‘Softer Her’, the Valentine’s Day Package at Lily of the Valley

We’ve made Valentine’s Day mistake-proof.

Show the women you love that you love them more than all the others this Valentine’s Day, without making them feel obligated to eat a pound of chocolate.

Lily of the Valley introduces the Softer Her Valentine’s gift package.

After our Valentine's mani, she'll love to let her fingers do the walking... up your spine

It’s the ultimate gesture on this international day for lovers: A chill-out trifecta consisting of manicure, pedicure and our legendarily soft and luxurious deep hair conditioning treatment with wash and style — all for the respectably admirable price of $88 (+HST). Our menu cost for all these services purchased on their own would be $110.

To maximize the simplicity of giving this gift, you may order it over the phone by calling us at 416-913-3854, between 10am-6pm, or by dropping in to 496 College St. and asking for the Softer Her gift certificate.

This is the gift that not only lasts for weeks, but keeps on giving back — and believe us, there are few females who object getting a touch softer for someone as thoughtful as one who gives her this gift.

(Offer valid till Feb 21, 2011 — in case you miss Valentine’s Day, God forbid)

Keratin Hair Smoothing Treatment Now at Lily of the Valley

Been following the fascinations of the Brazilian hair straightening farrago in recent times? The one where people pay stupid money for a formaldehyde-rich solution to perma-straighten their curls, but the stuff is so toxic the hairdressers and clients risk early death from exposure?

She was once wild and curly, but has since straightened out

Well, we’d been asked about it by a few clients and decided nothankyouverymuch, not really our style.

We much prefer products that work really well, while not requiring gas masks and bio-hazard suits.

So imagine how happy we were when Brocato’s Curl Interrupted keratin smoothing system arrived at the salon. We’ve been using it regularly with our curliest clients and all are thrilled with the smooth, silky, frizz-free hair they walk out our door with.

Smoother than any woman has the right to be

It makes wild morning hair easy to control with when self-styling at home, and lasts for 10-12 weeks.

The cost depends on the length and condition of your hair.

And it’s got no formaldehyde, a nasty ingredient indeed — even just to type.

Call for your appointment to see Lily for a consultation and quotation — 416-913-3854.

Nail News: It’s a CND Shellac Attack at Lily of the Valley

We now carry the amazingly gorgeous and astonishingly durable line of CND Shellac nail gel polish. We apply it like normal nail polish and dry it under a seemingly-magical UV light. The set is rock-hard and lasts for 2-3 weeks without chipping, cracking or peeling. And yet it comes off with remover in minutes.

Screengrab from CND's site

It’s even a great way to stop biting your nails — since you might well chip a tooth if you try!

The great thing about this product, beyond its perfect look and enduring qualities, is how non-toxic it is. It contains no formaldehyde, toluene or DBP (that one’s too scary to write out in full) — which all the old-school nail polishes are loaded with, and which you don’t want to touch, breathe or even ponder if at all possible.

We’re really thrilled to add this product to our nail goodies lineup, joining our SpaRitual vegan nail polish line, which is also minimally toxic, long-lasting and fabulous looking.

All part of our mission you bring you the best in beauty

It really looks this perfect

Lily of the Valley’s Shellac Manicure costs just $45, and our Shellac Pedicure is only $55. We think you’ll agree the extra 10 bucks or so is well worth it.

Both Perla and Christina are 100% trained and competent and taking appointments now.

Call us to book yours — 416-913-3854.

LOTV Christmas Soiree 2010

On the evening December 11, 2010, this is what went on at Lily of the Valley’s annual Christmas clients, friends and staff bash until 5am the following morning.

No one was badly hurt. No marriages ended, though certain extracurricular activities were pursued in our bathroom by spirited bon vivants. The women’s legs were long, strong and shiny, just like the martinis (our classic, vodka-lychee-lime, shaken with ice savagely).

We had two incredible bands, a bunch of drum slappers, chik-chika shakers, tambourine spankers, bum-wrigglers, foot stompers and Lily’s own offspring Gigi cranking out three Beatles tunes. It were sheer amazement.

Everyone had stunning hair.

Lily goes classic Javanese

Talk about extra-spicy yummy mummies.

Have a look at this classic West Java style in hair and makeup as done by Lily, one Sunday in November for four of her gal pals. They were dancing up a Yapong number for the Road to Asia Festival at the Japanese Cultural Centre, Toronto.

We’ve made pedicurean history

Lily of the Valley has installed two side-by-side gorgeous red glass pedicure sinks in our front room.

 

Semi-private pediroom with southern exposure for a warming experience

 

Mounted flush to the floor, with spiffy brushed metal taps and instant hot water to boot, our new pedi sinks let clients recline with a trashy magazine in our leather Indonesian planter’s chairs while their esthetician works high magic upon their feet.

 

Plumb miraculous; stunning red glass sinks just drain away to who-knows-where

 

We were lucky. The team who did the work had initially told us it couldn’t be done. Normally you need to mount sinks and taps on a wooden box or counter to allow room for the valves and drains and such.

But we challenged our master plumber to devise a way to mount everything flush on the slate tiles. He did a trial run at his home first, then phoned and told us he’d figured out how he could do it. It took him and his partner almost a whole day to complete the installation through our insanely thick floors (4 inches to be exact, consisting of 3/8″slate, 3/4″ plywood, original hardwood flooring and subflooring).

 

Simple to sterilize and refill with water at a temp to suit your feets' mood

 

But the sinks look fabulous and work perfectly. Clients love them, our girls love them and, best of all, we avoided those deeply tacky throne-like chair/sink pedi thingies found in most salons.

Call us to book a test drive with a friend.

We’ve (finally) found a new, very good esthetician

After a lengthy stretch of searching for a new esthetician, and turning away clients (Perla was fully booked every day), we are delighted to announce that we have made a great hire.

Christina Kim, who recently moved to Toronto from Western Canada, began with us on September 3. She was busy right from from day-one and we are taking appointments to make her even more so.

Christina is highly skilled and professional in manis, pedis and waxing, and possesses a most agreeable personality.

She’s pulling especially great reviews from those with painful, itchy callused feet for her ability to painlessly and fastidiously render that toughest of areas back to something approaching normal.

Christina is working full-time and still expanding her client base, so if you’re in need of some well-executed pampering, give us a ring at 416-913-3854 to book your appointment with her.

You will not be disappointed.

Chair Available at Lily of the Valley

Lily has a chair available for an experienced hairstylist with plenty of clients. Must be great with colour, have a positive attitude, be extremely reliable and responsible. Not much to ask, right?

If you’re the above, contact Lily at lys@rogers.com

Commission gig.

SpaRitual vegan nail polish now at Lily’s

We were skeptical.

Is this SpaRitual nail polish, we wondered, another one of these lame, but allegedly healthy, alternatives to the thousands of high-performance,  petroleum-based beauty products we all know, love and use with abandon daily? Will it shine as effusively? Will it stay intact as long under duress? Will the colours appeal to our tastefully-minded customers, not to mention us?

Well, we ordered a sampler to test out on ourselves, expecting little. A week later, with no touch-ups, we are amazed to say we all still have perfectly painted nails. Toenails too.

SpaRitual has truly astonished us. It’s tougher than typical polish and it’s gorgeous. And our customers are all lovey-dovey at first sight and cooing the praises of the colours on offer, which include many in the au courant plummy ranges.

So we’ve taken on the plant-based SpaRitual line as our one and only salon standard, replacing our previous crude oil-derived nail polishes. It’s much healthier, prettier and — priced at just $11.99/each — highly affordable. Even the nail polish remover is vegan. What’s to hate?

Here’s another screen grab of some of the over 100 colours we have in stock now for retail sale and for use in our manis/pedis.

Let’s face it: With the average Western female adult absorbing up to an astonishing 2 pounds of man-made chemicals into her body through her cosmetics annually, it’s high time to look at this whole beauty thing with a far better informed eye. And that’s precisely what SpaRitual has done.

They’ve blended function to form splendidly too: All polish bottles feature the sleek, patented Plum Cap™ with a signature brush for ease of opening, smooth control and a delicate finish. Designed, of course, by Ferrari of Italy.

We’re utterly impressed with this company and can’t wait to get more of their products into the shop — they’re coming soon. Check out the SpaRitual site here, and check back here often for updates. There will be many in the days and weeks to come.

Party Shots

From the Lily of the Valley 2008 Xmas Party

Lily and Jordy, all asnuggle

The strong, the sexy, the vodka

Triple trouble

Lily with the man who keeps her svelt, while Alex lurks behind

Femmes not-so-fatale