The first month of the brand new year has flown by so quickly, and I see many new blogging opportunities and continual collaborations coming my way. I am thankful to all of you whom have opened up all these doors and showered me with much love. I've been flipping on various Fashion Magazine for some outfit inspirations, and looking for some clothing sponsorship for the upcoming Chinese New Year, so drop me an email or a message if you might have something in mind for me.

This year I wish to be a little different, by giving you regular updates on highlights at the blog and what you may be expecting on a monthly basis.



January 2016 has been nothing short of a great start and a rather busy month. This month, I embarked on a new health and beauty journey with Expressions, a beauty and wellness brand as their brand ambassador. I have taken a 3-day carbohydrate free diet and feasted mainly on their Slim Juice and Wheat Bran capsules. It was a "torturing yet rewarding" experience as I learned to manage my weight better. Despite being petite in size, I do have hidden fats around my tummy and hidden around my internal organs. I was advised to reduce the fats surrounding my organs for a better health. I am looking forward to trying out more of their product and service offerings.



Concurrently, I am also a brand envoy with Bejeweled since late last year. I've tried their Vagheggi Emozioni Calming facial meant for sensitive skin, their hands and feet spa and had a nice Mani and pedicure session where Disney inspired characters were drawn on my nails. I will be heading down to try out other services soon.



Sometime back, I was engaged by Que Origin to be their brand ambassador of their essential oil body shampoo and have since tried 3 different variants. A new seasonal flavor is on the way and I am excited to be trying it soon. I hope that in the near future, I have the opportunity to come out with some of my suggested flavors. Do watch out for the body shampoo giveaway coming up next month.



For the tea lovers, I have been introducing the many variants of Hi-Tea on my blog recently, I am pretty sure you would have known the benefits of tea drinking by now and I hope that you will be inspired to starting on your very own journey soon. A giveaway on some of the teas is also on the cards, so do watch out for it coming your way.

 
Currently, I am also trying out 2 products from 5 Degree Up, Hong Kong which made use of Thermal Slimming technology in their products to break down my body fats around my flabby arms, tummy and thigh areas. I am yelling "hot! hot! hot! every night". I will be reviewing this product after I end my month long product trial.


For my face, I will be trying out 2 new products from Cellinique, Malaysia  to reduce the sensitivity soothe my skin irritation and reduce its redness. I am hoping that the product will work out for me as the previous range had worked well, so stay tuned and be glued on the blog for reviews.

 

On a personal level, new job opportunity have not been knocking on my door yet so I am still on a look out for something I may like, while being my own boss. I am starting to think that this is what I might be doing for the rest of my life. Alas, do connect with me if you might have any opportunity for me. Strictly no MLM business please, and no, I do not have interest to sell properties or insurance.

I've also been cleaning up and decorating the house and running around to get our Chinese New Year goodies, while juggling with my business, so I may be a little slower than usual replying emails and reverting so please bear with me a little.

Lastly, I am still on a look out for blog collaborations opportunities so do drop me a message, email me, connect with me, or comment in the post below if you are interested to engage me. If you are a PR company, I welcome you to add me to your list too.

Cheers and have a happy rest of the month ahead as we get ready to usher the Chinese New Year in 2 weeks time!


Be Confident, Be Yourself.

Stay ahead of the game! Stay beautiful just by sipping tea, how much harder can it be? There are many different types of beauty tea in the market. They are usually made from a similar blend of flowers such as the all famous rose, lavender and jasmine flowers. Some of the fruit blends usually makes use of  the dried lemon slices.



The blend of beauty series tea by Hi-Tea is similar. It is made from a blend of the French Rose, Jasmine Flower and Apple Flower. The tea is carefully blended to give you the best benefits, taste and aroma.




The taste of the tea is light, sweet and fragrant. Consumers can choose to take the drink hot or chilled with or without honey or sugar, with a lemon or lime slice. The tea has whitening effects and improves your skin texture.



The scent of the rose and jasmine flower fills the tea as it is being infused in the cup of hot water.



I personally loved the light sweetness coming off from the apple flower, and the gentle jasmine and rose scent. You can even take a sniff off the tea for the scent of the dried flowers.



Look at the beautiful light shade of yellow coming off from the flowers. Its time to indulge in a cup of beauty series tea.



The Beauty Series Flower Teas retails at $26.90, with a total of 10 sachet in a box. The packaging makes it great as a gift to your friends and family. You may like to check out the other 4 different Flower Teas such as the Health Series, Anti-aging series, Slimming Series and Relaxation Series.

Psst: Currently they are having a promotion where you can purchase 2 boxes of all series of these teas at $18, so its buy 1 get 1 free for all the series.

For more details and product information, do check out:

Hi-Tea Facebook
Hi-Tea Website


Thanks Hi-Tea for sending the products over for review.

Disclaimer: All products were provided for the sole purpose of my review. Review is truthful, honest and based on personal views. No monetary rewards were received for this review.



Be Confident, Be Yourself, ... and go for some tea now!

Friday nights are nights meant for chilling. My husband and I had always wanted to stay away from home, away from the household chores and chill by the river to people watch. I was very delighted when I received an invitation to a private food tasting at Shui Gastrolounge. I made a quick decision to turn this into a Friday dinner date night.



About Shuǐ

Shuǐ, inspired by the Chinese character “水”(shuǐ), is a hip and new multi-concept gastrolounge located by the river. They are inspired to be one of the best lounge bars located in Clark Quay. A delectable, mouth-watering Pan Asian menu that reflects their traditional and interpreted dishes, that reflects their modern yet traditional cooking techniques awaits you as you step onto their premise.

Not many food establishments have thought of improvising the local dishes, so the team decided to come out with new and improvised traditional dishes and turn this into their winning advantage. Be delighted because proper meals are served in this gastrolounge.



One can choose to dine and drink in 3 different settings. Only at Shuǐ, you can pick your drinks from a curated mix of wines and spirits at their retail shelves.



Prices are reflected directly on the bottles, no questions needed, just grab your favorite bottle and head to the cashier, because what you see is what you get.



Shuǐ features a main bar with an open concept kitchen and cozy lighting boasting an industrial-chic vibe. Enter Shuǐ and dine in an intimate setting with their live acoustic band.

You can choose to dine or drink at their alfresco area and enjoy scenic views of the river. Great for people watching, seeing the boats cruise by or hear “screams” from adrenaline thrill seekers at the GMax which is located opposite.

Shuǐ’s lounge also offers relaxing sofas and a swing chair seating, making it a social go-to for people to mingle and chill out.



Shuǐ, is founded by Mr Lawrence Khoong, who did not have any experience in the food industry.

He was fortunate to have some spare cash lying around from his books business, together with some really wonderful friends and partners they started Shuǐ Gastrolounge. It was surely an honor meeting him and hearing his aspirations with this new found love of his and sharing about the gastrolounge.



Meet the food consultant cum chef Mr Jeremy Poh, behind the array of beautifully presented and fabulous tasting dishes. I manage to catch him for a quick photo before he goes off. Love his big smile, friendly disposition and no airs personality.



Without further adieu, let's dig in!



Sake Beef Cubes with Spicy Sauce - $12

I am never a beef lover and I scream at the thought of having to put semi-cooked beef into my mouth. However, all of the above proved untrue when I savored my first piece one of these melting beef. Similar to a grade of wagyu beef, these fresh and tender cubes felt soft and melted in my mouth. It does not have the typical beef smell and did not feel over-cooked nor grainy at all. Kudos to the kitchen for perfecting the cut and cooking techniques.



Shuǐ Signature Drumlets - $10

My immediate reaction when i took a bite into the drumlets was that they tasted like prawn paste chicken. It does taste akin to our local delight, an all time Singaporean favorite at the local Zi Char store as well. Shuǐ Gastrolounge was thoughtful to have lined the serviette under the drumlets to absorb some of the overflowing oils. We loved that the drumlets were fragrant, crispy, a little saltish but not overly salty.



Smoked Duck Slices - $13

Smoked Duck has proved to be such a challenge for getting the right taste and texture as it can often result in having too much fats around the meat. Sometimes it can get too tough and chewy. Shuǐ Gastrolounge's version is just right. Sliced paper thin, with a small layer of fats wrapping the meat topped with sesame and a side salad, I could finish this dish all by myself without feeling sinful and only satisfaction out of it.



Truffle Fries tossed with seaweed and roasted sesame - $9

There is a recent craze with Truffle Fries but I can't describe to you how exactly this should taste, as I've never eaten Truffles on its own. The fries were crispy and I love the extra touch of seaweed and sesame to give it some extra flavor. The presentation was very creative as it was served in a dim sum steaming basket. I love how it was served.



Seafood Laksa Pasta - $18

If you are looking for something more filling, you can try the Seafood Laksa Pasta recommended by the chef. Boy, how did he knew I loved Laksa? This is such a clever twist from the conventional local Laksa served with thick Bee Hoon. I never knew that Laksa sauce thickened could go so well with a bowl of western spaghetti. Together with the fresh prawns and mussels, they were nothing short of a perfect marriage of ingredients.



Sambal Tumis Prawn Bowl - $10

I was told that the Sambal Tumis Prawn Bowl is an all time favorite of Mr Lawrence. It was no wonder, because I would highly recommended this dish for all spicy food lovers. We love the "kick to our taste buds" that that the sambal chili gave us in this local delight. The sliced cucumber and cherry tomatoes at the side gives a good heat relief if you decide that it was too much for you. The sambal sauce somehow reminded me of the crab sauce we ate in the local chili crab.



Cranberry, Orange Juices - $5 per glass

Grab a glass of juice if you are a non alcoholic drinker likes us to bring down the heat.

Overall, I had a very pleasant experience dinning at Shuǐ Gastrolounge. The waiter and waitresses were friendly and ready to help, they were knowledgeable to recommend dishes from the menu and able to describe briefly about the dish. They were also quick in serving the dishes.

All the dishes recommended tasted brilliant with taste catered to the local culture. The location was fantastic as it was a short walk away from the Clarke Quay MRT station and the ambient both indoors and outdoors was full of life.

I would highly recommend this place to you as your next partying, dinning or dating place. They are barely a month into business so be nice and support them okay?

Follow them on Shui Gastrolounge Facebook , check out their website at shui.com.sg.
Do also check out their Shui Gastrolounge instagram account.

Thank you Gastrolounge for the private food tasting invitation.

Shuǐ Gastrolounge

Clarke Quay Central #01-15, .
Eu Tong Seng Street (059817)
They are located along the Singapore River, facing G-Max, 5 minutes away from Clarke Quay MRT.


Disclaimer: I was invited to a private food tasting for 2 persons, however this does not affect the quality of my review. This review is truthful, honest and based on personal views. No monetary rewards were received for this review.


Be Confident, Be Yourself.

Don't judge a book by its cover, so don't judge me by how I look. I may be small in build, so you are unable to see my fats, but that doesn't mean that I am not fat. I am not a good weight watcher although I do not feast on junk food much. Having said that, I do have days that I felt sad or stressed and I go on a junk feast with no limits. 



Thanks to Expressions Slimming and Wellness, I can now get rid of my stubborn and hidden fats by achieving beauty in the natural and healthy way. Having said that, I am now also officially an Expressions Ambassador. Hence, you should be seeing more reviews of their products and services appearing on my blog as I embark on this new journey to look better.

For a start, I was introduced to Expressions Slim Juice and Wheat Brand and Psyllium capsules to embark on a 3 day Slimming/Detoxification journey.

During my consultation, I was advised to take a light and clean meal during the 3 day period. I was advised to take fruits low in sugar content such as guava, apple and pear and take white meats instead of red meats. I was also advised to take more greens such as the Spinach, Broccoli and Lettuce.


Slim Juice and Wheat Brand and Psyllium



Slim Juice helps you lose weight by:

♥ Burning stubborn fat cells stored away in the body
♥ Draining harmful toxins hindering the absorption of nutrients
♥ Creating a smooth movement for the breakdown of food
♥ Appeases appetite all day long
♥ Reducing your tendency of snacking


Slim Juice is previously known as KiloKiller, each box contains 14 sachets, made in France. 

Directions:
Dilute one sachet of Slim Juice in a big glass of water (about 100ml), and take it in the morning before your meal. You can also choose to mix it together with your morning dose of fresh fruit juice.
** Please note that excessive consumption will lead to laxative effects



The glass of Slim Juice taste pleasant with a hint of citrus and was refreshing as if I was drinking my regular Orange Vitamin C drink. I didn't had any issues of consuming it, just that I was missing my cup of Milk Tea terribly on the first morning of my detox program.

I avoided carbohydrate rich food for all 3 days especially (bread, rice and noodles), I would also skip lunch on most days. My dinner were usually heavier as it had to last me till the next morning so I would eat fish, boiled chicken meat, and boiled or lightly stir-fried local green vegetables. I would only eat an apple if  I was desperate for a snack just before dinner.

~ I will persevere to get my desired results ~ 


Each Wheat Bran & Psyllium bottle comes with 90 capsules. Made in USA. 

Along with Slim Juice, I was advised to take the Wheat Bran and Psyllium capsules. I was advised to consume 8 capsules in the day, and another 8 capsules in the night, taken before meal times. I was also advised to take lots of water after taking the capsules as they may cause constipation.

Wheat Brand & Psyllium
These capsules are made from 100% herb, making them suitable for vegetarians.

Benefits:

♥ Speeds up body food processing time
♥ Provide body with important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients
♥ Helps lower cholesterol levels
♥ Cleanses intestinal tracts
♥ Fills you with fiber, reduces appetite without overstimulating the nervous system



I am someone who is used to take a heavy breakfast and a light lunch and dinner. On some days I would even skip my lunch. With the combination of Slim Juice and the Wheat Brand capsules, I was surprised that I did not feel hungry till lunch time, despite only having 2 slices of ham for breakfast on the first day, on subsequent days, I did not even have any breakfast or lunch. I also noticed that I did not have the urge to snack.




Every choice you made has an end result. - Zig Ziglar

I am glad I embarked on my detox slimming journey, which gave me the body confidence I need.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the above mentioned products, do quote "GIVEME10" to be entitled to 10% off during check out on expressions.co . Discount code is valid till end of March 2016. Do remember to quote my name when using it.

Verdict after 3 day Expressions Slim Juice & Wheat Bran detox program:
 
Total Loss:  
Weight loss: 0.7KG | BMI Loss: 0.3| Muscle Fat Loss: 3.2%| VFA Loss: 1 | 
Body Age Loss 5

Total Gain: 
Body Fat gain 0.9% | RM Kal gained 23|

The consultant was quite surprised and pleased with my results because despite it was only a 3 days program I managed to attain a body age of 18 from 23 and overall there were muscle fat loss and total weight loss although my body fat gained 0.9% due to lack of exercise (opps!).


Are you interested to embark on your very own 3 days detox challenge? You can do so now. All you have to do is simply purchase either the Expressions Detox Kit or a box of Slim Juice to qualify. (by 31 January 2016)

Your reward:

Stand to win a complimentary set of Detox Kit or Slim Juice, along with a $500 Gift Voucher (Expressions Slimming, IPL, and Facial Services) upon successful completion of the Detox Challenge.

Meanwhile, do support Expressions on their social media channels and get your latest updates and news directly from,

Expressions Website
Expressions Facebook
Expressions Instagram
  
Expressions Branches

Orchard
121 Penang Road #01-02 Regency House
Singapore 238464
6235 9890
orchard@expressions.co
10:30 am - 8:30 pm Mon - Fri
10:00 am - 5:30 pm Sat - Sun

Upper Thomson
2 Sin Ming Road #01-06 Sin Ming Plaza
Singapore 575583
6358 1555
thomson@expressions.co
10:30 - 8:00 Mon - Fri
10:00 - 5:00 Alternate Sat - Sun

Disclaimer:
All products were provided for the sole purpose of my review under the Expressions Ambassadorship Program. Review is truthful, honest and based on personal views. No monetary rewards were received.


Be Confident, Be Yourself,

Do you love to eat fruits? We all know that eating fruits give us a wealth of health benefits. How about a juice or a fruit tea? I'll be sharing with you about my all time favorite Peach Tea.

The fresh and fruity Peach Fruit tea is made from 100% natural flowers and fresh fruits full of vitamins and minerals, both dried and mixed. The tea does not contain caffeine, addictive, artificial coloring and flavoring. If you haven't already heard of Hi-Tea, you can read my previous entry about their Health Series Flower Tea.

In general, the Peach Fruit Tea is medium in strength and is slightly sour in taste. It can be taken hot or chilled with or without honey or sugar.

Peach Fruit Tea 
(Hibiscus, French Rose Buds, Peach, Lemon)



There are 3 different flavored fruit teas mainly the Peach Fruit Tea, Apple Rose and Blue Berry Fruit tea.




I prefer to know what goes into my pack of tea before brewing them.



I have always loved peach tea. I like how Hi-Tea mix a blend of flowers in this tea yet they did not overpower the peach taste.


 
I could still smell the fruity peach scent as I sipped my tea. The tea tasted very fruity, fragrant, a little sourish and light. It gives off a very nice pinkish color as well. This would make a perfect mid-day perk me up drink.

The Peach Fruit Tea retail at $24.90, 10 sachet in a pack. Do check out the other 2 flavors in the fruit tea series. They are the Blue Berry Fruit Tea and Apple Rose Fruit Tea.  

Currently they are having a promotion where you can purchase 2 boxes of all series of these teas at $18, so its buy 1 get 1 free for all the series.
 
For more details and product information, do check out:

Hi-Tea Facebook
Hi-Tea Website





Thanks Hi-Tea for sending the products over for review.

Disclaimer: 
All products were provided for the sole purpose of my review. Review is truthful, honest and based on personal views. No monetary rewards were received for this review.


Be Confident, Be Yourself, ... and continue to sip tea! 

In general, Hi-Tea carries 3 different types of teas. They are flower tea, fruit tea and loose tea. Today's focus will be on their flower tea, in particular the health series tea.

There are a total of 5 different blends of teas in the flower tea range. These teas are carefully blended to give you the best benefits, taste and aroma. I will be sharing with you about them separately over the next few weeks.

Benefits of drinking Flower Tea:

1. Weight Loss
2. Stress Relief
3. Antioxidant Properties
4. Boost Vitality
5. Cancer Prevention

Health Series Flower Tea
(Jasmine Flower, Lemon Grass, Dried Lemon Slice)



The taste of the tea is slightly sour with a strong lemongrass taste. Consumers can take the drink hot or chilled with or without honey or sugar, with a lemon or lime slice. The tea helps in detoxing, making you feel light.



My personal preference is to take this tea hot and by itself (without sugar and lemon). I have emptied the the contents into a transparent tea pot which allowed me to view the contents in my pot of tea and for my tea to have a stronger taste. 



You can infuse the tea bag straight into your tea pot or cup, which is fine too. To brew the tea, simply follow these easy steps:

1. Place 1 sachet into 300ml mug.
2. Pour some water to wash off the tea, then add 300ml of hot water.
3. Seep the tea for 3-5 minutes. For each new brew, increase the seeping time.
4. Serve the tea with honey or rock sugar.

**Each sachet can be brewed up to 3 times.

  

I love the lemongrass aroma and taste which lingers in my mouth for awhile after sipping the tea. This tea also clears my mind.
 
The Health Series Flower Teas retails at $26.90, with a total of 10 sachet in a box. The packaging makes it great as a gift to your friends and family. You may like to check out the other 4 Flower Teas such as the Beauty Series, Anti-aging series, Slimming Series and Relaxation Series.

Psst: Currently they are having a promotion where you can purchase 2 boxes of all series of these teas at $18, so its buy 1 get 1 free for all the series.

For more details and product information, do check out:

Hi-Tea Facebook
Hi-Tea Website





Thanks Hi-Tea for sending the products over for review.

Disclaimer: All products were provided for the sole purpose of my review. Review is truthful, honest and based on personal views. No monetary rewards were received for this review.

Be Confident, Be Yourself, ... and continue to sip tea!