User Agreement
.
Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement. Please read our Privacy Policy.
© 2005 Pasadena Living Magazine. All rights reserved.
Material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Pasadena Living Magazine.
Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement. Please read our Privacy Policy.
© 2005 Pasadena Living Magazine. All rights reserved.
Material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Pasadena Living Magazine.
Search Pasadena Now, by FreeFind.com
   SPA REVIEW: Hand-n-Sole, Nail Boutique
Anyone for Warm Milk and Honey?
Delicious scents and attentive service
by Jennifer Kim
Editor’s Note: To ensure editorial integrity, we do not accept
payment from businesses or organizations whose work we
review. This is not a paid advertisement.
've never been much of a pedicure person, perhaps
because I've only been to those express nail places
with fumes and employees who look like they are afraid
of catching SARS. These quickie salons have
manhandled my feet and have scrubbed my soles a little
too hard.
So when owner Danielle Quintanar invited me to her
nail boutique Hand 'n' Sole for a Warm Milk and Honey
pedicure, I wasn't sure what to expect; however, as soon
as I stepped into her cozy and cute space, I knew my feet
were going to be in good hands.
What immediately caught my attention was that there weren't any fumes, loud chatter, and people lined up like a
factory. This was going to be a private session, just like one would expect with a massage. Mrs. Quintanar
describes her business as a "unique, petite nail boutique offering quality pampering and safe results-oriented, natural
nail care, with an emphasis on customer service and relaxation." Open for almost two years, Hand 'n' Sole does no
advertising and has built its customer base by word-of-mouth.
Loyal customer Billie Moore says, "Hand-n-Sole is not just a manicure
or pedicure; it's a vacation for an hour or two. This has to be the cleanest
space [of any nail salon] and one can never underestimate the importance
of such an environment."
Mrs. Quintanar, an energetic one-woman operation, has made her 2-
room boutique on East Colorado into a little haven. She carries unique
products such as soy candles, natural scrubs, and the Zoya nail polish
that is formaldehyde free and recommended for pregnant women.
Details like pretty rocks from customers' travels border the walls and a
book club make Hand 'n' Sole far more than a nail salon and more like a
community. The boutique's design is cozy, country kitchen-ish, and
comforting — a place to relax and be cared for. "I took everything I love
and made it into my own business," says Mrs. Quintanar.
The Warm Milk and Honey pedicure takes one hour and fifteen minutes
and I enjoyed ever minute of it. Be prepared to have your feet lavished
upon like Cleopatra did. Mrs. Quintanar does not use rushing water jets,
which she says are unsanitary. Instead your feet rest in a Mexican
ceramic bowl filled with warm milk. Luxurious products like Butter scrubs containing ultra fine sea salts and Milk
'n' Honey Whipped Shea butter are generously used. Most Hand 'n' Sole treatments are 50 to 75 minutes in length.
Mrs. Quintanar's professionalism and skill reminded me of my excellent dentist in Pacific Palisades, but the huge
difference here being that there was no pain with Mrs. Quintanar, just meticulous attention and care. You can
definitely sense that Mrs. Quintanar is passionate about her work and wants only the best for her clients. She uses
only high-end, quality products.
Mrs. Quintanar first took up "hand and foot pampering" as a teenager
when she did her friends' nails for fun . At 18, she got licensed and
was on her way working in Hollywood and servicing big name clients
like Cathy Moriarty. Eventually Mrs. Quintanar wanted to move on
and start her own business. She and her husband, a contractor, have
adjoining suites on East Colorado. They reside in Pasadena with their
two teenage sons.
What makes Hand 'n' Sole really special is Mrs. Quintanar's personal touch to everything and her delicious sounding
menu. Constantly attending trade shows and learning as much as she can, Mrs. Quintanar changes her menu
quarterly bringing clients her latest discoveries. The current menu includes a Mandarin 'n' White Tea Pedicure, a
Cucumber Sole Smoother Pedicure, and a Lavender 'n' Rose Petal Manicure.
What's most impressive about Mrs. Quintanar is that she does this all by herself. An entrepreneur, she started Hand
'n' Sole on a small scale because she didn't want to get lost in a big business. "I made the business on my own
comfort level because I have children to raise and I also help my husband with his business," she says. Mrs.
Quintanar designed the Hand'n'Sole website, writes and designs the newsletter, creates new treatments and menus,
buys new products, and she is the technician as well. She plans to grow her petite nail boutique concept to other
locations. Continued on following page
I
RECOMMEND
Hand 'n' Sole
By Appointment Only
Call for location and appointment:
(626) 975-2555
Pasadena location
info@HandnSole.com
Owner Danielle Quintanar
|
