[Mint.Music.Lifestyle] My Virgin IPL Hair Removal Experience, At Ginza Calla

For those who've never done IPL before,

I'm sure you're going to ask me, 

"Is it painful?"

My answer is,

"NOoooo."

Friends warned me about IPL feeling like rubber-band shooting on your skin repeatedly, ant-biting sensation and some even told me they'd leave the beauty salon with a burnt smell, prior to my virgin visit. 

Although these rumours freaked me out so much, 

I still decided to go ahead with the hair removal treatments…

I had a few nicknames given by my secondary school mates (especially the boys!).

I remembered this name most vividly because it was, in my opinion, quite funny.

"Eh, Moustache Girl."

Secondary school mates who are reading my post now, remember? 

Some of you even called me Hairy Monster. 

But awww… the good old times.

Perhaps I possess more masculine hormones, I tend to be hairier than my other girlfriends. My hairstylist Kenn, from Heritage Hair always joked about my thick and coarse whenever I'm down for my hair appointment. He'll ask me,"哪里有人的头发醬多地?"

I'd smile and tell him, mine.

So plucking up enough courage, I went for my first IPL Hair Removal Treatments which include:

Underarms,

 Lower arms,

 Lower feet 

and 

Top bikini line. 

I experienced NONE of the pain mentioned on top. 

In fact, It was so amazingly comfortable that I fell asleep while getting rid of my unwanted hair.

Where did I do my virgin IPL Hair removal treatment?

Ginza Calla from Japan

Ginza Calla is Japan's renowned Hair removal specialist. 

Over 21 years of experience in the industry, it celebrated beautiful skin with more than 300,000 women through 35 stores that span across Japan, Shanghai and Hongkong. 

It finally hit the shores of Singapore and I made no hesitation to purchase 2 of their packages today. 

*Official Customer Of Ginza Calla*

The waiting area:

The vase of pink lilies and orchids creates the perfect sweet and calming welcome greeting:

The Consultation

I was immediately invited for tea (it's from South Africa!) and consultation.

2 cups here suggesting that we have 2 friends~

Lynn(right) briefed Jessica(a new found friend at Plaza Singapura) and I about IPL hair removal services, the treatment plans, accessed our skin type and answering to all our queries. For first-timers like me, one can easily guess that I must have 101 questions to ask about IPL.

I do.

This session, of course, took longer than usual.

I learnt that IPL hair removal treatments cannot be done on people with blonde hair colour nor on really dark skin. I was also told that ladies having their menstruation periods and minimal sunburnt of 1 week (or know you're going to get sunburnt about a month later) are not advisable to receive IPL treatments during these periods.

Be good and do it when it's okay yah?

Meanwhile I couldn't resist the hot tea and asked for another cup. 

Treatment Room At Ginza Calla

Cosy. Sweet. Simple. Neat. Girly.

Nothing fanciful but the little shelves and the mirror closet pleasantly surprised me enough. 

I could safe keep all my belongings and lock them in.

Brought my own portable contact lens casing~

Their hot pink-coloured girly robe is so loved!

Beds are wrapped in clear plastics to make them waterproof for the jet spray and cold gel.

Brilliant innovation. 

Nervous Mode On.

How is it going to be like?

Please let the treatment be painless.

I have an extremely low pain threshold.

BEFORE PICTURE

Lower legs

(hands and underarms not taken because I was panicking too much to remember Ops)

Hair on my hands is just as much(maybe even more).

Ginza Calla's IPL Hair Removal Process

Step 1: Shave

Anna, my beauty specialist for the day, began the treatment by using an electric shaver to get rid of my unwanted hair. She does this patiently in segments - first the front of my lower legs, then the back and vice versa for my lower arms.

*Step 2: Moisturise With Bihada Junbi Lotion

*main difference lies in this moisture-retaining programme

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

Unlike other IPL services, Ginza Calla's first priority, while performing IPL hair removal, is to take care of the customer's skin. I learnt that during IPL treatments, your skin can become extremely dry. Keeping it deeply moisturised and hydrated is very important to maintain your beautiful skin. 

Hence, their very own researched and developed in conjunction with dermatologists - "Bihada Junbi" lotion - will be applied before and after the IPL sessions to nourish the pre-treatment areas.

It is said to contain ingredients including Hyaluroic Acid, Collagen, Ceramide, 7 types of Natural Herbs, APPS (A highly soluble Vit-C Derivative) and Natural Job's Tears Extract.

'Bihada' stands for 'Beautiful Skin'

and Junbi means 'preparation, arrangements'.

I supposed we can say hi to baby-smooth and silky skin, hurray!

Prepare to have beautiful skin!

The Bihada Junbi High-Pressure Jet Spray

Customers of Ginza Calla will enjoy the moisture-enriched Mist Shower with Ginza Calla's proprietary high-pressure jet spray. Instead of only applying the surface layer of the treated skin, this high-pressured jet spray will deeply moisturise by delivering the Bihada Junbi lotion to the deeper layers of your skin.

I know what you're thinking.

This IS the Jet Spray.

Everytime Anna says, "I'm applying the Bihada Junbi now ok."

I'll go,"yayyyy!"

The cooling sensation of the jet spray reminded me of the time I was enjoying the sea breeze at Sydney Harbour in June last year.  It was towards the end of winter - about 15 degree Celsius.

I don't feel any wetness but a cooling breeze. 

Misty Bihada Junbi Lotion on my skin:

Hi, I'm super enjoying the pre and post treatment segments here, see!

A generous layer of cold gel was then applied before the actual IPL treatment.

What's this? 

We're going to start already?

A little tensed up smile from me because I'm rely nervous about my first IPL experience:

Anna remembered that my eyes are sensitive to bright light and laid a towel to cover my eyes.

I look like a frog here, no?

Ready, Set, here we go!

My FIRST shot of IPL!

Gradually dozing off because it's so comfortable, zzz……

Like I've mentioned, Bihada Junbi lotion will be applied to the treated skin before and after every IPL session. Thereafter, cold towels would be laid to soothe the treated areas - double comfort.

Look at the after picture - my skin actually becomes more radiant and fairer than before!

AFTER - LOWER LEG

BEFORE - LOWER LEG

Baby-smooth and silky skin~

Ready to meet my One-first, minutemansg for dinner!

Sorry for messing up the room, Anna. :p

But before that how can I forget the after-tea, More tea please!

That's my 3rd cup.

So obsessed with my now-hairless and soft arm that I have to take another picture with it as I walked past another mirror:

My Ginza Calla IPL Hair Removal Specialist - Anna

Anna is one of the most thoughtful beautician I've met.

• She remembers that my eyes are sensitive to light and adjusted the room to low light when I've completed my session.  
• Knowing that I'll be blindfolded throughout the session, she would pre-amp me before every step so that I'll be mentally prepared. 
• She remembers that I am afraid of pain and promptly ask if I'm comfortable during the session.
• She ensures that I'm comfortably warm with fluffy blankets and dry towels.
• She helps me take pictures even though that's out of her job scope.
• She patiently waits for me to finish using my mobile phone (on several occasions) before she continues the next step.

Anna Anna,

 so gentle and thoughtful!

Honestly, Anna is also another main reason why I eventually signed up packages with Ginza Calla.

When she smiles flaunting a teeth, it's so beautiful and sincere but she doesn't know that.

Beautiful girl with a strong passion, I like her very much. 

Thank you for being here for me!

Customers of Ginza Calla can opt for full body hair removal or for targeted areas only, starting from S$340 (6 sessions).

Ginza Calla Is Having Promotions Until 30 June 2014!

1. For just S$40, there is a special limited-time promotion for 3 sessions of Lower Arm and Lower Leg Hair removal sessions (worth S$800)!
2. Other hair removal courses are also offering up to a massive 35% discount.

Promotion ends on 30 June 2014.

Additional MUST-BUY PROMOTION

This is the package which I've bought. 

For just S$40, you can enjoy unlimited sessions for either your UNDERARMS OR V-LINE(Bikini Line) IPL Hair Removal Treatments for a year.

#BestBuyEver

Ginza Calla is located at Plaza Singapura (New Wing), #04-55 S238839.
For appointments or enquiry on cost package, you may wish to call 6238 8850.

Website: www.ginza-calla.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Ginza-Calla-Singapore


- Walking Directions from Mint -

Walk to the New Wing Of Plaza Singapura:

Take the escalator up to Level 4 where you'll see Standard Chartered Bank:

Walk pass SCB in to a small lane and continue walking straight until you see Ginza Calla on your left:

Mint Leong - no more a moustache girl.

[Mint.Music.Journey] Embarking On My New Music Project - roomiesTV

HUH?

What the @#$!%@& is roomiesTV?!

roomiesTV is a music-related project of mine. 

It all started when an elder whom I look up to, Wee Gor, asked me what I did after receiving the Singapore Blog Awards 2013 Best JBL Music/POP Blog Award. It was a random casual conversation some time last year.

"Hmmm… Nothing."

But this random conversation set me thinking about what I CAN do. 

After years of being a tutor, I decided to take a plunge into the entertainment scene; I began singing and hosting for gigs and events as a freelancer.

A full-time freelance. 

(Is there even such a term?)

Moving on.

It's only been 2 years but enough for me to experience how tough it is to sustain in this industry. 

Some months, you earn decent income.

Other months, you'll find yourself jobless (and soon penniless) for the next (maybe a few more) months.

In this period of 2 years however,  this question keeps popping up:

Clients (companies, wedding couples and talent agencies) kept asking me if I know any talents.

These talents, at the same time, kept asking me if I have clients & opportunities for them.

Friends who are not in this scene wonder where to find these talents and what they are doing.

Then this idea strikes me:

What if I can gather these awesome talents together, showcase their talents through an online show and perhaps people will start watching to find out more about them (even find them for performances/gigs)?

In January 2014, I came up with some powerpoint slides about this idea

(like a school project only siol),

showed it to Wee Gor and my secondary senior senior, Collin Chan.

Both of them were extremely supportive and we furthered worked out a plan for this show, naming it roomiesTV or 娱乐房 (Yu Le Fang) in mandarin.

I'm just going to 'piak' the standard introduction of roomiesTV here because it's the best description the team came up with so far. :p

About roomiesTV

roomiesTV (娱乐房) is a video network and together with a group of likeminded friends who are all very passionate about music, we are starting a new music-related project called roomiesTV Music Show（音乐心房).

roomiesTV Music Show is a show on roomiesTV network that focuses on the local music industry as

part of a social effort to showcase local music/unique talents from all over Singapore, using the Singaporean languages that we all know and love. roomiesTV Music Show also aims to introduce and showcase budding/reputable local musicians as well as unique local talents to the general public.

roomiesTV Music Show will also be a neutral sharing platform (www.roomiestv.com) 

for the public to get to know these talents better.

 roomiesTV Team Grows

The team started with 2 of us: Collin and me.

My first few meetings with Senior Collin were mostly discussions of the direction as well as work flow:

 As it progressed, more awesome people (and likeminded) decided to join in the team and lend us a helping hand.

Colin Chang- roomiesTV IT Director

He is the 3rd member to join the team and none other than my OneFirst, MinuteManSG.

This humble man, Colin Chang, is our IT Director-cum-SaiKang warrior.

(but he doesn't claim credits from doing all the saikang work)

Firstly, Colin singlehandedly created and maintain the roomiesTV website.

All the chalk images and creative impressions you find there, yeah he drew them!

The write-ups on the website, yeah he wrote them too.

From the logo, the tabs, pages, layout, the writings, the tea cup and even the bicycle. 

During weekends, Colin will be waking up as early as 7am and helped out with basically everything behind the scenes. From videography to tidying up the place after filming, you name it, he's done it.

Extremely supportive and taking that extra mile as a boyfriend.

Love this man to bits.

不怕吃苦。

Which boyfriend in this world will help his girlfriend execute her crazy ideas but him?

Shhh.. Our cameraman is seriously at work today:

Fif Phan - Coordinating-cum-Assistant Director

The very first friend I looped into the team was Fif Phan. 

Our 4th member.

Capable and responsible she is, Fif soon took up and got the hang of her role - liaising everything.

Everything here refers to the production crew, artistes, invitations, dates, admin stuff and more…

She even took the initiative to organise the work flow & ensure smoothness during the filming, making sure everyone turns up, follow-up on filming matters and more. 

Besides coordinating, we also gave her the role of the Assistant Director during our production days. She's the most suitable candidate!  Having said that, this is her first production project but yet it feels like she's been doing this for a long time.

Selfie with Fif in between work:

Fif is so dedicated at work, ensuring things will work out smoothly:

Tidying up for the next scene:

Evan Liao - roomiesTV Sound Director

I feel many Youtube videos posted do not justify a talent's real skills during LIVE! performances.

Low resolution clips, cropped heads, blur videos, muffled sounds, noise, audience talking etc.

If I were to record the audio via my digital camera, I know the audio recorded will sound really 'raw' and also will not justify the real music talents of my music-friends like the rest of these videos.

But I'm a total sound idiot. 

I don't know a single thing about mixing or editing an audio file.

I can't even tell a difference between a studio sound and a natural sound.

To me, a person's vocal when I watch a video is just 'nice' or 'not nice'.

It's my greatest worry.

One day after a gig at All About Eve Bar, 

I met and told Evan Liao about my greatest worry.

Without hesitation,

he immediately offered his sound equipments (at NO COST) and to set them up for me during all our shoots. Even though he keeps telling me that these equipments and his skills are the basics, I honestly feel they are NOT basics at all.

*Anyhow click one button also better than what I can produce can*

 I just want Evan to know that in this world, there's one more thing that matters to me more than skills;

 Evan Liao has a big heart. 

 He has come forward and solved my greatest worry in this project by offering to help produce better audio quality videos. This means so much to me because it also means that I can focus on the other equally important matters. He has just done something which I can never accomplished on my own.

He helped.

Evan is our audio equipment sponsor and appointed sound director of roomiesTV.

Along the way, he also helps to organise our google drive into the most organised system I've ever seen: draws up templates for us to use,  do write ups because his english is so pro, keep our thoughts organised, looks after our welfare like buying drinks and snacks for us during shoots, offering free rides and the list goes on….

That's him still doing post-production with me at 2AM.

*YAWNS*

He's been burning tins of midnight oil for roomiesTV.

For that I'm thankful and guilty at the same time.

SUPER ORGANISED GOOGLE DRIVE. 

Evan Organising skills FTW~

Look at the folders and sample templates!

So proper and neatly categorised.

Wee - roomiesTV Advisor and Mentor 

Of course, there's Wee Gor - the advisor and mentor of roomiesTV.

He's a great listening ear and supportive team player, the one who even got me motivated to start roomiesTV in the first place. 

Evan and Wee Gor setting up the scene at one of our artistes' place:

The chinese write ups are mostly done/edited by him.

At his point, he even learns how to use the roomiesTV Instagram and Twitter to help ease our work load.

He'll always be down at the filming set with new gadgets and snacks for us. 

The selfie pole and H6 audio recorder are some of the gadgets from him.

He'll be there at all our group meetings, listening attentively, attend to our needs and give advice. He's solved some of the major problems we encounter especially mine 

(As a start up, we are constantly solving problems: people, admin, ideas, work flow and more).

This pretty much sums up everyone in the main team - roomiesTV Founding Committee (FC).

Made up of Evan Liao, Wee Gor, Fif Phan, Colin bf and I.

Our first outing together to Punggol Riverside Park.

We were attempting to write a roomiesTV song:

Soon Gim Goh, Jaime Chia and Evan Tiang came on board to help us out too!

Gim Goh - Our roomiesTV Co-host

Gim Goh is our whacky co-host who brings out the liveliness and cosy nature of the show.

With him around, the show has became so much more light-hearted and funny to watch!

This vainpot is camwhoring while waiting for his turn to film:

More seflies!

#LastWarning

A selfie (me) taking a selfie(Gim) taking his own selfie.

I think he's posted them all up on his instagram.

A behind-the-scene photo with Lin Si Tong and what on earth is Gim doing while we were discussing for our next segment? Doing Dancing Queen?!

Awwww come on Gim Bro, focus!

Gim drives everyone crazy and I guess I'm the one who can really handle him in a cool manner.

They say if you cannot beat them, join them.

Soon, I think I'll start driving everyone else crazy too. 

I kinda like that thought. :)

That makes us compatible hosts, heh-heh.

Captions Please!

Mint torturing Gim with make up?

Evan Tiang, Jaime Chia - Videographers

Evan Tiang(I call him Nave) and Jaime is helping out with the videography.

The name 'Nave' is 'Evan' spelt backwards.

So to speak, the first few videos we recorded have proven that the videography skills of the FC really needs serious practice. The angles are so… flat and unflattering.

 We are so thankful to have both Nave and Jaime up on the team to advice on the camera shots and take care of our cameras.

Here are some of Nave's works: http://fluttersound.com

Clockwise from left: Me, Gim Goh, Evan Liao, Jaime, Fif

Videographer  = always in the sun. 

Poor Nave.

We're doing a teaser scene with Joey Wee here.

Thanks for your editing tutorial:

Stocking up 'rations' for our shoots because we overrun almost at every production.

The FC has set up a fund for this (from our own pockets).

roomiesTV is taking baby steps.

We are growing a little at a time from scratch.

The people, the work.

A basic foundation is slowly forming up and seeing it grow bit by bit everyday makes me happy  - a dream come true with the help of so many kind souls.

It's not published on our website yet but this will be our brand new roomiesTV Logo:

Bear with us for this is our first time working together - both as friends and a production team.

For most of us, this is also our very first production project without no production background.

We are basically learning on the job.

I think what really brings us this far (despite the lack of experience) is our sincerity, dedication and belief that roomiesTV will work. Most importantly, we have helpful friends who are showing their greatest support and giving us a push whenever we are stuck.

This room (roomiesTV) is filled with love, passion and strongly-forged friendships.

Every single friend in this team has a special part to play.

We simply cannot do without the other.

Filming with Hanrey Low. 

As for me, I"m taking up all the other roles which are not taken by anyone yet.

The paper work; piles and piles of paper work.

For every production, I'll have to come up with the chapter content, convert them into a film content sheet, set the filming time table (rundown sheet) and confirm our film venue.

After which, Fif and I will work on the game logistics and props together.

We'd research for music works produced by local musicians/ locally.

We hope to introduce more of these great local productions to friends who are actually watching our show!

The column headings are created by me based on the information I think we need.

(not the professional and usual rundown/film content format though)

Having said that, I'm constantly improving our processes and communication.

'

For instance, we didn't keep track of the good camera takes during the first few filming.

By right there should be a document to list them down but I forgot.

In the end, I had to watch all the videos once more to know which shots are the better ones I can use during editing and it's very frustrating - watching 4 hours of videos all over again!

Wee Gor pointed this out during the filming and I improvised by adding this new column into our film content sheet, film content + shot list combination, for Fif to keep track:

This makes our life so much easier.

*3 cheers for Wee Gor*

Apart from that, I'm also doing the post-production stage: 

editing, uploading, planning and executing marketing plans, sponsorships, oversee our progress and more. 

To tell the truth nuts on how to execute them.

Just 'Hantam'.

 When I'm really stuck, I'd seek help 

by bugging friends who are expertise in their fields.

OPS.

However, they are willing share.

Trial and error.

Keep learning.

Whenever a mistake is made, 

reflect and prevent it from happening again.

Improvise.

Improve.

Keep going.

So expect mistakes to be spotted throughout this journey but please continue to support with a forgiving heart.  Forgive me for I've really done my best in whatever I could do.

Of course, a forgivable mistake doesn't imply that it is an excuse to stop improving.

I will keep improving!

While editing the videos with iMovie, I'm already trying to pick up Premiere Pro Editing Skills from Nave and Final Cut editing skills from Jaime.

Let's hope I can eventually switch to using a better editing software. 

The key here is to keep learning and improving right?

Our debut online chapter is set to air real soon so stay tuned on www.roomiesTV.com

roomiesTV Music Show ft. Lin Si Tong

Support Local Talents!

Watch roomiesTV Chapter 1 teaser by Si Tong:

Ending off with a sneak peek into roomiesTV Music Show Video.

Enjoy!

Keep Calm

And

Watch roomiesTV

Like roomiesTV on Facebook: www.facebook.com/roomiesTVsg

Chat with us on Twitter: @roomiesTVsg

Follow us on Instagram: @roomiesTVsg