Beauty Tips - Foundation

I am probably not the best person to give beauty advice, considering the vast number of beauty bloggers out there (I'm not exactly a beauty blogger... or am I... hmmm...). But some people have been leaving comments, asking me about my makeup. So I decided to write a post to answer the most common question: What foundation do I use?

My typical makeup for a typical day.

My Foundation

I have been using L'Oreal True Match foundation for about 5 years, ever since I was studying in university (yes, I'm not that young). It's not the first foundation that I've tried but it certainly is the foundation that I absolutely adore and been using ever since.

Reason? Because as the name suggests, it really matches my skin tone. They have 6 shades, it's almost impossible for anyone not to be able to find a shade that suits you. The thing I love most is that it uses the Opti-match technology so it blends perfectly into your skin, leaving no streaks or marks. It blends right into your skin so well (because it's non-greasy) that it comes off looking so natural as though I didn't apply any makeup and it’s at an affordable price of $30.90.

I'm using Shade G3!

I like liquid foundation because it allows me to decide how I want to look that day. I usually go for the natural look so I will just use a thin layer of foundation. Even with a thin layer of the foundation, it is still able to cover my blemishes because it has such good coverage. On days that I want more coverage, I will just pile on more layers without looking cakey.

The foundation covers all the "blemishes" on the mango. Don't worry, I didn't waste the mango. LOL

Before                                                      After

I am also extremely lazy. I like to buy things that are multi-purpose. The L'Oreal True Match foundation contains sunscreen (against UVA and UVB rays but I still highly recommend that you apply sunscreen!!) AND hyaluronic acid (best thing ever discovered because I have dry skin patches) to help moisturise your skin throughout the day. Therefore, not only does L’Oreal True Match foundation prevents me from breakouts, it also helps to improve skin quality within two weeks! Amazing, isn’t it?

My shitty bare face before I apply my foundation.

All set and ready to go!

If you want to win a $150 L’Oreal Paris hamper, check out @lorealparissg on IG for more details (who doesn’t love freebies?).

If you noticed, I am blogging more often now. So if you have any questions whether it's beauty-related or video-related, do drop your questions in the comments and I will try my best to answer them in my coming posts! 

Getting Used to the Public

Technology can be scary. It has resulted in an incredibly fast dissemination of information that has resulted in the exponential growth of our channel and videos. Don't get me wrong, I am happy that our channel is growing fast and people are appreciating our work. It makes us feel good that our hard work has not gone to waste. 

The nature of our work requires us to put ourselves in front of the camera and on screen. I love acting because it allows me to be someone else. However, this passion comes with a price. As much as I love the appreciation and attention, I love my private life as much. This makes it really tough for me when I am off screen. 

I do love sharing my life with my friends and family as I had been doing for years before YouTube changed my life. But I don't like feeling exposed. 

I enjoy walking around in public, having my $1 pushcart ice cream; dressed in shorts, tank and slippers, laughing out loud with my friends, not having to worry that people are looking at me weird or pointing at me. 

In the beginning, I didn't like being recognised in public. I felt like I was not safe in public, that people are constantly watching me. They know who I was hanging out with, where I was eating or even where I lived. That really scared me. I was so not used to it. I wanted everyone to just go away. 

It's been almost 2 years since this YouTube work started for me and I have begun to get used to being recognised and approached in public. I won't say I like it but I don't detest it. I have accepted it as a part of my job. The boys have also taught me to see it from a different perspective; they come up to you because they really love and appreciate your work, be glad that they do. I do from the bottom of my heart but I am still trying to get used to having my life going public, give me some time. 

Currently, I am happy to have people come up to me to say hi. I am absolutely cool with that. I don't even mind if they ask for pictures and autographs. However there are times when I am taken aback by the way some people approach but that, deserves a post on its own. 

OSIM uDiva’s Mystery Man

I got invited by OSIM to attend the launch of their new chair, the uDiva!

The first thing that I did the moment I arrived at the launch was to sit on the chair. Yes, I’m a fan of massage chairs. I love getting pampered, well… who doesn’t right? You can even choose between the uDiva's signature Neck & Shoulder programme, and five others: Spa, Happy Hour, Lumbar, Stretch and Sleep.

I have tried other massage chairs but I got to say this has got to be my favorite by far. The chair is designed specially for the ladies (reason why it seems slightly smaller than the usual chairs) so the contours of the chair just enveloped me and oh boy, felt like I was in heaven.

Just look at me. I was so embarrassed because I fell asleep the moment the massage started.  >.<

While I was in heaven (getting my massage), they served me cocktails prepared by Mixes from Mars. Each drink was specially designed to match the different colors of the chairs (Gorgeous Pink, Stunning Black, Luscious Maroon, Elegant Beige and Enchanting Blue).

If you are into cocktails, do check out Mixes from Mars (www.mixesfrommars.sg). Mixes from Mars is a pioneer in the bespoke portable bar industry that started in early 2013. They offer a distinctive concept where each drink is personalized to the palate, mood and flavor preference of every guest. They currently have a pop-up bar called Mars Bar at 83 Duxton Road (Duxton Hotel). This isn’t the first time that I’ve tried their drinks and I got to say they never fail to impress me. AND I am a very picky drinker.

The drink I chose was so delicious! It even came with strawberry and ladyfinger cookies on the side. I wanted to try all of the different concoctions but being a light drinker, I will most likely KO.

We were made to guess who the endorser for the uDiva chair may be. Can you guess?

Hint: F4 Korean version.

If you still don’t know who it is after that hint, the explanation can only be that you were probably living in a well for the past 5 years.

Yes! It’s Lee Min Ho! Handsome? Yes, handsome.

I pretended to be his girlfriend and took a selfie while the rest were busy doing their manicure. I think we look pretty good as a couple. :D

Got my gelish manicure and paraffin treatment for hands for free as well. It’s the first time that I’m doing paraffin treatment for my hands, really interesting. Supposed to put my hands into the hot wax, thought it’ll be painful at first but the heat felt really relaxing. At the end of the treatment, I had baby skin on my hands. NO JOKE.

Chose blue to match my outfit for the next day’s shoot.

Random picture of us at the event.

Want to win a OSIM uSlender Slim belt massager worth $268? Just snap a picture with the standee at the OSIM outlets / roadshows, upload it on Instagram and tag #uDiva #OSIMSG and tell OSIM your favourite massage program. 1 lucky winner will win an OSIM uSlender Slim belt massager worth $268 every week from 11 Apr till 31 May (total 7 sets).

You can stalk the OSIM SG Facebook page to be updated, as 1 winner will be announced every Monday :D

For more information about the uDiva, you can check out:

http://uDiva.OSIM.com
or download the QR Code!

Thoughts on a Friday night

My best friend just broke up with her boyfriend today. They have been together for about a year and throughout this entire year, they've been arguing.

It's normal to argue, in fact I think it's healthy to argue in a relationship, IF both parties learn something about each other from the arguments. But the problem with most couples is that they are always arguing about the same thing because they never learn. Repeating the same mistake again and again.

He is temperamental and tends to take it out on her when he's stressed or upset. I'm sure he doesn't do it on purpose, it's tough to control your emotions. She's sensitive and emotional, taking his words to heart. She gets hurt, argument ensues.

She tries talking about the problems of the relationship, he gets upset. So she gives up talking about it and keeps them inside her till it explodes. Then he gets upset that she doesn't share and talk about the problems in the first place, causing unnecessary distress and arguments.

In the end, both got tired of arguing and just gave up on the relationship.

Listening to her made me realised just how familiar her problem sounded and it made me sad. A proud man with an emotional lady, sounds like a disaster in the making

It's tough being a woman. A part of you tells yourself that as a woman, you're the emotional support of your man. You have to be understanding and patient with him. When he gets impatient and frustrated at you, tell yourself that he's upset and stressed, he didn't mean to take it out on you.

At the same time, the strong independent woman in you tells you that you don't deserve this treatment. If a man can't treat you properly, he doesn't deserve you. He should separate work from his personal life, and not bring work problems home.

So where do you draw the line? Where do you find that balance? When is it considered being understanding and when is it inappropriate treatment?

It's so tough. It's not easy being the support.

My Art of War

I am a geek. 

Most of you probably don't know this, but during my free time, I read and watch documentaries on ancient and medieval history. Yes, things that most people find boring. 

Judge me if you want.

Many may think that history is, well, history. Long gone and redundant. They are just fancy stories that grandparents tell to keep their children entertained. Well, they definitely entertained me when I was a kid but now I have come to appreciate the beauty of history.

One thing that keeps popping out in history is the struggle for power. Constantly, people fought and blood was shed for the sake of power. No matter the religion, language and color of the people, it's the same thing that drove people to war. (Ok, the other thing is religion but I shall not venture into that.)

Power hungry, you may say but it is still very much applicable in today's society. We may not go into a physical war like they did in the past, but the concept of war is still more or less the same. Battlefields no longer takes place in some valley or field, they are held in the business world. Undeniably colder. 

So after reading and watching so many history documentaries, I have come to notice certain patterns to successful war campaigns. It may or may not be entirely applicable in today's world but hey, this is my version of the Art of War (I have yet to read Sun Tzu's version but I think I should >.< ):

1: Pick Your Battles Well

Many people get overzealous and think that they should be involved in every battle, that they should make their presence felt in every battle. I think this is either being KIASU or working hard but not working smart. Let the others fight their wars. Don't get involved unless there isn't a choice. Entering a battle requires a lot of effort and money so pick your battles well. Forget about the minor squabbles, look at the big picture. Sometimes it's easier to eliminate your enemy after they are weaken from their battles which leads to my second point...

2: Be Patient

One classic example of how patience can help in winning a battle without much bloodshed is by starvation. Generals refrained from entering the battlefield but instead deny the enemy troops water and food supply and just well, wait. The enemy troops will start to get hungry and tired. This lowers the morale of the enemy's troops, weaken them physically and may even lead to an internal fight. After which, the enemy either gives up and go home or gets wiped out easily.

3: Find the Right Opportunity

Some battles in history utilised the same strategy and yet not all succeed. It comes down to the right opportunity. The ally of your enemy passed away or internal conflict within the enemy's team can be good opportunity for one to start sending troops over. Being patient and waiting for the right opportunity to strike is crucial but this is so incredibly subjective and relies on so many different factors, one has to have exceptional foresight to determine the right opportunity.

You may have an awesome idea and wonder why it isn't selling. Maybe the market is simply not ready for it. 10 years ago, SEA wasn't ready for YouTube. SEA is now. Maybe all you need is to modify the idea to suit the needs of the current market or just wait for the right time to release it. 

4: Know Your Enemy Inside Out

There's this Chinese saying that is obviously a quote from Sun Tzu's Art of War: 知己知彼百战百胜 (Know your strengths as well as your enemy's and you'll win hundreds of battles). Knowing realistically what your strengths and weaknesses are is probably the first step to achieving success. Knowing your enemy's strengths and weaknesses as well as yours, this is something many people fail to achieve. It helps to predict your enemy's next move so you can counter it. Of course, your enemy is probably also stalking you. LOL

5: Know the Battlefield Like the Back of Your Hand

So many battles were lost when troops were out-manoeuvred, simply because they do not know the terrain well. It is so important to know every pothole, stream, mud patch etc, of your battlefield because you can use that to your advantage. In today's world, know your market and industry well. Research is crucial. 

There are more points but this post will be too long if I list them all down so 5 points for now. 

Disclaimer

I am not claiming to be Sun Tzu or some history scholar, in fact I have never read Sun Tzu's Art of War. I am also NOT advocating war! These are just some of my thoughts that I mulled over after watching documentaries of ancient battles. Don't take them seriously >.< but do feel free to share your thoughts with me whether you may agree or disagree with me. 

Hectic January

January has been a crazy and hectic month for me! It was a month of collaborations and making new friends!

We worked with Ming Yue and Tammy Tay to produce the second episode of A Date with the Stars on Live Great TV YouTube Channel. It was my first time working with Tammy and it was so fun!

Shot a short video with Noah Yap slightly before Chinese New Year. He's such a fun and loveable guy. Let's work again soon! The video will be out on his channel http://www.youtube.com/user/waitformelah, so stay tuned to his channel and subscribe if you haven't! 

We had a guest star in our "13 Types of Boyfriends" video, Symone Oei! This pretty damsel is not only popular with the viewers, she's also a fantastic actress. I am sure you will see her more often in our videos. :)

Lion Men is now out in theatres! I was invited to the private screening and found the movie to be thoroughly entertaining. 

 At the end of January, it was the welcoming of the Horse Year of the Lunar New Year. Got my pretty dress from TwoTimesDreams http://shoptwotimesdreams.com