Since I’ve moved to Jakarta one of my main complaints is the dirty tap water, it doesn’t help that we live in an old building and I get massive chunks of metal and stones in my faucet aerator. Eww. We found out that our friends live in houses or apartments that already have a centralized water-filtration system but our landlord refused to provide one for us. He finally gave in after we suffered for 2 years but it does not resolve the problem of hard or over-chlorinated water. (This is common in countries where the water quality is not that great so they make up for it by adding more chlorine).

The skin on my face started breaking out and became really rough and I had to go to a derma in Manila to fix it! I don’t usually go to the derma except for the occasional laser treatment and this was a first for me since I graduated from puberty. (I don’t even get facials!) When I got back we had to buy a water filter for our bathroom faucet so that we could finally brush our teeth and wash our faces with it. Previously we had to use bottled water. That’s right… we CANNOT brush our teeth with unfiltered tap. It not only smells strongly of rust but in large quantities it is BROWN.
That still left us with awful rust-smelling showers which is why I love going home to the Philippines and being able to breath normally and have my eyes open in the shower. It stings too much here! I’ve been looking for a simple shower filter until one day a fairy-god(OC)mother appeared and sent me an Aquasana Shower Filter all the way from Manila! (God bless OC Mom‘s heart! And thanks for lugging it all the way to Jakarta Albert!)
“Why a shower filter? Anyone who has ever swam in a chlorinated pool knows how chlorine robs moisture from skin and hair. What most people don’t realize is that there is typically as much, or more, chlorine in your tap water as in most pools. The Aquasana Shower Filteruses an innovative dual-filter process. Stage 1 reduces chlorine and enhances pH balance with a natural copper/zinc mineral media called KDF-55D. Stage 2 uses a carbonized coconut shell media for the reduction of synthetic chemicals and VOCs. Your shower water will feel better, and be better for you. Aquasana promises great benefits for asthma and allergy sufferers due to the reduction of harmful chlorine vapors.“
– SOMETHING SNAPPEE
That still left us with awful rust-smelling showers which is why I love going home to the Philippines and being able to breath normally and have my eyes open in the shower. It stings too much here! I’ve been looking for a simple shower filter until one day a fairy-god(OC)mother appeared and sent me an Aquasana shower filter all the way from Manila! (God bless OC Mom‘s heart! And thanks for lugging it all the way to Jakarta Albert!)
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This simple shower upgrade reduces more than 90% of chlorine and harmful VOCs from shower water and enhances pH balance for a healthy and refreshing shower.
HAIR
After using Aquasana shower filter my hair started drying faster, felt smoother and needed less styling! I was actually having good hair days – gasp! Check out my hair in the last black tie event I attended below… I never would have thought I could get that sexy styled hair without a professional hair stylist in a salon, but after using Aquasana shower filter I can do it myself without much effort and styling products because my hair is smoother and healthier than ever!

SKIN
My skin has always been dry but it got even worse here in Jakarta. I would be so itchy from dry skin I couldn’t sleep and TD would get worried because I scratch so much I get wounds and scabs on my legs. I was already plying myself with lotion AND dry oil just to lock in the moisture! It was SO sticky I tell you! But I had to do it just so I wouldn’t be itchy. But now I use only lotion (I even forget to sometimes!) but I don’t suffer the same crazy discomfort any more. (Phew!)
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Basically it doesn’t matter how expensive your skincare and hair care regimen is, if the water you bathe in is chock full of harmful chemicals then your hair and skin still wont be able to retain all the moisture, vitamins and other expensive goodies you slather on it! (Kahit mag Creme de la Mer ka pa!)
Now one lucky reader from the Philippines will get to try out the benefits of Aquasana shower filter FOR FREE! I’ll be posting the contest mechanics on Monday, 14 November 2011, so please drop by and join!

Aquasana Water Filters – Philippines
2504 Link Edge Office, 139 Corporate Center, Valero St. Salcedo Village, Makati City, Philippines
Hotline: 506-1978 or 0917-806AQUA (2782)
Office Hours: 9:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m. Mondays – Fridays only.
General Information: inquiry@aquasanastore.com.ph
Customer Care: customercare@aquasanastore.com.ph
Ew, brown water, seriously??
My hair behaved too after using the Aquasana shower filter. Your post reminded me it’s time to replace my filter. 🙂
Haha yeah brown! Ang galing noh? Who would have thunk that de-chlorinating would do so much for ze hair!!
Thanks for the feature! 🙂