Take the Pedicure Challenge!

How much do you spend on pedicures especially during the summer months?

Pedicures are an essential part of self-care, not only because your feet are visible in strappy sandals and flip flops but because your feet are the support of your whole body, the "roots" of the body as some people call them.

But pedicures can get expensive, especially if you get them often. Consider this. Based on my experience I can round off the average price of a pedicure to $25 give or take a few dollars. Let's say you go to the nail salon for a pedicure every two weeks. That is $50 a month and $150 in 3 months!

What if you could give yourself the pedicure treatment at home without worrying about waiting in line or making an appointment, and most importantly saving a little money? You can with the Happy Feet collection!

Made of great products like lavender and mint which soothe tired muscles and replenish the skin, Happy Feet consits of a scrub, soak, foot cream and deodorizing spray. And giving yourself the at-home pedicure experience is so easy, see my previous blog post for a step by step guide.

The price for this collection is $75 and it lasts for about 3 months or more depending on how much you use. If you get your feet done twice a month this is saving $75! If you don't get pedicures as much the collection will probably last longer and still save you money over time!

If replacing the trip to the salon is not what you want to do, the Happy Feet collection is still great for keeping your feet soft and supple between visits or those times when you just don't have the time to make it to the shop. The Foot Soak is excellent for soothing tired feet after a long day of work.

The important thing I want to stress is taking care of your feet doesn't require a lot in your wallet! Take the challenge!

Make Your Feet Happy :)

It was a long and brutal winter. We stuffed our feet into snow boots, thick socks, Uggs, and those cute (but uncomfortable) high heeled boots. But now as the weather gets warmer and we transition into the season of cookouts, pool parties, and hot days it only means one thing: time to expose our feet!

How are yours? If you take your shoes and socks off now are your feet so ashy they appear white? Do they give off an odor? What about the soles? Are they flaky with dead skin? No need to pay for an expensive pedicure, here is how a step by step guide to get your feet ready for the summer.

Step 1. Soak Your Feet! It’s great if you have a pedicure foot soak at home but for those on a budget all you need is a small plastic tub which can be purchased at Wal-Mart or the dollar store. Fill up to a ½ the tub, enough to emerge your feet in warm water. Add two teaspoons of Happy Feet Peppermint and Lavender foot soak to the tub. Soak feet for about 10-15 minutes. This not only softens dead skin for easy removal but it’s also great treat for tired or aching feet.

Step 2. Use a pumice stone and gently scrape dead skin from the heels.

Step 3 Use an exfoliating scrub and massage into each foot for 30 seconds. I recommend a sugar or salt scrub such as Hollywood Fresh or Ghanaian Brown Sugar for especially scaly feet because it will take the dead skin cells off and moisturize.

Step 4 Rinse feet off. Pat dry and finish with Happy Feet foot cream and or Happy Feet deodorizer spray.

Enjoy your new feet!

For more foot care tips click here

Want to learn more about pampering yourself and self-care? Check out my other website.

Beating The Winter Blues II Five Mood Boosters

Have you felt significantly tired or lethargic for the past couple of months? Do you find yourself depressed for no apparent reason? You might be suffering from a case of the Winter Blues.

Winter Blues also known as Seasonal Effective Disorder affects people during the winter months, when the days are shorter and the temperature drops causing lethargy, depression, sluggishness, a loss of creativity and fatigue. However, until the spring arrives, here are five ways to cope.

1. Get out there and get active! Because you are feeling sluggish, it's very tempting to skip the workout routine. But staying active is a great mood lifter, releasing endorphins in your system. Try something new like a Belly Dancing Class, Yoga or Tai Chi

2. Try aromatherapy! The aromatic effects of *essential oils such as lavender and vetiver can help you relax, aromas such as rose,orange, and sandalwood, can give you feelings of happiness and peace. Many of these essential oils can be found in bath and body products such as shower gels, and butter balms and soy candles. However, always check the label! There are aromatherapy products that contain synthetic ingredients and are not as helpful.

3. Be sure to take time for you! Plug in at least 15 minutes a day just for you. Light a candle, pull out a journal and write or read a book. Meditate. Most of us have hectic schedules, but try cutting down on time-consuming activities like television and Facebook. Once you start making time for you every day, you will reap the rewards.

4. Adjust your sleep schedule accordingly Try waking up and going to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends. Adjusting your body to a set sleep schedule will mitigate your feelings of fatigue.

5. Be grateful Making a list of what I am grateful for; friends, family, health etc. always helps me when I am a little down

*Look out for upcoming posts, in which I will discuss in more detail how to use essential oils and their healing properties.

For More info on beating during the winter, click here

Beating The Winter Blues Part I Treating Your Skin in the Harsh Winter Weather

Skin, especially with the presence of melanin can be especially prone to get extra dry (ashy) during the winter season. These tips will help nourish your skin and help it shine!

1. Use a humidifier in your bedroom to balance out the hot dry air that blasts from heaters.

2. Always protect your hands from the harsh weather with gloves. According to WebMD, the skin on your hands is thinner with fewer oil glands so it’s important to keep them from drying and cracking.

3. Use thicker moisturizers, with Shea butter and or essential oils.

4. Avoid moisturizers containing dye alcohol or propylene glycol. If you have especially sensitive skin, avoid products containing fragrance and lanolin.

5. Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Exfoliate! I can’t stress this enough. Using a good exfoliate like a sugar or salt scrub is essential to remove all of the dead skin cells BEFORE you moisturize. Pay special attention to the soles of the feet, elbows, and knees

6. Take warm showers and baths and not hot ones! Sure it feels good to step into a nice steamy hot shower in the morning, but it will dry out your skin.

7. Avoid wet gloves and socks which can cause skin cracks and eczema flair-ups.

8.Don’t forget to use products with SPF 15 or 30 to protect you from the sun. Products with Vitamin D are also very nourishing for the skin

Recommended Products : Sugar Scrub, Shea Butter Balm, Remede for Dry Skin, Happy Feet