yes...i succumbed. call me shallow.

this evening, i succumbed.  despite my strongest efforts for a few months to rein in my desire - I could no longer fight it.

well, this evening grocery shopping trip revealed just how easily manipulated i am by a colorful, pretty, cheerful and rather unique (and slightly discounted).....dish soap pump!!!

yes yes. so anti-climax right! you might have been expecting shoes, clothes or a nice expensive leather handbag?  hahaha...strangely, those don't tug my heart-strings as much as items that pretty up the house! :)

so.....ta-da!  my Method soap pump which i am going to use FOREVER!  I promise to refill you (with non-method dish soap cos' I'm cheap that way) and look after you till the end of your day (okay - so not forever, i lied.  but as long as I can!)

[caption id="attachment_1811" align="aligncenter" width="547"] my new Method dish soap! so pretty ain't it! and i finally managed to find a use for the beer bottle!  loving this corner now cos' of all the colors!  orchids are amazing sturdy!  these few stalks lasted me almost 2 weeks![/caption]

i was at NTUC Finest and found myself once again looking forlornly at the Method soap dispenser cos' i could not justify to myself paying four times more (!) for dish soap ...and then at the corner of my eye - i spotted... $2 discount!!   immediately, giddy like a school girl - i lovingly  picked it up, turned to the hb and said 'can buy pls?' and i don't blame him for that 'aiyoh' look!  and in it went into the shopping trolley!

so drama right.  ahahha...pent up desire lah.  well, at least for $6.95 - i am now one happy girl (or 'aunty' if you so wish to call me that - i admit it myself!)

medicine for upset tummy and a whiter smile?? plus something for dog lovers at the end of the post!

Tummy's not feeling for the past couple of days and i was glad that I bought some medicinal charcoal a week ago.

heh. i shall confess. i bought the charcoal NOT in anticipation of the runs, but actually for a little experiment (which i have yet to start on).   

[caption id="attachment_1785" align="aligncenter" width="547"] charcoal[/caption]

what on earth would I do with charcoal you might think?  apparently you could use it of all things... to whiten your smile!!!

[caption id="attachment_1787" align="aligncenter" width="303"] white teeth[/caption]

yes! whiten. teeth. no kidding.  when i read the blog of the lady who tried it - i went 'really? serious?  doesn't it actually blacken your teeth?'  well. apparently it does quite the opposite after you wash the thing off!

I did try those gel strips years ago - despite the fact that I didn't like the fact that it was probably not all that great to bleach your teeth and that it wasn't so good for your gums.  All i can say is that at that point in time - i disliked the yellow teeth more - so I used a couple of strips, got it ever so slightly less yellow, then stopped.  i didn't experience any side effects.

[caption id="attachment_1795" align="aligncenter" width="224"] teeth whitening strips[/caption]

so imagine my surprise and delight when I found that someone used charcoal AND it worked!  cheap and safe - aaaahhhh...heck! why not!  Again, as usual - i went to research and read someone who tried and her teeth were sensitized cos' it was too abrasive.  so i guess the trick is to do it lightly, and probably once a week?

My teeth are slightly yellow - probably from the copious amounts of coffee I drink.  (irrelevant to the post, but I am trying to limit it to a single morning boost cos' apparently caffeine taxes your adrenal glands, and despite the inital boost - it actually weakens your body makes you more tired. still i personally think - bias and all - that a cup is good for our brains. i feel I think clearer).

so I'm gonna pound those pills into powder form and use it with my toothpaste!  update again after i try it!  Here's the link to the blog post where I first read about it for those who are interested!

probably will try only in the next couple of  days cos' seem to be coming down with the flu and my entire body is aching.  Part of the body ache probably is from walking Lucky at the dog shelter yesterday!  We took almost a 2 hour walk from the shelter to the nearby wetland (together with all the other shelter dogs and volunteers).  Volunteering to help take the dogs for a mid-week walk was to bring more joy to them, and I have to admit - I ended up throughly enjoying myself!

Lucky is super energetic - tugged and pulled and yanked.  had to dig in my feet to hold him back - until i figured that I had to walk a lot faster and ahead of the rest - then he walks contently at my side.  He has a really gentle energy about him and is very good natured (he tolerated TWO dogs trying to hump him!!) andwill be a great companion to someone who needs an exercise buddy!:)  The family or person who decides to gives him a home he deserves will be blessed with this darling!

If you or anyone you know is keen to adopt this handsome boy - you can click on the photo to head to the fb page.  Or leave a comment if you would like more info about this dear fellow!

Lucky - the shelter dog who has one of the sweetest temperament. a very gentle energy about him and I think he will make a wonderful companion to someone deserving of him!  

the thing I can't live without these days!!

This Chinese Lunar New Year is a little strange - rains like mad (I'll actually ok with that!  weather's much cooler though I'm glad the sun's coming out a bit more these days cos' it helps in drying the clothes!), and there seems to be tons of burning!  It's strange cos' I thought burning is usually restricted to the Ghost month?



Add to that - there seems to be a new resident smoker in my block.  every other day - there is cigarette smoke wafting into my home.  There are several kinds - some the 'usual' cigarette smoke smell, and others downright vile!  The vile one has this really really heavy, immediate-headache-inducing suffocating stench.  Well, I get both.

I'm a little upset cos i'm not good with smoke and literally feel suffocated by the smoke.  It's gets hard to breathe and I get a headache.  I'm can live with the paper-burning cos' it's a custom for some people and it's once a few months.   What I'm upset with is the cigarette smoke!  and almost every day!  Please.  I have windows and I wish to open them.  Go smoke in an enclosed room and douse yourself with your own smoke - I don't want any of it.

So now whenever I smell burning, I will close my windows.  though the pesky smoke seems to lingers and even becomes stronger!   Luckily, I have two wonderful machines at home!  definitely not state-of-the-art, but it does the work decently.

[caption id="attachment_1771" align="aligncenter" width="547"] air purifiers - my life saviours!  the honeywell was my dad's old one.  buttons are spoilt, but dad managed to fix it partially and it works on medium speed when you plug the power in.   The europace was one I bought several years ago cos' of the haze. [/caption]

the honeywell was my dad's old one and i bought the europace several years ago.  it was one of the least expensive purifier with carbon filter - the carbon filter is important to tackle the smoke / soot smell.  Just yesterday, I 'purified' my room and when I went to the toilet, there was this heavy smoke smell.  I switched on the honeywell for about 5 mins and the smell was significantly reduced!

so yes.  I am uberly grateful for my purifiers!!!:)

Re/Upcycled (pretty!) glass bottles

call me paranoid - these days, I try to reduce the exposure to plastics in the house cos' I don't think it's healthy to have food I'm going to ingest touching the plastic all the time.

of course, there is the usual route of  'go buy new glass containers' and I either can't find nice ones or the decent looking ones - i just didn't want to pay cos' it wasn't exactly what I wanted anyway.

so one day i was packing my cupboard, and I came across a nice glass container I had tucked away in a corner, and hey! that could be my new cold water jar! just need to get rid of the sticker (though on hindsight - it does make the container prettier - ah well).

ta-da!

[caption id="attachment_1738" align="aligncenter" width="547"] pretty glass bottle - recycled!:) [/caption]

okay - if you are as anal as me - you probably want EVERY single bit of sticker wiped off cleaned!  for small surfaces, you could use rubbing alcohol, but for such a large surface, it's cheaper AND way easier - to first soak the label.

I filled a tray with water and lay the bottle - label side down.  After 5 to 10 mins, the label comes off pretty easily.  and definitely helps to have a scrub sponge!  THE easiest way to remove the label.  rubbing alcohol took way too much elbow grease and time!

so ta-da! my new water jar!  haven't used it yet cos' I need to scrub the insides first!

*****

You know sometimes you buy certain products cos' of the packaging? So I got this starbucks Frappuccino one time I need a caffeine boost.  and while it was too sweet for my liking - I got a nice bottle to store my condensed milk!  Exactly right sized for a can!:)  and pretty too don't you think?:)  I left the label on cos' I like it.:)

[caption id="attachment_1739" align="aligncenter" width="334"] Pretty Starbucks Coffee Glass - now used to store my condensed milk instead of using plastic tupperware (which i think isn't BPA free). [/caption]

my mum had a lovely glass bottle and couldn't bear to throw it away - so she passed it to me.  Normally I don't add stuff to my home, but it was pretty and unique - so I held onto it...and it was uber useful to store my vanilla sugar!:)

[caption id="attachment_1741" align="aligncenter" width="547"] i love this unique glass bottle! [/caption]

ta-da!  hope this inspires you to reuse the pretty glass bottles!

glass bottles are better for our health (though you have to be careful cos the glass bits are dangerous in the unfortunate event it drops - esp the small pieces which are almost invisible and can hurt badly!  so for a kid filled house, wouldn't recommend it!), visually more appealing (for me at least), environmentally friendly and makes your wallet heavier for you to spend on more meaningful stuff!

 

 

 

Recycling / Upcycling?

so I have a bottle of wonderful smelling yet ineffective deodorant.   seems like a waste to throw the bottle away cos' it smells really good.  so i kept it around for a while, and recently, I found a nice way to recycle!

used one of the cermaic rose aromatheraphy thingy you get as wedding favors, and poured it in instead!

[caption id="attachment_1664" align="aligncenter" width="264"] Recycling deodorant![/caption]

honestly, i can't really smell any fragrance.  doesn't seem to diffuse too well through the ceramic rose.  maybe it's better off as a toilet spray...

on the other hand, i have another one with the body shop peppermint foot spray, and boy! did that mint up the back toilet real well!  a little too well cos' it was a tad powerful!

floss

yes floss - the thing you use between your teeth.

funny how it can even be interesting enought to warrant a blog post.  then again, i'm a geek. so....

all along I never knew there was any difference in flosses - after all, it's just a string/thread.  how different can they be right?  and the price difference? I assume it was all just marketing and  branding.

One day, i absently minded bought the Oral B floss (despite its horrendous $6 price tag - probably a moment of weakness) and boy oh boy! Was I super surprised!  The floss was smooth, glided well between my teeth, and I didn't get any 'floss cuts'!  Yup, I actually get floss cuts from wrapping the floss so tightly round my fingers as the usual dental floss that I use are hard to get between the teeth and i need more grip.

so here are some of the dental floss i have used, and Oral B's the best out of the three.  It's close to $6 each at Watson/Guardian, and I am sooo happy to have found a much cheaper source!  $6 for TWO - at the supermarket near my home.  heh.  now i can happily continue to use good floss!

[caption id="attachment_1643" align="aligncenter" width="547"] dental floss that i tried![/caption]

 

Eco Dent Gentle Floss and Pearlie White are basically about the same.  Both were difficult to get in between the teeth and a few times, the floss got stuck and i got slightly worried cos' it was VERY difficult to get it out and I could feel tension on my teeth when it gets stuck - not a good thing for floss to be doing that.  I also got floss cuts on my fingers cos' it can be difficult to floss especially around the molars and I think i wrapped the floss to tightly around my fingers. heh.  I bought Eco Dent from iherb and Pearlie White from Guardian / Watsons.  sadly both don't work so great for me.

Oral B's the best! smooth, glides well between the teeth and I actually use less cos' I don't need so much thread to wrap around my finger for grip!

Ta-dA! review of dental floss.  yes - boring old geeky me. but hey! just in case you planning to buy some - now you know which is better!

DIY shampoo

Just the other day - the hb mentioned that he felt the shampoo I 'made' for him (essentially just diluted Dr Bronner Lavender castille soap) didn't work so well, and he felt that his hair didn't feel so clean.

so i googled this afternoon and found a really simple receipe.

• 1 tablespoon baking soda


• 1 cup water

that's it!  and its supposedly effective despite its simplicity.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="568"] a tablespoon of baking soda![/caption]

so I made a batch.  I like simple recipes so I don't end up buying loads of stuff which if I don't catch and control myself - tend to do at times.

What I did additionally included was some essential oils.  10 drops of 'Awaken the Mind' by Skin Pharmacy which smells fabulous!  The same one I use in the hb's hair gel.  It contains rosemary oil which is superb for hair.  so in it went.

[caption id="attachment_1551" align="aligncenter" width="458"] add 1 cup of water + 10 drops of your choice of essential oil. rosemary is good for your hair![/caption]

so how does it work?  dunno cos' i only just made it.  Will update again!

 

UPDATE @ 12 Feb 2013

shampoo's okay - very watery and no lather so it's hard to feel that your hair's cleaned.   The essential oils on the other hand - does make my hair softer though!  I was walking back home one day and felt that my hair feels softer after using the shampoo for about 3 days...

meanwhile, still on the hunt for a reasonable priced shampoo or a recipe for one that lathers better and makes me feel that my hair is cleaner!

Lip Balm for super cheap!

i suppose you know the feeling when you fly - lips start to become dry or crack due to the dry cabin air and you desperately need that tube of lip balm to rescue them?

for years! the same tube of lip balm always follows me whenever I travel.  this time when I was packing, I suddenly wondered if it was a good idea to use the same old lip balm since it probably had zillions of bacteria from the years of slathering it directly on my lips!'

remembering I had a tub shea butter from iherb a couple of months ago, I decided I would use that instead.  so i went rummaging through my cabinets for a small container to hold the shea butter, simply transferred some over with a butter knife and voila! instant 'new' lip balm!

oh, call me shallow, but a nice container helps.  it's a joy to use the lip balm from a pretty pink translucent container with gold screw cap.  Morale of the story?  Keep the pretty containers! only the pretty ones though!  the not-so-nice ones?  I recycle them.

[caption id="attachment_1531" align="aligncenter" width="547"] Shea butter I bought from iherb. Transferred into uber cute estee lauder sampler container gifted to me from mum who received from her friend![/caption]

thing to note is that as it's 100% shea butter, it is fairly solid and harder to apply, but once its on your lips, it glides since the warm of your lips helps to soften it.  Best part - you can use it on any part of your body - your hands / body!   sis tried it and was impressed. ha.

so its good for your skin cos' it doesn't contain any additives, and doesn't cost much (USD 12.24 for 227g!).  I guess why the normal lip balms cost so much is from all the packaging.   You can consider this the next time you run down your lip balm!

haul from iherb!

heh!  please indulge me and allow me to blabber on about my loots!  yes, i'm aware it does seem like i'm on a shopping spree recently, though they are generally household items and healthier alternatives to the commercial detergents.

my parent's order from iherb arrived a couple of weeks ago, and take a look at the hauls!

[caption id="attachment_1441" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Hauls from iherb.com![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1442" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Dr Bronner's Soap! My cousin mentioned that I could open a shop! only 1 bottle is mine - the rest are for my parents and sis.[/caption]

as you already know - I am switching all my hand wash to Dr Bronner's cos' it has less nasty chemicals.  My parents got the Rose Hemp and it smells really nice!  a little bubble gum like smell - in a good way.  Managed to convince my sis to change too and she got the eucalyptus and lavender.

[caption id="attachment_1444" align="alignleft" width="205"] Magesium Oil[/caption]

i got magnesium oil for myself -  see link for what it's supposed to help you with. for me, I mainly wanted to improve my sleep quality (cos' i wake up an average of 3 times per night!) and boost my energy level cos' I feel lethargic and sluggish at times.   I rub it to the base of my feet and the 2nd night I did it - I actually slept throught the entire night w/o waking up!!!

While on holiday I didn't bring it but still managed to sleep well.  Back home, I was lazy to apply (cos' I slept well on holiday so figured doesn't hurt to skip it), and the past 2 nights - i woke about 3 -5 times.  Sigh.  Not quite sure if it's cos' I didn't use the magnesium or the late afternoon coffee or the later nights i sleep.  probably a combination of all I suppose.

oh. you might like to know that you can use the magnesium oil as a deodorant!  they say to spray it directly on your arm pits, and smell-be-gone! Haven't tried that yet since I still have my Soapwalla deodorant.

There’s also pet shampoo, dental floss and shaver blades - quite amazed at the range that iherb has!

Now I know why so many people love online shopping.  if done properly and at the right places, it yields a lot of cost savings than from buying retail!

oh.  only thing - this time round, the delivery took 2 whole weeks before it arrived.  maybe cos' it's was during the new year?

itchy itchy itchy!

these past few days I've been plagued by a horrendous itch!

and i suspect it's the sweet potatoes I've been eating.  not a 100% sure, but that's the only difference since the itch started - which is kindda sad cos' I am trying to switch to a healthier middle-of-day/midnight snack rather than the high sodium campbell soup and not-healthy instant noodles.   anyhow, i'm laying off them and hope my itch goes away!

i try my darnest to resist scratching but ooooo....the instant relief is so irresitable...initially!  then that gives way to pain since your skin can only take so much abrasion.  no fun.

anyhow, if you ever suffer from an unbearable itch, you can try what I did...

1. ice cubes!  in a plastic bag and apply to your itch area and waaaaaahhhh.....instant relief!



2.  lotions

between the calamine and tea tree antiseptic cream - i actually prefer the calamine - it is a chalk like liquid, and when it dries - i find the powdery film left behind actually acts as a layer of protection from my fingers when I go into auto scratch mode!

The tea tree provides only mild relief but it's good if you need to get out of the house and don't want people staring at you - wondering what's that white film (that the calamine lotion leaves behind) on you!

[caption id="attachment_1243" align="aligncenter" width="534"] my life savers![/caption]

okay - i shall sign off now and go back to applying ice!  arrrrghhhh....so itchy!!!

toxics in our daily products and an easy way to change

over the past few months - i slowly but surely embarked on a quest to become healthier - in terms of the things I use in my house.

many reasons - big and minuscule led me to this journey.  started when a friend had health scare which made me more particular about certain ingredients in my deodorant. partly I was trying to reduce consumption, simplify my life, have more time to read and also of my easily irritated skin.

it can be kindda scary when you first start noticing the ingredients in your daily products - from your shampoo, body soap, hand wash, etc and see the list of scary ingredients.  aluminum, parabens, tricolsan, etc.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfq000AF1i8&w=560&h=315]

So I started to see if I could replace the commercial products without burning a hole in the pocket.   and the happiest thing i found out??  switching to a healthier option - does not need to be expensive!  (you know when you step into organic shops that tout to sell healthier products?  ironically i get an unhealthy heart palpitation when 1 see the prices!)

In fact, if you shop at the right places, it can actually be even cheaper than the commercial stuff at supermarkets!   I've changed my hand soap, and am in the process of doing it for my parents too -  shared the info with my sis and cousin too and when they realised that it's a healthier option which is also more economical and smells darn good as well - it was easy for them to start trying.  some stuff I DIY - like my husband's hair gel which in fact made his scalp smelll wayyyyy better and in fact he said his hair is softer!  There are more I wanna try - just haven't start on it yet!



So I started a page to list the places where I shop - as my own personal reference list and also to share this info with you.  At the moment - both stores are online shops so they are able to provide better prices generally.  Will be building the list as I go exploring around!  Go check  it out if you are keen to start greening de-chemicalizing (yes, my own word) your home and whether it can help you save that bit too.

for your info, I am not a hardcore wellness person (at least at this moment) - I seldom buy organic stuff (maybe only 10%?), have stuff I'm unwilling to give up  my morning coffee!) and probably have a couple of products that I intentionally don't screen cos' i don't want to know...yet!  (like my Estee Lauder Advanced Night Recovery Serum cos' it helps heal my skin when I have those annoying pimples!), household products I love (bleach! to kill those nasty flies that reside in the drainage holes and for my toilet bowl), etc.

so I am by no means an expert.  My intention is very simple - reduce the nasties in my life and for my family so that we can stay healthier.   I would encourage you to try it - it takes just a little initial effort and the benefits of a healthier body / environment?  priceless.

DIY soap dispenser!

Was totally inspired by a beautiful DIY soap dispenser I saw yesterday - a Jack Daniel's bottle, transformed into a soap pump!  beautiful isn't it!

[caption id="attachment_1170" align="aligncenter" width="408"] beautiful soap dispenser! check out the original post!:) http://curlybirds.typepad.com/curly-birds/2012/12/quick-gift-jack-daniels-soap-dispenser-.html[/caption]

and i managed to do one myself!  ain't as pretty as the Jack Daniel's, but hey - it was fun!

[caption id="attachment_1173" align="aligncenter" width="614"] while not as pretty as the Jack Daniel's version - it's pretty good too![/caption]

Super Cheap Window Cleaner!

So last night after midnight, brain still on a high from a late afternoon caffeine dose - I saw my toilet mirror splattered with stains...water marks from flickering hands, splash marks from toothpaste and some teeny tiny dots - probably spots from flossing.  hahaha...yes yes, pretty gross stuff.

I usually whip out my Magiclean window cleaner and do a quick wipe down (oh yes, I clean the mirror in the wee hours of the night - in fact that seems to be my favourite time to do it! weird I know, but it's simple, fast and therapeutic 'exercise' before sleeping!)

[caption id="attachment_1139" align="aligncenter" width="571"] Magiclean Window Cleaner - cleans well though it has a strong smell and I usually try to stop breathing while using it. Best to use in a ventilation area.[/caption]

This time round, I decided to try a DIY solution which I saw on the web - a combination of just water + vinegar.   I mixed 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water and sprayed away!  It works almost as well, and doesn't have the chemically smell.   It doesn't smell good cos' it's vinegar, but at least I get to breathe while cleaning!

[caption id="attachment_1090" align="aligncenter" width="527"] 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water! that's all! and yes, the vinegar's expired a year and a half ago - but I use it only for cleaning so I'm still using it![/caption]

What i love about this new cleaning method?

• Cheap - I bought the cheapest white vinegar there was since it's only for cleaning and not for food and cost less than $2.  Spray bottle's only $1 from the neighbourhood hardware store.  The Magiclean glass cleaner was probably about $2/$3.


• Effective - It works about the same as the Magicleaner but my windows are not dirty dirty - just needs a simple wipe down to take away the water marks.


• Better for health -  Since it contains only water + vinegar, I don't feel so paranoid and can breathe while cleaning!  Magiclean's ingredients are surfactant and solvent...and anything can go into that

What I don't love about it?

• Smelly - well, cos' it is vinegar.   Then again, the Magicleaner  doesn't smell good too.   So I guess between smelly and no health effect VS smelly and possibly bad for health  - I'll stick to my new method of cleaning the mirrors!   But I'll definitely keep Magiclean's spray bottle!!

In a nutshell, while there is some savings - the main reason why I am switching is to make sure my body doesn't breathe in any nasty chemicals!

Dr Bronner's Magic Soap!

remember a few months ago I was writing about a pretty red dispenser that I bought, but smelt really bad when I poured in the hand soap?

I googled and the only explanation I could find was that the fragrance in the hand soap reacts with the metal, causing the bad smell - so I decided to put the red pump aside until I found some more natural soaps.....and....I DID!:):)

It's Dr Bronner's Magic Soap - seems to be widely known in the US, though not so common in Singapore (though I've been seeing it pop up at NTUC Finest, Watsons and mostly organic or health stores).

[caption id="attachment_936" align="aligncenter" width="371"] dr bronner magic soap[/caption]

what appealed to me was that

1. NO NASTY CHEMICALS

It's going to take too long and you probably be bored by the time I go through each ingredient....so what I linked the nasty stuff in red (possible links to cancer, fertility issues, etc), the neutral stuff in green.  The links in blue - well, it's not bad or good on its own - it depends what goes into it.   Read the articles using your discretion.  And if you are interested, you can further investigate and decide what works for you!

i) Dr Bronner's Tea Tree Liquid Soap 

INGREDIENTS: Water, Organic Coconut Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide**, Organic Olive Oil*, Tea Tree Extract, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol * CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS ** None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin

I like that their ingredients are easy to read and understand.  Personally I have a good experience with using Hemp Oil based products for my eczema.   I think it's not available in Singapore in its pure form cos' it falls under the cannibis family  even though THC - the drug is not present in concentrations that induces a 'high'.  at least that's what I read.  I'm just happy to find out that hemp seed oil heals my skin!:)

simple homemade cure for headaches! almost instant relief!

An instant cure for headaches!  who knew that the secret is just residing in ingredients from our kitchen??? and it even beat a fancy cream that has more than a dozen ingredients!

You would have to pardon my enthusiasm, but I'm so amazed at how effective a simple DIY headache cure works!  and my consultant?  google search!

The husband suffers from headaches from time to time, and usually it lingers from a couple of hours to over a few days.

[caption id="attachment_890" align="aligncenter" width="347"] sucks to have a lingering headache[/caption]

Usually he applies Origin's Peace of Mind - which helps provide relief, though the headache is still present albeit less intense.  It contains Eucalyptus oil, so there is this mentholy-cooling effect after you apply (strangely, if you apply and massage the skin, the menthol effect doesn't work.  not so sure why.  so you gotta leave the cream alone to do its work)

so I helped the husband apply some, and the headache wasn't any better.   I went to google to see what else could possibly help - and I stumbled back onto this simple DIY solution!

.

.

.

cinnamon powder + warm water = paste.

apply paste on forehead and temple and that's it!

initially husband said he didn't feel anything when I first applied it on his head....then suddenly he said 'pain pain pain'.  The cinnamon paste was apparently heating up to the point of it being painful.  Lucky he bit the pain and left it on (at this point, he said he had less pain from the headache, but figured the heat from the cinnamon paste was distracting him).

The real reward came about 5 - 10 minutes, when the heat from the cinnamon paste slowly subsided and became bearable.  So I asked the obvious question 'so still got headache?'.....and he said 'no' - the headache was gone! just from cinnamon + water!! gosh.  washed the paste off after a few more mintues...and headache remained gone!!!  true story. It happened a few hours ago!

p/s:  I tried some on my forehead to test if really that painful, and from someone who normally has a high threshold for pain - it was indeed bordering on painful hot.

So the next time you or a family member has a headache, you can try this method!  Provided you are not allergic to cinnamon of course.  But do be prepared for some painful heat - we figure it's the cinnamon making the blood vessels dilate and probably helped the blood move and removing the cause of the headache!

boy oh boy!  I'm still amazed!

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="348"] I actually bought this cinnamon powder from phoon huat to make my usual oatmeal raisin cookies - but felt that the cinnamon smell was not as good as the usual Mccormick I used - so I kept this one aside...and boy was it useful today![/caption]

 

on the smelly topic of....deordorants!

ok...i'm gonna share with you something embrassing.... my smelly pits!  sorry to gross you..but it's a real stinky issue that I have to deal with - especially with the warm humid weather here in singapore.  no kidding since average relative humidity level is in the 80+%!  on a positive note - the high humidity has its benefits for people with dry skin - keeps the skin hydrated and looking young!  on the flip side - encourages mouldy food, mould in cupboards, and skin issues like pimples from all the clogged pores (prob from the heat!)....ah well...i'm digressing!

[caption id="attachment_547" align="alignleft" width="225"] i wish I could smell as good as theses lovlies![/caption]

I found myself smelling less than great, and then slowly but surely, progessed to smelling really stinko! Eons ago, I lasered the hair on my pits - and a wonderful side effect was that I stayed stink free for a good 3-4 years (yes, really that long!)! I figured the stink sweat follicles got blasted and got laid to rest for a while!:)

When I started smelling a bit, I used a off-the-shelf deordorant daily, and after a year or so - had a lump under my pits!  I went to see a doctor - the lady doctor checked and even commented my breasts felt lumpy.   She gave me a pill (she said it contained papaya extract) and after a while, the lump went away - of course I stopped the deordorant too.

Since then, I found that there are some pretty horrible substances in the usual deordorants and antiperspirants which are bad for our health!   Here are some quick info so that you can take note and avoid them if you can!

1. aluminum

there are deodorants, and antiperspirants.  antiperspirants usually contain aluminum-based compounds are used as the active ingredient in antiperspirants. These compounds form a temporary plug within the sweat duct that stops the flow of sweat to the skin's surface.

there's quite a bit written about aluminum - from causing breast cancer due to antiperspirants to alzhimers by ingesting it.  of course, it's up to the individual to decide whether to believe it or not - and I choose to - simply because avoiding aluminum is something I'm more than willing to do, as compared to the possibility of damaging my health.  cancer? alzhimers? ney.  no thanks. It's not worth risking my health.

that's why I don't cook anything in aluminum directly, avoid carbonated drinks in aluminum cans, etc. You might be amazed to know that they are even present in some medicines (antacids!) and vaccines!  gosh.

2. parabens.

parabens are usually used to preserve in cosmetics - to prevent bacterial and fungi in our cosmetics and lotions...and sometimes even food!!!  they are used essentially cos' they are effective and cheap.  but apparently they disrupt your hormones, and are linked to cancers.

The alumiunum and parabens freaked me out so much scary - for a while, I even went without deordorant!  *gasp* true story.  During that time I felt horrible!  after a short time out of the house, I already smelt bad, and it was horrible!  I was conscious not to raise my arms as I sure as hell didn't want to assualt someone's poor nose!

So in my zealous quest to become stink free and at the same time make sure I take care of my health - here are the deordorants I have tried!

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1.  Khiels

[caption id="attachment_659" align="alignleft" width="140"] khiel deodorant[/caption]

I can't exactly remember what was on the ingredient list that made me throw it away after I got my Su Kin deordorant, but i think there was some aluminum in it (I threw it away already - so am unable to check the ingredient list). I recalled I bought it cos' it stated "Orange, Lemon and Linseed Extract" - so I naturally assumed it was all natural.  Not so.  Still have to read the ingredients list.  Other than that - it worked decently, though a little wet upon application.

Ingredient list:  I threw it away.  can't exactly remember what was on the ingredient list that made me do it - so it's a fail for me.

Smell control:  7.5/10.  not bad.  kept me from smelling too bad.  medium control.  not for heavy duty sweating!  

dry factor: 5/10.  a slight wet sticky feeling upon application...and throughout the day - slight dampness or a grosser term - slimy.  

2. Su Kin

[caption id="attachment_660" align="alignleft" width="178"] Sukin deodorant[/caption]

 

When I first used it - the thing I note was the nice pleasant smell.  and it was really easy to use - just spray and it dries pretty fast.

down side?   NOT effective - at least not for me! to be fair, my friend says it works for her. so maybe I just smell wayyy too bad.   In fact, I thought it made me even SMELLIER!  cos' you know - my stinko sweat PLUS other stuff = SMELLIER than ever pits.

Smell control:  1/10. gosh. dont' stand near me on a hot humid day! or after I've been baking! you will faint. 

dry factor: 7.0/10.  dries pretty quicky upon application, and doesn't have a slimy after feel compared to Khiels.   

 

 

 

 

 

3. Honey Tree

[caption id="attachment_661" align="alignleft" width="186"] Honeybee deodorant powder[/caption]

 

initially I didn't quite like it - it was too jasminely for my liking and well...not my cup of tea.  after a while, I got used to the smell, and it was okay.

It's a powder form.  texture's a little coarse but acceptable.

smell control:   4/10 . better than Su Kin but I still stank after a while or if the weather's too hot. 

dry factor: 7.5/10.  

 

 

 

 

 

4. Soapwalla!

[caption id="attachment_665" align="aligncenter" width="570"] soapwalla deodorant cream[/caption]

i heard so many raves about soapwalla's deordorant and in my desperate attempt to not smell so bad, I wanted to ship in from the US, but shipping was a killer!  luckily Rachel, the owner directed me to a online shop in Singapore! Poppibleu!

It is a cream that you apply - and was slightly surprised that it was coarse - similar to Honey Tree.  it is acceptable, but was a little surprised as I expected a smooth cream.  easy to apply.

smell control: 9.5/10!!!! went cycling and there was no smell!!!! no kidding!  oh my gosh, I sooooo happy to finally find something that will let me stay stink free!  thank you thank you thank you!

dry factor:  9/10!  strangely even though it's a cream - i think there is some clay or something in the cream - when you apply - it's not wet, and throughout my cycling - didn't feel any wetness! 

So TA DA - MY LOVE!!!!! SOOOOOoooo happy to have found this deodorant!

 

5. Magnesium oil 

Read from somewhere that magnesium oil spray thing is able to double up as a deodorant so I will just try that the next time I get my hands on some!:)

Inexpensive ways to decorate and pretty-up your home!

I love my home and I spend a great deal of time in it.

As I spend much time at home, it is important to me to make it as comfortable and cosy as possible - esp since I am also super affected by my environment (certain things just drives me nuts until i get it fixed / tidied / straighten!).

Not much of a surprise, but I LOVE decorating.  What I don't love is spending too much on grossly overpriced things.  Over the past year or so, I found a few inexpensive yet fairly effective ways to decorate your home - simple touches around the house - not too fussy cos' it will be a pain to clean!  So here are some useful and inexpensive tips!:)

1.  Pretty photos / pictures from brochures!



okay, my wall ain't exactly the prettiest, but it makes me happy.    You would be amazed at how some brochures have the prettiest visuals.   The tree in a field of lavender was taken from a brochure from a skin care company 'Enavose'.

The quote (too small to see from the photo) reads "Love what you Do, Put your heart into it and you will be rewarded" - at the back page of Kiehl's brochure, and the trees from a calendar my mum gave me!   Practically no cost! heh. :)

2. Free printouts on blogs / internet

I love the blog 'Making It Lovely' - the lady is AMAZING at decorating her home.  Seriously, check her blog for yourself if you love as she puts it "living a stylish life and transforming the so-so."

There was this time where she shared with her readers a poster she created.  So nice right! So I printed it out ,  took an existing frame and hung it on my wall.

[caption id="attachment_305" align="alignnone" width="470"] free printable from the blog "Making It Lovely" and lovely is her blog indeed![/caption]

3. Postcards!

I went to Paris a few years ago, and THE BEST souvenir was not the usual handbags or clothes - but these postcards I got from a street florist (yes, they sold these lovelys!).  Okay, I take it back.  the 2nd best.  The best was a painting. :)

I LOVE the colors, the graphics, the quirkness - and it was less than 2 euros per postcard!  Each time I look at the postcard - it just makes me happy!  I placed them in some nice Ikea frames that cost about $10 each, and hung it in my vanity area and another on my sink.  Don't you love how the colors just brightens up the place?

[caption id="attachment_306" align="alignnone" width="470"] kekeke....so cute and funny!  The one on the left doesn't have a frame cos' I'm not decided if i want to hang it else it starts to look a bit cluttered, so just left it there for now.:)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_307" align="alignnone" width="470"] the graphics is so pretty aei! reminds me to slow down and pamper myself![/caption]

4. As little clutter as possible!

The next would be to reduce the clutter in your home (and in your life) - I subscribe to the notion  our surroundings affect us and that we are reflections of those surroundings.  I aim for tranquility and peace in my home - and by that extension, means reducing unnecessary things in my life - so that I can focus on the important.



5.  Use what you have - don't store!  Things are meant to be used.  

[caption id="attachment_309" align="alignnone" width="470"] stuff in my toilet! and that flower above? taken from a brochure![/caption]

The foot scrub was a gift, and I hardly use it (cos' I'm lazy) - but love the color, so I placed it in the toilet.  The scented incense smells wonderful, but the scent was lost when burnt - so I thought - hey - I can leave the wonderful scent in the unburnt form and leave it in the open!

Who says a toilet is to be functional only?   It can be functional AND pretty at the same time.  All you require is some small touches and you would be amazed at how your living environment becomes that bit better.:)

Anyway, if you have nice gifts that you can't bear to use - I say - take it out and use it cos' everyday is meant to be special.   that nice cup, that beautiful pen, that exquisite china, etc.   disclaimer - declutter your home first .  that way you can more fully appreciate the things you do have out on display.

6. A nice burst of color in something small.

okay - this is a little frivolous, but I couldn't resist buying it and this cheerful soap dispenser does give you that kick of color early in the morning.  Small but impactful and less than $15.   and pardon the dirty mirror. kee..



 

7. Move things around!

Another cheap yet fast way to pretty up your house?  Move things around!  Sometimes we get bored with seeing something in the same place - and you would be amazed that a simple shift of things - somehow makes the space slightly different and more interesting!

CD Baby

A couple of days ago - i stumbled upon a website by David Sivers and LOVED LOVED LOVED his animation!

this is just one of the many cute ones!

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/25494440 w=400&h=300]

Essentially the videos on his website are extracts from his book 'Anything You Want'.  I borrowed the book from the library and it is a really quick read - you can easily complete  it in under 1.5 hours.

What amazes me is that he accidently stumbled upon a business, worked and grew it, sold it for 22 million, and gave most of the money away.  from the book, i gathered he knew himself very well - well enough to know that even more money doesn't make him happy.  Of course it is something we all need to survive - but his ability to detach from it and keep enough for himself without being too attached is amazing.  Lesson I took away is that money itself doesn't make you happier.  of course a certain level is required to ensure you have less worries - beyond that  - we all need to know how to be happy regardless.

I was out running errands today and many times I found myself uttering thanks for the many small things in my life - my wonderful cats that keep me happy, my family, the pretty red flowering tree just outside my flat, good cold blasting aircon on the bus, the fact that I am born in a wonderful country and many many others.  when you start being thankful, amazingly it becomes easier to recognize the good things in your life.

If you happen to come across this book - do pick it up and give it a read.  for me - there were many good lessons within the book - of course, everyone interprets information in their own way - but I hope you enjoy it regardless!:)

[caption id="attachment_264" align="alignnone" width="470"] hahaha...much as the boy is cute - i dont' really get the cover, but heck! it's a happy cover!:)[/caption]

 

home made hair gel

my sis-in-law made a simple DIY hair gel months ago, and gave us a bottle.

'oh?  you made it yourself?' was my initial surprised response.  In this age and time - normally we buy whatever we need - we have mostly lost touch with making things on our own.  In the frenzied lives most live in - the convenience is very much desired..  BUT...it's really simple to make!  No more than 15 mins of your time and it is wayyyyyyyyy wayyyyyy better than the commercial ones.

My husband tested the hair gel, and here's what we observed!

Pros

• sufficient holding power - quite similar to the commercial hair gels he was previously using (of course - he has short hair and it tends to 'stand' on its own and  just needs some help staying put.  I tried it too and it's okay if you are looking for a more natural look.  definitely not enough holding power to really style hair.  I use store bought hair clay when I need to style it a little.


• scalp smells better and i believe it's also healthier - before when the hb was using the commercial hair gels, there was a smell from his scalp!  Now, the smell is significantly reduced, and on most days - no chemicaly smell anymore!  i can only think this is good for his scalp!


•  easy / cheap / fast to make - previously a bottle of his hair gel costs about SGD 7-8 and can lasts him a month and a half.  now, I make a bottle for him once every month, and I don't even know how to calculate the cost!  probably < SGD 1??  and it's a dollar cos' I use essential oils which is the expensive part (then again, if you order online - it would be even cheaper!)

Cons

• personally i think it's none. - probably  the 15 mins you have to spend on making the gel?  but i find the process therapeutic...

so after he finished the bottle, I promised him to make a new batch for him.  and boy is it simple!!

all you need?

1. flaxseed


2. water


3. essential oil (optional - it supposedly helps to keep your hair gel longer.  i personally love the nice burst of smell!)


4. sieve (or pantyhose - see video below!)


5. container for your finished product!:)

instructions

a video says a thousand words - so this youtube video was what I referred to!  Instead of the pantyhose, I used a sieve .  have fun making your DIY hair gel!

I got this huge pack for less than $4! and to make each batch of flaxseed, I only use a tablespoon or so...so I'm guessing this pack will last me years!  since i'm not ingesting it - i think i can risk going beyond the expiry date. hehe. 

[caption id="attachment_244" align="alignnone" width="470"] This is the expensive part - this small bottle costs about $25 or so. The essential oils are supposed to keep your hair gel good for longer. Of course, if you just wanna try w/o the essential oils - it's okay - just make a small batch and keep your hair gel in the fridge.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_247" align="alignnone" width="470"] ta-da! home-made DIY hair gel!  i make small batches at time...and this round, i made it a thicker consistency on request of the hb.:)[/caption]

Pimples! My way of tackling them!

this will be one of my rambles on skin care - one of my favourite topics!

I have been blessed with a relatively pimple/acne free complexion (save for a recent memory of a horrible terrible HUGE pimple years ago - almost 1 cm diameter at the bottom of my nose!  morbidly I snapped a photo of the scar - maybe to remind me that it was really THAT huge! *shudder* and no, i shall not gross any of you out by posting it here. kekeke...that would be funny though!).

However in the past year - I had a period where pimples kept popping around my nose and I was a tad upset cos' it left faint albeit visible marks on my nose and it looked well...distracting.  and before the mark completely fades - POP! another comes along.  I was trying hard to pin point what caused the pimple outbreak and I can only weakly assume it's either

1. hot humid environment - when I used to bake frequently for orders


2. loose powder  - i was using to reduce the shine of applying sunblock.


3. some other reason - but i just haven't figured it out...maybe getting older? hmm...

So I tried clay masks, dead sea mud mask soap, exfoliating 2-3 times a week, and the pimples still popped!  boy....was it really annoying.  Then I started using Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair serum, and much as I'm a cynic at times (normally I don't buy the major cosmetics products as I feel that I am paying more for the marketing and advertising costs than the product itself) - it really really worked!  at least for me!  the marks went away quicker and the pimples stopped for a period!  plus it feels good - to be trying to protect my skin from aging!

[caption id="attachment_214" align="alignnone" width="460"] Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum - thank you to the people who created this wonderful product![/caption]

Though I have to disclaim - the pimples unfortunately came back for a little while - i suspect it's because I changed my loose powder and maybe maybe the new powder included micro/nano particles and with the heat of the kitchen, probably clogged my pores. I think.   The nano particles really gave a smoother finish - but ney - not worth the pimples, and to think about it - being nano sized means it's easier to go into my blood stream huh?  Okay - to the dustbin!  Note to self:  Please remember to look at ingredients list!

[caption id="attachment_219" align="alignnone" width="300"] Love the packaging and the finish it gave - but i suspect it caused my pimples. The sales lady said it contained nano particles, hence the smooth finish - but couldn't find much information on the ingredients / packaging.  It was also an impluse buy and i didn't read the ingredient list until much later and i vaguely remember being horrified. then again....i suspect most commercial products contain less than desired ingredients.[/caption]

Still, i do get pimples - albeit a lot less now.   You know when a pimple is about to erupt - that small but painful bump under your skin, you may wanna try what my sister recommended - Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment and it works!  I generously dot the area with the cream before the pimple even has a chance to appear, and instead of an angry red burst of pimple erupting - a small red dot appears.  It's a drying cream - so dab it only on the pimple area - else your skin will flake.