How To Do Your
Own Pedicure
By: Joanna Shelton
Supplies You Will Need
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Tub or Basin
Bubble bath or soaking salts
Towels
Cuticle oil
Nail file, clippers and cuticle stick
Exfoliating foot scrub
Foot file
Nail polish, top/base coat and color
Cotton pads
Foot Cream
Nail Polish Remover
Supplies
you will
need
Toe Separators
File
Nail Polish
Nail Polish Remover
Prepping your feet
• First you will remove all of the old polish that is on your toes.
• Acetone polish remover will remove the polish better but go easy on
your cuticle area as it can really dry out the skin
Soaking
• Fill a small bowl with warm water and add Epsom salt or bubble bath
• Put your feet in and site back and relax.
• Recommended time is 10 minutes for soaking them.
Cuticle Work
• Now it is time to take care of your cuticles.
• Take one foot out of the tub and pat it dry.
• Add a drop of cuticle oil around each nail bed.
• Massage it in and using a cuticle stick gently push that dead skin back.
• You will do this for each foot.
Exfoliating
• The next step is to exfoliate your feet and legs.
• This step is important as it helps to remove calluses and rough spots
• There are many different types of foot scrubs you can get for this
process.
• Take one foot out of the tub and gently massage it into your foot and
leg.
• Do this for each foot.
• When you are done rinse off your feet removing any remaining foot
scrub.
Callus work
• Your next step is to buff your feet
• Buffing your feet help remove calluses
• To remove calluses it is recommended to use a pumice stone or foot
file.
• Reminder you are trying to smooth the callused area, not remove the
callus.
Moisturize your feet
• The next step is to moisturize.
• You should run a nice thick foot cream on your feet and legs in an
upward motion.
• You can also use a heel cream with shea butter to really saturate your
heels to help keep them smooth.
Shaping your toe nails
• The first rule with trimming nails is that you want to be able to run
your finger across the top of your foot and have your toenails barely
touch your finger.
• A recommendation is to clip the edges at a 45 degree angle.
Filing your toe nails
• So if you cut your nails in the 45 degrees like it was instructed in the
previous step filing your nails will be easy
• Start from the outer edge and file into the center of the nail
• Do this for both sides.
• A soft square is what is recommended.
Polish and Dry
• First you will want to take a cotton pad dipped with nail polish remover and
swipe it across each toenail to remove oils or moisture.
• Put in a toe separator to keeps your toes away from each other
• After you have chosen your color roll the bottle between the palms of your
hands to get it ready.
• Apply the coats in this order
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Base coat
1st coat of polish
2nd coat of polish
Finally do the top coat
• After that is done sit and wait about 20 minutes to make sure it is all dry
Cleaning up your tools
• Making sure all of your supplies are clean is important for your next
home pedicure.
• Wash everything in hot water and a bleach mixture
• Your pumice and callus stones and foot files you will want to wash
with warm water and mild soap.
• Make sure all caps are tight on your polish and store in a cool place
• Make sure all of your tools are dry before storing them
References
• http://http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/nail-care/tips/10steps-to-do-your-own-pedicure.htm#page=1
• www.google.com/images
• www.giphy.com