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Professional Pedicure Tips: 7 Steps to Perfect Springtime Nails
Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 1:08PMSpring is right around the corner and with the warm weather comes the need for great manicures and pedicures (well, these are must haves in ALL weather in my humble opinion) and Alexis Posharo has created a guest post for you guys detailing the steps to perfect spring nails!
The Perfect Pedi:
It’s already March, and spring is in the air – that means it’s almost time to put away your boots and break out the peep-toe heels, sandals, and your favorite flip-flops. But if you’ve just gone through a winter of neglecting your tootsies, you’ll need to spruce them up before you slip on those shoes. Fortunately, you don’t have to go to a salon to get a professional pedicure. You can do it at home or with your girlfriends the next time you’re getting ready for a big night out. Just reserve an hour for your feet and you’ll have pampered, spring-worthy toes before you know it. Light some candles, grab a mimosa, turn on some jams, and get that pedicure going!
1. Remove Old Polish
Make sure you have sparkling clean nails before you grab that new nail polish. If it’s a dark color, use a lint-free cotton pad and an acetone remover to get it off completely. Lighter colors can be removed with a gentler acetone-free nail polish remover. If you notice that you have any stains on your nails, try using a little bit of whitening toothpaste – simply rub it onto your nail and rinse it off to reveal the cleanest nails you’ve ever seen.
2. Trim & Smooth Your Nails
Toenails aren’t quite the same as fingernails when it comes to trimming. You want to make sure that you don’t allow the nail to extend past the end of your toe. It’s also important to cut straight across without coming back to trim the corners, as this can cause ingrown nails. Once you’ve finished trimming your nails, use an emery board to smooth out the edges. It helps to pull it across your nails in just one direction to prevent ripping and tearing.
3. Soak & Enjoy
Give yourself a foot bath to relax after a long day and moisturize your feet. Use a large bowl with a flat bottom, filling it with warm water and adding your favorite bath salts or oils. You can also add a little milk for extra moisturizing power, then soak for ten minutes.
4. Care for Your Cuticles
Just as if you were giving yourself a manicure, use an orangewood stick to push back your cuticles. They should be soft from the moisturizing foot bath, but if they’re not moving, try rubbing a little cuticle cream into them before pushing them back again.
5. Exfoliate
Try an exfoliating foot scrub or a pumice stone to remove any residual damaged skin. Be gentle and stop exfoliating if your foot starts to turn red – this means you’ve been scrubbing too hard.
6. Moisturize
Rub a luxurious foot cream into your skin, massaging up into your calf muscles for extra relaxation. Use the acetone remover again to get rid of any oils from the moisturizer that might have gotten onto your nails, as they can keep your nail polish from adhering correctly.
7. Paint Your Nails
Apply a base coat to keep your nails healthy, using three strokes on each nail: one down the middle from cuticle to tip, and one on each side. After this has dried, apply two coats of your favorite polish. Trends for spring 2011 include natural nudes, light blues, peachy pinks, dusty lavenders, and gunmetal grays. Finish up with a shimmering top coat and allow your nails to dry for at least 40 minutes before you slip on your favorite toe-baring shoes.
Alexis Posharo is a freelance writer, fashionista, and an amateur musician. Lately she’s been researching college grants and other ways to keep student loans to a minimum.
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