"Your eyes are the windows to your soul."

This phrase rings true for so many poets and romance novelists when talking about the damsels of their dreams – but how can your eyes reflect your beautiful soul if you do not take care of them?

Fortunately for us, in the modern era, eye care is absolutely accessible and it doesn't even require you to go to an eye specialist hospital and spend hundreds of ringgits just to get through a consultation session. Let alone, wait for such a long period of time with so many other patients.

Better Vision, which has been around for over 50 years, makes it their mission to fill in that gap and make eye check ups even easier and more accessible than ever. You can easily have your eyes professionally checked and your vision treated, right within any of their specialised outlets. With over 120 outlets in Thailand, Singapore & Malaysia, there really shouldn't be any problems to secure an appointment. After all, just like a medical check-up or visiting the dentist, you only need to ensure your eyes get checked once a year. This crucial step could help detect health issues before it worsens and save your eyesight.

For perfect clarity, Better Vision had developed a special 12-step eye examination called Better Vision Accuracy System, or BVAX for short.  BVAX will allow one to receive the most detailed eye analysis that takes into account various factors that can affect eyesight. It is not merely just using a refractometer to get a reading of your eyesight (which I notice is common practice in a lot of other optical shops here) and immediately prescribe the lens/glasses.



According to a Better Vision specialist, he said that refractometers only provide a rough idea of what your eye's power is, but it does not take in any other factors like colour or light sensitivity. This is where BVAX stands out from the rest, as there are 12 detailed steps to giving you the best clarity for your vision. This is my experience with Better Vision.

STEP 1: Patient evaluation
This is where I was asked if I had any eye issues in the past or any surgeries. Since I had none, we got this step done pretty quickly.

STEP 2: Objective refraction test
As I mentioned, you eye's corrective power will be estimated by the auto refractometer, which is used in most optical shops. You place your chin on the paper, and the specialist will use the machine to test each eye individually – you will usually see a photo of a colourful hot air balloon along a straight road.

STEP 3: Subjective refraction test
The rest of the tests are carried out in the special room, where the lights are off, and this test required me to place my head behind this phoropter, which I will look through while he changes a few lenses and asks me questions about which lens is clearer – so that he can estimate my long-sightedness and short-sightedness.


STEP 4: Fan chart & cross cylinder test
This test is very much like looking at a series of dots and just telling the eye examiner which looks clearer to you as he changes a few lenses. In reality, he is assessing your astigmatism level, and also seeing what angles best work to place astigmatism lens. You probably wouldn't even know what he's testing unless you ask him a lot of questions (like me).


STEP 5: Visual acuity test
I think many of us have gone through this test before, it is the one that involves the Snellen chart – which is the chart where you see alphabets going from big to small. Always be honest and tell your examiner honestly if you cannot see the smallest alphabets. There were so many times throughout the test where I just told him, "I'm not sure if it's clear but I know what alphabet that is." In which case he will change and change the lens until finally, it's clear. It's optometry magic, really.

STEP 6: Duo-chrome test
At this point, he put on these trial frames on me, which look like really cool scientist glasses, and it comes with a box of various frames that he would interchange to determine my vision. This test involves me looking at a half-red, half-green chart, and telling the examiner which number is clearer on which colour. I was a little confused here because of the colours, but my examiner patiently switched the frames back and forth, so that I am able to compare. This test helps to ensure that your eye's short/long sightedness was not over/under compensated from the earlier tests.



STEP 7: Binocular balancing
This part of the test was pretty much me staring at the Snellen chart again and various other patterns, and him putting on various lenses and asking me which is clearer. I got a little unsure a few times as most of the comparisons are really close. In the end though, after a few rounds, I finally got the clearest vision in both eyes via the trial frames.

STEP 8: Near vision test
This was just another series of test with the Snellen chart, checking to see that I can read all the big and small letters. Each eye was tested in turn.

STEP 9: Colour vision test
I was given another round of tests with coloured dots that are mostly in red and green hues. But of course, everything was fine with this. But it is just a precaution as some people have defects that does not allow them to see either red/green clearly. Thankfully, I passed with flying colours!

STEP 10: Binocular vision assessment
I only had to look at these odd shapes and tell him which looks clearer. One reminded me of those camera focus symbols, and the other was like a double-ended cigarette. Whatever they are for, I didn't feel any special effect on my vision – but they help the examiner assess our focus and determine if there are any abnormalities in our eye muscles, that could affect its focus.

STEP 11: Vision analysis
The final test to double-check my vision once again includes looking at various images and texts and a few more changing of lens.

STEP 12: Patient management
So after all was said and done, my examiner sat down with me and said that my vision is still the same as what I'm wearing on my current glasses, but I have a slight astigmatism in both eyes. So he explained that he will be prescribing me a lens power that is slightly lower than my glasses, to make up for the astigmatism.

And voila, I got my lenses and I can now see at the best clarity when I wear my lenses each day! In case you're wondering, I'm wearing the new Acuvue Define lens which are absolutely comfortable and great for my eyes.




If you look around every Better Vision store, you will notice that they are the only ones who have the exclusivity to carry Chanel eyewear (found in no other optical store) and they also carry other high range eyewear brands like Tiffany & Co, Porsche Design, Gucci and so on. You can definitely expect only the best of services and brands in all their outlets nationwide.

To find out more, please follow their Facebook page, lookup their outlets to make your appointment, or even check out their local promotions. Love your eyes today!

In the booming industry of slimming and wellness centres, it is no easy feat to stand out. In such a competitive trade, one must have not only have proven results nowadays, but a unique approach in terms of method and technology.

Having never stepped into a slimming centre before, I was intrigued when Mayfair Bodyline and Nuffnang approached me for a tryout. Let's be clear that this is a fully sponsored service, but all opinions are my own, as with everything else on this blog. (Oh, and there is a promotion for you right at the end!)

The overall combo of Christmas and Chinese New Year merriment had definitely contributed to my waistline, and therefore I think this is the perfect opportunity for me to really test out their slimming treatment. This being a one-time treatment, I'm not expecting a drop in size or anything, but rather to focus on the experience and the post-treatment effects. There was also a lovely facial treatment right after. *fist pump*


Upon arriving, everyone has to fill in the standard form and drink the complimentary chrysanthemum tea – to calm the nerves, no doubt. Right after, the consultant had me step on a weighing scale to take my weight and fat percentage, as well as my height (for BMI) calculation. In the consultation room, we determined the areas they need to work on, and we also hashed out skin concerns for the facial treatment. Each person's need varies, so it is of the utmost importance for us to be brutally honest about our (ahem) bad snacking habits and skincare neglect (like how I always skip my daily sunblock). Once that is done, the consultant will plan out the treatment and advise the beauticians on what to do.

Apparently for me, my tummy is an issue.. so yay, I get to have it done.




I was brought into my own private treatment room where disposable underwear and tube bra, along with a comfy robe are provided. My shoes were also swapped for slippers, and belongings placed in a locker. This time, I was allowed to bring in my camera and phone, but everything else stays in the locker for safekeeping.

My first treatment required using the Slim Master machine. Attached to this machine are two different probes – one with a flat metal surface and the other which is a suction-like tube. This treatment is aimed to break the fats around my belly area. The beautician first slathered a cold cream on one half of my belly, and proceeded to use the flat metal applicator, moving it around to cover each section where cream is applied. It doesn't feel like much, but as it uses intense ultra-sound to break down the fat cells, you get a high-pitched sound ringing in your ears, like metal grinding on metal. You'll get somewhat used to it after a while, but it isn't a pleasant sound at all.

Mayfair's Slim Master machine.

The angle is a little off, but you can see the obvious curve on the right side.

Following this was the use of the suction applicator. How this works is the suction will be moved around your belly and the areas it hovers above will get sucked in for a second before the beautician pulls it away again. She is trained to only focus on certain areas for suctioning, and other areas get ba quick brush-over. The sensation? It starts off pleasant, but it gets slightly painful after a while, as it feels like someone is pinching you over and over again. Thankfully this doesn't go on for too long. By now, only half my belly has had treatment, and I could clearly see that the treated side looks visibly shapier and skin is more taut. And this is just one treatment – imagine if you come in regularly. The beautician then proceeded to work on my other half and I pretty much preferred the ultra-sounds ringing in my ears compared to the pinching sensation. No pain, no gain, ladies.

Next up, I was given my robe again and brought out to try their very 'sci-fi' looking machine, for the Vibe Kinetic Therapy (VKT). The machine features a platform for you to stand on, which will move at a quick vibration to give you the effect of burning calories using vibration. It also has 6 infrared bulbs, that will send out heat to burn your fats while you stand on the platform. In only 10 minutes, the VKT is proven to burn 500 calories, which is equivalent to 2 hours of exercise. I pretty much enjoyed this the most, I actually did a few poses (squatting, standing straight, crouching) while on the platform and each pose gives a different vibration effect to certain areas. It's intriguing.

But first, lemme take a selfie.

Photo is obviously taken with the infrared off. But when it's on, it's like whoa – imagine 4 red traffic lights staring at you!

My 10 minutes were up and I am then escorted back to my room. During that time, my beautician has prepared my bed with a hot blanket, nestled underneath the bed's layers. She introduced me to the CLA Chilli Slimming cream, which is a pinkish cream that smells quite nice. It is the chilli cream made from the extracted essence from chilli pepper seeds. Spicy! This cream is formulated to effectively and rapidly stimulate the excretion of body fat (remember the first treatment where my fats were broken down with ultra-sound?) that are still lingering about. She slathered chilli cream all over, from shoulders to calves – and then proceeded to wrap me with cling wrap. At this point, I felt like a piece of meat, marinated and prepared for roasting. The bindings were quite tight and I was 'mummified' from upper body to my ankles. It wasn't easy to move about, and certainly no toilet breaks for now. (No photo for this procedure because her hands were covered in cream, and I am obviously mummified.)

Hot blanket anyone?

She guided me to my bed, settled me down and pulled the other half of the blanket to cover me. This is called the Heat Blanket. It works with heat to help relieve muscle; improve blood circulation and to reduce fluid retention. I am, as of now, the chicken in the burrito. The warmth was quite nice, and the beautician dimmed the lights and turned some ambient music on before leaving the room. I dozed off for a bit, and some time later, I woke up because it had become very hot, and I was sweating profusely. Not knowing how to call my beautician (no phone or call button ensuite) I decided to just flip off the top of the blanket and waddled my way to the door (I'm still mummified in cling wrap, remember?)

My beautician came back in and started to unwrap me. I was free at last! I didn't like how stifling it became towards the end of the treatment, but the chilli cream definitely did its job – I felt a good burn in my thighs, as though I had just finished a workout. The remnants of the cream were wiped off with a cloth after she has unwrapped me completely. At this point, I felt quite rejuvenated, although very sweaty as well. My skin also has a reddish tinge to it, like as though I just got sunburnt. It didn't hurt though, not like actual sunburns do.

I was handed a elasticized cotton dress – which I was to wear over my bosom after all my sweaty disposable undergarments are taken off. Then I was covered with a soft blanket as I settled down for the relaxing part – the facial.




The usual routine were carried out during the Skin Rejuvenation; makeup removal, cleansing and moisturizing – all with nice massaging strokes for all the main areas of the face, and a bit of grooming for my brows. Right after, a bright light was used to look for impurities as the extraction begins. I only had about 5 extracts before she was done, and proceeded to apply toner.

Then cold cream was applied to my face as the IST Lifting equipment is used to massage my face.. It helps release muscle tension as it glides along the face, and to also loosen the fats in the face area. This is so relaxing, I was nearly asleep.

After that my eyes were given an Intensive Eye Treatment, where cool slabs of nourishing products were placed over my eyes. This helps to lift eyebrows and reduce eye bags. A special Vitaroma product was also used to give me a radiant, bright look. I was then left to snooze again for a bit. The final bit was a good massage and moisturizing to finish off, and then I was left to slowly get dressed.

The treatments took about 4 hours to complete, and I felt rejuvenated and relaxed right after. You can say that it felt like a spa experience. But, did I lose any weight? Of course not, you cannot expect much in just one session. However, the tummy area felt much more taut, so did my thighs, but that feeling wore off after a few hours later. My face though, looked radiant and felt great throughout the next few days.



My verdict? If you are looking into getting slim at a slimming centre, Mayfair Bodyline could be for you if you want quick and visible results. As demonstrated to me during the Slim Master treatment, visible results definitely can be seen and with regular visits, I'm pretty sure that results can be achieved much quicker. Of course, at the same time, I also believe in eating wholesome, healthy foods with a moderate amount of exercise to help maintain any figure in the long term.

The facials are great and once-a-month visits would do your skin a whole lot of good. If you like being pampered, the team at Mayfair Bodyline are definitely well-equipped to give you that.

SPECIAL OFFER
For the month of June, Mayfair Bodyline is offering a special promotion of RM538 for 16 sessions of Body Treatment or 4 sessions of Face Treatment; with that you will also receive another body treatment or face treatment free of charge.

Mayfair Bodyline is located in the posh Beauty Hall on Level 7 in Pavilion KL. For enquiries or appointments, please head to www.mayfairbodyline.com or their Facebook page!

For Spring 2015, H&M Home is bringing in lots of light and natural elements for our homes. You can expect to brighten up your living space with a few simple ornaments, rugs and pillows – and bring a little Mediterranean touch into your home.

For starters, you can go with the obvious – ethnic prints and clean lines, striped and tasselled cushions, and rugs as well. The color green is an important element in the design (what else spells nature more than green, after all). The overall look gives a very nice, rustic charm which is very popular these days. I also love how they had revamped and kept some of my favorite styles in décor, such as those lovely bronze tea lights and candle holders. I don't know when I started to become such a candle person – but candles are an amazing touch to bring to your living space.

“I love the possibilities of spring, as the new season brings light and nature into the home. We have so many great ideas, and amazing new products, to refresh every room in the house.” – Evelina Kravaev Söderberg, H&M Home’s head of design.

For the kitchen, there is also quite a focus on getting ready for a new season of entertaining, with wooden cutting boards and storage boxes, along with new herb storage, carafes and bottles for water. I especially adore those vintage-but-modern storage boxes, they add such a beautiful touch to any home. I know most of us in Malaysia are dying to have these nice wooden homes like they always feature – but our weather and notorious termites makes it really tedious to upkeep and expensive too. At the least, we can have one or two wood elements in our kitchens without needing too much care.

The wire bowls and containers are something new, and I think they look fantastic. Very edgy, modern and minimalistic – enough to hold your fruits and whatnots in place.





Goodness knows we can use some beauty in our life – and H&M Home strives to bring us just that. You can start shopping the collection in stores by this month. Happy decorating! :)

It seems that Mr Becks has been going around quite a lot lately. Having just met him last year at the launch of Haig Club whiskey, it seems that he has jumped onto the fashion bandwagon as well – by renewing and expanding his relationship with H&M. He is quite the style icon after all.

The boys would be very pleased to hear that for Spring 2015, he will be choosing his favourite menswear pieces from the Modern Essentials collection at H&M, to create Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham. The collection will include fresh colors and fabrics where key pieces would include a linen bomber jacket, a white chalk-washed denim jacket, a car coat, a sharp linen blazer, a city-slick polo shirt and the perfect poplin white shirt. In short – everything a style icon would essentially wear, and we know how well-priced H&M's apparels are.

He will also be expanding his Bodywear collection (of which my boyfriend already owns quite a few pieces off – stating how comfy they are) that would have a bigger range to it. Colors for Spring in this collection would centre around navy blue, grey melange and broken white, with accents of orange red. Stripes appear as either trims or across whole garments to add a new classic twist.

Here are some eye candy of Beckham in some his new pieces, plus you can also view a special Behind-The-Scenes video on David's new campaign with H&M, featuring Marc Foster as well.

He's got this style right: Every man (or woman) looks good in a classic white shirt.

“I am thrilled to continue and extend my collaboration with H&M by selecting my favourite pieces from this spring’s Modern Essentials collection. Each piece is a new wardrobe classic that will update every man’s spring wardrobe with great style. Marc Forster is one of my favourite directors – I can’t wait to reveal the new campaign with H&M.” – David Beckham

Both collections would be launched worldwide in stores and online on March 5th, 2015. Keep your eyes peeled!

Detoxing is very crucial to keep your bodily functions smooth and cleansed. Some people do it through juice detoxing, herbal tea detox and sometimes via pills or medication.

There's no right or wrong to any detox method, it is your preference. However, if you need a quick and easy way of detoxing (without having to juice your veggies 4 times a day), then Yogurugen is the perfect solution for you.

A product of Japan, it is made with a formula that cleanses the colon which leads to the following effects:

• Detoxification
• Replenishment of good bacteria
• Weight loss (reduces bloating)
• Strengthened immune system
• Skin improvement
• Better digestive system
• Prevent constipation

Isn't the packaging too cute? The Japanese have a way of making even the most vile imagery (the poop) look cute – and yes that is poop. So to start your detox, all you have to do is to mix a cup of lukewarm water with a sachet of Yogurugen, mix and drink it.






It's orange flavored, so it's really easy to take in. Within an hour, you'll start to have the urge to 'pay a visit to the oval office for a meeting' – if you know what I mean. It's best you stay home for a day if you are going to detox, because you will need to be best friends with your 'oval throne' for quite a few sessions. I'm not kidding – it won't be cool to be dashing off to the loo all the time if you are, say, in the mall or something.

By the next day though, you'll feel pretty good. I'd recommend anyone to take this after an especially heavy session of 'bad food'. Clean all that bad stuff out with Yogurugen and your colon will thank you for it. This product is even deemed safe for pregnant women and children, and doesn't harbour any side effects.



A box of 5 sachets retails for RM68 at all SaSa outlets near you.

I'm sure a lot of your are familiar with SCS Butter. They have been around for quite some time, and it is a main staple for cookie-making or any sort of baking here in Malaysia. This year, they took the challenge to reinvigorate a Chinese New Year classic – the pineapple tart.

Pineapple tarts are significant to the Chinese, simply because the pineapple itself is a symbol of wealth. In Malaysia, it is also a very well-enjoyed delicacy. All year round, people would hunt for the 'best' pineapple tarts – some claim that the ones in Malacca are the best, and some prefer the Penang tarts. Whatever it may be, most pineapple tarts found here are pretty delicious and are extra popular during the Chinese New Year season.

SCS Butter has decided to recreate and introduce 9 different ways to add a twist to the classic pineapple tart. Using their quality butter to achieve that buttery, fluffy and yet crusty tart pastry, the team at SCS Butter are proud to introduce the 9 varieties: Pineapple Cream Cheese, Pecan Pineapple, Berrylicious Pineapple, Chocolate Brownie Pineapple, Caramel Pineapple, Creamy Mango and Pineapple White Chocolate, Oatmeal Pineapple, and Green Tea Pineapple.






I was given a chance to sample these pastries, and they are positively addictive. It is amazing how buttery and yet not too crumbly each tart is. tick to butter folks, margarine will never ever give you the best results (believe me, I tried). I honestly believe that using the right butter can produce the right results for your baking goals. Here's why SCS Butter works so well for pastry.



I personally enjoyed the Green Tea Pineapple, because green tea adds a very beautiful taste to almost everything. I also enjoyed the Pecan Pineapple and the Chocolate Brownie Pineapple. These are my favorites, although most of the rest are really good too.


SHARING IS CARING!
Now, because Chinese New Year is looming closer, I'm going to share with you SCS Butter's recipe for my favorite, the Green Tea Pineapple Tart. If you're a baking enthusiast and want to try out more recipes, you can obtain a recipe booklet from select supermarkets. Otherwise, check out their Facebook page and their YouTube channel, for more recipes.

These recipes here are for the filling and the pastry – they come in both English & Chinese languages so even your grandmother can attempt making these too! Click to enlarge the image to read all the instructions. Many thanks to SCS Butter for the lovely recipe, and these are actual pages from their recipe booklet too.





If you attempted to make this, let me know how you fared! Enjoy. :)

I love candles, scents and beautiful packaging. In fact, I am a major sucker for beautiful packaging. You could call me the consummate consumer – I'd buy anything beautiful on impulse and leave it sitting in my room as a decor piece.

Candles are the one thing I have a lot of. From various brands, height, thickness and color (although my favorite ones are always white), I burn candles almost religiously. See, I even have a jarful of used matches from months of lighting candles (and my favorite Davidoff white-tipped matches.)





So, when I saw the new Jo Malone London Limited Edition Home Collection – I was immediately in love with the gorgeous packaging, those colors! These are all scents and colors inspired by the brand's Style Editor, Charlotte Stockdale's memories of faraway places. It is the ultimate scent package designed for those with wanderlust, as these are all perfect for bringing along on your travels.



Beautiful, no? The whole collection just spells WANDERLUST.

I was blown away by the design and clean lines, not to mention those gorgeous watercolors – IT IS ART. This limited edition collection comes in various scented forms like candles, diffusers, linen sprays, soaps and a box hedge square scent to give your clothes a fresh, subtle scent.

It is created and designed for those who travel frequently, and want to bring their favorite scents along with them on their journey. Like I mentioned, candles are one of my favorite things, and their Cardamom & Moroccan Rose Home Candle sounds extremely lovely.

If I have to pick another favorite out of the lot, it would probably be the Lime Basil & Mandarin Diffuser – a good alternative to candles if you're worried about burning the house down. The Night Jasmine & Oregano Linen Spray would make a great gift for moms, other than avid travellers. Or even any of your girl friends who have OCD for clean bed sheets (I know one girl who cleans her sheets weekly, when I only do mine once every 3 months).






This limited edition collection is now available at all Jo Malone London outlets nationwide.