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Cleanser Choice

By Alicia Choong

As a makeup artist, I truly appreciate a clear canvas on which to paint. Hence, skincare is of utmost importance to me. Basic skincare has much to do with cleansing and in some brands, a step called pre-cleansing is also introduced.

What is pre-cleansing? Used mainly to dissolve make-up and other impurities, this step helps to ensure the skin is clean and free of makeup residue. Some of you may be familiar with the concept of double cleansing, which I practise, using the same cleanser twice – once to remove the makeup and another to rinse off. However, most ladies I speak to prefer to pamper their skin really well by using different types of cleansers to wash their faces. E.g makeup removers, cleansing cream…

This famed product needs little introduction. As the first step in any skincare regimen, this deep-cleansing oil melts impurities and make-up from skin.

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Being Big is neither sexy nor gorgeous?

written by bigisgorgeous

How can big be beautiful? Are you telling me that there are men walking along the street and they see a big woman, they go “ga ga” over them? Is this what we are really telling ourselves? Oh wait, does that even matter?

Yes, the skinny ones and the ones with the right amount curves get the first reaction from all of us men. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or is just plain silly. But my question to you is this? Why do you need an external source of affirmation? Why do you need to hear it from a larger audience that big is beautiful and all that good stuff?

Can I tell you something personal and in a way a little shallow? I love going out with beautiful women and you know this phrase “Beauty is only skin deep”? Have you heard that one? Clichéd yes, but damn, it is true. After a while, we really want more than the beautiful woman that is sitting across us. Hard to believe, but we want the conversations and emotional connections too. Don’t get me wrong. We don’t want it all the time but we still want it.

Do you see what I am getting at here? There are some you who fall in love (actually lust, but I don’t want too many hate mails, even though that is out the window now) at first sight. And there are others whom you fall in love with over time like fine wine or caviar for that matter. Like taste you got to acquire. Now I know what you guys are thinking; what the hell is this talking about and where is this going?

What is really gorgeous is a woman who truly loves herself and is dedicated to living life to the fullest and by her terms. This is not easy anyone who tells you that it is has never done it before. I know perfection is impossible but why can’t that be the standard by which one lives by, defined by your terms. Define it! Define what is gorgeous and remember that it is beyond skin deep.

I feel that I am philosophizing but to heavens with that; yes I am. Whether, it is a woman or a man, we need to redefine it. Skinny is gorgeous! Short people are gorgeous! Giants (people above 7 feet tall) are gorgeous too. And BIG is definitely gorgeous but only when you define it in a way that makes you happy and fulfilled. We do not have to go around looking for external affirmations ladies. All you need is within you and the day you start embracing that, you become the most beautiful woman in the world.

You know what is the strangest thing here? The people who write these articles are sometimes the biggest hypocrites in life and you just made me realize that. For that, I thank you. Today, I will start a brand new journey knowing that I am a wonderful human being who is more than what others say I am. My biggest encouragement to you is that you join me. Always be gorgeous!

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To supplement or not to supplement?

written by bigisgorgeous

We have always been told since young that vitamins were good for us, but this knowledge wasn’t always commonly held. It all began in 1912, when the world’s first vitamin was identified and introduced as Thiamine (vitamin B1). Since then, scientists have thoroughly investigated vitamins and nutrients found in fruits, vegetables, meats, whole grains, and dairy.

In the 100 years since then, our understanding of the correlation between vitamins and healthy living has increased dramatically. However, many people do not eat all of the foods that provide them with the vitamins needed for a healthy lifestyle.

In 2010, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a decrease in fruit and vegetable consumption between 2000 and 2009 (CDC 2010). The report showed less than one third of Americans are consuming the recommended two servings of fruit per day, and three servings of vegetables per day. A study published in the August 2012 issue of the British Journal of Nutrition reported vitamins that were poorly consumed in three European countries included vitamins A, D, E, and folic acid (Troesch 2012).

We simply aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, one of our primary sources of vitamins and minerals. That is not surprising given that World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables. Given our hectic schedules, it becomes even more challenging for most of us to fulfill the minimum requirement. Even if we do, it might not be enough as we still need to eat a variety of foods in different colors as they each have different nutrients and antioxidants.

When hectic lifestyles make it difficult to consume adequate fruits and vegetables on a consistent basis, a well-formulated dietary supplement can provide “nutritional insurance” to fill the gap in our diets. Supplements should not replace a healthy diet. However, a properly formulated nutritional supplement delivers an important and measurable benefit to human nutrition and health.

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D’Kranji Farm Resort

written by bigisgorgeous

By Lisa Tay

Many times I would dream of escaping from a city life to a place that offers serenity even if it’s just for a couple of days. Unfortunately, the thought of having to go through the hassle of checking out flights, accommodations along with all other decisions on where to go, what to eat, who to go with (the list just goes on) and most importantly, “Will my leave be approved”, leaves me no choice but to stay put right here at home. 16079678

Few months back, I happened to come across an article about a place called D’Kranji Farm Resort located at 10 Neo Tiew Lane 2, Lim Chu Kang. There I was thinking to myself, “A Farm” in Singapore, how interesting. Singapore maybe small but even I wasn’t quite sure where Lim Chu Kang was. So I decided to check it out on the web and bingo, that place became my next holiday destination.

D’Kranji Farm Resort was first established and opened to the public back in 2008. Since then, the resort has expanded their accommodations. It may sound astounding but it was a $10million project to begin with. Up to date, they have 15 staffs working for them and during peak season (especially school holidays), the resort attracts around 240,000 visitors.

In all honesty, the first impression I had when my car arrived just outside of the resort was, “Oh my god, this place is really located in the middle of nowhere”, for a minute or two, I thought I have travelled to some kampong place in Malaysia but as I checked my cellphone service provider, it was showing local reception. So here I am, checking into a Farm Resort, not knowing what to expect but one thing for sure, I wasn’t that far from the city itself.

Checking in wasn’t much of a hassle but interestingly all check-ins to the Villas are done over a “guard house” look alike as you drive in towards the Villas compound. The moment I was given my Villa keys, I was amazed as it not only came with the house key itself but also a garage remote, this made me even more excited to find out what’s beyond these gantry gates.

I booked myself into an Executive Villa that comes with your own driveway where you can park the car right in front of your villa. It provides you with not only privacy to your own space but also security for your vehicle. How cool and thoughtful is that! The design of the bedroom and living room looked compact but yet spacious to move about. The decorations were kept simple and equipped, just like any hotel rooms you book yourself into. As I opened the door leading to the bathroom, my jaw literally dropped. The bathroom not only comes with a Jacuzzi, but also a personal steam room and there was an open shower area.

What I love most was the open veranda space (excess through the living room glass door) where you can sit and enjoy the nature view with no high-rise buildings in sight. After all the excitement of checking into my villa, I decided to head out to the other side of D’kranji compound where restaurants & the main attractions where located.

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Ups and Downs in Your Mood

written by bigisgorgeous

Brought to you by – DR CHONG YEANG CHERN

Have you received a promotion and pay rise recently? Have you lost your family member, friend or pet? All of us have our good days and bad days. Small mood swings are common and part and parcel of our lives. Mood swing is a noticeable change in one’s mood or emotional state. If the mood swing is extreme and severe, it can interfere with a person’s life.

Mood swings can be due to psychiatric or non psychiatric causes.

Non psychiatric causes

1) Life events – During different phases in our lives such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause, there are hormonal changes and stressors. This can contribute to mood changes. Other forms of life events which can be stressful include relationship problems, marriage, divorce, loss of loved one, financial problems and career changes.

2) Premenstrual syndrome – This is common among ladies in the reproductive age group. It comprises of a multitude of emotional symptoms such as mood swings,
crying spells, irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, food cravings and physical symptoms such as headache, bloatedness, breast tenderness and acne. This may be caused by cyclical changes in hormones and chemical changes in the brain.

3) Medications – Some medicines may cause mood changes for example steroids, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, thyroid medications, hormone replacement therapy.

4) Alcohol – Alcohol is a powerful ‘drug’ that has impact on one’s mood and feelings.

5) Brain Problems – Stroke, brain tumour, dementia and head injury can lead to personality changes and intense mood swings.

6) Thyroid Disease – Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland with excess thyroid hormones) can lead to anxiety and irritability. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland with insufficient thyroid hormones) can lead to fatigue and depression.

7) Chronic medical illnesses – Chronic medical problems can affect a person’s lifestyle, independence, mobility and the person’s self esteem and self perception. Rate of depression associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s and cancer is substantial.

Psychiatric causes

1) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

2) Bipolar Disorder

3) Depression

4) Personality Disorder

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Best Lipstick Colours for Autumn

written by bigisgorgeous

By Alicia Choong

It is always magical to witness the change in seasons along with colours which inspire many cosmetic houses to create the lovely hues in setting the tone for the coming Autumn.

Dark lips are still the order of the day on the runways and the streets of New York and fashion capitals all around the world.

Here are several you may want to try:-

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Confession of a Matchmaker – In my darkest hours I saw love

written by bigisgorgeous

by Annie Chan

Love comes in many different forms but as a matchmaker, love between 2 consenting persons is the most beautiful.

I grew up in a rather traditional family and my parents were always telling my siblings and I to study first and date later. While my friends were excitedly sharing about their boyfriends / girlfriends, I never felt complied to date! And it didn’t quite help the situation cos under the influence by a close female relative (her husband cheated on her) I kind of decided that marriage is just a piece of paper which can be superseded by another piece of paper – Divorce!

I only had a change of heart in my late 20s and decided to start dating

Boyfriend No. 1

He was a year older and works in commodity trading. His working hours followed the London market and so we kind of only saw each other in the night even on weekends. Like most couples we go to movies, dinners, drinks….but most times he preferred hanging out with his friends at the pub and he will ask me along. However, he will just leave me on my own while he joins his friends. He will get himself drunk at times and asked me to make my way home myself! Well, in the course of the relationship, I realized we have very different outlook in life and less than 1 year I called off the relationship!

Some friends say he looked like Lau Ching Wan, the Hong Kong actor!!

Boyfriend No. 2

He was a good friend and we started the relationship while he was on rebound! Quite stupid actually! But honestly, he was really very sweet and always surprises me with gifts. He was the boyfriend with the deepest pocket – a mobile phone and a branded watch were among some gifts. Well, cut the story short, girlfriend returned; they patched up; the relationship was over in less than 6 months! I kept the gifts of course J

Boyfriend No. 3

He who was to be my husband and then become my ex-husband!

I met Dennis* online. We started an online friendship; met up shortly after and soon became a couple. We saw each other 24/7 and soon after he moved in with my family. After dating for some 3 years, on the beautiful date of 040704 we got married. I was 35 which made me an “old” bride!

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Evolution – Big Is Gorgeous Runway Show @ Hilton Hotel Singapore

written by bigisgorgeous

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FRY Bistro, owned by our local celeb, Irene Ang.

written by bigisgorgeous

By Lisa Tay

Just a short stroll away from Chinatown, leads me to a rather charming little area of colourful shop fronts with old window shutters and street lamps from an era long ago. Some of you are aware that after 7pm over the weekends, Ann Siang Hill and Club Street that were once the home ground of traditional Chinese Clan Associations and Exclusive Social Clubs closes its roads to vehicles to cater to all sorts of pedestrian joviality.

I have been hearing so much about a bistro that offers extremely tasty chicken wings that comes with an amazing sauce and truffle fries that is bursting with truffles flavours and so I decided to head down to this place called FRY Bistro, owned by our local celeb, Irene Ang.

The place first greeted me with what seems like an endless fleet of steps but once you manage to get to the top where the Bistro is, the rooftop view just takes away all the tiredness you have just experienced. Despite being a tiny joint (bearing in mind that you are at a rooftop of a restored classic building), I felt comfortable and relaxed once seated, mesmerized by the amazing view it gives. To top it off, I was able to catch up with Irene on a short video interview where she gives her recommendations on what’s the “Must” try dishes here.

Irene being Irene, she is generous enough to give 1 lucky winner a $50 FRY Bistro Dining Voucher and all you have to do is to watch the video and answer the following question.

Question: What is the name of the dish that is most popular among diners, which Irene mentioned in the video interview?

Please send your answers to diva@bigisgorgeous.com. All entries must be in before 31^st Dec 2014. Winner will be randomly picked and notified by email.

FRY Bistro is located at 96B Club Street, 4^th Floor. Opening Hours are from Mon – Wed: 17:00 – 01:00 & Thu – Sat: 17:00 – 03:00. They are closed on Sundays.

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Bar Naked

written by bigisgorgeous

By Joshua Zheng

Everyone loves to have a few drinks while chilling out with friends these days. At 95 club street, a karaoke which was formerly known as HQ has now been converted into a bar known as Bar Naked. Founded by FLY Entertainment CEO Irene Ang and creatively conceptualized by award winning marketing agency GOODSTUPH, the concept of Bar is to be “The” bar that allows like-minded brands (companies) to advertise but also use it as a pop-up space for product debuts.

As I stood in front of the bar (along club street), I saw a massive tree trunk placed upright next to some tables on the outside space of the Bar. My first thought was, how could there be such a huge tree growing as part of the architecture building and no one seems to be bothered about it. Obviously the owner did not mind at all as the whole idea of placing a tree ‘lookalike’ is to promote the Monkey Shoulder, a game-changing triple malt whisky from Scotland and the alcohol brand that has fronted Bar Naked since its launch in July. Brad the bartender (who is also the partner and operations manager of Bar Naked) was nice enough to offer me 2 shots of Monkey Shoulder before I interviewed Irene. I must say it tasted sweet but yet strong enough to give you the “Kick”.

But it was the “bareness” that caught my attention. The design and the outlook of the bar was modern yet contemporary. The bar chairs wasn’t the usual types that you see out there; the foot rest attached to each chair has a swinging functionality. Not only looks cool but fun to rest your feet on. At the back of the bar, I noticed an old classical swing that actually allows people to sit on, which brings back old memories of how simple life used to be during childhood.

Irene being Irene, she is generous enough to give 1 lucky winner a $50 Bar Naked Voucher and all you have to do is to watch the video and answer the following question.

Question: What’s one of the special drinks, which was mentioned in the video?

Please send your answers to diva@bigisgorgeous.com. All entries must be in before 31^st Dec 2014. Winner will be randomly picked and notified by email.

Bar Naked is located at 95 Club Street. Opening Hours are from Mon – Wed: 17:00 – 00:00 & Thu – Sat: 17:00 – 03:00. They are closed on Sundays.

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