How to Have a Pedicure at Home

You will need:

·         Nail polish remover

·         Cotton wool pads

·         Footbath or washing-up bowl

·         Stiff nail brush

·         Soap

·         Small towel

·         Nail scissors

·         Emery board of nail file

·         Cuticle cream (follow link)

·         Rubber hoof stick

·         Cuticle clippers

·         Orange blossom massage cream (follow link)

·         Talcum powder

Aim to give your feet a pedicure at least once a month to keep calluses, corns, and bunions at bay.

Method

·         Begin by removing any nail polish from the toenails with remover and cotton wool pads.

·         Half-fill the footbath or washing-up bowl with warm water and soak the feet for at least 5 minutes to allow the skin to warm and soften

·         Gently scrub the feet and toes with a stiff nailbrush and soap.

·         Dry the feet and toes thoroughly and trim long nails by cutting straight across with a small pair of nail scissors.

·         Smooth any rough edges of the nails with an emery board or non-metal nail file.

·         Apply a small amount of Cuticle Cream to each toenail and massage into the cuticles.

·         Use a rubber hoof stick to gently encourage the cuticles away from the nail bed, but be careful not to jab or poke too vigorously as this can pierce the skin and lead to infections. Use a sharp pair of cuticle clippers to cut away any small pieces of dead cuticle, but take care not to snip any living tissue.

·         Spend the next 10 minutes massaging the feet with a generous helping of Orange Blossom Cream - you will be rewarded for your efforts afterwards when your feet feel as though they are walking on air.

·         Finely, dust in between the toes with talcum powder (you can make your own by mixing equal quantities of arrowroot and corn flour, scented with small pieces of chopped orange and lemon peel.)