I'm a full-time mummy

Over 3 months ago, I received an invitation to review some organic baby and kids products. I am all for organic stuff whenever possible so of course I accepted the invitation! Anyway, let's continue with my review below...

About the products:
"MELVITA is a pioneer in organic cosmetics and has grown to become one of France’s leading brands of natural and organic cosmetics. Resolutely organic. Because we are convinced that the organic commitment is one of the keys to the future of the planet. MELVITA was in at the beginning of the trend towards natural, organic products and was one of the first companies to obtain the ECOCERT certificate for organic products in 2002.

We prefer to use ingredients that are organically farmed or responsibly picked, because we fight against the chemical doping and destruction of nature. For decades we have protested against the pointlessness and cruelty of tests on animals. We make sure that our packaging materials are totally recyclable."

I received the following items for my review: 

* Organic Baby’s Moisturizing Milk

"This rich, smooth lotion combines the softening properties of Aloe vera and Linden floral water with the nourishing benefits of Shea butter and Olive and Coconut oils. It has a long-lasting moisturizing effect, which rehydrates baby's face and body after bathing. It protects against harsh environmental conditions and leaves baby's skin silky and supple. Allergen free, Essential oils free, Alcohol free, Formulated under paediatric control, Dermatologically tested."

My feedback: The nifty little bottle is about 6 inches tall and currently has its own special spot right next to my laptop so that I can easily dispense and lather some onto kiddos' skin (and ehem.. mine hehehehehe) whenever we want. Our 2.5 years old Alyson was curious to try when I first checked this item out, so I applied a dollop of the moisture milk lotion onto her palm and arms and let her lather it on her skin by herself. I love that it leaves a glossy finish and keep her skin supple and smooth. I think it is a wonderful product that keeps our skin smooth and supple, not to mention the peace of mind knowing that it is a natural ingredients product as well.

* Organic Baby’s Shower Shampoo

"This shower shampoo gel combines the soothing properties of Linden and Lemon balm floral waters with the softening qualities of Honey and Orange. It gently cleanses your baby's delicate hair and skin without stinging the eyes** or drying out the skin. Allergen free, Essential oils free, Alcohol free, Formulated under paediatric control, Dermatologically tested."

My feedback: I like products that we can use from head to toe! With 3 active kiddos, it is easier for me to use a shower product that covers everything. I currently prefer to use this on our 8.5 months old Carolyn as I noticed when using this on her, is it doesn't sting her eyes when I wash them off her hair.

* Organic Children’s toothpaste

"This Toothpaste for children is very gentle, with a delicious strawberry taste. It provides excellent oral hygiene. Xylitol, which is extracted from birch and beech bark, helps to prevent tooth decay, while grapefruit pips and echinacea cleanse the mouth. This toothpaste contains no fluoride or artificial flavours and is intended for children aged over 3. Ingredient from Organic Farming."

My feedback: I first tried this toothpaste on our 5 years old boy but he dislikes it as he was used to his current brand of toothpaste. Although on the website it is mentioned that this toothpaste is intended for children aged over 3 years old, I decided to let our 2.5 years old girl tried it as her previous toddler toothpaste (safe to swallow type) has just finished and I was not able to buy a new one for her even after several visits to the pharmacies.

Since our girl can already gargle and spit out when brushing her teeth, I thought just give it a try and see how it goes. To my surprise, she likes it. In fact, she dislikes the current brand that her brother is using so it is great that she can use this! The toothpaste has strawberry flavor and I just need to put a small dollop of it onto her toothbrush to keep her teeth clean. By the way, the size of this toothpaste is value for the money, worth it to get compared to the previous brand that our girl used. Definitely will restock!

* Organic Zesty Body Wash

"This deliciously fresh and zesty shower gel is a true energizing cocktail! Its formula is enriched with extracts of Orange, Lemon and Mandarin, which are known for their invigorating properties. Its extra-gentle, soap-free cleansing base has a skin-neutral pH. It cleanses without drying and maintains the skin's natural balance. Easily biodegradable and formulated with naturally derived cleansers, it is as gentle on the planet as it is on the skin."

My feedback: I love this!!! The moment I squeezed a dollop onto my palm, oh boy, I fell in love with the zesty citrusy smell! Just a small dollop of this is enough to lather all over your body! Love it so much! Currently trying to skimp as much as possible, do not want to overuse it hehehe...

* Organic Rose Floral Water

"In year 1983, organic French beauty care brand Melvita launched the first two of its Floral Waters – Rose and Lavender. Decades later, the Floral Water has become one of Melvita’s most iconic bestselling products worldwide, with a total of five (5) different variants: Rose, Cornflower, Orange Blossom, Witch Hazel and Lavender.

 Certified organic and fair trade (EFT attested), our floral water is obtained by steam distillation of fresh Rosa damascena petals. Our unique extraction method enables us to obtain a floral water that is particularly rich in active ingredients, making it a naturally powerful formula. With its fresh, delicate scent, our floral water helps to combat dehydration and regenerate the skin*."

My feedback: Apparently the deep blue colour of the bottle is known to refract UV rays, thus protecting the inner contents against intense light exposure, making the product last longer. I currently use this to mist my skin and hair, I just spray onto my body and hair right before I rush out of the house. It leaves a rosy smell and keeps my skin soft and supple. I would be interested to try out the Orange Blossom one since I was already head over heels with its Orange Zesty Body wash product.

One cool point to share is the bottle is entirely made from recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and similarly, like all packaging for Melvita products, the Rose Floral Water bottle is also 100% recyclable. Awesome!

In summary, a wonderful range of organic products that I have been given the privilege to try out with my family. I have peace of mind knowing that a lot of considerations have been put into the products to make it safe for use with naturally sourced ingredients (not to forget environmental friendly!) while still nourishing our body. Recommended!

You can browse for more products and shop online (free shipping now!) at http://my.melvita.com/

Do note that I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with the products in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine.

I came across this article on what it means to be a Malaysian. I agree with the article:

"A foreigner reading the local news of late would be left with the impression that Malaysians were an unhappy lot – paranoid that their respective communities were under threat and quick to provoke or threaten other Malaysians in the name of their race or personal beliefs. But it would be a mistake to stereotype all Malaysians based on what a few individuals, claiming to be their community’s representatives, say."

To be honest, it hurts every time I read about certain individuals raising up issues to divide, to bring down, to condemn, to devalue and many more disrespectful and disgusting acts.

 Being Malaysian to me is living in a multi-racial country, each and every one of us care and respect one another.

 I am proud to be a Malaysian, so I say to these individuals,

"Stop trying to divide us up with issues on religions, on races, on historical foundations and more. These are the very things that made up Malaysia to what it is today. These are the things that make Malaysia as unique and yet diverse and a wonderful blend of peaceful people."

** Note: I have disabled the commenting feature on my blog engine thanks to all the spammers who happily spam my blog every day. If you wish to ask me any questions, you can find me at my Facebook page (I'm there almost everyday) or just drop me an email if you wish to maintain some anonymity.

Our 5 years old boy attends Sunday school and on Father's Day, I went to pick him up around the time his class ends but I realised there are many more kids who are still at the final stage of finishing their Father's Day crafts. I saw our boy standing next to a teacher, waiting patiently as the teacher folded what looks like a wire or cable from where I stood. When the teacher was done, she passed the completed crafts to our boy who happily walked around and he didn't even realised I called his name.

I was about to call him again when I saw him talking to another boy and after that, our boy's face changed. He looks angry and with 2 hands resting behind his back, he showed his angry face at the boy and shouted something. The boy, seeing our boy's angry face palmed his face and walked off. I then saw our boy walked towards a male teacher and explained something to the teacher. I waited to see what is going on and tried to assess the situation from where I stood. The male teacher who was also rushing to finish up other kiddos' crafts, just nodded at what our boy said and didn't act further.

Our boy turned around and saw me. He walked over to me and showed me his crafts.

It was an origami of working shirt for Father's Day. The obvious part done by the teacher(s) are the origami folding and the hanger wire or cable part. The working shirt has front and back coloring done by our boy and I like what I see. I like that the 'Happy Father's Day' words are colored nicely and within the characters (not out of line) and I also like that the 2 childrens' faces are closer to human skin color.

But you know what our 5 years old boy said to me?

"Mummy, that boy (pointing to the boy who palmed his face earlier) said my coloring is ugly!"

Aahhh.... now I get it. Now I know why our boy looked angry after talking to that boy. I mean, will you be happy if someone critisizes your hardwork?

Parents, remember, our words have power, remember to use them wisely.

Sigh... saddens me to know a child at such young age can utter such thing. You know, for a child to say something like this, they must have been exposed to such statements around their life.

What has a mum got to do in this situation? This is my conversation with our boy as we leave his class that day...

Me: Benjamin, did you color the crafts yourself?

Ben: Yes.

Me: Wow, mummy likes it very much. I like how you color each letters within itself and I like that the childrens' faces are yellow. Did you choose the color yourself?

Ben: Yes. But that boy said my drawing is ugly! I am angry at him!

Me: Well Ben, who is this craft for?

Ben: It's for daddy. For Father's Day.

Me: Is that boy your daddy?

Ben: No.

Me: Well, then why do you let yourself be bothered with the boy's comment? He is not your daddy, and you are not making this craft and coloring it for that boy. No need to be angry for this.

Ben: (silence)

Me: Now, most important thing to remember is you tried your best in doing this craft yourself. Did you give your best?

Ben: Yes, I color my best!

Me: Well then that is all that matters. That you do it all by yourself, nobody helps you to color at all. I'm sure daddy would be proud of your work too!

Ben: But that boy made me angry!

Me: It's OK, forgive him.

So parents, again... choose your words wisely. Say, do, react and response in positive manners as it will echo in other areas of your kiddos' life.

** Note: I have disabled the commenting feature on my blog engine thanks to all the spammers who happily spam my blog every day. If you wish to ask me any questions, you can find me at my Facebook page (I'm there almost everyday) or just drop me an email if you wish to maintain some anonymity.