Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i Her World Singapore

In Singapore’s early days, most of us were poor. It was then that we had little, and recycling and upcycling were ways of life. Now that we are a first-world nation, we have first-world problems like mass consumption, valuing only the new and the latest. Local collective Goni Room, started in January this year by founders Soufi A’aliyah, 24, and Afiq Ayub, 33 (both pictured above), is trying to change that mindset. “We started Goni Room to reconnect with the world,” says Soufi. “We want to discourage blind consumerism and encourage people to give thrown-aways a second look.” Operating through Instagram account @goni_room, their tightly curated inventory of “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is a vintage trove of the practical (unused matches, gold-hued heart-shaped spoons, bronze bottle openers…

Sharp Tailoring Whether we’re in a two-piece suit or a tailored jacket (or coat), we fight our best battles when we look as smart as we are. Blouse + Pants = The At-ease Evening Ensemble Subtle shine or shimmering fabric goes a long way. Give Us the Check All manner of menswear-inspired checks, from houndstooth and Prince of Wales to tartan and tattersall, have returned. Why? In times of uncertainty, they provide feel-good familiarity. The Cape Little Red Riding Hood, swashbuckling, or minimalist, it’s the “I’m a lady” choice. The Blanket Is the New Wrap Just the thing we need to cocoon ourselves in. Ladylike Headgear In all its varieties from ’40s fascinators and turbans to berets and fedoras, it’s the topper for Fall’s pulled-together look.…

In today’s world, where multi-hyphenate careers reign supreme, one timepiece that merely accompanies the contemporary woman no longer suffices. With Baby-G’s latest G-MS MSG-C100 launch, all power women should cop one (or two) for themselves. Confident The MSG-C100 is all about that quiet confidence. With a generously sized case and selection of clean colourways to boot, this timepiece is a closet essential for the bold woman who is already bringing her A game. Active The lightweight timepiece (about 40g) boasts herringbone resin bands which feel almost like a second skin – so you would probably not feel the need to remove the watch before hitting the gym or your weekend hike. And it looks just as good when you’re typing away in the office. Resilient When a timepiece is shock-resistant,…

Project M 2019 kicked off on a high note with a whopping 1,300 sign-ups from model hopefuls around Singapore. After much deliberation, the judges selected their Top 20 finalists. For the next six weeks, these finalists underwent rigorous training under the tutelage of industry experts Addie Low from NOW Model Management and fashion show producer Daniel Boey, on how to walk and pose like pros. No modelling competition would be complete without makeovers! Luckily, the Top 20 were in the capable hands of veteran hairstylist Jeric See and his team at Jeric Salon. Their transformations complete, the ›nalists’ skills were then put to the test with a photo shoot challenge – two gruelling days in front of the cameras and bright lights. It all came down to the final stages.…

Sure, you use a sunscreen daily. But are you as diligent about protecting the more delicate eye area against harmful UV rays? The skin there is six times thinner than on the rest of your face – which makes it more susceptible to external damage. What you should use: an eye cream with sun protection factor. Apply it as you would any eye cream – pat it lightly onto the eyelids and around the eye contours with your ring finger. When it’s time to remove your makeup for the day, use an eye makeup remover as certain physical UV blockers might not be completely removed by just a facial wash.…

Whether it’s a deep navy or bright cobalt, blue mascara has the effect of brightening bloodshot or red-rimmed eyes. Blue on your lashes cancels out redness in the whites of your eyes, making them look brighter. So there’s your easy makeup fix for all those late-night hours of non-stop Netflix binge-watching. Bonus: Blue lashes, with that pop of colour they give, are just a cooler look.…

1 Micellar Water, $22.90 Coconut-infused and almost 100 per cent naturally derived, it effectively removes makeup and hydrates the skin. 2 Youth Therapy Concentrated Essence, $29.90 More than 90 per cent of the lightweight essence consists of galactomyces ferment filtrate, which the brand says is a byproduct of sake brewing that is said to keep skin radiant and youthful-looking. 3 Long Wear Daily Sunscreen SPF40/PA+++, $15.90 The actives in the mineral sunscreen are in very small particles that spread better over the skin and provide more even coverage.…

Busy is the usual pace of life these days. Everyone is busy, and that’s why anything and everything that promises fast – or, better still, instant – results is preferred. But when it comes to facial treatments and procedures, can fast be good… and long-lasting? We ask face-perfection expert Dr Low Chai Ling for her take. QUICK TRICKS “If you’re a busy woman who wants to squeeze a pick-me-up into her packed schedule, consider going for no-downtime, multitasking treatments which help improve the skin on several fronts in one go,” says Dr Low. She adds that the two most popular lunchtime fixes at SW1 Clinic are Forever Young BBL and Neogen Plasma Lift. Forever Young BBL is a broadband light therapy that uses light in the wavelengths of 500 plus…

Big is not always better. Large supermarkets can come across as impersonal and mass market. And even when brands innovate, they may not capture market loyalty – witness the meltdown of Emporium Shokuhin in 2018, billed then as the largest Japanese speciality supermarket, and the ongoing struggles of Habitat by Honestbee, a high-tech lifestyle store. Niche and nimble food stores have always filled the spaces not occupied by supermarkets. Hipsters from the previous generation pushed the demand for healthy and organic food in the noughties, giving us Brown Rice Paradise and Supernature. Here are the niche stores to shop at. #1 FARMER’S MARKET SINGAPORE Expatriate entrepreneur Emma Pike started Farmer’s Market, an online business, in Hong Kong in 2006. When she moved to Singapore in 2017, she saw a need…

Bordering Yunnan Province and Tibet, at the foothills of Meili Snow Mountain, is Wunongding Village. For centuries, things have remained pretty much the same for the 22 Xianggelila households who still live there. The ones who have moved on have left behind not just vacated Tibetan homes but also a history that can be preserved and enjoyed by others, albeit in a less traditional way. One of the vacated premises is now the Sunyata Hotel Meili, which opened in June. Chinese architecture firm Zhaoyang Architects took 1,095 days to turn the more-than 100-year-old building into Crate & Barrel meets rustic Tibetan space. To retain its raw spirit, the architects kept the aged texture of the natural materials, and used salvaged wood and earthy colours for the hotel’s exterior and furniture.…

From light (flamingo) to bright (fuchsia and magenta), pink for grown-ups is not girlie, it’s empowering.…

Not many people can enter a crowded room and bring such an aura with them. In this room, one woman captivates everyone from the moment she steps in, effortlessly displaying a range of expressions and emotions before the camera, which speaks volumes of her fine pedigree in drama. The protagonist is Oon Shu An. IT’S GOOD TO TELL THEM HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO YOU OR SAY SORRY WHEN YOU PULL BACK TO LOOK AT THINGS. Her oeuvre stands out for its versatility – she has displayed her magnificent artistic range in more than 30 films and plays. Some may remember the Singapore thespian for the role that catapulted her into Hollywood, that of a bewitching concubine in Netflix’s historical epic, Marco Polo. She is also recognised for her portrayal…

Welcome to the future of sun protection. These cleansers leave a layer of sunscreen on your skin after they’re washed off. Aesthetics clinic SW1’s Guardian Angel Gentle Facial Wash ($66) and Bodyguard Body & Hair Wash ($66) work on the basis of ion technology. Ions are molecules with an electric charge. Skin is negatively charged; sunscreen is positively charged. Opposing ions cling together like magnets, so the sunscreen ions “stick” to the skin even after you rinse the cleansers off. Their broad-spectrum SPF30 protection is from the chemical sunscreens avobenzone, octocrylene and octinoxate. They’re water-resistant for up to 80min. If you only need UV protection for your daily commute, these cleansers, used in your morning shower, are sufficient. (Apply a separate sunscreen if you intend to spend a day in…

Two new developments make this gold-standard ingredient work harder, faster and better. The first: fat-soluble vitamin C derivatives like THD ascorbate and ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate are said to penetrate the skin better because of their fatty acid component. Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate is also a more stable form of vitamin C and non-irritating to skin. The second: special packaging that prevents UV rays from destabilising the notoriously unstable L-ascorbic acid, which is vitamin C in its raw form. And the newer formulas have added ingredients that boost the antioxidant’s skin-saving effects. New development #1: New derivatives 1 With THD ascorbate: Sunday Riley’s C.E.O Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil ($56 for 15ml) is the latest newcomer with the brand’s fast-absorbing, turmeric-spiked formula that calms and refreshes the skin. 2 With THD ascorbate:…

We all know the importance of first impressions and the lasting effect they have. I first met Fresh founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg last year when they came to Singapore for the debut of their brand’s Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence. Amid 150 people in a noisy, crowded room, I struck up a private conversation with them for a whole 15 minutes – a rare occurrence at a two-hour launch party, and with the founders themselves, too. They shared personal insights and stories of their early struggles, with no holds barred. When we reconvene a year later in Morocco during a press trip for the launch of the Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask, Glazman and Roytberg’s personable earnestness allows us to pick up exactly where we left…

She’s helping women grow their businesses Mrinalini Venkatachalam If you’re a woman who owns at least 51 per cent of a business, or you run a company that is controlled by one or more women, Mrinalini Venkatachalam wants to help you grow your enterprise. Like a corporate matchmaker, the 34-year-old promotes women-run businesses, connecting them with local and multinational corporate buyers. Mrinalini is the regional outreach and events manager (Southeast Asia and Oceania) of Weconnect International (WECI), a non-profit network that opens doors for businesses owned by women. WECI also trains corporations in how to source from women business owners, and trains women business owners to sell to corporations. She was the head of Public Awareness and Youth Initiatives for the Singapore Committee for UN Women for nine years before…

Phoon Huat Deli #B1-14/15 The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green, tel: 6654-4343 With a name like Deli Wong, the third-generation business development director of baking supplies chain Phoon Huat seems destined to expand the family business into meats and fine ingredients. Revamped in November 2018, the deli offers oysters, carabinero prawns and truffle products, but it’s the beef section, curated by Wong, that shines. US Mishima Reserve wagyu, for instance, starts at $13 for 100g for a karubi short rib cut. The deli also has grass-fed Angus and USDA Prime. Huber’s Butchery @ Dempsey 22 Dempsey Road, tel: 6737-1588 Family-run Huber’s flagship in Dempsey is the largest butchery in Singapore at 13,000 sq ft. Aside from the selection of more than 100 cheeses, fresh vegetables, alcoholic beverages and gourmet…

dispenses sunscreen in a colourless, quick-drying mist that can be used from top to toe – on the body, scalp, and even over makeup. The mist is fine enough to not leave an obvious film on the skin, and can be easily washed off with body, hair and face cleansers. It has liquorice extract to brighten dull areas and dark spots, too. It is available for $88 at all Dr Spa and Dr Hair outlets, as well as at www.drgl.comand www.sephora.sg. Skin-safe Tattoo Removal The secret lies in a quality laser. Amaris B. Clinic’s Pico Tattoo Laser uses lasers that have 450 picosecond pulses, a rate faster than that of devices used in conventional laser treatments. This means that the laser penetrates deeper into the skin (without harming the skin…

Wes Gordon has been treading lightly with the brand that Venezuelan socialite-turned-designer Carolina Herrera handed him the reins to last year. For his first collection, Resort ’19, he opted for everyday cotton instead of heavier silks (the founder’s favourite) so that shirts, skirts and dresses would look softer, not stiff. For S/S ’19, he introduced miniskirts and a more exuberant palette. And for Pre-Fall ’19, he turned elegance on its head with a less uptight take on it. It doesn’t mean that the American creative director isn’t sure-footed; he has worked alongside Herrera, his mentor, since March 2017, absorbing her DNA. But Gordon, like a lot of fashion designers now, wants to court the youthful with RTW that’s more relatable and adventurous. Unlike some of his colleagues, he also wants…

Alessandro Michele’s Gucci Fall/Winter 2019 collection claims inspiration from the theory of late philosopher Hannah Arendt’s book, The Human Condition. It is not unusual for high fashion to link itself to high theory, as it provides a conceptual cover for fashion designers who, as most artists do, walk a fine line between expression and explanation, art and politics. Gucci’s task turns to redefining masks as more than “a concealment tool”, according to its show notes. “Playing with the magic ambiguity of masks represents an occasion to recover the creative roots of our being alive.” The collection offers a provocative gender-fluid eclecticism in showing how diversity is valued. Interestingly, its discourse on masks seems to reveal, in a way, who we are or what we desire to be. However, there is…

It is a warm Thursday afternoon on the rooftop of Bugis+. The sun is beating down mercilessly. For many of us, that would be reason enough to admit defeat and retreat to the air-conditioned indoors. But the relentless heat goes unnoticed by two models in the midst of a gruelling day-long photo shoot. At first glance, it would appear that Claudia Lim and Ernest Siow are industry pros with years of modelling experience under their belts. Perched precariously on boxes, they strike pose after pose as the photographer’s camera clicks away. No instructions necessary – these two know their stuff. Finally, we call it a day, and it’s all smiles for the models who show no signs of fatigue whatsoever. Despite their professionalism, Claudia and Ernest are no veterans. In…

This was Sylvie Chantecaille’s inspiration when she created the Darby Rose scent for her eponymous brand: Her rose garden in the Hamptons, blooming with baby-pink darby roses. The garden was an amalgamation of “light” smells – lightly sweet from the roses; lightly tangy from the morning dew; and lightly green from the rest. To capture that sweet, fresh tang, Chantecaille added raspberry and Italian lemon notes to Bulgarian rose extract, creating a fresh, “juicy” rose scent that mimicked the ones from her garden. Hers isn’t the only brand creating a new rendition of the classic rose fragrance. Adding juiciness (from sweet fruity notes like lychee or blackcurrant) and green notes (from crisp musk and woods) balances out the signature powdery scent of roses. The result: subtly sweet daytime perfumes. See…

FACE Pre-shower: 1 Apply a thick layer of Pixi’s In-shower Steam Facial Self-heating Collagen Mask ($35) onto a cleansed, dry face, and leave it for five minutes to kick-start the skin-healing process. In the shower: Warm water turns the gel into a silky oil that plumps and softens skin. Pre-shower: 2 Dull skin begone. Mamonde’s Aqua Peel Peeling Gel ($22) gently exfoliates skin for a radiant complexion. In the shower: Gently massage the gel over your face and wash away the sloughed-off dead cells. Pre-shower: 5 If your face tends to feel dry and taut after a hot shower, it’s because heat strips moisture from the skin’s top layer. To combat that, lightly pat on a few drops of Herbivore Botanicals’ Phoenix Facial Oil ($137). In the shower: Rosehip and…

It took the founders of local beauty brand Crystal Tomato® five years and at least 30 product revisions to create the perfect sunscreen. Reason being, conventional sunscreens that protect skin against UVA and UVB rays have long been a dime a dozen. What hadn’t been done before was this: a sunscreen clinically proven to shield against blue light, at a level of more than 50 per cent. And Crystal Tomato®’s new sunscreen has achieved just that. WHAT IS BLUE LIGHT? Blue light lies on the visible spectrum of light (the wavelength that lets us see colour). It’s both insidious and inevitable as it’s essentially everywhere. It comes from the sun, our smartphone screens, electronic devices and fluorescent lighting. This means that just sitting in the of›ce or scrolling through Instagram…

There’s a new home-grown beauty brand in town. The Skin Firm is a five-product range with clean formulas in minimalist packaging, co-founded by May Yip, a former newspaper fashion and beauty journalist-turned-PR director. Yip never considered starting a beauty brand of her own. The Singapore market was too small and saturated, she thought. But that was two years ago, before she tried the initial prototypes that became part of her product menu at The Skin Firm. The products came from a family friend who ran a business formulating and manufacturing skincare for other beauty brands. This friend was thinking about creating her own skincare label and, given Yip’s beautyjourno background, asked for her opinions on the products. Testing them – particularly the micellar water and mineral sunscreen – was a…

THE RISING YOUNG STARS 1 JASMINE SOKKO [ 22 ] Singer-producer She’s one of the most streamed Singapore artistes on Spotify. Her edgy, futuristic image (read: she dons a face mask in performances) and shimmering vocals overlaying melodious electro-pop beats have earned her a legion of fans. And she is big in China, at fourth place in the country’s electronic music competition, Rave Now. This year has been a great one for Jasmine, who released thesingle, Hurt –her first major-label debut with Warner Music Singapore. She performed at Belgium’s Tomorrowland, one of the world’s most iconic music festivals. Up next: a music collaboration with Chinese girl group Rocket Girls 101 and Hong Kong-American pop singer Coco Lee. THE RISING YOUNG STARS 2 MARTINA VELOSO [ 19 ] Shooter The star…

I’m experiencing first-date jitters after an 18-month dry spell. I’ve been rehearsing what to say at dinner, and trying different outfits to make an impression. Any advice for this damsel in distress? First piece of advice: Don’t rehearse. It can sound, well, rehearsed. Honestly, unless you’re Meryl Streep, who can make a clunky script come off natural and charming, don’t rehearse for your dinner date. Just like in acting, you need to know your lines well to forget your lines and actually act. You need to be confident in yourself to handle any dinner-date situation, and just react to whatever happens – being confident and spontaneous is better than wooden and rehearsed any day. If you’re feeling nervous, tell him so, and get on with the best date of your…

We’ll admit it: An Italian room diffuser isn’t quite the same as actually waking up to the salty sea breeze in Naples, or bittersweet caffe lungo in Milan. But when the diffusers are from Italian scent authority Acqua di Parma, Italy’s suddenly closer than you think… olfactorily, at least. They come in two ranges: Colonia (warm and woody, in Parma yellow bottles) and Blu Mediterraneo (citrusy and fresh, in clear bottles), each with five scents. La dolce vita is a state of mind, so if you can’t go to Italy, let Italy come to you. $105 each…