Test Drive: Pedicures in the city

Test Drive: Pedicures in the city
Do they really work?

The Your Life team went out and tried four talked about pedicures and feet treatments in the city, to find out if they are really worth your money

pic/reuters

1. The Aroma Pedicure

Where? Lakm Beauty Salon, Bandra
How much? Rs 330
How long? 45 minutes
What they did
The pedicurist soaked my feet in a massage tub of warm water perfumed with aromatic oils, before gently scrubbing off dead skin. After having dabbed on dollops of cream on my toe nails, he clipped my cuticles and filed my nails. I was specifically asked what shape I'd prefer my toe nails to be. I settled for square. Using lotion, he then massaged my ankles and calves. I was given a tray of nail colour to pick a shade from. He applied two coats of colour.

Upshot
It was the regular pedicure, except that an aromatic oil was drizzled into the hot foot tub. He was gentle while handling my cuticles; some of them can get quite brutal while yanking any extra skin off. He could have mastered the art of massaging a woman's calf better. Thumping them with a tight fist isn't the answer. And he definitely needs to get better with applying polish without staining the skin on the sides of the nails. Kudos to Lakm for not rushing me out before my nails could dry, even though it was a packed Sunday afternoon.

2. The Aroma Spa Pedicure

Where? Nail Bar, Khar
How much? Rs 500
How long? 1.25 hour
What they did
While I took in the ambience, a floor-basin was already being prepared (by three people) for my Aroma Spa pedicure. As my pedicurist introduced herself to me, my feet were already soaking in a hot tub filled with mint bath crystals, meant to relax my feet. While one foot continued to soak in the relaxing mist of green crystals and steam, she filed, trimmed and buffed my nails with a sense of professionalism peppered with care. Then, she scrubbed the sole of my foot. Usually, this is followed by a massage, and that's where it ends. But when I spied the bunch of colourful unopened jars sitting next to my feet, I knew the end was nowhere in sight.
She applied a blue aroma gel enveloping my skin in a cool mist. She wrapped each foot in an individual napkin and allowed them to rest for a while. Next, my feet were being polished with a spa scrub. Each foot was wrapped in a piece of foil. She then whipped out a thick brush and painted my feet with a cobalt blue foot pack. She washed it off after a relaxing ten minutes, so that they could be further pampered. For the grand final, my feet and calves were treated to a massage, complete with kneading, toe cracking and pressing pressure points. The pedicure ended with a natural polish that made my toenails gleam like pearls.

Upshot

In spite of the rain threatening to block their way back home, the staff did not forget to offer me tea. The pedicurist did not hurry through the procedure, asking for my approval at every stage.
While my feet did feel relaxed, cool and rested at various levels, it made me wonder whether my feet really needed to be soaked in a cooling aroma gel and wrapped in foil. It seemed to me that an additional Rs 100 was being added for every extra stage of futile pampering (a regular pedicure costs Rs 300). But if you have the dough, this is the place to go.

3. The Reviving Pedicure

Where? Franck Provost, Juhu
How much? Rs 420
How long? 45 minutes
What they did
My pedicurist has been prettying feet for both men and women for a decade, so it came as no surprise when he asked. "Where do you usually get a pedicure?" His next question was, "Never been given a pedicure by a guy?" When I asked him what difference it made, he said, "You will know the difference." He promised to get rid of the shoe bite marks with the pedicure. He soaked my feet in a basin of warm water; wiped them dry, then sprayed Dettol around my nails and between the toes and washed them with water. My cuticles were pushed back and trimmed. The dry skin was scraped off from the soles with a sharp razor-like tool that "should be handled with care". Another round of antiseptic spray later, my feet were again soaked in warm water, and then massaged with pedicure lotion. He exfoliated my feet with a loofah.
I asked for square nails, but decided on round edges on his suggestion. "Round nails are easier to clean during the monsoons," he said rather confidently. Toenail "rounding up" over, he massaged my feet and calves with a foot lotion. "The massage is where the difference lies," he claimed. He suggested a transparent nail polish, but I opted for a bright pink one. He dried the paint with a blow dryer, for faster results.

Upshot
The service was quick, and the pedicure lasted as long as promised. The massage was pampering, and I was offered a cool Lemonade to chill. My feet look much better than before I went in for the pedicure. He made sure the water was not too hot for my feet, but did not tell me about the other pedicures available when I asked for variety.

4. The Aroma Pedicure

Where? Butterfly Pond, Wodehouse Road
How much? Rs 350 (exclusive of service tax)
How long? 50 minutes
What they did
My feet were dipped in warm water, my nails were polished, clipped and filed. The dry skin was removed, before dipping my feet once again in hot water. My feet and calf muscles were then massaged with a generous amount of aromatic oil and lotion.

Upshot
The pedicurist started off with a Regular pedicure in spite of making a prior appointment for an Aroma one. He had to be stopped midway and reminded that I wanted the Aroma one. The pedicurist was careful not to hurt my feet. He also waited for my approval after each step. There were enough options of nail paint in stock. On the whole, the pedicure made a noticeable difference to my feet.

Thanks for sharing (Hey just curious...did anybody actually read it?)