2013-01-16

Dolly Wink x Tsubasa Masuwaka part 2

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 I know a lot of you have been waiting eagerly for this post!!! Coz it's photos from when I met Tsubasa Masuwaka when she came to Singapore for Dolly Wink!!

I was so happy that week because I actually met her 2 days in a row...

Super regret giving up on my Japanese classes because I had a lot of chances to actually talk to her but of course I cannot speak Japanese and she can't speak English, so those moments were spent in silence. :( Wish Cheesie was here to help translate!

First day was her press conference... Also a chance for me to meet the girls of the Dolly Wink Lookalike Contest, where I was to be a guest judge!

 After much anticipation... THERE SHE IS!!!



She's super pretty and petite irl!! Looks just exactly like her photos!

In any case I didn't photoshop her in any of the photos I'm gonna be posting (coz she really doesn't need it), so you can judge for yourself.



These girls are the finalists for the Lookalike contest!!

I must say I am really impressed... Before the press conference the girls were gathered in a group and seeing such a big group of very pretty (and vain, haha) girls is slightly alarming and intimidating... They all looked so spectacularly out of place in Singapore with their bright hair and dolly eye make up. They would have fitted right into Shibuya 109 and nobody will think they aren't Japanese!

So yes I'm really impressed with the effort they all put in and the authenticity of their "gyaru-ness". Plus they are all so pretty! Even Tsubasa herself, when asked to give them advice for tomorrow, said she had none really as they all already looked so perfectly gyaru.

Want to rant a little here... Someone commented to me that "they all look the same".  I don't think this is a fair thing to say.

Sure, gyaru fashion has a distinct style and maybe, when seen in a big group like that, a lot of them look similar in light ash hair, false eyelashes or floral print clothes. But if you put ANY fashion style of people together, they will ALL look "the same".

For example, to everyone else a group of goths all look the same. Or a group of heavily tattooed and pierced people, all who strived to look "different" by imprinting their bodies with difference designs and piercings, all look "the same" when viewed in a group.

If you adopt any style at all, you are bound to look the same as people with the same taste as you, because there are so many people in this world trying to find their style that nobody is truly unique! Even if you choose to not wear anything at all, you will still look "the same" as the other nudists around the world!

But to someone who is interested in gyaru fashion, you will be able to see... Oh some of the girls are going for the Mode style, some are going for the hime style... Just as someone who is into goth can possibly tell between different goth styles.

And so what if the girls look similar to each other? At least they stand out from regular girls and go for a look that they love, to represent themselves... If you don't bother dressing up at all, you think you look so unique? No, you just look "the same" as any other lazy person out there! In your, god forbid, black leggings worn as pants.

I'd rather look the same as people with the same passion as me than look the same as lazy people who do not even bother dressing up, which is like 80% of the world, thank you.

Ok, rant over.

After this I had an interview session with Tsubasa herself!!! 

You can actually view the video here, featured on Now You Know:



Cannot stop smiling like an idiot the whole time I was chatting with her... So unprofessional haha...

She gave very lengthy and detailed answers to every question and at the end of the interview she had to say "Hi, I'm Tsubasa, keep watching Clicknetwork dot tv."

Even though it's a relatively simple sentence for us, it is a little challenging for her as she can't speak English well, but she still so nicely obliged. She practiced over and over again before she got it perfect for the camera.

Overall I'm just really impressed with her work ethics because she flew into Singapore early that morning... Japan to Singapore takes about 7 hours. After she landed she immediately had to do a photoshoot for Nylon magazine (I know because Rozz's bf is the photographer and she told me that he shot a Japanese celebrity that morning which reminded Rozz of me haha... Highest praise ever). Anyway Nylon magazine is out already so do go check it out!

After her photoshoot, which must have been exhausting, she had to attend the press conference and do press interviews, which must be pretty dull for her! Imagine people asking you similar questions over and over again for YEARS!

That's why I'm surprised that even though we were the last to interview her, she didn't patronise us by giving short answers and wanting to escape to her hotel room asap to rest... In fact she was very patient and obliged to every request!!

Photos!!


I was about 6 months pregnant. Now I'm 7 and a half!



She's so gorgeous and perfect!!

Her face is super tiny wtf I had to photoshop mine like 40% smaller just to make it look like my head is vaguely the same size as hers fml.

Anyway if you are wondering what's going on with my awful black roots... Well I keep getting people criticizing me for dyeing my hair while pregnant. My gynae Dr Law Wei Seng actually said it's perfectly safe to do so and after all the research I did I realised that there is no conclusive evidence that it will harm the baby, although most people suggested only doing it after the 1st trimester (which I did).

But even though I believed that it is safe, to stop all the criticism and to err on the side of caution I tried to minimize hair dyeing... Thus I tried to tolerate the black roots for as long as possible, which resulted in the above travesty. FYI I have since done my roots once more and my hair is now blonde again.



Hey baby-in-my-belly, you got touched by the most famous gyaru mama in Japan!!


Here's Tsubasa signing postcards Clicknetwork printed for her to give to lucky viewers....

Most celebrities just sign but not her!! Is it in the Japanese culture that everything people do, they must do better?? You can see she drew with so much effort on every postcard for her fans... Super sweet!!!

I'm pretty sure her hardworking attitude has everything to do with how incredibly successful she is. She mentioned during her interview that she oversees the design for each and every Dolly Wink eyelash to make sure they are perfect... How she gets any sleep at all is anyone's guess!!


Look how happy I am! Coz Tsubasa gave me a HUGE bag literally overflowing with Dolly Wink products!!

WAH WAH WAH!!

Plus I also get her new product... Bambi Series contact lens!! She told me these aren't even out in the market yet and I am telling you guys I super LOVE them coz they are ONE DAY lens!!

Geo lens don't normally come in One-day lens, usually they last 6 months and aren't very comfortable, but these are SUPER comfortable!! Plus they are so very pretty!! :D

I'm just happy to see a new player in the coloured one day lens market!!



I also get two of her Milky Bunny CDs, signed!! Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!


Luckiest girl in the world is me!!!

Next day is the Dolly Wink Lookalike Contest, 
held at Scape Warehouse.

Here's what I wore...


Liz Lisa dress, Guess wedges, floral headband

This photo is taken in the VIP dressing room. On the table you can see some of Tsubasa's belongings as she was also doing her makeup and general waiting in the room (so people don't harass her). I was alone in the room when I took the photo... Not buay paiseh enough to do it while she and her entourage were inside lol


After this, unfortunately, I couldn't take any other pictures because I had to go on stage already. So the rest of the photos are the official ones!

And while Tsubasa was waiting in the room with me I was too shy to ask her for photos because I wanted to act cool and not hound her like some fangirl... But inside I really wanted to :(


The stage was decorated with many photos of her...






Me chatting with the host, who can speak both fluent English and Japanese.

The event was so fun,.Tsubasa, the Japanese Boss of Koji and I were sitting at a booth at the back where we were to judge the finalists' catwalk and creative answers to the host's questions.

All the girls did such a fantastic job!

Here are the top two winners:


Here's the runner up Golly Locks... She's super pretty and tall wtf. She went with a summer-y mode style.


Winner Kelly Konomi went with a more cutesy style... Needless to say I super love the flower band on her head and cute pink outfit!! Definitely won some points from me. :D

If you wish to see more photos check out the facebook album for that day's event HERE!!



 Event over!! GROUP PICTURE!!

Had a lot of fun those two days...

Really hope to see more Singaporean girls try out the gyaru style... If you want to start, you can start by experimenting with Dolly Wink makeup... Quintessential gyaru makeup brand!

Last pic of me wearing Dolly wink's top and bottom lashes


Of course, stay inspired by Liking the Shibuya Gals facebook page!!





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2012-12-20

Youth Code Eye Essence

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Let's talk about our eyes today!!



Starting with a bit of trivia!!

Did you know, that the skin around your eyes is 
at its thinnest, thinner than anywhere else on your face?


At just 0.3mm to 0.5mm, it is about 3-5 times thinner than skin elsewhere on your face, which is usually between 1mm to 1.6mm!!

That's why the skin coutour around the eye area needs all the help it can get!!

Not only is it the most fragile, it also also the most abused...

We put most of our makeup on the eye area and sometimes get a little too violent tugging out falsies or wiping away waterproof mascara...


We rub our eyes when they get itchy, tugging on the paper thin skin there...

And I'm most guilty of this...


I give my eyes no mercy at all whenever I'm awake, staring at my phone's bright sceen, the computer or TV... The stress gets to the eyes, causing constant blinking, dehydration etc.

When it comes to skincare solutions for our eye area, most of us are praying for a solution to the 5 most common problems:


Eeeeks!! Hate all these!!!!!!

Most of us just give up the constant combat, especially for dark eye circles, because it seems impossible to not have any of these!! But... applying concealer isn't really fixing the crux of the problem.

If you want to try a new eye skincare solution, why not give the L'Oreal Youth Code Eye Essence a try?


The Youth Code Eye Essence is a brilliant combination of 2 patented technologies developed by L'Oreal Paris.


Don't want to say too much about the scientific stuff that's in this little powerful bottle, but here's some statistics from tests done on participants:


After 4 weeks of usage:

Elasticity and firmness on average improved by 16%
Fine lines and crows' feet diminished by 12%
Wrinkles reduced by 14%
Overall signs of fatigue decreased by 7%

Can you say wow?



I personally love the ultralight texture.

After application there is no stickiness or oily residue (I worry about causing milia seeds). It is super refreshing and feels so nice on the skin under my tired eyes, absorbing instantly, leaving a velvety silky finish.

After I come home from a long day wearing makeup, I realised that after cleansing and showering my skin, especially around the eyes, become super dry...

After putting on the Youth Code Eye Essence I instantly feel the skin become plumper, hydrated, and firmer!!

Also, application is so easy...


On a clean face (obviously I have makeup on, this is for demo purposes), use the glass dropper to put some eye essence on your ring finger...


Simply use your ring finger to gently dab the Youth Code Eye Essence into your delicate skin. Use once every morning and night... The formula can be used under makeup too.

The result?

Instantly rejuvenated, hydrated skin around your eyes!

And Xmas came early!! The L'Oreal Youth Code Eye Essence retails at a usual price of $34.90 for the 15ml bottle. Totally affordable!



But from November to December, the Youth Code Eye Essence is retailing for only $29.90!!

GRABBBBB!! FIVE DOLLAR DISCOUNT!!

If you are looking for something just as powerful that will care for the rest of your face as well, you can also try out the popular L'Oreal Youth Code Boosting Essence!

Have you thought that somehow, your skincare just doesn't seem to work as effectively as it used to?

Well, the scientists at L'Oreal have discovered that it is because of the "Recovery Gene" in our skin. In youthful skin, the Recovery Gene absorbs active ingredient and fights fatigue up to 5 times than in mature skin!

That's not good!!

But don't fret! In this bottle is the secret that can speed up the Recovery Gene in aging skin - the result is not only can it recover the skin's natural recovery capabilities, it also amplifies the effects of any skincare you apply on top of it!

Just imagine - same skincare, twice the results!! That's why this is calling the BOOSTING essence, to help you maximum the skincare you already love!


You can find the Youth Code Eye Essence and Youth Code Boosting Essence at Watsons, Guardian, Sasa, selected departmental stores and major hypermarkets.

If you want to find out more or keep yourself updated, remember to LIKE L'Oreal's facebook page!


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2012-12-11

The Falsies Mascara

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As you all know I typically use false lashes to enhance my eyes. But fake lashes are, no matter what... fake.

So sometimes when I see girls with super pretty thick and long natural eyelashes, perhaps enhanced with only mascara, I feel so jealous!!


Kim Kardashian is particularly fond of flaunting hers -_- Show off!!

She has said many times that those are her real lashes!!

I also want!! I want to be one of these girls with *ahem* naturally luscious lashes framing my peepers!!

Therefore, sometimes when I'm in the mood I also forgo the stick-on lashes and go for mascara instead!! When that time comes, I'm always hunting for the best mascara to use.

I know a lot of girls don't bother to put too much eye makeup and fake lashes are too much for them. Mascara is also good for occasions like going to the pool or beach because fake lashes won't stay... and let's face it, swimming with fake lashes is just ridiculous.

When it comes to the best mascara, the brand that many people swear by is Maybelline!

After all, Maybelline *IS* the number 1 brand for mascara in Singapore!!

I remember all through my youth I've used Maybelline's mascaras... Anyone remember the one that is neon pink and green? I loved that! :D

Now new to the Maybelline mascara family... Introducing...


The Volum' Express Falsies Mascara!!


People have different needs when it comes to the perfect mascara, some want volume, some want length... for others it is more important that the mascara is smudge-proof because they tear more.

Well, after trying the Falsies mascara, I must say that this new concortion is the all-in-one bombdiggity!!!

LENGTHENING!
VOLUMIZING!
WATER-PROOF!
RUB-PROOF!
SMUDGE-PROOF!
FLAKE-PROOF!

It is dream lashes in a bottle!!


Comes with a fanned out brush to catch even your finest little hairs... And look at those lengthening fibres!

Are you ready to see the before and after on me?

100% not photoshopped:

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TADAH!!!


Suddenly my eyes look much more alert than the sleepy and dull specimen on the left...


I only put 2 coats of mascara on and the difference is already so obvious.


Ohai!!

I may not have Kim K's Armenian hairy genes but I still look ok with my sparse Chinese lashes thanks to Falsies mascara!! :D



Wish I could transplant my arm hairs on my lash line. LOL


I love how when you close your eyes people can see that there are no fake lashes on... :)

But how mascara looks after you put it on is just the first hurdle...

As the day goes on can it last??

What I love about Falsies mascara is that even in Singapore's ultra humid weather the lashes remain curled instead of drooping after long wear!

Plus it is one of the few mascaras I've used that are truly flake-proof... I super hate it when mascara flakes on my face making it look like I have black spots all over... -_-



Eye itchy and you went to rub it?

Not to worry....


Watching a sad movie and it made you cry??


AND smudge-proof so you never end up looking like a panda!!!!!! I don't know how they did it but Falsies mascara kinda has an almost rubbery feel... Once it is on your lashes and solidified it just won't "melt" again!

Well if you don't believe me watch this video I did with Golden Tan (that's Michelle Chong in one of her funny personas), putting the Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Mascara through a variety of torture tests!




Had a lot of fun filming this... Thank you Michelle Chong and team for taking care of me, Larry Yeo for my makeup and the Maybelline team for all the niceness that day!! Just FYI if you are wondering, I was about 3 months pregnant when this was filmed. I was still skinny-ish... :X

Can't believe I actually went swimming and inside a sauna with Falsies mascara and it survived!!


Ok one last photo before I go!!

Serious fierce look

If you want to give the Falsies Mascara a try, they are available at Watsons and most places that sell makeup... At an affordable $20.90!

Additionally if you want an even darker and more intense look for Xmas/NYE, you can now try out the limited edition Falsies Everlasting mascara! Available only during this Xmas season so remember to grab, fast!

Of course, remember to Like Maybelline's fb page below to get updates for more good deals!

http://www.facebook.com/MaybellineSG

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2012-12-02

Create Your Style with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS

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Ok, everyone knows I like shiny stuff right? Right... That's why I'm always blinging any of my possessions that can be blinged with loads and loads of SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystals!!

My blinged up gadgets never fail to get me so much praise and attention :D






Like this gorgeous camera? You love?


But just sticking crystals on stuff is not the end of what you can do with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS!!!


Thanks to this advert, I recently went to a SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS workshop and it turns out you can also use their crystals to make your own jewellery!!!

I mean, I've seen SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Beads and Sew-on Stones in craft shops before but because I always thought making your own jewellery was hard, I just never bothered to learn and try... BUT TO MY SURPRISE IT IS SO EASY!!!

This opens up a whole new world of possibilities :D


The front and back of my blinged up blackberry bold 9900

Just like with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Flat Back Crystals, the possiblities are endless when it comes to design and personalization!!

You no longer have to hunt for the perfect accessory to match your outfit - you can just make your own!! And I daresay it is possibly cheaper than buying one off the shelf. :)

Here's one of the necklaces I made in about.... 15 minutes?




I always feel photographs don't do justice to SWAROVSKI ELEMENT products... They are really very shiny in real life sparkle whenever you move!!


Shiny crystal ball in my necklace made from SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Beads

 Ruby pink SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Sew-On Stone... It's a flat crystal meant to be for sewing on your clothes but with a bit of innovation it can also be part of your necklace.


Want to learn how to make this necklace? 

I made a video tutorial!!




Hope you liked the video!! Of course, this is a simple piece... Once you mastered all the techniques you can move on to making very intricate and beautiful pieces. :D

Wait, I'm not done yet!!

If you wish to learn more about how to use SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS to create your very own customized pieces, COME JOIN OUR WORKSHOP!!!

SWAROVSKI is organizing a workshop specially for you guys and this is why you should come:

1) Mingle with your favourite bloggers!! That's me lol... Also Qiuqiu and Sarah will be there as well and we will be *ahem* passing down our skills from what we learnt so far.

2) No need to be confused as you watch videos/read books on how different techniques... It's much easier to learn with a physical demonstration and you can ask all the questions you need. Then you bring home the skills!!

3) All the tools and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS will provided so when you are done with your masterpiece you can bring it home... For free! :D

4) Get to win goodies

5) Upon completion you can also create more jewellery and participate in a competition where the piece with the most votes will win exciting prizes


You decided to come yet?

Great, here are the event details:


DATE:
VENUE: Talent Cafe
TIME: 11am - 5pm


You can always go to Create-your-style.com.sg for more details, and do remember to visit and like the facebook page HERE!! (need link)

See you guys at the workshop!!



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