reVamp! Salon - Uptown Minneapolis

As I was writing reviews for a couple of items that I purchased at Kitchen Window, I mentioned an annual tradition that the wormen in my family and one of my girlfriends and her teenaged daughters do once a year, every year.  We start our ritual with a morning at reVamp! salon in uptown Minneapolis.

We've tried a number of other spas in the Twin Cities area - but we were spoiled by the great service at reVamp! and array of services offered.  No others can compare.  And their ability to take all of us at the same time is important.  The manager (Robert) is always so helpful and pleasant - trying to acommodate all the different services that up to 8 of us try to squeeze in between 9am and 12pm.  And of course we change our minds along the way too.  Between us - we order various types of massage, pedicures, facials, manicures, and special body treatments.  The salon gets us scheduled in, the staff is exceptionally friendly and competent and we are usually all done by 12:30pm.  And we've gotten smart - since we always go on the same Saturday every year - we book a year out.

The salon is very inviting - the downstairs areas where massage, pedicure and other services are performed is cozy and clean, and the upstairs hair/make-up/nail salon is bright and unpretentious.

I can speak on behalf of all of us - we love this place.  And it's a fun thing for girls to get together and do - from teens through grandmas - I totally recommend it.  Thumbs up!

http://www.revampsalonspa.com/

DIY Manicure - Sally Hansen Salon Effects

Yes, the time has come to start being manicure savvy - with Sally Hansen Salon Effects real nail polish strips!  There is zero dry time, you just peel & apply, and it lasts 14 days, for the low price of $8.54 at Target (they're $10 at Ulta, so don't purchase there).  The package says that it lasts up to 10 days, but I've had luck with it even through 14.  I'm currently wearing a flower pattern that I've had on for 15 days and the most noticeable "wear" is just the growth of my nails.  I wore my first ones on our honeymoon in the Caribbean - they went through all of the travel, saltwater, sun, sand, etc. and I had them on for more than 10 days before they even chipped noticeably. 

I've gotten countless compliments on the couple of styles I've tried and tonight I will put on the "Not a Peep" pattern of little birds all over.  It's a fun, temporary way to express yourself on your nails at the fraction of the cost of a salon manicure!

Things to keep in mind:

• Make sure your nails are clean and dry
• Be sure to push your cuticles back to get the longest wear time and show less growth
• Apply when your hands are warm (something about this helps adhere them to your nails better)

And that's about it!  It takes no more time to apply than it does to coat your nails with nailpolish and dry time.  You want glitter?  They've got it.  You want plaid, polka dot, flowers, butterflies, solids?  They've got it. 

What are you waiting for?!?!