Dashing the hopes of Dashing Diva

Every once in a while, it is nice to splurge a bit and get pampered. That was my intention when I visited Dashing Divas Upper West Side location yesterday evening.

Splurging usually means the $25 combination manicure/pedicure with massaging chairs at the salon on 72nd between Amsterdam and Broadway but I had heard of the "Happy Hour Special" with cosmos at DD and decided to go for it. I chose the $75 package (manicure, pedicure, jelly bath, neck massage, 10 min foot massage).

The water used in the foot soak was ice cold, and so I sat with my feet in a cold jelly bath. I asked my technician and she said it was the right temperature (without checking). I had originally chosen a red polish but changed my mind to a light pink after seeing it look awesome on someone nearby. It wasn't until she put three coats of the pink polish on that she said it didn't look good and asked my opinion. She was right - it looked awful. I've had light pink before many times but this was so thick and uneven it looked messy. She said she would put a darker pink over the coats which would help it look better and then I could come in tomorrow and get it changed. (They have a 3 day polish guarantee...) Otherwise it would take her too long to take it off and reapply the original color I wanted. The darker pink (FOURTH coat) cleaned up the polish but it was NEVER a color I would wear. I have very light skin and this was a purple pink that definitely needed a tan to blend well.

I received my cosmo while she was applying the polish and had to either down it quickly or let her finish it (as suggested) in order to get my nails done. Both of my thumbs had smudged polish but again she just suggested I come back the next day to get them redone. My "neck massage" lasted less than a minute and I sat for over 40 minutes waiting for the polish on my toes to dry enough for me to leave. When I left they were still sticky but I had been in the store for 1 hour and 40 minutes, and just wanted to get home. It was not the pampering experience I was looking for, or even a clean polish. This morning I looked and I have polish on my toes (not the nails), and hangnails.

Save your money! Go get a $25 combination and spend the extra money on a bottle of wine and dinner. I wish I did!