6 REASONS TO: Get a pedicure

My beauty appointment days are a full day affair where we do everything from retouching my dreadlocks, a manicure and pedicure. Sometimes I agree to a partial body massage which is yet to live up to its promise of eliminating the cellulite on my thighs.

Some people have cute dimples on the face but mine insist on occupying the thighs; same difference.

My favourite service at the beauty parlour is the pedicure. You see, I wear closed shoes a lot. The chilly weather of July has seen me wear boots and heavy socks at least thrice a week.

I rarely bond with my feet as the only time they are exposed is when am showering. Pedicures ensure my feet get pampered and even “listened” to by my pedicurist. She once told me, “Your feet are asking for fortnight scrubs and a change of footwear.”

Here is why you should probably get a pedicure this weekend:

1. It is very relaxing. After days of running up and down in the hustle and bustle of making ends meet, a nice pedicure is just what you need to ease all that tension. As your feet soak in warm soapy water, you will literally feel the muscles around the calves of your feet loosen up as though giving a sigh of relief. I am always reluctant when it is time to remove my feet from the perfectly heated water but as my pedicurist says, “You cannot stay there forever.” Sometimes I wish she was wrong.

2. It gets rid of the dead skin that makes your feet painful and uncomfortable. Although we normally wash our feet while showering, a pedicure goes deeper than we can go while taking a regular bath. Thorough scrubbing gets rid of dead skin on the feet, most of which we would not be even aware it existed. One time I went for a pedicure after not having one for a while. As soon as the pedicurist started scrubbing my feet, the whole place turned into a posho mill as I made dead skin flakes rain. It was so bad; they gave me a customer’s discount and strongly recommended that I drop in fortnightly until further notice.

3. It boosts blood circulation. A good pedicure should involve plenty of massages. At my local salon, the massages begin with rubbing of cuticle softening cream to help remove the cuticles, followed by the scrubbing cream rubbed on the legs and feet to get rid of dead skin and open up the skin pores. Massage oil is then rubbed into the open pores and finally the feet cream is applied to keep the feet moisturized. The pedicurist usually kneads my legs from knee before moving slowly to the ankles and each toe. This promotes proper circulation of blood as the massage stimulates the nerves at the bottom of the feet boosting blood flow.

4. It makes your feet look attractive and completes the picture for great grooming. Well-pedicured feet are simply a thing of beauty. With the cuticles gone, the nails appear fuller and brighter and open pores ensure the feet get the much needed aeration. Pedicures leave the feet looking and feeling smooth, clean and healthy. Attractive feet can really boost your confidence especially if you plan on stepping out in open shoes.

5. It prevents infections and diseases of the feet and promotes good hygiene. Sometimes the nail can grow inwards causing notorious feet infections. Other times a blister can occur probably as a result of ill-fitting footwear. A regular pedicure appointment can help you nip such infections in the bud through early detection and treatment. A simple filing or cutting and cleaning of the nail during the pedicure can solve the problem and prevent further complications.

6. It is fun experimenting with various pedicure trends. I am pretty old school mostly go for simple solid-colour polish. However, that does not make me blind to pedicure trends particularly using polish to create nail art. The French manicure used to be the ‘it’ but is being overlapped by more creative patterns of beautifying toe nails including accessorising the nails with piercings and studs. I may try one of these trends soon.

For now, we are working hand in hand with my pedicurist to nurture three of my left foot toe nails that have defied gravity and opted to grow facing upwards. Sigh.

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