Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Important: Blog Update

I will consolidate and merge this blog with my main blog as it takes too much time and effort to maintain 2 separate blogs while trying to look like I am adopting 2 different personas. It will take some time to transfer blog posts from this blog over to my main blog but rest assured that this blog will still stay with its old blog posts still intact so that followers will still be able to look for old post easily. But at the same time, these same posts will also be available over at my main blog as well. So yeah, rest assured.


Meanwhile, I need some time to mourn the death of my mother in 2016. Hence, there won't be any blog postings for a few months or at least until the end of the year depending on the situation I have at hand.


But, just to clarify, my mother didn't die of old age and with natural causes. Her supervisor at her part-time workplace refused to let my mother take leave to rest properly at home despite that heartless supervisor being fully aware that my mother is tired from work. Let's just say, her supervisor caused her death. And the best part is this murderer (I called him a murderer since he directly/indirectly caused my mother's death at the unfortunate age of 64-years-old) didn't once showed his face at my mother's funeral and since I was still working at the same shopping mall as my mother, he actually had the audacity to live his life as if he didn't do anything wrong at all.


Therefore, you can imagine the pain and sorrow I am going through while trying to pick up pieces of my life. It is hard to go on, knowing that the person who caused my mother's death is just living his life as usual while I am trying to move on. Therefore, please do accept my humble apologies as I am on hiatus mode for now. I will come back to blogging, slowly and gradually. But right now, I need the time to heal and to move on. It is a difficult time in my journey from now to the future but I am trying my hardest too. So, thank you for being understanding and see you all within the year after my heart has healed a little.


Friday, February 24, 2017

BeautyKeeper 美麗掌櫃 by Sample Store Review [Sponsored]

This review is proudly sponsored and brought to you by Sample Store. Any external images, if used, solely belong to their respective owners and not to me. I only re-link and use them as part of this review.


Note that all views presented here are of my own and whether the product is sponsored or not, it's honest throughout. Only that effects will vary on the individual when applied.


Before I start off with this review, let's talk a little about anti-aging/age defying. As we all know, as soon as we reach our 20s, we have to start considering anti-aging and age-defying options. In short, our skin cannot possible stay young forever well into our 60s or 80s (unless you *ahem* consider susuk a.k.a "charm needles"). But that will be another horror story for another time :P


Anyway, as I was saying, we should be focusing on developing an anti-aging treatment routine into our daily skincare regime. Once you start at the sweet young age of 20, you need not have to play catch-up as soon as you go into your 30s. Imagine not investing in anti-aging products in your 20s, only to have your skin feel loose like a worn sweater when you are in your 30s. By then, no matter how much anti-aging products you buy or how expensive the product is or how fast you are supposed to "see results", it would have been a little too late.


And as the saying goes "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", start early and it falls into a simple but foolproof routine that you can even do with your eyes closed. And for that, I shall present to you, BeautyKeeper brought to you exclusively by Sample Store.


Beauty Keeper 美麗掌櫃

  • Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner / Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence
  • Waterdrop Cream
  • PSK's Color correction CC Cream
  • Ethel Pharmaceutical AHA Source of Citric Acid Tablet


But before I proceed to introduce the awesome goodies I've received, let's discuss a little more about Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) from Taiwan. Here is what Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) is about in their own words, taken from Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) website.


Beauty- Keeper carrying high quality and most popular beauty products from Taiwan, including skin care, hair care and makeup. Beauty-Keeper, having a great confident in Taiwan beauty products, sharing the TOP Taiwan beauty and high-rated beauty products to everyone, which Beauty-Keeper platform is where the ladies can pick their favorite Taiwan beauty products, getting the latest trend and beauty knowledges.


Beauty-Keeper wish to fulfill every ladies with all kind of beautiful and happiness, as every skincare and makeup touches, the love and satisfaction for our products is what as promises in every lady’s daily life.


The core value of Beauty-Keeper is guaranteed in both quality and price. Cutting down unnecessarily expenses, building reputation by the word of mouth instead of paying excess advertising cost, it reflected on our reasonable price. Every single product on Beauty-Keeper are required to be tested by our team, inspection report and sources of raw materials are strongly required to be provided by suppliers. Beauty-Keeper makes sure all customers shop in a trustworthy environment.


Instead of categorize the products by brands; functions serve better in letting the customers finding the right and suitable product. By applying the right products to suitable skin types can make you shine and stand out in the crowd.


Beauty-Keeper cares the frequent travelers, by providing airport and hotel drop off service, orders can be made before or during the trip in Taiwan, without worry about purchasing of beauty products, ordered, and collect in the hotel or airport on the leaving day.


Recently, Beauty-Keeper has building partnership with several companies: SingPost, Sample Store and CDRI Taiwan, to speed up the growth as well as providing a better shopping environment to our customers.


Beauty-Keeper, the source of your beauty life.


First up: Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner / Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence

Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner / Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence

The toner comes in a cylindrical frosted glass bottle. Ooh~ I feel classy already wor~


Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner / Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence

Here's a look at the list of ingredients that went into this bottle, for those of you interested


Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner / Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence

Literally clear in color and there is no scent to this toner



It actually felt pretty easy to glide the toner around and get it absorbed into my skin


VERDICT: The essence is a clear liquid but is of a slightly thick texture. I personally couldn't "detect" any particular scent to it, folks who don't like their products to have any discernible scent to it are probably going to love this product. I personally find that the product feels watery when applied to the skin and it actually absorbed pretty well. My skin felt a little sticky for a little short while and the sticky sensation slowly dissipates in no time at all while making my skin feel that "boing boing" sensation without the tight and taut sensation.


Second: Mdmmd Waterdrop Cream

Waterdrop Cream

This water drop cream is actually a toner, serum and lotion all in one, literally a 3-in-1 product. For those of us who doesn't want to spend too much time on a separate toner, serum and lotion, this is definitely a must-have :D And the gold color cylindrical bottle is really a classy touch, feels like I am using an expensive product. Machiam like a few hundred or thousand dollars cream to keep me looking oh-so-young :P


Waterdrop Cream

Here's a look at the list of ingredients that went into this bottle, for those of you interested


Waterdrop Cream

The waterdrop cream is milky white in color while the consistency isn't so thick in texture. This cream literally liquify instantly as soon as I start to pat into my face.



You can literally see the waterdrop cream liquifying and gliding into my skin efortlessly.


VERDICT: My skin actually felt hydrated even after a few hours has passed while my skintone actually looked slightly more radiant as opposed to my usual sallow, sickly and ghostly looking skin. As I personally do not have any fine lines, wrinkles and such on my face, I am unable to state how well my non-existence lines and wrinkles will cope with this product. However, the good thing is that, my skin doesn't look greasy/oily throughout the day/night. As most facial creams, whether it's serum, gel-based or cream-based will actually make my skin look a little "glossy" a few hours after application. But this! This products doesn't, in fact, my skin actually looked sufficiently hydrated AND dewy-looking.


Third: PSK's Color correction CC Cream

PSK's Color correction CC Cream

Welp, when I first lay eyes on this box, I thought the box itself looked "minimalist" to me, just simple and straightfoward to the point. None of those overly-fancy looking CC cream packaging I am used to seeing. Or maybe it's just because I tend to make side trips to the expensive cosmetic counter :P


PSK's Color correction CC Cream

The sponge provided is similar to those air cushion type of sponges intended for BB/CC cream, but I find that this sponge is a little more dense than normal ones. The CC Cream itself first looked a little too yellow for my liking, but, looks are definitely deceiving. It actually matches my pale as a ghost skintone O.O


PSK's Color correction CC Cream

Here's a look at the ingredients that goes into this CC Cream. Sorry, I really tried but the light reflected rather badly. Didn't help that the ingredient list is literally on the glossy side of the box D:


PSK's Color correction CC Cream

As you can see from this swatch, the CC Cream in contrast to my skin is already this obvious. And I was thinking it will get worse if it goes onto my skin. But...



This shade when applied evenly to my skin is actually the perfect shade for my skintone, I am pleasantly and genuinely surprised. As with other BB and CC Creams I have tried, I can literally see the different in color tone between my face and my neck area. But this, is literally the perfect coverage. It does hide my old and slightly faded acne scars without any problem and the best part is that, it's really lightweight on my skin. Yep, impressed with a capital letter I!


VERDICT: The texture is similar to cream-based foundation, and it seemed to take a little effort to blend evenly onto my skin in the beginning. Initially, I tried applying with the sponge it came in, but it proved to be rather difficult to do so. To compare, catching a seemingly rare-ish Pokemon seemed like a walk in the park than trying to get this CC Cream from sponge to my face. Although attempting application with my fingers seemed slightly better. There seemed to be a scent to this CC Cream but I can't really tell what it is exactly, the scent itself isn't bad and anyways, I am not too bothered by the scent as I don't really smell anything after applying to my skin. I like the fact that it gave my skin a natural finished look inside of looking too pale even though I am of the pale skintone variety. I am really impressed by this product throughout.



And lastly: Ethel Pharmaceutical AHA Source of Citric Acid Tablet

Ethel Pharmaceutical AHA Source of Citric Acid Tablet

White, round and actually small enough to swallow. To be honest, I am spooked when it's time to swallow pills of any variety since I am a constant user of different painkillers and paracetamol (from doctors) due to my constant regular migraine and back pain. But this is actually surprising to swallow, although I can literally taste the sourness of the citric acid the first time round due to the fact that I forgot to swallow it down. Don't ask me why, since I don't know either... ^.^;


Ethel Pharmaceutical AHA Source of Citric Acid Tablet

A look at the list of ingredients that goes into this product for those of you folks who needs to know.


Verdict: As this pouch/packet cames in a quantity of 50 and the packet itself suggests that I am meant to ingest 5 tablets on a daily basis within 10 days. But I took only 2 tablets per day, basically just before bedtime so it can do it's work after it gets absorbed into my system while I do my part in the sleeping department. So far for the first few days after application, my skin feels okay and I did notice less pimples showing up as my skin is really prone to problematic pimples when I least expect it. So, I am going to say that this is working rather well.


Where to Purchase BeautyKeeper products?

You can buy these award winning Taiwanese products directly from BeautyKeeper website over at Beauty Keeper 美麗掌櫃 and at the same time check out more awesome beauty products from BeautyKeeper as well.

All products are conveniently priced in Singapore dollars, so you don't have to convert the amount between different currencies from random websites. How convenient is that?

Upra ® Age Delay Revive Toner/Wakeup Skin & Freezes Age Essence is priced at S$41.00 while Waterdrop Cream is priced at S$47.00 (Prices have been rechecked and updated in this blogpost by me)


Where to get BeautyKeeper samples?

Samples cane be requested directly from Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) Facebook page.


P/S: If I happened to purchase anymore Beauty Keeper(美麗掌櫃) products to complement the retail-sized samples I am currently using, I will also make another separate entry and update this blog post as well :D


Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh Review

WHAT IS IT: Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh
Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh


THE PRODUCT(S):
Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh
Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh: Regular bathing with Lifebuoy body wash helps to prevent the spread of germs. With advanced germ protection ingredient Active5, it's menthol extract helps you feel cool and fresh.


Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash Cool Fresh
The shower foam actually has this really light blue base color, it smells clean and fresh with a light hint of menthol that doesn't overpower the nose. And my skin feels so clean and refreshed without feeling overly dry nor taut.


VERDICT: As a kid, I used to hate showering. Don't ask, but most kids just hated showering partly because that moment after a shower, everything feels insanely cold. It doesn't help that there always seemed to be a nice and cooling breeze that is ever present right as soon as you stepped out of the shower. However, when I stopped/finished schooling and entered the workforce, my appreciation of having a long, comfortable, enjoyable and relaxing shower suddenly ranks much higher than having food or fun. In fact, it goes like this, where #1 is the highest and the lowest is at the bottom:

  1. Shower
  2. Sleep
  3. Skincare
  4. Enjoy the breeze, warm sunshine, breathe some clean air
  5. Food and Drinks


I don't know about everyone and anyone else, but this is the order of what's important and what isn't the important anymore. Maybe when one gets older, one will actually appreciate the little pleasures in life more than before. I mean, see it this way, work (and school for some of us) is like a second home. 10 hours is spent on transport and at work while the remaining time in a day is at home. Minus the minimum 8 hours of sleep and you're only left with only 4 hours which you try to cram as many activities as you can before you need to get out of the house and get to work or school. That's life for most of us when we realized the concept of the word "time".


But sometimes, too much activity outside work results in sensitive skin that is prone to slight damage and sensitivity which in turns makes one scratch like a monkey. Like as if our workload isn't enough, add in skin irritants and this already feels like too much to handle on our plate already. But luckily, Lifebuoy is here to the rescue. Lifebuoy Cool Fresh actually contains menthol crystals that are derived from nourishing peppermint leaf oil and at the same time gives an invigorating refreshment to one's senses. The wonderful cooling sensation I get all over my skin is an instant refreshment and a perk-me-up and leaves me feeling fresh, revitalized and energised to continue where I left off with my activities.


People who know me will realize that I am famous for having "itchy" hands, touch touch a little here, grope grope a little there. And bam! Itchy skin occurs suddenly making me feel like I have ants and fleas crawling all over my skin. And yes, that is just how "sensitive" my skin is. Just a little irritant and I feel like I have dozens and tons of things crawling all over me. But Lifebuoy Cool Fresh is always there to the rescue for my skin. Let's just say it sucks a little when my skin feels a little strained due to sensitivity and I have to stop using my fancy scented shower gels for a day or two, so I can concentrate on getting that sensitivity issue out of the way with my trusted Lifebuoy Cool Fresh.


For Lifebuoy Cool Fresh, the shower gel itself is actually a pearlescent blue color and I like that it foams up really well. Once the foams are all foamy and whatnot, you can smell the cleanness and freshness of the shower gel. And the shower gel also rinses off easily without having to spend too much time, effort nor trouble on it. And I like the fact that my skin feels clean and refreshed from a day's dull tiredness without feeling it's too drying and taut/tight to the touch.


PRODUCT RATING: ✓✓✓


WHAT I THINK: Basically, I am a sucker for scented shower gels and every once or twice a week, I would take the time and effort to use a Lifebuoy product to ensure my skin is in tip top condition to minimise the risk of skin problems. Also my shower sessions is that time of the day where I can totally relax and chill and take a breathe, so a full pump into my shower puff for all the clean and refreshed foamy goodness.


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No samples for redemption.


Why not like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PuNiaosProductReviews to be informed of latest samples I found, which is duly updated? Also includes updates to health, beauty & lifestyle tips regularly. It will definitely save you the trouble of having to hunt them down :)


Thursday, June 23, 2016

The 10 Commandments of Foundation

So, I was browsing around YouTube, which in turned led me to Pinterest due to a particular series of videos that features makeup myths found on Pinterest. I found this informative tidbit and felt that I should share it with my readers. We all know the basics of foundation starts from clean skin all the way to flawless makeup while at the same time serving as a protective barrier against environmental damage and stress.

Right off the bat, applying foundation sounds easy-peasy, right? Not exactly. It's only until you think you are done with applying your makeup do you finally notice that your preferred foundation, which you thought was flawless, actually looks cakey from all different angles. Cakey makeup isn't the only thing that looks and feels traumatic, many factors are also present as well.

But fret not! This infographic that I found, and posted just below, teaches you how to apply your favorite foundation flawlessly for even radiant, beautiful looking skin. A little something for us ladies, doesn't matter whether you are a pro or just starting to use makeup, this really benefits us all :D


The 10 Commandments of Foundation
~Infographic Source: Pinterest~



Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Prizes Won [JĀSÖN Singapore]

Well, JĀSÖN Singapore had an awesome contest on Facebook and the rules are really simple to join. In fact, I think it's one of the best type of contest, instead of the usual voting type of contest where unscrupulous Facebook users always tend to cheat in. All contestants need to do is to stop the animated GIF in their post at the right time to reveal the full bottle, or in other words the actual scent they carry in their range. In other words, no top half Tea Tre Oil while the lower half is of another scent/color. Basically, they will randonly choose 3 winners to walk away with a set of JĀSÖN body washes!

Honestly, I just joined for fun with no idea I might be so lucky to be one of the 3 lucky winners to actually win a set of JĀSÖN body washes. Maybe my luck as the Queen of Shower Gels is working right for once in my life LOL Anyways, I didn't even know I actually won until someone tagged on the winner's post, which in turned pointed me to a new notification which in turned prompted me to go check out what's going on. A few clicks here and there and I was like "OMAGARR!! I WON!!"

You can check out my entry/comment over at JASONPersonalCareSG/posts/1015430655201287 or take a look at the shower gels I've won right below.


Calming Lavender Body Wash

Calming Lavender Body Wash at 887ml



Invigorating Rosewater Body Wash

Invigorating Rosewater Body Wash at 887ml



Considering that a 887ml bottle of JĀSÖN body wash retails at S$12.90, I wasn't really expecting a big bottle, no scrap that, 2 big bottles of body washes. Well, needless to say, I am just smiling and grinning deliriously from the moment I knew I won until now, a week after I've redeemed my prize(s).

It's still not too late to join and be one of the lucky ones to win a set of JĀSÖN body washes. Just go over to JĀSÖN Singapore Facebook page at facebook.com/JASONPersonalCareSG/, Like their page and join in. Here's wishing you Good Luck and once more, a fantastical THANK YOU to JĀSÖN Singapore for picking me as one of the winners :D


Saturday, June 18, 2016

Shopping Haul [Venus Beauty + The Body Shop]

I recently did a small shopping haul around my neighbourhood, partly because there's a new Venus Beauty outlet despite their location being under renovation recently. Well, the renovation is supposedly going to benefit stall owners and shoppers alike as there will be shelter from the sun and rain. And not forgetting ventilation as well. This also saves me the trouble of going all the way to Choa Chu Kang MRT station or Causeway Point at Woodlands just for a Venus Beauty shopping haul.

Some of the few items I got are facial scrubs, shower gels (I love shower gels a lot) and a body sorbet. Body sorbets from The Body Shop are the next best thing, as body creams and body butter are too rich for my skin. Despite the fact that I am not using a huge blob, body butter tend to leave a sticky and oily residue on my skin. However, body sorbets are a totally different league altogether as they are just right to use in Sunny Singapore, it absorbs so fast leaving a refreshingly wonderful scent minus the sticky and oily sensation caused by body creams and body butter.

However, users with really dry skin are still recommended to stick with the body creams and butter as your skin is dry, hence the utmost need for a slightly more intensive moisturiser to the rescue. My skin isn't that dry, so body sorbets are just right for my skin type.

Another reason for this Shopping Haul post is also because I intend to separate my posts according to samples received and redeemed, shopping hauls and prizes won so it won't look utterly messy having jammed everything into a "Samples Received and Redeemed" post. Also because when it comes to labels on the blog itself, it's easier to search through if there's a need to find something. Part of the reason for the Shopping Hauls and Prizes Won post is to point readers in the right direction to products I think are really awesome to give a try and as a thank you for having a chance to win some prizes :D



I first saw this St Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub a couple of years ago at the Watsons in Bukit Panjang Plaza when they just barely finished with their store renovations. I was contemplating for a few days and decided to want to get it. But alas, it was completely sold out before I even knew it. And thereafter, it seems that this particular Watsons outlet never did seem to re-stock it again. The only St Ives Facial Scrub available ever since is only limited to the Even & Bright series. Maybe they think everyone has the same type of skin type lol

Anyways, I happened to know of Venus Beauty having an outlet at my area, saw the Apricot Scrub and decided after a few months just for the sake of seeing if they will continue to being in this particular series of facial scrub. Turns out they do, they even have a range for my mother as well and on top of that, I found that Venus Beauty tended to price their products slightly cheaper and more affordable than Watsons. Watsons is mostly for when you really need a product, but can't find it anywhere, not even places like Venus Beauty and SaSa for example, that you have to absolutely buy from them.

I practically got this St Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub for almost half the price if I were to buy it straight from Watsons. So, it's worth the buy in terms of price. Besides, the contents are the same anyways, so it's wiser to buy the cheaper alternative so I can save up more money for products to buy and try :D



Has anyone noticed that some products in The Body Shop seemed to have a new look to them? The Eau De Toilette, to quote for example, has this very expensive look and feel to it. And get this straight, The Body Shop products are also reasonably priced and their EDT scents are to die for. There was also a English Dawn Gardenia EDT, but I find the initial scent a little too strong. I tend to favour scents that aren't so heavy from the first whiff as I am asthmatic as scents too heavy from the start makes me cough and wheeze a little. However, flowery scents are different though, I don't seem to have an adverse allergic reaction to heady floral scents. Weird~

I chose this Polynesian Island Tiaré EDT (retailing at S$36.90 for 50ml) since the scent isn't too light to the point it feels like it's fading away in hot and humid Singapore and yet feels exotic with a deep level of sweetness to it. Just a FYI, the Tiaré flower's snow white petals are a symbol of purity and its suave and addictive fragrance is the signature of Tahiti and the Islands of French Polynesia. Polynesians wear this iconic flower tucked behind their ear – on the right if the heart is free, on the left if not. It is also the flower offered to welcome those who arrive in Tahiti – an invitation to well-being.

But beyond its symbolic and sensual dimensions, the Tiaré flower is one of the most important plants of the Raau Tahiti, the traditional pharmacopoeia of Tahiti. The flower is largely used in many preparations: the treatment for some eczemas, headaches, insect bites. It's sensual and soothing emulsions, body oils, tonics, fragrance is now the composition of personal care products from major brands around the world.



Next up is the newest range from The Body Shop, playful and cheeky Piñita Colada range. They have the usual full range with the body butter and so on and so forth, but I always favour the shower gels and body sorbets. The Piñita Colada Shower Gel on the left retails at S$12.90 for 250ml and the Piñita Colada Fresh Body Sorbet on the right retails at S$19.90 for 200ml.

The exotic and dreamy scent of hand-harvested coconuts from the Antilles region of the Caribbean, as well as juicy pineapples from the Santo-Domingo area will send you into beach heaven in an instant. I love how the scent is like a fruity cocktail that seems to lift your mood and senses and it's as if you can keep sniffing more variety of sunshine-y fruits that makes you feel glad to be in a tropical place, all that summer fragrances is bound to make you feel good from the inside to the outside.

On a side note, Singapore is too hot and humid sometimes to feel anything tropical nor even worth trying to get into the tropical mood though lol It's just plain sweat, sweat and more sweat no matter where you turn, makes me wonder if there's an invisible sun following me 24/7 since I can pretty much sweat a lot just by going to the mama shop downstairs D:



Well, I'm not the Queen of Shower Gels for no reason. Every single time I pop by The Body Shop, it will always be about shower gels, shower gels and even more shower gels. Most ladies are crazy towards high heel shoes, expensive branded bags, the latest fashion trend or the latest makeup trend, I am personally crazy about the shower gels from The Body Shop. As I always believe in this mantra I read more a geisha book (I forgot the title anyway), a geisha's utmost importance is to ensure her hair doesn't smell as they are in constant close contact, or in other words, they are sitting next to their clients and smelly hair will put off even the customer who is capable of spending big bucks on a geisha house entertainment.

That is where I based my principality on smelling good as much as I possibly can, it's not for the guys who passed by me. It's more of a, "I smell great, I feel great and I can do great things today because I am in a great mood" sort of feeling, if you understand what I'm trying to explain here.

On the left is the English Dawn Gardenia Shower Gel retailing at S$15.90 for 250ml and on the right, Polynesian Island Tiaré Shower Gel retailing at S$15.90 for 250ml. I won't go on anymore about the Polynesian Island Tiaré Shower Gel since I've pretty much said my part for the EDT. However, the English Dawn Gardenia Shower Gel isn't as "strong" as the EDT itself, the scent is definitely heavy but it doesn't linger heavily either. I feel that this shower gel is going to be refreshing wonderful after I stepped out of the bathroom from using it in the shower.


Friday, June 3, 2016

Samples Received & Redeemed: May 2016

First off, my humble apologies for taking so long to write up this monthly post. My Canon camera is in the midst of douche-ness since I've been trying to charge it since 2 to 3 weeks ago, but it time, the battery bar just refused to fill up. It's not even charging at all, despite having the correct charger and the switch is on. Maybe I need to consider buying those cheapo charging wires that can be bought cheaply from Box Boss that you can find in neighborhood shopping malls. Anyway, I ended up giving up on the camera and used my Samsung S6 for the photo-taking of all these samples instead.


Post It

Sometimes, I think Post-It isn't really actually giving out any samples at all, the package is always so flat it makes me wonder if there's anything useful inside.


Post It

The sampling activity for this time is the Post-It flags, which I personally think are rather miserable, to be honest. It states 6, which means 3 of each size, which still boils down to 2 types of Post-It flags. I'd rather they give a little more of the flags as it's easier to gauge how useful the flags are if I need to make notes, for example, inside a travel guide book.


Post It

Not sure why Post-It always gives this, their sampling activity is always misleading to a certain degree lol


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I can safely presume sampling redemption is over as I can't seem to find any info or the actual link that brings me to the redemption page.



Calecim

I got to know about it on Facebook rather late, and to be honest, just 2 days before the closing date for the sampling activity. But anyway, I managed to get a CALECIM® Moisturising Cream (10g).


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: CALECIM® Moisturising Cream giveaway has now been fully redeemed.



Exuviance

The sample(s) comes with a sachet each for day and night cream, as stated just below:

  • Age Reverse Day Repair SPF 30 @ 2g (left)
  • Age Reverse Night Lift @ 2g (right)


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Fully redeemed.



The Sample Store

It feels like ages since I redeemed something a little more atas from The Sample Store's "Free Samples" tab.


IQueen

I redeemed a IQueen Wrapping Mask EX @ 7g, it consists of:

  • Power Lifting Serum (top)
  • Wrapping Mask EX (bottom)


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Fully redeemed.



Expat Living Singapore

Expat Living Singapore was previously giving away complimentary one year magazine, Expat Living Singapore Body & Mind Guide 2016-2017. I haven't gotten around to browsing through it yet though ^^;


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to http://expatliving.force.com/Checkout... and fill in your details. As the link is still working, the giveaway could still be available, so go on and request your copy.



Nescafe

Nescafe was previously hosting a samppling activity for their latest product, the NESCAFÉ Zero Sugar added and the samples I've gotten consists of 7 sachets which is just enough for my personal porcelain cup. Sometimes, instant coffee can be overly sweet, so it's nice to see Nescafe coming up with a version that does not contain sugar at all. Well, if you still want it just a teeny wee sweet, you can add in a splash of sugar yourself, but it defeats the purpose of getting a zero sugar coffee instead.


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling is over, although I still see their Sponsored Post floating around still.



Alpen

Alpen Singapore was previously hosting a sampling activity, I've gotten:

  • Alpen Original Muesli @ 50g
  • Alpen Fruit & Nut @ 28g
  • Alpen Trail Bar Big Berries @ 48g


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling has ended.



Bioderma

Bioderma was having a sampling acitivty, I got the 3-day trial of Hydrabio Perfecteur SPF 30 @ 5ml.


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to bioderma_fb/sg/redeem, fill in your details and wait for the sample to arrive in your mailbox. As the link and webpage is still working, I believe the sampling activity is still ongoing.



Eversoft

Freebie redemption with purchase, but I'm not going to go all the way to Jurong Point for a tumbler ^^


Eversoft

EverSoft was hosting a sampling acitivity, and I got a 30ml travel pack Yuzu & Mint Beauty Shower Foam @ 30ml. And needless to say, the scent is refreshing~


WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I've tried the link, but it isn't working. So it's safe to presume the sampling activity is over as well.



Why not like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PuNiaosProductReviews to be informed of latest samples I found, which is duly updated? Also includes updates to health, beauty & lifestyle tips regularly. It will definitely save you the trouble of having to hunt them down :)



Friday, May 13, 2016

No blog updates until 18th May 2016

My apologies, I'm not feeling well and won't be able to commit 100% here. Life sucks a little for females every month due to this natural occurrence called Menstruation and mine is always the heavy and painful variety and the pain always lasts for exactly almost 1 week in all. However, if the pains do slowly subside, I'll resume blogging at the earliest convenience. Meanwhile, posts will be limited to only Facebook posts related to sampling redemption. Have a wonderful weekend and stay positive :)


Tuesday, May 10, 2016

The real reason you can't lose weight

Why do most dieters put all the weight they lose back on ... and often a bit more too? It's not lack of willpower or not enough exercise. Nor is it motivation. So why is it so hard ... and is there any point ever going on a diet again?



~Image Source: Fitness Bin~


It's easier to quit smoking than lose weight. What's more, the nicotine in cigarettes is as addictive as heroin – so that means one of the most potently addictive drugs is easier to kick than losing weight. And yet chocolate and other fattening foods are not actually addictive (though they may feel like it sometimes). So why do only 4 or 5 percent of dieters succeed, while between 20 to 30 percent of those who try to quit smoking stay off cigs for good?


It's partly because to quit smoking, you just stop, if you can. But with food, it's impossible. You have to eat. Food is something we both use and abuse; abuse in the sense of taking in more than we need, using it for pleasure beyond physical need. That's why so many of us in the Westernised world have a weight problem: food has moved way beyond mere survival.


But our brains still program us for survival, to find calorie-dense food – such as high-fat foods – the most attractive of all. Our brains don't yet know that for us, there's an abundance of such food freely available and if anything, we need to re-program our brains to find healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables equally as attractive.


Big bodies, big biz

Obesity is now a major health problem for all Westernised countries, making a major contribution towards death from heart disease, strokes and diabetes. And this at a time when the pressure to be thin has never been greater. Americans, for example, spend between US$30-50 billion a year on weight-reduction, yet 90 to 95 percent of people who lose weight put it back on – two-thirds within a year, and the rest within five years. Failure brings feelings of guilt and self-hatred. Ever more desperate means are tried to lose weight, including drugs that may have harmful side effects.


So why is it so hard, given that we know the health benefits to being around the right weight for our height and age? The reason seems to be related to a system far more complex than a simple conflict between energy intake (calories) and energy expenditure (exercise).


For example, the average man or woman between the ages of 25 and 55 gains 9.1kg over 30 years. This represents an excess energy intake of only about 0.3 percent over energy expenditure. It seems that a person's weight is stable around a set point that is defended ruthlessly by a control mechanism in the central nervous system.


Your weight tends to go back on after a diet because your brain works like crazy to make sure it does. And some of us, due mainly to the genes we inherit, have a higher set point than others. Sounds pretty hopeless, doesn't it?


Bluffing your body

Your set point can be overridden but only by severe calorie restriction combined with rigorous exercise. That's how the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Calista Flockhart maintain their reed-like figures. Excessive exercise. Little eating. But as soon as you stop these measures, the weight will go back on. So those stars will look like real women again the minute they let up!


Far better than dieting is to prevent the extra weight going on in the first place, if you can. But if it's already there, it is best to concentrate on a healthy diet and enjoyable, not excessive exercise. Those who are only mildly overweight are best advised to maintain their current weight with these measures rather than trying to lose it.


There are many psychological reasons that militate against successful weight control. One major way is how our brains program us to eat. It's all done via a neuro-transmitter called dopamine. Neuroscientists still don't have the entire picture of how the chemical soup that is our brains. But they do know that dopamine is responsible for flooding our bodies with feelings of pleasure and enjoyment each time we eat. It's a reward mechanism (we get similar sensations when we have sex because the brain recognises this as something that promotes the continuation of the species).


Without the dopamine reward, or “hit”, we wouldn't have the same desire to eat. There is definitely a psychological reason why it is hard to restrain ourselves from eating and that reason involves neurochemicals. But the story is not yet fully understood.


But what we do understand thus far is that many of our most basic human drives come from the desire to get that natural dopamine “hit” even though we're mostly unaware of it. We just know it feels nice! Because our brains run on chemicals, we can fool them by using chemicals to hijack the process behind our survival drives. Drugs work by mimicking the dopamine hit without doing anything to promote our survival. And that's why some dieters take amphetamines to try and reduce their appetite – the amphetamines increase the dopamine in our system, thereby fooling the brain into thinking we've already eaten, or eaten enough when we haven't.


Diet dependencies
~Image Source: Weight Loss Miss~


Diet dependencies

Amphetamines, like cocaine and heroin, are addictive and have powerful side effects, such as feelings of paranoia. This is why they tend not to be prescribed for weight control, though they were in the past. However, they are still taken by some for recreational purposes and weight control. Drugs obtained this way carry great dangers as there is no way of knowing their exact contents. But some dieters are that desperate.


This desperation could also be one of the reasons why many young women take up smoking and refuse to give it up – they think it will help them stay thinner. Smoking does increase the body's metabolic rate and nicotine may act as an appetite suppressant. Nicotine may also encourage the heart to beat faster thus burning calories more quickly.


However, a smoking-induced increase in metabolic rate only accounts for about half the difference in weight between average smokers and non-smokers. Smoking can also lower the body's set weight point so the weight gained on stopping reflects a return to the body's natural weight.


Also, it's been found in fact that on average the gain for ex-smokers is at most 2-3kg and those who increase their physical activity after they give up gain only 1.3-1.8 kg. Furthermore, it's been found that the weight gain is most common immediately after stopping. In the longer term, an ex-smoker's weight can return to normal.


Alcohol is also a short-cut to a dopamine high. But if you're of Chinese descent, you may have a problem metabolising alcohol. Whereas Westerners have somehow evolved a series of liver enzymes to metabolise alcohol and its breakdown product, acetaldehyde, Eastern populations have not been so lucky. About 50 percent of Chinese and Japanese people lack the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and so just one glass of wine taken by people without this enzyme gives them a very unpleasant reaction.


Due to the build-up of acetaldehyde they become flushed, dizzy, nauseated and may even collapse. And without any of the pleasant feelings of intoxication.


And in fact, cutting back on alcohol should make it easier to control your weight because as well as alcohol flooding our bodies with useless calories and filling us up with poison, alcohol lowers our blood-sugar levels making us hungrier. This is why we drink appetisers before a meal and also why you can feel so ravenous for food after a night out on a pub crawl.


So if you have the enzyme that lets you drink freely, try not to. And if you're constantly losing the battle to lose weight, why not experiment with cutting out alcohol for a few weeks? It can make a massive difference, for example, singer Robbie Williams said, in his own words, he was really “lardy” until he went into rehab for his drink and drug abuse. The weight fell off when he stopped drinking.


Starving doesn't help

There's one further main reason why diets don't work: they actually lower our metabolic rate and so make it easier, not harder, to gain weight. It works like this: you start restricting calories and your body think there's a famine going on – which for many thousands of years of human evolution was very likely and sadly still is very likely in many parts of the world. So the dieter's body slows down the metabolism to try and make the most of what food is available. The brain pushes and pushes you to eat more and eventually, most of us can't exist for long on semi-starvation diets so we do what our brains want us to: we resume normal eating. Bang goes the weight back on because our metabolism has been lowered.


Oprah Winfrey once said she had completely ruined her metabolism by constant dieting and bingeing. But none of us should blame ourselves for the inevitable binge that follows the diet. If you go too low on your calorie intake, your brain simply won't let you stay there. The few who can override the constant hunger signals from their brain either become anorexic or go crazy from the effects it takes.


Imagine all the energy Elizabeth Hurley and her Hollywood size 0 friends must use not eating. They fight their bodies every day. They fight the message their brains send out. They become terrified of food. Glorious, wonderful, gorgeous, fabulous food. Seriously, is that any way to live?


Surely the way forward is to become as comfortable as we can with our bodies. To exercise for healthy and enjoyment, not weight control, and to eat for pleasure as well as survival. Many women find that once they get off the diet-binge merry go round, nothing terrible happens. Their weight settles down its set point and they release tons and tons of energy to enjoy life instead of fearing it.


Diets don't work. Evolution is against you. So chuck out the calorie counter and just relax. Food won't kill you. But constantly cutting down on one of the most pleasurable activities known to humans can make life really miserable. Even then, it's unlikely to give you the slyph-like figure you crave. Give it up. Enjoy life.