Event : Talika Cream Booster

Hello my lovely Domokies! How have all of ya been doing?

On this particularly windy day, I'm going to share with you an event that I went to weeks ago with Catherine!

Of course, I sat with her as well~

We were one of the first few to arrive so we had to time to chit chat and take quite a few shots!

Our very full table :D Lovely bloggers with a common love for dogs! The topic had us blabbering away for a really long time too.

Let's not forget the stuff in front of us, the Talika Cream Booster itself!

The metal part with the word Talika is for you to rest your fingers on.

L - Off / R - On

This little cream booster vibrates and emits a yellowish light. If you all don't know yet, yellow LED light stimulates the production of COLLAGEN.

It makes use of three different kinds of technologies :

• Ionotherapy
• Micro-Vibration
• Photo Therapy

Well the main reason I'm not sharing more info is because I'll be reviewing the product soon! Very very soon, I've started using it already :D Of course if you're an eager beaver, you can always do a google check to find out more first!

This is our friendly speaker for the day. He super patiently answered EVERYONE's queries and went from table to table just to clarify any doubts we might have. He also explained a lot about the product in detail and allowed us to understand it more ~ Before he started the presentation, I was fumbling about with the device because I wasn't quite sure of how to use it yet!

Of course, how can I forget food?!

Some pizza ish thing that I don't really know. But it looks like a pizza.

Awesome gyoza!

Crunchy golden brown samosa~

Cakes galore!

Lastly, my ultimate favorite! CHEESECAKE.

This event was super cozy and fun, we all got to interact with each other and it was simply enjoyable :D

Review is coming soon soon soon, remember to stay tuned to it, along with a giveaway held in conjunction with our dearest Ringo's birthday!

Cheers,
Chiharu ❤

Product Review : AFC Japan Tsubaki Perfect Beauty

Hohoho, for a really long time, there hasn't been any AFC Japan's product reviews because I was busy testing out this one!

The  AFC Japan Tsubaki Perfect Beauty! If you haven't known already, collagen production decreases at the age of 20. And guess what? I'm 20 this year T___T

Of course, how fast you plummet depends on many factors other than age. Environment, stress, even the time you sleep can affect your collagen production. In Singapore, most of us barely have enough time to sleep. Even when we're studying, we stay up to do late night revisions, burn the midnight oil to complete the mountains of assignments we have. After our studies, we're either nearing 20 or over 20 already. Singapore is super sunny as well and we all know what the UV rays does to our skin.

Just like how we can have Vitamin C supplements, we can have collagen supplements too! As we grow older we all need supplements to boost our health AND beauty. It's why we have skincare too.

The above points are based on my own knowledge, gained from my experiences in the beauty industry. Here're points taken from AFC Japan, as they're the true professionals, they can tell you more in detail!

Collagen and elastin are important structural components in skin. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our skin. It contributes to approximately 75% of the weight in our skin. The lack of collagen and elastin often leads to various skin concerns:

1. Dry Skin – Collagen has a unique matrix structure which traps moisture in between spaces. The presence of hyaluronic acid ensures substantial hydration to the skin structure.
2. Enlarged Pores – When collagen and elastic are depleted, skin loses its support and pores become visible in certain areas.
3. Sagging Skin – When our skin lacks of collagen and elastin, the skin does not have strong structural support and starts to sag. Thus, skin will start to develop wrinkles and fine lines.
4. Appearance of Fine Lines – Commonly seen among 30-40s female, especially at the corner of the eyes and mouth as these are the areas which are more prone to dryness.

Of course, this being a review, I'm sure you wouldn't want me to repeat what AFC Japan already has on their website. To know a lot more about the product, please see HERE!

Here's Tsubaki Beauty to aid us with the 10k mg of collagen packed within each bottle! No added colorings or preservatives and it comes in a tasty peach flavor!

The important point to note here is that this should be consumed just before you go to bed. The most important recovery time for our skin is actually between 10pm-2am. For the ultimate best result, I recommend for all of you to take this at that timing if possible and go to bed immediately after.

Comes in a beautiful and feminine handy bottle that you can easily pack into your luggage if you're travelling overseas. In all honesty, my mom wanted to snatch my Tsubaki Beauty from me because her collagen drinks only contained 5k mg of collagen and she was seriously tempted by the 10000mg that you can see on the bottle!

As usual, I take mine chilled. I'm super pleased with the taste of this drink. Ringo once talked about a collagen supplement she took and actually, I tried it too. The taste was like antibiotics and just argh! And if I'm not wrong, it only contained 2.5k mg of collagen. So I was a little hesitant about this product because well, it has 10000 mg of collagen in it. If 2.5k mg tasted bad, how will 10k mg fare?!

Surprisingly, the collagen taste wasn't very dominant and I can sip this with ease like a "snack" before I sleep. This 10000mg is pretty potent I have to say, because I think the difference is pretty obvious.

Eyebags should not be taken into consideration as mine are hereditary! Other than that, can you just see how even my skintone is after regular consumption? It also looks a lot more radiant isn't it! Even though I recommend for you girls/guys to all sleep early, I sleep at like... 3am or so. Yet I do see results.

Do note that I only took this for a duration of 10 days. So if you were to consume this daily for a month, needless to say, your skin will be doing a lot better than mine. From the second month onward, you'll just need to take a bottle on every alternate day.

This little bottle of goodness was also featured in...

The downside about some good stuff however, is the price. A pack of 10 bottles will cost you $53.18 exclusive of GST. However if you do a little maths, one bottle is just $5.50. AND even more honestly, I like to eat good food that well, costs more than that. So I should learn to eat cheaper food and save up for collagen drinks :D

Another good news is that this product's currently on discount! Currently it costs $49.44 exclusive of GST HERE. So it's about $5 per bottle. Stock up now and save on many 50 cents! If I'm not wrong I might have seen this at Watsons before but I'm not sure if they're having the same promotion. If you're a working class, I recommend for you to save up a little and buy this product. After all, it's not just what you apply on your skin, it's what you ingest too that affects your skin. The best part is that you can consume this regardless of your skin type! Less worries for people with sensitive skin~

Once again, there's no standard ratings for this because I truly have no complains other than one star off for pricing as usual. There are good stuff that comes cheap. At the same time, some good stuff just cannot be cheap because you're getting what you pay for. Conclusion? FOUR stars!

Cheers,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : This product was sent to me for reviewing purposes by Lifestream Group. This review is based on my own experience with this product and is absolutely honest. Take note that effects may vary with individual especially when we are of different ages.

Product Review : Naruko Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Soothing White Mask

Hello my Domokies! Long time no a proper review~ Have been prepping for some stuff and somewhat occupied this week. I'm currently sipping away at a packet of ChocoMarvel because I'm having my cramps now. I'm finally safe to use new stuff on my face so on this particularly tired day, I decided to slap the Naruko Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Soothing White Mask on my face.

I wanted to use it since a long time ago but I couldn't as my face was having its down moments.

FOR THE STRANGEST REASONS, I CANNOT FIND THIS ON THE NARUKO SG SITE ANYMORE. So this is the most I can provide.

The instructions if you can read Chinese, otherwise thank goodness for the picture tutorial but I'm sure most people know how to use a sheet mask!

When I first tore the packet open, I was slightly disappointed. I was expecting some fresh and crisp apple scent but it never came. In fact, it smells as though it is fragrance free? I'm not sure as I did not receive the box and the website doesn't seem to carry this anymore.

However, I was pleasantly surprised when I touched the mask. It felt really soft and the material felt sooooooo thin on my face! Yet it manages to soak up most of the essence and not drip them all over me?

This mask is really really gentle because you can even cover your eye area with it. With this mask I like to just take a really short 15-20 minutes nap with it on. However if you're someone who needs to do your homework / work, you can peel down the eye pieces thingy and continue with your work!

On a side note, the mask material is so wonderfully fine and thin that I can see through it xP I absolutely adore such a great quality cloth!

L - Before / R - After

I think the difference is pretty obvious correct..? No photoshop to fake results okay, I took these pics in the same lighting! I used it because my skin was in a super dull state after make up so now that it has restored my skin's radiance, I can put make up again and still look fresh!

This mask is suspended in a clear essence too.

The down side is that it takes a whole lot of time to absorb. This is a really moisturizing mask and it works great on my skin, IF I give it enough time to sink in. That means a few minutes of massaging and patting it in. I do think that the result is really worth it as my skin felt so soft and plump after using. Like the toing toing / boing boing kinda feeling ya know?

The mask soaks up so much essence that it's still so wet after 20minutes! I LOVE the shape of this mask. If you look at the photo of me using it, you can see that it's like a 95% fit for my face. Just extend the nose area a lil bigger and it'll be perfect for me! I did not have to stretch the mask or do anything uncomfortable, it just settled on my skin like a second skin. (Sounds disturbing but it's just an example)

In all honesty, I jumped to my laptop and went to the Naruko SG site to search for this mask but I couldn't find it. I was devastated because I really did like this mask. WHERE DID IT GO? I have no idea. But if it's available, I'll definitely be buying this!


Texture : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (A little hard to absorb at first)

Effectiveness : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Absolutely and madly in love with it.)

Mask shape : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (A near perfect fit for my face!)

Overall : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (One star off simply because it takes a little time to get it all in.)

I WANNA PURCHASE IT WHERE DID IT GO? :( Okay but I do have quite a handful of mask, so maybe by the time I finish my own mask supply, this mask will magically appear on the Naruko SG site once again?

Love,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : Naruko SG sent two pieces of this mask to me for reviewing purposes! Results may differ with individuals and I am just sharing how this mask performed on me.

Movie Review: Contagion

Trailer



Chiharu and I just watched Contagion this evening, and our verdict? It's a pretty decent movie! Chiharu thinks it's the sort of movie you can afford to watch in DVD release (or alternatively, its illegal pirate cousin). Unlike Avatar 3D or Transformers, Contagion doesn't rely on flashy big-budget special effects and the likes, but that's what I love about this movie.

Contagion follows the spread of the virus MEV-1, starting from Beth Emhoff who dies in her home in Minnesota after returning from a trip at Hong Kong. Her son dies soon after, though her husband Mitch seems immune. Thus begins the deadly infection, and the race against time to find a vaccine before the world disintegrates into anarchy and chaos.

Matt Damon, who appears frequently in Soderberg's films, plays Mitch.

Coming from the director Steven Soderberg, who brought us Ocean Eleven (and its sequels) as well as the highly acclaimed Traffic, Contagion is Soderberg's ultrarealistic take on the 'Outbreak' genre. On the film, Soderberg says, "Everybody felt there was a place for an ultrarealistic film about this subject. Nobody hesitated. Uncharacteristically it happened very quickly, considering what the business is like for adult dramas. So it made me feel like maybe we're on to something."

Despite its lack of 'action' (No gunfights, little bloodshed, no flashy CGI effects, etc), the movie carries itself fairly well and is well-executed. The cinematography was thoughtful -- the lighting, the angles, composition, ambient music, everything. I particularly liked the panning establishing shots of the mass grave scene, as well as the use of angles in patient zero Beth Emhoff's death and autopsy scenes.

Blogger Allen, played by actor Jude Law, traversing the streets in his 'spacesuit'.

Like Babel and Pulp Fiction, Contagion has a multi-narrative that follows the perspective of different characters/ organizations. There is Mitch (Matt Damon), who is immune to the virus and whose sole operative is to keep his daughter and himself alive; the people of CDC; the scientists in their Hazmat suits; and the opportunistic blogger/journalist (as played by Jude Law) who claims to have found a cure.


The tone reminds me of the novel White Blindness by Jose Saramago, with its bird-eye perspective and somewhat detached, clinical examination. What's ultimately chilling about Contagion isn't the bruise-eyed, foam-at-the-mouth corpses. It's that the events that take place in the movie can realistically happen, and perhaps has already happened at a smaller level, as with SARS and H1N1.

But its strength is also its weakness. Contagion's realistic take on a worldwide pandemic is exactly that. At times the movie seems to lull to rein in all the ongoing narratives, though thankfully the transitions weren't jerky at all. There's not much of a climax to the show, and the most exciting thing that happens onscreen was perhaps Beth dropping to the floor convulsing, and beyond that, all the other first-contact victims dropping dead (and that in the early segment of the show).

Even the captive Orantes ends up teaching art lesson to the kids in the village.

Those expecting hardcore blood-and-gore zombie gunfight action will be underwhelmed. I recommend this to viewers who are patient, and enjoys subtle acting and thought-provoking stories. While the premise presented here is certainly not novel, it has a solid storyline and an experience ensemble of cast.

Ratings:
Plot: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (nothing new here, but no gaping plotholes and execution adds value to the storyline)
Acting: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (with an experienced cast such as this, and well-rounded characters, you can't go wrong)
Entertainment: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (not much in way of conventional entertainment, though there were a few chuckles at the autopsy scene. but I shan't spoil the punchline.)
Visuals: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (understated, but was cohesive to the entire tone and atmosphere of the movie. conservative in styling but slick enough to appeal.)
Sounds: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (wasn't a stand-out, though there are a few segments where the music shone through)
Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (the sum of all parts seems bigger than the parts themselves)

Bits of Chiharu : Spot the items!

I'VE BOUGHT A LOT OF STUFF THAT I'VE NOT SHARED ON DOMOKIE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

Be prepared...

Feast your eyes on...

18 BOXES OF SHEET MASKS. (I have also bought a back up of the MBD Earl Grey, MBD Choco Truffle, Lovemore white magic and black magic mask that are not featured in this shot. There was also a MBD tea time set!)

I had this friend who studied for a period of time in Taiwan so I had her help me ship a monstrous amount of masks to Singapore! All bought directly from the retailing store in Taiwan so there's no worry about authenticity!

After collecting my Taiwan haul, I headed down to the Eternity Inter-trade SG's sale! It was a pretty bad decision because the masks were heavy enough. As you can see, I hauled once again~

Ichikami Hair Mask
Ichikami Hair Serum
Fuwarie Airy Curl Keeper (New packaging)
JUJU Cosmetics Whitening Mist (Peach Flavor)
JUJU Aquamoist Firm & Moist Eye Cream
JUJU Aquamoist Hyaluronic Essence
JUJU Aquamoist Toner

Prices? No no no, you have to head down to the sale to check out the prices because these are seriously worth the price!!!

The problem with me is that once I spot something cheap + good, I buy lotsa them. Then I end up with a bunch of stuff with nowhere to keep em -.- Oh and if you can spot it, there's a steam cream! I finally gave in and pestered my boy to get me one :D Did you know that I got my steam cream from Watsons? Finally! There is not a single BHG outlet near me and if I can't find it in Watsons, I am sure as hell not going down to a far far away place to get a cream =/

Signing off for today to hang out with Ringo later!

Love,

Chiharu ❤

A Ringo A Day: Tegaki E

Getting back to Tegaki for some quick doodles once again. For the uninitiated, it's 'a blog where entries and comments are handwritten'. Sadly I've been neglecting my account for far too long it's gathered cobwebs in the meantime.

So here's a couple (2 to be exact) doodles I've made in tegaki (and then brought over to PS to polish up). I ought to find some time to brush the dust mites off my sketches and scan them. Before the silverfish or sunlight gets to them.






Been busy these couple of weeks doing various things. Went for Figure Drawing class (is 'class' even the right word?) at TISCH; attended the usual STGCC, Cosfest, etc; and will be taking up a sculpting class starting next month.

So expect more art-related posts from me in the future. Plus DIY tutorials if I manage to get some alone time. On the side note, I'm putting skincare/ cosmetic reviews on hiatus for the time being. More on that later, I ought to turn in now before the sandman catches up.

Product Review : Fuwarie Airy Curl Keeper

If you've liked Domokie's FB page, you'd know that we actually promised to do a review of the Fuwarie Airy Curl Keeper quite some time ago. It never happened though. Because I'm a simple, average, girl-next-door kinda person. How do I explain it. I don't do fancy hairstyles because I'm someone who's comfortable with my own hair. Just fluff it up a little, a slightly messy look and I'm good to go. So I wasn't sure if anyone wanted a review with a very blah and normal hairstyle.

After deliberating for obviously a super long period of time, I realized that most of us, whether working or studying do not have a lot of time to do our hair. Let's face it, this is Singapore and we'd be happy enough to even get 8 hours of sleep. Majority of the Singaporeans I know would never ever wake up hours earlier just to do their hair. Which is why I've finally decided to put this post up.

Months ago, I bought the...

Fuwarie Airy Curl Keeper! I rarely review any styling products because it's a pain in the ass to wash em off. Ringo uses wax but I find wax an absolute horror. Maybe I'm OCD or something but I do not like to touch wax or hair clay. Anything sticky and icky is a nono.

This one's a hair spray! Means no real need to touchy touchy with my fingers.

Here's how you use it!

And of course, the ingredients list. 

Now... I'm about to show you my hair and how I use it. Firstly, I'd like to clarify that of course this can be used to set braids / buns still but it's kinda pointless to use it on those hairstyles since this is a volumizing spray!

It's so long ago that I've not dyed my hair in this picture =/ My hair is curled, so it doesn't look as long as it is. However when fully straightened, it reaches my waist. Okay it's near my butt actually. My point is, with such long and thick hair, it's quite impossible to have fluffy hair naturally. The weight of your hair will just be pulled down with the aid of gravity and you'll get that picture above, pretty dead and limp.

Here's the after picture. I was trying really hair to capture my hair size but the picture still did not do it justice.

Can you see it's slightly more poofy?

What I do is that I'll just spray my hair with my head upside down and scrunch it with my fingers. Then I flip my hair over and continue scrunching it. Once again, I'm quite anal about getting too much product in my hair so this look was done with a light spritz all over. If you want an even bigger hair, add more, back comb and scrunch!

My favorite way to use this is with a ponytail. When I wear my *cough cough* straw hat out, I like to tie a side ponytail or two. It's definitely not nice if it's too neat and limp so this spray's perfect. It's easier to scrunch a ponytail in my honest opinion.

Now about this spray, it does not smell like the "fruity fragrance" that most people have described. Remember, Domokie's 100% honest regardless of whether the product is sponsored or not. This smells just like your average plastic hair spray kinda smell. It has that slight fruity tinge to it but it's really slight. The typical hair spray scent is still there =/ It does not really bother me because it doesn't linger after using. 

This is also not your extra hard hair spray. It does harden your hair a little and adds texture to give it that hold. My hair dies down after a few hours though but I'm guessing that's due to my superbly extra long and heavy hair. You can bring this out for touch ups though, the can is cute and pretty light so it's quite portable to me.

This spray is available from Watsons for just $9.90 and I say yes, this is definitely worth your price if you're looking for a hair spray! They have another kind of spray meant for odango(big bun) hair! So choose according to your needs :)

Hold: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Lasting Power: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Scent:  ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Love,

Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I bought this to review for my lovelies!