Ms Skinnyfat

A Food & Travel Blog from Singapore

People go on a juice cleanse for different reasons. 1. They believe that the combination of fruit and vegetable juices, rid the body of toxins while flooding it with nutrients, vitamins and minerals to boost the immune system. 2. They wanna give their digestive system a break from digesting solid food. 3. They wanna lose weight, get glowing skin, better digestion etc. After my first juicing experience (read it here), I was still a little skeptical about the benefits but decided to give it another shot, this time with Punch Detox.

Punch Detox is new to Singapore but it's well established in Hong Kong. Other than using organic fresh fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts... they are the only one in Singapore that incorporates a “superfood” in every one of its juices e.g. Amazonian Acai berry, Himalayan Goji berry etc. which are well... SUPER. 

Norwalk hydraulic juicer, the Rolls Royce of juicers, is used by Punch (of course it's cold pressed duh). The juice retains significantly more vitamins and enzymes and is supposedly more tasty too.
There's the regular 3 day cleanse with two levels. Well I forgot and chose level 1, which proved to be waaaaay too easy for me since I already take a lot of veg and fruits. So go ahead, take the plunge and start with a deeper cleanse. What's the point when it's too easy right?
Punch also offers a “Build Your Own Cleanse” program and you can handpick your favorites from 10 nutritious juices. This works well for experienced “juice cleansers” or return customers.

Now back to my Level 1 cleanse. All 18 bottles were delivered on day 0 (the day before the cleanse). I was disappointed to see that the menu for each day is the same. BAH Boring. Differentiation would be good, well at least there's be something to look forward at each juice break. :( 
Some logistics first. The bottles are made of plastic and they're tall and slim. This made them much easier to transport since I didn't want them sent to the office. If you remembered, I hated how heavy the HICjuice bottles were. Also, Punch's cooler bag is sturdy with a sufficiently thick strap for easy carrying but the strap isn't long enough to be slung over the shoulders. 

The Punch Detox Juice Experience 
I started the juice cleanse thinking that I'd get through it easy this time since I've already done it before. Plus the fact that I'm only giving level 1 a shot (which is for the kiddy league tbh). Plus the fact that my appetite hadn't been that well in the days leading up to my cleanse, so I thought that should kinda help with the craving. Well, I was wrong about that craving. I obviously wiped out the memories of me obsessing about food the THE WHOLE TIME. RWARRR. So if you're like me, my advice for you would be to keep yourself busy so you wouldn't think about snacking.

This time, I tried to start my cleanse right, which meant starting my day with some warm lemon water. I hate drinking water but I've been conditioning myself to drink more ie. following the regular 8 x 8 rule. It got easier over the 3 days. So yea, do it!

So let's start with the flavors. There are only 6 flavors so here goes.
Juice 1- Citrus Punch
It has Lemon, Ginger, Cayenne Pepper, Agave Nectar and water. I thought it was honey lemon water because it was a little sweet and not as as sour or spicy as the HIC'Juice Lemon N Spice. W couldn't take the HIC one but I loved that so this is really mild. Certainly minimal afterburn.
Juice 2- Green Punch 
Celery, Cucumber, Kale, Bitter Melon, Parsley, Spirulina and Green Apple. I'm accustomed to this taste since I had plenty of green juices in my first cleanse. My conclusion is that green juices are all the same. This went down easy and made me crave for more veggie!
Juice 3- Red Punch
This is the expensive ABC made with beet, carrot, ginger, orange, goji berry and red apple. I like the lightly spicy cooling ginger taste. Due to the high fruit content, I found the juice to be on the sweet side and I much preferred Heart Beet by HIC. 
Juice 4 Fruit Punch
This was a terribly sweet juice that really tasted like a fruit punch (which I don't like). I know it's natural sugar and all but the ingredients could certainly be tweaked. Meh! I couldn't get through half a bottle and I didn't want to dilute it as well because that would mean more punch. So I threw it away. :P The next day I shared the drink with my friends and diluted mine from 1/3 to half a bottle so it became just about bearable. 
Juice 5 GazPUNCHo
Punch Detox is the only juice cleanse in Singapore to offer a savoury juice, the GazPUNCHo. After tasting the juice, I guess I know why they're the only one... The taste was simply eeeeeks. I've had many a Spanish gazpacho but this featured garlic, cilantro and cayenne heavily. I tried it as a cold drink and I could only finish half a bottle due to the pungent taste and viscous texture. I gave it a second shot as a soup after heating it up and again I could only stomach half a bottle. Another bottle was given away to S's daddy.
Juice 6 Nutmilk
I didn't like HIC's nutmilk at all because it had this really oily mouth feel and a stale oil taste. Punch Detox fared better and it was actually tasty if you like that Chinese almond taste. It tasted kinda like a Chinese almond pudding in liquid form. I'm pretty sure English almonds wouldn't yield that flavor. Anyway, it's a good neutralizing agent for the pungent Gazpacho.

After my second juice experience, I think I've kinda found a use for juicing. While I didn't lose much weight from this (I was a steady 39kg and it dipped below on the last day), it did help with some bloatedness and my tummy was exceptionally flat. I think it's quite a good way to kick start a weight loss/ work out regime as it shrinks your appetite. Since I saw some physical changes, I was slightly more determined to keep in shape too. Don't expect the weight to be kept off forever though. That only happens with a good diet and regular exercise. Also I noted that my skin was kinda clear and dewy during this period. Whee!

Punch Detox is available for order online at www.punchdetox.com.sg or you could email to info@punchdetox.com.sg Each three-day juice cleanse comes complete with 18 bottles and is priced at $330 nett, inclusive of delivery. Individual juices can be purchased at $20 nett per 500ml bottle, with a minimum order of 6 bottles.
Back to catch up with Yanni, my pretty doctor friend, at her work place before facial! Thank god for a girl friend who knows these things way better than i do. Since i religiously started on the skincare regime she recommended, my face is less oily, pores are more refined and my skin color more even. Yay!
Headed off to do the Essential Facial at the DRx Medispa. According to the condition of my skin, i didn't do my usual Essential Facial Plus because Plus has an additional step which is microdermabrasion and that is not suitable for acne prone skin or when you have a pimple breakout. If you're not sure, the therapist will assess your skin condition first before recommending the right facial. 
We started with the ultrasound deep cleansing and then moved on to the extraction. I was surprised that there wasn't much to extract this time. Well if you recall, my virgin facial experience was super painful but this time it only took a few squeezes. Whee! I guess all that slapping on skincare products on my face worked. After extraction, we proceeded with the Vit C infusion using ultrasound. Vit A is also available but that's more for acne prone skin. 
Ended off the session with a hydrating mask. Minty and cooling it was! 

I then popped by to say hi to the principal trichologist Peggy at the Tricho center and the sweet Stella gave me a tutorial on how to use the Repit Brush (imported from Korea) which is exclusive to the DRx Medispa.
Well let's just say that life would be a lot more perfect if you can wake up to beautiful bouncy curls or if you have a bunch of hairstylists working their magic on your tresses every day. Gosh this was hard!
I was not too great at curling my own hair. What you don't see here is Stella's disapproving look. Haha. Nah just kidding. Practice makes perfect!
You gotta keep brushing your hair till there are no knots and then bring the heated brush to the end and keep twirling. When the hair has sufficiently curled, or with the help of your palm, make sure it stays around the curler and the roll it upwards. Be careful not to touch the metal strips though and don't be overzealous with the curling or you may fry your ends. The tip is to reduce the heat at the start, familiarize yourself with the brush, then up the temperature next time.
With a bit more guidance, this was how my curls turned out.

I don't like my curls too tight so the bigger 26mm brush ($280) suited me better. The 22mm ($250) worked ok for me too though. The humidity in Singapore makes it impossible to hold temporary curls for long, especially without products. However, I’m still thankful I’m able to attain DIY salon-worthy hair! The Repit brush is great for investment and definitely doesn’t harm hair as much as regular curlers (which i'm also terrible at using).

With Peggy! She's always so bubbly and her positivity is really infectious. I updated her about my reduced hair fall and she reminded me once again to eat more so that my hair will be as luscious as hers. Haha. Love her! 

The signature Essential Facial (without microdermabrasion) is 40% discounted at $69 (before GST) if you quote me when you call to make an appointment with The DRx Medispa.

The DRx Medispa
302 Orchard Road, #14-02/#16-02
Tong Building (next to Paragon Shopping Centre)
Singapore 238862
Tel: +65 6223 1555
Mon to Sat: 10am to 8pm
Sun: 10am to 6pm
It's been 3 months since i embarked on my Invisalign journey with i.Dental Surgeons at Capital Tower! Well, i actually don't have much to report because i can't tell what's going on with my teeth because they are rather straight to start with, but i'm pretty sure things are slowly moving into the right places. Hee.
What's with the flowers in this picture right? Well.. Because i was the first Invisalign customer who visited i.Dental Surgeons after they opened a bigger, brighter and shinier clinic on Level 9 of Capital Tower! So they presented me with a bouquet of flowers. What a nice surprise!

The clinic is a lot more spacious now but it is still very cosy. Great place to hang out with a cuppa at the coffee station while waiting for the Dr. Cheng Eng Wah. That man is sooooo popular and i actually had to wait for an additional 30 mins even though we already have an appointment.
So finally i was ushered onto the new chair which is quite comfy and the following is the 3d model of my teeth at the current stage.
See those pink attachments? They are actually on my teeth but in the same shade as my teeth and that's why i'm sure you guys haven't noticed! Even S, who sees me almost everyday, didn't notice it until like 2 months later? The purpose of the attachments is to help shift the teeth into the ideal position. They felt a little uncomfortable at the start and they cut the insides of my mouth a little but the discomfort was minimal. They also make taking off the aligners a little harder but i got used to them after a bit.

Dr Cheng filed off a little of my tooth for the purpose of shifting the center line of my front teeth and it was quick and painless. Will be back in 2 months for a quick tweak. Invisalign clear teeth straightening is indeed very convenient! 

To a beautiful smile!
Finally updating on my Silkcut Salon treatments! Decided to put 2 posts in 1 since they are both about hair treatments! I'm crazy about hair care these days since visiting Peggy at the DRx Medispa Trichology center (read about my treatment here). Today i'll be highlighting 2 hair treatments to give you some glorious locks!

The first is a Tea Tree Hair and Scalp Treatment. Wendy prescribed this to invigorate and soothe my hair after my previous color job (read about it here). Well if you compare the pictures, the ash color has faded to reveal the bright blonde but the color is still acceptable to me. Always give your hair some time to rest between chemical treatments.

This hydrating treatment treats oily scalp, dandruff and prevents loss of hair (very important!). It also strengthens and moisturizes with soy proteins, vitamin E and Shea butter to help recondition, repair and protect the hair.
First, some softening of the scalp using natural salicylic acid derived from willow bark. This improves the condition of the scalp.
I love the calming scents of tea tree oil, peppermint and lavender. What's even more awesome is that this hair spa treatment includes a head massage! LOVE!! The minty cooling sensation remained even till the next day and i could still smell the light fragrance of the tea tree oil. For this treatment, the price is from $70 onwards.

Now, for the second hair treatment, it is called a color treatment. I didn't quite understand Wendy when she said it's color treatment. I thought she was going to color my hair. Well, it didn't help that she showed me a color chart with all these crazy colors. Well guess what? It's actually a hair treatment that has colors. Consider me impressed!
Guess what i'm gonna do to my hair? Ok no surprise because you guys have already seen pictures on Instagram. :P
I wanted some purple and Wendy thought it was a good idea and so here's the vibrant purple panels! We decided to do a hidden panel so that it only shows when i do some hair flips. Heh. Wendy also changed my base color to a matte ash green which went really well with the purple. It isn't really green so it was still very acceptable. Just a reminder, the colors show better on light color/bleached hair.

Just look at how smooth my hair is after the color treatment. I couldn't stop touching my hair as usual.  
Now you see it and now you don't!
The Color treatment is from $108 for 1 color and panel highlights are from $58 onwards depending on the work required. The results also depend on the original base color.

Silkcut Salon offers a 10% off all chemical treatments if you mention "Ms Skinnyfat" when you make your appointment over the phone. Walk-ins not included and for first time clients only. Silkcut Salon is located in the fringe of Tiong Bahru and just a few shops away from the newly opened The Tastemaker Store.

Special thanks to Wendy who took charge of my hair this time round and also to Eve for the wonderful color-highlight-cut-treatment she did for my friend (who is absolutely a Silkcut convert now). 

22 Havelock Road #01-693, Singapore 160022
Weekdays: 11am - 8pm
Weekends and PH: 11am - 7pm
The best time to visit the hairstylist is during the earlier part of the week because everyone is feeling the depression from the weekends (i wonder why). So off i headed to Silkcut Salon to update my hair color after the previous water rebonding session (read about it here).
The supposedly ash hair that wasn't done properly by another salon. Doreen was in charge of making sure that i get a fresh and even coat.
The plan was to bleach my hair but only the top section so that i'll get a nice contrast. It's been some time since i last bleached my hair. I'm not a fan because it's kinda damaging for the hair but the Silkcut team reassured me that it'd be fine, especially after my water rebonding treatment.
Bleaching in progress.
You can get a glimpse of my super blonde hair here. We went with ash for the entire head. The bleaching would allow the ash color to show better.
The final product!
Love how my hair is still silky and soft. The good thing about the bleaching is that my fringe is not so flat anymore! You can also see the darker ash peeking from the bottom.
Better contrast in this one. Absolutely loving the color. Ash fades rather easily but the contrast is greater now. You'd know if you follow me on Instagram (check it out here). The bleaching is about $108 and it's another $108 for coloring (director price).

22 Havelock Road #01-693, Singapore 160022
Weekdays: 11am - 8pm
Weekends and PH: 11am - 7pm

It's been a month since i started on my Invisalign teeth straightening treatment (read my first post here). So far so good. I only experienced some aches in my gum for the first 2 days of wearing my first set of aligners and that went away after a bit. When i changed to my new aligners 2 weeks later, i was surprised that my gums did not ache at all. Not bad hur!

Well here's a little Q&A on Invisalign for those who may be interested in seeking teeth straightening treatment.

What do you think of Invisalign before u started treatment?
I was quite prepared for it since i've worn braces before and am quite used to the idea of wearing plastic retainers to keep my teeth aligned. Since the aligners are quite similar to the plastic retainers, it was rather easy to adapt to wearing them all day. However i did find that i spoke a little funny in the first month due to the extra plastic in my mouth.

What's your favorite part of Invisalign consultation?
A typical fear is that there would be pain involved with each visit to the dentist but it wasn't like that. My dentist, Dr Cheng Eng Wah from i.Dental Surgeons would always distract me with trivial and jokes but mostly he would be explaining the steps to me so that i know what i'd be in for during the consultation.
What do you like about Invisalign after you started wearing them?
It sort of prevented me from snacking too frequently! I snack a lot, especially when i'm bored! With the aligners, i'd have to remove them before i eat and then brush my teeth before i put them back on. So yes! Away with the unnecessary calories!
How do you adapt to the new lifestyle after wearing aligners?
Other than snacking less, i'm a lot more aware of oral hygiene. I'm terribly lazy when it comes to flossing but these days i'd floss my teeth every night. I've also taken to brushing my teeth after meals! So yea, i have a set of toothbrush and toothpaste in office. When i went to Penang for a food trip, i carried my toothbrush around and i'd brush my teeth in between all the little meals we had! Lame but absolutely necessary.
I have been drinking my coffee/tea with straws to prevent staining of my teeth so nothing new even after my treatment. Do remember to take off the aligners whenever you have a sweet drink and especially with drinks that are colored. 

What advice would you give to friends if they are considering Invisalign?
Well be prepared to brush your teeth more frequently and also to cut down on the snacking. Not necessary a bad thing! Other than that, it has been quite an easy peasy experience.

More updates on my Invisalign treatment next time!

Some people find it ironic that i preach yoga, active lifestyle and healthy eating but yet i tantalize them with delicious (and also decadent) food from all my tastings and eating adventures. Well i think it works out perfectly for me. I compensate for all that gluttony with lots of work out and eating clean on weekdays, so that i can indulge whenever i want to. Well the main thing is to always evaluate your diet and its effects (it's usually physical).

In my case, i've noticed that my hair has been falling out more than usual and i've been putting it off thinking that it's due to the constant tying of hair when i'm in yoga class and also that the heat from the hot studio is causing breakage etc. Well, i was glad to know that The DRx Medispa has a Hair Guru Peggy, who is the resident Trichologist to solve my hair woes! The Trichology center is located within The DRx Medispa (how convenient!).
I knew i was in good hands when i met Peggy. Just look at that head of luscious locks! We chatted about my lifestyle and Peggy was relieved to know that i'm not that extreme a yogi in terms of my diet. I'm already taking in a lot of folic acid, Vit C and Vit A so the main concern was that i may not be taking sufficient proteins to prevent hair loss. You are what you eat. So yea! More meat in my greens now.
Peggy then proceeded to scan my scalp to determine which are the problem areas.



OMG am i balding?! FAINTS. I have some hair loss along the parting of my hair because i haven't changed my parting for at least half a year? You're supposed to change it every 3 months by the way. There is also thinning around the frontal part of my scalp. :(

This is what healthy hair should look like. Thankfully my hair follicles at the back are still thriving! I was reassured that there is still hope for me. Haha.

Peggy prescribed me with the Purifying Hair Treatment with Laser Therapy ($188 for 90mins) to clear up the gunk on my scalp. She also included the microneedle therapy to stimulate and promote hair growth and also to prevent premature hair loss. More on the needles in a bit!

The Purifying Hair Treatment provides deep cleansing of the scalp. We started with the deep cleansing serum to exfoliate and loosen built-up scales and epidermis.
After which, warm steam/mist was directed to the scalp to enlarge the hair follicles for better absorption of the serum. 
Nutrients absorption in progress. 
The treatment draws impurities to the surface of the scalp and also helps to control excessive secretions for a clear and refreshed scalp!

Now, the scary but necessary part! Needles!! There are 192 0.5mm Titanium needles on this roller and the therapist would roll it all over your scalp for 15-20mins. Now the question is.. Will it hurt??
No it doesn't. Just look at my stoic face. Now wait for it...
OF COURSE IT HURTS! They are needles hello!! I was squirming in my chair and trying to get away from the needles. The lady next to me obviously found me very hilarious. She did not even move a bit when undergoing the treatment and was chilling out with her magazine. But really, no pain no gain. I really want my hair to grow like a rain forest with thick and dense foliage and strong healthy roots. So yes, i'm ready for the next treatment. And apparently the pain gets easier with repeated treatment (it better be). 
The treatment ended with a Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) which is a cool laser to relax the scalp. It also helps in improving the hair texture.
Another consultation after the treatment showed that my scalp is pink (which means that blood circulation has improved) and clean (less junk). Peggy also got me started on the Nanogen Thickening Treatment Shampoo (200ml, $30). I love the cool minty sensation on my scalp when i use this!
I also started on the 3 month Nanogen Serum VEGF Growth Factor Solution ($170 ) on the thinning areas. Hopefully we'll see effects when i go back for a review.

The therapist then used the Repit Brush Iron from Korea to curl my hair. It’s a heated brush and a tong combined in one and it gives you fast and instant curls that last!
Just a little C curl at the ends since my hair isn't that long now. It was rather perfect as i was headed for a short weekend getaway to Penang with my friends. I felt like a Korean pop star with my curls! Shall play around with the brush the next time. :) 

Another picture with lovely Dr Yanni. Hardworking doc has got to work so she couldn't join us on our foodilicious Penang trip. More on the trip soon. :)

A visit typically involves a consultation with the Trichologists and is arranged 30 mins before your scheduled treatment. Subsequent consultations will be on a needs basis.

Quote "Blogger Cheryl" for 40% off the Tricho Purifying Treatment (U.P. $188). Grow hair grow!

302 Orchard Road, #14-02/#16-02
Tong Building (next to Paragon Shopping Centre)
Singapore 238862
Tel: +65 6223 1555
Mon to Sat: 10am to 8pm
Sun: 10am to 6pm