Regina Chow - Singapore Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle & Travel Blog: Giveaway

The Body Shop Christmas Collection 2015 Giveaway

Thursday, December 03, 2015

The Body Shop Christmas Collection 2015

Christmas is just around the corner, and we all know what that means - the season of giving is here and it's time to go shopping for your loved ones!

If you have yet to decide on a gift for your girlfriend, colleague or that special someone in your life, I will be sharing some wonderful gift ideas from The Body Shop today.

Before we go into the details, let's take a look at the lovely hamper that Body Shop gifted me this Christmas:

The Body Shop Christmas 2015 Hamper

Now, here's the good news. I will also be giving away some of these products in another hamper worth S$150 so do read on to find out how you can participate in this giveaway.

This year, The Body Shop is also partnering with international charity organisation WaterAid to help transform lives through access to safe water. Every gift that you buy from The Body Shop will provide a family in Ethiopia with one day of safe water.

Frosted Plum Body Care Range

The Body Shop Frosted Plum Body Care Range (seasonal)

Swing into plum temptation with The Body Shop's new Frosted Plum Body Care range, the highlight of this season's collection. Indulge your senses with the sweet, sophisticated extracts of plum from the orchards of Turkey. Infused with elegant ripe plum, magnolia and peony notes, this special edition fruity-floral range is a pampering treat that will instantly put you in the Christmas mood.

Some interesting products to look out for in this line-up include: Shimmer Mist (S$21.90), Bath Fizzers (S$39.90), Sugar Scrub (S$36.90), and Scented Candle (S$36.90).

Spa of the World & Oils of Life Collection

The Body Shop Spa of the World Collection

Your escape to paradise begins right at home with The Body Shop's most luxurious range to date - Spa of the World bodycare range (S$209.90) which consists of a unique blend of fine, natural ingredients from four corners of the globe. Scrub, massage and moisturize your skin to restore its glow and luster before the holiday season begins. I have to admit that I was highly attracted to its sensual yet invigorating scent.


Oils of Life Skincare Collection

The Oils of Life Skincare Collection (S$121.90) is enriched with three precious seed oils, namely black cumin, rosehip and camellia. This is the perfect gift for skincare lovers.

Limited Edition Eyeshadow Palette (Swinging Silver or Grooving Gold)

Swinging Silver

Swinging Silver - metallic and shimmer shades in cool tones

I can never do without eye make-up and I know that I can always rely on smoky hues for upcoming Christmas parties. If you're looking for a gift for the makeup aficionado on your list this season, The Body Shop's limited edition eyeshadow palette in Swinging Silver or Grooving Gold (S$36.90) will not disappoint.

Grooving Gold

Grooving Gold - metallic and shimmer shades in warm tones

The buildable formula allows you to dial down your eye makeup for an easy everyday look or dial it up to achieve sultry, smouldering eyes for all your year-end parties. The colours in both palettes are very wearable and versatile, giving you free rein to create a variety of looks.

Giveaway - Christmas Hamper worth S$150

Here's what the lucky winner will be receiving:

Frosted Plum Body Wash

Frosted Plum Shimmer Lotion

Frosted Plum Sugar Scrub

Strawberry Festive Picks

Eyeshadow Palette in Grooving Gold

To participate in this giveaway, follow these 3 easy steps below:

Step 1

Click here to Like my Facebook Page

Step 2

Like and Share my Giveaway on Facebook

Step 3

E-mail me at regina.chow@gmail.com and tell me which product is your favourite!

**Extra bonus points if you follow me on instagram (@reginachow_sg) too!**

Do note that this giveaway is only for Singapore residents. The deadline for this giveaway is 6 December 2015.

Good luck!

Florida's Natural Juices (Giveaway Winners)

Sunday, May 17, 2015

I have always been a loyal fan of Florida's Natural juices and my favourite is their Orange Juice with Most Pulp (Product of USA). Squeezed from Valencia oranges and not from concentrate, it is the next best alternative to having freshly squeezed juice.

Nothing else comes close, and naturally, I couldn't conceal my excitement when I had the opportunity to be a part of their latest campaign, where I got to find out more about Florida's Natural range of juices and their multiple uses through 3 challenges (hidden within the envelopes labelled A, B and C in the photo below) that were posed to me.

If you follow me on my Facebook page here, you may already have participated in my recent Florida's Natural Juices Giveaway where the winner will receive 1-month's supply of juices from Florida's Natural. I asked you to choose the sequence in which I should open the envelopes which would determine the order of the challenges that I take up.

Which sequence did I pick in the end?

Who is the winner of this giveaway?

Sorry for keeping you in suspense for so long! The winner of the giveaway will be revealed at the end of this post, but meanwhile, read on to find out more about each challenge.

Challenge B: Cooking (Orange-Sesame Noodles with Grilled Shrimp)

I started with Challenge B, a cooking challenge using Florida's Natural Orange Juice.

Yes, that's right. Orange Juice.

Before you start frowning at the idea, I have to tell you that I have tried using freshly squeezed orange juice to marinate shrimps previously. However, this was my first time using Florida's Natural Orange Juice or any juice straight out of a carton for that matter as a sauce for soba noodles and I wasn't so sure if it would taste good.

Here's the recipe if you're interested in recreating this dish:

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh orange juice (I used the Most Pulp version)

3 tablespoons tamari

3 tablespoons peanut butter (I used organic unsalted peanut butter, but I think the sinful version would taste better)

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

10 ounce soba noodles

1 cup snow peas

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks (I used baby carrots as they're sweeter and there's no need to cut them up)

1.5 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used ready cooked frozen shrimp for convenience)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Preparation

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl to make orange juice sauce.

2. Boil noodles according to package directions. Before draining, add snow peas and carrots to cook for 30 seconds.

3. Drain pasta, peas and carrots and toss immediately with orange juice sauce. Set aside.

4. Brush shrimp with sesame oil and grill over medium-hot stove for 3-5 minutes

5. Arrange pasta on serving plate, topped with shrimps.

And here's presenting my final dish! I was surprised that it actually tasted better than expected. It had a pleasant nutty taste accompanied by a refreshing citrus flavour. I used organic unsalted peanut butter but I have a gut feel that this would taste better with the more sinful version.

Challenge C: Flatlay (What's on my table?)

My next pick was Challenge C, which also turned out to be the easiest challenge for me as I love flatlays. I did a flatlay of my favourite beauty products, accessories (the lovely people who packed my challenge chose this gorgeous floral wreath and floral ring for me), and not forgetting Florida's Natural Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice.

Since we are on the topic of beauty, did you know that grapefruit juice promotes a healthy complexion and helps with weight loss too? It gives you more energy at the same time and decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease too.

Now, I'm sure this gives you ample reasons to start consuming grapefruit juice! I have just started taking grapefruit juice during breakfast every morning so I always have a carton of Florida's Natural Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice in my fridge. You should try it too!

If you prefer something a little sweeter, you could give Florida's Natural Cranberry Ruby Red Juice a try. Cranberry juice acts as a sweetener and promotes urinary tract health too, which is perfect for us ladies.

Challenge A: Upcycling (Juice Carton Desk Organiser)

I wished the challenges were as easy as ABC (in that order), but the truth was, I was stumped by Challenge A. I was tasked to upcycle an empty carton of juice and in a nutshell, what this means is I had to make a useful product out of waste materials. I have to say it is a very meaningful task, but handicraft is definitely not one of my strengths.

Thankfully, with the help of my brother who loves art and craft, we managed to convert the juice carton into a desk organizer to store my girly stationery. As frivolous as my pens may look, don't you agree that they're so adorable? Looking at them brightens up my day instantly.

If you're interested in making your own desk organiser, follow the instructions below:

What you need

Empty juice carton

Craft knife

Hole punch

Preparation

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the interior and exterior of the juice carton. Use your craft knife to cut out an entire flap on the side of the carton.

2. Use your hole punch to punch several holes all over the flap that you cut out. Note that you have to use a hole punch that is able to create larger holes. The usual puncher does not work as well, so I used this hole punch that I purchased from Art Friend instead:

3. Use blu tack to stick the reverse side of the flap back onto the side of the carton.

Here's a close-up of the final product:

I had a lot of fun with these creative challenges and I certainly hope this post has given you a better idea of what you can do with your Florida's Natural juices.

And now's the time for the big reveal.

Did you guess the sequence of my challenges correctly?

For those of you who guessed BCA, you could very well be my giveaway winner!

Giveaway Winner Announcement

There are two winners for this giveaway and they will each walk away with 1-month worth of Florida's Natural Juices.

The winners are:

1) Serene Tay

2) Tan Bee Leng

Please drop me an email at regina.chow@gmail.com. Florida's Natural will get in touch with you directly to make the necessary arrangements.

Thank you once again for participating in this giveaway. I took a while to sieve through all the comments as there were more than 100 responses!

Missed this giveaway? I'll be holding giveaways regularly, so do follow me on Facebook here for more updates!

Giveaway: Win a Pair of Rocco by Rodenstock Spectacle Frames & Tickets to Zouk!

Saturday, May 03, 2014

MyJotterBook: Vintage Style At Its Best (Giveaway at the end of this post!)

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Tucked away in the cozy Jalan Rumah Tinggi neighbourhood, MyJotterBook is an oasis of loveliness where vintage fashion apparel, bags and accessories take centrestage.

Before I even stepped into the shop, I was instantly drawn to the gorgeous signage, which I later learnt was a DIY project that Lishan took on using an old, forsaken wooden plank. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that an old plank of wood could undergo such an impressive transformation. I have to give my two thumbs up for Lishan's creativity and eco-friendly efforts!

Lishan also took pains to decorate the shop in a retro fashion, adding her personal touch to everything that you see, touch and feel.

Established in the last quarter of 2013, MyJotterBook first started its foray into the world of fashion by introducing a series of exclusive hand-made book clutches through its website. I fell head over heels in love with their book clutches and immediately purchased 3 at a go to add to my growing collection of bags.

Obviously, I was not the only one who found these book clutches irresistible, because they became an instant hit overnight and many of the popular designs are now either out of stock or running out fast! If you haven't grabbed one for yourself, please act fast! You can also read my review of the book clutches here.

VINTAGE APPAREL

To complement its collection of book clutches, bags and accessories, Lishan decided to take one step further by offering a specially curated selection of vintage apparels as well.

MyJotterBook's vintage collection is exclusively available at their physical store and every piece is lovingly handpicked by Lishan and her partner. I am an ardent fan of vintage fashion and stepping into MyJotterBook was like a dream come true for me. It may be a new kid on the block, but the collection that MyJotterbook stocks is surprisingly varied and very wearable.

The minute I stepped in, I was greeted by racks of true blue vintage dresses and blouses spanning across various eras in a multitude of designs to cater to your every whim and fancy.

The vintage apparel at MyJotterBook come with detailed description tags that gives you a better understanding of the size and condition, as well as design elements unique to each era.

Wearing vintage apparel is akin to wearing a piece of history, and being able to appreciate the finer details truly completes the overall experience.

I spent hours at MyJotterBook, reveling in the company of Lishan as I tried on dress after dress. I simply couldn't get enough of all the beautiful apparel, and of course, it also helps that the fitting room is cozy and absolutely welcoming.

Here are just some of the lovely dresses that I tried on that day:

BRAND NEW ITEMS & NEW-OLD STOCK

Not everything that you see in the store is vintage or preloved though. There are brand new items and new-old stocks too!

What differentiates MyJotterBook from its counterparts is that it goes the extra mile to bring in brand new items from overseas labels that are not found on our sunny island and off the beaten path.

One such label is Sourpuss, an independently owned US label that offers an interesting array of brand new vintage inspired apparel and kitschy accessories.

This quirky blue 50s inspired dress from Sourpuss stole my heart the moment I set my eyes on it and I had to take it home with me. It looks like a dress that came off the set of popular American series, Mad Men and I can see totally see myself wearing this out for tea with the girls at a retro bistro like Billy Bombers!

And here comes an adorable sailor doctor's bag to complement the dress. I especially like how the structured doctor's bag is given a playful twist with bold red stripes and contrasting navy blue trimmings, complete with anchors. Not only will this statement piece dress up a casual weekend outfit instantly, it would also be a fantastic addition to your Chinese New Year wardrobe!

If you don't already know, the book clutches modeled after popular English Classics are also brand new items. For those of you who are looking for a special gift or if you are a fan of English literature, you will be happy to know that you can now purchase the book clutches and English Classics as a set!

Recently, MyJotterBook also brought in a brand new range of cigar box bags in limited quantities. These bags are made from genuine cigar boxes and each one is creatively crafted with beads and embellishments to ensure that no two are the same.

I was so besotted with the cigar box bags, I decided to get the diamonte embellished one with a skull motif for myself.

If you follow me on instagram (@reginachow_sg), you would have gotten a preview of the gorgeous bag:

It took me some time to decide on the skull design because I was equally mesmerized by this pretty, white-based cigar box bag as it went really well with my outfit that day.

In case you were wondering, the sunglasses in the photos above are actually new-old stock from MyJotterBook. New-old stock refers to genuine vintage items which have never been worn before, so they are in fact as good as new!

Besides sunglasses, MyJotterBook also offers a beautiful collection of jewellery from yesteryear as part of its new-old stock. Accessories add the finishing touches to an outfit and I am a fan of vintage jewellery simply because they have so much character.

If you prefer brand new items inspired by vintage designs, MyJotterBook also boasts a collection of brand new belts, pill-box hats and fascinators to tickle your fancy.

These hats and fascinators are great for parties and formal events. I can foresee myself wearing these to the turf club events or a dinner function.

In fact, all the fascinators and hats that you see in my outfit posts above are from MyJotterBook. Aren't they beautiful?

Thinking of doing some last minute Chinese New Year shopping? Head on down to MyJotterBook for some retail therapy today!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

In collaboration with MyJotterBook, I will be giving away not one, but TWO sets of MyJotterBook goodies to two lucky readers of "Shopping Queen's Haven"!

Each set consists of a brand new adorable heart shaped sling bag and retro a-go-go style earrings (new-old stock)! Colours and designs will be given out at random.**Please note that winners are to collect the items from MyJotterBook's store directly.**