Review of CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus and Igloo Tent

Sponsored

With Singapore's tropical climate, the merciless heat and humidity is not exactly conducive for working-from-home and keeping your air conditioner on for 9 hours per day is not sustainable, financially or environmentally. 

Filming beauty tutorials at home without a cool environment is definitely a no-no for the sweaty me, yet long exposure to the cold air of home air-conditioning led to excessive facial sebum on my dehydrated skin (yikes!). With all this issues on my mind, I have been actively searching for sustainable alternatives. Hence, an energy-saving personal portable air-conditioner sounds like an excellent solution!

CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus

I have friends who personally recommended CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus + Igloo Tent to me because they have truly enjoyed using this compact & convenient portable air conditioner and assured me that it is the best option out there!

Cool Focus Portable Air Conditioner (SGD649) is mainly made of plastic on its exterior and has a white glossy finish. There is a front (cold air) and back (warmer air), distinguished by a bigger front flap and a smaller back flap which Close Comfort named them as "air covers". This compact unit measures 55.0cm x 27.3cm x 38.5cm (HxWxD) and weighs 17kg. With quality caster wheels fitted at its base, you won't feel the weight at all. Handles are built at the sides for easy lifting, when necessary,

Igloo Tent (SGD129)

Invented by Close Comfort's founder, this unique Igloo Tent is ingeniously designed to work together with Cool Focus Portable Air Conditioner Unit to up the cooling effect by 12°C. Comes in the latest self-erecting technology, it doubles as a glamping tent and can be fitted onto a double, Queen size and King size bed and act as a mosquito protection net! Setting up and packing away the tent takes a bit of practice but once you get the hang of it, it is almost effortless. Video demonstration and instructions can be found here.

WHY I CHOSE CLOSE COMFORT instead of other portable air-conditioners?

Review of CNP LABORATORY Invisible Peeling Booster and Propolis Energy Ampule

Advertorial

As a beauty blogger and skincare enthusiast, keeping my skin healthy is a top priority. But sad to say, I have not been to a professional facial ever since the pandemic started. Staying safe ranks highest in our list of life priorities nowadays, right?

Since going for regular facials or upkeeping our dermatologists appointments can pose a challenge whenever restrictions are amped up, you & I will have to look for home alternatives to continue keeping our skin in tip-top condition.  

Two weeks ago, I have been invited to a 7 Day Skincare Challenge by CNP Laboratory! (You guys know how much I love these challenges!) 

Introducing two of CNP Laboratory bestsellers: 

Invisible Peeling Booster and Propolis Energy Ampule.

Invisible Peeling Booster and Propolis Energy Ampule may be used separately, they do not come in a set. For the purpose of product review, I tried both products day and night together, for 7 days and beyond.

By Terry VIP Expert Palette Paris Mon Amour Review & Swatches

Sponsored

It's Spring time and Valentine's season! This year 2020, coinciding with the most lovely season of the year, BY TERRY released another one of their popular limited edition eyeshadow palette, named By Terry VIP Expert Palette Paris Mon Amour.

By Terry transports us to Paris with this limited edition palette

The   VIP Expert Palette in Paris Mon Amour contains a total of 10 shades, with a mix of mattes, satin with a couple of slightly more glittery shades. This comprehensive combination of  warmer & neutral shades make it convenient  for layering. Colors include (from top to bottom):

• Matte light beige
• Satin cool brown
• Shimmer baby pink
• Shimmery soft peach coral
• Dusty matte brown
• Dark bronze shimmer
• Metallic sparkle gold 
• Shimmery wine plum
• Shimmery sandy taupe
• Matte ivory 

How to Reduce Dark Eye Circles And Puffy Eyes with Natureye Eye Mask

Sponsored

Year 2020 saw a rough start with the unfortunate spread of virus Covid-19, and we are in an unprecedented time of uncertainty and sadness. It is indeed challenging for everyone, all around the world.

If you are reading this, I want to tell you that you are not alone. 

~~~

However on this blog post, I am not going to get overly emotional about our current life situation. (There is another space and time for this. And if you feel like you wanna chat with me about this, you know where to reach me!)

Today, I want to introduce you to something I personally LOVE. 

TRIED, TEST, PROVEN 

(by me and Beauty Insider)

NATUREYE Eye Mask

Link to purchase : https://bit.ly/2xcHLC7

Our lifestyle has massively changed and many of us are working from home and for those not working, we too have been increasingly spending more time looking at our screens.

How Exposure to Blue Light Affect Our Health

I believe you have read about the various adverse health risks that prolonged exposure to Blue Light can cause us. Even if you haven't heard this before and only got to know about it through the infograph above, don't get too anxious about it! Being aware of this fact and making necessary step-by-step lifestyle adjustments is a good first step to greater well-being.

Do you suffer from digital eye strain?

If your work and lifestyle habits revolve around spending a lot of screen time, NATUREYE Eye Mask is made for you!

Review of COCO & EVE Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut & Fig Hair Masque

Advertorial

My hair journey these recent years has been somewhat a crazy one - from browns to ash shades, vibrant colours such as pink & purple, and the daily flat iron and hot-curling, I am pretty lucky that I even have a full head of tresses right now!

Constantly on the lookout of a good homecare hair masque, the first time I spotted COCO & EVE was on Instagram. I was immediately drawn to the colours & design of the packaging! It was only a couple of weeks ago that I finally had the opportunity to test out the product on myself, and boy, I quickly grabbed it!

The brand came to the UK late 2017 and has already won over plenty of beauty fans. Founded in Bali, the masque was created to get your hair back to its purest a.k.a virgin state, with only the best ingredients.

Best selling points : completely free from sulphates and parabens, gluten-free, cruelty-free and 100% vegan and is made using 5 key ingredients: coconut, fig, shea butter, argan oil and linseed.

IOMA PARIS MA CRÈME Review

Sponsored

Personalised skincare isn't something new, but have you heard of a tailored-made face cream with 40 257 possible formulas and out of these, ONE is uniquely yours?

Introducing a pioneering French luxury skin care label, at the forefront of technology, and boasts of being the first and only skincare brand to prove the effectiveness of each of its products at the end of each treatment, on every woman using them - IOMA PARIS.

Estée Lauder Christmas Gift Sets 2017 Review

Sponsored

The most joyous time of the year has arrived! As you indulge in the festive cheer, have you given some thought to your Christmas shopping? I am sure you did, since it is just 15 days away!

Apologies I have been busy and couldn't do up a more comprehensive gift guide featuring all my favourite beauty brands on a single blog post. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook, and you will see an assortment of different beauty gift ideas on my feed, all through November & December!

Since I only have time for ONE blog post for this Christmas season, I'd like to dedicate it to one of my top five most favourite luxury brands since the day I discovered my passion for makeup & beauty, and this is none other than Estée Lauder! (I can still vividly remember my first EL face wash I invested when I was 15, and how the ANR gift sets lured me to throw in my first full-time salary when I was 20!)

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup and Pure Color Envy Lip Volumizer Review

Sponsored

Exciting news for Double Wear fans - the wait is over! The brand new variant of the ever popular foundation : Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup is here in Singapore!

Bobbi Brown Nude Drama Palette : Review, Swatches, Video Demo.

Sephora US launched this Bobbi Brown Nude Drama Palette (Limited Edition) last week as a store exclusive - which means you probably can only lay your hands on it through direct purchase at Sephora Store (or Online store). I am not certain if non-U.S countries will eventually launch this; but in any case, you can try personal shopper websites.

This limited edition Bobbi Brown product at a significantly lower-than-its-regular-prices price point, undoubtedly is going to garner much attention.

Dior Addict Lip Tattoo and Dior PumpNVolume Mascara Review, Swatch and Video Demo

This Spring/Summer 2017, Dior Makeup introduces many goodies and pretties as per previous years. What struck me the most weren't their eyeshadow quads (which in all honesty are really gorgeous collectibles), but these two items - Dior Addict Lip Tattoo and Dior Pump'N'Volume Mascara.

HOURGLASS Ambient Lighting Edit Surreal Light Holiday 2016 Limited Edition Palette: Review, Swatches and MOTD

Makeup junkies have new toys to lust after every holiday season. This year, Hourglass launched its limited collection palette again; and it gets more gorgeous with the classic white marble packaging. Determined not to miss the opportunity this time round, I sought my friend's help to ship this Hourglass Surreal Light Ambient Lighting Edit Palette from the U.S in case it is not available in Singapore.

By now, if you are an avid collector of limited edition makeup, you'd have made up your mind whether you want to purchase it once this hits our local Sephora Singapore stores on 1st November 2016. If you're still not quite decided whether you want to splurge more than *SGD130, then read on!

 (*As of writing, I am uncertain of the selling price of Sephora Singapore. For the record, I paid SGD130 including shipping charges. USD84.80 excl. shipping)

Brush purchased separately.

I won't be furnishing much product information here in my blog post - Google will be happy to show you other very informative and detailed reviews of Hourglass Surreal Light Ambient Lighting Edit Palette, mostly on U.S beauty blogs. Read more on this amazing site, Temptalia. 

The purpose of my blog review is to share with you how this product will look on Asian skintones like mine (MAC NC 25, yellow undertones), and how it fares on combination/acne-prone skin and under humid weather like Singapore's.

Palladio Pop Shine Brilliant Lip Balm - reviews, swatches and FREE giveaway!

Sponsored

By now you'd have heard of this drugstore brand that just landed Singapore shores some months back. They are known for their amazing quality at unbelievably affordable prices.

You can read more of my reviews of Palladio Pop Shine Lip Balm and other products here.

I won't be posting repetitive ramblings on how awesome I think this product is - I believe the product speaks for itself (You only NEED to try it!). What I will do here is to share the available shades and swatches you might want to view before heading down to Guardian Singapore to get yours.

Six available shades:

Socialite - a bright peach with pink undertones

Outrageous - a bright red with orange tones

Psyched - a bright red with pink undertones. Slightly cooler than Outrageous.

Get Real - mauve nude with cool undertones. Recommended for fair skin tones.

Flirtatious - sexy purple. Olive skin tones please avoid.

Scandalous - deep berry. One layer will reflect as red; Two layers as wine red, more layers = vampy dark red.

Texture:

Creamy and applies like a lip balm. However, because of its pigments, it is less moisturising than the usual lip balm. Dries to a slick muted sheen on lips. 

Lasting Power:

It's a balm, not exactly a lipstick (although the pigmentation totally looks like one) so please don't expect much lasting power. For me, all gone after a salad meal.

In my opinion, I think swatches and lip swatches are not visual enough/holistic. So I included my unabashed selfies/MOTD with each shade. #sorrynotsorry

Review of Bottega Verde La Mia Crema

Sponsored

Bogetta Verde, unlike Bottega Venetta, is relatively new in Singapore. Launched in 2015 in Singapore, this brand originates from my favourite country - Tuscany, to be exact, Bogetta Verde was founded in a country side area of Tuscany with the business of using only natural ingredients in their products.

I was invited to the launch of the bespoke cream  Bottega Verde La Mia Crema a month ago, and went through a skin analysis with their professional consultant before the boutique sends my details back to Bogetta Verde laboratory in Rome to customise my face cream. Was so pleased that I also get to select the scent I like!

YSL Couture Palette Collector Mon Paris : Review, Swatches, MOTD.

Woohoo! Time for Fall collection limited edition beauty buys again! YSL 2016 Fall Collection has many beautiful collectibles this year. Check out some of my picks HERE on Instagram.

YSL newly launched a Paris-inspired theme of products that consist of eyeshadow palette and perfume. Mon Paris Eyeshadow Palette is one that many beauty junkies are on the waiting list for... but is it worth the wait?  Let's see....

Mon Paris Limited Edition eyeshadow palette is a spin-off (or should I say addition) from their Mon Paris Parfum.

Currently, if  you purchase Mon Paris Limited Edition eyeshadow palette, you will receive a miniature sample of Mon Paris Parfum, as shot in my first photo above. (Whilst stocks lasts!)

Review of Clio Kill Cover Stamping Foundation SPF50+ PA+++

Sponsored

First stamping foundation in a compact - CLIO's latest release stirred up some fairy dust in the beauty community recently.

"It is not a cushion."

As the box is first opened, that catchy phrase just catches your attention. (Yes! I love liquid foundies more than BB cushion actually, so this is just awesome.)

Review of KLARITY™ Oxymud™ Cacao Cleanse and Renewal Mask and Diamond Glow™ Overnight Masque

Sponsored

Summer is the season when many skin problems surfaced - I was not spared from this either. Been having a lot of trouble with my facial complexion these days, yet was too busy to go for a professional deep cleansing facial at the salon.

Thanks to Klarity who came to my rescue!

When Klarity is mentioned, the first thought that comes to mind has got to be their best-selling Lasertox™ CC Miracle White Lotion that gained so much popularity within months of launch! I personally loved it heaps, since its first launch on 2014.

In case you have not tried this before... this is a miracle lotion, no kidding!

A quick background of Klarity - founded in Singapore, it is the first Halal-certified functional skin care in Singapore. Their brand philosophy is to provide functional skin care solutions with no down time, non-invasive and skin friendly ingredients - no paraben! Klarity products are formulated in Singapore, with technology from France and made in Korea, thus quality can be assured.

Recently, Klarity launched their new masking products! (And these products could well be a great home alternative to a salon facial!)

Amazing Makeup Under S$20 - Review of Palladio Velvet Matte + First Impressions of other Palladio Picks

Sponsored

Every girl deserves to be pretty; quality makeup should be made accessible to everyone.

That is my fundamental belief.

Although I am an avid collector of luxury makeup as well, I still believe the market needs more affordable and high quality makeup... so everyone can look & feel beautiful, anytime. In my quest for cheap & good makeup, I have met certain beauty brands that did not disappoint. However, these are only a handful...and sometimes even "drugstore" beauty products cost more than $25 for a single item.

PALLADIO BEAUTY SINGAPORE 

Palladio is a US drugstore brand that retails at Ulta - a large chain of beauty stores in USA. Palladio is unique for infusing its cosmetics with botanical herbs and vitamins. This year 2016, Palladio Singapore officially launches at Guardian Singapore.

Their products are marked at incredible prices, not exceeding SGD20 for any one item.

I am thrilled to share some of my favourite picks from the brand, starting with their very popular...

Review of Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream

Editorial

The current market has no lack of oil makeup removers and makeup cleansing water. However, in comparison, there isn't as wide a range of cleansing cream available.

For sensitive or dry skin, makeup removing can be a nightmare if one does not use the right makeup remover. In fact, for anyone who uses makeup, the first utmost important step to good skin is makeup removing!

When I saw that in the August '16 Beauty Box, there appeared a jar of Deep Cleansing Cream, my curiosity was piqued immediately. BNT always sends amazing K-Beauty products that are not-as-accessible in Singapore as of now; this time round, it is no exception.

Eliminating Stress with Spa Ceylon De-Stress Home Spa range

Sponsored

"I am so stressed!" I am sure everyone has said that at some point in time, or have heard of people around you saying that. In a fast-paced society like Singapore, stress is inevitable. But stress is also the causal factor for a lot of illnesses.

How do you beat stress? For me, there are a few tested-and-proven methods to combat the stresses of life. First is to exercise, second is to chill out over a good cuppa with good company/good friends, and lastly go for massage and enjoy some good ol' aromatherapy.

Recently I have been invited to the Healing Touch at Tanglin Shopping Centre for a massage therapy session - a collaboration with Spa Ceylon De-Stress range. That night I could sleep like a baby after losing sleep for many days...all thanks to the masseuse,  Anne's magic touch.

I also brought the spa back home!

Or so I wished.

 Spa Ceylon De-Stress Home Spa range

So glad I bagged home this set plus a brightening hand cream!

BB Cushion Evolution - Review of New LANEIGE BB Cushion Pore Control and Whitening

Sponsored 

Sorry lovelies for the lack of updates on the blog lately! I have just officially moved into my first matrimonial home! And the past two months were a mad craze of overseeing my interior designers, contractors, getting furniture & furnishings, shifting from two homes to one, cleaning/packing/unpacking and now, trying to organise a housewarming party as well as plan an overseas trip. (Gosh!)

Now that I am finally more available to blog, I have decided to review the newly packaged and improved formula of the  Laneige BB Cushion (both Pore Control and Whitening) that I have used for more than a month.

Don't you find this pretty & very elegant holographic design cover exceptionally alluring? This new packaging is also much more slicker and easier to carry around for touch-ups. 

Note: Your old BB cushion refills won't fit this new one.