Make a Foot Spa

Your feet are precious; they carry you many a mile and help you to maintain your posture. They also suffer the consequences of narrow or high heel shoes for the sake of beauty and can become sore and tired from standing all day or walking or running long distances. Give your feet the attention they really deserve by pampering them––a foot spa is one great way of doing this, reviving your feet and allowing you to concentrate specifically on relaxing them and ensuring they're in great condition. Here is what to do.

Steps

  1. Set up a bowl of warm water. Add some scented bubble bath, or oil for your type of skin, and mix in.
    • Peppermint oil is good for reviving feet, while lavender oil is good for soothing them.
    • Almond and milk soak is a good choice if you want soft feet. Make sure your feet are very clean in order to benefit more from this great treatment. Add one cup of powdered milk (dairy or soy) and one tablespoon of almond oil. Mix through. Soak your feet for at least ten minutes. Do not rinse.
    • If your feet are swollen, add one handful of Epsom salts or baking powder to the bowl.
  2. Soak your feet for five to ten minutes. If using the almond and milk soak (or any other luxurious foot soaking product), soak for fifteen minutes to get the softer feel.
  3. After soaking, dry your feet thoroughly using a clean, soft towel. Remove any dirt under your toenails, and clip your toenails to a suitable length. If wished, slightly push back the cuticles, as the cuticles will be soft.
  4. Massage your feet. Use a rich balm or cream, or exfoliate. You can make your own as follows: 1 spoon each each of unscented body oil, aloe vera gel, kosher salts and whole oats. Use this to exfoliate each foot.
    • If your feet do not quite feel smooth on the bottom or sides, use a hand held foot rubber with a rough surface.
    • As you massage your feet, take this opportunity to notice how they are; are there any bumps, warts, growths, cracks, peeling areas, etc. that need special attention? If you have hard calluses, corns or growths, you might need to seek medical advice; don't let them go on unheeded or pain could result.
  5. Rub off the exfoliate with a towel. Rinse the rest off in the bowl of water used for soaking in.
  6. Rub your favorite moisturizing foot or body lotion over each foot. This step will leave your feet sweet smelling and soft.
    • If you're going to be painting your toenails, wipe off lotion from the toenail area with polish remover before starting. Otherwise, the lotion will interfere with the application of the nail polish.
  7. If you're painting your toenails, your feet are now ready. Apply your usual favorite polish and if you're really luxuriating, use this as an opportunity to apply longer-drying polishes which have a glossier finish. This can allow you to languish in the foot spa a little longer!
    • Finish with a quick drying top coat.
    • It's recommended that you wait at least 45 minutes before wearing any closed toe shoes after polish application. Also, make sure that your feet are dry before doing any nail work or pedicure to your feet!

Tips

  • An at-home foot spa is good for parties, sleepovers or just an afternoon in. If having one for a girly sleepover, be sure to include face packs, makeovers and hair-dos for a complete at-home spa package.
  • An easy way to massage your feet is to include a layer of marbles in the bowl. Run your feet back and forth over these to stimulate the blood flow and to massage them. Do this while soaking.
  • The process can be done on hands, but only use a very gentle, exfoliator, or none at all.
  • Although some creams and balms aren't made specifically for feet, you might like to try them as some are great for feet as well has hands and body. This saves some money and doubling up on products too.

Warnings

  • Clip toenails straight across the nail, as opposed to a slant, to prevent ingrown toenails upon regrowth.
  • Do not use hot water; this will cause you to feel lethargic and unrefreshed because heat increases the pulse rate and drains energy.
  • Some body lotions or exfoliators can irritate sensitive skins.

Things You'll Need

  • Bowl or tub suitable for feet
  • Warm water
  • Essential oil, bubble bath, or other foot soaking mixture
  • Foot or body exfoliate
  • Foot or body lotion
  • Towels for drying
  • Nail polish, polish remover (optional)

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