You give good face

So I wrote a post about this a while back when Nic was vying to be shortlisted for the top 6 out of 15 finalists for Nyx Singapore's inaugural Face Awards. Anyway, because of her talent, hardwork and dedication, she actually was shortlisted for the top 6!

Her third and final challenge was to create a makeup video around the theme of "Royalty" and she decided to do a video of TWO looks - The queen of light and the queen of darkness! Nic has a lot to be proud of, she's a self-taught special effects makeup artist, a newbie to video creation and editing, and also a newly minted pro skills props maker (she made her crowns and sceptor from scratch)!

Mad pro makeup skillz and photos courtesy of @electric.eggplant

The award ceremony to announce Nyx Singapore's first ever "Beauty Vlogger of the Year" was held on the 13th of July at Pixel Studios and invited us to get to know each of the 6 finalists a little better while also showcasing their videos. I thought they all did well but obviously I was rooting for Nic to win and to get $5000 worth of Nyx makeup and an all-expenses paid trip to California to attend the Nyx USA Face Awards Finals. Unfortunately, Nic didn't manage to bag the top prize  (which went to Rosalie Parnes who goes by @wink818) but I think she's got so much to be proud of since she really grew from strength to strength, learned crazy awesome makeup skills as she competed, and delivered masterful looks that were winners in my eyes.

Giving her short interview about what inspired her looks

Finalists and judges

Still a winner

OOTN!!

Le makeup by yours truly complete with insane flyaways

With pro makeup artist Larry Yeo

Mouse squad for life

I'm always ruining normal photos

Didn't get the memo that we were doing "sexy"

So I thought I would write a post to commemorate the event and pay tribute to Nic's skills, talent, passion and diligence. If you're a makeup junkie, or someone who appreciates art, or even just someone who appreciates hard work, please give her your support. Watch her videos on her YouTube channel and follow her on instagram at @electric.eggplant and do send her positive vibes!

Thanks for reading!

Carefree

Top: Smooch the Label (Similar here) | Pants: Calvin Klein (Similar here) | Heels: Pedro (Similar here) 

Earrings: Twentyeight Lane | Ring: Jessica Buurman (Similar here) | Sunglasses: Pieces (Similar here)

So I work with a few young temp staff, fresh out of school and waiting to go to university or find their first job, many of them have been wonderful and proactive and happy. But there have been a few who make me think "Ah, millenials" with a soft sigh and an upward roll of the eyes.

It's terribly exhausting because of 2 main things:

1. They quit within a short span of time which means I have to go and get someone else to fill the role quickly and that means more paperwork
2. It reminds me of my youth (so long gone, and dearly missed) 

When I was younger - had better skin, had the ability to go out all night but still wake up feeling refreshed, and had the metabolism that deserves a bloody prize - I held down a couple of different jobs here and there including:

Sales assistant at DKNY and then Awfully Chocolate - both good experiences overall
Sales assistant at Tangs for Dr Hauschka - Not great, I quit after a day because I was a spoiled little brat who didn't want to go through the staff entrance because it was dark and smelled like smoke
Administrative exec for a publishing company - I was dumb and quit after a day because I'm a spoiled brat who didn't understand Excel. Much regret.
Door bitch - I did this for 5 years and it was pretty fun although so exhausting.

None of these jobs really prepared me for the real working world because I have a desk job and sit on my fat butt most days but I did learn some valuable lessons including:

• Working with people can be tough - it's important to guard your heart and your secrets
• Standing up for long amounts of time makes your leg veins become permanent residents 
• Having down to earth work friends can really make the job much more enjoyable (Hi to Zamri from DKNY, Sali and Azmi from Helipad!!) 
• Be nice to people in customer service and sales staff because omg it can be rough for them

Anyway, if I had a time machine and could go back in time and give young me some advice regarding jobs, it would definitely be not to give up quite so easily, over small dumb things, and also maybe to cut down eating so much chocolate ice cream and cake while working.

Thanks for reading!

Summer greens

Dress: Diane Von Furstenberg (Similar here) | Shoes: Red Valentino (Similar here) | Bag: Y-3 (Similar here) 

Earrings: Lovisa (Similar here) | Bangle: Kate Spade (Similar here) 

It's summer all year long in Singapore so I guess The Summer Kit from Net-a-Porter is perfect for me! I've just gotten my grubby paws on it but I'm really pleased so far.

Fancy package is fancy

SURPRISES INSIDE!

All the goodies inside smell so good, I am sure I will smell like a mixture of baked chocolate cookies, fields of lilacs and a warm summer breeze.

Good thing there's a manual.

They're all sampler size so I can test out the products and figure out what I want to phase into my daily regular routine.

I want you and you and you and you and you

They are great for bringing on vacation. I know a lot of people take the toiletries from the hotels they visit but since I don't stay at fancypants hotels, I often find the toiletries at my disposal a bit abrasive and not very luxurious. I will totally bring these and go full spa service on myself. If vacation time is not the time to be pampered, then I don't know when is.

Moooooooooooooore!!!

I hope you're having a fantastically pampering summer, thanks for reading!

Too cool for school

Dress: Choies | Bag: Prada (Similar here) | Sunglasses: Pieces (Similar here)

Bracelets: Old (Similar here) | Hand chain: Nasty Gal (Similar here) | Ring: Vintage (Similar here) 

I think I've always been a bit of an introverted oddball so I didn't have that great a time when I was in primary and secondary school. I had very few friends and was generally very timid and shy (which people read as snobbish and bitchy unfortunately) Today I read an article about how the super awesome Tilda Swinton co-founded a school with a different sort of education (No tests! Art based practical learning! Wandering around nature!) and this school sounds all out crackballs. I wish I had had the opportunity to enroll! I think I would totally ace the lesson on sitting at a beach staring into the ocean and contemplating life and its meaning for an hour. Plus there appears to be an emphasis on all the students fitting in and treating one another with kindness. At the end of the day, what is more important that kindness to your fellow man? Hell. I think I'm going to enroll for adult classes. I could do with learning to make a canoe.

Thanks for reading!

Miss No

Jumpsuit: Smooch the Label | Cape-blazer: Smooch the Label | Shoes: Shutz (Similar here) 

Bag: Mango (Similar here) | Ring: Jessica Buurman | Sunglasses: Karen Walker 

My mother always said 'no' was my favourite word.

'Want to try some [fruit that looks like the love-child of a hedgehog, a shoe and a piece of wood]?' 
'NO'
'Want to go to [cool place where people will be and socialising will take place]?'
'NO' 
'Want to play [fun game that will ultimately make me look like a wobbly noob]?' 
'NONONO!'

Totally my face

Pic from here

I said a big 'no' to wearing jumpsuits but here I am, wearing a jumpsuit. I couldn't help it. I succumbed to the cool print and the overall fashiony vibe. But I have to say, as cool as it is, it felt really ridiculous every time I went to the washroom. Undressing and then dressing yourself every time you need to pee is both silly and exhausting. And I drink a lot of water. I also have a slight fear that I forget to lock the door and someone walks in on me in nothing but my underwear. Or that the fire alarm goes off and I don't have enough time to get properly attired before running out of the burning building of doom.

Perhaps I should just save this piece for special occasions that last maximally 2 hours.

Anyway, here are a list of sartorial no's in my book. But I'm in a jumpsuit so who k(no)ws?

The-Emperor's-New-Clothes gown

Pic from here

Maybe if my bod were as rocking as Beyonce's then we'd be in business, but I just don't understand this sheer trend. It's like paying a lot of money for very little fabric.

The unitard

Pic from ASOS

Oh come on, even the name is stupid. I suppose I might wear this if I decide to turn to a life of burglary or ballet. Burglary seems much more likely. I have the grace of a drunken sea cucumber. 

Tie-dye anything

Pic from here

I just can't. If I had to describe my style as what it is not, I would start with 'Not hippie' first. 

Velour tracksuit

Pic from here

Maaaaaaybe I'd wear something like this in black on a plane... But I doubt it. I just can't carry this look off. Although I had a classmate in uni who wore these all the time, in so many different colours. I don't know why she never felt hot/like she was wearing pjs.

Anyway, not to be a hater, I think if you wear these things, then good on ya, I'm sure you look bangin' but I just can't imagine them on myself. But I said the same thing about jumpsuits, so I guess only time will tell.

Thanks for reading!

Masking my feelings

Top: Uniqlo

Skirt: Sheinside

Shoes: Zalora (Similar here)

Necklace: Twentyeight Lane (Similar here)

Ring: Vintage (Similar here)

In case it wasn't already abundantly clear to you - I am hella vain. Aside from spending tons of clothes and accessories, I also spend lots on skincare. I mentioned before that I had a bout of acne and I remember feeling so self-conscious that I felt embarrassed to leave the house. In order to prevent myself from feeling like that again, whenever my skin decides to go all SPAAAARTTTAAAAAA on my face, or when I can be bothered to get off my lazy butt, I slather on a thick layer of my super awesome Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque for about ten minutes onto my semi-damp face, then wash it off with water. DEEP CLEANING POWER ACTIVATED.

It must be a fancy mask since it's spelled 'masque'

Obviously the effects aren't immediate but I honestly feel like it gives a nice deep clean, without stripping the skin of its moisture. My face feels nice and bouncy after.  Also, taking pictures of yourself rocking an awesome face mask and sending it to your friends and a family is a good way to bond.

So fresh and so clean

I ordered it direct from the Kiehl's US site and had it shipped to my brother-from-another-mother (Mousie's husband) who then brought it to Singapore because it's significantly cheaper to do so but Kiehl's is available in Singapore too so if you're in a rush for some deep cleansing, go buy it in-store now!

Thanks for reading!

Travel toiletries and troubles

Dress: Smooch the Label

Bag: Kate Spade (Similar-ish here)

Sunglasses: Karen Walker

Necklace: Twentyeight Lane (Similar here) | Ring: Lovisa/Gift from Wens (Similar here)

Shoes: Pedder Red (Similar here)

I do short overnight business trips to KL pretty often and I really hate lugging around loads of things so I think I've become quite the pro at packing for such trips and I'd like to share some of my must-have toiletries for these trips.

Must have toiletries when travelling (from left in a clockwise direction)

Travel-size everything!

1. Dalacin in a 10ml bottle: I need acne prevention especially when I travel because travelling stresses my skin out. This handy little bottle means I apply the solution to my finger and dab the affected zitty areas. 
2. Theramed travel sized toothpaste: It tastes nice and keeps my breath fresh. 
3. Suisal beauty clear powder: This is awesome. My mommy bought it for me from Japan, it's little pots of facewash in powder form (kinda like powdered detergent for the face) and it gives that squeaky clean feeling. Just pour a little powder out on your hand and lather into a paste with waster and voila, foamy facewash! 
4. Laneige moisturiser: Throwaway sample packs of moisturisers are perfect for short trips. 
5. Makeup brushes: These travel-size makeup brushes and pouch are from Kumano, Japan, which is a town in Japan that is famous for its brushes. Apparently all the makeup artists in Japan only use brushes from Kumano. I can't recall what brand this one is but check out Mizuho or Hakuhodo
6. Toothbrushes: A toothbrush with a cover is basically the only way to go because HYGIENE. 
7. Biore makeup wipes: I think this has about 10 pieces of pre-soaked pads and it's good to remove even stubborn mascara 
8. Ok I realise the layout might be confusing but now I'm talking about the round green thing is is travel sized dental floss: So much yes. Flossing is next to cleanliness which is next to godliness which is next to awesomeness. 
9. Lastly, the blue crocodile: This crocodile is actually a pair of scissors that Mouse Squad member Nic, bought for me from Iceland. Having scissors is great because sometimes you have loose threads or need to cut open packs of things (eg. the moisturiser samples).

With regard to must-have no. 9, if you carry a pair of scissors, remember to check in your luggage! I forgot I had these in my cabin bag and it went through the scanner and the airport security made me open my bag to show them I didn't have a concealed weapon. They couldn't locate the offensive weapon (and I didn't know I had it on me) so they let me pass, but only after I had forgotten to zip up my bag thus lifting it up and letting the entire contents of my bag, including panties and bra, spill out on to the floor. I was so flustered by the way, that I did it TWICE. I am the coolest.

Thanks for reading!