055 - Steigen Exalt Laundry System

Have you ever had a stench/damp smell on your newly-washed clothes?

Have you ever had difficulty putting heavy bed sheets out to dry?

Have you ever had bamboo poles almost falling onto your head when you try to hang the clothes up for some indoor drying?

If you answered YES to one or even all three questions, I’ve got the perfect solution for you!!

Started in 2013, Steigen focus on resolving Singapore's laundry woes by incorporating the best of German technology to raise the standards in quality, efficiency and design for automated laundry systems.

Steigen re-defined indoor laundry drying experience with automated laundry systems that are specially designed and invented for consumers. It provides innovative solutions to dispel indoor drying conundrums.

Safe and Effortless

Operating with remote control, the system lift up to 35 kg of clothes in a touch. That's about two full loads of clothes! And as you can see, the remote is detachable from its casing, so just put it where you think it's convenient; by the wall, on the fridge, in the drawer. Anywhere! :)

Energy Saving

The entire unit, even with Solar functions, can be powered simply with a lighting point. It dramatically reduces the energy consumption as compared to electric dryers and has an energy saving function to shut off the Solar tubes and fans automatically after 2 hours. The LED lamp can double up as the service yard lighting. Who needs dryers when you can save time, save money and at the same time save energy with a better-looking service yard?

Quality and Performance

Incorporating German designed motor, reinforced hanger rods and upgraded circuit board, the system is built to last. Tested to withstand at least 100,000 cycles of usage, the laundry system is expected to last for around 20 years of motor usage.

Apart from the above already-superb features, Steigen's signature Solar series have three other key features that consumers are excited about.

True Indoor Sun Drying

Steigen’s Solar series uses a unique air circulator design to ensure warmth of the Sun is deliver to all clothes hanging on the rack. Solar will dry your delicate clothing at a range of 34 to 35 degree celsius, equivalent to the temperature of the sun during noon hours.

Fabric Care

It is created to bring all the benefits of Sun drying at your convenience. Solar mimics the gentle warmth of the Sun and dries your laundry in the most delicate way to bring out the natural fluffiness of your clothes. The only difference between Solar and the sun is that it contains no ultra-violet that may cause your clothes to fade.

Hygienic

Steigen’s Solar series not only speeds up laundry drying but also ensure wellness your family is taken care of. The warmth of the Solar helps eliminates 99.9% of bacteria and prevents musty odour.

If words are too much for you to absorb and imagine how good this automated laundry system is, go have a look at this short video!

 

In summary, the Exalt + Solar:

ü  Has 2 solar tubes and 2 air circulators to simulate sun drying effect and increase drying speed, so the average drying duration is now at an average of 1-2 hours. Meaning even in the wee hours of the night, your clothes enjoy the warmth of sunlight like no others!

ü No additional cost incurred because the solar tubes and air circulators will be automatically turned off after 2 hours.

ü Like any other home devices that you have, there is a battery-operated remote device for your easy control of the system. You can easily use the remote to pause it to your desired height! So don't worry if you are very tall or not-so-tall, all can be personalised to your own preference! No more neck and back pain! 😁

ü Rods are extendable and adjustable to suit your everyday needs such as your king-sized bedsheets, your heavy quilt blanket and clothes of everyone in your big family. Apart from its side-folding scissor and steel cable for stability, it has a colossal capacity of 35kg (which is about two full loads of clothes), so no worries about it not being able to handle all your linens!

ü The Exalt Solar also comes in a sleek and stylish design with white powder coating finish, which is one of the most important feature to me! I mean, who would not want every single part of their house to look as good as possible after spends tens of thousands on house renovation right? Furthermore, white would practically go well with every theme you have for your house as compared to other basic colours like silver, black or grey.

ü The most important point of all is that it comes with obstacle detection safety measure. With a light touch on the smart sensor, the system will immediately stop its motion to prevent hitting any other objects.

ü Tested to withstand at least 100,000 cycles of usage, the laundry system is expected to last for around 20 years of motor usage.

If you are still not buying the idea of doing indoor laundry-drying, think; 

• No wet weather to spoil your decision of wearing your favorite dress out for your important date tonight.
• No inconsiderate neighbors putting out their dripping-wet mops to dry.
• No droppings of the heartless birds flying out there. 
• No mischievous kids dumping their wastes out of the window.

There you have all the valid reasons to do indoor laundry-drying. Honestly speaking, there is no exaggeration when I list out all these reasons because I've heard so much from my friends and colleagues.

So if you are as convinced as I am to get the Steigen Exalt Laundry System for your home, here's a great deal for you.    

Enjoy $50 off your Steigen Exalt + Solar system by entering "STEIGEN50" at checkout in the following link: https://www.steigen.com.sg/products/exalt-solar

Else, you can contact them via email or mobile at sales@steigen.com.sg and 8818 6588 respectively.

If you would like to have a look and feel of the Steigen laundry systems, head on to the retailers listed HERE who are selling them!

For more information, do follow Steigen Singapore on their Facebook page! 😄

Steigen Singapore

140 Paya Lebar Road #06-19

AZ@Paya Lebar

Singapore 409015

054 - J&J Hair Identity (NATULIQUE Natural Hair Colours)

Friends and family around me would know that I have very thick hair since birth, and now that I have grown it to almost waist-length, the handling and maintenance takes a lot of time, effort and of course, Money.

So being the thrifty me, I will usually use off-the-shelves hair dye, mask and treatment for my hair. The last when I went to a hair salon was more than a year ago, when I finally decided to have my hair bleached to get the ash colour that I’ve always wanted. But of course, the colour did not last and soon I was left with yellowish and dry hair. No matter how I try to cover up the unsightly hair colour with a darker shade, it will always fade to this ugly yellow after a few washes, making it look almost hay-like.

 

So I was truly thrilled to learn that I was given the opportunity to pamper my hair at J&J Hair Identity salon with NATULIQUE hair colours.

 

NATULIQUE Professional Natural Hair Colours is strictly designed with the focus on natural ingredients that provide a more gentle hair colour and extra conditioning. A unique and exclusive formula that includes added pure natural sunflower seed extract, jojoba oil and apricot seed oil, which enables us to create pleasant to use hair colour with less chemicals and with better functionality.

 

What Makes NATULIQUE Natural Colours Different?

• 100% Ammonia-Free
• 100% Lauryl Sulfate-Free
• 100% Parabens Free
• 100% Grey Hair Coverage
•  98.02% derived from natural sources
• Pleasant Mild Odour
• With Natural Ingredients

NATULIQUE Natural Colours are made with certified organic and natural ingredients that are designed to work together to provide a more natural hair colour, extra conditioning and superior comfort. Wait a second, by natural hair colour do you mean that we can only choose our colours from brown and more brown?

The answer is NO! Surprise! They offer 73 fabulous shades that can suit your every need with the maximum gentleness!

 

The unrivaled quality of this ECOCERT certified hair care product can only be attributed to the passion and dedication involved in creating hair care products that outperforms even the most established brands in the professional hair care market.

 

Located at Katong Square (next to I12), J&J Hair Identity is a clean and spacious hair salon in Singapore that has been tastefully renovated. I love the exterior so much that I’m actually looking at having a similar concept for my new house that I’m getting soon!

 

I had my appointment made at 1.30pm, and even though I reached slightly earlier, I was attended to quickly by Jac, the Salon Manager and Lead Designer. Served with a drink and some snacks, I sat down with Jac and he asked for my preferences before going on to recommend me the few colours that would be more suitable for me. I really like it that he takes the effort to listen patiently and understand customers’ needs and wants before giving any further advice. Jac and his partners recognize that different customers have different desires and needs with regards to their hair, and so they came out with a T.O.P formula that focuses bringing out every customers’ identity and individuality through a sequential process.

 

Texture                : To analyse customers’ hair texture to define suitable solutions

Originality           : To consider customers’ original face features to give suitable hairdos that bring out the key features

Personality         : To bring out customers’ personality by understanding customers’ professions and their lifestyle preferences

 

With that formula in mind, Jac and I took a good 10-15 minutes discussion before finally deciding on the hair colour that I want. I wanted something dark to cover my yellow hair, and something that would not fade back to the current shade. So he recommended Black Violet, which I am very much pleased with the end result.

 

So this is my hair before the colour treatment. Seriously, saying that it looks like hay is not an understatement!

 

Because my hair has two contrasting tones and I did some DIY dyeing to my hair previously, some parts of my hair couldn’t absorb the colour well and turned out patchy. This can only be seen after all the waiting, washing and blow-drying. But Jac was really nice to ask if I was in a hurry, coz if I am not, he can help me fix it. So at this point, I was really surprised at his level of service and his dedication to want to let his customers leave his salon happy and beyond satisfied. As I was on leave that day and my only plan was just to have my hair done, so I gladly let Jac fix my hair with his magic hands!

 

After another hour of waiting, washing, blow-drying and this time, curling, this is the final product!

 

I am so super pleased with the outcome. It may look just black in this picture, but under sunlight there is a hint of burgundy in my hair, which I love! What’s more is that my hair looks shiny and healthy, and really smooth and soft to the touch.

 

Jac left me alone to take my selfies with the ring light, and here are more of me with beautiful hair and flawless complexion. Haha!

 

3 days after the colour treatment – the purple in my hair has gotten a little more obvious, and my hair still feeling soft even after a few washes!

 

To everyone who is reading this, I'll strongly recommend you to J&J Hair Identity if you are looking to put your hair into good hands. For myself, this will definitely not be my last visit to this salon given that I’ve had such a wonderful experience. Do remember to make an appointment before going down as Jac and his partner could be busy with other customers. I have seen it myself that Jac has his own regulars coming to him while I was waiting for my hair to be done, even on a quiet Monday.

 

If you would like to read more reviews on J&J Hair Identity and NATULIQUE products, click HERE!

 

J&J Hair Identity @ Katong Square

88 East Coast Road #02-11

Singapore 423371

 

Tel: 6344 2388

 

Opening hours:

Mon-Fri: 11am – 9pm

Sat-Sun: 10.30am – 8pm

053 - Road to Healthier Skin!

Was really excited to receive an invitation from Sample Store to try out the Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Foundation and Concealer because that would be my first cosmetic product review! I started googling for reviews on the products and they seem so good that I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

So I cannot contain my excitement when the products finally came in my mailbox!

Thank you for packing it so beautifully!

The Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Foundation has a new formula that contains a vitamin-infused complex that erases all signs of fatigue for a fresh and healthy-looking complexion. The new blend of vitamins allows your skin to look fresher and rested, appear natural and luminous, and reveal the radiance from within.

The foundation has a long-lasting (up to 16 hours) and medium coverage, which at the same time giving you a natural and healthy-looking glow. It is ultra-lightweight, giving a semi-matte finishing and yet giving your skin an all-day hydration that it needs.

This is the amount that one full pump can give you, but in fact this is too much for my face! To cover my whole face, I only need half a pump thanks to the watery consistency which makes it easier to blend, giving my face a light and natural make-up look.

Say bye to dark circles and puffy eyes with the Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Concealer! Its light-reflecting pigments gives an immediate radiance to your skin and the spherical powders gives it a silky finish.

The concealer comes with a small brush applicator which allows easy application. Simply dab the amount required onto your face to cover dark eye rings and redness and blend them all out lightly with your fingertips. 

So here's me with my bare face. You can see that I've got pretty obvious dark rings under my eyes. Must be all the late nights from catching up with dramas. >.<

So here's one more pic after a light layer of concealer was applied under my eyes. The dark ring are almost all gone! I used shade 51 - Light which is the lightest shade amongst the three which are available. 

Added a pump of Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Foundation to my face and there I was looking fresh and good already! I took a photo immediately after putting on the foundation, so it may appear that the color was too light for me (I'm using shade 52 - Vanilla by the way. There are 6 shades for you to choose from!).

But after a couple of minutes, the foundation more or less settled in and I'm good to go after putting on some blusher and lipgloss! I was out for a casual dinner so I did not even put on any eye make up. But hey, I was looking all glowy and radiant so I guess that's good enough right? :)

So some personal opinions on the products; The Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue concealer did what it claimed, that is to cover up dark rings and redness on the skin. But if I have to choose between the foundation and concealer, I will definitely choose the foundation because I really love the semi-matte finishing! I have never been a fan of liquid foundation because they always end up feeling sticky and heavy on the skin which is why I always turn to compact powder to use as my foundation. But with Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Foundation, it feels really light on the skin and yet it is hydrating and able to give me the perfect radiant glow that I've always wanted on my face without looking too shiny or oily.

The Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Foundation ($29.90) and Concealer ($17.50) can be found retailing at major Watsons and departmental stores.

You can find out more about Bourjois products on their Facebook page or read more reviews here!

049 - Essential Leave On Treatment (CC Oil & Night Care Milk)

Since my last post on Essential haircare in May, I have been using their Deep Cleansing Shampoo and Conditioner religiously because they are really good! My scalp no longer itch and my waist-long tresses are soft and flowy! Now apart from the usual haircare products, Essential has launched 2 new items; the Essential CC Oil and Essential Night Care Milk.

Essential CC Oil

The “CC” in the new Essential CC Oil stands for Cuticle Care. Working similarly to the CC cream in skincare, the CC Oil coats and protects the hair from the 5 usual hair stresses caused by environmental factors and personal habits. 

What are the 5 Hair Stresses?

While many of you may know that heat styling, perming and dyeing can damage your hair, you may not know that the external environmental factors and some of your everyday habits can put stress on your hair and impact its health and appearance.

1.  Heat damage/ friction from blow drying – the process of blow-drying removes moisture from the hair, both outside and inside the hair, leaving hair dry, brittle and susceptible for further damage.
   
   
   
2. Friction to the hair cuticles due to daily combing – combing through wet hair causes great hair damage as the hair follicle is at its most fragile state. Likewise, the friction caused by combing through dry hair can form hair knots which makes hair prone to unnecessary breakage.
   
   
   
3. Fraying of hair shaft due to dry and brittle hair – the ends of your hair are the oldest and driest parts. When the protective hair cuticle is destroyed at the end of the hair, the hair splits into two or more parts.
   
   
   
4. Hair breakage – besides daily heat styling, blow drying and brushing, other seemingly harmless actions like tying your hair into a tight ponytail or twirling your hair with your fingers exert excessive stress on your hair, resulting in hair breakage.
   
   
   
5. Dry hair that feels rough – exposure to the sun, wind or even air-conditioning can result in hair dryness. The hair cuticle that protects the hair is weakened and is unable to retain moisture within the cuticles of the hair.
   

The Essential CC Oil which is non-greasy and invisibly light, coats each strand of hair with a cuticle coat protection (contains hair supplement oil, similar to hair’s natural oil) to fight the 5 most common forms of hair stresses, leaving hair smooth and tangle-free all day!

 Directions of use:

• Use on towel-dried or damp hair
• Pump and appropriate amount onto palm
• Spread and apply evenly onto hair, concentrating on mid-length to the tip of hair
• Do not rinse off

Essential Night Care Milk

The Essential Night Care Milk protects your hair from pillow friction by leaving a protective coat around each hair strand and prevent misaligned cuticles when hair rubs against the pillowcase, leaving hair more manageable the next morning.

 What is Pillow Friction?

1. When you toss and turn at night, there is friction between your hair and the pillow, causing the cuticles to be misaligned.
2. Misaligned cuticles creates frizz, resulting in you having lion’s mane in the morning. RAWR lol.
3. Washing your hair will reset the mane, which is why many women have no choice but to wash and blow dry their hair in the morning before going to work.

Directions of Use:

• Use on towel-dried or damp hair, or before blow-drying
• Can also be used on dry hair
• Pump an appropriate amount onto palm
• Spread and apply evenly onto hair, concentrating on mid-length to tip of hair
• Do not rinse off

I really like using the Essential Night Care Milk because it is fuss-free and most importantly allows me to skip bathing in the morning before going to work! >.< More beauty sleep and I do not have to shiver from the cold each day I step out of the shower. Manageable hair (not easy to have manageable hair for my hair length. It tangles really easily!) through the day. So what’s there not to love about the Essential Night Care Milk? Hehe!

Check out my long mane! Although it not exactly silky smooth, it's still soft to the touch and does not tangle when I comb through it with my fingers! :)

So protect your hair and get your Essential CC Oil and Night Care Milk at S$11.90 each! :)

048 - Esemtan Wash Lotion and Skin Balm

Founded in 1889 by Rudolf schülke and Julius Mayr, Schülke and Mayr GmbH belongs to pioneers of modern hospital hygiene and preservation. Products under Schülke which are available in Singapore include the Esemtan Wash Lotion and Esemtan Skin Balm which I will be sharing more information with you today! :)

The Esemtan Wash Lotion features a balanced combination of fragrance and a gentle lather, and is effective in removing dirt and oil from skin. This soapless wash offers a complete washing experience that is universally usable from head to toe.

Honestly speaking, when I first received the Esemtan Wash Lotion, I did not think much of its uses because the packaging did not really appeal to me. It looks like some sort of solution which doctors and pharmacies use for prescriptions.

Call it a coincidence or not, but I did have some bad skin conditions before I received this product for review. I had these small red patches of rough and dry skin on my arm and back and the patch on my back was so bad and obvious that I did not dare to wear any clothes which will reveal that part of my skin.

After using the Esemtan Wash Lotion for two weeks, my skin condition improved and the red patches gradually disappeared! Now I have a smooth and flawless back again! The wash lotion is pH neutral and can be used not just on the body, but on the hair and face too. With Allantoin, it reduces skin irritation and supports skin's natural moisture. Last but not least, its mild and refreshing fragrance and coloring with good skin tolerability makes it suitable for all skin types, including baby and elderly skin.

Apart from the Esemtan Wash Lotion, the Esemtan Skin Balm works great for the skin too! It provides ample moisturizing benefits to the skin with its mildly fragrant and rapidly absorbed moisturising cream for hand and body care. The skin balm has been dermatologically tested, permeates deeply and absorbs rapidly into skin, provides moisturising benefits and reduces itchiness.

How to use:

Apply and rub it gently to the back of one hand and spread it, first from one back to the other back of the hand and then also to the palms of the hands.

Recommended to use daily, morning and evening after each wash. :)

The skin balm is so moisturising that I brought the entire 500ml bottle to my office so I can use it daily. LOL. And that is exactly what I need because my office is so cold that my skin is drying out really quickly.

So if you have dry skin and need a good solution to it, why not try out the Esemtan Wash Lotion and Esemtan Skin Balm? :)

Where to Find:
Guardian, Unity, Watsons, Independent pharmacy (Pink beauty, Beauty essential), NHG

Retail Price:
Esemtan Wash Lotion - $19.75/500ml, $35.30/1L
Esemtan Skin Balm - $20/500ml

046 - Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel‏

Sponsored Post

So, the sun is glaring down at you and you can’t hide. So how can you embrace the sunny day and protect your skin at the same time? Presenting to you the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel!

In a 2014 Benchmark Survey commissioned by Kao Singapore revealed a surprising find – that only 30% of women between the age of 12 and 49 years old use a sunscreen daily. The top reason why women prefer not to apply a sunscreen is the sticky and greasy feeling most sunscreens tend to leave behind. I must admit I really hate this feeling too, so much that I always got the urge to wash off whatever is on my face! >.<

But fret not! Biore's latest addition to its new range of sunscreen  products, the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel, which provides the highest level of UV protection (SPF50+/PA++++) from head to toe! Thanks to Bioré’s unique Aqua Rich technology, it comes in the same light and watery texture of Bioré’s popular UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, loved by women for its cool and refreshing feel upon application.

The Aqua Rich Watery Gel contains the breakthrough Aqua Micro Capsule a water capsule which breaks upon application on skin to release the UV protection agent while giving skin a cool and refreshed feeling.

Unlike most sunscreens that have a higher SPF value which tends to compromise on the product texture, Bioré’s Aqua Rich Watery series retains its lightweight feel and at the same time provide maximum UV protection.

The Aqua Rich Watery Gel is also infused with hyaluronic acid and citrus extract to keep skin hydrated and healthy.

See the watery texture? It really flows like water!

After spreading it, you can see that it absorbs really quickly!

A couple of seconds more and it's completely absorbed. You can hardly see or feel it, but you can be sure that you're well-protected from the scorching sun! :)

Now the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel has become my daily essential product, because of its quick absorption, there's no prolonging in making myself up in the morning. Even on weekends, I will apply some because UV rays are everywhere. So, protect protect protect!!!

Be afraid of the sun no more! Go get your own Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel at S$18.90/ 90ml. It can be found at all  leading pharmacies, super & hyper markets, departmental stores, beauty stores and selected minimarts. :)

045 - Laurier Ultra Gentle

Recently, I have been seeing this trending video on Youtube which shows how things would be like if guys had periods. The video is so funny, but yet so true. So painfully true!

I am sure every girl would agree that we will never want to go through this monthly week-long period if we have a choice! It is such a torturing process! Apart from the really bad menstrual cramps, the fear of leakage and staining clothes, there's this discomfort on the skin which sometimes causes skin irritation. In fact, 7 out of 10 women have experienced skin irritations eg. itchiness, stuffiness and redness during periods. Such discomforts occur as skin around intimate area become more sensitive during the time of the month. :(

The new Laurier Ultra Gentle is the first dermatologically tested napkin in Singapore, clinically proven to relieve skin irritations. 

Its key efficacies are:

- Ultimate Comfort
Unique airy soft wavy surface reduces skin contact, minimizing friction and skin irritations    

- Extra Breathable

Airflow is channeled and promoted by the wavy surface, thus relieving stuffiness, moisture and itchiness 

- Quick Lock & Dry system 
Super absorbent layer locks in fluid quickly, reducing wetness on the napkin surface, leaving you drier and sticky-free.

- Advanced technology 
Developed with Japan's Advanced Skin Science Technology

- Premium quality, Made in Japan

- Suitable for all skin types especially sensitive skin 

I am amazed by the touch and feel of the Laurier Ultra Gentle on my first use because it feels so soft, almost like a piece of cloth on your skin so there's minimum rubbing and that reduces skin irritation. The other brands which I have tried are stiffer and definitely not as gentle on the skin as Laurier Ultra Gentle. So I'm definitely stocking up for my next use! Just to share, they have new lengths for both day (25cm)and night (40cm) use! :)

The Laurier Ultra Gentle can be purchased as major supermarkets/ hypermarkets, pharmacies and personal care stores. The retail prices are as follows:

Day (25cm): $5.60/ 15s
Night (40cm): $4.95/ 7s