Organic Mania

I'm now in the process of slowly replacing my usual toiletries with organic ones...I'm more or less done with products with carcinogenic paraben and harsh sulphates and these days, I'm just a lot more conscience with what I put on my skin as much as what I put in my stomach. I've gone 90% organic vegan and I actually feel pretty great, so it's time the greatest organ of my body gets some no-nasty loving with good organic skin and body care.

I went to Bud Cosmetics a couple of days ago at Novena Square 2 (they also have an outlet at Mandarin Gallery 3rd floor). I've seen it around when Novena Square got extended but I didn't think much of it and didn't even bother going in. Then HL (omg, she's always making me spend money) told me that she went to this great organic skincare store at Novena Square and so I went to check it out the very same day she told me (she said I'm very efficient) and I walked out with a bunch of stuff together with a Membership card...okay, I think I will stop spending now...

The Loot List:
Dr Bronner's Lavender Liquid Soap
Filthy Farmgirl Rosie Rose Petal Soap Bar
Sante organic nude nail polish
Sante organic nail polish remover
Fushi Hydrating Lip Balm

I should have walked into the store when I went pass it the first time I was at Novena Square 2 cos this is a organic skincare haven! They stock a really good range of brands from the common John Masters Organics to the lesser known brands like Fushi from UK and fun organic brands like Filthy Farmgirl from Hawaii and many more from France and Germany! And they also have an online store too if you're too busy or live too far to pop into their shop. Well, I'm someone who wants instant gratification when it comes to shopping so online doesn't have the same kick for me and I love to personally feel, smell and touch the products when I buy toiletries and skin care. The one I'm super excited about is the Sante nail stuff cos the nail polish and remover and they don't contain harmful substance like Touluene, acetone and all the rest of the harsh toxic chemicals in most nail polish (the cheap Korean brands ones are the worst! Don't even go there really!). Thing is, nail polish and remover are never healthy cos slapping any chemicals on your nails and skin isn't a good idea but then what about pedicure and manicure then? Yes, yes, vanity trumps health at times but I guess choosing good quality non-toxic products is a smarter options, especially if you're a heavy user of whatever products you're layering on...

When non-toxic nail polish is concerned, Sante rocks! I've tried other brands like Mavala and Zoya but they don't go on as smoothly as Sante..well, thing is, they don't cost as much either cos Sante's going at $26 a pop...but well, something's gotta give right? And I bought a nude polished color in beige. Excited! Will paint my nails soon!

And more product reviews coming up. Meanwhile, if you're a green, organic junkie like I am, check out the store! It's on the ground level of Novena Square 2 and 3rd floor of Mandarin Gallery. A very nice treasure trove of organic beauty brands!

Notable Quotable

"I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know." 

--Ernest Hemingway

Tokens from Kawaii Land

Ohhhh cool okashi from Kawaii land!! OGT went to Tokyo for New Year and 2 nights ago, she came and brought me some cool Japanese snacks!

Ohhh Senbei and a box of japanese cookies with super cute packaging! Kawaii max!

Check out how cute it is? A little white and black cat together and they're holding hands, or paws for that matter. We're saying it's Mr Bond's parents cos the white cat's got yellow eyes and Bondie probably got the black cat's overall color, the white cat's eyes and white sock paws and collar...It's so cute I really couldn't bear eating them!

But OGT insisted on having it cos it can't be kept for too long. So we had some and it's super yum! Haha...this is one New Year's goodie that I won't share with anyone!

Homeopathy

As you'd probably know, I'm all for natural remedy as opposed to the harsher western alternatives. I've been going to the Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor for a couple of months now and two weeks ago, while I went to Super Nature at Orchard Boulevard, I bought some homeopathic remedies.

I've always been a big fan of homeopathy since my 20s cos not only does it work (for minor, less acute conditions that is, otherwise, best to go back to the orthodox ways of GP), it's so much gentler on the body system. I've even considered taking a course in homeopathy but didn't go down to doing it and anyway, homeopathy is not big in Singapore and I can hardly find one homeopath and if I find one, he/she probably charges exorbitant prices (like $200 a visit) in order to survive. So I rely on organic shops to get my homeopathic stuff cos most of the items have got indications on the conditions they treat and also instructions on how to take them.

So 2 weeks ago, I got a couple of stuff:

• Duchy Organic Herbals Detox Tincture (self explanatory)
• Boiron Silicea pills (for fatigue)
• Boiron Kali Phosphoricum (for tension headache)
• Bach Flower Rescue Remedy pastilles (to calm, not shown in pictures)

I've always been using Boiron Homeopathy pills and Bach Flower Remedy (tincture) and they work pretty well and fairly effective. For homeopathic pills, you just need to melt them in your mouth 3 times a day but the important thing to note is that you should never touch the pills with your hands as you want to keep contamination to the minimum and Boiron's pills come with a unique dispensing mechanism that allows you to pop them into a little cap instead of your hand.

Bach Flower Remedy is great for calming nerves and anxiety during one of those stressful days and you can use it even for animals. I used to buy the tincture and for that you just have to just the dropper and put a couple of drops under your tongue or you can put it in your water too. I bought the pastilles this time cos I've never tried it and I think it works just as good though I think the tincture would last me longer cos the tin of pastilles doesn't contain too many of them in there. The Boiron pills are going at $18 a tube and they've got different types for different conditions like cough, flu, headache, back ache etc etc...check out their website for more info. The Bach Flower Rescue Remedy Pastilles is about $19 and the tincture is about $25 or something...here's their website you can check out too.

For the Duchy Herbals Detox Tincture, I'm trying it out for the first time and I seriously love it and I've since gone back to buy another 3 more bottles. The Detox Tincture contains Artichoke and Dandelion extract and it eliminates toxins and aids digestion and they're traditionally good for cleansing the liver to give you more energy. It's really simple to use cos you just add 2.5ml with the dropper into a glass of water and drink it 2 times a day. I'm gonna do that regularly now and it's got a very nice faint herbal sweet taste to it. I'll probably take it on a regular basis anyway. It's about $28. I've been on it for about 2 weeks, and I do feel less lethargic. Then I find that it also helps soothe my asthma. My mom took some the other day when she was about to fall sick and the next day, she's better and totally avoided catching a cold. So she, too, swears by it and she's bought 3 bottles too. You might wanna try it after all the chinese new year binging.

But bottomline is, I LOVE homeopathy and if you have chronic health issues that isn't too serious, say headache, stress, muscle ache or something along the line, then you might want to give homeopathy a try instead of resorting to popping liver-harming western medicine like Panadol (yes it is bad for the liver) or even stronger painkillers. Looks like I'm gonna go back to Super Nature for more stuff!!

Happy Lunar New Year!

It's officially the Bunny Year! Happy Lunar New Year to all! I'm having a bit of an orphan Chinese New Year this year cos my folks and sister are flying back to Hong Kong today. Of all days I know, but then my pappy gotta be back home for work in time and couldn't get any flights in the next couple of days, so he gotta leave today :( Separation anxiety now cos suddenly the house is so damn quiet and even Mr Bond is a bit maladjusted and he's missing everyone and looking restless. Ahh but at least now I can walk around my apartment in my skivvies and start rearranging and tidying up the place now that it's back to me and Mr Bond...

Good thing is, I'll be left alone for the CNY and I won't have to do the whole visiting thing cos I'm not a fan of that cos it's the annual "Why aren't you married yet?" segment by all the nosy relatives. And I'll be quiet happy catching up on my readings at home and meeting my "adopted family" aka my bunch of friends instead! Ohhh and acupuncture on Saturday too! I really think it's doing me some good and I've gone to buy enough beauty treats and new shoes (erm...like 4 pairs?) + clothes to keep myself occupied and amused for the next couple of days. I'm super enjoying the long weekend!

L'Oreal EverStrong

Okay you shouldn't be surprised I've got the L'Oreal EverStrong Range since I'm a toiletries junkie who would try anything that seems interesting to me and when the L'Oreal EverStrong (as well as the color preserving EverPure) hit the shelves in our little island of durian eaters, I snapped up the EverStrong Deep Replenishing Mask and also the overnight repair treatment. See, I'm better cos I didn't buy the entire range cos I still have good shampoo and conditioner at home and I'm merely buying what I, ahem, need.

Okay, anyway, this is L'Oreal's premium range for the mass market segment cos the price point is a bit higher and the mask costs about $18 and the leave on overnight treatment is $22 thereabouts. It's a sulfate-free range meaning that it doesn't contain any sulfate which is crucial in forming rich foam (especially for shampoo), making it milder since sulfate is a culprit of stripping the hair of its natural moisture. I that the sulfate-free thing applies mostly to shampoo cos I don't think conditioner and treatment contain sulphate. But anyway, the range also boasts aromatic herbs like Rosemary, and Juniper etc. It doesn't really smell of aromatherapy stuff but I do like the scent of it cos it's got a very warm sugary sweet scent that's not too overpowering.

I like the mask cos it really does leave hair super soft and shiny without the heaviness and it also doesn't overcoat the hair too and that for me is super important. So yes, I approve and I'm gonna use it quite regularly and at least 2 times a week especially now that I've coloured my hair to a darkest, silkiest black (I LOVE very black hair). The overnight treatment is great too. You can totally apply it on dry hair without it getting sticky. I'm used to applying serum and treatment on damp hair cos I'm horrified by sticky greasy hair but this one really gets absorbed super quickly and I need about 2 pumps of it for my hair cos its quite long. It does soften hair and when I combine it with the hair mask, the hair is really superb with shine, softness and great manageability. It's now one of my favorite hair treatment item and the best thing is, it doesn't break your piggy bank like the Kerastase range which costs a hell lot more...it's definitely thumbs up!

February Muse

Hmmm I actually enjoy doing my monthly muse...contemplating doing it twice a month actually...haha...Anyway, Happy Lunar New Year little bunnies!


Reading: I'm reading a lot of books at the same time. Thing is, I don't watch TV and I would very well not have a TV at home cos I simply don't watch it at all and books are a bit like my version of "TV programmes" cos I'll read a few books at the same time and they're a little like my different tv shows and this month, I have 2 great books (among the many more actually) I'm reading. First is Mao's Great Famine by Frank Dikotter and it tells the factual story about the horrible famine during Mao Zhedong's communist regime that led up to the cultural revolution. Dikotter did extension research from the official dossiers that many didn't have access too and later piece together the actual picture of what happened during the ghastly 50s in China where the biggest famine in the modern world took place and millions of lives were lost thanks to Mao's regime. It's such an interesting read that I could hardly put it down and the atrocity that the communist party did was so bad that reading it makes me cringed and at some part, it's so horrifying that I had to stop reading it for a bit...like how some boy stole a bun cos he was starving and to punish him, Mao's cadres ordered the father to actually kill his own son with a gun....gosh...it's so blood-curdling but I guess I would want to know what really happened. The thing that got me wondering is that, despite the atrocity of Mao's regime and his retarded, overly confident policies, why the hell was and still is so respected by the Chinese people??? You see him being glorified in arts and stuff and it's something I don't understand. You see him on t shirts and memorabilia but you don't see tyrants like Hitler getting glorified. I mean, think about it, you can't possibly not be crucified and get pelted with kosher food if you wear a t shirt with Hitler's face on it can you? So I don't know...but it's a hauntingly good read.

Then the other great book is Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It gives an insight into the meat eating culture of the modern world and throws light on how our meat of today is being produced in factory farms and its implications on the environment and the world we live in. It's not really a book to turn you into vegetarianism but it's to give a clear undiluted picture of how the meat that ends up on your plate and later in your gut comes about. I think everyone should read it cos as the saying goes, you're what you eat, and would you want to know what you put into your tummy? It reaffirms me to be as vegan as possible. I've been a vegetarian for a really long time but then a year ago, I started getting back on meat cos my doctor said I ought to be back on meat and also, I was training in the gym and I went pescatarian eating fish and seafood and I was even eating a bit of chicken and sometime a slab of steak (oh no...). It feels wrong really and I feel guilty every time I tucked in and the other day, I felt gross marinating a piece of chicken fillet at home cos when I touched the meat and trying to take out the skin, I feel like a murderer. So this month, I'm gonna be back on my vegan diet. I don't care really and I don't even eat eggs and drink milk cos it's cruel...I'll get protein from soy powder and beans and now I'm eating mostly organic now. It's costly but it's worth it and I eat with a good conscience knowing no animal is harmed and it's healthier...I actually feel less healthy when I'm back on meat...big mistake. And I'm gonna stay vegan as much as I can. 


Watching: Black Swan...okay, I haven't watched it but I CAN'T WAIT!!! I'm supposed to watch it with Mr Bunny and it'll be after he's back in SG. BUT I CAN'T WAIT! I'm tempted to just go watch it first and then watch it the second time cos I know I'm gonna freaking love it, considering I did ballet and wanted to be a full-time dancer....But I love films by Darren Aronofsky! I loved Requiem For A Dream by him and it was hauntingly good (I actually watched it on a first date and freaked out the guy I dated then cos it was totally not a first date movie with it's freaky drug theme and an ending with Jared Leto's arm turning septic and had it amputated. LOL)


Wearing: Lancome Tresor in Love. I finally bought the perfume and I'm loving it. I've always been a Tresor fan cos when I was young, my grandma gave me a small miniature bottle of the old Tresor and I've always loved it and when Lancome came up with Tresor in Love, it's a modern day interpretation of their classic scent and it's lovely. It's younger and more floral and I totally love this warm, floral scent that's got hint of slight fruity top note of nectarine and the heart of warm sensual rose...

Also wearing my Tiffany Key!!! Another "Finally I bought it!" item. I've been wanting the Tiffany Key since last year and thing is, I just didn't buy it. I initially wanted the large pure silver one but they just look kinda big and good thing that I wait cos they came up with a small dainty one with a tiny delicate diamond on the center. I walked into Tiffany over the weekend with HL and yup, that's it, that's MY key and walked out with it in tow...settled...Love it!

Using: Pukka Organic Rosewater. I got this from Super Nature too and you can either use it to flavor food (I add a table spoon to my water for a cooling treat) or as face toner. It's awesome as it's very pure rosewater and it costs a bomb ($89 bucks), but it's worth every drop of it cos the rosewater is distilled from roses grown at a high altitude to optimise essential oil content, the roses are hand picked at dawn and before sunrise to protect their valuable aromatic oils from being evaporated. They are then gently steam-distilled for optimum extraction of the wonderful fragrance. I use it mainly as a face spray. I pop one in my bag and use it as a face mist throughout the day. It really leaves your skin very very soft.

Love n Toast Lipbalm in Pear. With a scent and packaging so great, how can I not get addicted?? Plus it's super nourishing too. And the smell, ohhh the wonderful smell, is just heavenly. And yup, it's organic...and that adds to its divine quality! I'm sold!

Drinking: Water infused with Duchy's Organic Detox Tincture. I got this awhile ago from Super Nature and I've loved it since. It's got a very nice mild taste to it and it's detoxing. I add it into my water everyday and I think it might well be a mainstay for me...I love to know that the water I drink is also getting rid of all the bad toxins in my body...I'll drink more if I feel that the food I eat has got MSG cos I hate MSG and I think it's absolutely evil and drinking the tincture infused water makes me feel better

And Lemongrass House Lavender Aromatic Room & Pillow Spray. I was told that this is Lemongrass House's best seller with it flying off the shelves a lot and now that I've started using it, I've developed some kind of dependency of it cos it's so nice! I spray it on my pillows and duvet before I go to sleep and the thing about the Lavender scent from Lemongrass House is that it's the perfect Lavender scent. Some lavender scents aren't pure as they mix in other smell and they end up smelling cheap and nasty. Others are just too heavy with the heady French Lavender that's a bit too strong. The one from Lemongrass House is perfect for me, just nice and it's very very soothing and I can't get enough of their lavender anything (from shower gel to shampoo etc...), and it really helps when the quality of their products is really excellent.

Loving: My Lomography Diana F+ Mini....After buying the full size Diana F+, I had to get the Diana F+ mini cos it's just gorgeous...I haven't finished the entire roll of film but I would slowly take my time. I'm so hooked on analogue photos! I wish someone would buy me a Leica M8!! Dream on...but now, I'm just happy with the Diana F+ mini cos it's sooo cute and it's the perfect size to pop into my hand bag cos it's tiny

I'm loving SteamCream too! Not only does the packaging looks awesome, the cream packs some seriously good stuff in it to nourish your skin. I use it mostly on my hand but when my face feels dry, I'll apply a thick layer on my face before I go to bed and the next day? "Good morning soft skin!"