What Is a Pedicure? What To Know
Picture this, it’s the end of winter and you go to put on your favorite sandals. You look down and somehow your winter feet have transformed into something that resembles a hobbit's feet. Your nails are terribly overgrown, your heels could grate the finest cheese, and you have no idea what shade of the rainbow your polish even was.
Can you imagine a world when self-care wasn’t widely promoted? Do you know there are some people that still don’t know the unchecked joy of a pedicure? While we admit that there can be some funny parts to pedicures, (will get to that in a bit) we can’t imagine life without one.
So, what is a pedicure? What do you need to know? Can you recreate one at home? Let’s dive in and talk about what happens during pedicures and all the things you should know!
What Exactly Is a Pedicure?
Whether you decide to take it to the salon or reproduce the salon experience at home, a pedicure is basic hygiene practice for your feet. Think shaping your toenails, removing dead skin, and moisturizing and massaging your feet and legs.
Pedicures can range from medical purposes to a glorious pampering ritual. You may wash your feet during your shower but your feet take on a ton of stress. It may seem like a frivolous indulgence but without proper foot care, it can become more than just an aesthetics or hygiene issue.
For instance, a medical pedicure would focus on the removal of calluses, corns, and can address athlete’s foot.
Here’s how we see it: your feet do a lot of hard work. They deserve the extra care and attention. You will thank us later!
What Happens During a Pedicure?
If you have never before experienced a pedicure, let's dive in and go over what happens. First things first, if you are going to a salon you’ll likely want to make an appointment. While it is totally feasible you’d be able to walk in and get one, for the sake of time, it’s best to plan ahead.
You can plan for your pedicure to last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much pampering you decide on. The cool thing about pedicures is that they are totally customizable.
During your pedicure, you will need to roll up your pants so that your clothes don’t get wet and they have space to massage your lower leg. Wearing comfy clothes is a great idea, along with flip-flops to slip into and out of. The pedicure itself usually takes place in a chair fit for the gods, or in simpler terms, a massage chair with a foot spa full of frothy warm water at the end of it.
On to the basics, here are some standards during your pedicure:
- Plan on having your toenails shaped or clipped. This will depend on preference and if you’ve let your toenails grow to epic lengths.
- Debris and dirt caught between your nail and skin will be gently removed.
- This next part is a game-changer. The dead skin that covers your barely recognizable heels will be scrubbed to reveal the beautiful feet you forgot existed.
- Next, you will be treated to a wonderful leg and foot massage. There are many add-ons to this but remember we are covering the basics here. Imagine hot towels, stone foot massage, and gels just to name a few.
- Last but not least you will have the option to place polish on your toenails.
How To Create a Home Pedicure
Going to the salon is a wonderful experience. It is definitely one of those things you should at least allow yourself to do when you’re able. If you aren’t able to make it to the salon whether it be because of cost or time, the great news is that it is easy to replicate at home.
From our perspective, we really like to set the mood. You can use your favorite spa-like music, or whatever music you are feeling at the time, some candles, and then it’s all about tools and products.
Top Products You Need for a Home Pedicure
In order to have a great experience, you are going to want to invest in some good supplies. Here is what you will need.
- A place to soak your feet - This might be open for debate but you can go one of two ways here. They sell foot baths to fit almost any budget. You can easily purchase a foot bath specific to your wants and needs to accomplish your at-home pedicure. However, we won’t judge you if you simply fill up your bathtub, or a tub of water, with cozy warm water. As long as you have a place to soak your feet is what counts.
- Buffer - Remember those heels? You want your feet soft and supple to buff away the dead skin. At Spongellé we understand how important it is to remove dead skin. That’s why we made a buffer specific for your at-home self-care appointment. With a variety of scents to take you back to just about any relaxing memory, you will also love the fact that you will be able to polish any roughness away with ease. One of the best parts is this buffer is multi-use. You can use it over 30 times! With this body-wash-infused Pedi-buffer, you can keep your feet ready for sandals all year.
- Toenail Clippers - Depending on your toenail length and width, you may be able to get away with regular nail clippers. The benefit of having toenail clippers is that they are designed to accommodate larger nails.
- Cuticle Clippers - The cuticles around your nails can become overgrown. Usually, regular clippers won’t be able to help remove your cuticles. You will want these clippers to carefully help remove the dead skin and leave the rest intact.
- Lotion - Oh lotion, how we love you! In order to add and seal moisture back into your thirsty new skin, you will want to lather your feet with a great lotion. Extra points if you put socks on over your feet and let them sit for a little while.
Who Can Benefit From a Pedicure?
Maybe it’s just us but we feel like there is a myth that pedicures are just for women. We would like to argue the point that if you have feet, a pedicure is for you. As far as we are aware, everyone’s feet could use a little TLC, not just women.
As we mentioned before, the benefits of pedicures extend beyond just the relaxation and aesthetics of it all. Here are some additional pedicure benefits to consider.
- They can help you walk more comfortably. If you have heels shredding your socks or calluses that hurt, regular removal of dead skin can keep your feet in tip-top shape.
- You’re feet smell great - Not only do your feet feel and look good, but they also smell good too! Removing odor trapping bacteria, dead skin, dirt, and debris can do wonders for how your feet smell.
- Get your blood flowing - Between the warm foot soak and the heavenly foot massage, a pedicure can also help get your blood circulating.
- Improve your mood - Relaxing can help the stress of the day melt away. Not only does a pedicure improve the overall health of your foot, but it is also sure to boost your mood along with it.
Summary
We are partial to any treatment that leaves us feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. We spend so much of our lives rushing from obligation to obligation. Prioritizing our mental and physical health should be scheduled into our routines whenever possible.
At Spongellé we wanted to create products that help you recreate your spa-like experiences in the comfort of your own space. Our products are just as easy to transport for travel as they are to use in the comfort of your home.
Our products come multi-use so you get the most out of our money without ever having to compromise on quality. Self-care should be effortless. From our scent selection to our product selection you will have all options you need to make self-care as easy as it should be.
Sources:
How to Remove Dead Skin from Feet | Healthline.com
Comments
0 Comments