Two Luxurious Salons In Mumbai That Offer Delightful Pampering For Your Skin And Nails
Over the course of the last year, there were moments where despite my best efforts, I looked liked I hadn’t seen the inside of a salon for a while. Which admittedly, I hadn’t. But it was when people started mistaking my for my husband that I decided drastic measures need to be taken. A waxing appointment must be booked, my clogged pores needed some looking into urgently and my nails looked like I had been digging up dirt holes with my bare hands. I have looked better, cleaner and certainly less like I had been wrestling around in the mud. And I decided that I wanted to be indulgent- I deserved some pampering.
Given that I hadn’t had the chance to step out and really indulge, I was okay with going to different places for their services. I chose The White Door for their nail services, Brushes and Strokes for their nail extensions and nail art services and The Bodycraft Salon for their spa services. At the end of these appointments, I looked like the after version of Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality except not as hot. Allow me to walk you through all the salons I have visited when it was relatively safe.
ALSO READ: My First Post-Covid Salon Experience Had Me Anxious But I Am Glad I Went Out And Got Pampered
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Brushes and Strokes Nails
On a balmy Saturday, I headed to the cooled confines of Brushes and Strokes in Bandra. Like I have mentioned, my nails looked like I was sifting through dirt so they had their work cut out for them. I was extremely anxious, this was the first time in almost a year that I was stepping out to get my nails done. But the people over at Brushes and Strokes Nails were extremely cautious, our love for sanitiser and cleanliness seemed mutual and I cannot be more thankful. Everyone, including the receptionist, and my pedicurist were masked, gloved and were maintaining distance. This already put me at ease.
With months of vessel washing on my hands, my hands were coarse, nails were chipped, I am sure my nail service provider was a little taken aback. I imagine that when he disappeared claiming that he needed to get the water to soak my nails, he was in there lifting weights to warm up for my manicure and pedicure. He kept the mask on throughout and was extremely patient, taking off months of dirt and grime stuck in my nails. The massage had me struggling to keep my eyes open, I was so relaxed. Brushes and Strokes nails uses sterilised tools, the products are all of top quality and the service was impeccable throughout. If you’re in Bandra and are looking for some indulgent nail treatments, Brushes and Strokes Nails is amazing. You can get nail extensions and nail art also done here. They’ve dedicated nail art and extension areas. Here, as a technician adds the glam and sparkle to your nails, you can sip your tea or coffee and watch as people bustle around in the neighbourhood of Bandra.
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The Bodycraft Salon, Chembur
If there was ever a meeting arranged for all the blackheads that ever existed, the chosen venue would probably be my face. And the lockdown helped nothing. There were blackheads chilling galore on my nose and the area around it, no social distance was maintained. So when I went to the Bodycraft Salon and spa, it was a challenge for them to give me a facial that could get rid of all that dirt, gunk and grime that was calling my face it’s home. After a consultation with the skin specialist, I was recommended the Dermalogica Power Bright facial. The damn blackheads have made my skin dull and I think she spotted them from a mile away. Once we got into the room, that was sanitised and cleaned beforehand ( I know because they had a sign saying that) , I was asked to change into a disposable gown. And then my facial therapist sanitised her hand before the procedure started. First, my skin was cleansed- she took off my makeup and prepped my skin to ensure that all the goodness from the products could sink in. Then, a gentle exfoliant was applied to slough away dead skin and other debris (yes, there was a lot of it). She then proceeded to place warm towels on my face to dislodge the very stubborn blackheads who had no idea what was coming for them. She then took out the extractor tool (for the face, not for the earth, though that industrial strength would have done just fine) and went on to carefully press into my blackheads and coax them out. This was not relaxing. It was anything but. But this is perhaps the most satisfying thing about a facial. Once this was done and my nose and its surrounding areas had been cleared of blackheads, she applied a gentle astringent. She then went to a place a thick peel off mask on my face. This was placed over eyes as well and I was like, ‘Whoa, cannot see anything!’ I imagine this was to help the person relax but being as antsy as I am, I was just waiting for it to come off. And when it did, it was worth it because my skin looked radiant and fabulous. My facial specialist also applied sunscreen so that I could go out and face the big bad world. Which in all honesty, I didn’t want to.
The kind people at Bodycraft had also arranged for me to get a hair spa and that was super relaxing as well. They have a cozy nook for hair spa treatments where you can sit back and relax as the mask is applied to your hair. Then, the hair is gently steamed and you’re given a hair wash. I chose to have my hair blast dried and my hair was super smooth. I ran my fingers through it and they almost slipped out. Overall, this was a relaxing weekend experience I needed after the super taxing week I had had.
