What on earth is an ice cream pedicure?
An ice-cream pedicure can cost you around 1,500 to 2,000 INR. Photo: dailyO
If you regularly visit a beauty salon or utilise online services companies like Urban Company or Yes Madam, you may often find yourself perplexed by the suggestions to upgrade your package or when your parlour didi asks you to add a facial to your package for just a couple of extra bucks.
This confusion extends to services like manicures and pedicures as well. While a basic cut, file, and polish may not suffice, it seems that companies today are going to great lengths in their marketing strategies, often taking things to the extreme.
If you're thinking what the hell are we talking about, well here's the jist: We recently encountered an advertisement promoting something called an "ice-cream pedicure", which left us both intrigued and somewhat appalled at the thought of having ice cream applied to our feet, even if it was meant for "lightening, hydrating and locking moisture into the skin".
But if you're still thinking an ice cream pedicure/manicure is a code for something else, well it is not. It is exactly as it sounds. Right now, both the companies (Urban Company and Yes Madam) providing you with ice cream pedicures have described the pedicure/manicure as some sort of treatment for your feet or arms.
What is it exactly?
Urban Company describes the treatment as a "unique fun way for hand treatment". Also, by the way, the ice cream used in this process is vegan.
How is it done? It is 7-step process where apart from the cleansing, filing, and painting of your nails, your hands or feet are soaked in the warm water, where an 'ice cream ball soak' is dipped into the water to create a "creamy moisturising soak".
Yes Madam on the other hand describes it as a 6-step process that includes everything from salting to a 'cream mask.' However, the specific details regarding how the ice cream is utilised during the pedicure are not clearly explained.
The mention of "Organica Da Roma Ice Cream Pedicure mono sachets" suggests that there may be individual sachets or packets of a product related to ice cream involved in the process, but without further clarification, it is difficult to determine exactly how they are used in the treatment.
Price range? The companies are charging a whopping Rs 1,400-1,500 for a manicure and Rs 1,800-2,000 for a pedicure.
The madness does not end here...
If you think ice cream pedicure and manicure is appealing or appalling, here are some more.
1. AVL Sea-algae manicure/pedicure
Urban Company also offers a sea treatment for your foot, which involves getting your feet soaked, cleansed, scrubbed and massaged with 'sea and algae-related products'.
2. Fish pedicures
Banned in several parts of the US, Canada and Europe, fish pedicures are getting very common in India, and you can easily spot one even on the streets.
Fish pedicures, also known as fish spas or fish therapy, involve placing your feet in a water tank or basin filled with small fish, typically a species called Garra rufa or doctor fish. These fish have a natural tendency to nibble on dead skin cells, so when you immerse your feet in the water, the fish will nibble and exfoliate the dead skin, leaving your feet feeling smoother.
However, it is important to note that fish pedicures have raised concerns regarding hygiene and potential risks.
3. Wine pedicure
Though not very common, but has been around for the longest time, Wine pedicure is probably the elder sister of beer pedicures: Yes, both of them are used for pedicures.
How do you do it? Your feet are soaked in a tub of wine (this could be quite an expensive one).
4. Gold pedicures/manicures
One of the bougies-est ways to treat yourself is to get a literal 24k carat gold pedicure or a manicure.
In this treatment, gold-infused or gold-based products are used.
Why do they even exist? It is said that the use of gold in beauty treatments is often associated with providing a radiant and glowing appearance to the skin. However, it's important to note that the benefits of gold in pedicure treatments may be mainly cosmetic, as the actual absorption of gold particles into the skin is limited.