Reinvent your locks for the new year

Are you one of those gentle souls who never want to reinvent yourself for fear that the new you might not be compatible with the image of the old you? Well, sister, fear not. The new mantra nowadays is to reinvent thyself — and everybody is doing it with really positive results. Whether it is reinventing your career, (think Vilma Santos — from movie star to successful Batangas governor) your relationships (think Brad Pitt — from Jennifer to Angelina) or your looks (think J. Lo — from plain-looking plump Latina girl to sexy, body-sculpted star), one must always try to do something new in life.

I bumped into an old girlfriend whom I had not seen for the longest time. She literally caught me with my mouth open in astonishment at the transformed woman I saw before me. With total lack of tact, I exclaimed, “Gosh, what did you do to yourself? Bring me to your doctor. You look gorgeous.”

What she did was to lose a lot of unwanted weight through exercise and diet, and then she sought the advice of a fashionista friend who changed her looks from head to toe.

But what I found flattering was her new hairstyle and hair color. Her stylish, Catherine Zeta-Jones hairdo and lighter hair color did wonders for her face and made her look younger. It once again reiterates the old adage that your hair is your crowning glory.

A good hairdo can add to your beauty and a bad one can truly ruin your looks. Always go to a good beauty salon that can give you the cut and hairdo to flatter your looks.

I love my friend Anna Sobrepeña’s hair color and she suggested that I visit her hair colorist. She introduced me to Karina Mantolino, daughter of the owner of Regine’s Beauty Salon. Meeting K. Mantolino was like getting a whiff of fresh air. So young, so humble, yet so skillful and professional. I told her that I wanted to try a light hair color with lots of highlights. I entrusted my hair in her hands because I knew that she was always at the top of her class (the L’Oreal Color Expert Program) in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

She also did intensive training at the L’Oreal Institute in Malaysia for three months this year. My hair came out exactly the way I wanted it and I was really happy with it. So when K. Mantolino invited me to the opening of the new Regine’s at the second floor of the Link Building (next to Makati Shangri-La), I accepted because she was showing off some new hairdos and hair color.

She is not only a master colorist, she is also a master cutter, trained at Elle Academy in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Her teacher was Simon Koh, a Malaysian Hair Ambassador of L’Oreal, whose expertise is haircutting.

K. Mantolino is the first ID (identity) Artist for L’Oreal in 2009 and her role is to uplift and professionalize the beauty industry and inspire the youth to consider styling as a career after college.

Mantolino herself is a graduate of Ateneo de Manila with a major in AB Psychology. Her “hair fashion parade” showcased her expertise. She came up with very unique hairdos and hair color, which she customized according to the shape of her models’ faces and skin coloring.

“Whenever I cut or color a client’s hair, I try to get to know the client first so that the hairstyle will fit his/her lifestyle and personal preference,” Mantolino said.

Under her supervision, Regine’s was voted Cosmo Salon Awardee for 2009. Not the type to rest on her laurels, she plans to undergo more training next year, this time in Singapore, under Sunji Matsuo, another master stylist.

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For appointments call Regine’s at 856-1723 and 856-1724.