Curl Up With A Good Book…

He watched her go. She was barefoot, he realized, pink painted toe nails peeking out with every step. Another woman would’ve added high heels or something with feathers to the ensemble but not his Angie.

She had changed in the few months he’d known her, true. But she’d stayed the same at the core. Chris refilled their wine glasses, trying not to stare at the door for her return but unable to stop thinking about her. How she had blossomed. Her new sense of confidence and style. Hell, she’d even learned to cook. Yet she still went barefoot for an elegant, romantic dinner. ~ Falling In Love

The last three weeks, we focused on the bare minimum we can do to have pretty hands and lovely feet.  It can, however, be just as easy and almost as fast to take it up a notch.  I’m going to be asking you to spend a little money but not nearly as much as even one pedicure, let alone a year of them.

My new favorite doo-dad is my pedibean.  You’ve probably heard of the pedegg.  Now Revlon has come out with their answer to it, the pedi-EXPERT.  All three of them are the doo-dad that allows you to smooth, de-callus and generally make-pretty your feet.  They range in price from about $7.50 to about $10.00.  Considering a single pedicure ranges in price from $25.00 to…as much as you want to spend for one, these doo-dads are worth every penny.  Can you overdo it and hurt yourself?  Of course you can.  So be smart about it.  Follow the directions.  Don’t use it two days in a row.  Still, I highly recommend you buy one of these things!

Your pedegg, pedibean or ped-EXPERT firmly in hand, use it carefully and follow directions.  Then lotion your feet well.  This would even be a lovely night to take the routine you used on your hands last week (…and soften while you sleep) and sleep in socks.  Add a pretty polish at your convenience and ta-dah!  A salon perfect pedicure.

It’s a champagne life…on a beer budget!

~ Pauline

Now we’ve gotten the basic necessities of nail care under our belts (and let’s be honest ~ a basic mani-pedi is indeed a necessity to live a champagne life!), we can take it up a notch.  Ready for a spa worthy manicure at home?  Good!  It will take a little longer than the mini-mani, so make sure you’ve got about an hour to ensure the polish sets really well.  I like to do this while watching television at night.  Here’s what you need:

• olive oil (yep, the same olive oil you have in your pantry)
• Vaseline (it’s probably there in the bathroom)
• plastic baggies (in the kitchen)
• mittens or socks
• your favorite color of nail polish

First, give yourself a manicure with your favorite nail color, instead of just the clear we talked about earlier.  Since it will take longer than the clear, if you can afford it, add a quick dry polish or spray to your list.  It will get you touching things a bit faster.  Just remember, the color still won’t be really hard for about an hour.  Once your nails are good and dry, instead of using special (and expensive) spa cuticle oil, rub a little olive oil into your nails and cuticles.  This has the same effects as the more expensive stuff: it makes your cuticles healthier; strengthens your nails; and sets the polish.  There.  You’re done until bedtime.

At bedtime, slather your hands with Vaseline.  Wrap them in plastic baggies and pull the mittens or socks over your hands.  The first few times you try this, it may be messy.  It really will get easier.  I suggest opening the baggies before you dip into the Vaseline.  Now, go to bed and let your skin soften while you sleep.  Please note ~ this is not sexy.  Either make sure that you are sleeping alone or that you have a bed partner with a sense of humor.  When you wake up, though, your skin will be as soft and as smooth as if you’d been to the salon.

Continue to rub your nails with the olive oil for as long as the manicure lasts.  Your fingers will stay softer and the manicure will actually last longer!  You know what that is?  That’s a champagne life ~ on a beer budget!

~ Pauline

Last post, we talked about the mini-mani.  This time, it’s the mini-pedi.  Because seriously, while our hands get a lot of work during the days, so do our feet.  (Especially if you’re like me and have a thing for high heels.  Oooo…I just love my high heels!)

In an ideal world, we would have full pedicures once a month.  Ahhh…love the thought.  This isn’t an ideal world, though.  This is a champagne life on a beer budget.  The exciting part is you already have almost everything you need for the mini-pedi.  You bought it last time for the mini-mani and it’s lurking in your cabinets already. 

Grab your emery board and your clear polish.  Add to that a paper towel, 2 one gallon size freezer or storage bags, nail polish remover and whatever lotion you use.  Bet those were in the house already, weren’t they?  Now, you’re set.

Ready?  Here you go:

1. Figure out when you’re going to be sitting down.  At your desk?  In front of the t.v.?  …On the toilet, maybe?  Wherever!  This is where you will give yourself your mini-pedi.  Gather your supplies.  (Note ~ I highly recommend this happening at the same time you do your mini-mani.  I also recognize that isn’t always possible.  Still, think about it and combine when possible.)

2. Tear the paper towel into three strips and put aside.

3. Rub your lotion onto your feet, paying close attention to your heels or other dry spots. Go ahead and put it on thick.

4. Wrap your feet in the plastic bag. At this point, you can wrap them in a blanket, put on socks, or tuck them under the cushions of your couch, if you’d like.

5. Do whatever needs to be done: mini-mani; homework help; computer time; television; whatever.  Give your feet at least 15 minutes to absorb the lotion.

6. Take your feet out of the plastic bags and rub in any left-over lotion.  Using one of the strips of papertowels, swipe each toenail with nail polish remover.  (This gets the lotion off the nail and allows for the polish to set.)

7. Shape your toenails with the emery board.

8. Take the other two strips of paper towel and weave them between the toes of each foot.

9. Apply a coat of clear polish to each nail.

10. Let dry for 10 minutes.

There you go.  In the time it takes to watch a sitcom, help your kid with one homework assignment or check your email, you’ve got softer, smoother feet with lovely, sandal or snuggle ready nails.

It’s a champagne life ~ on a beer budget!

~ Pauline, with apologies for the delay between posts.  Hopefully, we will be back to our regular, Monday postings starting next week!

Hands on her lower back, groaning slightly, Angie stretched. It had been a long week, hand to God. But tomorrow was Sunday and today had been payday at the diner. Maybe Carter Anne would want to go to Danville. Hit the Piedmont Mall. It had been a long time since she had done something girly. Too long.

~ Falling In Love

How many times have we been right where Angie has found herself?  Tired after a long week and realizing it’s been too long since we’ve done something to pamper ourselves.  Seems like women who live that champagne life always have time for a little pampering.  The really nice thing?  So do we.

Maybe it’s because I spend so much time at the computer and, thus, looking at my hands but when my hands don’t look nice, I feel out of sorts, frumpy and certainly far from my best.  However, just a little tweak and I feel sharp, sophisticated and put together.  You know all it takes?  Clear nail polish and an emery board.  Seriously.

Don’t misunderstand.  I love (lovelovelove) having a full manicure.  Taking the time to sit across from someone as she buffs and shapes and massages…What’s not to love?  Realistically, though, time and money come into play.  That’s when I’m grateful for clear nail polish and an emery board.

They are inexpensive.  They are readily available.  They take up very little space.  They can take you from frumpy to sophisticated.

You know what you have to do with your hands everyday and if you can expect to wear them long, short or somewhere in between.  Keep your nails shaped nicely, even when there is the inevitable break or crack.  So what if they aren’t all exactly the same length.

And why clear polish?  Well, this is a very basic manicure and, for some reason that I can’t explain, clear polish dries much faster than colored polish does.  Which means, we can throw a coat on and it will be dry without us having to spend an hour with our fingers stretched out, afraid to touch anything.  Personally, I’m a fan of Sally Hansen Triple Strong Advanced Nail Gel Fortifier but seriously, any clear polish will do.  And again, it dries in a snap.

Paint your nails every two or three days.  Shape them quickly as needed.  Feel like you spent an hour being pampered.  You’ll be surprised.

It’s a champagne life…on a beer budget!

~ Pauline