Wooh! How quickly the weeks fly by, and before we know it, we just ended the first quarter of 2014! How was it for you guys? Did you have a good start to the year? Or was it kicking you in the butt?
I pretty much got kicked around the first few months of 2014 but the thing is that when you’re down, you can’t get much lower so the best thing to do is pick yourself up and continue on your journey. It’s the best way to stay sane and remember, positivity breeds positivity! No matter how dark the clouds might seem.
On that rather ruminative note, here’s some highlights of what I’d been up to on Instagram in the past fortnight. There’s lots more of course, but I don’t want to bore you so here are just some of my favourites.
- I made an impromptu trip down to Singapore with my friend Xin just for the weekend. It was tiring, but we managed to get quite a lot done! There was of course the customary selfie when we went down to Marina Bay Sands. We are both so bad at this selfie thing, it took us at least 5 tries and innumerable out takes! It’s harder than it looks!
- It turned out our timing was excellent because we came across the Hakuhodo Brush Fair at Takashimaya! Here was our chance to paw at and drool over these famed makeup brushes and their softness are quite something else. Picked up a couple to add to my collection and I also found out that Hakuhodo will be at the International Beauty Expo at the KLCC Convention Centre from 17-20 May 2014 so if you want to paw and drool over these brushes, mark your calendars now! I don’t know if I’ll be going. I usually dislike these beauty expo things because I see more rubbish than gems to be honest 😛
- I also made sure I went to Bath & Body Works, which is the first BBW store in Asia at MBS. I had read so much about their bath and body products and their scented candles that I told myself I’d pick some up. Unfortunately, the scents were far too sweet for my tastes. One or two weren’t bad but I was overwhelmed by all the sweet, floral, strong smells in the store I had to escape. Pity!
- On days when I don’t feel like having anything heavy for lunch or dinner, I make a salad. I realised one weekend that it’s so much cheaper making these gourmet salads at home than eating it at a fancy cafe where it can cost upwards of RM20! I made mine with sliced romaine lettuce, tomatos, sauteed mushrooms, an apple, an egg and drizzled with Japanese sesame dressing for the cost price of about RM5 LOL 😀 If you want more bulk, add in some pasta. If you want more protein, grill a piece of chicken or add some tuna. It’s delicious and healthy and if you make it at home, affordable!
- Oh Dior has some new liquid lipsticks out – Dior Fluid Stick of which I have 2 colours to show you – Pandore and Aventure. Beautiful colours but I’ll tell you off hand that I’m not quite a fan of them. I’ll have my review come up for you soon 🙂
- I stopped by the Gucci boutique to sigh and drool over the Bamboo Shopper Bag when I noticed that the new version has the name and logo embossed onto the leather as opposed to being gold stamped. A win in my books! I’m all for understated elegance! There were some new colours like this mustard pictured here with black lacquered bamboo handles. Very interesting! Haven’t caved …. yet! 😉
- Perfume brand Diptyque is branching out into skincare and Malaysia will be the first country in Asia to get the whole range! Yay us! 😀 I had the chance to play around with some of the products and they’re all quite basic, and delicately perfumed. I found 3 items very interesting – a cleansing balm (yay!) a floral water (yay!) and a face washing powder (huh?!) I hope to be able to share some thoughts on them soon. They’ll be available here in May 2014 so watch out for them then exclusively at the Diptyque boutique at Pavilion KL.
- It ain’t Laurent without Yves you know! I’m still upset that Hedi Slimane dropped the iconic Yves from the brand name. So much so, I’m not even giving them a second glance. Yep, Saint Laurent doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid.
- Any fans of Maggi Mee Curry in the house? 😀 I was out looking for this for a friend and saw that the Penang White Curry was available too. It was terribly popular a while ago, to the extent that people were stocking up boxes of these instant noodles! It’s really pricey too! Do you reckon the craze has died down? I tried it but I’m not a fan of it although I like that a packet of sambal is included to make the spicy soup, I don’t like the texture of the noodles.
- This is not a camera trick. The strawberry was really almost as large as my palm! I had this in Singapore and it was absolutely delicious and satisfying. I need more!
- Finally, I have this Garnier Men Wasabi Facial Wash. Wasabi! Can I order a side of sushi on the side? LOL Seriously, the guys get all the fun skincare don’t they? I’d like to have wasabi in my facial wash too! Or hmm… maybe not? 😛
Did you travel anywhere this first quarter of 2014? Are you excited about Hakuhodo brushes being available here soon?
Whilst I won’t say the Hakuhodo brushes are expensive for the quality you get, they still do not come cheap. So if you are eyeing some, I’d advise saving up for them. I don’t know what local prices are like but I expect them to start from RM50 (S$19.50) or thereabouts and go up from there. I have no plans to head down to the expo but then you know what they say – never say never! 😉
Paris B
Highlights of Instagram is an excerpt of the highlights of my weeks on Instagram. There are lots more in the full IG feed so follow me there @ParisBMWS for quick reviews, beauty previews and gastronomic delights.
Ditto! It’s not YSL without the Yves. Not a happy camper either.
And holly strawberry! 😀
Bad bad move re: YSL. I seriously have 0 interest in the brand now!
Paris, you enabler! loved how Aventure looked on you and went to swatch it. i didn’t like how the fluid stick was too glossy, but then discovered they launched the same colour in addict extreme formula. into my bag it went!
Hahaha I on the other hand swatched the lipstick but found the colour not as intense as I’d like! I was planning to pick up the Addict Extreme though. Maybe soon – are you liking it?
u were in Sg my hometown!
wanted to ask u ur recipe for e salad on Insta, but u post it here! great!
Happy weekend!
I was, PeiQing! It was a fun short break 😀 Glad I read your mind re: salad recipe! 😉 Enjoy making it – it’s delicious, healthy and easy!
i wanna go back for the presence candle! agree that BBW is too heavily and sweetly scented. respect the SAs there, doubt i can even work longer than an hour in the boutique ><
Haha me too! I totally forgot to take pictures there! What sort of blogger am I eh? 😛 I think if I worked in BBW I’d be popping Panadol like candy 😛
Looking forward to your review of Dior liquid lipstick! Can’t wait! And Diptyque skincare?
The Dior Fluid Stick post is up Honor! 😀 And I’ll share some thoughts on Diptyque skincare to come too 😀 I take it you’re a fan?
I think I was pretty excited when I found out on your Instagram that Hakuhodo brushes will be featured at the International Beauty Expo in KL Convention Centre from 17-20 May. Yay! I hope to check it out and to ask your opinion, is it worth getting the blush and powder brushes?
I tried the Penang Curry Mee and I thought it meh. I had stomach upset after eating one bowl and I think it was because it is too spicy for my liking. LOL. My mum loves it though and another girlfriend likes the paste but not the noodle. So I think whether it is worth the hype or otherwise, it differs quite a bit across ages.
Did you know that they are opening Ken’s Apothecary in Bangsar Shopping Centre this month? I was super-excited until I realised that they do not carry REN products. A bit strange I must say. I love your salad recipes and I must really try them one day. A colleague of mine also adds red apples to her salad and although I used to think it was strange at first I understand the reason after looking at your Instagram photos 🙂
Haha I think Hakuhodo got a LOT of interest! To answer your questions, I’d say ALL their brushes are absolutely worth it. Well based on what I’ve tried so far. The quality of the hair is sublime and feels like bunny cottontails on your skin. Seriously awesome so if that isn’t answer enough I don’t know what is haha! 😀
The Penang White Curry thing was such a joke! And it’s so expensive too! I’m actually amused you found it too spicy. I thought it could do with a little more kick hehe but then the funny thing is that I don’t eat curry mee at the best of times 😛 So I don’t know what possessed me to buy it except for hype!
And yes, I was in BSC yesterday and saw the hoarding for Kens! I didn’t see REN on the hoarding but you never know, it might be there! I am quite curious why they’re putting 2 stores so close to each other though LOL
Oh yes Gucci with lacquered bamboo handles! Love that outstanding colour too! Sorry to hear that the beginning of the year was a little bumpy. It’ll get better hopefully. Sounds like exciting times ahead with the Hakuhodo brushes and Diptyque skincare! Agree that the instant curry noodle was overhype. The soup was ok but the noodle was not great. Mee Hoon will fare better.
Excuse me, I have to go wipe my drool from staring at the gucci bamboo bag. I have to make it mine one day except it’s just far too expensive buying it here. Oh well a girl can dream 😉 It sounds like we both need a break from the bad things that’s been happening this year. Here’s to a better rest of the year!
Don’t understand the fuss about the curry noodles myself, but I heard (one of the reasons, anyway) it’s because of The Ramen Eater who recommended it.
I thought of Bath and Body Works as the American version (or equivalent) of The Body Shop. So luckily I never bought into it.
That’s what I was told too about the Ramen Eater. Funny how easy it is to turn something into a hype these days 😛 And BBW is pretty much like The Body Shop but I think TBS smells better – less perfumey. But I don’t think we’re missing much of anything to be honest
I’m so excited to finally get those hakuhodo brushes!
Yay! Save save! 😉