Monday, July 30, 2007

Once and for all, and all for what?

My next door neighbour is currently going to esthetics school. A few weeks ago, while sitting around the bonfire (god, I love the country) we started talking manicures. I confided that I'd only ever had two (fie, for shame!) in my life, that both consisted of acrylic overlay to strengthen my natural nail, and that both had a life of about 48 hours before they began to lift off my natural nail. She scoffed at the poor workmanship of my previous Estheticians and offered to do my next manicure for $40 dollars, about half the price I'd pay in a salon.

Saturday, we finally got around to making it happen. Here's the breakdown.

The first hour was spent in preparation. There are powders and liquids, bonding agents and nail jewels, five different files - not to mention the pot that apparently needs to be smoked before the laying of product can begin... hey, I did say that I'm in the country now, and she did say that she liked to have a plan. Cannabis is said to aid in the production of creative juices.

Anyway, that first hour passed without incident. It took all of ten minutes to prep the nails of both hands so they were ready for acrylic. The next two hours was spent applying, shaping, filing acrylic to my left hand with a brief flurry of "Shit, you made me bleed!" **A short, two hour break followed so that Wolf and I could honour a dinner date at the local pub, then we were back at it.** It took another two hours to re-prep and complete the overlay on my right hand.

As I said, that was Saturday. Today, at least five of the overlays are pulling up. I say at least because much of my pinky nail is covered in a Superman Band-aid, protection for my raw and bleeding cuticle.

Summary:
I spent five hours with a pot smoking student (whom, I discovered, is only 2 months into her 8 month esthetics course,) having uneven, misshapen, bubbly acrylic nails applied, which have taken less than 48 hours to begin pulling up, for half price!

I am thankful, though. When we first began talking esthetics, her class was learning the art of the Brazilian Bikini Wax.

4 comments:

Masked Mom said...

After the nails the Brazilian would probably put you in the hospital...Here's hoping she finishes her other six months before performing any more discount procedures.

Beth said...

Hear, hear! I will be a tad more selective when offering myself up for guinea pig-dom.

nita said...

duuuuuuuuuuude
did your fingers fall off??!!

Beth said...

I'm happy to report that I have all and only the fingers that I was born with! So far so good.