If you’ve been reading my blog long enough, you’d know that I love New York. I’ve been there twice, and once I even thought of moving there. So when Sofitel Melbourne On Collins invited me to their ‘Modern New Yorker Lunch’, I was like, yesssss I’ll be thereeeeee.
I’ve always wanted to eat healthier, and to have more fruits and vegetables in my diet, but sometimes time does not permit me to chop and eat all the needed fruits and vegetables.
Enter Fruits and Roots.
Fancy some fancy underwear?
Summer & Peach is Malaysia’s first online multi-label lingerie store carrying designer brands from all across the globe. They are currently known for offering beautiful bralettes.
What are bralettes? They are basically fashionable innerwear that can also be worn as outerwear.
It’s a more ‘laid back’ and ‘show off’ kind of lingerie, instead of the conventional ‘hide it’ and ‘tolerate it’ underwear we were used to.
You can pair bralettes with loose tank tops, sheer tops, jackets etc. In fact, just do a search on Pinterest and you can find so much inspiration on pairings!
All my life I’ve only known push-up or heavy-padded bras. It’s hard to find comfortable lingerie that do not look ugly and that uh, complement the girls. So what happens is that most women look forward to taking off their bras at the end of the day to have a little breathing space!
But bralettes are so comfortable, you won’t even remember you are wearing anything. Plus, it’s breathable and suitable for the crazy hot and humid Malaysian weather.
Another issue I had with bras: it’s hard to find the right size!
According to an international survey, about 60-80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. Until today, I have no idea if I’m wearing the right size. And even when you think you’ve found your size, it might differ with every brand or design, so it’s a pain!
Bralettes though are elastic, so it hugs our curves well and makes fitting easy because it only comes in S, M, and L sizes. Not complicated at all! Bralettes also provide a reasonable amount of support, and allow our breasts to take on a more natural shape compared to the generic bra.
At Summer & Peach, they actually offer one free exchange and return, so customers can try and exchange if they got the wrong size. So much easier than having to come out from the fitting room and looking at the shop promoter and sheepishly asking them for yet another size to try on… (and feeling like you’re being judged for your size hmmph)
Summer & Peach offers lingerie curated by women, for women, with love. Their mission is to let women discover a whole new world of lingerie, and that there are many ways to wear lingerie and there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
I love browsing through their website and also their Instagram feed – so classy and elegant, just like how a woman should feel 🙂
OK if you’re like me, I’m sure you’re asking this question: if bralettes are not padded, won’t the nipples peep through??
Most of the bralettes are Summer & Peach are lined, and you shouldn’t have any problem if you’re not wearing tight tops. Some of their bralettes are cleverly constructed to conceal nipples to some extend, but if you want more security, you can use nipple tape. The good news, however, is Summer & Peach will be bringing in a new collection of padded bralettes soon!
I’ve got the Alana Bralette and just looking at it makes me happy already. Seriously. You might think that underwear is over-rated (see what I did there?), but sometimes it’s the little things that can change how you feel entirely. There really is a big difference between putting on an ugly, uncomfortable bra and a beautiful, comfortable one!
Especially now when my body is still recovering post-partum, and I constantly have spit-ups (and sometimes poop) on me, and my hair is going crazy, and I feel so yucks… Being able to put on beautiful bras make me happy. #easily pleased
So girls, go check out Summer & Peach. They offer free shipping for purchases over RM300, and also free exchange (as I mentioned above).
You can also follow them on their Facebook and Instagram.
Enjoy!
Love,
Natalie
UPDATE: The contest has ended. Winners will be announced on my Instagram and Facebook page!
I’m giving away another Sothys goodie bag worth RM424 to FIVE lucky readers! Read till the end to find out what’s in the goodie bag and how you can win one!
I recently read about a scientific study that apparently found that mothers enjoy parenting less than fathers. One of the reasons was because fathers equate parenting with fun and leisure activities (like playing with the kids), while mothers equate parenting with more work: feeding, bathing, teaching, cleaning, etc.
The study also said mothers report more fatigue, especially since even their rest time (day and night) is constantly interrupted by the kids.
I was like, tell me something I don’t already know.
Motherhood has totally changed my life. From being a carefree girl who could do anything I wanted at any time, I now have another little life under my responsibility, and a thousand and one things on my mind.
It is in a mother’s nature to give herself up for her children. Perhaps it is due to the bond that started when the foetus was conceived in her womb. I don’t know. But no matter how tired she is, a mother would never turn away from her child’s needs.
Yet, another article warned that some mothers could become too overwhelmed that they sink into serious depression. There are so many news stories about mothers who hurt their own children, or take their own lives, due to the unchecked emotional stress.
Therefore, I make it a point to have my own ‘me’ time. Sure, the ‘mummy guilt’ may nag at me sometimes, but I need to carve out some time just for myself to make sure that I remain sane.
I do believe that to be able to take good care of my child, I need to first take good care of myself. Happy mummy, happy baby.
(Actually, happy mummy happy family. We hold such powers.)
And the ‘me’ time doesn’t have to be super elaborate. Here are some of the things I do.
#1 Make time for hobbies and interests
Before I sleep at night, I like to wind down by watching some movies or YouTube videos on my phone. One of the series I’m really enjoying right now on Netflix is “Elementary”, which is a modern take on Sherlock Holmes. Love love love it.
I also like to read, although I have not been reading as much as I would love to (blogs and articles are not really counted). Recently I have started on the Harry Potter series! (I know, I’m so slow) I also love Mitch Albom, and am finally reading his famous ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’. Love it. (Yes, to make up for lost time, I’m reading two books at the same time…)
One hobby I have recently picked up is painting! I’ve always wanted to be a painter. But I still don’t know if I am able to be consistent in practising and painting. It is challenging in terms of time and preparation (and skill *coughs*), but, where there is a will, there is a way right?
#2 Hang out with friends
As much as I love listening and speaking to Amy, I still need my adult conversations. It’s especially helpful when I hang out with fellow mummy friends, because we get to share our experiences and gain support, amid all the toddler tantrum madness.
And it really helps to know that you are not the only one going through the craziness. Somehow, knowing that another person has similar experiences, or that they go through similar emotions, boosts my ability to handle whatever challenges that come my way.
There are also some occasions where I just enjoy spending time with people without ever talking about kids or parenting. It’s nice to explore the other aspects of me, instead of just my role as a mom.
#3 Pamper myself
Ooohhh, this is like a world without end. There are so many ways to pamper yourself!
When I need a quick and relatively affordable fix, I go for sweet stuff. Give me cakes and ice creams and desserts, and my mood will be instantly lifted!
I also love spas and massages, but I’m so picky with the type of massages that I get, that I find myself not going for spas as often any more.
Mani/pedi sessions, on the other hand, can work wonders in making me feel that I have loved myself well. Haha! Somehow, there is something about having beautiful, neat nails that makes a girl really really happy.
And of course, facials. I used to struggle a lot with my skin, and at the peak of my bad skin condition, it really affected my confidence and self-esteem. With the right facial treatment and skincare, my skin has improved a lot over the years, and every time I get to go for a facial, I feel so good.
But facials alone can’t guarantee good skin forever. I have to make sure I am diligent with my own skincare routine at home to maintain my skin condition too. So every time I get my hands on a good skincare product, I feel extremely loved (by myself haha).
As I wrote before, Sothys had kindly sponsored me four boxes of their Essential Ampoules, and boy, these little ones seriously do a good job in pampering my skin!
As a mom, I now probably have a maximum of 10 minutes for my skincare routine (actually usually it’s less than that. With a toddler banging on the toilet door demanding for mama to come out). Luckily, these Sothys Essential Ampoules are intensive goodness packed in quick convenience.
All I have to do is make sure my face has been cleansed and toned, before dabbing the essence from the Essential Ampoules all over my skin. Then I just have to finish it off by applying my moisturiser, and I’m done!
And the results speak for themselves. Even without going for facial treatments for the past few months, my skin has shown so much improvement. Plus, being able to end a long, tiring day with a good skincare routine with power-packed products makes me feel very pampered.
Sothys and I want to pamper you too!
We are giving away another goodie bag to FIVE lucky readers. This goodie bag includes:
Sothys Treatment Voucher x 1 (worth RM100)
Complimentary SkinScope x 1 (worth RM80)
Sothys Product Voucher x 1 (worth RM50)
Product Sample x 1
Sothys Cleansing Milk 40ml x 1 (worth RM116)
Sothys Essential Ampoules x 2 pieces (worth RM78)
All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me:
How do you spend your ‘me’ time?
Don’t forget to put down your email address too. This contest closes on 16th December 2016, and is open to Malaysian residents only. Winners will be announced on my Instagram and Facebook page, so do follow me there OK?
Good luck!
Love,
Nat
This post is in partnership with Lazada.
I love this Logitech X100 Wireless Speaker.
It was one of the products that came in Lazada’s Box of Joy a few weeks ago, and I have been putting it to good use. In fact, my hubby has been fully utilising it too!
It is compact and lightweight, making it so easy to carry it around. The best part of it is that it’s wireless, so you don’t have to be lugging around cables after cables. And for such a small speaker, the sound quality is really quite good!
Even if you’re not a gadget expert, don’t worry! This speaker is super user-friendly. There were no complicated setup steps to follow. All I had to do was turn it on, pair it with my phone through bluetooth, and that’s it!
As Christmas is around the corner, this could make a great gift (especially for the practical men in your life). You can get this exact same one that I have here, or go for other colours.
Lazada’s Online Revolution is still ongoing, with unbelievable offers/discounts/promotions, so now is the best time for you to do your last minute Christmas shopping with them!
Have fun!
Love,
Nat
This post is written in partnership with Lazada.
I have this deep attraction to mystery boxes. I’ve always thought it’s really fun and cool to receive a package for myself without knowing what’s inside. It’s like getting a gift for yourself and being pleasantly surprised by it haha.
Lazada has recently launched their Box of Joy for selected bloggers, and when they sent me one, I was over the moon! Unlike mystery boxes that normally have a theme (for e.g. beauty, baby, pets, food, etc), the Box of Joy is basically theme-less… which means, ANYTHING could be inside!
Let me show you the items inside my box.
Nescafe Rasa Pandan White Coffee
Coffee with pandan flavour! I’m not really a coffee person, but this does sound interesting!
Get it here.
Nestle Just Milk
200 ml of full cream milk. I really need to get my fair share of calcium.
Get it here.
Nestle Lactokid Pens and Pouch
Small pouches like this are always handy. And, we can never have too many pens (since they somehow seem to disappear all the time).
Nestle Cerelac Nutripuffs
I’m always on the lookout for healthy snacks for Amy (to offset the uh unhealthy snacks I’ve been giving her). Can’t wait to let her try these!
Get it here.
Nestle Milo ‘Ola Bola’ Gym Bag
You can get the gym bag when you get this bundle.
Maggi Royale Thai Seafood Tom Yam
Maggi! I love Maggi! I used to eat Maggi all the time. And during my first trimester with baby number three, I constantly craved for Maggi! So needless to say, I am looking forward to trying this Thai seafood tom yam flavour!
Get it here.
Tefal Manual Chopper
It promises to chop things in 5 seconds! Anything that makes food preparation and cooking easier and faster is good haha.
Check out more of Tefal products here.
L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil
I’ve not been giving my hair enough attention, and now is a good time to start. Gonna try this Mythic Oil and hope to see good results!
Get it here.
MamyPoko Gentle Baby Wipes
Once you become a mom, you can never have too many wipes around. The more the merrier. You need them everywhere! In your house (in the living room, kitchen, bedroom, kids room), in the diaper bag, in your own handbag, in the car… EVERYWHERE!
So, I’m more than pleased to have this in my box!
Get it here.
SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive m3.0 64GB
This is a flash drive for Android smartphones. Too bad I don’t use an Android phone, but I definitely know friends who do who would love this.
Get it here.
Logitech Wireless Speaker
My hubby actually got his hands on this box before me, and when he opened it, he was the most excited about this wireless speaker. To be honest, me too! Can’t wait to test it out and get music flooding through our house!
Get it here.
All the products are available on Lazada, and now is the best time for you to shop there because the Lazada Online Revolution is currently on! Get crazy promotions and offers and discounts from now till 12th December 2016!
Happy shopping!
Love,
Nat