tippytapp: July 2014

It Was My Birthday!

Wednesday 30 July 2014

I didn't spend my birthday this year in a foreign land because H and I had a wedding to attend but we are making up for it by visiting Perth today! Have always wanted to visit down under together, rent a car and just go on a road trip! As H couldn't take too many days off work, flying all the way to Melbourne/Sydney would be a waste since we are unable to fully tour the cities in <5 days, so the nearest Australian city it was! :D

Birthday outfit:

I was in the mood for Spanish tapas so my birthday dinner was at Sabio by the Sea at Quayside Isle. They do have another outlet at Duxton which doesn't take reservations.

The restaurant takes up a huge stretch so you definitely wouldn't miss it. I love the open-concept, industrial design and chill vibes of the place but do note there's no air-con even if you choose indoor seating. Thankfully, the weather wasn't too hot/humid in the evening!

I LOVE Spanish tapas and I've been spoilt rotten by all the fantastic tapas I've tried in Barcelona so there is already a high benchmark.

First dish - Jamon Serrano (50 grams)

MUST ORDER whenever you visit a tapas joint!

Dry cured Serrano mountain ham which was so yummy?!???!!

Chorizo Iberico

I love chorizos because they have a tinge of spiciness - my favourite kinda sausage!

This was worth ordering too *slurps*

Pan-fried Calamari

It was good but nothing fantastic.

H loved it though.

Then again, he loved everything we had that night haha

Patatas Aioli (Fried Potatoes with Garlic Mayonnaise)

I was looking forward to this plate the most because the ones I had in Barcelona

were sooooo good like you couldn't believe that potatoes could actually taste so good

when they are just fried and drizzled with sauce.

These tasted just like your average potato wedges with garlic mayo >:(

I was immensely disappointed cause they were nothing like the cubed patatas

drenched in slightly spicy mayo I had.

But H loved it.

Told you he loved everything!

Mussels in Tomato Sauce

This huge bowl was pretty worth it for $16!

Cooked with tomato sauce, onions and red wine (?), the sauce was yums!

Spanish Omelette

Very simple ingredients of potatoes and onions in the omelette

but one of my favourite Spanish dishes!

Sadly, the rendition at Sabio's wasn't that good

because they seem to have forgotten the seasoning.

We were already full after having the above but dessert was a must!

I was bent on having churros to make the meal complete

then I realised the churros were coated in sugar which I don't really fancy...

(I prefer icing sugar)

Then I saw the House's Signature Dessert - Salty Butter Caramel Lava Cake.

OKAY SET!

BEST. DESSERT. EVER.

The salted caramel wasn't sickening sweet so it leaves you wanting MORE.

And the salted caramel ice-cream was the best I had.

I would've licked the plate clean if the couple beside us wasn't that prim and proper...

What could be better than chocolate lava cakes?

Now you know.

Winning dish!

Oh yes, I forgot to mention my glass of Red Sangria was just so-so.

Passionfruit Meringue Cake from The Patissier which was yummy!

The Patissier does have pretty decent cakes.

I wish for happiness every day of the year.

Beauty Review: Uriage

Sunday 27 July 2014

Confession: I am quite the skincare junkie.

I try a lot of skincare products from different brands, for different functions and if the products prove themselves to be worthy, you can be sure I will be a returning customer. I have normal/combination skin type and my favourite kinda products to buy are those targeting ageing, hydration, brightening and recently, firming.

I cannot believe that I was only introduced to Uriage recently! I say that because I am also an advocate for skincare products with natural ingredients because you've never heard of cavemen having pimples, have you?

The two products I particularly like are the Uriage Thermal Water and Aquaprecis Express Mask!

A little about the brand before I continue -

"Uriage Thermal Water was first discovered by the Romans through the Belledonne massif in the French Alps. It is filtered on the surface of the glaciers before passing through many layers of minerals, rock, gypsum rich in Calcium sulfates and sulphurised schist. This unique geological structure slowly releases mineral salts and trace elements into the water as it passes through. At the end of this long journey, Uriage Thermal Water springs forth - totally pure and free of all pollution. Hence, the Uriage Thermal Water is a unique active ingredient in Uriage's full range of hypoallergenic products."

Uriage Thermal Water (UTW)

300ml to use at home and the tiny 50ml bottle goes out with me! ;)

I use the UTW as a toner and there are a couple of reasons why I like it!

1. It has no alcohol content - all natural!

2. The spray comes out as a really light mist instead of sprinkles (big droplets) so it gets absorbed very quickly into the skin

3. It is very gentle, my skin instantly feels calmer and hydrated

A little research later, I found out that the UTW is also capable of the following!

1. It helps to rebuild skin barrier

2. Treat Ear Nose Throat(ENT) and skin diseases (WOW!)

3. Enhance glowing skin (!!!)

4. Fixes make up without melting or smudging

Not only that, the UTW's composition resembles body natural fluid thus making it comfortable for those of us with sensitive skin! And that's why the Uriage Thermal Station, a medical spa in France, welcomes more than 4000 patients yearly who seek treatments for chronic skin and ENT diseases. The patients are all treated with just the Uriage Thermal Spring Water!!

Aquaprecis Express Mask

My second favourite product is the Aquaprecis Express Mask! I don't use sheet masks anymore because they take up too much time; very much prefer face masks that only require 5 minutes reaping similar benefits or I'll turn to sleeping masks - fuss free! (Yes, the lazy monster in me talking.)

The Aquaprecis Express Mask is JUST THAT. Apply a thick layer over my face after cleansing, leave it on for 5 minutes then remove either with a damp cotton pad or the UTW! I chose the latter!

Face feels more supple and hydrated after that and I even skipped my moisturiser - it acts pretty much like a sleeping mask too!

Isoliss Eye Contour

As much as I hate to admit that I am now in the category of ageing in the skincare department, I realised I should come to terms with this (and with myself) so I can start prevention earlier!

The Isoliss range is a new range under the Uriage brand and it is made for the active and dynamics young women who want a first anti-ageing skincare product to prevent first signs of ageing and loss of radiance.

The Isoliss Eye Contour comes in a convenient packaging with a roller ball which provides a cooling effect on dark eye circles and doubles up a massager for the under eye areas! Also very hygienic as there's no contact of my finger on my cleansed face.

Though it is enriched with shea butter, it is surprisingly non-oily and of a very light texture!

Based on a clinical study on 26 women who gave their evaluation after using the Isoliss Eye Contour for 2 months on the effect of anti-wrinkle, anti- dark circle and anti-puffiness, they noticed

Anti-wrinkle effect : -30%

Anti-dark circle effect: -15%

Anti-puffiness effect: recognised by 73% of women

p/s: always roll it inner eye out to rid of the lines and dark circles.

Isoliss Fluid

The Isoliss Fluid is a 24 hour moisturiser that acts as an effective skin perfector - very suitable for ladies with dull complexion and occasional dilated pores.

The gel is in a fresh pale pink and it gave me radiant complexion! MY SKIN IS GLOWING. Not only that, you can see that my complexion is smoother, fine lines no longer visible and my pores disappeared! So THIS is the secret to having photoshop-ready complexion! ;)

21 women tried this product for 2 months and their evaluation on the effect on smoothing, pores and fine lines reduction are as follow:

Smoothing effect: 20%

Reduction in fine lines: -27%

Reduction in pore size: -13%

PROMOTIONS

There are several promotions ongoing for URIAGE products at selected Guardian, Watsons, John Little, BHG and OG and 21^st Century Beauty Spa currently (while stocks last)!

- Uriage Thermal Water Twin Pack is going at $29.90

- The Aquaprecis gel crème set (Aquaprecis gel crème, Aquaprecis Express Mask and 50ml Thermal water) is going at $34.90 (usual price $64.70)

Look out for more promotions at these stores!

GIVEAWAY
5 lucky readers of mine will receive a gift pack worth $150.60! Follow these steps:

1. Like and Share Uriage FB page (http://www.facebook.com/UriageSingapore)
2. Answer the question on their FB page
3. State my name - Jessica Tham (JT) when answering the question so Uriage will know you found out about the giveaway through my blog
eg. The best unique selling point for Uriage Thermal Water is the ability to rebuild skin barrier - JT

http://www.facebook.com/UriageSingapore

Find out more about Uriage products through these pages!

Membership with 21^st Century Beauty Spa
Free 1 Year membership with minimum purchase of $100 in a Single receipt at the point of sale (Some other brands as well)

http://www.betime.com.sg/Membership

Uriage Products
http://www.betime.com.sg/products/category/uriage

Follow their updates
http://www.facebook.com/UriageSingapore

Product Review: EVERSOFT White High Protection Whitening Sunscreen Lotion SPF55

Friday 25 July 2014

Last December, H and I were in Phuket for his birthday. I was slapping sunblock on me every two hours and I STILL got darker and there H was, refusing to apply any sunscreen on himself because he wanted to have a tan. After my relentless nagging, he gave in to me and unwillingly slathered on a very thin layer of SPF 50 sunscreen on his body. It isn't tough to guess what happened after an afternoon at the beach; he was badly burnt especially on his shoulders and face. He came out of the showers mourning in discomfort and we had to go the nearest convenience store to grab a bottle of aloe vera gel.

Getting burnt is, of course, not something you can expect if you are living in a city and working in an office. I cannot emphasize enough on the importance of using sunscreen before leaving home each day. Exposing your naked skin as you take that walk from your office to the coffeeshop for lunch exposes your skin to the ultraviolet rays, UVA and UVB that may cause skin damage and aging skin.

So always remember to make sun protection as one of your top skincare priorities!

The new EVERSOFT White High Protection Whitening Sunscreen Lotion with SPF 55 is probably the highest SPF level I've seen on shelves so far.

When choosing a sunscreen lotion, I tend to prefer one that is liquid base or spray-on because to be honest, in this crazy humid climate, I would want to feel like I'm wearing (literally) nothing so the lighter the sunscreen lotion feels on my skin, the more brownie points it get!

TADAHHHHH~~ The EVERSOFT White High Protection Whitening Sunscreen Lotion SPF55 is exactly that!

Not only does the lightweight and shine-free formulation gets absorbed into the skin easily, the sunscreen is enriched with the Radiant Gene Activator which is a potent complex of Sakura Extract and Lipo Vitamin C that activates lightening at the heart of your skin cells - giving you fairer, suppler and radiant skin!

Darkened the photo a little so you can see the details.

My hand is obviously moistened but far from looking greasy! And the best thing is, there is no white cast after blending! You know what's the best best best factor of the EVERSOFT White High Protection Whitening Sunscreen Lotion SPF 55? It is not thick so there is no sticky after-feel!

I also like that it smells SO GOOD! Don't worry ya, the product is suitable for all skin types - even sensitive skin!

So anyway, two Sundays ago, I was at the

EVERSOFT White Fair Skin and Sun Protection Workshop held at Fullhouse

with the other pretty bloggers - Yina, Silver and Juli (Bun bun)!

We experienced a hands on skincare workshop with other participants and understand the benefits of each product, leading up to the famed EVERSOFT White High Protection Whitening Sunscreen Lotion SPF 55. You can find out more about EVERSOFT White range over here!

There we also had a short sharing session conducted by us on “How to take good selfies with nude/natural makeup”. We mainly touched on 4 main areas:
1) lighting
2) angle
3) makeup
4) phone apps

I think you can see from the pictures above that we had a lot of fun exchanging tips and ideas! All of us bagged home more than just EVERSOFT White products but also new skincare knowledge! ;) For more pics of us at the event checkout #EVERSOFTWHITESG on Instagram!

Here's me trying to work it before the event hahaha

Over-exposed selfies are a no-no other than the fact that it makes you look extremely fair.

The EVERSOFT White High Protection Whitening Sunscreen Lotion SPF 55 (35ml) comes in a handy white bottle that can be easily brought out in your handbag for reapplication throughout the day. You can find this product for $19.90 at leading supermarkets, hypermarket and selected personal care stores.

If you are interested to give this new product a try, follow the simple steps below to get one!

1^st 100 readers to email the below details to eversoft@wipro-unza.com will receive a sample size of EVERSOFT White High Protection Whitening Sunscreen Lotion SPF 55.

1. Name
2. Address
3. Contact no.
4. D.O.B.
5. Answer to “What attributes do you look for when you purchase a sunscreen lotion?”

Ladies, always bear in mind to avoid the sun (especially between 10am-4pm) and seek the shade! And of course, use a sunscreen with an SPF of 20 or higher every day.

Till my next product review! :)