Award-winning Singapore Beauty, Travel, Food, & Lifestyle Blog

Showing posts with label advert. Show all posts

It has been so long since I've been so excited to share something with you guys. One of Japan's popular hair salon's MASHU, with 10 branches in Osaka, has opened a branch here in Singapore! MASHU has styled models, celebrities and of course, Japanese hair for many years and I'm so happy you don't have to travel to Osaka to get incredible hair!

I was invited to try their services and I was NOT disappointed. Everything was perfect and service was top notch Japanese style!

Entrance of Komorebi by MASHU - super cute drawings.

From the moment I stepped in staff were all smiles and greeted me cheerfully. Was offered a few drinks I could pick from and I settled for peppermint tea. Had some Japanese snacks served to go along with it which kept me through the whole process!

(Also spot the 50% off scalp therapy for new customers! Looks interesting, would like to try that next time.)

Stylist for the day is Toko-san. Told her that I wanted my fringe shorter, my hair trimmed and to dye my hair a lighter brown with a tinge of pink.

Here's my hair BEFORE

Roots were growing out, it was a very ugly yellow sheen.

Super dry :( and I don't mean the brand.

After analyzing my hair, Toko-san got to work. Looks like I cut off quite a length, huh?

Then it came to choosing which shade I wanted for my hair.

Was choosing between pink or baby link (didn't bleach my hair so it wouldn't be so bright which is the top colour). So I was expecting the shade below it.

So many different types of dyes to pick and mix! Leave it to the pros.

Dye looks really pink right? Was anticipating what the final product would be.

When it was time for a wash, I was brought to the sink area, and the seats are incredibly comfortable! Many customers are known to have fallen asleep there.

OMG the head massage during the hair wash was SO GOOD. There were accupressure points that were pressed, gentle circular moments to release the tension and some magic fingers (haha) to improve blood circulation.

There was also a soda treatment thereafter to allow a deeper penetration of products, if you've never tried it you have to! It's like a mist over your hair, softening and strengthening while cleaning thoroughly.

Japanese pride in the smallest things, there was also a hot towel placed at the back of my neck for ultimate shiok (aka kimochiiii) factor. My favourite part of going to the salon is always the part where they wash my hair.

Treatment on my hair was also applied here!

Currently, Komorebi by MASHU is running a CNY promotion (more on that later) and treatment uses products from Arimino! Arimino is a Japanese brand that has been in the market for over 65 years and many local salons in Singapore have also raved about it before. These products made my hair feel so moisturized and smooth!

One differentiating factor about Komorebi by MASHU is their Mother Earth Treatment, using products by Mother Earth!

Mother Earth is an all-natural range of hair products made in Kochi, Japan which specialises in reducing hair fall and repairing damaged hair. Mother Earth was started 10 years ago when MASHU stylists in Japan wanted to create the perfect formula to create the most ideal scalp and hair condition and can be used every day! Ingredients include Jojoba seed oil, Korean Ginseng, pomegranate and more.

"98% of customers experience less hair loss by getting back their regular hair growth cycle!"

Products are also sold at the salon if you like how your hair feels after everything is done ;) I didn't get to try this but looking forward to the next time!

After the wash and blow dry, here's the final result:

What do you think? My hair was really silky smooth, if you don't believe me, take a look at the picture below.

Looks like a professional model's hair right? Haha, but this is how my hair looks like from the back! It is slightly layered because of how hot Singapore is, and I love the length and sheen! Can you spot the tinge of pink which is different from red?

Front view again!! Colour is bright and festive, perfect for CNY. Those sharp eyed would realise that my eyebrows are also a bit lighter! Toko-san suggested I dye them slightly since my hair colour was so light and I agreed.

A not so chinese new year photo. Haha! I am soooo happy with how my hair turned out! It has been some time since my hair looked so healthy and shiny.

In conjunction with Chinese New Year, Komorebi by Mashu would like to give you some savings!

CHINESE NEW YEAR PROMOTION!!

For first time customers, (available til end Jan for weekday promotions only)

Cut + COLOUR + Treatment (All length) Original $270 >> $188 NOW!

Cut + PERM + Treatment (All length) Original $310 >> $218 NOW!

Cut + REBONDING + Treatment (All length) Original $450 >> $318 NOW!

Shiseido products are also on sale up to 50% off!

Be sure to call them to make an appointment early as it gets more and more crowded nearer CNY.

ACCESS:

Address2nd level @ 17 & 19 south bridge road, Singapore 058659

Nearest StationNE5:Clarke Quay MRT Station (It's a three-minute walk from the station, just walk from the back of Songfa Bak Kut Teh)

Business hoursWeekdays 11:00 - 20:00 Saturday 11:00 - 18:00
Sunday 11:00 - 16:00

Day offMonday&Holiday

For the full menu price please click here.

Thank you Komorebi by Mashu!!

Sponsored post

Share On

Whenever I have a bad hair day or I have a blemish on my face, I refuse to take any photos. Let's face it, as much as we wish we were born with Fang Bing Bing's flawless skin or Fann Wong's never aging complexion, that is rarely the case. For me at least I admit that's true! It's up to your own efforts to diligently follow your skincare routine, and that's why we girls spend tons in department stores.We are women - we can't help wanting to look our best!

But try as we might, there are times where we need specialists to help us. If you just got back from a cold country, for example, your skin (which always seemed oily in Singapore's humid weather), is now as dry as the desert and is flaking! OR you may have used some products that aren't suitable for your skin, and now it is inflamed and you are breaking out. What should you do??? Of course you can't just go to ANY salon for a facial, you can't risk anything worse happening to your skin. Which is why a salon's reputation is so important.

I recently checked out NUA, a japanese beauty and waxing salon in Singapore and am here to share my review! It's really rare to find japanese beauty salons here, especially one where all staff speak BOTH fluent japanese and english!!

Don't miss this door!!

NUA was a short walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, and helms from Tokyo. One of their branches in Tokyo is in a mega hip district called, Omotesando where only cool kids go. I totally missed this door the first time and had to do a double take when I realised I had reached the end of the street. Oops!

Part I:

Facial

When I reached, I was greeted cheerfully and was promptly presented with hot tea. My therapist, Shiori-san introduced herself as I filled in a form describing what I wanted to achieve for my face. If pigmentation spots annoy you or if you want smoother skin, those are all possible to list down too! She then recommended NUA's signature treatment, which is the NUA Customized Facial (60 mins, $135). As its name suggests, it is a customized, results-driven, therapeutic treatment to suit your skin type and needs! Was super excited to see how my skin could improve in just an hour!

The facial room, where the magic happens

Once I had enough tea, I was brought to the facial room where I got comfy on this bed here. My young and pretty therapist, Shiori, (whom I also found out later is also the owner), started with a thorough skin-analysis and gave me a quick run through of my skin's condition. I need to sleep more! Then she left the room briefly to mix products for me as I relaxed on this comfy bed.

My facial began officially with a gentle cleansing, then a mild chemical peel mask followed after. NUA uses products from PCA and Dermalogica which are two of the most trusted skincare brands used by professionals worldwide! In the initial discussion, I told Shiori that I wanted a 'brighter' face and what better way to do so than to get rid of the dead skin cells??

One of my aesthetic doctor friends told me that strong chemical peels can make your face turn red and you have to avoid sunlight for at least a week! In our crazy Singapore weather that is almost impossible to avoid, so I'm really glad Shiori shares the same sentiments as me and prefers mild chemical peels instead.

All customised facials at NUA include high-tech machine treatments which are suitable for your skin type and hand-picked according to your skin's condition! Another concern I had was my terribly stubborn dark eye circles, which Shiori did a micro-current eye treatment to activate the skin's fibre and stimulate the area. It was really soothing!! Zero pain at all, though I was initially shocked at the first vibration lol.

As my nose is generally more prone to blackheads and whiteheads. Shiori recommended an organic clay mask to clean them out, which explains the white bit. I was really happy when my nose was smooth at the end of the treatment!! Goodbye blackheads! Well, stubborn whiteheads (if you have them you will be aware), are not that easily removed, usually a few sessions will help.

Brushes are used to apply masks on your skin, I like how they were so soft and nice to feel! Do note that trimming of eyebrows is not included (though you could add it on), and deep cleansing extractions are a separate facial treatment.

After about an hour, which passed by reaaally fast because it was so relaxing, here are the results! Okay the skin tone is slightly different that's probably due to the auto settings of my camera, but ignoring that, my skin definitely looks more radiant, and was more bouncy too! Yes that is me without any make-up please refrain from making comments that will make me unhappy.

Verdict: Really love it! Will definitely want to come back to give my face another pampering session. Shiori is really gentle and has years of experience treating skin of different types, plus she's super fun to talk to!!

----

Part II:

Waxing & Permanent hair removal using Depilar System!

After the fabulous treatment, I decided to try NUA salon's permanent hair removal service. The product they use for this hair removal is a new formula which reduces hair growth without the need for lasers! Even though I'm a frequent IPL user, there's always the risk that your skin becomes sensitive, or your skin darkens/reddens due to the procedure. When I heard about its benefits, I was eager to try it out!

Step one, waxing. To ensure that the produce is penetrated into your pores, the treatment begins with a wax!

I picked my Upper lip to try out as I had never waxed this area before! Waxing doesn't hurt much for me, does that mean my pain tolerance is pretty high? Haha.

I look like KFC's Colonel Sanders right? Haha!

After waxing, Shiori applied calming mist to soothe the area, and moved on to my lower leg wax!

I was just chillin on the bed when a delicious smell of chocolate hit me. I looked up and realised it was the wax! How amazing was that! The whole process was made even sweeter (hurhur) and I was craving chocolate for a bit after that, haha.

Once the wax was done, Shiori applied the two Depilar System activators and left it to dry! Ok I know what you're thinking.

What is a Depilar System?

The Depilar System is used directly after a traditional waxing, sugaring, threading or tweezing to target the hair follicles, and is an enhanced enzyme-based formula which is safe to use on any part of your body.

Since it was my first time using the Depilar System, it was natural that I had a few queries, and here are some simple Q and A that I think you guys might wonder about too!

Q: I have been doing IPL on xx areas, can I use Depilar System?

Answer: Yes! The Depilar System will work if you have not had success with laser treatments. You must discontinue laser treatments and continue with regular and successive Depilar Applications.

Q: I have dry skin. Is that a problem?

Answer: No. Simply exfoliate or dry brush the skin prior to application.

For more info, check out the official Depilar System website.

For best results, it is recommended to go for your Depilar System treatment every 4-weeks for applications on the face, and 5-6-week intervals for applications on the body. This is to coincide with your hair growth cycle and allows your hair to grow out just enough for maximum effectiveness! Most ladies have experienced 0 hair growth after 16-24 months of continued use!

Verdict: Two weeks on and my skin still feels pretty smooth! Though results are not drastically different (ie, like 50% less hair) you can tell that hair growth isn't that fast and is thinner. You can also use this for brazilian too! Could get hooked onto this and stop using IPL forever lol.

----

Thank you Shiori and team for the wonderful experience! Be sure to check them out for some pampering you deserve!

NUA Singapore

2F, 18A Tanjong Pagar Road

Singapore 088441

(Do note, Google maps address is a bit off, it's across the road from the pin shown, near Duxton Hill entrance, diagonally opposite the church)

Contact: 6327-1002 / SMS Bookings: 9188-0541

Operating hours:

Mon - Friday 10am - 7pm

Saturday: 10am - 6pm

Closed on Sundays

Website:

http://nuasingapore.com/

Share On

Not too long ago, I blogged about how I loved Casio's TR35, which I felt was THE best selfie camera at that time. I even brought it along with me to Taiwan to test some of its capabilities in landscape and low light scenery shots and the shots turned out really good!

Fast forward to a few years later and somehow, Casio outdid herself again. She has created the mother of all selfie cameras, with features that are designed to impress even the most experienced camwhore. -shifty eyes- That picture above? Taken with the new camera.

**WARNING TONS OF SELFIES AHEAD*

Behold, the Casio Exilim TR60(s).

The new model comes in four colours - Green (seems more minty to me), Pink, Violet and White. There are a couple new features added compared to their previous model, and these are so amazing I just had to share them!

Auto send photos to your phone via Bluetooth/Wifi

If you're wondering why influencers have such nice photos on instagram, one major factor is the camera that's used. It's no secret that the photos with amazing quality get the most likes! Influencers typically transfer pictures taken on their camera to their phone to be uploaded. Now that you're in on this secret, I'll tell you another one - the Casio TR60 can transfer your photos seamlessly.

You can bulk select photos you want to send to your phone and transfers are sooo fast!! You'll need to install the EXILIM app first though.

Here's a shot with the pretty Emily! Totally instagrammable.

Control the camera remotely

Once you've paired the camera to your phone, your phone can act as a 'remote control' and assist you in taking photos! This can apply to full length selfies (technically you're taking a photo of yourself) or, for selfie sticks when you're with a big group of friends.

This feature is super cool in my opinion, If I'm not mistaken, this is the first and only selfie camera that can do this 'link-up with your phone' function!! It is also perfect for solo travels when you can't get someone to take a photo for you.

PSST! You can view, select and even edit your photos on your phone even when the camera is switched off!

Variety of in-built filters

Whenever a camera comes with in-built filters, you... play around with them and see which surroundings suit them the most. One customizable feature is that you can set how fair or dark you want your pictures to look, and how flawless/glowy your skin will turn out in your photos! Adjustments come in 12 varying levels and 6 skin tone levels. Which is definitely more that what you'd ask for. Here are some shots I took with the filters!

High Key: For natural lighting. Note that Macro mode managed to capture the details on my bracelet!

Foggy: For softer, misty days

Fairy: Because you want to look like a princess

Nostalgia: Sentimental, much?

Vivid: Makes colours pop

Square: This was created just for Instagram lol

Impressed yet? That's not all.

Long Battery Life

The Casio TR60 has an incredible battery life! It takes about 240 shots and continued playback of approx 3 hours and 40 mins. Movie time would be approx 55 mins. 240 selfies a day anyone?

A shot in low-light, our complexion looks amazing even so!

I like how details aren't lost despite the brighter lights. I only charged the TR60 once a week.

Intuitive pad for easy toggle

Did you notice the pretty sparkly gem surrounding the camera's lens?? I love it!!

One of the new features to note in the Casio Exilim TR60 is its new intuitive Selfie Pad. This sensor can toggle between various functions such as zoom or Selfie Art mode by just sliding your finger along the frame! Now you can make quick adjustments without having to view the main menu. Super convenient btw.

Everything else is awesome

Photo with Fenyx, who is incredibly photogenic!

Just like her predecessors, the Casio TR60 is light and fits snugly into any lady's handbag or clutch. Some of my friends even mistook this for a phone!

Verdict? Absolutely love love love the cam!

Thanks Nicole, Peiling and the Casio team for the camera! Also thanks to TJ, Fenyx, Emily and Ng Ju Ann for photo appearances lol.

For more pictures taken with the Casio Exilim TR 60, check out my Singapore Airlines Turf Club event!

Woah I think this is the post with the most selfies hahaha. Be sure to check out the Casio TR60 when you can! The Casio Exilim EX-TR60 is made in Japan and is available at selected Casio authorised retailers such as Best Denki and Harvey Norman at suggested retail price of S$1,299.

Share On

When a guy buys a girl a drink, she could be skeptical - what does he want from me? Is he trying to get me drunk?? But you don't have to worry because free drinks ARE real, with compliments of American Express!!

Some of the hippest and trendiest bars in Singapore's central landscape are providing free drinks just for Amex platinum reserve and platinum credit card holders. Check out their promotions, summarized for you here:

Promotions

Receive a complimentary* bespoke cocktail at these outlets:

Ah Sam's Cold Drink Stall
Horse Mouth's Bar
Maison Ikkoku
Spiffy Dapper
Bitters and Love

Or get a complimentary* welcome drink/signature cocktail at

Orgo Restaurant & Bar
The Pecking Order

If wine/whiskey tasters/beer are your thing, enjoy a complimentary one at:

The Merry Men Kitchen + Bar (a glass of wine)
Quaich Bar (whisky taster)
The Men's Room (whiskey taster)
The Mad Men Attic Bar (Kirin beer)

If one drink isn't enough, enjoy 1-for1* on your first drink at:

:Pluck
Gem Bar
Manor Cocktail Room
Zui Hong Lou
The Secret Mermaid

*: Offer is valid for the first drink per day per Card Member per outlet, and is only available when Card is presented at time of order, and any payments made with the American Express Platinum Reserve and Platinum Credit Card issued in Singapore.

Sounds too good to be true? Well it IS true. In addition, American Express has launched a unique Bar Hop experience, just for their card owners! A bunch of us were invited a week or two ago to try it out for ourselves!

Our first stop was The Men's Room, which is just one floor down of Mad Men. Did you know that they're run by the same owners? The Men's Room specializes in Gin mixes, so be sure to try out one of their in-house concoctions! Being a whisky girl, I went for an Octomore Scottish barley, which, I was informed, was the smokiest whiskey in the world.

The Men's Room had a live band when we were there, but the place is a little squeezy so best to head over early!

After about 30mins, we got on the bus and went over to our next destination - Ah Sam's Cold Drink Stall, which faces boat quay's little canal.

This quaint cafe specializes in infusing local flavours into their drinks! Some of their drinks include ingredients like gula melaka and even milo! Food served here are as local as it gets, with Hokkien Mee and fried wanton skins!

Drinks had much fanfare, check out this Secret Garden.

Sam, the owner and mixologist, has won a number of awards from his own creations! Ask to try some of his award winning concoctions ;) You won't be disappointed!

Hopped on the bus for my last stop, though the route continued to Maison Ikkoku. We were led to the basement of Ocean Financial Centre for... The Secret Mermaid! In the day it's a lunch spot called Shinkansen, and at night it transforms into a hidden enclave and I love it.

The Secret Mermaid has lotsa imported spirits, and some of their specialities that piqued our interest were the Honey vodka and Salmon vodka. I opted for the Honey Vodka which of course - was sweet, but not overly empowering, and I enjoyed it immensely! The Salmon vodka, however... was not to my liking. It was a bit too fishy for me :( It was unique though!

Displayed on a wall, you can read the labels off the variety of spirits. Don't forget that you get 1 for 1 off your first drink with your Amex at The Secret Mermaid!

Smith, Howard Lo and I at The Secret Mermaid. Howard also owns the chain of Standing Sushi bar restaurants, so if you enjoy your salmon sashimi's at 50% off, it's all thanks to this guy. I'm sure some of you would recognise him from his TV appearance in Eye for a Guy.

If you're an Amex card holder yourself (or you have a friend that has one), you can join the bar hop experience!

Look out for this bus on 8 November between 7pm to 1am, at 7 key locations - Orchard, Havelock Road, Robertson Quay, North Canal, Bugis, Esplanade and Ann Siang Hill. Amex card members can bring up to TWO friends on board the bus! For more information on the locations and benefits, check out their website here.

Nightlife benefits mentioned above are valid until 14 October 2015.

Thanks for hosting us #ChillaxSG !

Share On

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Claire's Flair

Follow Me

Instagram

Amazing Japanese salon between Clarke Quay and Boat Quay - Komorebi by MASHU

"98% of customers experience less hair loss by getting back their regular hair growth cycle!"