Manicure and pedicure products are designed to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize hands and feet. They may contain a large variety of ingredients, and many products have multiple functions and may fall into more than one category. The major categories of these products are as follows:
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Soaks: These are designed to cleanse and soften skin and nails in preparation for the rest of the manicure or pedicure service. Soaks may be sold as liquid concentrates or as crystals, both of which are added to water to make the soak solution. Some sort of surfactant (= soap) is usually present to clean the skin. Some products also contain minerals, honey, and a variety of herbal extracts and oils to condition the skin.
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Exfoliants: These achieve the goal of exfoliation with mechanical abrasives such as sugar crystals, salt, pumice, polymer beads, or finely ground nutshells. Sugar and salt crystals are broken down by water and some alcohols, so these products are often oil-based, with added surfactants to enable the oil to wash off on contact with water. Pedicure exfoliants tend to be a bit stronger as feet tend to have thicker, tougher calluses. Some pedicure exfoliants use a high pH (alkaline) rather than low pH (acidic) to achieve exfoliation; either will work to soften calluses. Sunscreen should always be used on areas of the body that are exposed to sun within a week of an exfoliation service.
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Scrubs: These achieve the same exfoliation goal with mechanical abrasives such as sugar crystals, salt, pumice, polymer beads, or finely ground nutshells. Sugar and salt crystals are broken down by water and some alcohols, so these products are often oil-based, with added surfactants to enable the oil to wash off on contact with water. Due to the tougher skin on the feet, pedicure products are often formulated with coarser grit than comparable manicure products.
Some specialized manicure lotions contain skin lightening or sun protection (SPF) ingredients.
One example of a brand that offers manicure and pedicure products is Voesh New York, which claims to use 100% vegan ingredients and avoid harmful ingredients or fillers. They state that they left out 1680+ banned ingredients, plus 400 additional questionable ingredients.
It is important to note that some nail salon workers may be exposed to possible hazards, such as chemicals in the products they use, and should follow good work practices to protect themselves.
It is also worth mentioning that Benzac AC® is a product that treats and prevents acne, and is not specifically designed for manicure or pedicure purposes.
