How to Get Pedicure Equipment and Tools

A pedicure is a great way to pamper yourself and soothe your aching feet. You don't need to go to a spa or nail salon to get a pedicure--you can do one at home. Whether you are giving yourself a pedicure or doing one for a friend, you will need the right equipment and tools.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soaking tub
• Water
• Epsom salt
• Towel
• Cotton balls
• Nail polish remover
• Nail clippers
• Nail file
• Nail buffer
• Nail brush
• Heel pumice stone or heel scraper
• Polishes
• Nail art supplies

1. Find a wide tub or basin to use to soak your feet in. The tub should be wide enough to fit both of your feet in and hold enough warm water to cover them. Add Epsom salt, oil or your favorite foot salt to the water to soothe your feet.

2. Place a folded towel right outside the tub to rest your feet on and to dry them off. A terry cloth bath towel works best. You want something large enough to fold up to give your feet a platform to rest on and something absorbent enough to dry your feet thoroughly.

3. Take off old nail polish with cotton balls and nail polish remover. Look for an acetone-free polish remover. It is gentler on your nails and cuticles. Typically, you will need 3 or 4 cotton balls to remove the polish from both feet. If you are wearing a dark color on your toes, you may need more cotton balls to get all of the polish off.

4. Have nail clippers, files and buffers to trim down, shape and buff your toenails. Long handled toenail clippers make reaching your own toes easier, especially if you have a bad back or are pregnant. You will need a higher grit file for your toenails than what you use on fingernails because your toenails are thicker. Use at least a 180-grit file.

5. Have a pumice stone or heel scraper to remove rough patches from your heels and balls of your feet. You can get a plain pumice stone or use one that is on the end of a file, and then you’ll follow up with a bristled nailbrush to thoroughly clean the feet and toes before polishing.

6. Make sure to have a base coat and topcoat, as well as your polish, to protect your toenails and the polish, making your color last longer. There’s a variety of top and base coats available such as ridge filling, nail strengthening and quick drying. As far as the polish goes, choose one that complements your skin tone.

7. Decorate toenails using decals or polish. Use cotton swabs, bobby pins and special brushes to add decoration and jewels to your toes. Nail decorating kits are also available at beauty supply stores or online. (See link in Resources.)

Tips & Warnings

• A foam nail separator or rolled up piece of paper towel works well to put in between your toes to separate them so your polish does not smudge.
• Make sure to clean and sanitize your pedicure equipment after each use, especially if shared by more than one person.

Resources

• Check out nail decorating kits.