Take me back to my normal Day Spa...

As I write this I’m thinking of being back in the UK at my favourite little day spa. I sit at home in New Zealand-     feeling slightly disturbed at what has just happened...

I’ve just been for a Lash & Brow treatment in my home town.

Let me set the scene for you; I call and make an appointment at what I think is a Salon from the website, with a woman who doesn’t have the best English or customer service and says she is free all afternoon.

I rock up to the “salon” at her house. I let myself in and find some sort of waiting area, there are dog toys and random bits of rubbish on the floor. A little dog runs in and starts jumping on me, licking my freshly fake tanned legs – GREAT there’s an interesting explanation for my streaks now.

My host the “beauty therapist” arrives into the room, running 10 minutes late for the appointment- no apology. She says “give me 5 minutes” – I think she must be preparing my forms since it is my first time here but no, it is actually to make a personal phone call. After she finishes, she says “come with me”. Hmmm… no form to fill out - I don’t think I’m allergic to any tints or wax….

I walk into one of the back bedrooms (taking note of the pot of wax that has a thousand drips down the side and some random tissues lying about)- and lie down on the beauty couch.

There is some god awful music in the background which I can only describe as karaoke classics, not the tranquil sounds I am used to at my favourite beauty salon.

She says “close your eyes now” in a demanding tone – of course, I do what I’m told. She smothers Vaseline under my and on top of my eyes. I’ve already told her that I have mascara on, but she says not to worry she can just tint over top of that.

She starts to brush the tint on my eyelashes, it’s rough but I guess she just wants to ensure she gets in all the cracks. Oh no – I’m in pain, the tints got it. I am scrunching my eyes so tight, but with her mighty brushing force the tint still got through. It Stings!! I fight through the pain; she tells me I should have closed my eyes tighter.

She has now put the eyelash and eyebrow tint on… oooooh yay I think, time for a relaxing hand massage while we wait for it to take – maybe a cheeky Indian head massage?! (As this is what I am used to…). Hello? Where’s she gone? I hear footsteps walking away. She comes back a few minutes later “Feeling good?” she asks… “Erm, yeah?” I answer. We wait a little longer, she takes this opportunity for what I only assume is to tidy up her treatment room. 

She wipes off my eyebrow tint and then does the same with the eyelashes. However, the stinging has come back as she’s wiping! “Argh” I say. She then starts poking and prodding my eyes with the cleansing wipe to help get the tint out. I think she is making it worse! I get the fright of my life as she pours water onto my eyes, I am blind! Is it over yet?

Next stop; Waxing. Let’s hope there was no double dipping. Ah yes- that is hot wax on my eyebrows, thanks for the warning! I was already on edge! She rips them off quickly, no tidying up required or aloe vera...I can feel the redness.

She gives me a mirror; I look like a panda with red eyes, but there’s no doubt my eyelashes are definitely tinted. I can’t be sure, and maybe I am now just thinking the worst but I have this distinct impression that my eyebrows are now slightly different shapes.

That was not relaxing at all…but it’s over now and I realise just how wonderful my usual beauticians are!

Written by Haylee Benton, PamperPad.

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