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Get your feet summer-ready!

Summer is finally here! And while this means sea and sun, it also means sandals – and sandals mean you better make sure you’ve got neat feet! At this time of year not many of us have the cash to spend on a salon pedi, so why not do your own at home? Here are some easy steps to get your feet summer-ready at home:

 

1. Soak your feet in warm water for 10 minutes, then scrub with a grainy exfoliator. The Body Shop’s Peppermint Cooling Pumice Foot Scrub, R75 is the best one we’ve used so far. Rinse well, and dry with a soft towel.

2. Gently push back your cuticles with a cuticle stick. Doing this right after you’ve soaked them means you won’t have to apply a cuticle remover, as they’ll already be soft.

 

3. Cut your nails straight across, then file the edges. You always need to cut your toe nails straight to avoid ingrown nails. We love glass nail files as they work faster and are better for your nail than regular files (Available from rubybox).

 

4. We know a lot of you miss-out a base coat, but it really is worth the extra step as it helps to protect your nails, and make your pedi last longer. Try Sally Hansen’s Complete Care 4-in-1 Treatment, R150 (it can also be used as a top coat). Apply a thin layer and allow to dry.

 

5. Next up is the colour. Tip Top, Revlon and Mavala have the best summer collections. We’ve found the easiest way to apply for a neat finish is to start with one stroke down the middle of the nail, and then follow with one on either side. Wait for this coat to dry (at least 5 minutes) and apply another. Sheer polishes may need a third coat, so wait for the second one to dry, and see what the coverage is like. It’s always better to apply many thinner coats than one thick coat, as the polish will dry more evenly.

 

6. Once you’re happy with the colour, apply a top coat. Our favourite is Revlon’s Colorstay Gold Standard Top Coat, R110. This will protect the polish, making it last longer.  A technique nail technicians us is to sweep the brush over the edge of the nail. This will seal the edge, and help prevent the polish from peeling.

 

7. If you’ve made a mess and gotten polish on your cuticles, dip a clean concealer brush into polish remover, and run it around the edge of your nail. This will leave you with a neat, crisp line.

 

Now that you’ve spent all this time working on your feet, make sure you don’t ruin it by being impatient. Wait at least an hour before doing anything crazy. Also stay way from the beach for at least 6 hours – we made this mistake, and ended-up with a sandy pedi.

 

Don’t forget to keep you feet soft by applying a foot cream every night before you go to bed, our current favourite is Sanctum Reviving Foot Balm, R175 (available at harmlesshouse). Another good way to keep your toes in tip-top condition is to massage a drop of cuticle oil like Essie’s Apricot Cuticle Oil, R106, into each nail each day.  Then  re-apply the top coat every few days to keep your pedi glossy!

More beauty tips for a shimmering summer!

 

Emmy is the daughter of a sailor, animal loving, coffee addicted, beauty product junkie editor of rouge.

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