Do you have the habit of reading the ingredients list before buying any skincare product? My students used to tell me that I'm weird because I read ingredients lists while I brush my teeth or when shampooing my hair, but don't you want to know what you put on your precious skin? And when you see a whole long list of chemical names on the label, are you happy or worried?

Over the years, with more knowledge and after trying out many brands of skincare products, I've grown to love products that are natural, free from synthetic chemicals, and holistic - because, in most bottles out there, I see many fillers and preservatives which are unnecessary for our skin. And every now and then, we read of new research findings telling us that a certain chemical used in many skincare products is tested to be unsafe.


I am happy to find Mambino Organics, a brand of personal care products that is committed to providing "the purest and best performing natural personal care products possible". Mambino Organics is well known for eczema, cradle cap, diaper care and scar repair. The skincare products are designed for newborns, children, men and women of all skin types and age and are safe to use during pregnancy. Every product uses pure and certified organic plant oils, herb and flower extracts in its products, and they disclose all the ingredients they put into each bottle, giving the assurance and relief for green-minded parents. The products are handmade (no mass production) without any severe heating or hydrogenating processes in order to ensure the nutritional content and potency of the natural ingredients used.

Almost all the products from Mambino Organics are certified to USDA Organics Standards, giving you the confidence that you are definitely using a high-quality natural product.

1. New Beginning Pore Refining Face Wash (170 ml)

This is my current favourite cleanser! The fresh citrusy smell from the organic sweet orange peel oil perks me up in the mornings and gives a calming effect after a long day. Free from all petrochemical, synthetic surfactants, foaming agents, formaldehyde or phthalates, fragrances or alcohol, this face wash is great for all skin types and gently exfoliates the pores with 100% natural ingredients.

There are some brands of cleansers which leave my face tight and itchy after washing, especially around the cheeks, but I'm relieved that the New Beginning Pore Refining Face Wash leaves my skin clean and soft. What I also notice is that after I started using this face wash, those hard whiteheads that usually form around my forehead and chin are cleared. The bottle comes with a self-foaming pump to create the rich lathering foam for easy cleaning. Because of this cleanser and the Organic Youth Glow Omega Face Serum, I have been a returning customer of Mambino Organics!

How to Use
Splash face with some warm water and pump one pump of cleanser into palm of your hands. Create a soothing lather and work into skin in upward, circular motions, never rushing this important step. Follow with your preferred tonic, serum and moisturizer. Use morning and night. 

Ingredients
Saponified cocos nucifera (organic coconut oil), saponified olea europaea (organic olive) oil, saponified sim-mondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) oil, vegetable glycerin, aloe barbadensis (organic aloe) leaf juice, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, citrus aurantium dulcis (organic sweet orange) peel oil 

Organic content: 77% 

2. Organic Youth Glow Omega Face Serum (30 ml)

Oils and my face don't go well together, so I was a little hesitant before trying this product. Now, it is an important part of my daily face routine. Loaded with essential fatty acids and antioxidants that my tired skin needs, this oil is quickly absorbed to give a natural glow on my face and improves my complexion. Even without applying any moisturizer, my face stays hydrated and comfortable. What more, with ingredients like evening primrose, hazelnut and sea buckthorn fruit, what's not to love about the scent!

Psst ... I also read that this serum is popular amongst men for reducing any irritation and redness after shaving. It's time to surprise your favorite man with one bottle!

How to Use
Apply a few drops on cleansed face, eye and neck area every morning and night. For oilier, acne-prone and combination skin use it instead of your regular moisturizer. For dry skin, follow with your moisturizer. (Quick Tip: for best results, apply the serum on slightly damp skin right after cleansing or toning.) 

Ingredients
Corylus avellana (organic hazelnut) seed oil, rosa canina (organic rosehip) fruit oil, oenothera biennis (organic evening primrose) oil, hippophae rhamnoides (organic sea buckthorn) fruit oil, calophyllum inophyllum (organic tamunu) oil, citrus sinensis (organic orange) peel oil, lavandula angustifolia (organic lavender) oil

*USDA Certified Organic/ Vegan / Cruelty free

On that eventful day in May 2004, the day started as usual for me. I had been experiencing constant abdominal pains for about 2 weeks and sometimes, diarrhoea and bloatedness too. A General Practitioner diagnosed these symptoms as heartburn and/or gastric pains and prescribed a course of medicines for me. Despite the pains, I went to work as I needed to prepare materials required for my students' Science practical exam.

Ectopic pregnancy

According to a Straits Times report in 2011, an ectopic pregnancy occurs in 1 in 300 pregnancies. (link to report) In the UK, it affects 1 in 80 pregnancies. (link)

photo source

Photo from laparoscopy (May 2004)

In a study done in Singapore from 1994 to 2000 by KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, for every 100 live births, 2.39 were with birth defects.