Whenever we talk about which gender has it worse in Singapore, the boys always play the “but we have to serve NS for 2 years” card. What guys don’t realise is that their 2 years of suffering is so basic when juxtaposed with girl problems like cramps which lasts a lifetime. Now, that’s a kind of hell they will never understand.
Although comparing our struggles is like comparing apples and oranges, the main point is that us Singaporean girls don’t have it as easy as you think we do.
From fighting unsightly perspiration patches in Singapore’s humidity to keeping our strapless bras up – and failing miserably – here are 10 hard truths that any Singaporean girl would know too well.
You’ve blended that $60 dollar foundation to airbrush perfection, but the moment you step outside your air conditioned room, the menacing tropical humidity of Singapore hits you right in the face.
You try to mitigate the sweaty face damage by helplessly dabbing at your face only to realise you’ve wiped off half of your makeup. *Proceeds to scream internally*
So. Hot. Who. Got. Time. To. Wear. Coat. But oh are those luxe faux leather and fur absolutely gorgeous! Thank you high street stores for rubbing our temperate climate in our faces. And now even SINGAPORE based blogshops are doing the same? The pain is real, I tell you. Real!
For especially fancy occasions, us girls whip out our extended make up bag of contouring kits and eyelash extensions. But because these bad boys – or should I say gals – only come out on the fanciest of occasions, they have a tendency of not performing.
After sitting in your makeup bag for ages, the glue has gotten overly tacky and fuses too tightly to your eyelids. But you don’t have the time to get a new pair so… yolo! You swear to yourself you’ll remember to remove them gently, but then you get home late and accidentally rip off your own lashes in the process of removing them. OUCH!
Bareback outfits are a total fail unless you go braless – those pesky stick-on bras don’t work when you’re covered in perspiration. So either I spend the whole day fidgeting with my chest area and getting weird stares from the general public, or I don’t wear my gorgeous halter dress at all. I choose the latter.
Bless the Singapore sun which allows us to wear sundresses to our heart’s content. And before the time of strapless bras, there were these inconspicuous things:
The falsely named little devices look more like scotch tapes stuck to your shoulders than invisible. For good reason, they’re on the verge of extinction today. You can probably find them at Chameleon or This Fashion if you tried.
Enter strapless bras – the supposed heroes to the traveling lingerie. Alas, they’re far from heroic, especially when you’re running for a bus and your bra drops, drops, and drops some more to your waist.
Firstly, I did not pay $50 for a bra that can’t stay where it’s supposed to, and secondly, it’s already at maximum tightness! So much so that catching my breath after getting on the bus is torture.
We might as well go back to wearing corsets. At least then we won’t need to find inconspicuous corners to ‘delicately’ haul it up from the depths of your waist.
Feminine hygiene advertisements are a big white lie. Seriously! Who’s going to risk wearing tight white pants and prance around in sheer joy when it’s her time of the month?!
Looks like the white midi skirt that I’d been planning to wear since last week has to be put back into the ‘to be announced’ section of my wardrobe.
Back to the drawing board, or maybe I’ll just wear jeans.
One of my greatest love-hate relationships is with high waisted shorts. They’re flattering, edgy, and convenient for the Singapore weather, but oh boy are they uncomfortable. If you don’t get the perfect fit, expect to surreptitiously hide a wedgie after every three meters of walking. Totally unattractive.
Nothing is more anxiety-inducing than the mad rush of needing to pee. Yet the zipper of your romper is stuck and it’s already knocking on your bladder’s door. Any minute now and it’s going to let itself out. As if wearing a romper is inconvenient enough when going to the ladies, I had to wear one when visiting the ol’ watering hole. Rompers and alcohol definitely do NOT mix.
Public toilets are notorious breeding grounds for the funkiest of bacteria and home to the weirdest smells. Yes, even the fancy ones in Orchard Road. Imagine placing your bare bottom on a seat that has met more than a hundred other naked butts… you can literally feel them crawling up your derriere.
You are left with two options: 1) lining the toilet seat with paper, which is not only tedious, or 2) the half squat hover, which is the most efficient. But if it’s a doozy, you’re in for some thigh cramps.
Singapore’s gorgeous year-round summer comes at a cost: ruined outfits. Sometimes we end up walking through all of Orchard Road with that gross, icky feeling under your shirt, and worst of all – unsightly perspiration patches!
Oh my god, how long have I been wearing that tee and has anyone else noticed it when I lift my hands up? #firstworldpains
TSL Pro Tip: After the wreckage of more than enough tops – black AND white, we’ve noticed a simple fix: fast-absorbing deodorant! Learn more about NIVEA’s new Extra White Serum Roll On here.
Despite all the struggles of girls in Singapore every day, it doesn’t stop us from having eyeliner so sharp it can pierce that Koi lid faster than the straw. It helps that we have products from all over the world that make life more comfortable for us. NIVEA recognises the problems us Singaporean girls suffer in our pursuit of being #onpoint!
While shaving and plucking habits can lead to darkened underarms, NIVEA’s new Extra White Serum Roll On boasts 10 times Advanced Whitening Care and Vitamin C for brighter and smoother pits. You no longer have to feel conscious about going sleeveless!
What’s more, its fast-absorbing properties will leave you feeling fresh and clean all day long, keeping the perspiration at bay.
So smell amazing and raise those arms in celebration of being women. Whatever doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger!
This post was brought to you by NIVEA.
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