Do you really enjoy, or have you warmed up to, any spa or salon services?

They are awkward if you’re not used to them, but it’s easy to warm up to the person if you can tell they’re nice. I’ve only had a few massages, but you don’t have to talk to anyone then so it’s better, and you feel a bit better after.

I have routinely had Swedish massages with the same therapist for a long time. She and I are both very comfortable with the silence. Half of the pleasure is not making or listening to small talk.

I would never pick a cosmetic or therapeutic service with a stranger. I would try to get a recommendation from a friend rather than use the packaged deals and simply swallow the discount.

You would be surprised how many annoying chatty Kathys re in the beauty business.

Personally, I hate getting hair cuts (and always shampoo my hair at home first) manicures and pedicures. The other stuff sounds like a rx for torture to me.

Massage is wonderful.

I really like gettng facials. I find having my face touched very relaxing.

Body treatments are ok too, but the one thing I don’t like is being all lotioned up and then putting my clothes back on. In larger spas you can lay around in a robe for a while, which I really like to be able to do.

I have had a few messages, and a couple times it was great, a few times it was far from great, felt like a waste of money to me. Now with my muscle trouble, messages can be painful, so I don’t do it anymore. The best message I ever had was in NY, they came to the room, and then after my friend and I hung out for a few hours, got room service, that was fun.

When I have my nails done, I am always a little worried I might get an infection, which takes away the fun, and I never feel 100% sure they sterilized the instruments, and they always want to cut my cuticels even though I just want them pushed back. Having said all of that negativity, it is nice to walk out with freshly painted nails, especially if I want a french manicure I never can do that myself as well as they do in the salon.

I love getting mani/pedi’s but it’s not something I get to do very often. I use it as a treat for myself. I go to relax, get my toe nails done, and to read trashy magazines. I don’t want anyone talking to me. I went to one shop that the guy was talking about politics the entire time he worked on me. I wasn’t talking back, but he never shut up. I didn’t go back. Other than feet, I cannot imagine having someone touching my body for a massage or facial. It would just creep me out.

I’ve had a facial (not common for men) and also massages. The facial felt great, and I really did glow for the next couple days, but it wasn’t life changing, just a nice extra from the room I stayed in at a resort.

I had my first massage about 5 years ago, and I love getting them, I wish I could afford it more often. My son once remarked, on a day when I had done yoga then had a massage, “Dad you look taller!”

I would go for it. I’ve only been pampered once in a similar fashion when I had my face shaved in an old fashioned barber shop. (Hot towels on the face…so nice).

I like facials and massages.

I’ll occasionally indulge in a massage. They’re pretty awesome.

I like pedicures in the summer and massage, but otherwise, what I REALLY like is having the Merry Maids in to clean my house several times a year. Now THAT is pampering. I also am addicted to my hot tub which gives a pretty good massage with the turbo jets, and, they double as a “fluid” lover at times too. lolol

@Coloma, I totally agree. We have a nice family that comes and cleans every two weeks or so. Easily worth 70 bucks to keep our house of 5 from fighting.

It took me a while, but I grew to absolutely love getting a massage. Possibly the best thing ever. Really.

No small talk involved, either.

Try the massage and facial. In fact, try any of them you’re curious about. Won’t do you any harm, particularly if it’s free. I felt a bit uncomfortable to have some one sitting at my feet while giving me a pedicure. It wasn’t the process that bothered me, but the fact that she was sitting at my feet. I didn’t seem to be able to accept that. Cleopatra, I ain’t. The back massage and facial were fine, but when asked if I wanted the front massage, I wondered what else this lady did and said no.

No to all of it. I don’t like being fooled with other than by my husband.

I hate massages, facials do nothing for me and getting a haircut is a pain but of the three is something that must be done regularly. I have some gray hair but I look upon it as my red badge of courage for having survived my life thus far, so no coloring for me. Besides once you start coloring you have to keep up with it or deal with the roots.

But I think I am the odd ball, most women and some men seem to find the whole thing relaxing and enjoyable. To me, it is a total waste of time!

I’ve had professional massages and there is nothing better in the world than that. If if could afford it, I would have several every week. I have had my hair professionally dyed and highlighted but I can’t say I necessarily enjoyed it. It kind of is what it is. As a matter of fact, the only time I did get my hair professionally highlighted, I didn’t enjoy the experience at all. I involved a rather long period of sitting pretty much still and upright with my head in a dryer. It was difficult to even read, to pass the time, in that position. The only salon service I really love is having my hair shampooed, by a really good shampooer or shampooist, :-), who goes the extra mile and throws a nice, long head massage in there. I can’t get enough of that. But I understand. I sometimes feel like an alien, like I’m from another planet, when it comes to some of this stuff.

Ooh, getting your hair washed is fabulous.

@augustlan Yes it is, isn’t it? It’s just one of those physiological things, like you can’t tickle yourself. Washing your own hair just never, ever feels as good as someone else washing it and it feels pretty darn good.

…unless you have been diagnosed with BPPV (benign positional vertigo )

Tilting your head back can trigger a nasty attack of dizziness that makes the room spin like a 331/3 turntable (as does being raised or lowered quickly in a dentist’s chair.)

I used to enjoy the sensation of the warm water and the massage. No longer, more’s the pity.

@gailcalled So yours doesn’t correct with the epley procedure? You are permanently unable to be at certain angles?

Yes. It’s called mindfulness and consists of 1)shampooing my hair at home before a professional hair cut (I pay and tip the same as with the shampoo) and 2 ) reminding the dentist and his hygienists to lower and raise the chair in gentle increments.

Otherwise, I am fine. I feel no sense of loss. For me the Epley maneuvers were successful.

@gailcalled Yeah, you had described to me on a different Q you are careful about lying back quickly, but I did not realize it was because you experience the dizziness. I thought it was because you did not want to risk triggering it again. Meaning moving the crystals, and needing to have it corrected again.

I don’t overanalyze this. But I do move mindfully most of the time. It is a safe way to deal with my aging body and the unique problems it presents. Don’t extrapolate from me to you, I implore you.

At the moment I experience no vertigo.

@gailcalled I’m not extrapolating, not to worry. :) I did have a fear when this first happened that now I might be more prone to it in the future, but for now I am going with it is a one time event that will cure. Time will tell. I am not being more careful for now, I am assuming I am ok. I do have a minor amount of dizzy left, I am hoping it will completely go away soon.

I have always enjoyed any kind of pampering. The techs aren’t always chatty so don’t worry about that. If you don’t try it out, you’ll never know if there’s something that could be extremely enjoyable.

My favorite is the reflexology place where they soak your feet while massaging you head to toe in a kind of barcalounger and then let you nap for about 20 minutes. Best $20. I’ve EVER spent. I’m not a fan of people messing with hair color and abhor the highlights look but skincare, massage, threading… all good stuff.

^^ $20? Massage? Nap? Foot soak? Where is this offered?

@gailcalled- a friend took me in Sacramento, California to a “reflexology spa”. Apparently they’re popping up all over the states as walk in services and are often advertised with groupon.

At the salon, I like having my hair shampooed, but I find the cutting or trimming process extremely boring. I chose my current stylist for his ability to carry on an intelligent conversation. Just about every time I see him, I’m silently grateful that I don’t have his job.

Parts of a manicure are nice, especially the massage. I find it very hard to keep my hands out of trouble for as long as it takes for the nail polish to fully harden, so I often end up spoiling the manicure soon after it’s over. For this reason I always bring my own nail polish; that way I can be sure of doing matching touch-ups.

I don’t much care for a pedicure. And I didn’t like the one facial I had.