On Fragrances: Supermarket Scents and My Personal Favourite

We all pass by that shelf in the supermarket showing off scents that are absolutely cheap. There are colognes and sprays and the occasional perfumed powder. By the way, I just coined this term while I was flopping in bed thinking of a new feature for On Fragrances and this is what I came up with. 

I would describe Supermarket Scents as accessible, affordable (sometimes local) fragrances. Passing by this section in the supermarket just shows that your fragrance does not have to be expensive. There is absolutely something for every budget. 

What I particularly like about the supermarket is that it’s accessible. This is the place for shoppers who are looking for:

•  Bargains
• All the necessary things in one place
•  Unexpected finds 

In terms of fragrances, it is the place for local brands to shine. (I also like that  a lot of local brands are introducing affordable body washes so that the average Filipina shopper can try them out and only at less than Php 100 each!) But let me share with you a personal favourite when it comes to local fragrances. Sure, I have fantasized about the bigger names in the fragrance industry every now and again but this one will always have a place in my heart.

Johnson and Johnsons’ has had this long-time running scent, if my memory serves me right it was released in about 2005 and it’s undergone some packaging revamp but the scent still is the same. It’s playful, refreshing and long-lasting.

Its scent is reminiscent of preserving those precious after-shower moments. I think it’s the best cologne to bring back those sunshine-summery days; it’s great for bleak weathers. Its bottle is a transparent pale-yellow although it could have been a better and brighter lemon yellow to reflect a lively sunshine burst. If I am correct, it has a mixture of jasmine and lime to spike up a fragrant citrus scent. Its tail is something milder though but it is not one of those boring scents after a long time. I even like it all over the place and even leave a few drops on my pillows so that when I get back for an evening rest, it’s still fun and lively smelling as that of a mid-day shower. 

To add, this is a great cologne for kids, as well as students and young professionals on a budget, it only costs Php 52. 

Quick update: I’m obsessed with local body washes lately. I’ll space reviews of affordable ones pretty soon that are also supermarket finds. 

How about you? What’s your favourite supermarket scent? Which one would you have me try?

Scribbles: Quirks and Novelties Haul + Thoughts

Some time ago I did mention that I will  be introducing a regular feature on stationery over here. I mean, who doesn't have a love for journals and stickers and handwritten letters (almost like calligraphy) and with the amount of kitschy-cute stationery abound these days, one's bound to notice right? 

I spotted this haul online from Cash Cash Pinoy and thought, why yes! I need a dedicated blogging notebook to jot down my posts and ideas and a place where I could keep track of all my report writing and dates due of each. Besides, you wouldn't believe how many My Gel pens I can empty in a month because of my scribbling and the post-it notes I have. I run out of post-it notes and my day is not the same again, ever. 

Back to the haul,  I chose the items carefully and narrowed my choices to the ones that reflect what it is that I really do-and that's writing for a living. After settling my payment, you could just imagine how curious and on top of that-very excited I felt to receive them. The ad did say 3 day shipping nationwide and there I was biting my lip from the excitement (must be due to the urge of instant gratification).

But the exchange of emails between me and the rep later would show that my orders will arrive over a month later from my purchase date-something that can get on my nerves. I can understand if shipping can take 3-5 days because I am in ZC and that's something I am already used to, but did I really have to wait for over a month? 

Another thing to note is to align my expectations with realities.

The site didn't provide measurements for the notebooks and they all came in single sizes so all the while I thought that I got good-sized notebooks, especially since I can scribble away like crazy for ideas and posts and things to do. 

This is what arrived.

It's a hot pink silicon bound blank-page notebook that's pocket-sized. At least I can take it anywhere with me. The blank pages may just be something I can doodle on. Its pages are also generous and makes the whole binding quite thick which kind of makes up for the size.

I like that there is a Keep Calm notebook for writers and I chose the one that came in my favorite color.  You can see that it is lined and has colored dividers, again it's not a big notebook and it sort of feels heavy but I think it's also due to the good quality paper. Its edges are a bit worn, it's something I don't fancy at all.

Finally, there is the attractive gel pen set that has assorted designs in pastel colors. If you look at the color labels closely, there are three varieties of blue and two types of green, yep- no brown. But then it's a set that writes fairly well and makes for good headings when I jot down notes on post-its.

All in all, I think that it's a good haul and I am just not satisfied with the notebook sizes because they are not what I expected, perhaps some measurement sizes would have been helpful. I prefer bigger notebooks though and was wishing that they could be used for the intended purpose.

Coping With Change, Saying Hello to June

Credits: Rebloggy.com

Change whether big or small may take a person by surprise. 

I won’t be pretending when I say that May was a month of change for me, some were good and some-not so good. I’ve had major disappointments and got hurt both physically (due to an accident) and emotionally (due to my hopes being crushed). 

But I now realize that I am stronger than that. 

It’s no use holding on to what could have been and the best thing I could do is gather myself up and look for what I can do today. So if you are thinking, no, it’s not about relationships or family. It’s about ambition and the desire to be out there, to make a life for myself. And yes, only I have the power to move forward. 

There will be more changes and you will read my updates soon once things are in place. 

In the meantime, I am saying hello to June and embracing a new possibility for me. 

I've always enjoyed writing and presenting my outputs and feeling accomplished. But there is just something that kept hounding me and now I am facing it. You will pick up the hints pretty soon 

I wish you all fun-filled June and have fun with back to school!

Unboxing: Summer Radiance in BDJ Box May 2014

It finally arrived. 

Even before BDJ announced that the May boxes were being shipped, I had a pretty good feeling that it would include nail polish thanks to my stalking the site frequently, I didn’t realize there would be two shades! But I’m getting ahead of myself here. 

It’s a box of surprises for summer pampering and there are impressive products inside. This month's theme is all about Summer Radiance, a pampering treat for the last stretch of summer from interesting brands.

I'm so thankful that BDJ included this in my box because I've tried this and I am currently lovin' it bay-beh... =p This was also the first thing that caught my attention and although the label and instructions are in Korean, the curation card explains that it is a leave-on pack to help the skin restore its natural moisturizing properties. I like that it's lightweight and I find it a good bedtime moisturizer with a very faint scent. It's supposed to be used only twice a week. That should prolong my using it up in a month's time. (That's how much I am so into this...)

  

New nail polish to play with! I can't believe that they cost Php 300+ each, I'm blown away! I like that the box included two contrasting shades. The left one is Seashell which is a barely-there peach-pink colour with a faint gloss. It's like Bobbie's Fave Bikini and if any of you ladies are looking for something work-appropriate and a splurge on polish, this is it. The right one is Jungle, a forest green shade. I like dark nail polishes and have a bias towards this.  This should save me from hoarding more shades in the near future because it promises long-lasting colour. 

 

The purpose of a beauty haul in a box is to try new things, and I am just so grateful that this has been included in the box and I got to try out a shampoo and conditioner (after my mother and sister helped themselves). It did wonders to my dry hair after just a single wash and I like that it is a new experiential fragrance for my crowning glory. Love!

  

I like that Godiva has been generous with the sachets of lotion and deodorant. I've just started using them so let's see how they turn out. This couldn't have come at a better time because I need to restock on lotion.  As for the deodorant, I'm not so keen on it being in sachet, a tiny sample bottle could have been helpful. 

 

I haven't yet tried these masks and both of them says firming so I have to close my eyes, do an eenie-minie-miney-mo and try one for the weekend and I can tell you all about it.

Before the boxes were shipped, BDJ announced that they were giving away flip flops to 100 subscribers. I didn't get them but received a voucher for a free Avon brassiere. Would the ZC branch accept it, I wonder.

For this month's set of stickers, it says A Happy Woman Is A Beautiful Woman.

I do fancy the sleeping pack and nail polish, and I like the Organix hair care set so I have to check out how to get full-sized goodies pretty soon. It's just like a delicious treat on the head!

That's pretty much the contents of this month's box. Have a good week and enjoy the rest of May!

Product Spotlight: Skin White Power Whitening Body Wash

Skin White Whitening Body Wash from Sample Room

Shortly after The Cream Factory bid adieu, I found its replacement in one of Sample Room's features.

I am a self-confessed bar soap hoarder and have just become a body wash convert this year. Finding a back-up was fairly easy and this not-so little game player seems promising. I've also noticed that some brands have jumped into the body wash bandwagon. 

For a 200 ml bottle, it's very affordable at Php 99. That's like the amount of two bar soaps and this bottle can surely  last for more than a month! For someone who enjoys fresh showers in the morning to start the day right, I find the scent a bit too overwhelming and the sweet fragrance just fills the whole bathroom. 

It is gentle on the skin though and I like that there is no need to apply lotion afterward. It has a gentle cleansing effect and it also softens my skin. I'm not quite sure about gauging its moisturizing effect but I do like that the formulation is not as runny. It lathers very well and does not leave any residue.

As for whitening, I'm not exactly keen on its whitening properties and I don't see any visible effects, not my primary goal is to whiten my skin with this wash. So I think this is a good cleansing wash but not necessarily a whitening wash especially if you want to have two tones lighter. 

I find that this is a fair body wash in general and can last a long time with regulated use giving you good money's worth. I believe this is the brand's first in the market and have high hopes that it will work well with its body lotions.

Have you tried this one too? What are your thoughts? Have a good weekend!