How to DIY a Pedicure at Home In 14 Simple Steps (2024)

By

Reviewed by

Nail Educator

• SarahGibson Tuttle is the CEOand founder of Olive & June.
• Morgan Haile is a spokesperson for the professional nail lacquer brand Morgan Taylor.

Gather Your Supplies

Before you begin, clear a space and gather your supplies to make the process easier. "We recommend creating a workspace so that you have a clutter-free area with a stable surface where you can steady your foot," Tuttle says. Running around looking for things with wet nails wouldn't be relaxing at all, so you'll also want to have everything within reach once you get started. Here's what you'll need:

• Nail polish remover
• Cotton pads
• Straight edge clippers
• Dual grit file
• Nail buffer
• Foot file
• Scrub
• Lotion
• Foot soak or liquid soap
• A cuticle pusher or orangewood stick
• Cuticle serum
• Towel
• Base coat
• Nail polish
• Quick-drying top coat

Haile says it's important to customize your pedicure. "Just like your face, your feet go through changes," she says. "Maybe you're looking to restore dehydrated skin that needs nourishment or re-energize your skin. That will determine what you need, such as tools, lotions, scrubs, etc."

Remove Old Nail Polish

The first step to a great pedicure is to remove any old paint. Instead of cotton balls, which will leave fuzzies, use lint-free cotton pads like the Ulta Premium Cotton Pads. If you're not attached to a cheap drugstore nail polish remover, upgrade to an acetone-, paraben-, and phthalate-free one like Mineral Fusion Nail Polish Remover; it'll be healthier for your nails in the long run and worth the investment. However, Cutex's Gel Nail Polish Remover might be the better, more effective choice if you frequently use dark or stubborn nail polish.

Once you have your supplies ready, saturate the cotton pad with remover. Then, press the saturated cotton on the nail and let it soak in for a few seconds before wiping it off. If you have stains on your nails, Tuttle recommends using lemon juice to remove them. "It may require a few tries, but it's the most gentle remedy that actually works," she says.

Soak Your Feet

Next, you'll want to give your feet a soothing bath with a foot soak to soften the skin and relax your senses. Haile recommends MT BareLuxury, a four-step pedicure pack that, she says, "cleanses, detoxifies, refines, and leaves skin glowing with perfection in spa-safe, non-staining formulas." When using, Haile says to follow the soak with the masque and scrub, then butter your feet.

If you don't have a foot soak, Tuttle suggests a few alternatives: a bit of your usual bath soak or your favorite liquid soap. After about 10 minutes (the softer your feet, the better, Tuttle says), pat your feet dry with a clean towel.

File Your Heels

Once the soles of your feet have softened, you can gently tend to the dead skin with a light scrub from a pumice stone—like Cuccio's Earth Lava Pumice Stone—or a file, like the Earth Therapeutics Big Ceramic Foot File. Pay special attention to the balls of your feet, the bottoms and sides of your heels, and around your toes. Be sure to smooth only your heels and rough parts, and don't remove too much skin (your calluses are there for good reason).

Tend to Your Cuticles

While Tuttle says it's fine to push back and buff your cuticles and trim anything hanging or loose, save the cuticle cutting for the pros. "Cuticle cutting should always be done by your licensed manicurist," she says.

While tending to cuticles, Haile says to use a soak first, as it's not enough to use water alone. "Soaking infuses water with minerals to quickly cleanse and purify the skin," she says. "It also helps reduce inflammation and redness while revving circulation, bringing skin-damaging toxins to the surface."

Once you have soaked and softened your cuticles, Haile recommends using a cuticle remover to dissolve any remaining dry skin.

Trim to Prep

The most important part of any manicure or pedicure is nail prep. To trim your toenails, it's best to use high-quality clippers specifically designed for that purpose, such as the Mehaz Professional Angled Toenail Clipper. If you need to trim them, cut your toenails straight across to just above the skin.

Buff Away Uneveness

The perfect pedicure requires a pristine canvas. Any rough or uneven areas will be your adversaries here, but a good buffing tool can help. "Buff the nail surface to help even out any uneven surfaces while creating a slightly rough surface for the product to adhere to," says Haile.

File and Shape

Smooth out the raw edge with a nail file, working in one direction until they're even and have been formed to the shape you like. Tuttle recommends using a dual grit file; the fine-grade surface is for smoothing the nail edge, while the coarser one is for shortening and shaping nails.

And, of course, make sure to factor in your lifestyle when choosing the length and shape of your toenails. "If you are active, short, round toenails are best because longer nails tend to get bumped in your sneakers and lead to bruising, which can lead to losing your toenail," Tuttle says.

Scrub Your Feet and Legs

One optional step that Tuttle recommends for a spa-like experience is to give yourself a light scrub on the pads of your feet, your heels, and your lower legs with an exfoliator to even out the last few rough spots. Try a DIY recipe or use a ready-made masque. Haile recommends MT BareLuxury's Calm Masque, which features lavender and sage to soothe and cane sugar for gentle refinement, or the Energy Masque, which features orange and lemongrass and uses sea salt for an invigorating exfoliation. "Scrubs always leave skin soft, glowing, and amazingly receptive to deep hydration," she says of quickly removing dry skin in preparation for moisturizer.

Moisturize Thoroughly

Finish your foot treatment with a good moisturizer, such as The Body Shop's Hemp Foot Protector, and work the product from your toes up your calves. Not only will the massage feel nice, but this also helps nourish and hydrate your skin after the scrubbing and soaking.

Set the Base

Before you start painting, swipe your nail beds dry to remove any excess product or oil. Then, start by applying a thin base coat, such as OPI's Natural Nail Base Coat, using three strokes: one up the middle and one on each side. Once the base has set, you're ready to move on to the color.

Apply Nail Polish

To prep your polish, Tuttle instructs to roll the polish bottle in your hand to ensure the best consistency. Then, apply a thin coat of polish to start. If you have shaky hands, you're not alone.

Tuttle's tip: Use Olive & June's The Poppy gripping tool to make the difficult task of painting within the lines slightly easier. "Its shape gives you a better grip and more control so you can paint with even, smooth strokes," she says. Then, wait another minute before adding a second coat.

Finish With a Top Coat

To seal in the color, finish with a quick-drying top coat like Essie Good to Go Top Coat. Then, carefully clean up any rogue polish marks or errors with a cotton swab dipped in polish remover. Once finished and dry, you're free to admire your handiwork.

Maintain With Cuticle Serum

Aftercare is the key to extending the life of any pedicure. To get the most out of your pedi, Tuttle recommends using a cuticle serum daily (try Olive & June's Cuticle Serum) and reapplying your top coatevery few days to avoid chipping.