Whether your days are feeling monotonous or you’re working from home, now more than ever we know you need a little bit of self care from feeling stress from everything going on. So here are some tips on how you can transform any day of the week into a much needed spa day that will give you a happy heart, and happy hands and feet – bonus points if you have your feet soaking up during a work call, or add a glass of wine and some good music to the mix.
Step 1: Exfoliation
Manicure:
Be sure to start this DIY spa day with clean hands. Then, apply OPI ProSpa Micro-exfoliating Hand Polish to each hand, focusing on any extra rough spots or calluses. This microdermabrasion scrub helps improve the texture of your skin and is full of vitamin C to help promote overall radiance.
As an alternative option, try creating your own exfoliator by mixing a small amount of olive oil and brown sugar. The oil will help soften skin and cuticles, while the sugar acts as a natural
exfoliant.
Use OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover to remove any old polish, then file your nails to clean up the overall shape before wiping away any dust. Next, buff nails with a buffer, then gently push back cuticles with a cuticle pusher. If you aren’t wearing Nail Lacquer or Infinite Shine, read our latest blogs on DIY gel and dip removal.
Pedicure:
Fill your tub with a small amount of warm water, or grab a large mixing bowl or basin and fill that with warm water. Next, add a quick dissolving Soothing Soak to cleanse and soak your feet, this helps sooth fatigue and reduce inflammation. Soak your feet for 5-10 minutes, then exfoliate with our Dual Sided Foot File.
Next, use OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover to remove any old polish, then file your nails to clean up the overall shape before
wiping away any dust. Once you’re done, buff nails with a buffer, then gently push back cuticles with a cuticle pusher.
You can also create your own version of a soothing soak by mixing epsom salts and essential oils into the warm water. A regular pumice stone can help exfoliate tough calluses on feet as an alternative too.
Need some guidance? Our OPI ProSpa Pedicure Express tutorial will walk you through your DIY pedi.
Step 2: Moisturise and Massage
Manicure:
Next is the best and most relaxing part! Grab a thick moisturising lotion like Moisture Whip Massage Cream, or go all out by putting on a pair of Advanced Softening Gloves. Whether you’re using the cream or the gloves, you will massage the product into your hands (and feet!) until you have nothing left but soft, supple skin. If you used the softening gloves, massage the product into your skin after you’ve kept the gloves on for approximately 5-10 minutes.
If you don’t have our magical Softening Gloves on hand, try adding lotion to a pair of disposable gloves and wrap your hands in a towel for extra heat.
Pedicure:
If you’re also treating your feet, use our Advanced Softening Socks to give you the ultimate foot masking experience, then take a load off and let the shea butter and vitamin E work their magic. We don’t recommend chasing your toddler or pets around the house in these socks.
For a DIY alternative to our Softening socks, create a foot mask yourself by using lotion and wrapping feet in cling film or plastic bags to help generate heat. The heat allows the ingredients to penetrate deeper into your skin.
Step 3: Add Colour, or Treat and Protect
Adding colour
Whether your DIY spa day included a manicure or pedicure (or both!), if you want to brighten up your nails with a little colour, always start with a base coat, followed by two coats of the shade you picked, and finish with a top coat to ensure long lasting wear and shine.
As a colour or base coat alternative, treat your nails to a nail strengthener that will do all the dirty work for you if you feel like your nails could use a little extra TLC. Our Original Nail Envy
Strengthener Treatment is a fan-favourite for a reason – it’s a maximum strength treatment application that uses hydrolyzed wheat protein and calcium to create harder, longer, and
stronger natural nails. For just a touch of colour, OPI Nail Envy comes in our best-selling shades like Bubble Bath and Samoan Sand, and if you have soft or thin nails, we recommend Nail
Envy – Soft & Thin. Apply two coats for now, but for maximum results, continue to apply one coat each day for 7 days.
Adding Oil:
Last, but certainly not least, your cuticles need love too! This is a commonly overlooked step, but is still essential nonetheless. Once your nails have dried, apply a drop of Nail & Cuticle Oil to the base of each nail and rub it into your cuticles to nourish and soften your skin.
And there you have it! We hope this brings you some comfort and much needed relaxation right now. Until our next blog, keep finding little things that can make your day a little brighter. Whether you have too much time on your hands and days are feeling monotonous, or you’re doing two jobs working AND home-schooling, or you’re feeling stress from everything going on, now more than ever we know you need a little bit of self care.