Summer is here, which means that it's time to pamper those hard-working tootsies with care-free sandals and a well-deserved pedicure. But whether you get a $60 professional job or do your own home pedicure, you want your toesies to look beautiful for as long as possible. Don't miss these pedicure tips on extending its shelf life.
Here's what Ginny Crouse, cosmetology program director at Vatterott College, has to say.
1. Start by doing the job right. "A pedicure should take 45 minutes to an hour if you are getting a good one," Ms. Crouse says. "Then depending on how well you take care of it, it should last three to four weeks." At Vatterott, students first remove the old polish and then file the nails straight across to prevent ingrown toenails. After that, they have you soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes in a foot tub with air bubble jets. If you are doing your pedicure at home, Ms. Course says just soak your feet in a tub of warm water with a couple drops of antibacterial soap.
2. Don't forget the foot file. After your skin has soaked, use a foot file -- which is like a giant emery board -- to smooth down rough areas.
3. Use lotion wisely. Push back the cuticles on your toes and rub your feet with sloughing lotion to remove dead skin and the build-up of lotion on your feet. But don't use too much. "You want to use the size of a nickel," Ms. Crouse says, "then rub it into both hands and work it into the heels."
4. Remove lotion before polishing! Lotion is important for keeping your skin and cuticles soft, but it's also important to remove any lotion build-up on the nails before polishing. "If you put lotion on your feet and it has any kind of oils in it and you paint over the top of it, the polish will bubble and not adhere as well," she says. To remove the lotion, use an astringent, such as Sea Breeze, she says, because even nail polish remover can have oil in it.5. Paint in strokes. Always paint your nails in three strokes: middle, side, side, with a base coat, two layers of polish, a top coat and let dry well. 6. Don't leave too soon. "The main problem I find is that people leave before they are dry," Ms. Crouse says. "You should wait at least 30 minutes and leave with open-toe shoes or thongs." If it's humid out or if the polish is thick, it will take longer, she says. Quick dries and nail dry sprays also can help. "I recommend wearing open-toed shoes the rest of the day and allow them to dry slowly," she says. 7. Rub oil on your cuticles every night. It can be special cuticle oil or plain olive oil, if you want. Then apply a top coat every night. You can now buy top coats with UV protection that will keep the polish from fading in the sun or in tanning beds. A top coat also will help protect your nails in swimming pools with chlorine. 8. Consider having a student do your pedicure. If you don't want to do the pedicure yourself and are a little short on cash, stop by any cosmetology school and have a pedicure done by students at a fraction of the price. At Vatterott, it costs only $6 for a pedicure, and that includes the foot and leg massage. "We don't have the fancy chairs," Ms. Crouse says, "but it's still a wonderful experience." // var ranNum = Math.round(Math.random()*1000000); document.write('http://content.yellowbrix.com/images/content/cimage.nsp?ctype=full_story&story_id=147016084&id=thirdage&ip_id=McClatchy-Tribune+Business+News&source_id=St.+Joseph+News-Press&category=Beauty&random=' + (ranNum));// ]]>//
