Little Green Dot

Category: Lifestyle

When I saw the price tag I did a double take

I’m in a trendy area in Singapore, window shopping, when I see this beautiful body scrub. My first instinct is to read the ingredients – it’s all natural, made with coffee and sea salt, coconut oil… mmmmm!

And then I see the price. It costs $60…

ouch!

When I think back to what got me started into this wellness journey – it was out of pure frustration. I’d just learned that the trusted skincare brand I’d been using on my three-year-old daughter was full of weird and unnerving ingredients.

I was upset at myself for not knowing sooner. I was nervous about making more mistakes.

So, I hit the stores, determined to buy all-natural skin care. But the reality of how difficult that was soon hit me. I lived on a tight budget, in an already expensive city. Natural products were sold as a luxury, and even though I desperately wanted to use safe products for my family – I couldn’t afford them, not as an everyday option.

It seemed completely unfair that we should have to choose between using toxic commercial products, or breaking the bank going natural. I was thinking, “How can that these be our only options?” Honestly, at that point – I wasn’t just frustrated, I was angry!

They say that necessity is the mother of invention and it must be true.

I took my frustration and poured it into learning. I spent years figuring out how to make natural living a reality for our family. Soon, the frustration turned into passion and a happy obsession. And I haven’t stopped since.

For a long time, I only bought natural products as a treat. Today, I’m proud to say that natural beauty is not just reserved for special occasions. Everyday, I use the finest oils infused with nourishing herbs to moisturise our skin and hair. My children bathe in herbal baths… they smell of real flowers!

Because sometimes SelfCare Sunday comes early! ? Fill yourself up and then get right back in there! Healing Bath: Muslin Bag filled with ground oats, elderflower & coconut milk powder.

A photo posted by Little Green Dot (@littlegreendot) on Oct 7, 2015 at 3:51am PDT

It feels luxurious, but it’s completely accessible and I’m driven to show everyone how to do the same.

I know so many parents who struggle to provide their families with safe skincare. I’ve heard people say over and over again that they’d love to use more natural products, but can’t afford them. And I get it, because I was there.

I want you to know that the most empowering thing that I ever did was to not accept this as my reality – and to take action.

Take matters into your own hands

I’ve learned that making your own skin care is a real, practical and simple solution. Even though the idea of finding skincare in your kitchen or the produce aisle of the supermarket seems playful – don’t underestimate it! When you begin to learn the process, you’ll see you can create better skin care than most of what you find out there on the shelves.

It changes everything.

You’ll never again walk into a store and feel like you need to buy toxic skincare or struggle to afford natural – because you know how to care for yourself.

Stop skimping on the self-love!

Have you noticed that when you buy an expensive natural skincare product, you’re precious with it. The bottle says to use two pumps, but you use one. Maybe skip days just to get the most out of it! We’ve all done that right?

With your homemade product, you enjoy the same quality – but you’re lavish with yourself! You’re treating your full body, everyday. Every single inch of you deserves the best oils and nourishing ingredients. You walk out of your house with your head up, and when you start the day that way – watch out!

Back to that $60 scrub. One day, standing there in your naturally glowing skin – you may very well discover a natural brand that you just fall in love with. Their process, the ingredients, their story. It’s happened to me, many times!

If you choose to buy this product and bring it home – it’s not because it’s your only choice…it’s only because you WANT to.

As a maker, you know the effort that goes into making whole-food skincare. You understand the ingredients and can immediately spot an authentic brand who love what they do. It’s beautiful to support these amazing makers who are aligned with your values. You’re making an empowered choice – and that feels very different.

So, if you’re struggling to bring natural beauty into your life – start by making one recipe!

Check out this video (and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel) to see how to make your own beautiful body scrub – with my secret blend that creates a richness that I know you’ll love!

When you try it, leave me a comment and tell me what you think. And if you need advice or want help getting started, email me, I read every message.

October 17, 2015
Noni Fruit // Backyard Superfood
This alley runs just along my condo where there’s a single tree that produces fruit like it’s always in season, dripping these soft pods along the pavement.

A few months ago I saw a neighbour collect the fruit and jar it. It sat outside his house for weeks – I was so curious to know what he was doing, but far too shy to ask.

The mystery was finally solved when I met Wendee, her family makes a range of noni enzyme skincare called Biconi – and I learned that this entire time, I’ve had a superfood growing right in my backyard!

It must have been planted by someone who knew about the benefits of this fruit!

In Singapore, the noni tree can be found, usually in areas where kampongs used to be. In Chinese medicine and Japanese traditions – the leaves and fruit are used medicinally to treat everything from colds to diabetes, infections and skin ailments. The leaves are heated and placed on the chest to treat a cough and to heal wounds.

The fruit itself has potent antioxidants – and I now know that what my neighbour was doing, was fermenting the noni to make a health tonic.

Keep your eyes open for this superfood, you might have one growing in your backyard too! And check out Biconi to see how they use noni enzymes to create whole-food skincare that nourishes your largest organ for healthy skin and hair!
- Biconi’s website
- Biconi on the Little Green Dot Marketplace
July 6, 2015
Take a Rare Glimpse Inside a Singapore Heritage Home

Ren, founder of Matter – a socially motivated lifestyle brand – invited me to tour her home. Ok, I asked… but that’s one of the perks of writing this blog – I have the privilege of seeing these incredible spaces and I’m delighted to share them with you! Singapore is a fast-paced, modern city – the nation is just 49 years old – so when I found out Ren lived in a heritage home, I jumped on the opportunity to see a part of history.

Ren and her husband spent 2 years renovating their home, which has been in the family for over 20 years – which Singapore years is ancient! Ren’s house is filled with stories – tales of travels and discovering relics of a past time. She has an incredible modern aesthetic, but also great respect for history – and the combination is absolutely inspiring!

As I followed Ren around her house, I noticed there’s was no excess – everything there was purposeful. I can’t help but to think that what we choose to surround ourselves with has an impact on the way we see ourselves in this world. I returned home inspired to see the story that my home tells. In mine, I saw snippets about a young family, who spend time together making things… It’s a simple story, but it made me feel really good – and with this new eye, I’m inspired to purposefully fill my home my home with only those things that reflect and reinforce it.

I think this is an interesting question: when you look around your home, what story do you see? Does it match with the story you want to tell? Tell me in the comments!

Want to know more about Ren’s brand, Matter? She operates her business from her home (I would too!) so I also got to see a glimpse into her day at work. Check out the slide show below, to see pictures of the process and the new collection – I also encourage you to check out their website. Thanks to Ren for inviting us into your lovely space! :

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October 15, 2014
This 10 Minute Morning Routine Will Transform Your Day

A morning routine is a powerful way to set the tone for the kind of day you want to have.

This year – I started waking up early an hour early, on purpose – and it’s absolutely changed my life. If you feel stressed in the mornings, in a rush, not taking care of yourself. If you are groggy and low on energy – this 10 minute routine will revitalise you and transform the way you feel.

I’m always looking for new ideas – so I reached out to Liv, a successful yogi and creator of FitSphere, to share tips on how to activate our body and mind. I said to her:

“Liv, for people who are ready to start feeling better, who want more energy, who want to wake up feeling excited about the day – what kind of yoga stretches do you recommend?”

Liv invited me to her home and showed me a simple morning routine that you can do from bed, before you even get up! It involves a few simple yoga stretches with a mediation break. I was so excited to share this with you – I think you’ll love it and I know that this simple routine can have a massive impact on the way you feel.

Click through the gallery below for the step-by-step guide to feeling great…

1. Good morning sunshine!
Your alarm just went off. Don’t hit snooze – instead activate your body with a good long stretch. Point your toes and pull your arms back. Stretch as long as you can for a count of 15.

Set the alarm 10 minutes early tomorrow! It’s going to be an awesome day!

UPDATE: I’ve put everything I know about living a more simple, healthy life into a BRAND NEW three-week online workshop called:

“SIMPLIFY Skin: Natural, effortless, whole food skincare”

You’ll learn to toss out the toxins, and surround yourself with beautiful skincare that you confidently make yourself!

Check it out here: littlegreendot.com/simplify-skin

I can’t wait for you to try this yourself. When it transforms your day – and I know it will – make sure to share it with your friends and loved ones. They’ll thank you for it!

p.s. want to receive more health, wellness and nutrition articles? You should join our weekly newsletter.

UPDATE: I’ve put everything I know about living a more simple, healthy life into a BRAND NEW three-week online workshop called:

“SIMPLIFY Skin: Natural, effortless, whole food skincare”

You’ll learn to toss out the toxins, and surround yourself with beautiful skincare that you confidently make yourself!

Check it out here: littlegreendot.com/simplify-skin

October 7, 2014
Learn // How to Sprout Microgreens at Home
Imagine having a supply of nutritionally dense, fresh sprouts that you can toss into salads, sandwiches, smoothies (or clearly, any other foods that begin with the letter “s“). And it’s all growing right in your own home!

If you’ve been wanting to cultivate your green thumb – you’re going to love this tutorial from Cynthea of Super Farmers. She’ll show you just how easy growing your own food is.

Cynthea is completely self-taught,which you know means she’s had plenty of trials and errors! The story of my life. Ha!

But her happy obsession (you have to see her house – there are sprouts everywhere 🙂 means she’s learned how to make sprouting easy – especially for beginners.

Cynthea has her own stylish aesthetic about it too – sprouting in bowls, mugs and unexpected containers. Nature has become part of her home decor – which gives a fresh feeling to her space!

Whether you live in a big ol house or tiny apartment – you can absolutely have your own little farm. Just imagine how satisfied you’ll feel – from seed to salad. It must be why Cynthea always has a smile on her face! Let’s join her 🙂

How to Sprout Microgreens at Home

tools needed:
- container – more on that below
- seeds – buy good quality seeds from a health food store. Also Cynthea supplies seeds through Super Farmers
- soil – good quality, peat moss soil from a nearby nursery
- time – depending on the seed it can take up to 14 days. Look on the seed packet and it will tell you.
Step 1. Prepare your container

Cynthea explained that we need to make sure the soil has good drainage. So when choosing a container, look for something that you can poke holes into. You can use potting containers – but we like to find ways to repurpose what’s around us!

What container works best? You can repurpose any plastic food container – like egg carton or berry carton from the supermarket. Cardboard does work, but it will start to break down with waterings. In a future tutorial with Cynthea, we can go more into how to sprout in solid containers like ceramic bowls. But, for now, keep it simple and start with a plastic produce or egg container.

Step 2. Add Your Soil

All the pros I speak to agree – that the quality of your plants, depends on your soil! Go for good quality soil that will feed your sprouts and help them thrive. It makes gardening easier on you! Cynthea recommends that you use peat moss. It’s pure, has a good PH and ideal minerals.

once you’ve filled your container – give the soil a good watering until it’s moist to the touch. You’ll then be ready to plant your seeds! I told you it was easy! 🙂

Step 3. Plant Your Seeds

What kind of seeds should you plant? Anything you like to eat! Cynthea says that some of the easier sprouts to grow are: snow pea shoot, sunflower shoots, radish microgreens, greens like bak choy, chinese kale (Kai lan) and basil microgreens. You have plenty of options!

Sprinkle the seeds over the soil. If they are big like these snow peas, spacing them out evenly with a bit more room.

Step 4. Cover them Up

Give your seeds a nice cozy blanket, with a light covering of soil. You want to make sure they’re not exposed, but don’t bury them – about 1 cm of soil will do. Then give them another good watering and you’re done!

If you’re using something with a lid, you can even cover them until they begin to sprout and break through the soil. At that point, you can use the lid as a tray, underneath the container.

In about 14 days, this egg carton will be bursting with snow pea shoots, which Cynthea will happily enjoy! Soon, that will be you!

Common Questions on Sprouting:

How often do you water your sprouts?

Give them a sprinkling of water everyday. You don’t want to saturate them, but make sure the soil is always maintained moist. Don’t pour too hard, you don’t want the water to disrupt the soil and expose the seed.

PRO TIP: Cynthea repurposes a plastic water bottle and pokes holes through the cap to squeeze out a light, even watering.

When can you harvest them?

It depends on what you’ve planted – the seed packet should tell you. It’s usually up to 14 days, or when the sprouts reach 2-3 inches tall.

Will they grow again?

No. Once you harvest them, it’s time to start the process again.

Personally, I think it’s a little easier this way. Your goal is not to keep this plant alive… forever! Sprouting is a low-fuss situation – with a clear beginning and end.

PRO TIP: You can reuse the same soil 2-3 times to sprout new seeds. Pick out the roots and refresh with a bit of new soil. You’re ready to replant again!

What do you think – will you give it a try? It’s too easy not to and it’s such a beautiful project to have in your home. I think that you’ll feel so proud of yourself when you harvest your first crop and enjoy the best tasting sprout you’ve ever had!!

I’m so happy to have a friend like Cynthea to teach me cool things – and now you do too! Check out her workshops or website, Super Farmers – and begin your journey into sprouting!
September 30, 2014
Little Green Dot Potluck Picnic

So last Saturday, we hosted the first ever Little Green Dot Potluck Picnic and, I have to say, you all made it so incredible!

The weather was perfect, the location was fab, and it was great to have support from Pauliina of RAW insideout, Cynthea of the Wholesome Co, partyware from Red Carousel, the kids colored with eco-crayons and pencils from The First Green Store, Daily Juice’s lovely juices and smoothies, and Reyka’s fantastic fresh cocktails. It was so nice to meet everyone – old friends and new – and thanks to everyone who brought delicious dishes and treats to share. Yum!! Special thanks also to Shophouse & Co for their help with the space, not forgetting the sandpit, which was a great hit!

Thanks to everyone who tagged Little Green Dot or shared photos with us. Check out all the photos from the day here (click to enlarge)…

Many memories created!

So what do you say – should we make this an annual thing? 😉

September 14, 2014
#daytripping: Be a Tourist from Home

Have you watched the movie About Time? I won’t give away the story (you should watch it!) but it left me with this fun question. Imagine you could live every day, twice:

The first time, with all the tensions and worries that stop us noticing how sweet the world can be. But the second time… noticing.

While chatting about this with Holly at the office, we realised that we do get this feeling – when we travel. The routine is broken and for that time, you’re seeing the world with fresh eyes, noticing all the beauty. It’s why we love traveling; the fresh perspective makes us feel renewed.

But can we feel that way everyday? Without the plane ticket?

The past few days, I’ve been going on these little “day trips”. Traveling the same old commute I’ve taken before – but this time, noticing… like a tourist in my own home, snapping pictures of everyday sights…

Hong San Si Temple by my train stop / The neighbours colourful repurposed planters / The sweet alley cat / The restaurant just before the dinner chaos.

So here’s the idea – on your next walk to grab lunch from the office, on your way home, or just when you find yourself stressing over something: go daytripping. Be the tourist, actively look and when you notice something beautiful to you, snap a photo. This is not about “setting up” shots – it’s just about capturing the moments around you that you’d normally miss. It’s such a fun exercise to get yourself back into a positive state of mind; try it and see how changing your outlook can change your day – and the way you feel. Plus, you’ll have a collection of pictures there to remind you just how sweet this world really is!

the field of beautiful weeds / The neighbours chickens / The dressed up utility truck on my street / The ships entering port

Let’s do it together! Choose a time in your day and go daytripping. Snap a picture of something you notice – and share it with the hashtag #daytripping (or in the comments below) so that we can all see the beauty in your world. Will you do it?

Try it tomorrow and throughout the week – what will you notice?

August 6, 2014
A new kind of lunch experience
I recently had the opportunity to help the Secret Chef (whose name I can’t reveal 🙂 organize one of his underground lunches. He created these experimental, pop-up lunches to celebrate the way food can bring people together. Driven by a belief that “great ideas are discussed over meals and great relationships are built around tables”, he’s now finding a community of people who seem to agree!

When the Secret Chef secures a new location, he sends out an open invitation ( sign up so you can join the next one ) for anyone to attend. He then shows up with his portable sous-vide equipment, cooks up these incredible meals and feeds the crowd. The food is quality, but it’s such a different experience than going to a restaurant – there’s a real buzz in the air. Volunteers are working together – slicing, garnishing and serving beautiful plates of food. People are showing up from all over the place, everyone is chatting, connecting and I just love that kind of energy so much. I think it makes communities interesting, it brings like-minded people together and good things always come from that!

Two sponsors pitched in to help make this event happen. Sabine’s Baskets provided fresh, local produce and the Barbie Girls provided ethical, sustainable meat. They both offer a home delivery service that you should definitely check out.

Because the ingredients used for this meal are all fully traceable, our meals came with a story. The animals, the farms they lived on and the quality of their life. It’s funny because it really got the crowd talking – some loved it, some felt weird about seeing what they were eating, but the point is that everyone connected with the source of their food and that’s really important!

For me, I ate with a happy heart. Everything was sourced with love, made with love. It brought us all together and I made new friends that day. I love that people like the Secret Chef, are creating these experiences for us. If you’re in Singapore, check out the Secret Cooks Club so that you can join in on the next one. If you’re not, see what’s happening in your city and get involved!
- Get fresh, local produce delivered to your home: Sabine’s Baskets
- Get ethical, free-range meat delivered to your door: The Barbie Girls
- Get in on the secret – join the next lunch: Secret Cook’s Club
photography: Jeff Samaniengo for Little Green Dot
August 1, 2014
Tips for Creating a Hands-on Lifestyle

During my recent Simplify workshop, we talked about creating a more hands-on lifestyle. Of course, we’re all busy and strained for time, but if we want a life that is about simplicity, creativity, making positive choices and having skills to live more sustainably – from my experience, it takes a bit of planning.

If you like the idea of making some of what you normally buy – the trick is to set yourself up for success. Here are three tips for creating an environment that will make that easy for you. At the end of the day – it needs to be easy – or it won’t stick. This is what I’ve done:

Step 1: Start small – When I first started making a few years back, I spent half my time pinning recipes and the other half just making a big mess! Never spending enough time to really understand or learn the process of what it was I was trying to do. Mostly, I ended up disappointed with my results. I didn’t label things, so I’d forget what what I’d made. I had ingredients and half-attempted recipes all over the house… it was the total opposite of simplicity!

I’m now enjoying the idea of mastery. It’s a slower process, more involved, but much more gratifying. The book Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation captured this concept for me, where Michael Pollan immersed himself for a year – learning four basic recipes. Think of one recipe or skill you’d like to master, and dedicate time to it. Maybe it’s your household cleaner, maybe it’s making compost at home – or simply making your weekly hair rinse. Start small, learn the process, practice often and build your repertoire from there.

Step 2: Buy or gather all of the ingredients. Just like cooking, strive for a mise en place approach. Make sure you have everything you need to create what you want. Take time to think about the details before you start making. Like bottles you’ll need, how you’ll label them… I think it’s a good idea to go to workshops or speak to friends who are already doing the things you want to learn – to pick up these early tips!

Step 3: Set up your work space . Choose a container or space in your home to organize your tools, ingredients and materials. Your space should be beautiful, useful and inspiring to you.

These tips have really helped me, and hopefully they help you too 🙂 I’d love to know what your process of making looks like… what works for you, what doesn’t?

June 26, 2014
Learn // How to Choose Plants at the Nursery

We’re week two into our month long school holiday and today we hung out all day with Nova from Cultivate Central, an urban farmer here in Singapore. We’re working on a new project together and she offered to help me pick out edible plants from the nursery. I thought – perfect – that means I have an activity for Maria!

Plant-shopping with Nova, was like shoe shopping for some. We all got giddy over the finding the perfect pair of roselle bushes and I found myself becoming incredibly excited over a pomegranate tree that I just had to have. Passion is contagious and Maria was getting into it too!

On the way home, Daddy calls. Maria jumps on the phone and to my surprise – starts giving him the rundown on how to properly choose a plant from the nursery. You should have seen her face as she explained in great detail all of Nova’s tips. I had no idea she had taken so much in! I’m sitting there thinking – it’s incredible how valuable these experiences are for our kids. Her face lit up as she passed along these new ideas to her father… and I know that it’s those moments, that inspire an eternal love for learning… May she never, ever stop!

So, I want to share with you Nova’s nursery tips too! Otherwise, a six-year-old knows more than you – and honesty, we adults need to keep up with these kids!

TIP 1: Check the roots. If the roots are long and dangling out from the pot, it means the plant has been neglected for a while and may not be strong and healthy.

TIP 2: Check for bugs – you don’t want to introduce pests into the garden. Have a look under the leaves to spot them. If there are a few, you can wash them off before bringing them into your garden, but if there are a lot – it’s a bad sign.

TIP 3: Don’t go for mature plants. When it comes to big shrubs, and fruiting trees – the ones that are already big and bushy are tempting but, instead, do choose a younger plant. The big guys can go into shock when replanting – and you’ll risk spending a lot of money just see it die.

Hope that helps next time you’re plant-shopping!

Gardening is definitely an exercise in patience – which may be a lesson I need to learn. It doesn’t come easy to me, but I’m excited about creating those moments in my day where I can take a break, disconnect from it all and step out onto the balcony to be among nature. l’ll be dreaming of picking our first pomegranates with my daughters…

It’s a good thing I have friends who can teach me how to care for my plants! If there’s anything that you want to do in your life, I encourage you to join a group of people who are already doing it – it’s the best way to learn!

June 11, 2014