Lifestyle

Chinese New Year 2021 hairstyling lookbook

Hair, Lifestyle / By
Chinese New Year hairstyling

Chinese New Year 2021 is round the corner, so here we bring you some hairstyling and nails lookbook by the stylists in Singapore. Getting that makeover during the annual Chinese festivities has been a long-standing tradition. Shopping for new clothes, accessories, getting a hair style and colour makeover (and the undesirable surcharge), and perhaps even new furniture for the home.

Over the years, many stylists has gathered in Singapore, with many Japanese and Korean stylists bringing their skills and experiences over in a traditionally Malaysian dominated industry. The healthy competition has definitely sharpened the services offered, but customers also benefit from the most in-trend styles from the world.

More lifestyle tips and updates at ULO’s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/ulolifestyle/

Words will not do justice to the styles, so we compiled the various styles in a “lookbook” below. Feel free to use it like a catalogue when you hit the salons for your annual makeover.

Bright hues will always be art of the “Huat” contingent for Chinese New Year. The always trendy curls and adding various tonality adds a different character to it all.

Hidden colours been something preferred by those in the more professional (think boring =X) industries, so the versatility allows you to hide the wild side beneath the dark outer layer.

Baby violet colour is very subtle and trendy to impress at the intimate gatherings.

Toni & Guy are definitely the experts in haircuts, treating every strand of it preciously. There’s a reason they are a global brand and runs a academy in Singapore.

Ash Lavender takes the mystical unicorn-ish colour theme, but will go very well for the occasion too.

Short styles has been gaining traction recently, with its clean lines and face-framing properties. Perfect for humid Singapore.

Perming is no longer a thing for the ladies, with male perms picking up steam in recent years. For the record, perming does not equate to “Maggie Mee” hair, so get updated.

No reason why the men can’t get a trendy styling on the hair. Style needs to be embraced by the brave.

Beat the Chinese New Year surcharge with ULO Lifestyle

We are so used to the surcharge salons have during this festive season. It is not unreasonable given the additional hours stylists put in to ensure you get the styling you need before the battle begins. However, while the stylists are rewarded for their hours, customers can also be rewarded if you choose the right hours to visit. Take some time off work, and hit the salons during the slightly less crowded hours, and unlock discounts to help overcome the surcharge.

5 Apps to up your savings game in the Apple Singapore App Store

Time to download the ULO Lifestyle mobile app and get the Chinese New Year hairstyling done without hurting the wallets.

Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) – Hair trends led by the viral Japanese anime and movie

Hair, Lifestyle / By
Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) - Hair trends

Demon Slayer-inspired Hair – With the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Singapore movie theatres were waiting for some blockbuster film to jumpstart their business. The restart in July following Circuit Breaker has been slow, until the globally viral Japanese anime Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba provided a glimpse of hope; bringing large hauls of fans into the cinemas.

More lifestyle tips and updates at ULO’s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/ulolifestyle/

Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotōge. Following the conclusion of season 1 of the anime, a continuation in the form of Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Train, has been slaying the box office globally. The rave even drew non-anime fans to the cinema to catch this movie.

You would have received some character-themed merchandise for the purchase of every ticket; where you can opt for either the poster of 2 designs or badges of the main characters of the movie – Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, Nezuko Kamado and the only Hashira – Kyojuro Rengoku.

Fanciful “Demon Slayer” hair fit for the characters, and to liven your festive season

We always thought anime-style hair is proprietary for cosplayers, but with hair trends evolving and people opting for bolder colours and styles to stand out amongst the crowd; anyone should take the step to spot some adaptation of these styles.

Perhaps it is really time for fans to flock to hair salons to get their desired demon slayer hairstyles. Bright and vibrant colour, with some complemented by a tow-tone or three-tone colours is the way to go. I personally love the Shinobu and Nezuko hairstyles, given that they have two-tone colours – ombre style, with violet and orange accents at the tip of their tresses which makes them look so beautiful and unique, with loads of cuteness.

With everyone having differing appetites for hair colours, the Nezuko and Shinobu styles presents the more subtle options; consisting of majority dark tones with that tinge of colour the the edges. Complement it with that hair accessory and it’s perfect for the Christmas date. The bolder ones should definitely go big with Kanroji style, which will grab you all the spotlight you desire everywhere you go. Rengoku style may be harder for the streets of Singapore to accept for sure; of course #YOLO is an option.

For the boys, everybody wants to be Tanjiro, and like Nezuko spots a nice and socially acceptable colour. See how reasonable and trendy it looks in the modern era below.

On a separate note, the Yushiro style as a whole seems pretty chic even for the modern era; if you dare to go for the silver-ish or white-ish colour. The cross-over between modern and Japanese traditional styles makes for a fashionista look on the streets.

Install the ULO Lifestyle mobile app to get rewarded for taking time off for pampering: https://onelink.to/ULOlifestyle

So what are you guys waiting for? Just pop by any of the hair salons for these eye catching new look to give your friends or loved ones a surprise in this lovely and warmth seasons. With everyone rushing for the festive makeover, do check out the ULO Lifestyle app to bring you some great savings for that makeover.

Article by: Floranz

Beauty and skincare gift set for Christmas

Beauty & Skincare, Lifestyle / By
Beauty skincare gift sets Christmas singapore

Christmas Gift Set, Singapore – With COVID erasing away most of our memories of 2020, there is really little to celebrate about in the gloomy global climate. Staying positive is my personal mantra in life, and I am still in the mood for a great Christmas season. With Singapore still in Phase 2 of COVID restrictions, and heading towards Phase 3 hopefully in months to come, i am thankful that at least we can still have little intimate sessions with our family and friends. I remember the 5 pax restriction of course.

More lifestyle tips and updates at ULO’s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/ulolifestyle/

Even if we are unable to have large catch-up parties, our postmen and courier are still very much hard at work, ensuring our Christmas gifts can still arrive at the doorsteps of people we love. If you are struggling to select gifts, you need to read on for our recommendations.

LANEIGE – Mini Lip Sleeping Masks Set

A lip sleeping mask in mini size with a special fragrance only available during the holiday season, making it a good gift.

BENEFIT COSMETICS -Life Is A Pretty Party Makeup Kit

This set of Benefit bestsellers features the BADgal BANG! mascara, Dandelion blush for baby-pink cheeks and a The POREfessional face primer in a reusable tin that’s ready-to-gift.

INISFREE Christmas gift set Singapore

INNISFREE – Perfumed Hand Cream Set (Holiday Edition)

Featuring three of the Korean brand’s most beloved Perfumed Hand Creams that are inspired by the calm idyllic life in Jeju, this value-for-money set will surely please any giftee who’s been dealing with stress both in life and at work.

The Body Shop – Oils Of Life Radiant Skin Kit

Powered by three precious seed oils – black cumin from Egypt, camellia seed from China, and rosehip from Chile, you can trust this duo to intensely revitalise your skin’s radiance.

FRESH Christmas gift set Singapore

FRESH – Cleanse, Mask, Moisturize Set

A set of mini versions of FRESH’s three best selling cult classics for a clean, toned, hydrated face. Extremely important in Singapore’s dynamic weather conditions.

SEPHORA COLLECTION – Cleanse + Glow Duo Set (Limited Edition)

Cleansing after a party or gathering is key in maintaining the skin health. This set, 90% of whose ingredients are of natural origin, contains 50ml of Micellar Water Make-Up Remover and 30ml of Ultra Glow Serum.

KIEHL’s Christmas gift set Singapore

Kiehl’s Since 1851 – Holiday Glow Up Set

Sample the best of Kiehl’s this festive season, including full sizes of the best-selling Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution and Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate.

LOOKFANTASTIC – ‘Ultimate Skincare’ Box

Filled with 6 skincare treats from Garnier and L’Oréal Paris. It’s got everything you need inside, from cleansing to moisturising to masking.

Install the ULO Lifestyle mobile app to get rewarded for taking time off for pampering: https://onelink.to/ULOlifestyle

So for the men, if you are struggling to find that perfect gift for the ladies, any of these Christmas gift set recommendations from Singapore should ensure you have a “silent night” this Christmas. Most of these gift sets are available from LOOKFANTASTIC and SEPHORA.

Top 5 beauty and fashion sites Singapore is surfing

Maskne – Fighting breakouts under the mask protecting you from Coronavirus

Beauty & Skincare, Lifestyle / By
maskne singapore

SINGAPORE, Skin Care – Many of us never thought there would come a time for us adults to experience a “2nd Puberty”, and the acne outbreaks often associated with it. The greater irony will come from these acne outbreaks being cause by the very thing, that was suppose to protect us from a certain Coronavirus (COVID-19) – The face mask. On the shallower side of things, would you have noticed that there seems to be more beautiful people walking on the streets of Singapore these days?

More lifestyle tips and updates at ULO’s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/ulolifestyle/

What caused Maskne?

We have to be serious about protecting ourselves — and others — from the real dangers of Covid-19, and wearing a mask is essential when heading out. However, this protection is leading to an embarrassing and unpleasant side effect: blemishes, pimples or in more professional term acne. Maskne is not a new phenomenon, as medical professionals who frequently wore masks can attest to this, but the condition has become more widespread amongst the general population.

Acne Mechanica – This is the jargon for what social media coined it as maskne. In layman terms, it is acne often caused by mechanical friction, and this case the face mask we wear almost every day. Just imagine the heat, friction and occlusion on the skin when combined with a moist environment from breathing, talking or perspiration. This is definitely a recipe for any kinds of breakouts on the skin.

Fighting or preventing Maskne

Consider the type of mask to wear – There are many types of cloth mask in the market, and the material blend affects the breathability of it. A good start is 100% cotton, but you should be more familiar with your skin and how it reacts to various fabric the best.

Wash the mask regularly – This is a no brainer, although many of us are probably guilty in dumping the mask around the house or in the car for some “sun-tanning”. Imagine the amount of dirt and dust that accumulates when leaving it lying around, or not washing it after perspiring under the hot humid weather.

Skip the makeup – This may be a tough ask, but having makeup on the skin and under the mask makes it hard for the skin to breathe, and can clog up the pores. If makeup is essential, go for products labeled “non-comedogenic” or “won’t clog pores”. Like I mentioned earlier, everyone already looks better with the mask on, so why bother with the makeup that can aggravate the skin?

Take a mask break – Pretty self explanatory here. If circumstances permits, try to remove the mask for at least 15 mins every couple of hours. Of course, only remove your mask when it’s safe to do so and after washing your hands.

Streamline the skincare – We’re familiar enough with the X-steps skincare regime from Korean that produces astonishing results, but we need not follow it blindly. When it comes to maskne, the conventional wisdom is “less is more”. Simply because wearing the mask will intensify product delivery to the skin, and this may instead cause inflammation. All you need is to wash your face with a gentle non-soap cleanser and a mild, fragrance-free moisturizer.

Install the ULO Lifestyle mobile app to get rewarded for taking time off for pampering: https://onelink.to/ULOlifestyle

Go for the regular maintenance – Visiting the dermatologist is the usual solution to skin problems, but regular maintenance through a visit to the beauty salon can be equally effective. If you book your appointments with ULO Lifestyle with one of our partners, it can yield some significant savings too. Getting a facial session and visiting the dermatologist is akin to visiting the General Practitioner (GP) versus a Traditional Chinese Medical practitioner (TCM). During an outbreak, it may make more sense to first get rid of the surface issues (extraction), before you concurrently try to address the deeper roots of the problem through medication.

Top 5 beauty and fashion sites Singapore is surfing

Beauty & Skincare, Lifestyle / By

Beauty & Fashion, Singapore – [Updated: October 2020] In this digital era, digital nomads like us are constantly in search of new content and ideas on-the-go. So much so that almost every moment in our lives, someone is bound to be searching for something.

Google is my best friend

ULO Lifestyle Guru

Being #FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out, has become a way of life and how we often connect with our friends. Being in the know of what is trending is a certain formula for success to impress your peers.

So what exactly are people in Singapore surfing for in beauty and fashion? I myself was curious, so did a little check on SimilarWeb to see what people are reading in the area of “Beauty & Cosmetics”.

1. Sephora – https://www.sephora.sg/

SephoraSG Beauty Fashion Singapore

Sephora is a visionary beauty-retail concept founded in France by Dominique Mandonnaud in 1970. Sephora’s unique, open-sell environment features an ever-increasing amount of classic and emerging brands across a broad range of product categories including skincare, makeup, fragrance, body and hair care, in addition to Sephora’s own private label. Sephora is highly regarded as a beauty trailblazer, thanks to its unparalleled assortment of prestige products, unbiased service from experts, interactive shopping environment, disruptive spirit and constant innovation. 

With the above, it is not surprising that Sephora is not only the top of the searched list, but also spots long queues at their retail locations.

2. Love Bonito – https://www.lovebonito.com/sg/

LoveBonito Beauty Fashion Singapore

Love, Bonito has become a household name over the years, proving that it’s not some obscure Singapore fashion brand. Founded by three friends – Rachel Lim, Viola Tan and Velda Tan (the latter two are sisters) – the brand started off as a blogshop called Bonito Chico in 2005.

They have since come a long way from teenagers hawking second-hand clothes online from their bedrooms. Their desire is to be a brand that’s got a woman covered in every season and stage of her life. Working hard to design all their pieces in-house, catering to every aspect of a woman’s life, for every size, shape and style. From how I see it, a one-stop-shop for every piece of clothing a lady would need. Just like how ULO Lifestyle is created to be a one-stop-shop for time-based lifestyle services merchants.

3. Her World – https://www.herworld.com/

HerWorld Singapore

Her World is the voice of the Singapore woman, and Singapore’s most established women’s publication. Celebrating and championing women and the amazing things they do since 1960. Managed under the umbrella of publications by Singapore Press Holdings, trust that they will deliver the latest content that a lady will be interesting in. Their readers are the country’s influential and stylish achievers who are go-getters and career-focussed. They are busy professionals who are time-crunched but want the best in life. 

4. Lovet – https://lovet.sg/

LovetSG Beauty Fashion Singapore

Founded in 2013, Lovet aims to be an online fashion destination for women with a shared passion in fashion. Another local produce in the fashion e-commerce warzone. They will be know for their collaboration with one of Singapore’s top influencer Mongchin Yeoh (@mongabong). The renowned influencer and brand teamed up to launch a 16-piece capsule collection fully conceptualized and styled by Mongchin with the assistance of Lovet’s team. 

The collection named “Mong x Lovet” was was a project seven months in the making, and comprised of feminine, floral pieces which Mongchin described to be timeless and suitable for everyday wear. 

5. Pomelo – https://pomelofashion.com/

Pomelofashion Beauty Fashion Singapore

Launched in 2013, Pomelo is a modern fashion brand born in Asia with a global mindset: on-trend, online, on-the-go. With an undisputable sense of style at an unparalleled price, Pomelo aims to offer women everywhere their best look to become their best selves. Pomelo is co-founded by David Jou who also prior to Pomelo, co-founded another e-commerce giant Lazada in Thailand.

Install the ULO Lifestyle mobile app to get rewarded for taking time off for pampering: https://onelink.to/ULOlifestyle

The sheer number of e-commerce and fashion labels dominating the list is a testament to Singaporean’s addition to shopping. With COVID driving everything online, it is obvious why these popular sites’ traffic are bursting at its seams.

Introducing ULO Lifestyle: Experience Happy Hour savings without booze!

Balayage – The hair dye trend every influencer is talking about in Singapore

Hair, Lifestyle / By
Balayage Singapore Hair Colouring

SINGAPORE, Hair Trend – The buzzword of hair dyeing and highlights in Singapore has been a certain “Balayage” for some time. It is such a thing that we see it floating around everywhere on Instagram, be it by influencers or hair salons showcasing their portfolio. Every other day felt like Christmas, with all those colourful graphics of hair. In actual fact, Balayage is nothing new in the hair industry, and started rising more into the scenes back in late 2018.

More lifestyle tips and updates at ULO’s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/ulolifestyle/

How to pronounce Balayage?

This jargon is definitely one that falls under the category of “how the hell do you pronounce this”. The hair authority (Modern Salon) asserts the correct way to pronounce balayage is bah-lee-ahge with an alternate pronunciation of bah-lay-ahge. Whichever way you decide to go, I doubt anyone in Singapore will pronounce balayage better than you anyway.

What is Balayage?

Balayage is a French word that literally translates as “to sweep” and that’s quite exactly what your hair stylist will do if you ask for the treatment. She’ll apply very thin and gentle highlights toward the root, and gradually adding more drama from the mid to ends. The latest rise of this hair colouring technique is all about adding multi-tonal dimension – think of it like contouring for your hair, giving it the upgrade to 3D Balayage. 3D balayage takes traditional balayage and makes it more multi-tonal, instead of streaky or flat. Rather than dyeing the hair with a single colour, there are two shades, and one always slightly darker.

Many ladies should have experienced how poorly done colouring job can result in a flat and lifeless hair. This was probably what got people excited, and with all the celebrity hype there is no way this can be kept under wraps. Now that you have read about what the word is about, time to check out the inspiring effects of it.

Install the ULO Lifestyle mobile app to get rewarded for taking time off for pampering: https://onelink.to/ULOlifestyle

While Christmas and the Lunar New Year being around the corner, it’s probably a good time to help boost the gloomy Singapore economy while preparing for the festivities. If manners maketh the man, then the hair definitely makes the ladies to a great extent too. While working from home, if you have some time to spare, why not make a booking for that hair treatment through ULO Lifestyle. Be rewarded for your time by our partners with the discounts, and walk away ready for the intimate parties.

5 Apps to up your savings game in the Apple Singapore App Store

5 Apps to up your savings game in the Apple Singapore App Store

Lifestyle / By

In our inaugural blog post, I will like to share about how we can get maximum savings in our daily lives, through utilisation of the myriad of mobile apps in the market that offers deals, discounts and cashbacks in Singapore. 

It may sound a tad lame for the tech savvy, but in this COVID environment where everyone are tightening their purse strings, these little savings from daily expenses will go a long way. So if you already know, do share it with your friends these little secrets of yours. 

For a start, we’ll be exploring what are available in the Apple App Store in Singapore to sieve out the “sexier” and easier ones that you should try first.

ULO Lifestyle (Yes, our own Yay!)

ULO Lifestyle singapore savings

First up, no reason to rule out the new kids on the scene as featured on the authority in technology publishers Vulcan Post. Marketed as Singapore’s first ‘happy hour’ app, ULO offers attractive discounts in Singapore for various lifestyle services; beauty, hair, nails, wellness etc. For services that many ladies will consider essential, getting up to 70% off can easily translate to savings of hundreds of dollars in Singapore. Best of all, instead of being treated like a cheapskate, the merchants will be glad to provide you with great service without the usual rush during peak timings; meaning even greater attention to details.

The ENTERTAINER

The Entertainer singapore savings

The ENTERTAINER offers a myriad of 1-for-1 or 2-for-1 offers for restaurants, beauty salons, health & fitness, leisure activities and many more, 7 days a week (excluding public holidays) and all year long. This translates to about 30%-50% savings on everything available within the app. The good thing about The ENTERTAINER is that their myriad of offerings ensures that there will always be something available around you, and you can share your account with your family in multiple devices. The downside is you will need to pay a subscription to enjoy the complete offerings, although the basic free version does whet your appetite with some free vouchers.

CHOPE

Chope singapore savings

CHOPE are one of the veterans in the Singapore market. What seemed to have started out as a simple mobile app for making restaurant reservation, has now pivoted and expanded into many other markets and areas. If you are not aware, they do offer decent discounts on F&B offerings, and greater discounts through CHOPE Deals where you can purchase vouchers that’s gives you up to 50% off. Apart from that, CHOPE markets their guides to help you discover places to eat. A survey done in 2017 on American couples revealed that 132 hours are wasted a year just on deciding what to eat. How these couples would wish they had an app like CHOPE to help with the recommendations. 

EATIGO

Eating singapore savings

EATIGO is another popular mobile app in the F&B scene. Marketed with the mission to connect empty tables with empty stomachs by offering time-based discounts of up to 50%, ULO is like it’s distant cousin in the lifestyle scene. We all know that time-based services like restaurants continue to incur fixed costs operating during off-peak periods. EATIGO and ULO helps such merchants to fill up the off-peak voids through extending discounts to consumers like myself, who will be happy to take a couple hours off work to enjoy myself, and yet get great discounts off services. Happy customer and happy merchants with both enjoying savings in expensive Singapore.

ShopBack

ShopBack singapore savings

ShopBack is marketed as the #1 rewards and discovery platform in Asia-Pacific, that enables shoppers across the region to shop ‘The Smarter Way”. ShopBack partners with over 3,000 merchants including Taobao, Expedia, Shopee, ZALORA to reward its users with cashback across a wide range of categories including general merchandise, travel bookings, fashion, health and beauty, groceries, and food delivery. I see ShopBack as the “utility app”, like how you have a catch-all credit card for every other expense that do not fall into specific categories like F&B. The cashback offered is also really similar to credit cards at around 1% – 5%, and sometimes more depending on what you purchase. 

At the end of the day, this list is not exhaustive as the savvy discount-hunter will tell you, but we curated this list trying to cover as wide a range of products and services as possible. With these, you are guaranteed savings and discounts in covering almost every inch of Singapore.

Imagine on a typical month, you get to save the below:

AppServiceOriginal CostSavings
ULO LifestyleHaircut + Wash$40$20 (50%)
The ENTERTAINERIndoor Spinning$180 (4 sessions)$90 (50%)
CHOPEBuffet at Tenkaichi Japanese BBQ Restaurant$124/pax$68 (45%)
EATIGOHarry’s Jazz Burger at Harry’s @ Harbourfront$24$12 (50%)
ShopBackSambucol Black Elderberry Syrup on iHerb$24.51$0.75 (3%)
TOTAL SAVINGS$190.75

With the youthful generation consuming lifestyle services and restaurants on such regular basis, you can imagine the kinds of discounts you are missing out regularly. If you have yet to get onboard any of these, please go download them and start using. 

The end it off, you can download ULO Lifestyle to enjoy that “shiok” haircut and massage during wash at a proper salon.