Get the Perfect Pedicure from Home

1. First things first, fill a warm basin or bath with several inches of water–the water should come up to at least your ankles. As the water is running, add a desired amount of foot soak, bath salts or Epsom salt so that it dissolves in the water as the tub fills. When soaking your feet, add a few drops of tea tree oil to the water to fight athlete’s foot and reduce itchiness. You can even add some scented oil or flower petals to really pamper yourself. Go ahead you deserve it!  
2. Now, remove that old cracked nail polish off your toes while the tub or basin is filling. Be sure to use a non-acetone remover; acetone can dry out your nails.  
3. Next, cut your toenails straight across. Do it any other way and you risk in-growing nails. Then gently smooth the edges with a nail file. Be sure to file one side and then the other. DO NOT SAW, you are not a lumberjack and sawing ruins your nails! Also be sure to file before soaking your feet. Once feet have soaked in water your nails become soft and pliable and they become very easy to damage. You can also use a four-way buffer to give nails an added shine.  
4. Next soak your feet for about 10-15min. in a warm basin or bath. Grab a book or listen to some music and just relax!  
5. I know you could sit there for hours but it is time to get busy! Now, pat your feet dry with a towel. Using the small brush, gently buff one foot first and then the other. This will help to remove some dead skin cells and also to soften your feet. A pumice footstone can work wonders for dry and rough feet! Use this to eliminate remaining rough spots. Dip feet after this step.  
6. Now, here comes my favorite part, the exfoliating foot scrub! Pat feet dry again and using a foot scrub, massage the cream onto your feet, paying special attention to your heels and any rough spots. This will further soften and exfoliate.  
7. Once you’ve dried your feet, massage them with a moisturizer or rich foot cream that’s packed with refreshing, nice-smelling ingredients like mint. Better still, get someone else to do it while you sit back and relax!  
8. Apply some cuticle oil, if you don’t have cuticle oil olive oil works just as well, and then massage into cuticles. Then, using orangewood stick, gently push your cuticles back along the nail. They should be pliable due to the soaking.  
9. If you wish to paint your toenails, you can use toe separators or rolled cotton to help the process. Apply a base coat, starting in the middle of the toenail, to fill in the ridges and uneven surfaces. Base coats are generally clear or slightly opaque and they help to strengthen the nail to avoid breakage. When they’re dry, add two coats of color – but wait two to three minutes between coats. (Hint: For touch-ups, dip a Q-tip in the nail polish remover and gently swab away the unwanted color.) Also remember that fingernail and toenail polishes don’t have to match. Try varying the shades a lighter color on your hands and a darker on the toes, for something fun and different!  
10. Apply a crystal-clear topcoat to add shine and to protect color from chipping. Keep in mind that it can take up to an hour for nail polish to fully dry, so wait as long as you can before slipping into your sandals.