tinytea giveaway!

You've seen it all over my Instagram and Twitter. You've heard all the fitness and health gurus rave about it. And now, it's time for you to try it!

YourTea, has, quite simply, been one of the biggest blessings of 2013 for me. I had no idea that the simple idea of drinking three cups of natural, organic and yummy­tasting tea for a couple of weeks would have such a great effect on my lifestyle. YourTea believes in the power of natural ingredients in their unique tea blends, that serve to enhance your lifestyle and physique. Derived from traditional Chinese medicine principles, YourTea boasts a wide range of tea blends to cater for everyone. Here are some short descriptions of the following teas they offer: (skip straight to the TinyTea summary if you're pressed for time!)

ManTea: For all the guys reading this: the ManTea teatox is designed to enhance muscle growth and promote a lean frame. This tea blend is free from sugar, chemicals and preservatives, and you may continue to consume supplements and exercise as you would normally, as the natural tea blend won't interfere with any of that. ManTea contains Green tea (to burn fat, increase metabolism and maintain muscle mass), antioxidants (to curb inflammation and allow for greater muscle growth), Camellia Senensis (helps muscle tone and increases energy levels) and Licorice Root (for harmonizing all herbs).

HerTea: For regular, everyday use ­ girls: if you're retaining a lot of fluid, feeling sluggish and energy deprived and looking to get rid of some excess fat, her tea will reduce fluid retention, heighten your mood, improve your skin, manage bloating issues and aid digestion. Contains Oolong tea, ginger, chrysanthemum, lyciumchinese (goji berries), and additional Chinese Medicine Herbal ingredients. 

Anti­C Tea: For anyone who feels that cellulite and toxins have set up camp on your booty and thighs, never fear… Anti­C tea is here! It contains Fu Ling, Camellia Sinensis, Dandelion root and additional Chinese Medicine Herbal ingredients to help you combat excess fats on your body for a leaner, meaner figure. 

Fertility Tea: For anyone planning to conceive, Fertility tea will become your new best friend. It optimizes your ability to become pregnant by nourishing your reproductive, digestive and emotional health. The Fertility Tea blend has been hand selected with precision by natural fertility specialist Natalie Kringoudis. It's safe and perfectly balanced to naturally support hormones and regulate your menstrual cycle to maximize fertility potential. It contains goji berries, peppermint tea, dandelion root, camellia sinesis, which each target a different body part to ensure the maintenance of a healthy reproductive system.

TinyTea: The most well­known of all YourTea's products, the famous TinyTeatox (14 and 28 day teatoxes available) is the one I've been drinking for the past month. It's for everyone who feels bloated, lethargic, and for those who want to make aesthetic changes to their body. It performs an intensive cleanse and nourishes your digestive system to assist with weight lost, fluid retention and toxin removal. Unlike other detoxes that contain laxative ingredients to momentarily flush out toxins, the herbal ingredients found in TinyTea gently and thoroughly cleanse your system. Your digestive system is the most important part of maintaining a healthy weight, and this tea supports that system for optimum aesthetic results. This tea dries phlegm, reduces waste and assists digestion. Drink TinyTea three times a day, half an hour before mealtimes for optimum results. Do note that upon initial consumption, TinyTea can cause slight stomach upsets, minor skin breakouts and cramps as it gets to work. However, these symptoms do disappear very shortly, and after a few days you should already be feeling the benefits of it! According to YourTea, you should see a reduction in body fat, fluid retention and cellulite, as well as clear skin and more natural energy. TinyTea contains Camellia Sinensis, Catsia, Lotus Leaf, Crataegus Pinnatifida and additional Chinese Medicine Herbal ingredients.

Check out these Instagram pictures from fellow TinyTea enthusiasts!

Phew! So now that you've read about all the amazing benefits you're SUPPOSED to receive from consuming YourTea ­ TinyTea in particular, I'll now tell you a bit about my own experience with the teatox. I've received a countless number of questions about this and I'm sorry for not answering a lot of them; I only ignored them because I knew I'd be publishing a much more comprehensive review of my experience here for you all to read! Anyway, it's always nice to hear about someone's personal experience (and as a disclaimer, YourTea has not asked me to write anything in particular about their product, so this is all from the heart!), so here goes! After drinking TinyTea for 28 days (and I have to admit I wasn't strict enough with myself on the timings of my consumption; I ended up drinking 4 cups some days and 1 cup on other days!), I felt a lot better in many ways. I hadn't really changed my diet and exercise patterns from what they were like before, so the tea definitely had a slight slimming effect ­ nothing exceptionally noticeable, but my stomach did feel a little tighter as a result of less bloating. The tea did an excellent job of cutting out my bloating entirely, which both looked and felt great. One of my favorite benefits of the tea was the fact that it also gave me tons of energy. I'm someone who needs a LOT of sleep, and even when I get loads of sleep I'm still very drowsy and yawny in the late afternoon; my tiredness hits me like a train at around 3pm and I find it hard to stay focused towards the end of the school day. Tinytea provided me with plenty of amazing natural energy, and it's not even caffeinated! I felt so much more productive and awake and was better able to make the most of my day. Furthermore, it helped with my metabolism and food cravings a lot. I still wanted my chocolate, I'm not gonna lie, but it served as a moderate appetite suppressant and over time I began to feel less hungry. Because the teatox forced me to consume three to four additional cups of tea each day, I felt a lot more hydrated because of all the water I was drinking. By the end of the 28 days, the pattern of eating less and "expelling" more waste fell into place, and that slight imbalance of losing more than gaining (aka a slight net loss of food in the cycle of food consumption and waste production) was what made me feel so thoroughly cleansed out. Slight improvements in my skin were noticed too!

All in all, I didn't lose weight and my appearance didn't change that much, but I'm okay with that. I felt so much better on the inside, so much so that it began showing on the outside a little! This is not something you should consider if you're aiming for a dramatic difference in body shape and looking for something that will shed off your excess fat. Through making me less bloated, clearing my skin, cleansing my digestive system, suppressing my hunger/cravings and forcing me to consume more liquids and stay hydrated, I came out of the 28 day teatox feeling better than ever ­ and the fact that it showed on the outside a little was just a bonus! Please remember that this tea doesn't contain laxatives and is very gentle, so it won't violently drain the fat/weight out of you. It's nourishing, organic and a healthy addition to your existing lifestyle!

Check out the following snaps from @TinyTeaTox's Instagram!

What I want to also mention is that for the first week and a bit of drinking the tea, I made an extra effort to work out loads and eat healthy, and for the short time that I did, I saw some great results appear on my body. However, I am still human (and a human undertaking the IB, mind you), so unfortunately I had some slip­ups here and there and fell slightly out of this healthy lifestyle rhythm, but I'm okay with that! I'm no fitness junkie and health guru, and I'm still learning :) Therefore, the benefits I described above will probably apply more to those who maintain the same lifestyle while drinking the tea, but as I discovered in just a week of drinking tea and exercising, Tinytea is even more effective and excellent when paired with exercise and a healthy diet. The one complaint I have about the tea is the fact that it caused me some tummy pain and cramps on the first two days, but they disappeared quickly and were very minimal while they lasted.

Now, enough with the rambling. This Christmas, YourTea and I have paired up to bring this transformational Tinytea experience to YOU! I'm giving away TWO 14­day Tinyteatoxes for you to try, each worth USD$35! To enter the giveaway is super easy; each step is worth one entry, so the more steps you complete, the better chance you have of winning the tea!

­ STEP 1: Like "Seven Inch Stilettos" on Facebook

­ STEP 2: Comment on this picture the reason why you'd like to win a 14 ­day Tinyteatox.

­ STEP 3: Repost this picture on Instagram, tagging @yourtea,
@veenamccoole and #SISxTinyTea (worth 5 entries!)

­ STEP 4: Tweet the following (I can only see your tweets if your account is public!): "I've just entered the 1st #seveninchstilettos #xmas giveaway to win a #tinyteatox from @veenamccoole! Check it out: bit.ly/INm5gj

And there you go; four simple steps that'll score you up to 8 separate entries for the giveaway! Contest is open internationally and winners will be selected randomly. I will announce the winner via any of the social media platforms they have entered on (e.g. if you tweeted and instagrammed, I'll mention you on both platforms). Winners have 24 hours to respond/confirm before I randomly select other winners to take their place, so stay tuned to your Twitter/Facebook/Instagram on the 21st of December when I announce the two lucky winners!

Giveaway closes on Midnight (Singapore Time) of the 21st of December, so get entering ASAP!

#DFWSG2013

 

Some of you may have seen this on my Instagram already, but I'm so excited to share with you guys our very own homegrown fashion event --  Digital Fashion Week Singapore! I've been named their Official Fashion Correspondent for this year's event, which promises to be absolutely HUGE. I can't disclose the crazy lineup of designers and international fashion personalities yet, but holy moly - it's going to be amazing. Whether you're curled up in bed in California or are taking a day off in Tokyo, the beauty of Digital Fashion Week is that everyone, regardless of who you are or where you are, can enjoy front-row access and go behind-the-scenes of a fully functioning fashion week! 

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I worked with the DFW team last year and had the privilege to not only attend a few of the shows in person at the Ritz Carlton Hotel (blogpost here), but to be a part of the regional fashion blogger panel who hosted Google+ hangouts with the stars of last year's event to get an insight into their lives and their contributions to the fashion industry. Over the next couple weeks before my summer officially starts, I'll be visiting the studios and showrooms of the participating Singapore designers on behalf of DFW and giving you guys a sneak-peek of what's coming your way through DFW's social media platforms, which are all linked below. I will also be asking them a few questions to get their insight on Singapore's fashion industry as well as their inspiration and design process. Make sure you stay tuned for all the excitement; from giveaways/competitions to designer interviews, it's a whole lot of fun that you definitely can't miss! (Psst... they will be running a giveaway for these polaroids very soon! There can only be 20 lucky winners!)

Follow DFW on their Website, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Google+!

ootd + giveaway!

Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Bracelet: Lovisa

Shorts + Belt: c/o PiecesofSummer

Top: thrifted/brandless

Rings: H&M

Wedges: Primark

iPhone case: Kate Spade

First outfit post in ages! I really enjoyed shooting with Sophie for the first time - we had the blessing of dry weather, (mostly) empty streets and the quiet backdrop of Orchard Road before the city properly woke up. These were shot right before a delicious brunch at Wild Honey with Kris, which, by the way, is my new go-to place for kick-ass breakfast food for any time of day. I'm glad my horrifically painful and hideous sunburn situation didn't show up too much in these pictures, and for those of you who follow me on Twitter, I'm sure you've heard enough about my current state of being an aloe-vera drowned lobster. I'm getting better though! I got this blouse for a ridiculously cheap price during my weekend trip to Bangkok a couple weekends ago, and while I could've downplayed the tropical prints with some denim or hushed accessories, I decided to liven it up with even more... Crayola colors (literally only word I can think of right now - someone get me a coffee). With electric blue wedges, bright green shorts and a striking red bag, this printed blouse is given a smart, urban update. Prints are traditionally used to liven up an outfit, but "outdoing" printed garments with colors and accessories that are bigger and better might just be my new style motto. I'll probably whisk this featherlight blouse away with me on my next beach vacation to wear as a cover-up, but who says prints always have to take the spotlight?

Last but not least, thanks so much for 700+ on Instagram! I Instagrammed about this giveaway on Monday so thanks for the overwhelming number of entries that have flooded in already! Win this versatile piece of arm candy from Lovisa, one of my favorite new places to shop for accessories! Its segments are threaded with elastic for a more comfortable fit, and I adore its texture, which adds a great touch to such a classic, wearable piece. 

Keen to enter? Two steps:

1) Follow me on Instagram (@veenamccoole)

2) Drop an email with your contact details and the subject line "Lovisa Bracelet Giveaway" to veena@seveninchstilettos.com

This international giveaway closes on the 20th of April at midnight (Singapore time), and the winner will be selected randomly, contacted by email and asked to provide a screenshot of their "follow" via email. If the winner doesn't respond within 24 hours, then I'll pick someone else to win this great prize! Also, I'm open to suggestions for future giveaways. Drop me an email or inbox me on Tumblr if you've got any ideas you'd like to share!

carlo rino.

A couple weeks ago, I was lucky enough to visit the Carlo Rino showroom at Changi Airport T2, courtesy of Q, Susannah and the rest of the folks at Access Communications. I've never been a huge one for bags but I can feel myself slowly slipping into a bag-obsession, fueled by the shocking number of bags that I've both purchased and been gifted during the past month in particular (the festive season is always a reason to treat yourself!). As I'm sure you can imagine, setting foot into this bag paradise didn't exactly help subside my mounting obsession for arm candy; I was absolutely drooling over both Carlo Rino's new collections (which are launched up to twice a month - heavenly!) and their classic collection of sleek, streamlined wallets.

 What surprised me the most about Carlo Rino was observing the changes in their collections over time. Twenty-odd years ago, they were known as the one-stop shop for middle-aged "aunties," but they've evidently done an amazing job at gradually transitioning to appeal to younger audiences. From glossy quilted bags (like the one Susannah's holding in the picture below!) to slouchy genuine-leather shoulder bags (like the one I'm holding), Carlo Rino's design team has proven to be extremely versatile and quality-conscious in their designs. Prices range from $40-50 for small coin purses and cardholders, to about $350 for genuine leather products.

I was so so happy when I received my gorgeous Carlo Rino treat the other day, and upon unravelling the ribbon and tearing back the tissue paper, I found another Carlo Rino item which one of you lucky readers will win very soon! Stay tuned for this special Carlo Rino giveaway as well as a bunch of other giveaways next month!

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floral-framed sunglasses -- urban outfitters // floral button-down -- thrifted // denim cutoffs -- gap // bag -- H&M // belt -- H&M

"Let summer set you free."

The quote above was from a letter written to me at the beginning of summer by my best friend. I feel so peaceful whenever I read it; it makes me feel like I'm putting my life into the hands of an unknown entity dubbed as "summer," and letting "summer" take me away and throw me into situations and places I could never even dream of. Summer is when we unravel the dusty cocoons formed during the remaining months of the year and spread our wings and go places and open ourselves to the new world around us. It's when we let ourselves be touched and moulded and shaped and influenced by the new people we meet, the new things we see and the new places we go. Summer is the time we all become butterflies, you could say. But as much as summer changes and shapes us, it also manages to embed a slice of itself into us: a slice saturated with scars and snapshots and memories that'll remain infinitely vivid and play a vital, albeit nostalgic role in the rest of your life. Summer leaves it's mark on me every year in one way or another, be it a heartbreak and a subsequent love lesson, or a friendship that will stay dear to my heart for the rest of my life. Summer has many facets and it is somehow much larger than the sum of these facets: it's a part of something bigger. It's not just about sand, hot lifeguards and late nights, nor is it merely a vacation from life as we know it. It isn't just a time for fairytale love, and it certainly isn't just what the thermostat reads on a baking afternoon. These tiny aspects are what summer is made of, but adding them all up won't even come close to the authentic magic of the season.

Much like this Marks and Spencers floral button-down I picked up at a thrift store in Ireland a few weeks ago, summer is slowly but surely fading. But maybe that isn't a bad thing - faded shirts with granny-inspired prints will always be cool in my books. As for summer's gradual fade into the school year, that is a bad thing. It's a terrible thing. Heck, I already find myself dreaming about and planning for next summer!

Although I wish I could chase the perennial humid summer weather out of Singapore, it's the long months of absence and relaxation that summer entails which I must sadly wave goodbye to. Summer, I bid you a bittersweet farewell.

+ Don't forget to enter my summer care-pack giveaway here!
xx v.

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600 followers calls for a giveaway!

At the bittersweet end of every summer, I find that I’ve always collated a tiny treasure trove of must-haves over the two months I spend travelling. Be it a day spent under the sun roaming the streets of Paris or a chilly evening onboard a river cruise in Ireland, dry lips and skin have sadly become annoyances that I’ve had to deal with all summer long. Thankfully, I have Vaseline to thank for my ever-moistened lips. I’ve always relied on Vaseline’s heavenly pots of lip-balm, and when I came across this favorite of mine - newly manufactured with Cocoa Butter extract (and scent!), well, let’s just say I bought enough to moisturize an army.

In some cases, dry skin can mean dead skin too, so every few days I used Soap and Glory’s deliciously scented Flake Away exfoliator to remove dead skin cells for brighter skin. Summer is always a fast-paced time for our family; we’re constantly running from A to B without much time in between. I carry around Simple Face Wipes, which gently remove makeup and sunscreen and give me a refreshing boost. Whether we’re dashing from the beach to catch a dinner reservation or coming home after a long day in the city, these awesome wipes give me a fresh face and instant moisture. I also LOVE facemasks – they’re such a great way to end a long day! Try Mudd’s pure clay deep cleansing facemask to give your skin a healthy treat.

After spending days on a boat with limited access to showers (gross, I know) and exposure to harsh, hair-whipping winds, I relied on Toni&Guy’s Sea Salt Texturising Spray to keep my hair looking (and smelling) half decent. On the rare occasion I was required to dress up, my go-to product(s) for an instantly pampered look were my super-versatile mini nail polishes from Topshop, which were easy to carry around and fun for a quickie mani-pedi on a boring day.

To say thank you for all your support – and especially for helping me hit 600 Google Friend Connect followers, I’m giving away a Seven Inch Stilettos Care Packcontaining the 6 different essentials I’ve reviewed in this post! (Don’t worry, I bought brand new ones to give you guys, you won’t be using my leftovers!)

It’s super simple to enter, all you’ve got to do is the following: - Follow me on Instagram: @veenamccoole

- Like my Facebook Page here

- Tweet the following (copy and paste it word for word for it to count!): I’ve just entered @VeenaMcCoole’s awesome #seveninchstilettos care pack giveaway! Check it out and enter here: http://bit.ly/MrjnbZ

And lastly, let me know via comment that you’ve entered by formatting your comment like this (again, copy and paste this for it to count – the red bits are the ones you have to edit!):

Followed your Instagram (@YourInstagramNameHere)

Liked your Facebook Page (Your Facebook Name Here)

Tweeted the giveaway promo (@YourTwitterNameHere)

My email: youremailhere@whatever.com

My blog (this only applies if you’re a blogger, obviously): yourblogURL.blogspot.com

For an extra entry, SHARE the giveaway wall photo I’ve posted on my Facebook Page. Leave a separate comment letting me know if you shared the picture and I’ll count you in for an extra entry.

Some other pieces of useful information:

• If you’ve entered this giveaway and you haven’t completed all the steps (I will check!), I won’t consider your entry to win the giveaway. 
• Everyone is eligible to enter – it doesn’t matter where you live! 
• YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A FASHION BLOGGER, or even a blogger to enter this giveaway. If you’re a reader and you’ve got Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, then you’re all set to enter too! 
• The winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email, a comment on their blog and Twitter. If they’re inactive and fail to reply within a few days, then a new winner will be randomly chosen.
• The giveaway closes on September 1^st, 2012.
• And I’m sorry for the uber-strictness of the rules, it’s just hard to keep count when people leave comments formatted in different ways and such. And I’m also OCD, so yeah. 

If you’ve got any questions regarding any of the information I’ve provided, please feel free to let me know by contacting me here.

Good luck to everyone who enters, and thanks again for all your support! You guys rock my socks.

xx v.

follow seven inch stilettos on facebook -- twitter -- bloglovin'

10QQ and a giveaway!

After spending a while turning over some new blogging concepts in my mind, I decided that a regular type of feature on my blog would be a good way to maintain consistency, as well as ensure a variety of content is available on Seven Inch Stilettos. I'm definitely one for listening to the opinions of others, so every few months from now on I'll do an extra-long post and include a "10 Quick Questions" interview with a different blogger each time. These questions will usually be snappy and straightforward so you guys can get an insight into the life of another blogger through a viewpoint other than exclusively fashion. 
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Today, I'm speaking to Gracie Molan of Moda De La Mode Blog and Magazine, who is currently situated in London.
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1) Favourite Designer: Katrina Ferrari. Her designs are elegant and use a variety of fabrics to create ethereal garments that verge on the gothic side of fashion.
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2) Two things on your bedside table right now: I've always got a notebook on my bedside table so I can jot down any thoughts I have before bed. I also have a dish where I put any jewelry I've been wearing.
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3) One makeup item you can't live without: Lip balm, I take it everywhere.
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4) One word to describe your personal style: Elegant.
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5) Something that's always in your fridge: Chocolate; it's the perfect treat after a long week of work!
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6) A band/artist you can't stand: The Wanted. "Manufactured Boy Band" sums them up perfectly, although I know many people like them.
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7) Top of your wish list right now: Photography/Technology lessons so I can become a blogging pro!
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8) Something you think is totally overrated: Apple Macs; give me a PC any day.
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9) Three things that are always in your bag: Phone, Keys, Money- All of life's essentials!
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10) Celebrity crush: ...That would be telling!

(from left to right): Fluff Passport Holder, Freedom by Topshop Gold Leaf Earrings, Formula 10.06 Mud Mask, Topshop Nail Polish in "Cloak and Dagger," Topshop woolly winter socks, Fluff Stiletto Luggage Tag
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Want to stand a chance to win these six items (collectively worth over US$50) from Seven Inch Stilettos' first giveaway, in honour of 400+ followers and 40,000+ pageviews?


All you've got to do to enter is:

• Follow us on Bloglovin'
• Follow us on Twitter
• "Like" our page on Facebook
• And leave a comment saying you did all three, along with your Twitter/Facebook usernames AND your email!

For extra entries (which EACH require a different comment):

• Tweet about Seven Inch Stilettos and this giveaway (@VeenaMcCoole)
• "Share" Seven Inch Stilettos on Facebook/promote our page on your blog page

The giveaway is open internationally, the deadline is January 20th, and the winner will be selected via an online random number generator and will be notified through email! Remember to read all instructions carefully and include all necessary information in your comment, and good luck to everyone!

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