I Switched and Saved at Watsons! + Haul

The kikay soul within me does a secret happy dance whenever I step into a Watsons store. I  frequently visit their branches in Fisher Mall and SM North EDSA when I have to buy toiletries or whenever I am stressed and in need an of instant mood booster. Just walking around the aisles of beauty product excites me like a kid in a candy store!

Last Saturday, Panda and I dropped by Watsons in SM The Block to restock on some bath essentials. The store had red balloons everywhere - oh goodie, since it meant they were on a huge 3-Day Sale! :D This time around, my heart was happy and my wallet didn't cry since I snagged a couple of good deals!

While looking around, I spotted gorgeous Patty cheerfully assisting shoppers as Store Supervisor for the day. Patty Laurel-Filart is a model, host, teacher, blogger, and a Watsons Switch and Save ambassador since 2012. She's always been a practical shopper, and now that she's expecting her first baby, she became even more conscious about the things she buys - checking the price, quality, and contents of the products to make every penny count.

Some of Patty's favorite products are Watsons Treatment Shampoo Argan Oil, Watsons Treatment Wax, Watsons Milk & Salt Scrub Whitening, Watsons Collagen Q10 Intensive Moisturising & Firming Hand Cream, Watsons Blood Orange Hand Cream, Watsons Facial 3 Step Mask, and Watsons Big Pack Green Tea Scented Wet Tissues.

These are my favorite deals! HUGE bottles of shampoo, body wash, and hand wash at buy 1 take 1! The lotions are also a steal.

This face mask shelf is also a treat. Here, you can get 2 masks for the price of 1 in other beauty stores.

And now, my haul! During the 3-Day Sale, you get additional 10% off with a minimum purchase of P1500, so I took advantage of that deal!

My favorite super sulit finds of the day were all Watsons label products! I noticed that everything I got were in sweet fruity scents. :3

Watsons Cream Hand Soap (Buy 1 Take 1 at P149)

in Strawberry & Yogurt and Honey & Milk

One for the bathroom, one for the kitchen! I love how these clean my hands without drying them out, and how the Strawberry and Yogurt one smells like the real thing. So yummy... too bad I can't taste it!

Watsons Cream Body Wash (Buy 1 Take 1 at P229)

in Cantaloupe and Green Tea

This one's a crazy good deal that made me feel a bit guilty about splurging on another brand of body wash (about P1000 for just 750ml). Here, I get 2 liters of the good stuff! I think this is enough reason for me to switch and save.

Watsons Body Lotion (P119 each)

in Green Tea & Cucumber and Pomegranate & Apple

I couldn't decide which one smelled better, so I got both. One huge bottle will last me for months! I've found an even better way to maximize its use. Just recently, our helper left so I hand wash my dishes and clothes, leaving my hands ever so dry. I'll buy a small pump bottle and refill it with Watsons Body Lotion so I can moisturize my skin any time. Instant hand cream! :D

Watsons Nylon Body Puff (P52 -> P47)

A lil something to go with the body wash.

Beauty Buffet Facial Masks (2 for P79)

Belo AcnePro 3-Step Clear Skin System (P230 -> P207)

Sebamed Anti-Dandruff Shampoo (P420 -> P340 -> P306)

Pond's Flawless White Dewy Rose Gel (P399 -> P360)

The power of sampling: I tried samples of Belo AcnePro and Sebamed first from Glamourbox, and Pond's from Sample Room. All three worked so well for me hence the repurchase!

Toni & Guy Sea Salt Texturizing Spray (P890 -> P801)

Hello, instant beach waves! ;)

Sansfluo (P96 -> P87) and Dentiste Set (P142.50 -> P128.25)

One for my niece, one for my travels!

Veet Hair Removal Cream for Normal Skin (P231 -> P208)

And some men stuff for Panda, which came with GWPs. Awesome! :D

I learned from this shopping experience that you can shop and save at the same time! I love going on trips and its where I'd rather spend my cash on. At the same time, I don't have to scrimp on my personal essentials when I switch to Watsons products (and shop during their sale). Now, I can spend more on the things I really want in life!

Visit your nearest Watsons branch, and who knows, you might bump into Iya (just like Christian, Tessa, and Patty) making her surprise appearance and assisting you while you shop!

Like Watsons Philippines on Facebook for more information.

What is your favorite thing to buy at Watsons? Do share your recommendations!

Love,

Helen

Current Hair Care Routine

It's been a while! I love the luxury of time I now have with this long weekend, so may I be productive! :D

Today, I'll be sharing with you my current hair care routine and capsule reviews on each product.

Finesse Clean+ Simple Hypoallergenic Shampoo (P190.00)

For normal hair

I'm forever on the hunt for sulfate-free shampoos because my wavy hair would flatten should I use regular (foamy) shampoos. I spotted Finesse inside Fisher Supermarket and got intrigued - it claims to be non-irritating and free of allergens, dyes, sulfates, parabens, and gluten. My skin (particularly my fingers) would itch when I use too fragrant products, so I gave it a try.

True enough, it comes in a clear, mild-smelling, gentle, and low-foaming formula. Because of that, I use more amount of shampoo than usual just to get it to "bubble up" and make my hair feel clean. My hair looks and feels healthier whenever I use this. However, given the gentle nature of sulfate-free shampoos, I feel that not the all dirt are washed off and product seems to buildup after weeks of consecutive use. To counter it, I use a regular shampoo once a week to clarify my hair of buildup. This variant is for normal hair, which is good enough for me. The one for dry/colored hair might leave my hair heavy due to its moisturizing properties. I like this shampoo, but I'd repurchase only if I didn't find a better alternative to it.

Pantene 3-Minute Miracle Conditioner (P59.00)

(Total Damage Care)

I got 2 tubes from Sample Room and BDJ Box. I'm now on my second one!

I remember having sworn off Pantene before because some of their conditioner variants gave me bacne during my teenage years. The 3-Minute Miracle got so much hype that even I was got too curious. Good thing I gave it a try! What I like most about is its delicious fruity floral scent - imagine fresh wild strawberry and raspberry accord enveloped in a floral creamy heart underscored with warm vanilla. Lured you in? You're welcome!

This variant contains 80% more of the key conditioning ingredients (compared to their regular conditoners), and the highest level of advanced Terminal Amino-Silicones (TAS) to smoothen 3 months of damage in just 3 minutes. It's a big claim, but it really does work. My wavy hair has less frizz, and it smells really good!

Toni&Guy Casual Forming Gel Spray

I remember visiting (and revisiting) SM department store for months just to see if Toni&Guy's Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray was in stock. I wanted so badly to get that to enhance my wavy hair and make it even wavier! (I hope I still am making sense. Haha!) A few months ago, Toni&Guy sent me a package containing this. I thought it was the salt spray since they came in a similar packaging. My initial excitement wore off, and I stashed this in my drawer for future use. When I tried it just recently, I actually liked it! :D While it doesn't give my hair more texture, it is able to hold my waves all day to a finish that I desire. The atomizer dispenses a small amount of product at a time so there's no wastage, and it dries fast and leaves my hair looking natural, not too slick, too hard or too crispy. Another use for this is slicking back my baby hairs for when I do a sleek pony.

Dove Refresh+Care Dry Shampoo (P275.00)

Yes, we do have Dove Dry Shampoo available locally! I got this from Landmark Department Store in Trinoma, but I saw a couple of bottles also inside Watermart Supermarket in North EDSA just a while ago.

There are days that my hair doesn't get exposed very much to outside forces (such as heat and pollution). And there are also days when I come home too late, too sleepy to wash my hair. Dry shampoo is my handy solution for that for the mornings that come after. I also find my hair in a healthier, shinier, more manageable state should I not shampoo daily. A few sprays nixes oil and freshens up my hair. It feels quite cooling on my scalp, but I find the scent a bit strong. Also, I don't apply this with a very heavy hand or concentrate on one section only since it may make my black hair look grayish. Remember to massage the product through roots for it to absorb oil evenly. If this came in a smaller aerosol can, I'd repurchase since it's very handy for travel.

This is the current state of my hair. It's not dry, but I'm growing out my colored ends. Halfway there! And yes, my hair is wavy like that. I used to have it rebonded way back in high school and college. Quitting rebonding and leaving its texture alone is the best thing I did for my hair.

What's your current hair care routine?

Love,

Helen

You are invited: Toni&Guy Hair Party

Genuine style should be celebrated. To commemorate the exciting cohesion of great ‘dos and fabulous get-ups, Unilever’s new hair care range, Toni&Guy is throwing its first ever Hair Party to ring in the New Year.

Date: January 28, 2014 (Tuesday)

Time: 9:30PM

Venue: Prive Luxury Club

The T&G Hair Party, exclusive invitation to the metro’s sartorial movers and shakers, incites the hottest Manila society crowd to come up with their own take on the brand’s Hair Meet Wardrobe philosophy. The evening also marks the unveiling of the brand’s newest collaboration with the city’s most notable influencers and Toni&Guy’s style visionaire, an expert when it comes to head to toe perfection. 

The unique photo exhibit features the most talented minds in the industry: top stylist Pam Quinones and famed photographer Mark Nicdao who bring their astounding vision to reinvent the Toni&Guy style collections.

Dress yourself up from hair to toe and party the night away! Please send RSVPs to rsvp@arcarpopr.com.

Love,

Helen