Pedicure at Home

Pedicure tips for the perfect pedicure

Follow these 10 pedicure tips, and your feet will thank you for it.

• Pedicure tip 1. Remove polish from toenails.
• Pedicure tip 2. Fill tub or footbath with warm-not hot-water. Add your favorite bath salts and one tablespoon of olive oil. The salts soften dry skin and calluses, and the olive oil moisturizes the skin. Soak feet for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Pedicure tip 3. Gently rub an exfoliating body scrub on the bottoms of your feet. Rinse your feet with cool water. Rub your heels and the balls of your feet with a pumice stone to remove dead skin and soften-not remove-corns and calluses. Don't use a callus razor, an instrument used for shaving dry skin from the feet. Removing corns and calluses in this manner can lead to serious foot infections.
• Pedicure tip 4. Thoroughly dry your feet with a clean towel.
• Pedicure tip 5. Trim toenails, cutting them straight across to prevent ingrown nails. Gently push back cuticles with an orange stick. Don't cut your cuticles, just gently push them back. Cuticles are necessary to prevent bacteria from entering the skin.
• Pedicure tip 6. Moisturize your entire foot-including your cuticles and in between your toes-with a good foot cream. Massage cream into skin.
• Pedicure tip 7. Apply a clear polish to your toenails. Wait a few minutes until the polish is dry.
• Pedicure tip 8. Apply a color polish to your toenails. For more intense color, repeat.
• Pedicure tip 9. Apply a clear polish to help prevent chipping.
• Pedicure tip 10. Clean up stray color with a Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover.

Allow toenails to dry for at least 30 minutes-several hours when possible-to prevent smudging.

Pedicure tips that will make your pedicure last

If you have followed the pedicure tips above, the results should last one to two weeks. A final tip: To keep color fresh and chip-free, apply a single coat of polish two to three days after the initial application. Remember to keep feet smooth and pretty by applying a daily moisturizer.

For more pedicure tips, visit your local salon and talk to one of the experts.