STYLE + BEAUTY

Confessions of a KIYOSA Girl

October 8, 2015 by Janeena Chan 2 Comments
Late last year, I got an invitation from one of my old blogger friends, Tricia Gosingtian, to attend the grand opening of the first premium Japanese nail and lash salon here in Manila – KIYOSA. Little did I know then that I’d get so hooked with their signature services! It was one of the most well put-together events I’ve ever attended, a-la Winter Wonderland in Tokyo! Even the Japanese guests and hosts were dressed glamorously in kimonos and yukatas that evening! 

It was also such a pleasure to have met the woman behind it all that night as well, Kiyosa Kato. Yup, the salon is named right after her! She’s honestly one of the most gorgeous Japanese women I’ve ever met, and I thought to myself, I’d totally trust having beauty services from KIYOSA knowing that the owner is this so pretty and polished! Girl crush vibes!

I started out trying their services early this year and I’ve been a regular customer since!

LASH LOVIN’

I’m fortunate to have my very first lash extension experience here knowing that all their tools, products, tech, and services are top-of-the-line, and of the most premium quality.
The eyes and lashes are features you immediately notice when you meet someone, so of course you’d want to be extra careful when it comes to these services.
 
Their lash expert Momoko Ohira, now a very good friend of mine, is a certified eyelash technician in Tokyo and all I can say is that she definitely knows what she’s doing! Their tests in Japan to be officially certified are extremely difficult, be it for their lash or nail experts. They also make sure to learn and train continuously to keep exceeding their customers expectations.

Since the influx of lash extensions salons here in Manila, I’ve heard and seen so many horror stories that I just couldn’t possibly risk putting myself into. I’ve seen some, where the lashes look so synthetic, stiff, and unnatural, as well as those cringe-worthy lash extensions where all you can see are the dried out blotches of adhesive. It’s just plain bad.
 
Meanwhile at Kiyosa, each and every time I have my lashes retouched I’m assured with leaving the salon happy, rested, and with long, fully-curled, natural-looking, and light-as-a-feather lashes. The best part is, I get to wake up with them every day! Also with my line of work where I’m constantly on-the-run, and in most instances required to have full make-up on, having instant full lashes just saves to much time from having to apply layers and layers of mascara that can get clumpy, or even from having to put on falsies that can get pretty messy and itchy throughout the day.

Picture

Here’s Kiyosa Kato, the owner, in pink together with Hana, Momoko, and Yoshi!

NAIL REVOLITION

Now if I got you convinced with their lash services, wait till you see their Japanese nail services! Having tried out their nail services was just a whole new world for me. Shining, shimmering, splendid, and just on-point. However you like it, long or short, from a simple mani-pedi, to gel nails, nail art, acrylic gel nails complete with nail art, studs, gems, metallic foil, and so much more, they will have the perfect nail course for you! You can choose ANY DESIGN IN THIS WORLD, and they can literally paint it from scratch and replicate them on your nails! Here, both Japanese and locally trained nail artists, live up to their hard-earned titles. They craft and deliver perfectly sculptured and designed nails as true artists.
 
I cannot express enough how happy I am with how awesome having my lashes and nails done at Kiyosa is! It would just be such a shame to not share this beauty haven to all you ladies looking superb treatments, and pamper sessions that you deserve.
Down to every detail, they never fail in making their customers feel pampered as a princess! Here are some of my favorite bonus features from Kiyosa:
 

  • They serve complimentary Japanese rice tea or green tea. Yum!

 

  • They have a legitimate JAPANESE TOILET! Yup the with the whole shebang, – heated, and digital with all its glory!
  • They use premium Japanese products, such as Ace Gel!

 

  • Their seats are super comfy, especially their lash beds! I fall asleep every time I have my lashes retouched.

 

  • The staff is friendly and always courteous! Yup, they’re all my friends now. Haha

 

  • Every time a customer leaves the salon, all staff members who currently don’t have customers they’re attending to, will stop… drop everything, and BOW IN UNISON as a gesture of appreciation and respect! For you guys following me on Snapchat, you’ve probably seen them doing this super sweet gesture in action.

 

PAMPERED PRINCESS

FAQ’s

I’ve been frequently asked these questions regarding both lash and nail services at Kiyosa based on my experience, so here they are with my answers:
 
What are the exact lash and nail services you do at Kiyosa?
For lash extensions, I always choose the longest and the ‘strong curled’ variant. Yup, you can choose the intensity of the curl or the length of the lashes you want to go with!
 
For nails, it depends. Sometimes I go for just a basic gel mani-pedi with some little stud details. But when I see a particular nail art design I like, I go for acrylic sculptured nails so the ‘nail canvas’ has more space! This can last the entire month, so it’s super convenient.
 
Are the lash extensions hard to maintain?
Not really. I thought initially that I’d have a hard time sleeping with them on, or taking a shower, swimming, etc… But as long as you don’t forcefully rub your eyelashes and use water-based make-up remover, you’ll be fine! Of course, the more careful you are, the longer the lashes will last.
 
Do your natural eyelashes fall off?
Since the lash extensions applied are attached to your natural eyelashes, it is inevitable for some natural lashes to fall off. Kiyosa also has an eyelash removal/cleaning service that allows for the extensions to be carefully removed once you feel the need to go au-naturale!
You know what they say, “forever” can all start with just one look, or even a handshake. So best be prepared for anything! – Sorry, the cheese ball in me just had to. Hahaha Anyway, whatever your reason may be for trying out these services, just make sure to have fun and know that true beauty starts from the heart! Enjoy!
 
Kiyosa Japanese Total Beauty is located right beside F1 Hotel, in the heart of BGC (Bonifacio Global City). For more info, visit their official page here!
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