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Imagine you’re having a bad-hair day, and you need advice — fast. You call your hairstylist (who’s also your BFF, your substitute therapist, whatever) , and he gives you just the right tip to turn your hair around and face the day. Now imagine that times seven — and the BFF you consult is one of the top stylists in the Philippines — for free!

That’s the concept behind the Pantene Council of Stylists. The brand recruited seven professionals acknowledged as top guns in the hair industry — Henri Calayag of the Henri Calayag Salon, Jude Hipolito and Rose Velasco of Univers Phyto Salon by Kaizen, Louis Kee of Razzle Dazzle, Jing Monis of Propaganda, Victor Ortega of Emphasis and up-and-comer Celeste Tuviera of Symmetria — who not only believe in the products but are also willing to share their time and expertise with hair-challenged Filipinas who need it.

How do they do this? Through the Pantene website at http://www.pantenesmostbeautiful.com, which features styling tips and live chat with the Council of Stylists. You can also get it straight from the pros’ mouths at their respective salons, where they offer complete makeovers, from hair to brows to makeup.

I experienced one such hair makeover with Henri Calayag at his eponymous salon on the ground level of The Residences at Greenbelt. Having trained at the Marinello School of Cosmetology, Henri has been in the business for 28 years. He’s been awarded twice by Mega magazine as best hairdresser, and is the favorite go-to guru of such local celebrities as Dawn Zulueta, Ruffa Gutierrez, Kris Aquino and Sam Eduque, as well as The STAR’s own Supreme eventologist Tim Yap and YStyle editor Celine Lopez.

“I’ve gone through it all; I’ve done high-end and exclusive,” Henri says. “Now I want to go masa.” Even I am pleasantly shocked: services at the Henri Calayag Salon — including a cut with the maestro himself — are all well below P1,000. Henri is even launching his own mineral makeup line, with each generously sized powder P400 and below. Included are foundation powders, a glow-enhancing Veil, a flush-creating Cheek Pincher (which is so airy in texture it’s mistake-proof; no matter how much you pile on it still looks natural), an ingenious Contour/Bronzer, and lip-moisturizing Vinyl Lip Tube. Soon, he says, he will add a concealer in mousse form — “It’s never been done before, di ba? It will be so light it can be used as a base, and it’s hypoallergenic because VMV formulated it for me.”

Henri’s nearly three decades of experience shows. He gives me a quick, layered cut that doesn’t take more than 10 minutes, including twisting my hair up on top of my head and cutting rapidly into it. Miraculously this gives me a wash-and-go style that doesn’t curl up infuriatingly at the ends after it’s blow-dried. “Walang tikwas ’yan,” he promises.

After the cut, he addresses my roots, which are showing. He chooses a natural-looking dark brown base color to go with my skin tone. (Black is just so aging, don’t you think?) The ends of my hair are colored and cling-wrapped, then his assistant proceeds to do the roots, leaving my head covered for another 20 minutes.

Once set, the color is washed out with Pantene’s latest innovation, the new Hairfall Control shampoo and conditioner. Falling hair is a top concern among many adults today, and Pantene’s research and development team in the United States found that one of the causes is actually water. When hair is wet, apparently, the central part of the hair shaft swells and the outer cuticle scales tend to lift. Since the hair surface temporarily loses its smoothness, more friction is created when hair is rubbed against itself or a brush or comb is pulled through it. Hair also tangles more easily, making it more prone to breakage. 

In Hairfall Control, Pantene’s solution is a water-activated formula. When the shampoo and conditioner come into contact with water, its ingredients work with the water to form a net, which traps conditioning ingredients and pulls them onto the strands as you rinse your hair. This net helps prevent hair fall in two ways: by acting as a lubricant while your hair is wet, reducing tangling and snags; second, it protects the hair cuticle, reducing long-term damage that could lead to breakage.   

Known as one of the best, most-bang-for-your-buck shampoos on the market today, Pantene is increasingly relying on research to formulate more salon-worthy products. Coming to Philippine salons in the near future are Pantene treatment ampoules to intensively condition hair and treat other common hair problems.

For now, though, as long as you have the Pantene Council of Stylists’ beauty tips in magazines, beauty blogs, and on the Pantene website,  you’ll never have to suffer another bad-hair day again.

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The Pantene website is at www.pantenesmostbeautiful.com. Pantene hair products are available at supermarkets and drugstores nationwide. The Henri Calayag Salon is located on the ground floor of The Residences at Greenbelt, Makati (opposite Greenbelt 3), tel. 799-1495 and 491-4596.