With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, you deserve a little pampering. While spa treatments can be very expensive, learning how to do a pedicure from home can help you save money and give yourself a treat at the same time.

1. Purchase the proper tools.
2. Clean and soften your feet by soaking them in water.
3. Adding Epsom salts to your foot bath will also help soften your feet.
4. Always apply a base coat and top coat when painting your toenails.
5. By dipping a cotton swab in nail polish remover you can quickly touch up any mistakes that you might have made while applying color.
6. Exfoliating your feet with a pumice stone will help your pedicure last longer.

• If you have ever worn open-toed shoes or sandals, then you know the importance of having great looking feet. While fashion and gossip magazines often display celebrities and their gorgeous toes, not everyone has the funds to afford expensive spa pedicures. By learning to perform pedicures from the comfort of your own home, you'll not only have great looking feet, but you'll also save money!

(Creative Commons photo by brandi valenza)

• To perform a home pedicure, you will need a few basic tools. You can find these tools at your local drugstore, beauty supply store or big box store like Target or Walmart. Target: Store LocatorWalmart: Store Locator

1. Nail polish remover
2. Cotton balls
3. Cotton swabs
4. Foot spa
   • While you can buy an expensive foot spa with lots of bells and whistles, a simple disposable roasting pan will work just as well and cost considerably less.Amazon.com: Foot Spas
5. Epsom Salts
   • Used to soften and exfoliate your feet.Epsom Salt Industry Council: Beauty Benefits
6. Towel
7. Nail clippers
8. Nail file
9. Orange stickAmazon.com: Orange Sticks
   • An orange stick is a small stick with a flat tip. It can be used to clean underneath nails or to push back nail beds and cuticles.
10. Foot scraper
    • To remove the dead skin and calluses from your feet.MayoClinic.com: Corns and Calluses: Definition
11. Pumice stoneMineral Information Institute: Pumice Stone
    • According to the Mayo Clinic, diabetics should not use pumice stones as they increase the risk of infection.MayoClinic.com: Corns and calluses: Lifestyle and home remedies
12. Cuticle remover
13. Moisturizer
14. Toe separator
15. Base and top coat polish
    • This it the clear polish that you apply to your toenails before and after you apply your colored nail polish.
16. Colored nail polish

(Creative Commons photo by Gary & Anna Sattler)

• Before you begin your pedicure, it is imperative that you have clean, soft feet to work with.

1. Wash your feet with soap and water.About.com: How to Give Yourself a Professional Pedicure
2. Remove any old nail polish.
   1. Saturate a cotton ball with nail polish remover.
   2. Rub cotton ball over nail until all polish is removed.
   3. Allow nail polish remover to dry completely before proceeding to the next step.
3. Fill your tub or foot spa with warm water and soak your feet for a few minutes.MayoClinic.com: Corns and Calluses: Lifestyle and home remedies
4. Remove feet and towel dry.
5. Using your orange stick clean under each of your toenails.
6. Remove any excess nail with your toenail clippers. Cut your nails straight across. Avoid giving them a curved appearance. According to Intelihealth.com, cutting your toenails in a curve can lead to ingrown toenails.InteliHealth: Ingrown toenail
7. If your nails feel or look rough, file them with your nail file or emery board.
8. Apply cuticle remover to your cuticles.About.com: How to Give Yourself a Professional Pedicure Rub the lotion into the base of each nail. Wait for at least 60 seconds for the cuticle remover to take effect.
9. Using your orange stick, push your cuticles back.
   1. Hold your stick at an angle.iVillage: Cuticle care
   2. In a circular motion, run your orange stick around the base of your toenail. This will remove dead skin cells.
10. Add new water and Epsom salts to your foot spa or pan. You will usually add about half a cup of Epsom salt to your water.Doc Shop: Body detox steps
11. Soak feet for 20 minutes, or longer depending on how dry and calloused your feet are.
12. Towel dry your feet.
13. Use your foot scraper to remove any callouses. The most common places to find callouses are the heels and the balls of your feet. If you do not have a foot scraper and are not diabetic, use a pumice stone.MayoClinic.com: Corns and calluses: Lifestyle and home remedies
    • WARNING: According to the Mayo Clinic, you should not use a pumice stone if you are diabetic and, regardless of whether you or diabetic or not, you should not cut corns or calluses away.MayoClinic.com: Corns and calluses: Lifestyle and home remediesDoing so can lead to an infection.MayoClinic.com: Corns and calluses: Lifestyle and home remedies
14. Rinse feet and pat dry.
15. Apply your favorite moisturizer to your feet, making sure to get in between your toes.

(Creative Commons photo by irina slutsky)

• Now that your feet are smooth and soft and your nails are trimmed short and straight, it is time to perform your pedicure.

1. Separate your toes by either using a store-bought toe separator, placing cotton balls between them or lacing a twisted paper towel between your toes.
2. Starting at the pinky toe and working your way to the big toe, apply one layer of base coat.
   1. Always paint from the base of your toenail to the tip.About.com: How to Give Yourself a Professional Pedicure
   2. Start in the center of your toenail, at the base, and apply one stroke all the way to the tip.
   3. Next apply the base coat on one side of the nail and then the other, making sure to begin at the base and end at the tip of the toe.
3. Apply a base coat to each nail.
4. Allow toes to dry.
5. Apply your colored nail polish (in the same manner as you applied your base coat).
6. Allow nail polish to dry.
7. If desired, you can apply another coat of your colored nail polish.
8. Apply your top coat to each nail in the same manner as your base coat and colored nail polish.
9. Allow to dry completely before putting your shoes on.About.com: How to Give Yourself a Professional Pedicure

• While a pedicure won't last forever, here are a few tips to help your feet remain their prettiest.

1. Apply moisturizer daily.PopSugar: Beauty Masterclass: Maintain Your Perfect Pedicure
2. If you are not diabetic, massage your feet with a pumice stone weekly.MayoClinic.com: Corns and calluses: Lifestyle and home remedies
3. Add a fresh top coat every few days.PopSugar: Beauty Masterclass: Maintain Your Perfect Pedicure
4. Push cuticles back when needed.

1. Purchase the proper tools.
2. Clean and soften your feet by soaking them in water.
3. Adding Epsom salts to your foot bath will also help soften your feet.
4. Always apply a base coat and top coat when painting your toenails.
5. By dipping a cotton swab in nail polish remover you can quickly touch up any mistakes that you might have made while applying color.
6. Exfoliating your feet with a pumice stone will help your pedicure last longer.

• Introduction
• Step 1: Gather Your Tools
• Step 2: Prepare Your Feet
• Step 3: Perform Your Pedicure
• Step 4: Maintain Your Pedicure
• References