The outer skin of me

Many a time I tell myself not to blog about unhappy things here. It’s just a way not to document stuff which makes me sad, and that most of the time I believe that no matter what I treat my unhappiness as something which is personal and should not be spread to others and affect their moods at the same time.

Which is why I tend to keep it to myself. Sometimes I show it in my face (which I tried not to but can’t help it) but I’ll brush it off if people ask.

Anyway, I finally went for a long-awaited facial. The last one was in Oct last year. A bit long right? I did find out how bad my skin went, and I knew it really was going bonkers with the stupid pimples that keep popping out. What? Still at this age?

I did enjoy my facial though (pumped plenty of oxygenic stuff on my face), just that I had to fork out more money for products. I do not really mind it, coz I found that the usual Decleor products I’m using are no longer having any effect on my face. So I’ve actually cut down buying their stuff. The last Clinique sample that I took actually had an adverse effect, and after that I actually stopped testing out new products for a while.

I hope it improves my skin. And the way that the lady described her daily routine. It really takes a disciplined person to do everything she does. She even tries to avoid radiation (like watching less TV, uses minimal aircon, less talking on the handphone, etc) and things like that in her daily life. 佩服！

I also managed to get another bottle of shampoo for my sensitive scalp. Actually something organic. I hope this still last for sometime. It’s not too expensive also, thank goodness.

Sometimes I think my body feels like it’s breaking down in pieces. With age.

Maybe someday it’s just disintegrate itself into nothingness…

Where? What?

Where to get this?

I am trying to buy the Wella SP sensitive shampoo and energy serum for sensitive scalp, but I can’t seem to find them.

The only shop that I managed to see the SP range shampoo did not have for the sensitive scalp. In fact, they said that it had been out of stock at the suppliers’ side for a period of time and it’s not known when new stocks will arrive.

Or is there any other shampoo for sensitive scalp which anyone can recommend to me?

Scalp is so sensitive now, and with the additional pressure I’m getting nowadays, it’s making my head worse.

My buys

I’ve been purchasing quite a bit of girly stuff. And this drink thing which was the health beauty product thing in Watsons.

Until I saw this…only today.

Given the recent food product scare in you-know-where, I’m reconsidering whether to continue drinking it or not. I’m scared of all food products from this part of the world now.

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Oh ya, I bought 2 dresses off Dressabelle’s site. Items 5 & 9. Bought them on the launch nite, then got them on Friday in the mail. And they are quite fast to response to your mail.

Anyway, these ladies launch new stuff quite regularly, and they have quite a good range. So put yourself on their mailing list if you like pretty stuff. Also a good thing because their clothes go out of stock very fast.

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Another happier thing coming my way is that I’ll be off to a trip again end of this week. Yay. Something to look forward to!

Review – Guardian’s Cleansing Water

I first read about this in the Simply Her magazine while I was waiting for my turn for facial. It has fantastic views for cleaning off the grime and dirt off your face and best of all, inexpensive. I was surprised that a house-branded product actually could be that good, so I got one off Guardian.

It was quite easy to use, just spray on a cotton pad and wipe it off the face.

I didn’t really like the after feeling, which I felt was a bit sticky. But I was amazed at the amount of dirt it wiped off my face. It’s like…alot lor.

And best thing is, it has money back guarantee…

Don’t play play ya…

When you rinse with water, the sticky feeling goes away actually. Up till now, dun really get much negative effects on my face. I like this product because it is not really good to wash the face a few times per day for it might strip off those essential oils in the face and cause it to become too dry. So this is quite a good solution for me to keep my face clean regularly without washing with the cleanser too often.

Try it if you think it suits you.

Advertorial: GJ Inspire Crystal Masks

I bought some masks from the Paradizer thru GJ Inspire some time ago and finally got down to trying out one earlier this week.

Ok, I duno what are crystal masks, nor have I seen them before, but gotta show support right?

As described in their website:

• Aids in whitening
• Face firming effects
• Keeps skin hydrated
• Tightens pores

Widely popular in Taiwan. Was recommended on beauty variety shows by celebs such as Annie Yi and Makiyo. We also sell other paper and crystal facial masks, feel free to check them out. You can buy in multiple pieces and mix different type for all your beauty needs!

I guess that the whitening part and firming effects will be more evident over a period of time, but the hydration thing works. I was having dry skin and it did the job!

And the mask – it actually looks yummy. It was like jelly, looks like one too. But the tricky thing is it’s quite flimsy. I actually broke several areas while applying to my face.

And while I was at it, my skin was sucking all the collagen needed from the mask. Heh.

Sometimes I do not like paper face masks because when you try to adjust it on your face, the essence on the mask surface gets to your fingers and for a while you’ll feel the stickiness. Or when you rub the used mask on your neck (dun waste the lotion left) But for this, the essence do not stay long on the fingers (just a few seconds) and then it’s all dry again. Same thing when you apply on your arms or neck. It leaves a refreshed after-feeling without the stickiness.

Best of all, it’s very affordable! You can mix and match accordingly to what you prefer. But according to the Paradizer, the crystal masks are better.

I’ve still got the other crystal mask and and two of the crystal eye masks. Will try them out soon.

In the meantime, do visit their website for other good deals!

The price of beauty

Spent a bomb on beauty products today.

No choice, coz my face had been rather shitty lately. Very dry, with skin peeling. Been in the air conditioned area too much, and the temporary office place had the aircon blowing directly onto my face.

I kept drinking water (plus going to the toilet coz too much water), apply cream and moisturiser, and even though slightly oilier one which I dun used to use (they make me have breakouts), still doesn’t cure the dryness completely.

Went to Marina Square today coz the Paradizer and I felt like having MOF. Oh man…the food there sucks. I duno if it was because of the food we ordered or the different chef of different branch. My Gindara set is bland while the Paradizer’s salmon shabu shabu was a disappointment.

We both thought the best food today was the miso soup. Isn’t that pathetic?

We skipped the desserts completely coz the food was a disappointment, and we lost the stomach for the dessert.

New paint

The last manicure done by the professionals are coming off, so I did a fresh French manicure just now.

Simple is beautiful.

Oh ya, that mother-of-pearl ring is one of my favourites.

On a totally unrelated note, I’m feeling hungry again. I hope I will not yield to the temptations of McDees, as this is the nearest food I can grab now.

Nails galore

Brought my mei mei to do manicure and pedicure today since I have a package.

A bit similar to the one I’ve done exactly a year ago, just that the tips now are in glittering gold instead of silver. I chose this instead of the normal gold coz this was thought to be more visible.

My toenails were short, so I cannot do a reverse French manicure. Instead, I did a nail art on the toe only. There are crystal studs that lined the rose art.

Come to think of it. Matches my toe ring too hor? Heh.

I did my manicure and pedicure at the following place:

BUFF Nail Lounge
Far East Shopping Centre*
#04-37
Tel: 6737 0998 | 9191 7070 (Min)
*Note this is not Far East Plaza along Scotts Road

To the East

G had wanted to get a dog for himself for some time, so we went to Pet Movers after JH called to say that there is a pretty Retriever for re-home.

It was the first time I went to this place at Farmway 2. I’ve heard about it but not really got the chance to go there since…well, not really looking for a pet at home.

It was raining furiously yesterday, which makes it more difficult to drive other than not knowing exactly where it is. We are trying to get the correct directions when we saw IKEA by using the street directory and our phone’s GPS system when voila! We see the sign leading to Farmway 2.

We are so clever. Heh~

The most painful massage I ever had

I had the most painful massage last nite. But it feels good this morning though I am still aching in some parts which I felt excruciating pain when she pressed those points.

The masseuse is an Indonesian lady who speaks only simple English. As I spoke to her, she told me that she has 3 kids whom 2 are married, and she had been giving massage to people for the past 12 years. She goes to your homes should you require massage, just had to make an appointment with her. Seems like she is highly demanded by the Indonesians tai-tais and works from morning till nite, sometimes even up to 2am. And usually fully booked during weekdays for the tai tais.

Several times I couldn’t understand how she wanted me to lay on the mattress coz she couldn’t put her words across with her English. So she will just ‘bend’ my legs/arms/body and D-I-Y to put me in that position.

Expected…my shoulders, my stomach and arms are the problematic areas. Butt too. The typical deskbound problems. Sitting for too long, using the computer for too long, wearing high heels and walking around too much, always feeling bloated at the tummy.

She told me not to drink coffee which will cause my tummy to be bloated. But tea will be good.

Anyway, she made loud belching noises while she massaged me, which I mistook it for her dinner before she reached G’s place for the massage. I realised later that those belching was made coz she’s taking chi from me for those problematic areas; the more she belch, the more serious is the problem. Ah…interesting.

I never knew massage can get that painful. This is definitely not for the weak hearted. When she got to my tummy acupoints, I wanted to scream out for G already coz it was so painful. I pride myself for having a high threshhold for pain but this one is really the ultimate. But apparently, according to her, it gets better after (regular) sessions.

So the whole 2-hour session I was trying not to scream out in pain while she worked like almost an hour on my feet and I didn’t feel any much wanting to sleep like during most massages I do. She knew I was in pain, but she just kept pressing the paining area like nobody’s business. OWWWWWW~

I can feel the effect though. Coz she will keep pressing that area and those around, then when she pressed back that area, the pain somehow lessened to a non-screaming pain. It’s showing effect! And it’s not that she used less force.

The 2-hour massage, though painful, feels good. Costs me a reasonable $80 for the session. And you enjoy the privacy of your own home.

Think this will be my new ‘indulgence’ from now on.

I must say I admired her thumb. Coz I never knew massages could be so painful. I’ve always like massages which are forceful, but never dreamt of THIS painful. Heh~

Second

I finally got my new bottle of Cellnique.

Been unable to use it for about a week, coz I didn’t realised it was finished until nothing came out anymore. Now my face has more bumps than usual.

Finally back to using it again.

Some people who used it had adverse effects while at the second bottle. Hope mine doesn’t.

Eat, drink and be merry

Today was my turn to give a treat to the whole dept. We have this monthly thing which each one of us take turns accordingly to seniority (who joins the company first, not age-wise) to spend maximum $150 for around 12 people.

I chose Fish & Co for mine. It’s actually quite difficult to get something suitable yet stay near the budget for such a large group of people. And in addition, where everyone would like the food. Plus no visiting the restaurant twice. Choice quite limited if we needed to choose reasonably proximate to the company too.

Well, we were all quite full after the meal. I had my usual order of New York Fish & Chips.

And Caesar’s Salad too..yum yum.

They had a new lunch platter which was like the seafood platter, only in smaller portion. You know how feeling is one seafood platter, where for one is comfortably enough for 2 people, and for two is more for a table of 3.

Anyway, didn’t think much of the service (as compared to the other outlets in Singapore). Apparently they ran out of several types of drinks, and when we wanted to order ice cream, they had only the cookies and cream flavour left.

Duh.

Actually, I can see that the staff were mostly students on part-time employment basis. Especially one guy who was so terrified of dropping the glasses of water he held in his tray.

Anyway, the bill didn’t exceed the budget (though even if it exceeded the shortfall will be divided by the rest there), coz they had a citibank card promotion.

Coincidentally saw both of my DGMs in the same shopping mall, drinking tea.

xoxoxo

I remembered my mani-pedi package with Buff Nail Lounge at Far East shopping centre. Since tmrw is R*****’s wedding dinner, I decided to go do a French manicure. Coz I had not done anything for months since I did my first mani-pedi.

I like their service. The staff there is all friendly and nice. I couldn’t decide what to do for my nails so they recommended me some choices. I settled for the blackcurrant red as base and silver as the tip. Wanted that base coz my toenails colour was that too.

They also tried out a few colour combinations on my nails first coz I wasn’t sure of what looked better.

Do my nails look nice? (Sorry, photo a bit bad. It definitely look much better.)

I used to think that my nails were very ugly and dark colours dun look nice on such funny curving nails. Tonite the people at Buff Nail Lounge proved me wrong.

I love my nails.

Here’s what one say about their service…

Here’s this shop called the BUFF nail lounge in Far East Shopping Centre. The lady who runs the business is called Min. She’s got a real comfortable place and most importantly, she very nice and good. I signed up for a pacakge with her (tho i forgot the price) I know she works with Citibank card holders. She does a very good job, at least that is what I think. f u r interested, maybe call her urself to find out more. And ya, she does mani/pedi for magazines too..

Source: Singaporebrides.com

If you would like to try out their services, they are located here.

Buff Nail Lounge
Far East Shopping Centre
#04-37
Tel: 6737 0998 /9191 7070
Contact person: Min

Oh yes, they use OPI nail polish. One of the better and more long-lasting brand.

Tmrw’s dinner at Marriott again. That’s attending the second wedding dinner there within a month. Por pee dun eat the same food again.

And the carpark better dun give me the same problems like last time.

Into the weekend

Thursday. Had a fulfilling nite coz I had learnt about first aid (where I never really had the chance to go into knowing more about it ‘live’). The dive shop was having a lesson on EFR (Emergency First Response) for the to-be rescue divers. I needed to pass on something to G*** who was also at the shop, so I went down to the place.

At least now I know what I can do and needed to do to when some casualty happen and help is required.

I looked on as the guys ‘take on’ Anne, the dummy where they had to perform CPR on. The whole procedure is not only to concentrate on just resuscitating Anne, but also to be mindful of all the others who would gather around the duo at the same time. Especially if the victim is a lady, and the one rendering the help is a guy, there are some points to note to protect the guy, to minimise the risk of being accused of outraging of modesty after the whole thing is finished. So in actual fact, other than being under the pressure of trying to resuscitate the victim, there might also be cases where the public would hinder in the process by stopping the guy from touching the lady.

G*** took a video of J***** performing the act, while B**** go step-by-step on the dos-and-don’ts, as well as correcting mistakes that he did. Next was F*****, who was super shy of being video-ed, and ‘threatened’ to break the video phone of G***’s if he took his video.

Then B**** briefed on how to check for injuries of a conscious casualty, and the importance of logging on details before the paramedics arrive at the scene.

A very fruitful nite indeed.

Waiting for the nails

Don’t really like my nails.

Most of the time they are rather weak, and break while I was trying to grow them to a suitable length to do a nice French manicure.

Actually, my nails are not suitable to be grown too long, coz they usually bend upwards as they lengthen, so it’s darn ugly to apply dark colours to the nails (I feel).

That’s my ring finger, not showing you the middle one!

Usually I can only do French manicure.

People thought I play guitar, thus the nails grew like that.

I tell you, I can’t play guitar for gawd sakes.

I tried once, and I only felt my finger cramping up. And didn’t manage to even touch all the strings at one time. I think either my fingers are too short, or they just wanted to be naughty at that time.

My last finger’s nail broke while I went diving at Dayang earlier last month, so I had to cut it off. Was waiting for it to grow to a suitable length before I do the manicure.

While I was waiting for it to grow, my other longer nails started to chip at the edges. Which wasn’t very bad coz they were quite long and to file it only took away a minimal section of it. Still can do the manicure.

But the problem now is, the SAME last finger nail has broken again. Boohoohoo~

That’s it. The waiting game is to start again…