How to Give Yourself a Perfect Home Pedicure

Giving yourself a pedicure will save you a few dollars.

A pedicure is more than just the trimming and painting of the nails. Typically a pedicure includes exfoliation, moisturization and sometimes massage of the feet and lower legs, as well as filing, painting and polishing of the nails. While pedicures are considered mostly aesthetic improvements, they can improve the health of your nails. They can also be expensive. Thankfully, you can perform a pedicure on your own feet and present the world tootsies worth showing off.

Things You'll Need

• Large bowl
• Colored nail enamel
• Clear nail enamel
• Nail enamel remover
• Olive oil or cuticle cream
• Cuticle stick or clean Popcicle stick
• Foot scrub
• Pumice stone or pad
• Epsom salt
• Nail clippers
• White vinegar
• Emery board
• Cotton ball or facial tissues
• Towel

Instructions

1. Remove old nail enamel first. Use cotton balls for this; tissues tend to fall apart.

2. Fill the bowl with warm water and Epsom salt. Soak your feet for 10 minutes.

3. Dry your feet with a clean towel and apply cuticle cream or olive oil to soften the cuticles. Let this sit for a moment.

4. Exfoliate your feet and heels with a pumice stone or pumice pad while you're waiting for your cuticles to soften. Then remove dry skin from your feet and legs using a foot scrub. (You can make your own using a cup of Epsom salt and about a tablespoon of olive oil.) Massage the scrub onto your feet and calves.

5. Trim your nails with a nail clipper. Always cut the nails straight across, never slant them down at the sides. Smooth uneven edges or sharp points with an emery board or nail file.

6. Push back your cuticles, using a cuticle stick (or a clean Popsicle stick). Be careful not to break the skin.

7. Wipe the nails with undiluted white vinegar. This will remove all traces of oil and keep the enamel from bubbling. Let your nails dry.

8. Use toe separating pads, facial tissue or packing peanuts between toes. This will keep the enamel from smudging as it dries.

9. Apply a clear coat of enamel as a base, followed by two thin coats of your favorite colored enamel. Then apply another clear coat for a top coat. Let it dry completely.

10. Apply lotion to your legs and feet to finish off.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your nail enamel in a cool dry place, such as the refrigerator. It will last longer.

• Darker shades look great on toes.

• Don't shake the enamel bottle to mix. This causes bubbles. Instead, roll the bottle in your palms.

References

• Women's Health: Fix Ugly Feet at Home