KC & Symmetria: The tie that binds

For all the cosmopolitan ways KC Concepcion must have learned in Paris (where she studied for sometime), she still remains Mama’s girl and chooses to live with her mother, Sharon Cuneta, and beloved stepfather, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, at the family home in Wack-Wack,

KC, however, has a second home and its address is 17 M. Paterno St., San Juan, Metro Manila. It’s easy to find because there is a sign there that says Symmetria. Yes, it’s that salon that takes care of the hair needs of most celebrities. That’s where KC spends most of her time when she’s not home or working.

The young star, an uncrowned showbiz princess, had her first taste of Symmetria styling five years ago when she had to do her first shampoo commercial. Since her hair was the main focus of this ad, they had to bring in the best in the field: Celeste Tuviera, a graduate of Vidal Sassoon, which is the Harvard of hairstyling.

KC and Celeste hit it off right away — and that shouldn’t come as a surprise since Celeste is the daughter of Eat, Bulaga! producer Tony Tuviera with whom KC’s mom, Sharon, maintains solid ties to this day.

It was to KC’s relief that she met Celeste because the young star needed a professional stylist to take care of her hair. Whenever she would fly to Manila during breaks in her studies, she would always look for Celeste.

When KC finally returned to the Philippines after finishing her degree in a Paris university, she turned Symmetria into her second home. The salon that time was still located in Connecticut Street in Greenhills and I remember the first time I saw her there. One of the senior stylists, Susan Aquino, was giving me a trim that time and I immediately felt a star presence around me. You know how it is when a star enters a room and his or her presence fills up the room even without making an effort. I don’t know how they do it, but it happens when there are big names — their star presence becomes overwhelming.

In the case of KC that time, there was even no fanfare when she came in by herself. I just knew that somebody important walked in and from the corner of my eye I spotted KC ascending the staircase to the second floor. I asked Susan if that was indeed KC and she said yes. (KC didn’t see me because my face was covered with hair.) I found out later that Symmetria had already become KC’s second home and she would be there three or four times a week — minimum of once a week.

Aside from haircut and color, she’d drop by for change of nail polish (she has the loveliest nails and fingers, just like her mother Sharon, the staff claims) or a blow dry before going to work. Most of the time, she goes to Symmetria to have a Japanese iron treatment, which is like a hair spa (it’s supposed to soften your hair and make it shinier). No, those procedures aren’t exactly done out of vanity, but more of necessity since she has to look good as part of her job. In fact, Celeste cannot just tamper with KC’s hair without checking first the requirements of the talent’s next project. That’s how crucial the relationship of KC is to the salon.

When Symmetria therefore moved to M. Paterno, KC didn’t — and apparently doesn’t — mind the fact that she had to travel a bit farther (the New Manila clients rejoiced actually since it got closer to them). For KC it will always be worth the trip because she’s comfortable there.

Spending three to four hours per visit (when she’s in a hurry, she only stays for an hour and a half), she whiles the time away reading magazines, tinkering with her laptop or talking on the phone. Oftentimes, she takes her meals there — diet food she brings from the kitchen of their Wack-Wack home. “She’s usually very quiet and never calls attention to herself,” observes the salon staff. “But she is so polite and nice to us,” they swear. As soon as she walks in, she always has a warm “good afternoon” greeting for everyone. She has also become close to some of the staff that she had given them terms of endearment – some too private to print here. But everyone is an “Ate” to her there.  

Most of the time, she is engaged in animated conversation with Celeste. KC, however, is also the type to swap stories with the one doing her nails or those sweeping the floor, which is constantly filled with hair, especially now that business for the salon had picked up in their new location. Sometimes, she’d chat with administrative staff Cecile Chua to ask, “How’s your baby now?”

The salon staff volunteers that KC is just as nice to passersby who gawk at her when she steps out of Symmetria. With a sincere smile, she says “Hi!” to all of them. There are no “feeling star” airs about her at all. She is really just very simple in her ways, the staff swears. Maybe it also helps that she’s comfortable in her surroundings, Symmetria being her second home.

When Symmetria therefore had its formal blessing the other week, it was just proper that KC was asked to lead the ribbon-cutting ceremonies, along with Piolo Pascual, Jomari Yllana, businesswoman Angeline Tan (who came with best friend Anna Marie Yu) and this writer.

The people in the neighborhood (it’s basically a residential area) were actually surprised to see her in a formal turquoise dress because they’ve been so accustomed seeing her in casual jeans and T-shirt when she visits Symmetria — practically her house clothes, Yes, she feels that comfortable when she’s there. That isn’t really surprising. After all, it’s her second home.