How To: Maintain Your Spa Pedicure

 It's Spring time and I'm sure you're all as excited as I am to put away your boots and bust out the sandals! Even in the winter I find myself getting pedicures because I just can't handle not having them done, but I pay particular attention to maintaining them when it's sandal weather. When I was working in high school and had no real bills to pay I was getting a pedicure every two weeks, so there was little need for maintenance but now that I prioritize other things over getting one (or sometimes I just don't have the time) I'm more interested in making them last. I started to notice that after I shower my feet are really dry and if I don't moisturize right after they lose their glow after a little while.Also, with it being summer soon I'll be hitting the beach and exposing my feet to the elements with the wearing of sandals and I want to make sure they stay pretty for as long as possible. I do this particular upkeep routine about every other day and I've found that it really makes a difference in how long my pedicure lasts. DISCLAIMER: Below I've posted pics of my actual toes/feet so if you're grossed out by feet, look away now!

What You Will Need: a double ended bristle brush and pumice stone for feet. The one pictured was purchased at Target in the dollar section. Any body soap of your choice (in addition to the Body Shop one I have pictured I also use Dove body wash because it's very moisturizing). Argan oil or if you don't have any or don't want to buy an oil that expensive you can use baby oil or vasoline and I'm sure they would work just as well. And a couple options to this routine include an eyebrow razor (for your toe hair if you have it) as well as a powder to absorb the oil, in my case I'm using Vanilla Puff dusting powder by Lush.

First step, while you're in the shower take the bristle end of the brush and put a drop of body soap (it really only has to be a tiny bit because you're concentrating on the cuticles of your toes).Take the brush and scrub your toes concentrating on the cuticle area. The goal of this is to eliminate the dead cuticles and dry ring that forms around your toes when they aren't moisturized.  To me this is a dead give away that a pedicure is old and makes my feet look gross. After you scrub all your toes individually, take the pumice end of the brush, put another drop of soap and concentrate on your heals to get right of the cracks and dead skin.

Next, once you're out of the shower you should moisturize your whole body with lotion while you're still damp, and that includes your feet. Then when you're all dried off, take a few drops of Argan Oil and put them onto the cuticles of your toes and rub them in. After your do this you can also use the brow raiser to eliminate any hair that might grow on your toes that you don't want seen.

Lastly, and this step is optional but it makes sense if you're going to be wearing sandals. I take the powder and rub it on my toes and into the sandals that I'm going to be wearing so that it absorbs the excess amount of oil and it keeps my feet from slipping around in my sandals throughout the day.

And that's the process, the picture
below was taken a week after my pedicure with this process done every other day.  This routine is really simple and inexpensive for the most part and has saved me lots of money and embarrassment of having unkempt toes. I know that I'm one to stare at other people's feet so I always want to make sure mine are looking cute. Feel free to leave feedback and comments!