While salons are just starting to open up, at-home beauty routines are still the best alternative when it comes to pampering and making yourself beautiful. One of these beauty routines that can be done at home is nail care.

Many people especially women take for granted their nails. Well, I can understand that because taking care of your nails can take a lot of time especially when you are painting them. But having the perfect pedicure does not need to be expensive and the good thing about this – you can do it home!

While practicing DIY manicures, it is also important to remember that your feet also need the same love and care as your hands. After all, your feet are what makes you move around and if it is not taken care of properly, you may feel the consequence in the long run.

How to do a pedicure easily?

So, if you are all ready to pamper your feet and keep them healthy, here are some easy steps to do it.

Step 1: Prep Your Nails

Time to finally remove your nail polish. How long has it been though? To remove every bit of colour, soak cotton with nail polish remover. I highly recommend you use acetone-free formulas because it is gentle and does not damage nails.

Hold on the soaked cotton on each nail for a few seconds to allow the polish remover to break down the nail colour before rubbing it. If you are left with weird stains or yellowish tinges on your nails, rub some cuticle oil over the surface to lighten the residue.

Step 2: Soak your toes and feet in a nice foot spa

One of the good ways to pamper yourself is to create an at-home pedicure spa experience. Set the mood by turning on soothing music and lighting some candles while you soak your toes and feet on your foot spa.

Soaking your feet will help soften the tough skin and cuticles which makes it easier to clean and trim the nails. Soak your feet on a mixture of your favourite bath salts or bath soak for a few minutes.

Step 3: Get rid of dead skin

Pat dry your feet after soaking them then grab your pumice stone or foot file and gently scrub the heels to remove any dead skin. Focus on your heels and other calloused areas to make them soft and smooth. Just make sure not to scrape it too hard to prevent it from getting bruised which may cause irritation – something that you don’t want to experience, right?

Step 4: Trim and clip your toenails

Once you are done and feel that your feet are smooth, trim and cut your toenails into shape. Cut them according to your preferred length then smoothen them out. Get your nail file and shape the corners and edges. No need to rush on this step because you want to make sure that your nails are even and smooth.

Step 5: Apply a few drops of cuticle oil

While you are at it, apply a few drops of cuticle oil on each toe. Don’t attempt to push back or trim the cuticles if you have no experience in doing it. Leave it to the pros because you might injure yourself or push back the cuticles too much.

Cuticles protect your nails from bacteria hence applying cuticle oil will help in the overall health and strength of your nails.

Step 6: Massage your feet with a lotion

Using your favourite body lotion or foot cream, begin massaging your toes, feet, ankles, and calves to promote better blood circulation in your feet. It will also make you feel amazing!

Finish off by getting cotton and soak it with a bit of rubbing alcohol to clean the nail’s surface to remove any oily residue that would prevent your nail polish to stay on your nails.

Step 7: Start with the base coat

Make sure not to skip this test because the base coat acts as a protective barrier between the natural oils coming from your actual nails and your nail polish. This will also keep your pedicure lasting longer.

Step 8: Paint your toenails

If you have toe separators, this is very useful when applying nail polish. Choose your favourite nail colour and start applying two thin coats then let it dry for a few minutes. If there are any misses around your toe, you may use an orange stick to clean them up.

Finally, finish it with a top coat to seal the nail polish and have a shiny and long-lasting finish!

Don’t forget to apply your lotion again to hydrate and moisturise your feet all throughout the day.

Author

Nicola is always on the lookout for the best beauty tools and skincare products. She believes in "prevention is better than cure" so she is always trying to perfect her beauty routine to avoid premature aging. Fun fact about Nicola: She owns a lot of sunscreens as she carries a mini sunscreen in each of her handbags and backpacks.