Tips to Do a Pedicure at Home

Have you ever noticed how a pedicure seems to last a very long time until one day you look at your feet and realize that your perfect polish suddenly flakes off and needs a greater refresh?! The good news is that with a pedicure at home, you can easily arrange a relaxing day for yourself. Whether you’re trying to save money or can’t make it to the nail salon, it’s never a bad idea to take a little time and take care of your toes.

It is not so difficult to design the perfect Spa day with a pedicure at home. It’s about knowing the steps and having the right tools. Make sure you don’t sweat the small stuff. You’re doing it for yourself, so have fun with it.

Niye Aniekan-Attang, founder of beauty brand Ace Beaute, says it’s best to go slowly and not go through every step of your pedicure. You will get the desired results with a DIY pedicure if you take your time. The most important thing, she says, is to take care of yourself. Do not worry about the perfection of your nails. That said, you’ll look pretty good if you follow our step-by-step guide below!

Tools of trade

Before you start your pedicure at home, you need to get the right tool.

For a real Spa experience, you will need a nail polish remover, a nail clipper, an emery board, a nail buffer, a cuticle pusher, cotton pads, a foot file, a pumice stone, a basin, a foot cream, a toe separator, a nail brush, a nail polish remover, a nail polish remover, a nail polish remover

Step-by-step pedicure instructions

Now that you have your tools, you can prepare your nails for the ultimate pedicure at home.

1. Remove Your Varnish.

The best pedicure starts with a clean slate. Use a nail polish remover and a cotton pad to remove the existing nail polish and residue from all your nails. Applying nail polish to a completely clean board gives a smooth and even finish.

2. Soak Your Feet.

Soaking your feet will probably be the most relaxing part of a pedicure at home. The part where you actually take a Moment to sit back, close your eyes and relax — that’s what we’re really here for! Consider increasing the Moment by lighting candles, playing your favorite music or pouring yourself a glass of sparkling Plonk. It’s quite a treat! Then fill your basin with hot water and, if desired, add some of your favorite bath salts (kosher salt also works). This step will not only allow you to say ahhh, but will also help soften the cuticle and hard skin on your feet.

3. Remove dead skin cells.

Now that you are relaxed and your skin has become soft, it’s time to remove all the dead layers. Take your feet out of the basin and dry them. Take out your foot file or pumice stone and gently rub the dead skin or hard areas on your sole. Rub until your feet are smooth – but make sure you don’t rub them raw!

4. Trim your nails.

Take your nail clippers and cut your nails straight across. Do not worry that they will be bent like the shape of your toe. You can take care of it after. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, cutting your nails too short or not directly transversely is actually a cause of ingrown toenails.

5. Shaping and polishing, You yourself.

With this step, file the Corners and blunt edges of your freshly cut nails to the desired shape. You can also use a polishing block here to add flatness and shine to your nails.

6. Take care of your Cuticles.

Put a little oil on your fingertips and gently massage the skin of your nails. Then gently push them back with the cuticle pusher. Avoid cutting your cuticles, even if you do it in your Salon. The Imsengco clinic actually recommends not removing the cuticle, as it acts as a barrier against the skin sealing on the nail plate and its removal can actually cause nail infections.

7. Massage Your Feet.

Back to the relaxing part: it’s time for a well-deserved foot massage! Take your favorite foot cream or lotion and massage it in. Once you’re done (take as long as you need, no judgement here!), clean each Lotion from your nails. You can do this with a nail polish remover and a cotton pad. Be careful: lotion residues can prevent the varnish from sticking to the nail.

To Paint Your Nails

Now it’s time to paint your nails! Apply your base coat first; once it’s dry, you can start applying your nail polish. Apply a thin layer each time and wait for each layer to dry before starting the next one. If you end up getting polish on your skin, you can dip a cotton swab in nail polish remover and slowly rub it over the excess.

Once you have applied your nail polish coats, finish them off with a clear top coat. This step will not only give you a glossy finish, but will also help seal your paint so that your pedicure lasts longer at home.