[Style] Floral Sweater~

Merry Christmas everyone!! :)

Hope you are all having a lovely day! This isn't going to be a particularly Christmassy post, just a quick update on what I've been hungering after so brace yourselves...

I absolutely lovelovelove this sweater, but it looks like it's no longer in production anymore, which sucks. I also really adore this one too:

If anyone knows where I can get either of these, please let me know~~

Recently I purchased this lovely floral sweater from China.

It took like, 6 weeks to arrive but I'm pretty happy with it, apart from the bottom of the sweater which has the distressed holey thing going for it. Looks kinda cool at first, but seriously annoying when the threads get caught by anything and rips - one of the ladders already looks like I did a number on it with a pair of scissors!

Here's a piccy of me taking it out for a test run:

I'm at a tea house in London called Yumcha, which has these amazing compact teapot/teacups - you can see how the teapot sits in the teacup in the background of the pic. Anyways, as I mentioned, this wasn't a particularly Christmassy post but oh well, I guess I have a lot of catching up to do here! *pats neglected blog*

Wishing you all a wonderful day~

Yishi x

Winter Skin Remedies

Heylo~

Merry Christmas Eve! I feel like I ought to make a new intro post now, having been away from blogging for so long.

Anyways, this post will be about my experiences with dry skin *cough* eczema *cough* in the winter, along with some remedies if any of you guys are unfortunate enough to suffer the same affliction.

Growing up, I was prescribed loads of different steroids and moisturisers, most of which didn't really do anything to soothe any flare ups. I tried Chinese herbal treatments, which tasted really nasty and seemed to work, but only for a short period of time since part of the problem was my lifestyle - I didn't take the problem seriously enough and kinda thought it would just go away on its own. Wrong.

It was only when I started to do my own research and to take an active role in sorting my own skin out that I've finally found some results.

One of the things I learned that hit me the hardest was that I had to say goodbye to most of the cosmetics and creams on the high street since most of them are scented and contain all sorts of irritating chemicals. Now, I check the ingredients of anything I buy and if it's a cream or a cleanser, I make sure it's fragrance free or is hypoallergenic. A few days ago, my mother and a family friend recommended Aveeno products, which are oatmeal based and have been very kind to my skin so far, so they get a huuuuge thumbs up from me!

In the case of prescriptions, I found that Diprobase and Epaderm have been the best ones so far. E45 actually made my skin worse, and Doublebase wasn't great either. I only recently learned that the reason why E45 didn't work is because it contains the chemical sodium laurel sulphate (SLS), which is a naughty irritant - explained here (not the most credible source of information out there I know but hey, a study is a study).

Knowing this now, I am more determined to go the natural route and to look into home remedies. So far, I have personal experience with: 

Argan oil~

http://www.arganoilforhair.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/argan-oil-for-hair-1.jpg

Argan oil is good for your hair, your scalp, and also for your skin. It has a slightly nutty scent, and absorbs really quickly into your skin without leaving a greasy residue. I bought some in Morocco and can't recommend this enough, although it is very pricey in it's pure form. There has also been a considerable amount of research done on this oil, and a quick skim through reveals that there are loads of health benefits! (I didn't read any of the articles as they looked too intimidating! ^_^:;)

Coconut oil~

http://www.pakalertpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Physician-Prescribes-Coconut-Oil-And-Successfully-Cures-Alzheimers-Disease.jpg

Coconut oil is another oil that I've quickly taken to, after scouring the net for folklore on skincare. Again, this is an oil that can be used on your hair and your skin, but it does leave a little bit of a greasy feel after application - although you will definitely smell most delicious! It also stores well, lasting up to two years due to it's stability. I bought my tub from Holland and Barrett, and I have to admit that it is pretty pricey, but you do get 16 ounces which lasts a very long time. I've been using it for a month now and my skin has never been as good as it is this winter.

Home remedies:

There are plenty of websites that offer home remedies for you to try out. Here are a few of them~

myhomeremedies probably has the most number of remedies on any website

care2.com has a few yummy looking scrub recipes

howstuffworks offers a general introduction and humorous comments

Finally, a tip from my dermatologist:

If you have dry skin/eczema on your arms/hands, a top tip that has worked wonders is to buy cotton gloves or stretchy bandages, cover the afflicted area with your moisturiser of choice and then put the glove or bandage on before you go to sleep. When you wake up, your skin should be softer and nicer! :)

Good luck this winter~~

Yishi x

[Style] Vintage with a black ribbon!

Hey there!!

I came across this image when doing a search for heels with ribbon laces, and liked the look so much I decided to give it a go myself!

Image source
White Retro Ring, Black Ribbon, Stradivarius White Top, H&M High Waisted Black Skirt, Embis Black Heels

OK, so I don't own a white retro ring, a Stradivarius white top, a H&M high waisted skirt or Embis black heels, but what I DO own is a black ribbon, a Primarni (Primark hehe) white top, a Moda Vera high waisted skirt and a pair of Clark ribbon heels, so here we go:

Sorry the quality is not great...I'm using my phone camera at the moment!

Hewwo :3

OK...after my exams I'll invest in a decent camera and retake these photos...
*dies of shame*

Well worn but well loved!

And the obligatory selca ᵔᴥᵔ

Hmm, I think the model pulled that outfit off better than I did, but nevertheless it was funfunfun to have a go! I've come to realisation that I can't go on for much longer using my phone as a camera...so if anyone has any decent camera recommendations, do let me know!

Until next time, lovelies! (✿◠‿◠)

Yishi x

An Interview with Glitters For Dinner

.:♡*♥*♡:.

It's never been easy to sell clothes. Like with creative writing or the music industry, all of these markets are heavily saturated with aspiring young people trying to make it big. When boutiques know they are competing with the likes of fashion houses and high street stores, they have to find new ways to get noticed, to stand out from the crowd and boy can it be hard. But as we all know, the Internet can be a wonderful thing, and with the rise of social media, some stores have found it much more economical to scrap the traditional model of owning a physical store by moving everything online.

I recently had the pleasure of talking to Melissa, owner of Glitters For Dinner, a cute online boutique from Australia that's thirteen months old and operates exclusively through Facebook. Having started her store by herself, with no experience at all, she has come a long way. she has had to do everything from accounts to sourcing to brand building - in fact, she even models her own clothes!

.:♡*♥*♡:.

Melissa Jo, modelling her Digital Sky Crop

Profile of an owner:

My name is Melissa Jo, I've always had a passion for fashion. I love music, Kate Moss and old Hollywood stars. I'm the mother of four beautiful cats, so when they aren't taking my time I'm blogging, reading fashion magazines or designing!

Glitters For Dinner

Sometimes, we spend ages trying to think of the perfect name for something, but at other times, it just falls into place without you even trying. When asked what the inspiration was behind the name Glitters For Dinner, Melissa says: "Have you ever come home from a shopping trip shaking with excitement? Just itching to model all the new good in front of a mirror? Well every shopping trip makes me feel like that! One day after a particular shopping trip, a friend of mine said, 'Now we've got glitter for dinner!' ...and the name just stuck!"

"GFD launched 13 months ago and we basically started from scratch. We had no prior knowledge of clothing businesses, although we've heard all the stories. We started by sourcing some amazing vintage places. I didn't realize I had an eye for vintage until after the clothes started selling. With a lot of self advertising, inviting different people to check our page out, a LOT of time and effort, we started growing a fan base."

Promotions have played a huge role in the success of GFD too. By holding giveaways with other already well established online brands, GFD have been able to tap into other fan bases and increase their online presence.

How I first heard about GFD!

.:♡*♥*♡:.

Online versus High Street

Peter Pan Dress

You may think that opening a store online would be easier than operating one on the high street. For instance, you don't have to worry about rent, electricity bills, cleaning, or security. You don't have to put clothes back on the railing after customers have tried them on, and you don't have to worry about the layout of the store. In fact, an online store is a completely different experience. Normally, with a website, you'd still have to worry about layout, presentation and server fees, but if you are fine with sacrificing that for wider social access and a free webpage then Facebook is perfect. For Melissa, "The biggest difference is that, I feel, our Facebook store is a more personal experience. I personally speak to everyone of my customers as they were my friends. I message them and I am always in touch with them. Unlike other online stores, I take a personal interest in customers. As we keep growing, I will keep trying to be in touch with everyone!"

Melissa tells me that the most challenging thing about GFD was brand building and gaining loyal customers. "Being an online store, you have to work even harder get yourself out there. Unlike the use of a window display, or the simple presence of an actual store, I have to constantly promote GFD, and keep coming up with fresh new ideas to keep my 'audience'. It's just like entertaining a crowd!"

.:♡*♥*♡:.

Quickfire Q&As

Galaxy Sleeve Baseball Tee

1. What do you love about your work?

I love the girls, I've become good friends with some of them. They are incredibly amazing and supportive. They allow me to do what I love and more importantly to love what I do. I feel so blessed to have these people in my life.

2. Can you tell me about a typical working day for you guys?

If we don't have buying plans or photo shoot at the studio, each day is completely different. But what we do almost everyday is get online and constantly promote the brand. Sharing new photos, comments etc. Responding to the emails that we get regularly, making sure our customers are happy!

Also 2 nights a week, I would go to bed really late, because I will be up all night doing my accounts, which is a very exhausting job. It's my least favourite part haha.

Luckily I have heaps of help from my boyfriend and my wonderful posting staff who are completely supportive of what I do. I actually feel like its more of a team effort now, than just me against the world!

3. I hear you are designing your own line of clothing; do you have any sneak peak photos?

It's been delayed for so long, we have a few patterns completed. One of them is the classic peter pan collared dress with a full skirt, I can't disclose anything else because things are constantly changing...however this design is one of my favourites!

We hand design the garments as well as select the fabric. Besides sewing, we get involved in so much, it's been an incredible learning experience.

Vintage Black Sleeveless White Collared Mini Dress

4. What do you think it takes for an online store to become successful?

I just think that you have to milk every moment. There are millions of competitors out there. You have to make sure you are ready. Also it's very important to keep up with news and current trends all the time. Education is the best way to get to know your customers!

5. Do you have any advice or tips for young people who want to start their own online store or fashion line?

My advice is to take time, don't rush through the process. Do not expect overnight success, because it never happens. Also it's so important to stick with things even when it seems like nothing is happening. Be a decent human being and having a loving attitude towards your customers. And for Pete's sake get a decent camera. People come to you for the clothes, NOT for the artistic image!

6. And finally, who do you look up to in the fashion world?

Carrie Bradshaw she's my absolute favourite. She's fictional but I don't care!

.:♡*♥*♡:.

Thank you so much Melissa for taking the time out of your busy schedule to give us an insight into your life. If you'd like to visit her store, then follow the links:

Glitters For Dinner

Lookbook

Yishi x

Junjun's First Giveaway and Updates!

Aaaand just to let you know that I will have an exciting interview soon from an upcoming Australian clothing online boutique!~

Plus a post of all of my clothing hauls from the last two months, so stay tuned! :D

Yishi x

Spring Wardrobe Styling by Chriselle Lim

Hey there!

Just a quick post to let you know I'm still here ~ found a nice video on styling your wardrobe for spring that you may like! :)



Yishi x

[Review] Cellnique D'Sensi Calming and Hydrating Cream

Hey guys, sorry for the long absence ~ this review is way way overdue, so I pledge to make it both in depth and full of lovely photos! :)

Today I will be reviewing the D'Sensi Calming and Hydrating Cream by Cellnique, a skin care company based in Malaysia and Singapore.

Let me begin by giving you a quick overview of my skin type. I have sensitive skin that suffers from redness if I come into contact with an irritant, and it can get very dry too, especially around my neck and lower chin so I need to moisturise it very often. Of course, my T zone also gets oily in the summer but my skin is best described as sensitive rather than combination since I grew up with mild eczema.

Description
A sophisticated dual-action moisturizer with extraordinary soothing and hydrating properties. Multi-active Desensitizing Complex and Yeast Extract are infused to neutralize outbreaks of redness; provides lasting relief to enraged skin by raising skin tolerance threshold. Its exceptionally high concentration of Hyaluronic Acid and Trehalose magnifies skin hydration and reinforces skin protection barrier.

Benefits
• Diminish symptoms of skin sensitivity: redness, burning, stinging, tightness, tingling, itching and flaking.
• Skin is less reactive to external aggressions and different stimuli or irritants.
• Excellent soothing effect to reduce the discomfort and itching sensations.
• Deliver long hours continuous moisturization
• Skin texture becomes more youthful, sensuously smooth and supple!

RRP US $57.00

Cellnique is a skincare company that specialises in dealing with problem skin ~ on the website, you can find out information about the following skin issues: acne, aging, congestion, dehydration, discoloration, open pores, sensitivity and scarring. As such, it is easy to go through the pages to find the treatment that best suits your skin type ~ this can be done via the menu too on the main page. I find their website very easy to navigate and was impressed with the presentation of the products and the detail on each product page.

The lovely Livia from Cellnique was kind enough to send me this product for review so all views expressed from here on are my own and unbiased! ^^

Review:

The packaging of the product is minimalist and professional looking, going for the appeal of functionality rather than being colourful and pretty. I was hoping for a dispenser rather than a jar since I believe dispensers to be more hygienic but as jars are the norm for these types of creams it was only a minor quibble. Also, I think the English grammar could be improved a little bit on the descriptive paragraph of the packaging...

This cream uses much fewer ingredients than the last cream I reviewed, appears to contain no metals, and there are a lot of listed ingredients that are natural extracts too, so this cream should be kind to sensitive skin ~ especially if it is free from artificial colourants, alcohols and fragrances as the description says.

The fragrance is light and refreshing with a subtle hint of cucumber. It's sweet and slightly floral ~ a pretty generic and safe scent! In the photo below, you can see that the colour of the cream is a very pale apple green, and the consistency is thick and gel like. It is cool to the touch, and upon application, I could feel the gel cooling and refreshing my skin. There is a slight sticky residue, which is quickly absorbed, leaving no greasiness.

I found that my skin felt soft and plump, especially on my cheeks which are now years younger! This cream was kind to even the most sensitive parts of my face ~ my neck and lower chin, but they did not react to the cream which is a major plus! In addition, the cream successfully moisturises and soothes my dry areas, making them appear calmer and less visible. So in essence, this product and I will get on very well. In fact, I've been using it for a few weeks now, and my skin has not complained in any way whatsoever.

However, at $57.00 this is definitely not student budget material! It's one of the higher end creams and aimed at working women in their twenties onwards so if you are on a tighter budget then I would not recommend this product for you. However, I do like this cream a lot, even more so than the No7 Beautiful Skin, so it is a shame about the price!

Rating: 3.5/5 (one star knocked off for the price!)

Yishi xxx

P.S. My thanks again go out to Livia, who so kindly sent me this product to review.