A Day of Relaxation at Princess Hazel Salon & Spa

Hello guys!

In the past weeks, I've been feeling stressed because of the tons of work I have to do in school and at work. I've been worried about so many things and I've lacked hours of sleep. During the times that I can go to bed early, I have a hard time sleeping. So yeah, the past weeks were difficult for me.

So I was so happy when I was invited to try out the services at Princess Hazel Salon & Spa. I'm a bit aware of this place because I saw some blog posts about it. 

They invited me and even let me choose the time that is most convenient for me, which I very much appreciate. I have been working and studying almost everyday of the week so my time is really important right now. So I scheduled on a day that I know is much deserving of a pamper session. I decided to go on a Saturday after my class at graduate school. I thought that after a long week, I want to get some rest and do something I like a lot, which is anything beauty related.

Princess Hazel Salon and Spa is located at the 2nd floor of the Pacific Century Tower at Quezon Ave. It's near EDSA too so getting there is quite easy. I drove to the place and it was actually the first time I get to drive that far north alone. But good thing the place was very easy to go to.

When you arrived at the entrance, you will be greeted by purple walls and golden embellishments. So royal! 

They promise you a royal treatment! You'll get pampered from their variety of services, you will feel comfortable with their very friendly staff, and you also get to wear a crown while sitting on a throne! I'm not even kidding, check out the photos below:

A crown is provided for every chair/throne. You can wear them while you get your nails done and get a perfect royal selfie!

 The chairs look so regal, even the pillows are made with gold patterns!

They separate rooms for different services like a wax area and the RF (Radio Frequency) room...

 There's an area for the hair services...

 ...and also a place for the massage and body scrubs.

This is actually the place where I spent most of my time at Princess Hazel Salon and Spa the most because the services I got was a whole body scrub and massage!

I wasn't able to take much pictures because the lights were very dim to create a relaxing ambiance.

So yeah, this is the only selfie I can do because it was very dark. :P

So anyway, let's talk about my experience during my body scrub and massage sessions. My masseuse was Alma. She was very friendly and easy to get along with. I don't get much body massage because I get very conscious with my body being exposed and touched by a stranger, but Alma made me feel comfortable during the entire session.

You will be provided with a robe and a disposable underwear. You can also borrow some shorts if you prefer that one. 

So after I changed, I got my body scrub. The massage bed was covered in plastic to maintain the cleanliness of the bed. The scrub used smelled so good, but I can't remember what it was exactly... I asked but I just can't seem to remember... I think it's like cocoa butter or something similar to that. But it just smells really good that also helped me feel more relaxed. I'm also getting massaged during the body scrub so I began feeling sleepy (I only slept for around 4 hours the night before).

It's my first time to get a whole body massage and I didn't know what to expect as results. And after the scrubbing, I was wrapped in the plastic like a cocoon... or maybe just like a big plastic blanket for 10 minutes so that the scrub will linger and get absorbed by the skin. Then I get to rinse the scrub off my body. The bathroom was equipped with bathing products actually. There are small bottles of shampoo and conditioner and some shower gels, etc.

After rinsing, I immediately noticed how soft my skin became. I guess the dead skin cells on my body are exfoliated well. I couldn't stop touching my skin because it's just so smooth!

Anyway, the whole body massage came next. They used a massage oil that is pretty much close to the scent of the body scrub used on me. Alma did a great job with my massage. I am quite sensitive when it comes to massages. I am big and have a strong pain threshold so I don't mind if I get hard massages. But unfortunately for me, there was a time that I end up with a bruise or something. But on that day, I didn't. The pressure Alma applied during the massage session was just right. It was so relaxing I almost fell asleep. 

After almost an hour, the massage was over. I was surprised that it took that long because I was enjoying the pampering very much. And so I got changed back to my clothes and then enjoyed a refreshing cup of tea.

And that was my very relaxing session at Princess Hazel Salon and Spa. You can check out their other services below along with their prices:

Oh, besides getting pampered and prettified, you can also shop for your beauty essentials here. They got products like wigs, hair accessories, bracelets, and rings!

And that concludes my day of relaxation.

If you want to know more about Princess Hazel Salon and Spa, check out the following:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Cheers,
DAWN

NOTD: Angelic Red

Hey everyone!

Last Saturday, I had a girly nail spa date with my friend at Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge. I've been to the place and blogged about it and liked the service I received, especially the massage. I also love the interior of the place! Check out the details of the place here.

We had a mani/pedi combo that day which costs Php 320.00 only. And here's how my nails look like after our session:

Pretty, huh?

It's such a pretty, bold red shade that suits my skin tone really well. I'm not familiar with that nail polish brand though but I think it's an affordable one.

It was my friend's first time in Make Me Blush and she loved how it looks as well, especially the color combination of the furnitures.

Anyway, here are the photos of my nails and the polish used.

And for my toe nails,

Essie Nail Polish in Innocent

I am super loving this color! I think I'll buy one if I see one. 

And that's all for my NOTD.

But before I end this post, my friend and I had dinner at Ramen Nagi after our Nail Spa session. It was one of the yummiest Ramen I've had in a while so we were super, duper happy! I ordered the spicy one with spicy level 5! YUMMMM!

Anyway, that's all for now I guess. :)

Cheers,
DAWN

Nail-a-Holics: A budget-friendly spa experience?

Hello ladies,

Today I share with you my foot spa experience at nail-a-holics nail salon & spa SM San Lazaro branch. Do know that this happened 2 weeks ago, hours before my sister's debut.

So, I was from 24 hour hospital duty that day and it had not occurred to me to take pictures of the whole thing and place as I was not expecting to post about it. I genuinely thought that the service would be ok and that it's not super extraordinary that I'd go blog about it. Anyway, I originally thought that their foot spa as well as the hand spa (if that was the term for it) already included a manicure/pedicure with it. Unfortunately, they did not so I took the 700 peso package which included the foot spa and mani-pedi.

Around this time I was really looking for some good massage for my feet as the past few rotations have been a torture to them and I've been suffering mild aches and pains on my soles. And since I've read a good deal of reviews from nail-a-holics, I was expecting a good service.

So now, let me share to you the experience.

I am not that picky about certain things and I guess I don't get easily grossed out but I just can't stand seeing their towels, the seats, and the throw pillows. I know that the branch had been there for quite sometime, but I think it's only appropriate that they do change the sheets on the seats or throw pillows once every 2 months or what. The seats look exactly like they've been sat on by a lot of people and all the sweat and dust have stuck on them. The towels were battered and a little dark so you know that they've been using those probably since the store started and they've only been washed and rewashed. I wouldn't have any problem with that if I had had this service with some mani-pedi lady from my province or some salon where it only costs around 50 to 100 for both hands and feet, but, to have your business named nail salon and spa, I think an occasional spring cleaning to keep with appearances is necessary. Maybe dispose of those unsightly towels and wash those seats. I don't know if this is only in SM San Lazaro branch, but even so, shouldn't they maintain quality of their equipment in all branches?

Next, I really would have let things go since probably this is the "norm" in other nail spa as I've only been to three. However, when your feet still feels similar to velcro when you're walking on your bed I cannot let that go. Let me make it clear that the lady who did my foot scrub was nice, but I guess she overdid the scrubbing a little? I have never had this experience with my two previous foot spa and I do not understand how it could even stay like that for more than 2 weeks. Here's a picture of my soles.

Lastly, I did say I wanted a good massage for my feet. On my previous experience of foot spas, they do thoroughly massage not just your soles but also includes your calves/your legs and they ask you how hard or how soft you'd want it. Here, however, there was no such questioning, she did not ask if I wanted it hard or soft. Ok... I don't really mind either way. But the massage was only good at first, then in less than 10 minutes she was done with both foot and leg. The only massage she did for my legs was two "karate chops" and it was done. What was that? It was the same for my hands.

I was in a hurry that day so I asked if they had a nail dryer or a quick dry solution, which they had... so she put liberal amount of the solution on my nails and it looked like I had eaten a really oily piece of meat with my bare hands. It did dry up quick but after a day, the nail color started looking like they had bubble underneath and it looked so ugly I peeled it off my hand. Yes, peeled.

So overall, I was not happy to have spent 700 pesos for that service because I know I'd be able to get better service with the same amount or even less. So I do hope they try to take some of the suggestions especially the first one. Anyway, I won't be going back there anytime soon.

Cheers,

LIZ

Blushing Brightly : Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge

Hey loves!

I think I'm becoming more and more of a nail spa lover every time I went to one. Last Saturday, I was invited to try the services of Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge. I was scheduled to try their manicure and full body massage.

It's a fairly new place located at Hemady Square, Doña Hemady St. Corner E. Rodriguez Ave., Q.C. It's right across the gym I used to go to so I already knew where it was the second I read the address. The place was easy to find, it has free parking, and other establishments were there like Starbucks, a hair salon, a bank, and a supermarket. I find it a great place to spend a weekend afternoon at. Plus, I heard that a pastry shop will open next to Make Me Blush. I can definitely see myself enjoying a cupcake while having a pedi session!

The Nail Spa is at the third floor of Hemady Square. The place is filled with bright colors so it really draws your attention when you pass by.

Once you enter the establishment, you are greeted by a cute and simple reception area. The owner, Alyssa, was there to welcome me. She was really accommodating and friendly and made sure that I felt comfortable the whole time I was inside the spa. I regret that I wasn't able to take pictures with her. :( 

Maybe next time. :)

Displayed on the counter are the services that the place offers. And there are lots of them! Besides nail pampering, they also do hair and makeup, eyelash perming and extensions, brow threading, massages, and waxing!

I'm definitely loving the bags at the top shelf. It gives that fun, bright look to the place.

You can also get a peek of the products they use in the spa. There's a display of assorted nail polishes and hair care products from L'Oreal and Schwarzkopf.

And just by standing near the entrance, you will notice the beautiful details of the spa's interior. Alyssa said that they were aiming for the 1960's look. I think the interior decorator nailed it with all the colors and furnitures. Every piece complimented each other—everything was a pleasure to look at.

I'm loving this green glass basket... and the chocolates in it!

The pink doors are so pretty with the floral prints. And the floor tiles matched the ceiling and the furnitures. Alyssa mentioned that they had the tiles personalized. 

The chandelier at the reception area was cute but what's even cuter were...

...these lights inside bird cages! I'm really impressed by these! Plus the colored glass candle holders inside were lovely! 

And then there are these fabulous chairs. Each having a different color and pattern. I was told that these chairs are actually at least 40 years old. Amazing, right? Vintage indeed! Alyssa got them revamped and she also picked out the colors and patterns for each one.

Beside a chair is a side table where you can place your things and it is also equipped with magazines you can read while having your nails pampered.

The chairs are partnered with a leg rest with the same color.

And they also have cute little lamps next to the chairs for added lighting.

Anyway, more pictures of the fancy chairs below:

And look at that pretty tea cup! That was served to me... I just love that even the tea cups were colorful.

And we're not stopping there. There are more areas inside the spa...

Here's the area where the hair and makeup services are done. The owner is actually a makeup artist as well. She used to do weddings and other events. Now she has her own place where she can still practice her craft. The makeup products they use are well-known, trusted brands like Graftobian, MAC, Bobbi Brown, and Urban Decay to name a few.

For hair services, they do hair coloring, blowdry, and hair spa treatments. They also do haircuts and it's by someone from Vidal Sasson, US. I forgot to ask the name though... The fee is quite steep but they assure that your hair is handled by an expert and you will surely have no regrets. I'd love to see and even experience his/her work sometime. 

And then there's the massage room. The room was painted with orange and other citrus-y colors. Once the lights go dim, it looks warm and relaxing.

The beds are comfy and equipped with slippers, towels, and disposable shorts! Yes, DISPOSABLE! It's my first time to use one and I really like it. It's hygienic and it fits me! Haha!

So I first had my nails cut and cleaned. The person handling my nails is Joy. She has really light hands and she took care of my hands with ease. But we had to pause the manicure session. I was to get my massage first before I get my nails colored so that the nail polish would not get ruined during the session.

I was not a fan of massages. I've only had it thrice before this. I was just not comfortable with strangers touching me. But for this session, I was very comfy. Razeil, my masseuse, was very friendly and fun to talk to. We shared so much in common like our love of art. She used to represent her class and join art contests like I used to. She had amazing hands! The massage felt really good! Razeil has a certificate from Tesda and has been in the profession for the last three years so she really knows what she's doing. I was told that I had more than an hour massage session. I didn't even realize that it took that long. I was sooo relaxed and I really did enjoy the experience. 

And in case you are interested in trying Razeil's massage services, she's at Make Me Blush Spa everyday except Thursdays (her day off).

So after my massage, I got back to my fab chair to get my nails done.

I was given lots of colors to choose from...

and I picked this O.P.I. Nail Lacquer in Blue My Mind.

Beautiful, huh?

It's been a while since I had my nails in blue and this color looks so good on my warm skin.

I love, love, love my Make Me Blush Experience. I enjoyed every minute of it and it did made me blush with joy (if there's such a thing). I do recommend the place and I'll be visiting it soon because it's just 20 minutes away from our house. Yay!

If you're interested to learn more about Make Me Blush Spa, you can visit their:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makemeblush

Instagram: @MAKEMEBLUSHSPA

Hemady Square Unit 303 86 Dona Hemady Street Corner E. Rodriguez Ave.

Quezon City, Philippines

10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Phone: +63 2 234 9529

Email: makemeblushspa@gmail.com

And here are the services and their corresponding prices:

And before I end this post, they have an on-going promo...

Avail a Foot Spa + Pedicure for only Php 249.00! This will last 'til the last day of April! 

So enjoy the discount and have a pampered summer!!

Cheers,

DAWN