I don’t often blog about skincare because it’s one of those things you have to try out for a couple of months – almost comparable to being on casual dates – and if it works for you, it’s a keeper and if it doesn’t, well, shit.

My skin has been retrograding towards the bratty, pimply sort that reigned in my 18-year-old rockstar phase. It’s frustrating trying to deal with spots at my age when everyone tells you acne should stop when you’re in your early 20s or you’re probably doing something wrong. Lies. I just happen to have overactive hormones that enjoy attacking my chin every month, that’s all. It sucks but I know people have it far worse than a few zits on the chin so I really should be thankful. I have gone through a ton of products to get to the current line-up you see here and I’m pretty happy with it – I think it’s almost perfect, it just needs that one amazing, to die for product that erases zits and the angry mark they leave behind in 24 hours. We can all dream

1. Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Acne Cleanser – Nadz’s been telling me all sorts of great things about the Naruko skincare line and she bought me a bottle of tea tree serum to try, swearing it would absorb instantly into the skin, your skin will be matte all day, miracles will happen etc. I can tell you there were no miracles, only break-outs. It’s stupefying because everyone seems to rave about the damn serum but my skin just hated it – that’s how picky it is. Anyway, one of my readers, Shafah, works in Taiwan (where Naruko’s from) and she got me their blackhead remover to try. Now, that’s a product I like. I don’t have blackheads but I like using as a t-zone mask and mm, what a scent.

Not willing to give up on Naruko, I picked up this cleanser before I left. I’ve been using it for about two months now and hrm I don’t know..it’s clay-based and has the same beautiful scent as the blackhead remover but I’m starting to think it might be a little too drying for my skin? I like it too much to throw it away though so I use it on nights when I feel my skin’s gone cray cray with its oil production. Also works well as a mask too LOL.

2. Sukin Cream Cleanser – HOLY GRAILLLLLL. It all started with my roommate actually. My skin was a little dry one night so I asked her if I could use her cleanser instead. She’s a bit of an Estee Lauder maniac and her mom recently got her this tube of EL’s cream cleanser for dry skin. Oh my god. I never knew something so heavenly existed. It’s got plenty of squalane in it so you’re supposed to tissue it off instead of washing your face – which I did – and I woke up with nice, plumped up skin.

That same morning I had a skincare breakthrough: why haven’t I considered cream cleansers before? My skincare routines were always caught up in the cyclical remove oil, remove remaining grime and kill all spots. Maybe I really was doing it wrong – I was just stripping my skin of everything else and perhaps, if I focused on skincare that was gentle to the skin, things would get better. It did.

I didn’t want to spend so much money on the Estee Lauder cleanser and I reckoned it was going to be too rich for everyday use anyway so I bought this $10 alternative. Sukin’s an Australian skincare brand and they’re known for their paraben and sulphate-free products. I’m pretty sure you can find it in Singapore’s Watsons? I’ll get back to you on that.

The cleanser’s made from a blend of rosehip, jojoba and avocado oil with some cocoa and shea butter in it so if you have really sensitive skin (or are acne prone!), this is going to be so good for your face. You can choose to wash it off or remove it with cotton wool/tissue so I usually wash it all off in the morning but sometimes when I feel my skin needs some moisturizin’, I tissue it off. Scent-wise, Estee wins but the Sukin cleanser’s scent is a nice homely orange-vanilla. It’s just hard to win against a cleanser that smells like the petals of a hundred flowers went into each bottle LOL. But hey, at $10 – Sukin, I adore you.

3. Jurlique Calendula Cream – This is tons better than the Naruko serum imo. It’s a bit scary out of its pretty tube packaging: a very thick yellow cream that smells like plastic. But you’re only supposed to use a tiny amount, warm it with your fingers and press it into your skin. Hey presto, it absorbs instantly, soothes the skin and has such a nice matte finish. The perfect moisturiser for day. Calendula is also good for acne too, I hear. This picture also reminds me I’m running low and need to buy a new tube stat. For the first time in my life, I will be repurchasing something other than pimple cream – you know it’s good.

4. Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant – A trial tube I purchased from eBay, it’s a 15 minute mask that actually does what it says on the tube. Will be investing in a full-sized tube when I run out.

5. Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream – If you think night creams are heavy, very emollient and the recipe for a potential break-out – this stellar product from Jurlique breaks that stereotype. I can never stick to moisturizers because all the previous ones I’ve tried never seem to sink into the skin but srsly, JURLIQUE CHANGES EVERYTHING. Bad news is it’s slightly expensive but worth every damn penny. That scent, that lightness – perfection.

6. Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist – I really have to credit my best girl, Amy, for introducing Jurlique to me. I never took notice of the brand until she gifted me the Calendula cream, this toning mist and a truckload of other Jurlique samples for Christmas. My skin has never looked better. The rosewater balancing mist is probably the best rose-scented item ever, after Paul Smith’s Rose, and I am OBSESSED with it. So obsessed, I already have another back-up next to it LOL

7. Alba Botanica Papaya Enzyme Mask – This works like the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant except you’re only meant to leave it on for 5 minutes. I can’t decide which one works better though: I think the Dermalogica one is good for clearing zits while this papaya mask seems better at refining and clearing pores. This mask has a sticky gel texture to it so I only use it in the shower.

8. Epiduo gel and Clean & Clear Persa Gel 10 % – Holy grail zit busters. Epiduo gel is prescription-only so you have to see a doctor before you can get it. Unfortunately, it isn’t available in Singapore when I checked in February so boo ;( Epiduo’s pretty intense and it will make you peel like crazy but the results are well worth it! The Persa gel works really well too, without the peeling side-effect, and I’m using it so I can slowly wean off my dependency on the epiduo gel.

9. Shu Uemura Skin Purifier: still the best make-up remover ever since its conception ;p You can read a more comprehensive and comparative review here.

Not pictured: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (review here) – it was in the shower so I forgot to take a photo of it lol. My love for it is still going strong!

Also, remember my holy grail Neutrogena scrub? I had to stop scrubbing my face with it because I now use the Clarisonic Mia when cleansing so I’m not allowed to use scrubs with particles in it sigh. Such a shame really, it’s one of Neutrogena’s best products and I would recommend it to anyone who suffers from hormonal acne, or acne in general.

Good god, this entry is way too long and look, you’ve read it all! Thank you so much for reading it all/tried to read it all but tl;dr halfway through LOL. It’s nice to be back here, rambling about my favourite things and with everyone of you as a willing audience..k this is beginning to sound like an obituary piece. It’s just been a hard month for me so far: they say the last year of uni is always the hardest and ugh, every bit of it is true. Still, I will never give up this space – it reminds me that yes, I am capable of creating beautiful things, words or pictures, and I take comfort in that somewhere in the world, you share the same dreams as I do.

This entry is for Sarah Karenina who suggested I share my skincare routine with you guys in my previous entry. Thanks for reading, Sarah! x

President dress in Hot Pink – courtesy of MAIA, Gold belt – ZARA, Pearl and enamel necklace – Mom’s, Bag – Louis Vuitton x Sofia Coppola ‘SC’ Bag, 200 denier tights – ASOS, Amaaazing Jil Sander knock-off Heels – Tony Bianco.

I had these photos taken on the last week of my holiday in Singapore, I’d insisted these photos to be taken really early – I think it was a Tuesday – because I wanted to get it out of the way before I began my last food frenzy before my flight on Sunday. I was brought to 3 buffets in the same week and I can tell you truthfully that I would need a bottle of talcum powder and some powerful zip tugging to get into that pink dress.

The MAIA President dress was sent to me as a surprise – I had no idea they were giving me something else other than the two pieces I was allowed to pick, aren’t they just lovely? Thank you so much, Diana and the other girls behind MAIA! I have a lot of pinks in my make-up bag but not in my wardrobe since I much prefer the darker colours of fall. But thankfully, the President dress is a lot more wearable than most acid coloured clothing simply because of its black top. I’ve paired it with jewelry and a bag, both in a dark brownish red hue that complements the hot pink without having to do so much. If pink is not your thing, the dress also comes in the most incredible ink colour.

The Louis Vuitton x Sofia Coppola ‘SC’ bag was actually my mother’s birthday gift from my dad and of course, it is no coincidence that suddenly, my ultimate dream bag becomes my mother’s LOL. My mother wanted a classic LV bag without the monogram which was perfect because there could be no other bag but the Coppola for her (and me). We searched for it in Paris and Singapore but everything was gone to my mom’s utter disappointment. A secret phone call to my resourceful and well-connected LV maniac best friend and one week later the bag was hidden in plain sight in my mother’s room where she took 10 excruciating minutes to notice there was a huge ass LV paper bag on her bed. My dad took a video of this and I wish I could put it up here – it’s the funniest thing!

This bag is so effortless, so beautiful yet so casual that I can take it with me anywhere; for dinners with the family and coffee with friends. Another funny story is when my mom went shopping at Chanel, she left her Coppola bag at the counter and another customer lifted it up thinking it was a Chanel LOL. She almost died of embarrassment when my dad said, “I’m sorry, this is my wife’s bag.” We tried really hard not to laugh.

I also have a special attachment to the necklace I’m wearing in this entry. Again, it’s mom’s and it’s been with her for more than a decade now. It is seriously a work of art – I put on a simple top, pants and add this stunning art deco necklace and instantly I’m all dressed up, which is exactly what I did when I was in Kuala Lumpur. I believe in minimalist dressing when on vacation (save the luggage space for all your shopping!!) but I always take an incredible piece of jewelry with me to anchor the look. I had to give the necklace back to my mother before I flew back to Melbourne so I feel extremely gutted every time I look at these pictures. Sigh, they just don’t make jewelry like this anymore.

Face:
Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hour Foundation in 103 True Ivory
MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20

Cheeks:
TOPSHOP Cream Blush in Pinch

Eyes:
KATE Quick Eyeliner S in Black
MAC Browset in Girl Boy
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Neo

Lips:
Burberry Lip Cover in Brick Red

After years of playing around with make-up, I finally mastered the perfect winged eyeliner omg. It’s not all about steady hands; the eyeliner you use also plays a big part as well. It’s really about figuring out what you’re most comfortable with: I like KATE’s Quick Eyeliner S in Black, it’s works literally like a pen. Uncap and you’re ready to draw on a crisp line. Doesn’t smudge, lasts forever and so cheap – it is, to me, the holy grail liquid eyeliner. A lot of people love their gel eyeliners, e.g. MAC Fluidline, but I don’t know, my hands can’t work with a reed thin eyeliner brush lol.

I have Catherine to thank for my red lips, she sent me a Burberry lipstick sampler for Christmas and the shade I’m wearing is no. 19 Brick Red which a gorgeous deep brownish red. I have become SO obsessed with the Burberry lipstick line and bought one right before I left but that’s a story for another day..

Thank you Dejiki for the beautiful photos and my mother’s LV LOL. My other best friend, Aaron, just graduated yesterday and he’s leaving for a 3 week trip in Europe tomorrow so I got that summertime sadness right now Congrats bb, take care and please buy me all the beauty crap you can get from the French pharmacies!

I’m slowly getting back to the swing of things here, school has been so exhausting but I’ll try to whine less and write more. Hope everyone’s had a good weekend!

I haven’t written about beauty in such a long time. You guys can probably see a pattern emerging here: in Australia, I rattle on about food and how much school sucks. But put me on the plane home and I start writing about girly superficiality because (almost) everything is cheap when you’re paying in SGD$ – *snaps fingers* Then whoa! Ilyana becomes interesting again! 8D

I’ve had this Topshop blush in Pinch for a while now – my cousin, Nadz, gave it to me for my birthday half a year ago – but I stupidly forgot to pack it into my luggage when I was due back in Australia so it’s been unopened and hidden in my drawer ever since. But every make-up sob story has a happy ending: I’ve rediscovered it, torn open the chic box packaging, and smacked it onto my face. Literally.

I made the mistake of thinking the blush would glide on my face like a NARS Multiple and that I’d be able to blend it out easily. ’twas a no go. This is why one should read the instructions on the back of the box: DOT ON CHEEKS AND BLEND (see 4th image). What did I do my first time? Swirled two fingers in acid pink, confidently swiped the blush onto my cheeks and shrieked in horror when I realised that was it – the blush was nearly set. Cue panicky smacking into skin to blend the streaks into something that resembled radiant pink nothingness (if that makes sense at all).

It took forever and sore cheeks but I managed to fix my blonde mistake and..omg such perfection. It is the prettiest dolly pink I’ve found and because it’s cream, it gives you the best fake glow ever lol! It doesn’t have shimmer in it but it does give your skin a slight sheen. Since it was a gift, I’m not too sure about the price but I know the TOPSHOP make-up range is very affordable so it’s definitely below $20? It’s beautiful, it’s cheap but as I’ve highlighted, you can’t just swipe and go – dot it on your cheeks and blend it quickly because this baby sets almost immediately. And once it sets, it will take some brute force on your part to get this blended properly. It takes some time to get it right but when you do – AMAZINGGGG.

Oh yes – that picture of me? I’ve fallen down the dark path of Photobooth photos HAHA! I just cannot be bothered anymore :/ I wish I had someone who could take photos of my FOTDs and stuff but sadly, this girl rait here is FOREVER ALONE T_T Every girl has that paradoxical ‘no make-up’ make-up look right? This is mine.

Face:
MAC Studio Fix in NC25
MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20

Cheeks:
TOPSHOP Cream Blush in Pinch

Eyes:
Paul & Joe Eyegloss in 05 Murmur
MAC Browset in Girl Boy
Maybelline Full n Soft Mascara

Lips:
Lush Lipbalm in Whipstick (MY FAVE – tastes like chocolate omg!)

What’s your favourite pink blush? Let me know in the comments x

I usually have a light wash of colour on my eyelids on most days but with my new glasses, my eyeshadow color tends to get lost behind the frames and morphs into a less stellar, muted version of itself. And what used to work perfectly before now becomes a glum waste of eyeshadow. So I’ve decided to amp up my usual repertoire of browns by tossing in a steely grey creme eyeshadow and blending the dark shade into my crease. It’s not too dramatic for the day but there’s still some roughness, some edge to it that I like.

And speaking of things that used to work perfectly, I had to change up my foundation routine last week because somehow I got fairer in Singapore what. the. fork. Maybe it’s because I’m always hiding in shopping malls to escape the heat? Whatever the reason, it’s distressing when your go-to foundation (mine was Dr Jart’s Black Label BB Cream) becomes an unattractive bottle of fake tan. Thankfully, I found my old samples of Everyday Minerals foundation I got back when the brand was all the rage and am now wearing the Sunkissed Fair shade in the Original Glo formula. I’m dreading the day my tiny sample runs out because I heard Everyday Minerals reformulated all their foundations so I’m a lil’ wary of ordering another batch. Does anyone remember the awesome value for money kits Everyday Minerals used to have? Man, I miss those!

Face:
Everyday Minerals Foundation in Sunkissed Fair
MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20

Cheeks:
Lavshuca blush in RD-1

Eyes:
Paul & Joe Eyegloss in 05 Murmur
Topshop cream eyeshadow in Darkness
MAC Browset in Girl Boy
Maybelline Full n Soft Mascara

Lips:
Lancome L’absolu Rouge in Rose Rhapsodie

Two tips if you’re using mineral foundation: 1) Always use a moisturiser or sunscreen before buffing in the foundation with a kabuki brush. My Kose Sekkisei sunscreen makes a great base for mineral make-up, plus it doubles as a light moisturiser too. This way your foundation applies smoother and doesn’t end up patchy in drier areas of your face.

2) After applying your foundation and the rest of your make-up, instead of setting your face with finishing/loose powder, try spritzing on some Avene thermal water! I AM SUCH A CONVERT U GUYS. I can’t tell if the thermal water makes a difference to my skin but this magic water shiz is so brilliant at setting powder or mineral foundation. I hate that too dry, matte look you get with said foundation types but a couple of spritzes of Avene and HOLAAAA FAUX DEWY SKIN!

Sorry for the late update guys and fork I am so behind commenting – I’ve been so busy! :/ I flew off on Sunday night, had a transit in Brisbane on Monday morning for two hours and then landed in Melbourne just before noon. Two hours later, I was back in school attending my first lectures of the new semester until 6pm. That was two days ago and I’m still exhausted! Guess I’m not cut out for any sort of jet setting lifestyle LOL.

I’m so excited about my subjects this semester: Television & Popular Culture, Lifestyle & Consumer Culture, Asian Public Relations (IKR LOL if I don’t get a distinction for this, I should quit being Asian lor, as most Malays would say: “buat malu aje!”) and Short Fiction! Sounds like fun, huh? Up until the assignments are due anyway, rofl. Wish me luck!

Not everyone has perfect skin. And that is precisely why I don’t believe in beauty miracles, not for my skin anyway. If you’re lucky enough to have a minimal skincare routine and still have beautiful skin, brb while I stab my pores with a miniscule fork. I beg you to lie and tell me you swear by an amazing $1,000 cream made from fermented marine kelp, or if you like, just name any cult skincare product from the top of your head that my paltry student allowance can never afford. I’ll mope around for a bit but it’s going to make me even more determined to discover the right, affordable products for my skin.

That’s been my mission since the start of the year. I won’t lie. Ever since I started university, the condition of my skin has just gone south. It’s the change of weather, increased levels of stress and frankly, when you’ve got to juggle cleaning, cooking and writing essays all at once, you don’t have time to think about beauty and vanity (yes, they are interchangeable!). But things are a little different now. I’ve gotten used to my life in Melbourne, I know roughly how long it’ll take for me to write an essay and I can whip up some fricking good pasta in under half an hour. Now, the last thing I have to deal with? My skin.

The first product I’m going to review in my illustrious search for the best is Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub. I’m actually surprised how well this scrub has worked for me, considering my decade-long hate campaign against Neutrogena. I first used Neutrogena in my early teens and uh, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. Their products did not work for my skin and might have aggravated my oily teen skin even further if I remember correctly. Oh but this scrub I love so much! You can see from the photo I’m actually about to finish it too and that’s incredible because I usually abandon a product after a month to try a different one lol.

The scrub has 2% salicylic acid in it to combat pimples but honestly, I don’t think it’s the salicylic acid that’s helping my skin: the scrub also contains an unlisted percentage of glycolic acid. I don’t know what it is about glycolic acid but my skin tends to behave better when it’s been fed teeny amounts of it. Of course, the scrub is by no means a miracle product. While it doesn’t completely eradicate acne, it has dramatically lessened the number of zits I get during my monthly PMS-induced break-outs. On that note, the painful hormonal cysts I get on my chin during said period of facial turmoil have disappeared completely which makes this a phenomenal product in my eyes. Plus, it has the most soothing cucumber scent!

I use the scrub 3 times a week and leave it on like a mask for 20 minutes, allowing the glycolic acid to sink in before washing it off. I think it might be too harsh to use it more than that but since I am quite the obsessive scrubber, I use my Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant on other days. I’m still looking for other products that would help me in my quest for good skin (e.g. the perfect pimple cream) so if you guys have any recommendations, please let me know in the comments

For someone who used to grouse about the lack of Lush stores in Singapore, I ironically write very little on the subject matter now that I live in a country teeming with it. I can explain.

Going to Lush for the first time is like going to your favorite buffet restaurant. You’re barely 10 ft away but already you are catching whiffs of toffee and pink rock star soap. When you’ve been to a restaurant a couple of times, you’re certain you know what you want but there is often that nagging feeling you get; the one that tells you maybe, just maybe, you should stop playing it safe and try something different today. It is our innate need for new experiences that makes the Lush store a very dangerous place. And I avoid it the same way I avoided carbs in a failed all-protein diet: Pretend it doesn’t exist.

Trouble is, I have to pass by a certain Lush store everyday on my way to school. I used to think this was the best thing ever, I could pop in anytime I wanted regardless of the time. Then, it happened. I keep my Lush paper bags piled neatly on the top shelf of my closet (you know, out of sight, out of mind lol). Sometime last year, I was late for dinner with friends so I was running around, getting dressed, sorta lost my balance and crashed. Into my closet. I opened it just to check if the doors were still working and like a broken dam, 12 black/yellow paper bags slid out, pelting me at my feet. And I was left with a very visual display of just why I was broke every month.

Just like this:

Not good, gais. So I’ve been anti-Lush the last 6 months. Pretty good record, considering every sidelong glance at the store’s woodsy interior gradually eats away my resistance. And my resistance finally gave away last week when I was feeling the hate from school so I went in to check out their new summer stuff!

I’m very fond of Lush’s bath bombs and bubble bars…when I still had a tub. Sex in The Shower is one of their new emotibombs, designed specifically for the bathtub-less! It smells strongly of roses and ylang ylang which I’d imagine to be a perfect combo for the ‘deed’ lol. Still, single ladies (and men) would probably appreciate an indulgent shower from time to time. The sad thing is, like an inexperienced lover, the emotibomb probably lasted just under 10 minutes in the shower? But I have to admit, it was a delightful 10 minute experience LOL I’M SO GETTING SUED FOR THIS. *cough* So yeah, if you’re feeling down and wouldn’t mind throwing $5 into the sewage pipes just so you can get high on rose-scented fumes, SEX IN THE SHOWER IS WHAT YOU WANT.

Demon in the Dark. The Godmother. Unlucky for Dirt. Vanilla in The Mist. Just rattling off some of my favourite Lush soaps, who comes up with these names and scents seriously? Just incredible. Yet, none of these soaps would ever top my favourite: Honey, I Washed The Kids (or in this entry, Honey for short). Now, the problem I have with Honey is that while the scent is exquisite, the soap formula is a little drying to the skin. But just for Valentine’s Day (Yeah, I am a lil slow huh?), Lush released a shower gel version of their no. 1 soap: It’s Raining Men.

Oh. My. God. It smells exactly like Honey except punchier (I think it’s the inclusion of bergamot and wild orange oil) and the fragrance just lingers on your skin forever. I’ve stopped using my perfume since I bought this from the store because I’d hate to have something mask its caramel-like nuance. I have no problems with the shower gel formulation too. Truly, truly sublime. Sadly, it’s limited edition so I’m tempted to get the largest bottle but it’s $30 ._. WHO SPENDS $30 ON SHOWER GEL MAN? (I’ll think about it.)

Anyway, how has everyone been? Anyone else inflicted by similar shopping problems? ;p School has been, I’ll be be blunt, so shit for me the past 2 weeks, I don’t know if I’m imagining things but my workload has increased two fold compared to last semester. I haven’t been sleeping well. And frankly, I don’t have time to take care of myself mentally + nutritionally. It’s been instant noodles, junk food etc. I’ve gained a bit of weight as well, which makes my diet entry last year completely obsolete LOL, it’s a shame, really and I hate it. When your parents’ money are banked on you to get good grades, you better deliver. I haven’t disappointed them yet but this semester has the potential to break my lucky streak, it’s terrifying! Gotta get my act together!

The only subject I like this semester is Poetry. It’s challenging but I enjoy it immensely. I don’t aspire to be a poet, of course but I think it teaches something valuable: To look at the world and describe it in the most unusual way. I suppose that is the beauty of poetry and god, it’s therapeutic. Except for the last couple of days when I was forced to write a sonnet. Sorry, imma werq my free verse everyday. Urgh, Shakespeare. Why didn’t sonnets die with you? That said, I’d still like to have a hot man recite Sonnet 18 to me one day lol, I would just DIE. Happy weekend, everyone!

p.s I think it’s evident by now I don’t have time to read anything other than my school texts. I will catch up with everyone eventually but it’s a little hard, I hope you understand. It’s not you, it’s me (or rather, uni)! If you need to contact me, email me or find me on twitter! Thanks guys x

Hello from Melbourne! Sorry I haven’t blogged in a while. I don’t really have to apologise for I did say I was going on a short hiatus in my last entry. The truth is I did have time to blog. I was just stuck. Creatively.

I’ve been afflicted by a severe case of writer’s block the past two weeks and while I am still far from getting over this self-bashing, I was in dire need of expressing myself so I’m attempting to get rid of this block by doing exactly what I don’t want to be doing: writing a blog entry. I’m not sure how long I’ll take to write this but I’m putting away all sharp objects just in case I get vexed by my own writing and start having ideas about reenacting scenes from Sweeney Todd.

This writer’s block just materialized one morning after I had my cup of English breakfast tea and reading The New York Times online. I sat up quickly on my bed, crippled with uncertainty and thought, “My god, I can’t write for shit.”

I think this has been going on for some time now, manifesting like a leech in my head over the last stretch of the summer holidays and with me, its host, caught unaware. Writing is very subjective, as is design. There is more to writing than the careful placement of a verb, a noun, an adjective; a quiet chemistry that happens when you string a bunch of words and punctuation together. And while I am familiar with the rules that govern the standards of ‘good’ design, I am completely inexperienced when tinkling with the alchemy of writing. But I suppose we all have to start somewhere.

tea noir is my baby, it’s only been two years since I decided to show the world how much make-up a person can accumulate but this site has transformed into a quick-change act, emitting enough ambiguity to confuse even my most loyal reader. New friends who want to link me on their blog always ask the same question: “Should I put you under beauty, fashion, photography or simply under Personal Blogs?” I was just as stumped.

I think I’ve figured it out though. tea noir isn’t a beauty/fashion/photography/personal blog, it’s a commitment to an aesthetic: my own set of principles and elements of style that I’ve cultivated through my experiences growing up. It’s up to you to figure out which genre or category tea noir falls under, it’s all blurry at this point but I consider it a strength, a uniqueness that I possess in this wired world. People have asked why I don’t have ads, sought out advertorial opportunities or joined nuffnang. It’s not that I oppose it, I just want free reign on what I put up on my blog (and sry2say I worked too damn hard for my pretty layout to be destroyed by ads created by some idiot who *think* they know design I HAVE PRIDE ALSO K)

LOL so enough ~serious business~, I think the previous paragraphs have been a great warm-up to help get me back on track. If you’ve made it this far, I hope I didn’t bore you lol. I just needed to shake off this hatred I feel towards my writing :/

I’ve been redecorating my room the past week to keep me distracted from my writer’s block and it’s been going, for lack of a better kick-ass word, spiffy! 8D I’m sick of complaining to everyone that my apartment is fug so I decided to be pro-active and make my room a better place for womankind. If you’re expecting the methodical “before” and “after” photos, sorry I’m not going to indulge you with the “before” photos because I refuse to let anyone be subjected to that kind of horror lol.

I keep all my skincare and accessories on the ledge of my window. Because there is not enough space elsewhere for the amount of product I have. Yeah I know, I have a ton. I went thrift-shopping for a couple of days to find one-off pieces for my ledge and scored that super long tray for $3. I got it at a weird party store too lol. I like to close my eyes and pretend it’s from Philippe Starck ROFL.

Floral soap dish, oval container and brush holder were $8? Vintage bone china side dish plate was a lucky find too, isn’t it gorgeous? I love the delicate gold trimming. That polaroid photo was taken the day I left for Australia for the first time in 2010, a reminder of new beginnings and my family’s love.

Monet’s Regatta at Argenteuil, circa 1872 <3 If you ever find yourself living in a ghetto apartment, throw in a Monet painting in a baroque frame and girl, you've got instant CLASS. The almost pastel green glass bottle houses my most adored scent from Parisian perfumer Annick Goutal, Petite Chérie. Incredibly pricey too, I try to use it sparingly.

My bedside table! I found this bone china dish at the same thrift store where I bought its sister and it houses the make-up I use daily e.g. mascara, concealer, fave go-to lipsticks. Anyone notice that tube of Maybelline Full N’ Soft mascara? That was my first mascara ever and it was discontinued in Singapore like 6 years ago or something. SO STOKED TO FIND IT HERE! I always have a cup of tea in my room in the mornings and at night. Also introducing my first film/lomo camera, the Diana Mini in her pristine white reincarnation.

These wooden alphabets were given to me on my birthday last year by my crazy friends! I think it’s an ingenious take on the boring greeting card plus it doubles as a brilliant prop atop my shelves. Please excuse the expletive you see in one of my friend’s written greeting above lol. I was going to blur it out but that would’ve made it seem even more obvious. Plus I’m no innocent, just because I keep my language clean on this blog, doesn’t mean I don’t swear in real life ;p The painting is Van Gogh’s lesser known Starry Night Over The Rhone, 1888 (told you I was an Art History buff!)

Remember in a previous entry I was ranting about the silly tribal flag painting in my room? I covered it up with some high fashion material WERQ IT! Can’t believe I took a year to think of this ._.

MY FAVOURITE THING IN MY ROOM RIGHT NOW: FRICKING FAIRY LANTERN LIGHTS!!!! I don’t care if that makes me a pseudo hipster chick, my room has AMBIENCE. I can serve some tea and let people chill on my bed for $10 per head just to look at my lights, THIS TRUMPS ALL.

Cherry blossoms printed on each paper lantern

My Keep Calm poster! It’s actually longer and has the crown at the top but it got cut off by my camera, I’m using my 50mm – left my zoom lens in Singapore because it was just annoying to carry around.

So that’s the end of my room tour, I hope you guys like what I’ve done to the place! I’m going to change the look of my entire apartment gradually but for now, my room is looking foxy and that is enough ;D

Also, to the man who bought me my first Chanel and who would’ve supported me even if I wanted to be a drag queen, to the man who taught me that there is no sense in being rich if you don’t have humility, a great personality and substance: Happy birthday dad, I love you!

..God I love/hate my writing. I’m going to bed.

I like the eccentric as much as I like the pretty. It’s reflected in the clothes I pick and the friends I have. And the kookiest one I know has a bad habit of buying me a hoard of kitschy paraphernalia whenever she travels to the coolest part of Asia, Japan (my very biased opinion, obviously). Yumi‘s half-Japanese so she visits her motherland once a year. Uh huh, I know right. Most people only venture into Tokyo in their sleep (me included!) and she gets to go there every year.

Still, I can’t whine about it too much since she always gets me a giant goody bag filled with amazing things. Remember last year’s? I have no idea why she spoils me so much. I listed down the pros she might have with me as a friend in my head and apart from “enjoys eating monstrous amounts of pizza and pastries” and “can converse on a wide range of topics from the worsening economy to fat cats”, there is quite little I can offer LOL *shrugs* KEEP ON GIVING, YUMI! <3

See what I mean?? How can you not get excited when taking a peek into this treasureland?

The tote bag that came with the magazine she gave me! Perfect for my grocery shopping :3

This cute skincare trial pack she got for me! It comes with a foaming cleanser for the day and a thick gel for removing make-up at night. I’ve not used the cleanser yet (I am a cleanser junkie and have about 4 more bottles of different cleansers to go through, see below) but the make-up remover gel is great! You spread it on your face and it slowly warms up when you massage it into the skin. Mmm magic thermal heating properties, kinky. And with a name like MARSHMALLOW ORANGE, nobody will dare deny its awesomeness. Yep, it does smell of oranges too :3

Natural Blush by Cezanne, which I believe is a common drugstore find in Japan? This is Shade 01 and is reminiscent of my NARS Angelika blush except it’s warmer and matte. It does have a slight shimmer to it in the pan but the shimmer vanishes once you apply it onto the skin. I wasn’t expecting a lot from this blush because I’m going to say, without an ounce of shame, that I wasn’t too keen on the packaging. There’s nothing wrong with it but once you’ve been exposed to the remarkable packaging design skillz of the Japanese, you kinda expect more than a simple acrylic case. Aah but in this case, simple is good. The blush is beautifully pigmented and in the words of Edith Piaf: Non, je ne regrette rien!

My first product from Japanese drugstore beauty and skincare mogul, SANA! The packaging is so cute omfg, I cannot. Girly ‘kawaii kore!!‘ squeals aside, this concealer is bananas. Like, literally. It is the shade of the palest banana HAHA WTF o_O; The craziest thing is, it fricking works. Admittedly, the coverage isn’t as good as my MAC Studio Finish concealer but it’s got a nice light consistency which the Studio Finish concealer is sorely lacking in. You don’t ever need to worry about putting too much either. Point is, if your undereye circles aren’t as abhorrent as mine, I would definitely recommend the SANA concealer!

THE OBAA-CHAN (grandmother) OF ALL FOAM-DISPENSED CLEANSERS: Softymo’s Airy Whip. I’ve wanted to try this for years! It’s not open yet – I’m saving it for winter. Super huge photo to make up for my lack of review lol.

And the dubiously named Pink-G Body Lotion LOL, oh Japan how you tickle me. Yumi sent me a sexy photo of her posing with this bottle the same day she bought it, yelling with unrestrained enthusiasm about how she found something that screamed ‘me’. It’s got slivers of silver foil trapped in a beautifully rose-scented aqueous gel that transforms into water when coming into contact with your skin . I’ve used it a couple of times and the silver foil actually melts away, leaving behind the barest hint of shimmer. THIS IS THE SHIT RAIT HERE PEOPLE.

Peach-scented hand cream! I know it doesn’t look like your typical tube of hand cream. And get this, the hand cream is dispensed in FOAM. I don’t know what it is with the Japanese and turning everything into foam but GO FORTH AND SOLDIER ON, JAPAN! /o/ It’s like a wild foam party treat for my hands, minus the gyrating bodies and scantily-dressed women, LOVE THIS.

DHC‘s famous lip cream. It’s still unopened, sorry. Again, I’m saving this for winter. I’ve heard plenty of good things about this though, Yumi loves the lip cream as well! I’m going to be so prepared for winter this year; I’ve got different cleansers, lipbalm and slight deviation here, the warmest thermal fleece jacket from UNIQLO <3 WINTER, I WILL OWN YOU.

These product reviews would not have been possible without the extreme generosity of Yumi, THANK YOU MY LOVE <3 <3 I will see you back in Melbourne where we will feast on feta cheese and pumpkin pizza.

ALSO, TEA NOIR’S EPIC GIVEAWAY IS ENDING IN 2 DAYS!! The entries I’ve been getting are such a delight to read, thank you so much for taking part guys! It’s going to be so hard to choose my top faves *_* Please join in the fun, if you haven’t ;D Click here to take part in the giveaway and then you can truly say Non, je ne regrette rien! 8D

While I can’t say I’ve tried SK-II’s Facial Essence, I’m halfway through a bottle of the line’s Facial Treatment Clear Lotion and I like it enough as a toner to put it on top of my beauty round-up list for 2010. It’s got SK-II’s secret Pitera shiz and the added benefits of AHAs to help exfoliate the skin! It doesn’t have alcohol on the ingredient list (as far as I can remember, I threw the box away months ago) which makes it really gentle on skin. My face has been a wreck lately for reasons beyond my control. Yes. Hormonal acne is not something to be trifled with because even your peroxide of choice wouldn’t stop it. Grit your teeth, apply massive amounts of concealer and try to be as gentle as possible when treating the affected areas. This toner does its job.

After I ran out of LUSH’s Angel’s on Bare Skin, I wanted something even more gentler because winter was just sucking out all the moisture from my skin. Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant is SOOO GOOD. It comes out as a fine powder when you pour it out of the tube (no Kate Moss cocaine jokes please!). It gets activated by a few droplets of water and you end up with this slightly foamy paste. I know it’s a little weird to be scrubbing your face with something that doesn’t feel the slightest bit abrasive but it does work!

The powder’s got some rice-based enzymes in it, as well as salicylic acid which masquerades as over-the-counter acne medication most of the time but it also happens to be a great chemical exfoliator. Don’t be put off by the inclusion of salicylic acid though, the Daily Microfoliant is so gentle you can use it everyday. YouTube reviewer Lollipop26 believes the Daily Microfoliant worked so much better for her than her Clarisonic, check it out

I’m trying to fade the red spots I get from old zits as well and the Face Shop’s Post-Acne Nighttime Eraser is a nice product for that. I’m not sure if it’s working or not because I’ve only had this for about 1.5 months now and while my marks are still there, the redness has gone down a bit. It smells really soothing too, I would slap it on even if it doesn’t work LOL. I’ll update you guys on this product when I finish the tube…eventually.

My first Bobbi Brown palette from the extremely generous Catherine! She actually bought the same palette and when I expressed my amazement at its colours, she sent me one for Christmas! I had no idea she was sending me something major so I had a “OH MY GOD SHE DID NOTTTTTTT” moment when I tore the wrapping open lol THANK YOU CAT <33333 Totally digging the slick black packaging too, that crest is hot!

Bobbi Brown Day to Night Warm Eye Palette from L to R: Ivory, Oat, Espresso, Burnt Sugar, Velvet Bronze, Black Plum. I’m particularly in love with the Burnt Sugar shade, it’s a beautiful metallic gold-brown! Cat’s written a fantastic review on this palette, complete with swatches so I shan’t go into too much detail – read what she has to say ;D

I noticed I have a lot more natural-looking FOTDs this year than in the past when I used to be more experimental with colours lol, perhaps I really have grown up omg. Sadly, my skin doesn’t want to get out of its awkward teen stage *stabs* Anyway, this dark brown FOTD has flashes of gold in it for instead of layering the colour on a neutral coloured base, I used my Kryolan Aqua Pearlshade in Gold to create a subtle duochrome effect whoo.

Face:
MAC Studio Fix foundation in NC25
MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC25

Cheeks:
La Femme Glow On Nectar Peach Blush

Eyes:
Kryolan Aqua Pearlshade in Gold as a base
Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Burnt Sugar
MAC eyeshadow in Amber Lights
MAC eyeshadow in Shroom as highlight
Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Honey
MAC Pearlglide eyeliner in Wolf
MAC Browset in Girl Boy
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander NEO

Lips:
Good old Nivea lipbalm!

I like the eyeliner in this look as well, dark grey and gold make a beautiful pairing ;D

Announcement: tea noir will be on a short break this week, I’ll be heading to Malaysia tomorrow to meet my BFF Aaron for the first time! I hope everything goes well and I’ll be back soon to tell you what happens when two fierce bitches meet LOL I’M PRAYING THE WORLD DOESN’T IMPLODE ON US! x

Also, it’s nearly 3am now I don’t have time to read my entry again so forgive me if I have any typos/grammar issues in this baby! Thanks guys, see you soon.

My internets died on me this afternoon. Australia, I really want to like you but your shit internet providers are setting booby traps for me in our love game. Aaron suggested I take a break from the internet so I dropped all plans of drowning my modem in the bathroom sink and went out for coffee instead.

Scooping out minute amounts of brown sugar in an old jam jar to stir in my latte definitely beats pre-packaged sugar sticks.

I finally got an iPhone 4 last month yay! And I got to pick a free case thanks to Apple’s iPhone 4 Case Program. Since I’m part Chinese (thanks Grandma!) and part Malay (thanks other notable blood relatives!), it has been inscribed in my DNA to have a “can’t lose out/tak boleh kalah” attitude so I picked the most expensive and prettiest case offered >D

Writing out to-do lists on napkins is a good way to whittle time away and pretend you have your life organized. I haven’t packed at ALL. Yeah, sure everyone thinks I still have time. But I have an exam to study for, gifts to buy, an apartment to clean, a freezer to defrost, bills to p- you get the idea.

Plus, what plagues me most is not the question of what clothes to bring (I’ve half a mind to pack some undies and pyjamas so I have an excuse to buy more clothes) but MY HEELS OMG, which pairs do I keep here and which pairs will travel the world with me? …and make-up. WHAT DO I DO WITH MY MAKE-UP?! *SCREAMS*

Shoot me: A couple of months ago, I did a swap with Fiza but never had the time to take photos of the loot she sent over from Singapore. I sent her a bottle of Bio-oil (which is available in abundance here) and she sent me a tube of the Korres Mandarin Lip Butter Stick (crazily overpriced in Australia). She included some extras as well, so lovely of her! The Korres Mandarin Lip Butter Stick has a slight pink tint to it and omg the scent is so yummeh!

Extras: Some fruit masks from The Face Shop and hand cream! Haven’t tried the hand cream yet because I’m trying to finish the one I have from L’Occitane.

MOAR NAIL POLISHES! I love the pale lilac shade, Fiza! It’s going to be perfect for Spring! And the dark grape-ish glitter shade is beautiful!

Everything she sent came in this striped nautical pouch, ++ brownie points for effort! Thank you so much for everything, Fiza! I loved everything you sent, including the skincare samples (didn’t take a photo because I forgot to bring them out with me!) I’ll be seeing you soon <33

I'm on a blogging roll yeahhh! It feels good to be writing for myself rather than for school and I love that I now have the time to take photographs again. I'm thinking of doing a giveaway soon and it *might* have something to do with Twitter so this would be the perfect time to follow @ilyana for more updates. If you don’t have a Twitter account, it’s about time you get one, honey because you don’t know what you’re missing: Rumour has it that I’m pretty funny on Twitter ;p

I’m going to update my About and Links section of the site within the next couple of days too, I have new blog friends and I can’t wait to share their blog links with you guys. Take care guys! <3