blogging events – Page 5

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FIDe Fashion Week 2013: MCM "Flower Boys In Paradise" Fashion Show

November 14, 2013 by Regina Chow No Comments

If you follow me on my instagram (@reginachow_sg), you may have already seen a preview of my outfit for the MCM Fashion Show at FIDe Fashion Week recently.

My #ootd for the #mcm fashion show at #fidefashionweeks . More pics on reginachow.blogspot.com next week!

As promised, I have also included more pictures of my outfit that day in this blog post. This outfit was put together at the very last minute as I had to rush off to work in the day before heading directly to Marina Bay Sands in the evening for the MCM Fashion Show.

I bought this eye-catching blouse and skirt set from Ching at Far East Plaza a while back and what strikes me most about this outfit is the poufy structure of the skirt, which lends dimension as well as a touch of edginess to the ensemble.

The colour and embossed material are two other aspects that caught my attention. I love the colour gold, and if you notice, most of the bags I carry, including the Loewe Amazona bag that you see here, come with gold hardware. Somehow, gold complements my skin colour much better than silver, which tends to wash me out.

The embossed material, on the other hand, adds texture and interest to the otherwise plain canvas. I particularly adore how the embossed texture accentuates the sheen of the metallic gold hue and is able to capture all the tones of this brilliant colour from different angles.

Outfit from Ching

Bag from Loewe

Accessories from Cc Skye and Forever21

Shoes from Aldo

Now, here’s presenting MCM’s Spring/Summer 2014 Collection, “Flower Boys in Paradise”. Featuring a kaleidoscope of tailored, genderless silhouettes and shapes as well as an array of floral and classic Visetos motifs, MCM’s latest collection celebrates the spirit of Spring through carnival colours such as poppy red, electric yellow, neon green and metallic gold, juxtaposed against wild, exotic prints.

Each piece in this collection pays tribute to sophisticated and urban utopias for discerning globetrotters internationally. The duster coat and motorcycle jacket were given a fun interpretation while MCM’s signature bags were given a unique twist with the ingenious use of pop colours and floral motifs. The result is a fresh, invigorating collection, never before seen at MCM.

(Picture credits: FIDe Fashion Weeks)

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Laneige BB Cushion Party

October 21, 2013 by Regina Chow No Comments

I was invited to the Laneige BB Cushion Party a while back at
My Art Space. For those of you who are familiar with Laneige’s products, you
would probably know that the BB cushion is not a new product and thanks to the
generous team at Laneige Singapore, I have been using the BB cushion for some time prior
to the event. While I only use sunblock without any foundation on a daily
basis, there are times when I feel I need just that extra hint of coverage.
That’s when I turn to Laneige BB cushion.

I adore its dewy, brightening effect, and I absolutely love
that it comes with SPF50+ PA+++, which is great for touch-ups during the
day. Unlike the typical BB creams in the
market, you’ll also feel a cooling sensation upon application, which makes your
skin feel instantly refreshed amidst the sweltering heat.

Here’re 5 benefits of Laneige BB Cushion that you should
know about:

1)
Brightening Effect

2)
Daily protection against harmful UV rays and sun
damage (SPF 50+ PA+++)

3)
Cooling effect that cools down your skin

4)
Tone correction and medium coverage; and

5)
Long-lasting, sweat-proof coverage

Since its launch earlier this year, the Laneige BB Cushion
has become such a popular product that it was completely out of stock when I
visited Korea in July! To cater to
ladies of all skin tones, the BB cushion now comes in 5 shades, namely 13 True
Beige, 21 Natural Beige, 23 Sand Beige, 31 Brown Beige and 33 Coffee. The
latest shade, 33 Coffee was launched in Sephora in September 2013.

Also, Laneige BB cushion now comes with a DIY kit that includes an assortment of embellishments, crystals and stickers so you can
beautify your bb cushion to reflect your personality. How very thoughtful!

I attended the event with Karen and we were also introduced
to some new Laneige make-up items, including 6 New Shades for the Silk Intense
Lipstick range as well as Artplay Eyeliners which feature dual colours in
complementary shades to suit every occasion.

Both of us were fascinated with
the artplay eyeliners as they come in such a wide array of colours, ranging
from subtle, neutral hues to bright, bold hues which are versatile enough for
both day and night looks.

A live make-up demonstration was conducted to give us a
better idea of how Korean style make-up can be done with these new products.

I loved the dramatic transformation that was
achieved with just a touch of BB cushion, artplay eyeliner and a dash of
lipstick. The model looked radiant and effortlessly chic in a matter of
minutes!

Next on the agenda was a hands-on painting session for all
the bloggers. We were told to express through art what we felt about the BB cushion
and its benefits.

The last time I painted was in secondary school, and I have
never worked with acrylic paint, so you can imagine how daunting this task was
for me!

Karen and I hesitated a little initially, but we eventually took the
plunge and two hours later, our masterpieces were born.

My amateurish painting was characterized by bold brush
strokes as I thought this was probably the easiest way to fill up the entire
canvas. The painting depicts how Laniege
BB cushion could dispel the darkness of dull skin (shown through the black and
grey brush strokes) and brighten up our skin, making us radiant, cheerful and
glowy, just like the rays of the sun.

I also loved Karen’s painting of a beautiful
eye surrounded by a myriad of colours.

Here are the paintings done by the other beauty bloggers:

Thank you Laneige Singapore for having us! We each received a BB cushion, Artplay Eyeliner and Silk Intense Lipstick at the event and I will be doing a review of these products soon.

Meanwhile, I’ll be rounding up this post with some outfit shots. It was such a coincidence that Karen and I both came in blue and white, which are classic Laneige colours!

Dress from Rosebullet

Shoes from Miu Miu

Bag from Hermes

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MINDEF Event: Think About Our Boys!

October 9, 2013 by Regina Chow No Comments

Have you ever been to Singapore’s Army Museum or SAFTI
MI? I had a chance to visit both places recently at the invitation of Mindef, who organized an event titled “Think About Our Boys!” for female bloggers to better understand and appreciate what the average Singaporean male has to go through during National Service. It was not easy waking up early in
the morning but it was worth the effort in retrospect.

I went along with Karen because we were both curious about the event. Upon arrival at the
Singapore Discovery Centre, we found ourselves strolling along a quiet
lake amidst lush greenery in an idyllic setting.

Did I mention that we were both dressed in military themed outfits too? Here’s what I wore:

Top from Forever21
Shorts (not shown in pics) from Editor’s Market
Shoes from Korea
Bag from Chanel
Kelly Dog from Hermes
Cap from random store in Singapore

To complement our outfits, the thoughtful organizers made personalized dog tags for each and every one of us.

They also roped in professional manicurists who treated us to military-themed
manicures.

I’ve always appreciated the
importance of NS and how critical it is to defend our nation, and I
thought these cute nail designs were great ways for ladies like us to
show
our support for our NS boys!

Here’s presenting my freshly painted nails. It has been more than 2 weeks now but my nails still look very presentable, which is impressive considering that all I had was an express manicure.

Check out the intricate nail art! In case you were wondering, no these are not stickers. They were painstakingly drawn on by the very talented manicurist.

We also had the opportunity to speak with a handful of lady officers who signed on with the army as regulars. It is not compulsory for females to serve National Service (NS) and admittedly, serving NS has never ever crossed my mind, much less signing on as a regular.

Being able to put your country before yourself is no mean feat, and I was deeply intrigued as well as inspired by these ladies because they knew from a young age that defending Singapore was exactly what they wanted to do.

To give us a better understanding of what the officers go through, we were given a brief tour of SAFTI MI, where I learnt a lot about
the rich symbolism in its architecture. The tri-service nature of the
SAF – Army, Airforce and Navy – was celebrated in every part of the
place. The environment, the exhibits and even the buildings.

We were
brought to two places – the Ceremonial Hall and SAFTI MI Tower. Upon
entering the Ceremonial Hall, I immediately felt the solemn and
respectful mood from the spatial presentation of the OCS Sword and Torch
as well as the Officer’s Creed.

We were told that the floor of the
Ceremonial Hall was made of granite from Bukit Timah Hill to signify our
land which they step on as they promise to defend it.

Ceremonial Hall

Thereafter, we were brought to the SAFTI MI Tower. Placed at the
pathway to the entrance were two stone lions, who used to guard the
Merdeka Bridge.

The number of steps leading to the top of the tower is
265, which is apparently the number of days for the Officer Cadet
Course. The tower was an interesting triangular design which reflects the tri-service SAF.The three sides at the top face the industrial areas, housing
estates as well as the forests and hills respectively, which serve to
remind officer cadets of what they are defending.

It was indeed a breath-taking view at the
top and we couldn’t help but whip out our cameras.

Along the way, the officer also shared that there was a
straight passage which led directly from the cadet training wings to the
parade square where their Commissioning Parade will be held – to
symbolize the 9-month period it takes for them to develop in the ‘womb’
and finally be commissioned as officers.

After the tour, there was an interactive session with personnel from
the SAF for us to find out more about what they do. Karen and I also
dropped by the Army Museum, which depicted the history and evolution of
the Singapore Army.

While I really loved my 1 year stay in Sydney as it has so
much that Singapore doesn’t have, I have also come to realize that Singapore is
where my heart is, because it has formed a part of me – my memories, my
bonds and my beliefs.

That is why I hope that we can all love Singapore
for who she is, and recognize the sacrifices by our NS boys in our own
little ways. This event reminded me again of the need for national defence to
protect this place where we call home, and to never take peace for granted.

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Marie France Bodyline Introduces Hong Kong Artiste Angela Tong As Its New Regional Celebrity Spokesperson & New Revolutionary Treatment – Pro-Freeze

September 9, 2013 by Regina Chow No Comments

Marie France Bodyline recently unveiled its new regional celebrity spokesperson, Hong Kong Artiste, Angela Tong Ying Ying, and I was honoured to have been invited to the media launch at The Luxe Art Museum alongside Karen and Estelle, where we had the opportunity to get up close and personal with Angela.

Angela was a picture of radiance in her short pink dress, as she dazzled the crowd with her signature megawatt smile and of course, her newfound post-pregnancy figure. The star was beaming with pride as she had shed 11kg in just 3 months with Marie France Bodyline’s customized treatments, which included a nutritional plan that was specially tailored to her lifestyle and preferences.

While Angela’s voluptous figure
was the envy of many, she had issues with her hips and tummy, like most
women, even before her pregnancy. The

situation worsened with pregnancy, as she gained more than 12kg and
ballooned to 64kg with a 42 inch waist!

To add salt to the wound,
unsightly bulges appeared along with sagginess around her hips, tummy
and thighs.

Looking
at her slender figure while she shared about her life-changing
experience with Marie France on stage made it hard for me to imagine she
had a less than desirable figure just recently! After starting
treatment with Marie France Bodyline in April 2013, Angela has lost a
total of 42.25 inches in 3 months, including 12 inches around her waist,
7 inches around her tummy, 6.5 inches around her thighs, 4.75 inches around her hips and 3.5 inches around her arms.

In case you were wondering, her before and after photos were not digitally enhanced, which only goes to show that the results are 100% genuine. Impressive, isn’t it?

Not
only is she slimmer, Angela also opined that she feels more energetic
and healthier after her treatments with Marie France. She is now
enjoying every moment of her new roles as a mother and as Marie France
Bodyline’s celebrity spokesperson in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

After sharing her wonderful slimming experience with Marie France, the vivacious and eloquent Angela
celebrated her new role as a mother by participating in a diaper-changing challenge with emcee Anita Kapoor.

Angela worked her magic and completed the challenge in the blink of an eye. Look at her expertly folded diapers! Evidently, the first-time mum is basking in the joys of motherhood.

When asked if she has plans for a second child, the glowing, effervescent mum and star spoke with disarming candour, revealing that she and her husband are planning for one or two more children.

She also quipped that thanks to the positive experience with Marie France, she is all ready to have more babies now that she no longer has to worry about getting back in shape after giving birth!

Other than Angela Tong, Marie France Bodyline has served a continuous string of celebrity clients throughout the years. It counts Christy Chung, Rosamund Kwan, Vicki Zhao and even local celebrity Kym Ng among its clients.

Established
in Switzerland, Marie France Bodyline has over 25 years of experience
in helping customers to lose weight naturally. It offers weight-loss and inch-loss solutions without slimming pills, strenuous exercise or strict dieting.

The secret to Marie France Bodyline’s advanced weight management treatments lies in its rigorous research and development efforts worldwide, resulting in the development of innovative technologies to address key issues that women face today, including excess fat tissue, cellulite and lack of skin elasticity.

A personal consultation is first conducted with the Marie France Bodyline professional team of experts which includes skilled consultants and qualified nutritionists. A slimming programme is then specially customized based on your eating habits and daily lifestyle. For lasting results, the team at Marie France Bodyline also encourages clients to exercise regularly and have a balanced diet.

With Marie France, we can all look forward to a healthier, more effective method of slimming and sculpting. Regaining your figure and looking good have never been easier!

Always
at the forefront of cutting edge, results-oriented slimming treatments, Marie France Bodyline also introduced their latest treatment, Pro-Freeze, a revolutionary fat-freezing technology that is touted to be the non-invasive alternative to Liposuction at the media event.

Previously only available in medical clinics, this breakthrough Pro-Freeze
treatment is able to ‘freeze’ away unsightly fat bulges safely and effectively without any discomfort and downtime!

We were delighted to
find out that unlike other slimming treatments, the Pro Freeze
technology is specially developed for targeted areas where you have
stubborn pockets of fat that are generally resistant to exercise and
dieting.

Examples
of problem areas that are suitable for Pro Freeze include tummy (spare
tyres), waist (love handles), hips (saddle backs) and inner thighs. As a
result of desk bound jobs and sedentary lifestyles, these are common
problem areas that plague many of us, even those of us who are slim.
When fats and flabbiness develop in these areas, you will realize that
it is certainly no mean feat to get back into shape.

Sounds all too familiar? Pro-Freeze could just be the solution for you!

How Does Pro-Freeze Work?

Fats
become frozen when they are exposed to extremely cold temperatures.
When fats become frozen, the fat cells degenerate and die off, a process
called adipocyte apoptosis.

What
happens when the fat cells die? Will they remain in your body?
Thankfully, the answer is NO. The degenerated fat cells are discharged
from the body through our body’s metabolism system.

Each
Pro-Freeze treatment session takes about 45-60 minutes and clients are
able to relax and unwind in the comfort of Marie France Bodyline’s
treatment room. A probe is used to administer the treatment and a
powerful suction, coupled with a cooling sensation, can be felt during
the first 5 minutes of the treatment. The cold sensation gradually
dissipates as each targeted area becomes accustomed to the suction.

How Effective is Pro-Freeze?

This
treatment can permanently remove up to 25% of unwanted fat in just 1
single treatment session, dramatically reducing the thickness of the fat
layer.

According
to Marie France, clients will experience visible results in fat loss
just 3 weeks after the treatment. More significant results can be seen
between 3-6 months after treatment.

However, do note that those with major
illnesses (e.g. cancer, liver disease, heart disease and diabetes),
sensitivity to extreme coldness, have previously done fat-removal
treatments or treatments that cause fat cells to die off within the last
2 months (e.g. Cryolipolysis, Ultrasonic Cavitation, Liposuction etc.),
or are pregnant, are not suitable for this treatment.

Interested in trying Pro-Freeze?

Marie France Bodyline is now offering the treatment at a special rate of S$400 for your first treatment, plus 1 complimentary post treatment!

Click here to sign up now!

Marie France Bodyline Centres in Singapore

Toll-Free Customer Service No.: 1800-7777-111

Orchard

360 Orchard Road #08-01/05,
International Building

Marina
Square

6 Raffles Boulevard #01-200,
Marina Square

Bishan
Central

Blk 513 Bishan Street 13 #01-502

Jurong
Point

1 Jurong West Central #02-21/21A,
Jurong Point Shopping Centre

Marine
Parade

1 Marine Parade Central, #01-03

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Ultimate Ramen Champion 2013

August 31, 2013 by Regina Chow No Comments

I was invited to the media launch of Ultimate Ramen Champion 2013 at Bugis+ recently, which got me all excited as I am a huge ramen fan. The media launch was a grand affair complete with a delightful Japanese dance performance and interviews with the chefs of the respective Ramen outlets. We were also treated to a sumptuous ramen tasting adventure that absolutely tantalized our taste buds.

Established in
2011, the Ultimate Ramen Champion competition has since become a
favourite among fans of Japanese cuisine. In every competition, the brand that is able to sell the highest number of bowls of ramen during the year would be crowned the winner. The judging criteria also includes sales takings, votes on Facebook and onsite voting.

Thus far, over 13 brands have
participated in this competition and the spirit of competition has
propelled the quality of ramen to new heights. This is certainly
something for ramen lovers like me to rejoice about!

Here’s Koji Tashiro san, producer of Ramen Champion, kicking off the media launch with a warm welcome.

The 3 chefs on the left are the winners for the Ultimate Ramen Champion 2012, which took place from 1st Aug 2012 to 31 July 2013.

The leftmost chef represents Ikkousha, which sold 118,500 bowls of ramen and became the reigning champion for 3 years in a row! Gantetsu (whose chef was standing beside Producer Koji Tashiro san) sold 64,300 bowls and came in second, while Bario (the chef is in red) came in 3rd with 60,600 bowls.

At the same time, we were also introduced to 3 new competitors from Tokyo, namely Muso, Menban Yamagishi Kazuo and Buta God.

The Ultimate Ramen Champion 2013 will take place over a period of 1 year from 1 Aug 2013 – 31 July 2014. Other than these 6 brands from Ramen Champion’s Bugis+ outlet, an additional 3 brands from its Changi Airport Terminal 3 outlet will be participating in this competition as well.

How will these 9 brands fare? Will Ikkousha be able to defend its title as the winner? Only time will tell. 😉

Here’s Karen and I with the Producer Koji Tashiro san before we embarked on our ramen tasting adventure.

The line-up of piping hot ramen was a feast for our senses. We had a slice of Japan right before our eyes and the glorious presentation was an amazing sight to behold. I had a really light meal before the media launch to ensure that I had sufficient stomach space to devour these delicacies.

1) Buta God: Nikumashi Ramen (S$15)

The first bowl of ramen that we tried was the Nikumashi Ramen by Buta God. Buta God is a new contestant that specializes in Pork ramen with a unique Tonkotsu broth. Buta God’s Nikumashi Ramen is unique in that it comes with a poached egg instead of a soft-boiled egg, which adds to the intensity of flavours.

Everyone at my table agreed that the star of this ramen was the noodles, which were cooked to a wonderful springy consistency and the perfect complement to the exceptionally flavourful broth.

I also enjoyed
the thinly sliced pork belly. The meat was lean, tasty and absolutely
delectable!

We were greeted by Chef Mamoru Kanaya as we were savouring every bite of his lovely gastronomic creation. He opined that his Japanese customers found this particular ramen too sweet for their liking, but was relieved when all of us begged to differ. I think the hint of sweetness that came from the pork gave the broth a burst of flavours that was absolutely divine.

This beautifully
executed bowl of
ramen left me feeling so satisfied, I was ready to proclaim it my
favourite out of the lot. In fact, I personally think that Buta God is
one of the strongest contenders for this year’s competition.

2) Menban Yamagishi Kazuo: Special Ramen (S$14.50)

Next up was Menban Yamagishi Kazuo’s Special Ramen. This was good, but not spectacular, especially if you prefer lean meat. The cha shu meat is lined with sinful layers of soft, tender fats which melt in your mouth. If you love fatty cha shu meat, then this is the ramen for you. 🙂 The light sprinkle of spring onions also enhanced the flavour of the broth and added a delightful touch to the dish.

3) Gantetsu: King Chashu Ramen (S$15)

The broth in Gantetsu’s King Chashu Ramen was infused with a very strong chashu flavour. What I liked about this ramen was the generous portions of lean chashu meat, which are hard to come by these days.

4) Ikkousha: Special Ramen (S$16)

We finally got to taste the highly raved Ikkousha Special Ramen. It came as no surprise that Ikkousha won the championship 3 years in a row. The Hakata style ramen is an instant hit with Singaporeans.

Did you know that the broth is cooked for 12 hours and the pork bone is changed every few hours? You can definitely taste the essence of the pork bone in the flavourful broth. Yummy!

5) Muso: Special Cha Cha Ramen (S$15)

Muso’s chef, Masaaki Kawamura, was crowned the number 1 ramen chef in Tokyo and Hong Kong. That got us excited and we were all waiting in anticipation for Muso’s Special Cha Cha Ramen to be served.

What hit me first was the rich and tasty broth which clearly distinguishes the brand from the rest of its competitors. An ingenious concoction made from chicken, pork and vegetable broth, the ramen broth was absolutely unique and a delight to savour. The thick slices of cha shu were very lean and fresh, just the way I like it. I also loved the eggs and the springy noodles (albeit slightly less springy than Buta God’s). I honestly couldn’t decide if I preferred this or Buta God’s Nikumashi Ramen. I think Ikkousha is going to be up against some tough competition this year!

6) Bario: Ajitama Ramen (S$14)

Bario’s Ajitama Ramen was listed as one of the top 50 things to eat in the world by The Guardian UK. Cooked over 12 hours, the broth is very thick and rich in flavour. As delicious as the broth may be, what really makes this bowl of ramen stand out from the rest of its competitors is its noodles. Bario uses very thick, chewy and flat noodles, similar to ‘Meepok’. It was surprisingly scrumptious, especially when paired with the garlic and chili flakes that accompanied this bowl of ramen goodness.

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Are you all psyched up for ramen now? Head on down to Ultimate Ramen Champion today and take your pick!

Ramen Champion is currently running a photo contest in conjunction with ASUS too!

Here’s how you can take part to stand a chance to win an ASUS Fonepad:

1) Like both Ramen Champion and ASUS‘ facebook pages

2) Head on down to either of the Ultimate Ramen Champion outlets

Bugis+ Outlet

201 Victoria Street, Bugis+,

#04-10, Singapore 188607.

Operating Hours: 11.30am to 10.30pm (Daily)

Changi Airport
Terminal 3 Outlet

65 Airport Boulevard,

#B2-58 Terminal 3, T3,

Singapore Changi Airport,

Singapore 819663.

Operating Hours: 10.30am to 11.00pm (Daily)

3) Creatively snap photos of the ramen or the interior of the shop and post them up on Ramen Champion’s facebook page to participate and win an ASUS Fonepad!

The contest ends today!

If you haven’t made lunch or dinner plans, you know where to go!

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Hair Treatment at Jean Yip Hairdressing & Jean Yip Style of the Month Contest

August 8, 2013 by Regina Chow No Comments

Every once in a while, it is important to indulge in a little treat, be it a sugary sweet macaron or a much-needed massage to ease your worries away. What did you indulge in recently?

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have found the picture above familiar. It was taken after my little treat last week, an intensive hair treatment at Jean Yip Plaza Singapura. I did my hair colour with Jean Yip not too long ago (read my previous post on Jean Yip), and this time, I decided a nourishing treatment would be necessary to ensure that my hair remains healthy.

The stylist listened attentively to my concerns about my dry hair ends and subsequently recommended a combination of the Scalp Peel Treatment and Super Silk Thermal Intensive Treatment.

This was my second Scalp Peel Treatment and I am very pleased with the results thus far. My scalp used to be relatively sensitive, and on occasions when I decided to wash my hair on alternate days, my scalp would itch. I used a clarifying scalp shampoo once a week, but even then, it never did resolve the root of the problem.

Benefits of Scalp Peel Treatment

Most issues relating to hair loss and slow hair growth are associated with scalp problems. Did you know that shampoo and conditioner can cause scalp build up over time? Scalp build up causes hair follicles to clog up and eventually lose their ability to function.

The Scalp Peel Treatment not only removes product buildup from shampoo and conditioner, it also removes dead skin and unclogs hair follicles to promote healthy hair growth.

After the first Scalp Peel Treatment, I noticed that my scalp is less oily than before and it hardly ever itches anymore, even if I only wash my hair on alternate days. I am truly impressed because I have tried scalp treatments in other salons but their effectiveness only lasted a few days.

The Super Silk Thermal Intensive Treatment is a heat-activated treatment to deeply moisturize and condition your hair. This was my first time trying this treatment and I think it is pretty effective in taming frizz. My hair looks smoother, shinier and healthier!

Have you joined Jean Yip’s Style of the Month Contest yet?

This facebook campaign takes place from July – Sep 2013 and Jean Yip will give away a hairdressing voucher worth S$1000 every month as well as 25 consolation prizes(total worth more than S$1000) every month!

The month of August has just begun, so keep those applications coming!

To take part, Like Jean Yip Singapore’s Facebook Page first!

Then, follow the instructions below to participate in the contest:

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Singapore Blog Awards 2013 – I was a Winner!

August 4, 2013 by Regina Chow No Comments

I must be one of the last few bloggers to update about Singapore Blog Awards 2013, but I guess it’s better late than never!

I was very blessed to have been selected as a finalist for a main category (Best Fashion Blog) and a special category (Qoo10 Best Online Shopping Blog) this year. While June and July were busy work months for me, I tried my best to deliver what was required of the competition and was very grateful that I could take some time off to attend the awards.

I had a quick lunch with Karen prior to the event at Liang Court and everyone stared at us like we were aliens from outer space. We felt so out of place till we arrived at Shanghai Dolly, where familiar faces in 60s garb greeted us. It has been a while since I last attended any blogging events, no thanks to my work schedule, so it was great to be able to catch up with everyone!

I didn’t expect to win anything this year as the competition for both categories was very strong, so I was truly surprised when the host announced that I won 3rd place for Qoo10 Best Online Shopping Blog! Thank you everyone for your support!

Karen was a double winner at the SBA this year. She won both the Best Beauty Blog and Best Modelling Blog categories. I am so proud of her because she totally deserved the double win! You can tell how much passion, commitment and hard work she puts into her blog. No matter how busy she is, she always takes time to post interesting updates regularly.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my lovely sponsors for SBA 2013. My knitted dress, earrings and bag were kindly sponsored by Dustbunny Vintage. Karen’s dress too, was sponsored by them. In fact, both dresses are from Pia’s (the owner) personal collection and my dress actually belonged to her mum! What is even more amazing is that Pia’s mum made the dress! It is hard to believe that it came from the 1960s because the workmanship is so fantastic, it looks as good as new.

Karen and I love vintage apparel and our shared passion brought us closer to Pia, the owner of Dustbunny Vintage. Pia has been a friend of ours for ages now and we are always blown away by the delectable collection of vintage apparel that she brings in week after week.

Pia updates her facebook page regularly with the latest apparel/bags/accessories in store, so do like Dustbunny Vintage’s facebook page for more gorgeous vintage buys!

I love the sexy cut-out dress that Karen wore, which went very well with her Maison Martin Margiela shoes and her cute straw hat sponsored by Eskpade. Karen’s eye-catching outfit also won her a spot in the Top 10 Best Dressed for SBA2013! She got into the final 4 Best Dressed too, but the award eventually went to Mr Mata, a lady dressed as a 1960s cop, complete with a cute moustache plastered over her mouth to protect her identity. To this day, we have no idea who she is!

Now, let me introduce you to my hair and make-up sponsor for the event, Fion, who freelances at 99percent hair studio at Haji Lane.She did a good job of enhancing my features with the 60s makeup theme in mind.

Eskpade sponsored my beautiful Valentino-inspired hat, as mentioned in my previous post. Isn’t it beautiful? The 3D lace bow makes my heart flutter.

After some discussion with Fion, we decided that it would be better for me to wear the hat behind instead to complement my 1960s beehive. This versatile hat can be worn in front as well and looks best when worn with an updo.

I love the final look that Fion created, with the cascading curls framing my gorgeous hat.

After the event ended, Karen, Malcolm, JW and I went for tea followed by a photoshoot along Clarke Quay and the Singapore River. Many thanks to Malcolm and my trusty photographer (who dislikes photography) JW for the photos!

Dress, bag and earrings from Dustbunny Vintage

Hat from Eskpade

Necklace from my mum’s vintage necklace (thanks mum!)

Shoes and socks from random shops in Singapore

Once again, thank you OMY.sg, Qoo10 and everyone else involved for organizing SBA 2013!

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RED 2 Movie Review

July 31, 2013 by Regina Chow No Comments

I caught the preview of RED 2 on Monday thanks to Omy.sg and goodness, I was thoroughly entertained! RED 2 (which stands for Retired and Extremely
Dangerous 2), while not fresher, was unequivocally fiercer than RED whose box
office performance had probably surprised many. With a seemingly has-been (but stellar) cast
comprising Bruce Willis (as Frank Moses), Helen Mirren (as Victoria Winslow) and
John Malkovich (as Marvin Boggs), how much hotter could RED 2 get? Well, very.

Tapping on the secrecy of CIA, MI6 and KGB (which is the
stuff of most decent spy thrillers), RED 2 spares no effort in packing the
movie with action and humour to our delight. This time round, after kicking the
ass of CIA in the previous installment, Frank and gang get involved with a
nuclear weapon which brings them and us to the beautiful cities of Paris,
London and Moscow. It is absolute pleasure watching them rely on their wits and
teamwork to get out of “worst case scenario” situations which leave us breathless.
A good movie does exactly this – it stretches our imagination and converts possibilities
into dramatic visuals.

Bruce Willis is the uncanny action hero who makes
ridiculous stuff seem possible because he executes them with such calmness.

Helen Mirren is the unexpectedly foxy wetwork specialist who exudes coolness
amidst chaos.

John Malkovich’s kookiness provides many comic moments which keep
the movie a light-hearted adventure, while new cast Anthony Hopkins (as Dr
Edward Bailey) and Lee Byung-Hun (as Han Jo-Bae) add depth to the psychological
and physical dimensions.

And yes, Mary-Louise Parker (as Sarah Ross) and
Catherine Zeta-Jones (as Katya) continue to be amazingly gorgeous at their age.

Here’s the official trailer to give you some sneak peeks of what the movie entails:

The screenplay is well-paced and fun-filled, and the
experience is amplified by the cinematic quality at Shaw Lido. You know it is
worth the money when you exit the cinema and everyone else is smiling along
with you. Old school rocks!!!

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‘The Wolverine’ Asian Premiere in Seoul: Getting Up Close & Personalwith Hugh Jackman

July 24, 2013 by Regina Chow 5 Comments

Wolverine
is finally back! The Wolverine will be hitting cinemas in Singapore on
25th July (this Thursday), much to the delight of Marvel comic fans. I
have caught most, if not all the X-men films and was looking forward to
watching this on the big screen as well. My lucky stars must have been
shining on me, because I managed to catch it at the Asian Premiere of
the movie last week!

I have so much to thank Scoot and Golden Village for, because they flew me all the way to Seoul just to catch the Asian Premiere of The Wolverine. I even got up close and personal with Hugh Jackman at the press conference and on the red carpet! Alvin and Grace were the other two bloggers who were there with me, and to say that we had a ball of a time is a huge understatement.

Although we landed late at night in Seoul and had to attend the press conference at Grand Hyatt Hotel bright and early the next day, I was overwhelmed with excitement, especially at the thought of seeing Hugh Jackman live in action!

Celebrity DJs Lim Peifen from Y.E.S. 93.3FM and Jean Danker from Class 95FM were at the press conference with us too. Both of them are such affable and friendly ladies with absolutely no airs about them.

The ballroom was packed by the time we made our way in and everyone was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Hugh Jackman.

I have never seen so many cameras in my life! One of the photographers was eyeing me suspiciously when I took this picture, but I don’t blame him. As much as he loves to take photographs, he probably isn’t used to being photographed.

Finally, the star of the show appears on stage!

Angst ridden yet romantic, animalistic yet humane, Wolverine is dangerously charming. In fact, the actor himself opined during the interview that aside from the claws and superhero traits, it is Wolverine’s human side that makes the character interesting.I have to agree.I love the X-men film series, but among the entire pack of mutants, Wolverine stands out the most because of the depth of his character.

Playing the role of Wolverine was probably the most definitive moment in Hugh Jackman’s career, and the actor’s dedication to the role is highly commendable. He recalled during the press conference that he used to injure himself very often when he first put on his incredibly sharp claws, but it didn’t take him long to get accustomed to his deadly claws, which have now become second skin.In fact, he shared that he got so used to having his claws around that there was once when he forgot to place them in his check-in luggage on one of his trips and was promptly stopped by the authorities (who had no idea who Wolverine was) for a round of interrogation. LOL.

For those of you who are familiar with the story of Wolverine, you would remember that he has a love interest Jean Gray, which means that love scenes would inevitably have to be incorporated into the movie. It was funny how Hugh Jackman shared very candidly that he would choose not to tell his wife when he has to shoot love scenes until they were over to save her from having to deal with pangs of jealousy. Haha!

I have read and heard so much about Hugh Jackman’s approachable and friendly personality, but I was still surprised at how down to earth he is in real life. His wit and humour never fails to put a smile on your face, but it is his punctuality and affability that takes the icing on the cake for me.We never had to wait at length for his arrival at the press conference or the red carpet and he was very accommodating to his fans whenever they stopped him for pictures. He also stopped to chat with his fans along the way and from what I observed, I could sense that he was genuinely interested in interacting with everyone.

He was so busy talking to everyone that it took him quite a while to reach the front, where we were waiting in anticipation. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally walked over! Can you see how close we were to him?

When he finally stopped in front of me, I asked if he could autograph my poster and take a picture with me. He agreed very readily and even signed his name twice on my poster.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram and Facebook would have seen this blurry picture of us. I wish the picture turned out sharper, but it made my day nevertheless. I was starstruck! He looks exactly the same as he does on screen!

And so, yes the actor is suave and charming, but the golden question for the day remains.

What did I think of the movie, ‘The Wolverine’?

The movie started at 9pm after the red carpet, but despite my slight headache due to a lack of sleep, I was sitting at the edge of my seat throughout the entire movie. Sleeping was definitely not an option. There were riveting fight scenes and adrenalin pumping action intertwined with a dose of humour and romance, basically everything that you could ask for in an X-men film. It was an exhilarating experience.

That said, my fellow travel companions and I concurred that there is no need to watch it in 3D because the difference is so negligible that it doesn’t affect your cinematic experience at all. Throughout the movie, I was expecting someone to come flying into my face (they did fly in all other directions though), but that never happened. Hence, I would recommend that you save your money and forget about watching it in 3D.

The film starts off with a brooding Wolverine, jaded by his inner struggle with immortality. I loved how the film delved into an unexplored dimension of Wolverine as it gave me a holistic understanding of his character as well as deeper insights into his vulnerable side beneath that hotheaded, beastly exterior. Wolverine may have healing powers, but those powers certainly do not extend to his emotional well-being.

The movie is largely shot in Japan, where yakuzas and ninjas roam, and the first action scene is unleashed only about half an hour into the movie, but trust me, it is as refreshing as it is gratifying. One of my favourite action scenes is the bullet train chase, but I shall not elaborate any further lest I spoil the fun. 😉

To pique your interest further, I will leave you with the official trailer of The Wolverine.

Go catch it soon!

Tickets are probably selling out fast for this blockbuster movie so remember to book your tickets early.

Alternatively, maybe I can offer you a pair of complimentary ‘The Wolverine’ movie tickets? 😉

**Giveaway**

Yes, I’m giving away a pair of ‘The Wolverine’ movie tickets!!

All you have to do is drop me an e-mail at regina.chow@gmail.com or leave a comment here to win!

Deadline: 26 July (this Friday!)

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Jean Yip Style of the Month Campaign

July 22, 2013 by Regina Chow 2 Comments

Jean Yip Hairdressing is a household name in Singapore and for many of us living on this sunny island, this is one reputable and established salon that certainly needs no introduction.

For those of you who are on my Facebook, you may have noticed that I was recently invited to be one of the 10 special guests for Jean Yip’s Style of the Month Campaign! It is a great honour to be able to participate in this 3-month long campaign and from now till September, Jean Yip will be working their magic on my hair. You’ll be getting regular updates on my experience too!

Before I share my first experience at Jean Yip with you, here’s some information on how you can participate in Jean Yip’s Style of the Month Contest and win some prizes!

So, I visited Jean
Yip’s branch at Plaza Singapura earlier this month, where my stylist
Andy, who is also the manager of the branch, gave my hair a fresh coat of colour, a trim and a variety of hair treatments. Before I take you through the entire hair transformation, here’s a picture of myself when I first stepped into the salon, taken by Andy.

Prior to colouring, Andy used a machine which showed the state of my scalp. As my scalp was rather oily, he recommended the Scalp Peel Treatment to remove dead skin and cleanse my hair follicles to restore optimal scalp health. This treatment also prepares your scalp for chemical treatments such as colouring, which may expose your scalp to sensitivity.

Andy then picked out a vibrant shade of blonde called Copper Golden Very Light Blond for my dye job. Thankfully for me, my hair colour is naturally brown and it absorbs colour very well, hence no bleaching is required to achieve lighter colours.

After colouring, my hair was treated to an Oxygen Mask. I always make it a point to do hair treatment after colouring as chemical treatments can be damaging in the long run. Given that I touch up my hair colour at least once every 2 months, it is important that the right steps are taken to maintain the condition of my hair and scalp.

Here, you’ll see how glossy and manageable my tresses are after a trim, colour and treatment. If you compare this to my before picture, you will notice that my hair definitely looks smoother, shinier and healthier!

Just when I thought that was the end, Andy surprised me with yet another type of hair treatment called Photo Biostimulation Hair Therapy.

Laser therapy is used in this case to revitalize and nourish hair follicles, with the aim of stimulating and accelerating hair growth. If you face hair loss issues, or even if you just prefer to have a fuller head of hair (like me!), this may just be the solution for you.

Finally, here’s the end result after about 2.5 hours at Jean Yip. I especially enjoyed the variety of hair treatments here, which sets it apart from its competitors.

Scalp treatments at most salons only involve a scalp cream without the
use of any machines to assess your scalp condition or to remove dead skin
which clogs hair follicles.

I personally feel that the scalp treatment here is more effective than most scalp treatments that I’ve tried. It left my scalp feeling squeaky clean and my hair felt lighter and more voluminous instantly. My bouncy, cascading curls are the best testament.

I would definitely opt for the scalp treatment again when I next visit Andy for my monthly hair indulgence. I also intend to continue with the Photo Biostimulation Hair Therapy, just to test out the results over time.

You know how
everyone leaves the salon looking fabulous, but after a day, your hair
ends up looking flat and lifeless again? Well, that certainly didn’t
happen for me. Look at how luscious my hair looks on Day 2, after a day
out in our terribly humid weather.

Do watch this space for more hair updates with Jean Yip!

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FIDe Fashion Week 2013: MCM "Flower Boys In Paradise" Fashion Show

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MINDEF Event: Think About Our Boys!

Marie France Bodyline Introduces Hong Kong Artiste Angela Tong As Its New Regional Celebrity Spokesperson & New Revolutionary Treatment – Pro-Freeze

Ultimate Ramen Champion 2013

Hair Treatment at Jean Yip Hairdressing & Jean Yip Style of the Month Contest

Singapore Blog Awards 2013 – I was a Winner!

RED 2 Movie Review

‘The Wolverine’ Asian Premiere in Seoul: Getting Up Close & Personalwith Hugh Jackman

Jean Yip Style of the Month Campaign

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