It’s not every day that I treat myself to the spa or a beauty session. However, the last two months have been quite special for many reasons (newsflash, my birthday is next weekend). Between the hard work I’ve been putting in and trying to lead my career in a path to call my own, I felt it was only necessary to venture back into the salons for a few necessities.

First, let’s just say I have lived in my house for a year and had not been able to find a nail salon I liked. There’s one a few train stops from mine and they do an AMAZING job (shout-out to Nail Factory in the Bronx!). But lately, I don’t want to travel too far (yes, four stops is far for me, ha), so I did my own nails for a while. Then things got real.

Being the stereotypical Latina I am on occasion, I waited until the day before to book my hair and nails for el graduación. The staff took me in graciously and I had a wonderful blow out that lasted about a week (not typical for my hair). They also fixed the chipped gel nail from my go-to Brooklyn salon (surprisingly, they had an exact match). After that, I became addicted.

Flash forward to mid-summer. I needed a good pedi-spot that wasn’t crazy expensive, but I’ll splurge for quality work. I went back to Alex’s and I’m a truly satisfied regular (I’ll be stopping by tomorrow in the morning for sure). After getting my nails done there for a while, I had a moment of weakness and wanted to do something to my hair (why not?). After a quick chat with the owner (Alex, obvs), we booked my highlight appointment for August and thus, the brunette to blonde process began.

My hair doesn’t take bleach nicely (it’s always coppery and takes forever to lift). Whatever this man mixed in that bowl, let me tell you! I was totally freaked out for about an hour and didn’t like it, but it grew on me. I’m in love with the blonde and will be coming in for a touch-up (totally overdue, but hey, a woman has bills to pay #priorities). The prices are more than I’ve paid in the past at other salons, but the quality is amazing and they have a kick-ass rewards program.

If you’re looking for a good salon in the Pelham-Bay Park area in the Bronx, Alex’s Blow Dry Bar is a must. Now, if you’re looking for a bomb nail artist that can bring any idea to life, check out Kat and the Nail Factory crew over on Zerega Ave/Westchester Square (each artist is truly talented, so check out their Instagram @nailfactoryex).. In the meantime, I'm off to try out a nearby wax center. Stay tuned!

Nail Factory – 718-597-8562

Alex’s Blow Dry Bar – 718-239-4889