All in a week's work.

Probably the most exciting thing that has happened to me in this week is a photoshoot for Female magazine! :)


During hair and make-up.

Very pleased with how the make up turned out, 'cause usually pro make-up makes me look like a drag queen FML. In fact, I was so happy with it that I took the make-up artist's contact details for AZORIAS' work in the future!

The article will be out in November, can't wait to show you all more photos from the shoot then! :)

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Since we are on the subject, I thought I'd share some features of me recently! It's still a huge shock to see my name in print and stuff. *big shiny eyes*




Short Q&A for an article about the digital fashion world in Female, July 2013 issue.
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Featured as Entrepreneur of the week in Emmagem. Click here to read the article.

Thank you, Female and Emmagem! :D

Huck's Cafe.

For our dad's birthday over the weekend, we decided to bring him to somewhere different for dinner-- we thought we'd try a private kitchen, Huck's Cafe. Private kitchens are usually located in a residence/ house in a neighborhood and thus have limited seating. The one we decided to try was Huck's Cafe.


Our table setting.

We opted for the surprise menu-- i.e. we didn't know what we will be served at all! We only specified two beef main dishes as my dad loves beef, and for another main dish to be without any dairy products (for my grandma). Our meal started off with soup (pumpkin or mushroom), and then we were served light appetizers of keropok with some pickles. Then it was main meal time. There were 7 of us altogether, and the chef actually cooked 7 different main dishes for us! To add on to the suspense, the dishes were all served consecutively after one another, and we sort of had to make a decision on the spot whether you want to snap up the dish being served, or to wait for the next dish that *might* be more delicious?

My mom played cheat though. -_- At first she chose a chicken dish... Then a salmon dish came, and she was like, 'Ooh, I prefer that, I will take that.'. Then another roasted spring chicken dish came, and she decided she preferred that to the salmon (while the roast chicken was halfway being served to me -_-). So in the end, I was the last person at the table who didn't have a dish yet, and I was so worried I would be served lamb brains or something wtf.


But woohoo, patience is rewarding! I got a seafood platter with cheese baked oysters, scallops and prawns with angel hair. :D My mom wanted to swap the roast chicken for this dish btw. -_-


Wanted to snap a photo of my food, but Teeny was in the way. She then grabbed some leaves to camouflage as a tree wtf.


Pretty shades of pink! The drink on the right is a basil seed drink, but we told our grandma it is frog eggs HEHEHE. 


Durian Mud Cake (ice cream). Apparently it was really really really really good, and my mom said she will make a trip back to the restaurant just for this.

I don't eat durian though. But my dog does. -___-


Half expect Teeny to start tango-ing wtf.

Outfit:

Taken outside in Huck's Cafe lush garden (it is actually a huge bungalow in Bangsar).


Threw together my outfit in 7 minutes because I had to rush to the bank to withdraw cash-- Huck's Cafe only accepts cash!



Diamante and pearl-embellished shirt: AZORIAS
Tweed shorts: AZORIAS
Pearl and diamante drop necklace: Forever 21
Scalloped nude heels with laced-up back: Holiday in Tokyo
Ice blue bag: Marc Jacobs

Teeny, after snapping these photos, told me, "You damn brave ar, take photos in the dark in a foreign garden during this month (seventh month of Chinese calendar, also known as the Ghost month)".

T_____________________________T

My favorite accessory.

Now that Rocky has had all his vaccines, we are having so much fun bringing him to parks and dog-friendly places! :)


An impromptu walk at the park.

Us in action hehe: *click for instavideo*


As the walk was totally unplanned, I caught myself walking a hyper puppy in high heels, haha. Thank god for all my practice in heels over the years-- this was easy peasy. *blows nails wtf*


My favorite silhouette!

Outfit:


Chevron print blouse: AZORIAS
Denim shorts: Korea
Silver 'fish scale' bangles: Korea
Nude leather link heels: Korea
Bag: Celine


My accessories for the day.

But my favorite accessory will always be this little monster!
PS: Follow Rocky on his Instagram account.

Sharing is caring.

Sponsored post

I have been dying to get a Clarisonic for ages, so when I found out that Audrey was in the States recently, I got her to buy me one!



In a pretty baby pink that coincidentally matches my current nails too, hehe.

I was really excited about my new toy, and I started doing a lot of research on it, including ways to use it, care instructions, frequency of use etc. But one word kept on cropping up.

Cetaphil.

My curiosity was piqued, and I started digging deeper on this brand. Turns out that it produces one of the mildest cleansers in the market—the Gentle Skin Cleanser—a pH-balance formula which is soap-free and fragrance-free, so mild that it is mild enough for a baby’s delicate skin! For that reason, it is the no. 1 most recommended cleanser by dermatologists! In fact, many reviews that I found online called Cetaphil and the Clarisonic a ‘match made in heaven’. I also found out that many celebrities use Cetaphil, such as Angelina Jolie, Diane Kruger, Olivia Wilde, and even Pharrel! :O

So I was really happy when I was invited to attend a Cetaphil workshop recently. I managed to get my hands on some Cetaphil samples, and I couldn’t wait to try it out at home.



I was most excited about the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, due to the online reviews that I have read, so naturally it was the first product that I tried out.



I poured out a bit of the cleanser onto my hand. The texture is very light, and lotion-like. Because of its non-foaming texture, I did not wash it with water as how I would normally do with other facial cleansers. Instead, dermatologists recommend to use Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser on dry or damp skin.

Then I spread the Cetaphil cleanser evenly all over my slightly damp face, and then I switched on my Clarisonic and run it all over my face.



Verdict after washing it off?

I LOVED IT. The combination of the very gentle Cetaphil cleanser and the high tech Clarisonic brush leads to very clean skin, but yet skin still feels soft and moisturized.

The reason for this is because Cetaphil hydrates as it cleanses, as it has 3 humectants (a substance that is used to keep things moist. It might sound like a technical jargon, but I am absolutely sold on this because during the Cetaphil worshop, a moisture test was done on my skin. An apparatus was held to my arm to test my moisture level—mine was 31.5%-- ideal moisture level is at least 45% FML. Then I rubbed a bit of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser onto the same spot, and again, my moisture level was checked.



WHAT THE SORCERY???!!!!

The Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser actually made my skin’s moisture level went up by 50%!! And 80.5%!!?? That is like a High Distinction if I was in an exam *geek mode*. And it’s also pretty close to 100% which would make me 100% moist, like a camel’s hump or something wtf.

GET ME A BOTTLE OF THIS MAGIC NOW PLEASE.

The Gentle Skin Cleanser can not only be used on the face, it can also be used on the body. It is also non-comedogenic (i.e. won’t block pores), so it is great for people with acne (and backne!) problems.

Another amazing fact about this product—did you know that I didn’t rinse off the cleanser after the moisture test? Because I didn’t need to! The cleanser is so mild that it can actually cleanse without water. :O :O :O This must be why in some of the online reviews that I read, many girls talk about using the Gentle Skin Cleanser to double cleanse—first to remove make up, then to cleanse as per normal.

So I decided it out myself-- using the cleanser as a make-up remover. The way to do it is to pump some onto your cotton pad, and swipe away.



My make-up came off easily! That being said, I would say that it’ll work better on light make-up.

Another product that I really like is the Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion. I absent-mindedly rubbed some on my neck during the workshop, and was surprised to find out that my neck was extremely smooth even at the end of the night! So much that I kept on offering my neck to the boyfriend and asked him to stroke it, HEHEHE.

That being said, I would probably leave the Moisturizing Lotion for the body, and instead settle for the Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF15 for the face. The 2-in-1 formula is suitable for all skin types, and is perfect for lazy bums who can’t be arsed to apply moisturizer and sunscreen.

But if you are a little diligent, I totally recommend the UVA/ UVB Defense SPF50! It provides a 12-hour moisturization after only one application, and most importantly (to me), it is non-comedogenic i.e. it will not block pores. This is because I hate the greasy feeling from most sunscreens and I always feel that they are clogging up my pores!

Cetaphil is running a campaign now called “Share a Good Thing”, which I can’t agree any more, which is why I am sharing it with you guys.  On a personal level, I am going to share the Gentle Skin Cleanser with my boyfriend, because sometimes he gets dry patches on his face, and I believe this product will help solve the problem. In fact, I am planning to get a big bottle (want to use it as a body wash as well) right after this, as there is a 20% discount on Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser in Guardian, Watson and Caring pharmacies currently.



Just remember that after you try it out and it works, to Share a Good Thing! :D

A stylish affair.

Sponsored post

If you know me even briefly, you will know I love all things fashion. Therefore, one of the things that I am most looking forward to in August is an event that is coming up next Friday. The most stylish event this month, I dare say!

I am talking about the Elegantology party, which is presented by Elegantology Gallery & Restaurant. Being a menswear boutique cum restaurant, it safe to say that at Elegantology (located at Publika), gastronomy and fashion comes together. Therefore, it is not a surprise that the Elegantology parties are a celebration of fashion, gastronomy and mixology. I am sold!

The last Elegantology party was held at Cocoon bar, and was hosted by the beautiful Denise Keller:











Looking at these pictures, I am really excited about this coming Friday. Yes, lucky me is invited to the upcoming Elegantology party in Poppy Gardens this Friday (23 Aug)! The theme of the party (starting at 9pm) is White Elegance, and I am already stressing out on what to wear, hehe.



Hosted by Xandria Ooi, it is guaranteed to be a magical night that is filled with fashion and gastronomical delights. Many celebrities will also be present during the night, such as Adam C, Patricia K, Joey G etc.



For fashion, there will be a preview of the limited edition menswear collections from three of Elegantology’s designers – Daniel Chong, Hayden Koh & Michael Ong. During the night, the six most stylishly-dressed men according to the theme will be named “Most Elegant Men of the Night”, and the top six who dress well according to the theme wins a Nuit edition bottle of Martell V.S.O.P!

All the more reason to dress up, hehe.



For a true gastronomical adventure, there would be delectable canapés created by celebrity chefs Johnny Fua & Sherson Lian.

And no party would be complete without some pumping music, and there would be two celebrity DJs on the night—DJ Faith from Malaysia and DJ Zara from Thailand.


DJ Zara (Thailand).


DJ Faith (Malaysia).

During the party, guests can also discover the art of cocktail mixing with Martell VSOP pure cocktails. Complimentary cocktails will be served from 9pm-11pm—a happy time is guaranteed then!

And the best thing is, YOU can also be a part of this stylish party! You can obtain passes to the event by purchasing the Martell VSOP Edition Nuit, which is currently only available in Malaysia. Bottle packages are as following:



For presale, 1 bottle of Martell VSOP Edition Nuit will cost RM388++, and 2 bottles are available at RM736++. If you choose to purchase on the day of the party at the door, the same bottle would cost RM408++, whereas 2 bottles would be RM768. So it makes sense to buy it earlier!



For reservations, contact Poppy Garden Ambassadors at 019-265 0388. I am really intrigued by the ‘White Elegance’ theme, and I better start brainstorming on a kick-ass outfit. Hopefully I will see some of you dressed up to the nines at this fashionable event!

And do check out their Facebook page!

Do you know the answer to this?

Just a quick outfit post before I retire to my room to plan some outfits for a magazine photoshoot next week. It's ironic how usually I am dying to dress up but when I am instructed to do so, my mind is a blank wtf.

Anyway, this is an outfit I wore to a dinner with the boy's family and my parents last week! I used to be so nervous in letting both sets of families meet, but that is in the past now, hehe.


Almost blending into the background no thanks to the yellow walls and chairs FML. Thank god for my white blazer!



Yellow minidress: Coming soon on AZORIAS
White double-breasted blazer: AZORIAS
Diamante necklace: Teeny's
Snake-print multi-strapped heels: Charles & Keith
Studded clutch with skull clasp: Holiday in Zhuhai

 By the way, I came across this article yesterday ("10 questions you should know the answer to"), and one of the questions jumped out to me:

What do you love about your life?

Somehow this question resonated with me.

Do you know the answer to this question?
Can you hold a hand to your heart and answer it truthfully?

Think about it, and let's regroup and discuss again soon wtf. Gotta go now, and leave you pondering over it. Ciao!

How much do we love food?

The Hoe family loves food. How much, you ask?

What if I tell you we purposely went to a country just to purchase food wtf.

During our Hong Kong/ Zhuhai trip this year, we decided that we had to make a trip to Macao to buy the famous heong beng (specialty biscuits). To be fair, Macao is really really near to Zhuhai la, just need to cross a tunnel wtf. This is why I highly recommend Zhuhai for any of you who happened to visit Macao, because shopping and food is so much cheaper there!



We took a cab from the immigration center at Macao (after coming out from the tunnel), and the cab was nice enough to wait for us. Since we were in a hurry, we had to plan our routes properly-- this is because we decided that we also want to buy some egg tarts and bird nest tarts, hehe. So Jing and I went to buy the biscuits, while my mom queued for the tarts.



While walking to the biscuit shop, I saw a stray dog who looks too cute to be a stray! I remember plotting to bring this dog home 'cause I don't see how I can ever own a dog otherwise. Who would have guessed that a few months down the road I would be a proud owner of this monster??


At the biscuit shop, where I also deemed it fit to buy a two dozens of Portuguese egg tarts. Spot me!


While I was busy buying the food souvenirs, Jing found time to camwhore. -_-

Outfit:

Love looking fun and happy on holidays!


Wearing one of my favorite sweaters-- it is impossible not to feel pretty in this ribbon work-of-art! It is also my mom's favorite, if you remember from this post (*click*).


Very girlie accessories to go with the outfit. Sometimes I can be a sweet girl too, y'know. Hehe.



Pale pink chiffon bow sweater: AZORIAS
Nude pleated overalls worn as skirt: AZORIAS
Pale peach jewel necklace: Korea
Neko hat: Korea
Nude ankle-strapped pumps: Zara
Bag: Alexander Wang

We ended up in the cab with biscuits, Portuguese egg tarts, bird nest egg tarts, coconut tarts, normal egg tarts, milk tea and Macao pork burgers.

WHAT?? We had to make our cross-border trip worth it, no?