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There’s a Chinese saying that says 台上一分鈡，台下十年功 which literally means, ten years of practice for one minute on the stage. I can’t agree more. Even though the Clozette Style Party only lasted for three days, it took the team many sleepless nights to prepare for one of their biggest Style Parties ever at Suntec City. Besides the Style Squad Show that I participated in, the party also featured a LIVE Runway Makeup Demo by popular YouTube celebrity, Morgan of The Beauty Breakdown fame as well as another runway show showcasing British online store, ASOS’s highly anticipated S/S 2016 collection. Everyone worked hard and our efforts definitely paid off as Clozette won much effusive praise from the media, our sponsors and of course, our esteemed guests! Kudos to everyone involved in the show! 👏 Psst! Even my husband, Bobby, got to strut his stuff on the runway! Haha! For those who’d missed it, don’t fret as I’ve compiled photos of the day’s highlights for your visual pleasure. Enjoy! Before The Show The calm before the storm… 🙏🏼 Chilling at Calla Spa before our runway show in a few hours! Actually, the picture above does not accurately convey how luxurious it was. Here’s a photo I took of fellow Clozetter,  Hannah  chilling like a boss at Calla Spa’s lounge. Clozette also did a pictorial tour around the premises. You can click here to check out the photos. Getting Ready It’s amazing how amidst the chaos, my Instagram husband, Bobby was still able to capture this flattering photo of me backstage. This sunkissed and totally wearable avant garde look was jointly created by LANEIGE (makeup) and REDS (hair). Don’t I look all ready for summer?? Haha! The Laneige makeup experts also decided I don’t need eyeliner or mascaras to enhance the my eyes. My Lolita Novalash extensions should suffice. *wink* Thank you Qiyun for sneaking backstage to fill our grumbling tummies with delicious snacks and nibbles! Fringe Activites Before the show, guests were also generously treated to delicious coffee from Cafebond, cookies by Famous Amos as well as beauty services by Milly’s and the Clozette team themselves! The Introduction The show opened with a Korean-inspired makeup demo by Morgan using products from Laneige. And here comes the highlight of the evening (for the Stryker household at least) – Bobby walking the runway! Haha! It was a Walk-Off challenge and unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), my dear husband was called up on the stage to show off his catwalking skills. This is where the ‘fortunate part’ comes, he actually won the contest and walked away with some cool ASOS shopping vouchers. Can you believe it? Never knew he had that in him. Haha! Let The Show Begin Yep. that’s me blowing a kiss to my beloved runway partner, Vinna ! Not only did the audience get to preview the new SS16 collection by ASOS, they also got to feast their eyes on some of the best designs from notable Asian designers such as BYSM, Womb, Straits Establishment, and Mporium. Here I’m wearing a very artistic watercolor-ed piece by  Ying the Label . After The Show It’s the mandatory ‘Picture Time’ with my good friends, Aggy and Qiyun! I was also very happy to finally meet Sin Yee, my Facebook friend of two years at the party. And of course, we can’t miss a photo opportunity like this. Say cheese! Behind every successful woman is a loving and supportive husband. The Double A Team – Agnes and Alex The ‘Just Got Engaged’ Lovebirds – June and Ben Awww… My beau and I. :* Clozette also made sure everyone bagged a bountiful bag of goodies that evening. And here’s what’s ‘rocking my boat’ from the party! The Goodie Bag Say hola to the ‘goodie’ that totally stood out from the bag – Laneige’s Two Tone Lip Bar in No. 12 Maxi Red . You probably can’t tell from the picture but the texture is actually quite buttery making it very easy to glide on your lips and thus also giving you a velvety, luxurious finish. Yay! This means bidding my lip wrinkles goodbye too. Haha! The Lip Bar also delivers a rather insane colour payout so you can get a pretty voluptuous pout with just a few swipes. Well, here’s the caveat. Because of its rich duo color combo, you also get two pretty intense colors which require a considerable amount of blending to create the desired ombre look. Demo courtesy of my good friend, Lavinia. 😛 Well, challenges are what make life interesting so I’m pretty sure with just a few applications, you’ll be able to master the ultimate blending technique and create your own exquisite gradient lips! All in all, I think it’s still a very imperative product to have in your makeup pouch. I give it 3.5/5 Honeyz crowns! And here’s my second favorite goodie from my Clozette party pack – Famous Amos cookies! Who can say no to these yummy little devils! Finally… The Clozette Style Party Beauty & Fashion Show featured many gorgeous ensembles by ASOS & Asian Designers for this season. We wouldn’t have been able to pull off so many looks in such a short amount of time without our talented glam squad. So here’s a huge shoutout to Laneige and REDS Hairdressing ! Thank you for making us feel beautiful and totally confident on stage! And of course, thank you Clozette for this unique and absolutely wonderful opportunity! We wuv you! Many of my friends as well as the Clozette team also covered the event in detail. You can click below for their posts. 🙂 Clozette   *   Clara   *   Agnes   *   Shu Hui    *   Janice So… Do you like the looks featured? Let me know by commenting below! Meanwhile, have a wonderful weekend and keep sparkling! Your friend Juliana #LolitaGroup #YingtheLabel #Novalash #Laneige #Clozette

When the going gets tough, the tough go SHOPPING! It’s been a manic few months of home renovation planning and projects at the studio, so it was really nice to get out of the frenzy and indulge in some shopping at CH Carolina Herrera’s Spring Inspiration event. Spring-Summer is a terrific time to challenge your fashion boundaries and inject some bright colours into your wardrobe! I was super excited to preview the CH Carolina Herrera Spring collection which consists of fun textures, soft fabrics and sophisticated styles. The new collection is so pretty, it almost turned my wallet topsy-turvy as I wanted to get everything from the launch! Haha! I first noticed Carolina Herrera’s work when they dressed Cheong Song Yi from the sensational Korean drama, My Love From Another Star. Remember her cute pyjamas and that glamourous white dress she wore at the red carpet scene? Her wardrobe was to-die-for. Needless to say, CH’s unique take on classic designs immediately caught my attention and they’ve been on my fashion radar ever since. This invitation from Elle Singapore was an honor and dream come true. Now keep scrolling to check out what they had up their sleeves this season! Photography by Bobby Stryker, editing by moi. 😛 Besides the opportunity to preview the gorgeous ensemble of looks created by renowned fashion stylist, Furqan Saini, we also got to bring home a classic leather bracelet from the much-coveted label! Psst! The bracelet can also double as a choker as seen here . Totally upping the accessories game with that one. 😛 There is a shade of red for every woman. ❣ Thank you CH Carolina Herrera and Elle Singapore for the lovely bracelet and exclusive invitation to your Spring collection launch! 💋 I hope you belles had fun going through this beautiful series with me too. What about you? What are your fashion staples this season? Your friend, Juliana #CHCarolinaHerrera

Self-confidence is the best outfit. I’ve always thought that white flatters any skin tone. It has the amazing ability to bring out the youthfulness and radiance in everyone, probably also making us look happier and more confident than we already are. Women who wear white lead more colorful lives! Haha! Today, I decided to unleash my white hue fetish with a white-themed shoot in my studio. I’m wearing  The Design Closets’ Bianca Tie Cuff Shift Dress that not only features a stylish off-shoulder feature, it also comes with some pretty badass sleeves. Paired the outfit with dark matte lips and a pair of white slip ons and we’re good to go. That’s not all folks. I also made sure I brought my new white swan out to play. 😛 The fashion fun kicks off right now! THE FASH SQUAD Dress:  The Design Closets Shoes: Office Photography by Bobby Stryker 📍 Location: Honeyz Paint House Special thanks to The Design Closets,  Her World Singapore and Euforia Singapore . White is undisputedly every belle and even beau’s wardrobe quintessential must have. Let’s start wearing this light clean hue with aplomb, shall we? Finally, don’t forget to always keep your chin up and wear your invisible crown! Muuaah! Your friend, Juliana #HerWorldSingapore #SponsoredPost #TheDesignClosets

It’s a new week and I’m officially back to the daily grind. However, this doesn’t mean I have to tone down on the style factor. Who says work outfits have to be serious business? This week, I’m crushing the theory to powder and going into fashion overdrive with some interesting top and pant choices from Joop Boutique! Actually, I always feel a special sentiment towards Joop as my beloved granny knowing that I was a cash strapped student more than 10 years ago, bought me my first prom dress from Joop. Aww… Felt like I’d gone full circle when I stepped into their gorgeous boutiques again. Without further ado, please join me on this mini fashion party! Woo hoo! Chill, Relax, Repeat! I love the slightly modern Gypsy and Spanish vibes to this ensemble. Couple it with a pair of power high heels and you’re all ready to conquer the world! THE FASH SQUAD Top and pants:  Joop Boutique Accessories: Lovisa Heels: Aldo Shoes Photography by Bobby Stryker Savoir Faire I’ve always placed a premium on getting good quality pencil skirts for work as they not only add a sexy edge, they can definitely also withstand the test of time. Glam up the look with some nifty accessories and a tres chic bag, and the office is your runway! THE FASH SQUAD Top and pants:  Joop Boutique Accessories: Lovisa Heels: Aldo Shoes Bag: Celine Photography by Bobby Stryker #FOTD Hair: Shunji Matsuo Ngee Ann (Quote Honeyz to enjoy 10% off any chemical service by senior stylist, William.) Lashes: Lolita Group (Quote Honeyz and Lolita to enjoy 50% off any Novalash extension services at Lolita Group. For first time customers only!) Thank you guys for sticking around. Have a stylish week and see you on the flip side! Your friend, Juliana #JoopBoutique #SponsoredPost

Land ahoy! ⚓️ We spy a very impressive fleet of superyacht and international yacht brands making their debut at the Singapore Yacht Show this year! To be honest, I have absolutely no inkling for the nautical lifestyle but my brother who’s a huge fan of the yachting culture insisted I should leave my land lover ways for an introduction to a unique way of living and meet passionate boating enthusiasts from around the world. So here I am at this prestigious international platform fully immersing myself in the boating hobby. If a life at sea was good enough for Ariel, it’s good enough for me! #littlemermaid Not only did we get to enjoy some fine champagne on the luxurious boats, we also got to meet the head honcho and crew of the 124 year old Historic Vessel Vega that has dedicated the last 12 years to helping remote island communities by delivering educational and medical supplies. It was one helluva experience I tell you. So blue blistering barnacles, scroll down to join me on my maiden voyage at the Singapore Yacht Show. Aye Aye El Capitan! Outward bound! Historic Vessel Vega THE FASH SQUAD Top and skirt:  Joop Boutique Accessories: Lovisa Shades: Chanel Heels: Aldo Shoes Bag: Suzette Photography by Bobby Stryker  and little ol’ me #FOTD Hair: Shunji Matsuo Ngee Ann (Quote ‘Honeyz’ to enjoy 10% off any chemical service by senior stylist, William.) Lashes: Lolita Group (Quote ‘Honeyz and Lolita’ to enjoy 50% off any Novalash extension services at Lolita Group. For first time customers only!) Special thanks to Ladies Club and the Singapore Yacht Show for the invite. Thank you for joining me on this epic maritime adventure. Have a great week and may great things wash up on all your shores! So long, Captain! Your friend, Juliana #AldoShoes #Chanel #JoopBoutique #SingaporeYachtShow

While travelling, do you realise everything you need in life can actually fit in one backpack? That is incredibly true for me, especially on trips where I want to save on baggage fees and channel all my travel funds to gastronomical experiences instead! Who’s with me? Even though I try to be as pragmatic as possible when I travel, form is still as important as function to me. But when it comes to backpacks, these two seem to be mutually exclusive. Well, that was until I was e-introduced to Swedish backpack extraordinaire,  Gaston Luga ! Delighted to make your acquaintance! A quick glance at their page and I was immediately falling head over heels with their classy Scandinavian minimalist style. Finally, a backpack company that cares about their products’ look and purpose. The birth of the brand was spurred by their founder, Carl Sundqvist’s meeting with an interesting Frenchman who exuded both elegance and effortless style. Carl’s new friend told him that he believed a backpack is the optimal companion when discovering the world so he’d modified his own Louis Vuitton bag to make it more personal, functional and unique. This certainly inspired Carl a great deal and he decided to create his own backpack brand that embodies all these qualities that his friend, Gaston deemed important. He ditched the big fluffy shoulder pads, plastic materials and thin fabric and replaced them with classy yet strong sleek shoulder straps and canvas, embellished with tasteful metal details. And aptly named it after Gaston Luga, his muse for the brand. Carl’s vision was to make a line with Scandinavian minimalism and elegance to suit all different occasions. To be honest, I thought he did a very good job as my freshly delivered Gaston Luga bag looks even better in real life! Scroll down to check out my new go-to companion for work and play. CLÄSSY – BLACK There were four collections namely the Clässic, Clässy, Pråper and Mästaren. I was immediately drawn to their Clässy collection as they look very stylish and sophisticated, exemplifying all the qualities Mr Gaston Luga himself was going for. I thought the sleek leather straps and minimalist look would totally complement all my outfits. My only concern was the thin straps. I wasn’t sure if they could hold the weight of my essentials as I usually pack like I’m ready for the end of the world. Haha! Think laptop, lunch box, water bottle, planners, my big bag of meds (enough to open a mini pharmacy) and makeup. Haha! You’ll be happy to know that this concern was totally unfounded as I’ve been using it for a few days and the straps haven’t given way. They are still as firmly attached as ever. Phew! The fact that they are adjustable just makes it even better! On days where I’m carrying a heavier load, I can adjust it higher to distribute the weight more evenly and ultimately, reduce body strain. You’ll also be happy to know that all Gaston Luga bags are made with vegan leather for better durability and their water resistant properties. They are also lined with a soft luxurious cotton fabric that totally ups the glam factor tenfold. Look inside and you’ll see a 13″ laptop compartment and two smaller pockets for your smaller belongings. I use the pockets for my mouse and earphones. I reserve the rest of the space for my everyday kits and essentials. Shh… You know what they say – the greatest secrets are always hidden in the mostly unlikely places. On the back of the backpack, you’ll find an obscured compartment that’s perfect for holding your passport, travel documents or other small belongings that need to be kept safe yet easily accessible. All in all, I’m very happy with my Gaston Luga bag. Even though the backpack is a little north of my price range (it is priced at SGD249), every feature on the bag is both fancy and functional. Many times I thought the magnetic strap closure was going to snap open as I was carrying so much stuff. Of course, just as many times, it didn’t fail to impress me with its durability. Do you know that backpacks are actually friendlier for our backs? This is because the weight is more evenly distributed across the body when worn properly using both shoulder straps. So these days, I’ve also been using my backpack more than my usual sling bags and purses. I can definitely picture myself adding to my Gaston Luga backpack collection in future. These backpacks will also be timely for my husband who will be embarking on his medical house call business venture soon. More about that in future! Haha! Finally, thank you Gaston Luga for your generous sponsorship! I’ll be back! Psst! Fancy my little travel companion by Gaston Luga too? Quote “ilovebunny15” for a whopping 15% off when you purchase from gastonluga.com . 😉 The code also entitles you to free shipping and 20% off as tax rebate (from a non-EU country). I hope you find my review useful. What do you look for in a backpack? Let me know by commenting below! Your friend, Juliana Disclaimer: Please rest assured that even though this post was created in partnership with Gaston Luga, it does not have any bearing on the content of this post. Opinions stated are objective and genuine. Also note that all sources, information, content, links are valid to change at any time. #GastonLuga #SponsoredPost

A few lovely months ago, I was invited by the Singapore Polytechnic to share my entrepreneurial journey with some like-minded folks at their 55@SP Entrepreneurship & Industry Talk . The talk centres on the ‘Journey of Starting Up’, from working on business plans to marketing and producing a prototype. Basically, the whole entrepreneurial roller coaster ride. I was very grateful for the honour and privilege of sharing my business adventures with the SP students, alumnus, staff and also industry guests. It was a humbling experience hearing all the inspirational success stories from the participants too. I can’t believe it’s been more than a year since I started Honeyz Cube . What a journey! It hasn’t been easy but you can bet your bottom dollar that we’ll keep working hard to make this beauty world a better place! Yay! Anyway, click to check out the photos from the event and a video of the presentation I made. The actual introductory slide – From Wake Up to Make Up – The Honeyz Cube Story The presentation. 🙂 Haha! I think you might have noticed that I was pretty nervous and the broken mic and pointer really didn’t help. I lose my train of thought whenever they fail to function properly. Urgh! But I thought it still went pretty well. Check out the photos! The talk was also graced by successful serial entrepreneur Nicholas Chan who dispensed his valuable and useful business knowledge during his segment. After the talk, I was also presented a host of questions by the participants about starting a business in Singapore and finding a good reliable team. Guests were asking questions like ‘So how did you manage to find such good teammates like Alex and Yong Thye?’ Honestly, I was surprised that they even remembered their names. This means they were really listening to my stories. Haha! Anyway, I was glad I could be of some help to these aspiring entrepreneurs! 😀 The folks at SP also extended their appreciation with this lovely hamper of products by SP students. Yup, the flavors and formulations were actually invented by their talented students! To find out more about SP’s upcoming business seminars and workshops, you can visit their site here –  http://www.sp.edu.sg/wps/portal/vp-spws/spws.org.medrm.calendar Can’t thank my brother, mommy and fiancé enough for attending the event and capturing every pivotal moment of the presentation. We also gave these mini Honeyz Cube goodie bags to the attendees as souvenirs! The goodie bag includes MVNE and JUJU samples as well as nail polish vouchers proudly sponsored by BeautyDirect.sg and Jacqueline Burchell ! Win these goodie bags! I’ll be giving away two of these Honeyz Cube mini goodie bags to two lucky belles. All you have to do is to follow the simple steps on the widget below: Psst! Follow me on instagram @ilovebunnynet for brownie points! Thank you for your unwavering support, belles! Muuuaaah! :* Please continue to watch this space for more exciting content about beauty, fashion and vacays! Your friend, Juliana #BeautyDirect #personaldevelopment #JacquelineBurchell #contest #FacebookGiveaway #HoneyzCube #lifestyle

Advertorial Have you ever thought that someone is Singaporean and then realized that they’re actually not? I have and these days, it is beginning to surprise me less. Singapore is famed for its unique blend of cultures and recently, our melting pot seemed to have gotten bigger. As of last year, our population is made up of 70% local residents and 30% foreigners. Haha! If you’re wondering why I’m diverting from my usual beauty posts, it’s because I’ve just caught the “Together, we can make it better” clip on TV and the feature actually made me realised that our close-knit multi-cultural community is our little island’s most valuable resource. How many countries actually have that? Unfamiliarity does not scare us at all. In fact, I’ve foreign friends who can speak perfect Singlish and even my granny has recently picked up English and Bahasa Indonesian from our helper. Amazing isn’t it? To be honest, the TVC also stirred up my emotions and here’s why… First, please say hello to Yani! And we go way back! Haha! 3.5 years to be exact. 🙂 On paper, she’s our domestic helper from Indonesia but in our hearts, she’s our friend, sister and family. Yani moved to Singapore all the way from a small kampong in Lumpung Indonesia when she was 22 – an age where most girls have probably just finished university and enjoying the peak of their youth. Yet, this (brave) young woman had to leave her loved ones and seek work in an unfamiliar land in order to support her family of four. I remember when she arrived, she was shy and couldn’t speak a word of English. Nonetheless, she always made sure granny was well taken care of, the house was spick-and-span and our tummies were never hungry. Haha! Unfortunately, due to language barriers, we could never communicate more than just a smile or a few barely understandable body gestures. Then Yani started keeping a notebook with her and constantly taking down notes all the time. I was wondering what she was keeping track of until I saw her little book of Han Yu Pin Yin (a system of romanized spelling for the Chinese language) scribbles one day. She was trying to pick up our language! She would stay up late every night to revise her notes but still made sure she woke up early in time to accompany Granny on her daily walks. It wasn’t an easy journey but impressively, she mastered the language and could understand and speak Chinese and Hokkien well in one year. Amazing eh? Suddenly, we could understand all her thoughts as well as her reason for learning the language. She said she felt very much at home and wanted to joke and laugh with us during dinners just like any of us. She also wanted to make sure she could understand Granny better so she can respond to her needs more quickly. However, her time is Singapore has not always been a bed of roses. One time, during one of her regular checkups, she was diagnosed with a rather life-threatening illness. Her contract was almost up then and I remember the agency which introduced us kept insisting that we should send her back to Indonesia ‘to avoid any losses’. We knew that replacing her would be more ‘convenient for everyone’ but we just couldn’t bring ourselves to do it. We were worried that the treatments in her village may not be adequate and she may even lose her life if she goes back. So my family made the most “financially unsound” decision (according to the agency and people around us) by extending her contract and taking care of her hospital bills for the next few months. And guess what? She eventually recovered. Woo hoo! This incident also brought us closer. These days, we’re even talking about visiting her hometown, starting a business together and even helping her prepare her future wedding. Sometimes we even forget that she is from a different country and culture. Yani feels just like family. Typing this made me miss her cold tofu salad and corn soup already. Haha! Who ever said that nationality, cultural, linguistic differences can hinder a friendship? 🙂 Well, if you’ve been following my wedding posts, you would have noticed that my husband is also not local. He’s from the UK and he too has his own account of how cultural nuances have not impacted his friendship with fellow Singaporeans. And here’s his story, “It felt like it was just yesterday that I started medical school in London, but in fact it was 17 years ago. It was the first time I had the opportunity to mingle with an international crowd. I remember a rather enthusiastic bunch of people in my first year, with a strong work hard and play hard ethic, the only people who would run out at the first sight of snow while the rest of us would look on from the warmth of the fireplace, they were the Singaporean students. I became good friends with quite a few Singaporeans and we stayed in touch even after graduation, especially as I started to travel the globe and expand my horizons. In 2010 I reached a turning point. Having completed my specialist training in General Practice, I could have stayed in the same place, in the same job and town for the rest of my life. But I knew that wasn’t for me, there was too much to see and do around the world. As I cast my sights overseas, Singapore once again came to mind. A friendly, sunny, English speaking country where I could continue to care for people while also enjoying the best of east meets west. All it took was a few phone calls and informal chats with the right people and before I knew it, I was in Singapore. I was welcomed by my old friends who went out of their way to show me the best of the local sights, sounds and tastes. In addition to my friends, my new colleagues also gave me a very warm welcome. Working in a polyclinic, I was fortunate to see the true diversity of Singaporean culture and society. Understandably there were language barriers and even cultural barriers at times, but the kind nature of people here ensured that I never felt like an outcast. Soon I started to pick up local slang, Singlish and even some phrases from different dialects. With an amazing team who have embraced me and my ideas, I have been able to implement various measures to improve patient care in the polyclinic. I was humbled the moment my personal achievements were acknowledged and I was awarded the Excellence in Action Award last year. In a way, I had never experienced so much attention before both at work and at play. Every weekend I had new friends wanting to meet up and through them I made even more friends. My social life had never been so busy. It really made me feel special, and with time these new friends have become great friends. Friends who have helped me move home and find my current one, friends who have gone out of their way to help receive all the things I shipped from the UK as I was unable to leave work, friends who helped me open my bank account here, set up my cable TV and mobile phone, set up my electricity and water supply, you name it, they helped me with it! On Saturday 29th October 2011, I met someone who would change the course of my life forever. I was at a friend’s Halloween party and spotted what appeared to be the Statue of Liberty. An amazing woman, intelligent and extremely witty, we clicked as if we had always been best friends. Her name was Juliana Chong. In 2013, with the help of my Singaporean friends, this amazing woman became my fiancée. My friends were now no longer just friends, they were my brothers! They were there as I got engaged, they were there to endure the torment of the gatecrash and they were there the moment I became a happily married man in November last year. Married to the most amazing wife, surrounded by the best friends, life has never been so good. There is a saying where I come from, home is where the heart is and my heart is now firmly in Singapore.”  – Bobby Aww… That is extremely sweet of you, B. 🙂 Well guys, as you can see, a friendship can be forged under any kind of circumstance, regardless of nationality, language or culture. All it takes is the first step! 😀 Together, we can make it better! Have you broken boundaries and formed lasting friendships too? Let me know by commenting below! Your friend, Juliana #advertorial #Personalmusings

The post you’ve been waiting for is finally here! My apologies that it took so long as I’ve been totally swamped with wedding and Honeyz Cube affairs but as the saying goes – better late than never! 😛 As mentioned the last time , taking pictures everyday actually gave me a different perspective about my surroundings and helped me produce more interesting photos. And it seemed like I’ve struck instagram gold with whatever I was doing because I’ve been getting a wee bit more followers and likes than before. Woo hoo! As such, I’ve also been receiving requests through email and my social media channels for a post on how to take images that look clear and well-thought-out. Well, this entry is just what the doctor ordered. 🙂 I’ll be sharing tips and tricks on how you can take great ‘square-ready’ photos with everyday items that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. However… I would like to reiterate that I’m not claiming to be some Instagram expert/celebrity. This article is more like a documentation of what I’ve observed and personally experienced using IG and which types of photos garner more followers and likes. Here we go now! [df_divider el_width=”100″ style=”solid” accent_color=”#EEEEEE” border_t_width=”2px” padding=”20px 0″ position=”align_center” el_class=””] 1) Good natural lighting I can’t emphasize this enough. Before I go on any further, here’s your proof of what bad lighting can do to your photos: Bad lighting Good lighting Another example: Same wooden floor but see what bad lighting did to it. Bad Lighting Good lighting Light completely transformed the vibe of the photo and floor – from bat cave to welcoming cottage. All I did was – open the windows and allow as much as sunlight to enter as possible. Trust me, bright photos look best on your IG feed. If the light is too bright and casts an unsightly shadow on your subject, counter the effect with a reflector. It acts like a mirror that lightens the darkness of the shadow. Place the reflector in the direction where the light is coming from and it should bounce the light back towards the shaded side of your subject. You can get reflectors from any camera store or even online stores. I got mine at  Taobao . 🙂 [df_divider el_width=”100″ style=”solid” accent_color=”#EEEEEE” border_t_width=”2px” padding=”20px 0″ position=”align_center” el_class=””] 2) Cute props These are like the quintessential Instagram ‘Likes Generator’ I tell you. Haha! I realise IG-ers are more prone to click on photos that are decorated with nice flowers, stationery, ornaments, furniture, etc. Don’t believe me? Compare these photos. Which do you like better? Without props With props The difference is massive eh? With the same variables, even toilet paper can look alluring. 😛 As for flatlays, my prop choices differ slightly. I would try to make my photos more interesting by using colored papers as my background. And this is what they can do: Mixing and matching coloured paper will also add an artistic touch to the photos. Before: After: The items do not always have to come from the same color family or be arranged in a very neat fashion. Feel free to mix up the hues and arrange them in a messy yet coordinated style for a more realistic look of your daily lifestyle. The IG community likes that too – a picture that captures a slice of your life. 🙂 I get most of my props from these retailers: – Typo – Ikea – Artbox – Kikki-k.com – Cath Kidston – Wood Would – Daiso – Totally Hot Stuff – Monoyono –  W.E.E.K.E.N.D.S. [df_divider el_width=”100″ style=”solid” accent_color=”#EEEEEE” border_t_width=”2px” padding=”20px 0″ position=”align_center” el_class=””] 3) Photo Editing Apps Bright and cheery photos tend to garner more likes so I’ve downloaded several apps to counter different photography problems. More specifically, AfterLight to brighten photos, Snapseed to reduce shadows and VSCOcam for artistic filters. And here are the results: Before: After editing: Before: After editing: Depending on the quality of the original photos, I usually permute the order of the apps used. If the photo is too dull, I’ll increase its saturation level and if the photo is not clear enough, I’ll adjust the clarity. After a while, you’ll get the hang of what each feature can do to your photos. Special shoutout to Alene  (aka PaperKitties) for introducing Afterlight to me. It’s an absolute godsend! Thank you! Muuuaaaahh! :* [df_divider el_width=”100″ style=”solid” accent_color=”#EEEEEE” border_t_width=”2px” padding=”20px 0″ position=”align_center” el_class=””] 4) The Square Format The usual composition rules change when you’re taking photos for Instagram. Remember that every photo will be cropped to a square so always take photos like you’re looking through a square window. This is what happens when you don’t take the square frame into consideration: After cropping: Yup, my beautiful orchids got cut off. 🙁 So nowadays, I’m extremely mindful of the square frame by making sure that my subjects are within the frame. And that’s why most of my photos look like this. Haha! #neglectedsurroundings But look what happens after you crop it to a square! My contents filled up the frame perfectly! Make sure you always have extra space surrounding your subject matter so you can crop it later. If you’re looking for more great composition tips for Instagram photos, check out this article – 10 Composition Tips for Stunning Instagram Square Photos . [df_divider el_width=”100″ style=”solid” accent_color=”#EEEEEE” border_t_width=”2px” padding=”20px 0″ position=”align_center” el_class=””] 5) Good Camera I know I’ve mentioned in my intro that the tips will not cost you an arm and a leg but if you’re really committed to becoming the next Ansel Adams of Instagram, you may want to consider investing in a good Wifi-enabled camera (that may actually cost you all your limbs). :p Phone-taken photos simply don’t cut it. You should take as much pride in your Instagram posts, meticulously planning your shots, as you do for your blog posts. I’ve been asked many times about the camera I’m using and here it is  – the Sony NEX-5T. The 16-megapixel Sony NEX-5T compact system camera (CSC) takes some of the most breathtaking photos (This is not an ad). The mirrorless design means the camera is much smaller and less bulky than a DSLR camera but the giant sensor inside means image quality is essentially the same. So you’re basically getting the best of both worlds! A lot of pros are jumping onto the Sony mirrorless bandwagon so don’t be afraid to ditch your tank sized cameras. The proof is in the quality of the photos! Taken by Nikon Pro DSLR Taken by Sony NEX-5T Adjusting shutter speeds, Aperture and ISO is now a breeze because instead of confusing menus and numbers, you are presented with the options in layman terms: Background Defocus, Brightness, Crisp, Warmness, Vividness, etc. But the winning part is its fast Hybrid AF with lightning-quick response which is usually only available on larger, more expensive DSLR cameras. According to Sony, the fast phase-detection AF quickly moves the lens to bring the subject into near focus after which the highly precise contrast-detection AF finishes focusing. It all happens in the blink of an eye so you’re always assured of capturing every fleeting moment. So nowadays I don’t have to anchor my arms against something to take a blur-free photo. It is an interchangeable-lens model so I could also purchase lenses with larger apertures and faster shutters to take photos with nice bokeh blurred backgrounds or even foregrounds. Here’s an example of a blurred foreground taken with a 35 mm f/1.8 lens. More photos of subjects with nice blurred backgrounds: Doesn’t the subject matter stand out more? And this has also proven to help me get more likes than crystal clear photos with everything in focus. And why a Wifi-enabled camera? Well, you want to be able to upload high quality photos even when you’re on the go without lugging a huge laptop, don’t you? So get a good Wifi camera!!! Finally… I hope the above tips will help you achieve your Instagram photography goals. However, I have to remind you that mastering all the skills above does not necessarily mean it will give you an instant surge in followers. Rome wasn’t built in a day. You’ll have to be consistent in your postings and ensure that your newsfeed always looks good as a whole. With this, I wish you all the best in your IG photography endeavours. 🙂 Let’s connect on IG! @ilovebunnynet Your friend, Juliana #beauty #instabeau #Instagram #tutorial

Woo hoo! I just received the keys to Honeyz Cube’s new office space! You bet there are no words to describe the happiness I’m feeling right now. *happy dance* This entrepreneurial journey has been one hell of a ride, fulfilling and exciting yet also laced with a lot of uncertainty and self-doubting. I’m so glad I made it this far. I’ve been asked a thousand times by everyone and more often than ever, my parents, why I decided to take on such a challenging career path. Well, I guess it must be perplexing to them as I used to be the type who would sell my soul for a monthly paycheque and decline any job offer that sounds ‘salesy’. I was naive. Today, I hold a different perspective and I believe it is largely a result of previous job experiences and meeting amazing people along the way. I’ve learnt that finding the dream job is not going to be a walk in the park but it is also not a far-fetched reverie either. It just takes a lot of part time jobs, networking, objectivity and good luck too. I thought it would be interesting to share my experiences and how I eventually found my calling. Maybe it would also help you pick up a tip or two? Here we go! Buck The System It all began when I started my first year of University. Every summer, we get three months off (which is fantastic) but I also don’t get pocket money during this time. This means I’ll be extremely cash-strapped during the holidays. Not a nice feeling as most of you would be able to relate. In order to start padding my empty wallet, I began to look for part time jobs for students  where no job experience or long-term commitment was required. I landed my first job as a data collector at a major MNC, soliciting contact information of company managers. My first calls were disastrous as many receptionists simply refused to disclose any information or even direct me to their managers’ phone lines. Come to think of it – if some random person calls you from a company that you’ve never heard of and asks for your boss’ contact details, would you divulge the info? Guess not. As expected, my fellow interns also faced the same problem. Of course, our managers weren’t happy but also didn’t offer any assistance. So I began to experiment with different ways of asking for information by changing the way I projected my voice, the way I worded my introduction, assuring them that we are a reputable directory like Yellow Pages and that they are not obligated to give us information. Consequently, I began to notice a slight improvement in the replies too. So I took note of the things I say that made callees more willing to tell me more and enhanced my script as I go along. By the end of my one-month internship, I reckoned my success rate was almost 98%. Well, there were still a cautious 2% bunch who preferred to keep mum. But that’s fine because for the first time, I felt like I was in control of a situation – with a grown up. I like that they spoke to me like I’m a professional too. When you’d only lived 19 years, you’re probably told what to do most of the time so this to me was a nice turning point. The most gratifying part was when I was asked to teach their employees how to gather such information more effectively. This was certainly fulfilling. And that is my first taste of the corporate world. I learnt that sometimes, even your manager may not know how to solve a problem. You’ll have to be independent and always think on your feet and maybe even buck the system to discover new and efficient ways of doing things. You never know till you try and who knows? You might uncover hidden talents and skills! Close A Sale In my second year of University, finding a short-term job became slightly easier as job portals like Jobcentral, Jobstreet, JobsDB became more popular. Before, I only used the newspapers and there seemed to be more full-time than part time positions. Hence, I was surprised to learn that there’s actually a wide variety of part time jobs in Singapore . The platform allowed me to explore many new jobs in interesting industries and I wound up in a real estate agency, assisting a top property agent in the company. It was a fascinating experience as I got to work with an outstanding and highly driven salesperson and enjoy a front seat view of successful high value transactions. The motivation and positive spirit certainly rubbed off on my young and impressionable mind at that time. Soon, I was volunteering to run sales meetings and even closed a few deals for my boss. I loved seeing the happy customers and their satisfaction with my service made me feel empowered and driven. Soon I found myself attending CEHA courses too to up my sales game. However, my academic workload exponentially increased in my third year of University and the property market also began to slow down after a few months. As such, I decided to call it quits to focus on my final year exams. The experience made me realise again that I enjoy working at my own pace, being my own boss and calling the shots. Interestingly, it also made me recognise the flip side – long hours, irregular income and stressful nature. Not such a great trade-off after all. So when I eventually graduated from school, I went back to square one and looked for a 9 – 5 job. Meet Amazing People This is possibly the most interesting part of my journey. The 9 – 5 job I found wasn’t exactly the way I pictured it to be. Think 5-star dinners, travel privileges and rubbing shoulders with leaders and dignitaries from 21 countries. It is insane, I tell you. I found a job in the APEC Business Advisory Council and helped to organize and host the APEC meetings and conferences, meeting the likes of Teo Chee Hean, Lindsay Fox, Carlos Slim, Jet Li and of course, my favourite, Jack Ma. Honestly, working around these people really keeps you on your toes but it also inspires you every second and makes you believe that if you continue to fight for your dreams, they will eventually come true. These people are real life success stories!  I remember there was one time, Jack Ma shared that he knew how difficult it is to set up a company so the goal of Alibaba is always to help start-ups establish their business and to gain exposure at a fraction of the cost and time. That was the first time I saw someone talk so passionately about his business purpose and vision. It seemed a little altruistic even. The many other CEOs and business owners I met also talked about their goals and dreams in the same fervent tone. Even though they all engaged in different businesses, every one of these successful business leaders seemed to see opportunities in every situation, hold a more positive perspective and they were always eager to make a difference in society. Confucius once said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”  This phrase suddenly made a lot of sense as I got upclose with these discerning entrepreneurs and witnessed the passion first hand. My key takeaway from this amazing experience is to have a vision for who you want to become, the contributions you want to make and the impact you want to leave. Career longevity is out of date, career satisfaction is more exciting! Brainstorm and Discover I brainstormed a few ideas and also asked myself if there is any job I would work for free for. The answer was vague but I knew I would like to come out of my shell and make a difference. I also would like to be in control of my work environment and time spent in the office. However, I still didn’t have a big enough network, funds and expertise so I went on to work in an IT firm supporting their CSR efforts and creating buzz-worthy websites and apps and that’s when it all came together. As if everything so far had been leading to this point. I finally had the dream and the tools with which to make it happen. I started Honeyz blog followed by Honeyz Cube and haven’t looked back ever since. Basically I created my own job where I got to do everything I love from writing, designing, photography, organising parties and maintaining social media sites in the sectors I’m passionate about – beauty and fashion. Today I look forward to going to work everyday. 🙂 And as mentioned earlier, I just acquired a new space and here it is! It might not look like much now, but hopefully with a few licks of paint and some elbow grease, it will look like this: Have A Vision Don’t give up your day job until you know exactly what you love doing and what makes you feel alive. Have a vision and work towards it. The ball is always in your court. If you need more information or resources towards finding your dream, I would highly recommend you to take up a few part time jobs first to understand what’s out there. These days, it’s much easier. Simply google ‘ part time jobs Singapore ‘ and you’ll have plenty of options. Make the best of every job experience and gather as much info as you need. Life is not meant to be perfect and it will give you lemons all the time, like they always say, go on and just make some zesty lemonade out of it! Wow! You’ve made it this far in this lengthy article, good on ya! Finally, follow you heart and don’t stop believing! And that’s my story. All the best to writing yours! Your friend, Juliana #lifestyle #thoughtpost