Pedicure

Although a pedicure can be easily described as a foot treatment,

there are many different types of pedicure.  There’s the quick nail polish change, or the more in depth filing and shaping of nails, the ones that include a relaxing foot massage, some include exfoliation, and there is the kind I need; the extreme, some would say remedial, pedicure...

Once upon a time I found it, in a place in Rome, a stout hearted young woman who spoke no English dedicated herself to making my feet young again – baby soft.  It was like walking on air, for at least a day.

But now, sadly, that place has closed down – and the search begins again for the perfect pedicure.

My feet are beautiful in many ways,

but I suffer from a truly heinous build up of dry skin, which makes small children wonder “what is wrong with your feet” and adults look away in horror.

Any dreams I ever had of being rich and famous always included “and I will have weekly pedicures.”

But first I have to find the perfect pedicure.

I have come close… The Cowshed in Carnaby Street is a fab place for a pedicure, as they have a row of chairs, so you can enjoy a pedicure with a friend.  It certainly made me think I had found the best in London (although it didn’t quite match up to the one in Rome).  But a second trip and a more surly therapist and the search was on again.

My search has led me to a disastrous experience in Los Angeles (recommended by the Regent Beverly Wilshire – “Pretty Woman” would have been a very different movie if she’d gone there!) that ended in an ER, with the doctor trying to give me a pair of crutches, and the male nurse asking me if I wanted to hang out…

My search also led me to the Bliss Softening Socks which promised so much, but sadly fell short.

To a secret basement oriental spa in New York – where I was told to get lost because they are booked up for months…

…to a generic New York nail bar round the corner, which was fun, but not even close.

…to the exfoliating stone given to me by a market vendor in Morocco which he promised would get me a husband.  (Unfortunately it wasn’t a magic stone.)

...to The Banyan Tree two hour foot treatment in Shanghai where the therapist lovingly applied hot vanilla and cocoa bean wax before tying my legs in carrier bags and cling film.  (Smelled nice but sadly not a winner.)

I’m sorry to say that even IMBS in Balham wasn’t a contender, because theirs is a standard pedicure - not the super human kind that I need.  In fact I often have to give myself a pedicure just so I can show up for a pedicure without scaring them.

The best pedicure I have found so far

is the luxury pedicure at Another World.  Although it doesn’t quite get rid of all that stubborn hard yellow skin on the soles of my feet, it does get rid of all the dry skin and make them look pretty, which is a big step in the right direction!

But I still dream of that Roman Holiday pedicure...

I  have leads on a few more promising treatments… including the widely renowned Garra Rufa Fish treatment where doctor fish nibble your toes, which I’ve just tried - but I think I’ll need a lot more treatments to make a difference, so the jury is still out.

In the meantime, the very best home pedicure product

that I have found is the Scholl Instant Hard Skin Remover.  After a good scrub with this, even my hard skin is gone, and then I can slather on the foot cream and relax... and book in for a gentle pampering pedicure.