BellaSugar

Are You Paranoid About Your Less-Than-Perfect Pedi?

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:00:51 -0700

When you peek at your feet, what do you think? Are you dazzled by your perfectly filed toenails and softer-than-soft heels, or are you none too thrilled with their less than impeccable looks? As this article in The New York Times points out, often, women take way better care of their faces than their tootsies.

According to a recent study from the American Podiatric Medical Association, 50 percent of women surveyed were "always, frequently, or sometimes" embarrassed by the appearance of their feet. In fact, there are several Facebook groups devoted to feet bashing, and pedicurists note that customers are often apologetic for the way their feet look. See both sides of the story now.

Fake Toenails: The Lazy Woman's Pedicure

BellaSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:00:18 -0700

On a flight a few weeks back, my mother sat next to a group of nurses going to Palm Beach for a conference. She immediately noticed (because she is Bella's mama) that they all had perfect, matching pedicures.

"Oh, how fun," she said. "You ladies all went to the salon together?" The nurses got very excited, began giggling like schoolgirls, and then the one next to her leaned over and whispered "No, they're all fake. $5.99!" My mom then called me to ask if I'd ever used something like this. I'd seen fake toenails before - always walk past them at Rite Aid - but I'd never heard of anyone who'd used them, let alone with great results. So I did a little online hunting, and I have to say that there's quite an array of these things.

The ones the nurses were using must have been these Kiss Everlasting Glue-On Toenails ($5.99), because the price is right, but all the big brands seem to have their own, from Revlon's Perfect Pedicure ($9) fakes to Broadway Nails Fashion Divas ($6), which come in several "sassy" styles that 12 year-old me would have loved but that the thought of an adult wearing makes me vaguely afraid. What do you all think? Have any experience with these things? If you've used them, I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

Be Safe With Your Pedi, or You Could Regret It

BellaSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:18 -0700

Here's a horror story for you: After getting a pedicure, a St. Louis woman developed a foot infection. She developed small red bumps that mutated into boils - one of which was as big as a baseball. An oozing, gross baseball. Her woes were due to a mycobacterium infection that she picked up from the pedicure station. Even if salons look clean, the bacteria are too small for the human eye to see. You don't have to give up pedicures, but if you go to the nail salon, follow these tips:

Don't use the whirlpool foot bath. The jets are hard to clean, and bacteria thrive in their dark recesses. Choose a still foot bath instead.
Don't get a pedicure until 24 hours after you've shaved/waxed/Nair-ed your legs.
Don't get a pedicure if you have scratches, wounds, or bug bites on your feet or legs.
Be sure that the salon is properly accredited and licensed.
Consider bringing your own pedicure tools.

And, of course, you can always go the DIY route by doing your pedicure at home. That's what I did last night, with no risk of oozing sores. Shudder.

Love It or Hate It: Watermelon Pedicure

BellaSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:00:25 -0700

Amber at Beauty Blogging Junkie unearthed this watermelon pedicure, available at Eve nail salon in New York. The treatment features a watermelon-scented foot bath and lotion application, with optional fruit-themed nail art. You already know I'm not a fan of French pedicures, so it's no surprise that I wouldn't go for watermelon-themed toenails. For those of you less conservative with polish than I am, would you go for this look?

Learn How to Polish Like a Pro With This DVD

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:00:16 -0800

The other day, I told you about the Bring It Home Beauty DVDs, which were produced by a professionally licensed mother-and-daughter team. The premise? To help you save money by teaching you how to do beauty services at home, with the help of their instructional videos, of course.

Much like the Hair Edition Volume 1 DVD ($24.95), the Natural Nail Care DVD ($24.95), has a low-budget feel. However, the hour-long video is quite comprehensive, covering everything from basic (and spa) manicures/pedicures, a men's manicure, a French manicure, polishing, and repairing broken nails.

Is it glamorous? Uh, no. Super close-ups on toes and heel shavings might make you squeamish, but who said beauty is always easy on the eyes, anyway? For me, I suppose the drier nature of the material is somewhat like watching paint dry - literally. While I prefer their hair video much for its content and better overall value, I'd recommend this natural nail care DVD for anyone who really enjoys doing manicures and pedicures on yourself or others, or for anyone who wants a basic grasp on nail care.

Protect Painted Piggies With Ugg-Like Boots

BellaSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:00:09 -0800

Oh, look out! These boots might look like Uggs, but they're Bootie Pies ($128), a style of boot designed particularly for winter pedicures. The idea is to slip your pre-polished feet into the boots, then push the front flap down when it's time for lacquer application. Unlike pedicure socks, they'll keep you roasty-toasty during the cold months.

Both my thriftiness and aversion to Ugg-like footwear make me scratch my head at these things, and my sophomoric sense of humor thinks "Bootie Pie" sounds like a poopy dessert. But for pampered people in polar places, they might be pedicure perfection. Would you wear them?

Splurge of the Week: AB Happy Feet

BellaSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:00:39 -0700

Hey, have you heard? We're in an economic crisis. Since everyone's watching her dollars, I present a new feature: Splurge of the Week. Instead of talking about pricey products throughout the week, I'll highlight one dream item worth trying if you hit the lotto, stumble upon a few bills lying around, or know a generous gifter.

This time around, it's AB Happy Feet. This $95 jar of pretreated pads does an amazing job of transforming rough, hoof-like feet into soft, smooth, baby-like ones. It's loaded with a hefty dose of glycolic acid to eat away dead skin, but you won't feel any sort of nasty stinging. Use it at night before bed, massage feet with lotion, slip on some socks, and each morning you'll have softer skin. It's like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but for feet.

Something's Fishy About The Fish Pedicure

BellaSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:00:30 -0700

By now, you have likely heard about the fish pedicure being performed by a Virginia salon (since getting so much press, it is now being offered in other salons, including one in central Ohio). Toothless carp eat the dead skin off your feet, which, according to much of the coverage, is "natural" and "perfectly healthy." But according to Nails Magazine, the practice "is contrary to all standards and beliefs of the International Nail Technicians Association (INTA) and its Pedicure Equipment Cleaning and Disinfecting Procedures." According to coverage of the service in the media, it's sanitary but no products are used in order to protect the health of the fish - but the INTA is more concerned that the salons aren't disinfecting the fish tank properly.

In other ridiculous animal-related beauty service news, Tyra had Ada Barack, purveyor of the snake massage in Israel, on her show and completely freaked out. To watch the clip, read more.

ICYMI: Snake Massage on Tyra

Source

DIY Spa Treatment: A Quick Beach-Ready Pedicure

BellaSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:00:06 -0700

Over the years, I've noticed that the sand and sea tend to deteriorate my pedicures more quickly than just about anything else. That's why I love this easy-to-achieve quick and simple pedicure that can be done in about ten minutes flat. It's easy to master, so it can keep your feet looking groomed all summer long. Here's what you'll need:

A bowl of hot soapy water

Toe spacers to separate toes

Toenail clipper

Base coat

Sheer pinky-peach nail polish

Topcoat

For four simple step-by-step directions, read more.

Step 1: Begin by soaking your feet in the hot soapy water to soften up your skin. Then, push back or trim your cuticles and file away any hard calluses under your toes or around your heels.
Step 2: Trim and file your toenails so that the ends of your nails are slightly shorter than the end of the skin on your toes.
Step 3: Swipe your toenails twice with nail polish remover (use the non-acetone kind if possible since it's less drying) and separate your toes with toes spacers. Then, apply a base coat and one coat of pale pink or beige nail polish.
Step 4: Wait about a minute and then apply a light layer of topcoat - voila, you're finished!

A Quick Tip For Brighter Nails

BellaSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:00:51 -0700

Let's say, hypothetically, that you're a hypochondriac who lives in fear of nail fungus. And hypothetically, you thought you might have it, so you feverishly sought out home remedies. But as it turned out, you didn't have fungus, but one of the cures made your toenails look healthier and more foot-modelesque. Hypothetically, you'd be a genius of cosmetic podiatry.

As it turns out, the cloud of my hypochondria has a silver lining. One folk cure for nail fungus involves cleaning your feet, then slathering your toes with Vicks VapoRub ($4.99) and slipping on socks overnight. I can't attest to whether it works for nail fungus, but it did make my toenails look shinier and whiter after just a few nights. The drawback: With the scent of the ointment wafting from your sock-covered feet, you will feel about as sexy as Tucker Carlson hot-rodding in an AMC Gremlin - which, incidentally, is a hypothetical scene I'd pay good money to see in real life.