Mia's Review: Dr Bronner's Castile Organic Liquid Soap [Sponsored]

Previously, I've talked about Dr Bronner's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil available at Nature's Glory. This time, I'm going to introduce yet another 'skin's food' from them, Dr Bronner's 18-in-1 Castile Organic Liquid Soap. 

2oz $5.50 • 8oz $11.90 • 16oz $18.90 • 32oz $30.80 • 1GAL $109 • 5GAL $450 

For five generations, over 150 years, the Bronner family is known for their soapmaking excellence. Nothing brings the warmth and coziness of home and hearth into your shower like Dr. Bronner's range of heavenly-scented Castile Organic Liquid Soap. They are certified organic under the USDA National Organic Program, as well as certified Fair Trade. Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic bottles, these soaps are renowned for their quality, versatility and eco-friendliness. 

The purity of the source of these soaps grants each droplet its exceptional qualities. They contain a relatively large volume of therapeutic high quality grade essential oil (i.e., 20ml in 1litre) which is really value for money. The soaps greatly enhance its penetration deep into the skin to unleash reservoirs of goodness for long-lasting care and love for our skin. 

Not only is this natural remedy for all skin types but it also has 18 versatile uses, that's not limited to our skin!

The 18 uses listed are:

1. Shave 

2. Shampoo 

3. Toothpaste 

4. Soap Bath or Foot Bath 

5. Deodorant 

6. Denture Cleaner 

7. Mouth Wash 

8. Hands Cleanser 

9. Body Massage 

10. Laundry 

11. Douche 

12. Hot Towel Massage 

13. Pets 

14. Dishwashing 

15. Toilet Wash 

16. Fruits/Vegetables Wash 

17. Pest Spray 

18. No Rash Nappy Soap 

I'm sure many of you will be going, "18 uses with this 1 soap, are you sure?" And that's exactly how I felt when I first read this long list of 18 uses for this magical sounding bottle of soap. It didn't help much with my incredulous feeling of skepticism (if that's even a valid feeling) when I saw toilet wash and pest spray along with mouth wash and toothpaste. 

And so, being not very adventurous, I started off with using it as a shampoo! However, it was rather disappointing as it left my already-pretty-dry hair even drier and tangly. While shampoo apparently is still one of the more popular uses, it's highly recommended that you use a good conditioner along with this to work out all the tangles. I'll rather using it on the body than on the hair, too. 

And having experimented with most of the 18 uses, I have to say that other than the common uses of a soap (eg. hand cleanser, body cleanser, denture cleaner, dishwasher etc) it work pretty well as a replacement for shaving gel as well. However, there's actually 4 listed uses which I'll highly advise that you do not try out, namely:

1. Douche

2. Mouth Wash

3. Toothpaste

4. Deodorant

Well, a douche actually just means to rinse a body cavity, but other than a vaginal douche, I really do not know where else is it normal for us to do rinsing on that is termed a douche. And by just googling 'vaginal douche', you can slowly go through a long list of articles telling you why you absolutely should not continue doing vaginal douche. So yup, a big no for that. 

As for using it as a mouth wash or toothpaste, the main issue with this product is that even though I had a peppermint flavoured soap, it effectively still tasted like soap and not some toothpaste-ish pepperminty flavour. So yup, unless you do enjoy having the taste of soap in your mouth, I will highly advise that you do not put this product into your mouth. 

And finally, as a deodorant. I'm not sure if I've tried this in a wrong way, or perhaps I should have dilute it with more water to make it into some sort of a spray or even to have experimented with a much better smelling scent variation other than peppermint (or unscented), but chances are dabbing bits of this (oily) soap onto your body will probably just leave you feeling sticky and with no apparent odour control. And nope, it definitely do not help with the sweating. 

Dr. Bronner’s products are available at Nature’s Glory retail store or e-shop at www.naturesglory.com  with FREE DELIVERY for purchases S$150 & above. 

You can find Natures Glory retail store at 

315 Outram Road #01-09  Tan Boon Liat Building  Singapore 169074 

Tel: 6227 1318 

For more information, visit their facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Dr.BronnerAsia and https://www.facebook.com/NaturesGlorySg 

Till then,
Mia Foo

LilliPutt: Funtastic Singapore In 18-Holes

Frankly speaking, I've never heard of this place and never knew that such an indoor 18-holes mini golf course exist in Singapore. T and I were heading for the prawning place when he suddenly remembered about LilliPutt and insisted that we try out this mini golf course instead of the usual prawning. 

And of course, we met a really nice staff who saw the youth in us and gave us the student price of $16 instead of the usual $19.20. Shoes are not allowed in the golf course premise, so do remember to bring a pair of socks. If not, you can buy a new pair at $2. 

We were first given our putters and golf balls before the staff brought us into the course to show us how it's done. Basically, the 18 holes constitute of 18 mini (obstacle) courses, modeled after many of our local landmarks such as the Esplanade, Zoological Gardens, Turf Club, Haw Par Villa and etc.
With the given score card, you will go through stations by stations, guiding your golf ball through the courses and try to hit it into the hole in maximum of 8 hits. There's no limit to how long you can spend inside the course, as long as you do not hit your golf ball into the hole at station number 18, for that is the final station and your golf ball will not come out after you've hit it in.

And here's some of the stations. And do pardon me for looking chui because I always wear PJ-lookalike clothes and go make up-less with my oversized geeky glasses when I go out with T. Heh!

Turf Club was one of the harder one because you might just get stuck at the first hit if you're unlucky enough to not catch the timing of the raising board at the top of the ramp. 

 And of course, a shot with our beloved architectural durians....

 The iconic Big Splash slides, a place I dreamt of visiting when I was a kid and never had the chance to. Yes, NEVER. They were gone before I could bring myself there. T.T

 Bird Park

Zoo

Botanic Gardens

This Fountain of Wealth got to be the hardest of the 18 course. I think I took more than 8 hits just to bring the ball into the hole itself.

Other than just ramps and obstacles here and there, there's also electrical mechanism set up at some courses for the golf ball to travel around.

Like the MRT....

And an elevator for the golf ball to reach the top at the final station number 18. 

And now for my take on LilliPutt. Initially, I wasn't that keen on trying them out because it feels (and totally seems like) it's solely meant for kids or adults who refuse to admit that they've outgrown kiddy games. 

But I have to admit, I was wrong about this place. Although young kids (and their parents) do make up 90% of the crowd while I was there, I'll say this indoor mini golf thing is definitely not just for young children! It will be a perfect choice for a fun day out with your friends, or even a team building session with your office peers. 

LilliPutt is located at 902 East Coast Parkway Big Splash, Block B #03-05

For more information, visit their website HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

Mia's Review: Dr. Bronner's Whole Kernel Organic Virgin Coconut Oil [Sponsored]

It is becoming more common these days to hear people sharing their concerns on chronic skin conditions such as sensitive skin, acne, allergies, eczema and etc. These can happen to anyone from a tender age to his/her mature years, and causes can be topical irritants or internal such as environmental, food allergies and emotional elements like, stress. 

Dr. Bronner’s Whole Kernel Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

14oz $21.90 • 30oz $38.90 

Nature’s Glory is proud and happy to present Dr. Bronner’s Whole Kernel Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, made using the ancient wisdom of Mother Nature’s wondrous resources, while marrying the cutting-edge technology to augment their ingredients’ efficacy so you reap the full and best benefits. 

It is 100% expeller-pressed from fresh, carefully dried coconut kernels whose brown inner skins have been left on, resulting in a more aromatic, nuttier-tasting oil.

Nature’s Glory was formed in 1991 with the vision and mission to discover the best of Nature, for the betterment of health and lives of Mankind. Its philosophy is that Man should be in harmony with Nature. Nature’s Glory offers a range of products that are truly unique and distinguished. Its organic and macrobiotic foods, health supplements, ionic water systems, beauty and car health products are among the very best in the world, brought about by painstaking research, and with regional and international representations. Prices are very moderate as part of its health mission. The team at Nature’s Glory is committed to the excellence of health and the environment. Nature’s Glory believes 80% of health problems come from nutrition, prevention is better than cure, and selecting the right food and water helps to restore, maintain and build health, beauty and vigour. 

Coconut oil consists of more than 90% saturated fats, along with traces of few unsaturated fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Due to its high content of saturated fats, coconut oil was once demonised due to the misconception of clogged arteries, which may lead to heart diseases. 

In fact, recent studies has shown that coconut oil has various health benefits that includes:

1. Weight loss

Increasing our energy expenditure, hence helping us burn more fat

2. Immunity

Contains Lauric acid and other components with antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties

3. Lower risks of heart diseases 

Loaded with saturated fats, which raises HDL and changes LDL to a benign subtype (17, 18)

4. Alzheimer's disease

Fatty acids help increase our blood levels of ketone bodies, supplying energy for the brain cells of Alzheimer's patients and relieving symptoms.

5. Strengthens bones and teeth

Improves the ability of our body to absorb important minerals, including calcium and magnesium which are necessary for development of strong bones. It also helps with developing strong teeth and preventing tooth decay. 

Other than using the coconut oil as a food source for health purposes, there's also many other beauty uses for coconut oil, such as:

1. Hair mask

2. Body oil

3. Lip balm

4. Cuticle softener

5. Under-eye cream 

6, Make up remover

7. Body scrub (with sea salt or sugar)

8. Shaving gel

And, guess how did I use my coconut oil?

 With my newly acquired breadmaker, of course!

To make a 500g loaf of Coconut Sweet Bread, you'll need:

Water - 180ml

Egg - 1 no. (30 - 50g)

Salt - 1/3 tsp

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Bread Flour - 330g

Instant Yeast - 3/4 tsp

Coconut Oil - 4 tsp

*you may increase or decrease the amount of sugar, oil and yeast according to your preference.

Although most breadmaker will recommend that we first add water, egg, salt, sugar, oil, and then the flour and lastly the yeast, I found that doing it the opposite works much better and gives me softer, fluffier bread. 

First, I add in my liquid (water or milk in other recipes) and sugar, then my instant yeast. Adding yeast first can also allow us to make sure that we're not trying to bake bread using 'dead' yeast. 

Only after confirming that my yeast is 'alive', I'll add in the flour and then the salt, making sure never to let the salt get into direct contact with the yeast, for that will kill the yeast. 

Keeping the oil aside, I'll start my machine and let mixing commence. Only when the mixture is starting to come together, I'll add in my oil (or butter in other recipes) to give the bread a better overall texture. 

Slightly sweet with just a hint of coconut flavour, this coconut sweet bread goes well with a light spread of butter or even peanut butter or nutella. 

Dr. Bronner’s products are available at Nature’s Glory retail store or e-shop at www.naturesglory.com  with FREE DELIVERY for purchases S$150 & above. 

You can find Natures Glory retail store at 

315 Outram Road #01-09  Tan Boon Liat Building  Singapore 169074 

Tel: 6227 1318 

For more information, visit their facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Dr.BronnerAsia and https://www.facebook.com/NaturesGlorySg 

Till then,

Mia Foo

Mia's Review: Bulgarian Rose Karlovo Signature Natural Rose Water [Sponsored]

Previously, I've shared my experience at Bulgarian Rose Karlovo Tea Party at Muffet's Room Cafe and has introduced a few lines of their products. 

And as promised, I'm going to do a full review of their Signature Rose Water. 

I was truly surprised when I opened the package and was greeted by a subtle rose scent. 

There really was quite a generous amount of dried roses in the package as well! 

Bulgarian Rose Signature is a complex care that keeps the skin healthy and youthful. It's 100% natural rose water obtained by distillation of the flowers of the oil-bearing Rosa Damascena. It is a natural tonic that allows the skin to retain its beautiful youthful appearance, smooth out the telltale signs of aging, compensate the increasing collagen deficit and keep its fresh look for longer time. 

For those ladies who cares a lot about the ingredient list of your skincare products, you'll be glad to know that the natural rose water's list goes like this: Rosa Damascena flower water, Citronellol and Geranoil, which are monoterpenoid found in rose oils.

Having no alcohol and no preservatives added, it's is important that you keep the bottle in a cool, dry place (airconditioned room or simply, the fridge) once you've opened it. The scent of the rose water also tends to change slightly the longer you keep the bottle after opening, so do not be alarmed when you realised that your rose water starts to smell different. However, when it started to smell more like a sour muddy water rather than rose water, it's better to stop using it totally. 

As the water comes in big, jumbo bottles of 500ml, I found that it's more convenient to decant small amounts of the water into a small spray bottle and keeping the rest in the fridge. 

I'm using it both as a toner (with facial cotton pads) and facial spray (decanted into spray bottle) in the mid-day to freshen up and 'waken up' my tired skin. It worked especially well as a 'base' to work in my facial oil (my pure argan oil) or my revitalising acne scar cream (very thick gel) as I found that without first spraying the rose water, those products took a lot longer to get absorbed into my skin. Given the generosity of the packaging and shorter lifespan of the product, I felt that it will make a great wet compress (using cotton pads) as'spot treatment mask' or you can even use it as a face mask by getting this dry face mask sheets and dunking them into the water. However, the scent might be a little too acute for you if you have a more sensitive nose like me. 

Bulgarian Rose Karlovo is available at Skin Society, Lazada and Sasa Cosmetics @ Clementi. 

For more information, visit their FB page HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

Summing up October

Well, if you didn't know, October has always been a special month for me because...

I'm a Libra baby! 

And many thanks to YS for making me this as my birthday gift this year.

And my birthday kickstart with 2 huge presents from the bf.

Yes, that's a friggin KitchenAid Food Processor in RED and Mayer's Bread Machine, which definitely didn't end up as white elephants.

My first few bread loaves turned out pretty dense and tough until I decided to ignore the steps of adding in instant yeast last as stated in the Mayer's recipe book. And tadaa, that's my coconut sweet bread! 

The food processor also has had its fair chance of working out as I've not only made myself strawberry sorbet and strawberry frozen yoghurt easily, but also helped my mum shred her vegetables and chopped her garlic. 

And of course, let the birthday feast begin! The bf started the ball rolling for my #fatdieme journey be bringing me for shark's fin soup and crab vermicelli.

Look at that huge piece of shark's fin there! Yeah, I know I should be FINished with Fins, but.... that was too yummy! So was the vermicelli! I was gorging myself on the QQ-ness and totally ignoring those fat crab pincers. 

And then the bestie took over and further oomph up my #fatdieme journey by bringing me for high-tea buffet at Rose Veranda, Shangri-La Hotel!

 Rainbow cake...

French macarons...

Creme Brulee...

Of course, it's not all just desserts. The savoury food were equally yummy as well, but just not as photo-worthy, yes?

The staff of Rose Veranda was also extremely sweet as they brought out a birthday cake for me and sang me a birthday song, and also took an instant photo of us and made it into a birthday card! 

And of course, J wouldn't really let me give up on myself and really let me die on this #fatdieme journey. She completed my gym attire (last year she got me an adidas dri-fit tank top) this year by giving me a pair of adidas gym pants! And they're so comfy! :) 

And of course, how can I not have anything for myself as a for of indulgence? My first ever paid-experience for gelish nail art manicure went to Nail Artelier, with the kind partial-birthday-sponsorship from Sa. It's Jack & Sally on my thumb, isn't that cute?

And of course, I managed to slot in USS Halloween Horror Nights 5 this year as an impromptu 'birthday treat' to myself. Well, yeah for the rides (especially The Mummy and Transformers!) but mehhhh to the haunted houses.

And to conclude my October's indulgence...

 It's Cirque Du Soleil! Oh well, it's 1st November... But they started their SG tour for Totem in October, so I guess I'm allowed to push it in too, yes?

Photography is not allowed during the show (duh!) so there's no other pictures to share. But I'm so glad I asked the bf to watch it with me! Really enjoyed a handful of their acts (actually all were awesome, but I did have my favourites), especially the acrobatic rollers couple (I still cannot understand how that much spinning was possible) and the final act of the Russian Bars.

-credits to daily49ers.com-

And lastly, to end off my random ramblings with a selfie....

There were many other prettier masks hanging on the shelves, but the bf made me use this. 

Till then,

Mia Foo