Mastering the Art of the Home Pedicure

I know that the weather is still blustery in most of the country, but after what was for us a cold, wet winter, Tucson is experiencing an early spring. With temperatures in the 80's it's sandal weather and time to get a pedicure.

Most salon pedicures start at about $30.00 for your basic clip, file and polish and can go as high as $75.00 or more with the addition of salt scrub, hot oil massage, paraffin dip, etc...all applied while you relax in an adjustable massage chair and sip herbal tea. This is fine for an occasional treat, but if you want your feet to look good until the end of summer and live on a budget like most people, you need to master the art of the home pedicure.

STOCKING UP

First, you will need a footbath with massage and adjustable heat settings. You can get this at any good drugstore or retail outlet. .

Next, go to a beauty supply outlet store to purchase the following items. Beauty supply stores have a much larger selection and generally better prices than drug stores. You will need:

- Toenail clippers, (bigger and wider than regular nail clippers).

- Regular emery boards, (do not use the metal ones, they rip the nails).

- A foot file. This instrument is about 8 inches long with a plastic handle and double-sided emery board head. I recommend the plastic one because you can use it in the shower to keep your heels smooth between pedicures.

- Toe separators...little foam units that keep you toes separated when being polished. You could use pieces of cotton, but the separators are more efficient and can be washed and used over and over until they fall apart.

- Base coat and top coat for nail polish. Sounds fussy, but the base coat keeps the polish color from leaching into your nails and makes polish application easier. The top coat gives a nice finish and help keep polish from smudging.

- Nail polish. Beauty supply stores have the best prices on higher end nail polishes, which you really should use for pedicures because they last longer and wear better. I like the OPI line for choice of colors and longevity. They usually don't start to fade and peel for 3 weeks.

- Non- acetone polish remover. Acetone, once an ingredient in all nail polish removers, will dry out and damage your nails.

- Beech wood sticks, also known as orange sticks are little pointed sticks that you use to remove polish when it runs off the nail and into the skin pocket around the nail.

- Cotton balls or pads.

Finally, you will need:

- Salt scrub...sea salt saturated with oils. It's a great exfoliate for your feet and also very good for your body every once in a while to remove dead skin.

- Lotion: peppermint for stimulation and energy, shea butter for dry skin. If you have really dry skin, use massage oil, scented or unscented. In the summer I regularly rub my feet with oil and put on a pair of cotton socks before I go to bed. This really helps with the rhino skin that develops on heels during sandal season.

PERFORMING THE PERFECT PEDICURE

1. Set up your footbath on top of a couple of towels (in case of spillage) by a comfy chair. Place several towels and wet washcloths nearby for exfoliating and drying feet, along with your container of salt scrub and foot file. For an extra pampering touch you can keep your washcloths warm and moist in a crock-pot.
2. Boil some water and mix it with cold water in the footbath until you have a hot but comfortable bath. Make yourself a cup of tea while you're at it.
3. Set the bath to massage, and soak your feet for about 10minutes while you relax. You may want to set a timer, as the object is softened but not pruney feet which can happen if you get engrossed in a book or fall asleep.
4. Towel off feet and use the foot file to remove dead skin on the heel, ball and the sides of the feet.
5. Re-immerse feet in water to remove loosened, dead skin.
6. Massage the sea salt into your feet and calves then remove it with the washcloths. Dry feet and calves.
7. Rub lotion or oil into feet and calves.
8. Put on the toe separators and wipe any excess oil or lotion off of nails with cotton pads.
9. Apply base coat.
10. Apply 2 coats of polish. Use orange sticks to clean up errors.
11. Apply topcoat, and, this is VERY IMPORTANT, sit with your feet up for at least 15 minutes before removing toe separators and putting on sandals, NOT SHOES. Do not wear shoes for at least a couple hours. You do not want to ruin all your hard work.

PEDICURES FOR YOUR MAN?

While most men would rather run naked down the street in the middle of winter than go to a salon for a pedicure, they can usually be persuaded to let you give them one at home. It's a geisha thing, a woman doing something comforting and intimate for him without actually having sex. But remember, this is something he will never admit happened. My husband loves a nice foot massage but he is not going to belly up to the bar after riding with his buddies, down a shot of tequila and say, "Yep, my wife gave me a foot massage the other day and it was mighty fine!" You should respect his privacy in this area and only share the details with your very, very best friend.

Since nail polish will most certainly be out of the question, follow steps 1- 7 above being careful to use unscented, neutral or masculine scented products, nothing flowery or perfumed. Finish up by putting a nice pair of thick cotton socks on him and sending him off to relax on the couch with the remote and a beer.