Pupsik studio pouch sling

As everyone knows, babies should be in carseats when traveling for safety.  As our family does not have a car, we need to explore how to bring the baby around on public transport. So I have seen some people use the travel system type of carseat/stroller when going into cabs. But what about the MRT/bus?

Note the barehanded carrying of baby in the above photo when I first took trips with baby on the cab to bring him back from hospital, polyclinic and shopping. I was scared shitless, worried I would drop him. This when on for weeks, so much so that we did not want to go out much at all.

My friend told me about this pouch carrier during my pregnancy, but i didn't want to get it as I was under the impression it can only be use 1 to 2 months, during the infant stage. I went to a baby fair, and saw a bunch of sling type of carriers with adjustable rings and buckle. The thought of fiddling with those things seems troublesome. And there were a lot in very scratchy type of material. 

Fast forward 6 weeks after I had my baby and we were on our way home when it rained very heavily. We already had the stroller and were happily shopping with the it. The stroller was a godsend, as we  could feed him, change him and walk around. Although we had to look for lifts wherever we go and changed 3 lifts to get from plaza singapura to the circle line mrt. But we were caught in the rain and had to carry the baby home barehanded which freaked me out.

I complained to my friend about it and she told me to get this Pupsik pouch carrier. This carrier is best for newborn up to 12.5kg. This pupsik studio pouch type carrier is like a sewn ring of cloth, with different sizes to fit the carrier. There are no buckles, clips or rings to adjust. Just fold, wear and carry. Important thing is to try for size. That's why I went mothercare to buy it as there were samples to try on and even an exchange policy so there are no worries. It's $45.90 with a 10 percent discount for members. 

 

After trying it and bringing my baby out in it, I was hooked, I scolded myself for not buying it sooner. Yes, it takes a little practice to put baby in and out, but hands free shopping, look! We carried it to supplement the stroller but ended up not using the stroller. I feel more confident carrying baby on the bus and MRT as I had the pouch support plus my hands to hold on to him. Baby slept in it like a baby. No adjustments needed, and the thing folds into something smaller than a raincoat. I carried my 5kg baby for 3 hours around town pretty comfortably. It's really convenient. 

Now for the bad parts for this pouch carrier. Number 1 is that there is a safety risk for this carrier. There were a reported 14 infant deaths in US over 20 years due to suffocation in this type of carrier, so it's important to exercise caution, making sure baby's chin does not squeeze against his chest when in the cradle position. For smaller babies, there may be fabric covering his face, so the guideline is to put a blanket underneath him to prop him up. It's important to buy the correct size carrier too. Too big and the baby sags underneath, too small and it will be a tight fit. 

Number 2 thing to note is that the feet should not be extended in the pouch to reduce the risk of hip dysplasia. Let the feet stay a little bent to keep their natural position. 

Lastly, as this carrier places the weight on one shoulder, it can feel heavy for heavier babies/longer trips.

All in all, this pouch is still very useful when used correctly, It's the training wheels for newborn and small babies before we graduate to the structured carriers like Ergo and Meduca that require some adjustment and for babies with head control. Honestly, for the price of a nice blouse, I think it's worth it even if used for 2 months. The taxi fare saved practically pays for itself. 

My new toy X100s

I admit, I buy it for its looks, the Fujifilm x100s. But it's a highly competent camera which is good enough for me. It is I who is unworthy. Here are why I love it:

1. Great in night/low light.

2. Great colors, just a natural life-like color.

3. Retro camera design, much nicer than the generic DSLR cams,

Here is why I don't really like it:

1. Autofocus is slow, I think most of my photos are slightly out of focus.

2. No wifi, makes photo transferring a pain.

I am getting used to it, and I really love the photos I get. 

The food photos looks appetizing, the night photos clean, just wonderful.

Sranrom Calm Down series

After my visit to Bangkok and used the hotel's refreshing lemongrass showergel which really freshens up, I am a lemongrass convert. I drank like 4 bottles daily of the lemongrass pandan juice which was very cooling in the 35c weather.

I got the thai brand Sranrom spa calm down series shower gel and pulse point roll on to try.

The shower gel though not as cooling as the hotel version was still refreshing and pleasant smelling.

The winner is the pulse point roll on. When massaged on the temple, it really relieves headaches. It's a useful ointment without the medicinal smell.

The series comes in massage oil, body cream, hand cream, available at selected Watsons such as Ion, Bugis Junction at less than $20.

Take note! Galaxy note!

I thought the iPhone 5 will replace my iPhone 4. But with the stop gap 4s, I don't see much improvement. Just when I thought I will get a Galaxy s2, the newer Galaxy Note caught my attention with it's even bigger screen. Since I was essentially without contract for almost 6 months, I quickly bought it with an additional $50 discount from Singtel.




So far, besides allowing me to read more comfortably with the bigger screen, which is to be expected, the other thing that I like is the ability to play flash. Being on the iPhone means all sites with flash is a gonner. That means I can't play my Sims social and Farmsville or watch videos embedded in flash. I think it helps that this thing runs on a dual core processor with 1 gb ram which I believe is the same specs as my notebook at work.




This is the size comparison with Galaxy tab(which I think is too big for me to single handheld) and iPod touch. You can see that it's at a sweet spot between
too big and too small.

So far I haven't thought about life without Apps store yet since I have come to reply on quite a fair bit of stuff like Instagram and camera+ and stuff. the strength of iPhone is always about apps store than the phone. The android marketplace will always need to play catch up.

Also, after playing for a couple of hours on the note, it just doesn't feel as seamless and intuitive as an apple. But it's a small price to read more comfortably, with better battery life.

I feel sad on one hand that after the death of Steve jobs, people jumped ship to Samsung Galaxy and Sony errison. But I believe this promotes a more vibrant choices for consumer. I remember when I was purely delighted by a Nokia n95, the motorola razor and many other inventive phones. I guess it's time to be diverse and individual and not just reply on changing phone covers to differentiate ourselves.

BB creams for sensitive skin

I have extremely irritable skin that most products will give me problems ranging from a light red rash to downright hives.

The concept of BB creams are a godsend because they are designed for skins that went through Laser resurfacing, so what could be more irritated and fragile?

But I have another problem, the issue of oily skin. This problem reduces me into a kuali (frying pan) by midday or even mid morning if I am careless.

So a couple of BB creams I have tried just turns into a greasy mess even if they don't irritate my face.

I tried BRTC BB creams because they have a sample pack, which lasts 2 weeks. It didn't break me out, nor melt too quickly, so I bought the Blemish Recovery Balm for oily skin and Jasmine water BB cream for normal skin.

I used them interchangeably for oily and drier days. 6 months later, I am still pleased with the results.

The blemish recovery balm has oil control properties that keeps skin relatively Matt after 4 hours, which is for me a real feat. It is a tad light in color for me so I usually mix in a drop of dark concealer. The Koreans love ghost white skin, regardless what goes on neck down so that has been a real problem for most Korean BB creams.

I use a drop of it and pat over my reddish areas and blend the other areas with sponge.

Although BB creams are supposed to be one step solution for moisturizing, concealing and sun protection, I usually use more sunscreen on top as SPF 30 on such a thin layer is not enough for the harsh sunrays.





This guy here has a nice Jasmine scent. Works the same as blemish recovery except the texture is a tad lighter to spread. I use them on days my skin feels ok, I am indoors and not as much oil control is required.




This is what I put on top of the BB creams. The DHC suncut q10 which boasts a broad sprectrum SPF 50. This is watery goodness that just disappears into my skin.

I have to say that Japanese sunscreen beats those stuff like coppertone and banana boat or nivea with the creamy and messy sunblock. Maybe they work better for beach days.

The liquid form is much easier to blend and provides a great base for make up too.

I have used this for a year and it does not irritate my skin too.

Apologies for the products taken that looks used. I have used them almost six months before I was sure it's good for me.

I have thrown away so much stuff which doesn't work for me after days or weeks that I am happy to share things that proves itself.

Muji cleansing series for sensitive skin

I have extremely sensitive skin that blotches in red patches most of the time. Search for gentle cleansers are hits and misses.

A colleague and I were discussing about Fancl and how it's free of irritating agents and preservatives but had to be used up in 3 months. She then mentioned that Muji had a series for sensitive skin, so I went to check it out.



Muji's philosophy is quality minimalistic, so check out the utilitarian and pleasing packaging that looks good in bathrooms.

I don't read Japanese so I am not sure what's the difference between red and green labels. I compared ingredients and they are exactly the same. Maybe the scent is different.

I was told that for sensitive skin, gel form cleansers are the most gentle. Avoid those with too much bubbles as it dries out the skin.

I tried this for a week and haven't got too used with the lack of bubbles as I am not sure if it cleans totally.




Perhaps for foundation makeup, better to start off with cleansing oil or milk. I didn't try them but it was for sensitive skin too.




These, I love! It's a light toner for sensitive skin and it's a toner that leaves my skin not irritated at all! I bought a spray nozzle and spray it as a mist on my face.

All in all, after using for a week, my red blotches are almost gone, my skin is a bit softer.

The medium package for the cleansing gel and toning agent is only $9 each so it's really a good buy. There's even a travel size which we can buy to try as sample.

This range has been around for a few years so I hope they keep it here.

Kate Rouge Ex - My fav lip colors this year

KATE rouge ex lip color is my favorite lipsticks this year. I love it so much I got four for myself. 

Ever since I used Clinique's Color Surge Bare Brilliance lipstick like 5 years ago, I have been in love with lipsticks that are sheer, build-able, with natural yet jewel colors like red and lavender. 

The power of such lipsticks is that with one swipe, your lips looks like they are 18 and fresh and natural. Build with a couple more layers and they are as strong as any creamy lipsticks. It's not overly oily shiny, just a healthy sheen. 

But sadly, 2 years ago, they discontinued it in Asia and I have been searching for alternatives since then. 

Enter the KATE brand of rouge ex which even surpassed my expectations. Being a Japanese brand, they have colors that are extremely flattering for Asian Skin. I have almost tested all the colors at the Watsons counter and found almost all the colors super pretty and wearable. The creamy sheer color looks very natural on the lips. The only con is that there is a need to blot when trying to build up the color because it's shiny and almost like a lip gloss after a couple of layers. And it doesn't hurt that it comes in a cute minimalistic lipstick tube. I have gone through it pretty fast, which is good, since I almost never finish my lipsticks. 

The RD-12 starts off as a almost clear cherry stain, and builds up to Siren Red. Very sexy and good for nights when inspired to be Hollywood glamourous without danger of turning into Uncle Ronald MacDonalds.

The BE-30 is a sheer beidge nude that is great with Smoky eyes. I sometimes find it a little too light and will add a little RD-12 in the center of my lips. 

The PK-17 is the most versatile of the lot. It's a tawny pink that's natural and compliments most skin colors and a good pair with fun eye makeup. This is the one I use most of the time to the office and weekends. 

The RD-13 is a darker red wine stain color best for nights. If I find it too strong, I will sometimes use the Super Quick Lip Concealer to lighten it up and mattify it slightly. I actually like wine lip colors as I find them mysterious and woman-like but it usually shows up on me rather Gothic. So this is looks 'normal' on me at least. 

It's about $23.50 retail, but Watsons and Sasa have routine sales for Kate products at 10-20% off so it's still pretty acceptable, especially when I do use it on a daily basis.