Pretty Pedi

Don’t let your feet go astray for the fall and winter seasons. We know, we know- you won’t be sporting your flip-flops and strappy stilettos anyway, so why not, right? Not so fast. What about untimely situations when your safe closed-toe shoes and socks have to come off. Not so pretty, right.

Follow these 7 simple steps for an easy do-it-yourself at-home pedicure to avoid those embarrassing moments and maintain your feet in-between spa visits:

Prep: Clip toenails down to desired length. Now, with a nail file, file each toenail straight across to eliminate rough edges.

Soak: Place your feet in a basin of warm water. Add a few scoops of bath soak to the water to soften the skin on your feet. We suggest Aqua Pure Skin’s Luxury Rose Petal Soak, this will not only soften the skin, but sooth aches.

Soften: Apply cuticle softener to your toenails and then gently push your cuticles back using an orangewood stick. If you don’t have cuticle softener on-hand just allow your feet to soak a little longer, this will do the trick. Use a cuticle nipper ONLY to nip away hang nails (do not tug at the hang nail, instead clip at the base of the source).

Smooth: Use a pumice stone to buff away any dead skin on your soles. Focus on the heels and balls of your feet. For an added treat, apply a foot scrub (or body scrub) to your feet to exfoliate any additional dead skin. Soak your feet to remove residue. For your scrub, we recommend Aqua Pure Skin’s Body Scrub, a blend of natural skin softening extracts and Dead Sea salt.

Pamper: Massage your feet with a rich foot cream or body butter. For a natural approach use Aqua Pure Skin’s Body Butter for ultra rich moisture infused with natural humectants.

Polish: Now get ready to polish. Remove access oils and lotions from your nail-bed with nail polish remover. Apply a base coat to your toenails and then add two coats of your choice of nail polish. Top it all off with a shiny clear topcoat.

Finish: Once your polish is completely dry, apply Aqua Pure Skin’s Cuticle Balm with natural lemon grass extracts around your cuticles to heal and protect against fungus.

Don’t feel like doing it yourself? Let the experts of Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa do all the work, and then some, for you. Relax in our Platino Spa pedicure chairs, while sipping on a hot cup of tea to calm your spirits. No need to lift a finger.

Check out our website for spa specials and promotions for the fall/ winter seasons!

Aqua Pure Skin™ products are exclusively sold at Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa.

An “Eye-Popping” Effect

First, they were just a trick for added “pop” in a fabulous photo-shoot or only seen on the red carpet worn by stylish celebs, but now, lash extensions are making a beauty statement like never before- Women everywhere are wearing them! No longer are they just seen on superstars like Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Oprah, lash extensions are now seen commonly worn on our co-workers, family and friends.

You don’t have to be headed to a star-studded event, nor do you have to pay star-studded prices for them. Lash extensions are an inexpensive service that can and should be worn by anyone who desires an “eye-popping” look, for dramatic effect or just a subtle natural enhancement.

If you have not yet fallen into this beauty craze and wonder if lash extensions are even for you, here are a few of your common questions and our expert answers to them to help you decide:

How much are Lash Extensions and how long do they last?
Lash extensions start at $35 at Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa.
When properly applied, eyelash extensions can last for weeks even months with proper care and routine maintenance.

So, what forms of lash extensions are there?
Most lash extensions come in two application forms. Individual lash extensions, which are individual synthetic hair follicles that are designed to mimic your real lash hairs. And, there is the strip form, which is a thin strip at the base of multiple synthetic hair follicles for a quick and easy application. Lash extensions are available in all different colors, lengths and thicknesses.

How long is the application process?
The application process can range from 40 minutes to an hour based on customization and preference of application form- individual or strip. There is zero pain involved; in fact some clients even fall asleep during the process.

Can I sleep in them and how do I remove them?
Lash extensions WILL NOT prohibit you from any activities or everyday routines- including sleep. Lash extensions should be removed with an oil base removal solution; the best option is to have them removed by a professional.

Do I need to use any special products on my lash extensions to maintain them?
No, lash extensions do not require any special products for upkeep; they are virtually care-free. But, you can apply mascara if you choose.

FUN TIP: Make your lash extension appointment fun and exciting by creating it into a girls-day-out. You and your friends can enjoy champagne, wine or sparkling cider while receiving lash extension services, exclusively at Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa! Call us at (301) 780-3400 for more details on group services and discounts.

If you do not see your question here, just leave us your inquiry in the comment section of this post and we will be happy to answer.

Going Natural? Here is How You Can Pamper Your Fragile In-Between Tresses

If you, or someone you know, is making the transition from relaxed to natural hair than keep reading. This post is for you!

Transitioning from relaxed to natural hair can be a grueling task and if done the wrong way it can be very damaging to your tresses. You can take the bold approach and cut all of the relaxer off at once or you can make the transition gradually.

If you choose to gradually make the transition from relaxed to natural, below are a few tips from the professionals of Aqua Ice Salon to help transition healthily and look beautiful while doing it!

- Have your hair care provider trim at least a 1/2 to 1 inch off of your hair every 6 to 8 weeks until all of the relaxed hair is gone. Routine trims will prevent split ends.

- Be sure to get deep conditioning treatments at least once a month. Aqua Ice’s European deep steam conditioning treatments are perfect for transitioners. Hair can be very vulnerable in its in-between state and deep conditioning treatments will help to prevent hair loss and breakage.

- Remember to apply a light-weight oil, such as Aqua Ice’s Aqua Pure Skin™ Hair Oil (exclusively sold at Aqua Ice Salon and Day Spa); a perfect natural blend of botanical oils that will help to stimulate hair growth, while adding immaculate shine!

- Use Miss Jessie’s ‘Curly Pudding’ or ‘Curly Meringue’ to create beautiful natural hairstyles, such as twist sets or curly roller/flexi sets, for a lasting hairdo (without much heat) while your tresses are in-between. You can find the full line of Miss Jessie’s hair-care products on the retail shelves of Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa.

Don’t make this transition alone. Schedule an appointment with an Aqua Ice Salon expert to help you go natural with care.

7 Tips for "Good Hair"

Along with healthcare reform and ‘Jon & Kate Plus 8,’ a topic that seems to be grabbing our attention is hair; particularly black hair. With Tyra Banks revealing her real hair on the Tyra show and Chris Rock “rooting” Oprah on the Oprah show, black hair seems to be getting media coverage maybe like never before. With the immanent movie release of Chris Rock's documentary ‘Good Hair’ (a documentary film discussing the trials and tribulations black women face with their hair), we are now being forced to look closer at our attitude and actions toward our hair and hairdos.

So what is “good hair” anyway, take it from the expert, good hair is healthy hair! No matter your hair type, it is imperative to follow these 7 basic hair-care regimens (composed by Aqua Ice experts) for healthy hair:

1. Healthy hair starts with a GOOD haircut; no foundation for a hairstyle can be managed or maintained without it.

2. Be sure to shampoo and condition your hair on a regular bases; our recommendations are daily, weekly or biweekly.

3. Longhair divas should use a wide-tooth comb to comb through wet hair. Divas with short hairstyles should use a fine tooth comb to mold wet hair.

4. Deep conditioning treatments are essential to anti-breakage and maintaining a healthy scalp and hair; Check out Aqua Ice’s European Deep Steam Conditioning treatments, they are the ultimate in hair renewal.

5. Straight hair follicles (Caucasian hair) produce its own oils, but ladies with wavy, curly and kinky hair need the benefits of a light natural oil such as, Aqua Ice’s own Aqua Pure Skin™ Hair and Body Oil to nourish the hair and scalp to prevent dryness, while adding sheen.

6. ONLY use heat appliances (flatirons, blow-dryers, curling irons) on your hair after it is properly shampooed and conditioned to prevent burning and singing the hair; heat should be used no more than ONCE a week.

7. At night cover your hair with a satin/silk scarf or bonnet. If you have short hair a satin pillowcase will do the trick. This will prevent stress on the hair and helps to maintain your hairstyle.

Visit Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa for an in-depth hair consultation on your specific hair-care needs and be on your way to healthy hair.

A Hair Consultation with an Aqua Ice seasoned expert: FREE!

Miss Jessie’s, Now on the Retail Shelves of Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa

Natural hair can be hard to maintain and style on your own, especially for novice natural-hair beauties.
And, if you are transitioning from relaxed to natural hair it can be frustrating trying to figure out exactly what to do with your in-between tresses. Miss Jessie’s is a natural hair-care product line made with you in mind. The products have been featured in magazines such as Glamour, Ebony, Marie Claire and O. Allure magazine also awarded the product line with its 'Best of Beauty' award in its October 2009 issue.

Frizzy, wavy, kinky, curly- no matter your hair type there is a Miss Jessie’s product for you. With products like the popular ‘Curly Pudding,’ which is an anti-shrink formula that will give your tightly coiled hair some release by allowing it to stretch-out to its fullest potential and ‘Baby Buttercreme,’ which is perfect for moisturizing and glossifying dehydrated hair; Miss Jessie’s is becoming a staple product for natural hair beauties.

Marylanders and other locals can now find Miss Jessie’s on the retail shelves of Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa. Stop in Aqua Ice today for more information about the products and to receive a free consultation with our Natural Hair Specialist. Get 10% off any natural hair style if you decide to purchase a Miss Jessie’s product at Aqua Ice.

Aqua Ice’s product launch party-featuring Miss Jessie’s product use demonstrations- will take place very soon! So, check back frequently for the blog post with that information. And if you would like to receive an e-vite to this highly anticipated event please email us your name and email address at aquaicey@aol.com.

Real Life Scenario: Harmful Effects of Foot Razors

Client X visits Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa for the first time for a pedicure and brings her daughter along. When the pedicure begins, client X explains to me that her feet are constantly causing her discomfort. “The soles of my feet are sore, can you tell me what I can do to remedy them,” she asked. After taking a close look at her hard callused feet, I immediately realized the problem. “How do you routinely remove the dead skin off your feet,” I asked. She replied, “my pedicurist at Spa X would usually use a foot razor on me and my daughter.” I took a look at her 8 year old daughter’s feet to realize that she too had hard callus beneath her young feet.

The Problem- Calluses are commonly caused by constant rubbing of the skin. The skin forms a hardened layer over the area to protect itself from the rubbing irritation. Foot razors help to expedite this process because when shaving away the dead skin the razor literally cuts into your flesh and your feet try to protect against the cutting by hardening. This can cause soreness of the feet.

By the way, foot razors are banned in most states for sanitary reasons. Yet, some spas still use them and some people still oblige to this harmful service.

The Solution- Sometimes the harmful effects of foot razors can be irreversible, but you can tell your pedicurist to put down the razor and start using grainy exfoliating treatments that hydrate while removing dead skin. Salt scrubs or sugar scrubs are great grainy solutions to buff away dead skin. There are also tools without the harmful sharp scrapping feature, such as pumice stones that are safe to use.

Come visit an Aqua Ice Nail Tech for your safe and sanitary pedicure.

Aqua Ice Pedicure- $45 (30-45 minutes in our relaxing Pipe Free Platino Spa chairs)

Oh…Halle! I Want Your Hair

Would anyone object to the fact that Halle Berry is one gorgeous woman? Didn’t think so. Halle looks beautiful in any hairstyle she rocks -long or short- but I must say; Halle with a short haircut is stunning!

Lets face it, some of us believe that we have to look like Ms. Berry to wear our hair as short as she, but that is far from the truth. A short cut, done by the RIGHT hairstylist, can be beautiful on anyone. You don’t have to go as short, nor do you have to leave it as long as Halle’s. But, if you are looking to cut your long tresses for a similar hairdo, Halle’s Short Pixie is a fantastic option. Good look Ms. Berry!

If you want Halle’s hair, or something similar, stop by Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa and just ask our Precision Hair Cutters for a short pixie (as seen on Halle) or just ask for Halle’s Hair, we will see your vision.

Halle’s Cut (Short Pixie) - $30 at Aqua Ice Salon & Day Spa

The IT Nail Colors of the Season

It’s time to store away the tank-tops, flip-flops and summertime nail polish. The new fall season is issuing in a wave of trendy thigh-high boots, embellished sweaters and oh yes- amazing new fall nail polishes! This fall’s nail palette is dramatic yet classic, with deep emerald greens, rich wine-purples and sassy blue-grey tones.

You don’t have to be a risk-taking fashionista to paint your nails in this season’s hottest colors. Fortunately, this fall, OPI delivers its ‘Espana’ collection, which features a nail lacquer for the most daring of divas and the more conservative ladies. Espana’s ‘Barefoot in Barcelona’ is a luscious shade of nude for a classic spin on this season’s trend and ‘Here Today Aragon Tomorrow’ serves up the deep-emerald green drama.

Like a pair of fabulous earrings, nail polish is a must-have accessory to complete any look. So, don’t let your nails go boring bare this season. Complete your office or evening look with a fresh Aqua Ice manicure topped off with one of this season’s hottest nail colors of your choice. Don’t know which shade is right for you, no worries; Aqua Ice Spa Experts will assist you in making the perfect selection. (Model in pic is wearing OPI's 'Lincoln Park After Dark')

Aqua Ice Manicure with your choice of nail colour -$30
Retail-Aqua Ice’s OPI Nail Laquer-$10.50

Visit aquaicesalon.com for special promotions and coupons!