After all of the polar vortices we had to endure in Toronto this winter, it’s nice to hang up our winter jackets and enjoy the sunshine!  As a result of the long & super cold winter, my skin got really try and I had to slather on the moisturizer but I definitely neglected a few areas.  My cuticles and nails were super dehydrated which caused me a lot of hangnails, my heels were dry and cracked, and my underarms were really bumpy and parched.  These three areas are coined by Lady Speed Stick as the “Thirsty Three.”

You never would have guessed underarms being dry, right?  Well the cause of this is from tight sweaters, irregular shaving, perspiration and dry air.  The only thing we really put on our delicate underarm skin is antiperspirant/deodorant.  Though these products help control sweat and odour, it doesn’t do much when it comes to hydration.  Enter Lady Speed Stick Nutra-Skin! With Vitamin E, this antiperspirant helps restore moisture and provides 24 hour protection with an invisible formula.  It comes in two formulations, a 45g stick and 50mL roll-in, for $2.99CAD.  I must attest to this product because it does what it claims.  Ever since I started using it, my underarm skin has gotten a lot softer.

To combat those dry hands, I’ve been using The Body Shop Vitamin E Hand & Nail Treatment every night before I go to bed.  At $16CAD for 75mL, it may seem expensive for hand creams but you only need to use a little bit each time. I can’t tell you how many hand creams I’ve used in the past where I slathered it on, but it didn’t do anything for my hands and I would wake up in the morning with dry hands and hangnails. This hand cream is rich in Vitamin E and conditions nails and softens cuticles.

I tend to be barefoot when working out/kickboxing at Fight Fit Bootcamps just because I feel like it gives me better control and mobility.  This is something my feet hate.  Because I’m constantly rubbing my feet against the floor, they get all dry and cracked and pretty disgusting looking.  To resolve this, I have welcomed Baléa Warming Foot Balm in Avocado & Sweet Almond Oil into my regimen at night.  Though the packaging suggests a single-use, I was able to use it for two weeks…not bad for $2.99CAD for 15mL.  This balm not only moisturized my dry, flaky feet, but upon contact to the skin, it provided this warm sensation which was very “spa like.”

To rectify all dry areas, Lady Speed Stick Nutra-Skin collaborated with The Ten Spot to create “The Thirsty Three Experience.”  What this entailed was a luxury treatment of a manicure, pedicure, and underarm wax.

The Ten Spot was voted Toronto’s Best Beauty Spa & Best Manicure and Pedicure spot and Hamilton’s Best Nail Salon!  With locations all over Ontario and an easy to use online booking system, there’s no excuse to not pay The Ten Spot a visit!

Once you book your appointment online, you are immediately sent an e-mail confirmation which outlines the cost for each service and timeline.

Just to give you an idea, here’s what my schedule looked like:

6:00 PM	Underarms	10 min		$15.00
6:10 PM	The Pedicure	45 min		$50.00
7:05 PM	The Manicure	30 min		$30.00

Since I was coming from work, I decided to go to the Leslieville location.

For those that drive, there’s Green P street parking and it’s free after 6pm (Huzzah!)

The entrance is located on the side in an alley way.  For a basement location, I was impressed by how spacious, bright, and clean it was.

When I walked in, I was greeted by the receptionist who took my jacket and belongings and introduced me to my aesthetician, Jodie.  I must commend Jodie on her professionalism and passion for her job.  She was really patient, meticulous, and very knowledgable about the products and techniques.  If you ever go to the Leslieville location, remember to ask for Jodie!

We started off with an underarm wax and Jodie brought me to this super clean room.  To calm your nerves, they even have a TV to distract you.

I’m not going to lie, I was pretty gosh darn nervous when I read “underarm wax.”  I’ve never waxed my underarms before and didn’t know the protocol…like how long do you leave your hair?  So I was pretty embarrassed when I had to lift up my hairy underarms.  Jodie acted with great professionalism like it didn’t phase her and it was just another day.  She started off by using a powder to absorb any excess oils and sweat.  The entire process was quick and painless.  She used a soft wax and followed with a wipe to help condition back the skin.  Jodie even explained to me some after-care tips like not to shower following and only put on Lady Speed Stick Nutra-Skin the morning after since the skin was a bit sensitive.

Before the manicure and pedicure, I was whisked away to their captivating selection of nail polishes. The Ten Spot offers their own line of 4-Free (no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), or camphor) nail lacquers called Get Nailed and retails for $12CAD. Since the weather was still gloomy outside, I didn’t want anything too bold or bright, so I opted for OPI Chillin’ like a Villain.

Before we began the pedicure, I was kindly offered a cup of tea, which was definitely much needed since it was so cold and rainy outside.

Onto the pedicure.  This was the third time I’ve ever gotten my nails done professionally.  The first two times were done at cheap vietnamese nail salons, so this was definitely a luxurious experience for me.  I’ve never seen such pristine and clean stations like these before…the soft padded seats and the glistening and fingerprint-free stainless steel sinks.

Jodie asked me how I would like my nails shaped and I gave her free reign.  She exfoliated the crap out of my feet and I was in awe of how much dead skin there was.  To add to the experience, she massaged the Get Nailed Foaming Body Buffer into my hands which is this innovative organic scrub that foams upon contact with water.  Followed by an organic body cream packed with hydrating ingredients like Vitamin E and Shea Butter called Get Nailed Whipped Body Cream.

You really do get your money’s worth.  When I walk with cheap salons, I wonder if the tools used are properly sanitized and if I will get an infection from them.  You don’t ever need to worry at The Ten Spot.  Everything used is properly sanitized.  I’ve never seen this before, but they use fresh files that stick onto stainless steel handles.  So after they are done using it on one client, they can peel it off, sanitize the handles and onto the next client.  Also, the body buffer and body cream were decanted and placed into small stainless steel bowls.  That way, the main jars aren’t contaminated and the proper amount is used for each client.

Jodie was great with applying nail polish to my hands and feet.  One thing I noticed is that before she applied the base coat, she used nail polish remove to remove any excess oils and ensure that the nail polish would adhere properly.  To speed up the drying time of my manicure, OPI Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops were applied.

The Ten Spot also sells Havaianas flip flops for people that don’t want to get their pedicure ruined in their shoes.  Unfortunately since it was all wet and gross outside, I wouldn’t wear the pair of flip flops that I brought. My pedicure was pretty much dry but as a pre-cautionary measure, Jodie slathered a layer of Vasline over my pedicure and wrapped it with plastic wrap.  She even helped me put on my socks and shoes.  Talk about a full-service salon!  She said that by doing this, it would prevent any dents on my pedicure, especially when I’m driving.  She was right…my pedicure was still fresh when I got home.

I’m pretty lazy when it comes to my feet, so I haven’t removed the nail polish from my pedicure yet.  After 4 weeks, it is still looking pretty good with no dents or chips.  As for my nails, that’s another story.  I’m not a fan of OPI Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops because it dries out the top layer of the nail polish.  So it eventually causes the nail polish to shrink and cure.  So my manicure lasted a bit less than 4 days which didn’t bother me too much because I just removed the nail polish and applied a fresh coat since my nails were cuticle free and shaped well!

What impressed me most about this entire experience was the cleanliness of the salon.  Everything was spic-and-span.  Since I was getting my nails done close to closing hour, I saw them using sprays to really scrub down the entire salon and making sure it was spotless.

Thanks to The Republic, Lady Speed Stick Nutra-Skin, and The Ten Spot for making this a very luxurious “The Thirsty Three Experience!”

On a complete side note, I cannot wait to try the Get Nailed Lacquer!

Disclaimer: All products and services were provided for review consideration.  All opinions are my own and are always open & honest.