3CE Style Nanda Pink Hotel at Myeongdong

Tuesday, 29 August 2017 at August 29, 2017

Myeongdong is a huge, busy district in Seoul that is jam packed with endless rows of cosmetic shops, restaurants, and apparel stores. During my trip to Seoul in May 2017, I went to Myeongdong probably a total of 4 times and only during the last trip there did I realise that the 3CE Style Nanda Pink Hotel is located there! I don't have the actual directions because we were already in Myeongdong when I wanted to get something from 3CE, so I googled to see if there's a 3CE in Myeongdong. But we just followed the directions on Google Maps and it was pretty easy to locate and spot.


Fun fact: Girl group Twice shot their album photos for their album 'Signal' at the 3CE Style Nanda Pink Hotel!


The 3CE Style Nanda Pink Hotel is essentially a 4 stories high Style Nanda built with a pink hotel theme. Right when you enter, there is a reception counter with fake (of course) keys and a lobby area. The first floor is a buffet-liked display of the 3CE cosmetics, including the new releases and latest products. As pink is my favourite colour, I was blown away by the gorgeous pink and marble aesthetics in store.



Despite the 4 stories high 'hotel', the shop is actually quite small and narrow because it is located right in an alley, in between other shops. Unlike their flagship store in Hongdae and their Cinema store in Apgujeong which are definitely larger and more spacious, with more selections of apparels too.





Heading up to level 2, you can go up either by the elevator or the stairs. Level 2 is decorated like a washroom and it is also filled with makeup as you can see in the photos below. As 3CE doesn't have a huge range of makeup, level 1 and 2 are pretty much the same thing.




Level 3 and 4 is where you will be able to find Style Nanda's apparels and lingerie. We didn't go up to level 4 because I was getting bored already. But at Level 3, the area is renovated to look like the corridor of the hotel rooms. The selections of clothes were very limited and as you can see, it's not very spacious too.




In my opinion, I think the only reason to come here is to do a quick pick-up of a makeup product as since the area is so small, it can get very cramp and it felt like everyone was just there to take pictures of the pretty interior. If you're planning to do some actual shopping of apparels and accessories, I highly recommend their flagship store in Hongdae.

Labels: korea, lifestyle, make-up, seoul, travel

Review: Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Himalayan Bath Salts

Thursday, 24 August 2017 at August 24, 2017

Whilst browsing through Cosme-de.com, I was attracted to the Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Himalayan Bath Salts. Being a working adult with a Youtube channel and a blog to maintain, life can get pretty stressful at times which is why when I see anything that has the word 'De-Stress' on it, I just go 'TAKE MY MONEY!!'.


The Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Himalayan Bath Salts are basically crystallized sea salts from the Himalayas that has been infused with essential oils, namely Rosemary, Lavender and Ginger. Other than the De-Stress Muscle Himalayan Bath Salts, Aromatherapy Associates also offers the Deep-Relax Himalayan Bath Salts. I was considering between the two but of course, the one with lavender always wins the game for me.

Bath salts are different from the usual bath bombs we like to drop into our baths. Visually, bath salts do nothing fanciful or interesting to your bath. Like ordinary salt, they simply dissolves and disappears into the water, so don't expect your water to turn into a unicorn shade. But to cover up for its lack of visual, bath salts are actually really beneficial to our skin and body!


Sea salt is known for its detoxifying benefits. Soaking in a salt bath can help ease and relax any tensed muscles, body aches and pains, by improving the blood circulation in your body. As salt is packed with minerals such as potassium, zinc, copper, etc, having a salt bath also allows our skin to soak up these minerals too.


These bath salts come in a gorgeous tub with a gold reflective cap which will look stunning in the bathroom. A little wooden spoon is also provided to help scoop out the bath salts. The recommended amount is 2-3 spoonful's per bath. As the name suggests, this product is made to help de-stress, by relaxing your muscles to release any tension. The soothing aroma is also supposedly able to help you unwind and free your mind from any problems after a busy day.


Opening up the tub releases a strong scent of the essential oils and it smelled simply amazing, and pungent. The lavender oil definitely contributed the most part of the relaxing scent, while the strong ginger and rosemary scent helped to give the overall fragrance a boost to perk up your senses.


To make my bath more relaxing and pampering, I always like adding more than one product into my bath. So along with these bath salts, I also always include a bath bomb and half a bubble bar from LUSH. I was surprised to find out that even with the bath bomb and bubble bar, I can still smell the strong ginger fragrance of the bath salts.


I spent roughly 20 minutes in my bath as recommended and after which, I felt very relaxed and I definitely felt like I slept better. Another thing I noticed was how relaxed my legs muscles were after the bath as recently, I have been suffering from aching legs and so I was super amazed that this really helped ease away the tension. Of course, you can't expect a one-time bath to completely cure a long time body ache, but it does help for the night.


Overall, this product worked better than I expected. I love the strong, yet relaxing aroma which makes me feel like I'm at a spa. The beautiful tub also looks classy and posh in my bathroom which is always a plus. If you don't have a bath tub, you can simply use a pail to just soak your tired legs too.

Labels: bodycare, review, stress relief

Review: Klara Cosmetics + Summer Make-Up Look

Tuesday, 22 August 2017 at August 22, 2017

Klara Cosmetics is an Australian cosmetic brand, launched in 2013. The main highlight of the brand is that all their products are 100% Colour Pigmentation, which means all products are highly pigmented with the maximum colour concentration, to provide long-lasting and intense looks which is perfect for any festivals, events, and summer! A week ago, I received a set of the Klara Cosmetics from Sasa Singapore. The box contained the Klara Cosmetics Pro No.2 Eyeshadow Palette, 3 of the Kiss Proof Liquid Matte Lipsticks, as well as a Kiss Proof Mini Lips.


The eyeshadow palette definitely caught my attention as I was stunned with the gorgeous selection of strong and bold colours. The palette itself is very lightweight and it shuts well with a magnet. If anything, this is not a fanciful-looking palette and in fact it feels quite flimsy. I think it's still travel-friendly, just make sure not to place something heavy over it. The overall appearance and layout did remind me of the Kylie eyeshadow palette and it also does not come with a mirror.

The Pro No.2 Palette has a good mix of berry tones as well as a matte and shimmer shades which is great for summer vacations. There is also a good selection of neutral browns and beige for a more natural look, or for brows, or for contour. Because this palette is marketed to be really pigmented, it really raised my expectations for the eyeshadows and I was quite disappointed with the swatches as they turned out to be just slightly above average. I'd say that it is more pigmented than the TooFaced Sweet Peach palette, but not more than the Colourpop Super Shock Shadows.


I've used this palette to create a summer look which is very wearable for any summer parties, dates and occasions. I decided to go for the bottom row, middle shade as my base colour because I think summer 2017 is all about oranges, corals, and peaches.


To add a punch of glitter, I went in with the middle shade. This shimmer pink shade goes perfectly with the coral base and it also acts as a base for the glitter lipstick we will be applying. Amongst all the lip products I received, the one that caught my attention is the Kiss Proof Lips in Shade 01 Topaz Diamond. This is a glitter lipstick which I thought would look great on the lids.

To darken up for a more defined look, I decided to skip the boring brown and get in with the dark shimmery purple shade. To highlight, I'm using the first shade on my inner corners and brow bone.


This look screams summer to me as it has a good combination of bright pinks and berry. I think this look is perfect with a simple summery white top so the focus will be all on your lids!

Moving on to the lip products, we've got a good selection of matte liquid lips here. Shade 07 Sienna Nude is a medium nude shade and it looks like a mixture of the Kat Von D liquid lipstick in Double Dare and Lolita. This is the most wearable shade for my skintone so I have picked this to go along with the summer look I created.

Shade 20 Birthday Suit is a pale nude shade with pink undertones. As I have medium skintone, I refrain from wearing pale and light lip colours. These matte lipsticks are very watery in consistency which makes it easy to apply evenly as they don't drag across my lips. After they have set, they adhere quite well to my lips and even after a full meal, I still have about 60% of the product left on my lips.

The last lip product is the Kiss Proof Mini Lips in Vixen Plum and this is a dark plum colour which I love! I think this shade really compliments the warm tone of my skin and will be perfect for the colder months.

Klara Cosmetics has just launched in SaSa Singapore, so if you're interested in high pigmentation cosmetics, make sure you head down and swatch them out for yourself!

Labels: beauty, eyeshadow palettes, make-up, review, tutorials

Review: Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment

Thursday, 17 August 2017 at August 17, 2017

Having oily skin, mud masks are one of my must-have skincare products in my skincare routine as they are known to provide an effective deep cleanse to get rid of any stubborn oils and dirt. One of the most popular mud masks in the market are the ones from Glamglow, however they can be really pricey for a small little tub. So to help you decide if that little tub is worth the money, today I will be reviewing the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment, which I have been using for over 5 months now.


In 2016, I received the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment from Cosme-de.com, and even though it was very kindly sponsored, it was a product I specifically chose to try out. Cosme-de.com is an online shopping heaven for high-end beauty products, and one of the reasons why I recommend them is because their prices are very competitive as compared to retail prices. Their beauty products are also a 100% guaranteed authentic so you don't have to worry about receiving fake goods! So far, I have done numerous reviews (1, 2, 3) for them and so they are definitely trustworthy in my books.



I personally like alternating the different mud masks I own, which is why up till today, I have yet to empty the tub. It is also not recommended to use a mud mask often as you will end up stripping away all the essential oils and moisture in your skin which may backfire and cause even more skin problems such as dry skin, flaky skin and breakouts. For my entire face, I only use a mud mask when I feel like it needs it, so I usually only use it for spot treatments on breakout areas or my T-zone and chin area. You also don't need a thick layer of mask for this product as a little goes a long way (and a thin layer also makes it easier to wash off). For people with dry skin, not to worry as I personally find this mask less drying and harsh on my skin.


This mud mask has a really creamy texture, and it contains tea leaves flakes in the mix. After I smooth it all over my skin, I leave it on for about 20 minutes for it to dry up and basically absorb all the oils in my pores. During the process, the mask transform from a dark grey colour to a dark sea-foam colour. I notice that the areas with spots/oils remained grey.

The first time I used this mask, it has a stinging effect on my skin which was slightly unbearable I almost wanted to wash it off immediately. But the stinging feeling subsides after the first 5 minutes and in subsequent uses, I probably got used to the sensation. For people with sensitive skin, I recommend you to test it out on your neck area first before purchasing the full tub.


After 20 minutes, the mask is dry and stiff. Washing it off will take awhile so I tend to get the help of a facial brush or cloth to speed up the washing process. After washing, my skin feels refreshed and purified. Other than cleaning out my pores, I love how the mask also helps to tighten up my pores for a cleaner and smoother finish.

Overall, I have no complains for this mask. I find it ultra handy to have on hand especially for spot treatments and to pamper my pores. The only thing to remember is to not use it too often! Trust me, I've been there and my skin got so dry from using this 3 days in a row on my breakout area. I'd recommend up to 2 to 3 times a week for spot treatments but not consecutively and once to twice a month for the entire face.

Labels: face, review, skincare

K-Beauty Showcase Event at Suntec City with Hair Plus Korean Salon

Tuesday, 15 August 2017 at August 15, 2017

On the 29th and 30th July 2017, the K-Beauty Showcase 2017 was held at the East Atrium of Suntec City Mall. The showcase included numerous shelves filled with samples of products from popular Korean beauty brands which are difficult to find in Singapore stores, such as Cosrx, Labiotte, Dr.Young, etc, for people to test and try out.



Various beauty booths were set up as well such as a makeup booth, and a skincare analysis booth. Of course, a showcase like this will not be complete without a Lucky Draw booth and there was also a $5 Voucher booth where you can purchase a $5 Voucher and use it to exchange for 1 sheet mask + 1 cosmetic product. Really worth it if you were to ask me as the wall of sheet masks includes masks from popular brands like Mediheal, and the cosmetics portion includes products like a full sized lipstick from Beige Chuu (worth ~S$20)!



Apart from the booths, there were also various programs scheduled such as a makeup tutorial session with Song Ji-Hyo's Makeup Artist, Hye Min, a makeup tutorial session with award-winning Singaporean Makeup Artist Manisa Tan, as well as the program I was there for, the Korean Hairstyle Demonstration with Hair Plus Korean Salon's senior hairstylist, Yuna Jeong.



Before the hair-styling demonstration, I arrived at the venue 2 hours earlier to prep myself, as well as to get my makeup done by Ms. Manisa Tan at the makeup booth.


The makeup she did for me was a little different from what Hair Plus and I were expecting as she did a really dark and black eye makeup for me. If you watch my makeup videos, you'll know that I'll never draw such a thick eyeliner and I always go for a dark brown liner as it is softer than black. She also drew the liner on the outer lower lash line and it made my eyes looked rounder and bigger which I didn't like. I find that my natural eyes are already big and round, so I usually like to extend my liner outwards to elongate my eyes rather than making them look bigger vertically.

Overall, the makeup look would probably look better on someone else and I'm disappointed that it didn't suit me as it made me felt very self-conscious and less confident about how I look. It was also a pity because it was my first time going on an event like that. Hair Plus Korean Salon was also expecting a lighter, Korean-styled makeup look but unfortunately I did not bring my makeup tools and remover to fix it myself. Nevertheless, I'm thankful to have gotten this rare opportunity to have my makeup done by a profession and well-known makeup artist!

After my makeup was completed, I headed back to the salon for a hair wash to prep my hair before finally heading down again for the program! The hair-styling demonstration was done by Hair Plus Korean Salon's senior hairstylist, Yuna Jeong, who is based in their Suntec City outlet. Yuna has up to 10 years of hairstyling experience and has even styled various Korean celebrities' hair for fanmeets and events!




The first look was an easy everyday look which is called the C-Curl. Yuna explained that there are two types of C-curls. 'Inner C-curls', whereby the ends of the hair are curled inwards like a 'C' shape to create a feminine and youthful look, and 'Outwards C-curls' whereby the ends of the hair are curled outwards to create a more glamorous and mature look. This look is super easy to do and it is actually something I do pretty often at home too when I'm lazy to style my hair.



The second look is the Waves hairstyle which is basically glamorous, wavy curls. Yuna used a 28mm barrel curling iron to create big, and natural looking waves. Similar to the C-curls, there are the 'Inner Waves' as well as 'Outwards Waves' too. For me, she did the outwards waves for a more 'VS bombshell' look and after the ironing is done, Yuna suggested to use a big brush to comb through the curls for a more natural finish.

Throughout the session, Yuna also highly recommended everyone to use a heat protector before and after we use any heat styling tools to keep our hair healthy and soft.




The last look is an easy up-do that is suitable for pretty much any occasion. According to Yuna, the hairstyle gives off a "Greece Goddess" vibe for a timeless, classy look. She also gave a smart tip to cover up the rubber band with a bundle of hair, for a more put together and neater appearance.


After the program ended, everyone in the audience also got to walk away with a free sheet mask and some of the lucky audiences even got to have their hair styled by Yuna!

Labels: beauty, haircare, korean, tips, tutorials