REVIEW: ORBIS' Petit Shake

Back in April, ORBIS launched its popular one-meal replacement Petit Shake in limited edition tropical flavours:

• Yoghurt & Pink Grapefruit: Mixed flavours of mildly sour yoghurt and juicy pink grapefruit.
• Mixed Tropical Fruits: Well-balanced sour and sweet pink guava, passionfruit and pineapple flavours.
• Mango: Sweet burst of ripe mango flavour.
• Acai, Banana & Red Grape: Contains 'superfruit' Acai, known for its weight loss and anti-aging properties.

Containing 10 types of vitamins, iron and a water-soluble dietary fiber, these Petit Shakes make a healthy diet option with its good nutritional balance. Pectin, a thickening agent and a natural ingredient found in apples and strawberries, is also used in the making of these shakes. It mixes with the calcium in milk to create a smoothie-like beverage. The shakes' flavours are enhanced with the natural sweetness of fruit extracts and real fruit pulps. Hence, satisfying your sweet tooth even when you're dieting. (:

Each packet of Petit Shake, when mixed with 100ml of cold milk, makes up 150kCal approximately. A month of these shakes reduces calorie intake and helps to bring about a weight loss of approximately 2.5kg of body fat.

Of the 4 different flavours, Mango is my favourite. It tastes almost exactly like a mango yoghurt smoothie; sweet (Not diabetically sweet. Just right. (: ) but with an edge of tanginess.

For me, I don't use this to replace an entire meal because I'm really quite skinny (Thanks Mum, for the metabolism rate.). But I do get hungry easily so I snack a lot, especially in the afternoon. So I drink one of these shakes around 3pm, to replace all my (very unhealthy) tidbits and it lasts me all the way till dinner time. It really helps when I go for my evening jogs because I usually get hungry halfway and it totally zaps away the fun (Running IS fun.).

The Petit Shakes are very easy to make. It consists of just 3 simple steps.

Step 1: Empty the packet into a cup.

Step 2: Add 100ml of cold milk.

Step 3: Blend well till the beverage thickens.

Psst! The Petit Shake is a one-meal replacement, so do take note that you don't replace more than 1 meal in a day.

The ORBIS Petit Shakes retails at $8.90 and $6.90 per box of 2 servings, for limited edition and regular flavours respectively. They can be found in Robinsons Orchard Level 1 Beauty Hall, Bishan Junction 8 #01-46 and Raffles City Shopping Centre Level 1 Beauty Hall.

HAUL: The Final iHerb Haul 2013

If I were a bee, iHerb would be my honey. If I were a moth, iHerb would be my light. If I were a magpie, iHerb would be my shiny thing... You get the picture. I mean, iHerb is online shopping and grocery shopping combined, and that is basically my biggest, unhealthiest addiction.

This haul marked my 7th and final haul for 2013. It is also my biggest because I threw in some healthy snacks as part of the usual will-only-stick-to-it-for-the-first-few-days New Year resolution of eating clean (So not going to happen. But you know, you still make it your NY resolution because it's a tradition. Haha. And I had Maccas' Breakfast Deluxe this morning. After yoga. HAHAHA.).

Here are the items that I got and a little about them:

1. Arrowhead Mills' Organic Oat Flour: Oats are extremely calming and moisturizing for eczema and heat rashes. I add a little water to this and use it as a face and body exfoliator. The flour is fine enough so it won't choke up your sink.
2. Heritage Products' Aura Glow - Almond: I LOVE almond oil. It's incredibly moisturizing, significantly lightens marks and keeps my skin really clear. I typically use a different brand (Read on!) but a model mentioned this one in an interview so I thought I give it a try.
3. Now Foods' Solutions - Avocado Oil: Recently, I came across an article about avocado oil and how it can get rid of blackheads. I have been using this for a week or so. My complexion has been pretty okay (It's the time of the month.) but I haven't seen any reduction in the number of blackheads. :\ BUT I haven't been sleeping very well so maybe that's why. Meh. :\
4. Now Foods' Solution - Sweet Almond Oil: This is my 3rd bottle! BUY IT!
5. Stridex's Single-Step Acne Control - Maximum (Alcohol Free): JH has been using this, in place of Paula's Choice's BHA. He mentioned that it worked just as well and he has really good and clear complexion, despite sleeping weird hours (Life of an architect.). I got this for the sister.
6. Stridex's Single-Step Acne Control - Sensitive (Alcohol Free): This is for me!
7. Thayers' Lemon Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Formula: Thayers' has been my toner for a large part of 2013. It's huge, cheap and does the whole toning job splendidly.
8. Bare Fruit' Organic Bake-Dried Mango Chunks: Just because it's mango. Huge obsession with mango sticky rice now. I know, so NOT healthy.
9. Danielle Chips' Royal Sweet Potato Chips: I ate these last week. You can skip them, unless you just love hearing things go crunch-crunch in your mouth. They were pretty bland.
10. Now Foods' Crystallized Ginger Slices: Currently just sitting on the shelf because I'm too afraid to eat them. :\
11. Thayers' Two Trees Slippery Elm Lozenges - Pure Maple Sugar: I really ordered these just because they are from Thayers' but man, are these awesome! You know how some nights you wake up and your throat's all dry and itchy. So you swallow repeatedly and then it starts to hurt? I usually take Sanjin Watermelon Frost Lozenges but I ran out of them so I tried these, completely NOT expecting them to work. BUT they did! And without leaving any sappy Chinese herbal taste!
12. Yummy Earth Organics' Gummy Bears: They are GUMMY BEARS. Everyone needs them.

EVENT: Crabtree & Evelyn's 2013 Secret Garden Christmas Collection

Earlier this month, Crabtree & Evelyn held a private preview of their 2013 Secret Garden Christmas Collection. The whole place was transformed into the prettiest English garden, with the most gorgeous flowers. Walls were adorned with shelves of Crabtree & Evelyn products and they have been arranged ever so neatly according to collections.

The Secret Garden Christmas Collection is inspired by the wonder of an undiscovered English winter garden, epitomizing the essence of Crabtree & Evelyn. An array of gifts have been specially curated by the brand for loved ones of all ages and each is housed in limited edition keepsake boxes and bags.

Fans of Crabtree & Evelyn's Hand Therapy will take delight in the sampler sets of 3 and 12 tubes, 25g each. They make lovely gifts for family and friends... And yourself. You know, like place one in the office, one in the bathroom, one at your desk... Or one each in every bag that you own. Hehhh.

Here's Fel, looking as happy as a girl who has just been given candy. Also, she is one of my favourite people in my world, if you didn't know that already. :-D

And because I own so many hand creams, body washes and lotions, the highlights for me were the limited edition Christmas cookies, the gingerbread men especially! These cookies make perfect pairings with Earl Grey tea, Peppermint tea and Green tea, depending on your preference.

Love, Bonito top and Zara shorts.

Brought home 3 tins of Christmas cookies (But, of course!) and Mum immediately called dibs on the tins (But, of course.). Haha. Anyway, it was a really lovely evening spent. Thanks Cindy and Crabtree & Evelyn for the invitation! And thank you for reading! :-D

P.S.: To view the rest of the gifts from the Secret Garden Christmas Collection, click here.

EVENT: ION Orchard's Blogger Beauty Brunch

Last Tuesday, I attended ION Orchard's Blogger Beauty Brunch at the newly opened Jones the Grocer. When I first read the invitation from Matt, I actually let a (tiny) squeal in class. Heh (Yes, I'm so not cool.). I mean, if Starbucks is your third home, ION Orchard is mine!

Anyway, before I go on, today's actually the last day of the mall's Fall Beauty Mobile Campaign. All you need to do it to access http://beauty.ionorchard.com/ on your mobile and you get to redeem free sample-sized products from 15 participating brands. :D These include Apivita, Beauty by Nature, Biotherm Homme, Dr Ci:Labo, Dr. Hauschka, FANCL, Kiehl's, L'Occitane, Lab Series, Laneíge, Shu Uemera, Skin Inc, VMV Hypoallergenics, Watsons and YSL Beauté.

Once you're at the page, just register by liking their Facebook page, select a brand, obtain the voucher and present it at the store to claim your sample! :D

As aforementioned, the day started out with a hearty brunch at Jones the Grocer. I have walked past another outlet countless of time and have heard JH talked so much about it but this was actually my first time eating there. Just like the other 2 outlets, this sported the same matte black, cozy interior. A perfect place to hang out with friends on a Sunday morning, yes?

I had French Toast with berries, accompanied with an invigorating cup of mint tea. Ahhh... How lovely it would be to start out everyday like this! *dreamy look*

And at the end of the brunch, we were each presented with a membership for the ION+ Rewards! Here's a list of what you are entitled to:

• Complimentary 2-hour parking.
• Dining privileges.
• Special promotions.
• Exclusive discounts.
• Updates on fashion, arts, dining and lifestyle trends.

Click here to learn more about it!

Thereafter we embarked on a little beauty tour, starting out with...*drum rolls* Yves Saint Laurent! A makeup demonstration, using the latest fall collection, was held and then, we were each presented with a little bag of our very own YSL goodies. Heh. I can't wait to do a look with them and show you! :D

Apivita was next. The birth of this Greek brand was inspired by the bee's society which is marked by its harmony, balance and solid structure. The brand borrows ingredients from the Honey Bee and these include nature's miracle antiseptic (Propolis), the purest natural energy source (Honey), nature's secret elixir (Royal Jelly), and the richest source of amino acids in the natural world (Bee Pollen).

I'll be using their sunscreen soon so stay tuned for a review!

The last stop was at Dr. Hauschka. This brand prides itself in providing skin care that works with your skin, and not against. It doesn't suppress symptoms but instead, harness the healing properties of nature and actually activate the skin's own impulse to heal and balance itself, naturally.

The brand's philosophy really speaks to me so I'm really excited to see how their products will work for me!

And of course, the compulsory shot in the ladies with pretty Juliana!

Alrighty, I'm off to tackle my million and one assignments but I'll be back soon with reviews! :D Till then, laugh more, love more and live more. Have a good week ahead! xx

TRAVEL: Taiwan 2 Day 3

Day 3 saw us frantically looking for a telecom service provider. All M and I needed was Wi-Fi so that we could get around and of course, so that I could tweet and Instagram (I know, I'm a complete slave to social media! I'm trying really hard to tear myself away! Btw, iTaiwan, the free Wi-Fi for travelers, is completely useless.). But alas, we forgot to our passports! So with heads down, we decided to park ourselves at Tonkatsu for some lunch.

M loved his curry chicken cutlet dish (Evidently!) but mine, some dish without any sauces, was just alright. I'm not a big fan of breaded stuff so... :\

The agenda for the day was to head to Taipei 101's Zara. Hahaha! M was incredibly determined to get work clothes over in Taiwan. Along the way, we passed by some really cool fixtures in front of a massive financial institution. And as people donned in suits walked past, we posed and snapped away!

And here's a shot of Taipei 101! I featured it in my previous trip and you can read about it here. I proceeded to spend a good 3 hours in Zara whereas M... *shakes head*. Aye, it's pretty obvious that if you couldn't find your sizes in the first Zara outlet, chances are that you won't be able to find any in the second one. I mean, they stock the same stuff! But I so wasn't gonna point that out to M, the shopping illiterate. HAHA. :P

Night fell and we headed to Raohe Street Night Market. The night market is quite a long walk from Taipei Metro. So do plan your time properly because Wufenpu, a.k.a the land of clothes, is nearby. You want to make sure you have enough time to visit both markets and make it back in time for the last train back to wherever you came from.

And TADAHHH! Meet San Ma Chou Chou Guo! We found the place by accident the last time we were there and M loved it so much that he was determined to go back (M's a very determined person.), even though our legs were so tired they flipped and flopped. Turns out that San Ma Chou Chou Guo is everywhere... There's one right smack in our hotel's district! :\

Anyway, San Ma Chou Chou Guo serves really awesome steamboat for just NT$100. That's less than S$5! And don't belittle the little pot. Food coma awaits you at the end of it.

We walked a little after that and even though we were still suffering from our comas, we stopped to have some mango dessert. And gosh, MOST DELISH DESSERT EVER! Throw away your macarons and cupcakes and just drown in this sunshine yellow goodness!

The ice was mixed with milk... Probably condensed milk so it was VERY sinful BUT EXTREMELY satisfying. And Taiwan's fruits are the absolute best! Summer's the season for mangoes and whoo boy, sweetest things my mouth had ever tasted! *salivates*

And yay, the end of another boring day! Haha. I just realized how boring my trip was because we just ate and shopped (Okay, just me.). But we had so much fun! Haha. Oh well, we are young and we are in love... What to do. *shrugs* :D

TRAVEL: Taiwan 2 Day 2

So... My first travelogue was a complete failure. Being a Virgo, I wanted everything to be perfectly comprehensive but then, I got bored with myself. So this one is going to be a lot different; quite possibly like how I do my cue cards. But I hope you still get to 'discover' a few cool places and make Taiwan your next escapade. Again, please take note that M and I aren't really sight-seeing people. Very shallow of us, I know but... What to do. *shrugs*

Winter placed many cross-outs on our Taiwan to-do list so M and I decided to make a trip back, when said country was clothed in Summer's warmth. Just like the previous time, we Scoot-ed there and stayed in the same hotel, Star Beauty Resort. The hotel's really near Shilin Night Market and though service was pretty alright (Not as stellar as the previous time.), we won't be patronizing it anymore. It's time to move on. *nods*

We reached Taoyuan Aiport Terminal 1 at around 6am. The whole day was pretty much spent being zombies. We walked around Taipei Main Station, picked up some really cheap toiletries (I don't use hotel soaps.), slept till 8pm and then, 'partied' the night away at Shilin Night Market.

On the second day, M wanted to drop by Zara to get some work clothes. The nearest station is Zhongxiao Dunhua (Blue line).

We all know Taiwan's milk teas are beyond awesome. Sadly, the same can't be said for their matcha lattes/ green teas. This is one of the 3 matcha lattes/ green teas I tried before giving up.

TADAHHH! One of the 3 Zaras in Taipei! According to M (Yes, boyfriends are price-sensitive.), the brand's a lot cheaper here. Very unfortunately, for him, there is such a thing as being too skinny. The wide widths of the pants just didn't work for him. However, very fortunately, for his girlfriend, she had no such problems and proceeded to spend about 3 hours there? The queue for the fitting rooms was very long...

Haha. I'll show you my loot when I have washed and ironed it. Alternatively, you can hop on over to my Instagram for a sneak peek!

Ended ourmy shopping trip with some tea at a nearby Japanese café, Ueshima Coffee Lounge.

M loves waffles like I love shopping. And nothing beats waffles WITH ice-cream for him. Unfortunately, for him again, the right snowball was whipped cream (Sorry, boyfriend, but HAHA.) and the middle one was red bean ice-cream (We both HATE red beans.).

My favourite boy. (:

I had a rose milk tea latte and pudding of some sort. Just alright. I'm starting to think that I don't appreciate tea (As in the meal.) items in general.

We ended the evening with a trip to Breeze Center. It is a pretty pricey departmental store but I was there for...

Level 6! This is where we ladies can get all the Lady First items (Though prices are a tad higher.). There are other cool stuff too, like weighing machines that tell you the types of fats you have got, portable massages of all sorts, baking stuff, plants, luggage... Photos aren't allowed to be taken though.

And yay, that's the end of our (boring) 2nd day!

-
ZARA
No. 201, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road
Daan District
Taipei City, Taiwan

UESHIMA COFFEE LOUNGE
No. 199, Section 1, Dunhua South Road
Daan District
Taipei City, Taiwan 106

BREEZE CENTER
No. 39, Section 1, Fuxing South Road
Songshan District
Taipei City, Taiwan 105