As Spa-cial as it can be

MANILA, Philippines – “It must be every girl’s dream to be a spa endorser,” singer and actress Karylle gushes.

A self-confessed spa aficionado, Karylle says that she can spend hours in the spa. “I love treating myself to a foot spa and a massage. Now that I’m an endorser for Bluewater Day Spa, I get to enjoy all the treatments for free!” she laughs.

The charming singer-actress, whose recent underwear ads showed off her svelte figure, is a natural choice to be the new face for Bluewater Day Spa. After all, Karylle was a client long before she became an endorser.

A few years ago, Karylle was brought to the Bluewater Day Spa by her good friend Brad Turvey, who was one of its first endorsers and has been a loyal customer since. “I was so happy when I was asked to be their endorser.”

One of the perks, Karylle says, is that she can now take her friends to Bluewater Day Spa to unwind. “A small group of about four friends and I get a private room where we can watch our favorite TV series or a movie while getting a foot spa.”

The star of the Philippine production of West Side Story and the teleserye remake Maruja says that going to the spa not only relaxes her body, but also gets her creative juices flowing. “I wrote the song Kulang right after getting a spa treatment,” she says.

Though like any true spa aficionado, Karylle has tried all of Bluewater Day Spa’s many treatments, she does have her favorite treatments like the Brazilian Crystal Massage and the Relaxation Massage. “I also like the Herbal Pack Treatment from Thailand. It is a combination of shiatsu and Swedish massage with herbal packs. I enjoyed it so much because of its soothing and relaxing effect on tense and overworked muscles.”

Karylle, whose break-up was a much publicized one, says that dating exclusively isn’t really on her mind right now as she wants to focus on other upcoming projects. She’s more than happy enjoying Bluewater Day Spa’s services with her friends and family.

From surf to spa

It’s the simple boyish look that will initially captivate you. Then it’s the smile that goes all the way up to his eyes that will enchant you. But it is his finely sculpted body that will totally disarm you. That’s Akihiro Sato.

The 23-year-old Brazilian-Japanese was initially drawn to the Philippines because of surfing. Now, after more than a year, he’s still here doing more than just surfing. Akihiro Sato’s larger-than-life image is a familiar one on the many billboards around the metropolis. His muscles, laid bare for an underwear ad, may have been the cause of many traffic jams.

As the new image model of Bluewater Day Spa, Akihiro’s face (and body!) will be gracing the six branches of the spa, giving customers a much closer view than a billboard.

It’s hard to imagine that the sculpted Akihiro was once a bulky teen. Already a model in his hometown of Sao Paolo, Akihiro recalls how he once had to lose 20 pounds before strutting down the runway for Brazil Fashion Week. From this, Akihiro learned that to become a good model, one has to maintain a well-toned physique. He now spends at least two hours in the gym every day. After a long and tiring work out, Akihiro goes to the spa for a massage.

He especially likes the traditional Filipino massage or the hilot at the Bluewater Day Spa, a deep tissue massage with ventuza to physically break down muscle stress, relieve pain and restore body movement.

“It’s a hard massage, but it’s perfect for me. After a work out, I need a massage to get the pain out.” Akihiro has been studying Filipino and English through home-based tutorials and injects Filipino words every so often into his sentences.

Akihiro is quite adventurous when it comes to trying new spa treatments. “I want to try the Chocolate Slimming Mud Therapy next. It seems very interesting.”

Spa Theatre: A one-of-a-kind spa experience

While they each have their own favorites when it comes to treatments, both Karylle and Akihiro agree that what they love most is the Spa Theatre, which is exclusively found at Bluewater Day Spa.

The Spa Theatre puts all the elements of a modern cinema like state-of-the-art screen and projector system, the latest speaker technology and acoustically designed walls for superb movie viewing. But instead of the usual theatre seats, this massage center has modern spa chairs.

Bluewater Day Spa VP Francis Ryan Simisim says that this unique concept came from a small idea that was made into a bigger one. “We were thinking, we already have the TVs and the foot chairs — what if we make them bigger? It would be like a movie theatre but more comfortable because there’s more space.”

The result of this brainstorming is the Spa Theatre where clients can go for signature Bluewater Day Spa foot spa treatments while munching on popcorn and watching their favorite movies on the big screen.

“We wanted to create a truly unique and memorable spa experience — one that would keep our customers coming back to us,” furthers Samisim.

Already, Karylle is thinking about launching her next music video at the Spa Theatre where she can invite a few close friends and special guests for a sneak preview.

As for Akihiro, who says he is single now, when asked who he would like to bring to the Spa Theatre, he gives off that enchanting boyish smile and quips, “Si Karylle yun isasama ko. She’s a superstar.”

(The Spa Theatre is also available for bookings for private parties and corporate functions. For more information on the Spa Theatre, call the Bluewater Day Spa Ortigas Branch at 724-0426 or 727-8420. Log on to www.bluewaterdayspa.com and check out other treatments available only at Bluewater Day Spa.)