Going Marble Crazy!

From YoungHungryFree

From YoungHungryFree

I missed them once. So I cannot miss them again when backorder opened. I just purchased both without much thought. I hope they fit me, PLEASE PLEASE. 

Anyway, I'm currently in Copenhagen and the weather here has been LOVELY. Work has been intense but manageable. Colleagues have been really nice as well. More updates on this when I'm back in Singapore. 

Have a great day guys and stay safe (too many depressing news this week)!! 

Review: Some Taobao Items (via 65daigou)

It's not difficult to fall in love with Taobao. Even the initial language barrier couldn't stop my addiction. On the contrary, I think I'm much better with Mandarin Chinese. If all else fails, a quick Google Translate visit should be suffice.

Two phrases describe Taobao perfectly - super cheap and a myriad of choices.

Being the biggest online marketplace in Asia where you can find anything and everything (no kidding there), it's really obvious how one can fall deeply and obsessively in love with the platform.  I kid you not, I browse Taobao on a daily basis. No purpose and no goal, just browsing for the sake of finding gems.

Most people in Singapore already make online shopping a habit - it's convenient and you need not step out of your homes to shop! Just click, click, click and you will items delivered to you in a few days' to a few weeks' time.

I actually love Taobao more than blogshops because I can find similar items but for so much cheaper. Recently, my sister and my mom have been into Taobao as well. So, we always submit our orders together. Family bonding!

I always purchase my Taobao items through 65daigou. I chanced upon the website maybe more than 3 years ago and I have never looked back. Back then, even with a much smaller manpower, their service was already impeccable. Hence, when 65daigou contacted me to write a product and service review, I was more than willing to do so.

I used to opt for Sea shipping and my items would be delivered to me within 2 weeks, but these recent months, I chose Economy Air shipping instead because I wanted to get my things faster (around 1 week to get my stuff! Faster than some blogshops lor).

I have way too many purchases from Taobao and most of them have been featured on this blog. Let's rehash some of the old content.

Jewellery on Taobao is ridiculously cheap. Quality is amazing as well.

White vest is from Taobao. It's ZARA-inspired and looks exactly like the real thing. Of course, price is much cheaper than the real thing.

Vest and bag are from Taobao. I really love this bag to pieces. It has prints of many types of fishes and one single scuba-diver. It was definitely less than S$12. How to get such good quality and quirky bag at such a price in Singapore?

Wah, one of my favourite purchases ever. This leather jacket has served me too well. I bought it for less than S$15. Too ridiculous already this pricetag! Till now, the leather jacket still looks as good as new.

This crossbody bag that cost me less than S$5 but looks so exquisite. My aunt even asked if it was from Balenciaga!

Mango-inspired dress that was less than S$12. Flawless quality. Couldn't be happier when I received it.

Shirt and jeans also from Taobao. Aiyah my entire closet really almost 50% bought from Taobao. :D

Here comes my 4 most favourite purchases from Taobao.

First is this ZARA-inspired embroidered jacket. This has quite a story, bear with me haha.
So, I had wanted this jacket for the longest time, but it was retailing for more than S$150. No way was I going to spend that kind of money. Hence I waited for Great Singapore Sale to start and finally, I saw that it was going for S$49.90 in stores! CHIONG AH, I went to 4 different ZARA stores and nope, I had no such luck. The salesperson said it was out of stock. WAHLAO EH. I was so pissed off because I spent so much time searching for it!.

I went home, searched through Taobao.... AND I FOUND IT OMG STRAIGHT AWAY BUY.

It was one of the more pricey purchases. The total (plus express shipping) was about S$33 but eh still cheaper than the sale price! And the quality is simply faultless. Beautiful, beautiful, SO BEAUTIFUL.

I also bought some statement necklaces and I was shocked at the level of service by some of these Taobao sellers.

This first necklace was bought more than a year ago. I was in love with the Shourouk Apolonia Rainbow necklace but erm it's more than S$1000. Of course, I turned to Taobao and Taobao never disappoints. Found it for less than S$20! :D

I bought these two statement necklaces from the same seller on Taobao and I was praying that they looked just like stated on the product pages.

Not only were they exactly the same as the shop photos, they also came wrapped in thick styrofoam layers. The seller made sure to stack as many styrofoam laters as possible to ensure that the necklaces were not damaged in transit. Very thoughtful!

Super pretty necklaces. Sure to brighten any dull outfits!

I have been on Taobao through 65daigou and I will never stop doing that because I really am impressed with their level of service and promptness. Also, they are always improving - More collection points, better website, cheaper shipping fees.

They have also collaborated with some Taobao sellers. These sellers are now featured on the 65daigou website so you no longer need to go to Taobao to browse for items. If you are lazy to search for things and just want to know what's available, just go to the featured section and the hot category section! Or you can click here.

65daigou is always expanding the number of collection points and timings. When I first started, I used to collect from their warehouse. But now, I have lost count of how many collection points they have. You can refer here for the exact list. I always collect my parcels near Bukit Panjang Plaza. Super convenient because I always meet Kengyang there for dinners.

65daigou also knows that one thing that will definitely keep the customers staying is offering promotions and shipping discounts. They have frequent offers for free agent fees or shipping fee discounts. Follow them on their facebook page so you are well-informed! For example, they just had a free agent fee promotion for purchases between 25 July to 30 July 2015!

And this just in guys... 65daigou just revised their shipping fees AGAIN. I love how they are constantly revising their fees to remain competitive in the market. Their shipping fees are now the LOWEST in the market!

This is with effect from 29 July 2015. Very excited about this. Just told my sister and Kengyang and the cart has been filled with many many items! :D

If your items are between 30.01 - 60kg and you opt for Sea shipping, it's now S$1.30/500g from the previous S$1.40/500g. 

You can get your items faster at a cheaper rate. Why 65daigou like this? Now I'm more inclined to shop more! 

If you don't have a 65daigou account, do register now! You won't regret this decision! 

65daigou registration

65daigou facebook

65daigou instagram

Have a great day ahead guys! :D

Happy graduation to Mr Chung!!

Mr Chung has graduated! Welcome to the working world!

I can't believe it has been 2 years since my convocation. Time is on steroids. 

The week before his graduation, I was super vexed on where I should get the graduation bouquets. I not only need one, I need three! One for him, one for his sister and one for his sister's boyfriend. I have an everything-also-last-minute problem, so of course I was panicking! It was less than a week before D-Day and I haven't confirmed my bouquets! 

I took a risk and browsed Carousell, and oh my goodness, I found a florist - Fioregraphy - and she was able to help me with all 3 bouquets! 

The bouquets were too gorgeous. Jayn was so nice and she helped to upgrade all 3 bouquets with more fillers. 

All 3 recipients were incredibly delighted when I presented the bouquets. Look how vibrant the flowers are! 

A congratulatory post has become an advertorial-like post. LOL I'M SORRY but I want to support local shops like Fioregraphy which puts in the extra effort to make customers happy and has immensely good service! I'm not paid to post this at all - this is all pure genuine satisfaction after purchasing 3 bouquets from Fioregraphy.

Fioregraphy Carousell page

Fioregraphy facebook

Mr Chung and I will be celebrating his graduation and our 4th year anniversary this coming Saturday.We are having steak and fries. Omnomnom. Can't wait!! 

New Hair, A Musical & Twins KFC!

Every week I have new shoes, new clothes, new accessories, new makeup, etc (all thanks to the many shopping coupons online) but I haven't had new hair in almost 2 years! Technically, the shorter do + fringe combo is not something totally new to me. With the help of Timehop and Facebook's "On This Day" function, I was reminded of my shorter do + fringe combo 3 years back, and I looked so much better. So, snip snip it is! 

I cut my hair at my usual cheapo shop at Bugis. Cheapo price but not cheapo cut hor. The cheapest price for a haircut only is S$5.80, but since I opted for haircut+wash+treatment, it was S$21.60. Still not bad! 

YAY NEW HAIR! 

Suddenly, I look thinner because the shorter bob frames my face nicely and the fringe covers more than 75% of my forehead. 

The only difference between now and 3 years ago is how much thinner my hair is. It's no longer as thick and voluminous as before and so without blowdrying and without hairwax, my hairdo can be a sad joke. 

Super high maintenance lah, but okay whatever, got "pong pong" hair can already. 

Kengyang and I caught The LKY Musical last Friday and I teared a little when the cast sang Majulah Singapura. People say the addition of the national anthem was very cheesy and expected. But hor, they sang until got sooooo much feel. Couldn't really stop my eyes from watering. 

Kengyang also had a new hairdo! He is more cheapo than me - he went to Malaysia for his haircut. HAHAHA :P 

He is also very sweet. 

Oh oh! 

If you like Korean Fried Chickens (hence KFC), please try those from Twins! They were so so so good. Both of us polished 8 pieces in less than 15 minutes. Damn nice please. 

We had fried chicken and beer - the quintessential Korean supper. Or maybe that's what Korean dramas taught me. 

The seafood pancake was quite pricey though. For S$20, we expected more. 

The bean powder bingsoo was nice though! 

Twins Korean Restaurant

7 Craig Road 

Singapore 089667

Have a great week guys! :) Remember to try the kickass fried chicken at Twins! 

Zalora Haul (May - July 2015)

ZALORA is truly addictive. I just keep buying and buying because

• Some items too pretty
• Prices quite affordable
• Delivery is easy peasy - I always collect at POPStation. 
• Can return if I don't like the items - I just secure the items properly, follow the given instructions and return at POPStation. 

I always check out 3 brands - ZALORA, ZALORA Basics and Something Borrowed. Over the years, prices have increased, but the quality of the items have also improved. So I don't mind paying a little bit more. By saying "don't mind paying" means anything less than S$35. 

None of them items below cost more than S$35. Some of them are below S$20/S$15 because they were on sale. 

I also only purchase when I have a promo code. 

Photos! Please note that I didn't get these all at one go. They were purchased between May - July 2015 on multiple occasions! 

ZALORA Basics Lace Up Shift Dress
Something Borrowed Denim Boyfriend Shirt Dress (Out of Stock)
ZALORA Colourblock Shirt Dress (Out of Stock)
ZALORA Ruffle Hem Shift Dress

ZALORA Faux Leather Curved Hem Skirt
ZALORA Basics Curve Sides Boxy T-Shirt (Black)
ZALORA Basics Curve Sides Boxy T-Shirt (Cream)

ZALORA Slip On Sneakers
ZALORA Canvas Lace-Up Espadrilles
ZALORA Strappy Flat Sandals With Mix Studs (Out of Stock)
Something Borrowed Lace Up Platform Oxfords
ZALORA Glitter Laced Up Oxfords (Out of Stock)

Online shopping is certainly my vice. :S

Thrilled about the long weekend

Last weekend was simply great. 

Spent two days with precious friends and one day for my bed and I. 

Friday was steamboat at Eve's and actually we spent more time talking and trying to figure out what movie to watch than eating. 

On Saturday, I just slept the entire day away while occasionally switching on the laptop to watch more Game Of Thrones. I'm now at Season 3 Episode 3 and I can't wait to devour the entire season because Huiling, Ronald and Jeremy all said that I NEED to watch till the end of Season 3. Apparently, there's a shocker plot twist (which I have already Googled so....). 

And yes, I'm very slow. Game of Thrones already has 5 seasons out (and preparing for the next) and I just started watching. What to do? I have way too many things to watch! 

Also, I have never watched F.R.I.E.N.D.S. That's how bad I am with American TV series. The last one that I really liked was Breaking Bad, but even for that I only watched Season 1. I'm more of a cable horror/cooking reality kind of person. Oh well~

Anyway, on Sunday, #FKLRsgfoodtrail headed out to Haji Lane for another round of gluttony. 

I loved Maison Ikkoku and suggested that for our first stop. However, it seems like their food is not as nice as before? My 3-egg omelette was divine but the Break of Dawn (or their huge breakfast platter) was irritatingly underwhelming. Irritating because it was the most expensive breakfast item on the menu at $22. 

Tom Yum Pasta - subtle Tom Yum flavour + huge fresh prawns. Great dish!

Break of Dawn - underwhelming and disappointing. The only redeeming factor is the bread. Scrambled egg was tasteless (I can make better scrambled egg) , potato salad was cold, tasteless and sad, and the grilled mushrooms were really cold. Why like that leh?? I love your food last time leh!

Luckily, my Hangover Omelette was still as awesome as it used to be. 

We also ordered Truffle Fries because we were craving them. 

Maison Ikkoku

20 Kandahar Street 

Singapore 198885

Facebook

We then proceeded to I Am... for desert! The rainbow cake was TO DIE FOR. So moist and so dense and so satisfying. We also ordered a slice of red velvet cake but that was the complete opposite in terms of satisfactory level - the red velvet was incredibly dry and after a few mouthfuls, I found it unpalatable. It's a good thing I forgot to take a photo of the red velvet then. 

Each slice of cake is S$8.90. Super cheap for the crazy huge slice. 7 layers of cake leh! SEVEN! Some places sell 3-layer slices for S$6+ each! 

The nutella chocolate was too sinful, but too gooooood! :P

I am...

 674 North Bridge Road

Singapore 199486

Facebook

We then ended up at East Coast Park and played Charades (LOL). After a couple of hours of nua-ing, we made the crazy decision to have steamboat for dinner. Yes, after all that food, we still wanted steamboat for dinner. Our tummies super li hai. 

So yay, Crystal Jade steamboat! :D

Photos from #FLKRsgfoodtrail :D I cringe at this hashtag but I cherish my friends too much to complain more. :) 

Also, I have decided to change my hairstyle today. Hoping for the best that all goes well and I have nice hair after stepping out of the salon. Please pray for me!!! *fingers crossed*

Review: Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner

I cannot do without toning in my skincare routine. It just doesn't feel complete without a toner. It's especially crucial for my oily and acne-prone skin which is laden with makeup almost everyday because it helps to get rid of the excess junk on my skin that was not removed by the makeup remover and cleanser. Furthermore, most toners restores the pH level of your skin quickly - when you use cleansers (well most of them lah), your skin's pH level gets tampered. This disturbance is not beneficial to the skin and without a toner, the skin will still work to reinstate the pH level, but with toner, this work gets done quicker. I also truly believe that a good toner can act as a humectant - it helps a moisturiser moisturise better by locking in the moisture (this sentence like tongue twister haha). 

In the past, I used the Michael Todd Organic Lemon Toner and it was a great toner. It didn't break me out and the refreshing smell was a huge plus, especially when applying in those dreary mornings. My moisturiser was also absorbed quickly and it kept my acne at bay. But, the huge problem is cost and long shipping time. Michael Todd is based in USA and so purchasing items and having them delivered to my house in Singapore is not cheap and not fast enough. 

Hence, a change is needed. 

I recently subscribed to a lot of Korean beauty youtubers and many of them were gushing about the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner. I bought mine from Qoo10 for S$20.70 (500ml) with free normal mail. 

I was both excited and anxious. This promised 10 benefits, how exciting right?? But at the same time, I was hoping that this will not cause my skin to break out. 

In case my photo's too small, here are the stated 10 benefits of the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner:

1. Balances skin's ideal pH level
2. Refines skin tones
3. Keeps the elasticity of pores
4. Removes skin surface's dead skin cells
5. Cleanses pore insides with cooling effect
6. Deep cleanses pores
7. Minimizes appearance of pores
8. Controls a large amount of sebum
9. Moisturizes inside and outside of skin
10. Completes smooth glass-like texture (???)

I think they cheated a bit. Isn't point 5 exactly the same as point 6? Okay maybe the addition of "cooling effect" creates the difference. Also, what is point 10?? Why do I want "glass-like texture"??

But you know what, let's not judge a product by its English description. 

My order of Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner came with 50 pieces of Etude House Wonder Pore Daily Cotton Pad. These cotton pads have two sides with different textures - one more rough to help with the dead skin cells and the other smooth and soft just like other cotton pads. 

I use the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner with the given cotton pads only at night because I don't want to use the rough side on my skin twice in a single day. It's necessary to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells, but too much can also harm your skin. 

But then again, when all 50 pieces have been used up, I don't think I will get more of such cotton pads from Etude House. The usual cotton pad will do just fine. 

My most favourite aspect of the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner is the brilliant product packaging! It's similar to those nail polish removers used at nail salons! You just take a cotton pad and with the cotton pad, cover the top of the toner and press down several times. The product is dispensed easily with less effort and less mess. Also, it's a great recyclable bottle! Good job Etude House!

Yes, I'm more excited about the product packaging than the product itself.

Personally, I think the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner is alright. It didn't break me out and it definitely made my moisturiser sink in faster. But I don't see a difference in the size of my pores (I have used this for close to a month) and I don't see any skin texture refining. I'm only using it because it prepares my skin for my moisturiser well. And of course, the product packaging gave it many many bonus points.

If you have oily, acne-prone skin, the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner will be a suitable toner to use. However, if you have normal to dry skin, you may want to skip this as the high alcohol content may be too drying for your skin.

Since I bought the 500ml bottle, I think I'm good in the toner department till the end of the year. Repurchasing it will not happen though. I think I want to find a toner that can help more with my acne-prone skin, like reducing redness of acne areas. I can always get another one and replace the packaging with the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner's right? :D

Have a great day ahead guys! :) Do let me know if you know of any suitable toners that I should try!

Quick Review: Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask

Many years ago (perhaps 7-8 years ago), I tried an oxygen mask from Etude House and fell head over heels in love with it because of how effective it was. I think the product name was 02 White Mask Sheet - I can't really remember now because it has sadly been discontinued by the brand. After that, I just couldn't be bothered to find an alternative (poor JC student's woes) and I stopped using oxygen-infused masks from then on. 

The thought came back to me a couple of months back. What if oxygen masks can help with my acne?! I researched and found one that's particularly suitable for acne-prone skin - Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask. This contains carbonated water, baking powder, tea tree and gold kiwi - all great for cleansing out those dirty clogged pores. 

I bought mine from Qoo10 for S$21.90 (+ S$1.90 shipping) and this has become a staple in my skincare routine. 

First of all, the application process is very ... gratifying. After cleansing, lather one-two pumps of the Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask on your entire face, avoiding the eye and lip area. Then watch the magic happen - the white clay-mask-like consistency froths up steadily, covering your face gradually with dense white bubbles. After 2 minutes, rinse with lukewarm water and you're done! 

I saw a noticeable difference even only after one application - my skin felt immensely smooth and the dry patches on my skin (usually scars from freshly popped pimples) were not so obvious anymore. Also, my face looked so much brighter and more radiant, like as if I just did a 30-min slow jog (minus the sweat). 

I have used the Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask for close to 2 months now - twice weekly - and I have been enjoying every application. Does it tackle pimples? Maybe not so much. However, it didn't break me out and I love how radiant I looked after each application, so it's still a winner in my books. 

I really love incorporating oxygen-infused masks to my skincare routines, so please let me know if you have a similar product from another brand that I can try! :)  

Dating in the West

I have finally done something with my blog layout and template. I wanted to change the background picture and keep everything else, but Blogger is not cooperating at all. So, I changed the entire template. 

It looks markedly different from the previous template but I like how much cleaner and brighter it looks now. Hope you guys like it too! 

Last weekend, Kengyang and I had our brunch date at Rise & Grind Coffee Co. We are not huge brunch eaters but the cafe is located really near to our houses (Bukit Timah Plaza) so there was no transportation woes to stop us from trying out the new joint. 

Overall, it was okay. I'm going to sound terribly obnoxious here but I have tried better brunch food. Better bread at Gaest/Ronin, better guacamole at Guac & Go, better scrambled eggs at Food For Thought, better grilled mushrooms at Toss & Turn, more greens at The Lokal, etc. etc. But they have very Instagram-worthy plates! Kengyang and I enjoyed our food and even though we had better, we were still pleased with the overall experience - near our houses, cosy ambience, and good service!

The Conquistador

Rise & Grind Coffee Co. 

1 Jalan Anak Bukit #L1-CA1, Bukit Timah Plaza, Singapore 588996 

Facebook

We then headed to the UNESCO World Heritage Site for a light stroll! It wasn't a good decision because it was scorching hot and I was in a food coma. Apparently quite entertaining for Kengyang because I started talking gibberish and acting like siaodingdong. Heat + food coma = kee siao me. 

Anyway, congrats to Kengyang for securing his job! Yay, we are both earning money now. Let's hope we save more than we spend :D 

Have a great week ahead guys! 4-day work week! HUAT!