Nearly two weeks post-scrub (see my original article on Yi Pak)!
Day one: Admired my newly baby-soft skin. Even the stubborn chicken skin on my thighs was gone. After my first shower after being scrubbed down by Ajumma, I noticed that bits of skin were still rolling off as I applied lotion. I was grossly fascinated by this because if you remember, I didn't actually get to see myself molt during my session at Yi Pak.
Day seven: Still smooth, still amazed. More bits of skin rolling off- AWESOME! I found myself feeling more confident about baring a little skin to celebrate the gorgeous weather we've been having. It paid off in the admiring glances my friend and I got from the hottie members of the FDNY who were lunching at the same restaurant.
Today: Legs show signs of dryness. Boo. I'm sure the two hours I spent in a swimming pool this morning didn't help. The chicken skin is starting to come back, most likely due to the dryness. I'm slathering on both Neutrogena's Body Oil (review coming soon) and Eucerin Original Moisturizing Lotion to keep my super-soft skin momentum going.
I'm really impressed with the results of my visit to Yi Pak. I'm going to try Juvenex sometime to compare. I am officially a Korean-scrub fan!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Uni.K.Wax
I'm always flabbergasted by the fact that we women (and some men) pay perfect strangers to apply hot wax to body parts we would never otherwise expose, only for the stranger to R-I-I-I-P that wax off, all in the name of beauty. Yet we don't hesitate to proffer our various bits and pieces to the wax-wielder. Alas, I am not immune to this phenomenon.
Which is why I've been visiting Uni.K.Wax in Murray Hill for the last six or so months. At first, I was reluctant to schlep all the way there from the boondocks of Queens just to get hair yanked off my body, but I was soon won over, but not without some misgivings.
Uni.K.Wax does nothing but remove hair and they do it way cheaper than my local shop. You pay for what you want to have waxed, so it sometimes feels like you're being nickeled and dimed. The premises is very clean and sort of sterile-looking. The walls don't go all the way up to the ceiling, so if you're one of those people who chatter at their manicurists/masseuses/other personal service person, be aware that you can be heard by (and disturb) those in nearby rooms.
After my first visit, I joined their waxing club (free) and was thereafter able to make appointments online. Perfect for those of us who never remember to make personal service appointments until the middle of the night. *crickets* Oh. I guess it's just me then. Anyway, after they give you the membership card, you enter its number in their booking system and book your desired time. Despite my joy at being able to book appointments online whenever I want, I'm not very fond of their website- it seems kind of clunky and not all that intuitive. It's also very slow at times. Still, I like that I can see when I last had a wax, what kind it was, and who had the dubious honor of working on me. When making appointments, I can choose the waxer, though that can severely limit the availability of appointments.
As to the wax itself, I like that they use hard wax rather than the kind that needs muslin strips- it doesn't seem to hurt nearly as much. Maybe the lesser pain is due to the waxer's skills? Be prepared: you will need to remove your underwear when getting a bikini wax of any kind, so your downtown area will completely exposed whether you're getting a Brazilian or regular bikini wax.
This last visit left me a little wanting. I feel like it wasn't as thorough as it could have been and I was a little alarmed when the waxer reapplied wax to the same area on my upper lip; it's fairly common knowledge that this is a no-no because you can remove too much skin and cause irritation. In my case, my upper lip felt like it had been sunburned although there was no visible damage, and the feeling lasted for a couple of days post-wax.
Despite my uncomfortable upper-lip wax, my overall experiences have been positive and I'll continue to get my bits and pieces waxed here.
P.S. Credit cards are accepted here, though tips are cash only. You can get cash back on your card though.
Uni.K.Wax
553 3rd Avenue
(between 36th St & 37th St)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 481-2777
Which is why I've been visiting Uni.K.Wax in Murray Hill for the last six or so months. At first, I was reluctant to schlep all the way there from the boondocks of Queens just to get hair yanked off my body, but I was soon won over, but not without some misgivings.
Uni.K.Wax does nothing but remove hair and they do it way cheaper than my local shop. You pay for what you want to have waxed, so it sometimes feels like you're being nickeled and dimed. The premises is very clean and sort of sterile-looking. The walls don't go all the way up to the ceiling, so if you're one of those people who chatter at their manicurists/masseuses/other personal service person, be aware that you can be heard by (and disturb) those in nearby rooms.
After my first visit, I joined their waxing club (free) and was thereafter able to make appointments online. Perfect for those of us who never remember to make personal service appointments until the middle of the night. *crickets* Oh. I guess it's just me then. Anyway, after they give you the membership card, you enter its number in their booking system and book your desired time. Despite my joy at being able to book appointments online whenever I want, I'm not very fond of their website- it seems kind of clunky and not all that intuitive. It's also very slow at times. Still, I like that I can see when I last had a wax, what kind it was, and who had the dubious honor of working on me. When making appointments, I can choose the waxer, though that can severely limit the availability of appointments.
As to the wax itself, I like that they use hard wax rather than the kind that needs muslin strips- it doesn't seem to hurt nearly as much. Maybe the lesser pain is due to the waxer's skills? Be prepared: you will need to remove your underwear when getting a bikini wax of any kind, so your downtown area will completely exposed whether you're getting a Brazilian or regular bikini wax.
This last visit left me a little wanting. I feel like it wasn't as thorough as it could have been and I was a little alarmed when the waxer reapplied wax to the same area on my upper lip; it's fairly common knowledge that this is a no-no because you can remove too much skin and cause irritation. In my case, my upper lip felt like it had been sunburned although there was no visible damage, and the feeling lasted for a couple of days post-wax.
Despite my uncomfortable upper-lip wax, my overall experiences have been positive and I'll continue to get my bits and pieces waxed here.
P.S. Credit cards are accepted here, though tips are cash only. You can get cash back on your card though.
Uni.K.Wax
553 3rd Avenue
(between 36th St & 37th St)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 481-2777
Monday, April 5, 2010
My Current Skincare Routine
My routine hasn't change too much since the last time I mentioned it. The biggest changes have been in the cosmetics I use. That is to say, I went from using hardly any makeup to what most women would consider basic. I'll talk about that in another post. This one's about skincare, after all!
Morning
Morning
- Wash with Eucerin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser. I don't think I've stuck with a cleanser as long as I have with this one. I'm really pleased with it (obviously, or else I wouldn't keep using it!), especially with how easily it rinses off. I still love that it's unscented and that I need very little of it to thoroughly wash my face; I've had the same pump bottle for about six months now.
- DDF Glycolic Toning Complex. Ten percent glycolic acid in this bad boy! More than a year later, my skin looks tighter, and most of the scars left by long-gone pimples have either faded significantly or disappeared altogether. It's the only toner I believe in!
- DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew. I cannot recommend this enough. The price has gone up, which really stinks, but like the Eucerin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, a little goes a long way. It absorbs quickly and easily, and is unscented. I only use this in the morning.
- Eucerin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
- ROC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. This stuff is great! It's a little thicker and a wee bit more emollient than the DDF Moisturizing Dew which makes it a great winter moisturizer for me. I use this at night (duh) and keep a tube of it in my shower kit for use after swim class. I owe my wrinkle-free complexion to this night cream as well as my genes. I'm not fond of the fragrance though. Don't use this in conjunction with glycolic products like the DDF Glycolic toner- apparently glycolic acid and retinol cancel each other out.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Jay Nails
I decided to use my Friday night visit to Yi Pak as the jumping-off point to a week of self-indulgent pampering as a birthday gift to myself. My dogs were barking, particularly after a looong day of work, and they really needed some attention, so I went to get a pedicure at Jay Nails on Broadway and 9th Street in Greenwich Village.
Jay Nails uses the bubbling foot spa that's been blamed over the years for harboring bacteria- the spa jets are often overlooked during the sanitizing process. I'm not sure how I feel about these foot spas; I've never had any problems, but maybe I've been lucky. All I can say is that the bubbling effect feels good!
I went from deep red polish by Essie (sorry, I've forgotten the name) to a sheer pale pink one by O.P.I. (I think it was Catch the Garter). The nail tech was very pleasant and eager to please, and she was extra-thorough in removing the raggedy-looking skin around my toenails. My feet got a good scrub-down with an exfoliating gel and pumice stone, and she didn't neglect my lower legs either. Both legs and feet were then slathered with hot cream before the polish application. I think the whole thing took no more than 20 minutes, tops. Shoulder and neck rubs commenced after I was politely led to the drying station.
I also appreciated the lack of pressure to add on a 10-minute leg massage to the pedicure. I might have gone for it if I had not been kneaded and scrubbed to within an inch of my life the prior evening at Yi Pak.
An hour after I walked into Jay Nails, I left with nicely-polished piggies and a wallet that was $34 lighter ($28 + tip). The only thing I would change would be my choice of polish color- it's a little too sheer and my toes look kind of bare. At least they look well-groomed!
My verdict? Jay Nails gives good value for the dollar, particularly considering they're in Manhattan.
Jay Nails
780 Broadway (between 9th and 10th Streets)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 375-8277
Jay Nails uses the bubbling foot spa that's been blamed over the years for harboring bacteria- the spa jets are often overlooked during the sanitizing process. I'm not sure how I feel about these foot spas; I've never had any problems, but maybe I've been lucky. All I can say is that the bubbling effect feels good!
I went from deep red polish by Essie (sorry, I've forgotten the name) to a sheer pale pink one by O.P.I. (I think it was Catch the Garter). The nail tech was very pleasant and eager to please, and she was extra-thorough in removing the raggedy-looking skin around my toenails. My feet got a good scrub-down with an exfoliating gel and pumice stone, and she didn't neglect my lower legs either. Both legs and feet were then slathered with hot cream before the polish application. I think the whole thing took no more than 20 minutes, tops. Shoulder and neck rubs commenced after I was politely led to the drying station.
I also appreciated the lack of pressure to add on a 10-minute leg massage to the pedicure. I might have gone for it if I had not been kneaded and scrubbed to within an inch of my life the prior evening at Yi Pak.
An hour after I walked into Jay Nails, I left with nicely-polished piggies and a wallet that was $34 lighter ($28 + tip). The only thing I would change would be my choice of polish color- it's a little too sheer and my toes look kind of bare. At least they look well-groomed!
My verdict? Jay Nails gives good value for the dollar, particularly considering they're in Manhattan.
Jay Nails
780 Broadway (between 9th and 10th Streets)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 375-8277
Friday, April 2, 2010
Yi Pak Spa
I popped my Korean bath-house cherry tonight.
I'd heard about Yi Pak while checking out reviews for Juvenex, which is just up the street from Yi Pak, and fought an internal battle over which to try out. Yi Pak won because it sounded more down-to-earth and I didn't want to get distracted by all the fancies that Juvenex offers.
Yi Pak is located in a nondescript building on E32nd Street and 5th Avenue in K-town. The lobby felt a little claustrophobic while waiting for the elevator. When I got to the third floor, I was greeted by an older Korean woman. Paid $100 for their basic 1 hour package and was given a bottle of water before being shown to a little locker room where I stripped down and donned a robe that was ultimately worn for three minutes total. I've heard they charge an additional $5 or so if you use a credit/debit card, so if you want to save a few bucks, bring cash.
Ladies, leave your prudishness at the door, for you will be mother-nekkid, and publicly so, for your whole visit. Also be aware that this is not the kind of spa that offers all kinds of dainties. There are no spa slippers, no new-age music to calm you (though you do get to listen to some K-pop), no candles, no ambiance, and no snacks. You're there for a scrub, and by golly, that's all you're getting!
I was encouraged to use the restroom first, then led to the steam room where I got my schvitz on. Luckily for me, I had the whole (tiny) room to myself. Guess all the cool kids were out on dates. That's okay though- more steam for me! Lightly scented with the same kind of twigs and bark... er, I mean herbs my mom brews up when someone is ill, I lay down on the white towel and pillow that was put down on the floor of the steam room for my comfort. I never understood the lure of the steam room until tonight. My sinuses opened up, and I breathed better than I have for a long time. I think my snot may have melted but if it did, I sure didn't care. The only thing that marred my steam time was the condensation that dripped onto me as I lay there; it felt a little like it was raining. However, not a big deal. I must have been in there for about 20 minutes before I decided I'd had enough. I popped my head out and my scrubbing lady, who shall henceforth be known as Ajumma (the Korean title for ladies of a certain age) immediately herded me into the scrub room where two other women were getting worked on.
I was led to the padded and plastic-covered table (there were three in total) on the far side of the room where I was to lie face-down. Ajumma covered my head with a towel (presumably to protect my face from the flying bits of skin she was soon to remove from my body, or maybe it was to keep me from getting grossed out by the sight) and donned loofah mitts.
And so my Korean scrub commenced. Every so often, she poured very warm water over me, I guess to keep my skin nice and removable. Ladies, you know how, um, THOROUGH a Brazilian wax is? Yeah, Korean scrubs are just as "thorough." Ajumma went where no man has gone in a long time; I think I can now consider my sexual dry spell to have been broken. Even my belly button got some lovin'.
The scrub was pleasant overall. Ajumma was silent for most of my time with her except when she quietly asked me to change positions, which is just how I like it. If I'm lying there naked and essentially blindfolded, I don't want to chat with you about the weather.
I was kind of disappointed that thanks to my face being covered nearly the entire time, I didn't get to actually see the top 641 layers of my skin get kicked to the curb- the thought is both gross and oddly fascinating. Sort of like the tv show CSI- the images are utterly disgusting and yet you can't look away, can you?
Once she was done ridding my body of its skin, Ajumma slathered me up with what I think is unscented baby oil, then gave me a facial. I can't tell you what products she used (though I'm sure they were not fancy) and I was a bit concerned that she was applying stuff that is going to clog my pores but I was too smoothed out from the scrub to care. I got a nice facial massage with emphasis on my sinus areas (yay!) and then my hair was washed. Again, no salon shampoos and conditioners here, just stuff you get at the drugstore, but you do get a nice scalp massage.
One thing that struck me as odd was that I paid for Yi Pak's basic 1-hour package, which is $100. I got there about 10 after 8 and was done by 9:55 pm. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about an extra 45 minutes of scrub time, but I do wonder if they made a mistake or if there was some sort of Friday night special that I didn't know about. Or maybe they just decided to hook a sista up. Whatever the reason, my skin feels fabulously smooth!
As for service, all the ajummas were sweet and very solicitous. I'm sure they would have tried to accommodate me if I were a more demanding client, but luckily I'm not that kind of customer. I got excellent value for my money and would definitely go back to Yi Pak again!
Yi Pak Spa
10 W 32nd St
3rd Fl
(between 5th Ave & Broadway)
New York, NY 10001
(212) 868-0851
I'd heard about Yi Pak while checking out reviews for Juvenex, which is just up the street from Yi Pak, and fought an internal battle over which to try out. Yi Pak won because it sounded more down-to-earth and I didn't want to get distracted by all the fancies that Juvenex offers.
Yi Pak is located in a nondescript building on E32nd Street and 5th Avenue in K-town. The lobby felt a little claustrophobic while waiting for the elevator. When I got to the third floor, I was greeted by an older Korean woman. Paid $100 for their basic 1 hour package and was given a bottle of water before being shown to a little locker room where I stripped down and donned a robe that was ultimately worn for three minutes total. I've heard they charge an additional $5 or so if you use a credit/debit card, so if you want to save a few bucks, bring cash.
Ladies, leave your prudishness at the door, for you will be mother-nekkid, and publicly so, for your whole visit. Also be aware that this is not the kind of spa that offers all kinds of dainties. There are no spa slippers, no new-age music to calm you (though you do get to listen to some K-pop), no candles, no ambiance, and no snacks. You're there for a scrub, and by golly, that's all you're getting!
I was encouraged to use the restroom first, then led to the steam room where I got my schvitz on. Luckily for me, I had the whole (tiny) room to myself. Guess all the cool kids were out on dates. That's okay though- more steam for me! Lightly scented with the same kind of twigs and bark... er, I mean herbs my mom brews up when someone is ill, I lay down on the white towel and pillow that was put down on the floor of the steam room for my comfort. I never understood the lure of the steam room until tonight. My sinuses opened up, and I breathed better than I have for a long time. I think my snot may have melted but if it did, I sure didn't care. The only thing that marred my steam time was the condensation that dripped onto me as I lay there; it felt a little like it was raining. However, not a big deal. I must have been in there for about 20 minutes before I decided I'd had enough. I popped my head out and my scrubbing lady, who shall henceforth be known as Ajumma (the Korean title for ladies of a certain age) immediately herded me into the scrub room where two other women were getting worked on.
I was led to the padded and plastic-covered table (there were three in total) on the far side of the room where I was to lie face-down. Ajumma covered my head with a towel (presumably to protect my face from the flying bits of skin she was soon to remove from my body, or maybe it was to keep me from getting grossed out by the sight) and donned loofah mitts.
And so my Korean scrub commenced. Every so often, she poured very warm water over me, I guess to keep my skin nice and removable. Ladies, you know how, um, THOROUGH a Brazilian wax is? Yeah, Korean scrubs are just as "thorough." Ajumma went where no man has gone in a long time; I think I can now consider my sexual dry spell to have been broken. Even my belly button got some lovin'.
The scrub was pleasant overall. Ajumma was silent for most of my time with her except when she quietly asked me to change positions, which is just how I like it. If I'm lying there naked and essentially blindfolded, I don't want to chat with you about the weather.
I was kind of disappointed that thanks to my face being covered nearly the entire time, I didn't get to actually see the top 641 layers of my skin get kicked to the curb- the thought is both gross and oddly fascinating. Sort of like the tv show CSI- the images are utterly disgusting and yet you can't look away, can you?
Once she was done ridding my body of its skin, Ajumma slathered me up with what I think is unscented baby oil, then gave me a facial. I can't tell you what products she used (though I'm sure they were not fancy) and I was a bit concerned that she was applying stuff that is going to clog my pores but I was too smoothed out from the scrub to care. I got a nice facial massage with emphasis on my sinus areas (yay!) and then my hair was washed. Again, no salon shampoos and conditioners here, just stuff you get at the drugstore, but you do get a nice scalp massage.
One thing that struck me as odd was that I paid for Yi Pak's basic 1-hour package, which is $100. I got there about 10 after 8 and was done by 9:55 pm. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about an extra 45 minutes of scrub time, but I do wonder if they made a mistake or if there was some sort of Friday night special that I didn't know about. Or maybe they just decided to hook a sista up. Whatever the reason, my skin feels fabulously smooth!
As for service, all the ajummas were sweet and very solicitous. I'm sure they would have tried to accommodate me if I were a more demanding client, but luckily I'm not that kind of customer. I got excellent value for my money and would definitely go back to Yi Pak again!
Yi Pak Spa
10 W 32nd St
3rd Fl
(between 5th Ave & Broadway)
New York, NY 10001
(212) 868-0851
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
