RAMBLINGS: Uncertainty wreaks havoc like so.

There are moments when I'm studying, I just stop, look at my books and ask myself where the hell I'm going with all these numbers.

The future frightens me.

I have plans but they seem really far away now.

UPDATES: On hiatus till May 19th!

HELLO/ BYE: Out with the old, in with the new!

Hello! Before I hang up my 'Be back!' sign for my examinations, I just want to share with you some products which I'm bidding goodbye to.



(from top left, clockwise)
1. Vichy's Essentielles Body Cream-Milk
2. Eucerin's DermoPURIFYER Creme-Gel
3. Rimmel London's Lasting Finish Foundation (16h) in 100 Ivory
4. CoverGirl's Last Blast Mascara in Black Brown
5. Olay's Eye Gel

I'm nowhere near being done with the Rimmel London foundation and gawd, do I LOVE IT! It gives me perfect porcelain skin but this is 2 years old already and the oil has kinda separated itself from the foundation so... )':

And some products which I'm saying hello to...



(from left to right)
1. Soap & Glory's Scrub Your Nose In It
2. Physiogel's Lotion
3. Paula's Choice 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Liquid
4. Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate Serum
5. Paula's Choice Barely There Sheer Matte Tint SPF 20

That's all! Thanks for reading!

Till May 19th loves,
Charlene J.

REVIEW: Hanamei's Hair Removal After-care Comforting Mask

Hanamei's Hair Removal After-care Comforting Mask came with the Brightening Serum (Read review here. Unlike the serum, the mask is meant only for the bikini area.



The mask helps to

soothe and minimize skin soreness,
reduce redness and skin irritation and
protect skin against follicle and pore infection.

Here's the list of ingredients:



The mask is to be applied on clean and dry skin for 10-15 minutes. Just like facial masks, you can chill it in the fridge before usage for instant relief!



The cotton mask smells like the serum, but weaker. I use it once a week and in conjunction with the serum. I noticed that after using the mask, whatever irritation that I was having before went away. Again, I didn't notice any brightening of the skin, but this definitely did reduce the incidences of ingrown hair.

One thing though, the mask isn't exactly practical to me because it has to be left on for 10-15 minutes. Like... What do I do during that time? I will buy the serum again, but not the mask. :\

RAMBINGS: Case in point.

flu-induced insomnia/ I've been awake since 5.20am, sneezing my life away. My throat feels terrible and exams are a mere 2 weeks away (Yes, Charlene. 2 weeks away. What are you doing here?!?). Oh joy! Whining aside (Because I really have myself to blame for this predicament.), I finally changed my bedsheets. Now, my bed's dotted with sheep with blue faces and white stars. I wish I had daisies instead (I have developed an obsession with daisies.).

samantha/ Samantha, the lawyer, is leaving on Tuesday and last night we held a little 'surprise' celebration. Surprise with the two quotation marks because I had to tell her that "Oh! This is actually a surprise birthday celebration for you.". It was the strangest moment ever. Seriously, how do people do all these surprise things?!? Maybe it's because I don't hang out in groups so I'm completely illiterate in this area. But anyway, it was a fun night with her, Dor and Audrey! (:

events/ School stinks. I had to decline another event on Thursday. That makes 3 this month. But I'm really grateful because I haven't really got that many followers (On my Onsugar account.). Thank you Organizers for thinking of me! (:

family/ I love my Gran, Dad, Mum, Sis and Bro. I am a very lucky girl.

makeup/ I will be taking a break from beauty blogging until the examinations are over. Thereafter, I shall do some revamping on both sites (Blogger and Onsugar.). Till then, you will have to make do with my whining about school. Heh.

now/ I'm gonna take my breakfast and then, get cracking on schoolwork. Tullah and lots of love!

REVIEW: Viccal's No. 2.11 (Detoxify & Heal)

Viccal touts itself as a brand that provides 'skincare solutions by Nature'. Their products contain 100% natural actives and they 'keep it real' by making sure that ingredients are kept pure. Last month, The Sample Store sent me a bottle of the serum, No. 2.11 (Detoxify & Heal), from The Basic Collection for review.



Housed in 20ml sturdy bottle, the serum contains 11 active ingredients to calm and soothe skin. It helps to

reduce the appearance of inflammation,
diminish the visibility of pores and
improve skin texture.



This serum is made for skin that's prone to breakouts and can help improve areas of mild eczema, blackheads and whiteheads.



3-4 drops of the serum are to be applied twice daily, after cleansing and before moisturizing. It has a rather queer scent. It isn't smelly or anything like that. But it smells really queer to me. :\ Anyway, it sinks into into the skin easily and quickly and it aids in the absorption of my moisturizer.



And so... Yes, this is me without a single inch of makeup a month ago (Notice the long hair? Sigh. I miss it. Badly!). I had little blackheads on my cheeks, presumably caused by Skin79's B.B. Creams, and some random spots here and there... And everywhere, especially in-between my brows *buries face*.





And this is me... A few minutes ago! Haha (And gosh! All these close-ups are so strange *hides face*.). The blackheads on my cheeks have completely vanished *cheers and dances*! But they still exist on my nose. The old acne scars, especially the one on my right cheek, have healed. (: I am still getting zits here and there but it could be because I have been keeping late nights and examinations are just round the corner (GLOOM!). Overall, though, the product has helped to smoothen my skin and improve my complexion so thumbs up! (:

Viccal has 2 other serums available:

No. 1.10 (Nurture & Strength), $145
For tired, dehydrated or oily skin.
Regulates sebum secretions.
Nourishes and maintains skin's cellular structures.
Protects skin to stay youthful naturally.
Improves the appearance of skin's elasticity.
Can be used on areas which are easily prone to wrinkles, like the neck and chest areas.

No. 3.12 (Revitalize & Energize), $185
For dull or dry skin.
Re-energizes and supports the appearance of the epidermis (The outer layer of the skin.)
Helps maintain blood circulation.
Improves skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), especially during climate changes and loss of humidity caused by air travel.
Smooths out fine lines and wrinkles, delaying visible signs of ageing.

(No. 2.11 costs $165.)

Viccal's products can be ordered via email or you can make a phone call (Details here.). They are also available at The Medical Practice's clinics.

REVIEW: Vichy's Bi-WHITE REVEAL Skincare Range

So last month, I embarked on my journey to become Snow White with Vichy's Bi-WHITE Reveal Skincare Range. And golly! I do believe that I am a step closer to being said princess *twirls*.



Product: Bi-WHITE REVEAL Double Corrective Whitening Deep Cleansing Foam
Active Ingredients: Ceramide White and LHA.
Claims to: Decrease skin cells' pigmentation load and exfoliates melanin-filled dead cells accumulated on the surface.
Packaging: Squeeze tube (50ml)
I say: I'm very particular about my cleansers. I don't like the squeaky-clean feeling because it makes me feel like my skin has been stripped of all its oil. So far, I have sworn by Cetaphil. ONLY. But that is changing.

The Bi-WHITE REVEAL cleanser comes out as a white liquid. It smells clinical, but it isn't smelly or anything like that. I don't exactly like the smell but I don't hate it either. It just smells very clinical, very clean. Though the tube's really small (My Cetaphil cleansers have all been HUGE.), you really just need a pea-sized amount. The cleanser foams easily and I use it with my Clarisonic MIA. After washing it off, I don't get the too-clean feeling and that's why I'm loving this a lot! :D



Product: Bi-WHITE REVEAL Double Corrective Whitening Lotion
Active Ingredients: Ceramide White, LHA and Vitamin CG.
Claims to: Decrease skin cells' pigmentation load and exfoliates melanin-filled dead cells accumulated on the surface.
Packaging: Bottle (200ml)
I say: I pour a little of this on a wad of cotton wool and then, go over my entire face. The white liquid is thicker than most toners but is absorbed into the skin very easily. Hmm... I don't really have much to say about the toner. Before this, toners weren't part of my skincare regime. I used Clean & Clear's toner throughout my teenage years and the alcohol in it always hit my nose sharply. This one doesn't. (:



Product: Bi-WHITE REVEAL Double Corrective Whitening Cream (Night)
Active Ingredients: Ceramide White, LHA, Vitamin CG, Vitamin E, Diakalite/ Titane and Vichy Thermal Spa Water.
Claims to: Contains pure extracts from 5 natural oils for a nightly cell-recharge of the skin.
Packaging: Tub (50ml)
I say: I apply a thin layer of the white cream over my face, save for my nose, after using a serum from VICCAL. The cream stings a little upon application but it goes away quickly. It is absorbed into the skin quickly and I wake up to wonderfully moisturized skin! (:

(I don't apply moisturizers of any sort on my nose because well, it's a bed for blackheads. I usually apply acne medication on it.)



Product: UV Pro Secure Daily Ultra-Block Fluid SPF40 PA+++ (Combination to Oily Skin
Active Ingredients: Mexoryl SX, Mexoryl XL, Parsol MCX, Titanium Dioxide, Vitamin E, Procystein, Diakalyte, Zincadone, Glycerine, Vichy Thermal Spa Water.
Claims to: Penetrates quickly into the skin to give a fresh and matte complexion all day long.
Packaging: Squeeze tube (30ml)
I say: I started using this product only a week ago (The above products have been used for more than a month.). The fluid goes onto the skin easily. It does leave a very thin white layer on my skin because I appear fairer upon application. But it isn't the white cast that you get from some sunblocks and sunscreens. It's natural and it makes me look more radiant. I don't see the matte effect though. My skin oils up as per normal.


Overall: I do DEFINITELY appear fairer than before! I was talking to the sister in the toilet the other day (I have no idea why we were having a conversation in the toilet, of all places...) and I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I was like "OH GOSH. I LOOK SO FAIR!!!", to which, of course, was met with eye-rolling from the sister. No thanks to the approaching exams, my skin is looking a little sad but it is more radiant! :DDD

Do let me know if you have any questions! Thanks for reading! (:

NAILS: The Face Shop's Nail Polish OR201

I bought this nail polish last year but it was left with the mothballs, until last night. When I first saw this colour at The Face Shop, I was like "I HAVE to get it!". The nail polish range that this colour belongs to costs a little more than the usual range that you find in The Face Shop. I think it was around $8.



But anyway, the reason why I didn't use it for such an insanely long time is because this colour is, well, weird. It's peach, a colour which I'm very into, it looks insanely gorgeous in its little container but... It just looks so weird against my skin colour! And I thought being fair meant that every friggin' colour in the world suited me! BUMMER!

I still can't decide if I like it. Or not. But whatever it is, I think this would suit people with darker/ olive skin very well.

HAUL: TRESemmé and Paula's Choice!

If you don't already know, TRESemmé is now available in Singapore! *cheers* Currently, Guardian's having a buy-a-shampoo-get-a-conditioner free promotion! The bottles are HUGE (900ml) and worth every cent, in my opinion. Dad got me the Moisture Rich and Salon Silk types. The ends of my hair are as parched as the desert after my last rebonding session.



Next up, it's PAULA'S CHOICE *jumps around*!!! If you aren't part of the Twitter-verse, Michelle caused quite a stir with her review on Paula's Choice (Read here.). Skin's the canvas for makeup and well, sure as hell I want good skin! Everyone wants good skin! Hence, my little haul. I got the 2% BHA Liquid (I'll be sharing it with my brother.), Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate Serum (What a mouthful!) and Barely There Sheer Matte Tint.

Fingers crossed for flawless skin! (:

REVIEW: Hanamei's Hair Removal After-care Brightening Serum

I'm someone who thinks that other than what's on the head, hair should not exist at all. For both genders. But thank goodness for the evolution of hair removal methods. From shaving to waxing to epilation to laser hair removal, we can now kiss hairy issues goodbye, fast and easy.

But all things come with their downsides (Why won't life JUST be a bed of roses?!? Hur hur.). Abrasion of any sort on the skin will cause irritation and this can lead to the darkening of the skin, ingrown hair, bumps and inflammation. Very unsightly, very painful.

Last month, The Sample Store sent me Hanamei's Hair Removal After-care Brightening Serum to eliminate such problems!

The serum contains pure Japanese botanical extracts to tackle all the unwanted side-effects of hair removal. It contains no alcohol, artificial preservatives and colourants. It can be used down south, on our underarms, elbows... Basically, anywhere that has darkened and rough skin. Hanamei promises to

Maintain elasticity and resilience of skin.
Minimize ingrown hair.
Lighten darkened skin.

Also, it is gentle enough to be used right after hair removal!



Its key ingredients are

Sakura Extract: Moisturizes the skin.
Amurense Bark: Its anti-bacterial properties reduces the chances of follicle and pore infection.
Artichoke Extract: Reduces skin inflammation and minimizes itchiness.
Organic Rosewater: Calms the skin.
Aloe Vera Extract: Helps heal the skin.



Housed in a 20ml plastic bottle, it comes with a dropper. The dropper ensures that you get exactly what you need (I use 2 or 3 drops.). After cleansing, all you have to do is to rub this serum onto your skin.



The serum is a yellowish liquid with an alright smell. It's not pleasant but it's not stinky either. It is absorbed into the skin easily.



I have been using this serum for more than a month. I didn't see any brightening of the skin but I did experience less ingrown hair. Also, my skin feels more supple and moisturized. A pinky down for no brightening effect but one thumb up for less ingrown hair! (:

Orders for the serum can only be made via phone (6343 0157) or through their website at the moment. (:

SWATCHES: M.A.C's Plum Du Bois Powder Blush

The Plum Du Bois Powder Blush is from the Cult of Cherry collection. I got this from Roseanne's giveaway. I don't follow M.A.C's collections, somehow (And thank goodness. My parents will probably despair if I do.).

This blusher resembles the colour of rust, interlaced with shimmers. It's not a shade that I would think of getting so I'm really glad that I won this! Where blushers are concerned, I'm all about reds, pinks and peaches. I haven't really ventured into the realm of darker and deeper colours like plums and browns.


On my cheeks, the blusher is more of a plum than a brown (Click here to check out 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic's swatches! She managed to capture the shimmers!). It is actually very close to the natural colour of my cheeks when I wake up from a very deep sleep (No kidding! Okay, this runs a little darker but it's close!). So I'm incredibly happy to find a blusher that is able to replicate that natural shade of mine (Just because natural is always the BEST!)!

The shimmers aren't obvious when applied and unlike Stereo Rose, which I thought emphasized my pores, this didn't. I haven't really got that many M.A.C's blushers and neither do I really use those that I own so I'm not sure if the emphasizing-the-pores thing is only applicable to the Mineralize Skinfinishes (I read from some blog that that seems to be the case.) or it happens to certain M.A.C's blushers.

But anyway, whatever it is, this is going to be a staple from now on! :D

MAIL: From Roseanne!

A couple of weeks back, I won Roseanne's giveaway! I hardly ever join giveaways because if you calculate the probability (Yes, I just HAD to say that. For the uninitiated, Statistics is my major.), chances of winning one is very, very small. But umm... This is the 2nd one that I have won this year. So maybe I should go do my Math again or maybe there is something inherently wrong with Statistics itself or maybe Lady Luck just happens to like me a lot at the moment... And I'm rambling again.



Anyway, I won M.A.C's Plum Du Bois Powder Blush! Roseanne had it wrapped up very nicely in the parcel and she even included a personal letter! What touched me the most was that she actually remembered what we talked about when we first met at the Physiogel event. I really don't know of any other beauty blogger who is THIS dedicated to her readers! I really do wish Roseanne will reach to greater heights (greatest, if possible.) in the 'beauty world' because she deserves all the recognition for her hard work!

So yes, please go check out her blog here, if you haven't already! :D

P.S.: Swatches of the blusher coming up next (Just because I like my entries to be categorized correctly. I know, anal!)! (:

NAILS: Barry M's Nail Paint 115, Red Black

Ain't That Pretty asked me if Barry M's Nail Paint 115, Red Black was a dupe for Chanel's Nail Color 10, Rouge Noir in my UK haul entry. I haven't got anything Chanel (yet.) so I can't do much other than paint my nails in Red Black and compare with Google's images of Rouge Noir. Here are the photos!



It isn't very neat, I'm sorry! I painted when I was half-asleep so my precision was way off.

Credits: Nails by Bellan

Barry M's Red Black DOES indeed look like a dupe for Chanel's Rouge Noir. Actually, both shades resemble the shade of a Silky Girl's nail polish which I owned aeons ago.



Now, for my two cents' worth on Barry M's Nail Paints. The application was actually pretty streaky. I have been using China Glaze's nail polishes so I can only make a comparison with that. China Glaze's nail polishes are definitely better in consistency. I think Barry M's Nail Paints apply kind of like The Face Shop's. It took 3 coats to get the nail shade to look fairly even.

Colour-wise, it reminded me of turkey cranberry sauce! I swear my tummy was protesting when I was painting my nails. That said, I don't know what's with me lately because I don't really like the shade at the moment. I know I will like it later on but right now, I'm into bridal colours, like pale pink and light peaches. And a moment ago, I was into red and dark colours.

I think stress from school is making me think funny. *bites lips*

RAMBLINGS: Truth be told, I AM an old soul.

Yesterday, a friend talked about the weather (Through SMS.). No, it wasn't the 'How are you? The weather's really nice, aye?" kind. It was the 'The rain has all types of deep feelings attached to it.' kind and no, those weren't his words. He's a budding lawyer, so yes. The words he used were far more... Intellectual. But I'm going to keep those words for myself, except for a few (Read on.).

His description was cliché. Okay, really. Any description that has 'moon and stars' thrown into it is cliché to me (Someone once told me that my eyes were like the stars. He really meant it but I just couldn't bring myself to feel his sincerity. Yeah, I did laugh. It was a fortunate thing that he did it through SMS. Just because I would have laughed into his face. Or just plain freaked out.).

Anyway, I told him that he has an old soul, thinking about stuff like that. And right after I said that, I realized that I used to think about stuff like that too. Beginning on a book like 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' did nothing but 'compound' the situation, whatever the situation is.
-

In secondary school, just before I made my way to lala land, I thought. A LOT. I thought about life, how claustrophobic it was; about people; how sad it was to have people walked into your life and then, walk right out and I thought of ways so that I could 'keep' them (Facebook, I love you.), about superficiality, about how I wish everything was exactly as it was presented at face value... I liked to just soak in the moment for all that it was worth and try and etch that moment deep in my head and asked myself 'A year later, when I recall this moment, I wonder where I will be, what I will be like...'.

I still remembered the moment when I was on Bus 31, en route to Tanah Merah Station. It was just after the 'O' levels and I asked myself the aforementioned question. And after the 'A' levels, I was on the same road and I thought about that moment... And it was just really, really, really cool (Though I thought that the 'O' levels me would have scoffed at my 'A' levels self for being so... Weak and felt pretty down.)!
-

Alrighty. I'm off to figure out the change of variables for multiple integrals. Sounds profound, aye? Haha.

And I didn't know that the songs mentioned in 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' were real.

"... put my head under the pillow and let the quiet put things where they are supposed to be."

REVIEW: Frolic under the sun with Sunplay!

Living near the equator means that I can forget about getting a vampire boyfriend (The traditional ones who eschew sunlight like I eschew peas. Not Wimpy Cullen.). It also means that sunblock is my best friend.

Wait a minute. Sunblock, sunscreen... There is a difference right?
Yep, there is. Sunblock blocks out sun rays, reflecting them so that they don't reach you at all. Sunscreen, on the other hand, absorbs radiation.

So how do I make a choice?
Sunblock is opaque and can leave an unwanted white layer on the skin. It, however, acts as an effective barrier against the sun rays, so you won't be get tanned at all. Sunscreen allows some sun rays to reach your skin, so you get tanned without getting burnt. But, this also means that the ingredients of the sunscreen break down after a few hours. You'll need to reapply.

Oooh! So umm... About Sunplay?
Oh right... Heh. Digressed, as usual.



Last month saw the introduction of Sunplay SPF80 PA++ UV Body Mist (Sunblock), $17.90! The arrival of it from The Sample Store was very timely as I had just embarked on my journey to become Snow White then. And I must say that I'm having fun with this product! It's like spray-painting my body (I know, cheap thrill.)!



I hold the can at half-an-arm's length away and basically, spray the mist all over my arms and legs. The mist comes out transparent, with a scent like that of Adidas' deodorants; fruity. There is a slight stickiness when first applied but it gets absorbed into the skin pronto! You basically feel nothing at all on your skin and there's no ugly white layer too! This mist is also water-resistant, so go run under the sun with nary a worry of your skin being damaged! (:



The other product that I received is the Sunplay SPF130 PA+++ Super Block (Clear Finish). The 35g palm-sized bottle retails at $17.20. It has the highest available UVA and UVB protection and has UV reflectant technology to reflect UV rays.



This sunblock comes out as a light, watery white liquid. It smells a little of plastic. I got the same smell with the Kao's Bioré UV Perfect Face Milk. This leaves a thin film and it does stay for quite a while. It's not a bothersome or uncomfortable feeling though.

Sunplay's currently having a hamper giveaway on their Facebook page, so do check them out! (:

HAUL: Makeup from the 'Queen'.

It's going to be a HAUL post today! I haven't had one in the longest time. I'm really trying to cut back from hauling since my MU collection's massive (to me.) and will probably last till my grandchildren have their own grandchildren. Ha! But anyway, a friend, Samantha (Singapore's answer to Legally Blonde. Ahem. You have met her here.), was coming back from the UK, so naturally (Yes, very naturally.), I HAD to ask her to pick up a few items for me.



First up, Accessorize's nail polishes *jumps around*! HOW GORGEOUS ARE THEY!!! I got Shade 35, Pink Spice and Shade 39, Mermaid. The former's a tad out-of-character for me. Okay, it isn't 'a tad'. It's 'VERY'. I have got only one other hot pink nail polish. I painted them on my nails once and removed it immediately. It was very Barbie-doll-ish. Completely not me. But we'll see about this. I have been rather adventurous as of late. Hmm... Some sort of a quarter life crisis, you think? *raises eyebrows*

Accessorize's makeup collection isn't available in Singapore (WHY?!? Accessorize, WHY?!?) and Sam mentioned that the makeup collection wasn't available in the Accessorize stores. She found them at Superdrug, UK's Watsons/ Guardian. Funny, isn't it?



Next up are Barry M's products! I LOVE BARRY M PRODUCTS (I pinky promise that the next paragraph will not have a sentence in caps, right after the first.) Unfortunately, Barry M hasn't landed on our island... Yet (Yes, I'm crossing my fingers and toes that Barry M will soon find its way here.). I would have got their blushers but well, ummm... I'm never going to finish what I have right now (I marvel at my self-control.). So anyway, I got the Nail Paint in 115, Red Black just because I'm into reds right now. Red nails make me feel powerful. Don't ask why. They just do. I feel like I'm some high-powered business woman when my nails are red and so, before any examination periods, you can bet your my life that my nails are red; cherry red, blood red, Christmas red... As long as the nail polish's name says 'red'.

The other item is the Lip Paint in 147, Peachy Pink. I have been lusting over this for the longest time! I do hope that my quest for the perfect peach lips will end with this. M.A.C's Jazzed lipstick didn't quite work for me, though swatches which I googled before I purchased it suggested otherwise (It was a big disappointment for me.).





Last but not least, I got some items from Topshop Makeup's Sandstorm collection! I have no idea if this collection is available in Singapore. My recent destinations have been home, school and secret study spots (Okay, not-so-secret if you stalk my Twitter.). What a sad life, but it's ending soon (I'm counting down. Actually, I have been counting down since the start of school. Ha.)! I got their crayon in Equinox (I really need to stop buying this sort of shade. But this shade stands by itself very prettily. I just colour my eyelids with it, line my lash line with a brown pencil eyeliner, dress my lashes with very black mascara and TADAH! My school look!), eyeshadow mousses in Glint and Tundra and gloss stick in Ablaze (Yes, another peachy colour.).

So yep, that's the end of my very sweet (and umm... Expensive. $95 in total. GLOOM.) UK haul. Thanks Sam for running all over London for me! :D I have to jet now (Like, NOW.) and go do up my report.

Till my next entry,
xoxo!

RAMBLINGS: Grown up much?

From talks to boys, celebrities and telly to jobs, salaries and the possibility of having your very own family... How much we all have grown. But of course, this must have been dead obvious to me, since the number of candles on my cake increases every year. But but aye, Charlene loves to live in her world of rainbows, unicorns and cotton candy.
-

I try very hard not to think about the future. As much as I like to hurl expletives at education, the way I see my future... I'll be studying till both legs are in the coffin. But obviously that's not going to happen unless I find a sugar daddy or God decided to rain money on me. Probability of that happening? It's like towards the end of the Normal distribution.

Okay, nevermind if that didn't make any sense. I just had to say something Math-y. Heh. *in judging tones 'GEEK!'*
-

But with friends graduating left and right, it's hard to ignore the fact that I am, indeed, entering the workforce soon. I'm blessed in the sense that my family isn't fraught with financial problems. We aren't rich, but we aren't poor either. There isn't any urgency for me to find a job immediately after graduation. I can float for... Well, not forever, definitely (I want to provide for my parents and siblings. Thank you very much.). But for a pretty long time. Thank God that my parents love me to bits (If only you knew what they have dealt with when it comes to me... *multiple eye rolls at myself*) and they will provide for me for as long as they can. But it's because of this that I have turned... Sedentary. Oh gawd. I shudder at that word.
-

I came across the diary which I kept when I was in secondary school the other day. And gosh, Was I HEAVILY, and I do mean HEAVILY, influenced by chicklits (To Sam: Haha!)! I dreamed of earning a salary of 40k pounds (Yeah, pounds. I thought of money in pounds then. Get the 'HEAVILY' bit now?), of jetting all over the world and being stressed out, not by work issues, but by love issues. Like if I would ever fall in love with an American guy, who has dark eyes, a deep frown etched across his forehead and a five o'clock shadow (Gawd! If you haven't read Sophie Kinsella's 'Can You Keep A Secret?', please go get the book now! I still laugh at the 'f***ing ovaries' bit. Thank you Sam for introducing this book to me! And if you didn't get the 'HEAVILY' bit a sentence ago, I'm sure you get the picture now.) yada yada.

I probably lost my train of thoughts in that whole giddy chunk of words but the main thing is that I was so much MORE ambitious. And probably tons less frivolous (I used to friggin' read the dictionary.).

I blame 'love', okay? OKAY? Haha. I do really blame 'love' but I'm not saying it with hatred (Oh cool! Oxymoron there!). It was a lesson that I had to learn but I mean, so what? I may have 'lost' myself but I don't have to CONTINUE 'losing' myself. And university may have lost all its glamour for me (Cheating is so rampant and flagrant. I'm disgusted.) and the prospect of getting a first-class honours may have been very mercilessly flung out of the window because of a compulsory module which has absolutely no relation to Statistics (My major.)... But so what? I don't have to resign myself to anything.

Life's all about 'fighting', isn't it?
-

But at the same time, I want to 'fight' for something that I want. And not just 'fight' for the sake of 'fighting'. I don't believe that I'm not going to get my chicklit story (Sam, you shouldn't believe it either.). I WILL get what I want in life. I WILL pull that darned rabbit out of the hat. I WILL marry Jack Harper.

Haha. Okay, maybe not the last line. It's REALLY hard to find a Jack Harper. Trust me (LOL.). But yeah, good riddance to Sedentary Charlene! Hello... Umm... Ambitious Charlene?

Okay, it's really not in my nature to be ambitious because I doubt my every move. So umm hello New Charlene? Haha. This is so kiddish. It's so teenager-ish. I'm never ever going to act like my age (Just like this lawyer friend of mine, who is so un-lawyer like. She's going to attend her convocation in pink if she gets first-class honours. Legally Blonde much? But yeah, the lawyer world, or whatever it is called, need more people like her. I have the impression that lawyers are really stressed out, serious people who are tired 24/7. John Grisham's books.) *rolls eyes*.
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I have been studying a little more than what I was doing at the start of the semester (Which was 0 studying actually.). Midterms came back with way better results than I could ever imagine (You should have seen me during the Recess week. I was all ready to burn my notes, throw the ashes in boiling water and gulp the whole thing down in a second.). Thank you God for that. I haven't been a good Christian... No, I haven't even been a Christian since the year started (Because the Church seems a little umm... Yeah. I shall just leave the sentence unfinished.) but yes, I'm going to make a huge effort to be as good a child as I can be.

And yes, once this week blows over (STUPID COMPULSORY COURSE WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STATISTICS.), I shall morph into a mugger and marry all my books.

And divorce them, come May 19th *jumps around*.
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This entry probably left you with a big question mark (Yeah, a really big one is developing in my head now. My ramblings are really... Ramblings.) but oh man! It does feel good to blog personal stuff again. *grins*

It's in my blood, I guess. I have been blogging since I was 9 (Yes, I'm bragging. My first website was on Expage and Dad proudly brandished it to his friends, even though it just filled with lame, corny jokes *beams*. I know. Dad's cool. PEACE OUT, YO!).

Anyway, a haul post is coming right up! See you in like... 10 minutes! Haha! :D

EVENT: Vichy's Bi-WHITE REVEAL Workshop

During my Recess week, I took a break from the crazy mugging and attended Vichy's Bi-WHITE REVEAL Workshop held at Once Upon A Milkshake. I was especially interested in this workshop because just like many other Asian women, I'm an aspiring Snow White! (:



To kickoff the event, Dr. Jonathan Lee, from Aesthetics & Rejuvenative Medicine, was invited to give us a talk on pigmentation and melanin, the different types of whitening products in the market today and the treatments that are available in Singapore.



With age and excessive sun exposure, melanin, which is responsible for our skin colour, becomes over-produced. This results in uneven skin tone and pigmentation, dashing our dreams of having flawless skin *pulls a face*. The problem is further exacerbated by dead skin, making our complexion dark and dull.

In addition to physical factors, some of the habits that we have cultivated also play a part in sabotaging our skin. They are smoking, the lack of exercising, excessive alcohol consumption and the lack of sleep (Totally school's fault!). Stress, both psychological and physiological, is also a culprit. BIG SIGH.



There are various over-the-counter solutions, with ingredients becoming more superior. But Dr. Jonathan warned us that if we were to encounter any sort of irritation with the products, we should cease usage immediately because skin irritation can actually lead to a worsening of the discoloration. :\



Next, we had Wyman (I didn't manage to get a nice photo of him. He was the one who did the skin analysis for me the other time.) from Vichy to introduce the first derma spot corrector in the market, the Deep Cell Whitening Spot Intervention!

The Deep Cell Whitening Spot Intervention contains 5 times more of LHA and 2 times more of Ceramide White!

Say what?!?

Oops! Pardon me!

LHA is a salicylic derivative that speeds up cell renewal and prevents the accumulation of dead skin cells. Its gentle exfoliation actions removes pigmentation at the skin surface.

Ceramide White is a primary lipid found in the skin layers. It acts as a barrier and helps to retain water in our skin. It is also an effective depigmenter.

This product, 15ml ($59) is available at all Vichy counters. (:





Thereafter, one of the girls from Once Upon A Milkshake taught us how to make their, well, milkshakes! And we each got to make our own cup!



I have been using the Bi-WHITE Reveal skincare range since the event and gosh! Do I notice a difference! Review will be up soon but yes, I do think I'm on my way to becoming Snow White (Now, all I need to do is to look for my 7 dwarfs... And my prince, of course!). Heh.

Thank you Vichy, Pearlin, Eunice and Once Upon A Milkshake for the wonderful event! :DDD
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Here was my outfit for the event!



Topshop's crop top
F21's white lace tank top
Topshop's black jeans





Oh yes! This is my ugly haircut! I put it into a really high ponytail and ended up looking like a kid. Which is good, I suppose. To look young is a blessing, no?