(From left to right: Ripples Geometric Flip Flops, Reef De Rio, Crocs Retro Flip Flops, Ipanema Lady Ana Thong, Flips Classic Flip Flops and Havaianas Slim Sunny)

MOST CASUAL
Ripples Geometric Flip Flops, $15.90, from Ripples
The material is less dense and feels slightly lighter than the rest. The flip-flops are fairly comfy, but they squeak when wet and take a while to dry out.

MOST STYLISH
Reef De Rio, $39.90, from Samba
This pair is incredibly light, and has shapely contours – nice for narrow feet. They are generally comfortable and give good traction on wet ground, although the flexible material means that the front occasionally folds over.

BEST FOR THE POOL
Crocs Retro Flip Flops, $49.90, from Crocs
Broad and somewhat clunky, they’re perfect for larger feet; they look less flattering on narrower soles. Walking on wet and slippery ground is reassuringly stable, thanks to the grooved soles.

BEST VALUE
MOST SNUG
Ipanema Lady Ana Thong, $29.90, from Samba and selected Royal Sporting House outlets
This pair is slim-cut, and fitted our testers' feet well, just like the Havaianas pair. The only difference is in the footbed, which is a little stiffer and the straps, a tad tighter. But they are comfortable all day.

BEST VALUE
MOST RUGGED
Flips Classic Flip Flops, $16.90, from www.flips.com.sg, Exxe Sports Elements and Liferacer
Both testers find the straps quite loose, but the thick, padded sole makes up for it. The flip-flops feel soft and rubbery, and are comfortable over uneven and pebbled ground. One tester found the slight sticky film on the footbed a tad annoying but it didn't bother the other tester.

EDITOR'S RAVE
MOST COMFY
Havaianas Slim Sunny, $52.90, from H – the All Havaianas Store and Commonthread
Both testers find the slim cut and shape of these soft and comfy flip-flops a perfect fit for their feet. Also useful is how quickly the footbed dries up when wet and how feet stay sweat-free throughout the day.

This article was originally published in Simply Her September 2014.

All product and pricing information was correct at the time of the magazine's publication. We advise readers to check with the stores for the latest availability and pricing information.

Anyone who's ever worked in the CBD area can tell you (with all the irony that only those privileged enough to be inundated with endless food options can) that dining in the business district can be a real pain sometimes. The perennial problem: where do you go for food that's 1) not hawker food but isn't 2) rabbit food and still 3) won't burn a hole in the wallet. Oh, such #firstworldproblems.

Luckily for them then, that JBM Coffee & Dining, a cheerful addition to One Raffles Place Mall, ticks off all three criteria with a flourish. Founder Evangeline Wong (who also owns Blue Mahoe Estate Caffe at Esplanade amongst other lifestyle concepts) has roped in Chef Chamara Fonseka and young barista Shaw Shyne Wei as her tag team of food and coffee providers, and the result is a pleasant surprise we'd never have thought likely in the CBD: generous portions of Italian and French classics, at absurdly reasonable prices.. 

Consider us officially jealous of everyone working in the CBD. 

Must-tries: It's hard to pick faves, but if we must, we'd have the Beef Outside The Cubes ($24, above) every other day until we got tired of it. Approximately 120g of grain-fed tenderloin cubes (grilled to a succulent medium-rare pink) is tossed in sauce with mushrooms and served with a choice of mash or fries. Opt for the mash – it's creamy, luscious and a nice counterpoint to the hearty meat. 

Also worthy of mention: the generously portioned Pork Terrine (with a side of walnut salad and slices of warm brioche) at a jaw-dropping $15, and a lovely meal-ender (and palate cleanser) in the Orange Blossom ($12), refreshing with layers of fresh orange, orange jelly, Grand Marnier foam and topped off with caramel crisp.

Skip: The cold tea concoctions (from $6.50). Nothing wrong with these sweet tea concoctions – they just don't make an impression next to the far superior food menu. Opt for the coffee drinks instead – only coffee beans of high quality are picked, and then extracted in a variety of ways for a perfect mid-afternoon cup. 

JBM Coffee & Dining is located at One Raffles Place Mall, 1 Raffles Place, #03-23/24/25. For more information, visit www.jbmcoffeedining.com or call tel: 6536-1047.

IMAGE: AFP RELAXNEWS

The model and television personality has unveiled her own beauty brand, and she's named it after herself!

The America's Next Top Model host and former Victoria's Secret 'Angel' has launched a new beauty collection, Tyra, promising with typical gusto that "it's not just a cosmetics line; it's a COSMETICS EXPERIENCE." 

"Without makeup, I would have never been a supermodel," she adds. "I don't wake up with naturally sculpted cheekbones -- I paint them on! I believe makeup is the great beauty equalizer."

We do too, and if you're a fan of portmanteau product names you're going to love it. 

Three main categories: 'TYover' (face), 'Smize' (eyes), and 'IT Factory' (lips) cover a range of different products from a $26 'light in a stick' highlighter to the $74.50 6-Minute TYOver set. 

Banks famously took time out of her schedule to attend Harvard Business School's Owner/President Management Program, and the new venture is being touted as the first move in her own entrepreneurial revolution. There are plenty of cool 'before-and-after' features on the site tyra.com, and Tyra Beauty also offers a TyraU channel of tips provided by 'Beautytainers' explaining how to create different looks using the products. 

Tyra Banks joins several other models with their own cosmetics lines, including fellow supermodel Iman, who created Iman Cosmetics in 1994 to provide difficult-to-find shades for darker-skinned women.

AFP RELAXNEWS

Maison Martin Margiela has announced the appointment of rock-star designer John Galliano as its creative director. What does the news mean?

John Galliano shot by Patrick Demarchelier ©Maison Martin Margiela

A change of direction for the brand
Let's make no bones about it: Maison Martin Margiela has done a complete 180-degree turn on its traditional strategy by hiring John Galliano. Alongside his serious couture skills, the British designer has always been known as the epitome of a certain sort of fashion exuberance, drama and showmanship, which very often put Galliano at the center stage too. The list of extravangant outfits worn as he strutted out onto the catwalk to take his bows runs long.

Contrast this with the quiet, positively hermit-like atmosphere around Maison Martin Margiela, both under the eponymous founding designer and following his silent departure, where the clothes were left to do the talking and the team behind them went publicly unnamed. That was until design director Matthieu Blazy was unmasked July 2014 by Vogue's Suzy Menkes as the face behind the clothes.

"You can't keep such a talent under wraps," explained Menkes, but both the house and the designer seem to have disagreed and Blazy left his job this summer 2014. That left the role wide open for Galliano to step into the breach. How he'll operate back at the captain's helm will be fascinating to watch.

The age of anonymity isn't over
All that said, this doesn't mean that the anonymous approach doesn't work; it just means that it wasn't working for Margiela, if the decisions ordered by Renzo Rosso, Diesel founder and boss of Margiela's parent company Only The Brave, are anything to go by.

"Margiela is ready for a new charismatic creative soul," he explained in a statement released Monday, calling Galliano one of "the greatest, undisputed talents of all time" and "a unique, exceptional couturier."

Despite Rosso's embrace of a big personality (and bigger public profile), brands are still using anonymity both as a marketing tool and occasionally as a legal necessity. New Parisian label Vêtements, which showed a second collection (and a first ever runway show) in Paris in September 2014, is headed up by former Margiela alumnus Demna Gvasalia. Gvasalia has only just revealed his name (previously hidden due to contractual obligations), while other members of the team are still working secretly.

In the age of internet privacy leaks and haute couture masks (merci Margiela) the whole anonymity issue has been at the forefront of popular culture for a while now; the public loves a guessing game.

Final forgiveness for Galliano
Galliano spent plenty of time out in the cold after his shocking arrest and prosecution for anti-Semitic rants on the streets of Paris, followed by a public apology and lengthy treatment for addiction issues.

His public penance seems to have worked. In February 2013 he was defended by the Anti-Defamation League after continued tabloid attacks.

"Mr. Galliano has been on a pilgrimage to learn from and grow from his mistakes," explained Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "He is trying very hard to atone."

Later last year he was welcomed into the atelier of fellow designer Oscar de la Renta in New York City, where he helped with the 82-year-old's Autumn Winter 2013 collection, but he didn't stay permanently. He's also spent some time as creative director at Russian cosmetics company L'Etoile.

This latest role suggests that both the designer and the public are ready for his return to the spotlight. We can't wait to see the results. - AFP RELAXNEWS

K-Beauty junkies, meet the latest makeup must-haves by the fine folks at YG Entertainment. Alas, precious few pictures have been proffered to mark the massive record label’s first foray into the cosmetics playing field, so we’ll have to make do.

First impressions of the teaser ad visual? That’s one truly spectacular shade of metallic maroon on the eyes ... but wait, is that a guy or a girl? Hard to tell, but that’s par for the course, really – K-Pop androgyny at its finest.

All told, the entire shebang will include more than 200 bits and bobs, and has been christened Moonshot – a clever if somewhat obscure reference to Apollo 11’s legendary lunar landing in 1969.

(I’m betting a good half of Moonshot’s target demo weren’t even walking the face of the earth in 1969, but you know how quirky these K-Pop pundits can be.)

In any case, the “out-of-the-world” collection (get it?) will drop in mid-October, with YG Entertainment looking to offer this internationally in the near future as well. The full lineup is still under wraps, but if this eye-popping purple pot is any indicator, we’ll be seeing lots of bombast and bold brights – music video-ready makeup, in other words.

Indeed, Epik High’s rapper Tablo says he’s already recorded a song especially for the cosmetics collection, so there’s the undoubtedly product-heavy music video to pore over when said video is released.

We also envision lots of other unabashed tie-ins with the music division of the label – get Epik High’s highlighter! Collect all five Big Bang palettes! – but what this will mean for CL and Dara of 2NE1’s lucrative beauty sponsorships with Maybelline and Clio is anyone’s guess, really. Watch this space!

For more information, visit www.ygfamily.com and follow YG Entertainment on Facebook and Twitter.

Bonds underwear is in every Australian's closet and that's not an exaggeration  

Whenever friends take off on a holiday to the land Down Under, it’s not nougat or a stuffed koala that I request as a souvenir. Instead, it’s Bonds underwear I really hope they bring back for me.

Fun and comfy - it's no wonder the entire country is in love with Bonds

In fact, I think nothing represents laidback Aussie style as well as Bonds underwear does. Every Australian from babies to grandparents owns at least one pair and there’s no question why. When you pull on a pair, be it the signature Hipster or Bikini, it feels barely there. Bonds underwear is so comfy, thanks to fabrication technology like nylon microfiber, you forget you are wearing them and this adds to a woman’s inner confidence (especially when you don’t have to worry about your lingerie).

There's a style perfect for every fashionista

My very favourite Bonds undies (that I discovered on a holiday in Sydney when I was a student and now can’t live without) has got to the Boyleg Hipsters. The super low rise doesn’t peek out from my low slung jeans and the boyleg cut hugs my butt, doubling as “safety pants” under short skirts. Although nude underwear is an essential in any girl’s lingerie wardrobe, the brand doesn’t forget to inject fun with a wide array of colours and prints that are great for mixing and matching.

Bonds underwear is available at Robinsons The Heeren, Robinsons Raffles City, Robinsons Jem, John Little Plaza Singapura, John Little Jurong Point.

The Charles Hotel in Munich, Germany will host a particularly dazzling New Year's Eve celebration this winter. In partnership with the jeweler Bucherer, the hotel will place a real diamond valued at €2,500 (around S$4,000) in the champagne flute of one lucky guest.

"Night of the Diamond" is the theme at the Charles Hotel on December 31, 2014. The hotel's Restaurant Davvero will serve dishes with evocative names including "Diamant Brut," "Deep Sea Brillant" and "Luxury Facets." King Crab canapés, spiny lobster and shrimp dumplings will be among the delicacies on offer.

Before sitting down to the eight-course meal, guests will take part in the "Diamond Champagne Reception." Each partygoer will find a crystal at the bottom of their champagne flute, but only one of them will be the real diamond valued at €2,500.

The lucky winner will find out only later in the evening when an expert jeweller makes his way through the crowd, examining each stone to determine whether it is the precious jewel.

A ticket to the festivities costs €350 per adult (around $565) including the cocktail reception and eight-course dinner, along with a DJ party and concert by Bob Chisholm & Band. -- AFP RELAX NEWS

EDITOR'S RAVE
TEFAL TOASTER OVEN OF1608
$89.90, from major electrical stores
USING IT It is a little hard to set the controls precisely – the temperature knob is marked in intervals of 30 deg C, from 90-210, and at 230 deg C, while the timer has 5min intervals up to 30min. But I do like the latter's stay-on function, which keeps the heat on until I turn it off. Also, the appliance has modes for toasting and grilling.
PERFORMANCE This toaster oven heated up fastest – it crisped bread in just 2-3min, and gave me crunchy chicken nuggets in 10min. The downside is that food got burnt more easily, too. It did the best job with grilling chicken – the teriyaki sauce was the most caramelised and the meat was the juiciest and most tender.
VERDICT Quick to heat up and cooks raw food best, so it's great for time-strapped mums. You just need to keep an eye on your food so it doesn't burn. 
RATING: 8.5/10

GREAT FIND
CORNELL TOASTER OVEN CTG19
$49.90, from Harvey Norman
USING IT The controls are precise – the 15min timer is marked to the minute, while the temperature dial is marked in intervals of 15 deg C, from 90 to 230 (except between 180 and 200 deg C). It also has a stay-on function and toasting mode, which make it even easier to use.
PERFORMANCE This toaster oven heats up more towards the back and in the middle, so my toast and chicken nuggets were crispy, but slightly burnt in places. The grilled chicken fillets were a tad dry, but better-caramelised than the ones cooked in the Electrolux and Sona toaster ovens.
VERDICT Precise controls for both time and temperature make this the easiest to use, although the heating is the least even.
RATING: 7.5/10

SONA ELECTRIC TOASTER OVEN STO22A
$69, from major electrical stores
USING IT The timer is reasonably precise as it's marked in 2min intervals. It doesn't have a stay-on function like the other toasters, but has a useful 60min timer (the others have timers of 15min or 30min). The temperature dial, however, is marked in large intervals of 50 deg C, up to 250 deg C, making it hard to cook anything at a precise temperature. This toaster oven is the largest – 10 litres, compared with the rest which are 9 litres – but is the most shallow. Its grill tray only holds two slices of bread, while the others can each squeeze in four.
PERFORMANCE The heating is even and controlled. It took the longest to get my bread and nuggets crispy, but they didn't burn. The less-intense heat, however, meant that the chicken fillets needed a slightly longer time to cook and turned out drier than the rest.
VERDICT Simple and no frills, but you don't have to keep an eye out for singed toast.
RATING: 7/10

ELECTROLUX OVEN TOASTER EOT3501
$69, from major electrical stores
USING IT The 15min timer has a stay-on function and is marked by the minute. But I didn't like how the temperature control is irregularly marked at 95, 120, 150, 175, 205 and 230 deg C. The door is shorter than the other ovens' doors, making it hard to flip food or reach into the cavity to wipe away oil splatte
PERFORMANCE It heated evenly across the top and bottom, but more intensely towards the back, charring my toast slightly. Grilling raw food is not its forte: my chicken fillets emerged tender but lacked colour. What it aced was the nuggets, which boasted an even golden-brown hue and a perfectly crispy crust.
VERDICT Not that versatile, but great if all you need is to crisp up frozen food.
RATING: 6.5/10

This article was originally published in Simply Her October 2014.

All product and pricing information was correct at the time of the magazine's publication. We advise readers to check with the stores for the latest availability and pricing information.

Future mini Blake: Genetically blessed beyond belief!

Hey Zed, don’t get too jealous. Blake Lively’s unborn kid is already up to all manner of outsized, tabloid-ready shenanigans.

The newly famous fetus caused a right old kerfuffle when his or her impending arrival was announced by Blake Lively on her website (incongruously named Preserve), promptly causing it to crash.

Now, which kid can hold claim to shutting down Mother’s website before even being born? Chew on that.

Happily for all parties involved, Preserve has been preserved and is up and running again, so hurrah to Blake’s tech team. Prior to her being preggers, I certainly didn’t know Blake had her own lifestyle site dedicated to “tradition, savouring, finding more excuses to celebrate and better ways to do it” (her words, not mine).

In any case, Preserve is great if you’re one for Gwyneth Paltrow-esque, Goop-type goo: A cursory clickthrough throws up a ton of gauzy “mood” visuals of bleached blonde girls and scruffy studs working out and eating right – in other words, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds doppelgangers doing Blake and Ryan things.

Also of note? The sole precious picture of the gorgeous “Gossip Girl” girl showing off her burgeoning baby bump in a breezy floral dress. Blake looks very preggers indeed, which must mean a mini Reynolds is poised to greet Hollywood’s gang of panting paparazzi anytime now ...  

Somewhere out there, Prince George, Rose Dorothy – yeah, Ryan’s ex Scarlett Johansson has a month-old daughter; who knew? – and our very own Zed are rattling their rattles and bawling at having to jostle with the imminent new kid on the block for Most Watched Baby.

As for yours truly, I’m already salivating at the prospect of gawking at all the Gucci onesies and designer bits and bobs the little darling is bound to receive. Fellow pop culture pundits, at the ready!

You can follow Blake Lively on Twitter and at preserve.us.

Try this tip and look like our personal hair heroine Liu Wen! 

Here’s a hot hair hack that will make for a really cool cocktail conversation starter: Use eyeshadow in your hair.

Yeah, you heard me right. I was getting my hair tidied up by my trusty stylist the other day when the good woman whipped out a shadow quad from her personal cosmetics cache. “You need it,” she said calmly. And by golly, I did!

Here’s why. A matte shadow in chocolate or chestnut helps fill in sparse spots along the hairline – especially useful if you have a pronounced widow’s peak like me. Now for technique. Grab a stiff angled brush and stipple in a henna hue where needed.

Top tip: Try mixing and matching complementary colours – I’m loving the incredibly intense pigments from Nyx’s 10-shade Dream Catcher palette – so as to simulate the faceted flash of real follicles. A lick of clear mascara to fix the fibres in place and you’re all good to go.

If you’re a ponytail person of the Ariana Grande persuasion, shading in your baby hairs can also lend the illusion of a fuller updo.

The effect? Subtle, sophisticated and superbly convincing: A fab trick that would come in very useful for close-up selfies and such, methinks. 

Brow still raised in scepticism? Go right ahead and try this tomorrow ... or use a conventional brow kit, if you like. Not as fun, to be sure, but equally serviceable.

If eyeshadow is a step too far for you, then Collection Cosmetics’ very covetable The Colour Eyebrow Kit, with three blendable brow powders and Polly Pocket-sized mascara wand, should do very nicely indeed.

Only drawback once you’ve started obsessing over your hairline? I’ve found it incredibly hard to ignore the compulsion to gawk and gloat at the scraggy fringe of strangers on the street!

Collection Cosmetics Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit, $16.90, is available from selected Watsons stores, BHG, BHG Bugis and Robinsons Orchard. For more information, visit www.collectioncosmetics.com.sg and follow Collection Cosmetics Singapore on Facebook and Instagram.

NYX Dream Catcher Eyeshadow Palette in Dusk Till Dawn, $30, is available from November 6, 2014 at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.sephora.com and follow the brand on Facebook and Twitter.

Those who hate needles can rejoice, for the laser technology PicoSure, already used for tattoo removal and for reshaping acne scars, has received FDA clearance to treat wrinkles and fine lines.

Clinical studies reported a patient satisfaction rate of 84 percent at the time of the first month follow-up, and 92 percent satisfaction at the fourth month follow-up.

PicoSure received FDA clearance to treat acne scars on July 29 and the company reports that clinical studies showed that 77 percent of patients achieved more than 50 percent improvement as assessed by the physician.

Parent company Cynosure distributes its products in 120 countries around the world, and PicoSure is available in Europe, Asia and North America.

Laser treatments are nothing new, and other options include Sharplight, which has a trio of machines that work at different speeds for treatments including the reduction of acne scars and fine lines.

AFP RELAXNEWS

IMAGE: Easy Production/cultura/Corbis

Short-term pain, long term gain. This is the statement that I chant to myself when I’m tempted to pick a pimple. Whether its a huge cystic zit or small bludging blackhead, picking them will leave some scar of sorts. And depending on how fast your body heals, scars may linger for days or weeks (sometimes, even months or years!).

Although I don’t pick or poke my pimples, they sometimes burst in the midst of a face wash, which also makes my skin vulnerable to developing a scar or two. When that happens, I follow these tips to lighten the scars and make them disappear as quickly as possible.

TIP ONE: INTERVENE IMMEDIATELY
Instead of letting nature take its course, you should always treat your scars immediately. Although genetics play a huge role in how scars heal, not treating your scars early will make them harder to get rid off. When skin tissue is damaged, it needs to be protected and cared for so that it can repair itself and allow new skin cells to grow. When you leave scars unprotected, there is a higher chance that the scab will deepen – leading to long-term irreversible damage.

Treat your scars by cleaning the affected area gently, and load up on soothing creams and lotions that contain calming agents such as aloe vera and chamomile; as these ingredients help to lessen inflammations and speed up the skin’s recovery.

TIP TWO: RENEW IT
Without trying to state the obvious, using products that promote cell renewal and skin repair will speed up the healing process. There are many products on the market that can do this, but I’ve found the most effective ones contain one or more of these ingredients: Kojic acid, Arbutin, or the Vitamins C and E. All of these ingredients work directly to renew the skin’s tissue, while some such as Vitamin C and Arbutin also double up as skin brighteners (making it very effective for hyperpigmented scars!).

A restorative moisturiser and serum, VDL Beauty Ultimate Essence with Poppy is the newest beauty product of the moment. Containing the moisturising ingredient LInoleic Acid and restorative Vitamin E, the serum’s oil-in-water capsules only bursts on impact, penetrating deep into the skin.

TIP THREE: LOAD UP ON SPF
UV damage worsens the condition of scars as UV rays stimulate the growth of melanocytes, which are pigment-producing cells. As scars are already a tone or two darker than our skin, exposure to UV rays might lead to them being darkened further. The result of which, I’m sure, is pretty nasty.

Fresh wounds and scars are very sensitive, which is why I often switch to a gentle sunblock that won’t irritate my skin further. My current rave at the moment is Daylong’s Face & Body Gel sunscreen. Made by pharmaceutical giant Galderma, this sunscreen is specifically made for people with very sensitive skin (making it perfect for scars!). Free from parabens and fragrance, and infused with Vitamin E, Daylong’s Face & Body Gel sunscreen doesn’t hurt my skin when I layer it over a freshly popped pimple.

With the help of these tips, your skin will look as good as new in no time.

Daylong SPF50+ Face & Body Gel, $32.90, is available at selected pharmacies. For more information, visit www.daylong.com.

VDL Beauty Ultimate Essence with Poppy, $61, is available at all VDL stores. For more information, follow the brand on Facebook.

I’m sure most people will agree with me when I say that there’s just something different when you take your workout from the gym to the great outdoors. Nothing can replicate fresh air, a breeze and the grass beneath your feet.

The yoga community is right on board with the whole idea of working out outdoors because come October and November, a bunch of mass yoga events will be happening in pockets of nature all over Singapore.

Even if you are still working towards touching your toes, there is safety in numbers in a huge yoga class so you don’t have to worry being new to the sport. Plus, it’s not every day so many people get together – it’s going to be cool seeing hundreds of people doing the same pose.

SHAPE YOGA 2014
When: 7am to 10am; Sunday, October 12, 2014
Where: Casuarina Grove (East Coast Park), Area F2
Fee: $29 (individual) and $49 (for two). Register on www.shape.com.sg/yoga

Feeling the sea breeze against your body while you work out is pretty neat. Join over 500 other enthusiasts to practice your poses by the sea at Shape’s annual yoga event. This year, instructors from Bikram Yoga Harbourfront will lead the class in a Bikram 90-minute session. Don’t forget to hang out after class for door gifts worth over $240, Aveda eye massages and more fun stuff!

#omtogether Singapore – Love From Above
When: 5pm to 7pm; Sunday, October 19, 2014
Where: Green Roof, Marina Barrage
For more information, go to sg.stretchcity.com/events/omtogether-singapore-love-from-above.

Be part of history when you join #omtogether Singapore – Love From Above as the event will be live streamed online on sg.stretchcity.com and mounted cameras will capture all the action from above in the sky, to make the largest “wefie”. Pure Yoga’s Hee Boon, Light and Space’s Lynn and Sumei are some of the instructors joining forces with Stretch City Singapore. Will Singaporeans be able to break the record of the 600 that took part in Hong Kong’s event in September 2014?

108 Yogathon
When: 4.30pm to 6.30pm; Saturday, November 29, 2014
Where: Fort Canning Park, Fort Gate
Fee: $45. Register on www.108yogathon.com

Yoga + marathon = yogathon. Those who scoff thinking yoga is “easy” will have to think again. Performing 108 Sun Salutations (a sequence of yoga poses) in one go is not easy feat and will test both your physical and mental endurance. Yoga instructor Saniya will put the 300-strong class through their paces. But don’t worry, like any marathon, you can always take a break and take in the fresh air.

Just when you thought you saw the end of the Ice Bucket Challenge, here comes another social media campaign going viral in the name of charity.

Unicef has set up the #wakeupcall movement to raise awareness and money for the Syria Children’s Emergency Fund. Unlike the #icebucketchallenge, there’s no need for props and a rude shock. Just dare to bare (or not) when you wake, snap a selfie and post the #wakeupcall picture onto social media. Then nominate three friends and donate £5 to wakeupcall.org.uk.

Sounds easy enough and social media has seen the likes of mainly British celebs like Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Grant, Nigella Lawson and more show us their bedhead and “no makeup” selfies in the sack. We can’t wait for more famous people to take up the cause and we also make a personal plea for the men to go topless in bed. Thanks!

Hugh Grant paints a hilarious picture showing how much “work” is needed to whip him into the Hugh Grant we know with this “before” snap. Yes, believe it or not, that's Grant!

#WAKEUPCALL I nominate @JohnCleese, @KP24, @JohnBishop. pic.twitter.com/pickqjLFhF

— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) October 7, 2014

Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson simply shows off as little of her face as possible.

Text SYRIA to 70007 (& give £5) or http://t.co/JyA7dUL8PN#UNICEF@mariamcerlane@sturdyAlex@lenadunhampic.twitter.com/NovErR2ydx

— Nigella Lawson (@Nigella_Lawson) October 7, 2014

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson hit the sack with celeb chef Heston Blumenthal, “threatening” to post more pictures of Blumenthal if people didn’t donate.

#WAKEUPCALL SYRIA Unless you donate at http://t.co/XbHKmi3YPh I will post more pictures of Blumenthal and me. pic.twitter.com/n8JmWl4mac

— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) October 8, 2014

Tom Hiddleston looked cute. But take off the hoodie, dude!

#WAKEUPCALL Text SYRIA to 70007 to give £5. http://t.co/Urt3n8y6WE. Nominate @Misskeeleyhawes@EmWatson@josierourkepic.twitter.com/30a8RykcW9

— Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) October 6, 2014

The Hilton sisters recruited the help of their animal friends for the cause.

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#WAKEUPCALL Donate at www.wakeupcall.org.uk ❤️ I nominate @ChristinaMilian @MuvaRosebud & @ChanelWestCoast. Post a photo or video of yourself when you wake up & pass on #UNICEF

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#WAKEUPCALL Donate at www.wakeupcall.org.uk ❤️ I nominate @ParisHilton, @BarronHilton & @ConradHilton. Post a photo or video of yourself when you wake up and pass on #UNICEF

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Even if she won’t get out of bed for a million dollars, Naomi Campbell (and her makeup artist) is camera-ready 24/7.

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Are you a supplement superfan? Do you always nip in to the nearest health food shop while out in town to see what's on offer? If so, this is for you.

Using pills to help keep you healthy is a popular move in this day and age, but you want to make sure the products you're splurging on are actually beneficial. Below we list some of the best and worst options, recommended by Women's Health magazine. Remember though: no pill is a substitute for a healthy diet, rich in fruit and vegetables.

Goodies:

There are some must-haves to aid your weight, but not all of them are the obvious choice. Cinnamon for example helps lower your blood pressure, fight food cravings and balance out your blood-sugar levels.

We all know green tea is advised when it comes to keeping those pounds off, so having it in pill form has the same effects. The polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG for short) has been scientifically proven to boost metabolism, and it also sheds fat.

Want to keep a bad mood at bay? 5-hydroxytryptophan will uplift your spirits as it raises serotonin levels, the hormone which contributes towards depression if levels are low or imbalanced. Unlike St John's Wort, 5-HTP can be taken alongside contraception and not put you at risk. Magnesium can also help in this area, being known to assist sleep and for its calming properties. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a collection of symptoms which women suffer around their cycle, and imbalances of magnesium have been linked to it, so keep your levels stable if you experience monthly problems.

For overall health, try some of the staples. There's iron, which helps transport oxygen around the body and keeps you energised, Vitamin D3 is the most absorbable option of the D variety and protects against bone and heart disease, while Vitamin B can prevent degenerative brain conditions like dementia and Alzheimer's.

Baddies:

As mentioned above, St John's Wort can halt the workings of some prescription drugs or reduce their effectiveness, so could have irreversible results if you're not careful.

Calcium capsules aren't as beneficial as drinking milk or nibbling on a piece of cheese on a regular basis. It's not just found in dairy; foods such as dried figs and kale also have high levels.

Vitamin A is also one to be wary of, as it's easy to take too many, and high levels may cause liver damage. It does have good results such as improving the immune system health and cell growth, but stick to it in a natural form like sweet potato and carrots.

Same goes for Vitamin E, unless you've been advised by a professional to up your intake. Too much could lead to blood clots or thrombosis.

Chitosan is taken for weight loss, but as it does its job it also removes good fats. Don't risk it!

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Here’s a dirty little secret that I fear has been buried amidst the beauty world’s mania for mixing: “Cocktailing” your creams can be counterproductive at best and downright detrimental at worst.

I’m talking about our obsession with layering various lotions and liniments onto our face at the same time, a terribly tempting trap that’s so easy to fall into, really, what with the superabundance of serums and salves lining the cosmetics aisles.

Now, to be clear, not all cocktail concoctions are created equal; I’ve been batting for bespoke beautifying blends when it comes to say, concealing dark circles. It’s when you start mashing together your blemish busters that it all goes to bust.

Here’s why. Any beauty junkie worth her bathing salt will be familiar with retinol, that near-miraculous multi-tasker that’s one of a select handful of ingredients boasting a scientific stamp of approval for alleviating acne, freckles, fine lines and such.

But because retinol packs such a potent punch, you run the very real risk of peeling, dryness or worse if you layer it over or under other zealous zit zappers like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid spot treatments.

What combos should you avoid? Take it from La Roche-Posay Singapore’s marketing manager Royston Ho, who warns of the best laid plans backfiring if these particular combustible components are used together: “Retinol should not to be used with products containing alpha hydroxy acid such as glycolic, lactic or citric acids, as retinol is an ‘unstable’ compound and can potentially increase skin photosensitivity.”

Translation? Retinol plus AHAs, found in clinical chemical peels, at-home peeling masks and such, equal chafing and stinging sunburn.

The solution is simple: When in doubt, use sunscreen. Here’s Royston Ho again: “As retinol in general increases photosensitivity, it must be accompanied by a good sunscreen when applied in the day.” A quick “primer” on the “right” way to apply sunscreen – always slap it on as the very last step before makeup proper. Easy, yes?

Product recommendation-wise, zero in on formulas with skin-friendly physical filters; I’m in love with SkinCeuticals’ Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50, a fabulously flattering tinted tincture with a skin-soothing marine plankton broth. 

Another top tip: Ease yourself into your new regime by using retinol every other day. Not sure where to start? Consider checking out La Roch-Posay’s lovely Redermic R range, which comes rigged with a next-gen, timed-release form of retinol and the brand’s beloved thermal spring water for maximum efficacy and minimal irritation.

So, to recap. In the spirit of today's trendy molecular dermatology, be cognizant of the components you're chucking in your skin cocktail:

1. Steer clear of other strong stuff if you're using retinol;

2. Resist the urge to mix things up too much;

3. And always use sunscreen, the latter being sound advice for all, retinol or no!

Redermic R Anti-Aging Dermatological Corrector Intensive, $79.90, and Redermic R Yeux, $63.90, are available at the Derma Center at Westgate Mall and major pharmacies like Watsons, Guardian and Unity. For more information, visit www.laroche-posay.com and follow La Roche-Posay Singapore on Facebook and Instagram.

SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50, $69, is available at the Derma Center at Westgate Mall and selected pharmacies. For more information, visit www.skinceuticals.com and follow Skinceuticals Singapore on Facebook.