Me Time at Miss Esthe Facial Salon and Skin Care

The chaotic city life is sapping the remaining youth out of me. From getting stuck in traffic to being less productive due to lack of sleep, I always find myself needing a vacation. I don't even get to find time for a trip to the spa. It felt like eons ago when I last had my facial. Thankfully, my schedule cleared up just before Christmas and I got to visit Miss Esthe Facial Salon and Skin Care. 

Hello, Miss Esthe. 

Miss Esthe Facial Salon and Skin Care is a brand born in Tokyo, Japan. With 30 years of expertise to back it up, it grew from a humble 7 staff member business into a 150 store brand in Japan alone. It also has presence in South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, China, and France.

Just in Time for Christmas: Midsummer Manila Christmas Creations Pop-Up Bazaar

Midsummer is back and just in time for the holiday! With over 50 merchants offering unique fashion pieces, scrumptious treats, striking statement pieces and about anything and everything for you and your loved ones, this is one bazaar you shouldn't miss.

Hello, Midsummer Manila.

I had the pleasure to attend its bazaar a few months ago held at Arya and my eyes feasted on the beautiful items brought by the wonderfully curated merchants of Midsummer Manila. Though it is not as big as bazaar giants, one of the things I love about Midsummer Manila is how it made shopping a lot easier by handpicking its merchants and just offering some of the best in town. 

Save November 20 and 21, 2018, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as Midsummer Manila has more in store for you in this season of gift giving!

Beauty 101: Teeth Whitening with Y10 Brightonix

I am a coffee junkie. I can't seem to function without caffeine and I need a cup or two to jump start my day. However, drinking it on a regular basis has made my pearly whites... well, not white. And it definitely made me more conscious when I smile or talk to people. I've considered availing of teeth whitening services but reading about its adverse effects scared me. Thankfully, with new technology came a solution that made me feel it was the right time to have my teeth whitened. 

Hello, Y10 Brightonix. 

I was invited by SpectruMed to try out Y10 Brightonix, a revolutionary teeth whitening technology that sets a new standard in the oral care industry.

Skin Lifestyle: Radiance Aesthetic Center

I usually look forward to my birthday as it means being extra loved for a day. But after hitting 25, I see it as a reminder that more wrinkles will appear. My unhealthy lifestyle where I run with barely any sleep doesn't help me too with my goal of getting stuck at a certain age, skin-wise. And despite religiously applying moisturizer day and night, it never addressed my dull and dry skin. But thanks to skin technological advancement, I might have found a solution. 

Hello, Radiance Aesthetic Center.  

Like most skin clinics, Radiance Aesthetic Center offers wide range of skin solutions. But one thing I noticed from having a quick chat with its owner and clinic dermatologist, Dr. Trix Castañeda, is that Radiance Aesthetic Center meticulously look for equipment and new skin solutions that are effective, pain-free and cost efficient.

Now in BGC: Lumiere Skin and Spa

They say that aging start at the age of 25 and I believe it wholeheartedly. I have been religiously using sun screen to protect my face but it seems that it's far from being enough. As much as I would like to have regular facial to combat fine lines and spots, I find it time consuming and that I couldn't squeeze it in my busy schedule. But Lumiere Skin and Spa made me think otherwise.

Hello, Lumiere Skin and Spa.

It wasn't hard to find this new skin care clinic in Uptown Parade. Just look for the well-lit space with a big L sign. It is most visible from the bridge way between Uptown Mall and Uptown Parade.

Beauty 101: Clarence launches PicoWay, a Revolutionary Solution to Skin Pigmentation

I never considered having a tattoo for various personal reasons. Growing up with people who never even tried henna didn't help me become more open minded to getting inked. I guess, aside from my fear of a cute heart design turning wrinkly after decades, the lifelong commitment to it made it impossible for me to even think about it. But technology sure can change someone's perception on things. 

Hello, Clarence Anti-Aging, Slimming, and Dermatology Centre. 

It's interesting to visit dermatology clinics as you learn a lot about how to take care of your skin. I have to admit, I was once a victim of wrong information. I thought that weekly facials can help address my intense acne problem. But it took a very pricey dermatology session than made me realize that it had to be addressed differently and what I was doing was just aggravating it. 

This time around, I've already "graduated" from acne breakouts and my biggest skin concerns now are fine lines and age spots. Though I swear by a famous moisturizer known to combat these, it seems like age (and reality) is catching up fast.

I've learned though from my visit at Clarence that there's another effective way to combat these signs of aging and that is through PicoWay. 

PicoWay is the "latest and most advanced laser solution for benign pigmentation" and could be the easiest way out to those fine lines. It is also said to have less discomfort and you'd see improvement in fewer sessions. This means that you get to save time and money. 

During our visit, we were lucky to witness how one guest had her tattoo removed in less than 5 minutes! (Of course, that excludes the prep time of putting topical anesthesia cream on the inked area.)

The head of Clarence, Dr. Joan Clarence Morallo, was the one who facilitated the procedure and told us that the PicoWay machine used for tattoo removal and skin pigmentation is the same. It just uses different laser heads (if I remember it correctly). 

It would seem like Dr. Clarence Morallo did magic and just waved a wand over the tattooed finger as the ink disappeared in no time. Though the patient said that it was painful, it was not as painful as the usual tattoo removals available in the market. Though it would create redness, this procedure ensures that it won't leave scars. 

This first in the Philippines technology sure is impressive. And having an international beauty expert like Kristi Burns to vouch it says a lot abot this one of a kind technology. I can't wait to try its PicoWay Facial soon. I just hope that it won't hurt that much. (Then again, no pain, no gain.)

Clarence Anti-Aging, Slimming, and Dermatology Centre is located at 2nd Floor, Mila Holdings Building, 28 Jupiter Street corner Astra Street, Bel Air, Makati City.