Gift Idea: “Now That’s Smooth” Flawless Facial Collection

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1. Where should I start if looking for quality Botox or whatever? Dermatologist? Bougie neighborhood group?

   1. Find the best-looking woman you know (and with whom you have the appropriate relationship) and ask where she gets hers done.

      1. +1 If you like a practice’s aesthetic and work, the better chances you will be happy with your results. If their clients look overdone, you will be overdone too. Ask around with people who have a look that you like/

         A lot of people will insist on a physican, but you really want somebody who does a lot of injections. My favorite provider so far is a nurse practitioner.

         1. Yes. Mine happens to be a plastic surgeon, but I really looked for someone who has a lot of experience. He happened to be convenient and lower on the unit price side but a nurse would have been fine too!

            My favorite compliment is that no one can tell I get it done.

      2. Yep. Each practice has it’s own aesthetic and you want to find one you like. Would second what folks say below – the most important thing is someone who does a LOT of botox. Some say they want an MD, but to that end, I’d take an NP that only does aesthetic injectables over an MD who does everything from nose jobs to botox.

2. Any suggestions for the best brands of sublingual B12? I’m apparently pretty deficient and my primary care doc wants me to start taking it. I’ll try to eat more cereal/tuna/bananas as well since I’m not a vegetarian but dislike most meat/fish and don’t really want to eat more. I already take 2 high dose fish oil pills daily so I have that covered at least.

   1. Herbaland makes the best B12 imo, but it’s not sublingual it’s a gummy with D to help absorption.

   2. Look for stuff that’s USP-verified. Kirkland is, I think Nature’s Made often is too.

      1. That is totally meaningless. USP verified means nothing.

         1. What do you mean usp-verified is meaningless? Because the industry isn’t regulated those are the only ones that definitely contain what they say they contain.

      2. +1 million. Kirkland has a sublingual USP-verified B12. Flavor is quite…cherry forward, but tolerable.

   3. No advice on the vitamin front, but the best tuna salads I’ve ever had are these two: https://www.budgetbytes.com/sesame-tuna-salad/
      https://www.budgetbytes.com/sweet-and-spicy-tuna-salad/
      Hopefully that helps you with your tuna intake! :)

   4. Trader Joe’s sublingual B12 is highly recommended by my nutritionist and doctor.

      1. I’ve been taking TJ’s for years and I can tell when I miss it. So I think it’s effective.

   5. Speaking from hard won experience, my symptoms didn’t turn around until I switched to B12 shots. A lot of B12 deficiency is malabsorption deficiency, which sublinguals probably don’t actually get around (I know the idea is that it just soaks in sublingually, but the research shows it’s not that different from oral supplementation). Even when the sublinguals improve levels, levels cannot tell you if it’s working or not (unfortunately). My PCP really let me down on this, and it took way too long (and an “idiopathic small fiber neuropathy” Dx that could have been avoided) to figure out.

      But my favorite brands are Jarrow and Seeking Health (I gave them all to my husband since he does benefit from them). For an actual deficiency, Seeking Health may be preferable since you’d want to be getting both active forms (methyl and adenosyl) or a complete form (hydroxo or cyano), not just methylcobalamin (methyl alone is more for people who are bad at methylating B12 than for people who are straight up deficient in B12).

3. For those of you who have had closets done, what are the things that were the best choices and also things that seemed good at the time but didn’t pan out?

   Also for those of you with lots of tall boots, how to you store them? In boxes? With those boot-hanger thingies? I am tired of having a giant stack of boxes on the floor, as if I were the worst shoe/boot store ever. They were on a shelf, but I can’t reach the top of the stack once I got a third pair of boots, so the stack lives on the floor now (and on the shelf in the summer). Le sigh.

   1. Maybe not what you’re looking for, but I keep the boxes of tall boots under my bed.

   2. I keep them in shoeboxes at eye level… but I only have 3 pairs of fun boots, the rest are rainboots and live in the mudroom corner.

   3. I only have 3 pairs of tall boots in my closet so they stand on a shelf with boot trees in them to keep them upright.

   4. I had mine done last winter (California Closets) and it was worth every penny.

      I have a floor to ceiling shoe/boot section, so they all stand up on a large shelf (with stuffing or boot shapers from Amazon) in a row at the bottom.

      My two favorite things are the closet backs (so you don’t see the closet wall – not a functional element but makes the closet look and feel super luxe – and the built in multi bag hamper.

4. My daughter seems to get cold easily, particularly with her feet (even in thick wool hiking socks). For an upcoming ski trip, are there any sock liners, etc. that would help better keep her feet warm? I know that there are battery-operated socks and a version of hot hands for feet, but those haven’t worked well for her. Size 10 adult feet if that helps. We live in the coastal carolinas, so we don’t have local ski stores / experts but can order from any recommended place. I don’t want to wait until we get there to try to shop for a known need.

   1. There are neoprene boot cover things you can get. They have mixed reviews and probably won’t last for more than one season, but I know two people who have had good luck with them. I use the disposable heat warmer things myself, but want to try something else that is less wasteful.

   2. Experiment in your current weather. I usually wear medium weight socks because heavier ones make my feet sweat, THEN I get cold. Could that be the case here? If so, medium weight socks, or medium plus a liner might be an answer.
      Any reputable outdoor store should be able to help you…. this isn’t a skiing specific issue.

      1. The not sweating is huge. Apparently that’s how Eskimos (sorry I sure there’s a better term) keep warm – never break a sweat that then chills you. Also, a fatty breakfast (bacon and eggs) gives the body fat to burn for warmth.

      2. Yup I have sweaty hands and feet and when I ski I switch out my socks and gloves throughout the day so they stay dry

   3. There’s a wide variety of heated socks – not sure what you’ve tried before, but I have a set from Lenz and while quite spendy (approx $400) they are amazing and the only thing that has worked for my also always-cold feet. The other thing is heated boot insoles, which a ski shop would carry – the Hottronic ones are supposed to be good (but my shop said to just go with the socks, cause you can use them with any boots/shoes). The disposable hot hands packs are useless and turn into cold lumps in your boots because they get no air. Also, thick socks and extra liners aren’t necessarily the best move, as you want toes to have good circulation and to be able to wiggle. I generally wear thin SmartWool or Darn Tough socks (if I’m not wearing the Lenz socks). Also make sure her boots aren’t buckled so tight it impedes circulation.

      1. Do you happen to have any recommendations for less expensive heated socks? I’d like to give them a try too, but $400 is a little much for me at the moment when my spending on my outdoor gear has already hit record highs this year…

         1. I don’t, sadly. I felt ridiculous buying them, but they have been such a game-changer on cold days (skiing, hiking, at the barn, outdoor dining, the time I got talked into trying fly fishing) that they are maybe the most useful bit of gear I own. I’m actually comfortable on sub-zero ski days for the first time in my life, it’s incredible.

      2. I have heated boots. Also, smartwool socks.

      3. The trick with the hot hands is to open them 15-20 minutes before you need them so they get air and fully activate.
         Two other ideas – silk sock liners or sheepskin insoles. I found a pair of UGG insoles on Am@zon for about $20.

         1. Yep that works and they get hot – and then only stay hot for about five minutes once they’re in ski boots with no airflow. They probably work fine in more air-permeable shoes, and they work for mittens/gloves, but I have never had any ski boot success with them.

   4. I have very cold extremities and used to get bad frostbite as a child on my feet from normal day to day life in New England (also size 10 feet). The issue for me is that my feet couldn’t generate heat, so it didn’t matter how thickly they were wrapped, there was no warmth there to begin with to keep in. Even in school or at home they were cold – for normal life I found that uggs + wool socks were the only thing that kept me comfortable. For anything outdoors and skiing in particular, I did need more robust solutions so I would use hot hands for feet. The caveat is that they need to get oxygen routinely, so I would typically take a break while skiing every ~90 minutes and take them fully out of the boots or open a new pair if needed. Some ski areas also have boot warmers in the lodge and I would use those during the breaks as well.

   5. I have this issue too and for me it is important that my feet dont get cold in the first place. The heattech socks from uniqlo definitely make a difference. Also either insulated boots or a liner. I often wear heattech socks + thick wool hiking socks

   6. You need layers. Not one pair of thick wool hiking socks, but two medium pairs of wool (actual wool, not woolen) socks.

      She needs insulated (aluminum underside) wool felt or pelt insoles as well.

      She might need bigger shoes to have room for the layers and to be able to wiggle her toes. If she can’t wiggle, it’s too tight and she’ll get even colder for not being able to move.

      Windbreaker garters are also great, on the outside, if you’re doing cross-country. Don’t know if they do anything for downhill.

5. Anyone else feeling totally angry, frustrated, and powerless? SCOTUS yesterday was just the icing on the cake. I’m so exhausted.

   1. Yes. Women’s rights are under near constant assault and it’s incredibly damaging to my mental health. There seems to be a concerted effort to prevent women from recognizing their power as a class – whenever you bring up an issue affecting women, there are tons of conservatives ready to oppose improvements on face and then tons of liberals ready to weaken the movement by dividing women up based on their other characteristics (race, income level, location, etc.) to convince us that there is no way women can possibly organize together. All of it serves the same purpose: to keep women down. I’m angry and frustrated too.

   2. With you. SCOTUS stuff is awful.

   3. YEAH and anyone who didn’t vote for Hillary in 2016 because she was unlikeable or wasn’t Bernie, this is on you.

      1. +1 million. Great effing job voting for Jill Stein, idiots.

      2. I’m pissed at those people too, but Hillary did win the popular vote by over 3M ballots. I reserve the majority of my ire for men who swing states who voted for Stein even when they knew their ballots counted more in our f*cked system.

         1. Women in swing states too. Our votes still count equally for now.

   4. Since people can mail-order drugs, including from Canada, might this be a work-around in any event?

      [Also, why are BCPs still prescription? I take them continuously to manage bleeding and b/c having a period is annoying and hate “running out” because they are foolishly designed to make you bleed 1 week out of 4. There ought to be an always-on option for all BCPs, not just the “seasonal” ones. Not sure why I need to bleed 4 or 14 times a year (but sure glad I’m not bleeding randomly and anemic anymore).]

      1. BCPs are prescription because they do have side effects and can be misused. But they should be so, so much easier to get.

         1. Many over the counter medications such as aspirin, Tylenol, and Sudafed also have side effects and can be misused.

      2. Sure, if you want to chance very real and scary penalties (in my red state, there will definitely be harsh penalties if Roe is overturned). Also there are emergency situations. Also there are abortions needed when the medications may no longer be effective. And speaking of birth control, I know for sure that my state and many others will attempt to outlaw certain types of birth control if Roe is overturned.

         There are lots of reasons Roe shouldn’t be overturned beyond just that some women in these states will continue to have access under certain circumstances.

         1. +1. Access to telemedicine abortion is amazing but it’s not enough.
            And you’re absolutely right – if you’re in a red state make sure you can get at least another few years out of your IUD.

         2. We should never assume that abortion might get outlawed, but that contraception will remain safe. All women need to be on the alert for rollbacks in access to birth control pills, IUDs, and other highly effective forms of birth control.

            1. Absolutely. I’m considering surgical options if the worst happens because my IUD will become illegal where I live and because I’m afraid that if I had an ectopic pregnancy due to my IUD, I wouldn’t be able to get appropriate care.

   5. I am. Hearing Kavanaugh say with a straight face that nullifying Roe would be taking a ‘neutral’ position on abortion – my head exploded.

      Seriously – letting the states determine how / whether to recognize constitutional rights for a certain group of citizens? What could possibly go wrong?

      1. I am not a lawyer, but I am wondering if I can convince my state to make a law that takes away the rights of men creditably accused of domestic violence to own guns. I mean, if we’re going to let states decide about rights.

         And also to mandate organ donation upon death – no reason a dead person should have more bodily autonomy than a live woman, and it would be very pro-life to get more organs into circulation.

         1. Forget dead people, mandate kidney and bone marrow donation for live people. If I can be forced to give my uterus to another person, other people can be forced to give their kidneys to someone in need.

            1. +1. I suggest we mandate it for members of Congress to start – or better yet, SCOTUS. Why not?

         2. I love your gun law idea – it could also get a bunch of bad cops off the force.

            1. My state takes guns away from anyone with a domestic violence restraining order against them. (And upon conviction of domestic violence, of course.)

6. I have to pay for something important with a check tomorrow. I turned my house upside down today and the only checkbook I can find has my husband’s name on it, but I’m legally on the account as well – does anyone know if it will it be ok?

   1. Go to your bank and you can get free printed, blank checks (my bank does 4 at a time).

   2. Can you just have him sign it?

      I have an old pack of checks with just my name on it (because I seem to only write 2-3 checks per year) despite the fact that my husband has been on the account for years, so I’m the one who signs them. I’ve never had a problem.

      1. He can’t be there unfortunately – has to be home with the kids. Could he sign it advance?

         1. And yes, of course he can sign it in advance.

   3. I doubt it.

   4. My mother added me onto her account after my father passed away. My name is not on the checks. The bank employee who added me to the account specifically told me I am able to use the checks, even though my name isn’t printed on them.

   5. Im still writing checks from a book that has my maiden name and student address on it – from 15 years ago – and nothing has seemed to happen…

      1. Yeah my own checkbook that I can’t find has my maiden name and a very old address and I’ve used it with no problems. But I do feel like using a different person’s checks is a little bit different.

   6. It’s fine. We do this all the time.

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