As the old saying goes, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Take care of your feet so you can enjoy all the benefits of daily walks in good health and comfort. A few simple home appliances are all you need to have a lovely foot salon at home. From foot massages to pedicures, you can enjoy a range of foot treatments with this foot care product guide with recommendations from OSIM, ITSU and TOUCH BEAUTY.

Tips on Caring for Your Feet

1. Foot Massage

Prolonged sedentary lifestyles have become the norm for city dwellers. However, this can lead to various health problems such as poor blood circulation in the feet which can lead to swelling and fatigue.

Applying gentle pressure on muscles and acupuncture points of your feet can help alleviate various minor ailments. The most convenient way is to use a foot massager at home to help improve blood circulation. This relieves oedema, foot pain and release tightness from the body and stress from the mind.

2. Pedicure

Nail trimming

• Besides trimming the nails to the right length, check for improperly trimmed nails, uneven nail surfaces and overgrown cuticles
• Use a nail trimmer to cut your toenails into the right shape and give your nails a smooth shine
• Make sure each nail is trimmed to the right length to protect the nail bed from bacteria and prevent dirt from accumulating on the nail

Exfoliation

• If you want to walk more comfortably, it's a good idea to remove dead skin and calluses from your feet regularly
• We recommend soaking your feet in warm water for 10 minutes or so to soften any hard skin
• Use a pedicure device to trim dead skin and apply body lotion to your feet to keep them smooth and soft
• Remember to thoroughly clean and disinfect any footcare tools before and after each pedicure
• Do not trim your nails excessively as you need sufficient cuticle to protect nails against bacteria

Shopping Tips

1. Main types

Broadly categorised as placement, wearable or foldable, refer to the characteristics of each type before buying one.

• Placement type: You can place both feet inside the machine, some models cover the thighs, calves and feet; it takes up a certain amount of space at home on the floor; if you want to place the foot massager near a sofa, make sure you check its size to avoid blocking the path of movement at home
• Wearable type: This does not take up additional space because it is worn and used on the feet; some models go up to the calf muscles and the soles of the feet to provide a full range of pneumatic massages; easy to use and store, ideal for the office
• Foldable type: Foldable foot massagers focus on acupressure points on the soles of the feet; some models use micro-current technology to stimulate the muscles for a complete foot massage; although this type can be easily unfolded for use and storage, check that the size of the surface corresponds to your shoe size

2. Massage areas

There are three types of massagers – placement, wearable and foldable designed to cater to different parts of the foot, such as the thighs, calves, soles and toes. If you are looking for a delicate massage for certain areas, it is best to check the product manual or try one out in person before you buy.

3. Main features

In addition to basic massage settings, foot massagers have a variety of additional features. Some models have a warming function to increase leg blood circulation. Others are designed to work with smartphones which connect to different parts of the massager via a smartphone app for a complete body massage.

4. Pedicure accessories

When choosing a pedicure machine, check the accessories included in the set. Heel trimmers are usually equipped with interchangeable grinding heads. Some models have several types of grinding heads to tackle dead skin. Some models are equipped with accessories for exfoliating, buffing, smoothing, polishing and UV nail drying based on personalised settings or trimming needs.

5. Easy to clean

For good hygiene, foot care products must be cleaned and disinfected before and after use. So choose a product that is easy to clean.

In the case of foot massagers, check whether the fabric on the surface of the product can be removed and washed, or whether it uses antibacterial and stain-resistant technology. In the case of pedicure products, the heel and toenail tips should be thoroughly soaked to dissolve dirt before brushing, and aging parts need to be replaced regularly to ensure effectiveness.

6. Easy storage

The storability of foot care products varies.

Foot massagers are generally designed to be foldable. Some emphasise ease of storage. Foldable massagers are naturally the easiest to stow away. For households that don’t have a footstool, note that a footstool massager takes up space at home. Consider usage habits before you buy. As for pedicure products, they take up minimal space. Choose a product with a storage box to store spare replacement heads for use next time.