Random Thursday {September 06}

It's another Thursday again! Yes! 

We'd like to thank everyone who signed up and showed interest in our women's workshop, The Pink Tarha Mornings. We received an overwhelming response and we wished we could accommodate all of you but we'd like to keep the workshop small for now so we can focus on the subjects. Who knows there might be a second one? Haha. And for those who emailed us good things about the blog, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! We appreciate them and we promise to make the blog better.

So how are you this fine Thursday morning? I'm sure most of you are still asleep. Let me guess, it's the men who are snoozing overtime. Haha. As for yours truly, I'm having breakfast while typing this. How I can feed myself spoonfuls of sinangag (Filipino fried rice) while tapping away in my keyboard is beyond me. But hey, a Pink Tarha lady's got to do what a Pink Tarha lady's got to do. Haha!

Here's a round up of interesting things this week...

Abu Bakr Ar Razi Street, the street going to Military Hospital from Dabat Street, is my neighborhood and from what I'm seeing, it's becoming a little Batha. From having branches of Enjaz, Telemoney, salons, and popular Filipino restaurants and bakeries, this street is the mini "place to be" for Filipino expats. The opening soon Jollibee branch is also here and Skyfreight for cargo and TFC transactions. Wow, I'm glad I live in this area. Although I might have to rethink that once traffic and the huge crowds get in.

I was cleaning my closet when I chanced upon my stash of Bath and Body Works, which I got from the sale a few months back. These are my favorite scents, along with Sweet Pea. There's a new line in B&BW with the theme, "Paris". Have you seen it in the stores yet? But before hoarding again, check your closets and cabinets for B&BW products that you might have bought before. I'm sure you have them in there. Use them first, or better yet give them away as pasalubongs. I'm sure my sisters are already eyeing the babies above.

Have you tried Lush's Emotional Brilliance cosmetics line already? You should! They have it in this cute containers that remind you of art supplies or a medicine bottle/dropper. Haha! There are words in there that speak about and match your personality. They sure pack a lot of colors. See my mini review below.

Beauty reviews

I've had these amazing products for a few weeks already and have used them a couple of times. The Tito Nail Polish came from one of our favorite nail spas in Riyadh, Four Nail Spa and Salon. They come in 99 vibrant colors. Macau, a gorgeous and elegant blue green color with shimmers, caught my attention immediately. The nail polish itself was easy to apply and goes on smooth. It doesn't hurt that it's perfect for the dry weather in Riyadh. It doesn't chip easily and the color stays vibrant for days.

The liquid lip color Believe came from Lush's Emotional Brilliance line and dare I say it? It is indeed brilliant. A little drop goes a long way. It really packs a wallop of that solid raspberry ice cream color. So pigmented! I had the mistake of putting too many in my cheeks (yes, it can be used as blush) and my driver looked stunned when he saw me. Hahaha. So now, I just use a small drop for my lips and cheeks. The color is good and it lasts longer compared to the usual lipstick. I suggest you put a balm on your lips first before swiping it on. Oh, and use a proper lip brush.

You know what's good to eat on a Thursday brunch? Fresh pizzas and bruchetta! Piatto, our venue for the Pink Tarha Mornings, have these! Don't they look so good to eat right now? Oh yes, we are excited for our first workshop and it's great we have a very good venue for it. I mean, how refreshing will it be to learn something new in a courtyard and having a nice brunch after?

Speaking of eating, I'm reminded of these "sporks" our boss got for us via online shopping. He does know how much we love to eat. Haha. And this is more than a spork because if you look closely, it even has a "knife" in there. Genius! Perfect for guerilla eating! Hehe. I wonder if this comes in pink?

Yesterday, the ladies and I were going gaga over Solestruck's SALE. Hello, shoes!!! And I remembered we haven't shown you what we bought from the last Solestruck sale a few months ago. So here it is! Or them. Our friend got those patented purple, okay shocking purple, boots from Ego and Greed. She loved them! I got the fuchsia gladiator sandals from the To Be Announced line. You won't believe how many times I had to wrap the black lace on my legs before I was done putting them. Hahah. But they're nice and definitely a scene stealer. The Michael Kors box contains a pair of black boots and the girl scout box? It's a Jeffrey Campbell pink Moochie. Oh you just have to wait for the ones we ordered yesterday. You'll be shocked. Hahah.

To end this random Thursday entry, I bring you a photo I snapped on the way home. Yes, that is still in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia even if it reminds me of somewhere else. We just know Riyadh as that hot, stifling, strict city that doesn't have much to offer aside from sand when it comes to "nature". But if you just know where to look, you will also get to see glimpses of the other side of Riyadh - simple, bright, hopeful - from time to time.

Have a nice weekend, everyone! ~ Sundrenched

The BBW Wonderland

And so the wait is over... the Bath and Body Works Store in Riyadh is open! 

My friends and I saw it this weekend. We giddily entered to see if our favorite scents are available and what other treats await us. (I was like this girl lost in a candy store.) We went from one shelf to another like giddy school girls spotting a crush. Lol. This time though, it's a different "candy" we're ogling at. Smelling too, instead of tasting. 

A wonder land!

We asked a salesman politely if we can take photos in the store. He said yes with much enthusiasm. We took photos as close to the products and shelves as possible to remain discreet and avoid taking photos of people inside the store. There were a lot of people that night but not enough to restrict movement. 

SWEET PEA!!!

Of course, I looked for my fave fragrance first. I didn't have to look hard because this is at the front. Sweet Pea has always been my favorite BBW scent. It's a soft, delicate fragrance of sweet pea petals and watery pear with freesia, raspberry, and musk. I can't get enough of this! I still have the body spray and lotion now so I didn't buy any thing from the line. Well, nothing yet! Humanda ka kapag ubos na. Hehe. Shoegarfreeruby likes the Warm Vanilla Sugar scent, which is currently on a Buy 1 Get 1 promo. This combination of vanilla, basmati ice water, and sandalwood is so sweet and comforting. 

Carried Away

A few of their newer scents are also available. Among them, I like Carried Away, a blend of jasmine, raspberries, and vanilla. And isn't the packaging adorable? Might get this next time so love might sweep me off my feet. ;) Other scents we saw are Country Chic, Island Colada, Japanese Cherry Blossom, and Midnight Pomegranate, which they seem to be highlighting to cater to the Arab market because of its dark, sensual scent (like oud maybe).

Gift sets

Your gift list solved.

You won't get stumped on what to give your family and friends now!

There are gift sets available for SR225 each, or maybe lower depends on what you want to include.

Water cans!

We were smitten with these water cans. Surely we don't have any need for it but it's just too cute and refreshing to see them here. And in green too!

Here's the price list for the fragrances. Some scent lines are more expensive than others so check the tags first. The salesmen are really helpful too so inquire! Hindi bawal magtanong, sabi nga ng friend ko when I became too shy to ask, lol. We'll put in the prices in USD from the BBW website so you can compare if they're worth buying here or you'll just have to order from online sites.

Body Lotion (237 ml) - 45 SAR | $10.50

Fragrance Mist (8 oz) - 25 SAR (small) | 55 SAR (large) | $12.00

Eau de Toilette (2.5 oz) - 100-120 SAR | $29.50

Shower Gel (8 oz) - 45 SAR | $10.50

Body Cream (8 oz) - 50 SAR | $12.00

Hand Cream (2.5 oz) - 40 SAR | $10.00

Bubble Bath (8 oz) - 50 SAR | $12.00

Smaller versions are 10-20SAR less than their big counterpart.

A combination of small bottles of lotion and shower gel are perfect for gifts.
30 SAR each set.

They don't only have the fragrances. They also have lip glosses and lip balms. They have the color lip gloss, sheer lip gloss, and mentha lip gloss. They also carry C.O. Bigelow's popular all-around rose salve used to soften the lips, face, cuticles, elbows, knees, etc.

Lip treats galore!

Lottsa choices and flavors! 

We didn't get any thing from their lip line though 'coz we found the 35 SAR (each) too expensive. These lip treats are only $7-8 a piece in the US. Hmn, maybe we'll get one or two if our curiosity gets the better of us tomorrow. :P

Cute hand sanitizers

The pocket-sized hand sanitizers are so tiny and cute! They go for 15 SAR each and comes in your favorite fragrance. They also have a line that signifies your horoscope sign and the traits that come with it. For example, I'm a Virgo and it says in the bottle that I'm witty, perfectionist, reliable, and helpful... oi, so me! LOL. They have the holder which you attach to your bag so it's easy to pump a little into your hands any time any where but they're pretty expensive at 20 SAR.

They also have a range of face care and aromatherapy products which I didn't get to know further because I became attached to their home fragrance line. I looove scented candles, tarts, and linen sprays... basically anything that gives my room the smell that coincides with my emotions (emotera kasi! haha!). 

Yummy scents!

Their Slatkin&Co. candles look so sleek in their glass holders and they also have very lively colors. I like the Sweet Pea variant of course... and the Frosted Cupcake (so sweet and ahhhhh nakakagutom!) I like their Strawberry Patch, Island Margarita, and Warm Vanilla Sugar. I hope they bring Salty Caramel, Homemade Cookies, and Mint Chocolate too (puro pagkain talaga?!).

Lovely candle holders!

Candles (4 oz) - 45 SAR | $9.50

Candles (14.5 oz) - 95 SAR | $19.50

Candle holders/sleeves - 65 SAR up

Their Wallflowers also piqued my curiosity. For those who don't want lighting candles in their houses , especially those with children who are malilikot (aren't all children?!)... then these are for you. They're pluggable home fragrance devices. Just put your favorite single bulb refills and plug! The salesman said a bulb can last up to 3 days. 

Can serve as decors too!

Look at that egg container for four bulbs! So kyot.

Wallflowers Starters - 35 SAR | $6.50

Wallflowers Single Bulb Refills - 25 SAR | $6.50

For those who are avoiding anything with flame, plugs, and batteries, then they also have these egg-shaped home fragrances but I wasn't able to check them out further. Oooh, also the nifty Scentportables.

Eggscents! Cool!

So there you are... I'm sure I haven't featured every thing but that's about most of the items you can expect to see in the newly-opened Bath and Body Works in Sahara Mall and Kingdom Center. For years, I've been buying Victoria's Secret body sprays as pasalubong for my sisters and friends. I think it's time for a change. ;)

§undrenched