Wax On, Wax Off

Rating: 4/5

Last week I went to Boracay so two days before I went, I went to the salon. The rain would not let up so instead of going to Strip: The Ministry of Waxing in Makati, I ended up going to LayBare Salon at the Mall of Asia. I was worried that they might double dip but I was relieved when I found out their wax are already pre-packed in small containers. They use honey so they have blobs of sticky honey in the container and this is what is used for the client. I only had my underarms did because I think the honey wax would hurt if used for a Brazilian. That and, well... I did not think I would be able to go to the beach as often as I did last March because I was master of ceremonies a the conference which meant I was cooped up in the session hall for most parts. Now in hindsight though... I think I did the right thing *haha!*!

I also had my tummy done so it is smooth and fuzz free. I do not have a hairy tummy but I do not like the baby hair showing. :) The wax got almost all my underarm hair but there were still baby hair in my tummy after the treatment hence the rating.

The technician was very friendly but I think she was not very professional. The technicians outside (those who were not doing much) were also very noisy outside so the place did not seem relaxing. The Strip provides more privacy and is more quiet and more relaxing. I do not think I would ever opt for a Brazilian at a place other than The Strip. LayBare's rates are so much cheaper though. They only charge 150Php for waxing of underarms.

I am also considering getting underarm hair removal treatment using diodes. I might go to Makati Medical Center because they are just charging 4,192Php per session and I am sure there will be doctors there. Facial Care Center can give me 50% discount and I will be able to get 8 sessions for only 28,000Php but the technicians there will not be doctors. I think I prefer Makati Medical Center. If you are planning to get yours done, do not pluck or wax for weeks. For now I am not plucking... I am still thinking about this still actually. I do not know what to do yet. :)

I will keep you posted! :)

1 Tone

Wow... I never bothered to check the stats until today and I was amazed by the number of people who actually read this blog *haha*! I was inspired to write another article needless to say. I will try to post more reviews now that I know people are actually reading this!

I shared last time about my visit at the Facial Care Center in Makati to get a wart removal treatment. I got the wart removal treatment for free but I had to get some other services for a fee. I got two collagen facials and I think, 12 laser tone treatments. I have not been religiously going there what with the high gas price and all but last week I went to Makati Med for a check-up and so I decided to drop by at FCC before going home. I got myself a facial.

I like their facials because they really meticulously clean your face of the blemishes. Also, after the facial I used one of my laser tone treatments. The following day, my mother noticed the change in my face immediately. She said my face was smoother. I also noticed how much firmer it was so I guess the facial and the laser tone work!

FCC is nice because you need not pay for parking. Even if you stay there the whole day, they will not charge you because they have their slots reserved for customers. Also, you are not supposed to tip the technicians because they have a no tipping policy. I think this is nice because you need not worry about how much to give them. The place is clean and I feel everything is kept hygienic so I feel somehow safe here.

What I absolutely abhor about FCC are their agents who will hound you with different offers on treatments. I think they have to be very aggressive so they can meet their quota. The annoying thing is, when you start asking about technical things, I feel they are unable to give convincing answers. Some answers even contradict with previous answers. As a result, I just decide not to avail of any offers. Which is a good thing for my pocket *hehe!*.

Recently, I purchased from cashcashpinoy.com a treatment at the Zen Institute at the Fort. I will tell you about it after I have tried it.

Stripped to the Wax!

Rating: 5/5

Many weeks ago, I went to Boracay but before I went, I got to do one of the things on my bucket list. Do not laugh. Okay, at least not to my face.

I got a Brazilian.

I was scared because many people say it hurts. Surprisingly though, it did not hurt as much as I thought it would. I guess it has to do with the two Advil pills that I popped one hour before turning myself in. I got my eyebrows threaded first before I went for my Brazilian. I liked how the Browhaus changed the shape of my brows. I need to pluck some stray hair now but the shape is still okay until now. I think I might go back to them and might stop going to Propaganda altogether.

Going back to the Brazilian.

I think the lack of the pain had much to do also with the technician or as they call them at The Strip: Ministry of Waxing, Striperella. She really knew what she was doing and because she knew it was my first time, she coached me in breathing and stuff. What I liked about their service is that they have a hygiene pack for each customer and they do not double dip on the wax. They use hard wax so that it is less painful. I know this because I have had experience with the soft wax for my tummy and really, it would have hurt like hell if this was used for my Brazilian.

I also had my underarms done and this was also pretty alright because they also used hard wax.

Granted that The Strip charges more, I would still go back to them for their services because they are hygienic and I am not going to risk going to other places if I am not going to be guaranteed no double dips.

If there is anything I did not like, it's the sheets. I know the sheets get replaced after each customer but I was kind of hoping they were disposable. I can feel the environmentalists stoning me. I am sorry but it really would be more hygienic. We can use recycled paper. :)

All in all, I really liked their services.

To Tweeze or Not To Tweeze

I do not know about you but I have not been gifted with perfect brows. I inherited my dad's brows and while they are thick and I do not have reasons to get them tattooed, they are rather bushy and well, they do not follow one direction. They pretty much reflect how I am.

I have tried plucking. This made me cry. Just to give you an idea, up until I was 24, my eyebrows remained untouched by tweezers or blade or thread. You can just imagine how long my visit at Propaganda took when they plucked my eyebrows. I highly recommend this place because for one, they pluck. Secondly, they do such a good job too. I plan to pay them a visit today if time will allow me so I can have my eyebrows fixed. *imagines excruciating pain!* I have a wedding to go to tomorrow. I plan to get pedi and mani too... Hmm... wonder how and when I will do that.

I have also tried threading at Franck Provost and well, that did not turn out well. I think the shape of my eyebrows is too hard to shape. So no more threading for me from now on. I think I will go to Makati today. Hmm... wonder if my will power can get me there and if the rains will not be too hard. Of course I can just opt to pluck them on my own. Maybe I will just do that. That is after all, more convenient for me.

The prices vary but if I remember correctly I paid 500 Php at Propaganda. This has been a while though. As in a long, long while. :)

Murad Facial

Rating: 5/5

Before I got married, I was so worried about looking good and so I decided to have facials. My face was a virgin. All my life I have been afraid of facials. I was afraid that I might have breakouts after I go to a facial session. I looked around and ended up at Rustan's Heaven on the Fifth. I surveyed all the places there and ended up choosing between Clarins Institute and Murad. Clarins was more expensive and the names of the facials were not very specific about the procedure unlike with Murad that explained what the facials were for and the potent ingredients. Plus, Murad's facials were cheaper.

They have existing packages already so I got that one for 6K, I think I got 7 facials and 2 eye treatments for free. I also got a nice 3-piece kikay bag which I find really useful for overnights for free.

During the course of my preparation for the wedding, they gave me first an AHA treatment which was for exfoliating the skin. The following week I got Vitamin C treatment for sun damage and for skin renewal as well. The following weeks were all Vitamin C. After that it was once a month. I got so used to the relaxing treatments that I missed my treatments after the first four weekly treatments. I wanted to come back right away but after the weekly treatments you are supposed to just have monthly treatments. I should have gone back already but I have not yet because I have been too busy. Now I go every two months.

They have a more attractive package now than when I got another package.

FACIAL TREATMENT PACKAGES
Vitamin C, Clarifying Enzyme, AHA Sensitive and AHA All Skin Types
Packages:

Service	Regular Price	Package Price	Savings
4 Facial Treatments	6,800	3,900	2,900
7 Facial Treatments	11,900	6,000	5,900
14 Facial Treatments	23,800	11,000	12,800
2 Redness Facial	3,800	1, 900	1,900
2 resurgence facial	3,800	2,400	1,400
2 Murad Classical	1,800	1, 100	700
3 Facial Treatments (AHA)	5,700	3,600	2,100

The ambience is really nice and the technicians are very gentle... well except for the part when they are cleaning your skin of white and black heads. :)

I have not experienced adverse effects while going through the facial. Also, they have a resident dermatologist who is available on certain days whom you can consult for free.

A treatment usually lasts an hour.


The telephone numbers of Murad are the following: Direct line: 816-1806 or Trunk Line: 813-3739 loc. 266