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?

Paula's Choice Extra Care Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 45 Review and Pictures

Remember my post about the Paula's Choice high tea that happened last year? Now I'm back with a couple of review posts of the products that I was given to try. I've tried these products over the course of at least 2 months before seriously evaluating them, in order to write better and more thorough reviews!

First up, we have Paula's Choice Extra Care Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 45.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Fluide Extreme Review and Pictures

As some of you may know, I'm currently overseas on a short summer holiday. Having a good WiFi connection here is a godsend, and I'll be able to continue blogging daily. Since I'm travelling, I decided to do a series of travel related posts about my beauty and skincare travel essentials which I've brought on this trip. In every post of this series, I will feature one travel essential that is currently in my bag, with some general tips on how to use it well and some things to avoid. At the end of the series, I will do a summary post with pictures of the entire line-up and links to all the individual review posts - remember to check back often for updates!

My Beauty and Skincare Travel Essentials Series

Part I: Sunscreen - La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Fluide Extreme

Before moving on to the review, just a word on sunscreen first*:

Ever thought that the higher the SPF (sun protection factor), the better the sun protection offered? Think again. It's a myth that has been capitalised on by many sunscreen brands that advertise sky-high SPFs to tempt the consumer who doesn't know any better. Find out why after the jump!

ME! Bath Choco-holic Body Wash Review

[EDITED 25/4/2013]

Added the ingredients list!

Ingredients list: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polysorbate 80, Cocamide MEA, Fragrance, Cola Acuminata (Kola Nut) Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, DMDM Hydantoin (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Benzotriazole Dodecyl p-Cresol, Red 40 [CI 16035], Yellow 6 [CI 15985], Blue 1 [CI 42090].

---

Don't these pictures just speak for themselves? I bought the ME! Bath's Choco-holic Body Wash at Sephora out of curiousity and also because it smelt delicious. It didn't disappoint.