How to Have a Pedicure at Home

You will need:

·         Nail polish remover

·         Cotton wool pads

·         Footbath or washing-up bowl

·         Stiff nail brush

·         Soap

·         Small towel

·         Nail scissors

·         Emery board of nail file

·         Cuticle cream (follow link)

·         Rubber hoof stick

·         Cuticle clippers

·         Orange blossom massage cream (follow link)

·         Talcum powder

Aim to give your feet a pedicure at least once a month to keep calluses, corns, and bunions at bay.

Method

·         Begin by removing any nail polish from the toenails with remover and cotton wool pads.

·         Half-fill the footbath or washing-up bowl with warm water and soak the feet for at least 5 minutes to allow the skin to warm and soften

·         Gently scrub the feet and toes with a stiff nailbrush and soap.

·         Dry the feet and toes thoroughly and trim long nails by cutting straight across with a small pair of nail scissors.

·         Smooth any rough edges of the nails with an emery board or non-metal nail file.

·         Apply a small amount of Cuticle Cream to each toenail and massage into the cuticles.

·         Use a rubber hoof stick to gently encourage the cuticles away from the nail bed, but be careful not to jab or poke too vigorously as this can pierce the skin and lead to infections. Use a sharp pair of cuticle clippers to cut away any small pieces of dead cuticle, but take care not to snip any living tissue.

·         Spend the next 10 minutes massaging the feet with a generous helping of Orange Blossom Cream - you will be rewarded for your efforts afterwards when your feet feel as though they are walking on air.

·         Finely, dust in between the toes with talcum powder (you can make your own by mixing equal quantities of arrowroot and corn flour, scented with small pieces of chopped orange and lemon peel.)

How to Take Care of Your Hands and Feet

Hands and feet are our hard-working slaves and deserve pampering with a little extra care and attention. The skin that covers our hands and feet is much thicker than elsewhere on the body. This provides them with important protection during their demanding daily tasks, but can sometimes result in a build-up of rough, chapped skin that looks unsightly and is often painful. Our hands especially are always out on constant show and are continually exposed to the elements. Strong sunshine encourages brown ‘age’ spots on the backs of the hands, cold weather leaves them dry and chapped, while washing in soapy water strips away their natural oils, leaving them rough and wrinkled.

Our feet come under a different kind of pressure as they carry our weight around all day, often squeezed into tightly fitted boots and shoes. During the winter months, the skin on our feet may go for months without being allowed to breathe properly, as feet are cocooned in constant layers of thick tights, woolly socks, and warm bedclothes. It is said that the expression on your face is due to the comfort of your feet and it is certainly true that corns, chilblains and bunions cause a great  deal of misery. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that pedicures have become one of the most popular beauty treatments - a small amount of time spent looking after the feet can put a smile on the face all year round. Fingernails and toenails also require regular care to keep them trim and attractive.

Giving yourself a weekly manicure and pedicure is a simple beauty treatment that keeps nails tidy and prevents problems such as splitting, flaking and painful in-growing toenails. Follow this 7 point plan in between manicures and pedicures:

·         Always wear a pair of gloves or use a barrier cream when outside or doing chores such as gardening or the washing-up.

·         Avoid plunging the hands into too-hot or freezing – cold water as this encourages dehydration and leads to skin chapping.

·         Always use a sunblock when out in sunny weather to prevent the formation of brown ‘age’ spots on the backs of the hands.

·         Get into the habit of using a rich hand cream last thing at night.

·         Include vegetable oils in your daily diet, such as olive or sunflower oils for cooking, or food supplements such as cod liver oil or evening primrose oil to help strengthen weak, brittle nails.

·         Always trim hangnails to prevent them tearing or splitting.

·         Avoid opening the mail, cans, jars, etc. with the nails as this weakens the structure and encourages them to break off.

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