Whenever there was something I decide to take up, I tend to get carried away.  When I first got Itchy and Scratchy, I wanted to enroll in veterinary short courses, if such existed. I could see myself in nursing scrubs. I did start looking around for cheap scrubs so I would be ready to jump the gun and go. I want to be pretty sure that whatever the uniform is, it will the least of my worries.

Then I take a brief pause. I realise that I may be taking things to far and need to relax. I look over to little Booboo and see that he is not so little anymore. He has grown into a healthy tomcat and I did a good job raising him.

Sesou carries almost all of the local organic brands: Botany Works (oils), Human Heart Nature (bath, hair and skin products, cosmetics), Giga (aromatherapy, balms, oils, pets, home, and baby care products), Ilog Maria (honeybee-derived products for hair, body and wellbeing), Indigo Baby (specialty baby products), Leyende (bath, hair and skin care), Messy Bessy (household, baby products), Plantex (detergents) and Vanilla & Company (bath, hair and skin care).  I had to exercise utter self control to keep myself from buying everything I lay my eyes on.

I got a 250ml bottle of Sweet Almond Oil by Botany Works.  I only paid 370 php, if I were to get Home Health’s Almond Glow, I have to pay almost 700 php.  I also got Human Heart Nature’s Moringa Balancing Facial Wash, Avocado and Seand Sunflower Beauty Oil.  Although you can get these products directly from the manufacturers, they usually take their time in shipping the merchandise.  The price markup of Sesou is 10 – 20 php per item, some have none at all.  Pretty reasonable considering the convenience of having it all in one shelf for you to take your pick.  They also accept credit cards.

Sesou is located at the ground floor of Glorietta 3 across Naturalizer going to Landmark, ground floor of Market! Market! at the Fort Bonifacio Global City and at the ground floor of Trinoma in North Edsa.  Get in touch with them online through http://sesou.multiply.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/sesounaturesource.

It was not until recently that vegans and vegetarians only had Healthy Options as their most accessible shop.  The place carried most brands from all over the world, mainly US.  Not only does it leave a lot of carbon footprints since the goods travel a long way to get here, it also costs more.  A 200ml bottle of almond body oil that usually costs 5 usd or 200 php would cost three times more at the shop.  When you are just starting to get into it, it seems fine but when you realise how much you consume and how often you need to replenish your personal stocks, you feel that it is a bit heavy on the budget.

I have never believed in skimping on skin products.  I always think that it is an absolute necessity to invest on lotions and potions that you slather on your skin because any potential damage can be irreversible and permanent.  That is why I never go shopping for skin stuff online.  That changed when I felt my pocket getting more shallow by the payday.

In one of the bazaar days at Eastwood Central Plaza, I came across this kiosk called Urban Nature.  They sell Z.E.N. (Zestful, Organic, Natural) organic bath and body products that are handmade locally with natural ingredients.  Less carbon footprint, cost-efficient and proudly Pinoy, as guaranteed by co-owner Rara herself, who usually sits with the people at the bazaar.  I have tried their Lavender Hair Conditioner and Barako Coffee Body Scrub.  The hair conditioner is superb at its job and it smells good too.  It is also made in different scents, drop by urbannature.multiply.com for the complete line and availability.  The body scrub can be used both on the face and the body but it is a bit drying although that is to be expected from a soap-based scrub so its enticing smell makes up for that.  There are a couple of other varieties with their own use, like coffee is for detoxification and polishing.

I also use their Tea Tree Roll On Antiperspirant and it keeps me dry for over twenty four hours.  I do not stink so I would not know how it does with odour.  They also have the best insect repellent.  All of the other local organic repellents that I have tried are citronella-based and reek of it.  Z.E.N.’s Citronella Lemon Insect Repellent smells so good, you would not believe it works.  Another specialty product line is their body oils and massage oils.  The Radiant Body Oil is made of natural coconut, olive, and sunflower oil with vitamin e, top actress-model Angel Aquino loves this.  Silica Oil helps in collagen production and is light enough to use on your hair.  They also have aromatherapy massage oils for each of your mood swings.

In my quest for a better scrub, I went around the metro for organic shops.  There are some organic tubs in a couple of beauty shops but they were too expensive.  If it is 350 php for 300 grams of Z.E.N. coffee scrub, it is only ideal to keep the comparison within the range.

I am not the girly girl type, I do not even wear make up.  I do keep my eyebrows groomed and all unwanted hair never see the light of day.  I do not usually go out of my way for anything aesthetic so I go to one salon and get everything done in one place: haircut, eyebrow and upper lip threading, and Brazilian waxing.  I only got into the latter about a year ago after a friend introduced me to the lady with magic hands at Azta Urban Salon in Eastwood Citywalk.

I used to go to David’s Salon in One Orchard Road.  Gary would cut my hair and I would get my eyebrows threaded by anyone available.  The first time, I got tiny cuts from the friction of the thread on the skin and my eyebrows swelled up.  The receptionist looked alarmed and insisted on putting some tetracycline ointment on them.  I thought it was a one time thing but the second time was just as bad.  I decided to try the eyebrow threading at Gloss Nail and Body Spa after a pedicure one afternoon.  I tried not to scream when the woman moistened the thread with her spit.  My eyebrows were desperate for good grooming, I just had to go through with it.  No cuts, perfect shape, no strays but I cannot get over the spit on the thread.  I got to talk to a colleague about my hairy woes and she recommended the hair removal guru of Azta Eastwood.

Azta is a chain of salons with branches in Katipunan, Eastwood Citywalk, Metrowalk, Robinsons Pioneer, Robinsons Metroeast, SM San Lazaro and Alabang Town Centre.  Only Andy of Eastwood touches my hair.  Mariz got me into Brazilian waxing.

I have been using commercial depilatory creams on my nether regions for as long as I can remember.  It occurred to me once to get it done professionally but paranoia over hygiene got the best of me.  The thought of stripping down to half of your birthday suit in a salon is out of the question.  That all changed after Mariz worked on my eyebrows for the first time.

I have never had anyone so meticulous over my eyebrows as if they were her own.  She carefully pulled out each strand with the thread, slowly so as not to cut me.  The shape is perfect with thickness that was just right: not too thin like a hooker’s, not too thick like it was not groomed either.  You can really feel that you are in expert hands.  Same care was applied to my upper lip growth and when we were done, I felt like I found the one.  A few days later, I came back for a Brazilian wax.  I love how she understands my obsession about being completely hair-free.  After waxing, she threads the finer, shorter hair that the hot wax did not catch.  She would not stop until she got every single one out!  If you have unsightly hair on your toes, she will also take care of them for free.

To those who are unhappy with their waxing lady or those who are yet to find one, drop by Azta Urban Salon in Eastwood Citywalk, Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 11 am to 7 pm and have the ultimate Mariz experience.  If you wish to contact her directly, email me for her mobile number.

People make the hasty assumption that I am a boring dresser.  To an extent it is true because I like to compartmentalise my wardrobe does not mean I am into my own kind.  Even if our office allows artistic expression, there are closet staples that stay buried during weekdays.  I like wearing dresses and skirts on the weekends.  The flip flops stay but the jeans take a break.

I do not like following trends.  I am probably the only girl I know who does not own a pair of skinny jeans.  I simply do not like the cut, it seems too unflattering for me.  Leggings are okay as long as they are under control which means no wild prints or loud colours.  Wide leg trousers is an all-year round favorite, no matter what the season is, there is always a good pair that you can wear and be comfortable in.  It does not matter to me what everyone else is wearing, as long as we are all comfortable and fabulous (we can even skip the latter if you want).

That is one of the reasons why I got into online shopping.  Though you cannot fit the actual items, wading through the variety that is widely available to you can be a breeze. Online retailers have managed to improve their presence in the worldwide web over the years, your quality screen time can be be worthwhile, like talking to a real-life salesperson, minus the social awkwardness that some people tend to elicit.

To some newbies, online shopping tend to be stigmatised as something that is only accessible to the common people, that one has to fit into a basic size category that is easy to find.  Believe it or not, whether you are on the small side of the spectrum or on the opposite, heavier end, your choices can be quite overwhelming.  This is true not only for the array of size, it also applies to the type of clothing you are looking for, from your yoga tops to your seasonal wardrobe overhaul.

It is like putting the ultimate shopping experience in a box and stuck into your screen.  You can even feel the refreshments served in shops when you are waiting to be fitted.

I thought it would be easy to just do it Lonely Planet style, with no fixed itinerary, no reservations but on the other hand I thought, if I were to do embark on a big project, I might as well do it right.  I am yet to turn the interwebs upside down, inside out for the best of Myrtle Beach accommodations.  It would be easy enough to make Myrtle Beach hotel reservations if only I could decide on which among the pretty places appeal to me the most.  I also came across http://www.seasidemb.com which seemed perfect with their golf packages that will surely put a wide smile on the mugs of rabid golfers like me.  One can choose among the numerous courses in the area without sacrificing the luxury of a great hotel.  I can imagine having the ultimate PGA experience with the various amenities and the lush manicured courses that host professionals.

I still have to set a date for my grand project and when I do, expect a post on it.

One of the most remarkable stereotypes derived from this is the nurse.  Images of nurse uniforms and scrub clothing are equated to cleanliness and proper sanitation, thanks to long running medical series that have actors portray doctors and their staff quite convincingly.  The power of suggestion is strong enough to make you wish that your banker or butcher shares the same uniform as them.

It was not long before scrubs went beyond the hospital walls.  You would see staff from other establishments that are remotely related to the health industry wearing the same uniform.  Not only does it prove to be more economical to their employers, it is also favorable to their market customers because both sides are counting on the same stereotype that will give them a sense of security when it comes to creepy crawlies that are not visible to the naked eye.

Like most parents and guardians, mine also thought that my problem was cognitive and it can be fixed by a tutor.

I struggled with linear programming.  I had to take some of my math credits in uni several times because I simply did not have the patience to follow the professor in the classroom discussions.  Students nowadays are lucky enough to have online resources like the probability calculator.  Those who have problems with prime factorization can stop whining because online help is readily available to those who need it.

If I only had the patience to actually look into the matter, these tools were all I needed to make it through the hassles of school life.

Lucky for me, that will never be realised and I do not have to do the dirty work myself. Thank heavens for forensic accountants, my future business partners who are still a mere figment of my imagination as we speak, will not have the chance of trying to outwit me with my money. A forensic accounting expert can eliminate crooks in all forms, shapes and sizes. This is not to be taken literally of course, we are can never be too civilised for due process. All is fair in love in war, we are all entitled to the system and forensic accountants will deliver what is right. So I can still be a hippie with my money. If you screw around, it is out of my hands.