You do not need a $60+ salon appointment to have feet that look like you have your life together. You need twenty minutes, a few tools, and the willingness to sit on your bathroom floor like it’s a spa. Let’s go.
What You’ll Need
- Bathtub or pedicure machine
- Spa pedicure kit (soak solution, sugar scrub, lotion) — I use the VOESH Pedi in a Box 4 Step. It comes in different scents and it makes you feel fancy for under fifteen dollars.
- Callus remover gel
- Callus shaver
- Nail clipper set (big toe clipper, toenail clipper, cuticle removal tool, and nail file)
- Nail polish (base coat, color, top coat)
- Cuticle oil (optional)
- Nail stickers, if you’re feeling whimsical
The Steps
1. Fill the tub to ankle level. Warm water, up to comfortably hot. This is not the time to be brave. If you have a pedicure machine, use that instead.
2. Soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes. Let them actually soften. Don’t rush this part.
3. Clip your toenails down to your desired length using the toenail clipper.
4. File your toenails to smooth the edges and shape them the way you want.
5. Soak again for another 5 to 10 minutes. Yes, again. Softer nails and skin make the rest of this so much easier.
6. Use the cuticle tool to gently scoop the cuticle at the base of your nail bed.
7. Use the same tool to clean the inside and sides of your toenail. Get all the buildup out.
8. Apply callus remover gel to your heels and any rough patches. Let it sit for 2 to 5 minutes, then go in with the callus shaver. Take your time here — this is the step that actually makes your feet feel new.
9. Wash your feet, then grab the sugar scrub from your kit. Exfoliate your feet and lower legs until the sugar dissolves, then rinse it off.
10. Apply the foot mask cream from your kit. If you want to go the extra mile, wrap your feet in a hot wet towel for 5 to 7 minutes, then rinse it off.
11. Rinse and dry your feet completely.
12. Apply the lotion from your kit to your feet and lower legs. Let your skin drink it up.
13. Once your feet are fully dry, it’s polish time. Use a toe foam separator, or roll up a paper towel into a slim tube and weave it through your toes.
14. Apply your base coat.
15. Apply your nail color. My method: one stroke down the middle, then outline the edges, then fill in the gaps on the left and right sides of the nail bed. Apply two coats for full, even color.
16. Apply your top coat and let your nails dry for 10 to 15 minutes. No skipping this part, no matter how tempting it is to walk away.
17. Remove the toe separator and apply cuticle oil. Ta-da. Beginner amateur polished toes, and they look incredible.
You did that. No appointment, no tip, no small talk with a stranger about your vacation plans. Just you, your feet, and twenty minutes of doing something nice for yourself.
