Personal Beauty Care

The long awaited manicure and hand care post. With a bonus.

The jar on the left is a jam jar. A jam jar that matches my 1950's bathroom. The object on the right is a crystal and silver powder shaker.

This is the crystal and silver plate jam jar that sits in the kitchen. I got them all from eBay for under 10 dollars apiece. The current "manicure in a minute" type stuff I got from Sephora was made by Loccitane and was close to 20 bucks for a small jar. And it was the only one I could find. Then I heard about making your own. So I bought the jam jars, some fine salt, fine sugar and Vitamin E oil from Trader Joe's and made my own. You can use either salt or sugar, and any oil. I might try grape seed oil next. You can add drops of fragrance oils, I did not. So here is how you do it. Pour about half the container full of either the salt or the sugar. Add oil and stir-you are looking for a consistency of thick but all wet. When you get there continue adding oil until you get loose oatmeal. Now you are good to go.

This is not to clean your hands, so start with relatively clean dry hands. Put a scoop from the spoon in your palm and rub in just like you are washing your hands. Pay attention to the cuticles. Rub at least one minute. Rinse well in warm water and now you will feel all slithery and oily and will be cursing me for this stupid idea. Dry your hands well with a fluffy terry cloth towel-paying special attention to between the fingers. When you are done you will have the softest and nicest hands you have felt since your last paraffin treatment. And it is so cheap you can do it a couple times a day if you need to. I wash my hands with industrial soap all day and it is really drying, and I cannot use hand cream at work.

The bonus, the powder shaker is full of baking soda. This is what I use to exfoliate my face a few times a week. It is cheap, now looks luxe and does the job.

Okay done with the girly stuff, but I will tell you Big Daddy uses the hand stuff and loves it. But he also used the olive oil in the bathrooms in Italy. He is that guy.

Went to Car City today and I think it will be okay if I can find more bathrooms. Engineers are the same as ever, disorganized and kinda strange. This launch has a bunch of parts and some are not so good.

So tonight it is once again cold and a predicted 3 to 6 inches. Hurray.

Valentine's Day and all that nonsense

This was the worst idea ever. I had this heart shaped spring-form cake pan that had not been used, ever. We have had it for about 15 years and just never used the damn thing. Big Daddy makes this wonderful hot milk sponge cake with a coconut-walnut broiled topping. So I suggested he make it in the heart pan for Valentine's Day. Bad idea. Cake came out too dense and too weird. But it was a great idea. Should probably give the pan to the thrift shop.

Something I have harped on for years has come to pass. GM is recalling cars because the ignition switch cannot take the load of 4 million keys, discount cards and rabbit's feet. Just when did it become fashion to put every key that one might use in one's lifetime on one key ring, that is ludicrous. And then hang it from your car ignition and think that all is fine.

I called my nail gal for a quick manicure on Friday. I was not able to get an appointment  so I went to AJ Nails for an Asian quickie. It was all I remembered from China, the worst of the worst and no massage or care technique but much cheaper for a slam and bam job. I hate it when they all chatter in another language while we all sit there wondering if they are talking about us.

Monday is my new location day and I do not have my new lime green vest. I am rather upset. Life can be a bitch.

talking to Big Daddy

Brain starting to work today. That is the worst part of jet lag for me. Can't think properly for a day or two. Punkin Head keeps saying, Mooom. Oh well. And it does not help that the kids work afternoons and the best time to talk is the middle of night.

Went to Farms Market and BG will shit when he sees the bill, he grouses about the high cost of the wet market.

Had a manicure and a pedicure and feel like a new woman. Just cannot believe the difference in how my hands and feet look. Thank you Jean and Wink Boutique. Bought a pair of boots so I am on track for footwear.

Punkin Head bought me a Vanity Fair so I am in reading heaven for the moment.

Elliot, the cat, and I are at odds. He thinks he is the boss and cats are not like dogs. Dogs understand the Alpha and cats just don't particapate in the world order.

House next door where the old gramma lived is for sale. That is interesting. Wonder if the kinfolk are in a fight about the estate. House down the street where the vegan monsters lived went back to the bank and they had a crew in there today just moving garbage out. What kind of person just trashes something because they can?

Just finished talking to two old friends and setting up lunches. This is fun. More later. Love you BD.

Purple haze in Shanghai

Everyone is coughing and sneezing today. With the haze this evening am starting to wonder what is in the air. There is so much tearing up and re-constructing along with real new construction I am starting to think we should all be wearing masks just for the dust and junk in the air.

Big Daddy and I got manicures today. He was quite the unwilling character. First manicure and he says the hand massage was not good. Hmmm. We wandered and window shopped on Shaanxi road.

Tomorrow flying to Shenzhen, if the person has the tickets right, and another day at the Parkview hotel. Will try the gym this time. Gym here at the hotel is great.

Priced some furniture at the place close to our apartment. I don't think so and he was not a dealer. About 900 dollars US for 2 chairs and a table for next to the entry door.

More tomorrow, with pictures if I am successful with the camera transfer.