pedicure1.jpgA great pedicure should leave you with fabulous-looking toenails and super-soft feet. Of course spending 10 minutes trimming, filing and slapping on a coat of paint is often all we have time for - and that’s great. That can make us feel good about ourselves too - and it’s better than doing nothing. When you do find time to pamper all your piggy’s right up to your ankles, follow these steps.

1.) Get a good pair of toenail clippers (not fingernail clippers) and trim each toenail. Trimming too deeply can cause ingrown toenails. Don’t share the clippers; foot fungus is spread that way.

2.) If necessary, file your toenails. File them straight across.

3.) Soak your feet in hot and sudsy water. If you prefer to take a bath, you give your whole body a treat. Put some bath salts, oils or bubbles into the bathtub and soak. If you don’t want to take a bath or you’re already clean, use a tub or a large pan. Fill it with hot water and add some skin-softening oils. Soak for 5-10 minutes.

4.) Scrub your feet with an exfoliating mixture. There are so many scrubs designed just for your feet that you can pick what you want. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use a body or face scrub or even oatmeal. Hold your foot out of the water and apply the scrub while your foot is wet, really concentrating on each area; your toes, between your toes, the arch of your foot and the heel. Massage your foot and feel your stress melt away.

5.) For extra exfoliating, use a pumice stone. Don’t rub your feet raw, but more exfoliating may be needed. On just the heels and the balls of your feet, rub the pumice stone in a back and forth motion.

6.) Now it’s time to get out of the water. Use an extra soft and clean towel to keep the pampering at a necessary level. Head to your ideal toenail painting position (be it the floor, table, wherever the lighting works) and take these essentials with you: cuticle cream, a towel, a base and top coat of polish, your color polish of choice, and nail polish remover (acetone-free is best).

7.) Apply the cuticle cream, rubbing it into the bed of each toenail. After letting it soak in, per the instructions, push each cuticle gently back. Using a cuticle cutting device can hurt, so stick to your fingers or the slanted lid of your cuticle cream to push them back. Rinse the cream off your nails thoroughly.

8.) Dry your nails and apply a base coat of clear polish. After it’s dry, apply your color polish of choice. If you’re really feeling sleek, apply French tip white to the top of each nail for a French manicure. If you’re feeling sophisticated, try a gorgeous navy. Or go for bright orange because you can. Apply a second coat if necessary. After it’s dry, apply a top coat.

9.) Use the nail polish remover to fix any polish you got onto the skin.

10.) Optional step: You’ve put all this work into your pedicure, why not go a little bit farther? Pick stickers like jewels or letters and apply them to your toes. Apply another clear top coat.

11.) Massage a cream into your feet. Pick a scent that relaxes like lavender or chamomile and massage it into each foot. Give each foot your attention, using your thumbs to massage. Slip on a pair of socks so that the moisture can settle in for the night. Or, slip on a pair of fabulous sandals.

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