Shop Smart, Shop Small

      It’s possible that you have seen the ads on T.V. and in print about shopping at local businesses, start-ups and Mom & Pop stores and have changed the usual way of doing business- you know, looking stuff up on Amazon or E-Bay for the cheapest price on over-advertised products. Old habits die hard so I’m writing a bit tongue-in-cheek but very serious about this new and important trend. My thoughts are along the order of the salvation of the American economy. It’s not just about shopping for products made in America- although that’s also important don’t get me wrong! It’s just as important that we recognize and shop smaller businesses because that’s where the lifeblood of our economy and getting back on our financial feet is truly going to happen. Statistics show that for every $100 spent at local small businesses, $68 of that amount returns or stays within the community. This means that small business owners are also supporting local, small businesses! That is a true win/win situation that is guaranteed to help us restructure and keep our communities strong financially.

     If you shop at or work for big business operations and national megastores this may come as a shock to you but that business may not sell items made in America and therefore doesn’t support the local economy. The revenue from the items sold will most likely support only the corporate headquarters locality or somewhere other than your own community. These stores are the reason that the buzzword ‘global’ has taken on a life of its own. Going global doesn’t necessarily mean we are buying products that are outsourced but too often they are where big business is concerned and they wouldn’t be able to offer you the discounts they give without outsourcing.

      Independent small businesses take on many forms in the shape of non-mall music stores, shoe shops or repair, florists, independent bookstores, upstart coffee shops, resell fashion and small beauty salons. Size isn’t our only difference. We get our products from producers and industry that make these supplies in small batches or by hand, often, with obviously better quality. We make up for size with quality, care and a personal touch that cannot be replaced with speed, discounting or large quantity supplies. Innovative ideas and techniques more often start as a small business than in a big box test lab.

      I am a person who loves to buy blank books in which I hand write my diaries and journals. I like to buy handmade blank books when I can. One time I found some beautifully handmade blank books at a renaissance fair in Larkspur, CO and practically bought the proprietress completely out. Each one is unique and I’ve never seen any others remotely like them. Believe it or not I’ve filled every one of those books long since. (I’ve been journaling since I was a pre-teen.) You should have seen this woman. I’m sure that was a happy dance in the back of the stall. Other manufactured books I’ve written in are falling apart and hers are still nearly indestructible after all these years. This is just one illustration but I think I’ve made my point.

      The way we shop or receive services can either make a difference as I’ve stated above or contribute to an economy that no longer supports us. American Express has dedicated a web site to this shopping phenomenon in hopes that it can aid not just the economy but the backbone of all business in our country and around the world. Even the wealthiest of our country, if we trace back their history, started out with modest businesses. Hard work and dedication plus some very smart business strategy made them what they are today- employers on a grand scale.

     For this Christmas season I encourage you to get out there and look for those shops that may be on a wing and a prayer today but may eventually support half your town because you gave them the opportunity over big box. You’ll also sleep better knowing that you are helping your own community. That’s worth it right there.  

Keep Calm and Shop Local !

The Castle Lady

Can Nail Grooming be Considered Repulsive Behavior?

      Back in 2009 when I was perusing Global Traveler magazine online I found a blog entry by the vice president and associate publisher of the magazine, Alex Young, and it really made me think about public behavior of women when it comes to personal grooming.

The following is his blog entry in its entirety:

Pet Peeves

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008

I know we all have them. On a train ride home on the NJ transit, the woman

across from me decided to clip her nails for the world to see and hear. I was

peeved! Granted some may say I have become spoiled traveling in business and

first class, but I am happy to take public transportation to get me where I need

to go. I do it everyday, on the subways, trains etc.. but there are some

behaviors I believe are just not meant for public spaces. Essentially, anything

that should be designated for your bathroom, like nail clipping, should not be

done on a train!

I admit I was so repulsed that I ended up staring in her direction in what must

have seemed like a dirty look. She caught notice of me and gave me a look right

back! I couldn’t believe it. It’s not as if I went into her own home and told

her what to do and not do, but there are some personal items not meant for the

train!

Gum chewing, I have to say, is another. Ever sit next to someone who is chomping

on their gum so loudly you feel like you should be in a pasture with the cows?

Anyway, I consider these to be simple manners, or common courtesy, that do not

seem to catch on to everyone. But what is one to do? Is it the wrong thing to

ask the woman to stop clipping her nails, or tell someone to chew with their

mouth closed? Help me out here people, what would you do?

Here are some additional complaints on You Tube just in case you think it's an isolated incident: 
(Asian woman cutting her nails in public and on a train full of passengers !)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mBlUYEfjLw   

     I came across Alex's article again when I was looking for something else, recently. My initial reaction to this encounter which was not good for Alex, obviously, is still the same. I do think that it was absolutely repulsive behavior to exhibit in public. It’s right up there with picking your nose and spitting when you get right down to it. These acts are too personal to share with strangers and it is meant to be done privately or not at all.

     I’ll go a step further with this particular act. Nail clipping when done incorrectly is downright dangerous. Anyone who has ever been hit with a flying chunk of finger or toe nail clipping can attest to that so it goes all the way to being completely obnoxious and in my estimation should have gotten this woman removed from the train! This is actually antisocial behavior. What this woman did is no less dangerous than smoking on the train or vehemently arguing with someone.

     Being a professional manicurist/nail tech has helped me put this in perspective, knowing the rudiments of personal hand care. I can tell you what I would have done if put in the same situation. First, I would have told her what I do for a living and given her a card. I would have told her that there is a time and a place for everything and that this was not the place for her to clip her nails, put on lipstick or comb her hair. Professionals do these acts under sanitary conditions and take specific precautions when doing their work so everything remains sanitary. If being embarrassed by a licensed pro doesn’t stop someone from committing an antisocial act such as this, then they can only expect people to shun and avoid them when they do.

Enough said.

The Castle Lady

It's Combined Service Deals Month and Our 50th Anniversary !

Even though we've been in the middle of a big heat wave you don't have to plant yourself in the kiddie pool 'til September in order to get relief! If you're lucky enough to live in Athmar Park or in Denver you can mosey on over to Nails for Life at Mary Jane's Beauty Salon where we're having a 50th anniversary combined service daily deals celebration!

     All you have to do to get in on the deals is call in each day to find out what service will get you a sweet deal at the coolest nail spa in town! A sampling of what you will hear is along the lines of manicure and pedicure combinations for $40 rather the regular prices of $30 for the pedicure and 17.50 for the manicure. Combining services also saves time so it's a definite win/win deal. Perhaps you'd like to get a set of nails and you have a friend who wants to come along and get a manicure. You will be able to use a combined service deal on the day it's offered just by mentioning your friend who may receive a complimentary add-on to her service such as a paraffin treatment! Talk about a sweet deal ! These will change everyday so you must call in as soon as Tuesday to initiate the process. You can leave a message requesting the deal or if it's not what you're expecting that day, you can leave a message with a request for what you need and leave a call back number to get an offer on the next opportunity for the deal you want. Fun, huh ?

     This will start on August 29th and run through the month of September. Days open are Tuesday through Saturday so there will be quite a few deals to grab. Leave a comment if you have an idea for a deal you would like. I'm ready for something fun- this is my birthday month.
 

Be sure to check in everyday !

      

     

Professional Manicures

and how to know if you actually got one....

     If you believe that having nails is the greatest and newest invention then you are completely uninformed about manicure and pedicure evolution. As a matter of fact there is no profession (except for one we won't mention) as old as the practice of beautification of hands and nails. Check out the following ancient time line provided by Crabtree and Evelyn:

     Yes, green henna actually imparts red on nails as well as hair and it adds a sheen along with a conditioning coat on nails- just as with the hair which is quite durable against chemical and oxidation damage. I did henna manicures back in 1977 right out of school and they were every bit as popular as sculptured nails- as we called acrylic then...

     Today, the big 3 free formulas are considered safer than what was being distributed for consumer use in the beginning of the 20th century but the quality of the staying power has been compromised a little in the name of safety. Nothing has replaced the professional manicure, however, and I'm going to show you the steps which must be present.

     Very briefly, the first step is removal of any old polish which may be on the nails. If you have no polish remains on your nail this step is unnecessary and unwarranted since it has a drying effect on the nail. The next step is for your nails to be filed correctly which is done in one direction on either side of the nail. Beveling for smoothness can be done in the exact opposite direction only. At this point you will soak your nails in either soap and water solution, an oil or cream preparation especially for manicures. (Don't be afraid to ask and look at labels on products.) 

     Once the massage has been done then the next step is to work on the cuticles. Most manicurists will use cuticle remover unless the soaking solution is already set for such preparation. Those with glycerin in them are for the specific purpose of pushing back cuticles and are intended to avoid the step of cuticle removers and/or cutting. If you are soaked in soap and water, a cuticle remover is absolutely necessary for pushing back the cuticles and should be washed off prior to polish application. Cutting cuticles with a soap and water manicure is de rigeur. Once you have arrived at a cleaned nail and are satisfied with this portion then the nail enamel or lacquer is the next final set of steps. First your technician will apply a basecoat that most suits your nail type, followed by the color enamel or lacquer of two coats then a final topcoat. That is standard procedure.

     If you see other or more steps during the process they are not incorrect and are generally at the discretion of the manicurist. Additional steps are not wrong nor unconventional and you'll find, if you go to many different nail techs, that they all have their own style and unique way of doing just about every step of their manicures.

     What you will learn about your nails and hands with continued visits to professionals is valuable and if the technicians are informative you'll eventually know what to throw away and what to keep from your experiences within a month of regular care. Manicures should be done once a week for maximum effect. By keeping your manicures consistent you can track your progress easier. If you get involved in the maintenance you may find that you are one of the lucky people who can go every two weeks. More power to you !

Today's manicures are product contingent more than ever before but I would take that idea to task, to be honest. More now than ever, the professional tech in question has more to do with your success with manicures than the products she uses. Her level of expertise and technique will determine whether your nails are filed correctly, conditioned right, cleaned properly and polished well. Each step should be done correctly according to the proper application of the different products and there are many professional products- quite a few you have probably never heard about or seen. For me, it's a plus that there really is nothing new under the sun even though new companies and new products spring up every year. I am familiar with all the products that are used today because of many years of keeping up with the professional trade magazines and trying almost every product on the professional market. With the training plus trial and error that goes with learning each medium and each medium's line of professional products I have kept my finger on the pulse of one of the most prosperous industries in the world.  

    

Until next time,

  

The Castle Lady

    

              My next subject will be on professional pedicures standard procedure. 

Stay connected for more.

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, Part 3: A picture is worth a thousand words...

     The esthetics of nail art may be a matter of taste but because I have my own set of rules concerning the employment of art on fingernails I have decided to let photos explain. If you have read my previous two entries on the subject you'll know that rules can be broken or bent especially when the subject is art. Sometimes it's best to show, by comparison, what you're trying to say with mere words. Making hands beautiful is the main object and the primary reason why women want to have longer or better manicured nails and art on their nails should be another expression of that beauty. To me, the art is secondary to the overall look and the colors must coordinate your hands, nails and fashion together. 

     That is why I definitely like this set of nail art  

              but really do not care for this at all.    

     Panoramic murals are fascinating because it is an amazing achievement of artwork from nail to nail, as if it was just a long paneled canvas. Interestingly, this particular technique is executed much easier by placing strategic dots on each of the nails so that when you put the nails together the art corresponds exactly to the next panel- from nail to nail. Wearing complicated art will get people staring at your nails for all the wrong reasons, though, to say nothing of the  expense. Once you watch the process you'll understand why. Some of the art will be pre-painted on wrap sheets prior to application. It can save time but not necessarily be any less expensive. The other drawback is that it's a lot of money spent just to have someone look at your hands as if you're the creature from the black lagoon or equivalent.   It's just my opinion but I don't believe this art belongs outside of a nail art competition.

     

     I like this because the style on the nails fits the makeup, hair and outfit on this model. When she changes she'll have to choose the same colors she's wearing or have a quick removal of the art and reapply something else. When I began doing nail art back in the early 80s it wasn't popular even though I lived in Southern California. I was like a maverick in the salon where I worked. I got very good, quite quickly and many women asked for some paintings or designs over and over again, particularly for Halloween. I even developed my own art deco style which nearly all of my patrons opted for because I could combine colors that fit their entire wardrobe.

     Things changed when they started running professional nail art competitions because the drive to be different and over the top has always been a benchmark for serious professional beauty business competitions. Fashion designers followed suit and it showed in  70s, 80s and even styles in the 90s but to a lesser degree. My opinion about nail art remains the same in that I think art should enhance and not take over your look. Gaudy nail art should be outlawed in my opinion. I feel that way about all wearable or functional art. I've met and schmoozed with people who can paint faithful portraits of famous people and even favorite pets on fingernails! When it comes to nail art there's nothing like the real deal and exceptional talent. 

     Andy Warhol need not apply. Polish that is !  

 Happy Holidays !

The Castle Lady