I cringe at the amount of money I used to spend going to salons for pedicures. I remember looking at the blue-colored water they soaked my feet in and the bottles of mystery ingredients the spa tech slathered all over my legs and feet, and wondering what the heck was in them.
More than once, I lost toenails and had allergic reactions on my skin after my salon trips. After doing some research into the toxic ingredients involved in the process, it’s no wonder this was happening!
This wake-up call led me on a hunt to find a simple method for doing my own pedicures at home. But the method needed to be effective and totally free of toxins. Imagine my delight when I discovered a super simple formula that not only delivered fabulous results, but actually DETOXED my body at the same time. I’m so excited to share it with you here!
Gone are the days of having to schedule an appointment, drive to the salon and sit in the reception area waiting for your name to be called. It’s so easy to do your own pedicure at home or with a group of friends (it’s a super fun bonding activity for girls’ night in!).
Not only does this recipe help to detox your body, it’ll save you LOADS of money in the long run!
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
- Get a large tub like this for soaking your feet. This will allow you to do your pedicure wherever you want instead of being tied to your bathtub. Plus, it will use a lot less water!
2. Invest in a natural pumice stone like this, which is formed naturally by the earth from volcanic lava. It works great for removing dead skin, stains, calluses and corns from your feet without the harmful toxins that are found in synthetic pumice stones.
3. Have a towel ready to dry your feet when you’re done soaking them.
FOOT SOAK INGREDIENTS & HOW THEY WORK
You need just 2 simple ingredients for your detox foot soak – baking soda an apple cider vinegar:
- 1/4 Cup of Baking soda. My rule of thumb with baking soda is this: If I’m using it for cleaning or home deodorizing, I use good ol’ Arm & Hammer. If it will go on my skin or in my mouth, I use Bob’s Red Mill pure baking soda.
Why? Because Arm & Hammer uses a chemical process to create their baking soda, whereas Bob’s Red Mill baking soda is mined directly from the ground in its natural sodium bicarbonate state.
- 1/4 Cup of Apple cider vinegar. Make sure it is organic, raw, unfiltered and states “With the Mother” on the label. Bragg is a great brand that can be found in most grocery stores.
Together, the baking soda and apple cider vinegar work to soften your skin and draw toxins out of your body through the bottoms of your feet. These ingredients are also effective at killing germs and bacteria to help heal foot fungus and treat stinky feet naturally.
BONUS: You have the option of adding 3 drops of essential oil to make your foot soak extra fabulous. I recommend using lavender essential oil for tired feet, because it will help you relax. Plus, it smells amazing! If you want to use an oil that smells nice but focuses on detox, go for lemon, grapefruit or peppermint.
If you’re new to essential oils and aren’t familiar with a high-quality brand that comes with a reasonable price tag, I highly recommend Plant Therapy (it’s my go-to brand!). They offer FREE shipping on all purchases and returns! You can check them out here.
FOOT SOAK DIRECTIONS
- Fill the tub with hot water.
- Pour in the baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Mix it around so the baking soda dissolves.
- If you’ll be including essential oil in your foot soak, add 3 drops of the oil.
- Put your feet in the water and soak them for a minimum of 15 minutes.
- Rub the pumice stone along the bottom and sides of your feet to remove dead skin, calluses, etc.
- Soak your feet for an additional 15 minutes or longer and do another round of exfoliating with the pumice stone.
- Dry your feet with a towel, slather them with non-toxic moisturizer like coconut oil and cover them with a pair of socks for several hours or overnight. You can also use this natural treatment for dry, cracked feet.
You will be amazed at the results!
NON-TOXIC NAIL POLISH
If you want to “polish off” your pedicure by painting your toenails, don’t erase your detox efforts by putting a toxic polish on your body. You can find a gorgeous selection of cleaner nail polishes from Mineral Fusion.
Their polishes are free of the toxic offenders found in most commercial nail products like formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, phthalates and animal ingredients.
Cheers to enjoying a fabulous pedicure that’s free of toxins!
With love and gratitude,
Kandi
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