RAMBLINGS: Quarter of a Century Old.

last night with my favourite-st people, before Cher leaves for Dublin.

I wanted to write some sappy story about me spending another year on earth but I haven't got the time? Haha. I half-welcome my new age; 24 wasn't a really good year for me (#questionablelifedecisions, you see? A term coined affectionately by Lennard, who laughs at all my 'tragedies', and will be used to death from now on. Umm, no. Hopefully, no more 'tragedies' please.) but 25 is really quite old... Mmhmm. Anyway, I felt really loved today and I'm going to hold every message very dear to my heart. (':

As per tradition, here are my goals for the coming year:

• To always stay very happy and optimistic.
• To do JC Math with one eye closed (HAHA.).
• To do teaching that inspires.
• To spend more time with my family and friends.
• To be more disciplined and independent.
• To shave off 5 minutes for my 3km run (Insanely long way to go. :\).
• To complete Grade 1 for piano?
• To split on both sides.
• To maintain a neat room for at least 6 months consecutively (This is a tall order.).
• To prioritize better.
• To mope and whine less.

And to stay with God and thank Him everyday. (:

P.S.: For the way overdue styleXstyle's August The Little Black Beauty Box Giveaway, a big congrats to Josephine, Felicia and Xgg! I'll be emailing you ladies tonight. :D

REVIEW: SK-II's Whitening Power Spots Specialist and Whitening Spots Care & Brighten Day Cream

After a tanning session went wrong when I was 17, I resigned to the fact that I'll never ever have gorgeous sun-kissed skin. I decided to embrace the pale fairness that Mum bestowed upon me, so I will jump onto any bandwagon that promises Snow White's fairness. Especially when it belongs to SK-II. And I'm in luck because this June, SK-II launched the new Whitening Power Spots Specialist and Whitening Spots Care & Brighten Day Cream. Both have been carefully engineered to leave you with 0% worries on spots!

I always thought that skin damage and spot formation is a one-way thing; your skin gets damaged and that is why spots are formed. But nope, it's actually a vicious cycle!

1. Spots are formed as a result of external factors like UV stress, pollution and dietary habits.
2. Spots formation causes skin damage, which leads to a decline in skin turnover, loosened basement membrane and chronic inflammation.
3. Melanogenesis is induced and melanin density increases and melanin accumulates, worsening the appearance of spots.
4. And it's back to step 1. :\

Therefore, in order to break the chain, you need to target both the skin damage and the spots at the same time. And this is where the Whitening Spots Care duo steps in!

SK-II's Whitening Power Spots Specialist fights hyperpigmentation and reduces spots, even where skin is damaged. Its formulation contains the Ultimate Spots Corrector, which is engineered to break the aforementioned vicious cycle by repairing skin damage and breaking the core of melanin pillars to reduce spots.

After my toner, I pat 1 full dropper of essence into my skin. It is a tad viscous but it sinks into my skin very quickly. I have a sprinkle of freckles across my face, remnants from my swimming days, which I actually love (Because I think freckles are cute. And I reasoned that if you have freckles, you are less likely to have acne. Which makes no sense, I know.) BUT I know my love will dip as I grow older (Which is going to happen like this Saturday. :\). Anyway, the freckles are still there, but they have lightened considerably and you can only see them if you're like an inch away from my face. :D

SK-II's Whitening Spots Care & Brighten Day Cream is formulated with Pitera and 3 main ingredients to protect skin from daytime damage, which can worsen the spots vicious cycle.

• Day Ultimate Spots Corrector: Helps to defend skin against daytime damage and lightens the appearance of spots immediately.
• Day Vitamin Booster: Works on a sustained-release mechanism, which releases vitamins into the skin when exposed to UV rays.
• Whitening active De-melano P3C: Travels deep into the skin surface and lasts for up to 12 hours.

I apply this right after the essence. Taking a pearl-sized amount, I pat it into areas where the freckles sit first and then, to the rest of my face. Being a cream, it is naturally a lot thicker and takes a little while longer to be absorbed. But once my skin drinks it up, there's no greasy or uncomfortable feeling. Initially, I was applying this ALL over my face and it actually became lighter than my neck. LOL (ALWAYS read instructions!). But hey, it shows that this really works! :D I use this mostly at night though, because I prefer to avoid creams during the day.

SK-II's Whitening Spots Care Series is available at all SK-II counters in Singapore. The Whitening Power Spots Specialist retails at $176 for 30ml and $258 for 50ml. The Spots Care & Brighten Day Cream retails at $167 for 25g and $339 for 75ml.

REVIEW: 3CE's Vivid Nail Lacquer (Jelly) in #OR07 Clear Orange

3CE's Vivid Nail Lacquer (Jelly) in #OR07 Clear Orange is a freebie that was included in my recent haul (Click here to read!). The consistency is very much like that of a jelly (Mmhmm.), so application is as smooth as silk. Also, the above's just a SINGLE coat and I did not apply a top coat. Awesome much? :D

And I haven't stopped thinking about it since I did the above swatch. So umm... Yes, I kinda just made my 2nd order, which includes several nail polishes. Wait. The order's completely justified because this is my favourite month and also, colouring my nails makes me happy. Heh. :D (I'm sorry, Fel!)

HAUL: 3CE from StyleNanda

Another brand that I checked out during this Korean craze period is, of course, the very popular 3 Concept Eyes (3CE) by StyleNanda. I ordered the above items directly from the website and if I recall correctly, it took less than a week to arrive. Packaging was fab, none of my items were hurt and a complimentary mini nail polish was also included (Which I completely love and cannot wait till my next order because I. Want. This. Pink. Nail. Polish.).

Here are the items I got:

• Face Blush
  • Cotton Candy
  • Whipping Cream
• Lip Color
  • #107 Bad Pink
  • #503 Glass Hot Pink
  • #505 Glass Coral

featuring 3CE's Lip Color in #107 Bad Pink.

featuring 3CE's Lip Color in #505 Glass Coral.

featuring 3CE's Lip Color in #503 Glass Hot Pink.

I had the toughest time picking out the lipstick shades because 3CE has a billion and one variations of the most gorgeous pinks (Just ask Fel! She basically halved my cart.). In the end, I settled on #107 Bad Pink, described as 'a milky hot pink from the lips of Barbie', and #503 Glass Hot Pink, which is a 'bubbly clear hot pink'. Both have blue undertones, so they make our pearlies look whiter. :D

#505 Glass Coral was actually not something that was on my list. I generally steer clear from coral stuff because they can make our teeth appear more yellowish. But this looked so pretty on the model, and I'm a girl, and girls love pretty things so... :\ And it IS pretty. I just need to not show my teeth when I have this on. HAHA. Or alternatively, spam baking soda. Hahaha.

The lipsticks are all very moisturizing (Especially the Glass ones.) and insanely pigmented. For work, I dab them on for a more natural look. They wear off evenly, with the Glass Hot Pink leaving an obvious lip stain that's very pretty.

featuring 3CE's Face Blush in Cotton Candy and Lip Color in #503 Glass Hot Pink.

And here's me again with Cotton Candy hugging my fat cheeks. It's a 'matte, warm pink' that brightens and girlifies your face instantly. I have been using this way too often since I got it. It makes me so happy to see my cheeks so pink. LOL.

Ending off with more narcissistic photos because it was such a good photo-taking day! It's not often that I have the luxury to waste time doing girly stuff like this, with Mother Earth generously pouring superb natural light into my room. Heh.

Till next time, lovelies!

MAIL: styleXstyle's August The Little Black Beauty Box + GIVEAWAY

My first encounter with styleXstyle's The Little Black Beauty Box was back in February. I mentioned that it is one of the better, if not the best, subscription beauty boxes in Singapore (Click here to read!), because of the really good samples that you can get. So I was really thrilled to receive the August one a week ago! :D And guess what? I get to share the box with you too!

But hang on a minute, I'm getting ahead of myself...

styleXstyle understands just how tough it is for us to look beautiful. Hence, they have collaborated with Tangs to come up with a monthly box of various lush beauty treats, to provide you the ultimate beauty indulgence. All you need to do is to sign up as a member and purchase your The Little Black Beauty Box here. Then, chill and relax while styleXstyle takes care of all your beauty needs!

This August, styleXstyle covers all your travelling needs with the theme 'Jetsetter' (Very timely, I must say! I'll be travelling in 3 weeks' time! :D). Here are the items that you can find and some of my thoughts:

SK-II's Cellumination Mask-In Lotion
This lotion is formulated with SK-II's Aura Bright Cocktail EX and Pitera (But, of course!) to brighten and soften your skin, by lightening spots and reducing dullness. It also preps your skin to receive the full benefits of your SK-II skincare regimen. SK-II is one of my favourite brands and I actually tested out the Cellumination Essence EX last June (Click here to read!). My score for 'Radiance Enhancement' improved, so I can't wait to see what this can do for me!

Benefit's Specialist Dream Screen SPF45 PA+++
Benefit is a brand that I have recently started to explore extensively. Lol. But it's only in the makeup department. This little cutie here is a silky-matte and lightweight sunscreen, that halts ageing by protecting your skin against the evil sun rays. It comes out transparent, has a slight dewy finish and creates a smooth base for makeup to glide on. It smells a little clinical but nothing unpleasant. I like this because it sits comfortably on my skin throughout the day.

Radical Skincare's Anti-Aging Restorative Moisture
This multi-tasking cream satisfies the most demanding skins. It fights free radicals, increases your skin's hydration by 66% in 2 weeks and decreases wrinkle depth by 50% in just 4 weeks. Also, it's a favourite of Jessica Biel's. Going to spam it now. Brb.

Shiseido's White Lucent Anti-Dark Circles Eye Cream
This eye cream is formulated with the new breakthrough ingredient, Dark Circle Diminisher. It combats the 2 major cause of dark circles; pigmented melanin formulation (brown circles) and poor micro-circulation (blue circles), by inhibiting melanin production, fading existing pigmentation and improving micro-circulation. And gosh, you have no idea how much I need this! Especially when I wake up at 5.30am every morning and don't sleep till 12? Eeps. :\ Need to constantly remind myself that I'm no longer young. GLOOM.

SK-II's Cellumination Deep Surge EX
This night-time moisturizer brightens, evens out dull skin tone and refines rough skin texture. It contains the exclusive ingredient De-Melano P3C to reveal a healthy glow from within. I'm going to try this with the Cellumination Mask-In Lotion and get back to you! :D

Ralph Lauren's Midnight Romance
Ralph Lauren's combines the sensual pink peony and mysterious black vanilla to bring you the scent of passion that burns the brightest in the dark. I love little vials like this because it's great for touch-ups!

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream
Recently, I underwent a laser rejuvenationprocedure at Trinity Medical Centre (Marine Parade) to control my sebum production (Among other benefits. Will be blogging about this later!), and my skin got a little dry. So I have been using this at night to combat the semi-desert situation. It's lightweight, absorbs easily and I wake up to well-hydrated skin in the morning. I'm actually thinking of getting a full-sized tub for my upcoming trip! Mmhmm.

IOMA's Cell Protector SPF 50+ PA+++
I was invited to IOMA's launch for this new sunscreen but I couldn't make it because of work. :\ So I'm really glad there are sachets in here for me to try! It is a global protective skincare capable of counteracting the aggressions caused by exposure to sun and environmental stress such as pollution. It also contains Desoxine, a powerful plant-based active ingredient, that halts the ageing process due to oxidative processes.

featuring Sulwhasoo's Even Fair Perfecting Cushion and Benefit's Chachatint and Chachabalm.

Sulwhasoo's Even Fair Perfecting Cushion (No. 23)
Last but not least, Sulwhasoo's foundation in a cushion! It contains a flexible film-fixing polymer, that forms a thin protective barrier on your skin to leave your skin flawless and smooth for a long time. It also has apricot seed herbal moisturizer that promotes skin resilience and leaves skin fully moisturized all day.

Anything Sulwhasoo will get me all excited and jumpy and this was the first product I tried from the box. Coverage was medium and I didn't need a concealer. It gave me a complexion that was radiant and almost flawless. One thing though, it did cling on to dry areas. But then, you have the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream to prevent dry areas from happening in the first place! :D

And The Little Black Beauty Box doesn't end with just samples! There's a plethora of vouchers for you to redeem. :D I'm definitely using the $10 TANGS Beauty eStore Voucher to get something Sulwhasoo! Heh.

I know it has been an incredibly long entry, but there's just so much to share! :D Thanks so much for staying! Heh. Now, for the giveaway!

The Giveaway
I have 4 boxes of styleXstyle's August The Little Black Beauty Box to give to my readers! All you need to do is drop me an email at lovecharlenejudith@hotmail.com and tell me

• your name
• which product you want to try out the most and why.

The giveaway ends on August 20th, 5pm. All the best! :D

REVIEW: Innisfree's Eco Nail Range (Grey and Beige)

In my recent Innisfree haul (Click here to read!), I picked up some nail products:

• Eco Base Coat
• Eco Nail Color Pro
• Eco Quick Dry Multicoat

I tried them out last week and gosh, my collection will not end here. The brushes are wide, so it only takes about 2 strokes to cover my entire nail. The Eco Base Coat is actually pretty normal, but it's so much cheaper than my O.P.I. and it works just as well. Where the Eco Nail Color Pro is concerned, gawd. SO GOOD. The formula has the right consistency so that it applies like a dream. The beige colour was a tad streaky at the ends, but give it some time and the formula smooths itself out. In the photos, I had 1 coat on for the grey and 2 coats for the beige. As for the Eco Quick Dry Multicoat, I'm so going to buy this for the rest of my life. It was the first time that I didn't mess anything up during the drying process. That was how quick-drying it was. And guess what? My nails didn't chip at all until 6 days later.

Yes, please go buy them now!

REVIEW: IOPE's Air Cushion XP in C21 and Water Fit Lipstick in #44 Forever Pink

After watching 'My Love from the Star' for the third time (I have stopped. The madness has stopped.), of course I had to buy one of the lipsticks that ‎Jun Ji-hyun wore in the drama. And since I'm all 'PINK, PINK, PINK IS MY BFF!' now, I got the IOPE Water Fit Lipstick in #44 Forever Pink. Also, because it was the only one that I could find on a local website. Heh. I also picked up the much-raved IOPE Air Cushion XP in C21.

IOPE Air Cushion XP (C21)
This foundation/ sunscreen sits in an air cushion, and contains Vitamin B5, Vitamin E derivatives and Vitamin P and 30% mineral water to help maintain the moisture levels in our skin. It comes with a sponge and I find that application is best with it. I did try with a makeup brush but the dewy effect of the B.B. cream seemed to be cancelled out. After pressing the sponge against the cushion, I apply in a V-shape (Cheek-chin-cheek.) and then, tap the remaining B.B. cream into my skin on the inner and outer cheeks (This method is used by some of the Korean makeup artists. It applies less foundation on the inner cheeks, where skin is thinner.).

Coverage is on the light side; my freckles peek through a little and if there are blemishes, a concealer is definitely needed. But it completely 'erases' away redness, creating a complexion that's very smooth, flawless and dewy. The foundation strives well in our humid weather but not so in drier conditions; it latches onto drier parts of the skin and becomes pretty splotchy. I really like the dewy finish, how it's so lightweight that I don't feel it and that it comes with SPF50+.

IOPE Water Fit Lipstick (#44 Forever Pink)
And here's the famous Water Fit lipstick that was apparently a 'Rare Candy'. But since I watched the drama after the hype had kinda died down... HEH. It appears a little redder on my lips than it did for ‎Jun Ji-hyun (And it's like she's my friend or something man.), but I really like that it's glossy without being sticky. One thing though... It gets a tad drying for me after a while, so I do apply a lip balm first.

IOPE's Air Cushion XP and Water Fit Lipstick are available on Sunnaz at $53.90 and $35.90 respectively.

REVIEW: Ma Chérie's Air Feel Shampoo and Conditioner

I have been using Shiseido's hair care products for the longest time. I still remember the day I discovered how soft Tsubaki could make my impossibly coarse hair be... I literally went around school, asking friends to touch my ponytail. "DON'T YOU THINK IT'S SUUUUUPER SOFT?!?", I squealed mercilessly in their faces (I'm sorry, friends. Thanks for still acknowledging our friendships. ♡). Anyway, when I was in Taiwan last year and refused to use the hotel's shampoo and conditioner, I got a travel-sized Ma Chérie hair kit from Watsons. And I really enjoyed it.

Ma Chérie means 'my sweetheart' in French and just like Tsubaki, it's under Shiseido. Except that I think it's targeted more towards the young ladies because of the sweet pink and princess-y packaging. Packaging doesn't really matter to me but it does add some prettiness to my toilet. And it makes me happy. So I guess... Packaging does matter to me? HAHA.

Back to Ma Chérie... There are 2 ranges; Air Feel and Moisture. The ones pictured above, which I received at an event, belong to the former. It adds volume to limp and flat hair and it is formulated with Champagne Honey Gelee, which is a potent combination of well, champagne and honey!

Here are some of the key ingredients:

• Champagne: Protects hair against environmental damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress.
• Honey: Retains moisture and adds shine to hair.
• Hydroxyethyl Urea: Moisturizes hair.
• Inositol: Softens hair.

I started using the range again in June and I'm almost done with it. This time round, I can see the long-term effects. My hair feels fluffier and the texture is a lot softer. My ends aren't fried, in spite of the many (failed) attempts of dyeing my hair at home. It neither leaves any oily residue nor weighs my hair down. Basically, my hair just feels really healthy! Between Tsubaki and Ma Chérie, I find Tsubaki more moisturizing and because I plan to do more stuff to my hair, I would actually go back to it after this. Otherwise, Ma Chérie works great for daily hair care! :D

HAUL: Going Back to Nature with Innisfree

One of the first brands I checked out since getting into the whole Korean craze is Innisfree. It is one of the latest Korean beauty brands to enter Singapore and it is set to take over our little island. I swear. I thought there was only one outlet at Takashimaya. Then I saw it at Plaza Singapura. And just yesterday, I saw it again at Bugis Junction. Please let there be one in the far East!

Anyway, here's a sneak peek of my recent massive haul! I really didn't think I am stressed at work, but maybe I seriously am*? Or perhaps, I'm just being my typical obsessive self. *shrugs* Whatever it is, I'm so happy with my buys that I'm going to hole myself up in my room, not shop anymore and go through the products one by one. :D

Here's a list of the items:

• Skincare
  • Capsule Recipe Pack (Rice)
  • Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask
  • The Green Tea Seed Cream
  • The Green Tea Seed Oil
  • The Green Tea Seed Serum
  • Wine Jelly Sleeping Pack
• Makeup
  • Color Glow Lipstick (#3 and #7)
  • Creamy Tint Lipstick (#8)
  • Glossy Lip Lacquer (#9)
  • No-Sebum Mineral Powder
• Nails
  • Eco Base Coat
  • Eco Nail Color Pro
  • Eco Peel off Base Coat Pro
  • Eco Quick Dry Multicoat

I have been using the Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask pretty regularly, and the Jeju Volcanic Pore trial kit (A freebie!) and the Wine Jelly Sleeping Pack every night! And I love them sooo friggin' much!!! Seriously, my complexion has never been this clear since I started working! #koreanskinplease And I'm ending every sentence with exclamation marks again, but can you tell how excited I am?!? :DDD

Heh. Reviews will be up soon but do let me know if there's something you would like me to begin with first. (:

Happy Friday, people! :D

* I don't usually shop like that! :\ The last time I hauled so much was in my 2nd year in university. I was really stressed and I was like eating Pastamania's Aglio Olio every friggin' night.