Live From Europe - Part 1

Dear folks,

It's been a week here in Europe, and Your US Private Shopper has been busy pounding the stores and scouring for your orders.

A/W fashion and accessories are out in full force at the stores in Europe! We're dying for the latest "It" bag from Celine (yes the Phantom and Luggage totes have been spotted here!), and also drooling over the Repettos, which are the ultimate in ballet flats. We have also fallen head over heels in love with Isabel Marant, which is so difficult to get in Asia, but there is such a wide selction here!

Here are some photos direct from the stores to share with everyone.

We can still take in your orders for Europe, if you can send them before the weekend is out. Hermes, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Longchamp and Bottega Veneta are already on the shopping list, so tag along if there is something you've been longing to get, or feel free to add to the list! We're always at your service at your.us.shopper@gmail.com :-)

xoxo
Your US Private Shopper :-)




Marc by Marc Jacobs Studded Mouse Flats - gothic and cute all at the same time!



Marc by Marc Jacobs Elastic Ballerina Flats

See by Chloe Claras Long Zip Wallet - Also available in "Hermes" orange and burnt orange

Divine Dolce & Gabbana platform open-toe sandals in suede

4" heels add height, but the platform provides comfort

Repetto from Paris - The last word in comfortable and classy ballerinas. We would like a pair in every colour!

Repetto was started originally to make ballet flats for professional ballet dancers

Online selctions of Repetto shoes are so pitiful, so it is a treat to see such a great range in person!

Longchamp Cosmos bag in Cognac - latest from their A/W 11 collection



And now... the Pièce de résistance! The highly coveted, impossible-to-find Celine Phantom Mini! We were so lucky that new pieces had just arrived at the store the day we visited!





And the Celine Luggage Tote, in a striking leopard pony-hair edition!

Last Call: Your US Private Shopper... Goes To Europe

Hello everyone,

Last call for your orders to bring back goodies from Europe. We close our shopping list tomorrow, so if you have things in mind, please let us know asap!

Pricing structure is nice and simple, and I’ve attached again for your reference J:

-       EUR price x 1.85

-       No shipping charges or handling fees

-       Purchases above EUR 500 require a 50% deposit. Purchases below EUR 500 require a 20% deposit

Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful day! J

Hello boys and girls,

Your US Private Shopper is embarking on a shopping trip to Europe at the end of July, and we will be hitting a few cities along the way. If you have something on your wishlist from the European luxury houses, we’ll be glad to fulfill your desires!

The EURO is near its lowest rates in 5 years, making this an excellent opportunity for you to stretch your dollar! Not to mention getting hold of the models that are simply not available in our stores…

Simply tell us the brand, name and/or model number (a URL would be most helpful too!) of what you’re looking for, and we’ll give you a response within 24 hours. Suggested brands include (but not limited to):

Leather Goods (Bags/Shoes/ Accessories)	Watches	Others
Louis Vuitton	Cartier	Chanel Joaillerie
Chanel	Tag Heuer	Dior Joaillerie
Gucci	Omega	Gucci Fine Jewelry
Prada/Miu Miu	Baume & Mercier	Cartier
Hermes	Dior	Chaumet
Bottega Veneta	Chopard	Boucheron
Yves St Laurent	Breitling	Agent Provocateur
Balenciaga	IWC	La Perla
Christian Dior	Patek Philippe
Valentino	Audemars Piguet
Loewe	Jaeger Le Coultre
Celine	Zenith
Fendi	Hublot
Salvatore Ferragamo	Blancpain
Marni	Girard-Perregaux
Longchamp	Glashutte

All purchases will come with individual receipts and you will receive it in all original packaging from the retailer, exactly like you bought it yourself at the store.

For purchases above EUR 500, we will need a deposit of 50% upon order confirmation, payable by bank transfer. If the item is not available, your deposit will be 100% refunded to you.

We’ll close our shopping list on Jul 20, and we’d love to hear from you.

Happy shopping!! J

XOXO,
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Your US Private Shopper... Goes To Europe!

Hello boys and girls,

Your US Private Shopper is embarking on a shopping trip to Europe at the end of July, and we will be hitting a few cities along the way. If you have something on your wishlist from the European luxury houses, we’ll be glad to fulfill your desires!

The EURO is near its lowest rates in 5 years, making this an excellent opportunity for you to stretch your dollar! Not to mention getting hold of the models that are simply not available in our stores…

Simply tell us the brand, name and/or model number (a URL would be most helpful too!) of what you’re looking for, and we’ll give you a response within 24 hours. Suggested brands include (but not limited to):

Leather Goods (Bags/Shoes/ Accessories)	Watches	Others
Louis Vuitton	Cartier	Chanel Joaillerie
Chanel	Tag Heuer	Dior Joaillerie
Gucci	Omega	Gucci Fine Jewelry
Prada/Miu Miu	Baume & Mercier	Cartier
Hermes	Dior	Chaumet
Bottega Veneta	Chopard	Boucheron
Yves St Laurent	Breitling	Agent Provocateur
Balenciaga	IWC	La Perla
Christian Dior	Patek Philippe
Valentino	Audemars Piguet
Loewe	Jaeger Le Coultre
Celine	Zenith
Fendi	Hublot
Salvatore Ferragamo	Blancpain
Marni	Girard-Perregaux
Longchamp	Glashutte

All purchases will come with individual receipts and you will receive it in all original packaging from the retailer, exactly like you bought it yourself at the store.

For purchases above EUR 500, we will need a deposit of 50% upon order confirmation, payable by bank transfer. If the item is not available, your deposit will be 100% refunded to you.

We’ll close our shopping list on Jul 20, and we’d love to hear from you.

XOXO,

Your US Private Shopper :-)

Victoria's Secret Spreeeeee!

Ladies (and gentlemen too!),

It's the semi-annual VS sale, and we have had quite a few orders come in already.

But some of you also confided that it may be hard to just buy one or two items since they do charge for shipping domestically in the US if your order doesn't hit USD100.

We would like to pool your orders together, so everyone can enjoy the free domestic shipping, even if you are buying just one piece! That's a saving of up to USD 10.99 for you!

So go look up your favourite items, and send us the URLs with size and colour requests at your.us.shopper@gmail.com. We'll close the spree on Jul 3, this Sunday, so hurry!

p.s.: Gents, you can get in on the action too. Your lady will love you for it! :-)

With best regards
Your US Private Shopper

Memorial Day = Big Sales!

Hello boys and girls,

It's Memorial Day weekend here in the US, and officially the start of the summer vacation season! Memorial Day started out as a day of remembrance for US soldiers who died while in the military service. Now it is also a long weekend for people to get together with the family, have fun, and go shopping!

Memorial Day weekend is also the first big sale season since Thanksgiving/Christmas, which happened a gazillion years ago as far as we are concerned! So we're really looking forward to the great discounts and special promotions that the stores are putting out for the Memorial Day weekend sales!

You don't have to live in the US to enjoy the great deals here. Check out your favourite stores online and see what promos they've got! Or you can also let us know if you have a wishlist of items, and we will go to the stores and see if they're available! Whatever floats your boat (or pulls your trigger as we say here in Texas), simply drop us a line at your.us.shopper@gmail.com. Remember, our shipping is the same price as vPost, except we ship much much faster than they do!


Good sales to check out:

Neiman Marcus Last Call - Extra 40% off entire purchase from May 24-May 25
Victoria's Secret - Semi-Annual Sale ('nuff said!)
Gymboree - Everything $12.99 and under
FAO Schwarz - 48-hour private sale from May 24-25 up to 70% off
GNC - 15% off orders of $75 or more
Golfsmith - $20 off $125, $50 off $250 or $100 off $500
Nike - Extra 20% off clearance
Timberland - 20% off entire purchase
Restoration Hardware - 25% off entire purchase

Have fun shopping everyone!


With best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Foot Petals... Sole Savers

Hello folks!

I've come back to my homeland to exercise my constitutional right in the upcoming General Elections. I also took the opportunity to walk around the shops and see what's new and glitzy in Singapore. It was then I reacquainted myself with a very old friend that has saved me from many a blister - Foot Petals!

If you love your new shoes but find that (a) they're giving you blisters (b) you're slipping forward in your shoes cos they don't fit perfectly (c) the straps are cutting into your toes or heels, then you will definitely appreciate these little gems. Foot Petals are cushioned inserts that you stick onto the problem areas of the shoes, and voila!

I've tried several other brands before, but this one works the best for me. They adhere well, come in different colours to blend in with the insides of your shoes, and they really take away the pain.

Best thing is, Your US Private Shopper can help you save up to 20% compared to store prices here! Check out the range at http://www.footpetals.com/, and we're standing by to save your soles! Simply email your.us.shopper@gmail.com :-) Have a great day everyone!

Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Oh Those Famous Red Soles....

Good day folks!

It's just coming to the end of Easter Sunday here, and hope everyone had a wonderful rest and blessed holiday!

Ladies, you will want to look into this tip seriously. Gents, if you want to make your ladies happy (and I mean, *really* happy!), you need to look into this too!

Christian Louboutin has an online shoe store right here http://us.christianlouboutin.com/, and prices can be up to SGD200 cheaper than what it costs to buy in Singapore. When you're talking an average of SGD 1,000++ for a pair, that's about 20% savings! Not to mention you also get a really wide selection compared to what's stocked in the boutiques.

Common reviews of Louboutin tell us that they seem to run small, so you may want to order a half-size up from what you usually wear.

Your US Private Shopper is a super-fast shipper, so you can start enjoying your new shoes in about 2 weeks from the time you place your order!

Now that you're in on the secret, go forth and shop! Then let us know your selection at your.us.shopper@gmail.com. Have a wonderful day everyone :-)

Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Golf Day... (And Tennis Too...)

Hola everybody!

It's Easter Sunday, and hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed long weekend. I've been hearing about the searing heat in Singapore, and it's only April! We've been seeing a different kind of searing heat in Texas, but it's more related to uncontrollable wildfires rather than the sun.

I'm sure some of you took the opportunity this weekend to get in a few rounds on the green. I wanted to share with you golf aficionados about a great place to get your golf gear here in the US, and there's something for everyone, whether you are a guy or a girl!

Golfsmith is the world's largest golf superstore for golf clubs, golf equipment, accessories etc. You get everything from the high-end for the aspiring pro, to beginners' gear for those just starting out.

The thing I really like about Golfsmith is that it also carries a fantastic selection of ladies' golf gear and equipment. Here, the ladies are not just an afterthought. There is actually an entire selection of clubs, shoes, accessories and fashion dedicated to women golfers.

If you are starting your kids on golf, you can also look up their Junior section, with a full range of sets, apparel and gear.

Last but not least, it is also the place to find your golf stuff if your needs are a little out of the ordinary, say you need size 14 shoes, or you are lefthanded. This is where you find it all!

Golfsmith also has a Tennis section catering to those who prefer racquets to clubs. And from their latest ad, the summer selection of Adidas and Nike tennis apparel have just come arrived!
Check out http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/ and if you find something you fancy, you know who to call! We are always at your service at your.us.shopper@gmail.com . Have fun everyone!

Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Tumi - Arm Candy For The Boys

Howdy everyone,

Hope everyone is having a wonderful long Easter weekend. :-) We've talked quite a bit about girls' stuff, and we'd like to shift our focus a little bit to something for the boys.

Among so many brands for luggage/bags, Tumi seems to strike the loudest chord among the many guy friends and coworkers I know. Though the boys don't discuss their arm candy as much as the girls do, I've seen admiring and envious glances when a handsome Tumi rollerbag goes past. I suspect Tumi is to the gentlemen what Louis Vuitton is to the ladies.

Compared with prices in Asia, Tumi is definitely a great buy in the US. Even after adding the international shipping charges, the bags and accessories usually turn out cheaper than in Asia. Clients have also shared that the range we get in the US is substantially wider than the stores in Asia.

So folks, if you have your eye on a particular piece, we are standing by to help you with it! Drop us a line at your.us.shopper@gmail.com :-)

Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Specialty Skincare Brands

Hello folks,

Here we are again! If it looks like we're furiously posting to make up for lost time, you're right! :-)

On the back of our earlier post about cosmetic brands available in-store, we would also like to share with you the skincare brands that we can get in-store as well. The usual suspects are always available, but here are some specialty brands that are not so easy to find outside the US.

Give us a shout at your.us.shopper@gmail.com if you are interested to pick up anything from the brands below or wish to check prices :-)

- Dermalogica
- Philosophy
- Strivectin
- Murad: Transforming Skincare
- Bliss
- Exuviance
- Dermablend Professional
- DERMAdoctor
- DDF Doctor's Dermatologic Formula- Kinerase
- Korres: Natural Formulations, Maximum Results
- Boscia: Preservative-Free
- Hydroxatone
- Mario Badescu Skin Care
- Peter Thomas Roth

Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Cult-Favourite Cosmetics!

Dear friends and countrymen,

Greetings again from Your US Private Shopper! We apologise there was a little hiatus between posts but the shopping definitely still went on!

Quite a few people have asked about cosmetics and skincare we can get hold of in the US. Of course anything can be ordered online, but if we can go to a store to pick it up, that will definitely cut the transit time by nearly 50%!

Whether you are an aspiring model or just looking for some new colours to play with, there's plenty to choose from at the stores. Many of these are cult favourites among makeup artists, and there are also plenty of organic choices for sensitive skin.

Available brands are listed below, and if there's an item we can pick up for you, you know our email address... your.us.shopper@gmail.com! Ciao bellas!

- Amazing Cosmetics
- Bare Escentuals
- bareMinerals (including their skincare range)
- benefit
- Cargo
- Lorac
- Napoleon
- NYX Professional Makeup
- POP Beauty
- Purminerals
- Sephora
- Smashbox
- Stila
- Studio Gear
- Tarte: High Performance Naturals
- Too Faced
- Urban Decay

Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Great Find - Frederic Fekkai Shampoo!

Hello everyone,

This is one shampoo I know I'm going to miss like hell if I didn't have a way to get it. Before I go further, I just want to state that I'm not affiliated nor am I getting paid any sort in any way to recommend the products I do. The products I talk about are from my own experience using them, and I want you to know about them because they work really great for me!

Background

I have long Asian hair, in its natural black state. I have some natural curls at the ends, but nothing too wild. Because my hair is so fine, the ends tend to get dry despite my best efforts, hence it tends to get tangled easily and i also get split ends. It is also hard to get any sort of body going, because the fineness means that any sort of product tends to weigh the hair down.

I'm not a shampoo junkie, but I have tried more than a few products, and nothing really blew my skirt up so to speak. From Pantene to Kerastase, they were all just ok, but not spectacular for me.

Last week while at a Saks Off Fifth outlet mall, they had some Frederic Fekkai trial sets that were near the checkout lines. So on impulse, I thought I'd give it a go, especially since they were having a 20% storewide discount that day. I seriously think it may have been the best hair decision I've ever made.


Product Details

I'm not going to be a soapbox for Frederic Fekkai and his accomplishments. Suffice to say that he's a celebrity NY hairdresser and like so many of his peers, he has a line of haircare products. You can read all about him and his products in the link below.

http://www.fekkai.com/

I am using the olive-oil based Brilliant Glossing series, including the shampoo, conditioner and Brilliant Glossing cream. The last one is a leave-in product, which you run through your hair while it's still damp. I've found that even without the cream, the effect is just fantastic, but the cream does make it more spectacular.

Frederic Fekkai also has other lines for coloured hair or treated hair, but I won't be writing about them because I haven't used them before.

Upsides

First off, the ends really don't feel dry anymore, and I can also tell that it hardly tangles even if I spend some time in a strong wind (and we get lots of those here in Austin). I can run my fingers through my hair constantly and I won't run into a knot!

Secondly, my hair's finally got some body. I'm not talking about lion manes here, but it seriously doesn't look limp anymore.

Thirdly, I like the smell, which reminds me of going to the salon and getting a nice wash and blowdry. Bonus is that my hair smells fresh all day, which is quite an accomplishment if you're running about and getting smoke/dust in the daily environment.

Lastly, it foams well, so you don't have to use a ton of it to get some bubbles going.

Now I won't go as far as to say that my hair looks like those in shampoo ads, but I will say that I definitely feel like my hair is naturally healthy!


Downsides


Only downside is that the products are pricey, and my heart ached quite a bit. But the pain goes away everytime I wash my hair and feel how smooth it is. Will I keep buying it? A big resounding YES....


Shopping Tips

I always like to get trial-sizes if I'm using a hair/body/skin product for the first time. I hate pouring money into a fullsize only to realise it's not great, or worse if I get an allergy to it.

The trial sizes are also not cheap, but it just makes a lot more sense to see how it works for you, before you sink in bigger bucks. Besides, I started out with the trial sizes and right from the first use, I could already feel the difference.

My recommendation is to get the travel size kit, and if you're happy with how it works, then go ahead and make the investment in the full-size bottles later.

How To Order

As usual, drop us a line at your.us.shopper@gmail.com, and let us know what you'd like to pick up! Full order details can be found in our "How To Order" standalone page.


Here's cheers to great healthy hair!


Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Bath & Body Works

Fans of B&BW,

There are some great deals online now, so take a look and see if you wanna load these onto our upcoming shipment arriving w/c Apr 4!

Signature Collection Body Care - Buy 3 Get 2 Free

- You can mix and match across different products, e.g. you can buy 2 shower gels + 2 body lotions + 1 bubble bath, but the 2 lowest-priced items will be the free ones.


Minis To Go - 3 for USD10

- These are travel-sized items, super convenient for a short trip


Select Body Care - Buy 2 Get 1 Free

- These are not your typical B&BW items. They are more of spa and aromatherapy products, with scents like Vanilla Verbena, Eucalyptus Spearmint and Orange Ginger to create different moods. I particularly like their Lavender Chamomile and Lavender Vanilla scents as they are totally relaxing after a long day.

- Their C.O. Bigelow range also offers products for the boys, and some interesting scents like Rosemary Mint and Lime Coriander.


You know what to do to place an order! (hint: check out our "How To Order" page if you want a refresher!)

Have a great day y'all!

Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Call For Orders - ETA w/c Apr 4

Hello boys and girls,

Our very first shipment is ready for your booking! Please send your orders across by Mar 23 Wed, in order to catch this shipment arriving week commencing Apr 4 in Singapore.

If this is your first time ordering, you can refer to our "How To" guide at this page http://usprivateshopping.blogspot.com/p/how-to-buy-with-your-us-private-shopper.html

If you have any questions, please contact us at your.us.shopper@gmail.com. Have fun and hear from you soon!

Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)

Still More Apple Stuff... Apple TV!

Hello everyone again!

I'm posting rather fast and furious because I'm just dying to share all the cool and wonderful stuff with you from the good ol' US of A!

Our discovery of Apple TV really started out with a desperate need to watch Mad Men Season 4. We'd missed the recent TV run, and the DVDs will not be out for another few months. The husband especially is a huge fan and was suffering from Mad Men withdrawal symptoms. So what to do??

I started researching online to see how we could download the episodes without waiting for the DVD launch, and there were certainly plenty of options. You could buy a Bluray play with internet options, or a Roku box (quite a fascinating gadget!), but in the end, we went for the Apple TV because it synced with our iTunes collection.

How It Works

Basically the Apple TV is a device that lets your iTunes collection connect from your Mac/PC to your home entertainment setup. In other words, you no longer have to squint at your screen to watch a TV episode or a movie.

Once you hook up Apple TV to the HDMI input slot of your TV, you can begin streaming your movies and TV episodes from your computer to the TV. Now you can really watch them like they should be watched!

You can therefore also stream music to your home theatre setup, if you have one that's already connected to your TV. So you can also listen to your music from a proper audio system instead of your computer speakers. Let's face it guys, even if you have a pair of kick-a** computer speakers, music will always sound better from your home theatre system!

The Apple TV 2nd gen is purely a streaming device with no memory storage, so the media files remain on your computer. In my opinion, this is much easier than the way they designed the 1st gen version, which involved transferring the files to the Apple TV etc etc.

This is my layman's version of how it works. If you want all the tech descriptions, I've provided a link below so you can do your research.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/apple_tv?mco=MTM3NTM1Nzk

This little baby is also a space-saver, with a footprint only slightly bigger than my palm. So no clunky boxes to mess up your living space! Only thing is that it comes with a US plug, but that is easily overcome with a simple converter to fit into our 3-pin socket. You'll also need a HDMI-HDMI cable, which is easily available. Lastly, get some iTunes US gift cards so you can download content to stream to your TV and home theatre!

Anyway, long story short, we're hooked on Apple TV as you can probably tell. Best advice is to make some supper, feed your dog and say goodbye to your friends for a while. You'll probably be glued to the TV for quite some time I'll bet :-)


Hot Deals!

Apple TV 2nd Gen (Black only) - SGD 188

Note that Apple TV is not available in Apple Store Singapore.


Delivery Date

We have stocks available in Singapore so you can collect on the same day as you place your order!


How To Order

Simply drop us a line at your.us.shopper@gmail.com, or sms to +65 9687 0770 to place your order. Payment can be made through COD or to POSB Savings 060-52028-3, and you can collect your set as soon as we receive your payment. How's that for simplicity! :-)


Alrighty folks, y'all have a wonderful day ahead, and look forward to hearing from you.


Best regards
Your US Private Shopper :-)