Wellness Talk Feat. The Urban Clinic

Hello everyone, this is my first blog post for 2017 and I’m so glad to be doing a review on my experience with The Urban Clinic. I’ve been working with Dr Yanni since end October 2016 and have been really fortunate to try out a range of TUC’s products and services. Before I begin, here’s a brief introduction of The Urban Clinic.

What is The Urban Clinic (TUC)?

TUC is the expression of Dr Yanni Xu's dream to see many more people benefit from first-class aesthetic treatment.

A Cup of Green Tea Philosophy
Today, aesthetic treatment is fuss-free, painless and affordable. Enjoying clear and luminous skin, a beautifully sculptured face and a defined silhouette is not much more difficult than sitting down for a soothing cup of green tea.

Since I started being active on social media, I’ve gotten the opportunity to work with a number of aesthetic clinics and have experienced various doctors’ treatment styles. But when I arrived the The Urban Clinic, I was immediately greeted with a different experience. The whole clinic was designed with a very modern and slightly edgy theme and it didn’t feel like I was in a clinic at all. The staff were also exceptionally friendly, in a good way =)

After the registration process was completed, I had to take a 3D photo of my face with a Life Viz camera. What this camera could do was really amazing. A 3D image of my face was formed with 3 photos taken in 3 different angles.

We finally met Dr Yanni in her consultation room. I have to be honest, when I first met Dr Yanni, I was thinking to myself..How can anyone have such good complexion??!! I was literally staring at her face throughout the consultation but I couldn’t find a single blemish! #truestory

Okay now back to the 3D camera, what was shown on Dr Yanni’s computer screen was actually a 3D image of my face. And she could literally peel off the layers to see the underlying problems of my terrible complexion.

Dr Yanni was very clear in explaining my current condition and was also patient to answer all my queries. To be honest, I was kind of overwhelmed with the information as all these were totally new to be despite visiting multiple aesthetic doctors. Dr Yanni then prescribed a day and night facial regime, which I followed to a tee.

I was also introduced to a range of quality facial products that were really easy to use and most importantly, it keeps my face clean through the entire day!

Here’s my easy daily facial regime:

AM Wash                                                                                   PM Wash

Step 1: Amino Acid Power Wash                                           Step 1: Amino Acid Power Wash

Step 2: Herbal Balancing Toner                                             Step 2: Herbal Balancing Toner

Step 3: ABC Serum                                                                   Step 3: Epiduo

And that’s it! Just 3 simple steps every wash and I am able to see some really amazing changes to my complexion. My face became brighter and the condition has gotten a lot more stable. I am usually really prone to outbreaks whenever I travel, but I was shocked to have clear skin throughout my company’s retreat in Bali because I was dirty and sweaty after all the team building games every day.

The next treatment that I saw great results from is called Lasemd.

Introduction to Lasemd

The Urban Clinic’s Signature Korean Lasemd Skin Care Facials (Baby Skin Laser)

LASEMD is a cutting edge cosmeceutical delivery system (CDS) laser based on a 1060nm wavelength. It opens microchannels on skin.

This procedure helps skin to absorb nutrients approximately 5-7 days later, producing superior skin treatment results. It is particularly useful for pigmentation, acne and anti-aging.

1.       Heals skin from within

2.       No numb cream needed

3.       No/ Minimal discomfort

4.       Minimal downtime – some pinkness on the skin which eases within a few hours

5.       Procedure time 45 – 75minutes

TUC uses the Multi-Nanosome Granulated (MNG) technology to create more effective and relatively free of preservatives and chemicals serums. These unique serum ampoules come in various formulas – Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Tranexamic Acid, Stem cells and Resveratrol.

TUC combine the laser with products such as the TUC Vacuum Mud for the detoxifying of skin and TUC Thirsty Mask which bursts with hyaluronic acid and botanical extracts.

Unlike the conventional Carbon laser treatments I’ve done in the past, which were really painful and had quite a long down time, Lasemd is a comfortable treatment that gives results in just one session.

The remaining ampule was passed to me and I was to apply it every day and night after wash. The ampule contains active ingredients and I could feel good amount of tingling sensation after application. 

With a blink of an eye, Limaran and myself have been working with Dr Yanni for close to 3 months. With Dr Yanni’s friendly personality, we have now became friends not only with her, but her husband, Ryan, too.

I was totally blown away by the treatments that are available at The Urban Clinic as well as the professionalism that was shown by every single staff. Thank you everyone, for bringing the amazing glow back to our faces again!

The amazing trip to Davao, Philippines with Cebu Pacific Air (Part 2)

Hello guys, I’m back to share with you the 2^nd part of my adventure in Davao, Philippines.

So after a good night’s rest at the very comfortable Park Inn at Radisson Hotel, we checked out and started our 2^nd day of adventure.

Our 1^st stop was to the beautiful Samal Island for the “Taklobo” Giant Clams Tour, which was about an hour boat ride from Davao. And since we had time to spare, why not snap some photos of our #ootd? =)

Outfit sponsored by Billabong

I’ve yet to visit Maldives but the boat ride to Samal Island already blew me away with the amazing view.

We arrived at our snorkelling site and started gearing up. All of us couldn’t wait to get into the water!!

Some of the beautiful photos captured by our official photographers, Christian and BJ, from Cebu Pacific Air.

The Giant Clam Sanctuary on Samal Island is an ongoing conservation project of the Davao del Norte State College (DNSC) Marine Reserve Park and Multipurpose Hatchery.

Can you count the number of giant clamshells? There are approximately 3,700 giant clamshells spanning across the 14-hectare sea.

We then snorkeled to shallow waters and were greeted by a ton of starfishes!!!

It was the first time holding on to living starfishes and it was really fun. We realised that there were a large amount of tentacles and could get pretty strong! =)

After snorkelling, we took a short boat ride to Maxima Aquafun. When hearing the name, I was reminded of our very own Fantasy Island in Sentosa back in the days. If you guys do not know what I’m talking about, you are probably 10 years younger than I am. Haha.. And boy was I right. They have this giant slide that throws you right into the sea!

So after taking the endless stairs up to the very top of the giant slide, which is constructed next to a cliff, I was ready to take my plunge!

I was holding on to a GoPro throughout the ride and I honestly can’t wait to see the priceless expression I had when going down to slide…haha…

After the whole day of activities under the sun, it was time to head back to wash up for a sumptuous dinner at the Waterfront Insular Hotel.

Before dinner was served, we were treated to a cultural performance by the Kalumon Performing Group. The performance showcased pieces rooted in the culture indigenous to the Filipinos. The performers performed with so much passion and enthusiasm, which stirred up many emotions within me, even though I couldn’t understand the language.

Dinner was served after a heartwarming speech by the Regional Director of the Philippines Department of Tourism.

A group shot to end Day 2!

Head over to Limaran’s blog, limaranagustina.blogspot.com, to find out what we did on Day 3.

On our final day in Davao, we decided to head out to buy some souvenirs for you guys!! We were all given a budget to pick up anything we want at a popular shopping spot, the Aldevinco Shopping Center.

Aldevinco is an 8,370 sq meter commercial complex that is filled with arts and crafts, showcasing the culture and heritage of the Mindanaoan.

With a limited budget and only an hour to browse through all the small shops, I tried my very best to pick up something the best represents this beautiful city!

Here are the 2 items we picked out from the thousands and thousands of souvenirs. I know you can’t really see what I bought, so don’t forget to head over to @nuffnangsg’s Dayre page to see what we all picked for you guys =)

This pretty much sums up my amazing journey in Davao City. With a city that is so safe and filled with good food and eco adventure, this is definitely a new playground for Singaporeans. I will like to thank Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine Department of Tourism – Region 11 (Davao) for reaching out to us Singaporeans, sharing this new treasure spot with us. As we made our way back to our lovely country, we were served by yet another
awesome team of heart warming flight crew from Cebu Pacific Air. Really love the newuniform on them. =)

Cebu Pacific Air flies to Davao City thrice weekly from Singapore at the very affordable rate and fares start as low as SGD182.

Click here to find out more or call +65-315-80808 for bookings and promos!

4 simple ways to add Captain Oats into your life

In today’s blog post, I would like to share with you how I incorporate oatmeal in my daily life. I’ve been doing this all these while and now I have this great opportunity to collaborate with Captain Oats!

1. A bowl of healthy Oatmeal

Ingredients required

2 cups of Captain Oats (Quick Cook Oatmeal)

450ml of hot water

1 big banana 

I will whip up a huge bowl of oatmeal first thing in the morning so that by the time I’m done preparing, the oatmeal would have cooled down nicely. I will also add in a mixture of fruits, depending on what is available in the supermarket. As no sugar is added into my oatmeal, I will choose fruits that are naturally sweet. The fruit taste amazing when it’s nicely soaked in the bowl of oatmeal! Yummy……

    2. My meal replacement ON THE GO

Ingredients required

1 sachet of Captain Oats (Instant Oatmeal)

1 scoop of whey protein

500ml of low fat milk/soy milk (Optional)

On days when I have a line-up of meetings and just can’t find time to have a proper meal, a quick meal replacement shake will be absolutely necessary. This allows me to keep my tummy full, so that once the meetings have ended; I will not be stuffing my face into any food I see. I also realise that many of my clients in the gym tend to have a huge time gap between lunch and dinner. This will cause them to have a heavy dinner and eventually gaining weight rapidly. This meal replacement can also be consumed during your tea break so that a light dinner will be sufficient come evening time. Try it!

  

   3. Power Overnight Oat 

Ingredients required

2 cups of Captain Oats (Rolled Oats)

300ml of low fat milk

1 cup of low fat yogurt (optional)

Limaran and I love to prepare breakfast together every morning but there are some days where we have to leave home really early and a “grab and go” breakfast would be more appropriate. So on days like these, I will prepare ourselves one box of overnight oats each the night before. Many of you will be dead tired when you reach home after a day’s work, and may not want to spend a whole lot of time preparing breakfast for the next day. Preparation time for Overnight Oats take less than 3 minutes, all you have to do is to add the respective ingredients into a Tupperware container and in the fridge it goes! As breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day, I urge you to put in a bit more effort! =)

   4.   Healthy Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients required

1 cup of Captain Oats (Grinded to powder form)

4 egg white

2 egg yoke

1 big banana

2 table spoon of honey (optional)

On some weekends, Limaran and I will sleep in and take our mornings easy. This is the best time to enjoy longer breakfast together and I will usually prepare some healthy pancakes for breakfast. These pancakes contain no flour at all but it can still taste nice and fluffy. Preparation time is a bit longer for this, so do this for your loved ones only on days where you’re not in a rush =)

And there you have it, 4 simple yet effective ways to prepare healthy meals using Captain Oats oatmeal. Please share with me some interesting ways you prepare your oatmeal too!

Thanks for reading and stay healthy.

The amazing trip to Davao, Philippines with Cebu Pacific Air (Part 1)

Limaran and I have heard a lot about the Philippines and have always wanted to visit. And in April 2016, we finally made it there, all thanks to Cebu Pacific Air & Philippine Department of Tourism (Region11 Davao) !! I will be sharing with you my 4D4N stay into 2 blog posts so here goes!!! Woohoo..

Our trip started on 17 April and I haven’t seen Limaran for 4 days because of a Nike NTC Tour in Jakarta. I went to the airport earlier to pick her up from the airport and we spent some nice alone time before meeting the rest. =)

We met the rest of the gang at around 7.30pm before heading to the departure hall. 

We were all boarding Philippines’ largest airline, Cebu Pacific Air and it was the first time for most of us. It was also everyone’s first time the Davao City. =)

As I’m someone who’s always hungry.. having food onboard is really important for me! Haha..

I ordered the Thai Chicken with Mango Rice for supper and it was really tasty.

4.5hours later, we touched down at Davao city! Yay! And we had to take a photo with the super friendly crew who happened to be in their brand new uniform. The 2 captains who flew us safely to Davao City were in the photo too =)

We checked in at Park Inn at Radisson Hotel really late and headed to sleep immediately due to the long day ahead.

DAY 1

We had a nice and pack schedule for our first day at Davao City.

Our first stop was at Eden’s Nature Park. With more than 80 hectares of land and 3,000 feet above sea level, it was a place that we definitely can’t find in sunny Singapore. 

We spent some time at the butterfly enclosure and it was a really awesome feeling to have all kinds of butterflies flying so freely around us.

We then had lunch at Eden’s restaurant and the food served was amazingly fresh! 2 thumbs up =)

After lunch, we went on a short buggy tour and found a really cool place for some photo taking =)

We then visited one of the preserved Tree Houses that the indigenous people of Davao built. It's surprisingly cooling inside even though the weather was scorching. Amazing technology

We did some really exciting activities like Sky cycling and Sky swing! Photos can be found at Limaran’s blog!

Just when we thought that our day couldn’t get any more cooler, we had this rare opportunity to visit the Public Safety and Security Command Centre (PSSCC). The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) knows that Singaporeans view safety as one of the top criteria when choosing a holiday destination and there’s no better place to bring us. Over at PSSCC, we saw the capabilities of the CCTV cameras placed around the city. The mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte, has transformed this city into the 4^th safest city in the world. People in Davao City nicknamed him the LKY of Davao City, running the city with strict rules but still getting the respect of the residents.

Davao City also offers FOC emergency response through 911. We just had to strike a pose with the state of the art 911 emergency response vehicle. =)

Many may debate if Davao City is truly the 4^th safety city in the world, especially after this photo started circulating in the social media space. But as a fellow Singaporean, who is from the 2^nd safest city in the world, I know how a safe city feels like and Davao City, is really a very safe city.

We were then brought on a short tour to explore the various vehicles and equipment used to keep Davao City safe. A photo with the dedicated team of emergency response crew was an honour for all of us!

Dinner time! Eating was always on my mind throughout the whole trip and shoutout to the team at PDOT for always having water and snacks in the mini bus to keep our metabolism rate constantly high! Haha

We were invited to a 10way tuna feast at Marina Tuna. Been somewhat a fan of tuna, well actually only tuna sashimi and canned tuna, but was really excited to see what they could do with the tuna.

Here are some photos of the Tuna dishes...

Tuna Salad (Pilipino style) & Tuna Sashimi

Tuna tail

Tuna Belly

Tuna Eye Soup

Tuna Tendon

There were 2 really special dishes that I didn’t capture, Tuna Bihod and Tuna Bagaybay. They are actually reproductive parts of the tuna.

Tuna Bihod: Fish Eggs

Tuna Bagaybay: Sperm Sacs

Tried both and they tasted quite funky but it was worth trying!

The first day of our Davo trip was a really eventful one and it was time to rest after a long day.

Want to find out what we will be doing for the next 3 days? Remember to stay tuned…..

Flying to Davao is made easy with Cebu Pacific Air!! Fares start as low as SGD182. Click here to find out more!!  

I'm also doing a giveaway.. Head over to my Instagram right now =)