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Not only caring for hair and face, foot care should not be abandoned. The reason is, foot health also reflects the health of your body as a whole. Most people take care of their feet with a pedicure at the salon. Unfortunately, there are some people who don't have enough time or even money to perform treatments at a salon. If you are one of them, doing a pedicure at home can be the best alternative to care for your feet. Find out how to get a pedicure at home in this article.
A pedicure in a salon has a negative impact
Dr. Jackie Sutera, podiatrist in New York, and dr. Ella Toombs, a dermatologist in Washington DC and Crystal Clements, explains that there are a number of things you should know about pedicures in salons, namely:
- The jets in the whirlpool tub can harbor bacteria and fungus. If you accidentally scratch the skin during the pedicure, you can get a bacterial infection from contact with the bacteria the previous customer had in the tub.
- Metal equipment used by salons is not necessarily sterile, because these tools are not only used for one person. Some salons may use ultraviolet light to clean the appliance, but this cannot kill micro-organisms 100%. Tools should be soaked in high temperature for 6 hours and scrubbed. So, cleaning the tool using UV light in a few minutes will certainly not make the tool sterile.
- When the salon does a promo, of course the salon will be crowded so there is little possibility of thorough sanitation of the bath and pedicure equipment from one client to another.
How to make a pedicure at home
Before starting a pedicure at home, there are several things that you must prepare first, including:
- Nail polish and nail polish remover (acetone)
- Special foot brush
- Nail files and polish
- Nail clipper
- Cuticle pusher
- Cotton
- Cuticle cream
- Towel
- Water
- Basin / bucket
- Soap
- Salt
- Essential oil according to taste
- Moisturizer
After all the tools are collected, here's a pedicure method that you can try at home:
- First, wash your feet first with soap and water until clean. If you use nail polish, don't forget to remove the nail polish that sticks to your nails using a cotton swab and nail polish remover.
- Fill a basin or bucket with warm water. Then add a few drops of essential oil with the flavor variant you like and a teaspoon of salt. After that, soak your feet for 10-15 minutes. Gently rub and clean your toenails with a special soft-bristled brush.
- Massage your feet with a natural pumice stone to remove dead cells (especially on the toe where the tiptoes are on, the sides of the feet, and the heels). Then dry with a towel.
- Cut your nails and remove any dirt inside your nails (because the nails are soaked in water, they are soft and easy to cut and clean). Make sure you cut straight and don't cut the corners of the nails too short, as this can cause ingrown toenails. After that, file it using a nail file according to the shape you want.
- Apply cuticle cream to the nail bed, rub it over the nails and massage gently. Push back the cuticles in a circular and gentle way using the cuticle pusher. You can also use olive oil in addition to cuticle cream.
- After you have done the various pedicure methods above, clean your feet again. Then gently pat dry with a towel (make sure that between your toes is dry too). Don't forget to use moisturizer so that your skin and nails are well hydrated.
- To make your toenails look more beautiful, you can apply nail polish. However, make sure if you choose nail polish that does not contain addictive toxins such as formaldehyde, toulene, or phthalates.
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