The highlight of the Pantene Pro V Dare to Get Wet Event was the presence of the Pantene’s Most Beautiful Women (as seen on the photo, left to right): Ruffa Gutierrez, Judy Ann Santos, Claudine Barretto, and Gretchen Barretto.

Ah, the surreal feeling one would get when they gaze upon celebrities. It’s mystifying. But what I can’t seem to get over is the fact that these women are such gorgeous creatures. Gawd. It’s like describing them as beautiful is just not enough. They’ve managed to stun the crowd for a minute when they stepped on stage before everyone remembered why they were there. LOL. I do have to admit that they each possess an ethereal beauty which can render you speechless and will leave you feeling seemingly, er, common. Gah.

The ladies came out after presenting the Pantene Council of Stylists to the media and the rest of the public.

More photos after the fold.

Ruffa has this commanding presence that makes the cliché “larger than life” so true yet falls short to describe the sight of her.

She was also part of the Pantene’s Most Beautiful Women 2007 roster.

Judy Ann is the most down-to-earth of the lot. A lot of Filipinas will relate to her due to the fact that she will represent the darker skin tone or what we call morena skin or kayumanggi in Filipino or Tagalog (local language). Though I don’t really see its relevance since Pantene is a hair product. I guess, they needed to cover all bases, a role model fit for everyone?

Which brings me to the last two beauties on the current roster, sisters Claudine and Gretchen Barretto. Now, hands down, Gretchen or Greta is one hell of a beautiful woman. She’s absolutely stunning. Gorgeous. Long hair or short hair, she looks fabulous.

Photo courtesy of CaPRI

Same goes with her sister, Claudine. She’s very pretty, awesome skin, and a great actress.

Both have every right to be part of the current roster but if we take into account the reason why Judy Ann was chosen, don’t you think that choosing siblings who share very similar features will mean you’re catering to the same taste? It’s like casting identical twins and say that it’s all for a wider reach. Hehe.

However, if we do focus on these individuals’ hair types, well, we can see that one has curly hair, two have long hair and one with short hair. So, does that mean those are the only common types of hair who will be using the product? What about colour-treated or rebonded or permed hair? What about for untreated or “virgin” hair? Or the really kinky hair? Or perhaps “corn” hair? Or gray hair (aging women still do have hair care needs too)? If these things aren’t real basis for choosing the brand’s Most Beautiful Women roster, what was the criteria for choosing then?

Sorry, I know it’s all just part of generating buzz for the new Pantene Hairfall Control and it’s their prerogative to choose whomever they want as endorsers. It’s just me being sick of all the celebrity-endorsed beauty products. Not all consumers are blinded by this sort of stuff anymore. I just know consumers are getting more and more intelligent.

Ah, well. We’ll have to see if this product is just pure hype or it can actually prove itself to be as what they claim it to be, “the secret to unbreakable beauty”. If I do get to test the product out, you guys can watch out for a full review.

Photo© 2008 Sasha Manuel (unless otherwise stated)

Post from: eBeautyDaily

Part of the programme of the Pantene Dare to Get Wet Event last Monday night, 28 April 2008 was the presentation of their Council of Stylists to the media and the rest of the public. Included are such luminaries in the styling world as (pictured above, left to right) Rose Velasco and Jude Hipolito of Univers Phyto Salon by Kaizen, Jing Monis of Propaganda, Celeste Tuviera of Symmetria, Henri Calayag of Henri Calayag Salon, Louis Kee of Razzle Dazzle, and Victor Ortega of Emphasis.

The Pantene Council of Stylists aims to make their expertise available to more Filipina women, which includes styling tips and hair advice that will help address common hair problems.

During the press conference, they all shared each and everyone’s excitement on this initiative, all were looking forward to sharing best practices with each other as they find themselves unified with one advocacy under the P&G brand, Pantene Pro V — creating awareness on the secret to unbreakable hair, the new Pantene Hairfall Control.

Personally, I have yet to see the significance that these people will bring to the whole thing. I can’t help but wonder what sort of role they will be playing during this campaign, apart from the updates we can expect over at the website – http://www.pantenesmostbeautiful.com. I reckon we still need to keep an eye on this one.

Anyway, more on Pantene’s Most Beautiful Women on a later post. Stay tuned.

Photo© 2008 Sasha Manuel

Post from: eBeautyDaily

I read the instructions carefully before putting the gunk in my hair. I wanted to do it right. After shampooing and conditioning my hair, I toweled it dry. Well, at least, it’s just damp when I massaged the hair spa onto hair strands and scalp. I had to leave it on for 30 minutes at least. I didn’t have a shower cap around so I decided to wrap a towel around it while I proceeded to work a bit while waiting.

Initial observations include:

• It smelled a bit funny. It reminds me of some chemical treatment which is used by salons or something. I even asked my boyfriend how he found the scent, to which he responded that it caused him to feel a little dizzy. This is a mark against it in my book. I like my hair to smell nice. I reckon the ginseng scent doesn’t really sit well with me even when it promises to relieve stress.
• It felt a little ‘menthol-y’ on my scalp. It felt a bit cool. I guess this is what it says about ‘cool and refreshing sensation’, eh?.
• Rinsing didn’t pose any problem. Twas quite easy to wash it off my hair. A real good thing cuz that’s one thing I really don’t like. I don’t want to spend a lot of time with just doing this hair spa thing.
• There was no hair fall. A real good sign! This means it isn’t formulated to be harsh and such. I am sorta experiencing an itchy scalp though. Not much but it’s still there. I’m not certain if it’s due to the hair spa. I have to do further ‘testing’ just to be sure.
• I had to wait a bit for my hair to dry after toweling it. I decided that I should let it dry naturally; not blow dry it. Reason is for me to see how my hair will feel and look like when dried that way. I have to admit that my hair does feel extra soft and smooth. It doesn’t feel ‘dry’ right now.

However, I did use the Sunsilk Smooth & Manageable Shampoo and Conditioner. They may have contributed to the soft and smooth outcome of my hair. I still need to test this product at least a couple of times more. Just to give it time to ‘repair the damage’ on my colour-treated hair.

Anyway, I hope this helps. I’ll make a follow-up post if I discover new things about the product. Stay tuned!

Photo© 2008 Sasha Manuel

Post from: eBeautyDaily

Gives extra nourishment to help restore moisture and resilience to damaged, color-treated or straightened hair. Provides added heat protection during styling and chemical treatments.

This unique and deep-penetrating aromatherapy treatment is infused with a cool, refreshing sensation and a long-lasting ginseng scent for an energized feeling after a long, stressful day. Leaves an aromatic, healthy, and luxurious hair finish.

I’m obsessed with finding the best hair product that will help “cure” the current state of my hair. I’ve resorted to using intensive treatment conditioners, which I have to admit have alleviated things but I still need something that will make my hair less dry and stringy. It’s not all that bad, it’s just that I’m not satisfied with how my hair looks (perils of being human and vanity, heh). I just want to have soft, healthy and shiny hair. My hair is colour-treated. I do subject it to styling, from products to tools. I also live in a humid country plus the fact that my hair does get exposed to extreme heat, directly or indirectly.

Local brand Vitress, under Splash Reasearch Insitute, seems to present a good solution to my problem since it promises to help revitalise my hair to its original softness and texture. Finding a product that I can use within the comforts of my own home is ideal. Apart from the convenience, it presents a cheaper alternative to a trip to the salon (we all know how expensive it can get).

Vitress Hair Spa is only US$9.99.

Suggested application:

Shampoo hair, rinse well, and towel dry.

Massage Vitress Hair Spa onto hair and scalp.

Cover your hair with a shower or plastic cap.

Leave on for 30 minutes or use a steamer for 15-20 minutes.

Rinse hair thoroughly in lukewarm water.

I’ll let you know more about my own experience with using this product once I get around to trying it out. Stay tune for the full review.

Photo© 2008 Sasha Manuel

Post from: eBeautyDaily