[nabs-l] ideas on how to accomplish daily living skills

Sun Dec 29 21:03:58 UTC 2013

Hi all,

I agree that it is possible for a blind person to use nail clippers.
I do it myself on a regular basis, especially for my fingers since I
am a guitar player too and need to keep my nails short at all times
since guitar is a part of what I do in college on a daily basis.  If I
do miss part of the nail I am clipping I just file it off.  Nail files
cannot hurt you either.

I have not applied much makeup, but I was in a play in high school and
had one of my fellow cast members teach me.  We performed the show 4
times; she did my makeup for the opening night and described what she
was doing.  I could feel how she was using the different brushes too,
so it was easy to practice and repeat the feelings the next night.
Perhaps practicing a few days in a row was what really helped me.
Each time I applied the makeup I got a little better, and I didn't
need any help touching up my work for the last two performances.  The
one thing I do not have experience with is eye makeup, simply because
with how fast my eyes move I don't trust a mascara brush so close to
them.

As for nail painting, I have painted my own nails in the past.
Usually you can feel the polish on your nail even if it is not cold; I
feel a kind of stiffness.  Putting it in the fridge might help to
accentuate that feeling though.

Experience really is the best teacher.  I liked the suggestion about
going to a makeup counter and asking the stylist what she is doing or
what techniques she would recommend.  The makeup consultants are
usually very helpful and willing to teach others, and they have to
teach sighted people sometimes too.  I always make sure I remember or
write down beauty products that I want to continually use, so maybe
you could start a file that has the colors and/or brands of nail
products you like, instructions for applying different types of makeup
so you can refer back to them, different scents of perfume that you
would be interested in buying multiple times, etc.

HTH

On 12/29/13, Danielle Sykora <dsykora29 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> As others have said, there is no reason why a blind person would not
> be able to clip his/her nails. If you don't feel comfortable using a
> nail clipper though, filing your nails is a good option. As for nail
> polish, putting it in the fridge first seems like a good idea. You
> will be able to feel the change in temperature when you apply it to
> your nails. You can ask for sighted assistance to make sure it has
> been done correctly or you can wait for it to dry and assess your
> nails on your own. If the entire nail feels smooth, you have evenly
> spread the polish over your entire nail. It will probably take a few
> tries before you reliably  get it right.
>
> Hope that helped,
> Danielle
>
> On 12/29/13, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Good morning, Sandra,
>>
>>          The idea of simply cutting the nail down using scissors
>> along with then smoothing and shaping them with an emery board is
>> definitely a good one and one i myself have used in a pinch, but it
>> might be a worthwhile investment to have them professionally
>> manicured. This is by far a good strategy for up keeping toenails,
>> getting a pedicure.   My blind man and I, on a monthly basis get a
>> manicure/pedicure. It is also beneficial, at least for us to get all
>> the month's tention massaged out of our feet and legs on the basis of
>> the monthly. We look at this as a matter of maintenance.
>> Packages of manicures and pedicures can be found at nail salons. Call
>> first to inquire or do a simple GOOGLE search.
>> Good luck and keep us posted!
>> for today, Car
>>
>> , choosing where to start. Would
>>>you be able to cut your nails down to the length you want and just use
>>>an emery board to keep the length and shape after that?
>>>
>>>Very best wishes,
>>>Sandra.
>>>
>>>On 12/29/13, Jamie P. <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> > Hi there,
>>> >
>>> > There is absolutely no reason why a blind person can't use a nail
>>> > clipper.
>>> > They're hardly dangerous. My partner and I practice martial arts about
>>> > three nights a week and due to the rough physical nature of the
>>> > activity,
>>> > we have to keep our finger and toe nails well trimmed without jagged
>>> > edges
>>> > that could scratch other people. It would be impractical for us to
>>> > have
>>> > our
>>> > nails professionally done as often as we need to trim them. You can
>>> > tell
>>> > when your nails need trimming just by feeling them, and likewise, your
>>> > sense of touch is all you need to trim them. Just slide the "teeth" of
>>> > the
>>> > clipper over your nail and pinch the clipper closed very slowly. If
>>> > you
>>> > feel discomfort at all, back the teeth of the clipper away from your
>>> > fingertip slightly and try closing it again. Pinch it all the way
>>> > closed
>>> > to
>>> > clip, and just move the teeth around your finger to clip the whole
>>> > nail
>>> > evenly.
>>> >
>>> > As for polishing, I know this is something that can be done, too. It
>>> > just
>>> > takes practice. If you still live with or near your mom, why not make
>>> > it
>>> > a
>>> > "girl thing" and ask if you can do your nails together. Put the polish
>>> > in
>>> > the fridge for a while to make it very cold. Have your mom hep you
>>> > pick
>>> > a
>>> > color and tell you what it's called so you can find it in a store on
>>> > your
>>> > own. Paint your own nails and let your mom give you feedback. Then
>>> > clean
>>> > the polish off and try again. Do it three times or so to get a good
>>> > bit
>>> > of
>>> > practice. Over time, you'll get the hang of it. It takes sighted girls
>>> > a
>>> > few tries to lean how to do it, too.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Sat, Dec 28, 2013 at 9:09 PM, Joshua Hendrickson
>>> > <louvins at gmail.com>wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Doing your own fingernails is possible.  I am not the best at it, but
>>> >> I have done it a few times.  As long as you don't push the clippers
>>> >> to
>>> >> far in your nail, it should work fine.  I need to clip my nails every
>>> >> couple of weeks, because my nails grow extremely fast.  As a guitar
>>> >> player, I need to have very short nails.  I haven't tried toe nails
>>> >> just yet, but I'm sure it isn't much different.  Since I am a guy, I
>>> >> have no idea about nail polish or makeup, but if you do makeup,
>>> >> couldn't you just feel along your face when its being applied so
>>> >> you'd
>>> >> know exactly where you are.  I did this when I used to shave.  Now I
>>> >> get shaved at a barber along with getting my hair trimmed.  Good luck
>>> >> kelsey.
>>> >>
>>> >> On 12/28/13, Beth Taurasi <denverqueen1107 at comcast.net> wrote:
>>> >> > Hey Kelsey,
>>> >> > Oh, that reminds me, my boyffriend should learn to do his own
>>> >> > nails, fingers more so than toew.  I personally do my own
>>> >> > toenails sometimes, but they fall off more naturally than
>>> >> > fingers.  I wish I could do nail polish, but alas, color is the
>>> >> > key.  Nail polish to me is whuat my friend Jason calls "eye
>>> >> > candy."  If you want scented nail glitter, by all means, that
>>> >> > should be fun.  But as far as nail clippers, I have a nail kit
>>> >> > with nail clippers and guess whuat?  I apply them to nails, but
>>> >> > Blake, my boyfriend, is a bit insecure with that so he gets his
>>> >> > fingers and toes professionally done.  I'm not happy with that
>>> >> > since if we marry, the cost of his manicures and pedicures
>>> >> > monthly will add up in to the budget.  So I want him to do his
>>> >> > own fingernails, toenails too.  You just had me thinking about
>>> >> > that, Kelsey.  Thanks.
>>> >> > Beth
>>> >> > P.S. Makeup is great, but I've been told I look great without it.
>>> >> > Wow.
>>> >> >
>>> >> >  ----- Original Message -----
>>> >> > From: Kelsey Nicolay <piano.girl0299 at gmail.com
>>> >> > To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> >> > Date sent: Sat, 28 Dec 2013 20:09:31 -0500
>>> >> > Subject: [nabs-l] ideas on how to accomplish daily living skills
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Hello,
>>> >> > This may seem a little off topic for this list, but I would like
>>> >> > to know your thoughts.  I like to wear nail polish, but I have
>>> >> > been told by my chosen beauty salon that there is no way someone
>>> >> > who is to otally blind can apply their own nail polish.  I get
>>> >> > manicures a lot, so I asked the person who does my nails whether
>>> >> > she thinks I could apply my own polish.  She pretty much said no.
>>> >> > I kind of think she's wrong, there has to be some way to do it.
>>> >> > What do you think? Can someone who is totally blind apply their
>>> >> > own nail polish and if so, how would you go about doing it?
>>> >> > Removing it can be done since you can feel the difference in
>>> >> > texture from the polish to the actual nail.  What about applying
>>> >> > makeup independently? I am in a choir that we have to get dressed
>>> >> > up for the concert which means wearing makeup.  My mom still does
>>> >> > it for me, but at some point, I'd like to be able to do my own
>>> >> > makeup.  I have a friend who is blind and she has been doing her
>>> >> > own makeup for years.  One of my friends from college was going
>>> >> > to give me a makeup lesson, but we never got around to it.
>>> >> > Finally, what about using nail cleappers? My dad cuts my nails
>>> >> > for me but he feels a little insecuoe about letting me handle the
>>> >> > clippers alone.  I know an nfb article covered this, but it
>>> >> > didn't really help.  I would be interested to hear your opinions
>>> >> > on how to accomplish these tasks.
>>> >> > Thanks,
>>> >> >
>>> >> > _______________________________________________
>>> >> > nabs-l mailing list
>>> >> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> >> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>> >> > for nabs-l:
>>> >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/denverqueen11
>>> >> > 07%40comcast.net
>>> >> >
>>> >> > _______________________________________________
>>> >> > nabs-l mailing list
>>> >> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> >> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>> >> > for
>>> >> > nabs-l:
>>> >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/louvins%40gmail.com
>>> >> >
>>> >>
>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> >> nabs-l:
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/blackbyrdfly%40gmail.com
>>> >>
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > nabs-l mailing list
>>> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> > nabs-l:
>>> >
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/sandragayer7%40gmail.com
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Soprano Singer
>>>  www.sandragayer.com
>>>
>>>Broadcast Presenter
>>>
>>>www.insightradio.co.uk/music-box.html
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>nabs-l mailing list
>>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carlymih%40comcast.net
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dsykora29%40gmail.com
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%40gmail.com
>

-- 
Kaiti