Yummy tom yum instant noodles

Honestly, I just found the yummiest tom yum instant noodles ever! I love thai food especially tom yum soup because of the heat and sourness from it. Love love love!

I found this yummy instant noodles at NTUC and honestly I have no idea what the brand is since all I see are the thai characters, so maybe the brand is FF???

 

Like any other instant noodles, it comes with a pack of seasoning and a small pack of chilli oil. Not sure if you can notice from the picture below that the noodles is actually of a smaller size than Myojo. I have no issue with this smaller size of noodles as I always cannot finish 1 packet of Myojo. With this FF tom yum instant noodles, I can finish all the noodles and even the soup because it is just so yummy!

I added some meat balls into the boiling water, followed by the noodles and egg (drooling........) and the seasoning. After boiling for about 2 minutes, the noodles can finally be served and I also added a bit of the chilli oil to get the extra kick. :). I am not sure about you but I like my noodles Q and firm thus I only like to boil the noodles for only 2 minutes such that when I serve it in a bowl, it will be slightly hard. This way, when the noodles are cooling down in the down for a minute or so (so that it will not be so hot to burn my tongue), the texture is just nice.

Check out the noodles here..... still firm and Q

 

1 pack with 5 packets of the FF instant noodles is $1.45 and now NTUC is having a promotion of 2 packs for $2.45, so grab them if you like tom yum like I do.

Hauls from HK (while I am still in Sin)

Yes, you saw the title right.... the hauls were from HK but I was in Singapore because the shopping was not done by me but by my close colleague who went HK and Taiwan for holiday. I am very conscious about troubling my friends to help me get stuffs from overseas as they should be enjoying their holiday and not doing my shopping but I am really blessed to meet really nice friends who always offer to help get my stuffs. Thank you Levon!!

 

Shu Uemura eyeshadows ME850, 700, Laura Mercier loose setting powder, NARS eyeshadow duo in Tzarine, MAC eyeshadows in Gleam, Satin Taupe

NARS is the only brand which I hauled that is not available in Singapore. I know their blushers are also highly raved by various beauty forums and bloggers, but I am not quite adventurous in terms of blushers (in fact, I am hardly adventurous in terms of eyeshadows also, haha) so anyway, I chose this eyeshadow duo mainly because it's not the usual neutrals that I have always been using and yet the colour is not too strong. It's a palette of shimmery beige and shimmery cool toned grey (looking a bit navy blue at some angle) which is just lovely.

Laura Mercier loose setting powder needs no introduction. It is like the holy grail of loose powder, just do a google on this and you will find list of sites raving about this powder. Fortunately for us in Singapore, Laura Mercier is available in True Colours situated at Takashimaya Shopping Centre (basement 1). But unfortunately for us as well, the sales people in True Colours SUCKS. They are always stalking you like some gold carrot and insist that their house brand IZU is better. I went in last year wanting to get the loose powder and they had to convince and convince that their IZU loose powder is better. And stupid me, actually tried and ended up buying their house brand. But alas, it was not good! Even though, it claims to be translucent, I look like a ghost applying it. I only used it 2 - 3 times and it is now left at the corner of my cosmetic drawer. Total waste of money!

The remaining 4 eyeshadows are permanent products which are easily available in Singapore obviously but I have heard that Shu Uemura is much cheaper in HK (it costs $32 per eyeshadow in Singapore!) I wanted to get ME 700 (the metallic purple shade) sometime back and it was out of stock! Damn popular colour, can???

Hauling is always something happy, don't you think? Just looking at them brings a smile to my face, haha. I have only started using MAC Satin Taupe and the rest are still looking good and brand new! :)

The Karate Kid

Honestly, this movie is named wrongly. It should be called 'The Kung Fu Kid' because according to Jackie Chan in the show, he is teaching Jaden Smith REAL KUNG FU. Thus the title is totally wrong! Haha.

This show is pretty long in my opinion at 140 minutes as there were moments during the movie whereby I am wondering why is this show not ending yet. As usual, typical of any movies starring Jackie Chan, we can expect smooth kung fu moves from him as well as interesting dialogues. What is interesting about this movie is also the setting, which is in China. In contrast to most shows whereby we see a foreigner in Amercia who is being bullied big time by the local baddie student, the opposite happens here. Jaden Smith is a American student in China (who is there due to his mum's job in China) and was bullied by the local boys who happen to be taking kung fu lessons from a nasty kung fu instructor. Could this be a sign that America is losing it's power as world's No. 1?

As usual in any show with kung fu content, the message behind learning kung fu is to defend the weak, strengthen your health and maintain peace. It should not be used to bully the weak and do harm to others. I think this show has a lot of hidden meanings in it which is worth watching, BUT not on the big screen. Renting a DVD is more than sufficient. At times when you get a bit bored, you can still pause the show, grab a nap and come back to it again. :)

PS: Is there something wrong with Blogger??? I can't seems to load any pics!

Skinny Pizza @ Wheelock Place

I have heard Skinny Pizza many times but have been wondering what's unique about this. Finally, for a gathering and L's belated birthday celebration, we headed to Skinny Pizza at Wheelock Place for lunch. We tried calling earlier to make a table reservation but they do not accept reservation, thus for you guys out there who is interested in trying this, please be patient and queue. :)

If you are thinking this is like a italian pizza with a thin crust, you are right and wrong at the same time. Right that the crust is thin but wrong that the crust is not the typical dough type. In fact, the crust is so crispy that it reminds me of fried wantan skin. We ordered a few items: mushroom soup, spinach & egg pizza, English breakfast pizza and lobster linguine.

Mushroom soup

Spinach & egg pizza

Sorry that there were only 2 pics of the food we ordered as we were already consuming the food before I realised that I have yet to take pics of it!!!

One thing for sure is the pizza does not taste like the normal italian pizzas, which has a nice twist to it. Price wise I would say it is not as friendly as it's not exactly filling (I fill un-hungry but not full, if you get what I mean) as a pizza typical ranges between $18 - $24. A must-try is the lobster linguine which is absolutely heavenly. Lobster is fresh and the linguine seems to be tossed in olive oil and herbs which tastes fabulous. Tried the mushroom soup but I didn't quite like it as it taste weird, I think because there is truffle oil in it, much prefer the cheaper type of mushroom soup. Haha.

Customer service wise is pretty decent as the waitress gave us her recommendation on what are the recommended food on the menu and they are friendly and smiley. They also responded pretty quickly towards our requests to have our water topped up and clearing of our plates.

For you guys out there who prefer a different type of pizzas, this is a good place to try. However, if you are looking for food to satisfy your cravings or hunger, I would not recommend this place.

Not sure if I am the only one who feels this way but the size of Burger King's double patty burger has shrink!!! I still remember years ago when I cannot finish a double mushroom swiss burger and BC has to finish up for me and today, I can finish up a double mushroom swiss and still feel hungry!!!!

Gosh.... What has the world come to?? Noodles at hawker centre no longer cost $2 but $3.50 or $4 and cost of groceries are just going up, up, up! Man.... No wonder people are complaining about the increasing cost of living but pay are just not increasing at the same rate.....

Have I complained about the freaking hot and stuffy weather yet??? This is bad..... I need my aircon NOW!!

Just a random post after seeing this cute video. The cat is so fat and cute!!!

Cat versus human

I cannot remember how I stumble upon this interesting blog, cat versus human. The blog writer, Yasmine is a very talented comic strip artist who is able to depict the behaviours and characteristics of cats and humans in an animated way which I totally love. Needless to say, she is also a cat lover, like me.

One strip which I find very true and cute is as follows:

Credit: cat versus human

My 3 kitties, especially LOVE the laptop and the books!!! For a while, Eden and Simba love the litter box, until I changed it to the current litter which they finally know that's the toilet and not their bed!!

For cat lovers, do check out this site and Yasmine will be releasing her first comic strips in book form in October! I am looking forward to it already.

My favourite eyeshadows (for now....)

I am not very adventurous when it comes to eyeshadows for a few reasons:-
1) For obvious reasons, my eye makeup skills is still pretty amateur-ish
2) I have the typical asian mono lids eyes which I find using too strong colours will make me look like a panda(or perhaps I have yet to master the skills to apply strong colours to my advantage)
3) I work in an environment whereby most ladies HARDLY put on any makeup, thus I do not want to look like the odd ball

Below shows the eyeshadows which I have been using pretty often and this labelled as my eyeshadows for now..... As you may notice, they consist of mainly neutrals or light and safe colours.

From left to right: Urban Decay Naked Palette, MAC eyeshadow Silver Ring, Shu Uemura P Purple 715, Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes RD 784, Lunasol Aurorize Eyes 02 Light Variation

Urban Decay Naked Palette needs no introduction....... I have previously blogged about it here. And all I can say is the texture, pigmentation and lasting power of this palette is impressive. Thus, it is no surprise that it is always out of stock at Sephora.

I like to pair Shu Uemura P Purple 715 and MAC Silver Ring together to create a light subtle, slightly smoky look usually on a Friday when the atmosphere at work is more relaxed and cheerful. As I apply MAC silver ring with MAC 217 (a fluffy blending brush), the intensity of the colour of this grey eyeshadow comes up softer and not as strong. Shu Uemura P Purple 715 was purchased like donkey years ago which I can't remember when but the pigmentation of Shu's eyeshadow are amazing that despite the neglect all these years, the colour can still stay on my oily lids for hours coupled with a eyeshadow primer.

Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes RD 784 and Lunasol Aurorize Eyes 02 Light Variation has very similar colour shades but I would say MM Jeweling Eyes RD784 leaned towards peachy coral whereas Lunasol Aurorize Eyes 02 Light Variation is a shimmery pink neutral palette. The lighter between the 2 palettes would be Lunasol, given the shimmery texture.

You may have noticed that 3 out of the 5 favourite eyeshadows of mine are palettes as I find mixing and matching of the colour shades are all in the same pot, pretty idiot proof, and not to mention they are travel friendly. :)

If anyone of you knows of any nice, adventurous colours that might suit my mono lids, do share with me! I do not want to stay neutral all the time!!!

Seeing the pan of Paul & Joe Pressed Powder

I finally see the pan of my Paul & Joe pressed powder, yeah!!! I almost thought I would never see the pan of it since I had only pan out on Chanel's or Fancl's 2 way foundation (I am more consistent in using 2 way foundation than liquid foundation and pressed powder combo).

Thanks to my makeup pal, Tracy who helped me got it during a sale at Isetan some time back, I finally got to try this pressed powder which Tracy has been raving to me for a while. As only shade 03 was on sale, I bite the bullet and got her to buy it for me hoping it would suit me and thank God, it was the perfect shade for me!

Seeing the pan, yeah yeah yeah!!

Paul & Joe pressed powder feels smooth on touch and has slight shimmer in it (as you may notice from the light specks in the picture below). Ladies with combination or oily skin may prefer their powder to have matte finish and I was one of them previously. However, I grew to like the slight shimmery effect it has on my combination skin, especially when I am 'zombified' and looking extremely tired. This powder immediately make my skin look brighter and more radiant without the 'oily' look. The texture of the powder is so smooth and fine that it helps to conceals my open pores as well. What can I say except 'I AM LOVING THIS POWDER!!!'.

 

Oh, for your information, it is not Paul & Joe case I am using as you may notice from the pictures and instead it is Anna Sui's. As both Paul & Joe and Anna Sui are from the same company, this could be the reason why the pan is a perfect fit in Anna Sui's case. :)

For you guys who would like to try out Paul & Joe pressed powder, they have revamped and came up with a newer version of the pressed powder called 'Pressed Powder Duo'. Similar to the older version of the pressed powder, it comes with the same fine and smooth texture with shimmers but you can see the shimmer at one side of the pan and matte version on the other side of the pan. This give ladies the option of using a mix of the shimmer and matte powder or only the matte powder.

Go try this powder out! This is definitely my HG pressed powder now.

Bao Today 包今天

Prior to watching 'The Lost Bladesman' at Marina Square a few days ago, me and BC had lunch at Bao Today 包今天. We have walked past Bao Today 包今天 numerous times but never got down to trying it thus we decided to give it a try.

We ordered Bao's XO noodles, siew mai, prawn dumplings, fried carrot cake and steamed egg custard buns (流沙包), chinese tea and teh c. Sorry that no pictures will be in this posting as I did not managed to take any pics (we were too hungry!!! lol). The serving portion of Bao's XO noodles is pathetic enough to make me think I am eating a kid's meal! It comes with a sunny side up, luncheon meat and some vegetable. It's basically dry instant noodles in XO sauce. The noodles is Q and firm but the XO sauce is a bit too salty for my liking.

The dim sums are on the other hand, GOOD *thumbs up*. The siew mai and prawn dumplings are big, fresh and succulent, even better than those served at Crystal Jade Kitchen. The fried carrot cakes are crispy which we absolutely love (some restaurants do not fry the carrot cakes enough and it ended up tasting soft and oily). The skin of steamed egg custard buns are thin and the filling is nice enough to taste the saltiness of the egg yolk and sweetness of the custard, a very well-balanced taste.

The only 'complaint' I had of Bao Today is that they do not have enough seats thus the walkway between the tables are a bit narrow. But other than that, the food are absolutely yummy!!!

Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Makeup Remover

I am reviewing  Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Makeup remover in this post after using it for close to 2 weeks. This is actually a random purchasee at Watson's some time back when there was some offer going on for it.

This is a gel-based makeup remover which you massaged onto your dry face (with your dry hands) and then rinse off. As you can see from the picture below, it is a clear gel and is fragrance free.

 

Although this product contains super hyaluronic acid which has twice the moisture retention capacity of hyaluronic acid, my skin ironically felt dry and tight after using it. I do not even experience such tightness when using Fancl's Mild Cleansing Oil. Typical of any normal makeup remover, it removes all traces of makeup nicely and thoroughly but however is unable to remove waterproof mascara and eyeliner. Although this cleanser claims to be fragrance free, it has a weird plastic smell to it which I loathe.

My personal review of this makeup remover is I would not repurchase and would rather spend another $10+ more for Fancl's Mild Cleansing oil.

The Lost Bladesman

I like movies starring Donnie Yen because his fighting scenes are really damn good. However, I have to say I am disappointed with the movie 'The Lost Bladesman'. Donnie Yen's moves are still good as usual but I personally find the storyline lack the depth. I feel like I am watching a romance show than anything else when it is supposed to be some history show. And the show was making me confused about the character of Cao Cao as he doesn't seems to be a bad guy at all (HELLO, I thought in Three Kingdom, Liu Bei is supposed to be the good guy and Cao Cao the bad guy?).

'Red Cliff' 赤壁 has really set the bar of a movie depicting historical events of Three Kingdom so well that I am sure many viewers already have a certain amount of expectations in their mind before watching any other shows. I guess this is what has happened to me, I thought I am supposed to be watching some movie similar to 'Red Cliff' only that Guan Yu is the main cast now but apparently it is vastly far away from that.

In any case, it is not a movie that I would not recommend, probably more of watching on rented DVD and not on the big screen.

Shaolin (movie)

My sister had been raving to me so much on the movie 'Shaolin' starring Andy Lau and Nicholas Tse but I was hesitant to watch it on the big screem given the riduclously high price of movie tickets nowadays, thus I only watched this show recently in the comfort of my humble lodge.

After watching this show, I summarise the 3 points that the movie want to bring across to the viewers are:-
1) Humans should be not too greedy
2) Retribution does happen to bad people. May not be to them but to their loved ones.
3) The most powerful gift you can give someone is forgiveness.

I totally agree that sometimes one should not be too greedy and I always believe some things you are meant to have or meant to be. There have been a few situations whereby I experienced that I am just not fated to have a certain item that no matter how hard to try to get it, it will just not be mine. As years go by, I have understood that this is God's way in telling me 'Save your $$$', haha. To me, as long as your greed not harm any other people as a result of it, I do not think it is an issue.

I believe in retribution. Sometimes I ask God why is it that some a**h*l** can do all they want at the expense of others and still go away scot free. At the point, I just feel life is so unfair and to this day, I still think life is never fair. However, God does have a way of punishing them, through retribution. It may not happen to them and can also happen onto their loved ones. Sorry if I sound like a bitch but I always rejoice when I know retribution happen to people who has done harm to me. This is because my philosophy in life is "Never do to others what you do not want others to do unto you", so if someone does something bad towards me, anything that happens to them is what they deserve, period.

Which brings me to the next point of forgiveness. It is hard to forgive someone who has done wrong to you. All the emotions of anguish and anger in the heart reminding you of what this person has done is just so strong and refusing to go off. There was once the priest in my parish was giving a homily during a Sunday mass and he said forgiveness is never easy because it takes a lot of LOVE to forgive someone who has done wrong to you. I truly agree with this statement because our heart can either contain love or hate. If you heart is full of hate, how do you think love can enter?

For a HK movie (which we have stereotyped as cheap production), I would say this movie is rated a 4/5. A well done movie with a group of good casts, excellent storyline and lingering food for thought.

Mini Chanel Haul

I am badly influenced by beauty bloggers such as CafeMakeup, The Beauty Look Book and Tracy's Beauty Blogsphere who had such love for Chanel cosmetics that I am once again caved in in making a small purchase over the Chanel counter again.

I was checking out the counter at Takashimaya to find out if the Summer Collection was out and the friendly SA told me it will only be out 1 week later (which was last week). Being a professional and smart SA, she asked if there is anything else I would like to look at and her 'professionaliam' and 'friendliness' immediately enticed me into checking out some of their permanent line of products. I told her I have been wanting to get a cool-toned pink blusher for a while but I cannot seem to find 1 that is suitable. She immediately tested Chanel Powder Blush in Narcisse on me and I love how the candy pink blusher in the pan looks fresh and vibrant on my cheeks without making me looking like a clown, I was immediately sold! Being a very professional SA, she added on to ask if I would like to get eyeshadow to pair with this blush and I was thinking, why not? I specifically mentioned that I need the colours to be fresh, not brown (since I already have my beloved Naked Palette) and not too smokey (since I will be using it mainly for work) and she recommended Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in StageLight which is a palette of purple and lilacs, love it!

Totally love professional and nice SA, some really sucks!!!

Sorry for the lack of posts as I am once again struck by the flu virus. Sore throat, cough and dripping nose is back AGAIN (I was just celebrating the recovery of the cough 2 weeks ago and I am down once again). The bad weather and never ending work is not helping me in the recovery process and I seriously need some good rest which makes me quite happy to be sleeping almost the whole day as a result of the drowsiness of the flu tablet and cough mixture.

Just 2 hous ago, me and BC were waiting for a taxi at an 'informal' taxi stand area after dinner and we were second in queue. The auntie and 2 uncles before us (in their 50s, I guess) flagged down a cab and just as they were about to board a cab, an old auntie (prob in her 60s or so) came out from NOWHERE and started shouting at them not to board the cab because it is hers and she was here before them. She claimed she was sitting at the bus stop about 20 metres away because she is tired. Before they can start to reason with her, she started hurling abuses at them in hokkien and they had to let her board the cab to stop her with all these nonsense. At that point, my respect for her as an elderly dip down to negative level as her behaviour is totally unnecessary. I am sure if she were to say nicely that she was resting at the bus stop because she was tired / her legs are tired, these people would offer to let her board the cab first (even though deep in their heart they were cursing and swearing, lol).

Which brings me to the point of this post, respect needs to be earned. It applies to everywhere, home, work and public. At home, we have to protray ourselves as a good example to the young so that they know that they have to behave in a certain way and be a good person. In office, we have to be a team player and good worker so that others can respect our work ethnics and contribute together towards a better working environment. In public, well, this auntie-hurling-abuses-to-get-cab sitiation tells it all. But human beings being selfish by nature, just love to take shortcuts and that's when all kind of rubbish comes out from every individual.

I think this posting is too heavy for my concussed brain which is still suffering from the drowsiness of the medication and let's just leave this as a food for thought.

Killer weather

The weather for the past few days has been BAD BAD BAD...... the heat is so unbearable that after taking a cold shower, I would immediately be sweating! WTH......... It is no wonder with such lousy weather people around me and including myself, are falling sick. I had just recovered from a sore throat and cough 2 weeks ago and now it is back with running nose..... dammit, I seriously feel like crap......

Friends, do drink more water and herbal tea to expel the heat, do not fall sick like me. And get more rest as and when you can. With sufficient hydration and rest, there will be no way you will fall sick :)

Thor soundtrack - Walk (performed by Foo Fighters)

Totally love this sound from Thor soundtrack. Looking at the scenes in this music video, I feel like watching this move again already!!!!

Thor

We finally caught Thor yesterday! And damn, it was a good movie! *thumbs up* There is always something about superhero movie adapted from Marvel Comics that I like, takes away my mind off stress and worries from this world, hehe.

The special effects in this show is really good. The scenes showing the city of Asgard (where Thor came from) are vivid and looks very real. This really shows the advancement of technology. With the excellent special effects and exciting story plot, this movie is totally totally enjoyable and I did not feel that I was watching this show for 2 hours at all. The yummy male lead, Chris Hemsworth definitely made the whole movie experience to be even better. Don't believe me? Check out his bod.......

Damn delicious right? Hahaha. My favourite actress, Natelie Portman was also in the show and starred a scientist who found Thor when he was exiled to Earth by his father. They eventually got into a romantic relationship with each other and damn, I love their chemistry!!

Please check out this movie if you had not because YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT!!! It will definitely be a watch-again movie for me once it is released on DVD!

My 1st vote

If you are a Singaporean like me who is voting for the first time today, you might agree with me that there is an air of excitement. But after I while, I got really worried. Worried because there amount of information spreading through the internet and FB is just scary. On 1 hand, the transparency of the information does helps people to consider all aspects before casting that sacred vote. On the other hand, it seems to me people get really emotional and I wonder will they be casting an objective vote.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not a supporter of any party. My stand is very clear, I will vote for the party who thinks for the benefit of Singapore and the citizens as a whole and I hope all Singaporeans are thinking along that line. My personal opinion....... there will always be 1 portion that will fall through the cracks and yes, this in my opinion applies to all plans brought forth by ALL parties. To me, the main focus is still BIG PICTURE. No Singapore, no Singaporeans and that means that all of us can kiss goodbye to our jobs, healthcare, housing, transport and security which all of us take it for granted for so long. Over the past few days, I have heard / over heard comments about this election and honestly some of the reasons I heard of why someone is voting for a particular party can be pretty ridiculous, and I shall not go into that.

In any case, let's just look at the election results tonight...........

I want........

Do I need to say more why I LOVE them? *heart melt*

Smoky eye makeup for monolids

This is the first video I watched to get an idea how to do smoky eye makeup for my ugly monolids. Have not had the chance and guts to try it out on myself though but I thought it will be good to share with some of my friends this video :)

A few friends commented that they would like to look for some basic makeup lessons which they can attend and I suggested for them to do a search on YouTube instead. I still remember when I have totally no clue on what to do and apply on my face, my makeup buddy, Tracy, simply told me "Look up on YouTube" and that was when I realised that there are so many makeup experts out there and they are sharing their techniques, products and tools. Give it a try and do a search on YouTube!

Current favourite skincare

A friend of mine asked me some time back to do a post showing my skincare regime so I thought of posting this to show the products that I am in love with and cannot do without.

My skintype is combination, sensitive skin which turns red very easy under heat or after using products that are too strong. Thus I am quite careful on the kind of products that I pile on my face.

Fancl's mild cleansing oil has been my favourite makeup remover of all times. Being someone very lazy, the hassle of using a separate eye makeup remover for my eye makeup with waterproof mascara and eyeliner only puts me off. Having tried various brands of makeup remover, Fancl mild cleansing oil is the ONLY makeup remover that allows me to remove eye and face makeup all at the same time! I have heard of friends who claim that this cleansing oil broke them out but *touch wood* I have no issue with it so far and it cleanses the makeup so thoroughly and yet not harsh to my skin at all.

The picture above shows some of the stuffs which I am using on a daily basis now. Some of which I have been using it for a few years and some are recent loves.

1) Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser

Bought this cleanser during a 20% Metro sales (to enjoy the direct discount & utilise the voucher from other purchases). To be honest, I hate this cleanser when I first started using it. The texture and smell is totally different from the Gentle Foaming Cleanser which I used years ago (this is some new formula). I felt the texture is abit too 'buttery' for my liking in the 1st week of usage. But after a week of using it day and night, I fell in love with it all over again as I realised what was the problem. After using Shiseido White Lucent Foaming cleanser, it has became a habit of mine to squeeze approximately 2cm worth of foaming cleanser from the tube to work up a thick lather (by instruction of the SA). However, when I squeeze the similar amount of Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser, it became too thick that I was not able to foam up and create the thick lather. By reducing to only 1cm foaming cleanser for my wash, the lather is thick and foamy and my face felt clean and fresh after wash. Most importantly, I do not have the tight and dry sensation on my skin after wash.

2) SK II Facial Treatment Essence

This baby needs no introduction as we are constantly bombarded by TV, poster and magazine advertisements. I know most ladies would pour the essence into their palms and pat into their skin, however, I personally do not like this method as I find most of the essence were absorbed into my palms instead. My preferred method of application is rather to pour the essence onto facial pad and using the wet pad to pat the essence onto my face. At time when I have pimples, after patting the essence onto my face, I will place the wet pad over the pimple for about 10 - 15 sec, it always help to sooth and calm down my pimples. I know this way means that I use more essence each time, but personally, it work best for me. :)

3) Shiseido White Lucent Intensive Spot Targetting Serum

I only use this serum after toner at night (just like I use SK II essence after toner during day time only). By rotating this serum with the SK II essence day and night, I am ensuring that I do not overload too much nutrients to my face at the same time (causing breakouts) and yet enjoying the benefits of these products. I only apply this serum over my freckles and I do see slight lightening of them. This will be a slow process since I am only using it once a day versus the instructions of twice a day but it's ok with me since I still saw some improvements.

4) SK II Skin Refining Treatment

This is a night moisturiser containing BHA which is able to minimise pores. One tip I learnt from my friend, L is that when you notice a pimple coming out, apply this night moisturiser over the area and it definitely help to calm the pimple down and even prevent it from popping out! I have tried this method many times and it works without fail!

5) Niks Aroma Acne Gel

I have been using this acne gel for years, I think coming to 5 - 7 years? What I love about this acne gel is that it is extremely effective and it is not too strong like Oxy whereby the area of application will sting, peel and become dry. So you can be assured this is mild and yet effective!

After identifying my love list, I have also identify a product which I need to use more consistently....... which is....... Clarins Shaping Facial Lift!!! 

What is deterring me from using this product day and night is that I need approximately 30 seconds to do the 5 steps of shaping and lifting and I do not have this 30 seconds in the morning!!! (such irony right? when I can easily spent 20 minutes in applying my makeup -_-, haha). However, I have consistently been using this for the past few nights and I hope to see a sharper face soon!! :)

Thanks for reading this lengthy post and do share with me your favourite skincare products too!

Chanel Black Pearl Nail Varnish

I admit, I am a beauty junkie but I do not usually buy things that are immediately launched. So the pace that I collect my stuffs will be much slower than the renowned beauty bloggers as I like to see, consider and reconsider before I buy them. Let's face it, money doesn't come easy. :)

So, while most beauty bloggers have been raving for months over Chanel Black Pearl nail varnish which was launched as part of Chanel 2011 Spring Collection, I only got it last Friday when I causually asked the friendly SA at Takashimaya if she happen to to have stock for it and she does. :)

This colour is very unique, it looks like dark grey with a tinge of green. And it looks slightly different from different angle, similar to looking at a pearl. Chanel nail varnish is sold at $36 which is considered expensive in my humble opinion but with this uniqueness of colour coming from CHANEL, I say it is WORTH IT! :)

All in the enjoyment of good company

Nothing beats spending a day with good company over food, gossips and TV......... that's how life should be.

There were alot of food...... alot of cheeses, hams, olives (courtesy of Laura for bring it back from her Spain holiday), home made salad and baked chicken breast by our renowned Chef Peck and Garett's popcorn!

We were all damn bloated beyond words after this meal that we do not need dinner at all. Because, our lunch are still in the process of being digested. :)