Chicco Baby Moments Rich Cream Review

This is a review of Chicco baby moments rich cream from Chicco's newly launched 'baby moments' range. Their previous skin care range was good, but it is suddenly missing from almost all Indian online stores.

Quantity: 100ml

Price: INR 170

You can buy from Flipkart.com (HERE), from Babyoye.com (HERE) or from firstcry.com (HERE)

CLAIMS: 

Parabens Free

Hypoallergenic and Clinically Tested

Contains Vitamin E

Safe to use right from birth (0+ months)

CHICCO BABY MOMENTS RICH CREAM INGREDIENTS:

I thoroughly studied each ingredient. Majority of these are skin conditioners and emollients, and a few are preservatives. It contains Phenoxyethanol.

Phenoxyethanol is a less harmful preservative chemical as compared to parabens, but it is not safe to be used around mouth or lips. In Japan, the concentration of phenoxyethanol in cosmetics and skin care products is limited to 1%. It is a known skin irritant even in small concentration and a neurotoxin in higher concentrations. It also acts as an anti-bacterial or anti-microbial agent.

The only other possible allergans in the ingredient list are Ethylhexylglycerin and Sodium Hydroxide, which are approved ingredients but may cause allergies even in very small concentrations.

We have been using this cream for more than a year now and i

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS CREAM:

LIKES:

1. Chicco baby moments rich cream is very thick and needs some effort to push out of the tube. This makes it very travel friendly.
2. It smells heavenly. The perfume is very refreshing and not at all overwhelming.
3. Absorbs easily into skin and nourishes deeply. I tried on my face too and it felt so soothing as if it went layers down into my skin, which I really liked.
4. Not at all greasy or oily. No stickiness. Absorbs into a matte finish. Adults with dry skin can also use.
5. Provides all day long moisturization.
6. I bought it particularly for face but avoid lips, area around mouth and eyes. Good for elbows, knees and heels.
7. Value for money.

DISLIKES:

Strangely, sometimes, this cream starts smelling like egg within 2 hours of application. The perfume is still there, but I can clearly smell egg on baby's face every time my face is near his. Not sure which ingredient causes that but some people may not like it, especially if they don't consume egg. The strange thing is that this happens only sometimes and not ever time.

HOW TO USE?

Since this cream is very thick, it needs to be blended into baby's skin. Do NOT exert pressure on baby's delicate face while applying. Make small dots  and gently rub in circular motions to blend.

OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS:

This cream is hypoallergenic, meaning there are fewer chances of allergy. Initially, it created allergy-like very minute eruptions on my baby's face and made his fair skin look very dull and dark. But there was no rash or itching. 

I tested on my sensitive facial skin and there was no reaction, so we continued using it.

After 10 days, it started suiting his skin and I was happy with the results. His skin remains soft till night. I reapply only at night or after washing baby's skin. We have been using this for more than a year now. We are about to finish the first tube and it has lasted really long since we use mainly for the face or arms and knees.

Recommend: Yes. Especially for people in very cold areas.

Repurchase: Yes

DESCRIPTION IN OTHER LANGUAGES (click on pic to read in enlarged view):

   

Hoopos.com Shopping Experience Review

This is a review of the kids online shopping website hoopos.com. It is based out of Bangalore and ship only within India.

I was subscribed to Hoopos.com's Facebook page for almost a year, but never bought anything as I was happy with the other websites I am regular at. 

Two weeks ago, I came across an offer for Citibank Mastercard holders, where hoopos.com was also listed as a participating site. There was a 40% discount on fresh arrivals on D@ink shoes on Hoopos. I was looking for a nice pair of sports shoes for my kid for very long, so the offer came just at the right time. 

Honestly, like most other people, I avoid buying shoes and clothes online just because you cannot check the size, fit and quality of the product. But I have bought clothes from a few trusted brands online and touchwood, it went well. My baby has used shoes from this brand before, so I trusted the quality. I ordered 1 number higher than the present shoe size he has been wearing for a year. The discount was automatically applied at the time of checkout when I entered my Citibank card details.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH HOOPOS.COM

Dec 5, 2012: Order placed at 4:30 AM

Same Day: Order packed and ready for shipment by 11 AM

Same Day: Order Shipped. Confirmation received at 6:30 PM

Dec 8: Order delivered by 3:30 PM

IMPRESSIVE!!!

They kept me informed at every step through an SMS + email. After placing order, I emailed them to confirm about the courier service and received a prompt reply. They gave me the courier service of my choice.

hoopos.com offers free shipping within India on all products above Rs. 349. For orders below Rs. 349 hoopos.com will charge Rs. 50 for shipping. Read the entire Shipping Policy here. While shopping online, it is always advisable to first check on the delivery options in your area, before placing  the order.

The order came in this cute hoopos.com laminated pack with their Trademark Ollie the Octopus printed on it.

 It says: Here's a bundle of joy from Hoopos.com 

Inside there was this thin Cardboard wrapping

and finally the shoe-box:

The shoe-box was badly beaten and crushed on one side but thankfully the product reached me intact. The shoes looked quite big and my heart skipped a beat that I might have ordered a wrong size but they fitted perfect. It was just an illusion because of the shoe design. This is what I bought:

MRP: INR 1199

I paid: INR 719.40

The material is very lightweight and thin, but I hope they are durable.

They don't have a toll-free number.

Emails are replied promtly, but there is zero personalisation. Emails are signed 'Team Hoopos'. I sent them a Thank you note but in the reply I again received a canned copy paste response without any personalization, except my name :)

One thing that makes Hoopos.com really stand apart from other businesses is there immense engagement with follower parents and customers on their Facebook page. Their Facebook contact is very prompt and friendly. All comments and queries are replied to. There is always some or the other contest going on for kids. They also provide activity, fun and coloring pages and other printable learning material for kids on Facebook. So they give an amazing experience to parents too. Good job there Hoopos!

SIGN UP DISCOUNT:

If you do not already have an account with hoopos.com, you can generate a 10% discount coupon immediately from their website, for your first order. This is only for new account creation with an email ID that is not already registered with them.

FACEBOOK DISCOUNTS:

Besides the sign-up discount, there are other great discounts on their Facebook Page. They have HAPPY HOURS from 9PM to 11 PM every night these days, and you get flat high discounts on certain categories. 

DISCOUNTED ITEMS ON SALE:

Check out under the 'SALE' tab on their website for more ongoing discounts. If you have any questions, there is a Facebook comment box on every item page, where you can post a question immediately (provided you are logged into your Facebook account). I was not getting the discount on a certain item and I left a question in the comments box at night. Next morning there was a satisfactory reply. Isn't that great?

FESTIVE DISCOUNTS:

Scroll down on their home page and you will see these methods to avail some more discounts this festive season.

It was a good experience shopping with them and I would like to shop with them again. I recommend this site to everyone.

If you are new to online shopping or have apprehensions related to shopping online, do check out my Online Shopping Guides on my main blog HERE.

Farlin Washing Hair Hat Review

Farlin bath hat or Washing hair hat is a must have bathing accessory for every baby. No matter how many brands advertise their shampoos and top-to-toe washes to have a 'no more tears' formula, they all do sting in your baby's precious eyes. I always test such washes on my face and so far have found them all to sting my eyes.

So save your baby's million dollar eyes with this washing hair hat.

Price: INR 350 (now increased to INR 395) but most online stores have some or other discount running. 

Where to buy: You can buy from HERE

Color: Comes in 2 colors: Pink and Blue.


Material: Made of high quality EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer) material. 

Other qualities: Low maintenance. The material is soft and waterproof, does not absorb water and dries quickly. Can be hung easily in the bathroom.

How to use: Put the hat on to baby's head above the ears and eyes and adjust to proper position.

Click to see enlarged view

This washing hair hat can be adjusted to 4 sizes to fit your baby's head. There is a strap at the back and 4 buttons to adjust the fit according to your baby's head size. The maximum size is 14cm in diameter.

I LOVE the design of this hat. There are multiple small furrows/channels on both sides of the hat. So when you pour water on your baby's head to rinse out shampoo, the water runs down through these channels and falls around your baby's head like rain. 

The front hood of the hat is quite long and keeps water far away from baby's face. Baby loves to see water falling down like rain, plays with it, and completely forgets their hair are being washed. Washing head/hair becomes an enjoyable experience for them and for you too.

My baby is almost 4 years old and this hat fits on the second last position. So if your baby's head is not exceptionally big, it can fit kids up to 5 yrs of age at the maximum. And anyways by that age, kids learn to close their eyes to avoid shampoo getting in. (UPDATE: My kid is now 5+ and am still using this hat)

I found a dupe of this hat in another brand. See details here. 

This dupe has 3 adjustable sizes and maximum diameter is the same: 14 cm. From the picture, the front hood looks teeny weeny smaller, rest everything is same. This dupe is cheaper by INR 50.

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Review

This is a review of Jungle Magic Kids Perfume – Doofy Doggy in chocolate flavor.

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume comes in FOUR variations:

1. Doofy Doggy - The Dog (Chocolate flavored kids perfume)

2. Doofy Doggy - The Dog (Strawberry flavored kids perfume)

.

3. Playful Penggy – The Penguin (Orange Flavored Kids Perfume) 

4. Crazzy Crawly – The Catterpillar or Silk Worm (Green Apple Flavored Kids Perfume)

UPDATE: See three more newly released flavors of Jungle Magic Kids Perfume HERE.
Quantity: 60ml

Price: INR 250 (UPDATE: Price is now increased to INR 299)

Flavor: Chocolate

THE FRAGRANCE:

Jungle Magic kids chocolate perfume smells nice. I have never smelt a chocolate flavored perfume before but both my kid and I love its fragrance. However, I would like to mention an important point here. When you open the bottle the first time, it smells really bad like fountain pen ink or some strong chemical. But after 2-3 sprays or within a day of opening the bottle, the fragrance becomes sweet chocolaty. It is the case with all perfumes that come in pump packing. It just needs some air.

HOW TO USE JUNGLE MAGIC KIDS PERFUME?

Although it says “Dermatologically Tested, Non irritant and Safe for Children’s skin”, I have never used any perfume directly on my baby’s skin and recommend the same to others. I pump small sprays on his shirt’s button strip, upper side of shoulders (never in under arms), back of the shirt, thighs of his jeans etc. This way, your baby will smell really nice all over.

PACKAGING:

This Jungle Magic Kids perfume comes in a very attractive Doggy shaped bottle and the color matches the flavor. This is a great marketing point because kids simply LOVE it.

However, I found some major flaws with the packaging.

1. The bottle is made of glass and is heavy.
2. Because of the shape, it is slippery for baby’s small hands.
3. The perfume bottle comes with a spray pump mouth, which is extremely dangerous for kids. Make sure the kid is looking in another direction, when you spray.
4. The pump is a little tricky. The small cap on the pump nozzle flies away sometimes, when you push it down to spray out perfume. Also, it keeps rotating, so sometimes when I am spraying on my kid’s clothes, the perfume actually lands on my palms. 
5. Also this cap is very small and kids can put in their mouth.

CAUTION: THIS PERFUME SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION WITH CAREFUL HANDLING.

INGREDIENTS:

Although it claims “Pure-Natural-Fruit Based”, I could not find any mention of that in the ingredient list.The only natural flavoring substance I found is Coumarin. Other than that, because it contains Alcohol Denat, a common ingredient in adult perfumes too, it is poisonous for consumption...another reason, this SHOULD BE STORED AWAY FROM CHILDREN’S REACH. 

I personally recommend not to use this perfume for kids below 3 years of age for safety reasons and presence of alcohol.

DO KIDS REALLY NEED A PERFUME?

Many parents may think of it as a luxury and may criticize the need of a separate perfume for kids. But at this price I think it is an affordable luxury. Moreover, it does boost your kid’s confidence as kids feel very good about themselves after wearing a perfume. It lifts their spirits and good fragrance keeps them in good mood too. Kids also love imitating adults. Giving them their individual perfume will boost their individuality and self-confidence. 

Above are my personal views. However, the company's claim that this perfume increases concentration and mental alertness seem to be all BS to me. Any good fragrance will do that to our mind.

JUNGLE MAGIC PASSPORT: In every Jungle Magic Perfume pack, you receive a Jungle Magic Passport, two Jungle Magic Tattoos and the Jungle Magic Story. The passport I guess is the password for playing many exciting games and other activities available on their website. It was a small paper token. My kid started playing with it and lost it. But you can still create an account on the site by filling in details and uploading your kid’s picture. 

There are also free coloring activity pages for kids, which you can download. I really loved this initiative on the company’s behalf to create such a wonderful and rich experience for kids, just beyond the perfume itself.

JUNGLE MAGIC KIDS TATTOOS: There were two small tattoos in the packet but we could never work them out. They just didn’t transfer to my baby’s hand. 

JUNGLE MAGIC STORY: There is also a paper with the Jungle Magic Story printed on it, which you can read on their website too.

THE JUNGLE MAGIC PERFUME WEBSITE FOR KIDS:

To know more about the exciting world of Jungle Magic, you can visit the Jungle Magic Website here and their Facebook Page here.

AVAILABILITY:

Jungle Magic Kids perfume is available online in India on flipkart.com, hushbabies.com, firstcry.com, hoopos.com, babyoye.com, partybounty.com etc. (Update Jan 28, 2013) Greatest discount on kids perfume on hushbabies.com at present.