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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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.

  1. My girls have lost their playroom as the playroom became mummy’s warehouse.
  2. 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.
  3. I felt like I had lost my freedom at home as I was literally on the laptop 24/7.
  4. 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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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:

 

  1. 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!
  2. 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?
  3. 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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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

Tear trough filler

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!

tear trough filler at Celevenus

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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LG TWINWash – Laundry has never been so easy and fun!

Embrace today’s technology to better my tomorrow and everyday thereon. Technology can help so much in our daily lives as sometimes even the simplest tasks do not get easy on bad days.  As a mother of two and concurrently juggling a business all on my own, time is indeed an essence. I need to work smart at home and in office to make my to-do list the most efficient it can ever be.

I attended the media event of LG TWINWash last month. LG TWINWash totally changed my opinion about smart washers as I learnt how it could be helpful to a busy mummy like myself.

 

LG TWINWash totally swept me off my feet; not only did she check the boxes of what I thought front load washers could not achieve, the aesthetic feel of the washer is so chic. It just looked perfect for my new place. As the name of the washer suggests,  LG TWINWash washes two loads at the same time (yes… two loads at one time, no typo error here), how convenient!  Tell me mummies, how many times have you needed to put aside kids’ laundry because of them soiling their clothes from spilled food and drinks on themselves?  I would usually get my helper to soak it first as 1 or 2 pieces of laundry would not warrant the need to operate a washing machine that is normally used to wash a whole load.  Now with TWINWash, not only have I solved this problem but also got super impressed with the many innovative features of this beautiful machine.

 

 

Here are the key features and benefits of LG TWINWash which I thought are important to us mummies.

  1. The number 1 benefit of this machine is definitely the ability to wash two loads at once.  Wash regular large loads in the main washer, and/or use the separate Mini Washer for delicates. I can now reduce our laundry time by half!  Because we can finish two loads of laundry in under 1 hour.  For the main washer,  we tried with our bedsheets and curtains. Wow.. big loads in less than 1 hour.  
  2. For a mummy with a child that has a sensitive nose and skin prone to eczema, having their plush toys under the sun is a weekly routine. But now with the TrueSteam™ technology of this washing machine, I have replaced sunning their plushies to steaming them in the machine instead. I was able to steam their plushies in the main washer to get rid of 99.9% of allergens! How convenient!  And of course, I have the option of steaming their bedsheets and laundry as well. 
  3. TWINWash Mini for Small Loads that Need Special Care. The TWINWash Mini is ideal for when I have 1 or 2 pieces of hubby’s white shirt but am unable to mix them into the main load that contains coloured clothes. My sweaty gym wear which I do not wish to leave overnight to the next wash, some table cleaning cloth which you’d normally just hand wash, and many other small washes. Now with the TWINWash Mini, I never need to wait or time my laundry tasks ever again.  
  4. Smart ThinQ is so helpful for mummies who are often on the go; you can load your laundry and start it only as and when you desire even if you are not right beside the machine. The Smart ThinQ App allows you to operate and monitor your laundry on the go! I received an update when my washer finished a cycle and I could start the dryer cycle while I was out with the girls! Saving time and keeping our laundry fresh and clean!  

 

If you are shopping around for a washing machine please do check out the LG TWINWash here. I am pretty sure you will be very much in love with this beauty just like me.

 

*This is a sponsored post by LG but all opinions are my own

 

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Buying a Landed Property in Singapore? Some pointers to share.

If you have been following my IG, you would probably heard that we have recently committed to a landed property.  It has been Kelvin’s dream for the longest time to move into a bigger home but it was partly hindered by me due to the fact that I have got this 3 Big Fears – Fear of Ghost, Fear of Pest (roaches and rats especially) and Fear of Intruders.  After years of talking him out of the idea, he decided this year would be the year. He thought it would be  better to do it sooner than later. Ok I have to agree that at the rate the prices are going, we might never be able to own a landed property if we do not do it soon enough.   With HDB flats going at 1 million dollars in prime districts, woah.. we cannot imagine how the price trend would be as the surge for landed properties increases.

We embarked on the search of a property which would be either ready built to our likes or would focus on one with focus on the land specs for us to rebuild our dream house. We decided on one that currently sits an inter-terrace house but we will be applying to convert it to become a semi-detached as our intent is to demolish and rebuild. For those who are keen on this aspect; the minimum requirement for a semi-detached house in Singapore requires the land size to be 200 sqm (2152 sq ft) and a frontal width of at least 8m. You would need to fulfill these criteria before you can convert any inter-terrace into a semi-D.  For building a Detached or Bungalow, you would need a plot of land with a size of 400sqm (4305 sq ft) and a frontal width of 10m.

 

Our door opening ceremony (Before demolition)

The landed property we bought has a 8.3m width and the land size also fit the criteria to convert into a semi-D.  We thought with a 2700 sq ft land, it would be a huge house when fully built up. True to certain aspect because it would definitely be bigger than our current place which is less than 1200 sq ft of build-up area.  This was going to be our first landed house but instead of taking the time to source for one,  we felt hurried into getting one because of the recent frenzy in property transactions. Houses that we wanted were being offered and sold quickly (by the recent cash-rich enbloc owners).  Not that we do not like the house we bought, we love it although the time we took to find it was very short. In fact, the house “called out” to me when I was driving past to view another property.  It was kind of love at first sight not just because of the close proximity to my siblings in law (our family is very closely knitted), but the house address is our lucky no as well. The direction facing of the house is North-South facing with the unopened side facing West. Meaning no windows will get any west sun. With all these checked, we made the decision.

The house is currently in its original condition and our intention was to demolish and rebuild. We also have a tight time frame to adhere to.  So here is one of the important things you would need to take note if you are getting a landed house with the intention to rebuild and a tight time frame. You should request from the existing owner (the Seller) that you wished to conduct have a soil test and a land topography survey during the process of sale and purchase period and the Seller would need to authorise you (the Buyer) to purchase the estate plan in his name from the authorities. This would shorten the submission and approval process so that such work could be done sooner.  You should consider to highlight to the Seller that the land topography survey and soil test activities would take a minimum of 1 week to complete.

 

How soil test machine looks like

The soil tests would involve a placing a huge machine in the premise thus most owners would unlikely to agree on this if they would still staying in the premise.  I have heard from friends who are staying in landed properties that soil test could be bought from your neighbour(s) – ranging from $800 to $1000, if they had recently built the house as the soil condition in the same area would likely be of similar conditions. We decided against the idea because there might be a chance that BCA would reject such vicinity soil test and you might end up having to pay for both.  Our soil test costed us about $3000 before GST.  We regretted not talking more to neighbours or finding out more from our contractor friends to check on the statistics of the soil test in that area. Our soil test report came back with a requirement of 24m depth piling! We could not believe it as we were told by friends who are staying in the area that it was unlikely that any deep piling would be required. The architect showed us information based on the statistical data from one of the top piling companies in Singapore, that all the houses that were situated around our premise required a range of 14 to 20m of piling; thus deep piling is highly required for our plot of land (unfortunately as this would increase significant cost of the rebuilding).  Honestly, if we had checked on this earlier, we would have time to reconsider carefully before the purchase because we were informed afterwards that the cost of a 24m piling alone would be approximately $90-100k. With this cost involved, we now have to relook into our budget for our building.

an example from the internet showing how piling data within a vicinity looks like

 

Another point to take note is the sewer line and understand the effects of it. You can check if there is a sewer line cutting across your property from PUB website here.  It would cost less than $20 but you are able to obtain some important information. We only learnt about this after we placed the 1% deposit.  Our land unit has a sewer line cutting across the backyard. To rebuild, you would need a RC trench covering the sewer line which would cost approximately $20-30k.  Cost is not the only issue here but you would also be advised not to build anything above the sewer line.  The housing shelter is not allowed to be too near the sewer line too… arrgghh..  Thus the housing shelter could not be in the preferable kitchen area due to this.  So my advice is to do your homework thoroughly, check on the sewer plan from PUB website when deciding on buying a house.  Of course, this is not a key deciding factor but it could be something very helpful that could help in the planning of your building layout design and also understand the potential impact on the estimated building costs.

If you are also planning on getting a house, here are some of the things to take note.

  • The time frame for a sale and purchase completion is usually 8 to 12 weeks. Use this time preferably to concurrently do the necessary activities such as land topography survey, soil tests, purchase of building plan from authorities and coming out with the structure and layout plan for URA submission.
  • Approval for authorities takes approximately 3 months.  For demolition, piling and building works to be properly completed in place, please give yourself a 15 to 18 months buffer in case you need to rent a place to stay during this time.
  • Do check on the sewer plan for manhole and sewer line in the premise as this may affect your building and layout plans.  There may also be costs involved like having a RC trench if you have a sewer line in your house.
  • Talk to nearby neighbours or get your architect or builder friends to find out if piling work is required as this may cause a significant increase on your budget.

 

Stay tuned where I will be sharing on our layout planning next.

 

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