The weather has been pretty amazing in London and decided to make our day at Columbia Road flower market on the busy Sunday. The road was bustling with people from florists to girls like us wanting to get our hands on some beautiful flowers. It has been a year since I last came here and not much has changed to be honest and recognised the same traders in the same spot! How can I not resist to buy a bunch of pink hydrangeas myself? Whipped out a tenner for this beauty to sit in my bedroom. My friend Alice from Form 42 and photographer got carried away with more than she could carry. To be honest, I wanted a bit of everything; lemon tree, orange tree, peonies, roses, sunflowers…you name it. I am certain I will be back here fairly soon.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

I love the buzz of Notting Hill over the weekend; although I am not a big fan of crowded streets but the ambience around Notting Hill is something else. Ever since I’ve watched Notting Hill with Hugh Grant and the famous blue door which I couldn’t find, this place was sold to me. It’s not like any other places around London although it has been very touristy over the years (decade). Also, my trip to Notting Hill was for one particular reason; I bought a second had Canon 7D off this guy I met up with and took the camera out for a spin! Finally, an upgrade I have been waiting for; my Canon 400D was on the brink of death but has served me well as a beginner. I also discovered Sister Jane boutique tucked away up the staircase; probably by far the best looking boutique I have been too (for me anyway). There was one piece I was drawn too, it was so me, and when I say me I meant an Oriental taste in fashion! Been standing by the mirror for ages contemplating wether to buy it, but I decided to let it go and think about it. However, I would definitely go back to check out their new collection! It was a great day out, despite being a ridiculously hot day when forecasted to be rainy! Hence wearing black shorts and tights!

Wearing: Celine T | Zara Shorts | Nike Snakeskin Wedge Trainers | Balenciaga City Bag | Folli Follie Dynasty Watch | Pandora Essence Zodiac Bracelet | Photography by Alice from Form 42 

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

So I managed to bag myself a free Malin + Goetz kit 3 piece gift from August Elle Magazine! Usually, you get amazing freebies from Elle and Glamour and this month, I am so glad I got to try Malin + Goetz lip moisturizer, face cleanser and moisturizer. They are the perfect travel size which I can carry around with me in my small handbag whilst on the go.

Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Cleanser - smelt gorgeous, I love the smell of grapefruit so that’s already a win with me. Perhaps I am more into the intense cleansers as I didn’t feel that the cleanser rinsed out my face well or deep enough. It is incredibly light for those for sensitive skin, other than smelling yummy, I don’t think think it worked very well for my skin type (normal to dry).

Malin + Goetz Face Moisturizer - Rich and creamy yet felt incredibly light on my skin. My skin felt incredibly smooth, without any sensation of numbness that I get with thick moisturizers. It’s non greasy and requires a small amount for the face which is great, I can see this little tube lasting me for quite some time. Great tip is to always switch moisturizers, you don’t want your skin to get use to the same old stuff over and over again which can lead to your skin rejecting and reduce the impact and effects on your skin.

Malin + Goetz Lip Moisturizer - I must say, this lip moisturizer is one of the best I have ever tried. This one is like a juicy tube so all you need to do is squeeze a little until the gel pops up; you can either apply directly or dab on your finger to apply. The consistency is surprisingly non sticky; it is creamy yet moisturizing in a way that it feels very natural and comfortable. It is long lasting and have now ditched all my other lip balms for this.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

Happy Friday! How this week has flown by so quickly. I have definitely been on the role with the skincare reviews lately and still on the mission on finding the Glamour Magazine with the Chubby sticks…so hard to find! Lately I have been trying out Kiehl’s ultimate strength hand salve cream which you can easily find in Selfridges. My hands are weird I must admit, sometimes they are clammy and I have days when they are just dry! Because my hands get clammy sometimes, I don’t use hand creams; but I love that soft hand feeling too. I have been going to the gym quite often and after a good work out session, my hands do get rather dry (especially when working with weights and on the bikes). A small blob is all I need and the cream feels incredibly smooth and silky instantly as I moisturized through my hands. It is rather thick so your hands do feel intensely moisturized for longer. However, I do fear that when my hands clam up again…what will happen? Well, especially under this heat, my hands do get extra clammy so perhaps not ideal for those who has clammy hands ( I don’t know how many more times I need to say clammy). Similar to a recent post I blogged about (Kiehl’s facial moisturizer) it smells very light and airy..like Creme de la mar. It has been about 3 hours now and my hands still feel incredibly moisturized, however..that light sweet scent has vapoured out though. Any rich hand moisturizers you may recommend or tried the Kiehl’s hand salve cream? May xx

It’s Saturday! Who’s out and about and loose as a goose? Clearly I am not! Had an outfit run with Alice around St Pauls a few weeks ago when the weather wasn’t as scorching as today. Spent a lovely day out with my two sisters and got treated for lunch at Tom’s Kitchen michelin star restaurant. The usual conversations were fashion, bloggers, blogging, Burberry, beauty and all things digital! It’s great to have these healthy girly chats as it is difficult to have these conversations in my male oriented work environment; 9 hours a day and 5 days a week. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of girls there but coming from a luxury retail environment..I do like to talk fashion and beauty sometimes at a not so vain scale haha! The look for a night out is simple; as I’ve grown up; I’ve stopped wearing short skirts and dresses and opted for leather panel tight trousers paired with some killer heels. The peplum top is from Topshop and regret not buying it in 5 other colours 2 years ago! I also like to keep my makeup as neutral as possible, I have learnt that less is more… no need for the caking to get any form of attention. What else have I learnt? Always bring a pair of flats, meaning bring a massive bag for you. At the end of the night, you will thank yourself for bringing flats..it’s not an image killer to bring a slightly bigger bag which you will end up leaving in the cloakroom anyway. Well, have an awesome Saturday night out or in. What am I doing? Home, writing up this post whilst watching Carrie on Netflix with my sister.

Outfit: Peplum plum top | Leather panel black leggings from Mango | Chain high heels | Dorothy Perkins white statement necklace | Marc by Marc Jacobs Katie Ring in rose gold | Urban Decay Lip Pencil Gloss | Photographer: Form 42

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

I have been excited to review Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow skin illuminator and totally works. I do like my quick fix makeup that’s easy and takes less than 5 minutes before I go to work. My daily morning routine? Moisturize my face to soften up my skin, then apply my Shu Uemura lightbulb UV press powder and off I go. However, the issue is that my face can look too matte with no highlights or contours. Luckily, I have a face shape with strong bone structures without looking like a flat pancake. I stumbled across Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow which is basically a skin illuminator that can be applied by itself or over makeup. So I have applied the Wonderglow before and after my makeup and the results are amazing, a subtle illuminating glow that has lifted my complexion throughout the day. My face looks brighter and captures the light in the right areas of  my face where you would normally apply a highlighter. The lovely Siobhan was so lovely to send me samples for the Wonderglow; without hesitation she was more than happy to mail them to me. One sachet is actually more than enough for one go, for her to send me 3 is amazing. I am now a Charlotte Tilbury customer, the team is fantastic with their new customers. Have you tried Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow skin illuminator and what did you think?

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

I have always wanted to come here during the Summer, Cutty Sark is just stunning with breathtaking view of London from the distance. There is so much history and so much to see-  posing around is just one of them : ) The weather can be unpredictable, but oh well it is London after all. Lately, I have replaced cardigans with oversized/shirts and they are a lot more breezy to wear as well as a style I am ‘totally feelin’ lately. Topshop has a great selection of shirts- from printed, classic to bold cuts. I absolutely love the nude pink trousers I randomly found in the flagship store in Oxford Street so I am glad I got them. They pair up so well with my pastel wardrobe this summer with the Grey shirt also from Topshop and nude pink knitted top from Zara as always. During my visit, there were a lot of camera crews around and apparently Sasha Baron Cohen is filming around the location so that was exciting..perhaps for the new Borat movie? Who knows!

Nude pink Trousers from Topshop | Zara pink nude knitted top | Topshop Grey Shirt | Dorothy Perkins Tan Sandals | Dorothy Perkins White Statement Necklace | Shu Uemura Lightbulb Foundation | Maybelline Bronzer | Lancome Mascara | Burberry Lipgloss | Photo’s by Form 42

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

I finally got my hands on the Benefit Push Up liner! Read a lot of reviews, seen a lot of pictures and how to create the cat eye flick look etc. RRP at £18.50 I wanted to see what it’s all about. I have been using Mac’s gel liner for 2 years now and it is time to try something new without having to use a brush and gel pot. What’s great about this is the tip is a rubber texture, so it runs very smooth across your eyes without that dreaded course feeling you get from point brush tips that stabs you. In terms of supply, the black ‘paint’ liner is only a 1/4 of the pen, so don’t assume it’s the whole pen and waste it all. This is a twisty pen from the bottom and you do need to twist a good 10 times before you see anything coming out. Once you see the gel, draw on your hand first so you don’t end up getting clumps or dried gel on your eye lid. I must say, once you have used it a couple of times and dries up on the tip, I had to to keep twisting the pen and draw on my hand to remove the dried, clumpy gel before applying.

It is very easy and smooth to apply. Accuracy is what I needed so the tip is sharp and angular where the lower tip helps lower your eyelashes so you can draw more accurately. It says it’s waterproof? Yes, for me this is important…you know..Asian eyes and double eyelid issue! Luckily, no smudges for a good few hours. After 8 hours I’d say, you see smudges but (if you don’t use primer) very faint so not a problem at all (just wipe it with your finger!). However, London has been scorching hot and when I was trapped on the Underground tube, it got really humid and sweaty! As a result, my eyeliner did smudge from the sweat on my face (gross I know but it happens in a non-air conditioned train).

Overall? It is a little expensive at £18.50 but the results are amazing. Sharp, accurate pen to create the even look (which is so hard to achieve). My eyes are defined, subtle and bigger (tick tick tick).

Shu Uemura Lightbulb powder foundation | Benefit Push Up Liner | Lancome Hypnose Alber Albaz Mascara | Photo’s by Form 42

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

I am so excited to get my hands on Clinique’s Chubby Stick range. Honestly, I have been running around to bag myself the Elle magazine with the free chubby stick but every time I find one; it’s either the mascara, lotion or a hole in the magazine which suggests that every Chubby stick freebie has been stolen so I gave up! Clinique is one of my favourite brands; as a Chinese girl I genuinely think that the brand understands what we need in terms of skincare and cosmetic colour palette.
There are 4 available Chubby Stick lip colours- Coming Up Rosy (dark pink), Poppin Poppy (peachy), Budding Blossom (light pink) and Flowering Freesia (magenta pink). Each Chubby Stick lip balm retails at £17 and what justifies expensive or value for money? I like the fact that all their products are allergy tested, 100% fragrance free and the lip balm is so easy to apply and smooth to the touch. My lips gets dry very easily and so my usual routine for coloured lips is: lip balm for the base, lipstick for the colour, and lip gloss on top for the shine whereas the Chubby Stick is basically 3 in 1. My 3 step routine would probably add up to £40 whereas Clinique’s lip colour balm is at £17, so for me..value for money. There is always the curiosity factor..Clinique releases “Chubby Stick” range and you can’t help but wonder and try them out.

Budding Blossom pink colour appears to be baby pink, but once applied (give it an hour) the colour sets in and darkens to a rosy shade so luckily, the colour baby tint isn’t as baby pink as it looks, the tint matches your lip PH and adjusts the colour to your lips. I love this shade and keeps my lips moisturised at the same time! Have you tried Clinique’s Chubby Stick range?

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

All my life I have lived in London and never visited Kew Gardens and finally..I made that trip to explore what lies in Kew Gardens. I never realised how big it was and you definitely need a whole day to explore, so don’t be like me and turn up at 3pm when the garden shuts at 6pm! I first visited the Greenhouse which houses the most exotic plantations, most of which I’ve never heard of in my life. It was incredibly humid and my hair didn’t take long to get a lil puffy too. 

It is such a beautiful greenhouse where you have access across the top of the greenhouse to get a pretty good birds eye view of it all. We couldn’t help but get a photo op with Alice, afterall..it was quiet and no one staring! The one thing I will always remember? The Banana tree and the Cacao chocolate pods (ok that’s 2 things). Stay tuned for a part deux on Kew Gardens.

White crop Top from H&M | A line Stripey Skirt from Zara | Guess Sandals | Coach Nude Crossbody bag | Photo’s by Form 42 and photo’s not of me by me :D

Clinique Superprimer sallowness face primer is not only a prep before makeup, but also a colour corrector for sallow complexions meaning dull, yellow/brown complexion on your skin. The Clinique superprimer is purple? Yes, the sallow superprimer is lavender colour to balance out the yellow (in my situation) complexion with a brighter tint base before applying makeup. My skin colour is actually pinky beige with a hint of yellow at times, so when I don’t get enough sleep and dehydrated…I would definitely refer my skin to sallow.

When applying the Clinique sallowness superprimer, I squeeze out a blob on both cheeks and forehead and massage it across my face. I did fear that my face will look purple but no, the lavender colour smears out quite velvety powdery white which is rather subtle, but I can see that it has enhanced and brightened my complexion. The primer has a matte finish which means the foundation I apply appears smooth with a tinge of glow. For Asian skin, I have tried numerous brighteners and skin glows and to have a superprimer all in one for sallowness is the perfect duo. Again, the Clinique sallowness face primer is amazing for what it does as a primer, the sallowness corrector is a subtle correction so if you are pinky beige like me and a little tanned from the sun, it may be the one for you.
Was this review helpful at all?

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

For an Asian Chinese like myself, I have a thinner skin barrier which means susceptible to dehydration (not so much irritation). Clinique even better essence lotion is perfect as it contains a breakthrough NMF complex which is the skin’s natural moisturising factors to unlock the skin’s “moisture potential” so that it stays hydrated. So I have put the Essence lotion to the test; if it works…this will be a miracle for me! I have an oily T Zone but with dry cheeks so I am after a hydrating skincare for Asians. The essence “lotion” is like a water serum, not the thick, creamy lotion we would associate “lotion” with. After cleansing (both morning and night) I dab a drop of essence lotion on each cheek and the forehead- then dab across my face (avoid smearing as it is very tempting to do). I have been using this twice a day for a week now and I am seeing some immediate effects. My complexion appears brighter, smoother (meaning it is hydrated) and more luminous. It is wonderful to see the results after just one week of use (perhaps using this twice a day helps) as many will see the progressive results after 3 to 4 weeks. I really do look after my skin and when I visit skincare and makeup stores, the girls compliment how great my skin looks and it is all thanks to Clinique Essence lotion for Asians.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

I hope you are all surviving mid week, almost there to the weekend! More on my Kew Gardens day out ( I love Kew Gardens) and spotted a couple of colourful trees! Anything that’s shiny or colourful, I am drawn but this is something else…a huuuge tree wrapped in knitted, colourful fabric; how pretty is this? Couldn’t miss a photo op of this before I leave. Did I make a wish? If I only I did if we had more time but now writing this post…I guess it’s not to late to make one now!

Wearing Zara blue stripe A line skirt | H&M white cropped T, Guess gold sandals | Photography by Form 42. It was such a hot day I didn’t want awkward tan lines so bye bye jewellery and watches this Summer (also, fashion jewellery will rust so I rather keep my precious jewellery at home). And another point, I am wearing minimal makeup, just powder and a lil bit of eyeliner and mascara..I would be mortified to see a melting face.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

Clinique Chubby Stick for cheeks is the latest addition to the chubby stick range and I have been keen to try these out. My makeup regime is pretty simple and quick and any makeup and skincare like that…it’s perfect for me. Honestly, I am not a big fan of blushers…simply because I am just not good at applying them with a brush. I know it is just practice but i seem to always apply too much or too low. I read a few reviews before trying them myself and learn exactly where to apply. When I first used blushers, I was so silly to apply below the cheek bone but I got away with it…I think. The one I have is the Clinique Chubby Stick Roly Poly Rosy colour which is a soft nudish mauve pink colour. Just like a crayon, you apply along the cheek bone and smudge in with your fingers which allows you to smoothen out and blend. I must admit, when applying the Chubby stick, the colour came on strong and feared I will look like a rag doll…but once blended in you can see how natural it looks and fades very gently.

If you have been following and or reading my blog, I have also reviewed a fair few Clinique products and have become my go to brand for beauty and skincare. What’s great about Clinique chubby stick for lips is that once applied, the colour brings out your lip’s natural tone which off course is a different colour tone for everybody..well that’s what it says on the packaging, but is this really the case? The answer is yes, you can see the roly poly rosy adjust it’s colour to a deep pink shade with a glossy finishing touch. It is moisturising so I can apply this over and over again when my lips are dry without appearing cracked!

I am very happy with my final look, subtle and girly- very easy to apply without a brush in sight. If you want to see how Clinique Chubby Stick Budding Blossom looks, my review is here. To create this look I am wearing: Shu Uemura Lightbulb sheer powder foundation | Benefit Push Up Liner | Lancome Hynose Mascara | Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Roly Poly Rosy | Clinique Chubby Stick Lip balm Coming Up Rosy and Photography by Rockin That Gem

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

It’s been a pretty mad week, had an amazing time over the weekend in Paris! A rather spontaneous trip with Alice and taking over 3,000 photos and walking approx 13km on Saturday alone! Not looking forward to sifting through them but can’t wait to share my Parisian trip with you all soon. For now, I am showing a little bit of appreciation for my love of rose gardens. As a kid/teenager, you try to take the perfect, beautiful picture against a full bush of roses but not quite know how to pose! Now I’m all grown up, a little more confident to pose against a rose bush haha…perhaps vain might be the word, but I prefer to call it a ‘visual representation of one’s serenity in a dreamy concept’ (if that at all made sense). It was great fun shooting these, something different but the light was fading quick and pics getting grainy, and worse, blurry! The blowing of the rose petals was particularly difficult, I don’t know how many times we took this picture and that’s the best we could get. Other than that, big love for rose gardens.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. Photography by Form 42. May xx

I have recently bought this stripey blue and white bikini from Dorothy Perkins during the sale online! What a find! I must say, Dorothy Perkins has become one of my favourite High Street brands..I remembered how mumsie it used to be back in the days. Have couple of holidays planned out but nothing beachy which is a shame! Stuck in wet London as usual, I guess I shall put away my new bikini for….next year?!

Oh and what else, bought these fabulous Balenciaga wedges from Harrods during their Summer Sale. It wasn’t as good as previous year’s sale, but their shoe sale will always be the best! You never know what you will come across and I certainly didn’t think I would buy a pair..let alone find a Balenciaga in the sale for..wait for it…£139!!! And bought another in a different colour where I have blogged about in this post: New Bag New Shoes and Broke this Month! Now I really can’t wait to wear my beach look, I think I need to find a Kaftan like dress/cardigan to complete this. I am off to Lake District for this Bank Holiday Weekend, can’t wait to photograph the picturesque landscape and the quaint cottage we (family) will be staying in. One downside is that there will be no wifi/3g…let’s see how well I cope with the world of digits switched off. Au revoir and have a lovely, long Bank Holiday Weekend! May xx

I had an amazing Bank Holiday weekend break to Lake District with my sisters and brother-in-laws! It was such a mad rush to buy the appropriate hiking gears, and in last minute fashion, managed to get the correct waterproof and warming outfits for the 4 day trip! I am such a city girl, I never thought I would be shopping for specific waterproof jackets, socks, trousers and hiking boots. After a good 7 hour drive, we pit stopped at this breathtaking location! This did not feel like I was in England, I was taken away to the land of Lord of the Rings for sure. I tried to capture exactly what I saw in this spot and I think I nailed it with the first pic. With direction, my sister managed to snap the money shot for me, thanks Helen ! We were pretty lucky that Lake District remained sunny for the weekend as it was chucking it down in London! The air was incredibly fresh, it’s good to get away to the country and get in touch with nature. Tune in soon for more posts on my Lake District moments.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

Happy Sunday everyone. What a busy week it has been with work werk and social night outs (it’s still effort). After almost face planting on the ground, managed to gain some large bruises around my knee, but nevertheless, the 4 inch heels will live on! You may have noticed my blog has been rather quiet for couple of weeks…I have been working on some posts and location spots and will be up shortly, I am excited what I am about to share with you. Lot’s been happening and starting to see my blog evolve surely but slowly, but for now, here is my wrap up from Instagram for the last couple of months. Bring on September! Don’t forget the hit follow on Instagram

May xx