Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i Her World Singapore

Who is the new G2000 woman? According to the brand’s new product director, Hong Konger Melinda Wong, she is probably most of us: constantly on the go, a white-collar worker who likes her work wear stylish but not excessive, and equal parts comfortable and well made. Wong joined the brand in late 2016 to give G2000 Woman a fresher perspective; the brand’s last refresher was in 2010. With her debut – the S/S ’18 collection – she tells us why the brand for work wear isn’t office lady-centric anymore, and is a label to pay attention to in 2018. ITS NEW SENSIBILITY IS SCANDI Known as a tastemaker of Scandinavian design in Hong Kong, Wong also has her own eight-year-old HK-based multi-label store, Vein, which curates Nordic designer wear. She…

From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, this wasn’t just something to hold up long hair. Like every practical idea which also beautified, it became a fashion statement. Made of fabric-covered elastic, it came in every material, colour, print and finish. Almost every woman wore one – or two, or three at a time. Its good-for-hair benefits were sound, too: Unlike elastic bands, the scrunchy didn’t snag or break hair – ever. It didn’t snap apart – ever. And when we finally wanted to let our hair down, it became a wrist accessory. The reasons for its glory days are the same reasons why it’s hot again. See our digital edition for who’s wearing it now, how they’re wearing it, and where to get you some.…

MY POWER IS DETERMINATION, MY SHADE IS #045 The multi-tasker who used to run her own public relations agency now runs for dog charities, and is also a dog behaviourist and trainer, a part-time lecturer at Lasalle College of the Arts, and a certified fitness trainer. Where does your power come from? “From my mind, and from the support of people around me. I believe you can achieve anything you set your mind to. I like to conquer my fears and not be a prisoner to them.” How do you find the power to stay motivated? “I think about why I run: I run to raise awareness and funds for rescue dogs in Singapore. I also want my fitness journey to inspire others to embark on their own. It is…

How to use: Apply to the under-eye area, massage gently into the lashes and eyelids, and extend the love all the way to the brows. Use in the morning and at night. Biotherm Blue Therapy Eye-opening Serum ($82): After a month, lashes and brows should look more dense, with an average reported growth of 3.35 new lashes. The applicator has two parts – a mascara wand-like brush to apply the gel-textured serum onto lashes and brows, and a pearl tip for a cooling massage during application. It’s contact lens-friendly too. Jyunka Ageless Eye ($142): A month-long beauty trial involving 30 women saw an increase in lash growth in 87 per cent of participants. Similarly, you should see longer, thicker and new lash and brow hair, from as early as two…

TIP #1: USE A LONG-LASTING MATTE FOUNDATION CNY visiting will be hot – and you, sweaty. Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear 24h Foundation and Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation are sweat- and humidity-resistant, oil-free and lightweight, give buildable medium to full coverage, and blur out pores. Lancome has 16 shades at $68 each; Fenty Beauty has 40 shades at $50 each. TIP #2: BE READY IN FIVE MINUTES You want to look pretty, not over the top. And you need makeup that doesn’t need regular touching up. That’s what the Spring/ Summer collection from Japanese cosmetics brand Three offers. TIP #3: USE A MAKEUP-SETTING SPRAY Stave off the midday makeup melt. Urban Decay’s All Nighter Pollution Protection Environmental Defense Makeup Setting Spray ($50) is a fine mist…

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A CERTIFIED DIETITIAN… › Only focuses on diets, and not other aspects of your personal life. Has had at least a year of training in a hospital and undergone a clinical internship. He understands medical conditions such as kidney disease. › Is very specific about the diets prescribed for clients, “even down to the grams”, says Jaclyn Reutens, clinical and sports dietitian and founder of Aptima Nutrition & Sports Consultants. “Dietitians create diets that are customised towards specific nutritional needs.” A CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH… › Takes a more holistic approach, which includes “the client’s relationships with food and their bodies, sleep, stress and lifestyle”, says Tisha Jaswantlal, founder and lead coach at Wellness with Tish. › Has undergone a one-year online nutrition and coaching course. Look for certifications where the…

Garima Aneja and Siddhartha Banerjee, both 30 “‘So, you all know that I’ve taken a few days off work to go on a vacation with my friends,’ I told my very conservative family over dinner. ‘And we’ve been planning this for months now.’ The family looked at me expectantly. I continued: ‘Well, within the past few days, my friends have backed out one by one. We’re meant to make our departure in three days and we’re down to just me and another person.’ My father raised an eyebrow. ‘Where are you going with this?’ ‘I still would like to go on this trip with Siddhartha, because he’s going to be flying into Delhi all the way from Houston, and it just wouldn’t be fair to him if we didn’t go…

J’m 24 years old, and I don’t believe in the one. I know it seems cynical for someone so young, but when failed romances (whether mine or others) are the norm rather than the exception, I can’t help thinking that maybe I’ve already met the one and missed her – we crossed paths on the way to work, or maybe we had a casual encounter. Whatever the case, I’ve come to believe that she’s impossible to find. Maybe it’s because my generation is the generation of instant gratification. We want our happiness and we’ll take what we can get. Right here, right now. But we don’t want to stick around long enough to find out if that person’s the one. We move around too much – for school, for work,…

Smart lights let you change things up to set the mood with zero hassle. Having guests over for dinner? Turn up the warm hues. Settling in for a movie? Cool it down to a dim blue. Need to get some work done? Switch to fluorescent lights. Some smart bulbs can even mimic the sunrise – which means the room gets progressively brighter and lets you wake up more naturally. These adjustments are made using your phone, your voice, or a motion sensor. Many smart lights are also compatible with software like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. “Whether it’s your TV, lighting, or air-con, people want it smart – especially younger home owners who are used to having things done quickly on their phones,” says John Lim, general manager of P5…

The Month-old Resort with a More Than 1,000-Year-old History Aman’s newest project in China combines conservation and modernism. Amanyangyun would not be here today if the Chinese government hadn’t decided to build a dam in Jiangxi province in 2002. The dam would flood a nearby village which had been there since the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as the surrounding forest with 1,000-year-old camphor trees (about 10,000 of them). Ma Dadong, an entrepreneur and nature lover who lived in nearby Fuzhou, decided to take things into his own hands. He banded together a group of botanists, engineers, architects and master craftsmen to save the village and forest. They painstakingly uprooted every tree of that forest. They also painstakingly dismantled every one of the village’s 50 homes: one brick, roof,…

Customise It: The Part 3 of Coach Create In October 2017, the US brand launched a programme to take customisation of its bags to three levels. The first, Accessorise It, lets you change the charms and straps of the Rogue and the Swagger; the second, Personalise It, offers embossing of initials on a hangtag. Customise It, the third, is the most extensive: Pick a bag from a selected range (such as Dinky or Swagger), the kind and number of embellishments (Coach’s signature tea rose applique, souvenir pins, and metal rivets), and where you want them. The best part: Your customised product will be ready in 30 minutes – about as much time as you’d take to finish a large Starbucks Caffe Latte. Bulgari’s B.zero1 Labyrinth After nearly two decades and…

It’s the solution for easy lip-colour touch-ups in between stuffing our faces during CNY. It gives colour. You don’t need a mirror. You don’t need skills. Simply use whichever of your fingers is clean.…

Stability is paramount when it comes to vitamin C. No stabilility = no work done = no benefits to skin. That means it doesn’t protect the skin. Or boost collagen production. Or reduce pigmentation. Or improve radiance. Once vitamin C breaks down – through water, light, air and heat – it’s useless and impotent. It’s that fragile. That’s a big problem if pure vitamin C, known as ascorbic acid, is used. Thankfully, there’s a 2018 solution: these three much more stable forms of the antioxidant. Don’t take our word for it. The picture above shows the results of our 18-hour apple test (we applied serum to the right half). A little more browning here. The Bjork & Berries Skin Awakening C-serum uses one of the newest, fastest-penetrating forms of vitamin…

Who: Cindy Ting, senior hairstylist with 26 years’ experience. Where: ZA Salon, #01-128, Block 275 Bukit Batok East Avenue 4 (tel: 6650-2938) Her mad skills: She can give you a colour job equal to that of any trendy Orchard Road salon at a fraction of the price, and requiring minimal touch-ups after. We’re talking shades from ash-green and blue that fade to a nice blonde over time. Says customer Aries Ong, 31, a senior manager: “Cindy gave me an ash-green on top of my bleached highlights, which faded into a wearable ash blonde after two months. She’s great at helping me pick the right shades for my skin tone.” From $60 for hair colouring.…

With aesthetic treatments becoming more commonplace, women are asking: How do I pick a clinic to go to? Many of us rely on recommendations from friends. That’s a good start. But a good alternative is to look for a clinic where the doctors have preferences for certain treatments. Why? The reason is that these doctors would have done such treatments thousands of times on different patients. This translates to them bringing that background and experience to your treatment. It’s that extra pop of finesse you get. Dr Y.Z. Tan, founder of Mizu Aesthetic Clinic, which offers aesthetic treatments and medispa services, has been performing a core range of treatments since he established the clinic in 2015. Laser treatments are among them – he’s done more than 10,000 of these since…

Q My beautician tells me that my skin is oily because it is dehydrated. What should I use to hydrate my skin, then? Creams are too heavy, yet watery gels may be insufficient. – Chen Jiali Your skin A is probably overproducing oil to make up for its lack of moisture. Moisturisers containing hyaluronic acid or glycerine help lock moisture into the skin. Try Calecim Professional Restorative Hydration Cream ($267.50). Either a lightweight gel or a richer lotion-based moisturiser could also work for you. Gels don’t add shine or clog pores, but intensely moisturise skin and fortify its protective barrier to prevent water loss. Lotions are quickly absorbed while providing the same benefits as a gel moisturiser. Q My eye creams never seem to deliver results. How do I get…

If getting into shape is one of your goals in the Year of the Dog, try Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). For many years now, its practitioners have used this ancient treatment for slimming and weight management. TCM involves a range of therapies, from acupuncture to massage, to facilitate natural weight loss by improving your overall health, boosting your metabolism, encouraging your body to eliminate toxins, suppressing your appetite so that you don’t overeat, and stimulating blood circulation. Ma Kuang MKB TCM Wellness Centre offers several therapies designed to help you slim down. In TCM, excess weight is said to be due to overeating, postpartum swelling, stress or age. Depending on the issue that has caused you to gain or retain weight, you’ll be prescribed a personalised slimming treatment to ensure…

My husband has hinted that he’d like me to be more adventurous in the bedroom and try new things. But I’m happy with good old vanilla sex – which we already have on a regular basis. Should I make the effort? Okay – first, saying that you’re fine with a vanilla sex life has to stop. Why do you think John Mayer sang Your Body Is a Wonderland? Because your body is a theme park to be explored, and you should welcome that exploration with open arms (or in this case, legs). The point is, a little sexual adventure is good for your relationship. It’ll keep him happy (and you, too, though you might not realise it yet) – because nobody likes vanilla all the time. Nobody. My boyfriend always…

As Valentine’s Day rolls around, you may be consumed by either of two feelings. One is the bliss of celebrating this day of courtly love with a loved one; the other is when you’re eating a microwave dinner at home, thinking of the one great love that got away. That’s okay. We all have one of those. For me, it was an ex from Spain. She was beautiful, feisty, and we had a roller-coaster relationship. Lots of passion, lots of jealousy, lots of fun, lots of fights. But that many “lots” takes a ton of energy to keep going, and in the end, we broke up. Over the years, though, I often wondered – what if? As I get older, I realise this is a dangerous game to play. So…

Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and you want to shape up for the festivities – lest gossiping family members and relatives say that you’ve put on weight. Healthy dieting and working out before your family reunions are great ways to get in shape, but if you’re looking for an extra boost to achieve your body goals amid a busy schedule, Aibi’s innovative wearable devices – such as the new Lumidiet and the popular Slendertone Abs7 Unisex – can help. Here’s why they may work for you. Both can help you shape up Lumidiet, which is made in Korea, is a designer belt-like device that fits comfortably around your belly. It targets fat cells using LFRT (LED Fat Reduction Technology). The light pads on the device emit heat…

While You Sleep Fermented ingredients have a good skin-moisturising reputation, while some plant extracts brighten skin and reduce signs of ageing. Orbis combines these benefits in its Night Time Pack Koubijin ($48 for 65g). This has extracts of fermented chardonnay (packed with fruit acids and boasting water-retaining and skin-softening effects) and white strawberry (full of polyphenols and vitamin C). Go to bed at night wearing the mask, and find your skin plumped-up, clear and glowing in the morning. At Orbis stores and counters, and www.orbis.com.sg. Jade Beauty Complete your elegant look this CNY with a piece from On Cheong Jewellery. Among the exquisite items in the new Palette of Spring collection is this ring of translucent jadeite, a 0.52-carat ruby, and 74 round diamonds set in white and rose gold…

Before the designer bag, the designer It bag, the cloth bag and the lunchtime bag, there was the plastic bag. This was when we preferred a piece of plastic for running quick errands, grocery shopping, or holding takeaways. It didn’t matter what colour it was or where it came from – as long as it was a clean and convenient vessel for our purse, tissue pack and whatever we picked up along the way. The French brand’s plastic bag is clearly inspired by that plastic bag. The difference: Made of vinyl plastic (the same kind used for clear folders), this one is hardier. At $1,300, it’s also not disposable. And did we mention that it comes with its own lambskin wallet? – BG For details on the wallet, go to…

MY POWER IS BEAUTY, MY SHADE IS #01 Beauty isn’t just external – raw inner beauty can instantly light up a room, says the mother and businesswoman. Once a painfully shy teenager, the founder of model agency Mint Singapore believes that when you commit to working through your issues, it creates a more grounded, authentic and beautiful person. How do you inspire others? “I unapologetically love myself. By committing to myself through experiences such as travel, hobbies like horse riding and fishing, exercise and taking time to nurture my soul, I can be an individual with wants and needs on top of being a mother, businesswoman, daughter, and any other aspect that others depend on.” How do you balance being a mum and an entrepreneur? “By knowing what keeps me…

What peach concealers have that others don’t: an orange base that colour corrects blue-green tones. There’s a catch, though: The darker your skin tone, the darker the peach concealer needs to be; but the darker the peach, the more orange it has. To counteract the orange, cover it with either your normal concealer or foundation. 1 Kate Stick Concealer A in Natural Beige feels like a second skin and gives medium coverage. $16.90 2 YSL Beaute All Hours Full Coverage Concealer is more watery than creamy, which makes it super easy to blend. Gives light to medium coverage. $55 3 Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer in R32 gives high coverage minus the you-have-makeup-on look. It blurs fine lines and discolorations, and gives skin a natural radiance. $50 4…

The eye area is more prone to signs of ageing than the rest of the face as the skin in the area is thinner and is perpetually in motion from blinking or making facial expressions. So how can we tackle aesthetic concerns in the area? Dr Benjamin Yim, founder of Dr Benjamin Yim Clinical Aesthetics & Laser Centre, recommends treatments for some common problems. Problem: Fine lines Resulting from the natural loss of collagen and elastin as we age, fine lines can be aggravated by squinting or smiling, smoking and sun exposure. Treatment: Botulinum toxin, Thermage and Ulthera Commonly known as Botox® , botulinum toxin can be injected into the outer eye area to relax muscles, which in turn minimises the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Thermage and Ulthera…

The L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Centella Micro-Essence Water is an anti-ageing micro-essence that reportedly deeply repairs and instantly hydrates for ›rmer, crystal-clear skin. Repairs the Deeper Skin Layers with Pure Centella Essence  This product has pure centella asiatica, a natural ingredient that is used in many skincare formulas from the L’Oréal Group for its natural healing properties. The Micro-Essence Water comprises 92 per cent pure centella to help calm skin, reduce itchiness and redness, as well as stimulate collagen production so that your skin feels ›rmer, and wrinkles are less obvious. It is suitable for use even on sensitive skin. Micronised Formula for Faster and Deeper Penetration  The Micro-Essence Water has micronised molecules that allow the product to deeply penetrate skin for instant and long-lasting hydration. How to Fit It into…

You can get a subscription box for just about anything these days. Beauty products, artisanal food, coffee – one click and it’s on your doorstep. So why not try a sex subscription box? You’ll never have to worry about being spotted by an aunt as you’re stepping into a sex-toy store – which spares you the awkward explanations. Sex subscription boxes guarantee discretion (thanks to their nondescript packaging) and fun, quality products picked by pros and reviewed by other users. In some cases, the items are curated according to your preferences, so chances are, you’ll won’t get stuff you don’t like. Here’s what we would put our money on. EMPRESS MIMI: For when the lure is in the undressing There’s something about the thrill of lacy underwear that…

A health coach doesn’t make you count calories nor does she stand over you at the gym and force you to work out. Rather, she focuses on changing your mindset towards food, wellness and exercise so you can hit your health goals. Clara How hired one and went through a six-week programme to see if it would make her ditch some of her bad habits. “My health coach ended my dependence on unhealthy treats” I exercise at least twice a week, and I’ve always assumed that this gave me licence to eat whatever I wanted. So I was taken aback when health coach Tisha Jaswantlal told me otherwise at our first coaching session. Diet is far more important than an exercise routine, she explained. What we put into our bodies…

THE MISSION: When millennials rely so heavily on their smartphones to make and maintain romantic connections, could Clara How get a budding romance to bloom without one? THE TOOLS: Two Nokia phones (yes, the ones with no Whatsapp and no social media) and two prepaid SIM cards, each with a $15 limit. THE SUBJECT: George*, 25, civil servant THE GROUND RULES: For a month, all communication had to happen via the Nokia phones, and there’d be no busting of the SIM card limit. That meant rationing SMSes (which cost five cents each) and no pictures (sending them via MMS costs between 11 and 86 cents each time, depending on image size). nly a day into the experiment, we ran into a problem. t a Whatsapp text eorge on my iPhone, me…

Gosh, was it more than 20 years ago, in the last millennium, that I first got my heart broken? She was someone I met during my undergraduate days, at one of those silly student group camps at the National University of Singapore (NUS). She played the role of camp commandant, while I was a regular camper. I hadn’t seen her around campus before, and the way she took to her tasks and carried herself charmed me. Just like that, my heart was stolen. The woman – let’s call her Penelope – came from my faculty. The wheels of fate were turning, and in the new semester, she somehow sat around my usual study area. I made attempts to get close to her, but none worked as well as simply going…

After my first marriage fell apart, I wasn’t looking to find someone new. But I wasn’t closed to the idea either. I was in my late 40s then. After separating from my ex-wife, I reconnected with Janet*, someone I’d met at the gym 20 years ago, and kept in touch with sporadically. I was attracted to her, and we dated for about a year and a half. The chemistry was palpable, but things didn’t work out for us. She was going through a rough patch, and I felt I was investing a lot of energy into trying to please her and fix her problems. And when I couldn’t, we would fight. I felt drained – especially when I’d just come out of a marriage and was looking for a little…

7#10 towns 7# Seven people 7# Six days 7# Five hotels 7# Four hours of sleep every night. And just too many sights to count. That’s what happened when Kimberly Spykerman went to Sri Lanka on a road trip with her family, following a packed itinerary planned by an overachieving mother. Somehow, in between naps, she managed to take in some breathtaking views and learn a thing or two about her folks. “I think your mother hates sleep.” That’s my fiance’s immediate response after I text him the itinerary for our trip to Sri Lanka. I can’t say I disagree. My family is about to go on our first road trip together in years, and we’ve let my mother (the person who eschews sleeping in on weekends because she wants…

MADISON ROOMS Madison Rooms took over the now-defunct Kitchen at Bacchanalia two years ago when owners Raj Datwani and Alex Chew realised many customers were using the space for client meetings. The duo rebranded it as a business-focused members’ club with meeting rooms, working spaces and opportunities to network. Madison Rooms is at 23A Coleman Street. STRAITS CLAN This new kid on the block – slated to open in March 2018 – takes over the space occupied by the former New Majestic Hotel. Set up within four historic shophouses, Straits Clan offers members access to amenities that include a tea salon, spa, co-working lounge, and mini-disco. Its name pays homage to the history of the area, which was home to many clan associations. Straits Clan is at 31-37 Bukit Pasoh…

1 Victorian Mex pendant (comes with chain), $970, Christian Dior. 2 Love Heart pendant (on chain), $199, Swarovski. 3 Symbols 18K pink gold pendant (on chain) with diamonds, $5,550, Cartier. 4 Alphabet Heart 18K gold vermeil pendant with pave diamonds, $315, Monica Vinader. 5 Forevermark Dreams of Delight 18K white gold pendant with diamond, from $1,088, Citigems. 6 Heart Live Love Laugh pendant, $91, Thomas Sabo. 7 Love Touch 18K white gold pendant (on chain) with diamonds, $2,590, Mauboussin. 8 Return to Tiffany Love 18K rose gold pendant, $3,300, Tiffany & Co. 9 Heart with Unicorn charm pendant, $91, Thomas Sabo.…