Beauty standards just got way higher in the heart of Makati’s Central Business District
 
 
 
First off, let’s get the pronunciation of the French phrase right. It would be, after all, a travesty to botch up the very name of this wonderful new place of and for beauty. “Maquillage” – the noun is in masculine form, hence “Le” and not “La.” Le is pronounced “leuh” (which is sort of like sound you make when thinking or wondering out loud, “uhh,” but with the L before it), and maquillage (which means makeup) is spoken as “ma-key-ahge.” Try to get the intonation right, too, by keeping the vowel sounds clipped, and putting a slight stress sound or emphasis on the last syllable of maquillage.
 
 
Practice it, until it rolls of your tongue in true French sophistication: “Leuh Ma-key-ahge.” This is the new address for all things posh and edgy in the realm of beauty and pampering; a chic and classy sanctuary of allure, right in the midst of Makati’s urban jungle.
 
 
Beautiful innovation
 
 
Upon cursory glance, it is at once easy to see what sets Le Maquillage apart from other high-end salons in the Metro. State-of-the-art equipment from Japan, the UK, and Korea, and top-of-the line facilities (complete with an exclusive VIP room) are among the innovative features of this beauty maven’s haven.
 
 

 
Having opened to the public on Mar. 1, 2016 (with a successful grand launch on that same evening), the cool and clean design aesthetic of the salon’s interiors invokes an airy, light feel which prove soothing to the senses. This calming ambiance is the result of the collaborative efforts of Japanese designer Kazuma Mizobuchi of Tokyo’s Odyssey of Iska Architect and Associates, and of acclaimed Philippine designer, Sonia Santiago-Olivares. The Japanese design sense merges seamlessly with an edgy and innovative European panache, which flows primarily from the salon’s Creative Director, Frenchman Laurent Hebert.
 
 
A flair for hair
 
 
“To me, the best approach to hair styling is just to be yourself. I will never go against you,” shared Hebert, who has been an important figure in the local beauty industry since he arrived here from Paris in 2005.
 
 
“I don’t go with the trend, but I go with who you are. I take it step by step, and I get to know you, first,” he added.
 
 
Laurent has been styling hair since 1993; a field into which he ventured after studying the craft for five years and earning his Master’s Degree in Paris. He is the man behind the hairstyles of a long roster of A-listers: celebrities and socialites, the elite and the super stylish, even royalty from other countries.
 
 

 
 
Those who have had the privilege of being under Laurent’s skillfully-wielded scissors swear by his talent and technique. Part of this technique includes making you stand whilst getting a haircut. “When you stand up, I can just move your head everywhere, I can do whatever,” Laurent pointed out.
 
 
Apart from Laurent, Le Maquillage boasts of a core team of gifted stylists and aestheticians – Edgar Montaño, Jr., Lydia Panesa, and Jaybee Jara – who have likewise had years of experience in the field. Undoubtedly, clients of the salon are in good hands, whichever treatment or service they choose to have.
 
 
Perfectly pampered
 
 
Hair cutting and styling, various hair treatments, different types of massage, a menu of revitalizing spa treatments, nail care and make-up services are all on the Le Maquillage menu. Aesthetic treatments and spa services are all geared towards achieving the salon’s primary goals: to make each client feel pampered, rejuvenated, and leave the place looking and feeling their best.
 
 

 
Of course, it almost goes without saying that products used for each of the salon’s services are high-end, trusted brands: Kérastase, L’Oreal, Schwarzkopf, Davines, Keratine Complex, for hair needs; OPI for nail services; and Estée Lauder, MAC, and Bobbi Brown, to name a few of the make-up lines.
 
 
The end result of a visit to Le Maquillage? A perfectly pampered you. From the top of your head, to the bottom of your feet, looking good and feeling great, the luxuriant and lovely Le Maquillage way.
 
 

 
Le Maquillage Salon and Spa is located at the third floor of the Zuellig Building, Makati Avenue cor. Paseo de Roxas, Makati. For more information, call (02) 894-0487or (0917) 580-0137.
 
 
By ANGIE DUARTE