Msclak

Welcome to CLAK! I am Charlene and I own an online skincare boutique, www.efreshsingapore.com. I will love to share about my sweet family, skincare tips and reviews, my travelogue and everything that excites me.

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Msclak January 28, 2019

Exploring Penang in 2 Days!

I received many DMs asking about about our Penang holiday so I thought it might be useful if I just share what we did during the 3D2N trip.

We departed on a Friday evening flight to avoid any disruptions to school and work commitments. There are many flights to Penang daily and we chose to go on Scoot. As we arrived at night, the first day was merely just us resting at DoubleTree Penang to prepare for the next day. https://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/malaysia/doubletree-resort-by-hilton-penang-PENMBDI/accommodations/rooms.html

We were really pleased with the family room that was arranged. I was able to watch some movies in the room without worrying that I might wake the girls up and with 2 bathrooms, getting them ready was way faster than usual.

The entrance of Family Room at DoubleTree Penang.

Papa & Mama’s Room

The girls’ room

The next day, we explored Entopia, Penang Peranakan Museum and the George Town heritage walk. To be honest, Papa and I enjoyed all the 3 venues. Entopia exceeded our expectations. We thought it would be like the Butterfly Park in Sentosa but no, it was much bigger with more lovely butterfly species. We all had the chance to release newly hatched butterflies and it was a memorable one as we each made a wish before releasing them. http://www.entopia.com/

Entopia is located just 20min drive from DoubleTree Penang

My 1st Caterpillar handling experience!

For Peranakan Museum, I absolutely adored it. I loved every intricate detail that was in the house. As you know we are currently building our house thus we were very impressed with the architecture facilities back in the olden days. If you have watched our local drama, Little Nyonya, you would probably be reminded of many scenes in the show. The place is really so rich in history and it is just indescribable by simple words. http://www.pinangperanakanmansion.com.my/

The details at Penang Peranakan Museum.

Love the furniture, the antiques and every intricate detail of the Peranakan Museum.

We had a good time exploring George Town which was walking distance from the museum. Street art, yummy food and stalls selling interesting souvenirs flooded the heritage streets. It was a touristy place but I would still recommend going because there are so many things George Town has to offer. You can also walk to New Lane where there are many nice food stalls too. Our family found a treasure there! A stall selling Fried Hor Fun and it was one of the most delicious food we had on the trip. The girls gobbled up every strand of noodle on the plate and we were shocked to hear Lauren telling Alexis if she couldn’t finish the Hor Fun, she would help her with it. That offer had never ever come from Lauren before.

The 3rd day was the final day and we checked out from DoubleTree Penang. We had a sumptuous breakfast at Makan Kitchen and the girls headed to Kids Club and the pool right next to the restaurant for some fun. We also explored Teddyville which was within the hotel; a beary entertaining way to showcase Penang’s history. http://teddyvillemuseum.com/

Delicious breakfast at Makan Kitchen

Kids Pool and Kids Club are conveniently located next to Makan Kitchen

Kids Club DoubleTree Penang

Kids Club is complimentary for hotel guest

The girls love the kids pool at DoubleTree Penang

Kids Pool at DoubleTree Penang

Teddyville is located within DoubleTree Penang

It was really a short and lovely stay at DoubleTree and even a butterfly came to bid us goodbye. 😊

We then headed to Penang Hill and Made In Penang Museum before going to the airport. Penang Hill reminded me of The Peak in Hong Kong. There was a funicular train up the hill and we were greeted with gorgeous views of Penang at the top. CLAK sealed our family love with a lock on a bridge up on Penang Hill! http://www.penanghill.gov.my/index.php/en/

The gorgeous view of Penang Hill

Our family’s Love Lock at Penang Hill

We sealed our love here in Penang

The Made In Penang Museum was very much like our trick eye museum. I would think this place is not a must-go but you should explore if you do have spare time. Do explore the Chew Jetty nearby, it is a Penang Heritage venue.

The girls playing inside Made In Penang Museum

Team Honeycombers brought us to China House for lunch. This is a nice and hippie place. Fusion food was served and the restaurant is segmented into different sections offering a different feel. There is a bar, an exhibition cum gallery area, and an open terrace by the pond. Very unique and chic place indeed. http://www.chinahouse.com.my/index-new.html

We were very blessed and glad to have explored so many interesting places in Penang with Honeycombers and Hilton Asia Pacific within just 2 days. Yes, 2 days but we covered a lot. This was definitely way better than an usual weekend staycation in Singapore.

*This is a sponsored post but all the opinions are mine.

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Msclak December 31, 2018

My 2018 snippets and 2019 resolutions

In a blink of an eye, 2018 is bidding us goodbye. Every year I would “wah.. this year passed by so quickly..” In fact 2018 proved to be a memorable year for me. Following is what I feel to be the major milestones of 2018.

Happy New Year, Guys!

1. A major change in my life as I moved from a corporate lady to an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is harder than I thought. With daily challenges to the point that whenever some things were going smoothly, I would fear that some big hiccups were coming too. Because ever since taking on the role, I felt the word 一帆风顺 only happens in fantasy. But the good thing is each and every challenge gave me a positive lesson and I have changed a lot in my mindset and thinking 1 year into this role.

My new office- Executive Storage by Extra Space

2. Dedicated more time to my family. Because now I do not have to report to work at a specific time. I have had more time with my family. Lauren is no longer on the school bus and she is enjoying the fact she could reach home earlier and avoid the occasional teasing she received from other students on the school bus. I could also send mummy to her medical appointments without the stress of applying for leave from work too often.

“we” time with mummy

School Outing with Alexis

3. With eFresh being my full time job, my mind was working 24/7 on how to improve the brand presence. eFresh received its 1st beauty award in May. I was so touched by the nomination and awards that I sent it to my ex-bosses as they had nominated me as an award winners when I was working in other companies then. For those that are keen to try the award-winning products, here is the link.

The award winning products from eFresh Singapore

4. A year with lots of holidays (inclusive of work trip) I conquered a short Bangkok getaway, a dream cruise holiday with my family, explored Greece with hubby, went on the 10th year of friendship trip to Bintan Canopi with my neighbours, a fruitful Hong Kong business trip and a CLAK holiday to London! Of course, these were nothing compared to hubby’s hectic travelling or the times when I was a stewardess but all these are beautiful memories created with family, friends and important lessons for my work.

Family Holiday in London

Business Trip to Hong Kong

Short Getaway to Bintan Canopi

Celebrating the 10th year of friendship with my wonderful neighbours at Bintan Canopi

Catching the most beautiful sunset with hubby in Santorini, Greece

Picture perfect Santorini

The ones who are closest to my heart. Missing Granny in this photo. Family cruise holiday

Joining hubby’s business trip in Bangkok

5. We made one of the biggest purchase in our lives. We bought our new home. This happened too suddenly and honestly if I knew this was coming, I would probably have continued working. The house has been giving me some pressure. Although hubby has been asking me to take things easy, I want to do my part in the family and help with the contributions. The agony of home construction/ renovation is the owners always bursting the initial target budget. We would be saying, “ok la, a little bit more but it will be nicer..” but it will be a little bit of everything x the entire house. So it was 😱😱😱. Other than the budget part, hubby and I really enjoyed this process of creating our humble abode. The discussion on theme, the furniture, to the type of tiles and wallpaper. Woah.. it is alot of couple time here. 🤣

Our 1st family photo at the new house (before demolition)

Current stage of construction. Demolished and pending piling

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6. With the pressure from the house, I pushed myself more in a good way in my career. I took the leap of faith and realised a dream of many years. The birth of Glowfully. This was probably one of the toughest decisions in 2018. Because funds were all locked in the house construction, to create Glowfully had me knocking on the door of banks to take a loan to fulfil this insane dream of mine. I do feel crazy even till now but I told myself, I will only grow the fastest when I am out of my comfort zone. Glowfully is only a month old but I am thankful to hear all the wonderful reviews from the customers who had tried this creation of mine. There will be more products coming up in 2019 and I hope you are anticipating them as much as I do. Do check out the website and follow us on Glowfully’s social media for the latest news.

Glowfully Charcoal Beads Gel Cleanser

My 1st product from Glowfully.

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As I kiss 2018 goodbye, I am telling 2019, “Hey, I know this is going to be an uphill task but please treat us well… I promise I will be good.”

Good in terms of love and care to everyone around me. More time with mummy and family.

More care for myself by having an exercise regime.

More responsibility to the less fortunate by having a corporate social responsibility program for Glowfully. (Details to be announced in Q2 2019)

Have you done your reflection of 2018 and your 2019 resolution?

Love, Charlene

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Msclak September 28, 2018

Extra Space Executive Storage Review

Before July 2018, I had been working in the comfort of my abode. Part of my house has also turned into my warehouse for my stocks. It was convenient for me but working at home has also caused my family members much inconvenience.

My girls have lost their playroom as the playroom became mummy’s warehouse.
The wardrobe that was used to store hubby’s suits and winter clothings are blocked by the cartons. To access his outfits, he would need to perform Ninja Warrior stunts to remove all obstacles to be able to open the wardrobe doors.
I felt like I had lost my freedom at home as I was literally on the laptop 24/7.
The dining table has become a work desk because that was the only proper table left at home.

I was determined to get an office but I did not wish to be committed to a hefty monthly rental. Co-working spaces I visited were not ideal as they are in posh downtown office where the parking costs can kill and I did not wish to travel half the island to work.

Thus when Extra Space approached me for a collaboration, I was happy to visit the site. Executive Storage is a new co-work and storage concept by Extra Space. This concept was perfect for me!

Warehouse space
A proper working environment where I have 24-hour access.
Meeting area where I can invite vendors or business partners for a discussion (else it was previously done at nearby Starbucks).
Air-conditioned Storage for my fragile precious skincare products.
There are printing facilities where I can comfortably fulfil my admin tasks too.

I was offered to review Executive Storage for a few months but I loved it so much that I decided to continue the service after the trial period. This was due to their affordable rental and the flexibility of the lease term. Do you know you can start the lease for as short as 2 weeks! With rental starting at $185, I think this is probably the best option for me at this moment.

Keen to be my “colleague”? Head over here to inquire about this service. Quote AHCLAK5 for an additional 5% discount on top of their promotion!

Here is a short tour of the site! Do hope to meet you all as my co-working colleague soon.

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Msclak September 26, 2018

My new wishlist – OSIM uLove 2 (4手天王)

I was very blessed to be able to experience the OSIM uLove 2 (4手天王) at their media preview recently!

If you have been a regular follower of my IG story, you would remember that I have always wanted to have a massage chair at home. Due to my bad posture, I have been suffering from backaches and shoulder ache. Do you know I specifically told our interior designer to keep an area in our new house for a massage chair?

So when I was told of the launch of the OSIM uLove2, i was more than excited to have a try on it.

The event was well planned with an OSIM Airlines First Class theme. We were being pampered from head to toe at the event. Everything was meticulously planned, from the decor, to the staff and finally when we were led to the uLove 2 “airline cabin”, everyone inside was in awe. I heard that quite a few ladies fell asleep shortly after the massage started. I was too engrossed by the chair’s 4-hand massage – it was literally like having 2 masseurs pampering you at 1 go.

Watch the event video here

https://youtu.be/FIGBthuArJM

Let me share some of the features of the OSIM uLove 2:

World’s first 4-hand massage – Like I mentioned above, this 4-hand massage technology features 4 sets of powerful rollers that massage your upper and lower body concurrently, mimicking the synchronised double massage on the upper and lower body, doubling your relaxation, doubling the pampering and doubling the luxury. This is the closest you can get to having 2 masseuses at the comfort of your home!
Patented V-Hand with 720 degrees Roller Balls – This is one of my personal favourite features of the chair! The intelligent V-Hand Massage emulates the skilful techniques and flexibility of a masseuse’s hand for a realistic grip that extracts your deep-seated knots. The 720 degree roller balls rotate 360 degree in both directions, rolling along every contour of your body! Who says a massage chair cannot fight a real masseuse?
uLove 2 Signature Suite – With 8 massage programs that addresses your different lifestyle needs, from Sport Massage program to ease muscle tension, a pampering Beauty massage program to tone and firm, a Stretch massage program to loosen muscle and improve flexibility, to a Sleep massage program that relaxes the body and mind for a well-rested slumber.

Woah… This amazing massage chair leverages on its V-Hand and 4-Hand Massage to tailor a massage program that perfectly targets and eliminates your sore spots for an euphoric experience.

May I also share that the uLove 2 also comes with 3D surround sound speakers and a wireless Bluetooth music playback! It was so relaxing to enjoy the massage with your favourite music playing in the background.

You would also have noticed the elegant and sophisticated design of the new uLove 2. The feminine flora hand-painted drawing and the luxurious quilted leatherette, uLove 2 is really a versatile accent piece that complements every living space. My favourite colour is the purple one! Which is yours?

Cannot wait to bring one back home? Head over to this link here to grab this amazing OSIM uLove 2 (4手天王) at a special preview price now or head over to any OSIM Outlets or Roadshows to try it & redeem an exclusive preview gift, while stocks last!

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Msclak September 25, 2018

Tear Trough Fillers and Crows Feet Botox with Celevenus Aesthetic

For those that have been following my IG, I had been very blessed to be taken care by Celevenus Aesthetic for my body contouring journey. What I have not shared is my aesthetic journey.

Recently, I have decided to go under the needles for my eyes. I am a big vain pot and very critical on myself to maintain my looks and I had been very troubled by my wrinkles and tired looking eyes lately. I am a night owl as I work till late at night after the girls are asleep. This routine is taking a toll on my eyes. My eyes started to look more sunken and my crows feet were getting very obvious. I blamed it on staring at my phone in the dark as that action would make me cringe when I try to focus on the bright screen. I could not take it because it was getting very difficult to get a decent photo of myself without showing my tired looking eyes. Look at some of my recent photos…

My crows feet before filler

My eye bag before filler

One day I just decided that enough is enough! I went to Celevenus to seek help for my troubled eye issues. What can I say.. I am extremely satisfied! Dr Dylan Chau was so nice and gentle throughout the entire period. He was a man of few words and I liked his service very much. He was very honest and advised me only on what I truly needed. He recommended me to go for Sculptra, an FDA-approved injectable that is designed to fill wrinkles and reduce hollow, sunken cheeks. The treatment increases your body’s natural production of collagen, which is key for tightening skin. The effect of Sculptra will increase over time, thus is not as immediate as fillers. I told him that I needed the immediate result as I could not afford to wait a few months for my body to produce the collagen to fill the hollowness under my eyes. He agreed that with such a requirement, fillers would be a better choice. Of course, he also shared with me that fillers would last a duration ranging from months to 1 year depending on my lifestyle. Although I was afraid of the needle, I went for the procedure without numbing cream. LOL… This was because the nurses in the clinic told me the numbing cream would cause my skin to swell a little thus affecting the actual judgement of injecting. I immediately said ok then went ahead without any numbing cream. What I was truly impressed was the pain was much bearable than I had initially thought.

Dr Dylan assessing my condition. I have eye bags showing even without any expression

Marking before treatment

Here we go

Dr Dylan told me to expect some bruising because I am very fair and my veins were actually very close to the entry point of injection. There were indeed some bruising but was easily concealed with concealer. Here was me on Day 1 after the tear trough filler and crowsfeet botox. Look! No more crows feet!

Right after filler. Just a little bruising under my eye which can be easily concealed.

Me at Week 1.5. I was told the result would be the best at after one month but I am already super happy with the result after just 1.5 weeks.

Here is me at 2 months post filler. I can smile and laugh confidently without worrying about the crows feet.

For those that are interested, Celevenus Aesthetic is offering a special price for my readers. To find out more about the deal, please look for Cindy when you call. Remember to quote my name for the special price!

Celevenus Wellness & Aesthetic Clinic

Address: 391B Orchard Road, #16-03/04 Ngee Ann City Tower B, Singapore 238872

Phone: 6410 9621

*This is a sponsored review but all opinions are my own

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Msclak

Posts by this author:

Exploring Penang in 2 Days!

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My 2018 snippets and 2019 resolutions

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Extra Space Executive Storage Review

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My new wishlist – OSIM uLove 2 (4手天王)

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Tear Trough Fillers and Crows Feet Botox with Celevenus Aesthetic

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