How to Give a Beauty Spa Pedicure

Pamper yourself with a luxurious salon style pedicure for a fraction of the cost of a professional job. It's easy and fun to give yourself or a friend a home beauty spa pedicure. You probably already have most of what you need. Pick up the rest at your local drug or discount store, light a few candles, play soothing music and get ready to relax and enjoy.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic bowl
• Baking soda
• Bath oil
• Sea salt
• Hazelnuts or almonds
• Oatmeal
• Honey
• Cocoa butter
• Towel
• Pumice stone
• Toenail clippers
• Cuticle stick
• Nail file
• Egg yolk
• Pineapple juice
• Lemon juice
• Lemon oil
• Nail polish

Instructions

1. Soak your feet to soften them. Fill a plastic bowl with warm water. Mix in 1 tbsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. scented bath oil. Soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes. Discard water.

2. Loosen dead skin cells by soaking your feet for a second time. Fill the basin with warm water and 1/2 oz. sea salt. Soak for 10 minutes. Pat feet dry with a soft towel.

3. Exfoliate with a homemade natural paste. Grind 1/4 cup hazelnuts or almonds coarsely. Mix in 1/4 cup dry oatmeal, 2 tbsp. honey and 3 tbsp. cocoa butter. Rub the paste into your feet.

4. Rub your feet vigorously with a pumice stone to remove dead skin cells. Pay careful attention to the skin on the balls and soles of your feet. Rinse with cool water.

5. Clean under the tips of your toenails. Clip long nails to a moderate length. File rough edges with an emery board or nail file. Take care not to split or crack soft nails. File in a circular motion, going slowly in both directions.

6. Make a natural cuticle softener. Mix 1 egg yolk with 1 tbsp. pineapple juice. Add 5 drops of lemon juice and 1 drop of pure lemon essential oil. Apply to the cuticles. Wait a few minutes.

7. Push the skin back from the cuticles with a cuticle stick. Gently push the skin slightly back from the nail.

8. Apply nail polish. Begin with a thin layer of clear base coat. Allow this coat to dry. Follow with two coats of your favorite color of nail polish. Finish your perfect nails with a clear top coat for protection.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute commercial products for homemade to save time. Be sure to use creams and moisturizers specially formulated for the feet, which tend to be much more effective than hand creams.

• Sea salt is widely available in most grocery stores.

• Never cut your cuticles with scissors. This allows bacteria to enter the skin and presents a risk of infection.