Christmas Gift Ideas: Christmas Shopping Guide (Part 1)

Hello my lovelies!

First post after my exams and it's on my favorite topic:Shopping!
I've been walking around in malls and streets chilling out with my friends and I noticed some totally awesome Christmas deals around. This post will be a quick guide on where you can find some pretty good Christmas deals in places that you might not have thought of visiting! Nothing brings on the Yuletide cheer better than scoring awesome festive deals! This post will be on some of my ideas on where to get gifts. You can always do more research online and find out other deals that are going on in your favorite shops :). Have fun!

For gifts that are affordable but presentable, you can check out these places:

1. Watsons 

They're having lots of buy 1 get 1 free or buy 2 for $xx offers now till 11 Dec, so grab some quickly. The deals apply mostly to chocolates(in nice boxes) to bath and moisturiser sets. These include travel size body butter and shower gel sets by Beauticology and antiseptic hand moisturisers. Super awesome as gifts if you've to buy things in bulk for people like your female colleagues or as backup presents for surprise Christmas visitors.

2. Typo

Typo has lots of quirky stuff that can be used as decoration or as functional stationery. There's a huge range of things you can find, and so are the prices. I love their notebooks with their interesting/pretty covers and the laptop sleeves. Right now, the A4 and A5 spiral bound notebooks are selling at 3 for $10, and they'll make pretty awesome gifts for people who loves to write or are still schooling. Writing in an awesome looking notebook can just boost one's enthusiasm for writing or kill the writer's block :)

Hot Pink Transforma Tablet

3. Lovisa

Looking for bling? Check out Lovisa, which is currently having a bunch of necklaces and other accessories at buy 1 get 1 free or 2 for $20. There're also offers going on for other things. The selection is quite large is you're not picky, but I think the designs are rather limited depending on how much you're willing to spend. It's a good place to get accessories as gifts for your Bff or special person.

4. Topshop

Topshop is a cool place to go to if you want to get mostly gifts for girls. It's like a wonderland for girls. There're shoes, makeup, clothes and underwear to check out. Right now, there're some pretty good things there, like the edgy accessories and makeup. Not all of Topshop's stuff are that affordable, but I recommend checking out the accessories or makeup because they're the cheaper priced things. I love getting socks from there because they've got so many girly designs.  

5. TS

This is the shop selling CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray etc. I think DVDs and CDs are unisex gifts that can be given to many people even in the age of iTunes and online downloads(ahem!) Grab an awesome CD or movie and wrap it up! If I remember correctly, the TS outlet at Causeway Point is having a closing down sale, so there probably are some good deals there.

6. Daiso

Ok this is one of the desperate choices that I'm suggesting for you. YES YOU. To the you who survives on a small allowance but would like to show your appreciation for some of the people around you. Don't judge things from Daiso 'cos they costs just $2. It is always the feelings that count the most. I'm sure if the person cares about you, he/she would understand the sincerity in the gift no matter the shape or price. Daiso sells some pretty awesome things throughout the year. I think an inflatable travel pillow will be a useful gift that is thoughtful of the person's needs. There're also nice snacks (look out for the rice crackers in red,green and black transparent packaging, they're yummy!). There're also nice cups and accessories holder. Basically there're alot of things, and it's easy to pick something as long as you have the person's needs in mind. Practical gifts are the best in my book. 

7. Value$ Shop

This may seem even worse than Daiso to some people, BUT it is a treasure trove of interesting food. You want to give generic gifts like chocolates? This shop's the place for you. It has a bunch of different chocolates at cheaper than supermart prices. Better still is that they're boxed nicely, so wrapping is a breeze. In my recent foray there, I've found Bailey's Chocolates(gasp! they exist?!) and Lindt chocolates. It's also a good place to grab some snacks for the office(or home) Christmas party. Go to your nearest Value$ shop quickly:)

8. Qoo10 (Gmarket)

This is the place to go if you want to buy things online. It has a ton of things that you can buy. However, you will have to think about shipping time for the object to arrive. Therefore, it's good to find sellers that enable self-collection in shops or are located locally so shipping time will (hopefully) take around a week or two. It's good to start a month early with online shopping for Christmas if you want to get something from overseas. You can find pretty cool gifts like polaroid films, international travel adaptor, handphone covers, bags, makeup, cute shirts and many more. It's one of my favorite places to shop and compare prices, especially for korean brands like Holika Holika and Skinfood. Click on the link here to get to the website.

That's all for the first part of our Christmas Shopping Guide! Hope you've enjoyed reading it and found some deals that you're looking for! Look out for part 2 of our guide, which will cover more expensive places.

Till next time.
Festive cheers,
El   xoxo

Break for Exams

Hey everyone.

It's the crazy time of our school semester again: the time for us to become zombies from the stress of meeting assignment deadlines and studying for exams. Both of us have a lot of things coming up in in November till early December. Therefore, we've decided to take a break from posting till our (or at least my) exams end. There may be short posts, but no regular posts.

Look forward to seeing our posts in December, as we have many exciting ones lined up! Here's a view on what we're planning:

Christmas gift ideas (For Him and Her)

Outfits for Christmas Parties

Dressing for your Body type
DIY gifts

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and more! 

See you in December :)

Till next time

Love,

El and Christine   xoxo

Lace It - Birthday Blues

Last weekend, I attended one of my good friend's (besides El that is) twenty-first birthday party.

I have mentioned her name quite a few times in my previous posts so if you're an avid reader of this blog, then you would have seen her name. 

But if not, just read on.

:)

~~

A colour theme was set for the party - Navy Blue or Maroon Red.

Even the food followed the theme- blue cheese on crackers (yikes), blueberries and grapes. 

This is, of course, besides the catered food because, honestly, how many blue and red food can one find?
(Really, don't answer me)

But I digress.
Here comes the most important part of this post:
MY OUTFIT.
So what did I wear?

Outfit

 White L/S Top: Miss Selfridge, ~$53 (after member's discount)
Blue Vest: Topshop, $49 (on sale)
Button-down skirt: G.A.P (Japan), ~$25
Shoes: Senso Qimat Booties, USD$75 (on sale)
Accessories: Black lace socks, Topshop $4.50 (members' sale); Skeleton necklace, Nastygal, ~$15; Blink-blink doggie ring, random store, ~$10

~~

In line with the theme, I worked with just blue.
The white top provided a plain canvas for the Kimono-inspired dark blue lace vest to pop out.
I decided on a similar-coloured skirt just because I needed more blue.
The black lace socks once again brings the attention back to the lace.
I like the end product.
What do you think?

P.S I really like this white top and I can't wait to wear it with other necklaces.
The design of the collar is just screaming for it.


Pss, this is what the birthday girl wore.

Shoutout to her: Happy Birthday FJ!! May your days be filled with joy and laughter :)

Till next time.

Love,

Christine xoxo

Christine's Watsons Sale Haul

As El mentioned in hers, the both of us went to Watsons' one-day member sale albeit at different stores last Wednesday. This is really a good time to stock up on make-up, haircare, and skincare as discounts hit as much as 20%+ 5% (member) off and not to mention, there are the buy-one-get-one-free offers!

I went to two Watsons - Tiong Bahru Plaza and Lot 1.
Some of the items I bought are to replenish my almost depleted stock. 

Then there are those I wanted to try.

Here goes.

Note: Prices stated are after discount.

1. Complete multi-purpose solution for contact lenses, $22.60

This 3-pack solution usually costs $26 at stores selling them. For $22.60, I'd gladly stock it up. Plus I'm running low.

2. Majolica Majorca Honey Pump Gloss Neo in OR240 and Aurora Tear Liner in Blue, $9.90

This came as a package deal. I think if they were to be bought separately, it'd cost over SGD$20. So, it's a really good deal. Thanks to El for pointing it out to me. 

(Coincidentally, or not, we both got the same lipgloss shade)

I got this at the Tiong Bahru Plaza outlet. The salesgirl was really nice. She offered to change the lipgloss and liner in the already packaged ones to the combination I wanted. She also swatched the colours of the lipglosses for me although they were tons of people around and the store was packed. Thumbs up to her.

3. L'Oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil, $16.90

I have come across some good reviews about this hair oil and have been wanting to get it.
It's supposed to help maintain the frizz and keep your hair moisturised.
Smells musky though, like sandalwood - not really my kinda scent.
But we'll see how well it works on my unruly, frizzy hair.

4. Bio-Oil, $12.50

I just started using this oil about 2 months ago to lighten the scars on my body as a result of eczema.
It claims to be a skincare product for scars, stretch marks, uneven skin tone, ageing skin and dehydrated skin.

So far, the oil does what it claims - my scars have started to lighten.

And it doesn't hurt that it smells really nice, like baby powder.

I am almost down to the last few ml of my existing bottle though so this sale gave me a great excuse to get another bottle. 

5. L'Oreal Paris Studio Line Fix & Shine Finishing Spray

Just needed a hair spray to replace my empty one and this caught my eye.
It's my first time using this L'Oreal product.

It claims to be an ultra-fine formula that is anti-frizz and boosts shine.
So far, I've used it once and it doesn't seem like it does what it claims.
Maybe a few more tries.

6. Nivea Lipcare in Soft Rose and Essential Care, 2 for $6

I have almost used up my Vichy lipbalm that I got at the last Watsons sale.
It's pretty pricey for a lipbalm at ~$18 although it did help my eczema-inflicted lips.
But it's just too expensive for a lipbalm.

To me, Nivea's lipbalms are just as good and they are 6 times cheaper (on discount).
So I decided to get the Nivea ones to replace the Vichy one.
Yay to moisturizing protection for lips!

7. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Polish in Confetti Punch(left) and Silver Streamers(right), $5.40 each

Initially, I didn't want to get any Sally Hansen nail polishes when I saw that they were going on sale as well in the Watsons sale booklet. However, when I walked past the counter, Confetti Punch caught my eye.
Since I don't have many glitter polishes, I thought that I might as well get it when it's on sale.
Also, silver streamers looked like it would be a pretty unique glitter since it's in a black and silver combination.

8. Nip+Fab Spot Fix, $15.10

Not sure about how well this works but Nip+Fab has gotten some pretty good feedback about their other products. Hence, I got this for those days when random pimples pop out at the most inconvenient timings.
I'm sure we've all had those irritating pimples.
Hope it works well!

9. Essence Floral Grunge Mini Lipgloss Set, $5.10

The mint coloured lipgloss got my attention.
Plus, it's in mini-size!
How cute is that!
For the price, I would gladly experiment with the 3 lipglosses.

10. Essence Floral Grunge Hairband in 01 Freakout, $4.70

I saw this as I was getting the lipgloss set.
It's a common enough spiked hair band but I really like that the spikes alternates between gold and silver.
Ubiquitous yet quirky at the same time.

And also, FREAKOUT. Hah. What a name for a hairband!

11. Veet Hair Removal Cream for Sensitive Skin, $9.50

The name says it all.

~~

What would you have gotten at the Watsons sale?
Share with us your thoughts on twitter or comment below! :)

Till next time.

Love,
Christine

El's Watsons Sale Haul

Hello people! How's your week going? This is going to be my last post before I stop for exams, so it's extra long.

Christine and I went for the Watsons members only sale and grabbed some of the stuff that we've been wanting to get. We both went for this sale but at different Watsons. The queue was crazy at my side, but I did manage to get most of what I wanted. I spent A LOT of money as I was getting some makeup from Majolica Majorca and also Vichy skincare, two very expensive brands at Watsons. I usually only buy expensive brands at sales( like most other people probably). I bought some random stuff as well, like food etc. I saved quite a bit from the sales. Sadly, my receipt's gone, so I can't tell you the exact prices and discounts I've got.

Are you ready for my massive haul? *Drum rolls*

*****

Ta dah!

This has got to be the most I've spent at Watsons in a while. I'll just introduce everything I've got in a clockwise direction. 

I've got myself some Nutella sticks to bring for class. They were going at 2 for $5.90. I've eaten a pack and it was pretty good. Lots of Nutella but too little biscuit sticks though.

Next is Tri-Activ Moisturiser and the Purifying Astringent Lotion from Vichy's Normaderm range. The lotion is a toner, which I liked after stealing some from my sister to use. It is soothing and smells nice. There was a 20% discount for Vichy products, so it's a good time to spend some money on skincare.

I've used a couple of Tri-Activ Moisturiser samples before deciding to buy it, as it is pricey. However, this is a good product. I find that it does control my oily skin. Best of all, I've noticed that it really helps to calm down my skin. My face was all angry and breaking out after not sleeping much for a few nights(thanks to essay deadline). After using this, I find that my skin heals faster. I know that it's this product, because that's the only thing new in my routine. Or it could be because Vichy's Hyaluspot works even better with products from the same range. Anyway, I'm quite surprised that I like this range, since I dislike the purifying cleansing gel from the same range! 

The white packet beside is a free sample of Vichy's new 3 in 1 Cleanser+Exfoliant+Mask that I received from the promoter.  The instructions say that I can use it as a cleanser/scrub or as a mask. How cool is that?

I also bought Nivea's lip balm in the colour Soft Rose. There was a 2 for $6 deal for Nivea's lip balm, so my sister and I each got one. Can't wait to use it and see if it does leave a rose shine like the package claims.

I also got myself a mini can of dry shampoo from Batiste to bring with me everywhere I go. I've been wanting to get this so that I can style my fringe in school when it starts clumping together. There's no discount for this, but since I was there...

Below is a tub of hair treatment  mask from John Frieda's Frizz-Ease range. I think I got it at 13.90,which is a 7% discount. I've been curious about the effectiveness of the Frizz-Ease range since reading about it last year. I was so happy when Watsons finally carries the brand this year! 

 

Beside it is the Skin Remaker case from Majolica Majorca(MJ). It's the limited edition rose gold casing and it was the last one at my Watsons. It has a nice mirror inside. I bought this to hold the Skin Remaker powder. The case looks super luxurious and elegant. The place to put the pan uses a clip in mechanism, making it easy to refill. There's also a place for the sponge which came with the powder.

That brown, rectangular package beside the case is the powder! It is sold separate from the case, so you'd have to buy them separately. I got mine in the shade OC10, which is a very good colour match for me. I've been wanting to try the powder after reading the reviews online. For those of you who doesn't know, MJ is by Shiseido. Since I love my foundation from Shiseido, I think the powder is worth a try. I got 25+5% discount for the items, which is a bigger than usual discount. 

I probably will give a review on this powder in the future after testing. Check back here in later if you're interested! 

To the left is the mirror from Majolica Majorca which I got for free for spending more than $35 on their products. It's really cute and handy. The green thing next to it is the free passport holder from Watsons. Amazingly(or maybe not so), Christine and I got the same colour even though we were apart. Haha.

In the center is a MJ set going at $9.90. It contains a Honey Pump Gloss Neo (shade OR 240 aka Orange) and the Aurora Teary Liner (blue). This is really worth it because the gloss itself would have cost around $12+ I think. It's a really tiny but expensive gloss. I have one and I like it. It's not sticky and it makes my lips look pretty. I'm planning to give this gloss as a christmas gift to a friend while I keep the liner for myself (I know I'm a cheapskate). 

Beside it is Bio-essence's Miracle Bio Water. They're 2 for $16.90, just like what the pink sticker on it screams. This is probably another of those thermal water mist sprays like Avène Thermal Spring Water and Vichy Thermal Spa Water. I just bought it because I'm almost done with my bottle of Oguma Aquakey, which is another facial mist. 

That's all for my haul.Whew! It has been a super long post. Thanks for staying with me if you've read till the end. I can't wait for the next Watsons sale to get more awesome stuff. I'd love to check out the Sally Hansen section to see if there's a sale for their polishes because I forgot about it. I hope you've enjoyed this post! Look out for Christine's own Watsons haul post coming soon! See you again in December :)

Till next time.

Love,

El   xoxo