Salon Style

I may have mentioned earlier that people here, especially the students at my school, are very preoccupied with appearance.  People do not wear sweats and t-shirts; they barely wear jeans and t-shirts.  And absolutely no tennis shoes for women: flats or heels, those are your options.  To say my Choco’s stick out is an understatement- if they weren’t so darn comfy I would maybe considered not wearing them. 

In any case, hair, nails and make-up are a big part of looking good.  Straight, glossy hair, bedazzled nails and heavy eyeliner are not uncommon to see.  So yesterday I took a little field trip with a friends to a beauty salon up the street so she could get a pedicure. 

Observation #1: The small building was air-conditioned!  We went at about 2:30p, the hottest part of the day and it felt GREAT to get out of the heat.  This was quickly followed by observation #2: the overwhelming smell of chemicals.  As we agreed, “¡El olor es muy fuerte!”  After about an hour I got used to it, but I could not work it that environment everyday.  No way Jose. 

A word about hair salons in general: I find them fascinating.  I grew up with a mom who didn’t put a lot of stock in the beauty industry and I never have either.  So growing up I was always enchanted visiting my cousins and aunts and watching them do their hair and makeup.  Of course, not enough to make it a part of my daily routine, but fun once in a while.  So for me, salons are kind of this mystical place where women get together and beautify. 

While my friend got her nails done, I watched a woman sit for over 25 minutes getting her hair blow-dried.  The woman next to her was getting her hair relaxed (for the male readers among you that means a chemical straightener).  The woman sitting in front of me getting a manicure was half way done when she noticed a chip/crack/imperfection on one of her fingers and had the woman redo it. 

The walls were lined with hair products, sample nail styles and purses for sale.  Women, and a few men, were coming in and out, chatting with friends and stylists, and getting ready for the weekend.  Oh, and when we walked in we were treated to a cup of ice-tea, on the house.  How can you beat that for customer service?