5 moments when you're happy with your mani-pedi

I often find it hard to make time for it too. Mani-pedis simply take a lot of time. But the time investment is so worth it that I believe you should just book it every two weeks. This week I went again with my hands and feet in the air because I'm leaving for Paris on Monday and Paris calls for ‘done’. Since I like to sit a bit relaxed and cozy, I headed to IJburg, to our friend Marie-José from MJ Amsterdam. An incredibly nice salon where you can also go for your eyebrows, a super spray tan (read here how it went for me) and even a beauty boot camp.

What I love about it? That you can park right outside, that they are sweet and friendly, that they understand when you don't want to talk because you want to work and they have the cutest names of the OPI polishes written legibly on the color chart, so I don't have to zoom in with my aging eyes on those bottles. A huge plus. They also have the cutest names ever (have you heard of this them?). I'm currently sitting with a lovely all-good-with-coconut on my toenails and I am so happy. And I'm going to stay happy when I find myself in the following situations.

1. Visiting

Imagine, I'm visiting friends where I'm suddenly asked to take off my shoes. Without shoes, I already feel limited (it's an outfit, you know, it's been thought out and all), but if it turns out to be a jungle with bits of polish and crooked nails, the image I've built up really doesn't hold anymore.

2. With a flip-flop

Minimalistic is totally okay, but especially then it needs to be well-groomed. Please, don't show me toenails where only the two biggest ones still have a memory of what was once a crispy polish. Don't do it. But just think of that nonchalant flip-flop and that perfect pedi.

3. During yoga class

“Just take off your socks, it's easier to train.” Suddenly the yoga teacher said it. Then we also had to hold each other's feet. I was so glad for my fresh OPI layer.

4. When you unexpectedly end up in bed

Kiki interviewed singer Mario ‘suddenly’ yesterday. You know, the one from ‘Let Me Love You’ and we thought it would be so fun to make that the kickoff of her new column ‘In bed with Kiek’. “Just polish your nails,” I advised her. What do you think; Mario complimented her on her beautiful, done toes. “I can kiss you, May,” she texted me. So you see: never underestimate the importance of a pedi.

5. When you're trying on shoes

And especially when you suddenly want to wear a shoe with an open toe. I sometimes cowardly polish those three toes that you only see, but that's not how it works, of course. As Diana Vreeland said: “All your nails must be perfectly polished, even if you're wearing closed shoes with socks. You walk differently and more beautifully and more confidently when you're well-groomed to the last detail.” And if you were already at it, whether you also wanted to iron your banknotes and polish your shoe soles. Amen.