ASOS Haul (they gave me discount codes!!) + a really important tip!

I bought these 5 items in 2 occasions - both with different discount codes that worked on top of already discounted items. Hooray! 

I thought the leggings were quite crazy, but I guess it will not look so risqué if I match it with a long black tunic top and a black pair of slip-ons?  

ASOS Leggings in Tribal Print with Side Elastic Criss Cross Detail
ASOS Silky Shorts in Floral Print
Blue Vanilla Printed Midi Skirt

Bourjois 1 Second Mascara
Bourjois Dark Khol Mascara

Anyway, I realised that there is a way of further reducing the total amount that you pay when you check out from ASOS. You know how they always change the currency to Singapore Dollars? HECK NO! Change it back to British Pound and after you do the exchange rate checking and the mathematics, you will realise that it's actually slightly cheaper if you check out in British Pounds than if you check out in Singapore Dollars.

For example, the silky shorts in floral prints? It was 12.50 pounds, but when I converted to Singapore Dollars, it's S$30.74. Of course, there are hidden credit card charges when you check out in a different currency, but I checked that too and I paid less than S$30.74. OH YEAH!!

Have a great shopping time guys! :) 

Additional 15% off sale items ("FETCH15"). 

Ends Sunday, 8th June 2014, 7pm SGT. Only valid on one transaction per customer. 

Review: The Body Show InstaBlur

When I heard about the official release of The Body Shop Instablur, I knew I had to get one to try and see if it really is as magical and perfecting as it claims. 

The Body Shop Instablur retails for S$32.90 at The Body Shop outlets nationwide. I was lucky enough to have a S$15 discount from Perkd, and so I purchased mine for only S$17.90! A great deal! 

For S$32.90, you get 25ml (0.84 US fl oz) of product. 25ml may seem a little meagre, but a little bit of the product goes a long way so I can assure you that the 25ml will last you a long, long time. 

The Body Shop Instablur claims to have 5 perfecting characteristics:

• Shine Controlling for up to 12h
• Reduces appearance of pores
• Blemish Hiding
• Complexion Unifying
• Make-up Extending

I'm not exactly sure what "complexion unifying" really mean, but The Body Shop Instablur certainly does live up to its other claims. 

Ingredients List

Packaging: The Body Shop Instablur comes in a classy, white tube and when you unscrew the black cap, the opening is sealed, which is a plus point for those who are concerned with hygiene. It's good to know that no other fingers/hands have touched the opening of the product. Overall, I like the product packaging; it has a certain laboratory, disinfectant factor to it, which makes me more assured of the cleanliness and the effect that it has on my skin. It's strange how packaging can change the perception of effectiveness of a product. When I use this, I don't feel like it's going to cause breakouts. I feel like it's going to work in concealing them!

Texture and consistency: The Body Shop Instablur has a deceivingly waxy texture that blends out to a dry, matte and smooth consistency. I think this is contributed by the first ingredient listed, which is Isononanoate, and it's a skin conditioning emollient that leaves that silky, smooth feeling after application.

If you compare the photo above (product on skin), and the photo below (product blended out on skin), you can definitely see a marked difference in terms of the obviousness of the lines. I did not alter/edit the below photo in any way possible. Quite impressive eh?

Application: A little bit of The Body Shop Instablur will suffice for the entire T-zone and jawline area. When I apply my BB Cream/liquid foundation over it, it's quite obvious that the BB Cream/liquid foundation no longer seeps in into the huge pores that I have, making them more obvious to the naked eye. Instead, the Instablur already filled in those pores and the BB Cream/liquid foundation just glided effortlessly over the Instablur.

Oil and shine control? I'm not convinced that the Instablur will help to control oil and shine for up to 12 hours. However, it does its job well in keeping shine at bay for a good 7-8 hours. Usually, my nose area will be quite oily within the first 3 hours of foundation application. It's a problem that I have been wanting to eliminate and I believe that the Instablur can help me achieve the ultimate shine control! Of course, I have to combine the Instablur with another product (L'oreal Mat Magique! I just tried it and it is amazing! Review coming up soon), but as a makeup primer, The Body Shop Instablur performs beyond my expectations.

Pores and blemish hiding? The Instablur does a good job in concealing the pores and acne scars. The photo below may seem a little bit scary to some of you but it's a close-up lah, of course it's scary haha. My most "pore-some" (HAHA) areas are my nose and the upper cheeks area. I also have acne scars on both cheeks. The Instablur actually does a pretty impressive job in concealing those areas. It's not a perfect concealment but it's definitely much better than if I were to use the BB Cream/liquid foundation alone.

Longevity: The Body Shop Instablur lasts for a good 7-8 hours. I think my skin is way too oily for it to last for the claimed 12 hours.

Caking-up problem: There's one problem that I encountered time and time again after using the Instablur. My skin will look fine for 7-8 hours, then it will get oily. So, my normal routine will be to blot the oily areas and then touch up the areas with loose powder, using my trusted Real Techniques powder brush. Now, after using the Instablur, the areas that I have blotted and touched up will cake up and I can actually see the powder coagulating or curdling in one area. It's very strange. I got rid of this problem by not using the powder brush and replacing it with a normal powder sponge. But still, it's very very strange. Anyone encountered the same problem? How did you fix it?

Will I buy it again? The Body Shop Instablur is a great, great product for those with extremely oily skin and have huge pores and acne scars. It does a fantastic job in controlling shine and as a makeup primer for your next BB Cream/liquid foundation step. Personally, I will only use this during the hot months, when my oil glands go into overdrive mode. Maybe during the cooler months (when my skin is not so oily), I will not use the Instablur as frequently. It's still a good staple to have in your collection though!

The Body Shop Instablur Website

The Body Shop Singapore Facebook

Hope this has been useful! Have a great day guys! :)

New in: Rings from H&M

Yesterday was post-surgery day 1 and I was too jumpy to stay at home. So I decided to reward myself and I went out on a quick shopping session. It was a 2-hour session at JEM and I didn't really get many things. I bought the above rings for less than S$12 in total. Quite a bargain and H&M is really scoring high marks in the ring department.

Today's post-surgery day 2 and I still can't consume solids and hot liquids. So, I'm stuck with coffee, milo and various juices. I wanted to buy ice cream but the fridge in my house is officially broken down?! The washing machine broke down, the air con broke down, the printed broke down and now the fridge is a goner as well?!

Not consuming so much food has its positive as well. I have lost around 1.5kg and I know, I know, I'm losing my muscle weight + water weight, but very shiok to have flat tummy for damn long and to see the numbers keep going down? :D Of course, when I'm fully healed, I'll have to train my muscles and continue my running again - I have a 10km marathon to run in August with Eve!

Have a good day guys! :)

The Body Shop "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" Sale (June 2014)

Whenever The Body Shop has their "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" sale, I always use the opportunity to stock up on skincare necessities. 

My skincare routine can no longer do without the Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion, Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion and the Tea Tree Oil. I got the below loots for S$61.80. The salesperson was very nice, she gave me some Tea Tree Oil and Vitamin E Moisture Cream samples. Actually, I think this is the first time I have ever received free samples from The Body Shop. 

She gave me 3 Tea Tree Oil samples, each with 1ml of product - pretty generous, considering that the full-sized Tea Tree Oil contains only 10ml of product! 

If you have necessities to stock up on, don't miss out this opportunity! The sale ends on 15 June 2014 and the sale does not apply to gift sets, 50ml Drops of Youth and the InstaBlur.

I now have accumulated S$10 of redeemable cash on my Perkd Love Your Body Club (The Body Shop Membership). More savings the next time! YAY!

Hanare Restaurant (Tanjong Pagar)

It's always risky to walk into a highly raved restaurant with extremely high expectations. You either get the flow and rave as much or you get incredibly underwhelmed. 

That was what happened to me at Hanare Restaurant. I've been reading a truckload of stellar reviews on Hanare's Bara Chirashi Set and I was so looking forward to having an amazing meal there. 

Perhaps it's because of this unrealistic expectation that the whole dinner experience just fell flat for me. 

Don't get me wrong; The Bara Chirashi Set was way worth the price. You have a bowl of fluffy rice topped with a lavish amount of assorted raw seafood, complete with 4 free-flow side dishes and a drink - all for S$17.60. 

The only problem is how heavy-flavoured most of the food items were, including the Bara Chirashi Set. By the end of the meal, I was desperate for water. 

If I ignore how over-generous they were with salt, the Bara Chirashi Set was excellent. Extremely fresh seafood with no hint of fishiness. Their miso soup was also unique; they added sweet potato into the soup and this brought a whole new dimension to the boring miso soup. But of course, the miso soup was also very salty, so after a few mouthfuls, I couldn't finish it. 

Perhaps it was just a bad day when we visited Hanare? Perhaps salt was mistaken as sugar? There are so many perhaps in my mind because I really want to rhapsodise over Hanare - just like the others. But my first dining experience there was stained with the over-saltiness of most of the food items. That does not mean that I'm not going to make another visit though. I will go again just to make sure that the first time was just an unlucky thing.

Hanare Restaurant

99B Tanjong Pagar Road

Singapore 088520

Tel: +65 62221976

Facebook

Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 10pm (Closed on Sun)

Review: e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in 7502 Champagne

The e.l.f. Essential Eyelid Primer is a definite must-try and must-buy. It's only US$1 (or S$3-S$6 depending on which website/location you buy this from in Singapore) and it works strangely well for its extremely affordable price. I have used the e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in 7501 Sheer before and it was one of the better eyelid primers that I have ever used. I tried so many other eyelid primers (Canmake, Too Faced, Kate, etc.) and they all lost the match to my excessively oily eyelids. This e.l.f. one did not perform as well as Urban Decay's or Lorac's but it was able to combat my oily eyelids for more than 8 hours. Very impressive indeed! 

Since I wear a lot of neutral eyeshadow shades, I decided to purchase the e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in 7502 Champagne to see if it will intensify the eyeshadows' pigmentation and if it does as well as the one in 7501 Sheer. 

Packaging: Come on, it's US$1, let's not nitpick on the packaging. The essentials are there and so all's well.

Product brush/wand: The classic doe foot applicator is very much welcomed. I don't like doe foot applicators for lip products but I adore it for eye products - makes application idiot-proof.

Color: e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in 7502 Champagne is a nude colour primer with a slight peachy undertone, and it has both fine and slightly chunkier silver glitters.

Application: Applying the e.l.f. Eyelid Primer is a no-brainer. Just use the doe foot applicator to swipe some product on your eyelids and then use your ring fingers to blend it out. The primer blends smoothly into the skin and it is absorbed quickly so you don't experience that eeky sticky sensation before applying your eyeshadows. I will suggest that you apply this primer slightly beyond the crease. The glitters can be a little too much if you apply it to the entire eyelid. However, if you like that look, then you do you, no shame in that!

Eyeshadow's best friend? The e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in 7502 Champagne is all neutral eyeshadows' best friend. Shades that normally don't really show up as gorgeously as they were in the pan showed up beautifully and the colours were intensified. The primer will work the best for metallic neutral shades. The metallic factor is multiplied and you look like you put in a lot of effort in your eye makeup.

Longevity: For those with extremely oily eyelids, the e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in 7502 Champagne will surprise you with its ability to keep that eye look in place for a good 7-8 hours!

Will I buy it again? Yes. It's puzzling how such an affordable product can do so much.

Anyone else on the e.l.f. Eyelid Primer bandwagon? What are your thoughts on it? 

Have a great day ahead! :) 

Michael Todd True Organics Acne/Oily Skin Regimen - In-depth review

I have diligently used the products in the Michael Todd True Organics Acne/Oily Skin Regimen for around 6 months (previous post), and I have come to a conclusion on which ones worked and which ones I can't be bothered with. The products that I love really made a positive impact on my excessively oily and acne-prone skin, while the products on the other extreme are quite useless. I purchased my virgin regimen in November last year and made my second regimen purchase in March this year. To be really honest, I will not be making another regimen purchase. However, I will definitely be repurchasing the products that I really, really love. 

The Michael Todd True Organics Acne/Oily Skin Regimen consists of 5 products:

• Charcoal Detox Cleanser Deep Pore Gel Face Wash
• Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub
• Kaolin Clay Mask (Maximum Strength) - detoxifying facial mask
• Organic Lemon Toner AHA + DMAE Anti Wrinkle Toner
• Antioxidant Carrot Serum Multivitamin Serum 

(Photo from Michael Todd True Organics Website)

The Charcoal Detox Cleanser Deep Pore Gel Face Wash is okay but it is unexceptional and I don't see myself repurchasing this again. I use this twice daily and at night I use my Olay Professional Pro-X with it to thoroughly remove all traces of makeup and dirt from my face. It smells pleasant and foams up reasonably well. It also does its job well in terms of removing impurities. My problem with this cleanser is how tight my jawline feels after every wash. The formulation of this face wash is slightly too strong for my skin and after every wash, I cannot wait to use a liberal amount of moisturiser on my face. I'm currently trying to finish the second bottle, but if the tight sensation and dryness worsen, then I may have to get a gentler face wash.  

(Photo from Michael Todd True Organics Website)

My second most favourite product out of the five will be the Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub. The gentle jojoba wax beads promote a pleasant exfoliation session, while the activated charcoal draws out the impurities and toxins. I used to love the St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub, but ever since my skin became uncontrollable, I have stopped using it because the scrub was too harsh and rough for my skin. This facial scrub is the complete opposite of the St. Ives one in terms of texture - this one is extremely gentle and good enough for those with delicate/sensitive skin! The facial scrub smells very medicinal and herby, which can take some time to get used to, but it's not unpleasant at all. I was contemplating on whether I should get a third tube of this, but I figure I can find a similar product at a cheaper price (this is US$18.50).

(Photo from Michael Todd True Organics Website)

The product that I hated the most was the Kaolin Clay Mask (Maximum Strength). I read online that some people could not get used to the extreme tingling sensation when you first applied the product on your skin. Personally, I'm fine with the tingling sensation because it goes away within the first 5 minutes. The thing that irks me the most is how oily and greasy your skin feels after you remove it from your face. I don't know what's the exact ingredient that's causing the greasiness but I don't enjoy it and it affects the way my serum and moisturiser get absorbed to my skin. Even toner does not remove the greasiness! After the usual applications of serum and moisturiser, my skin just feels weighed down, heavy and immensely oily. At first I thought I was using it wrong, so I tried many permutations - remove with clean cloth first then rinse with water, remove serum from skincare regime after this mask, etc. - but nothing worked in eliminating the greasy feeling. I stopped using it in March and I don't know what to do with my second bottle of this. Yikes.

(Photo from Michael Todd True Organics Website)

The greatest discovery of all - the Organic Lemon Toner AHA + DMAE Anti Wrinkle Toner. I think this was the product that made the most difference to my skin. I look forward to toning my face everyday because it's really refreshing and it works! This toner is excellent because it aids the skin better for the next step. Any serum or moisturiser will be absorbed quickly by the skin after using this toner! Moreover, it smells wonderful and it really is effective in lightening dark spots and other blotches. I love this toner so much that I have bought 2 more as backups. I can't imagine not having this in my skincare routine now. Toning your face is really an important skincare step.

(Photo from Michael Todd True Organics Website)

Last, but certainly not least, we have the Antioxidant Carrot Serum Multivitamin Serum. I'm still on the fence about this. There are days in which I feel like the serum has most definitely worked, but there are also days in which I think this product is utter crap. This serum has a slimy, gel texture that feels strange initially (like .... snail slime) but it gets absorbed into the skin very quickly and there's no oily sensation after application, which is always a plus. I always use this at night before my trusted TBS Tea Tree Night Lotion and they seem to work well together. I don't really see much difference in my skin condition after half a year of application. Smoother skin? Maybe not. Lightening of acne scars? Maybe here and there but not obvious. To me, it's a product that is usable, but I will not stock up on this at all (unlike the amazing toner). It's also the product with the highest possibility of causing placebo effect on users; - it may not be actually working, but wow "antioxidant"! and "multivitamin"!! yes yes, I feel a difference. - Nooooooot reallyyyyy.

Overall, the Michael Todd True Organics Acne/Oily Skin Regimen has been generally helpful to my skin situation. I still remember last October-November when my skin was all out CRAZY. It's definitely better now and I don't get as many painful pimples as before; maybe 1 or 2 a fortnight. The scars are there and the painless spots are still there. However, nothing as nightmarish as before. Out of the 5 products, I will only get the toner and the facial scrub again. The other 3 products are replaceable with other cheaper and perhaps better quality products. I'm looking at changing my facial cleanser to the SKII Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser. I have used it before and it worked amazingly last time. Wonder if my current skin condition will still love SKII Cleansers. As for the clay mask, I'm very glad to announce that I have jumped to the Innisfree ship. I had a one-time-use sample of the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask and it was one impressive clay mask. It's very much like my old favourite, Skin & Lab Glacial Clay Facial Mask, and works as effectively! Yinghui has very graciously helped to purchase a 200ml tub of the Innisfree Clay Mask and so I can't wait to get it from her and start using it!

Hopefully this has been useful! Anyone else using the Michael Todd True Organics Acne/Oily Skin Regimen? What are your thoughts? 

Nano Japan Hyaluron & Collagen 2

I'm going to be 25 this year, and I can already see my skin and hair conditions deteriorating. I used to have super voluminous hair without the help of any hair products but now my hair is just flat and brittle. My skin has gone through drastic changes - from relatively smooth and healthy to being sensitive and scarred. Hence, I decided to take the plunge and consume collagen! I'm not sure how well the Nano Japan Hyaluron & Collagen 2 will help with my current skin and hair conditions, but I have read a legion of positive reviews (almost 6000 on Qoo10!). 

Most of the happy users reported:

• Smoother skin with less obvious and ligtening of acne scars
• Better sleep
• Stronger and silkier hair
• Firmer bust (I don't really fancy this effect but I'm all for the other claims.) 
• Better digestive and bowel systems

Seems quite amazing eh? 

I had my first serving last night (a 7gm scoop of the powder mixed with peach tea) and it tasted fine. I always thought collagen will taste fishy, but nope the Nano Japan Hyaluron & Collagen 2 was not fishy at all. 

I ordered mine through Qoo10 and the service and delivery were impeccable. I ordered on 21st May night and the product was delivered to my doorstep on 22nd May afternoon! The product was extremely well-packaged too and the transaction was seamless and overall, really satisfying. 

For the S$37.90 that I paid, I get 35 servings - so that works out to be less than S$1.10 a day! Less than my iced kopi-o gao siu dai from Maxwell Food Court! 

I'm eagerly waiting for the improvements. It will be a slow wait but I hope this is worth the wait! :D 

Qoo10 page

Rakuten page

Have a great Friday ahead guys! Yay TGIF! 

Update on 22nd June 2014:

To cut the story short, this breaks me out. Not horribly, but I get 1 or 2 pimples every 2 days and once I stopped taking this daily, the situation improved. However, this doesn't mean that the Nano Japan Hyaluron & Collagen 2 didn't do wonders on me. I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin condition. The areas where I used to have huge pores have improved and my hair condition is much better (i.e. I don't get as much hairfall now). Some acne scars have almost started to improve and look less obvious. I will still continue to consume this, but not daily. After 3 weeks of daily consumption, I have changed it to a twice-weekly routine and the breakout situation has been under control after the modification.

This contains milk extract and condensed milk powder and I think this is the main reason as to why I'm breaking out. My acne situation is highly aggravated by dairy intake and since I was consuming it daily, I guess my hormones were freaking out. But, once or twice weekly seems to be a good change for my skin so far!

If you have acne-prone skin, you still can consume this, but not as often as directed.

Prints freak

The time has come for HDB flat application. For those not familiar with HDB, it's basically the statutory board responsible for the public housing in Singapore.

The Build-To-Order (BTO) notification came in for Bukit Batok and Woodlands and this means I have to apply within this week. Incredibly stressed because Kengyang is not in Singapore and sometimes the internet connection that he has in Shanghai is utter crap. We decided to skype each other tonight and apply simultaneously.

Applying for a HDB flat. I can't believe I have reached this milestone. I thought it was only yesterday that Mr Png granted me a sleeping pass during Moral Education lesson. Time passes way too quickly.

Review: jordana 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil

I was on the hunt for a pencil eyeliner that was as good as Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil, but with a much more affordable price tag. My all-time Urban Decay favourites (Zero, Perversion and Corrupt) are all running out - all three eyeliners are down to their last 3-5cms! I'm incredibly saddened and so the hunt is on!! 

I have heard a lot of positive reviews on the jordana 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil, with some likening it to the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil. Of course I'm intrigued! 

jordana is not a brand that's easily attainable in Singapore, but fortunately, ShoppingDistrict has some jordana products listed on its website. I got my jordana 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in 01 Black Point for a very reasonable S$8.90 on the website. 

Initially, I was impressed but this eyeliner pencil. However, that feeling slowly dissipated after the first sharpening. 

Packaging: The jordana 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil has a fuss-free packaging. Nothing showy and loud (usually drugstore tend to bank on fancy packaging). I don't really like the cheap-looking transparent plastic cap, but it does it job in protecting the eyeliner pencil lead, so all's well.

Left: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil (Perversion)
Centre: jordana 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil (Black Point)
Right: Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner

Pigmentation: When it comes to pigmentation and colour, 01 Black Point is the perfect dupe for UD's Perversion. It is darker and blacker than UD's Zero and it's definitely a great black eyeliner! I even compared it to my favourite liquid felt-tip eyeliner (Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner), and the colour intensity is as impressive. Full marks in this category!

Left: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil (Perversion)
Centre: jordana 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil (Black Point)
Right: Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner

Waterproof? The jordana 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil does very well when smudged under running water. It's a great eyeliner to have on when you know you're going to be bawling that day. The Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner didn't do very well because I didn't wait for it to set before the water-proof test. Oops.

Application: I will divide this category into 2 - before sharpening and after sharpening - because the difference is too drastic.

• Before sharpening: the jordana 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil applied like a dream. Application was smooth and the eyeliner glided well on the eyelid. It was also very easy for me to create a simple winged out eye look because application was not as jerky as some other drugstore pencil eyeliners. I was impressed and very much in love. I thought I have found THE dupe!
• After sharpening: The situation went downhill after the first sharpening. I always avoid sharpening pencil eyeliners until the lead is extremely sharp because I may injure myself during application and because such a sharp point will only make the lead more prone to breakage. So, I sharpened this pencil eyeliner as per usual, and proceeded with my makeup routine. To my horror, halfway through application on the right eye, the entire exposed eyeliner lead just broke off. WTF?! I thought I was applying too much pressure so ok, I sharpened it again and applied it very, very gently, and IT BROKE OFF AGAIN?! What's the use of great colour pay-off and amazing waterproof formula when you can't even get the product on your lids?! Perhaps, I received a defective product. MEHH. 

Longevity: jordana claims that the 12HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil is long-lasting for up to 12 hours. That may be factual for those with non-oily eyelids. For me, the eyeliner lasted 4-5 hours before starting to transfer. Not bad, but it'll be much better if the eyeliner is truly long-lasting, even for those with oily eyelids. 

Will I buy it again? I'm so tempted to get another 01 Black Point because I'm almost convinced that I have a defective one. I may just get one more and update you guys on that. 

Have a great day ahead guys! :)