Are you concerned about the state of your feet? As midsummer approaches, many women want to take their socks off and wear sandals around town, but are your skin and toenails ready? You can head out with confidence if you get a little foot care, such as exfoliating dead skin cells and painting your nails.
Many customers at the Longleage nail salon in Hiroo, Tokyo, get its pedicure course at this time of year, according to the salon. This 90-minute package, including exfoliation and toenail care, is priced at 10,000 yen excluding tax.
An increasing number of people are choosing this course each year, and they come from a wide age range, including people in their 90s, a member of the salon staff said.
"If you take care of your feet regularly, you can avoid trouble with ingrown nails -- the nails dig deep into the skin -- calluses, corns and other things," said manicurist Naomi Sayama. Toenails will look beautiful for one month if they're cared for properly, as toenails don't grow as fast as fingernails.
In the pedicure course, the feet are first soaked in hot water and the toenails are cut after the skin and nails have softened. Sayama recommends rounding off the angles on each nail, as "round square" cutting makes toenails resistant to shock and prevents ingrown nails.
Next, the cuticles are removed. A staff applies cuticle remover and rubs it softly on the surface of the nails, making them shiny.
"Removing cuticles prevents hangnail and keeps nails healthy," Sayama said. The toenails are then moisturized with cuticle oil.
The next thing tackled is the rough skin on the heels and soles. Cotton soaked in cuticle remover is applied, and the feet are covered with plastic wrap or a bag to soften dead skin cells. After a while, dead skin is removed with a special file and cream.
Be adventurous with vivid toenails
Finally, Sayama paints on beautifully reborn toenails. "I recommend vivid colors, because toenails are farther from the eye than fingernails," she said.
Sayama choses orange, aqua and white, using different colors on each neighboring nail for a casual look. When using only one color, she recommends decorating the big toes with rhinestones, to make your feet look gorgeous.
"Even adventurous designs are fun for all ages and positions. That's the appeal of painting our toenails. Making your feet bright lightens your mood, too."
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