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Reviews

In BEAUTY on
February 4, 2017

Savonoi – Handmade Soaps, Why I like them and why you should too!

A few weeks ago, I was given samples of Savonoi handmade soaps to try. It took me a while to write this post because I wanted to really try these soaps out.

If you’ve noticed, I don’t really do a lot of reviews on this blog. I do give exceptions to products that I like and bonus points when the product is from small/medium sized businesses. 

What is Savonoi?

 

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Savonoi is a combination of two words – Savon which comes from Old French savon ‎meaning soap” and noi, a play on the word “pinoy” which is an informal word for “Filipinos”. Therefore, savon + noi (noy) = Savonoi. 

Savonoi is a home based business by a Filipino couple in Dubai. They started making their own soap when they couldn’t find a solution to their extremely dry skin problem. They decided to share this success with other people who might be having the same issues. Their soap range and variety has expanded since then. 

 

What I tried:

  • Savonoi 5 in 1 – a combination of coconut oil, virgin olive oil, castor oil, papaya, banana, lemon and carrot extracts, essential oils and organic ground oats. 
  • Moroccan Argan – a mix of coconut oil, virgin olive oil, castor oil and original Moroccan Argan oil. 
  • Moringa – coconut oil, virgin olive oil, castor oil, moringa extract, imported essential oil, and organic ground oats. 

What I like about Savonoi:

  • They have different varieties that suits your needs. 
  • It’s handmade and organic using only fine materials. 
  • Their soaps have very mild scent.
  • It’s Filipino made — yes, I’m a little biased here — Pinoy pride, yo!

My favorite would have to be the Moringa Soap. Moringa (Malunggay) is a superpower! Combine it with oats, you have super soap! I swear by the effects of bathing in oats. 

I was 27 when I got chicken pox. That’s a disaster because apparently, the older you are, the more blisters you’re gonna get! I searched for ways to make sure that I am comfortable during this time and guess what? Oats is the answer. I placed a cupful of oats on a cloth and gently pressed on my blisters while taking a bath. The liquid from the oats helped with the itchiness and dried up my blisters in just a few days!

What I do not like:

  • It melts easily but that is the case for most organic handmade soaps. I asked the makers of Savonoi and they said this is because they do not use stearic acid which makes the soap hard.  So keep your soap away from wet areas. 

Where to find Savonoi:

You can find them online in Facebook: Savonoi Handmade Soaps, and on Instagram: @savonoi1283. They also have a Youtube Channel: Savonoi Handmade Soaps. They also participate in bazaars so check out their social media handles for more information or email them at savonoihandmadesoaps@mail.com.

 

Disclaimer: products were provided to me for review but all opinions are based on my own experience and remains uninfluenced. This is not a paid post. 

 

In EAT on
January 11, 2017

Beef Caldereta Recipe, Made Easy by Mama Sita’s Caldereta Mix

I used to be intimidated by Caldereta. It seemed so complicated. I’ll tell you why.

In the olden days…

Growing up, we would always have these family parties and gatherings at home. Aunts and Uncles would come over early to help with the preparations. Food were always made from scratch. And I mean no short cuts!

You need chicken? Pork? Beef? Goat? They buy them alive and slaughter them at home. Morbid, I know. But that was tradition … something that was not passed on to the next generation. I don’t know, we just can’t do it. We also did not use gas stoves when cooking. Not that we don’t have stoves, the older generation just prefer cooking with firewood. They say it adds flavor. Complicated, right?

Anyway … back to Caldereta. 

Beef Caldereta using Mama Sita's Mix

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In STAY on
January 28, 2016

Staycation: Al Maha Arjaan Rotana, Abu Dhabi

Some time in July (2015) we decided to go visit the capital, Abu Dhabi. It was a long weekend because of the Eid holidays so we had time to burn. We wanted to have the  usual staycation but Dubai hotels are super expensive during this time and they were all fully booked by the time we were able to confirm our days off. 

So, a trip to Abu Dhabi happened. To be honest, we were on a budget so a resort hotel was out of the question. We decided to stay at Al Maha Arjaan Rotana because of several reasons. 

  1. It offered reasonable rates. 
  2. They honored The Entertainer vouchers. 
  3. It is at the heart of the city! 

Al Maha Arjaan Rotana, Abu Dhabi

ArjaanRotanaAUH_AB&Me01 Read more

In EAT on
September 13, 2015

Tried & Tested: Detox Delight

Good Morning!! 

Here’s what’s on my mind today:

  • I’m totally behind on my blog challenge
  • I still haven’t posted a huge chunk of our US trip
  • I have items to review!!

Speaking of which, I’m posting one of those reviews today (if it’s not so obvious from the topic… LOL). I got a box of :

Detox Delight

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In STAY on
August 8, 2015

Where to Stay in Dubai: Dusit Thani Dubai

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After a very stressful week at work, I was given an extra day off to compensate. That meant I will be having a “long weekend”! Most employees can relate to having just one day off from work. Fridays are sacred. We stay home and recharge. But with an extra day, we decided to book a hotel and make the most out of it! 
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In STAY on
July 12, 2015

Tried and Tested: Yas Island Rotana – Abu Dhabi

When we agreed to attend the event in Ferrari World last week, we decided that we will spend the night in Abu Dhabi instead of driving all the way back to Dubai. With kids in tow, it’s more convenient that way. Plus, we adults also want to relax, yes? 

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Grace (Sandier Pastures) and I were not sure if we can still get accommodations since it’s all very last-minute but luckily Yas Island Rotana took us in. Yay!! They were very professional and thoughtful as they even offered to have an extra bed for the kids (Grace had 2 kids while I had A & B with me).

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