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About Me

About Me
CrystalPhuong.net is a Personal Style & Travel Blog based in Singapore, written by Crystal Phuong. The blog was nominated FOUR times in Top 10 Best Fashion Blogs in the annual Singapore Blog Award from 2012- 2015, voted as one of the Best Lifestyle Blogs in Singapore in 2013 by Hotelclub.com, and Best Travel Blogs in 2016 by Foodpanda.com. Crystal hopes to connect and inspire young women to lead a healthy and happy life. Be confident, be positive, and be kind.
Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts
NAIL ARTS FOR SPRING AND SUMMER

NAIL ARTS FOR SPRING AND SUMMER


It's #nail time everyone! 
Regardless of the season of the year, I'll always make sure my nails look good. It's strange that I had never paid so much attention to my nails before, but once I started doing it, it became quite addictive. I began to get my nail art done almost two years ago, once every month. Each month, my manicurist  and I will come up with different designs to match festivals or the seasons. 

Here are some of my nail art designs for Spring and Summer.


Pastel nails for Spring


or Chanel inspired tweed design and Chanel logo?


Color block fuchsia and purple with 3D flowers and Swarovski crystals. 


A little leopard would hurt nobody, especially when it's paired with electric blue. 


Heading to the beach this Summer? You might want to try out this Swarovski anchor and sailor inspired design


or the striking purple nails with mixture of 3D flowers and stripes?


Last but not least, French nail art design with full Swarovski crystals. 

Which one of the above designs is your favorite? Do you have any nail art designs that you like? 
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Crystal Phuong
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HOW TO TAKE CARE OF BLEACHED HAIR?

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF BLEACHED HAIR?



Bleaching your hair is bad, especially when you bleach all your hair blonde. But what if you insist on going full blonde, like me? The answer is simple: Do A LOT of treatments after that.

I've always wanted to have blonde hair for a long time. Because everyone warned me about how damaging it could be to my hair. I didn't dare to go all blonde. Instead, I bleached section by section so my hair could take it. Until one day, I took a risk and made this happen:




Honestly, I freaked out when I touched my hair for the first time, after the bleaching it. It was dry and brittle like a dried broom. It was a huge effort for me to do a lot of treatments after that  (including scalp treatments). A few months later, my hair started feeling softer and smoother again. If you love dying or bleaching your hair like I do, you may want to try some of the tips below.

1. Shampoo, Conditioner and Blonde Spray.
John Frieda blonde shampoo, conditioner and Sheer blonde lightening permanent spray

Finding the right shampoo and conditioner for blonde hair is challenging in Singapore because we don't have these products dedicated for blonde hair here. I was lucky to find these John Frieda products when I was in the US in September of last year. I also bought Sheer blonde lightening permanent spray to help keep the color last longer. I know some shampoos are only suitable for certain people, so make sure you check the product carefully before you buy. These John Frieda products work well for me so far.

2. Hair Mask

 L'oreal Total Repair mask

I apply hair mask every time I wash my hair without fail. I've never done this before. My current favorite is this L'oreal Total Repair mask. It takes only 1 minute to do (perfect for busy people). I also rotate different masks every time so that my hair can enjoy different treatments.

3. Nourish and Protect.


After washing and blow-drying my hair, I apply treatments immediately. First, I start applying hair serum to keep my shine and frizz-free. There are many types of serum available, make sure you choose the right one for your hair and scalp. I like this Dove nourishing oil care as it's non-sticky and non-greasy. 


After applyig serum, I apply Pantene 10-in-1 hair protection. It's a leave on treatment that offers 10 different treatments in a single formula: breakage prevention, smoothness, moisture, shine, detangling, frizz control, manageability, heat protection, softness, and split-ends prevention. Besides, it's super affordable so it's worth to try. I tried once and I loved it. Alternatively, you can also check out a range of great products for damaged hair here


After applying Pantene protection, I'll spray one more round of Sunsilk nourishing soft and smooth to make sure my hair is really well-nourished. 


4. Styling.
Now that I have clean and nourished hair, it's time to go for styling. I don't use a hair iron or a hair curler at all as I'm afraid they might burn my fragile hair. Instead, I use hair rollers to create more volume. I'll leave the roller on for about 20 minutes and apply non-sticky hair spray to protect and control the curls. Then, I'll apply hair fragrance to give my hair incredible smell all day long.


The whole process probably takes you half an hour (including washing). I used to be so lazy to take care of my hair, but once I started, I kind of enjoying it. A good hair day doesn't take much time to have and it can give me confidence whenever I'm going out to meet people. Some people are quite surprised at how soft my hair is when they touch it. Best part, it doesn't cost me much money with all these drugstore products. I highly recommend you do this at least twice a week to make sure your hair looks healthy and always beautiful. 

Do you have any other best hair tips to share?





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INVISALIGN (PART 2)

INVISALIGN (PART 2)



Time flies so quickly! It felt like only yesterday when I just started my Invisalign journey at Orchard Scotts Dental (OSD) clinic. If you read the first blog post I wrote a year ago,  you've probably seen how crooked my teeth were. I also shared about how uncomfortable I felt when I had to smile for the camera, and how much I dreamed of having a beautiful Hollywood smile. That dream will finally become true in about 8 weeks when I finish my 30th aligner.

In fact, I don't really need to wait till aligner No. 30, I can now happily share with you my new smile after one and a half year.

Are you ready?


At my 25th aligner, Dr. Jerry Lim finally removed the attachments on my teeth (as seen on aligner no. 20). These bubble-like attachments act as an anchor point that helps to move the tooth to the desired direction. I'm wearing aligner number 27 now, there are only 3 more to go. I'm so excited and I cannot express how much I love my new smile right now.

From this:

to this after one and a half year?

I must be kidding, you say? But no, I don't. I won't blame you for being doubtful, because I myself can't believe that this is actually happening either. You have no idea how much this new smile has changed my life. I'm much more confident now when I smile, when I talk to people, and especially when I'm interviewed (watch this interview I did with the Clozette team during Digital Fashion Week to see it yourself). The fact that you can see, for the first time on this blog, a photo of myself laughing out loud without worrying about my crooked teeth, is the biggest change by far.  




With all that, I must say "Thank you so much" to Orchard Scotts Dental. Thank you for changing my smile! You have changed my life in a certain way and I don't think I can thank you enough.
Just in case you don't know, OSD is an Invisalign Platinum Elite provider clinic, which announced the launch of the Orchard Scotts Dental Flagship Clinic Powered by Invisalign in June 2014. The clinic has helped more than 700 Singaporeans find and achieve their best smile, including past Miss Universe Singapore winners (OSD has been the Official Dentist for Miss Universe Singapore since 2009). As Smile Architects, Orchard Scotts Dental is a firm believer of constantly growing their expertise and staying at the forefront of aesthetic dentistry technology, to the benefit of their customers. 

With a newly renovated premises, OSD is more than happy (and ready) to welcome you to experience the holistic approached smile-makeover.




On 30th May, I was extremely happy to share on my Instagram a photo I shot for Invisalign and OSD as one of their ambassadors. I wrote "Never in my wildest dream I thought one day I could be a model for a dental clinic. Here I am showing my biggest smile with my going-to-be-perfect teeth in a few months, posing for camera as one of the @invisalign ambassadors. Thank you so much @orchardscottsdental & #Invisalign for the opportunity. I cannot be more grateful and excited about everything." 





These are some photos from the shoot I did with my fellow ambassadors for Invisalign and OSD in May. Don't be surprised if you see them at OSD's clinic and on the website :).

As you can see, it's not so hard to achieve your dream smile, is it? You just need to find a good doctor who will go all the way to make your dream come true. I'm so lucky to have Dr. Jerry Lim (and the OSD team) to help me in this journey. He is such a good, caring, and experienced doctor. Of course, he has a good smile too. 

If you are still wondering whether or not Invisalign is suitable for you, how long does it take, how much does it cost, you can read back my first blog entry under Q & A session. Or, better still, visit 

Orchard Scotts Dental 
501 Orchard Road, Wheelock Place #05-08, Singapore 238880. 
Contact: +65- 6732 9939 or +65- 8223 6334 (emergency)
Email: enquiry@orchardscottsdental.com

Thank you so much for reading! 
Till next time. 
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INVISALIGN WITH ORCHARD SCOTTS DENTAL

INVISALIGN WITH ORCHARD SCOTTS DENTAL



I guess, it's time for me to finally reveal the truth that I've been hiding for so long since I started up this blog. Most people know me as "a girl who is confident in everything she does" (well, most things) but they don't know that I do have one thing that I'm not very confident and happy with; my smile. Don't argue with me just yet and let me show you. Take a look at this photo below:  


Does this smile look familiar to you? I don't know if you've ever got bored of seeing the same smile all the time on this blog but I do! I'm tired of looking at this typical smile that only shows a little bit of teeth, a smile without much feeling and emotion. Sometimes, I really want to take a photo of myself laughing out loud freely with a mouth wide open but I can't. I'm afraid to let people see my embarrassing crooked teeth, that's why I've hidden them away as much as I could and never taken any photo of my big smile ever since I grew up. How sad it is! 

The truth is here!

This is how my teeth look. I can't wait to call them as "my past" and keep them in my memory in another 18 months. While the upper teeth look quite ok except for the 2 front big teeth "refusing to stay in line and trying to fight for attention", the lower ones seem to give me more trouble as they don't follow the alignment, size and shape at all. The simple teeth alignment issue makes such a significant difference in how I look and how I smile. I used to feel so jealous with anyone who has beautiful straight teeth. I'd probably still feel the same way if it weren't for the help of Orchard Scotts Dental



Right here where the amazing thing happened to me.


They made my 10-year-long dream of having a Hollywood smile come true. I still can't quite figure out how this happened. I mean, it's too good to be true. Despite their super occupied schedule with appointments pre-booked months in advance, they still managed to arrange a time slot for me. I went to the clinic 2 months ago to have my teeth scanned. I had my consultation with Dr. Jerry Lim to discuss about how he could help to straighten up my teeth with Invisalign. I was beyond excited. Literally, all I heard during the 20-minute-consultation with Dr. Jerry Lim was "Yes, you can have a Hollywood smile", nothing else. 


Orchard Scotts Dental is one of the rare clinics that received the Platinum Elite Status for being one of the top Invisalign Treating Dental Practices in Singapore in 2012. That's good enough to show they are very experienced and good at what they do. 

Besides the big wall full of awards, certificates, achievements, I'm sure you'll be amazed at how well-equipped, modern and beautiful the clinic is from the inside to the outside. There are so many rooms for different functions and usages, and the nurses are so experienced and helpful. 





That's my uber-handsome and friendly dentist, Dr. Jerry Lim, who will be helping me with my beautiful smile journey. 

Just in case you don't know about Invisalign, it is an orthodontic treatment which uses a series of clear, removable aligners that are custom-molded to fit your current teeth perfectly and to straighten your teeth by moving them little-by-little to achieve your desired outcome. It works just like metal braces, but THIS is invisible. As I said earlier, I have been dreaming of a perfect smile for the past 10 years, but I did nothing to make it happen because I did not like how the metal braces looked. I thought they'd make me look even uglier than my crooked teeth. Anyway, back to the Invisalign procedure, it's much simpler than I thought it would be. 


First, I had a consultation with Dr. Jerry Lim to discuss my teeth issue and explore what would be the final result. I'm still amazed at how I could even foresee what my smile will look like during and after the Invisalign treatment. After the consultation, I had my teeth molded and an impression of my teeth was sent to Align Technology (a company that designs, manufactures and markets Invisalign). A few weeks later, this was what I had in my hand: 

The Invisalign kit!

Good thing comes in a small package! 
Like the name itself, the aligner is completely transparent and harder to detect in comparison to the traditional braces. Also, it's removable and so easy to wear. 

Look at how transparent it is. 

I have 30 sets of aligners in total and am required to wear each aligner for 2 weeks, optimally 22 hours/ day except when eating, brushing and flossing. Initially, I thought it would be quite troublesome having to remove the aligners so often, but after a while, I just got used to it. It's like a piece of cake now and even helps to keep my oral hygiene always in tip-top condition.

This is me without aligners
and with aligners. Notice any difference? I bet you could because it's INVISIBLE and that's what Invisalign is all about. 

I was wearing my first set of aligners when I took this photo. Right now, I'm on my 3rd set with some attachments on it.  I'll update you guys again, it's quite fun and interesting to see how the teeth move. 

For now, here are some common questions you guys might be interested to know:

1.  How much does Invisalign cost?
Approximately S$4500- S$9000 depends on the condition of the teeth. I know the clinic offers an installment plan in which you just need to pay after each visit. Please call the clinic  +65- 6732 9939 to get more information. 

2. Does it hurt?
Not really. Only the first 2 sets and whenever I change to a new set of aligners,  I feel the pressure on my teeth but somehow I like this type of pressure. It's bearable to me. 

3. Will it be uncomfortable when I speak, eat and do other things like playing sports, singing, swimming etc...?
Well, it was a little bit uncomfortable to me at first when I spoke because obviously there was something in my mouth. But like I said, after a while, I got used to it, it became normal and part of me :D. *Just kidding*. 

4. Does it change your face shape? 
I'm sure when you have a new smile, your face will look different. That's what I was told. As right now, nobody even notices that I'm wearing Invisalign and if my face looks bigger or smaller, I'm so sad :(

5. Do I need to extract my teeth?
In my case, Dr. Jerry Lim asked if I wanted to extract my 2 upper teeth and 2 lower teeth as my teeth are quite crowded, but I decided not to as I was afraid I would regret when I get old and my teeth start leaving me :D. Anyway, this is optional and it depends on your individual case. Your dentist will give you the best advice. 

6. I'm interested, how do I start?
Easy peasy! Please contact my clinic:
Orchard Scotts Dental 
They are at: 501 Orchard Road, Wheelock Place #05-08, Singapore 238880. 
Contact: +65- 6732 9939 or +65- 8223 6334 (emergency)
Email: enquiry@orchardscottsdental.com
Don't forget to mention "CRYSTAL PHUONG" when you see the doctor ;)
For more information, please visit their website and follow them on Facebook

Last but not least,  I know I can't thank you enough, but again thank you so much Orchard Scotts Dental for making my smile makeover dream come true. I couldn't be more blessed and happier to have you taking care of my teeth and making them look more beautiful. 

Thank you so much for reading!
I'll update you the whole process and result again, I promise! 

Update on 11/11/2014: Want to know how my new smile looks? Click HERE to continue reading and see the before and after photo. 
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