All my bags were packed and I'm ready to go. I was already anticipating this trip for a month! 

To where, you ask? Thanks to Papulex Asia, I was off for a weekend retreat back to nature and tranquility in the lush outbacks of Malacca.

Waking up early on a Saturday morning for this roadtrip

After two hours on the road, we arrived our destination – The Philea Resort & Spa, Melaka – at noon.

It was a enormous and superbly furnished eco-resort which boasted authentic pine-log architecture and rustic interior design.

Here are some photos I shot of The Philea's interor :

Lobby/waiting area/drinks area

Bar/Lounge Area

Outdoor concourse

There was a water feature fringing the resort with the MOST amount of Koi fish I've ever seen

These fishes respond to vibration and sound very attentively, as it was their cue to feeding time.

We teased the fishes and tapped the glass walls at different spots so as to confuse them teehee!

Me standing by the pond. You can hardly see the Koi but the school of fishes came in massive numbers.

Jessicat wears : Leopard print laced-back tank by TopShop | Denim shorts by Forever 21 |

Cap in nude by Hard Rock Cafe | Accessories from a bazaar in Bangkok |

Tote Bag from a bazaar in Singapore | High Top Sneakers in white by Converse

It was time to begin our day in Malacca with an ice-breaking and introductory session.

A light brunch was provided before Papulex Asia started the ball rolling.

So happy there was a wide array of Lipton tea!

I'm such a tea fag I almost wanted to take all the sachets to drink later 

A picture with the girls, Shazwani and Ivy during the ice-breaking session

After the introductory session, we were all required to play a game which involved teamwork.

That ever-popular form the longest line with everything and everything you have on you.

My team mate QuaChee and I forming our line

My other team mate Hafiz and I continuing our line!

Being one to be competitive, I removed all my bangles, rings, earrings, parts of my clothes and more LOL

Here are some of the items from our team and the other team

Lining them all up!
 

When it was all over and done with – well almost, as nobody wanted to strip their clothing off haha! – the longest line was measured and our team won!! Hurrah! 

We did well; I'm so proud. The three of us hit it off well in pushing for the longest line. Think EVERYTHING : cellphones, belts, socks, and yes, even shoelaces haha!

With my team mates QuaChee and Hafiz posing by our line of items

Fun times had to come to an end. It was now time for the more serious part of this session.

The sharing session, the experience, the history and our past with regards to this campaign and more.

My essentials for the mini seminar provided by The Philea 

Me sharing a little bit more about myself, my point of view and the battles I fought against acne

All of us Papulex Truthseekers – Team Malaysia!

Once that was over, it was already mid afternoon and our tummies were growling.

Lunchtime was at one of the restaurants in the hotel, with a continental concept – Cravo Cravo

Hafiz and I goofing around while walking over to lunch

Spotted this giant wooden throne with a ship steering helm at the entrance of Cravo Cravo!

Couldn't resist a photo with it.

The continental and Asian fare in Cravo Cravo left me spoilt for choice.

It was amazing how endless the selection can get. Here are some of the dishes from the buffet :

Bite-sized goodness

Carved roast beef

Desserts

Here are some of the stuff I took for myself

I didn't bother taking photos of the main meals as I was already hungry and couldn't wait to dig in

Lunchtime at the long table saw us catching up with each other and talking about everything under the sun.

Before we knew it, it was time to check into our rooms.

Got our room key-card and guest booklet!

The Philea sent us a chauffeur to take us to our rooms which was located at another zone of the resort.

We occupied two buggies to be driven off further into nature!

Bye! We were about to adjourn!

As the buggy drove deeper and deeper into what felt like a secluded bay of pristine forest giants with waterfalls cascading along stone walls and gigantic, lush greeneries engulfing me, I knew this weekend would be the most serene and tranquil one I've had so far this year.

Here are some photos of the short journey to my room:

Along the cobblestone walkway towards the chalets

Beautiful pine-log cabins fringed the gravel path

Roaring waterfalls at the bridge and swimming area

Steps leading towards the bridge

An aerial view of the swimming area (adult and children)

Weather-worn, wooden fence posts covered by damp moss from the morning drizzle

Approaching my cabin shortly!

What I'd typically do the moment I arrived

Wow looks like they know me pretty well, putting a giant convex mirror in front of my cabin

Haha kidding! It's obviously a security measure to allow buggies to see each other lest they collide at one of the many bends in this nature resort. 

Quite coincidentally, my cabin was right in front of the gym and the spa. Can they read my mind or what?

My home in the woods for the weekend!

I climbed the wooden staircase; they didn't creak as I had expected it to, and no gnomes were in sight.

Okay, I think I get taken away by fairy tales sometimes.

The moment I stepped into my cabin, my jaw hung with astoundment and I knew for a fact that my eyes were gleaming in delight. Was this really where I was going to be put up for the next two days? 

Here, be amazed for yourself!

My king-sized bed!

My desk!

My bathroom! (It had a  giant bath too, so you can be sure that I had a hot bubble-bath thereafter)

I jumped on the bed, stretched like a yawning cat on my comfy bed and watched some telly

What am I doing? I don't even watch telly. At all.

Perhaps its the holiday mindset that's doing this to me. Haha!

We were required to gather at the outdoor concourse for a treasure hunt game.

Being briefed on the rules before we set-off on our hunt

Here's my task!

I was brimming with energy and adrenalin caught me on a choke-hold the moment I read it.

Always up for a good game, I had one goal in mind – to win this challenge! 

The fastest, most alert and smartest player will win. I hope it'll be me.

(Okay, I didn't know this is how I look when I run. So unglam LOL)

My closest rival was QuaChee.

We always found the next clues at the same time and as a fellow fitness buff, he was pretty darn quick too

We raced to the finish line and sprinted all the way! In the end, he won the challenge.

Great job! Good game, mate 

Perspiring heavily and sapped off our energy levels,

I reckon we were looking like zombie grub by the end of the afternoon

Game over. That was a good exercise. It gave me exactly the rush I needed.

I think I pretty much crashed on the bed by the time I trudged all the way back to my cabin.

But I recharged quickly and dressed down for an evening dip at the giant swimming pool!

It's time to work the cardio in the swimming pool today!

The swimming pool was mine and mine to dominate!

Waddling in the pool like a duck, swimming like a puppy and

lying on my back floating allowing the world to pass me by

Hey, it isn't everyday I just take a weekend away from the busy city to do absolutely nothing but relax.

The team behind Papulex Asia are amazing. Knowing that stress, tension and dirty/dusty city environment does contribute to acne and pimples, this weekend getaway to be one with nature was perfectly what we needed.

QuaChee and I in the pool

Walked back to my cabin after that fulfilling swim and had a long, hot bubble-bath.

I think I fell asleep at some point. Aromatherapy and relaxation does that to me.

We set off for dinner at another one of The Philea's restaurants – Bayu Cabana by the scenic river front and pool side. We had a warm and scrumptious steamboat meal altogether!

All of us!

The desserts stole my heart 

All of us enjoyed the dinner which seemed to keep coming and coming!

The chef kept refilling our steamboat pot and even helped me break open my crab. Yeah, I fail on all levels peeling crabs and prawns. How sad, I know. But he was nice enough to offer!

What's a weekend without good music and a few drinks? I had my favourite

White Russian at Chiillout Bar with some of the rest who was up for sprucing up their Saturday night

I headed back to my cabin a little after midnight.

Spent some me-time writing a few blog posts and surfing all my social media channels before I said goodnight to my fluffy pillows and crisp white sheets. I had the bed all to myself!

Had a good sleep, I must say, as I woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

For once, it felt different to wake up to the sweet melody of the birds in the morning, chirping of crickets and opening your windows to the smell of fresh, moist dew instead of being rudely awaken by cars blaring their honks or clanging from a nearby construction site.

Breakfast at another one of their restaurants – Nusantara!
 

Their fare presented an impressive choice of both international and Asian cuisines.

There were so much to choose from and I had breakfast like a King!

My breakfast! I couldn't finish it all 

We gathered at the al-fresco lounge and waited for the session with Dr. Hew Yin Keat, a professional skin specialist.

He's also the owner and Medical Director of M.A.C – Malaysian Aesthetic Clinic.

His clinic in Bangsar Shopping Center offers medical aesthetic procedures, corrective skincare and rejuvenation treatments without surgery, fusing science and aesthetics together!  So you know where to go now, aight? 

That's M.A.C (Malaysian Aesthetic Clinic) for you. Call for appointments : 03-20936136

The Question & Answer session was so enlightening!

Dr. Hew was patient, informative, explained so well in layman's terms and had a great sense of humour too

It went on with a rather intense discussion and sharing-learning session from Dr. Hew

Apart from the basic causes of acne, he also imparted us the knowledge of different types of acne, ways to prevent it and how to treat the infection if it spreads out of control.

Dr. Hew also showed us samples of procedures and their before & after results

Why we look so solemn and serious in the photo, is beyond me. Most likely he's showing us one of the most horrible skin conditions he has treated before and our minds were like "OH MY GOSH THAT'S SO DREADFUL".

After the sharing session, they held a quiz for us to test how much we know and have learnt about this entire campaign so far. Then it was time to check out and leave The Philea. I don't wanna go! I'll be fine living here forever LOL

We all headed to Malacca town to do a little bit of shopping and food hunt

I had a wonderful time being a Papulex Truthseeker. It was one heck of a ride!

View my previous blog posts here :

——> Part One

——> Part Two

——> Part Three

…and you're reading Part Four now! 

All of us! Team Malaysia consisting of us bloggers and the Papulex Asia representatives

From knowing and understanding the history of my skin condition, the true root causes of acne, spreading the truth and busting myths about acne, propagating confidence to other acne-ridden people, and introducing Papulex to our readers, of newfound friendship, good food and a fun weekend getaway, I would do this all over again, if I could.

Thank you, Papulex Asia! 

Men, when compared to their female counterparts, are definitely at a losing end in terms of the accessories they have at their dispense. 

I'm not referring to flamboyant embellishments hanging around their necks nor chunky, oversized diamonds that gleam from a mile away.

A certain accessory; very small in size, but speaks abundance of a man's confidence and success.

No prizes for guessing. It's none other than the watch he wears on his wrist

(In this case, it's MY WRIST la) 

I was honoured to be invited to a private event, by the renowned watch retailers of South East Asia – Red Army Watches Malaysia.

They brought us an intimate evening of a formal wine & dine in the heart of the city centre, Pavilion KL. 

Thought of going with the corporate chic look tonight 

Jessicat wears: Bandage dress in hot pink (a gift from a good friend!) | Hair-band in pink by Diva |

Tote bag in Raspberry Sorbet by Burberry | Blazer in royal blue (a gift from mom!) |

Peep-toe heels in navy by a boutique in Newcastle |

The massive traffic jam towards the city coupled with the heavy thunderstorm got me arriving a tad late for the evening. (Sorry for the wait, guys!)

My seat was right beside Mr Soemantri Kusumadi and directly in front of Ms Julianna Chai  – the lovely masterminds of Red Army Watches! 

With the husband & wife team!

They were such friendly, pleasant and down-to-earth people! 

I learned a lot about Red Army Watches from the introduction, and the stories they shared about their humble beginnings in 2004 till what they have become today – a chain of nine outlets in the region (Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia) 

Ms Julianna imparting us with an interesting, yet brief history of each of the watches

I was so enticed by their impressive collection of European imported timepieces and the success stories they related to us at the table!

All of us enjoyed the conversation over a delightful spread of Western cuisine at Circus Restaurant Lounge.

Here are some of the mouthwatering meals we had for dinner! 

My favourite White Russian cocktail (not in the menu, but you can ask for it!)

Truffle Shoestring Fries with grated parmesan & parsley tossed in truffle oil

Rack of Lamb served with rosemary potatoes and pistachio praline

My favourite Grilled Salmon Fillet served with lemon & caper sauce and sauteed asparagus

Codfish with Truffle Butter Foam served with mashed pumpkin and sauteed asparagus

Fondant Au Chocolat served with toffee & vanilla sauce and ice-cream

Lavender Creme Brulee served with peach sorbet, transparent orange tuile and caramalized fresh peach

It was definitely a scrumptious meal. I'm sure you can tell by the photos I took! 

Those weren't even ALL the food on our table, by the way. Nothing beats a wonderful evening with good company and amazing food!

I bet you must be keen to see the glamorous and exquisite timepieces already, right?

Well… here comes the best bit now! 

With my favourite piece from their range of watches!

During the session, I had the chance to personally admire, hold and even wear some of the timepieces in their collection

Totally smitten by their charming collection of luxury timepieces ♥

First on show is my favourite of them all,

the 100 Jahre (Years) Automatic 7608-1 by Zeppelin! 

Released in 2011, this watch commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Zeppelin Watch Company, which was founded by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, inventor of the Zeppelin aircraft. 

The Zeppelin line of watches is inspired by the elegance of zeppelin air travel, and its classic appearance is evident in its design and features.

RM3,073.00.

Measuring 42 millimetres in diameter, and water resistant at up to 5 atmospheres, this watch features a mechanic hand-wound Cal. 3133 movement, a 12 hour Chronograph, 23 jewel bearings and a crystal exhibition case on the back. 

Its beauty is characterized by the white ivory face, Breguet-style hands, black markings and a domed sapphire crystal cap on the dial, built into a satin stainless-steel frame with a calf grain leather strap.

***

Next on display was one of my favourites too,

the Baikal Moonphase 31679 by Poljot!

Inspired by the Russian Winter and named after Lake Baikal (in Southern Siberia), this watch measures 43 millimetres in diameter and is water resistant at up to 5 atmospheres.

It is encased by a domed sapphire crystal cap on the dial, and its screwed glass back allows the wearer to enjoy the gold-plated clockwork, finished with "Cotes de Geneve".

 RM4,124.00.

It features a polished stainless-steel case, guilloched dial (replicating the waters of Lake Baikal), moon phase indicator, Chronograph and classic Roman numeral markings. 

It's no wonder why I love this beauty so much… I've always had a thing for Chronograph watches! 

Putting it on with care

Wanna see?

Apart from reminding you of that meme, how do I look?

Absolutely in love with it. Dear Santa, you know what to do 

***

Next was the Bauhaus 6070-5 by Junkers. 

Taking a step back from the usual aviation-influenced style of Junkers watches, the Bauhaus line borrows heavily from the modernist art movement of the same, birthing the modern, yet elegant, watch you see here. 

RM1,070.00.

This particular model measures 40 millimetres in diameter and is water-resistant at up to 3 atmospheres. 

It features a quartz-controlled Ronda 515 movement, a beige face with neat black markings, and a hesalite cap, encased in a stainless steel frame.

***

The next piece comes in a very unique, astronaut-like casing. Why? You'll see.

The Gagarin 50th Anniversary Chronograph Special Edition by Sturmanskie

This fine piece of jewellery has quite a history to it.

In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel into space. 

During his 108 minute mission, he wore a Skurmanskie wrist watch. 50 years later, Sturmanskie has released this special edition piece to commemorate his historic journey.

RM3,964.00.

This majestic piece measures 44 millimetres in diameter and is water resistant at up to 3 atmospheres. 

It features a Poljot 3133 manual-winding movement, orange markings and a graphic of the earth (no doubt what Gagarin would have seen during his time in space) on the dial. 

This dial cap is of sapphire glass and encased in black PVD-coated stainless steel, its black rubber strap is embossed with Gagarin's name, and the back of the watch features Gagarin's bust in space attire. Supply is extremely limited!

***

Next was the La Neuveville Limited Edition by Rama Swiss Watch (RSW).

Released in 2012 to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the city of La Neuveville, home of RSW.

This watch was created in very limited quantities (700 to be exact!). There are two lines of the La Neuveville series: one automatic, and one quartz; only 700 of each model are available.

RM4,970.00.

This particular model measures 42 millimetres in diameter and is water-resistant at up to 3 atmospheres. It features a sexy stainless-steel case with a sleek eggplant dial, steel markings and its famous RSW crank crown.

The Limited Edition number is engraved on its side and the strap is made of black leather. 

***

Last, but but certainly not least, is a real beauty, and a very unique work of art too! 

the Gnomonic GT One by Schaumburg Watch

Handmade, featuring only one hand (to model the ancient sundial), this racing-inspired watch is the ultimate in chic men's fashion and Swiss watch making. 

The GT One measures a 46 millimetre diameter for ultimate time-keeping accuracy, and is water-resistant at up to 5 atmospheres. It features a Swiss-made SW20A automatic movement, and is available with a chronometer is desired. 

 RM4,638.00

LOL silly me, I'm holding it upside down!

The dial comes in both black and grey, and is capped with sapphire crystal.

The case is available in both brushed stainless-steel and black PVD, and its black leather a-jour strap features both red and dark-grey seams. 

ADDITIONAL INFO

There you have it, all six wonderfully luxurious timepieces described in detail, for your reading pleasure. Are you amazed yet? 

 'Cos I definitely was, whilst researching on the stories behind each watch. 

 

As a woman, I've always been an ardent subscriber of how the best piece of adornment on a man of should always be his watch, and is all the jewellery he needs.

Wristwatches are held in high regard as one of the few ways a man can exude his image, status and taste in fashion.

A wise man once said:

"When a guy takes off his coat, he's not going to fight.

When a guy takes off his wristwatch, watch out!"

– Al McGuire

Few more photos of the night! 

Brought bestiePam along to join me 

After dinner with Ms Julianna and Xavier

Final photo of the night before I left! Xavier and I

Thanks Xav and Red Army Watches, for a great evening 

Tonight was not only a night of luxury, but I went home twice as knowledgeable in wrist jewellery.

A marvellous collection by Red Army Watches, I must say… undoubtedly acquirable timepieces indeed!

Watch enthusiasts who wants to make any one of these amazing timepieces their own can:

Drop by any of the three Red Army Watches outlets at:

Tropicana City Mall @ Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Pavilion KL @ Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

One Utama @ Bandar Utama, Malaysia

Look them up online on:

Red Army Watches' official Facebook page

Red Army Watches' official website