This time of year, most people are enjoying the Spring weather and thinking about slipping out of their closed shoes and into flip flops and sandals. Many women, and some men, start their warm weather ritual of heading to the nail salon every few weeks for a pedicure. In light of the current social distancing measures and business closures, most people are left to complete this task on their own. I have a few tips that won’t have you missing the salon too much!
1. Soak your feet in warm water. There are many different soaking recipes available to try online depending on the result you want to achieve: relieve achy feet, exfoliate, moisturize, disinfect, relax. Always make sure you dry well after soaking, especially in between your toes.
2. Cut your nails straight across (never round the corners) and finish with a file.
3. Use a pumice stone or foot file to reduce thick skin and calluses. Never use a sharp tool or metal grater. Another option is to use a foot peel like Baby Foot.
4. Moisturize with a hydrating cream. Be sure not to place the cream in between your toes.
5. Push cuticles back with a cuticle pusher, avoid cutting the cuticle.
6. Before polishing, wipe the nails with a bit of nail polish remover to remove any remaining moisturizer from the nail plate.
7. You’re ready for paint! I would recommend using a base coat and top coat as well. Be sure to use a polish that is free from toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde, which are all known carcinogens.
Keep a look out for a future blog post on Salon Pedi Tips!
