What's In Whites {2/2}

We're back to the aisles of Whites Pharmacy, one of our favorite stores in Riyadh. If you're wondering why, you should go back and read our first entry on What's Inside Whites. 

Apart from beauty and wellness products, Whites carry a whole lot more of products that you didn't know you were looking for. You know that feeling when you're browsing for products and you just have to buy items that are not even on your shopping list? You'll feel that urge in Whites... a lot of times.

Back to Whites Pharmacy!

One of the main problems OFWs are encountering in Saudi Arabia is their vanishing hair. Hahah! My brother used to complain how harsh the water is in Riyadh that he's been losing hair faster than he can say 'shampoo!' If you're having the same problem as him, you should consider Seward Mediter hair products...

All the right products for your needs.

Got hair loss problems?

Weak, dry hair? Solutions here!

Helen Seward Hair Treatment products are popular for their effectivity. They use active principles from plants, flowers, and fruits to come up with well-researched solutions to your hair problems. They have the answer to everything from hair loss to colored, damaged hair to sensitive scalp and dandruff. You can find what suits you best in Whites. 

Protect your nails, hair, and skin!

But wait, what about for hair that you want to get rid of? Whites still has the answer! Look at this portable laser! Yesss! You can actually have your laser sessions at the comfort of your home. Amazing, yes? The price is more than SR3,000 but hey, who says remaining hair-less is cheap? You need to work on it, girl! Haha. 

For other hairy needs, haha!

And here's one nifty product you shouldn't miss when you have wet underarms...

Stay dry!

We gave the participants of our first Pink Tarha Mornings a sample of this one and I'm pretty sure they were weirded out at first but eventually found this product useful for them or for their family members. ;P Seriously, what a genius product! It's not easy to get rid of underarms that get wet immediately from all the tasks and errands of the day. Some even require medical procedures for it. With this 1-2 Dry underarm pads, you'll have an instant solution!

The most-sought teeth strips!

We've had several inquiries over the years where to find Crest 3D White Whitestrips. If only we've known that they available in Whites Pharmacy earlier on, we could've answered the soonest! But no worries since it's here and you're free to snatch them in the shelves... and pay them on the counter! Here's to pearly white teeth! ;)

Protect yourself from the sandstorm!

Looking for a mask can be very difficult when a sandstorm hits and you;re stuck in your car. Well, Whites have them too and the good thing about their mask and tissues? 100% cotton! They're so soft and strong that no matter how much to tug and pull, they're still intact. 

Hey, see what we found just below this rack...

For those saying no to sanitary pads

There are women who favor tampons over the usual, regular sanitary pads. Whites is where you can get them. (You noticed those circle stickers of Whites? If a product has those, it means the products are exclusive to Whites and you won't find them anywhere else in Riyadh.)

Of course, Whites being a pharmacy, you can find here the usual medicines you'll be needing for your colds, cough, etc. One thing that caught our eyes is the wonderful packaging of Natural Patches of Vermont. They look like mint tins but they're actually patches for specific concerns on your body. I want to try the appetite suppressant. Hahaha!

Patch your worries and aches away!

Speaking of tins, Whites also carry some gift products that are made of tin. They're so cute they'll be perfect for those who are into retro-ish designs and decors.

Oldie but goodie!

How awesome are these tins? Store your cereals and knick-knacks in here and you'll lessen the clutter in your room and kitchen. And hey, have you seen metal cards? Yes, METAL greeting cards!

Unique greeting cards!

At least you'll be sure your cards won't be crumpled or bent on their way to your family or friend. ;) And what about adding in a thermometer set in this thin metal slabs? 

Bet you didn't expect to find these in a pharmacy!

Whites also carry some items which can serve as gifts. Take for example these well-designed candle shades. You just need tea lights and you'll have an instant mood lifter in your room. You can pick any design that fits your interiors or personality. You can even change them as often as you want. 

Which design will you be using next?

Whites Pharmacy even carries flip-flops! (I told you, they are more than your usual neighborhood pharmacy!) These brightly-colored slippers are so comfy! Perfect for your next summer getaway!

Pick your fave color!

Since Whites is all about health and wellness, it's not surprising to see a small kiosk of Diet Center inside their branch in Takhasussi. They have great selections of drinks, salads, and sandwiches. 

Snacking while browsing 

What will you be having today?

Browsing Whites Pharmacy is an experience in itself. For OC persons like me whose past time is reading labels, I can spend half a day inside WHites Pharmacy and never be bored. There's just so many things that are available and products that I didn't know actually exist to help me with my concerns. 

Next time you go to Whites, take your time in browsing their aisles. I'm sure you'll find something worthy of your hard-earned fulos. Splurge in products that are of high quality and doesn't scrimp on effective ingredients! ~ Sundrenched

Whites Pharmacy Mecca Road, Takhasussi (near Panda) For more branches, click here. E: customercare@whites.net T: +966 1 288-6877 / 489-5994/ 489-7750/ 489-7751

Through Your Eyes, The Second Morning

The second Pink Tarha Mornings went by quickly and smoothly. We have a bigger crowd this time, just a little bit more from the first one and we have a guest speaker who knows a lot about our chosen topic... PHOTOGRAPHY. Do you know how many photography clubs are in Riyadh? A lot and yes, we will come up with a feature on them one of these days but for now, we had a workshop led by professional photographer Nikoll Long-Carr. You should really visit her site and learn more about this remarkable woman. 

The second workshop titled "Through Your Eyes" is a full basic photography workshop that was held in Piatto Restaurant in Exit 5 here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 'Mornings' are making quite a stir now especially after the feature in Balitang Middle East. You still have to pinch me sometimes for me to believe I just watched The Pink Tarha ladies on tv. Anyway, here is a photo diary of the second Pink Tarha Mornings. Whenever we have this event, everything just moves forward rapidly that it's already over before I can grapple with reality.

Piatto Italian Restaurant

Piatto Restaurant in Exit 5, once again, opened their second floor 'courtyard' for the second Pink Tarha Mornings. We love how they setup the place for a bigger crowd this time. The sponsors of our pastries and baked goods were given a long table. The Piatto management has always been supportive of our endeavor and again, we'd like to express our gratitude to its management, esp. to Sir Steve, Sir Majed, Sir Albert, and Sir Neil, for giving us this opportunity. This venue is, as always, perfect!

A different set of colors

I deviated from the usual pink this time around and used bright colors of lime and orange. If you see our site for Through Your Eyes, I used a different set of digital papers for decorations and sign ages. Even the badges you see above use summery colors. I think it suits a morning event as well. We'll always love pink though. ;)

We usually arrive around 8 o'clock in the morning to prepare the venue and our stuff. Early risers much? Haha! The Pink Tarha ladies didn't have a dress code but Eyecandy, Shoegarfreeruby and I came in shades of peach. Sampaguita Pride had a summer dress with bright yellow details. It wasn't a requirement for the ladies to arrive in pink but some of them did. Yeyyy! ;)

Shoegarfreeruby, fresh from her vacation, is manning the registration area.

Sampaguita Pride having her cuppajoe.

Our sponsors arrived looking fabulous with their equally fabulous baked goodies. Cielo Algaeed arrived with her husband, Mr. Abdul, and went on arranging her Paris-inspired dessert buffet table. We love seeing her work progress over the months.

Cielo Algaeed of Cielo's Sweet Treats

The bubbly and very energetic Cecile Bautista-Perez arrived next with her family in tow. They arranged her lovely setup of cupcakes, nibble bars, cake pops, and chocolates. And yes, we fell easily in love with her baked creations.

Cecile Perez of Dolce Cecilia

There was an abundance of sweet treats and glorious pastries!

Cake pops!

Seems like cake pops are all the rave these days. You should try these yummy balls of sweetness! We also had guests who brought their own baked goodies to be shared. Aren't we lucky to have lovely and generous participants? ;)

Thanks, Meg Tillah, for the cute and colorful cupcakes + cookies!

Thanks, Nadia Tariq!

The ladies getting some coffee + pastries before the start of the program.

The ladies started trickling in to the venue around 9 o'clock. They were welcomed by R who was in-charge of the registration. This time, our folder kits are yellow! Woot! So bright! Haha! The guests are free to roam around the place, have coffee and pastries, and get to know the other ladies.

Let us begin the session!

Eyecandy as our host for today's workshop.

Nikoll Long-Carr on how to hold the camera properly.

Always ready with a smile

The participants listening intently.

A few raffle prizes in between

One of the new things we incorporated in this second event is having a raffle draw. The prizes include Saudi Arabia bags from Camel Corner, ID lanyard (so limited it was only one, haha!), MNG clothes, and a gift voucher for Four Nail Spa and Salon. Nikoll added one of her framed photos too featuring the Kingdom Tower.

Nikoll on photo tips and tricks

Nikoll with her framed photos

After the lecture session, the exercise session began. Nikoll roamed around to help out the participants and answer any of their questions. Brunch was also served during this time so they can capture the food, if the ladies want to. There's a photo contest happening after the event. You can check out the photos here.

Nikoll giving Nadia a few pointers

One-on-one session

The ladies enjoying their brunch

E and P with the ladies who are also interested in Toastmasters

One thing we learned from the first Pink Tarha Mornings is to allot enough time to distribute certificates and take a photo of each participant in the process. So we did just that! We get to keep the photos, of course, as our souvenir for another successful event.

Awarding of certificates

Thank you, Nikoll!

Shoegarfreeruby, Eyecandy, Sampaguita Pride, and Sundrenched

The Pink Tarha ladies are very much in debt to all the people who made this event possible! As you've probably read in our Facebook page, we had a lot to be thankful for... including you dear readers! ;)

Thankful to our friends who helped and supported this event.

Thankful to our sponsors, Whites Pharmacy and Volvo.

Thankful to our lovely participants!!!

Again, we'd like to THANK everyone who's supported and helped and cheered us on in this endeavor. This wouldn't be successful without you.

Want coffee? Own the mug too! ;) One of our souvenirs for this event.

Whites Pharmacy has provided ample samples for this event. They came in a cute box too! ;)

A few might be asking why we're holding the Pink Tarha Mornings. What do we get from it? What do we gain from it? Friends. That's what. And with that simple reason alone, we hope to be able to hold more Pink Tarha Mornings in the future. Stay tuned! ;)

The aftermath... Thanks Jou for being our photographer for the day! WOOT!

After all the guests have gone and the our friends have also left for the morning, Eyecandy and I usually have an egress report of some sort.We deal with the packing up and reviewing the event while having our proper lunch (we cannot eat properly during the event... must be the nerves, haha!). It's like having an immediate SWOT analysis of the event. Nothing formal just a quick recap so we can make the future events better. 

So, who's excited for the next Pink Tarha Mornings? We're thinking of bringing The Pink Tarha Mornings to Alkhobar and Jeddah! What do you think? Hahaha! Ambitious much? ;) ~ Sundrenched

What's in Whites {1/2}

Every person has a place they consider their "candy store." These are places which, if given a chance or brought about by some luck, you'll choose to be stuck in for a long period of time because you enjoy yourself like a "kid in a candy store store." That would be hypermarkets and book stores for me. Leave me in those places for a few hours and you won't hear me complain. 

Eyecandy and I found another place which we can put under that category... Whites Pharmacy. Yes, a pharmacy and more! We were toured by Ms. Haifa Alhumaid, Whites' marketing executive, in one of their biggest branches and boy are we lucky! We get to check out the products they offer and you're also lucky because we're sharing the information to you! At least now you'll have an idea where to get the stuff you'd been asking us about! We found really interesting brands and products that we'd like to buy for ourselves. We tell you, Whites Pharmacy is one of those places you'd choose to get stuck in.

Welcome to Whites!

WHITES is a group of retail shops and pharmacy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that brings you health and beauty products. Most of these products you won't find anywhere in Riyadh. They offer exclusive brands that are of high quality and guaranteed to bring results.

You may now begin your shopping spree.

I have to make two entries because Whites Pharmacy has so much wonderful products I might cause your computer to freeze due to the many photos I'll be uploading. So this is part 1 and I'm doubtful I can categorize it into beauty first and then health next. But let's just think of it as such. :)

What's the most problem-prone area of one's body? The skin, of course. That's why it's necessary to have the right skin care products before even using makeup and cosmetics that can cover the problem areas. Prevention is better than cure, yes?

Let's start with one of White's most popular brand, Avene, the leading skincare line in European pharmacies. Avene carries everything from facial wash, lotion, and creams to toners, scrub, and serum. Whatever your skin needs, Avene has it. Lines include Hydrance (for regular use), Cleanance (for acne-prone skin), Eluage (anti-aging), and a lot more. Although a little bit more expensive than what most of us are paying for our daily skincare regimen, Avene promises to be worth every single riyal.

Have you tried Avene?

More Avene.

Up next is a brand whose packaging caught my attention first. Greenland uses very minimal designs on their packaging yet it's one of my most favorite ever. Greenland is a line of bath and body care products that are based on natural and organic ingredients. They have ranges from Pure and White, Balm&Butter, Milky, Fruit Emotions (uses essential oils), and Fruit Extracts. Our favorite scents are coconut and tangerine and papaya.

From singles to packs, Greenland has it!

LOVE Greenland!

Whites exclusive!

Greenland packs perfect for gifts.

It's the fragrance of Cottage Body Care line that piqued our interest the most. Trying the caramel scented lotion and scrub is like literally rubbing real caramel on your skin, minus the stickiness. Eyecandy was happy to find a peach-scented body care line too as she's been on the lookout for quite a while. Cottage takes pride in its scent as they work with the best perfumers in the world to find original and natural tones and strive to make the scents last in the skin as long as possible.

Lots of choices!

Smells so sweeeeet!

Both Greenland and Cottage have organic lines. If you're new to "organic" products, you might be wondering what "organic" means to body care and skin care brands. Basically, these products indicates of being animal or vegetable origin. For the products we're specifically discussing here, they're of vegetable and fruit origins and are not only skin-friendly but also environment-friendly. Other organic brands in Whites are Marilou Bio and Miessence.

Every thing organic right here!

An entire shelf is dedicated to organic products.

Organic lip balm anyone?

Miessence and its minimalist packaging.

Next we go to one of the most important product range for people living and working in Saudi Arabia... sun protection! It's one of the most neglected part of our daily routine, thinking that we should only use them products with SPF when we're on the beach. Wear sunscreen everyday and we mean that advice. Whites carry Vichy, Coppertone, and Malibu. Take your pick! For those who are looking for tanning lotion, Whites has it! ;)

Protect your skin from the sun.

Good for the out of town trips, and everyday use.

Tanning lotion and oil spray

Now, after taking good care of your skin, there are products that can further enhance your beauty. Whites has an extensive beauty section which carries our favorite makeup brands like Revlon, Maybelline, Max Factor, L'Oreal, Bourjois, and Rimmel.

The beauty bar

Familiar brands

One of the best finds in Whites Pharmacy is Essie Nail Polish. It's a line of multi-awarded nail lacquers that started in 1981. Through the years, Essie has been known as one of the world's best nail polish for its vibrant color and consistent finish. Whites does not only have Essie nail polish (SR 30 each), they also carry its nail care products.

Vibrant Essie, SR30 each

Essie nail care

Have you heard of Shellac? The long lasting nail polish that lasts for weeks? Well, Whites doesn't carry it because you'll be needing a UV lamp to use it... but Whites carry the regular polish created by CND, maker of Shellac. They have the usual colored nail polish and the ones that you put on top the regular ones to provide an effect (ex. pearl, shimmer, sparkle). CND nail treatments and essentials are also available.

CND's regular nail polish line

Additional nail and hand care products from CND

Whites is also introducing a new beauty brand in the Riyadh market, Polish cosmetics brand Bell, which produces high quality cosmetics using modern technologies and techniques. They have a lot of products for the face and among their bestsellers are Diamond Eyes (diamond mousse eyeshadow), Milky Shake (yogurt lip glosses), and Push Up mascara. Their range of lipstick are also nice and comes in various classic, timeless shades.

Try something new!

The bestsellers!

Eyebrows are one of the most important parts of our face which we tend to ignore most of the time. If you've been reading The Pink Tarha for a long time, you'll know how obsessive Eyecandy and Sampaguita Pride can get on their eyebrows. I, for one, can't be bothered by it (seriously, I have no skills in drawing an eyebrow) so I'm delighted to find this eyebrow makeup kit by Christian in Whites. It contains 3 stencils that help design a thick, thin, or natural-shaped eyebrows, a two-way ended brush, and a water-resistant powder which comes in various colors. This kit makes putting on well-defined eyebrows effortless and guess what, no touch-ups needed!

Eyebrow saver.

After wearing makeup the whole day, it's time to take them off. Seriously ladies, you shouldn't go to bed with a gunk of makeup on. These makeup removers exclusive to Whites are easy to use and won't take an hour wiping off that grime and dirt caused by cosmetics.

Wipe that makeup off!

Let's talk about tattoo. A few readers have been asking us where they can get one. Well, permanent tattoo makers are hard to come by in this side of the world but you can always opt for something temporary, just in case you change your mind. Would you believe Whites carry Tattoo Yourself, a line of temporary art tattoos that you can put yourself? They have the stencils and the ink.

Get inked! For a few days.

And that's not all. How about some body jewelry? They have a case full of jewelries for your piercings. Cool eh?

Belly? Ear lobes? Eyebrows? 

Have you tried any of the products we've listed above? We'd like to know your feedback! The comment section is very much open for your mini reviews. ;)

Whites Pharmacy has more products but we don't have space on this entry anymore. Fret not though. We have a second entry on Whites and its products up in a few days! :) In the meantime, visit Whites Facebook page and follow them on Twitter for faster updates. ~ Sundrenched

Whites Pharmacy
Mecca Road, Takhasussi (near Panda)
For more branches, click here.
E: customercare@whites.net
T: +966 1 288-6877 / 489-5994/ 489-7750/ 489-7751