Take care of you

I don’t know about you but far too often, I catch myself taking care of others and tend to forget about doing things for myself.

Shocking I know.

But sometimes, an opportunity pops up that allows you to truly take care of yourself… and dare I say it, get a little pampered.

This past Tuesday, Traci and I were invited to explore an Austin Salon & Spa for some pampering and I jumped at the chance.

Traci and I met up with the gals over at eThree and Vital Skin Care here in Austin.  From the moment I passed through the doors (just after the overly excited hugs between friends) I was met with the feeling that this was more than just a spa.  The welcoming atmosphere and friendly gals behind the counter made me feel comfortable in a setting where I might normally feel like a fish out of water.

For those who know me, you know that I love my eyes.  I find them to be my best feature… on my face anyway… and on the rare occasion that I actually wear makeup, you can bet that it’s my eyes that get the bulk of my attention.  I’ve seen others who have gotten eyelash extensions and have always wanted to try it out for myself.  As Erica led me back to the room, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect but she explained each step of the process completely as she worked.  When she had completed the first eye, and gave me a chance to look in the mirror I was shocked.

Ok so it’s bad lighting and all but holy crap what a difference that made.  (ignore my unruly brows – those are next).  The service I received was a mini-set to test it out so can you imagine just how amazing it would be to have a full set?

An now, three days later, they still look amazing.  In order to keep them looking this awesome, they will require upkeep of course because as your lashes grow, you’ll need fills and touch-ups.  Kind of reminds me of when I used to get my nails done every couple of weeks… you know before I started doing them myself.

After both eyes were lashed, it was time to tame my brows.  Normally, I’m a plucker kinda gal.  Not because of my masochistic tendancies, but because of the fact that every single time I’ve gone in to get my eyebrows done somewhere, it is suggested that I might have additional waxing needs for my upper lip.  Which is insulting… and most likely just an opportunity to pad the bill at a less than reputable salon.  In other facilities, little time is spent asking me how I’d like my brows handled and instead the technician simply goes to town with the smearing and ripping.

That was not the case with Megan.  Megan took the time to talk with me about what I wanted without judgment but with recommendations about how to frame my eyes in the most flattering way.  After the first pass, I was given the opportunity to see her handiwork.  While beautiful, it wasn’t quite enough and we went back for round two.  I did not mind this AT ALL.  As she said, it’s better to take off a little and go back for more rather than taking off too much.

I know it sounds a bit corny, but when she was done, coupled with my new lashes, I felt like a completely new woman.  I felt flirty and fun and ready to take on the town to be honest.  It amazed me how much of a difference it made.

After my amazing experience with these wonderful ladies, I hit the Googles to see what others thought about lash extensions specifically.  I was shocked by the horror stories out there from other technicians and I felt even more thankful that I was in the hands of such amazing artisans.

Obviously these gals do more than just lashes and brows.  In fact, there are a slew of other services offered including spray tans, microdermabrasion, and facials.  Did you know that you should see a trained Esthetician a couple times a year for skin care?   Facials are far more necessary to healthy, glowing skin than I realized so ladies, (and gents) take care of you.  Take some time to treat yourself to something that will help you to feel refreshed and renewed.  You deserve it.

**Disclaimer – I was provided services by these two companies in exchange for my honest opinions.  No additional compensation was received and as always the opinions within are completely my own.***