BEAUTI TECH: 11/10/11

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Home Made Facial Cleansers

From very beginning women who are cautious about their looks and skin used to wash face with different natural materials like gram flour, whole milk and so forth. These are natural cleansers and are very gentle to facial skin. Nowadays a very huge range of synthetic cleansers are available all over the world. Some of these also claim of natural ingredients but their validity can not be checkered. Definitely it is better to skip such commercial face cleansers or face washes. There's no reason to spend a bunch of money on nasty chemical detergents to "wash" your face with. Real ingredients are much better for your skin anyway.

NATURAL FACIAL CLEANSERS FOR NORMAL SKIN:

Apply whole milk to your face with a cotton pad, rub gently and then rinse with water thoroughly.

Cucumber

Cucumber is a real natural cleanser and has been used for this purpose all over the world. A homemade facial cleanser can be made by any of the following recipes;

Milk and Lemon

You can get a number of milk cleansers in the market. However you can get the benefits of milk from fresh and cheap milk at home. Take 1 tablespoon of hot milk. Add 1/4 tablespoon of lime juice. Apply this mixture on your face and neck and wash off after 10 minutes. This lotion cleanses and purifies the pores of the skin.

lemon is a well known natural skin cleanser for centuries.

Oatmeal as Skin Care Cleanser

There is a folk lore of thousands of years about using oatmeal as a natural skin cleanser. The recipe is easy and quick. Take 1/2 cup oatmeal. Add enough curd to form a paste. Apply this mixture on your face. Wash off with warm water.

Ground Rice

Grind rice in a coffee grinder and store in a bottle. Take two table spoons of it and make a paste with some yogurt or water. This will make a good skin Care cleanser when applied and rubbed gently.

HOME MADE FACE CLEANSERS FOR OILY SKIN

There are a number of natural ingredients that can truely substitute expansive commercial products and used effectively as natural cleansers for oily skin. These help to remove any dust or other impurities and wipe away excessive oil or sebum. The most popular ones are;

Lemon Juice

Soak a peice of cotton with lemon juice and rub

gently over your face in circular motions. This is a good natural cleanser to remove dust and oil. You can add some drops of mint juice to get a refreshing sensation. Mint also acts as an astringent for oily skin.

Vinegar

Any type of vinegar from apple cider to white synthetiv vinegar can be used as a natural facial cleanser. Soak a cotton peice and rub against your face avoiding the eye area. Rinse with warm water and gently pat the skin dry.

Dairy Products

Both of the main dairy products that is milk and yogurt can be used as homemade facial cleanser for oily skin. For yogurt just massage gently over the entire face and wipe away with a towel. Afterwards remove any residue with a toner or distilled water. For milk, add some lemon juice and mix well. Now strain and use as a cleanser.

Rose Water

Rose water is a well known for natural facial treatments all over the world particularly in Asian countries.
Just apply over the entire face with a cotton swab and rub gently.

Read more on Natural Recipes for Oily Skin Care.

HOMEMADE FACIAL CLEANSERS FOR DRY SKIN

Surely, we can find a number of items in our kitchen cabinet or grocery shop that can substitue the chemical based synthetic products and serve as natural dry skin cleanser without possing any harmful effects to our skin and any additional burden on our pockets. These include;

Oatmeal and Honey Cleanser;

oatmeal is a good Skin Care Cleanser for all skin types.

You can use a mixture of oatmeal with honey and rub against your facial skin and neck in circular motion, avoiding eye areas. Wait for some time, now rinse with cold water. Oatmeal serves to cleanse your skin thoroughly while honey is a good nutrient and humectant that helps to improve your skin complexion making it soft, smooth and rejuvinated.

Oatmeal and Yogurt

Yogurt is a good dry skin cleanser. Take some oatmeals and mix them with yogurt, apply to whole face and neck. Keep rubbing against your facial skin but do not forget to be gentle and calm. Let it work for few minutes. Remove the scrub by simply rinsing with cold water. This homemade facial cleanser is equally effective for all skin types and even for sensitive skin.

Cucumber and Milk Cleanser

An easy recipe for a good skin care cleanser is to take half cucumber, peel and remove the seed portion. Put it in the blender, pour some milk and blend well. Apply over the face and neck and rub gently. To remove wash with luke warm water and pat dry. In fact this is one of the fastest and easiest facial treatments to get beautiful soft and supple skin.

What is Melasma?

Melasma is a tan or dark skin discoloration. Melasma is particularly common in women, especially pregnant women, but it also affects males. Although it tends to occur in all races, it's more common in darker skin types, especially Hispanics and Asians. It is not a harmful disease but it posses severe cosmetic problem Melasma is an acquired of sun-exposed areas.

CAUSES OF MELASMA

Melasma occurs when the body is producing an excess of the hormone that stimulates melanin. Melanin is what makes your skin dark.It is the chemical that determines the color of skin. The more melanin there is in a person's skin, the darker that person's skin will be.
Sometimes the cells that contain melanin are damaged or over stimulated. When this happens, the affected cells may begin to produce too much, or too little melanin. Too much melanin causes darker spots or patches, while too little causes lighter spots or patches. These lighter or darker spots appear on the surface of the skin, and can be unsightly.

The most important factor in the development of melasma is exposure to sunlight. There fore, women with a light brown skin type, living in areas of intense sun exposure are more susceptible to develop melasma.
Melasma is thought to be due to over stimulation of melanocytes by female sex hormones, Estrogen and Progesterone,so it is common during pregnancy.
Another cause is oral contraceptives as these mainly contain female sex hormones.
Melasma also increases in patients with thyroid disease.
Overproduction of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) brought on by stress can cause outbreaks of this condition.
Genetic predisposition is also a major factor in determining whether someone will develop melasma.
Other factors that make it more likely that a person will get melasma include using medications that make you sensitive to the sun (photosensitizing). These can include some cosmetics and medicines used to treat ovarian or thyroid problems.

SYMPTOMS OF MELASMA

Melasma does not cause any other symptoms beyond the cosmetic discoloration. It presents as symmetrical hyperpigmented patch, which can be confluent or punctate. The cheeks, the upper lip, the chin, and the forehead are the most common locations like forearms, but it can occasionally occur in other sun-exposed locations. These patches develop over a period of time. Chloasma, is the hyperpigmentation of skin related with pregnancy. Hence, it is especially common in women aged 20-40. It affects the forehead, cheeks and upper lips. It occurs frequently during pregnancy and is more common in dark skins than in fair skins.

Home Remedies for Melasma

We can very well imagine how curious man has been about his beauty and looks, probably from the beginning of mankind. The time one could have seen the dark spots of melasma, he would be worried to get rid of them, resulting in a long list of tips and remedies to prevent and cure melasma.

Fight Wrinkles with Your Diet

Wrinkles are an inevitable part of life and all of us are prone to get them one day or the other. In fact no one can completely prevent them, but we can change their severity and time of appearance. With proper skin care, avoidance of ultraviolet rays and good nourishment we can keep our skin healthy, youthful and wrinkle free for a longer period than usual. We know how to take good skin care and how to protect it from ultraviolet radiations and other environmental stress.
But what about the nourishment? Is it always from outside? Does a good moisturizer and a nourishing face mask are enough to keep our skin well hydrated and properly nourished? The answer is simple and it is obviously NO.
All of us believe that what ever we take in affects every organ of our body then how skin could be spared; it is also one of our body organs. Just as we can keep our heart energetic by eating a low cholesterol diet and we can prevent gastric acidity by taking less spicy foods, We CAN keep our skin soft and firm as well as prevent wrinkles by modifying our diets.
In a recent study published by researchers from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia in 2001 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, the researchers analyzed the relationship between diet and wrinkles. It was concluded that a healthy food diet low in glycemic value and rich in anti oxidants is less likely to cause wrinkles and other aging effects.

Foods That Help to Reduce Wrinkles.

It is found that healthy food rich in anti oxidants particularly zinc, selenium, and vitamins A, C and E are less likely to cause wrinkling. Anti oxidants are the cellular warriors that fight both aging and disease by reducing the amount of free radicals. The above mentioned anti oxidants are particularly important for fighting against wrinkles because they have their primary role on skin cells.
Hence to keep your skin healthy and damage free look for diet rich in these skin friendly anti oxidants. You can get them in;

Fruits and fruit products like apples, oranges and papaya (paw paw) and mixed berries,
Vegetables (especially green leafy like, spinach),
Nuts like walnuts,
Legumes like lima beans,
Wholegrain cereals like wheat, whole oats, barley.
Mono unsaturated fats as olives and olive oil
Low fat milk and yogurt,
Garlic and onions,
Poultry and eggs,
Fish,
Tea both black and white,
Above all water.

Foods Associated with More Wrinkles

It is found that people who skip foods such as butter, red meat and confectionery are less prone to wrinkling. These foods include;

Saturated fat,
Processed Meat,
Dairy products with full fat,
Sweetened drinks,
Cakes, pastries and desserts
Potatoes,
Butter and Margarine

Recent studies have confirmed the bad effects of sugars on your skin and its tendency to cause wrinkles. Too much sugar in the blood stream damages the protein and reduces the amount of collagen in our skin; the tissue responsible for the elasticity and tone of our skin. The net result is less elasticity and more wrinkles. While saturated fats clog the skin vessels and damage their blood supply leading to poor nutrition and bad health. Again this makes our skin more prone to wrinkles and aging.

Dietary Tips to Prevent Wrinkles.

Beside topical applications our ancestors have also discovered a relationship between the oral intake of certain specific natural products and appearance of premature or age related wrinkles as well as age spots. Thus in other words these natural foods not only provide us with proper nutrients to enjoy a full bloom youth but also prolong this period by delaying the signs of aging that is wrinkle prevention.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey

You can get a very long list of benefits of taking apple cider vinegar. To boost up the health beneficial effects honey is added and this makes a real good combination. This is one of the most important natural remedies in healing the body that cures the most human disorders than any other folk remedy. Taking the drink two times a day brings a healthy, rosy glow to the complexion, tones up the skin, cures fine lines and prevents any future wrinkles. Furthermore, it also has good effects on premature graying of hairs. The recipe is;

2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon honey (you can add more to taste)
1 glass of water

Take lukewarm water in winters and ice cold in summers. This works for a lot of peoples and surely you are one of them.
Read more on apple cider vinegar (ACV) remedies.

Garlic and Honey

Eating one tablespoon of crushed garlic with equal amount of honey empty stomach revitalizes skin and body, gives energy and impediment the signs of aging including wrinkles. This is among the time tested anti aging remedies that has been used since ancient times for wrinkle prevention and delaying other signs of aging like gray hairs.
Read more on
Garlic Remedies and
Honey Remedies remedies.

Flax seed Oils

Another natural remedy for preventing wrinkles is to take flax seed oil daily. In America and Australia, flax seeds are a modern popular food supplement for general well being. However, the fact is that in Asia and Europe flax seeds and flax seed oil have been a part of both animals and human foods for a very long period. (3000 to 5000 years). Beside their role in treating body aches and pains, one of their "side effect" is that

flax seed removes any fine lines and prevents wrinkle formation. Also it has a preventive role in eczema formation.

Aging Skin Or Wrinkles

Aging is a process which occurs through out the body but signs of aging are reflected by our skin first. Skin ages all over the body but aging signs start mostly on the sun exposed areas, that is face, neck, arms and back of hands. Through out the history man has been trying different techniques to ward off the signs of aging. Recently, medical science has provided us certain scientific but still controversial approaches to minimize the effects of aging. Probably the history of anti aging remedies is as old as that of man kind and it is the result of extensive efforts of our ancestors that we can find a number of effective natural anti aging skin treatments that not only prevent wrinkles formation but also help to cure any existing fine lines, sometimes making a remarkable difference.

Anti Aging Remedies

We have a good collection of time tested and easily approachable remedies to combat the effect of time on our skin particularly face. Most commonly used remedies include;

Castor oil
Virgin Coconut Oil
Vitamin E Oil
Baking Soda
Sesame Oil and others.

Read more on Anti aging remedies.
Anti aging remedies for getting rid of wrinkles
through simple home remedies to get youthful skin.

Anti aging skin treatments with sugar
Anti Aging Skin Care Treatments at Home with
sugar and other simple ingredients to get
a youthful Skin.

Natural Hair Packs

AVOCADO HAIR PACK

1. With Mayonnaise

Ingredients

1 small jar of mayonnaise
olive oil 1 tablespoon
1/2 avocado

Peel and pit avocado. Take half avocado and mash well with mayonnaise and oil till it has a creamy consistency. Apply to your hairs and work through hairs to ends. Cover with a shower cap.

You may use a warm towel if your hairs are really damaged. This will help in deep conditioning. Let your hair treated for 20 minutes. Be ready for shiny healthy hairs.

2. With Egg Ingredients

1 whole egg
olive oil or any other hair oil 1 tablespoon
1/2 avocado

Peel and pit the avocado. Now mash it thoroughly while slowly adding egg to make a smoothe paste. Apply this to your scalp and along the length of hairs. Wait for 30 minutes or more. Rinse well with tepid water and shampoo as usual. This gives bounce and shine to lifeless dull hairs.

Banana Hair Pack

Do you have a bunch of ripe, soggy bananas lying in your kitchen that you're about to throw away? Don't! Instead, you can use them to prepare a vitamin-rich homemade Banana Hair Pack to pamper and condition your hair.

Recipe for making Banana Hair Pack

To make a Banana Hair Pack at home, you need the following ingredients:

Ripe bananas (the numbers could vary depending upon the length of your hair)
1-2 tablespoons honey
2-5 drops of almond oil
1 Egg Yolk (Incase you have dry hair)

How to prepare a Banana Hair Pack

Mix the bananas, honey, egg yolk and almond oil in a blender to make a smooth paste.
Moisten your hair with warm water and apply the paste to your hair.
Use a shower cap or wrap your hair with a towel to ensure the pack penetrates deep into the roots.
Let the pack set for about 25-30 minutes.
Wash it off with a regular shampoo.

Benefits of applying Banana Hair Pack

Banana is a rich source of potassium, Vitamin B and Vitamin C and helps to protect our hair from the damages caused by exposure to dirt, pollution and other toxins in the environment. Vitamin B found in bananas is effective in preventing split ends. This simple, homemade hair pack also serves as an excellent treatment for dandruff by retaining moisture in your scalp.

Warning:

Avoid using the Banana Hair Pack in case you're allergic to any of the ingredients used in the preparation.

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How To Make Hair Pack at Home

How To Make Hair Pack at Home
Having a hard time with your hair? Don’t know what product to use. Thanks to the fashion revolution, now the stores are filled with billions of hair packs. Some will add shine to your locks while some will make it thick and strong. But if you don’t want to confuse yourself with all that billion options, then you have only one option – make your own hair pack at home.

Many complain about having dry hair. Say bye to your dry locks as you can make your very own hair pack for dry hair with the help of an over ripe banana, rotten avocado and a mushy. Mash all these three together and apply the mixture to your hair. Leave it for fifteen minutes and then wash it off. This natural pack will make the dryness go away.

If you want your hair to be soft and silky then this is the right pack for you. Mix three table spoon of olive oil with two table spoon of honey. After applying the mixture to your hair, cover it with a shower cap or a plastic bag. After that shampoo and rinse the hair properly.

Everyday our hair is exposed to heat and pollution. It not only makes the hair dull and dry but the hair often becomes oily as well, even though you are not applying oil to your hair. This problem can be fixed very easily. Take one table spoon of vinegar; mix it with a glass of water. Add a pinch of salt with it. Take two table spoon of this lotion and massage it on the scalp twice a week.

No one wants their hair to become thin. If you want volume, take a table spoon of vinegar, one table spoon oh honey and half a cup of warm water. Put it in a spray bottle which is available in stores. Now mix the ingredients and put it in the spray bottle. After you wash your hair (with shampoo) let your hair dry a bit. Spray the mixture on damp hair and massage the scalp. Do not rinse it off.

Those were some simple remedies to the regular hair problems. To make your hair healthy and beautiful, you need to give it extra care which means cleansing. For cleansing you do have shampoo. But in case if you wish to avoid the chemicals and want something mild then look into the kitchen and you will find just the thing for your home made hair cleansing pack. Here is what you have to do. Beat an egg with a cup of skimmed milk. When the foam is consistent, rub it into the scalp and leave it for five minutes. Afterwards just rinse it with water. Do this twice a week.

Instructions

- 1
  
  Soak your feet in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes either in a foot bath or the bathtub. Adding essential oils in your favorite scent will relax you and soften your feet. You can also soften your feet with a bath bead in warm water.
- 2
  
  Scrub your feet with a bath salt to slough away dead skin cells. Massage the bath salt into your feet and rinse.
- 3
  
  Use a pumice stone to soften rough spots and reduce calluses.
- 4
  
  Apply a cuticle cream to soften your cuticles. Use an orange stick to gently push your cuticles back.
- 5
  
  Rub on a foot cream or lotion to your feet and calves. Spend some time massaging your feet and calves.
- 6
  
  Clip your toe nails straight across to avoid ingrown nails. Use a file to smooth the edges.
- 7
  
  Choose the perfect shade of polish and polish your toe nails. Use a shiny top coat for that professional look.

How to Get the Perfect Home Pedicure

Professional Pedicure Tips: 7 Steps to Perfect Springtime Nails

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Professional Pedicure Tips: 7 Steps to Perfect Springtime Nails

Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 1:08PM | in

Beauty,

nails

Spring is right around the corner and with the warm weather comes the need for great manicures and pedicures (well, these are must haves in ALL weather in my humble opinion) and Alexis Posharo has created a guest post for you guys detailing the steps to perfect spring nails!

The Perfect Pedi:

It’s already March, and spring is in the air – that means it’s almost time to put away your boots and break out the peep-toe heels, sandals, and your favorite flip-flops. But if you’ve just gone through a winter of neglecting your tootsies, you’ll need to spruce them up before you slip on those shoes. Fortunately, you don’t have to go to a salon to get a professional pedicure. You can do it at home or with your girlfriends the next time you’re getting ready for a big night out. Just reserve an hour for your feet and you’ll have pampered, spring-worthy toes before you know it. Light some candles, grab a mimosa, turn on some jams, and get that pedicure going!

1. Remove Old Polish

Make sure you have sparkling clean nails before you grab that new nail polish. If it’s a dark color, use a lint-free cotton pad and an acetone remover to get it off completely. Lighter colors can be removed with a gentler acetone-free nail polish remover. If you notice that you have any stains on your nails, try using a little bit of whitening toothpaste – simply rub it onto your nail and rinse it off to reveal the cleanest nails you’ve ever seen.

2. Trim & Smooth Your Nails

Toenails aren’t quite the same as fingernails when it comes to trimming. You want to make sure that you don’t allow the nail to extend past the end of your toe. It’s also important to cut straight across without coming back to trim the corners, as this can cause ingrown nails. Once you’ve finished trimming your nails, use an emery board to smooth out the edges. It helps to pull it across your nails in just one direction to prevent ripping and tearing.

3. Soak & Enjoy

Give yourself a foot bath to relax after a long day and moisturize your feet. Use a large bowl with a flat bottom, filling it with warm water and adding your favorite bath salts or oils. You can also add a little milk for extra moisturizing power, then soak for ten minutes.

4. Care for Your Cuticles

Just as if you were giving yourself a manicure, use an orangewood stick to push back your cuticles. They should be soft from the moisturizing foot bath, but if they’re not moving, try rubbing a little cuticle cream into them before pushing them back again.

5. Exfoliate

Try an exfoliating foot scrub or a pumice stone to remove any residual damaged skin. Be gentle and stop exfoliating if your foot starts to turn red – this means you’ve been scrubbing too hard.

6. Moisturize

Rub a luxurious foot cream into your skin, massaging up into your calf muscles for extra relaxation. Use the acetone remover again to get rid of any oils from the moisturizer that might have gotten onto your nails, as they can keep your nail polish from adhering correctly.

7. Paint Your Nails

Apply a base coat to keep your nails healthy, using three strokes on each nail: one down the middle from cuticle to tip, and one on each side. After this has dried, apply two coats of your favorite polish. Trends for spring 2011 include natural nudes, light blues, peachy pinks, dusty lavenders, and gunmetal grays. Finish up with a shimmering top coat and allow your nails to dry for at least 40 minutes before you slip on your favorite toe-baring shoes.

Alexis Posharo is a freelance writer, fashionista, and an amateur musician. Lately she’s been researching college grants and other ways to keep student loans to a minimum.

Steps To Carry Out Pedicure On The Feet Of Person Suffering From Diabetes:

Steps To Carry Out Pedicure On The Feet Of Person Suffering From Diabetes:
Here are few steps that can be followed to carry out pedicure on the feet of the person suffering from diabetes. They are:

Avoid shaving your legs before undergoing a pedicure. Unshaven legs will prevent the skin from itching and irritation which can be caused to your skin at the time of pedicure. Moreover over they will also prevent any kind of infection from entering into the skin in case of any cuts.
Use only lukewarm water for soaking your feet. Before you put your feet into the water check it with your hand. It is done as hot water can damage the skin of your feet.
The removal of the calluses and corns must only be done after soaking the feet in warm water and the strokes must very mild. Harsh strokes can damage the skin of the foot. Avoid using metal pumice stone or credo blade for removing the calluses as they can be too harsh for diabetic feet.
The cutting and filing of the toenails must be carried out using an emery board. Clip and file the toenail in the straightforward direction. This will prevent the formation of ingrown toenail. Avoid clipping the toenails near the skin as can cause cut in the skin. Use toenail nippers for clipping the skin instead of toenail clippers. It is because they are gentle on nails. Before using any instrument do ensure that they are properly cleaned in warm water as dirty instruments can cause infection.
Do moisturize your feet but with a mild lotion and use gentle stroke to apply them. Avoid using moisturizer in between the toes.

Common Nail Problems

Common Nail Problems

1. Furrows or depressions that split as the nail grows - These are the result of an injury to the root of the nail. The only solution to this problem is to keep the nail short or have a wrap put on to mend the split.

2. Leuconychia or white spots on the nail - The cause of these are not known; but they have been called stress spots, calcium deposits or nail injuries. They are harmless and will grow off on their own.

3. Thick yellow nails that crumble when they are cut - This is a sign of nail fungus. A doctor can prescribe medication to treat this infection. If you have this condition be sure to have it treated. It will only get worse and can spread if not treated.

4. Pterygium or overgrown cuticles - Everyday after your shower push back your cuticles with your towel as you dry off. Using an exfoliating cuticle remover will also help.

5. Onychophagy or bitten nails - If you are a nail biter, having manicures will make your nails look better and may keep you from biting them. Taking care of the skin around the nail is important, as infections can start if the skin is broken.

6. Stains - Nails can be stained by using polish without a basecoat or if your hands are in dyes. You can soak your nails in a mixture of lemon juice and peroxide to get the stains off.

7. Ridges - The aging process can be one reason ridges appear as we get older. You can buff ridges down but be careful not to over buff as it will weaken your nails. Ridge filling base coats will make it easier to apply nail colour over the ridges.

ccccccBeautiful Hands & Feet - Steps to the Perfect Manicure & Pedicure

Beauty Rising Woman - Jessica Taylor.gif (11097 bytes)

By Jessica Taylor of Jessica's Beauty Services

If you are like most women, you dream of elegant hands with beautiful finger nails and pretty feet and toe nails to show off in your summer sandals. With a few simple steps you can greatly improve the appearance of your hands and feet by yourself in the comfort of your own easy chair. You will need at least one uninterrupted hour to treat yourself to this wonderful spa manicure and pedicure.

First, gather all your supplies. This includes one bath towel and two hand towels and one large bowl to soak your feet in (squirt some liquid soap in the bowl). Collect your toenail clippers, emery board, cuticle pusher (an orange wood stick with cotton wrapped around the end dipped in water will work), cuticle nipper and foot file (with both a course and smoother side). You will also need cuticle oil (olive oil works well), an exfoliating scrub (sugar mixed with canola oil is a great home-made scrub), massage cream (use your favourite body cream), nail polish remover (use the non-acetone variety as it does not dry out your nails as much), cotton, tissue and toe separators (you can use wrapped tissue between your toes). Have on hand your basecoat, topcoat and your favourite nail polish colour. Place all your supplies within easy reach, put on a relaxing music CD and light a scented candle. Now you are ready to begin your luxurious manicure and pedicure.

1. Remove any nail polish from your fingernail and toenails.

2. Clip and file your toenails. Cut them straight across the top to prevent ingrown nails and round the corners with a file so they are not sharp.

3.Fill the bowl with warm water and soak your feet.

4. While soaking, file your fingernails to your desired shape.

5. Rub cuticle oil into each of your nails. Then take your cuticle pusher and gently push back each cuticle. If you have any hangnails you can clip them off using your cuticle nipper.

6. Remove your feet from the water and dry them with a small towel. Rub cuticle oil into the cuticle area of each toenail.

7. Take your foot file and dip it into the water and then using the course side of the file rub the calluses and dry skin on your feet until the skin peels off and the calluses are gone. Flip the file over and use the smooth side to smooth the skin on the bottom of your feet and around your toes.

8. Use your cuticle pusher to push back the cuticle on each toe. If there is excess cuticle, trim with your cuticle nippers.

9. Take your exfoliating scrub into your hands and work it into one foot to exfoliate any dry skin that is left on your foot. Place your foot back into the water after you have finished and do the same with the other foot. With both feet in the water use the scrub to exfoliate the tops of your hands and between your fingers. When you are finished exfoliating your hands, rinse them in the water while rinsing all the scrub off your feet.

10. Remove your feet from the water and dry them with another small towel. Be sure to dry between each toe.

11. Using your massage cream, massage your feet, ankles and lower leg. When you have finished massaging your feet and legs, massage your hands, going right up to your elbows.

12. Using polish remover on tissue, remove all traces of oil from each toenail. Place toe separators between your toes. Apply a base coat to each nail. Then apply a thin layer of nail polish to each toe. Don’t worry if the first coat is not perfect. You can fix it by applying a thicker second coat of colour. Finish your polish application with a clear topcoat.

13. Remove the oil from your fingernails using polish remover. Apply the basecoat, two coats of colour and the topcoat in the same fashion as you did on your toes.

14. Sit back and relax for 20 minutes while your polish dries.

If you can take the time to do this treatment for yourself at least once a month you will be well on your way to having hands and feet you can be proud of.

10 Steps To A Perfect At Home Pedicure

Luxury does not have to be associated with lucrative expense. Every now and then, there are a few little things that we can do to ourselves to make us feel like kings and queens; a pedicure is one of those things.

Unfortunately, because of hectic schedules, this little favor that we do for ourselves often takes the back seat. Our feet work round the clock, and these two pods deserve something better. We don’t actually have to go to a fancy salon to get the perfect pedicure.

Here are a few things we can do to get a pedicure that is just as good!

Step 1

Give your feet a warm dip. Put some warm water in a small basin that could accommodate both of your feet. Cover your feet up to your ankles with the water, and soak them for a relaxing treat.

Step 2

To take your foot soak up a notch, try infusing it with some marjoram oil, lavender oil and non drying soap, or even shampoo. This will moisturize and odorize your feet. You can also follow this simple Marjoram Foot Bath. Leave them in for about 10-15 minutes to treat your feet well and get those hard spots and calluses soft enough. Since you’re at home, throw in your favorite TV show or movie and have a great time.

Step 3

Smoothen up those hard and rough spots by using an oil based body scrub for exfoliation or home made Marjoram Foot Lotion. A small amount in each sole and ankle will do the job.

Step 4

Rub away those rough spots. Use a pumice stone to remove calluses and dead skin cells. Rub in circles and gently, so that you don’t get breaks in the skin and end up with sore feet.

Step 5

Vinegar is not only good for salads, by the way. Use white vinegar to remove any discoloration from your toenails that dark nail polish may have caused. Rub the vinegar unto your toe nails with a soft cotton ball. If your toe nails have grown thick and yellowed, you might want to talk to a doctor because these may be signs of a fungal infection.

Step 6

Hang nails can be an agony. Make sure to clip your nails in a straight rather than rounded fashion to avoid hang nails. Use a sharp clipper, and a nail file to file away any uneven edges.

Step 7

Orange or cuticle sticks may be used to groom your nails even more. Push back overgrown cuticles to make your nails look neater.

Step 8

Polish your nails with a buffing block. This will make your nails shiny, remove roughness, and nail rippling.

Step 9

Applying nail color can be a difficult choice. Choose the color that would match most of the things that you wear, apply the first coat, and when this dries, add another coat. When both coats are dry, move on to applying a final coat of clear polish to prolong the life of your nail color.

Step 10

When you are done with your nails, give your feet a massage. Use thick moisturizing cream, vitamin E based oil or your home made foot massage oil blend. Put on a pair of socks for moisture retention and leave these overnight. When you wake up, you will have feet with skin as soft as a baby’s.

These tips can give you the same things that a foot spa experience can give you without having to sacrifice valuable work time. You only need carefully selected products to give your feet the treat they need at the end of a busy day; what’s more, you also have feet that are ready to show off all the time! This will get your pedicurist off your case!

- Apply cuticle oil to cuticles.

- Apply cuticle oil to cuticles.
*TIP – Cuticle oil is quite possibly any nail technician’s secret weapon as the application will make nails in any condition, look healthier. Guaranteed.

POLISH APPLICATION PREP (OPTIONAL)

For nail polish application, remove any traces of lotion from nails using a cotton ball with nail polish remover. Apply polish in the following order:

- Start with one coat for base coat to all nails.
- Follow with a coat, or two, of nail polish (one coat a time).
- End with Top coat application.

Finish with application of cuticle oil to cuticles, as in step above.

It’s easy to have a foot fetish with kissable feet!

Time Required: 60 – 120 mins

1. Soak Feet

In pedicure bowl, mix foot soak in a generous amount of lukewarm water as per foot soak instructions. Place feet in bowl for up to 10 minutes.

2. Remove any existing polish from nails on both feet. (If necessary.)

3. Cut and File Nails

- Remove right foot from pedicure bath. Cut nails using nail clipper.
Note: cutting nails too short can damage the nail. Avoid cutting nails with too sharp of a downward curve at the edge / sides of the nail, where the nail meets the side of your finger, as this may result in ingrown/ hangnails. Ouch.

- Using a nail file, file nails so that there are no sharp edges left by nail clipper, so that nail edge is smooth.

4. Clean the edges of the nail plate

- Using orange stick or nail pusher, GENTLY clean bottom of the nail bed, where it connects to the finger.

- GENTLY push back the cuticle using orange stick/ nail pusher.
Dead skin cells of the cuticle collect here, as well as residue from hand lotion, environmental dirt, etc. It is important not to scrape the nail bed in this area too roughly, as grave, possibly permanent, damage may be done to the nail bed.

- OPTIONAL – Cuticles may be clipped at this stage, but it is important to clip ONLY the dead, and not the living, tissue. If you are unsure of what is dead and what is living tissue, skip this stage altogether, as clipping live tissue can result in cuts, bleeding and damage to the cuticle.

5. Buff nails and clean under free edge

- Using a white nail buffer, GENTLY buff nails (no more than 10 strokes per nail).
Buffing to smooth the nail bed. Overzealous buffing however, will result in thinning and possible damage to the nail plate, which is a common occurrence in professional manicures. The amount of buffing that ought to be done will depend on the condition of the nail. It is important to note that, depending on the depth of the ridges of the nail, it may not be possible to smoothen out all ridges, without removing the entire nail bed.

- Using orange stick, clean under free edge (the area at the top of the nail where gook collects when you use your nails to scratch… something) of any residual nail that may have collected here during the filing/ buffing stage.

6. Apply cuticle oil to cuticles

- Critical step to well manicured nails.

7. Apply callus softener and wrap foot

- Optional, if applicable, apply callus softener to any calluses/ hardened areas on soles of feet, and wrap foot in a towel.

Repeat steps 3 – 7 on left foot.

8. Smooth calluses

- Starting with right foot, remove towel and smooth calluses/ hardened areas on soles of feet with a back and forth motion using foot file. Repeat on left foot. And please, never use a razor blade.

9. Apply and remove scrub

- Starting with right foot, apply foot scrub for 2-3 minutes. Rinse with clean water from small bowl into the pedicure bowl. Repeat on left foot.

OPTIONAL – Apply foot mask
To right foot, avoiding the tips of the toes, and wrap in a towel. Repeat on left foot and let both feet stand for 5-10 minutes.

Rinse mask from right foot using clean water from bowl. Repeat on left foot.

10. Massage feet

- Massage hydrating foot lotion to right foot, including legs. Pay special attention to heels. Repeat on left foot.

- If necessary, apply heel balm to cracked heels, on right and left foot.