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Review: Cherub Rubs for the kids and me + Giveaway

Posted on February 15, 2017 by enitsuj

Recently, the kind people from Cherub Rubs sent us a range of their products to try out. So for the past 3 weeks, we switched over to Cherub Rubs..and my verdict?

Argh..why do I need to share it with my kids?? hahaha

Just to give you a quick background, Cherub Rubs is an Australian brand and they have developed a range of organic skincare products suitable for newborns, kids, pregnant women and adults in mind, especially those with sensitive skin! Cherub Rubs is also certified organic by Australia’s National Standard for Organic Produce, which means they contact at least 70-95% certified organic ingredients! That is pretty high range in my opinion!

Now let me introduce you to some of my personal favourites:

Products for Indoors

School had just started so we started off with what I called the indoor range, products that we used on a regular basis.

250ml, $27.75

This is my favourite! To be honest, when I first used it, I was a little unsure of the scent. The lemon oil and tea tree oil scent did take a while getting used to, but I definitely loved how the body wash felt on my skin. The clean feeling and yet feeling very moisturised. I told Daddy Ting he can continue using our current bodywash all by himself whilst I used this with the kids! The whole family tried out the bodywash for the first week and Daddy Ting approves of it too. (probably explains why we finished it up so quickly haha)

I liked that there was still some minimal suds. I know there are emollient bodywashes around but the lack of suds bothered me. So this definitely had enough bubbles to keep me happy! I could also easily add it into Sarah’s bath (just a tinsy bit!) and it was enough to wash her and pat her with no rinsing.

When we had almost ran out of the bodywash, I switched back to my current bodywash and I could immediately feel the difference, and my skin got irritated that night. Gaaah. Time to get another bottle of the bodywash!

250ml, $27.75

The shampoo worked well for the boys, probably because they had finer hair. I have straw for hair (read: dry & frizzy hair), so whilst it made my hair feel smooth during the hair wash, it didn’t work for me after it dried. But it made the boys’ hair soft and left a really nice scent! The boys can really work up a sweat running around, so having that scent definitely helped reduced stinky hair. I did love smelling their hair when I am putting them to bed.

60g, $21.40

This came just in time. Sarah had suddenly developed a minor diaper rash so it was perfect timing. The consistency of the balm is more like a thick lotion than a paste, so it was very easy to spread and apply on the skin. It is also not very sticky, nor does it leave a white residue. Rubs in really well too. It worked as a barrier for Sarah, and will just require reapplication at every diaper change.

Sarah also has a persistence rash around her neck no thanks to her double chin. The folds just never get to see the daylight except for times when she is on her tummy.

The redness was significantly reduced the following day. To keep the redness at bay, we just applied it on a daily basis. Bonus use for the balm: you can even use it for chapped lips, cracked nipples, hands and cracked heels!

100ml, $24.75

This is another favourite, the Skin Soothe! Haha..you will see me talking up the products that I have really enjoyed and really liked. Why? I am an eczema sufferer and post-partum eczema is annoying. Quentin inherited my sensitive skin, so it is really important for us to find products that would work for us.

Prior to receiving these products from Cherub Rubs, Quentin had been scratching his thighs near his groin on an on-off basis in his sleep. It was annoying. On a bad occasion, he had scratched it enough for the skin to be broken and it would sting really badly when he peed, even in his diaper. He would cry. This occurred during the time where we were toilet training him. We had creams that would soothe the broken skin but didn’t stop the itching.

But this bottle of Skin Soothe appears to have stopped the problem! What I really liked about it is that it contains aloe vera. It is not greasy and dries off very quickly, also has a nice cooling sensation, which I assume comes from the Witch Hazel. And it seems to do the job too! We didn’t need a lot of it to apply either. That blob you see on Daddy Ting’s palm? That is enough to apply on Quentin’s groin plus both thighs. It spreads out very easily. I tried Skin Soothe on one leg, whilst using another organic cream on the other leg. Both do the job of stopping the itch and soothing the skin, however, given the option, I would choose Skin Soothe on the basis that it is non-greasy, doesn’t leave that gluggy residue on my skin. I find my skin gets aggravated very easily if there is a greasy residue.

So..Quentin stops scratching at night with daily application of Skin Soothe and my eczema is easier to manage too, definitely a win for us!

Products for the Outdoor

Now, moving on to the range for outdoors (L-R): Skin Guard Plus, Scatterscreen, & Scatterbugs . Guess what? All 3 outdoor products contain bug protection! Yep, which means their sunscreen also contains bug repellent. Save space and money especially if you are going to the beach!

100ml, $27.75

If you have been looking for sunscreen that is suitable for newborns, then the Scatterscreen is it. What I like about it is the low SPF that makes it suitable for newborn skin. SPF8. Yes, you are thinking, ‘whaaat?? What kind of protection does that offer??’ Well, the higher SPF a sunscreen is, it would also mean the higher amount of mineral oxide it will contain to offer the protection, which could also mean there would be a higher chance of more chemical filters being added in! And we all know that we want our products kept as natural as possible! Cherub Rubs recommends hourly reapplication for sufficient coverage. Besides, babies and toddlers should not be exposed to the sun for too long hours anyways. I can live with that.

Sunscreen at Wild Wild Wet

Sunscreen at the ECP

Sunscreen for everybardee!

Verdict: I like that the Scatterscreen is not greasy or pastey like regular sunscreen. It doesn’t even come across as sticky. The kids and us used it liberally at Wild Wild Wet (3pm to 6.30pm) and at the East Coast Park (9 – 11am) and none of us got burnt! Definitely had a tan line but skin was well moisturised and protected. It is also water repellent but washes off easily with regular bodywash. There you go, SPF8. It doubling as a bug repellent..definitely a bonus.

And trust Cherub Rubs to come up with two range of bug repellent: one for newborn and toddlers, the Scatterbug, and another for older kids and adults, Skin Guard Plus

100ml, $25.35

Cherub Rubs uses lemon eucalyptus oil instead of the popular citronella oil. Lemon eucalyptus oil is gentler on the skin as compared to citronella and has been found to repel mosquitoes for up to 6 hours!

Sarah approves!

What I like about the Scatterbug: it is aloe vera based and comes in a semi-gel like consistency, making it very easy to spread out. It doesn’t leave a sticky residue, which would make the kids really comfy and yet still offering some level of protection.

100ml, $25.35

product test at Coney Island

product test at the ECP

The Skin Guard Plus contains more lemon eucalyptus oil as compared to the Scatterbugs. It seems to leave a slightly sticky residue on my palms after application, though it is fine on the skin. It is not THAT sticky, but the sensation was similar to the feeling after one has used a hand santiser gel. That kind of tacky feeling. Not too big of an issue. I’m more concerned about coverage and it has worked during the times we used it! No one got bitten, so yay!

Overall, I really like this range of products mostly due to it being non-greasy. The scent is a bonus! The sunscreen+repellent combo? Genius. I mean the times you probably need repellent, would also mean you would need sunscreen right? See, save money.

Cherub Rubs range of products are available at the following retail stores:

– Big Llittle Me
– Redmart
– Selected Guardian outlets;
– Watsons outlets;
– Sasa stores;
– Isetan;
– OG;
– Medi-ya
– Takashimaya
– selected Kiddy Palace outlets

Cherub Rubs will also be at the Supermom Baby Fair at Marina Bay Sands from 17-19 Feb! You can find them at J02B. And thanks to Cherub Rubs, I have a hamper worth $180 to giveaway!

To participate, all you need to do is

1. Like Cherub Rubs Singapore on Facebook
2. Like Just some Tings on Facebook
3. Leave a comment here or on my Facebook page. and tell me which product you would love to try and why.
4. Contest ends 20th February 2017, 2359hrs and winners will be notified by 22nd February 2017. Winners will be selected at random.

Disclaimer: tings.sg received the above products for review purposes. No monetary compensation was given. All opinions are solely mine and are written as objectively as possible.

Category: Kids, Reviews | Tags: #reviewsthursdays, eczema

Review: Mustela Stelatopia

Posted on June 12, 2014 by enitsuj

Update: 14/6 – QT’s skin at this point is unbelievably baby smooth. There are no signs of any redness, nor rough skin around his neck. The dry patches on his thighs have disappeared as well. There are still some rough bumps on his elbows but it has lessened compared to before using the cleansing lotion and emollient cream. It is pretty amazing, but I still have my questions about the ingredients.

A brief search on the internet told me that one of the ingredients, cyclopentasiloxane, is a silicone fluid. So obviously when I read that, my brain went in all directions and all I can think of is the word silicone. And Donald didn’t help when each time I told him to feel QT’s smooth skin, he said “each time you tell me to touch QT’s skin, all I can think off is that we are applying silicone on him.” Right.

Well, I have replied to Mustela’s request for a feedback on the samples and the team have read this review as well. The Managing Director, Denise Ang, has responded and said that she will get back to me regarding the ingredients. I would love to hear what she has to share about the products.

So stay tuned!

—————————————–

QT’s eczema is an 眼中钉 in his and my daily life. My mom said “wah…chubby also got downside.” -_-” *cue comparing Ollie’s baby smooth skin and QT’s chor puay (rough skin)*

At present, QT’s bath & moisturising routine involves using Sebamed Bodywash, Mustela Vitamin Barrier Cream, Little Innoscents Intensive Soothing Cream for his neck and QV Cream as a body moisturiser. The LI Intensive Soothing Cream has been keeping the eczema at bay. There are still that occasional day of redness when the weather is very hot, but otherwise it is manageable.

Recently, Mustela offered samples to the public via FB for their Stelatopia range. They stated that it was for babies with either 1) dry & eczema prone skin or ; 2) extreme dryness and pulling. Well..it’s a no brainer for QT’s skin right?

mustela’s stelatopia for dry & eczema prone skin

first thought was…they are pretty tiny samples. How on earth am I gonna see results in a couple of days? Fret not, cos let Auntie Justine tell you why hor…

cleansing lotion

this is how much I need to use for QT’s face. Double that amount for his hair, double that amount for his legs, quardruple times the amount for his trunk and arms. Which means that tiny little sample could last QT a couple of baths and more. It doesn’t lather up with bubbles when I apply it on QT’s wet chubby body, but I do get the feeling like it is a little soapy. It is also fragrance free, and QT seems to come out of the bath feeling clean.

I am still getting used to this whole soap-free, fragrance-free thing when it comes to QT. Especially when I am so used to lathering up Ollie with bubbles to the high heavens and he comes out of his shower smelling…so nice. Argh.

QT, Y you have chor puay?? okay, mummy’s genes. I know I know.

On to the emollient cream that came with it.

emollient cream

the cream comes off a little watery, easily spreadable over the body. Yet when you rub it in, it seems to leave an initial slightly greasy feel to the skin. However when it has been rubbed in and dried off, the skin feels smooth and non-greasy. It actually feels moisturised. You know, the feeling on your face after you removed your face mask in an air-con room? haha. That kinda smoothness.

We have been using this for the past couple of days, and I am liking the results (click photo for bigger picture).

QT’s neck over 3 days

Top Left (TL): 10/6 Redness due to using of QV Cream on the neck last week. QT was on the Little Innoscents Intensive Soothing Cream for two days before the 10th & the redness was already dying down.

TR: 11/6 First use of cleansing lotion and first application of emollient cream.

BL: 12/6 Neck felt smoother and wasn’t as red / aggravated as before, skin seemed more moisturised and wasn’t flaking.

BL: 12/6 Red bumps doesn’t feel as raised and seemed lesser.

As mentioned earlier, I was using the Little Innoscents Intensive Soothing Cream for QT’s neck. It worked just as well at the Mustela’s Emollient Cream in reducing the redness and keeping the eczema at bay. However, the emollient cream was able to smoothen the skin a lot more. It is something that i think is hard to see unless you felt it.

My struggle with this is the ingredients for these two products. I barely recognise half of the ingredients although it is stated that it is parabens-free, whereas I knew what the ingredients on the Intensive Soothing Cream was. On one hand I was leaning towards an organic solution for his eczema, on the other hand, it was really nice to feel baby soft skin on QT. Yup, this is coming from a mom who is using cortisteroids for her own eczema issues.

To give Mustela credit, one of the ingredients of the emollient cream is sunflower oil which is a wonderful gentle oil that works wonders on poor skin conditions. It is also hypoallergenic and is safe for babies as their core focus is on baby skincare.

I guess at the end of the day, it is a personal choice. I would be happy to continue using these range of products until QT’s eczema clears up.

Just another day in a mother’s evolving quest to solve this eczema riddle.

Category: Reviews | Tags: eczema, Mustela, Quentin, skincare

Review: Little Innoscents

Posted on May 9, 2014 by enitsuj

Early last month, I woke up one morning to discover that Quentin had a mad rash around his cheeks, neck and behind his ears. It looked so aggravated and angry that I took him to the doctor’s the same morning. The doctor mentioned that it didn’t look like a rash from allergy so it was probably a heat rash.

Man..it sucks to be Quentin. He gets a bit of a blocked nose when he sleeps in an air conditioned room; but too hot and he gets a rash. FHL.

The rash around his cheeks gradually went away but the same can’t be said about the rash around his neck. It appears after his warm bath at night and in the mornings when he wakes and is taken out of my room. It wasn’t until I received a sample pack of Little Innoscents products. The pack consists of a hair & body wash, a soothing cream, a moisturiser and a vapour balm.

brightly coloured travel sized tubes (30ml)

Little Innoscents is a brand hailing from Australia and their products are certified organic by the Australia Certified Organic (ACO). The founder of Little Innoscents, Antonette Golikidis, is a mother of two who developed this range of products in her kitchen for her children as she couldn’t find something that she felt was safe in the market. With her background in aromatherapy and health science, she understood what the ingredients stated on those products were and didn’t dare to use them on her children.

As a mom, I am constantly keeping a look out for products that are safe for my children. I have a history of eczema and God forbid the boys inherit those genes of mine. But with the rash developing on Quentin, I can only suspect this is the early stages of eczema. Upon receiving the pack, I thought I might give it a shot and try it on Quentin.

Organic Hair & Body Wash (Gel)
“bursting with essential oils of spearmint, sweet orange and lavender”

Organic Hair & Body Wash

Some of the ingredients include Aloe vera juice, Sweet Orange oil, Sandalwood oil, Coconut

Now, when I read the instructions on the tube, it said that it could be used in a bath. So I happily squeezed a dollop into QT’s bath, only to see the same dollop floating around in the water and not dissolving. Whaat? Hrm, I squeezed another dollop and rubbed it on QT. It felt soapy but there were no suds. However, QT felt really squeaky clean, yet without being too overly squeaky to the point where his skin felt dry. I later came to know that the hair and body wash was Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)-free which was the reason why there were little or no suds.

How squeaky clean? You know how there is always residual diaper cream on skin folds around the groin that never seems to be able to come off? Yup. It ALL came off QT. I was impressed. No suds, and yet still clean. Nice. It definitely helped that he smelt awesome too, as though he had just gone through a spa treatment. The smell wasn’t too overpowering and he was comfortable with it too.

Organic Baby Intensive Soothing Cream
“helps prevent, manage and treat nappy rash and as well as allergies, aczema, dermatitis and insect bites”

Organic Intensive Soothing Cream.

Some of the ingredients include Aloe Vera juice, Sunflower oil, Shea butter, Avocado oil, Rosewood Oil & Calendula extract

This was what sold me on the product. Remember QT’s rash? I applied it around his neck and as a diaper cream after his bath. The following morning, there was NO rash around his neck at all. His skin was all baby smooth around his neck! There were traces of there being a rash but it was not red and there were no bumps. Wow.

QT’s rash progression (L-R: first discovery, before using the soothing cream, after using the soothing cream)

The bonus part of the cream was that despite it containing shea butter (also contains calendula extract and rosewood essential oil), it was non-greasy. It seemed to be absorbed into the skin very quickly and leaves a non-greasy feel on my hands or on QT’s skin. The skin still felt very soft too. With his previous moisturiser, when he sweat after his bath, he would be all slippery and greasy. This was what probably aggravated his rash as the skin folds were trapping moisture. With this cream, even when he sweat, he could be easily wiped off without any residue.

Again, another great scent added on to him post bath. He can only smell better. Hehe

Organic Baby Moisturising Lotion
“scented with heavenly Ylang Ylang, it’s suitable for all skin types, including delicate newborn baby skin”

moisture rich body lotion

Some of the ingredients include Aloe Vera juice, Sunflower oil, Shea butter, Avocado oil, Ylang Ylang oil.

Apart from the soothing cream, I applied this cream on the other parts of QT’s body. Again, this lotion did not leave a greasy feeling on both my hands and his skin. I didn’t need to squeeze out a lot of this cream. Just 2 small dollops of cream can cover QT’s 3-month-old body. He is quite big sized too, mind you.

Bonus? It has got my favourite essential oil smell, Ylang Ylang. Told you he can only smell better from then on. =)

Organic Baby Vapour Rub Balm
“a winter season essential, it brings warmth to the body and alleviates nasal congestion”

winter blues vapour balm

Some of the ingredients include Sunflower oil, Jojoba oil, Shea Butter, Spearmint Oil, Valender Oil, Wintergreen oil, Rosemary oil, Eucalyptus oil, Peppermint oil and Lemon oil.

In Singapore, when we talk about vapour rub, we often think of one brand. I use it fairly often on Ollie especially when he has a cough. We rub a little on his chest and back, and on his feet. It has some effect, though we often worry about how pungent the smell may be to his nose and how too warming it may be on his skin. They do have a baby version but upon smelling, I don’t think it has much effect on anything. Bleh.

So when I got to this tube, I was very very curious about how it would smell and feel. The balm has a mildly green kinda smell to it (eucalyptus and wintergreen essential oils are amongst some of the many essential oils in this balm), enough to give your nasal passages a kick but in a very gentle, subtle way. When Donald applied it to my shoulder, it had a slight warming effect, which would be gentle on Ollie’s skin.

I really liked it, considering there isn’t a lot of alternatives on the market for a vapour rub. When going through the ingredients, I was amazed at how many other essential oils there are in it and no chemicals. Just essential oils and beeswax. This is definitely a keeper in my kiddie medicine cabinet for the boys.

FAQ

Where can I find Little Innoscents line of products?
You can purchase them at All Things Organic and at Big Little Me

How do I know if the products are really organic?
Little Innoscents products are certified by one of the world’s leading organic certification bodies, the Australia Certified Organic. So you have no worries about the products not being organic!

Disclaimer: I received a sample pack of the Little Innoscents product range from All Things Organic to write this review. All opinions are solely mine and are written as objectively as possible.

Category: Reviews | Tags: Babies, balm, bodywash, cream, eczema, essential oils, lotion, organic