LADY@LXG: Loving the world's first facial epilator by BRAUN!

How is it that women with moustaches are able to convince themselves that the the thick carpet of hair on their upper-lip is not really that noticeable? 
I have actually had hair-pullingly frustrating conversations with highly educated women in high powered careers, who have convinced themselves that they either do not have a moustache - its simply a case of shadows caused by their nose or the direction of the

sun or light source (I kid you not) or, that the hair on their upper lip is so delicate and fine, that its barely noticeable, when in fact, its so darn thick, they could give most men a run for their money. 

Personally, I am very into grooming. In fact, as far as I am concerned, a woman should only have hair on her head, eyebrows and lashes (and private-bits, should she choose to do so). Anywhere else, is just not attractive nor particularly hygienic. 

Before you start labelling me an anti-feminist, let me say that I am all for women's rights, and grooming oneself does not make a woman less of a feminist, nor does a thick matt of armpit hair signify that you are a spokesperson for Women's Lib. Because grooming is all about self-respect and it doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman, hairy legs and short skirts, just don't work, period.

I usually have my brows and upper-lip threaded weekly. I love threading because its fast, precise and leaves me looking clean and groomed, but its not exactly convenient or economical, which is why, I was so excited when BRAUN sent me their Braun Face. 

With 10 micro-openings for super-efficient epilation, Braun Face keeps you fuzz-free for up to four weeks. Epilation with Braun Face is also 200 times faster than manual tweezers and can remove hairs four times shorter than traditional waxing (these are not empty claims. The gadget can actually wrench out, even the teeniest hairs without the pain usually associated with tweezing). The epilator also provides a gentle experience and more precise results than alternative epilators. In seconds, it gives you smooth, hair-free skin that lasts for weeks and makes you actually look like a woman again!

Braun Face is very easy to use. Just a few swipes across your upper lip, and even the most minuscule hairs are gone, the best part, its not painful. This actually surprised me, 'cos I expected it to hurt a bit, like tweezing or threading, but for some reason, it doesn't. Its far less painful, so if  you are afraid of pain, this little beauty is for you! Just be careful when epilating your brows, because its easy to lose control, especially if its your first time using it, and you can end up losing an eyebrow. I accidentally removed a part of my brow, which did not do much for my looks, but it was totally my fault for getting a little too excited with the gadget on the first try. 

I love how beautiful and slim the epilator is. Its seriously so compact and light-weight, I can pop it into my bag and take it wherever I go. In fact, I love BRAUN, cos even my regular epilator is by them and its a gadget that I totally can't live without! I also love the fact that it comes with a detachable facial brush head, which means that when I travel, I only need to pack one gadget, which will keep me looking groomed and cleansed with little effort. 

Braun Face retails at $99 and is available in Singapore at all major electrical chain stores, departmental stores, leading hypermarkets and independent electrical stores. 

For more information, visit their website at: http://www.braun.com. 

Or join them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/braunsingapore.

LIFESTYLE@LXG: TS takes the Braun Cruzer 6 for a test drive

I am often told I need to shave more. My reply is often a mumbled apology about time and a fear of having my face ripped to shreds by dull blades. All right, I maybe exaggerating slightly when I say rip my face to shreds, but let's be honest here; getting nicked while shaving is probably the third worst thing that can happen to you before you leave the house every morning. The first two being constipation and diarrhea in no particular order. 

So when I was offered a chance to review the Braun Cruzer 6, I was interested but not really hopeful. I had tried electric shavers before and they were not good. I looked unshaved and the shavers usually irritated my skin. So with trepidation I decided to give it a try. I've had it for about a week now and here's how it has been so far. 

Day One:

I had shaved the day before, so I only had a short bristles. It was time to test the claims that the Cruzer gives you a smooth clean shave, even removing the the 5pm shadow that Asians never ever get. 

The result was surprising quite decent. Usually it takes around a week or two to get used to an electric shaver, however the Braun Cruzer was amazing easy to use and I had a smooth shave (impressed but still skeptical. Maybe this was a one off?). 

Day Four:

Skip ahead a few days and here I am with thicker beard and an unofficial warning from HR about maintaining professional standards (I seriously can't believe they did not accept that I had to grow my face hair for a review). Ok, let's see how well the Braun Cruzer does on my longer, thicker and generally bushier beard and mustache. 

Personally, I prefer to dry shave, though Braun has the awesome option of a wet or dry shave, so if you're strapped for time, you can always shower and shave at the same time.  

After three passes of the shaver, my hairy beard was a thing of the past. I was a little sad to be honest cos I had kind of grown attached to my fuzz, but feelings be damned, I had a review to write. 

This time I was able to test it more thoroughly and see how well it shaved the contours of my face. And I must say, my jaw line has never felt so smooth before (the girl friend was most appreciative too!)

I'm going to skip the next week or so, because it is safe to say that the shaver works well and I also don't want to piss off HR any more than necessary. 

The Braun Cruzer is awesome and I am a believer. Though I probably should mention the styler or as I like to call it the sideburn trimmer. You can slide up a trimmer that allows you to maintain your sideburns and if required trim your facial hair rather than shave it all off. 

To those of you who can actually grow a lot of facial hair and think thin beards and mustaches are uber cool, you're most welcome.

The Braun Cruzer 6

The Braun Cruzer retails at S$119 and is available at all major retailers.

You can find out more about the product on the Braun website: http://www.braun.com/global/male-grooming/cruzer-shavers-and-trimmers/cruzer-cleanshave.html Or join Braun’s facebook page for great giveaways and tips: BRAUN

STYLE@LXG: Save face this Valentines Day!

Personally I am not a huge fan of grooming. If I didn't have a hot girl friend, I would probably look like a cave man and be proud of it. 

But with Valentines day, quite literally around the corner, I have started planning ahead to ensure that I look my very best or face a month of ice from the lady friend.

I blame commercialism for making this the most harrowing period of the year, other than her birthday and Christmas that is. But needs must when you have have to keep the lady friend happy or spend the rest of eternity being nagged at and beaten.

Forget the perfect gift, or booking an impossible-to-book restaurant  that will probably have me eating Maggi mee for at least the first quarter of the year, My biggest trauma at the moment is trying not to look like I have been living in a cave without access to any reflective surface. So the grooming has commenced....

Whats the big deal about shaving? Well, I don’t know about you, but after a great night out with a beautiful lady I like to move in for that goodnight kiss, a precursor for better things to come. Apart from bad breath (need to buy a new toothbrush and some floss), the biggest impediment to getting that kiss is an unkempt, rough and stubbly chin.Trust me, girls don't like hair.

The key to getting that perfect shave is finding a shaver that you like. One that feels good on your skin. I personally use electric shavers, but the choice is ultimately yours. Owning the perfect grooming accessory is not the end of the story. You will need to know how to use it effectively to get the most out of it. Here are some tips for the perfect shave, cos if anyone knows how to wield a shaver, its me.

To get the perfect shave

·         It is advisable to shave before you wash, since our skin tends to swell after washing.

·         If you are not a daily groomer like me and prefer to shave every few days, then my advice would be to trim your stubble before you shave, especially if you are using an electric shaver, I like to use the   power long hair trimmer on the Braun ^oCoolTec Shaver, which is my preferred grooming tool.

·        

          For first time or new electric shaver users, here are some helpful tips to ensure that you get the closest shave. You know, the type that motivates a girl to run their fingers across your face.

o   Stretch the skin and shave against the direction of your beard's growth

o   Hold the shaver at a right angle (90°) to your skin

o   Keep the pressure even to achieve the best possible shave

Why I love the Braun ^oCoolTec

The Braun ^oCoolTec is the world’s first dry shaver with revolutionary cooling technology, designed to put shaving irritation on ice, which is great for me as I have super sensitive skin. The kind that turns pink for absolutely no reason. Its perfect for men with sensitive skin as it takes the heat out of shaving and creates an instant and noticeable reduction in the signs of shaving irritation such as burning, itching, redness and skin tension. The recommended retail price is $289 for the CT4s model and $369 for the CT5cc model.