I have always been a tomboyish girl. I like playing video games, being outside, and all types of sporty activities more than I like to shop and get pampered. I’ve never had the urge to go get my nails done or get a pedicure so I decided to step out of my comfort zone and accompany my mom to the nail salon to get a pedicure. I have never set foot inside of a nail salon before in my life. Unlike most kids I wasn’t dragged there to sit and watch my mom get her nails done when I was younger.
The first thing that I noticed as soon as I opened the door was the smell. The chemicals that are used in that place are quite potent. So potent it made the smell of bleach seem like some fancy cologne. Then my eyes caught the array of nail polish that was covering two entire walls of the salon. I didn’t know that many different colors of nail polish existed. Then I noticed the difference in areas they had set up to differentiate what type of services they are having done.
The girls that are getting their nails done and their eye brows done are all together, the girls that are just getting their nails done are together, and pedicure chairs lined the back wall. We told the person at the front entrance that we are here to receive a pedicure and he told us to stand by the chairs and someone would be right with us. We were motioned to sit in the chairs and put our feet into this tub of blue water that had massaging jets in it. Seemed a little odd to me but as soon as my feet were submerged I felt an instant relaxing sensation.
The chairs that we were sitting in also massage you, which was nice. We sat there letting our feet soak while the employees helped other customers so I had time now to sit back, relax, and observe what was going on around me. I noticed that there were 8 guys working and only 1 girl working, which I would have thought the complete opposite but now that I’ve experienced it I would much rather a guy rub and pamper my feet as opposed to a girl. The guys were all really sociable and carrying on conversations with every one of their customers, which I thought was pretty impressive.
I then started to notice the different types of people in the salon. There were ladies my mother’s age there by themselves, some with their daughters like we were, girls a little bit older than me with their girlfriends and even ladies that looked to by my grandmothers age there to get pampered. I thought this was rather interesting even though pretty obvious that at any age a girl likes to be pampered every now and then. Everyone was just relaxing, laughing, and having a good time. I heard a lot of gossip, which I expected.
I’m never in an atmosphere like this but I’m starting to like it. Then this nice man comes over and starts with the pedicure. We sit there as my mom drinks a glass of wine unwinding from all the pressures at work and carrying on a conversation among all of us. I now see why girls like this so much. It’s not all about the end result of your nails done or your feet are smooth. It’s about the atmosphere of sitting there having someone pamper you while you ramble on about your day at work or whatever is bothering you in a setting where that is appropriate.
Finally my feet are smooth as ever and my nails are painted pink we are ready to leave. We started towards the door only to get caught up in more conversation with some of the other ladies at the salon getting their nails done as well. When the conversation ended we headed for the front desk, paid, and were bombarded by what seemed like a million goodbyes as we left the salon. Needless to say, I will definitely be going back soon.
