REVIEW + GIVEAWAY! Chemical Free + Hypoallergenic Certified - Pipper Standard Household Cleaning Products

My family started having a helper before Dumpling was born as we decided against an infant care centre. The good thing is that I get to spend precious time with the kiddo after work – whether it was through homeschooling or now that she is in Primary school, looking through her homework or going through revisions with her instead of having to use that time for chores. The bad thing is that there’s a certain level of reliance on the helper (on the kiddo’s part) for even the simplest thing.

Whenever my helper heads back for her home leave, I would get the kiddo involved in cleaning and packing up. However, anything regarding washing – laundry / dishes would leave her with very dry hands and she then starts to peel around her fingers. (Picture below is already after tons of moisturizer)

I come from a family with strong allergy genes – asthma, nut and egg allergy, and believe it or not, I am also sensitive to extreme weather changes as it would leave me in with hives. Sadly, even my dog – Jaime also suffers from allergies!

Hence, my skin care regime and body care products are all certified as dermatologist tested and free from paraben, sulphate, silicone, petroleum surfactant, etc. Hey, one cannot be too careful, after all, my household includes dogs and a young child.

The part that I have not quite gotten to was being able to find a cleaning range of products which is basically chemical free as exposure to petrochemicals can lead to the development of allergies, skin rashes, asthma, eczema, etc. So I am really pleased and excited to have a chance to try out and to share our review of Pipper Standard cleaning products!

Dish washing liquid

The Road Test

All of Pipper Standard products are naturally made from pineapples and have hypoallergenic certifications, non-irritation certifications, and are free of known allergens; parents do not have to worry when using Pipper Standard household cleaning products in homes with babies or young children.

For me, because of the sensitive skin my kiddo has and the allergy history from my part of the family, that was exactly the range of household cleaning products I was looking for.

Additionally, I also believe in doing my share for the environment (even the facial and body scrubs that I use do not consist of plastic microbeads which causes harm to the environment) hence anything that’s biodegradable earns an extra point from me!

In comes Pipper Standard Dish Washing detergent. Formulated with its proprietary pineapple fermentation process that yields natural organic acids, natural enzymes, natural preservatives and biosurfactants which in turn allow our product to clean as well as or better than chemical products!

When the kiddo used it, the first thing she said to me was “it smells really good!” A quick look at the label shows that the products have essential oil added to them hence the fresh and clean citrusy scent.

As the dishwashing detergent is not formulated with chemicals, both the kiddo’s and my hands were soft and not dried at all and the cups rinsed off easily.

THEN I made a startling discovery! The dishwashing liquid can also be used … TO WASH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES! YES, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES!

After thinking and reading through, it all makes sense. See, since there’s no chemicals added to this product and the range is made of natural ingredients, they are safe for washing fruits and vegetables! One of our family’s favourite fruits is grapes and if you were to google, you’d notice that grapes are often listed high up on the list of fruits with pesticides! Naturally, I have been concerned with such pesticides on our fruits but with Pipper Standard Dishwashing liquid, I now have a good way to put my mind to ease.

How do you use it to wash fruits and vegetables?

Just simply dilute one pump of dish washing liquid into a large bowl of water and soak the fruits and vegetables for 10 minutes, rub the grapes, rinse off and serve!

Laundry Detergent:

OK, now that the dishwashing liquid earned brownie points from us both, what about the other products from Pipper Standard? We decided to put Pipper Standard Laundry Detergent to the test!

For the kiddo, the most “filthy” item she has would probably be her school and sports shoes. I guess that’s to be expected as unlike school uniforms which are washed daily, her shoes are washed weekly.

 

The Road Test

For the road test, I got the kiddo to soak her sports shoes in a pail of Pipper Standard laundry detergent solution. After a quick 15 mins soak, we started scrubbing them. The dirt came out easily but what I was really surprised with was how easily it was rinsed off.

Before wash

After wash

What I found out was this: most detergents in the market add harmful chemicals to create a foaming effect due to the common misconception that more foam=better cleaning. But most fail to realize that what it equates to is that more water is used to rinse your items out! With the upcoming 30% increase in our water prices from July 2017, anything that helps to conserve water is good news for us!

As I use a front load machine, one of the concerns that I have is to find low suds detergent. Now, with Pipper’s Laundry Detergent having none of the foaming chemicals, this means that it is easy for front load machine users like me! 

And yes, if you are wondering, Pipper’s laundry detergents are hypoallergenic, non-irritant and biodegradable certified by 3rd parties.

I am pleased to share that I have 2 x Dishwashing Liquid to give away! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions

1. The products are kindly sponsored by Pipper Standard and the giveaway is not endorsed, or associated with Facebook.
2. The products cannot be exchanged and are not exchangeable for cash
3. Please answer this question in the comments section below: “Why are Pipper Standard products safe for the family?”
4. This giveaway is opened only to Singapore Residents. GOOD LUCK! 

Looking for further chances to win more? Read on!

Stand a chance to win a $200 SGD gift voucher to BOVE- world’s largest baby superstore in Suntec City! Simply take a photo with your kids doing fun cleaning activities with any Pipper Standard product.

1. Take a photo with your child cleaning with any Pipper Standard products
2. Upload to your Facebook (Tag Pipper Standard Singapore and hashtag #PipperWithKids) don’t forget to make your photo public!
3. Get your friends to like and share
4. Post with the most likes wins the gift voucher; second place receives a gift basket of all Pipper Standard products!

About Pipper Standard

From a wife’s care and concern for her husband’s allergies came a line of natural, non-toxic household cleaning products which clean without adding harmful chemicals.Made from the fermentation of pineapple, PiPPER STANDARD is the result of years of dedicated research and development to invent a line of natural household care products that are both safe and as powerful in cleaning as chemical products. PiPPER STANDARD products are free of known allergens, hypoallergenic certified, and are readily biodegradable. We believe the skyrocketing rates of allergies and similar maladies worldwide are caused by excessive exposure to chemicals. By providing consumers a full line of natural household care products to use in lieu of traditional chemical-based products, we can decrease our exposure to harmful chemicals and help care for others by fulfilling our vision to decrease allergy rates and to decrease contamination of our environments.

https://www.pipperstandard.com.sg/

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored conversation by Pipper Standard. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Busy Mum’s Cheat Sheet – Va va voom Eyelashes!

Let me first start off by saying that this is not a sponsored post nor is this an advertorial. Being a FTWM, I find that I am very strapped for time but I still want to look good hence I thought to share my experience here.

I have what I call the “work face” on weekdays and the “naked face” on weekends. (Though I can immediately think of 2 buddies who would say that I have the “RBF” instead. :p)

Weekdays are where I will have make up on which typically includes eyeliner, eye shadow, blusher and lip gloss as I have many interactions with customers on a daily basis. Weekends are where I would go almost bare face except for the sun-block and the brows.

I don’t know what about you but I go through a daily mad rush in the mornings where I need to prepare the kid’s snack bag (which can be anything from stir-fried tang hoon to cheese prata or to omu rice) and get myself ready to work and get her off scooting to school. Hence my make-up is done in the car which usually results in me making faces in the mirror to the amusement of fellow morning drivers. I love eye make-up because am blessed with double eyelids and I love how eye shadows can make my eyes “pop” a bit more. The removal of eye make-up at the end of the day, however, is another matter altogether, especially water proof mascara.

That’s when I decided to go for eye lash extensions.

:: What it is

Eyelash extensions is where a synthetic lash (could be single to multiple strands) is being attached to your natural lash forming a longer, curlier lash. It can be somewhat technical and this is where your lash technician can advise you on which option to choose. But as a rough guide 2D means that it’s 2 strands added to your lash, 3D means 3 strands and so on and so forth.

This is how a 3D strand looks like (mine) after it has dropped off.

:: The process

When I had my first extension, my lash technician suggested a more natural look for me so that it does not feel too dramatic. This is also the time where you can discuss with yours what “look” you like and your lifestyle ~ if you apply eye makeup often (lashes will need to be longer and fuller to be visible) or if you are pretty much prefer an au naturel look (lashes will then be shorter and less “dolly”).

Thus you will then need to discuss with your technician these things:

1. Length
2. Thickness
3. Whether it is 2D, 3D, 4D, etc
4. The Curl (i.e. the curvature ~ generally the curlier ones give a more dolly look)

Surgical tapes are placed on your eye area to protect and “lift” the eye lid to aid the therapist in gluing the extension to your natural eye lash. A few friends have actually voiced their concerns over the extensions – if it will be too “heavy” and causes balding, that it feels awkward etc.

This is where you need to note one important thing: the right way to do the extension is to attach the synthetic lashes above your root. NOT on the eyelid and certainly NOT on the root. Below are the typical questions that I get from my friends after they saw and like the dolly look. And because I am nice (LOL), I will list them here for you :)

:: Common questions

1) Does it hurt?
No, it does not and should not hurt. As shared above, the extension is on your natural lash, ABOVE your root so it should not hurt at all. Having said that, the glue does emit fumes and there could be feeling of "smarting" but it lasts no longer than a few seconds. I only experienced that perhaps twice / thrice in my 3 sessions. A note of advice: do check out with your lash technician on the type of glue and do highlight to her if you have any skin allergies.

2) How long does it last? 
Generally most websites that I visited prior to doing them will state that the classic lash extension (1 extension : 1 natural lash) lasts about 3 weeks in general. 2D can last about 4 - 5 weeks with 3D about 4 - 6 weeks. Having said that, it also depends on how you look after your lashes - if you sleep face down, then of course the lashes will break off.

3) Is it hard to maintain / care for it?
So far, I have not done anything different since having extensions except to skip mascara and eyeliner. The latter can be used but it needs to be water, not oil-based. Mascara is a no no as apparently, it causes the lashes to get crusty and honestly, you won't need them.

I still wash my face by gently splashing water to rinse off except that I am more gentle in drying my face after wash (I use my index fingers to gently pat my eye lids).

To show you, the top photo is my extensions after 2 weeks with the bottom photo, a refill. The top photo is not as "full" because I did not brush them out and also, some would have dropped by by then. But honestly, it looks pretty decent and it could have lasted another week before a refill.

And here's a side view of the 2-weeks old lashes - as you can see, it still looks very full and has a "lifting" effect :)

4) My lashes are sparse - can I still go for extensions? 
As long as you have lashes, you can go for some form of an extension. Unlike Dumpling who has thick and full eyelashes, mine are thin and sparse! Just see the pic below

And this is the front view of me after the extension! I personally love the "uplifting" effect and how I do not need to use mascara and spend so much time to remove them anymore! (Left photo is taken immediately after my refill while the right photo was taken the following morning.)

5) Do they feel awkward or heavy?
In all honesty no. If you have applied mascara before you will probably know that you can somewhat see the tips of your lashes and this was what I felt. Was it heavy? No, it was very light and "fluffy" and feels nothing like the falsies we stick on as those are much thicker and heavier.

The interesting thing is when I first did mine, I did a 2D extension. However, because I wanted a fuller set (hence more visible), I did a 3D extension in the next session. Interesting, the 3D felt lighter than the 2D and this would be because with 3D, the lashes need to be really thin.


6) Where can I have mine done?
There are many salons in Singapore so do look and ask around and ensure that your technician is properly certified. I did mine at a home salon because she was highly recommended by my (home salon) manicurist, whom I have been lusting over her lashes for some time before asking her for the recommendation. :)

In the event you are situated in the West, here's my lash technician contact.

:: Allure Secrets
Address: 229 Bukit Batok East Ave 3
Facebook page
Website
And here's the page to her charges
(And no, I am not getting any discount or any incentives from "referrals")

EDIT: Just so you know, lash technicians are like our facial therapists / manicurists where their appointments are often filled up very quickly. So, you will usually need at least 2 - 3 weeks of advance booking.

Disclaimer: This is neither a sponsored post nor an advertorial. All opinions expressed are entirely mine and your experience may differ so please discuss with your lash technician on your preferences. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

A Busy Mum's Cheat Sheet: Composition Writing Made Easy eCourse by Big Ideaz Education (Review + Giveaway!)

I recently had a chat with a friend who shared wisely reading and writing should not be seen as "work". How true that is. As one who is in the early childhood industry, I would love for children to have more time to acquire the love for the language naturally and by naturally, I mean to read to and read, many many times over, with them. 

Alas, things are somewhat different when children enter mainstream school. Though tests are now called holistic assessments (which are basically tests broken down into bite size assessments and last over a span of 4 – 5 weeks!), end of the day, marks are still given and the papers are still graded. I have previously blogged about my thoughts on composition here. 

(Source)

Creative writing is a skill which needs to be wielded like a sword; to mesh different materials together using a variety of tools and techniques. With Primary 2 being an important year for her (the school will be streaming them into different classes), Dumpling has expressed an interest to learn more and hone her writing skill and we were blessed to have the opportunity to review a Composition Writing Made Easy eCourse by fellow mummy blogger - Hui Ing. 

:: The eCourse 

This eCourse spans over 8 lessons covering a range of techniques which includes:

• Writing a good introduction
• Describing events and problems
• Creating suspense, etc. 

What you need:

The eCourse is pre-recorded where you will need a working laptop / PC, internet connection and printed course notes. The page / materials are easily available with a simple log in where the each lesson focus is very clearly titled. 

What it entails

Each lesson comes with 3 components

• A pre-recorded video clip (which lasts about an average of 8 mins elaborating on each of the topic)
• Comprehensive course notes as well as 
• Weekly assignments

Hui Ing, in her videos, reminds the children weekly to print the course notes and have them ready before she starts. The files for the weekly course are all in PDF where it maps back to the videos and the students makes the connection with the video viewed and attempts the questions on the spot.

(The above are all discussed in the video and Dumpling would pause the video to fill in the blanks)

So basically, for each lesson, the children are to watch a video, complete the notes and then work on their weekly submissions and then submit the work. Submission can be via a scanned  PDF file / good quality jpeg file. The turnaround time for Hui Ing is 3 working days. 

:: Our assignment

Dumpling is not familiar with the new PSLE format though she is attempting 4-picture compositions in school. With the new PSLE format, the good thing is that it allows for more imagination and creativity but the concept can be a tad "abstract" for the younger children or for children who are not articulate as they may lack the vocabulary and skill set to elaborate on the essay. 

The below is a portion of Dumpling's writing assignment from Lesson 3 and Hui Ing's comments. (Lessons 1 and 2 were focused on introductions so I am not sharing here.)

:: Our thoughts and experience

A busy mum's cheat sheet!

Being a FTWM, my worst enemy is time. It is hard to schedule my time and send Dumpling for classes in addition to her already busy schedule peppered with CCA, Art, Violin, etc. So this course is like a busy mum's cheat sheet as it works like a dream. It allows us to work on things anywhere and yes, the kiddo can even watch the video on my iPhone too! How's that for mobility? 

(Print screens of the video clip from my iPhone!)

The kiddo went through the first two lessons like a tornado as she found it to be really useful. Hui Ing was able to bring the point across in a short and succinct manner for e.g. using acronyms such as "SAFE" to prompt the children to be more intentional in their attempts at writing direct speech (elaborated below).

The marked paper was also sent back within 3 working days promised where she requested for a final draft to be sent back to her. :)  

:: What I like about it:

No memorising of fabricated phrases

In my opinion, Hui Ing made some simple but sharp suggestions on Dumpling's essay. In one of the holiday workshops that Dumpling has attended (and apparently at a rather "famous" writing enrichment centre), Dumpling shared that the teacher wrote some "power phrases" on the white board and the children were told to choose from the list to use it in the composition. She hated that. 

With Hui Ing's comments, as you can see, there was none of those. Hui Ing basically worked with the children's essays and guided from there. In the weekly course notes, examples of good phrases / vocabulary are given but she also requests for children to add on to the list to build up their own phrases / vocabulary bank. 

With Dumpling's compositions, the issue is not on grammar or on the vocabulary. As her stories tend to run a bit long, she sometimes does not elaborate enough on the "climax" / problem and Hui Ing was able to pick that out and zero in from there. Thereafter she gave a suggestion to guide Dumpling in her thought flow. In her email reply to Dumpling, Hui Ing was very encouraging too and I could see that was a confidence booster for the kiddo. 

Systematic approach on framework

The eCourse outline is well thought through and well planned. The lessons are systematic and the content short yet crisp. It has a very strong focus on helping children to get the framework right. 

For e.g. some of the courses which I have come across use the 5W and 1H approach. This I find, may be too generic for young children. In the children's writing, they could have all these 5W and 1H information but the story may not engage. In essence, the story does not draw the readers in. 

With Hui Ing's suggested "introduction" approaches and using acronyms to guide the children, it gives a framework where it becomes more intentional. For e.g. SAFE stands for Speech Action and FEelings and with such a technique, it helps the children to focus better when they are using direct speech, where the writing and thought process take on a more intentional and systematic approach. 

:: What Dumpling likes about it

"I like the lesson because there are lesson notes which are useful for me to refer to when I am writing. The videos are cool ~ I have never had e-lessons before. There are certain phrases and tips which I did not know and they were useful too." 

:: What the eCourse is NOT

The eCourse is great for the working mums as you can view the lesson anytime, anywhere. Having said that, there is support needed from us parents. For Dumpling, I had to support her in guiding her initially on this format and of course, we will also need to ensure that the children do their assignments and then send it back for marking.

The process of writing intertwines with other aspects of English such as grammar and vocabulary. While some of these will surface in the writing, essentially, this is a composition writing course and may not be able to deal with root problems such as poor grammar where the kid may not understand some basic grammar rules.

Lastly, like all things, practice makes perfect. The student needs to work on this consistently to be able to see an improvement over time. 

:: Extra, extras!

Keen to learn more? You can read some of Hui Ing's students' work here.

Now that you have read about this eCourse, I am pleased to share that Hui Ing will be starting a new enrollment for July! And best of all, I have a give away for 2 readers worth a total of $400!

Just take part using "Rafflecopter" below!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

:: Terms and conditions:

1) The prizes are not transferable and they cannot be exchanged for cash.

2) Only entries via Rafflecopter are valid. 

3) Answers to the question via rafflecopter (What is the most challenging area in the coaching of your child's writing process?) MUST be listed in the comment box below to qualify. Please remember to leave:

- your child's age
- your name &
- your email address in the comment box too. 

4) The eCourse is for the advanced Primary 2 students to struggling Primary 5 students and lasts over 8 weeks (2 months).  The course commences in July 2016. 

5) Closing Date of Giveaway: 16 June 2016, 2359 hrs.

6) Winners must respond to my email within 48 hours otherwise, they will be given to another winner. 

7) The giveaway is not endorsed, associated with administrated by Facebook. 

Note: Hui Ing only accepts up to 10 students per eCourse intake. So if you cannot wait for the giveaway results, please add your name to the eCourse wait list here. 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored giveaway. We were invited to review the eCourse so that we can give our opinions about it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. 

:: About Big Ideaz Education

Big Ideaz Education is the brainchild of former MOE English Teacher Hui Ing. Big Ideaz Education provides resources for Creative Writing & Composition, Writing Workshops & Online Writing Courses for primary school children.  

The Composition Writing Made Simple eCourse is designed for Primary School students who are beginning to write compositions for examinations. It is targeted at Primary 3 and 4 students but is also suitable for more advanced Primary 2 students as well as Primary 5 students who are still struggling with the basics of composition writing. The course focuses on writing compositions based on the new (2015) PSLE format.  You can subscribe to Big Ideaz Education's mailing list here to receive the latest tips and news!

This is an ongoing series on documenting my learning and Dumpling's Primary School journey. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!