Mane matters

By Maripet L. Poso, Staff Writer

10/06/2008

It is arguably one of our favorite days of the month. For most women, salon visits are as precious as, say, our wedding anniversaries or our kid’s PTA meetings. It’s undoubtedly one business that we attend to religiously.

As women, we share that same understanding and sense of loyalty when we find that one salon that somehow tickles our fancy. After all, some of these havens of beauty not only manage to bring the glow back to our looks, but in our general outlook in life as well. Those regular moments of elation can be addictive – when, after spending a few hours soaking in the calming smell of various hair treatments and letting beauty experts fuss over us, we walk out brand new and shining, ready to take on the world.

True, many of us have our favorite hairstylist or manicurist, but sometimes it’s hard to resist trying out new salons, discovering new hair colors and experimenting with nail trends. Unlike shop hopping, however, salon hopping is never taken lightly. We won’t let just anyone touch our hair or trim our brows. That’s where word of mouth comes in — something that salon owners bank on to thrive in the business.

Color it safe at Hairshaft

You can’t miss it — Hairshaft is located right at the corner of 26th and 11th Avenues and right across the Serendra sales office at the Fort. Glass walls offer a peek at the pampering services it offers. The interior is mod with 1960s-inspired furnishings. Mirrors line the walls and black leather chairs are comfortable. A white, egg-shaped chair with red cushions somehow uplifts the mood of customers the moment they come in.

A cozy little corner with delightful magazine stacks on the side serves as a waiting lounge. A bar serving refreshments is an innovative addition to the place.

“I’ve been in the hairdressing business for a long time already. I used to own different hair salons. I also own Salon Britanico,” says Lucy Britanico-Penales, owner of Hairshaft. “This is actually the second branch of Hairshaft; the first one is in Podium. For this one, we are targeting the high-end market. We wanted to give customers a spacious and relaxing place. The concept is to create a homey and cozy place for them to relax and have their hair done at the same time.”

With private rooms for body massages, waxing and threading, Hairshaft offers everything there is about pampering. But their specialty, according to Lucy, is hair color. “We offer everything about hair,” she says, “but we have very good hair coloring treatment that’s safe for pregnant women. We also offer digital perming that’s safe on colored hair.”

Aside from the usual haircut, nail and hair treatments, Hairshaft also offers hair extension, eyelash extension, eyelash perming, lip and eyebrow tattoo and hair and makeup.

With the help of her husband, Fred Allan Penales, co-owner/professional hairdresser of Hairshaft, Lucy was able to come up with her dream salon. “The layout and interiors are our collaborative idea,” she says. “We thought of every single detail about the place, from the design to the services we offer.”

“This is how we want it to be, urban and fresh,” says Fred Allan. “You can totally relax here unlike in a typical salon that is loud and congested. In Hairshaft, you can forget that you’re in a beauty parlor.”

With its posh location, trendy ambiance and A-list hairstylists, Hairshaft knows how to work it.

“The trend now is suitability,” adds Fred. “You should know how to capture the spirit of the client and come up with something that fits their lifestyle and personality.”

According to Lucy, however, their prices are very competitive. “We’re very affordable for the service that we provide and for the quality of the products we use.”

Although their vision is to go global, Lucy says they are currently talking to some international companies, either to provide hairdressers or to open a salon. They’re taking it slow but sure. “Right now, we’re still thinking about it.” And having many branches is not their goal either, at least not in the near future, because, she adds, “mahirap i-maintain ang quality. Kahit ‘di marami, basta ang quality alaga.”

According to the couple, they invest a lot in training and education. They travel abroad to learn the latest in hair technology. “We’re keeping abreast with the new trends,” says Lucy. “We get inspiration from our trips abroad. So we know what’s the latest equipment, styles and trends. We also train our staff. Sometimes we send them abroad to study or we teach them whatever we learn.”

The couple sure know how to give back. They have opened their own academy, which offers basic courses in hair cutting and styling to help aspiring hair stylists.

Hairshaft can accommodate 15 customers at a time. It is located at the Ground Floor, South of Market Building, 26th cor. 11th Avenues, The Fort, Taguig City. For information, visit www.hairshaftsalon.com, or call 638-2040 or 638-2042.

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