New beauty hotspots

MANILA, Philippines - A filled-up social calendar is par for the course when December rolls around, and the best aid to have in this party frenzy season — aside from a planner — is a good stylist.

Should you still be shopping around for a great hair and makeup person to doll you up for all the Christmas-related fetes you’ll be attending, two new salons have opened shop in the metro, each offering their brand of hair and beauty specialties at very reasonable prices.

Le Maquillage

“When it came to naming the salon, I thought of the name of my favorite lipstick from Shiseido,” Le Maquillage manager Debbie How recalls. “Le maquillage is also French for ‘makeup,’ and I wanted a name that would be French-sounding for the place.”

Open only since the last week of November, this new salon has already caught the attention of salon enthusiasts. With its prime location at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Makati, it is right smack in the middle of everything and is easily accessible for quick beauty fixes in between events and social gatherings. Another factor to its quick popularity is the salon’s predecessor, the Menage salon, which used to occupy the spot where Le Maquillage is now. “Menage was under a different management,” How clarifies, stating that a family member was actually a Menage client who decided to purchase the space. “We renovated the place bit by bit since the middle of this year and brought in new equipment from overseas. We also hired the old Menage staff, adding a few more people to help, so we’ve had the former salon’s clients come in and try our kind of service.”

Le Maquillage’s menu of treatments carries the beauty and hair services from Menage, with new items added in. “We offer digital perming (P4,500 to P9,000) with this new machine called The Weave Master.” How explains, “It does digital perming that is reversible with rebonding.” Le Maquillage also offers spot massages and reflex foot therapy (P400 and P500, respectively), which clients can avail by appointment. “Our reflexologist is quite in demand because he’s very good,” How adds. Bridal packages are also available, and the salon carries top-of-the-line brands such as Kerastase, Schwarzkopf, OPI and Bobbi Brown. When it comes to price points, Le Maquillage prices are hard to beat: a cut from the salon’s top stylist John Magno costs only P650 for women and P550 for men. The most expensive treatment on the menu, the straight therapy rebonding, is priced from P5,500 to P10,500, depending on hair length — a welcome respite from the exorbitant rebonding costs in other premium salons.

Le Maquillage’s cozy and chic interiors have areas set for the different needs of its customers: men in need of a shave, a haircut, and maybe a neck and back rub have their own space in the salon, away from the other, more elaborate treatments usually ordered by female clients. A private area is also set up for those who wish to avail of a foot spa, and the salon’s second floor is reserved for waxing treatments.

In addition to these, Le Maquillage has free WiFi so that businesspeople clients from the hotel and from nearby offices can still work on their laptops while getting treatments if they want to. Local and international magazine titles and widescreen TVs add further enjoyable diversion, and those who really wish to multitask while being pampered can order food from the nearby Mandarin Deli or from other establishments outside the hotel and have it delivered to the salon. Parking is also available for free.

With all these amenities provided, the best part about Le Maquillage is the kind of service its staff gives to customers. “As a salon-goer, I don’t like the feeling of being rushed from one station to another,” How says. “We avoid that here. The staff takes its time to give personalized treatment to each customer, to make them feel relaxed and not pressured.” Indeed, from the receptionist to top stylist John Magno to the salon assistants, each staff member is convivial and courteous; a couple of clients, who are obviously not first time visitors, quickly engage in an easy conversation with the salon employee assigned to them.

“Since our opening, we have gotten a very good reception in terms of customers,” How says. “Old clients of Menage like what we did to the place: they say they feel comfortable here. We also have visitors who come back after their first try because they liked their experience here.”

Le Maquillage is located at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Makati Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. For inquiries and to set appointments, call 894-0487.

Creations by Lourd Ramos

After more than 10 years of working in the beauty industry, hair and makeup artist Lourd Ramos finally gets to open his own salon. Starting tomorrow, Creations by Lourd Ramos’ doors will be open to those who want to experience the kind of beauty expertise that Ramos and his staff can provide.

The choice of the salon name has Biblical undertones. During the salon’s pre-opening celebration last Nov. 29 at Glorietta 5, Ramos likened the process of putting up a salon to the story of creation. “For this whole past week, we went without sleep to prepare everything. Today, on the seventh day, we rest,” he quipped. With Creations, he added, he wanted to create beauty that is both inspirational and achievable. “That has been my lifelong dream…and to continually raise the standard until everyone sees beauty the way it should be seen.”

Ramos hired Tiu Mata Designs’ Tet Alano to give his salon a “Modern Manhattan” look that balances trendiness with salon-appropriate serenity through the use of white granite, glass, and metal accents. He also has on board a roster of professional hair and make-up artists who have trained under international brands such as Davines, Wella, and L’Oreal; Maybelline Color Artist of the Year Jim Ryan Ros is the head of the makeup team.

Creations’ menu of services covers a client’s basic salon needs at very affordable prices: haircut costs P300 for the ladies and P250 for the gents, and full head color costs only P1,500 for short hair, P1,800 for medium length, and P2,000 for long hair. For only P2,500, clients can avail of the hair and makeup services of the salon’s creative director, and brides-to-be can sign up for the Creations wedding package, which is P15,000 for the bride plus two members of her entourage. The single priciest treatment in the salon is the Extenso rebond, which can cost up to P7,000 for super long hair.

Conveniently located at the third floor of Glorietta 5, Creations makes for a good beauty stop in between shopping errands and other errands. Ramos invited the attendees at the pre-opening event, “I hope you would all come visit the salon and experience a new beginning of beauty with us.”

Creations by Lourd Ramos is located at the third floor of Glorietta 5. Call 846-7864/846-7867/0908-897-7360 for inquiries and to set appointments and visit www.creations-salon.com.ph for more information.