DIY Pedicure

Save Your Cash for Shoes with an At Home Pedi
By Melissa Goldberg

No need to spend what could be hundreds in salon visits by end of the summer season. Try StyleList's tips to get toes into top shape yourself.
Left: CND's latest shade in Retro White, www.creativenail.com

Step 1: Clip and file

Cut nail corners at a 50 angle and file for a round shape, says CND nail expert, Roaxanne Valinoti. Try a kit that has all your equipment easily at hand: Tweezerman Pedicure Solution Kit, $50, www.tweezerman.com

Step 2: Soak for soft skin

Use bath salts in warm water to soften skin. Peppermint and lavender scents will control odor control, while tea tree and jojoba oils disinfect and moisturize.

Step 3: Luxe foot scrub for pennies

Mix sugar into your regular hand cream to create a homemade scrub. Concentrate on calluses with a diamond file instead of a pumice stone since pumice is porous and can harbor harmful bacteria.

Step 4: Push back cuticles

Massage in a vitamin-rich cuticle oil to soften the skin around nails, before pushing back cuticles with a wooden stick. Never cut your cuticles. You risk infection as well as thicker skin. CND Solar Oil, $7, www.ulta.com

Step 5: Get the yellow out

"It's a myth that acetone polish remover is bad. Truth is, only the acetone can remove the pigments stains on nails," says Valinoti. The trick is to gently buff away a very thin layer of nail first.

Step 6: Paint like a pro

After cleaning the nail bed with polish remover, apply a basecoat to prevent future staining and then two layers of color. Rolling the bottle will help thin polish (important for dark colors). Finish with clear top coat once color is dry to the touch.

Step 7: Quick fix smudges

You can correct small mistakes if you're fast. Just dab polish remover on your finger and drag very lightly over a smudge to smooth. Count to 10 before reapplying clear top coat.

Step 8: The newest way to wear a neutral

An ultra thin line of metallic polish on the edge of a neutral pale color feels fresh. And color combinations are endless. Try soft pink with gold (pictured) or a sheer white shade with silver.