Instagram Snapshots ~*July 2014*~

Here's July instasummary late by more than 2 weeks. For sound and image quality, as well as full streaming, Instagram videos are better viewed on iamjolene Instagram page itself.

~3 July 2014~
Love my new darker hair colour and cut a lot! Before that, my hair was fading to an orangey tone with lots of split ends.




~4 July 2014~
Chill lunch alone at Ma Maison. Supposed to be chilling but phone calls and messages keep coming in.




~5 July 2014~
Heavenly cupcake with metallic finishing and oozing soft chocolatey and fruity centre. Yummy!




~6 July 2014~
Latergram dinner at Miam Miam again. For mains, hubz had Miam Miam signature spaghetti once more (hit) while I tried the Soufflé de Nauge (miss). For drinks, hubz had the iced matcha latte which I had the last time round while I decided on the Miam Miam Haze (Earl Grey lovers would love this aromatic tea with steamed milk and home made vanilla syrup) Dessert was Apple and Granola pancake.




~6 July 2014~
Miam Miam Soufflé de Nauge. Looks delicious but I always forget that I could never finish baked rice or any dish with ingredients of the same mushy texture.




~6 July 2014~
Disco divas and dude on our way to blow balloons at @gerrachong wedding!!!




~6 July 2014~
@gerrachong has the most-outta-convention wedding of the year! It's a mixed theme of disco dudes and divas, retro, modern, outrageous...




~6 July 2014~
Primary 6 BEE class photo... 2 decades later! Now how many people would believe the 2 decades later?




~6 July 2014~
Disco Divas, Retro Nerds, Dancing Queens, Bimbos Himbo... Whatever! Love all their bobs!




~6 July 2014~
This is what goes "behind the scene in front of the camera" when I try to take a selfie each time the hubby is nearby. He just loves to photobomb! Grrr...




~6 July 2014~
This is how a Selfie Sunday photo would look like... Without the hubby photobombing. (Refer to previous video)




~9 July 2014~




~10 July 2014~
At Sentosa RWS 森 Forest for anniversary dinner. Trying out celebrity chef Sam Leong's contemporary Chinese cuisine with Western infusion. So far, we are enjoying it.



~10 July 2014~
If there is such a thing as a back of hair selfie. ~*~ Did this curls in 15 minutes without a mirror coz the bathroom and mirrors of TreeTop Lofts RWS is so big but there isn't a single power point to plug my curling tong in. Hmmph! ~*~ My hair colour is confused. Reflected in photos, it is very dark almost black taken under general indoor lighting, light beige brown under warm lighting, faded to slight orange (sobz big time) under outdoor lighting. Reflected in real life whether under indoor or outdoor lighting is the type of dark brown tone I LOVE. My stylist recommended this new hair colour from Hoyu. It's a beige brown with ash tone without the need for bleaching. Woot to whoever invented such hair colouring! *No editing or instagram filter for this photo*




~10 July 2014~
Feeling miff that instavideo keep closing on me so now lemme take a selfie. ~*~ The video of the TreeTop Lofts are up on Facebook (for my FB frenz) and will be up soon on my blog (for my blog frenz and Instagram followers). I won't be trying to upload videos of the room here on Instagram anymore.




~12 July 2014~
Really tickled when I opened the Groupon mobile app and a sinister-looking feline (possibly the cousin of Grumpy Cat) in a spaceship hovered up and down, promising to summon the finest deal in the universe.




~12 July 2014~
Latergram. Waraku for dinner.




~13 July 2014~
❤❤❤ Dear Charmaine, You would have been 9 years old in a few hour's time on 14 July 2014. I was looking through all our photographs of happy times when you were well and of happy times even when you were sick. I found myself smiling as a little tear drop formed. It has been 3 years but you were never quite gone, weren't you? Happy birthday Char Char! Love, Godma Jolene ❤❤❤




~14 July 2014~
A tête-à-tête with the hubz just now ended with me quipping: "Actually I like Argentina too. Maybe I should switch sides." It was so fun 4 years ago when I was rooting for Spain and the hubster was rooting for the Netherlands. Oh the tension... Maybe we shouldn't have tension this time round. Both are such awesome teams.




~19 July 2014~
~*Latergram Polka dot pastel nails a week late*~ Bought some Eco-friendly nail colours and dotting tools from Sasa and decided to come up with this. I know guys HATE polka dots anything. They think the nails look like some diseased mushrooms. The gals LURVE them though! They think dots and pastels are so cute and some thought that they were gelish! Not the best paint job from the wobbley hands me but I like how it turned out. This came late coz I've been suffering from gastric related problem and been puking. I'm intending to write something about ethical beauty starting from these eco-friendly Cyber Colors nail polishes from Sasa's house brand.




~19 July 2014~
Waiting for the outrageous Kumar to start his/her show! The Kumar Show is part of Kh's birthday treat. This uncle and auntie pair came to sit at our table. Auntie's shoe scraped against my toe. Uncle removed shoe and put one leg up on the neon table. We are feeling a little squeezed. Sigh... Hope Kumar could lift our spirits soon.




~21 July 2014~
❤ My most atas compact foundation ever-- Givenchy! I love how it felt on my skin when the pleasant Sephora SA applied it on my face, much better than the Dior and Lancôme that are highly raved about. ❤ I used to be a ZA and Silky Girl compact foundation user for the longest time ever before I switched to BB Cream. The weather is too sweltering nowadays and a powder foundation would be a good alternative every now and then. I wanted to venture into luxury make up to see if such make up is worth every cent. PS: When I told the then nonchalant hubz that I bought an atas Givenchy compact powder for SG$XX, he immediately sat up and wanted to take a look. Apparently, he heard as "Givenchy wallet"and was shocked at the great deal. I guess after he knew it was foundation, he was still shocked... at how much a foundation could cost!




~23 July 2014~
The other day, hubby got craving for uni (sea urchin) but ordered so much more than just uni. I always think uni tastes like drain (as in tastes like the smell of drain...duh... I hate it when people ask me if I've tasted drain before). This uni was so sweet. No hint of drain at all. Pass!




~25 July 2014~
~"The stupid girl who fell down"~ To summarize the sprain on the left foot and the bruise on the right shin: 1) No pedestrian crossing. 2) Crossed road while looking out for both sides of traffic. 3) Left foot unknowingly stepped into sunken in part of road along divider. 4) Lost balance and fell forward. 5) Right shin bumped and scraped divider. 6) Palms broke fall and prevented possibility of falling flat on face. After the hubz "tui" my sprained ankle last night, the pain intensified. Woke up in tingling pain a few times throughout the night. I kept scolding him for making the pain worse but he insisted that it would recover faster after that. He is so damn right! I could walk normally most of the time by the 2nd half of the day except up and down steps. I could twist my foot in more directions and could even tip toe without hint of pain. Amazing! The title is inspired by the hub coz I fell way too many times this year.




~27 July 2014~
Met up with my sis @kezel for dinner at Senjyu Northpoint. This eatery has taken over the spot where Sakae Sushi used to be. It is under Sakae Sushi Holdings but serves more upscale Japanese cuisine than Sakae Sushi. Not too bad at all!




~27 July 2014~
My sis @kezel and I shared this bento set. Luckily we did, for we were so full halfway through the meal.




~27 July 2014~
I could never ever leave home without my external charger. First world problem...




~28 July 2014~
Out with the 2-week old polka dot nails that's chipping, cracking and growing too long for my comfort and... (See next post)




~28 July 2014~
Out with the old polka dot nails that's chipping, cracking and growing too long for my comfort and in with new shorter gelish paddle pop ombré nails. Haven't done gelish for more than a year and decided to blow the cobwebs off the gelish package.




~28 July 2014~
Pastel Paddle Pop ombré finger nails with turquoise toe nails. Ya I know I have very small nail beds. Laugh at me. I need to keep my nails so long just to look like the size of other people's normal nail beds.




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SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (FTE), better known as the "miracle water" by many Asian celebrities is the only facial product I use from SK-II.


Discovering SK-II Miracle Water

The whole range of SK-II products costs a bomb but FTE is a product that I would definitely invest some moolah in. Besides, I heard from my gal pals that SK-II as a whole range works miracles on temperate Asian skin (Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea etc) but not so much for tropical (Singapore, Malaysia Indonesia etc) skin. I know of many Singaporeans who use FTE and not any other SK-II products as the whole range is too rich on our tropical skin. Hence a few years ago, I jumped onto the FTE bandwagon and was eager to see what this miracle water would do for my skin.

The results of FTE is not immediate but over the years, it certainly helps to keep my complexion looking youthful. There are mostly rave reviews on FTE on many platforms with a handful lamenting that it is an overrated and expensive product that stinks literally. Let me touch on the stink later.


The Secret Ingredient

The story of SK-II started at a simple sake brewery in Japan, where scientists chanced upon elderly sake brewers who despite their wrinkled face, had beautiful soft hands as a result of being in constant contact with the sake fermentation process.




A rigorous search of over 350 kinds of yeast was conducted before researchers discovered the unique yeast strain that held the secret to crystal clear skin – Pitera, a naturally-occurring liquid from the fermentation process. Pitera is rich with vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids that work together to allow the skin’s natural surface rejuvenation process to function at its prime.




All of SK-II’s skincare products contain Pitera but the Facial Treatment Essence has a whopping 90% of the product containing Pitera, the most out of all their products. This is also why FTE stinks literally. What do you expect from fermentation? Fortunately, the smell is bearable for me. I was initially treading with trepidation when I first read reviews with people saying that it smells like shit, vomit, something gone bad and the likes. I was close to preparing a gas mask on standby, so imagine my delight when I found that the smell did not wage a scent war with my nose at all.


How to Apply SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

FTE is to be applied after toner and before moisturizer and serum. I'm a really lazy person and sometimes I simply skip the toning part. But if you aren't lazy, please apply it between the toning and moisturizing step.

(A) The SK-II Recommended way -- With Cotton Pads

Soak a cotton pad and gently smooth onto your face for 1 minute. Turn the cotton pad around and gently pat onto your face and neck for another minute. Apply every morning and night after cleansing and toning.

Personally, I find that lots of product is wasted and I would recommend patting the cotton pad all over other parts of your body after you are done with your face and neck. There is simply too much goodness soaked in there to be wasted.

(B) With Your Palms

Simply pour drops of the liquid onto your palm and pat onto your face and neck. It is so lightweight and easily absorbed that you have to bring your palms to your face as quickly as possible. The Sales Assistant told me that they encourage the use of cottons pads as the FTE would be absorbed into the live cells of the palms quite quickly but not on the cotton pads.

(C) Spray and Pat with Palms

Spraying and patting is my favourite method since it addresses the shortcomings of the previous two methods.  I actually transfer the FTE into a smaller spray bottle for this method. Depending on the type of nozzle, one or two spritz would suffice. I use Muji spray bottle and one spritz is more than enough.

Furthermore, having the smaller spray bottle on the vanity top while keeping the remaining product in the original bottle in the cool cabinet ensures that the fluctuation of temperature in the bathroom does not affect the whole bottle. Another plus point!

Do What Works Best for You

Different people found different ways of application which work well for them. For me, I personally prefer method (C) and (B). I find it a waste that the cotton pad soaks up too much of the liquid even as I try to dab them all over my arms, elbows and knees after that.


What SK-II Facial Treatment Essence Has Done for Me

Pros:

• Skin looks youthful and supple with the famous "doink doink" feeling uttered by the earlier SK-II Asian ambassadors. 
• Skin feels supple, firmer and smoother.
• There is a radiant glow from within.
• Overall, my skin looks better than it did years ago even though my skin is supposed to be ageing more than years ago. 
• This skincare step is so fast and easy since the product is lightweight and absorbs easily. Perfect for lazy people like me. 

Cons:

• Expensive
• Must continue to use the product to maintain results

For many people, FTE requires lots of patience for results to be seen. I can certainly attest to that fact. It is truly a good product to include in my facial regime. I have stopped using FTE after my 2nd bottle as I'm currently trying out some mid range Japanese skincare range which also includes the lotion step ie, the step between toning and moisturizing, right when FTE should be applied. That makes me really confused.

There are many SK-II counters in department stores all over Singapore. I know that many neighbourhood beauty stores like Spring Beauty, Beaute Spring, Pink Beauty sell SK-II products at a fraction of the original price. However I strongly advise against buying from those shops. They could be fake or have expired. I read about how some people had very bad reaction to high end beauty products bought from neighbourhood shops. I'm not insinuating that these shops most certainly sell fakes, I just feel that it is just not worth the risk.

Besides buying from SK-II counters, you could also buy SK-II online from Zalora. The SK-II e-shop on Zalora.sg will not only offer the latest products, including special seasonal coffrets, but will also have information about the brand and the latest product news. With Zalora teaming up with so many renowned brands, you could definitely set your mind at ease buying from Zalora.

My skin condition doesn't look as how it did during my FTE days and I would most likely include FTE in my beauty regime once I'm done with this current regime. 

Happy 49th Birthday Singapore!

Happy 49th Birthday Singapore! I've been humming and singing National Day songs on and off the whole day. Patriotic? Nah... Just love Singapore too much. This photo is a throwback of 3 years ago when I painted our Singapore flag on my short stubby nail beds haphazardly with no manicure tools.




I happened to tap into Instagram just now and found out that our Mediacorp darling Fann Wong has just delivered a National Day baby. How apt! Congratulations to Fann Mommy and Christopher Daddy!




It took this celebrity couple five long years to have a baby and I'm so happy for them that when I read the article on their joys and heartbreak of their baby-making journey, I teared uncontrollably.




There isn't a 2014 National Day Parade theme song this year. Only a mash up version of We Will Get There (2002 NDP theme) and One People, One Nation, One Singapore (1990 NDP theme) sung by young local singers. Not too bad but I do not quite like how I could never hear the chorus for We Will Get There since that portion was replaced by One People, One Nation, One Singapore.




Original: We Will Get There by Sun Yanzi (2002 NDP theme).




Original: One People, One Nation, One Singapore (1990 NDP theme).




Other than these 2 songs, there are so many NDP songs which I like coz they bring back lots of memories of my younger days. Singapore is really very different now than from the past and NDP songs certainly stir the nostalgia in me.

Compelling Ads from Solvil et Titus

Solvil et Titus is a formerly Swiss, now Hong-Kong-based, watch company, founded in 1887. I've got a few watches and the one which I wear most often is from Solvil et Titus.

Solvil et Titus is well-known for their mini story advertisements, each of which tells a compelling story that you either identify so much with or find it overly dramatic.


I've always found Solvil et Titus advertisements really touching. My absolute favourite is "Time is Love 2012". I had a little tear drop in my eye when I saw the part on the elderly couple. Do watch it if you have 2 minutes to spare. I've shared the one with English subtitles here for my international readers.




For my Chinese readers, don't you agree that poignant words always sound a lot more melancholic and beautiful in Chinese (whether Mandarin or Cantonese)? Here is the 4-minute version in Mandarin with Chinese subtitles.




For 2014, Solvil et Titus introduced 那一年篇 (That Year). When I first saw it screening before the movie Hercules just a week ago, I scoffed at it and told the hubz that this is their worst advertisement ever. I heard many in the audience stifling their laughter when they realized that it was a Solvil et Titus ad at the end, rather than a trailer for a touching movie.


As usual, the version with English subtitles is included here for my non-Chinese readers.




The Chinese version that sounds so beautifully lyrical, I could cry. For my fellow Chinese, here you go!




I will include my view on this ad in light colour below. Do watch the video and let me know your thoughts before highlighting the portion to read my view.


My intitial thoughts:

The girls with long hair gliding though the wind and running in uniforms completely imbalanced the logical side of me. Half the time, I was much too disturbed by these girls running with their hair not tied up in neat ponytails. Another thing that made me cringe were their uniforms. Why the heck are these girls running long distance in their uniforms? Can't they at least change to their sports attire? I was so unsettled by these that I probably missed out the beauty of the words and the powerful message that was being conveyed. 


Thereafter:

Well, I watched 3 movies these week -- Hercules, Chef and Dawn of the Planets of the Apes. Each time, this ad would screen before the movie. Each time, I heard silence, followed by people stifling their laughter at the end of the ad. 

The second time I saw this ad, I love the beauty of the words and the compelling ending message "用力跑过去才会成为我们的过去" (There is a beautiful Chinese pun in this line but in proper English, it would read as "We can only put the past behind us by focusing on moving forward"). I also appreciate the line that used to echo how I felt about regrets. "If I ran backwards, could I go back to that time?" I started to like this ad a lot. Only that I felt it would be more effective if the ad portrays only a girl running with her hair tied up. It would probably appease the imbalanced grinch out there like me. 

As the adage goes, "Third is a charm". I finally understood the true meaning of the ad and this would rank as my 2nd most favourite ad from Solvil et Titus. Heart slowly overcome the mind. The many girls represent all the sad people in the world who had fallen out of love. Who cares about your hair if you're attempting to pick yourself up from the rut and move forward? The smooth flowing hair gliding through the wind while running could also signify the beauty and freedom of running away from their ex partner, from their hurt and moving forward. 

I identified so much with many of the lines in the ad that I find myself scouring Google and Youtube for a version of this ad to share with more people. I was ecstatic when I found both English and Chinese versions.  


Let me know your thoughts on the videos. I would love to hear from you!

Gerra's Super Unconventional Wedding Part 1

My gal pal Gerra got married earlier this month.




Unlike most conventional Chinese weddings, Gerra opted for a Western sit-down dining at Skyve. And just like her fun personality, everything about her wedding was unconventional and loud. The keyword here is "over the top" and boy were most of the guests so spontaneous! Almost everyone followed the disco, retro, loud and colourful theme.




I only decided on the 60s A-go-go style on the morning itself when I found out that my bling blue dress looked weird on me, my long ponytail wig was nowhere to be found and my hair was in a total mess. I decided to wear the Valentino Circle Dress which I've only worn once during last year's Chinese New Year because the flare circle skirt with bright yellow and loud prints has slight reminiscence to the 60s Agogo style. That's me with Zanne who went by the Disco theme.




My nails were painted haphazardly that morning with Estee Lauder in Pink Fever which fortunately matched the earrings that Zanne had lent me that day. The 3rd picture in the collage is the wedding corsage for 姊妹 (bridesmaids) which was hand-made by Gerra.




I wanted those big messy hair and hence my hair was done in a side updo with pouffy fringe.




The complete look!




I brought along a nerd for my date. Hubby had long wanted to go as a nerd. He was more prepared than me when he bought a pair of suspenders the previous day. As for his fake lensless glasses, he has been wearing them on and off ever since he bought it from a poor old man peddling goods. Kh often wears them just to look intellectual or whenever I'm also in glasses.




We went slightly earlier to help with the decorations.




Those beautiful pinwheels were made by Gerra. As usual, creativity oozes in her veins.




Um... we all looked like we did not know what to do in this photo...




But I swear we did a decent job in decorating the reception table.




For most Chinese weddings held at hotel ballrooms, ang pow boxes are clearly indicated for the bride and the groom. Guests of either side should drop their ang pows into the correct box. Gerra and Clement only had one ang pow box. Now we know that money doesn't matter to them or does it?




Guests were encouraged to hashtag #gocrazy and #discolove for photos uploaded onto social media.




This was how the outdoor buffet set-up looked like.




The word "DISCO" would not even give a clue that Skyve's private event that evening was a wedding.




The interior decor by day...




The interior decor by night...




This was Gerra's wig that day. A blend of pink and blonde. Ooh la la... Have you ever seen a Chinese wedding like this before?




Gerra and Clement have 2 pre-wedding albums. One of which is the movie-set album.




The front cover of the movie set album features Clement the Late Groomer.




The back features Gerra the Bride to be.




Everything inside is just so fun and cool! Here's sharing with all of you their album. (Pages might not be in order).




Movie:
A Lot Like Love
The 5 Year Engagement

Movie:
Bonnie and Clyde
The Bounty Hunter




Movie:
We Bought a Zoo (The guinea pig belongs to them.)
The Hunger Games




Movie:
Crazy Stupid Love
My Sassy Girl




Movie:
Hairspray




Movie:
Date Night
大上海




Movie:
Kungfu Hustle




Movie:
Corpse Bride
Don Jon




Movie:
Grease
Confessions of a Shopaholic




My favourite pictures from the whimsical album are these two.




And this. Love the whole feel and their expressions here. Reminds me of the movie In the Mood for Love in contemporary times.




Part 1 of this post features the pre-wedding detail shots and Part 2 would feature the wedding dinner itself.




The bride says, "Stay tuned for Part 2!"




Photos in this posts are taken using Canon S95, iPhone 4s and Samsung.