EVENT: Citi Globeshopper 'Click it. Ship it.' Bloggers' Event

Image from here.

Last Saturday, I attended the Citi Globeshopper 'Click it. Ship it.' Bloggers' Event at Fruit Paradise, Orchard Central #05-51/52. Thanks Ju Ann for the invitation! :D

I'm a big advocate of online shopping. I love everything about it! The fact that I don't have to put up with the merciless weather, I don't have to carry bags and bags and deal with the insanely crowded public transport, the massive discounts that are available only online, I get access to brands which aren't available in Singapore... What's not to love, really?!?

Unfortunately, geographical distance (The one IMPORTANT thing that makes online shopping so fabulous!) is always there to hinder my shopping pursuits. Certain websites don't ship to Singapore directly and I have to turn to concierge services.

And this is the part where Citi Globeshopper comes in!



Citi Globeshopper is a collaboration between Citibank and Borderlinx. It unlocks the many gates to U.S. and U.K. websites and you get to shop to your heart's content! Thereafter, you have the option of consolidating all your shipments (Up to 30 days!), before having them sent safely to you all at one go!

Delivery's done by handy dandy DHL and there's a free 24-hour live chat service. There's no dealing with emails going to and fro like ping pong balls over d-a-y-s!



One key thing to note... Free concierge service!

(Yay! More moolah for shopping! :D )



After the presentation was over, we bloggers were divided into groups and had to come up with a poster for Citi Globeshopper! My group consisted of Ru, Jones, Verlyn, Philips and Melissa!

We were also treated to fabulous tarts from Fruit Paradise! The Chocolate Banana Tart was awesome! :D



And guess what?!? We won the segment! :DDD



The adorable aeroplane was drawn by Verlyn. Jones drew the warehouse and people at the bottom! They were sooo good!



After that, we played the Citi Globeshopper's 'Click it. Ship it.' Facebook game! This game allows you to get up to S$20 off your shipping charges! The game's simple but you need to be real quick and alert. :D I had the 2nd highest score ($4.60) that day!

The Citi Globeshopper's 'Click it. Ship it.' Facebook game ends on September 30th, so do click here to do some offsetting for your shipping charges! :DDD

Do note that you will need to charge your online purchases to your Citibank credit cards! Click here to apply for one. (:

Alrighty! I'm off now. Thank you Ju Ann, Oasis Interactive, Fruit Paradise and of course, Citibank for the wonderful event! And how can I forget... Thank YOU for reading! :DDD

REVIEW: Vichy's Normaderm Day & Night Anti-Imperfection Routine

Hey Muffins! I'm terribly sorry for the slow incoming of entries. School's really eating up a lot of my time but the good thing is that I have found joy in studying again. :D

So anyway, scroll on down and take a peek into my Vichy diary!



For this review, I kept a 'logbook' and called it, well, 'The Vichy Logbook'. Heh. I would apply the products diligently every night. When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I did was to head over to my full-length mirror, observe my pores and then, jotted down whatever I noticed. Haha. It was great fun conducting this beauty experiment!

This 'study' spanned over 20 days, though I stopped recording on the 15th. I'll explain why later. Now, onto the products...



Vichy's Normaderm Day & Night Anti-Imperfection Routine can be found in Watsons (The last I checked, it's available at the Raffles City outlet.) at an awesome price of $68, saving you $49! :D

Having attended a couple of Vichy's workshops (Read about them here.), I was actually thinking of making the 'big switch' to Vichy for my skincare regime. But their products aren't cheap, so when I came across this deal, I, being a (poor) total skincare junkie, had to buy it!



The set contains

Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence, 30ml

Pore Micro Peel: Micro-exfoliates accumulated dead skin cells. Gentle on the skin.

Pore Firming: Clears excess sebum and firms the skin to tighten pore structure.

Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care, 50ml

Hydration: When dehydrated, skin cannot regenerate properly and the dead cells accumulation on its surface creates imperfections.

Mattification: Any sebum excess can be oxidized by UV rays, creating irritations at the source of even more imperfections.

Night Anti-Imperfection + Rejuvenating Care, 30ml

LHA + Glycolic Acid: 'Peeling' active molecules.

Vitamin C: Regenerating in a daily watery-texture care.



I'm perfectly happy with the packaging. The amount of product dispensed is entirely under your control, it's completely hygienic and the packaging isn't anything that's shabby.

The only thing that I have noticed is that for the Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care, the product nearest to the opening of the pump hardens. So when you pump the product out, there is usually a small lump. But I don't think it affects the product in any way.

You can just scoop it out if you're concerned. (:



All 3 products have fresh, light cucumber scents, though they vary in strength. The Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence and Night Anti-Imperfection + Rejuvenating Care smell a little more like chemicals, while I really don't mind if they make a body spray out of the Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care. Heh.

All 3 products are absorbed by the skin easily and leave a mattified texture. I applied the Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence before the Night Anti-Imperfection + Rejuvenating Care.



Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence
'Purified and firm, pores are re-contracted. They become virtually invisible in 4 wweks.'

At the end of the 'study', I didn't notice any reduction in the appearance of pore size. Yes, my 'study' didn't last for a month but I do think it's a little of a tall order to make the above claim. Pore sizes, according to some (scientific) studies, can't be reduced. Products can only make your pores cleaner and in this way, make them appear smaller. This is a product that I will do away with.

Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care
'Imperfections are reduced, pores unclogged. Skin is smoother and softer.'

This is indeed hydrating, as it claims to be, and it's something which I'm glad about. In a nutshell, it's a zit-zapping moisturizer! I don't have to worry about applying too many products on my face, seeing that some zit-fighting products can be extremely drying. The mattification department, however, needs to be worked on. I oil up as per normal, so it was disappointing in this aspect. It would be better if it had some SPF in it as well.

Night Anti-Imperfection + Rejuvenating Care
'Night after night, skin renewal is boosted. Skin becomes purified and visibly rejuvenated.'

I really saw a difference with this product. I was especially careful to apply this around my nose, where the dreadful clogged pores resided. I have noticed a significant reduction in the number of clogged pores. With this product, I woke up to baby-smooth skin and a more even complexion. (:

However, if you're looking for an all-in-one product here, you may want to look somewhere else. As seen from my diary entries, the red spots left by the zits only lightened when I applied Hazeline Snow. Also, I do find this a little slow in its battle against zits, though it definitely wins the zap-those-clogged-pores war.
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One thing to note is that I used Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence and Night Anti-Imperfection + Rejuvenating Care together, but I evaluated the products based on what they claimed their functions were.

Whilst using these products, I can't help but think about my Eucerin's Creme Gel (Read my Eucerin entries here.). Eucerin didn't help me get rid of the clogged pores round my nose area, but it kept my complexion clear and even. I like it that the Vichy products contain salicylic acid, which proved to be my hero in my teenage years (Eucerin contains lactic acid.).

But as much as I love the Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care and Night Anti-Imperfection + Rejuvenating Care, I blanch at their individual prices. What I'm thinking is that I will use them once every 2-3 days and on the other days, I stick to my old skincare regime (Read about it here.). Just so that I will be kinder to my very broken pockets. Heh.

I stopped recording on the 15th day because I'm feeling pretty stressed out right now by school, future and the ilk, which has led to a little breakout. I don't attribute this to the Vichy products at all because I do break out when I get very stressed and I know it.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. It's 4am now and I've been at this since 9pm. EEPS! :\ I hope you lovelies will have a good week ahead and thanks for reading! :D Do let me know if you have any questions and also, if you have used any of these products, do tell me your thoughts! (:

RAMBLINGS: Dad taught me how to ride a bike in my dreams.

Oh goodness. If I'm not thinking about the future, I'm thinking about death.
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I fell into the deepest slumber I can possibly ever have after trying to make acquaintance with expectations, variances, distributions... Only to have them stab me in the front. I'm confounded by some really basic piece of information but I just don't get it. And I can't move on to the next module if I don't get it. *throws books out of the windows*

Whatever, I will get you. Even if I have to sleep at 4am today, because I really need to do that post on Vichy (Coming up tonight! Or in the wee hours of the morning when fairies romp about. Did you read about Ann Arbour? How tiny doors have been appearing all over the state for the little ones, since 2005? I haven't read this but here you go.).
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Anyway, in my dream, Dad taught the brother and I how to ride a bike. The sister happily walked off in front of us and we got separated by the traffic. The brother and I got into the bike basket (And since dreams are impossible, it was possible for the two of us to fit in the basket ever so comfortably.). And Dad rode us all the way to a carpark, tilting the bike at dangerous angles, telling us how to maneuver it... And all the time he was telling us that he was getting old and in the dream, I took note of the deep lines etched on his weathered forehead.

It scared me a little when I got up. How real the whole thing was. Hence, this entry.

I need to accept the fact that death is very real. Just because it hasn't happened yet, I can't frolic under my perpetually cheery sun and bounce about on fluffy, white clouds. But at the same time, I, for pete's sake, should not be dwelling on it and should appreciate every single moment I have now.

It isn't that I just had a sudden epiphany from some strange dream. I guess the conversation I had with a friend had been replaying in my mind all week, without me realizing it. I guess I got thrown out of the kilter for a (Very long. *multiple eye rolls*) moment because I don't get how a family can be so separated. If I have a family, gawd. I will make darn sure that we have family time ALL the time.

No, just kidding. Lol. You know what I mean. I used to run round my old estate in the evening. I saw couples, holding hands, taking walks and I was like 'I want that to happen to me. I don't care if he doesn't make a lot of money. I don't care if he doesn't have movie-star good looks. But that MUST happen to me.'. But of course, the kids will come along. They can run in front of us, while the two of us can do the Macerena dance secretly in the back. HAHA.
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I'm off now to take some photos. I will check for any grammatical errors tonight. Heh. Yes, I know. I'm anal. But before I leave, please watch this. (:

LOOKBOOK: Audrey has got her wings.

Hey Muffins! Just a quick post before I do some schoolwork (SIGH.). This was what I wore to Vichy's Spa Water Workshop, held on August 12th.

The Audrey Hepburn top's from Pull & Bear and the skirt's from F21.



This F21 earring is one half of a pair, which cost $9.



Alrighty. See you soon! :DDD

P.S.: Please excuse the messy room! Heh.

RAMBLINGS: The C word.

C for career.

For the next couple of weeks, there's a laundry list of talks organized by banks to attend and J.P. Morgan's gonna start the ball rolling tomorrow at 6.30pm. I'm, or rather I was, reading their website and I got really excited. 'First-class business in a first-class way', I like that. But the more I ventured into the powerhouse, the smaller I felt.

Who the hell am I kidding?

Seriously, Charlene.

RAMBLINGS: When the trees shed their leaves.

This is my prettiest find on Etsy to date. It's called 'The Catherine Dress' and I really wish I could own it but it costs a whopping US$120. I probably have to eat grass for an entire month. And I haven't got any reasons to don this on.
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Today, my grandaunt gave me my birthday money. After that, she sat down and talked to me and it had never happened before. She told me to look for a good husband, but not before getting a good job. I was trying desperately not to morph into a human geyser but I could tell that she was really concerned about me. She said "I won't be able to see your children." and gawd, I swear I give birth on the spot if I could. But I'm no amoeba, the loves of my life are usually 6 feet under and I'm too vain to get pregnant (Stretch marks, saggy breasts, swollen ankles, scars... *convulses*).

Death made its presence known with the demise of my great grandmother. I didn't cry at her funeral. I was a kid and it all felt surreal as I saw the coffin and knew that I wasn't going to see her or greet her any more. But the sister burst into tears on the way home and she was saying stuff like "We will never see her again, do you know? She will never be part of our lives again!". Something to that effect... But that was when it struck me, she was really gone.

When I was a kid, I prayed some really silly prayers. I prayed for my entire family to be joined at the hands and that our lives were connected, so that when one died, everyone died as well and there would be no grieving. I prayed every single night because I knew prayer was that strong but I stopped eventually when I realized that even though God said 'Ask and it will be given to you.', I was praying insanity.

My grandaunt and grandma aren't Christians and according to the Bible, those who don't believe won't go to Heaven. I changed my prayer. I prayed that I could exchange my spot in Heaven for theirs in hell and I cried a lot that night because I was so incredibly scared. Because I didn't want them to burn in hell, because I was scared that my prayer wouldn't be valid like the earlier one, because I was scared that I wouldn't have a spot in Heaven and then, what exchange could I talk about? Because the 7/8-year old me sure as hell didn't want to burn in hell for all eternity either. I made that prayer each night and I got braver a little each time and cried less and it went on for a while until I lost God (This is another story for another day. But I am no atheist and I do not subscribe to other religions.).

Death knocks on our door every minute until he finds a crevice and then, he tries to slip in. Sometimes we find that crevice in time and we mend it, sometimes we are a second late and sometimes our door's a little too worn and we let him in. If you ask me about me experiencing pain and death, I'm okay. I coughed to death throughout my primary school years and when I hurt myself, I do not hesitate to drown my wounds in this yellow Chinese medicine which sends you straight to hell. But okay, these are as far as I have gone. It may be nothing but I think I should be okay if anything that goes further occurs (BUT UMMM TOUCH WOOD, OF COURSE!).

But if you ask me about my loved ones... I cry each time I think about how old my grandaunt and grandma are getting. I cry because I don't know what to do for them. I wish I could bring them on trips, take them out for dinners and such, but laziness and self-centeredness haven't made such lofty-but-possible dreams a reality. But I don't want to be thinking of such stuff because that just acknowledges the fact that they are going away. Soon. And yet I can't ignore it as their hairs turn snow white, they walk a little slower, they forget if they have taken their medication, they ask the same questions again and again... Sometimes I get a little irritated and it shows in my voice and then, I feel incredibly bad after that.

My grandma asked me a couple of times to go to the market with her but I refused. She likes to dictate my every movement and I hate it a lot. And going out with her just means more dictations and more hating... The sister went to the market with her once and came home in tears. And she's more patient and tolerant than I am.

I bought some reeds and strips diffuser for my grandma recently so her room smells like rose now. I used to buy buns for my grandaunt but that was a really long time ago. I will start doing stuff like that again. I don't want to be regretting anything when they go away.

There was a period when I really did believe that the fewer people I cared for, the less grieving I had to do and I wasn't a nice person. And I'm still learning to be nice. Because what happens from now till the end counts for so much more than after the end.
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And once again, my thoughts have gone all serpentine on me. I managed to complete 2 modules tonight, amidst procrastination and the frequent trips to Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.

The brother and I tried the cheesy chicken stuff from KFC tonight (At friggin' 11 o'clock. I'm so running on Friday.) and GAWD! Do NOT order it unless you're in the mood to throw your money away and if that's the case, why don't you send the money my way? I'll help you invest in good makeup. Those chicken pieces that we had had barely a hint of cheese on them!!! CHEATED. I FEEL SO CHEATED. MacDonald's fries have gone to the dogs and now taste completely like cardboard and now, KFC has non-existent cheese. SPLENDID. JUST SPLENDID. I will stick to my Subway. It's healthier anyway.

PISH.

HAUL: Vichy and NARS!

Hey Muffins, TGIF! Gosh. I have been waiting all week for Friday to come so that I can catch a little breath. Out of the 4 core modules I'm taking, I only understand one! ONE! *attempts to eat my shoe* GLOOM! But anyway, here's my 36th haul entry! I should throw a party when I hit my 100th. Hahaha. XD



When Chantana blogged about the Vichy's Normaderm Set, I got it straight after school the next day (At Raffles City's Watsons.)! And I got another set a week later (At Ngee Ann City's Watsons.).

The set contains full-sized tubes ofthe Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence, Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care and Night Anti-Imperfection + Rejuvenating Care. I have been incredibly religious with these (Well, as religious as I can get anyway!). I set aside all my other skincare products and am going to use this till a month exactly and do a detailed review then (Well, as detailed as I can get anyway!)!

I have been using Avène's spray all this time but I'm thinking of switching my entire skincare regime to Vichy solely (Thinking! Vichy's products cost two arms, two legs and the rest of me. Verdict will be out next month!) so I got Vichy's Thermal Spa Water too. I haven't noticed any difference though, so I will probably get whichever that is cheaper once I'm done with what I have... Which is like 5 bottles. No, wait. 6! Haha! I love these sprays a lot because they are incredibly refreshing and when I haven't got moisturizers with me, they do a splendid job in hydrating my face.



The next item I got was from Jo's blog sale and it's *drum rolls*... TADAHHH!!! NARS' Sex Appeal!!! I have been using this everyday since I got it! THANK YOU, JO!!! You know I love you so incredibly much!

And yes, back to the blusher... This is one NARS blusher that you can go all heavy-hand with and won't end up looking like a amateur (At MU, that is.)! Some people have described it as Orgasm without the shimmers. I think it's a little peachier than Orgasm. And yes, I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! Can you tell?!? Heh. XD

Anyway, here's an incident that happened today. Alan, Lilin and I have been talking about an ice-cream date for the longest time. This morn, I went to school to run, had lessons and by the time I got onto the train to come home, I was incredibly knackered (Am still very tired. :\).

Thankfully, I got a seat and promptly fell asleep. I started dreaming about Starbucks ice-cream. It was mint chip and gosh, you can't imagine how badly and desperately I wanted it!!! So I tried to eat it but I kept eating nothing. And that was when yours truly woke up with a jolt, only to realize that my mouth was doing the opening and closing motions AND the person sitting opposite me was staring at me like I was a nut.

I really wanted to eat my shoe and just melt into the ground.

Anyway, HAPPY FRIDAY PEEPS!!! Have a fab weekend! :D

P.S.: If there's anything that you want me to note about the Vichy products, please let me know and I promise to be obsessive with my pores. :D

NAILS: Topshop's Nails in Moving House

The other day, my cousin, ZT, tweeted a picture of her nails prettily dressed in Topshop's Nails in Duststorm and I wanted that colour so badly! So on Thursday, after a long day of school and with my makeup all melting and tired like me, I headed to town anyway.

And imagine my disappointment when I couldn't find Duststorm! *cries* But two other shades, Mannequin and Moving House caught my eye. Heh. And here are photos of the former!



I own tons of reds. TONS. This, too, is a red. But it isn't my usual shade of red (Bright, blood red.). It's a beautiful terracotta, like fresh bricks straight out from the kiln! It reminds me a lot of a heavily swatched NARS' Dolce Vita.



Topshop's Nails' consistency is markedly different from that of China Glaze's and OPI's. It is more viscous. It doesn't glide on as smooth as CG or OPI but it IS still smooth. Just not as smooth.

I used two coats for the above but really, one coat was sufficient. I just wanted to even things out a little. And nope, it wasn't the least bit streaky.

I'm off to go do some schoolwork now. See you over the weekends! :D

RAMBLINGS: Bits and pieces.

Image from here.

Isn't this just the prettiest art of Marilyn Monroe you have ever seen? I like it that though it's meant to be a pop art, the colours are pale and soft and those cheeks, those gorgeous rosy cheeks! Someone needs to make a blusher out of that red/ coral. Like Cassie Ainsworth says it in Skins, "Oh wow. Lovely.".
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I'm feeling a little heat from school since I have decided to take on the mammoth task of completing 22 AUs this semester and it's pretty evident from my face *buries self*. When one problem goes away, out pops another. *buries self again* But okay, with consistent work comes... Less stress. I suppose. I hope?

Anyway, it really annoys me that the lecturers can get their spelling all wrong in their slides. I mean, what on earth is 'Spellcheck' for?!? And the notes are representations of their work, so shouldn't they ensure that the notes look right even though the explanations they tell are a little, no wait, incredibly hard to comprehend (Because of the language barrier.)?

And it also speaks volumes about their characters. I mean, it's something that's going to be shown to tons of people. It isn't for personal keeps.

I spent half the time editing spelling errors and grammatical mistakes.

I know, I am anal. But seriously.

P.S.: I have gone to school thrice and have gone on retail therapy twice. I can't wait to paint my nails tomorrow with my spankin' new Topshop nail polish. A feeble attempt to incite some excitement into boring school life.

FOR YOUR 411: Heal those wounds!

Image from here.

Happy Sunday, Muffins! I have been saying for quite a while that I have been suffering from sleepless nights. Thanks to the drudgery of school, I'm back to sleeping like a baby (School rocks in some way, aye?)! Unfortunately, those sleepless nights have manifested themselves on my face in the form of clogged pores.

I had an extremely stubborn one and me, being Miss Itchy Fingers, had to pick at it and I accidentally tore the skin around it. This happens all the time when I pick at the skin around my inner cheeks, after showers. Showers compound the situation because wet skin tears easily at the slightest bit of pressure. But yeah well... I never learn my lesson.

So yes, I spent the first week of school walking around with a wound/ scab on my right cheek. I couldn't apply any B.B. creams on it because well, initially it was a wound. After that it was a scab and B.B. creams don't sit on scabs well. But anyway, it has healed all nicely now except for a faint red mark that will quite possibly vanish by the end of next week.

Just in case you have fingers like mine, here are 2 products which I use to deal with wounds (Medicine for zits will NOT cut it. Those are meant to kill zits which haven't been touched!).



I came across La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast on pearlicious's blog. She had scratched her skin pretty badly and this magic potion healed it all in a matter of 5 days!

Cicaplast is said to accelerate epidermal repair, healing flaking and chapped skin and skin that has undergone cosmetic peels. It quickens the reconstruction of the skin barrier with

A copper/zinc/manganese mineral complex: Stimulates the production of new cells.
Madecassoside: Encourages proper cell organisation and procures fast, high-quality epidermal repair.
Its insulating texture: Enriched in anti-bacterial agents to protect the skin.



Cicaplast comes out in a white gel that spreads easily into invisibility (HAHA! IT RHYMES!). It leaves a slight waxy feel, but it's definitely nothing that's uncomfy (I ditch all uncomfy-feeling products.). It smells a little of chemicals and cardboard but the smell isn't overpowering and I don't notice it unless I stick my face close to the gel.

I have used this on myself and on the brother. This heals wounds nicely and neatly. It takes slightly under a week to heal a superficial wound. For those who are burdened with angry, red acne scars, this will speed up the healing and get rid of the redness.



Renew Skincare Australia's Rose Hip Oil was what I used for my wound this time round. Certified 100% organic and natural, it's packed with essential fatty acids, vitamins and nutrients to repair damaged skin cells.



The Rose Hip Oil is housed in a pretty heavy bottle that comes with a dropper. This lowers the risk of contamination from physical contact with the oil.



What I do with this is to dab a little of it onto my wound. I do this only when I'm at home because it leaves a little shine, and I don't want to draw attention to my wound any further. The healing process takes a little longer than Cicaplast, but it gets the job done too.

I have not used this on the brother. It helps tons in the scars department but I'm not so sure if it's any good with acne or troubled skin and I don't want to risk anything.

One last thing to note, when wounds are formed and after all the bleeding has been done, a yellow liquid called plasma seeps out. Okay, I'm not very sure about this because I have returned all my biology knowledge to my teacher. Plasma forms a protective cover over the wound so that it can be healed naturally. But the thing is if you are going to apply anything on top of the plasma, the whole thing turns into a gooey amalgam. And sometimes, a bigger-than-necessary scab forms because the plasma spreads out over a larger area. What I do is that I clean off the plasma first before applying anything, especially when a lot of it is coming out. And I'll clean it off as it comes out so that the scab formed isn't bigger than necessary.

I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this plasma thing. I'm talking about real wounds here, when you did more than squeezing out the pus. You hurt your skin. But please note that I'm no dermatologist, scientist or professional. I'm just a kid who likes to observe pores (I sound like a total weirdo. Oh well. Skincare junkie, that's me!). This is what I have noted, this is how I deal with it and I'm just sharing. (:

Do everything with caution and of course, please don't pick anything!

Yeah, Charlene. You hear that?!? Heh.

911: K-Palette's 24H Real Lasting Eyeliner (Black)

//EDIT The mark is still there, though it is fainter. I think it will go away eventually, though what a scare this has been! Apparently, the Black one is harder to remove than the Super Black one. I'm definitely sticking to Super Black. Just in case you encounter the same thing as me, Chantana said that the Black liner can't be removed with cleansing oil or milk. Instead, use warm water. Lynn suggested soaking a cotton pad with warm water and pressing it over the eye. Thank you so much, sweets! (:

Hey Muffins ):

I'm quite possibly having the biggest scare in my (beauty) life and am really quite upset! ): ): ):



I have always sworn by K-Palette, always. I have gone through 2 of their eyeliners in Super Black. They don't flake, they don't smudge... They carry out their promises perfectly well and I introduce the brand to all my friends (Those who are looking for eyeliners, anyway)!

The pink 'pen' is the one in Super Black. It's waterproof and I have been using it since last December. I was about to throw it out when I realized that I wasn't quite done with it yet, so I passed it on to the sister so that she could 'play' with it. I opened the black 'pen', which is in Black and isn't waterproof (I didn't realize this and when I teared a little, it made a mess of my makeup. ): ), today and gawd!



The bottom line is drawn with the pink 'pen' (Super Black) and it is a dead solid line. The top one is drawn with the black 'pen' (Black) and look at how watery it is! It just bleeds right into the lines of my hand!



It is also incredibly difficult to wash it off completely! The bottom line's gone but the top one is still there. My hand's a little red because I had resorted to scratching it out. The line's still on my hand... And this brings me (And you.) to why I'm so scared right now!





See the black mark on my inner eyelid?!? I can't get rid of it!!! I have probably washed my eye a gazillion times but I. Just. Can't. Remove. It. I would have tried using Olive Oil but I haven't got it. The only oil I have with me now is Rose Hip Oil and it did lighten the mark a little but it's still there. The photos are taken after the Rose Hip Oil. Oh gawd. It's really scaring me quite a bit because the rest of it is gone and it's just that mark there! ): ): ):

I really hope it goes away soon! ): ): ): I still trust K-Palette because I mean, the past 2 worked for me! I probably just got a bad one but ahhh! This is scaring me quite a bit!

Please, pretty please, go away! ): ): ):

HAIRSTYLE: Waterfall braid

My cousin, ZT, came over on Sunday to be my doll for the new Topshop Makeup items which I had just bought (Read about them here!). After I was done 'playing' with her face, I decided to play with her hair! *giggles*



First, I curled her hair with Babyliss' Pro Ceramic Dial-a-Heat Tongs in 24mm (Read about my purchase and review here.).

I used a very low setting (5. I used 13 for mine but I was afraid of damaging her luscious locks, which are completely free from chemicals!) and wrapped her hair loosely round the barrel. She didn't want tight curls lest she looked older than she actually is.



Then I did a waterfall braid for her!!!



Waterfall braids look a lot more feminine with hair that has been curled! I can't wait for my hair to grow out! SIGH.

Anyway, I have got to jet now. There's homework to be done. BUT expect a haul entry soon! Heh. I'm so excited! *guilty smile*

NAILS: China Glaze's Seashell

Last night, whilst watching 'Something Borrowed', I decided to dress my nails in China Glaze's Seashell. This is a pretty peachy pink. The colour reminds me of Malibu Barbie's lipstick. It does... Right?!?

I used 3 coats but it's still a little streaky. :\ Anyway, I thought this colour goes well with denim The August issue of Nylon Magazine celebrates 'the fabric of our lives' and you've got that right! It's denim (It's 'democratizing' and 'the ultimate equalizer' because everyone, including the president, wears it!).

And right... Where was I again? Oh yes. I was going to wear a denim skirt to school so I wanted my nails to match it. In the end, I opted for shorts because they are more comfy to me and guess what? All my shorts are denim! BIG SMILE.

So all you jean lovers who like things matchy matchy, this colour is for you! :DDD

RAMBLINGS: To be brave.

westcoastbelle@tumblr

To go into, to be, to want, to need and to embrace.

We all need a reminder once in a while.

ATM: Skincare

Recently, someone asked me on Formspring to share my skincare regime. So I decided to start a new label, 'ATM', which stands for 'At The Moment'. Basically, it is for entries on what I'm using currently, be it skincare products, makeup or anything else that I can think of. (:



Cetaphil's Gentle Skin Cleanser has been my best friend since I was 15 and that was when I was breaking out everywhere! I was applying strong medication on my zits so cleansers formulated for troubled skin were too much for my skin to take. My skin became very dry. When your skin's stripped off its natural oils, it will produce more to compensate for the extra loss. They made me break out more!

I think that we need to strike a balance in everything we do and this applies to skincare as well. Since I was using strong medication, I wanted a gentle cleanser. I came across Cetaphil and it has since taken up permanent residence in my loo! It is fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and will not strip the skin of its natural protective oils or emollients, or disturb the skin's natural pH balance.

Vichy's Normaderm Deep Cleansing Foam Cream was given to me at the Vichy's Normaderm Workshop. I have been using this on and off in the mornings. This contains salicylic acid. Over-the-counter products for zits usually contain either benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. I find that benzoyl peroxide products dry out my skin like the Sahara Desert whereas, salicylic ones are friendlier. This product doesn't dry out my skin at all because it's cream (The gel one does.).

Kanebo's Freshel White C Cleansing Cream is something which I have just started using. This is pretty moisturizing, so it's remaining in my loo. I can't say much about its whitening effect since I have just started.

Sasatinnie's Facial Cleansing Brush was bought from Sasa for $8.90. I got this after Mich waxed lyrical about it. It was mentioned in one of Bubzbeauty's videos. I'm liking it quite a bit so far. The bristles are soft and they leave my skin feeling baby smooth!



Lancôme's Visionnaire is hitting our shores soon and I was given a sample of it at its launch party. Even though I have been keeping late nights (Not because I want to! I just can't sleep!), this has kept my face from going all red and blotchy in the morning!

Hazeline Snow's White & Natural Lightening Cream and Moisturising Cream are my grandma's and grandaunts' secret to smooth, poreless (Swear! Poreless!) skin. I started on the former not too long ago as I want to be as fair as snow (Haha!). I alternate between them. For the former, I pile it onto my face so basically I go to bed looking like I have got a gazillion snow peaks on my face. These 'peaks' dry up and flake off in the morning. It can get a little messy, but I find that it keeps the oilies at bay this way.

Thursday Plantation's Tea Tree Oil was purchased last month from Watsons. I use this for my back and it has been doing a pretty fine job in getting rid of the zits. I haven't got any now!

//EDIT A reader asked how I use the oil. I apply 3-4 drops (Though the bottle says to use 1-2 drops.) twice every night, once after showering and another right before bed. I use more drops than necessary because the skin on the back is tougher than that on the face so it's alright for me. You may want to start out with 1-2 drops first and see how it goes.

Most people will head to The Body Shop when they think of Tea Tree Oil. But if I remember it right, TBS' one contains only 15% Tea Tree Oil (You apply 3-4 drops for this.). On the other hand, Thursday Plantation's one is 100% pure Australian Tea Tree Oil. ATM, TBS is having a promotion whereby two 10ml bottles are going for $20.90. TP's 10ml bottle costs $13.90 and the 20ml cost around $20. I hope this helps! (:

Mentholatum's Acnes Medicated Sealing Jell is dabbed on imminent and current spots. I wrote a more detailed review here after receiving it from The Sample Store and trying it out for a while.

So yep, that's it! I have to go iron my clothes and prepare for the first day of school tomorrow (Bye hols! *sniffs*). Nights all! (:

RAMBLINGS: In Search of the Singapore Spirit

Hey! :D I'm kinda bubbling with happiness at the moment! Heh. Back in June, I went for a few auditions and got to do 2 filmings. Heh. The first one is for an Okto programme and the second is for the National Day Celebration Film for 2011, 'In Search of The Singapore Spirit', commissioned by National Heritage Board. (:

'In Search of The Singapore Spirt' is produced by Room G Pte Ltd, with Phillip James Dunn as the director and Gloria Tio-Dunn as the producer. It was great fun working with both the cast and crew! Everyone was incredibly nice (I met 2 other NTU students on set!) and it was wonderful to meet Zachary Mosalle!

Anyway, here are the very beautiful trailer and film! Start watching to find out what the Singapore Spirit is! :DDD

P.S.: I appear for like 2 seconds in the early part of the film. Haha. But it's absolutely fab to be able to 'do something' for Singapore, even if it's minuscule!

RAMBLINGS: A girl can't read that sort of thing without her lipstick.

old entries:
UPDATES: My Vanity Area (Part 1)
UPDATES: My Vanity Area (Part 2)

FILM: Breakfast At Tiffany's

People do fall in love. People do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness.

So I ended my 2-month long vacay with 'Breakfast At Tiffany's'. Again, I do find the show a tad long (Old films tend to run close to 2 hours or slightly more, I realized.). I do prefer 'Roman Holiday'. Still, Audrey Hepburn was flawless in her performance. Her portrayal of the eccentric and innocent Holly Golightly was a world different from her Princess Ann in the latter.

George Peppard was okay as Paul Varjak. He wasn't nearly as debonair and swoon-worthy as Gregory Peck was as Joe Bradly in 'RH'. He was more like a back seat passenger while Audrey Hepburn ran the whole show.

Anyway, the last scene when the two leads were kissing romantically in the rain with the cat squished in-between them... I was so afraid the cat would go crazy because it was squished so badly! I know, weird thoughts. But it's just weird to kiss with an animal in-between you two, no?

And oh yes! Audrey Hepburn's 'What you doin'?' sounded a lot like Joey's 'How you doin'?' from 'Friends'. Haha. No?!?



//EDIT Just did a Facebook quiz on which Audrey Hepburn I am (I know, childish.). Guess who?

You are Holly Golightly. You are fun, sexy, and a blast to be around. You are completely messed up and ridiculously naive, but those are only details you push to the side in your passionate romp through life. People may wonder about you, but you can be sure they will love you all the more!

I'm sure that I'm 'completely messed up and ridiculously naïve', but the other bits... Hmm...

WWW: Blogs which chase the gloom away!

I'm feeling a little sore about school so I decided to pull out my favourite blogs to read. Here are my top 3 favourites!



I chanced upon Into The Gloss when I was searching for some reviews and it quickly became one of my much-visited bookmarks. Emily Weiss is the lady behind the awesome photography and well-written articles. Delving into makeup bags and loos, you get to uncover trade secrets of famous figures in the beauty and fashion industry! She also introduces you the latest trend in beauty, makeup and fashion. I love every single inch of this website!



Jess is probably the coolest person on the planet! Her blog, Jess Loves Fred (Fred, short for Frederick Hans Gutenburg, is the name of her camera.), is peppered with tongue-in-cheek statements, which are filled with candor. Her style is to die for and she teaches that one need not be rich to look stylish. Most of her clothes are thrifted. I have dug into archives and have quite possibly read every entry that she has penned. She is THAT awesome.



Last, but definitely not the least, K is for KANI. I found this gem quite recently via the sister. Kani looks like a doll and rocks bangs harder than anyone else. Her style is bold but she always manages to keep it girlie, which I like a lot. Her photos exudes an old-school charm, giving her blog a whimsical and vintage feel. I love!

And golly! I do feel tons happier already! :DDD I'm going to end the night with 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. (:

I hope you're having a fabulous Friday!

xoxo,
Charlene J. Lee

RAMBLINGS: School Woes.

School hasn't even started and it's giving me grief. Mathematics of Finance was listed under our Statistics track but unfortunately, because it's a business module, the business students get priority. I'm just going to add Sampling and Survey and not appeal for MOF because if I do not get MOF after appealing, I will need to stay for another semester. For my sanity's sake and if I were to have any drop of love left for that school, I cannot afford that.

This also means that I can say goodbye to my other modules which are listed under my track but belong to the business school.

One must always take note of the fine print.
-

School is the only thing that gets me nowadays. Nothing else does. Unless you annoy me when I'm feeling sick. Of the 5 schools which I have attended in my life so far, this is the only one that I hate. So much. I don't think the other schools are cool too since I hear grouses everywhere.

The valedictorian who exclaimed "We fucking did it!" at the end of her speech summed up in the most concise manner the kind of education we get.

Anyway, this will be my last post about school because school is dreadful and boring and since I have only 2 (Or 3. GLOOM.) semesters to go through, I will try and end with a bang instead of a whimper.

REVIEW: Mentholatum's Lip Ice Lip Moisturizers

Rough and dry lips are unsightly and the only way to kiss them goodbye is to use lip balms! For those who want a hint of colour on their lips but hate the feeling of yucky lipsticks, lip balms are the way to go too! I fall into both camps so I have tons of lipbalms lying around in my loo, pockets and bags. Heh.

The Sample Store recently gave my lips some loving by sending me Lip Ice Lip Moisturizers in Strawberry and Shimmer. Thank you! Incidentally, Lip Ice was the first brand of lip balms I got way back when I was 14. (:



Top in Japan, Lip Ice Lip Moisturizers go on clear before turning into your shade of pink. That's right! The pink it turns into isn't going to be found on another's lips!

The above's Strawberry. (:



It contains a natural beeswax formula and natural ingredients, such as shea butter, macadamia ternifolia nut oil, jojoba oil and aloe vera extract to ensure that lips are well-hydrated. Vitamin E is also added to soften and protect the lips from the harsh weather elements.



Slim enough to be slipped into your pockets, it is a neat product to bring around. The lip balm slides in and out easily by twisting the product's body.

There is also a rather strong sweet strawberry scent, which I like! For those who are adverse to diabetes-inducing sweetness, here's a piece of good news for you! The scent goes on light on the lips and is barely noticeable within a couple of seconds!



Here's how my lips look like after application! The lip balm took away my lips' cracks and flakes but I find the pink a little too loud for me. There is a very light layer of gloss, which I quite like.

I tried blotting some pink off. The edges of the lips are where the lip balm comes off the easiest, making it seem like I just sucked on a lollipop. With my lips. So if you're using this, do make sure that your makeup leans on the neutral side as the spotlight is going to be on the lips.



And now, meet Shimmer, who's going to add sparkles to your puckers! Hahaha!



This, too, is formulated with natural beeswax, shea butter, macadamia ternifolia nut oil, jojoba oil and aloe vera extract.



Same nifty packaging! The lip balm is, however, dotted with pretty purplish pink sparkles!

There isn't the sweet strawberry scent here. Instead, it smells a little like cardboard. But again, it goes on light on the lips and poof! Vanishes!



This too is equally moisturizing. However, the colour's also a little too loud for me. Coupled with the sparkles... You really do need to ensure that you don't have too much going on in your face (Light makeup!).

I think that these lip balms are perfect for ladies who do light makeup and want a little more oomph in their looks. The shades a tad too pink. Though Vitamin E is added to protect the lips from weather elements, I wish there was some SPF in it. :\

There is nothing to complain about in the moisturizing department as it really keeps the lips hydrated and smooth (KISS ME ALREADY!!! No, kidding!). Also, the light layer of gloss is appreciated as it is absent in most lip balms.

Are you a lip balm junkie like me? What's your favourite? (: