Lifestyle, Spas and Salons

Diffusion Salon

Meet another new Southbound contributor! Che (fondly known to me as Mommy Ech) gave up her corporate job shortly after giving birth to her son. A stay-at-home mom, she finds joy and contentment in being her preschooler’s primary caregiver, playmate, and constant companion.  She diligently keeps track of her son’s progress, which provides a lot of fodder for her blog entries. Aside from being a proud SAHM, Che is a devoted wife, homemaker, blogger, and gadget enthusiast.

I hardly consider myself a kikay girl. My wavy and often frizzy hair, definitely not one of my better assets, is the only reason why I go to a beauty parlor every other month. I used to frequent a popular salon in SM Southmall until motherhood forced me to try out the cheaper ones. But after suffering from one mishap that sent me running back to my old salon, I began my quest for the ultimate hairstylist, one who’s all about value for money.

Some time ago, I was browsing through an issue of Cosmopolitan magazine when a newsbit caught my eye: a Cosmo Salon awardee here in Las Piñas—surprise! I had never heard of Diffusion Salon before, so I immediately took note of its address and contact numbers and made plans to visit the place as soon as possible.

I had to send a text message to its owner and creative director, the charming Ms. Lolit Jardeleza, to ask for clearer directions going to her place, because all I gathered from the magazine was that it was somewhere along Alabang-Zapote road. It turns out the salon is not that hard to locate—as long as you’re not driving too fast. If you’re coming from Alabang, go straight along AZ road until you reach the BF Resort Drive – J. Aguilar Avenue intersection (commonly known as Casimiro). After that intersection, you’ll notice an overpass. Drive a few meters more and you’ll see a commercial building on the left side of the road with a huge LBC billboard. Make your way to that building and you’ll find Diffusion Salon just a few steps away from Chocolate Magic and LBC.

On my first visit, Diffusion Salon’s exteriors reminded me a bit of the neighborhood salons in our village. But the interesting poster on their door proclaiming it as a proud Cosmo Salon Awardee in 2007 is definitely a great come-on.

My hubby and I were immediately welcomed by one of Ms. Lolit’s staff. Since I made an appointment beforehand, they were already expecting us. Good thing there weren’t any other customers that time, because there was only a small bench for waiting clients. Ms. Lolit began working on my hair just minutes after we arrived.  We chatted while she trimmed my hair, and I discovered that had more than 20 years experience in the salon industry. She previously worked as a Senior Hairstylist in Salon de Orient and Azta Urban, both in Quezon City. Azta Urban—which was then set to open their first branch—actually hired her to supervise and train their pioneering breed of hairstylists—a ringing endorsement if there was one. It was after she retired from Azta Urban that she decided to put up her own salon. Too bad she wasn’t able to find an affordable commercial space in Alabang, where the salon would’ve been a lot more accessible (though the rates would’ve gone up as well, to offset the pricey rent). Instead, she found a home for her salon in the heart of Las Piñas and in August 2006, Diffusion Salon was born.

Some may consider the P250 per haircut a bit high for the milieu, considering the interiors aren’t fancy-looking compared to other salons. But where else can you enjoy being pampered by a seasoned hairstylist, the salon’s creative director herself, for such a reasonable price? She’s no prima donna and can perform every task: she’ll gamely shampoo, rinse, trim, and blow-dry your hair, and share some styling secrets as well (and even get you a refreshing drink)… all for P250! For me, that’s a steal!

I liked what I saw in my reflection after my first session with Ms. Lolit—I was glad I listened to her suggestions because she really knows what she’s doing. There really wasn’t much she could do to alter my style given my hair type, but her meticulous styling techniques gave my hair a much-needed boost. And I loved how nicely it grew out a few weeks after my trip to the salon. That inspired me to keep returning for my semi-rebond hair treatment and for my regular trim as well.

Diffusion Salon’s other services include manicure (P90), pedicure with scrub (P120), and foot spa with pedicure (P299.95). Hair treatments include regular hair spa (P350 and up), deep intensive treatment (P1,350 and up), detoxifying treatment (P750), botanical hair spa (P550 and up), hair color (P880 and up) and hair rebonding (P2,800 and up).  Skincare treatments such as facial (P350) and aroma facial/anti-acne (P650) are also available. You can also get cosmetic tattoos for your eyebrows (P4,500), eyelids (P4,000), and lips (P7,500), as well as permanent eyeliner (P4,000). Ms. Lolit also offers make-up services for special occasions.

Aside from the hair and skincare treatments, Diffusion also offers massage services. You can choose between the Swedish and Shiatsu combination for P450 per hour or the aromatherapy service for P400 per hour.  The second level of Diffusion’s two-storey commercial space (under renovation when we first visited) is allocated for these services.

Considering the salon’s cramped space and the limited parking slots available, I suggest you make your visit during off-peak hours—around 11AM to 3PM. Regular customers tend to come late in the afternoon. Be sure to spare enough time for your salon trip because Ms. Lolit isn’t the type to rush her job unless waiting customers are already piling up. My sessions with her usually take about an hour to finish, even for a simple haircut.

Lately though, Diffusion Salon is often undermanned; at times, Ms. Lolit runs the salon all by her lonesome.  Since Ms. Lolit also accepts home service, it’s best to make an appointment with her by calling or sending her a text message to ensure her availability at the salon.

Her being so hands-on and the lack of salon staff are valid reasons for Ms. Lolit’s hesitation to advertise her salon. But even without the publicity stunts, Diffusion Salon need not worry about getting less customers. After all, Cosmo’s tribute—though way back in 2007—provided some media exposure already. Moreover, the salon’s client base continues to expand by word of mouth alone.  Even Ms. Lolit’s suking customers from her previous jobs—who come from as far as Malabon and Quezon City—patiently troop to Diffusion Salon, distance and heavy traffic notwithstanding.   True to its name, Diffusion Salon’s regular patrons are well dispersed: not only does it continue to draw in more salon buffs here in the South, but likewise attracts devotees from the different parts of the Metro as well. And maybe, just like me, her customers will find a good reason to keep coming back.

Diffusion Salon
298-F Real St. (Alabang-Zapote Road), Talon Dos, Las Piñas City
357-2416, (0920) 884-7121, (0930) 566-1256
Salon hours: 11AM - 9PM daily
Southbound Directory entry

Tags: alabang zapote road, diffusion salon, las pinas, salons

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