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4 Mobile Games That Are Annoying But Addictive

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You know exactly what we’re talking about, don’t you? You probably already have an entire folder of games you just can’t stop playing on your free time – first person shooters, puzzles, etc. And then there are the games that just annoy the hell out of us. We’re not talking about passive games like Neko Atsume (aww those kitties are just way too cute), but the ones you put yourself through even though you’re 101% fed up.
We’re talking about the ones that have a gameplay so simple; you just can’t help but want to beat your own personal best. It’s the ones that bring you on a roller-coaster of feelings – they teach you what it means to be angry, to be persistent in achieving your goal, and the patience of virtue and hard work (HA HA).
These are the games that have spawned after the genius known as Flappy Bird (you have left a scar in our lives and are sorely missed). Welcome to a whole new world of annoyance games you’ll probably, and maybe secretly, enjoy.
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1. Amazing Brick

“I’m not an amazing brick as named by my stupid creator. I’m just a happy brick, jumping joyfully around my beautiful colorful female neighbors…”
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The gameplay for this is pretty simple: you need to constantly tap on the left and right sides of the screen to successfully manoueuvre the diamond-shaped “brick” through obstacles. That’s it.
But once you start playing, you’ll start to realise that upwards movement is incredibly fast. It’s so fast that if you’ve gone on about 40 seconds without dying then, well, you’re probably have really good reaction time. It’s not a straight line you’ll be travelling, as you’ll have to try and volley left and right to get through some of the obstacles at an angle. If you turn on the sounds, you’ll hear the soundtrack of a piano in the background, complemented by seemingly cartoon-like sound effects as you tap.
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2. Color Switch

“Tap the ball carefully through each obstacle and your ball will switch color with some powerups. You must follow the color pattern on each obstacle to cross it! Be careful not to pass through the wrong color or you’ll have to start again.”
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The official description itself is self-explanatory. It’s similar to Amazing Brick, in a sense that you’ll have to tap the screen to move your ball upwards. Also, we’re totally digging the house track used as background music.
It has a bunch of game modes you can try – Challenges, Reverse, Races, Cave, Color Swap and Color Fly. Our personal favourite is the Reverse Mode, because instead of trying to push the ball upwards, the ball gets dropped from above and you’ll have to keep it afloat before going through the obstacles.
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3. Swing

“Swing from platform to platform. Simply tap the screen when the rope is long enough to reach the next platform. How long can you survive? Collect gems and unlock cool new characters.”
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If this game had a theme song, there’d only be one obvious choice – Chandelier by Sia. The game starts the moment you press play, so make sure you’re absolutely focused, which means you can’t be talking to someone (you shouldn’t even be playing games if you’re with someone), watching a show or walking while you’re playing it.
You get extra points if you land perfectly in the middle, so hopefully your estimations are flawless. The single block platforms are the hardest because there’s literally NO room for mistakes. By the way, let the character move all the way back so it falls off to unlock an achievement. You’re welcome.
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4. The Line

“Swipe your finger left or right to move the blue dot and stay in the line. What is your best score?”
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Swiping left and right? Just like Tinder, except you’ll probably want to smash your phone, put it in a box and drop it into the ocean so you’ll never have to deal with the game ever again. You’ll be controlling a ball that follows where you swipe (and it’s very sensitive, just so you know) through a tunnel that just never seems to end. Make sure you keep your thumb on the screen throughout the game, though the only part you should really be lifting it is when it prompts you to so that the ball can “cross the river”.

5 Best Places To Get Your Mom Jeans Fix

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If there’s one trend we’re glad has come to stay (for so long now!), it’s the ever-versatile mom jean. The fact that it’s a chic take on the baggy 90s silhouette plays second fiddle only to the comfort. Oh, the comfort – nothing beats being able to sidle into the office an image of sophistication, while still feeling like you’ve rolled fresh out of your bed in your pajamas. Personally, my go-to pair is a $7 secondhand bargain I picked up at a Goodwill in the States, but let’s be honest – until you get a chance to go hardcore thrifting abroad, here’re five best fast fashion shops to stock up on your favourite style of mom jeans.
 
For the Classic Blue Jean: Topshop

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MOTO Dark Blue Mom Jeans, S$89.90, sg.topshop.com

Topshop wins hands down – heck, pants down – for the staple classic blue mom jean. The old-school wash, the roomy yet flattering fit, the impressive selection; a hefty price tag to pay but oh so worth it. Move over, Joni!
 
For the Rock Chick Acid Wash: Urban Outfitters
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BDG Mom Jean in Black, US$59, urbanoutfitters.com 

It’s the badass rock-and-roll cousin of the homey mom jean – essential for an effortless, laidback look and/or making an outfit three times grungier.
 
For the Distressed: Boohoo
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 Jodie Shredded Leg Mom Jeans, £25, boohoo.com

What’s a 21st Century Mom Jean without some controversial distressing? Take your pick from rips to shreds, to gaping knee holes at Boohoo if you’re in the mood for mixing things up a bit.
 
For the Slim Cut Boyfriend-Mom: Uniqlo
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Slim Boyfriend Fit Ankle Jeans, S$59.90, uniqlo.com/sg

For those days when you still want to look a little more put together while staying comfy. A clean white number will keep you looking crisp and professional throughout the day.
 
For Variety: ASOS
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Liqour & Poker Mom Jeans With Deep South Embroidery, £40, ASOS.com

Looking for a pair of skinny-fit slim mom jeans? Or maybe you’re in the mood for a funky patchwork number embroidered to hipster perfection. Either way, ASOS is quite easily your one-stop shop if you don’t know what you’re looking for and have some spare time to browse.
 
Featured images from urbanoutfitters.com

Here's Your Chance To Attend The School Of K-Beauty

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A mul-kwang-pi-bu complexion, neutral-toned eyeshadow, and the ubiquitous ombre lip are immediately-recognisable Korean makeup trends. Season after season (or perhaps more accurately, K-drama after K-drama), we never stop lusting over these looks, and it’s hard to stop amassing beauty products that promise to help us copy the makeup as seen on our favourite Korean celebrity.
K-Beauty is fast-evolving, and that’s why we need to be schooled on the latest – and by who else by Laneige, the expert in K-Beauty. And here’s your chance as we’re holding a LANEIGE x NYLON Singapore School of K-Beauty – Spring Collection workshop on 12 March 2016, where you’ll get to try out the all-new launches like the Two-Tone Shadow Bar and White Plus Renew Original Essence_EX and learn about how to work them into your own routine.

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Laneige’s Global Makeup Artist, Cat Koh Young Eun, will be conducting the session. We’ve attend a number of sessions helmed by her, and trust us when we say she is one bubbly K-Beauty expert who has plenty of handy tips to dispense – so you’ll definitely want to be taking down lots of notes.
 
Here are the event details:
LANEIGE x NYLON Singapore School of K-Beauty – Spring Collection
Date: Saturday, 12 March 2016
Time: 10am-1pm
Venue: InterContinental Hotel – Bras Basah Room
Fee: $50 per pax, fully redeemable for Laneige products (usual price: $80)
 
The session is limited to 40 attendees, so sign up using the form below for your chance to get schooled in K-Beauty:
 

WATCH: Lauren’s All Armoured Up In CHVRCHES' “Clearest Blue”

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Never mind that CHVRCHES has visited us three times in the past two years; we will never get enough of them. And to sate our voracious musical appetite, the Glaswegian electronic trio has just released a new blue-tinted, gloomy video for “Clearest Blue”, one of their standout tracks from their sophomore album “Every Open Eye”. Lauren dons some knightly pauldrons to match her black frock and sits in the middle of what seems like an enchanted, blue forest. She walks through the woods as her bandmates go missing, and suddenly finds a kind of cauldron. Then she decides, “Yeah, I’m probably better off without these metal things anymore,” and turns into a nightclub-going chick of sorts. The video is directed by Warren Fu, who has also made visuals for the likes of Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk, HAIM, The Strokes, and more. He has successfully pieced together a myriad of different scenes, leaving a lot of it to your imagination. He ends it on a high, with an ambiguous note that says, “Follow the Blue”. Okay… Watch the clip below:

Why The Saint Laurent Show At The Palladium Was Total Genius

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Amidst the flurry of the New York Fashion Week season, one show stood out — and that’s precisely because it didn’t show at the NYFW. On 10 Feb, just one day before the official start of the hectic fashion calendar, Saint Laurent, led by Hedi Slimane, did just about the most rockstar thing ever, true to their roots too. They showed at an entirely different location — at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles — and chose to debut the Men’s collection, as well as Part 1 of the women’s collection ahead of the Paris show. Here’s why it’s deviously genius.
1. It was very, very timely

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Held just five days before the glitzy Grammy Awards, this meant the attendees included music royalty who were in town that week — the likes of Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber — but more on that later. The timeliness makes sense for a brand that’s so steeped in music culture, so sought after by musicians, and from a stylist’s point of view, even better because the musicians were able to don looks fresh off the runway. That’s a sly, but ultimately smart, way to get people talking about the brand, and you know the reality of that these days, any social buzz is good news to designers out to prove that their brand’s alive and #trending.
We have to talk about the location as well. As always, Saint Laurent never fails to disappoint with a kickass production, and this time, it was a moving set of angular light tubes. The iconic location, at the Palladium, has housed music greats, so staging the brand’s always-on-point rockstar collection, was very fitting since the collection also pays tribute to the Los Angeles music scene. Did we mention that’s practically Slimane’s backyard? The revered designer has been living in L.A., a city that has in turn inspired a lot of his recent collections (the Spring/Summer Surf Sound collection, for instance).
2. That A-list black carpet + front row
As we said earlier, the timing was perfect for our favourite celebrities, and the most recognisable faces include Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Courtney Love, and Joan Jett. There were plenty of formidable Hollywood actors as well, Sylvester Stallone and Jane Fonda made an appearance, while the young Hollywood set includes Emma Roberts, Dakota Fanning, and Lily Collins.
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L-R: Beck & Justin Bieber, Courtney Love & Lady Gaga; Second Row: Courtney Love, Joan Jett


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L-R: Elle & Dakota Fanning, Sam Smith & Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi; Second Row: Lily Collins, Jane Fonda & Sylvester Stallone

3. The collection itself — every piece was a winner
Model whizzed past bearing Saint Laurent signatures — including coveted leather jackets of course. We have to say, there was way more colour all around, a spritely red for instance, and animal prints abound. Every look was perfectly paired and put together, and the layers both act cohesively, as well as add visual interest in terms of contrast and texture. In short, there wasn’t a blah outfit at all, at least in our eyes. The glam rock elements were unmistakable, thanks to the luxurious fabrics, present in fluffy mink coats, and loud accents (cuffs, collars, jackets, embellishments, metallic fabric). Even if the men sported all-black outfits, the sleek cuts of the tailored suits made them each look like a particularly smooth criminal, as does the distinct fedoras. For the women, we love the culottes, whether in leather or tweed, as wearable styles that when paired well, can make anyone look far from conventional. Here are some of our faves.
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All photos, courtesy of Saint Laurent. VIPs photos, by Saskia Lawaks. 
 

Here's Everything You Need To Recreate This Gorgeous Makeup Look

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The start of the Autumn/Winter 2016 fashion weeks is upon us, with the New York shows leading the way and dominating all our social media feeds last week. So far, it has been the Rodarte and Marc Jacobs shows that were getting all the airtime, all thanks to the goth makeup revival going on there – almost-black lips at Rodarte that managed to look somewhat romantic; at Marc Jacobs, the black messily ringed models’ eyes in addition to being smeared on the lips for full-on badass.
Badass makeup is great, but when it comes to daily life, the fact of the matter is that black lipstick and eye paint just isn’t going to cut it in the classroom or office. We’ll save them for the weekends and crazy nights out, but for the everyday, we’re turning to one of the prettiest beauty looks we’ve spotted on the A/W ’16 runways thus far: The softly romantic no-makeup makeup at Tanya Taylor.
 

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The makeup was taken care of by NARS, and Uzo, the brand’s International Lead Makeup Stylist in charge of the Tanya Taylor show, calls this “healthy, transparent skin which is combined with glossy eyelids, soft-matte flushed cheeks and rosebud-hued lips.” What we’re obsessing over is indeed the pink on the cheeks, and how it makes the skin look healthy, yet stands out enough without looking too heavy-handed.
And yes, we’ve got the list of every single product used on the models, so of course we have to share it here. Now you know what we’ll be picking up from the NARS counter this weekend.

On the face:
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Velvet Matte Skin Tint, $66 (available from March); Stick Concealer, $40; Soft Velvet Loose Powder, $60
 
On the cheeks:
nars cheek
Multiple in Copacabana (fairer skin tones) or South Beach (darker skin tones), $60
 
On the brows:
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Brow Perfector, $35
 
On the eyes:
nars eye
Eye Paint in Porto Venere, $40; Lip Gloss in Triple X, $37; Duo Eyeshadow in Kauai, $44
 
On the lips:
nars lips
Audacious Lipstick in Anna, $44
 
Model images: Tanya Taylor A/W ’16, courtesy NARS. narscosmetics.com

Watches With A Dash Of Spring

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It’s that time of the year again; we embrace the warmth that comes with the Lunar New Year, the colours of blooming flowers that fill our streets, and the turn of another fashion cycle. While we may not be able to enjoy the beauty of the four seasons in Singapore – climate and temperature wise at least – we still have to move with the times. Like a breath of fresh air in the springtime, colours and beautiful patterns start to fill fashion pages and the many billboards around Singapore, replacing the more muted winter styles that stood in their place just months before. It’s also a sign for you to revamp your wardrobe to make space for the whole spectrum of colours to come. For Timex®, they’ve already begun rolling out their Spring 2016 collection.
The brand has been around since the 1850s under the name “Waterbury Clock Company”, before it was changed some time over the course of World War II. With such a long heritage, it’s not surprising at all that they’ve become known for their affordable, sturdy and reliable quartz timepieces; a combination of high-end Italian designs with cutting-edge German engineering. Fun fact: they produced the very first Mickey Mouse clocks and watches under an exclusive license from Walt Disney back in 1933. They didn’t do too bad; two million pieces sold within a few years is quite the achievement.
It’s hard to say “no” to a brand like Timex®, especially with watches like the Weekender Fairfield (left), a fresh take on the award-winning Weekender collection. Last season, the Weekender Tweed sent us back to the mid-1800s when the fabric was popular, enhancing the watch with a silver- or gold-toned casing for that extra dazzle. The Weekender Fairfield on the other hand, features interchangeable straps – a signature element of the series – in fun, brightly coloured stripes to celebrate the coming of Spring. It’s complemented with a minimal dial design and maintains clean lines to make it easy to pair with any of your outfits. And, as with all Weekenders, the Fairfield also includes the INDIGLO® night-light and a water-resistance of up to 30 metres.
But of course, if that’s a little too much of a burst of colours for you, Timex® tones it down with this season’s Originals Tonal collection (right). Available in either marsala, sage or cream, Timex® goes for a clean look with a matching classic dialogue dial and unique slip-thru strap to complement the 38mm gold-tone case, completing the polished and refined look of this collection.
Timex® Spring 2016 Collections, $128-$148. Available at the CLOUT 9 Store (Wheelock Place #02-09 & Capitol Piazza #B1-32). Follow them on Instagram (@clout9sg) and be entitled to 15% off at Clout9 stores when you mention “NylonSG” (valid from 22 February to 13 March).

P.V.S. x New Balance 996 "9alactic 9irls 6rigade"

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Sneakers have always been more of a guy thing, but these days, nothing’s ever skewed to one gender anymore. Girls are swapping out their sky-scraping heels for sneakers because they’re obviously way more comfortable to walk in (and they’re getting more stylish too). New Balance has one-upped themselves again, this time collaborating with a local female footwear store you’ll probably be familiar with. P.V.S., the store in Cineleisure that has a tunnel at the entrance, puts their very own modern spin on the popular 996 silhouette. The people behind this one-stop store for female sneakerheads have taken upon themselves to create a pair of kicks that breaks out of the clean and tonal trends usually found in footwear (and in the wardrobes of many women), to become that one expressive shoe that’ll add a little bit of pizzazz to your outfits. The P.V.S. x New Balance “9alactic 9irls’ 6rigade” sports a whole multitude of pastel hues to create a galaxy-type of print, with teal accents running throughout the panel lining. The signature “N” insignia remains black to provide contrast.
This limited release will come in a shimmery bronze reflective shoe box that was specially designed in tandem with the people at Streething.
P.V.S x New Balance “9alactic 9irls’ 6rigade”, $189. Available in limited quantities at P.V.S. from 27 February.

Who’ll Run the World at Edmosphere Asia? An All-Female DJ Crew.

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If you look at DJMag’s Top 100 list, you’d mostly see dudes. Which begs the question; why aren’t there more women inside? There are plenty of talented female DJs around, so why the disparity? That’s something that Edmosphere Asia is looking to answer at its inaugural party on 13 May 2017 at Megabox Convention Centre at Big Box (Level 3).
The fledgling festival, organised by HE Productions Pte Ltd and The Third Party Pte Ltd, will be featuring a badass, all-female DJ line-up from across the globe. DJs at the event include DJ Nicole Chen (Singapore), DJ Cookie (Taiwan), DJ Luane De Lima (Brazil), DJ Natalia Moon (Australia), DJ King Lady (Vietnam), DJ Ivy (Korea), MC Rocky (Korea) and MC Marija Debelic (Croatia).

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Singapore’s very own DJ Nicole Chen

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Taiwan’s DJ Cookie

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DJ Ivy

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DJ Luane De Lima

DJ Moon - half body (1)

DJ Natalie Moon

Besides being a great avenue for female DJs to show off their skills, Edmosphere Asia is a fantastic alternative party option for all Singaporeans, especially those keen on discovering new talent. Plus, there’s the license to go all-out and party, something that can’t be too bad, right?
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Interested in finding out more? Hit up edmosphere.asia for more information. This female-fueled, electronic music-driven festival sure looks like it’s going to be a blast.

The Eyeliner Hacks To Get You Out Of Your Cat Eye Rut

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If you’ve only ever worn your eyeliner in a classic cat eye flick, we don’t blame you for being repetitive. It is true that it’s a style that is quite universally flattering, and is a simple enough that it takes only minutes to do, while adding a bit of edge to your look.
There are a million and one tutorials out there dispensing hacks on how to get your flick just right. While those are handy, here’s a challenge: How about changing things up a little in 2016, and not stick to the ol’ cat eye every single day? We realise that the way Asian eyes are shaped makes it seemingly daunting to attempt more unconventional eyeliner styles, since our eyes tend to be smaller and vary from hooded monolids to uneven creases; but there are other flattering options out there.
Trust the experts at shu uemura when they say they’ve got some Asian eyes-appropriate eyeliner styles to recommend – after all, they’re an Asian makeup artistry brand with decades of experience crafting products and looks that bring out Asian women’s natural beauty. Try out these four styles for yourself and see for yourself how easy they are to nail, and then promise us you’ll switch up your eyeliner routine at least once a week.

 

Look 1: Neo-Feline
Okay, if you’re too comfortable with a cat eye, this look is a small step towards something more unique. Basically, outline the flicks as you would usually do, extending them a bit further from the eyes for more impact. But instead of filling them in, leave them as just outlines to create an updated, more artistic form of the regular cat eye.
Liners used:
calligraph ink black
calligraph:ink in Black 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Look 2: Geometric Chic
Adding subtle triangular shapes under the eyes helps enlarge the eyes in an unexpected way. First, tightline above and below the eyes, and then outline the triangular shapes below the eyes. Then, use a liquid liner to go over all the lines, as well as fill in the shapes.
Liners used:
calligraph ink black calligraph ink brown
calligraph:ink in Black or Brown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Look 3: Runway Glam
If you don’t have an eyelid crease, this is one glamorous way to fake it. For a more balanced look, make the extra lines above the eyes thicker at the ends. First tightline above and below the lines with a gel liner, then outline the shape above the eyes. Go over all the lines with a liquid liner after.
Liners used:
lasting soft gel black
lasting soft gel brown
calligraph ink brown
lasting soft gel pencil in Black or Brown; calligraph:ink in Brown
 
 
 
 
 

Look 4: Playful Eyes
Forgo the flick for undereye liner instead. This helps makes the eyes look larger and rounder – the trick is to keep the bottom liner just halfway across the eyes. Do the tightlining above and below the eyes with a gel liner, then use a liquid liner to draw slightly rounded lines, following the natural shape of the eyes.
Liners used:
lasting soft gel black
calligraph ink black
calligraph ink brown
lasting soft gel pencil in Brown, calligraph:ink in Black or Brown
 
 
 

 
If you feel like you still need a helping hand to get these lines right, the good people at shu uemura are here to help. You can book a complimentary 10-minute eyeliner tutorial by calling up any of the shu uemura counters, to pick up some tips from the beauty advisors on how to recreate one of the above four looks in a way that best suits your natural features. Give it a go (it’s free anyway!), and soon you’ll be known as the girl with the strong eyeliner game. See the full list of shu uemura locations here.
 
shu uemura calligraph:ink, $29 for cartridge and $29 for applicator (sold separately); lasting soft gel pencil, $36. Available at shu uemura stores and counters. See more eyeliners here. 

Fashion Spread: Hello, Flower Child

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Sun’s up; freshen up and get ready to prance through the wild winds in printed florals or boisterous fashion silhouettes of the season.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Chuck Reyes
STYLING: Josiah Chua
HAIR: Kenneth Ong / FAC3INC using Kevin Murphy
MAKEUP: Ginger Lynette / FAC3INC using Dior Colors
MODEL: Kennidy / Mannequin
 
See the rest of the spread in our latest #40 Pretty Hurts issue, out on newsstands!

The Weirdest Instagrams of #NYFW

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There comes a time, every few months, in the year, where the people of the fashion world break out exaggerated forms of themselves – all in the name of couture! And as inspiring as these often are, there are, regrettably, times when self-expression becomes… questionable. With New York Fashion Week having just ended yesterday, we took a stroll (or scroll) through Instagram to scope out some of the most daring get-ups of the season. And because no one does it quite like New York, just remember – keeping an open mind is key.
 

A photo posted by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) on



To be fair, this doesn’t exactly count as an Instagram street style snap, but it would be almost insulting to give Gaga’s Marc Jacobs runway look a miss. Our gut say this might just become an iconic look for #nyfw16.
 

A photo posted by Nova Styles (@materialsathand) on


Fur gilet or casual roadkill? It’s a tough one.
 


A bold inclusion for the lads.
 

A photo posted by Denisa Palsha (@modisteblog) on


Where do we even begin – the hot fuchsia wasitcoat jumpsuit thing? The furry pink coonskin cap? The matching pom poms?! Sorry, but no excuses for this pink monstrosity, even if it is for a Jeremy Scott show.
 


At first glance, it might seem forgivable – very Japanese/harajuku-esque, even. But when you picture the casually slung teal coat thrown over the whole ensemble… just, no. That said, props to her for still keeping to the 3-colour rule.
 

A photo posted by Sway (@giosue_buccelli) on


Here’s how not to do fur, #blizzard2016 or not.
 


This one has us stumped – forget the multi-coloured bows embellishing the jeans; why the Gucci furry mule-loafer hybrid? Why???
 

A photo posted by Carrie Colbert (@carriec) on


It’s like your worst tassel carpet-cleaning nightmare but actually even more expensive.
 
And the best for last,
 


We love ourselves some Moschino, especially when they tell it like it is – fashion is hard work.
 
Bring on London Fashion Week!
 
Featured image from instagram.com/mazurbate

The All-Natural Masks Your Skin Needs

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Kiehl’s is starting 2016 with new tubs of all-natural good stuff for the skin, in the form of the Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque, and the Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque. We were at the Kiehl’s Asian Skincare Symposium in Tokyo, to get to know these two nutritious masks and how each serves a specific purpose (no one mask does it all, anyway).
 
Clean and Green

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Many of us might view the haze as an annual annoyance that leads Singaporeans to break out the N95 masks, cancel outdoor activities, and start downing antioxidants in increased amounts. As we write this, haze season is over so the air is nice and clear, and the PSI is in thankfully healthy levels. But that still doesn’t change the fact that the air does contain a certain level of harmful pollutants – yes, even here in Singapore, where we very thankfully don’t have to breathe in hazardous air on a daily basis, like in other bustling cities.
Pollution is harmful to to the body on the whole, obviously, but for now, let’s focus on the organ that’s the most exposed: the skin. Pollution comes in five forms, and they’re all nasty to the skin: particulate matter causes dark spots and wrinkles and weakens the skin barrier; volatile organic compounds lead to more allergic reactions; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are behind quicker aging and more melanin spots; oxides make skin more sensitive; and ozone is the culprit behind skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and eczema.
It’s a mouthful, but the bottom line is: There’s lots of harmful stuff in the air, so you better protect your skin well. Enter the Kiehl’s Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque, which helps the skin fight these atmospheric enemies with a triple action formula:

  • Orange extract helps fight skin damage, by protecting it against UV-induced oxidative damage and stimulating the production of important skin barrier proteins.
  • Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant but it usually depleted when the skin is exposed to external pollutants; this mask helps top it up, so the skin is kept strong, while cilantro oil further boosts the skin barrier.
  • Pollution is further kept at bay by the formula’s anti-adhesion properties, so all those afore-mentioned things in polluted air can’t stick to your skin as well.

This mask was mainly developed to be used at night – apply a generous layer, leave it on for five minutes, then use a tissue to dab off the excess – but Roberta Weiss, Kiehl’s Senior Vice President of Innovation & Product Development, says to go ahead and use it in the day as well.
“We realised from the testing that we did that it has this incredible effect as an all-day anti-aging cream, and the best way to get that is putting it on in the morning as a morning mask,” she tells us, also advising that it’s to be applied right before sunscreen.
Anti-pollution skincare products are already becoming increasingly common on the market, and come in all forms – but this is the first one we’ve seen that comes as a leave-on mask. Weiss explains that a mask formula was chosen because it’s both general and specific: Everyone needs a mask in their regime, yet this one has that specific anti-pollution function. Also, it’s more powerful that your regular mask. “The difference between this and any other mask is it’s really a treatment product, just used three times a week instead of every day,” explains Weiss.
But of course you can use it daily should you want to keep your skin extra protected – as they say, you can never have too much of a good thing like a pollution-fighting mask.
 
 
Light Me Up

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Masks go way back in history. They are thought to have first appeared in ancient Egypt, as part of Cleopatra’s regime to maintain the beauty that she’s famous for. Marie Antoinette apparently started the egg white mask trend, using it to tighten the pores, while Yang Guifei, one of China’s “four great beauties”, is said to have relied on brightening and tightening masks as well.
Fast forward a good number of centuries, and masks of 2016 surprisingly aren’t high-tech concoctions made of carefully-engineered chemicals with names we can’t pronounce; but rather, as Kiehl’s has shown, a blend of the all-natural stuff that women have been relying on down through the ages. The Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance masque is a skin brightener that uses turmeric extract, that famous skin radiance-booster that’s already a stalwart in Ayurvedic, Chinese and Egyptian traditional medicines. Its other superpowers include detoxifying the skin of impurities, antioxidant properties, and the ability to balance sebum on the skin.
Exfoliation is a key step to brightening, because that’s what’s sloughing off the dead skin cells that are the cause of dullness; in this case, crushed cranberry seeds are the ones doing the gentle scrubbing; cranberry also happens to be a fruit that’s chock-full of antioxidants.
Feeling the cranberry seed bits exfoliating your skin might be scary to those with sensitive skin, but Kiehl’s promises it’s gentle, and if you’ve sensitive skin, you definitely shouldn’t be avoiding exfoliation completely. Dr. Geoff Genesky, Head of Kiehl’s Skincare Laboratory, explains: “Not only can (exfoliation) help improve the appearance of their skin, but in some ways it can combine other treatment steps in their routine, and help renormalise and strengthen the skin barrier. That can be important in preventing some of the sensitisation issues.”
So, get scrubbing. After cleansing, apply this mask to the entire face. Leave it on for five minutes, then gently massage the skin to get the exfoliation going, before rinsing it off. Use it a few times a week, and Weiss recommends pairing it with the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot solution if you need an extra boost of clarity, or the Daily Reviving Concentrate if you just need an overall radiance boost. 2016 looks like it’s going to be a bright year ahead already.
 
Kiehl’s Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque and Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque, $49 each. Available at Kiehl’s stores. kiehlstimes.com

Fashion News: Welcome To Realiti

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it’s bold move, placing an animated character in a high fashion campaign, but there you go, final fantasy’s protagonist, lightning, was unveiled as louis vuitton’s model of choice earlier this year, and all over billboards and store fronts. unreal.
and it looks like the heroine reign isn’t over, not yet. you wouldn’t normally expect someone as quirky and anti-establishment as grimes to be modelling louis vuitton’s spring/summer collection, but as it happens, that’s now reality too. let’s just say we’ve suddenly way more interested in how this 162-year-old fashion house is re-inventing itself for the now, or, the future. by amelia tan
Maybe it’s the faded pink hair. You can’t help but to compare the two though – we’re talking about Lightning, the heroine of Final Fantasy XIII, and experimental musician, Grimes, also the cover girl in our previous issue. Unconventional and empowered, they both happen to be the faces of Louis Vuitton as well, which comes as a nice surprise. After all, you can say that they’re far removed from the likes of fellow muses Alicia Vikander and Jennifer Connelly.
It also helps that Grimes, or Claire Boucher, admits that she does have a bit of that ‘manga heroine’ in her sense of style (for reference, just watch her latest “Kill V Maim” music video). “It fluctuates, but ‘manga heroine is always a good vibe,” she says, which then brings us to her, rather unusual, association with Louis Vuitton. While known for classic designs, including the ubiquitous monogram that’s on every luxury bag you’ve seen, the fashion house seems eager to move into a different direction, especially with their recent cyber and anime-inspired collection.
We’ve got creative director Nicolas Ghesquière to thank for that. Under his vision, the world was privy to a Spring/Summer 2016 show that has all the elements of a futuristic sci-fi flick – it featured a virtual reality Oculus Rift unit, a computerised Minecraft voiceover, while NASA video projections played on in the backdrop. These touches are reflected in the actual collection, inspired by video game characters, with sleek leather jackets, cut-outs and zips in unusual places, as well as loose, layered skirts and heroine kilts, whose fabrics were expertly manipulated to look like pixels.
“I was thinking about this digital frontier, which I wanted to combine in harmony with the world of Louis Vuitton – the craft, the wardrobe. It’s an evocation of cyber, of what comes from digital – these characters or girls that are speaking to their generation,” he tells Dazed Digital.
So, it makes sense that Grimes, digital music manipulator and an embodiment of the new-age It-girl, after being in the front row at the Paris show, headed straight for a fashion shoot with the brand. As you can see from these exclusive images, we can’t think of a more ideal representative of the new Spring/Summer vibe.
Full interview, exclusive images, and more, in our latest #40 Pretty Hurts issue, out on newsstands!

Good Times: Spring Into Action

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If the constant rain caused chaos for you in the past few months, fret no more for our version of Spring is upon us. While warmer and more humid days aren’t exactly the most favourable conditions for us, at least we know for sure that the weather during this period won’t be so unpredictable. Also, that means we’ll be seeing more clothes with a bigger variety of vivid colours, lighter fabrics and bolder motifs and patterns in stores, so get with the times and pick a quirky piece of arm candy as a starter for your seasonal wardrobe overhaul. By Adam Kerr.
Read more in our latest issue #40 Pretty Hurts, out on newsstands now!

Why You Need To Be Living In Linen

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As inhabitants of a tropical island, linen should really be much more of a staple in all of our wardrobes. There’s hardly any other material that’s as efficient at keeping the skin cool; its soft texture and usually loose silhouettes also make for refined, yet casual, outfits – as seen here on extremely photogenic couple, Liv Lo and Henry Golding, dressed in pieces from MUJI’s latest French Linen Collection.
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On Henry: French Linen V Neck Cardigan in Dark Navy, $69; French Linen Washed Short-sleeve Shirt in White, $49; French Linen Shorts in Medium Gray, $59; Organic Cotton Slip-On Sneaker in Off White, $39
On Liv: French Linen UV Cut High Gauze Crew Neck Cardigan in White, $59; French Linen Round Neck Short-sleeve Dress in Dark Navy, $59; Sneakers in Off White, $39

 

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On Liv: French Linen 3/4 Sleeve Blouse in White, $49; French Linen Easy Gaucho Trousers in Dark Navy, $59; Organic Cotton Slip-On Sneaker in Off White, $39
On Henry: French Linen Washed Shirt in Khaki Green, $59; Organic Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Shirt in Off White, $19; Organic Cotton Stretch Denim Slim Pants, $49; Sneakers in Off White, $39

 
MUJI French Linen collection, $39 to $99. Available in MUJI stores from March. muji.com/sg 
 

PHOTOGRAPHY: Chuck Reyes
STYLING: Josiah Chua
MAKEUP: Dewi Mahoney
HAIR: James Chiun
MODELS: Fly Entertainment Artistes, Liv Lo and Henry Golding