Sunday, January 31, 2016

MFO's Verdict On: Oral B Pro-Health Cross Action Toothbrush

I'm obsessed with nice teeth, and I do look at people's teeth when I talk to them. I do notice when other people have plaque. You know how other girls feel the urge to pluck another girl's eyebrow while speaking to her? That's me with plaque. I kinda want to tell the person to get it scraped off. Hihihi.

If you don't know what plaque is, it's that thick, sticky yellowish layer around teeth, kind of a like a soft build-up around teeth corners and in-between teeth. Like if you run your tongue across your teeth, you feel a fuzzy teeth surface. Sounds familiar?

But more than just an aesthetic nuisance, plaque has serious consequences. It leads to tooth decay, even gingivitis and periodontitis.

In our household, I have plaque under control because, tadaaa! I use Oral-B Pro-health Cross Action toothbrush. If you know anyone with a problem with plaque, you better read this review.

The Product: Oral-B Pro-Health Cross Action toothbrush


The Promise: Provides superior cleaning with its unique 16-degree angle brush, CrissCross bristles, textured tongue cleaner, soft gum massagers, and Power Tip bristles to remove 99% plaque with 7 oral care benefits for a clean, healthy mouth: 

1. Removes hard-to-reach plaque
2. Promotes healthy gums
3. Cleans along the gemlike
4. Polishes away surface stains
5. Removes odor-causing germs on the tongue
6. Massages gums
7. Gentle on the enamel and gums


Put to the Test: It's firm enough, but also soft enough not to hurt my gums when brushing. I feel like the varied mix of bristles and gum massagers get into every nook, cranny and surface at just the right amount of pressure. After every brushing, teeth feels squeaky clean. And when I roll my tongue over my teeth, nothing but smoothness on the surface. And like I said, no plaque, ever! DEFINITELY removes plaque better than any ordinary toothbrush.


Passing the Verdict: A definite buy. When it comes to toothbrushes, Oral-B is and always has been my top pick. Don't scrimp on toothbrushes. It's ultimately better for you and your teeth.

Practical Tip: 9 out of 10 Filipinos suffer from dental caries. We have the second worst rate of decayed, filled and missing teeth in the whole of Asia. Support and help raise awareness about the importance of oral health in the country by following the Smile Pilpinas Campaign of Oral-B. We can start with our own families.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Food Intolerance Test Promo at Hi-Precision!



Many of my friends have been asking me about Hi-Precision's Food Intolerance Test, but when they find out how much it costs, many of them would be like. "Next time na lang, when it's cheaper na."

Well dear friends, that time has come.

Mel Ongsue-Lee of Hi-Precision Diagnostics has shared with me the news many of you have been waiting for!

Starting tomorrow, February 1 until March 31, 2016, their popular Food Intolerance Test will be offered at a discounted price of Php12,000 from the original Php15,000 at all Hi-Precision branches! 

At this price, there should be no more excuses not to take it. It has done wonders for me, trust me when I say, it's super worth it!

Read about my experience with Hi-Precision's Food Intolerance Test here, and the results I've been enjoying since I started minimising my intake of food in my elevated risk food group, here.

For more information about Hi-Precision Diagnostics, their Food Intolerance Test and other services, call 741-7777 or visit www.hi-precision.com.ph.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

MFO Gift Guide: Trollbeads, Every Story Has a Bead

I may be a minimalist at heart, but when faced with a compelling concept, I throw that aesthetic out the window. Heehee. 

Take for instance my current fascination with Danish jewelry brand Trollbeads, whose founders started the original but then novel “bead on bracelet” concept 40 years ago, in 1976 (same age as me!).



I would often pass by their store in Glorietta, but it was only until I stepped inside their shop in Robinsons Magnolia did I realize how easy it was to spend an hour inside the store, looking at their silver, glass and stone beads, and choosing a set that would tell the story of my life. 

Because yes, that’s what Trollbeads is all about. With over 500 beads in their vast collection, every story has a bead, and as with our own personal stories, each bead is highly meaningful and inspirational. 

They have Family themed beads, Love beads, Spirituality beads, Chakra beads and yes, even Travel beads. 

Love & Family beads 

 Spirituality – spot the rosary bead! 

 Travel – USA, Germany and Italy themed beads. Add a bead to your collection, each time you visit a new country. 

Each season, they come up with a new collection, and for Spring 2016, the theme is  “Uplifting”, with a selection of glass and silver beads that are covetable as they are collectible. 

A montage of pieces from the the Uplifting Collection, a reminder that we have the power to find inner peace, and be an inspiration to others 

The highlight of this collection are 3 Precious Beads: Fragile Purity, Honest Love and Healing Heart. All three are sparkling glass beads embedded with 13 cubic zirconia stones in pastel shades of pink, green and blue. The pink and blue are particularly very Pantone Color of the Year appropriate. 

As with all Trollbeads beads, you may wear them as a single bead on a chain, stack them up… 

from L to R: Fragile Purity, Honest Love and Healing Heart 

...or string them together in one bracelet or bangle with other beads, to create a story that is meaningful to you. 


Meanwhile, new Spring 2016 designs for the silver beads are Soft Wind of Change, which also comes as a pendant for their new Changeable Fantasy Necklace. 


Yin Yang Floating, a reminder that life is made up of day and night, inhaling and exhaling, tension and relaxation and this bead unites these pulses into one.

 And the Heaven Crane family, said to be the link between heaven and earth, a beautiful messenger and a symbol of freedom and longevity. 



The Spring 2016 Collection is now available in stores, but you also might want to consider coming back for their Valentine 2016 bead ring, out in stores by February 1, 2016. Since you know, Valentine’s Day is just right around the corner. *winkwink* 

Valentine bead ring for 2016 

It’s a bead, on a ring. You may even string the bead on a bangle or necklace. So versatile! 

Here’s a gift giving tip from MFO though. If you really want to give something truly special, give a themed one na! Like this “Family” bangle I put together with the help of the girls at Trollbeads Robinsons Magnolia and Joy Dauz, the Brand Manager of Trollbeads herself. How lucky no? 

My “Family” of Trollbeads, which goes so well with my existing accessories, from L to R: Fireworks, Malachite, Double Heart, Hessonite Garnet and Fireworks again 

Here’s what each bead in my bangle means: 


The silver Fireworks beads which flank each end of the bangle, before the stoppers, are a fitting reminder that every end has a new beginning. I also like to think Fireworks means celebration, and warding off negativity. 

I added the green stone, a Malachite, because not only does it bring balance in relationships – which is key to a family, it is also said to be a strong protector of children and travelers. Para when we travel, diba? 

I chose the Double Heart to be placed in the center, to stand for me and Dada. Because I believe the most important relationship in the family is between husband and wife, and having stable and solid parents set the tone for the family and practically guarantees that the kids are happy and secure. 

The brown stone, a Hessonite Garnet is again for protection and meant to bring luck in friendships and our journey in life. 

Thank you Joy for helping me put together my first ever Trollbeads bangle! 

I love it! Every time I look at my bangle, I am reminded of Dada and our three kids. I think: luck, love, and protection. Happy, positive thoughts. Which is just the sort of emotion you’d want to get out of someone you give Trollbeads to. Now that in my book, is a winning gift! 

About Trollbeads: 

Trollbeads is an exquisite set of personalized jewelry – a concept that allows consumers to mix and match, be creative and feel the magic, allowing them to reflect on life by glancing down on the beads and all that they symbolize. 

Trollbeads isn’t just a jewelry brand – it is a unique lifestyle, a precious investment that increases in emotional and financial value as the collection grows. Trollbeads is like the rebellious, yet clearly loved relative who captivates us with unpredictable stories, who provokes smiles, fuels our imagination and takes us on unexpected journeys. 

Each piece in the Trollbeads collection has its own story and personality, having taken inspiration from mythology, astrology, fairy tales, fauna, flora, cultural diversity and the familiar things of everyday life crafted in finest jewelry materials. 

As with all Trollbeads products, the customer has the freedom to be your own designer, collecting a bead for every milestone in your life. Trollbeads is both for men and women, allowing them the opportunity to tell their own stories by combining beads on bracelets, necklaces and earrings. The combination is entirely up to you, so it is possible to compose a piece of jewelry in a style that matches your clothes, personality and precious memories. 

In the Philippines, Trollbeads is available at Trollbeads Robinsons Magnolia, Glorietta, Mall of Asia and Ayala Center Cebu.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Closet Cleanout at Corinthian Gardens

If we Kondo it, you Kon buy it!

At least that's the premise of the Closet Cleanout Sale I'm doing with some of my mommy friends this Saturday, January 23, 8 am to 1 pm at the West Hall of Corinthian Gardens Clubhouse

Funny how a talk about Marie Kondo and decluttering would lead to this. Over breakfast with my preschool mommy group at Angel's Kitchen, we randomly talked about how we've been Kondo-ing, and how we've donated so much, and are still left with a lot of stuff. One thing led to another, and Kath Cham, Jan Kaw, Jeng Frondoso and I came up with this:


Not only did Konmari suck me out from blogging, this sale is currently taking up my time. But only until Saturday promise.

Please come and bring the entire household. We've got preloved, barely used, and brand new items that could spark joy for all of you. Trust me. For a sneak peek, check out the hashtag #closetcleanoutsale2016 on Instagram. That is just but the tip of the iceberg of stuff 21 moms/households are selling.

I repeat, Corinthian Gardens Clubhouse, January 23, Saturday - from 8 am to 1 pm.

Thursday, January 07, 2016

Kurrently Kondo-ing

for those looking, I found this book in National Bookstore Podium

I'm sorry for my absence here in the blog for the past couple of weeks. You see, I've become a Konvert. I read the book last year, but it wasn't until this month that I decided I was actually going to do something about it.

I wanted to start the year right by going on a full on purge. I've been cleaning out and decluttering,  and my gosh, it's so addicting. I love how my desk looks so neat now, when just two weeks ago, I couldn't even find my laptop underneath a pile of stuff.

It was really this Fast Company video of Marie Kondo organizing an editor's office desk that changed everything for me.

Late last month, I cleaned out old press kits, folders, envelopes and some other documents that were filling up in a basket under my desk. Call it the Kondo effect but I liked how it made the space under my table breathe. I also felt less frazzled and harassed. It's true, clutter can really affect your state of mind, never mind the convenient excuse that clutter = creativity.

If Marie could clear out a desk in record time, I thought I could do the same for the top of my work desk. Which is like, more important than the bottom right? Haha.

So anyhow, yes, it turned out so nice and sparse and calming, I actually enjoyed sitting on my desk. Thing is though, decluttering is so addictive, I started out on the clothes, and haven't been able to sit on my newly clean desk since. In fact, my husband now calls me Tintin Kondo.

Give me a few more days, and I will be back, so I can share with you my discoveries from late last year and early this year. Like:

- Banila Co makeup from Korea making its way to the Philippines
- the fun finds from stationery shop Artbox, another Korean sensation that has made its way to our shores
- Kazam Balance Bikes, which taught Berry how to balance on a two wheel bike, no training wheels necessary!
- Mommy approved health gadgets: Luva Pure Air purifier and Crane Travel Humdifier
- My Biobalance experience
- Tepper's 1st Birthday Fiesta!

I'm pretty sure I may have missed out on something, but I'll get back to you when I'm done, ok fine, when I'm taking a break from Konmari!

Because honestly at this rate, I've been barraging my friends with my neatly folded underwear drawer, sharing it to them on our private group. I thought I'd spare you the shock of seeing my underwear in its fully Konmari folded glory and suggest you read up on Konmari, as discussed by writers for and against it. Para balanced diba?

The Wall Street Journal on the Cult of Tidying Up, HERE.
Goop's illustrated guide to the Konmari manner of folding, HERE.
Slate's Laura Miller on how morbid Marie Kondo's  decluttering philosophy is, HERE.
Racked's Carlye Wisel's problem with Marie Kondo, HERE.

There's a second book following The Lifechanging Magic of Tidying Up by the way, and it's called, surprise surprise: Spark Joy.

If you're looking for more inspiring stories of decluttering, join Konmari Adventures on Facebook. Seeing all these women sharing the before and after of their homes? Amazing. Astounding. Ztupendous.

See you soon, as I write from my freshly decluttered desk, set against my decluttered home.

If I Kondo it, you Kon too!
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