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Amazing Japanese salon between Clarke Quay and Boat Quay - Komorebi by MASHU

It has been so long since I've been so excited to share something with you guys. One of Japan's popular hair salon's MASHU, with 10 branches in Osaka, has opened a branch here in Singapore! MASHU has styled models, celebrities and of course, Japanese hair for many years and I'm so happy you don't have to travel to Osaka to get incredible hair!

I was invited to try their services and I was NOT disappointed. Everything was perfect and service was top notch Japanese style!


Entrance of Komorebi by MASHU - super cute drawings.


From the moment I stepped in staff were all smiles and greeted me cheerfully. Was offered a few drinks I could pick from and I settled for peppermint tea. Had some Japanese snacks served to go along with it which kept me through the whole process! 

(Also spot the 50% off scalp therapy for new customers! Looks interesting, would like to try that next time.)

Stylist for the day is Toko-san. Told her that I wanted my fringe shorter, my hair trimmed and to dye my hair a lighter brown with a tinge of pink. 

Here's my hair BEFORE


Roots were growing out, it was a very ugly yellow sheen.


Super dry :( and I don't mean the brand.


After analyzing my hair, Toko-san got to work. Looks like I cut off quite a length, huh?

Then it came to choosing which shade I wanted for my hair.


Was choosing between pink or baby link (didn't bleach my hair so it wouldn't be so bright which is the top colour). So I was expecting the shade below it. 


So many different types of dyes to pick and mix! Leave it to the pros.


Dye looks really pink right? Was anticipating what the final product would be.

When it was time for a wash, I was brought to the sink area, and the seats are incredibly comfortable! Many customers are known to have fallen asleep there.


OMG the head massage during the hair wash was SO GOOD. There were accupressure points that were pressed, gentle circular moments to release the tension and some magic fingers (haha) to improve blood circulation.

There was also a soda treatment thereafter to allow a deeper penetration of products, if you've never tried it you have to! It's like a mist over your hair, softening and strengthening while cleaning thoroughly.

Japanese pride in the smallest things, there was also a hot towel placed at the back of my neck for ultimate shiok (aka kimochiiii) factor. My favourite part of going to the salon is always the part where they wash my hair. 

Treatment on my hair was also applied here!


 Currently, Komorebi by MASHU is running a CNY promotion (more on that later) and treatment uses products from Arimino! Arimino is a Japanese brand that has been in the market for over 65 years and many local salons in Singapore have also raved about it before. These products made my hair feel so moisturized and smooth!


One differentiating factor about Komorebi by MASHU is their Mother Earth Treatment, using products by Mother Earth!

Mother Earth is an all-natural range of hair products made in Kochi, Japan which specialises in reducing hair fall and repairing damaged hair. Mother Earth was started 10 years ago when MASHU stylists in Japan wanted to create the perfect formula to create the most ideal scalp and hair condition and can be used every day! Ingredients include Jojoba seed oil, Korean Ginseng, pomegranate and more.

"98% of customers experience less hair loss by getting back their regular hair growth cycle!"


Products are also sold at the salon if you like how your hair feels after everything is done ;) I didn't get to try this but looking forward to the next time!

After the wash and blow dry, here's the final result:



What do you think? My hair was really silky smooth, if you don't believe me, take a look at the picture below.



Looks like a professional model's hair right? Haha, but this is how my hair looks like from the back! It is slightly layered because of how hot Singapore is, and I love the length and sheen! Can you spot the tinge of pink which is different from red?


Front view again!! Colour is bright and festive, perfect for CNY. Those sharp eyed would realise that my eyebrows are also a bit lighter! Toko-san suggested I dye them slightly since my hair colour was so light and I agreed.


A not so chinese new year photo. Haha! I am soooo happy with how my hair turned out! It has been some time since my hair looked so healthy and shiny.


In conjunction with Chinese New Year, Komorebi by Mashu would like to give you some savings! 



CHINESE NEW YEAR PROMOTION!!


For first time customers, (available til end Jan for weekday promotions only)

Cut + COLOUR + Treatment (All length) Original $270 >> $188 NOW! 

Cut + PERM + Treatment (All length) Original $310 >> $218 NOW! 

Cut + REBONDING + Treatment (All length) Original $450 >> $318 NOW!



Shiseido products are also on sale up to 50% off!

Be sure to call them to make an appointment early as it gets more and more crowded nearer CNY. 

ACCESS:

Address2nd level @ 17 & 19 south bridge road, Singapore 058659
Nearest StationNE5:Clarke Quay MRT Station                               (It's a three-minute walk from the station, just walk from the back of Songfa Bak Kut Teh)
Business hoursWeekdays 11:00 - 20:00 Saturday 11:00 - 18:00
Sunday 11:00 - 16:00
Day offMonday&Holiday


For the full menu price please click here.

Thank you Komorebi by Mashu!!

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5 things to prepare for a Japanese wedding


How often do you get invited to be a guest at a Japanese wedding? If you're not Japanese then, that's pretty rare indeed. Count yourself lucky! It is indeed an honour! Now comes the next few steps... what's next? This post is a summary of how you can prepare yourself for the wedding, because every Japanese attending will be super mega prepared.

This is assuming you're a guest of course, if you're the bff of the bride/groom you have tons more to do.



Be sure to let your friend/co-worker/family member know as soon as possible if you are able to make it! This helps them heaps in planning.

1. Money... in a fancy envelope

Credits: Google

Having a meal at the wedding isn't free, so you're obligated to give an envelope as well as additional sums to wish them well. Minimum amount is 30,000 yen (approx $350 sgd) and they should be new notes. Money should go INSIDE the white envelope, and this is then placed in the fancy, bigger one. Don't forget to write your name! You can find these envelopes at any convenience store, there are some pretty complicated looking ones there, but if you think those are too 'cheap', check out department stores or Tokyu Hands.

2. Your liver




Have you heard of those 'Nomikai' parties where the boss of the department proclaims "LET'S HAVE DRINKS TODAY" and everyone basically ends up drunk BUT somehow reaches work on time the next day? So, these people can drink, and with free flow alcohol, you better train up. Don't be the person sitting down in a corner (or facing down in a corner).

3. What to wear



If you haven't already read this, I covered it separately here. There are some things to take note, so before you grab that 'perfect dress' off the racks, read this.

4. Figure out how to get there... in advance




EVERYTHING starts on time in Japan. Being late is an embarrassment. I made it with 3 minutes to spare, close call, but when I did, everyone was already there. If you're 15 minutes late the church vows may have already ended, and you missed your chance to shout 'OBJECTION!', okay that's a game reference, please don't actually do that at a wedding.


5. If you're a guy, prepare to kneel




Seriously because Japanese are so super considerate, they kneel when they think or know they might be blocking someone behind. I was so so surprised by this!! Japanese guys are gentlemanly after all.




6. I added 6 because.. there's actually nothing much you need to prepare to do when you're there.
Service in Japan is IMPECCABLE. It is FLAWLESS. There is even a lady on permanent stand-by just to ensure the bride's train isn't caught in something, she pushes the chair in and out for her, it is amazing. I am aghast.

Just go and have tons of fun, and try to spread out the alcohol so that you collapse AFTER the second party, not before, and that you actually remember what happened.

Take lots of pictures!!


xoxo.
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Tips on What to wear to a Japanese wedding


Congratulations! You got invited to the wedding of the year! Now this could be your very first invitation to a Japanese wedding so you're kinda nervous and wondering what to wear. Don't worry! You're in the right place. Let me help you out.


THE GUYS


If you're male and you stumbled to this page somehow, here's an easy answer for you. A long sleeved shirt (most japanese guys will wear white because they don't have any other shirts they are allowed to wear for work), a suit, vest is optional, matching pants, office shoes, and either a tie or bow tie. Make sure your hair is styled and eyebrows are trimmed neatly.

Got it? Don't forget a handkerchief to wipe your sweat with. Great. You're good to go.

Okay if you're female you're in the right place, because it gets soo tricky I actually have to devote a whole blogpost to you. Let's begin!

THE LADIES



All ladies get checked out by the guys present there (and there are a lot!) so be sure to dress up! Which brings me to number 1.

1. Wear stockings, even if it's summer


Don't ask me how the Japanese ladies do it, but they say this is their secret weapon to make their legs look flawless. I believe them. Just compare my legs with the other legs in the picture above! Spot my scars yet? Haha!

2. Bring pressed/loose powder to touch up


Chances are, you'll have a tiny clutch or bag that can barely fit your phone, just grab a small loose powder from one of the Japanese drugstores you'll pass by. No drugstore? Then the convenience store is your next best bet (though it is probably a bit more pricey). I love how their stuff comes with SPF protection!

Lip gloss is a given so I didn't mention it. Okay I just mentioned it. Don't forget your lip gloss!


3. Get your hair done



Yes that means book a salon. Yes, if the church wedding is at 10am and you DON'T live in the same prefecture/city, that means you probably have to wake up at 5am, travel for 2 hours, get your hair done, then head to the place. This is completely normal. The bride will have her own hair stylist do her hair for her, and since I was close to the bride, she told me that the hairstylist was charging something like 6,000 yen, which is almost S$70? Insane!

Thankfully my other japanese friend found a salon near my hotel and booked an 8am appointment for the both of us. Yes 8am. And it was only about 3,400 yen, which is about S$40. Don't expect to be able to walk in! To save time, try to go for your appointment armed with a picture of the hairstyle you want. Japanese stylists can amazingly recreate anything.

Anyway, the weather was so crazy hot in summer I decided to wear my hair up. Would strongly recommend the ladies to consider that too so you would have no regrets.


4. Choose a fancy dress



Here's the trickiest part. Japanese are conservative by nature, and do not show their shoulders. There are a few Japanese ladies that do not observe this unspoken rule, but usually the elders will frown at them. If you noticed the lady in the middle of the group picture at the top of this post has her shoulders exposed, there is only one reason for it - she isn't Japanese. Your dress should not be anything shorter than 4 fingers above your knees. Get it now? Foreigners are easy to spot.

Oh, and here is a BIG TIP.

DO NOT WEAR WHITE.

You will be seen as 'stealing' the limelight from the bride. Try not to wear all black because that makes you look like you're attending a funeral.

5. Complete your look with heels

Nobody wears flats seriously. Everyone has a tiny heel AT LEAST. If possible, try to wear covered shoes to add to the formality. I didn't want to bring another pair of heels on my trip to Japan, so I re-used the pair that I went shopping in, which are wedges. I am a foreigner so I can get away with this.


Mika looking super stunning in a kimono!!

If you're female and you own a kimono, just throw option 4 and 5 out of the window and wear that. Though you'll probably be the only one apart from the bride's family to wear it, but hey! You're there to stand out, right?

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And that's it! If you have other tips please do share them in the comments below. Can't see the comments button? Please click on the subject of this post to view the individual post!

Will post more about my Japan trip soon!! :)
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20th Emirates Singapore Derby

How time flies!! I was just attending the previous turf club event and now it's already the Emirates Singapore Derby, celebrating 20 years of fashion and excitement! Was told that people dress up most for the Emirates Derby, so I got a new fascinator to grace the occasion.

WHAT DO YOU THINK??
Pretty epic right? I love it to bits. Hope no one realises if I re-wear it in future.


Anyway, during this event, I noticed that all Emirates stewardesses have amazing smiles. Pearly white, wide, happy smiles. I want one. 

The Emirates Derby, sponsored by Emirates of course, continues to hold the unprecedented honour of being the longest-standing sponsor in Singapore's racing history. The big race for the day was a 4 year old 2000m - Short Course of S$1,150,000!



Hehe thanks Jessie for hosting us! If you're wondering, yes I curled and bunned my hair myself. It took me like 30 mins to an hour because my hair kept straightening!!

Did you know that there are currently 1,318 horses, 25 licensed trainers and all of them are located at the Kranji Turf Club?? Their stables can accommodate over 1,600 horses at one time. Races are held on most Friday nights and Sunday afternoons if you want to go check them out.


Buffet this time in the marquee was mostly curry and indian cuisine! I preferred the western one at the previous event :X There's also an assortment of sushi and salad but I couldn't snap a picture as they were all messy. Next time!



The Marquee was having a lucky draw to win a Chopard ballpoint pen! If you managed to guess the winning horse correctly and your name is picked from the lucky mix, you win one! Think it's worth $500 or something. This pen isn't mine ahaha. It's soo pretty though.



For one of the races, we had the amazing experience of being RIGHT IN FRONT of the stand!! 



The hottest couple that day IMO. Wish there was a full-length of them but I couldn't find any haha.

Above photo credits: Singapore Turf Club



Check out these sexy horse butts. Can't get any toner than that.



Us taking advantage of the great positioning haha. Usually the horses start at the other side of the track.




The gunshot was fired and away they ran!! I could only snap one picture, wish I was 0.5s later so I could see them galloping. Oh well next time!


With Yvette! Isn't her pink hair just gorgeous??

We shifted to the Committee Level where the Best Dressed received a pair of Emirates Business Class return tickets to Melbourne, 2 nights stay at the Crown Metropol Melbourne AND a pair of Parade Lounge tickets to the Melbourne Cup in November! We didn't even have a Best Dressed contest at the Marquee :(



Sorry for the grainy picture but I just had to take a picture with Bobby Tonelli and post it here. He was the official emcee in the Committee room! #sorrynotsorry



After I took this picture I realised for the first time, that there was a lake in the middle of the track. Yup didn't realise that even though I've been here like 5x or something. It is used to water the grass and all!


Have never flown on Emirates lol. Heard many positive reviews though!


Each of us received an Emirates bag with a teddy bear, a visor, a passport holder and travel wallet. Awesome!

Thanks Jessie, Dominic and team for the invite :) Looking forward to the next one!

If you're interested to host corporate events at the Turf Club for a unique experience, click here to find out more!
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What 2015 means to me

Here's a personal post that hasn't been around in a while. I thank you guys for still visiting even though I don't blog as regularly anymore, and I think I owe you guys an explanation for sticking with me for so long. Well here goes!



The beginning of 2015 was a really painful one for me, and on some days, I would be doing work when my mind would suddenly drift a bit, and tears started flowing down my cheeks. Of course I would hastily wipe them away, lest my colleagues see and judge. Nights were especially torturing, because of my insomnia and even nightmares. Waking up was a drag. It was an emotional time for me, where I took to yoga, zumba and golf to distract myself as much as I could.

Of course, meeting up with close friends helped, they really tried to pull me out of my daze, to make me laugh again. I could only look forward to my US trip in March because there was nothing else to look forward to. It was a very short sighted goal. It was a necessary goal.



March came, I flew Delta Airlines for the first time and realised first-hand how painful it is to have an airport that is not efficient at all. Was forced to miss a flight, and after 20+ hours of travelling, that was not very pleasant! Apart from that initial encounter, my cousin's wedding in North Carolina was a blast, I saw the community she was in, her friends that she used to hang out with all the time (she moved to another state a couple of years back) and I loved how spontaneous and open-minded the Americans were. Even American Asians! At the wedding's after party held at my cousin's new place, we actually danced OUTSIDE on the patio, under some lights. It seemed like a fairytale. Someone actually asked me to dance barefoot. I tried but it was seriously too cold!

 I actually thought to myself, wow, I could live here. Even though I would have to drive out to get food, even if it's a world away from Singapore, even if I had to start from zero.

Flew to Boston to meet my friend Jimmy and his girlfriend Natalie. Jimmy is a dear friend of mine since NTU days and he's the same age as me but already bought his own HOUSE and is renting a few rooms out as extra income. I was seriously envious. Here in Singapore, we can't even afford a place of our own, and even if we could afford some of the newer HDB flats, we aren't able to buy them because we have to be 35 and above... We had some really amazing seafood, oysters and clam chowder (mmmm clam chowdah) and I really enjoyed just walking all around Boston, not knowing if we were heading in the right direction or not.

Until I caught a cold. Thank you for your prolonged, coldest winter in years, Boston.



New York was a bit of a downer for me with that runny/blocked nose and feeling tired all the time, but I really tried to visit all that I had set out to see. Clubs were absolutely craaazy. Seriously no inhibitions and people did whatever they wanted, some should just get a room and spare everyone else the trauma. In the club, guys actually tried chatting me up whenever I was alone! In Singaopre, they just dance behind you or suddenly grab you to dance with them. Sorry not interested lol.

Was in Soho shopping when I had people come up to me on the street saying "You're so pretty" or "Hello" and then walking away. Does that count as "cat-calling"? Anyway, there was one day I took a train alone into Brooklyn and thought I was going to get mugged. It was SO different.

Food was absolutely amazing in New York, apart from the occasional soup that I had to drink to warm myself from the cold. Chinese food portions are so big. I also found out that doctors are incredibly expensive here, and most people self-medicate. Problem is, the off-the-shelf medicine didn't help with my cold much, I think I was sick for 7 days.

Cycling in Central Park is something I would definitely recommend everyone try! Even though I was freezing I still did it, and went to feed the ducks (ala Blair Waldorf). Maybe that's why I didn't get better haha! By the end of the trip, I lost 1 side of a glove, 1 scarf and a hat. Well done at least I didn't lose anything super important. Please catch Book of Morman if you can it is hilarious!



The dream was over, I was back in Singapore. Back where I started, but more refreshed from the trip. I had tons of work to do which I totally immersed myself into. Had tons of deadlines to meet and things to learn since I was given more responsibility in certain areas. It was great.

Not long after, I met someone who made my heart race again, but it all felt one-sided. I think we had common interests and a natural curiosity for the world. It was great when we were together but when we were apart I just felt used. The signs were all there from the start but I chose to believe in the good of people. Needless to say, gut feelings are there for a reason, and I tore myself away. I still wonder what-if? But there would be no future with someone who is completely self-centered and un-compassionate. Knowing that only I feel the pain makes it easier to get over, somehow in its twisted logic.

As we approach the last 5 months of the year, I want to love myself more, to stop all this self-doubt and find something that makes me, me. The right one will come, eventually, when you're least expecting it. Until then, I will continue to do my best at work, at home, to be a great friend, colleague and family member.

I will be heading to KL for a business trip next week, with all the political instability going on, fingers crossed? Can't wait to head to Tokyo and Yokohama in a couple of weeks for my friend's wedding and a mini holiday! It seems like I am a much stronger person than I was at the beginning of the year, even though I don't look like it. Less tolerance to B*S* lol.

Thanks for all your support via tweets, emails or facebook, really appreciate them all :)
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