beauty – Page 10 – Regina Chow

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Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Eyebrow & Nose Powder

November 19, 2012 by Regina Chow 1 Comment

One problem that most Asians face when it comes to lightening our hair colour is the stark contrast between the colour of our hair and brows. Some people have very black brows, which means the only way to get their brows to match their hair colour is to dye them as well. For those of you with sparse brows or brows that aren’t very black to begin with, an eyebrow powder could very well be your perfect solution.

Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Eyebrow & Nose Powder in #01 Light Brown is such a lifesaver. It can be purchased at all Watsons stores and I’ve been using it for a while now.

The medium and darker shades are meant for filling in your brows while the lightest shade is for contouring your nose. This palette also comes with a small brush with an angled brush (for brows) on one end and a wider, fluffier brush on the other (for contouring and blending).

I typically fill my brows using just the medium shade because it matches my hair colour very well. To contour my nose, I mix the lightest and darkest shades together before drawing a line down each side of the nose starting from the brows all the way to the nose tip. It’s important to smoothen out any harsh lines or you’ll end up looking like a freak, so remember to blend those lines gently with the fluffy brush provided.

Contouring the side of your nose will create the illusion of a raised nose bridge, and the effect is especially obvious in photos. Now all you need to do to complete the look is to use a white eyeshadow to highlight the nose bridge and there, you’re done!

What I love about this product is its versatility. Not only does it work as an eyebrow shadow and a contour powder, you can use it as an eyeshadow too. 😉 The colour is very pigmented too, so a little goes a long way. All in all, this is one gem that I’ll definitely repurchase!

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Passion Nails Nailed It!

November 9, 2012 by Regina Chow 2 Comments

Passion Nails is an established nail salon conveniently located in Far East Plaza, right in the heart of Orchard Road. I know we ladies can shop at Far East Plaza for hours, but squeezing in some time to take a break from shopping is always essential, and what better way to do that than to pamper ourselves with a manicure/pedicure session? Well, that was exactly what Karen and I did when we stopped by Passion Nails one afternoon!

I love getting my nails done professionally because this is one of the rare occasions when I can just put the world on hold and indulge in an afternoon of unadulterated bliss. I always feel completely relaxed and revitalized after a trip to the nail salon.

We were introduced to Ms Tran, the owner of Passion Nails, a gentle and friendly lady who takes the art of beautifying nails seriously.

The salon is divided into two sections. Upon entering, we were greeted by a row of comfortable cushioned seats accompanied by nail colour and design samples neatly arranged in pretty lace containers.

“Are OPI colours used here?” The answer to your burning question is, yes they are!
In fact, Passion Nails boasts such a wide array of OPI nail polishes, you’re bound to be able to find a shade that tickles your fancy.

Just when we thought of taking our seats, Ms Tran led us to the next section of the salon. Lo and behold, that was when our eyes lit up! Luxurious leather massage chairs appeared right before our eyes. We were in for a treat, that’s for sure.

I really liked the massage chair. It applies just the right amount of pressure at the correct spots, and is very effective at relieving body tension and knots.

That’s not all. You can also get your dose of entertainment from the flat screen TVs installed in this section. Great for TV addicts like me!

Time to start our pampering treatments!

Our manicure and pedicure were done simultaneously by the lovely ladies at Passion Nails. Truth be told, there’s nothing better than being fussed over like princesses.

I chose a red Cath Kidston
inspired nail design for my classic manicure but I wanted it to be done
in sweet shades of pink instead. Ms Tran who did my nails personally, listened attentively and carefully selected the colours based on my
preferences.

Needless to say, she achieved the final design that I wanted quickly and effortlessly! I’ve been to other nail salons where the manicurists are so poorly skilled, they take hours just to complete a simple nail art design, which is extremely exasperating, to say the least.

With Passion Nails, you can be assured of both quality and efficiency. What sort of quality am I talking about? In my opinion, quality refers to both durability and aesthetic value. A durable manicure is only possible if your manicurist is very skilled in nail polish application, which is an art in itself. Aesthetic value is akin to how beautiful your nails are and that again requires a manicurist with a keen sense of aesthetics.

I was very happy with the final outcome. Most manicures only last me about 1 week, but in the hands of Ms Tran, my manicure lasted me more than 3 weeks without chipping!

Karen did the gelish manicure instead. We didn’t discuss about our nail art designs beforehand, hence both of us were very surprised that we ended up choosing pretty similar designs! Talk about telepathy!

Here’s another photo of my nails. Love them to bits!

I chose a nude base with dark blue glitters at the tips for my classic pedicure, and 3 weeks on, they still looked as fresh as the day I stepped out of the salon!

Tempted to try Passion Nails’ services? I’ve good news for you!

Passion Nails is having a promotion for the month of November!

Just present the image below or mention the promo when you book an appointment and you’ll get to enjoy either:

1) Classic Manicure and Pedicure at S$45 (usual price $55); or

2) Gelish Manicure at S$50 (usual price S$70)

Passion Nails

Website: http://www.streetdirectory.com/passionnails/

Address: Far East Plaza #04-29A-B, 14 Scotts Road, (S)228213
Contact No.: 6733 1469

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How to make your Hair Colour Last Longer

November 6, 2012 by Regina Chow 1 Comment

I’ve had coloured hair for close to 10 years now (gosh I’m old!). For those of you who’ve known me for a while, you will realize that I’m especially drawn to light brown/ash shades. Unfortunately, such colours are very prone to fading and require higher maintenance as touch-ups are needed every 4-8 weeks. After seeking advice from hairstylists, doing research on the internet and learning through trial and error, I decided to compile some tips to make the most out of your colour by prolonging its life. They’ve worked well for me, so I hope you’ll find them useful too!

1) Do not wash your hair 1-2 days prior to your colour job

Natural oils from your scalp not only protect the hair shafts, they also smoothen the colour application process as the hair absorbs the dye much more easily.

2) Always invest in colour safe shampoos and conditioners

After spending a bomb on your beautiful tresses, you wouldn’t want to wash your money down the drain by using hair products that strip your hair colour at home. The key is to find products that are suitable for your hair and scalp.

Expensive products don’t always work (e.g. Kerastase causes my scalp to itch). On the contrary, I find drugstore brands just as effective, if not better.

I started on Marc Anthony’s Colour Shampoo and Conditioner (S$16.90 each from Watsons) a couple of weeks ago, and I’m happy to report that it makes my hair soft, shiny and manageable. More importantly, my hair colour remains vibrant and I don’t see any signs of discolouration at all. Although these are colour enhancing products, their hair volumizing properties are especially apparent, an additional perk that left me pleasantly surprised! I have very fine and limp hair, so any volume is greatly appreciated.

The entire range of Marc Anthony products was developed by World Champion Hair Stylist and Celebrity Hairstylist Marc Anthony. The shampoos and conditioners also come with broad spectrum UV protection and Vitamin C, important ingredients that prevent discolouration and promote healthy hair growth. With hair products that are choke full of goodies, everyday can be a good hair day!

3) Use a colour save leave-in conditioner with UV protection

We all know how important UV protection is for our skin, but did you also know that exposure to sunlight will dry out your hair, leaving them lifeless and dull? To complement my shampoo and conditioner which already come with UV protection, I also use a colour save leave-in conditioner with UV protection. I skipped this step previously as I was lazy, but I’ve turned over a new leaf and am a lot more hardworking these days.

Why? Because this step probably makes the biggest difference to retaining hair colour vibrancy, especially since sun exposure is practically inevitable thanks to our tropical climate.

I discovered Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Color Save Spray Conditioner (S$21 from a neighborhood shop at Bukit Timah Plaza) recently and I have never looked back.This is a salon exclusive product but I’m sure it retails online too.

The BC Bonacure range promises to renew the strength and elasticity of your hair with its signature Amino Cell Rebuild technology. I have tried several leave-in conditioners prior to this, and besides being fragrant, none of them really did anything to my hair except weigh them down.

I particularly like the lightweight formula of this leave-in conditioner as it gives me tangle-free and silky smooth hair without weighing down my hair at all. I have a lot of baby hair, and this is the only product that could tame those flyaways, making my hair look shiny and well-conditioned all day. The best part is, I have been using this for a couple of weeks now and my coloured hair still looks fresh out of the salon!

4) Do not over shampoo. I actually find it difficult to follow this rule because I prefer to shampoo everyday. Unfortunately, the lather in shampoos washes away both your hair’s natural oils and your artificial colour as well. Now, I try to shampoo only on alternate days to extend the life of my hair colour.

5) Be cautious about the water temperature when rinsing your hair. Hot water is damaging not only to your hair shaft, but to your hair colour too as it causes the colour to fade much faster. It’s best to use lukewarm water to rinse off the shampoo, followed by cold water to close the cuticles on your hair shafts.

Are there any other tips that worked for you too? Do share them here! 🙂

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Younger Skin with Skinbiotics!

October 29, 2012 by Regina Chow 2 Comments

I’m sure many of you would have heard of Skinbiotics, the latest skin supplement in town which is endorsed by Fann Wong and is currently available at all Watsons stores.

Skinbiotics is an oral beauty supplement developed to increase cell regeneration and treat specific skin problems from within. There’s only so much that topical creams and lotions can do for your skin, beyond which we have to rely on oral supplements to plug the gap.

I’ve been using the same skincare regime from DRx for years because it works well for
me. My dermatologist, Dr SK Tan, changed my regime slightly (in place
of Lightener and Vit-A gel, I now use Max-C, a Vitamin C gel for cell
renewal and ARC for lightening pigmentation). But age has taken a toll on my skin, and even with the best skincare around, it is difficult to keep pigmentation and fine lines at bay when I’m fast approaching 30! At age 29 (2 more months before the big 3-0), the main issues that I face now are slight pigmentation on my cheekbones due to sun exposure, fine expression lines on my forehead and deeper laugh lines.

I was initially skeptical of what Skinbiotics could do, especially in terms of reducing fine lines, but I decided to give it a go! I have been on
Reactiv 01 for 4 weeks now and while I didn’t see much of a difference in the first 2-3 weeks, I can now see that my skin tone is
more even than before, my pigmentation spots are lighter and amazingly, the appearance of my fine lines and laugh lines has improved
significantly! In fact, I realized the positive effects of Skinbiotics are even more obvious in photos. Pictures do say a thousand words!

I don’t use powder foundation anymore these days, but one skincare product that I can never do without is my tinted sunscreen from DRx, simply because UV rays are usually the culprit for premature aging, wrinkles and pigmentation. The sun in Australia is also much harsher (skin cancer is the most common type of cancer here), so sun protection is my top priority!

But, sunscreen alone is never enough. Did you know that the sun rays consist of 7% UVA, UVB rays and 44% visible blue light? Although I slather on sunscreen and avoid the sun like the plague now, most sunscreen products are only able to protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays, leaving your skin vulnerable to visible blue light which we are all exposed to even when we’re indoors!

The breakthrough ingredient in Skinbiotics is a microalgae called Algaplex, which promotes cell regeneration and protects your skin from UV rays. In addition, Skinbiotics also contains Solaplex, an oral sunscreen that protects your skin from UVA, UVB and visible blue light, thus giving your skin 7 times more UV protection!!

With Skinbiotics, I am now able to look forward to better skin protection and younger looking skin everyday!

Skinbiotics has three different types of pills to combat skin problems at every stage of your life. Now, I’m thinking of getting the Reactiv 02 for my mum to try out!

For those of you who want to get your Skinbiotics fix, you can get them at Watsons. Each box retails at S$138 or S$148, depending on the type of supplement that you choose.

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Lipstick Review: Rimmel Moisture Renew in Nude Delight & Lustre Finish in Candy

October 17, 2012 by Regina Chow 4 Comments

I bought 2 Rimmel lipsticks on a whim from Priceline recently, thanks to its “buy 1 get 1 free” offer. At just A$14.95 for two lipsticks, I thought it was a great bargain.

These are the lipsticks that I bagged: Rimmel’s Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight (the peachy nude lipstick above) and Lustre Finish in Candy (the frosty pink lipstick).

Nude Delight needs no introduction as it is such a popular nude lipstick with beauty bloggers. I first saw it on Style Suzie’s blog and thought it looked lovely on her.

Here’s what Nude Delight looks like on me:

Unlike MAC’s Angel, which is slightly more pinkish in tone, Rimmel’s Moisture Renew Nude Delight is a true nude shade with peachy undertones. What I like most about this lipstick is the colour. It delivers a creamy, barely there shine which is great for everyday wear.

The only problem I have with this lipstick is that it’s rather drying and believe me, if you wear this alone without any lip balm, you’ll discover lines on your lips that you’ve never seen before.

Here’s what Candy looks like on me:

I am generally not a fan of frosty lipsticks because they tend to be overly shimmery and difficult to carry off, but I was pleasantly surprised by Rimmel’s Lustre Finish in Candy. I was half-suspecting that I would turn out looking like a disco ball, but what I got instead was a subtle sheen with just a hint of shimmer. The glossy pale pink finish is perfect for days when I wear less make-up. It works almost like a clear lip gloss with shimmer.

I’m going to sport these lip colours a lot more these days so I can give my MAC and YSL a breather. Out of these 3 brands, YSL is still the best in terms of lasting power and hydration, but for the extremely pocket-friendly price-tag, Rimmel does a wonderful job too as long as you remember to take your lip balm with you everywhere! 😉

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What’s in My Handbag?

October 11, 2012 by Regina Chow 3 Comments

Recently, I decided to reorganize the contents of handbag because it was getting way too heavy for my petite frame and I was starting to get backaches. You know how some girls like to bring their entire bedroom (excluding clothes) out with them? Erm, yes I was guilty of that.

So, after a massive cleanup, I thought I’d share what’s in my handbag now. I can do without a mobile phone (yes I’m serious!), but not without these. These are my absolute must-haves.

(Clockwise from top)

1) Watsons Baby Wipes – Singaporeans would exclaim at how “auntie” I am, but honestly, I can’t live without wet wipes! It cleans everything and this particular type that I have has the most amazing floral scent.

2) Chanel wallet – I am generally more accustomed to long wallets and have gone through a couple of Prada ones (I still use a long Prada wallet when I’m in Singapore) but this Chanel wallet is so compact and durable, I love using it when I’m overseas.

3) Blink Intensive Tears eyedrops – The climate in Australia is pretty dry, and since I use contact lenses, eye drops are a must for me.

4) Duo adhesive eyelash glue – I carry this around for emergency touch-ups as I usually have falsies on.

5) Loccitane Cherry Blossom Hand Cream – This was a gift from Felicia because she knew I can’t live without hand creams. I like the light texture, which absorbs into your skin instantly. Comes with a sweet cherry blossom scent too!

6) Jurlique Lavender Hand Cream – I carry 2 hand creams with me in case 1 runs out. I know, I think of everything! Haha. The Jurlique hand cream is richer than the Loccitane one. It’s my holy grail, especially during the cold and dry winter months. It’s probably the best hand cream I’ve ever used and I’m planning to buy another tube soon.

7) Lucas Pawpaw Ointment – This is one of the best multipurpose balms that you can ever find. I use this as a lipbalm because my lips are perpetually chapped but this works as an ointment for boils, burns, chafing, cuts, cracked skin, gravel, rash, splinters, open wounds, insect bites and nappy rash. Yes I just copied that off the back of the tube. I’ve actually tried it on cracked skin and it works!

8) MAC Angel Lipstick – I hardly use lipsticks but I carry two around just in case I need that extra perk-me-up on days when I’m tired. This is my favourite nude lipstick as the pinkish undertones ensure that I don’t look pale and sickly.

9) YSL Rouge Volupte #8 – This is a creamy blue-based pink hue with an opaque finish that glides onto your lips effortlessly. I like that it is highly pigmented and one stroke is all you need. The Rouge Volupte range has a very creamy formula which keeps your lips moisturized the entire day. The colour also stays so incredibly well that there are times when I don’t need to touch up even after a meal. I use this on days when I want a stronger lip to lend a touch of colour to my face.

This is what it looks like on me (I dabbed on the lipstick instead for a more sheer finish):

Hope you enjoyed this post! 🙂

Page 10 of 10« First...«7 8 910

Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Eyebrow & Nose Powder

Passion Nails Nailed It!

How to make your Hair Colour Last Longer

Younger Skin with Skinbiotics!

Lipstick Review: Rimmel Moisture Renew in Nude Delight & Lustre Finish in Candy

What’s in My Handbag?

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