The White Rabbit, the place to worship delicious food; one of many fabulous eateries in Singapore.

I was happy to discover that the restaurant was still open after not living here for the past year.

There are restaurants aplenty here in Singapore and it's a tough crowd to please.

The place setting looks so bare without food... not for long.

 Don't worry. It wasn't all for me. My friend Louise who recently moved from Toronto to Hong Kong was pigging out - I mean, dining with me.

Louise had the egg and toast, pictured above in the deep bg. (bg = background)

I had Eggs Florentine. I'm a sucker for poached eggs and hollandaise. They were done beautifully - runny yolk and everything. *drool*

I still crumble under peer pressure. My dear brunchmate wanted to try the Ricotta Pancakes. Who am I to not support a friend?

I was skeptical - cheese as a base in pancakes... really?

We shared. Delish! I highly recommend these... and the Eggs Florentine.

If you are hoping for more of a flowery, adjective filled review go here.

A double dry cappuccino with the world's smallest chocolate chip cookie for dessert.

The White Rabbit is located at 39c Harding Road in The Dempsey Hill area, Singapore.

(Look for the big white church - that's a restaurant. The big red church? Yea, that's really a church)

I was recently asked to participate as a Beauty Judge for the Harper's Bazaar (Singapore) Beauty Awards, November issue (2010).

Being a hairstylist and makeup artist of 20 years, I pride myself in keeping up with the Beauty Joneses remaining current in my field. This includes reading up on ingredients, recommendations and testing out new products. As you can imagine, I, beauty geek, was honoured to be given this task!

Well, the magazine called to confirm that I was home to accept my boxed beauty bundle as the courier was about to leave their office; 20 minutes later my concierge rang up to my suite 'M'am, you have some hair product delivery. Shall I send it up?'

Ok.  First, hate being called 'M'am'.

Second. Some hair product??? This is not how I would have described it.

I opened the door to find the courier with a dolly full of crates!

I was a kid in my very own candy store! For roughly 6 weeks, donned in my inconspicuous labcoat (the fashion industry uniform: an LBD) my life was immersed in luxurious creams, lotions, gels, fragrances, masks, powders, pigments.... you name it - I tested it.

If this wasn't work related you would have had to do a Beauty Intervention ala SATC's Charlotte and the rabbit episode! And this felt probably as good - if not better!

Now, I don't feel its right to point out my favourites until the issue is out, (mark your calendars to purchase Bazaar, November 2010!) but from time to time I will post a breakdown of what beauty products I tested and the results I have found. (here's one) Some products I was amazed by in an 'if I hadn't seen the results myself, I would never have believed it' fashion. And, yes, yes, OH yes! I did see some ageing reversal from tubes at home.

 I have... err.. HAD a shallow-ish wrinkle in-between my brow that was taken care of within 2 applications... no word of a lie.

Glamoxy Snake Serum

'This revolutionary oxygenated, viper-inspired serum contains syn-ake; a neuro peptide that mimics the effects of the Temple Viper's potent venom to instantly lift the face, freeze muscles and plump fine lines and wrinkles.'

Now, the key word here is 'mimics'. I don't like snakes unless they are on my feet. (I kid; illustrating that I don't like snakes - they give me the hee-bee-jee-bees.)

Check back to see what product had me looking like an organic beef-steak tomato.

 Desired result or no? You be the judge - you know I was.

There is nothing worse than living in a climate where no matter how beautiful you look and feel, as soon you walk out of a room full of air-conditioning, you suddenly feel like the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of OZ as she gets the bucket of water thrown on her.  Avoid crying out ‘I’m melting! I’m melting!’ with these beat the heat beauty tips by Andrea Claire.

Combating the Makeup Meltdown

 Lather, rinse, repeat: not just for hair anymore. Double cleansing your skin will help reduce excess oils which interfere with your makeup’s longevity. Try Philosophy’s Never Let Them See You Shine Cleanser

Makeup primers are the step after your skin care, before your foundation.  Primers create a smooth barrier protecting your skin from environmental pollutants as well as protect your makeup from breaking down with your natural oils, a summer sun beauty essential. Try Anastasia Hydrating Oil or Laura Mercier Secret Finish in Mattifying

Sunnier months tend to be more forgiving on the skin’s texture, so with the heat, a light water-based tinted moisturizer is all you need. Try Rae Cosmetics Climate Control Mineral Tint spf 20, a water-resistant formula stays on all day, even when you sweat. Use a foundation brush, best for applying liquid and cream textures, leaving you with a flawless, airbrushed quality.

Flaunt your sunless tanned skin with water-resistant bronzers that withstand the heat and sweat. Try Too Faced Aqua Bunny Bronzer or Jemma Kidd for Target Show Stopper Water-Resistant Bronzer.

 *Apply in the cheek hollows for a subtle slimming effect.

 Whether layering colors creating a dramatic eye or just wanting one splash of color, cream-to-powder eye shadows are made to stay put in any condition. Apply swiftly as creams tend to set at once. Your fingertips or synthetic bristle brushes are the best tools for this product. Try Bobbi Brown’s Metallic Long Wear Cream Shadow or Urban Decay cream shadow in Midnight Rodeo

 Use water-resistant mascara which will keep you from looking like the morning-after rock star. Try Jemma Kidd Semi-Permanent Mascara, mascara that glides on with rich color and zero clumps.

Freshen up your makeup or cool off from the heat with a soothing spray that has anti-reddening calming properties. Try FACEatelier FACE Finish, a spray you can use throughout the day to refresh without disturbing your makeup.

De-Harry your Hair

Summer heat, excessive sun and sticky weather can leave your fashionista coiffe falling flat. A few hair rules to live by will help keep your hair ‘do’ from becoming a ‘don’t.’

Over washing your hair can strip your hair of its natural oils. Try to simply rinse your hair every second day. A dry shampoo which absorbs excess oil is a great alternative to avoid over-washing. Try Batiste or Psssssst dry shampoos, just spray on roots and brush through.

Summer beauty trends show many hairstyles up off the neck so you can look chic and be cool at the same time! Try a ballet bun, a high messy ponytail or even a side ponytail. 

Ballet Bun how-to: Pull your hair into the nape of your neck as if to tie into a ponytail, while holding the hair at the nape (base) tightly twist the tail until you feel the base twist in your hand, let go of base and continue twisting, the bun automatically forms. Secure by crossing 2 bobby pins in an ‘X’ shape which locks in hairstyle. Bobby pins should be placed in a clock formation, i.e 12, 3, 6 and 9. For thicker hair add pins in-between the ‘hours’ as well.

*A quick blast of air over your hair from your blow dryer will give your bun an effortless, deconstructed look. 

Chic Messy Ponytail: Using a brush with a mix of boar and synthetic bristles, brush hair straight back and secure slightly below the crown using a grip elastic or for thicker hair use bungee elastics. For added texture, spray a little sea salt spray into the ends of your hair and scrunch up with your hands while aiming a quick blast of air from your blow dryer. Try John Masters Sea Mist Sea Salt Spray with Lavender

*Back brush ponytail for a more dramatic ‘straight off the runway’ style.

 Side Pony: For side ponytails it’s best to comb with your fingers so hair is not too slick. Secure just behind your earlobe as if it’s too high you will look like the Cheer Captain. Once secure, while pressing fingertips gently on your scalp, gently shake your fingers while sliding down the hair shaft to loosen for a more casual appeal.

Chic Hair Bow Chignon (DIY here)

Yes, this is the back of my head.

*For other on-trend hairstyle ideas check out Style{dot}com and check out the backstage confidential!

*DIY Updos with only 8 bobbypins- yup! See it for realz here.

 Many product lines are finally seeing the [sun]light. With new formulations and products geared to preserving more than just hair color from sun damage, hairdos are getting protected too. Use a humidity blocker that aims at keeping the moisture out of your hair so your hair will remain bouncin’ and behavin’. Try Joico Humidity Blocker finishing shield or Oribe Impermeable Anti-Humidity Spray.

*Original version of this article by Andrea Claire can be seen in the pages of austinwoman magazine.

Not sure what colours to wear with a summer glow?

MAC Cosmetics Dare To Wear

Eye Shadow
Louder, Please Bright fuchsia (Matte)
Free to Be Creamy true coral (Matte)
Going Bananas Soft lemon yellow (Frost)
Lime Lime green (Matte)
Sassy Grass Bright grass green (Matte)
Aqua Subdued, pale greyed aqua (Matte)
Sky Blue Robin’s egg blue (Frost)
Winkle Mid-tone cornflower blue (Satin)
Zingy Bright sky blue (Matte)
Atlantic Blue Bright violet blue (Matte)
Crazy Cool Pale frosty lavender (Veluxe Pearl)
Shock-a-holic Deep purple (Matte)
Retail Price $14.50 US

 Lipglass
Dare to Dare Light blue pink with multi-pearl
Bold & Brash Bright red with multi-pearl
Ban This! Deep purple with multi-pearl
Gimme That! Bright fuchsia pink with pink pearl
So Bad Mid-tone coral orange with pink and gold pearl
Wind me Up Dirty bronze with pink and gold pearl
Retail Price $18.00 US 

MAC's Venomous Villain Collection

Mark your calendar

Due out in October, 2010!

 From pearls, pigments, lustres, creams, mattes... you name the texture, it's there but not until October!

Find more on the collection here as I am too lazy too breakout all the prices!

Updos can be costly and keep you in the salon for hours. Not every occasion requires such posh styling. What you didn't know is that most updos can be created with a maximum 8 bobby pins. True story!

I say most updos as some of the more intricate styles or thicker hair may require extra pins, elastics or even hair extensions.

Here is a simple chignon:

1. Hold hand tight at base of tail
2. Twist tail until you feel the tail twist in your hand
3. Keep twisting and let bun shape naturally go in shape (trust me - it really does)
4. Pin with 2 bobby pins crossing in an 'X' at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock (the 'X' pinning locks hair in place therefore less pins and longer-lasting style)
5. For a twist on the texture braid tail (pics below) and twist into bun shape

You can be Red Carpet worthy in moments.

Below is the how-to for the above deconstructed 'do. Note, I did it 2x. The beauty about this style is each time the updo is slightly different - organic beauty!

1. Separate the hair in 2 sections
2. Twist each section in your hands
3. Cross over the sections and twist the ends together
4. Tuck and roll the ends, secure pins in 'X' formation

A reverse twist, a new take on a ponytail with a french twist seam. This is from a bridal editorial I did but you can easily DIY this hairdo.

Here's the how-to:

1. Gather hair at the sides as if to secure in a 1/2 up style
2. Roll hair continuously downwards as if you are gathering and rolling a ponytail (maybe the visual is better than the description)
3. Pin along the seam in 'X's' with one pin going pointing down and one pointing up
4. Tail can be left out, curled, teased or even twisted into a chignon/bun shape

Want a more finished appeal to your style? Set hair on ceramic hot rollers first and then continue with how-to's.

Looking for a hairdo with a modern approach? Why not your hair in a bow? Check out that how-to here.

 Special thanks to Faz for working the camera for my hair-brained idea and to Winnie C for the input and holding up some white curtains to bounce some light in!

Lip liners, love'em or hate'em.

I've never been a huge fan as alongside eyebrows (help is here),  lip liner can be another grande faux-pas. But sometimes, a little liner is necessary. The important thing to remember with liner is to be aware of the need to touch up, a ring around your mouth looking like you just ate a fudgesicle is never a pretty sight.

Top left: Clinique quickliner for lips in Cocoa Rose - a smooth, creamy application with rich pigment, great for pairing with sophisticated creamy lipsticks

Top Right: Bourjois Levres Contour in Enjoleuse - subtle application, great choice if looking for just a hint of liner

Bottom left: Estee Lauder DoubleWear Stay in Place Lip Pencil in Tearose - glides on with a strong reflective colour, fill-in entire lip  then top with a clear lipbalm

Bottom right: Dr. Hauschka Lipliner in 3 - a light waxy texture, pair with long-wearing lipsticks

When applying your liner anchor your pinkie to your chin and work the liner upwards as if tracing a slight smile.

If you find the liner looks too harsh soften edges with a Q-Tip or apply liner after your lipstick.

Applying liner after your lipstick will have your liner fade off with your lipstick.

  If you're not a fan then why use lip liner? Liner defines a fading lip, adds drama to a Femme Fatale colour and can prevent lipstick from bleeding. Not convinced? You can never go wrong with au naturale and a smokey eye.

* A one-stop shop liner for all lipstick colours from nude to bold? Try Cargo Cosmetics Reverse Lip Liner. 

Amongst the pages of how to deal with temper tantrums (quite timely as I need those tips for cute Zoie Jean); you can see the how-to get your Sexy Summer Hair in the August issue of Parents magazine.

(Yes this is a snap of the page not a scan as I am in a temporary apartment with my life on a boat working it's way from the beautiful hill country of Austin, Texas to the tropical paradise of Singapore!)

Here I stand, under bad elevator lighting on my way to see a new hairstylist.

I've been full of apprehension and second guessing my decision on accepting a complimentary haircut. (Why the drama? I'm a licenced hairstylist of 20 years and sometimes with free, you get what you pay for.)

I had a hairstylist here in Singapore already; I went to him for the entire 2 years that I had lived here before, 2007-2009. His haircuts were perfectly fine. Zero complaints.

Well... I received an invite for a wash, cut and dry with: 

Komachi The Hair Cult, a Japanese-influenced hair salon where all the stylists are from Japan and have years of experience in the hair industry, with one of them even studying and working with the prestigious Vidal Sassoon Salon in London.

Intrigued with the invite and of course checking out the salon online - I eagerly accepted... then started back-peddling in my mind. I even sent a high maintenance email to the pr person requesting that I get a hairstylist with similar experience as me to cut my hair. Yes... I really did request.

I have to be honest; I HATE HAVING MY HAIRCUT. I hate sitting in front of a mirror with soaking wet hair looking like a drowned rat in an ugly cape, with bad lighting - HATE IT. I could choose to flip through magazines as I have my haircut, but then I feel like I am being distant and not present with my stylist. Yes, I am high maintenance.

Tsuji began to analize my hair. Confident but quiet, she asked me questions with broken English: Do I style every day? Tongs? Round brushing? Air dry? Do i want change? etc etc... She made some suggestions, I loved them all; a fringe was on the list but as I told Tsuji, my husband is not big on the fringe. (must be love, I take in account my husband's opinion) A short while into the haircut she said 'Your husband does not like the fringe because you would look cute with the fringe and he wants you sexy.' (I shared this insight with him, he did not deny it)

 I always tell stylists to 'layer and texturize the snot out of it'; but this time I just embraced the suggestions and watched the SHEAR MAGIC happen. *cough* I know: 'Good one!' (thanks!)

I really love her cutting style which is quite familiar to me as it's how I like to cut; watching the flow and movement of the hair and working with it, not against it.

 One texturizing technique that she was doing I did find very cool and unique - I wish i had a video to show you; the best way to describe it was as if her scissors were mini swords slicing into the hair, but more texture than the typical 'slicing', it was also her wrist movement as the blades glide through the hair shaft - it was a very cool and fluid looking motion that resembled a Tim Burton scene - but  more on a serious 'Andrea's getting a haircut' level.

*Tsuji tells me during my cut that I naturally have more hair on one side than the other. I know, I tell her. (follow up note below)

Well - here is my reveal:

 FYI: I am truly thrilled with my cut.

i have found a new hairstylist.

*Sidebar: Nearing the end of my haircut Tsuji asks me 'How did you know you have more hair on one side? Clients don't normally know this.'

I reply 'Um. I'm a hairstylist.'

Poor thing - starts nervously laughing and tossing out funny comments - think of an episode of Punk'd, but for hairstylists. She obviously wasn't told that I was a fellow stylist; not that it's any big deal. We laugh and I make a joke to her publicist that she should remember she is working with someone who has sharp tools and not to upset her.

 BTW!! If you happen to have seen this tweet:

@fazabdulgaffa Overheard in Komachi Hair Cult: @AClaireBeauty barking orders at her hairstylist. Hair gurus make demanding clients!

SOOO not true! My Diva-esque colleague and friend Faz was getting a complimentary treatment at the same time, (no cut as she is loyal to her hairstylist: Me). Check out Faz's blog to see what she says about her treatment.

You can also check out Komachi's Facebook page here