First things first, THANK YOU. Thank you all for your support and encouragements throughout my entire blogging journey – I am tremendously grateful and couldn’t ask for more.

Have been a very long time since my last giveaway and I have been finding the right moment – and what’s better than the month of May? In just 2 months, I got engaged and I am getting married very soon. And this space has hit 2,000,000 page views beginning this month.

I am very thankful to have come so far. And so, I am here today, to celebrate by sharing this little giveaway with all of you.

I took advantage of the recent Sephora 20% Members Discount to purchase all the gift sets/kits for this giveaway. I have included a skincare set for men too, just in case if you are a guy reading my blog or if you want to pamper your boyfriend/husband, feel free to enter for the Biotherm Homme Force Supreme Skincare Kit featuring anti-aging skincare items.

For this giveaway, I have included makeup kits, lots of skincare kits and haircare sets. Sadly, I haven’t tried most of them before but they sure look good and sound promising. Perhaps, you can tell me if they are awesome or not – if you have won the set? Or leave a comment below if you have tried them before.

Hope you don’t mind, I actually missed out some nailpolish kits – everything were out-of-stock when I went Sephora the other day and I had no time to visit Orchard. I hope you like the gift sets I have chosen and I hope you will find them helpful in one way or another.

Please read the rules, terms and conditions prior to participating.

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PRIZES FOR GIVEAWAY

There will be ten (10) winners for this giveaway, one (1) of the following gift sets/kits could be yours – all items are brand new;-

1. Urban Decay The Theodora Palette
2. Benefit The Bronze Of Champions
3. Laura Mercier Flawless Face Kit in Nude
4. Kate Somerville Blemish Banisher Kit
5. BareMinerals Cleanse, Hydrate & Renew Kit for Combination Skin
6. Biotherm Homme Force Supreme Skincare Kit for Men
7. Bamboo Smooth On-The-Go Travel Set
8. Bamboo UV+ Colour Protection On-The-Go Travel Set
9. Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel
10. Philosophy Thank You

RULES FOR PARTICIPATING

• Subscribe to this blog by entering your email address into the subscription box on your right (just below the calender). Or if you are a WordPress user, simply log into your account and click on the follow button on top of this page.
• Double your chances of winning by following me on Twitter and Instagram.
• Triple your chances of winning by linking back to this giveaway post if you have a blog.
• Simply fill up the form below with your particulars, tell me which gift set/kit you would like to win and why you would like to win it, click “submit” to enter giveaway.

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[contact-form]

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

• All entries must be submitted by 31 May 2013, Friday at 11:59pm UTC/GMT +8 hours.
• One (1) entry per person, per day.
• One (1) gift set/kit per entry.
• This giveaway is open to all readers and I will ship anywhere.
• Ten (10) winners will be chosen from all of the entries received by the deadline on 31 May 2013.
• Only completed entries will be considered.
• The winners will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
• Winners will be contacted through email; make sure your email address is correct, this is the only way I can contact you if you won.
• If the winner(s) cannot be contacted or does not respond within two (2) days, an alternate winner will be selected again.

DISCLAIMER

• This giveaway is not sponsored by any companies.
• I am not advertising for the company and/or the brand by giving away their products.
• All prizes included in this giveaway are purchased by myself, with my own money.

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GOOD LUCK

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Hello everyone, in this week’s Our Wedding Notes series, I would like to continue with a second part to Getting Into Shape I wrote about last week.

As the wedding day is getting closer and closer, I need some extra boost from everything I have mentioned previously. Besides watching my diet and taking exercising to the next level – courtesy of Clarins Singapore, I also stepped up the game with a brand new body treatment.

In Part 2, I would like to share my thoughts about the Clarins Skin Spa – from consultation, types of treatments I did, to my Clarins body care home kit and anything in between.

CLARINS SKIN SPA

Let’s start with an introduction of the Clarins Skin Spa, located conveniently at Wheelock Place, Orchard Road – whisk away from the busy streets to this tranquil space, a place I long to visit having heard so much about.

Tucked away at a cozy corner so to speak, I think the location is perfect for me with parking available in the building itself as well as an open car park directly opposite. It’s within walking distance and underpass links to ION, Isetan Scotts and TANGS Orchard – plenty of options for parking, shopping and eating.

For those who have not visited Clarins Skin Spa before, let me take you on a virtual tour.

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Once you enter Clarins Skin Spa, you can immediately feel the difference – the mixture of Clarins’ signature red ceiling, white linear display of products and lightings create a soothing ambient at the entrance. Not to mention you will also be greeted by all the friendly assistants.

I have walked in on several different occasions to inquire about their body treatment packages. Each time, I get greeted with a smile and the assistant always explains the packages to me patiently without being pushy like some other spas can be.

I am sure you may have experienced it before – I have walked into a few spas (which shall not be named) to inquire about their treatments, be it for body or face – their assistants are so pushy. They try to sell packages worth thousands and when I say no, they will try to push for packages of a lower value. And some of them even say nasty things like “I am sure you want to look good, right?”

Anyway, back to the virtual tour.

Clarins Skin Spa features a warm and restful Lounge – a waiting area before the treatment starts. Filled with reading materials and product sampling corners, hot and cold drinks are also available. A blend of warm down-lights, wooden ceiling and flooring together with white curtains and plush sofas, this space helps prep oneself for the upcoming treatment.

Clarins Skin Spa also features a Retail Space together with a Consultation Area where you can try and purchase their products directly off-the-shelf. I find it very convenient – after my treatment, I am able to purchase products to use at home.

Lastly, the spa also provides a cozy Touch-up Area for anyone who wishes to apply or touch-up their makeup after their treatments.

CONSULTATION

On the first visit to Clarins Skin Spa, there will be a consultation. During this consultation, the Beauty Therapist will go through a series of Q&A to find out what’s your main concerns.

Meet Candy Yong, my Beauty Therapist – she’s very friendly and honest. After the Q&A session, I shared my main concerns with her. Due to my frequent travels, late nights and hectic schedule, I get bloated and water retention easily. Because I have lost some weight and my wedding day is round the corner, I also need a little push to tone up – especially my arms.

During consultation, it’s best to be honest and frank about your concerns and expectations. If the therapist and yourself have the same mutual understanding, I find the results will be even better.

Having said that, I am also looking forward to a more defined body contour (because, ahem, I will be wearing a cheongsam and I need those curves).

Like I mentioned in this post, at Clarins Skin Spa, they only use exclusive formulas for the professionals for all their treatments (face and body).  This new generation of CLARINSPRO products are formulated by the brand’s laboratories. These high-performance formulas are specially created for the expert hands of the therapist trained in the Clarins Touch massage method.

Clarins offers a range of customized treatments. The picture you see above are three masks which targets your main concerns and three supplements which addresses your secondary concerns.

For example, if you have just given birth and would like to firm up your tummy – the Firming Body Cream Mask will help together with the Contouring Body Supplement. Candy has prescribed the Body Contouring Cellulite Control Gel-Mask and Firming Body Supplement for my concerns.

Unfortunately, the range of CLARINSPRO products are not available for sale. But no worries, Clarins has a series of products for us to use at home.

After confirming the type of treatments I will be getting based on the Q&A and my main concerns, Candy recommended a few products I can use at home. These products can help to further enhance results of the treatments and maintain the effects for a longer time.

Like skincare for our faces, I believe our bodies need the same amount of attention too, right?

Candy also taught me a few massaging techniques to help products penetrate into the skin better. Like mini facial massages I do at home, now my body gets its own set of unique Clarins Touch massages too.

TREATMENTS

Clarins Skin Spa provides a wide range of face and body treatments depending on your concerns. For me, I was provided two types of treatments, namely;-

• The NEW Clarins Body Lift Sculptor Treatment which targets water retention, cellulite, contouring and slimming.
• And The Polisher which includes a 100% natural high-performing body scrub based on white jasmine, lavender and plant essential oils that deeply purifies the skin with double exfoliation benefits.

Before I go into more details of the treatments, I would like to show you some pictures of the treatment rooms.

There are 12 treatment rooms in total and 5 of them are equipped with an attached shower (featuring Hansgrohe mixers) which helps facilitate treatments that requires showering – for example, The Polisher. Every room features a serene sky cloud ceiling lens panel which provides a calming atmosphere for treatments.

To complete the brand’s philosophy and values, each treatment room is named after plants or herbs.

One last element that really impresses me is – each room is equipped with an mp3 player which we can plug into our smart phones to play our favourite music during the treatment. Sadly, I have no music in my phone to try this feature out but I enjoy the relaxing music they have.

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The NEW Clarins Body Lift Sculptor Treatment starts off with a CLARINSPRO Peeling Lotion to help cleanse and prep our skin for upcoming treatment. It is like toner so to speak, a little cooling. After applying the Peeling Lotion, the therapist will apply warm oil to hands and feet – this helps to calm the mind and body, followed with a breathing exercise.

Starting from the leg, the therapist uses a “contouring conditioning” technique to massage the products into the skin and finish off with a localised wrap to aid product absorption rate. This treatment takes approximately 60 minutes – timing is perfect, I didn’t feel that it was too long, neither too short.

The Polisher also starts off with a CLARINSPRO Peeling Lotion and it takes approximately 60 minutes including a shower. This treatment is usually done before the former and it is advisable that one shouldn’t shower and let the product settle into the skin for at least 2 hours post-treatment.

MY EXPECTATIONS

To be absolutely honest with you, I have done several kinds of slimming treatments before with other brands/companies. I have been to treatments which requires cold wraps, heat blankets and rolling machines.

My past experiences with slimming treatments have pretty much left a scar in my heart. When I think of slimming treatments, it’s always uncomfortable and painful. I shivered in cold wraps and sweated in heat blankets. Rolling machines “sucks” the flabby parts of my body and left bruises on my arms and thighs.

I didn’t know what to expect when Clarins Singapore offered me this chance to experience their new treatment. And I wasn’t sure if there are going to be any significant results to document.

MY CLARINS BODY HOME CARE KIT

How many of you neglect you body by not providing it with proper care? I am surely guilty of that – it’s ironic because I take better care of my face. I scrub, mask and moisturize but when it comes to my body, it’s always “I will do it tomorrow,” or whenever I feel like it.

The five products above have been keeping me fully occupied during the past 1.5 months.

I totally hooked onto Eau Dynamisante Invigorating Spray – I adore the smell so much, I keep one on my dressing table, one beside my bed and a back-up (just in case). This is a fragrance and body treatment in one spa-fresh formula. I love the scent so much, I even spray it on my bedsheets.

This invigorating aroma for women and men, moisturises, firms and tones with essential oils of Lemon, Patchouli, Petit Grain, Ginseng and White Tea. The non-photosensitising formula is safe enough to wear in the sun and the perfect partner to Eau Dynamisante Moisturising Body Lotion – which I have yet to try.

Let me briefly go through these products with you in this post – let me know if you want a more detailed write up about them or if you have any questions, pop them below and I will try to answer them.

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CLARINS SMOOTHING BODY SCRUB
S$60, 200ml

I redeemed my member’s points for the first tube of Clarins Smoothing Body Scrub last year and I have finished it in January. I bought another tube recently and I love their new packaging – it’s so much more luxe and chic with the award-winning cap design, don’t you think?

Candy, my Clarins Beauty Therapist suggests exfoliating twice every week. In the past, I only do so once a week or twice a month but looking at her smooth skin, I better start scrubbing.

This creamy body scrub contains smoothing Natural Bamboo Powders to casts-off rough, flaky surface cells and impurities. It’s gentle and makes my skin a nice and smooth. Mimosa and Shea Extracts help moisturize the skin and with regular exfoliating, skin can absorb all goodness of the products that follows.

CLARINS “ANTI-EAU” BODY TREATMENT OIL
S$78, 100ml

This Clarins “Anti-Eau” Body Treatment Oil is highly recommended by Candy. I am sure we are all aware that Clarins houses fantastic treatment oils – their Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil is one of my all time favourites.

This body treatment oil smells amazing and it’s roughly how Clarins Skin Spa smells like (to me). This energising body oil contains 100% pure plant extracts including Broom, Geranium and Marjoram – and it helps eliminate toxins to streamline skin and prevent sponginess. Hazelnut Oil locks in moisture, leaving skin soft, toned and satiny-smooth.

The proper way of applying this oil is to apply a small amount to dry or damp skin, from the ankles up to the waist. Lightly massage and follow with a cool shower if possible. I have totally missed out the cool shower in the past and I still don’t do it often (being lazy at night). But I tried it once and the feeling is very different – I felt “lighter” immediately.

CLARINS BODY LIFT CELLULITE CONTROL*
S$88, 200ml

Newly launched, this Clarins Body Lift Cellulite Control smoothes, firms and refines the skin.

This product is lightly scented and the soft, light pink gel-cream spreads over the skin like a dream. Upon contact with the skin, there’s a very notable cooling sensation which I adore. Skin seems smooth and hydrated after application. And after using it for the past 1.5 months, I noticed the texture of my skin is a lot smoother with less bumpiness on the thighs.

I also noticed some lifting effects after using this product – the effects get more pronounced after the 1 month mark.

However, there’s something I don’t quite like about it – after applying this gel-cream and when I massage another cream over, I experienced flaky/rubbery residue. It gets messy whenever I try to do that. To counteract this problem, instead of massaging another cream over, I apply in a quick, upwards stroke movement – with this method, no flaky/rubbery residue at all.

CLARINS BODY SHAPING CREAM
S$87, 200ml

Lastly, to complete my body home care kit, I apply the Clarins Body Shaping Cream.

I purchased this cream last year and since then they have changed the packaging – much sleeker in appearance. This cream is lightweight yet rich and creamy in texture. A little goes a long way – it helps to boost micro-circulation and reduce stubborn curves. It also firms the skin, hydrates and leaves it feeling soft and smooth.

IMPRESSIONS

Till this date, I have been to three Clarins Body Lift Sculptor Treatment and one The Polisher. I have one more set left next week and so far, I am very happy with the results.

The Body Lift Sculptor Treatment is the most relaxing slimming treatment I have ever been to. It’s like a body massage but filled with slimming benefits. The pressure Candy used on me is not painful and the process is smooth and seamless.

After my first Body Lift Sculptor Treatment, I felt lighter, my skin is well moisturized (in fact, I find it a little too oily because of the humid Singapore weather) and my skin feels tighter, less flabby. The morning after my first treatment was beyond my expectations because my arms look firmer and tighter – I was truly amazed.

Can you imagine? I woke up to firmer and tighter arms overnight!

The results after my first treatment lasted for approximately 1 week. After my second and third Body Lift Sculptor Treatment, I felt that the results are longer lasting – and I have gotten used to the layers of products on my skin after the treatments. It has been 1.5 weeks since my last treatment and my body still looks toned and feels lifted.

I also feel that this treatment helps to detox – could be due to the massaging techniques.

Overall, I am very impressed with the treatments I have done so far. I may continue the treatments on my own even after the wedding, perhaps once a month to help maintain my body shape. To me, not only the treatments are impressive, I am very happy with the nicely renovated interior spaces, treatment rooms and the level of service at the Clarins Skin Spa.

My treatments also include a very brief 2 minutes bust massage (optional) with their Bust Beauty Firming Lotion. For those who wishes for something more compelling, you may want to try their Bust & Décolleté Beauty Treatment instead.

I hope this post has been helpful and that you are enjoying this series of Our Wedding Notes so far.

Days and nights have became even shorter recently as we are putting together all the finishing touches for our wedding which is happening very, very soon. I haven’t had time and chance to play with many summer collections too – but I am very happy I am able to share this special journey with all of you here, on this blog.

I highly recommend checking out the range of body treatments at Clarins Skin Spa – brides-to-be or not, we deserve some pampering. Together with a well balanced diet, regular exercise and proper products to use at home, I feel that the Body Lift Sculptor Treatment really works hand-in-hand to help enhance my body shape.

Strange enough, my weight hasn’t gone down much – maybe 1 or 2kg since I started my whole new lifestyle program (diet, exercising and body treatments) but I look slimmer for sure.

I can do it, you can do it – we can all do it. Happy weekend.

Thank you for reading.

Hello everyone, today, I would like to talk about the Lancôme Génifique Yeux Light-Pearl™ Eye-Illuminating Youth Activator – which I have been using on and off for the past 6-8 months.

It usually takes me a long time to review skincare especially products for the eyes because sometimes, it’s really difficult to judge. Say if I don’t have severe dark circles during that month of testing, I won’t be able to experience the product’s full potential and I don’t want to jump into conclusion to say the product is fantastic or simply blah.

After several months and rounds of trying, I am ready to review this eye serum and I must say, I enjoy using it.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

The Lancôme Génifique Yeux Light-Pearl™ Eye-Illuminating Youth Activator launched last year and all the technical details can be found in this post. In a nutshell, this eye serum helps to reduce puffiness, dark circles, loss of firmness and wrinkles; and also makes eyes appear more open, brighter and more youthful.

On the box, it states “Adjust the dose of formula by turning the pearl along the bottle neck.” and this is important because you don’t want too much product – 10 rounds seem to be a good number.

PACKAGING

Comes in a palm size glass bottle, I find it quite handy to store. I am glad that the opaque silver bottle is not a fingerprint magnet. When held against the light, I can briefly see the remains of product inside.

However, could be due to the product’s formula – after a while, there’s build up around the bottle’s opening which I usually wipe off with a clean, dry tissue. Not a major problem, could be due to swirling of the applicator.

Speaking of the applicator, I love it. This is probably one of the easiest tool to maneuver around the eye area.

The oblong stainless steel applicator is smoothened with diamond powder and is used for surgical instruments due to its hygienic properties. This applicator also boasts the unique feature of a 50° rotation angle, allowing for a high degree of suppleness on application, lightly gliding over skin, making it perfectly suited to the eye contour area.

FORMULA & APPLICATION

Formula of this Lancôme Génifique Yeux Light-Pearl™ Eye-Illuminating Youth Activator is rather weightless. It’s like thicken water; thick enough not to sip into the eyes and watery enough to glide onto the eye area with minimum effort.

Because this eye serum comes with an applicator for application and massage, it’s important to pick up an appropriate amount – and with that, the serum takes some time to dry down; which means, there’s plenty of time for massaging before the product gets absorbed.

Even with massaging, the product doesn’t get fully absorbed. There’s a finishing move to the entire massaging ritual which consists of your fingers. This video shows the application steps – which I am guilty of not following/completing. I usually skip the steps in between and move on to the finishing touches with my fingers.

Upon contact with the stainless steel applicator, there’s a cooling sensation – I particularly love this feeling, it’s so refreshing. The cooling sensation disappears towards end and that’s when I know it’s time to proceed to the next step.

I find the oblong shape applicator helpful as it provides just the right amount of pressure point (it also depends on how much pressure you apply, I use very gentle pressure) to release tension around the eyes. The shape also fits around smaller areas – in between nose bridge and inner corner of the eyes.

OVERVIEW

There are many things I like about this eye serum. First, the lightweight texture – it get’s absorbed into the skin without a sticky residue which is perfect for day use.

Then, I am very happy with the applicator because it’s so easy to use as compared to other types of applicators for the eyes many brands have eye creams with attached applicators, I have tried a few but none perform as smoothly as this but it could also be due to the consistency of the product.

Whichever way, the brand has made the pairing (formula and applicator) flawless.

This eye serum acts as a booster and can be used alone or under an eye cream. For me, I use it alone during the day and layer an eye cream over at night. I love using this in the morning, especially when I am very tired because the cooling applicator and massaging technique helps to wake up my eyes.

My eyes look brighter and less puffy almost immediately. This is a winner on my SOS list. To explore this product further, I use it along my laugh lines too – results are not as significant as compared to the eye area.

I guess with constant use and proper massaging techniques, one can achieve younger looking eye area but for me, first thing I noticed is the reduction of my puffy eyes followed with brighter eyes. I noticed very mild improvements on my fine lines but my eye area did appear smoother.

Have you tried the Lancôme Génifique Yeux Light-Pearl™ Eye-Illuminating Youth Activator yet? And will you?

Thank you for looking.

Hello everyone, today, I have the Chanel Le Blanc Pearl Light Brightening Loose Powder SPF 10 PA+ in 10 Cristalline for you. A few readers have been requesting for a review. Am sorry I took so long, my thoughts are finally ready.

Le Blanc Pearl Light Brightening Loose Powder SPF 10 PA+ retails at S$80 for 10g of product, made in France whereby the Natural Finish Loose Powder retails at S$75 for 30g of product, also made in France. The significant difference in pricing vs quantity between the two is somewhat, major. And has sparked the curiosity in me, to find out why and how I can maximize its usage – other than setting my foundation.

In this post, I hope to share my thoughts about this product, how I use it and how it may work for you – I hope it will be helpful.

Before I start with my own definitions, I would like to share a little product description extracted from the brand’s website.

The fine pearl is the model of perfection and translucency that inspired the creation of the LE BLANC ritual.

The fine and airy texture of the Loose Powder ideally sets off the makeup and leaves the skin comfortable. Containing Pure White Mineral Ceramic Pigments, the Loose Powder gives the complexion a sheer pearl glow radiance.

Day after day, the Liquorice Extract regulates melanin production. The Pearl Extract corrects dull and yellow-toned skins, illuminates and is known for its hydration property.

The complexion looks as pure and translucent as a fine pearl. An SPF 10 / PA+ protects the skin from the sun’s harmful rays.

The Powder is available in a delicate pearly white shade that provides a soft velvety touch of light.

Chanel

Presented in a similar form of packaging as the Natural Finish Loose Powder, the Le Blanc Pearl Light Brightening Loose Powder comes in white polished cap and is shorter in height. I love the silver Chanel debossed emblem. The white packaging looks clean and classy – very well in line with their Le Blanc skincare range.

The Le Blanc Pearl Light Brightening Loose Powder comes with the most luscious and lavish powder puff, it’s soft and velvety – feels extra gentle on the skin.

Infused with fine pearl and skin caring properties, this loose powder is ultra finely milled and smooth. Upon contact with skin, the powder almost literally melts into the skin – leaving a velvety veil of light. The powder is very lightly scented along the line of Le Blanc de Chanel Sheer Illuminating Base but less intense.

This loose powder sparkles under any form of light, be it natural or artificial. Under natural sunlight, you will be able to spot the beautiful multi-coloured shimmer dancing in the light. Under artificial lighting, the shimmer glistens in every angle.

I hope I managed to capture the glowing pearl properties in these sets of pictures. Swatches below are relatively heavy – the white powder blends into my skin tone effortlessly without leaving a white cast.

However, be sure you “massage” the product into the puff prior to applying onto the face – you wouldn’t want too much shimmer on one spot, neither do you want a white patch on your face. Besides using the ultra plush puff, you may opt to use a powder brush instead.

Personally, I prefer using a brush.

With the brush, tap off any excess before apply. Instead of swiping it onto the face, roll the brush from left to right – this will help set foundation without messing it up and this will also prevent any unsightly fall outs.

I have tried using this loose powder to set my foundation, all over the face. The overall effect is not as evident as you and I would imagine but rather like a very luminous foundation under day light – similar to Clé de Peau BEAUTÉ Refining Fluid Foundation. Both provides a glowy complexion.

It didn’t make me shine like a disco ball, neither did it make me look oily and greasy. It’s natural and doesn’t enhance lines or pores.

I have done a quick comparison with other shimmery loose powders I have in my stash and they are;-

1. Clé de Peau BEAUTÉ Translucent Loose Powder
2. Giorgio Armani Micro-Fil™ Loose Powder in 0 Porcelain
3. Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder Quartet Air Sensation in 5 Soft White
4. Chanel Le Blanc Pearl Light Brightening Loose Powder in 10 Cristalline

Note that I have swatched them very heavily on my arm to show colour. All pictures taken under natural day light without flash.

I find that loose powders like Giorgio Armani Micro-Fil™ Loose Powder, Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder Quartet Air Sensation and Chanel Le Blanc Pearl Light Brightening Loose Powder, they subtly adjust foundation shades 0.5 to 1 tone lightly. If your foundation is slightly darker, you might want to use powders like such for correction.

For people with deeper skin tones, I reckon you need the smallest amount and use it sparingly. For those with light to medium skin tones, you can pull it off very easily.

Depending on the look I want to create and the sort of “event” I am attending, this Chanel Le Blanc Pearl Light Brightening Loose Powder comes in handy. I am aware that the shimmers may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it adds radiance and luminosity to the complexion.

Let me share with you the few ways I use it;-

• All over the face to set my foundation – this powder doesn’t provide much coverage and I feel the oil control is almost nonexistent; best to be worn over a semi-matte foundation.
• Use it as a finishing powder after setting foundation with loose powder that is – load product up with a big fluffy brush and lightly dust over entire face for that luminous glow, effects is similar to Diorskin NUDE Glow in 003 First Light but a little more define.
• Use it as a highlighter – the effects as a highlighter is very subtle and natural; apply it to cheek bones, brow bones, chin and bridge of nose to capture light and glow.
• Use it over a sunscreen during a beach vacation – because this loose powder is so lightweight and translucent, you will look as if your complexion has the most natural healthy glow.
• Use it on the body after lotion – prepping for an important day? Wearing a low neck or tube dress? Lightly pat a small and even amount over body for that irresistible glow but make sure your body lotion is dry to avoid looking patchy. Great for arms and legs.
• Apply it to center of the face only for immediate brightening results; the concept is similar to using a lighter foundation or darker foundation along perimeter of the face. This is one of my favourite ways to use shimmery loose powders.
• Use it under the eyes to brighten up and give tired eyes a lift – now, this is subjective and this loose powder is not exactly the same as Benefit Powderflage. This method is good for those with sunken eye contours or eye bags. Watch this video to find out how.

With all that being said, personally, I don’t feel that this loose powder is a must have. But there are many ways to use it if you have already purchased it.

Thank you for looking.

Hello everyone, here comes another installment of Our Wedding Notes.

In this post, I wish to talk about Getting Into Shape – this is one of the most important topic for me thus I have separated it into a few parts. A few readers have emailed me regarding weight lost after reading this post, I hope you will find some answers in this series of posts.

In Part 1, I will share with you some tips on my diet, having a fitness plan, setting realistic expectations, joining the gym and finding a personal trainer.

MY DIET

People say, “you are what you eat” and yes, I totally agree. I was never very health conscious to begin with and the lifestyle I have is pretty impossible to eat healthy food every meal. Most of the time, packing food is the quickest and most convenient way to settle hunger.

Some of you may know, around this time last year – I hit 60kg on the weighing scales. If you are wondering what’s the problem? I am only 155cm tall and that is the problem. Based on basic calculation, my BMI is borderline overweight and that was my wake up call.

I knew my weight was going up – I wouldn’t use the word “fat” but rather, plump. I am more clumsy and I get tired easily. I also get out of breath just walking – note, shopping doesn’t count! I grew out of my usual clothes, baggy and loose-fitting clothes became my only options – and I am always in blazers or cardigans because I feel uneasy with sleeveless tops.

This can’t go on huh? I need to start making some changes and I need to start somewhere – I chose to start with my diet.

Controlling my diet was a huge challenge and it still is – because I love food, I love potatoes, bread and rice. I love curry chicken, chicken rice, mee rebus, laksa, prata, fried kway teow. You name it, I am up for all sorts of hawker food, they are the best.

I practiced portion control to begin with – I cut down on the amount of food I eat by about 30% and I started having breakfast regularly.

I “feast” during lunch, usually a proper portion and instead of having a “full-sized” dinner, I have a “kid’s meal” with fruits. Or sometimes, if I am home, I have meal replacement shakes for dinner together with some fruits – usually guavas or apples.

If I am hungry in between, I snack on walnuts, dried cranberries and dates. No supper. No food after 8pm and no unhealthy snacks. It was difficult because if I sleep late, I tend to get hungry after 10pm and that’s considered supper. There were sleepless nights because I was hungry but once I got used to the routine of having earlier dinners and no supper, I am good now.

Personally, I don’t believe in “no-carbohydrate diet” because it’s so difficult to maintain. Don’t get me wrong, they are people I know who have went through a “no-carbohydrate diet” and look fantastic. It’s just me, I love my carbohydrates too much to give up.

I believe in striking a balance and eating in moderation. Too much of anything is not good.

With just portion control, a more balanced and healthy diet, I was able to knock off 7kg by end of last year. I am very happy with the results and I am able to maintain my diet up till today.

HAVING A FITNESS PLAN

What’s next? For me, after loosing some weight, it’s time for some exercise because I feel lighter and more energetic – I need to start toning up.

I am a very structured person, I like to plan my meetings, appointments and everything months in advance. The screenshot above, is my actual schedule in April – sorry, I intentionally blurred out some “classified” appointments. The purple sports shoe icons you see, are days I go for training.

Having a fitness plan helped me as I can block the hours off and focus. Without a plan, I honestly don’t think I will exercise as often.

Build up your fitness plan slowly. Start from having 1 day per week dedicated for exercising and increase to 2 days, then to 3 days – remember not to overwork your body. Start with something simple like walking for 30 minutes or jogging for 20 minutes. Add 10 push-ups along the way and do some crunches.

On days when I have some extra time, I go to the gym at my apartment, just to sweat out. I usually walk on the treadmill (set on gradient of 8 or 9 with the speed of about 5km/h) for about 20 minutes.

Swim if you prefer – I am horrible at swimming.

SETTING REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

I wish for legs like Blake Lively and abs like Gwen Stefani – it’s possible, definitely achievable but the amount of effort a celebrity puts into achieving their body shape is much more than I can – at the moment. It’s good if you have a particular body shape you adore to work towards.

When I embarked onto this whole Getting Into Shape journey, I didn’t have much expectations because I thought I couldn’t even get pass the first month. As time goes by and when I see improvements, I long for more and I push myself further. And I guess that’s the way to go huh?

It’s great to have expectations and it can be – loose x amount of weight in 3 months or able to run 5km in 6 months.

There is nothing wrong setting expectations but be realistic. I remember setting a ridiculous goal when I was in High School and of course, even before I reached the goal, I almost fainted. So that’s not good.

During my teenage years, I get upset flipping through magazines. I see models with superb body in bikinis and on the runway – I wish I have the height and body too but we are all “built” differently, we all have an individual and unique frame. And I have learnt to embrace my very own.

Mak always jokes and say “They may have a beautiful and sexy body but you never know, maybe they have horrible body odour or bad breath?” That makes me laugh all the time.

JOINING THE GYM

Depending on your lifestyle and personal preference, joining the gym can be a great “upgrade” so to speak. There are many gyms situated around town area or neighborhood malls. Some are quite convenient to get to. A gym has more facilities and classes that you can choose from.

Of course, they are many specialized yoga studios too – if you prefer bikram or pilates.

I have tried yoga and bikram before but I still feel more comfortable at the gym – for now. I have friends who joined pilates and love it, and I have friends who signed up for dancing classes as a form of gyming.

No matter what you choose, be comfortable with it, don’t commit until you are serious (monthly membership fees add up and you don’t want to waste that money). And don’t join because your friends keep saying it’s good. Find out yourself by exploring, inquire for trial sessions.

I am now at True Fitness with a Personal Trainer.

Initially, I get very self conscious about myself and the surroundings. I often turn around to see if anyone is looking at me or am I doing it right. The “shyness” in me went away after 1 week if I am not wrong. I don’t care about the people around me anymore.

In fact, the people around motivates me and that’s important.

FINDING A PERSONAL TRAINER

Yes, engaging a Personal Trainer can be quite costly because most trainers are tied to a fitness club and in order to engage them, you have to be a member of the club.

But I tell you, this is one of the best things I have done with no regrets. I enjoy every session with my Personal Trainer, Juliana Ngadimin. She is my sister’s friend and a senior trainer at True Fitness Great World City. She fully customized my training program and teach proper techniques.

There is always a variety of workout for me each time I train.

Finding a Personal Trainer can also be a challenge. For me, I prefer a female trainer who motivates and pushes me. Juliana is friendly but at the same time, she “demands” I get it done, there’s no short cut and if I didn’t do a step properly, that doesn’t count – I love it.

An ultimate workout session is the Circuit Training she puts together for me – which usually includes 5-6 varieties of exercises (from arms, abs to legs) and we do it two to three rounds depending on how fast I can finish 1 round – to be honest, I have never done more than 3 rounds.

It’s tough. Seriously. Each time she demonstrates, it looks so easy – in my heart I will be laughing “ah, that’s easy, I can do it”. Not true. The easier she made it look, the more difficult it is.

Due to the lack of motivation in me, having a Personal Trainer helped a lot. I am more focused and I could see the results in just a short period of time. Whenever I think of having a Big Mac, I think of all the sweat and pain during that 1 hour of training.

That’s all for today’s post and I hope I helped in one way or another. This is only the beginning and I am looking forward to more beautiful changes to my body – even after the wedding.

With a healthier diet and regular exercise for the past 3 months, I feel “younger”, healthier and definitely more agile. I am more energetic – Mak noticed all these changes and I think I have inspired him to workout too. He goes to the gym and watches YouTube videos to exercise.

Good luck to all of you who are trying to shed a few pounds. Remember, when it comes to food, it’s always quality over quantity. When it comes to exercising and facing obstacles, it’s mind over body.

Thank you for reading.