really well taken care of. :) I looveee the after feel of baby soft skin as well as how radiant my complexion looks when the session is over. I went home to bed without washing my face and cleansed it only the next morning.
The Golden Rose facial trial session is available at Body Wellness for S$98 per session.  Highly recommended for brides who are going for photoshoot or even their upcoming wedding day!

On Sunday night before my photoshoot, hubby and I both slapped on our individual SK-II masks a hour before we hit the sack.  After peeling off the semi-wet mask, remember to rub the excess liquid on your arms, legs, neck and every single nook of your body because it's so bloody expensive! Squeeze out every single drop from the packaging as well, like how you squeeze out the shokubutsu shower gel refills. You'll be surprised at just how much liquid you can dispense!

We woke up the next morning and the first thing I did was to touch my face. Oh my gosh.... soooo silky! Mad loves! I know my effort for the past 2 weeks paid off and I was mighty happy. Even hubby went, "touch my face, touch my face!" Shoooo kyute la:)

Do share your own pre-wedding skincare routine if you have any! I'm a HUGE skincare junkie and would love to know more about how you guys prep for the big day!

Pre-loved Almost New Authentic Blue Cashmere Burberry Check Scarf

Used once and in EXCELLENT condition. Wrapped lovingly in tissue paper and stored. No tags as it's pre-loved.

Colour: Light blue, grey and white

100% cashmere

Dry-clean only

Made in England

A check print defines a soft cashmere scarf finished with fringe.

Approx. dimensions: 12"W x 66"L with 3" fringe

Cashmere; dry clean

By Burberry; made in England

PERFECT FOR THE COMING WINTER!
 

 Payment to be made via bank transfer within 24 hours after confirmation

.

Please drop me a message for more enquiries and pictures.

FREE REGISTERED POSTAGE!

NOW SELLING: SGD$150

Lose weight now, ask me how!

Are you stuck with your weight and shape and are actively looking for solutions on what to do?

Herbalife is a global nutrition company that has helped people pursue a healthy, active life since 1980. Our nutrition, weight-management and personal care products are available exclusively through our more than 2.1 million independent Distributors in 75 countries.

We support the Herbalife Family Foundation (HFF) and its Casa Herbalife program to help bring good nutrition to children in need. We also sponsor world-class athletes, teams and events around the globe, including the LA Galaxy and FC Barcelona soccer clubs, as well as champions in more than 15 other sports.

Our Mission is to change people’s lives by providing the best business opportunity in direct selling and the best nutrition and weight-management products in the world.

Our Science
Everything we do starts with great products, & all our products start with proven science. Herbalife is dedicated to developing innovative, effective products that comply with the highest research, development and manufacturing standards in the industry.

Research & Development & Quality Assurance

Herbalife is committed to setting the standard by which all nutrition companies are measured. We are advancing the science of nutrition through scientific research conducted around the world. Since 2003, we've increased our research and development expenditures dramatically to advance the produc-development process. 

Product integrity, safety and efficacy have always been Herbalife's top priorities. We invest in new technology and research as part of our commitment to providing innovative, science-based nutrition products. Ingredients used in our products are also found in many foods. Our materials (Including botanical ingredients) are globally sourced from reputable suppliers and our products are manufactured in accordance with established quality standards. Product quality is verified at our in-house laboratory with state-of-the-art testing equipment. THe Herbalife quality team conducts regular audits and inspections of supplier and contact manfacturers to ensure compliance.



1 month basic program




3 different flavours to suit your preference

To find out more on how to lose weight the healthy way, drop me an email at genevie0512@gmail.com to jumpstart your healthy lifestyle! It's as simple as a HEALTHY BREAKFAST every morning!




CHANEL BLUE ILLUSION

This love-hate relationship with Chanel is getting nowhere. I boo at the prices and I revel at the beautiful things that this infuriating brand has to offer.

This is the makeup collection inspired by the magical Chanel Haute Couture Spring / Summer 2012 show that Karl Lagerfeld visioned and created to reality in which models paraded down a runway inside an aeroplane. Creative Director and Makeup Master Peter Philips took Karl's one word "Blue" and transformed it into a beautiful skyline!

Holy bananas... I ja'dore this collection! Gawd-ormytee why are you doing this to meeee....

who knew an airplane runway could be so unbelievably chic

So pretty can...

Credits: A Polish Addict

Chanel Skyline is a limited edition shade from the Bleu Illusion collection, released this July.  It is a pearlised powder blue with a frosty look.  Depending on lightning, there will be a hint of silver as well as a hint of lavender.

The line features Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadow in:

• Apparition - a shimmery, darker, almost navy shade of blue.
• Destination - a shimmery, pale shade of light blue.

Wantwantwant!

Loving this: Louis Vuitton Monogram Empreinte Speedy 25 Bandouliere

Such an adorable tote, dressed in my favourite LV printed leather no less.

Oh how I love thee.... There's no denying how adorable this new speedy is. It's to be launched in Singapore in late September and retails for SGD3050. Bahhh. I'll bring this baby home if I have no home commitments. *screams and stomps*

Besides the one shown above in Aurore (or a rich raspberry hue), it will also come in the following colours: Infini (a deep midnight blue), Orient (a burnt orange), Aube (a dark violet) and Terre (a warm chocolate brown). Makes the perfect weekend tote don't ya think?

Nay to Chanel?

I, like many of my fellow country ladies suffer from oily skin that worsens between the months of June - August because the weather here is just too flaming warm.

Striving to get holy-grail products to counter this problem is not an easy task because so many products in the market claim to be sebum controlling and mattifying. Naturally I turned to the brand that seems to have everything nailed so far, my good ol' Chanel. Oil control is quite a common problem to tackle so surely the powerhouse has this in the bag? Right? Wrong.

The PURETÉ IDÉALE range is suitable for women with oily / acne prone skin. I got the serum and mattifying fluid which the counter lady claims to be really great at tackling shine. Granted the range promises to deliver mattifying qualities to keep skin fresh and minimize shine. Did it manage to achieve that on my skin, yes, for about an hour.  

PURETÉ IDÉALE SÉRUM

I had such high hopes for this product. It goes on my skin sooo well and smells amazing. My pores look smaller and my skin felt really soft. I applied this after my laneige pore care toner and waited for it to set before I applied my gel moisturizer.

PURETÉ IDÉALE MATTIFYING FLUID

This is applied after my gel moisturizer. I always rest my skin for about a minute or so in between applications of different products to allow them time to get absorbed. My make-up routine goes on after the basic skin care is done.

I finished my makeup routine with high hopes that I'll still look great at noon and a visit to the ladies at 10.30am at the office shocked me as I could see the shine on my forehead and nose coming through my make-up. Not good! It's still morning! I was devastated. Where's the shine control? What mattifying properties? I resisted blotting and waited till after lunch. By then, the shine was really evident, I had no choice but to evian and dap my face to rid the sebum and to curb my depression.

Conclusion? Disappointing. I expected better of Chanel based on the price tag. Even my Laura Mercier primer did a better job at keeping my makeup intact.

The hubs will be glad to hear that I finally have something negative to say about Chanel. The Chanel Hydra Beauty range however is a different story altogether. I'll get into that as soon as I can.

Review: Lush Fresh Cupcake Mask

My fascination with Lush started when I visited my aunt in Vancouver many years ago. I walked into one of their shops and caught a whiff of the bizarre looking cream cheese blocks, pots of creamy liquids on ice and candy-like looking products. It smelt so decadent that I could not believe I was staring at soaps and bodycreams. I could have sworn I walked into a candy shop. I was young back then and did not think much of skincare but now that I'm aging *gasp*, boy am I glad Lush made it's way back to Singapore!

Lush is famous for being an eco-friendly company; all their products are vegetarian and animal-cruelty free. Their items are handmade with each tub bearing the names of their maker. Fresh masks are sold by weight and comes in Lush’s trademark 100% recycled black tub. It is said to be able to last between 5-8 uses. It’s kept chilled in the shop and due to the fresh ingredients (and lack of preservatives) found in the mask, the mask should be kept refrigerated at home as well.

Wandering into Lush at Wisma Atria, I found myself purchasing the Lush Fresh Cream Face Mask in Cupcake. Cupcake is the cocoa-rich option best suited for oily and combination skin. The mask promises to deep-cleanse your face, preventing acne, purifying pores and removing blackheads. Chief ingredients in this gooey chocolate delicious-ness include Rhasoul mud which cleanses and soothes,shea and cocoa butters and linseed which soften the skin and peppermint, spearmint and sandalwood oils to calm the skin and round off the relaxing experience.

yums max!

The consistency of Cupcake is extremely thick. I thought it would be gooey like the usual mud masks which I've tried but it was sandy and grainy to the touch which made it a tad difficult to apply. I used the scoop that came with Laniege's water sleeping pack for application but it sure felt as though I was buttering cement on my face.

But oh, the smell!!! The Cupcake mask is definitely one for all the chocoholics out there. The minty chocolate scent is simply divine. If you are as big a fan of chocolate fudge as I am, you'll be really tempted to dip your finger in and sneak a taste.

The mask dries rather easily. Lush recommends five to ten minutes but I left it on for 25 mins because I love the feeling of tightening once the mask dries! The rinsing off part may be a chore for some but I found that using a soft muslin cloth and warm water and cleansing the mask off in circular motions gets the mask off pretty easily. But I have friends who literally dip their faces into a bowl of warm water to soften the mask and rub it off slowly. Do remember to clean any remaining residue off the sink though!

Skin Inspection

I was reasonably impressed with the immediate results. My skin felt baby soft to touch and my pores looked cleaner and my spots look less red. I was surprised by how quick the effect of the mask was evident on my face! I slap on my night skincare and went to bed. Morning came and I noticed that my skin is not as oily as usual and the spots have diminished. I can see that this mask is rather effective for me in terms of reducing sebum and diminishing spots.

Overall, I like how the mask impacts my skin. I love the smell, the immediate effects and how it's preservatives free. I would use this on spotty days when my skin is acting up before my regular spot treatment gel or serum.

Lush Fresh Cream Face Mask in Cupcake is available in 75g / S$24.

Nightly Skincare Routine

As many already know, our skin cells do their repair work most effectively at night. Research shows that skin cell regeneration almost doubles at night, peaking between 23:00 and 4:00. Production of collagen is boosted, harmful free radicals are destroyed and cell damage is rectified. So it's important to sleep as early as 11pm! (something which has not happened to me in a long long time). Our skin temperature is higher at night so this enables your skincare products to seep deeper into your skin for better results.

 

(L-R) SK II Skin Signature, Estee Lauder ANR, Sampar Prodigal Pen, Alpha-H Liquid Gold,
Alpha-H Liquid Gold Night Serum, SK II Eye-Treatment Film,
SK II Facial Treatment Essence


These are the usual items which I use on a weekly basis, not ALL at one go because all of them are for tackling aging skin and should be not used too intensively.

SK-II Facial treatment essence - First off, yes this essence has a pretty nasty smell. But over the past 5 yrs of religious usage, it has evened out my skintone and gave it that QQ feel. Such an amazing essence, definitely a staple in my anti-aging routine!

Estee Lauder ANR - The miracle anti-aging serum is essential for days whereby I suffer from hormonal spots or my skin is feeling yucky. Spots lighten or disappear by morning and my complexion looks a lot better overnight. A definite must-have in your night time routine!

SK-II skin signature - I started trying this when I needed a night cream to complement my essence twice weekly. I have this anal habit of using the same brand of essence and moisturizer together, believing that they go hand-in-hand best. But sometimes I will deviate from this routine because of I have many other products to experiment. Love the richness of this cream! A little of this goes a long way, I tend to use only a little for the whole face because it becomes heavy when too much is applied. Another staple!

Sampar prodigal pen - This is my go-to pimple / spot remover. It contains natural essential oils and does not aggravate the skin. My spots usually disappear after 2 days upon application twice a day.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold - What a little miracle worker! This item contains glycolic acid which exfoliates the skin while you sleep without the usual harsh scrubbing action of normal facial scrubs. I only use this at night without any moisturizers on top to allow the liquid gold to work it's magic without interruptions.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Intensive Night Repair Serum - This is what I use every two or three nights after my Liquid Gold days. This can be used in conjunction with a moisturizer for those who are uncomfortable with not using a night moisturizer. A great essential to keep aging at bay!

SK-II Eye Treatment Gel Film - I have problem with milia seeds under my eyes and this is the reason why I'm unable to use rich eye creams. Gels are not as good as clearing dark eye circles and good eye creams but this provides the moisture my tired eyes require.


Am still trying out more items to be used on a regular basis. Will write a more detailed post about Liquid Gold serums soon, my absolute new found staple! xx

My Journey with Skincare

Gosh, I can't even begin to tell you when I started obsessing over skincare. It must have been a good 10 yrs ago when I first met my good friend J in college and saw her rummaging through her bag of sample skincare goodies and being in awe by the products she brought to care for her skin after gym class. Back then it was the Johnsons wet wipes that I used with for my after class cleansing because it was fuss-free and cheap. But I saw her going through the tedious motions of cleansing, toning and moisturizing and I thought to myself, "Gosh, what a hassle!"

When I was younger, I made the mortal error of trusting a neighbourhood facialist with my young and acne prone skin. I was deeply troubled by my many pimples and Mumsy, very kindly brought me over to her facialist (recommended by my aunt). It was the worst mistake we made. The facialist poked and prodded my skin with metallic tools and squeezed them pimples with all her might. I left every session red and swollen, with my face hot and throbbing in pain. That facialist I frequented was more interested in promoting her many products over genuinely sharing the knowledge of basic skincare. We bought tons of stuff from her thinking it'll be better if I stick to one brand of products so my skin won't be 'confused'. Geez... stupid much.

Fast forward to many yrs later, I finally have some money to try out different products in the market. I now have a vast range of skincare products to cater to every condition that my skin may have. I have spent yrs and yrs researching, buying and experimenting with sooo many products and am now well-versed with my skin type and how to take care of it.

First of all, skincare is not a cheap investment. As you age, the products you need get more intensive and expensive. So personally, I think it is extremely important to start caring for your skin at a young age to give it a good foundation and not needing to spend so much money to attempt to turn back the clock at the later stage of your life.

So, do take the time to understand your skin type. What works well on others may not do so on you. The reviews on products are my honest opinions after usage. Products are bought with my own money and are not sponsored.

About Me
Age: Late 20s
Skin type: Combination (Oily T-zone and dry U-zone)
Problematic areas: Open pores and oily T-zone