Milly’s hair.lashes.nail shop

“Would you like long hair and long lashes?”
— Nadia (aka. nadnut), STOMP Star Blogger

Text and photos by Sabrina Ong

NOWADAYS, almost anything is possible, as long as you’re willing to pay the right price.

Described by STOMP Star Blog as a “feisty young lady", 24-year-old Star Blogger Nadia (aka. nadnut), personal blog at www.nadnut.com, is currently studying for her degree while going around taking pretty photos, telling stories about her life and the universe, and extending her hair and lashes.

I know Nadia personally, and I know for a fact that she wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same dress twice (in a month). This tells you not just the amount of clothes she has, but also the amount of shopping she does.

That said, I wasn’t surprised at all at how fast she has grown fond of her highly recommended, often visited, “hair.lashes.nails” shop: Milly’s, located on the second floor of Far East Plaza (#02-83).

How did she discover the place?
The story begins when Emily, owner of Milly’s, approached Nadia if she’d like to try out her services. Initially, Nadia was a little apprehensive about the offer. She was expecting a catch, but soon learned that the offer was as genuine as gold. Thereafter, it became somewhat of an addiction and stayed that way.

When was the last time she visited it?
When asked for the last time she visited Milly’s, Nadia said, “I did my eyebrow threading, hair extension and gel extensions just two days ago”, which would be August 12. She added, “I even brought my mum to do eyebrow threading and lash extensions and she loved it!”

What’s unique about it?
“The shop has a wide variety of hair and lash extensions, and the pricing is very affordable,” says Nadia. “My gel extensions only cost $70, which would have cost more than $100 elsewhere!” She added, “anyone and everyone should try her out!”

What else do they offer?
Milly’s offers services such as manicures, pedicures, gel and acrylic extensions, lash extensions, eyebrow threading and hair extensions. Her price ranges from as low as $1 (per strand of hair) to a couple of hundreds, depending on what services you’re looking at. For 1 st time customers, eyebrow threading is at $5 (nett), and if you take the $380 promotional package, you get a $400 worth of credit, an additional $20 value.

Who should you look for?
Emily, the owner of Milly’s, specialises in hair and lashes and has been in this line for more than a year, even before her shop was opened on 5 th June 2008. With Milly’s now up and running, Emily rarely takes on a client herself, unless a special request is made. Most of the time, her staff does the work.

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Best Cakes In Singapore

“Usual suspects on the dessert menu include toasted macadamia caramel cheesecake and dulce de leche torte”
— Roxanne Toh, online cakeshop owner

By Ronald Wan

LIFE is a piece of cake literally for Roxanne Toh. The sprightly girl loves her cakes and pastries so much she just had to make them herself and and share with the world.

Overdoughs (www.overdoughs.com), a gourmet baked goods online business, was set up by Roxanne and her mom Janet.

With years of trying out new recipes, butter and whipped cream under her belt (or waist), Roxanne definitely knows her cake (and eats it too). So we approached the lovely gal to recommend some of her favourite cakes and pastries.

Barracks (8D Dempsey Road Tel: 6475 7787):
Usual suspects on the dessert menu include toasted macadamia caramel cheesecake and dulce de leche torte. I love others like the chai chocolate cake. But my all-time favourite is their lemon tart served in a tin box and hidden under a generous mountain of crushed hazelnuts and crumbs.

PS Café (28 Harding Road Tel: 6479 3343):
It’s a fond reminder of the cafes that line Domain Road in Melbourne, where I spent some years in. I’m a recent Key Lime Pie convert. Feel your eyes widen when you bite into the lime-green custard cradled by a firm biscuit base!

Pasticceria da Valentino’s (7 Jalan Bingka Tel: 6462 2760):
Valentino’s history stretches across three whole generations (the restaurant is adjacent to the pastry shop). Their Chantilly Cream White Chocolate Cake wins my vote for being slightly alcoholic and very pretty.

Overdoughs (www.overdoughs.com):
Can I recommend mine? (Laughs) The lemon lavender loaf (aka Ella) and zucchini muffins (aka Frankie’s Waltz) are my favourite breakfast foods, taken with a hot soy latte!

Sweet Secrets (246D Upper Thomson Road Tel: 6455 2808):
Because you can never go wrong with it! The Chocolate Royal is a personal favourite, having had it at several birthday lunches in the office. Love eating the last bits of the hazelnut crunch base when there aren’t enough seconds to go around the table.

View original article on the Best Cakes in Singapore.

Fashion Forward

“I would advise shopping at Far East Plaza because the shops there have tons of interesting designs and details that are not your usual mass-produced stuff...”
— Sheryl Rachel Tham, fashion stylist

IT'S difficult to catch Sheryl Rachel Tham on a bad hair day or in an ugly get-up.

This fashion merchandising degree student at Raffles Design Institute is conscious of what she wears and how she presents herself. Call it vanity, but we think it’s more to do with her work and passion for everything fashion, sugar and spice.

Sheryl’s cool resume includes being a freelance fashion stylist and assistant show producer for numerous fashion and beauty events for clients like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bvlgari and Lancome Singapore Fashion Festival.

The petite gal does doesn't consider herself a fashion doyenne or one of those impossible divas. She coolly tells us that she is just a “regular girl who loves to dress up on occasion and make herself look good”.

We like her spunky attitude already and speak to her about her favourite fashion haunts in town.

Far East Plaza (14 Scotts Road): “I would advise shopping at Far East Plaza because the shops there have tons of interesting designs and details that are not your usual mass-produced stuff from places like Mango or Forever 21. Check out Level One (it looks more to me like the basement level actually) where they have a whole mix of mostly girly shops from Dotti (#01-82) to In the Closet (#01-44). To look good, the trick lies in styling and accessorising so it would make the outfit look totally different than usual. Match and pair apparel with other stuff you usually don’t pair them with scarves, necklaces, cardigans and belts. And you can find them all here at Far East.”

Marina Square (6 Raffles Boulevard): “There is a wide range of interesting shops worth checking out here. You get stuff from your usual boutiques like Lacoste (#02-129-131), Massimo Dutti (#02-158-159) and Topshop (#02-109-114). The latter has loads of interesting stuff to pick up and mix and match. For something different, head to the third level area nearer to the cinema. Lots of cool small shops here from Le 7 (#03-219), Multiple O (#03-357) to Attitude (#03-254). There are other shops like DCP (#03-362-363) where you can find cute graphic tees and even Skin (#03-332E), the glam rock label brought in by the pop singer Sun. I like coming to Marina Square because they have everything I need!”

And for something else and truly different, Sheryl recommends, “I have been travelling quite a bit and most of my cheap and nice stuff comes from my travels. A few good and cheap places to shop are Hong Kong, Bangkok and Taipei. Yes, they are out of Singapore but it’s worth it! They have loads of unique and affordable stuff. Go crazy shopping there! I would!”

View original article for Fashion Forward.

Confessions of a Beauty Queen

“My trick is choosing a foundation that is one tone darker than what's meant for my skin – to the horror of the ladies who sell the foundation..."
— Natasha Riard, 2005 Ms Singapore Universe 1st runner-up

BEAUTY doesn't come cheap. For those who have the looks (read: models, beauty pageant queens and celebrities), here's our advice: Flaunt it like there’s no tomorrow.

But what if tomorrow comes and beauty is no longer there? Until we discover the fountain of youth, we just have to rely on beauty products or makeup services.

On that note, have you ever wondered how a beauty queen maintains her flawless skin and attains that pretty glow? It’s not cosmetic surgery, as far as Natasha Riard, Ms Singapore Universe 2005 1 st Runner-Up, is concerned. Here, she shares beauty secrets, from head to toe. Text and interview by Ronald Wan

Face & Body:
“I swear by a few things! Cleanse, tone, moisturise, and slather sunblock like it's gold. I use my dermatologist-recommended facial cleanser from Avene, tone my skin with Kiehl's Yerba Mate tea toner, and moisturise with La Roche Posay (it is God's gift to women). As for sunblock, I use La Roche Posay as well. At night, I moisture my face with The Body Shop Vitamin C Intensive Night Treatment and the Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream. I alternate my night moisturiser with La Roche Posay Hydraphase as well. I'm addicted to this brand! "

Make Up:
"I rarely wear make-up, but when I do, I swear by MAC liquid foundation. It is the only foundation I'll use. My trick is choosing a foundation that is one tone darker than what's meant for my skin – to the horror of the ladies who sell the foundation – but I promise you, you will never ever appear like a white sheet on camera or in real life ever again."

Apparel:
"I absolutely love clothes and heels from Guess?, or even Marciano. Their tops accentuate my waist and bust, and their heels are high and mighty. Apart from Guess?, I frequent Warehouse and Zara. I love rich and strong colours and these shops give just that. I never shop online. I don't know how people do that!"

Accessories/Bags:
"I’m a bag-o-holic and I can't stay away from Chanel or Ferragamo. If you're planning to get an everyday bag from Chanel, I recommend their Caviar collection because it's more sturdy and durable and you won't spend nights crying because someone scratched your lambskin Mademoiselle. Ferragamo's latest sunglasses collection is to die for. If you've been saving up for a pair of sunnies, spend it there."

Stockists:
Kiehl’s - 260 Orchard Road The Heeren Shops #01-07
Chanel - 391 Orchard Road # 01-25/26/27 Ngee Ann City Tel: 6733 5120
Salvatore Ferragamo - 290 Orchard Road Paragon #01-38 Tel: 6738 3206
Zara - 391 Orchard Road Ngee Ann City #B1-15-24 Tel: 6735 1018
Warehouse - Vivocity Harbourfront Walk #01-72 Tel: 6275 7861
Guess - 252 North Bridge Road Raffles City Shopping Centre #01-03 Tel: 6334-3121
The Body Shop - 252 North Bridge Road Raffles City Shopping Centre #01-42 Tel: 6336 2551

View original article of Confessions of a Beauty Queen.