SHINE, SHIMMER & SPARKLE

Hello!

I haven't done one of these in a while!

I pop by Watsons pretty often to restock daily essentials but once in a while, I stumble upon products that are new to me and fall in love with them. This entry features 3 such products I've grown to love. These products were purchased with some Watsons vouchers I received a while ago.

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Let's start off with the Nivea Smooth Nourishing Hand Creme With Macadamia Nut Oil.

In an earlier "update" style entry, I featured a deluxe-size tube of the Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Creme and mentioned that I loved it and would be looking to get the full size soon. Well, I ran out of the creme faster than I expected and I desperately needed a hand creme so on one of my trips to Watsons, I just picked this up, on a whim, for under SGD$6. There are 2 other variants - anti-aging with Q10 and fast-absorption.

For SGD$6, this is a superb creme - I've been battling dry, rough hands for YEARS. I've been using this continously for about 3 weeks, slathering it on before bed and sometimes during the day while at the laptop and I think there is a tremendous difference. A difference large enough for my Mom to ask what I've been using - which is a big deal for me.

The France-made creme has a balmy texture and comes across as rather heavy - however, give it a few minutes and it absorbs into skin, leaving a soft, satiny feel on the palms. Given the heavy texture, I tend to use less of it during the day, leaving the generous application for night. I sometimes use the Moisturising Cotton Gloves from The Body Shop to aid hydration at night.

I love the scent - it's a softer take on the classic Nivea scent which is very feminine and comforting. I've never in my life felt my hands as soft and smooth as these - it's still not as soft as I'd ideally like it to be but the improvement is amazing. This is a definite keeper.

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Another new discovery - Veet Easy-Grip Ready To Use Wax Strips with Aloe Vera and Lotus.

I was just raving to my chums, Amy, Elaine and Jerlaine, about these last night. I've tried the Veet in-shower hair removal mousses and cremes and while they work to a large extent, I DETEST the super slippery feel they leave on the bathroom floor. And for all that mess, regrowth is practically imminent within the next week.

These strips however, are superb - the wax isn't super sticky and tacky that it sticks all over the skin, coming off in threads (you know like hot mozzarella cheese in pizza? Cool in pizza .. not on your limbs). But the wax is strong enough to be re-used a couple of times - you don't need to use 12 wax strips (I exaggerate but I want to make a point) just to wax one limb which makes these worth your money, time and effort.

The best part about these wax strips is the material used for the strip itself - it's soft, pliable and feels like protective packing material. The softness makes it comfortable to hold and apply and it fits smoothly around the contours of the areas needed to be waxed. There is also a curved bit on the top that allows for easier grip.

As with all DIY wax strips, some important things to remember are:

• always do a patch test first 
• have a warm shower to soften skin, hair and open up pores for easier waxing
• don't wax irritated, over-sensitised, broken skin

These retail for about SGD$15 or so if I remember correctly - definitely worth the money, time and effort :)

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And finally, L'Oreal Hair Expertise EverCreme Shampoo

I have relatively fine hair that cannot make up it's mind if it wants to be straight or wavy and an oily scalp. I HATE moisturising shampoos or heavy conditioners because they weigh my hair down and contribute to an already oily scalp - so by mid-day sometimes, my hair is totally flat at the crown.

Although this says "Moisture System", this shampoo doesn't weigh my hair down. I think it's one of the better shampoos I've come across recently - I finished the first tube and these 2 are re-purchases, when Watsons had a recent sale of purchasing 2 for SGD$23.50 (usually, these retail at around SGD$14 each). 

As you can see, the description indicates that the shampoo "restores" lost moisture - it doesn't MOISTURISE the hair so I guess that's why there isn't additional weighdown from using the shampoo. My hair feels fresh, clean and there is substantial volume - and it remains like that for the good part of the day. I still love my Lush Squeaky Green Shampoo Bar but as much as I love the volume it gives me, that seems to wash out my hair dye pretty quickly as I painfully found out. I don't encounter the same problems with the EverCreme shampoo.

For those who prefer a vegan formula, the EverCreme system (there is a conditioner and a treatment too) is not tested on animals, does not contain any animal by-products and is also 100% vegan - it doesn't contain parabens or sulfates either.

I love the scent! It's a caramel-vanilla-esque scent that's really rather pleasing. A nice way to start the day :)

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I'm very pleased I discovered these products and that they work for me. Watson's will be bringing in a couple more brands soon - Ma Cherie Haircare by Shiseido is one such new addition we'll see soon, together with an expanded range of Clio makeup which I'm excited for (reviews on my Clio favourites coming soon!)

Thanks for stopping by and hope you found this edition of Wat's In My Watsons Bag useful. Have a great day ahead :)

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Disclaimer: Products featured in this post purchased with vouchers courtesy of Watsons. All opinions expressed are unbiased and are my own.