Your feet likely took a beating. Pamper your feet at home with a DIY C. Our feet tends to get rough with constant walking, weather conditions and improper skincare. With some regular products you can give yourself a professional pedicure at home. All, you would need is: Nail clippers, cotton pads, nail polish remover, cuticle cream, a nail file, a loofah, a good foot scrub and moisturizer. Gather your products and follow our step-by-step guide and pamper yourself at home. Now, shape up heel to toe in five easy, natural steps.
1. Exfoliate
Whip up a naturally antibacterial foot scrub by mixing the juice of one lemon or lime, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 tablespoon sugar or salt. Scrub heels, tops of feet, and the forgotten areas between toes with a rolled paper towel, advises Karina Restrepo, manicurist and co-owner of Tierra Mia Organic Nail Spa in Philadelphia. Then rinse, pat dry, and soften calloused areas, using a natural pumice stone, before rinsing again. Pumice is preferable to a metal file because “your body reads metallic filing as a cut, and skin grows back thicker,” Restrepo says.
2. Moisturize
Restore much-needed moisture to feet and nails by massaging them with olive, almond, jojoba, or coconut oils. At bedtime, opt for shea butter, such as Out of Africa Organic Shea Butter, to replenish cracked heels and soles while you sleep.
3. Groom
Trim and file your nails while they’re dry and less prone to splitting and damage, Restrepo suggests. Afterward, use warm water and a small brush (an old toothbrush works well) to clean crevices around nails. Gently push back cuticles with a cuticle stone.
4. Polish
If you like a pop of color, go with water-based nail polishes (try Acquarella or Suncoat). Before applying, wipe nails free of oil and moisture, which repel water-based lacquers.
5. Protect
Don’t leave feet and toes defenseless against UV rays—even as the days become shorter. Apply a mineral sunblock like Badger SPF 15 Sunscreen for Face & Body before setting foot in the sun. And as a bonus tip make sure that you avoid nail fungus.
