It has been quite awhile since Crabtree & Evelyn launched a new skincare series. The brand has always been associated with hand creams, body care and fine foods. Damask Rose is the newest collection to be added to the skincare range which features the luxury scent of French rose! smile Being a floral lover, I knew I had to find out more about this luxurious range.

Pretty florals at the store! We were each given a customized bouquet of flowers to bring home. How thoughtful! smile

With my lovely babes! smile

Treats from Maple Market were specially prepared for all of us. I love how it fits so well with the floral theme! heart

A product that caught my eye, the Comforting Cleansing Balm! This gorgeous looking pale pink balm is nicely scented and melts with the warmth of the skin. It comes with a muslin cloth to gently exfoliate the skin to remove impurities and all traces of the wax. Contains ingredients like hydrating botanicals, meadowfoam, macadamia and rose hip oil, the cleansing balm is highly recommended for people with drier skin. Currently retailing at S$30, it’s definitely worth giving this luxurious balm a try!

I visited Aesthetics and Hair Clinic for the second time to do the Painless Skin Regeneration procedure. As mentioned in my earlier post, I suffer from clogged pores, acne and pigmentation issues. The laser treatment helps with:

• Rejuvenation of the facial area
• Lightening of scars – acne, surgical, traumatic, burn
• Rejuvenation of non-surgical areas like the neck, chest, hands, etc.
• Reduction of wrinkles and skin laxity
• Healing of sun damaged skin
• Reduction of large pores and rough skin texture
• Treatment of pigmented lesions melasma, age spots, dyschromias
• Treatment of uneven skin tone

Following the procedure, the skin will be brighter and re-generated with renewed collagen. After 3-4 treatments, the skin will become tighter and scars will dramatically improve or disappear. The laser treatment has the following benefits as well:

• Brighter skin tone
• Smoother skin texture
• Reduced pore size
• Improvement of scars
• Reduction of wrinkles
• Improved skin elasticity

My dull looking skin. sad

Prepping my skin for the treatment. smile

The treatment was over in about a minute, fast and furious! It was slightly painful but tolerable with the heat. There was mild swelling and redness on my skin after the treatment. Due to the sensitivity of my skin, it appears redder than most people’s skin. The downtime was really short as I was told that I can apply makeup after a couple of hours later. I didn’t do so as I reckon it would be better for the skin to have ample time to breathe and heal. smile

A cooling mask was applied to reduce the redness. It was so soothing that I nearly fell asleep.

I was also given a Post Treatment Balm which I would have to apply twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. This helps to soothe the redness of the skin. My skin also feels tighter and healthier.

This was taken a few hours after the treatment and you can see that the redness had subsided. I could also feel that my skin is much smoother and more supple.

And this, was taken about 1 week post treatment. The skin around the chin area started to dry up and flake. The scabs fell off by itself a couple of days later.

Another photo with zero edit, the scabs are all gone!

This is taken more than a month after the treatment with makeup. I am looking forward to more significant results after a few more sessions! bigsmile

Aesthetic and Hair Clinic
391B Orchard Road
Ngee Ann City Tower B #08-04
Singapore 238873
Tel: (65) 6235 0010
Operating hours: Monday to Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-1pm
www.aestheticsandhairclinic.com

Feature wall makes a room stand out and I love how you can customize them according to your preferences. The feature wall creates a focal point for the entire room. Here are some fantastic inspirations I have found while doing my research! bigsmile

Harlequin Pattern
The colorful and pretty pattern stands out from the minimalistic white walls and furniture. Ideal for kids’ room I feel.

Mosaic Tiles
The great thing about mosaic tiles is you can decide on the pattern that you want. You can even tile quotes with it!

Barn Board
Very rustic, vintage and country feel. This is one of my favorite designs.

Brick Wall
Industrial and raw looking, this design has been overused but still has its own beauty.

Frames
Display your favorite photos or posters with this inspiration!

Chalkboard
Awesome for people who have a flair for doodling.

Which one is your favorite? smile

Check out my other posts on Home related matters:
heart Apps and Sites for Home Inspirations
heart Selecting an Interior Designer/Main Contractor/Package Interior Designer
heart Inspirations for Feature Walls
heart Getting the Keys
heart Renovation, Start!
heart Plan for Your Renovation Budget
heart What are the Renovation Costs Involved
heart Kitchen Essentials for the Home
heart Hidden and Miscellaneous Costs in Renovation Quotation
heart Where to Shop for Furniture via Online & Offline
heart Horrendous Service from SleepSavvy

The Royal Mail Restaurant & Bar is located at Ascott Raffles Place in the CBD area. With its newly revamped menu, we had a great night of sampling their very first revamped cocktails and British-inspired bar grubs menu.

The heart of the restaurant showcases an array of spirits and wine displays that is charming and eye-catching. Here are the bartenders who were busy preparing the cocktails! smile

Cocktails

With the new concept, the team has whipped up 15 new cocktails with quirky and cheeky names – Old Fashioned Spice, Timeless English, Agent 006, Foam Party, Wrong Side of the Bed, A Day of Summer, Billion Dollar Margarita, Lovestruck Ginny, Moulin Rouge, Plum Job, Dear Cupid, Tina Funfetti, Apple of My Eye, Chocolate Dream and Be My (Man)go. As much as I would love to try all of them, I didn’t had the chance to. sad

Apple of My Eye (S$18)
Muddled Green Apple Slices shaken with Vodka, Frangelico, Sour Apple and Egg White for a frothy finish

Agent 006 (S$18)
Muddled Lime Juice, Sugar and Mint leaves, with Rum and Lychee Juice and a burning stream of Bacardi 151

Plum Job (S$18)
Sour Plum Powder shaken with Vodka and Sprite, garnished with Sour Plum for a lingering taste

Wrong Side of the Bed ($18)
A shot of Espresso shaken with Vodka, Kahlua and Baileys

Chocolate Dream (S$18)
Shaken Baileys, Kahlua and Vodka poured onto a swirl of Chocolate Syrup, topped with Roasted Marshmallows

Tapas

Classic Corn Tortillas with Tomato Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheese Sauce and Beef Ragout (S$12)

Cubed Beef (S$28)

Razor Clams & Squid (S$20)

Straight Cut Fries with Truffle Mayo (S$12)

Margherita Pizza (S$14)

Vanilla Creme Brulee (S$8)

The restaurant and bar also boasts a series of awesome promotions from Mondays to Friday, 6pm till closing!

Monday – $5 Dry & Dirty Martinis
Tuesday – 1-for-1 House Pour & Premium Wines
Wednesday – 1-for-1 All Whiskeys by the Glass
Thursday – $20 for 3 Bottled Beers and 1-for-1 Bottled Ciders
Friday – $10 Sparkling Wine for a glass and $18 for 2 glasses

Happy Hour is from 5pm to 8pm and there are also $10 Signature Cocktails and $15 1-for-1 House Pour Spirits. Guess I need to revisit together with the hubby soon! bigsmile

Ending the post with a photo taken with BFF and Alene! smile

The Royal Mail
2 Finlayson Green
Singapore 049247
Tel: (65) 6509 3589
www.theroyalmail.sg
www.facebook.com/TheRoyalMailSG

align=”left”I guess this is the one of the hardest decision to make – should we engage an Interior Designer/Main Contractor/Package Interior Designer? Do proper research especially on forums (i.e. Renotalk), there are bound to be reviews for various companies. Ask around, listen and take note of their reviews. Look out for positive recommendations. Work around your budget and decide on the time and your commitment. Chances are, help is much needed since most of us do not have prior knowledge to the renovation jargon and it takes a lot of time and effort to micromanage the renovation. Engage someone that you can trust to help you do so.

Set a Budget

Speak and meet up with at least 3 firms. I prefer meeting up with them to observe their body language, attitude and service. Call me paranoid. Decide on the items that you wish to be quoted on and compare. Give them about 10%-15% lower than your real budget because chances are, they will quote much higher. Check that the firm you had engaged is not GST registered, avoid paying the taxes if you can. They could have included the taxes into the quotation and marked up the price even higher. Spend the extra money on other things if possible.

Interior Designer/Main Contractor/Package Interior Designer

So who should you exactly engage?

Interior Designers (ID)
These are the designers who have an eye for detail. They would give tips and advices on making your entire house aesthetically pleasing. They charge for their recommendations and advices, 3D drawings, changes in the layout plan, their ideas, etc. Their quotes are usually customized according to your needs. They would usually recommend all sorts of ideas and these take up a huge portion of your budget.

Engage if… You do not where to start from and have no idea what styles or themes you want. You need someone to recommend, plan a theme and micromanage the project for you.

Main Contractors
These are the people I dread dealing with as they are usually older, rough, and would tell you that your ideas are impractical. IDs usually engage them, so it saves you money if you go to them directly. I have a few contacts but I have read horror stories about other people’s experience with them. So I am keeping my options open.

Engage if… You know all the renovation jargon. You have all the contacts for electrician, plumbers, suppliers, etc. You know it when that uncle is trying to smoke you.

Package Interior Designers
Probably the in-between I would say. They usually have fixed packages for the types of flat that you own. You might have seen them at roadshows. Based on your requirements, you can add in additional items and they will quote you accordingly. Slightly cheaper than IDs, they can help to micromanage the renovation as well. They may not have the best ideas but you can pay more to have premium service or be assigned to a more senior designer.

Engage if… You have an idea on the styles and themes that you want. You need someone to micromanage the project for you.

Shortlist & Decide

Take your time to select one that you are most comfortable with. Most importantly, make sure that the one you engage is reliable, has lots of experience and great portfolio, good attitude and gives you an affordable package.

Good luck hunting! smile

Check out my other posts on Home related matters:
heart Apps and Sites for Home Inspirations
heart Selecting an Interior Designer/Main Contractor/Package Interior Designer
heart Inspirations for Feature Walls
heart Getting the Keys
heart Renovation, Start!
heart Plan for Your Renovation Budget
heart What are the Renovation Costs Involved
heart Kitchen Essentials for the Home
heart Hidden and Miscellaneous Costs in Renovation Quotation
heart Where to Shop for Furniture via Online & Offline
heart Horrendous Service from SleepSavvy

I have been tagged by BFF to share 20 facts about myself. I find this rather interesting because there are certain facts of my friends which I didn’t know of. I guess this make us know one another better! smile

1. When I was younger, I used to stutter and had problems communicating.

2. I love crafting as you can see what I have done for our ROM! smile I also love doing jigsaw puzzles, cross-stitching, DIY dollhouses, etc.

3. I have a phobia of insects/pests and birds that can fly. Butterflies, dragonflies, pigeons, flying cockroaches, bugs, you name it!

4. I love theme parks and I used to be crazy over rollercoasters and dangerous rides. I have stopped playing them as I get more wary about my safety. But I am itching to get on exciting rides again! bigsmile

5. I wore braces when I was 15. However, the dentist did not tell me about keeping the retainers and so, I need to straighten my teeth again. sad

6. I collect all sorts of poker cards – cutesy, limited edition or with unique designs.

7. My obsession with Korean dramas, Kpop, etc. started in 2006, 8 years ago! The first Korean drama I have watched was Autumn in my Heart. My first Kpop idol was Rain. Yes, I am also obsessed with Running Man.

8. I often get comments that I look arrogant and unfriendly because of my bitch resting face, but I am not. I just warm up slower.

9. I love spicy food and my favorite dish is curry chicken.

10. I get emotional very easily. Watching melodramas or simply reading sob stories online can make me tear.

11. I was from the band in secondary school and I can play the clarinet and piccolo clarinet.

12. I learnt counting with the abacus when I was in primary school. Not sure if I can still remember lol!

13. I dream every other day, all sorts of dreams especially those that don’t make sense. I am a light sleeper, I guess that explains why.

14. My favorite colors are teal, mint and pink.

15. I can spend hours and hours reading horror, gory and crime related stories. Totally fascinated by them!

16. I love the nature and sometimes, I secretly wish I can work on a farm and retire there with my family. I would prefer a laid back lifestyle than a hectic one.

17. I love snacking a lot. Ice cream, frozen yogurt, chocolates, cakes, candies, chips, almost all junk food. I keep a mini snack corner at my workplace lol!

18. Japanese cuisine is my favorite. I can eat it almost everyday.

19. I am an introvert and sometimes, I need quality ‘me’ time to relax and recharge.

20. There was a period of time where I had aspired to be a singer.

There you go! 20 facts about myself. I have more to share but that’s for another entry I guess? Hope you know a little bit more of myself. I shall not tag anyone here. Feel free to share your facts with me! smile

Check out BFF’s 20 facts here!