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Etude House's &Rose 2013 New Makeup Collection Review

A lipstick shade can reflect your mood - be it flirty, fun, serious or dainty and Etude House has a new &Rose Collection which shows off 8 gorgeous shades that complement asian skin perfectly!! A polished smile is a must have look this season :p

Keep reading to find out how you can win some freebies from Etude House!!

Using #05 Baby Peony. It's Romantic and sweet and keeps your lip colour from fading!

Etude House's 앤 로즈 컬렉션 &Rose Collection 2013


Inspired by the fairy tale ‘Sleeping Beauty’, this makeup collection creates the magical moment when Princess Rose is blossoming out into a alluring lady from a pure little girl. When you doll yourself up on your eyes and lips, don't forget to use a blusher to balance the colour on your face or you'll look incomplete ;)

The Story

Princess Rose lives in the woods with 3 nymphs to hide herself from the witch’s curse. When she turns 16, she walks into a white rose garden by a strong attraction and sees something intriguing, a spinning wheel in the middle of the garden for the first time and get pricked on her finger by

a needle ..!

A scarlet blood drop falls on the rose garden and all the roses starts blossoming and turning red.

Like the roses blossomed in alluring red from pure white, Princess Rose falls in the dazzling magic …


and these Rose tint Lips turns a pure girl into an enchanting princess.

Really love these rich and creamy tint lip colours that leave your lips looking soft and plump :)

Rosy Tint Lips

These 8 lip stains (7g each) are available at Etude Counters and come in such pretty packaging!


From left to right: -
#1 Before Blossom - Real Red with yellow tone - sexy and seductive
#2 Sunny Flower - Orange Red with yellow tone - complements any skin tone for days you want to stand out
#3 Rose Petal - Red Pink - flirtyyyyyy 
#4 Sweet Poison - Hot Pink with blue tone - young and energetic
★Main★ #05 Baby Peony - Pink with yellow tone - fun and cute
#6 English Garden - Milky Pink with yellow tone - sweet and innocent
#7 Tea Rose - Nudy Pink - subtle but classy
★Main★ #8 After Blossom - Very Burgundy - evening night out

My favourites are #2, #3 and #8 but I really love them all for their rich shades! For longer lasting colour, blot with tissue and reapply another layer.

Features

The Lip Stains have a very vivid pigment, so don't be too excited and squeeze too much at once. Build on the colour starting with one thin layer because the colours are really strong, which I love!


There's a soft sponge tip applicator which makes it easy to dab and control the intensity of the colours. However because of its round top, it might smudge more easily so be extra careful when handling the edges of your lips.


After applying, you'll notice it leaves a matt finish, which you can top up with your favourite lip gloss for that extra sheen. The colour stays on even after eating!

I used the &Rose collection lip stains for more than 12 hours a time and I'm very happy to find that my lips are not dry throughout the day! This is because of their lip stains contain sheer butter and rose oil extracts to keep your lips moist and comfortable all day long.

-------------

&Rose Flowering Nails - Nail polish

The &Rose Collection also has a small range just for your nails! Featuring two limited edition Rosy nail kit that creates blossoming roses on the fingertips with delicate round or french lace stickers! (1.9g each)


• Blossoming roses on your finger tips
#1: Pure watery rose color
#2: Rose color with matt finish


#1 Watery Rose 
This watery syrup-like texture nail polish is perfectly blended for the natural gradation without creasing! You can achieve a gradation by mixing both colours together or layering them one after another.


Take note that due to its watery state, it takes a longer time to dry.

How to use

1. Base coat nails and manicure nails with one color or two for the rosy gradation
2. Top coat your nails to maintain the glossy finish 
Finish off by adding the lace design! (Keep reading to find out how to do so)

#2 Velvet Rose
The second nail polish is to achieve a Matt Velvet Texture on your nail. The hydrated silica formulated in the base naturally removes the glossiness of the nail color and leaves it velvety matt on nails. I was initially quite surprised at the effect but the matt finish looks gorgeous with the lace top! However, note that this nail polish dries very fast and is quite thick, so any uneven surface of your nail will ruin this look instantly.


PSST! To avoid cracking, do not layer it on the base coat or another color.
How to use
1.Manicure your choice of the color on your cleanly prepared nails 
2. Velvety finish appears in 2~3 minutes as the gloss on the nail surface disappears 

Finish off by adding a lace sticker!

Using the Lace Stickers
These Rosy nail kits come with a unique real fabric lace stickers in either a round or french style here's how to use them effectively!

1. Choose the right size for your nails  .
2. Stick it from the inner corner of the nails
3. Get it trimmed with a  scissor or a nail buffer   
4. Top coat the nails for coating and fixing the lace  

 and you're done!! Really easy to do, make sure that your nail polish has dried fully before adding the lace stickers though, especially for the watery rose nail polishes that take longer to dry.
Feeling instantly fairer and loving how the lip tint brightens my face and adds colour.

GIVEAWAY!!


Giving away the &Rose Flowering Nails Watery Rose and Velvet Rose to 2 lucky winners!!

All you have to do is

LIKE my Facebook Page and SHARE this post on your wall!

That's it! Giveaway ends 28th October, 2359. Good luck!

Thank you CosyCot and Etude House!! :)
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Cure insomnia - without the sleeping pills with Sealy

Forget the sleeping pills that make you feel like a slave. Sleeping should be an enjoyable activity. Remember the good old days when you used to sign autograph books and your favourite hobby was sleeping? Turn that into a reality again with these techniques.

I've compiled some suggestions that you could try to help you drift off to sleepyland - the natural way.



Sniff Aromatherapy

Have you ever tried aromatherapy? It's amazing. I just love the smell of lavender or eucalyptus after a stressful day. If burning essential oils aren't your thing, get an eye mask or even a little sachet of dried potpourri and place it near your bed! Inhaling them during the night also helps to ensure continued relaxation so you don't get interrupted sleep that often.


 Make sure that your lights are off and your electronic devices (eg, handphone, tablet, laptop) are far away from your reach. Create a conducive environment for an important time of your day!

Claire's own remedy

Here's a little trick that I use to fall asleep when my mind just can't seem to switch off.

Step 1: Take a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. Do this about 3 times.

Step 2: Starting with my face, do a top to toe check to make sure you're relaxed. Are you frowning subconsciously? Are any muscles in your body tensed? Relax them!

Step 3: Feeling more calm already? Think of a black circle. Now expand that circle as wide as you can.

Sometimes I fall asleep at Step 2 hahah.


 Once sleeping becomes enjoyable again, you'll be more attached to your bed than ever!

Get a Sealy Mattress

You knew this was coming. I haven't had insomnia ever since I had my Sealy mattress and I'm positively sure it's because of how comfortable my bed is!! Sometimes I'm just lying in bed texting and next thing I know, I'm fast asleep. Not kidding!! Their revolutionary Posturepedic Titanium Coil supports my body whichever direction I turn by distributing the weight.

Nothing's gonna change my love for my Sealy

Take a warm bath

Candles, rose scents in the air (or the smell of your fragrant shower gel) and some alone time is a wonderful way to prep yourself for bed. Without that sense of urgency and rush, your mind relaxes. Taking a warm bath will raise your body temperature slightly, and when you get out, the rapid cooldown will mimic the natural temperature drop the brain triggers as it prepares for sleep.

I like taking a shower before sleeping because being clean kinda makes me feel like I'm washing all the grime from the day away and the next day's going to be better. Therapeutic! 

Pamper your mind and body by investing in a mattress that will bring tons of intangible benefits!!

Cut the Caffeine

I remember once I had supper with friends around 11pm and I ordered milk tea. That little drink kept me up til 4am even though I was physically exhausted! Did you know that half the amount of caffeine you've consumed stays in your system even after 5 hours?? For best sleep results, try to stop taking any caffeine products after lunch. Your body will thank you later.
 
If all else fails, try a new sleeping position.

What's the secret to having good skin, a better complexion and that special glow? Having enough sleep! 
I feel energetic and alert as long as I get my 8 hours on my Sealy and other mattresses (yes, sometimes even in hotels) don't make me feel as well rested.

I hope you enjoyed reading these tricks you could try to cure your insomnia. Did it work? Let me know in the comments below if you have other suggestions or your remedies too!

Check out the latest promotions and find your dream mattress at:

Sealy Sleep Palace

91 Tanglin Road (near Orchard MRT!)
Tanglin Place #01-02
Singapore 247918
Tel: 6235 3166
Opening Hours:
10.00am – 9.00pm (Mon to Thu)
10.00am – 9.30pm (Fri to Sun)
Facebook page:
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Aqua Hair Korean Salon Styling

A while back for my DnD, I dropped by Orchard Delphi to have my hair styled by Aqua Hair Korean Salon! Imagine walking from the taxi stand at Orchard Towers to Orchard Delphi dressed in this.


Yup people were staring alright. Hope no one thought that this cosplay was the newest in-thing at Orchard Towers :(


Aqua Hair Salon has been opened for more than a year and I really like its homely and welcoming environment. Immediately when I sat down, the staff offered to take my bag to place in the locker and I was served yummy korean tea and snacks :)

Getting my hair curled by tongs! Two people working on my hair at once, I felt pampered :X 

It isn't entirely a Korean hairstyle if it isn't done by a Korean, and in my case, I was really lucky to have Sophia style my hair for me once the curling was done!


That's Sophia back combing my hair to madness, so that I would look like a convincing sorceress/witch/Christine Daae. Don't really know who I looked most like but take your pick! Aqua Hair Korean Salon uses Korean products on your delicate hair, and I hear that their massages are reaaally relaxing and super shiok!!

PS: I really like Sophia's hairstyle and colour! She speaks English well and is bubbly and friendly. I was trying to speak some broken Korean and she was teaching me some new phrases! Be sure to book an appointment with her in advance in order to secure a spot!

The Masterpiece


What do you think? 
There was tons of hair spray and hair pins to keep my hair in place the whole night, and it even lasted til the next day (albeit a little messy)

 SNSD Hairstyles, anyone?

If you have a certain korean hairstyle in mind or want the same look as a celebrity, be sure to make an appointment with:-

Aqua Hair Korean Salon
  • 402 Orchard Road, Delfi Orchard, #03-17
  • Singapore, Singapore 238876
  • Contact: 6732 8011
  • Website/Facebook Page: Aqua Hair Korean Salon

Opening hours: 
Tue - Fri: 10:30 - 19:30
Sat - Sun: 11:00 - 18:00
Closed on Mondays


Thank you Justin and team for the experience!!
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5 things to eat in London

By some twist of fate and tons of lucky stars, I landed up in London for the third time in two years. It was a really last minute trip with my brother and the only things I had planned were my flight tickets and my hotel in Bayswater! Packing was done a few hours before I left for the airport, and my brother and I agreed to do everything on an impromptu basis.

Unfortunately, like many unforeseen circumstances, my brother started feeling sneazy an hour before our flight out. I forced him to pop 2 paracetamols with flu relief properties, and we went off to the airport.

Alas, it was 5am when our plane landed at Heathrow Airport. I barely slept on the 13h plane ride with my brother sniffing away, a ton of people coughing constantly, and some kid kicking the back of my seat. From the airport, you can choose pick an express train which would take you to Paddington (central London) in half the time it would take if you were to take the normal tube, at a much higher price.

Finally here!

Being cheapos who had a lot of time to kill (check in at our hotel was 12noon), we took the normal train. 

It was an eye opening experience because we got to see the less-glamourous side of London. I was so cold every time the train doors opened. The seats of the train were dirty, there was graffiti on the walls, people were speaking in English but I couldn't really catch what they were saying. In essence, the culture shock hit me pretty quickly. It was a one and a half hour journey to central London, and some of the commuters were on their way to work! 

Since our check-in timing was hours later, our initial plan was to leave our luggage at the front desk and hang out at my friend's place at Chancery Lane, which was nearby. However, thanks to our lucky stars, our room was ready and we got to check in at 9am! We napped til 11am and got up just for breakfast.

That was how my trip started, and I knew I just had to make the trip about food this time. So here's my recommended list of things to eat on your next trip to London :p

- Have scones for breakfast/tea
It's a breezy English day, you've just taken a nice walk in Hyde Park and you've worked up a breakfast appetite. Why not have a scone?

A friend brought me to this amazing, down to earth, unpretentious, cosy  bakery cum cafe called Muffin Man Tea Shop.
Surprisingly affordable!


Muffin Man Tea Shop
12 Wrights Lane
London W8 6TA
Neighbourhood: Kensington
Tel: 020 7937 6652

- Homemade Fudge
Fudge originated from America, when a teacher of a toffee-making class used the wrong temperature and instead of getting toffee, he made fudge. That also explains why the word 'fudge' means an error or mistake. Eg, I fudged it up!

Though that's not so commonly phrased here in Singapore, haha.

Anyway, my cousin, Nicholas was the one who told me to try some homemade fudge, and since I was in Oxford that day, I popped by Fudge Kitchen.

Free sample? Check. Amazing smells? Check. Cute guy by the door? Check.
K going in.

Was distracted by the huge slab of fudge right in front of me, which I later found out, was laid there to cool down. Fudge Kitchen's fudge is made using whipping cream instead of butter, giving a creamy soft texture and distinctive flavour! Plus there are a few flavours to choose from if you don't like it plain ol' original. There's Tangy Orange, Dreamy Coconut, Moreish Mint, Gorgeous Ginger, Classic Chocolate, Mocha chocolate and more!!

Gahh look at that huge slab O_O

 A while later, the fudge maker came and started mixing the fudge!! 

Turn the volume up to find out a little more on how fudge is made! 
PSST! Notice how the fudge gets easier to flip and sinks downwards, that's how it tastes so smooth and the sugar is evenly spread out.

The branch I went to was:

Fudge Kitchen
Address: 5 Broad Street
Oxford, OX1 3AJ
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 794154
For more outlets, visit their website at http://www.fudgekitchen.co.uk/
However! Since this post is about London, here's a place in London you can check out for fresh, homemade fudge!

The London Fudge Company
Jubilee craft market at Covent Garden on Saturdays and Sundays

If you haven't tried fudge you're missing out on sweet, sugary goodness.

-  Eat duck rice
I know what you're thinking.

"I travelled half the world for DUCK RICE? I can eat this back home in Singapore!"

Yes you can, but it's not the same. Their duck is from Ireland.

Not only is it fatter, juicier, tender-rer, Four Seasons and Gold Mine have their magic gravy and together, you get a dish that will give you cravings even when you're back in Singapore.



Try both and tell me which one you prefer! :p

How to get there: Turn left at Bayswater, walk straight and you'll see the two restaurants on your right! They are really near each other, just make sure you don't walk into the wrong one ;)

- Grab a bagel

Along Brick Lane there is this infamous bagel shop that sells bagels for around 1 pound each that has been established since 1977. That's ridiculously cheap considering how yummy the bagels are!!


The classic smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel blew my MIND. It's served hot, looks simple,but darn a lot of passion went into every bit of it.


Get a bagel and continue strolling down Brick Lane. Now you feel that bit of London spirit, don't you?

Beigel Bake
159 Brick Lane
London
E1 6SB
- Have a lobster 
Even though Singapore is blessed with a large variety of food, let's face it, we could do with cheaper seafood. And after travelling all the way to London, seafood is what I'll get at an amazing price and I get to pamper my taste buds at the same time too!
 

At only £20 (about SGD$40), you can get an entire lobster all to yourself, with a generous helping of fries that I couldn't even finish! Even though I reached at 6+pm, I still had to wait about 20mins for a table, okay maybe it's because my full party wasn't present yet when I reached, but still!

The lobster was super fresh and sooo tasty, I don't think you can find an equivalent in Singapore. I dined at the Soho branch because we wanted to check out the night scene in the area after dinner. It's really eye opening!! However, if you're going with your family and you prefer a safer environment, head to the Mayfair Branch. After all, if it's that expensive in Monopoly, it has to be that expensive in real life as well too right?

Mayfair Branch (no reservations)

Soho Branch (plenty of things to do after!)


PS: Thought of adding Hummingbird Bakery's red velvet cupcakes here or Snog's yoghurt, or even Gordan Ramsey's restaurants but nahhh those are too common. Feel free to check them out too!

Typing this has made me so hungry. Have to plan a trip to London again soon!!! I miss Europe so much :(

Til the next time~

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Sinderella Custom Made Wedding and Evening Heels

Recently, I was invited to the Starhub TVB Awards, courtesy of HTC. (Thank you HTC!) Having no idea  what to wear, I panicked and decided to get heels first. Instead of the heels matching the outfit, the outfit can match the heels too :p

By sheer luck, I was introduced to Sinderella at Orchard Delphi who does customised shoes for formal occasions! Orchard Delphi is a quiet mall opposite Forum, further down from Palais Renaissance and along Orchard Road. I like that the shop is in Orchard Delphi because that's where you can find a lot of wedding dress shops and it's a good escape from the hustle and bustle in town. I hate shopping in crowded places, sometimes I get so turned off I just leave even though there's a crazy sale.

Welcome to Sinderella
When I reached, I was taken aback because the shop was just so pretty!! With glistening evening heels, feathers, velvet seats, and a warm smile from the staff you know you're in good hands.

Sinderella specialises in customised footwear for ladies. Have an idea of what heels/flats you would like for a dinner, formal event or your wedding? Sinderella will custom make these for you and you'll receive your footwear in 3-4 weeks! Express services will be at additional charges.

 
Thanks Isabel for accompanying me! Without her help I might still be at the shop deciding on a design, pattern, accessory etc, there's just SO MUCH flexibility when it comes to custom made heels!!

I've summarized the different ways you can customise your heels at Sinderella so keep reading! ;)

  • Design 


The first step would be to pick a design. Do you want strappy heels? Slip on heels or open toed heels? Get inspiration from the heels on display, don't worry if you don't like an aspect of the heel, you can change that later. Be it weddings, galas, birthdays, DnDs or special events, Sinderella  can help you create your dream pair of heels!


These heels with star shaped crystals stole my attention, especially with the unique v cut front! The other one looks like something a Disney Princess would wear. It's all about how you want to feel on your special day, right?

Going for the Starhub TVB Awards meant that it was going to be a red carpet event, so I picked an open toed pair with a simple motif! There are many designs to pick from, and if you head over to their website Sinderella, you can take a look for yourself!

PSST! 3 weeks later, after I collected my heels, I realised that the only tough consideration is that you're not 100% sure if the heels will cause discomfort or if they will fit. Mine were too big and even though I was provided with anti-slip paddings, they lost its stickiness pretty soon. Have to find super glue to permanently glue them on or drop by the shop again to see if I can get a strap added to them! Before getting them made, one size smaller was too small for me, and they don't have half sizes. Remember to make sure your feet fit when you try the sample heels they have in-store!!

  • Accessories

Want to add more 'bling' on your heels? No problem!

If you think that your heels are too plain or the accessory on the base design doesn't fancy you, there are cases full of accessories made of crystals and even pearls to pick from!! This heel caught my eye because of its pearls and feathers. Instant attention to your feet ;)


These heels will suit 'The Great Gatsby' theme if you're having a movie star Company DnD night!

For my heels, I did not add any additional accessories because... I didn't feel like it. Haha! Okay the true reason is because I wanted bling heels and too many accessories will steal the limelight from that.
If you pick accessories, rest assured that they are sewn on to your heels so they will not fall out!

  • Colour

Here's where you can experiment with colours! You can edit the strap colour, fabric texture (lace vs gloss), choose between a sparkly or non sparkly material and let your imagination run wild! Isabel and I were deciding between a black lace design for my heels or a satin one and eventually, satin won. As I hadn't decided on a dress, I didn't want to take a risk and go for something that might clash with my outfit, so I stuck to a safe choice - black.


 Timeless lace
Here's the black lace I was contemplating to add on top of the satin! You can remove the sample and place it on the heels if you need a stronger visual impact. That's what I did anyway!


Isabel really liked these heels because of the mesh sewn on detail, but it didn't look as nice in black!! If you're getting married soon you can consider this design, sooo gorgeous.

  •  Heel height


Of course, you can also pick the height of your heels, and the width of the base. I didn't want the tip to have too small a surface area (because it's harder to walk in for longer periods of time) so I picked the one in the middle. You can pick the material to wrap your heels, whether you want it to be the same colour as the body of your shoes or you can be daring and pick something totally different!

  • Heel design


Did anybody say BLING???? Yes you can add bling crystals to your heels!!!!  This is me trying to envision the final product :) You can ask for bling to be stuck on ANYWHERE so get creative and go wild!!

  • Additional details 

Better not lose your other heel like Cinderella or your heels won't make sense on their own!

Some people add 'I Do' at the soles so it would look nicer in pictures! That's an idea for you. You can add crystals on the platform, along the rims etc, and if your budget allows it, pick Swarvoski Crystals because they are wayyyy more sparkly!


 PSST! They also have a section for you to pick evening bags! Your bag should match your heels, after all.


It was a great experience, staff are attentive and will listen to your every detail and note them down. The hard part was over, and now I had to wait for my final product. *crosses fingers*

----
[3 weeks later]

The Finished Masterpiece!


Here's the final product of my heels that night! It's pretty isn't it? I had them swarovski-crystal'd individually, but some of the crystals fell out during the night. Guess crystals aren't that practical after all. Still no regrets though! :p Plus these crystals have a lifetime warranty so if they fall out you can head back to the shop to get them replaced :)

starhub tvb awards
My final outfit for the night! Dress: Isabel's, Heels: Sinderella, Hair: Komachi Hair Cult Bag: Germany


I was going for a minimalist, chic look that was versatile and elegant. Painted my toes red to match!


*throws confetti* what do you think of 3.5 inch heels with bling! I like the little gathers by the flower and the open toed front is quite special. My last toe is completely hidden and gives the illusion of smaller feet :O



If you look closely at the crystals, you'll notice a star near the top! I wanted a star because my heels had to be original and have a dash of unpredictability incorporated in the design, and I think the pasting of each crystal must've taken quite a while to complete!

Oh, I also added 0.5inch platforms (front half) and padding at the balls of my feet so that my feet wouldn't feel so tired from standing and walking around a lot. These little details really add up!!


Be sure to check out their shop if you're looking for customised wedding heels, formal heels or just need an excuse to get a new pair. You can order online at their website below and they ship all over the world! ;)

Sinderella

402 Orchard Road
Delfi Orchard #03-04
Singapore 238876


Thank you Sinderella! :) Will be back again for sure!
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