Time to lend a (beautifully manicured) hand

Festive frocks or dazzling jewelry aside, a pretty and polished hand is a fabulous but low-key way to sparkle this season. Maybe you’ve been doing a labor of love on kitchen prep, or wrapping presents nightly ‘til the morning, but chances are your multi-fingered extremities have been hard at work, and it’s showing. Give yourself some holiday love with glam hands and feet, a look that will last you (hopefully) through the party season.

A classic manicure is like a classic LBD: a little luxury that never goes out of style. That’s according to the owners of Manos Nail Lounge, a hip and homey hideaway on the second level of Crescent Park building in a quiet area of Bonifacio Global City. I can attest that a quick trip to the nail salon does wonders for the soul, for precious quiet time or a relaxing catch up session with the girls. Manos offers an additional feel good factor: you are helping empowered women uplift their livelihood while indulging in your aesthetic pleasures.

Manos (“hands” in Spanish) pays tribute to the various “hands” that go into making the Manos experience complete, according to the 20-something owners Carissa Mangubat, Felice Caringal and Ynez Alcid. These hands include “the staff that take care of our hands, to the farmers in various parts of the Philippines who cultivate the ingredients that go into the products we use.”

The three friends have created a unique spa experience by offering social and environmental consciousness in addition to pampering and beauty. Their services range from the classic manicure and pedicure to luxurious hand and foot spa treatments that use all-natural Filipino products. “We take pride in our support of all things Filipino, which is evident from the lotions and scrubs we use to the food and drinks we serve,” says Carissa.

Library session: Book a mani-pedi while catching up on magazine, ebooks or iPad time.

In honoring age-old Filipino values such as pagmamano, a sign of respect, the Manos experience combines modern nailcare techniques with traditional Filipino elements. The coveted spots are the window seats overlooking Burgos Circle, high-backed modern Filipino lounge chairs evocative of resort living. Savor your private space with a cup of organic Benguet coffee or a Manos sangria, coco lychee or mojito for happy hour (3-6 p.m.), while listening to their well-edited hipster playlist.

Aside from caring for their staff, Manos is run with respect for the environment as well. Its interiors incorporate eco-friendly interiors using LED lights and energy saving appliances. They source items locally to reduce carbon footprint, and use 100-percent natural scrubs and lotions, from ingredients grown organically.

Eco-friendly nail lacquer brands are also available here — all are formaldehyde, toulene and DBP-free. Their main polish line is vegan brand, Zoya, which is known to be camphor-free as well. This brand has been spotted on models at Fashion Week runways, for designers like Marc Jacobs and Peter Som. Its special formula, free of toxic chemicals, makes it a top choice for pregnant women. They also offer Orly, Essie and Chanel polish.

“We believe that making socially and environmentally-responsible decisions should never be a burden, and this is why we offer our premium services and products at reasonable and competitive prices. We also ensure that our highly-trained staff follows only the highest standards in cleanliness and care,” says Felice, who is an active member of Gawad Kalinga.

A Classic Manos manicure — that is, a soak, clean, express massage and polish or buff (45 minutes) — costs P190, while a pedicure is P240, and combined mani and pedi is P420. The Manos Express mani and pedi (30 minutes), just cleaning and polish, is P320.

You can also indulge in a Manos Signature treatment, a soak, exfoliating scrub, cleaning, extended massage and polish or buff (60 to 75 minutes) at P800 for a mani-pedi. They use local ingredients such as green tea, lemongrass, invigorating eucalyptus, peppermint and barako coffee.

Dive into the holidays with a lovely treat to self, or plan a New Year “sparty” with your posse. Added incentive for a quick pre-Xmas appointment: this week, any amount spent over P500 for services at Manos will be donated to the relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Sendong.

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Manos Nail Lounge is at Unit 2-I Crescent Park Residences, Bonifacio Global City. Call 478-4057 or email info@ManosNailLounge.com or visit www.facebook.com/ManosNailLounge.