ONESIXTYNOTEPAD: GROOMING

Showing posts with label GROOMING. Show all posts

DrGL SKIN CARE LAUNCH, ESCENTIALS PARAGON.

I’ve been struggling with skin care for as long as I could remember. My best beauty advice is to trust an aesthetician decked in the latest Phoebe Philo creation. One either has style or substance. Dr. Georgia Lee has both.

Personally, I’ve not come across that many individuals so passionate. When Dr. Lee speaks of her success and the things she does, her dedication comes through. For me that’s a unique selling point for her new skincare line.

About a decade since the opening of TLC medical, the mother-mogul is back with the launch of her latest skincare line, DrGL. Having launched a medical spa sometime last week, it is only apt to have a fresh appearance for the skincare line.

The product now comes in an elegant emerald green packaging designed by award-winning creative director Thesus Chan and visuals by photographer John Clang. In addition to the re-branding of the products, a new addition of eye repair cream was introduced to the skincare line. Rumor has it that a close friend of Dr. Lee is fronting her skincare line and it’s not a lady. Alternatively, you may send a petition for me to front the campaign. Kidding.

Currently, apart from oral medications, I’ve been applying the collagen essence habitually. It is definitely mild and oftentimes gives that much needed suppleness to my skin. The compact powder is highly recommended too. (According to feedbacks of our readers and my sisters.) If you’re considering, do not take my words for it. Head down to Escentials Paragon and have a try. Different skin types works differently but rest assured it is safe.

How can I go on about how wonderful the products are without bagging something for our readers? I have a bottle of DrGL collagen essence from yesterday’s event. Simply tell us (by commenting below) why you need it. Good luck!

Escentials is located at Paragon Shopping centre, #03-02.

Images By Ridhwan Sesapar.

Dinie.

HALLOWEEN PARTY, BEHIND-THE-SCENES.

As the viciously amusing coach, Sue Sylvester of Glee may once quip, "Halloween- the day that parents encourage little boys to dress like little girls and little girls to dress like whores"; it is not much of a difference for us here at ONESIXTYNOTEPAD. No, don't get us wrong- neither does any one of our parents advocate such antics nor do we have any plans of cross-dressing anytime soon (unless it's a Couture piece, we might consider a try!) but three of us readily agree that it is the right event for us to simply have fun and let our hair down. Of course, I had to call in a mystery make-up maestro pal to work his Pat McGrath magic onto our bare faces!

Trust me, I had envisioned the look down way before the invites even came in! It was fulfilling my long time obsession with Pharaohs, nomads and gypsies and I find that the ‘buried-in-the-tunnels-for-centuries look’ rather intriguing so I conveniently handpick a look off John Galliano Men's Spring/Summer 2010. (How can Galliano not be apt for Halloween anyway?) Nothing feels better than oozing off the theatrics from the eccentric designer himself- Dinie and I opted for a pallid white overall with shadowy contours, dark kohl eyes and sculpted cheekbones while Nabil is Summer dreaming in an earthy tones of brown and bronze tints. (Psst, it was after much tugging and numerous bobby pins later that his ‘butterfly Eden’ finally blooms atop his head. Haute indeed!)

As we begrudgingly made our way out to face the public, it is not until the sight of a little innocent girl scampering towards her mum in fright later made us ease our nerves a little. I guess this is exactly how Halloween should be— Trick or Fleet! Thank you Izwan, for the last minute makeup fix!

Makeup: Izwan.

Ridhwan.

BLISS SINGAPORE AT SEPHORA ION ORCHARD.

As the name suggests, it was a place of delight and endless pleasure. Hidden at the heart of our local Sephora store (the largest in asia) is Bliss Singapore, a sought-after spa chain originated from the states. However, the spa has its own unique space of 204 square meters tucked inside of the mega cosmetic departmental store.

Bliss offers a huge array of services such as facials treatments, messages, slimming body treatments and waxing. The good news, most of these treatments are suitable for men. Speaking of men in spas– fret not guys, the award-winning staffs is accommodating in answering your queries with no obligations.

To promote their awesome spa, Bliss Singapore invited us for a press event, which involves a lot of product testing and food (Consisting of their signature sps buffet with crackers and cheese, olives and brownies). I am not complaining by the way, smear more creams onto my hand please.

Our personal favorite had to be the ‘Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask’, a D-I-Y facial hydrating and stimulating treatment. The other is the ‘Love Handler’, a liquid workout for lazy abdominals to help tone tummy. (Should we put it to the test and do a review on it?)

We were also treated to two complimentary sessions; for just SGD15, the ‘Callus Conqueror’ turns hardened heels into baby-soft soles. The treatment involves intensive cleaning and filing of the stubborn callus. To complete, moisturizer is applied to your feet for to keep it smooth and supple.

The ‘Breakout Busting Seaweed Task Mask’ is worth SGD35. Exclusive to bliss Singapore, the a la carte mini-treatments takes up only 15-minutes of your time. It’s a great way to de-stress, with no hassle of changing into a robe or removing your shoes. These treatments are conducted in a four-person lounge separated by fringes that looked like a Jil Sander dress from the spring collection. The first step is cleansing, followed by a hot towel over the face. The mask solution is then applied to the face, with options of covering the eye area and mouth. While waiting for the mask to set it, the estheticians will give you a scalp massage. The final step is cleansing and moisturizing of the face.

In all honesty, the products we’ve tested were all pleasant and the result is convincing despite having it on our skin for such a short period of time. The treatments we went for showed instant results and skin’s feels different. A trip to Bliss is definitely worth every penny spent, everyone should go at least once to try it for yourself!

We’re giving away 10 discount vouchers worth 20% off services for your first visit. So imagine going for a facial, paying only SGD28 for it or SGD12 for the callus treatment! Simply drop your name and email on the comment section or email us your details at onesixtynotepad@gmail.com!

Bliss Singapore is located at Sephora ION Orchard, #01-50/06.

Images By Ridhwan Sesapar.

Dinie

HE SAYS, HAIR STYLING.

I always get so pumped up when it comes to hair. As far as I can remember, I began styling my hair religiously since 1994 when I got inspired by Jim Carry in Ace Ventura. On hindsight, I’m sure my kindergarten teachers must have been peeved by my outlandish hairstyle - but never mind the history.

Hair.

A good place to start when it comes to hair care is a good haircut. A good haircut - one that is not necessarily exorbitant - makes styling much easier. To put things into perspective, it is going to take you twice as long to comb an Armani if your haircut is a Faux Hawk. Likewise for women, it’s going to take a miracle to turn a choppy concave bob into a precision cut.

So let’s assume that our haircut is all swanky. What I do next (or at least try to) is to blow dry it out and then start creating some texture with wax or clay. The common knowledge is to buy those that are not too greasy. Otherwise it adds weight to the hair making it flop and look unnatural. The wrong hair product not only makes your hair look dry but also affects the health of your complexion when you perspire. Trust me, I’ve had my share of bad hair moments.

After you have your general shape it is best that you secure it with some hairspray. Hurrah! (Tempting as it may be, the word ‘some’ is key here, not ‘hairspray’! So apply sparingly) It is handy to note that you can spray some onto your fingertips when styling the ends of your hair for greater definition. As a rule of thumb, never, NEVER, twirl a lock of hair till it forms some semblance of a spike (this is the common tactic when your hair doesn’t stand naturally). Such crafty science projects often result in a bunch of Churros on the head, and it ain’t pretty. If you find yourself in that precarious situation, you’re probably using too much hair product or you didn’t blow-dry enough.

Well, this is certainly no rocket science and I’m sure most of you have already put these tips into good practice. If not, why not get started; it takes time to master this art.

*This is not a product review or an advertorial.

Images By Dinie Rahman.

Nabil.

L'OREAL PARIS PROFESSIONNEL, THE INOA REVOLUTION LAUNCH.

First there was the road map now, there is the GPS. First there was vinyl, now there is the MP3. First there was the hair colour now, there is iNOA. L'Oréal Professionnel recently launched its truly revolutionary hair product called iNOA. iNOA, is the world’s first innovative no ammonia hair colouring system since the invention of modern hair colour 100 years ago. Making its Asian debut, the historic moment in hair care history took place in Marina Bay Sands Singapore with a massive staged hair show. We are honored to be the only blog to review the products even before it hits the store!

iNOA is odorless (yes, unlike all hair colouring system) and allows you to lighten, darken hair up to 3 levels and covers grey hair, while respecting the scalp and hair fiber. Available in unlimited choice of 44 shades that comes in a pre-dosed mini-tubes, iNOA will guarantee unlimited precision of colour and tones.

iNOA hair colour won’t be on shelf anytime soon but will be available in salons island wide. Personally I’ve never had my hair colored but if I do, iNOA will be my choice of product knowing my hair will be safe, both scalp and hair fiber.

Images By Ridhwan Sesapar.
More Images on ONESIXTYNOTEPAD Facebook Fanpage.

Dinie.

HE SAYS, FACIAL CARE.

So I present you with a mind-boggling conundrum: which facial care products do you buy off the shelf when you’re spoilt for choice?

Deciding on a facial care product is a major deal, like choosing an ‘It’ bag that defines you or buying that signature fragrance; it has to be a perfect fit. And I’m sure like most of you have discovered, when you chance upon that one and only, it feels like a life-changing moment and you feel a great sense of comfort.

There are many things to watch out for when buying facial products but I’d like to focus on just one that I feel applies universally. From my personal experience, I like to choose a product that provides balance. Finding the toughest cleaning agent is easy but it might leave your skin excessively dry making the skin susceptible to other conditions. On the other hand, there are plenty of ‘water treatment’ facial products in the market that honestly work just like plain water. Hence finding the right product isn’t going to be so easy after all. Most people go by trial and error.

The product I'm using meets all my needs and comes in a sleek cylindrical dispenser. It purifies the skin with cleansing pearls and the oxygen revitalizes it, giving your skin a warm natural glow. It is water-based so it is mild yet effective. It is so wholesome that it is the only facial cleanser I bring with me to the Army. I have been using this for four years, ever since I found out Madonna goes for regular Oxygen Skin treatment to keep her youth. I’m glad I found a substitute for less than $10!

But like I have said, a product may be one’s antidote but another’s poison. So press on in your quest if you haven’t already found one. Though, if the problem is severe you ought to consult a doctor who will be able to tailor the treatment to the condition of your skin. At the end of the day, you know a product is good, if it pulls you through army - or anything as equally traumatic for the skin – unscathed and glowing.

This post is part of a collaborative effort between OSN and L'Oreal for the L'Oreal Brainstorm competition.

Images By Ridhwan Sesapar.

Nabil.

L'OREAL BRANDSTORM SINGAPORE.

L’Oreal is larger than you think. Glossy hairspray and bouncy curls aside, the Singapore office also manages a wide range of brands that includes Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren. This year, the group is bringing back L’Oreal Brainstorm, an international competition that is targeted at tertiary students with dreams to build a business empire.

In its ninth year in Singapore, the theme for the competition is Men’s Grooming and the teams play the role of L’Oreal’s International Brand Manager in their challenge to revamp the Diesel brand. As it stands, 4 Singapore finalists have been selected out of 77 participating teams. The remaining contending teams will battle it out on 18th May 2010 at Klapsons The Boutique Hotel. The victor ultimately gets to represent Singapore in the finals in Paris, vying for a chance at being handpicked to work for L’Oreal.

One Sixty Notepad will be following the developments of this competition closely and will be feeding you with the necessary 411s. If you are a shameless L’Oreal brethren like myself (I used to gel my hair with Ultim Fix Gel every morning without fail back in Kindergarten), you ought to await the feeds. And plus, I heard they are also giving out freebies. Join the L'Oreal Brandstorm Singapore Fanpage and look up the OSN Facebook fanpage for more details. Sounds good? Yes, ‘Because You’re Worth It‘.

Nabil.