Believe it or not I actually spend 2-3 hours a week contemplating my feet. I take a few yoga and pilates classes and I really do tend to have two things running through my brain- #1. I need a pedicure. #2. How many more minutes is this class going to last? 😉
On top of that I live in California and my poor little feet are in flip flops or sandals about 9 months a year. I love getting pedicures but it just isn’t always feasible with my schedule- plus the price tag can add up.
So here is a quick little tip that I have to get a perfect pedicure at home.
Sometimes I read tips in magazines and they seem to require about a zillion steps and a zillion different products. I might have developed some sort of ADD but honestly my eyes glaze over and it seems exhausting to me to have to follow all those steps.
This is really a cheap and cheerful method- you can get everything you need for about $5 and it is super fast and easy to do at home.
In the end you should have lovely little feet. This is especially nice for those of us that are mean to our feet and do high impact exercise, walk a lot or wear sandals most of the year (hello calluses!).
Here is what you need:
- Large bowl or tub (I use a little tub from the Dollar Store)
- Epsom Salts <— magic ingredient for calluses or tired feet
- Polish, polish remover, file, clippers etc…
Optional:
- Nail brush (mine was $1 at Joann’s crafts of all places)
- Lotion or cream
So here is what you do:
Step 1: Remove any old polish
Step 2: Fill a tub with hot water- I use a tub just big enough for my feet from the Dollar Store (try to get hot- but make sure you are not uncomfortable).
Step 3: Add epsom salts to the foot soak- these are pretty inexpensive so I use about 1/2 cup or so. Epsom salts are great for callused feet or for tired feet. If you don’t have any on hand or you don’t have those issues, you can use bubble bath, dish soap or even body wash will work.
Step 4: I like to use the little soft bristle nail brush to give everything a nice scrub but you don’t need to do that. Soak your feet for 5-10 minutes. I like to sit on the edge of our bathtub with my foot soak tub in the bathtub. That way I can add a little more hot water as the water starts to cool.
Step 5: Dry off your feet and your skin will be super soft. Now you want to use a pumice stone on any calloused areas like the heels. Please be very careful. Your skin is super soft so if you get too zealous you will take off too much skin. This is especially true if you used epsom salts. If you don’t have a pumice, a nail file would work too.
Now is the time to shape or trim. This is also the time to deal with cuticles and such- I skip all that myself.
Step 6: I like to quickly run my feet under the tub water once again just to be sure any soap etc.. from the foot bath is completely gone. Dry off.
Step 7: Now polish! If you want to be really good, use a base coat, two coats of color and a top coat. If the phone is ringing and your kids are crying- just swipe on two quick coats of color and you are done.
I keep a heavy duty foot lotion in my nightstand and put it on at night (my favorite is Body Shop Peppermint Foot lotion). If you can wear socks to bed those are great to put on after the lotion. You can also use Vaseline or even coconut or olive oil rubbed in really well for super moisturizing.
If the polish starts to look a little dull after a few days- try a quick top coat to brighten things up.
And you might also check out this tip for an easy DIY deep conditioning hair treatment.
Great write up! Perfect for the summer coming up. I heard of a good tidbit. Before you put on polish use a cotton ball and vinegar to remove the natural oils from your nails. makes the polish last much longer. This tidbit is for your hand nails, but I’m sure its valid for the toes too!
I sprinkle in 2 Tablespoons of Red Mill Milk Powder, too. As a former ballerina my feet now have a tendency to crack and bleed and the salt can add more pain than pleasure. It also reduces the time I need between pedicures. I found some great blow up feet soak tubs last summer at Michael’s and like to do it outdoors when possible.
I like the B&BW lotions and creams, too. However, I can’t resist the free summer fragrances so I normally use those lotions (even though I’ve found the Avon foot line moisturizes a little better). My spring favorite is Berry Flirt. It just smells like spring to me!