It’s fair to say that I’m pretty bad at caring for my feet I’m a little better at looking after my hands, but only just – I do remember to use hand cream a few times a day. As far as regular professional manicure and pedicures go, I could count the number I’ve had on one hand (OK, perhaps two).
As someone who lavishes her face twice-daily (thrice on gym days) with premium-brand cleansers, spritzers, treatment serums, hydrating creams and protecting formulas (not to mention regular masks), my hands and feet really do get a raw deal!
So my feet were practically dancing a few weeks back, when I was kindly invited to experience two of Margaret’s Dabbs’ signature treatments, her Medical Pedicure and Supreme Manicure, at the brand’s newest London clinic .
The clinic is Margaret Dabbs’ biggest in London and located inside the Space NK in Westbourne Grove. It’s all very swish, and the staff warm and friendly– the immediate offer of tea/coffee instantly wins me over! It’s a haven of calm here, a place to put your feet up (literally)!
After completing a health questionnaire, I was ushered inside an ultra-modern treatment room. The Medical Pedicure is a 45 minute treatment, and the Supreme Manicure is 50. I was having them done simultaneously (consecutively is available if preferred).
What’s Different About Margaret Dabbs?
For a start all foot treatments are carried out by qualified podiatrists, and the hand treatments by specialist nail technicians. Then there’s the focus: Margaret Dabbs puts hand and foot health at the centre of her treatments - the Medical Pedicure is renowned for creating the perfect sole.
Unusually, treatment is carried out on a dry foot and a wet scrub is only used on hands after nails have been cut and filed. According to Margaret Dabbs, it’s easier to see problem areas on dry skin and treatment results also last longer.
I’m sat in the very comfortable high-tech chair you see in the pic above, with Anna attending to my hands and Sandra my feet (sorry Sandra!). For the next 50 minutes my hands and feet are given a thorough makeover.
Nails are shaped, cut and filed using professional Margaret Dabbs hardware - clippers, nippers, nail refiners and buffers (you name it). Foot nails and cuticles are shaved to remove dead skin - even a drill is used to thin the nail. Callouses are removed from the sole using Margaret Dabbs’ Professional Foot File ( it contains compressed crystals to lift layers of dead skin evenly and quickly).
Skincare also features heavily. A foot oil is used to soften skin (on hands too), while the Margaret Dabbs Hand Serum (a best-seller) moisturises and fades age spots. Hand lotion and a protection spray round-off the treatment before nails are given an expert polish. Margaret Dabbs is launching her first range of nail polishes towards the end of next month. These will be offered in place of the Rococo colours used currently.
My hour at Margaret Dabbs whizzed by, but by the end of it my hands and feet looked and felt a million dollars. The challenge now is for me to keep up the good work!
Margaret Dabbs’ expert hand and foot care tips and tricks:
- Always remove hard skin/callouses on dry a foot
- Use a foot file just once a week (any more will stimulate cell turnover and encourage more hard skin)
- Clip nails every 4-6 weeks
- File your hand nails to match the natural shape of your cuticles (mine are round)
- Be aware of your foot shape. Mine is Greek, meaning my second tootsie is bigger than my big toe. Ensure shoes are fitted accordingly. Egyptian is another common foot shape - long and narrow
- Wrap feet in cling film after polish is touch-dry to protect it from knocks
Rococo Polish:
Hands – Molten Lava
Feet – Pop Culture Luxe
The Margaret Dabbs Medical Pedicure costs from £80. The Margaret Dabbs Supreme Manicure costs £50. More here.
