The Ultimate Luxury @ Branché Hair & Nail Salon

Some places leave you feeling like a million bucks. Branché Hair & Nail Salon, at the new Capitol Piazza, is one such haven.

It was by sheer luck that two girlfriends and I got invited by the Salon Director /Top Stylist, Kensuke Kai-san, to a free trial of their hair spa and styling. I was initially hesitant but (thankfully) signed up for an appointment with Kai anyway - turned out to be one of my best impromptu decisions ever!

Stepping into Branché on a Saturday afternoon in May 2015, first thing that struck was how serene and peaceful the place was. None of that hair-dryer noise, busy chatters, hustle and bustle you'd find at a typical hair salon. In fact, there wasn't even that mish-mesh of chemical smells, just a pleasant, calming atmosphere. The ambience here is a little formal - bright, posh, spacious - and everyone were so polite and friendly, puts one instantly at ease.

Newly opened in March 2015, Branché offers hair and nail services under one roof, helmed by a team of true-blue Japanese stylists and nailists, each with over 10 years of experience. A successful chain with 20 outlets in Japan, 3-month-old Branché at Capitol Piazza is its first overseas establishment, as Kai explained.

The service here is IMPECCABLE - and so are the stylists' sense of style ;) It's not just about the hair, it's the entire customer experience in play - nothing but made-in-Japan best quality, products and services, and just that extra bit of attention to details too. Subtle but certainly noticeable. I was truly blown away! I received undivided attention from my skilled and very patient stylist, Kai, from the point of arrival, through the 1.5-hrs of pampering hair treatments, delicate care, seriously to-die-for head and shoulder massages, and beyond. Nothing about the customer is insignificant here. I felt truly valued, respected, and pampered like a princess. An experience unlike any I've had before, and one that inevitably won my heart over. Even the selection of drinks offered, and the (very Japanese) way they're presented, left me in awe - just check out that picture below of my delicious Matcha Latte!

The prices here are, of course, not for the faint-hearted. Expect to pay around S$200 for a haircut with scalp analysis, wash and style. But what you pay is what you get. In fact, I believe you're getting way better service and value here than what you'd get at some of the larger salon chains, for the same price. As you can tell, I'm quite a convert now ;)

I've since recommended several colleagues and personal friends, and everyone has only good things to say about Kai and Branché. In my opinion, a treasure cove, and an indulge (even if it's a guilty one) worth splurging on.

Branché Hair & Nail Salon

13 Stamford Road, #B1-33 Capitol Piazza, Singapore 178905.

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 8:00pm Daily

For Appointments, call: +65 6702-3036 (Recommended Top Stylist/Director: Kai)

Other Awesome Hairstylists: Ichi | Eri | Kento
Nailists: Safori | Meg (based in Nagoya, Japan)
www.branche.sg | Facebook | Instagram

Fairly Legal - kiss me

i'm an avid TV girl, i watch quite a bit of TV on the cable channels, though mostly random. with an irregular schedule, it's difficult to follow a specific tv series through all its episodes, but thankfully for the Starhub hubstation, i get to pre-record selected shows that i love.

one such newer series that has gotten me hooked since season 1 is this fun and light-hearted "legally blonde" style drama - Fairly Legal on the Diva Universal channel. starring Sarah Shahi, Michael Trucco, Virginia Williams, Ryan Johnson et al, it's a story about character Kate Reed who quit her profession as a lawyer to become a charming mediator in an over-zealous quest to help anyone she meets.

so, i've always been captivated by the funny and impulsive Kate Reed, her never yielding sense of justice, as well as the chemistry, dynamics and conflicts between all the key characters... but now, one more reason that has gotten me more into the show is the budding romance and tension between Kate and her fellow colleague Ben Grogan (a filthy rich douchebag who's actually quite a sweetheart deep down inside) - yea, i know... fairytale, but who doesn't enjoy one every now and then? ;)

can't wait for the next episode to show tomorrow evening here, i'm actually rooting for them, they look cute together (and i'm no teenager, mind you). in the meantime, for those of you who follow the show, and also love what i love, this is for you :)

ps: love the sweet song in this clip too ("kiss me" by Ed Sheeran)

(courtesy of Im4Clois on youtube)

travel with tokidoki this Spring

we all love to travel, don't we? visiting new places, experiencing new sights and sounds, new tastes and wonders, shopping, exploring, meeting new people, the occasional holiday romances.. lol! there's just something about holidays, vacations and travelling that's simply magical.

now take that magic and throw in some tokidoki, voila! that's what makes this Spring 2012 so wonderful. how so? check out these awesomely adorable travel-inspired tokidoki collections:

(tokidoki Ramblers handbags collection - from USD68)

 (tokidoki airways palette - USD42)

makes you can't wait to book your next holiday and hop on that plane, and bring these lovely bags and make-up along with you, doesn't it? :)

a lunar new year gift for myself :)

i simply love hearts and polka dots and ribbons and butterflies... can't explain why - guess it's part inert, part cultured.

it was love at first sight for this little pouch from coach - shiny patent leather in a sweet subdued lavender shade, debossed monogram prints, and *gasp* the most adorable little bow with a worn-gold heart charm! <3 <3 <3

yea, i know i didn't need a new pouch, but in the spirit of the lunar new year celebrations, i've decided to indulge myself and splurge a little, a new year's gift for myself ;) a pretty, new money purse for the new year, that should be a good token, right? *smile* ok, i'll be good now... no more indulgences.

cheers to a happy lunar new year 2012!

obsessed with bows!

if you are as obsessed with ribbons and bows as i am, then you would certainly fall in love with this as quickly as i did too!

check out this adorably feminine bow ski hat from Kate Spade; keep yourself warm and still look chic and fashionable at the same time!

priced at US$85, will you be splurging your year-end bonus on this? ;)

tokidoki Barbie - finally got my hands on her! :)

i finally picked this up from the post office today! thanks to a gf a. who helped facilitate the pre-order and have it re-directed all the way from the USA to me. yay! :) the official release is scheduled for a week or two later, so i'm actually one of the lucky folks who managed to get this much earlier than most other fans <3 <3 <3

tada!! my very own, limited edition, collector's tokidoki Barbie doll!!!

i just knew i wanted this the very first time i set eyes on her... what a unique piece of tokidoki art! and now it's finally in my hands, feels almost unreal, love it!

see how it all started in this earlier post.

pictures say so much more than words, so i shan't say anymore... enjoy the photos:

 

isn't she a beauty? :) i feel like a 5-year-old all over again! hehehe...

check out all those intricate little details and accessories, the super tokidoki-fied touches and Barbie's oh-so-sexy sultry look ;) aren't they amazing?

news release on tokidoki website.

what do you think these are?

make a guess...

(scroll down for the answer...)

(((tada!)))

(view more on these pages: modelling pics. 1 and pics. 2)

pretty remarkable, aren't they? so delicate and beautiful, almost like art... remind me of those paper cuttings, like these traditional ones, or the contemporary ones, don't you agree?

a colleague had directed me to this post on Scrangie's blog, and that's where i had come to know of these fancy stick-on eyelashes from the brand paperself. i had in fact checked out the actual products at the Sephora store here the other day (retails SGD30 per pair) but the packaging is so plain, you'd hardly notice if you weren't looking for them in the first place... such a pity.

i personally have not tried any form of stick-on lashes before, but have certainly witnessed how some of those 'falsies' do wonders to one's eyes.. amazing! :) pretty as these are, i don't suppose we would start seeing these fluttering about in public on the average days... would probably make more sense as some eye-catching pieces for the runway, or fancy costume / themed parties.

this is my favourite pair - deers and butterflies :)

available from paperself.com; sephora; urbanities australia etc.

die-die-must-have: tokidoki Barbie! *heart*

here's my "die-die-must-have"....
the tokidoki Barbie doll!! OMG! 110% tokidoki-ness! *silent shriek* :)

 

isn't she pretty? so edgy, so chic, so top-to-toe tokidoki... i love!!

fellow fans will notice that this Barbie girl is truly authentically tokidoki - tattooed punk rock, chic and sexy, signature pink hair and pouty lips, sporting the tokidoki skull-heart-and-bones t-shirt and leopard-print tights, carrying a real tokidoki miniature purse in hand, walking her cute Bastardino cactus pup... all that attention to these tiny little details, oh wow, i'm impressed!

well, you may be shaking your head and clucking your tongue, thinking i'm no longer 16... but if tokidoki could get me acting like one, then why shouldn't i indulge and just give in to my occasional insane little fancies *grin*.

available from Sep/Oct at selected collectible stores, i am so going to pre-order this right away! if this arrives in October, then just a perfect little birthday gift for myself ;) 

references: Lovetokidoki; Hong Kong magazine

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!

my new uni STYLE FIT multi-colour pen :)

there is just something about pens, writing materials and stationery... that makes people like me go a tad bit crazy and out of control. lol.

blame it on the colleague who wanted to stock up on some stationery, we popped by Evergreen stationery store after lunch today, and alas! i had to spend S$12.65 on a single writing instrument! *tsk tsk* :P

people who know me should know NOT to tempt me by taking me to a stationery shop or any place where you can find lots of unnecessary but too unresistably adorable little items.. hehehe. my weakness. sigh.

anyway, i have no idea how long this range of Uni STYLE FIT pens has been available in the market, but the concept of it is all so cool, and appeals much to someone like me who just can't resist switching my pens every now and then, changing the colours, and be surrounded with all things pretty, even around my desk.


so this is how it works:
1) select one of the 3-pen or 5-pen empty plastic barrels that come in several colours, prints and designs (plain, metallic, polka dot, ribbons etc.)
- honestly, this was what really got me :P

2) then customise your own barrel with the ink refills of your choice - pick from thickness of 0.28mm, 0.38mm or 0.5mm

3) of course, there are many many different ink colours to choose from - pinks, reds, oranges, greens, blues, browns, violets, black etc.

take your pick, mix-and-match, and voila!
that's how easy you can splurge over S$12 in an instant, just the way i did ;)

ok, now would you please just say WOW to my new pink girly ribbon-polka-dotted multi-coloured pen *wink*.

 

M.A.C. - a tartan tale

i'm usually on the fence with M.A.C cosmetics. i know there is a huge fan following for M.A.C., making sure that all limited edition new collections get snapped up within days or even hours of their launch, but for me, M.A.C. is usually a hit or miss, and i always still have my soft spot for stila, too faced, Paul & Joe and such... what can i say, i'm a packaging kind of girl, the makeup has to look pretty in the palette before i can be convinced that it'll look pretty on me :)

M.A.C. launches a new collection every month or so, they're usually very bold and loud, hardly my cup of tea. once in a while though, i do get attracted and even tempted by some of their whimsical, mod-style collections.... just like its current Tartan Tale collection, totally spot on for me! gosh, shall i make a trip down to CK Tangs this evening? ;) wonder if there's anything left...

a tartan tale
We're telling a slightly twisted Tartan Tale to celebrate holiday, in all its posh, punk, ancestral, anarchic, noble and naughty glory. Royal and raunchy, colours and patterns collide, fantasies come true, punk fairies take flight with enchanted new looks. Be transformed! (abstract from maccosmetics.com)

gee, i'm so loving these... the scottish checked prints and crest on the cases/pouches are soo pretty! ooh tempting tempting tempting :P

view more gorgeous pics. here:

• british beauty blogger
• temptalia

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...

Kotex designs - sanitary pads with pretty prints..

(both clips courtesy of kotexspore on youtube)

hmm.. i can't figure out how i feel about this.
i mean, i do like the pretty floral (and butterflies) prints but i don't see the point in this. i can understand where the marketers are coming from... i'm just not quite buying into the idea.

don't get me wrong, i'm ALL for pretty, girly, sexy underwear and lingerie - polka dots, satin, lacy, florals, wild safari prints etc., you name it. some ladies may not be particular with them since underwear stays underneath our daily outfits, but i like the way i feel in the pretty ones.

i tried to apply that same 'feel-good' theory to the Kotex printed sanitary pads but it just doesn't feel the same. short of getting into the details, i'm sure everyone knows where that pad will eventually end up no matter how pretty it is.. erh was. besides, i'd be a little paranoid with the added colour/inks, it can't be too good that close to our skin.

hmm.. but you know what's the odd thing? for me, i suspect i would actually be lured into buying the product if all those pretty designs were to go onto the exterior packaging, not on the pad itself. hehe.

so what do you think? will you give this a try?

mila's daydreams..

once in a while, you come across a blog that you really like.
and then once in a while, you come across a blog that you simply love.
THIS is one of them :)

i super uber adore this blog - Mila's daydreams. reading it makes me smile.

"This is my maternity leave hobby. While my baby is taking her nap, I try to imagine her dream and capture it." ~ Adele Enersen

such creativity, beauty and sheer ingenuity... a very special and sweet activity between a mum and a newborn daughter; a cute, meaningful way to document the baby's growth through the days/months as well. i'm sure this would make a lovely keepsake for everyone in the family for many years to come, even for Mila herself when she grows up.

i wonder if Mila sleeps soundly through it all as her mum goes about building 'dreams' around her *smile*.

thanks to Davis who shared this in email - her eldest daughter happens to be named Mila too :)

remember miffy?

any of you remember miffy?
if it rings a bell, then you're probably born in the same era as me.. lol.

women's secret has just launched a new miffy collection for the casual and underwear, so nostalgic! i like these - miffy accessories and paper pins :D

i remember how i used to love going to the national library because i would always max. out my loan limit on miffy look books.. hehe. they're just so cute, simplest shapes, cutest bunnies with "x" shaped mouths... image filled books, minimum text, interesting texture (sometimes they had cut out shapes with woolly fabric bunny prints) - guess i've always been drawn to visuals more than words :)

anyway, i haven't seen miffy around for a long time now. just heard from a friend that it's actually still very popular in Japan. check out the official website.. super cute! even the cursor is a miffy bunny paw.. awww. lol.

oh well, sometimes a woman just needs her 2 min. of childish time :P helps keep one sane on stressful days.

this is such a cute sweater...

i know it's warm and humid here, not exactly the best time to be looking at a sweater purchase... but this is soooo cute, i would order it in a heart beat! the rugby-striped shawl collar sweater from Gap - love the shawl collar, roll-up sleeves and thick stripes :)

besides, the price is now marked down from USD54.50 to USD17.99, what's not to love about it? unfortunately, the smaller sizes are all sold out (in both colours), i would have loved to get my hands on the grey-stripe version... looks so pretty, cozy and stylish. definitely a fashionable, versatile piece that's warm and chic at the same time!

hmm.. maybe i should drop by our local Gap stores to see if i get lucky...
hope Gap will bring this back soon in earth tones.. or pink, coral shades ;)

i love polka dots! :)

friends and colleagues will know that i love polka dots... can't explain why, i just love them and get drawn to all things polka dot - clothes, bags, shoes, swimwear, accessories etc. :)

check out the latest "trend spotting (Spring 2010)" from asos - polka dots! yay!

asos said, "Go for strong colour combos - think red, white, blue & black"

hmm.. i think i have polka dot clothes in ALL the above mentioned colours.. lol *oops* ;) don't wait anymore, start shopping for your lovely polka dots here!

wow: uniqlo X paul & joe

wow wow wow!!! following up on the recent buzz around paul & joe x alice in wonderland tie-up, here's another exciting paul & joe fashion collaboration that's worth looking forward to :)
saw this on paul & joe facebook fanpage - the uniqlo x paul & joe collection! *woohoo*
it's scheduled for launch in japan this month (March) and subsequently in the USA in May. since we now have uniqlo stores in Singapore, i'm hopeful this will make its way to our shores as well!

the recent alice x uniqlo collection is priced pretty affordably, i wonder if we'll get lucky with the paul & joe range too.

cozycot app for iPhone

cozycot has launched an iPhone app.
i've just downloaded it to show my support... shall try it out soon ;)

Old Navy - supermodelquin super search

hmm.. i can't decide if i wanna call this:
(i) innovative,
(ii) interesting,
(iii) cute, or
(iii) kinda weird

check out this recent marketing initiative by Old Navy - SuperModelquin Super Search.

here's how it works:
challenge 1 ("pose with the plastic pros") - during the upload phase, visit a participating Old Navy store to pose and take a photo with a SuperModelquin. You will be required to bring your own camera and a friend to take your photo. then, visit the website and follow the directions to upload the photo into the appropriate category.

challenge 2 ("modelquin makeover") - during the upload phase, visit the website and upload a photo of yourself, or your child. then, choose from pre-existing options to create a Modelquin that most resembles the photo. follow the links and instructions to submit your photo and the Modelquin you created into the appropriate category.

challenge 3 ("lights, camera, plastic!") - during the upload phase, visit the Website and follow the instructions to insert your Modelquin into an Old Navy commercial. then submit a one hundred seventy-five (175) character word script to be incorporated in the commercial.
3 finalists will be shortlisted based on the number of votes they receive. at the end of the contest, one lucky winner will become Old Navy's very own SuperModelquin, get cast into a real plastic mannequin, and walk away with US$100,000 prize.

i guess it's a neat idea.. but i'm not too sure what it'll feel like seeing a life-size mannequin of yourself each time you walk into an Old Navy's store :)

nonetheless, it is actually fun creating a virtual modelquin of yourself, almost like playing online paperdoll (or rather, plastic doll) ;) - give it a try here!