Essensuals Bugis Salon 3rd Anniversary

There’s no better time than this month of May, to get all your hair styling needs met.

Cut, color, perm, treat – do it all at Essensuals Bugis because….

 

·         PROMO IS FROM 1^ST TO 31^ST MAY 2013.

·         EVERY $80 SPEND ENTITLES YOU TO ONE RAFFLE ENTRY.

·         ALL ENTRIES MUST BE DROPPED IN THE LUCKY DRAW BOX FOUND IN THE SALON.

·         WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED ON 2^ND June 2013 at Essensuals Bugis.

Not only are the prizes really awesome, every customer this May will go home with a fabulous free goodie bag containing treats from all the sponsors shown, including my online boutique Lexi Lyla !

I’m a happy client who gets her hair done there as well. So call to make your appointment, and maybe we’ll be getting our hair washed next to each other ;P

♥ Dawn

Passion For Fashion

How time flies, it’s been about half a year since I attended the epic party event Passion For Fashion 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. And this year’s is happening TONIGHT!

With event founder Josiah Mizukami

Girl power! Linora, me & Evonne.

Passion for Fashion specializes in bringing all professionals from the fashion and film industry together once a year for a glamorous night of networking and fun. 

First launching in 2009, the attendance of models, directors, actors, photographers, hosts, celebrities, agencies, producers and editors to name a few, make it an exciting event for guest to party at.

Catch snippets of the action in this video (and see if you can spot me, twice)

 

The KL crew really knows how to have a ball of a time. Beautiful Andrea Fonseka (on the far left) was with us too.

 

I met a time traveller.

On another note, the night wouldn’t have been complete without a lovely dinner and drinks at Marini’s on 57, taking in the resplendent view of the KLCC Petronas Twin Towers. 

See all of you Malaysian peeps later tonight at The Butter Factory. It’s the Labour Day public holiday tomorrow so no excuses

It’s also a great honour for me to be presenting a special fashion show for my brand Lexi Lyla at this year’s event! I spent a lot of time preparing the runway collection, and I can’t wait. I hope everyone likes it! 

♥
Dawn

Future Music Festival Asia: Day 1

Bigger and badder this time round, the second edition of Future Music Festival Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was one crazy rockin’ party you should not have missed. Wait, make it two crazy rockin’ parties!

The king of trance and ranked no.1 in the world , Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren was the headlining act on Day 1. 

35,000 party-goers made their way to Sepang International Circuit on 15th March to be part of a little electronic dance music history — Armin’s A State Of Trance 600: The Expedition tour, which marks 600 episodes of the Internet radio show he launched in 2001.

Peace & smiles, as we wait in the massive car pile-up leading to the festival grounds.

Our other 2 friends were probably not so happy though – they let us off first and ended up having to park reallyyyyy far. Then they had to navigate an obstacle course of forests and ditches to get there, poor guys! It sounded like a refugee/war story.

Check out all the excited party people, all pumped and raring to go.

YEA YEA! I love it when people dress up funny at music festivals But being in the tropics, boy must it be hot!

Sunset falls.

Lots of fun tents and colorful lighting, electric atmosphere.

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of being elbowed and stepped all over in giant, sticky, sweaty crowds. I guess I’ve done it too many times before and I’ve had enough, lol!

Thankfully I had the Media and VIP tents to hang out in as well. Air conditioning, sofas, water, and food

Sophia and Deva, the super nice PR folks who took care of me really well

Photographer Mike.

Malaysian babes.

Expected expats.

Had a lot of fun playing electronic darts, courtesy of iDarts Malaysia.

I sucked at first, but after a bit of instruction, I managed to hit a couple of bull’s eye ;P

But my favorite spot hands down, has got to be the giant ferris wheel.

Unlike the crawling Singapore Flyer, this one goes round at a decently fun speed, and we got to enjoy a surreal aerial view while jumping and rocking around the swinging carriage. 

Insane….

“Argghhh, we’re better off up here!”

Before Armin played his anticipated set, there were several cool opening acts as well — Super 8 & Tab from Finland, UK’s Ben Gold, Dutch duo W&W, and Germany’s Cosmic Gate. All hand-picked by the superstar DJ himself.

When he went on, the crowd went berserk into a prolonged one hour high, a state of euphoric trance ecstasy.

 

 

The entire show was broadcast live on his two-hour internet radio series, which has a reported 20 million listeners from over 40 digital stations across 26 countries.

…..Party pics ahead. It was super great hanging out with the peeps from Malaysia, Singapore, UK, Australia, and well, everywhere else. Let the good times roll.

Though my legs ached and my sandals were nasty by the end, there was this one moment. One of pure emotional, stirring melody lifting me up into a universe of lights… and it was worth it.

But the 3 hr coach journey back to the hotel? Hmm… that I have to consider again

Took photos with lots of people, thank you to those who IGed me!

And make sure I see the rest of you there at next year’s Future Music Festival Asia too! 

Day 2 blog post coming up next, stay tuned.

♥ Dawn

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

I was quite pleased with the smokey eye make-up I did on myself for Lexi Lyla’s latest 13.5 lookbook shot (seen in the previous post before this)

Sharing some selfies I took that day after I changed out at home as I think they turned out pretty nice.

This style of smokey-eye make-up is very dark and dramatic, yet soft and ethereal.

Not to mention, it makes eyes look larger

Wanna know how I achieved the look? I regularly get requests from followers to share my make-up tips, so I hope you find the following useful!

MY DARK & SOFT SMOKEY EYE TIPS

1. Line upper and lower lash line with black liquid eyeliner.

2. Soften the black eyeliner a little by smudging it with a thick brown-black eyeliner pencil, in soft strokes and blend.

3. Apply a shimmery dark brown/gunmetal eyeshadow all over the upper eyelid, reaching above the crease and extending out further from the ends of your eye. More emphasis on the outer corners. Blend well.

4. Darken the crease line to add depth. Blend well.

5. Apply the same eyeshadow along the lower lid, over and beyond the eyeliner. Don’t do it in a straight line, imagine a crescent moon shape under your eye and fill it in, with more emphasis downwards on the outer corners of your eyes. This will create a wider, doe-eyed effect. Blend well.

6. The overall effect should be like a round halo around your eyes, with no obvious harsh lines. 

 

 

SHOP – www.lexilyla.com

*p.s I don’t share all our sale promotions here on my blog all the time, so remember to sign up for our mailing list or follow on FB to get exclusive updates!!!

♥ Dawn

 

Retail Therapy

The adventure starts here.

Cool girls will be in hot pursuit of classic khakis, neutrals and treasured gold.

See the latest collection at

www.lexilyla.com

facebook.com/lexilyla

instagram @lexilyla

Win 72 Hours in Monaco with Johnnie Walker


I got a slice of the high life last week thanks to Johnnie Walker )) 

First, a plush limousine service from Uber picked me up from my place and dropped me at Seletar Airport.

Where were we flying to? Nowhere particularly…. just an aerial tour all around Singapore, in a private helicopter!

We thought we’d look oh-so-glamorous. Then we had to put on these bright orange safety vests.

The compact helicopter looks very cool. The thrill was bubbling up inside, it was my first time about to step into one.

Aye aye captain, let’s get this helicopter outta here.

Fantasising I own one of these, to fly away wherever whenever. Pilot – me of course. How wicked would that be?

Woohoooo!!!!!

Strapped in and ready to go up, up and away.

 

A little random, but I love the feeling of the helicopter hovering and moving around just slightly above the ground! It feels like you’re in Star Wars or something

We spent around 45 mins in the skies, seeing breathtaking views of all the different precincts of Singapore – from Yishun to Bishan, to the reservoir areas and even dangerously trailing the bordering air space of Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The colourful HDB blocks looked like an endless, neatly arranged sea of toy buildings, it was really quite a marvellous sight.

Throughout the trip, we enjoyed a running commentary from our pilot through the head phones we had on. We were shown tiny islands, places to do water sports, and fishing zones in JB that he pointed out as unsafe because they were right next to shipyards.

Yikes. I love seafood.

From the air, we were taken to the sea for the next VIP experience.

Ship’s ahoy! The Johnnie Walker crew on board our private yacht.

Enjoying a glass of Johnnie Walker whiskey while taking in the sunset.

“Gotta instagram this….“
Rozz and friends lounging on the boat’s hammock before dinner is served 

Nothing like good company, good laughs, and the ocean breeze.

Being out at sea is always one of my favourite things to do

Now it’s YOUR turn.
What I experienced that day was just a small taste of what YOU could have.

 

Ever dreamed of watching the Grand Prix from on-board a private yacht on the French Riviera?

Flying in a helicopter, superstar style?

Meeting and partying with international celebrities and VIPs?

In one of the most incredible contests ever, Johnnie Walker is offering FOUR fans the trip of a
lifetime…..

***WIN The ultimate luxury F1 race weekend in Monaco worth $80,000 per person!!!***

The winners will be jetting off to the glamorous state located at the heart of Mediterranean Europe, for the most prestigious street race on the Formula One calendar. Flying in style to the French city of Nice, a helicopter will be waiting on standby for private transfers to dazzling Monaco.

Once in Monaco, the luxury lifestyle will continue, with the winners enjoying accommodation at a top 5-star hotel for three nights, with access to VIP parties throughout their stay. On race day, they’ll enjoy the afternoon on a private yacht with an unbeatable trackside view of all the thrilling action.

As well as living like a race driver, the prize also includes the priceless opportunity to meet the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team in person and get up close and personal with the iconic Monaco circuit in a guided tour of the racetrack and Formula One pit.

Isn’t this so crazy it sounds almost too good to be true? Well it isn’t.

HOW TO ENTER: From now till end April, every purchase of Johnnie Walker Black Label or Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve will include a unique Gold Pass code. (Bottles can be purchased nationwide at all leading clubs, pubs, bars, hotels and supermarkets.)

Enter your Gold Pass codes at www.facebook.com/JohnnieWalkerSingapore to earn points.

Participants can also boost their points total by inviting friends to the app or sharing videos. The more points garnered, the higher the chance of being selected from a Grand Draw.

The “72 Hours in Monaco” contest ends on 30th April and the winners will be announced in early May. Trip of a lifetime happens on 24th – 26th May.

So for the rest of this month…

If you’re going to party at the club, buy some Johnnie Walker.

If you’re thirsty and need a drink, buy some Johnnie Walker.

If you’re stocking up your bar at home, buy some Johnnie Walker.

Step inside the circuit, and the VIP life.
I’m envious of the winners already! 

♥ Dawn

 

 

Zardoze Model Search

Let me introduce you to Zardoze –  a glamorous homegrown fashion label with a presence in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

They are one of the designers slated for this year’s Audi Fashion Festival 2013, showcasing their beautiful creations with a focus on handcrafted embellishments.

I’m honored to have been chosen as one of their style ambassadors, so keep a look out for me in their pieces soon!

Check out other celebrities wearing Zardoze as well:

 

Want to be the next face of Zardoze?
Then join their model search to appear in top fashion magazines + win some great prizes!

ENTER HERE 

 

Good luck and I’ll see the top three winners at the Audi Fashion Festival.

♥ Dawn

 

 

DBS Solve The Suitcase

Have you played the quick & fun daily game DBS Solve the Suitcase yet?  See my previous post for more info .

This week, you can win a pair of tickets to OSAKA! Play everyday to increase your chances of winning!

 

 

 PLAY HERE -  http://www.dbs.com.sg/travellershieldsolvethesuitcase

This week (15 April – 19 April), there is a special 50% premium discount for the Single Trip Plan. If you are traveling in the next 3 months, you should buy your travel insurance now. Don’t make a mistake and regret not having any coverage.

Buy DBS TravellerShield 

 

Nespresso Atelier Class

As Presenting Partner and Official Coffee of SAVOUR 2013, Nespresso is delighted to showcase their dedication to quality and commitment towards providing gastronomic experiences with their Atelier and Mixologist classes at the gourmet food festival.

I was invited to a preview of their sell-out Nespresso Atelier class, to learn the subtleties, nuances and origins of coffee, and how to make the perfect espresso every time! 

As a coffee noob who can’t tell the difference between Starbucks and a good barista’s cuppa, I could not wait to get educated

Held in the airy APS Lifestyle Gallery where beautiful high-tech kitchens were all for our using, we were first treated to a delicious array of canapés.

I’m wearing //Chiara Geometric Tank Blouse// from www.lexilyla.com

Chef Antonio Facchinetti from Prego, Fairmont Hotel prepared the Italian bites for us.

The student’s “desk”.

A small and intimate class.

Presenting the Nespresso Master & expert, aka our professor of the day!

We have 10,000 taste buds; different parts of the tongue detect sweet, salty, acidic and bitter tastes. So to appreciate the flavour of coffee, make sure to splash it around your tongue to fully taste all the profiles of the roast and it ‘s aromatic complexity.

Nespresso has 16 “Grand Cru” (French for “great growth”, a term originally used for wine classification) capsules, with limited editions released from time to time. They are classified into three categories ranging in intensity.

• Floral – fruity and citrus fruit notes
• Balanced – slightly roasted notes with hints of honey or cereals
• Intense – strong, spicy, woody or intensely roasted notes

Out of the three grand crus we tasted shown above, I liked intensity 4 Dulsao do Brazil  and intensity 10 Indriya from India most. Guess I’m very extreme  Indriya is one of their best-selling btw.

We start by making espressos.

Winner of the Red Dot Design award, the popular Nespresso Pixie coffee machine is gorgeously designed and eco-friendly. It is made of 98% recycled coffee capsules and auto powers off when inactive.

My family recently just bought one for our kitchen, so this class is going to come in very useful!

The tasting ritual for an espresso is a full sensory experience.

LOOK. Delight your coffee with your eyes. Observe the smooth and rich brown caramel colored froth called the crema. Crema is the signature of a perfect espresso! It should have thick and very fine bubbles and remain stable. When you add sugar, the sugar should stay on top of the crema for a few seconds. It should stick to your spoon and not drip. That’s how you tell if you got a well-brewed shot. 

SMELL. Take a whiff of the different aromas.

DRINK. Quickly and splash it around your tongue to take in the complexities and finesse of the coffee, the taste should linger.

On a caffeine high!
Thinking of all the things I’m going to do since I won’t be getting any sleep tonight…

The last recipe we learnt to make was my favorite of the night – Cappuccino a la Rose 

Prepare some white chocolate.

Add your shot of espresso

Then finally, add some milk from the Nespresso milk frother and pour in some rose syrup.

It is absolutely divine!!!

We ended off with a shot of heavenly tiramisu made by chef Antonio using, what else – Nespresso coffee. 

Thank you Nespresso and Savour for a superb Ultimate Coffee Moment.
We are all certified coffee snobs now

If you want to attend a Nespresso Atelier or Mixologist class as well, make your way down to SAVOUR 2013!

SAVOUR is unique annual gourmet festival in Singapore showcasing only the very best food & drinks. Singaporeans who love to makan, you really must not miss this.

www.savour.sg

** GIVEAWAY **

I have 2 pairs of Savour Premier Passes worth $65 for you!

To win your pair of tickets, simply answer the following question:

“How many Grand Cru capsules does Nespresso have?”

Email your answer to clapbangkiss@gmail.com with subject “Nespresso Savour 2013″ by midnight tonight (9 April).

I will randomly select the two winners from the correct entries.

Good luck! 

♥ Dawn

Room Makeover Project x Qeeple pt.5

Hellos!
I know everyone has been eagerly anticipating the final result of my bedroom makeover, you’ve probably been wondering why after so many months… did the ceiling crash in or something? Was it so hideous that I was hoping people would forget about it and I’d never have to reveal its monstrosity?

The truth is, I absolutely love my new room and I’ve been itching to share it with everyone. This exciting project was in conjunction with home interiors portal www.qeeple.com and a dream team of sponsors. Actually, everything was completed in October last year, but we decided to keep it under wraps until HOME + LIVING magazine ran it’s feature. So now that their March issue has just concluded, it’s finally time to unwrap this present our heavenly Father has blessed me with!

 

To remind you of the big 360° change, take a look at my old room that I had since I was 16.

 

As a frequent traveller, I wished to recreate the look and feel of the hotel rooms I enjoy, to suit my lifestyle and improve the quality of rest in my 175 sqft bedroom. Dim lighting and a lack of storage were other issues to resolve during the redesign.

….. and NOW

Looks very similar to the earlier photorealistic 3D rendering made by Designclique!

The neutral color scheme suits my personality and allows me to come home to a calming oasis.

A semi-enclosed tufted bedhead made of duchess satin, superb craftsmanship courtesy of Window Image, gives me a cozy feeling of warmth and safety.

The play of textures in soft furnishings such as the fur rug and fur throw from Lifestorey was a personal must… and incredibly nice to the touch! 

The finest cotton sheets and pillows from Friven & Co. to lay down in.

The mattress by Isaiah from OM is lavender scented, super plush and made of organic materials, for a blissful night’s sleep.

If you ask, “why so glamorous?”, well I only have this one chance to indulge in a princess’s room. When I get married and move out, I highly doubt the room I share with my husband will be in this style. I imagine it’d be more minimal, darker, with a tinge of hip rock&roll. Haha I’m very understanding, I’d spare him the pain!

 
Full panels of mirrors brighten and enlarge the room visually, not to mention adding a sleek edge. In case you’re wondering, yes when I look up, I can see myself in bed. Took a bit of getting used to at first, though in the end I found that one really hardly peers upwards anyway

My wardrobe now has two full glass sliding doors, and an automatic light sensor!
Plus, a lot more organization and shelving for my mountains of clothes.

You can see that my amazing contractor Magnificent 7 also utilized the high ceilings in my room, by building my wardrobe up all the way to the top of the ceiling for two extra levels of space. Together with the interiors firm Designed Design Associates, they came up with a special design for the highest section- it’s a wood laminate panel that blends seamlessly with the overall wardrobe, opened by lifting and sliding it upwards and in. It’s simply wonderful. I keep my luggages and thick winter jackets up there, they’re just a few ladder steps away!

Bright, energy-saving LED lights from Bonjour Odyssey bathe the room in a splendid glow. I don’t feel like I’m going blind anymore. A concealed long strip of LEDs  trail the bay window enclave, lighting it up as a stand-out feature wall.

I love art deco style interiors, and always desired a lamp in that theme with a rectangular shape. Boy was I glad to find this modern, transparent take on the art deco lamp from Kartell by sponsor Lifestorey. The marble side table I sourced by myself… on sale at half price too FYI, it’s so heavy it’s impossible for one person to lift.

- BAY WINDOW & DRESSER -

*Don’t mind my giganormous-looking feet, it’s due to the wide angle camera!!!

I can lounge around here and stare out into blue skies. Mirrored drawers below the bay window provide much-needed storage. Beautiful laminates in “Driftwood” from Evershine Corporation is used throughout the room. No more faded roman blinds, I have the luxurious, flowing window drapes I always dreamt of, from Window Image. I can switch between day and night curtains to suit my vampire moods. 

Another example of smart design: A small storage area to conceal a powerpoint for my hair curler and a dressing table light.

A custom made jewelry drawer wrapped in black velvet was built by Magnificent 7. I could never find my accessories, now it’s a breeze. Love it!

Adore my *authentic* Eames chair from XTRA. I’m officially a proud owner of an iconic piece of designer furniture

Evidently, the jewelry drawer is not enough for me. Behind the dresser mirror is a concealed cabinet for my necklaces and sun glasses. This was an idea I’d wanted to implement since, forever! Using a magnetic closure placed at the bottom right corner of the accessories cabinet, all I have to do is lightly push and the panel door opens. No unsightly handles or knobs required.

Catellani & Smith | Sweet Table Lamp from XTRA

Just gently touch or wave your hand over this charming little art piece and like sweet magic, it will dim or light up, to produce gorgeous shadow effects!

Say hello to my little babies tucked into one of the storage drawers

Beautiful cushion covers hand-picked by Designed Design Associates and made by Window Image.

A book display and deep shelving unit was created to conceal an obstructive pillar beside the corner of my room.

Decor Walther | Chest  from Interior Affairs

- MINI WALK-IN WARDROBE -

I admit, I am a:

This is probably the coolest, most ingenious part of the room makeover. 

Using a small doorway area leading to the outdoor, the dream team created a mini walk-in closet for my bag collection.

A brilliant idea by Joann from Designed Design Associates, considering this area was previously nothing - just an opening to the balcony outside! Storing my handbags properly had been a long-time headache for me before, I am absolutely thrilled with this space! 

Doorway to Narnia. I was very tempted to convert the outdoor balcony area (around 90 sq ft) into a room extension and build a spectacular walk-in wardrobe. But, I’m happy enough as it is. Who knows, maybe in a few years when I have more bags and clothes…..

Again, everything is perfectly concealed behind glass door panels.

My honey color-ed parquet flooring was stained to a dark, almost-black brown. Pale silver wallpaper with a subtle sheen completes the “hotel” feel, courtesy of Le Surmount, part of the Lee Group. The stool I’m sitting on? It doubles up as a laundry basket, just lift the white leather cushion lid. Cool! From Interior Affairs. 

 

- BATHROOM -

A custom made mirror with black lacquered paneling adds a sophisticated touch to the bathroom. It matches the existing black marble top and marble tile trimmings I already had.  An enlarging Cosmetic Mirror by Decor Walther from Interior Affairs is attached on the right, you know, to make peering at whiteheads and little boogies easier.

Storage space for toiletries is revealed behind!

I love my gorgeous set of purple bathroom accessories and candle holders - Kristall by Decor Walther, also from Interior Affairs. Unlike cheap plasticky ones commonly found, these are made of quality materials and have a heavy weight to them.

Modern new fittings – tap mixer, shower, towel rod etc. by high-end Italian designer brand Cristina, available from Sansei.

The shower head from Cristina is sleek and flat, with a metallic concealed cord and water-saving features.

For a personal touch, we hung a picture in a thick black wooden frame, from Lifestorey.

I picked the photo and printed it out in black&white. Yes, I’m a die hard romantic.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my new bedroom! 

All my love and thanks to Ashley and Norman from www.qeeple.com for being so awesome, fun and patient during this collaborative project! Qeeple is the premier interiors & home furnishing site in Singapore, my Qeeple page is www.qeeple.com/dawnyang , do check it out.

With Qeeple, I browsed thousands of inspiring photos, organized my favorites, and found the best people in the business to give my bedroom a new lease of life. You should start your own account too! 

Here is the list of my incredible sponsors. They are all extremely reputable and at the top of their game. In all seriousness, I would rather pay for a well-made bedroom rather than have lousy sub-par sponsors, because then I’d have to live with a horrible room falling apart for the next ten years. All these firms passed my selection criteria and came highly recommended by Qeeple. 

With their workmanship, professionalism, quality and premium range of products, you really cannot go wrong with these companies. Well, the final result of my bedroom makeover speaks for itself

Designer 

Carpentry 

 Phone:+65 6454 2388

LED lighting

 Phone:+65 6487 4568

 

Laminates

 

Address: 19 Gul Way, Singapore 629195
Phone: +65 6897 8888

www.evershine.com

 

Mattress 

 Address: 177 River Valley Rd, Singapore 179030
Phone: +65 6837 0060

www.om-home.com

Curtains, Upholstery

 Address: 5 Kaki Bukit Road 1, Singapore 415936

 Phone:+65 6788 0306

 www.facebook.com/WindowImageFurnishing

Accessories

 Phone:+65 6336 0688

www.xtra.com.sg

 

Accessories 

 

 Phone:+65 6732 7362

 www.lifestorey.com

Beddings 

Address: 30 Jalan Kilang Barat, Singapore 159363

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friven-Co/18715095970

Wallpaper 

http://qeeple.com/lesurmount

Bathroom

Address: 462 Tagore Industrial Ave, Singapore 787831 

 

 

Bathroom Accessories 

Address: 29 Tai Seng Avenue, #01-02, #02-01, Singapore 534119
 
Phone:+65 6632 7471

www.interior-affairs.com.sg

 

3D Rendering & Design Visualization  

 
Phone:+65 90666321

www.dca.com.sg

All the best in your own home makeover and more importantly, have fun doing it!
♥ Dawn