| Finding Hope in a Haircut
and a Manicure
By Andrew Curry
Special to the Washington
Post
May 6, 1999, Thursday, District
Weekly
A day at the
beauty salon can help boost almost any woman's self-esteem, but for women
going through hard times, that boost can make even more of a difference.
So when two area hairdressers recently opened the Natural Essence Day Spa
in Chevy Chase, they decided to invite women from a nearby women's shelter
to the
grand opening for a day
of free manicures, makeup and hairstyling.
"When I opened
the Day Spa, I wanted to do something to give back--something for women
who were struggling through hard times," said spa co-owner Nancy Robinson.
"Sometimes fixing the outside first gives the inside something to feel
good about."
Robinson invited
10 women from the Mount Carmel House in the District to the spa's grand
opening. The 21-bed transitional shelter houses women trying to move from
substance abuse clinics, mental health institutions or off the street to
life on their own.
"The difference
this makes is enormous--some of them come and have failure after failure
in their lives. Just getting themselves back to where they feel good about
themselves is a big deal," said Margaret Schultz, the Mount Carmel House
administrator who helped organize the event. "Another big part is knowing
someone cares enough to help them get set and then keep helping them."
The women, moving
between the manicure tables and the salon's haircut chairs, agreed.
"This is nice--it's
special. I haven't been taking care of myself lately, and to do this is
a treat. It's good for the ego," said Mount Carmel resident Deborah Williams
as she waited for her new burgundy nail polish to dry.
For some of
the women, the makeovers were more than just treats. Part of the shelter's
mission is helping its residents find jobs, and the self-confidence the
makeovers provide is an important part of the process.
"We discussed
having a program so ladies getting out of rehab or going to look for work
could get their hair and nails done and feel good about themselves. And
I think these ladies deserve a little help along the way. It's hard enough
out there already, isn't it?" Robinson said.
Gail Scott,
who has been at Mount Carmel House for five months, murmured in agreement
as Robinson curled her hair. "I'm coming to the end of my [job training],
and I'll be going on interviews in the next three weeks. This helps a lot.
. . . It's a good experience for us as homeless women to lift our self-esteem."
Robinson and
co-owner, Song Lee, plan to hold a similar event once a month for the Mount
Carmel women. "Many of these women are insecure. They're very afraid of
a lot of things," Lee said. "I wanted to do something for these people
to help them find work. When they look nice, they feel good, and it helps
them find work."
The manicures,
makeovers and hairstyling normally would cost at least $ 65 a person.
Lee said she and Robinson
hope to expand, opening more salons and perhaps a beauty school where women
from Mount Carmel could learn to be hairdressers or shampooers--skills
she says are in demand.
Lee and Robinson plan on
holding events for the women on a regular basis. For women such as Hillary
Kacser, a Mount Carmel resident who had her makeup done and the white rinsed
out of her long brown hair, the salon event made a difference.
"It's very nice of them to
arrange this. I wouldn't even be in a beauty parlor otherwise," Kacser
said. "This helps me get my self-esteem back. I'm grateful to have someone
who cares enough." |
