Stay At Home Mani/Pedi

 

Why go to the salon when you can give yourself a quality manicure and pedicure right at home? Invite a few friends over or have a personal spa day; either way, strut your stuff with fresh hands and feet! pedicure-1

Start off with a pedicure:

1) Soak your feet. Make sure to remove all old nail polish before you soak your feet. Fill up your bathtub with warm water and add foot soak. Place your feet in the mixture for about ten minutes. You’ll notice how soft they feel!

2) Manage your toenails. Gently clip your toenails to the same length as the top of your toes. Then, file around the nail to give it the same shape as every other nail.

3) Use a foot scrub and cream. It’s suggested to scrub the callused parts of your feet with an exfoliating foot scrub. The scrub will eliminate unwanted dead skin. Rinse and apply a moisturizing foot cream for overall smoothness.

4) Separate your toes. You can either wind tissues between your toes or put on a colorful toe separator to make sure you do not get nail polish outside of your nail.

essie_essie_the_french_affair_spring_2011_collection_coat_azure_742_p334545) Paint your nails. Choose any color nail polish, but keep in mind that neutral colors look more sophisticated on the foot. Slowly glide the brush over your nail, starting from the middle and working towards the sides to create an even layer of paint. Make sure to double coat with color and apply a top coat to avoid chipping and the like. Don’t forget to wipe away any polish that could have dripped outside of your nail!

Then move onto a manicure:

1) Remove old nail polish. Using a cotton ball, rub your nail with nail polish remover until all of the color is gone. Make sure you don’t get lazy! All of the color should be removed for a flawless manicure.

Manicure2) Manage your cuticles. Over the period of one manicure to another, your cuticles can get out of control. Use a nail groomer and/or cuticle clipper to get rid of extra skin around your cuticle.

3) Clip your nails. Decide what length you’d like your nails to be and trim them down.

4) File your nails. Depending on your preference, use a small or large nail file, and file your nails into the shape of your choice. Circular is good for busy bees or sporty chicks, and square is perfect for a night out.

5) Buff your nails. It’s seems like a tedious extra step, but buffing your nails will guarantee them a smooth surface for painting. It’s important to wash your hands after this step; you’ll want your nails will be clean for when you moisturize.

6) Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Use your favorite hand lotion or moisturizer to fight away dry skin. Soak a washcloth in hot water and lay it gently on top of both of your hands, switching between each palm after about 20 seconds. Then, let your hands dry.

7) Start painting. I’d suggest painting a base coat on your nails. It prevents from chipping and peeling (nobody wants that!) Choose whatever color nail polish you’d like, maybe a soft pink or a light purple for the summertime. Polish each in slow strokes for the best results, and don’t forget to do a second coat of your color! Finish it off with a clear top coat for longer-lasting and faster-growing nails.

 

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