Window Shopping at BBW: Still Beautiful, Just Not for Me Anymore

I’ve always loved Bath & Body Works. The colors, the themes, the storytelling… it’s the kind of place that makes you feel like a little girl again, especially with the Disney Princess collection.

Bath and Body Works was our next stop in this series. We’ve only recently had BBW here. I used to order these from the States or hoard when I go to Singapore.

But I stopped when I had all those autoimmune issues many years ago. I had to be careful with what I apply to my skin. That’s our largest organ and if I feed it with questionable ingredients, I know I’d react.

So I stopped everything.

Oh, that candle holder is pure love.

And just like that, my love affair with BBW quietly ended.

I checked the price of the body creams. I was eyeing the Mulan. It was about $25. I was surprised at the price increase.

So, I asked my friend who is also knowledgeable about my health history if it was worth it. Someone mentioned to me before that BBW ingredients are now better compared to about 10 years ago. I’m willing to shell out the money if the ingredients were worth it.

He said no.

In fact, two of them said the same thing. Find another brand.

I sighed.

And looked at the pieces longingly.

I mean, just look at that box!

I also found these lovely PocketBac holders.

But I also don’t use them anymore as they dry up my hands.

I wanted Aurora’s crown and Mulan’s comb

This castle, too!

I have a penchant for strawberries.

And cherries!

These two fruits are special to me. It took a lot of willpower to put them back and walk away.

So cute this travel suitcase with the airplane charm

Did it sting when I walked out empty-handed?

A little.

Bath & Body Works reminds me of the time in my life when I was young, driven, traveled a lot, and had several endeavors under my belt.

Turning my back on BBW felt like gently closing a door filled with beautiful memories.

But as I told my son, “Let’s go”, put my tote bag on my shoulder, and walked out of the store, I thought of the open door before me with it’s new possibilities, new products, and new memories to make.

Bath & Body Works is even more beautiful now…it’s just not for the woman I’m becoming anymore.

---

'Til my next post,

Stay soft. Stay strong. Stay Glowing.

LET'S GLOW.

With elegance and quiet fire,

Lady E

Exhibitor and speaker at the Philippine Book Festival 2026

💌 Connect with me on Insta: behind-the-scenes, daily sparks, and more.

📚 Created by a registered NBDB author, these children’s books and homeschool workbooks are made to help your child learn with ease.

💻 Grab your copies now on Gumroad

🍽 Craving comfort food stories and recipes? Visit my food blog: Lady E Eats

🛒 🎁 Looking for learning materials, school supplies, and thoughtful finds? Visit my Shopee: Isaac's Gift Shop

💫 I write, I cook, I create — with love, always.

✈️ Our Binondo staycation was featured by Ramada by Wyndham Manila Central! Read about our Soft Luxe experience here 💖

P. S.

Don't forget to get your Glow Cards!

👉 Grab your Glow Cards here – available now on Gumroad

👉 Get your very own Pantry Ledger here.

🤝 For Collaborations & Features

If you’re a brand, PR agency, or fellow creative who believes in adding beauty, meaning, and intention to everyday life, I’d love to hear from you. Whether it’s a product you’d like me to try, a place you’d love me to experience, or a story waiting to be told — let’s create something lovely together.

📩 Send me a message on:

✨ Instagram

💖 Facebook

Or simply leave a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Soul Notes: For Your Journal Tonight

Come sit with me for a while. I have my journal open, and tonight I’ve been thinking about something I suspect I do more often than I realize. I turn healing into another thing I need to accomplish. I want to know when I’ll be over something. When I’ll stop thinking about it. When something that hurt will finally stop hurting. When I’ll feel like myself again. And somewhere along the way, healing quietly becomes another deadline. Another invisible date on a calendar. Another thing I can somehow be late for. But maybe healing doesn’t work particularly well under project management. Maybe there are things I will understand quickly and things I’ll have to revisit again and again. Maybe I’ll feel completely fine one day and unexpectedly tender the next. That doesn’t mean I’ve gone backwards. It means I’m still moving through it. I remember one day, many years ago, when I had fibromyalgia. I lived in constant pain. I just couldn’t get a good day. And then one day, in the office...

Used to the Last Drop: The Ones I’d Already Told You About

There’s something particularly satisfying about finishing a product you’ve already written about. Not testing it. Not forming first impressions. Not wondering whether I’ll still like it three weeks from now. Finished. My Molang Honey sheet masks and this body scrub both made it all the way to the end. (Finally for the Molang sheet masks, right?) I’ve reviewed both before, so I won’t review them all over again here. But perhaps using something until there is nothing left to use is its own kind of review. Beauty products come through my bathroom rather frequently. Some are lovely for a week. Some get pushed to the back of a shelf. Some simply stop working for me. And then there are the ones that quietly disappear because I kept reaching for them. Maybe an empty container is the shortest review of all. I liked it enough to finish it. If you want to read my thought about these products, just type them on my search bar. —- With elegance and quiet fire, Lady E Founder, Glow by Lady E...

The Pleasure of Leaving It Behind

I really liked this dress. Enough that I stood there looking at it for far longer than necessary, having that familiar little debate with myself. It was black. Simple. Very me. I could already imagine how I would wear it. There was only one problem. The fabric was thick. And perhaps in another climate, or another version of my life, that wouldn’t matter very much. But I live in the Philippines. We’re going through El Niño. Heat and I are already not particularly good friends, and my histamine sensitivity has made me even less willing to wear something that might leave me uncomfortable simply because it looks good. Still, I stood there. Because sometimes walking away from something we like is strangely difficult, even when we already know it isn’t right for us. We start negotiating. Maybe I’ll only wear it indoors. Maybe the fabric isn’t that thick. Maybe I’ll regret leaving it behind. Then I realized I was trying awfully hard to convince myself to buy something my body had alrea...

Glow by Lady E

Search This Blog