Wednesday, November 26, 2014

DIY Home soaps, cleansers and eco-friendly detergents: Natural living is not as scary as you think!

Have you ever wondered what goes into your typical bathroom bleach, kitchen stain removers, floor detergents, and even your own shampoo and body wash?
Have you ever felt like the smell from those detergents are so pungent and wonder why your hands feel so dry and powdery after you use them to wash your dishes/ clothes/ polish your stoves etc?
 
Commercial detergents are often derived from petrochemicals and contain synthetic fragrances, even when advertised as “fragrance-free.”  
The term “fragrance” alone may refer to a combination of several hundred laundry chemicals including many that are hazardous.

 
What an irony it is then, when the very things supposed to help you keep your home clean and hygienic are also the culprits that are harmful and carcinogenic (cancer-causing).
 
 
If you are making your transition from a chemical-filled household to gradually one that encourages eco-friendly and organic products, then take a deep breath - natural living is not as daunting as you thought it is!
 
The mantra with natural living is - Less is definitely MORE :)
Less synthetic ingredients, less chemicals, less animal-testing, less GMOs, less sulphates and parabens = More control over your health.
Dr Bronner's castile soaps are organic, certified fair-trade, and contain no synthetic ingredients, and are available at selected organic shops in Singapore 
eg. - Taste Original at 1 Maritime Square #03-57, HarbourFront Centre, Singapore 099253. Tel/Fax: 62745852

- BUD Cosmetics #01-66 Square 2, 10 Sinaran Drive, Singapore 307506
Tel / Fax: +65 6397 6013


Dr Woods castile soap with shea butter (unscented) is another chemical-free product I bought off www.iherb.com to add my own Essential oils in.

Castile soaps have multiple uses - for face and body, add baking soda to make laundry detergents, adding a few drops of Lemon EO to make your floor detergent, and so much more.

Some commonly used, multi-purpose oils our family loves include Lavender, Lemon, Geranium, Peppermint, and Grapefruit.

Lavender uses: Calming, rashes, redness, sensitive skin, relaxation, cuts, burns, scalds, dry and chapped skin, scars, eczema, allergy, sooth sunburn.
Add a few drops into your laundry for nicer-smelling clothes.

Lemon uses: antiseptic, removes grease and oil stains, removes sticky residue from labels of bottles, reduces wrinkles, kills bacteria, removes blackheads, acne.
Good for mopping floors and cleaning stoves in your kitchen.
You can also use lemon to soak vegetables and your children's toys in a tub.


Geranium uses: wonderful flowery scent, perfume, regenerates tissue and cells, support circulation, good for the skin, lifts depression and negativity, shingles, eczema, fungus.


Peppermint uses: refreshing, cooling, brings down fever, bloatedness and flatulence, headache, mental recall, nasal congestion.
Add 1-2 drops in a pump of shampoo and massage your scalp for a lifting, hair-orgasmic experience.


Grapefruit uses: uplifting, induces relaxation, fights fluid retention, dissolves fat and cellulite, diuretic, obesity, refreshing. supports lymphatic and vascular system.


So there you go, making your own soaps is really not as daunting as it sounds. Plus, it can be lots of fun coming up with your own concoctions! :)

Monday, November 24, 2014

[Sponsored] FirstBIKE learner bike Review + GIVEAWAY!

For us, Christmas begins in November. Have you heard of the FirstBIKE Balance Bike? I haven't until we received a gorgeous FirstBIKE Balance bike for our review.
 
What on earth is a Balance Bike? Another kiddy bicycle with add-on wheels?
 
Actually, the special feature about FirstBIKE is that it has no pedals. Yeap, you heard right!
So how does a child actually ride a bike without pedals?

Check out this video from FirstBIKE Singapore's website:
 


 
 Here're some photos of Adam riding his FirstBIKE:
Easy and fun way to develop your child's sense of balance, motor skills and self-confidence.

Lightweight and portable.


Adjustable seat height.

Suitable for children from ages 2 to 5.

 

Can customize your bike/ wheel/ basket colours.

Don't think that FirstBIKE is only for boys, because it comes in a sweet Pink, as well as other colours like Violet and Green.
 
We have GOOD NEWS for Mumzilla's readers :)
FirstBIKE SG is sponsoring one Bike for Giveaway, so if you're thinking of a Christmas present for your child or for a friend's child, here's how you can win a FirstBIKE Balance Bike in 3 easy-peasy steps:
 
1) Like Confessions of a Mumzilla Facebook page and share this Post.
 
2) Like FirstBIKE Singapore Facebook page.
 
3) Comment in this blog post that you have done Steps 1 & 2, together with your email address (this will be the address to contact you if you are the lucky winner)
and your child(ren)'s name, gender and age.


Lucky draw starts now and will end on 30 November 2014, Sunday, 2359hr.


** UPDATE:  Thanks for all your participation. Giveaway has ended and the winner has been selected. He/She will receive an email from the FirstBIKE SG Distributor shortly :)

Sunday, November 2, 2014

[Sponsored] Beauty Mums & Babies massage course and Grand opening of Baby Spa!

Remember Ashton and I were invited to attend a baby tuina massage course at Beauty Mums & Babies a month ago?
We have finally "graduated"!
 
Yeap! Here's a recap of the massage course:
 
The correct techniques to massaging the pressure points of your child's body



 
 
You can find the previous article on our first lesson here:


 
 
And.... that's not all Beauty Mums & Babies have to offer.
They have recently opened a Baby Spa outlet and infants up to tods of 2 years old can go and enjoy the hydro-spa service offered.
 
BB Spa is located at Paragon level 5, opposite Strip and Browhaus.




Singapore Mom Blogger Irene and I were there for their grand opening. Pictured with us was Carolynne, our marketing sponsor in-charge :)
My baby and I wearing matchy-matchy grey Tee with denim ^_^

The children ate so many of those chocolate-icing strawberries that I didn't get a chance to eat!!! *tantrums*

 
 If you're interested in finding out more about baby massage courses, and baby spa services, do head on to their website at: http://www.beautymumsbabies.com/index.html
 
BEAUTY MUMS & BABIES
290 Orchard Road, Paragon (Tower 2)
#14-11/12 Singapore 238859
* BB Spa is located at level 5, opposite Browhaus and Strip.

Contact Number: 6235 0688 / 6235 5990
E-mail: contact@bodyworkclinic.com.sg
Website: http://beautymumsbabies.com/index.html


Witches and little monsters get-together: Halloween playdate.

A bunch of us Mummies Witches organised a Halloween Playdate for our children. Between us, we have 10 children so can you imagine the amount of Trick or Treatin' going on!
Let's see what we had brewing in our dungeon!
 

Pumpkin cupcakes baked by yours truly!

We had a Wizard, Devil, Pirates (not yet pictured), Pumpkins (mine), and little Ballerinas!






Little Ballerina is angry because of the loud spooky music the boys were playing HEHEHE.
I swear if I have a daughter imma spoil her rotten!



The Pirate family!





See my Adam in the middle of the table grabbing as many treats as he could. *Mummy blushes and hides her face*

 
Glad that the children and adults had equal parts of fun.
Adam and Ashton had soooooo much candy that when we got home, it was time to whip out Mama's Magic Potion - Young Living DiGize, Lemon, and Grapefruit to detox, detox, detox.
 
 
Gotta send my kids to Candy Rehab for the next 2 months!
 

Saturday, November 1, 2014

[Media invite] Erth's Dinosaur zoo coming to you at Kidsfest 2015!

 
Adam and Ashton have never been to any plays before. Heck, even Andy and I have never been to any plays before.
When the lovely PR people for KidsFest contacted us for the media invite, I made sure I marked my calendar.
 
 
What is KidsFest all about?
For the uninitiated, KidsFest is an annual three-week festival of world-class theatre plays for children. The productions are from all over the world, and for Erth's Dinosaur Zoo in particular, it will be their first time coming to Singapore.
 
 
Meet awesome prehistoric creatures, from cute baby dinos to some of the largest carnivores and herbivores that have ever walked the planet!
Erth's Dinosaurs come alive and are mostly friendly, except for the large predators like T-rex of course!
 








 

When is KidFest happening?
KidsFest will be coming to SOTA Drama Theatre from 21st January - 1st March 2015, with 8 plays for young people.
If you're interested in the show schedules and booking of tickets, please head on to their website:


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