MANITOWANING—Nestled along Manitowaning’s Queen Street lies Island Beauty Boutique—Manitoulin’s newest one-stop-shop for aesthetics and beauty services and offering some unique features.
Island Beauty Boutique offers your standard aesthetic services, such as manicures (including gel), pedicures, waxing, facials and massages by well-known aesthetician Marilee Harasym of Little Current, but the shop also offers microblading, permanent makeup and eyelash extensions.
On a hot summer’s Tuesday, the Island Beauty Boutique was filled with clients getting their nails done, their eyebrows shaped and their eyelashes “filled” (meaning a top up of their eyelash extensions).
Proprietor Sue Deforge is a full-time nurse in Wiikwemkoong, but saw a need that could be filled right here on Manitoulin, without making the drive to Espanola or Sudbury for all her clients’ beauty needs.
Manitowaning storefront.
Ms. Deforge has been certified in microblading (the hottest new trend in the increasingly growing world of eyebrow-as-accessory) that sees Ms. Deforge numb her clients’ eyebrows, draw on the desired eyebrow shop then dip the microblading tool (a matchstick-like device with four tiny blades at the bottom) into the ink colour of your choice and begin to make small hair-like swipes in the eyebrow. The incisions are so small they resemble hair when filled with the ink and leaving you with eyebrows that are “on fleek.”
Ms. Deforge explained that with microblading, a client will want to come in within six to eight weeks for a touch-up, but won’t have to return again for another 18 months.
The nurse aesthetician is also certified in permanent makeup and eyelash extensions.
Permanent makeup is, in effect, cosmetic tattooing, giving people permanent eyeliner, lipliner or eyebrows. Ms. Deforge will use a tattoo gun and ink cartridge with very fine needles for this process. With both microblading and permanent makeup, the needles and cartridges are all disposable. The cost is $200 for a permanent makeup session.
For those interested in eyelash extensions, Ms. Deforge has many lengths and curl styles to choose from. Once you establish the look you’re aiming for, Ms. Deforge will, one lash at a time, glue the extensions to your own lashes with adhesive. The process takes about two hours and costs $60.
“They last for about two to four weeks,” Ms. Deforge explained, noting that you can then make an appointment to come in to get them “re-filled.”
Once your new eyelashes are in place, you can still apply oil-free mascara.
Ms. Harasym works Mondays and Tuesdays at the Island Beauty Boutique and offers all of the spa services, including eyelash tinting. Ms. Harasym also does spa parties to and even has a portable massage table and can come to your next girls’ night out.
Island Beauty Boutique is by appointment only. To make an appointment with Ms. Harasym, contact her by phone at 705-862-2340, while Ms. Deforge can be reached at 705-348-0771 or reach them on Facebook by searching for Island Beauty Boutique.
