Step by Step At Home Pedicure

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Feet in need of a pedicure? Try an at home pedicure!

An at home pedicure will help you save both time and money. While nail salons are great, those pedicure expenses can start to add up.

You can always alternate an at home pedicure with a pedicure from a salon. That will give you the best of both worlds!

In this post, you’ll learn everything you need to give yourself a professional-level at home pedicure.

Before you get started, make the environment around you relaxing, like it would feel at an actual nail salon. Light some candles, put on some calming music, and pull up a comfy chair next to the tub.

1. Prep your nails

The first step of your pedicure is to prepare your nails for the nail treatment. To do this, remove any nail polish that you currently have on your nails.

While you are taking off your old polish, let the water in your tub fill up and reach a warm, comfortable temperature.

After you remove any nail polish from your nails, add some cuticle oil to the nails before you begin to soak them in the water.

2. Soak your feet

Next, soak your feet in the tub for 10 minutes or so. The water should feel warm and relaxing, but not so hot that it feels uncomfortable or painful.

If your feet are getting really red, the water may be too hot. If this happens you’ll want to turn down the temperature.

Soaking is an essential step in your pedicure. It’s not only super relaxing, but it helps your feet and nails soften and prepares them for the next steps.

This is low key one of my favorite steps. You get to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the warm water!

To give your pedicure a little more pizzazz and to awaken your senses, add some bath salts to your water before you begin to soak. For a more DIY version, you can also use Kosher salt instead of bath salts.

3. Trim and shape your nails

Next, use nail clippers to cut your nails to your desired length. While you do this, leave one foot to soak while you work on the other.

If you like the length that your nails are currently at, go ahead and skip right to this next part – shaping your nails.

After cutting your nails, use a file to smooth and shape your toenails. You can also go in with a pumice stone at this step. That will get rid of any dead skin that is on your feet.

Once you are done shaping your nails and removing dead skin, switch feet. Repeat this step on the other foot.

4. Exfoliate your skin

Once your nails are trimmed and shaped, exfoliate your feet and legs.

Exfoliation helps remove dead skin. It also prepares the skin to soak in the moisture from the products you are going to apply in the following step.

This step is important because it allows you to get the most out of your moisturizer that you will be applying in the following step.

Once you’ve applied the exfoliant, rinse your feet and legs with warm water. You can then drain the water in your tub. You won’t need any more water for the rest of the pedicure.

Then, dry off your legs to prepare your skin to be moisturized.

5. Moisturize

In this next step of your at home pedicure, grab your favorite moisturizer and lather up your feet and legs. Rub in all of the product you’ve applied, giving your feet and legs a relaxing massage.

Don’t rush through this step, really enjoy it and relax!

When you’re done, go in with a cotton round and some rubbing alcohol to clean each individual nail to remove any product residue that may be on your nails from these first five steps. Doing this will allow your nails to be fully cleaned and prepped for polish application.

Once you’ve moisturized, as an optional addition, you can apply a warm towel to your feet and legs just like they do at a nail salon.

This is super easy to do at home, just wet a towel and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 15-20 seconds and then you’re ready to go!

I recommend using a hot towel for added relaxation.

6. Apply polish

You can use a toe separator or paper towel to keep your toes from bumping into one another and causing your polish to smudge. There’s nothing worse than doing a great job with the nail polish and then having it smudge and wipe away your hard work!

Apply a base coat before adding your color. Then, apply two thing coats of your nail color. Let your polish dry for a few minutes between each coat. Once your done, add a top coat to prevent the nail polish from chipping.

I only recommend and use cruelty-free products, so if that’s something that is important to you as well, I really recommend China Glaze. A lot of favorite brands like Essie, OPI, etc. are cruelty free, and so I’ve found China Glaze is a really solid cruelty-free polish that is my go-to.

If needed, go in with a Q-tip and nail polish remover to clean up any spot you got polish outside of your nails.

And now you have a rockin’ new at home pedicure!

An at home pedicure is a great way to add some self care to your week and take some time to relax. And as a bonus, you can save time and money as opposed to going into a salon.

For more at home relaxation, click here to read about how to give yourself a professional facial at home.

Comment below if you try this at home pedicure to let me know what you think!

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