Warm Hello & Sweet Goodbye!

Warm hello to all!

Just want to tell my followers that I am still alive and been very busy with some on going projects.

Oh well, there has been lapse in my walking tour(s) exploring Singapore; lesser of beauty blog and product reviews and lesser tweets...

Because I was and still in the midst of relocating for work and yes, it spells another adventure for moi but will see how things are settling in for now.

Yes! It will be an exciting year for everyone, I hope.

Albeit hearing lesser from me, well it wasn't that brief but we are walking into Q2 of 2012;
Oh how time flies! And I did some travelling !

Last couple weeks, I was in the capital of Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur for some stuff to do. My friends brought me to this cafe in Mid Valley Mega Mall - this cafe called ; Little Penang Cafe and I ordered this shaven icy dessert...Locals called it - ICE KACANG!

I do see ICE KACANG in Singapore; it tastes sweet - for sure but ingredients wise ; Oh la la ! This cost like MYR 6.00 per bowl ( I think !)  and it's like treasure trove underneath the icy mountain covered with rose flavoured syrup and this thick sugary brown sugar. Though my friend said it wasn't brown sugar but palm sugar or fondly called by the locals - GULA MELAKA.

GULA ; it means sugar

MELAKA ; it is actualy a historical town / state in Malaysia 

 Shaven Ice Dessert - And they called it ICE KACANG ! FYI - KACANG means PEANUTS in Malay. So, this dish literally called ICE PEANUTS?

Scoop deeper - you'll find red kidney beans, dried raisins , some herbal jelly that looks black in color and tasted like jelly. It was chewy but I can't really explain the taste and describe any taste of similarities in any food that I can think of ...

 A slice of BANANA!!

 Some sweet corn, the ice herbal jelly and ATTAP CHEE. My friend explained that it is a fruit in clear color; high in fibre and it is from the palm tree. It is chewy and it's awfully sweet!

 ATTAP CHEE & the KACANG !!

My friend was telling me that in the olden days; villages were built before brick houses and roof in these houses are built using the palm leaves hence the name ATTAP ; it means roof in Malay. But I guess, you all can wiki the CHEE? What CHEE means?

And lastly, my friend ordered this ICY SWEET DESSERT - CENDOL

Looks like green wormly jellies with red bean paste and some milk like texture * yes! coconut milk was used ! * and lastly the GULA MELAKA

Sweet escapedes for us and there goes my diet plan!

Well, I hope to catch up with you all more once I am finally settling down in my new place.

Till then, wishing you all in good health & happiness always!

Have blessed Easter !

P/S: My friend foot the dessert bill and we are not having a paid review at all and before I forget, just in case you swing by Mid Valley Mega Mall & craving your sweet escapades like me :) Here is the contact :

Little Penang Cafe

Lot F001 and 100

First Floor, Mid Valley Megamall

Tel No: +603 - 2282 0215

Beauty : Rose Water / Toner by Mustika Ratu

Of late I've finished my current toner and looking for something soothing for my combination skin after cleansing. Well, I surfed the internet and found something interesting about this skincare, beauty and wellness product from Indonesia called Mustika Ratu.

Interesting enough, with the help of Indonesian English translator from www.http://www.stars21.com/translator/indonesian_to_english.html - I found what it means literally.

Mustika (pronounced as MUS-TI-KA) means stone while Ratu (pronounced as RA-TU) means queen.

It says," The queen's precious stone. "

Amazing! And one astonishing find was that it is an age old pass me on beauty recipe from the royalty family of founder Madame Mooryati - wow!
http://www.mustika-ratu.co.id/corporate-history.html

Well, back to my review on 2 bought products - White Rose Water Toner & Red Rose Water Toner...  

White Rose Water Toner - All natural rose water from Mustika Ratu

I bought these two products over the causeway over a mall called Parkson Grand.It was priced at SGD 4.00 or so after some in store discounts. I understand that Mustika Ratu also sell sachet of face mask which in powdery form and this White Rose Water/Toner can be used as a mixer for the mask. There wasn't any intention to get those mask sachet because at that moment because it wasn't in my shopping list. Interesting enough, I saw other beauty wellness products in form of supplement ; which called JAMU ( pronounced as JA-MU) for women. Jamu as translated again, it means herbal medicine.  

I remembered a scene from the movie, " Eat, Pray, Love " main role of Elizabeth Gilbert played by Julia Roberts; a hangover remedy that was brought for her from her future to be South American hubby...I think that is remedy is a JAMU...!   

Well, all sort of jamu (herbal medicine) from Mustika Ratu...

From head to toe; to slim the tummy with some tea; to firm up your bosom buddies with cream and capsules and something to treat the v-jay jay too...

Here is the website that listed all their products.

http://jamu.mustikaratu.com/product.htm

It is all in Indonesian and the translator helps!

Finally; the second product. Red Rose Water / Toner !! 

VOILA!
Penyegar (pronounced as PEN-YE-GAR) means toner.
Sari ( pronounced as SA-RI) means flowers
Mawar ( pronounced as MA-WAR) means rose or mei gui in Chinese  

The smell is much stronger than the white one. Even so, I find it soothing for my skin.
Well, for the white rose water/toner - I filled it up in a portable spritzer and it's always on the go avec moi. After long hours under the sun, I would spritz it all over my face for immediate refreshing feeling. The smell is not over empowering, just nice sweet subtle rose smell.

Oh la la...! Not to mention the aromatheraphy a-la rose at home and on the go!

I tried to search outlets locally in Singapore but to no avail so that's one of the reason to shop over the causeway.

Disclaimer: All product are self purchased and it is not a paid review.

Red on Red - Chinese Lunar New Year

Hello people!

It's been 2 weeks past the new year and how's everything going on so far?

Well, it's been a roller coster ride for me in 2011 and I hope 2012, would be a great smooth ride for moi!

Anyway, Chinese Lunar New Year is just round the corner - infact, it falls on 23 January 2012.

Well, Christmas last year was full of 12 days festivities and guess how many days do Chinese celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year?

It's not 12 days but 15 days of celebrations!

On the eve of the new year, there this reunion dinner which is a must attend highlight of the year. Prior to this event, few hours before dinnertime, there's a havoc going on the kitchen in the food preparation but nowadays, it is unlikely for many of us or my family especially the womenfolk in the household ; getting up and dirty. Not forget to mention the clean up too. So, come handy on the menu from Cantonese restaurants that we order the Chinese New Year dishes & to dig onto. Of course, the bill will be hefty in a way but it is once a year celebration. And when the bill is equally shared with your family brood - your brothers and sisters, well it's not that expensive anyway.

Everyone would dressed to their nines in the family. New dresses , top blouses and bottoms pants with brand new pair of heels/shoes. New hair cut with streaks of color highlights. New colors chic in display on your hands and feets. A week prior to the big day, appointments booked up on the manicure pedicure ; the facial ; the hair salon visit ; shopping galore for self and family and all that preparation for the festivities... Well, does that mean 15 sets of new clothes and all sort new then? 

The spring cleaning of the home is what I dreaded most....! Throw what's old and try to keep things to the minimum...! Every nook and corner of the home is not missed. You sprayed ; misted and dusted all yucky things away. The living room, the bedroom, the washroom, the verandah...practically everywhere you sweep and mop. Sweat it out, it's all I can say. It's the utmost important thing to do because your relatives - the not so distant and sometimes far, will come over for a visit and yes, you do not want to hear anything like, " Oh, why is that corner is so dusty? " or "Oh my! Just look at that grime on the toilet bowl!"

Mom and dad wouldn't be pleased.

So you can imagine how stressful it is even before the festivities begin.

No wonder, Dr Oz said there are higher chances for heart attack during this period of time.

Anyway, there's so much for me to share on how we Chinese like me in the little red dot Singapore celebrate it.

Keep your eyes peel & your ball rolling on this page, till then...!

Christmas Shopping : Makeup & Beauty Tools

This write up/blog is dedicated to makeup & beauty tools (and products) that we might not use or use everyday. It is a head to toe ritual for some on daily basis ; once weekly ; bi weekly or once a month. Whatever is your usual routine, I want to share mine. Also, you can take it as some Christmas shopping tips for your chums who adores beauty too! Here goes!

1) Nail Care - File, buff and shine!
I love this file, shine and buffer with ZEBRA patterns from MANICARE. Exceptionaly lightweight and a cover comes along.

Let's file! This design in zany, funky zebra lines - greyish white.

Then buff for shine! Turn over to the other side and buff it all out for shine!

Many of us, like me do a weekly face mask routine. After the usual cleansing and scrub, I would put  on a face mask that contain clay / kaolin that helps me to deep cleanse my oily prone skin. But not many of us know that our nails need such care too!  Introducing - ECRINAL ! This was bought from Jean Yip Singapore's Nail Care. Well, I cannot remember how much I bought it as it was bought in a 10 times package for manicure and pedicure.Hope is not lost, though. You can visit this website http://aseptausa.com/ecrinal-nail-care-products for some guidelines on the prices/products.

If you look close enough, underneath these babies are numbers. They are steps for application and yes, it is quite tedious but beauty worth the patience.

This helps to strengtened my weak nails. Mine chips alot as when it grows so this helps-a-lot!

Okay-this is my favourite all time nail care product.

Why a mask for your nails? You bet!

Nothing beat some extra tender loving care with vitamins!

This is the top coat that I usually used - OUT THE DOOR Fast Drying Top Coat by INM

http://www.sallybeauty.com/Nail-Top-Coat/INM2,default,pd.html

2) Eyes, eyes, eyes baby...!
The following product reviews are way too random!
I am coming to the eyes now. Sometimes, it is quite difficult to draw on the my inner lash lines; on the upper and lower lids for the water lines while one of my hand juggling to hold the mirror and the other hand holding the liner/kohl pencil UNLESS you have a standing mirror that sits on the table. I prefer hand held mirror (not that I am short sighted) Well, this product is raving good review from myself simply because I can juggle both the mirror and draw those lines!

Bought this from MUSTAFA SHOPPING CENTRE 145, Syed Alwi Road, Singapore. It's priced at SGD 5.85 and it's really what I called it a PRODUCTIVE product ; it is time saving and of course, mistakes saving too! However I cannot explain more on what was written / printed in the packaging as I got mixed up / lost in translation. This fantastic tool is from KAI-Kai Beauty Care & it is Made in Japan. Amazing patented item and the diagram on the packaging helps me to figure things out - phew!

The next product comes in handy when you really want to draw a perfect cat eyes using your liner without the mess!

Not forgeting the lower lashes or the inner water lines too.

Also from KAI - Kai Beauty Care and yes, I've checked through the web, it's parent company KAI INDUSTRIES with a century plus history based in Japan, manufacturing home and commercial use razors, blades and all  things that are sharp...OUCH! No online website to get it's beauty goodies though. However, there this website http://www.kai-china.com/ that list most of its' beauty care products / tools & its prices in RMB however it is in CHINESE...

I can't read CHINESE - sigh -

Then this tweezer also from KAI - Kai Beauty Care for just

SGD 3.80. The old tweezer's point went blunt so here comes the newbie!

 

We take bath / shower every day. That's what I want to ask you all... How can we neglect our eyes?! The eyes are the mirror of the soul , so don't neglect it.

Pamper it with love and some bath, of course! I am sucker for this because I don't like eye drops and it's amazingly soothing for tired eyes after hours over the computer screen or when I am going outdoors with the dust, erhmm..and pollution..!



So this I take my eye bath with OPTREX EYE LOTION. It contains witch hazel & water to keep your eyes healthy. For more product info : http://www.optrex.co.uk/optrex_range/optrex_multi_action_eye_wash.php

Whoopeyy! This is the eye bath cap. Please read the inleaf instructions and fully understand it prior usage. And of course, this is just my rave on my basic eyecare & it is not a medical recommendation hence when in doubt - refer / seek treatment to your family doctor / nearest GP . This is definately a disclaimer!
3) Hair oil
Martin Luther once said, " The hair is the richest ornament of women " I cannot agree more with his saying. The hair is our crown of glory. And it is gory to me to see dry flakes falling over my shoulder!  It made me sad when in recent weeks as I was outdoor most of the time, my strands of hair seems to dry out and it look grizzly frizzy! One of my friend, who adores Ayurveda (ancient Indian tradiotional medicine)
She recommends me to try out the following products - Almond Enriched Hair Oil from Dabur Vatika.

Though it says ALMOND, in the ingredient listing it contains coconut and sesame oil that moisturise dry hair from every strand to its ends. 

I am going to give it a try. I hope this will help to improve my current hair condition.

Next, is the NYLE Herbal Hair Oil.

These herbs are encapsulated in the porous tube in the centre, which attached to the bottle's cap. The smell is invigorating and fresh mainly because there are lemon grass and curry leaves in the tube.

Plus mixture of amla - Indian gooseberries , hibiscus , henna and fenugreek - it's just pure natural goodness in a bottle. I did some wiki-ing on amla and it said to have anti microbial properties and for hibiscus, it helps in hair loss.  

This is the tube that contain all the natural goodness ! Let's see how things goes. (will keep you all updated)

Happy Reading & Happy Christmas Shopping!

I have never highlight more than enough that I've bought these products using my own $MONEY$ & this is not a paid write up 

 

Christmas Shopping - Sweets!

Next item in tow - SWEETS!

Yes, you've got it right...Sweet candies!

Here are the goodies from Joseph Dobson & Sons Ltd
" The home of the famous Yorkshire Mixture, Joseph Dobson's is a fascinating story of a family owned business which, from humble Victorian origins, has prospered to become one of the largest privately owned confectionery manufacturers in Yorkshire." They got an interesting heritage where it all started with VOICE TABLETS and then followed with Conversation Lozenge and the rest is history!

Found these at MUSTAFA COMPLEX,a 24heures shopping centre in the heart of Little India. I was supposedly to shop an ayurvedic product of an anti dandruff hair oil & got way side tracked into the supermarket on the ground floor! It's packaging is really classic, labelled with old heritage colonial English way. It say on it's label - established since 1850! That's one hundred and sixty one years of sweetie goodness ! It says -Quality & Purity.. I can't wait to try that Black Cherries candy

It's great for Christmas presents because it looks heavy (well it is heavy indeed! and I always assume heavy present equal to expensive items...); simply presentable and there some out of the norm flavors like Rhubarb & Custard (?) , Black Cherries and Yorkshire Butter Mintoes& with the usual and safe flavors like Pineapple Cubes!They do have Cola Cubes too but that's way too the usual stuff. Ohhh.. YUMMY! Good thing is that there is promotion going on like 1 bottle sells at SGD 1.90 and if you get 2 bottles, on average it's SGD 1.45 each *or SGD 2.90 for 2 bottles * Well again, I can't highlight more enough that I bought this using my own $MONEY$


I am going to end this sweet notes with some sweet quotes

"Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity"

"Patience is bitter, but it bears sweet fruit"

"The truth is that life is delicious, horrible, charming, frightful, sweet, bitter, and that is everything"


HAPPY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!


Want to know more on Joseph Dobson & Sons ? Here is the link:
http://dobsons.co.uk/index.html">http://dobsons.co.uk/index.html

Christmas Shopping - Sweet Yuletide

I went sweet shopping today!

Found some goodies in store!Here are some pictures to show and tell...
Kalanchoe Roseflowers by HANS KUILBOER - sold by pot in IKEA Singapore.

Just SGD 6.80 for this sweet babies

Lovely rose flowers in bloom. It's efreshing to see this in my room.
Aren't they tiny and sweet?

I am attractred to its vibrant color though there were many assortment, I think I bought Dark Jodie home.

Dark Jodie on display avec chez moi

It said in its website that it is a low maintenance plant and thanked goodness for the caring tips found online. Well, these sweeties were on displayed in the pots and indoor plant section of IKEA and you can't miss it as it's on your way out to the cashier. Bought this using my own $money$

This is a not so matching tin foil pot for Dark Jodie

- Tips for the care of your Kalanchoe -
Courtesy from http://www.queen.nl/kalanchoes_eng_verzorging.html

You will see that the Kalanchoe gives a lot of pleasure and demands very little in return. It is a strong and low maintenance plant and if you take care of it as follows, it will show you how content it is:

1 Water: in summer water once a week, in winter water every fourteen days. In winter this depends somewhat on where the plant is situated, if it is near a radiator then it needs watering more often.

2 Plant food: Give the plant a few drops of plant food in water every 2 to 3 weeks;

3 Temperature: Room temperature is ideal, but the Kalanchoe will do well in temperatures between 12°C and 30°C.

4 Dead flowers: For a good continuous flowering period do not deadhead, this also avoid damage to new buds.

5 Position: It prefers a sunny spot. The Kalanchoe also does well in full sun.

6 Consumption: The Kalanchoe is a decorative plant and is not edible.

7 Frost: as soon as the danger of night frost is over the Kalanchoe can be placed outside on the terrace, balcony or planted in the garden.

Well, care tip #7 doesn't really apply here in Singapore - hehe!

Another link for some frequently asked questions, just in case you're thinking to get this as Christmas presents.
http://www.kalanchoe.nl/consument/english.php?page=faq

Happy Christmas Shopping! Christmas is just a week's time away!

Christmas Shopping : A Miracle Cream?

A miracle cream called Bio Essence Face Lifting Cream with ATP?

There were raves on this product that claimed immediate results on firmer looking skin, reduces double chin, lift facial contours, pores looking smaller, fine lines and wrinkles reduce, shapes my face (and yours too) into a V shape and look younger..
Well, who needs BOTOX then?!

This is it!
I gave it a try couple months back. The results were amazing

It lasted me for 2 months and I love it! I am getting my 2nd box/jar SOON!

In the box, it came with a paper ruler to measure on the spot before and after effects.

All the miracle are sealed up in this jar and you see yours truly, Ms Vivian Hsu (famous Taiwanese artiste) on the packaging.

She was the spokeperson for this miracle cream.V for Vivian and V shape face!


If anyone need some tender loving care for this Christmas and showing some FACE by the new year's eve - no harm trying this facelift in a jar. Affordable as when you shop across the border, you can get it at MYR 65.00 compared on getting it back home at SGD 45.00.

Important highlights: Prices subject to change without prior notice, please check in store for details & one more thing, I bought this facelift in a jar with my own money and this is not a paid review.



More details in the following link:

http://www.bioessence.com.sg/atp/

http://www.facebook.com/bioessence.sg?v=info

http://sg.shoppinglifestyle.com/beauty/exclusive.asp?id=1004

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Hsu