Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2022 i Her World Singapore

The start of a year is the perfect time to reframe our thoughts, rethink our priorities and, perhaps, re-evaluate our diets. I had never heard of “vegourmet” before our story (page 104). It’s a great concept for food lovers like me, who always thought that healthy fare meant a bland taste, but a few restaurants in Singapore have proven quite the contrary. What signifies new beginnings better than wedding bells? I talked to our favourite girl-next-door Rebecca Lim, who gave us the exclusive goss on her soon-to-be-husband Matthew, and just how blissfully happy she’s been in the last year. The team has also been excited about the Sex and the City’s reboot And Just Like That… We’re looking forward to having Carrie Bradshaw inspiring our wardrobes and pages again (page…

HOLLYLEHUA, 31 Women’s health, detox and weight-loss expert You may remember Holly Lehua as the fresh-faced MTV VJ who won the MTV VJ Hunt in 2010. She may have led a seemingly glamorous and high-profile life, but Holly did not feel fulfilled. She was battling her inner demons, struggling with insecurities about her weight, and feeling the constant pressure to be thin. Today, she is a changed woman. A certified holistic health coach and Ashati energy healer, she started her own wellness coaching business last year. Says Holly of her new life venture: “In 2022, I’m excited about working with more women to help them reach their health and weight goals, while finding greater peace and understanding about food and their bodies. There are too many ‘fad diets’ that do…

1 CUPRO TEE, $55 Supple, soft, luxurious and sustainable, it’s made from Cupro and Lyocell Double Jersey, which are types of regenerated cellulose fibres. Suitable for all occasions and a great wardrobe staple. 2 TRANSFORMABLE BUCKET HAT, $75 It’s not just a reversible bucket hat – this can even be transformed into a sling bag. 3 KIMONO, from $109 Made with breathable material, the lightweight and structured outerwear designs work for both indoor and outdoor settings.…

There’s always something cool about a woman wearing a masculine-style watch. It’s sleek, modern and, usually, bigger in size. Enter the latest addition to the TAG Heuer Carrera family that now comes in a 39mm diameter, making it bold enough to match a pantsuit, yet still cool enough to pair with a slinky dress for evening. Its versatility is definitely one of the strongest suits of this iconic timepiece, aside from its storied heritage. The genesis of the TAG Heuer Carrera watch is rooted in the watchmaker’s obsession over the purest form of a time-telling device, and it has kept the elegant, timeless design of its watch face even 58 years after its inception. Inspired by the sport of cross-country car racing, the watch is named after the famous La…

FAVE TIME OF THE DAY Any meal time MUSIC CURRENTLY PLUGGED INTO Adele GUILTY-PLEASURE FILM Notting Hill FAVE LOCAL FARE Kueh chap CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA Chocolate SNEAKERS WITH DRESSES –YES OR NO? Yes GO-TO FASHION ITEMS White tee and jeans BEST FASHION TIP Wear whatever makes you comfortable. Being comfortable is the most important. BEST BEAUTY SECRET Less is more SHORTEST TIME YOU CAN GET READY Two minutes! I just brush my teeth and splash my face with water. FIRST THING THAT STRUCK YOU ABOUT MATTHEW His really nice smile IDEAL DATE NIGHT A nice meal followed by chilling at home…

UV SERUMS Dr. Barbara Sturm UV Serum Sun Drops (30ml), $190 The lightweight serum boasts sun protection of SPF50 using organic sun filters. What’s more, it has a cocktail of cassia extract and vitamin E for cell regeneration, as well as beta glucan as an antioxidant that promotes hydration. Mix it with your moisturiser or layer it over. Available at Dr. Barbara Sturm Skin Inc Serum UV Moisturiser (35ml), $72 This combines both physical and chemical UV filters to protect against the sun’s harmful rays and combat blue light damage. Multitaskers vitamin B3 and vitamin E strengthen skin’s resilience, while liquorice extracts reduce inflammation and cica extract protects skin’s barrier. Available at Skin Inc IDS Non-tinted Sunscreen with Blue Light Protection (50ml), $73.83 This featherweight mineral-based sunscreen claims to boost…

Now that half of our faces are covered when we’re out and about, the way we do our makeup has changed tremendously alongside everything else. But don’t you just hate it when your foundation rubs off or your lip colour smears when you’re wearing your mask? Fret not. We’ve got expert-approved skincare and makeup tips and tricks to help you effectively prevent maskne, while keeping your makeup firmly in place. Here’s what you have to do: SKIN PREP A good canvas for makeup application starts with a good skincare routine. 1 STREAMLINE YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE Makeup artist Larry Yeo reminds us that wearing a face mask creates a barrier between our skin and the mask. This occlusive effect actually traps the moist and hot air build-up within the mask from…

After almost two years of alcohol sanitisers, it’s time to come out and face the world. How’s your makeup doing though? Have they languished after being forgotten in your makeup drawers for much of 2021? How about your brushes and blenders? Were they neglected too? Left alone for too long, makeup and its tools could be causing you skin issues. BACTERIA… GROSS! Research found that between 70 to 90 per cent of all used cosmetics were found to have been contaminated with bacteria. A study done by Journal of Applied Microbiology found that significant levels of microbial contamination occur during the use of such affected cosmetic products, which then pose a potential risk to health. Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) and Escherichia Coli (E. coli) infections have been found in the same…

When Covid struck and life was upended, Tang Tee Khoon didn’t sit around waiting for the storm to pass. After the concert series she planned for April 2020 had to be cancelled, the violinist turned her thoughts to the pandemic’s impact on the livelihood of musicians and artists. “I started to think, if the pandemic lasts six to nine months, what are artists going to do?” recalls the 37-year-old founder and artistic director of Chamber Music and Arts Singapore (CMAS). “So let’s maybe bring our audiences online and connect with them – even though we can’t meet face to face – and bring quality arts to them through electronic means.” That was how The Glasshouse was born. To bring the virtual creative sphere to life, Tee Khoon put together a…

Has working from home caused a strain on your relationship with your spouse? You’re hardly alone. According to an article by The Straits Times published in May 2021, a study conducted by four researchers at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore found that women were less satisfied with their marriages during and after the circuit breaker. Not that it might be any surprise. After all, being around somebody round the clock, no matter how much you adore them, can create more opportunities for conflict. But what exactly are the typical disagreements that couples working from home face, and does it mean that divorce rates are going up? Also, has WFH strengthened any marriages instead? IT’S ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATION A researcher from the…

What do you do?” This is a question I quite dread, not for a lack of pride in my work, but due to the tedium of explaining the many facets of my life in response to what is usually intended as small talk. Depending on who asks, my replies range from the banal “I make money”, to the easy “Yes, I still do television, but it’s mostly online now”, to the opportunistic “Juujaa is my athleisure wear brand, have you tried it?”, to the downright promotional “Go ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ my live-stream commerce platform, Kakikakilive on Facebook!” (The last is usually accompanied by me grabbing the interlocutor’s phone and pressuring them to do so on the spot). I see these various roles I’ve taken on not as drastic pivots, but…

Designers have taken the liberty to be more imaginative and inventive, maximising colours and exaggerating silhouettes. Each trend is an homage to excess, suggesting that what our wardrobes need now is a sense of fun and escapism. During the lockdown, Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri stayed active doing pilates and, like all of us, was craving freedom and movement. This unlocked her desire to design these free-flowing Grecian-inspired goddess gowns for Dior’s Resort 2022 collection. The peplos – a draped, single piece of outer garment worn by women in ancient Greece – was reimagined by Chiuri in a myriad of ways. But the Roman-born designer went one step further with the choice of footwear she paired with these ethereal gowns. Chiuri addressed comfort and beauty in one look by…

When it comes to being the ultimate chic and practical accessory, the crossbody bag is our definite go-to. Our current obsession with this bag style may seem to be due to its pragmatic hands-free functionality, but if we are being completely honest, it’s really thanks to Bonia’s most recent bag drop: The Ixora Tiffin. Designed exclusively for the label’s 47th anniversary, the Ixora is a tribute to the tiffin containers of yesteryear and today. This crossbody bag is a modern take on the popular tiffin carriers. The best part? You can remove the leather strap from this versatile arm candy and carry it as a quirky top-handle bag. But if classic with a twist is what you are after, check out the Naiara Shoulder Bag. Contemporary and compact, the bag…

It was a picture of a lady, published a few years ago on Singapore’s street style blog Shentonista, that made Teng Run Run rethink the cheongsam. Dressed in a pastel pink number with neon lime florals, the lady in the photo paired her traditional Chinese garb with cat-eye shades, teardrop earrings and killer stilettos. “I was mesmerised by how elegant, classy and modern she looked,” says the 42-year-old. “She was not a celebrity in some faraway land, but someone in Singapore’s business district. It gave me a new-found perspective that it is possible to wear a cheongsam on a normal day and look so chic”. That image prompted Run Run to want to reconnect with her cultural roots, especially for Chinese New Year. But the former creative director at an…

Rebecca Lim showed up at my home on a Monday morning. This was after various media had reported on her recent engagement, and social media was abuzz with congratulatory messages from enthusiastic fans. The 35-year-old actress had announced it herself in an IG post on Nov 15, along with an image of her fiance. Weeks later, after messaging back and forth between us to settle on a date, time and place to meet up for an interview post-engagement news, Rebecca texted “at your place” and I replied “OK I’m ordering chwee kueh”. Despite being known in the media to be fiercely private about her personal life, there were moments when she was surprisingly vulnerable and joyfully candid. Perhaps it was because we had some in-depth conversations over the years –…

The start of a new year is typically when we embark on new ventures, take a new direction, and overhaul what isn’t working. Such shake-ups can apply to many things, including our beauty stash and skincare regimen. Given all the changes the pandemic has triggered in our lives, we should adapt our beauty habits and skincare routines to keep up with the new normal and all that it entails. Read: prolonged mask-wearing, increased exposure to heat (because we’re no longer in air-conditioned offices all day), longer hours starring at screens, and so on. “In the past two years, we’ve seen an increase in skin sensitivity, eczema and contact allergies because of Covid-related lifestyle changes like working from home, irregular working hours, and frequent cleansing and sanitising,” says dermatologist Dr Coni…

Getting fine lines and wrinkles along your neck as you get older is not uncommon, but the daily use of smartphones and increased time spent in front of your laptop screens (hello WFH!) could be fast-tracking their appearance. Besides the usual ageing process, frequent and prolonged neck flexion from working on your laptop or hours spent watching videos can cause that dreaded “tech neck” – the creases, lines and sagging we see at the neck area. “These neck lines are caused by the pull of the platysma – the superficial and deep fibres of the neck muscle,” says Dr Evelyn Tay, dermatologist at Dermatology & Surgery Clinic. “Constant movement of the neck causes a repeated pull on the skin, leading to deepening of the neck creases,” explains Dr Tay. In…

The beauty industry has long been criticised for creating and perpetuating impossible standards. However, a growing group of beauty brands are looking to change that by addressing these issues, going from looking good to feeling good through raising awareness on the importance of your mental wellbeing. When it comes to championing the mental wellness cause, one name that flies the flag high is Rare Beauty. Its founder, actress, singer and producer Selena Gomez has pledged to raise US$100 million (S$135 million) over the next decade through its Rare Impact Fund, which will support mental health services, especially in underserved communities. As a start, the brand will donate one per cent of all sales to the cause. “I knew from my own personal experience how these impossible beauty standards were having…

LIQUID AND CREAM FORMULATIONS Up to 12 months Pump packaging for liquid foundation is the most hygienic as it will pump out just the quantity needed. You can also clean the nozzle with alcohol wipes. POWDERS Up to two years Never use your fingers to apply any powder onto your face – instead, use a clean brush. For pressed powders, replace your powder puff regularly to reduce bacteria build-up. EYELINER AND BROW PENCIL Up to one year Sharpen them often to keep infected tips away. MASCARA Up to three months As it is used so close to the eyes, replacing mascara regularly helps to prevent eye infections. Do not share mascara, ever. It can spread bacteria from person to person. LIQUID EYE MAKEUP Up to four months Do not use…

Learn to say no: “I'm still in the process of learning to say no. Prioritising is important – deciding what is the priority for now, today or this hour; making that what I'm going to do; and the rest has to wait. And if certain things can't wait, then maybe they are things you should let go of.” Take breaks to maintain creativity: “I'm human, I've got just 24 hours, I also need to rest and refresh myself so I can have ideas. Sometimes I'm busy and I think, ‘Maybe I should skip [my workout] today,’ but I try to still do it because then I feel like I'm stepping away and I always come back with fresh ideas.” Pay attention to your emotions: “I watch myself quite carefully when…

• Moneysense – Singapore’s national financial education online programme offers practical resources on money matters. Its Financial Health Check self-assessment tool gives a quick look at the gaps in your plans, and offers three actions to tackle first for improved financial health. • Services that are enhanced by SGfindex – The Singapore Financial Data Exchange initiative enables an overview of one’s financial information, including account balances, loans and credit cards across banks, and even investments. And its integration with services like OCBC Life Goals financial planner shows your holistic wealth and makes it easier to plan your finances, says Tan Siew Lee, head of wealth management at OCBC Bank. • The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel – Deborah Tan-Pink, head of communications and marketing at payments app Revolut, says:…

1 BE PROACTIVE Avoid the “wait and see if they will do it first” game, and act the way you’d like your partner to act towards you. Stress levels during this period are higher than usual, so offer your support by doing things around the house or helping with the children. Also, give your fullest attention when you spend time together, and put devices away. 2 SHOW APPRECIATION Human beings are wired with a negativity bias, so we remember the bad things more easily than the good ones. To counter this, train yourself to focus on what is good in your partner and express appreciation regularly. Gratitude helps you to see what you have rather than what you lack, and is an important virtue to cultivate for resilience. 3 LAUGH…

I want to hang out one on one with my male friend now and then (and we’re genuinely just regular good friends). How do I bring this up with my partner? Are you really genuinely just regular good friends? It’s been my experience that guys aren’t friends with girls unless they’re interested in them in that way. And most guys feel the same way, which is why you’re going to have a stumbling block when it comes to mentioning this one-on-one friendship with this dude. The best chance you have is convincing your partner that you aren’t interested in your male friend, which your guy will probably believe, but you’re probably not going to convince him that your male friend isn’t just lying in the reeds waiting to pounce once…

We may not own the pearl that belonged to the Spanish royal family for over 250 years, or a 23.44-carat Colombian emerald brooch like Elizabeth Taylor, Bvlgari’s most revered celebrity client, but a girl can dream, right? For a start, we can slowly build our personal jewellery collection in Bvlgari’s new jewellery box. The Serpenti Forever Jewellery Box bag draws inspiration from the Bvlgari Heritage collection, which emulates the ancient Roman chests once used as precious vanity cases. The star factor of this jewellery box is that it’s also a handbag. Plus, it comes with a detachable chain and a leather top handle for multiple styling options with your everyday outfits.…

Colourful Carryalls Every Day Big bags are having a moment on the runways, specifically those with a burst of colour or pattern. What’s interesting about the carryall this season is how you carry them – best worn as a clutch and carried in a non-prissy, nonchalant fashion a la Proenza Schouler. Get Posh with Chunky Boots This season, the chunky boot gets a grunge-to-glam update paired with tailored looks like a sleek coat dress at Stella McCartney and a sharp pantsuit at Jil Sander. Maximum Impact Earrings The key to nailing this trend is not to be afraid of piling on more accessories – there are no rules here, so do as you please. Look beyond the predictable bohemian gypsy-inspired styling, and think of a classy Upper Eastsider in NYC…

Known for its minimalist style that reflects both Eastern and Western fashion elements, local brand Graye is set to launch its first sustainable baby and kidswear collection at its new retail space at Wheelock Place, which opened in November 2021. With limited fashion and textile resources in Singapore, the brand needed to be creative, and seek out regional and international opportunities. “We decided to extend into kids and baby apparel shortly after we had our child in 2020,” says creative director Xie Qian Qian, 28, who helms the brand with her husband, Calvin Sim, 28. According to Calvin, the brand’s business development director: “Baby apparel tends to be very wasteful as you need to change a new batch every few months, due to babies outgrowing their clothes. Also, each brand…

I’ve become more practical. I dress more casually and younger ever since I moved to Singapore. It’s interesting to note that despite the amount of fashion she deals with in her day job, Sabrina Joseph Tan, 32, doesn’t really take a lot of OOTDs for the ‘gram. She’s chief marketing officer and co-founder of Huntstreet, an authentic luxury online marketplace that has gained a cult status and prominence in her native Indonesia since 2015. Since 2021, it has been steadily growing its presence in Singapore as she set up shop here, following her husband’s job posting. Besides meeting clients and managing 12 team members at Huntstreet’s warehouse and office in Henderson, her busy schedule includes taking care her three-year-old son – and she juggles all of that while looking stylish…

1 HE CAN’T SPEAK OR UNDERSTAND MANDARIN “That’s why he’d never watched any Channel 8 shows and didn’t recognise me as an actress. The only shows he’d watch were Phua Chu Kang and Triple Nine so he knows who Gurmit Singh and James Lye are.” 2 HE LOVES ‘80S MUSIC Not only does he jam to ‘80s music, the song he played in the art gallery when he proposed to Rebecca was Peter Cetera’s Glory of Love. 3 HE’S THE CHATTERBOX BETWEEN THEM “He was the chatty one on our first solo date and I was very nervous! Even now, he’s the one who likes to talk. There can be things I don’t want to talk about, because I tend to keep my problems to myself, but he can sense…

Serum foundations, UV-serums and serum-moisturisers. Wasn’t it just yesterday that we got our first serum foundations? I remember it as clear as day in 2017, when the first iterations of serum foundations came into play: They were rich with hydrating ingredients and glided over my skin like silk. Fast forward to today and we are now inundated with a plethora of products with the word “serum” on the label. How do you figure out what’s what? WHAT IS “SERUM”? It’s basically a lightweight, concentrated formula that addresses skin concerns with active ingredients. It usually has a fast-absorbing liquid consistency and delivers a high dose of nutrients into your skin. HOW ABOUT SERUM FORMULATIONS? AND WHAT DO THEY DO? So now, imagine the same lightweight formula, but with a dual purpose.…

Skin Inc Tri-Light Body Sculpt Fit, $408 This body device tones, lifts and smooths skin with the use of non-invasive and anti-shock microcurrent along with LED light therapy. Available at Skin Inc and Sephora Cle de Peau Beaute Synactif Neck & Decollete Cream, $550 It’s infused with raspberry extract, Alpinia speciosa leaf extract and rice germ oil to smooth skin and tone the contours to target age-related skin issues. Also comes with a massage tool to enhance results. Available at Cle de Peau Beaute Elemis Pro-Collagen Definition Face & Neck Serum, $190 Harnessing the power of 1.5 million plant stem cells, this lightweight serum tackles concerns like loss of firmness, expression lines and wrinkles, and even crepey skin. Available at Elemis Chanel Sublimage Le Creme Corps et Decollete, $412 Thanks…

Customised beauty is hardly new – hands up if you still remember Prescriptives and its custom-blend foundations and lipsticks. When it comes to skincare products and routines, we are well aware that there is no one size fits all solution – and the rise of customised skincare solutions in recent years is a testament to this. In fact, the realm of customisation today isn’t confined to skincare: There’s also personalised makeup, haircare and even wellness solutions – all the better to complement the knowledgeable and savvy Gen Z consumer. The first digitally native generation, Gen Zs have a ferocious appetite for consuming knowledge online, be it through tutorials, websites or social media. This naturally extends to their beauty choices, making them consummate “skintellectuals” who are interested in the ingredients and…

Annette Lee Filmmaker, actress and musician WHAT IS YOUR SELF-CARE ROUTINE? My at-home self-care routine is usually a hair and body scrub in the shower, followed by cleansing my face, then finishing off with toner, moisturiser and sunscreen. I’ll do a face mask once a week. Occasionally, I’ll get a good blowout. It always makes me feel fresher and ready to conquer the world! HOW HAS YOUR BEAUTY ROUTINE CHANGED DURING THE PANDEMIC? I’ve never really used setting spray in the past because my foundation is quite lightweight, but since we started wearing masks, it’s a new addition to my routine. I love how it prevents makeup transfer. WHAT BEAUTY TREND ARE YOU MOST EXCITED TO TRY IN 2022? Brightly coloured makeup! Bright eyeliners, eyeshadows (and even fashion items) are…

After the New Year’s Eve party confetti settles, you’ll likely start thinking about how you want your 2022 to pan out. Your resolutions might include health-focused goals like quitting smoking or conquering a 10K by the time the year’s out, but don’t ignore your financial health. Taking stock of your finances might not immediately sound like an exciting undertaking, but you’ll be better off for it in the long run. If you’re looking to evaluate your financial health, you’re in good company. Singaporeans are now paying more attention to financial management, reveals the results of the latest OCBC Financial Wellness Index, released in November 2021. The online survey of more than 2,000 working adults in Singapore, conducted from August to September 2021, showed the overall index score was 62 last…

THE SLEEK HOTEL AESTHETIC Yam Su-yin, a vice-president at Microsoft who’s in her 40s, has been living in her condo unit since 2021. The interior design of her house was inspired by her travels. Sort of. “Prior to the pandemic, I had the opportunity to stay at the best hotels around the world for both business and pleasure. I got so used to the design elements that I wanted them for my home, so I decided on darker tones to create a warmer ambience,” she explains. To accentuate the modern and industrial feel, the walls and ceilings have concrete finishings, and there are steel shelves with ambient lighting. “I kept telling my designer, who is from Subtlesato Studio, that I need to come home to a warm and strong embrace.…

Estelle Low,digital editor at Her World, tells us why working from home together with her husband drew them closer together instead of apart. “My husband and I respect each other’s space during working hours – he uses the study while I work in the living room – and we do not engage in personal issues during this time, so if we have personal questions, we text each other even though we’re under the same roof. Besides allowing us more opportunities to be considerate of each other’s needs, such as lowering the volume if the other person is having a virtual meeting, WFH also allowed us to enjoy our house together. Whether it’s cooking for each other or working together on home improvement projects, these activities have not only helped us…

REDUCE BULGES WITHOUT WORKOUTS Dorra Slimming, the “Tummy, Hip & Thigh Slimming Expert”, is offering an early Chinese New Year promotion on its award-winning slimming programme. See a reduction in stubborn areas such as the hips, tummy, thighs and waist from the first treatment, which works by triggering the body’s metabolic process known as lipolysis. This slimming chain does not believe in pills, crash diets or injections, and instead encourages a holistic approach for time-stretched women without working up a sweat. From now till Feb 28, Her World readers can enjoy one Intense Fat Burning Slimming Treatment, which includes a C3 Perfect Bodyline Serum (worth $518), at a special price of $28. Each session lasts 20 to 40 minutes, and is customised according to your needs and body requirements. Visit…