Make time for yourself in a busy season

I am still recovering from the holiday parties I attended and meeting I hosted on Sunday. Time didn't permit the opportunity for my normal Sunday beauty routine. I contented myself with doing my nails last night, as they needed some touch-up polish.

One thing I noticed when I moved to the DC area, is the frequency in which black women get their nails done. I'm sure that black women across the country get their nails done alot, but most of the women I know here - especially older women - religiously get acrylics. Especially the older women in my life. A few years ago I found myself getting into it too, but after wrecking my nail beds I weaned myself away from the habit.

What I especially enjoyed about getting my nails done was the feeling of being pampered. For 30 min to an hour, and only $20 (depending on where you go...) you get the feeling of being taken care of. And usually we are the caretakers, so its a wonderful feeling to sit back and have a beauty treat, if only for a little while. When I decided to stop getting acrylics, I knew that I'd want to carry that same pampered feeling into my beauty routine.

So for 20 minutes, I sit quietly, clear my thoughts and just take time to pamper myself. I love the way my hands look when I do my nails. They look soft, moisturized, cared for and colorful. I admit that as a native Floridian I often choose polish colors that are brighter than what most women would choose, but that's just a part of who I am. I love color, sunshine, brightness and happiness, and I incorporate that into my nail routine.


My polish of choice is Orly. I know that many women rave over OPI, but I find that their polishes are thinner and more transparent than Orly. I only apply two coats of color, to minimize thickness since I use a base and top coat, and I don't get the same color density or payoff with OPI. I also find that OPI chips and doesn't last as long. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how much I like the rubberized grip on the neck of Orly polishes. I tend to buy creme colors instead of wines, berries or shimmery colors. I also notice that black women grativate toward these colors as 'safe' colors. Again, this is reminiscent of avoiding the 'jezebel' stereotype I mentioned in my makeup post. Life should be lived live and in color, and not in fear of others' perceptions.

So if your Christmas will be hectic, I suggest just taking 10-20 minutes to have quiet time for yourself to do your nails. You'll feel just a tad bit prettier, a little less stressed and your hands will thank you for the attention.