I Made A Big Girl Purchase, Investing in My Luxury Lifestyle

I’d never owned a blow dryer in my entire life. Making up for all the years I didn’t have one, I jumped straight to a 500-dollar blow dryer.

This is my first big girl beauty purchase, and I’m geeked!

I was a total kid on Christmas morning as I opened the newest investment into my luxury lifestyle.

Related: How to Look More Expensive

It’s a part of my feminine journey, being polished at all times; and keeping my hair done is step number one. I’m getting deja vu as if I already typed this somewhere, so I won’t risk being redundant. Here is the unboxing video of Dyson’s Limited Edition Supersonic Hair Dryer.

When I first mentioned the idea of this Los Angeles lifestyle blog, my girls all wanted me to do a YouTube video-blog (vlog) instead of a written (true) blog because they say I’m so animated. If you all agree, please interact with my YouTube channel; that’ll motivate me to make more 😆

Oh! I remember where I talked about the whole investment in this blow dryer being a part of my feminine journey. That’s the way I opened the blog post about being followed out of the clothing store Aritzia by two white employees, after picking up my blow dryer from the Dyson store in Century City Mall.

Whew child, let me not bring my mind back there; that really blew me away in the most unpleasant way.

In the next YouTube video, I show myself struggling to blow out my own hair for the very first time.

If you’ve had enough beauty for today, and would like some suggestions on things to do while in Los Angeles, please continue to peruse this Los Angeles lifestyle blog. Maybe you’re hungry? Check out the Los Angeles eats page, filled with personal, tried and true, suggestions!

Watch Me Struggle To Do A Roller Set on My Kinky Natural Hair for the First Time

Your eyes will have to move super quickly because I sped up all of the main chunks of me putting my hair on rollers.

A couple of people told me to stop uploading hair videos on my YouTube, and one girl was insistent on me only uploading very short videos, about 3 to 5 minutes long, but Granny will tell you that I’ve never been the best at listening to what people tell me to do.

I’ve matured. Now I do listen. I hear you, and I’ll even ponder it. But, at the end of the day, my narrow behind is going to do what I want to do. If what I want to do includes suggestions from others, great; if it doesn’t, well…

Even after watching thousands of hours of hair videos, I don’t get tired of them.

I like hair videos. You don’t??

And I like looking at the progression of my hair, now that I’m actually putting effort into its health.

So, I’m going to continue to make hair videos and upload them to YouTube, even if it’s only me watching.

If you’d like to get back to food and activity suggestions aroundLA, head over to the Guide to L.A. section of this Los Angeles lifestyle blog [CLICK HERE].

If you’d like to be amused by my hair struggles, below is my latest catastrophe.

please subscribe, y’all! PLEASE! I’m trying to get to 1000 and I’m not even a fifth of the way there. please, help yo’ girl out

Getting Glowing Skin With The Blessed Glowe Facial in Glendale

One day I decided to visit a new Black-owned hair store in the Los Angeles area, and little did I know, the owner I’d meet is a licensed esthetician that would invite me in for a facial over a year later.

Lexus, owner of Blessed Beauty Supply in Glendale, California, has been dedicated to making her storefront thrive, but recently, she’s made time for one of her other loves in the realm of beauty: skin. In our chat, during my visit, she told me how that when she announced her facial salon space, people thought she’d just gotten her license. She giggled in a modest correction to that assumption, “this isn’t new; I’ve been an esthetician for 3 years.”

After suffering some breakouts from various products over the years, and even having a poor experience with a dermatologist’s office, I really wasn’t in the market for having anyone come play in my face, but I decided to to take the risk (mainly to have something to tell you all about on this here Los Angeles lifestyle blog), and baby, let me tell you, I’m glad I did!

Lexus left my skin glowing.

Check out the full facial here, and the seven questions I asked her before the facial to settle my nerves.

Please be sure to subscribe on YouTube, while you’re there, as I have more of my beauty, eating, and active adventures aroundLA to come!

Treat Yourself to Luxury at This Luxury Nail Care Salon in LA

One of my girlfriends from Louisiana, that’s also a content creator, has been preaching about living a life a luxury lately. And she’s not spewing hopeless aspirations of a fantastical lifestyle sometime in the unknown future when she “makes it.” She’s talking about changes she’s making to her lifestyle right now, minor changes that you can make no matter your current tax bracket.

Be like Bria.

For example, during my visit to Minneapolis, where Bria now resides, when I entered her home, it smelled delightful. Each living space, bathroom, and bedroom had its own fragrance. She says air freshener plug-ins changed her life and kickstarted her life of luxury. Glade plugins, life-changing?? Okay, that may seem a bit hyperbolic, and the girl is dramatic, but Bria’s point is that small changes can make big differences.

Being a lady of luxury is in your hands.

Pun intended. It’s “in your hands” figuratively, as in your choice, and literally, as in your actual hands, your fingertips.. your nails!

sheer pink dip powder manicure done at Powder Beauty | photo : @aroundLAwithTK

Implement luxury into your LA lifestyle by becoming a regular at Powder Beauty, a luxury nail care salon located in Row DTLA.

Row DTLA is a precious pocket of upscale dining, shopping, and leisure in downtown Los Angeles. When you enter Powder’s suite in the plaza, your senses will be pleased by the sleek, fashionable aesthetic, the vibe-y jams, and the clean air. Your nose won’t be attacked by the usual toxic smell of nail shops.

Powder Beauty has all organic products, and doesn’t even offer acrylic sets, allowing for there to be little-to-no chemical odors. Not wishing pregnancy on you, my girl, but when you are with child, this is a pregnant-lady-friendly nail shop.

Upon arrival, you won’t be stared at and then assertively told, “go pick color!” You’ll be acknowledged pleasantly. And if/when you become a returning client, you may even be greeted by name.

When I walked in today, the first nail tech to see me nervously, but politely, grinned from behind her mask and asked, “do you have an appointment?” I responded that I do, and then I heard a voice come from the back saying, “hey, T.K., are you doing your sheer pink again?”

This is what I call luxury.

It’s about the experience, and what seems minuscule is major in creating that luxury experience. Friends, y’all know I know luxury; my four years working in luxury retail in Beverly Hills wasn’t in vain. And, if you’ve taken a look at my opinion column, you may also find that I’m critical. Powder Beauty passes my test.

Even though high-end restaurants can get away with charging an arm and a leg for subpar food, because you’re paying for the location, the product and/or service still matters.

Powder Beauty isn’t simply some cute spot doing shabby work. Los Angeles Magazine ranked this nail shop on their Best in L.A. list for the longest-lasting manicure! Listen, my dip powder set before last was about to grow off my fingers and hadn’t chipped a bit around the tip.

photo from @aroundLAwithTK InstaStory archive, showing how nails had grown out for weeks without chipping, on the way to Powder Beauty located DTLA

This visit, I went with a muted orange on my fingers and a vibrant orange on my toes. I wanted the sheer pink to be my signature nail color, but I have to admit that the sheer powders don’t hold up nearly as well, so I don’t know if I’ll be doing that one again.

Another new aspect I tried this time was having some wine during my visit. Yes, baby, keep the luxury coming! Pause, don’t think I’m saying I’ve never had wine while getting my nails done. I have. And I’ve had it at Powder’s previous location (in LA’s Hancock Park area, that was walking distance from my house [inserts growl about them moving away.. grrrrr!]), but I’d never had it at their new location since I tend to ride my bike DTLA. I’d never tried this particular wine either. It was a little aluminum can of sparkling rosé, accompanied by a paper straw. [heart smiles] Hey, true ladies of luxury love saving the earth.

enjoying wine during my mani+pedi appointment at Powder Beauty in downtown Los Angeles

Go live luxuriously, ladies!

Okay, I’ve painted the picture, it’s your turn to go experience this luxury nail care salon for yourself.

If you decide to visit this nail salon, and you found out about it here, tag @aroundLAwithTK in your InstaStory!