EVENT: Beauty Asia 2013

Yesterday, I got the opportunity to attend Beauty Asia 2013 at Marina Bay Sands' Sands Expo and Convention Centre (Level 1, Halls B and C). Big thanks to Camy dear and Tan Long for the invite! :DDD

Beauty Asia is the region's most established trade show for the beauty, spa and health industry. Back for its 17th appearance, the show will be held from February 25th to 27th. It's kinda like International Make-Up Artist Trade Show (IMATS), except that Beauty Asia caters more to spas and salons. It is organized by Lines Exhibition, who is also responsible for the very successful PC shows.

Hakuhodo Company Ltd (Booth No. N1110)
I took part in the media tour and the first booth that we went to was, of course, *drum rolls please* Hakuhodo, king of all brushes. The hair on these handcrafted brushes go through a rigorous selection process, with craftsmen MANUALLY combing through the hair to eliminate any strand of imperfection (Missing hair tips, split hair, kinked, crooked and wavy hair strands...).

Since these brushes are birthed only from the hands and not from machines, they are extremely soft and completely superior. The hair is derived from animals such as white goats, weasels, squirrels and water badgers.

A little bird told someone in the local beauty community that Hakuhodo was going to grace this year's show and pretty soon, the whole community knew about it and was anticipating it terribly! I'm not that into luxury brushes but I most certainly was curious about them. But alas, these brushes weren't on sale!!! ): The company was actually looking for a distributor at the show. What a big waste! I mean, if those brushes were on sale... Hoo boy! I can totally foresee many impulse buys. Me, included! Just because, you know, they are premium and well, there! Haha. But at least, many of us got a feel of the brushes and can make more-informed purchases online!

Together Skincare Pte Ltd (Booth No. D1143)
We made a stop at Together Skincare to check out the Korean brand, Shizens. Juliet (Psst! Juliet has officially shifted to her own domain! Click here to check it out!) tried the Lip Painter, which is a dual function lip treatment. It smooths, firms and lightens your lips and turn them into a rosebud shade!

To use the Lip Painter, first apply the white end of it to your lips. Wipe it off after a few seconds to reveal lips that are smoother and pinker. Then, apply the gloss on the other end of the Lip Painter to glam up your look! (:

Quantum Life Technologies Pte Ltd (Booth No. G1142)
One booth that caught my eye was the Sunlighten one! The slim brown box is actually a sauna room that you can install at home!!! You can adjust the settings so that it helps you lose weight (A 30-minute session can help burn between 200 and 600 calories! Hello, Jessica Alba!), rejuvenate your skin, relieve body aches etc. And there's a little DVD player installed inside so you don't get bored (If I have this, I'll place it right in the middle of my living room, right in front of the telly.).

This sauna room utilizes infrared technology so you perspire from within. According to the lady, you will be perspiring from every inch of your body, even your toes! It comes in 5 sizes and all you need is a 3-pin plug (It uses as much energy as your hair dryer!)! How tempting is this!!! This will be the first thing I purchase when M and I get married and have our own home. Sweaty dates (Whatever, okay. I'm gonna burn calories just by sitting. And sweating. SCORE!) whilst watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S! Mmhmm... Can't wait! Haha.

Niks Professional Pte Ltd (Booth No. D1140)
This booth was showcasing Niks Cover Cream. The cream is a premier paramedical camouflage cream that conceals tattoos and skin flaws like scars, discolourations and rosacea. Formulated in Singapore and made in U.S. and Europe, the cream comes in 18 skin shades and can be used after IPL, laser and microdermabrasion on all skin types.

For me, I'm a little concerned about the 'breathing' of our skin when the cream is applied because it seems rather heavy-duty. I think this would be good for covering up tattoos when working but for skin conditions, I would steer clear...

The other booths I visited were chock-full of nail polishes and tools! There were so many nail art on display and it was really fun and interesting looking at all the intricate designs! Love, love the Audrey Hepburn one! :DDD

Orly, Zoya, China Glaze, O.P.I. and Deborah Lippman were all at the show as well!!! And guess what?!? I bought none! Not a single bottle! I don't know if I should be immensely proud of myself or like regretting my guts out! I mean, seriously! Am I Charlene?!? Geez! Zoya for $7, Deborah Lippman for $18!!! Hellooo!!!

Last but not least, this is the Lolita Group (Booth No. F1143), where I spent more than 2 hours there (One for me and the other, for Ru. Was waiting for her!).

The Lolita Group was founded by Jocelyn Lim and it specializes in eyelash extensions, using specifically Novalash. Eyelash extensions are meticulously attached to each strand of our natural eyelash and not on our eyelids. This prevents damage to the roots of our natural eyelashes so we won't suffer from premature eyelash loss.

Step 1: Cleansing of eye makeup, mascara and false eyelashes especially.
Step 2: Applying eye masks and under-eye stickers to separate your upper lashes from the bottom ones and your skin.
Step 3: Attaching the eyelash extensions on!
Step 4: Drying the glue with a handheld fan for 5 minutes (At the salon, a different fan is used and all it takes is just 2 minutes!). There is the spraying of water in-between as it helps the glue adhere to your natural lashes better.

Therapist Pinky did my eyelash extensions and she was so skillful! There was no pain and no crazy tugging. I barely felt a thing, was incredibly comfortable (Though I woke up to ladies peering at my face in supremely close proximity! I think this was how Snow White felt when the Prince kissed her and she woke up from her deep slumber. Where's M!!!) and one hour went by very quickly. The glue didn't emit strong fumes; I just got a sniff of it every now and then and it wasn't unpleasant and didn't smell strongly of chemicals. I asked Pinky for slightly longer extensions at the end so I have the shadow effect under my eyes like Marilyn Monroe. Heh.

I'm really loving my extensions and they look incredibly natural. Whilst waiting for Ru to get hers done, several ladies (And a gentleman!) popped by the booth and I became the 'model'. Heh. (Thanks, Ru, for the photos!)

Anyway, here are some of the questions I was asked at the show and on Twitter and Instagram! (The above is a shot of Ru's eye.)

Are your eyelash extensions painful?
No, they aren't. They didn't hurt during or after application. Even now, they don't hurt at all. However, I do think that the therapist plays a very important role during application. Pinky is Lolita's top therapist so you may want to look for her. She started doing eyelash extensions 2 years back. (:

Are the eyelash extensions going to affect my natural lashes?
Jocelyn explained that the Novalash system involves the attachment of the eyelash extensions to your natural eyelashes, about 1mm away from the roots. This way, your roots aren't touched (And so, won't be damaged!) so your natural lashes won't be affected. And typically, 1-3 eyelashes are supposed to drop from each eye everyday.

Can my eyelash extensions touch water?
Yes, they can! Unlike other eyelash extensions, Novalash 'loves' water! After the eyelash extensions are attached, a burst of water is actually sprayed (In-between drying!) on the lashes to help the glue adhere better! I shower with ease!!!

Can I wear makeup with these eyelash extensions on?
Yes, you can! Just make sure that your makeup removers don't contain glycol! Alternatively, you can purchase cleanLASH by NOVALASH, 3-in-1 conditioner, makeup remover, cleanser. This comes in 60 circular pads, soaked in pomegranate seed extracts. I bought a tub of this at the show for $29. I find them a little oily so I do wash my eye area with my cleanser after that (Make sure this doesn't contain glycol too!!! I didn't check mine until this morning. ):)

What are the eyelash extensions made of? Are there different lengths and degrees of curl?
The eyelash extensions are synthetic. 3 lengths were available; 8mm, 12mm and 14mm. The therapist will actually use different lengths for you in order to mimic natural eyelashes. And yes, there are different degrees of curl.

Are there coloured eyelash extensions?
Yes. (: There are brown, purple (Used for subtle highlighting!) and even green ones! Chinese ladies usually go for black, unless they have dyed their hair. Caucasians go for brown.

How long will the eyelash extensions last?
About 3-4 weeks!

What happens when I want to remove my eyelash extensions?
You can either make an appointment with Lolita to get them removed or just wait for them to drop naturally!

How much do the eyelash extensions cost?
At the show, each set costs $89. At the salon, different therapists charge differently. For Pinky, it's $169. Touch-ups are at $129.

Can I learn how to do eyelash extensions?
Yes, you can! Jocelyn does the training personally. Her trained therapists will be there to help out as well. Unfortunately, I haven't got the exact price of the 2-day class (At the show, it's $1400+?). You will need to pass oral, theory and practical tests before you are certified. If you fail, Jocelyn will teach you till you pass. (:

Any other things that I need to take note?
Don't indulge in any steaming activities for two days after getting your lashes done. This will weaken the glue. Also, avoid glycol at all costs! Do check your makeup removers AND cleansers! I was so preoccupied with my lashes and using a new makeup remover that I forgot about my cleanser. ): 4 strands have dropped off already. ): ): ): Thankfully, I don't see any gaps though but ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! ): ): ):

If you have any more questions, do drop me an email or a tweet and I'll get back to you ASAP! :D

And here's my little haul for the day! Got YiTong Eyelashes from Stella Eyelashes for $11.90. Raymond, who was tending the booth, told me he designed some of the lashes himself and he was the one who came up with double-layered lashes! The lash bone is a tad stiffer than the Taiwan ones I have but the lashes are really pretty! For me, I prefer neat lashes so I bought H13. I really want to go down to get more lashes but M's like NO! 'Cause I did buy many boxes in Taiwan... :\ Very, very tempted but I do have eyelash extensions on now so...

Got 2 Konjac Sponges for $10 as well. The Taiwanese guy threw in two little packets of papaya facial wash for me (These were going at $25 for a packet of 6!). I am currently using a black Konjac Sponge and it's a pretty good physical exfoliator. The Taiwanese guy mentioned that the various colours actually don't differ much. If clay or charcoal is added, then the texture is rougher because well, things have been added to it!

Dear Camy was there at Beauty Direct Pte Ltd (Booth No. J1150) and gave me my very first Star Lash! Thank you, dear! Star Lash will be coming up with many more designs this year (OMG! There were this supremely gorgeous purple pair!!! I so want it!). At her booth, there were also the O'Nine Pure Gel nail polishes, which are organic and gel-based! They are supposed to be a lot gentler than normal gel nail polishes. (:

And then, there's the cleanLASH by NOVALASH, 3-in-1 conditioner, makeup remover, cleanser, which I mentioned earlier. :D

And phew, we have come to the end of my little beauty adventure! Getting my eyelash extensions was probably the most exciting thing I have done since U.S.S. Haha. Quite frankly, I have always been afraid of eyelash extensions because goodness! They are so close to the eyes! And I have heard of people getting their eyes glued shut and painful glues and crazy stuff like that. But my experience at Lolita with Pinky was really good! And I like Novalash's 'philosophy'. So yay! Thanks again, Camy and Tan Long for the invitation! :DDD I had a fab time!