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If you, like me, have ever taken off your cosy socks, looked at last months chipped toe nail polish, dry skin and winter pale feet and promptly put your socks back on, thinking “no flip flops today”. Then this article may be one for you!
From my Green Hands nail studio in Herefordshire I help people turn around their winter feet. Women are leaving with pretty toes, fit for flip-flops and it doesn’t take long. It’s also something most of us can do at home. Everything you will need that you can’t make or find in a cupboard at home can be purchased at www.greenhands.co.uk
So how is it
done, and how is it green?
If green on your toes sparks thoughts of fungal infection then prepare to be surprised? Many of us are now searching for less harmful alternatives to our regular cosmetics, at Green Hands we have sourced products for their performance and manufacturers commitments to ingredients. Our Suncoat nail polishes are water-based, Formaldehyde, Phthalate and Toluene free. Hand Creams from Lavera and Cuticle Treatments by Sante are created from organic, wholly natural plant based ingredients, free from paraben preservatives, and mineral oil or petro-chemically derived substances..
Step by step guide to your
Green Toes home Pedicure!
Step One: Set the scene
Make sure you have gathered everything around you, we don't want to be doing back flips with slippery feet while heading for the bathroom cabinet to fetch something you forgot! Get the phone, remote control and chocolate handy too! You will also need; A bowl to soak your feet in, something to exfoliate and scrub with, a nail brush, a foot file if you have one or need one, a nail file, massage oil, cream, cuticle oil or cream, nail polish remover, nail polish, heel balm.
Step Two: Soak
Having removed any old polish, file your toe nails straight across, filing in one direction only, don't saw backwards and forwards, the heat you can build up can damage your nail. If they are very long clip first and then file. You will find the Green Hands Glass Nail file ideal for tough toe nails, it doesn't blunt and has a smooth filing action, which is unlikely to set your teeth on edge! Allow your feet to soak for 10 minutes in warm water. If you are so inclined, float petals in the water; add a few drops of your favourite essential oil, put pebbles in the bottom of your bowl, go the whole hog, its wonderfully luxurious.
Step Three: Scrub
I use a stiff mixture of Organic Brown Sugar, Organic Olive Oil and Organic Honey in my scrubs, if you are into your essential oils, add these too. Take each foot in turn and get in between the toes, all around the heel and across any dry skin you have, be gentle across the upper arch of your foot, the skin is thinner here. If you have very dry or cracked heels, don't reach for the orbital sander, this has happened for a reason, removing it will leave you sore for sure! I would recommend more regular treatments, moisturise heels before bed and gently run a foot file over the areas you are bothered about on a regular basis. One of the best ideas for cracked heels is to apply your old lip balms directly to the heel at bedtime and massage in to improve blood flow. Obviously reserve these for feet only use in future!
Step Four: Rinse
Pop your feet back in the bowl and rinse off, pat dry with a lovely fluffy towel, in my salon I use super soft and fluffy Organic Cotton Hand Towels from Green Fibres, I get these from Will at www.greenwarehouse.co.uk, wrap one foot in the towel to keep warm while you pamper the other.
Step Five: Cuticle Care
Gently push back your cuticles of your toes and wipe away any accumulated dead skin from around the corners of your toenails, you can use your round end of your Glass Nail File to do this, or a corner of your towel. Take care not to prod and poke, you can do a lot of damage here. Use a small blob of the Green Hands Cuticle Oil & Nail Strengthener on each cuticle and massage in. This Nail Fluid is amazing; with regular use you will find your nails grow longer and stronger than ever before. The amazing performance comes from a combination of its highly moisturising plant based ingredients and the improvement in blood flow from the massage you do when you apply it. Repeat on the other leg.
Step Six: Massage and
Moisturise
Working in sweeping movements gently massage with your chosen oil from below the knee, ensure your more firm pressure massage is directed in an upwards motion to encourage blood flow back up towards the heart. After sweeping movements work in scissor type movements over the fleshy parts of your lower leg, Repeat this around your upper and lower foot, work over the toes with circular movements and finish by rotating each toe in turn. Repeat on the other leg. I choose any of the foot creams we carry.
If you have discovered anything unsavoury, discoloured nails, rashes, verrucas, warts, athlete’s foot etc. I recommend stopping here, don’t hide your findings under nail polish, your best bet is seeking professional advice, not from your local beauty salon but from a qualified podiatrist, chiropodist or GP. Take care with your home treatments and take precautions not to pass your new discoveries onto others!
Step Seven: Remove Oil from
Nail
No polish will stick well to an oily nail, either stop here, or if you plan to paint your nails, use a damp corner of your towel to wipe over each toenail, you are aiming to create an oil free surface for the polish to stick too. If you are excessively oily after steps 1 to 6 then try a small dab of acetone free nail polish remover and then wipe over with a towel or tissue again to dry the nail area.
Step Eight: Polish
Suncoat Water–Based Polish is best applied in thin coats, with all polishes I would recommend a base coat, use a clear, this gives colour polishes something to stick to, but for polishes other than Suncoat (which doesn’t stain nails) it will also protects your nail from staining. Allow the base coat to dry thoroughly before applying colour. This is not the time to rush, if you have run out of time, leave painting for another night!
With conventional nail polish, the ingredients allow you to apply three brush stokes (Centre and two sides) and you are done, with Suncoat, you can start this way but you will need to perfect your brushing to create a smooth appearance, its lack of solvents mean it doesn't spread in the same way as conventional polish, with practice though you can achieve great results.
Step Nine; Relax and Topcoat
Wait for around 10 minutes for all your coats to have dried properly and apply a clear topcoat, Suncoat Crystal Clear (which is mysteriously cloudy until dry!) will protect your colour polish and give it a super shiny appearance.
Step Ten: Admire and do
nothing!
Leave any slight smudges over the edges until your toe nail polish is completely dry, these will come off very easily later, your skin around your toes will be so well moisturised it will rub off very easily, don't risk damaging your paint job by fiddling with it now!
If you find you
can't reach your toes or can't spare the time, give me a
visit in the peace and tranquillity of the Green Hands Nail
Studio, come and listen to the birds while I pamper your toes
instead.
Feel free to send your queries on Green Beauty to Naomi who will be happy to respond. Contact Naomi via naomi@greenhands.co.uk
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