Friday, May 28, 2010

Advertorial

[EDIT: added preview below :)]

Since some time ago, me & Mag have been receiving questions about where we usually do our hair/which stylists we go to.

And for the longest time ever, we've always recommended Toni & Guy for their brilliant expertise/skill, their willingness to listen
(if it's one thing I hate, it's when I request for the stylist to trim 1 cm off my fringe and he snips off half of it instead!),
their professionalism (it's always nice to know there's a senior technician around to analyse how a new cut will suit you),
the way they wash your hair (no one likes to have their hair manhandled), and their after-sales service (within a week, if you're
unsatisfied you can always go back for complimentary styling/a second cut).

Prices can be pretty steep though especially if you require frequent maintenance for your hair!

A normal cut and wash is around $90 if you engage a senior stylist;
Some of you may also recall me going for a cut and straightening session (here) for $700+.
And for styling alone, like what I did for the Nuffnang Awards (here), it was about $200.

While some sponsors have been nice enough to offer us their products, unfortunately both of us have been pretty obstinate especially
when it comes to accepting advertorials because we only believe in endorsing a brand that we have personally used and trust.

So.… when we were given the opportunity to work with Toni & Guy's younger sister brand, we jumped at the opportunity to share
the perks with our customers! :)










Newly opened at Bugis, Essensuals is basically the branched out, younger and edgier version of Toni & Guy.
Originating from the UK as well, the brand is run by David and Henne Mercer, the same people in charge of Toni & Guy Singapore :)

Best of all, there is no compromise or difference at all in terms of expertise and you get everything at a fraction of the price!

And I say that because what Toni & Guy did was relocate some of their top stylists and hair technicians to Essensuals.
Bryan who straightened my hair previously is now style director and Seline the person who styled my hair for Nuffnang has also moved over.

See see, same people! :D



These are some of the current promotions going on, but HVV has managed to clinch exclusive benefits on top of existing offers specially for our customers :)
If you're interested, do remember to check our upcoming collections for further details/vouchers!

---

Anyway, since me & Mag were due for a haircut, we decided to pop down Essensuals to have a look/try out the new salon.

I decided to trim my hair, curl it and go for the treatment.
And because I was whining about how I wanted to blacken my hair, Bryan added a special little semi-permanent ingredient for me!
I figured that if my hair was darker, I'd look fairer ;)




Here's Mag getting her signature alien pouf before Bryan taught her how to style her hair differently.




Sidetracking a little,
Another thing I really dislike is going for a treatment and having immediate soft flowy hair the whole day only to go back, shower,
and be rudely shocked into realizing that my hair was merely coated with products to look good temporarily.

For Essensuals, while there was a slight difference in hair texture after my treatment, I did notice that results were not instantaneous.
On the contrary, what I really liked about it was, the difference became more apparent over time, especially after you've washed your hair.

Gotta think long term you know?

Anyway, I was so pleased with the results and it was such a good deal, I brought Claire our new model to try it out as well!










Claire's hair is naturally wavy and her results didn't show all immediately either.

But …
tell me if you cannot see the difference in the pictures below!




The first picture was taken you know, during our last post and the second picture was taken 3 days after the treatment.

Now that is what I call Princess Hair.

$49 for a haircut and treatment.

You likey? >:)

--

Click on the picture for an enlarged version of the vouchers :)




---

And for those of you who asked, here's a sneak peak of what's coming up in our next collection! :)
Am still trying to rush out a couple more... If I've the time, will squeeze in more preview pics!


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/4641396431_5395fc0687.jpg




Anyhow, for this coming post, I'll be clearing all existing emails while my helpers verify payments so please rest
assured that you'll definitely get a reply :) As long as you don't send multiple emails, I'll definitely be able to get
back to you asap. Thanks!! xoxo

38 comments:

  1. Anonymous29 May, 2010

    ooh boy! i love claire's hair! i hope the promo will still be on when i come back in JULY so i can pamper my hair! dont really trust the stylists here cos they dont understand what i want! :(

    anw, im seriously looking forward to hvv's post! hope to see more preview soon! ;P i love the navy blue petal dress alr! :) take care always clare! xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous29 May, 2010

    hi! just wondering whether the curls you had actually stay permanent, as in do they disappear after wash or are they actually secure like the permed ones? thank you for your time!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous29 May, 2010

    hey clare! you look good in your new hair! just wondering, are your curls at the end of the hair the curls you asked cryan to do it for you? what is called? and how do you your signature pouf? tee hee. you look good! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous29 May, 2010

    Hi Clare, Can I know what type of perm did u perm? Is it permanent? Love the curl in look at the end so much!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous29 May, 2010

    Hi clare, can i check with u do u know what haircolour brand essensuals is using? & $99 hair cut, clour & treatment applies for all hair length?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous30 May, 2010

    can i just print this out to enjoy the promo, or is it ongoing at the store even without the vouchers? (:

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Clare,

    I am interested in trying out the salon. Just want to check, I will just need to print out the vouchers from your blog in order for me to enjoy the offers?

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous30 May, 2010

    Hi the hair salon looks good maybe wld go there once to try out! Btw when is the next collection cmg up? Excited!

    ReplyDelete
  9. shristine: i know, me too! the promo is only until june but no worries, there'll be other offers coming up :) i get what you mean about the stylists in aus, i used to only dare to go to the jap/korean ones because at least they'd know how to work with an asian headshape haha

    ReplyDelete
  10. anonymous-es:

    haha does anyone know how to reply directly to individual blogspot comments? this is so confusing!

    anw, previously i tried using straightening tongs to get the single curl effect but it didn't stay for long so my stylist recommended me to get a permanent perm and then blow it in to make sure that it stays like that the whole day :) if i don't blow it in though, it's less sleek and more wavy but i like the look both ways!

    thanks! yes if you tell bryan that you want the single curl effect he'll perm the ends of your hair with the loosest/biggest curler and teach you how to blow your hair in. just let him know what look you want :) for my pouf, i usually take a clump of hair, twist it and then pin it down with a clip. i don't like it though! i wish i had a nice egg-shaped head instead :(

    if i'm not wrong they use products from wella :) and yes the price applies to all hair lengths. i was pretty surprised myself when i found out!

    galleria: yep, it'd probably be better if you printed out the vouchers and brought them down with you :)

    next collection coming up really soon. gonna put the preview up in a bit!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    saw the preview pics, love! Eagerly looking forward for the launch! Clare could you advise a date/time? Fingers cross tight that I won't miss it =_="

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    hi! when will you be launching this new collection? can't wait! (:

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    hee yes! i currently only visit this korean hair stylist but she has difficulty speaking english too! but at least so far i'm happy with what she has done to my hair! :) clare! i love the upcoming collection alot! i like the girly pretty dresses! hope i manage to make it on time to sit in front of the com when you launch so i can get hold of the items! ;)look forward to more preview! hee. :) take care babe!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    hi clare! u said that "These are some of the current promotions going on, but HVV has managed to clinch exclusive benefits on top of existing offers specially for our customers :)"

    so means there will be additional/more benefits for customers of HVV for the upcoming collections?

    cos i'm thinking of going for a haircut soon, cos i haven't cut my hair since Jan (OMG!), so I m thinking of whether to just print e vouchers and go down, or wait for HVV to launch, and see what benefits HVV has?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    hey was wondering what skincare and make up are u using? :) would love to have flawless skin like urs too :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    Hiyo!

    Your blog is so interesting and I always read every single part of it. And I'm gonna try the hair cut + treatment as it's about time my hair gets some pamper too! Will wait patiently for the next collection.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    hi there! was just wondering if the blazer(4th from right) is included in the new collection as well?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    hello!
    lookin fwd to check out the hair promos tmr!

    can i also ask if the back of the Ralph Lauren inspired romper is smocked..? =)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous31 May, 2010

    hi clare

    any chance of you starting a HOH spree anytime soon?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous01 June, 2010

    hey clare, i went to the salon. but unfortunately wasn't very happy with the cut ): and also, i looked for that guy in ur photo. and they charged me 40+bucks more! ):

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous01 June, 2010

    hi there! PLS hold backorders for some of the items as they are oos by the time i order :( tks!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous01 June, 2010

    hi babe,

    u didnt include the abstract pastel chiffon dress(the one in ur preview pic above http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4655743154_6e89bb0e9c_b.jpg ) in this collection ?

    ReplyDelete
  23. hey clare, didnt see the last dress in today's collection. will you be launching it? :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous01 June, 2010

    heyy clare!

    some items are not in today's launch right? :(

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous02 June, 2010

    did i missed out (2nd last pic of the montage) satin shirt in hvv?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous03 June, 2010

    Hey there, I would like to know what camera are you using in this post? The pictures look pretty nice :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous03 June, 2010

    Hi Clare,

    I must say I was tempted to try it out after looking at the prices. I made an appointment when I saw your post. I was there today, and Seline served me. I was satisfied with my hair cut and treatment. Seline is good with her skills and the lady shampooing my hair was very professional. But that's it.

    I didn't feel welcomed, nor I felt like I was a customer. I felt like I was intruding into their space on a lazy afternoon. It was really uncomfortable when they spoke in whisper behind the customers' back too.

    The most memorable event was when the cashier asked Seline if she wanted to give me her name card, and she shook her head.

    I won't even talk about my handphone being taken by them from the chair. I had to go back up to look for my lost handphone.

    To conclude, I felt like I was probably treated like a customer who wanted to seize a good deal. Which was kind of unprofessional.

    I hope the rest of you will have a better experience than me. =)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Clare! :)

    How is it that I cannot seem to find the dress on the extreme left & the extreme right, from the last collage in this post, on HVV.com? :(

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous06 June, 2010

    Hi Clare!

    I tried to comment on your formspring but it keeps popping invalid. I saw that you're using the canon s90.
    Could you share how good the camera is? Would you recommend to non cam-savvy peeps?
    Why did you choose this instead of the ixus 130?
    (since it is cheaper)

    I'm so sorry for asking so many qns!
    Hope you can answer them :)
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hi Clare, i <3 the very first navy dress in the last row of your pictures! :) is it for sale on your web? cause i checked and saw almost all the clothes featured in your pictures except for the navy blue dress! :) thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous08 June, 2010

    hey babe i just cant help but notice that you have such an amazing skin.. can you tell me what skin products you use or whats your facial regime is like? thanks so much!!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. BABE! i tried essensuals out after seeing your post and im glad tt i did :) you're right abt the treatment. results dont really show on the first day but after i went home and washed my hair it felt so soft ;) thanks so much dear for recommending the place.

    BTW it would be better if you could share with us more of the places you and mag go to.. esp if you can get discounts for us customers too hahaha. its great tt you guys are promoting brands that you have tried and tested so far. thumbs up babes!

    ReplyDelete
  33. sorry for the late reply! have been insanely busy with handling emails and.. many exciting stuff coming up on HVV!
    OKAY. back to the questions :)

    thanks so much for dropping by and leaving comments! if you guys could leave your names/nicks when commenting, it'd be great because then i'd be able to reply you directly :)

    anyway yes, HVV has more benefits coming up with Essensuals :) for now, you are entitled to $9 off all existing promotions that are priced above $50.

    haha unfortunately my skin isn't flawless! for skincare, i use products that my dermatologist provides me and this whitening cream (tomato) that i got from korea :)

    at the moment i'm not intending to open any HoH sprees. sorry about that!

    im sorry to hear about that! :( please rest assured that i've taken note of your comment and spoken to bryan about it. unfortunately because he is the director, his prices are different - they should have brought this up when you placed an appointment with him :) anyhow, i understand that the marketing director of toni & guy dropped you a call thereafter and offered you a complimentary second session to ensure that you would be satisfied with the experience. i hope it went well! :)

    we didn't include some pieces because stocks didn't arrive on time and we didn't want customers to go through unnecessary waiting time. they'll be up the next post!

    im using the canon s90 :)

    carrotcakes: thanks for dropping by to let me know! haha yes, seline has done my hair several times and while she's an absolute genius at what she does, she is also a bit shy which i guess could possibly come off the wrong way especially to a first-time customer! im sorry to hear that you felt uncomfortable though :( please rest assured though that i will send in your feedback. im sure essensuals will take it into consideration!

    yes i would recommend the camera to non cam-savvy people! im actually pretty horrible with cameras so it's really important that i can just whip it out, aim at what i want and snap without having to toggle with this function or that. and it also works well for me since pictures come out incredibly clear even when i shoot without flash :) hm, i don't know why i chose this over the ixus though.. if i recall properly mag recommended this to me and since im such a simpleton when it comes to cameras, i decided to try it out.

    agnes: im glad that you liked the experience :) if you're interested, yes we do have some exciting collaborations coming up for our HVV customers and they're all brands that me and mag have used for ages & love!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous13 June, 2010

    Hi babe, I remember sometime back you bought a Balenciaga bag online and I was wondering if you called them to send over to you or did they deliver to the Singapore store for you to collect it? I'm actually eyeing on Covered Giant City :)

    Would appreciate if you can email me :) ladyaffair@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous15 June, 2010

    hello babe!

    is the dress tt the model's wearing gonna be uploaded in dis collection? dont see it.. the one the 2nd pic after 3days of hair treatment :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous15 June, 2010

    hello babe!

    is the dress the model's wearing in the 2nd pic gonna be up in the current collection? (the one 3 days after hair treatment) :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous25 June, 2010

    wow~ front page of straits times urban today!! Both u n Mag looking great! Awesome! Congratulations!! :D

    ReplyDelete