I have always been a fan of Korean cosmetics and skincare because they are formulated to suit asian skin and usually come with relatively affordable price tags.

There are so many Korean brands in the market to cater to your every whim and fancy, but did you know that LJH Cosmetics (otherwise known as Lee Ji Ham Cosmetics) was the first Korean company to develop and introduce cosmeceuticals, a combination of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, to promote healthy skin? Such beauty products are hard to come by, and it was this key value proposition of LJH cosmetics that piqued my interest in their products.

I was first introduced to LJH Cosmetics through HKC Plaza, a factory and aesthetics beauty clinic chain in Korea with over 38 brands and 6,000 beauty, fashion and lifestyle products under its wing. Through HKC Plaza, I also had the opportunity to review two of LJH Cosmetics’ top selling products, namely 1) Oxygen Bubble Brightening Pack and 2) Vital CC Cream. In today’s post, I will be sharing my thoughts on both products with you.

1) LJH Cosmetics Oxygen Bubble Brightening Pack

The Oxygen Bubble Brightening Pack is LJH Cosmetics’ all-time bestseller and it is certainly not hard to see why. I have been using it as a deep cleansing and whitening cleanser twice a week now, and not only is it a fun product to use, it actually works. 

The key benefits of the product include:

1) Improved overall skin tone

2) Instant whitening effect

3) Removal of dead skin cells and impurities

The cleanser also comes in a handy pump bottle which is great for preventing contamination. I especially love how it transforms from a translucent gel consistency to a
thick, silky rich foam lather upon seconds of contact with the skin.

Once you see the bubbles forming, give your face a gentle massage to dislodge all the grime and impurities from the surface of your skin before rinsing with water thereafter. 

Here’s a before and after comparison of my face after using LJH Cosmetics’ Oxygen Bubble Brightening Pack:

As you can tell, my skin looks brighter and fairer immediately after. Although both pictures were taken under yellow lighting, you can also tell that my skin tone in the ‘after’ picture is less yellowish. 

Besides its brightening effect, I really like this product’s ability to deep cleanse without the use of microbeads or acids unlike most exfoliating cleansers, making it perfect for sensitive skin. 

2) LJH Vital CC Cream

All-in-one beauty products are a must for my hectic lifestyle and LJH Cosmetics’ Vital CC Cream has since become my ideal beauty companion. It works like a dream when it comes to concealing imperfections, yet it also contains sunscreen (SPF 30) and vitamin C essence in its formulation to ensure that your skin is adequately nourished and protected from harmful UV rays. Those of us with sensitive skin will also be happy to know that LJH Cosmetics’ Vital CC Cream is clinically proven to be hypo-allergenic and suitable for sensitive skin.

When I first applied the product on to my skin, I was initially a little taken aback by its pasty, greyish white appearance. I was worried that I would end up looking ghastly, but after spreading it evenly over my face, I came to realize that it actually blends seamlessly with my skin tone.  

Can you tell the difference before and after? I tested it on my hand and put both hands together as a comparison. On closer look, you would notice that the veins on my right hand became less obvious and my skin tone was half a shade fairer as well.

Here’s a before and after comparison of the product on my face:

 I have pigmentation on my upper cheeks and it looks even worse as a result of a recent zit which caused redness in the surrounding area. However, after dabbing on LJH Cosmetics’ Vital
CC cream, my skin looks almost flawless. It gives my skin a nice glow as well, which is pretty amazing if you ask me.

How does it feel on my skin? Products that do a good job of covering imperfections generally have a thicker consistency which leads to caking, but the Vital CC cream is just the opposite. 

Not only does it feel extremely feather-light, there is also no icky, greasy after-feel. It looks and feels just like second skin, plus it has all the benefits of skincare. Isn’t it wonderful to know that beautiful complexion is just one CC cream away?

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Special privileges & discounts for blog readers

 Interested in trying these products? 

Thanks to HKC Plaza, readers of “Shopping Queen’s Haven” can click here to redeem free starter kits with free shipping!

If you are interested in purchasing these products, you will also be entitled to a 10% discount by keying in my VIP code: SB01000JAD upon checkout!

  

The excitement over The Great Gatsby may have died down in recent times, but my obsession with the 1920s style continues to live on. I love vintage trends, especially the glitzy beaded details, art deco jewellery and opulent headwear that are characteristic of The Great Gatsby style. 

While it may be a little over the top to be clad in glamorous flapper dresses on a normal day out, you can easily jazz up your everyday wear by incorporating elements and bits and pieces of this classic style into your wardrobe. Mixing up contemporary and vintage trends also allows you to create unique looks that stand out from the crowd. 

I attempted to pair the 1920s flapper style with one of the hottest trends this season, crop tops. I don’t know when it started, but crop tops have since become my weekend staple. Crop tops are typically pigeon-holed into the edgy style category, especially leatherette crop tops like this one from MDScollections, which you may have seen in my previous post on Crop Tops and Prints .

As much as I love the chic, edgy vibe, there are days when I prefer a more feminine touch to my dressing and my challenge this time was to think a little out of the box with this trendy leatherette crop top by giving it a romantic twist.

To play up the dainty, feminine vibe of the ensemble, I kept to neutral colour palette with powder pink and beige hues. Scallop hems softened the look further while beaded embellishments added sparkle and an old-world charm reminiscent of the 1920s. The juxtaposition of old and new worlds, of past and present, always creates fresh perspectives that appeal to me visually.

Beaded shrug from Forever New

Leatherette Crop Top from MDScollections

Shorts from Snidel (Japanese)

Accessories from Hermes

Shoes from Pazzion

I hope you enjoyed today’s edition of Fashion Fridays. Meanwhile, here’s wishing everyone a wonderful long weekend ahead! I will be headed for a staycation with my lovely girlfriends and I’m looking forward to spending quality time with them over high tea, shopping and slumber parties!

If you shop frequently on Taobao, 65daigou is probably no stranger to you.  

Some of my friends have been using 65daigou as an agent to purchase items from Taobao for as long as I can remember and they have nothing but praises for 65daigou’s service.

However, aside from shopping on Taobao, do you know that you can now use 65daigou for US shopping websites too?

Victoria’s Secret, Forever21 and GAP are just some of the US brands that I adore and while they are readily available in Singapore, the selection here is limited and the prices are much higher as well. In view of the lower prices and wider selection online, it definitely makes more sense to purchase from these brands’ US websites. However, I get put off by the high international shipping costs especially when I buy from multiple merchants and I am pretty sure that I am not the only one who feels this way.

Why Should I Use 65daigou?

Not only can you enjoy lower prices on US websites, you can also combine your purchases from a few merchants in one single shipment to save cost. 

And if you happen to chance upon a US website that does not provide international shipping, fret not because 65daigou can easily take care of that.

To illustrate my point, let’s take a look at GNC Women’s Evening Primrose Oil 1300. 

It is priced at S$59.95 on the GNC Singapore website.

 On the GNC US website, you will find the same product at just US$18.99! The only catch is, GNC’s US website does not ship internationally, but we can easily resolve that with 65daigou.

Here’s a comparison of the cost savings that I can enjoy if I were to purchase 10 bottles of GNC Women’s Evening Primrose Oil from GNC’s US website as compared to its Singapore website:

As you can tell, I can enjoy savings of more than 50% by buying off GNC’s US website via 65daigou, even after including agent and international shipping fees. Pretty incredible, isn’t it?

Let’s check out another example. 

Victoria’s Secret ships to Singapore, but if you were to purchase through 65daigou, you’ll receive more savings.

In this case, the savings may not seem as significant as compared to the previous example, but every little bit adds up especially if you are buying in larger quantities or from different websites.  

65daigou also physically repacks your purchases from various merchants into one parcel so you’ll only have to pay a one-time fee for international shipping! 

Full insurance of up to S$2000 is also included for each package, which means you will never have to worry about your items getting lost in the mail. 

How do I use 65daigou’s service for US websites?

All you need to do is to copy and paste the URL of the product that you wish to purchase into the blank space at the top of the 65daigou website here.

An order form will pop up automatically thereafter. The site is really easy to navigate and the process is absolutely fuss-free.

I know I’ll definitely be using 65daigou for my next US online shopping spree! 

For more details on 65daigou, check out their website here.

For real-time updates, like their Facebook Page and follow them on Instagram (@65daigou) too! 

Happy Shopping!

 

Audi Star Creation OOTD

Checks and Stripes

D&G Inspired Tropical Print Dress by Seoul Closette

Outfits from my Hokkaido Trip in June 

Casual Weekend Outfit

Black, Cut-outs, Pearls & Bangs

Neutral Boho Chic

Sporty Chic Outfit

 Valentino Inspired White Lace Dress by Seoul Closette

Fruits Galore

All White

Stylish in Shorts

Shorts set from Theory of Seven

Shoes from Charles & Keith

Bag from Givenchy

Hair & Make-up c/o Laneige

Stylish shorts is a term that comes across as a misnomer at first glance. How one could look stylish in a pair of shorts used to be unfathomable to me, but my mind changed ever since I chanced upon well-tailored shorts sets like this particular one from Theory of Seven (they’re having a massive sale now!). Looking immaculate without compromising on style and convenience takes all but 2 minutes with shorts sets thanks to the structured silhouette. If you are in the creative industry, this is probably an outfit that you can pull off for work too.

I love wearing jeans and pants too, but shorts is really the most practical option for our climate, especially if you’re going to be out and about the entire day. That very day, I had a makeover session courtesy of Laneige earlier in the day (more details in a separate blog post) and a couple of errands to run after that. Speaking of which, I absolutely adore the glamorous make-up that the lovely Korean make-up artist at Laneige did for me. The braided crown hairstyle added the finishing touches to my overall look and now, I’m on the hunt for a hair tutorial video to replicate this hairstyle.

On a totally irrelevant note, I had originally intended to write a post titled “Breaking Back” in view of my recent back problems. The resemblance of the title to the popular drama series “Breaking Bad” cracked me up and I always believe a little humour is perfect for alleviating pain and stress. I have terrible posture and while my back is better now, I have been told to stay off certain poses such as downward dog during yoga and to sit less. In fact, I was told by my doctor that I should stand up every 15 minutes! 

My penchant for large bags doesn’t help too as I love to bring my entire house with me wherever I go, and that exerts unnecessary pressure on my back. Obviously. So yes, I will be sticking to smaller bags like the Givenchy Mini Antigona which was a gift from the hubby recently. He immediately insisted on getting me a new bag after my doctor’s appointment. You know, sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve such a wonderful man.

I was still in a little bit of pain when this series of photos were taken (again, by the lovely hubby), and I switched to flats right after just to be cautious. I love my heels, and to give them up would be a mammoth task. That aside, I know the hubby is secretly gloating at my misfortune, because now, I can’t tower over him in my high heels anymore! 😛

Black is a perennial favourite in everyone’s wardrobe because it never goes out of style. I have a lot of black in my wardrobe, but my latest obsession comes in the form of black tank tops with cut-outs. A simple black tank is instantly transformed with fashionable cut-outs that reveal just a hint of skin and add an element of surprise. 

As the title suggests, black, cut-outs and pearls take centerstage in the ensemble that I am sharing with you today. This is an outfit that I wore to a weekend lunch date with my in laws at the Raffles Hotel. The hotel’s architecture provided a beautiful backdrop for my outfit shots and as you can probably tell from this series of photos, my photographer cum husband was a little more enthusiastic than usual.

What I really like about this simple tank top with cut-outs from Ohvola is that it can easily be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. It has certainly proven to be a versatile addition to my wardrobe. 

I could have worn this with shorts and flats for a casual look, but I was in a dressy mood then and pairing it with a statement pearl necklace and a polka dot pencil skirt from MDS seemed like the perfect choice. Instead of going all out with pointy pumps and a jacket, which would have made this completely work appropriate, I chose to tone down the look by going down a different path with a pair of edgy peeptoe mules I picked up at Charles & Keith recently.

 

 Did you notice my fuller bangs in my recent posts? I had them cut because I foresee that I will be having my hair up more in the coming weeks and I like how fuller bangs frame the face. I can have my hair up in a ponytail or a bun and still look put together, which is really important these days given my work schedule. 

There are days when I end up dozing off on the sofa while working on my laptop when my hair is still wet, which is not a good idea but trust me, when you are clocking just 4 hours of sleep per day and you need to dash out of the house in a flash everyday, the last thing that you would think about is your hair. A low-maintenance hairstyle like this suits my current lifestyle without compromising on style. Just what I need to tide over this busy period. 😉

  

 

 Thanks for reading! Now, excuse me while I get back to work. 

 Have a good weekend everyone!

Embracing athleticism and fitness has become a way of life for me. The turning point came when I went for a hot yoga free trial at Updog Studios and fell head over heels in love with it. It was love at first trial and there’s no turning back now. 

There are many ways to embrace athleticism. You can either pick up a sport like I did, or express it in the way you dress, through a sporty chic outfit for instance. The incredible thing about fashion is that it allows you to project various aspects of your personality and interests,or even assume a different persona. You can look sweet and demure today, stylish yet edgy tomorrow or sporty chic the next day. The possibilities are endless.

The sporty luxe trend that took off earlier this year is one trend that I really adore, especially when tropical prints and floral motifs are incorporated into the designs. In this post, I attempted to put together a casual sporty chic attire (complete with my favorite prints at the moment – tropical prints) that is perfect for running errands in our sweltering hot climate.

I also brought along one of my current go-to jackets from Adidas in the event that it rains and the temperature dips. The weather is so unpredictable these days, you’ll never know when dark clouds decide to descend upon us. 

I am not sure if you have noticed, but Adidas has taken on a different look this season with the influx of floral and tropical prints, thanks to their collaboration with Brazilian company The Farm Company. I love the sportswear in this series as everything looks so effortlessly chic and fashion forward without compromising on functionality. The Adidas floral series literally flew off the shelves like hotcakes the minute it was released, and it took me quite a while to find this floral jacket. 

I would have gotten the shorts or pants as well, but they were already completely sold out island-wide. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll bring these popular pieces back. Meanwhile, I’m also keeping my eyes peeled for more sporty chic apparel from their upcoming collections!

Have a great week ahead!

I’ve been selected as a finalist for Best Fashion Blog at the Singapore Blog Awards 2014! 

If you enjoy reading my blog, I would be very grateful if you could vote for my blog, Shopping Queen’s Haven by clicking on this link.

 

I have to thank my patient hubby, JW, for taking all my OOTD photos even when he has absolutely zero interest in photography (although I think he does have a knack for it). I would also like to thank all of you who have been following my blog regularly for your support, without which I probably wouldn’t have come this far. As for those of you stumbled upon my blog by chance, I hope you like what you see. I will continue to work harder to develop more interesting content as I move along. 

Do feel free to give me your feedback on what you’ll like to see more of on my blog! I would love to hear from you. 

Just drop me an email at regina.chow@gmail.com. 🙂

 

 

Do you remember this D&G Tropical Print Dress that Jun Ji Hyun wore in “You Who Came From The Stars?”

Seoul Closette brought in a similar dress that comes in both the original blue shade worn by Jun Ji Hyun, and a sweet pastel pink hue, as seen in this series of pictures.

Tropical and floral prints are the talk of the town this summer, and this lovely dress is bound to make a statement with its bold exotic prints, coupled with a figure flattering cut that enhances the female silhouette.

You can choose to wear the dress on or off-shoulder but I chose the latter to bring out the flouncy sleeves which exude a flirty, vintage vibe. To keep the look feminine yet elegant amidst the busy prints, I did away with accessories and also kept my hair away from my face by clipping it up into a low bun.

Dress c/o Seoul Closette

Clutch from Saint Laurent

Shoes from Pazzion

There’s something special about the explosion of tropical prints and mishmash of floral
and fauna motifs that instantly makes you feel like you’re on a holiday. I guess that’s the reason why I have been on the lookout for dresses with tropical prints and this dress definitely came at the right time. 

Thank you once again to the very thoughtful owners of Seoul Closette who read about my fascination with this dress in my post about Jun Ji Hyun’s Style in “You Who Came From The Stars” earlier and decided this would be perfect for me. This, and the Valentino inspired white lace dress which I wrote about last week, are two of my favourite summer dresses!

*****

If you love Korean fashion, do take a look at what Seoul Closette has to offer. Remember to quote “Regina” to receive 5% off your purchases from now till 18 July!

And if you haven’t made plans this weekend, perhaps you could check out Seoul Closette’s pop-up store at Gardens by the Bay on 5 July (that’s tomorrow)! 

Here are the details:

 Happy shopping and have a great weekend ahead!