We consulted Bastien Gonzalez, foot and nail care expert to the stars, on his top tips for keeping our feet beautiful after being barefoot in the sand during the summer months
Photo: ThinkStock
Your feet are arguably the most overlooked part of your body and yet, they set a vital foundation for everything else you do in life. Save for the occasional pedicure and foot massage, we hardly give our appendages enough TLC.
After a whole summer of walking around in heels and flat sandals, it’s time to assess the damage. We’ve enlisted Bastien Gonzalez — a former podiatrist who’s become a foot virtuoso to the stars, with his very own signature treatment at The Oriental Spa at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental — to give us the low-down on how to properly care for your feet. Read on to get on the right track for podiatric health.
Give your Feet a Proper Rub
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“A massage is essential for restoring the mobility of the feet,” says Gonzalez. And, like many things in life, results only appear when there’s an ongoing accumulation of effort. The foot expert suggests giving your feet a one-minute massage every night before bed.
Start your massage with the toes to bring back their flexibility. “Your feet spend most of their time in contraction — so you don’t really get to stretch your toes,” says Gonzalez. Pull your toes downwards and massage the fatty cushions by pulling them back where you need it, and flex the arch of the feet gently.
Buffing Goes a Long Way
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Buffing out your nails is crucial if you want them to look like shiny and fortified shields. However, Gonzalez bemoans the over-filing that typically takes place when you get a salon pedicure — the skin is softened when damp, which often leads to an inaccurate assessment of how much buffing is needed.
Gonzalez has a secret weapon of a counter method: buffing your nails using chamois leather. He first discovered the non-abrasive fabric when he saw his great-grandmother buff her nails with it. According to Gonzalez, adapting a shoe-shining-esque motion will accelerate blood circulation, which in turn increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the nail beds.
Nourish with Care
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To deal with dry skin, most people resort to lathering on various lotions and potions, but according to Gonzalez, doing so can have an adverse effect — if they are not of the right formula. Contrary to popular belief, if you put on a greasy foot cream and wear socks to bed, the moisture won’t be trapped and absorbed into the skin: Instead, it escapes to the fabric via osmosis, since there are significantly less water particles in the socks.
Gonzalez suggests looking for creams that list water at the very beginning of the ingredient list — that means it’s the ingredient of the highest concentration— and steering clear from glycerine. Give your feet a thorough scrub every now and then and apply the lotion while your skin is still damp.
Don’t Forget Your Nails
Photo courtesy of Révérence de Bastien
To give your nails the drink of moisture they need, massage them with a drop of unguent from Révérence de Bastien, Gozalez’s signature nail and foot care line. The ointment contains apricot oil, which makes your cuticles strong and supple. Rub one small drop everyday around the nails daily for best results.
Don’t have the product around you? A dollop of olive oil will also work. “That’s why Italian ladies have beautiful hair and nails,” laughs Gonzalez.
Révérence de Bastien’s nails and cuticle unguent (HK $270) is available for purchase at The Oriental Spa at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental.
Powder Up
Photo courtesy of Révérence de Bastien
An easy way to protect your feet when they are exposed in sandals is to layer a light coat of talcum powder — or “invisible socks”, as Gonzalez calls it. “Just like how gymnasts dusts their hands with chalk before going a rings or bar routine, the layer of protection reduces friction and burning sensation,” says Gonzalez.
Révérence de Bastien’s signature talcum powder contains calming sage and cyprus, a cleansing ingredient. Put on your toes or under the feet before you put on high heels.
Révérence de Bastien’s Silky Talcum Powder (HK $430) is available for purchase at The Oriental Spa at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental.
Go for an SOS Treatment
Photo courtesy of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental
If all else fails, it’s time to call in the experts. The Bastien Pedicure at the PEDI:MANI:CURE STUDIO by Bastien Gonzalez is the ideal way to get your tired feet energised for a big night. Using a variety of top-of-the-line tools such as a glass nail file and diamond drill, studio manager Albin Brion gently removes dead skin and smoothens the nail surface.
As the master himself has previously mentioned, Brion only works on dry skin to allow more precision. The feet are then lavished with a mother of pearl paste that exofoliates and restores shine. The one-hour session concludes with a foot massage restore joint mobility , blood flow and health in the fatty cushions. Brion, a lovely conversationalist, is ever so eager to impart throwaway quips on foot care, such as using a toothbrush to gently scrap away dead skin around the nail folds every night.
The Bastien Manicure (performed by studio manager) is available at The Oriental Spa at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental. A 60-minute session is priced at HK $1,350.