Your feet are precious; they carry you many a mile and help you to maintain your posture. It is no surprise that they may feel tired, calloused, or swollen by the end of the day. Give your feet the attention they really deserve by pampering them with a foot spa. Once you know the basic procedure, you can experiment with special soaks and scrubs to suit the needs of your feet.
Creating a Basic Foot Spa
Create a relaxing environment. Decide where you want to have your foot spa, then dim the lights. Put on some music that you find relaxing. Light some candles, if desired, and make sure that all of your supplies are close by and ready to use. This includes your towels, scrubs, lotions, and socks or slippers.
- You can have your foot spa anywhere you want: bedroom, bathroom, living room, etc.
- Zen music, classical music, and nature sounds are all very relaxing. Everyone is different, however; if you find heavy metal to be the most relaxing, then go for it!
- If you want an invigorating foot spa instead, choose a room with windows, then open the curtains to let in the natural light.
Fill a plastic tub with warm water. Any plastic container that is big enough to fit both of your feet will do just fine. For a more luxurious experience, make sure that the tub is tall enough to reach halfway up your calves. You can also use one of those tubs made specifically for foot spas if you really want to get fancy.
- Consider adding some marbles or smooth stones into the bottom of the tub. This way, you can roll your feet over them and give yourself a foot massage!
Add your desired herbs, salts, or oils. Here is where you can get really creative. It can be as simple as adding a handful of Epsom salt or sea salt, or as fancy as creating a milk bath. Listed below are some ideas to get you started:
- Squirt some bubble bath solution if you like bubbles and wish to soften your feet.
- Add 10 drops of essential oil for fragrance and aromatherapy. Peppermint, lavender, or lemongrass are all great options.
- If you want a nicer, visual appearance, add a bit of mint or a handful of rose petals.
- To soften your feet, use 1 cup (125 grams) of powdered milk (dairy or soy) and 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of almond oil instead.
Soak your feet in the water for 10 to 15 minutes. Pull the tub over in front of a comfortable chair. Sit down in the chair, then slip your feet into the tub. Read a book or close your eyes and listen to some music. You can even combine the foot spa with another treatment, such as a face mask or eye mask.
- Dirty water is not very relaxing, so make sure that your feet are clean. If they are dirty, rinse them off first in the shower, bathtub, or sink.
Exfoliate your feet with a scrub or manicure brush after soaking. Once the 10 to 15 minutes are up, it is time for some exfoliation! Use a manicure brush or a small body brush for a simple treatment. For a fancier treatment, use a homemade or store-bought foot scrub instead. Focus the exfoliation on your heels, where the skin is the most calloused.
- If you used the foot scrub, be sure to rinse it off using your foot soak water.
- For exceptionally calloused heels, consider using a pumice stone.
- Keep your feet over the tub so that you can splash water on them whenever it is necessary.
Follow up with a foot massage. If you added marbles to the tub, you can simply roll your feet back-and-forth across them. You can also use a store-bought massager, or give yourself a traditional foot massage using your hands.
- Don’t stress about doing the massage correctly as a professional would. Do what feels the best to you.
Pat your feet dry, then apply moisturizer. Pat your feet dry with a soft, clean towel first. Next, massage some body lotion to your feet. If you don’t have any lotion, you can use body butter, body oil, or even jojoba oil instead. Seal the moisturizer in by putting on a pair of cotton socks. It would be best to leave these socks on overnight.
- Skip the socks if you will be giving yourself a pedicure.
Give yourself a pedicure, if desired. Clean under your toenails with a manicure brush, then trim them with nail clippers. Dry your feet with a clean towel, then wipe your toenails with nail polish remover to get rid of any oils. Apply a base coat, follow up with your desired nail polish color, then seal it with a clear topcoat. Let everything dry before moving on.
- If you need to push back your cuticles, do so with a cuticle pusher or orange stick before you apply the nail polish.
- It’s recommended that you wait at least 45 minutes before wearing any closed-toe shoes after polish application.
