Even if you buy every gift on your list, plan and shop for every big meal and attend every soiree on your calendar, it's possible to pass the holiday season without finding true holiday cheer. But take an hour to pamper yourself at Julep Nail Parlor [0], and you just might discover the joy in the season after all.
Jane Park's University Village-adjacent nail salon was established with busy women in mind, and you're never busier than you are this time of year. Nestle by the fire with a cup of tea, cover up in a cozy bamboo blanket and enjoy a truffle (or two -- they're not scrooges at Julep) while a vernisseur treats you to one of the salon's holiday specialties, which are available through Dec. 31.
For the busy buyer, the Post Shopping Foot Revitalization ($36) is a fete for feet. Let the fizzy soak absorb your seasonal stress, then get hooked on the candy-cane exfoliating scrub, a Juletide version of a sugar scrub. Restore your feet with a paraffin wrap topped off with a reflexology rub.
If parties have piled up in your Blackberry, you might request the double delight of a Winter Cranberry Manicure and Pedicure ($112; $52 manicure only; $72 pedicure only). Get your tootsies into some hot (but not scalding) water with a relaxing cranberry soak. Later, the vernisseur will exfoliate your hands and feet with a cranberry-seed-and-sugar scrub, which removes flaky skin and gives your flesh a flush of anti-oxidants. Cover up for a bit in a paraffin wrap before enjoying a hand and foot massage, then pick one of Julep's patented polishes named for celebrity starlets. The Scarlett is a stunner for a holiday party; the Jennifer is a sweet shade for a family function.
Once your snagged cuticles and sandpaper heels are eliminated, check out Julep's own line of polishes, lotions, cuticle oil and balm for some great gift ideas, or for your own upkeep. The products were developed entirely with natural ingredients like jojoba oil, oat protein, avocado oil and aloe vera, and they're naturally scented with citrus, mint, lavender, pomegranate and vanilla. The lotions are rich but not goopy, and the cuticle oil is an essential for maintaining your nails. Julep offers a variety of gift sets ranging from $18 to $155, which include various products and services.
Too busy to visit Julep in person? You can purchase a selection of goodies or a gift certificate from the salon's Web site [1]. Remember, there's no better stocking stuffer than a pretty pedi.
Julep is at 5001 N.E. 25th St.; 206-985-6644. Visit the salon online at www.myjulep.com [2].
If you have a shop, sale, event or great product tip you'd like to share, e-mail seattleshopping@nwsource.com.
Copyright © 2010 The Seattle Times Company
