Fall is upon and summer is almost out, and we all know what that means – new expat arrivals to Beijing and the INN’s biggest gathering of the year! Arrival Survival is here to help those who are new to the city find their feet. This year Expat Connection is partnering with INN at Arrival Survival to help make life a little easier as you and your family settle in the capital city.

It’s hard for those of us who have been around a while to remember the initiation phase we all went through when we first arrived in Beijing. Learning to navigate your way around the city, a new job, and new social circles might be just a distant memory for many expats already acclimatized to life here, but for some this is brand new territory.

INN’s Arrival Survival is an informative morning, jam-packed with great guest speakers discussing topics ranging from from safety and emergency tips, transportation, and getting around town, telecommunications and internet tips, WeChat and other useful apps, banking, cashless payments, air and water quality, and social activities, just to name a few! These are topics I know I could have done with getting to grips with at the beginning of my Beijing journey. Three years on, and I’m still on a journey of discovery when it comes to finding out how to make life easier in this vast expanse of a city.

This is a great opportunity to find out what you need to know to make the early days a little less stressful. INN will also have awesome vendors and businesses in Beijing at the gathering who can make life in Beijing more enjoyable and accessible. Guests can stop by their tables, exchange contact information and more importantly, ask questions. It’s also a chance to make your first expat friends, some of who might just become life-long besties!

Don’t miss out! Spread the word and invite your expat friends and new acquaintances. Coffee, tea, and pastries will be provided throughout the morning, and the event will be the perfect opportunity to show how wonderfully well connected and welcoming our Beijing expat community is. For more information contact WeChat: INNBeijing1994 or visit: www.innbeijing.com.

Adults. RMB 60. Aug 26. 10am -12pm Capital Club Athletic Center, Level 3, Capital Mansion, No.6 Xin Yuan Nan Lu, Chaoyang District (8486 2225 ext. 110)北京市朝阳区新源南路6号，京城大厦康乐中心3楼

Photos: Courtesy of organizers

Welcome to the DIY Series, where I will be sharing lots of tips and advice for making non-toxic items for the home and for the kids. In this weeks post, I will be focusing on how to make non-toxic cleaners for the home using key ingredients that you will most likely find in your kitchen cupboards or hidden away in the pantry.

Household items such as baking soda and vinegar work as effectively as shop-bought cleaners, if not more so, and cost next to nothing. You can even add essential oils to your DIY cleaners that will have your home smelling like a spa and your mood lifted. Next time your standing over the mess in your home, don’t reach for your favorite product, which most likely contains an array of solvents, chemicals, and fragrances, and instead opt for mixing up one of these DIY standbys.

Top Safety Tip: Never combine ammonia-based cleaners with chlorine bleach or products containing bleach, such as powdered detergent. The fumes are toxic and extremely dangerous. When making your DIY cleaning mixers, read the product labels first and always label your own DIY cleaners. You can purchase glass jars and sticky labels to keep tabs on what your mixtures contain, just in case a child or pet gets to them!

#1 Scented All-Purpose Cleaner

What you will need:

• One part white vinegar
• One part water
• Lemon rind
• Rosemary springs

Combine all the above ingredients together, pour into your choice of a spray bottle, shake and then let infuse for a week before using. Once infused, you can use this solution to remove hard water stains, grease, clean garbage cans, sticky smudges, clean windows, and much more!

#2 Kitchen Cleaner and Deodorizer

What you will need:

• 4 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 quart warm water

This mixture can be used to clean kitchen countertops, appliances, and the inside of your refrigerator. All you need is baking soda. If you want to Goddess it up, then I suggest using a cloth that’s been left to infuse with lavender essential oil. Buy the premium type, such as the range from Doterra, sprinkle 3-4 drops on a bamboo perforated or any other organic cloth, fold and keep in a tightly sealed glass jar. Once used, rinse through, leave to dry, and then add a few more drops of essential oil and keep sealed in the jar for next time.

#3 Glass Cleaner

What you will need:

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup white or cider vinegar
• 1/4 rubbing alcohol 70 percent concentration
• 1 to 2 drops of lemon or orange essential oil

I love buffing up shiny surfaces, especially glass surfaces. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing your reflection in the windows, or letting rays of sunlight through smudge-free balcony doors. Next time you need to wash your windows or mirrors, combine these ingredients and pour into a spray bottle. For mirrors, spray the solution on a paper towel or a soft cloth. This concoction will have your mirrored and glass surfaces gleaming.

#4 Brass Cleaner

What you will need:

• White vinegar or lemon juice
• Table salt

This mixture is great for non-lacquered cabinet knobs, bathroom fixtures, and more. Dampen a sponge with vinegar or lemon juice, and then sprinkle with salt. Lightly rub over the surface. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water, then immediately dry with a soft clean cloth.

#5 Heavy-Duty Scrub

What you will need:

1/2 lemon
1/2 cup borax powder

When you require a superhero mix, this one will not falter. Rust stains on porcelain, and enamel sinks and tubs will be defeated immediately with this DIY cleaning champion. Dip the lemon into the borax, scrub the surface, then rinse. Please don’t use on marble or granite. Tip: You can find borax, a laundry booster, in the detergent aisle in international supermarkets, or order online.

#6 Grease Cleaner

What you will need:

1/2 cup sudsy ammonia

Sudsy ammonia contains detergent that helps remove tough grime. Mix 1/2 cup with enough water to fill a one-gallon container. You will be able to clean your oven racks, stove hoods, and grills by dipping a clean sponge into the solution and wipe over the surface before rinsing with clear water. You can also use the solution for soaking! Yes!

#7 Water Ring Remover

What you will need:

One part white non-gel toothpaste
One part baking soda

I can’t stand left water ring marks on surfaces. Please note that this solution does not work on unfinished wood, lacquer, or antiques. Dampen a cloth with water, add the toothpaste mixture and rub with the grain to buff over the spot. Then take a dry cloth and wipe off. Use another soft cloth (perhaps the one you have infused with essential oil in a glass jar?) for a final shine. Polish as you usually would.

Photos: Pixabay

I’m back with more winter remedies to help you fight dry skin and hair during Beijing’s winter and beyond. This week will feature a few new kids on the artisan block, and if you’re looking for inspired natural and organic products for your hair and skin, look no further.

Nuobelle, Whipped Shea Butter and Super Moist Leave-in Conditioner

Nuobelle’s premise is all about handmade products using natural ingredients native to Africa. This brand takes great pride in promoting all the gorgeous vitamin rich oils and butters from the Continent that help to heal, sooth, grow, and moisturize.

Their products are particularly good for folks like me, who have natural hair of the coily, curly, afro type but is equally good for those who just need to revamp their cosmetics shelves at home with earthy, nutrient rich staples for any hair and skin type.

I’m a huge fan of shea butter, which is a fat extracted from the nut of the African shea (karite) tree. In its raw form it is usually the color of Ivory. I would advise staying away from the processed versions, which will look whiter in color. Shea butter is completely organic, adds shine, soothes the skin, and helps with hair breakage while adding nutrients to the scalp.

With all its benefits, I have sometimes personally found that shea butter, in its raw form, would often fail to penetrate the skin or have a lasting nourishing effect throughout the day. Instead a translucent or oily residue would settle on the surface of the skin and quickly evaporate under clothing, so you can imagine my delight when I tried Nuobelle’s Whipped Nkoto, which delivered on calming and moisturizing dry patches.

Light as a mousse, Nuobelle’s Whipped Nkoto is exactly that, whipped into a cloud that’s a joy to use. When placed in the hands, little air bubbles collapse into a less heavy oil that’s easy to apply and soaks directly into the skin. The butter, which has been created using grape seed oil, coconut oil, and almond oil is fragrance-free, and as described on its packaging, definitely contains love.

The Super Moist Leave-In conditioner is super in more ways than one. I have genuinely struggled to find the best product for my naturally coily hair and previously spent many months out of the year speed-dating all kinds of products that draw you in with promises of softer tresses. Made with raw honey, green tea, mint, and other essential oils, this sweet concoction (it literally smells like a candy store) hydrates and is one of the best detangling products I’ve had the pleasure of using.

Handmade with African pride. What’s not to love? WeChat: ahneetah11

M.E Soufflé, Sensitive Skin Edition

Hair and skin care company M.E is all about Mother Earth; her goodness and love, which manifest in the way nature is a gift that keeps giving. All around us are all the essentials we need for outer and inner well-being. M.E. is an acronym for Mother Earth or the Shona derivative “Amai” Earth. All their products are one hundred percent natural and organic.

Their mission is to seek out the best natural and organic oils from around the world; help their customers feel empowered, beautiful, and confident; and provide necessary and essential care and information throughout a customer’s natural hair journey. The premise of your journey may be for longer, stronger, softer hair, or a combination of all the above. Whatever your needs may be, M.E will have something to support you getting to your personal hair destination.

The Sensitive Skin Soufflé is made using shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and almond oil and can be used for the body and hair. The fluffy and light moisturizer is natural and sensitive enough to use on babies’ skin and was perfect for use when fresh out of the shower, while the skin is still a little damp. If using on the hair, apply to damp or dry hair, comb through and style. If you have a sensitive or dry scalp, I would apply some directly to the scalp and massage in after washing your hair.

This product when used on the hair is designed to add moisture and works specifically well with natural hair. If you don’t need to add oils to the hair, stick to using this awesome soufflé on the skin! I really enjoyed using this on the hands, neck and chest area, and also after a salt sea scrub (see below) on the feet.

The cream was soufflé-like and really added a nice sheen to my skin as a soothing edition to my morning routine. It was warming with a nutty scent and indulgently rich texture that melts into skin for hours of ultra-rich moisture.Check M.E. out on their website www.official-me.com or WeChat: puricake208

Enjoy Mother Earth and all of her gifts.

Soap Fresh So Clean, Artisan Baby Face and Diaspora Soap, and Foot Scrub

I’ve been a fan of Soap Fresh So Clean, ever since I saw these goodies on the vendor circuit, featuring in all the best-known and loved artisan markets. If you don’t know, you better get to know, because these soaps and scrubs are pure Beijing-winter-fighting essentials, that leave skin clean, refreshed, smelling great, and soft.

The company is dedicated to bringing you “bath products that clean the body and soothe the soul”, they have bars of luscious soap for sensitive, dry, and cracked skin. Whether you need a bar that exfoliates, moisturises, or both, Soap Fresh So Clean will have what you’re looking for. Each of the line’s artisan soaps specialize in an area to help with common skin problems. This brand offers products that are free from perfume, dyes, and other harmful ingredients that can lead to irritable skin, dryness, rough patches, and blemishes. They soothe and over time support reviving the skin, making it supple and gleaming with nutrients.

Both the Baby Face and Diaspora Soap add moisture, and the Diaspora edition is particularly good at exfoliating the skin. Each one can be applied directly to the skin or used with a loofah, flannel, or sponge of your choice. They lather up pretty nicely and rinse off, leaving squeaky-clean skin that’s soft to the touch. The marbling effects on the soaps are gorgeous and the natural fragrances are earthy and pleasant. Layers of nutrients, essential oils and butters make for indulgent showers or baths and of course make great little gifts. The soaps use generous amounts of olive, coconut and almond oils, not to mention natural butters that are rich in vitamin C.

The piece de resistance has to be the Soap Fresh So Clean foot scrub. Made using Himalayan sea salt, turmeric, olive oil, shea butter, peppermint essential oil, and avocado, among others, this alchemic remedy for tired and dry feet is everything a foot scrub should be and more. The peppermint and bergamot oils heal and sooth the skin, while the Himalayan sea salt helps to scrub away dead skin cells and calluses on the heel and balls of the feet. Yes!

I loved using this foot scrub on an evening, followed by generously moisturizing the feet with M.E’s Sensitive Skin Soufflé or Nuobelle’s Whipped Nkoto. Whip on a 100 percent cotton pair of soaks, and wake in the morning to gloriously smooth and supple feet!

Top Tip

Try and keep shea butter products in a dry and cool place in the home. This helps the butter to keep a balanced consistency that’s easy to apply to the skin. Apply to damp skin and if using at night on the feet or hands, wear a pair of cotton socks or gloves for a deep conditioning night routine.

Photos: Anita Maala, London Treece, Olivia

Moving to China I did not realize a few things: my clothing size is not available in any store, and skincare is very different than where I used to live. Magazines have always been a guilty pleasure for me so this is something that I miss here in China. Even though I work for a magazine now, this does not satisfy my need for English and Dutch magazines. Slowly the expat community of Beijing is leaving for the summer or moving on to better and wilder things, and the talk has turned to what people plan to bring back. The list can be endless, according to your personal preferences and the country you are from. Parmesan cheese, anyone?

Underwear

Almost all the mothers will understand that finding fitting bras in Beijing is really hard, M&S has left the scene so now we are stuck here without undies. Get measured and stocked up on your favorite underwear while back home.

Make Up and Skincare Products

Asia has different beauty ideals to Western countries, and the amount of bleach I have found in products is shocking. I even bought a deodorant with bleach by accident once. Get plenty of your favorite face creams and make up.

Baby Products

Milk powder is a real hassle in Beijing so families tend to stock up when home. Other baby products like creams and snacks are also so much cheaper and better quality. Or at least you can read the ingredient list, so you can make sure there is no sugar added.

Clothes

I asked around and it seems like all the expats get their wardrobes from Target or Primark, or anything in between. Funnily enough all these clothes were made in China but are nowhere to be found here, so we all import them back here.

Medication

Nothing is more confusing going into a pharmacy asking for medication in China if you don’t speak good Mandarin. There is something utterly comforting in taking medication where you can read the label and instructions. Don’t forget the bottles of Tylenol or Calpol for the kids.

Glue Sticks

It’s been the subject of some debate on WeChat, but clearly Chinese glue is not the best in the world. So if you have some space left over stuff it with Elmer glue, the best glue according to many mothers.

Shoes

I have tried many times over the last year to buy shoes in a normal store here, but nobody sells anything above size 39 for woman. And if they do it’s a lie and they don’t fit. The only places I found fitting shoes were in the Pearl Market and the Silk Market. But I’d rather travel to the other side of the world than return there again

Food

Many people take advantage of the customs exemption for personal use and bring food products back into China, from cheese to pate. These are products we’ve missed, and which just taste better coming out of a suitcase after a 15 hour flight.

Pictures: www.vconnection.nl, www.elmers.com, pixabay.com

As late as early 2012, expat females often informed incoming female coworkers to bring all they needed from home countries for their menstrual cycle. Though pads were available, tampons were hard to find in supermarkets, even in Beijing.

Just as a quick reminder about the Chinese landscape of service and shopping industries, this was before WeChat wallet was a necessity; before JD.com, Didi, and Taobao’s widespread use; and before even Uber had entered the Chinese market. So much has changed in China’s consumer market since then with more global products becoming available, but we have Fu Yuanhui to thank for the recent influx of menstrual products available.

As many have heard, she publicly attributed her lethargy and pain at the Olympic 4x100m medley relay to her period, though she didn’t blame her period for her less than desirable performance. With her comments stirring up interest in alternative period products and sexual health, tampons started appearing on shelves and soaking up some of the country’s red wave. Even better, menstrual cups can now be found to take care of the monthly cleaning cycle.

Many outside of the country, or those associated with older generations, find Fu’s proclamation a shock or as breaking norms, but those currently inside the country and associated with the younger generations aren’t so surprised.

Prompted by several conversations reflecting on public period talk, we reached out to several Chinese women to ask if it’s normal to share openly about menstrual cycle problems like discomfort, mood swings, or lethargy.

N. Li, 23 years old, said, “I think it’s pretty normal, just simply saying ‘I’m a little bit under the weather’ or ‘It’s the special day, I can’t do/eat anything.’”

“Personally, I do not think there is any problem, because my friends are very open minded,” said April Si, 25. “Before I went abroad, if I told a male friend about my period, I would feel very embarrassed. I never let anyone know about my period. But after my few years abroad, I found that talking about my period can be normal. At work, my colleagues are from all over the world, and they never shy away from this topic.”

Si did think that talking to a male boss about the topic might be too sensitive of a topic for her or her friends.

Melody Zhang, 33, jokes about her period with male and female friends, especially when it comes to the relationship with her husband. “He tells me, ‘You can’t have ice cream on your period!’ So I ask my friends to take me and buy ice cream so he won’t find out.”

Some still feel uncomfortable about the topic though. Amy N., 31, said that telling her female friends is one thing, but even telling her coworkers or boss about her cycle problems, regardless of gender, was strange.

Both Chinese men and foreign men have experienced Chinese women telling them about their period.

Wells J., 30, UK, told us, “More than one [female Chinese]teacher I work with has straightforwardly told me, ‘I’m tired. I’m on my period.’”

Andy S.*, 53, US, told us that his employees have told him they couldn’t come into work because they weren’t feeling well during their period, or the reason for an emotional outburst was because of a mood swing. “At first I was shocked, but then I actually was glad and felt the honesty was relieving.”

Wang Yousheng, 38, China, didn’t think keeping the topic quiet or opening up was a matter of good or bad, proper or not. “I totally respect a woman’s personal choice,” he added.

*Name changed.

Photo: Built from 欠我兩千塊 (Flickr)

More stories by this author here.
Email: vanessajencks@truerun.com
Twitter: @vanessa_jencks
WeChat: vanessajencks

When I reached Charles Liao last week, he was at the beginning of a five-hour van ride to his company’s factory in Taizhou, Zhejiang. The Shanghai-based entrepreneur is one of the co-founders of Mila, a company that provides affordable monthly plans for residential air purification.

Mila offers a single air purifier model developed, designed, and manufactured entirely in-house by Liao and his two co-founders, David Chitayat and Grant Prigge (who are also fathers). Their business backgrounds range from app development to manufacturing, e-commerce, food and beverage, and franchising. The company’s plans cost RMB 250, 350, or 450 per month depending on the number of units required.

Launched in January 2016, Mila is named after Liao’s now 6-year-old daughter. Liao, Chitayat, and Prigge got the seeds of their business idea from the infamous "Airpocalypse" of the winter of 2013.

"It was frightening because we didn’t know what to do," says Liao on the phone. "When we finally figured out we needed air purifiers, everything was out of stock. We got a quote for our three-bedroom home for about RMB 25,000, not to mention the thousands upon thousands just to maintain the filters."

"I was talking to my neighbor and friend, and he had a similar experience. He brought back an Austin Air from the US for $800. It cost $600 just to replace the filter. The economics didn’t jive. We started talking about the opportunity [to start our own business]at the time."

While doing research, Liao and his business partners noticed there was widespread misinformation around buying air purifiers.

"Often people just buy one. But you need more – one in each room," he says. "I"m not air quality expert, but the research that we did clearly points to having filters certified by the US [Environmental Protection Agency]. All the bells and whistles are just overcharging the customers."

The team spent six to seven months developing its own air purifier, taking into account factors like coverage, air delivery rate, circulation, monitoring, and design.

"The mandate that we kept coming back to was being ‘living room-friendly.’ This was based on our qualitative opinion that most machines on the market look like microwaves, not something I’d want to put in a well-appointed bedroom or study," says Liao.

The Mila air purifier’s features include:

• Coverage for surface areas of up to 50sqm
• A 360-degree intake that draws air from underneath and around the filter, then fires it from the top
• Air delivery rate (CADR) of 300 cubic meters per hour
• 3M HEPA and carbon activated filters that filter to 99.97 percent efficiency
• Automatic sensors to track indoor pollution levels and adjust fan speeds to each room
• Quiet running speeds of 34.7-60dBA
• Real-time air quality data streamed to users’ mobile phones through Wi-Fi

"Recently we did a trade-in event in Shanghai to see what kind of response we would get. There was one family with eight or nine purifiers – no joke – that said they’d do a partial trade-in," recounts Liao.

"One of the parents told me, every month they go around checking the filters and it’s a real chore because you can’t just eyeball that. [One air purifier company] rates their filters at like 12 months – there’s no way that filter will last 12 months. A filter will last two months, four months, six months, especially in Beijing or Shanghai."

Though Mila is based in Shanghai, the company delivers to Beijing and has plans to grow its market here. For a limited time, new customers get their first month free for any Mila monthly plan (a value of up to RMB 450) if they sign up online at mymila.co. Each plan includes free shipping and a money back guarantee.

If Mila’s mission is something you can get behind, the company is currently hiring part-time and full-time salespeople in Beijing as well as looking for "brand ambassadors" to spread awareness of the service.

Keep up with Mila through WeChat (milaliving), Weibo, Instagram, Facebook, or the official website.

Sijia Chen is a contributing editor at beijingkids and a freelance writer specializing in parenting, education, travel, environment, and culture. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, The Independent, Midnight Poutine, Rover Arts, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @sijiawrites or email her at sijiachen@beijing-kids.com.

Photos: Courtesy of Mila

While researching an article for the upcoming issue of beijingkids, I found out about a company called Cambridge Mask founded by young British entrepreneur Chris Dobbing (formerly of Vogmask). According to the website, the masks use technology originally invented by the UK Ministry of Defense for protection against biological, chemical, and nuclear warfare.

The company’s masks are all manufactured near Cambridge, UK and distributed in China through the Beijing offices. Sizes are available for children and adults.

The products were independently tested by a third party called Nelson Labs of America, a US Food and Drug Administration-approved center that tests for National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health compliance. Cambridge Mask products met the N99 standard of filtration – a level higher than the N95 standard often recommended for pollution masks. Official test results are available on the Cambridge Mask website.

Featuring twee British-inspired names like the Sherlock and the Prince George, the masks retail for RMB 175-215 and are available online through Taobao, WeChat (account name: CambridgeMask), and Jinkou.

They can also be found in Beijing at the International SOS Beijing Clinic, Parkway Health, and ICVS. Click here for a full list.

Sijia Chen is a contributing editor at beijingkids and a freelance writer specializing in parenting, education, travel, environment, and culture. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, The Independent, Midnight Poutine, Rover Arts, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @sijiawrites or email her at sijiachen@beijing-kids.com.

Photo: Cambridge Mask

With so many types of baby carriers to choose from, how is a parent to decide which one to buy for their child? When I worked at a maternity store in Canada, we helped customers narrow down their choices with a few simple questions, which I’ve summarized into a flowchart below. The following is intended as a very general guide; it’s important to do your own research, talk to other parents, and try out lots of different carriers – preferably with your child in them, otherwise with a weighted doll – and see what works best for you.

Baby carriers can be grouped into a few broad categories:

• Wraps (stretch and woven)
• Slings (pouch and ring)
• Asian carriers (also known as mei tai carriers)
• Soft structured carriers (front-facing and in-facing)

Many companies claim that their products can be used from infancy through to the toddler years, but in my experience most parents buy at least two models of baby carrier to suit their child’s evolving needs.

Start by answering the following questions:

If you have a child under 6 months:

• Babies under 6 months need head support, should face in, and be snuggled close to Mom or Dad for skin-to-skin contact. This comforts them and promotes bonding.
• For first-timers, a sling carrier is generally the easiest to maneuver into a breastfeeding position; many moms also find them more comfortable since women are stronger in the hips. Of course, many moms successfully breastfeed with other types of baby carriers.
• Wrap carriers are fantastic for skin-to-skin contact. They involve more of a learning curve than other types of carriers, but can also double as a piece of fabric to lay your baby on when you’re out and about. Stretch wraps are appropriate for babies up to 20lb while non-stretchy woven wraps can accommodate toddlers and even twins. They’re beautiful, versatile, strong, and come in different sizes. They’re also expensive; a classic Didymos woven wrap, which we sold at my store, retailed for around CAD 200.

If you have a child over 6 months:

• Soft structure carriers provide more support for babies and toddlers over 25lb and are thus more comfortable for the wearer.
• Do your homework if you’re considering a front-facing baby carrier such as the Baby Bjorn; there has been a lot of debate over whether they’re good for your child. Opponents cite overstimulation and bad positioning as reasons not to carry babies facing outwards while others say it’s fine in moderation and should take into account the child’s preferences. In any case, carrying a baby over 25lb in a front-facing position is likely to strain on the wearer’s back. If your child still wants to be able to look around, try an alternative position such as a high back carry or inward-facing front carry with the head rest down.
• Asian carriers are basically rectangular pieces of fabric with four ties. They’re inspired by traditional Chinese carriers, and can be used in the front or back. They’re a good middle ground for parents who want the simplicity of a soft structure carrier and the snug fit of a wrap carrier.

Where to buy baby carriers in Beijing:

• Counting Sheep stocks Baby Bjorn, Stoke, and Ergobaby soft structure carriers and Hotslings sling carriers.
• baby international stocks Ergobaby, Todbi, Baby Bjorn, Minimonkey, and Stokke sling carriers as well as Minimonkey sling carriers.
• Mothercare has its own in-house brand of soft structure carriers; models vary by location. Ask to see ying’er beidai (婴儿背带) in-store.

Though many baby carriers are available on Taobao, I would hesitate to trust the quality and safety of these products. Besides, it’s always better to try them in person; this is an accessory you could be wearing nearly every day for the next few months, so it’s worth investing the time and money to find one that you, your partner, and your child love.

Just don’t get this SWAT-looking “tactical” baby carrier.

Sijia Chen is a contributing editor at beijingkids and a freelance writer specializing in parenting, education, travel, environment, and culture. Her work has appeared in The Independent, Midnight Poutine, Rover Arts, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @sijiawrites or email her at sijiachen@beijing-kids.com.

Visuals: Benjamin Chan (Flickr), Sijia Chen (flowchart made on draw.io)

We all know that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The following baby products were weird enough to attract the attention of Ripley’s Believe It or Not and to be used as props for Saturday Night Live. You’ll have to see them to believe them. The following descriptions were sourced from parenting.com.

Baby Bangs
Babies are great and all, but you know what would make them even better? If they weren’t so bald. These delicate hair bands with attached mop tops may have been the basis for the Saturday Night Live ad spoof for baby toupees, but these appear to be 100 percent real. Baby Bangs, available at baby-bangs.com, USD 29.95

Baby String Bikini
Two-piece swimsuits do make for easier diaper changes, but does the bikini have to look like something straight off the beaches of Brazil? Also, reality check: These string ‘kinis, which are available in sizes starting at birth, are too tiny to actually wear with a diaper. Now that’s a pool evacuation waiting to happen. Babi-kini, available at babikini.com, USD 30