MANILA, Philippines ? Twenty-five years ago, Agnes Mantolino put up a salon and named it Regine's, after her mother. When Ayala Arcade was torn down, Regine's moved to West Drive Arcade, also in Makati, then to Park Square II, and finally to its present location in the Link.

Mantolino's daughter Karin, no doubt inspired by her mother's success, went on to become L'Oreal Professionnel's first Identity Artist (ID) in the Philippines.

Karin took up Psychology at Ateneo de Manila, but finding great satisfaction in making people happy through makeovers, she decided to attend color seminars in L'Oreal.

After passing written, oral and practical exams, she earned her Color Expert degree and became a finalist for the Next Generation category in 2006. She then graduated with honors in the Color Expert Revalida in 2008. She also took cutting techniques in Elle Academe Malaysia.

As an ID artist, she inspires young people to consider hairstyling as profession. She goes to different salons in Manila to share the latest techniques in the craft.

Fave hairstyles

Karin favors edgy, textured, dramatic hairstyles. She leans toward short hair-'40s and '60s-inspired but with a more modern twist. Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham's looks are right down her alley.

She uses color to reinvent longer styles using vibrant red tones. She also loves curls, layers and fringes.

However, she is a firm believer that sophisticated cuts and colors have no use if clients find them unmanageable. "It's all about communication, I really listen to what the client wants," she says.

Karin's six-day workweek demands a mix-and-match wardrobe. Her professional look involves tops with sleeves and closed shoes. Fit and fabric dominate the quality of her choice in clothes. Being in the beauty industry, she fearlessly experiments with color.