We don’t focus much on beauty around here at Pulse, but it’s sure not because we don’t like to get prettied up. For this People Pulse feature, I sat down with my all-time favorite nail technician so I could share her awesomeness with Pulse’s readers.
Q: We love Orlando, how long have you been here?
22 years!
Q: What are some of the things that make Orlando great for you?
Well, one of the biggest things is how dog-friendly the city is. I have a dog and there are so many great parks to take her to. And, in the years I’ve been here, Downtown Orlando has just gotten so much better. I’m also a big fan of College Park because of its small-town feel.
Q: How long have you been doing nails?
25 years!! I’ve only done one other thing in my life before I started doing this, and that was bartending.
Q: The nature of your business means changing salons from time to time, but you recently moved into a space at iStudio Salons which means you’re pretty much running your own ‘mini-salon’ now. How have things changed?
Now, I make my own rules. I have two rooms, one for nails and one for permanent makeup, and both were personally decorated by me which means I could let my personality shine through more so than ever before. Plus, I just love the concept. It’s basically the next step to owning something that’s exclusively mine.
Q: You’re much more than just a nail technician; you’re also a permanent makeup artist. What’s that like?
Well, I’ve had more than 1,000 hours of training and education by world-renown makeup artist, John Hashey. The state doesn’t require much, which is something most people don’t know, but I’ve gone above and beyond in terms of education.
Q: I’m curious, what is the most common request you get for permanent makeup?
I’d say most women want their eyebrows done, but eyeliner and lips are popular, too. Something I would love to do more of is aereola reconstruction because I’ve had so much education on that procedure. Overall, my philosophy is to accentuate a woman’s natural beauty.
Q: Moving away from work for a minute … when you’re not making Orlando beautiful, do you have a favorite place to go?
I love going to the different Farmer’s Markets around town, and I live on a lake, so I really enjoy spending time at home. There’s always something new opening up in town that it’s almost like you can try a new place every week if you wanted to.
Q: I wanted to feature you in People Pulse because I really appreciate the way you treat your clients … you really take time to build relationships which is something you don’t see in the strip mall, run-of-the-mill nail salons. Is that your overall philosophy for your business?
Yes; communication is the most important thing about what I do. I customize each visit based on what works for the individual and their lifestyle. Sometimes that means recommending gel polish over acrylics, a different product that might be less drying, or an organic product if being ‘green’ is important to a client. Plus, I attend a lot of the shows so I can scope out the latest products and trends.
Q: In closing, what’s the one thing you’d like to leave Pulse’s readers with?
People should educate themselves on the services they’re getting. Especially when it comes to permanent makeup … do your research, make sure you go to someone you can trust. I do free consultations so people feel completely confident about what they’re having done. Remember, regardless of what you’re having done, it should accentuate your natural beauty.
Disclaimer: While Pulse’s Kim Taylor is a regular client of Unique Beauty Services, she received a complimentary full pedicure during her question & answer session.
I completeley agree that there is a great deal of awesomness when it come to Valerie Dittman. Not only is she one of the greatest people I know, she is passionate and dedicated to doing high-quality work. With these qualities, Valerie knocks the competittion out of the park! When you see her she gives you not only a taste of her perfection, but a genuine conversation. So when you leave you look and feel like you are worth a million bucks. I have had mani-pedis and my eyeliner done by Valerie. Definately the best quality nail experiences I have ever had. But my permanent eyeliner was the best decision I have ever made- cosmedically speaking. Whenever I am in town, I ALWAYS visit Valerie, because NO-ONE does it better!