The Secret to a Quick and Dirty Pedicure
Apr 10, 2012
As the weather warms, women don peep-toes, slingbacks and sandals exposing their feet to the world. Sadly, most of these feet are not…shall we say, ready for prime time. Calloused heels, torn cuticles and unpainted nails abound, which brings us to today’s lesson:
Ladies, if you’re going to show off your feet, you need to take care of your feet. And contrary to what the nice ladies at your local nail salon tell you, you do not need to spend $30+ per pedicure. You can do a quick and dirty pedicure at home.
To do a home pedicure, you only need five things: nail clippers, a PegEgg, an orange stick, lotion and the polish of your choice.
Before I step into the shower, I clip my nails and scrub my feet with a PegEgg. (This might be the only As Seen on TV product that actually works.) I try to scrub every three or four days. Consistency is the key to having pretty feet.
Step into the shower, wash your feet and once your cuticles have softened up, scrape away the overgrown cuticle. When you step out of the shower, vigorously rub the area around your toenail with your bath towel. It will remove the rest of the dead skin and clean up the nail bed.
Once your feet have dried, slather your feet in lotion. Put on a pair of clean white socks. If you do this at night, leave the socks on while you sleep. If you do it in the morning, just leave them on for 15-20 minutes.
Lastly, apply your favorite polish.
Crunchy, calloused, dry feet are not pretty or feminine. They’re also not professional. If you’re going to wear peep toes or slingbacks to work, you need to clean up your feet. You wouldn’t go to work with dirty nails, so why go to the office with nasty feet?
I've never had any problems with my PedEgg. It doesn't hurt (you're not supposed to press). It's made it possible for me to stop paying $30 a throw for pedis.
I know this is old, but maybe someone will read it anyway and spread the word.
C – I have the same problem. In the winter in New Hampshire, my feet used to get so cracked they would actually bleed. Talk about ick.
Fortunately, my mom had a miracle cure: lanolin oil. Apparently it's sold in drugstores everywhere for breastfeeding mothers, but it's good for all seriously dry cracked skin. One application of pumice stone + lanolin oil and my feet were completely better. Seriously, just one time.
I wish more people knew this trick, especially with fall and winter around the corner. Miracle, I'm telling you!
Couldn't agree more! Although I'm leery of the Ped Egg after years of avoiding those salon metal shavers (accidentally shrieked at a pedicurist once when she started using it. Embarrassing for both of us – I tipped her well.). How does the Ped Egg compare to that?
I am a Ped Egg FAN and everyone I know who has used one agrees. It's not like those salon shavers at all – you barely need to press down and it shouldn't hurt at all. It basically feels like a pumice stone when you're using it, but about a million times more effective. Use it before you shower, because it works so much better on dry skin.
What tool do you recommend for scraping off the overgrown cuticle? I have the cuticle scissors, but it gets dangerous when I have to trim the ones on my right hand with my left hand. So dangerous that I just don't do it!
Thanks!!
Any ideas for the calluses that grow on the sides of your big toes? Does the ped egg work for those as well? My perfectly polished feet are shamed by the horrifying side growths on my toes.
CH – That's exactly what I wanted to know. The commercials make me think of cheese graters. I'll give it a shot. Thanks!
I'd add in one key step and that is to make sure that your nails are clean and free of lotion before you put the polish on them! A swipe with a bit of polish remover will help the color last as long as possible.
Duh! Use the ped egg on dry skin. I've been using mine in the shower and couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Thanks, ladies!
THIS THIS THIS!!! I literally lose my appetite when I see nasty feet in sandals!! Thank you for posting this 🙂
I have horrible dry, cracked heels and have tried everything to make them better. I use a pumice stone in the shower and a foot file on my heels when they are dry. I am vehemently anti-PedEgg. It not only did not help my feet, it made them worse. I agree with the “cheese grater” analogy!
Danielle – they make little clippers that are specially designed for cuticles. You can't cut yourself with them. Google cuticle clippers and you'll see – they come in a few different styles. The ones I have look like regular nail clippers, except with only a little sharp part that you use on your cuticles.
C–
I had cracked, peeling heels that I pumiced to death with no improvement. One day, a friend peeked at them and (after gagging) told me that I have athlete's foot. Who knew that could happen to a non-athlete?? She guessed I acquired it from my friendly neighborhood nail salon. Gross. I got some anti-fungal cream, started applying daily– lo and behold! Smooth feet.
Ladies, I have answers for both of the major concerns here:
ANTI-PED-EGG
I love my Ped Egg, but if you're in the “cheese grater” club or if you just want prettier feet, use an AHA lotion. To work- especially on your feet- the acid content needs to be pretty high. After I used the lotion for about a week, I barely have anything to empty out of my Ped Egg after I use it.
I use this because I also use it on my arms and chest for anti-aging purposes. Bonus is that it's very cheap compared to similar-quality products.
https://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Hydrox-AHA-Enhanced-Lotion/dp/B000052YM7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334522442&sr=8-1
If you really have problem feet, you may need to get them under control with something like this first. Warnings: this is expensive, and it will probably sting when you apply it. This brand is very good, though.
https://www.dermstore.com/product_Ultra+Heel+and+Elbow+Cream_481.htm
CUTICLES
Do this on both your hands and your feet, and you'll have beautiful cuticles:
Draw lines of Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover (link below) around your entire nail (to get the dead skin on the edges and not just the cuticle). Wait one minute. Push your cuticles back with a gentle, rounded cuticle pusher (link below) and also gently scrape the sides of the nail to exfoliate any dead skin. Wash with soap.
Never EVER cut your cuticles. That's just asking for an infection.
Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover
https://www.amazon.com/Sally-Hansen-Instant-Cuticle-Remover/dp/B0046MK34G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334522912&sr=8-1
This stuff acts like a depilatory for your cuticles. They just disappear. Ignore the low ratings. Follow the directions on the package, and this will be the answer to your cuticle problems.
Cuticle Pusher:
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Cuticle-Cutter-Cleaner/dp/B00165C6Y6/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1334523161&sr=8-9
Coconut oil is also amazzzzing. Great heels and skin in just a few days.