With the lockdown it has now been a month since anyone went to a salon. Yes the grooming necessities are being missed- haircuts (specially for the men) waxing, threading, root touch-ups and more. But what I was truly craving was the pampering of a great pedicure.
A pedicure is a foot treatment that removes dead skin, softens feet and treats your toenails but a great pedicure is a little time in heaven during a busy day.
And for all of you gentlemen who think this is just for women- WRONG!
Try a pedicure, they're fun, ohh so relaxing and have many health benefits regardless of gender.
I've been sweeping, swabbing, washing dishes, cooking (even cleaned my car) daily during the lockdown so I decided to treat myself. And you can do it too with an at home DIY pedi.
So let's begin with what you will need:
A tub or bucket with enough warm water (keep it at a comfortable temperature for yourself) to soak your feet in-I add a small bit of savlon to it
A towel
Bath salts foot soak or a splash of body wash in the water- My favourite is lavender bath salts because they smell so good.
A good scrub (DIY scrub by using sugar or rock salt in oil, coffee grounds or plain old besan work wonders)
Cuticle pushers, nail cutter, nail file, cuticle nipper (if you know how to use one), nail brush, nail buffer
Pumice stone - avoid the metal scrapers as they leave micro cuts and in the long run make your feet more rough
Foot file - a good quality foot file helps slough off dead skin making feet super soft.
Foot cream, moisturiser or oil for the massage-For my dry skin, I love the clove and lemon foot cream by Vaadi cosmetics. It's amazing quality at a very affordable price
Vaseline - This is my secret ingredient
For the ladies - Nail polish remover (avoid acetone as it can be too harsh for your nails. I use Sally Hansen or Innisfree removers) Cotton, your favourite nail paint and top coat, toe separators (I don't really use them)
STEP 1 : Clean & Soak
To begin, take off the old nail polish using the remover and cotton. (In a manicure this is where one would normally say cut and file your nails, but I find that for a pedicure it is better to cut post the soak)
Now, apply a generous quantity of vaseline on your toenails and cuticles and soak them in the tub you have prepared. The Vaseline helps protect your nails from drying out and softens the cuticles. It also protects the nail as you use the cuticle pusher in the next step
Soak your feet for a good 10-15 minutes. Take this time to watch some videos, check your mails, surf the web or simply close your eyes and relax.
STEP 2 : Those Nails
Take out out one foot, pat it down with a towel and use your cuticle pusher or orange stick to gently push back your (now softened) cuticles. Next, only if needed, use a cuticle nipper to trim off any damaged or pulled skin - Be gentle with this step, inflamed or infected cuticles can prove to be quite painful. My cuticle pusher is very blunt so I also use it to remove any gunk from under the nails and around the edges.
Did you know that cleaning out from under the nail edge prevents ingrowns?
This is also the time to trim your now softened nails. Unlike many others I don't recommend any particular shape as I realise that different nail shapes work best according to the structure of your foot and your nail bed.
STEP 3: Use the brush, pumice stone and Scrub
Now use the nail brush with a bit of body wash to clean your toes and give your feet an all over brushing. Apply a bit more soap/body wash to your pumice stone and with a very gentle hand rub the soles of your foot with it.
Next, take a bit of body scrub and spend 3-5 minutes massaging it all over your feet and legs (up to the knee if you want). Put the foot back in the water (don't wash off the scrub yet) and repeat the above steps with the other foot.
STEP 4: Soften those feet
Once the second foot is done, put it back in the water and wash off the scrub from foot 1. Take foot 1 out of the water, dab to remove excess water and use the foot file on the still damp soles of the foot. Remember to keep the foot damp through this sloughing for easy removal of dead skin. If you let the foot dry out, the process becomes ineffective and the friction can cause cuts or abrasions.
This has to be my favourite part of any pedicure. While it is definitely good forearm exercise, but if you persevere, the results are magical. Check for any hardened areas and make sure to get the sides, the heel, the toes and the balls of your feet. This step is important to prevent cracked heels and callouses. At the end I tend to turn my file over to the smoother side of my double-sided file to smooth them down. I think about 3-4 minutes should give you enough exercise and a well sloughed foot. Caution- over zealous sloughing can cause major abrasions. So be gentle, specially over any bony areas like near the ankle.
It is time to return foot 1 to the water and repeat the foot file with foot 2.
STEP 5: Moisturize, moisturize and massage
Turn your attention back to foot 1. Remove it from the soak, rinse off with clean water and dry completely (don't forget drying between the toes). Take a generous amount of foot cream to massage it in. I know it's not as fun when you do this yourself but spend some time to improve blood circulation, massage those pressure points and really moisturise and nourish. My favourite points to massage are the calves, the balls of the feet and the heel. Repeat the pampering with foot 2.
STEP 6: The finishing touches
Now it is time to wipe down your nails file and buff them to get them looking neat, clean and healthy.
Ladies you can also swipe your nails with some cotton soaked in nail polish remover and apply your favorite nail color to those freshly pedicured feet. Let the paint dry.
And Ta-Da!!! Done and ready to run (avoid wearing socks or closed shoes for at least 4-6 hours if you have applied any nail paint)
You can repeat this after 2 weeks (even if the lockdown is over)
And don't forget to wash and moisturise your feet every night just before getting into bed to keep them soft.
If you try the DIY pedicure, let me know. I'd love to hear how it went
(by the way, if you want tips on how to groom your eyebrows at home check it out here https://www.vvic.co.in/post/diy-series-salon-at-home-part-1)
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