Grooming in Public

Well, you would think it wouldn't have to be said out loud, but no, sometimes it has to be said (or blogged as the case may be).  There is nothing more disgusting than people who groom themselves in public.  True story - my husband was at a IHOP and a woman sitting with her family a couple of booths away was clipping her TOENAILS!  She then proceeded to clip the children's toenails.  I thought maybe it was a reality show, like that show "What Would You Do?" but no, it wasn't.  To this day, I can't eat at that IHOP and I can still hear the unmistakable clip, clip, clip of the clippers in my head even though I wasn't actually there (he replayed the scene and he is an excellent re-enactor). 

Another true story.  I was in the sauna at the gym and a women brought out her loofah and started to EXFOLIATE in the sauna!  And, it wasn't a soft scrubbing - it was a full on scrubbing of nooks and crannies that no one, and I do mean no one, should be loofahing in public.  I literally threw up in my mouth a little.  After giving her the stink-eye to no avail, I left and demanded that the management put up a sign that said "Please do not exfoliate your parts in the sauna, thus sharing thousands of dead skin cells with other sauna patrons who don't want them all over their body."  They refused.  I never used the sauna again. 

Of course, these are extreme examples but that they actually exist got me thinking about what is acceptable and what isn't.  In my view, anything that involves an implement  (clippers, hairbrush, loofah)  or involves the loss of any cells, should be done in private.  Yes, this includes filing your nails!  On my flight the other day, a woman was filing her nails.  Where does she think that dead nail dust goes?  In the air.  My air on the plane.  Why not just sneeze on me? 

So, basically, to be safe, practice most (if not all) grooming habits in private.  I would even say that putting on lipstick is preferably done in the ladies room when out in public and not in front of everyone.  I know, I know, the experts are split on this one but for me, it's personal.  Checking your make-up, putting a few stray hairs back in place, these types of grooming habits are acceptable in public.  Anything beyond this is simply too much sharing...literally, keep your dead skin cells and nail clippings to yourself. 

Smooches,
Letty