Rachel K CC Renew SPF35 PA+++ Review and Pictures

(This post is part of my Daily Skincare Routine series)

In continuation of my long-delayed skincare routine for 2013-14, I present to you the Rachel K CC Renew SPF35 PA+++, which is a pretty good tinted sunscreen product. I received it as a gift from Rachel K (thank you so much, you made my day!) and have been using ever since.

I like the texture a lot. It's not too thin and not too thick - it's just right (and now I'm reminded of Goldilocks and the Three Bears...). It sits on the skin lightly and provides medium coverage. The only drawback is that it leaves the skin slightly oily as the day progresses, so you may want to apply a layer of powder on top if you have oily/combination skin.

Things I've Learnt; Things to Come

 

I'm a month late, I know. Before I get on with the new year over here, I want to talk about 2014. I had planned to write a retrospective post but life happened and somehow I just didn't feel like posting anything up. It's been a crazy year. I finished my thesis, graduated (for the last time), visited Australia for the first time, and got a job in November. I also went through really bad anxiety, insomnia and had vision/balance problems, but all that only served to make me an overcomer, and I feel renewed as I walk into 2015.

Some of you are probably expecting a "10 Things That Every 20-Something Should Know" or "10 Resolutions That You Should Keep" post, but let's face it, you don't need any more clickbait. In the spirit of sharing though, I've decided to share my personal epiphanies from 2014. This is partly to set the tone for this blog for the new year, and also to chronicle the milestones in my life. I'll try not to sound like a Buzzfeed article, heh.

The OL Life

Ah yes, I've finally become what I've always dreaded - an office lady (OL). To me, that term ages someone by a decade; I flinch when someone calls me an OL. Somehow the student life I had half a year ago seemed so free of responsibilities. Or maybe it's just the nostalgia speaking. In any case, I still feel the same. I still have the same spirit of fun, because youthfulness is a state of mind.

Working life isn't as bad as I thought, probably because I'm not working in a large corporation and doing a soul-sucking job. I'm enjoying myself learning how to do things which are not only specific to this job, but will be useful for internet marketing and business in general.

I love the office culture and the people, and I love the Pacman wall beside my table.

Kung Fu Jungle (一个人的武林) Movie Review

I watched the movie preview of Kung Fu Jungle (一个人的武林) yesterday, courtesy of migme. It's a highly anticipated movie because director Teddy Chan made it as a tribute to Hong Kong action cinema. While I couldn't identify all the cameos (I think I watch more HK dramas than action movies), I did recognise a few famous action stars like Tony Leung and Jackie Chan who appeared in the funniest places - the latter in a TV programme within the movie.

Life with a Dog

I love dogs, but I've never had a dog... until February this year, that is.

I had been experiencing anxiety problems for about a year since 2013, partly due to the low-frequency vibrations that had been bothering me at night. A lot of things were hanging in the balance for me - thesis, sleep, mental well-being - and I felt so tired of struggling with my problems. My dad, trying his best to find a solution for me, suggested getting me a dog. He figured that a dog would get my mind off my anxieties and give me a sense of purpose (apart from thesis).

He was mostly right. In February 2014, we went to an adoption drive and it was there that Holly first entered my life.

Hada Labo Super HA Hydrating Lotion Review and Pictures

(This post is part 3 of my Daily Skincare Routine series)

Ah, Hada Labo, the brand that everyone loves because it's simple and it works. I'll be talking about using Hada Labo Super HA Hydrating Lotion as a day moisturiser in this post. I know it's counterintuitive as it's labelled as a lotion (toner) and not a moisturiser, but HA (hyaluronic acid) is so awesomely moisturising that this lotion is enough.

Summerlong

I was sifting through my computer and found these photos from one year ago. It was part of my first ever portrait-focused "photo shoot" with a DSLR while I was living it up in HK for a month.

Although the weather was insanely hot - worse than Singapore weather - I still had fun shooting this at our school bus stop. The greenery was lush and the cement added a nice contrast. I'm thinking of doing more of this if I can! I think the photos turned out rather well, heh. Also I had fun doing this zine-like spread with the pictures. Hee.

Here's presenting the Summerlong shoot from 2013...

Russell Organics Eye Cream Review and Pictures

UPDATE: Up to 15% discount code and a free gift available for new customers of StrawberryNET! Scroll to the end of the post for more details.

Ever heard of Russell Organics? It's a cruelty-free and certified vegan brand that promises an effective, non-toxic skincare experience with three different product lines: skincare, hair care and men's skincare. They were nominated recently for the 2014 Eco-Excellence Awards too, so I was really excited to try out their products.

As someone with the bad habit of sleeping late and drinking water before I sleep, I'm always on the lookout for the perfect eye cream to counter puffiness. Most eye creams tend to feel slightly greasy or sticky, so I haven't been too keen on using them. I've been testing Russell Organics Eye Cream for almost a month now, and I'm pleased to say that I'll continue using it because it's simply great!

Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner Review and Pictures

(This post is part 2 of my Daily Skincare Routine series)

I've gone through many toners over the years but none has stuck so faithfully to me as the Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner. I use this toner in the day and at night after cleansing my face with Bioderma Créaline H2O Solution Micellaire.

While some don't use toner and simply put on moisturiser after cleansing their faces, toner is actually a very useful step in your skincare routine. Toner removes the remaining dirt from the skin, balances the skin's pH, and preps the skin for absorbing moisturiser. There's really no point in buying the best skincare products when your skin isn't primed to absorb them!

Bioderma Créaline (Sensibio) H2O Solution Micellaire Review and Pictures

(This post is part 1 of my Daily Skincare Routine series)

Bioderma Créaline H2O Solution Micellaire is my HG facial cleanser/make up remover. I love it because it cleans without drying the skin out and doesn't contain fragrance, which is a godsend for sensitive skin. I've used more than 8 bottles of this, and will be using it until it's discontinued (touch wood!)

First off, it looks and feels just like water. Its barely-there scent is very pleasing and soothing. I like the fact that I don't need to rinse my face after using this cleanser as it doesn't leave any residue unlike cream/oil cleansers. It's also fairly moisturising on its own and is gentle on the skin.

Daily Skincare Routine (2013-14)

As promised, here's the daily skincare routine I've been on for about a year or so now. My skincare routine has changed drastically over the past few years as I have been trying to decide which products were best for my skin. I've finally settled on the perfect combination (for now) and my skin has never been better!

New year new stuff

Well, so this is officially my first proper post after the hiatus. It's strange writing again after so long because I don't quite know where to start, but I'll try. Okay new stuff that has happened:

1) Antelune

As some of you may have noticed, I have a new site: www.antelune.com! It's more of a place where I publish my creative endeavours - fiction, poetry, musings, visual art, music - because somehow it feels strange to post them up here between lifestyle and beauty posts. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but my life-goal is sort of to be an artist doing mixed media stuff. So basically visual art + performance art. Apart from that, I can write, sing, and play music so hopefully something will come of it. To be honest, I'm not even sure where my abilities will take me, but I'm putting some faith into realising my dreams. Whatever it is I do, I aim to inspire wonder and help others somehow. Not sure how I'm going to do that right now, but I'm believing that it will come to pass.

Hong Kong Eats: Dim Sum Bar Review and Pictures

I'm baaaack with lots of food pictures and foodie recommendations. I'm breaking up my posts so I won't spam you with pictures and texts; each Hong Kong Eats post will be a review on a particular place I've been to. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have had writing them (and eating all the food).

My first encounter with dim sum in HK happened at Dim Sum Bar. I went to the one located at Gateway Arcade of Harbour City, which is near the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station.  If you want to get there, you'll have to enter from the outside, so it can get a tad confusing if you're not familiar with the place.

No. 1 on my list (and collage) to try is the Char Siew Bao 叉烧包 (BBQ pork-filled bun). They do it with a modern twist like Tim Ho Wan; instead of having the bun skin all soft, white and tasteless, this bun is crispy on the outside and a little sweet. I really love how the crispy texture of the outside complements the BBQ pork filling, which is salty and flavourful. Can't ever get sick of this dish!

Roaming the streets of Hong Kong

I have been such a lazy lump since I came to HK that it's a miracle this post is right here, staring you in the face... But it is! Finally caught a break between eating, shopping and school to edit photos and write this out. I'm currently on a month-long summer school programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). It's located in the New Territories and the school itself is in some small backwater area with rocky geography and bendy curves that make riding the internal shuttle bus feel like a rollercoaster experience. The campus is beautifully decked with lush greenery and some water features. It feels like something out of a Chinese painting at times.

We fondly dubbed this the infinity pond, the cousin of MBS' infinity pool. It's a beautiful small pond that's on the way out towards the bus stop. A very scenic and touristy spot for photos - I'm planning on taking some there for a shoot soon.

Essence Trend Edition: Hugs & Kisses

Ready for the newest essence trend edition? Well you better be, because it's all about summer lovin' with hugs and kisses from essence this summer. Here's a short post to share the press release for the Hugs & Kisses trend edition!

July/August 2013 Trend Edition – Hugs & Kisses

The latest Trend Edition for essence cosmetics is in stores now! Fall in love this summer with essence’s Hugs & Kisses, a trend edition that pairs this season’s trendy colours with the magical feeling of falling in love!

In this Trend Edition, essence brings you a lovely mix of fun and bright colours to the deep, intense colours of love. Get a flirty, summer look with Hugs & Kisses eye shadow palette, multicolour blush and glitter eyeliner. Get soft and smooth puckers with the moisturizing lip scrub. Top them with the lip tint to give your lips that lasting hint of colour. Mix up your summer look with the nail twins base and top coats in various colours. Lastly, spritz on some hugs and kisses eau de toilette and you’re all ready for summer lovin’!

HK Updates + My Week on Instagram: 24 June - 7 July 2013

Hi guys! It's been AGES since I last updated as I'm in HK now for a school-based summer programme from 29 June - 7 August (which is coincidentally my birthday!). To be honest I've been quite lazy since coming here. The food's good and I love just hanging out with my friends, so there's not much motivation to plop myself in front of the computer to blog. Coupled with the fact that I'm out most of the day either eating, shopping or in classes, you can probably understand why I just feel like sleeping early at night.

I haven't been updating this space with My Week on Instagram and LOI posts for the past two weeks, but I'm getting back in the groove now. This will be a post on the past two weeks on Instagram and I'll do up an special HK edition of LOI for next Monday. You can also look forward to some travel posts with pictures and more reviews of stuff. I've had review pictures in my computer for ages and ages so I'd better get down to churning out 'em reviews soon.

25 June 2013

This tree in my neighbourhood was destroyed by the heavy storms and hail that hit the Western part of Singapore. If you hadn't heard already, it hailed 2 weeks ago. That's very surprising because of one thing: Singapore just doesn't get hail. The hail was probably due to the crazy hazy conditions we were experiencing just a couple of weeks ago. Some people theorised that the hail was due to Indonesia's cloud seeding efforts, as the clouds could have be blown over to Singapore. I think that's not very possible as it's too far away for the hail to be carried to Singapore. My theory is that the increase in airborne particles (due to the haze) caused more moisture to coalesce around these particles, but they were pushed upwards due to a lack of clouds (because of the thunderstorms previously) and were cooled until they became hail. Seems to be confirmed by this source.

Crafting with Canon Creative Park

Welcome back to the last post in my series of Crafting with my Canon PIXMA printer! The other two posts can be found here and here.

Today I have 3 crafts to show you, all made using templates on the Canon Creative Park website. I love the variety of paper crafts available there, and the instructions are really clear too. You just have to make sure you're using the right paper (I used Canon MP-101 Matte Photo Paper) and with a scissors, penknife and glue in hand, you're good to go!

I chose to make this wood grain perpetual calendar because I love how classic and timeless it looks. It wasn't tough to make, but you need to be very precise when cutting the lines - I used a penknife!

List of Interestingness: Volume I x 4 (The Haze Edition)

I've been sorely lacking in inspiration these days because my mind's preoccupied with checking the fluctuating PSI readings of the haze in Singapore. I know this LOI's late, but the writer's block this time is terrible! After racking my brains for a while, I realised that the best way to combat writer's block is to use the very obstacle that's in my way, so here's a special LOI: The Haze Edition.

My Week on Instagram: 17 - 23 June 2013

17 June 2013

I hadn't shown any love to my Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick in a long while, so here's a shot of me wearing it! Black Honey became an instant cult favourite in the beauty world when it was first released a few years ago, and that's no surprise given how versatile this red is. It works on every skin tone and enhances your natural lip colour to give a subtle and fresh look. I should do a review on it huh!

How to Fight the Haze: The 2013 Edition

The haze is a chronic problem that has been going on for ages, but the most recent high of 400 on the PSI a few days ago broke the previous 1997 record high of 226. This shows how serious things are getting. PSI 100 is already considered "unhealthy", and Singapore's PSI has been hovering around the 200-300 range for the past few days, only dipping to below 100 today.

Recently there have been posts filled with advice on how to fight the haze and stay healthy, so here's my two cents on the matter!

1. Know the haze

Before we can figure out how to stay (relatively) healthy and well during this period, we have to know what causes the haze and when it happens. The haze usually happens in the second half of the year in Sumatra, Indonesia during the dry season, and is caused by the illegal burning of forests to clear land for agriculture.

This year's haze is especially bad due to changing wind patterns and an especially dry climate. Since the start of this week, there has been no rain to help mitigate the thick cloud of haze shrouding Singapore, worsening the situation. Take a look this NASA satellite image of the haze cloud moving towards Malaysia and Singapore:

(Source)

It's pretty scary eh?