Of outfits and Johnny Depp

It has been a rough couple of weeks. I'm not talking about work, family or love, but more on my mental stability. Things went pretty cray cray because of how my mind rationalised things when it's wonky.

 

To be really honest, it's because of a weak mental stability. I worry too much, think too much and blame myself too much. A tiny dosage of that is great for success, but an excessive amount is unhealthy. I admit that I have a psychological problem that is slowly devouring my sanity. What Kengyang said was true though - I need to occupy myself more at home and I need to get rid of people who make me feel terribly bad about myself.

 

I have been working on that these past couple of weeks and I'm slowly getting back to normal now. Nobody knows about this bug in me except for Kengyang because I simply don't want to let people know. But I realised that if I hide everything to myself, it's slowly going to affect my relationships with other people. Sad being a sad kid/adult.

 

It gets a bit extreme. Now I can type everything out nonchalantly because I'm over this round of viciousness. But, I know another round is coming, I just don't know when.

 

Anyway, extreme like - when people don't reply my whatsapp/sms, I will first hate the person for doing that, then it will slowly evolve into self-blame (people hate me so they don't reply me), and then it will take over me entirely for that night and I will cry myself to sleep (occasionally with shaking fingers). You may think I'm being too overdramatic in terms of my description, but no, that's just a normal thing that I go through whenever the bug hits me. Something so small and easily reasoned out (the person is sleeping/the person is in the toilet/the person is busy so cannot reply) can escalate into something so irrational and disgusting.

 

It's a painful process, but I'm getting it less and less these days. That's an improvement right? I don't want to rely on anti-depressants so I normally just cry to sleep when needed. That's also an improvement right? But ohmygawd the puffy eyes that I get the day after is no joke. D:

 

Sorry for ranting so much about my strange mind. I feel slightly better typing this down. Let's work into making this craziness go away! Anyone with the same mental problem also? Can you please tell me how to slowly make this go away? It's so easy when people say, "aiyah just don't think so much loh!" or "drink tea/eat chocolate can already", but no it's not that simple okay.

 

OKAY LET'S MOVE ON TO OUTFITS. HAHA.

 

Freaking IN LOVE with my H&M Johnny Depp tanktop. I want to wear it EVERYDAY.

 

Blazer: Cotton On

Tank: H&M

Jeans: New Future

Bag: Qoo10

Shoes: FEP

 

That single day when I went crazy and had this combination on my legs. I now cringe at it, but aiyah what to do, I really love my Pokemon socks.

Leggings: Taobao
Socks: Pokemon Centre
Boots: Cotton On

Ah, pretty pastel glittery nails! Rediscovered my Innisfree nailpolishes and fell in love all over again! :D

Kengyang and I chillaxing at the S.E.A. Aquarium after squeezing with n number of tourists.

My outfit for my birthday celebration at S.E.A. Aquarium! It was a blazing hot day and a flowy top + shorts combo is a must!

Top: Forever 21
Shorts: Forever 21
Necklace + Bag: Qoo10
Platform sandals: Taobao

Kengyang bought me this pair of lace denim shorts! YAY! :) It was originally S$75.90, but was on sale for S$19.90. SCORE! It's a bit short at the sides but I'm wearing it low-waisted to prevent accidental indecency ahaha.

Jeans makes me look fat :( But jeans are comfy so WHATEVER.

Top: Forever 21
Jeans: Uniqlo
Shoes: Cotton On
Bag: Qoo10

Denim top (inner): Uniqlo
Stripe sweater: Gu Japan
Shorts: Forever 21
Boots: Cotton On
Bag: Qoo10

I think I need to cut my hair soon. My fringe is so long, it's tickling every part of my face every time a slight wind is present. Major irritating.

Yes I'm repeating outfits. HAHAHA. I still remember in year 1, Wang and I had a pact to not repeat clothes at all for an entire semester. We both passed  but now I think it's a bit silly because I would want to rewear my favourite clothes right??

YAYYYY pretty bracelets from Taobao have arrived!! They are all kind of filmsy but I think I can turn them into necklaces if the bracelets break! YAY #harrypotter #hungergames FOREVER. :D

Have a great week ahead guys!! :))

Hormonal Acne

The last time I had clear skin was in 2010. Yes, it has been that long. Usually, it's always a pimple here and there, but last year I had a massive breakout because of one very fail product. Luckily, I managed to survive that massive breakout and my skin was relatively clear for a while.

Now, I have tiny spots all around my mouth area and my chin. They are just tiny spots, but sometimes some of them will turn into painful cystic acne. :(

The thing that frustrates me the most is whenever I apply concealer to at least look presentable, it makes the spots stand out more. Many of you will wonder why I'm still using makeup when I have acne problems. Well, many of you have the misconception that applying makeup will guarantee the production of more spots and pimples. That is generally untrue because makeup products have advanced so much in the recent years. Now beauty users have the option to use oil-free and non-comodegenic products that do not exacerbate the acne situation, but can still conceal the redness.

After many days of googling, I realise I have hormonal acne. It's not a good thing though because this means whatever impurities that exist on my skin cannot be solved by using acne-clearing or acne-preventing products. Those products only work on the surface and cannot work on hormonal imbalance - the main cause of hormonal acne.

Getting hormonal acne is not funny AT ALL because it's more difficult to get rid of. You need to restore the balance in your hormone system and that's more easy said than done.

I reviewed my current lifestyle and finally understood why I'm getting this terrible hormonal acne:

• I drink way too much coffee (sometimes 3 servings a day!)
• I sometimes munch on too much nuts and drink too much soy milk (which apparently can throw your hormones off the radar)
• I eat processed food way too often (instant noodles, instant pastas, instant whatever)
• I don't sleep very much.
• I'm easily stressed and I have low self-esteem, which adds to the stress factor.
• I don't change my bedsheet very often.
• I have stopped take evening primrose oil pills and other supposedly good-for-your-skin supplements.
• I live in a country where hot weather is a daily occurence and I go out or come home during peak hours - more toxins in the air from cars, trucks, buses, etc etc etc.
• I have a weird problem with vegetable and fruits. When I want to eat them, I eat them in excess. When I don't want to eat them, I don't eat them at all.

It's a terrible lifestyle, and I'm determined to change it so that this stupid hormonal acne will disappear.

I have decided to cut on my coffee intake. 3 servings a day is bonkers and so I will cut to 1 serving a day, and then replace the other 2 servings with green tea (which is supposed to be good for your skin and overall well-being).

I have decided to cut on the nuts and soy milk. The thing is I cannot drink normal cow milk because my skin does not like it at all (BAM a pimple after I consume normal milk, no joke at all). Hence, I drink soy milk to replace it, but it seems like I'm over-consuming haha. It's time to consume soy milk maybe like twice a week. Also, good bye nuts for the time being! Time for a regular intake of vegetables and fruits!

Sleeping sounds easy but it's not so easy at the beginning. I'm trying to sleep more nowadays. 11pm is my bedtime and I sleep for around 7-8 hours, which should be sufficient. So that's one change done.

I'm going to change my bedsheet tonight. LOL.

It's time to go back to EPO pills and multi-vitamin pills. They are expensive, yes, but I guess they are an investment to a happier me. So why not? EPO pills are magical, to be honest. In the 6 months that I consumed EPO pills last year, I had zero menses cramps. Excellento.

I can't change the environment that I live in, so maybe I will try to remove my makeup and the impurities as soon as I reach home. Maybe I need to sweep and mop my floor more frequently. My room is really dusty ah, I don't know why!

I hope my hormonal acne clears up soon. I'm not expecting overnight miracles but I hope it will go away in a couple of months' time. Before then, I'm sorry if you cannot take the acne around my mouth area. I know it's very ugly but just ignore them okay? :(

Please go away acne!!

Review: SHISEIDO INTEGRATE Cat Wink Black Eyeliner Limited Kit

If you are a regular reader, you will know my obsession with eyeliners (and mascaras...and concealers...and neutral eye palettes...and I have a problem I know). I was very excited about my Japan trip because Japanese cosmetic brands are supposedly really good at producing high-quality eyeliners at affordable prices! 

I saw this SHISEIDO INTEGRATE Cat Wink Black Eyeliner Limited Kit at a random drugstore and I knew I had to get it because wah two for the price of one! Moreover, it's not two of the same eyeliner but two different types of eyeliners! I remembered that it was the first thing that I saw in the store and also the first thing that I put in my basket. Heh. 

I can't recall how much these were, but it's not very expensive, maybe at most 1200Yen (~S$15)? 

So did the SHISEIDO INTEGRATE Cat Wink Black Eyeliner Limited Kit live up to expectation?

My final verdict is one did better than the other. Much better. Maybe that's why they were packed together - nobody wanted the not-so-good one. :( 

The SHISEIDO INTEGRATE Cat Wink Black Eyeliner Limited Kit contains two eyeliners:

1. Cat Look Liquid Liner in BK999
2. Wink Gel Liner in BK999

When we talk about gel liners, the first thing that comes to mind usually is the circular pot of product. However, the Shiseido Integrate Wink Gel Liner comes in a pencil form. Dissonance is happening in my head, but I will try to open my horizon haha.

The slogan for this is "Rich and smooth!", which I agree wholeheartedly.

The Shiseido Integrate Cat Look Liquid Liner comes in the normal pen-like packaging, which I adore. The felt-tip brush really makes it much easier to apply and you get so much control out of it.

I'm guessing this is specially made for the sharp cat-eye look. Score for me because there's nothing I love more than a cat-eye eyeliner look. :D

So how did the SHISEIDO INTEGRATE Cat Wink Black Eyeliner Limited Kit fare?

Pigmentation: Both eyeliners are really intense in their pigmentation. No joking around here. You want the blackest of black, I will give you the blackest of black. Full marks for both eyeliners!

Application: The Cat Look Liquid Liner triumphs slightly in this department because it's hassle-free and very smooth. The Wink Gel Liner is okay but sometimes when you go back for a second application, the gel liner stick scrapes the first application away and you get ugly fallouts and an uneven application.

Swatches taken with camera flash

Swatches taken under normal lighting

Swatches after one normal swipe

Swatches after one normal swipe under running tap water

Smudgeproof? The Cat Look Liquid Liner definitely did better here than the Wink Gel Liner. I think part of the reason why the latter did worse is because it takes a longer time to dry and settle. The Cat Look Liquid Liner dried within seconds and a normal swipe didn't budge it at all. The Wink Gel Liner, on the other hand, failed after the first swiping attempt.

Waterproof? Both are not waterproof. If you want to really pinpoint a winner, then the Wink Gel Liner performed better. I'm a little bit saddened by the fact that they are not waterproof but ohwell this means I can only wear them for long days in an air-conditioned room.

Longevity: I have yet to try this on my eyelids, but I noticed that after around 5-6 hours, the Cat Look Liquid Liner that was swatched on my hand was still doing well, but the Wink Gel Liner started to look a little funky. Funky like I'm-going-to-disappear funky. I don't think that's due to housework/errands because I swatched them on a Saturday and I only lazed around on my bed (yikes), so why does the Wink Gel Liner fade? I guess it will be better to judge if I tried these on my eyelids. Time to whip these out for tomorrow!

Will I buy them again? As much as I love most of Japanese cosmetic products, these were a sad disappointment. The Cat Look Liquid Liner is decent but it's not waterproof! I think we have evolved into beauty users who demand waterproof eyeliners! Try living in Singapore (or other humid + hot countries) and wearing non-waterproof eyeliners - it is a NIGHTMARE.

I shall continue my journey in finding the most amazing liquid liners!

Hope this post has been insightful! Have a great week ahead guys! :D

grav3yardgirl's videos

I know, I know. I haven't been updating lately. So here's a video from grav3yardgirl, one of my favourite Youtubers. She's really loud but she's incredibly hilarious. When I first stumbled upon her video, I was quite annoyed, but then I ended up watching 20+ video at one go. ADDICTIVE! :)


Hopefully I'll be more diligent next week! :S Have a great week ahead, lovely readers!!

Food hunt + update!

Food intake for the past two weeks has been way too much and way too indulgent. I eat and eat and eat and not exercise as much. Confirm gain weight. =___= 

I gotta admit though, food in Singapore is TOO GOOD. Cannot resist lah! That's why I always make sure I only have one heavy meal a day. If I'm gonna have a huge sinful dinner, then I'll eat salad/fruits for lunch. 

Time to stop blabbering and woohoo FOOD! 

KY and I went to Soon Li Yong Tau Foo at Bukit Merah for supper. This stall only opens after midnight. KY raved and raved about its amazing Yong Tau Foo and I must admit, it was the best Yong Tau Foo that I have ever consumed in my life. 

The terrible thing about my experience was the terrible queueing. I don't understand why people must cut queue? I mean, there's a queue already, then just go to the end and wait for your turn lah, why must cut queue?? I know the food is going to be sold out really fast but halo, it's your fault that you came late! Some of the people queueing came WAYYYY early and you just threw their efforts down the drain! Irritating twats. =___= 

But all my anger dissipated because holy cow, this was an amazing Yong Tau Foo experience.

Please do come here early and be civil!!

Soon Li Yong Tau Foo

Blk 115 Bukit Merah View #01-78

Opening Hours: Midnight until sold out (closed Mondays)

Nothing to praise about for the next photo. Just one of my many attempts to stay ... healthy? Anyway, just a random information - nuts are actually really high in calories. So, it's better if you eat nuts as a meal replacement, rather than eat it after a meal. I went to 7-11 to buy unsalted mixed nuts and got a shock of my life and how many calories one packet had. Yikes.

My FYP mates and I went to Poulet for our biweekly dinner and it was GOOD. A bit expensive though.

Lizhen introduced this new cafe at Marina Square while we were out together last week! It's called St. Marc Cafe. To be frank, I didn't really like the mango ice + ice cream. Choco Cro was really nice though.

Little Fuji was AMAZING. I don't know how they baked this pastry, but it was truly divine. I WANT IT ALL TO MYSELF, but we had to share. HAHA.

While having our Little Fuji, I noticed Hifumi Japanese Restaurant just opposite of St. Marc Cafe and Lizhen exclaimed that the restaurant had free flow appetisers and had really good mains. Sadly, all of us were stuffed and it was really late at night to be having another round of dinner. So, KY and I went the next day (or was it two days after, can't really remember), and it exceeded our expectations.

I was really shocked at the variety of appetisers that we can take non-stop! And nope, not anyhow appetisers okay, but legit delicious ones!!

I love love love the edamame+prawn drenched in a wasabi mayo dressing. SO GOOD. Chawanmushi was FREE FLOW. Hifumi, why you so nice?? :')

I ordered Chirashi Rice and I think it was priced at S$17.90? Very affordable for a bowl choked with fresh sashimi + unagi! I couldn't stop wow-ing to KY and I was genuinely upset when I took my last bite.

Definitely a must-go-again-or-many-many-times restaurant!!

I also went to Indobox at JEM, and it wasn't pleasant. I witnessed a really tired and overworked staff flare at the other staff members and I ate some bland Indonesian food.

I blame my Indonesian tongue for the second unpleasant experience. Being Indonesian myself, I know that Indonesian food is NOT supposed to be bland. Some people will even say that Indonesian food is too heavily-flavoured/salty/sweet/spicy. So I was initially just eating it without commenting on its blandness. Then KY also said that it was bland! Halo, we have a Singaporean here who agrees with me on how bland the food was.

So Indobox, please stop serving bland Indonesian food.

For our 2nd year anniversary, KY and I went to Baja Fresh for lunch and HOHO it was amazing. I had a free dish because I joined Club Baja and we were both super full after the meal. I'm going back there again though because I just received a free burrito for my birthday from Club Baja. HAHA. Join Club Baja!!

ANDDD the following photos are just random neither-here-nor-there photos. HEEHEE. I'm really vexed at work now because of some data provider and so I'm updating my blog!!

Photo taken by Wilson Wang. BEAUTIFUL RIGHT. 

Okay, time to upload beauty review photos when I go back home! Time to write some substantial reviews soon! :D

Have a great Thursday guys! :)

Outfits + hauls update

I haven't been very diligent with my blogposts and I blame my immensely skillful procrastination ability. There are always drafts ready for me to input my thoughts, but I just refuse to do so. I'm afraid getting older is doing nothing substantial to my prioritisation skills. Meh. 

However, once in a while, I get the drive to update my blog, and I cannot waste it!! Hence, here I am typing away furiously at 117am because if I don't, I'm just going to let this blog rot away for another good week. NOT GOOD AH NOT GOOD. 

So yay, we are back on track! :D 

First, past outfits!

Loving this Zara inspired dress (from taobao of course nyahaha). Problem is I have no idea where it is now. I vaguely remember my mom saying how nice this dress was, so I guess it has made its way into my mom's closet. LOL. 

Dress - Taobao

Necklace - Qoo10

Bag - Qoo10

Watch - Casio

Flatforms - Taobao

Denim shirt - thrifted from BKK
Pants - Gu Japan
Watch - Casio
Bag - Qoo10
Shoes - Editor's Market

ENTIRE OUTFIT - Taobao (with the exception of the bag, which is from Qoo10)

Shirt - Gu Japan
Necklace - Qoo10
Watch - Casio
Belt - New Look
Shorts - MIYOC
Bag - Qoo10
Shoes - some shop at FEP

One item that unified all the looks above is my new phone case. HEEHEE. So cute! Got it off Qoo10 for around S$8.90!

These platform sandals are really heavy. Even though I got them off Taobao, each pair worked out to be around S$15-S$16, which was quite expensive for Taobao standard. But then again, I keep seeing them on preorder sites for more than double the price, so I'm somewhat comforted.

I really love strappy platform sandals (or flatforms)! It's not too casual, and not too corporate and you get quite a bit of height for no pain! I can shop in these babies all day and not have blisters. Awesome!

Also, I realised I really prefer black footwear. My recent shoe purchases were all black in colour.

Heard so much about the Mario Badescu skincare line and I finally got my hands on some of them! I bought the Acne Facial Cleanser and Special Cucumber Lotion from luxola and so far so good!

Delivery was crazy fast! I ordered at around 10am on Tuesday, and the items arrived 10am on Wednesday! Hand-delivered to my office! They even included a sample of the Glycolic Acid Toner! Two thumbs up for luxola! :D

Her World was very kind! Apparently I joined a contest on facebook and I won it! Yay to some DrGL products! I checked online and woah these products have hefty prices huh? I'm kind of scared to use them because I'm afraid my skin will get used to the expensive products and then when I run out and go back to affordable alternatives, my skin will go haywire. This is why I'm using the products with caution now. If I'm directed to use the product twice a day (like the DrGL Skin Repair Serum), I'll use it only at night.

The DrGL Cleanser Makeup Remover is very much worth the hype. Removes EVERYTHING with one pump.

The DrGL Sensitive Skin Pressed Powder has become a staple in my daily routine. It is priced at S$108 and I finally understand why. The powder is so finely milled that my huge-ass pores are covered impressively well. It doesn't do much in terms of concealing, but woah, when you apply it over concealer, it makes your concealer look smooth and last forever. I'm in awe. Die already, how to go back to cheaper powders now? I cannot keep forking out S$108 le. :(

Ending off this post with OPI Alcatraz...Rocks.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this nailpolish!!

It has a "liquid-sand" formulation and it is GORGEOUS.

I had it on for a good week and it didn't chip on me, even without a topcoat (what am I blabbering about, obviously you don't apply topcoat for liquid-sand nailpolishes!).

Now I'm contemplating on whether I should get more liquid-sand nailpolishes! :D

Ah, can't wait to go back to work tomorrow! Much to do and much to learn! :)