It was my first time to try having a foot spa and was already getting nervous and was not sure if I could get through the whole ordeal.
For some people, getting a foot spa with a pedicure is like a special treat they always look forward to and allocate a budget for. But for one who’s ticklish, the thought of having someone else scrape the dead skin from my soles and massage my feet up to the knees was already a torture but I vowed I was going to survive it. If not for one painful ingrown in my toenail, I wouldn’t have been in that chair waging a battle between enjoying and running out the door.
A soft touch on my foot jerked me back to reality as the saloon attendant lifted my right foot from the massager and patted it dry with a towel.
“This is it,” I said as I braced myself for the ordeal. The next minutes seemed like hours as the attendant scraped and scrapped several year’s worth of dead skin from my feet as I held on to my seat, biting my lip and fighting the urge to yank my foot and run away.
The feeling after the treatment was so refreshing but I know I can’t make it a regular habit, unless I can overcome my being ticklish.
Beauty salons on island are enjoying a steady stream of clients who go for a regular foot spa and pedicure regimen one a month or every two weeks. Sharmaine Casquero of ASKS Salon in Garapan said they get an average of at least three clients a day who come in for foot spa and pedicure.
Mercy Garcia of Serenity Salon and Spa on Beach Road Garapan said they also get a similar number of clients but some clients get the whole spa package including the foot spa. Majority of the clients who go for a foot spa are females but the number of males is also increasing, both beauticians said.
Casquero said they mix fragrant herbs to soak the client’s feet with before the spa.
“Getting a foot spa offers many benefits. It does not only makes your toenails clean and gets rid of dead skin but it also moisturizes your dry skin,” Casquero said. She added that the foot massage is not only soothing but also revitalizes circulation in the body.
A foot spa with pedicure here takes about an hour or two and costs from $15 and up.
Why a foot spa?
Your feet are among the most hardworking parts of the body. They are your prime means of transportation the moment you get up from bed and until you go back to bed at night. They carry tons of weight everyday yet they are the parts that get the least attention.
Other people spend time and money on their face and hair and other parts of the body but the feet are always at the lowest rung of the ladder of priorities.
Think of a spa like soaking your body in warm, sudsy water in the tub to relax.
You can even give your feet a warm bath from home. Just find a comfortable chair and soak your feet in a basin filled with lukewarm to warm soapy water for about minutes.
You can use mild or antibacterial soap, fragrances, herbs and oils to help make you feel good.
Once in a while, it’s good to pamper your feet to ease the pressure and aching.
Remember, you’ve only got one pair and any pain in your feet could affect your whole being.
