Thursday, February 12, 2009
Unarosa News
See Unarosa's latest collection at their SM Mall branches - SM Megamall and The Block SM North Edsa!
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Hygiene is In!
I've always been wary of using make-up and skin care samples from cosmetic counters. The idea of testing something that so many other people have used just grosses me out. That's why I love the Shiseido store near our place because they are just so liberal with their samples that are packaged in such cute little containers that I can bring home. No shared pots, compacts, lipstick tubes or whatever. I usually buy one thing, and I get a bagful of samples enough to last me weeks! I'm also amazed at how Sephora here is so generous with their throw-away make-up applicators, removers and tissues. These are just on stand-by ready to be used, without having to ask a sales associate for a single-use sponge, mascara wand or eyeshadow applicator.
Turns out it pays to err on the side of paranoia. Especially since testers and make-up counters harbor germs - "from the type of staph bacteria found on doorknobs to E. coli, a fecal bacteria transmitted via contaminated hands", according to an article by Wendy Korn for prevention.com. Eeeww!
So, how do we make sure we do not get the short end of the (lip)stick when we're out to stock up on make-up and skin care supplies? Here are some tips and reminders from make-up hygiene advocate Sydney Go...
1. Remember, you can get warts, skin irritations, herpes, or eye infections from contaminated make-up.
2. Samples in cosmetic counters are generally safe to use if ALL consumers use disposable sponges/brushes. If someone uses the sponge with the powder, and you use the same powder with a different sponge, it's still not that safe. But if from the beginning, the beauty associate uses new sponges, then definitely it lessens the chances of contamination.
WIth other cosmetic applicators, keep this in mind:
- With mascara brush, NO disposable brush or even the same tube brush should be pumped TWICE into the tube. If you need to pump again, use another disposable brush.
- With lipstick, it's better to use a lip brush (than swipe it directly on your lips), we don't know if a previous user has herpes (which btw, if one has it, it dies down but sometimes it can erupt again).
- With lipglosses, it's the same idea as liptsicks.
- It is safest NOT to share your cosmetics with other people.
3. For makeovers, check with the make-up artist if they have their own set of makeup brush tools which should at least be cleaned with a cosmetic brush cleaner (every week for general cleaning. every after use for sanitation).
4. Be aware that there are some cosmetic counters/spas who reuse make up sponges/facial sponges/applicators. We as customers should be more active in demanding single-use sponges and applicators. According to Sydney, "Some brands say --the consumers don't ask for it, so they don't give new ones. It's a sad state."
4. To stress further, be sure to be active in demanding for what you deserve especially if the brand you're buying is not cheap and they can surely afford to give you a clean sponge, etc. For salons and spas, there are other items which may be reused. It's best to be vigilant and finicky about the items used on you especially the ones used closest to your skin and face and other body parts. Make sure the machines, equipment etc are sterilized to kill the bad bacteria.
Oh, and since we are on the subject of hygiene, here's a latest discovery - the Sevà Mat and Towel Refresher that is perfect for gym rats, boxing enthusiasts and yoga (especially bikram yoga) addicts!
This refresher spray was created to be applied onto mats, towels and clothing that are often soaked by heavy sweating (just what I needed when I was doing Bikram yoga, my yoga mat had to be air dried after each use because I would drip buckets of sweat and the towel on top always got soaked through!). Hygienic, environment-friendly and non-toxic, it is safe to spray on children's clothing, an exercise towel, or even your kitchen towel. Not only does this refresher spray kill unwanted dirt and bacteria, its squeaky clean lemon scent gives off a freshly laundered smell.
To use: Just spray on the area you want, and leave it to air dry after each washing. You may spray on mats and towels before and after each use. For clothing, spray before wearing clothes for your daily exercise.
Available for Php350 per bottle at:
Aura Athletica Power Plant Mall
Certified Calm at Shangri-la Plaza,
Pulse Yoga Greenhills (02) 721 7900
Pulse Yoga Makati (02) 468 4165.
For those abroad interested in getting the Seva Mat & Towel refresher, you may email Sydney at snr_ent@pldtdsl.net to inquire about shipping costs to your country.
Turns out it pays to err on the side of paranoia. Especially since testers and make-up counters harbor germs - "from the type of staph bacteria found on doorknobs to E. coli, a fecal bacteria transmitted via contaminated hands", according to an article by Wendy Korn for prevention.com. Eeeww!
So, how do we make sure we do not get the short end of the (lip)stick when we're out to stock up on make-up and skin care supplies? Here are some tips and reminders from make-up hygiene advocate Sydney Go...
1. Remember, you can get warts, skin irritations, herpes, or eye infections from contaminated make-up.
2. Samples in cosmetic counters are generally safe to use if ALL consumers use disposable sponges/brushes. If someone uses the sponge with the powder, and you use the same powder with a different sponge, it's still not that safe. But if from the beginning, the beauty associate uses new sponges, then definitely it lessens the chances of contamination.
WIth other cosmetic applicators, keep this in mind:
- With mascara brush, NO disposable brush or even the same tube brush should be pumped TWICE into the tube. If you need to pump again, use another disposable brush.
- With lipstick, it's better to use a lip brush (than swipe it directly on your lips), we don't know if a previous user has herpes (which btw, if one has it, it dies down but sometimes it can erupt again).
- With lipglosses, it's the same idea as liptsicks.
- It is safest NOT to share your cosmetics with other people.
3. For makeovers, check with the make-up artist if they have their own set of makeup brush tools which should at least be cleaned with a cosmetic brush cleaner (every week for general cleaning. every after use for sanitation).
4. Be aware that there are some cosmetic counters/spas who reuse make up sponges/facial sponges/applicators. We as customers should be more active in demanding single-use sponges and applicators. According to Sydney, "Some brands say --the consumers don't ask for it, so they don't give new ones. It's a sad state."
4. To stress further, be sure to be active in demanding for what you deserve especially if the brand you're buying is not cheap and they can surely afford to give you a clean sponge, etc. For salons and spas, there are other items which may be reused. It's best to be vigilant and finicky about the items used on you especially the ones used closest to your skin and face and other body parts. Make sure the machines, equipment etc are sterilized to kill the bad bacteria.
Oh, and since we are on the subject of hygiene, here's a latest discovery - the Sevà Mat and Towel Refresher that is perfect for gym rats, boxing enthusiasts and yoga (especially bikram yoga) addicts!
This refresher spray was created to be applied onto mats, towels and clothing that are often soaked by heavy sweating (just what I needed when I was doing Bikram yoga, my yoga mat had to be air dried after each use because I would drip buckets of sweat and the towel on top always got soaked through!). Hygienic, environment-friendly and non-toxic, it is safe to spray on children's clothing, an exercise towel, or even your kitchen towel. Not only does this refresher spray kill unwanted dirt and bacteria, its squeaky clean lemon scent gives off a freshly laundered smell.
To use: Just spray on the area you want, and leave it to air dry after each washing. You may spray on mats and towels before and after each use. For clothing, spray before wearing clothes for your daily exercise.
Available for Php350 per bottle at:
Aura Athletica Power Plant Mall
Certified Calm at Shangri-la Plaza,
Pulse Yoga Greenhills (02) 721 7900
Pulse Yoga Makati (02) 468 4165.
For those abroad interested in getting the Seva Mat & Towel refresher, you may email Sydney at snr_ent@pldtdsl.net to inquire about shipping costs to your country.
Caveat Emptor + A Lesson in Customer Service
Filipinos are a very patient lot. We don't raise a fuss even when we are wronged. We always try to avoid a confrontation if we can help it. Sometimes, we just let things go to avoid the hassle. But I think we should all learn to speak up and say our piece when we feel we are not getting the fair end of the deal. One thing I appreciate about buying items in the US is the reasonable return policy. If you find something wrong with the product, whether it's not the right size, it didn't look the way it did on the website, or even if you are just simply not happy with it, they'll take it back no questions asked as long as the product is unused and is in its original packaging with the tags and all. If you need to replace a crappy item, they'll give you a new one, no prob! If you want a refund, fine! Here, the customer is king, and they will do anything to please the customer, just so he/she will go back to buy more, and hey, maybe even spread the word about their product and service. Which makes business sense. A happy customer is a customer for a lifetime. Not only that, happy customer's family and friends will be customers for a lifetime too. Just imagine the multiplier effect on business revenues generated from a single customer! One doesn't have to go to graduate business school to realize that!
So when a friend, who is based in Manila, bought a phone from an authorized brand distributor in a mall (not from the tiangge because she wanted the assurance of quality) and paid a huge sum of money for a brand spanking new unit, and she realized she did not get a brand new unit at all, she immediately asked for a replacement. But when she found out that the remaining units in the store had either messages or photos in it, she got really riled up. She was paying for a brand new unit and she wanted a new, unused phone given the amount of money she was parting with. She sought help from the brand executives and after the latter made arrangements to send her a brand new unit, was told that the distributor would be handling the incident from thereon.
While my friend was lucky to have access to the higher-ups and was immediately sent a brand new unit, I can't help but wonder how ordinary people who have no connections would deal with this issue if they had no guts or means to complain? What is more disconcerting is that an authorized retailer would sell phones that were either test units or have been used (however slightly) without advising the customer beforehand. A little transparency would never hurt. If the customer was willing to wait a day or so for a brand new unit, then it is still an item sold, even if it was not sold right that moment.
When my friend followed up on the status of the incident, as she felt those concerned were being mum on the incident, she was told that erring staff had been suspended. Of course, it annoyed her that she had to follow up herself and was not given updates on how the investigation was progressing. According to her, she did not get the explanation she wanted.
Now here's a lesson on customer service that I think we as customers should expect, and that we as retailers/marketers/service providers should keep in mind to keep everyone happy. As long as we are all happily buying and selling, we will keep the market churning!
In this scenario, I think that when a retailer is faced with a customer complaint, they should immediately get down to the bottom of this and give the unsatisfied customer an explanation as to how and why the incident happened. If it will take a while to investigate, then at least provide constant updates just to assure the customer that the matter has your attention. Keeping silent will just raise the suspicion of the customer. If the salespeople in the store screwed up, then apologize. If President Obama was humble enough to say "I screwed up" when his appointees Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer quit, then I hope we all learn to summon the integrity to own up to our faults as well. We are all human and we do not always have control over things. Customers easily forgive once they understand that the company/retailer is sincere in addressing their concern. What really matters is we face our problems and issues head on and not just hope for it disappear. I think this kind of mindset is what ails us a people. We somehow think a cosmetic cover up will erase the underlying issue.
Which reminds me a lot about our country's politics. But oh well, this is a fashion blog! I'd rather keep things light and breezy for now!
So when a friend, who is based in Manila, bought a phone from an authorized brand distributor in a mall (not from the tiangge because she wanted the assurance of quality) and paid a huge sum of money for a brand spanking new unit, and she realized she did not get a brand new unit at all, she immediately asked for a replacement. But when she found out that the remaining units in the store had either messages or photos in it, she got really riled up. She was paying for a brand new unit and she wanted a new, unused phone given the amount of money she was parting with. She sought help from the brand executives and after the latter made arrangements to send her a brand new unit, was told that the distributor would be handling the incident from thereon.
While my friend was lucky to have access to the higher-ups and was immediately sent a brand new unit, I can't help but wonder how ordinary people who have no connections would deal with this issue if they had no guts or means to complain? What is more disconcerting is that an authorized retailer would sell phones that were either test units or have been used (however slightly) without advising the customer beforehand. A little transparency would never hurt. If the customer was willing to wait a day or so for a brand new unit, then it is still an item sold, even if it was not sold right that moment.
When my friend followed up on the status of the incident, as she felt those concerned were being mum on the incident, she was told that erring staff had been suspended. Of course, it annoyed her that she had to follow up herself and was not given updates on how the investigation was progressing. According to her, she did not get the explanation she wanted.
Now here's a lesson on customer service that I think we as customers should expect, and that we as retailers/marketers/service providers should keep in mind to keep everyone happy. As long as we are all happily buying and selling, we will keep the market churning!
In this scenario, I think that when a retailer is faced with a customer complaint, they should immediately get down to the bottom of this and give the unsatisfied customer an explanation as to how and why the incident happened. If it will take a while to investigate, then at least provide constant updates just to assure the customer that the matter has your attention. Keeping silent will just raise the suspicion of the customer. If the salespeople in the store screwed up, then apologize. If President Obama was humble enough to say "I screwed up" when his appointees Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer quit, then I hope we all learn to summon the integrity to own up to our faults as well. We are all human and we do not always have control over things. Customers easily forgive once they understand that the company/retailer is sincere in addressing their concern. What really matters is we face our problems and issues head on and not just hope for it disappear. I think this kind of mindset is what ails us a people. We somehow think a cosmetic cover up will erase the underlying issue.
Which reminds me a lot about our country's politics. But oh well, this is a fashion blog! I'd rather keep things light and breezy for now!
February 13, 2009: Tresorie Pre-Valentine Sale + Hobbes & Landes Sale!
It's Tresorie's Pre-Valentine's Day Special Sale on Friday, February 13 at 12:00pm!
All designer bags in the store will be priced 25% off (for cash and check payments). Brands on sale include Prada, Goyard, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes. Get special discounts on D! Luxe Accessories and 8 & a Half Clothing as well!
Check out the sale at Tresorie, 2/F Doña Consolacion Bldg., Jupiter Street, Bel-Air Makati.
Oh, and mark your calendar for the Hobbes & Landes Sale too!
Friday, February 06, 2009
Fat Witch
Nothing makes me happier these days than eating eating eating!!!
Look at the pleased look on my face as Dear Hubby, the Little One and I waited for the bus for a day out in Chelsea Market!
This is what the Little One and I had for "breakfast"!!! A Fat Witch Brownie! We were there at Chelsea Market for brunch but I just couldn't resist sneaking in a little something something...
Love the sticker at the back! I can imagine a witch tempting me with this moist and scrumptious delight! Great idea to call me pretty too! Appeals to my vanity! Hihihi!
We had brunch at 202 with Dear Hubby's Harvard friends and we stayed well until 4 pm just chatting and enjoying the food and company! Great thing they didn't kick us out! Hahaha!
This is what I wore underneath that puffer jacket!
Turtleneck sweater: Uniqlo
Dress: H&M
Belt: from my friend Mariane's mom!
Tights: Topshop Maternity
Boots: Lanvin
My boots boots baby!
Look at the pleased look on my face as Dear Hubby, the Little One and I waited for the bus for a day out in Chelsea Market!
This is what the Little One and I had for "breakfast"!!! A Fat Witch Brownie! We were there at Chelsea Market for brunch but I just couldn't resist sneaking in a little something something...
Love the sticker at the back! I can imagine a witch tempting me with this moist and scrumptious delight! Great idea to call me pretty too! Appeals to my vanity! Hihihi!
We had brunch at 202 with Dear Hubby's Harvard friends and we stayed well until 4 pm just chatting and enjoying the food and company! Great thing they didn't kick us out! Hahaha!
This is what I wore underneath that puffer jacket!
Turtleneck sweater: Uniqlo
Dress: H&M
Belt: from my friend Mariane's mom!
Tights: Topshop Maternity
Boots: Lanvin
My boots boots baby!
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