I’m always excited to try new skincare products, especially gel-based skincare products which glide on smoothly without any greasy after-feel. Shiseido’s Aqualabel Special Gel Cream, winner of Women’s Weekly “Best Beauty Buys 2014”, is one such product that I have been intending to review.

I finally took the tub of goodness out of its box and incorporated it into my skincare routine about 2 weeks ago, and I can safely say that it works well on my skin which is oily on the surface and dehydrated beneath. 

What I love about Shiseido’s
Aqualabel Special Gel Cream is its velvety soft jelly-like texture which
feels featherlight on my skin and yet locks in moisture at the same
time.

Multi-tasking 5-in-1 Gel Cream

A multi-tasking 5 in 1 gel cream that contains a high concentration of collagen with double hyaluronic acid and can be used as a lotion (toner), emulsion, essence, cream and mask all at once, it gives you more bang for your buck than your average moisturizer in the market. 

Powered by Aqualabel’s exclusive Aqua Synergy technology, the special gel cream penetrates deeper into your skin to deliver moisture and fight signs of aging, giving you dewy, supple and hydrated skin.   

Pop it in the fridge to give your skin an extra pick-me-up in the mornings and use it as a sleeping mask at night (I do this once or twice a week) and on flights to keep your skin moisturized. A little goes a long way, and I believe this tub will last me for about 6 months at least.

Use it as a sleeping mask

To use it as a sleeping mask, pick up a 50 cent dollop of cream, apply it on to your face and let it sit for about 3 minutes before massaging it thoroughly into your skin. Head to bed when it’s fully absorbed and wake up to smooth, radiant and glowing skin in the morning.

*****

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If you prefer to visit actual art galleries and antique shops, head on to Hollywood Road (Antique Street), where you will be greeted by a variety of paintings, vases, statues, artworks and collectibles (some may be replicas) from a bygone era. If you’re thinking of sprucing up your home decor, be sure to check out these quaint little shops for some quirky finds.

On our way to breakfast one morning, we came across Select-18. It’s easy to mistake it for a hardware store, but don’t be fooled by its visage. Within the store lies an amazing selection of vintage accessories, bags, collectibles and eyewear. 

I especially adore their collection of vintage miniature perfume bottle accessories. If you follow me on instagram (@reginachow_sg), you may have seen these gorgeous trinklets which I bought as gifts for my girlfriends (and myself too!).

Select-18

Shop A, G/F, Grandview Garden
18 Bridges Street, Central, Soho

Bang! Bang! 70s is another vintage store that we chanced upon as we walked down Aberdeen Street. Located on the second floor of a non-descript shophouse, you have to ring a bell before the gate opens to reveal a flight of stairs leading up to the store, which offers a wide variety of vintage designer apparel, bags, shoes and the likes.

In today’s edition of Fashion Fridays, I will be sharing my recent experience with Sudio, a Swedish brand of earphones that truly understands how important it is to marry style with quality and comfort. I have always been a fan of Scandinavian design and Sudio’s elegant meets preppy designs are just perfect.

 I wanted a pair of earphones that is compatible with all smartphones and devices, and Sudio’s TVÅ earphones are just what I needed. 

Style Personified

. Truth be told, I have never felt so excited about unboxing gadgets until Sudio came along. Each item, from the earphones, the genuine leather case, to the manual, comes with a carefully labelled little box of its own. The packaging alone is bound to impress.

The genuine leather case and gold clip to keep dangling wires in place are such thoughtful add-ons too. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always had problems searching for my earphones after I place them in my handbag. This nifty case is not only presentable, but it also solves all my problems too. 

The Sudio TVÅ earphones come in four colours and I was particularly attracted to both the black and brown options. The black exudes an air of sophistication while the brown has a distinctive vintage preppy vibe.  I really adore the gold details and look, that gorgeous gold clip doubles up as an accessory too. 

Its lightness and aesthetically pleasing
design are reasons why I keep it handy whenever I go out, because there always
those moments when you want to either view online vids amidst noisy crowds
or indulge in your favourite music. With a stylish leather case, and
tangle-resistant flat cords, Sudio TVÅ is a darling to carry around. 

Crisp and Well-balanced Sound Quality

Cellulite is the bane of most women, regardless of weight and size. You could be the slimmest and fittest woman around and still be plagued by cellulite. I’ve long heard about BodyPerfect and its award-winning treatments from SimplyHer magazine, hence my interest was piqued.
   

BodyPerfect provides a multi-modality slimming approach based on years of R&D for the most effective slimming solutions in the market. Many of their treatments are award-winning and backed by Singapore celebrities such as Constance Song, Joey Swee and ex-Singapore Idol contestant Olinda Cho.
 

Triumph In The Skies Movie Review

Directed by Wilson Yip (Director of Ip Man and Ip Man 2) and Matt Chow (Director of Golden Chicken 3), the movie features some of the original cast from the original series, including Julian Cheung, Francis Ng, Kenneth Ma and Elena Kong, with the addition of new stars such as Louis Koo, Charmaine Sheh, Sammi Cheng and Amber Kuo. 

Star studded cast? Checked.
Beautiful cinematography? Checked.
Romance? Checked.
Humour? Checked.

With all the right ingredients, the movie is geared for success at the box office. In fact, having a star studded cast is already half the battle won.

Diehard fans of the series may beg to differ, as the central theme of the movie hinges entirely on romance instead of the day-to-day challenges faced by pilots and air stewardesses, as depicted in the series. There were also times when Sam (played by Francis Ng) behaved in a way that seemed rather out of character and less relatable if you were to draw comparisons from the series. 

However, given that the film was released during Chinese New Year and shortly after Valentine’s Day, I personally found the light-hearted humour and romantic storyline very apt and thoroughly entertaining; not forgetting the beautiful cinematography and breathtaking scenes set in picturesque England. 

Do you need to watch the series to understand the movie? The answer is no, and that to me, is the deal clincher.

Watch it as it is, on a clean slate, without any baggage or comparisons drawn from the series. You would actually find the movie much more enjoyable this way.

Operating hours: 

Protective sleeves for tech gadgets are a dime a dozen these days but the market is sorely lacking in options that allow consumers to express our individuality and sense of style.  

Snupped is a local Singaporean brand that aims to change all that and more with their fully customizable sleeves, covers and cases for all your gadgets. Not only is the size customizable, you can also pick a design from their selection of designer artworks or better yet, create and upload your very own design to make it completely one-of-a-kind! You can even add handles to your cases to make it easier to tote around. 

Ever since I received my Samsung Galaxy Tab S, I’ve been on the lookout for a stylish tablet cover that would go with all my outfits and yet stand out from the crowd. This edgy Vintage Skull design by Ali Gulec ticked all my checkboxes. And as you know, the rest was history.

Aside from its sleek and stunning design, the cover is practical and fits my Galaxy Tab S to a T.  

  
It also doubles up as a fashion accessory, adding an artistic flair to my monochrome themed outfit effortlessly. 

I had every intention to put together an elegant ensemble with a hint of edginess and if I may say so myself, I think my Snupped tablet cover played a critical role in achieving what I set out to do.

For more ideas and styling inspirations with Snupped, do pop by Carrie’s blog. Carrie got herself a laptop case with handles and it’s amazingly roomy and practical, especially if you’re a big bag kind of girl. It’s the perfect size for traveling too if you ask me.

Are you all set to celebrate Chinese New Year? It’s barely a week away so if you’ve yet to get your CNY shopping done, it’s time to pull up your socks! To give you some inspiration, I’ll be featuring a couple of CNY-ready outfits from Wisma Atria to help you along.

If you prefer something a little more oriental, slip into a Cheongsam inspired dress that fuses oriental elements with a contemporary flair. This beautiful mint dress with intricate lace cut-outs from Whole9yards caught my eye the moment I stepped into their store at Wisma Atria.

The flared A-line cutting reminiscent of the 1950s exudes a vintage vibe while the scallop lace detailing adds to its oriental charm and girlish appeal. This, in my opinion, is the perfect dress for Chinese New Year. 

Gardenia Bloom Dress by Whole9yards

Earrings from colette by colette hayman

Pumps from Pretty Fit

 
What I love most about this feminine number is its versatility. You can easily dress it up with diamonte earrings, gold pumps and a tote bag to make it work-appropriate. For Chinese New Year gatherings, all you have to do is to swap your work tote for a whimsical clutch like this beauty from Plinio Visona and you’re all ready to go! 

Leather Clutch from Plinio Visona

Do you have Chinese New Year parties or work functions to attend? This is perhaps the only time of the year when we cast aside our little black dresses and start rocking bold prints and vibrant colours to add to the festive atmosphere. 

The best part about such dresses is that you don’t have to accessorize. A pair of dangling earrings and statement heels are all you need to amp up the glam factor. 

Earrings from colette by colette hayman

Heels from Pedro

 Thanks for reading! I hope today’s post has given you more outfit ideas and inspirations to dress up for Chinese New Year. 

If you need to do some last minute shopping, remember to get your dose of retail therapy at Wisma Atria to welcome the new year in style! 

You can also like their Facebook page here to receive updates on the latest promotions at Wisma Atria.

Wisma Atria Shopping Mall

Address
435 Orchard Road
Singapore 238877

Contact No.
6235 2103

Website
http://www.wismaonline.com/

 
**Thank you Digital Influenza for the collaboration!**

Let’s take a look at some of the products in this skincare line. 

 Nutri-Soothing Mask (S$99, 50ml)

This light-weight formula is
great for those of you with sensitive and combination skin as it absorbs
readily into your skin just like water, without any sticky after-feel. 

 If your skin is sensitive and
dry, or if you intend to venture to dryer climates, you might want to
consider the Soothing Melting Cream which has a slightly heavier
texture to deliver optimal hydration.