Like, seriously obsessed.

Don't tell me you've never been into Sephora and not be tempted by each aisle...

No really, I spent most of my money there every time buying stuff. Even my bridesmaids gifts were from Sephora. 

Yes? No?

Okay, fine.

In that case I've compiled for you a number of great products Sephora has to offer, just for this Holiday season! If you're not sure what to buy for your girlfriend, girl friends, mothers, mother-in-law or just about any girl, Sephora will not fail you. Here are some of my favourites brands that are gift-ready for you to choose from...

FOR THE NATURE HIPPIE

Fresh was born out of a small set of opulent soaps that Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg lovingly hand-wrapped on their kitchen table in 1991. The collection that sold out in two days sparked their passion to develop products that are indulgent, effective and led to their mission of transforming everyday routines into sensorial journeys. This is the brand that introduced sugar, soy and milk into the beauty market. The ingredients are natural, luxurious and known to have benefiting agents to the user.

I hope this guide has helped you in choosing holiday gifts for that special girl in your life. By the way, there's nothing wrong about picking one for yourself too! ;)

Not too long ago, I received an email from one of the biggest skincare brands in Malaysia on flying me across the ocean to interview a Hollywood A-lister. Although this was not my first time on such trips, I was still overwhelmed with excitement and feel blessed to be flown to Shanghai to meet the Queen 'B' of the hit series Gossip Girls, Leighton Meester. I packed some warm clothing and my Biotherm skincare kit to Waldorf Astoria on The Bund in Shanghai. Our first day was free and easy, so I decided to rest at the beautiful hotel they placed us in. The next day, our schedule consisted of interview slots and the launch event to reveal Leighton as the new face of Biotherm skincare.


We managed to have a little chat with Patrick Kullenberg, the International General Manager of Biotherm before lunch. He has such an amazing personality, in-depth knowledge of the world market and a pleasant man to have a conversation with! Here's what he had to say to us probing him with questions -



Us: What  you think about the Asian women and their skincare lifestyle?

Patrick: Asian consumers are the most demanding and the most expert, even Asian men! Mens skincare market is much bigger in Asia than in the West. By just looking at the sheer amount of product that Asian women use in their skincare routine, they are experts at finding what works for them as everyone is different. I met a woman here in China and she said "There is no such thing as an ugly woman, only a lazy woman".

Us: Nowadays with such busy lifestyles, there are markets for those who wants multi-functional products and less time spent on having an elaborate routine. What are your thoughts on this?

Patrick: Women today are expected to be at the top of everything, so product that help save time by combining things are helpful but it doesn't take away from the belief of having a ritual - detoxifying, cleansing, each has a role so I don't believe that there would be one product that could do everything.

Us: What's the ideal Biotherm women to you?

Patrick: Leighton (cheeky smile). Well, the ideal Biotherm women would be healthy, have a natural efficacy but at the same time are demanding - want products that save time but is a pleasure to use. It's not just about functionality, she also wants to enjoy life. She's also optimistic, lively and also believe that it's not just duty (to take care of self).

Us: So what is it about a woman that catches a man's eye.

Patrick: I would say it's the eyes. That's one of the things I love about Leighton - you can tell a lot from her eyes. There's charm, wit and depth. Healthy skin is also something that is important, as Biotherm concentrates on skincare.

There were many more questions that we asked and Patrick, with his extensive knowledge on the skincare industry answered them with ease. We only had 20 minutes so we wrapped up and headed out for lunch before having the chance to interview Leighton in her suite. 

It was about 5pm when we were finally ushered into her private suite living room in Waldorf Astoria. It was a tiny room with a couch, and a few chairs for a group of media from various publications. There weren't enough chairs as the rest were occupied and Leighton offered for her couch to be shared. No one seemed to got up from their seats so I immediately plopped myself right next to her and the first thing I noticed about Leighton, other than her lack of thick makeup was her beautiful skin. I doubt she was wearing concealer and it showed as her skin glows when she smiled and greeted us. This girl is real natural beauty. I was so close to her face, admiring her skin that it might look like I was practically scanning every little pore she had!

Questions after questions were asked on her beauty regime, her favourite Biotherm product and so on, and it was pretty obvious that her answers were very down-to-earth and unscripted. She was very honest and told us how she piled on makeup when she was much younger, thinking that she would look more beautiful. Only when she grew older, she finally found her confidence in looking au naturel whenever she can. She believes that she only tries her best to keep a good skincare routine, with great products such as Biotherm help her maintain her beauty and I couldn't agree more - the results are amazing. However, being beautiful isn't solely based on her exterior, her personality showed through  with an amazingly positive aura and you can really tell how mature she is as a woman in a very demanding industry. A jack of all trades, Leighton is dabbling in all sorts of field - acting, singing, brand ambassador and recently found that she loves surfing. 

I left the room in awe, not only by her beauty but also by her personality and the way she carries herself as a modern woman. Biotherm made the right choice to choose Leighton as their new face of the brand. The photos below were taken during the interview and also the launch event to reveal Leighton Meester as the new face of Biotherm. 

Since we had four events and five changes for our wedding, point8cam and I decided that we would just rent out two (for the bersanding songket set and the bertandang side) or I'll end up with a bunch of over-the-top dresses that I would not wear nor keep in my wardrobe. It doesn't help that now we live in a studio apartment so space is something that is pretty sacred at the moment until we move to a duplex next year. I'm pretty sure I've been to at least two wedding expos and a bunch of rental houses but nothing actually captured my attention. I was at the point of giving up until a friend of ours, also a wedding planner, told us about a rental retailer that does custom dresses as well as renting out bridal and evening gowns. 

All lost hope was revived when I paid Lagenda a visit, and settled for a pair of gold songket set (bride & groom) for my bersanding dinner, and also a very nice long lace gown in silver and soft yellow. The prices are reasonable for the quality compared to most places I've been. Trust me, I'm very picky when it comes to wearing dresses, what more when it's my wedding dress. 

The service was great, and they were really attentive to my needs, even when I was at borderline being a bridezilla. All in all, if you're willing to spend a little more than the average to get better quality, even just renting a dress than buying a new one this is definitely the place to go to. Plus, they actually do custom designs for certain customers. I saw a brand new dress being made for a super petite customer, as I can only imagine her difficulty in finding the right dress. If you're getting married or you know anyone who is getting married and looking to rent a dress, try check out Lagenda. I've recommended them to my circle for excellent array of dresses and service (and this is not even an advertorial or sponsored). Details of Lagenda will be at the bottom of this post. Good luck!



Many of you would have come across pink ribbon, Movember and all other quirky names for good causes in the recent years but how many of you have heard about the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC)? 

Well, with the rise of violence against women lately, there are also increasing number of individuals who speak up against it and it's mostly coming from women themselves. Women tend to help each other more as they might have been victims themselves and are acting according to their own experience. However, a movement by women alone would not be enough to create a difference. This is where the White Ribbon Campaign comes in - the world's largest movement of MEN and BOYS working to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equity, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity. 

Women often see their men as their pillar of strength, guardian and companion - be it their father, brother, lover and best friend. So when men acts violently against women, it changes the whole perception for the individual - physically and mentally. Violence is not only restricted to physical harm, but also mental abuse. Common cases of domestic/spousal abuse when a person in an intimate relationship tries to dominate the other using fear, guilt, shame and intimidation. It also includes sexual abuse - in any case where you're forced to participate in unwanted, unsafe or degrading sexual activity, even by your own partner.

If you're in an abusive relationship, please talk to people and get help. Read more about abuse and abusive relationships here.

In 1961, the Mirabal sister, who were political activists, were murdered under the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Fourteen women were massacred by an anti-feminist in 1989 at Polytechnic Montreal. Michael Kaufman, and a couple of individuals wanted to remind people of the events that took place and that was how the White Ribbon Campaign started in 1991. United Nations then designation November 25th as the "International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women" in 1999 to commemorate the murder of the Mirabal sisters. Today, the White Ribbon Campaign is celebrated and spread to over 60 countries around the world and it's up to you now to educate your circle about it. 

Well, generally the campaign is to generate awareness of violence against women in Malaysia. However, the campaign is to encourage MEN to break their silence and proactively get involved to help women they love and care about. These gentlemen are also to promote and end to sexism and any behaviour that degrades women - telling other men how their behaviour might contribute to the problem. 

In my honest opinon, the root of this starts from home - parents should teach their sons on how to treat a lady, and fathers are the best figure to set an example. I'm lucky enough to be with a man whose father is a good example on how he treats the mother but not everyone comes from a non-abusive household. Therefore, it's up to the individuals on how they should act around women but of course, if you feel like you have been abusive, or have been abused, you need to get help and that is where AWAM (All Women's Action Society) comes in. They have a phone line for people to speak to about their problems:

Telenita Helpline (Counselling / Legal Information): 03 7877 0224

They are also actively involved in campaigns such as the White Ribbon Campaign, launched in 2003. They initiated the formation of MAN.V (Men's Action Network Against Violence) as the first men's group to work towards elimination of violence against women in Malaysia. As part of the campaign, AWAM will also be organising educational activities, such as the White Ribbon Workshop on 23 November 2013.

AWAM is also organizing a Run and Walk on December 8th 2013, where many men will come together to don the 'white ribbon' and pledge against violence towards women.

For more information, please visit the links below:

Website: http://www.awam.org.my

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AWAMMalaysia

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAMMalaysia