My weekend assignment

I was quite busy for the past week but I managed to squeeze in my time to make an appointment with the saloon to do something to my so ever messy, extremely damaged, dry hair. I decided change to another saloon for a change (as I just wanted to try new chemical products and try out a new stylist). So, few weeks back I made an appointment with a hair saloon downtown. (I have been here once before years back).

My hair status = Messy, grown rebonded hair roots, in REAL need of colour touch up, extremely dry and damaged at the edges (due to all the chemical work and daily usage of straightening tool)... :( In a nutshell... terrible!

I was thinking of getting a bit of waves at the ends of my hair but Aki-san (the stylist) is against it as he advised that the edges of my hair is too dry to take in strong chemical work.

Hence… this is what he did !

(sorry, pls ignore the untouched hair colour.. will touch up in a mth or so as advised by the stylist).

They used the Shiseido Professional products for straightening the top half of my crown and did a light chemical work on the bottom half. This is my 1st time trying out this brand as my previous hair stylists uses Keratase, Loreal.

During the process, they flipped the edges in as opposed to others, which is something I like as, then I won't have those fake pockey straight edges. The outcome :-
1) Natural look
2) No flat hair
3) Hair doesn't feel dry after wash

I also like the way he cut and layered my hair (tho it caused me soooooo much more then my normal saloon ...sob sob). And hah hah, he is one of the few good looking Japanese I have seen so far.

I will be back there in a month or so for my hair colour :)
For those in Japan, they actually have 2 branches in Saitama, Tokyo.

Btw, below is the pore cleansing strip I have been using recently. Most brands you see in the market only have nose strips, but you can also get the chin and forehead strips from this Korean
Brand, Skinlite. Great for lazy ppl like me !




Stuff I just got to test out :-


1) Kanebo Lunasol cleasing oil, facial cream foam, toner and moisturiser. I have not tried any Lunasol products before. Can't wait to try it (hopefully it doesn't give me negative reaction as I have sensitive skin).

2) Origins Brighter By Nature facial wash, anti stress serum & moisturise lotion with spf 25.

In addition to that, this is my new bag that I just got from Liz Claiborne!

I was searching for a black bag but when I saw this in the mall, I just couldn't resist. Such a happy looking bag! :) Hence, I brought it back home :) :) (there goes my budget for this mth!)

Here comes the King of the Fruits !

Yup, its the Durian season !

You will either LOVE it, or HATE it!
As some people regard the durian as fragrant, others find the aroma overpowering and offensive.











Have you tried it before ? :)

Diorskin Pure Light vs Dior X4 Control Pore Refining

For the past 1 year or so I have been an ardent fan of Dior's skincare and makeup products. However, today I will review on the Dior X4 Control Compact Foundation that I have bought quite some time back but only managed to try it few days ago as the weather is extremely hot recently (ie... sweating, stickiness..etc you get what I mean).

My skin condition :- Very oily but dehydrated on the surface, open pores especially nose area, occassional pimples, uneven skin tone, gets red easily, sensitive.

Anyway, actually I simply love my Dior Pure Light Liquid Foundation ( am on my 2nd bottle ). I use it together with my Dior Skin Radiant Base (with SPF 20) at times as I don't use sunblock (ya, the SAs always give me the shocked face when they ask me what kind of sunblock I use & I said I don't use any).

As I have sensitive, oily, easily blocked skin, not many products and brands suits me easily but Dior's stuff is my fav as at to date! The Pure Light is oil free, makes my skin looked extra radiant and glowing!

It gives light coverage but makes my complexion looks more transparent and natural. Seriously, even if you are having a not so good skin day, put it on, and you will look so much more healthier.

It contains 50% water (great for my dehyrated skin) hence don't feel like you are putting on anything (no masking effect).

My only complain would be it doesn't seem to have much oil control function on my oily oily face (I seriously wonder where it all comes from).

I got my Dior X4 Control few mths back when I was in Hanoi airport (much cheaper at that time because US$ value was lower then.. heh heh).

I didn't get to test it till few days back. The weather is extremely hot right now and I thought I should try it as it's written in the packaging there are 4 main functions :-

1) Sebum control to reduce shiny skin (wow!!! Jump up and down)
2) Pore control for a visibly pure & refined complexion (pore control? I want , I want)
3) Water control to bring extreme comfort thanks to hydro-regulating powders (water , my savior for dehydrated skin)
4) UV Control SPF 20-PA++ to help protect skin from sign of aging. (spf, I need!)

Didn't I tell you Dior is the best? Everything above sounds so great and meeting all my skin's problem needs. You know, many brands, even skin care, when you have pimple problems, they will give you the oil control range (which actually causes my skin to produce MORE oil, and dry out the outer layer skin), and if you tell them you have dehyrated problem... the products they have will be toooo oily for me, causing breakouts (ya, I have "mah fan" skin).

But Dior's product takes care of all the above.. (yes, their Hydra Deep Hydration Gel is my savior also...erm.. ok, today is about foundation. I shall not go off topic...heh heh, see how excited I am when I talk about Dior).

Anyway, I tested X4 Control to work, using it for 12 hours or so :( ....
It's actually my first compact powder foundation as I have been using liquid foundation since like forever... The reason why I dont use compact powder is because I don't like the cakey look, I don't have a very smooth skin, hence powders tends to make my skin flaws MORE obvious , tends to get flaky and block my pores, causing me more pimples.

But I brave the day by trying it out because it's Dior (hah hah).
~ Application is super easy and fast.
~ It's actually quite sheer, not masking at all. Of course it doesn't give the halo glowy look. It's matte but still with a bit hint of glow.

~ My pores looks pretty smooth and best of all... my face didn't get as oily as usual. Of course it's not the SUPER powder where my skin doesn't get oily at all, but it does help to control it.

~ So far no breakouts!

~ Easy to carry around (can carry into my hand luggage as it's not liquid! yeh..)

And at the end of the day, I face still feel quite touched up actually. I like.

As to the question on which would I prefer between Diorskin Pure Light & Dior X4 Control... I seriously can't decide. I guess, it gives you different function and outcome. Depends on the weather I guess. Or perhaps, you can use the liquid foundation and touch up with X4?
What foundation brands are your fav?

***edited ***

I have been using the Dior X4 control for a few weeks now and I just want to say, I lurve lurve lurve lurve lurve it !! It doesn't turn out bloachy on me, my skin looks smoother even after a whole day and seriously no breakout effects ! Totally my current HG.

********************
I leave you with a pic of my new handphone, in my new handphone pouch (pouch in black cause it looks more professional, lol... my boss have been giving me "the look" when he saw my blinked luggage bags huh..) with my Dior's handphone string.

(courtesy from my ex"shacho" who gave it to me as a pressie when he went back to Japan :) so nice of him ...

..ya I am a Dior addict :p
~ ze phone is courtesy of another kind soul... heh heh

Turban??

The minute I got this from the air stewardess I started to giggle :p

Since when a 'TURBAN' is provided in the plane... ???

(and the fact is, nobody else noticed the error / oddness ) ....

Current Lemmings - My Beauty Diary Mask

I have heard a bit about this famous Taiwan brand mask, "My Beauty Diary Mask" previously and the other day I finally saw it in our local drugstore !

There are many types and range of mask in this series and I didn't have time to analyse it as I was in a hurry (I think 12 range?). However, they do have a special box promotion whereby in the box they have one of each type of mask sold as a package. That should be great right, since it would be best to know which is better for my skin for future re-purchase.

I am actually a very lazy person in using mask and my half year stock of MG (Magic Beauty) mask (korean brand) has been extended to 1 year (gasp!).

Anyway, really feel like trying the Beauty Diary Mask since it is the sheet type, and will be easier to carry around since I am on the move/fly so often.

Ok.. shall run over to the drugstore this weekend and try it out ! La di da...
Will review on it thereafter.

Have you tried this masks before? ........

Taken for granted

This is going to be an emo post hence, sorry if I am going to bored you all to death.

Have you ever suddenly felt irritated with someone or a group or something, and anything that they say or do, will get you so filled with so much anger and frustration BUT you will feel guilty for feeling that way?

You then get angry at yourself for not trying to be patient and understanding. You feel guilty for answering back impolitely... you feels guilty for not being nice enough to just let it go.

At times I feel that certain people take us for granted. And once they take you for granted, they start to have lesser respect or appreciation of what you do. Instead, it becomes like your duty to handle certain matters under their so called "instruction". Instead of discussing important things with you together with the rest, you are merely the "worker". They become lazy to explain or even update you on what’s going on, till it's very late, or perhaps till the whole wide world knows about it already, and that’s when you show your red face because every other outsider expects you to be aware of it.

In normal times, I wouldn't think much of it as we are all working for the benefit of others, not expecting any returns. But STOP treating me like an innocent , inexperience person as I am not!

At times I really feel like saying, "hello, I might be younger but heck I might have much more experience than many of you on certain areas" so stop taking me for granted ! So stop saying "do this, do that, stop this, stop that. Stop discussing things without telling me the decisions and then expecting me to be aware of it.

But culturally and childhood teachings, have taught us it's not wise to say out such things aloud because you will offend certain people feelings and create unnecessary chaos. That's when, you slowly get's easily irritated more & more and at times feel like just breakaway from this unhealthy environment.

But then again, it's not easy to take the step to climb out of the hole as there are others than depend on you and if you do hop out to the other party, your relationship with the people there will be diminished.

Also at times I will be contracting to myself and felt so culpable for being angry at such minor issues. They are people that you should be relying on, people that should be part of your family, people that are part of you and you in them.

So, would you stay on, with hopes that the anger or irritated feeling will go away, and continue being nice and take it like nothing have gone wrong?

Or would you sniff around the land at the opposite side of the garden?

Drum Waves Island

And so, during one of the weekends I visited ..........

"Gu Lang Yu " !

The Chinese name "gu lang" means drum waves so-called because of the sound generated by the ocean waves hitting the reefs.

This is a small island connected to the main Xiamen Island by a short ferry ride (about 15 minutes). The ferry comes quite frequently but you will need to squeeze yourself at a pretty small waiting area for the ferry as there is many ppl waiting for it at all times!

As a place of residence for Westerners during Xiamen's colonial past, Gulangyu is famous for its architecture and for hosting China's only piano museum, giving it the nickname of "Piano Island".
(huh.. but but, how come I didn't visit the museum?) We paid RMB100 or something to enter a few museums but I don't remember visiting a Piano Museum ! Why our guide didn't remind us?? %^$$#! Huh..... I'll post his face later on below... the person that didn't bring me to Piano Museum!! :( :(

At least several hundred families still live on the island and make a living out of tourism. As Xiamen was also a foreign trading post (albeit a smaller one compared to Shanghai) after the foreigners forced open China’s doors after the Opium war, many European styled buildings and former embassy buildings still stand on the island.

Btw, the island is a pedestrian only destination, commuting within the island is mostly only by foot. The locals, of course have bicycles. But I saw this ......

Hmm... isn't that a vehicle in the island???
* but I guess a mini ambulance should be given the exception* wink!

So, we walked around the island, nothing much to do except seeing the old embassy buildings. Other than that, there's quite a few shops selling souveniors targeting the tourists. Nothing spectacular though.

* Tea house *

* Church bulding *

* Many people by the beach in the island. This is a man made beach where the sand is imported all the way from Hawaii, according to the locals *

And finally, mua...

P/s: I am still learning on posting up pics and the allignments of the posts, so ya, that's why it's a bit messy.

Anybody know how to lock certain posts in blogger? can teach me plzzzzz...