Shopping at Multiply: Vanilla & Co.

I’m not a big fan of scented lotions or bath and body stuff in general. Besides being a little allergic to strong perfumes (they make me sneeze), I think people shouldn’t try to mask their natural scent with artificial ones. It looks like the sweet offerings from Vanilla and Co. might make me change my mind about that, though. This small, homegrown company specializes in in unique skin care products made out of nothing but natural ingredients. But what really grabbed my attention was the fact that their products don’t smell like a cloying flower garden. Instead, their lotions and body scrubs carry the mouthwatering scents of chocolate, coffee, glazed donuts, coconut, and other sweet treats. Who wouldn’t want to smell like a coffee shop or a candy store all day? And I’m not exaggerating the “all day” part - the scent and the baby softness of your skin doesn’t go away even after you wash your hands.

The best part about Vanilla & Co. is that unlike most bath and body stuff, their products won’t drain money out of your wallet. A 150 ml bottle of their hand and body lotion costs only Php 150; the 300 ml bottle goes for Php 280.

For their full product catalog and ordering information, visit the Vanilla & Co. website.

Artistry Colour Make-up

They say the Filipina spend an average of 90 billion pesos per year on cosmetic products. In the recent years, I am probably one of these women who spend on cosmetic products. I never needed to use makeup in my youth or even up to my early forties. But guess what? Even if I am a prime time woman, why not age gracefully? Inside and out.

What about the younger Filipina? In an era where the concept of female attractiveness is judged according to the color of your eyeshadow or the gloss of your lipstick, is it still possible to celebrate natural beauty without being cynical towards make-up and cosmetics?

This is the vision that constitutes the DNA of Artistry Colour, a make-up brand that is anchored on science, driven by technology and guided by insight. A global leader in the prestige of make-up industry, Artistry Colour is a straightforward brand that enhances the unique and natural beauty of every woman and offers no false promises, just honest beauty.

“Make-up is not meant to create the illusion that women are gorgeous, but to bring out their inherent and distinct beauty. They are not supposed to function as masks, but to bring out what’s already there,” says May Samson, product marketer for Artistry.

Artistry Colour features a wide-ranging selection of modern, versatile and wearable shades that do not only enhance the beauty of the face, but also protects and cares for the skin.

I first experienced Artistry in the mid-nineties while I was in the USA. My sister who was then into Amway introduced me to their line of cosmetic products. For many years while checking out Amway as an alternative source of income, I used their skin care line until I gave up on Amway. I even thought Amway died. But Artistry Colour and Amway is still very much around in the Philippines.

You might ask, what are the possibilities of Artistry Colour?

Artistry Flawless Coverage Powder Foundation
Artistry Colour’s promise starts with its foundation line. While most women skip this step because they can’t find the right color to match their skin tone or it feels chalky and heavy on the face, Artistry Colour came up with four formula options to provide a no-sweat foundation selection. One of these is the Flawless Coverage Powder Foundation. It evens skin tone, minimizes the appearance of pores, and conceals skin imperfections for a natural, flawless looking coverage. This product also contains Matte 150 Complex that prevents shine and smudging. Artistry Oxishield Solar Complex with SPF 10 protects the skin from sun damage while Vitamin E nourishes and fights free radical damage.

Eye Shadows

For many centuries, poets have said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. They are the first things that people notice and Artistry Colour makes it easy to mesmerize, tantalize, and hypnotize – all with your eyes.

Artistry’s Eye Colour has a velvety and smooth texture that makes it easy to apply and blend. Micronized pigment technology allows it to exude the purest colors that last for hours. Vitamin A and powerful oxidant Vitamin E also protects the delicate skin in the eyelid.

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Moringa from The Body Shop

If you’re not the type of person to eat vegetables, why not lather yourself in it? I discovered the latest product line from The Body Shop during the product launch of Lipton Milk Tea. Oh my, I moisturized my hands with Moringa Body Butter and the jasmine aroma is soothing. The Body Shop cold presses the Moringa Oil from hand harvested kernels so they do not loose any of the protecting moisturizing goodness. But what is Moringa anyway? In our local dialect, it’s called malunggay.

Moringa leaves are the richest sources of essential nutrients often lacking in people’s diets. In fact, when I was breast feeding, my relatives urged me to drink malunggay soup to add more nourishment to my body. Besides the leaves, the Moringa tree has many everyday uses. India’s ayurvedic medicine uses every part of the Moringa tree and considers it one of the most valuable and useful plants.

There’s a special going on right now. A set of Moringa Shower Gel, Moringa Body Butter, Moringa Soap, Moringa Scrub and sponge costs PHP 1,308 pesos and 10% off on individual Moringa products.

Products with Moringa are:

Moringa Body Scrub - A gentle exfoliating scrub for radiant looking skin, subtly scented with a delicate, floral fragrance. Cleanses and removes dead skin cells, to leave skin feeling soft, smooth and better prepared to absorb the next layer of moisture.

Moringa Shower Gel - A soap-free cleansing gel that lathers to leave your skin feeling clean, refreshed and subtly scented with a delicate floral fragrance.

Moringa Body Butter - An intensive, creamy all-over body moisturizer with a delicate floral fragrance. Absorbs into the skin easily to condition, soften and strengthen the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Provides moisturization that lasts up to 24 hours.

Moringa Milk Body Lotion - A light, easily absorbed moisturizer that instantly conditions and hydrates the skin. Leaves skin scented with a delicate, floral fragrance. Provides moisturization that lasts for up to 12 hours.

Moringa Soap - A creamy soap that lathers to leave skin feeling clean, refreshed and subtly scented with a delicate floral fragrance.