How to do a pedicure at home in 10 simple steps

Having a pedicure and giving your feet some much needed pampering is a great way to give yourself a little TLC. However, knowing how to give yourself a proper manicure or pedicure at home can be difficult.

If you don’t have the time or budget to head to the beauty salon, don’t worry. Whether you've just removed your acrylic nails at home and your toe nails are in need of some TLC or if you're off for a last-minute spa day and want to make your feet look more presentable, we've put together some simple steps explaining how to do a pedicure at home which your feet will thank you for.

What do I need for a pedicure?

You’ll probably already have quite a bit of what you need to do your own pedicure but check your supplies and gather everything together before you start so you have it all to hand. You may also want to treat yourself to something new, whether it’s a nail polish in a gorgeous shade or a luxury cuticle oil. Just be sure to have a look through some pedicure ideas before you start. There are also some brilliant pedicure sets available to buy which should contain everything you need to give yourself a good pedicure.

As a general rule, you’ll need the following for a good pedicure:

• Nail polish (ideally a base and top coat as well as your colour of choice)

• Nail polish remover

• Nail file

• Pumice stone or foot file

• Foot cream

• Cuticle oil

Step one: Preparation

When doing a pedicure at home, you'll first need to prep your nails. If you’ve got any nail polish on your toenails already, even if it's clear, make sure it has been completely removed by soaking a cotton pad in nail polish remover. Hold the pad in place for a few seconds to make it easier to wipe the polish off. Don’t be tempted to leave any scraps of polish as this will affect the finished results of your pedicure.

If you’ve been wearing a dark nail varnish, you may notice that your toenails seem a little yellow or even stained. Rubbing cuticle oil on your nails can help make the staining less noticeable.

The best nail polish removers

Step two: Soaking

This stage is the most enjoyable and relaxing part of the pedicure experience. You could make it feel even better by adding some ambient music, lighting some candles and maybe even pouring yourself a glass of wine.

Get a really big bowl and fill it with warm water and a scoop of bath salts and then just sit back, relax and let your feet soak for a few minutes. Even better, you might want to treat yourself to a foot spa for an extra luxurious feel. Soaking softens the skin on your feet and makes it easier for you to get rid of any tough areas.

Step three: Dead skin removal

Your feet work hard for you all year round and most people will have areas of tough skin and calluses. Dry your feet and remove these areas of tough, dead skin using either a pumice stone or a foot file.

Focus your attention on the areas where you have hard lumps and bumps and also your heel. Aim to keep going until your feet feel smooth but don’t go too far. You don’t want to leave your skin feeling sore and irritated.

The best products for removing hard skin

Step four: Trimming

Use nail clippers or scissors to trim your toenails. They don’t have to be perfect at this stage but get them to the length you feel most comfortable with.

Step five: Shaping

Shaping your nails is an essential part of any home pedicure. Get your nail file out and use it to shape the edges of your toe nails, making sure they are even and smooth. This is a good chance to get rid of any sharp corners on your nails.

Step six: Cuticles

Cuticles are a layer of clear skin found at the bottom of your nails. They play an important role in protecting your growing nails from bacteria so it’s best to leave any trimming or cutting to the professionals. If you’re really keen to get to work on them, you could use an orange stick to push them back.

What you can do safely at home is take care of your cuticles by rubbing in a few drops of cuticle oil. This will strengthen your nails and make them shiny and healthy.

The best cuticle oils

Step seven: Massage

Give your feet a good massage with a nice foot cream or body lotion. When you’re first learning how to do a pedicure yourself, it is easy to forget this stage but it will help your feet feel wonderful afterwards. Once you’ve finished massaging your feet, clean the surface of your toenails quickly with rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad. This will remove any oil which might still be on your nails and could stop the varnish from going on properly. If you struggle to reach your feet, a mechanical foot massager might work better for you.

Step eight: Add a base coat

Add a clear base coat to your toenails to protect your nails and prevent them from staining – this is particularly important if you’re keen on using deep colours on your toes. Putting a base layer of clear varnish on will also help your pedicure stay looking great for longer.

Step nine: Painting

Now for the most exciting part of your home pedicure. Choose nail polish in a colour of your choice and use a toe separator to keep your toes apart. If you don’t have one, that’s fine, you can simply roll up some kitchen roll and pop it between your toes. Apply two layers of your chosen polish but take your time and let each coat dry before you add another.

If you make any mistakes or get varnish onto your skin, don’t worry. You could use a very small makeup brush dipped in nail polish remover to clean up your toes afterwards.

Alternatively, there are special products available for tidying up nail polish errors like this one by Opi:

Step ten: Final top coat

Adding a final clear top coat of nail polish will help prevent your polish from chipping and keep your pedicure looking fantastic for longer.