Use this, look like this

THE CLAIMS: Come on, admit it. After a taxing slew of trendy seven-step regimes, a return to old-school do-it-alls can seem like a welcome reprieve, right? And boy, is the White Lucent All Day Brightener a do-it-all or what.

Here’s what Shiseido says this nifty new hero product will do. The White Lucent All Day Brightener does the work of a conventional moisturiser, for starters, what with its slew of hydrating ingredients the likes of the by-now familiar moisture magnet hyaluronic acid. Then there’s the perfectly decent SPF36 PA+++ rating, which means you can skip sunscreen if you’re pressed for time.  

What else? The Japanese beauty brand’s also introduced some terribly exciting new tech by way of “regulated release” vitamin C micro-capsules. Regulated what? Think the timed release vitamin pills we pop every morning, only in topical form.

Translation: Vitamin C is dispensed drop by tiny drop throughout the day, for sustained antioxidative and brightening benefits. This ingenious idea is one of those why-didn’t-anyone-think-of-this-earlier moments; so clever, right?

Toss in radiance-boosting reflective powders and you’ve got yourself a formidable face fighter that’s the one to beat this year. 

WHY I LOVE IT: What do I dig about Shiseido’s White Lucent All Day Brightener? Its terrific texture, for one, which straddles that sweet spot between watery emulsion and gloppy cold cream. The gorgeous glide also makes this potion perfect for priming purposes; pat it on under facepaint and you’ll find that your makeup pigments “grab” better.

Then there’s the incredibly intriguing light-activated particles, which Shiseido says emits light when exposed to UV rays. I’ve experimented by snapping selfies with and without this baby, and by golly, it works: The tint-free lotion imparts a lovely luminescence that’s beautifully beguiling in a #NoMakeup way.

No real complaints on the packaging front, either. The metallic mauve tube is total Instagram bait and should sit very nicely indeed on your dressing table. (I would have preferred a pump dispenser, but squeezable tubes beat unhygienic tubs by a mile.)

As for its purported long-term brightening powers, I can only relay an amusing personal anecdote: One of my girlfriends pulled me aside to ask if I could tone down on the illuminating highlighter; my colleagues were sick of being literally outshone by my complexion! (And for the record, I wasn’t using any; it’s all Shiseido.)

So yes, I was all for keeping this salve a secret skincare staple of mine, but I suppose good things must share ... You can thank me later!

GET IT AT: Shiseido White Lucent All Day Brightener SPF36 PA+++,  $85 for 50 mL, is available at all Shiseido counters. For more information, visit www.sg.shiseido.com and follow the brand on Facebook.

 
3 attractive home fixtures that could be giving you bad feng shui: Mirrors, open-concept kitchens and exposed ceiling beams | Image: Pete McArthur/Corbis and Dreamstime

1. Mirrors, mirrors, everywhere

Why it’s bad feng shui: Mirrors give the illusion of a bigger, brighter home, but, when placed directly in front of your bed, could “invite” a third party into your marriage – yikes! 

The cheat fix: If the mirrors are part of your closet doors, cover them with curtains or drapes before you sleep.

2. The open-concept kitchen

Why it’s bad feng shui: The kitchen stove represents your rice bowl and, in an open-concept kitchen, it’s likely that guests will be able to see your stove when they enter your home – in feng shui terms, this means that your wealth is not well protected.

The cheat fix: If it’s too much work to reposition your stove so that it is not visible from your home entrance, simply get a portable screen and place it between the kitchen and front door.

3. Exposed ceiling beams

Why it’s bad feng shui: This rustic-chic feature is said to create oppressive energy that can result in illness, bad luck and business problems – especially when located in the bedroom. They are also believed to cause medical issues in the parts of your body over which a beam “crosses”. For example, you might get headaches if a beam is directly above your head at your desk.

The cheat fix:“Shield” yourself by hanging curtains around your bed – simply suspend them from drapery rods mounted to the ceiling. Or, paint the exposed beams in the same colour as your ceiling, so they appear less “oppressive”.

4. Place significant objects facing one of eight feng shui directions

According to feng shui principles, placing certain objects in a location that faces one of eight feng shui directions is key to determining good fortune. 

To increase your chances of romance: Place symbols of love, like flowers and heart-shaped items, in a corner of your home that faces east. 

To advance your career: Place your work desk in a corner of your home that faces north-west.

5. Pick an auspicious date for moving house or renovation

Use STProperty’s feng shui tool at www.stproperty.sg/property-fengshui. You’ll need to key in your gender, date of birth and the time period you’re considering.

This story was first published in Her World magazine, January 2015 issue.

Three-minute makeup challenge videos have been going around YouTube for the longest time, and while most beauty vloggers scream and panic in them, we all know they usually end up fine, beautiful, in fact.

Get dewy skin like Yoona in seconds with these tips! Image: Innisfree

So we’ve rounded up the common tips and tricks used by K-Beauty gurus and stars to help you shorten the time it takes to do your makeup in the morning.

#1 DITCH THE BRUSHES
The BB Cushion makes its appearance yet again. Don’t be quick to dismiss this almost overly featured beauty tool, it’s a real time-saver on sluggish mornings. You won’t be wasting time blending out brush lines or picking up bristles that have stuck to your face. Just pat and go!

Pick up the Innisfree Water Glow Cushion for a luminous glow, or the Long Wear Cushion if you need more oil control.

Alternatively, if you prefer a matte finish, use a sponge and opt for a powder foundation like K-Beauty guru Pony. You can also apply everything with your fingers – works better sometimes!

WATCH: WHAT’S K-BEAUTY GURU PONY’S 3 MINUTE MAKEUP ROUTINE?

#2 SKINCARE AND MAKEUP IN ONE STEP
If you’re really pressed for time, follow this beauty tip from Korean Beauty programme Get it Beauty by mixing your moisturiser, sunscreen, foundation and an illuminating base or highlighter together. Mix and apply them all at once – super quick!

WATCH: GET IT BEAUTY SELF'S 3 MINUTE MAKEUP ROUTINE

#3 USE A BROW PENCIL
Yes, there are lots of brow products in the market now - wax, powder, liquid brow pens and gels – but for quick application, the brow pencil is the way to go.

Try Etude House’s Play 101 Pencils in #42 or #49 so they can double as eyeliners too.

If you want the precision of an angled brow brush but the softness of a powder, then go for Shu Uemura’s Hard Formula brow pencil.

The angled shape of the pencil gives you precise application and you can bring it back to the brand’s counters for sharpening any time. (Free of charge, of course.) Just don’t get frustrated if no colour shows up on your brows. The formula interacts with your brow hair’s natural oils so it works better when your brows are a little “wet”, which is easily solved by patting your BB cushion sponge on the brows. Voila.

#4 USE PENCIL EYELINERS
The look of pencil eyeliner that has been applied quickly is much more forgiving than horribly drawn liquid eyeliner. The smudging from pencil liners is also a lot easier to clean off as compared to gel eyeliners, which can sometimes be very difficult to remove, even if it’s just a tiny smudge on the crease.

#5 FORGET THE DRAMATIC CAT FLICK
Cat flicks are so yesterday. Korean girls are now lining only the outer edges of their eyes.

All you have to do is tight line the eyes from the outer quarter and extend the line down just a little at the edge of your eye. If you still want a cat wing, keep the line thin and make sure the the angle of the flick isn’t too dramatic.

#6 STICK WITH ONE EYESHADOW COLOUR OR PALETTE
Ladies, if you’re not trying out eyeshadow, we urge you to start experimenting in 2015. We don’t mean complicated smoky eyes, but single shadows blended up to the crease line – a super quick and easy way to brighten up the eyes.

We recommend going for pearlescent shadows or easy-to-use eye shadow sticks for quick application. Try Dior’s Spring 2015 limited edition Diorshow Kohl in Pearly Green and Pearly Silver.

Watch beauty vlogger Beautifymeeh’s three-minute makeup challenge video for a great example. She brushes on a single purple eyeshadow, then swipes on a silver shadow all over the eyelid, taking less than thirty seconds.

If you want deeper looking eyes, use a single eyeshadow quad so it’ll take the guess work out of matching shades for you.

WATCH: WHAT’S BEAUTY VLOGGER BEAUTIFYMEEH’S TRICK TO APPLYING MAKEUP UNDER 3 MINUTES?

#7 GLOSSY LIPS
Ever wondered how K-Starlets manage to flaunt such moisturised looking lips even after covering them with concealer? It’s because a glossy tint is usually layered over to plump and blur lip lines, improving the look of chapped lips. Glossy lip products are usually more moisturising than their satin or velvet finish counterparts, too.

Image: Screenshot from Kim Jaekyung's Instagram

So to quicken your routine, take a hint from K-idol Kim Jaekyung and reach for a gloss that boasts intense colour and moisturising properties like Fresh’s Sugar Shine Lip Treatment which doubles as a lip treatment. For more intense colour, you can also apply a deep-coloured lip crayon first like the K-beauty guru does here.

#8 USE A STICK CONCEALER
Stick concealers and highlighters are the most convenient tools to quickly hide imperfections.

The right ones are precise and pigmented like The Face Shop’s new Phytogenic Infinite Ex Concealer Duo. Plus, you can also use the liquid concealer side for flaky acne scars, or when you have slightly more time for blending.

Now you can sleep a little bit longer in the mornings!

Innisfree Water Glow and Long Wear Cushions, $34 each, are available at all Innisfree stores. For more information, visit global.innisfree.co.kr, and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram.

Etude House Play 101 Pencils in #42 and #49, $12 each, are available at all Etude House stores. For more information, follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram.

Shu Uemura Hard Formula Pencil, $33, is available at all Shu Uemura stores and counters. For more information, visit www.shuuemura.com.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Dior Spring 2015, Diorshow Kohl in Pearly Silver and Pearly Green, $34 each, are available at the Dior Backstage Studio and all Dior beauty counters. For more information, visit www.dior.com/beauty/en_int, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment, $31, is available at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.fresh.com, and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram.

The Face Shop Phytogenic Infinite Ex Concealer Duo, $22.90, is available at all The Face Shop stores. For more information, visit www.thefaceshop.com.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook.

Meditation doesn't have to be 20 minutes of doing this. Try these easy tips! | Image: Cover Media

Stars such as Russell Brand and Gwyneth Paltrow have waxed lyrical about the benefits of meditation for months, and it looks like this is one Hollywood trend which is going to trickle down to us mere mortals. As well as providing some usually much-needed 'me' time, meditation has a whole host of other benefits. It helps people cope with stress, anxiety and sharpens the minds – but that's not all. There are also a host of physical benefits, including lowered blood pressure, a decrease in pain caused by tension and boosted energy levels and immune system.

That all sounds great, but with lives which are already crammed with work, home and social commitments, how do you make time to meditate? Here are some useful tips.

TIP #1. Don’t be too ambitious

Most people think that meditation means at least 20 minutes sitting with legs crossed, fingers on knees and chanting 'om'. That might be how it is in the movies, but it's the fastest way to break your good intentions. If you try to shoehorn a lengthy meditation period into your working day, you're likely to fail quickly. And once you've skipped one session it becomes increasingly easy to forget about your meditation plan. It's much better to promise yourself you'll do three minutes a day and actually stick to it. Once you have a routine worked out, you'll probably find you want to add more minutes on anyway.

TIP #2. Make it a routine

This should be easy – after all, most of us do things in a set way each day. You'll find it easiest to stick to meditation sessions if you do them at the same time each day and in the same place. Make it somewhere cosy – perhaps light a candle or have some incense burning. A mantra can help too, as it's another way of adding some routine.

TIP #3. Count your inhales and exhales

Yes you can meditate in a room in your house, but it doesn't work for everyone. If you find the pressure to concentrate too much, you might find exercise is the key. Meditation is all about centring yourself and for some, the best time to cast the day aside and think is when they are running or having a walk. Vanessa Loder told Mind Body Green that concentrating on your breath can help here, counting your inhales and exhales and using that as a way of being mindful.

TIP #4. Try the ‘Loop of Awareness’ with a buddy

Mindfulness expert Katie Hendricks recommends an exercise called a Loop of Awareness, and you need a friend, partner or your child to do this one. Get the person to sit down facing you and concentrate on your breathing while you look at them, counting to three. Then do the same, but concentrating on the rise and fall of your partner's chest. Keep this up for a few minutes, remembering to think about your surroundings, such as your chair or anything else you touch.

© Cover Media

Images: H&M

Once again, the Swedish retail chain has invited the former soccer player to lend his name to a new collection. Titled "Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham," the new menswear line will be available March 5, 2015, in Singapore.

After collaborating on the David Beckham Bodywear line, H&M and the sports icon are extending their partnership with a new menswear collection. Victoria's husband hand-picked his favorite items from H&M's Modern Essentials line for the new tie-up.

The Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham line includes some of the season's must-have menswear items, including a linen bomber jacket, a white denim jacket, a linen blazer, a polo shirt and a classic white poplin shirt.

Naturally, the athlete is also the face of this new ready-to-wear collection in a campaign shot by filmmaker Marc Forster ("World War Z," "The Kite Runner").

Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham will go on sale worldwide on March 5, 2015, on the same date as the celebrity's latest Bodywear collection, in select H&M stores and online. -- AFP RELAXNEWS

SEE THE REST OF THE PICS (and a bonus behind-the-scenes video!)

Sleep and beauty, these are a few of my favourite things

Behold the brave new beauty world of sleeping masks. Now, to be fair, these contraptions aren’t new-new – the Koreans were as always wise to the game first – but what are they, exactly? They’re not your standard sheet masks, for one, nor are they of the regular rinse-off variety.

Rather, think of sleeping masks as the skincare analogue of a nifty nail topcoat; you layer it over all your usual skincare stuff so as to lock in the goodness of your nightly regime.

Take it from an expert: “It seals in my other skincare products and the unique texture sinks in for deep conditioning,” raves Dr. Terry Loong, one of The Body Shop’s global skincare experts. (She’s enthusing over said brand’s new hero product, natch.)

And in an amusing exercise in alliteration, Dr Terry says sleeping masks also “fix, fight and firm”; sort of like tireless workers clocking O.T hours while you slumber in oblivion. Really, what’s not to like? No splashing off with water, no sticky mess, no elbow grease on your part: Just perfectly plump skin when you awake.

Raring to go? Product recommendation-wise, you can’t possibly get more posh than the Skin Caviar Luxe Sleep Mask (courtesy of La Prairie, obvy.)

Ensconced in a cobalt container the colour of the sea, this petal pink cream comes complete with all of the bells and whistles the swanky Swiss brand is famed for: Sustainably sourced sturgeon caviar and sunflower seed oil for firming and lifting; plus papaya enzymes for gentle peeling.

You’re supposed to slather it on “neat” twice a week, but do as I do and dot the tiniest smidgen over my night serums as a sort of souped up moisturiser.

What else? Try The Body Shop’s delightful Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask, which boasts the essence of the exquisite edelweiss flower for natural nocturnal renewal. The Body Shop says the lush leave-on balm functions much like a “memory foam” mattress, buffering your face from bedtime creases.

I’m also terribly fond of the fabulous Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask, which comes infused with a beautifying botanical brew of black tea, lychee seed and exotic belle de nuit that’s said to sop up free radicals.

But it’s the mask’s pillowy plushness that I really adore; Fresh says this incredibly intense overnight treatment lends a “corset-like effect” that props up skin for a lifted look the morning after.

So yes, snoozing and skincare: Two of my absolute favourite things. Now this is a trend I can totally get behind. Here’s hoping yours truly has convinced you that sleeping masks are of the essence, so to speak. Have fun beauty shopping!

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask, $44.90, is available at all The Body Shop stores. For more information, visit www.thebodyshop.com.sg and follow The Body Shop Singapore on Facebook and Instagram.

Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask, $144, is available at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.fresh.com and www.sephora.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook.

La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Sleep Mask, $490, is available at all La Prairie counters. For more information, visit www.laprairieswitzerland.com and follow La Prairie on Facebook.

We assume that you’ve already booked your hair appointment for Chinese New Year (you better hurry if you haven’t), and are looking for a fresh hairdo to start the year right.

Instead of asking for the usual hair makeover this year, why not do something fun and ask for a colour that will represent your aspirations for 2015?

L’Oreal Professionnel has created four “red” looks specially for this New Year to help. Plus, we’ve included the actual product names below so you can ask your stylist for recommendations to match your skin tone.

Just one thing you need to know before we start: Balayage is a French colouring technique where colour is applied by hand rather than the traditional foil highlighting. The result is said to be more natural, shiny, “sun-kissed” hair, as seen on celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jessica Alba. The dark roots of your hair are also said to look less obvious as your hair grows out.

HEALTH: RED HIGHLIGHTS AND MAGENTA ENDS

Get a healthy glow like Julie Tan with subtle red highlights to represent life coursing through your veins, and lively magenta red at the lower ends for energy to overcome challenges this year.

This look is great for anyone who is worried about going “too red”, but still want a little element of fun to their hair.

Director of Formula Cut Salon William Chang created this wearable look with a Balayage 3D technique, which imitates natural lightening.

“I created soft and natural highlights to give a colour pop on her hair lengths using Majirel Carmin Red 6.66 and emphasised her ends using Majicontrast Magenta Red,” said Chang.

CAREER SUCCESS: BOLD RED COPPER

You know what they say, go hard or go home. So go bold with your hair and show your passion to excel and succeed with a bright red copper, seen on entrepreneur Velda Tan.

The copper colour gives the hair an almost metallic quality, which is super on-trend.

Salon Vim’s Director Gary Chew used a balayage horizon technique to produce the red copper effect – Majirel Carmin Red 6.64 was used at her crown and later contrasted with a copper gradient at the ends.

HAPPINESS: ORANGE-RED

Keep your spirits high all year round with this orange-red colour on model Kyla Tan, almost like a burst of sunshine!

Creative Director of Salon #1 Hair & Beauty Jason Sim, explains how he created the look, “I used a layering technique to blend her bright red and copper colours into a light blonde base using Majirel Cool Cover 8.3.”

PROSPERITY: INTENSE RED WITH COOL AND WARM REFLECTS

This voluminous look is classy and chic, created with a variety of intense reds and a combination of both warm and cool reflects. A definite show stopper for the modern woman who excels in all aspects of her life.

Model So Hee wears subtle blended highlights using Majicontrast Red with Inoa Carmilane 5.62 as a base colour.

“This creates movement, depth and volume for her hair,” said General Manager of NK Group, Irene Chai, who created this look by using the balayage sun kiss technique.

Formula Cut Salon is at Far East Plaza, #05-86/118.

Salon Vim is at 313 Orchard, #04-07 and 235 Victoria Street. For more information, visit salonvim.com, and follow Salon Vim on Facebook and Instagram.

Salon #1 Hair & Beauty is at Blk 513 #01-518 Bishan Street 13 and 53 Ang Mo Kio Hub #02-04/05. For more information, follow Salon #1 Hair & Beauty on Facebook.

NK Group locations can be found here. For more information, visit www.nkhairworks.com, and follow NK Group on Facebook.

HAG SOFI 7220 EDITOR’S RAVE
$1,499, from Ergozones

WHAT'S ADJUSTABLE Seat height and depth, armrest height and position, lumbar support and tilt tension. Upholstery fabric is customisable.

SEAT The padding is thick and firm, which most testers found comfortable. We liked that the seat depth could be adjusted easily while we were sitting on the chair. We could also move the rubberised armrests forwards or backwards, and they were the most comfortable in the lineup.

BACK REST Like the seat, the backrest isn’t plush but gave solid support. All testers found that the backrest fitted well, although one tester found it too hard - it left her with an aching upper back at the end of the day. The chair rocked a little while the tilt of the backrest let us lean back comfortably, whether we were typing or resting. 

VERDICT A firm but comfortable chair that gives extremely good back and butt support. It was also the easiest to adjust.

SCORE 8.5/10

HARVARD HIGHBACK GREAT FIND
$394.83, from Comfort Design

WHAT'S ADJUSTABLE Seat height, armrest height, lumbar support, headrest tilt and height.

SEAT The padding is thinner than that of the more expensive makes, but it is moderately cushy. The fabric is a tad rough and scratchy, but unless you are wearing a short dress or skirt, you’re unlikely to be bothered by it.

BACK REST The “springy” backrest is the highlight – all testers liked how it tilted back to a comfortable angle when we leaned backwards, letting us sit in a slightly inclined position when typing, and even to rock a little when we were feeling stiff. The height-adjustable curve of the chair moulded to the back well – everyone found it comfortable. Extra points for its high back and headrest.

VERDICT A unanimous favourite with a pocket-friendly price tag.

SCORE 8/10

DUOREST D2-100
$999, from Ergoworks

WHAT'S ADJUSTABLE Seat height and depth, armrest height, backrest cushion position and tilt tension, and headrest tilt and height.

SEAT It has the widest and softest seat, which most testers liked. Only one tester preferred a more compact fit.

BACK REST A pair of rectangular cushions with rounded corners enveloped our backs comfortably, but some testers would have liked more fitted support for the lower back. The position and the height of the cushions are adjustable, but it took some effort to press and lift the contraption. Its advantage, however, is its springy tilt and headrest which. when combined, makes it great for leaning back and taking a breather.

VERDICT A cushy chair with a unique backrest that cocoons the entire back snugly.

SCORE 7.5/10

HAG FUTU 1020
$750, from Ergozones

WHAT'S ADJUSTABLE Seat height and depth, armrest height, lumbar support and tilt tension. Upholstery fabric is customisable.

SEAT The padding is thin but firm while the width of the compact seat fitted all testers nicely. Seat depth is adjustable, catering to testers of different heights.

BACK REST The height-adjustable curve of the back rest moulded to the lower back well and gave the necessary support. But the tilt of the chair was less well-received – although the tension was adjustable, some testers could not find a perfect angle. Apart from that, it gave a fairly good sitting experience and no one felt uncomfortable by the end of the day. Both the Hag chairs tested had legs that extend outwards more than the others – some found this obstructive, but others liked that they could rest their feet on them.

VERDICT A fairly comfortable chair that ticked most of the right boxes.

SCORE 7.5/10

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

Images: Mischa

Forget toting around a boring black canvas bag on your next holiday. Not that there’s anything wrong with black, but these colourful (and did I mention waterproof?) bags by Hong Kong-born  designer Michelle Lai are PERFECT for elevating your travel snaps and travel #OOTDs.

Jet set in style with these waterproof totes with contrasting trims

The Mischa brand is already synonymous with its signature hexagon print – and here it is again in colours like apricot orange and mint. (Yum.) Set against a contrasting leather trim, it's hard not to fall in love right away.

Roomy clutches that are perfect for storing your in-flight essentials

As for the travel-friendly shapes? Look out for the weekday tote and travel clutch, totally appropriate for stashing your essentials for a plane ride.

The mini bucket bag is totally on-trend now

The mini bucket bag (with that lovely contrast trim!) is perfect for prancing about whether you’re sightseeing or shopping. And in case you missed it, it also happens to be the go-to bag style of the season. See the '7 bucket bags we love for work and play'.

This collection ranges from $240 for a bucket bag to $481 for a duffel.

Eyeing a bag already? Shop the Mischa Spring Summer 2015 collection at ka-pok.com

The team that brought you the chance to get fit by punching Justin Bieber in his pretty face has returned, this time with an app that keeps tabs on your diet in terms your brain -- which it calls "puny"-- can understand.

Image: Apple

Hilariously damning clauses, to-the-point graphics and a robotic voice make dieting about as fun as it could get.

Because the app doesn't sugarcoat anything, it informs you of just how long you would need to exercise in order to burn off that last piece of pizza or glass of chocolate milk.

The app allows for fast food logging with its bar code scanner, and its proximity warning tells you when you are approaching your calorie limit for the day.

Sticking an iBeacon sensor in your fridge will prompt the app to remind you to log whatever you're planning to consume from it when you open the door.

Exercise logging is essential to keep your avatar from getting chubby.

If you're thinking about cheating, remember that Carrot will send a humiliating tweet to your social media contacts.

WATCH: FIND OUT HOW THIS "MEAN" APP WORKS

The app is available for iOS devices and costs nothing: itunes.apple.com/app/id912570794 -- AFP Relaxnews

First, do this quiz…

Job satisfaction
1. Do you enjoy your job and its responsibilities? YES / NO
2. Are you happy with your work environment? YES / NO
3. Are you getting the salary you expect? YES / NO

Workplace socialisation
4. Are you getting along with your boss and co-workers? YES / NO
5. Can you talk to someone at work? YES / NO

Other factors
6. Do you enjoy the commute to work? YES / NO
7. Are you enjoying a good work-life balance? YES / NO
8. Are you treated fairly at your workplace? YES / NO

Even if your answers are mostly ‘no’, it doesn’t mean you have to quit your job. These suggestions from Chook Yuh Yng, country manager of Jobstreet.com for Singapore and Malaysia operations, could help you enjoy your job better.

YOUR JOB AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
When you feel that you’re getting complacent, challenge yourself, says Yuh Yng. “Going above and beyond your responsibilities can help you feel invested in your job again. For example, if your deadline for an assignment is 4pm, aim to clear it by 2pm. And don’t hesitate to bring up ideas or solutions to your superior.”

YOUR SALARY
Here's how you can renegotiate your salary. “Research what others in a similar position are drawing – some websites, like Jobstreet.com, list the approximate salaries for each industry as a benchmark. When you speak with your supervisor, arm yourself with a list of your achievements, and be open about coming to a compromise.”

YOUR BOSSES AND COLLEAGUES
“One of the surest ways to improve job satisfaction is to foster friendships at work – these have the potential to become a strong support network. If your workplace relationships are hostile, you may experience burnout sooner than you think,” notes Yuh Yng.

Take steps to get to know your co-workers better, by greeting them every morning, and asking them out for lunch to connect on a personal level. You’ll be surprised BY how easy it will be progress to after-worK outings.

If your colleagues are the reason you’re unhappy at work, look for common ground to bond over. If that fails, talk to your superior about changing departments.

YOUR COMMUTE TO WORK
says Yuh Yng: "If you’re spending too much time getting to and from work, you’ll have less personal time before and after work, and might even need to wake up earlier and leave later than your colleagues.” All this affects your workplace happiness. 

If you do enjoy the commute but dislike the morning jostle, leave home earlier to beat the crowd, suggests Yuh Yng. “Arriving early allows you to build a reputation for being punctual and committed about work, and gives you time to settle in before the first task of the day.”

YOUR WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Here’s how to decide if you’re enjoying a good work-life balance: You should be able to meet the personal plans you’ve made beforehand, and not have to compromise your personal time. Working overtime, or on weekends, should also be rare.

“Put your heart and soul into work during office hours, but respect your time away from it. If you feel burdened by your workload, talk to your superior about it, and propose suggestions to help you cope with your responsibilities,” advises Yuh Yng.

Set aside time at work for daily personal goals – like finishing one chapter of a book during lunch or taking a 10-minute break to plan your next holiday – to help you feel like you’re living every day to the full.

FAIRNESS IN YOUR WORKPLACE
You should never feel like you’re being discriminated against at work, says Yuh Yng. “Credit should always be taken and given fairly; your workplace should also be creating equal opportunities for all employees.”

If you feel you’re not being treated fairly, speak to your superior about your concerns, or seek advice from the human resources department. If that doesn’t work, it may be time to move on, she adds.

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

Nadia landed a spot in the ad after submitting this photo with the #castmemarc hashtag. Photo: Nadia's Instagram/@skinnykatwoman

Congratulations, Nadia Rahmat!

This 24-year-old Singaporean girl of Malay, Arab and Indian heritage gamely submitted her photo on Instagram in 2014 with the hashtag #castmemarc, and was chosen out of 50,000 people for a coveted spot in Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2015 ad campaign for Marc by Marc Jacobs.

You'll be seeing this photo of Nadia in Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2015 ads that were shot in New York. Photo: Club 21

These 11 lucky contestants were then flown to New York to shoot the ad campaign. See the rest of the campaign images here.

To bring things up to speed: There was a call for users to submit their photos via Instagram and Twitter back in September 2014 with the hashtag #CastMeMarc for a chance to star in Marc Jacobs’ Spring ads. The social media casting collected over a 100,000 entries as some users submitted multiple photos of themselves.

 

Meet the faces of Marc by Marc Jacobs #SS15. Follow along tomorrow as we unveil our #castmemarc campaign images!

A video posted by Marc Jacobs Intl (@marcjacobsintl) onJan 12, 2015 at 7:58am PST

But one picture from @skinnykatwoman caught the eye of Marc By Marc Jacobs designers Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley.

Although Nadia is not a professional model, she has appeared in fashion campaigns for her fashion designer friends behind the Singapore labels Mash-Up and Yesah.

We are sooo excited to see her picture for Marc by Marc Jacobs to hit shop windows, aren’t you?

Wanna know more about Nadia? See this video where she talks about her personal style, music taste and what it was like shooting the Marc by Marc Jacobs ad:

I'm guessing there's a lot of antiperspirant under that coat! All images: Instagram/BigBangMusic.info

I’m about to let you in on a not-so-little secret. My beloved boss is batty for T.O.P-slash-Choi Seunghyun – an insightful peek into her psyche that’s endlessly amusing to me.

In any case, said boss must be kicking herself in her fabulous foot for having missed a chance to get up close and personal with her unusual choice of idol. You see, T.O.P just happened to be in town when she was out of it (in Seoul, no less; the irony!)

The whys and wherefores of the Big Bang bad boy’s 24-hour sojourn to Singapore? Quite the intense itinerary, from the looks of it: An early morning photoshoot at the posh Raffles Hotel; a surreptitious swing-by at hipster hangout Singapore Tyler Print Institute; “topped” off by a swanky soiree at the ArtScience Museum come dusk. Damn, I’m exhausted just listing them down.

That’s all well and good, but let’s just cut to the crucial bit: What was T.O.P’s #OOTDSg? Now, quick caveat: When it comes to these K-Pop stars, critiquing their sartorial choices is par for the course. All of which is to say, no hate-mail, okay?

Right, then. I’ve done the roving reporter cold-calling thing, so I regret to say there’s no intel on the provenance of T.O.P’s Singapore ensemble. Actually, make that ensembles in the plural – the rakish rapper was in full-on fashionista mode. (Fashion folks out there, any help in ID-ing “who” he’s wearing will be much appreciated!)

To wit, his day look was uh, shall we say, incredibly season-appropriate for Siberia – but oh so salah for Singapore’s stifling heat. To be sure, the Matrix-style peacoat-trench hybrid is quite the head-turner, but layering it over a black turtleneck on a dog-day afternoon? These K-Pop troopers must be cut from a different cloth, so to speak – that, or T.O.P’s sweat glands are non-functional.

For night, the heat-proof hunk switched things up by swapping his toasty threads for … another scorching suit. I’m digging the top-to-toe (or is that T.O.P-to-toe) houndstooth print, but was it really necessary to pair his blazer with what looks to be the same itch-inducing turtleneck from his daytime outing?

Actually, you know what? My fashion-obsessed boss’s love for T.O.P is beginning to make some modicum of sense now – must be the superstar’s single-minded dedication to style, no matter the weather. Cheers to black sweaters in Singapore!

You can follow Big Bang and their stylish shenanigans on Facebook and Twitter.

Found your lucky colour for Chinese New Year and got your outfit sorted? (If you haven’t, we’ve got a nifty guide right here.) Now it’s time to think about what you’re going to do with your makeup.

We’ve got 30 beauty items prepared for you, based on the lucky colours of your Zodiac sign this year. Plus, we’ve got options for you to wear the colour, or colours to complement your outfit! (No one wants a full red outfit, hair, and face, right?)

ZODIAC SIGN: DOG
LUCKY COLOUR: RED

Wear this lucky colour

Clockwise rom left: The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Velvet Stick Poppy Red, $29.90, RMK w Color Mascara in Red and Brown, $65, M.A.C RED RED RED Red Alert, $30

Match your lucky colour with these complementary colours

Clockwise from left: Shu Uemura Laque Supreme in BG02, $40, available in Feb, Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow, $32, available from Feb 17, YSL Couture Palette Collector Ombres, $95

ZODIAC: HORSE, TIGER, RABBIT, GOAT, DOG, PIG
LUCKY COLOUR: GREEN

Wear this lucky colour

Clockwise from left: Shu Uemura Metal:ink in Green, $40, Lunasol Tender Shine Eyes in Shiny Green, $43, available from Feb, Chanel Le Vernis in Paradiso, $38

Match your lucky colour with these complementary colours

Clockwise from left: Surratt Beauty Smokey Eye Baton in Cendres, $55, Kose Esprique Rich Essence Rouge in OR260, $39, Nars Eye Opening Act Inoubliable Coup D’Oeil Eyeshadow Palette, $65

ZODIAC: RAT, MONKEY, ROOSTER
LUCKY COLOUR: YELLOW

Wear this lucky colour

Clockwise from left: The Body Shop Colour Crush A Sunny Affair Nail Polish, $12.90, available from Feb, Chanel Le Blanc Brightening makeup base in Mimosa, $84, available from Feb 13, RMK Vintage Drop Gloss, $30

Match your lucky colour with these complementary colours

Clockwise from left: Maquillage Dramatic Melting Rouge in BE322, $46, Ettusais Heart Cheek Colour, $33, Kate Flash Crush, $23.50, available from Feb

BLUE: OX, DRAGON, MONKEY

Wear this lucky colour

Clockwise from left: Nars Velvet Shadow Stick in Glenan, $44, OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Nail Polish in Shine for Me, $16, Shu Uemura Metal:ink Liquid Eyeliner in Blue, $40

Match your lucky colour with these complementary colours

Clockwise from left: Ettusais Creamy Lip Crayon in OR02, $23, Chanel Collection Reverie Parisienne Creation Exclusive Jardin de Chanel, $75, Cle de Peau Beaute Spring 2015 Lipstick #211, $70 for refill

WHITE & GOLD: RAT, DRAGON, SNAKE

Wear these lucky colours

Clockwise from left: Surratt Beauty Lip Lustre in Teinte, $45, YSL Beaute La Laque Couture 59 Nuit Blanche, $38, Cle de Peau Beaute Spring 2015 Eye Shadow Quad in #309, Colour $80, Case $30

Match your lucky colours with these complementary colours

Clockwise from left: Cosme Decorte AQMW Eyeshadows, Green, $82, Lunasol Noble Shade Liner, $45 in Deep Purple, Kate CC Lip Cream in Beat Red, $8.50, available from Feb

Have fun!

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

1kg pork shoulder or collar (wu hua rou)
3 tbsp minced garlic
200ml light soya sauce
50ml Chinese cooking wine (hua diao jiu)
2 cubes fermented red beancurd* (hong fu ru or nan ru), finely mashed
3 tbsp fermented red beancurd brine*
100ml black bean paste
180g sugar

DIRECTIONS

1 When buying the pork, ask for it to be sliced into three slabs, each about 3cm thick and 6cm wide. This thickness makes it easy for the marinade to penetrate the meat.
2 Place the pork in a large bowl and add the garlic, soya sauce, Chinese cooking wine, fermented red bean curd and brine. Coat the pork evenly.
3 Add the black bean paste and sugar, and mix evenly. Chill for 3 hours.
4 Preheat the oven to 120 deg C. Place the pork directly on an oven rack, with a baking tray under it to catch the juices. Roast for 20min. Flip the meat over, and increase the oven temperature to 250 deg C. Cook for 7min.
5 Lower the oven to 100 deg C, and let the pork roast for 10min. Then slice it against the grain and serve.

*A salty condiment made from soya beans, red yeast, salt, soya sauce and rice wine, and soaked in brine. It’s available in jars at the Asian condiments section of major supermarkets.

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

WHAT IT IS

The Tefal Fruit Sensation is a blender with a 600ml glass jug and two 160ml plastic mills – one for hard ingredients like spices and the other for herbs.

THE BLENDER

• It did what it’s designed to do well – make drinks. It churned out watermelon juice, a pulpy orange juice (I cut three oranges into chunks) and a strawberry smoothie (with strawberry bits in it) effortlessly.
• It even breaks down ice cubes into the drinks but won’t crush them into fine crystals for a slushie or ice kacang.
• Juices aside, it did a pretty good chop-and-mix job on rempah, although I had to add some water or oil to moisten the mixture and make it easier to pulverise the ingredients. Compared to round blender jugs, the squarish jug here made it harder for dry ingredients to swirl smoothly inside it.

THE MILLS

• The spice mill ground hard foods like almonds, peanuts and coffee beans to a fine powder. But it worked so quickly I couldn’t achieve a coarse chop to make, say, a chilli dip.
• The herb mill minced some foods more evenly than others – chilli padi and lemongrass were finely chopped but garlic, onions and red chillies were shredded into a mix of large and small pieces. You’ll have to quarter onions and red chillies so they fit into the mill.
• Both mills come with user-friendly caps that open easily with a press – so convenient when I had to stick a spoon in to scrape down the sides.
• Like most choppers, they are deafeningly loud when in action.

VERDICT

“Space-saving and great for making drinks and small batches of food, but it was so noisy!” – Tsiao Hui

Tefal Fruit Sensation, $109, from major electrical stores

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

1. Fried Egg with Ibérico Chorizo, Piquillo Red Pepper, Mushroom and Straw Potato from La Taperia ($16)

This is the epitome of comfort food in a messy, not-so-palatable-looking but oh-so-delicious dish. Mix everything up thoroughly and take a big bite to get all of the silky textures and satisfying crunch. Don't waste any of it too – get some bread and mop all of the sauces up. 

2. Lobster Paella, Saffron, Runner Bean and Tomato from La Taperia ($66) 

It's hard to notice much else when two whole lobsters are demanding for attention (and rightly so – these are juicy and grilled perfectly), but we gobbled up most of the aromatic saffron-infused rice too, carbs be damned. 

La Taperia is located at 1 Scotts Road, #02-10/11. For more information, call tel: 6737-8336 or visit www.lataperia.com.sg. 

3. Warm Kimchi with Tofu and Spam from Joo Bar ($14) 

We've never been able to resist spam, regardless of how it's being presented (in slices or deep fried as fries) and what it's paired with, and we're not about to start now. If anything, the side of warm kim chi – spicy and fragrant without the tongue-curling tanginess and one of the best we've had – adds a surprising dimension to what would otherwise have been just another run-of-the-mill snack. 

4. Slow Roasted Mangalista Belly from Joo Bar ($32) 

Only Hungarian Mangalitsa pork is used here (it's been dubbed the Kobe beef of pork), and it is first brined with salt, pepper, soju and makgeolli before being steam-roasted for a very precise two hours and 45 minutes. The end result: quivering slices with a delicate meaty flavour and an creamy texture thanks to the marbling. It's perfect on its own, but have it with some of the chive salad (seasoned with chilli flakes and soy sauce) for crunch.

Joo Bar is located at 5 Tan Quee Lan Street. For more information, call tel: 8138-1628 or visit www.joo-bar.com. 

5. Pork Cracklings from Manhattan Bar ($14)

There's no way to crunch on these hefty chunks of pork cracklings primly at all – it's especially funny when you're sipping on one of Manhattan's elegant cocktails – but you won't be able to get enough of it regardless. The scratchings are well-seasoned, and the chiptole mayo, an addictive dipping sauce. You'll want to order seconds (and thirds), and also a beer or two.

Manhattan Bar is located at level 2 of Regent Singapore. For more information, call tel: 6725-3377 or visit www.facebook.com/manhattansg.

Having proper posture limits the stress placed on your ligaments, tendons and muscles, enabling your body to work more efficiently. It also decreases wear and tear on your joints, says Declan Halpin, physiotherapist at Radiance PhysioFit. Here’s how to practise proper posture throughout the day.

EXERCISE IS VITAL
“Whether it is yoga or pilates, a tough gym session or just a gentle jog, exercise helps you to maintain strong back and core muscles. This, in turn, will allow you to achieve good posture and breathe better,” Declan advises.

CUE YOURSELF
Build cues into your daily routine to remind yourself to reassess your posture. “For instance, every time your mobile phone rings, check your posture before answering the phone,” he suggests.

USE AN ERGONOMIC CHAIR
If you’re deskbound, ergonomic chairs can be a good investment. “Sit with your feet on the ground, with your back pushed into the backrest. Your knees should be level with, or slightly below, your hips,” Declan says.

CHECK YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN
The top of it should be level with your eyes. “Make sure you’re not craning to see what’s on-screen – your head should be over your shoulders,” Declan says.

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

She's so lucky, she's a star! Image: Vivian Hsu

AND THIS YEAR'S LUCKIEST COLOUR AWARD GOES TO ...

If there’s only one colour to remember this Year of the Goat, this is it: Orange.

Here’s why. As fengshui guru Jet Lee from consultancy firm Way OnNet told Today newspaper, the “fire” element will come in very handy indeed for mitigating the oppressive energy of the Goat Year’s woody and earthy notes (no, not discussing cologne here.)

Not convinced? Take it from the memorably monickered master himself. “The colours of fire are red and orange – it’ll be beneficial for everyone to wear more of these colours,” says Jet Lee. And what better way to incorporate orange into your beauty regime than a sexy slick of tantalising tangerine on your lips?

HOW TO ROCK IT

Playful peachy puckers? 예쁜! Image: Clara

In a happy stroke of “luck” (so to speak), orange is as universally flattering as it is fortune-bearing. Worn judiciously as an accent colour, orange lips lend an instantly brightening effect to your face. Another great thing about orange? It straddles an incredibly versatile yellow-red spectrum, which in turn affords you an expansive wonderland of warm to cool hues to play around with.

Excited to get pretty and prosperous all at once? Here’s how to select the perfect peach shade for your complexion. If you’re fair with cool blue undertones, opt for an orange that skews red. Richly pigmented coral lippies with silver flecks flatter your complexion without making you look washed-out. If you’re darker with warm undertones, choose a cantaloupe with a glimmer of gold; this will play up your bronzed tan and cancel out the slight green tint of olive brown skin. Easy enough, yes.

That’s all well and good, but what about the rest of your face? Dollei Seah, creative director of Makeup Entourage, has some sound advice for everyone, really: Don’t forget the eyes – but don’t overplay them, either. “I like sweeping a sandy shade all over the lids so as to make the orange lip pop,” Dollei says. “And don’t do the matchy matchy thing; orange lips on orange lids on orange blush will make you look like a carton of Sunkist juice.” Someone give her an award for most arresting metaphor ever!

COOL STUFF, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Now for a quick and dirty run-through of some of my favourite orange lippies. Rating really high on my lust list is Shu Uemura’s sensational Laque Supreme in OR01 Sunshine Orange.

The evocative name alludes to the high-falutin’ heritage art of urushi lacquer, and the finish is fantastic: Liquid, lush, so very lustrous. And because this is Shu we’re talking about, expect emollient oils to play a starring role in the lip-loving formula.

Then there’s Yves Saint Laurent’s voluptuous Volupte Tint-In-Oil in No. 7 Crush Me Orange, a thirst-quenching tincture that suspends pigments in a comforting womb of conditioning oils. (Sidebar: This oil thing isn’t going away anytime soon, I tell you.)

But back to YSL. This particular baby promises a fabulously flirty “bitten lip” effect; sort of like a sexy glazed stain, only miles more long-wearing. Beauty bonus: Breathe in and get a whiff of the deliciously decadent mango scent. I’m not saying you should be eating your lippie, but you’re making it so very hard not to, YSL.

Consider yourself more of a matte maiden? Have I got the goods for you. I’m mad for Elizabeth Arden’s new Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Coral Crush, which works hard for its money – 12-hour shifts, apparently.

If you’re new to orange lippie, this well-nigh budge-proof product has a practical implication. You see, strong shades like orange make feathering very noticeable, so non-glossy formulas, which tend to be longer-lasting (as in EA’s case), are much more forgiving of mistakes in application.

Top tip: If you’re concerned about creasing – as you should be with most matte lipsticks – remember to smoothen out your smackers with weekly sugar scrubs.

Or try this nifty trick courtesy of Elizabeth Arden’s global makeup artist, Rebecca Restrepo: “Before applying matte lipstick, exfoliate the lips by gently brushing them with a toothbrush.” Duly noted!

Right, then. I hope this has been a most illuminating primer on getting lucky with orange lippie. Have fun, and good luck!

Dollei Seah can be contacted via www.makeupentourage.com.

Jet Lee can be contacted via www.wayonnet.com.

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick, 6 new matte shades at $35 each, is available from February 2015 at all Elizabeth Arden counters. For more information, visit www.elizabetharden.com.sg and follow Elizabeth Arden Singapore on Facebook.

Shu Uemura Laque Supreme, 15 shades at $40 each, is available from February 2015 at all Shu Uemura counters. For more information, visit shuuemura.com.sg and follow the brand on Facebook and on Instagram at @shuuemura_sg and #shuuemurasg.

Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Tint-In-Oil, 8 shades at $45 each, is available at all YSL Beauté counters and at the YSL Beauté store at #B2-34 Ion Orchard. For more information, visit www.ysl.com and follow the brand on Facebook and Twitter.