Pampered at Purple Strawberries Salon & Spa.

The new school year is almost upon us, and I, like most moms, am savoring the last few hours (barely 24 to go! ) of summer. And so before I go back to the daily grind of waking up early, preparing my son's meals, helping him with school work, organizing lecture notes, and writing reviewers and mock exams, I treated myself yesterday to a bit of pampering  at Purple Strawberries Salon & Spa.

Purple Strawberries Salon & Spa.

The spa is located at Colago Avenue, right across the Community General Hospital. Ironically, this place is just a few meters away from my son's school, but it took me years to finally come and visit. At first, I thought this was just an ordinary nail bar which offers the usual manicure, pedicure, and nail enhancements. I guess that's the main reason why I never bothered to come here despite its 'very accessible location'.

Purple Strawberries at Buena Ventures Trading Post.

My indifference changed to interest when I learned from a friend that Purple Strawberries now offers massage and body care services. My poor, aching back had long been pining for a massage, and I had been meaning to get my nails done for the longest time. And with this salon offering both nail care and massage services, it's like killing two birds with one stone. Yay!

The reception desk/waiting area.
Photo credit: Purple Strawberries.

I booked an appointment for Saturday afternoon, after Yue's karate training. I made it a point to call the salon a day before my visit, because weekends are usually the busiest days for businesses like this. Yue and I arrived a little after 3:30 pm, a few minutes ahead of my 4 pm appointment.

The Nail Bar/Nail Care area on the first floor. 

I was ushered to the Nail Bar on the first floor, where the nail care services are done. I was planning to have the massage first, then the footspa and pedicure later, but the receptionist told me that the schedules got a bit mixed-up; the couple at the waiting area had to be massaged first since they were availing the couple massage at promo rates (Php 500 from 11 am - 4 pm).

Locking in the moisture on my feet with lotion, cling wrap, and a warm towel.

The therapist who was in-charge of me that day was apologetic for the mix-up, and assured me that my nails will be dry before I get my massage. (She used a nail dryer to dry my toenails, lol). At least she did a nice job with my foot spa and pedicure. The foot spa was very relaxing, and I did not feel pain the whole time she worked on my toenails. (Goodbye, ingrown and dry cuticles! So nice to get rid of you, finally!)

The Nail Bar.

I like that Purple Strawberries has a wide selection of nail polish, most of them from imported brands (think Zoya, Orly, and the like). So don't be daunted by the rates if you see their price list. They're pretty reasonable considering the (high) quality of the brands. Aside from the regular manicure and pedicure, they also offer nail stamping, with various stamping images to choose from. I'm not really into nail art since I do house chores, plus the fact that I always wear sneakers when I'm out and about, so I chose a purple Zoya Matte Velvet nail polish instead.

Color selection for Orly Gel Nail Color.

Massages and other body care services are done on the second floor. Their body massage is a combination of Swedish, Shiatsu, and Thai, with rates depending on the duration of the service. A 1-hour full body massage at Purple Strawberries costs Php 350 - still at par with the rates of other spas here in my hometown. I'm not sure if you can request for a specific type of essential oil for your massage, but mine had a minty scent. Something like eucalyptus, which I actually prefer.

The Massage/Body Care area on the second floor.

They also offer hot compress and cupping (ventosa) for an additional Php 125 for each service. I tried cupping for the first time in my life, and oh my goodness, I could feel the months (years, even) of soreness and stiffness being sucked away as the cups were placed on my back. It felt so good! Why have I never tried this before???

The place is dimmer in actual. Very relaxing, imho.

Overall, I enjoyed the massage despite the therapist being a bit heavy-handed. I had to ask her to soften it up a bit on my arms because my skin is rather flimsy and  I get bruised easily, and it was only when I got home that I discovered tiny bruises on my left arm. Nothing a concealer can't handle, but I will most likely request for another therapist next time, lol.

Yue hanging out at the Nail Bar. :)

If you're planning to visit Purple Strawberries with a kid, you'd be glad to know that they have free wifi. Just ask the receptionist for the password, which my son boldly did, haha. This kid would be willing to wait for me hours as long as he has his phone, his power bank, and data/wifi connection.

Purple Strawberries Salon & Spa

Buena Ventures Trading Post

Colago Avenue, San Pablo City

(049) 521 2511 / (0995) 1977 037 / (0929) 2515 284 
Operating Hours: Tuesdays to Sundays, 1pm - 10pm 

The #NationalPamperingDay Experience.

Stress has been my best friend for the past few weeks. I had writing deadlines to meet, business transactions to complete, Yue's summative exam's to prepare for (if you're following me on Instagram then you know how OC I am when it comes to reviewers and exams), and social media projects to accomplish. To make things worse, Yue got sick which entailed sleepless nights, several trips to the doctor, and missing school for a few days. Pretty taxing, right?

And so when I received the invite to partake in this year's National Pampering Day, I said yes in a heartbeat. Held last October 17, the nationwide event was hosted by Nailaholics, the country's most popular nail salon and spa. With the aim to give every hardworking Filipino a well-deserved treat, all Nailaholics branches in the country offered free services from 10 am to 1 pm.

October 17, 2017 is National Pampering Day!

The very first National Pampering Day was held last year, and was widely-received by the public. As such, Nailaholics decided to run a sequel and make it more meaningful by adding more options to the free services that they offer. This year's event now had a foot spa and a foot massage, as well as the free manicure that had been a big hit the previous year.

Nailaholics SM San Pablo.

Anticipating a huge crowd of patrons, I visited Nailaholics SM San Pablo as soon as the mall opened. True enough, there were already plenty of customers when I arrived. Most of the seats inside the salon were already occupied, and almost all of their nail technicians had customers to attend to.

National Pampering Day is free for all, women and men alike. :)

Miss Jen, the branch manager, ushered me to an empty seat in the corner. She asked me which of the free services will I be getting (foot spa, of course) and was a bit apologetic that I had to wait for a few minutes for my turn. I told her that I don't mind the wait, and it was nice to see that many customers came to the event despite the nationwide transportation strike.

Miss Jen making the rounds, checking if each customer is satisfied with their service.

You see, for every customer who will avail of the free service, Nailaholics will donate Php 10 to a charity of the customer's choice - World Vision for the rehabilitation of Marawi City, Save the Seas to help protect the country's marine and coastal resources, or PAWS to support their campaign of adopting stray dogs. More customers meant more donations for the charities mentioned.

My nail technician, Angel.

After a few minutes of waiting, my turn finally came. Angel was my nail technician for the day, and as she sat in front of me to scrub the callus off my feet, I realized that I have not had a foot spa since my last trip to Seoul! And that's already half a year!

Getting a well-deserved and much-needed pampering on National Pampering Day!

My nail technician did a good job of exfoliating my feet and massaging my legs, asking me from time to time if the heat of the water is okay, if the scrubbing tickles, or if the pressure on my legs and feet were just right. She gave me the most relaxing foot spa I have had in years that I will most likely book her for my next appointment at Nailaholics.

The technicians in action.

Kudos to Nailaholics SM San Pablo for a job well done, and congratulations to Nailaholics for another successful run of the National Pampering Day! Thank you for having me this year, and will look forward to next year's festivities! :)

Freebie Alert | #NationalPamperingDay.

The long wait will finally be over as Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa welcomes you once again tomorrow, October 17, 2017, for another real pampering treat at the celebration of the National Pampering Day.

See you tomorrow! :)

Relieve your stress and make sure to drop by at any Nailaholics branch nearest you from 10 AM to 1 PM to get a free pampering service of your choice. You may choose to get a soothing manicure, relaxing foot massage or a calming foot spa.

And best of all, by simply participating in this year’s National Pampering Day, you will be able to support the cause of your chosen organization. You can extend your help in the rehabilitation of Marawi City by supporting World Vision, help protect our country’s rich but threatened marine and coastal resources when you support Save Philippine Seas or support The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in preventing animal cruelty.

“With all the preparations we’ve made, we are very excited to welcome everyone tomorrow and make them feel that they deserve real pampering” said Arvin Amaro, Marketing Head of Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa. This is a once a year treat only from the number one pampering destination in the Philippines – Nailaholics.

See you all tomorrow and Happy National Pampering Day!

Visit www.nailaholics.com to check their services and find the branch nearest you. Get updates through their Facebook Page Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa, Twitter @nailaholics and Instagram @nailaholics.

October 17, 2017 is #NationalPamperingDay!

When it comes to pampering on a national scale, Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa holds the only spot. After introducing the celebration of the National Pampering Day last year, Nailaholics is back at it again this 2017 with an amplified nationwide celebration of relaxation that everyone is looking forward to this October 17.

The National Pampering Day got off to a good start last year where Nailaholics offered free manicure service and a stress relieving hand massage from 10 AM to 12 NN on all their branches nationwide. This year, everyone will be treated to a free service of their choice: a soothing manicure, calming foot spa or a relaxing foot massage.

Save the date!

“We Filipinos are very hardworking in any given aspect of our lives and a nation of energetic and industrious people best deserves real pampering once in a while. This year, as Nailaholics celebrates the 2nd National Pampering Day, we go deeper and dedicate this to everyone and remind them to take it slow, take it easy, zone out and relax for a while.” said Arvin Amaro, Marketing Head of Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa.

“With last year’s success of the National Pampering Day, we are back this year with a bigger and much more enjoyable day of pampering. In partnership with the number one salon brand and most beloved nail lacquer brand in the world, O.P.I., National Pampering Day 2017 will accommodate more guests with the extension of pampering time until 1PM. Also, the best thing about this year’s National Pampering Day is that it will be in support to World Vision, The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and Save Philippine Seas” added Amaro.

So save the date and get ready to park away any thoughts of work because the only responsibility you have is to loosen up. Wind down and head down to any Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa branch on October 17, 2017 (Tuesday) from 10 AM to 1 PM and get yourself a free relaxing manicure, foot spa or foot massage.

Let Nailaholics’ skilled nail technicians take care of you for a little while and walk out of this Hamptons-inspired nail salon feeling refreshed and ready to bring it on again. Grab this once a year treat only at the country’s top destination for relaxation and real pampering.

Visit www.nailaholics.com to check their services and find the branch nearest you.
Get updates through their Facebook Page Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa, Twitter @_nailaholics and Instagram @_nailaholics.

Nailaholics is an urban destination that offers its customers an escape from the daily grind through its exceptional interiors and exceptional pampering service. It currently has more than 50 branches nationwide, including in Gateway Mall, Eastwood Citywalk, Cash and Carry Makati, Harbor Point Mall Subic, SM Cebu, SM Bacolod, and SM Lanang.

The Best Salon and Spa Treatments You Can Enjoy on Your Lunch Break.

There is nothing more relaxing than sitting in a salon and spa and letting someone else pamper you. You can easily spend a whole day there without enjoying all the treatments it offers. Many women tend to think that spas are expensive and that they can only go on the weekends or when they have a few hours. There are some great salon and spa treatments that you can enjoy on your lunch break.

Playing with makeup!

Makeup Lessons
Have you ever caught a glimpse of your reflection and noticed your lipstick bleeding off your mouth, that your eyeliner is crooked or that you can see the line between your foundation and neck? A simple makeup lesson can teach you some tricks that professional artists use, and lessons only take an hour or less.

Hair down there?

Body Waxing
Head into the salon on your lunch hour and walk out with no more unwanted hair. While waxing your legs usually takes some time, you can opt for a face wax that removes unwanted hair from your upper lip or chin. Waxing professionals can also remove the hair from your lower and upper arms or eyebrows in less than an hour.

Dolled-up nails.

Manicure
The classic manicure usually takes around 45 minutes, but if you have a little extra time, you can choose a gel manicure or another specialty manicure. You'll love the feel of soaking your hands in warm water and the way your hands and nails look later. Click here to find other spa treatments you can enjoy on your lunch break.

Sunday at Sparadiso.

The little man was at my in-laws yesterday, so I pretty much had the entire day all to myself. I took advantage of this rare 'me-time' opportunity and decided to give myself an early birthday present - a much-needed, well-deserved massage at Sparadiso!

Sparadiso!

It's been six months (can you imagine?!) since my last visit, which is why the receptionist cheerfully greeted me with "Ma'am ang tagal nyong nawala!" (Ma'am you haven't been here in awhile!) I gave him a bright smile, but in my mind I was like, "I know, I know, woe is me!" Haha. This is one of the things I love about Sparadiso - their staff are congenial, and they have great customer service.

I love the warm and inviting atmosphere of the place, too.

Welcome to Sparadiso! :)

The fountain, which resembles a Lladro figurine, is sure to catch anyone's eye.

What a lovely pair!

The building, which was once home to one of the prominent families here in San Pablo City, is your typical Filipino ancestral home. In our vernacular, we call it 'bahay na bato'. My grandmother's house, where I grew up, used to look exactly like this before it was reconstructed - which makes me all the more fond of Sparadiso. Just looking at it brings back a lot of childhood memories.

A reflection of Spanish influence - the bahay na bato.

This sign hangs by the door.

Open daily, 11am to 11pm.

At the ground floor is the reception area, where you can wait for your turn to be served.

Reception area.

You can sit back and relax on the couches as you wait.

My favorite seat in the house.

I'm not sure if this is still working, but this reminds me of our good old phonograph and my grandfather's 78s, 45s, and LPs.

The Sound of Music!

The Nail Salon is also located in the ground floor. Services offered include manicure, pedicure, foot spa, hand spa, and nail art.

Colors on display.

The Spa, on the other hand, is at the second floor.

Staircase going to the Spa.

There's a total of five rooms upstairs - two single rooms, two couple rooms, plus the restroom. I was accommodated at Solace, a single room.

Time for some R&R!

I was actually thirty minutes late for my 3pm appointment (I had to finish the laundry before I leave the house), but the nice people of Sparadiso accommodated me nonetheless, despite their jam-packed Sunday schedule. And so for the next sixty minutes I was in spa-radise. I enjoyed every single second of my Combination Massage to the point that I slept halfway through it, lol.

When the massage is done, and you're finally awake, you get to enjoy a cup of salabat (hot ginger tea), which helps to rejuvenate the body. It's a great cure for sore throat,  and helps remove toxins from the body, too.

I'm a little teapot...

A trip to Sparadiso never fails to make me happy. I'd do this every weekend if I could, haha! A great way to kick off my birthday week, don't you think? :)

Sparadiso Spa & Nail Salon

27 Gen. Luna St., 

Brgy. IV-B, San Pablo City, Laguna

(049) 562 4255