Late night hauling (MDS Collections & The Scarletroom)

So I just spent S$40 on the following items from MDS Collections and The Scarletroom. Online sales are quite awesome. :D 

Now I have choices for Chinese New Year! Yes, maybe not the black dress from Scarletroom, but it's always good to have a black dress in my collection! This particular black dress also looks demure from the front, but oohlala it's all mesh + cut outs at the back. :D Obviously, I will wear pretty tanktops/bralets/camisoles underneath it, can't wait to wear it!! :) 

S$12.60 (originally S$42)
http://www.mdscollections.com/pd-mds-empress-sequin-cardigan-in-pink-771pink.cfm 

S$12.60 (originally S$42)
http://www.mdscollections.com/pd-mds-sassy-preen-frock-in-prints-2215848prnt.cfm

S$15.50 (originally S$27.50)
http://thescarletroom.com/dresses/waisted-mullet-dress-black

YAY SALES! :)

Exercise + diet routine (how I lost 6 kg in 4 months)

Losing 6 kilograms in 4 months may not be a feat to some people, but to me, it's a reward for my hard-to-come-by perseverance. The main reasons why I was so determined to lose weight was because I had enough of people shunning me because I look fatter than the average human being. I mean, yes, some people were nice and they sais I was just a little bit plump, but there were others who went all out to make sure I felt bad about myself - including some family members too.

I was under depression almost 1.5 years ago because of this matter and had so many suicidal thoughts. Then one night, I snapped out of it and decided to give it my all. I lost 6 kg between February 2012 and June 2012, and currently I'm just trying to note gain anymore weight. If I do lose more weight now, it will be a bonus, but my exercise and diet routine now is just to maintain the weight loss.

So here is my exercise routine!

Running/jogging/walking

I made it a habit to run, jog or walk at least 4 times a week. It's not about how much calories you are burning, it's about moving around. You remain stagnant in a certain position so much everyday that you  accumulate fats in areas that you don't want fats to store. For example, studying or being in school means you are sitting down a lot, and hence if you eat too much, your fats are probably going to accumulate in the tummy and butt area. NOT GOOD. Therefore, it's important that you move about by either running or simply walking around your estate.

Don't under-estimate walking. Walking more contributes to the increase in your metabolism level. Increase in metabolism level means that the rate of you burning fat WHILE NOT EXERCISING is faster.

If you want to lose weight, running is great, especially when you add intensity levels into your routine. For example, you can sprint for 1 minute, and then jog slowly for the next 2 minutes. You don't need to be a marathon runner to be able to lose weight. It's all about moving around and not being in the same pose for too long.

Online fitness videos

I have two videos that I want to share:

1. Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3)



The video above is a compilation of all 3 levels, but the gist is you start with Level 1, and then change to Level 2 on your 11th day and then to Level 3 on your 21st day. Some of the moves are quite simple, but some are really painful.

The 30 Day Shred has varying effects on different people. Some lost weight, some gained weight instead (but they noticed their body contours were more defined and firm). For me, I lost minimal weight but the inches lost from my tummy and legs were quite spectacular. I was really happy with my tummy area because my waistline was very obviously smaller!

2. P90X videos

Sadly, I couldn't find legitimate videos on Youtube, but you can always Google for them. I don't really do P90X exercises often because they are really intense. The first time I did it, I couldn't walk properly the next day. It was really quite painful.

For those who don't want to gain more muscle mass than necessary, I suggest that you don't do the P90X exercises too often.

A typical exercise day for me will be:

• 45 minutes jog around my estate
• 15 minutes of a combination of 30 Day Shred moves and P90X moves
• 5 minutes stretching

Of course, exercising only WILL NOT lead to weight loss. What you need to couple it with is a good diet. Not starvation definitely (I'm guilty of this, especially on days when I feel flabby. Yikes.)

A good diet to have:

• Many people say just avoid carbohydrates. WRONG. Carbohydrates are highly important for your system. What you need to take note of is what kind of carbohydrates you eat. Anything processed is a no-go. White bread and white rice are two of the most evil things you put in your mouth. Once in a while is of course perfectly fine, but I will suggest going for unprocessed carbos. Whole grains are fantastic, and just avoid eating potatoes. Beans are also great. 
• More fruits and vegetables. This is a no brainer. However, skimp on the dressing. Many fast food joints' salads contain higher calories than their burgers because of the crazy amount of dressing they include. Red wine vinaigrette is a great dressing. Personally, I eat my salads with as little dressing as possible. 
• TOFU. This is my all-time favourite diet food. Tofu is just packed with goodness. You get the calcium, you get the protein, but not the calories. Furthermore, eating tofu regularly can help to lower your cholesterol levels! 
• KIMCHI. I love pairing kimchi with tofu. They fill you up like crazy, but you don't get as much calories and fats. 
• WATER. Yes, water really does help in weight loss. Also, it doesn't hurt to hydrate yourself with something that contains no calories at all. 

It's a good diet to have, but don't follow it too strictly. Sometimes, you need to reward yourself with good food and it's okay to eat fatty food once in a while. 

In my case, I cannot resist good food AT ALL. So, whenever I eat high-fat content food or high-calorie food, I compensate by exercising more. Indulging in good food every now and then is amazing for your mental health. Don't deprive yourself!! You'll get depressed along the way and nope, that's not very nice! 

The above is just my personal take on exercise and diet routine, please don't take it too seriously. The tip is to find the best exercise and diet routines to suit youtself! :) However, I hope this post has been useful for anyone who's looking to lose weight/maintain the weight loss - I hope it directs you in the correct direction! :) 

Have a good weekend, everyone! :D

Review: Etude House Line Nuance Duo in 02

I'm always amazed at how cheaply some Korean cosmetics are on Qoo10, and being a cosmetics hoarder, I tend to just give in to temptations and click "Confirm Purchase". 

The Etude House Line Nuance Duo in 02 is another cheap find on Qoo10. I think it was around S$8 when I purchased it. Quite sure it retails for much much more in stores. If you are interested, do visit this link to buy: http://list.qoo10.sg/gmkt.inc/Goods/Goods.aspx?goodscode=408453629 

I bought it in shade 02 - baby peach eyeshadow with mocha eyeliner. 

Yep, it's a double-ended pencil - eyeshadow on one end and eyeliner on the other. Quite convenient if you hate carrying around heavy makeup bags. 

Packaging: I think it's just me and my bias towards sleekly designed cosmetics. No need for colourful, over-the-top packaging; just simple black packaging will do. Hence, the Etude House Line Nuance Duo scores high marks in the packaging department! I also especially liked how the eyeshadow end is transparent so that the user can see what colour eyeshadow it is!

Eyeshadow end

Eyeshadow end:

Colour and pigmentation: A very subtle light coral colour with some degree of shimmer. It's great for everyday wear (if you have normally dry eyelids, I will talk about this in a while), however pigmentation's average. You can try building up the colour through multiple applications, but I don't think you can get much out of the product. 

Application and longevity: Applies rather smoothly and with no difficulty. However, this product is a nightmare for users with oily lids like me. After a mere 2 hours or so, the eyeshadow starts to crease and you can see the unsightly crease lines on my eyelids. Not glam AT ALL. It's such a pretty colour though. I will suggest applying this as a base, and then dusting some similarly-coloured eyeshadow over it. Not like it will help much, but at least we tried, huh? 

Eyeliner end

Eyeliner end:

Colour and pigmentation: It's a mix between taupe and dark brown, with a slight hint of shimmer. Pigmentation is below average for me because I prefer a dark eyeliner look. It's good for users who prefer an all-natural look though.

Application and longevity: The first application was a nightmare because the lead was so hard! Thank God I swatched it on my hand before I used it on my eyelid. After the first swatch, the eyeliner was much more "workable". The eyeliner is different from the eyeshadow in that it's more suitable for those with oily lids. It didn't smudge or crease, so it's an average eyeliner overall.

Swatches taken with camera flash

Will I buy it again? Sadly nope. Even though the eyeshadow colour is pretty and the when combined, you can achieve a fuss-free, all-natural look, the Etude House Line Nuance Duo does not perform well after a couple of hours.

Review: But, Becky Age-Lock & Moisturizing Wild Yam Mask

[Disclaimer: This mask set was sent to me for review purposes. However, all opinions are of my own and not purposely written more positively/more negatively because the product was sent to me.]

With the widespread popularity of Taiwanese masks among Singaporeans, it is of no surprise that we have yet another new brand of masks coming in from Taiwan! The But, Becky masks! :) 

Secretive has very nicely sponsored me the But, Becky Age-Lock & Moisturizing Wild Yam Mask set and it's quite lucky for me to have receive the Anti-Ageing version because I think I desperately need intense Anti-Ageing products!! Old already!!

The But, Becky Age-Lock & Moisturizing Wild Yam Mask set contains 8 masks and retails for S$14.90 at selected Watsons stores.

The But, Becky masks are endorsed by Aaron Yan (Yan Ya Lun of Fahrenheit). Plus points there simply because there's a handsome guy endorsing the brand. :D

I really appreciate brands that take those extra steps in assuring their customers. In this case, it's clearly written that the masks are oil-free and non-comedogenic, hence for those with troubled skin and easily irritated skin, you can be assured that this mask will minimise the chances of you getting a bad reaction.

As with all masks, the application process is easy and quick. It's quite enticing to leave the mask on for more than 15 minutes. Some people even sleep with the mask still on their faces! It's advisable that you refrain from doing so because by sleeping with your mask on, it increases the likelihood of you getting premature wrinkles! Also, masks that contain glycolic acid should not be left on the face for longer than the recommended time because leaving it on for too long can cause skin irritation! 

The But, Becky masks are all designed for Asian skin and while refreshing your skin, the masks also help to lift your skin through its double woven mask sheet design (complete with ear hooks). 

Ingredients List

The But, Becky Age-Lock & Moisturizing Wild Yam Mask contains Vitamin C and E, and also wild yam that's amazing for delaying ageing process! Hooray to wild yam!

The mask also promises:

• to help with sebum regulation
• to keep skin hydrated

Other varieties of the But, Becky masks. 

Mask sheet: It's made of a woven material, and hence it's highly stretchable, which means the mask will be able to fit itself onto the contour of anyone's face. However, one difficulty I had after application is after I hooked the ear-hooks on my ears, it gets quite difficult to get rid of the air bubbles without compromising other parts. As can be seen from the application photos above, some air bubbles were still present and hence the product was not fully absorbed by the skin at some parts. 

Mask smell: My sister said it smelled really bad, while I thought the smell was really herbal and pleasant. I guess it can go two ways: either you love the smell or you hate it. There's no "ok lah" here because the mask really smells like wild yam, in a herbal and medicinal sort of way. There's no floral bits or fruity whiffs, it's all herbal, and that's why I love it so much! Some masks have overpowering floral scents that bring me to migraine hell. The But, Becky Age-Lock & Moisturizing Wild Yam Mask has that herbal smell that soothes you and that gives you the impression that it's going to work! 

Absorption rate: This is a stellar mask when it comes to how fast my skin absorbed the liquid goodness. I don't know how the chemistry behind it works, but I'm quite sure the molecules that made up the liquid are really really really tiny molecules. After I removed the mask, all the essence was absorbed into my skin within 5 minutes. I had dry, smooth skin afterwards! No more sticky mess! YAY!

Does it work? Since I received the set, I have used the But, Becky Age-Lock & Moisturizing Wild Yam Mask for a total of 4 times, and it did not irritate my skin or break me out, so I'm a happy reviewer! :) Hydrating-wise, the But, Becky mask does its job well, and I think it's a good mask to put on after a really long day at work or in school. Whether or not it helps to delay ageing will have to be confirmed after continuous usage over a long period of time, so I cannot guarantee that this But, Becky mask will delay ageing. 

However, over-all, it's a good mask to have and it's so affordable too! S$14.90 for 8! 

Do visit But, Becky SG facebook page and Secretive SG facebook page for more information, updates and giveaways!

Food, friends and school (Week 1 of Y4S2)

It's a rainy Saturday, and I'm doing all I can to keep myself awake. It's always blissful when you plan to be at home all day and it's pouring outside. My bed and I just merge as one. So I figure, time to update my blog and make my readers happy! :) 

Here are the photos from this week. I must say that it's an unexpectedly good week. However, in terms of course registration, it has been terrible. I shall not dwell into NTU negativeness. 

First OOTD - Cardigan's from Cotton On and dreamcatcher tank is from Chatuchak Market! 

Boyfriend and I went to Kim's Family for amazing Korean food again and it was once again, quite stellar. The 12 side dishes were too much but too good. The fact that Kim's Family is located so near my house is really both a blessing and a curse. Too much of a delicious food means I need to run extra! :( 

Upcoming review for But, Becky Age Lock & Moisturising Wild Yam Mask! Thanks Secretive for the masks! :) 

Second OOTD - H&M tank, Cotton On peplum cardigan, Forever 21 jeans and oxfords from Qoo10. 

And yes #cottononbigthings is happening right now. It's a competition for those who love to post OOTD on instagram and for those who love Cotton On. Simply put, I'm more than eligible to enter. HAHA. If I win, I get a free trip to Australia + a Canon G1X. JUST GIVE ME PLEASE. 

Third OOTD - Vintage top from Bangkok (S$3!!)

Fourth OOTD - Vintage denim from Chatuchak, bag from H&M, Socks from qoo10 and shoes from Cotton On

I had my first ever NIE lesson this semester - Introduction to Printmaking - and it was quite amazing. I'm of course not very good with art, but it's really fun!! I'm also s/u-ing this module so everyone in the class should love my mediocre skills because I will help them get their As!! :)

I really love the class and it's a good 3 hours every Thursday! I'm taking it with so many amazing people too!!

Konkon doing manual labour haha.

Dora and I met up this week (FINALLY!) and we had an amazing time catching up on office gossips and whatnots.

We had ramen at Menya Musashi at ION Orchard, and I was quite satisfied with my order.

Dora's white shabu shabu ramen

My black cha shu ramen set (with additional bowl of rice topped with something that I'm not familiar with but it was damn good)

My set was S$15.90! Affordable and delicious!

This skull necklace was on sale for S$2.97 at New Look and I HAD to get it. After paying, I immediately put it on. It's a short necklace, so it's dainty, but the pendant is a skull! So it's confusing. 

Haha my shoes match the stool in H&M fitting room.

We met up with kengyang for dinner and had curry rice at Coco Ichibanya!

I was too full from the ramen goodness, so I opted for a tuna salad. :)

Dora's mushroom omelette rice.

Kengyang's pork kimchi curry rice.

Still go for dessert some more haha. Really ate too much. STARVATION OVER THE WEEKENDS.

Annnddd ending with a lovely photo of boyfriend and I taken by the very professional camera photographer, Dora! :D

Now, I shall continue with FYP and then Nick Stone's Voodoo Eyes! I really hope I don't fall asleep!!