One Trip in Pink

Anxiety looms over my tired being as my vacation draws nearer. Less than a week since our 'sinful' weekend romp in that desert paradise and short of recovering from a chaotic work schedule, I must again confront a fast-paced, cram all the sights in a week, go, go, go because the bears might hibernate early type of wilderness adventure in beautiful Yellowstone National Park. That is my wife's style of vacationing. You get overwhelmed with activities while you're away, come home the last minute, and go to work feeling absolutely wasted. I usually need another week of vacation after my vacation just to recover my senses. We're driving this time and it's a long way there.

Packing for any trip now also involves the vital decision of what color to dress my plump piggies and hauling minimal foot care products. For this incursion in the wild, I have chosen Signed By The Artist by Finger Paints. It's a pink and I'll write about it after I come back and fill you in as to how my mother-in-law reacts to her daughter's chosen man's new hobby.

As you can see, my Coach travel bag is a practical size and sturdy. The minimal foot care for this traveling week will consist of nail polish as noted above, nail polish remover in case I have to repair an injured piggy coat, foot file, and foot lotion. The latter is a new product I'm trying but it's too early to know how good it is. Look for my review in a few weeks of Aveda Foot Relief. Miscellaneous items aside from the ordinary include a dental pick (I'm also obsessive about dental hygiene) and a bite guard (I'm a grinder and it's probably related to stress). So, this is a glimpse into my strange and odd habits.

We're not camping or roughing it. We're renting a cabin, doing some sightseeing, and hiking. Old Faithful here I come!

Snazzy Blue in Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas! Disinhibition is the rule and what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Since Sally's was having a buy 2 get one free deal on Finger Paints, I decided that the third and "free" color would be a frivolous indulgence. Guilt-free. Adventurous and bold. I never thought that a blue tone would be so fun and rewarding. Not my style for flashy. Then again, just wearing polish sets me apart.

Artistic Azure is the amusing path I've enjoyed taking through the crowded streets of the Vegas strip. It's a robust metallic blue that really awakens the senses and shines with a big smile under the hot desert sun. The metal bits are delightfully cheerful against the sea of deep blue. The contrast against my sluggishly roasting tan provided a solid platform to spring its livelihood. The polish itself was rather thick to brush on and provided a challenge to keep the strokes even and the surface streak-free. It may be an old bottle or just needed more shaking up. Other Finger Paints have been fine in consistency. Well, it was the "free" bottle.

Our choice of lodging proved to be quite pleasant as it was a last minute decision to spend a weekend away. The golden Trump hotel is located just off the strip by a large block, across from the fabulous Fashion mall, where I was able to attain some luxurious beauty items that I'll write about later. The pool became our main accommodation where the kids would joyously splash around. Bare foot and armed with Artistic Azure, I graced the pool with my head up high. People certainly took note but no one seemed to be too bothered. Still no comment, good or bad. I secretly yearn for some kind of feedback. Positive would be nicer. Am I still too out there even for sin city? Doubtful. The mall, the shops, and boutiques would also draw many looks and double takes. I'm truly not an attention seeker though my wife would argue that by being "odd" that I'm seeking validation for my shortcomings. Hhmm? Maybe it's just creepy to most of society and by the simple act of decorating my toes I've turned my otherwise clean and approachable nice self to some perv creep type that repulses all but my own children, (who I am taking this opportunity to teach them acceptance).

Keeping my feet and toes protected from heat, sun, a chlorinated body of water, and sandals through a weekend was incredibly challenging. Like a good boy, I brought my foot file, lotion, and polish for touch ups. As I expected, splashing in the pool and trying to monitor two young girls is a hard job. Sadly, my near perfect polish chipped in the grainy pool concrete over several toes. A fix up at the end of the day did the trick and off I went to show them off to the random masses. My soft heels gathered a few extra layers of keratin that were easily checked with a foot soak and filing in their gigantic whirlpool tub in the room. It's nice to be home now where I can nourish my frazzled footsies back into silky smooth condition.

OPI Mattes

I had read about the highly anticipated release of the new OPI Matte product line and wondered if it's set out to be the trend of this season. Honestly, I didn't hold my breath for it. I happen to come across those pretty little bottles yesterday as I was itching to expand my collection. The color options were indeed wisely chosen as they are some of their more popular tones. Colors include La Paz-itively Hot, You Don't Know Jacques, Gargantuan Green Grape, Lincoln Park After Dark, Russian Navy, and Alpine Snow.

The label is informative but strangely so because it blatantly states that these polishes don't last as long nor should they be combined with any routine preps such as base coat, top coat, or drying agents. The oddest warning by far is the recommendation that one should not get lotion on them. Does lotion make it shiny and ruin the purpose of the matte approach? Does it rub it off more easily? The response from searching many blogs or review sites are that it ruins the matte finish by ruining its chalky surface. Some readers are very excited about it and want to purchase the whole collection. Others, like myself, don't find it appealing. Much less so when it seems like a poor product (unexpected from OPI) since it doesn't last and you can apply lotion on your extremity without worrying about lotion danger. I'm not sure that glossy white is good except for French tips but one reader mentioned that Alpine Snow looked like white-out. Yuk!!

What I love about nail polish is its shiny finish and sparkle, like having a new sports car every week or so. Who would buy a car with a dull paint job? I should qualify that since one of the most expensive offerings by Lamborghini is the awesome Reventon for over a million dollars. The few models sold out before even production began. It has a charcoal gray matte finish that actually looks stunning on such a rolling work of art. It's chosen matte finish is due to its inspiration from jet fighters.

Heel to Toe Feels Like New Review: 3 Piggies out of 9

As I was shopping at Sally Beauty Store for my next chromatic adventure, I perused through the small but replete aisles hoping to chance upon that rare magical pearl that would propel my feet to a new level of softness. I conjured myself discovering the magical potion that was always overlooked due to its plain or generic packaging or its unappealing "cheap" price, but was truly wondrous in deep penetration through those stubborn layers of human foot skin.

My tender soles are by many standards, especially for men, probably one of the better ones out there. I am proud of it and owe it mostly to my obsessive and persistent daily care routine. I've been guilty of skipping a day (at most) of lovingness when I'm just dead tired but I'm so far ahead that my piggies can absorb the light abuse. I guess in reality I could probably go a week without them getting bad but I wouldn't dare to even try, particularly in these hot summer days. I will stress again that hydration and beauty come from the inside so drink up until you pee clear. Ha! I'm giving this product review as a test. See what you think.

Heel to Toe is a brand that offers a variety of foot-related products and retails through Sally Beauty Store. Their products include lotions, scrubs, and instruments that center around care of the foot, as its name implies. Feels Like New Foot Softener is boasted to soften corns and rough cracked heels and calluses, which it states on its purple lid. It is distributed by a company named Esthetician Services, Inc. from Los Angeles, California. No word, at least from the container, as to where the product is made. Its components are relatively straightforward with only a few items that were unrecognizable. Main ingredients are lecithin, soybean oil, lanolin, and papain. The last item caught my attention as this is also what's found on meat tenderizers and medical wound debridement creams such a Accuzyme that are used to clean up necrotic or contaminated open wounds. It is also used for teeth whitening. Furthermore, according to the FDA, it has a warning on topical products containing papain as it can cause a reaction similar to a latex allergy or bring one's blood pressure down or speed up their heart rate or make them blind (if somehow applied to the eye, accidentally maybe.) Whoa! Nonetheless, I, like many others, didn't know this at the time of the purchase. Read your labels! BHA and BHT are preservatives, likely to stabilize the soybean oil. Information on those chemicals seem to be inconclusive for carcinogenicity and they are found in many foods and products. Aaahhh! This makes me wonder about everything else that I put on or worse, eat! Maybe organic is the way to go and worth its price. Hhmm?!? I'll never get through this review.

The product is a honey-colored firm ointment that melts in your warm hands as well as your feet as you rub it on. It spreads easily and I made sure I put on socks right afterward so as to not stain my sheets or slick my floors. It comes on rather oily and has a medicinal odor to it. It's aromatherapy and this is also noted on the lid. I followed this application with my regular Cetaphil rub and Body Shop body butter concoction that has been my staple in foot care. I bought the small 0.5 oz jar to try it and it costs less than $3US dollars. I used it daily for a couple of weeks until it was all gone. I had no adverse reactions to it nor did I wake up to oil stained socks and bedsheets. By the end of the day, my feet weren't greasy either and still quite soft. No additional softening effects were attributed to the addition of Feels Like New ointment. Overall, I don't think that it made a notable difference in softening my feet and the smell of aromatherapy was not pleasant for me at all. Perhaps it performs better in broken up skin with calluses but I doubt it since it didn't seem to penetrate my thinner healthier skin. I would not purchase this item again and I'm glad I only got the small sample. I guess one should also be cautious of papain-containing topical solutions since it has an FDA warning. I rate this item 3 piggies out of nine. (one piggy being the most horrible and 9 piggies being the absolute best). I give it a 3 because it didn't hurt me or make my feet worse, it's inexpensive, but I wouldn't recommend it or try it again. It doesn't smell good and it's greasy.

Well, I get carried away. I should look up what's in the Cetaphil and the Body Shop butter. Yikes! I suppose I haven't been so objective of these "routine" products of mine either.

Silvery Shimmer in San Francisco

I thoroughly enjoyed the attractive pinkish red glow of Seduce Me but I still managed to chip it on multiple toes. Yikes! I keep my footsies well protected but must have let my guard down one day. Sally Beauty Store had a sale on Finger Paints lacquer and opened the opportunity to be bold and pick out some new colors. I will of course try them all and blog about how it made me feel.

The first in line was a color I had already considered and couldn't wait to put on. Suggested by the one and only person to comment on my blog, I must agree that a silver color is very classy and elegant. I guess it also falls under the category of "manly" colors. Finger Paints offers a shimmery silver named Mystery Muse that glides on effortlessly (or I'm just getting better). The reflective particles are very fine and distribute themselves over the nail nearly homogenously, leaving a shiny coat of glimmering joy. As with most paints, its color is dynamic and changes its mood with lighting. Outdoors under the bright sun, its shimmer comes to life against my pale soft toes and makes them standout more than I figured. Under artificial lighting, it takes on a slightly darker persona and it glistens with a touch of medium gray while retaining its lustrous character. Mystery Muse is certainly one that will be added to my favorite list and will spark a search into that silver spectrum of polish for more variations.

I wore it through the Oakland airport with much confidence and got many looks, all strange despite being in the liberal San Francisco area. My family and I did see an athletic guy at the airport who was carrying a huge bike case who wore sandals that revealed a dull silver polish that must have been there for a couple of weeks. Nonetheless, I was excited to finally encounter that. I was wearing my sneakers and didn't get a chance to strike up a conversation about it. Was it something that he did all the time but just didn't have time to re-do it? Was it just a one time 'dare you' to type of occasion with his significant other? I guess I'll never know. It seemed to validate to my wife that I'm not the only one out there with crazy ideas. She still shakes her head at me over my toes but doesn't stop me from wearing it out. I'm not stopping now. The fun is just beginning.

Oh Seduce Me, Please

     Be as it may, despite my hypervigilance over the care of my piggies, the Black Pearl did chip along the slowly lengthening tips. Short of a fortnight, it came time to dissolve its speckled blue-hued gray substance. I regret that it wasn't my best polish application and under a critical eye, the perionychium was encroached upon due to several slips of my brush strokes. 

I was eager to embark on my next adventure with a bottle of Seduce Me from China Glaze. As I was scanning my eyes over the pink-red spectrum at Sally Beauty Supply, I came upon this little number that appeared to be an energetic red subdued by a touch of pink. My toes had already suffered three days of blandness without a colored life.  They did get filed back, shaped, and polished smooth. Cuticles were tamed. My foot care regimen has dialed back a bit.  I'm not filing my souls so often so as to let the skin recover.  About every 3 days seems just the proper amount to keep them soft and not so sore.  I may have been too aggressive at the start of my newfound obsession.  I put padding on my work shoes to cushion the burden of my own weight and the prolonged standing I endure in my profession.

The local art festival was met with strong rays of sun beating upon the crowd. The long winter and early summer rain showers had weakened my resistance to heat.  I armed myself with 45SPF Neutrogena Healthy Defense daily moisturizer over my face and a pair of sunglasses.  By the way, this cream was highly recommended by a dermatologist friend who preferred this particular item over many other very expensive and exclusive creams.

With my family out running around town, our quiet abode set the mood for the home spa experience.  My feet were gently cleansed prior to applying a clear base coat.  This time I used the Seche Clear base coat.  I really enjoyed the ease of use from this base.  It is thin in consistency but not runny and so easy to apply.  It dried quickly and evenly.  I was using the Revlon quick dry base coat before and wasn't completely satisfied with it.  It had the same thick consistency as the nail polish itself and perhaps dried a bit too quickly.  Seduce Me burst my excitement from the first caress of the tainted brush.  My heartbeat was startled by an "Oh my!" reaction that grew stronger through the revival of each nail.  Surprisingly, my painting was rather good this time but not perfect. The polish was smooth and flawless over its glossy surface.  My great toes are the hardest to do because of the large surface area and it always requires re-dipping the brush twice before covering it.  The paint dries fast and subsequent strokes over semi-dry paint can leave irreconcilable smudge marks.  As a perfectionist, I HATE that!  I dislike starting over even more.  Following the theme, a smooth layer of Seche Vite top coat was evenly smothered over the seductive red.  The top coat is thicker compared to its counterpart but easy to apply as well with good results.  I managed to only have a few violations of the borders of the nail and that was corrected with minimal scraping from my fingernail and finished off with a hot shower later that afternoon.  I am proud of myself for improving both my time of application and the end result.  

With a complete set of nine and my handicapped weakling, I smiled and slipped on my most favorite pair of sandals and quickly prepared to show them off at the festival.  The large crowd meant lots of eyes eventually or accidentally, and maybe even reluctantly had to notice my fully exposed piggies.  Not a single comment, not even from my wife's friend, whom we met there for the event.  She was being polite.  I caught only one guy that noticed and made a face of disgust.  Poor soul, I forgive him.  I have to come forward and admit that I do yearn for someone, anyone, to at least acknowledge my boldness and compliment my toes sincerely. Not the right town I suppose.  I guess if I lived in L.A. or NYC it would not seem so out there.  I guess it's dumb of me to wish that since I'm really only doing it to please myself.  I am flawed.

The Rain is Back and I'm Wearing Shoes :(

     The storm front came angered at all those who wished to show their pretty (well kept) footsies.  I sheltered mine in a pair of Prada sneakers my wife gave me for Father's day.  A good compromise, I deduced.  I am currently soaking my not-so-tired feet in the warmth of a tub mixed with The Body Shop Moonflower foaming milk bath.  I will pass on the multiple foot files I routinely use and just enjoy a gentle rub.  I am sipping on a glass of cabernet and listening to Dashboard Confessional.  My love is also dipping her feet with me. Those rascals of ours just got to bed not too long ago and peace is now starting to creep back into our household.  

     More rain tomorrow and we're heading out to the mountains for a wet romp at the ski resort. Hiking boots will be requisite.  I am disheartened over the limited exposure I've given my new toe color and wonder when summer will finally reign.  I will certainly wear it again but not before trying out many others.  I am having fun with this and again wished that I had started earlier.  My technique continually improves with each successive color and the mess over my toes are lessened.  For those out there in nicer weather, show them off!