If you're a long time reader of my blog, you might remember how over the past couple of years, i've made it a goal to learn how to be more girly. i never learned growing up. i didnt really have friends, and my mother and sister (and father and brother) are all even less girly than me, outwardly. Inwardly, i'm really not very girly at all, but i wanted to look my best, and to me, looking somewhat but not overboard girly is my best. So i researched. Mostly online, trial and error, a lot of observation... i'm still working on it.
the other day, my twitter/blog friend mary announced her operation sexification. She too, never really learned how to be girly. and then other women commented, and said they hadn't. then i realized, it wasnt just me. there are tons of women out there with no idea how to be girly. maybe they had no girly role models to teach them, maybe their friends werent girls, or just non girly girls. A lot of people seem to think their body is wrong for being girly, that you have to be very thin like a model, or, maybe, in the new piss-me-off craze, a 'real' woman has curves. Well guess what, anyone can be girly! Even if you're starting at it late. Even if your body is bigger, or (like mine) smaller than what other people tell you is girly. With a little effort, you too can be outwardly girly (dont wanna change our insides) and i'm going to help you, the way i would like to have been helped.
Every couple of months, i head down the street to the salon and get a mani/pedi and an eyebrow wax. Let's talk about the eyebrows first. My junior year in college, my best friend in college elisabeth and i went to cancun for vacation. I think i was 20. we were getting ready to go out one night, and she took me and plucked my eyebrows for me. they were kinda full before then. i didnt know how/what to do with them. after i felt so sexi with long hair, a dress, a tan, and plucked eyebrows. Over the years, i've realized, plucking your own eyebrows hurts. and its SO easy to mess up. go get it done professionally. i've also realized you cant go too often, or there will be wax buildup and your hair might stop growing lol. Try every couple of months, and maybe pluck the stray hair now and then in between times. The trend tends toward letting people have fuller eyebrows, so its better to be on the safe side. Find a place you like. They should know how to shape it. You might get puffy for a little but after but if it goes over 15 min or so, find a new place, they did it wrong. You can get a good eyebrow wax for $8-12. There are places that charge way more, but you don't need to pay that much, and in fact, i get a better wax at the cheaper places. Just this one act frames your face and makes you feel so much prettier!
I got my first mani/pedi around 2 yrs ago on my way to vacation in palm springs. it takes up a good chunk of time and its more of a luxury, so i dont do it too often. in fact, its only in the past year that i've been doing it regularly. but it makes such a difference! Find a place you like, and that you can relax. One that has massage chairs and soapy tubs for your feet. A mani pedi can cost $20-25. My mother was suckered into a $50 one in NH. Mine cost $25 in SF and come out great. Don't waste your money. They have you pick your colors, and they always have tons of fun colors. Opi and essie are good brands. Wear pants you can roll up, or a skirt/shorts. Likewise, make sure your sleeves roll up. They will offer you something to drink and a magazine. A lot of women totally ignore the nail technicians as they work. I feel awkward doing that. I tend to watch. They will soak you, trim your hang nails, soften and fix your cuticles, and then the hard part, where they buff your feet, mine are sensitive! lol. There is often a scrub on your feet and legs. There should always be warm lotion with a small massage on your feet, legs, hands and arms. They should paint an undercoat, 2-3 color coats, and a top coat. If you don't want the polish, they will ask you if you want a buff. This is just them shining up your nails with no nailpolish, so say yes. But polish gives you a very put together and finished look. Your toe polish should last you weeks. The nail polish will probably last about one week. You can go back and get a repolish for usually around $5 where they will remove the old chipped polish, and put new, all without the whole spa experience. The spa-ness is good to do every couple of months to keep you from being all hang naily and callusy and bleh. It also promotes younger looking skin on your hands and feet, where age tends to show. Don't forget to tip your nail/brow people. I am always unsure, so i tip like i'm in a restaurant, 20%. The whole thing, brow, mani/pedi, should take about an hour. You'll come away from the whole experience feeling relaxed, pampered, pretty, and put together looking. And that's your lesson for today.
