Beautified in Brooklyn

Brrr, New York is so cold. -11 degrees and strong wind makes it almost impossible to be outside so the last two days we haven’t been doing much besides sitting in cafés drinking hot coffee and going to restaurants, since the cold weather does not really allow us to be good sightseers.

My boyfriend lives close to the very lively Fulton Street in Brooklyn. I walked up that street and passed countless nail salons, hair salons and beauty salons and quickly decided that in this cold weather I might as well spend time getting my hair done.

I started off getting my hair cut and styled at Ivy League Salon. It was a great experience, and the whole styling Ivy gave me after the hair cut was great, and nothing like a hair dresser would do in Berlin. I always hate going to the hairdresser because I always think my hair is so short afterwards and the only thing I want is long hair, but I come to the realization that healthy hair with no split ends looks better than longer hair with split ends. All in all my experience with Ivy League Salon was more than great!

After the hair salon it was time to get eyelash extensions. I went to an Indian store that sold fabric, make up and cell phones, but also did eyelash extensions. What a great combination. It took less than five minutes, and I lay on a chair while the Indian woman put the single lashes on one by one. Not really the same method as the one used in Berlin, but it costed 70% less and only took five minutes. I am a fan! And it is, to say the least, more than amazing just being able to wake up and looking good and don’t need to spend minutes in front of the mirror applying make up first.

Then it was time to get the nails done. I went to a huge Vietnamese nail salon where 20 different nail artists were busy doing nails. Mostly the very, very long ones with neon colors and excessive design (some may call them tacky). I chose to get gel polish that allegedly lasts two weeks. I went the Barbie way and chose a pink color with a glitter nail on each hand.

I walked out of the nail salon with my new hair, nails and eyelashes and felt so happy. Even though it was freezing cold, it was amazing walking up and down Fulton Street on my own almost feeling like a real New Yorker. At least I hope the people I passed on my way thought I was one. I was so happy the rest of the day walking around with princess curls, Bambi eyelashes, and Barbie nails.

Where else than New York City is it possible to spend two hours first getting your hair done by an Afro American, then eyelash extensions by an Indian, and last but not least nails done by a Vietnamese? My yesterday beauty experience just made me realize yet again how much I love New York and that because of the diversity here.