I actually stopped reading for a while sometime last year because the book I was in the midst of was so boring I cannot even remember the title of it now. I dreaded picking up my Kindle and forcing myself to absorb and understand each sentence yet I refused to move on to another book without finishing this... so my interest in reading waned. Luckily I picked it up again last month when I was informed that Sophie Kinsella has a new book! I'm a fan and I read every single one of her books.

Keeping to my own personal target of one book a month, below is a short review of the books I read in Dec and Jan! No matter how tired I am, I'll try to complete at least a chapter before bed because this activity helps to calm the mind and makes me fall asleep easily.

Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella
Learning about Sophie Kinsella's new book launch always excites me because I sorta grew up with her since... I don't know, 10? 15 years ago? Though time and again, the excitement disappeared shortly after when I realised how similar and predictable the storyline is to her previous titles. Even how she starts the first chapter of each book is so typical of her. Like a gypsy with her crystal ball, I know what to expect and I know what will happen. Shopaholic to the Stars is no exception. The only difference is that it was set in Los Angeles and maybe some little twists here and there. Perfect for lighthearted reading just before bedtime and as always, I take comfort in her familiar style of writing.

The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling
The book started with death and it ended with death. It was a little draggy and dry in the middle but I was kept interested because JK Rowling actually uses a lot of uncommon words - I've never checked the meaning of so many words while reading through a book before. I think I might have just revealed to the world that I've never read the Harry Potter series or how limited my vocabulary is hahaha. So anyway, while I enjoyed reading about the secrets of each individual, I felt that the last 10% of the book was moving too quickly and ended rather abruptly. It was like, I went through 90% of heavy reading for the last 10% exciting bits. I wouldn't recommend opening this book when you're really tired though 'cause it is a little thought-provoking and it talks a lot about politics! Interesting, nevertheless. JK Rowling's newest book, The Cuckoo's Calling is going on my reading list.

In the month of February, I'm finally starting on The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (NY Times bestseller for >230 weeks!). It's highly recommended by almost everyone so I look forward to a good read!


Since we are on the topic of books and geeky-related stuff, let me show you what my boring silver tech gadgets look like now.

TADAHHHHHH!!

I am in love with the digital rose print so I bought it and got it printed on Barely Naked and dressed my MacBook Air, Kindle Touch and iPhone 5S with it!!! When I am obsessed with something, I think I can go really overboard with it hahaha.

I was a little disappointed when I realised they don't have templates for Kindles hence I ordered one for the iPad and did some DIY myself hehehe.

Sticking the skins on my gadgets are a breeze. You can always pull it out and re-do if you think the lines don't align and there's no need for professional devices to aid in the sticking.

If you notice any air bubbles, just push the uneven bumps toward the edge and everything will be fine, flat and dainty. Sticking these Barely Naked skins is even easier than smoothing the protective sticker for your mobile phone (just look at mine), and you don't lose the adhesiveness as quickly as well!

I love how pretty and feminine my gadgets look now! Fully protected from scratches and dirt too!

If you are keen in dressing your gadgets, search for a print that defines you, your personality or let your creativity flow by doing your own illustrations then upload it on to Barely Naked for printing and check out with BNTIPJT10 for 10% off your order! It's a joy looking at them daily, reading from my Kindle makes me happier too hahaha.Click over to Barely Naked (http://www.barely-naked.com) and start getting inspired! ;)

Getting The Keys To Our First Home!

HOLA! It's only January but life has been exciting thus far! I've been blessed with amazing opportunities and also have been creating opportunities for myself. So all's excellent! :D Just a few days into 2015, H and I received news that we would be collecting the keys to our home mid this month and we were exhilarated because we waited 3 years for this!

A little background story before I continue - H and I applied for a BTO (Build-To-Order) HDB flat 2 years into our relationship because well, we felt ready to settle down and also, it only costs $10 to apply for one (LOL). But one thing I was very firm on before we paid the deposit and through the dating period was that - we will not allow ourselves to be tied down to this relationship because of this HDB flat. Which means that if we should (unfortunately) decide to go our separate ways, we will. And this flat application or the 5% deposit we paid with our CPF should never be any of the reasons to stop us from separating.

Why a HDB?
I was still flying with SQ then and we went to view show flats of DBSS (Design, Build and Sell Scheme) and EC (Executive Condominiums) and almost decided on applying for one of them... And then I started thinking waaaay ahead like, what if I stop flying (which I did)? Will we still be able to live as comfortably as today (that day)? And what if we have a child? All the numbers were clicking furiously in my head and I want to live comfortably. not having to worry about making ends meet or push myself to build a career on ground which I don't enjoy just to pay for the house. After some discussion with H, we decided to buy a BTO instead, at half the price of what a DBSS/EC would cost.

And today, I am extremely happy we made that choice because H's CPF contribution alone is enough to pay for the monthly instalment, and we will always have a roof above our heads. Thank you Universe! Our goal in 5 years is either to make the move into a private property or be the owners of a second property. We all need something to motivate us, yes? This is one of it.

So anyway, back to keys collection day! After our lunch at HDB Hub (please try the rojak and muah chee at the food court), we went to get our queue number!

Oh yes, I went there earlier for lunch but H reached even earlier so he went to pay for the fire insurance which costs a grand total of... $6.60. For 5 years. Super good deal omg hahaha.

It was also that day we realised that we have to pay Town Council a monthly fee of $65.60 (with immediate effect). That's WHEN I knew who's paying the workers who clear the trash and wash the grounds. All these twenty odd years of my life, my parents never told me. It's like, BAM, I'm finally a grown up with all these financial responsibilities.

Sorry for the digression. So the signing of the many sheets of documents inclusive of the waiting time took us around 1.5 hour and then we can finally head over to our new place to roll pineapple hahaha!

Here we are at our first home! :D

We opted out of everything we could possibly opt out from so our house was bare with no floor, no doors because I was 100% certain I wouldn't like anything provided by the developer as I'm quite particular about the design so it is best to start with a plain canvas!

View from the entrance

Living room

Bedrooms

BR3 is gonna be a guest bedroom

BR2 is gonna house our walk-in wardrobe!

Master bedroom

Both toilets come fully furnished

Kitchen and service yard!

There'll be some hacking of walls to be done (permit approved yay!) and overlaying of tiles because I don't like them glossy haha.

Will share more when we've made progress with the house renovation! ;)

MegRhythm Steam Eye Mask

Sponsored Post

Sometimes after a long day of staring at the computer screen, I will retreat to my cozy corner in the bedroom, light my aromatic candle, and just relax either with a face or eye mask before prepping for bed.

City dwellers like us go through so much stress on a daily basis (and I'm not just talking about stress at work). Dust, pollution, noise, all these factors unknowingly contribute to the deterioration of our physical body and mental health. That's why I always live by the motto of spending as much time having fun as when you are at work because we need that balance.

The Japanese always leave me in awe with the innovations they come up with, be it a new technology or just making lives easier for everyone using methods that are already available in the market. Whatever new products they introduce, it is always for the good of the society or the wellness of humans in general, and that is something I am impressed with.

Please allow me to introduce you to one of the newest products in the Japanese market - MegRhythm Steam Eye Mask. Yes, steam eye mask! It is the only patented steam eye mask in the market! The way it works is similar to how heat packs produce heat, minus the sand. Which means the steam eye mask is self-warming and heat emits from it almost instantaneously after I opened the packaging. The eye mask warms gradually to a comfortable 40°C the moment you put it on!

The MegRhythm Steam Eye Mask is unlike the usual beauty/skincare eye masks that targets your fine lines or dark eye circles. What it does is to help relieves and relaxes fatigue eyes (especially after facing the computer screen over a long period of time) and it also aids in brightening your eyes in just 10 minutes! Not only that, the steam from the eye mask moistens and soothes the eye area so refrain from using when you have heavy eye makeup as smudges will occur! I personally think the steam mask acts as the perfect perk-me-up in between work, and it is also a good eye retreat just before bedtime by helping to soothe tired eyes (use after eye cream application).
Please take a look at this video to see how it works, so amazing!

With my recent ReLEx SMILE procedure, I wouldn't want to overstrain my eyes so I will usually close my tired eyes to just relax after staring at the computer screen for hours. With the introduction to MegRhythm Steam Eye Mask, I'm just resting with it in the middle of the day or when I'm travelling in the car!

The steam eye mask comes with ear straps so that's one worry less about it being not in place!

I don't see much difference externally after using the mask but my eyes FEEL so rested and relieved. They are like, "I can spend another 5 hours staring at the computer screen!" hahaha. H tried the unscented eye mask before bed and he woke up to well-rested eyes the next day feeling fresh and awake (which he usually doesn't at 8am haha).

The ultra slim packaging makes it easy to pack it into your handbag to bring to work or for flights. If you are wondering how it feels when worn, it is very light on the face/eye area and the steam is surprisingly not too hot to handle, but in fact exudes a very, very comfortable kinda warm on the skin!

On nights when I'm skipping the face mask routine, I'll be seen in the steam eye mask and chatting with H because I can!

The MegRhythm Steam Eye Mask comes in 4 scents which are widely known for their calming and soothing effects that (sometimes) help to induce sleep - Unscented, Lavender, Rose and Chamomile. My favourite is lavender, I love lavender anything. Wearing the smell to bed allows me to sleep better!

Each box comes with 5 sachets and if you are keen to try the eye mask before making purchase at Guardian, Watsons, Unity and Tokyu-Hands, you can head over to MegRhythm's page to request for samples here: http://web.kao.com/sg/megrhythm

MegRhythm Singapore is also giving away prizes worth more than $95 on their Instagram account (@MegRhythmSG) so head over to find out how to win!

5 Tips On How To Prepare For A Winter Holiday

Hello! With the start of a brand new year, I thought I would work on the content of my blog (and maybe the layout..? I know the current layout looks really bad I'm sorry you guys have to face this every time you log on to this page hahaha). I hope to inject more informational posts that are useful and related to topics close to my heart such as fashion (of course), lifestyle (home furnishing, cooking) and travel (holidays and work-related). You will still see advertorials on products that I've tried and liked but be assured that I mean what I said in all my sponsored posts.

So today I thought I'll start with my first informational post since I just got back not too long ago from my honeymoon which H and I decided many moons ago it was going to be in Europe and in winter. I learnt a little bit about dressing up (not gonna be touching on stylish dressing in this post unfortunately) in subzero temperatures during my flying days by touching the many types of winter fabrics available in stores and also through the hard way - by wearing too little. Once, I went shopping in Seoul when it was -20°C wearing normal winter clothes (which include a layer of Uniqlo thermal, a knitted top and a coat I got from a high street brand). The cold was so unbearable, my ex-colleagues and I were literally hopping from shop to shop hovering around the heater they had in stores, vying for warmth and wondering out loud how exactly do the street vendors survive outdoors for >5 minutes.

What I did learn is that, the clothes/accessories that keep you warm do not necessarily have to be expensive, neither do you have to pile on 6 layers of tops to keep yourself toasty. Here are my 5 tips on how to prepare for winter!

1. Thermal wear
You gotta get the base right! Since I was born and bred in tropical Singapore, you definitely will not see me in thigh-high socks or thin, translucent stockings when it's -2°C out there. I cannot survive without a set of thermal wear. The most common place you can find it is in Uniqlo. The brand recently came out with "extra warm" heat tech which is thicker than its normal heat tech range. Personally, I don't think they work very well but the leggings are good for layering underneath jeans/tight pants because of the thin fabric.

On days when you are wearing skirts/shorts/dresses, you might want to consider this extra thick and extra warm leggings I got off Taobao here. (The shop I bought from is no longer available but I found the exact same pair!) Beware: it might make your legs appear 1/3 bigger than your usual size but your legs will thank you for that because it is never cold again. True story: My legs were suffocating and screaming internally to be out of these leggings on the flight from Stockholm to Reykjavik which seemed to have a lack of cold air.

2. Moisturise, moisturise
Moisturising is so important when it's cold! I made sure every inch of H and my skin are covered with moisturiser before we head out and after shower each day. The Bodyshop body butter (Wild Argan Oil) leave our skin moist and supple and we did not have to worry about dry, itchy skin the entire trip.

For the face, I applied Laneige Water Bank Range day and night. On alternate nights, I put on an additional layer of the Water Sleeping Pack. Oh yes, I removed my makeup with Nivea Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes and cleansed with Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. Gentle products wouldn't strip my face of the much needed moisture and I didn't have flaky skin so yay! And of course, for lips, remember your lip balms! I used lip treatments from Fresh, tinted ones for myself and the Advanced Therapy for H. Apply as often as you can to prevent chapped lips! Of course, don't forget to bag a bottle of water as you'll tend to feel more thirsty in the cold!

3. Heat packs
Only on this trip did I realise how precious heat packs are! I ordered mine from Taobao (lol) here. Fairly cheap but shipping was a little more expensive than usual because I did not know how heavy they are since I've never used them before haha. Anyway, you can also find it in Daiso. I'll slip one heat pack into each of my glove every morning and they actually keep my hands warm for up to 12 hours! I was very impressed so I decided to put one into each of my sock. Big mistake because the packs were literally burning my soles I had to remove them when we passed by a park hahaha!

4. Accessories
I have a lot of accessories on me everyday (beanie, scarf, gloves) so it is quite a hassle to
a) remember to bring everything out of the hotel with me
b) take off and wear everything again whenever we visit a cafe/restaurant
I cannot live without my beanies (or earmuffs if you prefer them instead) because I have Dumbo ears so the wind will numb my ears, ears will be frozen and I'll start to get a headache. For scarves, I like long, big knitted/wool ones because those can be wrapped at least 2 rounds around my neck. Those I wore on my recent trip were from H&M, Monki and Uniqlo Heat Tech. For socks, I wore H's from Uniqlo Men which were thicker and warmer compared to women's heat tech range!

5. Layering
Learn how to layer. Wearing 5-6 layers of the wrong kinda material will only make you look bulky and will not keep you warm. Here's a brief idea of what I wore daily:

1st layer - Thermal wear from Uniqlo Heat Tech (extra warm crew neck long sleeve) or this thermal top from Taobao (lined with wool).
2nd layer - Knitted top (from either Primark/H&M/Newlook/wherever) or a wool top will be your best bet. I wore H's wool top (link) on some days and I think I'll need to get a couple for my next winter trip!
3rd layer - Coat. My coats are all from high street labels (cheapest from H&M and I never bought anything that costs more than S$200), many of which I got years ago. H spent many days of our trip in his Uniqlo Down Jacket so I guess their down jackets are worth the money. Not to mention it is pretty affordable too!
4th layer - Accessories which include beanie, scarf, gloves, socks and boots. High boots will be useful if you're gonna be walking on thick snow 'cause you wouldn't want them to get in your shoes and walk around in wet socks the entire day. Also, make sure your boots are lined with fur so you get double the warmth!


I hope these tips and shopping links give you some ideas on where to shop and how to prepare for the cold and in the process, help you make some fashionable decisions! Have a great week ahead and I will be back soon! ;)


p/s: Updated SHOPTIPPYTAPP with some clothes for sale! More to come so do check the page regularly!

Owning a Home - Excitement

A little late but happy 2015 guys! 

I actually have a lot of things to do today but thought I'll pop over here for a little update!

Ever since we came back from our honeymoon, I've been thinking about our travel plans for this year because I miss being overseas 

The confirmed trips for 2015 include: 
- Tokyo and Kyoto
- Bali for a friend's wedding 
- New Zealand (in summer hopefully)

I'm hoping we/I can squeeze in a short trip to:
- Taiwan or just Taipei is fine as well

And that's all as our budget is a little tight this year because...

We've received news that we will be collecting the keys to our new place this month! 

What a great start to the year!!! We are so, so excited and have been rushing our interior designer to rush out the 3d designs and last weekend was spent looking for furniture in Jurong East (IMM, Big Box, The Furniture Mall).

I enjoy furniture shopping and zone out whenever we enter the electronics and home appliances sections because those are not my things. I get bored when we discuss whether to get a 48" or 55" tv (best is don't get one at all) or if the washer should be 7 or 8kg load. 

So yes, owning a house and renovations and everything are so expensive. Doubt we'll have extra cash to do much travelling this year but I guess having a cozy home will do just as fine.

So our ID has assured us that everything except carpentry work for our house will be done before the contractors take their CNY break and we should be looking to move in by April. I hope it's really this optimistic looking!

Which also means I have to start packing for the move soon because you will know how long it's gonna take me  It's almost like moving my current house (not room ah) into my new house hahaha.

Ready for Anything with Physiogel!

Sponsored Post

I am a true city girl at heart. I may enjoy the quiet, slow-paced country life void of haze and pollution (fresh air everyday yo!), but that's because I'm on a holiday and taking a break from the busy, urban city life. I don't think I'll know what to do having so much time on hand unless I find new hobbies like gardening, knitting and eh, raising a farm maybe. I will probably also start sleeping/waking earlier and actually allocate some time to taking care of my skin instead of rushing out of the house everyday because I am late...again.

When I say taking care of my skin, I actually meant my body's. I admit I do place more emphasis on my face and neglect my body because well, I do not think that my body's skin feels dehydrated since the skin does not flake like how the face would if it's dry. When I am actually in the mood and feeling hardworking, I do apply a thin layer of body moisturiser on me before heading out/to bed! 

And then I was told that alone does not provide enough moisture! Our skin needs MORE hydration than that so the recommended way is to actually apply moisturiser + a layer of sunblock on the body in the daytime just like how we would for our face!

Another nugget of information for you - daily showers can damage the outer layer of our skin making it dry, itchy, red and tight due to harsh soaps and washes. Honestly, I am a little shocked to know that because showers are supposed to be refreshing and I've always thought the water will keep my skin moist (haha don't judge we all learn something new everyday). I know sun exposure, air-conditioning, swimming, haze and pollution can strip my skin of natural oils causing it to become dry and aged but showering?!

THANKFULLY my skin is not in critical dry stage yet so there is still hope!

My hope comes in the form of Physiogel products!

H loves beach holidays and contrary to beliefs, I do enjoy going on one too as long as I am fully sheltered from the sun's UV rays. That was my main concern all along until I learnt that the heat of the sun is just as equally damaging to the skin as it dries out the natural oils in your skin reducing the effectiveness of its natural moisture barrier.

Our island might be a green city but you are not always sheltered from point A to point B so it is about time we start paying more attention to our hands and body!

Ever since I was introduced to Physiogel, I started making an effort to apply moisturiser everyday! If you've touched my friend, Jasmine's skin before, you would be jealous too. She is the most hardworking skincare junkie I know and she has the softest and most supple arms hahaha. 

So now I am working towards a wholesome approach - flawless skin from tip to toe!

Stiefel, the parent company of Physiogel, has over 160 years of experience in dermatology and its products are hypoallergenic which means that it does not cause allergic reactions. This makes Physiogel the dermatologist recommended skincare brand for dry and sensitive skin.

My day starts off with the mild and gentle Cleanser which replaces my shower gel! It is designed to cleanse and soften all skin types (especially sensitive skin), and it is so mild that it is suitable for use on babies!

My next step is the Lotion which I apply in the day (followed by sunscreen if I am heading out) as it is lightweight which feels more comfortable on the skin in this heat and humidity. It relieves dry, tight skin especially when I'm out and about under the sun. Additionally, the lotion makes my skin less sensitive and my arms don't feel as irritable or itchy at the end of a long day!

I choose to apply the Cream at night before bedtime as it is richer in texture and it promotes long lasting moisturisation which I definitely need since I sleep in an air-conditioned room. As our body does its usual magic every night while we are asleep, the Physiogel Cream also helps to restore the skin's elasticity ;)

I go for IPLs so skin is especially dry (and a little sensitive) after each session and hypoallergenic moisturisers are recommended by the therapists. Once, I used the usual drugstore body moisturiser with perfume after an IPL session and my legs developed red spots and itched for 2 whole days! It was so horrible not being able to have proper sleep at night. I learnt my lesson then and only trust dermatologist skin moisturisers after that.

With Physiogel, I am ready for anything! Beach holidays, #ootd shots under the sun, shopping in air-conditioned malls... BRING THEM ON!

Discover more about your skin and how you can be ready for anything with Physiogel at www.readyforanything.sg and you could win a Physiogel gift pack!

Stand a chance to win a Physiogel Hamper worth over S$100! This is my largest giveaway yet as I have 14 exclusive Physiogel Beauty Box + Physiogel products to give away to 14 winners!! Each Physiogel Beauty Box contains trial size packs of Physiogel Cleanser, Cream and Lotion. Share the love with your friends today!

To win, simply email me at jessicathamyx@gmail.com to share with me why you feel good skin is essential for you to embrace your Singapore lifestyle! I will select my favourite email from the submissions!

In the meantime, keep your body’s skin moist! ;)