Home pedicure tips

Who doesn't love wearing sandals in the summer? They're cool, comfortable, and best of all, they give you a sense of freedom. But before you shed your socks for the season, take a good hard look at your feet.

Chances are, you've had them hidden away in boots and shoes all winter, rarely giving those toes a second thought. Unfortunately, it probably shows. But don't get discouraged; all it takes to put your best feet--and toes--forward is regular care. You don't need to go to the salon. You can give yourself a professional-looking pedicure right in your own home.

1 Soak It Up

The first thing you should do is soak your feet in warm (not hot) water in your bathtub, a small foot tub, or foot bath for five to ten minutes. Add a few drops of essential oils like rosemary and peppermint to invigorate your feet during an early morning pedicure, or add drops of lavender or rose to help relax them after a long day. A few drops of tea tree oil or clove oil in your foot bath can also help treat fungal infections, she says, and a couple of drops of pine, tea tree, lemongrass, or eucalyptus oils can banish odors. Then, as your feet are soaking, use a toenail brush to clean your nails and feet.

2 Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

Once the warm water has softened the skin on your feet, gently scrub the bottoms--concentrating on the heels--with an exfoliating scrub and a pumice stone or abrasive pedicure file. You can also use a natural oatmeal-based exfoliator. Simply mix 1/4 cup of oatmeal with 1/8 cup of water until it is the consistency of a grainy paste, then gently rub it all over your feet in small circular motions. Be careful not to exfoliate too much of the outer skin away. This thick layer acts as the body's protection--which is why many podiatrists advise against using a callus razor (a special device used for shaving dry skin from the feet).

3 Cuticle Control

Dry your feet, making sure to get between the toes, an area that can become a breeding ground for bacteria if not dried properly. Then, massage a cuticle cream into the cuticles, or use almond, avocado, or olive oil around the base of your toenails. Gently push back the cuticles with an orange stick, but don't cut them since they provide protection between your nail and nail bed, the whole piece of skin that the nail is attached to. It runs from the bottom of the white tip of the nail to the base of the cuticle. (You can also use the orange stick to gently clean the undersides of your toenails.)

Finally, place a tiny drop of one of the cuticle oils onto each nail, and buff to increase nail strength and shine.

4 Rubbing It In

Using small, circular motions, massage your feet and ankles with a moisturizer mixed with a touch of your favorite essential oil (like rosemary, peppermint, or eucalyptus), or just massage a little coconut, olive, or avocado oil mixed with essential oils into your feet. If you want, you can splurge on a foot roller to give yourself a home foot massage. (A rolling pin will also do the job.) Roll each foot over the device for about five minutes. Then, slip on a pair of cotton socks for about 15 minutes to help your feet absorb the moisturizer.

5 Short and Sweet

It's much easier to cut thick toenails after moisturizing (which is why this step comes now). Cut them with a straight-edge toenail clipper, leaving the nail length closer to the tips of your toes than to the nail bed. (If you cut them too short, they're more likely to grow into the skin, causing painful ingrown toenails.) Then, file and shape your nails, making sure to file them in one direction. Sawing back and forth will weaken nails, causing them to split or break.

6 Pre-Polish Prep

Clean the oil and debris from both the tops of your nails and beneath them with a piece of cotton wrapped around an orange stick that you have dipped into a non-acetone nail polish remover (it will be stated on the label). Be sure to separate your toes with cotton balls or foam toe separators to keep them from rubbing against one another and smudging the polish.

7 Polished to Perfection

Once you've moisturized, filed, and cleaned your toenails, apply a clear base coat of polish. This step will help your pedicure last longer. Then, apply two coats of color and finish with a top coat, which will help set the polish. For natural-looking toenails, give them a French pedicure. First buff them to a nice luster, then use a white nail pencil (available at any drugstore) to paint a white stripe over the top of the nail tips. Finally, paint a pale pink polish on the surface. No matter what type you use, polish takes at least 15 minutes to dry. Use the time to put your feet up and relax.

8 Tool Check

Clean your instruments with soap and water each time you use them so your nails don't get infected. Twice a month, you should sterilize your tools by rinsing them with 90 percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Store your tools in a clean plastic container or a zip-lock bag.

A full pedicure takes about 70 minutes -- 50 minutes to prep the feet and apply polish, and 20 minutes to dry. If you don't have the time, simply wash your feet while you're in the shower and give them a quick rub with a pumice stone or foot file. Then, after you dry off, slather your toes and nails with a moisturizer. Moisturize at least once a week so your skin doesn't become flaky.

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