Search Results

Remember my modeling stint for Noel Caleb’s Jonah Collection months back? Haha! Nah… I’m not walking another Noel Caleb fashion show but attending their latest and biggest fashion show at Avalon instead! I’m gonna witness spectacular pieces from Noel Caleb and other reputable local and international indie labels, get stylish makeovers by fashion and makeup aficionados and of course party against the backdrop of Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay Sands! You must be jelly. Click to find out how you can be part of this major fashion event too! 😀 Details of FASHION IN A CITY @ Avalon MBS Date: 29th June (Saturday) 5-10pm Venue: Avalon at Marina Bay Sands Ticket price: Public: S$60 per ticket Special Group Offer: S$35 per ticket for groups of 4 *Kindly note that this event is only for guests 18 and above. Each ticket includes a free drink, special discounts with participating brands and entry into Avalon after 10pm. Enjoy Fashion Show. Beauty Makeovers. Styling Tips. Shop. Look good. Party. Watch Noel Caleb’s fashion show showcasing the participating local and overseas independent labels (which are premium designed) and walked by aspiring models. Shop for the desired pieces at the booths of respective labels at special discounts of S$50-S$300 for one day only. Look good at Noel Caleb’s styling stations by getting a makeover and be photographed. For ticket purchases, email love@noelcaleb.com indicating your name, mobile number and number of tickets you’d like to purchase. For purchase of tickets via credit card/ paypal, go to http://fashioninacity.eventbrite.com/ and tickets will be passed to you at the door. Special arrangements for sales can be made for bulk orders. Website: http://www.fashioninacity.com/ Psst! Fellow Honeyz Belle, Fionn Tyx , will also be walking the runway! Support her by liking her photo on  Noel Caleb’s Facebook page ! See ya at the fashion show! 😀 Your friend, Juliana #fashion #event #NoelCaleb #advertorial #FashionShow

Oooh – I spy a nice little pre-Christmas Christmas present under the tree this year. 😛 I tell you, Santa never gets it wrong! This little gem is the stocking filler my skin has been screaming out for! Keep reading to see how you too can get your hands on some free goodies from Santa this year! Working 9 to 5 seems to be a thing of the very distant past to me these days. With RESCU, I find myself shuttling across from one corner of Singapore to the other, be it pouring down with rain or the middle of the night, when the batphone rings, we drop everything and go! It’s tough but I love it! The freedom of the open road, not being cooped up in an office somewhere and calling my own shots is really exhilarating, scary at times, but exhilarating nonetheless. What I could do without, however, is the pimple fiesta that seems to occasionally try and take over my body. Occupational hazard of being out in our famous heat and humidity I guess. The result is that I’m enjoying pimples in places I didn’t know I could get pimples! Getting acne not just on my face but also on my back and chest comes as a first for me. With a mini pharmacy in our office, I could easily order in some acne treatments but I’ve really never been a fan. They leave my skin dry, sore, sometimes red and often really sensitive to sunlight, which is a complete deal breaker given that the road is my office most of the time now. So when Santa delivered the new Acne Serum from ZNIQUE , I was jubilant to say the least. I couldn’t wait to put their natural formulation to the test. The serum contains a blend of chamomile, sage, lavender and their own patented AQPRUFINE. Chamomile is known for its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties while also calming and soothing inflamed skin. Sage has anti-oxidant and pore reducing properties, lavender has anti-microbial properties while also helping to regulate sebum and scarring. AQPRUFINE, ZNIQUE’s own unique combination of natural ingredients, offers further anti-oxidant and anti-microbial skin protection. I was pleasantly surprised not only by the serums ability to calm my pimples, reducing redness and inflammation, but also by how moisturizing the treatment was. Before and After My skin was left refreshingly moisturized by the gel and appeared more radiant once the pimples were cleared away. I also liked how the serum didn’t leave behind any greasy residue after application. All in all, a nice little package to help treat all those nasty little pimple packages without the usual side effects we know and loathe most acne treatments for. And the best of all, the products are not tested on our precious animals. Kudos to ZNIQUE! So if you’re like me and looking for a less harsh but still effective acne treatment, ZNIQUE’s Acne Serum is definitely worth a gander! Try it yourself! Don’t take my word for it. Try it yourself by redeeming a ZNIQUE sample kit from their website at  www.zniquesg.com . Let me know how it works for you too! Your friend, Juliana #SponsoredPost #ZNIQUE

We simply can’t believe we’re nearing our 100th patient at our 24-hour mobile clinic, RESCU ! Slowly but surely! THANK YOU EVERYONE! RESCU can’t go on without your continued support. Thank you thank you thank you for keeping our dream alive! So here’s a little bundle of goodness to celebrate this upcoming monumental milestone! – Etude House Coffee To Go Lipstick in Whipping Cream Dolce Latte and Dry Orange Bianco – Orbis Oil Cut Powder Wash, – Orbis Oil Cut The Cleansing One – Shu Uemura Stage Performer Block: Booster – Models Own Nail Polish in NP176 and Nail Beads in Gold Fizz – Origins Ginzing Set: GinZing™ Gel moisturizer 50 ml. GinZing™ Refreshing scrub cleanser 50 ml. GinZing™ Refreshing Treatment Lotion 30 ml. GinZing™ Refreshing eye cream 5 ml. I noticed many of you are adoring mommies and daddies so we also included a $50 Mothercare voucher to express our gratitude for your love too. Click on this IG photo below to find out how you can join the contest! Contest is open to residents of Singapore only and it ends Thursday, 28 March 2019 at 2359hrs . Nothing haunts us more than a chance we don’t take. So don’t wait! Your ultimate beauty treasure trove is just a comment away. Good luck and bonne chance, my darlings! Your friend, Juliana #RESCU

< G I V E A W A Y > Happy Easter to everybunny! We can’t believe we’re actually saying this – we’re now almost hitting our 200th patient mark at RESCU.sg ! It still feels like it was just yesterday that we saw our very first patient. THANK YOU EVERYONE! RESCU can’t go on without your continued support. Thank you thank you thank you for keeping our dream alive! So here’s another little bundle of goodness to celebrate this upcoming monumental milestone and the Easter season! – L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Pure Centella Micro-Essence Water – L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup 30ML #Raspberry – L’Oréal Paris Singapore’s Flash Cat Eye eyeliner – Maybelline Color Sensational Matte Metallics Lipstick – NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette in Ash – Jowae Clarifying Mineral Mask – Garnier Micella Cleansing Water – Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte PK 376 Click on this IG photo below to find out how you can join the contest! Contest is open to residents of Singapore only and it ends Thursday, 30 April 2019 at 2359hrs . Nothing haunts us more than a chance we don’t take. So don’t wait! Your ultimate beauty treasure trove is just a comment away. Happy Easter and bonne chance, my darlings! Your friend, Juliana #RESCU

When it comes to globetrotting, my folks love their strictly regimented tours, getting up at the crack of dawn and following a tight military schedule and coming back exhausted, bruised and battered as if they’ve just returned from battle! I’m sure a lot of you know what I’m talking about. Needless to say, that’s not my cup of tea! Free and easy is the word for me! But free and easy is rarely as easy as you want it to be. Well worry no more peeps, Traveloka is here! Who are they? Well none other than one of the biggest online travel companies in the world! I know there are so many travel sites these days, but Traveloka sets themselves apart by literally covering everything from your flight and accommodation to even allowing you to book your tickets and activities at your destination. That means you can pretty much plan and book your entire trip all in one place, perfect for anyone bitten by the travel bug as we step into August! And the deals are about to get sweeter as from 2nd to 4th August 2019 , Traveloka is having its international flight promotion which means dream getaways for all you lucky Singaporean jet-setters. It’s called The Amazing Singapore International Fair! If you plan to travel between 2 August – 31 December this year, halt! Don’t book your flight tickets until you grab flight promotion deals  offered by them right at the link here. You can also find coupon codes at www.traveloka.com/flight-fair . Below are all the details you need to know! SGD 30 Off  – With a minimum transaction of SGD 400  for destinations like Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou, Taipei, Bangkok, Bali and Penang. SGD 50 Off  – With a minimum transaction of SGD 600  for destinations like Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai and London. But, wait, don’t skip the  Terms and Conditions as well. Discount of SGD 30 for flight bookings to Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou, Taipei, Bangkok, Bali, Penang with a minimum transaction of SGD 400 in one Booking ID. (Airport code include: HKG, PEK, CAN, TPE, BKK, DMK, DPS, PEN) Discount of SGD 50 for flight bookings to Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai, London with a minimum transaction of SGD 600 in one Booking ID. (Airport codes include: ICN, HND, NRT, KIX, PER, SYD, MEL, PVG, LHR, LGW) Valid for all available airlines on Traveloka. Only valid for flight bookings departing from or arriving to Singapore. Valid for one-time use during the promotion period. This promo is valid for bookings made through the Traveloka website, mobile site, and Traveloka App only. This promo cannot be combined with other promotions. This promo is only applicable for transactions done in SGD. Book from: 2 August – 4 August 2019 Travel from: 2 August – 31 December 2019 I have to say, the list of destinations provided ain’t too shabby either with the likes of London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai and even Melbourne all making the cut! So what are you waiting for? Let’s go and  book cheap flight deals online  right now and enjoy another worthwhile, much-deserved trip! Thanks to Traveloka I can continue living the vida loca! Cheers! Your friend, Juliana #SponsoredPost #Traveloka

“Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat? Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?” Guess the movie from the lyrics! Boy! What a softshell I’m turning out to be… for Barry M’s makeup products! Watch me go from flounder to skipper with my Barry M Cosmetics Under The Sea Nail Paint (in Sea Turtle), Baked Eyeshadow Palette (in Shipwrecked), Coco Loco Lip Oil, On Point Precision Eyeliner and Feature Length Mascara. Psst! I’ve been diligently using my Coco Loco Lip Oil every night to keep my lips plump, chap-free and mer-mazing! Barry M products are now available online at Guardian Singapore – https://tinyurl.com/BarryMxGuardian Have fun and stay safe belles and beaus! Your friend, Juliana

Chancing upon this photo from my trip to Bangladesh earlier this year, I was reminded of the kindness and generosity I experienced at every turn. Even these old rickshaw uncles went out of their way to help me take the perfect picture while expecting nothing in return. What we see here in Singapore is just the tip of the iceberg. They have millionaires and Nobel Peace Prize winners, doctors and lawyers, rich and poor people, the same as any nation. What we see here simply reflects a very specific demographic and after experiencing such kindness, I was even more sad seeing how the Bangladeshi community here has been especially affected by this cruel and unforgiving virus. Here’s a short message to show our solidarity and support for the Bangladeshi community here, separated from their families and loved ones, likely worried and afraid. Stay strong and stay positive, there are many of us rooting for you and hopefully this will all be a thing of the past very very soon. Inshallah! 🙏🏻 Your friend, Juliana

Inner beauty is great but a little contouring never hurts. And I’m not talking about contouring with makeup! Don’t worry – there are no needles involved either. Our skin is fighting a losing battle with aging everyday. On top of the hectic work schedules and chronic sleep deprivation, we’re also exposed to air pollution in our little island city. The largest organ of our body really doesn’t have it easy. There will come a time when it’ll be difficult to ignore all the obvious signs of aging staring back at me in the mirror. So these days, the key focus of my beauty regime is to soften the effects of time on my face. My ultimate beauty nemesis is probably my obvious nasolabial folds aka the smile lines. Since I was a young, impressionable and super vain (haha!) teenager, I’d always noticed how prominent they looked. And of course, these past few years of adulting doesn’t make them better. In fact, they look even more pronounced than ever! Topical products can only do so much to slow down aging, we still need a more viable solution to actually turn back the clock. I know this may mean more drastic measures but right now, I’m not ready to try surgical treatments or injectables to shed years off my face. So I was very happy when Dr. Rachel Lim of Ardmore Aesthetic Clinic suggested trying their non-invasive V Face Laser with Accent Ultra V with Red Light Therapy treatment to contour and tighten my skin. Can a non-surgical cosmetic procedure really lift my face and get rid of the lines once and for all? Read on to find out! Welcome to the cozy premises of Ardmore Aesthetic Clinic! I spot some in-house products! As you probably already know, most aesthetic clinics use standard clinical skin care products and tailor their treatments around the efficacy of the products. This is fine but in cases where you have more unique skin problems like sensitive skin, mild eczema or skin allergies, you might require a more careful selection of products coupled with more sophisticated treatments. As such, standard products and treatment processes may hinder the treatment results or even fail to tackle skin problems more efficiently. So not surprisingly, I was utterly impressed to see that Ardmore had come up with their own line of products for their treatments. This is fantastic, by knowing precisely what ingredients go into their products they would be able to prevent any potential allergic reactions. They would also understand the efficacies of these ingredients and be able to better select the products that are in line with the objectives of their treatments. This makes treatments more effective and customizable to different skin concerns. To top it off, we can perhaps also purchase their range of aftercare products to complement the ones used during treatments. This means we can continue to benefit from the goodness of the treatments even when we’re at home! Yippee! Alright! Here comes the reality – a before treatment photo to show you the state of my skin. It was actually taken last November when I had been frantically dealing with my home renovation that was going south for a few months. The stress from the ordeal had definitely trickled down to my face. Besides some obvious zits, my skin also looked saggy and tired. I also took a beauty hiatus for a few months so it was rather nerve-wrecking to meet an aesthetic doctor for an in-depth skin assessment. Eek! What better way calm those nerves than with a soothing cup of tea. Thank you Ardmore! 😛 Now let’s meet Dr Rachel Lim, the head honcho of Ardmore Aesthetic Clinic! After a fruitful 11 years in family medicine, Dr Rachel Lim began to develop a new mantra for her career and that is to help everyone feel their best at every stage of their lives both within and without. So five years ago, she decided to venture into the world of aesthetics by setting up her brainchild, Ardmore Aesthetic Clinic, a centre dedicated to providing a comprehensive range of customised non-invasive therapeutic treatments with the safest and most effective FDA-approved machines, in a comfortable and private environment and wait for it… at an affordable price. 🙂 To be honest, I’m always skeptical of every new beauty establishment that I go to for the first time, especially when they claim to be the ‘most effective’. Dr Rachel Lim had a friendly yet confident demeanour and seemed to understand all my skin concerns very well. And of course, her beautiful and flawless complexion is the best testimonial for her clinic. She looked stunning even with minimal makeup in real life. VShape Facial Contouring Dr Rachel Lim highly recommended her signature V Face Laser with Accent Ultra V with Red Light Therapy treatment that combines patented ultrasonic Shear Waves and UniPolar radio frequency to eliminate fatty content in the face. The targeted shear waves are completely absorbed by fat cells, thereby causing no damage to surrounding tissue while delivering maximum energy for fat removal. The procedure is designed for the chin, cheeks, neck and the periorbital area around your eyes. The treatment can also be performed on almost any body part including the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. Now let the treatment begin! After a thorough cleansing session, my therapist applied a layer of gel before proceeding to administer the actual treatment using a probe as seen below to deliver the shear waves to targeted areas on my skin. My face was evidently flushed after the treatment. You can see this image below for a clearer before and after comparison. After the procedure, I was treated to a relaxing 20 min facial mask to calm the redness, followed by a slew of aftercare products before we called it a day. In case you’re wondering, the entire treatment lasted about an hour. Afterthoughts… I have an extremely low threshold for heat and pain so the treatment wasn’t all comfortable and pleasant for me. My therapist had to pause a few times for me to ‘take a break.’ Despite the mild discomfort, I thought I could see a small improvement in my wrinkle problem. As you can tell, my skin was still pretty red and sensitive after the treatment but all that subsided within a few hours. My blemishes also disappeared after a few days, giving me a clearer and more radiant looking complexion. So I can safely say there’s minimal downtime and my skin definitely reaped heaps of benefits from this procedure. According to Dr Rachel Lim, I may require 3 to 5 more sessions to see more notable results. All in all, I was very happy with the service rendered by Dr Rachel and her team. I look forward to coming back in future to try their other treatments! My verdict: 3.5/5 Honeyz stars! Thank you Ardmore Aesthetic Clinic! Ardmore Aesthetic Clinic has a wide range of treatments for the face and body, ranging from minimally invasive procedures like botulinum and filler injections, to non-invasive procedures such as Ultherapy, lasers, chemical peels etc. Every treatment recommendation and programme is personally and specifically tailored to their patients’ needs, ensuring the most fulfilling results and outcome. Visit their website at ardmoreaesthetics.com  or FB at facebook.com/ardmoreaesthetics for more. Have fun and keep sparkling! Your friend, Juliana Disclaimer: Please rest assured that even though the products and services were sponsored, they do 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. #ArdmoreAestheticClinic #SponsoredReview

Back in 2014, I gave it my all when I began planning my Disney-themed wedding . I practically used every waking moment to brainstorm ideas and fulfill wedding-related errands. You probably already know – I am over the moon at how the wedding turned out. However, due to the intense preparation process, I also began to rest on my laurels afterwards. I felt like I needed a lot of rest time after my nuptials and soon I found myself shopping more than working. Haha! I became complacent and was literally dragging my heels to work. Here comes the interesting part… Who would have ever thought shopping could be inspiring too? I was visiting one of my favorite fashion stores, Kate Spade, and somehow the little flamingoes and donut purses ignited a creative spark for a new project. That one shopping trip not only inspired me, it also helped me overcome my procrastination and see everyday objects in a different light. Before you know it, I was back at work planning Honeyz Cube ‘s new repertoire of services and products. And today, I’m very proud to present to you Honeyz Paint House , a unique and stylish new photo studio and lifestyle event space and YOUR very own getaway and creative retreat. We’re all about living life to the fullest and celebrating the everyday! And of course, I had to host a Donuts and Flamingoes themed party to introduce Honeyz Cube’s new little sister to our fellow blogger friends and partners. And guess what? We decided to hold the party on our very first wedding anniversary. How apt! Click this way ↓ to the fun please! Prepping for the Big Day! Planning this party was no easy feat. We spent two months conceptualizing the concept, getting partners onboard and designing the invites and banners. Then we spent another two gruelling days printing press releases, info sheets and table mats. (Yup, we DIY-ed our table mats. :P) Printing the press release and brand info sheets. Decorating the tables. And finally, we’re ready for our very big debut at Honeyz Paint House. Welcome to our Donuts and Flamingoes Party! Yay! We loved how the decor turned out. Do you? 😛 Since we still had some time before our guests arrived, we decided to do some last minute checks for the party, to make sure every welcome packet was filled with all our sponsors’ goodies. And here’s my knight in shining armour who’s not only my loving husband but also my number one supporter in everything I do. Thank you so much, B! Muuaaah! :* Of course, all of this also wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our generous partners: For Beloved One 寵愛之名 Jacqueline Burchell Singapore  Nail Indulgence De Beau Clara Song Make Up TACT.sg Tact.sg also sponsored my outfit for the party. Here I’m wearing Tact.sg’s Flare Flair blouse from their M O N O collection. 🙂 Alexander Yuen: A Finer Side of Magic Nelson Manlises Photography Whimsical Patisseries OCOO Singapore Skycart Skycart sponsored our goodie bags, cute decor as well as these fun props below! Now let the party begin! Our cutest guest just arrived! And she brought donuts cakes too! Yay! Special shoutout to  Agnes , Sydney and Yan Teng ! Thank you for your thoughtful gifts! It was really nice catching up with one another. Check out those happy smiles! This is not the most flattering photo but.. I’m absolutely in love with the cool bell sleeves of my new crop top from Tact.sg! No, I wasn’t scratching my armpits. Haha! I was explaining some of the cool features of my new top which is also very Britney from the noughties. Don’t you think? Have you ever wondered what boyfriends do when their girlfriends socialise with their girlfriends? Well, evidently, they chill on beach chairs and play with their phones! Haha! Everyone couldn’t get enough of Whimsical Patisseries’ pretty dessert table! Our guests also got to try Jacqueline Burchell’s latest nail colors that are now also available on our Cube Store . Hmm… Why’s everyone taking photos of my profile? Because I’m wearing flamingo earrings! How befitting! 😛 #flamingoearrings Alright, enough of the profile photos! Let’s take a group shot! Wait! Do you see that epic photo bomber?! One of the highlights of the party was Alexander’s sleight of hand magic tricks, especially the one where he made our Honeyz Paint House logo appear on a poker card! How cool is that? Our audience looked astonished and impressed! And then, it was time to open the ceremony and introduce Honeyz Paint House formally. And we introduced our new concept with this video we made a few days prior. Psst! It was actually also the first time we played anything on our 52-inch screen. How exciting! Yay! Our audience looked pretty happy and hyped up. The stakes are high now. We need to keep this going so we upped the ante by inviting magician and sleight of hand extraordinaire, Alexander, to perform some of his popular stage magic illusions. Our guests looked impressed and entertained! Yay! Mission accomplished. Then it was back to mingling with the girls and trying our sponsors’ awesome products. Jacqueline Burchell and Tact.sg also kindly sponsored some prizes for our lucky draw! Congratulations to all winners! Do you have a chronically messy closet that makes looking for the perfect outfit seem as difficult as a greek puzzle? Well, meet our fellow blogger and Organised Lifestyle Consultant, Eri! Yes. She’s a professional closet organiser and she holds regular workshops to help you declutter your mess. Here at Honeyz Paint House, we wanna support fellow entrepreneurs and give them a creative space so we also invited Eri to share more about her latest classes. If you’re desperately in need of some quick closet decluttering solutions, check out her website for more tips –  http://organizedlifespace.com/en/ Who knows? One day we might even jointly host a closet styling class with Eri at Honeyz Paint House! Would you be interested? Let me know by commenting below! All our guests received not one but two goodie bags that day! Woo hoo! Here’s a sneak peek at what was inside! That’s not all! Our Creative Director, YT, also captured all the highlights of the event on video. Whee! Catch all the action here! Check out the rest of our party photos here –  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.814273472028524.1073741827.187736054682272&type=3 We’re so much more! As I mentioned earlier in my intro, Honeyz Paint House is YOUR very own getaway and creative retreat, now you too can host classes and workshops that will captivate the hearts and minds of people everywhere in an ambience and setting unlike any other. And and and! We’re also your photo studio, party venue, beauty museum and one-of-a-kind coworking space. 😀 Visit our website at honeyzpainthouse.com to find out more! Finally.. Thank you all for coming, for your encouraging words and ardent love for our projects. We love you all so much! ♥ Let’s do this again! After the party… It was still our one-year anniversary after all. So we headed down to Bedrock (where we had our first date) for a sumptuous Paper Anniversary dinner. Cheers everyone! Your friend, Juliana #ForBelovedOne #HoneyzPaintHouse #event #Skycart #MetaIllusions #JacquelineBurchell #ClaraSongMakeUp #beauty #OCOOBeautyDrink #Tactsg #HoneyzCube #NailIndulgenceDeBeau

Being beautiful is as much about feeling good as it is looking good, that’s why the term ‘workshop’ never really resonated well with me. Come on, you’re meeting amazing people, pampering yourself and trying new looks! Does that sound like hard work to you? Beauty shouldn’t feel like hard work. Instead, it should be fun and make you feel alive. Henceforth, I will call these get-togethers playshops. We play with new toys and learn more about what we love! What more can we ask for? Booya!  Two weeks ago, Panasonic hosted an informative Beauty Playshop featuring their latest skincare gizmos as well as beauty tips from Celebrity Lifestyle Guru and Natural Therapist, Bryan Gan . Besides dispensing valuable Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) beauty pointers, Bryan also suggested many useful and out-of-the-box ways to create our very own home retreat. If you’re in need of a quick sensory getaway and true beauty fix all from the comfort of your own home, then you certainly have to read on! Your gateway to relaxing home treatments begins here. Meet our therapist of the day – Bryan Gan A little background about our host this morning: Bryan Lao Shi (老师 meaning teacher) started as a health and wellness blogger in 2001. He soon began to gain recognition for his tried and true holistic, natural treatment methods. On top of this, he’s also an aromatherapy enthusiast. Over the years, he has curated and shared many therapeutic home treatments that combine acupressure massaging with essential oils to help his readers relax, rejuvenate and even recharge. His passion and commitment really shone through and today, he’s a popular host on hit Taiwanese lifestyle variety show, Lady First (女人我最大) and a renowned beauty consultant for top celebrities. I’ve got you beauty lovers intrigued eh? Don’t fret if you missed the Panasonic gig because I’m here to recap the event and its helpful tips. 🙂 4-7-8 Breathing Technique Bryan Lao Shi commenced the playshop with the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique to help us relax, calm and de-stress before we began the day’s activities. It’s all about the senses, remember? Though it’s called the 4-7-8 technique, it’s actually as easy as 1-2-3! :p 1) Breathe in deeply through your nose for 4 seconds 2) Hold your breath for 7 seconds 3) Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds Yup, in case you’re wondering, it is the same 4-7-8 breathing exercise that everyone has been sharing on Facebook. It is highly recommended by Dr Weil, scientists and people who’ve tried it. The technique helps to regulate your breathing, blood oxygen levels, reduce your heart rate and release special hormones which all lead to a calmer and more relaxed state as well as a fantastic night’s sleep. Even I’ve been using this method to clear my mind before I hit the sack every night. It works like a charm, I tell you. I’m a huge fan of meditation. When all else fails, close your eyes, empty your mind, aim for enlightenment. A zen-like calm will do wonders for your soul, ease the tension in those worry lines, ease away that frown, allow you to wake refreshed and ready to face whatever life throws at you. This is exactly why I’ve added the 4-7-8 technique to my meditation repertoire. Living It Up With TCM Bryan Lao Shi is also a strong believer of TCM and the use of medicinal herbs. I know some of you may dismiss such healing methods as ‘pure placebo’ but Bryan emphasised that he would only recommend products that he has personally tried and proven to be effective. Well, you can totally see that conviction in his eyes. Haha! His first endorsement at the session was that we make our own fresh Corn Silk Tea. He proposed drinking the tea a few times a week to flush out excess waste and reduce bloating. Do you know that inflammation is closely linked to cancer, heart disease and a multitude of other diseases? Well, then you’ll be happy to know that corn silk is anti-inflammatory. 🙂 It also helps to protect and soothe the urinary tract and kidneys, and lower blood sugar levels. To top it off, corn silk contains proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It’s a perfect blend of goodness! Thank you Bryan Lao Shi for introducing this super ingredient to us! Now let’s make some tea! Simply shuck the corn, save the corn silk and brew it with boiling water. And here’s my Corn Silk Tea this morning. Yummeh! Check out my new  ‘Wake Up with Me’ video  to find out how I incorporated the tea into my morning routine. Other foods that received Bryan Lao Shi’s stamp of approval were White Fungus, Dried Longans and Chrysanthemum. White Fungus Bryan believes that white fungus can help to bring radiance back to the face and promote healthier lungs. Dried Longans He suggested boiling dark dried longans with red dates to create the ultimate remedy for insomnia and stomachaches. Dried Longans are rich in iron and fibre too so they make very healthy desserts! Chrysanthemum Finally, with Chrysanthemum, it gets a little tricky. Different types of Chrysanthemum serve different purposes and even the number of  Chrysanthemum flowers play a part. In summary, drink White Chrysanthemum (Baijuhua) to reduce eye dryness, Yellow Chrysanthemum (Huangjuhua) to treat headaches, Baby Bud Chrysanthemum to boost immunity and relieve stress and finally, Wild Chrysanthemum (yejuhua) to reduce heat, swelling and pain. Bryan Lao Shi recommends six flowers in every cup for best results. No more, no less! Beauty Meets Technology It’s a Panasonic Beauty Playshop so this means we also got to enjoy product demos by Bryan and witness first hand the effectiveness of the Panasonic gadgets. I used the Panasonic products according to Bryan Lao Shi’s suggestions. Check out my demos with the gadgets on my previous post –  Wake Up With Me . Create Your Own Sanctuary At Home Bryan Lao Shi came up with a pretty innovative way of using the Panasonic Facial Steamer to turn your home into an aromatherapy retreat. Okay, here’s the thing. Panasonic actually discourages mixing the water in the steamer with any other substance as it may cause burns, malfunctions and even shorten the life span of the machine. But! We really wanna enjoy those soothing essential oils like we’re in a real spa. So to counter that, Bryan developed a simple and effective method which I’m going to share with you in bit. First, here are the items you need: A cotton pad, scotch tape and of course, your favorite aromatherapy oil. All you need to do is to add a few drops of essential oil on the cotton pad, then attach it to the funnel head of the device. Turn on the switch and you’ll feel like you’re enjoying your steaming session in your own spa haven. Speaking of facial steaming, I know many of you may be wondering if steaming really helps to open the pores and dislodge the unwanted impurities. Or even worse, does it act like a total dehydrating agent and strip our skin completely of moisture? This brings us to the next segment of the post: Here Comes The Science Steaming and detoxing… Are they too good to be true? I’ve always been very conscious about my gaping skin pores so ever since I heard that hot water opens pores and cold water shrinks them, I hated myself for indulging in all those hot steam baths and began to attempt to ‘reverse the effect’ by gliding ice cubes around my face every morning. Haha! That was ten years ago. Now I know I can’t pit against the will of mother nature. And you should too. I’ve spoken to Dr Chia Hui Ling, Plastic Surgeon at KK Hospital and Dr Suzanne Cheng, Dermatologist at the National Skin Centre to clarify all these beauty myths about pores and detoxing. “Pores do not open and close. Anecdotally, steaming helps to soften the pore and hence, it becomes easier to extract the clogged debris. There is no evidence that we expel any toxins through skin, just sodium from perspiration. That said, steaming is not entirely pointless. The heat from the steam will help with vasodilation and improve circulation to the face.  The causes of enlarged obvious pores may be different for the young and old. Younger skin tends to have heaps of clogged pores from excess sebum secretion, while older skin may suffer from skin laxity resulting in pores opening up too. To tighten pores visibly, you’ll need lasers to improve collagen remodeling.” Chia Hui Ling Plastic Surgeon KK Women & Children’s Hospital MBBS (London) MRCS (UK) MMED (Singapore) “Pores or hair follicles probably do react slightly in response to heat.  And the condensate from steam would soften the epidermis temporarily, much like soaking feet before paring callouses. It’s a misconception to think that applying a mask or washing your face with cold water will “tighten” open pores.  To do that, you’ll need procedures such as Fractional Co2 Laser and Radio Frequency to promote new collagen formation. Finally, the skin does not eliminate toxins, that’s the job of the liver and kidneys.” Suzanne Cheng MBBS (London) MRCP (UK) Consultant Dermatologist National Skin Centre I hope that cleared the air. No facial steaming treatments or topical products are going to help you ‘detox’. The only way you can do it is through a healthy liver and kidneys. Remember to drink up, take a lot of fruits and vegetables and of course, rest well to keep your organs healthy. For added support to your detoxification programme, I highly recommend taking Milk Thistle supplements (especially if you’re partial to a lychee martini once in a while) as this supports the function of your liver which is responsible for producing Glutathione, the most powerful antioxidant in our bodies. A healthy liver means more Glutathione which in turn means you’re at your best in terms of fighting free radicals and other toxins. *If you’re not certain whether Milk Thistle is suitable for you, please consult your doctor.* So Is Steaming Still Good For Us? The answer is a resounding yes. Steaming only becomes dehydrating and damaging when you are exposed to it for too long. But if managed wisely, it can also give you intense hydration and replenish lost moisture. Skin also becomes more absorbent during steaming so this is the most opportune time to apply your skin care products. So how long is too long? Five minutes. Anything more and it’ll be a negative relationship where your skin loses moisture faster than it can absorb moisture. In conclusion, too much steaming is bad for your skin but used in moderation with your favorite beauty products, you’ll get the most effective moisturising treatment. A Different Kind Of Beauty Advice I know that nowadays you can find any information on Google. As such, many of us have become Google Scientists, proving our beauty theories with articles found on the internet. However, there are many articles and studies around, even those published on so called reputable platforms such as Pubmed and the Lancet, which may be inconclusive and erroneous. There are studies which are too small to be statistically significant, are flawed in terms of study methodology, and sometimes you even have to look at who’s funding the research to decide whether to take the results with a pinch of salt or not. This is why doctors and scientists in fact have to undergo training in order to be able to effectively ‘critically appraise’ research to know what can be trusted and what can’t. It’s fashionable these days to try and use science to decide whether a beauty product may really work or whether you might be just experiencing the placebo effect. Just remember to be prudent with the information you can find, in case the so-called facts lead you away from a beauty wonder to a beauty blunder. With a big thank you to OMY, Panasonic and of course Bryan Gan, I hope you have found this journey enlightening. Now we can all combine ancient traditional ideas with the latest technology to get the best of both worlds and reach for new heights of beauty. Aim for the stars belles! Great News Belles! Fancy trying out these gizmos for yourselves? Well, it’s your lucky day! Panasonic Singapore is extending a very special offer to you ladies. 1. Cool Putter EH-SQ10 Readers’ Price: S$109 (including delivery and GST). [Usual RPP: S$129] 2. Facial roller EH-SP32 Readers’ Price: $159 (including delivery and GST). [Usual RPP: S$189] 3. Compact Facial Steamer EH-SA31 Readers’ Price: $174 (including delivery and GST). [Usual RRP: S$199] How you can order: 1. Email to hanwei.chew01@sg.panasonic.com with subject: “Blog readers’ promo – Panasonic Beauty (omy.sg)” 2. In the email, indicate product name, model, and quantity of purchase. 3. Indicate which blog you saw this promo from (www.ilovebunny.net). Panasonic Singapore will reply to the emails directly with the payment and delivery details. The promo is valid till 5 July 2015 only, while stocks last. I’d love you hear what my beautiful belles make of these devices! Looking forward to hearing from you all soon! Hold Up! Yay! I made it to the finals of the Singapore Blog Awards 2015 ! This is my third time being nominated in the beauty category so I really hope third time’s a charm. 😛 I couldn’t have gotten here without you guys and I hope you’ll join me for this dance one more time to help make my dreams come true. And you can do that by casting a vote for me. Simply click on the image below and you’ll be directed to the voting gallery or you can click here –  https://apps.facebook.com/panasonic_sg_vote/?eid=7&event=14&fb_ref=Default You can vote once everyday until the 6th of July at 3pm. I know it’ll be challenging to remember to vote for my blog everyday but if you like this post and what I’ve been doing so far, may I unabashedly suggest that you could (maybeee) remind yourself everyday when you’re sipping your morning coffee? So morning coffee = vote for ilovebunny.net! 😛 Haha! Thank you once again for all your support and love! Your friend, Juliana Disclaimer: Please rest assured that even though this post was created in partnership with SBA2015 and Panasonic, 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. #SingaporeBlogAwards2015 #SingaporeBlogAwards #beauty #BryanGan #Panasonic #PanasonicBeautyWorkshop