How To Give Yourself An At-Home Pedicure
Unless you have quite a bit of extra money to throw around, it may not be in your budget to pay for a weekly pedicure. In summer months, you want your feet to look their best (especially in those beautiful new sandals). The good news is that you can purchase the same type of salon products to use at home and perform your own pedicure. See below for tips on how to do this.
Soak Your Feet
Before you begin, just like at a spa, you'll need to give your feet a good soak. You can hang your feet over the bathtub with just a little bit of warm water in the bottom (enough to cover your feet to your ankles), or you can invest in a foot spa. There are a number on the market today, even ones that have jets to gently massage your tired feet. Soak your feet to help soften your nails and your skin.
Remove Old Polish
If you have any leftover polish on your nails, now is the time to remove it. Use a cotton ball and soak it with nail polish remover. Remove all of the polish and clear coating from your nails so you have a clean slate to work with (if you plan on painting them again).
Scrub Dead Skin
Next, scrub off the dead skin from around your heels, foot pads, ankles and toes. You can use a loofah, foot file or file sponge to do this job. Add a foot scrub to any one of these to help aid in removing as much dead skin and rough spots as possible. You can find foot scrubs at your local pharmacy or big box store. You can also make your own foot scrub using 1 cup of sugar or Epsom salt, 1/2 cup coconut oil and 10 - 15 drops of peppermint essential oil. Combine all ingredients into a container that can be sealed. Add just a little bit to your feet and scrub your feet. The peppermint will leave your feet smelling great, while also soothing your feet.
Clean Up Nails And Cuticles
Begin trimming your nails with nail trimmers and apply a small amount of cuticle softener to your cuticles. Using a cuticle trimmer, trim back the overgrown cuticles carefully, so as to not pull at them and cause injury. Also trim any peeling skin around your toes/nails. File the nails so you don't have any rough edges using a nail file.
Prep For Paint
Once your nails have been filed, rinse any nail file dust off and dry your nails/feet completely dry. Add toe separators (optional), and begin painting your nails in your favorite nail color. Add a second coat when the first is dry (if needed), then apply a clear coat or gel coating over the top (this helps your color stay longer).
Doing your own pedicure at home is relaxing and everything used at the salon is available at your local pharmacy or beauty supply store. It can save you quite a bit of money doing it at home yourself. Your feet will thank you for the extra TLC. Contact someone that offers foot care products, like Virginia Shoe Clinic, for more help.
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