The tree story

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it ev eryday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap in its shadow.
He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by and the little boy had grown up and no longer played around the tree every day.
One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come and play with me", the tree asked the boy. "I am no longer a kid and I don’t play around trees any more," the boy replied. "I want toys.
I need money to buy them." "Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. Then, you will have money." The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples and the tree felt sad.
One day, many years later, the boy who had now turned into a man returned. The tree was excited and said, "Come and play with me.” The boy replied, “I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family and we need a house for shelter. Can you help me?"
"Sorry, I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house". So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.
One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said. "I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?" said the man. "Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy." So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.
Finally, the man returned after many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you", the tree said. "No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite," the man replied. "No more trunk for you to climb on". "I am too old for that now," the man said. "I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots," the tree said with tears.
"I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years," the man replied. "Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, come sit down with me and rest." The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.
Now, replace the tree in the story with parents. When we are young, we love to play with our Mum and Dad; but when we grow up, we leave them, only to come to them whenever we need support – material or emotional, or when we are in trouble. And no matter what, our parents always are there by our side and give us everything they can just to make us happy. Always, we take them for granted and don't appreciate all they do for us, until it's too late.

It’s the same with our divine parent too. Whenever we are beset with problems, we cry out to Him for help, how many times do we think of Him when everything is going pleasant and beautiful in our lives?

Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil from Shu Uemura

One of my favorite flowers is Sakura! Always remember my first experience to have the view of the whole Sakura field many years ago, I was so excited and always remember the nice sense in the air!
Now, Shu Uemura have come out this Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing oil with Sakura complex.With Sakura Leaf Extract that's for anti-bacterial and soothing effect. It leaves the skin with no residue after cleansing for "Zero oil" sensation while visibly minimising pores! Also with Lipo HA that gently but effectively exfoliates skin and Cherry Extract to encourage cellular regeneration and refines skin texture plus 50% higher removability of water proof mascara.

旅美人Multi Moisture Gel (Spa Water Gel)

Bought this product during my trip to Hokaido last year in a onsen hotels. Tried it out after the hot spring bath and feel that's really good!
Contains whitening & anti-aging ingredients like Coenzyme Q10, Hyaluronic Acid & Collagen. You can feel the "instant smoothness" after applying & absorbed. Beside is also Oil-free, pigment-free & fragrance-free. Can't really remember how much it cost? I think is around 3000 yen for a bottle of 200g.

Cosmos Eyelash

Bought this box of fake lashes during my last trip in Taipei, I totally forget about it and was miss place inside one of my bag. Recently found out and have try using it for some magazine's photo shoot.
Really love it! As compare with those that I've used before this is quite natural and best of it is the root part of the fake lashes are soft. According to most people that I've use this on them saying they don't really feel any irritation compare to other fake lashes which the root are quite hard!
I regret that didn't get more of this... :(
Anyone know any good fake lashes that have the same effect?

LIMITED EDITION YAYOI KUSAMA FOR Lancome JUICY TUBES

These whimsical must-have shades deliver a sheer, shiny, juicy lip finish in six new addictive scents.

Pop Art Hazelnut - Sheer champagne

Happy Honey - Clear

Rose Blossom - Sheer pale peach

Dot Apricot - Sheer baby pink

Crazy Raspberry - Sheer berry pink

Swing Pink - Sheer bright bubble-gum pink

Pure'n Soft 2 in 1 Exfoliating Cosmetic Cotton Pads from Watsons

I received this Pure'n Soft 2 in 1 Exfoliating Cosmetic Cotton Pads from Watsons some times ago. Didn't really have time to try it until recently. Really didn't know that this is quite a wonderful product until I try out on my skin.

Pure'n Soft 2 in 1 Exfoliating Cosmetic Cotton Pads are made of 100% pure,gentle and soft cotton. These specially designed cotton pads have a patterned side to help remove dead skin cells as the impurities that accumulate on the skin. Ideal for all your cosmetic and skincare needs.
Usage:
Smooth side - For applying make-up remover, cleanser and toner.

Patterned side - For gentle skin exfoliation using make-up remover or water. Use circular motion,focusing on the "T-zone" area of the face(nose, forehead and chin) while avoiding the eye area.

Majolica Majorca chapter 31 Fake Sleeping collection

This latest collection include


Aurora Eyeliner - 2 colours, (Limited edition) S$19.90 each
This is a clear gel base with Pink or Blue sparkles that can be used as eyeliner or to decorate lashes.

Lash Beautifying Mascara Frame Plus - S$25.90
Helps to create natural looking long lashes with an eyeliner effect. Contains Vitamin E derivative and macadamia nut oil with waterproof,resistant to perspiration, skin oils and tears.

Majoromantica F - Limited Edition S$23.90
A sweet and fruity aroma of forest,red fruits,blooming flowers and maple syrup.
-Top note : Fruity
Juneberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Mangosteen, Apple, Lemon, Fig and Pomergrante.
-Middle note : Herbal and floral
Rose, Jasmine, Chamomile, Clary Sage and Sweet Pea.
-Base note : Sweet and romantic
Oakmoss, Vanilla, Musk, Sandalwood, Amber.

This collection will be available at selected Watson stores on 9 June 2011.

MAC Fashionflower

A stylish fusion of the floral and the fashionable in a summer colour collection that evokes the cool side of the hottest season. Join these rare blossoms and succumb horticulturally to a bouquet that's equal parts fleur and couture!


Fashionflower Eye Shadow- Fresh Daisy (Frosty white yellow), Aqua (Aqua blue),Lucky Green (Frosted midtone lime), Free To Be (Bright true coral) and Groundcover (Midtone warm grey).
Get a cultivated connection to the greenhouse and the fashion house with daisy-debossed Eye Shadows in scintillating summer shades perfect for every budding beauty!

Fashionflower Beauty Powder - Light Sunshine(Pastel neutral pink with soft gold and pink sparkles) and Alpha Girl(Soft peachy pink with gold nuances).
Unfolding and flourishing, perennial prima donnas embrace the Growing Trend of faces lightly dusted with daisy-debossed Beauty Powder.

Studio Fix Boldblack Lash
Fashionflower girls' confidence stems from petal-light lashes that sprout dramatically with a new Mascara that's intensely carbon. A high-coverage, long-lasting formula matched with a molded brush. Get lashes that are blacker than black!
Penultimate Eye Liner
A liquid pen-style liner that provides the ultimate precise, bold line in a rich, deep carbon black shade. Goes on fluidly, in one steady stroke, to style any fashion of eye line.

Lipstick- Mlle(light white pink),Summer Shower(Light aqua),Growing Trend(Midtone taupe nude) and Ever Hip(Bright creamy coral).
Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made M·A·C famous.

Lipgelee- Fashionflower(Pale pink), Now In Season(Pale yellow) and Budding Beauty(Pale coral).
A soft jelly-textured glosser for the lips. Fab to apply. Squeezes on. Distributes evenly and easily via its special slanted tip. Moisturizes and conditions the lips - saps them up! Makes them look wet, shiny, super-lush! Comes in a wide range of sheer, soft tints!

Happy Vesak Day

Brownies

I didn't know that Brownies are so easy to bake!
Got this recipes from "How to be a domestic goddess" by Nigella Lawson. Which was given by one of my client who know that I'm interested in baking. Didn't really have time to try out the recipes until few days back. As Ms Lawson mention, Brownies are much quicker to make than a cake.

375g soft unsalted butter
375g dark chocolate
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
225g plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
300g chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 180 degree C/Gas mark 4. Line brownies pan(33 x 23 x 5.5cm).

Melt butter and chocolate together, let it cool a bit.
Beat eggs with sugar and vanilla.
Once the chocolate mixture are cool add into the eggs mixture, add in nuts and flour beat to combine smoothly and pour into the lined brownies pan. Bake for about 25 minutes. When it's ready, the top should be dried to a paler brown speckle, but the middle still dark and dense and gooey. And even with such a big batch you do need to keep alert, keep checking: the difference between gungy brownies and dry brownies is only a few minutes: remember that they will continue to cook as they cool.

For Beloved One "Melasleep Whitening Bio-Cellulose Mask"

Have received this facial sheet mask from " For Beloved One" from Taiwan!
Popular Taiwanese cosmeceutical skincare brand 'For Beloved One' is said to be well-known for its pioneering invention of the bio-cellulose mask, applying medical bio-fibers into the beauty field for the first time. This bio-cellulose mask is approved of and 'praised' by many cosmetic surgeons and has received many acclamations from major media and has gained much popularity and is favored by many celebrities in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and Mainland China. (如：大S徐熙媛、伊能靜、牛爾…)
“Bio-Cellulose” is a biomedical material that is used as artificial skin and cardiovascular repair material. Co-operates with German and French pharmaceutical factories in technical joint production. “Safe to use” and “effectiveness” is two main purposes for adopting patents formulas from international endorsed pharmaceutical factories. Every product has been approved by various authoritative doctors and pharmacists before it is launched. Besides of western pharmaceutical formulas, many of For Beloved One’s products adopt the ancient Chinese concept “Yang Shang” (preserve one’s health)靈芝、人參、牡丹等珍貴的漢方萃取成分 by contain valuable Chinese herbal formulas such as gloss, ginseng, and peony, etc.
This facial sheet mask effectively whiten skin, improve flaws and wrinkles, beside this “Melasleep Whitening Bio-Cellulose Mask” is the only all-inclusive whitening product contains three kinds of patents of Merck in the market; the whitening patent Lumiskin™ and purifying patent Melaclear2™ fight against dark skin effectively, and the anti-wrinkles patent Matrixyl™ strengthens the collagen Type I, III and IV in the skin and creates tender and tight skin.

Have tried out this facial mask and I really don't know how to describe the feeling of this mask, is kind of between fibre/gel like of material, and it does really stuck onto the skin well in order to give better absorption of all the great ingredients into the skin! The skin feel and look smooth and fair beside I can see my open pores tighten/smaller. Really love this mask!

A box of three pieces S$63.00 and will be available at Sephora Singapore from 23 June2011.

Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama creamy gel liner

Pass by Guardian few days back and bought this Creamy gel liner to try out since one of my blog reader told me is good. The price is S$19.90.

Great texture – smooth and quite easy to apply, I like it as this is really long lasting as I was doing a magazine photo shoot that need the model to be out door the whole day with the recent hot and humid weather. The liner didn’t smudge or flake at all the whole day – amazing! I’ll prefer to use my own liner brush instead as the one that came with it is a bit thick and short for me to handle.

Overall this is really a great creamy gel liner for people who want a long lasting eye liner.

Clarins - Huile "Relax" Body Treatment Oil

This is a body treatment oil that’s soothing and relaxing with 100% Pure Plant Extracts. Helps relieve stress and fatigue, and promotes a wonderful sense of well-being. Leaves skin soft and satin-smooth and better moisturised. The intensity of the aromatherapy oils are pitched just right – not too overpowering. Beside is fast absorbing and also great to use it on tired feet or sore muscles. Smell really great!

Essential oils of Geranium, Petit Grain, Camomile, Basil: fragrance and promote a sense of well-being, relax, soothe.
Hazelnut oil: preserves hydration, nourishes the skin.

SHILLS Magic Focus Q-Lips Repairing Balm

With 3 types of natural nutritious plant oil -Castor oil, Shea butter & Jojoba oil, help seals in moisture, relieves dryness and penetrates deep into skin for deep repair.
The balm accelerates metabolism of skin cells to give smooth skin, reduces wrinkles, softens keratin, enhances lips self defense and regains healthy gloss.

Retail price S$16.90
You can find Shrills products at John Little Marina Square, John Little Orchard, Stardust Plaza Singapura, OG Albert Complex and OG Orchard.

Chanel Les Fleurs D'Ete nail color collection

There are three new nail colors in the chanel summer2011 collection - Mimosa, Beige Petale' and Morning Rose.
For the color Mimosa, you need to be quite good in applying as this color look streaky even after two to three coats, but heard that it work much better with Chanel base coat on. I'm not a nail specialist so I can't really tell the great different!
Love the Morning Rose that went on easily with a little of glitter which look quite subtle on the nails.
As for Beige Petale' which is quite sheer and shiny beige that gives the nails a healthy appearance. I normally will use this type of sheer beige color during magazine photo shoots. It really soften the nail line and look very natural, really gorgeous color!

Shiseido Anessa Whitening UV Protector 60ml SPF32 PA+++

This is another colorless sunscreen I bought from my last Japan trip!
A newly released high performance sunscreen lotion in SPF 32 PA+++ and with whitening performance. High water resistance, contains super micro UV cut powders.
Beside it also contains m-tranexamic acid for effective whitening performance and Hyaluronic Acid as well as Collagen for great skin nourishment. Love the refreshing texture and more moisturizing effect compare to ANESSA Perfect Smooth Sunscreen EX SPF50+ PA+++.

Happy mother's day!

CoenRich Q10 WHITE UV protector from Kose Cosmeport

I bought this UV sunscreen with Q10 during my last trip to Japan at one of their beauty/drug store.
With Ingredients of Q10 (ubiquinone), Coix extract, hyaluronic acid & glycerin that help to give a much moisturizing/firming skin unlike the usual tightness or even oily effect when using a sunscreen product.

Excellent UV protection (SPF 50 + PA +++) plus water resistance effect, beside the sebum absorbing powder formulation helps prevent skin oiliness & feeling fresh through out the day! Really love it!!!

If I'm not wrong the retail price was around 1200 Yen for 30ml.

Kate gel eye liner

Bought this gel liner in BKK some years back. I must say is quite good compare with my favorite MAC Fluideline which I normally used. The only thing is that it does smudge a little where as Fluideline don't really do so.
Do make sure to close the little bottle well to avoid the gel liner to dry up.

Neogence C+INTENSIVE SPOT-WHITENING ESSENCE AMPULES

Unique Powder-Liquid Separation Design Ampoule, 100% high activity Vitamin C Plus, Effective Anti-Sports.
Neogence has created a revolutionary whitening knowledge by combining biomedical, dermatology and pharmacology techniques. Specially selected Vitamin C powder from the famous Bio-technology manufacturer “DSM Nutritional” in Netherlands, the quick permeating and absorbable small molecule powder targets on stubborn sports in the bottom layer of the skin and proceeds to reduce and weaken the deposited melanin within the skin layer. Simultaneously, it works in coordination with the collagen to improve elasticity and have effects of anti-aging.
• 15% pure Vitamin C, intensive whitening UV spots
• Unique powder-liquid separation design ampoule retaining high activity of pure Vitamin C
• Unique whitening repair factor BIOBENEFITY® enhance purification of pigmentation area
• Hyaluronic Acid moisturizing system improves absorbability and efficiency, bringing skin to translucent white

Main ingredients: High concentration of 15% pure Vitamin C L-ASCORBIC ACID plus unique whitening repair factor BIOBENEFITY®
Selling at Sasa , Price $69.90

COLLECTION ESSENTIELLE DE CHANEL MULTI-USE MAKE-UP PALETTE

Saw this from a fashion magazine. Looking at the color tone of this palette which I'll definitely love to use as a makeup artist-
Beautiful new plum harmony.
Created by the CHANEL Makeup Studio in Paris specially for the United States, this coveted colour collection, named PARIS - L.A., delivers the effortless looks of both trend-defining cities: the cool, hip look of L.A. and the classic elegance of Paris.
Comprised of exclusive shades selected to complement a wide range of skin tones, ‘PARIS - L.A.’ includes: 2 lip glosses, 1 lip colour, 3 powder eyeshadows, 2 cream concealers, 1 cream blush and custom applicators.

Ettusais Quick Fix Powder

This limited Ettusais Quick Fix Powder(6.5g/S$26) promises to rid shine efficiently,this is a touch up powder that hides pores, blots shine and smoothens skin with the use of mineral powder.

Jo Malone Tea Fragrance Collection

My favorite Fragrance Jo Malone have launched their Tea Fragrance Blends at the Jo Malone store in Ngee Ann City, a new limited edition collection of five unisex fragrances inspired by the “art of tea”. Consists of 5 new tea inspired colognes to be worn on their own or to layer as the brand likes to encourage with all it's fragrances.
Tempting. Refreshing. Engagingly unexpected. Five distinctive, contemporary scents, inspired by that most quintessential of British traditions - when everything stops for tea.

Assam & Grapefruit ~ “invigorating and upbeat”, with grapefruit, assam tea, patchouli, cardamom and almond.

Earl Grey & Cucumber ~ “a playful twist on the British tradition of high tea”, with bergamot, cucumber, beeswax, vanilla and musk.

Fresh Mint Leaf ~ “refreshing”, with mint, basil, maté, cedar and musk.

Sweet Lemon ~ with pineapple, peach and cypress.

Sweet Milk ~ with a milk accord of star anise, almond and vanilla.

Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Collection

Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
A great foundation alternative that’s perfect for summer or when you want a more casual look. This 3-in-1 moisturizer hydrates and protects skin while offering sheer, natural-looking coverage that blends smoothly. Thanks to emollients and skin-conditioning jojoba oil, this lightweight formula glides on easily and leaves skin feeling soft and supple.

Bobbi Brown Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
Created for women with oily skin who want light moisture, sheer coverage and sun protection in one, Bobbi’s new gel-based formula is the perfect alternative to foundation. Light and refreshing, it glides on smoothly, blends easily and provides a hint of coverage for soft, even and natural-looking skin. Vitamins C and E protect skin from free-radical damage, while SPF 15 helps prevent sun damage.

Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss- Bellini, Citrus, Pink Tulle.

Almost Bare Fragrance, 45 ml
This fresh floral eau de parfum features a delicate balance of inspiring Italian Bergamot blended with Violet Leaves to relax and soothe the senses. The scent is enhanced by a note of Soft Muguet and gentle Jasmine Petals, with a Soft Cedar and Warm Amber background.


Bronzing Powder
This soft matte, silky-smooth bronzer instantly gives skin the look of a natural tan. Bobbi suggests using Bronzing Powder year round to get a sun-kissed look. For best application, Bobbi recommends the Bronzer Brush (sold separately). Now available in seven shades for a wide range of complexions.

Bronzer Brush


Highlighter Pen
For gleaming cheekbones with extra pop. Lightweight and luminescent, the liquid formula creates a dewy, all-day glow and won’t settle in your pores. Available in three shades. Apply Highlighter along the top of cheekbones and blend gently into skin using clean fingers. You can also apply the highlighter to cheeks UNDER foundation, to get a subtle, youthful glow.