Mary Simisim established BlueWater Day Spa in 2005, and since then, her business has expanded to cater to a wider variety of guests, including expectant mothers who also deserve much-needed pampering during such a happy but demanding stage in their lives.
By Maan D’Asis Pamaran
Photography by Mark Chester Ang
Today’s “hustle” culture means having to keep up with several tasks that all need to be accomplished as soon as possible and almost at the same time. That’s why it is important that we are at our best to manage everything that life throws at us. One way to navigate the demands of life is to include self-care in our regular routine.
Back in the day, taking some time to decompress from a busy lifestyle was often viewed as a luxury and not a necessity. This shouldn’t be the case because self-care, apart from being important, isn’t difficult to do. It can simply be spending an hour of your time being pampered through a soothing and relaxing massage.
Promoting self-care among Filipinos has been the mission of entrepreneur Mary Simisim when she established BlueWater Day Spa back in 2005. The idea of opening a spa initially came from her desire to address her own self-care needs.
“The concept of spas was very new back then, and it was also by-appointment only. So, it was a challenge to be accommodated and have a treatment without prior booking. Even then, a good number of Filipinos know and appreciate the importance of certain services offered by some of the country’s leading spas, but one had to book his or her appointment way in advance,” says Mary.
“There were times when my husband and I wanted to get massages but since we did not have an appointment, we would discover that there were no available slots. This eventually made me decide to open my own spa business. A place where we can go for those much-needed massages and treatments whenever we wanted. This is also why we have always accepted customer walk-ins,” she adds.
Innovating the industry
From the beginning, her concept for BlueWater Day Spa was to come up with a wholesome and family-friendly establishment. “And to achieve this kind of ambiance, we really invest and think of ways to make sure that our spas are bright yet relaxing,” she shares. “At the same time, we regularly introduce new treatments that have health benefits to promote self-care and well-being among our clients, as well as to do our part in uplifting the image of the spa industry in the Philippines.”
Mary has also been making sure that their services are top-notch, with signature treatments offered by their therapists that go beyond the usual massages that are available everywhere else. “We launch new services every two to three years. We have a trainer from India who teaches our therapists new relaxation techniques for clients to experience and enjoy,” she adds.
Their latest service, the Aroma Chakra massage, involves the use of crystals to align a client’s chakra. “It’s different from the deep-tissue massages that we are used to. It helps the client relax by stimulating the body’s circulation with the use of real crystals. There is a mindfulness involved in the process rather than just applying pressure on the muscles,” Mary explains.
Mom’s the word
Believe it or not, their list of specialized services also includes pregnancy and baby massages. “When you are pregnant, you are dealing with a lot of sore muscles, but massages are usually not advised by doctors,” says Mary. “This need not be the case. We make sure that therapists handling expectant clients are trained in prenatal massage. But before we provide any form of service, we ask our expectant clients to first provide us with their doctors’ approval.”
Both “infanticipating” mothers and those with babies should give BlueWater Day Spa’s offerings a try. “Our baby massage also helps calm babies so they can sleep better and, of course, so will their mommies.”
To ensure quality and consistency of service, Mary and her team also take customer feedback seriously. “We look at ways to improve their experience. Ultimately, we want our clients to feel relaxed and pampered with every visit,” she adds.
To provide clients with more options, BlueWater Day Spa recently launched The Skin Elements Face and Body Lounge as a separate venue. That’s another thing that differentiates Mary’s offerings from her competitors.
By getting feedback, for instance, they are able to offer a menu of soothing and pampering treatments that resonate with a majority of their clients.
“We always had skin treatments at BlueWater Day Spa, but we felt that this could be an area where we can improve on and where our staff can focus on providing skin care to our customers. Which is why we opened our first pilot branch of The Skin Elements at Eton Square, Greenhills, San Juan,” Mary explains.
Like any businesswoman, Mary has seen and experienced the highs and lows of her day spa chain. However, being resilient, she continues to face all the challenges with her positive, against-all-odds mindset.
Now, she says, things are back to normal. During certain days, the number of customers even exceeds pre-pandemic numbers. And this, Mary is happy to note, applies to all their branches.
“I think the pandemic taught a lot of us the importance of self-care and taking the time out to relax. Now that everything it seems is back to how it was, traffic jams, hectic schedules and all, more people want and feel the need to be pampered,” she shares.
Unwinding for wellness
On a personal note, Mary has always placed a high value on family. “My father was a businessman and I saw in him the value of hard work. It was his dedication that allowed us to get a good education,” says the Economics graduate from the University of Santo Tomas.
Growing up, she and her siblings were taught the value of simple and practical living. These days, though, she lavishes her time on her three children and four grandchildren. “We like to take vacations and go out to eat on weekends. My grandchildren’s current favorite is the hotpot,” she says with a smile.
Her own indulgence, she says, are bags. “I dress simply for the office, to set a business-like tone, but I really love collecting bags. I believe it is important to have something for yourself. Something that gives you happiness, whether they’re designer bags or shoes, or simply putting in some me time, without worrying about work or things at home,” she admits.
Mary also advises people, especially regular clients, to take some me time to be able to rest and recharge. “You can’t look after other people if you are running on empty. That is why you also need to endeavor to look and feel good inside and out. Because if you treat yourself right and feel good about yourself, it will reflect on how you project your presence to the world.”
Art direction by Dexter Francis de Vera
Makeup by Dino Lazaro
Hair by Icko Enriquez
Styling by Geo Palmiano and Mike de Guzman for MGP, assisted by Ysabelle Bianca Viray
