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An Easy Peasy Guide To The At-home Pedicure!

26 September, 2023 - 09:21pm by - Head Pixie | 11 Comments

by BR Tabatha

Sandal season is upon us! With the warmer weather due to tickle our tootsies, it's time to shed the socks and shoes and prep the netherest of regions with a little at-home pedicure action. How? Check out our super simple step-by-step guide!

Prep

Much like before applying makeup, or getting your self-tan on, a good pedicure needs a bit of prep. First of all, you need to set up your space. I prefer somewhere that's uncarpeted, so that it's easy to sweep up toenail clippings and deal to potential puddles. Next, I prepare my tools; laying a towel down on the floor and, next to it, a pumice and/or foot file, nail scissors, nail buffer/file, moisturiser, and perhaps a nail polish if I'm going to pretty up my toes. Lastly, I take a decent sized bucket and fill it with warm water - and, if I'm feeling extra, I'll pop some Epsom salts in there, too.

Pedi

Now for the pedicure itself. Where to start?

  • Soak your feet. Give yourself ten to fifteen minutes to soften up your feet's skin and nails. Use the time waiting to relax in a way that brings you joy. I tend to watch beauty YouTube. 
  •  Once your feet and nails are softened, take your nail clippers and trim your nails, remembering to cut across rather than in a curve in order to avoid ingrowns. 
  • Nails trimmed? Now's the time to use a nail file to smooth the edges.
  • At this points, some might suggest pushing back your nail cuticles. I would suggest not. Nail cuticles can be sensitive wee things, and pushing them back or cutting them incorrectly can lead to infection. As far as I'm concerned, this is a job for a nail technician.
  • Now that your nails are sorted, head to the entire foot area. Grab your pumice or foot file and give those dry and tough areas a good scrub. Once done, dunk your feet in the bucket to get rid of any lingering dead skin, then take them out and dry your feet off.
  • If you're not planning to pop on nail polish, your last step is to simply take a thick moisturiser and work it into your feet.
  • Polish a priority? Ensure your nails are dry, then apply a base coat to protect your nails, then pop on your polish (making sure to wait until your polish is dry before adding further coats), follow up with a top coat, and you're done!

Post

Want to get the most of your pedi? Post-pedi care will keep things looking great, while also helping to elongate time between your next at-home pedicure (because, let's be honest, as good as they are to do, doing them regularly is time consuming and, dare I say it, a touch boring). For me, that looks like moisturising and popping on a pair of socks before bedtime. Keeping on top of trimming my nails. Giving any rough spots a quick buff post-shower. And if I'm wearing nail polish, I'm not above touching up the colour at the base as my toes grow out. 

While there's a bit of work involved, one thing's for sure, when the warmer weather hits, and you slip into your sandals or jandals for the first time, then look down at your tidied tootsies, you'll be sure to leave your home with a spring in your step. (I'll see myself out.)

So, do tell... Are you a fan of the at-home pedicure? How simple, or not so simple, is your routine? Is there anything you'd add to ours? Anything you'd skip? Let us know by chatting below!

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Comments

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18th October, 2023

Oh how i wish i could keep my nailed clean and tidy, and keeping those nails happy. Just after i spend my precious time on doing my nails.. after a big house clean up, those nails look so unhappy .. But after giving my nails a trim i like to brush it with some nail and cuticle oil and give a little massage.

5th October, 2023

I am a fan with anything to do with my feet. I adore pedicures and massages but when times are tough it is great to have these hints and tips for at home treats.

4th October, 2023

I am a fan, but do it myself very infrequently. Need to up my game coming into summer!

3rd October, 2023

I love wearing sandals, and I make sure my feet are in good shape, but my routine is pretty simple compared to the pedi described here.

1st October, 2023

My heels get awfully cracked rough sandpaper helps smooth them! I have been to salons and they don't get rid of my rough skin so has to be a DIY to get it done properly

1st October, 2023

ooh nice. I am slack too, but do enjoy a foot mask on occasion

1st October, 2023

That sounds like good advice. I'm a bit slack but I do exfoliate my feet often. I love how my feet feel after a brisk exfoliation with Dove soap and exfoliation gloves.

29th September, 2023

I have had professional pedicures and they are lovely but it is nice to also to pamper your self at home. i also use a foot scrub.

28th September, 2023

I've probably saved hundreds of dollars on pedis over the years by doing my own at home. I do the full soak, foot scrub, rinse, exfoliate heels with a pedi paddle, cuticle work, rinse feet, foot mask, rinse feet, then base coat (smoothing base coat to give a smooth shine to my cracked toenails), 2 coats color and then 2 coats of top coat, cuticle oil and foot cream. My top tip is the next time you go to the salon watch the manicurist and ask her what she does, you'll pick up tips, the only thing I don't do is massage my own feet.

28th September, 2023

I like to make sure my feet look good for sandal weather! I have a foot spa which I have been using weekly, I use the scholl pedi machine and also the manicure foot file. I slather on foot balm. I let my Toenails have a rest during winter so only use polish in spring and summer.

28th September, 2023

Great advice, a well written article, I am one of those people that tend to neglect my poor feet, so will be making an effort to pamper them.

Pat17
29th September, 2023

Sounds really good.

Pat17
10th December, 2023

I am the same -my intentions are good .

SmileyPisces
18th October, 2023

I feel like a feet soak in dried mugwort right now