Each year winter ends and we begin our warm weather rituals -- planting new flowers, buying spring clothes, getting outdoors.
Among these traditions is the summer pedicure -- a time when women soak, file, pumice and polish until their toes are sandal-ready.
If you are like me you have neglected your feet throughout the winter.
As wonderful as it feels to get a salon pedicure, they take time and money that you don't always have.
So what's a girl to do? A do-it-yourself (DIY) pedicure saves money, time, and you can schedule it whenever you want -- even 11 o' clock at night. The DIY Pedicure can take anywhere from 2 minutes up to 30 minutes depending on the time you have.
Here are some tips on how to get your feet sandal ready!
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2 Minute Pedicure
Buff
Use a buffing block to smooth each nail surface and remove yellow stains. Start with the gritty side, and then switch to the smooth side, which gives a nice shine to the nails (not as shiny as polish). You can also use the gritty side to soften skin at the tips of your toes!
Moisturize
When feet are hydrated and free from dry patches, they automatically look well-groomed. Massage a rich foot cream into your skin, paying close attention to the driest areas, including the backs of the heels and around the cuticles.
5 Minute Pedicure
Scrub
Dip feet into a tub of warm water and pat dry. Massage a handful of a scrub onto the skin. Choose an oil-based product, which will moisturize as it exfoliates dry skin.
File
File nails straight across to even out their shape.
Apply Polish
Wipe off any oil left on the nails from the foot scrub with polish remover. Then apply a quick-drying topcoat to make nails look shiny.
30+ Minute Pedicure
Soak
Soften skin by soaking feet in warm water. Add a handful of salts to help soothe tired feet.
Exfoliate
Pat your feet dry, and then slough off dead skin cells with a dry foot file. Choose a file with a medium grit.
Trim and File
Trim nails straight across using a straight-edge clipper. Use three cuts on each nail, as clipping the whole nail at once can cut it too close to the skin. Smooth the edges with a fine-grit emery board.
Moisturize
Rub a rich cream on your feet, top and bottom. Don’t forget your heels and cuticles.
Polish
Clean leftover cream from nails with a cotton pad soaked in polish remover. Apply a base coat, two coats of nail color, and a topcoat.
Dry
Give nails at least 15 minutes to dry before slipping on open-toed shoes (it can take up to two hours for them to dry fully). To speed things up, apply quick-dry drops after the topcoat.
Hope you found this helpful!
You can also see my post on How to get your mind and body summer ready!
Thank you for reading!