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Stefanie Van Aken

Tag Archives: rockstar mom recommends

drybar Las Vegas

03 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Featured, RSMLV

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

fashion, hair, Las Vegas, rockstar mom recommends, salons

UPDATE! December 2017, a new drybar location opened inside the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. Located on the 2nd floor, facing the Strip. Admittedly, the space feels smaller, I wish there were more wash bins, and they are struggling a bit in keeping time (schedule your weekend appointment at least 30 minutes before the time you actually want to arrive) I find this new location to be way more convenient than Planet Hollywood- I might be biased. drybar does offer a really easy booking service via their app or online. You can call, too, the customer service peeps are very friendly and thorough. I find the app to be just as easy, if not easier.

You want a RockStarMom LV tip? Get your hair done at drybar Cosmopolitan Las Vegas then walk across the bridge to get your make-up done at Tom Ford at the Shops at Crystals (minimum purchase of $100, but tip your stylist because these gals really are talented).

drybar Cosmopolitan Las Vegas | Photo by Stefanie Van Aken

Getting ready to bring in 2018 with JuanYa at the drybar Cosmopolitan Las Vegas! 🍾

 

It’s amazing. Your blowout will last for days. You have to have this blow dryer. I kept hearing about this drybar from my friends who live in almost every major city in the country. After countless Christmas gift exchanges year after year with requests for drybar gift cards that I had to keep buying online…I was starting to get a little offended that this place had not graced my presence on the Las Vegas Strip. Until now. My friends were right, and I want to extend one of the warmest welcomes to drybar Las Vegas…(it’s about damn time!) located at the Miracle Mile in Planet Hollywood on the Las Vegas Strip. Yeah for me! And all of you! Here’s why….

What is drybar? In case you’ve been living in an ashram for the past 6 years…it is the creme de la creme of hair styling salons. Featured on TV series like the Housewives of {insert city name here}, you can basically feel like you are rich and fabulous by getting your hair blown out daily, weekly, or monthly. It is a blow dry only salon meaning no cuts, no color. Just style. And folks there is a formula to this style. After browsing through their LookBook, you choose the style most suited for your mood at the time: Cosmopolitan, MaiTai, CosmoTai and the list goes on. Any hairstyle you have ever seen any glam actress or en trend model sport on the runway or in Vanity Fair….honestly, you can have that done to your hair here. I mean it. I don’t care how much you love your hair dresser, they cannot style your hair like drybar does. (To a stylist in action check out the videos on my Facebook page.)

drybar las vegas

drybar las vegas| photo credit Jeff Green

What is drybar Las Vegas? Yes, I asked that question twice-ish because Vegas is the only location with a DJ and full bar on premises during operating hours. Yup. Only in Vegas is more than just a hashtag, it’s for reals. We bring the fun and the life to any party! Especially the one happening at drybar Las Vegas! So, order it up! Your service will take approximately 30-45 minutes depending on what your style selection, which means plenty of time for a cocktail.

drybar las vegas

Where is drybar Las Vegas? Located in the Miracle Mile Shops at the Planet Hollywood. If you are visiting Vegas, I would suggest either walking or Uber yourself here to make it easier. Otherwise, my local peeps, valet park at the Miracle Mile valet (yes, this is a thing…bypass the main valet and look for the Miracle Mile Valet…easiest way to get there is via Harmon behind the actual hotel). Once in from the valet, go up the escalator, make a right and keep walking. And we are walking and walking past the food court, and towards the middle of the Miracle Mile. You will see LUSH (my other favorite place) which is right next door.

Drybar Vegas Storefront_Credit Jeff Green

Drybar Vegas Storefront_Credit Jeff Green

How Much is drybar Las Vegas? In Las Vegas, the price for a wash and blow out is $49. You can add other services like a braid ($10) or extension ($20), or add treatments to your hair like a floater ($10 for 10 minute scalp massage) or hydrating hair shot ($20). Uptinis (updos) are $100, Shirley Temples (kids blow outs) are $35. There is also a barfly membership: $80 a month for 2 blowouts, plus a free birthday blowout, 10% off products bought in-store, and $5 off additional monthly blowouts. With this membership, your blowouts roll over to the next month if you haven’t used them. So let’s see, for my daily blowout, I can factor in $49 + $10 (who doesn’t want a floater??) + $10 (suggested tip)= $69 into my budget (30 x $69= $2070…). OK, maybe monthly…or bi-monthly.

drybar menu

Why drybar Las Vegas? Because why not? What better way to pamper yourself than having someone wash and style your hair while you sip a Sin City Fizz and listen to some delicious beats spun by the hot, I mean, hottest DJs around? But, truthfully, as a local, I don’t see myself getting there as often as I would like, which is probably a good thing for my wallet. Lucky for me, my hubby works down on the Strip, so I DO see myself booking appointments when I plan on meeting him for dinners or events, because, again, why not? And, easy location for me to access as all I would have to do is cross the foot bridge that connects the Cosmopolitan (City Center for those staying at Aria or Vdara) to Planet Hollywood. With that being said, the valet at the Miracle Miles Shops is actually pretty easy to access as well from a local’s stand point. But consider drybar for those special occasions as well: Girls’ Night Out, Bridal Parties, Bachelorette Parties, Mommy/Daughter days, Mother’s Day, New Year’s Eve (if celebrating on the Strip)….the lists and ideas could go on forever. Locals cross your fingers and send good vibes out to the universe that other drybar locations start popping up in Henderson and Summerlin ASAP.

drybar before after

What I 💜 about drybar Las Vegas? Besides everything I mentioned above…product. LOVE LOVE LOVE the product!! Vegan, Earth-friendly, products! No parabens, sulfates, or phthalates. No animal testing. How amazing is that? They all smell divine, they work well and they are reasonably/competively priced for the market. There are products for every concern you can think of it when it comes to preserving and extending the life of that fabulous blowout. drybar offers many of their hair stylist tools as well.  My first experience with the buttercup blowdryer was lovely. Priced at $195, it’s definitely a hair tool investment, but I have friends with thick, curly, luxurious locks who claim the buttercup is the only way to go. There is also the baby buttercup now available which is a travel blowdryer priced at $135. But my true love here in this paragraph is the product. I’m obsessed with finding vegan hair and body products. Way to go drybar!

drybar products

What needs work? I can honestly say my experience at drybar Las Vegas was outstanding. Cocktail waitresses, DJ booth, friendly stylists who listen and do what they say they are going to do. Products and hair styling tools were phenomenal. Atmosphere lively and fun. I brought my 10-yead old daughter for a Shirley Temple, which she had both the style and the drink. By the way…just because it’s called the Shirley Temple it does not mean the only style for kids is a head full of tight corkscrew curls…they can choose their own style as well from the LookBook. My daughter had fun, too! There is a selfie booth, and plenty of photo opps around the salon.

drybar stella

Go ahead…you know you want to…BOOK IT! and Enjoy!

drybar las vegas

 

disclaimer: my daughter and I were invited media guests by drybar Las Vegas to experience their newest location located on the Las Vegas Strip…I speak 100% of the truth. 

 

 

 

definition of s o a k :: comfy stylish slides for summer

15 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Fun

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

fashion, rockstar mom recommends, shoes

Thank you for coming today. We’re going to play a little game. Everyone reading this post…if you are over 30, remain standing. For those of you standing…if you enjoy keeping your styles fresh and fab, remaining standing. Looking for a timeless, yet, on trend sandal for hanging by the pool and beach and anywhere else life takes you this summer? Do you enjoy comfort AND style? Remain standing. Those of you left…you have arch problems? Need something to provide you a little more support than those thin flip flops you have been wearing to the pool? (I know you are out there…). Let me introduce you to definition of s o a k. Comfy and stylish slides for summer that will take you anywhere.

I don’t know about you but my feet are a hot mess. All those wonderful years I spent taking ballet and cheerleading, followed by years of tennis and running and yoga in bare feet…my high arches have started to collapse and I’ve been blessed with this fun ailment in my 40’s called planter fasciitis. Oh, you’re familiar with it? Yeah, unfortunately, most of us around this age are, and we have had to give up our simple luxuries of being able to wear those fun little rubbery flip flops all day long in the summer. Trading in our Haviannas for our Birks, having to add in a special arch support in our runners, and never, ever will you find us roaming around the house without some sort of shoe on for support. Bleeach. Who needs that??

definition of soak

After summers of not listening about the flip flops, my feet finally flopped. I wore my Haviannas only once this season, and my arches punished me for days. As I was trolling through one of my favorite fashion and travel sites, JetSetFam, I discovered these adorable sandals she had been wearing by the pool. Digging deeper, I discovered they had an arch support, and supportive soles, and they looked W A Y better than the waterproof Birkenstocks I had just purchased after throwing in the towel on the flip flops. I reached out to owner, Elena Corsano, co-founder of definition of s o a k, and asked if I, too, could review a pair of these trendy looking slides that seemed to work in perfectly with my summer wardrobe and activities.

definition of soak vegas

Elena sent me a pair of the gold metallic with the chocolate trim in a size 7. Upon receiving the package, I knew I was going to love the shoe just because I loved the branding and the packaging. The shoes smell divine and I didn’t want to wear them outside of my house initially in fear of the scent being gone forever. After giving them a few days to break in around the house, I decided it was time to finally branch out and take them out in public. Two outings with my son- one to egglsut at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, the other at Shake Shack in Downtown Summerlin, and another time poolside again at the Cosmopolitan was enough for me to start noticing the difference between wearing my flip flops and wearing my soaks all day.

starbucks at cosmopolitan las vegas

I was able to chat with Elena via email about the soak product to get more of the skinny on these fashionable summer time shoes.

How did you come up with the idea for definition of s o a k? We (Elena, along with co-founder, Michelle Vale of Michelle Vale, Inc.,) were two moms running around NYC from meetings to soccer games to dinner dates and more. We realized there wasn’t a summer footwear option that fit our needs and over a cocktail one day, decided to create a new category in footwear–one that not only moms could enjoy, but really anyone who had a jet-set busy lifestyle.
Love that the product is manufactured in the USA…what made Maine so appealing? We had both traveled to Maine and really love it there. It was once a manufacturing hub for shoes and when we came across a factory there to work with, we jumped at the opportunity.
Sustainable products…what goes into the production? Where do the products originate from? The slides are created using a two-part injection mold. We spent 22 months on the design to assure comfort, arch support and major style. What makes our slides vegan is that they are not produced with any animal products whatsoever.
And I love the smell…is that weird on my part or intentional in yours? Not at all! They are scented with natural vanilla!
The structure is also appealing…slight arch support, thick soles for cushion, where did you get the inspiration for that? I studied under a designer named Roberto Menichetti (former head designer for Jil Sander and former creative director at Burberry). He taught me the importance of design equilibrium. In every great design there should be comfort and function  as well as a high design aesthetic.
Is s o a k only available online? No. Were sold in over 60 boutiques throughout the US as well as select locations globally — like Rome, Bodrum, Toronto and Seoul.
Is the shoe meant to change and adapt to your own foot? Not necessarily… But the longer you wear them, the more comfortable … Like any shoe you break in.

My experience with s o a k

Overall, I love the product and would happily recommend, and encourage you to give them a try. The sandals come in a variety of colors, from bold primaries to metallics and basic black and white. soak will definitely complement your summer wardrobe in color and style.  (Product price point ranges from $72- $89)

definition of soak gold

I enjoyed wearing the soak slides throughout the day, I even felt the difference when driving…more support and my arches hurt less. Unfortunately, I am a solid 6.5 and the slides only come in full sizes. So, I opted for the 7, which at first, felt a little tight around my foot. I have a wider foot and also the beauty of bunions (so not sophisticated, but let’s be real here), so the band was a bit tight at first. Once my foot started to fit into the band better, the shoe overall felt a little bigger, so it was flopping slightly off my right foot. And, I would have to keep stopping to readjust, but figured out once I really dug my foot into the slide, they stayed on better.

update: Elena sent me a size 6 to try out. Unfortunately, it was too small. The 7 is slightly too big, but I prefer that over trying to squeeze my foot into the six. Sadly, I’m a true 6.5 making s o a k not the most functional slide for my foot. With that being said, I love love love the style, the concept and the story, and would still recommend them, but just for someone who has a less wide foot and solid sizing.

downtown summerlin

What I 💜 about definition of s o a k

Besides the fact that two fashion-forward moms saw a demand for a comfy, yet stylish summer shoe and just went for it…I l o v e that definition of s o a k truly sticks my its sustainability promise. Not only are the shoes made from vegan based products, the shoes are shipped in the least amount of packing materials, that are recyclable. AND, there is a recycling program for shoes that have run their course in the works!

These are a great throw in your travel bag kind of a shoe as they easily take you from pool, to beach, to happy hour, to bbq. I wish I would have these for our trip to Cuba last year. They would have been great with the warm weather, flirty outfits and baggage weight limits.

You can purchase definition of s o a k online via their website. I’m kind of crazy for the red ones…might have to order me another pair!

definition of soak black

 

 

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