Nail and other salon services - Yikes!

[tipster350]

Having recently FIREd with a little more stache than expected, I allowed myself to think about what additional luxuries I might like to indulge in. I thought about mani-pedis and how nice it might be to go and have my nails done, a luxury I eschewed my entire adult life. Almost every woman I know regularly goes for mani-pedis, and more than not have their hair colored or highlighted at the hair salon. Not just my mostly upper middle class friends, but the wider community of average and below average income people are regularly buying these services. They think of these things as just part of what you do for upkeep. I haven't paid for anything more than a haircut except for a few occasions that I can count on one hand.

I looked into pricing at the many nail salons in my area. For basic services, and most get more than the basic services, it starts at $40-$50. For more typical services, $75 and (way) up are the going rates at these small not fancy mom and pop salons.

For real? With tip, and going 2-4 times a month, just the nail services alone add up to a major spend! Thousands of dollars a year! And we haven't even gotten to the hair yet!

I am astounded.

[Sibley]

Yep. Most of the people that I know who just can't do without these types of services are also short on money. Occasional treat? Sure! Regular thing? I'll pass.

[jrhampt]

Yeah, I generally skip all of that aside from the very occasional haircut because it seems fairly pointless to me and I’d rather get a massage every month instead.

[Metalcat]

Yep, the kindest thing we ever did for your all female clinical staff was to ban acrylic and gel nails for infection control purposes. They could wear normal nail polish if it was only a day or two old max, and had no chips, so that made paying for a manicure kind of pointless.

We saved the junior staff at least 10% of their take-home pay with that policy. They all got their nails done with complicated nail art every week.

They were not happy with us.

[TheFrenchCat]

Wow, I haven't had my nails done at a salon since a prom about 15 years ago and that was under $20, though it was just my fingernails.  But I'm really not a hair, nails or make up person.  But that's about as much as a haircut from a mid-level salon in my area (I forget why I know that, my husband cuts my hair).

[Metalcat]

Wow, I haven't had my nails done at a salon since a prom about 15 years ago and that was under $20, though it was just my fingernails.  But I'm really not a hair, nails or make up person.  But that's about as much as a haircut from a mid-level salon in my area (I forget why I know that, my husband cuts my hair).

Where I live, you can still get a basic manicure, no nail polish, for $20, however, there's always tax and tip on top of that, so add 30%. Nail polish is a few dollars more. Everyone these days gets shellac though, which starts at $35 at the cheapest places.

Pedicures are usually more expensive because they're more involved and longer.

So yeah, a manicure and a pedicure, plus tax and tip would be around $100.

[Michael in ABQ]

This brought back memories of some of the older women at my last job talking about their nail and hair routines. I recall one woman in her 60s saying she got her nails done every couple of weeks and had done so for decades. There was a younger woman (who thankfully quit after a while - got to overhear lots of annoying personal calls from 10 feet away) who always had some sort of nail art and still lived with her parents so I guess she could afford it since she was not in a high-paying position.
 

My wife and I have been married well over a decade and I think she's gone to a salon for a manicure or pedicure maybe twice in that whole time, both times with someone else as birthday present or similar occasion. I'm thankful she doesn't feel the need to blow thousands of dollars a year on vanity. A few haircuts each year and that's about it.

[CodingHare]

I've only had my nails done twice: Once before I got engaged, and once before I got married.  Both times I felt like my nails looked nice, but it was super expensive!  I couldn't imagine getting them done professionally twice a month.

I bought a gel UV/LED lap and do my own gel nails at home.  Lasts just as long as the shops without chipping, and a heck of a lot cheaper.

[GuitarStv]

The key to doing a good nail job on your own is small, even bites.  That way things are less rough when you've finished chewing.  :P

[Metalcat]

The key to doing a good nail job on your own is small, even bites.  That way things are less rough when you've finished chewing.  :P

That's assuming your front teeth touch properly. Some people with crooked teeth can't even bite their nails. Check your privilege mr fancy pants. :P

[GuitarStv]

The key to doing a good nail job on your own is small, even bites.  That way things are less rough when you've finished chewing.  :P

That's assuming your front teeth touch properly. Some people with crooked teeth can't even bite their nails. Check your privilege mr fancy pants. :P

Doesn't have to be the front teeth.  You can work with the dog teeth as well . . . and while molars might be more challenging, I think a determined person could make it work.  Most people have at least two teeth that make contact somewhere in their mouth.

More difficult is the flexibility required for a proper home pedicure - but a proper stretching routine will get you there in a few weeks.

[partgypsy]

When I was married, I joked I should be allowed a nice piece of jewelry or gemstone budget a year, because of all the money I saved not not spending on more typical female things like: clothes, purses, shoes, nails, makeup, skin care, hair coloring, etc.  Ironically I've come full circle; haven't bought jewelry in years but did buy some nicer clothes the last few years to update myself. And do get a haircut/highlights 2x a year which for me is worth it.   

[wenchsenior]

That's crazy!  I have never had my nails done, nor do any of the people that I regularly socialize with have them done more than very occasionally, if at all.  I honestly always wonder how any nail salon stays in business.

[CodingHare]

I definitely knew upper management women who felt that routine nail salon and hair salon visits were an expected part of looking professional, along with buying designer handbags and similar things.  It seemed to work for them--they made enough money to support it for sure.

I'm an engineer, so I paint my nails for the fun of it, not to impress anybody.  I had a pixie cut for a while and I really liked it, but I hated paring for the maintenance cuts.  So back to long hair for me for now.  It's not even about being cheap, I'm just too lazy to keep heading back in.

[Kris]

I do a lot of walking (always have), and even though I know you aren't supposed to do this, the vast majority of warm-weather walking I do is in flip flops. As a result, over the years, my feet got incredibly callused. Dry, chapped heels, the whole works. I think I also have a propensity to this, as my feet have always been kind of rough on the bottoms, unlike my husband's for example, which are usually pretty baby smooth.

The thing was, I tried to take better care of them but I just... didn't know how, I guess? Couldn't ever really get them to a reasonable level of "sightliness." So at one point years ago, it got so bad that I decided to get a pedicure for the first time in my life. I went once a month for a few months. I tipped well, too, because I knew my feet were a lot of work. But my larger plan was, I did this so that I could watch what they did so I could learn how to do it myself.

Fast forward to today: my feet, though not perfect, are now well-maintained. And no more money spent on pedicures, only on supplies to do it myself.

[jrhampt]

What is it with these husbands and their baby smooth feet?  Mine is the same way.  Same with my sisters' husbands.

[Kris]

What is it with these husbands and their baby smooth feet?  Mine is the same way.  Same with my sisters' husbands.

I have no idea. It's damn galling, is what it is. LMAO

[tipster350]

What is it with these husbands and their baby smooth feet?  Mine is the same way.  Same with my sisters' husbands.

I have no idea. It's damn galling, is what it is. LMAO

I could sand down an entire carpentry project with my feet. I try on my own to make them softer and more presentable, but fail miserably. This is why I thought some regular pedicures might be nice.

[Kris]

What is it with these husbands and their baby smooth feet?  Mine is the same way.  Same with my sisters' husbands.

I have no idea. It's damn galling, is what it is. LMAO

I could sand down an entire carpentry project with my feet. I try on my own to make them softer and more presentable, but fail miserably. This is why I thought some regular pedicures might be nice.

Yep. It was worth it to me to have them regularly for a while to get them "in shape." Then I was able to keep up with it on my own.

[Michael in ABQ]

What is it with these husbands and their baby smooth feet?  Mine is the same way.  Same with my sisters' husbands.

Wearing socks. My wife wears flip flops around the house, I wear socks. My feet are baby smooth, hers get dry and callused. 

Now I will say that when I'm doing a lot of walking in my Army boots I will develop more calluses (and blisters) but still, nothing compared to my wife's feet.

[Metalcat]

What is it with these husbands and their baby smooth feet?  Mine is the same way.  Same with my sisters' husbands.

Their shoes are thick and supportive and usually worn with good thickness socks.

[Sugaree]

I rarely get my nails done anymore, but do get my hair colored every 8 weeks or so.  It's currently rainbow/sunset colors.  It makes me happy and is one of the very, very few things I do just for myself.


For my feet, I order a foot peel from Amazon every couple of months.  It just makes them less scaly and rough.

[Villanelle]

What is it with these husbands and their baby smooth feet?  Mine is the same way.  Same with my sisters' husbands.

I have no idea. It's damn galling, is what it is. LMAO

I could sand down an entire carpentry project with my feet. I try on my own to make them softer and more presentable, but fail miserably. This is why I thought some regular pedicures might be nice.

There is a product called Baby Feet.  It's spendy (but not like a pedicure), so I searched for a knock-off and found these.  It's a foot shaped baggie filled with goo.  You put it on your feet and let them soak in it for about an hour (I put thick sock on over them, thinking it really helps bake everything in, in order to obtain maximum absorption.).  About a week later, the sloughing starts.  It is *major*.  Like, I put something over my tub drain so it doesn't fill up with Villanelle crumbs, and I wear socks 100% of the time because otherwise it would look like a den of snakes got loose and shed all over my home, including in my bed at night.  This lasts for about a week (accelerated a bit by soaking in warm water once a day, if you like). You do need to be strategic about selecting the date to wear the booties because for about a week (starting roughly a week later), things are unsightly.  When it is over, your feet are smooth and lovely.  How long those results last surely depends on how much abuse your feet are subjected to, but certainly it takes a while for the callouses and other skin thickening to build up again.  I find that every 2-3 months is plenty for me.  Less than $20 for a two-pack. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JW3JG4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[CodingHare]

@Villanelle Thanks for posting that!  I fear I have inherited my mom's calloused feet.  I wear socks all the time and am still seeing callouses build up on my heels.   She used a torture device on her feet--PedEgg I think? It was like a cheese grater for your feet.  *shudder*  I'd much rather try getting the skin to shed off itself.  Bookmarking that product.

[Metalcat]

@Villanelle Thanks for posting that!  I fear I have inherited my mom's calloused feet.  I wear socks all the time and am still seeing callouses build up on my heels.   She used a torture device on her feet--PedEgg I think? It was like a cheese grater for your feet.  *shudder*  I'd much rather try getting the skin to shed off itself.  Bookmarking that product.

You might need orthotics.

[CodingHare]

@Villanelle Thanks for posting that!  I fear I have inherited my mom's calloused feet.  I wear socks all the time and am still seeing callouses build up on my heels.   She used a torture device on her feet--PedEgg I think? It was like a cheese grater for your feet.  *shudder*  I'd much rather try getting the skin to shed off itself.  Bookmarking that product.

You might need orthotics.

I'll bring that up at my next physical!  Hadn't even occurred to me that it might be something about the way I'm walking in my shoes.  Thanks for the pointer!  :)

[wonderjunkie]

I've only had acrylic/gel nails done at a salon twice in my lifetime. I'd always found it too expensive for my taste, and also didn't like committing to the time obligation on a biweekly basis. Like @CodingHare, I purchased a UV/LED lamp and gel nail kit, thinking it might be a less labor-intensive and inexpensive substitute for salon visits. Before I used it for the first time, I found a company that 3D prints gel nails based on pictures you take of your nails and then upload. They're supposed to last the same amount of time as conventional gels, and you can just peel them off at the end. My inner techie likes this solution - no fuss, no muss! I definitely dislike the smell of nail polish and remover, but like others here, I do my own pedicures in a well-ventilated area, once a month on average.

[OtherJen]

When I was married, I joked I should be allowed a nice piece of jewelry or gemstone budget a year, because of all the money I saved not not spending on more typical female things like: clothes, purses, shoes, nails, makeup, skin care, hair coloring, etc.  Ironically I've come full circle; haven't bought jewelry in years but did buy some nicer clothes the last few years to update myself. And do get a haircut/highlights 2x a year which for me is worth it.

Ha, I like this idea. I've been cutting my own hair for a few years and haven't had it colored in a decade. My husband spends more than I do on hair cuts and product. I can count on one hand the number of salon manicures and pedicures I've had in my life. I work at home, which cuts down on clothing and makeup spending. Skin care products are mostly from the drugstore, shampoo and conditioner are the Costco Kirkland brand. I should set a therapeutic massage budget. My upper chest, shoulders, and back are a tight mess.

[Metalcat]

@Villanelle Thanks for posting that!  I fear I have inherited my mom's calloused feet.  I wear socks all the time and am still seeing callouses build up on my heels.   She used a torture device on her feet--PedEgg I think? It was like a cheese grater for your feet.  *shudder*  I'd much rather try getting the skin to shed off itself.  Bookmarking that product.

You might need orthotics.

I'll bring that up at my next physical!  Hadn't even occurred to me that it might be something about the way I'm walking in my shoes.  Thanks for the pointer!  :)

Well calluses come from pressure and or friction.

I used to wear stupid high heels all the time and my feet were like rocks. Now I wear running shoes with orthotics, no more hard/rough feet.

[RedmondStash]

One of my favorite things when I first read about mustachianism was the dawning realization that I didn't have to do all the things other people did. Turns out I hate massages, professional haircuts, and having strangers mess with my hands & feet. So I stopped. (I was lucky to work in an industry where a polished look wasn't important for career advancement.)

It was really freeing to just start handling all that stuff on my own. Not sure it would have occurred to me if not for MMM's posts.

[jeninco]

When I was married, I joked I should be allowed a nice piece of jewelry or gemstone budget a year, because of all the money I saved not not spending on more typical female things like: clothes, purses, shoes, nails, makeup, skin care, hair coloring, etc.  Ironically I've come full circle; haven't bought jewelry in years but did buy some nicer clothes the last few years to update myself. And do get a haircut/highlights 2x a year which for me is worth it.

Ha, I like this idea. I've been cutting my own hair for a few years and haven't had it colored in a decade. My husband spends more than I do on hair cuts and product. I can count on one hand the number of salon manicures and pedicures I've had in my life. I work at home, which cuts down on clothing and makeup spending. Skin care products are mostly from the drugstore, shampoo and conditioner are the Costco Kirkland brand. I should set a therapeutic massage budget. My upper chest, shoulders, and back are a tight mess.

You should! I set a "gym" budget about 10 months ago -- worth every penny!

I actually also just switched back to short hair, after a decade or so of long hair. I liked not having to schedule or pay for haircuts, but I actually really, really prefer my hair short, and I think I'll just live with the once every 5 or 6 weeks expense in time and $.

On the other hand, my other personal expenses are rather low...

[StarBright]

@Villanelle  - Amazing rec! Thank you for posting. If this works it will be so much better than the torture devices that I currently use.

[Imma]

@Villanelle Thanks for posting that!  I fear I have inherited my mom's calloused feet.  I wear socks all the time and am still seeing callouses build up on my heels.   She used a torture device on her feet--PedEgg I think? It was like a cheese grater for your feet.  *shudder*  I'd much rather try getting the skin to shed off itself.  Bookmarking that product.

You might need orthotics.

I'll bring that up at my next physical!  Hadn't even occurred to me that it might be something about the way I'm walking in my shoes.  Thanks for the pointer!  :)

Well calluses come from pressure and or friction.

I used to wear stupid high heels all the time and my feet were like rocks. Now I wear running shoes with orthotics, no more hard/rough feet.

I always had calluses on my hands. Now I've worked from home for 14 months, my hands are really soft. Turns out that taking public transit to work every day, carrying heavy bags of groceries on the way home, holding on to one of those hand grips on the bus, or carrying my laptop bag in my hand because my back hurt from the weight, etc etc etc was the cause. I can't even imagine physically putting myself through that again. So I found a new job with an office around the corner in case we do ever go back to working in the office.

I have always hated "grooming", I just get my hair cut once a year. I'm not grey yet thankfully. As I'm getting older, I do notice I'm starting to look tired, so post-pandemic I will need to sit down with a friend who is more into beauty treatments than I am, and figure out how to fix that. I've never had my nails done and I want to keep it that way, and I'm not interested in a super complicated hairstyle either, but there may be some other treatments that are worth the effort.

For women over a certain age in professional roles, some "maintenance" is expected. I worked with a lady in her 60s who had several types of plastic surgery and used botox and fillers. She was a consultant and extremely good in her job, she had a ton of glowing references, but whenever she was looking for a new project, she'd make an appointment with her clinic. If she didn't, she noticed it in negotiations - the older she looked, the less people wanted to pay her. She still looked very natural, but due to her treatments she looked maybe 5-10 years younger than her calendar age. I felt so sad for her when she told me her secret. No matter how well you do your job, as a woman you're judged on your apperance first.

[Metalcat]

@Villanelle Thanks for posting that!  I fear I have inherited my mom's calloused feet.  I wear socks all the time and am still seeing callouses build up on my heels.   She used a torture device on her feet--PedEgg I think? It was like a cheese grater for your feet.  *shudder*  I'd much rather try getting the skin to shed off itself.  Bookmarking that product.

You might need orthotics.

I'll bring that up at my next physical!  Hadn't even occurred to me that it might be something about the way I'm walking in my shoes.  Thanks for the pointer!  :)

Well calluses come from pressure and or friction.

I used to wear stupid high heels all the time and my feet were like rocks. Now I wear running shoes with orthotics, no more hard/rough feet.

I always had calluses on my hands. Now I've worked from home for 14 months, my hands are really soft. Turns out that taking public transit to work every day, carrying heavy bags of groceries on the way home, holding on to one of those hand grips on the bus, or carrying my laptop bag in my hand because my back hurt from the weight, etc etc etc was the cause. I can't even imagine physically putting myself through that again. So I found a new job with an office around the corner in case we do ever go back to working in the office.

I have always hated "grooming", I just get my hair cut once a year. I'm not grey yet thankfully. As I'm getting older, I do notice I'm starting to look tired, so post-pandemic I will need to sit down with a friend who is more into beauty treatments than I am, and figure out how to fix that. I've never had my nails done and I want to keep it that way, and I'm not interested in a super complicated hairstyle either, but there may be some other treatments that are worth the effort.

For women over a certain age in professional roles, some "maintenance" is expected. I worked with a lady in her 60s who had several types of plastic surgery and used botox and fillers. She was a consultant and extremely good in her job, she had a ton of glowing references, but whenever she was looking for a new project, she'd make an appointment with her clinic. If she didn't, she noticed it in negotiations - the older she looked, the less people wanted to pay her. She still looked very natural, but due to her treatments she looked maybe 5-10 years younger than her calendar age. I felt so sad for her when she told me her secret. No matter how well you do your job, as a woman you're judged on your apperance first.

Botox also helps with not looking angry, which for women can be an issue.

Men get wrinkles between their eyebrows and we don't think they look angry as a result, but when women get them, we do.

I got Botox for the wrinkles between my eyes and immediately everyone who saw me started saying I looked so much happier than they had ever seen me. Most of my patients commented about how cheerful I seemed.

I am chronically fucking cheerful, so that was interesting. So I could totally see looking younger and less angry as being a professional benefit.

[ixtap]

I got a mani once. Well, evidently I didn't really. The tech looked at my nails, said there wasn't really anything for them to do and painted them for about half the price of their cheapest listed service. Evidently, other people's cuticles need trimmed and nails need shaped and what not? I have never tried again. I felt confused, not pampered.

[Metalcat]

I got a mani once. Well, evidently I didn't really. The tech looked at my nails, said there wasn't really anything for them to do and painted them for about half the price of their cheapest listed service. Evidently, other people's cuticles need trimmed and nails need shaped and what not? I have never tried again. I felt confused, not pampered.

Sounds like a shitty manicurist, usually there's a nice hand massage.

Manis are kind of shit, pedicures are where it's at. I couldn't believe that my ultra metro DH had never had a pedicure, so I took him for his 41st birthday. He was shocked how lovely it was.

I love pedis, I hate manis because I hate nail polish.

[Kris]

I got a mani once. Well, evidently I didn't really. The tech looked at my nails, said there wasn't really anything for them to do and painted them for about half the price of their cheapest listed service. Evidently, other people's cuticles need trimmed and nails need shaped and what not? I have never tried again. I felt confused, not pampered.

Sounds like a shitty manicurist, usually there's a nice hand massage.

Manis are kind of shit, pedicures are where it's at. I couldn't believe that my ultra metro DH had never had a pedicure, so I took him for his 41st birthday. He was shocked how lovely it was.

I love pedis, I hate manis because I hate nail polish.

As someone who has also had both, yes, team pedis all the way. They are quite lovely and relaxing unless you are one of those people who has issues with people touching your feet. My husband, for example, would freak the hell out at a pedicure. He literally can’t even touch his own feet to wash them.

[mm1970]

I definitely knew upper management women who felt that routine nail salon and hair salon visits were an expected part of looking professional, along with buying designer handbags and similar things.  It seemed to work for them--they made enough money to support it for sure.

I'm an engineer, so I paint my nails for the fun of it, not to impress anybody.  I had a pixie cut for a while and I really liked it, but I hated paring for the maintenance cuts.  So back to long hair for me for now.  It's not even about being cheap, I'm just too lazy to keep heading back in.

Are you my twin?

@Villanelle Thanks for posting that!  I fear I have inherited my mom's calloused feet.  I wear socks all the time and am still seeing callouses build up on my heels.   She used a torture device on her feet--PedEgg I think? It was like a cheese grater for your feet.  *shudder*  I'd much rather try getting the skin to shed off itself.  Bookmarking that product.

PedEgg is the bomb.  I just bought another one.

I do a lot of walking (always have), and even though I know you aren't supposed to do this, the vast majority of warm-weather walking I do is in flip flops. As a result, over the years, my feet got incredibly callused. Dry, chapped heels, the whole works. I think I also have a propensity to this, as my feet have always been kind of rough on the bottoms, unlike my husband's for example, which are usually pretty baby smooth.

The thing was, I tried to take better care of them but I just... didn't know how, I guess? Couldn't ever really get them to a reasonable level of "sightliness." So at one point years ago, it got so bad that I decided to get a pedicure for the first time in my life. I went once a month for a few months. I tipped well, too, because I knew my feet were a lot of work. But my larger plan was, I did this so that I could watch what they did so I could learn how to do it myself.

Fast forward to today: my feet, though not perfect, are now well-maintained. And no more money spent on pedicures, only on supplies to do it myself.

This is a great tip.  I've never had a mani or pedi. When I had one of my kids (don't remember which one), my feet were so calloused that my heels were cracking.   A friend recommended the PedEgg and it cleared everything right up.

I noticed with COVID, I've been doing a LOT more walking and running.  I haven't been to the pool in 14 months.  I walk the dog wearing flip flops.  My heels started to become a mess.  So I started working on them with the PedEgg again, and used some lotion.  They are ... better, but not awesome.  I have wide feet, and I really hate shoes.  At least my teenager has inherited my feet because I caught him using sandpaper from shop class on his feet.  I am trying to work on my feet every week, but it's hard. 

Getting older requires maintenance!  I can't just run, I have to be careful to do hip and core and PT for my piriformis too.  I exfoliate my face a couple of times a week.  I moisturize when I remember.  Sheesh.  Now the feet.

[Morning Glory]

I have a former colleague who does DIY Botox that she orders from Korea. It is a legal grey area.  She told me a funny story about buying the syringes at the drugstore.  Here you can buy syringes without a prescription but they still give you funny looks if you aren't buying insulin or something. I would never have guessed that she had Botox if she hadn't told me.

This year I got my first professional haircut in years. I still color and wax at home, and only wear nail polish for special occasions. I rarely even wear makeup any more, but that is normal in my field.  I've never had a professional massage but I like my foam roller.  I will probably keep getting haircuts a couple times per year because I'm not that good at doing it myself. Will probably start taking my boys to the barber once they get old enough to care how their hair looks too.

[Metalcat]

I have a former colleague who does DIY Botox that she orders from Korea. It is a legal grey area.  She told me a funny story about buying the syringes at the drugstore.  Here you can buy syringes without a prescription but they still give you funny looks if you aren't buying insulin or something. I would never have guessed that she had Botox if she hadn't told me.

This year I got my first professional haircut in years. I still color and wax at home, and only wear nail polish for special occasions. I rarely even wear makeup any more, but that is normal in my field.  I've never had a professional massage but I like my foam roller.  I will probably keep getting haircuts a couple times per year because I'm not that good at doing it myself. Will probably start taking my boys to the barber once they get old enough to care how their hair looks too.

Holy fuck that is the worst idea...seriously, that's giving me heart palpitations.

I've performed minor surgery on myself including stitches, and I wouldn't inject my own botox, and I'm an expert with needles and very comfortable injecting myself with lidocaine.

THAT IS SUCH A BAD IDEA!!!

[Imma]

I am a big fan of DIY and cost-savings, but injecting your face with poison... that's kind of a thing you should best leave to the experts imho. I'm actually surprised that a someone other than a licensed pharmacy can import Botox at all. It's a pretty deadly poison. In the best case scenario you could paralyze the wrong muscles in your face for months.

[Morning Glory]

I've never had botox at all. I'm just getting to the age where people do it. My colleague is a licensed prescriber but I don't think she used that to get the botox.

My husband has an old friend who used to do DIY tattoos also. Another thing best left to the professionals.

[tipster350]

Oh my gosh...DIY botox?! Talk about playing with fire! :0

I've looked at my FIRE budget and increased my entry for "personal care" to allow for twice-monthly delicious and well-deserved manicures and pedicures. I think this will deliver a great deal of value in terms of pampering, and ongoing delight at pretty and pleasing hands and feet. It is so hard, though, to move into this new phase where I have enough to indulge in a few well-chosen luxuries and no longer need to think about how many months I'm adding to my FIRE date to pay for them.

[coppertop]

Before judging people who get pedicures, recognize that for some of us, it is difficult to groom our own feet. I have a herniated disk at L5S1 that makes it painful and difficult for me to lean over and take care of clipping, filing, and painting my toenails, and taking care of the callouses.  My quite elderly father (90 years old) was going to a podiatrist until his wife realized that the copay for the podiatrist was more than they would pay at a salon with a nice tip, and the technician at the salon was doing pretty much the same thing for him that the podiatrist did, so now he has standing appointments at the nail place.  J/S

[Metalcat]

Before judging people who get pedicures, recognize that for some of us, it is difficult to groom our own feet. I have a herniated disk at L5S1 that makes it painful and difficult for me to lean over and take care of clipping, filing, and painting my toenails, and taking care of the callouses.  My quite elderly father (90 years old) was going to a podiatrist until his wife realized that the copay for the podiatrist was more than they would pay at a salon with a nice tip, and the technician at the salon was doing pretty much the same thing for him that the podiatrist did, so now he has standing appointments at the nail place.  J/S

I don't think anyone in this thread is criticizing pedicures. OP was just shocked at what people are willing to pay for nail care on a weekly basis.

Pedicures are great.

I think manicures are overrated though.

[tipster350]

Before judging people who get pedicures, recognize that for some of us, it is difficult to groom our own feet. I have a herniated disk at L5S1 that makes it painful and difficult for me to lean over and take care of clipping, filing, and painting my toenails, and taking care of the callouses.  My quite elderly father (90 years old) was going to a podiatrist until his wife realized that the copay for the podiatrist was more than they would pay at a salon with a nice tip, and the technician at the salon was doing pretty much the same thing for him that the podiatrist did, so now he has standing appointments at the nail place.  J/S

There is no need to personalize this topic and feel offended at what does not apply to you.

Where did you read in this thread any judging of people who need to pay for nail and foot care due to physical challenges. It's not about you.

ETA meanwhile, I'm happily deciding to indulge in this, what is mainly for me, an extravagance, as I no longer need to worry about how I am perceived at work. And, in addition, would like a smoother and nicer set of piggies than I can do on my own. For my own pleasure and comfort.

[Morning Glory]

The costs for manicures are highly regional. They seem a lot higher in the midwest than on the coasts for some reason, so it's less common here. I still know people who get them.

The big cosmetic thing here is teeth. I know lots of people who get adult braces for purely cosmetic reasons, and put braces on their kids even if they don't really need them. I never thought my teeth were bad until I moved to a place where perfectly straight and white teeth are the norm.

 When I moved here I was working nights in the hospital and I asked an old man to hand me his teeth so I could clean them and I was just shocked when he told me they weren't dentures.

[wenchsenior]

I absolutely shudder at the thought of anyone I don't know intimately touching my feet so pedicures are right out for me, even if I wanted to spend the money.


It's weird b/c I have all kinds of strange health problems, and regularly serve as a 'training body' for doctors...I have MANY TIMES had doctors ask if they could bring entire groups of students in to observe whatever weird thing was happening to my body.   I have zero problems getting naked in front of people, displaying my privates to groups of doctors with feet in stirrups, etc. But feet...ugh.  Just no.

[Metalcat]

I absolutely shudder at the thought of anyone I don't know intimately touching my feet so pedicures are right out for me, even if I wanted to spend the money.


It's weird b/c I have all kinds of strange health problems, and regularly serve as a 'training body' for doctors...I have MANY TIMES had doctors ask if they could bring entire groups of students in to observe whatever weird thing was happening to my body.   I have zero problems getting naked in front of people, displaying my privates to groups of doctors with feet in stirrups, etc. But feet...ugh.  Just no.

Weirdo :P

[slappy]

Before judging people who get pedicures, recognize that for some of us, it is difficult to groom our own feet. I have a herniated disk at L5S1 that makes it painful and difficult for me to lean over and take care of clipping, filing, and painting my toenails, and taking care of the callouses.  My quite elderly father (90 years old) was going to a podiatrist until his wife realized that the copay for the podiatrist was more than they would pay at a salon with a nice tip, and the technician at the salon was doing pretty much the same thing for him that the podiatrist did, so now he has standing appointments at the nail place.  J/S

I don't think anyone in this thread is criticizing pedicures. OP was just shocked at what people are willing to pay for nail care on a weekly basis.

Pedicures are great.

I think manicures are overrated though.

I think most mustachians would be shocked at what people are willing to pay for things on a weekly/monthly basis.