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Chronicles of a Day Spa

So, as we all know by personal experience or assume-without-questioning, day spas are simply fabulous. Luxurious body wraps, cleansing facials, mani/pedis, massages; it feels like we step out of the rat race and into our own little piece of heaven. Well, while I do appreciate this blessed respite, I must admit that the best thing about day spas is the opportunity for unabashed people watching! What fun! A girl goes in for a simple hour (or four) of R&R, and walks away with an arsenal of amusing anecdotes guaranteed to entertain for hours on end. I refer to The Chronicles of a Day Spa.

Let's start with Nail Girl. A freshly scrubbed Young Urban Professional. Chic attire, fabulous footwear, gorgeous tote clutched in hands badly in need of a manicure. Actually, her left hand is in tip-top shape--fresh set of French nails. Hmm, consider having French nails done too. But I digress. Back to Nail Girl. Her right hand seems to have undergone some sort of devastating battle. The nails are not chipped, not simply broken, but have perfect circular chunks taken right out of them. Due to the super friendly atmosphere in my day spa of choice, we are all commiserating with her in no time at all and thus privy to her sad tale. Turns out she's a newly minted PR girl, first year in the real working world and low girl on the totem pole. She was preparing documents for a binder, was temporarily distracted by the cute boy from the mailroom and pushed the papers a little too far into the automatic three hole punch. Happy ending however--not only did she get a quickie nail repair on her lunch hour, but cute mail boy asked for her phone number while he was helping her extract her remaining fingernails from the offending office equipment!

Oh, the tales I can tell. There's Really Smelly Mud Girl. She tried to create her own mud bath (assuming the mud in her backyard would be sufficient). Needless to say, it did not contain the proper combination of clay, peat and mineral hot springs. It also plugged her plumbing, so she came skulking into the spa, trailing chunks of mud from her Juicy's, and begged the mercy of the Seaweed Wrap Girl to help her remove the stench and dried chunks. Some things are not meant for DIY!

Then there's Eyelash Extension Lady. She boldly attempted to affix her first pair of false lashes, but made the mistake of picking up the wrong tube. Instead of the eyelash adhesive, she reached into her drawer and happened upon a tube of extra strong super glue—and not the skin-proof kind! Enough said. After several grueling hours with the spa professionals, the crisis was reversed.

But my very favorite disaster of all was the Grass-Burn Woman—I'd say she was in her mid-twirties. Blonde hair, designer denim, über-chic sweater, darling ballet flats. But her HAIR! I have never seen anything like it. From the back, all was well. But when she turned around, it appeared as though someone had massacred her bangs with a rusty, dull hacksaw. She was promptly seated (conveniently at the station next to yours truly--the acoustics were perfect) and as she walked by I took a closer (yet still casual and non-invasive) peek at the problem at hand. Imagine the melted bulge at the end of a piece of rope that keeps it from fraying. Picture in mind? Good. Now add bits of wet grass.

Turns out, this dear woman was earning extra brownie points with her hubby by cleaning the barbeque grill in preparation for his big Super Bowl Sunday Barbecue and All-You-Can-Eat- Crabfest. Apparently one of the gas lines has loosened. She threw in the match to ignite the grill and next thing she knew she was rolling in the sprinklers to extinguish her blazing hair! As an added bonus, she had also just mowed the lawn (hence the tiny bits of wet grass).

While Sheila, Guru of Hair Disasters, worked her miracle on Grass-Burn Woman, I asked (out of pure curiosity mind you) what on earth she had done that required the earning of said brownie points. She replied that it wasn't what she had done, but what she intended to do. Smart woman!

What you'll notice, I hope, from these stories is that these women's horrors were fixed at the spa.They entered as disasters and left perfectly set, extended and styled. The day spa can truly work miracles (and a trip to the spa will always provide you with at least one great chronicle to pass on to the world outside). But should you find yourself in need of a quick fix, an at-home treatment will perk you up and/or calm you down. I have compiled a treasure trove of products for your perusal and consideration.

Hair treatments: If you're yearning for shiny, soft, healthy hair, start by giving it the attention it deserves! Hair masques will nourish your hair and make a world of difference—and can be done in the privacy of your own home. Plus, there are mountains of at-home hair masques to choose from! Masques for shine, revival, and invigoration. And if you want an everyday helper, look for conditioners for silkening and strengthening your hair during your daily shower routine. Good hair conditioners can run the price gamut. Experimenting with conditioners is my game, and I can assure you that more money does not always equal better product. It is a good idea to experiment, to change conditioners often; this maximizes the benefit to your hair. (You also get to try tons of yummy scents!) It's also fun! I am currently reminiscing with my faithful friend Pantene Pro-V and my hair is shiny and super soft.

Facial masques: Cleansing, awakening, tightening, and hydrating facial masques will make your skin feel and look wonderful. For those days when time is just too precious, just leave a cream face wash on for an extra minute or so during your morning shower. It will leave your skin tingly and squeaky clean!

Exfoliating treatments: Exfoliating brightens and softens your skin. Picadilly and Tallulah offers a delightful variety of sugar body scrubs. I have the Lemon Verbena—it smells fantastic and my skin is ultra soft after each use. Be sure to use a facial exfoliate as well. For an aromatic, therapeutic facial exfoliate, try Peter Thomas Roth. It's fabulous!

Relaxing soak: Nothing says de-stress like a nice soak in a steamy bath. This at-home spa package is the perfect relax and unwind treatment. (Makes a great Valentine hint!) Thrown on some relaxing music, light an fragrant candle and settle in for a soothing, sweet-smelling soak.

Mani/Pedi: Give your fingers and toes a once-over. Make your nails looks beautiful by getting rid of any dead, dry and damaged skin surrounding them. Don't forget to moisturize! A luscious hand creme will provide maximum hand-holding potential. Looking for a more natural look? Top your nails off with this to get a freshly buffed, healthy look.

Atmosphere: To make the most of this at-home indulgence, select an area of your home and transform it into your own mini day spa. A cheerful floral arrangement, soothing tunes and flickering aromatherapy candles will create the perfect pampering atmosphere.

Spoil yourselves, girls. It's going to be a beautiful year! (And speaking of spoiling, I've always wanted a personal shopper!)

Girly

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Event

Denim & Diamonds, an event in support of the Wake County Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Check it out on Feb 9th, Triangle Town Center, Raleigh, NC