The Mermaid Spa

[Hester]

Ahoy, me lovelies!

I notice that there's quite a few other women among the pub members, and I thought it might be nice to have a place to discuss girly things (with pirate overtones, of course).

After all... the sea life can be tough on a grrrl! The sun and salt wind can wreak havoc with your skin and hair ... not to mention what haulin' ropes does to your nails. Happily, the sea also provides some lovely spa treatments to soothe our bodies and souls: bath salts, natural sea sponges, seaweed facials, etc.

Personally, I suspect I'm part mermaid. I love to soak in the bath! And, I noticed that Lush Cosmetics was also aware of many women's pirate fantasies, coming out with their "Black Pearl" bath bomb just after Johnny Depp appeared in PotC1.

Here's the description of this bizarre little spa treat:

>>>The Black Pearl is a dark, a mysterious Bath Bomb named in honour of Captain Jack Sparrow's ship in Pirates of the Caribbean. This bath bomb is studded with crystals of sea salt and scented with lavender and blackcurrant. Inside each one there's a wise saying, a "pearl of wisdom" to enlighten you in your search for treasure. <<<

It smells great, but it turns the water an odd dark grey, as if Capt. Jack had washed his dirty socks in it before you got in, and there's an intense amount of silver glitter in it, which sticks to everything. I had intended to give it as a Xmas gift to a friend, but after testing one out, I figured she wouldn't thank me for the extra cleaning her tub would need afterwards.

Looking forward to hearing other women's favourite pirate/ocean themed spa treats.

Cheers, Hester

[Black Bess]

It smells great, but it turns the water an odd dark grey, as if Capt. Jack had washed his dirty socks in it before you got in, and there's an intense amount of silver glitter in it, which sticks to everything.

That don't sound none too lovely.

But at least the description seemed nice.

I pity the next lass pickin' up that there bottle, and having to sit in that murk!

What's that company trying ter do?

Pirate us out our money?

I haven't seen no pirate lotions yet, but I'll keep me spyglass out.

[Hester]

I need a manicure! Not one of those prissy pink French ones with white tips, but a proper pirate manicure -- dark and scary claws!

I see that Chanel makes a nail polish colour called "Pirate" -- which is appropriately blood red.

... but Chanel's a bit rich for my budget. I've got this nice Cutex colour called Tin (..." 'cause I spent all of me tin with the lassies drinkin' gin!"). It's a deep, dark, metallic grey. Very nice with my piratey toggs.

But what I'd really like is some of those tiny little nail stickers, in the shape of Jolly Roger flags, to complete the look. So far, all I've found are butterflies and roses.

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

The other day my boomer-era sister asked, "How come when Johnny Depp puts on eyeliner he looks really cool, but when any other guys try it, they just look gay?"

My answer was ... "Because he's Johnny Depp".

But perhaps it's just that the other guys haven't found the right eyeliner yet.

I suggest they try mine. Annabelle makes a kohl pencil in a shade called "Black Pearl", which is a lustrous, shimmery dark grey. Subtle enough even for the male gender.

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

[besides, I'm a Gen-Xer, child of the first wave of punk -- half the guys in my high school wore eyeliner!]

[Hester]

[besides, I'm a Gen-Xer, child of the first wave of punk --

Come to think of it, so's Johnny Depp. We were born the same year. No wonder he's so comfortable in eyeliner.

Cheers, Hester

[Red-Handed Jill]

Actually, Johnny Depp is a late boomer (no pun intended - heh). The baby boom went from 1946 to 1964 (good way to remember those years is you switch the last two.)

[Hester]

Actually, Johnny Depp is a late boomer (no pun intended - heh). The baby boom went from 1946 to 1964 (good way to remember those years is you switch the last two.)

Hi, Jill:

Yeah, I know that's what some demographers say.

But, Douglas Coupland, who popularized the term by writing the novel Generation X, was born in 1963, just like me and Johnny Depp. He was writing about his own generation. Seems a bit ridiculous to say Coupland's not part of the generation he defined as his own.

Indeed, there's no real consensus on the boundaries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X#...further_defined

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

Did anyone see the latest issue of Foam magazine?

There's a nifty article in there on the beauty benefits of seaweed.

I read the article sitting in Chapters. I didn't buy the mag, because it's way over-priced. Those surfer chics must be loaded!

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

The wind is in from Africa

But, last night I couldn't sleep

Oh, you know it sure is hard to leave here, Carey

But it's really not my home

My fingernails are filthy, I got beach tar on my feet

And I miss my clean white linen and my fancy french cologne.

~~ Joni Mitchell, "Carey"

Well, I don't actually have beach tar on my feet -- but the soles are looking pretty grotty. After hiking around town in my sports sandals, through the endless construction zone surrounding my house as the gas company replaces all the gas mains in the neighbourhood and uses backhoes to dig up all the sidewalks and front yards in the process, my heels have gotten awfully calloused and cracked.

I've been faithfully applying Dr. Scholl's Pedicure Essentials Rough Skin Removing cream, and following up with a pumice stone -- but as Rinalda would say, it's doing "bupkus".

Thankfully, there's just 2 1/2 days left until I leave for my cottage, where I can perform my favourite rough heel spa treatment -- walking up and down the beach at the waterline, grinding my heals into the sharp red sand eroded from the ancient mountains of the Canadian Shield. Far more effective than pumice.

In the meantime, how do the pirate queens here at the pub keep their heels from cracking?

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

Hester's Spa Tip of the Day:

Use an empty scallop shell as a decorative scoop to measure out your favourite bath salts.

Cheers, H.

[Hester]

Hester's 2nd Spa Tip of the Day:

You know how in the magazines, they show bathtubs at tropical resorts that having fresh blossoms like hibiscus floating on top of the water?

Well, I have a Rose of Sharon bush in my garden (a variety of hibiscus). It's in bloom right now, with pale pink double flowers with deep red centres and yellow stamens. I thought they'd look lovely floating on top of my bathwater, so the other day I picked a handful of blossoms before my daily ablutions.

The experience wasn't quite as pleasant as I'd hoped ... since I wound up with uninvited company in the tub. The blossoms' nectar had attracted tiny little brown ants that had been hiding in the frills of the petals. They all came scurrying out in a panic when the blossoms hit the water ... and so did I! Yikes!

So, my tip is: always check for insects before using fresh flowers in your spa treatments.

Cheers, Hester ... just glad it wasn't wasps!

[Rumba Rue]

Well as a person who goes barefoot almost all the time, my heels get horribly cracked. The best stuff I've found so far is Curel. It seems to work where all the other stuff has failed.

[Hester]

Curel.

Thanks, Rue:

I shall try that!

Cheers, H.

[Hester]

Hester's Spa Tip of the Day

Either I've lost weight and the scale's just stuck, or the lycra in my old sports bra has given up the ghost after one too many cycles in the dryer. Dang, this thing's loose!

Me tip bein': Don't be a lazy piratess like me -- always wash your fine lingerie by hand!

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

Hester's 2nd Spa Tip of the Day

Now, the problem with washin' your lovely lacies by hand is finding a place to hang them to dry.

On a pirate ship, there be no problem, ya just string 'em from the rigging, or the yard-arm or what have you.

But, my cramped urban back yard is too overrun with low-hanging tree branches for me to be able to string a clothes line.

So, I hangs me damp dainties from me dining-room chandelier. Looks kinda festive, too!

Cheers, Hester

[Rumba Rue]

LOL!

[Black Bess]

Me tip bein':  Don't be a lazy piratess like me -- always wash your fine lingerie by hand!

Good idea. My mum always needed help putting her bra on after the wash. It just wouldn't fit! I'll be sure ter remember yer advice...

but what about drying it?

[Hester]

My mum always needed help putting her bra on after the wash. It just wouldn't fit! I'll be sure ter remember yer advice...

but what about drying it?

That be what the chandelier's for, Bess me lass!

[Hester]

Over in Plunder, our mess-mate Morgan Tyre posted this surprising aromatherapy tip:

If you want to duplicate history to the point of smelling the part try slapping a coat of tar on some rope-work, splatter a bit on some old rags of costume, or maybe rub some in to your hands to give them the dirty "handled a lot of rigging" look.

If you want the smell but don't want the dirt they also apparently have pine tar soap (which I've used but not this particular brand) and even hand lotion.

http://www.tarsmell.com/products.html

Cheers, Hester

[Black Bess]

My mum always needed help putting her bra on after the wash.  It just wouldn't fit!  I'll be sure ter remember yer advice...

but what about drying it? 

That be what the chandelier's for, Bess me lass!

Oy! I completely bypassed that post. Sorry 'bout that.

Still...seems like a good way to dry yer lingerie and decorate at the same time!

[Iron Bess]

Well as a person who goes barefoot almost all the time, my heels get horribly cracked. The best stuff I've found so far is Curel. It seems to work where all the other stuff has failed.

Know what works better then ANYTHING i've found??

Walking in sand.

Just the act of walking in damp and, dry sand... it exfoliates your feet to a nice luster. IF your lucky enough to live by the sea it's the best (and cheapest!) way to pamper you pirate tootsies.

I follow it up though with a lotion from Witching wash works... it's called Samhain and smells like spiced pumpkin.

Very Earthy and Beachy all at the same time.

(sigh).... Damn. Now I've talked m'self into wanting a walk and here I am stuck at work!

[Ransom]

Well as a person who goes barefoot almost all the time, my heels get horribly cracked. The best stuff I've found so far is Curel. It seems to work where all the other stuff has failed.

Know what works better then ANYTHING i've found??

Walking in sand.

Just the act of walking in damp and, dry sand... it exfoliates your feet to a nice luster. IF your lucky enough to live by the sea it's the best (and cheapest!) way to pamper you pirate tootsies.

I follow it up though with a lotion from Witching wash works... it's called Samhain and smells like spiced pumpkin.

Very Earthy and Beachy all at the same time.

(sigh).... Damn. Now I've talked m'self into wanting a walk and here I am stuck at work!

Ah, that sounds a lovely, relaxing way to wear off the calluses. Sadly, at the nearest beaches to where I live, most of the time, rather than be relaxing, you'd end up with frost bite. The sand and water are COLD!

The Witching Wash Works lotion sounds wonderful. Where do they sell it? Is it just a local shop?

[Iron Bess]

The Witching Wash Works lotion sounds wonderful. Where do they sell it? Is it just a local shop?

I have the site address on my home computer.

I'll send it off to you this evening.

[Iron Bess]

The Witching Wash Works lotion sounds wonderful. Where do they sell it? Is it just a local shop?

Here ya be mate....

http://www.nomenclaturebath.com/witchingho...urwashwares.htm