How To Give Yourself a Pedicure
May 20, 2009 by Jennifer · Leave a Comment
I know it seems like I’m obsessed with the approach of summer weather, but I live in a place where there is snow on the ground eight months out of the year. Humor me.
My latest beauty project is getting my toes ready for sandals. I work a lot of hours, so it’s not always convenient to get myself to a salon for a pedicure. But it’s so easy to give yourself a pedicure at home, so why not?
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First, remove any old nail polish from your toes. Then, soak your tootsies in a bowl/bucket full of warm water. Add some soothing bath salts and relax for 10-15 minutes. If you’re lucky enough to own a foot spa, now’s the time to break it out! Ahh.
Dab cuticle cream on your cuticles. While that is soaking in, clip your toenails, if necessary, then file down any rough or pointy edges.
Push back your cuticles using an orangewood stick or other cuticle-pushing device.
Use a pumice stone to exfoliate and smooth out rough skin on heels and balls of your feet. If a pumice stone feels too rough for you, try a loofah.
Rub a rich cream into your feet. Many lotions especially made for your feet have a minty, refreshing feel to them. Sit back again for a few minutes to let the cream soak in. Isn’t this fun?
Swipe nail polish remover across your toenails again. Residual oils from the creams you used could keep your polish from adhering properly, so in order to ensure that your pedicure lasts as long as possible, you want to remove those oils from the nailbed.
Apply base coat and let it dry. Apply two coats of polish, allowing a minute between coats. Remove any stray polish with a Q-Tip dipped into polish remover. Finish it all off with a coat of top coat.
Be sure to allow adequate drying time before sticking your feet into shoes!
Now your toes look great and it's time to show off those cute new sandals! Happy feet!
Get Your Skin Ready for Spring
February 18, 2009 by Jennifer · Leave a Comment
You’ve been taking good care of your skin all winter long, and now that fat robins are starting to hop around outside and signs of spring are upon us, it’s time to think about adapting your skin care regimen to reflect the change in the seasons. Spring cleaning is not just for your apartment: Your skin could use a good detox after the harsh winter months, as well.
Start by exfoliating – everything. Your face, knees, elbows… we’ve been hiding out under coats and scarves over the past few months, and it’s time to prepare our skin to be exposed to the world again. Get rid of flaky skin with a good body exfoliator. Apply a scrub in a warm (not hot) shower, give yourself a good rub (but be careful – the grains in some scrubs have jagged edges that can harm your skin) and finish up with a coat of nice body moisturizer or oil once you’re out of the shower. Try one with alpha-hydroxy acids to give your skin an extra glow.
Now for your face. If a spa day is not in your budget, try an at-home facial to detox your pores and rejuvenate your tired skin. Steam your pores open in the shower or over a bowl of warm water (be careful not to make it too hot! Steam can burn!), then follow up with a light facial scrub to gently remove dead skin cells. When you’re good and smooth, apply a face lotion and lip balm with SPF. Now that you’re probably going to be spending more and more time outside, you definitely don’t want to skimp on the sunscreen!
Finish up by treating yourself to a pedicure. You may not be wearing sandals just yet, but it’s not too early to start getting those rough feet and messy cuticles in order. Soak your tootsies in a tub of warm water and bath salts, then dry them thoroughly and apply a foot cream. Clean the residue off of your toenails with a pad soaked with polish remover so they’re oil-free and ready for polish. Two careful coats of color, a layer of top coat and you’re good to go. A girl always feels a little more cheery when she’s got color on her toes! It may not be shorts weather, but at least your skin is prepped and ready for warmer weather to arrive.
