Workshop - Effortless Beauty On The Inside Out

Did you know that Beauty comes from both what you eat and what you put on your face?

Come join us for a delicious lunch where our experts will give you essential tips on what foods to eat to boost your natural beauty as well as how latest scientific discoveries have unlocked youth in skincare.

The session will be interactive too! Two lucky attendees will be chosen to be our model for the live demonstrations of both our facial regime and one useful make up essential to say 'bye bye' to wrinkles and eye bags!

Price is $45 and includes 3-course meal at Equilibrium, Capitol Piazza.




Sign up today at: http://effortless-beauty.peatix.com

Speakers:
Chong Su Lee (Look Good Feel Great Always) is a wellness consultant who is a trained chemist but now helps people get fit and healthy through customised plans.

Natalie Turner (Energise Life)

20% off - Happy International Women's Day!

8 March is International Women's Day and to celebrate all things female, you're getting 20% off all wellness purchases made at our SWAG Shop (http://shop.swagguide.com). All you've got to do is use the promo code "INTLDAY" at the checkout!

Spread the word to your besties and pamper yourself on the day that celebrates YOU.

Webinar - 5 Tips on how to slow down the signs of aging

Ever wondered why aging occurs and how it happens on a cellular level? Want to know how you can prolong the aging process through cutting edge technology in skincare?

Come join us in this webinar on Wed, 16 Mar at 8pm as we share with you the science behind aging and how you can slow it down so that you remain beautiful and younger, longer.

Register today at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/190339029921911044

Nourish Your Skin With Ligne St Barth (exclusive to SWAG Guide)

What do you do when you have been having dry and itchy skin at my legs recently? Fortunately for me, it was timely that I was introduced to premium skincare brand, Ligne St Barth.

Ligne St Barth's skincare products are made in Saint Barthelemy Island in the Caribbean and their products have been widely used by celebrities who make special trips to the island to indulge in the Ligne St Barth Spa. It was also touted as "models' best kept secret" until recent years.

Besides being a luxury brand with elegant packaging, Ligne St Barth's products are made with natural ingredients that are suitable for sensitive and problematic skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. The bottles are shaped like rum bottles because the local Caribbean women would make avocado oil at home and store them in empty rum bottles. Some of these women gave the founder of Ligne St Barth bottles of aloe vera gel and avocado oil as a cure for his skin problem. The rum bottle shape is retained as a nod to those local women and till today, this family owned business still employs local Caribbean women to produce the range of products.

As mentioned, I tried their Aloe Vera Gel with Mint which can be used for the face, body and hair. I must say that this bottle of aloe vera gel was a skin-saver for my dry and itchy leg rash!

Before trying this product, I have to say that I am a frequent user Aloe Vera Gel to soothe post-pole abrasions; cure itches and insect bites as well as moisturise my legs after shaving. The tinge of mint with the Aloe Vera Gel made this product even better for me not just because I am biased towards anything mint-related, but also because I enjoyed the nice, cooling sensation after application. It really felt like I was soothing my skin!

This product is smooth and gentle and it's also a great for soothing sun-burnt skin. Besides the body, you can use this to hydrate your face, particularly if you have sensitive and immensely dry skin.  You could also use this as a hair serum although I still prefer to use this on the body. 

What I love most about Ligne St Barth's Aloe Vera Gel is the fact that it gets absorbed by the skin very quickly and leaves behind a soft and silky finish. The other Aloe Vera Gels I've used in the past were rather sticky so I had to be extra careful when I applied them right before bedtime but with Ligne St Barth's Aloe Vera Gel with Mint, I'm glad to say that such a worry did not occur. Now that I'm down to my last drop, I am already missing it! 

So... are you interested to try out Ligne St Barth's skincare products?

SWAG Guide is the first in Singapore to exclusively sell Ligne St Barth's products and you can purchase the products on SWAG Guide's online store. Moreover, there's a sale ongoing for Ligne St Barth! The retail prices are S$12 (for 25ml bottle), S$50.50 (for 125ml bottle) and S$90.90 (for 200ml bottle). 

Feel free to sign up as a member on SWAG Guide and refer your friends to enjoy a $5 discount off your next purchase. Happy shopping!

Disclaimer: Reviews are based on personal experiences.

Mood Boosted With Jeunesse RESERVE Antioxidant Fruit Blend Gel

Hi, Bianche here to have a look at the Jeunesse RESERVE Antioxidant Fruit Blend Gel for Beauty which I consumed for a week straight. I am selective about the things which I dine on and the activities that I do - they have to be favorable and wholesome to my health.  I am also consistently vigilant about brand-new beauty treatments or products which may advance my beauty but I'm quite thrilled with this antioxidant gel drink!

Above is how each gel pack looks like and the drink itself has a slight jelly consistency. It's mauve-coloured and chock-full of acai, pomegranate, blueberries, cherries, aloe vera and green tea.

What RESERVE is composed of

It tasted absolutely delicious! The flavour was of concentrated cherry and blueberry: sweet but slightly tangy. 

Raves for the convenient small gel packs! They are light and flat, so you can throw a couple into your handbag which makes it convenient to bring around everywhere! You wouldn't worry about it breaking or not keeping well. It lasted the entire day in my purse before I remembered to drink it. 

When you're having a tough day, drinking this has the power to brighten your mood up psychologically. To me, this is equivalent to consuming Chicken Essence (a quintessential tonic that Singaporeans like to take in order to improve their mental or cognitive performance) although this also has beauty benefits.

What makes Jeunesse's RESERVE so powerful? Undoubtedly delectable and luscious, it's packed with concentrated beauty ingredients - acai, green tea, blueberries and pomegranate which put me in a five-star mood that I was ingesting such super foods and improving my health and my aesthetic appearance daily. Moreover, the antioxidants in the gel ensured that my energy levels were kept high. 

As mentioned earlier, Jeunesse RESERVE has a slight jelly texture which I love. I kept my sachets in the refrigerator because I enjoyed drinking them cold. I drank this every morning when I woke up, during the time I was unwell and even before a photoshoot!  They had the power to cheer me up, give me a confidence boost and generally brightened up my mood for a full day. 

This product comes from the United States and according to the manufacturer, Jeunesse,

Reserve™ helps to:

• Combate free radical damage, which is linked to many health issues

• Release powerful antioxidants into your body

• Make young cells last longer, supercharging health & well-being

• Delay cell aging and premature aging, extending lifespan

• Improve cardiovascular function with anthocyanins

• Aid digestion through essential fatty acids

• Increase metabolism to assist healthy weight loss

• Make nutrients quickly available through bio-available gel

• Penetrate red blood cells and helping to protect against oxidated stress

• Contains only natural fruit that is delicious

Taking Reserve™ every single day results in:

• Radiant skin

• Increased energy levels

• Anti-aging effects

• Nutrition delivered at cellular levels

I took these photos in the week when I was sloshing down RESERVE. Despite feeling sick, I think I still look quite radiant!

It significantly bolstered my disposition when I was feeling under the weather. When you find that you're stretching yourself out thin, safeguard your beauty and energy by taking Jeunesse Reserve.

Healthy, optimises your beauty, heavenly and yummy, I am smitten with this sweet drink! 

To purchase your one-month supply of Jeneusse RESERVE gel packs, visit http://shop.swagguide.com/collections/jeunesse/products/reserve. If you are interested to become a wholesale consumer and purchase it at a discount, do write in to marketing@passhen.com to find out more!

30 Days After Parasite Cleanse

I have finally ended my parasite cleanse! I can't believe that it has been a month since I've started on this cleanse and it is amazing how many things have happened to my body since then. Nothing significant has happened since last week but I do realise now that alcohol hits my system a lot faster than before. Chilli also tastes a bit spicier. What is 'worse' is that my body now rejects junk food and makes me pay for it the next day by depositing the junk in the harshest manner. Not diarrhoea. Just whoosh....plus cramps. I can feel my intestines doing it's job.

There was an interesting conversation that I had with someone over Facebook though. I was tagged by a mutual friend on this lady's (let's call her OC) post because he knew that I had gone on this cleanse and OC is quite sure that she has parasites because her boyfriend was diagnosed with it. She and her boyfriend were losing a lot of weight suddenly while feeling fatigued, which led her boyfriend to go see the doctor and he was finally diagnosed with having parasites.

OC was a bit conflicted because although she knew that she had parasites, she wanted to get rid of all of them but the prescribed medication from the doctors only killed a few types. Moreover, the testing required for all the parasites plus the medication would be a very hefty sum. Some of her friends advised her to do natural healing and herbal remedies.

What's my take? I told her that since it's quite obvious to her that she has parasites, she should go to the doctor and get those medication quick. Kill them fast and then use herbal detox to cleanse out all the endotoxins built up by those parasites as well as caused when the parasites die.

Hearing her story made me more convinced that even in our clean society, these little buggers are still around and surviving well. Thus, I will do this parasite cleanse once a year. In the meanwhile, I also happen to receive a free bottle of garlic supplements so I'll eat those from now so as to prevent more parasites from growing before my next cleanse. Yup...those critters hate loads of garlic!

To learn more about the 30-day ClearStart or Paraway Plus, go to: https://shop.swagguide.com/collections/unicity.

Loading Up On Antioxidants

As you know, I was quite ill 2 weeks ago with sore throat and what not. It was only later that I realised that I was having a healing crisis from my parasite cleansing but it was still important to tackle the symptoms of my illness.

I got my box of Jeunesse Reserve gel packs a month ago and have been taking it faithfully everyday.  What I like about it is that it's super delicious and you can taste the fruits used in this blend - cherries, blueberries and grape seed. As we know, antioxidants help repair our bodies on the cellular level. There are many different types of antioxidants but they basically help to combat free radicals and prevent aging while boosting immunity and energy levels.

On normal days, I drink one gel pack in the morning and I do find that it had similar effects on me as caffeine in terms of energy levels. I felt more alert but unlike caffeine, there wasn't a crash or heart palpitations. After one week, I was convinced that the ingredients used were good stuff. So when I started having that bad sore throat, all the more I needed to combat it and support my body's natural defence by boosting it with Vitamin C and antioxidants.

My usual 'cure' for sore throats is apple cider vinegar with honey. This time round, I added in my Jeunesse Reserve to the mix. As the gel drink itself is very sweet, you may be able to add in more vinegar. I used warm water as it was more soothing but you can add in ice if you want it cold.

The eventual concoction is this dark purple drink. It still tasted like cherries, vinegar and honey. It was quite delicious and it did help with the energy levels despite me being so sick.

To purchase your month's supply of gel packs, visit http://shop.swagguide.com/collections/jeunesse/products/reserve or http://passhen.jeunesseglobal.com.

To request for a sample, send an email to marketing@passhen.com with your name and mailing address.

Is Vitamin Injection Good For The Skin?

A 2014 article in Harper's Bazaar mentioned "VitaGlow" to be the hottest trend in skincare, where vitamins are injected directly into the skin and supposed to have a pronounced anti-aging effect. This type of injection is commonly called 'mesotherapy' and it has caught on in Hollywood, being endorsed by the likes of Katy Perry and Jennifer Aniston.

Here's a video of someone having mesotherapy done in front of a TV audience by a cosmetic surgeon and she explains more about what mesotherapy is and it's benefits.

A quick search online showed that in Singapore, the few aesthetic-clinics that provide this service are:

• Parsons Medical (Yishun)
• Pacific Clinic & Surgery (Orchard Paragon)

Interestingly enough, in Asia, mesotherapy and even Vitamin IV procedures are marketed to women for whitening their skins whereas in Europe and America, it is more for anti-aging. Only goes to show what women in these parts of the world care about. Nonetheless, one cannot deny that the effects of vitamin injections are akin to getting a face-lift minus the down time.

These injections do not come cheap. On average, they cost about S$300 each jab and you have to go for regular sessions in order to see the effects and maintain them.

As with relatively invasive procedures, if you're interested to do mesotherapy, please ensure that you look for a qualified dermatologist or professional to ensure that you are getting actual vitamins injected into your skin. Talk to them to find out what side effects may occur and what exactly the treatment entails.

We reckon that if you can't afford these injections, applying vitamins onto your face through facial masks or facial mists or serums will produce similar effects, albeit less dramatic. Do what you feel comfortable with and can afford.

10 Amazing Benefits of Chlorophyll

You may have heard a lot of buzz surrounding the healthiness of vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables with deep, rich color tones. In many ways, they’re perfect foods and part of the credit is owed to the chlorophyll they contain. Chlorophyll is a green pigment that’s instrumental in photosynthesis. Research also suggests it’s instrumental in promoting good health. The following 10 benefits demonstrate its amazing versatility and power.

1. Helps Control Hunger and Cravings
A study released in September of 2013 determined that compounds containing chlorophyll might help suppress hunger. Twenty moderately overweight women were given test meals on three separate occasions one week apart — two meals with chlorophyll, one without. They reported reduced hunger following the meals containing the chlorophyll and blood tests showed stable blood sugar levels. ^[1] These results suggest chlorophyll should be considered as an effective way to manage hunger and promote weight loss.

2. Controls Body Odour

Chlorophyll is good for your body from the inside out, literally. This includes body and fecal odours. When tested in a nursing home with 62 patients, one study reported improvements in the odors emanating from the test subjects. In addition to odor reduction, it also alleviated constipation and gas. ^[2]

3. Encourages Healing
The use of chlorophyll to promote the healing process was first reported nearly 100 years ago. One report published by Butler University (in 1950!) discussed its use for improving healing times. ^[3] A more recent study found that, when used as a spray, chlorophyll significantly helped wound therapy. ^[4] The research clearly backs its effectiveness in this area.

4. Promotes Cleansing
Environmental pollutants such as toxic metals can quickly destroy health. Chlorophyll binds with toxic metals to hamper absorption, and research has shown it can do the same with some carcinogens. A crossover study with 4 human volunteers tested chlorophyll’s ability to remove ingested aflatoxin, a known carcinogen. Each volunteer received three servings of the aflatoxin, followed with a meal, the latter two included a tablet of chlorophyll. The results showed rapid elimination with 95% evacuated within 24 hours. ^[5]

5. Protects DNA Against Fried Foods
Fried foods aren’t just bad for your waistline, they also contain chemicals known to damage colon tissue and the DNA of colon cells. In one study, participants who ate fried foods coupled with protective foods, including chlorophyll, were observed to have less DNA damage of colon cells. ^[6] Don’t take that as just cause to go crazy with the fried foods, the best idea is to avoid them altogether.

6. Super Potent Antioxidant Action
Chlorophyll’s status as a superfood is due to its nutritional and potent antioxidant properties. It protects cells from oxidative damage by eliminating free radicals. ^[7] One plant known for its high chlorophyll levels, Conyza triloba, showed very active superoxide scavenging behavior. An in vitro study found it capable of reducing free radicals while reducing cell damage. ^[8]

7. Promising Potential for Cancer Therapy
Although the research doesn’t currently show that chlorophyll is an all out cancer cure, researchers are excited about its potential as a therapy. One study found men with lower levels of dietary chlorophyll had higher risks of colon cancer. ^[9] Another study noted it effective at stimulating liver detoxifying enzymes and may protect against other carcinogens. ^[10]

8. Effective Against Candida albicans
Candida infection is a big problem for many individuals and can lead to fatigue, depression, and digestive problems; just to name a few. Research has shown that isolated chlorophyll solutions stop Candida albicans growth. ^[11]

9. Relieves Systemic Redness and Swelling
Traditional medicine has long used green leaves for infections. With modern approaches that have limited effectiveness and a long list of side effects, natural remedies are getting another look. Animal studies have found that green leaves help to reduce swelling and redness! ^[12]


10. Promotes Healthy Iron Levels
A modified form of chlorophyll known as chlorophyllin may be highly effective for anemia. By swapping iron for magnesium at the center of the molecule, it provides a bioavailable form of iron the body can use. ^[13] While scientists may look for ways to develop patent-able medicines, no one needs to wait to take chlorophyll to gain its benefits.


Chlorophyll: An Excellent Dietary Supplement
Chlorophyll possesses an amazing range of benefits and is readily available to everyone. Chlorophyll rich foods are also healthy in their own right and contain essential vitamins and nutrients needed for cardiovascular, muscular, and neural health. Consume foods containing chlorophyll or take a dietary supplement for best effect. Blue-green algae is one of my favorites. Do you take chlorophyll? What effects have you noticed? 

If you do not consume enough green leafy vegetables in your normal diet, you might want to try Unicity's Chlorophyll powder which can be easily dissolved in drinking water or juices as a simple but effective supplement. 

This article first appeared on http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/10-amazing-benefits-of-chlorophyll/ by Dr Edward Group.

References:

1. Stenblom EL, Montelius C, Östbring K, Håkansson M, Nilsson S, Rehfeld JF, Erlanson-Albertsson C. Supplementation by thylakoids to a high carbohydrate meal decreases feelings of hunger, elevates CCK levels and prevents postprandial hypoglycaemia in overweight women. Appetite. 2013 Sep;68:118-23. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.04.022. Epub 2013 Apr 28.
2. Young RW, Beregi JS Jr. Use of chlorophyllin in the care of geriatric patients. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1980 Jan;28(1):46-7.
3. Esten, Mabel M. and Dannin, Albert G. (1950) “Chlorophyll therapy and its relation to pathogenic bacteria.” Butler University Botanical Studies : Vol. 9, Article 21.
4. Weir D, Farley KL. Relative delivery efficiency and convenience of spray and ointment formulations of papain/urea/chlorophyllin enzymatic wound therapies. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2006 Sep-Oct;33(5):482-90.
5. Jubert C, Mata J, Bench G, Dashwood R, Pereira C, Tracewell W, Turteltaub K, Williams D, Bailey G. Effects of chlorophyll and chlorophyllin on low-dose aflatoxin B(1) pharmacokinetics in human volunteers. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2009 Dec;2(12):1015-22. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-09-0099. Epub 2009 Dec 1.
6. Shaughnessy DT, Gangarosa LM, Schliebe B, Umbach DM, Xu Z, MacIntosh B, Knize MG, Matthews PP, Swank AE, Sandler RS, DeMarini DM, Taylor JA. Inhibition of fried meat-induced colorectal DNA damage and altered systemic genotoxicity in humans by crucifera, chlorophyllin, and yogurt. PLoS One. 2011 Apr 25;6(4):e18707. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018707.
7. Zhang YL, Guan L, Zhou PH, Mao LJ, Zhao ZM, Li SQ, Xu XX, Cong CC, Zhu MX, Zhao JY. [The protective effect of chlorophyllin against oxidative damage and its mechanism]. Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi. 2012 Jun;51(6):466-70.
8. El-Sayed WM, Hussin WA, Mahmoud AA, AlFredan MA. The Conyza triloba extracts with high chlorophyll content and free radical scavenging activity had anticancer activity in cell lines. Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:945638. doi: 10.1155/2013/945638. Epub 2013 May 23.
9. Balder HF, Vogel J, Jansen MC, Weijenberg MP, van den Brandt PA, Westenbrink S, van der Meer R, Goldbohm RA. Heme and chlorophyll intake and risk of colorectal cancer in the Netherlands cohort study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Apr;15(4):717-25.
10. Dingley KH, Ubick EA, Chiarappa-Zucca ML, Nowell S, Abel S, Ebeler SE, Mitchell AE, Burns SA, Steinberg FM, Clifford AJ. Effect of dietary constituents with chemopreventive potential on adduct formation of a low dose of the heterocyclic amines PhIP and IQ and phase II hepatic enzymes. Nutr Cancer. 2003;46(2):212-21.
11. Lilian Eiko MAEKAWA, LAMPING Roberta, MARCACCI Sidnei, Marcos Yasunori MAEKAWA, Maria Renata Giazzi NASSRI, Cristiane Yumi Koga-Ito. Antimicrobial activity of chlorophyll-based solution on Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis.Revista Sul-brasiliera de Odontologia 01/2007.
12. Subramoniam A, Asha VV, Nair SA, Sasidharan SP, Sureshkumar PK, Rajendran KN, Karunagaran D, Ramalingam K. Chlorophyll revisited: anti-inflammatory activities of chlorophyll a and inhibition of expression of TNF-? gene by the same. Inflammation. 2012 Jun;35(3):959-66. doi: 10.1007/s10753-011-9399-0.
13. Miret S, Tascioglu S, van der Burg M, Frenken L, Klaffke W. In vitro bioavailability of iron from the heme analogue sodium iron chlorophyllin. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 27;58(2):1327-32. doi: 10.1021/jf903177q.

How Does a $800 Facial Feel Like?

If you're wondering how can a facial cost $800, you're not alone. Another thought that probably popped into your head was, "What's inside? Gold? Caviar? Diamond?" Well...you're not too far off. Perhaps you're also imagining some fancy schmancy science stuff or tools that are involved.

HAACH has recently launched its latest luxe professional facial - the Diamond Age-Defying Marine Miracle (90 min). When I was given the chance to try it out, I naturally jumped at it. Who wouldn't? Especially when the tagline is to make your skin "Shine Bright Like a Diamond".

The facial was held at HAACH's new concept store as well as Singapore's first seamless curation of both beauty and wellness. Called HAACH Curation, it is conveniently situated in Wheelock Place and houses both their chiropractic, physiotherapy as well as spa services under one roof. The overall feel of the place is comfortable and pleasant.

Front view of my face before the treatment

Left view

Right view

How timely this facial was! I suddenly had a pimple that popped on my nose so it was a plea for some professional intervention.

The beautician explained to me that for this Diamond Age-Defying Marine Miracle facial, there are no machines involved because all the natural ingredients used will help to exfoliate gently, lock in moisture, rehydrate skin and encourage the strengthening of the skin's elastin and collagen. In other words, it's a lot of massaging of my face with their advanced skincare products.

After cleansing came the exfoliating. Instead of a normal scrub, a serum-like gel was used. The gel contains nano-fine diamond powder that helps to remove the dead skin cells while the rest of the ingredients will help to pull the dead skin cells together until it clumps together.

Doesn't it look like I suddenly have dust over my face or dandruff? Anyway, the beautician said that my skin is quite well taken care of (thank you Clarisonic) and although I have quite a bit of dead skin, it's not dark coloured. Ladies, please remember to scrub your face at least once a week. Otherwise, please invest in a face cleansing tool like Clarisonic or HAACH's equivalent, which costs only S$60 and the brush head is made up of super fine hairs (even finer than Clarisonic's). Do remember to ask the HAACH ladies about it.

Once that gunk was removed, my blackheads were removed and after which, came the mask part! That's where the Marine Organisms, concentrates and seaweed extracts that are rich in vitamins and minerals come in! In addition, there are 20 herbal extracts (each with its own skin healing properties and one of them is called the Melissa plant *wink*) in this power packed mask.

For every person, one such tube is cracked open just before the mask is applied. This means that the product is fresh and all the vitamins are still active.

The marine and herbal mask

I could smell the algae!!! Add that to the intense wet herb smell and my nose was completely offended. Brain had to tell the nose to bear with it. Beauty comes with a small dose of sacrifice. After letting my skin soak in the concoction for a few of minutes while I received an awesome shoulder and décolletage massage, a gel mask with the diamond powder was soon placed over it.

Herbs used in HAACH's Diamond Age-defying Marine Miracle Facial

Beauty Tip: when you open your gel/paper mask, keep the excess liquids first. Apply some more onto the mask as this help you push out any bubbles as well as to massage the liquid in a little. Then, massage that excess liquid over your neck and décolletage. It is a moisturiser after all, so good to rub it into areas that are usually neglected but are sure signs of your age. After a few minutes, there will be areas that dry up faster for sure and the top up from your excess liquid would also be rather beneficial for your face.

After 20 or 30 minutes, the masks were removed and TADAH:

My face definitely was cleaner and brighter than before the facial! It felt quite moisturised too but that would be quite natural after a facial, no? I'll tell you later why you can push aside the cynicism.

So how does a $800 facial feel? Perfectly normal - relaxing (awesome massage) and moisturising. What you're paying for is for the sheer quality of ingredients used in the products. The proof in the pudding came only a day AFTER the facial. Remember that red spot that you saw on the left side of my nose? Normally, it would take a few days for it to heal and disappear but because of the facial, I was pleasantly surprised that it was completely healed the next day!

The beautician warned me that due to the strengthening of the elastin and collagen as well as the  natural healing properties of the mask, it is normal to see white and black heads popping up the next day as they get pushed out of the pores from within.

I can only imagine that with prolonged usage of such quality products, one's skin will definitely get smoother and nobody will be able to say that you look old!

If you'd like to go for the Diamond Age-defying Marine Miracle treatment, HAACH is offering a special trial price of $99 for Pásshers! You can either book through www.passhen.com or quote the promo code "PASS_MM" when you call HAACH's outlet directly for an appointment. For those who would like something a little more affordable, Pásshers get special prices off selected treatments that have also won recent awards in Harper's Bazaar! To find out more, click here.

Eyebrow Embroidery 101

Have you ever wondered what is "semi-permanent make up" and "eyebrow embroidery"? Look no further as we break it down for you.

"Semi-permanent make up" tends to refer to "make up" applied onto the eyebrows, eyelashes, eyeliner and even lips that tends to last more than 1 week. As this often involves needles and/or glue, it is highly advisable to go to a reputable therapist or salon such as Highbrow.

Entrance of Highbrow's salon located at Capitol Piazza

Highbrow specialises in hair but not the ones on your head but rather the other parts - eyebrows, eyelashes and hair removal from various body parts (wax on, wax off). For this visit, we shall concentrate on getting the eyebrow embroidery done.

Check out the leopard print blanket in the room! I think Highbrow is one of the few places that I know that can pull off leopard prints without it looking tacky. In fact, the blanket was so plush that I was tempted to bring it home. Very comfortable settings which made you feel at ease right away.

Normal brows before embroidery

The therapist who attended to me was Thai and she was trained by instructors from China as well as Korea so I felt quite safe in her hands. Before anything else can happen, the therapist would draw on the eyebrow shape first so that you'll be happy with it. My problem with my eyebrows were the sparse 'tails' and a couple of spots that were not as full as it should be.

Tada. That's the drawn eyebrows. Looks pretty natural, right? Just a bit fuller. My therapist said that my original shape was already very good (thank you Leticia) but apparently, this thicker eyebrow shape is the current Korean trend and is supposed to make you look younger. Ok...I decided to go with it.

Numbing cream will then be slapped onto your brows for the next 10-20 minutes. Why numbing cream? Now, let's explain the 'embroidery' side of things.

The tip used in eyebrow embroidery is made up of several fine needles. Some therapists use latest nano needles that vibrate like a tattoo machine. In this case, it's done more manually.

Organic ink dye

The therapist then dips into the ink before 'drawing' into your skin where your eyebrows are. I find it quite funny how a lot of people in the beauty industry will vehemently tell you that eyebrow embroidery isn't like tattooing but the needle tips are essentially cutting into your skin such that the ink is able to penetrate the top layer and therefore, last for a year or so. Tattoos just go a further layer under the skin. Same difference.

That's why you really need the numbing cream. Nonetheless, I could feel some of the cuts towards the end of the procedure and because it doesn't go as fast as a tattoo machine, I felt that the pain (when I did feel any) was a bit more shocking to me. Don't be scared. It's really not painful. Especially if you have an experienced therapist who does it in a jiffy.

After my therapist finished, she put some more colour dye onto my brows and left them on for another 10 minutes. This is to ensure that the dye gets into the skin.

This is me just after the procedure. I thought that the brows looked really natural but super dark. I was warned that the colour will lighten within a week. Thus, you wouldn't want to do a light colour at first.

Is this procedure safe? Yes if you go to a reputable salon and make sure that they use a new needle/blade just like what Highbrow does. If you have sensitive skin, you should ask the salon what kind of dyes they use and whether they provide aftercare products.

Highbrow provides 2 types of aftercare products - a Nourishing Essence and a balm that reminded me a little of petroleum jelly. The aftercare is VERY important when you're doing eyebrow embroidery. Your skin has been 'traumatised' so it needs to be soothed so that's where the nourishing essence comes in. Furthermore, it's now going to be a bit more sensitive while it heals. This means no sauna, no swimming, no water and no vigorous perspiring to touch your brows. That's where the balm comes in. It acts both as a soothing agent as well as a barrier to water.

Day 2 after eyebrow embroidery

The day after was the worse because my eyebrows stung but I couldn't scratch it. Plus the whole 'no water' thing? Tough to follow when it came to washing my face.

Day 4 after eyebrow embroidery

Peeling skin with drawn on brow hair

On the 4th day, the peeling started. I was warned that this would happen but I didn't think that it would happen so soon. I don't think the colour has faded by 50% as what the therapist claimed but it is a shade lighter than before (thank goodness!).

1 week after the treatment - perfect looking brows!

I'm overall quite happy with the results and those who happen to notice the difference in my brows have also complimented me on them! I'm also glad that I no longer have to draw on my eyebrows overtime I leave the house. That saves me a lot of trouble for the next year and just in time for CNY too.

If you would like to know more about Highbrow's services or to book an appointment with them, click on this link: http://www.swagguide.com/group/highbrow. As usual, SWAGgers get a slight discount for eyebrow embroidery specifically.

Eating To Look Younger And Feeling More Beautiful

As the saying goes, "You are what you eat." Which is why over the years, I've been more aware of what goes into my mouth and even to a certain extent, what comes out (no constipation etc).

I must thank the BBC for being the constant reputable source of my documentary 'addiction' and I just watched this one on food! The title caught me..."The truth about food: How to stay young and beautiful". Now, who wouldn't want that? Moreover, knowing BBC, there will definitely be interesting scientific tests to prove or disprove popular claims about diets etc.

I'll summarise a few key takeaways but I do recommend that you watch the documentary in its entirety.

1. Eat more tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene which is an antioxidant that helps your skin from getting burnt so easily! The study done by the University of Manchester over 3 months showed that people who eat tomatoes have an average 30% less damage from UV. Time to load up on that juicy fruit. Oh, it also makes a great facial mask as Su Lee mentioned during our "Beauty Secrets From The Kitchen" workshop at Beauty Week.

2. Eat more berries
Just like tomatoes, berries such as strawberry and blueberry contain loads of antioxidant. Besides the skin, the antioxidants in berries are shown to greatly help slow down the degeneration of the ocular muscles. As we often are staring at our computer screens, I do suggest eating a cup of berries everyday to prevent any eye problems when we hit our 60s or 70s. If you have trouble getting the actual fruit, try Unicity's Probionic which is a supplement that contains both berries and probiotics to support a healthy gastro-immune system.

3. Detox diets are a myth
Alas, despite how many people say that they feel energised/ lighter/ slimmer etc after going on a detox diet, the controlled experiment clearly showed that our bodies' natural detoxification organs work just fine. No real improvement or efficiency in the detox department after going on a detox diet.

4. Drinking extra 2L of plain water a day is not necessary
I was a bit shocked about this one. Turns out that all we need is to consume 2.5L a day and this comes from our foods and any sort of beverages. This isn't to say that we shouldn't drink water when we're thirsty, just that your coffee/tea/soups do count into your daily intake!

Nonetheless, if your current diet and health regime makes you feel tip top, don't think too much and just carry on! However, if you think that you need help, we have a whole directory of fitness locations for you to choose from or get in touch with our Wellness Coach to get you on track!

Energised by HAACH and StralaYoga

Entrance to StralaYoga's studio

Beauty Week ended on a high with 2 days of the 2 things that Pásshen loves - skincare and fitness!

Alex from HAACH presenting on best pre and post workout routines

We were very thankful to have HAACH speak about best pre and post workout routines to our attendees on both Fri and Sat. Most of us knew about removing make up before we worked out but did you know that if you were going for a swim, you should slap on moisturiser? The chlorine in the pool will severely dry out your skin so it's best to apply a layer of moisturiser before heading into the water.

HAACH brought along their fancy equipment to test the moisture levels of the skin. Thus, one would be able to know whether you're applying the right amount of moisturiser or the right type of moisturiser for your skin type!

Alex from HAACH also introduced their latest and best seller, the Phytopeautic Facial which uses stem cells from a rare type of Swiss apples to help rejuvenate skin cells and diminishing wrinkles as well as age spots which therefore, enables one to look more youthful. Pásshen members are able to book this award winning facial at a bargain for only $50 (usual price is $288)! Click here to book your slot today.

Attendees queuing up to get their skin tested

After learning more about their skin, we went into the yoga session that evening with StralaYoga's ENERGIZE session. Those unfamiliar with Strala were treated to their style of yoga - relaxing with modern music playing in the background.

Su from Strala leading the Fri yoga session

ENERGIZE was really aptly named as all of us broke into a sweat during the hour! For Sat's session, Jo (Director of Strala Singapore) included more advanced poses like handstands to really push and challenge the participants.

Jo supporting one of the students into a handstand

After the yoga session, all the participants were relaxed but also feeling really full of energy and ready to continue for the rest of the day. For those interested to attend yoga at Strala, you'll be glad to know that Pásshen is offering each class at $22! No packages and you only need to book each class one week in advance. To book your class and to see Strala's schedule, visit this page.