BRANDSWorld Jan/Feb 2012 by Electrotype

JAN-FEB 2012

SIMPLE TIPS FOR GETTING THE LOOK OF LOVE GOOD FOOD – IT’S ABOUT PASSION AND BALANCE

WHAT PERSONALITY REVEALS ABOUT YOUR SKIN

BRAND’S® MUSIC CHANGES LIVES 2011 WINNERS

Welcome

to a fresh new year and a fresh new issue of BRAND’S®World

The Beatles once reminded us that “all you need is love”, and there’s no shortage of that during January and February. Being surrounded by loved ones during Lunar New Year is always a highlight of the year, and then – just as we’re finishing the last of the snacks and thinking of getting back into our exercise regimes – Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. We all know there are no quick fixes when it comes to health. It’s easy to let go during New Year, but if you follow our easy tips on page 4 you’ll still be looking fabulous when it’s over. When we talked to Chef and Restauranteur Bill Ho for this issue he reminded us that it’s all about balance, and if your basic diet is good you can afford to indulge a little sometimes. JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2012

Hot Health News

The Look of Love

Kitchen Confidential

Earth, Wind or Fire?

BRAND’S® Music Changes Lives 2011

Exercise, snacks and calorie counting.

Cupid is coming. Our skincare tips might not be an instant fix, but they’re sure to work for you.

We talk to Bill Ho of Eight Café & Bar about good food and what he learned from his mother.

Does your personality affect your skin? Find out in our quiz.

The winners wowed the audience at their first showcase. Meet Singapore’s new stars.

Speaking of music, you’re sure to be hearing a lot more from our BRAND’S® Music Changes Lives 2011 winners. They played a showcase at NUS in December and the audience were blown away by the energetic funk of Andy Chong, Michelle Soh’s virtuoso piano, some sizzling modern Beethoven by Giam Yue Ling and the smooth jazz styling of Spruce Teo. Music brings people together, nurtures our spirit, and has the power to change lives, and BRAND’S® is proud to be playing a part in nurturing these four talented youngsters to achieve their musical aspirations. I’m looking forward to continuing the good work Geetha Balakrishna started as GM of Cerebos Pacific Ltd in Singapore and working with the team to bring BRAND’S® to a new level for the benefit of our customers. If you have any suggestions, we’d love to hear them, so drop us a line. Wishing you the best of health in the New Year,

Isabella Tan General Manager Singapore/Philippines/Brunei

BRAND’S® HOT NEWS

Improve Skin Vitality – Our New App

EXERCISE

Take a positive proactive approach to your beauty and health with the new BRAND’S® InnerShine® App for iPhone. Track your skin’s health with your diary, get daily tips and more. Features include: • Beauty Skin Diary • Facial Massage Guide • Blemish Examination • Beauty Tips • Latest Promotion Download the app free in iTunes store.

Many migrane sufferers avoid the gym, fearing that it might set off an attack. Triggers vary widely from one person to the next. For some people that might be the case but it turns out that for many people, just the opposite is true. A major study published in the October 2011 issue of medical journal Cephalalgia found that in a split test of 91 migrane sufferers, 40 minutes of exercise three times a week was just as effective as the drug Topiramate or relaxation exercises for reducing migraines.

Skip the morning snack if you’re hoping to

lose weight. A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in November found that the urge to grab a snack in the relatively short time between breakfast and lunch could be a reflection of “recreational or mindless eating habits”, but snacking, in general, is not a bad thing. Morning snackers lost 7% of their weight during the study, compared with non-snackers losing 11%. However, people who incorporated snacks into their diet in the afternoon were found to eat more fruit and vegetables and have better fibre intakes than those who didn’t snack at all. OUR INNERSHINE SECRET

What’s the secret to your beauty glow?

Lydia Chew Secret to having that glow? Most people would say love, some would say exercise while others would swear to eating healthy food. For me, there’s no need to choose; I have all three :-) Lydia won a 2D1N Christmas Stay-cation in a Marina Bay Sands Grand Room worth $700++

Jessica Seow Huiwen

To be able to shine on the outside, you have got to be shining from the inside. The secret is simple, just be with people that can bring out the shine in you. Be with people that makes you smile and makes you shine from deep within.

Got something to share? Join our InnerShine® community on Facebook and check out our latest competitions! BRANDS®World

Nov-Dec 2011

BRAND’S® BODY & SOUL

Valentine’s Day is around the corner! Time is short and you want fast results. Don’t make the mistake of thinking a careful coat of makeup will make you shine. Incorporate these time-proven tricks in your daily life and your skin will be looking clear, soft and radiant in no time.

Pump It Up Exercise will keep your muscles and joints healthy and toned, while helping you sweat out toxins. It will also give you a healthy blush by improving blood circulation and digestion. It doesn’t matter whether it’s walking, dancing, yoga or boxing, as long as it makes you feel good and gives you energy.

Sip Your Way To Health Warm liquids, such as herbal teas, not only keep you hydrated, they also keep your skin warm, helping to fight the ageing effects of airconditioning. Try a spicy tea made with fresh ginger and lemon to wake yourself up in the afternoon. It will also keep your digestive system healthy, which is important for achieving glowing skin.

Veggies Are Your Friend We all know how good leafy greens are for us, but mix it up and have some fun. High water content vegetables such as lettuce, carrot, cucumber and asparagus tips are good for every skin type. Daikon radish is well known to have amazing purifying properties. Add a simple dressing and your skin will thank you!

Eat Like A Bird Nuts and seeds are the perfect food as they contain Omega-3, healthy fats and fibre to help digestion. Omega-3 boosts the immune system, and soothes and repairs skin inflamation. Grab a handful when the afternoon lull sets in.

Relax and Breathe Emotional and mental stress literally sucks all the vital juices from your skin, leaving you dehydrated. Not everyone can master meditation, but we all breathe, and controlled breathing is a very effective stress-buster. If you can focus for a few minutes on deep breaths that move from your belly through to your rib cage and fill up your lungs, not only will you be feeling calm for that big meeting or date, you’ll be looking fabulous too!

BRANDS®World Nov-Dec 2011

BRAND’S® FUEL FOR LIFE

Kitchen Confidential BRAND’S® talks with Bill Ho of Eight Café & Bar about the secrets of good eating.

Bill Ho is something of an accidental restauranteur. When he graduated in graphic design, Asia was going through a recession, jobs were thin on the ground, and he returned to his hometown of Ipoh to work front-ofhouse at a Sichuan restaurant. When the cook called in sick one day, he found himself in the kitchen and spent five years learning the secrets of the head chef. With a passion for hosting dinner parties and cooking for his family and friends, it came time to open his own restaurant. “I wanted somewhere that was a home away from home. The restaurant is like an extension of my own living room. By making good food, and putting love into it, customers become friends. That’s really the satisfaction I get from the business”.

The menu at Eight Café & Bar reflects this balanced approach, and with its homey furnishings and light touch in the kitchen, it epitomises a new wave of good food in Singapore. “I’m inspired by the ingredients and with western cooking you don’t need heavy sauces if the ingredients are good. “We always say we miss Mum’s food, because what did Mum cook? She cooked dishes with passion and love. You can taste that. That’s what good food is.”

Lean and lively, it’s hard to picture Bill eating too much but, he says with a laugh, that’s not the case. “I love to eat, but I balance it with exercise. Some of the dishes I cook are inspired by my mother’s cooking. We had good simple food. My Dad is Cantonese and we’d get a lot of nice fresh vegetables. I only saw a whole chicken during Chinese New Year. When I was growing up, salad was coleslaw and I remember discovering how wonderful the taste of real salads were, where you can taste the greens. “Now, as a small business owner, it’s important for me to keep myself healthy. I think a balanced meal should include vegetables, carbohydrate and protein. “I think food is meant to be enjoyed. If your basic diet is good then you can afford to indulge a little bit sometimes. It’s all about balance.” 8 Bukit Pasoh, Singapore Ph: 6220 4513 Open Lunch Tues-Fri 11.30am - 2.30pm Dinner Tues-Sun 6.30pm - 10pm Drinks Fri & Sat 10pm - 1.30am

COOKING FOR LUNAR NEW YEAR? FOLLOW BILL’S TIPS FOR A HEALTHY MEAL • Singapore has high food standards and you can get good ingredients everywhere here. Many Chinese recipes use a lot of oil, salt and sauces because they were invented to cover the taste of ingredients rather than showcase them. You don’t need to do that here. • When I’m pan-frying something like a chicken breast, I soak it in milk for 30 minutes first to stop it from drying out. I half cook it by frying and then I put it in the oven to finish it. You can see all the oil that comes out while it’s in the oven. It’s much healthier and you can do that with any dish. • MSG and flavor enhancers aren’t necessary if your ingredients are fresh and good.

EARTH, WIND OR FIRE?

How connected are the body and mind? Take our quiz and you might be surprised. Are you a trendsetting wind person, a reliable earth mother or a firey volcano? Give each statement that applies to you a tick to find which element you are:

Once I really learn something, I never forget it.

My digestion is slow, and I feel heavy after eating.

Once I get going, I have loads of stamina, but I’m not a highenergy person.

I gain weight easily and am slow to lose it. I am patient and even tempered. I’m able to remain calm and unruffled under stress. I feel I’m slower than others to grasp new concepts. My skin is dry. I can’t seem to moisturize enough.

My digestion feels irregular. Sometimes I’m ravenous; sometimes I have no appetite. I learn new things easily, but my long-term memory isn’t great. I am creative and enthusiastic.

I don’t like humidity and dampness, but I’m fine in very hot or very cold conditions.

I give out so much energy that sometimes I need to rest up to recover. My energy levels fluctuate a lot. I dislike the cold, be it in weather, food, or drinks. My moods change easily. Stress makes me feel fearful and insecure. People consider me passionate, confident, and courageous.

When I get indigestion, it tends to manifest as burning sensations.

I don’t like heat much. It tires me, and I sweat easily.

I have a large appetite and digest food very quickly. My mind is generally wellfocused and alert.

I tend to be impatient, and sometimes anger easily. I am determined, critical, and stubborn.

FIRE

I am of medium build and have a well-balanced shape.

I love iced drinks, ice cream and other cold foods.

WIND

I’m slim and can eat whatever I want without putting on weight.

I have a caring, compassionate nature.

EARTH

I have a solid build. As a baby, I was big boned.

I’m rarely daunted by a challenge.

Which element got the most ticks? Now check on the next page to find out how you can love your skin!

BRIGHT & BREEZY WIND

EARTH GODDESS

Your Personality Ah, gentle and compassionate Earth person. You’re the friend who can be relied on for comfort and support, or just a listening ear, in troubled times. Your friends appreciate that, which is why they’ll be by your side for a long time. Your Skin Earth skin is thicker and oilier than others, hence your skin is prone to accumulating toxins. A gentle exfoliating clay can help with external cleansing, and daily exercise will improve circulation, but internally you may also need more antioxidants than others to keep free radicals at bay. Avoid deep-fried and heavy foods and cleanse from within with plenty of vegetables and fruits.

Your Personality Wind people, with their energy and enthusiasm for life, are great to be around. You’re a trendsetter and you’re generous, but be careful because all that spontaneity often comes at the expense of your powers of concentration. You’re quick to grasp new concepts, but will you remember them later? Your Skin You live life fast, but you don’t want that to show in your skin, so all the products you use should be nourishing and hydrating. Drink lots of water and eat plenty of sweet juicy fruit and soups. Also, be careful not to fight your body’s need for regularity. Going to bed on time and eating regular meals will do wonders for the way you look.

Your Personality Confident, determined and cheerful, Fire people are destined for success. Your sharp mind and focused energy helps you grasp new information easily and you can think on your feet, so you’re enterprising enough to know how to use it. People think you don’t get angry or impatient, because you hold it inside so well, so take care of your health by keeping those stress levels down. Your Skin You’re sensitive to heat, so externally you should use a sunscreen, but make it a good one because your skin doesn’t like cheap synthetic cosmetics. Internally you should steer away from hot, spicy or salty foods. You are prone to acne and skin pigmentation, so what you eat is important to how you look. Your body doesn’t digest meat and alcohol well, but it loves sweet cooling fruits and cooked fresh greens.

WHICH BRAND’S® PRODUCT COULD HELP? EARTH Fight toxins!

InnerShine® Berry Essence BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken Seven types of antioxidant-rich berries Contains ProBeptigen® and keep free radicals at bay. Carnosine to enhance your mental performance.

WIND Stay focused!

FIRE Protect skin!

InnerShine® Grape Seed Extract with Selenium Protect against environmental damage. BRANDS®World

Nov-Dec 2011

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2011 After two months of voting in July and August 2011, Singapore’s next top musical talent have been un-earthed. They were selected based on the combined results of a 50% public voting score and a 50% score by a panel of judges (including Singapore’s renowned talent-spotter Ken Lim of Hype Records), followed by being personally chosen by Taiwan singer-songwriter Wang Lee Hom. Taking the stage at a sizzling showcase concert at NUS University Cultural Centre on 1st December were four talented musicians with a very bright future. Each of our top musicians won $3,000 cash, $2,000 in musical sponsorship and a $300 BRAND’S® Hamper, while their schools received $5,000. Meet the winners as they share with us their feelings about winning the competition!...

It was like living my dream! Michelle Soh

The Music Changes Lives journey has been a rewarding and inspiring experience. Winning the competition greatly empowered me in my pursuit for musical excellence, my deepest gratitude goes to BRAND’S® for the Spruce Teo opportunity.

Awefsoeltmel,ike I star! a

Andy Chong

Special thanks to our guest stars at the December showcase, BRAND’S® ambassador and international artiste Wang Lee Hom and Thailand’s hearthrob ToR+

I feel fortunate because I was able to win despite facing strong competition. Also, winning this competition provided me with a platform to showcase my talent and finance my music education. I sincerely thank BRAND’S® for this wonderful opportunity. Giam Yue Ling