Pedicure – why should you get it?

If you’ve never had a pedicure, you are missing out on one of life’s best pampering treats.

A pedicure is one of my all time favorite treats. Going all the way back to beauty school, I never minded getting or giving them (OK, getting them was way better than giving them). But it seems so many people I know have never had one because of some silly reason such as they think their feet are ugly. If that is what is holding you back, it’s time to adjust your thinking.They say that the average person walks the equivalent of four times around the world in their lifetime. Don’t you think your feet deserve a little pampering? No one thinks they have pretty feet; heck, I know mine are far from pretty, but that’s not going to stop me from going to get a pedicure. Let me walk you through the treatment so you can make that first phone call. I promise you’ll thank me for it when you’re done.

When you first get to your appointment, you’ll take off your socks and shoes; roll up your pants and start soaking your feet in a bubbling foot tub. Make sure that you grab some magazines before you start soaking. Most of the time, you get to relax in a massaging chair. Look for the massage remote; they may forget to tell you about it. I always hope for a customer to walk in or the phone to ring so I can sit and soak as long as possible (I’m shameless). Once your nail technician is ready to begin, they’ll sit in front of you on a stool taking one foot at a time to clean, trim and file the nails into a nice shape. They will also push down and possibly trim your cuticles. If you are uncomfortable with this, just let them know. While they are working on one foot, the other will enjoy the soak and bubbly massage.

After your nails are trimmed and your cuticles have been cleaned up, you’ll be ready to have your feet exfoliated. Sometimes all they need is a foot file, but other times they use electrical files. Don’t be scared, and don’t feel funny. I’m a proud owner of feet that need the electrical file, it’s normal, and they don’t think anything of it. Using a foot scrub, they will work on the calloused areas of your feet as well as do a general exfoliation of your entire foot. An exfoliator is a cream with bits in it to slough off the dead skin cells revealing softer skin. Again, while one foot is being exfoliated, you’ll be soaking the other.

When both feet are smooth as can be, you’ll get the best part of all, a foot and leg massage. The technician will apply a thick moisturizer and give you a fantastic foot and leg massage (this is not the time to hope for a customer or a phone call).

After you have had both feet dried and massaged, it’s time to clean the nails again for the polish. You usually pick the polish before you even sit down, and you’ll have probably 100 to choose from. Go daring on your toes; anything goes. Your technician will put little toe separators on your feet and paint a clear coat, two colored coats and a top clear coat. You’ll most likely then be given cheap little flip-flops so you can walk over to the drying table. There are UV lights under this table where you can sit for about ten minutes to help your nails harden. Make sure you bring sandals or flip-flops to wear home; nails take a long time to become dent resistant.

Don’t miss out on one of life most inexpensive treats. Everyone deserves a pedicure a few times a year. If you are looking for a cheaper option, go to a beauty school. You can score a pedicure for less than half of what you would at a salon. And as a previous cosmetology school student, we’ve seen all sorts of feet, so there is nothing to worry about.

source:   http://skincare.about.com/od/caringforyourfeet/f/faqpedicure.htm