Hi everyone! Sorry this post took a while, but hey… better late than never, right?

So here it is! Medavita’s 50th Anniversary gala dinner and hairshow 2013.

As the party was themed ‘Heritage from Black to White’, here’s my ensemble for the night.

Jessicat wears:

Dress: Fashion bazaar in Singapore | Chained clutch: Tony Bianco Australia

It could have been just another usual weekday for me, but when Winnie dear invited me to attend this gala event, I just couldn’t refuse when I heard that she would be performing a live hair demonstration alongside famed Italian hair maestros!

And thus begins my Thursday night. 

Arriving Sunway Hotel & Spa’s Grand Ballroom cocktail section

Bumped into buddy Leonard at the cocktail reception

Picture moments with the rest of the buddies – KouJee, Dennis, Jessicat, Tzia and Leo

With Edmund!

The gala didn’t start till later, so Tzia and I spent some time taking some selfies 😛

I know, how girly of us! Haha.

Entered the grand ballroom

The red carpet was fringed with display shelves of Medavita’s wide range of products.

I loved its neon, dewy lighting illuminating the product boxes!

Take a look at a few from the range of Medavita’s products:

I love their brushes! I’ve always used wooden brushes to brush my hair

and Medavita’s ones looked and felt great to touch. 

Managed to spend a little time with Winnie dear who was busy preparing for her hair performance!

Thanks for inviting me, gorgeous! 

With the man of the night, Stewart himself! Loved his demeanor; he was so sweet,

patient and down-to-earth despite being so busy taking care of the show!

Sat down at my table and mingled with the other lovely guests.

We had an 8 course Chinese banquet meal that night. This was the first!

The event began with Stewart kick-starting the function; giving us all a heart-warming speech.

He also shared with us what to expect from tonight.

Then we had more big guns from Medavita’s global team to give us a warm welcome.

The night elevated to a two live hair demonstrations by our very own Malaysian hair stylists.

As the event was themed ‘Heritage from Black to White’, it was only apt that the models came fully dressed in black and white as well! Throughout the live hair demonstration, a bevy of models with beautiful hairdos paraded the stage simultaneously.

Take a look at the first demo:

And here’s the second demo:

The second part of the show featured more live demonstrations.

This time, featuring golden touches straight from the land of Michelangelo. 

Urban Nation, comprising Italian duos Antonio Squatnito and Mario Anicito respectively showed us a very intricate hair styling method using whirls of hair made into spheres. Take a look for yourself:

Really one-of-a-kind if I say so myself. It isn’t every day you see the making of bizarre hair updos like this!

I took the chance to really scrutinize how they did it. 

Another live hair performance was next in line.

This time, Urban Nation showed the crowd a complete hair makeover from scratch!

None of those elaborate props were required anymore. They went back to basics with only their deft fingers, all the experience they had under their belt, and a pair of scizzors.

I particularly took a liking for their ‘chopping’ technique. This is when they part a section of the model’s hair, twist it tightly and began chopping at the hair twist profusely with their scizzors while twisting/rotating it.

It might sound complicated but I was so impressed by how they did it! I’m quite the fan of choppy, rugged and rough-around-the-edges hairstyles.  There will be a video at the end of this post, so don’t worry!

The whole team of models and  hairstylists with Urban Nation on stage.

There was a short break in between the performances so I took the chance to continue eating my dinner.

I was so engrossed in the show that I hardly touched my food!

We were entertained by Dennis Lau on his electric violin!

Look at him go.

He played a fantastic medley of classic and contemporary numbers.

Our next entertainer was Jimmy Sax, and my oh my,

I haven’t heard a saxophone playing live in a long time!

What was performed before us was indeed more than superb dinner entertainment for all.

A collaboration two musical instruments, the electric violin and the saxophone, by two talented people playing back-to-back hits from the yesteryears as well as catchy tunes of today?
It was divine. 

While having dinner. Selfies of Tzia and I at the table.

We dragged Leo into the picture as well haha!

Stewart and I had a chat during dinner as well!

I told him how much I’m enjoying the night so far.

It was brilliant and I couldn’t wait for the night to continue unfolding.

With Crystal and Marcus, along with Dennis who has just finished performing!

Medavita’s Artistic Director and the star of the show, Mauro Lulli was up next in demonstrating his trade to us.

Having styled many well-known icons and the likes of Madonna and Elizabeth Taylor, to name a few, we were all looking forward to what the legendary Mauro Lulli has hidden up his sleeve tonight. 

The Italian powerhouse perfectly illustrated a fusion of both European and English hair styles on Asian hair, using Medavita’s hair gels, wax, colours and hair sprays on Japanese models.

What I was looking forward to the most was the duet live performance of both Mauro Lulli and Winnie Loo on stage! They will be showcasing their techniques in the making of a hair-styling routine for us.

Mauro Lulli and Winnie Loo in the midst of their performance.

Mauro backcombing a model’s straight hair.

After achieving the volume he desired, Mauro began pinning her wavy hair back into rolls.

Winnie was literally illustrating a hair-raising performance for us!

Such a classy, meticulous updo.

If you’d think it’s impossible to get a beehive hair this high and this big, think again.

Twisting, pinning and hairspraying.

With a strong base, Winnie has practically completed it in what felt like only 15 minutes!

Well done dear! That’s why she’s my favorite hair artist of all time.

Many of you wanted to see the return of my red hair. Guess who was the master behind it?

Winnie, of course!  *hugs*

Her golden touches to my new red hair will be coming soon in a full blog post.

Models sashaying down the runway while the performance was in motion.

More models with even more interesting hairdos.

Such stunning looks. Their extraordinary hairdos complements their ballgowns amazingly well.

I’ve said this before in several blog posts: hair can really make a vast difference to oneself!

Mauro and Winnie having a chat on stage after all their effort,

while their models catwalked the fruits of their labour.

Hairstyle by Mauro.

Hairstyle by Winnie.

The final performance wowed us  not only with hair-styling, but with a gist of fashion styling/direction by hair maestro Mauro Lulli himself. He styled an evening bridal look which surprisingly, was very quick, simple, yet elegant!

Let’s start with the wavy updo. Lots and lots of hairspray and bobby pins were used to create this hairstyle.

After completing the hair do with the last finishing touches of perfection, he unveiled the black cloak to reveal a magnificent silvery-white ballgown. 

That wasn’t all! The talented Mauro Lulli then whipped out a white translucent mesh sash and began to fold and tug at it. I couldn’t really see what he was doing exactly (blame my poor eyesight!) but here’s what he did.

Are you ready to see the results?

It’s beautiful! 

I would never have thought of that. Doesn’t it look every bit of an exquisite wedding gown now?

It’s no wonder the closing demonstration drew a loud applause from the crowd and even a standing ovation!

Crystal and I spent some time chit-chatting after the show!

She’s adorable, no? 

When everything came to an end, all the models and hair artists took to the stage once last time.

I was so glad to see them again, as I didn’t really get enough of the demonstration earlier! One by one, the models strutted their stuff and graced the catwalk with their perfectly-executed hair art, as I’d like to call it.

Check out the short video I made of the night.

If your imagination of everything I described didn’t quite cut it, you can finally put motion to my words.

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWvsbOeG4UQ&feature=youtu.be” ]

Watch this video to see how these hair professionals work their mighty scizzors.

I left the event feeling very honoured to have watched many talented individuals in the hair industry perform such an art, which is more often than not, undercelebrated.

Generally, the public often only appreciates the results of the trade – the final hair cut or hair style.

But what actually comes into the making of it? From what I’ve seen in tonight’s hair demonstrations, it is no less than true passion, skills, experience, creativity, and a good eye for trends. 

Thank you, Medavita for showing us what an art hairdressing can be tonight.

And heartiest congratulations on achieving the 50 year milestone!

Last but not least, thank you, Winnie for extending me the invitation.

You were brilliant on stage!  And I had a great time that night.

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For more information on Medavita or how you can check out their products:

Log on to their official website at: www.medavita.it (you might need an Italian translator!)

LIKE Medavita Malaysia’s Facebook page: here

P/S: A Cut Above salons also carries Medavita! Check out their Facebook page too.

It was a night of never-seen-before fashion taken to jaw-dropping wonder and extreme measures.

I gladly accepted the invitation when I received Winnie’s text message one evening. It is my utmost pleasure to be at another one of her marvellous events!

Brought my other half to the party with me.

Celebrating over three decades (34 years, to be exact!) of prominence in the hair industry, A Cut Above threw an out of this world hair X fashion show in conjunction with Mid Valley Megamall Fashion Week 2013. 

The party was aptly named Amazing 34.

She told me that it was going to be an avant-garde and punk inspired evening. So being me, I stuck to the theme as closely as possible. 

Just a little snippet of what I wore (I know my manicure should be black instead of red though!)

Here is my top-to-toe lookbook for the event. I decided to adopt a glam-rock look tonight.

Jessicat wears:

Leopard print corset by Supre | Asymmetrical skirt from a fashion bazaar |

Acessories by Diva | Studded wedges by Vincci+ | Knuckle ring clutch by Nose

We got there just in time! 

The host for the evening, Chui Ling, had just started to give us guests a warm welcome.

Chui Ling looking classy on stage

She then called upon Winnie, founder of A Cut Above Group, to join her on stage to make an appearance.

I was so glad to see her out and about already and making a seemingly good recovery progress (from her recent car injuries). Her speech was short and sweet – as always. 

Looking fine as ever, Winnie thanked us guests for being here tonight and

promised that we will be wowed by what we were about to see.

And oh yes, I believe her! 

I was excited and rushed to the front of the stage

(with my significant other in tow!) to get the best view.

Tonight featured three distinct themes: punk, edgy runway trends with a twist, and the avant-garde.

Let’s take a look at the first one, shall we? PUNK – here we go! 

Local band An Honest Mistake looking mighty punk-ish tonight!

They rocked their original tracks including their latest ‘Giddy Up Horsie, This Chase Ain’t Waiting for You’

I almost couldn’t recognize buddy Leonard, as I’ve never seen him looking like that before 

And with the blue mohawk (wig) hairdo? It goes pretty well on him!

Darren and Leonard rocking the stage on electric guitars!

I’ve always been a fan of punk, alternative rock and easycore music since high school.

Had fun headbanging with them with the crowd! 

While they were performing, a bevy of models began to sashay down the stage showcasing trendy runway coordinates with an edgy twist and attitude to boot! How often would you see a band playing their songs with a fashion show happening in unison?

Yup, definitely not the typical hair/fashion show you would expect.

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Oh and if stylish pieces and latest outfits are your thing, do check out www.enni.net.au.

It’s a online apparel store based in Australia. Yup, that’s your doman of fashion right there! 

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This was one of my favorites! On top of the very unique make-up and silvery mohawk, I

totally love her spiked bralet, the studded leather jacket and the grafitti-print pants 

Awesome combination of dangling chains, paper-frills and blue ringlets in her hair

Another hair-raising glam punk fashion in view! Quite literally too.

With a red-black mohawk, this model featured heavily tattooed arms,

a neon coloured mesh strapped in belts and black liquid leggings with fishnet stockings

Watch the short video we made

Once that was over and done with, a series of avant-garde collection stole the limelight the moment models adorned in experimental fashion strutted the catwalk. 

I managed to shoot each and every style paraded on the runway. Let’s have a look at them, shall we?

This reminded me of a prison inspired uniform with a cushioned overcoat!

A giant velvet bow adorned his collar. His lips were of powdery white, and so was his hair.

This model showcased a side-shaven buzzcut with shimmery silver and black coordinate

(I used to sport this hairstyle too, but in red!)

 Bold and stylishly edgy.

I’ve seen some fashionistas donning this look lately!

This model portrayed a very metro-modern look with

side-combed hair and sci-fi inspired glasses

This model had a dual coloured trojan-mohawk.

Brown on his left and bright red when he turned to reveal his right!

He was draped in brown and black fur, fish net sleeves with marble designs on his tightpants

This model (with an impressive physique no less!) came out in a skin-tight spandex outfit,

long flowing “hair” and looking like a dangerous cross betwen Darth Vader X skull face.

 I honestly don’t know how he can see while catwalking!

This model featured a semi-formal look with a daring twist. Huge ruffles of black frills

adorned his shoulder and netting were binded around his legs

Covered fully in a black cloak, the blonde dip-dyed mohawk

stood out boldly from this look

Can anyone say Avatar with a warm, bronze twist? These ‘conjoined twins’ walked

with an aura of Red Indian braves, the kind that would instil fear and respect from their tribe

In her very high platforms and metallic silver outfit, this model walked precariously

on stage and I even held my breath with every step she took! 

Mysterious and clandestine, this model walked up slowly but steadily on stage

dressed fully in shiny black and large circular tubes in tow

Adapting science fiction fantasy into fashion, this outer space-like model

catwalked on the runway on stilts and threw a few stunts too!

Doesn’t this look like a giant optical illusion? 

The final performance was a very dainty and sophisticated one.

It was interesting to see how ballet and hair were fused together.

While ballet dancing, this nimble and quick artist transformed her white hair almost entirely to red!

Amazing 34 was indeed a visually arresting showcase of both radical hair and fashion works of art. 

I was wowed over completely. It may have taken only a few minutes for each model to exhibit each fashion statement, but the amount of effort, designing and styling by the creative minds at work behind everything we saw tonight certainly deserved a standing ovation.

It is with such creativity and innovation in the hair and fashion industry that commanded a

humongous crowd witnessing the unique display at Amazing 34 that night.

Just when you thought the show was over, A Cut Above had another surprise in store for us all.

The larger-than-life sized red centrepiece which we all thought was just a prop started to move about.

And the final model of the evening emerged!

Everyone, myself included, was startled but pleasantly surprised! 

She reminded me of Queen ‘Padme’ Amidala from Star Wars.

Although appearing mildly menacing, her moves were graceful, and her gestures, elegant.

Check out the runway video we made featuring the avant-garde collection

This wasn’t in the day’s agenda, but looks like the surprise element came from someone else this time.

Guess who decided to surprise our dear Winnie instead?

Her adorable god daughter Crystal Lee crooning Miley Cyrus’ ‘The Climb’ and Jessie J’s ‘Price Tag’ to all of us

My favorite part was when she rapped. Although I’ve heard her sing this song many times,

I can never get enough of listening to her rap that verse

Winnie giving her speech of gratitude for a successful night.

It’s always beautiful to see the mother-daughter love between them; so sweet and moving! 

The event came to a closure with the fashion designers and stylists making their way on stage.

A thunderous applause followed thereafter, for without the entire creative team behind this brainchild, we would not be able to even catch a glimpse of such challenging and meticulously-crafted masterpieces of fashion! 

Winnie was extremely busy buzzing about everywhere but I managed to catch her after the show!

She still looked so gorgeous and glowing even by the end of the day. 

I would be so stressed, frazzled and sweating buckets if I was the one hosting a show as huge as this!

Back to back with my favorite hair personality of all time, Winnie! 

Thank you for a wonderful Tuesday night of a spectacular, out-of-this-world fashion and hair party.

A Cut Above never fails to impact their guests with of the most eye-catching and trend-setting that ever existed.

With the beau, who was my date for this exclusive event

With Edmund of A Cut Above. Thank you too, for the invite!

I’ve known him for a while too, Ed’s such a nice and patient person to deal with

Ohai! Bumped into Josh and Olivia at the party too.

We were standing beside each other during this entire time and I didn’t even realize till after!

With sweet and stunning Amber after the show

We have a funny story. Also, I cannot count the number of times Paul and I

bump into each other whenever we shoot events. Expect a collabo soon! 

Ben and I catching up. It’s been a while! Also, he coaches amazing

catwalks by the way, thus hailing him as the catwalk guru! 

Winnie with the creative team gathering on stage for a final appearance

To me, this party was more than just a celebration of 34 years of excellence. It was no doubt, a hallmark and pinnacle of modernism in the domain of fashion and hair. 

Breaching boundaries and departing from practical guidelines of fashion as well as society’s usual expectations of style and appearance, tonight was hands down, a cut above the rest of all the other fashion week events I’ve attended this year!

Kudos to the mastermind of the entire concept behind A Cut Above’s Amazing 34!

You’ve outdone yourself again, Winnie dear 

One more thing, most of you always ask me where I usually get my hair done.

I have only one answer – where else but A Cut Above? 

Out of all the hair salons that I’ve tried, I only recommend and trust A Cut Above to give you only the best of anything hair-related. From hair cuts,  hair treatments, to hair makeovers or anything at all, rest assured it’s handled by the experts! 

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Hair appointments can be made by:

Contacting them at +603-2283 3131

You can also:

Visit their official website at www.acutabove.com.my

Join A Cut Above Group of Salons on Facebook

Or follow @acutabovegroup on Twitter and Instagram

“Charity . . . is the opium of the privileged.” ― Chinua Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah.

Tonight certainly made that old adage crystal clear, as A Cut Above Group of Salons was set to deliver a night of love, music and kindness in its finest grandeur.

I was honoured to be invited to this philanthropic celebration, known as 'A Musical Evening for the Children' in Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa's Grand Ballroom.

My look tonight is influenced by the grace of Greek goddesses.

I was aiming for purity, grace and elegance and attended the evening donning white and gold

Here's what I wore to the event:

Accessories in gold & the white sequinned toga dress is from a boutique in Melbourne, Australia

I arrived the venue and was already amazed by the first thing I saw; the decorations of the building!

All set for an ethereal night ahead!

Upon entering the Grand Ballroom

The moment I arrived, Winnie dearest, the Chief Creative Director & Founder of A Cut Above had just begun giving her welcoming speech.

Great! Just in time 

Winnie Loo addressing all her guests

She spoke of her aims of this ball & ultimately wanted us to enjoy our evening with her.

Just by listening to her speak, I knew she had high hopes for tonight and I could also forsee that it will be a successful evening; leaving us with beautiful memories and warmth in our hearts.

I was ushered to my table and took my seat

The celebrity emcees of the evening – Chui Leng and Baki Zainal

He had a really epic hairdo!

It was all shaved around the sides but had some sort of dreadlocks tied up in a long ponytail.

Before gala began, there was a cheque presentation to the Malaysian Children's Aid Society (MACAS)

As expected, the contributions, donations & sales from the charity was a success! 

If you can't see from the mock cheque above, the amount was an impressive figure of RM312,000!

That's an amazing figure, don't you think? But that's not all.

An auction for an exquisite piece of jewellery was held at the end of the gala! More on that shortly!

The main VVIP table

The very first entertainment of the night was a graceful performance of ballet dancing!

The children were decked in adorable animal outfits dancing in a nimble, yet sensual & languid motion

Moving to the rhythm 

These lovely children were from Karen Barnes Dance Studio, who danced to 'Symphony of the Forests'

Their moves were smooth, synchronized and executed in perfect harmony. Well done, kids! 

Next up, was our favorite nine year old songbird Crystal Lee!

She belted out several renditions of popular songs, ranging from the oldies/classics to the contemporary.

It was wonderful to see her wide range of vocals at such a tender age! 

This little songbird wowed us all with her confidence and melodious voice.

She actually looked really tiny singing her solos all alone on the huge stage!

See what I mean? 

But she wasn't going to be alone any longer.

Her mentor, violinist Dennis Lau joined her onstage and performed an incredible duet with his prodigy!

They brought down the house with a mind-blowing version of Jessie J's Price Tag!

I couldn't help but to bop my head to the rhythm & sing along with them too!

A photo with Dennis and Crystal 

A stark contrast of musical entertainment soon followed.

Heavy bass filled the air! All produced not by the speakers or the sound systems of the event, but by the mere sounds coming from one's throat. 

I'm sure you've heard of beatboxing 

Koujee the beatboxer amazed the crowd with his remarkable and rather rare vocal talent.

Koujee beatboxing!

He then burst into a duet with Dennis Lau who once again, made his appearance on stage.

Their breathtaking combination of both vocals and instrumental talent got the crowd roaring for more! It was a very peculiar medley of beatboxing & electric violins but it worked so well! 

Koujee & Dennis Lau performing a duet

Among the tunes I managed to catch were Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling, Benni Benassi's Satisfaction, PSY's Gangnam Style and several more others all mashed up together in a seamless duet.

They even got down from the stage towards the crowd and personally entertained some of the main tables

We were next serenaded by Enfinity Academy's 14 student choir group of all ages!

After their heart-rending choir, the Glitterama Ladies Charity Group then stole the limelight.

They were dressed to the nines in embellished and flamboyant ball gowns with decollete necklines! 

The 24 beautiful ladies stood before us, ready to sing their hearts out in unison

Winnie was part of it too! I loved her ravishing mustard-yellow ruffled and bowed ball gown

It reminded me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast

These stunning ladies dazzled with us with not only their alluring beauty, but also their diversely distinct vocals in belting out various alto and baritone/soprano notes 

Singing with passion

We were captivated by their renditions of 'Phantom of the Opera' and a Whitney Houston medley of 'Greatest Love of All', 'Saving All My Love for You' and 'I Will Always Love You'. 

Award winning ballroom-dancers, Cecilia Yong & Alfred Choo complemented the Phantom of the Opera moment

It was plain to see that all the guests of the evening were having a ball of a time. 

What could be better than an exclusive gala of friends, food, music all in the name of good faith?

Sipping on my 3rd pint of Kronenbourg amidst all the chattering and catching up 

The next two notable singers to steal the show and wow us with their impressive voices were Vic Teo and Dina Nadzir of Malaysian Idol (Season 1) fame.

He had a very Michael Buble-cum-Il Divo vibe about him when he sings!

His deep and velvety voice worked the soul, swing and jazz numbers in perfect harmony

Dina performed a very cheeky Malay classic song & vocal pop

She executed it so well, befitting her bubbly personality!

I would know! As I religiously followed Malaysian Idol and loved her voice and demeanour since 2004

I was getting even more and more captivated by the line-up of entertainment for the night. 

It was such a luxurious and sophisticated ball of magnificent talents! 

Dama Orchestra soprano Rachel Tan performing the symphonic 'Think of Me' and a classical 'Time to Say Goodbye'

Just when you thought the next act would be another fine vocalist, the night surprised us with a twist

Next up, was a special appearance by the 16 finalists of the Miss Universe Malaysia  2013 pageant.

They strutted down the runway in a catwalk featuring the elegant, chic and feminine fashion designs of Bill Keith's latest collection. 

Sashaying down the stage

The winner of the Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 was Carey Ng (left) by the way!

She will be representing Malaysia in the Miss Universe pageant next year to compete with other winners from other 89 countries. All the best, and make us proud, girl! 

A bright red expression

The next highlight of the evening was a one-of-a-kind, show-stopping hair & fashion show.

Not even a slight hint of exaggeration! See it for yourself 

I held my breath when they walked precariously on those killer sky-high heels!

The eccentric hairdos I saw left me shell-shocked. They were very unconventional and was certainly a bold prophesy of future fashion conventions and standards. 

This could very well set the bar! 

This avant garde fashion showcase left me feeling like I was in some alter-universe of a galactic fantasy.

It was bold, and many never-seen-before gender-bending styles were brought to life.

The MCs of the evening then announced the results of the silent auction

Throughout the dinner course, a silent auction of an 18K Gold South Sea Pearl Necklace Set With Diamonds from Flower Diamond were being bid for. 

I don't have the exact photograph of the resplendent pearl neckpiece in question, but it looks similar to this

The final call of RM34,800 by Dato’ AK Nathan won the bid, 

contributing another immense amount of money to the proceeds!

He was personally called up on stage by Winnie as she publicly acknowledged his kind, colossal contribution

Winnie's & MACAS' gratitude towards him was expressed with a warm bear hug 

Spread the love!

Here are some photos of the night with friends and associates 

We had a superb time catching up over dinner and the stellar entertainment!

Edmund and I 

Ben and I 

Leo and I 

Gim Ean and I 

Joshua and I 

Leo, Casey and I 

A night of music, talents and merriment steeped in love, kindness and compassion, was all what I had expected from A Cut Above's 'A Musical Evening for the Children' charity ball & gala dinner that night.

And true to its aims, the night was, hands down, certainly a memorable one. 

Here's a short video I made of the night! Watch it 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7XihjSwnQ

Enjoy!

“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” 

― Mother Teresa

Winnie dearest and I   Doesn't she look stunning?! 

(She's wearing the same pearl necklace auctioned for RM30K+ earlier)

I'm so glad all her hard work & efforts with her team was well-worth every sweat & toil for the past few months in planning, coordinating and executing a spectacular night for us all to commemorate 

Tonight was elaborately celebrated, but its sole aim was simple, charitable and remained truest to the heart.

Congratulations to the A Cut Above Group for raising RM346,800 in total,

instantly catapulting this charity gala ball to greater success! 

From zero to hero in less than 3 hours.

This must be magic? No it’s not. It’s the Brazilian Keratin Treatment! 

Remember the recent tragedy/mishap that completely fried my hair previously?

Deep fried grass. There was nothing I could do.

Except…only one way to fix it.

Making sure it is given a good treatment to restore it back to health & its natural shine as well as having my destroyed ends perpetually cut off, little by little.

Shot these photos just before undergoing the hair treatment.

My dry & unmanageable, frizzy mane  I hated its damaged & rough texture!

There was only one place that came to mind. One place with the expertise that I trust to rescue my hair

So I hopped into my car and drove there immediately

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Before I begin, let me announce that I’ve decided to wait 3 weeks after this hair appointment

to publish this blogpost as I wanted to testify and prove that the results of

the hair treatment I underwent can be easily maintained and can actually last. 

After almost a month, it certainly proved it’s worth, my hair is still very smooth, healthy and straight – so impressive! 

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I dropped in for my hair appointment at A Cut Above in Mid Valley Megamall

I loved the neat and minimalist-yet-classy concept of A Cut Above’s interior.

It was spacious and brightly lit too! Here, take a look 

The front desk/counter & the walkway

Various hair products & brands were displayed on a big open showcase of cabinets

Beautiful, right? I took my seat in this zone

Chief Creative Director & Founder of A Cut Above, Winnie Loo, consulted me on the condition of my hair. She’s one amazing person, by the way. One that I have much respect for since the day we met in 2009. 

I trusted the fate of my hair upon her. What’s not to trust? 

She’s a dear friend and also the bigboss of A Cut Above, that speaks for itself!

Winnie recommended me their latest technology, the Brazilian Keratin Treatment, as it would be the most suitable for my frizzy, wavy & unmanageable hair.

After she accessed the texture of my hair and gave me her consultation, she gave her staff some instructions before they began the procedures.

Ready for a detailed, long review and in-depth description of my experience?

Since many of you have been asking me to explain and shed some light on the Brazilian Keratin Treatment that I personally underwent, here it is! 

STEP 1 : Hair Wash/Cleansing

My hair was first washed with normal shampoo to cleanse my oily scalp.

Then it was washed again with a Pre-Treatment Cleanser and left to leave-in for 10 minutes. This is to ensure that my hair cuticles are gently opened, impurities stripped away and ready to absorb the KeraStraight treatment. 

STEP 2 : Preparation

My hair was towel-dried & blow-dried to remove the remaining moisture.

A light mist of Pre-Treatment Spray was sprayed on all the porous & weak areas of my hair.

After spraying a copious amount of Pre-Treatment Spray, they lightly blowdried it again.

At this point, my hair was ready for the treatment! 

This is the Brazilian Keratin Treatment solution used on me – the KS Complex Treatment by KeraStraight

Fun Fact! 

This Complex Treatment is a protein based straightening & repair treatment for normal, wavy, unruly & damaged hair. It is formulated with low pH protein technology which improves the condition of the hair and smoothens it. 

My hair was separated into sections & clipped up for easier manageability 

STEP 3 : Application

When they began to apply the KS Complex treatment liberally to all the sections of my hair, I was already bracing myself.

Had initially expected a pungent chemical smell to fill the air, but I was so wrong!

Making sure the treatment is evenly spread on all the strands of my hair

It had a light, sweet and fruity scent to it – to my utmost surprise!

This made my experience all the more pleasant.

STEP 4 : Development

They had it to leave-on for about 20 minutes so that the treatment “sinks in” properly.

Gotta make sure it’s benefits are maximised and penetrated deep into my hair shafts! 

STEP 5 : Blow-drying

Once the treatment had set in during the previous stage, they both began to blow-dry my hair with medium heat.

I was impressed how it made good progress. The results were already beginning to show a bit even when the the entire process of the Brazilian Keratin Treatment was not over yet.

My hair definitely felt softer & less frizzy even at this stage! 

They also used a paddle brush to help smooth my hair during the blow-drying process

The next step fascinated me a whole lot. I was given a surgical paper mask to wear.

When I glanced at both the hairstylists attending to me, they were already wearing it!

How interesting. This is the very first hair treatment I’ve undergone that required me to wear a mask!

The both of them and I with our masks and their latex gloves. So professional; safety first! 

Before I could even ask why we needed to wear the mask, they noticed my puzzled expression and explained to me what the masks were for. 

Apparently, some customers didn’t like the smell of the gas or couldn’t stand the mere sight of the “smoke” emitting from their hair. 

STEP 6 : Ironing

I didn’t mind the smoke/gas at all. In fact, I thought it was pretty cool 

But rest assure to everyone out there, there is no need to be paranoid or worried.

A Cut Above only uses the Brazilian Keratin Treatment by KeraStraight. Their products are Formaldehyde (toxic carcinogen) free! 

The Brazilian Keratin Treatment requires a process of sealing the liquid keratin right into the hair cuticles.

For this purpose, a heated flat hair iron is used.

Winnie took some time off her busy schedule to check on the progress

She made sure everything was going fine. It sure was! Her team of hair stylists were doing great.

We engaged in some chit-chat while the two of them were still ironing the liquid keratin into my hair.

She also explained to me certain interesting facts about this Brazilian Keratin Treatment

as I was curious to know how some of the processes work

I have to admit though, I was rather afraid when I saw the smoke and how they ironed my hair several times. 

I thought that my hair was on fire or that it was going to be ‘fried’ or ‘burnt’ during this process!

Winnie debunked my initial worries and assured me that I have nothing to worry about. The high volume of protein in the keratin solution has coated my hair and acts as a form of protection from any damage. 

Without the heat from the flat iron, the liquid keratin will not be able to penetrate the hair shaft as effectively anyway.

Check out how smooth and frizz-free my hair looks after the ironing!

It looks flat here because it’s fresh off the hot iron!

But it won’t be flat for long because the next step is…

STEP 7 : Shampoo & Condition (Mask)

He then rinsed my hair from all the treatment cream and shampooed it clean.

The KeraStraight Straight Maintain Shampoo was used.

This shampoo is great as it is sodium chloride & sulphate free. (More about that at the end of this post!)

After that, he conditioned my hair with the KeraStraight Protein Mask to leave-on for 5 minutes

Fun fact!

This protein mask is a powerful concentration of low-weight proteins that reconstruct & revitalize damaged hair. It improves hair elasticity & rebuilds it as well – preventing breakage! 

Washed everything off once it finished setting in!

STEP 7 : Blow-dry to finish!

We have come to the end of my two-hour Brazilian Keratin Treatment session.

It was a very fascinating and eye-opening experience. My hair has never been this hydrated and healthy! It felt so much softer to the touch and the texture was so much smoother and frizz-free.

My hair’s natural shine has been restored & enhanced 

Apart from having softer, smoother & shiner hair, this Brazilian Keratin Treatment has semi-permanent straightening effects too.

As it naturally straightened, the result lasts for at approximately 4 months depending on your hair type and your own protein keratin in your hair’s inner structure. 

After-treatment care is extremely encouraged.

The KeraStraight Straight Maintain Shampoo & Conditioner!

The former is a luxury Sulphate-free shampoo that maximises the effects of the KeraStraight treatment.

It washes & cleanses gently without stripping away the protective layer of Keratin. 

The latter is specially designed to lightly moisturise the hair with its blend of complex proteins.

This lightweight conditioner’s low pH of 3.5 locks the hair shaft to prolong the results of the treatment.

Loving the results so much! 

I fully recommend this treatment above everything else for healthier & gorgeous hair!

Finally, it doesn’t look like unruly, deep fried grass on my head anymore.

This comes from the girl you know with bright red hair for the past 6 years. Throughout all my years of chemically-altered & damaged hair from all the bleaching, self-tonged-curling, dying, straightening, perming and everything else I’ve done to my hair, this Brazilian Keratin Treatment has done my hair a favour!

So yes, I can definitely vouch for this 

The starting price, depending on your hair type/condition, begins at RM600 (enquire within!)

Alright, alright. I know a lot of people will freak out when they think of the price.

To be very honest, I think this high-tech, natural treatment which strengthens & repairs your hair from within and without, is well worth every penny & a good investment to your hair.

I personally have spent so much on my hair (amounting up to several thousands!) over the years trying to give my hair the best it deserves.

After numerous, various hair treatments I’ve done & experienced, I’ve came to one conclusion –

– You decide you want to be stingy on your hair, so you only fork out RM80-RM200 for a mediocre 

hair treatment with high hopes that it will guarantee you healthier, stronger and smoother hair.

– You achieve only the result of softer hair which will last you for a couple of days, or a week, at most.

– You are dissatisfied and return for another hair treatment thinking that 

‘it is good to go for a hair treatment once every few months’.

– Your hair is still unhealthy from the inside, still damaged and not even close to being silky-smooth.

– Three times undergoing that so-called hair treatment of sub-par quality

(one that does not repair your hair but only gives you temporary softness!) would already amount to RM600. 

Do you see what I mean yet?

I was a very happy girl with very happy, healthy hair that afternoon

My point exactly. So.. why don’t you just put that RM600 to good use for the hair professionals to give you a high quality treatment that guarantees healthier, stronger & shinier hair once and for all?

Your hair will thank you for this.  Mine sure did; I could almost hear it 

Three cheers for the Brazilian Keratin Treatment – a newfound gift to hair!! 

After the hair treatment, I felt like having a trim or a nice cut to complement my brand new hair.

With her deft fingers and skills, Winnie so graciously gave my hair a magic touch 

Snip snip snip!

The master at work 

Being one that favours the bold, daring & experimental when it comes to hair styles, I left the decision entirely up to my hairmaster Winnie to surprise me with something new.

She told me that she will give me an edgy, non-conventional haircut to suit my personality.

Winnie truly read my mind  She’s wonderful!

She also gave me back my buzz-shaved, Skrillex-inspired undercut!

And lastly… a short, bold set of bangs!

DONE!!! 

What do you think? Something different, hey? 

Cool, right? I loved my new look so much! 

RIGHT – BACK – LEFT

She maintained my concave slant of my short hair but made it so much more choppier, edgier and deliberately uneven – just the way I like it! I noticed how this creative cut was also crafted to bear more of my nape tattoo.

Told you she’s a wonder. Blessed with talents & an amazing personality yet so down-to-earth and fun! 

I had a delightful time at A Cut Above. So thankful that my hair is in good hands now 

They made sure I didn’t leave without the after-care products too 

So for you people out there who have been asking me about dry/damaged/frizzy hair, you know what to do 

I hope my first-hand experience was comprehensive enough to guide you with everything you need to know about the Brazilian Keratin Treatment! I will continue giving you the latest updates bout new stuff/promos from A Cut Above!

Try it for yourself! You’ll be impressed by the results.

Today it has already been 3 weeks and counting! The long-lasting effects showed no signs of diminishing so far

The KeraStraight Brazilian Keratin Treatment is only available at A Cut Above Group of Salons.

To make your appointment, call 03-22833131 or visit their webbie at www.ACutAbove.com.my for more details.

Hello hello! It's Sunday again & I'm feeling so energized!

All pumped up from today's gym session but my legs feel like complete jelly at the moment. 

I'm a work in progress. 

Well I guess that's whatchu get from insane, merciless core trainings & floor workouts of crunches burpees, front planks, leg-lifts, push-ups, lunges, sit-ups, squats yesterday and straight on to today's high-intensity Body Combat session as well as more crunches & planking. 

I think I over-exert myself sometimes 

Which is why I only drink Horley's Sculpt protein shakes to restore the protein I need from all those mad workouts

Today's choice of gym shoes: Adidas Adipure 360 for Body Combat & floor workouts! Thanks Adidas Malaysia 

I need a massage to relieve my tired muscles. Pronto! 

Oh and I think I've said this before, I eat like a pig but I train like a hunting dog.

I can never say no to mamak food. Oh the delicious curry, tandoori chicken, spices & thosai

We all gotta reward ourselves sometimes. Heh. heh. heh.

My treats include chocolate, milkshakes & cheese cakes. 

So if you're feeling kind or want to fatten me up with anything like how the 'Hansel & Gretel' witch tried to do to Hansel, you can make me a happy girl 

Which was exactly what the wonderful peeps at Pizza Hut Malaysia did last Tuesday.

I was invited to the Pizza Hut Cheesy 7 Red Carpet party!

They blindfolded me while I sampled the Cheesy 7 pizza – which was a much-speculated comeback.

(Full blogpost coming soon!)

What I wore for the night! 

After sinfully good food, I always I burn off what I eat – if not at least half of the consumed calories.

Let's kick some arse.

And the gym has always my second home since 2007 

Yes, I'm emphasizing the year I became a gym rat, because lately, I've had many people asking me "So what made you so into fitness & gym all of a sudden?"

  You asked the question five years too late, baby. 

My answer would be – NOTHING. Because I've always been into health & fitness.

Throughout all these years as a fitness junkie, I've never shared my routines nor workout photos before. (I think the most obvious is my constant tweeting and Foursquare check-ins into various gyms and parks).

So, I hope you guys don't ask me the same question anymore pretty please T__T

Here's a Thai restaurant I'd like to recommend – Restoran Aroma Thai @ Damansara Perdana

Tom Yam Seafood soup, Pineapple Rice, Thai-style Curry Beef, Pandan Chicken & Cashewnut Prawns

They all tasted authentic and each were reasonably priced around the range of RM8 – RM20

Attended the Topshop Members Day party on a Thursday night

Major love for polaroids! Always wanted a polaroid camera 

My Thursday was quite eventful. It was spent undergoing a very special procedure for my hair.

It is the Brazilian Keratin Treatment  This is only available at A Cut Above hair salons!

I daresay it was the best & most professionally done treatment for my recently-damaged hair

(Full blogpost coming soon!)

The gorgeous & talented Winnie Loo also gave my hair a magical touch with her expertise at haircuts

She gave me a very bold & edgy new asymmetrical hairstyle – just the way I like it

Can't wait to blog about the entire experience at A Cut Above!

I had so much fun with dearest Winnie experimenting new & unconventional looks for me.

Dinner Thursdate with boyfieKon at Chilis Bar & Grill @ Mid Valley Megamall right after

He had the Jalapeno Steak Quesadillas while I had the Chicken Club Tacos 

More healthy homemade goodness when I stormed my kitchen as usual.

Take a look!

Fresh garden salad & Thousand Island dressing

Fluffy omelette with Old El Paso salsa & lots of ground pepper!

Friday's breakfast!

Cornflakes with fat-free yoghurt & apple slices

It's Friday night! Off to shimmey down & usher in the weekend with some electronic music at Zouk Club KL!

Feeling a lil punkass tonight 

KLCC hey hey!

I don't know about my fellow Malaysians but even after living in this country all my life, I never fail to be amazed at our very own iconic KLCC Petronas Twin-Towers, which was once the world's tallest building! 

Partied my Friday night away at Sidney Samson LIVE in Malaysia at Mainroom, Zouk Club KL

RIVER! RIVER! RIVERSIDE… *bleeeeeep*!

Had so much fun with the buddies 

Sidney Samson dropped beats from Swedish House Mafia, Skrillex, David Guetta, Zedd, Steve Aoki apart from his very own original tracks. Heck, he even surprised us with several old skool, hip-hop/rap music!

On second thought, it's pretty obvious that he's a fan. He even had a Snoop Dogg T-Shirt on 

Oh did you know (or even bother to know) that every Saturday is NO PLASTIC BAG DAY at Tesco?

Well, now you do… and you better be prepared!

The last thing you'd wanna do is to lug all your groceries by hand, all the way to your car LOL. For the first time, I actually remembered and brought along two large non-woven environmental friendly bags with me 

Spent my Saturday night being Bob the Builder with bestiePam

Was busy fixing a new shoe rack for our my collection of shoes!

Hey, they need a nice pedestal to sit prettily too 

Let me introduce to you my (now) neatly displayed, happy family of 55 pairs of my favorite footwear!

High-heels, wedges, stilettos, flats, peep-toes, slingbacks, boots,

sneakers, high-tops, runners, gym shoes & flip-flops! 

Will be sharing a panorama photo of both mine and bestiePam's shoe collection soon!

I know, don't freak out.

Some girls collect handbags, make up, perfume, stuffed animals, soap bars… and the list goes on.

I told you I'm a caterpillar. I have too many feet & all of them want a pair of shoes to wear 

httpv://youtu.be/zXspm7k7juE

Song of the week that came just in time! That's some epic dubstep right there

BoyfieKon is blasting it in our living room right this very moment & totally got me hooked 

Another thing I did this week that I just have to share is…

HAHA! I TRAILED A SPEEDING AMBULANCE FOR THE FIRST TIME!!

You know how people follow/tailgate ambulances because every vehicle will make way for them?

Well, I've seen lotsa motorists do it, and since I've always wanted to take advantage of the ambulance's emergency lane, I did. It was cool how everyone gave way to me too  (It works. I arrived my destination in half the usual time)

That's all for this week. G'night, dearies. Dream of unicorns and rainbows tonight, aight? 

Make sure you're well-rested to tackle your next seven days with gusto!

Much love,

Jessicat

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The Sunday Times is a new once-a-week series; published every Sunday night to recap the highlights of my week, capture what piques my interest and to share recommendations for to-go places and to-eats throughout the week.

Check out the entire series here : The Sunday Times edition.

Some of the photos are posted instantly on my Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr & Facebook on the go.

So follow me to get instant updates and pretty photos of the sights & sounds all around!