By Samantha Clerigo
Deadlines, sleepless nights, first-day jitters…these are actually a lot to take in. We know. The end of a vibrant summer is just around the corner. Heavy rains are knocking at our doorsteps and the scent of textbooks and readings creeps in from under our noses. In only a matter of weeks, we’re back to doing the same old stressful routine of school. After a summer of staying under the sun, keeping fit and healthy, or maybe even just scrolling through social media from the comfort of your rooms, it’s time to #TreatYoSelf.
And what would be better than going all out and trying new spa and beauty stuff? Whether it’s getting new brow shapes or spending one full day at your favorite spa, these’ll make you feel like a totally new person and will get you more than ready for that first day back at school.
That being said, here’s a list of what you can do (and where!) to bring back that glow before hitting the books once again. So sit back and relax (literally) as we give you a rundown of the best places to get your personal services done.
1. Dye your hair a color you’ve never tried before
Where: Vivere Salon
Having the same hair could get pretty boring. Too scared to get a trendy short haircut? If you don’t want to change your hair’s style, dare yourself to get a new color, whether it’s a simple brown or a bold blonde or red. It’s healthy to keep trying new looks with your appearance and summer is the best time to do something out of the box.
Vivere Salon is known for their hair coloring services and offers a wide range of dyes to suit your personal taste. Want pastel-colored hair? No problem. Highlights? You got it.
And if you’re fretting about the hair dryness coming from color treatment, don’t! This salon employed expert stylists who will know what’s best for your hair. Best part? They’re currently offering an “All Tressed Up” promo where you get a discount for hair contouring. Don’t want hair a new hair color? Vivere’s hair treatments don’t just treat you to better hair, but also to a refreshing head, shoulder, and back massage.
2. Try out hand and foot treatments
Where: Nailaholics
While painting your nails can be fun, it’s also good to groom them and make sure everything looks neat and tidy. And then maybe get a foot spa while at it?
You could check out Nailaholics, which prides itself for being the pampering destination that “allows you to walk out of their salon feeling like you got more than what you came for.” Their pastel blue-white interiors, and the sweet, cozy seats make you feel like a beach princess. It’s the ultimate escape from urban life and into the sea–almost like summer all over again.
While their best services are their mani-pedis, Nailaholics also has waxing and threading, eyelash enhancement, and massage therapies. It’s practically a one-stop salon, perfect for ya’ll lazy bums who don’t want to hop from one place to another. Our advice? Avail of their packages where you can experience multiple treatments in one go.
3. Spend an entire day at a bathhouse
Where: I’M Onsen Spa at I’M Hotel
Remember Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away? If you aren’t familiar with the iconic Studio Ghibli film, protagonist Chihiro ventures into the spirit realm and ends up working in a bathhouse catering to mystical clients of numerous forms. You could actually do all they did (saunas, herbal pools, and a full buffet ala No Face) right here in Manila!
I’M Onsen Spa is the biggest and most high class Japanese onsen in the Philippines. It’s got different bath types that incorporate Japanese technology, saunas, steam rooms, a tea lounge, spa pods, and a lot more. What’s even more bomb about it is that you get to use all of that + get a massage + eat a full blown international buffet all for their current 1800 peso promo (and if you go on weekdays, price drops to 1500php!). It’s a total steal if you ask us. And you also get to wear cute yukatas to take photos in.
4. Reshape your brows
Where: Browhaus
You can change the entire look of your face through what your eyebrows look like–yes, they are that important, guys and gals. And more often than not, when your brows are the only things holding your act together, it’s vital to get them done properly. Eyebrow cleaning is definitely important, but are you sure that their shape is the best one for your face?
Get you that salon that could groom your brows right. Browhaus is where you want to go to to get that perfect set of brows to match your attitude–whether feisty, carefree, sweet, or fierce. They’ve got some cool set of services, including the “Brow Resurrection,” which is their unique semi-permanent advanced brow embroidery.
Low on budget? Get your brows shaped here at least once, just so you can know the best brow angles for you. We swear you won’t regret it.
5. Get a full body scrub
Where: The Spa
Not gonna lie here–body scrubs hurt like hell (see Conan O’Brien’s trip to a Korean jimjilbang). But they’re necessary when you want to get all the dirt and dead cells off of your skin. And we mean all of it! Plus, when you’re done with that scrub, you’ll feel like a newborn baby.
Thankfully, The Spa’s got some luxurious scrubs that don’t just exfoliate but also carry beneficial effects that are great for the skin. There are the Batangas Coffee Scrub; the Crystalline Body Scrub which includes choice ingredients such as chamomile, rosemary, jojoba wax, aloe vera gel, and lemon; a spice powder wrap that works well with a Chinese bamboo cane massage; and a refreshingly cleansing sea salt body scrub. Just writing this all down makes them sound like real good stuff.
And if you can last through a body scrub, you can conquer the world. You know what they say, beauty is pain.
Photos taken from establishments’ official websites and respective social media accounts.
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