Many busy moms delight in receiving a spa manicure and pedicure. Not only does this process leave your hands and feet looking great, it also serves as a relaxing time for you to sit back and be pampered. The traditional spa manicure and pedicure is a multifaceted process that is specifically design to leave your hands and feet at their finest.

Soothing Soak

Both manicures and pedicures commonly begin with a soak. When receiving a manicure, women are often asked to place their hands or fingertips in a solution of warm water. This practice softens the nails and makes them more pliable and easier to tend to. When receiving a pedicure, recipients are often given a soaking tub into which to sink their tender toesies. This soak not only softens the toenails but also the foot skin that has become hard.

Nail Clipping

Manicurists and pedicurists traditionally follow the soak with a brief nail clipping. When clipping nails, they often even them out or remove excessive length, particularly on toenails, as these nails are almost never worn intentionally long. If nails are already short, this step can be skipped.

Cuticle Treatment

The place where your skin and nails meet is referred to as the cuticle. Sometimes, cuticles creep onto the nail itself, reducing the beauty of the nail surface. To prevent this, or correct the issue if it has already occurred, those completing nail treatments commonly apply cuticle oil and use a cuticle pusher to remove excess cuticle. While completing the process, the professional may also use cuticle clippers to remove any excess cuticle quickly and painlessly.

Skin Softening

To give skin a baby-fresh feel, manicurists and pedicurists traditionally remove rough skin. To do this, they use a pumice stone with or without an exfoliating cream. While hands can get some rough spots of their own, they rarely receive the same amount of attention as notoriously tough feet.

Massage

For many over-stressed moms, the massage is the best part of a spa manicure or pedicure. After completing these first steps, manicurists and pedicurists traditionally massage the hands and feet. This massage may extend to the forearms and calves, or it may remain isolated in these focus areas. Often, moisturizing lotion is applied during this massage process.

Nail Painting

After asking the recipient to wash her hands or dip her feet back in the water to remove moisturizing lotion residue, nail technicians put the finishing touch on their manicures or pedicures by applying nail polish. Often, this nail polish application is more extensive than a woman would do at home, as the technician applies multiple coats to increase the likelihood that the polish stays in place for an extended period of time.