PEDICURE A "NEW" LUXURY? WHY D.I.Y. CAN BE AS EFFECTIVE AS O.P.I. TREATMENTS!
Sweetassgal chiming in today with a completely organic, super affordable and OH SO easy Do It Yourself home foot exfoliation recipe!
Like everyone out there we are all looking for ways to cut back and reign in our spending. One thing I've had to give up...pedicures. Sigh. This just saddens me to no end because I actually view pedicures as good hygiene and maintenance...not as a luxury. Alas, $25 plus tip IS a luxury these days so it's do it yourself at home for me. I am a barefoot and/or flip flop junkie. Even in the winter. I am ALWAYS hot and my feet are like little pudgy furnaces (I think that's why my husband married me...so he can stick his COLD feet on mine in bed). As a result of this I rarely like to have my feet enclosed in shoes and it takes a toll on them. Even my high heels are mostly strappy, slingbacked and open toed which equals exposure and as such good maintenance is vital. No one wants to see ill maintained heels and piddies poking out beneath my gorgeous Via Spigas!
In looking for organic supplies to give an effective and salon quality pedicure I was struck by one astounding fact...companies are charging a HECK of a lot for products that contain ingredients most likely found in my own cupboard. Always being one to assume that the adorable little pot of Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub (priced at $35 for 7.8 oz) has to be better than anything I could ever come up with because they're a giant beauty company with scientists and lab coats...I've got a spatula and mixing bowl so what do I know? Well...apparently I know A LOT! Having read the backs of SEVERAL foot scrubs, researching the internet on natural properties, and mulling over what I would want in a scrub I came up with the following recipe...
Sweetassgal's Lovely Lemon Foot Scrub!!! In a small mixing bowl combine...
1/4 cup of Raw Sugar (natural exfoliant that stands up to rough feet)
1 tablespoon of honey (holds mixture together with softening agents)
1 teaspoon of olive oil (or coconut oil if you have it for moisturizing)
Juice from 1/4 of a lemon (natural antiseptic and the Lovely Lemon Scent!)
...preferably all organic if you have it but if you don't the ingredients are still ALL NATURAL! Stir and savor the smell! It’s so seductive I just had to taste a bit and it was delish. I practiced giving my husband and daughter each a pedicure, noting any pre-ped rough foot conditions and found this scrub worked JUST as well as anything store bought. They loved the way it felt as I was scrubbing away the rough spots; it was exceptionally moisturizing, smelled wonderful and even left your feet tingling in the water as it was being washed off. My daughter was gracious enough to do mine in return and I have to concur with ALL of these findings. I thought it was great and at just pennies a pedicure I cannot complain!
Try this mixture (adjust for consistency depending on how thick/runny you like your scrubs) or play with your own concoction. It's fun, inexpensive, and your friends and family can laugh at you as you try it on their feet and sniff their toes like I did! Just one thing...this mixture works great for rough feet or elbows but I would NOT use this on face or body...the raw sugar is too rough. But for a foot scrub it's the cats meow! And FYI to everyone out there I will be featuring more DIY recipes in the weeks to come so log on and GLAM ON!!
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Reviews
This is just what I needed!! I love pedicures too, but these days, it's a luxury I can do without. And now, I don't have to! I'm trying this out today and I just know my feet will thank you.
Carole
FABULOUS recipe and report!
I agree: closed toes make me feel all hot and cramped and when the temps soar here,my feet swell like water baloons so really do have to make an effort to have twinkly-toes!
This has really good ingredients and in this economy,we can all benefit from a few amazing DIY!
Thanks for the good stuff!
this was so yummy! I love the aroma of lemons!! This foot scrub recipe is fast and easy. This will go into my arsenal of homemade beauty products, thanks!!
Thanks for posting that recipe. I'm going to pick some lemons up at the store this weekend :) I also make my own face and body scrub by mixing fine sea salt, brown sugar, and a few drops of tea tree oil and lavender oil (you can use whatever you like). I just make a big batch and keep it in a plastic container in the shower.
You know I have to chime in when it comes to home made and bring up Tea Tree Oil. I keep little bottles of it all over the house, including in my shower. You can find 100% TTO at any drug store. I almost always add a few drops to my scrubby thing-y before scrubbing my tootsies. My feet get pretty sweaty year round, so this keeps the icky bacteria at bay (where they belong as far as I'm concerned). No bacteria means no stench. I am loving these great homemade recipes. Like you sweetassgal, I used to believe all products had to be all smarty pants in order to be effective. Lucky for me, I learned from you!
BTW, I have to report, just today my hair stylist said, "Oh, my gosh, you have so much new hair growing in and not just in the front, it's every where, throughout your entire head! Your TTO mixture is totally working and your patience has really paid off." She's right, my homemade concoction is entirely responsible for all of the new growth! Just add 10-30 drops (depending on hair length) to a palm full of Nizoral AD (drugstore item), scrub thoroughly, leave in for approximately 5-7 minutes, rinse and condition as usual. It will take a good 6 months to see a major difference but who cares? You have to shampoo anyway, right? I did notice moderate re-growth after about 2-3 months and then at around the 6 month mark, hair explosion! I wasn't going bald but I have really fine hair and I just wanted to see if I could add to my do! Mission Accomplished.......
My feet are in need of a good scrub, so I am going to try this hopefully tonight. Thanks, I actually have all the ingredients too :-). Open toe shoe season is coming!!
After this harsh winter, my feet are in dire need of a good scrub. I have such rough, calloused heels, which I've had to use a razor contraption to remove all the dead skin. I am hoping your DIY concoction will help maintain my feet through sandal season. Thanks sweetassgal :)
This is great thanks! You just saved me some cash because I was going to buy a sugar scrub today, but thank to your recipe I won't have to spend a dime. I can't wait to try this latter today.
I'm so glad everyone's excited about the scrub! Once you use it you'll have to log back on and let me know what you think. I LOVE IT and have another great recipe for next Tuesday. Tune in!!
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
I've often thought about making myself some scrub, but I never have. Honestly though, I may try to make my own. I'm feeling inspired! I mean, why spend the money on an expensive scrub when you can make one at home for pennies on the dollar? Sweetassgal, if you love the Caudalie scrub so much, then why don't you take a really close look at the ingredient list and experiment with some cheap vino in the scrub? Do a red wine reduction (I think that's what it's supposed to be) to thicken it up a bit and toss it in there, see what happens.
I also love using the Ped Egg in leiu of a pedicure. For me it really does help. It just seems gross if you really focus on the dead, shredded skin. Yuck!
Himekosorano...thanks for the advice. I'll have to try and see if I can duplicate it!!!!
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
Awsome review! I love it when I can use natural ingredients from the kitchen. Maybe I will try this tonight after using my Ped Egg. Will report back soon! Thanks!
I agree! I don't really spend money on pedicures, I do it myself! Thanks for the wonderful recipe, I'm definitely going to try this.
I do it myself. I really am in love with Carol's Daughter's Lemon Ginger Mint Manicure in a Jar. Even though it says Manicure, it is great for a Pedi.
i like to do my toes by myself because they're easier to take care of than nails ( i get to do both feet with my right hand) i also can do stuff in the house while they dry as my hands are still free and such... plus i always get too critical when something i paid for doesnt come out right or doesnt stay in as long as my money paid for! lol
-Miss Yaya
http://myownjudge.blogspot.com/
Love IT! :)
That sounds perfect for me. I cannot afford to get a pedicure whenever I want to get my feet pampered. This is a really easy way for me to pamper myself at home for free.
hahah me and rapunzel ( on this blog too) are doing a pedicure right at this moment. It is so funny cos i had my comp much like a mag in a salon while my foot was soaking and i was looking around at my 2 fave forum/blogs.. this one and the everydayminerals forum, and i found this post. We would have done this recipe if i hadnt got my footsoak all ready. We used- bathsalts- the "ZAM-BUK HERBAL SALT BATH The great Zam-Buk formula in a therapeutic, soothing and relaxing bicarbonate of soda salt bath. Use when feeling tired, stiff and tense . Contains Eucalyptus, Thyme, Pine and Camphor." one.then we added shea butter into the water too. And relaxed our tootsies.Then we exfoliated with a handmade "juicy skin" grapefruit and mandarin sugar scrub. Then we used the Scholl foot file on any rough patches. Now we are nail polish on- we both chose a pink color Collection 2000 316 Coral Kiss.. kind of a watermelon pink. So fun!
makeup makeup makeup!!!!!!!
I will never be abble to do my own PEDI lool I am such a desaster =s
Chloe http://thehollywoodheels.blogspot.com
OMG! I love do it yourselfs. I'm a bargin shopper and I keep trying to find a good cheap foot scrub. I'm definately going to try this one out!!
*~*AMY RENEE*~*When life hands me lemons, I'm opting for lemon pound cake!
This is great, thanks! I have 'donated' all my extra money to daycare for my son, so pedis are out for awhile. Now if only I could find time to do it.... :)
That's a great recipe, and in all honesty, if you get your pedicures in one of those large salons like i do, that only does nails and waxing, they use a scrub that they buy by the case, and it's actually not as good as this one. For some reason, though, I have just gotten so used to having my feet done for me that I am lazy when it comes to doing it myself. But I am so behind on my pedicure schedule lately that I think tonight I may actually do it myself and see how it goes. It never looks any better or worse when I do it, it's just a convenience to have someone else do it while I read magazines, and my best friend and I always go together. Although, lately i have been so bad at returning calls, I'm not sure how many friends I have left to go for pedicures with!
I'm with you, I used to consider a spa pedicure just part of regular grooming like a haircut, but now I'm (reluctantly) doing it myself. My must-haves are:cuticle pusherPed EggBuffing blockJonathan Freeman Peppermint Plum foot creamTrader Joe's Lavender Sea Salt Scrub
I went to a 4-H festival and the big thing there was homemade everything from soaps to body lotions to hand cream. I was thinking on the way home that I could probably make some home made remedies for myself and decided to go on the internet and look for some, your post for me, is very timely and I have all of the ingredients at home already (except I have turbinado sugar, would that work the same?). I am going to whip up a batch this week and try it.Thank you.
I made the scrub - it's great, thanks for the recipe!
I've taken to saving money in the tootsies department, myself. But I Will treat myself to a professional pedicure for my birthday....Your home-made footscrub recipe sounds not only effective, but great aromatherapy. Just so you know, using plain old jojoba oil not only makes for silky-smooth feet, but it also contains a natural antibacterial - good for shelf-life, and fantastic for sweet-smelling tootsies.
I have always made my own scrubs. I just don't see why people throw away their money on what is essentially just sugar and oil. I have always used olive oil, and that is what I had around. I have a little tub of coconut oil from making my own deodorant so maybe I will try that and adding the lemon next time! I just use plain sugar because that is what we have at the house.I don't get too many pedicures because my feet aren't that bad. My poor mother gets very dry feet with deep cracks that look very painful. Maybe I will make this scrub for her. I do occasionally get a pedicure when I want a cute little design on my toes, but otherwise just paint them myself.
doing this tonight because yay, i actually have all the ingredients in my kitchen!! my feet desperately need this because they are so dry & i just don't have to time to get a pedi (& not to mention this is WAY cheaper)!
I cant believe I'm just now reading this feature!! This foot scrub sounds grrrrreat! I've never been big on shelling out the moolah for pedicures, I usually do them at home, but more of a warm epsom salt soak with pumice stone. I really cant wait to try a homemade scrub!
I always viewed pedicures as "me" time. I could relax and enjoy being pampered, but after reading these comments.. everyone is right. Doing it yourself is probably better--you can control the outcome and it is a better value (granted, I almost always got them when I was given SpaFinder gift certificates).I never pay to get manicures unless it is a special occasion--I chip them up too quickly.
http://ediblelove.wordpress.com/
Sweetassgal, Love this! I'm going to try this. If you think about it all these cosmetic companies had to have various testing with various products to come up with the great ones we love to use when we have our pedicures. I love, love, love pedicures! I just started to get them this year. I always did my own with the pumicing, the lotions, the nail polish and making sure my heels and toes were up to par. One day I was talked into it by my manicurist and from then on addiction city!! I love it and agree it's a hygiene thing as well. I love the nail polish I chose and haven't stopped since, MILLION DOLLAR RED. This looks great with every shoe, just walking barefoot, you name it. Red is so classy for a pedicure. Great stuff and I am going to try the recipe.. for my feet.
Chanelisbest
I would like to know if they are giving free trials? many companies give free trials like http://www.skinvie4u.com
Substitute sugar for the salt and leave out the lemon juice and you've got a great all over body scrub for soft skin and a sexy glow!
this sounds awesome! I don't usually buy foot scrubs at all and I only get pedicures once in awhile, but seeing as how I have all the ingredients on hand anyways I think I'll give this a try!
Britt♥
Thanks for a great recipe :) Yum!
Lily - Mineral makeup Junkie!!!
I think my feet are beyond DIY help and I need to go have my first pedicure :P
My feet are sooooo gross!
I never take care of my feet, I really should. Feels neglected!