Spring is finally here!  Here in the south, the weather has started to get warm.  With warmer weather comes sundresses, shorts, and of course, sandals!  Are you ready for sandal season?  I know I'm not ready, but I'm getting ready.   Sandal season is here and you want your feet to look cute.  You can opt to go to the nail salon to get your pedicure, or you can do it yourself.  If you choose to give yourself a pedicure, then you will need a few items.  See the list below to help you with performing your own pedicure.  Not all of these items are needed, but they do help. 

Items for pedicure

Alcohol

Clean Nail File

Nail Buffer

Cuticle Pusher

A Large Container or Foot Soaking Tub

Foot Soak (powder, liquid, or solid)

Foot File

Cuticle Cream

Cuticle Oil

Foot Scrub

Towels

Toe Nail Clipper

Nail Polish Color of your Choice

Base Coat

Top Coat

Cuticle Nipper

Moisturizer

Nail Polish Remover or Acetone

Cotton balls or cotton rounds

These are just a few items that you may need and use to perform a pedicure at home.  You will need a comfortable area, chair, and a maybe a foot stool as well.  There are several ways to perform a pedicure and you do not have to follow these instructions.  Perform your pedicure any way you feel is comfortable and convenient for you.  However, here are some steps to help you to achieve a basic pedicure.

Pedicure Steps

 Make sure all items are clean or have been cleaned or new before beginning your pedicure.

Fill the foot tub or large container with warm water and then add the foot soak.  Spray feet with alcohol and pat dry.  Review each toenail and decide if you need to trim them with the toenail clipper.  File and shape each toenail.  Once the toenails have been shaped, buff each nail with a buffing block.  Apply the cuticle cream to the toes and gently rub in.  Let the cuticle cream remain on the toes.  Make sure the foot soak has dissolved before placing your feet in the foot tub.  Let your feet soak for 10-15 minutes.  Once you have completed your soak, remove one foot from the foot tub and pat it dry with the towel.  There should still be some cuticle cream on the toes; begin to gently push back the cuticle with the cuticle pusher.  If there is any excess cuticle, then you can use the cuticle nipper to remove it.  Please do not cut the cuticle.   After you push back the cuticle, place the foot back into the foot tub and repeat the same steps on the other foot.  Once those steps have been completed, remove one foot from the foot tub and pat dry.  Take the foot file and file it across the calluses on the bottom of your foot and heel.  Try not to remove all your callus because you don’t want to make your foot too tender when you walk.  Once you do this to both feet, rinse them.  Pat your feet dry and apply a foot scrub and rinse again.  Pat your feet dry again and apply moisturizer to your feet.  Use the cotton balls and nail polish remover to remove the moisturizer from your toe nails only.  Apply your base coat, 2 coats of the polish color of your choice, and topcoat.  Allow 5 minutes for the polish to dry and apply the cuticle oil. 

You now have moisturized, smooth, and pretty toes for sandal season, and you have saved a few coins. You can also see an example video of World Famous Professional Nail Technician, Tammy Taylor perform a basic pedicure here.  The video is a little old, but the steps still apply and the pedicure looks fabulous!