Choose A Manicure And Pedicure For An Easy Way To Feel Pampered

By Lila Bryant


Looking your best means that you have to take care of every part of your body. Perfectly styled hair, immaculate make-up, glowing skin and a carefully chosen outfit are not enough. Many people forget about their hands and feet but with a professional manicure and pedicure, you can look fabulous. All you need to add is a confident smile.

Most beauty salons and spas offer manicures and pedicures. These often come in one package that's simply referred to as a 'mani and pedi' or a 'mani-pedi'. It usually takes about an hour to complete the treatment.

The first thing the beauty technician will do is to remove any nail polish that might still be on your nails. Then she'll trim your nails and file them into the perfect shape. Next, she'll let you soak your feet and hands in water so that dead skin and cuticles will become soft and easier to remove. If necessary, she will trim your cuticles. Then she'll use a foot file and pumice to smooth the rough skin on your feet. A special scrub is applied to both your feet and your hands too and then a good moisturizer is applied and left on to do its magic.

If you have very short or damaged nails, you may need acrylic nails applied on top of your own. The mani-pedi also includes the application of nail polish. Most salons have a great choice of colors, from soft and natural to bright and sparkly. If you want to polish to last as long as three weeks, ask for gel polish.

For a natural, classic look, your best bet is a French mani-pedi. This is a style that never becomes outdated. It basically consists of a base color in peach or pink, to look as natural as possible, and then the tips are finished in a line of white, following the natural curve of your nail tips. To make the color last longer, a top coat of clear polish is applied.

These days it's becoming more popular to add a twist to the French mani-pedi. There are different ways to do this. For instance, you may choose different color combinations, such as red and gold or black and silver. Another option is to use the traditional colors and then add a bit of nail art, such as sparkly jewels or a line of tiny roses painted along the nail tips.

Sometimes subtlety is the last thing you want, for instance when you find yourself in glitzy Las Vegas NV. For really striking nails, ask a good nail technician to use your nails as little canvases for creative nail art. Anything is possible, from floral designs to themes like American flags for the Fourth of July or 'blood spatter' for Halloween.

There are many places where you can get a professional mani-pedi. In addition to beauty salons and day spas, you'll find nail salons that only focus on giving you perfect-looking hands and feet. Doing it yourself at home is a great way to save some money but getting a professional treatment is a wonderfully economical way to feel truly pampered and looking like a million dollars.




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