I had initially thought that Bastien Gonzalez would just be dropping by for a chat during the treatment. So when he popped in with a smile – explained that it was going to be done by he himself – I was thinking to myself – o noooo. Maybe I should have gone to one of the salons across the road and had a pedicure done BEFORE coming here. There were a lot of things I was worried about over the last few months and feet care was definitely not at the top of the list. A blessing in disguise it was, to have the ‘foot virtuoso’ himself to give a pedicure treatment – and to remind you not to neglect one of the many important parts of your body.

So, 60-minutes of foot care – what exactly happens?

Bastien’s treatment was as he explained it – a ‘pedi-cure’ – it’s all about curing the feet. He got into position and started analysing my feet. To lighten things up, I asked him if mine was the worst he had ever seen. “Actually, no” was the polite answer. Imagine if he had said yes.

• 

He started off cutting the toe nails with clippers. Not the traditional nail clippers you use at home but those resembling pliers. I felt like a cave woman getting my first pedicure. Next came a drill head where he worked on the damaged top layers of toe nails, as well as the dead skin on the sides of nails. Yes, drill head. Not to panic, he assured me that it’s very gentle and it only removes a very thin layer. Okay, I trust you. I think.

He then applied some cream to the nails, and proceeded to buff the nails with chamois leather – a technique he had learned from his great grandmother. ” It does not abuse the nails, it does not make it thinner, ” he explained. Apparently the typical buffing block used in nail salons has a very strong grain and it makes the nail very thin. With the chamois leather and the action of buffing, it accelerates the blood circulation, increases the oxygen within and therefore reduces the yellow of the toes. Sounds pretty technical, ay? End result? Shiny, happy toes 😉

Now this is not yet over as we still have the rest of my wonderful humongous feet to attend to. He picked up a scalpel, and very casually brought it towards my feet like he has done it a thousand times, or more. At the point I was more amused than worried, this was getting quite exciting. He worked on my heels, stating that it was dryness and that I did not have any calluses. That’s good to know.

We ended the treatment with a very elaborate foot to knee massage using a cream which is also created from their own labs. ‘Voila, you see the difference?” Yes, yes indeed. Shiny, healthy looking toes and very relaxed feet.

• 

• 

Overall thoughts?

On the man himself, the Bastien Gonzalez – he was extremely humble considering all his achievements – owning over 26 studios (did I get the number right?) all over the world, from Singapore to Hong Kong to London. Having been based in Dubai for nearly 19 years but flying nearly every week, we spoke about the changes the emirate has gone through, how this year has been so odd for him and everyone not being able to fly. We discussed his favourite restaurant (yep, that french one in DIFC) and honestly, it was really nice albeit a little weird to be ‘interviewing’ somebody who was working on your feet.

On the ‘Bastien’s Pedicure’ itself, it was 60-minutes of attention purely on the feet – you leave feeling extremely pampered and relaxed. It’s not a typical pedicure as you don’t leave the salon with sparkles and christmas trees drawn onto your toe nails. It’s something you treat yourself once inawhile to get your toes and feet attended to properly, medically, by professionally trained podiatrists. How much would it cost? 535 AED. So save it for that special treatment every once in awhile. It’s nice when it’s in the actual Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio in One&Only the Palm 😉

• Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio
• One&Only Royal Mirage as well as One&Only The Palm

Disclaimer : I was a guest of the One&Only to meet Bastien and to review the treatment while he was here in Dubai for a few days. Please note that the treatments at Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio is normally done by the professional podiatrists there, whom have been trained by Bastien himself.