Welcome back to my favourite holiday season and the beginning of my favourite blog post series - gift guides! I have always been a fan of writing posts like these and I love coming up with the perfect gift ideas because gift giving is one of the ways I use to express love and appreciation.

So now that we are around the Christmas period, everyone has probably started writing down lists and getting ready for the celebrations. I thought I could come here and give you some ideas on what you can consider adding to that list! Since I've discovered the Shopstyle widget, it makes me listing products so much easier and you getting access to it in a better way and I hope that you've been liking that format so far.





This one is for the beauty lover in your life and I've picked out beauty gift sets that fits a budget for balling on a budget and spending your entire life savings because, Christmas! This selection includes all sorts of make up products that are specially picked to suit most skin tones and level of make up expertise. I see them as 'collectables' just because of their packaging, products and all that fun stuff.

Picture from: ASOS

Who could say no to a glittery lippie? Know someone that loves their glitter and their dark lip? This one is for them! With Lip gloss, Lip glitter, Lip colour with an Applicator brush, this high-shine lippie would make your gift receiver the brightest lip in the party!

Picture from: M&S

Pixi is one of the most underrated brands in this world of make up and their products are pretty amazing if I do say so myself. This eye kit has a beautiful colour story with the warm pretty pinks and a healthy dose of shimmer, perfect for anyone who loves a neutral everyday look. It also comes along with a black felt tip eyeliner to create wings big enough to fly away from any awkward conversations with people you want to avoid this holiday!

Picture from: Beauty Bay

Picture from: Harrods

This set of mini BB lipstick makes the perfect gift for any lipstick lover out there. Featuring a gorgeous spectrum of nude to bold shades, this one would be great for all occasions. Plus, these babies would look so cute placed on a vanity - even on display, these are a treat for the eyes!

Picture from: Beauty Bay

Jouer has been known to produce amazing lip toppers and lip glosses so this is going to be a big hit if you know someone that loves their shiny lip. Comes beautifully packaged in a patterned box, this set comes with everything you need to line, colour and enhance those lips.

Picture from: John Lewis

Picture from: Selfridges

Picture from: Next

Another brush set for you to take your pick, this one features a pearlescent brush handle design and a make up sponge along with four brushes. Comes in a rose gold box, this gift is not only beautiful to look at but also handy with the dense bristles.

Picture from: Harrods

Similar to the Bobbi Brown lipstick set, this one is for the liquid gloss lover. Achieve the perfect pout with this non-sticky and long-lasting formula. This selection of nude colours makes the perfect natural, juicy lip look or a lip topper to bring any lip colour to the next level.

Picture from: John Lewis

Picture from: John Lewis

Featuring one of the best selling makeup kit from Benefit, the Hippie Go Lucky selection contains a mini blush, along with their iconic POREfessional primer, mini highlighter and mascara, plus a note of tips and tricks all in a collectable make up bag. This would make the perfect gift for your benefit fan who loves a quick and easy make up look!

Picture from: Selfridges

Well, I sure saved the best for the last didn't I? This ultimate Naked collection will be the best gift for any make up junkie you want to spoil this Christmas. With four of the classic naked palettes from the original all to the heat, your gift receiver will be treated to a range of products that are of great quality and options. This formula gives off a velvety-rich texture that blends effortlessly to create a beautiful look.

Hey friends!

Welcome back to my series where I talk about my experience of moving overseas for university and the tips and tricks I found to make the whole process that bit easier. Plus I thought it'd be nice to share with you my experience about it just so you can have an idea about how it was like for me!

So, this post will be all about the accommodation - the one I stayed in, how I made it my home and where I found to be the best places to get my home bits!

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Before moving to Manchester, I have not stepped foot into the UK one bit. I've only seen parts of it through blogs, youtube videos and stories from the people around me. But somehow, someway I found a love for it - a love for a place I have never been, never known and never experienced. Weird isn't it? But part of me has always wanted to chase that feeling, that dream you know?

I had some friends in the UK so I could ask for recommendations, advice and all the stuff to get an idea of how I wanted to plan out things. Here are a couple of things you can take into consideration when looking for a flat/place to stay in a new country.

1: Location - find out where are some of the safest/dangerous place in the city, how far is it from your work or school. You can do it by reading news articles, going on social media to ask around or even check out crime rates websites.

I took this back in 2016 on my first winter morning experience!

2. Transportation - being in Singapore really spoilt me where a bus stop is less than three minutes walk away, train station is about ten and the access to other transportation is super easy. Since I was convinced that Uber rides costs about a limb in the UK, I was determined to find a place that is near a bus stop or at least some form of transport since I am not a driver nor do I own other transport methods.

3. Budget - when renting a flat in a new country, look around to find the average price and then adjust it to your budget. Set a maximum and minimum range so you can make sure your flat fits all the categories!

Okay, now that you got your place sorted, make sure that you set aside your money to pay rent. Just be aware that some places require you to pay upfront, either full or in six months worth simply because you're not a resident of the country. So before you pay completely, make sure you have done your research - read reviews of the places, find facebook groups of the accommodation and ask the current residents on their fav/least fav parts of the place and what not. This is so you can get an idea before you put a lump sum of your life savings into something.

Moving onto the next part - settling into your new home. Here are some of the steps I found that have helped me adapt to a new space and hopefully, it will help you too.

1. Have a routine
I don't know about you but a routine always helps me get things in motion. Having a fixed set of things you follow through helps you set your roots, so if you do little things like make your bed, wake up at specific times, carry out certain things at certain times of the day etc. By doing so, you can have things to look forward to, know what to expect especially when you're in a new situation and place where you don't know what to expect.

2. Decorate
Making your space feel as homely as possible in ways that you personally enjoy, is one of the best ways to help you settle in quickly and easily. I found that putting up pictures of my friends and family, getting cushions and cute bedding sets and adding little knick knacks like candles, diffusers, rugs and plants really helped.

Picture from my first flat, pinned up all my cards and sentimental items on the board above my desk

My first bed! Made it extra comfy with cushions of different sizes and textures.

Here are some of the things you can consider to add to your cart when decorating your home -


And I get that some of this things can cost a lot, so make sure again, do your research, do your online shopping to find the best options. Look to places like:

- Asda
- Home Sense
- PoundLand
- Primark
- B&M
- Ikea

for affordable home bits where you can get stuff for lower prices. Just make sure that you plan out well so you don't get buyers remorse when you find something similar but at a much lower price!


3. Scents
Building onto the previous point, having scents can help set a mood pretty nicely. Look for scents that are relaxing like camomile, lavender or if you like your treats, Home Sense does candles that smell like a fruit cake or even a Starbucks drink.

Primark is a pretty good place to get candles at low prices

So find your favourite smells and put them in your new place, after all, smells rings bells and what better than with some of these:




4. Spend a lot of time in it
Personally, this is how I get used to a place. After moving to three different flats, I found that the best way for me to settle into one is to spend a lot of time in it. Finding a favourite spot in your flat like your bed, the couch, kitchen, anyway that makes you feel the most at home, stay in it. Feel comfortable and safe so you recognize that it is now YOUR space.



When I moved into my new flat, I stayed in doors for way too long because of many reasons but that time helped me ease into this place very well that I voluntarily stay at home just because I wanted to. And that is very different for me because I use to love going out every single day but now I can't think of a better place for me to be than at my flat.

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*This post contains affiliate links, you do not pay extra for anything you click

Hey friends!

So today is a little window-shopping post for me where I pen down my current 'wants' for beauty products, and hopefully motivate me to work towards slowly adding all of them into my collection!


I've been lusting over these mini eye shadow palettes from Huda Beauty since I got to swatch them in Selfridges the other time! They are not the priciest items and they are full pan size in a compact - but the thing is I feel that these will only look cute together when the whole set is in? So technically if I were to get these, I would get the whole range at once just so it can be 'complete' and the first series has 6 sets while the second has 5 so I would have to spend at least £125. So until I can do that, I will hold off them.





The ABH Modern Renaissance palette was my first luxury palette and ever since then, they have released a couple more and they are all stunning. Granted that the subculture palette had some complications (which they claimed to have fixed by now), they are still perfect. Again, I've managed to dip my fingers into the palettes and they swatch beautifully! Creamy and pigmented as they would be and I'm looking forward to hopefully collect all of them one day!




I think it is safe to say by now that highlighting products have my heart and I could never have too many! So here are some highlighters that I've got my eyes (and heart) set on so far! They include some of the most beautiful products from brands like Hourglass, Natasha Denona and more:






Misc
And finally, this last section is reserved for all the other make up products that have caught my eye but do not fit into any of the above categories/brands and they are a mix of all types of products!



And there! Those are all the things I've had my eyes set on for awhile now and it is insane but don't they just look absolutely beautiful? I hope that this has given you an idea of what is available in the beauty market and if you were looking for some shopping-inspo, this should hit that spot!

If you own any of the items and if you love/hate them, please let me know so I can put my money somewhere else if need be!

Thank you so much for reading this and I will see you in my next post!

Till then X

*this post contains affiliate links, you will not pay extra for any link that you click on

Hey friends!

The other day I popped into Harvey Nichols and got a pleasant surprise when I found out that the Marc Jacobs counter has just opened! It was bright, beautiful and everything my make up dreams could make of.

Somehow, some way I managed to get my hands on the O!Mega Glaze All-Over Foil Luminizer and the Eye-Conic Longwear Eyeshadow Palette - Fantascene 790, Metallic! The eyeshadow palette was a gift from the boyfriend because I told him to help me pick between the two and when I decided on the highlighter, he surprised me with the palette - keeper huh?

So today I'm here to share the beauty of the eyeshadow palette with swatches to my best ability so you can experience the creaminess, pigment and all things good with it. Since I already own a MJ palette previously, I had high expectations of the formula and it did not disappoint.

First off, lets appreciate how amazing the packaging is? The beautiful white stands out from the classic black glossy packaging. I love the rose gold button clasp detail that finishes it - classy like the black version but with a touch of delicacy.



The colour story is nothing new I know but it has a nice mix of cool and warm pinks which I adore. This palette has two shimmers and five mattes and they can make the perfect neutral every day look or simply a look that features the bolder tones.

If you're fan of eyeshadow palettes and you love velvety textures, you're going to enjoy this one very much!





*this post contains affiliate links, you will not pay extra if you click them

Hey friends,

I hope that you're well! Today I'm back with another post, sharing with you guys what my current favourites are! Since finishing my thesis, I've had plenty of time to try out new things and indulge in one of my favourite activities - binge watching series and I have some good stuff to recommend to you guys to kill some time so let's jump right in!


The Purge TV show

Credits

If you're a fan of The Purge film sequels, you'd probably enjoy this series too. Basically this is one movie broken down into ten episodes where you get a deeper look into each of the characters and how they are like over the course of the purge night. There are new introductions like cults, human auctions and so much more. Granted it is a horror/thriller, it is bound to be slightly creepy with jump scares but nothing supernatural-y so it was right up my alley! There are currently 8 episodes on and it releases every Wednesday! If you have Amazon Prime, you'll have quick access to this so enjoy on!

American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Credits

The latest release of the AHS family surrounds the post-apocalyptic world and I have to say this might be my favourite of all the makings just because it combines characters from previous series Covent, Hotel and Murder House! I don't know if there will be more introduced but it is what I've seen so far and basically the actors/actresses play more than one role and it is really entertaining! Plus being able to see my favourite characters come to life again is pretty amazing. So if you have been a fan of the AHS series, you are going to enjoy this so much! If you haven't watched AHS for your own reasons, like maybe you're not the biggest fan of horror films - trust me this is not that scary at all! The title is pretty deceiving because you're just going to enjoy learning about the different characters, their development and the tie to the storyline!

Crazy Rich Asians

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Strong asian casts, Singapore, dreamy Henry Golding and seeing 'Jessica Huang' on the big screen? What is there not to love! I have been looking forward to this film since my friend bought me the book and it reminded me so much of home especially being half way around the world from it ! Plus the way dreamboat Henry was portrayed is just nothing short of exciting isn't it? If you're one for the girl-meets-boy, disapproving family along with sprinkle of mean jealous girls, riches and fame plus all that romance - you are going to LOVE this film! Even though I love the whole rachel-nick duo, my favourite character has got to be Astrid (Played by Gemma Chan) just because she is strong, smart and everything a girl can be!

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A Simple Favour

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Blake Lively in a pant suit, sipping on dirty martinis with a psychotic personality? Is there anything else to make this film amazing? Oh wait, yes - Henry Golding as her bidding husband with a weird obsession...? I enjoyed this film thoroughly because it took me on an emotional roller coaster with all its twists and turns, surprises and shock with all the different scenes. Lets just say it has left me wanting a sequel to it and Blake definitely deserves some sort of award for her acting in this! I've put past her gossip girl acting days behind me and seen her more as a public figure than an actress so it always surprises me how well she does her job!


Joy Fills

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This recently came to the UK and I left it awhile before I gave into buying them and I kind of regret putting it off for so long! They are like little pillows filled with cream/chocolate filling depending on which flavour you go for - Oreos/Cadbury. But I was really enjoying them when Aidan came and said, isn't it just a condensed and more expensive packaging of the Kellogg's Krave Chocolate Hazelnut Cereal? And that got me -shook- to say the least since the cereal is £3 for 375g and the Joyfills are £1.50 for 90g? 🤭

Oat Milk

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In a bid to remove dairy from my diet as much as possible since being lactose intolerant with a mild love for cheese and treats isn't the best combination. I have been trying other types of milk and my favourite has definitely been Oat Milk! And I've been loving the Oatly - Barista Edition just because of it's extra creamy and nutty taste. It is especially delicious in Matcha Lattes so if you love yourself one, try it with some oat milk!


Necklaces

For some reason I have been loving the look of necklaces pairing with different tops and outfits and I have gotten myself a good collection from ASOS, Pilgrim and gifts from the people around me! My favourite necklace for the fall/winter season has got to be this one from ASOS - it is really affordable, the length is good and the make is pretty amazing too!



Satin Trouser

I actually got this again, from ASOS when it was on sale and I needed a pair of trousers and I thought this would just be a nice addition but I did not expect myself to like it this much!

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Credits

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Hey friends!

So I wanted to make this a Youtube series but I've tried filming it many, many times and every time I just find myself trailing of the subject and just yapping non-stop so I've decided if I pen them down in small bits, it will be much easier for me to keep my thoughts in track and to help you guys understand what I'm trying to get across!


Basically I want to have a series of blog posts where I share with you guys my experience of moving from Singapore to Manchester, my undergrad experience, my masters experience and basically just spending a good three years of my life away from home, friends, family and everything I've surrounded myself with all my life.

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So the big move - I'm sure you know by now, I have a lot of things and I love all my items very dearly. From make up products to shoes and clothes, I want to have them on me or near me as often as I can. Which was why it made it very difficult to leave things behind and move forward, so I'm here to give you 3 tips on how to pack when you're moving to another country!


1. Make a list



I love lists and it has become part of my daily routine to make a lists of things that I have to do, things that I want to remember and all the other stuff. So I'd recommend you to make a list of things that you find are essential to you and how I'd map it out is to go through a typical day in my life and just write down the things I reach for, the things I use and the things I look out for. Try to do this over a couple of days just because you may need different things on different days - for example a work day, a stay home day, a day where you go out and spend time with your friends etc.

2. Do your research



Once you have your list sorted, you will have your items which you can consider packing into your bags. Next, find out what things are available for purchase in the country you're moving to, are they a lot pricier compared to home? Are they even available for sale? How easy it is for you to get hold of those items? Also, find out what restrictions are there - some places make it illegal to bring it certain food or other items so make sure that you do not violate anything!

Some of the items that I've brought over include:
1. Deodorant - Just because I am very particular with how I smell and the type of body products I use.

2. Sanitary Pads - Again, I did research to see if where I was going does the pads that I use and when I found out they did not, I made sure I had sufficient amount to last comfortably until I can get hold of it the next time.

3. Skincare - Since I use some skincare products that are Asian, it is not easily available in the UK and if it was, it would be double the price. So since it helps me with my skin, I decided that it would be good to bring some over

4. Food - Nothing taste like home as much as food does and asian food is never the same in the UK so when I could, I brought over pastes, sauces and other things like instant noodles just because it reminds me of home and I was sure that UK doesn't do certain flavours/items!

5. Pictures & Cards - this is not a necessary product I'd admit but if you're going to be moving away from the people you love, having things that they give you/remind you of them can be very helpful to make your new place feel a little more like home.

3. Pack & Weigh



I do this every time I pack and especially where weight limit applies, it is extra important to weigh and keep tabs on what you can/cannot bring. I use a digital weighing scale and basically weigh every time I add a couple of things to make sure they are 'worth the weight' if you get what I mean! Also, when packing, try to use things like vacuum bags to help you condense the space that the items take up. Things like clothes are some of the best things to compress so make sure you use the space wisely!

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I hope that you've enjoyed this little post! I wanted to give the information to you in bite size pieces so it's an easy read and quick for you to implement! The next post of this series will be all about how you can settle into your new space!

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*I've put together some items that you may find useful when using these tips, they are affiliate links and you will not pay any extra amount when you click on them:

Hey friends!

I hope that you’re all well and have been enjoying my content on Youtube! If you haven’t found out, i’ve been uploading a couple of videos all about beauty and lifestyle with make up tutorials, hauls and even vlogs! So if you’re interested, please send me some love on my channel and I will put some of them at the end of this post for you to enjoy!

Today I thought I’d share with you about the event that I’ve attend by Kiehls just because I picked up some skincare tips and tricks which might be worth sharing!

This event was an intimate introduction to the Kiehls latest eye product and it was hosted by dermatologist Alexis Granite and Beauty Blogger Fleur De Force! I found out about their event via social media and called to book a spot for £20! The tickets came with a goody bag, meet & greet plus redeemable against any Kiehls products.

Basically the topics that were raised included:

1. Sun care
2. Transitional Skincare
3. Acids

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One of the most discussed topic was probably the use of SPF and the type of SPF. Personally I use a product with SPF 50+++ PA just because my skin tabs easy and when I’m outside, I do stay out quite a bit. But it was recommended that if you are indoors or even in the colder months, consider using a minimum of SPF 15 just to keep your skin protected.

If you’re a make up user, chemical SPF can be absorbed better into your skin rather than the mineral ones just because it’s lighter and may not cause your make up to shift. But then again, some people require different consistency of products like me - my spf is of a cream consistency and regardless of it being in summer or winter, my skin is okay with it. Just bear in mind to consider your level of exposure to the sun, skin type and the kind of make up you layer on top of it!

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Next, transitional skincare - I personally find this very interesting just because in Singapore it is ALWAYS summer so I don’t really have to change up my routines very often. So when I asked Alexis & Fleur, they advised to not only listen to my skin but identify early signs like dry patches and how it is performing especially through transitional seasons.

Personally, during such times I have two types of moisturisers - light & rich. I use the light for day and the rich for night! So if you’re debating doing such, you can try it out to ease your skin and always prevent rather than fix! So if you have pigmentation issues especially in winter, start the products early so you can prevent it from being in a bad condition.

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I’ve been introduced to acids as part of my skincare routine when I was trying out The Ordinary products and I have never stopped since.

The two recommended acids are Hyaluronic acid and Retinol. Hyaluronic acids basically focus on skin hydration and retinol takes care of things like uneven skin tones, fine lines and environmental harms like pollution!

So introducing these can definitely benefit your skin and you can find them in products like toners, serums or even eye creams.


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Other things that were talked about were
How long does a product take to see complete effect? 

Apparently it takes about 3 months for the product to adapt to your skin and show signs of effects so if you’re trying out something totally new, you can consider giving it sometime especially if you don’t see a massive change. BUT if you break out or see any rash, please stop using it and consult a doctor.

How long does it take for your skin to lose the effect of a product?

Both the questions are similar but with regards to this, I think it was more of the benefits? So for instance you’re using a targeted serum or eye cream and it has done wonders for your skin and when you stop using it, it may take 3 to 4 weeks for your skin to show.

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Well I hope that some of this information has been useful to you! But please don’t take this as gospel and always consult a doctor if you have skin concerns because remember, no two skin types are identical!

Thank you for reading and yes I was super excited to be able to meet Fleur after watching her videos for ages.



Also, i find it borderline creepy when someone goes “i’ve been watching you for years”. I totally get that they meant they’ve been watching their videos for ages but if you phrase it the wrong way or use a wrong tone, it can sound very very creepy! So I need to find another way of expressing admiration and love definitely.

Hey friends!

I hope that you have been enjoying my posts where I share about the cities I've visited this summer! Following Brighton, we basically spent a couple of days in Manchester for a little bit of downtime before taking a pretty early train up to York! Since we travel in a group of 5, we basically Uber as and when we can since it is not only easier when we carry about our luggages, it is also more wallet-friendly since when it is split amongst five! And when we do get the Uber rides, we usually get an UberXL but somehow in places like Brighton and York, they don't really have UberXLs so just an FYI if you're going to Uber everywhere. York was also the place where we had one of the best stays and we stayed at Staycity Aparthotels Paragon Street and we got the two bed room!