Get Set Up
It helps simplify things if you first gather together all your DIY pedicure equipment into one location. Next, carefully remove any nail polish you might already have on, using an acetone polish remover and a cotton ball or cotton makeup remover pad. Don’t use a tissue for nail polish removal, since tissues tend to break apart and disintegrate when used with nail polish remover.
Soak
The simplest way to soak your feet is to pour some Epsom salts into the bathtub, jump in and soak.
Image: target.com
And if you really want to ramp up your DIY Pedicure to the next level, treat yourself to a Luxurious Heated Foot Bath like this one. Or maybe this could be an item you might want to add to your Holiday Wish List. Think how much it could help your budget if home pedicures replaced trips to the nail salon.
Image: Brookstone
Exfoliate, File, Buff & Trim
After you’ve soaked your feet for a few minutes, wet this Pumice Stone and gently scrub your heels and all the other areas of your feet where calluses tend to build up
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After you’ve thorougly rinsed your feet, pat them dry with a towel and apply a light lotion or moisturizer all over your feet, heels and all the way up to your ankles. Lightly buff over the top of the nails with a nail buffing block
Image: amazon.com
Trim your nails straight across, taking care not to clip the nails too short or too deeply at the corners. Trimming nails too deeply can lead to ingrown nail problems and infections. Next file and smooth the edges of your nails with a quality multiuse metal nail file. Lightly rinse off the areas of your toenails where you have trimmed and filed them and pat dry.
Image: zamberg.com
Next, gently massage cuticles with a cuticle oil or something as simple as Vitamin E oil and gently push them back with something like an orangewood or popsicle stick. If necessary, carefully trim the cuticles with some high quality Cuticle Nippers, but as with trimming toenails, be conservative and always take care not to trim your toe cuticles too deeply. Trimming toe cuticles can be tricky and is often best left to the professionals when you are treating yourself to a nail salon pedicure.
Image: amazon.com
Polish
Finish up by applying your favorite polish, and if you tend to use a lot of deep toned polishes, it can help to apply a clear coat layer first, to help protect your toenails from absorbing too much color and ultimately discoloring your nails or turning them yellowish over time. Now enjoy your very happy feet and pocket your savings for a rainy day!
