Spot Fake!

Continuation from my previous post on "Why pay with your life" on some very toxic ingredients found in low quality or fake cosmetic makeup. 

Apart from the lower quality makeup by smaller brands in the market, there are many fake makeup of the bigger brands! These manufacturers earns a big fraction by selling the fake because they substitute important ingredients with the low quality and cheaper ones.

So how do you spot the fake ones when the makeup looks exactly the same as the original ones? These manufacturers copy boxes, colors and prints in boxes. But if you look closely enough, you will be able to tell if the product is a rip-off.

Here's some handy guide:
A) Read through the leaflet. If you notice misspelled words or incomprehensible english, don't buy it!

B) Check item codes. The item codes on the product should match that which is on the box, only applicable for brands with item codes printed.

C) Compare lids and applicator brushes with the original ones. Usually fake makeup comes with an applicator of a different size.

D) Examine the box thoroughly. Some counterfeit items will use a slightly different font or colors to print. There will surely be something that will give it away that it is a counterfeit, so be attentive to the details.

E) Only licensed sellers are allowed to sell branded products. Do not risk for health and skin just to save on the few dollars differences.

F) Be suspicious of cheap branded products.

If all these are too much for you, trust me, just do your purchases at authorized sellers or retail stores for 100% authentic products.

Why pay with your life?

Every year ladies spend over thousands of dollars on skincare and facials. However not realizing how important it is to get really good quality makeup. Some thinks that by spending on good quality skincare will make up for all the damage makeup does to their skin, but the fact is yet to defer.

I wanted to name this title, fake or counterfeit makeup at first. But noticing the many numerous makeup cosmetic brands hitting the market, i think it is more important to know the ingredients than just identifying by brands. I cannot guarantee to say that all big brands in the market or commonly seen or used brands are of good quality.

Below are 5 different types of toxic ingredients found in low quality or counterfeit makeup that might cost your life:
1) Lead, is considered as an ancient poison that leads to headaches, nauseas, abdominal pains and lethargy. Serious cases may lead to coma and seizures.

2) Arsenic, is listed as Class 1 carcinogen and is commonly used in pesticides and can potentially lead to bowel diseases, cancer, weakened immune system and weak liver function.

3) Copper, can cause irritation in nose and throat when inhaled. Exposure to high doses can cause diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, liver and kidney damage and even death.

4) Mercury, is one of the most poisonous substance ever known. it can potentially harm the central nervous system and other harmful causes includes mood changes, insomnia, irritability, loss of appetite, tremors and short-term memory loss.

5) Cadmium, is toxic even in low levels. Exposure can cause heart and lung irritations, breathing problems, fluid build-up in lungs and softening of bones that may eventually lead to fractures.

Some of these ingredients are often used to substitute the other expensive ones that gives the same outlook effects of the makeup, but leaving long lasting damage to our skin and even our body.

Featured Designer: Peter Pilotto

Below are some the photos taken at the Audi Fashion Festival - Peter Pilotto Session.

Photographer: Ivan Yeo (MY HUSBAND!)

I'm so proud to say that these photos are taken by my husband! When i was watching the runway show, the models walk by you so quickly that you wish to take a closer look or another look at the dress. These wonderful photos made it all possible and i can just look through the dresses and stare at them all day!

Hope you enjoy the photos and the dresses as much as i do!

News and updates

This is written from my point of view.

Standing outside the court hall at 6am, on the 15th May, the first day of the trial. I saw how many people coming together to show the support of the church and at the same time how some people who are against us or even for the purpose of "making news", writes and report things that are not true or made up.

Not being able to make it into the morning session, i queued outside patiently for the afternoon session at 9am. I witness how a specific reporter from ST sat among us and try to 'drag for news'. I took photos of her and even know her name but decided that i shall not name her here. However the next instant, she reported a news that was published on Straits Times online at 11.01a.m. stating somethings that prosecutors said. This made me feel kinda curious.

Questions flooded my mind:
- Isn't the use of phones or recording devices banded in the court hall? Because she was also constantly texting with her other partner, whom i also have a photo of but decided not to post it here, who is in the court hearing throughtout.
- How then did she get the information of what is going on in the court when she is sitting right in front of me? Through the text that was sent by her partner or is it just made up stories?
- Is then the most trusted news media in singapore making up news just so that they will be the first to report on news?
- Are they facts reporters or just tale bearers?

These questions are not just regarding this case, but Straits Times as a trusted social media of Singapore. If they are just making up stories so that they beat the other media, then can we trust what they say anymore? Are the writers writing out of their own bias point of view? And reports bitterly in this case, just because she was thrown out of the first session due to not having a media pass? :x

However, i am not so affected after all, as i have no longer trust straits times for the most accurate news. If your want the latest, most trusted news of this case, you can refer to Citynews as the professional writers write facts and truth about the details that happened in the court room after every session (instead of just making wild guesses).

Audi Fashion Festival 2013

Counting down to the upcoming Audi Fashion Festival Singapore! 16-19th May, 2013

Taking place at the Tent @ Marina Barrage

I'm totally looking forward to meet the man behind these creations. Just some photos to wet your appetite!

Introducing British Fashion Designer Peter Pilotto and his partner,

the men behind the brand, Peter Pilotto.

I believe!

We are going to be the biggest news in the next few days, City Harvest Church, CHC.

But in view of all and what is going to be ahead, i can only say that i believed, i believe and i'm still believing!

I was here, 13 years ago when we were still meeting at the old hollywood theatre. Back then, we were less than 8,000 people. i saw how the church love and contributed to the community. In the days of my youth, i was taught that what makes a christian from the rest is that when we make a mistake, we do not push and we do not blame, we take responsibility and we grow. Is it possible to never ever make a mistake? Let he who has no sin cast the first stone.

It was also then where we started the project 'Church without walls' and going beyond the 4 walls of the church, we entered the lives of many who are I.D and disabled. Giving them warm and a brand new meaning to life. Giving their family members a new hope and emotional support. Many lives were touched, and changed.

2003, we started the crossover project. Is it just the decision of the leaders or our senior pastor, kong hee? i would say, it is our project. This is our church, this is our crossover, this is our project and this is our decision. Just like many other projects whether is it to build schools or orphanages, the purpose was to touch and change lives.

In this journey, i went for quite a couple of the trips and each time, it move me to tears standing there in the midst of the concert or event, see the many lives changed. The smile, the joy and the hope that was put on the people's face once again.

Though much will be said on the first round of the court hearing starting this coming wednesday, 15th May. I will say, i trust in the integrity of our leaders that nothing was used for personal gains and no money was 'lost' as mentioned by the media.

I believed, i believe and i'm still believing!

Could this be my turning point?

Time to pen down and get down to serious business. 

This morning i heard how 2 business person got their business started. One is but pure faith and curiosity while the other started off with a plan.

Which one worked? Both.

But the idea is, they got it started.
Having a plan and desire that sat in me for 10 years, i know that having a great idea will not get us anywhere.
Just in case you are like me, hoping that circumstances will change and it will finally be a good time? there will never be a perfect time.

People have always been telling me, it is not what you know but who you know. i always thought likely of it, till i realized that actually i am quite bad at networking and don't have any network to begin with!

Time to get down to work, time to build relationships and make friends!

Ebay Frauds?

Just like many other ebay users, i sell and i buy from ebay. But as much as we want to be a honest seller, to give a 100% true and full account of the item we are selling, we expect other sellers to be as honest as we are. However, we need to know that there are dishonest sellers around!

Having many unpleasant encounters with dishonest sellers, the thought of giving up on ebay crossed my mind. However, instead of withdrawing from my bad experiences, i decided to write them and advise other ebay users of how they can protect themselves!

Recently, i made a purchase on ebay for a bag. Looking through the photos almost 20 times to make sure that the item is not a imitation or a fake, i decided to buy it. When the item arrived, the alignment of the print is completely out and it is obvious an imitation, a fake! But because the seller indicated 'do not accept returns', i could not do anything or report this seller to ebay!

What can you do to prevent things like this from happening?
1) Make sure that you check through the photos and the materials used to be real before even bidding for the item or make a purchase
2) Check whether seller accept returns, it is ok if seller DO NOT accept returns
3) Make payment with paypal and only in a single payment. DO NOT accept oversea sellers offering you a discount to make payment via transfers at a discount, especially if item is expensive

If after you have done all the above, but still you encounter the same situation as me, what should you do?
1) Contact seller and communicate with seller
2) Indicate to the seller the reason why you think it may be an imitation or a fake
3) Try to come to an agreement with the seller that you will be satisfied with. Whether is it a full refund, a partial refund or other agreements
4) In the event if seller is not responsive to your messages and have indicated clearly that they DO NOT accept returns, try reporting to ebay
5) However, there maybe times where item is not under the ebay buyer protection. Do not be despair. You can go to paypal solution center and file a case against the seller via the transcation
6) If seller still does not response to paypal solution center, you may then escalate to a paypal claim where the money will be withheld from both the seller and the buyer till paypal review the situation and come out with a reasonable payout
7) Be patient to let paypal review the situation but at the meantime, try to keep record of as much evident as possible, as paypal might ask you for some information

Unless seller tell you personally and guarantees that item is authentic, do not assume that it is authentic. There are many replica nowadays that comes even with the authentic card, so even if the seller has an authentic card, it no longer guarantees that the item is authentic anymore. So unless you get a personal response from seller that item is authentic, do not buy.

My 2nd case is as such. i asked the seller whether item comes with authentic card and seller replies yes. However after the first case, i wrote to the 2nd seller immediately to ask whether item is 100% authentic and his reply was that it is from a private seller and it comes with the authentic card. After prompting further, he could not give a 100% yes and say that if i receive the item and still do not like it then i can send it back but i will have to pay for postage and bear the cost of sending the item back.

SO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU ARE PURCHASING ONLINE. Make sure the seller could tell you and assure that it is a 100% authentic even before you make the purchase so that it will save you all the postage fees and the trouble of sending the items back. Postage fees can easily cost up to $100 per time, so be wise!

However, there are some items that you can live with even if they are not authentic, just like those i mentioned in my previous post on Real or Fake.