by Sophia Marcel

A woman’s other best friend: a good pedicure.

Do your toes like the pros

As do most women I would rather go get a pedicure than do my own, but for those times when we can’t get to a nail salon I have the secret for salon-quality, sandal-friendly toes, just…

Sit and soak (this is the fun part)

First up: a five minute pre-polish foot dunk in the tub.  Toss in a scoop of Epsom salts to reduce puffiness and a few drops of tea tree oil to wipe out funk.  Cheap trick: Just soak in milk -lactic acid sloughs off dead skin.

Show your soles’ tender side

You’ll want to smooth calluses, not totally remove them; they protect feet from killer heels and concrete.  Scrubs with salt particles or walnut shells can be harsh so pick a gentle one.  Cheap Trick: Make your own foot scrub with equal parts oatmeal and baby oil.

Trim, file and buff those babies

I you don’t push back those thick cuticles, polish won’t last.  Post soak, nudge cuticles with a washcloth, and clip nails straight across.  To file, avoid a sawing motion; slide from corner to center.  Then rub a buffer over nails.  The smoother they are the better paint adheres.  Finish with a soothing cream.  Cheap Trick:  Massage a capsule of vitamin E into nail beds daily after a pedicure; the extra hydration helps prevent splits and hangnails.

Polish.  Help! So many colors, only two feet

Purples; Keep it low key with a sheer lilac, or go utterly confident with a bold eggplant.  Blues; These shades may look a little punk on fingers, but on toes? Anything goes.  Oranges; Nothing (Popsicles excluded) screams summer quite like a fruity hue.  Reds; Consider them the little black dress for your feet–they make everybody look good.

And, there you go!  Who doesn’t like rubbing against nice clean, soft, and  newly polished feet during the night?

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