An evening of pampering with Bellissimo

Recently I was invited to visit Bellissimo in collaboration with Mini Media to be treated for an evening – and how could I say no! Bellissimo is an international Award winning hair and nail salon based in Galaway and really are a one stop shop before an event from beauty treatments to getting your hair done as well as making your nails look amazing.

When we arrived Sinead from Mini Media warmly welcomed us and we treated to some delicious treats from the G Counter. The G Counter is a delicious cafe which basically does wholesome, tasty food and yummy little dessert delights. We love popping in their for lunch as the service is quick and you know that you will get good food. Above are just some of the tasty treats that we had along with some very flavoursome blends of Solaris Tea.

While we were sampling the nibbles Mike the owner and Dympna the manager talked us through the changes that have been happening in the salon and we were then led around the full salon. I have to say that the premises are SO much larger than I had thought. There are numerous treatment rooms and they are honestly so much larger and more comfortable than some other salons that I have been in.

The treatment that I decided on was a Shellac manicure. Whilst I have had manicures before Shellac was new to me. I wanted to wait at least a week before posting this article so I could give you my honest thoughts on Shellac and how the manicure has held up.

On the day Ciara was my excellent nail technician and with over 12 years experience I knew I was in good hands. She did have to put up with me asking MANY questions as I quizzed her on the dangers of the UV lights for my nails (not very as so low wattage), how long I could leave them on for (14 days), possible side effects (apart from fabulous nails – don’t leave them on longer than the time recommended to avoid damage to your nails) etc. etc. In my opinion, a place that I will go back to is one that answers your questions confidently but doesn’t (appear) to mind. Ciara was so easy to talk to and put my mind at ease after Kerry telling me Shellac horror stories! 🙂

The experience itself was really enjoyable and I felt so relaxed during it. Ciara started by filing my nails and then the choosing of the nail colours began… I ended up choosing ‘Pink Bikini‘ and I love it! We did a base coat, then two of Pink Bikini and then a top coat. Each coat was sealed under a UV light and I was shocked at how quickly they dried and also how super glossy they are.

Nearly two weeks on and they are chip free (OMG!) and also still as glossy as the day that I got them. I am utterly surprised that they are not chipped as I did not do anything different than normal and my normal polishes last 4-5 days tops before some of them are showing wear. I will be taking their advice and popping in to get them professionally removed as I do not want to cause any damage to my nails. Bellissimo will remove them for you free of charge when they apply them which I think is a great after-service. And the final verdict – I would get them again for any (however small)! event that comes up.

While Saibh, Kerry and I got manicures, Dolores and Ruth decided to treat their feet and got pedicures. The space was very luxurious and the girls were right at home. Salon treatments and hair styling are not the only services that Bellissimo offer. They also offer expert advice and discreet service to wig wearers and have been doing so fro the past 14 years.

And isn’t this wig just so glamorous! My impression of wigs to be honest was quite dated – these wigs are actually super fashionable and we had so much fun trying on different looks. I would never have thought of wig wearing as something that would be for me but after trying some on I could see the attraction (and also how I would look as a blonde) – Sinead from Yummy Mummy actually has a great post on wearing wigs here which I would certainly advise you to check out.

Wigs At… is established as Ireland’s leading Wig Specialists in the alternative hair industry and intend to be the only company in Ireland to provide such a comprehensive selection of ready to wear hairpieces. From viewing all the different styles there are so many variations available and you don’t need to look like you are wearing a wig. This is important and the actual quality of the wigs was unbelievable and they were so light to wear as well.

There are many different reasons for needing to wear a wig and Bellissimo offer private fitting rooms where you can discuss your needs with their professional, specially qualified wig and hair piece consultants.  I think that this is such an amazing service to offer and they are also working in conjunction with the HSE to provide support (both financial and cosmetic) to necessity wearers. Please call them on 091 568 555 to discuss further with them.

Mini Media and the team at Bellissimo really welcomed us with open arms and treated us like true VIP’s and we all left with smiles on our faces (and also some amazing goodie bags). You can check out the services that Bellissimo on their website and they are also on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.