Collective Lush Haul/Review

I've picked up some Lush products over the past month and I want to share them with you/give a little review.To note,some of these products,like Jersey Bounce,Charity Pot body lotions and Aromaco deodorant are from Hong Kong's Lush when my relatives went there a month ago.Personally,I thought it was a nice surprise to get Lush products from them when I didn't expect them to get stuff for me.

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FACE

Dark Angels cleanser 

This cleanser has a calming charcoal smell and made of natural ingredients.I have used the mini tester and it leaves my skin soft and matte.It calms down my skin and tones down redness too! What I like about Lush cleansers is that you can build the consistency of it the way you want and a even a thin layer works well.However, your sink might get messy when using Dark Angels.Overall,I think this cleanser is lovely to use if you don't mind the mess or spend a bit more time to wash your face .

HAIR

Jersey Bounce Shampoo

At first,I wasn't sure what a shampoo with ingredients such as a free-range egg,linseed and sea salt would be like.When I checked it out online,there were many positive reviews about this shampoo.I was rather surprised and it smells amazing.The hints of lemon and sea salt are so refreshing! I'm excited to try this out,but I have to wait until I'm done with my current shampoo.

BODY

Aromaco Deodorant

 This product is new to me as I've never used a solid deodorant before.I normally just use sprays or roll-ons. As Singapore is humid and very hot most of the time,trying to stay 'dry' is quite challenging-especially for me as I sweat easily. I've used a small amount of this so far and it is good at leaving my skin dry and soft.Although,I'm not sure if I would get it again as it is something out of my comfort zone for deodorants.Who knows? Maybe I'll grow to like solid deodorants some day?

Bohemian Soap bar

When life gives you lemons,don't make lemonade-make a soap out of it.I'm pretty sure that's what Lush has done and now my life is filled with this lemon craze-Queen Bey's Lemonade album,Lemongrab,this soap bar and the lemon fruit.I love this soap bar because of the uplifting lemon scent and the bar looks incredible.I'm not sure if it's just me or it has this marble-effect with the lemon bits? Anyways,I'm dying to use it because it's perfect for summer and I want to smell like a frickin' lemon.(My kind of goals.)

Charity Pot Body Lotions

The Charity Pot body lotion comes in a bigger tub too but I prefer this smaller tub that I have.

The mini pot is very handy,especially when you need to bring around a moisturizer for holiday or in your everyday bag.It smells of essential oils and leaves skin perfumed.What I love about it is that it isn't thick in consistency or leave my skin sticky either.It contains a variety of essential oils and a little bit goes a long way.Furthermore,100% of the proceeds,apart from taxes,go to good causes,such as animal rights.The smell of essential oils might not be my go-to scent but I think it will be very useful when I travel to colder countries.

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Thanks for reading this blog post and I do hope that I'll have more time for my blog this year.My O Levels is important and I frequently have exams one after another.Blogging is something that I don't want to miss out on and now that I finally have time to make a post,I appreciate it a lot.

*Kelly*

What I've Been Up To

Hello everyone! Over the past few weeks,I still had school stuff going on even though my term ended.I had 2 weeks of structured lessons,open house and dance camp.I'm currently having my school holidays and I do have more time to blog.However,I don't really have much to blog about now because my life isn't very exciting.I do the same thing almost everyday-study,watch Youtube videos,eat,sleep and watch AHS/Scream Queens.I don't go out very often either.

I did do some online shopping because of the Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals but some of my stuff aren't here yet.Currently,I'm trying to study ahead for next year as I'm taking my 'O' Levels in 2016.(I might be on hiatus for my blog too) My 2015 has been shit and 2016 may be even worse.I guess I'm going to end my blog post here? I'm just typing what's going on in my head tbh.Also,I've decided to post this so that my readers won't think I'm dead/stopped blogging.

*Kelly*

Extra Photos from Osaka & Update

I'm finally done with my exams for the year today! I feel bad so ditching my

 blog for so long and coming back feels rather strange.Over the past few weeks,

I didn't expect some of past posts to receive many page views!

I won't be going overseas during the holidays because I need to prepare for my O Levels next year.On the bright side,I found some extra photos from my Osaka trip in June.I thought it'll be nice if I could upload and share some of these extra photos,in case they get deleted by mistake.

I'm dying to take a good break after 2 continuous weeks of examinations.

I have a lot of posts to upload (which are quite overdue) such as my current favourites,

birthday haul and washi tape collection.Stay tuned for those and I'll end my post here.

See you next time,bye!

Kelly

3 Must-Eat Food At Dotonbori

3 Must-Eat food at Dotonbori-Osaka.

GYOZA.TAKOYAKI.OKONOMIYAKI

GYOZA

Fun fact, gyoza originated in China (where they are called jiaozi), but have become a popular dish in Japan. This Dotonbori outlet is the main Osakaosho and it has 4 floors.Its landmark is the big gyoza sign.It is open everyday and you can buy their gyoza as takeaway for around 200 yen.Apart from gyoza,there's set meals available on the second floor.

Address:1-6-13 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka

TAKOYAKI

Takoyaki is another well-known Osaka street food.Best enjoyed hot,takoyaki is soft on the inside and topped with dried bonito flakes (which 'dances' around due to the heat of the takoyaki).Savoury,fluffy and crispy,takoyaki is a must-try.This store is the Dotonbori Konamon Museum,which can be easily spotted which its giant octopus signboard.

Address:G/F Chuwa Daiichi Building, 1-6-12, Dotombori, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan

Closest Metro Station: Shinsaibashi / Namba

CREO-RU's OKONOMIYAKI

Another favourite,is Creo-Ru.

Bottom left: Okonomiyaki,a  popular pan fried food that consists of batter and cabbage.It is usually filled with shrimp,octopus,kimchi,yam or pork.It is served and cooked on a griddle.Creo-ru's okonomiyaki is already cooked,so don't worry about cooking it yourself as it might be daunting for some.

Bottom right: Shrimp Kushiage and Takoyaki.Fried shrimp can never go wrong when paired with a tangy sauce.Their takoyaki is different from the Dotonbori Konamon Mueseum-darker in colour and the filling isn't the same.In my opinion,the Konamon Muesuem's takoyaki has a more gooey filling.

Personally,whenever I went to the streets of Dotonbori (daytime),it always rained and had a dreary sky.It gave me this 'Spirited Away' vibe -all the food,lights and a mixed smell of seafood and rain.The crowd gets heavier as the day comes to an end.At night,Dotonbori comes to life with bright lights and the famous Glico running man.A trip to Osaka is not complete without a visit to Dotonbori.

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Kelly

Osaka Haul!

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June has flew by quickly and school's starting in 2 days.It's been awhile since I've returned from my trip to Osaka,so here's a mini haul!Currently,I'm trying to write scheduled,blog posts in advance because my school's timetable is going to interfere with my blogging :(

Anyway,let's begin the haul!

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LUSH

 I stumbled upon a Lush store in Umeda station and was drawn in by overwhelming,sweet scents of bath bombs and soaps.Undeniably,the enticing smell that emanates from Lush attracts customers.The salespeople are really friendly and helpful.I couldn't speak Japanese well but they helped me find what I wanted by giving me an English catalog.Not to mention,Lush in Singapore is expensive.One product is nearly double the price than the same one in Japan/USA!

I bought the soap bar,Honey I Washed The Kids for 600 yen,(around SGD$6,usual:$13.95 #WORTH IT).It was their best-selling soap bar and I've got to admit,this soap bar smells heavenly.The shampoo bar is also in 'The Honey I Washed' series and I bought it to match the soap bar. Herbalism is a cleanser that I wanted to give a shot.I have oily skin and the salesperson recommended this product,along with an unexpected hand message & on-the-spot test try.

Disney Store (HEP 5)-Olaf Washi Tape,200 yen

Don Quijote: Biore nose pore pack,400 yen

3 Coins (HEP 5)  Flowers (fake), 300yen 

[I wanted to buy more stuff from here but couldn't due to money and flight issues]

Osaka Castle Souvenir Store (ground floor),330 yen

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Hope you enjoyed this short haul! Bye for now!

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Kelly

The Holqa Cafe-Katong

 

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A week ago,I paid a visit to The Holqa cafe with my friends,Jermaine and Cassandra.

Walking along the narrow,tiled streets,we found this little cafe.

Bored and hungry,we went in and gave their food a try.

That Monday,Holqa had a promotion--$7.50 for one of their best-selling pastas!

The three of us shared one pasta (Almost Carbonara) and Monkey Funkey Toast.For drinks,I chose an Iced Mocha and Cassandra got herself a hot chocolate.As usual,we filled our iPhone photo albums with countless of pictures.We moved wallets,water glasses and bags in order to get perfect shots for Instagram.We may or may not have looked like weirdos there...

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Anyways,time for the review!

FOOD

Almost Carbonara (8.5/10)

Almost Carbonara has a cream base,with sliced shiitake

 mushrooms,bacon and topped with a cherry tomato.The angel-hair pasta was chewy and soft.

Pros:You won't get tired of the carbonara taste and would want to keep the whole plate to yourself

Cons: The soupy cream makes things a little messy so don't be afraid to leave a trail of pasta sauce on your table.If you want to share this dish with your friends/family,I suggest taking turns to eat.Transferring the pasta to a separate plate is kind of difficult,unless you have really good skills.

Monkey Funkey Toast (8/10)

This dessert came with chunky peanut butter,thick buttered brioche toast and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.The vanilla ice cream took its time to melt but could have tasted better.The toast was fluffy,soft inside and crisp outside.My favorite part was the peanut butter and toast.

DRINKS

Iced Mocha (7/10)

The mocha came unsweetened so I did ask for some sugar syrup.I loved how the coffee wasn't served super sweet (like Starbucks frappes).The iced  mocha had a layer of foam on the top too.The bottom of the coffee tasted the best in my opinion.It isn't the best in my books but definitely good if you want something light in the afternoon.

Hot Chocolate (-)

(I didn't drink the hot chocolate but I asked Cassandra's opinion of it)The milk foam looked impressive and the hot coco had a sweet smell. Cassandra even had a foam 'mustache' after having the first sip.She enjoyed the hot chocolate a lot so you might  want to give Holqa's hot chocolate a try.

Final Remarks

There's good food,friendly service and a cozy vibe.Moreover,there's books and magazines for your reading pleasure.I found an old copy of Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire and other novels.The place is good for a hangout with friends and reading/laptop use.It's easy to get there,but seats are limited because of the small space.I would go back to the Holqa Cafe again when I'm near Katong.

FOOD: 4/5

COST:3/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Overall Experience: 4/5

INFORMATION

The Holqa Cafe

37 East Coast Road

Singapore 428755

Tel: +65 6635 7010

Opening Hours

Monday – Tuesday: 12pm to 9pm

Thursday – Friday: 12pm to 9pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9am to 9pm

(Closed on Wednesdays)

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Kelly

Joe & Dough

Not long ago,I went to Joe & Dough [@ Kallang Leisure Park] for a lil' coffee break before my Mid-year Examinations (MYE) started.Back then,I didn't have the time to blog.I had spent a peaceful afternoon,sipping on coffee and thinking about my study schedule at Joe's.Of course,there was 'that' Instagram moment (if you know what I mean).I had an Iced Vanilla latte and a scone,while my mother tried their hot latte and lemon tart.

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Food Rating:

The lattes: The iced one was refreshing for a hot day.It wasn't overly-sweet and the vanilla-coffee blend was nice.The hot latte had quite a lot of foam and came with a simple,well-made foam design.

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The lemon tart: It's tangy,sweet and had a flavorful,lemony taste.

The tart crust was crisp and worked well with the lemon curd. (Must Try)

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The scone:Not your average scone-where you'll get bored of the plain,sticky-chewy feel.The top was glazed and golden brown.When you cut it,it's not dry or crumbly.I loved the warm,soft and light taste.You can seriously eat it on its own without any jam,butter or heavy cream.

The scone had cranberries inside and I tasted traces of orange(?).

[If I remember correctly-but it could just be me.Should any of you 

try it and taste a bit of orange,let me know in the comments.]

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The service was excellent.The cashier wasn't a pushover and polite.The atmosphere was cozy and warm.The wooden elements in the room suits the ambiance too.I loved the decorations too.

The shelf behind the barista area was so pretty.The shelf had a big chalkboard with drawings and descriptions of the whole coffee bean process.Pillows,books and small plants were also on the shelf.

The pricing might come across as pricey to some but I think it's usual for a cafe.It's around the same price as Starbucks.However,some of their coffees come in a small glass (kind of like a shot-glass) and paying $5-7 for it doesn't seem satisfying.All in all,I would definitely go back to Joe and Dough for reading,coffee breaks and chats.

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I hope you enjoyed reading this post.Bye for now!

MORE INFO

Check out Joe and Dough:

http://www.joeanddough.com/

*they have a Delivery service,but only available at certain branches.*