Happenings in February - Scentopia + Go-Kart

Sunday 12/2/23

I joined GF on a Sunday morning at Sentosa for a perfume making workshop at Scentopia.

Scentopia is situated at Siloso Beach (former WaveHouse). You can take Sentosa Express, alight at Beach Station and walk over to Siloso Beach.

The session started off with a personality test to find out the scents that suits your personality. The scents are grouped into five categories - Citrus, Fresh, Floral, Woody and Oriental. You can choose the perfume scents according to your test result or just choose the scents you like. 

Although my personality scent was Woody, I chose the 10 scents according to the scents I tested and liked, floral and woody formed the majority (3 each out of the 10 scents).

There are over 6000+ scent wands of aroma oils that we can pick from. We were to choose 10 types of scents to customise our unique fragrant of perfume.  

Testing out all the scents to pick my top 10 favourite for perfume making.

Perfume is an essential in my life as I rarely walk out of home without spraying perfume on (unless I am in a rush), the fragrance acts as a finishing ritual to my preparation. 

Fruity scent is one of the scent that I am leaning towards, something I will opt for when going for casual occasion because I love sweet smelling scent. Hence, I picked one scent from the citrus corner.

We were given a paper cup when we pumped the aroma oils based on the selection we choose and blend the oil together to have a sense of how the final product of our perfume will smell like. After satisfied with the scent, I handed my selection form to the perfumer who will convert it into a 100ml (worth $125) bottle for us to take back home.

Other than perfume making perfume, Scentopia offers range of aroma products such as perfumes, reed diffusers, scented candles for sales. This corner is for the scents inspired by Singapore Memories such as orchid scent, suitable for tourists to buy back home.

Thanks GF for the photo and for bringing me along to the workshop.

Friday 24/2/23

I had my first Go-Kart racing experience at KF1 Expo. It was a once in a life time experience for me because I have never expected it to be so fun, experiencing what is it like to be a F1 racer.

The go kart circuit at Expo boosts a length of 750m and 16 corners with many sharp turns. We watched a video on the safety precaution on how to operate the go-kart.

I was assigned to the last kart, kart no. 6. It was quite hard to get into the kart, need to find the correct place to step inside. The kart was quite easy to operate, we just need the steering well to turn the direction, right foot is to accelerate and left root is to brake. Each round is 10 minutes.

The go kart racing was a surreal encounter, I love the adrenaline rush when I did all the sharp turns and it was thrilling as though we were flying around the track. The friendly competition with the other players have increased the fun of the race as we strike to do our best. I finished off in 3rd position during the practice round.

For the qualifying round, I performed better and I got the hang of controlling the kart. I finished off in 2nd position in a 9 players match. It was tough to put the fun and excitement I'm feeling in words. Now I'm utterly in love with playing go-kart and I can't wait for the next time I try it.

Beauty Review: The Skinhouse EGF Collagen Ampoule + Pore Control Powder Serum + Vita Snail Cream

Collagen level in our body will gradually reduce as we age, it is essential for us to replenish the collagen level to maintain the radiance and youthful skin. 

The Skinhouse EGF Collagen Ampoule is just the product I need as my focus is on anti-aging and hydrating product. Containing high concentration of EGF and collagen, the ampoule improves skin elasticity, reduce fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots. 

I applied the collagen ampoule over my face and neck after cleansing and toning. 

The ampoule has a watery texture that sank into skin very quickly and contained a sweet scent that is not overpowering. 

After using it for 5 days, I noticed that my skin has become more hydrated as the ampoule has nourished and moisturized my skin, giving my skin a glowing radiance. My skin also felt calmer and less prone to skin irritation. 

Ensuring we have sufficient moisture in our skin is important to keep the skin texture moist and create glowing skin. 

I have started using The Skin House Pore Control Powder Serum which provides moisture, helps to control sebum and minimise the size of the pores, definitely a saviour for people with oily skin. 

The serum was fast absorbed into skin and stay weightless, providing an instant boost of hydration to my skin before moisturiser application. It soothed and leave the skin feeling refreshed. It also leaves me feeling relaxing with its light fragrance.

I tried on Vita Snail Cream which helps to brighten, firm and lift skin. It is suitable for people with normal or dehydrated skin. The reason why it is called snail cream is because it contains 100% natural snail mucine and 90% snail secretion filtrate, making the product a perfect moisturiser. It contains vitamin E&C capsules that brings out Illuminating effect to dull skin and contains collagen for anti-wrinkle care. 

I applied Vita Snail Cream after serum, it is a luxurious cream that is fast absorbed and not too heavy on skin despite the texture looked sticky. The little red capsules are the highlight of the cream, containing vitamin E&C. The red capsules will melt when spread on skin. The cream retains moisture, leaving my skin feeling firmer, hydrated and glowing with radiance.

Thanks 0.8L Singapore for sending the products over.

Beauty Review: K-Bright Dream Tone Set + Nanowhite Basic Skincare Range

I am always on the search for suitable skincare products for my sensitive skin since my face is nowhere near perfect. Thanks to Try and Review team, I have the opportunity to try out 2 new skincare product range.

First was K-Bright Dream Tone Set which consists of K-Bright Icy-Lock Miracle Booster Pearls Dream Tone and Crystal Bright Illuminating Serum.

I have been hearing a lot about K-Bright through Instragram and this sparked my interest in trying out the product. 

Icy-Lock Miracle Booster Pearls Dream Tone comes with 16 pearls in a box ($62).

The pearl combined cutting-edge technology to deliver 3X more brightening effect and will leave skin more luminous, firm, and recharged.

Crystal Bright Illuminating Serum ($89) is enriched with a powerful active-ingredient complex to give a radiant, velvety-smooth skin.

This is an innovative product with multi functions which includes hydrating, brightening and firming. Miracle booster pearl dissolved easily with the combined usage with the serum and both benefits will combine into one application. I like the watery texture which does not leave sticky feeling after the application. The red spots have become smaller and my skin has brightened up after using it for just 4 days. It also locked the moisture and keep our skin hydrated for long hours. It gave me a feel that my skin has just undergo a pampering facial session.

Here's my result after using the products for less than a week.

K-Bright Crystal Bright Illuminating Serum did more than just hydrating my skin, it is locked with powerful ingredient that leave my skin glowing after using. I like how the serum comes with a dropper which disperse the right amount of serum I need to dissolve the pearl. Just one drop is enough to cover my face. After mixing with the booster pearl, I pat it evenly on my face. The serum is light weight and absorbed fast into my skin, it added radiance and moisture to my skin after application. It does not cause any irritation to my skin.

***

The next set was Nanowhite Basic Skincare Range which consists of Dark Spot Corrective Serum, Day Renew Cream SPF 25 PA++ and Night Repair Cream.

Dark Spot Corrective Serum

30ml, $25.90

Nanowhite Dark Spot Corrective Serum is an effective whitening concentrate that is enriched with nanotechnology, Omega White-C, and natural extracts to eliminate acne scars, pigmentation, and uneven skin tone. 

After cleansing and toning, apply the serum evenly to our face before using day or night moisturiser. 

Nanowhite Dark Spot Corrective Serum is a light weight and watery texture serum which does not leave any tight feeling after use. It is gentle on skin and does not cause any irritation. It helped to lock in the whitening concentrate which penetrated deep into skin for absorption. 

After using for 2 weeks, noticeable result can be seen where my dull looking skin has turned to a natural glowing skin, some of the small dark spots and acne scars have also lightened up, contributed to the more even skin tone.

Day Renew Cream SPF 25 PA++

40ml, $15.90

The day cream is enriched with Omega White-C, Nanotechnology and Natural Extracts to effectively shields skin from UVA & UVB radiation and minimises stubborn pigmentation.

Nanowhite day renew cream is a great help when comes to busy morning as the day cream acts as a moisturiser and sun screen, we just need to apply this one product which comes with 2 functions. The day renew cream is rich in texture and comes with a light scent but does not leave greasy on our skin. Not only does it provide SPF25 PA+ sun protection, it kept my skin moisturised during the day. 

After using the products for 2 weeks, I noticed that my skin tone become more even, suppled and glowing after application. My pigmentation has also lightened.

Night Repair Cream

40ml, $15.90

The highly concentrated formulation helps to brighten uneven skin tone and restore skin’s glow overnight.

I love Nanowhite Night Repair Cream because I know that my skin is in good hands at night with the active ingredients working on skin repair while I am sleeping. The texture is creamy and slightly heavier than the day cream, nevertheless, it is still fast absorbed into the skin and keeping my skin hydrated throughout the night. I woke up to a radiant and supple skin in the morning.

Thanks Try and Review for taking care of my beauty regime, my skin feel well taken care of after using K-Bright Dream Tone Set and Nanowhite Basic Skincare Range.

Beauty Review: Mentholatum Acnes

Our confidence level partly come from our appearance which is why having beautiful skin is important. One of my main skin concern is acne and scar marks. Some of the red spots just seems hard to get rid of and are taking a long time to heal.

I received the parcel from Try And Review, thanks for sending me Mentholatum Acnes products that come just in handy for me. 

The products include:

1. Acnes Creamy Wash

2. Acnes Powder Lotion

3. Acnes Sealing Jell

4. Acnes Anti-bacterial Acne Patch Night

I have an combination skin where my t-zone is oily and dry at my cheek area as shown in the result (1-forehead, 2-nose, 3-left cheek, 4-right cheek).

Step 1: Cleanse our face with Anti-Acnes Creamy Wash

The creamy wash helps to remove dirt, oil, impurities and excess sebum without leaving tight feeling on the skin. It contains formula to soothe pimpled skin. It gives a refreshing citrus scent which is quite therapeutic and help me to relax.

Step 2: Pat our skin with Anti-Acnes Powder Lotion

Shake the bottle well before use. The powder lotion absorbs excess sebum left on our skin to maintain shine-free skin. It contains Aloe Vera extract to hydrate and lock in moisture.

I patted the lotion onto my skin with palm and avoid areas around the eyes. The lotion has a watery texture which was fast absorbed into our skin without creating any sticky feeling. The light weight lotion helped to keep my skin moisturized.

Check out my result after using Acnes Creamy Wash and Powder Lotion, the level of moisture and oil has increased to an optimum range.

Step 3: Treat acne prone areas with Acnes Sealing Jell (Anti-Acne Spot Gel)

The sealing jell soothes and relieve acne discomfort and soothes pimple's redness, the gel formula helps break pimple-formation cycle for clear and smooth skin. Like the other Mentholatum Acnes, it comes with a refreshing citrus scent.

The gel is to be applied directly on acne only and can be used before makeup. I applied it 2 times daily at the affected areas. Immediately next day morning, the red spot will be smaller.

This is my favourite product among all because it is super effective.

Step 4: Night care with Acnes Anti-bacterial Acne Patch Night

The acne patch comes with high absorption capability that can absorb pus and oil inside pimple like a sponge, which enhance acne recovery.

The transparent ultra thin patch is 0.03cm thick and is waterproof. It creates a protective barrier over the acne to reduce chances of further infection. I going to save this for future usage, this is going to be my saviour when I have runny pus of acne.

Use a tweezer to remove and paste the patch over acne, then press gently with finger. 

Replace a new patch when it turns white from the absorption of oil or pus or after 12 hours. After the pus has been absorbed out, my acne bump has become flatter.

My result after using the products for a week.

Using the full range of Mentholatum Acnes aid in my acne healing process and lock the moisture in my skin. I know my skin complexion is still not at the optimum now, I will continue using the products to improve my skin conditions.

Thanks Mentholatum Acnes for the amazing products.

Happenings in May - TS Shampoo Review + Hairlux Launch + AIA Glow Festival 2019

Wednesday 1/5/19

It's Labour Day, I had dim sum for brunch with my family. Lately, we like to head out for a meal together whenever we are free. This gave my mum a break from cooking and a chance for us to enjoy good food together. As I grow older, I cherish such time together. While we are growing up, our parents are growing old too, so cherish the time we have together.

We reached Zi Yean Restaurant at about 11am, a Chinese restaurant that specializes in Cantonese gourmet dishes.

Mummy ordered a plate of Hor Fun for us to try out. The hor fun was silky and delicious, we loved it very much.

The Fried Wanton has a crispy skin exterior with meat filling wrapped in it. I always like fried wanton because it was flavoursome. Har Gow on the other hand was encased in a thin layer of skin and steamed till chewy texture.

We also ordered Char Siew and Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll as well as other items.

The dish I like was Taro Salted Egg Custard Ball. I like the milky custard that flow out of the fried taro ball, it was very tasty. How I wish I can have more.

We went home after that. Shortly after I was halfway using my laptop, the battery just died as my laptop was unable to charge suddenly. I have no idea what's happening to my laptop. A day without laptop at home is so bored.

I am currently using Innisfree Canola Honey Lip Balm, a moisturizing lip balm that adds a moisture layer for the prevention of dry lips. 

The lip balm contains Jeju canola honey extract and canola seed oil that gives a delicious honey fragrance when I applied on my lip balm.

I am also using Balea Buttermilk & Lemon Hand Cream. It gave my hand gentle moisture with fresh scent of buttermilk and lemon. The hand cream has a thick and creamy texture, absorbing fast when spread well.

Thursday 2/5/19

We have a sumptuous lunch affair at Swensen with my team.

It has been a long time since I last had Fish & Chips. The fish was well fried with the outer stayed crispy and the inner remained moist.

I had Chocolate Crunch Ice Cream where the cold ice cream was engulfed by hot fudge and loaded with crispy chocolate morsels. It added a crunch to the melt in the mouth ice cream, making it a perfect combination dessert.

Thanks Gina for the delicious team lunch treat.

I have been constantly on the lookout for shampoo that tackle hair loss as the amount of hair loss during hair wash can be scary at times. Recently I have switched my hair care product to TS shampoo. 

After using TS shampoo for a week, my hair has become more manageable with lesser hair loss, say hello to healthier hair. It contains 24 kinds of botanical-derived extracts that provide a healthy scalp environment. 

Having a clean and healthy scalp is the key to thick and strong hair. It also has a refreshing citrus scent that makes me feel good after shower. 

The texture was thick which makes it perfect for lathering to foam. I used the shampoo to give my scalp a deep massage with fingertips, showering has become a pampering session too. 

Saturday 4/5/19

I joined Tracy on a Saturday morning to Health Fiesta 2019 @ Suntec City Convention Centre where we visited Gu Ma Jia Private Kitchen booth for a tasting.

Gu Ma Jia (姑妈家) means Auntie’s House in Chinese, it is a Singapore Chinese restaurant set up to share delicious home-cooked food with its customers.

We had Luo Han Guo Tea to go with our meal and also while chit chatting with each other.

We had Curry Chicken with Buns and Salted Fish Steam Minced Meat with Rice. The salted fish steam minced meat may not look very appetizing but both of us enjoyed this dish the best. The meat was flavourful and delicious, it brought back the fond memories of the olden days with this simple one dish meal.

We also enjoyed the curry chicken which added a kick to our appetite. Everything was wiped clean.

Thanks Tracy for inviting me along for the tasting. It was a nice catch up sharing our updates and problems. Catch up soon again.

Sunday 5/5/19

We celebrated Mother's Day a week in advance because we wanted to avoid the crowds. We had Mother's Day dinner together with my aunt's family at my favourite zichar stall at the neighbourhood.

We ordered mostly the usual dishes we always have except for this. We love having zichar because it is more economically than restaurant. The bill was about $300 for 15 of us. Thanks bro for the dinner treat, we ate until so full that night.

Saturday 11/5/19

I meet up with GF, Tracy and Meryl for brunch at Bugis+ @ Encik Tan before the start of our adventure hunt.

I have Mee Rebus and Rose Drink at $4. The drink was just perfect to ease my thirst after a mild spicy meal. We made use of this brunch to also discuss some of the big plan for Tracy.

We have changed into our attire and ready for TNP Adventure Hunt 2019 - Go Local in the Ultimate Race. Meryl and I were in a team while Tracy and GF were in another. Each team was supposed to complete 15 challenges in 2.5 hours. Though Meryl and I only managed to complete 11 challenges, we have fun and enjoyed the adventure hunt very much. We will definitely join again next year.

Monday 20/5/19

Right after I came back from JB, I went out with my family for dinner to one of our past favourite zichar stall. We initially wanted to eat Bak Ku Teh but all the stalls were closed on Monday.

We ordered a bowl of fish soup for sharing. The soup contained big chunky fried fish, cubes of tofu, veggies and tomatoes. I love that the soup was added with milk that makes the fish soup heavenly good.

Saturday 25/5/19

We made our way down to the east for the launch of Hairlux Flagship in Singapore.

Hairlux is an upscale luxury salon located at East Coast Road that offers a luxurious and pampering hair experience. They are specialised and highly trained in hair and scalp treatments. 

Hairlux also provides essential hair services such as cut, colour and perm by their professional team of creative directors and senior hairstylists. 

I brought KP along with me to Hairlux. It has been awhile since we last went out together. After that, we headed out to VivoCity.

I met up with Tracy and we headed in to Sentosa for AIA Glow Festival 2019. The reason we were there was for The Sam Willows' concert.

GF and Meryl came over to look for me just shortly before the start of concert. Love it when we are able to see each other so often.

The top local pop quartet, The Sam Willows, took over the stage and got the audience to groove along with their catchy tunes. It has been such a long time since I last went for a concert.

After the concert, Tracy and GF used their food vouchers to purchase some bites for the 4 of us to share. We got Pita Bread, Baked Falafels and Black Bean Hummus.

Still not feeling full, we left AIA Glow Festival and made our way to HarbourFront for some munching at McDonald.

Here comes the end of May's updates. Good bye.