Calf-length silhouette.

Top: Infinite Pixie

Skirt: H&M

Heels: The Closet Lover

Necklace: Thomas Sabo

Bracelet: Pandora

I've got a deep-seated obsession with midi pencil skirts! I hardly wear my minis nowadays 'cause I feel like I look too sleazy whilst midi pencil skirts give a so much more sophisticated look. Maybe age is catching up with me or 'cause I don't get to dress up like an office lady to work. But I choose to believe that this is most likely another of my fashion phase/craze.

The midi skirt was made popular in the famous movie, Bonnie and Clyde. We've seen designers ricochet between maxis that take it to the floor and impossible-to-hide-your-butt-cheeks minis, yet fail to bring back the midi trend which so many of us hunt high and low in vintage shops for, until now. The calf-length silhouette is probably here to stay for awhile since it's so transitional. Pair it with a blouse and you're ready for a day at your office, pair it with a crop top and you're all set to party the night away. This 70s revival has definitely got fashion crushing for a number of seasons now and we've seen them on runways in a hundred and one different designs -- fitted, a-line, textured, sheer, lace, jacquard, mermaid hemline, etc.

The thought of bisecting the calves and hiding in a voluminous amount of fabric (more so for petite and vertically challenged girls like myself) may seemingly make us look frumpy and significantly shorter. Fret not 'cause there's a couple of tricks to pulling it off in a midi!

Waistline
If you're donning a midi skirt which usually means more length and volume (especially those full skirting like the A-line or those with flounces) at the bottom, it's important to always keep it balanced and streamlined above the waist. A crop top often makes a perfect counterpart. However, if you're not into belly baring, a tube/spaghetti top would do too. And if you're not wearing a crop top, do remember to have your top tucked in! Another tip is to put on a waist-cinching belt.

Heels
Picking the right pair of footwear to go with your midi skirt can be a little tricky, unless you were blessed with model-like height. I personally think it's fine to pair it with flats like a pair of strappy sandals. But of course, nothing beats a pair of heels. A thin strappy pair of heels or the classic pumps (preferably nude) would do the job. Nude pumps are well known for giving you an extra bit of height 'cause it matches your skin tone and that gives an illusion that your legs go on forever rather than having it "chopped off" with any other coloured pumps. It's just an illusion, then again, whatever works right?

Photos by Gian

"I'm not a risk taker. I don't do plunging necklines or really short skirts. I try to stay as classy as possible and provide a little mystery."
- Kristen Bell

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108 Yogathon

It's less than a week to the 108 Yogathon -- Singapore's largest outdoor yoga marathon! Come join me and all the other yogis in completing 108 Sun Salutations in one session! 

Sun Salutation, also known as Surya Namascar in Sanskrit, is basically the sequence of asanas you see in the above picture. And yes, we'll be doing that 108 times!

I'm taking up the challenge even though I'm still a greenhorn when it comes to yoga, so no excuses to not participate! Grab your friends along to enjoy bundle packages and cheer each other on while you put your endurance to the test.

Details

Date: 29th November 2014, Saturday

Time: 4:30 - 6:30PM (registration & fringe activities start at 3PM)

Venue: Fort Gate, Fort Canning Park

Here's a shout out to Moringa.sg and  Tirisula Yoga who have kindly sponsored a box of tea and 100% organic cotton handmade yoga mat bag respectively. There'll be more stuff in your goodie bags!

What are you waiting for? Register here and I'll see you there!

"Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, a science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul."

- Amit Ray

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GLOMAX Aesthetics.

I've always had a phobia of going for facials 'cause the time my mum brought me for my first ever facial, the aesthetician left scars all over my face after the session. Years later, when I finally found the only aesthetician that I trusted my face with, she decided to quit. So I can't remember the last time I went for a facial until GLOMAX Aesthetics -- The Face Artistry invited me over for one recently.

GLOMAX Aesthetics is nestled on the sixth floor (#06-168) in Soho 2 which is a stone's throw away from The Central at Clarke Quay. Pretty easy to locate!

This face artistry has been given several awards over the years -- Best anti-acne facial by Women's Weekly, best pre-party prep facial by SimplyHer to name a few. If awards aren't enough to convince you, the team at GLOMAX Aesthetics are made up of highly trained beauty masters, with all staff having over 3 years of experience in the beauty industry.

I'd consider myself to have rather good skin other than the occasional break outs at the T-zone during the time of the month. Which is why after I had my skin consultation with the experts, I was actually quite surprised that I've got rather dull skin due to the accumulation of dead skin cells.

I was recommended the 90 minutes Luminous Detox Energie Care Treatment:

The ultimate skin purification, this Diamond Microdermabrasion invigorates cellular renewal to treat clogged, pigmented and sallow skin. No steaming is used, instead, a Sonic Cleansing machine vibrates the dirt off the skin, preparing the skin for any manual extraction. After which, High Frequency machine is used to repair and calm any open wounds, speeding up the skin's natural healing. Designed with a customised cocktail of vitamins to refresh and strengthen the skin protective barrier, the skin immediately comes out looking clean and glowing inside out. Ends off with a customised mask.

Every one of us have different skin issues, therefore there are 5 different customised cocktail of vitamins that cater to the different skin types......

Whitening: Vitamin C (promotes collagen production), Pentawhite (anti-oxidant, super whitening), Green tea extract (anti-oxidant, whitening, anti-bacterial, lightening)  

Anti-aging: Collagen, Retinol Q-10, Maravelane (anti-wrinkle, strengthen collagen formation), DNA (strengthen cells, anti-oxidant), Vitamin E (hydrating, anti-ageing)  

Anti-oxidant: Tovo E (super anti-pxidant, hydrating), Beta carotene (super anti-oxidant), Alpha lipoic acid (400x stronger than Vitamin C, super anti-oxidant) 

Acne/Oily: Acne lotion (reduce inflammatory in acne, repair), Acne gel (anti-inflammatory, soften dead skin cells, regulate sebum), Comedo lotion (soften blackheads, whiteheads, regulate sebum) 

Sensitive: Chamomile extract (combat allergies), Pentacalmin (anti-inflammatory, repair broken capillary, anti-oxidant), ST complex

The diamond microdermabrasion is basically a suction machine that helps remove dead skin cells. It's like a sucker fish that sucks up all the dirt. And you don't have to worry about pain 'cause it's definitely pain free. Moreover, the energy of the suction can be controlled. My aesthetician used the lowest energy for my face since I naturally have broken capillaries which she did not want to exacerbate it.

A hell lot of dead skin cells to my horror! I think I need to do facial scrubs more often from now on.

Initially, the diamond microdermabrasion was only done on the right half of my face. It doesn't really show up in the photo, but when I looked in the mirror, the right half of my face was significantly brighter than my left! Even the darkness under my eye and pimple scars were lightened.

No more yellow sallow skin!

Next was the sonic cleansing. The machine makes use of vibrations to remove dirt such as black and white heads to prep the skin for manual extraction of stubborn pimples later on.

This high frequency machine was used after manual extraction to calm the open wounds and speed up the healing process. If there was any form of pain in the whole process, this was the part. It felt prickly and as if there were tiny sparks on the face. Yet, nothing unbearable.

Needless to say, this was my favourite part of the facial. Since I've got sensitive skin, my aesthetician was super nice and added chamomile extract for me as well. Two thumbs up for awesome service! I appreciate when people go the extra mile to provide better service for their customers.

It was a great experience at GLOMAX Aesthetics. The staff were all very friendly and they made me feel so at home by constantly holding conversations instead of leaving me in awkward silence. And the results (even after just one session) are amazeballs! My breakouts have cleared up a lot faster since my facial; my skin has a brighter glow from inside out and so much smoother.

If you guys are interested to try out the facial to see the incredible results for yourselves, here's a sweet deal!

For first time customers, quote my name "Clarabelle"when you make an appointment to enjoy the 90 minutes Luminous Detox Facial (with a cocktail of vitamins customised to your skin type) for $88 instead of the usual $169!

Otherwise, I'll also be holding not one, but 2 free facial giveaways on my Instagram! Do look out for that 'cause the facials are worth $108-400 each!

GLOMAX Aesthetics -- The Face Artistry

12 Eu Tong Sen Street

Soho 2, #06-168

Singapore 059819

Contact: 6225 5193

Website: http://www.glomaxaesthetics.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glomaxaesthetics.sg

Instagram: @glomaxaesthetics

"Glamour is about feeling good in your own skin."

- Zoe Saldana

Instagram @clarabellefaithng

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Reasons why you should date an Aquarius.

It's a new month, so here's another guest post for Love Out Loud Asia!

I don't know if it's the same for every other Gemini women but I definitely hit it off well with Aquarius men. Whether he was my puppy love in primary school, biggest crush in secondary school, sweetest eyecandy in college, goofy buddy or first true love, they were surprisingly all born under the water bearer constellation. Sometimes I wonder if they're all just uncanny coincidences (what are the odds) or fate's way of telling me which horoscope suits me best. Either way, here's some reasons why I'm naturally attracted to Aquarians and sure as hell love being around them.

"What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within the span of his little life by him who interests his heart in everything."

- Laurence Sterne

Aquarians are a smart lot. It's both unfair and fascinating at the same time how even the lazy ones make achieving good grades seem so effortless! But who doesn't love an intelligent man who yearns to learn about everything this entire universe has to offer? A heads up if you're dating an Aquarian -- there's possibly nothing else that could make an Aquarian's heart beat faster than the hunger for knowledge and a partner who is able to feed that with wits. Being with such an inquisitive mind will broaden your horizons 'cause the two of you will constantly seek new adventures (which leads us to the point below) and learn new stuff together.

"Lots of people like rainbows. Children make wishes on them, artists paint them, dreamers chase them, but the Aquarian is ahead of everybody. He lives on one. What's more, he's taken it apart and examined it, piece by piece, colour by colour, and he still believes in it. It isn't easy to believe in something after you know what it's really like, but the Aquarian is essentially a realist, even though his address is tomorrow, with a wild-blue-yonder zip code."
- Linda Goodman

The Aquarius is consumed by wanderlust. Their love for adventures fuels them to travel and explore at every opportunity they get. Travelling with your partner is probably the best way to find out if he is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with 'cause this is the time you discover his bad habits and weird quirks. It's a double edged sword really. If you two can travel without clashing with each other, you know he's a keeper. Otherwise, there's a lot more to work on or maybe even reconsider the relationship.

"The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives."

- Anthony Robbins

Geminis are known to put a premium on communication; they absolutely love conversations that are intellectually stimulating or captivating. Boy, am I glad that Aquarians share the same sentiment. In a relationship, it's crucial to find someone who is able to hold a conversation and comfortable in discussing about everything with you. More importantly, you'd want your other half to be your better half (which comes instinctively for Aquarians 'cause of their optimistic nature) when life throws you lemons. They somehow miraculously work their magic and get you out from your turmoil. And in the long run, you'll start to realize that their optimism is so overpowering that it rubs off on you. Being a good communicator is not the only amazing trait of Aquarians. They're blessed with a great sense of humour that will leave you laughing even on days when you don't even feel like smiling. There's hardly ever a dull moment with them! 

"The more you try to hold on to Aquarius lovers, the more you will feel them slipping like water through your fingers."
- Gary Goldschneider's

With a very strong sense of themselves, Aquarians adore and even crave for time alone occasionally. When you've been with one for long enough, you'll know when aloofness is on its way and you'll know it's space they need. Don't mistake that for a sudden lost of interest in you 'cause that couldn't be further from the truth. They just spend a little more time with their inner thoughts; they take time to enjoy the peace and quietness that solitude brings while re-energizing, especially if they're going through a rough patch. You'll also come to know that 'cause of their immense individuality, emotions are not the realm of an Aquarian. They don't like to feel caged or smothered. So if you're a girl who needs constant attention from your partner, perhaps you're better off dating someone else. On the other hand, if you enjoy having time to do your own things (which I do very much), an Aquarian is probably your best bet. He'd never try to dominate and take over your life 'cause he understands how important personal space is. He'll leave you to make you own choices, respect them, and support you. Bottom line, your freedom ain't gonna hurt his man ego!

Photos by Ing

Editing by Nelson

With love,

Instagram @clarabellefaithng

Ask.fm @clarabellefaithng

Rachel K Cosmetics.

TGIF everyone! No better way to end the weekdays and kick start the weekends with a giveaway from Rachel K Cosmetics (as promised)!

I've come to know about Rachel K Cosmetics when I took part in the Miss Universe Singapore pageant last year. Rachel K was crowned Miss Universe Singapore in 2009 and being a beauty queen made her realise the importance of good skincare. Therefore, with the association of a high-end Korean laboratory, she created the care-colour products which was launched in 2011.

Since I've been wanting to try out the CC Renew cream and pressed powder and was actually about to purchase a set when I ran out of foundation recently, I was super duper happy when I saw 3 sets of them in the 3 different shades in my Tirisula Yoga goodie bag.

It's really irritating when your face feels so heavy after applying your foundation and then it starts getting cake-y as you go on with your day. Thankfully, the CC Renew cream has a lightweight texture, but it is still capable of neutralising unsightly redness and dullness while illuminating the skin. The best part is that it stays on all day long, even if you exercise and sweat! Tested and proven!

I've had broken capillaries on my cheeks since I was a child and that's one thing I hate about my face 'cause they're really visible. The CC Renew pressed powder gives an extra and build-able coverage that helps mask my broken capillaries. It complements the CC Renew cream to give a very natural and matte finish.

I finally understand why the Rachel K Renew CC duo has been so highly raved about by beauty queens all around the world. They are my new found love and have become my essentials whenever I put on makeup now. It's non-comedogenic so it doesn't clog up the pores and allows your skin to breathe. Oh, and it allows me to skip my sunblock (which I'm ALWAYS too lazy to put on) 'cause both products contain SPF 35 and 15 respectively. I'd say that the ultimate plus point for me is that they're both suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin! Rachel K has very sensitive skin herself and she tests her products on her own skin.

You don't have to trust what I say, just go get a set and try it for yourself! It's worth a try 'cause after all Rachel K was the one who pioneered the CC cream and has revolutionised the beauty world as major global brands such as Chanel have come up with their own version. You can get them from Rachel K Cosmetics, Bellabox and Luxola. Or if you're lucky enough, you might just walk away with a set of Rachel K CC Renew cream and pressed powder by following these steps:

1. Like Rachel K Cosmetics's Facebook page.

2. Like Tirisula Yoga's Facebook page.

3. Like my photo (as seen above).

4. Screenshot Steps 1-3 and email them to me at clarabellefaithng@gmail.com with the title "Rachel K Cosmetics giveaway".

Do hurry 'cause I'll be picking the winner on 10th November which is just 3 days away! GOOD LUCK!

"I want to empower women and make women feel good and beautiful."

- Rachel K

Instagram @clarabellefaithng

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Trick or treat?

Dress: ASOS

Vest: Korea

Shoes: Rubi

Bag: H&M

Shades: Ray-Ban

Watch: Skagen

Bracelet & Ring: Pandora

Mickey Mouse pumpkin keychain: Tokyo Disneyland

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! TRICK OR TREAT?

I've never dressed up and celebrated Halloween in any way before. Really wanted to try it out this year but throat infection and flu decided to pay me a visit. What a wet blanket! So here I am on my laptop, updating this space. And thankfully I managed to capture some visuals the other day while I was out.

My parents came back from Japan last weekend and bought me a ton of stuff. Among all the gifts, they got me this uber cute Mickey Mouse pumpkin keychain that's a candy pail as well! Just in time and perfect for Halloween! Parents know best indeed. I always have to have candies/biscuits with me 'cause you know what they say -- a hungry Belle is an angry Belle. You'll be spotting me with this keychain on my bags from now on!

Hope you guys have a fun-tastic Halloween tonight! I'm all ready to hit the sack. Good spooky night!

Photos by Ing

Editing by yours truly

"If ever there was a holiday that deserves to be commercialised, it's Halloween. We haven't taken it away from kids. We've just expanded it so that the kid in adults can enjoy it too."

- Cassandra Peterson

With love,

Instagram @clarabellefaithng

Ask.fm @clarabellefaithng

Tirisula Yoga.

I've been wanting to try out yoga for the longest time but never got down to signing up for classes, so I was delighted when Pamela invited me for a 2 days introduction to yoga course at Tirisula Yoga last week.

What sets Tirisula Yoga apart from your regular yoga schools that conduct drop-in lessons is that it also provides yoga teacher training courses with internationally recognised certification from Yoga Alliance USA. If you're looking to pursue yoga as a career, this enables you to teach yoga in Singapore and all over the world!

They pride themselves on the fact that......

Tirisula Yoga is the longest, most consistent and reliable yoga centre in Singapore. We provide well-rounded education for aspiring teachers, self-practitioners and the public about the many benefits of yoga, including treatments for diseases.  

We are completely and unequivocally focused on conducting certification courses as well as providing small high impact classes and the best workshops for the public. We provide all opportunities for graduates to pursue their talents through teaching our small group classes. 

We are a secular institute that appreciates and respects all forms of religion. We emphasize harmony, inner calmness and a serene mind. 

The studio is conveniently located at 80B Arab Street which is walking distance from Bugis MRT station. Not hard to spot at all!

On the first day, I was pleasantly greeted by the cheerful people of Tirisula Yoga and lavished with a bag full of goodies from sponsors -- Belif, Rachel K Cosmetics, Provenance Distribution, The Fitness Grocer, and Infuusa.

Before we went into yoga proper and tried out the various asanas, we had to give those tight muscles a good stretch.

Day 1 was all about flexibility and we had Master Weiling taking us through the 2 hours lesson.

Every thing looks really easy peasy in the photos but wait till you try it for yourself, especially if you've never ever had prior experiences of yoga. And I've realised how much flexibility I've lost since my dancing days.

With every technique for flexibility that we picked up, we inched towards the challenge of the day -- Tiribendit.

Yes, I did the easier alternative of the actual asana since I couldn't reach backwards for my toes for nuts. Was a little disappointed with that 'cause this was one pose that I could do in a breeze back when I was in Chinese dance.

By day 2 I was aching all over, even in places that I never knew I could possibly have muscle aches. Nevertheless, I still pushed through another 2 hours of yoga that focused on balance with Master Paalu (the owner of Tirisulayoga). Master Paalu has been practicing yoga for more than 30 years!

The ultimate challenge of the second day was to do an inversion. Well, I did it often in dance but that was a long time, so I was both thrilled and nervous at the same time.

With a little help from Master Paalu, I managed to do the headstand! It wasn't that tough after all. Then again, there's definitely more room for improvement.

Besides yoga, we had talks too.

Master Paalu and Master Weiling taught us about the biases for blogging and our body type respectively.

Belif gave us a history of how the brand came about and how it stood the test of time. They were really generous to let us try out all their products and gifted us with our own set! Yay to trying out a new range of skincare products!

A really fun and insightful tea infusion workshop with the brain behind Infuusa. I used to prepare my own infusion with fresh fruits but then I got lazy and stopped. Plus I never really knew the benefits of cold brewing other than the fact that water and fruits are healthy. I'll do another in depth post about all these soon. Gotta share the good stuff right? 

Last but not the least, we had Rachel K Cosmetics. If you'd like to win yourself a set of their CC cream, do stay tuned 'cause I'll be holding a giveaway soon!

NAMASTE, Tirisula Yoga for the invite and the great hospitality! I truly enjoyed yoga, knowing my body a lot better, and getting to meet new girlfriends!

People often say that yoga is for the sick, yet I beg to differ. Prevention is better than cure. So start your yoga journey and to a healthy life ahead now! 

If you're clueless on how to go about it, here's a little treat for you! Tirisula Yoga has been really kind to offer a 50% off (U.P. $1800) for their 50 hours yoga transformation course that's starting in January. Find out more about the course here.

Photos by Tirisula Yoga & yours truly

Tirisula Yoga

80B Arab Street

Singapore 199777

Contact: 6299 5181

Website: http://tirisulayoga.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TirisulaYoga

Instagram: @tirisulayoga

"Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured."

- B.K.S Lyengar

Instagram @clarabellefaithng

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