Some simple gluten free dishes

L-R: beef red stroganoff with red peppers and spinach; sunny side ups, ham roll , homemade potato chips and sourdough bread with coconut butter, sautéed mushrooms with tomatoes and gluten free sausages on gluten free bread; mixed salad with vinaigrette, spinach, caramelised onions and roast beef on sourdough bread. Just experimenting with some simple gluten free dishes.

Bonus: these dishes are so simple to prepare but maximum on taste. Buon apettito!

  #budgetbeautymommy

Most convenient nail polish - Yubiso No. 46

I've recently tried this cute nail polish from Yubiso. They've got a great selection of colours and I just couldn't resist. So I bought one home just for a test drive. After all, it was cheaper than Opi or Sally Hansen. 

So I got Colour 46. It's a very nice nude rose hue. It was super easy to apply and zero streaking. It dries super fast so that's an extra bonus. After about a week wearing it with minor touch ups, I've only just discovered it by chance. While showering, I've noticed the nail polish on my index finger has peeled off partially like a dog's ear on the page of a book. So I just pulled it off and it came off easily intact like a sticker. I then tried it on my other nails and they all came out with ease.

I was ecstatic because I really detest removing nail polish with removers because they wear out my nail and leave them rough. This was perfect for me. It was quick and easy removal in the shower with no mess as it peels off whole. Plus another bonus, the nail polish do not stain your nails yellow.
This nail polish is perfect! Try it out for yourself. It definitely saves time and not forgetting my nails too!

#budgetbeautymommy

Best Essential Oils to Calm Kids Down

Doterra essential oils plays a huge part in my life, from beauty, health and even cooking; but nothing is more significant than helping to curb tantrums with little darling.

Recently, I've been applying Cedarwood and Forgive from the Emotional Aromatherapy Kit. I'll rub on little darling everyday.

I'll rub cedarwood on the back of the neck and sides of neck where lymph nodes are. Then I'll let little darling inhale some of the cedarwood applied on my hands. I'll just cup it over her face a little. I'll then apply Forgive just under her nose.

Little darling absolutely loves it. She's more calm and less anxious thankfully. Its no wonder I carry it in my handbag everywhere for emergencies. 😉

If you don't have Cedarwood, another good alternative will be Vetiver. They are both very grounding and calming.

For the Emotional Aromatherapy Kit, it comes with 6 oils Peace, Passion, Motivate, Cheer, Forgive and Console. Personally my own scent is Peace. You'll find that we all have our own preference for different scents.

You can learn more about the oils further here.

#budgetbeautymommy

Italian Inspiration Day - Homemade Minestrone and Homemade Beef Lasagna

It's Italian inspiration today. Home cooked beef lasagna for lunch and minestrone for dinner.

To amp up on the taste of the minestrone, I've added one drop of Doterra Oregano Oil. Not only it's delicious, oregano oil helps to boost our natural immune system too.

Buon appetito!

Learn more about Doterra Oregano Oil here.

#budgetbeautymommy

The Best Concealer - Artdeco Perfect Teint Concealer - No. 6

The best concealer that even Lucy Liu approves!

For me, I think concealers are the trickiest part of makeup application. Most times, I would find a concealer that is blendable but the color is just not right. The rule of the thumb is, if you can see your concealer, it's not the right color. The concealer has to blend into your skin completely. Now, that's what I call a perfect concealer.

I was looking high and low for the perfect concealer. I've tried The Body Shop's concealer, it's rather not bad, not much complaints except it still leaves me the need to search for the perfect concealer. Then I've switched to MAC's concealer and it left me with a bad impression. Ok, to be fair to MAC, it may be a good concealer(in fact it was easily blendable and provided a good coverage in concealing my flaws) but I've used it at the wrong time. I was having a major breakout of my life!! The texture was creamy and maybe alittle too oily for my sensitive and blemished skin. My breakouts rebelled and became more out of control! (I'm sorry MAC, but I love your products but I do not have the courage to try out your concealer ever again.) I would like to hear more feedback from you guys who swear by MAC.

So, back to my hunt for the illusive concealer. My answer came in the form of sexy Lucy Liu. You see, Lucy Liu always looks perfect and porcelain in her makeup. She looks flawless in every picture yet her makeup looks natural like she didn't even try. Ok, I agree, so she accentuates her eyes alot, but her skin always looks healthy and naturally beautiful. That is an undeniable fact. So, I was reading a feature in the magazine of what's in Lucy Liu's makeup bag. She has her eye liner, mascara and her all-time must-have: concealer. I've also been reading some makeup tips and the concealer seems to be a choice for many celebrities too. So, I gave it a go and bought myself one.

My answer for the perfect concealer came in the form of Artdeco Perfect Teint Concealer - No.6

It works like a charm!! Arguably it has to be the best concealer in the market. This twist-pen liquid concealer has a light, smooth texture that glides over my skin and offers substantial, but imperceptible coverage. The soft matte finish poses little risk of creasing and creasing is what I hate most when other concealers start to settle into the fine lines around the eye area at the end of the day. This, my dear, works like a dream. The color is so natural and works best for fair to medium toned skin. Of course, its quite similar to YSL's Touché Eclat Highlighter, but I assure you, it really really does deliver and it beats having to try and try every other concealer in the quest for the perfect one. Best part is, it's price is half of YSL's.

I'm the biggest fuss pot when it comes to finding the most blendable and natural makeup look (my mantra), but Artdeco Perfect Teint Concealer - No. 6 gets a two thumbs up from moi!

#budgetbeautymommy

Dinner Ideas from Italy, Mexico and Britain

Some food ideas for dinner inspired by different countries round the world.

Top picture is Italian Roast Beef on sliced fresh bread, salad and baked potatoes.

On the left is Mexican shredded pork fajitas with guacamole, grated carrots, tomato salsa, cheddar cheese, sour cream and salad on tortilla wrap.

On the right is the British Roast chicken with roast potatoes, sweet potatoes, radish roasted with garlic and dried oregano. Blanched carrots and bok choy stir fry with garlic and onions with homemade gravy.

So delicious and colourful. I do like my food colourful like the rainbow.

#budgetbeautymommy

Best Essential Oil for Restful Sleep - Every Night!

Beauty sleep is sooooooo important. Sleep is such a rare commodity especially if you have a family and little darlings.

I've always been a light sleeper and I can literally wake up to a pin drop. I'm also the most grumpy person imaginable if I don't have enough sleep. So, you can imagine how deliriously happy I am when I found Balance. It's a super grounding blend too.

I sleep through the night and even if I am awoken I sleep off immediately.

Even big daddy requests for it before he sleeps -every night!

I rub about three drops of Balance to the soles of the feet and rub it in.

It works like a charm and I wake up to blissful sleep. Lavender Peace also gives me good restful sleep but I find it works better on little darling.

Share with me how do you get restful sleep every night?


Find out more about Balance here.


#budgetbeautymommy

Beer Marinated Roast Lamb Dinner

If you don't fancy drinking beer like me but have many cans of beer lying around, why not marinade your lamb with it?

I've marinated the lamb chops with salt and pepper, cumin powder, a drop of Doterra Rosemary essential oil and about quarter can of beer. Then roast in oven about 100C so all alcohol has evaporated. Roast till chops are browning lightly.

It's so yummy with no beer aftertaste. Tried this for dinner yesterday and it was truly scrumptious. Every morsel and gravy was polished right off our plates.

You can find out more about the Doterra Rosemary essential oil here.

#budgetbeautymommy

Are you a perfectionist?

Are you a perfectionist, budget beauty mommies?

Sometimes I tend to try so hard to be perfect. But then again, perfection is subjective too. My perfection may not be your definition of perfection. So what is perfection really?

In pursuit of perfection, the moment where you feel so suffocated because you can't admit you're failing or to reach out for help, is when you feel like your world is collapsing.

Breathe.

It is ok to seek help.

It is ok to admit that nothing is going right.

It is ok to feel lost.

It is ok to not have the answer for everything.

It is ok to take a break.

It is ok to confide your problems to others instead of just hiding behind 'I'm fine'.

Instead of trying to be perfect, celebrate that you have tried your very best today. No matter how bad your day went, as long as you have tried and done your best for the day, you're absolutely perfect!

True beauty lies in our imperfections. Celebrate you today!

#budgetbeautymommy

Natural Remedies for Dark Eye Circles

Well, you see, most budget beauty mommies are afraid to get the much dreaded dark eye circles. They are not attractive at all and makes one age a few years extra. I know I'm not the only one with this problem, so I have compiled a list of home remedies that you can try out at home.

First, we separate them to three categories, the first category is to conceal them effectively, the second category is to get rid of them permanently and the third category is home remedies easy enough for everyone to do. It takes time but worth the effort when you see a new pair of beautiful fresher eyes.

To Camouflage dark eye circles 
The product you should opt for should contain ingredients like Mica and Bismuth Oxychloride. These ingredients will help to reflect light and thus reduce the look of dark appearance under the skin. Also, the ingredients are very light and they do not appear to look too heavy or cake under your eyes, which make them even more obvious.

Also, look for creams with Vitamin K, Collagen, Elastin and hyaluronic acid to plump up eyes to prevent that dull sunken in under eye skin, which enhances the darkened skin underneath the eyes.

Normally, before you apply this makeup as camouflage, apply some light anti dark eye circle cream to protect the skin under the eyes and to plump up fine lines, then lightly press the powder over the under eye area. The key here is not to drag the brush across the under eye area, but to press the powder onto the skin. This will help to minimise the powder from setting into the fine lines, and thus, making them more obvious.


To get rid of dark eye circles for real
1) Get enough rest - It's true, sleep deprivation will cause the skin under the eyes to darken, looking like a panda, but just not as cute. Besides, take power naps about 10-15 minutes of shut eye will do you lots of good in blood circulation

2) Stress kills - Stress is a killer and a major beauty destroyer. Try to unwind and keep your mind free. Exercising will be a good form of relief and it also helps to improve your blood circulation. If not, try to listen to music, it helps to release stress. Or go out have a nice meal with your family. Don't stress on cooking. Try it today.

3) Get plenty of nutrition - Nutrition helps to pump rich blood all over your body. With a better circulation, it will help to rid off dark eye circles. Get better nutrition by having a balanced diet, diet full of fruits and veggies, grains, nuts and legumes. Treat your diet like a rainbow, try to eat foods with very strong colors like reds, yellows and orange. They are mostly rich with anti-oxidant properties. I suggest to get extra supplement like vitamin B complex and Vitamin C to complement your diet.

4) Drink lots of Water- At least 6-8 glasses of water a day to drain out toxins from the body and to help in circulation. The liver and kidneys sometimes are overworked with too much toxins in the body, thus appearing in the form of bad skin or dark eye circles. Drinking water will help them to flush out the toxins from the body. Drinking water will also hydrate your skin and help to sooth out fine lines from forming -minimizing more dark eye circles.

5) Massage - Massage your eye areas gently to increase blood circulation. Most times, blood circulation is very poor underneath the eyes, especially more so when you have a poor diet. Lightly tap all the areas under the eye with your third finger, as it doesnt exert too much pressure as your index finger

6) Get a good eye cream - Get a good rich eye cream for night use and a lighter eye gel for day time use. Find for ingredients like alpha hydroxy acid in the creams.


Home Remedies 
1) Tea fix - Brew some mint tea or green tea then let the teabags cool. Then, place them over the eyes for about 10 minutes or alittle more as you wish

2) Sourcream's the way to go - Mix two teaspoons of sourcream and 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley. Put the mixture into a straining cloth and apply to eyes for about 10 minutes or more

3) Cool as Cucumber - Cut out two thin slices of chilled cucumbers and place on your eyes. You can place the cucumbers on your eyes for 10 -15 mins or as long as you like till the cucumber turns warm from your heat

4) Strawberries - But with no cream. Slice the chilled strawberries, about 2 strawberries, or more depending on your needs. Then place them on your eyes and becareful not to let them get into your eyes or it will sting. Strawberries are good because they are high in alpha hydroxy acid, which is highly appreciated in most anti wrinkle creams

5) Milk soother - Grab a bowl and pour some chilled milk in them and throw in a few cotton balls to soak up the milk. Then relax and lie down while u place the cotton balls over your eyes. You will feel the skin is smoother and more relaxed and aids in circulation and lessen the dark discoloration under the eyes

6) Potatoes - Cut two slices of potatoes with skin, raw and just simply place them over your eyes like how you will with cucumbers. The enzymes in potatoes help to reduce the dark circles under eyes


I hope I have helped in this post. Please share with me if you have any other remedies.

 #budgetbeautymommy

Best Skincare Regiment for Acne - Doterra HD Clear Kit

Hi guys, it's Valentine's Day soon and I'm in love.

Yup, I've been using this kit since December and I want to really try it before giving my verdict. The more I use it the more I love it. It's so effective.

Doterra HD Clear kit

It comes with a HD Clear Foaming Face Wash, HD Clear Topical Blend which is a rollerball spot treatment and HD Clear Facial Lotion.

With just a 3-Step Regiment twice a day, any acne even stubborn hormonal cystic acne is treated. For me, I saw results in less than a week! Existing acne heals at a much faster rate therefore scarring is minimal. It's amazing, truly amazing.

I can vouch that this kit has cleared my skin literally over night. Very rarely do I get a blemish or two. I don't panic now as new acne heals so quickly it's barely noticeable. It also very effectively prevents new acne from forming.

So, this Valentine's Day, if you are not sure what to get your sweetheart, this HD Clear Kit is bound to be a hit.

Learn more about Doterra's HD Clear Kit here.

#budgetbeautymommy

New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year, budget beauty mommies! I had a great start to the year with my family and friends. I've only just had a quiet day today ever since but loving every minute of catching up with family and friends.

New Year brings new year resolutions. This year, we all made our new year resolutions including little darling. New year resolutions are really difficult to keep for us adults let amid our little darlings, so we have decided to make it a monthly anniversary to check in on our resolutions. So every 30th is our monthlyversary.

New year resolutions are not meant to be a chore. So we celebrate with some homemade butter cake and this tradition will carry on. Trust me, a little bribing and kisses help :P 

 😉

Balinese Pumpkin-Papaya Face Mask for Radiant Skin

Thanksgiving has come and gone and we had loads of pumpkin. Who would have thought that pumpkins could be beneficial beauty wise? I've actually learn about the beauty secrets of pumpkins after visiting some spas at beautiful, tropical Bali, Indonesia recently. At first I was rather baffled, pumpkin on my face? It doesn't sound too enticing, but, the results are stunning. Even my acne scars seem to have faded. It would be interesting to add that, Gwyneth Paltrow also indulges in this pumpkin face mask to keep her complexion super enviable. This pumpkin face mask will help you achieve radiant skin and it's so easy to prepare. Here are the list of ingredients needed:

Ingredients list

1) Half a can of pumpkin puree

Fresh and cooked pumpkin is chock full of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, potassium, alpha-carotene, zinc, beta carotene, and lutein. Whoo, sounds like a mouthful but all these goodies are great anti-oxidants for our skin. Pumpkins are fantastic for skin too because they are rich in Vitamin A or beta carotene, which is actually the basis for Retinol. As beauty junkies, we already know that Retinol is great at keeping those pesky fine lines and wrinkles at bay. It also helps us achieve radiant skintone and to protect our skin.

2) Half a papaya

Papaya is a natural for incorporating into your skin care regime. The fruit offers anti-oxidants and are rich in essential enzymes. Papaya has both preventative and restorative properties when used in skin care. Papaya’s powerful fruit enzymes are know to aid and accelerate healing in skin disorders such as acne. In addition, the fruit enzymes are a gently exfoliation to the skin.Papaya is rich in anti-oxidants and the papain enzymes Papaya has both preventative and restorative properties when used in skin care. Papaya’s powerful fruit enzymes are known to aid and accelerate healing in skin disorders such as acne. In addition, the fruit enzymes make a good exfoliating enzyme. It's loaded in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, two very essential anti-oxidants for keeping our skin beautiful and healthy

Directions

1) Cut the papaya in half and discard the seeds. Mash it real well and scoop all the pulp into a cup

2) Add the canned pumpkin into the mash papayas and mix them well. If you want a smooth

paste, blend the ingredients together

3) Apply the mask to your cleansed face, avoid the eye area if you're prone to sensitive eyes.

[Note: You may experience some slight tingling on the skin if you have sensitive skin. It's caused by the enzymes from the pumpkin]

4) Let the mask on for about 20 minutes for your skin to absorb the goodness

5) Rinse off mask with warm water, pat dry and moisturize to seal in moisture.

6) Voila, now you have really radiant skin as the enzymes from the ingredients help to slough off dry, dull dead skin cells. For best results, try this face mask about 2 to 3 times a week.

[Note: For those with very sensitive skin, try a patch test by putting the mask behind your ears. If no negative reaction, go ahead and try out this face mask]

I really, really love this face mask and so far, I've seen the best results with this pumpkin-papaya face mask. My acne scars have visibly diminished and I so love my radiant skin. Seriously, try this face mask out, it's really awesome. Once you budget beauty mommies have tried it out, let me know the results. I bet you would all be loving it too!

#budgetbeautymommy

Avoiding Adult Acne

Acne, pimples, zit - those things that should not be mentioned! Time and again, this topic is repeated over and over again, and it's really getting boring. But, I know, for some of us out there, we still get acne even well past our adolescences.

It's actually a big issue and I know that first hand. I had my bout of adult acne exactly 1 year ago and it's really a N-I-G-H-T-M-A-R-E. You can not imagine the amount of stress, tears and pain I've gone through. Thinking about it makes my skin creep and I do admit, I'm really quite paranoid about getting acne. Sometimes, any unsightly bumps under the skin makes my heart sink just a little.

Anyway, acne is really cruel but fear not, if you're more attentive to your diet, habits and skincare routine, it can be contained. Over time, acne would be nothing but history. I've compiled some tips to incorporate in your daily skincare routine and habits. Here are some tips for you to follow to beat adult acne at its own heartless game:

Tip #1: Always use non-comedogenic skincare and makeup

Learn to read your labels and check out the ingredients of your products. If one of its top 5 ingredients are pore-clogging, discontinue use immediately; no matter how much you like that product - that is if you're really prone to blemishes. The top 5 ingredients are usually present with the most amount in the product. However, any pore-clogging ingredients around the end of the list of ingredients are present in minute amounts, mostly negligible.

For example, Cetaphil is a good brand that is non comedogenic which many dematologists recommend.

Also remember, even your hair products could actually cause acne. Also, do check out the ingredients in your sunscreen and just about anything that you use on your face. When you're having a breakout, try to reduce as many products you use on your face as possible to avoid any reactions between products. Keep to a minimal and simple skincare routine.

Your acne could probably be the cause of a skin reaction/allergy to certain ingredients in your product. It may be an allergy to Vitamin E (as a few of my budget beauty mommies have an allergy to) or just about anything.

Do you wear makeup when you hit the gym? Well, if you do, you're upping your chances for clogged pores, especially when you're doing heavy exercises and sweating alot. Therefore, when hitting the gym try to use as little makeup or none at all

Tip #2: Hands-off Policy
When I have acne, I know I have a really bad habit of always touching my acne to 'check out' how it's doing. Hands can carry alot of bacteria as we always are in contact with something. Remember, limit any touching as much as possible to stop transferring bacteria to your face. These bacteria will make the inflammed areas worse.

Try not to rest your face on your hands, you may be transferring bacteria unknowingly. Also, wipe the surface of your mobile after use. Sometimes, you will find that your acne is flourishing in areas that are in contact most with your hands or your mobile, or even your hair. Just gotta take note of how your acne patterns are like and you can learn from them.

Another popular tip which is just as popular to break - do not squeeze or pick at your acne. You're most definitely transferring more bacteria deeper down your skin. That's very bad news as there will be more inflammation and possibly even scarring. I'm really obsessive about picking and squeezing and I've learnt my lesson well. Those acne that I squeeze almost always take much longer time to heal than those left alone

Tip #3: Don't let sweat stick around for long
Rinse off as soon as possible after a heavy work out. Physical activity heats up the body, causing perspiration to mix with surface skin oils. Together, they trap substances in your pores. If you cannot afford a quick rinse, then towel off the sweat and change into fresh clothes as quickly as possible. Sweaty, tight-fitting clothes are even worse. They usually result in bacne or other acne on your body parts.

If possible, you should avoid wearing tight headbands or hats that rub against your skin. If you wear a helmet or any other safety gear with straps, be sure to wash the straps frequently to reduce bacteria.

Tip #4: Don't overwash your face or use harsh scrubs
A common myth that acne is caused by bad hygiene should be booted out immediately. Acne is not caused by a dirty face. Therefore, vigorous face washing doesn't help and instead will cause more trouble. When you overwash your face, you're stripping off natural oils from the skin and this forces your skin to produce excessive oil and sebum which will increase your chances of clogged pores.

Instead, stick to a simple skincare routine of washing with lukewarm water with a mild cleanser that targets blemished skin, and then a light toner for blemished skin and follow up with a mild non-oil based moisturizer. Also, pat dry face instead of rubbing your face dry. You wouldn't want to provoke those inflammations further. Gentle is the key

Skip the exfoliants and other face scrubs till your inflammation has subsided. Your skin is volatile and inflammed, you do not need to provoke it further. It may prolong and increase your inflammations. Just stick to a normal skincare routine and it's suffix

Tip #5: Don't stress out
I find this a major blasphemy. How could you not freak out and be stressed over your blemishes? It's really difficult but it's true. I always find that when I'm stressed out about something, I always end up with 1 or 2 new blemishes. When I had my bout of adult acne, I was constantly near tears and it really didn't help.

Whenever some acne has cleared, new ones seem to come out from nowhere. Finally, I got really fed up and just threw in the towel and didn't bother about them, they actually did lessen and improved. However, I was still faithful to my skincare routine. So, it's proven, stress does make things worse

For me, I try to exercise the stress away or I listen to music as often as I can. A good meditation helps clear out bad negative energy in you too. A good session with close friends really helps to melt the stress away. If not, get a good massage, indulge in a bubble bath and then have a good night's sleep. Sleeping well really, really helps to rejuvenate the skin and aids in skin cells turnover.

Here are some good tips to beat the blues which really works for me

These tips sound simple but they actually do make a difference to your acne's condition. Try to incorporate these healthy habits little by little and you will see the difference.

Try to adopt these acne tips and wait for about a month or two (yes, it takes time) to see results. If your acne gets worse or doesn't show any signs of improvement, seek professional help.

Acne is no laughing matter and it's not a matter of whether you are vain or not. It really does affect your very well-being and can really lead to depression if left untreated. So, don't take it lightly or try to brush off the matter. Also, learn to love whatever skin condition you're in. When you give some TLC to your skin, it works better than hating and loathing your skin.

Good luck budget beauty mommies and banish those blemishes away!

#budgetbeautymommy

Parenting Tip: Matured looking kids subjected to higher expectations?

There's something I've picked up recently. It seems that kids who are taller or who look more matured than their actual age have a disadvantage. Shocking ain't it, as you always imagine that bigger kids are bullies, but in reality it's not always so.

You see, because the kids are bigger than their actual age, you expect them to behave in a more mature way because we forget how young they actually are. Don't be fooled by their size 😉

So, these 'bigger' kids are subjected to higher expectations to behave more maturely or to achieve more. I would say it's normally the adults who exert higher expectations on the physically more mature looking kids. This is so because we have preconceived notions of how kids should behave according to their age. But there is no one size fits all for kids, each kid is unique and different and matures differently.

So let's just be more mindful to allow kids the freedom to express themselves at their own pace, but of course with guidance from adults. We should be their support and not a hindrance to their natural growth in all aspects.

#budgetbeautymommy

Parenting Tip: Try Love and Kindness when a child misbehaves

Sometimes our little darlings misbehave. It's ok, just breathe, we can't expect our little darlings to be perfect angels all the time 😉 But when it's prolonged misbehaviour, it could be a deeper root to the problem.

Continuous bad behaviour could be a cry for help. First, I would determine it's not due to outside factors i.e. bullying or assault from others.

Once outside factors are eliminated, at least we know that our little darling is safe. Talking is always a good start. Be a friend that they can confide with. Cuddle up over a cup of hot chocolate and just have a conversation with your little darling. Your little darling will open up easily and won't be stressed out.

Scolding an already upset child will only make it worse. Believe it or not, our little darlings feel guilty when they misbehave most of the time, so it's unfair to make them feel worse by scolding them further. At the end of the day, love is always the best answer. When your little darling feels loved, they are motivated to be at their best.

Try kindness and love and see your little darling blossom before your eyes.

#budgetbeautymommy

Best Snail Extract Gel Mask: Celebrity Snail Extract Moisturizing Gel Mask

My very recent skincare routine includes face masks and snails. I've finally succumbed to the snail trend, which honestly is so yesterday, but I have to say it's really one of the most amazing skincare discovery since Retinol.

Recently, I've been totally addicted to face masks especially the Korean made ones. Being a budget beauty mommy, my criteria for a good face mask is convenience and effectiveness.

My current top choice is Celebrity Snail Extract Moisturising Gel Mask.

This mask is so amazing in so many ways. First of all, the snail extract is in the top 3 ingredients list so it has a high content of the goodness. It comes in a gel mask so it is so comfortable and it hugs the face snugly and doesn't dry up like normal sheet ones. You can even sleep through the night with it without it drying and hardening on your face. Korean masks also has the perk of being smaller sized than other masks so they don't mess up your hairline. In short, putting the mask on is not such a hideous affair.

Now, the results of this mask is just so wonderful. It helps repair and lighten hyperpigmentation such as acne scars very rapidly. You can see results almost immediately, the scars are lightened in just one application Also it leaves my skin super supple and moisturised. It does live up to its claims and I'm sold! I'm currently on my third box.

If you want immediate results, do use the mask everyday. It can be quite pricey and time consuming to put it on everyday. So you can actually use the remainder of the essence in the packet the next day and use the mask on alternate days. The results are just as good and it helps without taxing your purse too much.

Budget beauty mommies, you have to give this a try and see for yourself. Let me know if you love it or not. Can't wait to hear your verdict.

#budgetbeautymommy

Creamy beef fillet recipe

Another new creation for my roast dinner. It's so colourful, nutrient dense and delicious.

I've roasted potatoes, Japanese sweet potatoes, pumpkin and red peppers in the oven. I've blanched carrots and stir fried bok choy with onions.

For the meat, I've created a beef fillet with onions, button mushrooms, cooking cream and bacon bits with a pinch of cumin powder, salt, pepper, honey, dried rosemary and dried oregano. It's so tasty.

You can try it out too.

#budgetbeautymommy

Best nude tinted lip balm - Bellaoggi Tentazione

When it comes to makeup, I have a weakness for lipgloss and all things lippie.

Recently, I've stumbled upon Italian brand Bellaoggi's Tentazione tinted lip balm with glossy effect. I opted for 08 Desert Rose which is a nude colour out of its very pretty 7 shades.

I can't stop gushing, but this is one of the prettiest nude colours I've found so far. It leaves a subtle hint of colour on my lips and keeps it super smooth and soft looking. It looks so natural and so beautiful.

It's a tinted lip balm so it doesn't last long at all. I will recommend topping up after eating. Apart from that, it's very easy to apply as it comes in the shape of a chunky crayon and it glides on smoothly.

If you love tinted lip balms, you've got to try this out the colours are really pretty. Seriously, when it comes to getting the colours right, you can always count on the Italians.

#budgetbeautymommy

Healthy and easy breakfast that kids love

Breakfast for champs! This is how we roll for breakfast.

It's the most important meal of the day to regulate and set the right pace for our metabolism and to nourish our little darlings especially on the first meal of the day.

Plus, most of all it's delicious and breakfast tastes better when it's more fun. So easy to prepare too.

To top it off, I add 2-3 drops of Doterra's Wild Orange in the water for a beautiful flavour and wild orange is great for waking up tiredness and sluggishness.

What is your breakfast like? Share your pics with me!

 #budgetbeautymommy