My (worth-it) P 399 Marinka foot spa experience
Every two weeks or so, my family calls up a nail technician to come over and do our nails. Between four sisters and my mom, this is a super quick and cost-efficient way of maintaining our nails collectively.
While quick, easy and convenient (I can get my nails done in my pambahay chic, braless outfit!) home service nails do have their limitations. Namely, the nail tech is limited by our own equipment. So while we have my favorite polishes and certainly sterile tools, we don’t really have a foot spa tub nor all the creams and salves necessary for a full foot spa experience. Our nail tech, frankly, is also not very good. She refuses to “wrap the tip” (a nail polishing technique that requires you to cover the tapping tip of the nails as opposed to just the surface,) which often results in chipped polish in as little as two days.
Jim Ryan Ros, makeup artist to beauty queens, opens Marinka Salon with Ms. Juvette Yuvienco, co-owner, and the Marinka Team.
Celebrity hairstylist, Kim Echavia at Marinka Salon opening
SPOTTED: Hannah Khayle Iglesia, Mutya Top Model of the World 2017, keeps her poise as guests participate in the welcomming coin toss.
When I was explaining as much to one of my makeup mentors, Jim Ryan Ros, he recommended that I visit Marinka Salon, a full-service salon and spa he had recently consulted for. As a fellow makeup artist, he himself is a huge fan of mind-blowing foot spas as we tend to spend a lot of time on our feet.
One whole side of the salon is floor-to-ceiling window panes, creating a bright and airy ambiance
The chairs are clean, inviting, and comfortable
The Marinka Salon Signature Foot Spa (PHP 399) is well worth it, and I would say even too-affordable, for an amazing 5-step foot spa experience. It starts with a warm foot soak in a tea made of guava leaves. I was told that guava was specifically chosen for its antiseptic, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects – something I easily confirmed online in various journals as true and not just organic mumbo-jumbo. These effects seemed particularly exciting for battered and bruised feet! Additionally, the tub had river rocks for added visual effect, but I liked doing a little self massage on them while waiting for the soak to finish.
My own Marinka Foot Spa kit!
The next step is buffing, which I opted to skip because I feel like I didn’t have enough calluses to warrant that. The nail techs assured me that it was a sound decision, as the current state of my feet were fine and would actually thicken with calluses should I have proceeded.
From this…
To this!
So we went straight to the third step: the foot scrub. A creamy paste with bits of apricot pits are worked on the legs and feet. It doesn’t simply stop there though, because the cream sort of dries up and your nail tech will keep working it on your legs until it forms bits of libag (dead skin). It was pretty embarrassing to see everything come off (especially since my boss was there o_o) but between you and me, oh so satisfying! If you have a lot of leg hair though, I can imagine this being quite painful, so do take note of that if you plan on getting this treatment.
Next is the foot mask and reflex (45 minutes). I was asked to choose from 5 salves containing menthol and aromatherapeutic herbs. These are meant to whiten and soften your feet, while the suitably strong aromas set the mood. I chose lavender-mint and it was sooo relaxing. They wrap you in plastic so the mask penetrates better, and lay a fluffy blanket over your entire lower leg because GURL that mint ain’t joking. My legs stayed tingly-cool for up to two hours, even after I was home! Next, you enjoy the foot reflexology which aims to de-knot stressed out feet and leg muscles. I felt soooo many pops on my feet and legs, it was freaky! But not painful though, thank God.
Lastly, you can get either a foot pedicure or simple cleaning. Since my polish was still looking tight, I chose cleaning and am happy to report that they respected my instructions for my easily-ingrown toenails!
While this was all going down, I also took the Manicure (PHP 100) with an Orly Gel Polish add-on (PHP 450). I haven’t had gel nails in a while so let’s review: gel nail polish is a special kind of nail polish often cured with a UV lamp. Nowadays, there are lampless gel nails, but most brands still carry the lamp versions. You clean the nail tips with an alcohol swab, then apply a primer, base, up to three coats of color, and a topcoat, all cured with the lamp in between. This results in instantly dry nails, which is a God-send for klutzes like me who ding and scratch wet nails within two hours of having them on. They also have a reputation for pretty much being life-proof, proven by my virtually chip-less nails nearly a month after getting them.
I chose a whitish pink color for my nails, which I knew was a difficult color to apply but just couldn’t be bothered with the other color selections. I was pretty pleased that it didn’t come out thick and chunky, as is often the problem with too many gel layers! My cuticles were also really, really, really well cleaned and I was so happy they didn’t feel too tight nor did they grow out too soon after my Marinka Salon visit. Lastly, a healing oil was applied on my finger tips, to protect my cuticles from the UV damage incurred.
I super enjoyed my Marinka Salon visit, and would definitely make it a regular habit to get foot spas if only it weren’t so far away! It’s in Makati City, but at the edge closer to Old Sta. Mesa, which is closer to me than Makati CBD so not as bad but still, not that easy to get to. If you are close to the area though, I highly recommend the Marinka Signature Foot Spa for a super affordable, regular, treat yo’ self habit!
Marinka Salon is open every day from 10AM-9PM, and is located at 1065 Del Pan Corner E. Pascua Streets, Makati City. You may follow their Facebook page, Marinka Salon, or contact them via mobile 0966 405 4319 for your appointments. You may view their other treatments here:
I was invited to Marinka Salon for editorial consideration. I was not paid nor otherwise compensated to present this feature. Full disclosure: the salon consultant is one of my makeup mentors.
