Saturday, May 31, 2014

SPOTTED: S is for Sephora

I first came across Sephora when Becky Bloomwood went to New York City in Sophie Kinsella's 'Shopaholic Takes Manhatten', and was completely floored by just about everything. For a 15-year old very imaginative shopaholic in-the-making, that was like walking down the red carpet. Except that it's kind of a role reversal; instead of a thousand cameras flashing at you, your eyelids flutter at a thousand brand new products. And Sephora quickly established itself as the only reason why I wanted to go to the States back then. Small girl, 'big dream'. Haha.

Anyway, the dream has been rendered kind of pointless now because we have Sephora right here on our shores! And even though we haven't exactly got all the brands here with us, new ones are being brought in every few months. So wohoo!!! :DDD

BUT then, there's the problem of us getting bogged down by inertia sometimes. Plus the weather's sweltering, there are way too many people, the bed has developed magnetism of cosmic magnitude... Well, guess what?!! We can actualy have Sephora delivered straight to our door steps, all thanks to ZALORA Singapore! (:

Here are my current top picks that spell 'Sephora':

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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

SKIN DIARY: Spectra Carbon Laser Peel with Trinity Medical Centre (Marine Parade)

Whoo boy, we are already into the 3rd week of May! Some days just crawl by, but as a whole, time really just slips past without us realizing. Especially when you're an adult. I remember wondering when December holidays would ever come when I was in primary school. But now it's like, just hang on a minute man. December's right round the corner! Anyway, apologies again for the rather long hiatus! I was finishing up my post-graduate diploma and I'm all ready to (finally) graduate (again) in June! And put studies on hold for now. Heh.

During the past 10 hectic weeks, I made a couple of trips down to Trinity Medical Centre (Marine Parade) to treat and maintain my skin. You know how stress just loves to manifest itself on my skin. Big sigh. BUT thank goodness I have the expertise of Dr. Lim Ming Yee to save me from the clutches of evil zits.

I started off each session with microdermabrasion. It consists of a diamond-tip that removes the uppermost layer of dead skin cells. Basically, it's like your home facial scrub. Except that it exfoliates a whole lot more without being too abrasive and irritable to your skin. It was like a strong suction thing, with no pain at all.

If you see the little round piece of cotton in the photo above... Latched onto it is my dead skin. So gross, but so good to see it all off me! When I was done with it, my face was left feeling really smooth and very clean. Best feeling in the world, yo.

Next, came the Spectra Carbon Laser Peel. This peel helps treat acne, oily skin, enlarged pores, superficial acne scars and fine wrinkles and also, stimulates collagen growth. Sounds awesome, no? :D It started off with an application of a thin layer of carbon lotion on my skin. This helps to enhance the absorption of the laser beam.

Then, the laser started. And it was like loud popping sounds! During my first time, I was a little frightened but after that, I just really enjoyed the process. Haha. I mean, it was all for the good of my skin (Women! :D ). And there wasn't any pain but warmth on the small area where the laser hit. If it's a tad too much for you to bear, you can always get the doctor to lower the laser's intensity. (:

And... TADAHHH! This was how my skin looked like after my 3rd Spectra Carbon Laser Peel (Pardon the pregnant eye bags!). There was no downtime at all so I could carry on with my activities for the day. My skin felt a lot fresher, smoother and looked more radiant! :D

Over the past couple of months, I have also noticed that my skin is kind of balancing up; my usually parched cheeks are less, well, parched and my T-zone area is less oily. I don't quite get breakouts now (Except when it's the time of the month.), though I do still get blackheads. They are quite pesky but I get them extracted (See the red bits on my forehead? :\). :D

Anyway, I think that the Spectra Carbon Laser Peel makes a great monthly perk-me-up for the skin and I really look forward to each session. Heh. If you have any questions, just drop me an email at lovecharlenejudith@hotmail.com. Have a wacky Wednesday, people! :D

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Friday, May 16, 2014

SPOTTED: Win a trip to JAPAN with #TheGreatAdventure contest with BlackBox!

Who loves adventure? Me, me! Because I know I do. You know what, BlackBox is running the #TheGreatAdventure contest now and they are giving away a pair of air tickets to Japan, together with 9 other prizes! How awesome is that.

Sweet. I’m gonna participate too. JAPAN, here I come! My User ID is CharleneJudithBB so please support and help me win a trip to Japan!

Subscribe: http://bit.ly/1eUkoeb
Join the contest here: http://on.fb.me/1llrz10

If you are planning for an adventure of your own, do check out www.skyscanner.com.sg or download the Skyscanner app (http://bit.ly/1mNQABv) to help you find the cheapest flights, hotels and car hire for FREE!

If you have no idea what BlackBox is about, you are definitely missing out on something. You must be wondering. What! Not another beauty box again.

BlackBox is the quintessential lifestyle kit for you to get a taste of the latest brands and products. April's box came with 5 samples and 2 full-sized products for your hair, skin, body... Basically, there's a little something for your whole being! One of the samples that I'm looking forward to try is Phyto's Secret De Nuit. I love Phyto 9, which I use during the day. How great it will be if I can complement it with a night treatment as well, so that my hair is kept healthy 24/7! :D The sample also comes with a discount voucher which allows me to get the full-sized bottle at $58, instead of the usual $78 (Definitely getting ready for a haul. Heh.)!

How can you get hold of this box?

All you have to do is subscribe to BlackBox at www.blackbox.sg/index.php#1. And did I say it is a bi-monthly box? The next edition will be in June (that’s next month!). You can do the math when the next next edition will be available.

You might also want to check out this video by BlackBox to familiarize yourself with how it works: http://bit.ly/1nuCtor

For more information, check out BlackBox at
Website: www.blackbox.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlackBoxSG

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Monday, May 12, 2014

FRAGRANCE: Gucci's Made to Measure

This autumn, to further cement its position as one of the world's most stylish individuals, Gucci's Creative Director Frida Giannini conceived a new fragrance legend. Under the impeccably sophisticated guise of Gucci's Made to Measure, this fragrance is meant for the man who demands the very best.

This Gucci man is worldly and refined. His opinions have authority and others naturally defer to his judgement. Even in his daily routine, he stands out from the crowd in his Gucci suit and the classic Gucci scent. However, when the occasion calls for it, he strives to stand out with something that is uniquely tailored to his requirements. And he completes the whole thing with Gucci's Made to Measure.

Gucci's Made to Measure is an intensely masculine partner for the iconic Gucci Première, meant for the ladies. As the Première heroine is enveloped in her couture gown and fragrance, so is her companion in his made-to-measure suit and scent. He is a connoisseur, whose every move speaks of his desire to make a unique statement, giving him a distinctive edge. His fragrance, tailoring and demeanour set him apart from the rest – he is a man whom others aspire to be.

Made to Measure is a spicy oriental fragrance tailored to make a lasting impression

Top Notes
Light scents that are detected immediately upon application. Forms your first impression.
Notes of Anis Seed, hand-picked and distilled Tunisian Orange Flower and the best Calabrian Bergamot make the first encounter with the fragrance akin to the look and feel of a handmade suite. The smoothest Provencal Lavender tempers their potency, producing a caressing, soft, yet warm effect on the skin – stylish and comforting as a luxurious silk lining.

Middle Notes
Scents that emerge just before the top notes departs. Masks initial unpleasant impression of base notes, which improves with time.
The scent's core is eclectic, lavishly spiced and textured – a beguiling combination fused to idiosyncratic effect. Texture and masculine elegance are achieved with piquant and bracing notes of Juniper Berry. While the rich, tonal enigma of Sri Lankan Nutmeg and succulent Plum replicates the plushness of cashmere.

Base Notes
Rich and deep scents that emerge before the middle notes departs. Brings depth and solidity to the fragrance.
Just as the mark of an exquisitely crafted suit lies in its structure and silhouette, so the dry down gives the fragrance its tailored core. The richness of Amber, along with the leathery opulence of purified Andalusian Cistus combine to express an unmistakably masculine sophistication. The scent's signature comes in the form of the best Indonesian Patchouli: the signature ingredient of all Gucci perfumes - refined, exotic, conveying the ultimate in luxury.

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For as long as I can remember, Dad has always 'bathed' himself in cologne. When I was a little kid and didn't know where Dad was in the house, all I had to do was... Follow the scent. Haha. Mum's one was a little milder, kind of like the top notes. You smelled it first and then, it got covered up by Dad's. The parents left for work really early so each morning, I woke up to a symphony of scents wafting in and out of every room. It was comforting and I felt safe. So for me, fragrances are pretty personal. Heck, I started my own fragrance journey when I was 13 or 14. So yep, it's kind of 'necessary' for my man to be into scents too. Hehhh.

Anyway, since Gucci's Made to Measure paints such a strong image of what a man should look and feel like, I thought I accompany it with a version of my dream date. When I was reading a lot of Sophie Kinsella, my dream date kind of revolved around a fancy dinner (BEEF, please!) with the guy ordering everything that I wanted, without my telling him of course. It ends of with a romantic evening walk under the moonlight with some pink champagne and then, a lift back home in my very own bus (YES, this is a total rip-off from 'Can You Keep A Secret?'. BEST chick lit ever.). Haha!

BUT now that I'm a lot older and wiser (Hopefully.), I guess I just want some good quality time together. The date starts off with us attempting to cook Aglio Olio and make some fanciful French dessert. Of course, we burn every single thing but we still eat them anyway, while watching 'White Chicks'. We then spend the rest of the night trying to act all elegant by attempting to do the Waltz but of course, we give up. So we end up just throwing on some My Chemical Romance/ Simple Plan/ Busted tracks and do air guitar (Okay, I do air guitar. HE actually plays the guitar. Or some other musical instrument. Haha.). And then, the night ends off with him reading me 'Can You Keep A Secret?' or singing to me until I fall asleep (prettily).

Haha. Not a very grand date, a tad cliché and with way too many fails but yeah. As long as we both have fun and enjoy each other's company, I think that's more than good for me. (:

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