we are all gliding butterflies

5 Best Podcasts I Highly Recommend

November 20, 2017

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Hi all, today’s post will be one of the topics I’m really excited about. I would like to share my skincare routine that works on my skin well. I have a combination of oily and dry skin. If I’m going to be in an outdoorsy environment the whole day, my face will be quite oily/ shiny at the end of the day. But if I’m going to be indoors where air- conditioners are blasting on your skin for a long period of time, my skin will be flaky and itchy and dry. Ugh. So below is the skincare routine that helps my skin from producing too much oil or not enough. Some products I’ve tried were too harsh on my skin or doesn’t work at all, so for now, these products I’m using are the ones that works best for now.

Morning Routine

Once I get out of bed, I will wash my face with Cetaphil that I was introduced by my aunt. I’ve been using it ever since. I love how gentle it is, how it is soap free which is so much more kind to your skin. I hate the squeaky clean feeling, paranoid that my skin loses all the oil that protects my skin. Then I wipe my face off with the same towel I use on my body, I don’t keep a separate towel just for my skin.

Cetaphil

Then I move on to toner. I use the SKII cleansing lotion. I gently pat it into my skin. I don’t use any cotton pads for my morning routine. I move on to the Garnier eye gel. For eyes, I rotate brands from time to time, as I’m not very picky with it. After all that are done, I use the SKII pitera thingy. It helps my skin to absorb the product and it leaves my skin feeling good, like an extra layer protection. Similarly, I pat it unto my skin, with my fingers. Moving on, I use the SKII lotion pot thingy, OMG I love this step, this product smells so good!!!! I do put some leftover products down to my neck.

SKII Cleansing Lotion

SKII Skin Treatment Essence

SKII face cream

Last but not least, the most important step, SPF. I rotate brands with this product too. I love the Tony Moly SPF, just because it don’t smell like the typical sunblock you slap on your skin. I always always look forward to the last step, I love putting on sunscreen, and it feels reassuring that my skin is protected from the sun. Bonus point, it smells good too!

SPF ( very important step, cannot miss!)

Night Routine

After a long day, I will whack on micellar water on my cotton pad. Currently I’m using the one from Simple, but I don’t mind changing it up to other brands. I want to get all the dust and dirt off my skin. Then I will cleanse my face with Cetaphil. Some days when I feel that my pores are clogged up, I will use my trusty Clarisonic Mia 2 twice a week. It leaves my skin feeling smooth and soft. I will then dry my face with towel.

Micellar water

Clarisonic Mia 2

When my face is all clean, I use the Kiehl’s toner that I mentioned in my September favourites to ensure I get all the dirt out of my skin. I pour the toner on to a cotton pad and work it on my skin. Then I move on to eye cream. I love my Laneige eye cream, but currently it’s not with me, so I’m using the one from Benefit. It does the trick anyway. For face, I use the Atomy Lotion. So that I can lock in the hydration. At night is usually where my lips get chapped. I will put on Vaseline before I go to bed, but I find the Avene cold cream works better.

Kiehl's toner

Atomy lotion

Laneige eye cream

Benefit eye cream

Vaseline

Avene lip balm

Now that all the steps are done, I’m so ready to hit the hay!

Time for bed !

So, that’s all for my skincare routine. I really enjoy writing this post, and I hope you get some value out of it!

Jamie

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fashion

November Wishlist

November 02, 2017

Wishlist

Hi all, it's already November. Where has the time gone? I created this post with a pure purpose of fun. It may portray me- being materialistic. But I like to write it down, I hate stuff floating in my mind. I want to see everything, categorise everything, to see what I’ve been digging, what trend items I like, or what key pieces I’m into or colour palette that I love. Doing this post may feed my greed, but at the same time, I get to see what style I’m into, what’s my niche. So, below are the few numbers I had been lusting since the beginning of the year. I will separate by Fashion and Beauty. I will be explaining what I like about the items I will be mentioning down below.

Fashion

ASOS FARLEIGH JEANS

This jeans!! As of lately, my hips are GROWING. So are my thighs. Oh god. My waist is no longer 22 inch. I can never ever fit into the smallest size anymore, but oh well. Anyway, I like how this jeans look, the high waist, and the not so skin tight fit, (size up!) and the oh so slightly cropped legs. Everything I’m looking for! My dream colour of jeans would be mid wash because, I will stain the light wash denim the minute I get them. Typical.

ZARA HIGH NECK DRESS

If you do not know, I love wearing dresses. It’s easy, I hate pairing sleeveless top with shorts. It’s too much skin for me, at least. I love the long sleeves, I love the colour, I love the skater style dress. I love it.

VANS

Call me stereotype, but this millennial pink skate shoes are so so so cute!! Can you imagine wearing them with sun dress or those jeans I just mentioned? Shall I go on?

SUPERGA

If I ever ever get a Converse sneakers, I wouldn't. I might try this instead. A cute alternative, if I ever say so myself. I’m not entirely against Converse, but I own one. I wore mine almost every single day, and by the 8^th month, my Converse had faded and there were holes, the soles were so worn, it’s not worth repairing. I was so devastated, I loved my Converse hence, I wore it almost every day, but it did not stand the test of time. Only 8 months!! Plus it wasn’t cheap!

Beauty

ETUDE HOUSE PLAY EYE PALETTE IN CHERRY BLOSSOM

I.LOVE.ALL.THE.COLOURS.PERIOD.

INNISFREE MY PALETTE

Ok, I love love love gold, yellow gold glitter on my lids, and this MY Palette, is so beautiful, customizing your own shades from 140 colours, so many choices to choose from!!

BANILA.CO CC CREAM

I just want to try different cc creams. As you know, I love my Maybelline CC cream, maybe, this will be my new favourite?

ETUDE HOUSE POWDER BRUSH

Ok, I’m using a powder brush from the benefit porefessional powder thingy. My brush has been detached from the base. This brush would be a luxury to own!!

That's all from me, thanks for reading.

Jamie

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lifestyle

Cutting down crap.

October 23, 2017

Cutting Down Crap.

Let’s Get to Business!

It may or may not be too late to start now, but at least I did the first step.. I would be a fool if I didn’t!

In my 20 years (and some odd few years) of living, I’ve realized I need to cut down my crap. Crap living lifestyle, where I wasted time investing on some superfluous things. It’s always in the back of my mind but I did nothing about it. I don’t see why I needed too even if it’s been bothering me for years. Maybe, it is just human nature, to collect junk and not letting go.

Day in day out, I turned a blind eye on the crap that’s on my table, crap that’s shoved to the back of my cupboard, or buried under my everyday clothes. Maybe even some lost treasures in the drawer that I dread to open. Obviously it’s caused by the over-flooding stuff that I hate seeing. I never threw them out, thinking “What if I need them tomorrow?” I always blame “tomorrow” the day that never happen that affect my everyday life.

Then one day, I came across a podcast (if you’re not an iPhone user, like me, you can use other platform, I use Castbox). It’s the Minimalists. The moment I listened to the podcast, I’m hooked! I was like yeah! That’s what I’m lacking/ missing! I listen when I commute, I listen when I do my laundry, I listen before I go to bed.

The minimalists.

I’ve gathered so much momentum after listening for almost a month. It is time to clear-out the cupboard! I do clear-out the cupboard from time to time, I do get some satisfaction by not-cramped cupboard, but I still keep the clothes I don’t like due to several reasons.

1. It’s still in good condition

2. It’s sentimental

3. It’s expensive

When I got back home, after a month, I started clearing out the crap that’s on my table! (It took me about 2 hours, wow, the amount of crap that I kept!) By 3:30 am, I was happy, finally releasing some of the momentum I’ve gained in a month. Below are the lists of items I’ve cleared. (some of the items I’ve donated to the local charity some, I decided to chuck in the bin) (*including but not limited to)

1. Files (I no longer needed them, as I’ve completed my degree and has no intention of using them)

2. Old notes

3. Unused mat

4. Pens that ran out of ink

5. Pens & pencils that are crappy

6. Unused notebooks

7. Sticky notes

8. Final year project stuffs, (gears, screws, metal plates, motor)

9. Old receipts

10. Old pouches

I’ve cleared some of my clothes the next day. Below are the lists of items I donated/ chucked into the bin (*including but not limited to)

1. Skirts that are too short, seldom wear

2. Clothes that have holes

3. Clothes that are overstretched

4. Formal clothes (yay, I no longer need to do presentation in Uni!)

5. Tops that had shrunk

6. Tops that are bobbled

7. Tops that had stains/ bleached stains

8. Shoes that I can’t fit

9. Shoes that are worn out ( skin that are peeling off )

10. Ballet pumps that I no longer wear

11. Graduation teddy bear and bear that was given to me from my boyfriend on my 21^st

12. Old-school bags that I wore during my preteens.

I’ve listed some reason why I decided to chuck/ donate the items mentioned above.

1. I only come back home once a month

2. I want to make room for more important things (eg, I get to wear clothes I like instead)

3. Those items gave me stress/ cluttered my table & cupboard

4. I no longer find joy in the items ( keeping for sentimental reasons doesn’t cut it)

5. I no longer find the items giving value in my life ( the items doesn’t do anything for me, it just sits there, taking up space and my time to focus on things that matter more to me, wasting my time whether do I want to use it today, tomorrow or even ever?)

6. I can finally see the items that I only want to use, I won’t have trouble with “what should I wear today?”

You might wonder, whether would I clear out more items? Yes! I might missed some of the items that may be shoved to the back of my cupboard, or placed on places I never came across too. See, that’s the reason why I want to clear stuff out, you have more room, you have more time to spend on other important things, not on, “deng! I hate these shoes, but I don’t want to throw away, because I ‘may’ wear it again” Let’s just face it. That day never ever arrive. Not for me at least. I’m sick of the crap that I’ve wasted my time on and on things that I no longer use. They take up so much room!

I like my room here in Singapore, at least on the things I own. I don’t own much clothes here, the bulk of my clothes are back at home. I wear uniform every day to work. I only get to wear casual clothes on weekends. (I prefer wearing uniform to work anyway, because, it’s easy & neat!) So that leaves to only wearing the clothes, or shoes or bags that I really love on weekends, even if it means repeating the same outfit. I don't intend to expand my closet here in Singapore. Most of the outfits I took in my Instagram account revolves around the clothes I have in Singapore.

My current cupboard has this much of clothes

Same rules apply to my makeup. Below are the makeup that I have and use:

1. VDL eye palette

2. Maybelline CC cream ( I never tried foundation, never put on foundation)

3. Essence matte blusher

4. Rimmel London Stay Matte powder

5. Liquid lipstick

6. Benefit highlighter

7. Eyebrow pencil

8. Eyebrow gel

I only own one eye makeup palette, and I love it, I don’t plan to buy anymore anytime soon, as I only wear makeup on weekends (if I decided to go out).

The makeup look below is the products I mentioned above.

This post is already long enough, I should stop waffling on. I would like to end my blog post here. Thanks for reading if you’ve made it this far.

Jamie

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health

Exercise Routine

October 19, 2017

We all want to be in shape, and most probably wanting to have a good stamina. I try my best to at least exercise once a week, but my ideal routine would be 2-3 times a week.

On my previous post, I’ve mentioned I went to have my back fixed. It’s a process, but we’re getting there. I was told to restrain any heavy exercise that include the lower part of my body, which includes, running, jumping and heavy lifting.

So, first I would do some warm-ups, to wake my muscles, lol. After a good 10 minutes or so, I then start my exercise routine. Below are some simple workout routine I do that you can try. (Disclaimer: I’m no expert, but you’re not limited to the ones mentioned below)

1. Planking (30secs – 1min) 1 sets

2. Sit-ups: 2 sets x 15-20 reps

3. Leg raises: 2 sets x 15-20 reps

4. Side Plank : 1 sets x 15-20 reps

5. Squats: 2 sets x 15-20 reps

6. Lunges : 2 sets x 15-20 reps

For the life of me, I can’t do push-ups. Let me complete a 1 min planking without feeling like the world hates my arms, then I will surely try push-ups.

If you can do heavy exercise on your lower half, I suggest the following:

1. Burpees: 2 sets x 15-20 reps

2. Star jump: 2 sets x 15-20 reps

3. Mountain climbers: 2 sets x 15-20 reps

"What you are is what you eat"

Did I mention that eating healthy is also important too? I love chocolates, and biscuits. I can eat them at every hour. But now, I know I can’t go on eating like that, or continuing this lifestyle. For lunch and dinner, I usually eat economy rice, but mostly the dishes I used to choose weren’t healthy. I love taking fried chicken cutlets, because it’s filling. Now, I try my very best to cut down those fried stuff, especially fried chicken and Mac’s !! Instead, now I eat more veges and fruits. Most importantly, drink more water! Hydrate yourself. Keeping my bottle refilled always, helps me drink more. I don’t want to lug around heavy water bottles!