12 days of Christmas prep

MANILA, Philippines – Here at YStyle, we love a good accent piece and a made-up face à la Winona Ryder in the Marc Jacobs Beauty campaign to celebrate the season, but it’s things deemed little or obvious, non-negotiable even, that complete the look — a smooth neck and hands that match a taut face, nails as manicured as a glossy up-‘do, or stain-free teeth under a velvety lip colored by Pat McGrath’s mysteriously dark Phantom 002.

With only two weeks to go, leaving room for the occasional beauty downtime, here’s a rundown of treatments that cut back prep time so you can focus on the important things such as luxuriating in a bath a bit longer, hot toddy in hand, or the need for more travel time to beat heavy traffic en route to your next shindig. Don’t forget to book an appointment early!

Flawless does it

Sparkling wit and humor doth a social butterfly make, but in the chest-up visibility of cocktail parties and dinners, if you’ve been neglecting your neck and décolletage — or perhaps your underams and elbows — people will be able to spot the difference. The world’s first specialized whitening salon, Korean skincare franchise Suaviss White Lab (3F, BGC Stopover Pavilion, 31st Street corner 2nd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig) specializes in skin whitening from head to toe using R-630(K) Collagen Light (think tanning booths but for instant whitening), dead skin cell management, and whitening treatments, there’s no area or spot they can’t lighten. You may not aspire to be Korean white, but to paraphrase an adage, shoot for the moon, and if you land in the proverbial cloud of a derm clinic favored by Korea’s biggest stars, it wouldn’t be so bad to at least be rid of dark spots and uneven skin all over. The confidence you gain is priceless.

After nights of full makeup and benders, reset your skin. A tired face is just something that no amount of makeup can fake up-close and in person. A good facial should be able to scour your pores like they’re new. The fabled 10-step Korean skincare regimen gets an upgrade in the Korean Facial by Oracle Beauty Clinic (2F, Republic Glass Building, Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati. Call 801-4131 or +63 916 223 8821 for an appointment.), a two-hour treatment that combines relaxation with a high-tech combination of lasers, serums, emulsions, and massages to penetrate the skin better, in the name of clear, tighter pores. Expect a day of downtime, but on the following day, you’ll be ready for some serious besos or a much-needed breather.

For a crowning glory deserving of the metaphor

Blowouts are a treat as much as they are a necessity — the 20-minute whirring of the blowdrier can prove to be a therapeutic pause in hectic times — but with a great cut, you can afford to skip it altogether and enjoy the liberating ease of wash and wear hair that looks anything but. Vidal Sasson-trained Jude Hippolito of JuRo Salon (2F Kensington Place, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Call 822-5673 or +63 919 991 5027) specializes in customizing cuts based on non-negotiable factors like your head shape and the texture of your hair so you don’t have to need a blowdry every single time.

The saving grace of a nice dye job can do wonders for your complexion, and if your colorist knows his stuff, it can even make your hair look thicker. Getting reflects, for instance, is a subtle yet fabulous change in the 2016 Pantone colors of the year, rose quartz blended with serenity is on-trend, while good ol’ ash balances your skin’s yellow tones, without drastically changing your hair color, but should you be so inclined, Aveda’s partnership with Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell (4F, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati. Call 501-3064) can deliver both with nil damage because the pigments are botanical (also certified organic and grown and harvested by indigenous communities sustained by Aveda, if you must ask). By using individual pigments, not boxed-in colors, colorists can mix each pigment to achieve the color you really want, like a painter would on his palette, resulting in hair color that’s like a work of art.

Suppose you do change your mind and desire longer or shorter hair for the occasion: get clip-on extensions. Tokyo Posh (3F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Edsa, Ortigas and 2F Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati. Call +63 917 576 7674) uses hair made of Japanese silk that feels soft, looks natural and shiny like your hair fresh from a blowout so none will be the wiser. With hundreds of colors, lengths and styles in their arsenal, you’re bound to find something that’s just peachy-keen. A popular favorite? The clip-on ballerina bun aptly named Audrey for your next chichi house party that goes on into a brown bag breakfast at the storefront of a jewelry shop.

For things that Spanx can’t fix…

If you plan on wearing a sleeveless number for Noche Buena, head over to The Aivee Clinic (2F East Building, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Call +63 917 521 0222) stat for a 30-minute session of Exilis. It harnesses thermal energy to tighten loose, jiggly skin while dramatically dissolving fat. It sounds like it’s too good to be true, but you will already see results after one session.

Aspirants of the turtleneck or off shoulder trend would benefit from firming up their jawline and neck. Facial Care Center (Call 892-7546 to locate a branch near you and book an appointment) just brought in Thermo Magnetic Pulse technology, a treatment that uses 4D technology that reduces fat, tightens the skin, and smoothens out dimply, wrinkly cellulite in one step — basically contouring an area to its ideal shape.

A little extra

No fuzz goes unnoticed. Wax, thread, or better yet, zap off your upper lip hair at Wink Laser Studio (3F, C2 Building, 7th Avenue corner 28th Street, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig, Call 808-7258), offering all hair removal measures in a chic space. Crowd favorite Browhaus (call +63 908 892 2769 for a branch near you or to set an appointment) offers lady-scaping services alongside 3D eyebrow tattoo service Brow Resurrection as well as brow tinting and lash extensions so you can take off two steps off your makeup routine.

Top it all of with dazzling manis for total glamour. Japanese beauty one-stop-shop Kiyosa Japanese Total Beauty (ground floor, F1 Hotel, 32nd Street corner Lane Q, Bonifacio Global City. Call 805-8888 or +63939 915 8888) specializes in nail designs ranging from gels and nail art, glittery polish or the more outlandish embellishment of rhinestones to take the place of your cocktail ring.