How To Do A Pedicure At Home In 8 Steps

Healthy and well-groomed feet contribute to the overall beauty of every person. However, dirt, improper shoes, dry air, daily wear and tear, and several other things make the feet rough. The feet carry the body weight all through the day, so it is very important to pamper them from time to time.

Many people hesitate to visit a salon for a pedicure because it is quite costly and time consuming. However, with a little effort and time, people can have silky feet that will make everyone envious. Moreover, treating the feet will make you feel relaxed and pampered.

Here are a few simple steps on how to do a pedicure at home in an inexpensive method.

Pedicure at home – Step by Step

Things needed

• A tub filled with hot water (or home foot spa)
• A bath soak
• Pumice stone
• Cuticle softener
• Foot scrub
• Foot cream
• Nail clipper
• Nail file
• Nail buffer
• Nail scrubber or an old tooth brush

Before you start, clean the feet with soap and water, and remove any old nail polish using nail polish remover and cotton.

1. Start with a soak

Add the bath or feet soak, juice of 1 lemon and 1/2 cup Epsom salt to the warm water in the tub and create bubbles by stirring it gently. Epsom salt will soothe inflammations, reduce roughness and reduce muscle pain. If feet soak is not at hand, body wash or shampoo can be added as well.

Place the tub of warm water in a comfortable place where it is easier to relax. Place the feet in the tub with at least your ankles staying submerged in water. Sit back and relax with a book or watch a TV show for 10 minutes or end the soaking when the water cools to room temperature.

Dry the feet by gently patting it with a towel. Apply a cuticle softener at the root of each nail. Olive oil can be used if cuticle softener is not available. Apply a drop of the oil on each nail to soften the cuticles as this will allow the cuticles to be easily pushed back or to be cut as per your choice.

2. Shaping nails

The nail size depends on your lifestyle. However, toenails should not be cut too short, and too much trimming on the sides will cause ingrown nails. People who prefer short nails can decide upon a squared or rounded tip. While a squared tip is very fashionable (at least in my opinion), it can make the fingers look shorter. So, people with short fingers should choose rounded tips.

Nail shaping may be done using files, but remember to use the file in a single direction so that the nails are not split. Now, smoothen the nail surfaces and nail edges with a buffer.

After the soaking it is easier to cut and shape the hard nails as the soaking process has made them softer.

3. Cuticles

It is time to pay attention to the cuticles when the cuticle softener has been on them for nearly 5 minutes. Clean the cuticles with cotton or tissue. People who are new to cuticle cutting and nipping should not try it. They can just try to push back the cuticles gently with the blunt side of a cuticle pusher.

4. Remove hard skin

Use a pumice stone to scrub the dead skin gently away from the feet. A corn cutter and a foot scrapper can be used to remove the corns and to scrape dead skin on the heels, but use them only if you know to handle the tools properly as new users may get hurt while using them.

Then use a generous amount of feet scrub or body scrub to scrub the feet gently up to the ankles, as the ankles have more dead skin. Scrub the feet with sufficient firm and pressure movements.

5. Scrub the nails

Use a nail scrubber or an old toothbrush to scrub the nails gently. The bristles on the brush will clean the nail surface and the nail underside. This brush can also be used to scrub between the toes and balls of the feet.

6. Massage the feet

Once the scrubbing is over, massage in some foot oil or cream on the feet. The massaging part will be even better if done by someone else! Massage for some time, and then wash the feet and dry them.

7. Foot Cream

Apply a foot cream, people with cracked feet can use a crack cream, and massage it into the feet to lock in moisture. Avoid applying the cream on the nails. Let the cream soak in for some time.

8. Polish

Choose a nail polish to paint the nails. Apply a base coat and let it dry. Then apply a layer of the nail polish and let it dry. Apply another coat of polish to intensify the colour. Finally, apply a top coat as it helps to give a smooth finish and extend the life of the nail polish.