Makeup Must Haves for 2016, Face (Part 1/3)

Inspired to write a blog post about the makeup must haves for 2016, I started to list all my ultimate favorite products that I have been 1) faithfully using for a number of years OR 2) recently switched to because I preferred it over what I was using at that time.

The list just got longer and longer until I decided to break it down to 3 parts starting with face, eyes and then lips. Most products listed are products that I use daily and is considered an essential (like if I had a minimal makeup kit post gym) to my daily "face" routine. Some products are necessary for use when doing a full face application for nights out or long wear. 

Before any sort of face painting gets done, its always important to prepare the canvas, in this case, our face! Of course there is no better base than great skin but not everyone can be born with even skin tone, blemish free and smooth as a baby's bottom skin- this is where makeup becomes every woman's best friend! Let's get started!

MAC Prep + Prime

Introduced by a friend a couple of years ago, I purchased Prep+ Prime on a whim. After using it, it was love at first touch. Unlike some silicone based primers, I loved the way it even out my skin tone yet did not leave me with a heavy or greasy feeling on my face even after applying layer upon layer of makeup. I have never failed to receive compliments about how amazing my skin looks every time I use this product.

Use: Usually for special outings and nights out


Illamasqua Foundation

I remember like it was yesterday that I walked pass the pre-opening promotion counter in Wisma Atria and seeing Illasmasqua in front of me was like an answered prayer. I had been in the market for a good foundation as all the liquid foundations I had tried either did not match my skin tone (Asian market) or was too thick (not great for Singapore weather) or was not long lasting (I perspire on the nose-A LOT!) but finding a good foundation was starting to be an impossible task!

The day I tried Illamasqua, I was sold!!! Its like a second skin! The fact that they have .5 colors just means that there is a wider range of colors (26 shades to choose from!) to match every skin tone and under tone perfectly. I love that I can layer it on as thick or as thin as I like to determine the coverage. And for this product, a little goes a long way. I introduced this product to my sister and she too swears by it. The price is a bit steep but well worth every single cent!

Use: Can't live without it- daily use and every single time I use makeup!


YSL Touche Eclat

Another product that I have been using for the longest time and can't live without! I have been using YSL Touche Eclat since I was 18 and they had only 3 colors (1-super fair, 2-brightening, 3-dark orangey) to choose from! While I am happy to see that they have expanded the range, I still stick to my No.2 because I like the brightening effect it gives me. This particular product has never failed to make me look more awake than I feel at any period of time!

Use: Daily, but since Illamasquas' Skin Base Foundation, only on days when I look really tired!

MAC Blusher

I really like the texture of MAC Blushers and the fact that they have 47 shades for you to choose from basically means that you could find a shade for days that you want the lightly sun kissed look to the days when you want to look like a Harajuku girl. I tend to err on the side of caution because my biggest fear of blusher is always over applying and I always tend to under apply but the texture of the MAC blusher is just nice that I no longer have those "Ooops" moments with my blushers.

Use: Daily


NARS Illuminator

So this a kind of new obsession of mine. Everyone is chasing the healthy glow, the dewy look, the post coital glow- call it what you line, ain't nobody got the time to be chasing them glows...unless it comes in a bottle! Hah! Hassle free, light to bright application, now you can have any glow you want! I prefer the liquid illuminators to the powder ones as I can get a bit heavy handed with them too. My personal favorite is the Super Orgasm. 

Use: When my skin needs a pick me up or on nights out

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder Translucent

Now if you have combination skin like mine, when I make the effort to put on my full face, I want to make sure that it at least looks good and stays that way. I never could understand the reason for the setting powder until I got compliments on how "amazing" my skin looks every time I used it (Thank You Makeup!). Using a primer helps sets the base, the loose powder helps sets the face! It may not look like much especially if your using the translucent one but believe me, you will know its doing its job when you get all those compliments. A little powder goes a long way and it take 5 seconds for a full face application- just do it! Also, if you need to do a quick day to night change, a dusting of this magic powder and a fresh coat of lipstick will do the trick!

Use: When I need my makeup to last a little longer than normal

Urban Decay Make-Up Setting Spray

I have saved the best for last! And its is also the last thing you will need for makeup of steel!!! Now anyone who knows me knows that I have a sweaty nose and this is one product that I wish I had in my dancing party heydays! I use the Long-Lasting version which gives me a flawless finish every time. Do be mindful though that if you are after a matte finish, use the Oil-Control version instead of the Long-Lasting.

Use: When I need my makeup to last a little longer than normal

Thanks for taking the time to check out my makeup must haves for 2016! While my makeup bag is definitely overflowing with and a million versions of each product, these chosen products are my go to products and what I would NEED in any event for a basic face. Stay tuned for next week to read up on my top picks for eye makeup!

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Harper’s Bazaar Red List 2015, Hong Kong

So January has come and gone and resolutions to religiously blogging has been off to a slow start. Admittedly, it’s only so because I have been busy tackling the brought forward resolutions from last year and that is to get my health into check. I can’t say that my schedule has eased up at all and as a matter of fact it’s getting busier. I am basically counting the hours till the Chinese New Year break and only because it means that it’s the holidays for me- THANK GOD!

The end and start of a year always means one thing, lists! Lists of resolutions, top 20s, best hits, top fashion trends and many more! All to pay homage to the best of the last year while setting the tone for the following year. Last week, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Harper’s Bazaar Red List for 2015 lunch event held at the Four Season Hotel, Hong Kong.

At the event! Pardon the amateurish pics- I am not narcissistic enough yet to understand the concept of selfies! 

There I was faced with a wall of the top 20 picks of 2015, specially selected by movers and shakers in the Hong Kong social scene and seconded by the key opinion leaders of Harper's Bazaars, the items chosen ranged from your affordable everyday essentials to the somewhat overpriced (but sworn to work its magic) facial elixirs. Ranging from actresses to singers and models, the lifestyles of these ladies are hectic to say the least, but if your face is your money maker, then any effort made is an investment. Of course, not everyone has the luxury of time to be doing 3 facial masks a day as quoted by one of the actresses present that day.

The Top 20 wall...

After a half hour of mingling and photo taking, including making a mandatory mark on the red List Wall of Fame, guests were seated for lunch and the event commenced.

The whole point of the event- awards and food! Check out the dessert!

The “judges” were called up in batches to introduced the products and why they were chosen as well share their thoughts on what makes them beautiful. Following that, the awards were given out and the representatives of the winning companies were called up to receive their award. Lunch was served intermittently and while kudos to the chef and team of the Four Seasons Hotel for the entire meal, I would have to say that the highlight and biggest photo op moment of the entire event was the dessert. To think I had nearly missed it too if it wasn’t for the lovely hosts of Harper’s Bazaar magazine telling me that the best had yet to come. No regrets staying!

Congratulations to the team at Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong and I look forward to next years’ event.

To share, the #HKRedList2015 top 20 picks are (in no particular order):

1. Cle De Peau Beaute, Radiant Fluid Foundation
2. Philips, Visapure Advance home facial device
3. Shisheido, Ultimate Power infusing concentrate
4. Clarins, Shaping Facial Lift Contour Serum
5. La Collline, Lip Shaper
6. SK-II, RNA Power Radical New Age Essence
7. Sulwhasoo, Time Treasure Renovating Cream EX
8. Nature Bisse, Diamond Extreme
9. Guerlain, Abeille Royale Face Treatment Oil
10. AmorePacific, Time Response Intensive Skin renewal Ampoule
11. Giorgio Armani, Luminous Silk Foundation
12. Dior, Miss Dior Eau De Parfum
13. Lancome, Absolue L’Extrait Cream
14. Valmont, Prime Renewing Pack
15. Urdan Decay, Naked 2 Eyeshadow Palette
16. Tom Ford, Eye Quad
17. La Prairie, Skin Caviar concealer Foundation
18. La Mer, Genaissance the Serum Essence
19. Fresh, Cream Ancienne Soft Cream
20. Estee Lauder, Nutritious Vitality Night Radiant Overnight Crème Mask

My personal take:

There were too many “repeated” products on the list- 3 foundations, 2 eyeshadow sets and several anti-aging products. I would have loved to see a bit more of a variety of items that would be able to constitute a skin care regime. The similarity of the function of the products limits me to being able to choose one for any particular period of time. 

While I did eventually check out some of the products to add on to my skincare regime, I ended up only buying the Guerlain, Abeille Royale Face Treatment Oil and this is only because every facial therapist who has been “fortunate” enough to treat me has complained excessively about my dry skin. I can't say I am seeing too much of a drastic improvement on my skin (yet) but I do love the lightness of the product and the subtle scent.

If anyone currently uses any one of the products above it would be nice to hear your take on it! Comment below.

PS: My next post will be MY top make up must haves for 2016! Subscribe to my blog to keep up on my latest updates.

Welcoming 2016...

Reading back on my "Happy 2015" post, it was a good point of reflection and reference for me. The post was written on such a positive and happy note but during the year end, my mood seemed to have a taken a bad downward turn. Perhaps I am just a little lost and not as grounded as I would like to be. 

Let's review 2015!

Fitness

I started of on the right foot and followed through on my fitness goals up till the move to Hong Kong and then things literally went overboard! Its a food haven and I am a little porker...bad combination. One month into the move though I started to pick up where I left off and revamped our (husband and I) lifestyle. This started mainly with diet and what we eat...I started cooking more at home and eating good food. We invested in organic food where necessary (mainly eggs and meat) but the biggest change comes from excluding sugar, dairy and gluten for 80% of our diet. Both of us feel much better and "lighter" after the change and have decided to stick with it for the most part. 

Exercise wise is still a major challenge because of time constraints and overwhelming work demands (maybe this is why I am cracking), so this is definitely something I need to get back in my life come 2016. The sedentary life does not make me happy. I have always needed that burst of endorphin that only exercise can give!!! So top of the list...find a gym that makes me happy and get back on track with my fitness goals!

** I have since found a gym and will be working hard to get back on track (before I explode/implode)!

Personal

Inspired by the Lululemon vision and goals worksheet, I had written one up for myself. I'm happy to say that I manage to achieve 3/6 of the items on the list with me checking off all my goals on the career portion and totally neglecting the rest! This year, I'm writing myself up another one and this time I need to be a bit more realistic about it! Perhaps being realistic isn't my problem but finding a balance in life is.

Circa 2015

2016

I get so caught up in trying to do so much for work that I neglect the most important thing- myself. And for what honestly? I only end up feeling like something is missing despite doing so much. 

If you would like to write yourself a vision and goals worksheet, click here for the guide to writing it but if you want to write it in a nutshell, find it here. While resolutions are somewhat cliche and forgotten after January, having realistic and achievable short term goals, helps keep one focused throughout the year. Put it in a place that is visible or that you may "stumble" upon it as a reminder of your goals for the year.

Career

If the portion above is anything to go by, I could be quite pleased with my career and its path but having being uprooted from Singapore and moving to Hong Kong mid year is rather unsettling, I feel like I have left things hanging and not quite complete in Singapore (and just when things are getting good) and having to start all over again in Hong Kong is frustrating beyond means.

But on the other hand, I feel like I am doing so much more in terms of career which is gratifying but I have no balance! Its obvious, its always a bad cycle of "work-problems-frustrations-problem solving-joy-work" and we start again. I guess this is what being a working adult means!

Either way, I know 2016 is going to be a roller coaster ride for me so I better hang on tight, scream my lungs out for the dips, enjoy the free feeling at the loops and that invigorating feeling as the ride comes to an end and you know you overcame your fears and survived!

NYE with the family in HK

HAPPY 2016 to all my friends and family!!! I hope you had a fabulous 2015 and that your 2016 will be better than anything you ever dreamed of with more moments to treasure and experiences to remember. I wish you all the health and wealth, success and happiness, love and joy!

** It should also be another resolve of mine to dedicate more time and effort to my thought sharing page- this blog! Let's see how this goes...I did much better in 2015 with 21 posts vs the 12 posts from 2014! Haha.

Seaside Nails Tutorial

Today's post is a simple one. I've been rekindling my love for nail art and starting to explore more possibilities, methods and techniques. One major source of inspiration for me has been bornprettystore.com which is an online store which sells a lot of accessories and small stuff and their range of nail art items is massive! A lot of nail artists, bloggers and regular people like me who love nail art can find whatever their hearts desire on bornprettystore.com.

Lately, I've been spending my weekends getting zen with my nails and it's something I haven't done in a while. Last weekend I was inspired to do seaside themed nails because I wanted to try the new seaside themed embellishment wheel I got from bornprettystore.com. I combined it with the latest glass nails trend using Mylar pieces to create ripple effects on the water part.

Below I have added a picture tutorial on how I got my nails! I am quite happy with how they turned out but I reckon it would have been better (and lasted longer) with gel polish, despite using a gel system to attach the embellishments, the first one fell out 2 days later and by yesterday (Wednesday), by sheer force of bad habit, I had picked my nails apart.

1. Lay out everything you will need. For these nails I used a combination of colors from LAKA and essie. On the side, one will need acetone and cotton for cleaning, a sponge for the gradient effect, a brush for clean up, a gem picker, some nail art gel/glue as adhesive and the embellishments themselves. 

2. After your base coat, apply 2 layers of white polish which will help bring out the colors of your gradient sponging. 

3. Apply the gradient colors that you wish to use on to the sponge and slowly dab it on, 2 coats is preferable. (I used one application on to the sponge for 2 finger nails)

4. I used micro glitters to accentuate between the colors but you can barely see it and I used a bit of top coat on the blue to adhere the mylar for the ripple effect in the "water".

5. Use top coat.

6. After dry, use a nail embellishment glue to attach the embellishments as you please. I used a clear gel for embellishments and cured.

You're done!

The most frequently asked question when people saw my nails was 1) where did you get them done? and 2) how long did it take you? The answer is 2 hours and 45 minutes. However, a lot of time was spent on waiting for the layers to dry more than anything else. I could have definitely halved the time had I done it with the gel systems.

Anyways, have fun trying and I'd be happy if you could share your pictures with me in the comments below.

4 Tips to Lighten Your Handbag

I usually seek inspiration for my posts based on things I see, buy or experience, this post is inspired by the nagging ache in my shoulder!!!

Walking to my language class, I couldn't help but feel a huge strain on my shoulder which prompted my to change the bag to my left shoulder but that didn't make it any lighter! What is this sorcery??? I am one of those who clears out her handbag every weekend and yet by Thursday, I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulder...I'm willing to bet that I am not the only lady who has this problem!

This, of course, has me juggling a multitude of reasons as to why my bag feels like a baby elephant and even taking the "bigger" items out one by one to access the weight and all while walking...the mystery goes unsolved and I'm still left with an aching shoulder.

Well, empty out my bag on this particular day and you will find:

1 x Kate Spade wallet (596g)

1 x sunglasses in protective case (121g)

1 x passport

1 x headset

1 x airplane jack for headset

1 x receipt for last nights' dinner 

1 x visitor pass for Cosmoprof 2015

2 x pantyliner

3 x bandaid

1 x strip of Zrytec

1 x bunch of housekeys (73g)

1 x pack of tissues

1 x empty Fisherman's Friend
1 x nail file

3 x lipstick/gloss/lip pencil

1 x eye drops for allergy eyes

2 x Iphone 6 (298g)

Loose coins

Stack of name cards

I mean, surely all the small stuff can't be the culprit right? Determined to find out the root cause, I'm weighing everything and here is what I've discovered:

The weigh in!

1) The total weight of my bag and all its contents is 2.312kg (heavy stuff listed above)

2) I really need to start spending my coins! Especially here in Hong Kong when the coins alone could pay for lunch!

3) Time to downsize

Over the years, I have realized my bags (and trending bags) have gotten bigger and bigger. Not only that, everyone who has "helped" me with my bag has never failed to comment on the "gold bars" I'm carrying around. I wish! At least gold bars might help pay for some of the medical therapy I'm going to have to get for this! At the end of the day, what goes up, must come down and I am referring to the size of my handbag! I mean, I am a single lady with no diaper bag to worry about, no kids that I need to be prepared for and NO REASON WHY I need to be carry a bag the weight of a small child.

Here are my top tips on giving your shoulders a break:

1) Carry a smaller bag and only what you need

My Tumi handbag is honestly one of my favorite bags. Its durable, perfect when travelling and also light when filled sparingly. However, I have a tendency to conveniently "throw" things inside on the way. I'm learning the hard way that just because it fits, it doesn't mean I should put it in...ok that sounds so wrong but you get the idea!

Swapping to a backpack that was given to me by a friend, it has been more useful than I ever imagined!

Try carrying a backpack or a bag with an adjustable shoulder strap which you can carry cross body, hence spreading the weight instead of always being on the one shoulder. You should also try to get a bag with as little embellishments as possible, yes gorgeous as it may be- it is added weight on your shoulders!

2) Use your coins!

It doesn't matter where in the world you are, coins will always be a culprit! I'd love it if they (whoever they may be) would come up with 20 cent notes! Here in Hong Kong, we have both the 10HKD note and the 10HKD coin! Coins are also very popular as change here and can be awfully heavy not to mention grow in quantity and weight very quickly!

I could empty out my bag any day of the week and due to haste, laziness or convenience those sneaky little things always appear in the small compartments in my bag...make a conscious effort to use your coins! 

3) Pack a foldable recyclable bag

And this was the last of my essentials that I threw in as an after thought. I realized that I may need to tote back groceries or stuff from the office and so having an extra bag will be better than trying to over stuff my handbag. It has already been very useful for me.

4) You don't need to bring your entire makeup pouch with you (or 5 different lipsticks!)

Seriously, with the quality of make up nowadays and all the makeup setting sprays, there really is no reason why you need your entire makeup regime with you. Bring the basics- powder, a nice bright lipstick and a nice colored eyeliner pencil should easily change your look from day to night. 

If you NEED to bring more makeup, Sephora does give out really handy miniatures. Either that or you can use a multi function product like Benetint for that healthy glow and a subtle pink lip tint.

And the final weigh in, all necessary items included!

Well ladies, whether or not you may consider your handbag heavy, I believe we do have a habit of carrying way more than we need. Perhaps it was childhood aspirations of Mary Poppins or Doraemon, but honestly, our shoulders were not made for heavy bags. Do your future self a favor and lighten your load today...

TGIF!!!

October- another year older...

How many clicked in from Facebook to see how amazing I looked?
Sorry to disappoint but this is heavily edited!

And its exactly as it is, October has come and it's 2 weeks post birthday. Honestly, I don't feel any different. Perhaps its because I get panic attacks about getting older a week before my birthday and start to up the ante on my skincare regime, diet and lifestyle. Hah! Trying to cheat the system basically. Its probably more psychological than it is physical but I feel great so I must be doing something right.

This birthday I celebrated surrounded by new friends, old friends, family and too much cake!

Last year in the days leading up to my 30th birthday, I had mixed feelings of joy and excitement in looking forward to the next chapter in life and of sadness from kissing my 20's and all its chaotic activities goodbye. Looking back, I really did have the time of my life in my 20's and the 30's is a whole other ball game, there was this sense of responsibility and calm that settled over me. The things I used to enjoy just no longer appeal to me. Now if I get home, it's so hard to get me out because I enjoy the peace and solitude I get from being in my domain doing absolutely nothing.

This is life now...Its not always champagne and caviar but then again-
Life is what you make of it!

There were so many changes in the past year with the biggest one being my move to Hong Kong with the hubster. I think we have reached a plateau with bad situations that arose after the move and now we're really getting a grip on life and work...or work and life...or just work. I really love the vibe here in Hong Kong, the New York of Asia, but its being here that makes me pine for the energy and the frivolous and carefree attitude of the 20's. I feel like I am stuck in between- between being zen and adult and on the opposite end of the spectrum, throwing all caution to the wind and just doing whatever I want. I have no reason yet to "be responsible" so why restrict myself right? Or wrong?

I miss my network of friends the most, every single weekend and evening of most days. I should go out and make some new friends...how do I even classify myself? I'm not a "Single/ Asian/ Female looking to make friends" (we know what kind of attention this gets) and neither can I join, nor am I ready to join mummy groups. Would it be rude if I flat out said I'm looking for intellectual conversations about personal growth and the follies of life in general? No conversations which will make me roll my eyes or fall asleep? I love wine like a baby loves milk and i'm artsy-fartsy when time permits. I'll find any excuse not to exercise but I'll attempt to start a diet every week. Anyone else in the same boat can look me up...desperately seeking someone relate-able. Oh yea, I'm also allergic to bullshit like i'm allergic to fur. (I paint such a lovely picture of myself!)

Lucky for me, I've had different friends who have been visiting Hong Kong nearly every month. Otherwise, it's back to Singapore for me for a good dose of errands and dinner with the gals!

Anyways, another perk of getting older is the joys of watching your fine lines become not so fine and skin sagging everywhere. Your chin gets lonely and starts to have a double to keep it company and what used to  be smooth as a baby bottom skin now looks like the surface of the moon. (Did I mention I am dramatic too?) 

Thankfully I work in the cosmetics industry and sometimes I get to guinea pig technology! So for the first time ever in my life, I decided to zap my face into shape! I tried out the new HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) machine that we got at the facial outlets and that was an interesting experience! (I have a generally low tolerance for pain but I feel like pain gets more bearable with age. It's like life is preparing you for all the treatments that are to come!) What I'm getting at is, the treatment does not hurt in places which are firmer (forehead and cheeks) but in my saggy chin and jowl area, it felt like someone was stapling my fats into hiding. I did however notice a great difference after the treatment, when they did one side first, there was already an improved appearance! Immediately after treatment was easy but days 1 through 3 after the treatment was a bit tender around the jaw area- like a post stapled effect. (It helped me learn not to squirrel away food in my mouth when I eat and take smaller bites!)

As HIFU is supposed to stimulate the cells for collagen production and tissue rejuvenation, the effects of the treatment will only be visible after 1 month and a follow up treatment is recommended 3 months after your first. So far, I'm liking the effects and at least I manage to keep any needles AWAY from my face! Anyone who wants to try HIFU, DO IT! 

Right, so another year and thankful for the opportunities that have been blessed upon me. Thankful to have a husband which has signed on for another year of my nonsense. Thanks to the colleagues here  in Hong Kong who have been so welcoming and throwing me a surprise birthday celebration which threw a lot of the birthday wishes off kilter and some people into panic- don't worry, you didn't miss it!

Cheers to the next one!

PS: For anyone who does notice, this blog is work in progress...I am playing around with the colors and tones and I'm not quite happy with it yet. Bear with me!

PPS: The effects of the HIFU are really visible 4 weeks post treatment.

Tips on Flat-Hunting in Hong Kong

Week 5 in Hong Kong and we were no closer to finding a home. We hadn’t found what we were looking for and I was starting to fear that we never will and that we may just out of desperation pick something just for the sake of having a roof over our heads and regret it. Being a person who loves creating homes of any apartment we choose, I needed a place that I can sink my roots into and bloom. Living out of boxes and suitcases for the last 2 months (now entering the 3^rd) is really doing my head in. And the thought of having to repack and unpack again gives me a panic attacks (yes I am dramatic).

The good news is that we weren’t so pressed for time to find an apartment now, the bad?

Where do I begin?

I feel like apartment hunting in Hong Kong is like a real life version of the Hunger Games except that this time people are snapping up good apartments like there’s no tomorrow. We have been searching for a place to call home for the last 3 weeks and we are no closer to finding or choosing anything. We have had numerous near misses (apartments that we were supposed to view only to get a call 1 HOUR before the view saying it had been taken, WTF!), many epic fails (like what were the owners thinking), many nearly there but not quite (perfect apartment but the kitchen/toilet/something just didn’t feel right) and only 2 possibilities and that’s with exception.

Our agents have been very patient with us after we finally found some that understand exactly what we want. Most seem to think that we have given them the task of the century. Hence the reason why I have decided to write this post as these are the things that I wish someone had told me before I moved here.

1) Finding an agent

There are SO many agents here in Hong Kong and if your Company doesn’t provide you with an agent or you don’t have friends who can recommend you an agent, you’re pretty much left to figure things out for yourself. Most agents can speak English but for some, language can be a bit of an issue.

 

Also, because of the abundance of agents here, agents usually focus on their own areas of expertise. One way to ensure that the agent specializes in the area in which you would like to live in, you could chance walking into one of the travel agents in that particular area or contact a mainstream agency.

If you are looking in the Sai Ying Pun/ Sheung Wan area, I have left (at the end of this post) the contacts of 2 agents who really understood what we were looking for.

2) Have an idea of where you want to stay

This is where Google becomes your best friend. I truly wish I had done more research. A lot of times the places we choose depends on venue of workplace, social activities and convenience. While Hong Kong is broken down to 4 main areas- Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories and the outlying islands, there are so many suburbs in these different areas. This website does a great job of listing the different areas and what they have to offer. It can be really mind boggling and it is so important to decide what you and your spouse/family need. 

3) Budget, budget, budget!

Wow, this was a real pain in the butt. Everything that we saw and liked, was beyond our budget (we have high expectations and expensive taste apparently) and while it was a viable option, I wasn’t comfortable with spending so much on a place that didn’t even belong to us!

So we had to really sit down with a pen and paper and decide what we want. 

A few questions that could help you narrow down your choices are:

a) Are facilities important? Do you have kids that require the facilities? Are you both highly active individuals who need the facilities and will use them?

We decided to forego the facilities as we had ready gym memberships and would prefer to do our activities outside for the social aspect.

b) How many rooms do you NEED?

Based on Singapore, I really wanted to have a second room for guests/visitors and my junk is general. But when we did the math, it just wasn’t worth paying nearly 5K-10K HKD/month just to accommodate visitors who came twice a year.

c) Is a terrace/balcony/roof area important?

This was a huge factor in the difficulties in finding a place…most expats are also looking for a balcony so these apartments get snapped up really fast.

d) Will you be owning a car?

Because Hong Kong is so populated, not every apartment comes with car park facilities. If they do, you are looking to pay an extra 2-4K HKD/month just for the car park.

e) Will you be getting a helper?

We decided to get a helper that stayed outside because space constraints were a big issue.

f) Do you have pets and does your apartment allow pets?

Some apartments are not pet friendly so be very honest when telling your agent what you want as this will save a lot of time and effort.

So all these factors address, that leaves you with the rest of the criteria's you may want to fulfill: renovated, supermarket close by and close to the office. We wanted the ideal home but so did everybody else.

You can download the Squarefoot App or visit www.squarefoot.com.hk to check out whats on the market in the areas that you want.

Another things that helps is if you know exactly where your workplace will be and you intend to live nearby, open google maps and zoom in till you see the names of the apartments and check them on Squarefoot as well. It is extremely painstaking but I found that it helped me get a better idea of the areas I wanted to look into and more specifically the developments I wanted to consider. It also helped me to check off those that were beyond budget. 

4) Take note:

When you go for viewings, you will be the one paying for the transportation fee to/from the place even if you go with your agent. Most times, it is better to arrange viewings in one location and do a sort of walking tour.

5) If you like it, grab it! 

If you see a place you really like, don’t hesitate for even one second to tell your agent you’re interested. The agents will tell you to your face that good apartments get snapped up fast so if you “need time to consider” there is no guarantee that the apartments will be available when you want it. So it is cautious to ask how long the apartment has been on the market for, if it has been on the market for a while then you have nothing to be worried about if it has just come on the market and you are one of the first to view it and really like it. Jump on it!

Thankfully our search came to an end this mid-week, it has been tedious, tiring and frustrating and I am just so glad that this portion is over and done with so everyone can just get on with their lives. We found exactly what we were looking for in an apartment with the exception of the lack of second room and the fact that the distance from the bedroom to the toilet is about 10 meters AWAY! But with everything else being so perfect...we jumped!

I hope that this post is useful to others out there who may be facing the same predicament. If so, leave a comment below and your 2 cents worth! I'm sure there there are many others who will be facing the same issues down the line and would be thankful for some advice.

Property Agents in Hong Kong

Wendy Go – Land & Fortune Realty Ltd

Mobile: (852) 6939 9275

Henry Chui – Grand Pacific Property Limited

Mobile: (852) 94936574