Feet go through a lot of wear and tear, and taking care of them is crucial. Pedicures are the best way to keep your feet in tip-top shape. Even men need to spend some extra time on their feet. You don't even have to go into a salon to get a pedicure. You can do it right at home!
There are many positives to treating yourself to regular pedicures. You can get a few tools and easily give yourself a little pamper session. Your feet will look, smell, and feel better! We have simple steps for you to follow to give yourself an at-home pedicure.
Pedicure Benefits
There is no need to persuade someone to get a pedicure since we all know how wonderful they are! If you've never had a pedicure, here's a list of the top reasons why you should pamper your feet.
Prevent Infections
If you get an infection in your foot, there are a number of possible causes. Having dry skin increases the risk of infection since cracks in the skin are more likely to occur if you don't keep them moisturized. Pedicures also prevent toenails from growing inward and causing an infection.
They Help With Circulation
When you give yourself a pedicure, give yourself a little lower leg massage. These massages are done at the salon and they have a positive effect. Your blood flow improves as a result of the massage. When you increase your blood flow, you can help prevent pain, arthritis, and varicose veins.
Blood flow also helps your body's temperature be more evenly distributed. Your lymph nodes may also benefit from an increased blood flow, and they help flush toxins out of your system.
They Help Nail Health
Increased blood flow helps out your toenails as well. When you buff your feet and nails, you help the blood bring nutrients to the surface. These vitamins normally wouldn't get to your nails without the pedicure.
They Help With Your Mental Health
A pedicure can change your whole mood around. Similar to other pampering treatments, like a massage, a pedicure can help reduce stress. When you have a high level of stress, you can experience very physical negative side-effects.
Stress can lead to illnesses and diseases. Research has proven that various health issues have been linked to stress. Obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and depression may be exacerbated or increased by stress. Stress can even be a silent killer leading to premature death. One study found that caregivers had a 63% higher chance of dying than people in the same age group that were not caregivers.
There is some good news before you get too worked up about being stressed out. Practicing a few easy stress-reduction techniques might help you reduce your stress and improve your health. When you give yourself a pedicure, you can divert your stressful or anxious thoughts. By taking care of yourself, you can lower your stress levels and help your feet in the process.
Supplies You Need To Do a Pedicure at Home
You are going to need some tools to do an at-home pedicure the right way. You may have some of these essentials already, but some you may need to purchase. Owning the right tools will make all the difference when you give yourself a pedicure.
Toenail Clippers: These are not the same as nail clippers. Toenail clippers are bigger and make cutting larger nails easier.
Cuticle Clippers: You need special clippers to remove the skin around your nails. Your nail or toenail clippers won't be able to do the job. You need these cuticle clippers, so you cut just the dead skin and not any of your skin that is very much still alive around your nails.
Buffer: You need to exfoliate to remove dead skin on your feet. A buffer will help you do just that. Spongellé has a Supreme Men's Pedi Buffer that is loaded with softening extracts. It is a unique dual-sided buffer allowing for an easy foot care regimen.
Foot Bath: You can purchase an actual foot bath with little jets, just like you would experience at the salon. However, this isn't necessary. You can use a large container or bowl filled with warm water or your tub.
Lotion: You need a lotion to hydrate your skin and help you massage your feet to increase blood circulation.
Men’s Pedicure Tips
Now that you know what you'll need, it's time for the simple steps and tips to give yourself a pedicure.
1. Take Care of the Skin on Your Feet
First, you need to deal with the skin on your feet before you can even begin to work on your toenails. Calluses and rough skin can form on the bottom of your feet from the amount of stress they endure. Because your feet are subjected to a lot of wear and tear daily, these dry, sand-paper areas are our bodies' method of protecting them.
You may need to soften your feet to eliminate the dead skin. Attempting to remove too much dead skin could leave your feet vulnerable to injury and pain. Use a moisturizer to soften the skin on your feet before removing any rough patches without damaging your skin.
If your feet are feeling particularly dry, use an exfoliating product on the rough places. Spongellé's Extreme Men's Pedi Buffer is perfect for removing dead skin. Place the sponge under warm water, and squeeze it to activate. Next, use the soft side to cleanse and the textured side to gently exfoliate using circular motions. This step will also stimulate circulation. Rinse and squeeze out excess water after each use.
You can also use a product with glycolic, lactic, or salicylic acids if you want a more intense exfoliating treatment. These acids help break down the bonds between dead skin cells, allowing them to be more easily removed from the skin's surface.
2. Take Care of Your Toenails
Once your skin has been thoroughly cleaned and cleansed, you can take care of your toenails. You may want to soften them as well. You can soak your feet for about 15-minutes in warm Epsom saltwater. You may find this to be one of the most relaxing steps. You can sit back and take a load off as your feet soak in warm water.
After your toenails will be softer, making them more manageable. Soaking your feet is particularly essential for individuals who have nail fungus, which may stiffen the nails. You should seek medical attention before attempting to cure fungal infections on your feet.
Once your feet have had a chance to soak, you are ready to begin clipping and filing your nails. To avoid ingrown and broken nails, be careful to trim and file them straight across in this step.
3. Cuticle Care
The dry skin around your toenails is known as cuticles. Your cuticle area is where your toenails meet your skin. You can use lotion to soften the cuticles, then push them back from the nail. Next, use cuticle clippers to remove the excess skin.
4. Moisturize Your Feet
After you're done cutting and filing, use a vitamin-rich moisturizer or oil to hydrate your feet. If you don't have cuticle oil on hand, you can use olive oil as a substitute. It nourishes the nails and strengthens them.
You can use the oil just around your cuticles and a lotion everywhere else. You can try Honey Blossom Body Lotion. It's a perfect combination of shea butter, argan oil, avocado oil, and vitamin E. It offers a unique and pampering feeling any time of day.
You can buff your nails after they've been moisturized, filed, and clipped to provide a consistent, ridge-free surface if you want to apply a clear topcoat or colored nail polish.
5. Massage Your Feet and Lower Legs
The best part of a pedicure is getting a massage. While it's never as relaxing to massage yourself, it can still be a calming experience. After applying your lotion, begin to massage your feet and move up into your shins and calf area.
The pressure can feel nice and you can work out any tension you have. The lotion will provide hydration and will allow your hands to glide easily over your skin. The massage is crucial if you want to help your blood circulate. Spend a few minutes on each leg, and then you're done!
It’s Pedicure Time
A pedicure once a week or even once a month can be very beneficial. Taking care of your feet can be a relaxing and necessary part of your routine. When you give yourself a pedicure, you could be keeping an infection or an ingrown toenail at bay.
Spongellé's Men's Pedi Buffers are just what you need for your next pedicure. They will help you remove dry skin and give you softer, healthier feet!
Sources
10 Stress-Related Health Problems That You Can Fix | Web MD
