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!

The Importance Of Choosing The Right Fragrance

While wondering what to write for my next blog post, it occurred to me that writing about Fragrance doesn’t always raise a huge interest here in Asia, well unless you throw in big names like Chanel, Dior or Hermès, then eventually you manage to get a few pair of eyes sticking on the page.

Since Christmas is around the corner and some of you may have perfumes on their shopping list, why don't I share with you what fragrance is all about and why it is important to choose the right fragrance. Majority of people believe that the world of perfume is superficial and just another consumer good to have, or not. I strongly believe that perfume is much more than that. Perfume to me is a message in a bottle, it is saying much more than “Chanel No.5” or "J’adore Dior”, it is saying, "this is who I am, this is what I think and this is what I like". When you choose a perfume, whether you wear it or you diffuse it into your home or shop, you are actually using the scent to tell a story, YOUR story. And as you would do if you were to print the story in black ink, you ensure all is true and in agreement with your beliefs, right? So many times I encountered whiffs of fragrances that do not belong to the wearer, that are not telling the truth and it breaks my heart.

Of course, the industry doesn’t facilitate your job, there are more and more launches per year and it gets harder to find your way around (trust me, even for the likes of me!) the fragrances we find in Asia are not made for Asians or adapted to the weather and, cherry on the cake, once you found your Holy Grail, it disappears as it appeared in a space of months or years! Very frustrating indeed…
Luckily, in these days, many possibilities are offered to make your journey in the world of perfume a love story. Start by being accountable in your choices and refuse to wear any gift perfumes that do not speak to your values, by educating yourself and build your culture and learn the language of scents or even by taking the road of DIY perfume and create your own perfume if none are suitable, why not?

Wearing a perfume that matches your personality is increasing your chances to attract a charming future partner, building up your confidence, lifting up your mood and sending out a clear message to people surrounding you so why, in this era of multi media, multi communication, would you want to miss out on this discreet, yet pervasive, communication tool existing for now four hundred decades?
The same goes for business owners. Creating a scent that will match your “clientele” and your brand identity is as powerful as choosing the packaging of your product or the playlist that will welcome your customers. Scents in this instance will enhance the product or shopping experience and reinforce the message you are trying to pass on, that is of course, if you have one!

Indeed, many recent studies proved that our noses are very sensitive to very low threshold of scents that can influence our mood, behaviour and choices we make, that most of the time we are not even aware this is happening and that’s the reason it is so powerful! Who has never been drawn into a bakery or coffee shop right after smelling the scent of hot croissant or brewing coffee?

Of course, you can opt out and make a choice to ignore your sense of smell completely, however there is no getting away from the fact that, behind the scenes, it is your nose that works over time to make you who you are! This one fact that cannot be argued.

This article first appeared in http://www.nosewhoknows.com/the-importance-of-choosing-the-right-fragrance/ and written by Sandy Blandin, founder of Nose Who Knows.

Stop The Hard Selling...Upselling Or Any Selling!

Before my recent trip to Kuala Lumpur (KL) for Murfest, my friend declared to me that she "never cuts her hair in Singapore anymore because the hairdressers keep upselling treatments and stuff" while she's having her hair done. "Plus it's so expensive," she added. She kept on reminding me that she was going to get her hair done when we were in KL.

I listened to her rant on with a quiet smile. I seldom get that sort of treatment at the hair salon because unlike her, I only cut my hair twice a year and I try to go to the same salon JUST to avoid such situations. Nonetheless, I have encountered hairdressers upselling and hard selling to me before so it's not unfamiliar. I feel for her and what she goes through at each hair salon in Singapore is definitely not a unique issue.

Photo credits: dailyvanity.sg

Very often, the constant selling that we get when sitting in that barber/hairdressing chair is enough to scare us off. More so, we have to grit our teeth and grin while politely declining because our hair is at the mercy of the hairdresser! Now, we wouldn't want an 'accidental' slip or rough handling, right? My friend is apparently so frustrated that she has to cut her hair in another country!

Anyway, off we went to KL and I decided to get my hair done too because my hair was in a mess and who wouldn't want to take advantage of the wonderful exchange rate and cut on the cheap? We took our chance at the chain salon Number 76 at 2 friends' recommendations.

Before the cut with my flat and shapeless hair

When talking to the hairdresser about my hair cut, I immediately felt the difference between the service that I get in Singapore and Number 76 in KL (I shall refrain from generalising ALL Malaysian hair salons) because I was having a proper conversation with him about what styles and how best to cover my balding!

I admit, I did hold my breath when I mentioned my balding to the hairdresser as I prepared myself to be bombarded with the usual "oh you should do this treatment/ get this tonic for your scalp". Surprisingly, I received none. The smile on my face started growing.

Throughout my hair cut, the conversation between hairdresser and I never faltered as we talked about how best to add volume to my style through layering, how to blow dry my hair properly, the fallacy known as conditioner (use oils before and after a blow dry, he said) and about perming to create illusion of volume.

I now have bangs!

He did use a tonic at the end and when he realised that I didn't feel any tingling sensation, that's when he said that my follicles are probably quite clogged and recommended their Carbon Dioxide scalp treatment that is supposed to increase blood circulation to the follicles and all that. However, because he said it as a solution to my problem, I didn't feel like he was hard selling it to me. Moreover, he wasn't insisting on me doing it immediately nor did he ask me to book another appointment for the treatment. Thus, I actually felt like learning more about the treatment and possibly do it one day!

Same went for my friend. Her hair was really frizzy from her previous dye job and she was going in for a perm. The hairdresser did immediately recommend a treatment to her but again, no hard selling. She was given a choice and there was proper advice given to her. It came as no surprise to me that my friend did make an appointment to do the treatment and a colouring session the next day!

Do you see the connection between NOT selling and ACTUALLY making sales? As I've learnt, it's when you provide good customer service, quality products and hence, solutions to your clients' problems, that's when you'll actually sell. I remember those days when I've done financial education seminars where clients came up to me after and opened accounts with me because they understood that I was talking about how to improve their investments rather than trying to make them open accounts with me (although I really was trying to make them do so).

So why doesn't the beauty industry in Singapore follow this principle?

Simple reason - profits. Hairdressers are turned into sales people and they each have sales targets. In some ways, you can't blame salon owners as the rent and salaries in Singapore are not cheap. However, it is a very short term gain over long term distribution. These salons' inflow of customers may trickle as they get fewer repeat customers, their brand reputation may be affected as customers spread their hard selling tactics by word of mouth and worse, what could've been potential extra profits (from treatments or products) become null as the turned off customer tunes off. That is why when Pásshen reaches out to merchants, we often tie up only with those who agree to our principle of 'no packages' and 'no hard selling'.

Customers know when you're being honest and authentic. So stop the selling (mind you, I didn't say not market your products/services) and sales will naturally come in!

Get A $200* Hamper When You Sign Up Today!

Great rewards await you when you join Pásshen as a client!
Get a mystery box worth more than S$200* in health and wellness goodies when you join us as a member. This promotion is valid from 21 Sep till 31 Dec 2015.

How to qualify?
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2. Email marketing@passhen.com your username, email address and mailing address
3. Once we have checked your status, we will mail the box to you within 5 working days!

What are you waiting for? Sign up NOW!


*Terms & Conditions:

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2. Eligible members will get a confirmation email when their mystery box is sent out. The box will be sent out within 5 working days of member registration.
3. Items within the box are subject to change and cannot be exchangeable for cash, credits or other products.
4. This promotion open to all except staff of Pásshen.
5. Each unique user is only eligible to receive one mystery box. 
6. Pásshen is not liable for any lost mystery boxes due to postage.
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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.

Turning Into Kawaii Japanese Ladies

Kimono inspired clothing, bags and pouches by local designer Alice.K

Day 4 of our Beauty Week was all about cosmetics and transforming ourselves from ordinary ladies into kawaii (cute) Japanese dolls! The workshop was led by Mia Yeh of M.Y. Makeup Artist, a freelance makeup artist whose services are listed on Pásshen.

Mia started the workshop by asking the class to imagine that they're now in Japan, surrounded by cherry blossoms and whatever screams 'Japan' to us. Why was it important to imagine this? Similar to the mindfulness workshop, if the mind is thinking of it, the end result of our makeup will definitely be more Japanese than if we were not conscious about the 'goal'.

Once we imagined ourselves in Japan, Mia then went on to show several images of Japanese celebrities dressed in kimonos and pointed out that what makes Japanese makeup different is that it's clean, flawless, simple with emphasis on large round eyes. It's almost natural-like makeup, which is one of the hardest to achieve.

Mia applying customised foundation on a participant

In order to achieve that flawless look, the foundation was of utmost importance. As there seldom is a shade of foundation that is exactly the same as our skin, Mia then showed the participants how to mix foundations with tinted moisturiser or serum in order to achieve a customised foundation that's perfect for each individual. As it is normal for makeup to oxidise, Mia recommended that we mix the foundation such that it is one tone lighter than our actual skin.

Mia showing where to apply the blusher for that trendy 'cute' blush

Next came the blusher. Mia mentioned how the new trend is to apply the blusher directly under the eyes, where the apple of the cheeks are. However, she stressed that this was only suitable for those with high cheekbones and if your cheeks were more towards the sides of your face, it should be applied directly where your cheeks show up when you smile. Nonetheless, it should not go towards the ears as this is only suitable for high fashion photoshoots and not real life. Moreover, we were told to be bold and put on more blusher than we normally would as the final dusting of loose powder would lighten everything.

After letting our foundation 'settle' through the warmth of our skin, we were soon ready for eyebrows and eye makeup!

The Japanese tend to have the eyebrows looking very natural so no fancy shapes or arches. The doll-like eyes also mean that we had to draw thin eye liner around the lids and even the waterline at the bottom of the eye to make our eyes seem rounder than usual.

The difference between falsie and none

False eyelashes also really help to make the eyes seem larger than usual, which you can see from above the difference it makes!

To complete the transformation to Japanese ladies, Mia then helped each of us with a more Japanese hairstyle, complete with flowers to adorn! We then tried on the various kimono inspired outfits courtesy of local designer Alice.K.

The end results!

We all had so much fun that we didn't realise that we overran the time! One attendee remarked after the event that she enjoyed herself so much during the workshop that from today onwards, she will really read Pásshen's newsletters so that she is aware of future workshops!

Mia does weekly 2-hour makeup lessons every Thursday at her home and Pásshen members get a discounted price of $35 instead of $38! To book the class or any other of Mia's services, please visit M.Y. Makeup Artist's page here.

Mindful Of Stress Relief And Self Massage

Talking about stress and mindfulness

Day 3 of our Beauty Week was all about dealing with stress and learning how to deal with it. Living in this fast paced rat race, we often deal with stress only when it becomes too much to handle. Tonight's workshop was all about recognising the signs and learning how to deal with it mentally as well as physically.

The workshop kicked off with one of our speakers, Theresa Chin who is a counsellor working with the Health Promotion Board, who talked about mindfulness. What is mindfulness? It was started by a doctor who realised that mindfulness was a good psychological way for patients to deal with pain. However, research soon showed that people who practised mindfulness were also aging a lot slower than their peers! Maybe this is the 'real' fountain of youth!

So how do you practice mindfulness? It is all about mind over body and recognising that you're exhausted or anxious. Once you've recognised that you're stressed to the point of exhaustion, then you need to learn to tell yourself to move from that point and trust that there are loved ones around to support you through this period of stress. Then, of course, you need to do something physical to reduce the stress.

Participants doing breathing exercises

After Theresa, our next speaker, Wing Phua from My Santosh, taught our participants some simple breathing exercises and stretches based on yoga. Wing taught very practical stretches that anyone could do while seated at their office desk. She highlighted that because of the modern lifestyle, our bodies have since adapted to have very tight shoulder muscles that tend to be slightly hunched inwards. To counter this, it is thus very important to stretch it out. Another way to release stress is deep breathing as when we're anxious, we tend to take very short breaths.

The various acu-points according to traditional Chinese medicine

After the yoga stretches, we went into Traditional Chinese Medicine with Dr Kong from Aegle Wellness Clinique. He first introduced us to commonly used acu-points and although there were so many listed on the screen, he taught us only the 10 most important ones!

Dr Kong showing one of the points on our chest

We were led into a self-massage session for the next 30 minutes were we learnt about the different massage techniques - one being tuina. The audience were definitely paying attention and a few were busy taking photos of the screen showing the acupressure points so that they wouldn't forget it the next day.

After Dr Kong's session, the attendees were visibly more relaxed and a couple of them even commented that they were so relaxed that they could sleep on the spot! Looks like the Chinese really do know which spots to press!

Aegle Wellness Clinique is listed on Pásshen and members have more than 10% discount off normal prices for consultation and treatment! You can also read the review about Aegle Wellness Clinique's treatment here.