[Lucky Draw] Singpost SmartPac review

What are those lime green boxes many of us have seen flying around between houses and offices? For avid online shoppers like me, you may probably be familiar with it already. For the rest who have not tried them before, those boxes are actually SmartPac from Singpost – essentially a postage paid doorstep domestic delivery with free packaging! On top of that, it comes with flat rates delivery so that you do not have to worry about postage cost calculation or pasting stamps..

I had received some of my online shopping parcels via SmartPac previously. And personally, I have also tried SmartPac boxes in the past, for sending more bulky items so that there’s no need to weigh the content and then to go and purchase / paste stamps. Recently I did another try and indeed SmartPac is working as well, if not better than in the past!

These packaging are extremely lightweight (including the box!) and convenient to use. There are a variety of prepaid packaging (box / polymer envelopes) you can purchase from any Post Office or Shop@Singpost:

The weight threshold for each packaging is indicated on the top right corner of it.

Do note that it is recommended to not send anything that is of high value (e.g. $1000 diamond ring), item with high tendency of leakage (unless sealed tightly) or precious items (e.g. one and only item in the world).

SmartPac gives you a peace of mind (both sender and receiver) as it is a doorstep delivery with tracking system in place.

1. Send – Pack your items into a suitable SmartPac (according to weight threshold indicated) and drop it at/in any Post office or street posting box (there are 57 POs and more than 800 posting boxes in Singapore - https://www.singpost.com/list-of-post-offices).

2. Track – Track your item’s delivery status via SP.com or SP Mobile App. Delivery reaches in 2-3 working days. I sent my parcel on a Wednesday, and found it in my letterbox by Friday evening :)

3. Receive – receive the item from the post man or if you’re not at home, item will be placed in your letter box.

For the month of October, Singpost is now running a promotion for all SmartPac (box/lite/mini) and Poly M (big & small) with discount up to 12% off!
www.singpost.com/smartwaytopac

This applies to minimum purchase of 20 pieces (products are sold in bundles of 10 pieces).

Also, join the lucky draw to win prizes over $100!
Simply:
1) upload a photo of you receiving or sending a SmartPac on Instagram
2) Like and follow @mysingpost, tag 3 friends and hashtag #SMARTwaytoPAC
3) 3 posts with the most number of likes win prizes over $100

Head over to my IG for information too. See you there!

Learning ArtZ - Gemstone Candle-making Workshop

So, I made a gemstone (above)! ;)

Had the great opportunity to attend a gemstone candle-making workshop conducted by Taiwanese instructor Cindy Chung, who flew over to Learning Artz Singapore, specially for the class.

In about 3 hours, we made 5 different candle designs each and how to gift wrap them beautifully ♥

The jelly wax used for the workshop are specially brought over from Taiwan and formulated to have less chemical ingredients but economical to produce and purchase at the same time.

To have scent in our candles, we can simply add a few drops of essential oil or cosmetic-grade parfume (preferred as they evaporate less easily than essential oils)!

These are some of the scents we shared during the class.

All that we used for the day - pretty simply moulds and tools, and some floral accessories.

Coloring for some of the candle designs.

Alright, can't wait to start now isn't it!

(Just like the cute lil' boy in class who seemed too anxious to start while the instructor was doing a demonstration :D)

Let's take a look at what we've made, shall we?

This was the first spherical design we made with flowers embedded in them ♥

Next up was mixing coloured jelly wax and gold flakes.

The instructor selected a few yellow and gold coloured jelly wax from the pile of leftovers in the big container below (reduce wastage!) for this design.

I chose a piece of blue that looks like the starry night sky.

Add these colored wax and gold flakes into this container..

And, ta-dah!

My favourite candle from the class ♥

It reminds me of the night sky with millions of stars and I love it so much that I didn't want to add the soy wick - decided to keep it as it is, to use as a display piece instead.

Another shape with hologram flakes added for the glittery effect.

Next up we had a themed candle, can you guess what it is? :) 

Yes, it's the ocean theme!

We used moss as seaweed which is so cute imo. You can also add tiny seashells at the side for the "beach", that would be so nice!

A darker shade of blue if you like deeper seas ;)

The last we did were these tiny candles that supposedly look like unpolished gemstones.

Mixed some purple, blue and pink colouring for the galaxy effect.

Gift-wrapped our candles.

And we all successfully graduated from class!

Check out all different colours we like :)

I have some of the candles displayed at home now!<3 p="">

Overall, I feel that the class is very interesting and easy to enjoy because, even for a first-timers like me, 4 out of 5 of the candles I made turned out pretty well! The first one (spherical candle) had too many air bubbles in it and my flower petals sanked to the bottom, as I probably poured the jelly wax too early (too hot) and quickly, and so the instructor very kindly gave me hers to bring home instead :`) 

I think it will be the perfect activity for a girls' day out or birthday / wedding gathering where you can bring home some lovely and practical craft pieces at the same time.

The class can also be very therapeutic as it gives you a full 3-hour of distraction from everything else and simply work on a new, simple project. Try it out and let me know if you understand how that feels :)

Hop over to Learning Artz Facebook to be updated on more of such classes!

xoxo

Blackmores Natural Vitamin E Cream + Lanolin

I first tried Blackmores Natural Vitamin E Cream in April this year during a trip to Sydney. Since Blackmores is Australia’s leading natural health company, the best time to purchase it is while I’m at the originating country isn’t it! I got the vitamin E cream from the local drug store there to help my skin combat the dry climate.

Founded by visionary naturopath Maurice Blackmore in 1932, Blackmores combines traditional naturopathic expertise with scientific research to help people achieve optimal health and wellbeing. Committed to developing innovative natural health products and services of the highest quality, Blackmores reaches consumers in 17 countries. 

Also, Blackmores’ extensive range of vitamins, herbal and mineral supplements, and nutritional foods uses premium ingredients from around the world, with products made to strict Australian manufacturing standards. We all know how much pride Australians have in their local products, that’s because they know the quality and standards they are upholding.

Furthermore, respecting the innate link between healthy people and a healthy planet, Blackmores implements sustainable packaging and waste-reduction practices and supports charitable community initiatives.

Since Blackmores expanded into the skincare category, the Blackmores Natural Vitamin E Cream has been part of the Blackmores range for 40 years since it was launched in 1978. And now, there is an enhanced version which is Blackmores Natural Vitamin E Cream + Lanolin.

What’s Lanolin? Apparently it was highly popular ingredient I saw labelled on many Australian skincare products. 

Th product information provided is as follows:

With Natural lanolin derived from sheep wool

• Lanolin has similar function to our skin’s natural sebum

• It is purified secretion from sheep sebaceous glands and is found in sheep wool

• Both lanolin and sebum form a protective waterproof barrier on the skin to protect the skin and keep it from becoming dry, brittle and cracked by dehydration

• Fatty acids in lanolin give it penetrating emollient properties that reduces the evaporation of water from the deepest layers of the skin, maintaining soft and smooth skin

Other information:

• Rich and soothing moisturizing cream to protect and replenish the skin

• Contains natural Vitamin E, Avocado Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil

• Natural Vitamin E - Provides antioxidant protection to the skin’s cells from certain harmful compounds, whilst also having a skin conditioning effect

• Avocado Oil - Nourishes the skin and effectively protects it from the damage caused by dry climates

• Apricot Kernel Oil - Helps sustain and condition the skin for nourishing purposes

• The product has no artificial colours or fragrances. It is made in Australia, 100% imported

How to use it?

1. After cleansing, gently massage a small amount of cream evenly over skin

2. For best results, use twice daily

I had the problem of skin ‘rashes’ breaking out after each trip to a cold place in the recent year. This is despite the fact that I masked and applied moisturisers (even thick body lotion from the hotel for the first time it happened in China).

Even if the weather wasn’t exactly winter or that cold – i.e. Hong Kong in April or Melbourne in May – my cheeks will turn red and blotchy, and crack due to dehydration for days / weeks even after coming back to Singapore. 

This time round, I started using Blackmores Natural Vitamin E Cream as soon as I bought it in Sydney and my skin (finally) didn’t react for the entire trip. That’s how I know that this is the one product that really moisturises and replenishes dry skin!

Now, with added Lanolin, I’m pretty sure the protective barrier will work even more effectively in penetrating the deepest layers of the skin and prevents the evaporation of water. I only use the cream on alternate days (or days when I rem…) and have switched to the Lanolin version in the past week. It’s doing my skin well so far, and I’d certainly bring it along to my upcoming midnight volcano hike (zero degree celsius >.<) to share with my travel mates too! 

Blackmores Natural Vitamin E Cream + Lanolin is retailing for $19 in Singapore. 

Fortunately, now, you can get a chance to try out the product from Sample Store’s Sampling and By-Invite Sampling:

https://goo.gl/N322VW

xoxo

Bober Tea - The Latest Artisan Tea in Town (Bishan)

Bober Tea has kindly invited me down to their new outlet in town at Bishan. The founder had found on his travels that the various tastes of bubble teas in Taiwan, Japanese and China are vastly superior and has hence decided to bring back the best of all worlds to Singapore. Bober Tea strives to offer artisanal tea, focusing on high-quality, tasty blends and keeping the prices affordable still.

Not only do the crew behind Bober Tea make delicious teas, they also aim to care for everyone's health as the bobas are homemade instead of procuring from the factories - this is so that they can have better control over what goes into each and every boba.

Bober Tea also uses premium ingredients such as Okinawa black sugar, Hokkaido milk, pure matcha powder, and Grade A quality fresh fruits.

These are the 6 flavours I tried!

1. Hokkaido Milk Cap Strawberry

2. Salted Caramel Milk Tea

3. Hokkaido Milk Cap Green Tea

4. Matcha Strawberry Latte

5. Chocolate Milk with Oreo

6. Supreme Fruit Burst (Red Tea)

The team behind Bober Tea loves aesthetically beautiful stuff, so they’ve gotten unique round cups as well as Bober Tea’s Cute cartoon box for purchase of 6 drinks and above. Glimpses of it are on my IG stories highlight on food :D

*credits: https://sgfoodwanderers.blogspot.com/

1. Hokkaido Milk Cap Strawberry ($5.90)

Hokkaido milk will never go wrong if you're a milk lover. This is a refreshing reinvention of strawberry milkshake with more tangy-ness to it.

2. Salted Caramel Milk Tea ($3.50)

Salted Caramel is an easy flavour - however do ask for less sugar if you are more used to healthier versions of bubble teas! The price is kept reasonably competitive as well.

3. Hokkaido Milk Cap Green Tea ($4.10)

Again, the hokkaido milk cap never fails. This is probably a flavour I would rattle off the tip of my tongue without any hesitation.

4. Matcha Strawberry Latte ($4.90)

This is THE IG-WORTHY drink! For the beautiful shade of pink and contrasting green ;)
For matcha lovers, you may be delighted to know that the drink is made from pure matcha powder freshly grinded in front of you.

See how they do it for the matcha flavour of the duo. This is the kind of precision they hold for the drinks.<3 p="">

5. Chocolate Milk with Oreo ($3.70)

This was certainly a dark horse as it wasn't a tea per se. But it came as such a delicious drink which changed my perception that bubble teas needn't be teas all the time!

And...saving the best for the last:

6. Supreme Fruit Burst - Red Tea ($7.20)

This is my personal favourite out of the 6. I love the burst of the citrus flavours and the crunchy passion fruit bits. The supreme fruit burst totally lives up to its name, invigorating us at the first sip. Also, I like how we're given a spoon to enjoy the fruits in the cup. It helps towards our daily target of 2 servings of fruits :p

Some of their top sellers are as follows which I would love to try some other time!

- Brown Sugar Fresh Milk with Hot Brown sugar Pearl (Hot and cold Sensation)

- Hokkaido Milk Cap Green Tea/ Mango / Strawberry

- Roasted oolong Milk Tea with Walnut

- Taro Milk

- Grapefruit Green Tea with Popping Boba

Special toppings: Popping Boba (Strawberry / Passionfruit/ Grapefruit)

*credits: https://www.instagram.com/boberteasg/

There’s never been a better time for Bubble Tea. With decades of history and new waves of bubble tea all over the world in the more recent months, try out Bober Tea for yourself and let me know which flavour you enjoy!

Bober Tea

 Bishan MRT #01-01

Operating Hours: Monday - Sundays 10:00am - 10:00pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boberteasg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boberteasg/