Melon's Day

Sally Hansen Salon Effects and L.A. Girls Cracked collection

2011-10-27T01:11:00.001+08:00

Find myself browsing more nails stuff than cosmetics recently. Can't be because I have too much makeup right? I have just as many bottles of nail polishes. Hee hee!

Anyway, 2 products caught my eye while I was wondering in Watsons and Guardian.

First up is the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips. Costs $17.50 for a box of 16 strips and available at Wastons. Made from real nail polish, these stick-on thingy are suppose to last up to 10 days.

May consider picking up a box if they had the Halloween designs.

$17.50 is a little expensive for one-time use but definitely cheaper than doing nail art at a salon. Hopefully the occasional Watsons 20% discount applies for this product :)

Click here for an awesome review. Some of the designs are quite nice!

Next is the L.A. Girls Cracked collection. If I remember correctly, their white and black are cream and the rest are shimmery. They are $15 each and available at Guardian.

Okay, I know the crackle polish is so yesterday but they are still quite popular.

I don't know how revolutionary the formula for these are but there aren't many left on the display rack.

China Glaze available at Wastons

2011-10-22T19:04:00.002+08:00

Spotted a teeny 2-tier China Glaze nail polish display at Watsons in Holland V. Believe they are available at Sephora too.

$19 for Crackle polishes and $18 for the regular ones. It's quite cool that more brands are making their way here but prices are kinda steep. I usually pay $10 or less for China Glaze.

Do you see yourself purchasing them at this price? I couldn't bear to when I know there are cheaper alternatives.

Goodies in the mail: Bellabox Debut

2011-10-14T03:54:00.000+08:00

October marks the launch of Bellabox and mine got delivered today! Believe it's the first and currently, only luxurious beauty sampler program in Singapore :)

For $15 a month, you get 4 to 5 beauty product samples delivered to your doorstep via registered mail which is great because you don't want them to get lost in transit. Also, each Bellabox is different as samples are picked based on your beauty profile.

Without further ado, let see what's in my Bellabox this month:

1) Twistband Hair Ties, 3 pieces
($6.50 value)

2) Esprit D’Oscar Eau de Parfum Spray, 3ml
($5.88 value, 50ml for $98)

3) OPI Avojuice Skin Quenchers hand and body lotion, 30ml
($3.90 value, 200ml for $25.50)

4) Aveda Light Elements Smoothing Fluid, 40ml
($19.60 value, 100ml for $49)

5) Aveda Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener, 25ml
($9.00 value, 125ml for $45)

Included in each box is a card with message from the Bellabox team and the list of samples and their full-size price. Total value for the October box is $44.88. Not too bad for a start.

Wasn't too excited about the hair products and perfume but it's okay. Who knows, right? Handy for traveling and I just might end up loving the products. The anticipation and opening of my Bellabox is enough to keep me subscribed for now. Check out my open box video:

Did you apply for a Bellabox too? If so, do let me know what's in yours and what are you thoughts about it :)

P/s: I love how the samples are packaged and boxes are definitely reusable.

LUSH heading back to Singapore

2011-10-01T23:34:00.000+08:00

HAVE YOU HEARD???

LUSH is coming back!! Opening in November at Wisma Atria, B1-13. I'm not sure if it's planned or a coincident but many many many years ago, LUSH operated at Wisma basement too. In Isetan where Agnes B is now.

Like their Facebook page for the latest updates. So bloody excited!

Can't wait to try more of their fresh face masks. Bought a tub of Oatifix in Japan to try and it's amazing! Another thing to look forward to is being able to smell and see their seasonal stuff in person.

LUSH UK has posted videos of their Christmas goodies and I'm already making a mental list of what to check out. Hee hee!

Let's hope the price is reasonable and I wonder which country will most of the products come from. Highly doubt they will make them locally. Like Lush Hong Kong has products from Japan,UK and maybe even the States.

A big thank you to my friend who told me this wonderful news on Facebook :)

Free worldwide shipping at A-England

2011-09-19T02:46:00.000+08:00

Bought 2 hologram nail polishes, Lady Of The Lake and Tristam, from A-England while ago but have not gotten around to try them. They look absolutely stunning on Scrangie though.

If you're interested in trying, great news! A-England is offering free worldwide shipping on all orders :)

Didn't state when the promotion is ending. Let's hope it's permanent, fingers crossed.

NOTW: TiNS Macaron Framboises

2011-08-24T22:49:00.002+08:00

I was really impressed by the quality of this TiNS polish. Applies smoothly and though packed with glitters, it's not CHUNKY! The brand is from Japan and costs about $5 to $7 more than OPI online.

TiNS nail polishes are toulene and DBP free. They contain aloe vera and avocado extracts that help moisturize nails. Quality-wise, it's definitely comparable to OPI. Maybe even better :)

Macaron Framboises (#409) reminds me of a strawberry milk tea, if there's such thing. Haha! I like how the soft pink with fine rainbow glitter looks. So sweet yet lady-like.

With flash.

Without flash.

It's little sheer, can't remember if I applied 2 or 3 coats. Anyway, drying time was reasonably short.

Crazy...

2011-08-22T23:25:00.002+08:00

3 assignments, due 3 weeks in a row is just fucking crazy!!

So tired from trying complete all the readings and my assignments on time. Who works full-time and reads 90 pages of academic text a week?!?! To think that it's supposed to be a working-adult friendly university. Bluff one...

Overloaded

2011-08-10T23:48:00.003+08:00

Been a while since my last update... Feel so tired all the freaking time! Everyday after work, all I want to do is to sleep, sleep and sleep some more but for some reason, I'm rarely in bed before midnight.

Work is super draining nowadays. All I care is getting things done and along the way, left out my heart and soul. Plainly whacking tasks in my never-ending laundry list.

Then!!! Sort of regretted wishing for school to start because I haven't found time to study. Stayed up till 5am on Monday morning to complete the one bloody question. Damn pathetic, can?

Needing to work is bad enough, add school, ROM preparations and flat renovation to the equation and BOOM!!! Massive overload. Need some soul-searching before I crash. Le sigh~

Talk soon, blogging in the warm kitchen is no fun and Mum is nagging (again!) for staying up late.

Bye bye, Eyeko Polish

2011-07-21T18:53:00.002+08:00

Didn't know about the rumours but it's sad to hear that Eyeko is saying goodbye to their polishes.

Okay, the e-newsletter was kinda vague. I'm not sure if they are just discontinuing the current range or no longer selling nail polishes for good.

Well, either way it's time to stock up if they are your favourites :)

Isla Sirena by DuWop is now available!

2011-07-16T01:11:00.002+08:00

Waited, gave up and accidentally stumbled upon it. I tell ya, it's a sign.

Isla Sirena by Duwop is a collaboration with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Hence, the mermaid and seashells.

Anything oceanic is death to my wallet. Not sure if they accept international credit card but I went ahead and placed an order on their US site today. Duwop is kinda expensive and I had to give up some items for another time.

I ordered:
- Rotating Map Palette, $39
- Eye duals in Mystic Waters and Greedy, $25 each
- Caribbean Iced Tea lip balm in Butter Rum, $19

Hope it goes through, fingers crossed :)

Not the right type

2011-07-14T00:12:00.000+08:00

Boyfriend and I went to collect the keys to our flat in the afternoon.

I should be happy but it's quite difficult to feel that way while saddling a 30-year loan. Rising property prices will forever be an issue in Singapore until mankind find a way to live in space.

Our flat was supposed to be ready in 2013 and it completing way earlier than expected has caused me unnecessary distress. I don't have enough money for a proper renovation and my plan of working overseas has gone down the drain. Boohoo!!!

I know I should be grateful but HDB shouldn't go around giving people false completion date. Le sigh~ This is my life and there's nothing I can do but accept it. I basically have to 任命.

Adding salt to the wound, work hasn't been that great either. No point putting in so much effort when it's not appreciated. Someone I respected said something like this to me, "you think the client is going to thank you for finishing a job early?"

Yes, I believe some clients do.

I don't like what I'm doing anymore or at least that's how people are making me feel. I took a legit personality test (MBTI) awhile ago and I'm not in the recommended job for my type.

Sort of made me wonder if I'm better off elsewhere...

Transformers 3 and my new bag!

2011-07-11T01:31:00.000+08:00

Caught Transformers 3 with boyfriend last week and it wasn't bad what... I've heard people saying that it's the worst but as a fan of the film series, I like it except for the part where Chicago was attacked by Decepticons. Don't like seeing people die.

I got a chance to use my new Peach John canvas bag! It's super duper cute and I have not seen anything similar printed bags.

I got it online a few years at quite a steal! Less than $20, I think, but the shipping to Singapore from Japan via Vpost was damn expensive because my order was packed in a huge-ass box. Grr!!

The bag is pretty roomy with a magnetic button closure. Peach John is a Japanese store that sells mainly pretty undergarments for ladies. They also have rather nice accessories and home stuff :)

We reached the cinema a little early and had an hour or so to roam around. Bought ourselves a Transformers 3 combo and hot dogs to last us through the long movie.

I teared up a few times and I'm sure you guys can pretty much guess which parts. After the movie, we went to Xin Wang at Marina Square for supper. Nomz!

Wasn't feeling particularly hungry after all the snacks we had in the cinema but once I had some real food, the porridge I've ordered was not enough! End up ordering extra side dishes to curb my itchy mouth.

It would be perfect if it wasn't Monday the next day... Le sigh~

P/s: This is a little outdated but was I was damn busy with work. Everyday go home, brain fried to crisp!

RWS scam on SMH forum

2011-06-22T22:46:00.001+08:00

Le sigh~ Stop giving online shopping a bad name... As an active online shopper and seller, it's quite disheartening to see such news.

Just yesterday, I came across the thread on the Singapore Motherhood forum while browsing for things to buy. The deals offered were pretty good and if I had seen it before the scam unravel, I might have purchased a package for myself...

Over $78k gone in scam over RWS stay
Seller believed to have fled with cash prepaid for hotel packages bought over online forum
By Tham Yuen-C

THE deal seemed too good to be true. Turns out it was.

At least 112 people may have been cheated of more than $78,000 in an online scam. They were sold hotel stays at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) that they might never get to claim.

Now, the person who sold it to them claims she was defrauded herself.

The deal for the hotel packages was advertised on the forum of popular parenting website Singapore Motherhood by a user who called herself 'AzilCyan'.

On April 6, she posted a message in the Bulk Purchase section of the forum, offering RWS hotel stays bundled with Universal Studios tickets for prices as low as $400.

That would get the buyer two days and one night at either Hotel Michael, the Hard Rock Hotel or Festive Hotel, along with four Universal Studios tickets. For those willing to pay more, there was also a $710 package for a longer stay, and more theme park tickets thrown in.

The Straits Times understands that the deals had been fully honoured until last week.

Those who had bought the prepaid packages got a shock when they turned up at RWS and found that the rooms had not been paid for. Accountant Sharon Lee, 34, went to Festive Hotel at 4pm last Thursday with her husband and two children, only to be told by AzilCyan over the phone that they had to pay for the rooms first with their own credit card. The online seller also assured Ms Lee that her business partner Sharifah would come by with a refund by 5.30pm.

Worried that something was amiss, Ms Lee insisted on waiting for Sharifah to come and pay for the room. But by 7pm she had not arrived. In the end, the mother of two had to pay for the room herself. But luckily for her, Sharifah turned up at 7.30pm to give her a refund of $1,200 that was charged to her card.

'We had been waiting from 4pm with my two kids, I was quite angry and asked her how she could not make payment, then she gave me a pathetic look and said something had cropped up. She had been giving us a lot of empty promises,' said Ms Lee. She added that Sharifah was a plump woman who looked like she was in her late 20s or early 30s.

By then, other people had already started to post their bad experiences on the forum. But AzilCyan continued to insist that things were all right, said another victim, Madam Wang. The 37-year-old, who declined to give her full name, had booked a $440 package for July 19 to celebrate her son's first birthday.

'She said certain dates were blocked by the hotel and that there were mix-ups with the hotel. I think it was a delay tactic,' said the office manager.

Then, everything unravelled.

On Monday, AzilCyan sent a long text message to some of those who bought the packages, saying Sharifah had absconded with the money.

Yesterday, it emerged that at least 112 people had bought the packages but had not claimed them yet. They forked out a total of $78,842.46, according to a list some victims had drawn up.

Repeated calls yesterday to AzilCyan and Sharifah's mobile numbers went unanswered. But in text messages shown to The Straits Times, AzilCyan claimed that she had forked out some $16,000 of her own money for the refunds.

She added that she had made a police report, and said Sharifah was not contactable because she is under police investigation. The administrators of Singapore Motherhood also made a police report.

The police confirmed that complaints had been lodged, and that investigations into the matter had started.

The Straits Times understands that Sharifah was the one responsible for booking the rooms. Being a frequent customer of RWS, she had accrued credits and managed to secure the rooms at a cheaper rate. But those who bought the packages said they had transferred money into AzilCyan's account.

'Initially, she refused to tell us how she got the deals, then suddenly she says she has a business partner,' said a 39-year-old stay-at-home mother, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Lee.

When contacted, RWS said the women were not authorised travel agents that it had worked with.

'We take a serious view of such transactional breaches,' said spokesman Robin Goh.

Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011

2011-06-22T00:27:00.000+08:00

Boyfriend and I attended the Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011 charity walk last Saturday where we walked barefooted for 2.5 km. The distance isn't very far but for the untrained soles, it's not exactly a walk in the park...

The walk, quite frankly, was uncomfortable. Painful when you stepped on teeny stones and weird on grass. The last time I walked on grass was years ago and I had shoes on. So, yes. Walking barefooted on grass felt weird.

Events like this never fail to make me feel bad for not appreciating enough and complaining way too much. Some people want to complain also cannot.

Guilt trip~

But aren't we a fortunate bunch? Roof over our heads (though not completely ours but still...) and food on the table. What more we need? Need, not want. Give the world to some and it's still not enough!!

Crossed the finish line after an hour or so. Phew~

I say we can do faster with shoes on but that's not the point and we did stop for photos in front of the line. Also, just before the finish line, there's this patch of fake grass that was such a joy to step on. Sort of like stepping on foam, totally took the weight off my feet.

Glad we took the walk because it helped me to keep my ungratefulness in check and do my part for charity.

No pointe shoes for me

2011-06-13T23:43:00.000+08:00

Bleh~ Was feeling a lot of angst at work today. Brought some stuff back to complete but no thanks. No mood to do anything.

Maybe I'm just tired... Stayed up till 2am last night watching Dong Yi, a historical Korean drama that turned my family into fanatics. My parents simply couldn't stop watching it!

Aside from the storyline, which is not bad, I am super intrigued by the traditions and culture of ancient Korea.

Wish I could just stay at home for a whole ~~year~~ ~~month~~ week to watch the entire drama in peace.

Didn't manage to get pointe shoes last week all thanks to my wide feet. Will be ordering a pair of Gaynor Minden online and hopefully, a pair of Bloch Serenade too. Unfortunately for the latter, I don't know what size to buy and the best way to find out is to get fitted. Not to keen because the idea makes me uncomfortable.

Despite not getting the shoes, I went on pointe twice for a short while trying and the experience was so surreal. Way too cool for words... Somehow felt really accomplished though many don't understand my excitement.

Wanted to blog about my Japan trip but got distracted by ballet videos on YouTube. It's almost midnight and my brain is slowly shutting down.

Tomorrow perhaps?

Back from Tokyo

2011-06-08T01:56:00.000+08:00

Didn't realize I haven't updated in weeks! Hope you all are well :)

Back from Tokyo last Wednesday and I'm already planning for another trip there. Was there for 4 days only and it bloody rained half of the time. Grr!!

Quite difficult to explore the place when you're soaked despite using an umbrella. Luckily it stopped raining when we were at Disneyland.

Though the trip was ill prepared and didn't manage to as much as I've hoped, am really grateful to be able to visit my #1 must-go-before-I-die destination with my younger sister ~~before the world end in 2012~~.

I love Tokyo!!!

Japan from above

Aside from that brief happiness, life has been pretty so-so. No goal, no passion... Days just passed one after another. Work is ~~extremely~~ kinda stagnant, feeling unhappy and not sure why. The answer is deep inside somewhere but I've afraid of digging it up.

Ah! Looking forward to buying my first pair of pointe shoes this Thursday. Think my ballet teacher is bringing us to Stage Image at Bugis.

Me, on pointe? I'm excited but can I do it? I've been dancing for almost 2 years now but fat people are generally discouraged to dance en pointe because of their weight. Higher risk of getting broken ankles and toes, I suppose.

Also remembering how this sales woman at a local ballet shop looked at me when I was buying normal ballet shoes :(

My teacher is superb but I wonder if she has ever hinted me that I'm not ready for pointe because of my weight. Le sigh~ Just saying this because I'm feeling damn insecure.

Don't judge me!

PayPal eCheque and Groupon woe

2011-05-18T02:26:00.001+08:00

Have been using PayPal for the longest time but only heard of eCheque last week.

My sister was selling something online and was paid with it. Probably not new but good to know if you're planning to use PayPal to receive payment. eCheque, well, is a virtual cheque. Takes up to 9 working days to clear before the money appears in your account.

This is really important! Do not action until you get the moolas. Payers should be aware of the waiting time but do remind them nicely anyway.

Would really appreciate if PayPal adds a column for payment type in the overview. It's quite difficult to tell, at a glance, which is an eCheque payment. Was only able to differentiate by looking at the payment status column. What happens after the eCheque cleared?

Another thing to note is, the payment email from PayPal is terribly generic. It does not mention if you've received a credit/debit card or eCheque payment.

The only sure way, so far, to know is by looking at the transaction details = another extra click.

I don't know about this... eCheque seems really troublesome with the long waiting time and it sort of defeats the instant gratification of online shopping. Who wants to wait for 9 days before their orders get shipped? I want it NOW!!!!

Ahem... Anyway, more details on eCheques from PayPal:

What is an eCheque?
eCheques are one type of bank payment and usually take 6-8 working days* to process. They are used when buyers have not linked a backup payment source (like a debit or credit card) to their PayPal accounts, or when a transaction is too risky to allow an instant payment.

How does an eCheque work?
The money is withdrawn from the buyer's bank within a day or two. As soon as we receive confirmation of sufficient funds from the bank, we'll deposit the money into your PayPal account. The entire process takes 6-8 working days.*

Can I cancel an eCheque?
Yes. Click Cancel at the bottom of your transaction details page. If we have not begun processing the payment, we will cancel it outright. If we have already begun processing the payment, we'll refund the money into the buyer's PayPal account.

* Note: Bank processing times vary according to the buyer's country.

Australia: 3-5 working days
Canada: 6-8 working days
France: 8-10 working days
Netherlands: 4-6 working days
United Kingdom: 5-7 working days
United States: 3-5 working days

Speaking of PayPal reminded me of a problem I had with Groupon SG 3 weeks ago. They had this crazy deal for an all-inclusive trip to Tokyo, Japan (Singapore Airlines, baby!) and it got me all psych up. It wasn't dirt cheap but still pretty affordable.

After finding a traveling partner, I immediately bought 2 vouchers. At that time, the minimum purchase has not been reached and didn't think too much about not receiving a confirmation email.

Stupid me...

When the deal sold out the next day and still no email from Groupon, I went to check my account and was horrified to see that I have not made any order recently. WHAT THE FUCK!!!

Panicking, I quickly emailed Groupon and waited in agony for their reply. My heart sank when I finally hear from them 3 hours later:

Hi Evelyn,

Thanks for your email.

I have just checked your account and I can see that there was a delay in PayPal releasing your payment. As our website is time sensitive and deals are only available for a limited period (usually 24hrs) we need to capture payment within this time frame for a deal to be successfully purchased and a Groupon to be issued automatically. As the payment was not captured in this time frame, unfortunately you were unsuccessful in purchasing this Groupon.

This delay in payment occasionally occurs for customers using PayPal if PayPal does not authorise the payment fast enough. To avoid this happening, please ensure you go through all the payment confirmation screens once our website redirects you to PayPal. If PayPal routinely authorises your payment with delay, I suggest you contact them on their helpline: 08707 307 191

I'm truly sorry that you missed out on this deal, I am sure we will be featuring another deal just like this very soon! In the future, I would recommend using your credit card to avoid this from happening again.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

What?! Was really angry because it's not my fault that PayPal delayed the payment what... If there's such an issue with PayPal, don't offer it as a payment mode. At the very least, put a warning or something.

Sent back a rather curt reply because I was so pissed about the situation. At the same time, went to look for alternatives to make my trip happen. Couldn't bear to not go after so much excitement.

Missing the deal was a blessing in disguise because I found a cheaper way to get my ass to Tokyo. Same airline with the freedom of choosing any hotel. Went ahead and book the air tickets because I couldn't wait any longer and wasn't even sure if Groupon would get back to me on my grievance.

They did though, another 3 hours later. Groupon has very nicely (despite my bitchy email) extended the deal to me which I appreciate. Unfortunately, I was not able to accept as I've already started Plan B.

Moral of the story is, avoid PayPal if you're planning to buy from Groupon.

OPI Pirates of the Caribbean + Silver Shatter

2011-05-09T23:51:00.001+08:00

On a spending high the last few weeks. It's extremely bad for the pocket AND I should be saving money for my trip to Japan.

Going to declare bankrupt when I get back... I blame this on weak ~~willpower~~ US$ and stress. Bought so much stuff that I'm starting to feel overwhelmed.

Anyway, the first few items I bought are the new OPI Pirates of the Caribbean nail polishes. Been ignoring the last few collections because the colours were pretty so-so and I have no space for more but this pushed all the right buttons for me (Movie fan + MERMAIDS!!!). Plus, there's the Silver Shatter.

Now, say 'URGH!' like a pirate with me!

I got 6 bottles from the collection:

- P13 Skull And Glossbones
- P14 Steady As She Rose
- P15 Sparrow Me The Drama
- P16 Planks A Lot
- P18 Mermaid's Tears (Oops! Typo in the pictures)
- Silver Shatter

They are all pretty sweet pastels which is kinda funny because that's not piratey at all. I would expect them to be dark and mysterious.

Failed terribly trying to capture the Silver Shatter. I like how sparkly it looks though. To make space, I'm selling some of my nail polishes and other cosmetics here. Please visit if you're interested!!

The Alchemaster's Apprentice by Walter Moers

2011-05-02T19:22:00.003+08:00

Another brilliant book by Walter Moers. I've enjoyed his other Zamonia titles like The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear and Rumo very much. Unlike most adult fiction, Moers' books are filled with his amazing illustrations and correlating font styles. They are a lot of fun to read and extremely difficult to stop once you start.

I felt really lucky finding this on the 'What's New' table at the public library because books I like are hard to come by. I like what most people like and the good ones are always on loan. 80% of the time, I have to pay to reserve the books I want to read :(

Anyway, the first thing I did after borrowing The Alchemaster's Apprentice was to find out what's an alchemaster. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho popped right into my head but because I haven't read it, what's an alchemist ar? *bimbo moment*

In a nutshell:

Malaisea, the unhealthiest town in the whole of Zamonia, is home to Echo the Crat, a multitalented creature resembling a cat in appearance but capable of speaking any language under the sun, human or animal. When his mistress dies, Echo finds himself out on the street. Dying of starvation, he is compelled to sign a contract with Ghoolion the Alchemaster, Malaisea's evil alchemist-in-chief.

This fateful document gives Ghoolion the right to kill Echo at the next full moon and render him down for his fat, with which he hopes to brew an alchemical concoction that will make him immortal. In return, he promises to regale the little Crat with the most exquisite gastronomic delicacies until his time is up. But Ghoolion has reckoned without Echo's talent for survival and his ability to make new friends. These include the Leathermice, the Cogitating Eggs, the Golden Squirrel, the Cooked Ghost, Theodore T. Theodore the one-eyed Tuwituwu, and, above all, Izanuela Anazazi, the last Uggly in Malaisea.

Walter Moers' magnificent translation of Optimus Yarnspinner's novel introduces us to yet another of Zamonia's hotbeds of adventure: Malaisea, a place where sick is healthy, up is down, right is wrong, and Ghoolion the Alchemaster reigns supreme - until Echo crosses his path.

Source: Zamonia Wiki

I highly recommend this if you're looking for lighthearted, funny and out of this world! And after reading The Alchemaster's Apprentice, sort of want a crat for a pet :)

Dotty LUSH Twilight bath ballistic

2011-04-22T16:22:00.005+08:00

My good friend, Carrie, picked up some LUSH items for me when she was in Melbourne. Was really excited to get this because it's so pretty and... It changes colour in the water!!

Unfortunately, it got a little damped and developed white spots all over it. If you ask me, it looked kinda moldy. Thankfully, according to LUSH, it's still usable and my sis didn't complain of any skin irritation after use. Phew~

The Twilight bath ballistic is a permanent item at LUSH and you'll be able to enjoy it all year round. Here's its description and ingredient list from the LUSH website:

That moment when the sun starts setting into the night sky, painting it with vibrant hues of orange and purple before being peppered with sparkling stars, is a wonder that we pause to admire with those we love. Recreate twilight in your bath water with clouds of lavender, ylang ylang and ovaltine to soothe body and mind.

If you're stressed out, hugely overwhelmed or just plain exhausted; Twilight is the gentle, reassuring hug that leaves you feeling like everything's going to be okay. It's our most relaxing Bath Bomb yet, transforming you from worn out to warm and fuzzy. Lay back in the comforting herbal waters to soak your troubles far, far away.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cream of Tartar (Tartaric acid), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lavender Oil (Lavandula augustifolia), Benzoin Resinoid (Styrax tonkinensis pierre), Tonka Absolute (Dipteryx odorata), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Lauryl Betaine, Cocamide DEA, Coumarin, Linalool, Perfume, Propylene Glycol, FD&C Red No. 4, D&C Red No. 33, D&C Red No. 27, Iridescent Glitter (Polyethylene terephthalate and Acrylates copolymer).

I'm not writing a review as I didn't get a chance to use it but my sis was nice enough to video the bath ballistic in action :)

Check it out!!

Package from Royal Academy of Dance

2011-04-12T22:52:00.011+08:00

Howdy! Been a while since I last blogged and all I can say is, I am freaking busy with work and school. Having zero time-management skill sure didn't help :(

I'm so tired... Haven't had a restful sleep in the longest time. Even brought my textbook to Bangkok so that I can try to study and would read till about 1am. I'm not hardworking. I just got an assignment due the day I return and I haven't done my readings at all. In the end, still submitted 2 days late. Sigh~

Really hate UniSIM 10 marks/day penalty. It's my death trap!

I am so behind school that the thought of quitting my job did lurk in my mind and it's not completely dispelled yet. Heh heh... My job is a crazy roller coaster ride right now. Like today, I focused all my remaining brain cells (stayed up the whole night to finish another assignment) in completing one super duper long task. I worked all the way from 9am to 8pm. With my brain all fried, I have no energy and focus left for study?!

Bah~ Though I returned home feeling rather broken, my spirit lifted when I saw a package waiting for me!!

It's from the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD)!!!! Some of you might know that I'm learning ballet and this year, my teacher is teaching us the grade 7 syllabus. Exciting! Whether or not I will take the actual exam, I don't know but it sure is something to look forward to.

To help me remember the steps better, I went online and got myself the syllabus DVD :) Total, including shipping, is £17.53. That's about SG$36 and it cheaper than buying from specialty shops here. My dance mate told me she got hers for $60!

Online Merchant Rate Card

Name: Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Enterprises
Location: UK
URL: http://www.radenterprises.co.uk/

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Processing time: Less than 1 day

Shipping costs: £7.95, for orders up to £20. It's a little expensive for the 1 DVD I've ordered.

Delivery time: 11 days

Packaging: Bubble envelope and item was wrapped snugly in bubble wrap.

Vpost friendly: Not applicable but yes. Appropriate packaging, won't incur unnecessary volumetric weight.

Other comments: The postage label showed that the package came from Sweden instead of UK. I like it that my order was shipped on the same day I made my purchase!

Shipping is a little expensive and the package took a while to reach me. Won't recommend if you need order urgently, get locally instead.

The DVD is really simple, no fancy packaging or instruction booklet. It doesn't even have a digital menu... Haha! Glad I borrowed my teacher's guide to photocopy because I am all ready to take on grade 7.

ROAR!!! I so wanna pass this!

Senior citizen offer for world's first 3D R(A) movie, Natali 3D

2011-04-01T00:25:00.001+08:00

Cheeky little advert in today's paper ;)

Senior citizen special for the world's first 3D porno movie. Here, in Singapore? And ticket costs $6 only! Unbelievable!!! (Say it like Haruka Ayase in the SK-II Surprise commerical)

Natalie is a masterpiece sculpture depicting beauty of a woman. The identity of the woman depicted in the sculpture is unknown. "Natalie" is then presented to the public at an art exhibition held by sculptor Hwang Jun-Hyuk (Lee Sung-Jae). On the last day of the exhibition Jun-Hyuk tells art critic Jang Min-Woo (Kim Ji-Hoon) about a passionate affair with modern dance student Oh Mi-Ran (Park Hyun-Jin). Art critic Min-Woo tells Jun-Hyuk that Mi-Ran loves him. Jun-Hyuk and Min-Woo have different memories surrounding Mi-Ran and they begin to unveil the secret surrounding her.

source: AsianMediaWiki

Ah~ I see all you cheeko pek (dirty old men) getting your brollies ready for the show. Heh heh...

Samples of love

2011-03-22T00:13:00.000+08:00

When Boyfriend messaged me in the afternoon saying that he got some samples of my facial wash for my upcoming trip to Bangkok, I thought it would be a bottle/sachet or two but no...

I got 6 sample bottles of Avene soapless gel cleanser. Factory-sealed and all!

Love boyfriend loads ♥♥♥

My skin is super oily and am trying to find a system that can truly help keep the shine at bay. So far, I'm only using the cleanser from Avene. Might wanna try the full range when there's a sale or something.

I like it that they have a range for oily and sensitive skin. Just for me :)

To watch, or not to watch... SDT Romeo & Juliet

2011-03-18T23:22:00.002+08:00

Wasn't sure if I wanted to catch Romeo & Juliet and when I've finally made up my mind to go for it, realized I will be in Bangkok during the show dates. Ah well~ Will definitely keep my calendar free for Singapore Dance Theatre year-end performance, The Nutcracker, though.

Romeo & Juliet by Goh Choo San
24 - 27 Mar 2011, Esplanade Theatre
Ticket prices: $90, $70, $50

When Romeo, the scion of the Montagues, tricks his way into the Capulet family’s masked ball, he comes face-to-face with the beautiful Juliet. It is love at first sight. As ill-luck would have it, however, Juliet is the daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet—and the Montagues and the Capulets are sworn enemies.

Undeterred by this misfortune, Romeo and Juliet rebel against fate, and devise a plan to elope. Can the star-crossed pair defy the odds to find love in the midst of discord? Or will destiny doom them both to despair and death?

Featuring a sweeping score by Sergei Prokofiev and soaring choreography by Goh Choo San, Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest love stories in the classical ballet repertoire. This March, Singapore Dance Theatre brings Romeo & Juliet to the Singapore stage.

Romeo & Juliet is Romeo & Juliet. You guys should know the story and how drool-worthy Leonardo DiCaprio was in the 1996 film. Sigh~ If you love the classic tale, give this performance a chance and support SDT :)

LUSH Satsumo Santa bath ballistic

2011-03-14T00:43:00.004+08:00

Got the chance to use the Satsumo Santa (SS) bath ballistic from LUSH last week during a short getaway at Batam with boyfriend. The bath tub in our room was only big enough for one and lucky me got Santa all to myself :)

SS is limited edition and only available during Christmas. Here's his description and ingredient list on the LUSH website:

Fans of Saint Nick don't need to impatiently wait out the days at LUSH. Our Satsumo Santa Bath Bomb has refreshing mandarin and bergamot oils to make the dark days seem brighter and orange blossom absolute to send your mind off to warmer lands.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Propylene Glycol, Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Orange Blossom Absolute (Citrus Aurantium dulcis), Limonene, Linalool, FD&C Red No. 4.

First impression: He's fat, jolly and smells like orange. I'm glad he arrived from US in one piece. The citrus scent is refreshing and great for rainy days as it reminds me of sunny days.

In the bath: Two words, ~~blood bath~~ fruit punch!!! Hot water helped fill the whole bathroom with his orangey scent.

Aftermath: Hmm... Aside from a relaxing scented soak, I don't think SS has much to offer. He didn't seem to turn the water moisturizing or anything.

I've read online that the coloured water stained some tub but not for me! However, I did get some colouring on the hand towel. Heh heh...

Starbucks SG 2011 sakura collection

2011-03-09T01:41:00.003+08:00

Starbucks 2011 sakura items have reached our shores!! Been waiting since I saw the release in Japan. So pretty~

Sadly, there's no mug in the local collection... WHY?! And is it just me or have the mugs at Starbucks gotten boring? Anyway, here's what you'll find in Singapore:

Water bottle: $19.90
Pink metal sakura tumbler: $32.90
Plastic sakura tumbler: $15.90
Bearista: $24.90/$25.90/$26.90 (Can't remember. Sorry!)

Was tempted to get the water bottle but decide against it since I haven't use the one I bought last year. Also thought that there will be a Japan-exclusive bearista this year but nope...

Baby Kraken

2011-03-06T23:53:00.001+08:00

Click to enlarge

Funny! Took me awhile but I believe Pirates of the Caribbean fans will get it faster :)

Nanairo $2 shop at Liang Court

2011-03-04T01:00:00.001+08:00

Way before Daiso appeared in Singapore, we had our very own $1.99 Shop. Does anyone remember? Somehow, the outlet in Heeren is vividly imprinted in my memory. Must have visited it frequently in past :)

Last week, while I was chilling out at Liang Court and waiting for my sister to knock off from work, I bumped into Nanairo (七色). The vibe of the place really reminded me of the $1.99 Shop.

Hidden and tucked in the basement. If it wasn't for a poster at the lift lobby, I won't have known about this shop. The things available are pretty much like Daiso. Sure, the selection is not be as big but at least I didn't feel this overwhelming need to buy something. Haha!

The shop was quite empty when I visited and to prevent sticking out like a sore thumb, I went straight to the back where the food and snacks are stored :P

As you can guess, everything I got that day is edible: Japanese instant noodles, instant pasta sauce and chocolate bread sticks. Went crazy over the instant noodles because the same type (not brand though) definitely cost more than $2 outside. Can't wait to try out the pasta sauce. Haha, I'm a sucker for such convenience.

Planning to go back to check out their other stuff soon. Got my sister to buy me this microwave pasta maker yesterday.

Will let you guys know if it works or not.

Marie Claire Taiwan x LUSH

2011-02-22T01:43:00.002+08:00

Have been ignoring freebie mags because I've bought and accumulated too many of them. But this is simply too hard to resist!

February issue of Marie Claire Taiwan came with a LUSH canvas bag! Nice... Measures 30 cm x 35 cm x 8cm, excluding bag straps.

Not sure if it's the same as this though. The dimension of the bag wasn't mentioned on the site.

Was a little taken back when I found out that it's the Taiwan edition of Marie Claire because LUSH ceased operations in Taiwan when their then distributor, Superb Asia, went bankrupt.

Official notice from LUSH:

We regrettably announce the end of our relationship with Taiwanese licence holders Superb Asia, following their recent bankruptcy caused by a financial crisis in other unrelated business ventures. As from Friday 16th April, all 29 existing Lush shops in Taiwan will cease trading...

Article on AsiaOne:

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan distributor of hand-made soap brand Lush closed operations Wednesday, with creditors and employees of one of Lush's Taipei stores making a scene that day, fighting for the various products left over at the store.

Yeh Chang-lu, chairman of Lush's Taiwan distributor, closed 28 retail points island-wide Friday, due to financial trouble. Tuesday evening, he announced the company's closing of business, and said the company's goods may be transferred to employees to make up for their salaries.

Wednesday morning, workers of Lush's retail point on Zhongxiao East Road offered a 50 percent discount on Lush goods to get as much as cash as they could.

Then, in the afternoon, officials from creditor Hua Nan Bank showed up, accompanied by Taipei District Court officials and police, trying to confiscate products at the store.

The situation soon turned into a mob scene, in which store employees, Hua Nan officials as well as shoppers taking advantage of the discount fought for goods.

"The bank is a victim, but we are victims as well," said a store worker.

The incident ended at around 6 p.m. Wednesday. As it turned out, Hua Nan confiscated over NT$10 million worth of products and cash at 28 Lush retailers throughout Taiwan.

According to some employees, Lush Taiwan distributor's financial troubles began two years ago, when the company delayed payments to employees or gave them half pay.

It has been rumored that Yeh had attempted suicide by burning coal before the Lunar New Year. His whereabouts are still unknown at this point.

Yeh's story had been a legendary one. Raised in the rural areas of Taiwan, he had neither a good education nor upbringing. Yet, the man had ambition, perseverance and was industrious. He worked hard and used his afternoon break time to study English and Japanese.

His efforts paid off. In 2000 he founded a company, which got the distribution rights to Lush the following year.

Costs $15.05, from Kinokuniya.

Mum's retro makeup

2011-02-22T00:31:00.001+08:00

Was spring-cleaning our toiletries shelf for Chinese New Year and came across these retro blushes belonging to Mum.

Judging from the packaging, she must have had them for years. Was Physicians Formula (PF) ever available in Singapore? Don't remember seeing it here and it's one drugstore brand I really want to try.

Either that or she might have gotten it in the States more than 10 years ago. Wow!

They are so old that I couldn't find anything online about them. And there weren't any year indicated on the compacts.

It took ~~a lot~~ some persuasion before Mum was willing to let them go. However, she die die also won't throw this Maybelline Expert Eyes pencil away. She said it's irreplaceable.

Though the pencil packaging looks a bit old and blah, there are people reviewing it on YouTube. So, maybe not so irreplaceable after all.

Anyway, couldn't resist swatching the blushes before throwing them away.

They look quite lovely but I had to use a lot, especially the PF one, to show. Guess makeup in the past weren't as pigmented then. They didn't smell bad or anything but the hairs from the brushes were falling out like mad.

Doesn't this just make you wonder how long you can keep your makeup for? Personally, as long as it's not moldy, doesn't smell bad or break me out, I will still continue to use them.

If you have any information on the retro blushes, do share! I have this feeling that Mum has more stuff stashed in her Caboodles, deep inside her closet. We'll see if they get to see the daylight.

For now, so long, retro blushes! You've probably outlived many of your friends.

Back to school

2011-02-14T23:47:00.002+08:00

Attended my 4th week of school today and I must say, working and studying part-time is no joke. Barely surviving the first semester of this three-year course.

Really sorry for the lack of updates. Haven't gotten the hang of juggling these aspects of my life yet. I'm currently studying two modules a week and lessons starts from 7pm to 10pm. Sometimes after a hectic day at work, my mind just filled with fuzz in class.

Can't decide which is worse. The amount of terribly boring readings every week for each module or lack of time to finish my assignments.

When my two assignments were due one after another last week, it was a mad rush to the finish line. Both were submitted late but better late than never, I say.

Definitely striving to do better for the next one :) Wish me luck!!!

LUSH UK website got hacked

2011-01-21T09:54:00.001+08:00

Was visiting the LUSH UK website for its Valentine's Day goodies when I saw this notice.

GAH! Got hacked. That's not a very nice thing to do, people.

They have since taken the site down. The Muse has posted an entry about the hack too.

If you have placed an ONLINE order on the UK site from 4 Oct 2010 to 20 Jan 2011, you might be affected. Please read the notice for more information.

Growing up

2011-01-21T00:04:00.003+08:00

Despite being a working adult, I still feel like a child a lot. Needing to seek permission and approval from others, especially people with authority.

Today, felt like I've grown a little.

Something cropped at work, resulting in some monetary loss. I don't think I'm solely at fault but I feel terribly guilty.

They all say it's a learning experience. No one frowned or gave me a disapproving look. Sure feels odd not being reprimanded for making a mistake...

I'm still, however, mentally preparing myself for some form of lashing. Just in case.

Anyway, I've decided to step it up and stop being a child. Some might be willing to guide me, but many won't. I'm not perfect and mistakes are bound to happen.

What's the worst that could happen?

As long as I'm still alive, I can start from scratch.

McDonald's Miniatures launch

2011-01-14T01:55:00.004+08:00

First read about McDonald's Miniatures on 8tokyo (part 1 and 2). Now, you can get them at the outlet near you or through McDelivery!

I was pretty interested in getting a box set until I saw the price.

$25 is just too expensive! And as cute as they are, I don't really know what to do with them. They are not small enough to use as accessories and omg... Those hideous brown strings.

Even McDonald's didn't show them in their ad.

Luckily, my colleague bought a set and I got a chance to play with them for awhile. So happy! Felt like a child with new toys :)

Paid so much for the box set and still need to assemble the display yourself. Le sigh~

The miniatures are made of hard plastic and are actually quite huge. By the way, that's a double quarter pounder in my hands.

Don't have to worry about them being choking hazards and I think they make great make-believe toys.

Masak masak, anyone?

Despite the hefty price tag, anyone getting the box set or buying the miniatures individually?

P/s: In Hong Kong, the box set costs HK$150 and it includes HK$90 worth of McDonald's coupons. Why is it not offered here? So bad!

Starbucks Year of the Rabbit mug

2011-01-13T23:41:00.003+08:00

Picked up two of these adorable mugs for my cousin and bro-in-law who are born in the Year of the Rabbit.

Aww~ So cute! I like the bump on the handle that represents the tail :)

Check out Starbucks if you're planning to get any. I believe it's limited edition, along with the CNY tumblers and Bearista.

By the way, I'm not a fan of their new logo. It looks quite cheap.

2011 resolutions

2011-01-07T22:38:00.001+08:00

Resolutions are nice. They are like bite-size goals and promises you make for the year.

I'm clueless about what I want to do in life. I just want to be happy and free. But according to the self-help books I have read, being happy and free is too vague. Difficult to work for.

Le sigh~ Back to square one.

That's why I like resolutions. It's easier to plan for a year than a life time. The year also seems more meaningful when you stick to them.

Even if you didn't, at least you tried.

Days after the New Year, I saw a handful of tweets asking if people if they have stuck to their resolutions. Mind you, they are asking about 2011.

I wasn't planning to make any this year since all I want is to be happy and free. And judging from the events that are going to happen, I don't think so.

Why bother, right? Wrong.

After a tweet of encourage and some thoughts, I came out with 7 resolutions for 2011.

From zero to 7... The amazing fickle me.

For 2011, I want these for myself:
- To go on a self-discovery trip to Japan with no financial constrain
- Find work-life balance
- Be a valuable asset to my team
- Fit into UK 16 a.k.a lose some weight off my ass
- Have a simple and cosy home (my flat is ready sometime this year)
- Do respectably well in school
- Love my family more

The biggest obstacle in fulfilling these is no one but myself. Not to sound too selfish but many times, it's about putting yourself before other.

Why would the airplane safety demo ask you to attend to yourself first before the child?

Happy 2011

2011-01-06T10:25:00.001+08:00

Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year. I'm not sure if it's age or what but I feel indifferent towards the New Year. It's like just another day and there's not worth celebrating for.

Okay, that's kinda depressing for the first post of the year but whatever... Ignore me, YOU have a good 2011.

I have a couple of things I want to share. Gonna find time to post them up soon.

Summerloft Christmas promotion

2010-12-15T20:51:00.002+08:00

From now till 31st December, enjoy 15% off your 2nd purchase!

Just in time to get some nice smelling presents for your loved ones and friends :)

I would be really happy if someone got me lot'sa LUSH for Christmas. Hee... Is the hint obvious enough??

Summerloft is located at Holland Village Shopping Centre, #02-05.

Kanro candy x retro Care Bears

2010-12-14T01:05:00.003+08:00

I'm an 80's child. So, it's nice to see the cartoons I grew up with in their former glory.

Was thrilled to find some retro Care Bear candies from Kanro at Cold Storage. Le sigh~ Trust the Japanese to come up with everything the heart desires.

I fondly remember filling up a magazines with Care Bear stickers. You know, those you had to buy in packs and stick where they were numbered?

Yea, those were the days...

$3.90 is quite steep for a pack of candies when you can easily find cheaper alternative at Daiso. But I did it for the Care Bears!!

Hard fruit candies in the grape, muscat (another grape flavour), strawberry, soda, peach and lemon.

Each individually packaged candy has a different Care Bear image on them and they sorta match the candy flavour.

Like how Bedtime Bear = Soda. Ingenious!

Change is inevitable, I guess. Look at the new Care Bears:

Oh boy...

Glacéau Vitaminwater in Singapore

2010-12-07T00:26:00.000+08:00

It's so nice to be able to pop by Cold Storage anytime for a bottle of VITAMINWATER!!

At $1.50 per bottle, it's quite a steal for a branded drink. Now, you have been warned... Do not buy from 7-11. It costs a whooping $2.80 there!

I don't really know what's all the hype about but Vitaminwater reminded me of the wonderful times I had with boyfriend in Hong Kong.

Had my first bottle at Starbucks outside The Peak Galleria while waiting for the tram crowd to disperse. It was delicious and refreshing after a long day of shopping and sightseeing.

For some reasons, I'm extremely visually attracted to the coloured water and their packaging. Looking at them together makes me happy!

Vitaminwater is available in 6 flavours here: essential (orange-orange), ignite (tropical citrus), power-c (dragonfruit), multi-v (lemonade), restore (fruit punch) and XXX (acai-blueberry-pomegranate).

They all taste pretty mild, like Pink Dolphin with class. Maybe even milder. But if they made it too tasty, then it wouldn't be Vitaminwater anymore, right? Hak hak!

Don't start drowning yourself in Vitaminwater though... They are not calories-free.

Personally, it's just nice to a "healthier" alternative when you want something else to drink but water.

Picked up a few bottles at Cold Storage on Saturday.

Had fun reading the bottle labels and thought it was quite cute to localized them. Didn't pay any attention to the labels in Hong Kong. So, I can't confirm if they are indeed different.

Some are quite funny, right??

The last I've heard, there's a booth outside Ion where you can sample some Vitaminwater. So, if you're not ready to slurp $1.50 to get hydrated fashionably, try them out for free at the taste booth :P

There's a huge display fridge filled with tons of Vitaminwater but they are not for sale. Like WTF?

Why bother displaying if you don't intend to sell? Just store them in the backroom, damn it!

Meidi-Ya Hokkaido fair snack haul

2010-11-29T22:40:00.006+08:00

Melon galore at Meidi-Ya Hokkaido fair! It's ending tomorrow. So, do pop by if you have the time :)

I've not seen so many melon flavoured snacks at one place and sort of went crazy over them.

Spotted some interesting savoury chocolates in curry soap, buta don and miso ramen flavours. So weird!!

Hauled back a bagful of snack. Couldn't bear to pay $25 for a box of melon Pocky though. Bet it tastes heavenly...

Yubari melon Kit Kat and caramel.

Yubari melon Hi-chew and Puccho.

Melon Baumkuchen with melon flesh! Bought another in strawberry.

Rice crispy balls coated with Yubari melon chocolate. Super delicious!

We only live once... So why not surround yourself with things you love?

NOTW: Orly Cosmic FX Space Cadet

2010-11-24T17:02:00.001+08:00

Took these photos almost 4 weeks ago. It will be such a waste to not post them because Space Cadet is an awesome unique colour!!

From the Orly Cosmic FX collection, "made with exclusive Mineral FX raw material technology, which delivers multi-dimensional lacquers that reflect light in a sparkling spectrum of intense color".

Mum has christened it 'the Halloween colour'. Nice...

Depending on which angle you look, it's olive green, purple and maroon. Pretty, right?

Space Cadet is also a dupe for MAC Venomous Villains Nail Lacquer in Mean & Green.

With flash.

Without flash.

Anway, I haven't painted my nails since. Le sigh~ Not sure if it's stress or what but they are in terrible shape now!

Instant bubble chocolate milk tea

2010-11-17T17:31:00.006+08:00

Imagine craving for bubble tea in the middle of the night and there's no where to get it till day break.

Oh, the agony... But fret not!

Behold! Instant bubble tea from Xiang Piao Piao (香飘飘). I got one here in chocolate :)

My boss who is now in Beijing got a visiting colleague to bring some back us. Taste not bad at all!

The chocolate tea powder and dehydrated pearls were packaged separately in the cup, along with a cheery bendy straw.

Making the tea was pretty simple. Just pour the contents in the cup, fill with hot water, stir and ta da!!

I added ice cubes to mine because hot bubble tea just seems wrong.

The pearls didn't separate very well after much stirring though. Had to scooped and split the conjoined pearls on a dish before throwing them back in.

Anal, I know...

My sister and I were laughing at how the pearls looked like giant cockroach eggs and animal droppings. Haha!

The drink was chocolaty with a little bit of tea fragrance. Not quite like Milo. And the pearls were slightly chewy but had no taste.

Quite a good balance considering that the tea was quite sweet.

There are other flavours in this line of instant tea like original, yam and etc... Instead of pearls, some came with a small carton of nata de coco!

A truly unique product from the great land of China :P

Dread

2010-11-15T22:04:00.001+08:00

Wish I have happier stuff to say but I'm feeling utterly depressed right now...

I suck at my job and my life is going nowhere.

LUSH in Singapore at Summerloft

2010-11-01T00:53:00.005+08:00

LUSH fans in Singapore, listen up! Summerloft at Holland V sells a huge range of LUSH products.

Holland Village Shopping Centre, #02-05
Mon - Fri: 10am to 8pm
Sun: 11am to 7pm
Tel: 64670611

Soaps!!! I think they have almost every scent from the regular line.

Gift sets, bath stuff and shampoo bars.

More gift sets, shower gels, dusting powders, massage bars and more!!!!

I wasn't kidding about the range. They even have some of the latest Halloween and Christmas items :)

So happy to be able to conveniently pick up a piece of Lady Catrina soap.

While the prices at Summerloft are definitely higher, it surely saved me a lot of trouble of getting just one bar of soap.

Really!

I don't have to go through the hassle of ordering alone online, find a spree to join or trouble someone to bring it back for me.

If you're new to LUSH, it's great to be able to smell the product before buying?

Wished I could stay in the store longer but I need to rush off for dinner.

Aside from LUSH, Summerloft offers other beautiful handmade soaps and I saw a display case with Jill Stuart cosmetics.

Check it out and let me know if you got anything there!

UPDATE: Have checked and included Summerloft's opening hours and contact. Hope it helpful to you all!

Canmake Gradation Wink

2010-10-31T01:33:00.000+08:00

Canmake latest eye makeup collection, Gradation Wink, has arrived at Watsons!

Get it now for $15.90 instead of the usual $17.90.

Came across the display at Marina Square today while I was on my way to meet Boyfriend and his family for dinner.

The concept of Gradation Wink is simple. Maybe a little too simple...

Each palette consists of 3 horizontal colour stripes. To apply, slide your finger across all colours and blend on your lids.

While I like the convenience, it's better to apply the shadows with a brush.

Definitely more hygienic and you won't get your fingers dirty. I also don't think the finger sliding/blending thing works for all eye shape.

Available in 4 pretty combinations:
01 Caramel Madeleine - Golden brown
02 Chocolate Millefeuille - Beige brown
03 Strawberry Tart - Pink (like Napoleon ice-cream!)
04 Blueberry Tart - Purple

Did a swatch of my favourites:

From bottom to top: 02, 03, 04

From top to bottom: 02, 03, 04

If I'm not wrong, all shades are shimmery. Planning to get any?

Nicole by OPI at Watsons?

2010-10-29T00:44:00.001+08:00

Spotted an empty Nicole by OPI display at Watsons in Vivocity on Monday.

Ought to go check if it has be filled up :)

Should I get excited by this?? Don't remember seeing this brand here and any thing OPI, I like very muchy.

Check out the Nicole polishes on Scrangie.

All I can say is, damn nice, can?

Let's hope they won't cost so much....

Aranzi World Caravan haul

2010-10-20T00:29:00.005+08:00

The Aranzi World Caravan is ending tomorrow! So, if you wanna check it out, remember to pop by PARCO.

Went today to grab a few more stuff before they leave our ~~hazy~~ sunny island.

The crowd was a lot better than the last 2 times I visited. Highlight in this week's 8 Days must have helped.

Things are getting sold out!

Don't bother going to the Sanrio Fiesta unless you're a die-hard Hello Kitty fan. It's so boring and there's nothing worth buying.

Spotted a new display! Don't remember seeing it and I can't be THAT blind, right?

These are the felt dolls you can make from their Cute Book. They are not for sale and I heard the book is sold out.

Say 'hello' to Hebe-chan. See that badge at the bottom? It's a staff at the Aranzi World Caravan. The Japanese cashier told me Hebe-chan has been working very hard!

So cute, can~ I think it's handmade and luckily it's not for sale...

I got myself some postcards and knick knacks. You can tell that I like the bad guy character very much. LOL!

The bunny is really adorable too but I didn't see a lot of things I like with it.

Free eco-bag when you spent $50 and above, while stocks last. Hooray~

They are still giving it out today, so may still have stock for tomorrow :)

Sexy plus-size costumes for sale!

2010-10-16T16:39:00.004+08:00

Halloween is just around the corner but these are great for any occasion that requires you to dress up and have fun!!

I've bought these online from the States but they didn't fit me very well.

FREE normal post within Singapore and save $10 if you're getting both costumes!!

French Maid - S$69
Includes dress, headband and feather duster.

Oui, Oui Monsieur!

Brand new!

100% Polyester

Size: 1 - 2 (click for size chart)
Runs small, would fit size 0 - 1 better.

Flat measurements:
Approx 17.5" across waist
Approx 26.5" from bodice to end of skirt.

School Girl - $65
Includes dress and faux neck tie.

I've learned my lesson...

Brand new!

100% Polyester

Size: 1 - 2 (click for size chart)

Flat measurements:
Approx 18" across waist
Approx 35.5" from shoulder to end of skirt.

Note: Colour from the red tartan fabric has gotten on to the sides, shoulders and collar of the dress. While it doesn't ruin the look, buyers should be aware of this.

Interested parties can either leave a comment or email me :)

Aranzi World Caravan at PARCO

2010-10-14T00:38:00.003+08:00

Boyfriend and I went to the Aranzi World Caravan event at PARCO Marina Bay last Sunday.

Everything is so cute and whimsical there. I like!

We came across the event poster on our way to the Flyer and I know I have to check it out.

I've seen these adorable characters in a Japanese children magazine I used to buy. Seeing them sure brought back memories of the time when I was learning the language.

Wished I haven't stopped.

The Aranzi World Caravan showcase characters and merchandise by Aranzi Aronzo.

Boyfriend posing like the Kappa (Japanese river imp).

Did I say merchandise? Time to shop, people! There are stationery, bags, pouches, kitchen wares and other knick knacks.

Leave your wallet at home if you find it difficult to resist cute stuff.

The Aranzi World Caravan is in Singapore till 20 October. Do visit it if you have time :)

Remember to pose as a monkey before you leave!!

"Plus-sized brides give me the most problems."

2010-10-13T00:26:00.006+08:00

Came across this in last week's issue of 8 Days, the wedding one with Jaclyn Tay on the cover:

"Plus-sized brides give me the most problems. People always look bigger in photos and photo-editing can only do so much, so I usually advise them to lose some weight first. Some brides not only refuse to diet, they'll point the accusing finger at me and say that I make them look fat. Sometimes, I tell the grooms to lose weight too."

- Eric Er, Attitude Photography

My fear of discrimination faced by plus-size brides has been confirmed. I would really rather not have a wedding.

No one really understood why I wasn't keen in taking any wedding photos at all. It's easier to say money woes or disinterest as the reason than trying to explain the lack of love I have for my photographed self.

My boyfriend is one who just don't get it...

Always wanting to take photos of/with me for "memory" sake. He would tell me how beautiful I look and blah, blah, blah but his affirmations only made me cringe. They sound too good to be true that I cannot bring myself to believe them.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), I'm not a photogenic person. Photos just fail to capture the face I see in the mirror. I don't look like the me I have come to accept. There were even times I looked like a man in photos. Serious!

So yes, I tend to zoom in on my flaws than to see the bigger picture (HA!).

Taking wedding photos amplify the discomfort by a million times. Being photographed by a stranger and stuff. If you hired people like this Eric guy, worse. Unforgiving strangers.

Not every fat person is keen on losing weight and asking them to do so makes you enemy number 1.

For others, it's not just about eating less and exercising more. So I can understand why some brides refuse to do as the photographer say.

Getting the bride to lose weight for her wedding photos only make 1 person job easier. Guess who?

Instead of putting your customers in a spot, find angles or poses that would make them look good. Use lighting, shadows or whatever... If not, liquify to death with Photoshop. Lol!

I am sure the extra effort would be very much appreciated by anyone. And when people hear of the wonders you can capture on film... Ho ho ho! Very good business, I tell you.

I can go on and on and on and on and on. I guess at the end of the day, you don't want to spend money on people who deemed your size as problematic.

Candylicious and the giant Peeps chick

2010-10-11T01:03:00.005+08:00

Say "hello" to the giant Peeps chick at Candylicious. I'm so tickled by it!

Too bad I don't have $659 to spare... Else it just might be sitting next to me as I blog ^_^

If you haven't heard, Candylicious is like the largest candy store in Asia. Located at Resort World Sentosa (RWS). 9000 sq ft of sugary awesome.

The look and feel of the place is quite similar to the Hershey shop nearby. Apparently, they are owned by the same group of people.

Visiting Candylicious made me feel like Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, minus the evil witch.

Aside from the giant Peeps chick, you'll be able to find other candy brand merchandises there. I saw super cute Jelly Belly bento boxes, as well as more Peeps plush toys.

They are so soft to touch!!!

The 'Pick and Mix' range there is crazy! I have never seen so many flavours of jelly beans on a wall.

Prices are not for the budget-conscious though. But I don't think you need to buy anything to get what to place has to offer.

It's just such a happy whimsical place to be in. Whee~

In the end, I bought myself a bag of assorted jelly bean and another licorice-only for Mum.

Now, let's look at the giant Peeps chick for one last time :)

Would love to take more pictures but Candylicious doesn't allow it. BOO!

P/s: While you can't take pictures in the store, there are plenty of life-size figurines to pose with outside.

Me snuggling up with Mr. Jelly Belly.

There are mascots parading around too but I think it ridiculous to pose next to a Peeps chick with legs. In black stocking somemore!

Peeps chick do NOT have legs, okay?

Spooky videos, anyone?

2010-10-09T13:05:00.004+08:00

They scare me shitless but I get a kick out of watching spooky stuff.

All the videos are in Japanese but you don't really need to know what they are talking about. Just WATCH!

L'Oreal HIP at Watsons

2010-10-02T23:48:00.002+08:00

They are here!! Spotted the L'Oreal HIP display at Watsons in East Point Mall today.

The eyeshadow duos are a lot more vibrant in real life. Had fun swatching them but ran out of clean fingertips before I could try out all colours. LOL!

Limited edition, eh? Well, there's Watsons everywhere. Grab yours when you can :)

What are you wearing, Potato-san?

2010-09-30T01:12:00.003+08:00

Spotted a potato in an Union Jack vest on a pack of M&S chips.

He's so cute! I want to poke it!

Potato-san, you look swell~

Seriously bought this bag of chips for Potato-san. He's way too cute to ignore.

The chips were pretty normal though. Flavourful but a little too thick for my liking.

NOTW: OPI My Private Jet

2010-09-28T22:35:00.001+08:00

Feeling calmer these few days and things are looking up :)

I don't feel like I'm stuck in a mad rush anymore and with all that new om-ness in my life, finally got around to paint my nails!

Have been wanting to paint them with My Private Jet (MPJ) but was carried away by the newer colours I've purchased until NOW.

Can't decide what's the colour of MPJ. It's dark but not as harsh as black, with a hint of brown when the light hits it.

Let's not forget the fine rainbow micro-glitters. Very pretty!

Application was very smooth and 2 coats were enough for an opaque finish. 3 coats would be best though.

With flash.

Without flash.

I've read about 2 versions of this polish. Loving the holographic effect of the original one. Unfortunately, mine's without the holo :(

You can see the comparison here.

Non-No x Agnes B

2010-09-26T20:04:00.003+08:00

Ah... Agnes B freebies never fail to catch my attention. The November issue of Non-No came with a large Agnes B tote bag.

Isn't it a bit early for November? Le sigh~ Time waits for nobody.

Freebies from popular brands get snapped out pretty quickly. So, check with your nearest Kinokuniya for stock before heading down.

The Agnes B tote is quite similar to the Tsumori Chisato mook tote. Mainly in size and material.

Both of them have waterproof lining too.

Unfortunately, there's nothing to keep your Agnes B tote closed. No zipper or whatsoever. It also doesn't have any inner pockets.

The tote is sturdy and roomy enough for A4 and a 14.1" laptop, with a shoulder drop of about 17cm.

Costs $17, available at Kinokuniya.

LOOK Chocolate x Baskin Robbins

2010-09-25T02:04:00.003+08:00

My younger sister gave me this for my birthday, provided I share them with her. Lol!

Each piece of chocolate is filled with a Baskin Robbins ice cream flavour cream. There's Strawberry Cheesecake, Jamoca Coffee, Orange Sherbet and Vanilla.

For some reason, whenever I see or hear Baskin Robbins, I would think of their banana strawberry ice cream. Was a little disappointed that it was left out in this little collaboration.

Random thought: Can't decide which I love better, Baskin Robbins or Ben and Jerry's.

Tsumori Chisato 2010-11 Autumn and Winter Collection mook

2010-09-24T15:15:00.006+08:00

Tsumori Chisato 2010-11 Autumn and Winter Collection mook came with a huge girly tote which I found hard to resist.

It's covered with glittery gold polka dots and bows. It's also has 1 side pocket and waterproof lining which I think is great for our unpredictable weather.

I love love love the contrasting pink print and zipper of the tote. It's like the perfect pink on black.

The tote holds A4 and a 14.1" laptop comfortably. Great for school, huh :)

It has a shoulder drop of about 18cm. For a plus-size gal like me, the tote fits a little too snugly under my arm.

Costs $27.50, available at Kinokuniya.

China Glaze 2NITE

2010-09-19T14:28:00.005+08:00

Received 2NITE in the mail on Thursday. The second last colour to my version of the China Glaze OMG collection.

Oh, when can I can find a bottle of DV8 below $10?

2NITE, TMI, TTYL, BFF

China Glaze released this collection in early 2009 but I've only heard of it a few months ago when I went nail polish crazy.

Love, love, love the holographic rainbow effect. I can totally go double rainbow crazy just by looking at it. Haha!

"Double rainbow, oh my god..."
"It's a double rainbow all the way."
"Woah! That's so intense."

All the colours dry matte and you need to apply top coat to make the holographic effect more obvious.

I've applied top coat to half of each nail chip but major fail. Couldn't capture the difference for the last 2 colours at all and I got the colour order all wrong. Boo!

TTYL, TMI, BFF, 2NITE
Without flash

With flash

Hopefully the difference is more obvious with these side pictures.

With top coat

No top coat

L'Oreal HIP is coming to Singapore!

2010-09-19T13:27:00.002+08:00

Was flipping through CLEO this morning and came across a spread on L'Oreal HIP (High Intensity Pigments) products.

Yay! Like, finally? What took you so long!

For years, I've heard quite abit online about HIP and I'm so glad to have the chance to try them out without needing to fly to the States.

Singapore is the first country in Asia to launch HIP. Neighbouring countries, fear not! You'll see HIP soon.

The spread featured their popular eyeshadow duos and some eyeliners. No mention about the HIP mascara though.

Hopefully we'll see it soon?

L'Oreal has stuck to the same butterfly theme as their Open Eyes Chrome Intensity range. So far, I'm liking the colour combinations of Flare, Adventurous and Showy.

Found out more about the HIP launch on Rouge Deluxe. Products will be available in October, exclusively at Wastons, for a limited time.

Don't you just love Watsons? I can hang out there FOREVER.

The eyeshadow duos cost $18.90 each while the eyeliners are $17.90 each.

Quite a hefty price tag for the shadows, considering they only cost US$7.99 in the States.

Warped sense of time

2010-09-18T12:20:00.001+08:00

Haven't had the mood to blog as I was feeling a little overwhelmed at work. Things should be settling down soon, I hope. *cross fingers*

By Tuesday, it felt as if I have worked for the whole bloody week!

Funny thing was, yesterday didn't feel like a Friday at all. My body and mind were like all geared up for more work. My brain practically screamed, "WORK!!!"

My sense of time is all warped and I'm going semi crazy.

Work-life balance... Pfftp! What work-life balance?! I need a clone or 48 hours a day to have work-life balance.

My body was a lot more tamed. Once I've confirmed it's really Friday, my shoulders started to relax and I felt in calmness spreading through my body. So zen~

I need to read more spiritual book to be spiritual.

I'm currently reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. Yes, it's all Oprah-endorsed and stuff BUT I'm learning from it.

This is my second attempt. I couldn't understand a thing when I first read it and yes, I was bought in by all the hype. Haha!

Gifts from Kimchi Land

2010-09-08T00:11:00.004+08:00

As of yesterday, it has been a week since my younger sister returned from Korea. Le sigh~ I feel so sad for both of us.

Resigning ourselves to the rat race, chained to a job we may never fall in love with. So sad, right?

On a happier note, I got tons of barang from Kimchi Land. Whoohoo!

I heart mugs.

Saving Mr. Water pen. So cute!

A smiley moss handphone accessory. "Keep smiling, people!" says the moss.

Do I need to say more about this?

This floral chewing gum is love!!! Reminded me of a gum I tried many year ago from Hong Kong or Japan. Unfortunately, 95% of the people who have tried it say it tastes like soap.

Ah well...

My alternative to Coke

2010-09-05T23:00:00.004+08:00

Why is it so difficult to find Dr. Pepper here?? It tastes so good that I can drink them everyday.

Like cherry Coke. Yum!

Was looking for a snack the other day and came across this pack of peeled chestnuts in the fridge.

BUT some of them had gone moldy!!

Eww... Turned all furry and stuff.

Colours from OPI Swiss and Suede

2010-09-02T00:24:00.006+08:00

Didn't have time to paint them, so no Nail of the Week (NOTW) post this week :(

What! Did I just hear someone breathe a sigh of relief??

While my nails are resting, my bank account sure isn't. My order for 2 OPI Swiss colours and 1 OPI Suede arrived a few days ago. Heh heh!

Cuckoo For This Color, Ski Teal We Drop, Suzi Ski In The Pyrenees Suede

I chose the colours with extreme care because I don't have space for anymore. My nail polish collection grew from 2 bottles last year to x number of bottles today.

Will probably start selling some soon.

I can't seem to take a good photo of the nail chips... Cuckoo For This Color kept turning up black! *Frustrated*

Seriously contemplating to get some portable studio lights. This is the best I've got:

Cuckoo For This Color, Ski Teal We Drop, Suzi Ski In The Pyrenees Suede
With flash.

Le sigh~ The poor Suede don't even look suede in the photo :( It's actually matte black with silver shimmers.

Cuckoo For This Color is a shimmery dark emerald while Ski Teal We Drop is a dark teal. Both look pretty atas to me.

Pretz fever!

2010-08-28T18:14:00.003+08:00

Got more skinny Pretz yesterday :) It's so fun discovering new flavours!

I went back for the fried chicken Pretz but got confused by its packaging because it says beer on it. Ended up getting only the tomato and edamame Pretz at Habourfont.

Found more at Meidi-ya. Since I has time, went to study the fried chicken/beer Pretz and realized I got it all wrong. It's actually in spicy chicken flvour and probably goes well with beer. Hence, the beer packaging.

Ah~

I spied a complimentary sachet of seasoning stuck to the tomato Pretz at Meidi-ya. Mine from Harbourfont didn't have it. Boo!

Tried to rip a sachet off but it has proven too difficult.

I've tried the spicy chicken Pretz and it's okay. Nothing to rave about and not spicy at all.

Still loving the salt caramel Pretz best.

Along the way to the cashier, picked up a pack of Hi-Chew in COTTON CANDY and berry Clorets mint. The cotton candy Hi-Chew is damn nice, can? Go get one!!!

Skinny Pretz is more expensive at Meidi-ya, $2.90 a pack.

Eyeko Cosmetics haul

2010-08-28T17:14:00.007+08:00

Walked to Ghim Moh post office under the crazy morning sun to collect my packet from Eyeko. It took about 1 week to arrive from London.

Hooray for new nail polishes!

Eyeko has other cosmetics if you're interested but I find their polishes most unique.

I've got:

- Nude polish for perfect nails
- Petite polish for French nails
- Tea Rose polish for country nails
- Lilac polish for lovely nails
- Rain polish for city nails
- Vampira polish for Gothic nails

They costs US$5.50 each/SG$7.50. Spend US$15 on their site and get freebie of the week! I got the Tea Rose polish for free :)

Dang! I just realized that I didn't get a colour I really like. Le sigh~

With flash.

Without flash.

So far, I'm liking Tea Rose and Rain very much. Vampira is quite interesting. Black polish with red glitters, great for clubbing and Halloween.

At first, Eyeko seems to be the most affordable but after comparing volume and price, it's not anymore. Haha!

The size difference is pretty obvious when they are lined up together.

- China Glaze, 14ml
- OPI, 15ml
- Eyeko, 8.5ml
- Orly, 18ml

Application is pretty smooth on the nail chips and 2 coats were enough for an opaque coverage except for Petite polish.

I am more generous when applying polishes on nail chips, so I can't tell if the formula dries quickly or not.

Japanese snacks

2010-08-27T00:08:00.004+08:00

Picked up these 2 nommies at a Japanese snack fair after lunch. I like the blues on the packaging. Feels so summer.

- Limited edition Caramel Corn in ramune (Japanese soda pop)
- Pretz sticks in salt caramel

Just tried some Pretz sticks and they are delicious!!! Could smell the warm caramel aroma when I opened the pack.

The sticks are really thin. Almost twice as skinny??

Salty and sweet with each bite. Total noms... I like the resealable pack very much because you don't have to finish the whole thing at 1 go.

You know how snacks don't taste as nice once they are opened for too long? That's why I picked it over Caramel Corn :)

Going back to get more tomorrow. Saw a pack with fried chicken on it!

$2.60 a pack, available at Harbourfront snack fair.

NOTW: China Glaze Pool Party

2010-08-24T23:44:00.004+08:00

Decided to try this neon pink number from the China Glaze Poolside Collection simply because it screams girl power. RAWR!!!

With flash.

Without flash.

I've painted 2 coats here and it seem pretty opaque. However, you can see where the coatings the overlap in my photos.

If you have the patience, try 3 coats.

Do note that the formula dries matte though and you'll need top coat for a sexy patent look :)

Here are the other colours I got from the collection:

Flip Flop Fantasy, Pool Party, Towel Boy Toy

(no top coat)

You are able to see the original finish of the polish on the nail chips.

8ty8beauty nail haul

2010-08-21T02:02:00.003+08:00

Received my order from an 8ty8beauty spree last week :) Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah. Hey!

Got stabbed under the nail by a staple while opening the package though. Serious ouch!

I seriously prefer NOT to have any part of my package stapled.

Got 2 pretty colours and a top coat from the China Glaze OMG collection and a random OPI colour with 'melon' in the name.

TMI, TTYL, Melon of Troy

Unfortunately, they look too orange in my photo. TTYL is not THAT bright. It's more like a dusty pink.

I was hoping the OMG top coat would have the same rainbow holographic effect as the other colours in the collection but it's just fine rainbow glitters.

Tested it on some creme colours. The top coat adds extra sparkle to them :)

Looking for DV8 in the OMG collection. Contact me if you have it for sale~

Fish & Co. shrank their mussels :(

2010-08-20T00:02:00.003+08:00

Still have energy for another post though I'm feeling quite disappointed in my performance in ballet class today. Le sigh~

Aside from that, I need to rant about something else.

I love mussels at Fish & Co. In fact, it's the only place I know that serves delicious hot mussels in that sinful garlic sauce. *slurp*

If you ate there recently, you would have noticed their new menu. Erm... I don't really care as long as they still sell my favourites - Seafood Platter for 2 and Banana Foster Cake.

Then, they happily went to replace the regular mussels in their platter with some blue mussels. The only difference to me is their size.

While you have more mussels to eat now, they are terribly tiny. I rather have 5 big juicy mussels than 10 teeny ones.

First, tak shiok. Second, very tiring to remove 10 mussels from their shells. And finally, their shells are so fragile that I have broken pieces in my rice. Eeps!

So sad, right? Why change the mussels?!!?

I can't bring myself to eat there anymore. Need to find another mussel place...

I've heard of a restaurant at Clarke Quay that's quite similar to Fish & Co. Does anyone know the name?

Chocolate nail polish remover

2010-08-19T23:05:00.006+08:00

That's correct, chocolate-scent nail polish remover. My colleagues introduced this to me a few days ago and I thought it's really cute!

Available at Sasa for $2.90. There are other scents like rose and blueberry but I think chocolate is the nicest.

Definitely not as caustic as Sally Hansen's.

Not sure how well it removes polish from your nails though. Didn't buy it to try as I just bought a bottle from Daiso.

IKEA 2011 catalog

2010-08-19T00:35:00.001+08:00

Yes! It's finally here. Freaking IKEA 2011 catalog :O

What took them so long to send it out this year? I remembered receiving the last few catalogs before National Day.

Have you received yours?

Am really anxious to get it because I'm need some inspiration for my new place, ready in Q2 next year!

Now, if only I can find my 2009 and 2010 copies...

Feeling damn tired. Just came back from a 7th month auction dinner and ready to KO soon.

A short short getaway

2010-08-18T00:47:00.001+08:00

Not sure if they are still safe to eat but I heated donuts from last Friday's Batam trip for dinner.

Guess they aren't too popular at home. We couldn't even finish 6 of them...

Ate the glazed and chocolate ones. Not freshly baked but good enough to fill me up for the night with some other random stuff :P Dad bought some yummy bitter-sweet durians today. Nom nom nom!

Still 2 more dounuts left in the fridge. Poor babies, might have to throw them out soon.

Anyway, seeing the donuts reminded me of my trip. It was fun but like all vacations, always too short.

So, last Friday...

Boyfriend stayed over the night before and we had breakfast at McDonald's :) Told him that Lio's paw is shaped like Singapore but he thought it was an oil patch made by our hash browns instead... *three lines*

FYI, Merly's paw is shaped like a heart.

Going away. Whee~ Kthxbye for now!

Was so happy to see Baskin Robbins! Too bad they didn't have my favourites, Banana Strawberry and Love Potion #31.

So, bought Jamoca Almond Fudge in the end. Not a coffee fan but it's still bearable. The almonds were fresh and crunchy.

Single scoop costs 30,000 Rupiah/SG$4.50. A little expensive, huh. Suddenly got this urge to go Genting for Baskin. Haha!

Another 2 things not to miss in Batam are A&W and cheap donuts. No pictures of A&W because I ate them too quickly. Hungry lar, can't be helped.

J Co. donuts cost only 6,600 Rupiah/SG$1 each!

Ah well~ Good time passed too quickly and we all got to say goodbye.

NOTW: Sephora by OPI Mermaid to Order

2010-08-17T22:57:00.003+08:00

I have this thing for teal nail polishes and have tons in different hues. I call them my mermaid colours. *love*

So, how can I resist Mermaid to Order? It's beautiful but a bitch to photograph. Kept turning out blue :(

Sephora describes it as opaque metallic turquoise green, which I thought was pretty accurate.

The formula is a little thick though. Got gooey before I could finish painting 2 coats on all of my fingers.

With flash.

Without flash.

It's quite unfortunate that Sephora by OPI is not available here. They have some smokin' hot colours in their range! Costs US$9 each.

I can only hope to see them here soon. Got my sister to buy this when she went to the States.

Sending Pam's off to Korea

2010-08-16T01:10:00.004+08:00

Was at the airport to send my younger sister off yesterday. She's going to Korea for 14 days, chasing after her idols. Is that fun or what?

How I wish it was me flying instead. To Japan, chasing after Arashi. *drool* But I think I'm a little too old for that type of activity.

We reached the airport really early, like 3 hours before take off. Typical Singaporean behaviour, right? Haha! But Pam (my sister) got to check in early. So, why not?

Anyway, there was already a queue when we got to the counter.

Seeing Pam in the queue reminded me of all the excitement I felt when I was going on a vacation.

I want to go away! Take me!! Wonder if I can scrap her name off and replace it with mine. Hmm...

Pam brought Duffy to keep her company during the flight. The next time I fly, I'm bringing my huge Uglydoll. Lol~

I was amazed by the amount of cash Pam had with her. Being a millionaire must be great! Hope she remembers to buy me a tub of Big shampoo for LUSH!

After Pam checked in, we went to Crystal Jade for dinner. She wanted some Chinese food because she might not be having any for the next 2 weeks.

And after dinner, we said our goodbyes. Mum's voice was shaking a little after Pam disappeared into the departure area. Must be sad for Mum to see her baby going away by herself for the first time.

Is it me or is the house really quiet today?

Blah

2010-08-10T23:33:00.000+08:00

I'm feeling so blah that I can't think of anything to write. My brain is still recovering from last week's overload.

Woke up cursing and swearing because I'm afraid of screwing things up. I wonder was it because I was caned as a child for making mistakes. Poor me...

Anyway, so far so good. Haven't got fired.

Okay, it sounds exaggerated but the anxiety I felt over the last few days was crazy! And, I didn't really get to relax during the National Day holiday. Le sigh~ Was all jumpy inside.

Nail wheels for me nail polishes

2010-08-01T23:38:00.003+08:00

My nail wheels finally arrived from Hong Kong... After more than 3 bloody weeks of waiting!

Who knew they would take that long to reach me.

Was this close to lodging a complaint against the eBay seller. But since it has arrived, I'm just going to shut up and give him/her a not-so-glowing feedback.

All nail polish lovers should get some for their collection. They give you a quick overview of all your colours when painted.

I bought 5 pieces from eBay for US$2.99 inclusive of shipping. Spent the weekend painting them :)

Now, doing too many at once is not good for the nostril hairs and lungs.

I'm happy to say that all my colours are unique. Haven't come across 2 that look exactly the same. I must say, Etude House polishes apply really nicely on the nail wheel.

Went a little crazy over nail polishes the last few months but they are so CHEAP! Do you know you can buy a bottle of OPI polish in Singapore for as little as $10?

Really, just google it! I'm most unwilling to fork out $23.90 for a bottle at retail.

Unfortunately, running out of storage space and fingers for any more polishes. I don't paint my toes because I can't reach them. Ha!

I did spied some nice colours from the OPI Swiss collection at ALT over the weekend though. We'll see how... Ahem.

LUSH Haul from UK!

2010-07-25T23:44:00.002+08:00

Hello lovelies, blogging from LUSH heaven :) *stuffs head into LUSH bag and inhale deeply*

Ah~

My friend just returned from UK with me bagful of goodies on Wednesday and called to meet on Friday. He was quite anxious because the soaps were melting a little. Haha! Really appreciate his thoughtfulness.

When I first heard about his trip, I had to ask him to get me something from LUSH.

Not only are their products cheaper there, I don't have to pay for the crazy international shipping fees.

Here are what I've got:

1) Summer Pudding soap
2) A Ring of Roses soap
3) Vanilla in the mist soap
4) Demon In The Dark soap
5) Ocean Salt facial scrub
6) Retread hair conditioner

These are new to me and I can't wait to try them all! Whee~

Peace disrupted by noisy SMU car wash

2010-07-24T15:13:00.001+08:00

My peaceful Saturday is being disrupted by a bunch of SMU students washing cars for charity.

While it's all for a good cause, I would really appreciate if they stop making so much noise! With my room windows and door closed, I can still hear them :(

For god sake... Just stop splashing water at the girls or try carrying one on your shoulders because they won't stop screaming.

Even saw a guy pouring a whole pail of water over a girl's head. Le sigh~ Please stop wasting precious water and put those Super Soaker away!

Heard they are going to be around till 5pm. Oh boy...

D-Plus melon bread found!

2010-07-19T23:40:00.001+08:00

Shortly after my post on D-Plus bread, I managed to find some melon bread at Bugis and they are still fresh :)

Yay!!

Boyfriend gave me a stern warning about eating the last expired melon bread... So, I guess you shouldn't too. Spotted more melon bread at Holland V!!

I'm glad that melon wasn't being discontinued or something because it was so hard to find them previously. So, grab yours before the monsters get them!

Uppy loves to hug his melon bread because they are so soft! Wage prefers to handle his with a little more care.

Aren't they adorable!! *hugs*

Slow motion videos

2010-07-19T23:06:00.002+08:00

For your inner perv... And mine :P

I was actually more amazed by the slow motion capture of a slap. Ouch!

More slow mo videos by the same uploader on YouTube. Do check them out if you're interested. There are really cool videos but some just don't make any sense.

Like spraying champagne on a bikini model's face... Did someone say bukkake? Oops!

Hunting for D-Plus melon bread!

2010-07-16T01:27:00.002+08:00

Still feeling crappy but life goes on... Today's ballet lesson definitely lifted my spirit a little but I could hardly keep up!

Missed 2 lessons in a row :( Last week was because of work (sux!) and I was sick the week before. Le sigh~ I don't want to stay in beginners' class forever.

On the bright side, I fell in love with the most delicious bread EVER!

If you can only eat 1 brand of bread for your entire life, you MUST choose this.

Have anyone heard of D-Plus? No? Nah, don't worry, I have no idea too until last week.

Was shopping for breakfast at Harbourfront Cold Storage and saw this office lady picking from a basket of breads. Okay, whatever she's buying must be totally worth the effort to squat down in heels to pick from the lowest shelf.

When she was done, I found myself looking at all these packs of D-Plus bread with a goofy smiley on it. It's cute and I needed breakfast. So, I bought a few to last me the week. Funny thing though... I didn't need to squat down to reach for them.

Their bread is damn yummy, can? So fuwa fuwa and huge! 1 is enough to fill me up till lunch.

Anyway, I found a lonely melon bread at the same Cold Storage a few days ago and bought it. It was a week after its best before date but I didn't care. As long as there's nothing funky on it, it should be safe for consumption.

OMG!!! It's so so so good! And simply because I love everything melon. *shrug* I mean, why would I name myself after a fruit I hate, right?

3 days on, I am still very much alive. No harm eating expired food unless they smell and/or look funky.

I'm now hunting for their melon bread. I've tried many 7-11s but there wasn't any!! Was pretty excited when I saw a blue D-Plus packaging at the Holland V outlet but it turned out to be caramel instead. Boo!

Aside from melon, my other favourites are blueberry, maple (my virgin D-Plus experience) and red bean. Mmmm!

There's another brand that's quite similar to D-Plus and it's called Hanako.

I've read on some forum that it's softer then D-Plus but they are quite the same to me. D-Plus bread feels softer though.

Anyway, I prefer D-Plus for their range, the goofy smiley on their packaging and because Hanako reminds me of something else.

Okay... It's like 1am now and I don't want to see any Hanako related stuff nor post a picture of her on my pretty blog. CLICK HERE if you're dying to read about her. *shiver*

FYI, Hanako is a girl's name in Japanese.

Hana = Flower. Doubt there are many boys who go by that name.

The Noose Interview with Reese Low feat. Michelle Chong

2010-07-14T22:29:00.001+08:00

Sorry for the lack of update... Haven't been in the mood to blog because of all the negativity in my life recently :( Definitely need a pick-me-up.

I leave you with this funny video I saw at work today:

"Not all beautiful people are bimBOtic, ya?"

DBS Visa Prepaid YOG Mascot Cards

2010-07-06T00:36:00.002+08:00

Another 39 days to the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Not feeling much of it now but soon, I hope.

I'm sure there's some national pride in me to showoff in August.

Just ordered myself a Merly prepaid Visa card. If you don't already know (shame on you!), Merly is one of the YOG mascots. The merlion with legs is definitely cuter than her counterpart, Lio.

I thought Merly was "Merla" for the longest time. Somehow, "Merla" seems nicer to pronounce. Goes well with the whole Singlish thing.

MerLAH!!!
MerLAH!!!
MerLAH!!!

FYI, the card is not free. It costs $28 with an initial prepaid value of $5. You can choose an amount to top up through the process.

I'm getting "Melon" printed as the name on the card. So fun! Yay!

Was a little urked that I have to pay 50 cents for postage. Since when you got to pay to have a credit/debit card sent to you?! It seriously should be complimentary. Pfftp...

There's another set of YOG prepaid card you can get called the "Champions Edition" for $188 a pair. It's uglier though. Lol!

Filial Piety video

2010-07-05T22:29:00.001+08:00

I don't understand how people have the heart to abandon their parents. It's simply crazy!

We might be doing very well academically and economically but we failed terribly in the EQ section. It's shocking to hear that the number of oldies getting abandoned here is rising.

My parents can be quite a pain in the a** sometimes but that doesn't mean I'm going to leave them to die alone at some old folks home. Right?

Quite unrelated but there are some money woes going on in my family and I just hope the people involve would open their eyes. Money really isn't everything.

Yes, it's necessary to keep a roof over your head and warm food on the table. BUT you don't need it to get the material wants you cannot AFFORD. Do you really need another condo or car?

Well, don't start feeling regretful only after the person died because that would be too late. Burning mountains of offerings would only give you a fake sense of forgiveness.

Beware... Your evil deeds are committed in the presence of your kids and they learn best through examples.

So, 30 years down the road when your children are plotting against you for money, remember who they learned it from.

Treat your parents nicely, okay? It makes both parties happy.

Project Finish It! 1

2010-07-05T20:06:00.002+08:00

This project is aspired by the ladies from Rouge Deluxe and Makeup Stash!.

I love love love to try new stuff and often find it difficult to finish what I've ready started. Hence, have since accumulated quite a stash of beauty products. Haha!

Trying to break this habit, starting from my bathroom. Hopefully in time, I can resist buying ~~too many~~ unnecessary makeup and nail polishes.

1) Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner. I love the scent of this range, especially the coconut part. Reminds me a little of Coppertone sunblock.

It was working really well for me until I swapped to use a LUSH condition for awhile. Quite a tragedy because my hair never felt the same switching back. Still have 1 more bottle to go before I decide to switch.

2) Normaderm Purifying Cleansing Gel. Been using this for awhile now and it's probably my 3rd bottle. I don't know... Felt like it's not cleaning my face as thoroughly any more. Switching to Haba Labo.

Still using other products from the Normaderm range though.

3) LUSH American Cream conditioner. Bought this in Hong Kong because I didn't bring my hair stuff along. Deliberately or not, it proved to be a SUPERB opportunity to try out other LUSH products. I can't imagine how expensive it will be to send the heavier stuff like shampoo and conditioner over.

American Cream is a pretty mild vanilla-scented conditioner. Unlike regular ones, this doesn't leave your hair unnaturally silk smooth after wash. BUT throughout the day, my hair felt alive and nourished!

4) MAC Brush Cleanser. Woah! I have no idea how long I've had this but I'm glad it's finished. Personally, this product is a little overrated.

There are other cheaper ways to clean your makeup brushes. My favourite is by Michelle Phan:

5) Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Hair Treatment. I treat my hair once a week to this sweet tub of joy. It leaves my hair soft and smelling like a basket of berries. Boyfriend loves how my hair smells wash.

Giving Essential hair mask a try after this. Damn you, Xiaxue. Lol! Planning to treat my twice a week in the near future.

6) LUSH Godiva solid shampoo. What's left in the photo is just the shampoo tin. Got it in Hong Kong as well. Godiva smells quite strongly of jasmine with bits of jasmine flower in it. I find using it alone was quite drying to the hair, though I've heard reviews that this solid shampoo leaves their hair soft.

Warning! Remember to dry your solid shampoo completely before keeping it in the tin. Else, it will get stuck in it forever!! Like mine :(

Goodbye BK and hello Wendy's

2010-07-04T15:12:00.002+08:00

Since Burger King sudden departure from Holland V, many residences (specifically me) were left with no fast-food till now.

Like, finally!

So, it's confirmed. Wendy's has taken over the King's job in clogging our arteries.

Not sure when it's opening though. Through the condensed glass doors and windows, seems like anytime soon.

I'm just very thankful that it's not another Crystal Jade replacing BK. And I'll surely miss it when I have a Mushroom Swiss and/or onion rings craving.

With Wendy's arrival, we say goodbye to all the original fast-food places of Holland V: KFC, BK, Délifrance, Denny's and A&W. Did I miss any out?

I've always wondered why we never got a McDonald's here. Back then if we had KFC, Burger King AND Mcd... Wow!

Pinky Rohto Lycee Eye Drops

2010-06-29T00:48:00.003+08:00

Just wanna mention a product that I've come to love very much recently.

When my eyes feel really horrible and dry after wearing contacts for more than 8 hours and/or on days when I accidentally got oil cleanser in my eyes, I really need this.

You know those boring eye drops that claim to refresh your eyes? Wait till you try Rohto Lycee (roh-to li-say) eye drops. Its minty rose-scented formula refreshes your eyes literally.

And you tell me, who can resist their super cute PINK packaging?! Unfortunately, they retail in Japan only BUT you can get them easily online. Trust me!

Suddenly, I'm quite tempted to pop by the Japanese pharmacies here to see if they have them for sale.

Available for regular and contact lens use. The regular Rohto eye drops looks so boring!

I must warn you though... Minty eye drops are something you need to grow accustom to.

The first few times I used it, my eyes stung and won't stop tearing for the next 10 seconds. Even now, after using a couple of times in the last few weeks, the minty effect still gets to me.

But after wiping all the tears away, my eyes felt extremely refreshed and cooling.

I've also noticed that the Lycee eye drops made my eye white/sclera really white. So, I guess this is great for getting rid of bloodshot eyes in a snap!

Definitely a conversation-starter among your girlfriends and every girly girl should have one in their makeup pouch!

Found this funny Lycee commerical on YouTube. If I'm not wrong, the crazy pink bunny is the brand's mascot.

So funny when it fell down and banged against the pillar. Hahahaha!

Out the whole day on Saturday

2010-06-28T00:42:00.003+08:00

Boo! This weekend sure ends fast. Now, where did all my time went! *frantically search sock drawer*

Can't believe Monday is just around the corner, happily waiting to smack us all in the face. I want more sleep! No, I NEED more sleep!

Sianology.

Am feeling awfully restless today. Didn't do anything at all, didn't plan to do anything at all. It's amazing how the hours just sneak by and BAM! It's nighttime already.

Pfftp... Need to digress.

Went out on Saturday to do some random stuff.

Needed to drop by Paya Lebar to pick up my massive nail polish order and meet the girls for dinner at Bugis. Was itching to visit the toy fair at Takashimaya too.

Been a little out of touch with my inner child.

Yay! Toys!!! Surprisingly quiet for a Saturday afternoon though.

Is it just me or are the new toys getting more and more boring? Anyway, The first thing I saw at the fair was this huge ass Care Bear plush.

Guess its weight and win something. Didn't really pay attention to the contest details, was more amused by the sign below it.

If it's not obvious enough, I added the last 2 lines for laughs.

Noticed anything wrong in this picture? No? Let me zoom in for you.

The fugliest Care Bear ever... OMG! What were they thinking? It's like made with spare Care Bear parts. Please sack the person who created this.

Frankenbear. Beware! It's out to steal your kid's kidney while they sleep.

Next, popped by the Toy Story 3 section and saw some Lotso bears for sale. Was a little disappointed that they are not strawberry-scented and not liking the walking stick.

Having watched Toy Story 3, I felt really really bad for neglecting and throwing my old toys away. Sorry, guys!!!! It's my parents, they did it.

However, tons of other toys were lucky enough to survive our childhood and is being played with by my niece and nephew. Phew~

Took me less than 30 minutes to finish walking through the fair. And as I've got lot'sa time to burn, decided to stroll slowly to the MRT station.

Photo with the YOG mascots, anyone?

Walked pass Gurmit while he's filming.

And spotted an erroneous MRT display. Pretty eventful for a short walk to the station, huh.

After that, made my way to Paya Lebar to collect these lovelies.

Silly me bought a colour I already have. *Smacks self*

After dinner (Yea for Fish & Co!!!) with the girls and boyfriend, headed home for some rest.

While I was making myself comfortable in bed, boyfriend was still glued to the World Cup!

A glimpse of my life after marriage. Haha!

P/s: I heard from a staff at Fish & Co. that they MAY be removing the Banana Foster Cake from their cake menu. WTF! Please don't do that!!!

But if you really really really have to, give me the recipe!

P/p/s: My younger sis told me that the Lotso bears are scented but I don't remember smelling anything. I went to sniff it, okay?

Goodies from USA!!!

2010-06-23T23:07:00.002+08:00

Just a quick post before I'm off to bed.

I am so freaking tired!!! Really ought to stop going to back sleep when the alarm is set to go off in a few minutes.

Like this morning, I woke up 10 minutes before the alarm to pee. Unable to resist my bed, I went back to sleep.

Somehow, 10 minutes turned to an hour and I woke up late. Again!! When I force myself to wake up like that, it felt as if I haven't slept at all.

Le sigh~

Was feeling pretty excited today because I was getting some goodies from my sister who just came back from the States. Yay!!

Just couldn't wait to be home when the clock strike 6. Alas, it's not meant to be. Had a handful stuff to finish at work BUT I did left the office really satisfied. *beam*

Got parents to takeout some yummilicious sushi for me.

Spied some bags in the living room when I got home. I wonder which is mine.

Give me goodies, NAO! None of the Coach stuff are mine, so don't ask.

It really sucks not being able to be there personally to shop. I saw the pictures my sis took during her trip and they make me soooooooooo envious!! Sometimes, I feel really stuck and restricted by my circumstances. How?

Anyway, I waited really patiently for my family to come back instead of snooping around the bags. My sis managed to get most of the stuff on my shopping list.

Happiness~ Mermaid nail polish from Sephora by OPI. Tarina blush. Covergirl mascaras.

Woohoo!

Notepod "iPhone"

2010-06-16T23:38:00.001+08:00

If you haven't seen it on my Twitter, you've got to check this out! My new "iPhone" with keypad.

Totally awesome!!

You have no idea how much I've laughed at this in the afternoon. Sigh~ *wipe tear from eye*

Simply took a piece of Notepod from my Apple-loyalist colleague while another came up with this "great" idea to cut the centre out so that we can disguise our phones.

Damn fun, man! I can feel a chuckle escaping from my throat.

Toy Story 3 - Ken's Dating Tips, for Today's Bachelor

2010-06-16T23:07:00.002+08:00

These clips are hilarious! It's so funny to hear Ken being referred as a girl's toy.

Ba la la, chup chup chup, ba la chup, ba la chup~

Can't wait to catch Toy Story 3 this Saturday!!

Groovin' with Ken!
"So, it doesn't bother you that on your own box, your name is 8 times smaller than Barbie's?"

Tip #24 - Know Yourself, Be Yourself.
"Solid ride, solid physique, solid hair. Solid."

Tip #31 - Play Hard to Get

Tip #48 - Communication is Key

Tag: 46 Questions

2010-06-14T22:14:00.001+08:00

1. What is your name?
Melon/Evelyn

2. When is your birthday?
Late September.

3. How tall are you?
The last time I was measured, 168cm.

4. Do you have any siblings?
2, I'm trapped in the middle.

5. Do you have any pets?
Not of my own.

6. What is your favorite color?
I can't decide... A shade of rosy pink.

7. What is your favorite song?
This is difficult! Melodic songs, like The Carpenters.

8. What is your favorite restaurant?
Fish & Co.

9. What is your favorite drink?
Ice water is good.

10. What is your favorite gum?
That's illegal in Singapore!! I fondly remember a pink bubblegum with a liquid centre.

11. What is your favorite snack?
Sun chips!

12. What is your favorite dessert?
Creme brulee :) Without a mildly burnt caramel top.

13. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Mr. Softee in Chendol!!!

14. What is your favorite movie?
Tough... Classic Disney cartoons, romantic comedies, and dance flicks.

15. What is your favorite tv show?
Ghost Whisperer, hands down.

16. When did you get into makeup?
12?

17. How did you get into doing youtube videos?
Haven't started, still thinking of the whole idea.

18. If you won a million dollars, what you buy first?
Get a home of my own.

19. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
Centre? I pretty much fill up my whole single bed...

20. What is your dream car?
VW new Beetle in pink.

21. If you could take a spontaneous trip somehwere, where would it be?
Tokyo!

22. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I'm debating between Tokyo, New York or somewhere near the Great Barrier Reef.

23. What is your favorite day of the week and why?
Friday. I work 5 days a week, enough said.

24. What is your favorite holiday and why?
It has got to be Chinese New Year! Simply because I get spend time with my whole family.

25. Name 3 sites online that you love or visit frequently
STOMP (guilty as charged), Xiaxue (guilty as charged, again) and Facebook.

26. If you could have one famous person as a sibling who would you choose?
Oprah.

27. Do you have any piercings or tattoos?
Used to have pierced ear lobes.

28. Money or love?
Morally, it should be love but I love money as much. I believe with either, you can find the other ;)

29. Things you can't leave the house without
Wallet, handphone and EZ Link card.

30. What are your turn-offs in a guy?
Body odour and bad breathe.

31. What superhero power would you want to have?
Power to manipulate time!

32. Are you a morning person?
Depends if I have enough sleep.

33. What is your favorite book?
I can't decide... Chick lit is nice.

34. Do you sing randomly?
YES! Especially in the shower and toilet for #2.

35. Left of right handed?
Righty.

36. Anything particular you wear everyday?
Does panties and bra count?

37. Where were you born and raised?
Singapore and Singapore. So boring!

38. What did you look like as a baby?
Not to bad.

39. What countries do you want to visit?
Japan, USA, UK, Dubai, Hawaii, and Maldives? Definitely somewhere will a clear beaches.

40. What does your purse/bag look like?
A bucket tote, very cute.

41. What is the color of your ipod?
I don't use one...

42. What is the last song that was playing on your ipod?
See above.

43. What kind of phone do you have?
BlackBerry, baby!

44. Do you have any bad habits?
Of course, I'm human after all.

45. Do you have a twitter?
Ping-pong! Follow me here.

46. A random fact about you
I love jellyfish!

Red Earth Ocean Treasures blushing compact

2010-06-11T01:08:00.002+08:00

I wish people would just stop talking about the Marine Life highlight powder by MAC. Hello, trying to forget my disappointment here :(

It's like everywhere! On my favourite beauty blogs, forums and YouTube channels!! *gag*

Don't mean to be a sour puss but it's just awful being on the other side of the fence.

ANYWAY... Thanks to Makeup Stash, I came to know about the Red Earth Ocean Treasures collection. And their compacts are gorgeous!!!!!

Not as fancy as Marine Life, but good enough for the ocean-loving me.

I only got the blushing compact, featuring a beautiful pink starfish. It's drool-worthy and gives me something else to think about.

The $30 price tag is affordable. Not cheap but not very expensive either. The Marine Life highlight powder would have set me back $45 or $48.

Here's a closeup without flash:

So freaking pretty, can! Sorry, still can't bear to swatch it but I heard the colour payoff is quite good.

Made in Italy, okay?? Don't play play.

The shiny bronze plastic compact matches with the whole beach theme well. Unfortunately, a huge fingerprint magnet. Brush not included but there's a mirror inside.

There's another brownish highlight compact with the same starfish design. It's nice too but gave it a miss because I have no idea how to use it.

Nothing else in the collection really caught my eyes. Would have bought more if the other products are embossed with marine creatures. Print a jellyfish and I will get them all! (Luckily don't have, else I can only afford to eat bread for the whole month!)

There isn't much going on for this collection. Hoping someone would do some swatches of the eyeshadow duos. Liking one called Sea Flower Sand.

Red Earth Ocean Treasures collection is probably available at your nearest Sasa. FYI, I bought the last blushing compact at Vivo's :P

Lip Smackers range at Vivo's Guardian

2010-06-09T00:12:00.003+08:00

Just found out that I've won $30 from the lottery. My first time ever!!

After work, popped by Vivo's Guardian to look at their Lip Smackers range. Was about to give up and leave when I saw this inconspicuous display next to the chiller.

Though it was quite cute to put the display there but haven't anyone thought of product visibility??

Vivo obviously has a more complete range than Holland V. You'll be able to find single Lip Smackers there in 3 different 'formats':
- lip balm tube
- lip gloss with wand applicator
- roll-on lip gloss

Was very tempted to get the Fanta strawberry lip balm but resisted because I still have 2 pots of LUSH lip balm to finish. And also because I saw the $6.90 price tag.

Too bad Lip Smackers aren't included in the ongoing 20% discount promotion.

Review: LUSH Porridge soap

2010-06-06T15:54:00.005+08:00

I still can't decide if it's Lush or LUSH... Going to stick with the caps, like their logo.

Some people don't understand my obsession but it's okay. As long as I'm free to buy it, no one can stop me from loving this brand :)

My favourite from LUSH is their range of delicious-smelling soap. Eating them is strongly discouraged, though you might be tempted.

When I first heard of the Porridge soap, I thought of this:

And how boring it's going to be! Porridge is only nice with something else and they are not exactly soap-worthy ingredients.

Think braised peanuts, meat in dark soy sauce, and more. Yum!

Obviously I got it all wrong because THIS is porridge to the ang mo:

Oatmeal!! It's still pretty boring but at least you wouldn't mind having this sweet treat on your skin vs meat in dark soy sauce, right?

Here's its description and ingredient list from LUSH:

When you're in a rush on those early mornings you may consider eating breakfast in the shower. At LUSH we prefer feeding our skin in the shower and saving the real food for afterward. We put real oats and fresh organic orange juice in this deliciously nutritious soap, making it a cleansing and exfoliating multi-tasker. Oats soften and slough away dead skin while orange juice and sweet orange oil gently cleanse the skin.

Ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Rapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Pinhead Oatmeal (Avena sativa), Fresh Organic Orange Juice (Citrus Aurantium dulcis), Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Labdanum Resinoid (Cistus labdaniferus), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Sodium Chloride, Limonene.

First impression: Aesthetically, the Porridge soap has nothing worth mentioning. It's plain and filled with bits brown oats. But it smells really good!

Warm sweet scent (like brown sugar?) with a hint of coffee. Though it has orange juice and sweet orange oil in it, the Porridge soap doesn't smell citrus at all.

In the shower: The Porridge soap lathers quite well. Run it over wet skin and there will be plenty of bubbles for the entire body.

The oats gently exfoliate while the creamy soap leaves skin feeling soft. Though it washes off clean, the Porridge soap doesn't make the skin feel dry.

Bits of oats will fall out during use. So, don't be alarmed to see them on the floor!

It's just too bad that the scent doesn't linger on after the shower.

Aftermath: Unfortunately, the Porridge soap melts really quickly. With daily use, a standard slice may last about a month? Costing about $10, you would really want it to last longer.

Another thing is, as the soap melts away, it's more difficult to get a lather with all that oats around.

I've tried washing my face with the Porridge soap once when I ran out of facial scrub. And I must rave that it didn't make the skin my face feel tight at all!!

Like!

Cat hiccups and farts at the same time

2010-06-05T23:41:00.002+08:00

Didn't know cats can fart until I saw this video... Sounded strangely familar too.

Major fail on my end.

Lip Smackers available at Guardian

2010-06-05T23:29:00.006+08:00

Did some tweaking to my blog. Can you notice the difference??

Anyway, was spurred to make some changes because of a comment I just received on an entry I post 2 months ago. Hopefully my blog is better now ;)

Can't believe May has ended. Seriously, already?! Then again, it was a pretty short month. After deducting my leave and public holidays, I only have 12 working days to clock in this month's time sheet.

Btw, I really cannot stand this whole time sheet business at work. I tell you, it's going to be the death of me some day. I swear.

Then, disappointment of this week is...

I couldn't get my hands on the Marine Life highlight powder by MAC from their new To the Beach collection

It was sold out islandwide in just a few hours. FTW! I was so turned off that I didn't want to buy anything else. Total sianology.

Sad for the ♥ but very good for the wallet. Well, at least I have is this gorgeous image to remember it by:

Sigh~

Another thing is, I spied some Lip Smackers in Holland V's Guardian today. Wow! Was totally surprised to see them here.

I wonder if Guardian will introduce the Bonne Bell makeup range.

The price is quite reasonable. $4.90 is pretty much the standard price for a Lip Smacker in many blogshops. If you get the trio or tin set, it's even cheaper.

Unfortunately, there isn't much to choose from unless you're digging the soda-flavoured stuff.

Was tempted to get the coke trio from my soda-addict friend but I doubt he'll know how to appreciate them :P

I really hope someone would bring Cover Girl and LUSH back to our shores! We are really getting a lot of stuff that wasn't available here before.

Is this cool or what??

A little bit on my HK trip

2010-05-19T00:50:00.001+08:00

Been quite unmotivated since I came back from Hong Kong a week ago. I miss being free from the chains that bind me to an office chair for hours on Monday to Friday, alternate Saturdays and occasional Sundays. Ahhh~ Help me!

Unfortunately, as my good pal put it, I'll need to work if I want to go for my next vacation -> New Zeland in December! Hopefully by then, I would have lost some weight to be confident enough to try white water rafting and skydiving.

Sounds exciting, right?? Personally, I would prefer scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and befriending dolphins at the Tangalooma Island Resort :) But I'll take whatever chance I can to travel.

Hello world!

HK is a great place to visit but for serious shopping and extremely cheap food, go Bangkok instead. Many have warned me that HK is not cheap and it's so true!

I love HK for the things that I can't find back home, cheap dim sum and most importantly, Lush!! Aww... Miss the smell of their shops so much! Oh, and I miss Disneyland too!

I swear I will just die of sheer joy in Tokyo's.

LUSH heaven!!

One-way ticket to D Land, please :)

Woot for free upgrade!! View from our Fantasia room in the Disneyland Hotel. For some reason, I didn't really dare to look out the window at night and made sure all the curtains were closed before sleeping.

I love this. I have so much to leave behind.

I'm starting to regret not getting this Scrump plush but it's quite expensive.

Waiting for the fireworks to start!! Love that you can see the carousel through the gate.

WAH!!!

I sort of gave up taking photos of the fireworks after the first few minutes because it was getting very smokey.

I didn't hole myself up in Disney for the entire trip, there's just too much to talk about in one entry. Boyfriend and I visited most of the popular tourists spots in HK like Ocean Park, Ngong Ping to see the giant Buddha, the Peak and etc.

Though Disney was our biggest expenditure, it was also the best. I wished I had stayed there for an extra night.

The weather wasn't very good when I was there. It rained, shined and fogged at the worst times but thankfully it was fine at Disney. I would have liked it a lot better if there's no rain and temperatures are below 20.

After one week, my face isn't doing so well from the trip. I'm getting lot'sa blackheads/tiny bumps on the sides of my face (where it's very difficult to do extractions) and along my hairline.

I hate returning to reality :(

More later!