At Your Feet! Home Pedicures in 10 Easy-Steps

Home confinement calls for home pedicures. I am hoping you managed to rescue your fingernails, now about your toes and feet? There is nothing worse than getting into bed and having your rough heel catch on the sheets. I have literally gotten out of bed to run to the shower for my foot emery board and smoothed them out. It’s like nails on a blackboard to me. Neglected and long toenails are also a pet-peeve of mine, so here are my tips for DIY home pedicures.

Some spa music and the scent of a candle or incense can put you into a more relaxed mood and mark this time, as yours, to care for yourself, aesthetically. You deserve it!

1. Let your shower run until it is reasonably hot. Now, place a washcloth over the drain, add a capful of shampoo or conditioner and allow the shower basin or your tub to fill a few inches, enough to cover your feet. Shower as usual but nice and slow so your feet get a good soaking and softening. The basin should be filling up. Don’t allow it to run over!

2. Cut your toenails or file them to the shorter side. Remember, it may be a while before you are able to get them done, professionally.

3. Now, file them smooth at the tops so they don’t catch on anything. You can also file them across the tops to smooth them. If you have a brick file, you can smooth them out with the brick.

4. Using a cuticle pusher, give your cuticles a little push back. Don’t push to hard as you don’t want to cause trauma to the nail bed.

5. Using your nail file, brick, pumice or a foot emery board, file across any areas that are calloused on the sides or bottom of your feet. Don’t file too hard, or the area can become raw. Just file off the hard, dead and dry skin.

6. Rinse your feet well of all this nail and callous dust

7. Taking toilet paper, wrap toes so they separate and aren’t able to touch each other.

8. Polish, starting with a base coat if you have it. If not, start with 2-coats of your color. Allow 10 -15 minutes in between each coat so your polish won’t bubble.

Apply a topcoat or quick dry if you have it. If not wait 15-minutes and place a drop of oil (any kind) on each toe but leave the toilet paper in for another 10 to 15-minutes before removing it.

9. Take a heavy, thick and rich moisturizer, the heaviest you have, even a thin coat of Vaseline and rub this into your feet, mostly on the bottoms.

10. Cut the toes out of an old pair of socks and slip them on. Put your feet up and relax, watch a rerun and leave the socks on as long as you can. Your feet will feel like butter when you remove your socks.

Remember, you can always use an exfoliant if you want to add a step. Sugar or salt mixed with a little oil make a great exfoliant. You can also use this on your legs to get rid of that winter, dry skin. Make it a real spa treatment for yourself.

If you have a restriction that won’t allow you to bend, just soak, exfoliate, moisturize and wear socks. I hope you have enjoyed my tips for home pedicures and enjoy those smooth piggy’s and stay tuned for the “BANGS”.

Warmly,

Rose Marie Beauchemin-Verzella

CEO of the Beau Institute of Permanent and Corrective Cosmetics

Director of Education

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