VAGUE Beauty: Be Unforgettable

N A I L S spring 2009

We asked all the most stunning women of Assisted Living Facilities and Dementia Care floors around the country to share with us their top beauty secrets. Many were hesitant to divulge their beauty tricks and others like my mother-in- law Ruth have just plain forgotten. The editors of
V A G U E sat down with these classic beauties and compiled a list of the top tips to make YOU the most unforgettable on your floor.

Ruth: age 82- Happy Daze Assisted Living dementia floor (my mother-in-law).

I have always felt that having my nails done nicely at a nice salon (expensive she-she-poo-poo $50 and up) and not a hole in the wall like we go to sometimes ($8.50 plus tip) is the key to looking well put together. The first thing everyone looks at is my hands. When I’m in exercise class doing arm raises..I’m not the only one looking at my finger tips. It’s important to be pampered or let your daughter-in-law bring you somewhere to have tea and a hand massage like I do. I try to stay away from any kind of garish polish color like they put on the other girls in my place. Have you seen that pink? No wonder the “others” get upset when they see me. I wear pale shades that I can hardly see.. but when it chips off after a day or so, I never can tell, so that’s just fine.

Marnie: age 95- Killjoy Assisted Living (my grandma).

When I put on Acrylic nails it was the best thing in my life (I must have been the second best). I feel you’re just not “finished” looking without nice nails and because I have never had nice nails like your mother..she has beautiful nails, but I don’t know why she wears that coat it makes her look so..anyway, I think that this cocoa color is the perfect choice for me. It goes with everything in my closet (see past V A G U E page on neutral colored wardrobe) and I feel stunning. Yeah..I love them..I really do. Maybe some day YOU’LL be able to afford them too, dear.

Fran: age 82- TAPS Home for the Aged

There is no excuse for these girls that you see running around this place with floozy nails in these wild colors. Red. Orange. Hot Pink. It’s ridiculous. Who do they think they are? If you want to look good, you’ll go see my girl across the street and have her give you a hand job the likes of which you have never seen before. I. Will. Tell. You. For $8 you can have hands as soft as a babies behind. She massages them, and files them. Does the cuticles..the whole ball of wax. For $8! Can you do better than that? $8. Dear, you should see her. What? Do you bite those (pointing to my nails)? Awful.

We, the editors at V A G U E would love to hear from you. If you live on a Dementia floor or in a Senior Living Facility and you’re UNFORGETTABLE please contact us (or comment below) and share your most confidential beauty scoop.