During the warmer months of the year, I hate wearing socks! Except when I’m at the gym, I exclusively wear flip flops, sandals, strappy shoes, etc. Of course this means my feet are on display most of the time. What this also means is that I need to make sure my toes and heels always look their best! And since I like to DIY everything, I do my own pedicure. Here is how I achieve a perfect salon-style pedicure at home!

The essentials of a perfect DIY pedicure

Here are some of the tools I use to get my feet in tip-top shape!

1. Nail clippers & file: These are essential to trimming the toenails and smoothing them out. It’s recommended to cut the nails straight across. Avoid creating any curves in the toenail shape in order to prevent ingrown nails. Use the file to smooth out the edge of the nail.

2. Cuticle pusher and cuticle nippers: These tools will keep your cuticles in check! After soaking the toes in warm water, I push back the cuticles with the cuticle pusher and then use the nippers to trim any excess. Tip: You can use a cuticle-softening gel to help the excess cuticles break down a bit. This will create a very clean final look.

3. Nail brush: This is great for cleaning out the nail bed and cuticles after the foot soak. The brush will also scrub away any excess cuticle pieces.

4. Bright nail polish: In the Summer months, I love a bright toe nail. My favorites are bright coral, bright red or bright pink. I’ll even dabble with a glittery topcoat for a fun, playful effect. Tip: After the foot soak, slather on some heavy-duty foot cream focusing on the heels and top of the feet. When you’re ready to apply the polish, use some acetone-based nail polish remover on the nails (even if you have no nail polish on). This will remove any surface oils or debris from the nails and ensure great adhesion between the polish and the nails!

5. Emjoi Micro-Pedi: This amazing little home pedicure tool has really revolutionized the way people can recreate the salon experience at home! I have actually just started using the Micro-Pedi only a few days ago, and I’m so impressed with this device that I wanted to tell you a bit more about it.

The Emjoi Micro-Pedi home pedicure device is an essential tool for those who like to do at-home pedicures or even those who like to maintain their professional pedicures for a few extra weeks. Millions of units have been sold throughout the world, thanks to its innovative spa-quality performance and versatility (it has interchangeable rollers). The Micro-Pedi is unique in that it features a micro mineral roller (which is processed from stone) that spins 30 times per second to effectively (and painlessly) break up and remove dry, rough, hardened, callused skin from the soles of the feet. It only took me a few minutes to use it and then my feet were so soft and supple afterward – perfect for my Summer footwear!

I love that the Micro-Pedi has rollers that are safer and more effective than blade based metal scrapers. I’ve tried those metal scrapers in the past, but frankly, they’re a bit scary to me. Now that I tried the Micro-Pedi, there will be no more metal scrapers in my future! The Micro-Pedi is also so much quicker and less laborious than other methods that necessitate non-stop rubbing! The handle of this unit has been ergonomically designed for effortless manueverability. It truly is easy to grip and operate!

I also want to mention that this is the only motorized callous remover to have received the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance. That’s no small feat (no pun intended)! 🙂

If you’re looking to pick one up for your own home pedicures, you can find them at CVS, Bed, Bath & Beyond and emjoi.com, among other high-end retailers. The basic version is only $29.95, while the spa-themed gift box version is $39.95. It’s so sleek and portable (& so affordable, might I add) that you could even pick up two of them: one for home & one for travel use. Keep in mind that Emjoi also sells a manicure attachment to take care of the hands, as well as other rollers for use on the elbows & other rough skin spots on the body.

I hope my tips have inspired you to do your own at-home pedicure and take care of your feet & toes! Now you can embrace all those cute Summer sandals with confidence!

Disclosure: This conversation was sponsored by Emjoi via Lipton Publicity Inc., but all opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.

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