The popular ergonomic latex-free egg-shaped sponge, the BeautyBlender, now comes in a much smaller size for the hard-to-reach corners. The sponge is a favourite of beauty junkies and make-up artists for flawless foundation and concealer application.

About a quarter the size of the original, the BeautyBlender Micro.Mini is made for touching up the inner corners of the eyes, sides of the nose and corners of the mouth.

To use: Dampen the sponge, spread make-up onto sponge, bounce and twist the sponge against skin.

For a more precise application, apply make-up with the tapered side. For a diffused and lighter application, use the broader and rounded side.

The BeautyBlender Micro.Mini, $27 for two, is available at Sephora stores. 

This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on December 12, 2014. For similar stories, go to www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.

GETTING IT TO LOOK PERFECT

TIP #1 Before applying polish, layer on a thin film of base coat on the nails to protect them and make the polish last longer.

#2 Complete the nail art with a layer of top coat to seal the colours and add shine.

#3 Always wait for each layer of polish to dry before adding another.

#4 When drawing the more intricate designs with a toothpick or fine brush, use a small square of wax paper or a strip of scotch tape as your palette.

#5 Pour a drop of polish or acrylic paint onto the palette and pick up a tiny amount of the colour with the nail art brush or toothpick.

#6 If you are using acrylic paint and it feels too thick and tacky, mix it with a little bit of water.

GLITTER LEOPARD PRINTS

Difficulty level: 1/4

What you will need:

• A fine nail art brush or toothpicks
• Black polish or acrylic paint
• Wax paper or scotch tape
• Metallic teal polish (try Nars in Wrong Turn, $30, from Nars counters)
• Robin egg blue polish (try Ciate in Chinchilla from the Nail Taxi set, $42, from Sephora stores)
• Silver glitter polish (try Ciate in London Baby from the Nail Taxi set)

Step 1: On the nails which you want to paint the leopard prints, apply two coats of the robin egg blue polish.

Step 2: Apply metallic teal polish on the rest of the nails and layer on the silver glitter polish.

Step 3: Create random and irregular patches of silver glitter polish on the nails with the robin egg blue polish. These will form the base of the spots.

Step 4: With a fine paint brush or toothpick, pick up the black paint and randomly outline the patches in broken squiggles to complete the spots.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

Difficulty level: 2/4

What you will need:

• A fine nail art brush or toothpicks
• Black polish or acrylic paint
• White polish or acrylic paint
• Wax paper or scotch tape
• Red polish with no glitter (try Ettusais Nail Color in Ruby Necklace, $10, from Ettusais counters)
• Red glitter polish ( try Innisfree polish from the Christmas Nail set, $13, from Innisfree stores)
• Metallic champagne polish (try Butter London in Champers, $24, from Sephora stores)
• Golden bronze polish (try Ettusais Nail Color Coat in Mirror, $10, from Ettusais counters)
• Multi-coloured confetti polish (try Ciate in Ginger Snap from the Candy Cane House set, $28, from Sephora stores)

Step 1: Coat all your nails in two layers of a pearlescent champagne polish.

Step 2: Using the golden bronze polish, paint a round blob on one corner of each nail. With the red polish, paint another round blob on the opposite corner of the nail.

These two blobs are the base of your ornament design.

Step 3: With the fine brush or toothpick, outline the round blobs with the black paint neatly and draw loops for the ornaments.

Step 4: With a clean brush or new toothpick, apply dots to accentuate the ornament.

Step 5: You can choose to paint the ornament design on two or three fingers on each hand. For the rest of your fingers, apply multi-coloured confetti polish in a gradient on the edge of the nails.

CHRISTMAS PARTY SCENE

Difficulty level: 3/4

What you will need:

• A fine nail art brush or toothpicks
• Two complementary shades of green polish or acrylic paint
• Wax paper or scotch tape
• Red nail polish (try Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in No. 71 Laque Rouge, $38, from Chanel counters)
• Gold confetti polish (try Diorific Vernis in Golden Shock, $40, from Dior counters)
• Metallic gold polish
• Loose round confetti from art supplies stores
• Red glitter polish

Step 1: Apply metallic gold polish on the nails you want to paint the Christmas tree and wreath on.

Step 2: Paint the rest of the nails red and layer on the gold confetti polish.

Step 3: With a fine brush or toothpick, paint a large triangle with the lighter green polish or paint on one finger to create a simple shape of a Christmas tree.

Step 4: Using the same tools and green shade, paint small and short strokes in the shape of a circle, to form the base of the Christmas wreath on another finger.

Step 5: Paint on darker green strokes on the Christmas tree and wreath to give them dimension.

Step 6: Using the red polish, draw a ribbon on the wreath. Do this with the brush or toothpick. First, draw a cross, then join the two upper ends in a curved line to form the loops of the ribbon.

With the same tools, add a large dot of red glitter polish on the top of the Christmas tree.

Step 7: If you want to make the design more fancy, add confetti on strategic spots to make the wreath and tree sparkle. Do this by first applying a layer of top coat to help the confetti stick.

Then, use a toothpick or fine brush to pick up a piece of loose confetti and place on the desired spot. Repeat until you get the desired effect.

SNOWSTORM

Difficulty level: 4/4

What you will need:

• A fine nail art brush or toothpicks
• Sponge eyeshadow applicator
• Wax paper or scotch tape
• Loose round confetti
• Two complementary shades of blue polish (try Ciate in Ferris Wheel, and Pool Party, above right, $20 each for a full-sized bottle, from Sephora stores)
• White polish or acrylic paint

Step 1: Apply two layers of the bright blue polish on all nails.

Step 2: With a toothpick or fine brush, draw simple shapes of snowflakes on alternate nails with the white paint.

To get the large snowflake design right, first draw three long lines in various angles from the side of the nail. Then, add in the branches.

Step 3: On the rest of the nails, create a gradient “snowstorm”.

Do this by picking up a little bit of the light blue polish with the sponge eyeshadow applicator and dab randomly on the lower half of the nail.

Using the same tool, blend the edge of the gradient well with the deeper blue polish.

Step 4: Finish by placing the loose round confetti on desired spots to add sparkle and dimension to the design.

CANDY CANE STRIPES

Difficulty level: 4/4

What you will need:

• A fine nail art brush or toothpicks
• Wax paper or scotch tape
• White polish (try Ciate in Snow Virgin, $20 each for a full-sized bottle, from Sephora stores) or acrylic paint
• Green polish or acrylic paint
• Red polish (try Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in 470 Red Eye, $16.90, from selected personal care stores)
• Silver glitter polish
• Multi-coloured confetti polish (try Innisfree polish from the Christmas Nail set, $13, from Innisfree stores)

Step 1: Paint the nails you want decorated with candy cane stripes in two layers of white paint or polish. For the rest of the nails, paint them in red polish and layer on the multi-coloured confetti polish.

Step 2: Paint diagonal stripes across the white-based nails using the red and green polish. To get this right, first paint three stripes wide apart, then fill the spaces in between with stripes of varying thickness and colours.

Step 3: Add silver stripes using the silver glitter polish on one or two of the candy cane nails for more dimension.

This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on December 12, 2014. For similar stories, go to www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.

I have used an angled brush to apply bronzer and blusher to my face for the longest time. It is the one thing I have to do everyday (apart from filling in my brows), even if I am not wearing any foundation. I am a huge fan of clean skin and strong contoured features, because it makes a world of a difference to my slightly round, heart-shaped face.

Alexander Wang New York Spring 15

Sculpting my face by painting streaks of bronzer and highlighter on – what Kim Kardashian is known for – is way too tedious for me. I still sometimes struggle with bronzer on sluggish mornings, picking up too much product and end up having to deal with a face that is two shades darker than my natural tone afterwards.

This however, changed a week ago when I found the Nars Ita Kabuki brush.

Apparently I’m a little late to the game when it comes to this brush. It is the brand’s best selling sculpting brush in Singapore and was out of stock globally for a pretty long time. A quick check revealed that it’s currently out of stock on the Nars US retail site as well as American luxury retailer Nordstrom.

So if you have not heard of this brush, now’s a good time to start listening.

The bristles – made out of natural goat hair – are about two centimetres long and flat at the top. While it isn’t necessarily as soft as other goat hair brushes I’ve used (it felt a little coarse when I first tried it), the stiffness of the bristles actually helps to focus the application on a particular area and give that strong sculpted effect we all want.

This is how I use it. I pick up bronzer by tapping the bristles lightly onto the pan, then tap the handle once on my fingers to remove the excess. To apply, start pressing the brush from your hairline, working along the hollows of your cheeks. I find that this method deposits a little more product and really concentrates it at the places you want the powder to go. The artists at Nars have said that you can simply sweep the product on instead of pressing it onto the skin like I do. Apart from application of cheek products, this is great as a finishing brush for loose powder, too.

The brush is easy to maintain on a daily basis with a professional brush cleanser. Just avoid using pure sanitising alcohol as it could dry up the natural brush hair. Nars recommends using a mild shampoo to gently wash the bristles every week. Make sure you rinse it thoroughly and let it air-dry.

So if you are struggling to get contouring right, pick up this brush. You won’t regret it (and you should probably hurry over to the counter in case it goes out of stock again)!

Nars Ita Kabuki Brush, $86, is available at the Nars counter at Tangs Orchard. For more information, visit www.narscosmetics.com, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Is this the sexiest lingerie collection ever, or what? | Images: Screengrab from Glamuse.com, ©glamuse.com

The Parisian shoe designer has teamed up with American burlesque star Dita Von Teese on a new capsule collection.

The seven-piece line includes a bra, bodice and suspenders, all featuring black lace and an all-over print designed by Louboutin, and also decorated with red Swarovski crystals.

Dita Von Teese XXXtian bra

Dita Von Teese XXXtian panties

The print includes Rococo style scenes with sexy burlesque dancers, French maids and male lovers draped in sheets, as well as Louboutin's famous red soled shoes, of course.

Dita Von Teese XXXtian suspender belt

The 'XXXtian' pieces are available exclusively from Glamuse.com and prices range from €104.90 (S$171) for the knickers all the way up to an Italian silk robe priced at €899.90 (S$1,470). -- AFP RELAXNEWS

After pleasing burger afficionados with his affordable chow at Grub at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, chef-owner Mervyn Phan, who also owns culinary school Cookyn Inc, is now well-positioned to conquer even more foodies’ hearts at Fix Cafe, an al fresco set-up that touts the “Naanwich” as its signature draw.

Served like an open-faced sandwich with homemade Indian flatbread as a base, the Naanwich ($10 each) comes with four different toppings – beef and kimchi, chicken tikka, turkey ham and cheese, or mushroom and feta. The chicken tikka, featuring smoky chunks of tender meat moistened with a runny egg, is a delightfully messy meal – our only gripe is that the accompanying achar needed more pickling.

A guaranteed crowd-pleaser lies in the 3-Cheese Penne Gratin ($10), which offers excellent value with tube pasta, chicken and mushroom baked with mozzarella, cheddar and mascarpone. Order that along with a side of the Crispy Soy Chicken Drumlets ($7), which conceal juicy flesh under a crunchy coat that tastes peppery, salty and spicy all at once – so addictively good!

What Fix is really laudable for is desserts. Their sweet treats offer something for all taste buds, from the ridiculously rich Cacao Barry Chocolate Truffle Cake ($7), to the crusty, coffee cream-topped Butterscotch Arabica Choux ($6) with a luscious core of butterscotch and chocolate, to the marvellously well-balanced Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart ($6).

Our favourite, though, was the Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake ($7), so refreshing and incredibly light that it had us diving back in again and again despite our full bellies.
We’re keeping an eye on this space – word has it that Mervyn is working on a Western BBQ concept that will open in the unit right behind Fix. Until then, we’ll be right here, enjoying a slice of cake…or two…or three.

Fix Cafe is at #01-06 Home Team NUS-JOM 31 Ah Hood Road, tel: 6256-1484. Open daily, 11am-9pm.

Would definitely wear these party-worthy shoes for Christmas dinners! From Dolce & Gabbana Spring Summer 2015. | PHOTOS: SHOWBIT, ASOS, NEW LOOK, P.V.S., SUPERGA, THE OUTNET

High heels are usually the go-to shoes for holiday parties and other festive occasions. But if you are not a high-heel person - or plan on really getting your groove on and do not want to totter around - dressy flat shoes are good alternatives.

Some sort of embellishment is an easy way to elevate your daytime footwear to evening soiree-worthy shoes. Whether it is a metallic finish, glitter or actual jewels, shiny shoes can put people in a party mood.

Take these sandals from Miista (photo 1, $209, from P.V.S at 02-05 Cathay Cineleisure). Cut in basic black, they would look like regular 1990s-inspired chunky sandals. But made in silver, they give off a fun, futuristic feel perfect for dancing.

Glitter is another way to push up the wow factor. These Lucy Choi ballet flats (photo 2, £68 or S$142, from www.theoutnet.com) come coated with glittery tinsel and crystal accents. They will be sure to steal the limelight on any occasion.

For the tomboy, sneakers come coated in magpie-bait glitter these days. Italian sneaker brand Superga even offers its lace-up kicks in several shades of glitter (photo 3, $89.90, from Superga at B2-04 Wheelock Place).

Flat sandals with jewellery-like embellishment are good options too. This River Island pair (photo 4, $85, from www.asos.com) is reminiscent of Marni in its simple but blinged-out shape.

Lastly, if shining as brightly as a Christmas ornament is not your style, I would suggest a pair of flats with ankle straps. A style detail more commonly found in high heels, the ankle strap gives the flats a feminine, sweet and dressy touch, as this black New Look pair shows (photo 5, $59.90, from B2-34 313@somerset).

This story was first published in Urban, The Straits Times, December 12, 2014. To read more from Urban, go to www.straitstimes.com/supplements/urban. Please note, if you are not a subscriber you may not be able to access this page.

MYTHIC OIL JEWEL EDITION BY DEAR CHARLOTTE
$29, from selected L’Oreal Professionnel salons

This best-selling hair oil (apparently one bottle is sold every 16 seconds worldwide) contains a blend of avocado oil and grape seed oil.

For a limited time, receive a free hair barette designed by French jewellery designer Vanessa Pinoncely when you buy a bottle of the oil.

PANTENE PRO-V TOTAL DAMAGE CARE 10 BB CREME FOR HAIR
$9.90, from selected personal care stores and supermarkets

Like its counterparts in the skincare category, this BB Creme for hair is made in an all-in-one formula. It promises to strengthen, smoothen, moisturise, untangle, control frizz, add shine and prevent split ends.

LUCIDO-L ARGAN RICH OIL HAIR TREATMENT OIL
$16.90, from selected personal care stores

Made with argan oil to hydrate damaged hair, it also offers UV protection. We like the fruity-floral scent too.

This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on December 12, 2014. For similar stories, go to www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.

You too will be grinning from ear to ear if you knew flawless skin came so easily!

Meet Sha-ji, the “new” old skincare superhero you’ve probably never heard of.

Sha-what? That’ll be Hippophae rhamnoides (for the botanists) and seabuckthorn for the rest of us.

Now, if you have snarky “senior” folks in your social circle, they might, like my Mum, smugly inform you that seabuckthorn has always been a pivotal part of the traditional Chinese medicinal repertoire.

This TCM treasure – mosey around any heartland store and chances are you’ll spot the blackened berry being sun-dried in open baskets – is a “warm” food traditionally used to treat all manner of maladies, from bloated belly pain to burns, boils and open wounds, where it’s usually pounded to a pulp and applied as a paste onto the skin.

#BeautySecret in a bowl! All images: Dermagold

Here’s how seabuckthorn works on the beauty front. The berries and their oils boast an astonishing amount of skin-friendly stuff– at least 12 times the vitamin C of your familiar orange – as well as everything from Omega-7 fatty acids and immunity-boosting flavonoids to phenols and a plethora of fat-soluble vitamins.

Most intriguingly, seabuckthorn creams have been shown to soothe itchy skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema; the latter being an issue close to my heart. Then there’s how the ingredient seems to be able to cut through grease and gunk, with studies suggesting it may alleviate acne and slash sebum overproduction.

Pretty impressive, yes? Now for the million-dollar beauty question: Where to buy? For starters, try sussing out the sleek suite of cosmeceutical products from Singapore skincare entrepreneurs Grace Ling and Lim Luping, where seabuckthorn is front and centre of their star serums.

Perfectly posh packaging. I approve!

Look for it in Dermagold’s Skin Resurrector and Skin Elixir, the latter being a sensationally silky multi-tasker that throws in hydrating hyaluronic acid and soothing seaweed extracts for good measure. Pair your “face food” with Grandma’s home-brewed Sha-ji tea and you’re just about good to go.

As it stands, seabuckthorn is still something of an exotic novelty that’s hard to find in the form of a face cream, so if it blows up as the next big beauty thing in the coming year or two, you can say you heard it on herworldPLUS first!

Dermagold Skin Elixir, $128 for 30 ml, and Skin Resurrector, $168 for 30ml, are available at the Hadara Aesthetics boutique at 23 Lorong Telok, S049035. For more information, visit dermagold.sg and follow Dermagold Singapore on Facebook and Instagram.

Spending Christmas in one of the hottest countries in the world can lead to some weird stuff happening. Whether its overcompensating with way too many Christmas decorations or doing weird things with soap suds, here are some of the things that give us a giggle.

1. Crazy amount of decorations on Orchard Road and other shopping mall streets

Has anyone ever counted how many streets we have decorated? Not complaining, though.

2. Taking pictures with above mentioned decorations on the street

#Christmas #Selfie #CuterThanYou

3. No snow, but a lot of rain

Rainy days means (slightly) cooler weather which kind of gives us the feeling that it’s sort of Christmasy, right?

4. Fake snow, aka soap foam

There’s always a few shopping malls that do this. It’s all fun and games until it’s everywhere and some poor kid gets it in his eye. Thirty minutes later, shoeprints are everywhere, the ground gets really slippery, and you can count the parents cleaning up their children at the nearest Mcdonald’s. Every. Year.

5. Not having a fireplace

Cute Christmas idea: How about playing a fireplace video on the family telly? You get an instant fireplace, minus the heat. Get on YouTube for a ten hour recording of a fireplace, complete with real live cackling sound effects too! Get the link here.

6. Having to downsize your Christmas tree

Since most of us live in HDBs, it means any space saving alternative is welcome. Save your poor brother/nephew/niece/sister the pain of standing over the presents with this guide to space saving Christmas trees.

7. Seeing cars with mini antlers attached to the hood

The people who tend to do this are cute!

8. Being too enthusiastic about Christmas; being told to calm down

There’s no such thing.

And that wraps up some of the things that happen when you spend Christmas in Singapore. Do you agree? Leave us a comment on facebook or tweet us at @herworldsg!

Serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS

100g somen*
2 eggs, beaten
1 can (200g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 Japanese cucumber, peeled into strips
200g chicken ham, cut into strips
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Sesame seeds, to garnish
Japanese sesame salad dressing*, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the somen in boiling water for 3min until soft, then soak in iced water for 4min to keep the noodles smooth and chewy. Drain the noodles and set aside.
2. Fry a thin omelette with the beaten eggs and cut it into strips.
3. Put all the solid ingredients together in a bowl, garnish with the sesame seeds, and drizzle the salad dressing over.

*Somen can be found in the dried-noodle section of major supermarkets while Japanese sesame salad dressing is stocked in the Japanese section. We used Miura Benibana Soumen and Arabiki Kin Goma Dressing, both available at Fairprice.

This article was originally published in Simply Her December 2014.

The Balmain Spring Summer 2015 Menswear campaign turns the spotlight on one of the most famous celebrity couples of the moment. Yay or nay? | Image: ©Twitter.com/Balmain

On Monday, December 22, 2014, the French fashion house shared the first image from its new menswear campaign starring one of the hottest couples of the moment.

Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing certainly knows how to recruit buzzworthy ambassadors. After revealing a womenswear campaign featuring no less than five famous supermodels (Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Isabeli Fontana and Crista Cober), the fashion house has teamed with two fashion icons who love to be in the spotlight: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.

Like the ads for the women's line, the campaign for the Spring Summer 2015 menswear collection is shot by Italian fashion photographer Mario Sorrenti. The first visual, unveiled on social networks, shows the couple on the verge of a passionate kiss. With its sultry and intimate mood, the image embodies what the brand is calling "#TheBalmainLove". -- AFP RELAXNEWS

We’ve found the cutest gifts for your friends and family, all for less than a single blue faced Yusof Ishak! From last minute guests to your closest bud, here are some gifts that you can impress them with … and they’re all under fifty bucks!

Something Borrowed Under the sea charm bracelet, $14.90

http://www.zalora.sg/Under-the-Sea-Charms-Bracelet-240722.html

Definitely for the whimsical and sweet girls in your life, this charm bracelet oozes fantasy that might have been worn by a mermaid.

Cochine Saigon Vanilla and Tabac scented candle, $48

http://shop.sheshops.com/vanille-tabac-noir-scented-candle-230g

The high quality ingredients and pretty packaging really is value for money when it comes to a high quality candle. Atmospheric scent is underrated.

Ripples Bright graphic clutch, $29.90

http://www.zalora.sg/Emmerline-Clutch-221090.html

For your artsy friend, this brightly coloured clutch will perk up any outfit she chooses to throw on that day. Tres chic!

Gilet Supermarket canvas bag, $31

http://shop.sheshops.com/super-market-eco-bag

Poke fun of your domestically inclined friend with this eco friendly and ironically adorable printed canvas. We all have a secret auntie side.

Zalora Large black tote, $22.90

http://www.zalora.sg/Large-Tote-225982.html

When all else fails, a generic black tote goes with everything, and this includes gift giving. They will be surprised at how much they use it, too!

Mi-Pac Snake skin card holder, $17.90

http://www.zalora.sg/Rattlesnake-Card-Holder-236006.html

This snazzy snake skin card holder gives an edge to anyone who whips it out of her handbag since its sure to make an impression. And you should get that credit!

Zalora Strappy watch, $24.90

http://www.zalora.sg/Dual-Colour-Triple-Tour-Wrap-Watch-240147.html

The key to giving great gifts is by giving them something you (not-so-secretly) want as well. This triple looped watch is classy enough for work but edgy enough to work for the dancefloor.

River Island Pearl earrings, $24.90

http://www.zalora.sg/Pearl-Earrings-Pack-228103.html

Give a round for these gorgeous beyond the basic pearl earrings with varying settings and complementary cuffs. These are perfect for any powerhouse office lady friends!

Living Proof No frizz travel set, $39.90

http://www.zalora.sg/No-Frizz-Smoothing-%26-Frizz-Fighting-Travel-Kit-159816.html

Your continent hopping niece/cousin/buddy will thank you for this reliable and very solid no frizz set as the humidity and changing water conditions wreak havoc amongst her follicles.

Redbox Charger case for iPhone, $43.20

http://shop.sheshops.com/redbox-space-pack-battery-charger-case-for-iphone-6

We all know about the short battery span of iPhones, and this solves that dilemma of having to carry two things at once in your hand. It latches perfectly on the body of an iPhone and charges it at the same time - so many people would thank you for it!

Redbox Wearable tangle-free earphones, $23.20

http://shop.sheshops.com/redbox-tangle-free-earphones

No more untangling the silly earphones anymore - its wearable on your wrist and neck too, and its a great fuss free option to ‘ear pods’. Since everyone uses earphones, its a fuss free option for anyone too!

Mango Leather key ring, $31.20

http://www.zalora.sg/Leather-Key-Ring-158792.html

The men in my life tend to lose their keys very often and this can be easily remedied by a hardy key ring that will age well. This one from Mango can totally handle the reckless tossing around it’s definitely going to get.

Mango Wool knitted tie, $39.20

http://www.zalora.sg/Wool-Knit-Tie-158790.html

The usual tie gets another kind of twist with this wool knitted version. It’s an unusual gift that would make an impression on a preppy fella you might have your eye on, eh?

Mango Blue Narrow Fit shirt, $48.30

http://www.zalora.sg/Slim-Fit-Stripes-Shirt-158773.html

Nothing infuriates me more than a sloppily dressed man. Come Christmas, I tend to be very generous about shopping for my male cousins - they’re lazy to shop and I like making things pretty so it’s a win-win situation.

Andrea Moore Cropped silver jacket, $39

http://shop.sheshops.com/the-hunt-jacket-gilty-perfecto-silver

This cropped sparkly number is a festive little piece that can also double as club attire. Sweet!

Koom grey shoe, $35

http://shop.sheshops.com/koom-grey-shoe

You might want to steer clear of giving these to anyone chinese or vaguely superstitious (to gift shoes means giving the gift of death in Mandarin). The pair holds their own, though, and manages to be streamlined yet cute.

Edge of Ember Reyes Arrowhead ring, $19

http://shop.sheshops.com/arrowhead-ring

Remind of your bud about her yearly goals with this feisty ring from Edge of Ember; arrowheads on double sides could also symbolise success on two levels.

StarbucksChristmas stainless steel tumblers, pour over set

Tumbler 10oz $32.90; Tumbler 16oz $36.90; Pour over set $39.90

As the saying goes, if you want your dad to downsize his beer belly, help him upsize his kopi mug. These Starbucks cups go a long way! Not only do they come with a free drink, you get a fifty cent discount whenever you fill it at Starbucks. Just don’t get papa hooked on frappacinos too.

Kapok Askinosie Chocolate $17-28

These chocolates from Kapok have the cutest packaging! Not only that, Kapok provides a free wrapping service too, and the wrapper is just as kawaii. Fair trade chocolate FTW!

HasbroE-catalogue of toys $20-$50

Hasbro launched a new e-catalogue recently and it’s super easy to use! If you’re not sure about what you want, they have a wildcard function for toy recommendations too! I like Jenga ($19.90) since it’s easy to play, and the stakes escalate quickly (no pun intended). Visit the site here: http://www.hasbroxmastoyland.com

Fitbit Flex health tracking armband, $39

I’m sure we all have that one friend who hops through gyms and sweatpants faster than a bunny, right? So, this Fitbit Flex health tracking armband is perfect for their active lifestyle. The band connects to your device via bluetooth and offers you real time stats of your fitness levels. At night, you can check your sleep quality too!

TWG Limited Edition Christmas Macarons

$48 for a pack of 24, $24 for a pack of 12, $12 for a pack of 6

These delightful macarons are infused with the flavours of black and green tea with ginger and orange, and they are a lovely sight to see when you open a box full of colourful macarons. So sweet!

Risis Anita Kapoor’s Singapore Story Charm $50

This charm is beautiful and pays tribute to our home country at the same time. (SG50, how timely!) The charm’s quirky design makes an instant conversation starter and I find it useful for entertaining small children.

Tools of The Trade (ToTT) Folding glass wine holder $14.10

Avoid the unnerving sound of wine glasses clinking against the glass cabinet with this wineglass holder. We like this one for being sturdy and folding into a compact version when not used!

Natasha Studio Professional Dance Academy (Only avaliable in City Square Mall) 4 dance lessons $25

Make your Christmas gift unforgettable with dance lessons. Hardware may not always make an impression but these memories will last for a long time.

Le D’or Beaute (Only avaliable in City Square Mall) Diamond Face Peel $38

Pamper your loved one with a Diamond Face Peel for just $38. It’s not just a great deal, (it usually costs $300) the receiver will feel like a million bucks too!

Cath Kidston’s Christmas Billy applique pencil case $21

I would get this for nieces and nephews, since it’s primarily a pencil case. It can also double as a pouch for your makeup as well, making this a very versatile gift.

Tsum Tsum’s Disney print socks $19.90

Usually I abhor the thought of getting socks as presents but all those rules go out of the window with these cute printed socks from Tsum Tsum’s collaboration with Disney.

Naiise’s Four Seasons seasoning shaker set, $49

This seasoning shaker set cleverly adopts four seasons in each shaker, so now we finally have four seasons in Singapore! (not really.)

Krispy Kreme’sChristmas Specials

Snowflake, Snowman, Holiday tree, Evergreen Happiness doughnuts.

$2.95 each for single

$26.50 for a dozen

$47.70 for double dozen

This gift is perfect for the last minute guests who didn’t RSVP (you guys know who you are.) If you’re one of the lucky ones with no last minute people in your life or at your party, these doughy treats make a great festive dessert as well!

Jelly Bunny’s Melina plain ballet slippers. $19.90

Upgrade your mama’s errand shoes with these waterproof slip-ons from Jelly Bunny. She’ll love you for it, and you can thank me when she cooks your favourite dish for your next dinner. You’re welcome.

Marks and Spencer's Rotating musical tree with biscuits $29.00

If you’re visiting a friend’s place for Christmas and have no idea what to get for the whole bunch of framily (friend-family), this rotating tree is sure to impress and make a great decoration at the same time.

Cornell Hello Kitty appliances, $29.00 - $49.90

Hello Kitty hair dryer $29; Sandwich maker $39.90; Pop up toaster $42.90; Kettle $49.90; Food weighing scale $29.90; Fan $49.90

One of these is the perfect gift for your sister, especially if she’s a broke college student. The cute factor in these household appliances is sure to give her that extra bit of incentive to take care of herself, even if it means making a sandwich instead of eating out.

Lazada Deer antler jewelry holder, $24.90

This beautiful jewelry holder cries out to the Princess Mononoke fan in me and I need to have it. It also addresses one of the biggest, most intense first world problems – not having enough storage for my jewellery. Not to mention, the priceless pun I can make with this gift - it's only a buck. 

Are you scrambling for last minute gift ideas? Don’t worry, we’re here to help! All you have to do is to match your friend to one of these personality types, and you’ll have the perfect gift!

#1 THE JET-SETTER

This is the friend who is finally showing up after travelling for the past few months, and who knows where to next. Get her this set of Origins Superstar minis, which will help to keep her skin healthy even with all the airplane air! (It’ll help to keep her below the 100ml liquid limit, too!)

Origins Superstar Minis, $68, is available at all Origins counters and luxola.com. For more information, visit www.origins.com.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook.  

#2 THE PARTY GIRL

Heading to a club? This is the girl you call. She knows where the best parties are and these temporary Cult Avenue tattoos are great for all the countdown parties she’ll be attending in the next week!

Cult Avenue Temporary Metallic Tattoos, $39.90 for a set of four, is available at www.cultave.com and Tangs Orchard Level 2. For more information, follow Cult Avenue on Facebook and Instagram.

#3 THE PERFUME OBSESSED

Oud, accord, base notes and vetiver...err, what? This friend will tell you exactly what these terms mean. Give her this Ladies Fragrance Collection containing miniature bottles of five of Penhaligon’s classic fragrances.

Penhaligon’s Ladies Fragrance Collection, $80, is available at all Penhaligon’s stores and escentials. For more information, visit www.penhaligons.com and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit www.escentials.com.sg and follow escentials on Facebook.

#4 THE GLOWING GODDESS

The one girl in your group who has that lit-from-within glow (and a pretty solid skincare routine). This one knows when to scrub, when to hydrate and when to nourish. The Philosophy Glowing Days Ahead set is definitely perfect for her.

Philosophy Glowing Days Ahead set, $155, is available at all Philosophy stores and Sephora. For more information, visit www.philosophyskincare.sg and follow the brand on Facebook. Visit www.sephora.sg and follow Sephora on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

#5 THE MAKEUP COLLECTOR

She’s the one who screams “WANT” on Whatsapp every time a new collection gets announced on Instagram. This one needs the M.A.C Prabal Gurung Collection. Plus, the gold packaging is so festive!

M.A.C Prabal Gurung Collection, from $38, is available at all M.A.C stores and counters. For more information, visit www.maccosmetics.com.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

#6 THE LIP LOVER

No one pulls off Barbie pink or the dark Lorde-lip better than this friend does. She’ll put this Marc Jacobs Beauty Kiss Pop Lacquer Collector’s Edition to real good use.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Kiss Pop Lacquer Collector’s Edition, $350, is available at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.marcjacobsbeauty.com and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

#7 THE FIT ONE

Go for these The Body Shop Beauty Bags for this fit babe. The entire pouch will fit nicely into her gym bag with all she needs for a refreshing post-workout shower!

The Body Shop Beauty Bag, $29.90 each, is available at all The Body Shop stores. For more information, visit www.thebodyshop.com.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

#8 THE HAIR MANIAC

For all the styling products that this lady has used, get her the Philips Easyshine Ionic Styling Brush to keep her locks smooth and sleek.

Philips Easyshine Iconic Styling Brush, $55, is available at selected department and electronic stores. For more information, visit www.philips.com.sg.

#9 THE NAIL POLISH ADDICT

Give this friend some #nailart #inspo with 11 festive shades and nail stickers from the Sephora Party Colour Hit! Nail Blockbuster Kit.

Sephora Party Colour Hit! Nail Blockbuster Kit, $55, is available at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.sephora.sg and follow Sephora on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

#10 THE BEST FRIEND

This isn’t exactly a personality type, but can anyone really replace this lady in your life? If you’ve been racking your brains on what to give her (because she only deserves the best), why not treat this amazing girl to a spa? You can even go together!

Treatment #1: SK-II Boutique Spa by Senze Salus is giving a special 15% off facial gift vouchers until Dec 31, 2014. They also have exclusive Christmas treatments to be bought on their site.

Treatment #2: Clarins Skin Spa is offering a 90-minute treatment at $203 (worth $270), until Dec 31, 2014. If you can’t make the date, book a slot in January for the new full face and body, Art of Touch treatment.

Treatment #3: If you still can’t decide. Bring your friend over to Seviin at Tangs to choose from a whole range of treatments across several brands. A personal favourite is the 60-minute Sulwhasoo Snowise Illuminating treatment, $180.

Ladies, it’s FINALLY here! Two whole weeks of endless parties until the new year. We’ve got you covered on your party dresses, makeup, lingerie and clutches. Today, it’s time to decide on what you’re going to do with your hair!

Marissa Webb New York Spring 15

We know you’ll regret it when you’re about to leave the house, wishing you had another way to style your hair, rather than to simply blow dry it, or tame the flyaways.

Here are three quick styles that are guaranteed to update your look in under 10 minutes. (You can even do these styles in the car, just in case you’re running late to your event.)

#1 FRENCH AND FISHTAIL BRAID BUN

Yes, vlogger Missy Sue makes an appearance again. This is THE channel to watch if you’re into braiding. Braids are brilliant in making a look seem a lot more complicated than it actually is (read: perfect style to fool your colleagues into thinking you’ve put in a lot of effort, but it really takes none).

So if you’re going for a party after work, combine a french braid and a fishtail braid (two styles we know so well) and wrap it into a bun. Easy peasy!

#2 A LOW CROSSOVER PONYTAIL

This one from Korean Hair Salon Soon Siki requires a little bit of an explanation since there are no English subtitles. We tried it ourselves just from watching the video and it’s fairly easy to achieve.

Before you start, spritz just a little water onto your bangs and curl them with a roller. Leave the roller in place for the rest of the steps.

Step one: Section your hair into three sections. Tie the middle section into a low ponytail.

Step two: Take a section of hair from the left. When doing this, you should follow the curved parting you have created in step one. Now, bring it to the right and pin it in place.

Step three: Likewise, take a section of hair from the right, bring it over to the left and pin it in place. You want to make sure you’re not pinning it too tight or you will not get the “floppy” crossover effect at the end. You can twist the section a little to create more texture.

Step four: Take the remaining left section and twist around the ponytail you created in step one. This will hide the bobby pin from step two. Pin it underneath. Do the same on the right side.

Step five: Since we’re not using heat curlers for these styles. Just add some heat to the roller that was put in place before. Let it cool for 10 seconds, then remove the roller. Voila, curled bangs!

If you want a little more volume to this, tease the hair at the crown of your head before tying the ponytail in step one.

#3 STYLES FOR SHORT HAIRED GIRLS

Girls with short hair, this is for you. The first style is great for a brunch party over the weekend, while the second lends some edge to a night out in your trusty LBD.

Now, the third is what we absolutely love. The knotted braids look like they’ve been naturally put in place (Bobby pins? Who said anything about bobby pins?), people will ask about it for sure!

Now you’re all set to party!

Embrace the real meaning of Christmas and consider getting a gift that will also help others in need.

1. Pendants by Anita Kapoor and Dick Lee, $50 each, available at all Risis stores and risis.com

Images: Risis, B.O.B., Aluminaid, Goldheart Jewelry

What’s better than a gift that donates proceeds to charity? One that donates all of its proceeds. Risis will donate every cent earned from the limited edition Singapore Storytellers Collection  to Community Chest. Plus, all funds raised at the end of the year will be matched dollar-to-dollar by the government. The pendant on the left (‘Four in a Gram’) is plated in 18K gold with real saga seeds encased within – inspired by travel host Anita Kapoor’s childhood memories of collecting saga seeds. The pendant on the right (‘MAD in Singapore’) features Dick Lee’s iconic MAD Chinaman from the theatre veteran’s hit 1989 album.

2. B.O.B. vouchers, various amounts, available at gobob.sg

Now you get to shop and turn your shopping money into charitable cash at the same time. On Gobob.sg, shoppers can buy cash vouchers from brands like Fred Perry, Courts, John Little, Marks & Spencer and Robinsons. Any unspent amount left in the voucher can be kept as store credit, or donated towards one of these charities: Red Cross, Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS) or Touch Community Services. Delivery of the voucher (in cute packaging!) will take one to two working days.

3. Aluminaid Advanced First Aid Kit, $28, available at fak.aluminaid.com

For the people who like getting (and giving) practical gifts, Aluminaid will donate 10 per cent from every purchase of this first aid kit to any charity of your choice. Order it online and allow one week for delivery.

4. My First Celestial pendant, $498, available at Goldheart Jewelry

Delicate, dainty necklaces for you, and more funds to help chronically-ill children to form great childhood memories. For every purchase of a pendant from the My First Celestial collection, Goldheart Jewelry will donate $50 to Club Rainbow, an organisation that provides help to children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and their families.

When the doyenne of domesticity, Martha Stewart, builds a gingerbread house for the holidays, you can bet it’s a showstopper. And this year, Stewart took inspiration from her favourite show, “Downton Abbey” to create a replica of the real-life Highclere Castle in England.

Actress Lesley Nicol who plays Ms. Patmore on Downton Abbey poses with Martha Stewart and the Gingerbread Abbey. | Images: ©Business Wire

The result is an impressive and edible recreation of the Grantham family estate, featuring 65 caramel windows, minute architectural details, and a friendly dog that stands guard over ‘Gingerbread Abbey.’

It took Stewart’s team of two bakers 34 hours, 66 cups of flour, 22 eggs, and 11 cups of molasses to create the cookie estate.

‘Gingerbread Abbey’ was also created to help mark the start of the show's fifth season and its return on PBS in the US January 4, 2015.

Meanwhile, fans of the British period drama may want to check out a cheeky holiday sketch created for TV fundraiser Text Santa, in which George Clooney and Jeremy Piven made special cameos.

Ambitious home bakers can learn how to build their own Downton Abbey in a series of video tutorials that begin with http://bit.ly/1zo3gbV. -- AFP RELAXNEWS