By Lauren Saslow
As anyone in the business world can tell you, first impressions count. When we greet someone for the first time with a friendly handshake and maintain eye contact, we tend to notice that person’s hands, eyes and general appearance. And, those first impressions aren’t necessarily about intrinsic beauty, so much as they are about proper grooming and hygiene.
For example, in today’s tough job market, it’s crucial to make those first moments of an interview memorable to a potential employer, and what better way to prepare than by relaxing at a beautiful spa?
Lee Nail & Spa of Wesley Chapel, Inc. (located in The Grove shopping plaza near I-75 and S.R. 54) is nestled in a quiet, free-standing building in front of the main strip mall. Open since October 2009, Lee Nails & Spa, which isn’t related to or a franchise of the nationally-known Lee “Press-On” Nails, the Mediterranean-style interior design offers clients a peaceful getaway near a bustling shopping. With nine spa pedicure massage chairs, 10 manicure stations and a private waxing room, clients of this privately-owned, Wesley Chapel-based nail spa can enjoy a few hours (or less for someone on a tight schedule) of pampering while listening to gentle instrumental music. Although its cozy locale doesn’t get the same type of foot traffic that the “big box” franchise businesses in The Grove receive, Lee Nail & Spa has succeeded for nearly five years, thanks to its loyal patrons and word-of-mouth, with most of the spa’s customers coming from Land O’Lakes, Dade City, Zephyrhills, New Tampa and of course, Wesley Chapel.
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Co-owners and managers Quoc Huu Truong (known to clients as “Tony”) and his wife Cindy both work in the salon. Tony, originally from Vietnam, completed his initial cosmetology training in Cleveland, OH, after his father sponsored his immigration to the U.S. in 1995. Tony has been working in the nail business for 17 years and now holds a State of Florida cosmetology license through the Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation’s Board of Cosmetology. He specializes in spa manicures, pedicures and nail extensions.
Cindy, meanwhile, is a Licensed Aesthetician who provides facials and eyebrow treatments and has 10 years of experience. Tony and Cindy both regularly attend industry trade shows and continuing education seminars and all nine nail technicians at Lee Nails & Spa have their own licenses displayed at their respective manicure stations, including My Anh Vu — or “Mya” as she is known in the salon — who has been doing nails there for three years. A graduate of the Artistic Nail & Beauty Academy in Tampa, Mya holds a “Full Specialist” cosmetology license, which qualifies her to offer manicures, pedicures, artificial nail treatments and waxing services.
Lee Nails offers an array of hygienic grooming options at competitive prices for men, women and children, ranging from a basic manicure, pedicure and waxing to luxurious facials and eyelash extensions. Starting at only $7 for an eyebrow wax and just $13 for a natural nail manicure, you can’t afford not to take advantage of these top-quality spa services.
“Our goal is to provide the highest quality nail salon and spa services, offering environmentally-friendly products to each of our clients,” Tony says. “We pride ourselves on the quality of our services at affordable prices that will surprise you.”
The full range of services includes: natural nail manicures and pedicures (or ‘mani-pedis’) using certified organic ingredients; artificial acrylic or gel nails; waxing for the face, arms, underarms, legs, chest, back and bikini area; eyebrow tints, perms and extensions; and several facial treatments. The salon even offers a lower-priced kids mani-pedi, a convenient amenity for parents who need to get their own nails done without having to find a babysitter.
First-Class Treatment
When you visit Lee Nails & Spa for the first time, you can expect an impressive experience in a friendly, calm, clean environment. In fact, the salon’s mission is to, “Set a new level of professionalism in the salon and spa industry through pampering our clients and always providing superior services using the finest products available.”
Tony says that not only are regular manicures and pedicures the best way to keep your nails and cuticles healthy, if you struggle with nail-biting habits, regular mani-pedis (or even an artificial nail set) can help break you of that habit while enhancing the appearance of your nails and cuticles. And, with more than 300 premium, natural nail lacquers to choose from, you’re certain to find the perfect shade for you.
I was thrilled to receive a gel mani ($25) and “Deluxe” pedicure ($32) from Mya during my recent visit to Lee Nails & Spa, and because my cuticles are generally very dry, I added a paraffin wax treatment (which uses a warm mineral wax derived from petroleum, melting at a temperature cool enough to safely immerse your skin).
A pedicure in Florida is a must-have for the spring and summer seasons, for both men and women, when sporting a new pair of sandals at the pool or beach. With the recent dry, cooler weather transitioning to our usual heat and humidity, it’s beneficial to get a Deluxe Pedicure in order to slough off the dry, calloused skin and clean up overgrown cuticles and toenails.
The Deluxe Pedicure begins with a warm salt-water foot soak while reclining in a cushy, client-controlled massage chair. A eucalyptus foot mask is slathered over the calves and a cuticle remover is dotted onto the toes. The nail technician will clip the toenails to your preferred length and clip the surrounding cuticles with sterilized instruments; then, the nail tech will file the edge and buff the ridges out of the nails’ surface. The bottom of the foot is then scrubbed with a disposable pumice. For those with especially rough or calloused heels and toes, the nail tech may even use a metal foot file to remove more dead skin.
Next, a tangerine and orange sea-salt scrub and a eucalyptus cooling gel are all massaged into the existing eucalyptus mask on the legs to exfoliate and soften the skin’s surface, and finally rinsed with warm water and moisturized with an aromatic lotion and cooling gel that tingles. A peach-colored paraffin wax treatment is applied to the feet (wrapped in clear plastic bags) after wet steamy towels are wrapped around the calves. The nail tech may “cool the paraffin wax a little longer for clients with thin or heat-sensitive skin,” explains Mya. Once the wax cools, it is removed from the feet then cleaned in preparation of the client’s pre-selected nail color.
I found Mya’s Deluxe Pedicure especially soothing after my 12-mile inline skating tour of downtown Tampa the previous night. She was very gentle while applying the wax, and the gel manicure (at our press time) had already lasted five days without so much as a chip, thanks to the Gel Polish brand nail color (an artificial gel polished directly onto the natural nail) because it offers a chip-resistant finish for my already short-length nails that can last until the polish grows out, unlike traditional nail polish that tends to chip after only a few days. In fact, my nails look like they were just done today, not five days ago! And, the paraffin significantly softened my usually-dry cuticles.
Mya’s new customer from Lakeland, Melissa S., also enjoyed her experience and even wrote a wonderful review on Yelp.com in February of this year, giving her a full five stars saying, “(Mya) was very professional, a good conversationalist and amazing at applying gel nails. When I have more time, I will go for a pedicure.”
More Than Just Nails…
Waxing treatments are offered for men, women and teens. While women and teenage girls tend to utilize the facial and bikini waxing services, men more commonly request the eyebrow, chest and back waxing services. Although it sounds like a painful experience to those who have never tried it, the techs are actually quite gentle and offer to apply either oil or aloe gel to the freshly waxed skin to soothe the sting.
An appointment with Cindy for a facial or eyelash service can be more affordable than most would assume, especially now that Tony is currently offering a 10-percent discount off of all services which cost more than $20 at Lee Nails & Spa (see ad on page 21). Facial options include the Mini -, Full- and Super Facial, with each service increasingly more expensive and taking more time to complete. The Nu Skin Tru Face product line, which is used for all facials at Lee Nail & Spa, incorporates a Galvanic Spa System that, “unlocks the secret to a younger looking you,” according to the salon’s promotional fliers.
Cindy’s eyelash services include perming (to keep lashes curled for up to three months), tinting (which can replace mascara and lasts up to a month), and extensions (a semi-permanent extension that can last up to three months). The appeal of eyelash services is that they are waterproof, sweat-proof and save you prep time in the morning — an excellent option for ladies with an active, busy lifestyle. Moreover, it can enhance your appearance by creating the illusion of being more glamorous, awake and alert. While the lash treatments do offer lasting results, Cindy recommends follow-up maintenance treatments every three weeks to keep the look fresh.
Lee Nails & Spa of Wesley Chapel is located at 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 104, and is open Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sunday. For appointments (not required) or more info, call 907-8100.
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