River Safari, Singapore!

I went to the newly opened River Safari last week for my Birthday. It was a last minute decision actually, initially we wanted to just catch a movie but while searching for movie timings, Vivian randomly found out there is a Birthday promotion for River Safari so of course the decision was to go to River Safari instead of the movies!

There is a birthday promotion for all Singaporeans and PRs at the River Safari, Singapore Zoo, Birdpark and Night Safari! The Birthday girl/guy gets FREE ENTRANCE and complimentary Ice creams!!

• http://riversafari.com.sg/visitor-info/birthday-special.html 
• http://www.zoo.com.sg/visitor-info/birthday-special.html
• http://www.nightsafari.com.sg/visitor-info/birthday-special.html
• http://www.birdpark.com.sg/visitor-info/birthday-special.html

FREE admission

• 10% off retail and F&B
• Complimentary ice-cream
• To enjoy these perks, simply flash your Wild Birthday badge, issued at the ticketing counter.

Terms and Conditions:

• Valid on date of birthday for all Singaporeans and permanent residents only.
• Proof of birthday required.
• 10% discount applies to regular priced items and house brands only at participating retail and F&B outlets. Not valid with any other discounts.
• The complimentary birthday admission does not include tram rides.

Just go to the ticketing counter and show them your NRIC/ passport and you can redeem a "Wild Birthday" badge along with a ticket. The ticket is so pretty, you can literally use it as a bookmark.

So next year I think I will go to the zoo at 9am then marathon the 3 wildlife reserves one after another xD parking is a flat fee of $4.90 ! Cheap !!

I wasn't afraid to tell the world it was my birthday so I pinned the badge on asap. And when I went through the park entrance, the staff all started singing "Happy Birthday" to me! How awesome >w<! And Vivian aiai sang along with them ~ so sweet <3

This is a very bad angle for me=_= I look weird….

The haze was SO BAD that day but thankfully it wasn't too humid and I didn't sweat much throughout the day. Also probably because much of the exhibits were indoor xD

Big dinosaur age fishes!! I still find it amazing how big they can get @_@

Small alligator. This thing seriously looks like a fossil when it's not moving. Vivian was saying it must be fake but we both jolly well knows the Zoo can't possible place a statue in a display box! Anyway the dude shifted up to breath shortly after thus proving his living presence xD

Silly looking fishes xD

The scenery was very pretty and I have mixed feelings.... but the haze actually made it look picturesque xD like the fog in the high mountainous areas.

Super big alligators! Have no idea why the water in their tank is neon green @_@; Wish I had brought my camera along, the animals are too fast for my iPhone!

Their eyes and scales were both fascinating and scary=_= Machiam looks like fossils…

Then we entered the aquarium area! Big tank of Catfishes. I love aquariums like this with a sitting area, its therapeutic to watch. Especially lovely is the aircon away from the heat and seats to rest my aching feet.

I wore the oxford-esque heels I bought from Navy last weekend. It has a big and solid heel which makes for more comfortable wearing but prolong walking in it still makes my feet hurt x. X

Random monkey looking out at the kids xD Cute but at the same time, slightly sad that it is behind a cage…

These Chinese sturgeons really look like cats o. o! Turned the corners and it's finally time for Pandas!!!

The red pandas and pandas are placed in an air conditioned greenhouse specially created for them. The moment you stepped in you are greeted with a gush of cool and fresh air with very soft instrumental music.

Red pandas are so cute T. T They didn't do much except laze on the tree and be cute xD really feel like squishing their tails >w<!!! Once again so regret not bringing my camera ><!

The food consumption/ menu display for Kaikai and JiaJia the pandas. Apparently they take in 20 kgs of bamboos per day .... These animals are really big eaters sia @-@;;

Finally, the pandas! Here is Kaikai. Dude was busy eating bamboos when we saw him and didn't bother much with us. But I'm just glad at least he wasn't motionlessly sleeping, that would have been so boring to watch.

Here's Jiajia! The girl seemed really restless when we were there and she kept going in circles around her pen xD she walked a minimum of 4 rounds before she finally plopped down in a corner as slept. Managed to capture these before she stopped her performance >D

Then it was finally time for lunch! We saved our tummies so we could dine at the Panda Kitchen.

Check out their super cute panda buns! We also got the special panda tumble that sold for $3.90. We wanted to order the cappuccino with Panda deco on top but alas, the machine was down that day :(

Sneaked a pic of vivian xD The entire restaurant is set in the bamboo theme.

Anyway the bun has Red Bean fillings and the black deco is chocolate flavoured dough. Was nice ;D

Saw another panda statue ! Check out the scenery behind us. It's so foggy it looks like we're in china or something. And no it's not fog, it's haze. Our Indonesian neighbour has decided to burn their agricultures again this year and the wind has brought the smoke across the ocean to us. I'm surprised with all that exposure to the haze, both of are still well xD

Super cute monkeys! They are so tiny xD If anyone of you know the name of their breed, please comment and remind me !

And then the best part of the trip for me, the Manatees!!!! They are in an aquarium tank by themselves with some fishes and there is a tunnel with displays of different fishes before we reached the Manatees. It's almost as if they were building up the climax xD

Otters ! The pair of them could be seen from the overhead cylinder like aquarium. The female otter kept chasing the male xD

Red bellied Piranhas. They look comedic to me =x

Vivian and I were like "Woahhhh" when the full scale of the area came in sight. Coupled with the soft bgm and cooling air it was an instant hit 8D

Manatees are so cutttteeee they are like stuffed socks! Like I told Vivian , they look like extremely stuffed and cute grey socks >D I really wish I has brought my digital camera T. T

I want to squeeze them so bad and I can so imagine myself riding on them in the waters cowboy style xD Makes me depress to know that that will never happen –.-;

Seriously? Then why are Manatees so fat??! Are all those just skin @_@?

Saw this Dugong lingering around one side of the aquarium and tried to take a photo with him/her. I have no idea why neither of us thought of using flash xD On a side note, really don’t like my new hair cut, overdid the fringe and the layering…now it looks weird.

This little big thing is so cute, look at him/her clinging onto the bamboo structure xD

Another Dugong then came to touch base with it xD

It came towards me for a brief moment and this was all I could capture T_T  I really wish I could see his face upclose oTL

check out these video i found online…

I stayed around the area for quite a while and I even requested Vivian to go back to the aquarium area with me where we just sat there and stared at the manatees. Then a very boring live performance started where the divers came to feed the manatees. It wasn't as spectacular as I hoped because the divers were feeding on top of the waters and audience seated at the 'stage' area cannot see anything. In fact I felt a little angry because the manatees actually went away to eat and I couldn't see themmmm D;

Anyway after the staff ended his explanation we walked up to the top of the aquarium and finally saw something better. Saw the big potatoes crowding around the divers and the divers continuously directing the Manatees to move away before feeding each of them. And when the diver is out of feed, she even signalled to them that she has no more food by overturning the pail.

HAIYAH SO CUTE LAHHHHHHHHHH

I only wish the divers could feed them closer to us so we can have a closer look of these magnificent creatures. It would be really cool to see them in another perspective.

Vivian and I went to the souvenirs shops after the Aquarium since the Manatees were the last stop and we really wanted to get some Manatee toys but alas there were none =( There were dolphins plushies but NO MANATEES! WHY??!?!?! River Safari doesn’t even have dolphins! Argh!

Obligatory Poser photo to prove that I was here. Should have taken it with Vivian ><!

Heheh, spotted this in the car park and made Vivian take it for me. I thought she would pose with me but apparently she's more matured than that LOL. To me, now ‘M’ stands for MANATEE <3 !!!!!!!!

Review: Leaders Insolutions Mask ( Aloe Vera)

Bought from: Gmarket ( for sale in Watsons & Guardian in sg)
Price: $1.5 - $3
Rating: 4.5/5

Introduction:
Ok, so some of you might think I'm trying to buff up content by splitting reviews for this mask. I had every intention to go the lazy way and review the product as a whole but then I realise I would not be doing the product justice and neither would my readers know which masks to buy.

Anyway back to the review. I bought this along with my usual bright up mask for the sake of trying. And I reckon since I was already taking the effort to do online purchasing, might as well buy more right? (that is such a dangerous shopaholic mentality O. O;;; )

My initial impression with it was pretty mweh. Its not that it's bad, it's just that it wasn't alarmingly good. While my face felt hydrated after it, nothing really shouts out about it. I'm not a very observant person.

Until my skin allergy struck again. To read more about my skin issues and what it has went through, read this. My skin was flaky, painful and disturbed. Using the bright up mask could only hydrate it for a short while before my skin cries out in protest again.

Then I tried the aloe Vera mask and it turned out to be the holy grail! Granted it did not single handedly saved my allergy but it did significantly made my skin felt so much better afterward. My skin calmed down and was able to slowly recuperate.

Texture:
Soft, thin and heavily coated with the product. Adheres to skin very well. Unlike the Vita Bright mask, this one seems to be made from a gauze like fabric though you can barely tell.

Effects:
Calms redness, soothes the skin and acne while hydrating.

Pros:
Effectively calms and soothes the skin. Relatively affordable.

Cons:
Difficult to purchase.

Conclusion:
Good, will and have bought again. Now I use this as a first aid remedy when my skin needs some rescuing or there is pimples or redness I want to calm. If I feel like my skin allergy is creeping back, I use this mask first.

If you are interested to purchase it, this is where I always buy mine. Yes, i might earn some commission if you buy via the link but I tell you, that is the store that sells it cheapest on Gmarket! Many other stores adds addition cost afterwards .  They take 2 weeks to ship though…. maybe it’s because I’m cheap and always opt for the $0 shipping option =x

Have fun masking xD! 

My Skin History

Be warned, this is a LONG entry. It's probably a weird decision to start this blog with an entry to explain the history of my skin. But I feel it will help you guys understand where I've been and why I have a certain perspective on the products I might review in the future. This post was drafted and supposed to post long ago but I never got around to completing it so yeah…

All right, on to it!



I've always had combination, acne-prone, dull, dehydrated and easily scarred skin. On top of that, I am also relatively fair skinned.

Growing up with acne prone skin was bad. But having awful scars that took forever to heal on fair skin was the biggest horror.

Surprisingly, I almost never get big pulsating pimples. It was all the small little pimples that never seem to 'mature' and my itchy fingers that did me in. The epidermis layer of my skin is relatively thin so sometimes, just squeezing whiteheads alone can cause it to bleed or scar =( 

In my attempts to salvage, I turned to harsh products like Benzoyl Peroxide (who hadn't?), Tea Tree Oil, strong facial scrub, acid peeling and etc. None of them were really lasting. Of course, I paid my fair dues to saloons after saloons in an attempt to fix my skin but with little cash to spare, I found it hard to maintain this lifestyle.

Don't ask me why I didn't turn to a dermatologist. I think I was just afraid of the unknown =\

It was a constant struggle to keep my face clear and nothing works until B’liv Blackhead Sebum Gel (formerly called Cellnique) came along. It saved my world and for a short while, my face was totally cleared.

Then, I believe I was using Olay's moisturising facial foam. And with the recommendation of a friend, I turned to DIY oil cleanser. It was a blend of Jojoba, Grapeseed and Castor Oil.

Photo credits Wellnessmama

It was supposed to deeply cleanse and moisturise my skin. Maybe it did but I honestly couldn't tell. But it didn't give me any trouble either so I just continued using. Until one day, a few pimple popped out and said friend recommend me to apply the cleansing oil onto my pimples to help heal it. I went to bed with dabs of the oil on the pimples.

I bet you're face palming now.

Yes, as you expected, the condition worsened. As it appears, my friend might have been talking about using the castor oil only and Silly me used the entire 'jojoba x grapeseed x castor oil' Concoction -__-||| Naturally, the grease made the pimple worse and it spread the germs to other parts of my face.

And then it was all downhill from there.

My life went back to the usual roller coaster struggle to keep my skin condition in check and Cellnique didn't work as miraculously anymore.  I was constantly trying out new products and ways to help my skin.




Things sort of floated until 2 years ago where I met with the worse condition my face ever had.

I remember it was after my Kagamine Rin “Regret message” shoot by the beach (not above photo). After a long day of exposure to the sun and sea breeze, my face finally broke down and gave me a sudden skin allergy reaction.

My face swelled, was red with raised bumps and was itchy as can be!

After that day, my skin felt so hurt and painful! It rejected pretty much every skincare product I use, even those that I've been using all along! I believe during that period and prior to it, I was using ZA's deep hydrating gel. I believe this product is currently discontinued, never seemed to find it in the stores anymore.

It was a very sad skin period for me. I can apply something on my skin and it would immediately tell me whether this product has ingredients that was reactive or not.

My skin was extremely delicate and sensitive. On top of that, it was also super dry! It was so dry and flaky that I could just dab water on my face and rub dead skin off ! Serums, gels, creams all didn't work!

Eventually I turned to a doctor (Polyclinic first) who prescribed me skin moisturizing cream and antiseptic cream. Then to another popular skin doctor many of my friends recommended. The doctor prescribed me 10 items to be used on my skin and advised me to focus on healing the dryness first.

I was hardworking and religiously dedicated at least 15 minutes(day & night) to applying skincare products everyday. Thankfully, the products did eventually heal the direct skin problem. But my skin condition became awfully dry after that. For someone who had previously only dared to use Gel based moisturizers, I now survive on creams. Not lotions but CREAMS!

Rosken’s Dry Skin Cream was one of the product that proved very useful then. I would still recommend their product to friends with dry skin. This is a very affordable product that moisturizes very well.

After the whole incident though, I did realise that the allergy reaction wasn't a sudden occurrence but rather, a gradual build up. I was so used to thinking that because my skin had pimples, I should use products to get rid of it. Because I have scars, I should work on making the scars disappear without thinking about the core of my skin's need.

Photo credits Foodembrace.

http://foodembrace.com/2011/08/oatmeal-mask/

The week before the allergy broke out, I did the Oatmeal mask twice because I was so in love with the velvety effect after using it. However, I found out afterwards that even though Oatmeal is good for sensitive skin and is touted for it's healing and soothing properties. It is also an exfoliator with very good oil absorbing and cleaning properties.

Meaning to say, the excessive use of Oatmeal mask was sucking hydration out from my skin and probably making it loses it's balance.

And prior to that, I was also using Olive oil as my daily Makeup remover for a couple of months (likely longer since I did went through a couple of those bottles...or did I remember incorrectly @@? ). I always thought using olive oil for removing makeup was 'moisturising' but as it turns out , it was stripping my skin of it’s natural oils gradually.



I eventually found Bionike’s Defence Rosys and my skin started picking up. Of course, it wasn't just with the use of one product but a change in a few couple on top of acquiring a new lifestyle.

Because this entry is getting too long, I'll talk about the individual products/methods in a review next time.Unfortunately for me, my skin still continud to suffer from occasional relapses whenever I used the wrong type of skincare or failed to notice the subtle changes in my skin in time. So it is a continuous job making sure my skin is happy xD

The final ending to this long entry is that we should all learn to understand how our skin works.

Different treatment will work differently for each person and the same person can have different skin quality at different times. The biggest mistake I made was thinking just because I’ve been using this product or method for a while, nothing bad will happen.

Understand that our skin can change due to climate and stress so be observant about it and be open to changing your skincare routine when you need to. Some skin care products/methods works great on the first trial but doesn't work well for our skin in the long run.



I'm still learning to work with my skin and it's far from perfect. But at least it is healthier now.  xD

Daiso+ randomness

It's so awesome to have time. I missed the feeling of freedom so much and now that I don't have any pressing things to do, I can finally dedicate more time to myself.

I spent the whole of last Saturday just taking photos and altering the clothes I bought from Qoo10. It's kinda annoying that I have to spend time altering something I bought but alas , I do not have money to tailor make my causal clothes nor do I have the figure of a model.

I took some "before" photos and am waiting to take some "After altering " photos. Will do up a simple altering tutorial for you guys. Nobody reads this blog but it's ok, just dishing out what I know. Lol.

Anyway, I also finally sorted out my shoes. After my shopping spree with Reiko and Cvy the night before, the trouble of finding space to store my shoes surfaced yet again. And I have so many nice shoes that I've only worn once /_\ mostly I stopped wearing because they bite ;( but also because they are put away in their boxes and out of sight, out of mind.

Decided to give this Under-bed storage bag I bought from Daiso another go. Initially found it to be too small and flimsy but I eventually found a way to make it work.



Stuffed two shoe box and lid into it and now it has a structure xD

I went back to Daiso yesterday hoping to get more of that under-bed storage and while the crowd was packed, I still had an enjoyable time marvelling at the cuteness of everything. Seriously why are the Japanese so cute at everything ??

Colourful cupcake cups.

Bento Soya sauce Bottles. Super love them. I bought a few and used them to contain pretty much everything except soya sauce LOL. I mostly use them as travel sized toiletries or skin product. Really like the little animals one. Unfortunately their opening is too small thus weak, after a few uses they just break apart.

They are just pushpins ... Why Daiso why do you have to make them so cute >o<

Animal pouches xD

Big bells. Good for cosplays I guess.

Eventually I only bought these. The face mask thingy on the left Is a silicon Face mask u wear to assist in absorption. Also bought a new bathing net to replace my old one. Regret not getting my previous pink one though, I think the old one foams better.

Randomly decided to try their sunglasses on XD Big sunglasses makes anyone looks celebrity-ish xD Maybe I should go back for it hohoh...

Hanging out with Reiko & Cvy

Went for dinner and shopping with Reiko and Cvy on Friday. Hadn't met them for so longgggg mighty miss them ><! The pair were super cute as usual xD

Had chicken rice at Chuen Chuen which I thought was pretty average. But then for $6 a set, they did have a plate of vegetable and quite a bit of chicken meat.

Sorry my food photos always suck because I cannot wait to devour them xD .

Then it was shopping at Bugis village! Love the place xD ! The girls had been shopping before me and they all had such a loot. I only ended up with these.

A pair of beige pants and heels. Super love the shoe! Bought it from Navy's clearance sale for just $10! It was tw last pair so I'm glad it fits me xD. Pants was also $10.

My shopping loots always make me feel like a cheapskate xD I'm
Sorry I keep posting my shopping loots, I will return with reviews soon!

Oh random chocolate and leather keychain from Cvy. Souvenirs from ... Either Spain or Venice or.... Idk. Lol.

Shopping too much ><?

I spent so much last month T. T

Bought a pearl pendent for my dearest mom , stocked up on skin care products, bought clothes and paid my school fees. I also cabbed to church every sunday because i simply cannot wake up in time for public transport T. T

Ahhhhhh my money don't grow wings please ~~~~~~~

I admit, me buying clothes are usually more of a retail therapy than a need but but after all my hardworking, late nights, holing myself up to work ... I think I deserve something !

I bought 5 piece of clothing from this shop in Qoo10. They are very cheap ($10 - $20) and shipped within a week. Unfortunately the quality of the clothes are pretty poor and didn't fit me very well.

Thankfully I am a cosplayer who knows how to sew >D shall alter them to for me like a glove ! But until then ... They shall lie dormant in my wardrobe -_-|||

I also bought these two from Isabella's closet in Bugis. $10 for the green top and $15 for the chiffon dress. Sadly the black in the chiffon dress will leak colour and it stained the white T. T

I'm quite tiny so most store bought clothes don't fit me very well. I always have to do at least some minor adjustment . Maybe I should blog about how to alter store bought clothes. It's amazing how some minor snipping and embellishing can change them!

Keep calm and keep walking

And so I'm feeling extremely stressed up these few days. With the schedules i live by and my inherently dumb personality, I always feel stressed . I kept having random dreams when I go to bed at night which is always a lousy thing because I'm not getting sleep! Last last night I dreamt of Toni Starks plucking mushrooms -.-;

But this past month has been particularly trying.

In fact I would say this entire first half of 2013 has been.

Hard to believe 2013 is already half gone and I still feel like the same loser I was last year.

Oh, don't mind me calling myself a loser. It's just this thing I do to myself when I'm feeling down. No biggy! I'm not phishing for compliments , I'm just in a negative self thrashing mood and i need a place to throw all these negativity and stress out! Lol!

The thought about the year and my own approaching birthday had me asking myself "what have I achieved?".

Well to give myself some credit, this year I took part in 2 contest and emerged as finalist for both. And if all goes well, I will accomplish a milestone in life soon.

One of the contest I took part in is OMY. sg's Blogger's contest. I am running in the Vlog category. While I am extremely honoured to once again be considered good enough to be the top 10 vlogger in Singapore. The challenge entry that needs to be submitted by 9th June is having me wallow in defeat.

By the way guys, if you think my main blog; The Cosplay Chronicles is Worthy of a support , please vote for me here T. T you can vote everyday !


So 2013 had been an alarmingly fruitful year despite my lack of attention. Ok , I take my word back, all the fruits I gained are through all the hardworking I ploughed. So I guess I deserve them. But like I mentioned on my Facebook, I've always been hardworking but the past 2 years had been particularly exciting and fruitful and I think it's all thanks to God for bringing me to the right places at e right time.

Unfortunately this year also saw a lot of heartaches. I had people I believed in do or say things that made me felt really bad. Things which I felt was unwarranted and unnecessary. It wasn't entirely my fault but i always ended up paying the price for it.

Getting misunderstood is no stranger to me. But it was an old friend I thought I had sent away.

Goes to show how old haunts never fails to trap you when you least expected. It also shows that continuous self reflection is needed for everyone.

And It suddenly dawned upon me that this must be the pain God felt when we betray or reject him . Maybe all these unhappy incident was to make me appreciate His love more.

Every time it happens, I always felt like I could never forgive that person for his / her mistake. But then I realise God forgives so readily and never brings it against us once we confesses. Makes me feel both like an asshole and thankful. LOL.

There is so much I want to talk here but I have 2 exams, 1 event , 1 concept and 2 commission /contest videos to complete within 2 weeks. So I'm off to chase time !

Wish me luck in all things ><!