It’s still Winter, but not for long. Sandal season is coming, and that means your toes better be in tip top shape! For some, pedicures are a part of regular upkeep. But I get it, sometimes it’s just an expense that keeps it from being a regular thing. If that’s the case, don’t worry. You and your troll feet (I’m kidding!) are in luck. This week, I’m talking about a pedicure at home that will get you performance ready for the warmer weather that’s coming for all of us!
Pedicure At Home? Prep First:
- The first thing you need to do is remove any old polish on your toenails. No polish to remove? Swipe some remover on your toes anyway to make sure you get rid of any excess oil on the nail bed.
- Time to soak! Fill up your bathtub with hot water (not scalding) and some body wash mixed in. Sit on the side of the tub and relax for 20 minutes. Play on your phone, listen to music or maybe even read up on any Amber Academy articles you’ve missed in my Vault! It may look ghetto as hell for you to be sitting on the side of the tub and soaking, but we’re going for results, people! And you’re going to get them.
- After the soak is over, dry your feet off and use a pumice stone or a foot file to remove all the old skin from the sides and bottoms of your feet just until smooth. Don’t go nuts with this part or you could scrape good skin and irritate the hell out of your feet.
- Shaping time! Get that nail clipper out and deal with any crazy lengths or jagged mess you’ve grown since your last clipping. Cut straight across and then use a file to soften the corners just until they’re no longer sharp. No cuticle cutting!
Getting Soft, And The Big Finish
- Cuticle oil is your friend. Apply some to the base of the nail and massage it into the nail bed.
- Now it’s time to moisturize your feet. Make sure the lotion is unscented, as chemicals and synthetic garbage in scented lotion can dry out your nails and make polish crack.
- Toe prep! Break out some toe separators (not expensive and very helpful when you’re painting) and put them in between your toes.
- Apply a base coat, wait three minutes. Don’t skip that base coat or just assume it’s extra expense you don’t need. You want your color to adhere to something besides your nails. Once base coat is dry, apply 2-3 coats of polish in thin coats, allowing dry time in between each. Avoid painting thicker coats, or it will take forever to dry and look clumpy.
- Remove any mess-ups on your skin with a q-tip and a little polish remover. When your final coat of polish is completely dry, apply a quick-dry top coat to keep your polish shine.
You’re Done!
See? A pedicure at home isn’t so difficult! Just because you might not have the money for a pricey pedi doesn’t mean you can’t get a little relax time with big payoff. And who doesn’t love that!
