Pretty feet: Your perfect pedicure
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http://www.kaboose.com/features/just-for-mom/your-perfect-pedicure.html |
Sandal season is upon us and it’s
time to reintroduce our toes to the world. Not ready to show off those
winter-weary feet? No worries. Marie Scalogna, owner of New York City-based
Spa Chicks On the Go has great tips for giving you a professional
pedicure at home.
Remove.
Strip old color with acetone polish remover on a cotton ball. (Note: Don’t use
a tissue, it will fall apart and doesn’t absorb the remover well.)
Soak.
Add Epson salt and your favorite scented oil (Scalogna likes lavender) to warm
water and soak your feet for 10 minutes. Although the bathtub might be easier,
Scalogna recommends using a large bowl instead (keep it for foot use only).
That way it feels more glamorous and luxurious, she says. Place it in your
living or bedroom and relax with a book while you soak. For a more deluxe
option, invest in a Homedics Bubble Bliss Plus Luxury Foot Bubbler, $25. “It
gives you more of a spa experience at home,” Scalogna says.
Buff.
Dry your feet with a clean towel. Then, exfoliate feet and heels with
Tweezerman’s Pedro Callus Stone, $20 or a biodegradable pumice pad, which can
be purchased at any drug store. Rub in any direction you want, but don’t scrub
too hard and never rub the top of your foot. Make sure to get your heel, the
ball of your foot and your big toe. Thoroughly rinse the pad after each use,
let it dry and keep it in a plastic bag. Have big calluses? Never use a razor
to try to shave them away – you could go too far and cut your foot. Plus,
Scalogna says, “Sometimes calluses are good. They’re like a protective area on
your feet. You don’t want to eliminate them.” Just use the stone a bit more
vigorously in that area.
Exfoliate.
Remove dry skin from legs and feet with a homemade
mixture of olive oil and kosher salt or raw sugar. Or, choose a scrub (we like
Cocoa butter) from The Body Shop, $16. Rub in an upward motion for two to three
minutes. Then, rinse them in your footbath.
Trim.
Cut nails with a toenail clipper like Tweezerman’s
Deluxe Toenail Clipper, $10, then file them to your length of choice. Make sure
not to go too short though, as nothing looks worse than a space between the
polish and the top of your nail bed. Run your finger across the top of your
toe. If your nail barely grazes your finger, you’ve got the right length, says
Scalogna. As for shape, she prefers squared nails to rounded tips. “It looks
more modern,” she says.
Moisturize.
Massage feet and legs with a rich cream. Scalogna recommends Nivea’s Renewal
Night Creme, 10 oz $10. It smells great and helps to smooth and soften skin.
Soften.
Apply cuticle oil to nails to soften and revitalize rough areas. Try Sally
Hansen’s Vitamin E Moisturizing Nail & Cuticle Oil, 0.45 oz, $5.
Push.
Use a cuticle or Popsicle stick to press cuticles back so they don’t get in the
way of the polish. Some people prefer to cut their cuticles for aesthetic
purposes, Scalogna explains, but it’s best not to do this at home. “Unless
you’re a professional, you’re going to end up with cuts all along the side of
your nails,” she says. “Just push them back and keep it easy.
Polish
Apply a base coat first, or use Sally Hansen’s Double Duty base and topcoat.
Then, apply two thin coats of polish. Scalogna’s fave for toes is the wild and
definitely noticeable You Rock-apulco Red by OPI, $8. Finish with a topcoat if
you haven’t used one yet.
Helpful hints:
When soaking your feet, add a few
drops of tea tree oil to the water to fight athlete’s foot and reduce
itchiness.
Ask your partner to do the
massaging for total relaxation.
If you don’t have cuticle oil,
olive oil works just as well.
Keep nail polish in a cool, dry
place, like the fridge. It’ll last longer.
A well-done French pedicure can
look nice on toes, says Scalogna. But make sure to see a professional. Nothing
looks worse than uneven lines and smudges.
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