Downy D-E-T-E-R-G-E-N-T. Yes, you read that right. Our favorite fabric conditioner brand, Downy, now has a detergent. For millennial mommies like me who swears by the astounding efficacy of Downy as fabric conditioner, this announcement of Downy having a detergent line is great news as it finally completes our laundry essentials.

Millennial moms love the new Downy Detergent

The first time I heard about the Downy Detergent, a question popped into my mind. Do I still need to use Downy Fabric Conditioner with the new Downy Detergent? After researching, I found out that the answer is a big YES!!! Why? Simply because a fabric conditioner works differently from a detergent. A detergent cleans and removes dirt while a fabric conditioner softens, freshens and prevents color fading and stretching of fabric.


So, what is it to love about the new Downy Detergent:
1. Downy Detergent effectively removes dirt making clothes sparkling clean.


2. Downy Detergent has perfume boosters that ensures long lasting freshness.

Those pink merengue looking beads are the perfume boosters!

3. Downy Detergent has a superior cleaning formula and a fragrance of perfume that mixes well and works efficiently with my favorite Downy Fabric Conditioner.  Downy Detergent is the most compatible cleanser for the Downy Fabric Conditioner. Using both results to extremely clean and fragrant newly washed clothes.

It is the rainy season once again and for most of us, it has been quite a challenge to keep our newly washed clothes from having the kulob smell. It may be due to a number of reasons like drying indoors and washing clothes at night. Without the help of Mr. Sun, our newly washed clothes usually end up smelling bad as clothes tend not to dry properly. It can be very frustrating as we still have a million tasks in our never ending to do list. Most of the time, we or worse our family members end up using the kulob-smelling clothes and we are very much aware that it is not at all a good and healthy practice. Moms should be the first one to say no to kulob-smelling clothes.


Here are some hacks I personally tried to have fresh smelling clothes during the rainy season:

1. Wring the Clothes Properly
If you are handwashing your clothes, it would be great to squeeze most of the water from the clothes before hanging them. I usually even ask my husband to help me wring the clothes as he can do it better than me.

2. Hang Clothes in A Highly Ventilated AreaAfter washing, hang clothes in a highly ventilated area most especially when you hang it indoors. I usually support it with electric fans to speed up drying.

3. Use a dryer

You may also consider investing on a clothes dryer that is fast-drying. This way, it really ensures that the water in the clothes have been removed. Sometimes, I go to the laundromat to utilize their fast-drying machines.


4. Always Put a Fabric Conditioner that can #KabogAngKulobFabric conditioner does not only make clothes soft. Downy Kontra Kulob, fabric conditioner has 20x antibac power that removes the kulob-smelling germs. It also guarantees the clothes to have long lasting freshness even when dried indoors. When I discovered this, I was truly amazed with how effective this is. Now, I am too dependent on Downy Kontra Kulob to fight-off bad smell. When I use, it is like my clothes dried during the warm heat of the summer - no kulob at all.

5. Be Patient with the Drying Process
Don't rush the drying process. During the rainy season, clothes drying require a longer time. I even make sure not to put damp clothes in a hamper or closet.  I usually touch the seam and the thicker parts of the clothes to check if it completely dried out. 

What about you? What are your rainy day laundry hacks?

In 2013, my husband and I got married and dreamt of having our own family. 6 years later, we are now a family of four and it is now more than ever that I saw the importance of being healthy for my children and for my husband. Moms cannot get sick as many tasks and responsibilities will be affected by it. But more than not being able to function well, we know that getting sick is a big no-no as it may affect the entire family most especially the children.

But in as much as I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle for my family and to prevent sickness in our home, it has been quite a challenge given our exposure to a lot of stressors, tempting distractions here and there, and persistence of unhealthy habits like drinking soda and staying up late which I am  guilty of.



In an effort to live a healthier lifestyle for me and my family, I am now leaning towards healthier choices in what to eat, drink and even use in our bodies. I am more mindful of the things I purchase for my family as I am constantly on the look-out for practical and high-quality health items. Good thing, our go-to pharmacy store, #WatsonsPh, keeps on offering a wide range of children and adult vitamins, supplements, natural bath and oral care, first-aid, and over-the-counter medication. Watsons has all-things that enable each member of the family to #behealthyinsideandout and to #lookgoodfeelgreat. From small booboos to the common illnesses and health concerns, Watsons has the preventive measures and remedies.

Aside from the usual medicines, vitamins and supplements, here are some of my Watson's finds:

For the usual booboos, I use VCO to facilitate wound healing.
For insect bites, I use Tinybuds After Bites to soothe and relieve the affected skin.
For migraine and muscle pains, I use FreshKo roll-on to give the body an instant cool relief.
For my postpartum hair, I use Argan shampoo and conditioner to revitalize it.
For days when my husband and I get too stressed, we take Chamomile tea to relax us. 

Watsons has products for old ages: babies to adults!

Perfect for my post-partum dull and falling hair

Great for days when husband and I need to relax

Health is wealth as the saying goes. So I highly suggest that we all make health goals for our family and to really invest on and prioritize our health. Visit the nearest Watsons branch near you and see the different products that may help you and your family to #behealthyinsideandout.

Routinary work may bring us some dull moments. But we can also spice it up by putting some humor and playfulness into it. One example is cleaning, a daily chore, which can be made a little less harder and more enjoyable by adding some dance moves into the cleaning routine. For some, cleaning can even be another form of exercise.

Getting a thorough clean is hard work. It’s time consuming and requires a certain level of concentration and skill. This is true of anyone who juggles home land work life whether you’re a working mom, one who stays at home, a dad who helps his wife with the household chores or a single person who owns his or her own condo unit. It’s a dreaded chore, which we cannot escape as it still needs to be done.

Pine-Sol, a brand of cleaning essentials we trust, suggests a simple formula to make cleaning a lot more pleasant:

a bucket of Pine-Sol + a splash of effort + a few drops of fun + a gallon of heart.

As for me, I also want to add to the formula a small amount of sacrifice for love to make it an expression of love for myself, family, relative and friends.


Cleaning with Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner helps a lot in making cleaning and tidying up more enjoyable. It is effective in cutting through grease, grime, and dirt, while leaving your surfaces germ-free, smelling fresh and fragrant.

Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner can be used to clean hard nonporous surface of the house and workplace—from floor tiles, walls, stove tops, countertops, and glass.
 

To make cleaning extra fun and rewarding, Pine-Sol Philippines brought the Pine-Sol Cleaning Dance Challenge from the US. I invite you to join the PINE-SOL CLEANING DANCE CHALLENGE and get a chance to win exciting prizes.

To submit your entry:

1. Go to Pine-Sol Dance Challenge page www.pinesol.com.ph/mycleanmoves/

2. Verify your e-mail and submit your entry on the website. Your Pine-Sol dance photo should showcase cleaning any part of your home with any Pine-Sol variant

3. Upload your entry on Facebook upon receiving validation and add the official contest hashtags #PineSol and #MyCleanMovesPH. Make sure your post is in public setting.

Exciting prizes await the winners: a BOSE Bluetooth Bucket Speaker, BOSE Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers, and BOSE Wireless Earphones. The 10 most liked and shared posts will also receive 3-month Spotify subscription each.

Contest runs from June 5 to 30, 2019 and winners will be announced on July 12, 2019.

To know more about Pine-Sol,you can visit their official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PinesolPhilippines/. For the full mechanics of the Pine-Sol Dance Challenge, go to www.pinesol.com.ph/mycleanmoves/mechanics.html.

Pine-Sol is available in leading supermarkets and retailers nationwide. It comes in longer-lasting scents - Original Pine, Lavender Clean, Lemon Fresh, and Sparkling Wave.

We are halfway through the year once again! Time really flies and this June, my eldest daughter will go to school for the very first time. I am excited for my daughter at the same time nervous of this new phase our family will experience. I can't believe that my husband and I will say hello to another adulting milestone again!

So after fixing her enrollment, I went school-supplies shopping. I was so giddy to go back-to-school shopping as I reminisced my younger years when my sister and I would go from aisle to aisle in search for the best school supplies. It was the one of the best memories of my childhood.

As soon as I stepped-in National Book Store, our go-to bookstore, I was so amazed at how it gives the same happy feels and good vibes but in a more organized manner. I was so surprised to see that back-to-school shopping is now very easy and convenient most especially to working moms like me.




I loved that National Book Store created a Back-to-School zone, which was very easy to locate, that literally has all the back-to-school supplies your child needs in just one place. There was no need for me to go around the bookstore looking for items. Everything was well organized, labeled and categorized even according to the grade level or type of supply (e.g. paper, art, coloring materials). There was even a checklist of school essentials made available for moms to refer to.


I also loved that they have all the items your child needs in school. They have a good roster of quality and trusted brands. They even offered several options that will suit different types of budget.

National Book Store Finds
My favorite find is the Grab and Go packs as it is a no-brainer for me. It has all the items needed at a discounted rate. It makes shopping very fast and convenient for me. It even offers an added value for the customer which is additional savings.

Must-Buy Items
Aside from the usual school supplies, the products that are essential for me and my kids to have are the hygiene kits and anti-dengue packs. The hygiene kit includes a hand sanitizer, alcohol and even soap while the anti-dengue pack contains a mosquito repellent and mosquito patches. These are very essential to keep us healthy and to prevent us from getting ill or to spread contagious illness to others.

 
Back-to-School Shopping Tips
1. Shop early. Don't cram or shop the weekend before the first day of school.

2. Have a list ready. Check with the school what items are needed to be bought to avoid forgetting an essential item.

3. Consider shopping during the weekday instead of a weekend.

4. If they are old enough, bring your kids and let them choose their own school supplies. One of the fondest memories I have as a child was school supply shopping - when I had to go through all the notebooks, test pens and pick colors of scissors etc. Your child will surely love the experience and it also lessens the problem of your child not wanting the design or item you chose.

5. Remember the previous year's experience. How many times did you buy an eraser or a folder? What school supply did you not have then but needed it? Include the items and quantity in your list. Stock up on items that are always needed.

6. Buy in bundles as items become cheaper when bought in bulk or in sets.

7. Shop with a mom friend so you can exchange tips and best buys.




Aside from shopping for your child, you may also opt to help the less fortunate by donating to Project Aral. All you need to do is to buy a Project Aral Kit for only Php30 and give one child in need of some school essentials.


Head to National Book Store now and do your back-to-school shopping ahead of the others. They have a Back-to-School zone where everything back-to-school related is placed strategically. They want to make it fast, easy and convenient for us by offering complete, quality and affordable Grab and Go bundle packs. Back-to-school shopping need not be expensive. National Book Store has a wide range of quality product options for every price point and budget.

Aside from being moms, we are homemakers. Whether we’re a stay at home, a work at home or a working mom, managing the home is another major item on our list. While homemaking is yet another responsibility to take, it becomes enjoyable because of the many home essentials we get to choose and use.

When it comes to home essentials, we want to make sure that we use only those with topnotch quality, function and design. That’s why I got excited when I found out about Asvel, a brand from Japan offering an extensive line up of kitchen essentials. Of course, we all know that products from Japan are really good when it comes to quality and functionality. I also learned that celebrity mom Kris Aquino uses, loves and trusts the Asvel brand.

Asvel’s products include airtight rice dispensers, compact and stackable lunchboxes, leak-proof water bottles and pitchers, vacuum-insulated mugs and tumblers, dish and utensils rack, airtight canisters, food drawers, oil and condiment pots, and kitchen waste bins.

Asvel Compact Lunch Box




Asvel Vio Pitcher

Another perfect addition to our kitchen essentials is the Asvel Vio Pitcher. It can store 1.1 or 1.6 liters of either hot or cold liquid. What’s great about it is it has a space saving yet stylish design that allows no spill or leaks.


It’s also easy to grip, open and close even when held only by one hand, so it’s really convenient to use especially for moms who love to multitask at home.




Asvel products make homemaking a lot easier and fun especially for millennial moms. Check these quality home essentials now at their flagship store in The Podium Mall, SM Home, The SM Store, Rustan’s, National Book Store, Noteworthy, Robinsons, Wilcon Depot, MakeRoom&More, Shopee and Lazada.