"Tikkam" for grown up women :)

remember when you were a kid, you would spend all your spare pocket money at the neighbourhood "tikkam" store - picking up a random number from a cup/box, matching it against the numbers on the gift board, and then often, smiling silly, walking away with an inexpensive little bell, a trinket, an eraser or something...

this is like that, except it's targeted at the grown up women ;)

www.vanitytrove.com

 

you pay a fixed monthly subscription fee of S$25.00, and get little surprise packages of random beauty samples - skincare, bath & body, makeup etc. - delivered to your door steps every month.

very interesting concept, and i think it would continue to work as long as the perceived value of the packages surpasses the amount being paid, and of course, that lousy samples stay out of the packages. moreover people are not exactly paying for the items in the box, what they're after is that surprise, the suspense and that little thrill of receiving something expected - yet unexpected - in the mail. so keep it pretty too, and the subscriptions will roll...

tokidoki rollerball fragrances...

these are toooooo adorable!
i wonder if sephora singapore carries these... shall drop by to check it out this weekend :)

adios & ciao ciao rollerball duo (US$30)

 

rollerball collection (US$18 each)

jingle bells...

i love the harajuku lovers fragrances, have always loved them since i first set eyes on the original collection at a Macy's store in Seattle :) and of course, that's also the beginnings of my (evil) little collection of those cute little fragrance dolls... hehehe.

confession: after all these years, i must have a total of 6 or 8 bottles to date (a few of which were gifts) - selected ones from every single collection, as well as the special edition "Gwen-only" ones :)

yay! there's a new release from HJL, its latest but also the very last fragrance from the line. *sob sob* such a pity because it's been fun looking forward to each new release, but also a BIG sigh of relief, after all no one can go on collecting them forever, can they? ;)

i am definitely getting the 10ml (S$38) for this festive "jingle gwen" fragrance doll. i've heard from colleagues that Robinsons Singapore already has this in store, so get yours early whilst stocks last!

related posts:

• harajuku lovers - G of the sea
• Harajuku Lovers are wicked ;)
• harajuku lovers - solid perfume coffret
• i want the Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies gift set! :)

harajuku lovers - G of the sea

me likey this!! sooo adorable! :)

should i, should i not?

too pricey though.
i would get this if they have it in the smaller 15ml version.

to add to my tiny collection of the small HL fragrances *wink*.

sooo cuuuute...

Harajuku Girls G of the sea perfume (USD64)

edited to add: good news, fellow H.J.L. fans! this limited edition mermaid "G" is now available in Singapore! :) in fact, to my surprise, they have actually brought in the 15ml version of it too *woohoo*. as i had promised, i went ahead to get myself a 15ml bottle of this at a 10% discount ;) original retail price S$38, available at Takashimaya shopping centre fragrance department. go get yours now!

Harajuku Lovers are wicked ;)

if something this cute ain't wicked, then what is it? lol.

i first came across Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers fragrance (original set) during my vacation in Seattle back in 2008. it was love at first sight. i KNEW i had to bring home some of those even before i had a sniff of the scents. as it turned out, they were all very pleasant and i even got oddly hooked to the unusual fruity coconuty scent of 'G'. so i ended up with a big splurge at Macy's, left the store with the 10ml petite bottle of 'G' and 'LOVE', and the entire set of solid perfume cuties :P

in mid-2009, the brand launched a limited edition seasonal collection featuring the same 5 dolls dressed in warm fluffy winter coats and each spotting rosier cheeks - the 'Snow Bunnies' collection! even though i wasn't in the USA then, Harajuku Lovers eventually made it to the departmental stores here, and so i added the new 'G' and 'BABY' to my collection. from then on, i knew there was just no turning back *gulp*...

and right i was. earlier this year, when Summer came, the Harajuku Lovers left their thick winter clothes behind and showed more skin :) these 'Sunshine Cuties' looked sooooo adorable in their tiny bikinis and bathing suit, they even had tanner skin, and oh.. look at 'LOVE' with her over-sized sunshades! hehehe... how could i resist? *tsk tsk tsk*. i chose the 10ml 'G' and 'LOVE' again. this time, other than 'G', each doll's scent was slightly different from the original, so that made it more interesting.

when i saw the new 'Wicked Style' Harajuku Lovers on sephora.com, i must say Harajuku Lovers are just wicked! lol. i'm gonna be broke collecting them, even though i limit myself to only 2 dolls per season, it all still adds up :P

initially, i thought i would be safe with the 'Wicked Style' cuz it's darker, more 'emo' and not quite my usual fancy, but they actually grew on me. yikes! the scents are new, and they now have fuzzy felt heads, new hairdo too! cute. i've already taken a liking to 'G', 'BABY' and 'LIL' ANGEL'.

hmm.. i don't think they'll be available on our shore for at least another month or so, let's just see if i'll still be tempted then ;) oh wicked wicked wicked...

11 - 13 june 2010: L'occitane Singapore - Marina Bay Sands promotions

ooh.. a new L'occitane Singapore store will be open at Marina Bay Sands this weekend (11 - 13 june). check out the store opening specials below:

perhaps this shall be incentive for me to drop by Marina Sands to check out the stores there. guess which sets i'm eyeing... hehe ;)

"melt-away stress promise" found on a bus ride

i was standing idly on the bus yesterday morning, on my way to work. listening to my iTunes on the iPhone and eyes wandering around the bus, out to the busy streets outside the windows and then back to the interior of the bus.. (yea, i know, the usual routine almost all passengers go through everyday on a typical public bus ride).

then my gaze landed on these handrail advertisements - you know, one of those door-hangers ads. they place on the metal handrails on the ceiling of the bus. i took one off to read, found it quite interesting and very apt to ease off the Monday stress especially after a long Vesak Day weekend before.

it made me smile, so i kept it. and thought i'd share :)
i think i can definitely do some of those listed everyday, just to unwind.

ps: the gentleman seated nearby got curious and took one off the railings after me too.. hehe.. peer advertising.

The Johnson's® Melt Away Stress Promise

I promise to do at least one or two of these things for myself every day:

1. I will talk my problems out with friends or family.
2. I will not skip my workout - exercise creates happy endorphins.
3. I will relax in the shower, not just wash.
4. I will smile more.
5. I will not spread myself too thin.
6. I will learn to accept what I cannot change.
7. I will ask for help when I need it.
8. I will breathe deeply and visualize calm.
9. I will not be ruled by my to-do list.
10. I will not be perfect. Or even try to be.
11. I will not think about work when outside my workplace.
12. I will not constantly worry about what others think of me.
13. I will learn to say 'no'.
14. I will schedule time for myself.
15. I will take up a relaxing new hobby.

new - benefit crescent row fragrances

these cocktail mixer-like fragrances are just too delectable to resist. i have no clue yet how good or desirable these scents really are but the bottle and packaging sure got me sold - makes me wanna just reach through the screen and grab them all! :) look at how the packaging/box even opens up to detailed dollhouse-like prints on the inside! oh la la!

benefit cosmetics have some of the cutest and most whimsical cosmetics/beauty products packaging ever. though i didn't exactly like any of their previous scents such as maybe baby or b-spot, i do have some hopes on this new range. i mean.. look at them, they're just too pretty to be missed! and since there are 3 to choose from, chances of getting at least one right is pretty high, isn't it? ;)

undecided on which scent might work best for you, let this quiz give you a hint.
my quiz result shows that laugh with me lee lee should be my pick *shrugs* - i'm personally drawn to something about sofia from the descriptions of the notes though...

priced at USD36 each for 30ml, i say go get them all! :D