getting back into the beauty routine, sorta

COVID has really done a number on our beauty routines.  although i've gotta say, while i really miss waking up with pretty lashes, it's been pretty nice being able to rub my eyes and sleep on my face and not worry about tangled lashes or melting them off while standing over the barbecue.

okay, i just re-read that sentence and even i have to admit how ridiculous it sounded.  heh.

anyway, while nail salons have now reopened, i'm still not willing to take that chance.  it's just really not worth the risk.  and so when the old lady said that her BFF rock-ell had bought some gel polish and a LED/UV lamp and was really happy with the results, i got her to send me the links to what she got and placed my own amazon order.  i was pretty excited to get started and cracked it all open as soon as it was delivered.

i filed my natural nails and cleaned up my cuticles before starting with the gel polish process.  first a base coat, then three coats of color and topped off with a shiny topcoat.  it's definitely not perfect, but it's good enough for me.

i did my toes too, but you don't need to look at pictures of my feet.

hair salons have reopened too, and both of my girls were dying for a haircut.  while the old lady is actually more reluctant than i am to revisit those parts of our normal lives, she felt confident enough that her regular stylist would take all of the precautions and use all of the proper safety measures.  so she scheduled appointments for both her and her sister, and they were both really excited when the day finally came.

the bean's hair is beautiful.  thick, long, curly.  the old lady said that her stylist specialized in curly hair and would be able to do what she called "ghost layers" so that she would still have those luscious locks but thin them out a little so that it would be more manageable.  she's not super cooperative these days about pictures, but here's the "before":

and the "after."  it was blown out and styled and gorgeous, although we all knew that the moment she washed it, it would take on a whole other look.  i just wondered how short it would end up once those curls took hold again.

i got them to take at least one picture together, although the old lady wasn't 100% happy with her end result.  i thought they both looked fantastic, but you know when you don't love your hair nothing will convince you otherwise.

they were standing in the driveway when i took this, so the height difference is a little deceptive.  although the bean actually IS taller than her sister, she doesn't really tower over her like it looks in this photo.  in fact, she's taller than both of us now.  sheesh.