Tuesday, May 1, 2018

My Surprise Makeover with Leo Pascual

SURPRISE MAKEOVER a.k.a. I-didn't-know-what-they-were-doing-to-my-hair-until-it-was-almost-over XD



Here's a quick back story. Nine months ago, I had my hair bleached for the very first time. In fact, I had it bleached four times that day to try and achieve the gray ombre of my dreams. Unfortunately, my hair couldn't stand any more bleaching (fifth time would've been the charm) so it ended up kind of an ashy green, if that's even a thing. I didn't mind it that much, I actually kind of liked it. 

Sadly, the color soon faded into blonde so after a few months, I decided to change it to Raspberry Brown with the help of Liese Creamy Bubble Color and then Dark Brown with Shades (which turned out surprisingly great for a local brand!)
Fast forward to last week: I found myself at this small, by-appointment only salon in Makati. Leo Pascual isn't someone you can easily find online, but he has been in the industry for over 20 years and has worked with various salons, the most notable one being Louis Phillip Kee. He fulfilled his dream of opening his own salon six years ago in Pembo, Makati, which is where I found myself that Sunday afternoon.
Getting my hair done by Leo Pascual gave me all sorts of emotions - partly scared, but mostly excited. He talked about wanting to give me a complete makeover, but the catch is that I had to give him full rein and let him do anything he pleased with it.

I'm someone who's always up for getting a new look, but the fact that I'm getting married next year made me worry about the outcome. What if my hair becomes too damaged from the chemicals? What if he chops it all off and gives me a short bob? What if he gives me a crazy wild color that I'll hate? These were just some of the questions that ran through my head as I sat on Leo's chair.

My current hair situation

Curiosity got the best of me, so of course, I said yes. I'm glad that my boyfriend fiancé was there for support (and of course, to help document the entire thing for me). Ready? Here we go.

The first thing they did? Bleach my hair. I almost freaked out since my hair's pretty damaged already (as you probably saw in the first few photos) but Leo assured me that the product they use is ammonia-free so it's milder and less damaging to the hair. And since it didn't smell harsh nor sting my eyes, I figured I was in good hands.

Leo used Elgon's De-Color Ammonia Free Hair Bleach to lighten my hair. Apparently, it's an Italian brand that you can usually find in high-end salons. I've honestly never heard of it, but the results were pretty impressive.

They left it on my head for an hour or so, washed it off, and just like that, my hair was a couple of shades lighter! The process was WAY FASTER than my previous bleaching experience which took at least four hours of applying bleach, washing it off, and re-applying.

As expected, the ends became even more dry and frayed due to the previous bleaching, but since Leo planned on cutting it off anyway, I didn't really care. I was more excited for what came next - the color!

This time, Leo used Elgon's classic Moda&Styling Hair Color line.

Elgon’s Moda&Styling is a traditional yet innovative professional hair color cream. Its deep nuances and wide range of bright and glamorous colors will give maximum reflection to any hair type. It gives a double dose of color in the hair. Its formula lifts hair by up to 8 tones and provides full, high pigmentation coverage. With Silker Complex 3® formula, the hair color is fuller, shinier, and long lasting. (source)

Elgon also has a 10 MIN line which guarantees the highest coverage and color brightness result in the shortest time. It's great for people who are always on the go since it can give you the color you need in just a few minutes.

It all happened pretty quickly from there. My hair absorbed the color so fast, it wasn't long before my hair was dark again! It was then that Leo's assistant, Aileen, finally gave in and told me that they applied an Ash shade to it.

As it turns out, they're making the mid-section of my hair ash and the top part a darker color. Eeek, getting more and more excited at this point!

Here's the result: blue-black on the outside..

.. and a mix of ashy green, some browns, and grays on the inside! I know it kinda looks like a swamp at this point, but I swear it gets better! Just keep reading :))

To help repair and moisturize my hair, Lovely applied keratin treatment from Re+5 to it.

Keratin Treatment is a revolutionary hair reconstructor and volume reducing treatment that eliminates kinky and frizzy hair textures, leaving hair straight, healthy and shinny for up to three months depending on the hair type. Completely repairs hair, coating hair with keratin, rejuvenating hair structure and gives it a shiny, flexible look. Keratin, together with a highly concentrated protein compound, has a unique synergy that acts fast and vigorously to regenerate and rebuild the hair shaft. The use of this unique formula will bring back the natural strength and shine that the hair has lost over the years because of harsh chemicals, sun light and pollution. It works on all types of hair. (source)

If I'm not mistaken, they left it on for 35 minutes before blowdrying and ironing the hair so the strands can fully absorb the treatment. Apparently, the high heat helps seal the keratin in the hair and ensures a shinier and silky smooth look overall.

It takes a village to tame my hair. Hahaha


It needs all the help it can get at this point, so thank goodness to Leo for this keratin treatment.


The final touches: Leo trimming off the ends and giving me a layered look that goes well with my new hair color

Total cost:
Powdery Ash Undertone: Php 2,250
Hair Color: Php 2,150
Haircut: Php 600
Keratin Treatment: Php 5,000

How do I look???


Here I am with my new hair and the man behind it, Leo Pascual!

The finished product:


I don't know if it's just me or if it really looks different from the earlier post-color / wet hair photo. But I really love how it looks like now!!

Thank you to Leo Pascual and his assistants Lovely and Aileen for all their efforts on my new look! Five hours of hard work resulted to this! I'm one super happy girl! ♥♥♥

A huge thanks also goes to Tim, my photographer, supporter, and number one fan for his patience and choosing to spend time with me at the salon than being anywhere else.

For inquiries and bookings, contact Leo Pascual on Facebook or through mobile at (0917) 845-3406.
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