So I think I am ready to put it out there. This is the best face mask I've tried in a very, very long time. Really.

I mentioned this Himalaya Naturals Neem Face Pack or now known as Himalaya Purifying Neem Mask in my April Favourites last year, and since then, I've tried more face masks but I keep going back to this. There's just something about how this mask extracts impurities from the skin while not overly drying my skin out.

This purifying face mask contains neem, fuller's earth and turmeric, which are great ingredients for the skin. Neem is known for preventing acne, curing acne scars and making the skin glow. Fuller earth helps treat oily skin, remove blackheads and whiteheads and reduce scars and lastly, turmeric has anti-inflammatory and anti-septic properties, which are great for people suffering with acne like myself.


This mask claims to reduce excess oil secretion, clean clogged pores and prevent the recurrence of pimples, which I can attest to. I've been using this mask pretty often (about 1-2 times a week) for the past month, and I can see a difference when it comes to the blackheads on my nose as well as the acne on my cheeks. My acne seems to be much tamer and I get breakouts less often!

I like that it comes in a squeeze tube instead of a jar as it is much more convenient and hassle-free.IT also doesn't dry out as compared to those in jars! I had my first tube for almost a year (that was before I rediscovered it and fell in love) and it worked perfectly. Just remember to give the tube a little shake before dispensing! The mask applies easily onto the skin as it has a slightly runny texture and it has a slight herbal scent to it. It's not that overpowering and I find that I hardly notice it after a minute or two once the mask starts to dry.


Whenever I wash the mask off, my skin just feels purged without feeling tight. My skin honestly feels so clean (but not squeaky clean as that means all the moisture has been stripped!) and fresh. I love this after a workout especially, as it just cleans off all the gunk that has been trapped (and we all know how some gyms can get a little grubby!). Overall, the little bumps around my cheek area was noticeably reduced and my pimples decreased in size with just a few uses so it is definitely a staple in my skincare routine. Best part is that it is extremely affordable! I always stock mine up from iHerb as it is much cheaper than in stores! It's about SGD 7.50 on iHerb while see it in Watsons for about SGD12. Even without the affordable price tag, I do think this is worthy of a place in your skincare routine and I hope that you will try it out!

What is your favourite face mask? Give me some more options to try! 

Till then,

I am falling in love with the nature and landscapes of Indonesia and I’m so glad that I have the opportunity to explore what this country offers.

In January, I visited Jakarta (you can read the post about it here!) and I just recently flew to Surabaya where I embarked on a 3 day 2 night itinerary to explore Mount Bromo, Madakaripura Waterfall and Ijen Crater. As these two areas are not near each other, there was quite a bit of driving involved! However, I am amazed that in a whirlwind of just 3 days, I managed to visit 2 active volcanoes, a massive waterfall (at least in my books) and climb down a crater in the middle of the night.

As I did not have time to plan my trip, I decided to go for a tour this time. It was definitely a good decision as the travelling to the various locations seemed difficult and complicated (from a lil research that I did). I booked my tours with Java Tour Holidays and they sent me an itinerary after I sent them my flight details. I didn’t have much time, as I was to reach Surabaya in the afternoon on Thursday and leave on Saturday night. It is pretty amazing how much I managed to explore in this mini trip!

Day 1
The moment we touched down at the Juanda Airport, our driver (his name was Jon Anis) was waiting for us at the arrival. It feels nice knowing that someone was going be there as I’m not very familiar with Indonesia yet, as it is huge and the language barrier can still be quite prominent. Once we got picked up, we started our drive towards Cemoro Lawang Village where we stayed a night at Hotel Cafe Lava. The drive was roughly about 3 hours. The temperature dropped significantly as we headed up the mountain so do prepare some warm clothing or layers! The hotel was decent and was close to the sunset view point and the drive down to King Kong Hill and the sea of sand. Do note that there wasn’t any heaters to warm up the room so it got quite cold! Be prepared!

Once we checked in, we walked about 3 minutes to the sun set view point. We did visit during the rainy season so it was quite foggy. The sun was obscured by dense clouds so we didn’t get to see much. However, when we got back to the hotel, I started to notice that the sky was pink! We ran back to the sunset view point and managed to catch a glimpse of the orangey pink sunset. It changed very quickly and soon the sun had set. So I’d recommend just writing it out until the sun goes completely down as you’ll never know what you might see!

Day 2
Our call time was 3.30am so we headed back, took a hot shower and rested before going into our jeep! It was quite fascinating to see so many jeeps lined up along the road! The jeep ride was roughly about 40 - 45 minutes, where we crossed the sea of sand to King Kong hill where we awaited the sunrise. It was pretty chilly so do layer up! There were a few stalls selling hot drinks, so you definitely can get yourself one to warm yourself up. While waiting for the sunrise, take a look at the stars! There were so many stars in the sky, and it was beautiful. The first hint of sunrise started about 5.30am and it was absolutely gorgeous.


The sky turned orangey red with layers of blue and green. I was in awe. When the sun was pretty much up at about 6.15 am, I finally saw the breathtaking view of Mount Bromo and Mount Batok. I was in awe. Everything seemed so surreal. There are quite a few viewpoints along this area so be sure to walk around to see the mountains and view from a different perspective.


After this, we headed back to the jeep and drove across the sea of sand. We were going to climb up to the top of the crater! There is the optional horse ride up and down (IDR 100,000) if you would like, but I generally do not really support animal tourism as we will never know how they treat the horses. The walk up towards the bottom of the stairs was slightly tiring as the slopes were slightly steep, but definitely doable. The stairs took a while so make sure you have water to keep yourself hydrated! There are various rest points during the stairs up so no worries.

Looking into the volcano was surreal. The sulphuric fumes smelt like hard boiled eggs to me! You can walk along the edge, but I wasn't confident of my balance so I stayed where there were some barriers.


After this surreal experience, we headed back to the hotel and ate breakfast (which was included in our tour). Then we packed up, checked out and drove to Madakaripura waterfall! I've seen a few waterfalls in my travels but I'd probably say that this one takes the cake in taking my breath away. To get to the waterfall, we had to take a motorcycle (ojek) to the entrance (it was definitely an interesting experience as I've never sat on a motorcycle before!) where we then proceeded to walk in. The walk felt like about 10 minutes, but I didn't really keep track as I was taking in the view of my surroundings. It was an easy walk, without any steep inclines or big rocks, so I would definitely recommend you checking it out! I also highly recommend bringing your own raincoat as they tend to charge quite a bit there. I brought a rain jacket but that wasn't enough!


There were a few waterfalls, but the massive 100m one at the end (which I believe is the Madakaripura waterfall) was breathtaking. I'm not sure if it was the biggest waterfall I've seen, but it was the closest I've ever been to one (almost right below it!). It was beautiful! The picture shows the waterfalls we walked through to get there, but I didn't manage to get a shot of the final one in the end as it started to pour. The heavy rain started out of a sudden and the floor became very slippery. We were soaked from head to toe, but nonetheless, it was an amazing experience.

After drying up, drinking some hot chocolate and eating some indomee from the stall at the entrance, we headed to Ijen to hike the Ijen crater! Ijen is an active volcano and the largest sulphur mine in Indonesia. The drive was about 5 hours long, but luckily I was so exhausted that I slept through majority of it!

As part of the tour, our accommodation for the night was at Ijen View Hotel. This hotel exceeded my expectations! The rooms were really spacious and clean, and they have a pool and massage! We needed a massage asap so we booked for an hour (they came to the room and it was IDR 100,000 excluding tips). The massage was lovely and after, we took a quick rest as our call time was 11.30pm. Yup.

Day 3
When we met our driver, we then drove to the base of the Ijen where we would then hike up to the top of the crater before descending down into it to catch a glimpse of blue fire. It was extremely cold when we began but a few minutes into the hike, I was already sweating as the slopes up were pretty steep. As we were hiking in the middle of the night, we were just replying on the tiny light emitting from the torches so I do recommend bringing your own! I used the torch function on my phone which worked well for me. Every once in a while, stop and take a look at the stars! The sky was filled with them and it was so beautiful.

I honestly didn't notice how long the hike up took as I was extremely sleepy but it was 3 km and it felt roughly like an hour or so (I might be wrong!). Once we're up at the top (there is also a toilet there if you need to answer nature's call for IDR 50,000), we wore our gas masks and started our descend down into the crater. This route was mostly rocks so a good pair of shoes with adequate grip is highly recommended! I wore my nike sports shoes and goodness, the lack of traction made me slip with every step and my guide had to hold my hand almost every minute. The descend felt way longer for me as I was struggling to keep my balance and not fall to my death (ok, a little exaggeration here but it sure felt like that at that time!), but a lot of people found this part easier as they were breezing through!

Once we're down into the crater, there would be tons of sulphuric gas being emitted from certain sections of the ground. I also saw a few miners mining up sulphur and then placing them into baskets. I overheard another guide mentioning that they don't earn much, about IDR 1000 per kg! This reminded me of how lucky I am, and how my lil bubble of life and its so called difficulties really do pale in comparison to others. Sitting there and watching them mine was definitely a reminder for me personally and I just felt immense gratitude for the fact that I was able to travel and be there.


The sulphur bits are really interesting! They have slight reflects on the surface and my guide took a little piece to show us, and I noticed that there are different layers (a darker yellow and a lighter one). I did some research and I do think that it is due to the various rates of solidification of the liquid sulphur that comes out of the vents.


Sadly, we did not get to see the blue fire but you might be able to depending on your luck! After sitting in the crater for a while, we started our climb up. I personally prefer the climb up as I slipped way less often, but that's just me. The climb up took about 40 minutes. At the top, I noticed that the sky was starting to turn a little pink. I tried to see if I could find a spot to see the sun rise, but it was mostly obscured by a large mountain which was right infant of it. However, the moment the sky was lighted up, I saw what I had been hiking into and it was stunning.

The massive crater took my breath away. The 1 kilometre wide turquoise lake was something I've never seen before! It is said that this is the largest acidic water lake in the world. So pretty. It took me a while to let all of it sink in.


After admiring the view and taking a few pictures, we started the descend back to the carpark where our guide was waiting for us. It was back down the same route (so the previously steep slopes up were now steep slopes down) and my shoes failed me. Regardless, I got back to the car safe, exhausted and happy.

The last bit of our trip was us heading back to the hotel for breakfast, followed by a quick shower and checking out. Then, it was a long drive (about 5-6 hours) back to Surabaya airport for us, with a stop for lunch. Our flight was at 9pm but we got to the airport at about 4pm with a lot of time to spare.

Overall, this trip was amazing and I've never felt so blown away by nature. I can't believe that it was just 3 days, and it is definitely something I'd highly recommend you to try, be it through a tour or by your own! The tour was definitely helpful for me as I had not much time to research and wasn't sure of how to get around. However, I would have liked more time at each of the locations to just sit and admire the view! Regardless, I had a wonderful time.

Have you been to Indonesia before? Where else should I go? Please share with me your recommendations! 

Till then,

Be it at the gym or at home, there are times that I like to throw on a few products and be ready to go. Going for fitness classes before work really made me minimalise my makeup routine, as no one wants to lug around a heavy makeup bag (even though I was once that person, no shame). My ultimate goal is to look awake and presentable, so my target areas are the eyes and lips. As Anna Faris famously said in House Bunny, the eyes are the nipples of the face, and I totally agree. Eyes are essential in looking alive and awake as eye contact is an inevitable part of daily life. Also, my lips are quite pale in general, so a lip product to bring me back to life is absolutely necessary.

Sometimes I stash these 5 items in a ziplock bag and rush for my boxing or spin class. Sometimes I have my life together and put them in a lil makeup pouch. Regardless, these 5 products are hardy, quick and easy.

1. Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

I used to dislike this Tarte concealer as I found that it was drying and that it set way too fast before I could blend it out. However, one day I decided to just put a lil dab of it on my finger, warm it up and press it gently onto my undereye area. I've never looked back since. This concealer is now my current favourite for many reasons. Firstly, the coverage is astounding great. I always tend to use a corrector before a concealer as my dark undereye circles require a little more effort to conceal, but this concealer provides me with sufficient coverage that I go without a corrector these days. Let's also be honest, not needing to bring an additional corrector in my gym makeup bag is a plus. Secondly, this lasts for a really long time. I would usually use this before I head out in the day and at night, I would go for a fitness class like boxing or spin. After sweating buckets, I am always amazed that this concealer did not completely fade away. There's still good coverage despite my ability to lose almost all my water content in an hour (I'm exaggerating, but y'know). Lastly, I realised that once I warm it up with my fingers and apply it to the skin, it sets by itself without really requiring an additional layer of powder. I realised that previously it emphasised my creases as I allowed it to set before I blended it out. So with the warmth from my fingers, I have a little bit more time to blend it out. I also find that since it is quite thick in texture, fingers really work best with this concealer.

2. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

I keep going back to this mascara. It hurts me that it's expensive but this is already my second tube. The length and volume that this mascara gives me lashes is really great. I used to think some mascaras were amazing, but when I went back to them after using this one from Too Faced, it really isn't the same. There's something about the fluffiness and volume it adds to my lashes without being clumpy. I love it and probably would continue to purchase this until I find something else better.

3. Lancome Juicy Shaker in Mangoes Wild

I'm always for the throw on lip product that hydrates the lips at the same time. This lip oil from Lancome is great for on the go application to add some colour and moisture to the lips. The cushion application works really well as I find that it fits nicely onto the lip contours to apply the product nicely. I don't even use a mirror for this sometimes!It keeps my lips feeling hydrated while adding a flush to them. I like that it is glossy too, as I feel like it looks more natural and blends in better with my minimal makeup these days. I recently went to Sephora and was devastated that I can no longer find these (they only have the matte shakers on display)! I did manage to find some online so I think a back up is necessary at the moment.

4. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Liner in Hustle

Brown eyeliner is currently my thing as it adds a good amount of definition to the eyes and makes the lashes look fuller without being too stark. I love Urban Decay eyeliners, as they really do glide onto my eyelid like a dream as the name suggests. I have this one for a while now and I'm amazed that it still hasn't dried out. Hustle is a gorgeous warm brown with slight shimmer, and I'm currently living for it.

5. Colourpop Lala Super Shock Shadow

Colourpop's super shock formula is really one of my favourites for an easy throw on as the formulation works and blends well with just the plain ol' fingers. I like to smear the shade Lala all over my lids and blending it slightly above into the crease. This is a soft copper shade with shimmer and it looks so beautiful by itself. When blended into the crease, I also found that it looks like I used two shades when in reality, I just used this. Bonus points for making it seem like I put in more effort than I really did!


Being on Classpass does help to jazz up my fitness routine and I do enjoy it. Even though they recently increased their prices quite drastically, I do foresee myself continuing with it for a while. There are so many fitness classes to try out, and I am always trying to push myself to try something new or get better at something. Thus, this addition to my lifestyle makes me constantly think of what products I can add to simplify my makeup routine or if there are any multi-tasking products out there that would make a difference in convenience and application. There are always new products to try! If I change anything in my post gym routine, I'll definitely update here with a new post as well.

Till then,

It has been a few months since I've embarked onto my lil Project 10 (you can read more about this here) and finally, I think I've decluttered enough and I have the surviving list of products to share with you.

I started my project 10 with decluttering and sorting out my bronzers and contouring powders, so it is apt that these are the ones I'd be sharing with you first. I thought bronzers would be an easy category, since I rarely ever use bronzers. But I was wrong. I didn't even realise how many bronzers I had so cutting it down to 10 was more challenging that I had expected. Regardless, it was probably still one of the easiest categories as a whole.

1. Soleil Tan De Chanel

Let's just be honest here. I can't let go of Chanel. Brand name aside, this is a cream bronzer which I find extremely handy as I find myself gravitating towards cream products more often now. As I mostly just use concealer, I don't set my face with powder daily so cream products are a plus. All I gotta do is dip my beauty blender in, pounce a little on my face and I get a lil kiss from the sun. I enjoy the shade of this bronzer too, as it isn't too warm or cool. It gives me the ability to have that natural sun kissed effect on my skin and I really do love it.

2. Colourpop Super Shock Cheek in Kaepop Glo Up

I am a fan of the Colorpop Super Shock formulation as it can be applied with just fingers or a beauty blender. Due to its texture, it works well for my daily makeup routine too as it leans towards a cream product, rather than a pressed powder. This is a gorgeous warm toned bronzer with shimmer, and its perfect for a beach holiday. I like to pat a little of this onto my eyelids too to add a lil somethin' somethin' as well.

3. Mecca Max Sunlit Skin Bronzer

I got this in Perth when I visited in March 2018 and I have used it only about twice. Thus, I kept it so that I could play with it a little more. However, I did enjoy it whenever I used it. The powder is really finely milled and blends really easily on the skin. I like the shade as well, as it isn't too orange or ashy on my skin tone.

4. MAC Delphic Extra Dimension Bronzer

The packaging is too pretty and I can't simply part with it! It's limited edition and probably from one of my favourite collections from MAC. The bronzer itself isn't bad either. I find it perfect to add a subtle warmth to the perimeters of the face, and since it has a slight sheen, it gives a slight radiance to the skin as well.

5. MAC Gold Spill Mineralize Skinfinish

I kept this to use this a topper, instead of a bronzer by itself. This is because I find that this deposits more glitter than warmth or pigment on the skin. It looks great layered atop a matte bronzer as it adds a gorgeous glow to the skin. I usually bust this out if I want to glam myself up for an event at night (even though I gotta be honest, these are rare times as this young grandma would rather spend her nights at home reading).

6. Alcina Sun Kiss Powder

A handy soft matte bronzer is always good to have. Since I kept quite a few shimmery bronzers, I decided to keep this one as it is matte. I like the formulation of this, as it goes onto the skin really subtly and with ease. There are 3 different shades that allows me to mix and match depending on my mood and works well as eyeshadows too!

7. Catrice Sun Glow Shimmering Bronzing Powder

Out of all the mentioned bronzers, I think this is probably my most used bronzer. You can see its state that this has received a ton of love. This bronzer works really well in warming up the skin and giving the skin some radiant glow due to the small shimmer bits. It isn't glittery and I like how subtle the shade looks on my skin. It's a perfect one to pick up and throw on before heading out!

8. Inglot HD Sculpting Powder in 505

This is probably one of the best contouring powders I have used so far. The shade is perfect for adding that subtle shadow to the contours of the face to add some extra definition. It is a cool toned brown, but it does not look ashy on my skin. However, since it is so cool toned, I like to use it with a warm toned bronzer so it doesn't look too unnatural. Inglot HD powders are extremely finely milled and they feel silky smooth to the touch when swatched, a joy to work with.

9. NARS Pressed Powder in Heat

This is a great contouring powder for when I am more tanned (it is the one on the left in the image above). The shade leans slightly towards the cooler tones (it is still much warmer than the inglot one mentioned above) and since it is a pressed powder, I find that it imparts a natural finish to the skin. It blends really easily and adds a little coverage to the area as well.

10. NARS Casino Bronzer

A classic bronzer and this was one of my first ever bronzers. So I'm mostly keeping it for memory sake rather than for usage. I did like it in the past as it is a good warm toned shade with some shimmer to the skin, adding some glow and warmth in one touch.


So there we have the 10 survivors of my makeup declutter! I am pleased with my progress and will continue to update the blog with the other categories soon.

What are some of your must have bronzers?

Till then,