Soft Luxe Travels: A Beauty Treasure Hunt at Vigan’s “Ancestral” Watsons

 

When you think of Watsons, you picture sleek, modern stores inside malls. But in Vigan, even Watsons steps back in time. My son aptly called it the “ancestral Watsons” — and honestly, I couldn’t agree more. Nestled inside a heritage-style building with whitewashed walls, arched doors, and capiz-inspired windows, it feels less like a typical beauty run and more like a cultural experience.

Walking through those doors, you still find your usual pharmacy staples and the signature Watsons layout and design. 

I found a lot of interesting things there that I haven't seen in my local Watsons. 

They have a lot of these FRESH makeup there. I have a FRESH makeup brush and I'm loving it!

Now these are interesting. I haven't seen them in Manila. Or maybe it's because I don't normally look at the Maybelline gondola. Maybelline lipsticks tend to dry out my lips plus they don't have much staying power. These are longwear,  though and kinda scare me. 😆 

I have not seen these BYS Decoded products! 

This is the first time I've seen this brand! The Twilight Hues is pretty. A day to night palette. 

This is another brand that's new to me, too. Has anyone tried this? Share your experience in the comments, please. 

I don't use Kotex but I really like their colorful packaging. They always have something new from time to time. 

Like this! It's Cinnamoroll!

How appropriate that this promo is at Watsons Calle Crisologo!

There's the kitty umbrella I got from Baguio

So many types of soothing gels. I asked my care provider if I could try one of these. He said no. 😆

Discovering More BYS

What really caught my eye was the BYS shelf:

I almost bought this palette but realized that I won't be able to use a few of the shades, plus I already have the golds and the champagnes in my other BYS palettes. 

Yeah, these are beachy, bonfire party colors

BYS palettes are so fun! They remind me of Too Faced and Benefit palettes! 

These colors would look gorgeous on you if you have fair skin. 

These are totally wearable during the day, but I already have those shades, so I passed.

And this looks like an Urban Decay palette. This palette is great if you are a winter girl. 

These BYS palettes are almost like rediscovering limited-edition gems hidden in plain sight. For makeup lovers, stumbling upon these finds in such a nostalgic setting felt like unearthing a beauty time capsule.

We bought a few necessities there, plus I found a surprise product that I can't wait to try and share with you, ladies! As I type this, I'm nursing a cold. So, I'm holding off on product testing until I'm 100%. 

This was my Watsons Vigan tour. Looking back at these photos, I wish I had spent more time scrutinizing the shelves. There were so many skincare and makeup that were new to me! I guess Vigan Glow Girls are very serious about their skin and how they look.

Only in Vigan can a beauty run feel like a heritage tour. Stay tuned for Calle Crisologo Part 1.