Pedicure at Home

Giving yourself a professional looking pedicure at home is a snap if you follow some simple steps. Pedicures can be done alone of course, but they are so much more fun when you invite a group of girlfriends over for a pedicure party. Pedicure Precautions  The importance of pedicure hygiene cannot be more important, however very few people seem to understand that with manicures and pedicures, the risks are raised substantially compared to other beauty procedures because there is the risk of puncturing the skin and contracting diseases such as AIDS or Hepatitis, which could very possibly cause death.

 

Not just to mention HIV or Hepatitis, other infections such as Staph can also be transferred by using equipment not sterilized properly. It has to be said that the transfer of diseases are rare, and that most manicurist and pedicurist do adhere to the strict code of conduct but it only needs to once amongst thousands of treatments for the ill effects of the disease to be felt.

Pedicure Tools Needed:

  • Nail polish remover
  • Cotton balls
  • Toenail clippers
  • Nail file
  • Nail brush
  • Orange stick
  • Cuticle oil
  • Foot file
  • Water basin
  • Foot Scrub
  • Foot Lotion
  • Base Coat
  • Clear Nail Polish
  • Colored Nail Polish

1. Thoroughly saturate a cotton ball with nail polish remover and use it to remove any old polish you may have on your toenails from you last pedicure. Gently pressing the cotton ball on the nail for a moment before wiping the nail with a circular motion will make it easier to remove the polish.

2. Fill the dishpan with enough warm soapy water to cover your feet. Soak for at least five minutes.

3. Dry your foot and apply the cuticle remover at the base of each nail. Wait one minute for the remover to soften the cuticle. Use the wedged end of the orangewood stick to push the cuticle back. If desired, carefully snip off the excess cuticle. Repeat this procedure on the other foot.

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Note: If you like, you may trim your cuticles with cuticle nippers. I don’t recommend this if you aren’t experienced at it. Once you start trimming cuticles you have to keep doing it every time you give yourself a pedicure. You may nick yourself in the process and bleed. This will not make for a relaxing pedicure experience!

4. Using the nail clippers, cut off any nails that are too long. Length is a personal preference, but make sure the nail is shorter than the toe. Be careful not to cut the nails too short as this can cause ingrown toenails and can be quite painful. With the emery board, file the nail into a square shape.

5. Use the nail buffer to smooth any roughness or ridges on the surface of the nails.

6. Wet the pumice stone in the dishpan. Rub any areas of dry or flaking skin gently with the pumice stone. Rinse the foot and dry. You may also use skin buffing sponge instead of the pumice stone.

Note: Do not ever use a filing tool that cuts your skin or allow one to be used on your feet. Not only is it unsanitary, but you may cut too deeply, causing pain or even drawing blood.

7. Apply a generous amount of lotion to the foot, massaging it in and taking care to cover all the foot, especially the dry and flaky parts. Massage the lotion up your legs to your knees. Close your eyes and relax for 10 minutes, allowing your skin to soak in the soothing lotion.

8. Saturate a cotton ball with nail polish remover and go back over your toenails, making sure that all lotion residue is removed. This is important, since the polish will not stick to any surface that still has lotion residue on it.

9. Press the toe separators between the toes, so that each toe is not rubbing on the next.

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10. Brush 1 coat of the base coat over each nail. Allow it to dry for one minute.

11. Apply 2 coats of the nail color. Allow it to dry for 5 minutes.

12. Apply the top coat. Allow it to dry for 1 minute, then spray your nails with the quick dry spray.

If possible allow a half hour for the nails to dry completely. If you don’t have that much time, carefully remove the toe separators and slip your feet into open toed shoes. Be very careful that the wet nails don’t touch the shoes or other toes. You may want to use the paper “sandals” that are available at beauty supply stores to preserve your polish until it is dry.

Perfect Pedicure

“There are two great reasons to give yourself a pedicure,” says L.A.-based celebrity manicurist Marsha Bialo. “The first is to give your feet a well-deserved, pampering deep cleaning. The second reason is to get your toes looking sexy for your summer sandals.”

Pamper Prep

  Position a chair behind a clean, wide bucket filled with hot water.

  Fold a bath towel into a square and place it at the bottom of the bucket. “This will give your feet a comfortable surface to rest on when you soak them,” says Bialo.

  Add half a cup of Epsom salt, a natural disinfectant. “I also like to throw in a few capfuls of Johnson + Johnson Soothing Vapor Bath for Colds,” says Bialo. “It contains rosemary, eucalyptus and menthol — three therapeutic, cleansing herbs that make the room you’re in smell just like a spa.”

Grooming Guide

  Use a cotton pad soaked with nail-polish remover to take off old polish. “If your cuticles are dry, add a drop of olive oil to the pad before using it on your nails,” suggests Bialo.

  Clip your toenails straight across with clippers.

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  Use a nail file to smooth the edges, including the sides. Best shape: square with rounded edges.

Soothe Your Soles

  Soak your feet in the hot water for five minutes, then rest them on the edge of the bucket.

  Dip a foot file, such as Dr. Scholl’s Dual Action Swedish File, in the water, then use it to smooth your heels, the balls of your feet and the outsides of your pinkie toes.

  Pat feet dry with a towel.

  To get cuticles under control: Use the edge of the nail file to push your cuticles back, then a nail brush dipped in an exfoliating scrub, such as Rainforest Stress Therapy Foot Scrub, to clean the area where your nail meets your skin.

  If you feel that you must get rid of your cuticles, have a pro do it in a salon so you don’t end up with painful, ingrown toenails.

  Rinse, then dry feet and apply a generous amount of super-moisturizing foot lotion or cream. Try: Bliss Spa Foot Patrol. Massage it into your feet and calves.

  Wash the moisturizer off your toenails with soap and water and let them dry.

Polish How-To’s

  Create space between toes with a foam toe separator.

  Apply one coat of base coat, two coats of color and one coat of top coat.

  Confused about which color to go for? “For summer, say good-bye to burgundies and browns,” advises Bialo. “The hot shades are bright. Think coral with a sheen to it, hot pink and orangy-red.”

  Use a Q-tip moistened with nail-polish remover to remove any polish that missed the mark.

  Let your polish dry for a few hours before putting on close-toed shoes.

  Apply one coat of top coat three days after your pedicure, then every third day after that to keep polish from chipping.