Here we are, past the half way mark of 2018. How time flies! My year has been going really great so far and I hope yours is going swimmingly too. With other commitments and work, I realised that I did not do a monthly favourites post for the past few months but things do add up! So let's just dive into the pretty long list of my current favourite makeup, skincare and body care items.

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Sequin

I’ve been even lazier with my makeup routine lately and sometimes I can’t bring myself to reach for an eyeshadow palette in the mornings. I know, who am I? However, instead of going completely bare on the eyelids, I opted for a simple smudging of a shimmery shade onto the lids and Sequin is a perfect shade for just that. This is a gorgeous coppery rose gold, adding depth to the eyes without giving the look of a bruise and when blended in a sheer layer around the crease, it looks like another shade so it looks like you put in more effort than you actually did. I generally like going for deeper shades for a single eyeshadow look as it adds more definition to the eyes and reduces the appearance of puffiness for me personally.

Jill Stuart Jelly Eye Colour in Nude Dazzle*

I am going to be honest and say that I have not been watching much YouTube beauty videos lately as I feel like a lot of the content out there are extremely similar and repetitive. I've also been in a makeup funk lately as well, thus explaining the lack of desire and inspiration. Despite not watching much lately, YouTube was my favourite way to pass time when I was younger. When I was clearing up my makeup collection recently, I noticed that there are many products that I bought under the influence of YouTube and its beauty gurus. Some products were definitely favs, whereas some I used once or twice before stashing it away.

So I thought I would share with you some of the products which I clearly remembered purchasing soon after watching a makeup related video on the tube.

Let's just start off by declaring my love for these lovely liquid lipsticks. I had tried out their previous collection (review and swatches here) and was mind blown by their staying power. When I received this Unnudes collection recently, I already knew that I was going to be pleased. 

If you've been with me for a while, you would probably read a lot about how much I love chemical exfoliation and my efforts to cover up my dark undereye circles with various makeup items. Thus, when Sugar K Organic Peel Bar opened their second outlet at Cluny Court and reached out to me to try their signature Organic Express Peel and Red Carpet Eye Treatment, I readily agreed to do so. Side note, the selfie above was taken two days after my visit (no foundation, just powder before blush).

Sugar K Organic Peel Bar is the world’s first all-natural skin peel service, featuring an all-natural glycolic peel formula that is as gentle as it is effective.

Image credit to Sugar K Peel Bar

The concept of the peel bar is extremely simple, providing a quick and fuss-free session to tackle various skin issues. There was no need to change any clothing or lie on any beds, making it a good option for those with tight and packed schedules but still wanting to squeeze in some time for a break and for self care. My session with the organic express peel and red carpet eye treatment took only about 30 minutes.


Chemical peels may sound intimidating to some, but they aren't something to avoid as they do wonders for the skin. Physical exfoliation, think scrubs and facial brushes, may work in removing the top dead skin layer but it has been proven ineffective in the deeper layers which is also where pigmentation lies. Sugar K Organic Express Peel which utilises glycolic acid derived from organic sugar cane and organic citrus fruit acids to gently slough off the topmost layer of the epidermis with minimal risk of irritation. This treatment is said to help plump the skin cells to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, remove dead skin and reduce hyperpigmentation while minimising the appearance of pores. I am no stranger to chemical peels and I do think that a good one really does aid in skin radiance and texture. This peel was extremely gentle and my skin showed no signs of irritation. Usually I would feel slightly tingling, but this peel felt extremely comfortable on the skin and I do think it would be a great stepping stone if you're new to the world of chemical peels. After 2 minutes, it was rinsed off and part of me was honestly skeptical as to what the peel would be able to achieve in such a short time. However, I have to say, don't let the lack of tingling and short application time fool you, this peel is indeed potent and effective. While I did not really see much different in the bar itself due to the lighting, I realised that as I went on with the day, my skin looked a lot more radiant and emitted a subtle natural glow. The day after the treatment, I also noticed that the small bumps on my cheeks were significantly reduced as well. I am extremely pleased with the result considering that I only had one session!


I was particularly interested in their newly introduced Sugar K Red Carpet Eye Treatment which claims to brighten and hydrate the fragile skin around the eye, increase blood circulation, and thus aiding in reducing the appearance of dark under eye circles. This treatment utilises electroporation therapy to allow for optimal absorption of their Kew Organics Cacao Hibiscus Age- Defying Eye Serum that is applied under the eyes. The electric pulses also penetrate further into the skin, smoothening out wrinkles, increasing blood circulation and hydrating the skin. I did feel some tingly sensation (especially near the cheekbones) during but it was nothing uncomfortable. There are different levels so just let the therapist know which level you are comfortable with. After the treatment, I would not say that the darkness under the eyes were greatly reduced as after all, these pesky circles have been with me my entire life so a single session isn't going to completely eradicate it. I did notice that the skin under the eye looked quite a bit smoother. More sessions would probably be needed to see a significant difference when it comes to the dark undereye circles.


The Sugar K Organic Express Peel costs SGD 65 and Sugar K Red Carpet Eye Treatment costs SGD 68 per session. It's definitely decently priced and I really do like the concept of it being a bar that caters to time-strapped urbanites, which is almost basically everyone now ain't it? Personally, I am really impressed by the express peel and am considering heading back for it from time to time.

Sugar K is located at Cluny Court and you can check out their website for more details.

Till then,




**Disclaimer: These treatments were provided by Sugar K for review consideration. I am not compensated or affiliated to the brand. The above review is based on my true and honest opinion and it also contains information from the brand itself.

It's been a while since I've done a bold look on the eyes and while I was organising my makeup collection recently, I stumbled upon my stash of Makeup with Rising Phoenix Eyeshadows. Makeup with Rising Phoenix is a local brand and I really do think that their eyeshadows are of great quality and deserve a mention. The eyeshadows also have really interesting names and you can see more of them on their website. These shadows are buttery and pigmented, inspiring me to create something and I came up with this eye look using the shade Trust is for the Foolish and Dead.

This shade is a duo chrome with a greyish blue and purple shift, extremely similar to Mac's Blue Brown pigment, the definer shade in Wet N Wild's Comfort Zone palette and Makeup Geek's Insomnia pigment. As I wanted this shade to be the focus on the mobile eye lid, I wanted a base shade that would pull out the bluish purple tones and I decided to go with a warm toned reddish brown using the Colourpop Cosmetics Yes Please Palette. Let's begin!

1. After priming the eyes, I used the shade Full Zip (matte bone shade) to set the primer to help the other eyeshadows to go on more smoothly.


 3. Taking a slightly more tapered blending brush, I took the shade GNO (a matte warm toned brick brown) into the outer V.


 5. Blend the harsh lines and edges using the blending brush.







Despite the red and duo chrome shades, I personally do think that this is still a wearable look. It looks so beautiful when it hits the light and the red base shade really pulls the bluish purple out in my opinion, and as someone who adores the shade purple, I have absolutely no complains.


I really do enjoy using duochrome shades on the lids as I feel that they give the look something extra, making it seem that I put in way more effort than I truly did.


Hope this mini pictorial was useful in some way and I hope to do these more even though it is pretty time consuming. Please feel free to use any shades that are similar to ones I have used!

Do you have any other suggestions on what eyeshadow look I should do next?

Till then,









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Recently, I received tons of products from various brands under the company, Kosé Cosmeport. Kosé is a Japanese company that has tons of sub brands (you can find all of them here) under their belt and seeing these items gets me pretty excited as I rarely do venture into the world of Jbeauty.
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It's so bittersweet to come back from an overseas trip and while part of me really wants to go back to enjoy the bliss and lack of responsibilities, another part of me is just extremely grateful for the amazing trip that had just transpired.

There were many firsts during my trip as I travelled with my sister, who pushed me out of my comfort zone numerous times (even though I would very much love to stay nestled in). In a span of a week, I attempted rainforest trekking, took a long tail boat, stayed on a lake, explored a cave, fed and bathed elephants, had my first muay thai, yoga and thai classical dance class, and ziplined across the trees in the jungle. For a timid city girl, this list is definitely something I would never expect myself to accomplish, let alone enjoy. And despite sounding a little egotistical, I am so proud of myself and so grateful that I was able to try all of these out.

I had quite a bit of time to pen down my thoughts during our journey, and here are 4 things that I have learnt from this mini adventure.

1. To be grateful for what I have instead of focusing on wanting more

The mentality of wanting more is so pervasive in our society that sometimes, materialism can be considered almost inevitable. I used to be extremely materialistic, thinking that buying things and owning tons would make me happy. Of course, after the course of many years, I finally realised that happiness doesn't come extrinsically.

Throughout my trip, I've encountered many Thai people and I noticed how many of them were happy and satisfied with what they have. They do not have piles of material stuff and the lack of many things we take for granted like electricity and proper toilets did not stop their eyes from lighting up and a smile from forming on their faces. While I was there, we booked an overnight lake tour at Khao Sok (with Smiley Lake House) and I honestly do recommend it as I think it was a lovely experience. However, as a spoilt city girl, I struggled pretty hard while living on the lake, wishing for a proper bathroom and brighter lights to see where I was going. As I sat there in pitch darkness in the middle of the night as I was unable to sleep, I realised that I took so many things that I currently have for granted. As I type this now, I'm comfortably seated on my bed in my air conditioned room with electricity to power my laptop charger and the lights. It may seem basic to me, but it didn't strike me how some people may not have as easy an access to these. These people were making the best of what they had, instead of constantly complaining and craving more.

I realised that my habit of constantly looking out for what's better is the obstacle to me being completely satisfied and happy. Of course we should always strive to improve, but I learnt that it is ok to be satisfied, especially in a world where it seems wrong to just stop and enjoy. With rapid developments and constant change, the race to be better and get better never ends and I realised that my mind was always participating in that futile race. I was always on the hunt for something more or something better, be it a better pillow to sleep on (which I am extremely guilty of doing) to what other makeup products I can buy to satisfy that metaphoric hole in my heart. I was trying to fill my life with material things in order to "improve my life", rather than appreciating what I have in my life currently. I honestly learnt to be grateful and to give thanks to the Universe for all that its provided me so far.

2. I am capable of more

As a kid who never attempted many things as I was afraid of failing, I never really pushed myself. I always fantasised about living a certain lifestyle, but lacked the motivation and trust in myself to actually get up and go live it. A huge aspect of that was in terms of my physical ability. As someone who struggles with her weight constantly and hated physical education classes since young, I doubted myself on whether I could trek the jungle or hike a mountain or do any exploration that requires a fit physique. Sad to say, but I honestly always thought of myself as weak.

During this trip, I came face to face with many fears. The first time was when we were trekking the Khao Sok National Park and I did not see anyone else. It may sound super silly to some of you but I was extremely terrified of being alone (my sister doesn't really count). Thoughts on wild animals popping up or just me slipping and injuring myself without anyone to help me filled my mind and my muscles were tensed up the entire time. There were so many times I wanted to turn around and run back to the safety of my hotel room, but my sister forced me to go on, which I am glad that I did.

The second time was when we entered the Nam Talu cave in Khao Sok. This brought me face to face with many of my fears - the dark, water, frogs, spiders, sharp rocks and narrow tight spaces. Part of me did not want to go into the cave, but after the tiresome trek of about half an hour, I was determined to not waste all my efforts by waiting outside. The cave was pitch black and there were parts with water currents and water coming up to my neck. The ground was filled with rocks of different shapes and sizes and we were surrounded by sharp, jagged stones. So many scenes of potential final destination moments flashed in my mind as I struggled my way in and out but oh boy, what an experience. It made me realise that I can do it, albeit slower than others, but what matters is that it opened my mind to what is possible. I never thought that I would be able to go through with a cave hike, since fear usually controls me most of the time, but I realised that I am braver than I think I am, and I am definitely capable of more. It's time for me to get up and do more things that I was previously afraid of.

3. To occasionally abandon logical thinking and to let my hair down more 

My rational mind plays a huge role in my life and I rely heavily on logic to make my day to day decisions. Even if I am not a fan of always being so cautious and uptight, my decisions are mostly based on what I think should be right. Thus, just relaxing and going through the motions is extremely difficult for me. I can't seem to fully immerse myself in many experiences as my brain would come up with cautionary tales and think of stupid things like I should not get this dirty as laundry would be a pain. What if I can't wash this off? What if I fall and injure myself? What if, what if, what if... This usually causes me to always take a step back and watch cautiously from afar, instead of diving in and getting all up and dirty.

When we were in Phuket, we decided to visit the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. We got the chance to feed them, bathe them in the mud and in the water pool. Logical thinking me would probably not go anyway near the mud, as it is dirty and laundry after would be a killer. I know, even as I am typing this, I realised how much of a drag I could be. This time round, I pushed myself to dive in straight and not think about what is going to happen after. This led to me having one of the happiest times of my life. Playing in the mud with the elephants and then scrubbing them in the water pool where their poop was floating around was truly amazing. These elephants were majestic and I was so happy to be this close to them. There was this 70 year old grandma elephant named Sandy and she was a true joy. I could hug her trunk and stare into her eyes all day. All these would not have been possible if I was afraid of getting close and dirty. I learnt to let go more, and just go with the flow.

4.  To switch up my mentality of daily life 

When I was flying back to Singapore, I was writing my journal and I had an epiphany. I noticed myself being able to wake up really early in the morning whenever I am on a holiday but when I get back home to my regular routine, even waking up before 10am could be extremely painful. The enthusiasm and anticipation during a holiday fuels me up, making me eager to get up and explore. However, back home, the curiosity and zest for life is greatly diminished as I struggled to get by day by day. It made me realise that my mentality about my life is plain wrong.

Sure, my environment and surroundings are different when I am overseas versus my mundane routine back home, but that should not dampen my curiosity and excitement for life. I realised that I was just simply getting by while anticipating my next getaway. Isn't it sad to have a life that I constantly want to get away from? Why shouldn't I be excited for the day when I am back home? After all, there are never ending things to explore and experience, and I should make full use of my time when I am still alive. My temporal existence on this Earth is limited, and I should not waste my precious days constantly craving for an escape. I learnt that I should switch my mentality, to appreciate what is around me, even if the routine is stagnant and the environment is the same everyday. I told myself that I should try to change up my routine constantly as repetitions breeds boredom. Lastly, I learnt that I need to maintain that passion and zest for life regardless of where I am and what I am doing.


Despite being back from Phuket for about a week now, I noticed that by writing these thoughts down into my journal and onto this post helped me to further ingrain these lessons. I am pushing myself to try new things in Singapore, such as volunteering at the pet shelter next week (exciting!!) and going for yoga and muay thai classes to switch up my routine.

I hope this post wasn't too much of a drag and I hoped that by sharing this with you, it could help you start thinking about certain aspects of your life that you maybe did not think about before. Of course, all of us are different and our thought processes will inevitably differ as well. Regardless, thanks for reading and back to more beauty related posts next!

Till then,