Is anyone a beautician?

[nappyaddict]

I am about to book my first ever pedicure. The lady said do I want a normal soak or a foot spa soak and did I want normal cotton booties for the paraffin wax or heated ones.

Does either give better results than the other or is it just a preference thing?

like you say its preference.

a foot spa is bubbles and gives the feeling of indulgence and relaxation whereas a normal foot soak would be in a bowl with an oil or bubbles and you'd be inclined to wiggle your feet about.

As for the booties,the heated ones wouldn't make a difference in terms of softening the skin again it's preference. Heated ones give a warmth and indulgent feel and the normal ones would still soften the skin but may feel less indulgent and relaxation.

It depends if you want to reaaalllyyy pamper your feet.

So a foot spa or heated booties don't soften the feet anymore than a soak in a bowl or cotton booties?

I think LeQueen is a beautician, but I don't know if she's around.

I'm a beauty therapist.

shinyshoes that's not quite correct.

A foot spa has no added benefit to a soak in a normal bath, that's true.

However, the booties and paraffin DO have a significant difference.

The heat will help the product used to absorb deeper into the skin and thus soften your feet more.

There are also added benefits to the heat, as well as being very pleasant and warming, they are great for conditions such as arthritis, muscle and joint pain.

Personally, I always go for the heated boots. In my opinion, if you're paying for something to be done in a salon, you want it to be better than you could do yourself at home.

Hope that helps :)

So a foot spa has no physical benefits as in softening the skin more, it just feels nicer?

Paraffin wax with heated booties is absorbed better than if cotton booties are used?

Is that right?

od dear god thats my worst nightmare -having a pedicure with heat ......if my feet go in water I want to wee.

Pity the beautician who dares pedi me.

Yes exactly. Some foot spas might have added benefits like infra-red heat to help with above mentioned conditions, but apart from that don't help in softening of the skin. That's done simply by the heat, water and product regardless of whether you're in a fancy foot spa or washing up bowl.

And yes the heated booties are infinitely better than cotton booties.

Enjoy your ped!

Believe If the products are warmed first and then used with cotton booties is that as good as using heated booties, or are heated booties still better?

parrafin wax will go cold once on the feet, it softens to be put on the feet then hardens a little, the heat goes.

Putting on cotton booties won't warm it.

putting on heated booties however, the heat will penetrate into the muscles and warmth the parrafin thus the feet feeling softer

I have recently read this:

Mineral oil is a by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce petrol. Mineral oil SHOULD NOT BE USED IN ORGANIC PRODUCTS. Almost all baby products contain by-products of the petrochemical industry (baby oil is 100% mineral oil!). These are listed on product labels as petroleum jelly, mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin oil as well as many others.

Mineral oils act as a barrier to the skin, therefore restricting absorption of herbs, vitamins and essential oils. The mineral oils remain on the surface and interfere with normal skin function by disrupting the oil balance and blocking the pores. It actually coats the skin just like plastic wrap, disrupting the skin?s natural immune barrier and inhibiting its ability to breathe and absorb moisture and nutrition. As the body?s largest organ of elimination, it is vital that the skin be free to release toxins.

Does that mean it is actually bad to use paraffin wax on hands and feet and most of it won't be abosrbed by skin but just stay on the surface?

No, I can't see how, most salons would use this, amoungst other soothing, sofetning treatments.

The heat radiates into the hands, helping to soothe muscles, aches in joints, cracked hands etc.

You prbably would only use this method once maybe twice a week it wouldn't be used anymore than that

It dries on the skin and wipes or peels off, there is no residue left only soft supple hands.

It's not like vaseline that acts as a waterproof barrier, it's not the same kind of pretroleum, but then I don't know the science behind it

All that you have posted nappy is true. You will probably find mineral oil in most moisturisers on your bathroom shelf, usually on the ingredients listing as paraffinum liquidum.

It is not bad to use it in a paraffin wax treatment, as shiny says the heat from the wax is what you're trying to benefit from the most. It will make your hands feel soft too though because it will leave a fine layer on the surface which will feel silky smooth but it's not actually penetrating.

It should only be avoided, imo, in moisturisers (body or face) for the reasons you've listed above.

Unfortunately it is put in most products because it is cheap and it gives the desired effect. ie. When applied skin feels silky, but it's not actually tackling the dry skin as it can't be absorbed.

The number of people who say to me "gosh my skins so dry I have to use baby oil on it..." and I'm liked and your skin is still dry so what does that tell you?!!....

Thanks for that :) There's more science than you think to beauty isn't there!

I have found a few pedicures that use a heated foot masque. Does the same apply as for the paraffin wax in that it is better to use electrically heated booties as opposed to warmed up cotton ones?

Yes the heat from the electrical booties will always be better and more beneficial than the cotton ones.

Have you really been researching this since October?!!

Well we were going in holiday November but then put it back to spring this year so I never bothered getting the pedicure a few months ago.