Coming May 2015: SkinMatters.com.ph website for all your skin concerns

This is a heads-up for those who love to google all things about skincare.

Starting May 1, 2015, a brand new local website totally dedicated to everything you’d want to know about skin will launch and it will have not only solutions for skin concerns but lots of how-tos and product recommendations. This is SkinMatters.com.ph.

Created in collaboration with Unilever, the Philippine Dermatological Society and an editorial team of skin care experts and writers headed by Editor-in-Chief Nicole Romero, SkinMatters.com.ph is a site for men and women. Why was it even created? Apparently, according to Google Trends, a significant number of online searches have to do with skin. Mian Datu-David, Unilever Philippines’ Marketing Director for Skin told us at the event “…we saw a need for knowledge and expertise on skin care that is readily available online…We wanted to give our consumers a comprehensive site where they could find the solutions to their skin concerns.”

Here are some photos to give you an idea of the content of SkinMatters.com.ph.

This is the home page.

Continue reading “Coming May 2015: SkinMatters.com.ph website for all your skin concerns”

Beautiful Hair Reborn with Cream Silk

I am not someone who watches a lot of TV so I have not really seen Heart Evangelista in a while. Oh, I’ve seen her before and thought she was quite the beautiful chinita. But did you check out the latest Cream Silk TVC with her in it? I remember admiring her long hair whenever I’d spot her on teleseryes before but now that she’s more mature, the way she carries her hair in this TVC really suits her!

Well, if you have not seen the TVC, watch it here and see just what Cream Silk’s effect is on Heart’s lovely locks.

I want you to try the same Cream Silk hair care given to Heart’s hair. Thanks to Unilever, I will be able to give away two (2) gift packs worth P1,000 each to two lucky winners. Whoever joins must be capable of picking up the prize in Makati City personally or through a representative.

Here are the mechanics on Rafflecopter. Giveaway ends March 6, 2013, 11:59 PM.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Magnum Ice Cream indulgence is in town!

I was about to start this post with a description of the ice cream being launched but last night, as I was typing away, my older son came into the room. He saw the press kit beside me with an M logo on the front and he immediately exclaimed, “Hey, Magnum!” That was when I remembered why this brand of ice cream sounded familiar.

Two years ago. My son and some of his schoolmates had just come home from several weeks in China on a school-sponsored overseas program. Over the next few days, as he continued regaling us with stories of their adventures, one thing stood out. He and his friends had discovered a favorite comfort food during those days away from family and school – Magnum Ice Cream.

Of course, it was natural for me to be excited when the recent event I was invited to turned out to be the launch of this very brand in the Philippines!

The newly launched Magnum Ice Cream is a smooth and creamy ice cream bar coated with a thick layer of Belgian chocolate. It comes in 3 variants – Classic, Almond and Truffle. Belgian chocolate is one of the best worldwide. All other chocolates are usually measured against this gourmet standard. When you hear of a Belgian chocolatier, you know that person adheres to traditional techniques and uses the best quality ingredients. Most expensive and luxurious chocolates in the market use Belgian chocolate.

What is an ice cream launch without a taste test? Of course, everyone got a chance to try out all the Magnum Ice Cream variants. I did not have room in my tummy for them all so I just chose Almond.

Here we go…
Lots of almonds! Yum, yum, yum…

You can tell when an ice cream bar’s chocolate layer is well made. When you bite into it, the chocolate covering does not crumble all over, dripping you with chocolate and vanilla goo all over. Instead, you hear what they call the signature crack. A piece of Belgian chocolate enters your mouth first, followed by a smooth and creamy vanilla ice cream filling. That’s exactly how I describe my first Magnum experience.

Maybe you’re thinking that because it has Belgian chocolate, it is expensive. Surprise, surprise. Each ice cream bar will only cost PhP 50! And it will be distributed in supermarkets and retail stores, including 7-Eleven.

The 3 Magnum variants being introduced

Magnum Ice Cream is a collaborative effort between Unilever (Magnum is its biggest global brand) and RFM, the company behind the Selecta ice cream brand. RFM and Unilever said that they really worked hard to make this brand available to everyone at an affordable price. I found out that it’s very popular in European and Asian countries where it has a presence. Known Hollywood celebrities have endorsed it such as Eva Longoria, Eva Mendes, Ivanka Trump and Rachel Bilson. At the launch, we were introduced to Magnum’s local brand ambassadors that include Liz Uy, Solenn Heusaff (endorser), Rajo Laurel, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Erwan Heusaff and Raymond Gutierrez.

Some of Magnum’s brand ambassadors

My son and his friends will probably be some of the happiest boys now that their favorite comfort food in China is available locally. And those of you have have tried Magnum during your trips abroad can now have it any time you want without having to go out of the country.

As for me, I am looking forward this weekend to trying the Classic and Truffle variants in my freezer before deciding which one is my favorite flavor.

The Sandwich Heroes Project of the World Food Programme and Unilever

I was one of several who gathered at the Cilantro Kitchen of Unilever last October 24 for a blogger event for a cause.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme and Unilever people were there to present to us their project that will involve feeding about 40,000 children in Mindanao via the Sandwich Heroes project. This project would also involve several food establishments which would contribute to the project with every sandwich bought at their establishments.

As a mother, I know how important it is for good nutrition for babies (even the unborn). During my pregnancies, I stopped taking coffee, watched what I ate, and regularly took in the vitamin supplements prescribed by my OB-Gyne. I knew that poor development and growth even in the womb would be irreversible.

Malnutrition in children can lead to permanent damage. Some of these are: impaired brain development, skinnier children, stunted growth and weaker immune systems. If you regularly watch episodes on TV Patrol, Bantay Bata 163, and other public service shows, you will notice that the poor people more often have children with medical conditions not seen in those who are wealthier.

World Food Day was just recently celebrated globally (Oct. 16 every year) so it was appropriate that this event was also the launch of a project that addressed food security.

We learned more about hunger, in the Philippines and worldwide during this gathering. Did you know that –

  • Worldwide, it is estimated that 925 million people will suffer chronic hunger in 2011 (according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). About 12 million of these people live in the Philippines.
  • One-third of children who die annually die of malnutrition.
  • One in 7 people worldwide go to bed hungry every night. One out of every 9 children in the Philippines go hungry.
  • About 1 in 4 children under 5 years of age in the developing world is underweight.
  • Hunger kills more people than TB, HIV and malaria PUT TOGETHER!

Two slides shown us prove the devastating effects of malnutrition in children.

Watch this video from the World Bank for more statistics.

The partnership between Unilever and the World Food Programme aims to bring Unilever’s reach beyond the chef’s kitchen and bring hope to hungry children in Mindanao via Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan.

Every sandwich purchased from participating food outlets serves to make a contribution from you towards the Sandwich Heroes project. The establishments participating in these are:

Biggs’ Diner
Cibo
The Coffee Experience
CoffeeBreak
Figaro
HotShots
JD Bakeshop
KFC
Mushroomburger
The Flying Pig
Holy Cow!
The Sandwich Guy
Wham! Burgers

At the event, Unilever laid out a wide array of sandwich ingredients from different kinds of breads to vegetables, dressings, cheeses, meats, spices, sauces and so much more. As I made my own personal sandwich which I called “Sinfully Healthy” (made of whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, blue cheese dressing, cheese square, chicken strips personally cooked by me), I kept thinking how luck I was to have this option of making my own sandwich tailor-fitted to my preferences. So many children did not even have the option to eat any kind of sandwich.

My “Sinfully Healthy” sandwich

WFP has also launched a Facebook page to keep us updated on their food program efforts. To join, please click HERE.

When Sandwich Heroes launches, please bring your family and friends to any of the establishments above, knowing that while you are eating, you are also helping towards feeding the children of Mindanao. Be a hero. A SANDWICH HERO!

Clear’s Total 3 Scalp Care Line

I have been buying Clear shampoo for my boys for some time now. They love the Cool Sport Menthol variant. This was an additional incentive for me to go and attend Clear’s event recently at Midas Hotel. Curious me wanted to find out why my boys would specifically ask me to buy this brand over others they’ve tried.

Midas Hotel (which, I found out later, was a renovated Hyatt Regency Hotel) sported a unique, yuppie kind of look at the lobby, with a grand piano on a raised dais and modern glass and orange-accented decor
Midas Hotel lobby
Entrance to Midas Hotel
I was ushered by receptionists to an escalator and took an express ride all the way to the penthouse of the hotel. Good thing I had just washed my hair because it would have been totally embarrassing. I found out, upon reaching the penthouse, that like everyone else there, I was going to have a… SCALP TEST!
A hair analyzing probe was rolled over a portion of my scalp. Thankfully, I had no dandruff and no sebum (the oily substance secreted which, if in excess, can cause very oily hair and odor if bacteria feeds on it. But because of other hair concerns like dryness and hairfall, my overall score was an acceptable 70%.
My scalp test score – 70%!

After some canapes and cocktails, we were led into the main area to wait for the program to begin. Fortunately, we got a good place in the front of the stage with no cameras blocking our view.

Borgy Manotoc and Bianca Valerio were the hosts for the event and we all had such a good time listening to them because they were very casual, joked around a lot and were simply entertaining.
Borgy Manotoc and Bianca Valerio hosted the event
Clear’s brand ambassadors, Piolo Pascual and Bea Alonzo, were introduced. Finally, I got to set my eyes on dreamy Piolo and really admired how utterly straight and beautiful Bea’s hair was!
But on to the real VIPs of the day — the Clear Total 3 line of scalp care. Here’s the total line.
DID YOU KNOW…?

– that dandruff is primarily a fungal disease caused by Malasezzia?
– that we all have Malasezzia and when our scalp is unhealthy, the fungi could take over and cause flakes to appear?
– that our scalp is just like our normal skin except that it has more hair follicles, more sebum, more nerves and a lot of Malasezzia?
– that scalp damage can be caused by harsh shampoos, microbes, stress and poor diet habits?
– that dandruff is worse in cold season than in the summer?
– women’s scalps are tougher than men’s but get easily damaged due to more frequent styling and is prone to hairfall
– men’s scalps are weaker, have more sebum than women’s and so are more prone to dandruff?
With extensive research, the people behind Clear incorporated two nutrients into their Total 3 scalp care products that do not just wash away flakes from the surface of the scalp but penetrate deep down — to be exact, 3 layers down into the scalp — to give:
1. No Dandruff
2. No Dryness
3. Less Hair Fall
These nutrients are Nutrium 10 for women and Pro-Nutrium 10 for men. There are 10 vitamins and mineral nutrients inside Nutrium 10. And in Pro-Nutrium 10, there are two powerful anti-dandruff actives: Zinc Pyrithione and Climbazole. 
WHICH CLEAR VARIANT IS FOR YOU?

Unisex/Women (4 variants)
Complete Soft Care 2 in 1 – for all scalp and hair types; transforms hair from dry to soft and shiny
Ice Cool Menthol – for all scalp and hair types; refreshes and revives scalp and hair with a burst of menthol freshness
Dry Scalp & Itch Control – for dry, itchy scalp
Anti-Hair Fall – for weakened scalp and hair’ strengthens hair from roots to tips and increases hair’s defense against hair fall
Men (3 variants)
Cool Sport Menthol – for all scalp and hair types; the ultimate anti-dandruff refreshment
Anti-Hair Fall – for weakened hair fiber; strengthens hair and defends against hair fall
Cooling Itch Control – for dry, itchy scalp
I’ve seen Clear in action already. Right after the event, I gave the Cooling Itch Control variant for men to one of my boys who was showing signs of dandruff from another brand’s shampoo (it was something I picked off the shelf randomly but which turned out very ineffective). It hasn’t even been a month yet since he started his regimen on Clear but last time I looked, his dandruff was gone. Yay!
I’m excited to try the variant for hair fall. With my super long hair now, I need to make sure I keep the roots really strong and the tips soft.
Thanks to Unilever’s Clear team and to Bridges for this event.