Hola!
Watsons has really upped the ante with a barrage of new (and sometimes, exclusive) brands – new brands I’ve spied recently include Japanese cosmetics brands Brigitte and EyesCream while I’ve been told that Wet N Wild is now available too (where? I have yet to come across it!). My favourite Watsons store to visit is most definitely the flagship outlet in Takashimaya, Ngee Ann City and the newly revamped one at City Square Mall is also always well-stocked. No matter what the new offerings are and how I always end up buying stuff that just to try because it’s “new, interesting and/or I’m-in-a-frou-frou-mood“, there are somethings that I constantly re-purchase. Here are 7 such things I always buy – these are the first things I zoom to during the frenzied Watsons member sales.
#1 Watsons Smiley Baby Fresh Baby Wipes
I never leave the house without a pack in my bag. These are by far the best wipes I’ve tried. It gets off practically everything – generic makeup swatches, grime, dirt, you name it. It is water-based and doesn’t contain too much moisturiser so on hot days, you can also wipe down with these without any sticky, greasy residue. These also have a lovely floral fragrance – I’ve lost count of the number of BAs at cosmetics counters who always ask me what wipes I’m using because it smells so good. I usually pick these up during the major Watsons sales but they often retail at a promotional price of S$2 for a pack of 3. You can find out more details about the Fresh Baby Wipes HERE over at the Watsons Beauty Playground.
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#2 Watsons Cotton Puffs
I always keep a few packs of these. I use these soft cotton puffs for applying toner and for removing eye makeup. These are very soft but are lint-free and not fuzzy or scratchy – there is never a case of stray, random cotton strands getting stuck to eyelashes. I like these also because they are soft enough to use around the delicate under-eye area (I always line my lower lashline with gel liner and kohl). These are dense enough to hold eye makeup remover and toner such that the liquid doesn’t seep through or evaporate by the time you actually get around to wiping your eyes and/or face. These retail in packs of 100 puffs for S$2.20. I’ve reviewed these on the Watsons Beauty Playground too, where I’ve showcased 2 other types of cotton puffs available at Watsons.
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#3 Garnier Clean & Sensitive 2 in 1 Gentle Make-Up Remover
I used to swear by a different bi-phase makeup remover but after trying this out at a Maybelline event, I became a fan – this bi-phase eye makeup remover managed to remove all traces of the Maybelline Colour Tattoos long-wearing cream eyeshadows very easily. The bi-phase is a little different from other brands – you still need to shake it to combine the 2 fluids but I find this is a lot less oily than other brands. With this eye makeup remover, I experience zero stinging or cloudy vision. Each 200ml bottle usually retails for about S$11.90 or $12.90 (I’m sorry I can’t quite remember) but at the last few Watsons sales, Garnier cleansing products were all under a 1-for-1 offer. And I didn’t manage to get any the last sale because the shelf was WIPED CLEAN!
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#4 Himalaya Herbals 
I recently talked about the Purifying Neem range from Himalaya Herbals – I love the Clear Complexion Face Wash too. I can’t quite say if it really brightens the complexion because I never stick to it religiously long enough but I always come back to it every few months. I love this mostly for the scent – a very powdery floral scent that is very comforting. The face wash leaves my skin soft, smooth, very clean and yet not taut. Himalaya Herbals has a wonderful range of hair and skin products and if you’re interested in natural care, this is really a brand you should check out – affordable and reliable. The smaller tubes (75gm) retail at S$5.90 each and were on a 1-for-1 deal the last couple of sales while the larger tubes (150gm) that I purchased retail at S$12.30 but I got them at the sales with a 20%+5% discount (that’s about S$9.35 a tube).
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#5 Dentiste Plus White Toothpaste
I’ve been using the Dentiste Plus White Toothpaste for a while now – probably since the end of last year. I like this toothpaste in comparison to a lot of others because the toothpaste is smooth – some toothpastes, especially the whitening ones, feel a bit rough and gritty on the teeth. The mint flavour is mild and not overly sweet. I like this one because I notice that morning breath is definitely less unpleasant in comparison to times when I use other brands. I can’t say for sure – but Mom recently commented my teeth look brighter so .. ok, let’s just continue using this. These value packs usually retail for about S$16 but again, I got these for about S$12 during one of the sales.
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#6 Volumising or Curl-Activating Hair Mousse
I don’t have the habit of styling my hair – I keep it coiled in a towel while doing my makeup and then when it’s damp, I flip my head over and run the hair dryer quickly through it. My hair is relatively fine with a oily scalp so I don’t mess around with it too much. The only hair product I use on a regular basis is hair mousse – I prefer the Curl Activating or the Volumising variants. I used to use the L’oreal EverStyle Alcohol-Free Curl Activating Mousse for a while (went through about 3 canisters!) and I picked up the MOD’s Hair Foam sometime back – I think Watsons has discontinued MOD’s Hair which is a pity because I’ve heard great things about the range. I’ve recently switched to the John Frieda Volume-Building Mousse – I love this! The John Frieda Volume Building Mousse is not sticky and I don’t need a lot – I dispense about 1.5 golf ball sized dollops and just scrunch it through my mostly dried hair. It doesn’t dry hair out and leave it a matted mess. If I remember correctly, the John Frieda Volume Building Mousse retails at S$16.90.
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#7 L’Oreal Paris Excellence Fashion Hair Colour in Intense Ruby Red and Intense Violet Red
I always need to colour my hair – the pesky greys irritate me to no end but since finding the Cielo Cream Hair Colour that I use specifically for touch-ups, I don’t dye my hair as often. When I do, I reach for the L’oreal Paris Excellence Fashion Hair Colour. The love affair started around Lunar New Year this year when Chantana and I discovered it at Watsons and hauled a 2 boxes given the introductory promotional price. These retail for S$18.90 each and during the Watsons sales, you can sometimes get them at a 1-for-1 deal or a bundle price. I love this hair colour because the colours are superbly intense – P46 Ruby Red is my current favourite but there are other interesting shades like Intense Copper Brown, Intense Violet Brown, Intense Copper Red, Intense Spicy Red, Golden Nude Brown and Ashy Nude Brown. There is a black shade, Sapphire Black launching soon too. The L’Oreal Paris Excellence Fashion Hair Colour also lasts a good 3 months on me, with daily hair washes (even without a colour-protecting shampoo) and fades gradually and evenly. It also applies very easily which is exactly what you want in a DIY hair colour.
I know – possibly one thing that might strike you is how all my photos feature multiples of each product. I tend to stock up and keep backups for products that I know for sure work for me – even if I stray in the name of experimenting, I always eventually head-back. Keeping backups also is useful because I never really run into a situation where I’ve run out and have none to use. Of course, the sales help with the stocking up – it makes more sense to just buy a few when in the face of bundle deals and 1-for-1 offers. Like Mom always says: “not like you have to feed it right? It’s just gonna sit quietly in the cupboard”. I agree wholeheartedly.
There you have it – 7 staple products I use copious amounts of and constantly repurchase from Watsons. Let’s see if I can expand this list to 10?
Thanks for stopping by and have a fab day ahead!
Disclaimer: This entry features some products purchased courtesy of Watsons credits; choice of products are my own. All opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
