I don't think anybody knows how exciting it is for me to find out that a fresh, cute, new nail spa has opened up in Quezon City! Now you all know I have a bit of a hater in me (ehehe) and I often criticize QC joints for being run-down, dirty and laos. Consider this back story: my nail journey started with [name redacted], a place that charges mid-range but services on the low-end. Mid-range prices meaning they charge ~Php 700 for a mani-pedi-foot spa combo but low-end service meaning they assign only one tech per client, make a joke out of the massage, leave your nailbeds with messy polish and have such a pitiful polish collection that chips off after three days such that we often wind up bringing our own bottles.
But other places in Santa Mesa Heights were worse off, either dirtier or more bare than this joint. So I hope you understand why I'm such a hater, and why after dealing with such a place for so long, I've learned to be much more demanding with my nail salons.
After hearing from Dawn about how lovely the place is, I was all agog over Make Me Blush! The place is extremely lovely, and my mother and I kept fawning over the interiors and decorations. The motif is sort of classical Elizabethan (sorry I don't know my architecture) They give it a modern kick by using offbeat decor and loud pops of pretty pastels.
Each chair is comfortable, with its own mess of throw pillows to make you feel like you're sinking into heaven. The towels are all fresh. The ottomans are wide and comfy and each seat has a purse shelf beside it so you needn't worry about fitting yourself, a bunch of pillows and your purse in those comfy seats. They also have free drinks, which is a great way to feel like they actually care about the customer. Getting your nails done leads to some serious stale-mouth syndrome o_o
My mother and I took our norm: Just Plain (basic manicure, Php 160) and Sunset Boulevard (spa pedicure, Php 450). This sums up to a Php 610 bill for a mani-pedi-foot spa. That's very affordable as the usual rates I come across for similar service packages are in the Php 700-800 range.
Just Plain
Price: Php 160
Inclusions: hand soak, short hand massage, cuticle grooming, nail grooming, nail polish and quick-dry oil.
Just Plain is aptly named: it's your plain, no-frills manicure service. Whether you are coming in with a clean, dirty or previously polished set of fingers, this is the service I'd recommend. They have a Php 100-priced polish change service but I prefer to have my nails shaped by professionals. It could be the newness of the place or a lack of training in attention to details, but I thought my nails were not shaped up to par.
I liked the massage, there was no rushing to it and my nail tech (didn't get her name!) seems trained to do so. She explored a great variety of touches and made sure I was okay with the pressure. It wasn't rushed nor half-assed, and I appreciate that because other places make a joke out of the included hand massage.
I loved that they observe "polish wrapping" here. I've previously talked about how I watch out for polish application technique, as it greatly affects your manicure's staying power. Polish wrapping is when the nail techs paint over the edge of the nail and seal over the very tips as opposed to stopping at the nail surface's edge. This practice adds a couple of days to your mani.
However, within two days, I noticed my polish was chipping off in complete chunks. It was really fishy as I don't do a lot of housework and the worst abuse my hands go through is typing in the office. My mom's remained intact for about a week, and so did Dawn's, last I heard. I contacted Ms. Vannah, owner of Make Me Blush, for a possible explanation and she offered to have my session redone. She also asked if I washed my hands because exposure to water can destroy the integrity of nail polish. I replied that I didn't wash my hands 'til the evening, well over three hours after the session. I suspect it's because I picked an Essie color, which has mixed reviews on staying power.
Another reason could be poor base coat. I noticed that they don't use rubberized / latex base coat, which is supposed to extend polish wear. My previous salon uses latex base coat + mostly China Glaze and Orly color polishes so my previous mani stays chip-free 'til about two weeks.
Make Me Blush has a nice selection of China Glaze polishes, so I think I'll stick to that color wheel next time :)
Sunset Boulevard
Price: Php 450
Inclusions: foot soak, callous sanding, foot and leg scrub, foot and leg massage, foot blush, cuticle grooming, nail grooming, nail polish AND 10-minute back rub post-treatment.
I love that each treatment's supplies come in their own mini-shot glass. I think it's very hygienic and a fabulous practice in transparency whenever nail spas take their treatments out by-the-dose. This way, you know you're getting a standardized amount because I just cannot deal with freaking out about how techs could possibly scrimp product on me.
I enjoyed everything! I loved the scrub and the massage because the attendant (didn't take her name either!) took her time with everything. The scrub didn't hurt. It was emollient enough to buffer the grit and combined with the pressure, thoroughly exfoliated my feet and legs. The massage, like the hand massage, felt like it was being performed by someone who has sufficient training. Also worth noting, I feel like my pedicure was done much more skillfully than my manicure.
My favorite part of the Sunset Boulevard package would have to be the BACK MASSAGE! After your whole treatment, you get a ten minute neck and back massage and I think this is an absolutely fantastic add-on! 'Cause honey, let's face it: no matter how comfy and puffy those pillows are, getting your nails done takes quite a while and always leaves you with a few kinks in your back. A back rub to top it all off is just what you need.
I highly recommend the foot spa pedicure package over the regular pedicure package.
RECAP:
BBT rating: 4/5
Despite a few snags in my mani, I love the place and the professionalism! I'm confident my issues will be easily addressed as the newly-opened salon adjusts. For the most part, management of the place seems very spot on. At least the attendants are not rude nor noisy; they engage when you do but stay silent if you're not in the mood for small talk. They also perform the treatments with care and a certain methodology.
The ambiance is very lovely and I enjoyed the dainty decor. Somehow it helped me relax more? Everything's so clean, fresh and beautiful; it was such a joy to have had my mani-pedi done there.
Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge
Hemady Square
Dona M. Hemady St., cor. E. Rodriguez Ave.
Quezon City
Contact: 234 9529
Operating Hours: 10am - 8pm everyday
Clickity click to read their service menu:
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| Cute, Comfy and Colorful Seats |
Each chair is comfortable, with its own mess of throw pillows to make you feel like you're sinking into heaven. The towels are all fresh. The ottomans are wide and comfy and each seat has a purse shelf beside it so you needn't worry about fitting yourself, a bunch of pillows and your purse in those comfy seats. They also have free drinks, which is a great way to feel like they actually care about the customer. Getting your nails done leads to some serious stale-mouth syndrome o_o
My mother and I took our norm: Just Plain (basic manicure, Php 160) and Sunset Boulevard (spa pedicure, Php 450). This sums up to a Php 610 bill for a mani-pedi-foot spa. That's very affordable as the usual rates I come across for similar service packages are in the Php 700-800 range.
Just Plain
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| Just Plain (manicure, Php 160) by Make Me Blush |
Price: Php 160
Inclusions: hand soak, short hand massage, cuticle grooming, nail grooming, nail polish and quick-dry oil.
Just Plain is aptly named: it's your plain, no-frills manicure service. Whether you are coming in with a clean, dirty or previously polished set of fingers, this is the service I'd recommend. They have a Php 100-priced polish change service but I prefer to have my nails shaped by professionals. It could be the newness of the place or a lack of training in attention to details, but I thought my nails were not shaped up to par.
 |
| Make Me Blush has great massages! |
I liked the massage, there was no rushing to it and my nail tech (didn't get her name!) seems trained to do so. She explored a great variety of touches and made sure I was okay with the pressure. It wasn't rushed nor half-assed, and I appreciate that because other places make a joke out of the included hand massage.
 |
| Polish Wrapping Extends Your Manicure |
I loved that they observe "polish wrapping" here. I've previously talked about how I watch out for polish application technique, as it greatly affects your manicure's staying power. Polish wrapping is when the nail techs paint over the edge of the nail and seal over the very tips as opposed to stopping at the nail surface's edge. This practice adds a couple of days to your mani.
However, within two days, I noticed my polish was chipping off in complete chunks. It was really fishy as I don't do a lot of housework and the worst abuse my hands go through is typing in the office. My mom's remained intact for about a week, and so did Dawn's, last I heard. I contacted Ms. Vannah, owner of Make Me Blush, for a possible explanation and she offered to have my session redone. She also asked if I washed my hands because exposure to water can destroy the integrity of nail polish. I replied that I didn't wash my hands 'til the evening, well over three hours after the session. I suspect it's because I picked an Essie color, which has mixed reviews on staying power.
 |
| In Two Days: A Case of Bad Polish :( |
Another reason could be poor base coat. I noticed that they don't use rubberized / latex base coat, which is supposed to extend polish wear. My previous salon uses latex base coat + mostly China Glaze and Orly color polishes so my previous mani stays chip-free 'til about two weeks.
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| Tremendous Color Selection |
Make Me Blush has a nice selection of China Glaze polishes, so I think I'll stick to that color wheel next time :)
Sunset Boulevard
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| Sunset Boulevard (foot spa pedicure, Php 450) by Make Me Blush |
Price: Php 450
Inclusions: foot soak, callous sanding, foot and leg scrub, foot and leg massage, foot blush, cuticle grooming, nail grooming, nail polish AND 10-minute back rub post-treatment.
 |
| Foot Spa Basket: Clean and Complete Materials! |
I love that each treatment's supplies come in their own mini-shot glass. I think it's very hygienic and a fabulous practice in transparency whenever nail spas take their treatments out by-the-dose. This way, you know you're getting a standardized amount because I just cannot deal with freaking out about how techs could possibly scrimp product on me.
 |
| My chubby feet are too busy being pampered to look fierce! |
I enjoyed everything! I loved the scrub and the massage because the attendant (didn't take her name either!) took her time with everything. The scrub didn't hurt. It was emollient enough to buffer the grit and combined with the pressure, thoroughly exfoliated my feet and legs. The massage, like the hand massage, felt like it was being performed by someone who has sufficient training. Also worth noting, I feel like my pedicure was done much more skillfully than my manicure.
 |
| Manicure had strange unevenness and off shaping... |
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| Pedicure was damn perfect! :) |
My favorite part of the Sunset Boulevard package would have to be the BACK MASSAGE! After your whole treatment, you get a ten minute neck and back massage and I think this is an absolutely fantastic add-on! 'Cause honey, let's face it: no matter how comfy and puffy those pillows are, getting your nails done takes quite a while and always leaves you with a few kinks in your back. A back rub to top it all off is just what you need.
I highly recommend the foot spa pedicure package over the regular pedicure package.
RECAP:
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| Green Nails by Make Me Blush! |
BBT rating: 4/5
Despite a few snags in my mani, I love the place and the professionalism! I'm confident my issues will be easily addressed as the newly-opened salon adjusts. For the most part, management of the place seems very spot on. At least the attendants are not rude nor noisy; they engage when you do but stay silent if you're not in the mood for small talk. They also perform the treatments with care and a certain methodology.
 |
| Loving this bird cage chandelier :) |
The ambiance is very lovely and I enjoyed the dainty decor. Somehow it helped me relax more? Everything's so clean, fresh and beautiful; it was such a joy to have had my mani-pedi done there.
 |
| Even the bathroom is super clean and pretty! |
Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge
Hemady Square
Dona M. Hemady St., cor. E. Rodriguez Ave.
Quezon City
Contact: 234 9529
Operating Hours: 10am - 8pm everyday
Clickity click to read their service menu:
Disclaimer: I was invited by Ms. Vannah to a complimentary session of my choice. I (try to) have regular paid mani sessions and base my opinions on previous experience. Both pros and cons are fully disclosed with as much photographic evidence as I can provide.
Thank you for the hospitality, Ms. Vannah!
