A New Era of Beauty and Wellness: Montesa Medical Group at the Manila Hotel

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 24, 2024 | Product and Service Review

Montesa Medical Group, a leading name in the field of dermatology and aesthetics, brings its expertise and cutting-edge technology to the Manila Hotel.

The group’s state-of-the-art clinic, located within the hotel’s premises, offers a comprehensive range of services, including:

Advanced Dermatology: Addressing skin concerns such as acne, eczema, and pigmentation disorders.
Anti-aging Treatments: Utilizing innovative techniques to combat the signs of aging, including wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin.
Cosmetic Procedures: Enhancing facial features and body contours through minimally invasive procedures.
Wellness Programs: Promoting overall well-being through personalized treatments and lifestyle advice.

The synergy between the historical grandeur of the Manila Hotel and the modern approach of Montesa Medical Group creates a unique and luxurious experience for guests. The clinic’s elegant ambiance, coupled with the attentive and professional staff, ensures a serene and rejuvenating environment.

This partnership not only benefits the hotel’s guests but also contributes to the growing demand for high-quality aesthetic and wellness services in the Philippines. By combining the heritage of the Manila Hotel with the innovation of Montesa Medical Group, this collaboration sets a new benchmark for luxury and holistic well-being.

I’ve heard of the Montesa Medical Group before, partly through social media but also from seeing their signage not too far from my place at the CTTM Building on Tomas Morato. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to experience their services at the recently opened branch at The Manila Hotel.

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Asking the hotel staff for directions to Montesa is very helpful in finding the aesthetic clinic, as it is not visible from the lobby. But once you find your way to Cafe Ilang-Ilang, it is just a hop, skip, and jump away.

The Vibe

The shared lobby with the hotel spa lives up to the standards of The Manila Hotel: old-world elegance. Going in further reveals that the aesthetic clinic itself continues this elegant vibe while adding the modernness of the latest technology.

White-and-gold is the color scheme they employed, with shades of gold used as accents. The logo and signages on the walls are gold mirrors perfect for an aesthetic center.

The treatment rooms are spacious, and their equipment is state-of-the-art. They have specific rooms for specific types of services, so rather than the equipment changing rooms, it is the client who needs to move from room to room depending on the service they are availing of.

Available to all

With the Montesa Medical Group located deep in the Manila Hotel, it is not surprising that most people would assume that their services are exclusive to hotel guests. Just as with other amenities of the hotel, such as the restaurants, Montesa’s services are available to both check-in guests and hotel visitors, with no difference in their published rates.

The interview

Dr. Anna Marie Montesa personally interviewed me. In our interview, I liked that she did not make any assumptions or immediately make suggestions on treatments. She asked me first what I would like addressed.

Besides the obvious, a need to lose weight and possibly look slimmer, my only real challenge is thumbing my nose at the signs of aging, so, yes – sagging skin and wrinkles.

She gazed at my face and told me that she noticed I was flushed. She asked if this was normal. I looked at her and had to think about it. I know I’m usually flushed when it’s warm or if my blood pressure shoots up.

She asked me if my cheeks are always rosy that I tend to skip putting on blush when I do my makeup. I looked back at her with surprise and realized it was true! Still staring at my face closely, she tells me that I have a condition called rosacea (row-zay-shuh) , which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a common skin condition that causes flushing or long-term redness on your face. And here I thought it was just because I had fair skin.

Things we needed to consider when it came to the treatments I would try:

I have urticaria, which translates to me being allergic to so many things. This meant that I couldn’t do any of the facials because I might be allergic to them; I couldn’t just do any treatment that needed to be injected for the same reason.
I have a titanium implant. This meant, no RF treatments.

This left us with only non-invasive, non-surgical procedures, which I was all for, definitely.

Montesa Cutera Laser Genesis

Her recommended treatment for rosacea is a procedure called the Montesa Cutera Laser Genesis. After lying down on the treatment bed, they placed protective goggles over my eyes and applied lotion or cream to my face.

Dr. Montesa herself treated me and explained what she was doing and what this treatment was for. The Montesa Cutera Laser Genesis addresses skin flushing, removes fine lines, whitens skin, and minimizes pores. I perked up at the last one as enlarged pores on my cheeks were something I’d been bemoaning for some time.

The wand she hovered over my face produced a steady heat that was borderline uncomfortable yet soothing at the same time. Every now and then, it would zap like one of those bug killers, and Dr. Montesa said that those were facial hairs getting zapped. I could feel my skin tightening under the laser and visualized my pores closing in fear. Hyuk! Kidding aside, when later asked if the procedure was painful, I could honestly tell them that since I have my eyebrows threaded every month, the Montesa Cutera Laser Genesis was no big deal. The procedure is quick, at only 10 to 15 minutes.

Special year-end promo

The price for this procedure is ₱6,000 per session. The recommended treatment is once a month for three months, followed by maintenance every 6 months. That sounds reasonable, right?Right now, they have a special offer! If you pre-purchase three treatments, you get one additional treatment free!

Buy 3 get 1 additional treatment free!

Montesa Cold Lift

One other thing I mentioned to Dr. Montesa was that I recently had meso done on my face because I’m resigned to the fact that at my age, no amount of exercise will make my chin reappear without making my skin sag from weight-loss. Let’s face it, as we get older our skin just loses the elasticity of youth.

For this, Dr. Montesa recommended the Montesa Cold Lift – a non-invasive, non-surgical procedure used for jaw contouring, skin lightening, fat lysis, and removing the dreaded double chin.

To prove its effectiveness, Dr. Montesa did the left side of my jaw and chin first. After a few passes with that magic wand (I call it a magic wand because it is literal magic to me) she handed me a mirror and I was shocked at the difference. OMG, was there a difference!

It was a subtle difference, but it was enough to make me a believer. My jawline, which used to be oval and became round over the last 10 years has started to regain its shape. The point of my chin reappeared and the angle of my jaw made a reappearance.

The bottom of my chin which has started to develop a double chin shrank back. Amazing! Now I just need to remember to keep my chin up or my face level at least, to discourage its return.

Of course, she works on the other side as well and treats my entire jawline.

Special year-end promo

Compared to the Montesa Cutera Laser Genesis the Montera Cold Lift is more pricey at ₱25,000 per session. Just as with the former, the recommended treatment is once a month for three months, followed by maintenance every 6 months.

I shudder at the price but with results like what I described above, I can’t help but give it serious thought.

Buy 2 get 1 additional treatment free!

Same day results

I kid you not, the results are immediately visible. It isn’t just some placebo effect. My only questions after were:

How long will it last?
Do I need a special regimen to maintain it?
What should I remove from the products I currently use?

Dr. Montesa recommended some changes such as using products that are designed for babies as they are less likely to trigger my allergies. In addition she also said one thing that I keep forgetting … sunscreen! Lol!

Comparing the two

The Montesa Cutera Laser Genesis is a hot treatment with the occasional zap to keep me on my toes. On the other hand, the Montesa Cold Lift is cool and relaxing.

Comparing them based on how they make me feel, during and after, the Montesa Cold Lift is easily what I would recommend if not for the cost. A friend of mine even said “Mag-exercise ka na lang, mas mura pa (just exercise, it’s cheaper).” While that may be true, exercise at my age does not have the side benefit of tightening my skin and firming up my jawline.

But we really shouldn’t be comparing them at all since each one has a different purpose and possibly, like me, you need both!

Avail of the promos!

You want more bang for you buck? Then, avail of the promos!

Buy 3 get 1 free of the Montesa Cutera Laser Genesis at ₱6,000 per session
Buy 2 get 1 free of the Montesa Cold Lift at ₱25,000 per session

In addition, use the promo code MONTESA001 to receive an additional 20% discount at the Montesa Medical Group at The Manila Hotel!

HUGE discount with the promo code provided:

Buy 3 get 1 free of the Montesa Cutera Laser Genesis at ₱4,800 per session
Buy 2 get 1 free of the Montesa Cold Lift at ₱20,000 per session

Now’s your chance to try their services! Make your way to the Montesa Medical Group at the Manila Hotel and don’t forget to use the promo code! It will work with ANY of their services.

Press-on Nails Made By Bea L

by Ginny Angeles | Oct 3, 2021 | Product and Service Review

I was admiring my niece’s press-on nails and learned that she got them from MadeByBeaL. I was definitely interested in a way to get some nail art done without having to go through hours of sitting (and not having to do it myself).

I went to the Instagram site of MadeByBeaL and browsed through her existing designs. She did tell me I could give her a design I wanted, and she’d try to do it. The BTS fan in me was happy to choose the Love Yourself set.

With the help of my niece, we figured out my nail sizes. I messaged the sizes to MadeByBeaL together with my preferred design and nail shape.

How was it packaged?

The nails came in a simple box. The kit contained the following:

10 UV gel hand-painted nails
1 nail file
1 nail glue
1 instruction card – I can’t stress enough the importance of following the instructions.

The one suggestion

How sturdy are these nails? I managed to keep them on for two weeks without any nails popping off. I was working and doing all my chores as usual. They felt so natural it was necessary to remind myself not to grip using my nails to avoid damaging the tips.

The challenge was getting them OFF my nails. I had to soak my nails in hot water for a while to get the glue to loosen (The nail glue is strong!) The great news is the nails are ready to be reused after just a little clean-up.

If you know anyone who wants to have beautiful hands but doesn’t have time to get their nails done and wait for it to dry, point them towards MadeByBeaL.

MadeByBeaL sells press on nails she’s painted herself. Customers can choose from existing designs or request for some to be custom-made. Just message her for inquiries. She also sells tote bags and hair accessories.

Order yours now! MadebyBeaL is on Facebook and Instagram.

“O” is for O-some at Salon-O

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 21, 2021 | Product and Service Review

Before the quarantine of 2020, my last haircut was September 2019 (I think). After more than a year with me just pulling my hair back in a bun when I didn’t want to be bothered with it my hair looked as tired as I was – dry, turning gray, frizzy, and simply out of control. I was also experiencing hair fall already because my hair was just too long and too heavy. I contemplated just cutting my hair myself, but I didn’t want to get upset if my hair got messed up because of it.

At my friend, Janjan’s recommendation, I traveled almost 15 kilometers to try out Salon-O. I was iffy, at first because my hair is curly/wavy, and my personal experience is that very few people know how to cut curly/wavy hair properly. When the hairdresser does not know what he/she is doing my hair misbehaves afterward by getting split ends, becoming stringy, etc.

The Salon

Salon-O at Padre Faura, Manila

This is what Salon-O looks like from the outside. The right side, starting from the doors, is the reception area, on the left is where the magic happens. At the back of the salon is the shampooing station. The main color scheme of the salon is black and white – the chairs are black and everything else is white, except for the products. They do not have their own parking spaces but street parking is allowed. We were able to park right in front of the store.

Hair assessment

After the initial “hi and hello” and a little “getting to know you” Ms. O (as Ms. Olive is often referred to) sat me down on a station and assessed my hair.

My hair before the treatment and cut. It is curly and dry and the color is uneven. Then to add insult to injury … gray hair!

Uncontrollable curls, dry ends (but thankfully no split ends), uneven color, gray strands scattered here and there … oh, the horror! Hence, my often pulling my hair into a bun (to hide my shame, j/k!)

Verdict, I need …

coverage to hide the random gray hair.
treatment to put moisture back into my hair.
color, to even out my hair color. Ms. O chose a natural brown for me to match my roots.
hairstyling to make my hair more manageable.

Disposables

disposable smock and face shield

Before any of the treatments were started I was provided with a couple of disposable items – a plastic smock that is worn over your clothes and under their standard smock, and a face shield that is attached to your forehead after they wipe any sweat or oil off your forehead first. 🙂 A minimal fee of ₱50 is charged for these items.

These items are provided in an effort to comply with the minimum requirement of the IATF to minimize the possibility of spreading illness (like COVID-19). If the client does not want to pay for these items they can just go ahead and wear the one that they brought themselves, but it might get in the way of the haircut as most face shields are attached to glasses frames and hooked over the ears.

Service

Fernan of Salon-O

As with most hair treatments, it starts with a shampoo which I find very relaxing. Ms. O. did my gray coverage herself. My random gray hairs were not completely covered but most of them were, which was good enough for me. 🙂

Afterward, I was put in the very capable hands of their resident hairstylist, Fernan. A snip here, a snip there, several inches of my hair fell to the ground by my feet. He did a wonderful job cutting my hair! No wonder so many of their clients ask for him specifically. I am happy to find another hairstylist who knows what to do with curly hair aside from telling me to have it rebonded or straightened.

The entire process – from assessment, gray coverage, treatment, color, to final blowdry – only took a couple of hours. This is what my hair looked like after all that.

Transformation

Who would have thought I could go from this to this?

I thought the transformation was amazing! Definitely a big improvement for me. In addition, it is very easy to maintain with an ionic brush. Blowdrying my hair has always been hit and miss for me, especially when my hair was extra long. Purchasing an ionic brush was one of my best hair care purchases. 🙂

Thank you, Ms. O and Sir Fernan, for my new ‘do. Salon-O is owned by Ms. Olive Akatsu, a Filipino entrepreneur who is married to a Japanese national.

Their rates are competitive with other salons. A haircut, their most basic service costs ₱400. Just like other salons they also offer mani-pedi, color, hair straightening, rebond, curl, styling, microblading (for shaping your eyebrows), and makeup.

I entered Salon-O feeling okay and left feeling awesome (or should I say, O-some!) You should get a chance to feel that way, too.

Follow Salon-O on Facebook and Instagram and their website. Send them a message, they are highly responsive! In addition, they have ongoing promos you may want to avail of.

Salon-O is located on Padre Faura just a block away from Roxas Boulevard.

Here is a list of their services for your reference:

Water-based, Peel-off Nail Polish

by Ginny Angeles | Dec 29, 2020 | Beauty, Product and Service Review

I love nail polish! I think it’s a great way to express yourself. It also adds color and helps accentuate one’s attire. However, it can be a chore to apply and dry. It is also horrible when it chips and you have no tools to fix the problem.

I am really happy to have discovered water-based, peel-off polish (thank you, Erika Rhane). You can easily achieve the same look as you would with regular polish but it dries completely in minutes. This makes it perfect for busy people who often use their hands. You really can get your nails done at the last minute and have a great manicure for the night.

Clean-up is also a breeze since you can just peel it off. You won’t need acetone. You just need to gently push the dried polish up from any edge and pull gently.

Is there a downside to it? It is more easily torn so expect that you’ll have to change sooner. I tried doing my usual chores with them on my nails and the maximum number of days it lasted intact was 4 days.

Water-based, peel-off polish is readily available. I bought some online at really affordable prices through Lazada and Shopee. My niece also got some really good ones from Mumuso (physical store).

Salamat sa alaga, Lola Remedios

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 22, 2020 | Product and Service Review

Have you heard of Lola Remedios? No, she isn’t the kindly grandmother who lives down the street who dotes over her apos and all the kids who come visit her in the neighborhood. But she may as well be, as that is how much she cares.

Ingredients of Lola Remedios

Lola Remedios is a soothing tonic with all-natural (traditional) ingredients – ginger, honey, fennel, mint, and clove.

Ginger treats muscular aches and pains, sore throats, and cramps.
Honey is a potential treatment for cough and cold symptoms and gives symptomatic relief to sleep difficulty due to upper respiratory tract infections. It also increases our immunity and has antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.
Fennel provides relief from stomach pains caused by indigestion and gas.
Mint has menthol which has a known cooling effect that relieves sore throat, nasal congestion, and muscle aches. It is often also prescribed to address nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, headache, and a cold.
Clove is known for its antifungal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anesthetic properties.

How to take Lola Remedios

Its taste is reminiscent of Halls Menthol candy (original flavor). It is a thick syrup with a strong menthol flavor and is very easy to take. There are three steps:

Each box contains 12 sachets with 15 ml. of tonic each and is safe to take 3 times a day at most. Take one sachet, give it a good shake, tear off a corner, and just pour the contents into your mouth and drink it.

Give the sachet a good share, tear a corner, and then pour its contents in your mouth and get ready for that cool, mentholated syrup to slide down your throat.

Does it address any illness?

When I started taking Lola Remedios it was because I was looking for something to ease a sore throat. As a teacher and as a member of a church choir, preserving my voice is very important. But easing a sore throat is just one thing that Lola Remedios is supposed to be able to address.

It is actually touted as a cure-all for general malaise, also known colloquially as lamig. You know how sometimes you have a general feeling of unwellness but you know you aren’t really sick? THAT is lamig. It usually manifests as aches and pains all over your body, a heavy feeling, and hard knots on the shoulders and back.

Speaking of which, my sister just passed behind me right now saying she is turning in early because she isn’t feeling too good so I gave her a box of Lola Remedios and told her to “take one sachet tonight and let me know how you feel in the morning”.

You can purchase Lola Remedios at Mercury Drug, Watsons, and 7-11. For more information about Lola Remedios, you can visit the website at http://www.lolaremedios.com. You can also follow Lola Remedios on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter with the account @lolaremediosph. Because #LolaCares

My All Things Hair Refillery Experience

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 23, 2019 | Product and Service Review

Earlier today Erika, Bubu, and I went to Trinoma to check out Unilever’s All Things Hair Refillery. Finding it was a bit of a challenge because Trinoma’s shops go around in a circle so it is important to know that the All Things Hair Refillery is a kiosk found between the Nike Store and the Melissa Pop-up Store.

I went to the All Things Hair Facebook page for the specifics and this is what I discovered:

If you have an old/used container of any of their products (Dove, Tresemme, Sunsilk, and Cream Silk) that match the variants they are refilling, just wash it out and dry it and they can refill it.
If you do not bring an old/used container then they can provide reusable / refillable bottles at P10 each which could be used immediately. Each bottle can contain up to 200 grams of product.
Cost of the product is computed based on weight.

Refills

The Refillery can refill the following brands: Dove, Tresemme, Sunsilk, and Creamsilk. Each of those products has several variants but they only provided for refills of the most popular variants.

All Things Hair Refills

Those variants are as follows:

Dove Straight and Silky Shampoo
Dove Straight and Silky Conditioner
Tresemme Keratin Smooth Shampoo with Argan Oil and Keratin
Tresemme Keratin Smooth Conditioner with Argan Oil and Keratin
Sunsilk Creations Smooth and Manageable Shampoo
Cream Silk Standout Straight Conditioner

How to get your refills:

Step 1: Register at the booth

It is a simple form. It asks for your name, shampoo brand, cell number, and email address.

Step 2: Bottles

All Things Hair Reusable Containers on the display shelf

If you have your own bottles and the staff have approved it you should give it to them so that they could weigh them. The bottles they approve are those of their own products, also, that matches the variant of the refilled content. Those are the variants listed above.

If you do not have your own bottles then they will provide you with their refillable bottles that cost P10 each. Their refillable bottles have a fixed weight of 0.22 grams.

You will need to let them know which product you will get as they have corresponding labeled bottles for each.

When I was refilling they made the mistake of giving me a Sunsilk bottle. We didn’t notice until the bottle was half full. No harm, no foul … they just took the bottle from me and gave an empty one of the correct bottle.

Step 3: Refill

If you want them to refill the bottles for you they can do it, of course, but that is no fun! The point of the exercise (in my personal opinion) is to refill the bottles yourself.

Dove Straight and Silky Shampoo and Conditioner Refill

If you opt to use the refillable bottles they provide it is easier to fill because the bottles are clear and the maximum quantity for each is 200 grams.

Note, that there is no requirement to fill your container all the way to the top, but it would, of course, make sense to do so. When I filled the bottles I tried to fill it as close to the top as I could without spilling.

Of all the products they provided the only one that we use regularly is Dove and more conditioner than shampoo, which is why I opted to get 1 bottle of shampoo and 2 conditioners.

Step 4: Weigh and Cost

All That Hair filled bottles

Once you have filled the bottles as far as you want, just cap the bottles and give them to the staff for weighing. After they weigh each bottle the scale prints out a tagged that they attach to the back of the bottle. Each tag indicates the following:

the product
the variant
the cost per kilogram
the net weight
the net cost
date the product was dispensed
the batch code
the product code

Is it really cheaper?

As you can see from my bottles above, I spent approximately P100 for each bottle, each one almost 200 grams. The shampoo costs P0.53 per gram. The conditioner is slightly more expensive at P0.57 per gram.

Let’s do a comparison table:

	Dove Straight and Silky Shampoo (350 ml.)	Dove Straight and Silky Conditioner (335 ml.)
Price from Watsons	P220.00	P210.00
Price from All Things Hair Refillery	P185.50	P190.95
SAVINGS OF	P34.50	P19.05

Is the amount of money saved worth the extra trip to the refillery? I will leave it up to you to decide. Personally, if I have to go to the refillery more than once a month it might not be worth it. But a bigger container means bigger savings and fewer trips so it would be worth it by then. 🙂

Commercial product containers do not come in 200 ml. containers so, perhaps, the math would seem different. 🙂

Where can All Things Hair Refillery be found?

You can find All Things Hair Refillery in three mall locations:

Trinoma (in Quezon City)
Glorietta (in Makati)
Alabang Town Center (in Alabang)

This service will be available from March 23 to April 14, 2019. For more information you may visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AllThingsHairPH or their official website at https://www.allthingshair.com/en-us.