For this year's Laneige Meets Fashion 2016, Laneige is bringing you a super exciting collaboration, the Laneige x Lucky Chouette Collection! 

A little background info, Lucky Chouette was first established in 2008 with the talent of fusing graffiti and modern street style. Lucky Chouette appeals to fashionable teenagers and in conjunction with the Laneige X Lucky Chouette collection, the vibrant colours will definitely add a sense of uniqueness to your style. 

This 2016 collaboration introduces a new product into their line, the Serum Drop Tint, which will be a permanent item in their line. This lippie has a oil-serum formula that provides long lasting colour as well as a supple plumping effect to the lips. 

If you noticed from the picture above, Laneige has recently rolled out the new & improved BB cushion this year that features a new sponge design that I absolutely adore. Compared to the second generation, the new cushion sponge has a 3D Skin Fit diamond-like design that makes picking up of product so much easier!

I used to struggle and press super hard on the old cushion because it was so soft and ended up having an uneven distribution of product on my sponge. With the new and improved cushion design that is less bouncy, my puff absorbs an even amount of product thus making application and blending so much easier and less of a hassel. Kudos to Laneige as they have definitely worked really hard to perfect this cushion design.

The Multi-Colour is a beautiful face powder that provides a subtle glow to the skin. If you are in a rush, simply swirl your blush brush and lightly dust it on the apples of your cheeks for a touch of colour. It is an extremely versatile palette that can even be used as an eyeshadow. I love popping the shimmery white shade on the inner corners of my eyes to look more awake. With a clean fluffy brush, you can also use the darker orange in the crease for a soft sculpted look.

So that's the entire lineup for the Laneige x Lucky Chouette Collection and my thoughts on the products. Which are your favourites? Also, I am so obsessed with all the cute sponge puffs! It definitely adds character to my basic BB cushions.

This limited edition collection is currently available in all Laneige boutiques in Singapore. If you are a super busy girl like me and have no time/energy to shop, you can always head over to Lazada and simply shop online and get everything delivered to your doorstep! Click away, you can even choose cash on delivery! I love technology advancement, LOL I can literally shop in the mrt every morning when I am on my way to work. #shopaholic 

Heh, that's it folks! Thank you for reading and have a lovely week ahead!

xx
Winter

Hello there! Another travel related post because I am having an absolute wanderlust moment right now. Flew back to Singapore last week after a short getaway and I thought what better than to write this post since it is so fresh in my mind. I have been to Japan twice now and it is indeed a traveller's dream. Here are some tips that I have picked up along the way and hopefully it will help you in planning your next getaway to the wonderful land of culture and of course, SUSHI! 

If you know me irl, I am super into apps and probably have too many apps that an average girl needs on her iPhone. I made full use of the Sygic Travel app even while I was on my trip. If you read my previous travel post on 10 Tips for Solo Travellers, you will know my ultimate first tip is NOTHING will never go as planned. With Sygic Travel, I can free-play my itinerary and switch locations according to whatever the day brings. This app has an in-built library of itineraries, tourist attractions, restaurants etc; All you need to do is to select whatever places you are interested to visit on the day and voila, it automatically plans the day whilst maximising your time by sorting them according to the distance between each place. Awesome right! 
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(They do have a website but honestly, it sucks. 30 minutes of waiting and I am still on the loading page. Trust me and just download the app, it is much more convenient as well.)

RENT IT EARLY!! I wish I had listened to my own advice... I submitted a last minute request (literally the day before I fly) and there were no units available locally for rental. I was low-key panicking because I knew that I will never survive a day without a wifi. Ended up having to pay double the amount at Osaka Itami Airport. I rented from Global Advanced Communications for about SGD$75 for a 6 days trip. No complaints about them though, the connection was great even when I went to really secluded alleys and I had unlimited data to use throughout my entire trip. Will definitely recommend them if you are a last-minute person like me. The best thing is to always do your research first as there are many places that offer portable wifi devices. Some can be extremely cheap but they do compromise on the connectivity. Also, do look out for occasional promotion codes which can help save some extra moolahs too! 

Here are a couple of wifi rentals available locally: 
Changi Recommends
Vision Data

If you are looking to cover different cities in Japan, I highly recommend getting the Japan Rail Pass as it is much more affordable. The one week JR Pass costs SGD$370. The JR Pass gives you access to all of the JR Lines except for the Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen. Do note that you require to purchase your tickets before your trip. For more information, click here.

Listed below are the approximate prices for Shinkansen ticket: 
Tokyo to Osaka (round trip): SGD392 
Osaka to Kyoto (round trip): SGD40-50
Osaka to Kyoto (round trip): SGD40-50 

Judging from above, if I were to pay a la carte for all the tickets, I would have spent a total of SGD492. If I had the JR Pass, I would have saved a whopping SGD122! So ultimately it all boils down on the places that you wish to cover, do your research and it's time to practice your math! ;) 

Trash bins are really difficult to come by, so keep a spare plastic bag in your bag to toss your trash in, stop yourself from caving in and becoming a litterbug. 

English is not widely spoken in Japan, it is good to have a few Japanese words up your sleeve. Here are a few that I found extremely useful: 

Hello: Kon'nichiwa
Thank You: Arigatō
Excuse Me: Sumimasen
Can I have the menu? : Menu Kudasai
Delicious: Oishii
Toilet: Toire

Have enough cash with you for the entire trip as the ATMs may not accept foreign bank cards. If not, you can always use your card in shopping malls and save those precious dollars for food/taxi. You will receive tons of coins in Japan and I highly recommend spending them on train tickets or taxi rides ASAP as they do get pretty hefty after awhile.

If you are shopping in a mall, remember to enquire about tax refund! That will save you a whole load of money. Got a pair of Nike sneakers for only SGD130 instead of the full tax price! Score! However, if you are getting anything beauty related, your products will be sealed in a "tax free" bag and you can only use them when you leave the country. Strange rules....

The rumours are true! It is indeed expensive. In fact, everything is expensive in Japan. However, if you are travelling in groups, taxis might work for you! Travelled in a group of 3 and some places are actually cheaper by taxis instead of train. The starting prices for taxis range from 540-580yen and they only start jumping after a bit. You can get your price calculations here.

That's all I have for now! These are just some of the tips I can come up with to prepare you before your trip. Hope this helps and have an amazing trip to Japan! It is indeed a beautiful country to visit with tons of awesome food! 

Thank you for reading! 

xx
​Winter

Love, life & loss, all intertwined into one. 

​Love is a powerful thing.
It can make everything beautiful yet it can take your world down.

Life is so full of wonders.
​The best is yet to come.

Loss, is a devastation and in that moment,
you are forever changed.

I had never been afraid of death. In fact, I have always thought death was beautiful. If you know Tarot, carte tredici (card 13) is Death, a symbolic ending that may bring about a beginning of something far more valuable and important. However, I finally understood the fear of death when he was at the doorstep of my loved one. 

Half my life, I had spent with my beloved dog. For him, he had spent his entire life with me. Funny isn't it? My life has only just begun and yet his is on the verge of ending. He wasn't just a normal pet, he was my family, my comfort and my partner in crime. Everyday, I would wish for him to stay with me forever. I dreaded for this day to come because I knew nobody could escape Death. Perhaps it might be a good thing for him to shorten his sufferings, but I can't bear the thought of losing him forever. 

To anyone who's reading this who have loved and lost, find the courage to face the pain. Avoiding it might cause deeper hurt to yourself instead. Be it through the hands of death or just going through the process of getting to unknow somebody, know that with Death comes new opportunities and possibilities. Sometimes you need to let go in order to embrace what's in store for you. 

Our hearts may be broken but let's hope that they are broken open for us to experience life in a much deeper & meaningful way. Life is full of wonders, and death might just be a beginning.

I will miss you so very much my little munchkin. I will miss your silly antics like taking over my bed and snuggling beside me on rainy nights because you are afraid of the thunder. I will miss you slapping me awake just so that I could pet & hug you because I was overseas for weeks. I will miss your kisses that are only for me because I taught you so (fiercely possessive lol) and your squishy little button nose. I will always think of you whenever I am eating apples because you will always be there eating the other half of every slice. I will miss you accompanying me on late nights when I have to stay up just so that I am not alone. I will miss your tiny tail wagging in happiness.

In your short span of life, you have taught me love, life and loss. You have taught me the value of love and to treasure those around me. You have taught me how to embrace life and live it to the fullest like how you did with yours. You have taught me the beauty in loss. To some you may just be a dog, but to me, you are one wise little fella and definitely a bundle of joy. You will always be my best friend and partner in crime (stealing food from the fridge). Be strong and see you on the other side. You will always be in my heart until we meet again. 

All my heart, 
Winter