Tropical and Oriental Scented Shower Gels Emphasizing the Asian Paradise around me

I love embracing my surroundings with these tropical and oriental scented shower gels that emphasize the extraordinary Asian paradise that forms the decor of my daily life here in Singapore! 

Feeling Absolutely Reborn with Traditional Chinese Magic Mushrooms: Soo Beaute's Oriental Herbal Essence "Ganoderma-Ginseng Mask"

What’s that strange, knobly brown fungus that is displayed on all kinds of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pills, powders and beauty products, that was traditionally considered to be among the most valuable possessions a new bride could bring into a marriage in ancient China? Personally I think it looks like some sort of alien brains, but nevertheless I put this TCM allstar to the test with Soo Beaute’s Oriental Herbal Essence “Ganoderma-Ginseng Mask”.

Forget the Merlion Key Chains & Nonya Kaya: Cool Asian Beauty Gifts to Bring Back Home during Summer Holidays

Almost summer holidays, meaning a massive migration amongst expats in Singapore that are going home to Europe, the US, Australia or elsewhere outside of Asia. Anticipating on this migration, I find myself picking up increasing amounts of local gifts to bring back home for friends and family. During past visits I already brought back silk kimono’s, chopsticks, all kinds of merchandise with “Can Lah” and local delicacies such as Nonya Kaya. This time I decided to delight the people at home with something more inspiring than another Merlion keychain or Orchid fridge magnet, and -more importantly- stuff that I love myself: Asian Beauty Products. Anything from kawaii cute to Chinese Traditional Medicine weird (from a Western point of view, that is) – find out below what I will bring back home this year!

Attempts to Weekend Pampering with Skinlite Cooling Cucumber Pads

Slices of cucumber to soothe the skin around your eyes are a true beauty classic - the only disadvantage is that you need to lie down dead still to keep the slippery slices from sliding off your face. In line with Asia’s sheet masks obsession, I came across some Cooling Cucumber Pads with the same benefits for your skin as the real ones but without the mess I suspect... 

Lip Markers:the Fresher Alternative to Lipstick

Do these flashy markers belong in my makeup bag or in my pencil case with the other colour pencils and crayons?! Lip markers are a type of lip stain and proof to be a fresh alternative to lipstick or lip gloss, which can feel heavy and sticky or like it is literally melting off your face in the Singapore sun. Long-wearing, smudge-proof and fun to use…

The Asian Pore Obsession & Activated Charcoal, The Beauty Ingredient Of The Moment

In Asian skincare, an entire segment of ‘pore care’ exists that cleans and unclogs pores from dirt and/or visibly reduces the size of pores. I must say that neither I have been especially aware of my own pores or their size, nor did I devote any time to my pores specifically in my beauty routine. Asians however seem to have a pore-fixation and as invisible pores are the beauty norm, I recently became pore-conscious out of curiosity to this specific skincare segment.

Moisturizing & Anti-Aging Day Creams with SPF

Whereas skincare with an SPF is largely used and loved in Europe and the US, this type of product seems to be harder to find in Asia. In South East Asia, a combination of stronger sun and a deep-rooted fear of sun tan drives local ladies to use a dedicated sun block with a minimum of SPF50 as a part of their daily face care routine, that generally comprises a time-consuming amount of steps anyway. For those who prefer time-saving solutions and/or dislike sun blocks, luckily some non-whitening face care with SPF is available to protect our skin from Singapore's blistering hot sun.

The Ultimate Expat Beauty Issue in the Tropics: Frizzy Hair

Frizzy hair - I know we’re talking first world problems here and there are definitely worse things than an unruly bush of hay on your head. Nevertheless, it’s the most cited beauty problem I hear from fellow expats around me: unmanageable, damaged and frizzy hair due to the humid climate and overexposure to sun and aircon. Luckily there are things we can do to revive our tortured tresses...

Coming to Asia: Happy Skincare from MOOD Natural Barcelona

Last month I visited the 20th edition of Beauty Asia 2016, a trade exhibition showcasing the latest beauty and wellness products from across the globe. Lots of Japanese and Korean brands were present, presenting the latest technologies and ingredients amongst which ofcourse -yup- many horse fat and sheep placenta was to be found. Although these brands were by far the largest category present, the biggest surprise to me was a brand from Barcelona introducing its products to the Asian market for the first time: Mood Natural Barcelona.

New or Not, it's a Must-Have: Bioré UV Perfect Spray SPF50 / PA++++

I love NEW cosmetics & skincare. To me, a product that screams "New" on its packaging or in its advertising implies groundbreaking product features that promise the ultimate thrill to a beauty junkie: an earth-shaking experience with jaw-dropping results, the only thoughts that come to an extatic mind being "why didn't they invent this earlier??!" and "OMG my life will be so much better now".