The Perfect Pedicure Pedicure is the cosmetic treatment of the feet and toenails. You don't need to book an expensive salon appointment to get the perfect pedicure. Who doesn't love wearing sandals in the summer? They're cool, comfortable and best of all, they give you a sense of freedom.
Know About Your Feet But before you shed your socks for the season, take a good hard look at your feet. Chances are, you've had them hidden away in boots and shoes all winter, rarely giving those toes a second thought. Unfortunately, it probably shows. But don't get discouraged; all it takes to put your best feet--and toes--forward is regular care. Even better is knowing that you don't need to go to the salon to do so; you can give yourself a professional-looking pedicure right in your own home. Pedicured "Polished, well-groomed toenails, like lipstick, are part of a woman's image. Also pretty toes are about more than just vanity.
Give Your Feet The Regular Care Regular foot and nail care
is a way of warding off painful problems like ingrown toenails, calluses, foot cracks and even infections. And even though each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 100 ligaments and thousands of sweat glands, most of us don't give our feet the regular care they need.
Pedicure Solves Most Chronic Feet Pain So it's understandable why nearly 90 million Americans complain of chronic foot pain. So, not only are we going to tell you how to give yourself a great pedicure, we're also going to tell you how to refresh those tired feet. Then you can strap on some sandals, wiggle your toes and flaunt your feet all summer long.
Tools Of The Trade To perform a home pedicure, you need the right instruments. Quality clippers,exfoliates and cuticle pushers are three of them, all well worth the investment. Not only can you use them at home, but you can bring them to the salon if you elect for professional treatment--this will help prevent bacterial infections that can develop when professionals use poorly sanitized tools.
Here's everything that you will need. * An electric bubbling foot bath (optional).
* A toenail brush to clean both the tops and undersides of the nails, as well as the feet.
* An abrasive pedicure file (wand exfoliator) or pumice stone to
get rid of dry, flaky skin. * A metal cuticle pusher or wooden "orange" stick, a round stick about four inches long with a slanted tip for cleaning under the nails and around the cuticles.
* A massaging foot roller (optional).
* Toenail clippers made to cut thick, hard nails without tearing them.
* Fine-grained nail files or emery boards for shaping and smoothing nails.
* Foam toe dividers (or cotton balls) to separate toes when applying base, polish and top coats to prevent smudging.
* A nail buffer to shine the tops of nails before you polish them or to give bare ones a natural, healthy look.
Secret Tip
Once you have the right tools, set aside about an hour to get your feet and toes worthy of being in the limelight. Pedicure to work you need to first soak your feet in warm (not hot) water in your bathtub, a small foot tub or foot bath for five to 10 minutes. "Add a few drops of essential oils like rosemary and peppermint to invigorate your feet during an early morning pedicure, or add drops of lavender or rose to help relax them after a long day," suggests aesthetician Stephanie Tourles. A few drops of tea tree oil or clove oil in your foot bath can also help treat fungal infections, she says, and a couple of drops of pine, tea tree, lemongrass or eucalyptus oils can banish odors.