With all the nasty bacteria and fungus that may be lurking in your nail salon it's better to do your own pedicure. After all, avoiding toenail fungus should be high on your self-care list since it can be hard to get rid of and can cause other painful problems. Giving yourself a pedicure at this time of year is also a great treat. As the holidays approach it's nice to give yourself this gift since very soon you'll be running all over town buying food and gifts for your loved ones.
There are a lot of DIY (do it yourself) methods for giving yourself a pedicure. While Sarah Jessica Parker doesn't reveal her full pedicure instructions, she does mention using wet sand as a way to exfoliate dead skin cells from her feet. Unless you live in Malibu or have a kids sandbox in your backyard, using sand is probably not the most logical choice for getting your feet all smooth and soft, but there are a lot of other ways to accomplish the same thing.
Soak your feet in warm water using any an inexpensive soap like Softsoap and a handful of baking soda for 10 minutes. This will help soften and clean your tootsies.
To get rid of dead skin cells and make your feet feel great you can exfoliate your skin using a scrub like St. Ives Apricot Scrub or another scrub you like to you use. You can also use a pumice stone or an emery board.
Although a salon often cuts your cuticles, it's not the best idea. Cutting cuticles can lead to infection which is what you're trying to avoid in the first place. Push back your cuticles instead using an orange stick.
Now is the perfect time to trim your toenails since they'll be nice and soft and easier to cut. Make sure you cut them straight across with toenail clippers to avoid getting ingrown toenails.
Rub in and massage your feet and toes with your favorite moisturizer. Choose an inexpensive brand such as Lubriderm or one a notch higher in luxuriousness such as Gilden Tree. For some massage tips check out this video.
For longer lasting nail polish, it's important to remove the moisturizer off your nails by applying nail polish remover. A couple of non-toxic brands are Pure Vitality Beauty or Piggie Polish remover, available at Target.
Not all nail polishes are created equal. Many contain toxic chemicals and can weaken your nails causing splitting and other unsightly nail problems. We highly recommend using Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish on your toes. This polish was created by podiatrists and does not contain toluene or formaldehyde. It does contain good stuff such as tea tree oil which in anti-fungal, vitamins, and wheat protein.