Personal Grooming in Public?

[Gyro Widget]

I'm sure that combing her hair wasn't that important that she couldn't wait to get to the bathroom. 

On that note, I have a classmate who insists on constantly wiping his nose, then placing the offending tissue on the desk, or when at meal time, on his tray.  Since the dry cold weather has started up, the whole group is subjected to a bloody/goober tissue in front of us.  It has gotten to the point that I have to turn away as soon as I see him pull the tissue out.  I mean, I didn't want to offend the guy, so I told him in a humorous way which most college aged males respond to better.  I said in a casual joking, yet discrete way "Oh man, put that away, buddy!", and he immediately lashed out at me, saying "CALM DOWN".     

With that reaction, methinks its not the first time he has been told about it.  eek. 

[Gyro Widget]

Allergies suck. There's no better way to put it.
Stopping into the bathroom for a quick nose-blowing doesn't do more than very temporarily alleviate this. I could get up every five minutes to blow, but that's insane. So I'm sometimes stuck being that offending sniffer.

I was thinking of posting the same thing.

What does etiquette say I should do? I couldn't actually go anywhere, ever, or eat dinner with anyone if I were not to blow my nose..

I have terrible allergies and I have to excuse from myself from the table often multiple times, especially if I am eating spicy foods.  I always get this TERRIBLE itch right on the tip of my nose, and there is only so many times you can give it a brief rub before it becomes embarrassing... so I always end up running off to the bathroom, or around a corner to alleviate the torture.  I do remember however to remark to my guests/hostess that I'm running off because of my permanent allergies (and not because the food is so awful that I need to hide it... although I do not say that part)  

Years ago I briefly dated a guy who always blew his nose with his dinner napkin at the table... it horrified me to no end.   

[Gyro Widget]

I have allergies and a deviated septum. I wake up in the morning totally plugged. Every morning. The day begins with a reverberating "Wonk!" as my father's days began before me, and as my siblings' days begin. The "wonk" is answer by my parrot, mocking me, and my DH laughing.

Oh my goodness, I nearly fell off my seat laughing.     My mother would always get so angry with me and my "WONK" coming from the bathroom every morning. 

[kingsrings]

I'm sure that combing her hair wasn't that important that she couldn't wait to get to the bathroom. 

On that note, I have a classmate who insists on constantly wiping his nose, then placing the offending tissue on the desk, or when at meal time, on his tray.  Since the dry cold weather has started up, the whole group is subjected to a bloody/goober tissue in front of us.  It has gotten to the point that I have to turn away as soon as I see him pull the tissue out.  I mean, I didn't want to offend the guy, so I told him in a humorous way which most college aged males respond to better.  I said in a casual joking, yet discrete way "Oh man, put that away, buddy!", and he immediately lashed out at me, saying "CALM DOWN".     

With that reaction, methinks its not the first time he has been told about it.  eek. 

You told him to put it away and he got angry at you?? Sheesh. Perhaps you should fart in his face or spit in his direction or something. Then when he gets angry and grossed out about it, you can just yell, "CALM DOWN" at him.

[gadget--gal]

Any thoughts about grooming while on an airplane? I like to freshen up a little before landing (moisturise, fix makeup, brush hair). I would tend to do these things in the bathroom, but on a plane I feel a little guilty tying up the facilities for so long when there are a lot of other people that need to use them. I just run in for the quick teeth brush and leave. And brushing my hair would only consist of a few strokes to tidy up.....  Is it awful to do the full makeup works if I'm in my seat but discreet?

And I'm one of those with allergies as well, that does need to keep blowing my nose on occasion. I appreciate the sound isn't always pleasant, but sometimes it's that or the eternal snuffle.

Personally, I think it's a bit rude to do that in your seat.  I wouldn't appreciate the hair of the person sitting beside me on a plane falling on me.

If I need to freshen up for landing, I go into the ladies room after deplaning, but prior to coming out to meet whomever is at the airport to greet me.

I know I'm dredging up somthing old but I did have something to ask about this.

I used to wait queue for the plane bathroom at the end of a re-eye flight to freshen up. i.e. brush teeth, wipe face, pick my afro, change my t-shirt. I could do this in under two minutes, too. 

However, on one occaision I came out of the stall and the people waiting were looking at me aghast, as if I shouldn't have been freshening up in there. (although arguably I could have had a stomach upset and how would they know?).

Nowadays, I pick out my hair, adjust contacts lenses and wipe my face at the seat. and maybe change my top and clean my teeth in the stall. If freshening up in your seat is a faux pas, it looks like, I'm darned if I do and darned if I don't.

Just for the record, freshening up in the airport bathroom isn't always and option, depending on what the airport at the destination is like. Moreover I'd rather step off the plane feeling fresher.

[penelope2017]

I wanted to address the nail clipping at work. I work in a small office and our receptionist clips her nails out in the open. The noise and the personal grooming aspect really grosses me out. I know a previous poster mentioned running it by their coworkers and they didn't see why it was offensive. But sometimes people are reluctant to say that something bothers them face to face. I have not said anything as I am just not in a position to address her behavior.

I would not do things like this at your desk in front of coworkers when there are so many other opportunities to do it. It isn't something that is an emergency that needs to be taken care of right then and there. And odds are at least one person in your working area might be bothered by it, but didn't want to say anything as it is something you have already done in the past. Saying, "Yes, actually, your current habits really gross me out" is not all that easy.

[Gambitgirl]

i am a guilty hair groomer...but not for vanity's sake.

i have almost-to-the-waist length hair and when i am nervous or preoccupied or anxious i tend to finger comb it. it's an unconscious soothing gesture i've done most of my life and i'm not even aware i'm doing it most of the time.

[SammyKit]

What really gets me is the people who pick zits in public and examine what comes out!  Arrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[demarco]

Any thoughts about grooming while on an airplane? I like to freshen up a little before landing (moisturise, fix makeup, brush hair). I would tend to do these things in the bathroom, but on a plane I feel a little guilty tying up the facilities for so long when there are a lot of other people that need to use them. I just run in for the quick teeth brush and leave. And brushing my hair would only consist of a few strokes to tidy up.....  Is it awful to do the full makeup works if I'm in my seat but discreet?

I think it is impolite  to do full makeup in an airplane seat.  Your seatmates are going to observe it, no matter how discrete you are.  I wouldn't worry about tying up the airplane facilities.  Airplane lavatory use seems to run in a predictable pattern. The heaviest use is right after the seatbelt light goes off, just before and after meals, and shortly before landing.  You can work around those, if you feel guilty about taking up too much time. 

[kingsrings]

i am a guilty hair groomer...but not for vanity's sake.

i have almost-to-the-waist length hair and when i am nervous or preoccupied or anxious i tend to finger comb it. it's an unconscious soothing gesture i've done most of my life and i'm not even aware i'm doing it most of the time.

My mother would be completely grossed out by this! She doesn’t like it when long-haired people flip and finger through their hair when they are in very close proximity to her. One time we changed seats at a play because the woman sitting in front of her kept doing this. I don’t really blame her, because when people do this, who knows what could be flying off their hair, onto the people around them?? Ewww.

[amaiaisabella]

Ugh, this reminds me of a professor who would... adjust himself while giving a lecture! We were all creeped out. And this was on a daily basis!

I am guilty of absentmindedly twirling a strand of my hair in class or while talking to someone. 

Also, if putting Chapstick on in public is wrong, I don't want to be right! I'm a Chapstick addict and get very nervous/twitchy if my lips are dried or chapped. 

[kingsrings]

I am a lip-balm addict, too, and have always put it on in public. What could be wrong, gross, or unsanitary about that? I don't see how that is an etiquette faux-pas.

[Sharnita]

I have students who will brush their hair in class and apply product - usually something kinda greasey.

I also have them hike up pant legs above their knees and apply lotion to legs as well as hands and arms.

I don't think many of them have been told this is rude as they seem genuinely surprised when i comment that these things should not be done in a classroom.

[SammyKit]

I don't do anything more than a quick swipe of lip balm or a bit of hand lotion, anything else goes on in the bathroom.

[sbtier]

In the office yesterday, I heard 'click click' from the cubicle over the wall.  It was someone cutting their fingernails (well, I HOPE it wasn't their toenails).  It sounded like they did all 10 fingers and I was hoping a piece didn't come flying over the cubicle wall.  I HATE that sound!