Phil Smith Big It Up! Thickening Volume Cream - MY HAIR HERO

When I was younger (before I turned 21), I had no hair issue. My friends always told me that I had a lot of hair on my head and I wouldn't have to worry about hairfall or hair thinning because I simply had too much hair! So... I didn't really take much care of my hair. I dyed my hair like crazy, even went as far as to DIY bleaching my hair. It was a terrible decision. I had blonde hair for a while and I felt like I was cool but oh gawd now looking back, I looked like a siao nang (or crazy person in Hokkien). Ever since then, my hair condition started to deteriorate. I didn't have major hairfall, but I was definitely experiencing it.

Currently, to some people, I still have a lot of hair on my head, but personally, it's not the same anymore. My hair now is limp and flat and there's barely any volume at all! Short hair with no volume is a nemesis for my huge face. It emphasises the large surface area of my face (sob) and I look super chubby on photos. That's why I was on a mission to get the volume back! Short hair with moderate volume can give the illusion of slimmer face and hello who doesn't want slimmer face? 

I was randomly browsing Luxola one night and chanced upon a 30% midnight sale. THAT'S IT! I have to get my hair products! So, I carted out the Phil Smith Big It Up! Thickening Volume Cream and the Vidal Sassoon Magic Style Activator Treatment for 30% less. YAY! 

The Phil Smith Big It Up! Thickening Volume Cream retails for S$26 for 100ml and the Vidal Sassoon Magic Style Activator Treatment retails for S$5.90 for the 30ml bottle, and S$12.90 for the 100ml bottle. 

These 2 products are my hair heroes. Why have I not known about them beforehand?!?!?! I have used them daily ever since I got them and the difference is noticeable and I feel immensely happy with the products. LOVE!! 

The Phil Smith Big It Up! Thickening Volume Cream is specially formulated for short to medium-length hairstyles. This is really amazing if you have short hair and you love the bob with the inner curl at the hair ends. The volume that I get after application and blow-drying is manageable and long lasting. You will not get va va voom volume, but there is a marked improvement from limp and flat hair. I stepped out of the house at 8am with nice hair and came home at 8pm with nice hair. Amazing longevity! 

You only need a little product if you have short hair. Remember that you have to use it on towel-dried hair and not dry hair! 

The word "thickening" may intimidate some people, but to be honest, once you run your hands through your hair, you don't feel like you have anything applied. After that you can blow-dry your hair and see the transformation!!! I actually use a round-barrel brush while blow-drying so yes to maximum root lift! 

If you blow-dry your hair frequently, then I suggest that you get a heat protection product for your hair as well. I blow-dry my hair almost every day so I definitely need one. The Vidal Sassoon Magic Style Activator Treatment works amazingly and it's obvious that the product works because when I'm blow-drying and combing through my hair, there are no knots or tangling. My hair was super smooth and actually it helps in making the blow-drying process faster because I no longer need to get rid of tangles and knots using a separate comb. 

After I apply Phil Smith Big It Up! Thickening Volume Cream, I will carry on with my makeup routine, and then once I'm done, I will apply the Vidal Sassoon Magic Style Activator Treatment, with the majority of product being applied on the hair ends. Then I will blow-dry my hair normally. Works like magic!

After almost one week of trying out, I really fell deeply in love with both products. The difference is obvious and I feel more confident about my hair now. Just amazing!

Anyway, if you have any volumising/thickening hair products that you love, please tell me all about them! I'm now a complete believer of having more voluminous hair.

Have a great day guys! Enjoy your Friday! :) 

Birkenstock: Yay or Nay?

I think I am going crazy. I have soooooooo many pairs of shoes but all I can think of is how I will style my outfits with a pair of Birks. I used to own one when I was really young, and I only had that, my flip flops and my school shoes, and I was done. Then nobody wore them anymore so I threw my extremely worn pair away, and now they are back in style. Not just back in style, but hey BACK IN STYLE. I follow a lot of fashion bloggers and fashion Youtubers, and most of them seem to be really into Birks (especially Arizonas) and I think I have been heavily brainwashed. 

I just scored a pair of Ibizas on Carousell for $12 (wtf?! I was highly doubting the authenticity, but the seller said that they were factory rejects, so okay lor, better than fake. When they came in the mail, ah~~ best buy of 2014!!) and all I can think of is how I want to wear them to office next week. Also, I really really REALLY want a pair of Arizonas in Stone Birkibuc. I don't really like all-black Arizonas, suede or patent leather. The Arizonas in Stone (Tobacco Leather also very pretty!!) are so gorgeous. Confirm can add some pizzazz to a laid-back all-black outfit. Aiyah, I want.....

Here's a The Fashion Citizen video on how to style Birks. Personally, I don't fancy overalls, but Stephanie (one half of The Fashion Citizen) rocks any outfit. 

Let's see if I will still think about Birks a month from now. If I still lust over them, then time to find them in Hong Kong when I'm there in August!! 

Video: Fast Winged Eyeliner Look

I don't know how this will turn out but... HERE IT IS. A video of me applying my eyeliner - it's my everyday winged eyeliner look. Super fast, super easy, especially if you use a felt-tip eyeliner pen. I'm using the Shiseido Integrate Cat Look Liquid Liner. It's not my favourite felt-tip eyeliner pen but I ran out of my Heroine Make one, so this will have to do the job! 

Disclaimer: I'm not a video person. When I was editing this video, I realised it was my fourth time using iMovie since I converted to Apple (5 years ago). So, please be kind! Treat it as a super super SUPER newbie's project lah. :D I don't even know how to change the thumbnail of the video HAHAHAH HOW AH TEACH ME PLEASE. 

Second disclaimer: I have a lot of acne scars and some blemishes. Aiyah, everyone should get used to it already lah. 

Hope this video helps! 

Music: Flower Garden by Joe Hisaishi

Recorded using iPhone 5

Quick Review: Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask

If you know me well, you will know that I religiously apply clay mask twice a week (Wednesdays and Sundays!). I don't stick to just one brand, I generally use all types of clay masks that claim to be beneficial and effective for oily and blemish-prone skin. I get excited when I apply clay mask on my face! It's weird! When the tingling/cooling sensation starts, I feel like I have done myself a huge favour - like "Woots! My skin is finally getting the treatment that it deserves!".

Recently, I have been wildly addicted to the Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. When I say wildly, I mean WILDLY. Usually I have a few clay masks that I rotate and use. But ever since I got the Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask, I just...kept using it. No other clay masks work as well, and I think I'm hooked. I must thank Yinghui for helping me buy one when she was in S.Korea a few weeks ago!

The main reason why I love this clay mask so much is because there's no tingling sensation. Some clay masks have crazy reactions on the skin and sometimes you feel immense pain for the first couple of minutes. This sensation will eventually die down to a cooling sensation. For me, the tingling sensation means that the product is working and I don't mind that little bit of pain because I know it will go away. However, to those with sensitive skin, this sensation is way too much for the skin to handle and some users may experience redness after mask removal because their sensitive skin couldn't handle the chemical reactions.

If you're one of those people, grab the Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask NOW! Upon application, there's no tingling/painful/biting sensation whatsoever, instead you get this super shiok cooling sensation. The thick and gooey clay mask applies and spreads out easily on the skin. A little bit goes a long long way and I think this 200ml container will last me more than the recommended 9 months of storage. After 15 minutes, you just remove it by using warm water (normal tap water works as well, but the removal process will be longer). After removal, my skin felt refreshed and soft and SUPER SHIOK LAH. I want to apply this mask everyday but I think that will be major overkill. Good things must tahan ("wait" - for non Singlish speakers) right? :D

I have used the Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask for a good two weeks and I don't get breakouts from using it and it's actually working on the huge pores around my nose area. It's a great product to own and use if you have the habit of using clay masks in your skincare routine. Do give it a try!

ALSO,

I think the Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask smells a bit like Vitasoy Malt Flavour?! So strange but since I love that drink, win-win for me. HAHA.

Have a great weekend guys! Any clay masks that you think I should try out? 

Wisdom gone.

Today's the 9th day after my wisdom tooth surgery and I'm having major discomfort at the affected gum area. The gums are trying to close but the process is really slow and the area is itchy and swelling and painful and everything unpleasant.

I feel like a teething baby. Not like I know how that feels like (anyone can remember their teething period? Definitely not me), but it's the best description of the nightmare that I'm going through.

Every time I eat things with a little bit of acidity or spiciness in them, I get these strange flares that hurt. The pain would go away eventually, but when the pain hit, it's a bitch.

I sound like a whining brat. Hmm.

But I really hate my situation right now and I feel like I cannot function properly. I just want to .... sleep the pain off!

Blogging will have to wait. The pain is affecting my mood and my brain is not rationally accessing and reviewing the products that I'm using now objectively. I want numbness. How to do that!!!

The first few days after surgery were very awesome. Practically painless because the painkillers were amazingly effective. Now that I have run out of them, I'm relying on Panadol Actifast, which DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.

Okay.

I shall stop whining and eat some cold yoghurt.

I have lost ... 1.9kg. Hoorah?

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

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