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Inspire Me

Bogota – get your sexy on in Colombia

Without a doubt, Colombia is one of the most delightfully enigmatic countries in the world.  If you’re visiting for the first time, you’ll surely be thinking, “I wonder what Colombia is really like?”

In a number of ways you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find a nation of warm people laughing off the erroneous depictions of their country (think Mr & Mrs Smith), and you certainly won’t find yourself in any Netflix-esque scenes even if you go looking for them!

What you will find, much to the delight of my long distance boyfriend, is that as a general rule the women are hot and the men are not – no surprises here given Colombia’s consistently high ranking in the world’s beauty stakes, churning out plenty of Miss Universes and exporting glamour-pusses including the talented and endearing Sofia Vergara.  That said, the disparity between men and women is still a pretty curious and quintessentially Colombian phenomenon.

In Colombia, women have almost Goddess status. To give you a better idea, the supposedly “international” Women’s Day, which I’ve never really noticed in any of the other countries I’ve called home, is a huge event in Colombia where celebrations can last up to a week. However, with goddess status come goddess responsibilities. With so many dark-haired beauties treating the Colombian cities as their personal catwalks and so many spectacularly voluptuous bodies out and about (no word of a lie, jeans come with pleats), there’s a subtle pressure for women to always be on their beauty A game. This necessity to always be immaculately put together is heaven-sent news for the typical Citizen Femme traveller – for the first time ever, pampering yourself can now be in the name of cultural immersion.

Residents of Colombia’s sophisticated and sprawling capital city, known as bogotanos or rolos, are always forthcoming with recommendations for foreign visitors. They’ll tell you all about the shopping malls, the museums, historical sights, and the quaint pueblos just outside of town, but bizarrely no one will mention how shockingly affordable beauty treatments are.

It’s likely that most adventures in Colombia will begin with a quick stop in Bogota, and this day or two is the perfect opportunity to beautify before wholeheartedly embracing the stickiness that comes hand in hand with outdoor adventure! A relaxed afternoon at a Bogota salon with a piping hot cup of Colombian coffee is certainly more up my street than the city’s popular graffiti and cycling tours!

Manicures are a big deal in Colombia, and one thing you’re sure to notice is the incredible number of colombianas with intricate themed nail designs. It’s not at all unusual to see men through salon windows getting their nails buffed and polished, and at least for women, asking them if they’ll be getting their weekly mani is like asking if they’re going to eat lunch – well yes, of course!

Raised in London, professional manicures for me have always meant treating myself and probably paying upwards of £20/$26 for the experience. In Colombia, pretty nails are no luxury, but rather they’re a necessity and thus come with a much more palatable price tag.

For around £3.50/$4.55 or approximately 10,000 Colombian pesos, you’ve got so much freedom to play around and finally give in to your creative whims a la Instagram blogger! There are thousands of beauty salons all over Bogota and booking is never required. In the main commercial areas you’ll find one every two blocks, and the further south you go, the more of an authentically Colombian experience you’ll have. Screenshot a photo of what you’re looking for and head down to midtown (around Calle 45 and not further than 27) Carrera 7, 13 or 14 – for Spanish speakers, you’re in for some of the most memorable salon small talk of your lives. For a more glamourous experience head to We Love Nails located at Carrera 14 # 95-22 and indulge on cupcakes and cocktails while your nails are being done.

This neighbourhood is also a great one for upmarket night life if you’re feeling glammed up and ready to dance. If you’re looking to go all out colombiana, a blowdry costs from around £4.50/$5.85 (COP 15,000) too, which even day to day is a huge relief if you find yourself battling with a trusty hairdryer when it won’t play ball will foreign voltages.

Top Tip: Manis and pedis are wonderful but only when they dry properly. I’ve found Colombian top coats to be notoriously poor and will always take my trusted Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat with me. The time I didn’t saw me waiting over an hour for things to dry before eventually having my freshly pedicured toes wrapped up in clear sandwich bags before I put my boots back on, #surrealmoments.

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