How to Make Your Feet Soft and Pretty with a Thai Green Tea Foot Bath

Green tea - copyright Chris Gladis, Creative Commons License

 

Living in Thailand, one thing I learned fast is how many things green tea can be used for. As a drink, a source of vitamins, a weight loss aid, added to food, and even used in various health and beauty cures, green tea has hundreds of uses. Green tea can also used to make a refreshing and skin softening foot bath, and is even useful if you have a foot odor problem. Here’s how.

What You Need

A bowl
4 Tablespoons of green tea powder
Juice of a small lime or lemon
Hot water
Pumice stone
Moisturizer

How to Take a Green Tea Foot Bath

Both green tea and limes soften the skin while also killing bacteria on your feet. In fact, a green tea foot bath can also be used as an anti-fungal, or by anyone who already has a fungus problem as, over time, repeated green tea foot baths can go a long way towards eliminating fungus completely. The elimination of bacteria also gets rid of any unpleasant smell, while the lime itself adds a pleasant scent.

1. Pour hot water into a bowl and add enough cold water so your feet can sit in the water comfortably without burning. Fill the bowl three quarters full.

2. Add 4 tablespoons of green tea powder (available at specialty shops and some health food storesv- buy the cheapest one available), and make sure the powder dissolves by mixing it into the water with a large spoon.

3. Add the juice of a small lime or lemon (we use limes in Thailand as they’re far cheaper to buy than lemons, which are imported) and also mix in with spoon.

4. Wash your feet before putting them in the bowl of water. Once washed, place your feet in the bowl and let soak for five to ten minutes.

6. Remove feet one by one and lightly pumice the soles of your feet and heel with the pumice stone.

7.Wash your feet to remove any slight green stain from the tea. Then moisturize with a green tea or lime-scented moisturizer. To intensify the softening effect, wear a pair of socks overnight, to allow the moisturize to soak into your skin and do its job properly.