Take it Away!

When I first got to Sydney, as with any other new country you relocate to, you have no idea where to get your errands done. Simple things like, where to get a proper haircut, where to trim your eyebrows, get a proper wax etc. (Usually things that are relatively insignificant but makes big changes to your overall appearance)

So in regards to brazilian waxing, I found “Beauty Grace” after a quick internet search. They are pretty good and cheaper than big names like Ella Bache, but I was looking for EVEN cheaper options. Behold, I found “Leah’s Wax Works”- A gem for woman who don’t mind not having the “spa” like environment and just wants to get the job done.

Leah’s Link

Beauty Grace’s Link

Jc Penney.. Where are you?

I never knew JC Penney had an online store in Singapore until today!!- when news of it closing down reached me!

I mean, I saw JC Penney ads in Seventeen, the teenage mag when I was in school. I thought, oh they have pretty nice dresses for Prom nights and such. I wished they had retail stores in Singapore.

As I receive mails on media and retail industry news, I was shocked to see that JC Penney was closing down, what it seems, their pacific offices: Australia, Singapore, Malaysia.

They really could have done with a little more advertising telling girls that JC Penney had an online store operational in Singapore and we would have DEFINITELY done some online shopping there.

If any girl feels the same about this… spread the word man. Bottom line is we can’t shop at places we don’t know exist!!

If only there was H&M in Sydney…

A very extravagant guide

I’m a fan of Louis Vuitton because of it’s timeless pieces and the fact that they were the first who epitomized luxury travel goods since ‘Luxury’ became a commodity. (No, I’m not referring to horrible graffiti- louis vuitton types.)

Yet, I truly believe something like that is far too extravagant and frivolous.

I have a much nicer photo of the guides at work but meantime, this will do.

This is retailing at $110 USD. Can I really see myself buying this even if I’m rolling in wads of cash? No not really. Not this version at least… (Yes I will post up the prettier version as soon as I get the chance.)

What I would pay for, are design books or “look books”, pages splashed with colour after colour on 52<gsm paper stock, glossy and well bounded. That’s the kind of books I’m willing fork good money out on. The simply logic is that it is worthwhile because of the production costs involved. Having a good name doesn’t make everything look good. (i.e disfigured louis vuitton bags.)

Update: Here’s the fancy image!

All About Lips!

My lips are so chapped it’s not funny. I have at least 3 lip balms/gloss at any one time and accumulating new ones each time the moon is full. Yet my laziness to reach into my bag, search for that tiny balm, fails me, and fails my very dry and chapped lips.

So I was deciding to buy some form of moisturiser for my lips. Some form of treatment would be good. Looking at both the Peter Thomas Roth, “Lips to die for” and Clinique’s “All about Lips”, my wallet agreed with Clinique better and hence, another Clinique product for me again.

After several applications on my dry chapped lips, the dried “serum” felt like a layer of velvet over my lips. If you had luscious lips, that would have been like a final layer of loose powder over your foundation. However, on my dry chapped lips, it made the flakiness on the surface even more prominent. I had to clean it off (more like rubbing it off…) and put tons of balm to cure the sudden prominence on my ‘flakes’.

It does feel alot like Estee Lauder’s Eye cream in the Perfectionist collection. Velvety, but simply an extra and fine layer of “silicon” to soothe the surface.

I would use Clinique’s All about Lips as a loose power over my lips when they are not chapped. (meaning… back to the lip-balms..) However I’m still looking for that perfect moisturiser/treatment for my lips…

Perhaps it would be time to try Peter Thomas Roth!

Product Review: “Take the Day off” cleansing milk

Clinque Take the day off cleanser

After weaning off my reliance on Payot products, I felt lost as to what products to use now. I don’t trust commercially pushed ones since they are all about low overheads and maximum profits. The quality is always questionable.

I find myself, the one with a never-ending pile of beauty products, asking women around me what make-up cleanser they are currently using.

I ended up stumbling upon Clinique’s “Take it Away” Cleansing Milk. I was at Myer’s Mall and decided to check out some a tinted waterproof foundation, (even though I really shouldn’t shop again!!), and as I had some make up being tried on me, she used the “Take it Away” cleansing milk on me.

Since I’ve always had a good relationship with cleansing milks from Payot, I found it hard to find an affordable one kind enough to my pocket- so I figured Clinique’s option isn’t too bad.

After about 2 months of using it, I do notice that my face is cleaner than my temporary Garnier make up remover.

However, it was a little harsh on my skin, and once or twice, I am sure it smells like paint. Surprisingly since cleansing milks are meant to be gentle and “softer” on the skin as compared to alcohol-based make-up removers.

When using the cleanser, I completely avoid my eyes because on several occasions when it got into my eyes, it was a real b*tch.

So, for a girl on a budget watch, now living on her own*, the Clinique is a good option for girls who have make up thick enough to warrant a make-up remover.

Ouch!!

One of my girl friends was telling me over msn that she just got a Brazilian done and after chatting with her about it, I decided to write about it here.

I’ve always been scared about the idea of having someone touch your down under AND give you lots of pain. I just couldn’t go with it until I said, okay, let’s go and try go for it!

I went to Spa Haven under the DBS card special and I must say, it was really pretty alright. I mean, the pain of it made me perspire… make me cover my mouth and wish time would pass quicker, but it felt… CLEAN!

(I’m trying to make this as non-vulgar as possible)

My friend went to Strip to have hers done and she had a cream to supposedly, “thin” the growing hairs.

So if you’re considering on getting one done, I suggest really reading up first and knowing what you’re getting yourself into. If it’s your first, my experience at Spa Haven makes it recommendable. (and more affordable.) There are a number of different spas doing Brazilian, but you have to go for the kind that does not use cloth wax where they put the cloth on the wax. THAT tears your skin. It’s a NO-NO.

So good luck, and enjoy the feeling. You’ll feel weird initially if it’s your first time, but you’ll enjoy it! Trust me!!

Just today

After not being able to sleep since I woke up early to send my siblings off, I read an article from “Simply Her” about a mother losing a child.

It made me tear because it was so heartfelt and painful. For her, time doesn’t heal, and there isn’t a day she doesn’t miss her son. It was just so heart wrenching to read her story. She called her son, “a saint on loan to us”. I really hope that God looks over them and helps them with their grieve. My heart goes out to them… Life is so fragile. Once again reminded that I should thank God for every day that I open my eyes in the morning.

So I took a bit to prepare for the shoot and here’s some snap shots I took from my phone. Sorry for the bad quality but thanks to my friend E, who has been very very kind to take such wonderful shots and sourcing for a studio.

I’ll post up the finished photos when I get it so hopefully that works out nicely.

I’m so so exhausted. Since I’m utterly broke, my mum took pity on me and gave me some really cool eyeshadows and mascara and lip pencil to last me (a decade- considering my existing pile) a really long time. But no girl (except for some girls) says make up is ever enough! hehehe.. So extremely happy with this eye shadow because although the colour is dark, it doesn’t “fade” with you gently pat it with single strokes.

Some dark colours either go on too strong or with you layer lightly, the colour doesn’t even show. So this is really great. It costs about 30 bucks for one colour! The best thing about it is that it is MATTE. I do love some shimmer at times, but matte is so absolutely gorgeous and it looks good on ANYONE.

A tip that I learnt in photoshoots is that matte is used in most shoots (except for special requirements/ effects) as it doesn’t make the make up look too “oily” or too disco girl. lol. I still have a palette of Lancome eyeshadow with me that is ALL shimmer… bah. (My mum dumped that on me cus she doesn’t use shimmer.) Hands up if you love MATTE EYESHADOWS!!!

Beauty home Spa moment!!

hahaa.. as much as I do believe that we ladies, all need to PAMPER ourselves once in while, be it for ourselves or to the delight of our partners, we can’t always afford to do so in a professional salon. (except for a lucky few.)

So I whipped up my mum’s Payot Sea salt spa collection and this was the mixture.

The sea salt is mixed with an oil like liquid but can be washed away with water. (I didn’t take a photo of that bottle of oil like liquid though.)

Obviously we nature loving people, reuse the bottle.. so don’t bother reading the label.. it’s not the same one.. :p

I swear the reason why Payot is so expensive is because they are REALLY F%$^%$^ GOOD!!!!!! I washed off the scrub without any problem at all. Everything just melts away and what’s left, is my silky skin. And I say SILKY, I really do mean it. I have NEVER had skin like that before after ANY spa sessions. They either feel too oily or too sandy. This was just incredible.

Topping it off has got to be a mask. So I whipped out the Botanics that I got from Thailand wayyyy long ago. (don’t worry it can still be used as it wasn’t opened till very much later.)

I’ve also been trying out the “Estee Lauder Perfectionist” and it feels a little like putting a layer of film over your face, soothing all lines and feels perfect. Great for close ups or for a big day! Not sure if this helps in a long run, but I should think it does! It probably doesn’t work for everyone because some says it gives you break outs and stuff. So I suggest going to a shop like SASA, and get it for trial before getting the bottle.

For some, the Estee Lauder “Idealist” is a less “hardcore” version as compared to this perfectionist. But.. I’m a perfectionist.

When I was in Hongkong, my aunt let me try this cream which she touted as “WONDER CREAM” and says it feels really good. I felt like that product was similar to Estee Lauder’s perfectionist. I only remember that it was from Clarins so it could be any of these two:

Clarins Hydration Plus Moisture Lotion or some other Clarins Moisture something. But my mum who has dry skin says it wasn’t suitable for her. So it’s your call.

A sigh of content

I found an awesome place for a great facial. It felt so much like my mum’s technique, the traditional facial and the boutique spa was very professional as well.

It’s called “Subtle Senses” and unfortunately they don’t have a website but they have a couple of offers for different credit card holders. If you sign on a package, it is much more worth it as compared to going for one-off facial treatments.

Too bad I’m leaving, it was a great place to have bi-weekly facials. I’ve highly recommended to my mum, the beautician who can’t find a place that will do a decent facial for her. lol.

All their products are organic products, so I guess it works for sensitive skin and… I may have just reduced my eco-print a bit more while visiting that place!

It is located at Mosque St, just beside Pagoda street where you can exit from Chinatown MRT station.