DIY: Give Yourself a Pedicure

 

Putting your best foot forward just became a tad bit easier, even if you do not want to frequent a beauty salon for a fancy pedicure. You can give yourself one at home and it’s not rocket science. However, do remember that if you are suffering from blisters, athlete’s foot, skin inflammation, warts or skin infections I advise you against a pedicure until your problem has been medically treated and cured.

Material That You Will Need

1. A basin (For soaking your feet)

2. A pedicure tool kit (Buy a preassembled one from your drugstore or assemble it yourself) or Buy the Pedicure Tool kit at Amazon

3. To assemble the kit yourself I am listing the essential tools you would need to have, a premade tool Kit may have more tools but these are the one you’ll mostly use:

• Cuticle cutter
• Cuticle Trimmer
• Hoof Stick (It is used to push the cuticle back.)
• Angled or Normal Nail clipper (Depends on your preference which one you find easier to use.)
• Emery Board/Glass Nail File (Depends on your Preference which one you lie to use.)
• Nail Brush
• 4 Step Nail Buffer
• Pumice Stone

4. Cuticle cream/oil (Hack: Use Olive Oil as you cuticle oil or The Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream also works well but bear in mind it’s the Cream not your Cetaphil Lotion)

5. Towel (For Feet)

6. Dead Skin scrapper (For removing hard dead skin)

Method:

1. Prepare a foot bath in the basin. Pour lukewarm water in the basin and add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoon Olive Oil in it. Salt acts as a natural exfoliator that removes dead skin and the Olive Oil will condition your skin. You May add 5 drops of any essential oil if you prefer. I personally add Lavender essential Oil (Read More about Essential oils and what they do.),  if you cannot find this oil in your near buy Market, Buy Lavender Essential Oil at Amazon.
2. Remove any Nail Polish that you may be wearing and Soak your feet in this water for 15-20 minutes.
3. Remove feet from the foot bath, place on a towel, take foot scrub/Body scrub and put a little over your nail brush and brush your nails. Repeat this for both feet. If you do not have a scrub and want to instead use a homemade scrub then take 2 Tablespoon Baking soda and add a mix of 1:1 water and lemon juice in it and use as a scrub on your nails.
4. Proceed to remove hard skin from the heels and underside of your feet using a foot scrapper. Do the same for the other feet.
5. Next, take a little amount of shower gel and lather up your feet. Take the pumice stone and run it in soft circular motions all over your feet and up to your knees.
6. Now dip your feet in the same foot bath again and keep for another 3 minutes, then remove and pat dry with another towel. Next, apply cuticle cream/oil so soften the cuticles. Give some time to the cuticles to absorb the oil/cream. Meanwhile, trim your toenails and file them giving them very slight curve in the ends to prevent ingrown nails.

Now on to grooming your cuticles.

• Push back your cuticles very gently using the hoof stick, do not be harsh, you do not want to hurt yourself.
• Next scrape off cuticle gently from the base of your nail, the part of the cuticle which sticks to your nail even after having been pushed back. Those who are lucky to not get cuticle and dead skin accumulated near base of the nail may skip this step.
• Next take cuticle trimmer and run it in a stroke along the sides of your nail. Do not run the trimmer in the opposite direction of cuticle as that way you will end up hurting yourself and do not press the trimmer too deep into the skin either. Handle your cuticles with gentle care and delicate movements.
• Next, buff your toe-nail with a 4 Step buffer, using downward stroke in each step to make it glossy and smooth. Remember to get the dead skin from under you nail as well, use the slanted edge of hoof stick for this purpose. Brush off any dead skin or flake from buffing your nails with the towel.

Apply a foot cream and massage well.

Next, take a towel dipped in lukewarm water and wipe off your feet to remove any extra cream so that your feet do not slip. Apply Nail polish of your choice, but remember to run a bit of nail polish remover over your nails to get rid of any grease from the cream before you apply your polish.

And, Voila! You’re done.

Where To Buy

Pedicure Tool kit at Flipkart (India)

 

Love,