Quirky finds in Singapore May 2014

I was wandering around the shops yesterday and saw these. It's been a while since I visited this particular cosmetic shop/section, so am unsure how long they've actually been in Singapore.

 Gold eyebrows anyone?

Think these will work very well in creating the aegyo sal look

Eyezone serum. Apparently it works for both eyelid and eyelash (but one is skin and one is hair follicles right?)

Nail mask - NOT hand mask, but only for the nail area

Sailor Moon cosmetics (eyeliners only). Singapore has got the Rose of Versailles makeup line for a while, but this is the first time I'm seeing the Sailor Moon ones.

I just included this last one because out of all the mascots/animals that brands use, why a sloth?

Quirky finds in 100yen stores

I was wandering around Daiso since Mr effort had to check something out in a nearby store.

Hygienic Cleansing Wipes (meant for lady parts). The back of the box says "Etiquette of monthly periods. Clean hips without bidet."

Eyebrow sealer coat

Apparently, this product is well received. Purchased this to try it out, item is made in Taiwan.

Disclaimer: I did not receive any payment or payment in kind for writing this blog post. Any opinions mentioned are my own.

Two Girls 花露水

Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my grandma and grandpa's place. There were always interesting items to be discovered although their place wasn't big and I treasured the quilt my grandma made despite the hot weather. 

Even as a child, I loved to poke around in jars and creams. Among the metal tins of Nivea & glass jars of Pond's, Chinese ladies in cheongsams usually appeared on bottles and boxes. One of them was a brand called Two Girls.

I came across a store by this brand in HK on a trip a few years ago, but didn't encounter any stores since then. However, I came across a vending machine selling its products on this trip! 

I remember grandma having  its floral dew tonic (花露水, if you translated each character individually, it'll be "Flower Dew Water"). Not quite your Melvita Floral Water but back then(I'm guessing 1940s onwards as my grandma would have been in her 20s in 1945), this was extremely popular. 

The stars of Chinese cinema in the 1940s-1960s predominantly came from Hong Kong. Hong Kong actresses and celebrities were deemed as super glamourous, with their fitted cheongsams, attention to makeup and the appeal of the silver screen. Some stars during this time include Lin Dai and Ruan Lingyu. So skincare products, coming from Hong Kong, land of the stars, must have sold well. 

Oriental beauties in cheongsams have been used on packaging in recent years to sell almost everything from cosmetics to fashion apparel to mooncakes. But the images used by this brand to me reeks authenticity. 

Note: there is a similar brand (English name is Shanghai Vive) that uses similar images. The Chinese names of Two Girls and Shanghai Vive are also similar (the first 2 Chinese characters of Two Girls is the Chinese name of Shanghai Vive). 

Quirky finds in Sg drugstores Apr 2013

I like to wander the aisles of drugstores and beauty stores. Sometimes to see what's new in the world of consumer products, sometimes to gaze at wonderment at what cosmetics companies would think women would pay good money for. 

My wanders came up with these finds.

Eggshell essence & charcoal pore pack (wait a minute, isn't eggshell essence effectively crushed eggshell?)

Paper false eyelashes by Paperself (not new to Singapore but I didn't expect to see them in a suburban shop) 

Detclear Fruits Bright & Peel Jelly

Meishoku Organic Rose range 

There is apparently a Pore ballerina known as Porerina and she does a face wash. "When the pores are clean, the mind dances. Porerina will make you happy." 

Premonition

Not the movie.

I walked into a Swarovski boutique (the only one in Singapore which stocks Atelier Swarovski) today to see if they could replace a missing pave crystal on a ring I bought in 2010.

While I was there, I was checking out the merchandise. This ring-pendant caught my eye and I tried it on

 Swarovski collection 2013

When I checked the receipt back home, I realised that the ring I bought in 2010 was designed by Nicholas Kirkwood for Atelier Swarovski.

Swarovski collection 2010

And so as it turns out, the ring-pendant is also by Nicholas Kirkwood for Atelier Swarovski. It's his second collection. But actually there isn't much similarities between the 2 rings, aesthetics wise.

So how did my brain know to zoom in on the piece designed by the same man who did the original ring I was holding?

Premonition. That's what I'm calling it.

Either that or it's a broad hint from someone up there that I should buy Nicholas Kirkwood shoes.

Qing Ming Jie 清明节

Officially, Qing Ming Jie (清明节 in simplified Mandarin) indicates one day much like Chinese New Year refers to the first day of the new year. But like with all traditions, it has evolved with time such that it is now acceptable to carry out the necessary rites anytime during 2 weeks before and after the actual day, thus making it a month-long event.

The actual Qing Ming Jie fell on 4 April this year but families with working adults typically do it on the weekends and my family was no different. The necessary was done today (Sat, 6 April). Due to land  being a scarcity in Singapore, few families have actual ancestors buried in the ground and with tombs (one of the oldest cemeteries in Singapore, Bukit Brown is currently facing a grave exhumtion exercise to make space for a new road).

During Qing Ming Jie, it is customary to burn paper offerings to the ancestors and those who have moved on. There are typical run-of-the-mill stuff which almost everyone gets e.g. nondescript clothes, shoes etc.

And then there are others. Like an SK-III skincare set.

Quirky finds in 100yen stores

Being based in Asia and travelling around in Asia makes me immune to some of the quirky stuff I come across.

I was at Daiso (a Japanese 100yen chain) store today and saw these quirky items. I ended up adding one of them in my basket and will review it when I have the chance to.  

Salt candy! The ingredients list show just 3 ingredigents; sugar, corn syrup and salt. 

These are silk cocoons which will help you in exfoliation. The very original Clarisonic, perhaps? 

Sectioned off fake eyelashes for top or bottom lashes

  Eyelash Clip. Apparently after you put on your fake eyelashes, instead of pressing the fake eyelashes down like every other person, you can choose to 'clamp' it much like an eyelash curler

Men's nail polish. The full name on the back states "Fiber Hard Manicure", but the photograph of a clearly torn off mani-job on a thumb is not going to sell me on the manicure aspect of it!

I bought the men's nail polish and hope to review it soon, after my splitting nails are given time to heal!

Disclaimer: I did not receive any payment or payment in kind for writing this blog post. Any opinions mentioned are my own.