J Studios - Chocolate Anti-Stress Facial Review

I have tried facials from many different salons and I know it when a facial is good or not. It is good to always try out other salons just to have a gauge of whether the current one you are going is good enough.

I was delighted when I had the chance to go to J Studios for a facial session. The salon had a clean and sleek design and the second floor is where the individual facial rooms are. Some sneak peeks of the beauty salon in their flagship store at Haji Lane:

 

 

I was here for their Chocolate Anti-Stress Facial. Yes you heard that right, CHOCOLATE FACIAL! Exclusively available at J Studios only, this Chocolate Facial uses Bernard Cassiere's cocoa care series and the chocolate is edible! 

From the J Studios website: To develop this Chocolate treatment, Bernard Cassiere joined with an Italian chocolate master, Mr Walter Bovetti. His chocolate contains 64% of pure cocoa (crushed fruits) for providing hydrating, toning up and regenerating properties. Bernard Cassiere is one of the chocolate leaders in the beauty product industry, the chocolate facial treatment was introduced in the 10th Chocolate Show, Porte de Versailles in Paris (France) in 2006. The success was immediate and there was a mad rush with the chocolate addicts over the world.

So, what's so good about this Chocolate Facial?

• Formulated with natural cocoa extracts and quality fair trade chocolate that is rich in antioxidants and anti-free radicals
• Targeted at soothing stressed urban skin types, while providing protection against environmental damage

Benefits of Chocolate Treatment

• Repair
• Detoxify
• Protects the skin
• Promotes skin glow

 

Who is this beneficial for?

• Those with stressed skin
• Those with dehydrated skin
• Those with tired skin caused by environmental damage (UV and Pollution)
• Those with bad lifestyle habits (tobacco, alcohol, lack of sleep)
• Stressful individuals
• Chocolate lovers

The steps for this Chocolate Anti-Stress Facial was similar to what facials normally entail:

• Cleansing
• Exfoliating
• Massage
• Extraction
• Masking

 

 

 

Glad to say that I enjoyed my experience at J Studios a lot! The beautician was gentle and I felt very comfortable throughout the whole session I could have fell asleep! (couldn't sleep as I had to film and take pictures of the process though)

During the masking session, I could actually eat the chocolate. Visit my Instagram post to see a video of my facial session with them.

After the session, I had a chocolate drink to complete my Chcolatey journey.

  

They also have some in-house skincare and perfume products, and of course Bernard Cassiere products for sale in the store.

 

 

Facial is a very intimate session that only you can decide for yourself whether it is actually good or not. I could feel that the strokes and pressure used by the beautician was very professional and comfortable, which in turn makes me feel very relaxed. You should be feeling very comfortable throughout your facial session, and not feel like anyone is too harsh on your skin or pressuring you to buy their packages etc.

The folks at J Studios were so professional and made me feel so comfortable, I highly recommend their facial services. They have some on-going promotions, so simply check them out and head down now for a first trial!

J Studios

Haji Lane Flagship Store

31 Haji Lane, Singapore 189224

Opening Hours: 10.30am-10pm Daily

Tel: +65 91828565

Jurong Classic Store

352 Jurong East Street 31 #01-131, Singapore 600352

Opening Hours: 10.30am – 10pm Daily

Tel: +65 91828565

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Les Parfums de Farcent Review

I have never liked using air fresheners in the house due to their artificial scent; the fragrance is too strong for one moment and then lasts for just a while. For diffusers, I find that some of their designs do not blend into my room design, while the good ones are way toooo expensive.

Therefore, it was a good timing for me to be introduced to Taiwanese brand Les Parfums de Farcent (LPF), the first perfume-type of freshener here!

Products in the market have limited scents, but the LPF fragrance was developed by a renowned European perfume house, with each product having a unique scent and long-lasting effect. They have 3 different types of fragrances:

• Star Magnolia
• Freesia & English Pear
• Sea Salt & Wood Sage

And they come in 2 forms:

• Perfumed Diffuser
• Made from Japanese plant deodorizer
• Uses innovative odour elimination to bring fresh air
• Fashionable/modern design; unlike other fresheners you see in the market
• Shaped like a perfume bottle, creates a nice touch to the house as a display
• Lasts up to 4-8 weeks
• Perfumed Sachets (3 pieces per packet)
• Fashionable design with a modern touch of simplicity
• Freshen your wardrobe/car/cabinet/handbag
• Last up to 30 days

Direction of use:

Perfumed Diffuser

1. Unscrew gold cap from glass bottle and remove plastic plug
2. Screw the gold cap back to the glass bottle
3. Insert the PET reed sticks
4. Place product on flat surfaces and wait for the fragrance to release
5. Adjust the number of PET reed sticks to control the aroma concentration

Perfumed Sachets

1. Remove perfumed sachets from pouch
2. Insert ribbon through the hole at the top of the sachet
3. Hang it in wardrobe, car or simple place it in your drawer, cabinet or handbag

I used 2 PET reed sticks in the Perfumed Diffuser as I like subtle fragrances in my room.

For the Perfumed Sachets, you can use it in your wardrobe, and also in your bag! 

Personally, I liked the Sea Salt & Wood Sage fragrance best, while the Star Magnolia is sweet, with Freesia & English Pear sweet and refreshing.  

Where to get LPF?

You can buy it on Sample Store. There is a special promotion for members – Diffuser at $9.90 (u.p. $12.90) and perfumed sachets at $4.90 (u.p. $5.90)!

• Diffuser – Star Magnolia http://bit.ly/2Rns1ll
• Diffuser – Freesia & English Pear http://bit.ly/2Koq8Ef
• Diffuser – Sea Salt & Wood Sage http://bit.ly/2RnpK9N
• Perfumed Sachets – Star Magnolia http://bit.ly/2KkGhL1
• Perfumed Sachets – Freesia & English Pear http://bit.ly/2Koq8Ef
• Perfumed Sachets – Sea Salt & Wood Sage http://bit.ly/2KsJJDF

Alternatively, you can also buy them from Fairprice, Sheng Shiong, K-ART Showrooms and e-Store, as well as Qoo10 and Lazada. 

These actually make great gifts for special occasions such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, Birthdays etc.

Good News!

I'm sure you would like to try it out before getting them at the stores. You can now redeem free samples from Sample Store! Just click on the below to get them:

• Perfumed Sachets – Star Magnolia http://bit.ly/2RnLAKy
• Perfumed Sachets – Freesia & English Pear http://bit.ly/2KnBl8i
• Perfumed Sachets – Sea Salt & Wood Sage http://bit.ly/2KmB4T8

*Products are IFRA certified, safe and of high quality scented materials.

VitaRealm Anti-A.G.E. Essence Review

My friends all know I love desserts. 

Like seriously, dessert is life. No joke.

However, do you know that sugar causes aging? 

In fact, the recommended sugar consumption per day is 6 spoons but a cup of milk tea with pearl actually contains 20.5 spoons (GASPS). All this excess sugar reacts with the collagen in our skin in a process called glycation, causing our skin to lose elasticity and volume leading to wrinkles, fine lines and dark pigments.

Therefore, I was delighted to try 2 boxes of the VitaRealm Anti-A.G.E Essence. This purple bottle of goodness is formulated with Youth Revival Complex, a synergistic combination of fruit extracts that help to re-energize skin cells and fight sugar-induced skin aging. It naturally reduces the damaging effects of sugar on skin, boosting skin rejuvenation. 

The brand has 3 types of essence drinks, namely - 

• Whitening Collagen (blue)
• For dull skin tone, dry skin, uneven skin tone, dark pigments
• Helps to brighten skin, even out skin tone, lighten dark pigments
• Skin Perfecting Essence (pink)
• For sensitive skin, troubled skin, acne-prone skin, acne scars, enlarged pores
• Balances sebum production, heal acne and scars
• Anti-A.G.E. Essence (purple)
• For thin and dry skin, sagging skin, wrinkles and fine lines
• Hydrates and firms skin, reduces sugar induced skin damages (wrinkles, fine lines)

So for the purple bottle I tried, there is a mild taste of collagen, but the sweet fruity flavourings masked it pretty well. Note that I said, PRETTY WELL. Strongly advise to drink it chilled for a better and more refreshing taste.

Here is the ingredient list.

My thoughts after 16 bottles?

Before and After photos:

Pardon my bare face!

Can't tell from my before and after photos unless you scan my face really up close. But I could definitely feel the difference after 16 bottles. Skin feels more smooth and supple, and I felt like my laugh lines seem to have lightened.

Do note that like every other beauty drink, the effects will last only if you continue to drink it regularly without fail. The same theory applies to you applying your skincare and moisturiser every day and night!

There are 8x50ml of essence in each box.

Purchase from their online store (www.vitarealmbeauty.com) at $49.90 with free doorstep delivery for SG orders or from Watsons stores. Good news! They are currently selling it at a discounted price of $39.90 (limited time only)!

Good news!

I will be holding an Instagram Story giveaway for 2 lucky winners starting 23 July 2019!

This giveaway is for you to identify you skin concerns, and stand to win the beauty drinks that addresses those concerns!

• I will be posting this template below on my stories, where I identify my main skin concerns.
• Will be posting that same empty template for you guys (just press down and hold on igstories, then screenshot)
• Identify your own skin concerns, tick and fill in the form with your beauty colour

To qualify for the giveaway:

1. Account must be public
2. Follow @vitarealm and @cindi1601
3. Tag both @vitarealm and @cindi1601
4. Share the form that you filled in with your skin concerns and beauty color 
5. 2 Winners will be picked by VitaRealm Beauty to win 1 box of 8 each (will be based on the beauty color of the winners)

Good Luck!

Cambodia 2018: VLOG

My video from the Cambodian travels last year is finally out!

Will be doing separate blog posts to talk about the attractions and food. So stay tuned.

Focus Hairdressing - Mucota Algana Straightening Treatment with C-curls

Had the opportunity to fix my tresses with Ken from Focus Hairdressing (Chinatown Point) last week.

It is a small unassuming salon in Chinatown Point (beside Din Tai Fung) Level 2.

My friends probably can testify that I have very frizzy and unruly hair. Just take a look at my hair condition before starting.

I mean, I always thought I looked ok from the front, but WTF. I didn't know it was that bad from the back.

So my hair can be best treated with the new Mucota Algana Straightening Treatment. Think of it as 80% treatment and 20% straightening.

Benefits of this treatment:

• Softer, smoother hair with a healthy shine
• More natural looking, not the usual rebonding flat and straight type of hair
• No harsh chemicals
• Tames frizzy hair
• Lasts up to 6 months or longer

I wanted to add C-curls at the ends because I was very afraid of straight hair. But not everyone was suitable to do a perm. Ken was being very honest by telling me that he needed to check my hair condition to see if it is healthy enough for a perm. He was really very patient in explaining the treatment, and answering all my queries.

So Ken started with washing my hair, and proceeded to check if my hair is suitable for perm while it is wet. Alas, he said my hair is a bit dry, but still healthy enough for a perm. Yay!

In summary, these were the steps to my Mucota Algana Straightening Treatment with C-curls:

1. Wash
2. Snipping off 2 inches (because a shorter hair length is more suitable for C-curls)
3. Blow dry 
4. Apply the treatment prep cream
5. Leave the cream on for 20 minutes
6. Wash and blow dry
7. Straighten hair with flat iron
8. Put on curlers at the hair ends
9. Perm the hair ends for 20 minutes
10. Apply a cream/liquid to finish off the straightening treatment and set hair
11. Leave them on (cream version for top and liquid version for hair ends) for 10 minutes
12. Wash and blow dry

So this is how my hair looked like at the end of almost 3.5 hours in the salon.

A side by side comparison:

You know how we always look so good after stepping out from the salon, but hair looks like shit the moment we wash and style our hair the next day without any help from the hairstylists?

I DO NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM ANYMORE.

The photo on the left below was immediately after my session with Ken. 

The one on the right was 1 week later, where I did not bother to blow dry after washing.

I assure you if you do blow dry your hair properly with the right curling cream, it would look as good as the photo on the left. Even if you don't, it still looks so good too, and VERY manageable.

Increases your chance of 回头率 hahaha.

Nonetheless, my hair is looking on point, all day, every day, thanks to the Mucota Algana Straightening Treatment.

Much thanks to Ken for the wonderful hair session!

The price of this Straightening Treatment is about SGD 250-300 depending on hair length.

The C-curls are an additional SGD 60.

Have already gotten a lot of compliments from my friends after my hair session with Ken. (and my boss actually told me very honestly that my hair condition was really bad last time and was so glad I got my hair done, like say whut?)

Ok guys, if you have the same hair problems as me, I highly recommend this salon, and Ken, for the Mucota Algana Straightening Treatment.

For more information, feel free to check out their Facebook and Instagram.

Focus Hairdressing
133 New Bridge Road #02-03
Chinatown Point Singapore 059413
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HERA Cell Essence Review

Tried the HERA Cell Essence I got from Sample Store for 6 days already and I'm loving the results so far.

HERA is the leading luxury K-Beauty brand which aims to spread the special unique charm of modern Korean women. The brand is fronted by Korean actress Gianna Jun, and Jennie Kim from Blackpink!

So what is the HERA Cell Essence?

• A pre- water essence that prevents “skin desertification” and moisturises skin for a bright, dewy complexion, also know as the “Glass Skin”
• For all skin types
• Contains Cell-Bio Fluid Sync™ 2.0
• A “Body Fluid Planting System” that fills and locks in body fluid
• Strong skin-activating ingredients that reinforce skin’s sources
• A further upgraded version from Cell-Bio Fluid Sync™ featuring more innovative technology that enables maintenance and activation energy in skin
• 8 Skin Cell Activators
• Reinforce the underlying power of skin
• Skin nutrition to prevent skin desertification
• Essence contains 8 essential vital nutrients in body fluid composition

What is skin desertification?

As we age, we experience a number of skin aging problems including dry, tight, and rough skin with gradual buildup of dead skin cells. This is not just a simple dryness in skin, but the aging of skin’s constitution. It expands from one area to the entire face, and is call “Skin Desertification”.

Many people have misconceptions when it comes to dry skin. Simple dry skin lacks water; the solution is to provide water. Desertified skin on the other hand, does not lack water but the “power to hold water”; that is when irrigation facilities play a big part.

How to know if you have desertified skin? Here’s a checklist:

• Your skin used to be fine even when nothing was applied after washing, but now it feels very dry
• Slept soundly but skin still feels rough
• Skin damaged from sleeping late or staying up all night does not heal back like before
• You’ve been applying anything and everything you could but skin still looks bad
• Makeup looks bad and flaky, does not apply well
• Your skin still looks dull and dark despite applying makeup

Here's the ingredient list:

WATER, PROPANEDIOL, NIACINAMIDE,GLYCERIN. GLYCERETH-26, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM EXTRACT, TRIETHYLHEXANOIN SQUALANE, DIMETHICONE, PEG-60 GLYCERYLI RATE, CETEARYLALCOHOL, PEG-20 GLYCERYLISOSTEARATE.STEARIC ACID PALMITIC ACID, ADENOSINE, LYSINE, ALCOHOL, ARGININE, HISTIDINE, POTASS- IUM HYDROXIDE, GLUCOSE, XYLOSE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, PRUNUSPERSI- CA (PEACH) LEAF EXTRACT, MANNOSE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, LECITHIN, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, COPPER TRIPEPTIDE-1, FUCOSE, HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE COPOLYMER, METHOXY PEG-114/PO- LYEPSILON CAPROLACTONE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, PO- TASSIUM PHOSPHATE, PCA, LACTIC ACID, GLYCINE, MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, CALCIUMCHLORIDE, UREA, SODIUM GLYCEROPHOSPHATE, SERINE, GLUTAMIC ACID, POTASSIUM MAGNESIUM ASPARTATE, ASPARTIC ACID, HYDROLYZED MILLET, LEUCINE, ALANINE, MAGNESIUM GLUCONATE, CALCIUM GLUCONATE TYROSINE, PHENYLALANINE, VALINE, PROLINE, THREONINE, ISOLEUCINE, CIT- RIC ACID, CYSTEINE, ACETYL GLUCOSAMINE, URIC ACID, CREATINE, METHION- INE, PENTYLENEGLYCOL, HYDROGENATED PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE, CHOLE STEROL, HYDROLYZED HIBISCUS ESCULENTUS EXTRACT, ACRYLATES/STEARYL ISOSTEARATE

Directions:

After washing the face in the morning/evening, gently apply 2.5ml of Cell Essence using the hands or cotton pad. If using your hands, apply all over the face using the palms and gently pat the face with the fingertips to help the skin fully absorb.

The box I had also contains HERA's Double Effect Cotton Pad. 

This is the recommended routine:

• Morning: Awaken the rhythm by tapping skin lightly with your hands
• Evening: Carefully clean your face using HERA’s Double-Effect Facial Cotton Pad
• Wave-patterned side is soft and gentle; use when you want to keep your skin clean along with skin texture
• Mesh-patterned side helps remove dead skin and dirt accumulated over the day

 

I felt that the HERA Cell Essence provided hydration and my skin felt more supple than before. 

Get FREE SAMPLES!

If you want to get free samples, just redeem it from Sample Store here: 

http://bit.ly/2H3xeMi

Bee Choo Origin - Review

Had the chance to try 4 sessions of scalp treatment at Bee Choo Origin - Bedok outlet.

The thing about my hair is that it gets really oily at the end of the day, and I realised that I am starting to bald at the sides of my head due to frequent tying of hair.

Bee Choo Origin focuses on using the Bee Choo Origin Herbal Paste during treatment to help solve hair loss problems.

Here's a summary of the treatment process:

Step 1: Application of ginger hair tonic on the scalp to better absorb the treatment

Step 2: Application of olive oil at hair ends to protect hair

Step 3: Application of the herbal paste (consists of lingzhi, heshouwu etc, and no chemicals or preservatives)

Step 4: Steam hair for 45min to help open up scalp pores in absorbing the nutrients from the herbal paste

Step 5: Wash and blow

Before treatment:

Hair colour was at a light brown

Can't really tell if u are not a professional, but pores would be clogged if u do not wash your hair properly

After treatment:

Hair was slightly darker with a reddish tone

Can see that the inpurities were pushed out of the pores and now on my hair strands. I am now able to wash them out with a few more washes. Don't worry about that blob of brown there, it is the residue of the herbal paste and will be gone in a few washes.

In a whole, I felt a reduction in oily scalp after my sessions. But of course, it is a long term journey if you want to combat hair loss using all natural herbal ingredients as opposed to chemicals. My personal opinion would be to go for these treatments regularly to ensure the best results.

Some things to take note of: 

• Expect slightly brown waters from the first few washes after your treatment
• Place a cloth on your pillow for the first week after treatment so as to prevent the brown colour from transferring onto your pillowcase
• If you have coloured hair, you may experience a change in hair colour after the treatment session due to natural herbs coloring at play (pure natural ingredients are used, hence they cannot control the density of the color)
• Herbal smell from treatment may linger for a few days after the session

They also do sell hair and scalp care products.

I got this travel kit which consists of a shampoo, conditioner, damaged hair rebuilder and hair tonic. 

Good to know that the product was packed by trainees from CPAS too.

For more information, do check out:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Bangkok 2018: VLOG

Part 2 of my Thailand trip. And because all photos are gone, I only have the vlog below!