Last night I was trying to book an eyebrow threading appointment from Browhaus and a waxing appointment from Strip Ministry of Waxing--both run by the same company by the way--and their websites were being so unreliable and were at an all-time slow responsiveness. It was past the customer service hours so I couldn't call in to book my appointments either. And what's the point of having an online platform when the customers cannot book, right? Anyway, that was my breaking point. I've had enough of their inefficiency.

I remembered that right beside the language school where I take my French lessons, there was a hair removal studio. I quickly went on their website to see what's up.

It's not actually your usual waxing studio. It was a sugaring place called Sugar(ed).

Photo grabbed from Sugar(ed)'s website

Promotions Do Work

By 'sugar', I mean it's like waxing but they are using sugar instead of hot wax to remove the unwanted hair. It's not my first time to try this, as my go-to waxing place in Manila when I was still working there was also using sugar instead of hot wax. Back to my online searching--so on the Sugar(ed) website, suddenly a pop-up promotion appeared: Buy 2 sessions for S$95 (UP S$120). Promo only good for April purchases!

Last night was April 30. Of course I bought it.


Booking

I bought the package and immediately booked my appointment for today. Their booking platform is also MindBodyOnline, same as most of the fitness studios here in Singapore. It was easy to book and I got my confirmation email right away. I was confused on how I'll be able to sync my Paypal package purchase but it was late and I just let it go, thinking I'll settle it on the studio itself.

Early this morning, I got a text from Sugar(ed) confirming my appointment. I replied that I will go as scheduled and just to make things easier when I get there, I also informed them that I have already paid for the service. They quickly responded saying they have already linked it up on their end, even before I messaged. That small detail made me happy.


Reception


I arrived a bit early for my appointment, because I also wanted to run some errands in the event the service finishes earlier. The studio was in a shophouse, quaint and lovely as shophouses go. Not only was the interior aesthetically pleasing with its natural light and lots of plant accents, it also smelled so nice in there.

As with everything you're going through for the first time, I was made to sign the registration form with the regular disclaimer for allergies, heart conditions etc. Nothing out of the ordinary and pretty clear cut.

I waited until it was my turn. Thankfully the appointment before me ended early and my sugaring technician was able to accommodate me 10minutes ahead of schedule.


Getting Sugar(ed)


When my technician named Dina was ready, she went to fetch me. The first thing I noticed was that she's also a Filipina. She meekly asked if I was too, and when I said yes we suddenly started chatting in Filipino. Very professionally, she briefed me on what's about to happen. She let me change into my service gown, which is a white garterised tube dress that is loose on the bottom and can be lifted up easily for the process.

She went back to the room and showed me the clump of sugar, roughly the same size as the one on the first photo of this post. She carefully explained what she will do and how it's supposed to help my hair regrowth.

And since I have not really done sugaring in a while, Ate Dina was so helpful in distracting me by talking about everything under the sun.


Contrast With Hot Waxing

You see, for sugaring the hair is removed according to the natural hair growth direction. Whereas for hot wax services, they usually remove hair against the direction of the hair. For sugaring, the hair is supposed to grow back slower and finer, as there's less hair breakage.

Another big difference is that instead of putting the wax on a big patch and removing the hair in one motion, with sugaring they do it bit by bit.

Pros
There's less skin trauma when it's done in small patches

Cons
Instead of a quick waxing session, sugaring takes tiny bit longer, which could also mean you're in pain much longer.

Unlike waxing salons, sugaring places do not double dip the sticks since they only need that one clump of sugar. I also found it commendable that Sugar(ed) had sterilisers in every room. (It's that thing that looks like an oven toaster in the photo above)


Vajayjay Spa


So after my 30 minutes hair removal process was up, Ate Dina put a masque... on my vajayjay. For the lack of better term, vajayjay spa is what I thought about when that happened. It's a normal freebie for every first timer in Sugar(ed) and I thought it was a cool gesture and certainly something that makes you ponder. As in "ooh you can/should also moisturise down there?"

It was a good experience and left a cooling sensation. After 10 minutes, Ate Dina removed the masque and left me to dress up while she waited in the reception.


Maintenance and Aftercare

Part of the package that I bought is the maintenance session, which should be done within 5 weeks starting from today. Since it's my first time at Sugar(ed), I can't really say anything yet about the results but I will definitely update this post before I go to my next session. For aftercare, I bought a moisturiser for down there. It's made of shea butter and other essential oils. I was intrigued at how it will change my skin so I wanted to try it.


Promotions for May 2019

As mentioned earlier, the main reason I tried this place was due to a promotion. Coincidentally, it's their anniversary month this May so they have some good promotions for those wanting to try this place out, and for those who want to get a package.



Will I Go Back?

The overall experience was so good that even my 2-session pack runs out, I will come back. It's massively convenient that I can get sugared, step out and go directly to my French class. My technician, Ate Dina, is so knowledgeable about the entire process and she took the time to explain everything before she does anything, and she also gave me the right amount of chatting, which not only put me at ease but also made me forget that there is another wave of hair pulling coming soon. She's a very good technician, book her when you are going to Sugar(ed) Downtown!

Quick disclaimer to say: this is not a sponsored post. 

I realise I'm mainly posting about this because of my annoyance to Strip/Browhaus for wasting so much of my time over the past 3 years that I have been their patron. They never fixed their website even with all the complaints that I have done--not that those mattered.  I hope if you're reading this and want to try a waxing studio that will respect your time, consider going to Sugar(ed) instead. I love seeing a local business flourish, especially when they are giving superb customer service.

________________

Sugar(ed)
https://www.sugared.com.sg
Price List
Bukit Timah | Downtown | Katong

I was not a fan of yoga.

The only reason why I bought a yoga package from the neighbourhood yoga studio, Yoga Inc, was so I can take the *hot classes. My thought process was: "If I sweat a lot, it might compensate for my unhealthy habits." I also thought since hot yoga will keep my body in least comfort for an hour, it will help me in centering myself for pole dancing. Though not wrong, I just didn't feel any other happiness-sparking connection with yoga then.

*hot yoga classes are those classes held in a heated room and the temperature goes up to 40 degrees Celsius
Last November, merely six weeks before my snowboarding trip to Niseko, I was looking up on what I can do to make myself become better on the snow. A lot of the expert advice were saying "take up yoga" and that I did.

I stopped going to hot classes, and instead went for Hatha and Flow. Even when I went to Bali for the Christmas holidays, I only did yoga. It was not my first choice, but the only pole studio in Bali was too far or at the time when I was nearby, there were no classes. In Ubud, the yoga instructor also taught meditation. I thought it was cool and I was amazed at how much time had actually passed by, but we were only seated down and it only felt like a minute or two.

Coming back from holidays, I took yoga again from my neighbourhood studio. This time I took Core Yoga, which was more like Crossfit disguised as yoga. Like the former, Ice was struggling but just hours after I felt instantly stronger.

The experts were right. I felt so much better and much stronger during my 10-day snowboarding trip. I had better control of my center of gravity, which meant I fell down less. My core was stronger, which meant my turns were easier to do and eventually link. In short, I came back from that trip wanting more of both snowboarding and yoga. Because I'm so sure that the yoga helped immensely.


Even when I got back to my pole classes, it was different. Usually my shoulders are weak and would pop off once in a while. That hasn't happened again yet.

Just last month, I have signed up for around a total of 35 classes which I can take near my place (Yoga Inc) and another one near my office (Meraki Yoga) for the next three months. The thought of this excites me, which made me realise I now unironically enjoy yoga.

It's my birthday month this month and my wish is to become stronger every year, and feel better than the last year.


PS I still cannot do a proper chaturanga

One of the many things I believe in is personal development, whether in the workplace or in day-to-day life. This is why whenever I can, I take online courses and watch Ted talks, and why I practice pole and yoga. If there's an opportunity to move, figuratively and literally, I take it.

Last year, I have reached a mini-milestone of surviving my career shift, and I couldn't be any more happy with this change. I genuinely feel like I made a good move and I'm enjoying what I've learned so far.

As part of my commitment to improve my skillset for my new role, I contemplated between joining Toastmasters or signing up for improv acting workshops. In the end I decided to choose the latter so I also get myself another creative outlet. Today is Jan 10 (well, Jan 11 now as I'm writing this just past midnight) and my first acting workshop just finished. I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed all three hours, and how suddenly a group of strangers became such as good set of people that I very much felt secure with.

Going back to the reason why I joined--I've always been my first critic, and I acknowledge that there are areas within myself that if I can improve, I'd do a much better job in my new line of work. I did a total of four public speaking engagements last year and I wouldn't really say I was excellent at it. Certainly, 10 years of sitting in front of a computer as a programmer did not prepare me for that amount of public speaking. Add to that, I'm also required to talk to clients in my new role and for someone *introverted like me, it is one of the most difficult things to do.

(*I've had people telling me they don't believe I'm an introvert. My short answer is that out of necessity, I have forced myself to be an outgoing introvert. Still an introvert, and I still very much love not having to deal with people.)

Anyway, earlier today I finished the first acting workshop. I will then commence on an improv intro programme in March. I'm excited and I cannot wait to see the improvement manifesting at work.

The following was written right after my Europe trip. I never got to publish it because of the many life-changing events that happened right after I landed. Since then, I have been detained for questioning by the Immigration twice, had my work visa application rejected twice, finished a Project as an SAP ABAP Developer, got extended in the Project, and finally--I also changed careers. What a wild ride! 

The entirety of this post was written during my flight back to Singapore on June 3, 2017. I chose not to edit it to retain the hyped post-travel tone. 

You know those things you were curious about, but always found not really necessary?

Longer and more pronounced lashes is one of those things for me. I was content with what I naturally had. My makeup routine was pretty basic too. If I had a choice, I'd just go to work and to meetings barefaced. Alas, I default (and try) to have a more awake and fresh look. This meant I have to add eyeliner and/or an eyelash curler/mascara in my day-to-day prep. It seems simple, but I'm not exactly excited about doing this so it all just felt like an added chore in my mornings.

Origin Story (what?)

In my 3 years in Singapore, I have noticed eyelash extensions are pretty common among the girls. In my pole studio especially, I'd give a conservative estimate of 50% of the students have this. I always thought the girls who have them were already beautiful prior to the procedure and the last extensions just add that extra oomph.

The final straw for me was when mascara slipped from my hand as I was putting it back into my makeup kit, and it. fell. in. the. toilet. bowl. Yes, it really fell down there, and I had to woman up and fish it out with my hands. After that I said, "Fuck, no. I'm not buying another mascara until I try getting lash extensions."

Finding The Right Lash Salon

Yes, I finally decided to jump into a land of unknown. But from which salon do I get it?


A quick Google search of lash extension singapore returns with 5.4 million results. (ICYDK fun fact: Singapore's population is roughly 5.6 million) Obviously not every Google result corresponds to a lash salon, but it's an extremely big amount of content out there that's readily available for any lash extension newbie like me.

For guidance on where to get my lashes done for the first time, I consulted three girls from my pole studio (Studio Sands) and I ended up taking the referral of Sandra Chua, who also happened to be my pole teacher. She pointed me towards the lash studio just a few steps below our studio. Not only is it convenient for me who's always in the Kampong Bahru/Outram MRT area, this salon is also supposedly one of the best ones according to my laoshi who has tried it all.

Now, this is the point where I will say this is not a paid blog post.

If you're thinking to get your lashes done, do consider getting it at The Lash Co this month, November 2018. It's their 2nd Year Anniversary and everyone gets a 10% off their total bill on top of any valid promotion (e.g., first-time clients) and refills.

My main points of consideration in finally choosing them was the convenience, location, quality of service, testimonials. Price-wise, they are not cheap but there are lots of salons who charge a LOT more.

The Actual Service

I availed the Full Classic Trial (S$90).

For my first appointment, I had just finished pole class and arrived 15 minutes early to fill out the paperwork. I then had to wait a little bit since my lash technician was still finishing up on another client. Then it was my turn.

Again, this was the first time I was doing this. I had totally no idea what was going to happen.

My technician was nice and was talking through the procedure the entire time. I liked that they clean the lashes thoroughly, even when clients are advised to come in with fresh face. Another nice touch I liked was that the technician I got dabbed my lips with lib balm at that very moment when I thought my lips were drying up but I couldn't exactly reach out for my bag to get my own lip balm. 

Tip: I learned that for the entire procedure, both eyes will be closed using what seemed like a facial tape that were strategically cut into strips that held my eye/face muscles down. If you want to use your phone, you can't. Text everyone you need to beforehand to say you can't be reached.

My appointment was only supposed to be 1.5 hours but apparently I had too many lashes so the procedure lasted for 2 whole hours.


Verdict

Will I go back? Yes. I actually already went back for a Refill (coming back for a refill within 2-3 weeks from a procedure means about $28 is slashed off the price)

The Lash Co's brand motto is "Wake up beautiful" and I feel like it held true. Overall it has been really great for me. I no longer need to fuss with my eyes in the mornings. I skip eyeliner, eyelash curler and mascara, and if you're lazy with makeup like me, this is really a huge plus. Lastly, I just wanted to see if lash extensions are for me. Though I haven't fully decided if it's worth the extra monthly cost, I'd be happy to try it out some more.



The Lash Co
+65 9753 2275 (Text or WhatsApp only)
thelashcompanysg@gmail.com

Address:
9A Kampong Bahru Road, #02-01 Singapore 169343 (Near Neil Road and next to Spottiswoode Park Road)
Nearest MRT: Outram Exit F

Almost three years ago, I met someone who lives in Geylang and agreed to accompany me to a night photowalk in the area. Being new to the city, I had my reservations coming to Singapore's red light district at night. This notion was quickly replaced by the assurance of seeing the area firsthand. To the curious--yes, it is very safe even at night. This is Singapore after all.

Six months after, my shared flat's lease in Ang Mo Kio was up and I had to quickly find a new place to stay. I turned to the Geylang district, and never looked back since.

Vibrant, warm and full of life are the three first things I can think of if you ask me about this place. I have lived in the Geylang area for two years now, and I'm really happy with this choice. So happy, I decided to do a blog series on what I like about my 'hood and why the usual stigma surrounding this area should be redefined.


(Relatively) Cheap Rent

For starters, the flat rental in this district zone can rival the lower cost of renting flats far away from the central business district (CBD). The flat I'm renting now is the same price as the one my friend was renting at Bukit Panjang, which is at the last stop of the Blue Line MRT.


My current apartment is so lovely no matter which time of day. My favorite is of course the golden hour. But the sunset here never disappoints. Another bonus is that I get a nice view of the fireworks over the Marina Bay, whenever the occasion calls for it.


Accessibility


Just to give you an idea, from my place it's only 5 bus stops to the CBD. Two stations of the Green Line MRT are very accessible, and one Yellow Line MRT is an easy 4-min walk. This is arguably the only place in Singapore where if you book a Grab, the car will be at your gate before you even get a chance to press the lift button to go down.

Apart from that, the airport is just 15 minutes away.


Convenience

A lot of Singapore restaurants and hawker fares close early around 10pm. When I used to live in Ang Mo Kio, if I got hungry my only resort was food from 7Eleven. In the Geylang area, there's a lot of food choices to choose from even at the wee hours of the night, a few 24-hr supermarkets that are walking distance, and a 24-hr Cheers opposite a 7Eleven.

I just really, really like the idea that I will not starve if my fridge happened to be empty.

There is also a wet market, a public library, two post offices, two POPStations (like a PO box that you get temporarily when sending/receiving parcels)--all within some minutes of walking.


Fitness 

Within the 1-km radius of where I am, there is a yoga studio, 2 climbing gyms, 3 bouldering gyms, an aerial hoops/silks studio, a stadium for running, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a judo  federation club, a krav maga center... There is even Kallang River where they hold dragon-boat races and classes should I choose to enroll in that too! You name it, Geylang will surely have it!


Food Options

Now that I have talked about what to do for exercise, I can start raving about the food. First off, the famous Old Airport Road Food Centre is just a 5-min walk. Forget Lau Pa Sat, and other touristy hawker centres. OARFC is the real deal. Must try dishes are the wanton mee, prawn noodles, and the chicken rice that gets the longest queues.

For the best pau, I go to Tanjong Rhu Pao and Confectionery just off the corner of Lor 34 Geylang and Guillemard Rd. 

Geylang is also the birthplace of the best char siew in town--Char. They have since then closed down to move to Jalan Besar. But as the old adage goes, if a door closes, a window will open. I'm talking about the best pork place in the city, which happens to be a Filipino dish called lechon by Don Lechon.

My Thai friends have taken me to probably the most authentic tasting Thai restaurant here. They have the best pad thai, green curry and so much more. And you've guessed it right--it's also in Geylang!


Another personal favorite of mine is just a minute walk away from home--the Japanese restaurant called Haru. The food and tea selection is so perfect, it deserves its own blog post.


Blog Series

There are so many things I want to write more in-depth about, so I'll be making a separate sub-page for this for easier navigation. You will see more. I can't wait to share with you this place full of character, the place I call my second home.

I'd like to end this post by another cliche "don't judge a book by its cover." A lot of times, a book's contents will surprise you.