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‘Vanity’ Category

你怕黑嗎？

March 24, 2013 by barffie

The title of this blogpost is a throwback to the classic 80s Guinness Stout ads featuring George Lam… “Are you afraid of black (of the dark)?” and it kind of reflects how I feel about my hair colour right now.

For the longest time ever, I’ve coloured my hair, due to all the numerous white hair that sprout shamelessly month after month (it’s a genetic condition…). So it’s always been some shade of brown, burgundy and most recently, red.

I’ve avoided colouring my hair dark brown or black because… the whole point of colouring my hair would be to lighten it and give a bit of interesting colour to my otherwise boring Asian hair right??!!

So I went to freshen up my hair colour at the salon today with the intention of giving it a cherry purplish kind of shade to it… and because I was working with a hairstylist who’s not my usual guy (very pushy on additional treatments and stuff… but he was the only one who managed to achieve what I wanted – that bright red hair, without needing to resort to using bleach… so he gets me) so I supposed the colour didn’t quite turn out as light as I wanted.

Upon seeing me, the first thing Jeffwee asked was, “Why is your hair black?”… to which I retorted, “It’s NOT black! It’s dark purple!!!”

I have almost jet black hair now. I can’t get used to it. It feels unnatural. It’s like a wig. I don’t know. I find it weird. It’s so black. I don’t know. I…

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Make Up

February 15, 2013 by barffie

Been to a couple of weddings and parties over the last few months and I do dress up quite a bit for events like this. I won’t be satisfied with a dressy top and jeans anymore. It’s time to have fun with my dressing before I get way too old for kawaii dresses!

If I don’t do it now, I’d become that weird overdressed auntie and no! I am going to dress my age and have fun with it.

This one is with orange eyeshadow. Orange. For a company event.

I have gone heavier and more daring on the make up department as well.

Am loving dark, smokey eyes with a vengeance.

I even went a little too young… But in my defense, this was worn for a CWS event.

And this for a themed wedding.

So yeah. Bo liao post… over!

Category Love, Vanity | Tags: | 2 Comments
Brow How How

January 16, 2013 by barffie

Have always been quite proud of my DIY brow trimming and shaping skills. I could draw my eyebrows real arched and all. But apparently, it’s a little harsh on my softer features… and am now trying out eyebrow shadow-shaded brows instead. I think I do look a little younger with thicker, straighter, less-defined brows.

What do you think?

Category Vanity | Tags: | 3 Comments
Being Miss Ang

November 5, 2012 by barffie

I’ve always loved red. It’s got nothing to do with my surname, I swear. But I love red and I cannot lie. Although many of the fashion forward young blogger girls have done this colour to death, but to me, it’s still fresh as ever.

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New Need For a New Face

September 1, 2012 by barffie

Nah I’m not getting plastic surgery lah. I’m way too cheap for that.

I just want my skin condition to improve, you see. I’m not sure if my skin has gone to hell recently due to the awful Olympics graveyard shift or I’m just getting… old. So my old skincare regime is not working as well for me as before and it’s time to review it.

It’s also just as well as my usual skin care brand Paul & Joe just pulled out of Singapore. It wasn’t a famous skincare brand but the light and moisturising products did work well for me for a couple of years. Until now.

Apart from the awful United Nations of freckles dotting my cheeks, I have a chronic dry, flaky, scaly skin condition on my forehead. Oily T-zone. Sensitive skin. Huge pores and the usual blackheads and white heads.

Brands tried so far:
Simple (moisturisers too oily ugh. I turned into an oil pot.)
Biotherm (too harsh)
Laneige (nice but not moisturising enough – might try other ranges though)
Olay (ehhh not fond of the brand)
Neutrogena (too harsh)
Paul & Joe (used for years!)
Cetaphil (using the cleanser for now, the Ultra Hydrating lotion seems a little oily)
EDIT: Hada Labo (it was ok but nothing wow lor. I’m still using the make up remover)
Paula’s Choice (seems a bit harsh – but I will finish up the samples first…)
Neogence (not too suitable)
Dermalogica (so-so effects for some products – expensive!)

I’ve just got to keep trying

ADDENDUM:
I have started with Naruko, the brand started by Niu Er the Taiwanese beauty guru. So far so good!

ADDENDUM 2:
Nah Naruko didn’t work as well as I’d hoped to… I got some samples from Curel and found that it improved my complexion quite a bit after only 2 nights! I went to buy the full-sized bottles already and will update

Category Vanity | Tags: | 2 Comments
She’s Got The Look

January 26, 2012 by barffie

Only very recently I kind of regard myself as a lady with a discerning taste for fashion and beauty, but I’d have to admit – I wasn’t always like this.

I grew up feeling awkward about my body and truth be told – my mother made me feel ugly about myself and my plumpness ever since I was a teenager. No boys took interest in me – that geeky fat girl. My Chinese Dance instructor called me the “Little Fatty” or 小胖子. My ex-boyfriend called me Fatty too, although in a more affectionate way. Perhaps he was ok with my size, but after he cheated on me twice with younger, slimmer, dressier chicks… I started to think otherwise.

I dressed like an auntie in my early 20s. I hid my boobs under loose fitting T-shirts, whereas those thunder thighs never saw the light of day under those baggy jeans. I was always in short sleeve tops or tops with 3/4 length sleeves in dark colours. I wore black-rimmed glasses as a form of arty identity from my design school background. Those were the dark days of my dressing.

Then I lost weight, quite a bit of those weight. Suddenly sleeveless dresses and spaghetti tops looked appealing on me. So much more options! Colourful clothes became interesting and flattering, thanks to my fair complexion. Even after I piled those weight back on a couple years later, I never shied away from sun dresses and sleeveless outfits again. So what if I showcased my flabby underarms? I’d tasted freedom in fashion and would never go back to wearing dull, boring clothes again.

But I didn’t have a “look”. Some girls look great in smart, executive outfits; some look great in ultra feminine floral dresses; some were hip fashionistas who look good in everything, even in outlandish clothes… but what was I?

Then I found some really cute dresses from ASOS sometime last year (yes you all buy from there, I know… I’m a laggard when it comes to dressing up) that FIT. I am a big UK14, so what? I rocked those dresses. No more sad “I’m sorry these are Free Size” crap. And these dresses were made of good quality fabric and flattered me in every way.

I may not be the girl with the great figure, but I have to admit – I am the girl that looked great in the gorgeous dress and not let the dress overwhelm me. So I set aside 4 dresses this Chinese New Year… they were all gorgeous, but this one is my favourite.

Love the bold colour stripes, skater cutting and vintage styling

Finally a vintage-looking dress that didn’t make me look frumpy! It didn’t cost a bomb either. I love this so much. The other dress was a floaty piece which may not entirely be right for me.

Cute, flattering and unique

And this one was worn to a friend’s wedding lunch late 2011 and apart from the revealingness of it all… it is in a really pretty shade of nude that really flatters my skin tone. I also had fun styling my hair and matching my make up to the outfit… and to complete it with a cute pair of shoes!

AIYOH! I want more dresses now! Especially now that I have found my “look”, I really want more dresses right now!!!

Category Vanity | Tags: | 2 Comments
Nail Job

January 15, 2012 by barffie

Longish nails.

I’ve always found it difficult to grow my nails long all these years. That was until I started taking Fish Oil supplements on a regular basis. My nails have grown noticeably stronger and shinier. Without buffing they look healthy and pretty, not crumbly and dull anymore.

So I got a voucher for a mani-pedi session from my brother-in-law and his wife last birthday and thought this would a good opportunity for me to do a French Manicure for once! My nails were never long enough for it because I’m really not used to the length, so I guess the time has come for me to do this!

I’m not a manicure person, because I dislike having stuff stuck on my nails. It gets uncomfortable, so fake nails and extensions are definitely a big no-no. Being very unladylike, the pretty nail jobs always end up ruined after a few days. So it’s always been kind of a waste of money for me to do it. I can count with my 2 hands the number of times I’ve actually paid for a manicure.

Pedicures, on the other hand, are a little more value for money for me. For one they last longer and the foot scrub is always a good thing for my tortured feet.

I like French Manicures because it is simple and goes with any outfit. Will post photos

UPDATE:
Bad news. I broke one of my nails accidentally so I guess no more French Manicure I’m not keen on extensions leh.

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Kilogrammes

January 6, 2012 by barffie

Last year was quite a year. I overcame my worries and survived school and work… I also picked up cycling, an activity I still love, apart from the painful skin abrasions I suffered from cycling long distances… I’ve got to be proud of myself nonetheless! My will was limited and so I’ve prioritised it to getting good grades.

But other than that, I’ve let my diet gone amok. Plans fell apart one after another even though they were simple and achievable. Stuff like “stop eating deep fried food” got thrown out after I got a waft of those darn McDonald’s fries. Even stuff like “drink only plain water” fell flat. How to cut down on carbs, you tell me?

I was about 68kg back in late 2009, dropped to 58kg late 2010 and without weighing myself, I can safely say I am somewhere around 63-65kg now. That’s a whole blah and a disappointment. To think I was just 3kg away from my target weight of 55kg! I’ve long since given up the aim of being 50kg again because I’m just not motivated enough. With this recent shrinking due to my awful appetite after the wisdom teeth surgery, I guess it’s time to regain my center… and start moving again.

Starting next week would be my weekly dancercise lessons and I’ve since kickstarted my cycling regime on NYE. I’ve got to keep this up! Diet-wise… I’ll start doing my Yong Tau Foo (no deep fried tau pok and less sauce!) – fish porridge – more veggies, less rice plan on weekdays. Just like how I did it back in 2009 when doctor advised me to go lose some weight so that my hormones can settle down and for my triglycerides level to go back down.

Exercise and healthy living has to be the goal of 2012. 55kg I will see you soon. I hope. I did it before and I will do it again.

Category Darkness, Vanity | Tags: | No Comments
“Do Women Plan Their Wardrobe?”

November 12, 2011 by barffie

He asked me this as we were weaving through traffic to a wedding this morning.

I shrugged and said, “I do. Not sure about other women…” I’d just spent an hour curling my long hair in preparation for my Blair Waldorf look. In my mind, I secretly recalled the hatching of the concept just about a couple months back.

It first started with a dress I bought on ASOS. I found it via a search for “Peter Pan collar”, because well… I love Peter Pan collars. They remind me of my primary school uniform. I hated it back then, but I now find them oh so cute. They have since changed the uniform into something hideous.

But I digress.

That was about 3 months ago, as I went through a crazy dress-buying phase. I kept the dress for an appropriate occasion to wear. Probably a lunch wedding.

So there were 2 weddings coming up, one’s a lunch and one’s a dinner. It was a no-brainer. So what hair do I wear for such dresses? I wore an updo for the dinner – something glam for night, coupled with scary smokey eyes. For the lunch – it was time to let my hair down… and with that preppy collared dress, I’d need preppy hair to match.

I’ve never liked Gossip Girl, found it frivolous and pointless. But I could never take my eyes off Blair Waldorf’s style. Headbands! Big fluffy curls! Cute girly dresses!

Perhaps it was turning 30 that turned me into someone who wants to be a schoolgirl again. Oh, dreams.

So I bought 3 headbands from a cheapo shop with a surprisingly pretty range of headbands that didn’t look that cheapo to choose from. They were selling 3 for $5. So grabbed them I did.

Then I needed the curls. My naturally wavy hair just wasn’t vavavoom curly enough. So I had to get myself a pair of curling tongs. Couldn’t bear to plonk money down on one (I’m cheapo, remember?) so I borrowed one from my colleague. I singed my fingers a few times and tangled my hair in the curling iron a few times. I also lost a bit of hair. *clutches desperately at broken hair*

Long story short… here’s my hair. It wasn’t as big and fluffy as hers, but I guess with a pair of fatter curling tongs I might be able to achieve better effects.

My waist-length hair was hidden behind… but you can see the collar from here (not exactly Peter Pan, but school-girly enough… And yes, there was a nasty cleavage that I am not sharing.

Here’s a fuller version… I didn’t take a photo of the back. Damn.

So yeah. I did plan quite far ahead, because it’s nice to put on make up and costume for loads of photo-taking opportunities! Hur hur hur. I liked the outcome and so did he. And so did my friends at the wedding.

Good effort, I supposed!

Category Domestication, Vanity | Tags: | No Comments
Love ‘em. Hate ‘em.

October 23, 2011 by barffie

My latest pair of shoes

I went on a self-imposed shoe ban for the most part of the year. I had to throw out several pairs of shoes that had one or more of the following qualities:
1. Freakishly uncomfortable
2. Made of super cheap and lousy material which peeled in storage
3. Tore themselves apart once I wore them out (usually freakishly uncomfortable)

I don’t think I will be buying cheapo shoes, unless they are good brands going under super discounts… or I’ll pass. Or if they are freakishly chic AND comfortable.

Once I broke that ban after a period of what? half a year?… I got a pair of Doc Marts… then I got a pair of Americaya strappy sandals… and today, I got myself a pair of red wedges (my very first in years) from Forever 21 (not a shoe brand, I know). The toe box is wide, it has good arch support (sorely lacking in most shoes) and I like that it has a fabric insole which would prevent my sweaty feet from slipping.

Plus it was only $45.

My self-imposed bans never really last, as you can see. Except for one – I’ve not been to a hair salon for haircuts and colouring jobs for 3 years. Heh heh!

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