After hearing all the hype about Korean drama “Descendants of the Sun”, I finally decided to hop onto the bandwagon along with an army of addicts, purely out of curiosity. Did I like it? Well yes, being a military wife, I definitely found the storyline relatable, but what left an even deeper impression on me was Song Hye Kyo’s (or Kang Mo Yeon, as she is known in the series) simple yet elegant style, which brings me to the objective of writing today’s post.

 So yes, without further ado, let me share some of my favourite style/beauty moments in the series and more importantly, where you can actually find these products.

 It is no secret that Song Hye Kyo is the brand ambassador for Laneige, hence the beauty products used to achieve her flawless skin and rosy lips include:

I’ve used this previously courtesy of Laneige and I was impressed by how buildable the coverage is, not to mention the dewy finish causes light to literally bounce off my skin, making my pigmentation look less obvious to the naked eye.

Laneige Two Tone Lip Bar

I have yet to try this myself but if I recall correctly, these were already flying off the shelves before the show became popular. I hope you can still find them in stores!

Shirts & Shirtdresses

Shirts are practically her wardrobe staple and it is not hard to see why. Song Hye Kyo transits from weekend casual chic to smart casual/semi-formal with absolute ease simply by changing from a pair of shorts to a feminine A-line skirt or putting on a shirt dress. These basic pieces will never go out of style and thus ensure that she is always on point.

 

Bottom – Washing Linen Blouse from Stylenanda (Shop HERE)

 

Printed Silk Crepe Mini Dress by Victoria Beckham (Shop HERE)

Bags

Song Hye Kyo generally goes for minimalist, functional bags in the series, such as this beautiful Symmetrical Bag from Celine and the Eco Shoulder Bag from J.Estina, a Korean jewelry and bag label that she was endorsing till January this year. 

Celine Symmetrical Bag (Shop HERE)

J. Estina Savvy Helio Eco Shoulder Bag

J. Estina Savvy Helio Eco Shoulder Bag (Shop HERE)

 Accessories, especially earrings, play an important role in adding the finishing touches to her outfits. Simple, minimalist earrings are paired with casual outfits while a touch of gemstones are the perfect accompaniment to her work ensembles. 

Earrings from J.Estina

J.Estina Oro Lia Helio Earring (Shop HERE)

DvF by H. Stern Collection (Shop HERE)

Shoes

Comfortable
footwear is a must in the fictitious country of Uruk, and although this
statement about comfortable footwear isn’t entirely true (didn’t you see
her running around the disaster zone in platform heels?!), I’m sure this beautiful pair of
perforated high-top sneakers struck a chord with you, just as it did
for me, because it’s now completely sold out!

Junya Watanabe Comme des Garcons Perforated Leather Sneakers

I
have left my email address in the link below and asked to be notified
when the item is back in stock. Good things ought to be shared, so I’m
sharing the link with you too!

Junya Watanabe Commes Des Garcons Perforated Leather Sneakers (Shop HERE)

Now that the long weekend is here, it’s the best time to indulge in some retail therapy! Have you watched the series yet? If so, which of these products do you like best?

I usually travel with friends or family but I have had to go solo on a number of trips for both work and leisure.

Is it safe for a lady to travel alone to a foreign land? Well, it really depends on where you choose to go, how you present yourself, how well-prepared you are, and your attitude when things don’t go as planned.

Some smart travel tips can also be useful, but if you’re thinking of going solo, here are a couple of tips from my personal experience that I hope you’ll find useful!

Do some research online (e.g. Tripadvisor) and shortlist some hotels within your budget. I can’t emphasise how important it is to err on the side of caution when you’re traveling alone, which is why I prefer to avoid Airbnb until stricter regulations come into play. At the end of the day, hotels have a reputation to protect, but not all homeowners do.

Get a wireless router before you depart or buy a local SIM card upon arrival. Personally, I only use Google Maps or Baidu Maps (in China) on my mobile phone. Holding a map in your hand seems like the most sensible thing to do in a foreign country, but unfortunately, this only highlights to the rest of the world that you are a tourist. It only gets worse when you hold a map and look like you’re completely lost, which brings me to my next point.

I don’t always have the best sense of direction but Google Maps definitely makes me feel like I know where I’m going ( make sure your phone is fully charged and bring along a portable charger). Double check the addresses and directions with your hotel concierge before heading out and if all fails, pop by a cafe or eatery to ask for directions.

Always look like you know what you’re doing and where you’re going, even if you don’t. Look confident, remain calm, and never have fear or lost written all over your face or you’ll risk being singled-out by scammers and pickpockets. If you do get approached by random strangers, just keep moving. Yup, now’s the time to put on your “resting bitch” face.

Shanghai – Yu Garden

 

4. Dress in neutral or dull colours

The whole idea is to be able to blend in with the crowd. The last thing we want is to attract unwanted attention when we are alone. Research the locations that you’re traveling to and find out what the locals typically wear. If you obviously can’t pass off as a local due to your race, at least try to pass off as an expatriate who has been living there for a long time.

Always do your research and find out where the potential danger zones are located – e.g. dodgy neighbourhoods and certain modes of transport or transport companies that should be avoided. It is also important to find out where the nearest clinics/hospitals are, what the local police hotline is and where your country’s embassy or consulate is located in case of emergencies.

I once booked an accommodation in a relatively unsafe neighbourhood (I found out only on hindsight) when traveling alone. Fortunately, nothing untoward happened but it was rather unnerving to have to live in fear, even if it was only for a few days.

 

6. Keep your valuables close to you at all times

Never place important documents like your passport, cash and credit cards or valuables like your laptop or iPad in your luggage. I always keep them close to me, preferably in a sling bag that comes with a zip. I also make it a point to keep a separate stash of cash in a hidden compartment in another bag. This will come in handy in the event that I do fall prey to pickpockets.

 

London – Exploring Buckingham Palace on my own

 

7. Never provide real-time updates on social media

Being a social media addict myself, I know how tempting and instantly gratifying it is to share real-time updates. To protect myself, I never ever reveal the name of my hotel when I’m traveling alone, and even when I do share pictures on my social media platforms, these are not real-time updates. With so much public information readily available these days, you’ll never know who is trying to keep track of you.

 

8.  Keep in touch with friends and family back home

You may be miles apart, but letting your family and friends back home know where you are at every point of your journey is important when you’re traveling alone. In the worst case scenario that you get into trouble, they’ll have a better idea of how to reach you.

 

9. Don’t be penny wise, pound foolish

Thriftiness is a virtue, but not when safety is compromised as a result. There are just some things that aren’t worth scrimping on. Choosing to walk down an empty street late at night instead of forking out extra cash to take a cab puts you at a greater risk of getting into trouble. Whatever it is, we need to constantly remind ourselves that safety should always be our top priority.

 

10. Buy Travel Insurance

As I travel pretty frequently, I always make it a point to purchase annual travel insurance for peace of mind. Comprehensive travel insurance is relatively affordable these days and will adequately compensate you for loss of baggage, delayed baggage and medical expenses incurred overseas.

*****

These are just some general rules that I abide by when I travel and I find that they have worked well for me thus far. If you’ve any other travel tips that you’ll like to share, do drop me an e-mail at regina.chow@gmail.com.

For more of my latest travel updates, follow me on instagram (@reginachow_sg) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/shoppingqueenshaven)

*****

This post was brought to you in collaboration with Hotels Combined.

 

Don’t we all dream to be that woman who wakes up with messy bed hair but somehow still ends up looking effortlessly chic and sexy even with a simple white t-shirt and a pair of well-fitted jeans. The whole “I woke up like this” look is characteristic of the French woman who never tries too hard and always appears put together at all times. 

What is the secret to dressing like the French? Well, it’s actually very simple. The French woman loves basic pieces, and they have to be of good quality. She believes in investing in timeless pieces that she will get the most wear out of, which makes perfect sense. 

As you would know by now, minimalism is my cup of tea. The minimalist style, a classic style that makes dressing up a breeze for anyone, probably best describes the French woman.  T-shirt and jeans are great for summer, but when temperatures are cooler, a tailored shirt and black pants or overalls (like the one pictured here) are my go-to ensemble.

 Some of my favourite brands that do great simple basics include American Vintage, Majestic Filatures and Toupy, to name a few, all of which can be found at Rue Madame. 

 This
French fashion boutique houses many brands and each collection has a
distinctive Parisian flair to it. Not only do they have quality basics
at affordable prices, you can also find playful, vibrant, feminine
pieces that add a quirky touch to your wardrobe staples. I’m currently obsessed with boxy silhouettes and I have my eye on this two-tone cut-out sleeveless dress from Tara Jarmon.

Tara Jarmon Two-tone Cut-out Sleeveless Dress

The cut-out details at the side add an element of surprise to the clean, minimalist look. I love how sophisticated the collection is and the amazing thing about Rue Madame is that it only carries exclusive, one-of-a-kind pieces that maintain a sense of individuality.

Rue Madame has recently launched their online store, which is so exciting especially since summer is just around the corner (fine, for Singaporeans, it’s summer all-year-round)! But yes, whatever the season is, check them out to get some Parisian inspiration and lovely festival wear with several boho, gypsy style brands that are all the rage right now!

Tarte is one of my favourite beauty brands and I usually get my dose of Tarte from Sephora stores. Now, for those of you who prefer to shop on the go or in the comfort of your home, you’ll be happy to know that the latest Tarte products are available on Sephora.sg (Shop HERE)!

Why Tarte?

Tarte is one of the few cruelty-free cosmetic brands in the market that has strategically done away with a slew of harmful chemicals in its formula. 

All its products are dermatologist tested and do not contain parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate and gluten.  Instead, they are chock full of skin-loving ingredients such as superfruit and plant extracts, vitamins, minerals and essential oils. Sounds pretty awesome if you ask me. In fact, I couldn’t be more excited to try out the latest additions to the brand thanks to Sephora. Before I get down to showing you the two looks that I created (read on till the end of the post), here is a quick rundown of the products that I used.

Tartelette in Bloom Eyeshadow Palette – S$69 (Shop HERE)

Tartlette in Bloom offers a versatile selection of 12 brand new, never-before-seen neutral and brown shades, including light beige tones for highlighting your brow bone to nude colours to enhance your crease for a barely made-up everyday look, all the way to dark chocolate tones for intensifying that smouldering smoky eye look. 

Pick and choose from a dazzling array of 9 mattes and 3 lustres which are perfect for transitioning from day to night. Creating different looks is an absolute breeze with this palette as there are endless possibilities. All you have to do is mix and match!

Tarteist Clay Paint Liner in Black – S$34 (Shop HERE)

Eye make-up is never complete without eyeliner, one item that I can never do without. While I usually prefer pencil liners out of sheer convenience, I do like the intense colour that only a cream liner is able to deliver. 

The only issue I have with cream liners is that it takes a steady hand and tons of practice to perfect it. Well, that was until I discovered Tarteist Clay Paint Liner. The sketcher-angled eyeliner brush makes it completely hassle-free. Squeeze a tiny amount on to the tapered tip of the eyeliner tube which transforms into a flat blending stage, then pick up a small amount of product with your brush and line away! 

 It has everything you need in an eyeliner, especially if you wish to create dramatic looks. Not only is it waterproof and budge-proof, it is also extremely black thanks to its triple-black formula. I adore its creamy consistency as it slides effortlessly across your lids. I was able to achieve the perfect winged eyeliner with utmost precision even on my first try, hence to say that I was impressed is definitely an understatement.

Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint – S$30 (Shop HERE)

Top: Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in TBT // Bottom: Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Namaste

Moving on to lip colours. Now we all know that matte lipsticks are all the rage currently, but the trick to getting luscious lips with matte lipsticks lies in finding the right formulation. 

Some matte lipsticks dry out your lips and amplify unsightly lines that even you probably have never noticed before. That is not the case with Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint. It is highly pigmented and comes with a lightweight, moussey consistency that glides luxuriously over your lips before drying to a velvety matte finish. I know this sounds like an oxymoron, but I love how matte my lips look without that dry, icky feeling.

I typically use the precision felt tip on the brush wand applicator to trace the colour on my upper and lower lip line before filling in the lips completely. Namaste is my ideal nude shade as it has blush undertones that perk up your complexion. To dial up the glam factor, go for TBT, a mysterious shade of mauve that is bound to turn heads wherever you go.

Tarteist Lip Crayon S$28 (Shop HERE)

Lip liners are one of the most neglected beauty items, but they are essential tools for priming and defining your lips. Formulated with Vitamin E and mineral pigments that soothe, nourish and protect your lips, it is comforting to know that Tarteist Lip Crayon does so much more than just sculpt your lips. Did you know that it also prevents your lips from feathering?

I use Tarteist Lip Crayon in Boho to shape my lips before applying Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Namaste. Likewise, the lip crayon in Latergram is the perfect accompaniment to the lip paint in TBT.

 

Transitioning from Day to Night with Tarte Cosmetics

As promised, here are two looks that I created with Tarte Cosmetics’ latest collection. The first look is a soft, feminine everyday look that is suitable for dates and yet professional enough for work. 

For my eyes, I swept charmer (light beige shade) all over my lids to the brow bone as a base, followed by jetsetter (matte warm chocolate shade) on my lids and rocker (shimmery chocolate brown shade) on my crease area, before blending activist (matte cool dark brown shade) and smokeshow (matte dark charcoal shade) at the outer corners. These beautiful eyeshadow shades can all be found in the Tarlette in Bloom palette. Funny girl (champagne gold shade) was used to highlight the inner corners of my eyes before I lined the top and bottom of my eyes with Tarteist Clay Paint Liner. Tarteist Lip Crayon in Boho and Tarteist Lip Paint in Namaste were used to achieve the perfect nude lip.

All I did to achieve a dramatic evening look was to intensify the eyeshadow colours at the outer corner of my eyes with activist and smokeshow from the Tartlette in bloom palette. To add more dimension, I dabbed firecracker (a shimmery cool brown shade) in the inner crease area too. Tarteist Lip Crayon in Latergram and Tarteist Lip Paint in TBT lent the finishing touches to this glamorous look. 

As you can tell, a change of lip colour makes a huge difference, which explains why I always carry two lipsticks in different shades with me.

Do you like these looks that I’ve created? 

If you are interested in these new products from Tarte Cosmetics, click HERE to shop now!