Alisha Azuddin

Shaved ice desserts can be the relief for any hot day. Discover the many varieties that KL cafés have to offer – there are your typical green tea, red bean and injeolmi flavours, but also more creative (and sometimes bizarre) creations ranging from mango cheese and cotton candy to even durian. Go on; dig in to cool down.

We dare you to have a try at some of these products with unexpected ingredients – who knows, maybe your skin and hair might look #flawless after dabbing snail mucin moisturiser or washing your mane with beer and hops shampoo.

Take time out of your busy week to sit back and relax with these stress-relieving products at home. Light some candles around the room, splash some bath salts in a tub and throw on a face mask - your body and mind will relax and thank you for it.

Green tea has dominated the dessert scene for a while now, with nearly every café sporting its own matcha creation. But now it's time for another tea to take the spotlight; it's the Earl Grey's time to shine in KL.

The trio that makes up Malaya Co. are Tengku Muhammad Shah (Moe), Shahida Hasan and Joshua Siow. Friends since their university days back in the UK, the idea of the brand stemmed from Moe’s final year project. Tasked with creating an advertising campaign for a product, he figured that it would be difficult to start a campaign with a product that didn’t exist. Enter Joshua and Shahida; the three of them decided to team up and create a watch that was launched at the exhibition show of Moe’s final year project. ‘Malaya’ also means ‘freedom’ in Tagalog. They found that the word fit perfectly with their ambition to give the freedom of choice to the consumers. Their watch straps, for example, can be interchanged; and in their new Black Series, the bag has a three-way carry system in which users can adapt the style to their choosing. They’re primarily a lifestyle and branding agency, but see their products as a way of building their portfolio and showcasing their talent as a young branding agency. ‘We wanted to create our own brand and show how well we can actually market the products that we sell,’ said Moe. Their focus is to create the daily essentials that would add value to the customer, and are versatile enough to be used in any situation. They originally started with selling watches and various straps, but they’re ‘not a watch brand,’ explained Shahida. In May, they launched the Black Series, which includes the Malaya -02 and -03, a watch set and bag respectively. The collecti

A weapon in many makeup artists’ and enthusiasts’ arsenal, the BeautyBlender has built a reputation for providing effortless makeup application sans the brush strokes, leaving you with a smooth, flawless and natural finish. It’s worth investing in the original at RM99, but we checked out some of the more wallet-friendly options to see how well they perform.

It's the middle of the year and I’m still keeping to my New Year’s fitness resolutions. So when the opportunity to go for a massage came about, I thought what better way to reward myself. All those hours slaving away at the gym and spinning classes were making old injuries prominent again. Hailing from Bali, Swasana Spa in Impiana KLCC offers a new range of Chill treatments focusing on reflexology and acupressure. There are four different treatments to choose from – Chill Classic, Chill Out, Ultimate Chill and Holistic Chill. I went with the 60-minute Chill Classic. As you step into the spa, you’re greeted by a warm interior with wooden accents and leafy plants, which immediately put me at ease. Before starting the massage, you’re given the option to stay in your clothes or change into a prepared spa garment (a comfy cotton two-piece set). Next, you’re offered a cup of warm ginger tea – its strong aroma alone managed to relax my stiff muscles and tense body. The Chill treatment area is closed off from the rest of the spa with its own dedicated space filled with a row of reclinable ergonomic beds. Dim lights and sheer drapes separating each bed give the room a whimsical aura. I only had about a minute to take in my surroundings before my therapist guided me to one of the beds. She passed me a set of earphones – something I’ve never experienced at a spa before – and clicked play on a remote, filling my ears with soothing ambient rainforest sounds and transporting me to a whole