March 11, 2011

Do You Manicure?

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{Do you know how hard it is to take a picture of your own hand and not have it look completely bizarre? Try it! In order to not look freakish, I chose to hold my absolute favorite pen of all time.}

I took forty-five minutes to escape the sickness that has crippled my house {Hannie B. & RedDog now} yesterday to get a manicure.  A departure from the ordinary for me - since I think manicures on moms who do dishes, clean houses, fold laundry or change diapers are pretty much a huge waste of time, money and nail polish - but it was a gift and the certificate was about to expire.

The sweet man who did my manicure took one look at my nail beds and declared me a manicure virgin. He spent considerable time soaking and resoaking my fingers to soften my “rock hard cuticles”. Why did I have to get rock hard cuticles instead of rock hard abs? Humph!

I decided on this new smoky taupe color I’ve seen on famous fingers.  It makes me look even paler than normal.

Here are a few things I learned from my manicure experience:

  • I don’t like having my cuticles picked at.
  • I don’t like having my nails sanded like a piece of unfinished furniture.
  • Hand massages make me sleepy.
  • Judge Judy is bad TV.

When it was all said and done, the manicurist informed me that I needed to make more time for myself because I have so many children and that I should come at least once a month to get a manicure because it’s only $14.  I smiled and nodded, but as I opened my car door and messed up a nail, I thought about all the great thrift store finds I could get for $14. Or how I could send 28 letters to 28 women to build them up for $14. Or how I could do an April giveaway for $14.

I’m just not a manicure type of girl.  So tell me, do you manicure?

13 comments:

The Queen Vee said...

Manicures are a waste of money for me, nail polish will not stay on my nails. My hands are not pretty. When people look at them I hope what they see is that they are well used.

Apis Melliflora said...

I admire the women whose nails are pristinely polished and whose cuticles are soft and neatly trimmed, but I will likely never be one of them... except at weddings and proms. And last time I checked, there's no prom in my future.

NovelTeaMommy said...

Years ago, before husband (and children!) I was a weekly manicure girl. My favorite treat then and now. Of course now I lean towards your thinking...dishes and cleaning and children waste the hard earned money I spent on the process. But I heard about a new type of manicure/polish. Gel. Lasts for twice as long. Costs twice as much :( But for the times I am going out and want to look my most pretty, I'm thinking it will be worth the funds spent :)
Also, as a person famous for wrecking a manicure in minutes, I can attest that you could have had your nail fixed right away if you had been inclined to :) (BTW, 2x under a UV light dryer usually dries a polish "rock hard")

Margy said...

Never. I pedicure, but not manicure. I can't seem to stand having a color on my finger nails, so even if I do my nails at home it is strictly clear nail polish, but those events are even few and far between. With a 10 month old it's just not worth it. However, I highly recommend a pedicure! I don't get much "me" time, but when I do I try to sneak in a pedi at least every other month, especially in the summer.

I hope everyone starts feeling better soon!

christy said...

The only manicures I ever get are from my darling almost eleven year old. Pedicures, on the other hand, I think are a different story but I've still only done that like 3-4 times ever (but I might treat myself to one soon). Fingernail polish is gone too quickly as a mom who washes dishes and hands way too much. Toe nail polish will stay on for a good month sometimes if I'm not swimming too much. Pedicures are totally worth it, in my opinion.

Erin said...

I am a pedicure girl that will occasionally splurge on a manicure. With a job that has me on a keyboard all day, the polish chips fast and then I pick and then it looks ugly.

Danielle said...

i got my first manicure / pedicure {i REFUSE to say mani / pedi} last november, for my 29th birthday. the pedicure was nice, it made my feet feel really good. and although i thought my nails looked nice afterwards, i swear, whatever they did to them made them weaker. they have been breaking off ever since! so, i won't be getting a manicure again, i don't think.

your nails look great, i really like that color.

MelancholySmile said...

I'm not a manicure girl, either. When I want nice nails, I get press-on french tip nails at the drugstore. I know that sounds so white-trash, but i've worn them for weddings and they look awesome!

I only believe in pedicures when I'm pregnant and can't reach my feet, but now that I will NEVER BE PREGNANT AGAIN I may change my mind.

Haircut and highlights, however, are ALWAYS worth the money.

The Nerd Mom said...

I don't manicure for the same reasons you state - my hands do too much work so the polish ends up cracked and chipped and looking awful within a day or so. When I want nice fingernails (like for a vacation), I file & shape them and maybe put on a coat of clear polish. That's it!

Audrey Carlson said...

I AM ALL ABOUT THE PEDICURE! It's worth the money every time. The one time I had a manicure that lasted was during Christmas break when we were living in San Diego and there was someone else cleaning our apartment. However, I do think it's important that women do something for THEMSELVES. This does not include buying cute clothes for their children :-) It is very important to do something for ourselves because we spend so much time doing things for others, much of which goes unnoticed or undone before we bat an eyelash.

Heather Lindsey said...

I agree about the manicure, even though I love the look of freshly polished nails. I use my nails way too much throughout the day. For example, I just used them to scratch dried up playdoh out of a pen tip. 'nough said!

Now pedicures I love! They soak your feet, massage all the way up your calves, sometimes you can even get a paraffin wax treatment which is divine! And the polish seems to stay a whole lot longer. I think pedicures are my favorite spa treatment.

I agree that we need to make sure we take care of ourselves so we have something to give others. If our well is dry, we can't give our loved ones a drink when they need it most.

Aiketa said...

Never done a manicure or pedicure. But I have in mind to do a manicure some day. I had been biting my nails since I can remember, but not now. It has almost been 2 years since I decided that I could only bite my thumbs, since february I can not bite any nail... but it's too hard!!

I already have tried to take a pic of my nails.. and you are right Samantha, is so bizarre.

http://1anyen365fotos.blogspot.com/2011/02/dia-136.html

jd said...

I do my OWN manicures and pedicures. It's not that hard... My fingernails are constantly thrashed from work and I have man-hands as a result, which horrifies me, so once a week (or when I've going to be in the company of a man that I care about), I paint my nails. Usually a french tip, which I can also do myself.

That's right, I'm amazing.