At-Home Pedicures

The following video is a good example of a home pedicure. It is a little sexy in nature, but shows the basics of pampering your own feet. My daughter & I often give each other at-home pedicures, just for fun. Just remember, you don't need to wear fishnets & heels to pamper yourself!


Polish Tips from http://www.footcandy.com/:

Remove yellowing and dark polish residue with a cotton ball dipped in hydrogen peroxide. Leave on for 3-5 minutes.

Use a nail buffer to smooth ridges and buff out stains.

Always file in one direction for a smooth finish.

When it comes to polish, look for shimmer - not glitter.

Brush on a basecoat before polish for a smooth surface.

If polish has separated, roll the bottle between your hands to mix it -- shaking can cause air bubbles on nails.

To keep polish from bleeding, dab cuticle oil skin surrounding the nail before applying color. HOWEVER, keep oil off of nail bed or polish will not adhere.

Get a thin coat of polish by pressing the brush against one side of the bottle lip as you pull it out.

With dark polish, paint the nail tip first then coat the whole nail.

Opalescent polish coats should be extra thin to avoid looking thick.

Avoid quick-dry topcoats that dry prematurely. Your pedicure will end prematurely as well.

Reapply topcoat every other day to extend pedicure.

Quick chip fix: lightly rub polish remover over chip to smooth edges. Then apply a coat of polish and a top coat.

Store your polish in the fridge to preserve consistency.


Not everyone has the time or money to have a pedicure done at the salon. But everyone can do a pedicure at home, using supplies that you already have around the house.

1. The first step in a pedicure is to clip or file the toenails. The nails should be filed straight across, rounded slightly at the corners conforming to the shape of the toe. You should never clip or file into the corners of the toenails as this could cause you to have ingrown nails.

2. Soak feet in a foot bath of warm, soapy water until the water cools. This will allow the dry, calloused skin to soften. You can use a foot file, which can be bought at a beauty supply store, to rub off the dry skin. Wet the foot file, apply soap and rub gently in a circular motion across all areas of the foot. Repeat on the other foot. Allow one foot to continue soaking while you work on the opposing foot.

3. Remove feet from the basin and pat dry with a towel. Use a cotton swab or an orangewood stick to apply a cuticle removing solution to the cuticle and under the free edge of each nail. Gently loosen the cuticle of each nail, keeping the cuticle moist with water or additional cuticle solution. Do not cut the cuticles, this can cause pain and infection. If you have any hangnails or loose pieces of skin around the nails, you may carefully trim them with cuticle trimmers or toenail clippers.

4. Wipe excess cuticle solvent off of feet with a damp towel. Massage each toe and foot with a thick foot cream or lotion. Allow lotion to penetrate feet for 5 minutes. For extra soften of extremely dry feet, wrap feet in a wet warm towel after you apply the foot cream. Wet your towel, ring out excess water, and heat the towel in the microwave for 30 or 40 seconds. Do not leave the towel unattended in the microwave.

5. Rinse both feet in a warm, soapy, basin of water. Scrub off any excess lotion or dry skin by using an exfoliating cream such as an apricot scrub. Rinse feet and dry them throughly.

6. Wipe each toenail with a polish remover to remove any residue of the lotion or exfoliant. Apply a clear, base coat of nail polish and allow it to dry completely. Then apply two coats of the nail color of your choice. Allow polish to dry.

7. Rub a light hand or foot lotion on feet, ankles and calves.

Giving yourself a pedicure twice a month will keep your feet looking healthier and more attractive. In the summer time when feet are exposed to the weather, pool and beach, your feet may benefit from a weekly pedicure.