Tender Loving Care For The Hands & Feet
Best Picks Seminyak Area - By Shari
It is not so many years ago that hands represented a woman’s social status. A ‘lady’s’ hands were always soft and white, showing that she did no manual work. To keep them this way, hand care was taken very seriously. For example: a lady would sleep in gloves, put on over a thick coating of cream, so that all through the night the hands were pampered. However, in today’s busy world, we often neglect to take care of our most useful body parts. We should regularly take some time to honour our hands and feet by treating them well.
Our hands and feet are subjected to considerable abuse. For example:
v Feet are squeezed into over-tight shoes, which results in corns.
v Wearing high heels may be a fashion choice but they destroy the shock absorbing and balancing systems of the feet.
v Hands are regularly plunged into oil-stripping detergents.
v Nails are pounded against computer keyboards.
v Gloves are often neglected in the coldest of weather.
v Hand-creams are often only used if a woman remembers or when embarrassed by hands that look rough and worn.
Despite all this, women expect their hands and feet to not only work efficiently but also to look beautiful. Almost any hands can look attractive if cared for and manicured on a regular basis, and feet are deserving of similar attention.
Hand Cleaning
Strange as it may seem, it is possible to forget for days to thoroughly clean your hands. Each night, hands should be washed with an ordinary soap, the nails, cuticles and knuckles should be scrubbed, and the hard skin should be scrubbed with a pumice stone. In addition, when drying the hands, you should push the cuticles back with the towel. If your fingers are stained, whether from fruit, vegetables or nicotine, the problem can often be overcome by rubbing the area with half a lemon.
Hand Nourishing
Hand creams are not necessarily better for being expensive. It is much more sensible to have cheaper brands placed strategically around the house where it is easier to remember to use the cream: by the bed, by the kitchen sink, by bathroom sinks, and so on. Last thing at night, always massage in some hand cream. Bend the fingers backwards with the other hand and pull each finger gently to keep the joints flexible.
Manicures were once primarily seen as a treatment for women, but now men can be seen in a salon having their nails trimmed and shaped. The important thing to look for in a good manicure is that the equipment is sterilized. Fungus and skin diseases are easily spread by contaminated tools. The most common mistake I see is the therapist sawing back and forth across the nails with a file. Nails should only be filed in one direction; from each side towards the centre. Sawing back and forth weakens the nail fibres, causing breakages. Finger nails usually grow at a quicker pace in the heat, taking 2 to 3 months from the cuticle to the fingertip. To improve damaged nails, a weekly manicure is recommended.
Spa Hand Treatments
Rough, dry or aged hands can be rejuvenated to a smooth and soft state with a hand treatment either in conjunction with a manicure or on its own. A scrub will remove dead skin cells, leaving the skin softer and smoother and a mask will rejuvenate the skin improving the colour and texture of the skin. Dry, hard, dirt-ingrained or neglected hands can be treated to a “miracle wash” using a combination of sugar and vegetable oil. In `The Natural Beauty Book’, Clare Maxwell-Hudson recommends the following process: Simply pour a little of any type of oil into the palm of the hand and add a tablespoon of sugar. Rub the mixture all over the hands, really working it in, especially in the rougher areas. Rinse with warm water, dry, and then massage in a little hand cream.
Pedicure
The majority of problems with the feet will be of your own making, as I said earlier. Whether you wish to have the nails left natural, buffed or painted to match the fingernails, a pedicure should always commence with a soak in warm soapy water. Like a manicure it is vital that the equipment is sterilized. Cuticles only need to be trimmed if they are thick and the toenails should ideally be cut straight across and filed in one direction only to prevent ingrown toenails. Toe nails take up to 18 months to grow out from the cuticle to the tip, so a damaged nail will need a very long time to grow out. In our land of sandals and bare feet, many of us suffer from calluses on the soles of our feet. A weekly or bi-monthly pedicure will help keep the feet healthy and happy.
Foot Spa
Unfortunately not many people are blessed with beautiful feet after childhood. With the abuse we impose on our feet, it’s a wonder that they are still able to support us. You should take a few minutes every week to give your feet a little “tender loving care” by cleaning them, removing dead skin on the soles and moisturizing with skin cream every night. Otherwise, the result is calluses, rough dry skin on the tops and toes, blisters from new shoes or athlete’s feet from moisture left between the toes.
If you are lazy about your daily foot care, then a foot spa treatment will certainly make your feet look much better and feel happy. Because the skin on the feet is tougher than the hands, usually a more abrasive foot scrub is needed such as sea salt mixed with oil. Essential oils can be added for scent and peppermint oil has antiseptic properties.
Best Picks in Seminyak for hand and foot care:
GLO Day Spa offers a very professional manicure or pedicure. It has a clean, modern décor and uses products and equipment imported from Australia and the staff have been very well trained. I tried a pedicure, which was expertly performed in a comfortable armchair and the technician delivered exceptional results. Prices start at Rp125.000 for manicure. 10% discount for KITAS holders and locals. 0361-738 689
At Fabulously Feet, located on Sunset Road, the whole concept revolves around pampering the feet. All of the products have been carefully prepared to soothe, energise and moisturize. When you walk in on tired aching feet, you enter a purple paradise with a multitude of hanging multicoloured lampshades. Your pamperologist offers tender loving care to your feet with professional expertise. They use only OPI polish to decorate your toe nails, leaving your feet prepared to dance your heart out. The pure pedicure is Rp 225.000 & pampering deluxe 200.000. 10% discount for KITAS holders and locals. 0361-847 5764
Spa Bali has a new location on Jalan Dynapura that is spacious, clean and modern. Just inside the doors manicure stations are set up using sterile good quality tools to shape, clean, buff and paint your nails. Behind this area are comfortable chairs for pedicure or reflexology treatments. The therapists took the time and care to perform an excellent pedicure, finishing by decorating the nails with a wide range of OPI nail polish colours. Prices: Rp 69.000 for 30 minute or 95.000 for 60 minutes plus 15% service charge. They are offering a 50% discount until the end of July. 0361-737933
Le Beaute has become a beauty Mecca for the ex-pat ladies, who followed Mufi to her new domain, a clean and modern salon tastefully decorated in Kerobokan. The manicure & pedicures are very good and the practitioner for reflexology was knowledgeable of the points on the feet. Mufi takes pride in delivering a good, friendly service at incredibly cheap prices! Prices start for manicure 50.000 / OPI manicure 75.000; reflexology 70.000 After 8 treatments get 1 free! 0361-847-6074
Body Works in Seminyak is a popular spot for manicures and pedicures, the chairs are often full of both women and men. The therapists specialize in caring for the hands and feet delivering pleasing results. Prices start at manicure Rp 92.000. 0361-733317
Espace on Jalan Raya Seminyak delivers professional manicures & pedicures with well trained staff, who offer tender loving care to your hands and feet. The Crystal Reflexology is excellent, performed in a fully reclined position. Prices start for manicure Rp 85.000. Reflexology 146.000 10% discount for KITAS and locals. 0361-730828
Soothe, located on Jalan Kunti, is a good place to go for reflexology and also body massage. It’s very clean with a modern setting and well trained staff. The reflexology treatment offers a great foot massage, and includes hands, arms and neck, followed by acupressure over the back and legs. I felt completely relaxed at the end of the hour. Soothe also provides a house call service for a minimum of 60 minutes. Prices start at Rp45.000. 0361- 735954
Reborn recently opened on Sunset road. Originally from Malaysia, with 20 branches, they only have one in Bali so far. They advertise the best reflexology in town and I agree. The staff are very well trained and the senior practitioners can also diagnose problem areas in the body. They have a dozen large comfortable reclining chairs you sink into and drift off as your practitioner slides his thumbs and fingers across your feet. They have a Happy Hour from 10 am to 2 pm with a 50% discount and 2 hour specials from 2 pm til closing for Rp 118.000. Regular prices start at Rp 84.000. 0361-766744 / 767171
Cool Spa located on Jl.Kayu Cendana in Seminyak has good reflexology treatments that include hand, shoulder, neck & head massage. Prices start at 95.000 361-7871494
