Editorial Singapore

What You Should Know About Body Modification

When you hear the words body modification, images of horned individuals full of tattoos and piercings come to mind. For most people, a feeling of revulsion accompanies this image. But body modification is a broad category that includes not just tattoos and piercings, but even hair removal and teeth braces. Even body building and coloring your hair are considered modifications.


Body modification is done for various reasons.

While most people nowadays want their physical appearance altered to look pleasing, others do it because it’s part of tradition. It’s done as a form of a rite of passage, to conform to religious beliefs, and because they want to belong to a group. Getting your earlobes pierced isn’t as shocking as having a split tongue, but they are both forms of body modification.


Body modification is grouped into categories.

Tattoos and piercings are the most common alternative body modifications. Even in Singapore, there are a lot of tattoo and piercing shops. Plastic surgery isn’t uncommon too. The common types of body modifications can be grouped according to the procedure.

Surgical Augmentation
1. Subdermal Implant – If you’ve seen pictures of people with horns on their faces and arms, it’s called subdermal implants. The object is placed below the dermis.
2. Breast Implants – This is done through injections or insertion of silicone bags. There are also implants for the buttocks.

Explicit Ornaments
1. Piercings – Sometimes body piercings are stretched. The most common are ear piercings.
2. Tattoo – Tattooing places pigments under the skin. Even eyeballs and teeth can be tattooed too.
3. Neck Ring – The number of rings gradually increase to give the illusion of an elongated neck.
4. Teeth Blackening or Sharpening – The teeth are dyed black or sharpened for aesthetic purposes.
5. Transdermal Implants – Objects are placed below the dermis but one or more parts can be seen on the surface.
6. Microdermal Implants – These are a type of piercing which has an anchor under the skin and a step which can be seen on the surface.

Removal or Split
1. Haircut – Having your hair cut is a form of body modification because it changes your appearance.
2. Hair Removal – Techniques range from plucking to laser hair removal.
3. Tongue-Cutting – The tongue is sometimes split to make it look like a snake’s tongue.
4. Genital Modification and Mutilation – In males, the most common is circumcision. In females, the most common is the removal of the clitoral hood or clitoris.
5. Nipple Cutting – Sometimes the nipple is removed or split.
6. Nullification – Body parts are removed voluntarily.

Other Body Mods
1. Corsetry – The binding of the waist and torso.
2. Cranial Binding – The head is elongated by binding it while still a baby.
3. Non-Surgical Elongation – Some organs of the body like the neck and lips are stretched using weights.
4. Branding and Scarification – The skin is burned or the dermis is removed so that scars appear and form patterns.
5. Ear-Shaping – The ears are made to look like elves’ ears.
6. Yaeba – The result are crooked teeth by capping or misalignment.

Choosing the Right Type of Jeans

When choosing a new pair of jeans, you should be aware of the body type you have. This doesn’t refer to the waistline alone, which should also be kept in mind, but to the structure of your torso. The build is classified into three types; slim, medium and heavy.

Another thing to consider is your height. Taller people look good in most regular and straight leg jeans. Shorter people should consider medium or high rise jeans and straight leg cuts. With those factors in mind, let’s look at the different types of jeans.

Types of Cut

1. Straight Cut has equal leg width from waist to leg openings.
2. Slim Fit was designed to accentuate the thighs and buttocks.
3. Skinny was designed to be tight-fitting from top to bottom so that the shape of the legs can be seen.
4. Relaxed Fit is almost similar to straight cut but is slightly wider at the thighs.
5. Boot Cut was designed to accommodate the wearing of boots that is why the space is wider below the knees.
6. Flare Leg has a wide cut below the knees but fits waist and thighs snugly.
7. Stretch are tight-fitting to create the illusion that the person has toned buttocks and thighs and a flat stomach.
8. Loose Fit accentuates the buttocks and fit the waist snugly but the legs have a straight cut.
9. Capri has leg openings just below the knee. They are longer than shorts.
10. Cropped or Cuffed are longer than capri. Cropped hides three-fourths of the legs while cuffed has folded leg openings.

Types of Rise

Rise refers to the distance between the waist and the crotch of the jeans.
1. Low Rise jeans sits low or below the hips.
2. Medium Rise jeans sits slightly higher on the waist.
3. High-Waisted jeans sits high on the waist and can hide big bellies.

Types of Wash
1. Raw Denim is unwashed, stiff, and dark in color.
2. Acid Wash uses pumice stones and chlorine so that there is a contrast in the color of the fabric.
3. Rinse Wash softens the fabric ad washes off residual dye. Applying starch strengthens the warp.
4. Mid Wash removes more dye in the fabric than rinse wash. The fabric becomes soft and has a light blue color.
5. Light Wash creates a very light blue color because the washing process is longer.
6. Dirty Wash creates a well-worn or distressed jeans. There is a yellow or brown tint.
7. Stone Wash washes dried jeans in a washing machine with volcanic rocks or pumice stone so that the material looks faded.
8. Bleach Wash uses bleaching products to alter the blue shade of the fabric.
9. Black or Grey uses a different dye than the indigo-colored jeans.
10. All-Over Tinting is done to make changes in the indigo hue. Direct dye is used and then fixed.
11. Coated Denim uses a coating of polyurethane to make the fabric last longer.
12. Vintage Finishing has a worn look. The fabric is sprayed with bleach, scraped, and then whiskered.

How to Care for Diamond Jewelry

Diamonds are an investment. Precious gems increase in value over time. If you’re planning to sell some of your items in the future, you need to keep them in good condition. Here are the ways to keep your diamonds shiny for years.

Inspect for Damages

Before placing your diamond in a jewelry box, inspect the item for scratches. If the stones are loose, don’t wear the jewelry again until you’ve taken it to a jeweler for repairs. Check the mounting, prongs, setting and the luster of the gem.

Correct Jewelry Box

Any expensive jewelry such as diamonds should be stored in a fabric-lined case. If possible, each piece should be placed separately from the others to prevent damages. Diamonds can scratch other gems when the clasps and chains get tangled. Remember that diamonds are considered the hardest gems so they should be placed separately to protect other gems.

Travel Case

You can place your jewelry in fabric pouches or wrap each one in tissue paper and then place them in a small bag. There are also smaller jewelry boxes made for traveling. Always pick the design with individual compartments.

Avoid Oil and Grease

While diamonds are easy to clean because they’re durable, they could attract grease and oil. Don’t spray on your oil-based perfume while you’re wearing your jewelry. Use the scent before you put your diamonds on. As a general rule, you should apply all cosmetics and body products first before wearing your jewelry.

Take it Off

Don’t use your jewelry while you’re working out, cleaning, or performing any strenuous task. Not only are they distracting but you could damage the stones and the metal with the chemicals from external sources and from your body. Take off your jewelry when you go swimming. You could lose the piece and damage the metals.

Cleaning Diamonds

Diamonds are tough so there is no need to take it to a professional cleaner if you handle it properly. You can soak the jewelry in mild soap and water overnight then wipe with a soft cloth. The problem, however, is how to clean the type of metal used, the setting of the jewelry, and the other gems used in the piece. Avoid using bleach, ammonia-based cleaning solutions, abrasives and strong detergents as a general rule.

Annual Cleaning

If the jewelry isn’t made up of just diamonds, you can take it to a professional jewelry cleaner once a year for thorough cleaning and repairs. There are other options you can do at home besides wiping with cloth or soaking it in soapy water. Ultrasonic cleaners are convenient, but the process could damage other gems and some jewelry settings. Ask your jeweler for recommendations.

Fresh and Easy Ways to Style Your Jumpsuit

 

Offering the same level of chicness and ease of dressing as your favourite dress, jumpsuits are the best alternative to your staple dresses. The problem though is there’s only a handful of times where you can repeatedly wear this clothing piece and get away with. While getup repetition isn’t a crime, we all definitely want to make the most out of our purchases. With that in mind, we listed down six stylish ways for you to wear your jumpsuit.

  1. Pair it With Your Office Basics

Breathe new life to your staple work ensemble by pairing them up with your favourite jumpsuit. Switch your usual pencil skirts and tailored trouser to a pair of comfortable and elegant culottes jumpsuit.

  1. Give it Some Feminine Touch

A black jumpsuit doesn’t need to be paired with sullen-coloured clothing pieces. In fact, you can wear it with bow blouses or blush-toned statement tops to pull off a lady-like and polished look.

  1. Belt It

It’s crucial that you avoid losing your figure when wearing a jumpsuit. Make use of the jumpsuit’s belt or add your own choice of belt to define your waist. Cinching your jumpsuit right at the waist will help in giving you that curvy look, thus adding some femininity in your ensemble.

  1. Pull Off a Stylish Weekender Look

Cap off your vacation mood by wearing an easy pair of jumpsuit. Simply layer on an oversized denim jacket or a long vest and you already have a comfy and stylish ensemble perfect for that weekend getaway that you’ve been waiting for.

  1. Style it in a Sporty, Casual Way

The easiest way to sport a jumpsuit is to wear it like your favourite bottoms. Simply slip on a cosy hoodie or sweater, and you’ll be ready to run errands throughout the day, while still staying in style.

  1. Don it as Your Night Out Ensemble

Jumpsuits aren’t only meant for office and casual day outs. They can also make for a chic night out ensemble. Considered as a great alternative to your little black dress, a jumpsuit layered with lace tops is definitely a perfect getup for a night full of cocktails and dancing.

Stylishly wearing a jumpsuit isn’t rocket science – you can just don it and go. However, knowing what accessories and layering pieces to wear with this closet staple will definitely help showing your personal style and taking your jumpsuit styling to a whole new level.

Surprising Alternative Uses for Micellar Water

 

Micellar water has been making some noise in the beauty world lately. This French pharmacy beauty staple is slowly becoming a gentle alternative to chemical-based cleansers formulated to draw out impurities from your face without stripping off its natural oil, leaving your skin perfectly hydrated and supple. Aside from keeping your face free of any makeup and grime accumulation, micellar water also has other amazing uses and some of those uses are as follows:

  1. Skin Mist

When you’re under the prickling heat of the sun, easily spritz a good amount of your micellar water to lift off the dirt from your skin, and keep it hydrated and fresh. This also works as a refreshing cleansing wipe after sweating out in the gym.

  1. Makeup Brush Cleaner

Perhaps you already know that you need to clean your makeup brushes once a week to get rid of acne-causing dirt and product build-up. To help you with that, simply pour a good amount of your micellar water into a cup and individually swirl your makeup brushes (careful not to wet the brush handles). Once you’re done, just leave your brushes dry out.

  1. Makeup Stain Remover

Run out of your trusted makeup stain remover? Worry not, since micellar water can do the trick. All you’ve got to do is soak a cotton ball or tissues with the cleanser and dab it on the stained area. Just be extra careful in using it on delicate fabrics like silk and lace.

  1. False Eyelashes Remover

We know just how much ripping off your falsies sting, and fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way anymore. Since micellar water is a makeup remover, you can simply soak up a cotton pad with it and gently it onto your eyelids to remove your lash adhesive. An easy and pain-free falsies remover!

  1. Hand Wash

If you’re blessed with sensitive skin and is afraid that using rubbing alcohol could dry up your hands, then opt to wash your hands with your micellar water. Just a few drops of it is already enough to clean your hands the way it cleanses your face.

Micellar water works wonders as a facial cleanser, but it can definitely do more than just rid your face off makeup and dirt. So be sure to keep your micellar water handy to save yourself from all the stresses of holding your makeup look together to keeping all your beauty tools clean.