Chit-Chat: What's On Your Mind Today?

[oliviabenson]

Pumpkin stuff is in stores already! $5 I got a huge iced coffee bottle. It was the only one with sugar/cream. Most of the cold brew/whatever is just coffee. So I had a pumpkin one yesterday and today. At least $5 got me 2 days of iced coffee at home vs 1 cup from DD etc.

[Gramto6]

2 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

Pumpkin stuff is in stores already! $5 I got a huge iced coffee bottle. It was the only one with sugar/cream. Most of the cold brew/whatever is just coffee. So I had a pumpkin one yesterday and today. At least $5 got me 2 days of iced coffee at home vs 1 cup from DD etc.

I buy the plain ones, no sugar sometimes. I'll have to keep an eye out for this pumpkin flavor!!  Did you like it??

[Mindthinkr]

Question: 

The other day when shopping I splurged and bought some mocha Frappuccinos. I was drinking the first one and thought how unusual that there would be grounds in it. Well, it turned out to be a bug. After opening I drank it and did not let the bottle sit open, so I have to surmise that the bug came in the drink. Now do I contact the manufacturer? I did photograph the bottle information and bug. Frankly I think I should be reimbursed and am scared to drink the rest. Any suggestions? 

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Mindthinkr said:

Question: 

The other day when shopping I splurged and bought some mocha Frappuccinos. I was drinking the first one and thought how unusual that there would be grounds in it. Well, it turned out to be a bug. After opening I drank it and did not let the bottle sit open, so I have to surmise that the bug came in the drink. Now do I contact the manufacturer? I did photograph the bottle information and bug. Frankly I think I should be reimbursed and am scared to drink the rest. Any suggestions? 

In my similar, but non-bug experiences with contaminated, spoiled, damaged, etc. products, you will always get a refund from the manufacturer if you call the contact number on the product. 

[And now for the TL;DR portion of my response]
However, if they really investigated the source of the problem, I've never heard about it, probably because that could be more expensive compensation.
So, maybe if enough people report the bugs, some problem in production will get fixed? 
Of course, maybe it's already been fixed? 

I would open another Frappuccino first to see if it has a bug too, just so you can tell them if it does. 

And if it doesn't, ask them if it's safe to drink the others, although they'll probably say something like "I can't tell you whether or not to drink the others."

Heh, I've been doing this a long time.

When my 45-year-old daughter was about 10 years old, as part of a class assignment, she wrote to the applesauce company about some spoiled applesauce we brought home from the grocery store. She was thrilled that they wrote back and sent us coupons valued at more than the one tainted jar. 

When I got very ill from an undercooked (pink) rotisserie chicken from a chain food store, they gave me my money back but insisted I was the only one.
So I contacted the company, but they just sent me coupons for more of the same, and I couldn't bear to eat a rotisseries chicken for many years after that.

Edited August 3 by shapeshifter

[StatisticalOutlier]

7 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Heh, I've been doing this a long time.

Me too, and the landscape has changed to the point I almost never even bother any more.

The problem, as with almost everything else, is that it takes no effort for someone to complain about something these days--they just click a button on their computer, and they'll probably be rewarded with free coupons.

Back in the day, you'd have to read the label or do some other sleuthing to find out where to send a complaint, compose a letter using your actual address, find a stamp, and mail it, and wait for a reply.  I had the impression that most companies understood that people wouldn't bother to do that if they didn't have a legitimate concern.  Plus they weren't inundated with deluges of complaints, bogus or not.

I remember my first one--I was in junior high and Church's chicken changed from straight french fries to crinkle ones, and I didn't like the crinkle ones.  So I wrote to the headquarters to share my opinion, and they wrote back!  They didn't capitulate, and said they were keeping the crinkle fries, but they read my letter and responded.  I can't remember if they sent coupons or not.

My most recent is with Hellman's mayonnaise.  They make individual packets, but you can't open them!  They have a perforation, but it ends in a very thick seam right up the middle of the packet.  The only way to get into them is to cut the top off, and I generally don't have scissors when I'm using them in a hamburger place to mix mayo with ketchup to make fry sauce.

So I told them about it, and they sent me coupons for like three Hellman's purchases.  They didn't even mention my actual complaint, and it felt like they treated me like the hacks who complain about anything just to get free shit.

But I can't help myself.  I always think, "I wonder if they even know about this..." and I'm beginning to include conclude that even if they do, they don't care.  And the last thing I want to look like, even anonymously, is somebody who's just trolling for free shit.

Edited August 3 by StatisticalOutlier

[oliviabenson]

On 8/2/2024 at 1:54 PM, Gramto6 said:

I buy the plain ones, no sugar sometimes. I'll have to keep an eye out for this pumpkin flavor!!  Did you like it??

Yes I did. It didn’t have a strong pumpkin flavor. It was very smooth and tasty!

[Yeah No]

On 8/2/2024 at 11:19 AM, oliviabenson said:

Pumpkin stuff is in stores already! $5 I got a huge iced coffee bottle. It was the only one with sugar/cream. Most of the cold brew/whatever is just coffee. So I had a pumpkin one yesterday and today. At least $5 got me 2 days of iced coffee at home vs 1 cup from DD etc.

I love pumpkin anything but my gripe is that they come out with it way too early these days. It used to be that you didn't see it until at least the middle of September but it's been coming out earlier and earlier every year for the past few years now. I don't associate pumpkin with Summer at all but Fall and cozy sweaters, roaring fires, Hallmark movies, piles of dead leaves and nippy weather. Now if you don't rush to get the pumpkin stuff by September they're almost out of it before Fall even technically begins. Pumpkin yogurt, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin body cream, pumpkin coffee syrup, pumpkin you name it. I sound like Forest Gump with the shrimp, LOL.

[oliviabenson]

14 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I love pumpkin anything but my gripe is that they come out with it way too early these days. It used to be that you didn't see it until at least the middle of September but it's been coming out earlier and earlier every year for the past few years now. I don't associate pumpkin with Summer at all but Fall and cozy sweaters, roaring fires, Hallmark movies, piles of dead leaves and nippy weather. Now if you don't rush to get the pumpkin stuff by September they're almost out of it before Fall even technically begins. Pumpkin yogurt, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin body cream, pumpkin coffee syrup, pumpkin you name it. I sound like Forest Gump with the shrimp, LOL.

Trader Joe’s is the worst at this. They must make 100 things pumpkin flavored lol.

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

I don't associate pumpkin with Summer at all but Fall and cozy sweaters, roaring fires, Hallmark movies, piles of dead leaves and nippy weather. 

This is why when I say I've made pumpkin soup, people think of melted pumpkin pie. It's just another squash, like zucchini and butternut. Now you've got me wishing for autumn, turtlenecks and leggings, and crisp, nippy weather🍁🌾🍂🎃. Are we almost there yet? 🥴

[SoMuchTV]

Maybe some of y'all can help me out with this "pumpkin stuff".  I always thought people were talking about things flavored with pumpkin spice - the blend of spices you put in a pumpkin pie.  But from some recent posts, it sounds like people are saying there's actual pumpkin in the coffees, etc. (I know there's pumpkin in pumpkin soup - that's a different beast.)

Am I understanding all this wrong?  I've never been a fan of flavored coffees (whether with spices or actual pumpkin) so I'm not planning on finding out for myself.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

Maybe some of y'all can help me out with this "pumpkin stuff".  I always thought people were talking about things flavored with pumpkin spice - the blend of spices you put in a pumpkin pie.  But from some recent posts, it sounds like people are saying there's actual pumpkin in the coffees, etc. (I know there's pumpkin in pumpkin soup - that's a different beast.)

Am I understanding all this wrong?  I've never been a fan of flavored coffees (whether with spices or actual pumpkin) so I'm not planning on finding out for myself.

I asked these questions myself a couple of years ago. I was looking for pumpkin spice flavoring that I could put in coffee or baked goods. Some just tasted like pumpkin spice but not pumpkin. Some tasted like actual pumpkin with pumpkin spice added. I wanted the latter. 

My husband always said he hated both pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Then I made sweet potato fries and he loved them. Then he realized it wasn't the pumpkin or the sweet potatoes themselves that he didn't like, it's the spice blend people tend to put on them. I like both.

[supposebly]

Aren't pumpkin spices just cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves?

[roseha]

I can see why you all are getting annoyed at the too-soon pumpkin business.  I can still remember going on a vacation to Quebec and seeing pumpkins growing in a field there.  It was the first time I'd ever seen them in the wild so to speak.  It seemed kind of magical.  So yes there's definitely a time and place for these things.

[EtheltoTillie]

8 hours ago, supposebly said:

Aren't pumpkin spices just cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves?

Probably ginger too 

[Gramto6]

11 hours ago, supposebly said:

Aren't pumpkin spices just cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves?

Had to google it to be sure. Pumpkin pie spice is: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.  Allspice , the forgotten spice....

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Probably ginger too 

And sometimes allspice.

Just now, Gramto6 said:

Had to google it to be sure. Pumpkin pie spice is: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.  Allspice , the forgotten spice....

Hah, we posted allspice at the same time, LOL!

[ECM1231]

It's weird because I really dislike pumpkin pie, but I really enjoy pumpkin bread. I have a recipe that I've been using for years, and I start baking loaves as soon as the weather turns cool. They freeze very well. I usually bring a loaf or two for dessert and each Thanksgiving season my dear friend M waits patiently for her loaf. Cinnamon and nutmeg are the only spices, and it has walnuts and raisins.

I do like sweet potato pie, so not sure why I don't like pumpkin pie. Maybe it's the cloves and allspice. 🤷 I don't enjoy pumpkin flavored coffees, either.

[RealHousewife]

Anyone here know a lot about nails? 

I used to have strong natural nails and got regular manicures. 

I switched to dip powder years ago, and I enjoyed how long-lasting the manicures are.  My nails also APPEARED to be even stronger. They would rarely break.

I decided to ditch dip for a few different reasons. First of all, I don't enjoy the process. It is really boring sitting still for that long every few weeks. Pedicures relax me, and I can be on my phone. Manicures of any kind have always been a chore. I also thought the soaking process is really bad for your skin. Finally, I figured I could save some money doing my own nails/getting old-school manicures occasionally rather than dip every few weeks. 

When the dip was first removed, my nails were a wreck! They were very dry, brittle, and my nail beds looked plain ugly. My nails look pretty normal now, but they're still not strong.

When I go to the nail salon, they tell me to do dip or gel to get my nails healthy. But if those manicures are truly good for your nails, why did my nails look worse than ever after the dip removal? Was it the removal technique? Is frequent use of the lights for gel truly safe? I don't know what to believe. 

I miss having pretty hands and will gladly pay the money again on a manicure that I know is truly good for my hands long term. I just don't know what to believe. What I read online says one thing, and what I hear at the salon is another. 

Edited August 4 by RealHousewife

[Absolom]

90 per cent of the time, do not believe what the nail salon says.  Manicures and pedicures are not gentle, harmless procedures.  My daughter's friend, the ER  physician, has tales that would curl your toes.  She sees the failures and mistakes.  She's even seen a couple of people who have had to have toes amputated due to infection from a bad pedicure gone wrong.  According to her and other doctors I've asked, many nail technicians are overly aggressive in cuticle and dead skin removal and end up removing too much or injuring the cuticle leaving a portal for infection to enter.  If they aren't careful with disinfection methods, they are also the ones introducing infection.  The chemicals used with nails are all going to cause damage.  Acetone, the polish and nail remover, can even cause the nail to begin separating from the finger.  

My daughter's MIL went to the dermatologist over her nails and the first thing she was told was never another salon manicure for you if you want to keep your nails.  They were all separating plus were in terrible condition.  She's been a regular nail salon goer since her late teens.  The doctor said, she isn't alone in having tortured the nails and nail beds so long, they will never be the same.  I also learned that if a manicure or pedicure hurts or is even uncomfortable, the technician is being too rough and is damaging the skin or nails.  So I do my nails at home now, never get near acetone, and buff the nails if I want shine.  Also nails get more fragile with age (unless you're my mother) and that's what is happening to me.  I have to keep them short to avoid splitting.

Edited August 4 by Absolom

[BetyBee]

On 8/3/2024 at 7:41 AM, Mindthinkr said:

Question: 

The other day when shopping I splurged and bought some mocha Frappuccinos. I was drinking the first one and thought how unusual that there would be grounds in it. Well, it turned out to be a bug. After opening I drank it and did not let the bottle sit open, so I have to surmise that the bug came in the drink. Now do I contact the manufacturer? I did photograph the bottle information and bug. Frankly I think I should be reimbursed and am scared to drink the rest. Any suggestions? 

Eww! Once, many years ago, I drank a bottle of RC Cola and found a burnt match on the bottom. I was pregnant too! Anyway, I just let it go and never drank another RC. You could maybe take the rest back to the store for a refund. I can certainly understand that you may be off of mocha frappuccinos for the rest of your life!

As for manicures, my MIL was taking prenatal vitamins in her 80s to keep her nails strong. I doubt that that's a good idea, but she did have pretty hands. 

Edited August 4 by BetyBee
clarification!

[oliviabenson]

3 minutes ago, BetyBee said:

Eww! Once, many years ago, I drank a bottle of RC Cola and found a burnt matching the bottom. I was pregnant too! Anyway, I just let it go and never drank another RC. You could maybe take the rest back to the store for a refund. I can certainly understand that you may be off of mocha frappuccinos for the rest of your life!

What’s a burnt matching?

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 hour ago, Absolom said:

Manicures and pedicures are not gentle, harmless procedures.

I’ve been getting them for years and never have I experienced harmful/painful or harsh procedures. During chemo when I stopped getting them, my nails were still strong and healthy. I just went back to getting them because I wanted to look and feel like a woman again while the rest of me didn’t.

[JustHereForFood]

On 8/1/2024 at 4:12 AM, oliviabenson said:

Anyone else get obsessed with certain foods and eat it until they get tired of it and move on to something else? 

Right now it’s granola and yogurt and scrambled eggs with feta every single day!

Oh, yes! And not just with food. My personality trait is that I can get very obsessed over some things (food, songs, TV show, etc.) and stick with them for weeks or months, if not longer. Usually it passes naturally at some point or I have to find a new obsession. When it comes to food, I would be vary if it was something not healthy, but yours are, so I think it's fine.

 

17 hours ago, SoMuchTV said:

Maybe some of y'all can help me out with this "pumpkin stuff".  I always thought people were talking about things flavored with pumpkin spice - the blend of spices you put in a pumpkin pie.  But from some recent posts, it sounds like people are saying there's actual pumpkin in the coffees, etc. (I know there's pumpkin in pumpkin soup - that's a different beast.)

Am I understanding all this wrong?  I've never been a fan of flavored coffees (whether with spices or actual pumpkin) so I'm not planning on finding out for myself.

I think it depends on specific products. Some coffees have pumpkin puree in it, some I think only have the spices.

[shapeshifter]

On 7/31/2024 at 10:12 PM, oliviabenson said:

Anyone else get obsessed with certain foods and eat it until they get tired of it and move on to something else? 

Right now it’s granola and yogurt and scrambled eggs with feta every single day!

Yes. 

7 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

Oh, yes! And not just with food. My personality trait is that I can get very obsessed over some things (food, songs, TV show, etc.) and stick with them for weeks or months, if not longer. Usually it passes naturally at some point or I have to find a new obsession. When it comes to food, I would be vary if it was something not healthy, but yours are, so I think it's fine.

Same.
My food fads are mostly healthy, but I can't seem to kick having a mug of cocoa every day. And now it's in the news that it is contaminated with lead. What next?

 

[annzeepark914]

10 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

What’s a burnt matching?

A burnt match, probably--thanks to autocorrupt, a new word I plan to use all the time (did someone here post that "name"?)

[Yeah No]

14 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

Anyone here know a lot about nails? 

I used to have strong natural nails and got regular manicures. 

I switched to dip powder years ago, and I enjoyed how long-lasting the manicures are.  My nails also APPEARED to be even stronger. They would rarely break.

I decided to ditch dip for a few different reasons. First of all, I don't enjoy the process. It is really boring sitting still for that long every few weeks. Pedicures relax me, and I can be on my phone. Manicures of any kind have always been a chore. I also thought the soaking process is really bad for your skin. Finally, I figured I could save some money doing my own nails/getting old-school manicures occasionally rather than dip every few weeks. 

When the dip was first removed, my nails were a wreck! They were very dry, brittle, and my nail beds looked plain ugly. My nails look pretty normal now, but they're still not strong.

When I go to the nail salon, they tell me to do dip or gel to get my nails healthy. But if those manicures are truly good for your nails, why did my nails look worse than ever after the dip removal? Was it the removal technique? Is frequent use of the lights for gel truly safe? I don't know what to believe. 

I miss having pretty hands and will gladly pay the money again on a manicure that I know is truly good for my hands long term. I just don't know what to believe. What I read online says one thing, and what I hear at the salon is another. 

I used to have my nails done all the time and have had just about every type of nail procedure and they all wrecked up my nails as in made them brittle and/or weak and prone to splitting. I eventually stopped because of that and because as I got older my nails were getting that way anyway so it was like a double whammy. And I had my nails done by a professional I trusted who wasn't rough or anything.

 I take a lot of supplements now and so my nails are pretty strong and don't break as much but I still have issues with splitting on some of them. I've read that it's likely just an age-related thing. Oh well.

[Yeah No]

On 7/31/2024 at 10:12 PM, oliviabenson said:

Anyone else get obsessed with certain foods and eat it until they get tired of it and move on to something else? 

Yes, all the time. Right now I'm really into avocado toast with Trader Joe's sourdough bread and their canned smoked trout with sherry vinegar and chives (thank you, Alton Brown for the last two things). Although I don't know if I'm going to get tired of it yet. Some of the stuff that starts that way becomes a permanent part of my rotation. Like olive tapenade hummus on charred naan bread with feta/kalamata salad from the supermarket olive bar. Yum.

[Mindthinkr]

On 7/31/2024 at 10:12 PM, oliviabenson said:

Anyone else get obsessed with certain foods and eat it until they get tired of it and move on to something else? 

My current obsession is breakfast. I like those 4packs (portion control) of 2% active cottage cheese with a Bay's sourdough english muffin or cantaloupe. Keeps me full for a long time. I’m also very liberal with freshly cracked pepper on top of the cottage cheese. 

[Ohiopirate02]

21 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

Anyone here know a lot about nails? 

I used to have strong natural nails and got regular manicures. 

I switched to dip powder years ago, and I enjoyed how long-lasting the manicures are.  My nails also APPEARED to be even stronger. They would rarely break.

I decided to ditch dip for a few different reasons. First of all, I don't enjoy the process. It is really boring sitting still for that long every few weeks. Pedicures relax me, and I can be on my phone. Manicures of any kind have always been a chore. I also thought the soaking process is really bad for your skin. Finally, I figured I could save some money doing my own nails/getting old-school manicures occasionally rather than dip every few weeks. 

When the dip was first removed, my nails were a wreck! They were very dry, brittle, and my nail beds looked plain ugly. My nails look pretty normal now, but they're still not strong.

When I go to the nail salon, they tell me to do dip or gel to get my nails healthy. But if those manicures are truly good for your nails, why did my nails look worse than ever after the dip removal? Was it the removal technique? Is frequent use of the lights for gel truly safe? I don't know what to believe. 

I miss having pretty hands and will gladly pay the money again on a manicure that I know is truly good for my hands long term. I just don't know what to believe. What I read online says one thing, and what I hear at the salon is another. 

I'm not that familiar with dip nails. I do know that gel manicures will wreck your nails if you and your nail techs are not careful. The process for gel nails is not going to make your nails healthier. The light used to cure the polish is UV and therefore not safe. And removing gel polish requires you to scuff up the surface of the polish so the acetone can penetrate it, a process where damage can accidentally happen. Scuff too far and you can damage the nail underneath especially when the nail tech uses the same electric file thingy that they also use to cut down and shape acrylics. Then they wrap up each finger with acetone to break down the remaining polish. Acetone is fine when it's used to quickly wipe down a nail, but it cannot be good in the long run when you leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes once a month. Most salons will lie to you about gel or dip being better for you because they make more money doing those manicures. 

[Quof]

I was considering booking a pedicure, mostly for the professional foot scrub, cuticle treatment and nail shaping. I normally just do my own, changing the polish once a week while I watch tv. Every salon I considered offered gel and shellac, and most of their photos showed just those ridiculous talon fingernails.  I couldn't tell if any of them still offered regular old polish that I could remove myself.

So I passed. 

[Mindthinkr]

34 minutes ago, Quof said:

I was considering booking a pedicure, mostly for the professional foot scrub, cuticle treatment and nail shaping. I normally just do my own, changing the polish once a week while I watch tv. Every salon I considered offered gel and shellac, and most of their photos showed just those ridiculous talon fingernails.  I couldn't tell if any of them still offered regular old polish that I could remove myself.

So I passed. 

You can get a pedicure from a podiatrist. My friend calls it a medical pedicure, because they’re interested in the heath of your feet and nails. The shape of your toenails is important to prevent ingrown toenails. 
Most salons will do a manicure with regular nail polish, but push the gel and shellac options as they make more money. 

[Shelbie]

I used to do my own manicures and pedicures. I still do my own manicures but started getting professional pedicures about 10 years ago. They do a much better job on the polish on my toenails than I could and although they offer gel I never get any pushback when I say no.

I get them about 4/5 times a year starting in April and when the colder weather hits and I know no one is going to see my nails my final one is just a pedicure no polish.

[Quof]

I've used the BabyFoot booties early each spring to remove the dead skin so I could start the season with smooth, soft feet.  For the last couple of years, they haven't worked! I don't know if the formula has changed (probably, I'm sure that stuff is toxic) or if my feet have simply become too old and leathery to respond.  

[Absolom]

2 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

You can get a pedicure from a podiatrist. My friend calls it a medical pedicure, because they’re interested in the heath of your feet and nails.

Insurance even covers it for some people.  I was thrilled when I found out insurance would pay for one every two months once Mom was in assisted living.  The assisted living staff even booked the appointments!  The place they used came in and set up shop in the beauty salon and they were fantastic and of course there was no polish, no acetone, and no harsh chemicals.  Mom's feet had never looked so good.

I had just quit going to the salon before she moved in with me.  The manicurist cut too close on one of my toes and it bled.  She didn't even apologize.  I called the next week to cancel all my future appointments. After that I knew I couldn't take Mom in when I moved her to my house and I hated doing her nails.  I had to go buy nail cutters that looked like pliers to cut her toe nails and she hadn't been cleaning under the nails so there was a stench.  That was one job I celebrated being able to pass along.  She was also paranoid that I was going to cut her feet.

Edited August 5 by Absolom

[ABay]

I don't want a pedicure but I would kill for a foot massage,

[oliviabenson]

53 minutes ago, ABay said:

I don't want a pedicure but I would kill for a foot massage,

Me too.

[lookeyloo]

We have plenty of foot massage places around here and I have been.  It is wonderful.  Google - if you are in a big city I am guessing there are plenty to choose from.

[Mindthinkr]

3 hours ago, ABay said:

I don't want a pedicure but I would kill for a foot massage,

If you want a real treat try foot reflexology. It’s awesome. 

[Gramto6]

As a diabetic, Medicare covers having my toe nails clipped and feet checked every 3 months. It isn't like a pedicure with soaks and massages, but I don't really care about that. My back and knees are getting so bad I just physically cut my own toenails any more.  Having the Podiatrist do it saves any injuries then infections I might get doing it myself. My late husband let an infection go/hid it from me until it was too late and had to have his leg amputated above the knee, the first spot on the leg with viable blood flow. I am not going down that road!! 

Beside the trims and foot check, diabetics can get one pair of diabetic shoes and 3 rx inserts a year. Yeah, most of the shoes sux, but there was one pair that looked doable for casual wear. I do have a big problem with swelling in one leg,  they scan each foot and make a shoe fitted to each foot! It could end up being two totally different sizes.  It will be nice to have a shoe that fits each foot!!

[Ancaster]

 

On 8/5/2024 at 6:51 AM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I'm not that familiar with dip nails. I do know that gel manicures will wreck your nails if you and your nail techs are not careful. The process for gel nails is not going to make your nails healthier. The light used to cure the polish is UV and therefore not safe. And removing gel polish requires you to scuff up the surface of the polish so the acetone can penetrate it, a process where damage can accidentally happen. Scuff too far and you can damage the nail underneath especially when the nail tech uses the same electric file thingy that they also use to cut down and shape acrylics. Then they wrap up each finger with acetone to break down the remaining polish. Acetone is fine when it's used to quickly wipe down a nail, but it cannot be good in the long run when you leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes once a month. Most salons will lie to you about gel or dip being better for you because they make more money doing those manicures. 

I knew there was a reason I don't get manicures/pedicures.

In a similar vein, when I started to go grey at 16 years old, I would get my hair dyed.  By my mid 20s, I realized that I did not want to be putting chemicals directly on my scalp for who knew how many decades.  (This was a long time ago, when hair dye was laden with chemicals with unpronounceable names.)

[shapeshifter]

17 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

I knew there was a reason I don't get manicures/pedicures.

In a similar vein, when I started to go grey at 16 years old, I would get my hair dyed.  By my mid 20s, I realized that I did not want to be putting chemicals directly on my scalp for who knew how many decades.  (This was a long time ago, when hair dye was laden with chemicals with unpronounceable names.)

I quit makeup and nail polish at 17 after an LSD trip in college. 
IIRC, they seemed fake to me after that. 
In my 50s, I did put some light colored polish on my toenails a few times when I wanted to wear sandals to work during a heat wave. 

I've never permed or dyed my hair. 
It didn't start to go gray until my 40s, so it seemed like a moot point by then. 
I recall standing outdoors at the community college I attended in my late 30s.
Two young men were approaching, and as they got within earshot I turned to face them.
With a glance at my face, one said to the other: "I had no idea she was so old."
Over 40 years later I can still relive that moment.
So, a few years after that incident, hair color seemed like it would just cause more confusion.

[Mountainair]

I love pedicures- haven’t had one in ages. Manicures are ok but I use my hands so much that they never last. I’ll paint my finger nails on occasion because it keeps me from biting my nails but again- I have to repaint them twice a week and I lack the patience to let them properly dry. 

My daughter is at a fun age (8) where she always wants to play salon with me. At the end of most days I’ll sit in my bed and she will brush my hair, put it in a pony, attempt to braid it sometimes, give me hand and back rubs but even she draws the line at feet. lol! 

[GHScorpiosRule]

33 minutes ago, Mountainair said:

I love pedicures-

Thank goodness I saw this. I was starting to think I was some kind of freak-with me being the only one who enjoys and continues to get manicures and pedicures. And every other month, a hot stone massage.

I guess it depends on the salon.

[ebk57]

I love pedicures, mostly because I love wearing sandals in the summer and wouldn't be able to without pedicures! I may have an infrequent manicure (I'll probably have one for my birthday and right before vacation), but those don't last long because, as was mentioned, I do use my hands, so I don't have them regularly.  My favorite spa closed during the pandemic, but I've managed to find a couple near my house that are good (not as good as Red Door, but we do what we have to).

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Mountainair said:

Manicures are ok but I use my hands so much that they never last.

That's why I only put clear polish on my fingernails.  My toenails I always use colored polish, but if I do it on my hands, then the first little piece that chips off is all I can see and it bugs me.  With clear, I can go longer in between paintings because more of it can wear off before it becomes noticeable.

The only time I get a mani/pedi done by someone else is when it's part of a spa day (so, not very often; I think the last time was for my friend's wedding [when I was World's Most Reluctant Maid of Honor]); I've never gone to a nail salon.

Edited August 6 by Bastet

[Ancaster]

Okapi.  I just learnt this excellent Scrabble word from watching Secrets of the Zoo.  (Except "learnt" implies put in the memory bank to be retrieved later.  🤣)

And talk about something Doctor Dolittle would come up with!

 

 

Edited August 7 by Ancaster

[ECM1231]

^^ Aw, how cute! 

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Ancaster said:

Okapi

Also a good Wordle word, with 3 vowels.

[fairffaxx]

I learned of the okapi from the NY Times Sunday crossword puzzle long before Google, so I never looked it up & didn't realize what lovely markings it has!  I just assumed it was a version of the eland & Thompson's gazelle, which I also learned of from the crossword puzzle as a child.  Education is a blessing, however acquired.

[Ancaster]

34 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Also a good Wordle word, with 3 vowels.

Not sure the k or the p are great choices though.  (I am a random word starter rather than a strategic user.  I generally look around the room until I see a 5 letter word - not too many okapi's here 🤣 )