We wait all winter long to retire our dark polishes for bright springy colors! When it comes to choosing polish for your manicures and pedicures, there’s really no such thing as choosing the wrong colors. It’s all about personal style and doing what feels right. I recently had the opportunity to visit H&E Paint Bar, a nail salon in downtown Portland, where I was able to try on fun new trending spring colors and feel utterly pampered for an afternoon.
Getting your nails done can come across as a luxury, but for me, it’s become part of my self-care routine. Although yes you can always paint your own nails at home and save money if you’re anything like me the self-made attempts never look as good as getting it done by a professional. Plus allowing somehow else to do your nails gives you the opportunity to relax and feel spoiled for an hour. Which let’s be real is totally worth it (and well deserved).
As someone who works a 9-5 and then also works countless hours on my creative side hustles every day of the week, it’s essential that I carve time out for myself to regroup and recharge. For so long I didn’t afford “me time” because it felt too much like a luxury and I felt guilty. However, recently I’ve rediscovered the need for self-care. As human beings, we all require a lot of work or attention to thrive. We require sleep, food, water, and exercise, just to name a few of the essentials. We also know that often when we look good, we feel good, so doing things like getting our hair done, getting our nails done, or getting a massage can make us feel better. So why do we shame people for it?
Self-preservation is crucial for everyone, but people will inevitably try to make you feel guilty for loving yourself. I believe that if we all practiced more self-love, we would have more capacity to love others. Self-care is going to look different to everyone, but for me, since my focus is on fashion and wellness, a fresh manicure and pedicure is the perfect monthly treat to feel more beautiful and relaxed.
I was so impressed by the stylish atmosphere of H&E Paint Bar. The posh minimalist white furnishings and simple plant accents truly made the entire experience feel more elevated. The salon is best known for offering you a complimentary glass of Prosecco or wine while you get your nails done and the customer service is unparalleled. H&E also offers a range of media for every different nail type, from regular polish to gel/shellac to organic(dazzle dry) and dipping powder. That afternoon, I was torn between which color to choose for my manicure, so I decided to try many! I was instantly drawn to OPI’s newest spring collection: Tokyo and decided to switch things up with a five different colors on each hand. Beyond my deep love for the city of Tokyo, I also loved how well the pastel colors worked for an Easter feel. For my pedicure, I chose to go with an all-white palette since I really wanted my toes to pop in open-toed sandals this season.
At the end of my visit, not only did I feel rejuvenated and refreshed, but I also felt energized looking down at my freshly painted nails. Colors can after all be therapeutic and different shades can affect our mental processes and can change our mood. Similar to how we can be intentional with clothing pieces, we can also be intentional with our nail colors and use this beauty practice as a venue to not only evoke self-expression but also be used as a self-aligning tool.
At the end of the day, self-care, whether that be getting your nails done or simply sitting outside in the sun for a 10-minute lunch break is not selfish, but rather is a form of self-love and is necessary in order to live a healthy life.
Photography by Brianna Lueck
Special thanks to H&E Paint Bar for collaborating with us!
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