Chinese New Year Shopping In Sungai Wang Plaza

I was so exited about Chinese New Year this year, i bought quite a lot of clothes. I did also mention i would blog about my shopping expedition to Sg Wang (a place i have not been to in a long time since it caters more for young adults to teen fashion and i am already not a young adult *sad*), since it is one of the few places that sell cheap clothes that sort of follow the latest Japanese trends. I used the word 'sort of' since some of the clothes there are just cheap scraps of rubbish.

Anyhow, i decide early on I'd take some pictures to blog about it since shopping makes me happy and reading about shopping probably makes a lot of people happy too. However, i can't bring myself to whip out a camera and snap as if the shopkeeper owed me money. I can't i don't know why. I'm too shy for my own good sometimes. Thus i walked around holding my phone in hipstamatic mode (ie: less obvious: i have got to download spycam soon) in the hopes that no one would notice. And thus the shopping pics you are about to see are all their  hipstamatic glory.

I ended up taking pictures of knick knacks instead of clothes. Oh, well. They make a pretty picture.

These fairy cupcake lip glosses are RM18 (USD 5.90) each at Watson's. (RM= ringgit Malaysia)

 

In the spirit of candies here are some lollipop lip glosses also spotted in Watson's.

Liese bubble hair colour costs RM34.20 and comes with a free butterfly mirror till stocks last.

There were still a few boxes of Majolica Majorca mascara,eyeliner and red lash curler sets around going for RM59.90.

Spotted: Bling panda bag!

Even more bling iPhone4 covers all affordably at the RM30-40 range.

Racks and racks of cheap fashion with free belts.

Rilakkuma iPhone4 covers. If only iPhone3gs covers weren't obsolete.. *sigh*

You must be wondering, since this is Chinese New year shopping where are the clothes? Well, I'm getting to that. Things get a bit hectic clothes shopping especially if you have a husband in tow, so no pictures of clothes while in Sg Wang, but these are my collective  buys taken all conveniently packed in one photo.

I'm actually pretty happy with my buys. All are comfortable, with many pieces i can wear out on casual outings and there are pieces i can actually wear to work.

Sungai Wang shopping review?

Do:

1) Go into a few RM25 (USD 8.20) shops to suss out what you can actually get for RM25. There are rows ans rows of shops on the 1st and 2nd level that sells all items at a flat rate of RM25. The catch is , no trying, which is a brilliant idea since most clothes actually do look good hanging off the rack but not necessarily on a normal human form unless you are Miranda Kerr in which case you can wear anything. Thus i have on many occasions bought clothes that look like it has a great pattern and cutting but looks stupid/horrible/ridiculous on me due to the no trying policy. So the operative word here is SUSS out what's available and not actually BUY. That way you know that you're not being overcharged when you get to the normal priced stores. I guess you can get dresses and t-shirts at these shops but be warned that they are RM25 for a reason, ie: quality may be lacking.

2) Go to the shops in the top 2 levels and enjoy the rows and rows of pretty up to date Japanese fashion at a fraction of the price. The shops are small but at least you can try on the clothes. The only bad thing though is that the prices are so steep by Sg Wang standards. For example the peter pan collared cream blouse was tagged at RM69 (USD 22.70) before discount.

3) Ask for a discount, because you can! If you buy more than one piece, you can definitely ask for some kind of discount, though they'll probably just give a 10% discount but i guess that's better than nothing.

Do not:

1) Pay RM70 and above for a detachable collar cos at the end of the day it's just an accessory.There are other cheaper options around.

I bought this for RM20 at City Square JB. I did see some pearl ones at Sg Wang going for RM30-40.

2) Look down on knock-offs. I only noticed this when i got home, but apparently i bought a singlet with pearl diarrhea on it from the famous Japanese brand Snidel! Hahaha check out the lovely label with cute ribbon.

And it only costs RM39.90 from a Harajuku shop in Sg Wang.

3) Pay exorbitant prices for this brand of ear caps. It was priced at RM12.90 at shops in JB and Sunway Pyramid but only priced at RM5.90 in Sg Wang pushcarts. I asked for a discount and i got both for RM10 (RM5 each). You'd think i got a pretty good deal right? Well i walked into a novelty shop and they were only priced at RM4.90 each! No haggling needed!

If you see these selling online, you know how much you should pay for them now.

All in all i had a really good time shopping!

Next post: Chinese New Year in Johor Bahru and Malacca.

Biteki Magazine with Anna Sui samples

Biteki aesthethics magazine march 2012 issue comes with 3 gifts. A box of 2 Anna Sui samples, a makeup template for  blusher as well as two insoles for shoes. (You can see all 3 freebies on the cover if you have a keen eye)

The Anna Sui samples comprise of a 1g SPF 20 powder foundation with cute black container with purple sponge (not sure what shade but should be 102) and two 0.5mls foundation primers.

The make-up template looks like this.

The pictures below show how you should use it.

The next issue advertorial. Hmm.. nope their not giving out john Master's freebies but Cynthia Rowley bag in bag (whatever that means) and a Lunasol sheet mask.

Marimo: What's so great about it vs moss terrarium

I came home one day from work to find my housemate tending to something in the kitchen.It was a heart shaped bottle! Cool what is it? I thought it was a moss terrarium something I've always thought was cool since i saw it on many craft blogs. 'Marimo!' he said.

This was how it looked like.

And that was my introduction to this algae ball called Marimo.

It costs around RM40 in Pavilion KL, but it can be as low as RM7 on the lowyat forum. What is this green round ball of algae then that can cost so much, and in other avenues so little? It's a algae ball that can either be original or pirated?

I look up Wikipedia in confusion.

Here's what i gleamed off the online reader contributed encyclopedia.

1. It's from Japan, hence the name. (no wonder it's so expensive). The price of RM40 is probably warranted if it is really the marimo or cladophora ball, a rare algae that grow into ball forms in lakes in Iceland, Scotland, Japan and Estonia.
2. Marimo means ball seaweed.
3.They grow at a rate of 5mm a year.
4.It's a protected species since 1920's in Japan. (So it's impossible that the Japanese will just sell you their national treasure right?The one's sold as ornaments are HAND ROLLED from free floating filaments ie:non rounded forms of the algae.)
5.All it needs is tap water changed every 1-2 weeks, indirect sunlight and oh.. temperature of 24 degrees and below! Seriously in Malaysia? You'd have to have the air con on the whole time. Not ideal for 'fan' people like me.

And thus i conclude i have no need for a fake Marimo.

No matter how cute it may look.

(Pictures of Marimo taken from google images from various sites)

Rather i'd want a moss terrarium!They are basically moss lovingly landscaped into a bottle. People even sell these on Etsy.

The first moss terrarium i stumbled upon had toadstools on it and now i think all moss terrariums should have one.

But of course there are many other ways to make moss terrariums work.

As a hut in a globe, or..

 ... a ladybug in the forest (okay there are mushrooms here too).

Since i was back for Chinese New Year, i took the opportunity to bully nicely ask  my brothers to go for a walk with me around the neighbourhood looking for moss. I was expecting to find thick looking green healthy moss like the pictures online, only to realize i need cold damp climates to pull it off and the only moss i could find were the kinds in drains.

I ended up stealing pebbles, charcoal bits, soil and moss from my dad's garden. And he didn't even bat an eye when i said i wanted some of the moss from his garden I guessed he's used to his daughter and her recurrent need to do something crafty.

And behold my moss terrarium!

Looks like s**t!

But i believe it will start looking better soon! Fingers crossed. If it ends up looking like a gorgeous patch of green grass i'm gonna go buy a plastic toadstool.

If you're keen on making your own, and it turn out looking better, let me know what i'm missing.

I found this tutorial helpful.Link here.

Ps: All pictures from google images and stylehive.com

Ray Magazine Snippets January 2012

Yay, my exam is over! Not that it carried any marks but it was a big deal anyway. Thanks to my last minute mugging skills i slept intermittently for 10 hours cumulatively in the past 2 days, which means i should probably be sleeping right? Well i tried, but pretty much similar to how i used to have post-call euphoria, i have post-exam euphoria, not that i did well or anything, just that i was glad the exam is over.

I have so many pictures accumulated to blog about, but i have no idea where to start. So i usually do what i usually do and that is to work backwards from the most recent events. Today, i made a trip to the Cite (publication company i would think) office (and it was the most stylish office i have seen) to collect something i have won from the Malaysian Ray magazine.

I won a Sharp Plasmacluster Ion Generator worth RM499 (will you believe that?) Plasmacluster you say? Yup! Apparently it's a portable air purification system, and it looks really cute and pink! I'm not endorsing this product since i don't really know much about it yet, but the whole point is i won something by reading a magazine and writing a slogan on facebook. I'm chuffed! The last time i won something remotely as expensive was a Valentine dinner for two at KLCC for a Swatch slogan writing competition.Not that i'm good or anything.

And this is my prize in a box.

Here's what's inside. Sorry i have not gone about unboxing it properly yet.

This is what the actual product looks like though., just imagine it in bright pink.

So anyway, it's all thanks to this magazine that i won this prize.

So, i thought i'd be really ambitious, take hundreds of pictures of the magazine and give you a good introduction to this English translated Japanese magazine. But i underestimated how sleepy i was so perhaps you'll make do with just 3 magazine snippets? I'll do more later on though if anyone's interested.

The article i decided to show is of TokyoPanda's tips on how to achieve a retro style. Apparently she's a really popular blogger who was born in Japan and now working as a doctor in China. Well, anyway, why she's so popular is because she's a bit of a fashionista despite being a doctor (there is hope!), and she is known to use pieces bought off taobao (China's ebay equivalent but cheaper) to create trendy looks.

Here's what she looks like anyway.

Her looks is definitely trendy in a Japanese fashion magazine way. I like!

I like it even more that she's suggesting the in-trend detachable collars. I love the concept, as you might have known from reading some of my posts. I was desperately trying to find affordable detachable collars and almost resorting to DIY one myself. The good news is, the trend has hit shops in City Square JB and Sg Wang KL, at a fraction of the Japanese price, but still pricey for a collar by Malaysian standards. The price of a collar is equivalent to the price of a normal priced blouse.

That did not deter me though. I so far have two. 

The lace one which i bought online, has me cringing, as it seems to be attached to every cheap blouse in town. It was seriously a bad buy which was a hassle buying as it got lost somewhere between the mail room and my office for a while. The pearl one i love love love. I just don't know when i'll have the chance to wear it yet. 

So anyway back to the magazine. These are the looks Tokyo Panda came up with.

Think she deserves her popularity? Well i think she's pretty good!

Anyway my eyes are telling me i really need to sleep know. For those who are expecting scans of the whole magazine,I'm sincerely sorry. That would probably be called copyright infringement and hey I'm sure there are sites that you can download the Japanese version from. I just wanted to share some interesting pages off the magazine. I have a few more pictures to share for another day.

Thanks for reading till now. I notice a few new readers so welcome!I'm always glad to see a new face or comment on my blog.

It's going to be Chinese New Year real soon so Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Free gifts with Elle and Cleo magazine

Old habits are hard to die, so i find myself always checking out magazines with freebies. I'm surprised to see mynews.com bringing in Elle Hong Kong with Maggie Cheung on the cover with a free Tsumori Chisato pouch and selling only at RM15. Cheaper than any Japanese magazine.I spotted it at the One Utama branch. I nearly bought it id not for my hubby who reminded me that it was an impulsive buy since i have loads of pouches already.

The pouch looks too cute! Wish i had bought it though. *sad face*

Another cheap freebie is the Maybelline Clear Smooth BB Cream that comes with Cleo Malaysia which only costs RM5. But you have to but the small edition and it's only available at certain bookstores. I spotted this at Times, Pavillion.

It's a good way to try out the product before purchasing.

Japanese magazines coming soon

As usual loads of Japanese magazines March issue coming out in late January and early February.Besides the usual mass of totes and pouches at least there is something interesting this time round.

A Snidel watch with Non-no March issue coming out 20th January (wtf.. a bit early right?). But still i'm liking this interesting freebie. It looks rather plain but elegant nonetheless. Hoping this will not be another case of pretty picture but 'pasar malam' (night market) quality freebie.

Glow comes with a cute kitten pouch from a brand i don't really know. 

Cutie comes with Dazzlin tote. Out on my birthday :)

The March issue of InRed comes with a small purse.

Liniere is giving away a boring grey tote.

Sweet comes with a Deicy mirror.

Spring comes with a Tsumori Chisato pouch , out 23rd February.

Steady comes with a cute Anna Sui tote and card holder, coming out 7th February.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I have just entered another posting in microbiology and that is parasitology. I have 2 weeks to revisit parasitology, and though it's tiring i quite like it! But i will as usual be slightly hypochondriac for the coming weeks.

Cat feces = toxoplasmosis, tap water in eye,swimming = risk of achanthamoeba keratitis , and the list goes on but i shall not bore you. Nothing induces hypochondriasis better than a few days in parasitology. I'm staying off raw food and unboiled,unfiltered water for a while. I also recently realized how interesting malaria can be. Okay i think you're starting to puke now.

Don't worry I'll keep this blog as pleasing to the eye as possible. No pathology related pictures anytime soon though i have so many to share!

On a different note, I'm getting all excited about Chinese New Year even though i have 3 tests tomorrow. Time to visit crazy shopping centre full of cheap clothes where everyone is fighting for new clothes to buy for Chinese New Year. I'll take some snaps if things don't get too hectic.

I can't wait to do some serious shopping!

Top Ranked Japanese Products

I was searching the net to see where i can purchase my current obsession: Lux Super Shine Rich shampoo and conditioner, when i chanced upon this!

This was featured in PopSister September 2011 edition, and i realize i'm not the only one crazy about Lux haircare.It is the number one hair care brand in Japan based on repurchase rate.

I can't believe i am so slow to discover this though.

Well, better late than never. Have a look.

Top ranked facial cleansers
1) Biore Marshmallow Whip (It's out in Singapore, but not in Malaysia yet and the drawing point is purportedly the tiny particles of foam it produces so it cleans deeper? Go figure.. number 1 in Japan anyway)
2) Biore Facial Foam
3) Lush Kindness of Angel (天使の優しさ)- This is a Japan limited edition. Heck we don't even have Lush in Malaysia yet, but since it's in Singapore already, probably wont be long now)

Top ranked face toners/lotion
1) Hada labo Japan Gokujyun Hyaluronic emulsion and lotion (I've tried this before but it only succeeded in making me break out, and tiring nights slapping my face- those who've tried it will know what i mean). Since I've got a whole bottle that was barely used to i tried using it on other body parts (like my dried out cuticles and shins) and by golly it really locks up a lot of moisture!
2) Sana Nameraka Soy Bean milk lotion and whitening milk moisture toner (i think i saw it at Watson's somewhere-tempted to buy but i've got so many stuff i'm putting on my face already- so how?
3) Orbis Aqua face lotion and moisture (Not even a whisper of this in retail markets yet)

Top ranked face masks 
(I really have no comment about these cause I don't really use masks save for the MyBeautyDiary ones given to me: Thanks ChauPei!)

1) Pure smile essence mask
2) Missha pure source sheet mask
3) Skinfood black sugar mask

Top ranked body cream/lotion
I really hate the feeling of sticky body cream on me so i'm not a fan of body creams either. Perhaps these are exceptions?

1) Body Shop Pink Grapefruit body butter
2) Nivea happy time body milk
3) Johnson's body care creamy

Top ranked hair care products
1) LUX Super Rich Shine shampoo + conditioner (The product that started this whole post. I still can't find a place that sells this in Malaysia though)
2) Pantene Extra damage care shampoo + conditioner
3) Shiseido Tsubaki shining shampoo + conditioner (At least this is available at Watsons. Will have to try this too)

Top ranked beauty gadgets/skincare devices
1) Panasonic steamer NANO care EH-SA60
2) Panasonic hairdryer NANO care EH-NA93
3) Estenad skincare

Okay now, on to the make-up items.

Top ranked foundation
1) RMK Liquid Foundation
2) KATE mineral liquid foundation
3) Coffret D'or silky fit powder
(I've never tried any of these! Any good?)

Top ranked eyelashes
1) Dolly Wink #1 Dolly Sweet *awesome!*
2) Diamond Lash Fairy Eyes
3) Daiso Lashes (can't see from the picture which eyelash they're referring too, cos there are so many types in Daiso- and not all of them are great)

Top ranked eyeshadows
1) KATE Gradical Eyes BR-1
2) Dolly Wink Eyeshadow No.1
3) Majolica Majorca BR355

Top ranked blushers
1) Canmake cream cheek no.8 (I have this in another colour-soft and slightly creamy blush turns powdery on application.Though i feel application with fingers is a great way to spread microorganisms on your face-since I'm in microbiology now- super paranoid)
2) Candy Doll cheek color (strawberry pink)

Top ranked mascara
1) Maybelline volume express magnum waterproof
2) Majolica Majorca lash expander frame plus
3) Dolly Wink volume mascara
(We rave about Japanese mascaras so much and the top ranked brand is Maybelinne?-Feels cheated)

Top ranked eyeliner
1) Loveliner brown liquid eyeliner
2) Dolly wink liquid eyeliner
3) Maybelline Eye studio creamy gel liner

Top ranked lipstick
1) MAC lipstick in siss
2) Candy Doll lipstick (ramune pink)
3) Maybelline water shiny milky RD606 (I can never find the exact shade here!)

Top ranked lipgloss
1) Candy Doll lipgloss (macaroon pink)
2) Majolica Majorca honey plump gloss (NEO PK144)
3) Melliesh lipgloss (06 candy pink)

And that's it! A whole new lot of products for you to look out for and buy! I'm not too sure if that's a good thing or not for the pocket, but definitely something to look out for when shopping, especially since Chinese New Year is just 2 weeks away!

Credits: Hudie

L'occitane fan giveaway

I've redeemed my L'occitane holiday charm and sample sachets. Have you redeemed yours? I blogged about how i requested for it here.

I was late at redeeming but thankfully the sales assistants did not make a fuss about it, and was quite prompt about giving me my gift.

Since I'm on the topic of free samples, i might as well show you two other items i recently redeemed.

Biore eye and lip makeup remover. 

As well as a sample which came by courier. When i received a notification informing me that i had a parcel delivered to my place but i was not in (why do they always have to send things to my empty house when I'm away at work?). I was scratching my head as to what it was.

It turned out to be a Biotrue contact lens solution sample which i redeemed but did not post it on my blog as i wasn't sure whether the redemption period was over. If you want one go here.

I really think sample redemption are great! You get travel friendly sizes to bring around cos i am those kind of people who buy travel sized products so i don't have to lug heavy bottles around. Also, the person requesting for the product is interested in it, and thus if your product is worthwhile i will definitely repurchase.

Cynical reader: Yeah yeah yeah that's what you say you cheapskate.

Ha ha ha! I admit to being a freeloader sometimes, and get excited about freebies a bit more than the average person (okay quite a lot), but i am also the kind of person that if i want or perceive something to be good, will go all out to purchase the product.

Currently i am quite obsessed with buying myself bottles and bottles of Lux Super Rich Shine Shampoo and Conditioner after trying it out as a free samples with a Japanese magazine i bought ages and ages ago. Read here. The Japanese really produce pretty amazing hair care products! The first time i used it my hair for the first time in my life felt that it will never get tangled again.

Of course it did, as i gave finished using the samples and am desperately trying to find out where they sell this since i don't see it on Malaysian shelves. I'm definitely going to find this when i go to Singapore.

Anyway the point is, i do buy stuff after i try them. That is if they're worth it.

In the spirit of free things then are the pictures below depicting the huge influx of calenders given away with magazines this month.

The problem is, i think, no one actually uses calenders anymore.

I have my iPhone :p