How busy are you? Would you agree that with our many responsibilities, we tend to forget giving ourselves some much-needed TLC? Unfortunately, by wanting to accomplish as much as possible, we end up spreading ourselves too thin, which takes a toll on our overall wellbeing.

It’s time to revitalize our youthful vigor and bring back the vitality we need to live life to the fullest! To help us get back on track, Watsons launches the Time to Renew campaign so we could more easily restore our beauty and recharge our health.

Ruffa Gutierrez and Iza Calzado

This campaign focuses on three things that people often set aside when running on tight schedules:

• Restore beauty for proper skin care

• Revitalize hair to bring life back to dull tresses

• Recharge health for a more energized and healthier body

In case you still don’t know, busy schedules leading to poor sleeping habits not only affect the mood but also result in dull skin, making it prone to blemishes, dryness, acne, or oiliness. Combat these with helpful products you can find at Watsons: Pond’s, Olay, L’Oreal, Belo, Celeteque, Neutrogena, Snow, St. Ive’s, Suave, Bellic, Glutamax, Shulammite soap, Cosmo Skin, and Nivea Men crème.

More than the skin, however, we also have to protect our hair. Simply shampooing and conditioning are not enough to prevent greasiness/dryness, hair fall, or graying. Hair needs intensive protection from the sun and heat styling products. So, make it a point to revitalize your hair with products like Tresseme, L’Oreal, Dove, and Moringa.

As to recharging health to achieve a 100% you, make sure to mind your eating and exercise habits because skipping them lead to lack of energy and nutrition. Supplement a healthier life and get in tip-top shape with Watson’s healthy solutions such as Cosmo Cee, Poten-Cee, Met Tathione, IVI Collagen, Myra E, Stresstabs, Belo Glutathione, Snow Caps, and Kilo-off.

During the recent campaign launch in Podium, celebrities Iza Calzado, Ruffa Gutierrez, and Alice Dixson shared their beauty secrets using helpful products available at Watsons. Like them, you can restore your beauty and recharge your health while also enjoying big discounts and great deals at Watsons stores and the SM Store Beauty Section. 

In addition, get a chance to win revitalizing packages when you use your SM Advantage Card, BDO Rewards, or PriMo Card when shopping. Every P500 single-receipt purchase of any participating product entitles shoppers to one raffle entry.

There will be 35 winners of Spa Pampering Packages at The Spa; 10 winners of Full-Year Gym memberships at Fitness First, and 10 winners of Overnight Weekend Wellness Packages at The Farm at San Benito resort.

If you’re not yet an SMAC member, make sure to join now because the “Members Get More” program (read my other blog post about it, here) makes shopping more rewarding than ever before. 

Definitely, it’s Time to Renew at Watsons as well as time to get MORE POINTS, MORE SAVINGS, and MORE VALUE! Visit the store nearest you, now!

It's very common nowadays to see a rainbow of hair colors among a crowd of people. And why not? For many individuals, coloring their hair is one way to stand out or express their uniqueness. Some, on the other hand, go for beautiful hairstyles that make people look their way twice.

The good news is, whatever your hair goals are, Watsons Philippines has got your covered! Gone are the days when you have to go to a salon just to have your hair colored. Now, there are DIY kits that makes it possible to color one's hair at home. Last Christmas, I gave my mom a couple of boxes and she's happy to save a lot on hairdresser fees. The bottom line is to make sure you get the right products for coloring your hair and for maintaining its health afterwards.

However, hair color is not the only way to achieve hair goals. There are now a lot of trendy hair fixing styles that both men and women can experiment with. From a high pony and a deep side part to a short messy shag, undone waves, and messy braids, anybody would definitely find something that would help enhance their features.

Yesterday, Watsons held an event at the SM Mall of Asia Activity Center to encourage shoppers to go out of their hair comfort zones by discovering different hair colors and hair style trends. #Hairgoals aim to introduce a whole new world of color and style options / alternatives through the vast spread of hair products available in-store.

During the event, guests were given a chance to try out new hairstyles and colors at various booths to help each individual uncover a more gorgeous version of themselves by simply doing a few tweaks to how their hair looks. Hair color was provided by L'oreal, Revlon, Kolours, Bigen, Beautylabo, Lolane, Liese, and Revia; styling tools and products were covered by JML, W. Elite, Babybliss, VS Sassoon, Tresemme, Aquanet, Finesse, and Suave; and hair products were taken cared of by Dove, Pantene, and Creamsilk.

If you don't live in Metro Manila, worry not because a Watsons Color Your Hair Day Sale will be happening nationwide! The one-day sale on all hair color products would give shoppers 50% off on many brands. Mark this in your calendar and make sure to visit any Watsons store or the SM Beauty Section on May 27, 2017!

Plus, if you're an SM Advantage Card member, you can go from trendsetter to jetsetter because every P500 single-receipt purchase of participating products entitles an SMAC member to one e-raffle entry that can win you a trip to Bali, Guam, or Sydney as well as snag a free iPhone 7 or an iPad Pro!

In case you're wondering, I honestly haven't attempted to have my locks altered yet as I feel I won't have the luxury of time to properly maintain a healthy colored mane. But, I do plan to start coloring mine when my silver strands start to show more prominently. Until then, I'm content to admire my more daring friends' hairstyle adventures ;-) 

We, ladies, do a lot to our hair. In fact, many women can’t go out of the house without using a hair dryer, hair straightener, or hair curler first. Unfortunately, frequently subjecting hair to heat can cause damage that leads to split-ends.

When I was still in college and didn’t know much about hair care, I used scissors to cut off individual hair strands to remove split-ends. That was time-consuming work! 

According to Dove, 93% of Filipinas experience split-ends. Would you like to know if you are one of them? Try the #DoveSplitEndTest to find out!

For many people, savings mean setting aside part of their income so that they can buy, or pay for, things they need or want. However, wise spenders know that there are other ways to augment savings through -- yes -- shopping!

I consider myself finance-savvy enough to be able to spot value-for-money purchases and one of the places I buy those products from is Watsons. If you are dreaming of buying a certain gadget, going to a dream destination, or acquiring a new car, add more money to your savings pot by switching to Watsons Label!

This 2016, aside from offering quality products at very friendly prices, Watsons also rewarded some lucky smart shoppers who did the Switch and Save (related blog post, here). Amazing prizes were showered on customers via the Switcher's Surprise campaign, a promo that brings to life the idea that by switching to the Watsons Label, shoppers are able to save money for things that they really want or matters the most to them.

Switcher Surprise Winner Julie Mamhot with Iya Villana

All of us are given opportunities to discover what we can do and how we can do them better. When Rachelle Ann Go was offered to be in a stage production of The Little Mermaid in 2010, she was initially hesitant to take on the role. 

"I don't have the background and the training," she confessed during our backstage interview at the Cream Silk Transformations event. "[But], I am thankful for doing that [because] I fell in love with [theater]. After that, sunod-sunod na."She described how doing The Little Mermaid and Tarzan in Manila built her confidence, never realizing that someday, she will also be doing theater abroad.

"It’s just an amazing experience doing Miss Saigon and Les Mis. I’m learning a lot, meeting lots of people. It’s a big thing for me," she shared. "When I went to the UK to try something else, to try something that I thought was impossible, going out of the box transformed me!"

It being her first time to live alone in an unknown place without family and friends around, Rachelle Ann admitted finding it difficult to sacrifice a lot. "It’s so different than home eh. I didn’t know how to cook. [Although] I know how to clean the house, I don’t do that often here because I’m working. But there, I don’t have a choice but to do house chores by myself." 

Cream Silk has always championed the Modern Filipina to go beyond beautiful by becoming the best version of herself in her journey of transformation. Last Saturday, the brand launched its newest campaign called Cream Silk Transformations: Spotlight on the #ModernFilipina at the World Trade Center Tent.

Cream Silk ambassadors will be on the cover of top magazines' March issues

Gina Lorenzana, Unilever's Vice President for Personal Care, acknowledged that the Maria Clara image is now overshadowed by women who are slowly climbing up the ranks and embracing bigger and better roles for themselves.

Myrza Sison, EIC of Cosmopolitan shares her transformation story

"Today, the modern Filipina has become both a spotlight and a beacon. She has evolved into a fearless and trailblazing individual determined to realize her dreams and make a positive mark in the world," described Lorenzana.

first ever live cover shoot event

We all love receiving gifts. It's always a nice surprise to get items that we are sure we could definitely use in the coming days. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to send out gifts to people we care about even if we can't physically visit them anytime soon?

Robinsons Selections makes it possible to wish someone wellness, encouragement, friendship, or love! This new service now offers clients to have flowers, chocolates, and even beauty and bath kits delivered straight to friends and family.

The summer heat can be harsh on the hair and scalp, which may lead to having those white flakes brought about by dry skin, among other factors. Clear, the world's number one anti-dandruff shampoo for men, has just launched another breakthrough dandruff solution to address hard-to-beat dandruff problems. 

Dandruff is a recurring problem that causes embarrassment and discomfort for many Filipinos especially during social situations. Women admit that dandruff ruins the natural beauty of hair while men's need for styling using waxes and hair gels can sometimes lead to chronic dandruff.  

The new formulation of Clear anti-dandruff shampoo contains Nutrium 10, which is a unique and powerful blend of essential nutrients that eliminates visible flakes. With regular use, you can continuously protect your scalp and hair from recurring dandruff.

Did you know that 84% of women are aware that hair gets damaged from styling activities? And yet, they continue to do them because they make them feel good about themselves. In fact, 8 out of 10 women confess that they feel happier when their hair looks beautiful.

I agree! The mere fact that there's such a thing as a "bad hair day" is proof how much ladies feel about our hair. Personally, I get conscious and uncomfortable about having my photos taken during days when I feel that my hair does not look as good as I want it to.  

Some of the most common, yet damaging hair activities include blowdrying, curling, straightening, and coloring. However, many still don't know that even simple acts such as towel drying, combing, brushing, and sun and wind exposure can also cause hair damage. 

It can't be helped that hair sometimes becomes prone to damage due to factors such as too-much styling and pollution from the environment. Discover a new secret weapon in Pantene 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner and learn about its benefits:

Smoothens 3 months of damage -- hair that has lost its protective layer and feels rough is already damaged. It is also more negatively charged than healthy hair thus causing frizz. Pantene's new formula with an improved conditioning agent or cationic polymer is positively charged to neutralize damaged portions of hair, and forms a shield to protect hair from future damage. The protective layer also reduces friction between individual hair fibers, which results in easier rinsing and reduced tangling.

Good news ladies! This season, TRESemme, the salon brand used by professionals, is giving women a treat to get salon gorgeous hair at home at half the price with the TRESemme Runway Ready Sale!

TRESemme Keratin Smooth at 50% off

TRESemme has marked down their best selling TRESemme Keratin Smooth shampoo and conditioner 440 ml bottle packs by 50%!* This variant infuses keratin proteins unto every hair strand to help control frizz for up to 48 hours.

All girls have their own version of a fairy tale. And for young actress Julia Montes, that dream was to be an actress.

Unlike a conventional princess though, Julia was raised by a hearing- and speech-impaired mother and a doting grandmother she lovingly calls Mama Flory. According to Julia, life was simple and quiet but she wanted a better life for herself and, more importantly, her family.

makeup booth during the recent Dreamstarter Fair in Trinoma

As the only girl and the eldest of four siblings, Julia learned early on that girls in the real world didn't have to wait for a prince charming to make life beautiful. This determined young woman decided instead to write her own story.

A lot of women, and an increasing number of men, are aware that hair care is a very essential part to beauty and self-confidence. That is why many of us really take time to groom our tresses before we go out of the house and meet other people. 

Now, hair-conscious Filipinos have a reason to go online more often as the virtual source for hair solutions and inspiration has finally arrived in the Philippines. The first in Asia, All Things Hair (ATH) was officially launched last September 18 at The Green Sun Creative Hub in Pasong Tamo Extension.

Finding hair solutions has been made easy as All Things Hair helps netizens by displaying top hair-related Google searches online and responds by creating video tutorials that suit Filipinos and their hair needs. Just launched in the UK and in Canada, ATH collaborated with popular Filipino vloggers to provide unique and personalized hairstyles for modern day Filipinos.

Having gray hair is part of growing old but it doesn't have to make you look older than you have to! Thanks to advances in hair care, people can now avoid looking like they're too eager to head on to their twilight years.

In fact, in an Oprah episode I saw years ago, she and her guests were discussing about how very seldom they see Americans with gray hair anymore. Here in the Philippines, the trend of getting hair color in salons have also become very popular. Still, for some reasons, there are people who couldn't find time to have their hair re-colored soon enough. And that's when gray hair regrowth starts making heads look a bit unsightly.  

Not to worry though, there's now a non-dye and safe alternative to cover gray hair! Conceal Instant Gray Hair Solution can be used for instant touch-ups anytime, anywhere. It is safe, washable, and easy to use. No water is needed. Just touch up your hair whenever needed.

Conceal is available in black and brown with 3 types of applicators:

1. The stick applicator is ideal for short gray hair strands 

2. The touch-up applicator is for hair and tip applications

3. The brush-tip applicator is best for longer gray hair strands

This must-have for covering gray hair regrowth is exclusively available in Watsons stores for P240 - P250 each but you can also order online through its distributor C'SCOR Global Intertrade Corporation here.  

Good news to my readers. If you want to try out this product, WBL is giving away 3 gift packs of Conceal Medium Brown with Brush-Tip Applicator. A gift pack will have 2 Conceal tubes each. You can join through the Rafflecopter widget below:

FYI, those who will post a photo on Instagram will earn higher entry points. Please take note that I can only send prizes to Metro Manila addresses. Giveaway ends 12MN of September 8, 2014.

==

Congratulations to Dessie Aquino, Rain Gatdula, and Ann Gole Cruz for winning two tubes each of Conceal Hair Solution! Please check your emails and give me your Metro Manila mailing address so I can send you your prizes. I'd appreciate it very much if you can post a photo on Facebook (tag Write, Breathe, Live) or Twitter/Instagram (tag @ruthfloresca) when you receive the items so I'd know you got them.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined! Please stay tuned as there will be more #WBLgiveaways in the coming days :)

We all have our shameless pleasures that, often, only we knew about. After all, it's not easy to reveal things we love doing that may be perceived by others as weird or embarrassing. Thus, I do admire women who can confidently say what makes them deliriously happy without any shame.

Speaking of shameless pleasures, Herbal Essences made a provocative and scentsual comeback via a visually and mentally stimulating event held last night at 71 Gramercy. The brand's return comes with a bold campaign that encourages the pursuit of shameless pleasures. 

The event had a segment called Shameless Talk featuring actress/host Kat Alano and writer Erika Paredes. These two colorful and candid personalities presented attention-grabbing and thought-provoking monologues about unapologetically admitting and seeking one's own definition of shameless pleasure and how women should be empowered to openly chase after them. 

But the highlight of the night was the playful reveal of TV host and celebrity blogger Divine Lee as the brand ambassador of Herbal Essences. Her shameless pleasure? Taking a shower with Herbal Essences especially after a very long day. "Sobrang scentsual! When I'm in the shower, I look forward to the refreshing scent of the shampoo. Sarap na sarap ako sa shower experience," she confesses.

Divine said she takes pride in and celebrates her reputation as a "babaeng bakla", which is evident in her fun, spirited, and even naughty personality. Aside from headlining the hit podcast Becky Nights and expressing herself on Twitter, Divine shares her hilarious takes on anything under the sun through her blog and is very open in declaring her affections for boyfriend, actor Victor Basa. I like how she reminded guests that it's perfectly alright to seek shameless pleasure as long as you don't hurt anybody in the process. That is wise advice. 

Procter & Gamble Philippines chose Divine to represent Herbal Essences because she epitomizes what the brand stands for: the female go-getter who's naughty and nice, playful, adventure-seeking, and unafraid to chase after what she wants.

Pepe Torres, country marketing manager for P&G hair care, described Divine as "deliberate and bold in the decisions she has made both in her professional and personal life. [She] demonstrates how to want pleasure and act on it. She's charmingly unapologetic about her pursuit of pleasure [and] is a perfect fit for Herbal Essences, which makes even the most ordinary act of showering pleasurable and rapturous."

The launch included games and other scentsual activities then ended on a high note with music by DJ Callum. 

Stay up to date on the exciting activities planned for Herbal Essences by liking and following HerbalEssencesPH on Facebook and Twitter.

The three-year-old rivalry has finally been settled. Last night, the University of Makati Football Field once again became the battleground for one of the most highly contested sibling rivalries between brothers James and Phil Younghusband. After two games, two wins, two defeats, and 12 goals scored, the third and final installment of Clear Dream Match, the biggest all star football game in the Philippines, finally happened. 

In 2012, the first ever Clear Dream Match hailed Team Phil as the winner with a dominant 5-1 victory. Last year, Team James got even, exacting revenge with a 4-1 score against Team Phil. With the brothers tied at 1-1, the game this 2014 was made more exciting with the participation of two Manchester United Legends -- Paul Scholes and Andy Cole.

As I posted last month, fans of both teams got to join in the Legends decision-making by scoring points for their favorite teams online. The captain with the most active and digitally engaged fans gets to pick the first Legend. Phil won the final online points tally and chose Scholes to be part of his team.

Paul Scholes, who is an 11-time English Premier League Winner, expressed excitement on his  Philippines visit. "It's always a great experience to visit a country where football is a growing sport." Cited as one of the best midfielders of his generation, Scholes has made over 700 appearances for Manchester United and has the third-highest number of appearances by any player for the club. He also played a key part in the club's Treble-winning success in the 1998-99 season.

On the other hand, Andrew Cole became part of Team James whose captain pointed out that it would be great to have Cole on his team. "Team James wants to score several goals, and having the second highest goal scorer in English Premier League history on your team is such a huge asset."

Cole has won numerous trophies with Manchester United and is one of the few players to date who has bagged all possible honors in the English game, including the PFA Young Player of the Year and the UEFA Champions League title. "We have so many Manchester United fans in Asia, and I'm really excited to meet the 12 million United followers in the Philippines," shared Cole.

Having been at the games since the first one two years ago, I was as excited as everyone who came to watch last night. Many rejoiced when Joaco Cañas of Team James made the first score during the second half of the game. But a hush settled over the whole field when Phil and Ryan Villareal got hurt in a head collision while they were both trying to hit the ball. 

Although Ryan was able to get up and continue to play, we all got worried when Phil stayed down then got carried out on a stretcher, sporting a bloodied bandage on his forehead. It became even more worrisome when we heard ambulance sirens start up then fade away outside the stadium.

Although the game did go on, as it had to, and ended with a 1-0 win in favor of Team James, the victory was bittersweet. We could see how worried James was about his brother while trying to celebrate with his team. The victors were awarded the trophy and individual medals by Unilever executives Apples Aberin, Drew Copuyoc, and Joanne Lorenzana. 

I went home with a heavy heart because I have interacted with the Younghusbands in several media events before (Phil even served as our team captain in a fun Oishi event a few months ago) and find them really good persons. So it was with relief when I saw Clear organizers' update about Phil earlier today.

Now, the three-year journey has been concluded but here's wishing for better things to come for Philippine football and our dedicated players. May you continue to inspire young people with lessons learned on the playing field that can also be applied to real life.

The Clear Dream Match is presented by Clear in partnership with Manchester United. Thank you Unilever and Bridges PR for inviting me to these epic games the past three years!

* Click the following links to see photos from Clear Dream Match 1, Clear Dream Match 2, and Clear Dream Match 3.

The Dove Summit may be over for this year but Dove's advocacy on encouraging women to embrace their real beauty continues. The brand believes that every Filipina is beautiful and that the superior technology used in developing Dove products can further deliver the real care that women deserve.

Dove Skin dares females to bare their glowing skin. This starts with good hygiene. However, traditional habits in the way we cleanse and bathe can sometimes lead to skin problems. For instance, the use of regular soap, with harsh and skin-damaging ingredients, can also be a source of skin diseases or infections especially if we share our soap with others.

Thus, the better option is to use body wash because it prevents the transfer of bacteria that can wreak havoc on the skin's natural, healthy balance. Clinical tests also show that ordinary soap can leave skin feeling dry because it removes moisture along with dirt without replenishing the skin's needed moisture levels. So, without enough moisture, skin becomes dull and rough.

Last November 24, celebrity stylist and Pantene Ambassador Barney Martin treated guests to an exclusive hair show and workshop at the Loft Manansala in Rockwell. The internationally-acclaimed hair master recreated timeless hairstyles on several models and shared the latest in hair trends straight from prominent international runways. Barney shared that achieving world-class hairstyles are only possible with a world-class conditioner.

rubbing elbows with Barney Martin

According to him, the new Pantene Intensive Conditioner makes it possible to achieve soft and smooth hair like what celebrities and models have. Tristan Patricio, Pantene Brand Manager, revealed what women around the world, including Filipinas, want. "We found out that even though women start their day with soft and smooth hair, it becomes dry, rough, and frizzy by the middle of the day. These women need a conditioner that will give them soft, smooth hair all day!"

Pantene Intensive Conditioners are described to have 80% more conditioning benefits so women can keep their soft and smooth hair down all day. "Pantene conditioner has a powerful combination of Pro-V science, which is exclusive to Pantene, and enhanced conditoning ingredients which create a protective layer for your hair. The result is soft and smooth hair that's truly world-class," illustrated Patricio.

Barney with Gretchen Barretto, host Sarah Meier, and fashion bloggers Photo credit: Alex Dizon

Barney Martin, who has already styled world-famous celebrities like Kate Moss and Drew Barrymore, added several Philippine fashion bloggers -- Camille Co, Kryz Uy, Laureen Uy, Patricia Prieto -- and Pantene Ambassador Gretchen Barretto to his long list of clients that night.

Like Gretchen and the bloggers, it is possible for every Filipina to get world-class hair and iconic hairstyles using the latest Pantene Intensive Conditioner. Trusted by international hair masters like Barney Martin, Pantene is said to help ladies achieve runway and red carpet-worthy 24-hour soft, smooth, and shiny hair all day.