Loading up on Laneige

Allo, Alpacas!

It has been some time since Bubbles' last post (Bubbles has been busy), but this alluring alpaca is back!

Now the 2015 Laneige holiday collection has been released and it's called the "Laneige Lucky Holiday Collection". Bubbles wasn't actually planning to get anything but she had $80 to spend after signing up for a Laneige K-Beauty workshop in October ($80 workshop fee but fully redeemable for products). Bubbles signed up only because the workshop was to be held on the 69th floor of Swissotel (the view, the view!). It certainly was an effective marketing strategy on Laneige's part because after playing with a huge array of Laneige skincare and makeup products from 10am to 1pm, Bubbles did THREE Laneige hauls over three days (yikes!). But who can blame this alpaca? Bubbles was sorely tempted by the gift-with-purchase items! Just look at this gift-with-$180-spend bracelet!

Laneige "sparkling" bracelet. Sparking a spending frenzy in this alpaca.

The Laneige workshop goodie bag. Must resist putting multiple exclamation marks. 

Behold! A puff for the BB cushion, a set of 6 mini Laneige brushes in a faux leather brush holder (these brush sets are not for sale and are only available as event gifts), mini water bank mist (30ml), mini lip sleeping mask (3g), mini water sleeping mask (15ml), 1 piece Clear C advanced effector mask, a notebook and a silver cross body bag. 

So Bubbles dropped some moolah after the workshop on these items:

1. The holiday BB cushion set ($59);

2. A blush (Blossom Coral; tested and loved during the workshop) ($38);

3. Lumi Block primer (also tested and loved during the workshop - excellent oil control properties and a very smooth canvas for Bubbles to start painting on her face - your drawn-on eyebrows will never leave your face at the end of a long day) ($42);

4. Laneige x Playnomore lip gel ($36);

5. Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Peeling Gel (it's like eating a delicious berry dessert without the calories) ($42).

Looking spiffy, this BB cushion packaging. Comes with 4 mini colour pencils and 7 Laneige skincare samples! 

And then they load you with free gifts! The gift with purchase for spending above $180 (but below $240) comprises:

1. Laneige travel kit: an inflatable neck pillow, slippers and an eye mask;

2. Laneige sparkling bracelet;

3. Selfie camera clip if you are a Robinsons member (has a fish-eye lens effect);

4. Pack of very generously sized skincare samples (samples on steroids, if you will). The refiner and emulsion here are TWICE the size of the same refiner and emulsion samples Bubbles received during the non-holiday promo for minimum $150 spend - (a) Power Essential Skin Refiner Light (50ml), (b) Balancing Emulsion Light (50ml), (c) Water Bank Essence (10ml), (d) Lip Sleeping Mask (3g) and (e) Water Sleeping Mask (15ml).

Everything unpacked. Holiday promotions are super worth it. The sample sachets are for playing a memory game at the pop up store. Bubbles, having no strategy apart from randomly jabbing at the screen to match the picture pairs, scored the consolation prize.

All laid out! Haul + gifts with purchase + workshop goodies = one happy alpaca!

So adios, alpacas! Stay tuned for Part II tomorrow! 

Sulwhasoo workshop review

Because of her contributions to Sulwhasoo's annual sales report, Bubbles was invited to attend a complimentary "Discover the power of Ginseng" workshop yesterday (19 June) at SEVIIN at Tangs. Bubbles had no idea what it would be about (and secretly hoped they would serve a ginseng chicken soup), so she showed up to find this (sans the soup):

Sulwhasoo workshop at the Loft at SEVIIN

Individual seats for participants

You can choose to sit in front of the skincare....

or the makeup.

Bubbles always picks the skincare seat because it's easier to reach the products that way (2 people to 1 set of makeup and skincare). Bubbles is also a germaphobe so she absolutely cannot share makeup. 

The Sulwhasoo compacts (foundation and powder) are brand new (which is awesome) but the lip products, although clean, have been shared before (which is a common practice in beauty workshops). Bubbles has a mental THING about sharing lipsticks and lipgloss because she doesn't know if the previous user squeezed/smeared some onto a cotton bud before applying it on her lips, or whether she applied it directly to her lips. So if this bugs you, bring your own lip product and the only thing you'll worry about catching is the bus. 

Heading the workshop - the perky Chaven Lee

The workshop was informative, with the trainer sharing lots of skincare tips and solutions. Participants could stop her to ask questions at any time, and she answered all of them with a smile (even the grumbly ones). This time, Bubbles took some notes on her phone. With all the bad press about parabens in beauty products, she never knew that her beloved Sulwhasoo products are all paraben-free, or that the First Care Activating Serum could be used as a lip mask.

First Care Serum Lip Mask: Pat one drop of it all over your lips using your finger. Next, use 2 fingers - one at each corner of your mouth - and press down for 3 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Thereafter, place one finger just below the middle of your bottom lip and press down for 3 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Apparently this will reduce double chins. Just do not lick your lips cos it will NOT taste like caramels and strawberries. 

For the full 100 ways you can use the serum, visit: http://www.sulwhasoo.com.sg/en/beauty 

Now meet the stars of the show (from left to right): Concentrated Ginseng Essential Renewing Oil, Capsulized Ginseng Fortifying Serum, Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Eye Cream and Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream.

Of course, no workshop is complete without a product demo - everyone got to try all the products on their faces (ginseng oil was optional). The highlight for Bubbles was trying out one piece of the Snowise EX Whitening mask - this baby costs $16.20 a piece! (And one of the ladies loved it so much she filched the extra next to Bubbles saying "oh I just want to try". Hmmmm. Bubbles went to buy a box of it later.)

$162 for a box of 10. Awesome and calms redness. 

Start with applying the ginseng eye cream after you've loaded up on your basic skincare (cleansing, First Care Serum, Essential Balancing Serum (like a toner) and a mask, if required). Pat in gently with your ring finger because the skin on your eye area is 5x thinner than your face!

A Sulwhasoo skincare post Bubbles did earlier: Click here

The ginseng serum. The sparkles are actually what they call the macro ginsenispheres which release fresh ginseng extract when crushed, forming a protective layer on the skin surface.

The ginseng serum is a rather viscous liquid with small bits in it like grains of sand (looks like the Sulwahsoo ginseng white exfoliating gel). You can crush the little bits to release the ginseng extract. The micro ginsenispheres cannot be seen but penetrate the skin's surface to boost collagen production. The products smells pleasantly of ginseng and absorbs into the skin easily. It hydrates and makes skin feel very smooth to the touch.

Also played with the ginseng oil, but you don't need it unless you have dry skin

Finishing off with the ginseng cream. This alpaca uses cotton buds because hygiene, yo. 

Just because I can. 

The session ended at 9 pm (2 hours) after a Korean-style makeup application demonstration and everyone trooped back to level 1 to claim their door gift, which turned out to be a $20 voucher redeemable with a $200 spend. Bubbles had her paws crossed for a small tube of the ginseng serum (that would have been a fab door gift given the theme of the workshop, and Sulwhasoo workshops are always very generous with samples to take home), but she's not complaining, having tried the wonderful 16-dollar Snowise mask for free. 

And so the day ended with Bubbles buying even more stuff.... 

All in all, the workshop was an informative one, and Bubbles will definitely go for more in the future (this is her 4th!). Sulwhasoo workshops usually require a fee of about $80-$100 which is fully redeemable for products. Remember to take some notes or you'll forget everything after having lunch, especially if numbers are involved!!

Stay tuned for Bubbles and Cuddles' post about the opening of the new Sulwhasoo boutique in Capitol Piazza!