Home Remedies: Treat Your Feet To A Spa Treatment At Home

Treat your feet to the goodness of a foot spa at home! But not sure where to start? Here's a guide to walk you through the process.

With the concept of "total well being" gaining ground, spa treatments are becoming increasingly popular. A spa is based on total well-being. Today, stress is considered a contributory cause of many ailments. This is where spa treatments help, as they bring about a sense of well being of body and mind. Actually, since ancient times, techniques of foot relief were practised in India, because it was recognized that the feet needed specific care. In fact, it gave birth to the art of reflexology, which recognizes that different areas of the feet actually correspond to different parts of the body. They believed that healing the feet actually helped in healing the body.

How Foot Spa Treatments Help You Relax?

The term "spa" was originally associated with water treatments, when people used to travel to hot springs to bathe or immerse their feet, due to the healing properties of the water. Today, foot spa treatments have become popular. They not only beautify the feet but also induce relaxation and bring about a sense of well-being. A foot spa treatment may not include nail care unless it is combined with a pedicure.

Of all the body parts, the feet tend to suffer the most. Therefore, they deserve as much attention, if not more, than the rest of the body. A foot spa also gives attention to problem spots, like the heels.

Foot Spa Treatment At Home

You will need a small tub to soak the feet, some ingredients and oils for massage, scrub, etc., as well as towels. Fill the tub with hot water and add rose water to it, or a few drops of rose or lavender essential oil. Add coarse salt to the water and some pure almond oil. You can also add some rose petals and petals of other flowers, to create the spa feeling.

Soak the feet in the water for 15 minutes. Then, give your feet a scrub treatment. The most common ingredients that you can use for scrubs are almond meal, oatmeal or wheat bran (choker). To this, you can add dry ground orange and lemon peels, or even coarse salt or granulated sugar. Yoghurt, milk or oils can be added to such ingredients. You can use any vegetable oil that is available at home, like sunflower, safflower oil, sesame seed (til) oil, or olive oil. Mix the scrub ingredients and apply them to the feet. After 15 to 20 minutes, rub gently on the skin with circular movements. Pay attention to the heels. Wash it off with water. Then give the feet a massage with oil or cream. Wipe off excess cream with a moist towel. Mix one tablespoon honey with 50 ml rose water. Apply on the feet. Lie down and relax for half an hour. Wash it off with plain water.

The Perfect Environment For A Foot Spa

You can have a foot spa at home once a week, or once in ten days. You will need a peaceful place in the home. Some greenery can work wonders. This can either be in the form of a view of your garden, to give you a feel of nature, or you can do up the place with potted plants. The fragrance has a wonderful effect and really helps to create a spa ambience at home. You can have scented potpourri in the room, or light an aromatherapy candle. Music also plays a very important role in creating the mood. You can have soft instrumental music playing in the background.

Today, an overall sense of well-being is considered to be all-important. That is why spas are using various natural therapies and techniques. Although based on ancient philosophies and holistic systems, there is no doubt that spas have become relevant to modern life.

(This article is authored by Shahnaz Husain, a Padma Shri Award recipient and pioneer of the Ayurvedic beauty movement and the head of a global network of franchise ventures and 375 formulations)