Wow, isn’t it unbelievably hot out there lately? I just came from the beach this weekend, and I really felt the sun drying out my hair! I find myself putting my medium-length hair in a ponytail or bun more often now thanks to the searing heat, even if it’s bad for my rebonded hair. I’m sure many of you feel the heat as well and the damage it can cause to your hair. Phew! A reminder: Protect your tresses this summer!

Agoo Bengzon once again graces our page as she writes about Hairworks Salon. Hairworks boasts excellent service and a long list of loyal clientele that come in regularly for their maintenance and pampering. We set an appointment for Tara Santos of Summit Media to have her hair rebonded in Hairworks as Agoo writes about this hair oasis at the heart of Makati CBD.

Nope, this isn’t a mirage. It really is the façade of Hairworks!

***

Agoo Bengzon writes:

It was the time of year again when all of Tara’s natural curls were starting to show, and the humid weather wasn’t making things any better. No amount of gel/hairspray would tame Tara’s out-of-control mane. Tara has had her hair rebounded countless times, and suffice to say, she has seen and been through it all. She has had her scalp burnt, her hair return to its natural curly state after the first wash, and has had to deal with the horror of constant hair breakage.

This time, however, the experience was anything but horrific. Under the professional hands of Senior Stylist Rey Amorin and L’Oréal Master Colorist Bonnie De Ocampo of Hairworks,Tara’s frizzy and unmanageable hair was transformed into a sleek, shiny and wonderfully straight ‘do.

The entrance to Hairworks is chic and easy to the eyes

The interior’s color scheme is relaxing and perfect for pampering

The first thing that was done was an analysis of Tara’s hair. Since it has been subjected to countless rebonding procedures, the elasticity and porosity of the strands had to be determined. After which, depending on whether the hair is colored or not, the technicians can begin choosing the right variants of rebonding products.

A shelf full of products supports the expert hair diagnoses by Hairworks

***

The Rebonding

Tara is first brought to the backwash station where her hair is first lightly washed using L’Oréal Professionnel’s Liss Ultime Shampoo.

The backwash station

The scalp is purposely not scrubbed as this may render it sensitive to the rebonding product

Hair is then hand-dried, then sectioned into four parts. Bonnie then begins to apply Xtenso Moisturist.

Xtenso Moisturist is Hairworks’ prime pick for rebonding as it is a product that you can customize, depending on the client’s hair history. After about 15 minutes, hair is rinsed thoroughly.

After thoroughly hand-drying the hair again, hair is sectioned into four parts once more and ironed. Once hair has been ironed, a neutralizer is applied, and left to sit for 15 minutes.

***

Spotted! The breathtaking Miriam Quiambao at Hairworks Salon!

Indeed, Miriam is just one of many local stars who entrust their hair to Hairworks Salon

***

The Treatment

Once the neutralizing product ahs been rinsed out, a post-treatment product — Power Define – is applied onto strands. Power Define will lock in the shine and smoothness into cuticles.

After five minutes, the hair is washed again, dried, and ironed once more. Clients are then advised to refrain from washing or getting their hair wet for at least 48 hours.

***

The Result

Tara’s hair is silky straight but has a natural look to it, unlike some rebonding services which grant you straighter locks but end up making hair look brittle and broom-like in appearance.

Tara’s hair rests naturally on her shoulders with Xtenso Moisturist

Back view of Tara’s rebonded hair

To maintain the shine and relaxed appearance of hair, Hairworks recommends using L’Oréal Professionnel Liss Extreme products. This range controls excessive volume and unruly curls, leaving hair de-tangled, manageable and easy to style every single day.

***

Photos by Pranz Kaeno-Billones

Hairworks Salon is located at 108 Legaspi Street Legaspi Village, Makati (near Greenbelt 5)

Schedule your appointment through Tel no. 888 4817

Pre Treatment (Inner Logic): P560/vial

Xtenso Moisturist Rebonding: P3920-P8960

Post treatment (Power Define): P560

I landed on your blog desperately looking for a reliable salon in the city. Unfortunately, my hair got chemically damaged very recently due to a perming treatment. It has gotten very dry, frizzy, unmanageable and in other ways I never imagined. My hair is medium in length and I would dare chop it off just so I could get rid of it! Is there any chance you know of a treatment for such? Or a makeover that’s looking to transform a hideous hair into something very nice? Hehe. Hope to hear from you very soon for I can no longer have this thing hanging on my head. Thank you very much! – Pam”

Perms are hard to manage, but with the right cut and products, its beauty can last!

* * *

Becca Rodriguez writes:

During the love and peace era of the late ’60s, Hippie long locks ruled the hairstyles of most women with the bohemian vibe going on. Ah yes, as the Rolling Stone song goes, “You can’t always get what you want/but if you try sometimes, well you might find/you get what you need.”

And this goes for 21-year-old fresh grad Pamela Bringino of St. Scholastica College. This I.T. consultant who works the night shift originally had long straight hair. But then, Pamela decided to get a perm hoping that her ‘do would be a wash and wear, no-frills and low maintenance. With her first perm, her locks were like Nora Jones. On the third go, she noticed that her hair turned frizzy and turned dry on most days.

It was Pamela’s turn to shine! So we headed over to Philippe’s Salon tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Makati’s CBD in Pasong Tamo extension

The salon is owned by Philippe Tordjman, Artistic Ambassador of L’Oréal Professionnel

This modern yet urban retreat salon takes inspiration from the commercial industry of San Francisco ─ its interiors with red accents and loft-type details feature a mini-golf area and flat-screen TV. Basically, everything a man or a woman needs to look his or her best is in this A-list salon without the snob factor, of course.

Reception wall with Kérastase retail products

Modern furniture in the waiting area

As a golf enthusiast, Philippe placed a putting green to keep the men busy

Dig this, Philippe has cut a roster of international celebrities like Melanie Griffith, Antonio Banderas, Meg Ryan, and local licks like Denise Laurel, Angel Jacob and Rachel Alejandro among others. But what is really fascinating is that this Frenchman was the only one who cut and style U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s hair while traveling in Asia.

Philippe’s photo with Hilary proudly displayed on his wall.

A very visible color bar so you can see your color products being prepared for you.

“Perhaps what makes my salon different is everything really,” explains Philippe. “Even if the salon is in a hidden location, it is full everyday. Because we provide high-class hair styling and treatments, we are not at all snobbish and we treat everyone like A-list celebrities.”

* * *

Hair Cut

Aside from Philippe, another hair pro or guru is half-French and half-Italian senior stylist Pascalain Gianello, who was assigned to cut Pamela’s locks. As he led us to the super-serene VIP room with a waterfall wall, the place will send you off to a snooze mode instantly. While you are at it, you can order champagne to go with your treatment as well. Since everyone deserves a good, healthy haircut, Pascalain asked Pamela what her hair desires were from length, texture and even state. All Pamela wanted was to make her hair look shiny, trim out the edges with the hair texture to be soft and moisturized. So, he examined how her hair grows by combing and pushing the hair in different directions.

In this private room, a waterfall wall creates a calming atmosphere

Pascalain starts to reduce the weight of Pam’s lengths so that the curls can become lighter and bouncier.

Straightening out the hair first before cutting for exact precision

So, the cut this hair whiz suggested was to remove an inch or two of the ends in order to make it look healthier with a straight layer underneath and a variation on the sides for volume. As he worked the comb and scissors into her locks, with just a few snips, you could already see the difference with the right cut: Pamela’s hair shape has never looked better.

A digression: Pascalain describes himself as a “contemporary hair artist with more than 30 years of passion, dedication and experience who wants to bring something new and positive in this country.” His philosophy is to work with hair in its natural state, to treat hair as organic material, to shape and balance hair to reflect the individual and reveal their beauty.

* * *

Hair Care

After the cut, it was now time for Pamela’s hair treatment. Philippe and Pascalain suggested the Oléo-Curl Intense masque from Kérastase which is ideal for thick, curly hair. This product has the highest concentration of moisturizing and softening lipids ever in a Kérastase product, and it will breathe life back to the curls and make it smooth, supple, defined and detangled, which is exactly what Pam was looking for.

Intense, but not excessive. This rich masque has all the benefits of nourishing lipids without the heaviness.

The hair technician spends a good amount of time massaging the masque into the hair.

Pam dozes off to la-la land while the treatment takes effect and while having a head and back massage

* * *

Styling

As soon as Pam’s hair was rinsed, its time for Pascalain to apply the finishing touch by using styling products from both Kérastase and L’Oréal Professionnel.

Oléo-Curl leave-in conditioning crème further defines the curls, while Play Ball Motion Gelée gives a flexible hold and a lot of movement to the hair.

Pascalain scrunches the products into her hair while the Rota-ball dryer was turned on.

A little blow-dry to set everything in place

And there you have it! Beautiful, bouncy, light-weight curls!

From a frizz fest, Pamela is now best-tressed. Just like French actress Marion Cotillard ─ in one Dior party earlier this year, she showed up in a playfully chic ‘do, springy, well-moisturized locks. With curls that want to have fun, which were a thing of the Eighties, they are back in glam fashion.

Besides, there is nothing being a femme fatale with a very good hair experience, indeed.

* * *

Photos by Pranz Kaeno-Billones

Philippe’s Salon is located at 2295 Jannov Plaza Building 3, Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City (830-3030 or 864-0658; e-mail philippessalon@gmail.com or info@philippessalon.com)

* * *

BONUS!

As a special surprise, I want to share with you some photos of an event I did in Philippe’s back in 2008 The salon was very new back then, and I was launching a new product called “Kérastase Noctogenist”, which is an overnight regenerating leave-on treatment. I decided to transform the salon into a bedroom party, and with Rogue magazine as my partner, we created an amazing experience for everyone!

Recognize the waiting area?

We removed the styling chairs and placed sofas! The orange light is really the salon’s light behind their mirrors! Coolness!

The whole salon became a cocktail lounge! And with free-flowing Belvedere vodka, it was a blast!

The private room with the waterfall became a bedroom! This was my photo-op wall with everyone jumping on the bed and having pillow-fights

Some of the guests

Me and little miss bonnie

HairInManila contributor Vicky Tensuan sets up an appointment to give us a review of the salon’s services! Let’s take a look inside!

The façade of the Franck Provost

* * *

Vicky Tensuan writes

I am a beauty junkie. I come from a family of beauty junkies. So, when there are salon reviews to be done, I jump right in without any hesitation.

I have been to dozens and dozens of salons in my lifetime, both here and abroad. With many of them, I get carried away with the ambiance and then get extremely disappointed with the skills of their stylists. At the end of the day, it is not the soothing, relaxing vibe or the high-tech imported salon chairs that would make me want to come back; the stylists are the salon’s main bloodline—have one very good one and rest assured that clients will keep coming back for more.

I must admit that the Franck Provost Studio was not easy to find (the Deutsche Bank building is your landmark). Parking was easy and its location, despite it being in the midst of a business district, does not find you swamped with cars and pedestrians.

I enter the salon and immediately got enveloped in a sea of stark black and pristine white. It had a very modern feel to it, but despite that I immediately felt cozy (bonus points to its cleanliness!). The ceiling was high and windows made up for the entire wall of the salon. Also, I liked how natural light streamed in the salon.

The Franck Provost Studio view from the top

I met Laurent Hebert, the salon’s manager, and my assigned stylist. I liked the fact that he was French, which may mean that he could be more experimental without going over the top. The way he looked at my hair made me nervous: it was a washed out shade of dark blond—a shade I nonetheless insisted on months beforehand in time for the Christmas Holidays. It looked good then, but…

The consultation process begins (aka, the scrutiny, the analysis and the recommendation).

“The color of your hair is washing you out,” he remarked. No wonder. Weeks before that I was asked quite a number of times if I was sick; I obviously looked it. “You need to use warm tones on your hair, to complement your pale skin tone.”

I was also introduced to Dhuke Fernandez, the salon’s senior stylist and colorist. I was starting to like this. Together, they critically examined the current state of my hair and discussed possible colors that would suit my skin tone and hair texture. All the available shades were shown to me (which shades fit me, which don’t) to make the necessary selection and matching depending on the client’s need.

The L’Oréal Color Bar is where they do consultations of all things related to color technical for the hair.

A wide selection of hair colors.

Dhuke applied the base color in attempt to cover the hideous mistake I had committed just a few months ago. While he used the L’Oréal Hi Richesse in Macchiato 4,15, I couldn’t help but feel like a coffee concoction. After rinsing, Dhuke felt a bit more experimental—he applied Majirel Golden Mahogany in 5.35 only to my overgrown bangs and added streaks of more color using Majililft 12.11 ash mixed with Majirel Mix Bleu. The cocktail is shades lighter than the base, and reason for this is that he wanted to “lift” the face, to put more attention to it, by lightening that area, as well as to add extra dimension. That’s a good point there if I ever saw one.

My hideous before picture with orangey/blonde hair color

Mixing up the base color

For highlights, sections of hair are applied with color and wrapped in foil to let the hair absorb the color ever more

Tools and products of the coloring trade

Laurent “fixed” my bangs in a concave style: shorter in the middle as it cascades in longer on the sides. To say the effect was beautiful, especially after blow drying, is an understatement.

Laurent blow-dried my hair in way that’s easy for me to imitate when I’m home to get the same salon-results

“Come outside to see the color of your hair,” says Laurent. Despite the salon’s natural light interior, it does make a big difference if the client does take a good look at the finished product right in the glory of the sun. So, we grabbed a mirror, stepped outside and loved what I saw. The color did make me look younger (not a fan of Botox) and enhanced my complexion. All the colors blended really well and naturally, if I may say so.

The much better looking ‘after’ photo: new base color in a rich brown topped with a golden red intensified with ash on the bangs.

With my overall experience, from the salon vibe to, most importantly, the skills of the stylists, I give the Franck Provost Studio a ten over ten, a five star rating, as I now flaunt my deep-chocolate-with-golden-mahogany-topped-with-intensified-ash crowning glory.

* * *

Photos by Pranz Kaeno-Billones

Franck Provost Studio is located at Shop H Net Quad Building, 30^th Street corner 31^st, Crescent Park, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (401-6870; 856-9569; closed on Sundays)

Laurent’s hair cut for women is P1,200 and coloring services start at P900.

My text reply:

This post will be about new things! A new salon in town, a new hair care brand that recently launched in the Philippines, and a new look for women who are tired of their long hair!

Read on to see what happened when Becca headed out to the new Studio Fix salon by Alex Carbonell in Greenbelt 5 for her wish of a punk pixie look!

Remember Becca’s super curly hair before? She’s back to try on a new short ‘do!

* * *

Becca Rodriguez writes:

When Rolling Stones’ goddess Marianne Faithfull performed ‘Something Better’ at the Rock and Roll Circus, she looked like an angel in her black gown and Pixie hair. This trend, a very flapper or 1920s rebellious vibe that is gorgeous yet classic was also made popular by supermodel Twiggy and even Andy Warhol’s muse Edie Sedgwick. Since then, Hollywood A-list celebrities from Audrey Hepburn to Winona Ryder and even Rihanna dig this ultra-feminine boy haircut, which is glam and modern.

The last time I had über-short hair was during college because of the Felicity craze when Keri Russell chopped off her long curly locks into a boy cut. But, after my rebonding session last October, I felt so restless with my ever-changing hair. I had to get a haircut every month! Being in hair limbo is not a great thing. So, I finally had the guts to get a pixie cut á la Halle Berry to update my look.

So, I headed over to Studio Fix. Alex Carbonell, the creative director, is the brain behind the modern yet minimalist salon. With its chartreuse interiors and architectural ornamentation details, this is where he offers his legendary cuts and color services plus treatments. His celebrity clientele include: Bianca Gonzales, Isabel Daza, Georgina Wilson, Diether Ocampo and Dennis Trillo, to name a few.

I love how this experimental salon caters to the client’s needs. Perhaps it was my first time to see flight-attendant-like trolleys, reclining shampoo chairs and personalized spa kit, which comes in a canvas bag that includes bath robe, towels and hair cut robe with sleeve holes for a comfortable and hygienic salon experience. Not to mention being served Segafredo coffee!

The reception counter has a very eye-catching wallpaper

The styling stations each has a spa kit with bath robes and towels

The backwash area

* * *

The Hair Cut

When Alex saw my hair, he knew that it had been rebonded exactly three months ago . He suggested I get a Flapper Bob cut. His vision was a very ’20s look like Audrey Tautou in the flick Amelie. “It’s a more natural and modern interpretation of a mod classic”.

Alex starts off with the precision cut, focusing on the short textured fringe and slightly outgrown layers over the ear.

Snip snip snip!

Then, he works his magic by controlling the growing curls by personalizing the cut making it fall the way it should be.

I don’t know why but this is the most exciting hairstyle I have ever had in my life! Maybe because I wasn’t able to achieve Pixie Punk look when I had curly hair but I felt like Julia Roberts when she played Tinkerbell in Hook.

* * *

The Hair Treatment

After my cut, I was able to try a multi-sensory experience thanks to Pureology. This is a brand pioneered by Jim Markham who revolutionized color hair care by infusing it with 100 percent vegan ingredients and free from sulfate. Perfect for color treated hair! Expect Pureology products to contain an antifade complex, organic botanicals and concentrated formulas with the promise of long-lasting hair color.

“Pureology is a brand all about wellness and the well-being of oneself,” says Wilmer Cu, Junior Retail and Training Manager for Pureology. “We want our customers to be pampered with our vegan and organic products that contain AntiFade Complex of potent antioxidants, sunscreens, and other color preserving UV protectorants, all of which promise to extend life and vibrancy of hair color.”

My treatment started with choosing an essential oil for the aromatherapy burner; I chose lavender for a relaxing vibe.

Once the treatment began, they used the Hydrate range HydraCure and ShineMax for my dry, color-treated hair.

The two treatments are combined with each other and applied on my damp hair.

I love their head massage!

While the steamer was on, I was given arm and back massage, which sent me to a blissful dream-like state.

After rinsing off the treatment, ever cheerful Alex gave me one last blow-dry to style my hair

* * *

The Result

Feeling giddy with silky-soft hair and remarkable shine topped with a tousled R-Patz vibe going on.

The strength of my new look is that it can be worn styled smooth or textured with or without hair products and all styling can be done with the fingertips.

As the song goes, “you know there’s got to be something better” ─ goodbye to Rapunzel-like locks and hello to the cropped cut. Now, all I need is a rock band.

* * *

Photos by Pranz Kaeno-Billones

Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell is located at Level 4, Greenbelt 5, Makati City (501-3062 or 64; studiofix@fixsalon.com)

Hair cut by Alex is P1,200 and Pureology service starts at P1,550 to P2,600 depending on hair length and if you want the mist machine or not.

The new Lee Chul Hair KerKer Salon opened around 2 months ago and has been steadily gathering customers and introducing them to their brand of Korean hairstyles. You can find out more about the KerKer story in their website here.

I invited Agoo to visit the salon and do a review of their services, particularly their perm which they claim is their specialty. But Agoo wasn’t feeling adventurous enough to go for a perm, so she brought a friend instead to get a digital perm service.

The 1st floor is for regular customers; the 2nd has the VIP rooms; the 3rd is a training academy

* * *

Agoo Bengzon writes:

There’s a noticeably new, tall, and eye-catching structure on Makati Avenue—Lee Chul Hair KerKer, a salon franchise from fashion and beauty forward Seoul, Korea just opened, and is already fast making waves. This spacious three-story building with pristine white walls and decadent touches like chandeliers and ornately carved chairs features two floors of salon space. The first floor is where cutting and styling are done. On the second floor, there are treatment rooms such as the Kérastase Spa Room where one can choose from a bevy of hair treatment cocktails designed for every hair concern imaginable. The best part? Trained Korean stylists will give you an edgy cut and style using only the best tools and machines (most of which are from Korea) at budget-friendly rates.

High ceiling and chandeliers gives the salon a very relaxing and elegant feel

Ground floor styling stations

2nd floor styling stations

2nd floor private Kérastase rooms

Curls continue to dominate both the runways and red carpets these days, and we’re seeing an emphasis on the “natural” take on this ever-evolving trend shine through. KerKer’s Hair Designer Maya and Bryan worked their magic on young lawyer Claire Ann Factor’s hair by giving her waves that not only looked like she was born with them but were also easy to maintain. Here’s a step by step account of what happened:

We gave a young lawyer the curls of her dreams

According to Maya, Claire’s hair was on the “heavy” side. She had way too much bulk on the crown area, and also needed some thinning prior to the digital perm that was going to be performed on her mane. Bryan started by prepping Claire’s rather thick hair by washing her hair with Kérastase Bain Oléo-Relax shampoo to make it smoother.

Feeling refreshed after the shampoo and head massage

Maya starts shaping Claire’s hair into a more manageable shag.

Claire’s hair is dried halfway so that a treatment product can be applied afterwards.

Maya and Bryan went the extra mile by addressing the problem of too much volume on Claire’s crown area. In order to turn the volume down by a tad bit, they used L’Oréal’ Professionnel’s X-Tenso to relax the root area to give Claire sleeker strands, and to also help assure her that the waves would not look too bouffant.

After the X-Tenso product is rinsed off, L’Oréal Professionnel’s Wonder Wave solution is applied onto strategic sections of hair. The digital perming machine is  then hooked up to the rollers. Waiting time was a mere 7 minutes for the perming solution, then 3 minutes for the neutralizer.

Maya then applies Kérastase Oléo-Curl Crème onto Claire’s damp hair to give further definition to her waves and also keep frizz at bay. While blow-drying Maya says, “Its best to skip the brush and not completely dry your hair. Leave it 30% wet, and allow it to dry naturally on its own so that the curls look soft and shiny.”

The finished result! Claire is really happy with her ultra-soft O-shaped waves. “I’ve always wanted this! This is the first time I’ve had permanent curls, and I love it!”

All in all, the visit to KerKer was really pleasurable. The staff are very courteous and professional, the service was quick and convenient, and their affordable services is something to check-out. I give Ker Ker Salon the following scores:

Ambiance: 5/5

Service: 4/5

Overall Experience: 4/5

* * *

Photos by Jun Pinzon

Lee Chul Hair KerKer Salon is at #1 Constellation St., cor. Makati Ave (403-3728 to 29)

Check out this short clip to see some examples of Scandinavian-design inspired salons:

I wanted to share some more specific examples of these gorgeous salon furniture with you, so I’ll start off with something that people don’t often notice: the shampoo chair (or backwash as we call it in the industry). I always say that if your backwash is uncomfortable, then it ruins the whole experience for the customer. Either they can’t enjoy their head massage or they end up with neck pain from poor ergonomic design.

I whipped out some copies of Estetica Design magazine (a luxury publication dedicated to hair and salons) and selected my top 10 Best Designed Shampoo Chairs.

Disclaimer though: my basis for the list is purely on visual impact and uniqueness of concept. There are only 3 of them that I have actually tried having a service on.

Compared to the Philippines, European salons usually apply their hair treatments in the backwash. So the designers make sure that it is as comfortable as possible.

* * *

10.  ”Privacy” by Didier Gomez for Maletti

This shampoo chair reminds me so much of IKEA: pretty, minimalist and functional. It doesn’t look bulky and intimidating with its simple geometric shapes and open spaces. The whole body and leg rests can be adjusted to make sure the client is perfectly comfortable.

9. ”Giselle” by Claudio Silvestrin for Maletti

I like this one mainly because of the eye-catching curved block shape of the basin. It goes against the traditional bowl-shape and reminds me of a giant faucet.

8. “Pashá Optima” by Pietranera

I’m not too thrilled with the look of the handrests, but you’ve got to admit, when was the last time you saw three interconnected shampoo chairs?

7. “Aluminum Cherie” by Ceriotti

Didn’t I say that they treat their furniture like artworks? The single curved body is very iconic and striking. This one also goes with the trend these days of less corners and more sleekness (like iPods and the Wii)

6. “Fluid Wash” by Anton Kobrinetz Design for Gamma & Bross

Speaking of curves, this one really lives up to its name “Fluid”. One thing that worries me about this though is the armrest. Looks too sharp to relax your arms in.

5. “Wet Dream” by Ross Lovegrove for Maletti

Very similar to number 7, but with a more fun, retro feel! Also note the more spacious chair and how it is suspended in the air. The silver mercury-drop footrest is another nice touch.

4. ”Luxor” by Matta & Varaschin for Maletti

This might seem more tame than the previous entries, but I ranked this one pretty high because I feel like the design isn’t faddish. These chairs costs a lot of money per unit and if I were a salon owner, I wouldn’t want to change my furniture often. I’ve personally tried this chair and its very very comfortable. Some salons here actually have this unit, like Piandre Salon in Trinoma

3. “Yume” by Takara Belmont

The only Japanese designed chair in the list! The Yume chair is electronically powered to transform into a bed and lift you up to the basin’s level. These chairs are usually placed one per private room in Japan and does everything all in one sitting. No need to stand up and interrupt your beauty treatment.

2. ”Teknowash” by Karim Rashid for Gamma & Bross

Designed by the famous Karim Rashid, this chair tries to incorporate as much technology into it as possible for a very luxurious, unforgettable experience. Apart from the usual hydraulics, there is a built-in iPod dock that allows the hairdresser to select an appropriate relaxing tune for the client. The curved top slowly changes colors for a soothing light experience. And finally, there are hidden pockets that shoots out bursts of air to give you an air pressure massage.

1. “Classic” by Philippe Starck for Maletti

And finally, for my favorite designed shampoo chair, it is the aptly named “Classic” by Philippe Starck! Probably the most minimalist of the bunch with no hydraulics and no electronic doodads. It looks classy and timeless, and I think that compared to all the other chairs, this one will probably still be around 10 years from now or will go down in the industrial design books as an iconic piece.

So that’s my top 10 shampoo chairs list! Let me know which one is your favorite!

But for now, its time for a salon review!

Along with all the Koreans now studying and living in Manila, came the trend of Korean salons. And one of the newer ones is Park Jun’s Beauty Lab located on the ground floor of Glorietta 3, right beside Gloria Jeans and TGIF.

I asked Becca if she would like to check out the salon’s services, and although the salon prides itself in Korean perms, since her hair was recently rebonded, she decided to go for a Kérastase Hair Ritual instead. Sadly, she didn’t bring a camera that day so no pics of her look. All the photos below were taken by a photographer I hired during their opening months for my file.

When you enter the front door, this is all you see. Wait till you turn around that corner!

Becca Rodriguez writes:

Ever since Korean fever hit the Philippines, most of us wanted to have cool-looking hairdos à la K-pop or drama style ─ just like singer Rain or actress Sandara Park. The great thing is, you don’t have to drag your heart and soul to Korea to get the look. It’s all possible at Park Jun’s Beauty Lab, a hip Korean hair salon that opened a few months back.

Ambience

This beauty central features plush and spacious interiors that lead to lockers and special beauty rooms fringed with slinky curtains perfect for hair and makeup styling for VIP guests. Downstairs is the main parlor with a drinks counter and nail bar. With modern interiors plus Korean hospitality will keep you coming back for more.

Around the corner is a long narrow corridor. Still no salon there

A few chairs for hair and make-up styling, plus a staircase leading down.

Ah there it is! And it is a huge space!

Services to Try

The real treat is the talent of artistic director Kino Lee, creative director Maiya Noh, style director Jinny Kim and Filipino stylist Aldous Ong. The salon’s latest hair and beauty trends feature statement waves, bangs and colors tailored to Asian skin tones. Plus, there are new hair technologies unique to the salon like Volume Rebonding which straightens the hair giving it volume and Volume Magic Wave that creates perfect and more natural-looking curls.

The Full Experience

While artistic director Kino Lee was examining my hair, he began giving suggestions for my new look. He said that short hair will be more glamorous and fitting for my face. He also proposed that, since my hair had a natural ash tone, that I shouldn’t color it anymore.

When the salon’s shampoo technician led me to the shampoo area, I couldn’t help but notice the rows of shampoo and conditioner by Tomo, a Japanese brand, and Kérastase. As my hair was being shampooed, I found myself closing my eyes and taking a quick nap. I was relaxed and ready for my Korean-style hair cut.

I like the fact that its not that cramped

As Kino worked his magic hands on my hair, a few snips took my passé haircut to a playful and more elegant ‘do, which only took a few minutes. Since my hair was dry, he suggested to use the Kérastase Masquintense treatment which restores vitality, shine and lightness to fine hair that is also very dry and sensitized. After Kino applied the Masquintense treatment to my hair, he used the innovated Miraero hand steamer from Korea to spray my hair with steam using mineral water. Then, he put an expandable steam cap on my head to make the treatment penetrate even more and open the hair follicles.

After rinsing my hair, Kino blow-dried it to glam perfection. My hair never looked so chic and amazingly different. It was also soft and shiny like never before. What else needs to be said? The K-pop looking hair stylist really knew how to make a girl like me look and feel sexy, which was enough to make me crave for some Kimchi and of course, Korean telenovelas.

Park Jun’s Beauty Lab is located at the ground floor of Glorietta 3 (819-3001 to 02).