OOTD: The LBD

BLACK. As if I don't already have enough black clothing, I decided to add another one to the collection. I just couldn't resist this Foruchizu dress (blogger Cheesie & Audrey's brand) because it was literally the PERFECT dress I have been searching for awhile now. Here's why: I loved the long sleeves, the sweetheart neckline WITHOUT any cleavage exposed, the perfect decent length, the sequined wrist area that eliminates the need for arm swags (not that arm swags are a bad thing), and as though that is not good enough, there is also a sexy criss-cross detail at the back of the dress which I totally forgot to take a picture of. All that at about 70% off. How can one resist? Yup, you just can't.

OOTD: Casual Glam

There is such in joy in wearing all my favourite things at the same time. This H&M cropped has been getting so much wear since buying it a month ago! It works wonders for day and night time. Here I'm dressing it up for a night time glam look with a structured grey high waist skirt, barely there heels, a rose gold necklace and matching tear drop earrings. Definitely my favourite night time look so far. 

OOTD: Sporting for Sundays

Definitely not a sportswoman but sometimes I just like to sport the look (pun intended). My new Lacoste shoes I bought at 60% off during their pre-renovation sale came just in time to put this whole look together. I can't believe I almost forgot how nice and comfy canvas pumps are. They were my staple shoes for years during my university days :)

OOTD: Castle Wanderer

One fine evening when we unintentionally stumbled upon a castle in the middle of the city. This called for an impromtu OOTD shoot with the beautiful architecture and brick walls. I love brick walls. Period. Of course, this isn't an actual castle, more of a man-made one that hosts restaurants, bars, offices and even an art centre. Nevertheless, it is still pretty empty at this point so I love the whole eerie-ness it gives off like an actual castle.

Featuring my new Cotton On jeans with this lovely thread detail at the thighs. 

Love the juxtaposition of Roman ruins sitting at the backyard of a Korean restaurant.

Location: Empire Damansara

OOTD: DIY muscle tee

I tried something really different with my editing and "photography" today. I think you can tell :) So, today's outfit is something really simple. It's basically just a tee and shorts but with glam-ed up accessories. I absolutely love muscle tees cos they are so airy and comfy but why buy one when you can easily make one. I'm pretty sure you already have the items you need which is basically just an old oversized band tee and scissors. I didn't have any band tees so I went with this old Twilight tee I won a couple years back (don't judge!). Anyway, one good thing about making your own outfits is the freedom to customize all you want..You can adjust how big you want the arm hole to be. The trend is to show a little bit of bra/bandeau top but you can always make it smaller if you are more conservative. Have fun!

p/s: who finds it creepy that Edward Cullen is staring right at you? :D

Budget Beauty: The Basics

Today's review gonna be all about the basic stuff you need will need in your basic grooming routine. These are things I don't think I can live without!

Everybody needs to smell good, but fragrance is one of the most toxic products we can put on our body (surprise, surprise!). However, all hope is not gone, eventhough you really can't eliminate fragrance out of your routine, the very least is go for ones using natural fragrance like this Shea Karite EDT from Body Shop. I've started appreciating sustainable brands like Body Shop even more after reading Jessica Alba's The Honest Life.

Price: RM59 (i think)

I have been using a similar product from Bio-Essence every night which I reviewed here  until one day I saw this sleeping mask on sale. After the discount, it was actually cheaper than my usual night creme of the same range and brand so I got this instead. To be honest, it is as good as my usual product but this one has a thicker consistency while the night cream has a more gel like texture. I love them both the same so I'm probably going to alternate them depending which one is on sale! #win

Price: RM49.90 on sale (usual RM69.90)

Laneige is not exactly a budget brand but I thought I throw in a review here since I got this as a sample. I didn't really like it because it was too oily for my liking. I prefer a water based make-up remover over an oil version like this one. It did remove my make-up easily but I had to spend more time washing my face clean from the oily product than the actual time of removing my make-up. I would only use this if I have full make-up on. Otherwise, I'll just stick to my Hada Labo.

Price: N/A (Free Sample)

Confession time: I rarely remember to use toner. I usually wash my face while I'm in the shower (cos I multitask like that!) and usually forget to tone my face once I'm out of my shower. This resulted in my toner expiring before I could even finish it! This time I went hunting for a smaller bottle and found this Tea Tree Oil version from Aiken. If you don't already know, I LOVE TEA TREE OIL. It's natural, it has healing properties and I use it religiously every time I have a pimple or a scratch or a minor injury. The 100% tea tree extract I am using is also from Aiken...So back to this toner, I honestly have no complaints about this, it feels like it works better than my previous Simple fragrance free toner. I absolutely love the smell of tea tree and this product is super affordable!

Price: RM5

One day while shopping for conditioner, I totally went to the store thinking of buying a Schwarzkopf one but ended up getting this Tracia one instead because I got influenced by the promoter!! Oh well, despite it being a local brand, I am actually liking this. It does gives that silky smooth feeling and also smells very professional..like the ones used in salons. I guess that's why its called Salon Treatment? It also comes in a big tube and I think it will be able to last for the rest of the year since I only condition my hair every other day.

Price: RM9.90

OK. So this isn't really a basic product per se since many people I know don't use dry shampoo. But to me, this is a very important product because I have an oily scalp. Previously, I used an aerosol dry shampoo by Sephora which leaked half the bottle away in my drawer (!!). Although I really loved that product, I felt that I should try another format besides the spray format. I went to a pharmacy to find one and this was the only dry shampoo in the entire store. I tell you, dry shampoos are hard to find in Malaysia!! Anyway, this powdered version was not too bad, it did mattify my hair on oily days but it does leave your hair a little grey so you need to blend it in. This was a saving grace during the water rationing weeks where I would sometimes skip a shampoo to save water. I also use this when I get back home late at night and it is bad to wash your hair (the Chinese believes it causes arthritis). I also think the powdered version would work better for ladies in confinement since they aren't allowed to wash their hair or have any contact with unboiled water. Yikes!

Price: RM22

Last but not least, a body wash is probably the most basic product ever because everybody needs to shower everyday. I got this as a gift from Sephora actually, when I got their membership. It says it's an orange blossom wash which I thought would be similar to the Body Shop's Satsuma version here but unfortunately it is nowhere near. The Body Shop definitely produced a fresh smelling citrusy fragrance while Sephora's version is more of a musky orange. It is also very creamy which somehow didn't leave my skin feeling that clean. I don't mind using it but I probably wouldn't go out and buy this.

Price: RM29

I am trying to do this once in 2 months so hopefully I'll have be able to share more in 2 months time :) 

Insta-post: May - June

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Fashion Forecast July 2014: Unconventional swimwear

Wow, can't believe it has been a year since I did a swimwear post! Looks like every July is going to be dedicated to swimwear since it's summer in most countries. This year, I noticed that swimwear has really upped its game from the conventional triangle or bandeau styles. This year I am also gravitating towards bikinis that provides a bit more coverage (think high waisted, corset bandeaus and rashguards). Here are my TOP 10 unconventional swimwear picks!

This Karmaloop palm print bikini is the epitome of a mod summer style. Love the whole summer print but in subdued black & white for a bit of a classy take on things. I'm also a big fan of this corset-ish bandeau that makes it a little more decent due to its length. I also love pieces that can go from beach to dinner by just throwing on a high waisted skirt. 

This This is a love song bikini is to die-for. I love the fresh colour combination, the neoprene material, the high waist and the cut-out halter top. Once again, this is a flexible outfit where you can just throw on a high-waist midi skirt and you're good to go out for a party. 

This Revolve bikini I love for its marble print in black & white. The conservative bottom helps cover some of those unflattering areas and is the print gives an illusion of a slimmer silhouette. 

Another gorgeous corset bikini seen on Hapatime by Swimspot.com. TIP: This corset bikini also works well for those who wants to look heavier on top ;)

This is another awesome piece from Swimspot.com. Love the colour combinations and the flared top also gives a heavier top effect and balances out the whole silhouette. TIP: Orange radiates a pleasant aura so wearing orange makes the wearer and people looking at the wearer happier. 

Worried about getting sunburn on your shoulders? This cropped rashguard top by Hurley gives the coverage you need while still looking fashionably sporty. I never thought I would one day think covering up on a beach would look good ;)

High neck mesh bikini. I'll wrote about how sports halter is so IN right now it's nowonder I found this mesh halter bikini appealing. This helps conceal some cleavage too if you are top heavy and want to look more decent in a bikini.

I still have a soft spot for bandeaus and I absolutely love these neoprene Triangl Swimwear bikinis that looked like it came from the future. My favourite is the one in lime green!

 Here is another option for covering up them shoulders! This Pacsun pineapple rashguard top as seen on Eugenie from feralcreature.com looks super cute! I love that it doesn't even look like a rashguard and can be paired with denim cut-off shorts when you're not at the beach.

Last but not least this Pacsun swimwear deserves a place in my list because it looks totally out of this world. You'll definitely turn heads wearing this!