Hello Indo

Earlier this month I booked a impromptu trip to Jakarta with a friend. It was pretty much unplanned and we only booked the air tickets and airbnb a few days before jetting off. And what made this trip really fuss-free was that I did not have to get travel insurance as I am already covered with DirectAsia’s annual travel plan. So, I’m well covered to travel spontaneously without having to go through the hassle of getting insurance every single time I fly.

I will be listing down the cafes we went to and some other things we did there –

  1. Kosenda Hotel (Central Jakarta)

A really cozy room for 2, and their beds are really soft that we slept till 11am every day (hahahah)

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2. Copper Club

We came here for dinner , which was a pity because they have so many instagrammable spots. Food was really good … or we were really hungry hahaha.

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3. Indo Diner

Kinda the highlight of my trip! I really love the old school diner interior! They also played late 90s, early 2000s songs which I really enjoyed. Food was not too bad in my opinion , because usually for a fancy place like this, food can be mediocre as people are more interested in taking photos than to sit down and have a nice meal.

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4. Sushi Hiro Kelapa Glading

I would rate food 6.5/10 & 8/10 for service & ambience. They had shiok maki on their menu and so I ordered to try and I would say Koh Grill at Wisma Atria definitely has better shiok maki. hands down!

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5. Salon @ Grand Indonesia

We wanted to pamper ourselves a little so we went to a hair salon at Grand Indonesia. Both of us had a haircut, cream bath (hair treatments), shoulder + head massage & blow dry and it costs us around SGD$70 in total per person. Pretty reasonable price for the impeccable service.

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6. Ottoman’s Coffee Sopo Del

We came here on our last day during lunch time. It is located inside a office building at their lobby. Food was great, many different spots for photo-taking.

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My stay here in Jakarta has been a good one despite the crazy traffic jams. Locals are really friendly and helpful but you still gotta be careful. Also, they have the habit of receiving tips, so do give whenever you can 🙂 I will definitely be back for more.

Speaking of tips, one big tip that I have to give is to get yourself covered with DirectAsia Insurance. Personally I like the annual plan because I am covered for just about every situation, from overseas medical expenses, trip changes or cancellations due to haze or terrorist attacks, and even extreme sports. I can make the claims while I am on holiday and it will be settled within 24hours! Well at least over 80% of the time and that is definitely good enough for me.

 

Xx
Jasmine

Golden Hour at Wheelers Estate

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Shop here : link456

Shop here : link

 

Also, here are some instagrammable cafes/restaurants in Singapore that you can visit! (click on the direct ig links)

  1. @clancafe
  2. @punch.gram
  3. @mercimarcel
  4. @thegreatmischief 
  5. @dulukalaatisland
  6. @theglasshousesg
  7. @shakeembuns (fullerton outlet)
  8. @potatoheadsg
  9. @wheelersestate

❤,
J

Nara Park + Osaka Castle

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Hidden Gem at Downtown – Montana Singapore

Montana Singapore

#02-25, 1 Selegie Rd, Singapore 188306

Best for groups – 4-6 pax
Sweet & Savoury
Western Cuisine

1. Signature Mac & Cheese Waffle; delightful and tasty, the layer of cheese adds a weird texture to it, best if not added in <8/10> (top left)

2. Earl Grey Lavender Lemonade; refreshing taste <8/10>

3. Chili Crab Benedict; crab cake kinda too fishy and there are crab shells in them <5/10>

4. Chili Crab Burger; bun was flavourful as it’s homemade, but can’t really taste the “chili crab” and the soft shell crab <6/10>

5. Salted Yolk Prawn Pasta; spiciness kicked in too quick, maybe cut down 1-3 pieces of chili padi or reduce cooking time of them, al dente pasta and fresh and well-cooked prawns, salted egg yolk not too thick <7/10>

6. Mac & Cheese Bun Burger
-Mac & cheese “bun”; Just right to the taste, not too cheesy <7/10>
– Beef patty; too well done on the outside and 3 quarter way in, became chewy <6/10>

7. Red Velvet Waffle Stack; crispy crust and soft center <8/10>

8. v60; if you like it, you really do. If you don’t, you really don’t. <?/10>

Desserts from Sweet Mary’s , below Montana.

1. Grace Kelly: Churro waffle, pink coconut and sea salt hokkaido soft serve, chocolate sauce, salted caramel sauce & popcorn <7/10>

2. Lavender Raw Honey $5.80/cup <7/10>

3. Sea Salt Hokkaido milk $5.80/cup <8/10>

My Journey with CaringSkin

How Delay Gratification in Beauty Is The Key To Glowing Skin

Delayed gratification, what does it mean?
It is the ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later reward. Generally, delayed gratification is associated with resisting a smaller but more immediate reward in order to receive a larger or more enduring reward later.

————

I have been a sufferer from acne and particularly cystic acne for the past decade. I would say my condition is mildly severe and worst breakout was during my secondary school days which left many marks and scars. Most importantly, it affected my confidence a lot as it could not be covered up by makeup easily.

To be honest, I abused my skin a lot because of acne. I would try out new products every other week which made my skin really sensitive and caused more breakouts. I did not let my skin breathe and heal with its own ability and I simply introduce so many foreign ingredients/products to it.

Sometime early this year, my skin became very oily and broke out badly for the second time. I was devastated and wished hard that my skin will recover soon. Maybe my prayer was heard and sent Caring Skin to save my poor skin and soul.

The decision to try Caring Skin?

Of course, I was skeptical and I did not want to accept a one-time session/treatment because I know miracles wouldn’t happen like this. I was very glad that Joyce from Caring Skin listened to the skin problems I was facing and the hesitation that I do not want to promote brands/products that I don’t believe in. They offered me a package of 10 sessions until end of 2017 which I felt that it will allow results to show over a good period of time.

I did my homework of researching this facial clinic as well and found out a few of the customers that go for facials there have good results (with photos) after a few sessions. I also checked out their Facebook page and apparently, they have many good reviews. Hence I decided to give it a go and do read on for my honest review with them.

My First Session

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They analysed my skin condition with a machine and of course, it didn’t surprise me that I have tons of skin problems. I really like how they recommend personalised skin treatments for me as not all are suitable for my sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Before & After in one session

 

I also changed some of my habits because I really want to have beautiful clear skin!

My At-Home Routine/habits

  1. I will drink at least 6-7 cups of water daily (much more than last time)
  2. Remove my make-up thoroughly using double cleansing method – use make up remover until cotton pad does not have anymore residue followed by Sebobalance Milk Cleanser from CaringSkin.
  3. Cut down on sugary food
  4. Getting into a proper skincare regime (I used to skip it at night when I’m lazy)

The Changes

After sticking to my routine for about 6 months, and religiously going for my facials. I notice a difference.

Here are the comparison photos of my skin at my 8th facial session at Caring Skin.

 

Top 3 treatments that I really enjoyed and found effective for improving my skin

  1. Matricol Refiner: Remove dead skin cell, improve tolerance and efficacy of the treatment.
  2. SensiVital Plus: Provides a soothing and desensitising action to increases skin resistance against environmental stress.
  3. SHR – Mainly to lighten scar marks and kill acne-causing bacteria

Treatments are customised to each individual needs.

Overall, the sessions target the following of my skin issues

  • Mild sensitive skin
  • Oily Skin
  • Acne
  • Dehydration
  • Acne Scars

Final photos taken –

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In a nutshell, beauty starts with being kind to yourself- taking time to eat less of the unhealthy and drinking enough water, sticking to a proper skincare routine, and having adequate rest. With that, Caring Skin has truly help me see facials are not a miracle in an hour, and there aren’t really quick fixes. The reason I name my journey to a healthier skin a “Delay Gratification” because in my case, beauty is about sticking to a beauty regime long enough to start seeing improvements and not to drown your skin with many different products. Let it breathe, let it have time to heal and repair. Yes, I do still get some pimples during the time of the month but I could see that my skin heals and regenerates much faster than last time. It’s not late to seek professional help or pamper your skin before Chinese New Year!

For my readers, you can try out SensiVital Plus at $98. On top of this, quote my name “ricejasmine” to receive a Caring Skin’s Hyamax Serum worth $88 if you book on weekdays between 11am to 5pm.

If you have any more questions regarding my experience with CaringSkin, do not hesitate to direct message me on Instagram.


Jasmine

Disclaimer: All photos are taken by me with no editing done. I went for 10sessions over a course of 7 months. At the same time, I have been using their SeboBalance range religiously.

 

secret garden

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@revolve sale just got EXTENDED!
Up to 70% off this Cyber Monday sale, ends 28 Nov!

Wearing lovers and friends Taylor gown in white flore ❤

shop here : rvlv.me/ricejasminee


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Take my hand

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From 24/nov – 26/nov, @revolve is having their Black Friday Sale!!
Up to 65% off our favourite brands! Time to get those gorgeous dresses for
year-end parties!

Wearing lovers and friends slip dress in champagne, perfect for engagement day ❤

shop here : rvlv.me/ricejasminee

 


j

 

 

 

OH BEACH DAY

 

I’m looking for a nice beach gateaway! Where’s your favourite resort/beach destination?
Also,  I need more opportunities to wear such gorgeous dress like this one from LPA via fwrd.
Don’t miss out the special promo now running on site now!

❤,
J

FALL CHIC

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I’m really loving this combi! Cigarette pants + high neck sweater. Effortless chic! What do you think?

It’s the last day for Revolve’s Friends & Family SALE! Shop your designer faves at 20% off with this promo code: FALL20

Shop now via this link: rvlv.me/ricejasminee

❤,
J