Change it. Get back up. Go on!

Letting go

Letting go is the most difficult thing to do.

The best decision in my life

You do not understand me at all. Not even a single bit.

My tears do not show that I am a 懦弱. I am faced with my own fears, insecurities and shortcomings. At a crossroads. Because I really do not know where to go next or what to do.

I admit that I am very slow in gathering my inner strength and wisdom to guide myself through, trying to pick up myself and moving forward in life. I need to be strong enough first before I have the courage to move forward. Because I can only rely on myself during difficult times.

Stop FUCKINGLY say that I was better/happier when I was in the fragrance company and that I should not leave. Of course, that was my comfort zone. Safety net. Don't you know that life is a major struggle out of your comfort zone?

Leaving the fragrance company IS THE BEST DECISION that I have made in my life. My only regret was not leaving earlier.

Extremely low pay. No prospects. No advancement. And lastly the most important thing... I was not learning anything new or growing as a person. No whatever kind of experience at all. It was as good as giving up on my life and myself. This is not what I have signed up for in life. What a complete waste of time there!!! Waste of my precious youth!!! Utter waste of my life!!!

Inspirational Friday

Bullshit Bedtime Story: L'Ucifer Beheads the Bounty Hunter

I just happened to come across this very interesting article on the ugly truth of L'Ucifer and just had to share this. 

I feel that for most enterprises, it is all about profit maximisation.

Taken from Beauty and the Bullshit:

There was a time, not so long ago, in a world that had not yet known the internet- when there existed faraway lands untouched by L'Ucifer.

For at that time, these lands were yet too small and unimportant in L'Ucifer's grand scheme of things who was then perfectly happy with the riches of the western hemisphere.

However that is, there were a number of entrepreneurs who saw the opportunity in bringing L'Ucifer's beauty bounties to these faraway lands.

These entrepreneurs shared their vision with L'Ucifer who in turn accepted their pioneering wisdom. 

In an act of benevolence, L'Ucifer granted a number of these entrepreneurs the right to represent, distribute and grow L'Ucifer in these faraway lands.

Each of the entrepreneurs applied themselves fully in their endeavor.

They all toiled for years - built offices, imparted knowledge amongst the locals, marketed, promoted, advertised, registered products - did all that it took- with the certainty that there will come a day when all their investments, their hard work, their strife will be rewarded. 

And that they will soon be bountiful. 

And so, as expected, after years of hard toil- the day did come when L'Ucifer's products have become well known and well distributed that they can already harness the profit from their labor.

But for each of these pioneers, without exception, soon as that day came-

 L'Ucifer appeared to take back the distribution agreement that they had.

The entrepreneurs were only given the opportunity to develop the market for L'Ucifer.

And once profit comes in, L'Ucifer took over.

For L'Ucifer never shares its bounties. 

It beheads the bounty hunters soon as they bring the prize.

So, the same question goes to my head, 

"Can a company who does this, really be worth it?"

Just some random thoughts:

In the world of business, is it all about deception, politics, war and strategies?

It's OK to lie. Lots of people do it.
It's OK to kill. Lots of people do it.

Links: 

http://beautyandthebullshit.blogspot.sg/2010/10/bullshit-bedtime-story-lucifer-beheads.html
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?DeceptionInBusiness
http://weheartit.com/entry/82922202

Bullshit Police Arrest's L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes

Another brilliant article. I just have to share this.

I cannot recall the last time (all the times in fact) that I have looked at mascara advert and felt that all those eyelashes just seemed like falsies attached and/or photoshop effect. Fake fake fake!!! Yet, every time I would reach out for a tub of THAT newly launched L'Oreal mascara and just get so excited over it. Lolxxx~

Deception? A clever play of words and pictures?

Taken from Beauty and the Bullshit:

After our bullshit bedtime story, it gives me great pleasure to make the next bullshit arrest.

Bullshit police hereby arrests L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes!

So, what is so bullshit about this ad- you ask me?

I have 3 BIG issues with it.

First, the name - Volume Million lashes.  

What the fuck is that?  

And gawd, when will these ridiculous names and claims stop?  

Well, if I may borrow a quote from The Social Network-

"Million Lashes is Not Cool, Billion Lashes is Cool!"

And the beauty of this is, with this name, they do not have to prove anything- 

because Volume Million Lashes is a product name, not a claim so they do not even have to support this with fake tests.

Second, are those testimonials that appear in their website.

L'Oreal, testimonials that are conducted by yourself, however genuine they seem or they are- 

DO NOT COUNT.

Testimonials should be from neutral parties.  Leave the testimonials to the beauty bloggers.  

You have no business publishing testimonials which you yourself have conducted.  

That is unethical.

The third and the BIGGEST issue I have is the word "NEW".  

With L'Oreal, everything is NEW.  Well it is NOT 

Gawd, a mascara cannot be as basic as this one- so they had to compensate by this ridiculous name.

Tell you what dear readers, I will teach you how to create a NEW Innovative L'Oreal product.  

Just follow the instructions below:

And as a subnote, if you go to L'Oreal website- you will be impressed by the really high tech animation of opening the brush.  

I look forward for the next launch when they will make it into a digital 3D animation.  

Though I do not expect much of a new product.

So, the bullshit verdict is 10/10.  They have made a totally ordinary, really old product totally NEW.  

But, L'Oreal bullshit is getting so old and predictable.  

Time to inject new blood in your organization guys!

Link:
http://beautyandthebullshit.blogspot.sg/2010/10/bullshit-police-arrests-loreal-volume.html

The BB on BB Creams

After the BB cream comes the CC cream. CC cream is a marketing term coined in the wake of the marketing term Blemish Balm cream or Beauty Balm. (This is absolutely true!!! Heard it from an insider and also saw this article below.)

Is it because we humans are just drawn to supposedly new and innovative products? So is it just another marketing gimmick at its best?

Who knows... maybe we will have ZZ cream in time to come? Just saying.

Taken from Beauty and the Bullshit:

Beauty Balm has the same initials as Beauty and the Bullshit. 

Coincidence?  I think not.

I have been ignoring all this BB cream hooha for the longest time - i figure that at some point,  all this -

developed by  ( insert adjective) German doctor,

does (insert logic-defying miracle wonders) heals scars

and (call existing feature by a new name)  a skin care and make up all in one

and used by (insert adjective)Korean actresses

story is anything but new and I thought, nah, nobody falls for that anymore!

Or you will find it intriguing, try it, then find that this new cream is the same as the old one and you will move on and be all the wiser after having made cosmetic companies richer just by a few billion dollars. 

However, the day that some marketing joker who is late in the BB game and had to make it up to his disgruntled executive board else he will lose his job has combined AA(Anti-Ageing) + BB  to come up with the “genius” CC cream or as some version would have it, have color correction aaaaand even go to the length of giving you comparative charts that "guarantee" like this for example-

and women are now scrambling all over again to rid themselves of the BB  to get the CC – the time has come for a serious bullshit intervention.  Enough of this madness!

BB creams are bullshit. 

Think about it.   Just what do all BB creams have in common?

·      BB creams can come in all kinds of textures, they could be light to heavy

·      They can come in all range of coverage from sheer to full coverage

·      They revel in their multifunctionality- some have SPF, some have light diffusing age concealing ingredients, some have healing properties, skin care and makeup in one, concealer too...yadda yadda yadda.

Well, hello ordinary foundation.  Nothing unifies all BB creams except for that BB story. 

So ask yourself before you junk your ordinary liquid foundation for some BB or CC or whatever the FF cream they might be peddling next- aside from that tired story, what difference does your BB and CC cream have from your “ordinary” liquid foundation?

Nothing. 

There are 4 morals to this story-

1.  Don’t junk your old trusted cream to try the BB just because it is BB
2. And don’t pay for more just because it’s BB.
3. Insert (new name)CC to BB in the first 2 statements whenever something new comes along.

Author’s note.

I don't earn shit from blogging so i hope you allow me to promote my day job here.  It is a solution to misplaced eyeglasses.  It works and it is beautiful.  Here is my marketing spiel-

·      Are you often bypassed for a promotion because your boss thinks you waste so much time looking for your misplaced eyeglasses?

·      Do you not get your share of sexy-time because your paramour finds those granny eyeglass string holders you use to be boner benders?

·      Did you just blow your half month salary for another pair of designer specs because you dropped the spanking new one in a toilet full of cr*p (no judgement here)?

 Well thank your lucky stars because this is the day your life will change!

Say goodbye to Ugly Betty and hello to Sexy Sadie with this new life altering, mind blowing, whoah-why-didn’t-i-think-of-that, the best invention* ever (*after the wheel, car, airplane, computer, coffee maker, hair dryer, computer, printing press, light bulb, boats, hairpins, stapler and all of apple products except maybe for the Newton) is here!

What is this product and how good is it you ask?

It is called the PORTOCCHIALI and it is the TITS! 

Buy it i dare you and watch your life magically transform before your bi-spectacled eyes- 

·      You will exude that air of authority so authoritatively, that the boss will resign to pave the way to your competent highness. 

·      You will however not be able to read that 69 shade sequel, because guess what?  You are too busy coming up with your own “materials” worthy of your own book. 

·      And go ahead!  Buy the most expensive designer specs there is! Why? Because you know this is the last time you will be a sucker as you are keeping those expensive babies forevar- suckers!

So you think you can handle a life turnaround?  Look deep inside yourself. Do you really enjoy the sympathetic looks you get from being a (insert the right derogatory adjective that stings your heart here). Well, i hope not! 

Well, without further ado-  i present you the Portocchiali (pronounced portokyali).   You are welcome!

 The Portocchiali will launch its Indie Gogo campaign on May 14.  (Click here on May 14)

To the best of my knowledge- aside from a teeny bit of exaggeration on the marketing spiel (creative license is what we marketeers call it), the product itself is bullshit-free. (well, we photo shopped a zit or two on the model)

(Full disclosure: I am the proud inventor of the portocchiali and  i earn from every piece sold.  But, i swear on Kim Kardashian’s arse  that the portocchiali did not influence the fact that BB and CC creams are bullshit.)

Oh and yes,  Moral lesson N° 4

4.   There is no free lunch, even moral lessons cost you.  Click share and we will call it even.  Haha, just kidding.  But no, serious, i hope you share it.  Meow- I lurv you.

Links: 

http://beautyandthebullshit.blogspot.sg/2014/05/the-bb-on-bb-creams_12.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CC_cream

What Is Your Subconscious Obsessed With?

So, my subconscious is constantly wandering off to travel around the world and exploring the beautiful world around us (SO TRUE!!!). And yes... nature is this beautiful and magical place where everything makes sense. 

Travel enriches my life and it is beyond words to describe the experience (more than rewarding and fulfilling) although I am just a tourist. I love shopping but I am always up for an adventure. I enjoy the nature, experiencing different cultures, walkong around in foreign cities and immersing myself in their rich history and old architect.

I especially love this article "What Travel Can Teach You About Life".
http://positiveworldtravel.com/what-travel-can-teach-you-about-life/

Link:
http://www.playbuzz.com/gregs/what-is-your-subconscious-obsessed-with

Review: Clio Gelpresso Glow Tint in #3 Enamel Pink

I know that I am rather slow in catching up with makeup trend. My first time trying Clio Gelpresso Glow Tint in #3 Enamel Pink. This is probably something between a lip stain and a lip gloss. I applied many times to build up an intensive enamel pink shade. And this shade looks absolutely amazing on fair skin, giving me a fun pop of colour and a glossy vivid glow. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! So bright and beautiful - fun, cheery, playful and flirty. Instantly feel glamorous, gorgeous and youthful.

"As a makeup artist, I learned quickly that the color of your lips affects the way a lipstick looks. If you see your friend wearing a great color, don't assume it will be right for you."

Bobbi Brown

A great advice!!! You really have to try before buying.

Also tried the K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24h wp (super black) and K-Palette Real Lasting Eyebrow Liquid Pen in 02. No foundation. I just used Meitu Xiu Xiu to edit my photo.

These have been lying in my dresser. Time to wear it out... SOON!!! Bright colours just cheer me up.

Something interesting to share. Did you know that Leonard Lauder, Chairman of Estee Lauder, once noted that lipstick sales rise during tough economic times? 

Coined as 'The Lipstick Effect', study had shown that women actually spend more on beauty products during recessions.

DEFINITION OF 'LIPSTICK EFFECT' (Investopedia)

A theory that states that during periods of recession or economic downturn, consumers will eschew purchases of big-ticket luxury items and seek material solace in smaller indulgences, such as premium lipstick.


Read more on the "Lipstick Effect": 
http://www.businessinsider.com/lipstick-effect-mating-pscyhology-2012-6#ixzz3DbNjMig1
http://www.economist.com/node/12995765
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/06/27/lipstick-the-recession-and-evolutionary-psychology/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/19/the-lipstick-effect-women-beauty-recessions_n_1606298.html
http://blog.euromonitor.com/2013/11/redefining-the-lipstick-effect-examples-of-recession-proof-categories.html
http://personal.tcu.edu/sehill/LipstickEffectMS20March2012.pdf
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/lipstick-effect.asp


Links: 
http://www.clubclio.co.kr/product/view.asp?product_cd=P201307221746&
http://k-palette.net/index.php
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/lipstick.html

【白羊座】

不管从哪一方面来说 白羊本身就是一个矛盾的个体。与白羊相恋须知：1.很慢热 我很冷漠 2.很直接 讨厌转弯 3.不喜欢说话 也不喜欢你太吵 4.喜欢自由的感觉 讨厌啰嗦5.心智很成熟 看事很透彻 6.很绝 7.需要行动证明你爱我。

羊羊内心都很善良很柔软。羊羊内在的感性绝对不会亚于双鱼，羊羊真的是毫无心机地活在这个世界上他（她）善良得如此无私，往往让人觉得不真实。他（她）很怕很怕被人误解 尤其是被自己在乎的人误解。

羊羊人看上去不拘小节，其实感情上道德上有绝对洁癖，触动原则的任何错误哪怕再小都没有办法弥补决绝的转身，不回头，不难过，不留遗憾 ，不内疚，因为内心已经想的很明白，问心无愧，犀利得一塌糊涂。

你的一点关心，心思细腻的白羊会记得你对他的好 把自己的爱毫无保留的送给你，白羊是不被了解的 可他们不会怨谁。他们会傻傻的认为 让我承担吧 别让别人也受到伤害。所以 别让他们最有魅力的笑容成为掩饰痛苦的伪装 认真爱白羊。你会知道白羊的爱 是充满泪水的。

他（她）很怕很怕被人误解，尤其是被自己在乎的人误解。羊羊其实本身真的很正直，确实耍不来心机，即使不被理解，被误解，也依旧试着解释。

白羊的反击力很强吵架的时侯羊羊可能会说一些很让人伤心的话，相信我，羊羊真的不是故意的。那是他（她）的直觉反应，吵架就是要吵赢嘛！羊羊很可能一说出口就后悔了，可是经常很难拉下脸来 衷心的道歉。不要跟白羊生气，放他（她）一马我保证他（她）心里会很感激，对你加倍的好。

羊很懒，不想活得那麼累，能简单尽量简单，不爱解释，始终认为懂自己的不用解释，不懂自己的不必解释，不相管那麼多不相干的事他（她）们只挑自己爱做的事，要么不做，要做就做到最好。其实羊羊也是完美主义者，极端主义者，要么破碎 要么完美，不要中间。

白羊座对好朋友可以很热情，乱七八糟聊个不停，对比较普通的朋友很冷淡，聊不上几句就沉默。羊羊很珍惜对他/她好的朋友，他（她）感觉是坏的，便有意疏离。羊羊的普通朋友很多，好朋友没几个。羊羊很孤独，常常自己一个人，一个人吃饭，一个人上学，一个人逛街，一个人发呆。

白羊真的没办法一心二用，聊手机时会把电影暂停，工作时不知道听的是哪首歌，思考时不知道你在说的什么，因为羊羊的注意力只能集中在其中之一。白羊们更不会去花心，因为羊羊喜欢简单，脚踩两条船对羊羊而言是非常麻烦及复杂的事情，羊羊懒得去做，因为羊羊真的很懒。

100th post

This marks the 100th post on my blog. Cheers...

Today, the nice guys at my favourite 板麵 stall complimented that I have a very good complexion. Thank you so much for making my day. I can literally feel myself flying to the moon and back. 

I just finished my gym session. So yes... exercising helps. And I only applied sun screen on my face. So I was barefaced. Anyway, I also just started my SK II skincare regime (the SK II starter kit which I bought as my own xmas pressie last year). Getting older and aging is so scary! It is always good to start young on a proper basic skincare routine. You can definitely see results. 

All the while, I would really love to laser my face. A good complexion is a great canvas for a fabulous look. Ahahhahahahaha~

The 板麵 is very yummy and not forgetting the nice guys tending the stall. I will definitely keep on going back for the 板麵. 

I am trying to exercise regularly (my aim will be 3 times a week). I just want to be fitter, lose my fats and be more toned. I just want to start an exercise regime and have the discipline to keep to it. Can't wait to shape myself up and achieve my fats loss goal by Christmas 2014. And also have the discipline and determination to achieve my goals in my studies, career and other aspects of my life.

What stand between me and my diet plan.

Nom nom nom... Eat them all up!!!

And I am trying to find back a STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT and MORE CONFIDENT me, so that I can keep on striving and moving forward and keep on improving!

Be kind. Always.

I fully agreed!!! I really want to thank my close and loved ones for always sparing a thought for me and always helping me. I have so many wonderful friends.

And I have met friends/colleagues who always readily foot the bill. Always so generous, giving and sharing. And I have met people who treated money more than anything. Even when they were obviously the ones eating and spending way more... more... more than any of us at the table. They will try to siam or hesitate for some time (a long while) when it comes to the bill. Ahahhahahahahahaha~

"その子を　知らざれば　その友を　視よ"

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends."
~Japanese Proverb

I have always try to be the quiet observer, although I always seem blur, ignorant and superficial to some. Being street smart, how to deal with people and the ability to be able to 看人看到骨子里 (how to "read" people's real intention and how to "tell" what's the real personality/character of that person you're dealing with) are some really useful life skills. All these are not what I am good at. But I am always curious. (Come on, Esther, please be more curious and serious about your studies!!!)

Anyway, at one point in life, I even find kindness a liability in me. What good does it do? Today's society do not care about good and kind people. She only cares about successful or wealthy or powerful people.

However, I have experienced for myself so much kindness, help and love from people around me or even strangers. I can really feel it in my heart. I really feel so grateful, thankful and blessed.

Someone once said, "In order for people not to bully you, you have to start bullying others?" WTF is this logic? To think that I even agreed at that moment. This is so wrong. Kindness is a sign of strength, not weakness. Kindness is a virtue. Kindness is even more valuable than all the money or all that material possessions.

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others.
“Be kind to unkind people. They need it the most.” (Ashleigh Brilliant) Kill them all with kindness!!!

What do we hope to achieve in our lives? Everybody chases after different goals in life. Our own definition of success or the lives that we wanted are all defined differently. 

At the end of the day, on our deathbeds, nothing much matters. 

Do you have any regrets in life? Is your life worth living? Are you a better version of yourself? Lastly, have you made a difference in others' lives?

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Another Tarot Reading

Oh shit... Being so lost, low and down, here's another Tarot reading for me. And I just realised that the results are almost the same for my current situation. 


Link: 
http://www.free-tarot-reading.net/free.php

25 Things Every Woman Should Have By The Time She Turns 25

Something brilliant to share... 

1. Enough confidence to no longer feel the need to justify what she eats, who she dates or what she wears, not only to other people, but to herself.

2. The goal of a bank account with a few months’ living expenses in it, if she doesn’t have that already. Just in case.

3. Only the phone numbers, Facebook friends, weekend plans, and roommates she actually wants.

4. A best friend who is like a sister.

5. A space of her own.

6. A good idea of what she needs in a romantic relationship, not just what she wants, or what she thinks she needs, and the willingness to explore different people and other ideas to find what exactly that is.

7. A closet of what she considers to be her “staples,” and among these things, something to wear to an interview, funeral, wedding, impromptu Friday night drink at a casual bar and dream date if ever someone were to call out of the blue.

8. The tact and grace to ask for a raise, a promotion, a change in a relationship or a date with someone she’s into.

9. The faith that she deserves those things.

10. A favorite coffee order, go-to restaurant for when friends visit from out of town, hairstyle that takes less than five minutes in the morning, “thank you” cards in her desk drawer, the print copy of her favorite book, and bedding that she is proud to show off.

11. A hobby that has nothing to do with drinking, shopping or somebody else.

12. The recipes for a number of easy meals memorized.

13. The desire and discipline to actually cook for herself. (Just herself.)

14. A trip she tells awesome stories about and a trip she has awesome plans for.

15. A sense that she’s let go of resenting other women for what they do or don’t have over her.

16. Enough of a healthy relationship with her body that her contentment no longer hinges on comparison, or what her partner would think.

17. At least one date in her memory with the kind of partner who wouldn’t care about those things anyway.

18. Forgiveness if she’s dated men who haven’t quite matured as quickly as women tend to in their early 20s.

19. The knowledge of what she wants in bed and the confidence to ask for it without feeling uncomfortable.

20. A drill, a non-stick pan, a credit card line nobody else has access to, a bra that she was measured for at the store and working knowledge of how to change a tire, unclog a pipe, make an investment and find shoes on the extra 40% rack.

21. A relationship with her mother, even if it’s the decision that their relationship will be at least functioning, if not familial.

22. A passport, a sturdy piece of luggage, and the ability to pack the essentials at a moment’s notice should she be offered the chance to get away for a weekend, a week, or a whole new life.

23. The following emergency kit: Tylenol/Advil, eyedrops, a tampon, hand sanitizer, a fresh pair of underwear, a travel sized toothbrush, hydrocolloid bandages for blisters, $20 cash, a condom, and Plan B.

24. Forgiveness for who she was.

25. An idea of who she wants to be.

Link:

http://thoughtcatalog.com/brianna-wiest/2014/06/25-things-every-woman-should-have-by-the-time-she-turns-25/