Everyone loves the feeling of a pedicure, but if you’ve only ever received a basic pedicure, you’re missing out on a whole lot of relaxation!
Nail salons and spas offer different tiers of pedicure experiences, from an express pedi for those who are in a rush to spa pedicures (also called deluxe pedicures) that involve relaxing and luxurious treatments that make you feel oh-so-pampered.
So, what is a spa pedicure? In short, a spa pedicure lasts longer and provides the client with a relaxing experience that often involves things like leg exfoliation, essential oils, gentle soaking, and more – in addition to the pedicure itself.
We will go over all of the extra services you’d usually get at the salon if you opt for one of these deluxe options. We’ll also discuss how much it costs and whether it’s worth it. Let’s dive in!
What Services Are Included In A Spa Pedicure?
Spa or deluxe pedicures typically have a whole different vibe from regular pedicures. There are extra services included in them, and they may take place in a separate room or area with a nice ambiance.
When you opt for a spa pedicure, you can expect to be greeted with refreshments, comfy chairs, dim lights, soft music, and the scent of essential oils. This alone makes it a much more luxurious experience than the crowdy nail salon rooms you sit in during regular pedicures.
When it comes to the services that come with a spa pedicure, it varies depending on the salon. But here are the most common offerings that come with a deluxe spa pedicure:
Foot Soak
Almost all spa pedicures come with a foot soak.
A foot soak is a practice that is thousands of years old. People have been soaking their feet for healing, relaxation, and self-care for as long as people have lived.
A spa foot soak involves submerging your feet into a warm bath that is located at the base of your spa chair.
The water in the bath is typically infused with Epsom salts, essential oils, and herbs. With the lovely scents and the warmth of the water, a foot soak becomes a whole-body experience that invigorates your senses and relaxes you.
Using Epsom salts and warm water also helps relieve pain and muscle soreness, so this is a great treatment for those who work on their feet.
Soaking your feet also helps condition your feet and toenails for the pedicure itself. Your nails become softer, and the skin on your feet becomes cleaner and easier to exfoliate.
This brings us to our next point…
Exfoliation
Many deluxe pedicures come with some form of exfoliating treatment.
Exfoliating the feet helps get rid of rough calloused skin that is so common in that area of the body. It also feels really good and leaves your skin feeling baby-soft.
Most exfoliating treatments use physical or chemical exfoliation. Physical exfoliation is when you use a scrub – like a salt or sugar scrub – to gently rub it over your skin. The friction from the particles helps remove dead skin cells.
Chemical exfoliation relies on certain acids, like glycolic acid or lactic acid, which are gently rubbed over your skin and left on for a few minutes. These acids don’t sting or hurt.
Instead, they help dissolve the bonds holding dead skin cells together, which allows them to be rinsed off, leaving you with smooth skin.
Your spa technician will use either of those methods to rub the exfoliant on your feet and your lower shins. This often feels relaxing in and of itself, because it feels as if you’re getting a lovely foot massage.
Paraffin Wax
Many deluxe pedicures these days also come with a paraffin wax treatment.
It involves a bath of warm, liquid wax. The wax is colorless and odorless. Your nail tech will help submerge your feet into the wax, which feels really good.
The warmth of the wax penetrates you all the way through the skin, muscles, joint, and bones. The wax retains heat for a while, so it will continue to radiate for several minutes.
The heat is known to relax muscles and reduce joint inflammation. Many people use paraffin wax in medical settings to relieve pain.
But aside from pain relief, a paraffin wax treatment will leave you feeling warm, pampered, and relaxed. The wax also helps soften your skin and nails.
Does hot wax sound a little scary to you? Don’t worry. Paraffin wax melts at a low enough temperature that you don’t need to worry about burning your skin. Your nail tech will ensure that the whole experience is comfortable and pleasant.
Hot Towel Wrap
Another staple of the spa pedicure experience is the hot towel wrap. This usually comes at the end of your treatments, right before the actual pedicure.
Hot towels are used in massage therapy and reflexology. The idea is that using a hot moist towel, often infused with healing essential oils, wrapped around your feet promotes circulation, and relaxation, and simply feels incredible.
The hot towel also helps prepare your feet for the pedicure by softening your nails and cuticles.
Your nail tech will ensure that the towels are not too hot before he or she wraps your feet like little burritos. You will keep the towels on your feet for several minutes until they begin to cool off.
At this point, your nail tech will remove them and typically proceed to the pedicure part of your treatment.
Pedicure
This part of the spa pedicure treatment is similar to any other pedicure you’ve had in your life, except your feet and your nails will be much softer and you’ll be uber relaxed.
The nail technician will tend to your toenails while you get to sit back and enjoy some refreshments. Many spas will offer you things like cucumber water, herbal tea, champagne, and even snacks.
Your technician will trim your toenails, tend to your cuticles, and paint your nails with the polish of your choice.
Lotion Massage
Once your pedicure is complete and your nails are dry, you can usually expect to get a final massage using a moisturizing lotion.
A good deluxe pedicure package will come with a massage that lasts 10-15 minutes and covers your feet, ankles, and calves.
This should feel amazing, especially after all the other treatments you’ve received today.
Foot and leg massages have a lot of health benefits, including improving circulation, stimulating your muscles, reducing tension, easing pain, and relaxing your nervous system.
The lotion will also help lock in moisture and softness in your skin so that your feet and toes continue to look and feel amazing for days to come.
If you’re thinking about saving money with your own at-home luxury pedicure, take a look at this helpful tutorial from Beatz by Tay on YouTube.
How Long Does A Spa Pedicure Take?
Because of all the added services, a spa (or deluxe) pedicure takes longer than a regular pedicure.
A regular pedicure takes 30-40 minutes on average. An express pedicure can be as quick as 15 minutes. But a spa pedicure takes at least 60-90 minutes to complete.
Of course, this varies by salon because each salon has its own deluxe package that comes with a different set of services.
How Much Does A Spa Pedicure Cost?
Deluxe or spa pedicures cost more than a regular pedicure, but how much more? It depends on the salon itself and the area where you are located. The cost of living in your area has an impact on how much spa and nail salon services go for.
We did some research in different markets and found that a typical spa pedicure goes for $100-135. Depending on the services that are included, you can find some nice luxury pedicures for as little as $60 but those usually don’t include all of the steps like paraffin wax or hot towel wraps.
Although $135 for a pedicure sounds steep, it’s definitely worth it for people who are looking for special treatment. Whether you are just looking to get pampered or you want to treat your feet after a long work week or you’re celebrating a special occasion, investing in self-care is always worth it.
And out of all the different “self-care” services out there, deluxe pedicures are some of the best and most relaxing treatments you can find!
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never gotten a spa pedicure, you should experience it at least once in your life.
It will leave you feeling relaxed, pampered, and re-energized. Plus, you’ll come out with a gorgeous pedi and super-soft legs.
Deluxe pedicures vary across the nation and across different salons. You might find some that include all the services we listed above, and some that have a totally different collection of services.
One thing they all have in common is the spa treatment: relaxation, ambiance, and the feeling of luxury in every action. From the smell of the room to the sensations on your feet – everything is curated to provide you with the most luxurious treatment possible.
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