Water is very important in our lives, it is our basic necessity. There's a phrase that says “We cannot live without Water.” Yes indeed we cannot live without water and it is said that we can only live in 3 to 5 days without water. See how life assuring water is!

Years ago, I have encountered some of the Purifiers available in the market and some of them just knocks at your doorstep and tries to demonstrate their products, some of them can be seen at the mall at the appliance center. The problem with it, is that these purifiers are too pricey and too bulky, worst we cannot afford one of these. Though there are some purifiers came out and offered for an installment plan, still most of us Filipinos cannot afford one.

Recently, Unilever introduced one of their products for a safer drinking water. The product is called PUREIT. It is the largest selling brand of in-home water purifiers in the world, starting with the Excella, a non-electric water purifier that converts tap water and even untreated water into guaranteed clean and safe drinking water.

Pureit Excella is the only non-eletric water purifier that meets the microbiological safety norms criteria of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the regulatory body with the most stringent standards for safe drinking water all over the world.


Last April, Unilever's unveiled this product as on of its newest brand. The aim of having Pureit here in the Philippines is to provide safe access to safe and affordable drinking water to millions of people. Unilever technical experts across global research centers in the United Kingdom and India worked with technology partners, government bodies, and scientific and public health institutions to develop Pureit – an effective and affordable solution that provides access to safe, clean drinking water.

During the launch, one of the explanations says that the Department of Health reveals that waterborne diseases remain a severe public health concern with about 4,200 deaths and 770,000 cases of illness each year from water borne diseases. After some few explanations they demonstrated how the apparatus works and one of the sample water that will be treated by Pureit was a yellowish-colored water. It took quite some time before the cleaned water came out and I can say that it was indeed clean and safe for drinking.

Before sharing about my experience with Pureit I'll share first the state-of-the-art purification technology of this apparatus.

The first level of purification consists of three simple yet valuable layers of protection where water initially passes through the Germkill Processor that disinfects the water of almost all bacteria, viruses and germs. Next, it passes through the Advanced Microfiber Mesh that filters out precipitates such as visible and invisible dust and dirt particles, as well as metallic impurities. Lastly, the Carbon Polisher removes pesticides, chlorine, and odor from the water, before it goes to the second level of purification.

The second level purification is performed by the Micro-charged Membrane, which further purifies the water by removing any remaining parasites or bacteria – assuring families of protection against diseases. The en product is clear, fresh, and natural-tasting water that's free from harmful agents.

Okay now that you've known how the treatment goes now my experience with Pureit is next.

We usually buy a container of mineral water that lasts for about 3 to 4 days amounting to P25. That's included in our expenses, plus I have 3 years old that need to have distilled water which is another expenses. So basically we're spending around Php800 to Php1,000 a month just for water. Imagine that!

So when this Pureit came into house, I am so glad that my expenses for water alone was cut down. No more hassle of buying and carrying distilled water for the kids and waiting for the delivery boy to come to our house.

Installing and assembling this Pureit is very much simple, the manual was instructive enough to let everyone put this Pureit together. Just make sure to set it up in a flat surface to make all the fittings fit together. The box contains four big fragments that you need to put together plus the small Micro-charged Membrane that you need to install in of the fragments. It is just simple like that and thankfully that hubby knows very much when it comes to installing things like this.

At the start and as advice from Unilever Pureit team the first two to three fill of water may be smelly with a bit of taste. So my hubby did let the water get filtered two times, unfortunately it still got a bit of smell and taste so he continued to one more filtering and viola, the taste and smell were off. So to make sure I advise that you filter and change the water 3 times before using the unit.

The filtering process of the Pureit takes time before the cleaned water pour down on its container. So you shouldn't worry that it is not working. Patience my dear friend is needed here and with that you'll reap a natural tasting water.

Just an advice, since the water container is made of plastic make sure not to let the water settle for more than 12 hours to avoid having the water taste like boiled from wood. Or to be sure place it in a container and store inside the refrigerator for those who want cool water.

So mommies, buy now your Pureit Excella at Abenson, Anson or even in Landmark, it is a state of the art technology but affordable and quality purifier for just P4999.

If you have Pureit Excella, do share here your experiences about the product.

We all know that the crowning glory of a lady is her hair and keeping it beautifully long is a big problem for us girls and I'm pretty much sure this girls feels the same way too before she becomes their endorser.  Yes, Palmolive Naturals got a new product and of a new endorser as well. 

As most women makes their hair long, the more it is prone to damages and as a Filipinas we are all known for having beautiful long hairs.  With the revelation of the benchmark of perfect tresses which is long and beautiful  makes every one wondered about who and what does Palmolive Naturals brings to us. 



Palmolive Naturals launches their newest product, the Palmolive Naturals Beautifully Long Shampoo and Conditioner and launching also Julia Barretto as their Beautifully Long Hair endorser.



It did not come as a surprise that when Palmolive Naturals was looking for a new face for the variant, they quickly turned to Julia Barretto. Calling herself a Palmolive baby, the all grown-up Julia who has been with the brand since 2008 for Palmolive Naturals Fashion Girl, now comes off as the endorser for its newest product.



According to Julia “This is the shampoo brand that I trust and I’ve grown up with. I started out with them when I was only 10, and now that I’ve come of age, with a new outlook, a new style perspective, and with longer, more beautiful hair, I’m just so thrilled and really pleased that Palmolive Naturals sees me fit to be the new endorser of their Beautifully Long Shampoo and Conditioner.”


So what does this new Palmolive Naturals product makes hair long and beautiful? Palmolive Naturals Beautifully Long is infused with Pro Vitamin B5 and 100% natural Ceramides extracts. Its formula helps protect long hair from damage, right from the roots to down to its end.

Edmond Santos, Associate Marketing Director for Personal Care and Home Care, shares that "The longer you grow your hair, the more susceptible it becomes to damage like split ends." He further explains that "Palmolive Naturals helps address this common hair dilemma by launching the Beautifully Long variant, which is specifically targeted at women who love to have their hair long, and want to keep it beautiful and nourished from the roots to its tips."


It seems that we will be seeing more ladies and women wearing beautifully long hairs as more and more will regularly use Palmolive Naturals Beautifully Long Shampoo and Conditioner.


Palmolive Naturals Beautifully Long Shampoo comes in 180 mL bottle and 14 mL sachet, while the Conditioner comes in 180 mL tube and 14 mL sachet.

Want to know more about Palmolive Naturals Beautifully Long Shampoo and conditioner, visit www.facebook.com/PalmoliveNaturals

Most mommies like me do have stretch marks on different parts of the body, especially on the tummy area as it is a sign that you gave birth already but take note there are some who don't have.  Even though, being a mom is the most precious moment for women especially when the kids are starting to grow up.  You just couldn't contain the joy. 

Recently, I attended the launching event of Glyderm, there were celebrities present in the event like Cheska Garcia Kramer who have three kids namely Kendra (4 years old), Scarlett (1 year, 11 months), and Gavin (8 months) and Giselle Toengi, an actress/model/producer and the mother of Sakura and Kenobi.  Both of these celebrities shared the things that they did with their stretch marks.  “I’ve started using Gly Derm and I’m looking forward to my skin’s continuous improvement” G. Toengi shared.  While Cheska says “I’ve gone through three pregnancies, and I have worried about stretch marks. Gly Derm helped me get rid of those worries so I could focus on what matters most—being the best mom to my kids!”


Stretch marks are known to appear mainly during pregnancy, but they may also occur during sudden weight gain or loss, or even during adolescence due to rapid growth and hormonal changes associated with puberty.  Genetics also play a key role in a person’s susceptibility to getting stretch marks.

A matrix of collagen and elastin supports the dermis (the deeper layer of the skin) and epidermis (the skin’s outer layer), but gaps may form when the skin is stretched excessively, and it is these gaps of broken tissue that cause us to have those discolored streaks or striae that appear on the surface of our skin in pinkish, reddish-blue, or translucent white hues.

They may not be life-threatening, but they certainly can kill a person’s self-confidence. Especially in the case of new moms who look forward to getting their beach-ready figures back.


Fortunately, there are effective ways to treat stretch marks. Gly Derm Stretch Mark Cream from France – home of the best beauty products in the world is now available in the Philippines and being marketed by A. Menarini, an Italian pharmaceutical company. Gly Derm is specially formulated to help rebuild collagen and regain elasticity to reduce the size and lessen the appearance of stretch marks. What sets it apart is its Tri-Derm Actives. Gly Derm offers a superior, clinically-proven solution that will neither require laser procedures, nor break the bank.

Gly Derm Stretch Mark Cream’s non-greasy formula is also easy to use. Simply massage it into the affected areas of your skin twice a day. Initial results may be seen in as early as five weeks of continued use.  Gly Derm Stretch Mark Cream’s Tri-Derm Actives penetrate the gaps of broken tissue and improves the appearance of stretch marks, so that you can soon walk around with confidence just like you did before. This isn’t merely based on clinical proof but it is also trusted by everyday women who have tried it!


Gly Derm Stretch Mark Cream is now available in leading drug stores nationwide. For details, visit glydermasia.com.

So, mommies get rid of that worries!  Just use Gly derm to lessen that stretch marks to regain the lost confidence and who knows we might be flaunting our bodies as well just like the moms during the launch.


I will definitely use it and watch out for my review soon.

Have you noticed the commercial of Surf Powder regarding their promo. According to surf, you can exchange the sachet of surf into 25 free texts load to all Cebuana Lhuillier outlet. Yes, it is the Sachet Recovery Program.

Last week I attended the event about the Building Blocks for Change Media Launch with the three of the biggest brands in the Philippines namely Unilever through Surf with its partners Smart Communications and Cebuana Lhullier.


During the event there was a demonstration on how the sachets are shredded into pieces.  Then the shredded sachet will be included and combined in the process of creating a Hollow blocks which will be use for building schools and other useful item.


The three companies revealed that the sachets collected from the program's Fiesta ng Surfresa promo were converted into 30,000 cement pavers and donated to 30 beneficiary public schools nationwide.  These includes the schools of Ilaya Elementary School in Tanay, Rizal; Dualtech center in Canlubang, Laguna, Candau-ay Elementary School in Dumaguete; and Balulang National High School in Cagayan de Oro.

This is really an amazing making the three companies combine their effort to have a greener living.  Not just to help those schools by providing useful items but also saving the environment plus of course the 25 free texts credits in exchange of empty Surf sachets which can be of very much help in emergency cases.


According to Mr. Orlando B. Vea, Smart co-founder and Chief Wireless Advisor, the Building Blocks for Change created a very meaningful action. "We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this Unilever initiative, through the use of Smart SMS service as a means to reward customer's participation in a worthwhile cause."

"Not only does the Sachet Recovery Program address our challenges on waste, it also encourages Filipinos to take a positive action to have healthier surroundings", said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.


"Each Filipino can be a building block for positive change", said Unilever Philippines Chairman and CEO Peter Cowan. "This is only the beginning of our campaign for cleaner, greener living".  Launched in 2012, the Sachet Recovery Program is just one of the various projects of Unilever Philippines under the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, a global campaign which aims to reduce the company's environmental footprint while growing its business.

Imagine mommies, almost 15,000 sachets or 15 kilos of sachets are equivalent to one chair which is explained by Mr. Chito Macapagal, the Senior Officer of Unilever.  So, those who wants to exchange their empty Surf sachets into free text, you are helping also the different beneficiaries of this program. Simple things yet big impact for better development of our environment.

One of the world's leading suppliers of food, home and personal care products, the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan has three key targets that it aims to achieve by 2020:
1. Help more than a billion people improve their health and wellbeing
2. Halve the environmental footprint of its products
3. source 100% raw materials sustainably.

So let us involve ourselves in this advocacy!

Jodi Sta. Maria as Maya in the teleserye “Be Careful with my Heart” is doing good now and really the story is leveling up. Aside from the Teleserye, Jodi also have her business which named Happy Barn Milkshake Factory.


Last September 8, 2013 she opened her 2nd store located at Rustan's Marketplace, Power Plant Mall.  Her 1st branch is located at Rustan's Supermarket, Evia, Daang Hari, Las Pinas and held its Grand Opening two (2) months ago.


Presents in the store opening are her jodinatics fans, bloggers and her managing partners Abegail Del Mundo and Janssen Muñoz.  All the Managing Partners are really hands on with their business, they really know how to manage and even the operation as well.



It seems that their products are most likely for the kids, the ice cream and the flavorings.  But I think it's also great for moms and dads who are a kid-at-heart.  Hahaha, like me as a mommy I really love the milkshake and I tried their best seller – the Spectacular Cookie Butter Milkshake.  According to one of the store crew it's really a big hit flavour.


Aside from the milkshake they also offer Eggettes – a popular snack in San Francisco, Canada and Hong Kong.  It is a ball waffle that is crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.  Its really good partnered with their milkshake and my kids love it very much.


According to Jodi Sta Maria, they want to provide a happy feeling to everyone who visits their stores with their special offerings like the shakes, eggettes, their baritas (staff) and their store design.  For the info their ice cream is sugar free, 98% fat free and with very low lactose content so this is just for those who have lactose intolerant problem.  Jodi is very proud that they are the first and only milkshake bar in the country serving shakes that is Fortified with Prebiotics to aid digestion and calcium absorption. They partnered with a European company to provide such a healthy benefit to their consumers. “We want people to drink not just happy thoughts, but healthy thoughts as well!' said Actress Jodi Sta. Maria.



So Mommies, try to visit their 2 branches and let you and your kids taste their special milkshake.  They will soon open a branch in Market Market BGC, Taguig City.

For more information visit their facebook account https://www.facebook.com/TheHappyBarnMilkshakeFactory and follow them on their twitter and instagram: @thehappybarn.

 
Good news to all BreadTalk lovers! As they expand their reach to people another branch opens last July 17, 2013 at the newest SM Aura Premier.

It was a rainy day when the branch opening was held, as the saying goes "when it rains it pours", yup it pours out blessing just like BreadTalk as they added another branch of BreadTalk, isn't nice?




The program started with the blessing of the store and then presented their new line of breads the "Gen4 breads" which will be available this year.  Most of the guest took their poses with the huge flosss bread and as well as with their Flosss Monster who walks around the store.  Your's truly also did have a chance to pose for a picture with their mascot.






It was a delightful day though the rain never stops, but on a cold weather the bread and a hot drink were a good match.  There are lots of breads to choose from, good taste and of course nice to look at with its presentation plus they have a beautiful store at SM Aura.


Actually, for the benefit of those who's not familiar with BreadTalk, it is a Singaporean lifestyle brand, according to them each BreadTalk store is literally a bread-shopping haven where each product tells a story. 

In May 2004, BreadTalk opened its first store in the Philippines at Glorietta 4, Ayala Center. Nine years later, they already have 36 stores including the newly opened at SM Aura Premier.

BreadTalk Philippines has taken the Group's signature breads and lifestyle shopping concept and infused its unique local character into the brand. It has brought to life its own Filipino stories and inspirations in the likes of the "Sumo Pandesal", "Cheezymada", "Sisig Bun' and "Cheese Floss".



In 2010, BreadTalk Philippines acquired the license for Sanrio Character favorites Hello Kitty, Keroppi, Little Twin Stars and My Melody and its signature style, now retails Sanrio Cakes with the BreadTalk twist. Awesome! right mommies? We have a choice of cakes at BreadTalk that our kids will love specially on their birthdays. I definitely try those lovely cakes this coming birthday of my eldest son.


In line with these, BreadTalk launched their Gen4 breads, which will feature Cinnamon Apple, Mushroom and Cheese, Bean Bag, Hello Panda, Berry Berry Hokkaido, Ham Croissant and so much more. Watch out for these yummy treats very very soon!



Visit a BreadTalk store near in your area now!  Taste and be mesmerize with the aroma of every bread, bread that brings Filipino stories and inspirations.

For more updates follow Bread Talk:

Website: www.breadtalk.com.ph
Facebook: facebook.com/breadtalkph
Twitter: @breadtalkph
Instagram: @breadtalkph