• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

La Charmed Life

The Art of Living Imperfectly

tips

Nail Salon Tips for the Uninitiated

August 17, 2017 by Darcy 5 Comments

When I was growing up, my mom, a former beauty queen, chewed her fingernails, dyed her own hair and only used mascara, eyeliner and lipstick. She didn’t even have blush. She’d just dot her cheeks with lipstick and rub it in. Her beauty advice was limited to “wear slips” (see “Confessions of an Old Lady”) and “red is your power color” (this is not true nor has it ever been). We lived nearly an hour away from a spa. Bottom line: pedicures were not part of the family lexicon.

I think I got my first pedicure to impress my husband. By impress, I mean, gross him out less. I am a chronic flip-flop wearer. I change this up by going barefoot. Thusly, I have what my friend Tami refers to as “puppy pads.” That is a polite way of saying heels that resemble a geographic feature.

As with anything I do for the first time, the thought of going to a spa or salon filled me with high anxiety. Once I finally did, I suffered through bruising leg massages, shoddy paint jobs and questionable sanitation practices.

Here are some things I learned along the way:

Do your research.

Yelp salons and spas in your area and take the time to read beyond the stars. While a place may have earned five stars, not every technician is a five star nail artist, so try to book with someone reviewers positively mentioned by name. Look at the posted pictures–do you like the vibe? Does it seem clean/updated?

Don’t be afraid to change.

If you didn’t like your experience, don’t go there again. If you didn’t like the person with whom you had your appointment, book with someone else. I think as women, we tend to sacrifice in order to protect people’s feelings. Don’t settle!!

Speak up.

I always feel out of my league when I’m shopping in a fancy store (read: not Target) or getting a luxury service performed. However, my dear friend Coco, herself a hair dresser, shared a game changing line with me: “you’re the customer, they just work there.” I know this sounds super snooty. Hear me out. I tend to forget that I’m the one paying for the service, and I think sometimes those in customer service forget this at times as well. Don’t be afraid to politely request something be done differently. If you remain silent, you’ll feel frustrated that you wasted your money on something you weren’t satisfied with.

Be prepared.

Look into trends you might want to try. Find pictures on the internet. Know what to expect from the products and services offered by the place you’ve chosen. Know that a regular manicure will last you to the car. Call ahead to make sure your technician can meet your needs (does gel, nail designs, what have you).

Match.


Once you’ve found your sole mate (get it?), book exclusively with that person. He or she will get to know your preferences and you will know exactly what to expect.

Now that I found my salon, I never go anywhere else. To me, it feels like the salon in Steel Magnolias, except everyone is From southern Vietnam.

I’m still learning, so what tips can you salon/spa veterans offer a newb like me?

P.S. I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed the medley of photos showcasing my digits and our flooring.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: beauty, mom fashion, nails, newbie, salons, spas, tips

Theme Parties on Budgeted Time and Money

August 13, 2017 by Darcy 1 Comment

Create an Inspiration Board

As soon as I get an idea for a party, I start a Pinterest board devoted to related decorations, food, drinks, etc.

Definitely over pin. You never know what will be useful and sometimes one idea can lead to another.

Invitations

Save money by sending out a text message. I use the app Pic-Collage to create quick, themed invites, often times using screen shots from the Internet as images (possibly not legally). Once I save the collage I create to my photo library, I can just send out my little invite in a group text.

Use What You Have

A lot of times, I can put what I already have to use, rather than buying decorations. Consider repurposing objects, such as using books or toys in displays.
For example, using my son’s books and toys saved me from Amazon’s siren song of construction decor.

Utilize Sensory Decorations

Music is huge for creating a mood around a party. Pandora is a great app for making stations to support a theme or you can ask Alexa to play related music, if your home is as tech saturated as mine. Choose a movie or series that matches your theme as well. Hulu, Amazon Prime and YouTube might offer you the perfect option.

Be a Decoration

Find how-tos online as to make-up and hair. Mine thrift stores, the Internet and your own closet. Remember that all fashion is cyclical, so even if you don’t have a diamond necklace from the ’30s, you might have a statement necklace from Target that you got in the DiCaprio driven Gatsby revival.

Here I am killing it (no pun intended) as Bonnie Parker for a 1930s birthday.

Tips for Success:

Make lists. To do, grocery, guests, you name it. I use the notes app on my phone so they are always with me and easy to modify.

Try to do as much as you can before hand. Just tackle a little at a time when you have the time.

Focus on what will offer the most juice for the squeeze. If no one will notice the difference between homemade lemonade and frozen concentrate, throw some fresh lemon slices in a pitcher of prepared lemonade and call it a day.

Allow enough time for you to comfortably get ready. Try to be presentable an hour prior to when you can expect your first guests. You can go back to work when you’re done, but at least you’ll be ready to receive guests. Believe the voice of experience on this one!

Get inspired by what’s out there, but make it yourself. Again, it seems like a time suck, but if you start early, you can get a lot done in ten minute increments.
Deviled eggs for my ’60s party. I made them in ten minute intervals over several weeks. Just kidding.

So, there you have it. I love to throw parties, but kids definitely present a challenge to living up to my old celebration standards. What tricks do you have for making a party happen when time and or money is tight??

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Party Time, Uncategorized Tagged With: party planning, tips

Primary Sidebar

Previous Posts

Trending Topics

Aging au pair au pair in america babies beauty bedtime stories compassion dogs fall 2017 fall trends fashion fashion at 30 fashion tips flowers furbabies Gerbera daisies Gerber daisies helpers holiday Humor kids life hacks literature love mom fashion Mr. Rogers nails newbie Old lady stuff parenting tips party planning pets raising sons read aloud reading salons sleep spas talking to kids tantrums teacher tips Tragedy working mom working moms

Categories

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright © 2019 · Lifestyle Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in