SQ 878

Hi peeps! I am back to talk more about SQ878 timing and stuffs. 

So I went to Taiwan early this year and tickets were booked 3 months in advance. I opted for Singapore Airlines as the pricing for budget air tickets was like 300++ per pax with 20kg luggage where as SQ was 508 per pax (on promotion). The timing for Jetstar was depart at 0100 and reach Taipei at 0600. For SQ, the timing was depart at 1140 and reach at 1630. 

Pros of taking SQ:
1. Food and drinks provided. 
2. Entertainment provided.

Cons of taking SQ:
1. Timing timing timing.
2. More expensive.

Pros of taking Jetstar:
1. Good timing.
2. Can have extra 100++ to spend on shopping. 

Cons of taking Jetstar
1. No food and drinks.
2. No entertainment. 

The price difference was around 100++-200? And I also have to consider on the traffic if I reach at 1630. Peak hours and bad traffic jam. Mins before and after the SQ flight, there are a few China flights, so is human jam at the immigration. However we cannot bear to pay so much for a budget flight. So after much consideration, we or rather I decided on SQ. 

When in Taiwan
I will not elaborate on the inflight experience as the information can be found easily online. I reached Taiwan around 430pm? I walked super fast to the immigration and start queuing. My travel partner was complaining on my kiasu-ness. But 5 mins after we queued, the queue was so long. I was allowed to queue at the counter for residents hence I managed to clear the immigration and collected my luggage by 1700/5pm.  

The traffic to Taipei was okay, pretty smooth, jammed for awhile at certain highway areas but we managed to reach our ximending hotel before 6pm. 

Yeap thats all guys! This post is written as I found difficulty when I was researching on the traffic/immigration in Taiwan at that timing. Hope it helps! 

Glomax Aesthetics (non-sponsored)

* Wrote the outline on 2013 and edited on 2016, NON-SPONSORED POST

It has always been my dream to have good skin like those kpop artistes, namely taeyeon.
Unfortunately, in my case, I have really oily skin on the surface and rather dehydrated at the same time. The main concerns I have on my face is clogged pores, blackheads, big pores, oiliness and pimples (outbreak occurred more in 2013, now is occasionally outbreak during time of the month)  

So I'm in the search for good dermatologist to save my pathetic face and I came upon this facial place called Glomax Aesthetics when browsing through forums.
And being a safe (kiasi) person, I start to google search for this place and mostly (all) of the reviews are sponsored. Well, as a safe (kiasi) person, sponsored = pay you to write good reviews, but in reality, they hardsell you and treat you badly. But I just went ahead to book an appt with them and deep in my heart, I will give them two treatments to show me the results. 

First appt (24/02/2013, 1230pm)
Booked through their contact page on their website, but no replies so I sent an email through their direct email address and the boss called me and set an appt. Going there need some challenge, though. Firstly, you need to call through the intercom by pressing their address then they will open the door for you. Next, go to the guest left (I went to the staff lift and I couldn't go up). So remember GUEST lift. 

When reached there, you will see a tiny but yet cozy area. The therapist will ask you to fill up a form asking for information like address, concerns, diet, lifestyle. Then she will look at your skin and give you the recommended treatment. I was recommended to do intensive acne treatment ($88 for 1st trial, $150 for normal price)

"Suitable for problem skin with congested pores and acne, start with a sonic cleansing that gently lifts impurities and dirt off skin surface before the problem areas are healed with a mild antiseptic high frequency. Combined with acne IPL to rebalance the sebum level, problem skin will dramatically clear up after each session." (Quoted from their website)

Then my therapist (Pei Shan) passed me a hairband and basically my fringe was swept behind, exposing my bare face. She took 3 pictures using a canon dslr (?) front view and both sides views. Then I was lead to my room. Didn't change because there will be no massage. 

Steps for the intensive acne treatment
1. Cleanse it with milk cleanser (to remove makeup)
2. Cleanse it with gentle cleanser (to double clean the face)
3. Sonic cleanser (to remove any surface blackheads/clogged pores by the vibration and loosen up the stubborn ones)
4. Extraction (to remove stubborn blackheads/clogged pores)
5. Antiseptic roller (kill bacteria that is still on the surface of the face)
6. IPL (to reduce sebum level and kill the bacteria that is deep down) 
7. Mask 

Those are the steps done during my facial if I remembered correctly. Maybe the first two were mixed up. Anyway, the treatment overall was quite comfortable for the all the steps except from the sonic cleanser step till the IPL. Sonic cleanser was done using a machine that will vibrate and it was used to scrap against your skin. It does feel abit uncomfortable as the therapist is trying to clear the surface blackheads and clogged pores.

Then it got really bad when come to extraction. It has to be the most painful extraction! It's so painful then I always teared in this step. But my therapist did a very good job. She basically won't miss out a single area on my face, like a vacuum cleaner. 

And for the antiseptic, I don't really like the smell. Smell erm weird? Hahaha. Pain wise is nothing compared to the extraction.

But I do get really uncomfortable with the IPL part. At musee, I did the underarm IPL and they give plenty of protection for my eyes. But over at Glomax Aesthetics, their protection for my eyes were only a few layers of cloth. I basically cringed when the IPL was done due to fear that my eyes will go blind and not used to it.   

Then after masking, I was left to tidy up myself and went out for a talking session (my feelings for the facial,products buying and package) Well I did get their products which is named Priori. Damaged ($406)

Conclusion
Overall, I think glomax aesthetics is quite a nice (expensive) facial place to go. I like the environment, clean and smell good. And their therapists do not really hardsell like some other spa place. Do give it a try if you are like me, desperate for good skin. But do expect to spend quite a big sum of cash as you may require to go back every month. 


2016
I have been going to Glomax for 3 years and I will say the experience and results are good! Once or twice, I did not go for facial for 6 months and yet my face is still looking good! Except for the stubborn clogged pores I always have, pimple wise is cleared! I also tried other treatments like Luminous Detox Energie Care Treatment and their eye treatment and I love them all!!! My therapist now is Parix and I like her skills. 

One of the cons I have for this place is that they did not play relaxing music, they played music from the radio!? Imagine halfway thru your masking and there is an upbeat song playing in the background. I also don't like their skincare products hence I have change my skin care products to other brands which I will review them soon!!!! But, I am still using their cleanser and the blackhead softener (tbh, no use). 

Hope this review will be helpful to you all!! :) 

Blackhead Brush

Hi ppl! Today will be on the blackhead brush/cleaning brush :) Had been trying for a few months already and I'm here with a review! Blackheads, whiteheads are the things that I have on my face especially the forehead. It is super painful to remove during facial as I have a low pain threshold. So I always on a lookout to improve the whiteheads condition on my forehead and hairline. 

The first time I was exposed to the brushes was at Westgate where there was sales at the atrium at the basement and the well-known Clarisonic. I walked past this booth selling manual cleaning brush and it looked like it can produce pretty fine foams. Looked interesting but the price was like $75!? So I give it a pass due to the prices. It's until recently I caught a Taiwanese video on blackhead brush and it looked pretty cool. 

Video from Youtube (in Chinese and some ppl might feel her accent being too teh (act cute) but very informative)

So I went to get an Innisfree blackhead brush for $17

                                              
Credits to http://www.musingsofamuse.com/2013/07/banish-blackheads-with-the-innisfrees-brush.html

Okay, this brush feels pretty soft and light. The design allows cleaning at the side of the nose. The video shows that she create the foam first and applied to the face before using the brush but, for me, I use the brush to foam my cleanser. It is a very small brush hence it will be better for cleaning of small area. My hand felt so sore when using for the whole face. Hence,for whole face, I suggest to get a bigger brush. 


                                                 
Credits to google

I got this kind from Bugis street for $10? No brand though.

The bristles feel soft but since this is a no brand brush so I don't know whether the bristles is 0.07mm thick. Apparently 0.07mm is smaller than the size of a pore so the bristles are able to go into the pores and remove dirt. But I love this. So easy to clean my whole face compared to the innisfree one. 

Usage : For myself, I will pump my cleanser on my pump and use the brush to create the foam and applied the foam on my face and start to brush it in circles, rotate clockwise and anti-clockwise. Brush it for 3-5 mins and wash my face with cold water. Recommended to use everyday. 

Verdict: I feel that the Innisfree is better for small part cleaning while the bigger one is more suitable for the whole face. My forehead indeed feels less bumpy BUT my blackheads at my nose and cheek areas are still a lot. I saw ppl commenting that electric brushes are better, but more expensive. I will still purchase the brush and continue using it as it is quite comfortable to use. 

Thank you for reading! Hope it helps :)

Son & Park Beauty Water

Hi ppl!!!! Since I'm slightly more free now, I'm back with a review :)


Picture taken from google image

Ta dah this is the product which I'm going to review!!!! I got it like last week, used it for a week already. Initially wanted to review it a month after I use but it is so good that I got to share with you guys!!!

Got it from http://list.qoo10.sg/item/DEDUCT-18-BETTER-AND-CHEAPER-THAN/429063496

My $60++ toner was broke by my sister and I'm been trying to look for a cheaper alternative.
So when I enter toner in the search button in qoo10 (love to go there and check out some new stuffs) and this was at the top seller. Read the reviews and it look pretty good too. Initially I wanted to get innisfree newly launched toner but since I prefer to try new and unusual stuff and this cost almost the price of innisfree, hence I decided to cart it out. Spend ard 30++ and received the product the day after I paid.

So it came like the bottle on top, translucent plastic bottle. Design wise very simple and nice. No ingredient list (can be found here : http://sokoglam.com/products/son-park-beauty-water). At the side there is a description of the product.

The texture of the product is watery, like normal toner. I usually will shake twice on the cotton pad and it is enough for my big big face. On the first day of using, I feel nothing. No softness or the hydrated feeling. Oh it didn't have the drying feel on my face as it contained alcohol. But the cotton pad do look like what it is advertised on qoo10. Those dirts....


Picture taken from qoo10

On the second day, I accidentally touched the extreme side of my face and I kid you not, it is the most softness feeling I ever had!!! I have dry skin on the ends of my cheek, near the ear area, and very oily on the t-zone. And due to sinus, I always have very dry skin around my nose area. And after I use this beauty water, my dry area has no more dry skin flakes. My oily t-zone do not feel that oily and my pores did not shrink. BUT my face feel so smooth to touch now. I do not have any expectation for my sebum or pores to reduce as those products are very drying on my non-oily skin. So I think this toner is good to achieve a balance. This beauty water will be a staple in my skin care routine until I can find a better replacement. However what works for me might not work for you, but I think skin care product is try and error kind of thing. Do try and let me know how you feel with this!

Bye guys!
And sorry if there is any grammar or spelling error, my English is really bad and I'm typing this with less than 4 hours of sleep.

2015

Hi ppl!

So sorry that I didn't update this space anymore due to my busy schedule.
BUT I have created a dayre to blog on my phone.
So much convenient. Will try to give as much reviews as possible.

dayre.me/myreviewsmylife

Thank you!!!

Milky Foot 7 days Program

Hello guys! Sorry for the one month mia. So busy with my personal stuffs.
Managed to find time for one review! And it will be milky foot 7 days program.
It's a foot mask where you soak your feet into the socks with the gel for 1-1.5 hours and your dead skin cells will peel off! Sound super convenient as compared using a filer to file my heels.

When I first open the packet, its like a pair of sock stick together at the opening. You have to cut half to separate the socks and there will be a opening for you to slide your foot in. Adhesive tape provided to stick the opening after your foot is in but imo it's not sticky enough. So as a very kiasu girl, I sat on the sofa with the socks for 1.5 hours. The feeling is like your feet are soaking in a pail of water, just that it is in gel form and the amount of gel is just nice for the lower part of the feet. After 1.5 hours, I washed it with warm water and ta da, wait for the peeling part.

My peeling part happened at 3rd day. The feet are literally peeling like mad. I can feel the dead skin in my flats. Yucks but shiok. Hahaha. I went to cut the dead skin because I can't possibly walk around my dead skin around my feet. My feet took around two weeks to stop the peeling and I have to wash my feet with warm water to remove those dead skin that can't be cut off or drop by itself as they are too small.

My heels feel alot more smoother!!! Something I can't achieve by filing because I'm just pure lazy to file. One thing to take note. Because that the gel is in contact with most of my sole and heel areas, the two areas will be peeling more efficiently. The upper part of my feet only come in contact with the gel that is on the inner side of the socks. Hence it result in a lower peeled area and an upper unpeeled area.

Okay my drawing really cmi. The grey line there is the area where the peeling is not very significant hence it look like a line separating the feet. 

Pictures of my feet during the peeling progress.

Ummm please do not look if you just had your dinner..

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First day after soaking

Super not clear pictures but that's how it look like.

4th/5th day after soaking

Oh yah the circled area is the corn or callus. That area will not disappear like how the cracks on my heel disappear after the peeling is done. 

Unfortunately I didn't took any after pics. It is really alot smoother but not to the extent like baby skin.

Will I buy again? Yes!! But I will make sure top part of my foot is covered with gel.

But I think it's not advisable to use every month as I feel that  the gel is acidic, not very good for your feet.

Thanks for reading!!

And sorry for any grammar, spelling mistakes.

Tamoya Udon & Tsuru-koshi Udon

Hello!!!
Here is a quick food review. I think I am turning into some food blogger but no complaints, I love food.
Today review will be on two stall that specialize in udon.
I love noodles and usually when I went to have japanese food, I will most likely order noodle dishes.
So when I heard of this two stalls, I knew I have to try.

Tamoya Udon
I visited this place twice. I ordered Bukkake Udon, thick soya-source (which I think is soya-sauce) taste in regular size ($4.80) and I added a prawn tempura and a shiitake mushroom tempura. I don't really remember the price of the tempura but this set cost less than $10.

Oh my. Can I say this is one of the best udon I ever ate in Singapore!? The soup is good. It is just nice for my taste buds, not too salty and full of flavors. The udon is CHEWY, no raw udon taste and the texture is just perfect. The tempura is crunchy but I found them a little oily. Free condiments like wakame, spring onion and those crunchy fried tempura bits.

However on my second visit, I tried Kama-tama udon, Al dente Kama-age udon with freshraw egg. I didn't took a photo down but you can check out the pictures at here . Okay I must admit this time round I didn't enjoy my food. It taste weird as in I think I ate it in a wrong way. There's a sauce/dipping sauce that come with the udon and I just pour everything into the bowl and mix and it's like super weird. But the udon is still chewy!!! I guess I will just stick to my ususal hot udon soup or cold udon next time.

Tsuru-koshi Udon
Wanted to try this for the longest and I tried Hiyashi Tan Tan Udon, cold udon served with chinese hot sauce ($9). This udon is quite nice in flavor as compared to the Kama-tama udon. The chinese hot sauce is like minced pork sauce and it really give the udon a nice taste. However I personally feel that there's a pork taste which I don't like and when I'm biting on udon, I feel like I'm biting on a rubber. Maybe hot udon will make the udon more chewy than cold.

Comparison for cold udon
Flavor wise: Tsuru-koshi Udon
Texture of udon: Tamoya Udon
Price: Tamoya Udon

Maybe I should give Tsuru-koshi Udon another try for the hot version of Hiyashi Tan Tan Udon, or other hot udon soup.

Til then! (Review on either a casual fine dining or milky foot mask)