Easy And Effective Tips To Do A ‘Pedicure’ Yourself
I for one never believed in the significance of pedicures until my feet started cracking up. And just like me, several women out there tend to neglect their feet until they find it too late to make amendments.
Just like our face, the rest of our body needs our attention too. And one of the more important areas that are usually neglected and can become easily irreparable is the feet. Face it! Your feet would most probably have enjoyed warmth and comfort within the comfort of socks and stockings throughout spring, autumn and winter. And when they finally come out into the open in the summer, they find it too hard to adjust to the sudden, harsh change in the climate.
Regular Professional Pedicures
Pedicures are a must for the feet and it is highly recommended that you opt for professional pedicures at least a couple of times in a year in addition to the home pedicures that you regularly do.
Professional pedicures may cost a tad bit extra. However, considering the benefits of these treatments on your feet and the irregularity of these sessions (if you opt for them only once or twice a year), you can opt to pay an extra buck for these specialised treatments. In addition to remedying all your problems (related to the feet that is), a professional can offer you a wide range of options to choose from in terms of foot care (for example, helping you decide which lotions to use or which colors suit you best etc).
The Basics of a Home Pedicure
If you decide to opt for a ‘do it yourself’ pedicure session at home, you need to make sure that you have all the products considered important for the same. These include the necessary creams, lotions, nail polishes and other tools like files etc. needed for the pedicure. This would enable you to finish the procedure with ease without having to get up now and then for every other item.
If this is the first time you are opting for a home pedicure, you would probably be a little apprehensive of how to start the process and how to go about doing it effectively. Not to worry though! For here are a few basic tips to help you through your first home – pedicure session.
Removing the Nail Polish:
Before starting the pedicure, you would need to remove the polish on your nails. Opt for a good quality nail polish remover, preferably a non-acetone one. Acetone nail polish removers usually drain the nails and cuticles off moisture, making them dry and brittle in the long run.
Dab a cotton ball in the remover and rub the same across the nail to remove the polish. For dark or hard to remove polishes, soak the cotton ball completely in the remover and hold the same above the nail for at least 30 seconds before wiping away the polish.
Taking Care of Cracked Heels:
The heels tend to develop more cracks than the toes. And so you would need to use a good quality foot file to get rid of calluses and rough spots. Don’t apply too much pressure on the file though. Gently work your way around the heel (your feet should be dry) and remove dead, dried up skin carefully, lest you want to end up cutting yourself.
Cutting Nails:
This could be a tricky part depending on how often you have cut your toe nails before. Don’t opt for small nail clippers which may slip out of your grasp and cause wounds. A larger nail cutter would provide you with a better grip and a bigger view of what you are cutting.
Always make it a point to cut your nails across; and opt for square shaped nails in order to avoid issues like ingrown nails. Use a medium grain file to file your nails after you cut them.
Soaking your feet:
Many individuals opt to add soap or shampoo to warm water before soaking their feet in it. We recommend a good quality moisturising agent, a few drops of lavendar essential oil, tree tea oil; or olive oil for a better result. Accordingly, these options enable you to stay safe from issues like itchiness, rashes, athlete’s foot and skin allergies etc.
Exfoliation:
Keep your feet dipped in warm water for at least 20 minutes until the skin becomes soft and supple. Now would be the right time for you to exfoliate your feet. Use a soft scrub or brush to remove dirt and dead skin from your feet.
Make it a point to never cut your cuticles at this point as they would be extremely soft at this stage, and cutting them would most probably create a wound. Use a small stick wrapped in cotton to push back the cuticles so that they don’t open up.
Moisturize afterwards:
After exfoliating your feet, take them out of the water and pat them dry using a soft towel or cloth. If you think that this would most probably be the end of the session, then you are wrong. For there are some other steps you need to follow, in order to complete the pedicure.
After you dry your feet, apply a good quality moisturiser over them, preferably one with salicylic acid. You can also apply some moisturiser to your feet before you retire for the night. This enables the moisturiser to work on your feet the entire night, thereby making you wake up the next morning with beautiful looking legs and feet.
Applying Nail Polish:
This is always a tricky part of a pedicure, and can undermine the entire process if not done properly. Accordingly, choose a good quality nail polish over the cheaper ones that usually contain harmful ingredients.
It pays to apply a thin coating of nail polish remover to the nails before applying polish. The remover drains the nails of excess oil, thereby making it easier for you to apply polish to them. The remover also helps the polish stick to the nails better.
Don’t just paint your nails. Rather apply polish in a strategic way which would make your nails glow radiantly in the end. Accordingly, apply a thin base coat first before applying the strokes. Start with one stroke on the left side, one on the right and then one down the center. Follow this up with a stronger top coat, by covering the entire nail first, and then stroking up and over the tip of the nail.
