I ♥ Chicago!

Chicago was amazing. I'm so happy that I got to spend the last three days here. Even though most of the time I spent here was spent training for work. I still managed to try on the city a little bit by eating some good food, walking along the Magnificent Mile, seeing the city from 103 floors up, on top of the Willis Tower and visiting the local S-Factor studio for a class.

I spent a majority of my time here in the city, training at Paul Mitchell, The School. All of the training and education I received over the last three days is really going to make me be a better asset to my own school here in San Francisco, SFIEC. I have so many new, good ideas and information I can't wait to implement and put into action. Huge props to everyone at Paul Mitchell, The School in Chicago for being such an amazing host while I was here. What an awesome school!

The whole trip was so much fun. Even the delay at the airport on our way to Chicago and the slight delay on the way back to San Francisco was kind of fun. Delays are annoying, but it's part of the travel experience. On our way to Chicago, I got a fantastic foot massage. Thanks to our delay on the way back home, I finally had time to try a Chicago hot dog. I also had time for two scoops of ice cream and pretzel sticks.

I'm going to miss you Chicago!

What's Your Favorite Stress Reliever?

Stress is just one of those inevitable things in life. It's always going to be there in some form. How you manage the stress in your life is the difference between being healthy and ending up in the hospital. I tend to have a lot of stress in my life because I put a lot of pressure on myself to always do the right thing, do it to the best of my ability and do a lot of it. The confessions of a true workaholic.

As you all know, I'm currently in Chicago this week, training for work. Training is a lot of fun, but it takes almost all of my energy to pay attention, retain the information and hopefully put it into action at work in the most effective way possible. By the end of today, I was pooped. As soon as we got back to the hotel room, I knew I was in desperate need of an energizer. Taking a nap while being in a city I've never visited before was not an option. For me, the best way to relieve stress has always been through exercise. Lately, my favorite form of exercise has been dancing. Pole dancing actually.

I belong to a women empowered studio called S-Factor. Sure, we learn how to pole dance. It's an insane core workout. It's not just about pole dancing though. It's about spending two hours in a dark, red-lit room, far away from the internet or cellphones, letting go of the day and sharing the space with really powerful women. We're all there for one thing: to dance. It's my ultimate stress reliever.

I seeked out the S-Factor studio here in Chicago almost immediately upon arrival. My membership from my San Francisco studio transferred effortlessly. I was able to sign into a class within a half hour. I lucked out and got into a class that only had one other woman in it, along with the teacher. It was an amazing two hours. I was able to let go of a lot of stress, learned a few new tricks and explored an amazing studio in a whole new city. I'm still in shock that the Chicago studio has up to seven poles in one room. One of our studios in San Francisco has two and the other only has three.

The women here were really amazing. They made me feel so welcomed. They happily showed me around the studio and quickly made me feel like I was home. I forgot a pair of shorts. They got me shorts. I needed a cab ride home. They called me a cab and had me wait safely inside, even though they were closing up the studio for the night. I don't know who was more excited-me coming from San Francisco to dance in Chicago or them getting to dance with a visitor from San Francisco. It was just another experience to remind me just how nice people here in Chicago are.

What's your favorite stress reliever?

First Business Trip Ever: Chicago!

I'm spending the next few days in the largest city in Illinois, the third most populous city in the United States and home of the Bulls, Cubs, Bears and the White Sox: Chicago!!

I'll be in Chi-Town for corporate training with my boss for the next three days. It's my first time in the Windy City. It's pretty warm here, slightly humid and there hasn't been any wind. I'm loving the weather so far. With the extensive training we have planned for the next two days, I'm not sure how much time we will have to experience deep-dish pizza or Chicago-style hot dogs. We did fly into the second busiest airport in the world. I even spotted the Sears Tower on our way to the hotel tonight.

I wasn't even bummed that our flight was delayed this morning for two hours because my boss treated me to an amazing foot massage at the airport. So far this trip has been amazing and we only just got here a few hours ago. Yay for business traveling! Out of all the years in my life that I've been working, I can't believe that this is my first business trip. I can get used to this. I need more of this in my life.

The Closest I'll Ever Get to a Tiffany's Box

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a short write-up in a fashion magazine advertising one of China Glaze's new nail polish shades. It was a limited-edition shade called For Audrey and it was the exact hue as one of those infamous little blue boxes from Tiffany's. This polish's namesake pays homage to Audrey Hepburn's role in the movie classic, Breakfast at Tiffany's. As soon as I read the write-up, I tore the article out of the magazine and began searching beauty stores everywhere for the shade. Sadly, I came up empty handed.

Fast forward four of five years later, I stumbled upon the limited-edition China Glaze nail polish by per chance. I was in a professional beauty supply store in Tracy, California with one of my sisters. I had just learned how to curl my own hair using a curling iron the night before. First thing Saturday morning, I was at the beauty supply store buying a curling iron of my own. The reason why I only figured out the magic of a curling iron in my 30's is a whole other story, but while shopping for the curling iron, I made a pit stop in the nail polish aisle. I can never seem to resist the power of nail polish in a professional beauty supply store. I was sifting through all of the blues, light blues, aquas and turquoises in OPI, Essie and China Glaze. The For Audrey shade always remained in the back of my mind. I always secretly hoped that I would find it one day. I never could remember which nail polish manufacturer had produced the shade so I'd always search all of them. I did remember reading in the article that the shade was limited-edition so I knew that the chances of me actually ever finding the polish were zero to none. I still always checked the blue hues just to be sure.

The original article I clipped & saved!

Today just happened to be my lucky day. The third bottle I picked up said For Audrey on the bottom of the bottle.

I couldn't believe it. I squealed and jumped up for joy. My sister came running from another aisle and asked me what I was squealing about. I told her the story of seeing the polish in a magazine article years ago and not being able to find it because it was limited-edition. Then I showed her the polish and told her that I just found the shade I had been searching for, for the past four or five years! She fell in love with the shade too and wanted one of her own. Sadly, there was only one bottle left and I wasn't about to give it up. I told her that she could borrow mine whenever she wanted.

Yesterday, I treated myself to an early birthday present by getting a mani/pedi at Beauty Company and having my nails painted in my favorite nail polish color: China Glaze's For Audrey. I love this color because its bright and fun. I also know that its the closest thing I'll ever get to a Tiffany's box. Since I can't have the real thing, I'll just take the next best thing which is having perfectly manicured fingers and toes in the same shade.

My Favorite Mani/Pedi in San Francisco!

As a licensed esthetician, I spend all of my time in the treatment room primping and pampering clients. It's no surprise then that on my days off from work, I love getting primped and pampered myself. One of my favorite things to do on a day off is to get a manicure and pedicure. My favorite place to get a mani/pedi here in San Francisco is Beauty Company, located on Polk Street.

Receiving a mani/pedi is easily my most favorite beauty service to receive. I love having perfectly shaped nails. I love having my arms, hands, legs and feet massaged. I love having pretty nails that are painted with perfection. I hate painting my own nails because I'm not really very good at it. I seem to get more polish on my fingers than my actual nails. I'd rather leave it to the professionals and pay for the service while I sit back and relax.

I've received my fair share of mani/pedis over the years and I've visited a lot of different salons. Some were fancy and luxurious. Some were nice. Others were just ok. There were even a few that were questionable when it came to safety and sanitation. One of the worse pedicures I ever received was at a salon in a mall where my nail technician was on her cellphone the entire service. She wasn't even wearing an earpiece! I ended up asking her to stop the service half way through because I was scared that she wasn't paying enough attention between her phone call and cutting my cuticles.

I've had four or five mani/pedis now at Beauty Company and have never had a bad experience. With each service I receive there, I seem to fall in love with them all over again, just like I did on my first visit. First of all, there's the awesome Early Bird special. If you receive their Signature Mani/Pedi anytime before 3pm on Monday through Friday, it only costs $35. It's a five dollar savings off the normal price.

Where the mani/pedi magic happens at Beauty Company

You also receive a 10% discount on anything you buy on the same day you receive your service. Beauty Company has the largest selection of OPI, Essie and Butter of London nail polishes I've ever seen in a salon. I've even been in beauty supply stores that didn't have nearly as many polishes to choose from like Beauty Company does. Not only do they have a ton of polishes available to use during your mani/pedi, but they have an even bigger selection of polishes available for sale, including the season's newest shades. Each time I come in for a mani/pedi, I can't resist purchasing at least two or three polishes to take home. I definitely blame Beauty Company for my out-of-control nail polish addiction.

I love the attention to detail the nail technicians at Beauty Company provide during every service. I have never felt rushed to leave after a service. Who wants to scuff or mess up their nails before even leaving the salon? The technicians not only make sure that your nails are completely dry before leaving, but during the service they make sure that every part of the nail is covered with polish. Have you ever left a salon only to see that the sides of your nails didn't have polish on them? It's such a let down.

My mani/pedis from Beauty Company always seem to last longer than any other mani/pedi I've received elsewhere. I'm not sure which base or top coats the nail technicians use, but they seem to prolong any sort of polish chipping for at least a week or two after receiving the service. I made the mistake of letting a friend talk me into trying out another salon a couple of months ago. The new place I tried was nice. The staff was friendly. They even offered me a slice of cake. I was bummed after I left the salon because a few of my nails had polish missing on the side. Then a few days later, the polish started chipping off of my nails. At that point, I vowed to never cheat on Beauty Company again. I learned my lesson: always stick with the salon I know I love.

Thank you Beauty Company for always making my day off from work extra special and for always making my nails so beautiful! I'm already looking forward to my next mani/pedi.

Beauty Company
2325 Polk Street, between Green and Union Street
Call to book your appointment at 415-567-8740
Visit Beauty Company online at beautycompanysf.com

Get the Best Spray Tan of Your Life and Make it Last!

(Left) Before the spray tan. (Right) After the spray tan.

When I think of summer, one of the first things that comes to mind is having a tan. I remember spending most of my summer vacations swimming in my grandma's pool. My biggest concern at the time was getting rid of annoying tan lines and trying to avoid my nose from getting sunburned. Now as a licensed esthetician, I shake my head in disbelief when I think of all the countless years I spent exposing my unprotected skin to the sun's deadly rays. I didn't realize until I was an adult that having a tan doesn't mean that the skin is healthy. It's actually the exact opposite. Tanned skin equals damaged, premature aging skin and can lead to cancer.

For those of us who love the look of having a tan, but don't want to damage our skin, thankfully there's spray tanning. Spray tanning is makeup for the body. It lightly coats the skin's surface using a fine mist of air and concentrated self tanner solution. Spray tans are a great solution for people who want to look like they're tan without damaging their skin. Spray tans are quick, painless and won't cause cancer, fine lines or wrinkles. They can last anywhere from five to seven days, depending on how the skin is cared for after the tan. A spray tan will fade a lot faster if the skin is constantly submerged in water or if its been exfoliated on a regular basis.

Before a client comes in for a spray tan service, I always advise them of five ways they can ensure that they will receive the best spray tan of their life and how they can help make it last as long as possible.

1. On the night before or the day of receiving a spray tan, exfoliate the skin with an oil-free body exfoliant or exfoliating mitts or gloves. Don't use anything oil-based. Sugar exfolaints are great because they tend to be natural, gentle and moisturizing but they are terrible for spray tans. The extra moisture will cause the tanning solution to run on the skin, leading to a streaky and splotchy spray tan. No bueno.

2. On the day of receiving a spray tan, avoid heavy body lotions or oil. The extra moisturizer ion from a heavy lotion or oil will not allow the tanning solution to stick to the skin's surface evenly. You can use these products, 24 hours after the service.

3. Avoid perfume and deodorant on the day of the service. These products will interfere with the tan just like a heavy body lotion, body oil or oil-based exfoliant.

4. After receiving a spray tan, it's important to allow the solution to dry thoroughly on the skin as it develops. After the tan, wear dark, loose fitting clothing and flip flops. Black yoga pants, roomy t-shirts and tracksuits are the best way to go. Don't wear tight jeans, leggings, tight tops, socks or lace-up shoes after a tan. The friction of the clothing can rub on the skin, preventing the tan from not drying all the way and creating a splotchy and streaky tan.

5. Spray tanner needs anywhere from eight to ten hours to fully develop. Avoid any excessive sweating after a tan so hit up the gym before the service. The best time of the day to get a spray tan is after work, before bed. Sleep overnight with the tanner on the skin and then shower in the morning.

Are you in the San Francisco area and looking to get an amazing spray tan? Call or book an appointment online at e Salon Tanning + Waxing Studio. We feature Couture Glow and use Beautisol products. We also offer full body waxing. Currently, I'm only available to take clients on Sundays, but the salon is open seven days a week.

Some Days I Just Feel Like This...

Empty. Blank. Depleted. Vacant.When I'm super stressed, have a lot on my mind and have an out of control To-Do List, I feel like a blank chalkboard by the end of the day. I'm pooped. I hate it when I feel like this because I always have a running list of things I'd like to accomplish after I get off work. I'm the type of person who always gives whatever I am working on 110%, even it means dragging myself into the ground. I love learning new things. I love to challenge myself. I enjoy working my tail off. Sometimes, it's just incredibly hard to stay motivated and excited when I've got nothing left to give by the end of the day.

Over the past couple of years, I've actually gotten used to being in this state-of-mind. I've found that it doesn't necessarily mean anything bad or negative at all. In fact, I feel that its quite necessary for my own personal growth to feel this way from time to time. It means that I am opening myself to new things, living life from a different perspective and most important, challenging myself both mentally and physically. I spent eight years of my life slinging drinks behind bars every night. Being a bartender was so easy for me, I joked that I could even do it in my sleep. It was fun and easy money, but it didn't challenge me mentally on a nightly basis.

My brain got a huge wakeup call when I decided to go to beauty school to get my esthetician license. Every day at school I seemed to face new challenges like adapting to a hectic schedule, learning new material in my theory classes and having to touch a stranger's skin in the treatment room. After graduating and passing State Board, I was fortunate enough to start working full-time at a job within my new chosen industry. I officially left my comfortable world of bartending behind for my new job(s) that require me to have a whole new mindset and apply the new set of skills I learned in school. I've been known to experience pre-shift jitters, worrying myself to death about being able to do a good job while making clients happy. I spent many nights after work exhausted and unable to focus on anything other than figuring out what I was going to eat for dinner. There were times when I would even be too tired to make it to the dinner table.

My current job takes every ounce of energy out of me by the time I clock out for the day. In my new position, I am constantly challenged everyday with taking in new information and turning it into something productive and useful. I spend eight hours a day, non-stop, learning, teaching, promoting, brainstorming, enhancing and absorbing new information.

It's no wonder my mind feels like a blank chalkboard by the end of the day. It means that I'm giving it my all and growing as a human being in the process. I honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

Do You Think Urban Decay Sold Out?

Urban Decay announced this week that they are going to start selling their products in China. What does this mean for the popular cosmetics company known for their vegan products and cruelty free stance in the makeup world? It means that there is a strong possibility that the Chinese government will conduct animal testing on Urban Decay products. This situation obviously presents a major conflict of interest for the brand who has prided themselves on being animal lovers and strong advocates against animal testing on beauty products over the years.

In a public announcement posted on Urban Decay's website earlier this week, the brand was quick to defend its decision to sell their products in China.

"Going into China was a huge decision for Urban Decay. But, we believe that change cannot and will not happen by outside pressure alone in a closed market. Change can only happen from within. When we enter the Chinese market, we will do our part to help make those changes."

I want to believe that Urban Decay is staying true to their original vision of remaining cruelty free. I also want to believe that Urban Decay's decision to sell their products in China is not solely to make a major profit, but to make changes on a global level and lead by example. Unfortunately, the original press release is no longer available on Urban Decays website. All it says now is:

"Urban Decay is planning to sell our products in China."

What do you think of Urban Decay's recent decision?

Cheap Beauty Tip of the Week: Beauty Schools

I love getting my hair done. I hate having to pay a fortune for it. As Broke-Ass Stuart's "Beauty Babe on a Budget", I'm constantly scouring places and ways to save moolah on anything beauty. This week, I decided to tackle professional hair and skin services.

Who doesn't love spending a few hours in a spa or salon getting pampered? What if you could walk out of one of those places feeling like a million bucks without having to pay full price? An easy way to save money and still look like you paid a fortune is to get your services done at a beauty school. Beauty schools are the best bargain in town when it comes to getting a professional hair or skin service. Make sure to read my article, Cheap Beauty Tip of the Week: Three Reasons Why Beauty Schools are a Bargain. Not only would you be helping to support someone's education, but you'll save a ton of money in the process.

I Used to be Shy

Being naked around strangers is not an easy thing to do for most people.

I used to be incredibly shy with revealing my skin around people I didn't know very well. When you go to school to become an esthetician, one of the unexpected lessons you learn is to become comfortable will all levels of nudity. This includes your own nudity as well as the person whom you are waxing. In all of our waxing classes in school, we practiced waxing each other before we started taking clients. With each body part we learned to wax, we inevitably became closer to one another. First it was legs. Then it was arms and underarms. Next it was brows. Eventually it was the bikini line and then the full Brazilian. Being nude around other people is something I had never been completely comfortable with before beauty school. After having every single body part waxed in front of a group of 12 girls I had only met six weeks prior, my naked shyness went out the window for good.

As a licensed esthetician, its not enough to be completely comfortable with having your own body parts exposed in front of someone you don't know. You also have to be comfortable with someone you don't know having their body parts exposed in front of you. As a licensed esthetician who has worked in a salon that only offered waxing, 90% of my appointment book was filled with bikini and brazilian waxing services. Some clients were totally comfortable with receiving the service from someone they had never met before. I'd put on my gloves and stir the wax while they disrobed and hopped up on the waxing table. We would chat about anything the client wanted to chat about-what they had done that day, work, family, friends, exciting events in their life they had coming up, the weather, take-home products I recommended that they buy, how to use the take-home products correctly and why they should consistently get waxed every three to four weeks.

I could always tell right away when a client was nervous. As soon as they came into the room, I could feel their nervous energy. I would have flashbacks with how I felt when I first started getting waxed in front of all my classmates in beauty school. The nervous clients always waited for my cue before they would start to disrobe and get on the waxing table. Even the conversation we would have during the service would indicate to me whether or not the client was nervous about the service. It was always the nervous clients who would ask me why I chose to become an esthetician in the first place and if I liked being an esthetician. Also, making uncomfortable comments like "What does it feel like to have my butt in your face?" or "I could never wax someone else's vagina." were always dead giveaways to me that the client was nervous.

For my nervous clients, I would do whatever it took to put them at ease. Being a former shy-naked person, I knew exactly how they felt. I also knew what would help make them comfortable. My response was always the same to their questions or comments, "To me it's just waxing hair off of the skin, no matter what body part the hair is coming off of." And for those who asked me if I liked being an esthetician, "Of course! If I didn't like being an esthetician, I would be doing something else." We'd have a good laugh and then I'd quickly change the subject to something lighter by asking them what part of the city they lived in or what they had planned for the weekend.

Being comfortable with nudity is something I never realized was part of being an esthetician. With all of the bodies I've waxed during my career, nudity isn't even a big deal to me anymore. To me, it's just part of the job. It really is just waxing hair off of skin.

Cheap Beauty Tip of the Week: DIY Face Masks

Facials are luxurious. They can also be expensive. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, be sure to check out my Cheap Beauty Tip of the Week on Broke-Ass Stuart's page. I'm featuring three of my all-time favorite DIY face masks. They're cheap, easy and 100% natural. You don't even have to be a broke-ass to appreciate these recipes.