Self-care became a beauty buzzword these past few years. Because of the pandemic, our collective focus shifted towards our physical and mental well-being. What may have been perceived as indulgence before has become a seeming necessity. Taking care of ourselves is essential after all!

New Year resolutions often focus on adapting healthier habits, particularly a renewed vigor for exercise. While you can technically start that wellness kick anytime, there’s extra motivation for getting your body moving after all the holiday feasts, and before beach season starts! As Angela shared in her article, exercising regularly is one of the more difficult habits to build. I should know: I’ve been there! But I’ve also worked through that funk to finally go to the gym regularly for almost two years now, so if you’re struggling to stick to your fitness goals, I’m sharing my own story in the hope that it inspires you to stay on track.

One of my favorite parts of the holiday is shopping for presents, and as a PV girl, I love giving gifts of beauty and wellness. Because I’m pregnant, I have to be extra careful of the products I use. I’ve also become extra sensitive to the scent of a lot of commercial brands so I’ve had to make a lot of changes to my routine. Zenutrients was one of the first brands I turned to for their naturally-derived ingredients and non-synthetic fragrances. And it looks like I will be gifting them this Christmas, too!

For many beauty lovers, the temptation to sneak a peek inside a Watsons store is often hard to resist! Considering all the makeup and skincare finds we’ve scored there, Watsons is definitely the place to be when you want to “look good” but that’s only half of its value proposition. The brand also delivers on its promise to help customers “feel great” with products and campaigns that promote health and wellness, including how to stay protected from stress, germs, and the changing weather. We got to sit down for a short Q&A with Joyce Pring and Kris Lumagui to talk about how they keep their skin healthy and radiant even during this gloomy rainy season.

It’s so easy to take health for granted. I’ve never been hospitalized my life so far, so I tend to be careless about taking good care of myself. However, I do try to be self-aware and pay attention to any changes in my body.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and though the month has already passed, getting checked is something that women should do regularly. Self-examination only takes up a little bit of time, but can make a huge difference in helping to detect breast cancer. Recently I went to the Avon Pink Minute event in the Quezon Memorial Circle where they gathered breast cancer survivors and other members of their community to raise breast cancer awareness.

We've often talked about "self-care" here on PV as taking the time and effort to look after yourself. It can be as simple as slapping on your favorite sheet, going for a full-on home spa session, or getting your tips and toes done at the parlor. But there is more to self-care than beauty and pampering, and the long queue that snaked through the Meralco Theater lobby for the Watsons World of Wellness event was a happy reminder that people haven't forgotten what really matters.