As a mom, I’m always concerned about the safety and security of my son. When Justin was just a baby, I made sure our home was infant-friendly to avoid cuts, bumps, or falls. Aside from ensuring that he’s properly nourished, I also religiously took him to his pediatrician for his vaccinations and wellness check. I also saw to it that he’s using the right medicines for his needs. Finally and most importantly, I was showing him love that only a mother can give.

I have never changed my mothering ways from then to now that he’s already a preschooler. I have actually become more paranoid now about his well-being because he can get rough when he plays, which causes him to get hurt sometimes.

Now, my four-year-old loves going to the malls, playing arcade games, and getting on kiddie rides as much as he can. Last Saturday, when to went to Market! Market!, we took him to Blanche Kiddie Rides. It was Justin’s first time there there, and before I let him try the rides, I made sure everything was safe.

In the pictures below, you’ll see him wearing a helmet to protect his head in case he falls due to a wrong turn or in the event that his motorbike collides with another car. I also instructed his yaya to be constantly at his side to protect him from getting hurt. And because no helmet is required when riding the kiddie cars, I made him wear his baseball cap instead; that’s to protect him from the sun.


Wearing helmet for head protection


That’s Justin’s yaya in white shirt and blue pants trailing along


With absorbent cloth on his back for sweat protection


Wearing his baseball cap to protect him from the sun
I’m sure I’m not the only mom in the world who is so particular about her child’s safety. I’d like to hear your thoughts, too, on how you protect your child from harm.

I’m a low-maintenance woman as far as makeup is concerned. Pressed powder and lipstick are enough for me. Being a busy work-at-home mom has a lot to do with this because I don’t really have the luxury of time to stay in front of the mirror for more than 15 minutes every day.

I am also a brand loyalist. Once I found a product that works for me, I don’t change brands anymore. I’ll use the same brand for as long as it’s available in the market. When the product is out of stock or when it’s already phased out, that’s the only time I switch to another brand.

But I’m always amenable to trying out new products only when there’s a sound reason to do so. I’ve been using a particular brand of pressed powder for the longest time, but I simply couldn’t resist to see how Myra E Shine-Free Face Powder would fare against my preferred brand.

My preferred brand and Myra E Shine-Free Face Powder are similar in many ways. They are both fragrance-free, hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested. Both also give protection against the sun’s harmful rays. Myra E Shine-Free Face Powder, however, has SPF 15, while my preferred brand only has SPF 14. Another thing that gave Myra E the advantage is that it is enriched with Vitamin E. As we all know, Vitamin E helps repair the skin.

I conducted a simple test to see which of my preferred brand of pressed powder and Myra E Shine-Free Face Powder is better on my skin. Before I went to church today, I applied my preferred brand on my face. When I arrived home after church, I got rid of my preferred brand on my face and applied Myra E Shine-Free Face Powder. I know I violate makeup rules, but it has never been my practice to apply powder on my neck, too. This actually made it easier for me to check which brand is closer to my skin tone.


Donning my preferred brand of pressed powder before I went to church today


Wearing Myra E Shine-Free Face Powder after church
If you will notice, my preferred brand is one tone lighter than the color of my neck. Myra E, on the other hand, complemented it; it actually looks and feels like second skin!

Am I happy with my discovery? Absolutely! I’m actually not surprised that Myra E Shine-Free Face Powder is this good because it’s made by UNILAB, the name behind most of the health and wellness products we have at home.

I was fortunate to have been part of an exclusive group of mommy bloggers who were invited by UNILAB for a tour of their Amherst pharmaceutical plant in Mamplasan, Laguna and an afternoon of pampered relaxation at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa yesterday.

There were three pickup points for the mommy bloggers: one in Alabang, another in Quezon City, and another in Pasig City. The pickup point for Pehpot, Michelle, Steph, and I was at Starbucks near Home Depot in Julia Vargas, Pasig City.

At Amherst, we were welcomed warmly by Rochelle, UNILAB’s Corporate Affairs Officer. They also prepared a sumptuous breakfast for us.


Michelle, Pehpot and Tetcha


Breakfast!
There was a short briefing of what we can expect to see inside Amherst, but that came after a short introduction from all of the people present in the conference room. We were asked to introduce ourselves in a non-traditional way, that is, we were assigned a partner to talk to and our partner would be the one to introduce us to the group and vice versa.

Celebrity sportscaster and mom Patricia Hizon (wife of former basketball player Vince Hizon) facilitated this activity and took us around the Amherst plant. The purpose of the plant tour was to show the mommies present the quality and care that goes into making each UNILAB product.


Ms. Patricia Hizon





Getting to know each other
Mr. Jack Orendain, UNILAB’s Corporate Affairs Senior Manager, gave the welcoming remarks and explained to the group what the Discerning Mommy Advocacy is all about. Dr. Lourdes Genuino, a pediatric gastroenterologist who works at UNILAB’s Medical Affairs Division explained the many choices that moms encounter everyday. Ms. Adi de Leon, UNILAB’s plant director, discussed what can be expected of the plant tour.


Mr. Jack Orendain, UNILAB’s Corporate Affairs Senior Manager


Dr. Lourdes Genuino, UNILAB’s Medical Affairs Division


Ms. Adi de Leon, UNILAB’s plant director
Before we started the plant tour, all of us were made to wear hair caps, shoe covers, and scrub suits, and we had to wash our hands well to avoid contamination.









UNILAB plant tour
We were all amazed at how well-kept the place is. The plant also uses top-of-the-line machines to produce high-quality drugs. Strict measures are being observed, too, at every step of the manufacturing process to ensure that the drugs they’re producing are safe and effective.

After the tour, we all went to Conti’s Pastry Shop & Restaurant in Nuvali for a hearty lunch.




Conti’s Bananalicious! Yum!
Then, we went to Indulgence Spa for a one-hour full-body massage. According to Nalyn, my masseuse, what we’re having was called a Balinese massage. She said it's a combination of Swedish massage, shiatsu massage, and stretching. It was very relaxing!


Getting ready for my Balinese massage


At Indulgence Day Spa with Patricia Hizon


Chats, Patricia, Michelle, Pehpot, Tetcha, Earth, and Jing
And we went home with a bag full of UNILAB products!




At the end of the day, we all went happy and content--HAPPY that we have discovered UNILAB’s world-class manufacturing standards and its commitment to provide quality healthcare products and CONTENT that we have made the right choice for our families. Thank you, UNILAB, for staying true to your promise of Trusted Quality Healthcare!

You, too, can experience the same plant tour and pampered relaxation and receive the same freebies as UNILAB will be having online promos pretty soon. You can subscribe to this blog for updates and follow UNILAB’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Have you taken a good look at the health and wellness products that you’re using at home? You might be surprised who made them. I recently checked on the things I use for bathing and in caring for my skin, and I discovered that five of them are manufactured by UNILAB. They are Celeteque Facial Wash, Celeteque Facial Moisturizer, pH Care Intimate Wash, Myra E Daily Sun Protect, and Myra Vitaglow.


I’ve been using Celeteque Facial Wash with Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) for many years now. That’s after I’ve tried different brands of facial wash available in the market. You see, I have very sensitive skin, and some products I’ve tried were doing more harm than good. After discovering Celeteque Facial Wash with NMF and experiencing how mild and gentle it was on my skin, I stuck to it and never let go. Because it’s noncomedogenic, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free, it’s really great for sensitive skin. I also lavish my skin with Celeteque Facial Moisturizer with Triple Moisturizing System in the morning and at night. This helps prevent premature wrinkles.

For my feminine wash, I use pH Care Cool Wind. It contains ActiveCool, a special ingredient that gives an extra cool feeling every time you wash. Because it’s ph-balanced, it allows thorough cleansing without harming the natural pH of the skin. I love its light scent, too! I’d let you in on a secret. I’ve used ph Care Cool Wind several times on my face already. This usually happens when I have too many things to think about. I refuse to admit, though, that I’m getting old. LOL!

On occasions where I would need to go somewhere in the morning, I put on Myra E Daily Sun Protect (with SPF 15) on my face. It provides double sunscreen protection against UVA and UVB rays, and it’s also enriched with Vitamin E and moisturizers. All of these contribute to a healthy and youthful looking skin.

The Myra Vitaglow Tinted Facial Moisturizer, on the other hand, was a recent find. It evens out skin tone with a natural coverage. It also contains minerals and Vitamin E that keep skin soft, smooth, and glowing. It also has SPF 15 to protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun. And because it’s dermatologist-tested, it’s safe for everyday use and perfect for people with sensitive skin like me.

I chose these products because they worked for me! I’m not really surprised that they are made by UNILAB, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the Philippines. UNILAB is known to produce world-class, high-quality, safe and effective, and affordable products. The next time you buy health and wellness products, you might want to ask yourself this question: “UNILAB BA YAN?” You can visit this website for a more comprehensive listing of UNILAB products.

If there’s one thing I’m proud of, that’s being a discerning mommy. I make sure that my four-year-old son is always protected from harm. Although accidents at home or elsewhere can’t be avoided, I make it a point to see to his safety at all times. For instance, I don’t buy him toys that might be harmful to him, physically or otherwise. When he receives such toys as gifts, I make sure I keep them out of his sight and reach.

I’m also particular about the foods that my son eats. Because we have a family history of diabetes, I don’t let him eat sweets whenever, wherever. I don’t usually buy chocolates when I do my grocery shopping, but when we do have chocolates at home, I don’t let him eat everything in one sitting. I just give him one or two small pieces, and those will be enough for the day.

Because my son’s wellness is at the top of my priority list, I’m always in touch with his pediatrician for whatever ails my son or to seek medical advice on things that a first-time mom like me might not be familiar with. She’s the same pediatrician we’ve been going to for four years now. My son received all of his vaccinations from her, including booster shots. I totally trust her because she’s the expert.

I believe that the medications she prescribes for my son are the best, so I don’t argue with her on those. I remember she prescribed the following medications in the past for my son’s colds (Loraped) and fever (Dolan FP Forte). My son is also currently taking Ceelin Plus daily per his pediatrician’s advice.


To be honest, I’m not particular about drug brands before, but out of curiosity I checked the manufacturers of these drugs. I was surprised to find out that all three drugs are made by United Laboratories, Inc. or UNILAB. If my son’s doctor believed in the qualities of these UNILAB products, then they must be good. And speaking from experience, these drugs are not only effective, they’re affordable, too!

If you’re looking for safe, effective, and affordable drugs for your family, you might want to check out UNILAB’s website here.