Month: December 2016

University Senior: Year 4 Semester 1 & 2

/ Fiona Seah / Leave a comment
note: There is no update on Year 3 Semester 2 because I spent the entire semester doing my internship and i prefer to keep it private. i will be uploading the works i’ve done during my internship onto my portfolio page. please feel free to check them out! 🙂

H E Y   E V E R Y O N E !

Can you believe it? Four years of my university education have already passed in the blink of an eye and I have since collected my coveted degree scroll. As a child, I never thought I would ever don the mortarboard and graduation gown someday in my life, much less from a rather reputable local university amid the stiff competition here since academics were not my strongest suit. It feels like yesterday when I first documented my university experience during my freshman year which unexpectedly received quite a lot of attention (thank you ❤ ).

PLEASE READ: Please direct all questions to the comments section below so that they will also be visible for other prospective students. Do note that I will not be entertaining any NTU-related enquiries through e-mail from now on. Thank you for your understanding!

As you could tell, it’s been a long while since my last school update because my priority has been getting my beauty posts up. Due to time factor, I had wanted to discontinue this series of school posts but.. I hate to leave things hanging. There must be an end to every beginning so yes, I am, in a way, compelled to conclude this whole series 😆 Nonetheless, I hope this post will answer any burning questions you have in mind but have no one appropriate to consult either because you’re a solitary soul (me too! *fist bumps*) or a really shy person. Whatever the reasons, Fiona sunbae-nim is here to help! LOL.

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In view of the ongoing course registration exercise, some of you may be at a loss of what courses to take. Well, wonder no more! Read on to hear my thoughts on the final TWO electives (yeah, shiok hor) I took during my final year in NTU and decide for yourself if you’re the right fit for them 🙂

1. DG9005 Magic of Voice in the World of a Singer (UE)

NIE electives are great for those who are bad at numbers or have poor working memory. But if you have already exhausted your options like me, ADM electives are your next best bet. Ask around and you will know that this course is one of the more popular ones offered by ADM and it is always oversubscribed because it’s pretty easy to score as long as you can sing well. It is a 3-hour, once-a-week lesson conducted by adjunct lecturer Leona who is also a qualified singing coach. It’s quite similar to the Voice module I took in my first year with the difference being that Voice would be more effective for improving your voice usage (in public speaking, for instance). In this course, however, you get to explore your vocal range during the weekly sing-along sessions. You’d be surprised to know that you can actually hit those high notes!

The first assessment (20%) was to perform a 2-minute song either on your own (solo) or with up to two people (duet or trio). Usually because it’s the first time you’re performing in front of an unfamiliar audience, you’d tend to want to do it with someone, so I sang an excerpt of Trademark’s Only Love with a new friend in class! We got someone to play selected parts of the piece on the piano (I tried to cut and put together different parts of the original instrumental music and it sounded horrible), recorded it and used it as an accompaniment. The microphones in the lecture theatre were not meant for singing, so there were bound to be some feedback. But generally, I think we did alright.

The second assessment (40%) was a solo performance of one of the songs that were practised in class (plus some other high-level songs picked out by Leona). You cannot choose you own song for this presentation but you can make a recommendation for future study 😆 Some of the chosen songs were Concerto Pour Deux Voix, I Dreamed a Dream, ‘O Sole Mio, The Prayer (by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli) and… *drums roll* Let It Go!

frozen-meme

Let It Go was the most preferred option because it is the easiest song to sing of the lot (but still has relatively high range of notes in the chorus and coda). I must have heard that song at least 30 times (including my own voice LOL) on the day of assessment. I got so sick of it, I deleted this song from my Spotify playlist so that I didn’t have to skip it when it plays.

You will be asked to join one of the four groups created on NTULearn (formerly BlackBoard) on the first day and the group you picked shall be whom you will be doing your final presentation (30%) with. The final assessment can be any 10-minute item but it has to cover at least one singing technique that is not taught in class. My team did a musical skit on a cappella, keeping quite closely to the plot of Pitch Perfect. Rehearsals were stressful (trying to synchronise with the rest was a huge challenge and we still failed in the end) but fun, and I was extremely lucky to be in a group I could comfortably goof around with. We had the entire lecture theatre to ourselves for our rehearsals and we always ended up singing karaoke (complete with working microphones and real-time lyrics from YouTube on the projector screen) XD

Team Bel Canto

Team Bel Canto (Leona is the one in the middle next to me. I almost couldn’t spot her because she blends in so well in this picture hahaha)

The remaining 10% come from participation and attendance. Contrary to online reviews about this course, I felt that Leona was impartial in her assessment (or she might have reflected and improved on her grading system after all these years for all I know). I’m neither a terrible nor an exemplary singer and the grade she gave me (B+) was just and well-reflective of my singing abilities. Perhaps as long as you adopt the singing techniques she taught correctly in your performance, you should do fine. On top of that, you may also receive random notes of encouragement from your secret angel in class 😉

Last one!

Last one!

Most importantly, there is no written test for this course (there used to be). Hooray! Give your hands a break and let your diaphragm do all the work this time!

2. DD8002 Ways of Seeing: Exploring Visual Culture (GER-PE, AHSS) – S/U

Unless you’re very intrigued by renaissance art and whatnots, this course is going to be an absolute bore (I’m sorry, ADM readers). Blame it on my short attention span. I would go to school with a fully charge phone and exit the classroom after three dreadful hours with half the battery drained. What’s more, it was a 9.00 a.m. class. I’m really bad at mornings, but I had no choice. I needed to take this course (the only AHSS elective that I had a teeny weeny bit of interest in – or so I thought – and fit my timetable perfectly) or I wouldn’t be able to graduate! Aaarrrghhh *pulls hair*

This is a non-examinable course, which means there would be tons of group and individual assignments thrown your way throughout the semester – not a good idea to take this if you’re dealing with a Final Year Project as demanding as mine. The lesson begins with a short open-ended quiz (10 or 15% of the overall grade, I can’t remember) of about 10 questions on what was discussed the previous week (e.g. name of the artist that painted the artwork in question, name of painting, etc. – most of which are in Italian and you are expected to memorise their spellings).

The most memorable painting for me.. just because I did a presentation of it (credit: nonfictionminute.com)

The most memorable painting for me.. just because I did a presentation of it (credit: nonfictionminute.com)

Participation marks (15%) are derived from group presentations (I had 2, but there could be more if time allowed) based on a given reading material as well as your answers to questions hurled at you during class (mostly because you look like you’re dozing off. Me). The individual presentation and written assignment account for a bulk of the final grade. I stayed up the whole night to complete my 1,500-word essay (because I couldn’t understand the question regardless of the number of times I read it) and left for school to submit it without catching a wink. I was hitting the keys on my keyboard the whole time but I had zero clue what I was typing. I was on the brink of tears. I seriously thought I was going to flunk the course and repeat another semester. But when I saw my marks for that, my jaw dropped.

A- (?!!?!?)

DAAAAAYUM, so this is what art is all about? Creating things that don’t make sense to ordinary people? Okay ⭐

Even though I was happy with my essay score, I didn’t do very well for the other components. So guess what happened to my last S/U option?

If you’re still keen on this course despite what I’ve written above, it is now classified under General Education in Liberal Arts.

3. Final Year Project (CORE)

(WARNING: Extremely LONG STORY AHEAD)

Our FYP took place over a span of two semesters and we had the options of running a campaign, doing a written feature, a photojournalistic essay or documentary, or a research (although there seems to be more choices now). As an advertising major (or rather, what I considered myself to be), executing a communication campaign was the only viable option for me and I thought I was lucky to have found enough people to form a complete team until one bailed out on us. The rest of us were furious, not because we couldn’t find a suitable replacement but because the team might have to be split up if the group size fell short of the required 4 members. We had to appeal against the separation with valid reasons to remain as a team and it was troublesome as hell. Faced with the uncertainty of whether we would still be in the same group, we could not progress with our project. Fortunately, it all worked out in the end.

Immediately after my stint at MOE as a marketing intern ended in July last year, my group got down to business and tried to conceptualise our campaign in preparation for our first presentation to our supervisors when the new term began. The planning stage was the most tedious of all in my opinion because it was not as simple as just plucking ideas out of the air. The social cause had to be substantial enough to warrant an extensive campaign which was to be rolled out in different phases across 3-4 months.

Recycling of ideas wasn’t allowed by the school (I was very keen in public transport etiquette but a friend of mine had already done it two years ago) so day and night, we scoured online discussion sites and newspapers (forum letters are the best) for inspiration only to realise that most of the ideas were already used by the former cohorts. Finally, we decided unanimously on the idea of revitalising the use of Chinese dialects among youths in Singapore among others we had shortlisted (such as pushing for longer recess in primary schools, advocating student employment rights, helping foreigners integrate with Singaporeans, etc. – please give credits if you’re intending to use any of them 😆) because being Teochews ourselves, we felt ashamed that we couldn’t even speak a word of our dialect. Moreover, this issue has also become a worrying trend among the younger generation and we wanted to reverse it.

father-tongue-final-logos-01

And thus My Father Tongue was born!

We racked our brains to come up with such a *cough* witty campaign name like this. It may seem like an effortless attempt at a play on the words “Mother Tongue” but there is actually more to it:

‘Father’ was chosen to reflect the typical association of one’s dialect with the ancestry of the father’s side . It also serves as a complementary name to “Mother Tongue” which portrays our hopes for dialects to coexist with the Chinese language in Singapore.

I have to admit I was rather doubtful that it would take off initially knowing that dialects are largely frowned upon by our policymakers, so much so that it had become a taboo subject over the years. Hence, I was worried that we might not be able to receive government grants to fund our campaign. During our FYP seminars, this idea was also met with disapproval with feedback like, “I’m your target audience but I’m not interested in learning dialects and I don’t think many will be too” from our classmates. Discouraged, we were this close to scrapping the idea (FYP carries 12 AUs so cannot play-play) but somehow or other, we persevered 😆 It would be impossible to promote every Chinese dialect in Singapore with just the three of us, so we narrowed down our choices to the three most-spoken ones: Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese.

Following the university’s green light through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to proceed some time in end November last year (the reviewing process took no more than a week for us), we conducted our primary research (focus groups, interviews and surveys) and embarked on our proposal frenzy, mass-sending e-mails to potential sponsors and partners whose values and mission tie in with our cause. We were optimistic about getting favourable response because we truly believed that our campaign was meaningful and impactful.

Tip #1

NEVER send sponsorship and partnership proposals to generic e-mail addresses. Always call the organisation to ask for a specific e-mail and to whom you should address the proposal. If possible, get the direct line number of the person you have liaised with to facilitate future communication and follow-ups.

Yet, only a mere 10% got back to us by the end of December. We were really panicking at this point because the campaign was slated to launch in late January with an exhibition to coincide with Chinese New Year. Apart from having to pay for a website, we had planned a lineup of activities including dialect classes and a roadshow but without any financial backing, none of them would be feasible.

My Father Tongue website

My Father Tongue website

Gradually, we saw light at the end of the tunnel as the good news started coming in (it must be the holidays). Not only was our National Youth Council’s Young Changemakers Grant application of S$3,000 successful (we were invited to pitch our campaign idea to the panel earlier), Chinatown Heritage Centre was also willing to have us on board for their reopening in the new year! Although that solves our location and financial woes for our exhibition and dialect classes, we still needed money to finance our now-defunct website (.sg domain registration, website building, maintenance and design), pay the designer for our marketing collateral and to get them printed. Those could already run into the thousands… and we had to fork out from our own pockets first.

Red packets (marketing collateral)

Red packets – I dare say we’re the first FYP group to have thought of giving out red packets as a marketing collateral *flips hair* Hahahaha it’s the only thing I’m proud of in this exhibition u_u

Don't underestimate the size of the exhibition. The exhibition at Chinatown Heritage Centre was the most taxing, expensive and time-consuming part of the whole campaign apart from the dialect classes. We had to make several trips down to take the necessary measurements, set up the booths and lay the exhibits and rehearse for the reopening ceremony. It was exhausting and I wouldn't want to do it again :|

Don’t underestimate the size of the exhibition. The exhibition at Chinatown Heritage Centre was the most taxing, expensive and time-consuming part of the whole campaign apart from the dialect classes. We had to make several trips down to take the necessary measurements, set up the booths and lay the exhibits and rehearse for the reopening ceremony. It was exhausting and I wouldn’t want to do it again 😐

A group shot with the guest-of-honour - Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) Mr S Iswaran!

A group shot with the guest-of-honour – Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) Mr S Iswaran!

Then, about a week into our campaign, we receive the most unexpected e-mail from National Heritage Board: we were awarded the Heritage Project Grant of S$7,500!!! OHMAGAHZ WE WERE SO ECSTATIC I could even hear the shrilling shriek of my group mate from 3,000 miles away in Tokyo! We felt like a huge weight had been lifted off our shoulders 😀

Dialect classes were the highlight of My Father Tongue but because we were unsure how (poor) the response was going to be, we made them free for all. We sought media coverage by disseminating our press release detailing our free dialect classes to every online and traditional media outlet in Singapore. The New Paper and Lianhe Zaobao were among the first to picked it up, followed by Mothership (albeit not in a very positive light) and subsequently almost every other local news outlet. Prior to that, The Straits Times reached out to us to do an exclusive feature. We were interviewed by a journalist on a Thursday morning and even had our pictures professionally taken in the middle of Chinatown. But the story, which was originally planned for the Sunday edition, was subsequently dropped because The Independent had beaten them to it. It was a strange reason so my guess is that they didn’t want to be associated to websites that spread anti-government sentiments. *sigh* There goes our big break…

Cantonese class at Chinatown Heritage Centre (one of our venue sponsors)

Cantonese class at Chinatown Heritage Centre (one of our venue sponsors)

List of notable media mentions in chronological order
…if you’d like to read more:
(Note: ‘My Father Tongue’ was also mentioned by MP Baey Yam Keng and Mdm Ho Ching and on Facebook – our greatest achievement yet, lol!)

Just as what we had expected (and mentally prepared ourselves for), the reports on the campaign drew mixed reactions online, mostly lauding our efforts to preserve dialects. Some accused the government of hypocrisy for funding the campaign (but seriously, aren’t you glad they have finally relaxed their stance towards the use of dialects? Isn’t their strict language policy what you have been protesting against? Sort out your feelings please *pffft*) and we were also condemned by people who wanted to protect the legacy of Lee Kuan Yew. What can I say? These people read too much into an innocent campaign as it was never our intention to overshadow Mandarin with dialects. We only wanted to promote dialects as something you can consider adding to your language repertoire, nothing more than that.

Tip #2

The grade for FYP campaign is assessed based majorly on the written report, weighted at 90%. The remaining 10% is allocated to the oral presentation that would be carried out after the submission of the report. In other words, it won’t hurt not receiving any media coverage or getting thousands of likes on your Facebook page as long as you’re able to fulfill the evaluation criteria of your report.

But it’s always better to strive for more, right?

Tip #3

Update your report and appendices (especially your bibliography) as your campaign progresses. Do not leave them to the end. Or you will die.

Really. Don’t.

With so much attention surrounding the campaign, our Facebook page soon hit 2,000 likes. All our dialect classes were oversubscribed and there were requests to open more which we gladly obliged. But since most of our grants were provided on reimbursement basis, we had to sell stickers to fund the additional classes. We made a mistake not to collect a deposit from attendees (it was an administrative headache too anyway), so there were irresponsible people who failed to turn up for all three sessions. The attendance rate also tended to fall drastically towards the end of every class. *sigh* This is why Singaporeans don’t deserve free things.

Our cute lil' dialect stickers, illustrated by our designer Vanessa!

Our cute lil’ dialect stickers, illustrated by our designer Vanessa! (I have extra LOL anybody wants?)

Tip #4

If possible, charge a nominal fee for recurring events that require a minimum headcount to secure participants’ attendance.

We also held roadshows at NTU and NUS to build awareness for the campaign.

We also held roadshows at NTU and NUS to build awareness for the campaign.

Another reason for choosing this campaign idea was our presumption that we would get the unreserved support of local Chinese clan associations financially or logistically since our aim was to increase the relevance of the dialects they were trying to preserve in society. Their monetary contributions, if any, would save us a truckload of time on fundraising which could be better spent on strategising our next move.

But life ain’t a bed or roses – especially when money is involved. Our e-mails, fully written in proper Chinese, were ignored, our follow-up calls were responded with condescending tone of voice and we were also turned away at one clan association when we personally tried to hand-deliver our partnership proposal. With the exception of Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan that provided us with endless supply of informative books and even introduced us to a friendly Teochew veteran who could do an audio translation of our survival kit, many of the clan associations we approached were not receptive to collaborations and were very reluctant to loan us their existing resources and premises for a half-day roadshow, for instance, even after our campaign went absolutely viral. This experience made me believe that they’ve only got themselves to blame for their diminishing social standing because they’re just too reclusive and resistant to outside help..

My Father Tongue survival kit in Cantonese (PDF version)

My Father Tongue survival kit in Cantonese (PDF version)

We eventually had to pull strings through our supervisor (who very fortunately has a wide network of friends in the Cantonese opera scene) to get the necessary information to fill the void for our Cantonese and Hokkien segments. Without his assistance, this three-pronged campaign wouldn’t have been possible, so thank you Mr Ferry! On behalf of my team, I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, Chinatown Heritage Centre, National Youth Council, National Heritage Board, Naumi Hotels, Meykrs, Khong Guan, People’s Association, Iluma Design, NTU, NUS, SMU and other individuals (Sibey Nostalgic, Assoc Prof Lee Chun Wah, Vanessa, Ms Tien, Mr Siew, Mr Goh and the rest of our translators) who had given us their unconditional support and invaluable advice. We’re eternally grateful! 🙂

Us preparing for our oral presentation. It was NERVE-WRECKING

Us preparing for our oral presentation. It was NERVE-WRECKING (credit: WKW UG Students Facebook)

Done with our oral presentation! Look at our tired faces.. we could barely keep our eyes open. After slogging away our lives away and blearing our eyes with hundreds of academic literature for four months, all we wanted to do was to hit the sack and repay our sleep debt zzz...

Done with our oral presentation! Look at our tired faces.. we could barely keep our eyes open. After slogging away our lives away and blearing our eyes with hundreds of academic literature for four months, all we wanted to do was to hit the sack and repay our sleep debt zzz…

I don’t have any picture of our 362-page report because I was not present in school when my group handed it in. But if you’d like to take a look at it, the soft copy can be found on NTU repository (you need to log in to view).

Despite the fact that we were already handicapped by the shortage of manpower right from the very beginning and that our supervisors had warned beforehand that no three-member campaign team had ever gotten beyond a B+ grade for FYP, we managed to pull through with an A-. Thank you Cherie and Melissa for all your hard work! I really owe you one :\

Also check out other FYP campaigns done by the Wee-kids in my batch:
  • Love Every Body – a campaign aimed at minimising potential negative effects of media on children’s perception of body image
  • Don’t CB – a promotional campaign to reduce binge drinking amongst young adults in Singapore
  • Starting from Scratch – a campaign that aims to increase understanding of eczema and create a supportive environment for teenagers living with eczema
  • Breast-Feeding Friends Singapore – a nationwide initiative aimed at creating a more inclusive public environment for breastfeeding mothers in Singapore
  • Come, Let’s Eat! – a communication campaign that aims to use food to introduce young Singaporeans to foreign cultures.
  • Share the Care SG – a campaign calling for community support for family- caregivers of persons with special needs
  • OverComeD – a mental health communications campaign aimed at increasing awareness of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) among young people in Singapore
  • (In)visible Spaces – a home organisation campaign aimed at creating awareness of the effects of living in a cluttered space and ultimately promoting decluttering and organising of homes
  • Understanding Dementia – a public health campaign promoting dementia awareness
  • Hey Solo Sister – the first comprehensive and unbiased information platform tailored to unwed mothers to help them make informed decisions in their journey of unwed motherhood
  • Coming Home SG – a campaign to raise awareness of foster care among young adults, and promote volunteering opportunities as a stepping stone towards fostering
  • Savvy Silvers – a campaign to teach senior citizens aged 50 and above learn how to use their smartphones efficiently and subsequently, independently
  • More Than Dis – a campaign that seeks to showcase the capabilities of persons with disabilities at work to strengthen inclusion in the workplace
  • After Words – a social campaign that seeks to address the issue of verbal aggression among couples in Singapore
  • Familiar Strangers – a campaign that aims to bridge the social gap between low-wage migrant workers and Singaporeans
  • Strangers of the Night – a public awareness and informational campaign to champion the appreciation of night shift workers in Singapore
  • Get Your Bottoms Up – a campaign to address the widespread occupational prolonged sitting behaviour among desk-bound office workers in Singapore
  • Hello, Hygiene? – a campaign on smartphone hygiene
  • Down the Sound – a safe listening campaign for youths
  • Back to “I Do” – a campaign that aims to strengthen marital bonds among couples in Singapore
  • Art Detox: Unwind Your Mind – a campaign to promote mental wellness through art
  • Easy on Your Eyes – a campaign that addresses the issue of incorrect contact lens health among youths
  • Insid(h)er talk – a health campaign aimed at educating young women on the female reproductive system and empowering them to take ownership of their reproductive health
  • Cover a Brother – a health campaign to promote sun protection behaviour among men
  • Homemade (Cook it or Lose it) – a social culinary campaign encouraging youths to appreciate and learn their family dishes
  • Hard Conversations – a campaign to raise awareness of erectile dysfunction among female professionals
  • Paint the Town Red – a campaign that aims to raise awareness and reduce stigma about HIV among youths
  • Got it Covered – a safe sex campaign
  • Join the Current – an educational literacy campaign set against the global and local decline of news consumption among youths

With this post, I conclude my personal chronicle of university life as a Communication Studies undergraduate. My university journey at NTU had been a roller-coaster ride but I am glad I hung on and made it through! Thank you so much for your overwhelming support over the years and I sincerely hope my course reviews have helped a great deal in making your university life a breeze. Enjoy it while it lasts! 🙂

And congratulations, you made it to the end! Thanks for reading y’all! *blows kisses*

Read all NTU-related posts:
University Junior: Year 3 Semester 1
University Sophomore: Year 2 Semester 2
University Sophomore: Year 2 Semester 1
University Freshman: Year 1 Semester 2
University Freshman: Year 1 Semester 1
Guide to WKWSCI Admission Interview
Second Attempt in University Application

Yellow Teeth? Don’t Worry! Get Brighter Beam with Pop Smile’s Ultimate Teeth Whitening Kit

/ Fiona Seah / Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

I hardly share pictures of myself smiling broadly for the camera but when I do, I get compliments about my pearly white teeth. This is awkward but.. I have a confession to make. Those perfect set of choppers you see are simply another work of Photoshop. In fact, those who have questioned about my dazzling teeth in pictures won’t be surprised by this revelation because I’ve always been candid about it. Why conceal your flaws when you’re going to be upfront about it, you may ask. Well, that’s because I want your attention to be diverted from my dingy yellow teeth to the products (usually lipsticks) I’m reviewing :\ While this approach seems to be working, the quest for a permanent solution for my tooth discolouration still goes on because I want to smile with confidence and not worry about showing my teeth ever again!

Drinking tea is my daily ritual – I need a cup of tea to restore my normality everyday. But this habit has sadly cost me my Hollywood smile as the tannic acids found in tea has caused deep stains in the enamel of my teeth. I consider myself rather courageous when it comes to dental visits. I’m not afraid of any pain whatsoever (I even looked forward to having my milk teeth extracted when I was in primary school – okay I’m weird) but due to time and financial constraints, the number of times I’ve visited a dentist in my entire life can be counted on the fingers of one hand. I just don’t think it’s ever necessary to spend $1000 on average to whiten my teeth each time which probably wouldn’t last over a year for me since I’m a pretty heavy tea drinker.

I LOVE TEA AND I CANNOT LIE

I LOVE TEA AND I CANNOT LIE

Moreover, being a blogger means I would occasionally be invited to events. Hence, I’m constantly looking for an affordable temporary fix for my dental woes just in case I inadvertently expose my teeth to the camera lens. If you foresee yourself in such predicament, be it in an upcoming college graduation or wedding photo shoot, then great news my fellow comrades! There is now a cost-effective way to remove those stubborn stains whenever you feel like it without having to break the bank!

Let nothing take away your smile!

Let nothing take away your smile!

Have you heard of Pop Smile? It is a new teeth whitening brand based in Australia offering a quick DIY smile makeover that is absolutely pain-free and safe on sensitive teeth – all at the comfort of your couch! It even claims to give comparable results to that of dentist-administered teeth whitening treatments so much so that you can simply skip dentist visits altogether! Well, this sounded too good to be true but you won’t know until you’ve tried it!

There are three types of teeth whitening kits listed on their website but the Ultimate Teeth Whitening Kit is the most value-for-money everything you need to achieve a dazzling white smile. Of course, there are also student-friendly options like the starter kit and besties value set which you can share the cost with your friend.

Now, let’s take a closer look at what the ultimate kit has in store for us! I’ve also added my own honest review along the way for those of you who’re interested 🙂

Reject if seal is broken!

Reject if seal is broken!

Unlike some whitening toothpastes in the market that use harmful chemicals (most notably peroxide) that can damage your enamel, burn your gums and sensitise your teeth, Pop Smile relies on a deep cleansing process using a 99% natural formula made in the U.S. which includes naturally active ingredients like Organic Peppermint Oil, Cranberry Seed Oil, Aloe Vera and Chamomile Flower Extract. FDA approved, it is perfectly safe to use even on the most sensitive teeth!

Included in the Ultimate Teeth Whitening Kit

Included in the Ultimate Teeth Whitening Kit – 1x smile goals card, 1x LED device, 2x customisable mouth guards, 3x 3ml syringes, 5x 0.2ml pre treatment swabs, 1x mouth guard case, 1x teeth whitening pen & 1x Pop Smile travel pouch

Neatly packed!

Neatly packed!

3 replacement plungers for the syringe!

3 replacement plungers for the syringe!

Pre-treatment swabs and teeth whitening pen

Pre-treatment swabs and teeth whitening pen

Mouth guards/whitening trays wrapped up in plastic

Mouth guards/whitening trays wrapped up in plastic

Smile goals card with a white-o-meter at the top LOL

Smile goals card with a white-o-meter at the top LOL

According to the Pop Smile website, their clinical study revealed teeth are up to 8 shades whiter after 9 daily uses, and 2 shades whiter from the first use. So, in other words, if my teeth are a 12 on the scale (which I feel is the case), they should become at least a 10 by the end of the programme. Wow, I can’t wait to find out for sure! 🙂

Each kit contains 9 applications (across 9 days). The whitening effect lasts up to 3 months but it can be maintained as long as you repeat the programme one after another. It is, however, not advisable to use the kit for more than 14 consecutive days without dentist supervision.

Step 0: Unbox the kit

Do brush your teeth prior to the teeth whitening session because you certainly wouldn’t want any remnants of your lunch to impede your whitening progress!

Step 1:
Mould whitening trays to your teeth

All of us have differently shaped teeth so it is imperative to have customisable whitening trays to fit your teeth with precision for the best results. This kit comes with a pair of whitening trays (or mouth guards) which needs to be softened in order for them to mould to the teeth quickly. To do that, hold them by the handles and dip them in freshly boiled water for 5-7 seconds to melt the silicone slightly. When the shape starts to deform, that’s your cue to remove them from the water. Don’t panic if they stick to each other – they can be easily separated while still in semi-molten state. Allow them to cool for 2-3 seconds before placing them in your mouth because you don’t want to risk burning your gum!

If you make any mistakes in the process of moulding, just repeat the steps above. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Step 1a: Form each whitening tray on both top and bottom teeth

The silicone sets and hardens rather fast so you would only need to keep it in the mouth for a few minutes. I bit down the mouth guard and push it from the front with my fingers (or just suck on the guard to create a vacuum) to ensure a more accurate mould of my teeth.

This is what my moulded mouth guard looks like

This is what my moulded mouth guard looks like

As you can see, my mold (especially the one on the right) is shaped rather irregularly. That’s because I have an extra tooth behind my canine tooth (it’s a well-concealed secret 😆 ) so non-customisable mouth guards will definitely not work as well for me.

Once you are satisfied with the mould, you may skip this step for future sessions as the mouth guard stays in shape of your teeth. Now that you have found a perfect fit for your teeth, you are ready to move on to the next step!

Step 2:
Prep your teeth with Pre-Treatment Swab

Step 2: Prep teeth with pre-treatment swab

These patented Pre-Treatment Swabs are one of the many things that make Pop Smile so different from other whitening kits. They deeply cleanse the teeth and maximize the absorption of our Pop Smile Teeth Whitening Gel and are clinically proven to help halve your treatment time. Thus, you get whitening results 50% faster! It doesn’t leave an awful retched medicinal taste like mouthwashes do. Rather, they taste pretty much like regular toothpaste, minus the minty sensation. You know what? I kinda like the taste of these.

To utilise the swab, hold the dispenser at the collar in the middle, keeping the cotton swab upright and on top. With the other hand, grasp the mid-point of the lower hollow shaft and slide it up slowly and smoothly until the cotton swab becomes moistened with liquid. Then. lightly scrub the front surfaces of the teeth with the swab tip in circular motion to apply the liquid. Repeat this step for each tooth for 3-5 seconds.

Use one swab for every application during the first 5 days but refills are available for purchase here if you are addicted to their cleaning and refreshing action.

Step 3:
Apply peroxide-free whitening gel

Many teeth bleaching products use peroxide (carbide, hydrogen, etc.) as the main whitening agent (as well as some teeth whitening laser treatments performed by dentists) to enhance whitening effects but do you know that it causes mouth irritation and increased tooth sensitivity to temperature changes, albeit only temporarily? You won’t know the gravity of this issue until you sink your teeth into a scoop of ice cream. I will never forget the excruciating sharp pain… and how my friends had to wait for me to be done licking my ice cream when they had already finished theirs eons ago. How embarrassing!

You may even already be sensitive to peroxide, just that you haven’t realised it yet! So, does that mean you have to shun away from every teeth whitening product? Thankfully not! You can be rest assured with the peroxide-free whitening gel formulated by Pop Smile because they have added Sodium Bicarbonate to maintain a high PH level. Therefore, the gel is not acidic so there’s no risk of tooth sensitivity or damage to your enamel, making it safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women as well. In fact, if you’re still sceptical about it, the Pre-Treatment Swabs also help to minimise sensitivity. Now, does that sound like music to your ears? 🙂

Step 3: Apply peroxide-free whitening gel with the given syringe

Evil nurse in the making *ohohohoho*

The whitening gel is stored in syringes premarked with dosage units ranging from 0 ml to 3 ml for you to expel the correct amounts onto the whitening trays. You would only need 0.5 ml of the gel on each whitening tray, so each syringe should last for 3 applications (there are 3 syringes in each kit). Be mindful of your strength, though, because the syringe has very little plunger friction and you may accidentally expel too much if you’re not careful!

Don't be like me and wonder why nothing is coming out from the syringe and then realise that I haven't removed the cap. Don't laugh. It WILL happen to you lol

Don’t be like me and wonder why nothing is coming out from the syringe and then realise that I haven’t removed the cap. Don’t laugh. It WILL happen to you lol

Gently fill the area that will be touching the front surfaces of your teeth

Gently fill the area that will be touching the front surfaces of your teeth

Move the whitening trays around your teeth using the handle to distribute the gel evenly. Press down the trays and remove excess from the gums.

Move the whitening trays around your teeth using the handle to distribute the gel evenly. Press down the trays and remove excess from the gums.

Cut off the handles and put the mouth guard back on!

Cut off the handles and put the mouth guard back on!

The handles are there to actually help you grab your mouth guards while they mould to your teeth. You can already snip them off at this point to allow your LED device to sit comfortably in your mouth (as seen in the next step).

I’d have to, however, apologise to all you beauties and hunks with braces because results may be inconsistent on yours since Pop Smile products only whiten real teeth. Don’t worry, it won’t be too late to get Pop Smile when the day comes for you to remove your braces! Good things come to those who wait 😉

Likewise, refills are also available if you run out of your whitening gel!

Step 4:
Use LED light to accelerate whitening process

Step 4: Use the LED device to speed up your whitening process

The LED light activates the Pop Smile formula for faster whitening and even brighter results. It does not whiten your teeth when used alone. Powered by two lithium batteries, it also has the most bulbs in the market, making results 5 times faster. While other brands require you to leave their LED device in your mouth for 20 to 40 minutes , this does its job in just 10 minutes!

If your LED device isn't working, don't panic! Chances are, you haven't removed the plastic sheet between the batteries

If your LED device isn’t working, don’t panic! Chances are, you haven’t removed the plastic sheet at the bottom of the batteries

Press the white button to activate the light

Press the white button to activate the light

Ba dum tss!

Ba dum tss!

With the mouth guard still in your mouth, set your timer for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can jut sit back and wait for the LED light to turn off on its own after the 10-minute mark

With the mouth guard still in your mouth, set your timer for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can jut sit back and wait for the LED light to turn off on its own after the 10-minute mark

Sit back, relax and get ready for your bright, new Pop Smile! 10 minutes never passed so quickly before!

Sit back, relax and get ready for your bright, new Pop Smile! 10 minutes never passed so quickly before!

You will be ready for the camera with just a few more attempts!

You will be ready for the camera with just a few more attempts!

Once you have completed the final step, rinse your mouth and clean your LED device with a cloth. Do not wash your device as it is not waterproof! You would need to get a new kit if it’s damaged because it is not sold individually. You have been warned!

And now… the results:

No photoshop (apart from the text), no filter!

No photoshop (apart from the text), no filter!

At a quick glance, the results may not be as noticeable and significant as some claimed. But upon closer scrutiny, you would be able to see that the yellow stains – especially that nasty one between my two front teeth (which dentists I had consulted simply dismissed as a natural discolouration *pffffft*) – have become lighter and less obvious. When I checked my smile in the mirror, I noticed that my teeth have also more or less regained its radiance. Considering that I’m only into my second day of this 9-day programme (at point of writing), this is a fairly good progress I must say! Also, do note that I made no efforts to halt my tea drinking habits for this programme because, yeah, I really mean it when I say I love my tea. Can’t stop, won’t stop drinking tea 😆 *sips* Pop Smile, however, recommends users to stop taking in coffee, tea and wine for the duration of the treatment to maximise their results!

And you think that’s all there is to the kit? You can’t be more wrong! Your Ultimate Teeth Whitening Kit also comes with three additional items (including a mouth guard case) which you won’t be able to get anywhere else. Read on!

Bonus #1:
Teeth Whitening Pen

We are all busy people with appointments to keep and schedules to meet. That’s why we need a good and reliable teeth whitening pen for last-minute touch-ups and on-the-go whitening in our lives. Pop Smile’s Teeth Whitening Pen is for use between treatments or during emergencies such as when you had unwittingly chomped down a piece of chocolate chip cookie to appease your growling stomach before a date night. Go ahead and work that million-dollar smile!

Twist pen to dispense gel

Twist pen to dispense gel

Brush a thin layer of gel onto teeth, avoiding the gum line. Then, wait 60 seconds before rinsing your mouth with lukewarm water

Brush a thin layer of gel onto teeth, avoiding the gum line. Then, wait 60 seconds before rinsing your mouth with lukewarm water

Bonus #2:
Travel Pouch

There is absolutely no excuse for having yellow teeth in this day and age.. even if you’re always away from home. If you’re a frequent traveller, this complimentary zipper pouch is just about what you need to store all your Pop Smile teeth whitening tools.

A fashionable pouch that is able to fit EVERYTHING perfectly! A W E S O M E.

A fashionable pouch that is able to fit EVERYTHING perfectly! A W E S O M E.

All packed and ready to go!

All packed and ready to go!

Earlier today, McDonald’s offered me a complimentary cup of Oreo McFlurry as service recovery for their unusually delayed delivery so I took the opportunity to do a quick sensitivity test and voila, NO PAIN AT ALL. I was relieved yet ecstatic at the same time! 😀

I’ve seen plenty of teeth whitening/stain removal kits for sale at our local drugstores and had personally bought one to try but was of little to no avail (only caused added sensitivity). I thought this product was gonna be another gimmick but clearly it has proven otherwise. You’ve got to try it! 🙂

Meet my new smile!

Meet my new smile!

Thanks for reading! 🙂

The Pop Smile Ultimate Teeth Whitening Kit is available on their website with free worldwide delivery. For more information on shipping as well as the countries they deliver to, please refer to this page.
This post is brought to you by Pop Smile.

REVIEW: Dose of Colors Matte Liquid Lipsticks – Brick, Cork & Desert Suede

/ Fiona Seah / 3 Comments

Hello everyone!

In case you haven’t noticed, my recent beauty reviews have been steering away from my usual favourites of MAC because there are a lot of buzz around some new brands lately and I wanted to share how their hot-selling products fare against my Asian skin tone since no one is doing it (well, not that I know of). If you’re missing those MAC updates, don’t worry – they will be back. Soon. But first, I wanted to put another brand in the spotlight today and that is none other than.. *drum rolls* Dose of Colors!

dose of colors logo

Founded in 2013, Dose of Colors (DOC) is the brainchild of Armenian makeup artist Anna Petrosian who aspired to have a brand of her own to experiment with colours. It is a relatively new indie beauty company based in California, USA, which is not only cruelty-free (verified by PETA) but also eco- and vegan-friendly.

I had been seeing this brand around a lot on the internet lately and I gotta admit that I used to dismiss it as another wannabe brand riding on the popularity of liquid lipstick until I checked out their Instagram page. Despite its young age and being largely an e-commerce business (although they do have brick-and-mortar stores in some parts of the U.S.), it has already garnered over an impressive two million followers on their Instagram account. That’s an even larger following than well-established and high-end brands like Laura Mercier (920k) and Clinique (one million). Surely, to have a following that massive (that’s unless they paid for it.. but I highly doubt that), it must mean something, right? So I threw in the towel, paid for my first DOC order… and I’ve never looked back since!

Dose of Colors

Dose of Colors

Dose of Colors

Dose of Colors

Traffic to the website must have been overwhelming that night I made my purchase as it was the day these three highly sought-after shades were restocked. Thus. I was half-expecting the order to be processed at snail’s pace. But I was dead wrong. Delivery was almost immediate – my order was shipped on the same day my payment was made (just four hours apart from each other) and it was received by my forwarder six days later. I think my eyes widened a little in disbelief when I saw the notification emails. Gold star for efficiency!

As a self-proclaimed advocate for creativity, colourful and stylish logo and packaging design like those of DOS drive me wild. The simplicity of the typeface in the logo is very distinctive to the brand, eye-catching yet professional-looking. I also love the semi-opaque packaging (super smooth to touch) which reminds me of the smart glass on the LRT trains that changes to translucent when passing by apartment buildings.

In terms of functionality, the cap “clicks” when it is securely closed. The reflective band next to it, although does add a more luxurious feel to the overall appearance of the product, isn’t reflective enough to serve as a mirror surface. It would be awesome if it is so it could save me a trip to the toilet when I need to reapply the lipstick. But I’m willing to forgive that minor flaw because the soft and cushiony doe-foot applicator is perfectly tapered for an extremely clean and precise application. Literally no lip brush needed to line the lips! Another gold star for product design!

*gasp* How now, brown cow?! Even before using the products, I’ve already fallen head over heels for them! 😳

#1 Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick (US$18)

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick (US$18)

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Brick

Most of the liquid lipsticks do not come with clear colour description on the website so I had to rely on the given images to judge the shades. I hate to do that because the colours may vary from computer to computer depending on the colour resolution of the screen, so what seems like warm red on mine may actually be a burgundy in real life. But thank God everything turned out pretty close to my expectations.

Brick is a deep brown-red. It has a faint chocolatey scent and applies evenly on the lips. It does not sink into the creases on my lips but it accentuates the lip lines to a small extent. Never mind, it is not very obvious from afar. It feels lightweight and neither hydrating nor drying but the tackiness remains even after several minutes of leaving it to settle. It dries down to an opaque matte finish with a natural sheen. It is not entirely transfer-proof although that makes it very easy to be removed.

Swatch comparison for Brick

Swatch comparison for Brick

#2 Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork (US$18)

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork (US$18)

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork

This is my favourite shade among the three reviewed here. Stand out with Cork, a medium-toned yellow-brown which goes on smooth and velvety on the lips to give an opaque finish. It leans more towards the dry side, thus definitely has the tendency to flake after some time. Its emphasis on the lip lines can be quite noticeable even from a distance and even though it doesn’t feel as sticky as Brick, it has a strange rubbery texture (rub your lips against each other and you’ll know what I mean). Nonetheless, this is a very unusual shade to have to complement any skin tone and style.

Swatch comparison after Desert Suede.

#3 Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede (US$18)

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede (US$18)

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Dose of Color Matte Liquid Lipstick in Desert Suede

Desert Suede is a matte dusty mauve with a strong grey undertone. The initial application glides on smoothly like the other shades with great colour payoff. Then, the horror comes once it dries down completely. True to its name, this shade makes my lips looks like mudcracks in deserts, especially on the upper lips (a very common issue I have with light-coloured lipsticks). It is a little drying so you gotta smile at all times with this shade on because those awful lip lines become intensely obvious when you don’t. On the plus side, it feels lightweight and the tackiness is pretty negligible here.

Swatch comparison for Desert Suede and Cork

Swatch comparison for Desert Suede and Cork

Generally, the formula hold up pretty well and has surpassed my expectations. Furthermore, Dose of Colours carries mostly wearable shades so I certainly see myself buying from them again (in fact, I’ve already added Black Rose to my cart – just waiting for the right time to cart it out!). If you’re conscientious about animal welfare and the environment, Dose of Colors is one guilt-free cosmetics brand you can consider supporting. The prices are reasonable for the high quality of the packaging and the incredible pigmentation of the colours but I would personally look out for their bundle sales (typically 5 for US$75 and they sell out snap) to take full advantage of that that shipping fee.

What do you think about these lipsticks by Dose of Colors? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂

Thanks for reading!

MATTE LIQUID LIPSTICKS BY DOSE OF COLORS ARE AVAILABLE ON doseofcolors.com FOR US$18 PER PIECE. Final Prices do not include flat shipping rate of US$5.50 for all shipments within the U.S. regardless of item quantity purchased. International shipping rate varies and will be calculated at time of checkout.