Cut and color at Louis Phillip Kee again!

I visited my hairstylist of five years, Louis Phillip Kee, at his posh Bonifacio Global City salon some time ago for a trim and a color.

A salon session can take a long while, about 4-5 hours. That's a long time to be away from my baby boy. And I'm a breastfeeding momma. But I have to be a gorgeous breastfeeding mommy so I sacrificed an afternoon to have my hair done.

Told ya it takes forever. By this time, I had already finished a stack of magazines. Louis's salon has free Wi-Fi, a fact that I forgot. I wish I had brought the iPad. Grr!

It truly does take a long time! That's because I have several colors done. So it's color, wash, dry, color, wash, dry then color, wash, dry. In the days when I didn't have a child, I'd even get a mani-pedi, hair treatment and massage done. That's an entire day spent at the salon! (Yes, Louis offers a ton of fab services to meet all your beauty needs). Now? I rush home to the baby soonest!

Trim, trim! Louis is known for his precision cuts, which my fluffy hair badly needs. My hair isn't straight and sleek. It's kinda wavy and soft and fine--like baby hair. It's not as nice as it sounds. My hair's so thin and fine, it dries up in five minutes and can get really messy because the slightest breath of air makes it fly about my head. So I love Louis's precision cuts because my hair behaves!

See? Perfectly behaved hair! Thanks, Louis! As always, you made me look fabulous. But I have to go back again for a trim. And I think I'm ready to go red again! Let's do this!

To book an appointment at Louis Phillip Kee Salons, click here.

I love Louis Phillip Kee Salon

I've been having my hair cared for, cut and colored by Louis Phillip Kee since 2006. There was a rumor that was going around that if Louis touched your hair, you'd be engaged/married within a year. That wasn't going to happen to me, I thought, since Vince and I--together then for 7 years--had no plans to marry. So I went to Louis in March 2006. That December, Vince and I were engaged and we were married on April 2007!

I should've made Louis ninong at our wedding!

Anyway, the last time I had my hair colored was October 2009. One month later, I was pregnant and my OBG and hubby absolutely forbid me to have my hair colored. I vowed, "First thing I'll do after I give birth is go to Louis!" That didn't happen, though. I was just so overwhelmed with new motherhood to even brush my hair!

But last month, I finally decided to drag my frumpy-mom ass to Louis's salon at Bonifacio Global City. And I am oh so glad I finally did!

Professor Snape? Is dat chu?

All over hair color is applied first. Brows are died to match.
Since I'm breastfeeding, the gentle INOA color is used.

Highlights are then applied.

Here I am baking!

Louis and his famous precision cutting.

Mia! She's the best.... everything!

Et voila!

I look like a woman again. I feel like a gorgeous wife and mommy! Thanks, Louis!

To book an appointment at Louis Phillip Kee Salons, click here.

This New Year, use Kerastase--and only Kerastase!--for your hair

I love Kerastase. I use the Resistance Bain Volumactive line for my flat lifeless hair. Of course, with Kerastase, my hair is revived and bouncy and beautiful! I also use the Reflection Bain Chroma Riche line when my hair's newly colored, to keep my hair looking redder longer. I cannot emphasize just how much I love Kerastase for my hair! Even my husband is spoiled rotten--he loves it, too, and switches between his Phyto shampoo and my Kerastase bottle because this stuff really works.

Now, Kerastase is not cheap. Why, it's the hair care line used by Hollywood celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston and Emmy Rossum! So I'm so happy I'm friends with Kerastase's Senior Product Manager, the affable and totally wonderful Birdie Salva--he sends me my bottles and jars for free! Thank you, Birdie!

Birdie's so generous, he's extending his offer of free Kerastase products to YOU! Look at what he's giving away on his fantabulous blog, Hair in Manila:

My darlings, that is one box of beauty! Hop on now to Hair in Manila for details on how you can win that fab box!

P.S. Birdie, thanks for my Kerastase Resistance Bain Volumactive shampoo and conditioner and the yummily scented candles, too!

Mixed feelings about Park Jun Salon

When I said I'll never go to another salon again for cut and color, I did mean it. So when I was invited to have a Kerastase treatment at Park Jun salon, of course I said yes.

Park Jun is a huge Korean chain of salons all over the world. This year, a Manila branch finally opened at Glorietta 3. The salon is fantastic--spacious, the decor is cutting-edge, the gadgets they use are out of this world, the service lovely. The shampoo chairs are amazing--they mold themselves to your body!

Anyway, I was so happy with everything (especially my Kerastase treatment!) that when my stylist, the adorable Jinny Kim, said I needed a cut and color and she would like to style my hair, I said... yes.

L'Oreal Professionel announces the hottest hair looks for F/W

There may be no fall/winter seasons here in the Philippines but fashion is followed globally and in the world of beauty trends, beauty giant L'Oreal Professionel has decreed that rock/folk music is the inspiration for the cold months ahead.

Robbie Lizares of L'Oreal Professionel emailed me: "I was going through our Fall/Winter collection and I immediately thought about you! We’re getting inspiration from music icons all over the world–in particular Rock and Folk icons. We’re getting inspiration from the likes of Amy Winehouse (yes, you better believe it!), Debbie Harry of Blondie, Janis Joplin, even Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats (a boy–but the boy cut has also been sported by Rihanna recently)."

Robbie also told me that these looks are going to be launched in September but I'm giving you a sneak peek!

"The Janis Joplin"

"The Joni Mitchell"

"The Debbie Harry"

"The Amy Winehouse"

Too bad the looks require thick masses of hair--my locks are baby fine. Well, I love the rich colors and how they absorb and reflect light. See the Janis color--there are red ribbons throughout the brown. The Amy color is fantastic, too--all deep and dark with golden bronze highlights for depth. Love the colors. Will definitely be getting those soonest!

Get your L'Oreal Professionel music icons-inspired looks from leading salons.

I live for beauty!

Hi! This blog is dedicated to all things beautiful--if it looks good, smells good, feels good, makes us look good, then it's bound to end up here!

You'll also find honest reviews of products and services, which I hope will help you in your quest for good buys. In this crunch economy, we all need to know what's worth our peso!

So thank you for dropping by and I welcome all tips, tricks, reviews and opinions because I write beauty for a living!

The Beauty Writer - that's me in the photo getting color and highlights at the Louis Phillip Kee Salon!