Carousels and Couture

Went to IKEA a couple of weeks back, and guess what I finally spotted? These IKEA Moppe chest of drawers used to be extremely popular, because they're so handy in storing all sorts of things, from makeup to stationery to bottles and tubes of products. I'd been looking for these but IKEA Tampines and IKEA Alexandra were always out of stock. I really wanted to get them to reorganize my makeup, because they're just scattered everywhere on my table. Eventually I figured I should just give up and take a look at other options, like this Muji acrylic drawers. These clear acrylic drawers are really pretty and they come in 2-drawer, 3-drawer and 5-drawer versions. And since they are clear, it is really easy to see your makeup and pick out what you want. But the drawers are kind of thin. It's really hard to store larger items, like my Chacott loose powder, or my blushes. And they are quite expensive too. The 2 drawers are S$23, the larger 2 drawers are S$29, the ...

Guess what arrived in the mail this week! I love getting letters, and I especially love getting packages of things I've bought or samples that came in the mail. Remember the post of free samples I did recently? View the post here . Well, I've gotten two of the items this week! The Biore Aqua Jelly makeup remover! Am so excited to try this out, because I've tried the Biore makeup wipes and I love those. And I like how handy this bottle is, it is a cute pink bottle that holds 20ml, which I think is quite generous. It's definitely great to use when traveling abroad. The other item that I found in my mailbox is the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser sample. It comes with a brochure detailing the other products in the Cetaphil line, including moisturizer and sunscreen. I've already used this a couple of times, but I'll use it a bit more before I write a proper review on this. Watch out for it soon! So far, I'm really liking this very much. All in all, I...

Ahh, the Burberry trench coat. The perennial classic synonymous with the brand Burberry, just like their iconic check patterns. This season, I walked into the Burberry stores and fell in love, just like every single time. Burberry's new fall collection introduces their classic trench coats in 2 lovely colours: Mahogany Red and Military Navy. They are called the Mid-Length Cotton Blend Trench Coat.     How could you not fall in love with these? They are cotton blend coats, made from 96% cotton and 4% elastane. The belted waist gives definition to the silhouette and they come up nicely to just above my knees (I'm short, so it makes a nice 3/4 length coat). The colours are magnificent as they complement the autumn season, but these winter coats will surely last you through winter nights and cold spring days.The material gives off a slightly glossy look, but not a shiny patented feeling, but neither does it give a dull look to your appearance. And of course, if you p...

Remember the post on free samples I did a little while back? You can view that here . I received an SMS asking me to come down to one of the Biotherm counters to redeem the Biotherm Aquasource Hydrating Jelly. The girl was very nice and offered to show me some of the other moisturizing products since I'm not familiar with Biotherm. I love the Biotherm packaging colours, cause the blue shades are so pretty and immediately make me think of fresh springs and moisturizing. It is a 5 ml product in a tube, and is packaged nicely in a box. The box explains how skin loses the most water at night and therefore needs optimal hydration. As it is meant for night time use, I only applied it on at night. I like how it is in a tube instead of a tub, because I hate dipping my fingers into a tub and using a spatula is very tedious. Another plus point is that this is suitable for all skin types. I've been having some dry and dehydrated skin issues, so I hoped that this product would be abl...

So I swung by Daiso this week, and resisted the temptation to buy everything. Daiso is really a treasure trove! Even if you have no intention to buy anything, it's pretty easy to get suckered into buying at least one item. Plus, it's so easy to justify to yourself because "It's only two dollars!". Well, it's just as easy to accumulate your purchases. Once, I saw a girl buying over S$100 worth of products. What could she have possibly bought? Then again, if I had an unlimited amount of money to spend on Daiso, I'd probably be buying that many products myself. Anyway, I found the display selling wet wipes, and I was amazed. Usually I buy mine from Watsons when they have a bundle on offer, and usuallythey're about S$4-5 for 30 pieces. But Daiso was selling 50-150 wet wipes for only S$2! The difference in amounts is because of the packaging that they come in, and the quality of wet wipes. There are large boxes with 150 pieces, and there are smaller box...

Just a simple post musing about my hair. I've been thinking about changing my hair colour yet again, since my black roots are beginning to show. It is definitely an unsightly look, and I really hate the contrast of my brownish hair and black roots. Previously, I have used the Liese Cassis Berry hair dye to try and get it red, then the Liese Sweet Apricot hair dye for a shade of light brown, then the Liese Antique Rose hair dye for another shade of red. I love having red hair, but unfortunately, my hair doesn't really take well to red pigments and I end up with brownish hair instead. I have a friend with the exact opposite problem: instead of brown hair, she ends up with reddish hair. I envy her hair so much because I am getting very tired of brown hair and I really love beautiful red hair. I've been contemplating trying out a different brand to see if I can get a shade that will stay on my hair. Other than Liese, I have also tried out the BeautyLabo hair dye in Candy...

August is almost over (with about a week left) but here's a list of the products I've managed to complete! Generally it's very difficult for me to finish a lot of products, probably because I like to switch it up now and again. For makeup especially, I've found that whenever I do Project Pans, they take months to complete. I honestly don't know how some people can blaze through so many products within a month, and use up about 15-20 products every month. How is that possible? Anyway, most of the products are hair care products, which I have been paying special attention to. My bathroom space has really been clogged up, so it's a relief to be clearing some of these things away. Clockwise from top left: Essential Ultra Honey and Shea Butter Hair Mask (pink), Loreal Smooth-Intense Anti-Frizz Hair Mask, LUX Super Rich Hydro-Nourishing Conditioner, Clear Dry Scalp and Itch Control Shampoo (travel-size), Soap and Glory Scrub Em and Leave Em Body Buff (travel si...

With the perpetual summer heat in Singapore, Starbucks has introduced 2 new drinks to their menu to keep us cool. Made from green coffee extract, they are the Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus. After much debate, I decided to forgo my favourite Caramel frappe and try out the Very Berry Hibiscus. According to the Starbucks website, the Very Berry Hibiscus contains tangy blackberry and hints of hibiscus. "Shaken with whole blackberries and a boost of natural energy from Green Coffee Extract, our handcrafted Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refreshers™ beverage is a low-calorie afternoon recharge that tastes nothing like coffee." I tried out the Tall size, which was S$5.50, the same price for most of their drinks in the Tall size. It was a colorful pink-red, and there were a couple of big blackberries and some smaller-sized blackberries inside. True enough, I didn't taste any coffee at all, it was more like a fruit juice refresher. It was mostly a blackberry taste and I did...

Like most girls, I like movies that involve fashion. So movies like the Devil Wears Prada rank very highly on my favourite movie list. I stumbled upon this movie and watched it because of Hilary Duff. I don't love her, but she's alright, and she was good in Lizzie McGuire so I thought I'd like to see her tackle this. It also stars True Blood's Michael Mcmillian, Kyle XY's Matt Dallas and The OC's Chris Carmack. Beauty and the Briefcase collaborated with Cosmopolitan magazine to produce a story of a girl who goes undercover in the world of business to write an article about dating 'men in suits' and finding love in the business world. It's a predictably thin plot, and the chances are, you can guess the ending before you reach the end of the movie. Warning: There may be spoilers ahead, so if you prefer to watch the movie without being spoiled, it is best that you don't continue reading. There are a lot more minuses than plus points in this...

The baby mania hasn't been slowing down in Tinseltown. It seems like almost every female is getting pregnant in Hollywood, be it supermodels, actresses, or reality stars.   Gisele Bundchen has finally confirmed that she is expecting and is 5 months along. The Brazilian supermodel is married to football star Tom Brady and already has a son, firstborn Benjamin Rein Brady. Gisele was coy when she was pregnant with her first son, and she initially refused to confirm or deny her second pregnancy. But pregnancy did not stop her the first time round. Whilst she was pregnant with Benjamin, she took her pilot's license, and continued fulfilling her numerous advertisement contracts, usually allowing them to photograph her body in loose-fitting clothes or just her face. She is also a fervent advocate of keeping fit, saying "I did kung fu up until two weeks before Benjamin was born, and yoga three days a week." Megan Fox...

  I bought the Clear Dry Scalp and Itch Control Shampoo together with the Clear Women Anti Hair-Fall Shampoo . And I've finally finished the bottle so I thought it'll be great to do a review on it. I was less impressed with this shampoo. Firstly, I have an oily scalp not a dry scalp, so this wasn't exactly suitable for me. I do have an itchy scalp though, so I felt that I wanted to try this out and see if it's good for my scalp. I bought the travel-sized version, so that I can see whether it works well for me before I purchase the retail sized version. Clear is quite a famous haircare brand in most countries. They've sponsored Lotus Renault in F1 2012, which boasts Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean as their drivers. Apparently, this shampoo has an anti-itch formula to reduce scalp from itch and dryness from first wash. It does not tangle my hair, and it lathers well. I also do find that my scalp is less itchy after using this product. It also does not dry...

  So while I was at a Giant supermarket, I saw a new fruit juice that came out. The Yuzu fruit is from Tibet, China, and was introduced to Japan and Korea, where they cultivated it widely. According to Wikipedia, it is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. I've never seen or heard of it before, and I think it looks like a large yellow mandarin orange. Other than food, Yuzu has also been used as a fragrance, and the Japanese also use it for bathing. So if you don't like the taste, maybe you can put it in your bathtub? Just kidding! Anyway, since I've never tried this fruit or juice before, I thought I might as well try something new. You never know unless you try, right? So I bought a small box (luckily they sell a normal-sized version and a small version too!) to drink. It is very light, and refreshing. It's definitely a refreshing drink for hot Singapore. It has a bit of a sour taste, and if you think the taste is too strong you can dilu...

After the review on the Himalaya Herbals Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo , I realized that I hadn't done a review on the Clear Women Anti Hair-Fall Shampoo, that I got and finished some time ago. As I mentioned in the last post, I was worried about the amount of hair fall I've been experiencing, and some thinning area around my fringe. So I've been taking a close look at the anti-hair fall shampoos that are available in the market. I got the Clear Women Anti Hair-Fall Shampoo in a travel size. I also got the Clear Women Dry Scalp and Itch Control Shampoo too. Considering that Clear has launched a new formula, I wanted to make sure I liked it before I purchased a retail size version. Also, a travel size sure makes it easy to tog along to the gym whenever I feel like it. Clear is quite a famous haircare brand.They've sponsored Lotus Renault in F1 2012, which boasts Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean as their drivers. Bet Kimi's never had dandruff before! An...

I have been worried about hair fall lately. A lot of hair ends up on the shower floor and I am beginning to see my hair thinning, especially the fringe. So I've been on a lookout for anti-hair fall shampoos and hair therapy products. But before I buy anything, I will always research extensively, even if it is just a drugstore product. I read some glowing reviews on the Himalaya Herbals Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo and got really excited when I saw it on sale at a beauty shop. I've seen the brand Himalaya around, but I rarely used it. The only time I've ever tried the brand was a body lotion that I used as a hand cream and for my elbows. It was alright, but nothing outstanding about it. So when I got this shampoo i was quite excited to try it because every review I read was a good one. It is a 2-in-1 formula that helps to nourish the roots and strengthen weakened hair. Apparently, it is also safe to use on colored or permed hair, which means that it is a gentle shampoo. I...

Who doesn't love free samples? They're great for trying out items that you want to buy, but unsure if they'll work, or they can even give you some insight on some products you've never thought of buying! I've got some links to facial product samples, hope they'll be of some help to you! Have fun sampling! Only available for Singapore addresses. Rachel K: CC Cream sample Rachel K Cosmetics was set up by Miss Singapore Universe 2009 Rachel Kum. As a beauty queen, good skin and makeup is extremely important, which is why she decided to formulate her own mineral makeup. The CC Cream is a variation of BB (Blemish Balm) Cream, plus added benefits such as more effective skin coverage and a non-oily finish. Redeem sample via mail. Biore: Aqua Jelly Makeup Remover Biore is a popular drugstore brand from Japan. I remember using their facial cleansers since I was a teenager! The Aqua Jelly Makeup Remover apparently contains 1/3 moisturizing essence and remove...

My stock of colored contact lens was running out, so I went looking for deals at Tanjong Katong Complex. Most of the shops were having Hari Raya promotions, and I was looking for Freshkon lenses. Ended up at one shop which was having a promo for the Colorfusion series: 4 boxes at $60, which means that 1 box was only $15! Bought Glittering Grey and Shimmering Blue since I haven't tried either one before. This is also the first time I'll be trying on grey lenses too! Hope it looks good, I don't particularly like brown lenses because they make me look pale and washed out.  Along with the promotion came two contact lens cases. One small pink and white case, and a hot pink travelling case (also available in orange and green) with a plastic tweezer to pick up the contact lenses. If you want to stock up on colored contact lenses too, I don't remember the shop name but it is on the first floor facing Shop and Save. Either that you can walk around and look for the b...