Amna Hamid
Whether you’re in the mood to experiment with your new pedicure kit from abroad, too bored because you have nothing much to do, feeling lethargic after your exams so you’d rather skip the salon trip yourself or you want to save some money for a branded pair of jeans, learning a new skill is always a good thing. “Do it yourselves” is fun and you’ll feel very proud of yourself after you’ll see neat and tidy feet. People might just nick you Happy Feet after seeing your effort! Turn on the telly and binge your favorite TV show alongside or you can get your besties over and do this exciting activity together. Pedicures have many therapeutic benefits so you’ll want to pat yourself on the shoulder for having done such a great job. With a little practice, tons of patience, and some reasonably priced tools, you’ll surely hit the ball outside the stadium. Here’s how to give yourself the perfect pedicure at home:
- Remove old nail polish
Remove any signs of existing nail polish with cotton and a nail polish remover.
- Soak your feet
Soak your feet in a foot bath. If you don’t have any, you can fill a tub and sit on the edge to soak for at least 5 to 10 minutes to soften your cuticles. Dry one foot at a time. If you have a cuticle remover at home, apply it around your cuticles and onto your heels to help smooth rough feet and remove any calluses.
- Trim and file your nails
Use a comfortable nail cutter to begin trimming your nails. Then use your filer to smoothen the edges. If your heels or toes feel rough, use a pumice stone to gently smooth them and any calluses you might have.
- Massage your feet
Once both your feet are dry, apply a generous amount of moisturizer onto both feet. Massage your feet and toes for a few minutes. An electronic massager would be a cooler option here.
- Work on your toes
If you want your feet to stay polished for a long time, use a cotton pad to remove any excess oily residue. Stuff toe-separators between your toes here.
- Apply a thin base coat
If you want your pedicure to last, don’t skip this step. The base coat provides a barrier between the natural oils from your nails and the polish.
- Apply nail polish
Once the base coat has dried, apply a thin coat of your favorite color. Let them dry, then apply a second thin coat of color.
- Finish with the top coat
Lastly, to make nail polish last, apply the top coat in a thin layer. It prevents chipping and smudging too. Let it dry for 10 minutes and your perfect pedicure at home is done.
