How to be a ‘Sole Survivor’

Tuesday, July 31st, 2007

How to be a ‘Sole Survivor’

Here’s a tip: simply do your pedicure yourself, as a yucky bacteria infection is just NOT glam! Granted, I may be a bit of a hypocrite since I do enjoy a good mani/pedi session, but I must admit I’ve always been weary of nail salons, as you never really know how well they’re cleaning their tools and footbath. I’ve spied the nail technicians placing nail kits in the infrared incubator that’s “supposed” to disinfect and ward off bacteria, but who really knows just how clean their tools are?

According to The Beauty Brains (which has a fabulous in-depth article on how to avoid pesky pedicure infections), pedicure chairs with an attached footbath are most likely more contaminated than you’d think… That’s a HUGE problem for me, especially since 99.9% of Manhattan nail salons have fancy hi-tech pedicure chairs (with the footbath attached obviously).

From now on, I pledge to do my own pedicures. Well, a modified pledge, meaning if I have the time and the patience, as I’ve never mastered the art of polishing my own toenails. Nevertheless, I’ve assembled my own pedicure kit:

1. I clip and file my toenails, then place my feet into my footbath full of warm water and a few drops of tea tree oil.

2. This may sound a little unorthodox, but I wear flats and flip-flops on a daily basis, and I walk ALL THE TIME, so my heels are a bit rougher than I’d like to admit. After I’ve soaked my feet in warm water, I just glide a brand-new razor over my heels ever-so-gently to remove the top layer of dry, rough skin.

3. Bliss Hot Salt Scrub is an excellent follow-up exfoliator – perfect for smoothing my entire foot.

4. After I’ve allowed my feet to air-dry, I follow up with Curel® Targeted Therapy™ Deep-Penetrating Foot Cream. It’s a super intense moisturizer that’s incredibly nourishing (it contains vitamin E and shea butter), and better yet, it has anti-bacterial agents! (P.S. Here’s a tip from Curel expert Dr. Berson: “Apply it at night and then put on a pair of socks to lock in moisture. This should be done EVERY night during the summer, not just when feet look rough and dry. And make sure to use 100% cotton socks as they trap moisture better while still allowing your skin to breathe.”

BONUS: Lastly, I grab the vampiest bottle of polish I can find (Voodoo by Creative Nail Design is my favorite), and I try my very best not to paint my skin! Oh, and I can’t forget Stickey by Creative Nail Design (base coat) and Super Shiney by Creative Nail Design (top coat).