Sometimes you don’t have the time to go get a manicure and pedicure and have to make sure your paws look clean on your own time in your home.
Here are tips to keep your digits looking fresh and clean because no one likes dirty fingers and toes.
Fingers
Tools: Nail clippers or small nail scissors, nail file or emery board, cuticle oil, exfoliating scrub, hand cream
Optional tools: nail buffer, clear or colored polish
What to do:
Wash and dry your hands. Use your exfoliating scrub – bonus if it’s a nice smelling one– and apply all over your hands and scrub them. This will soften calluses and remove ashy dead skin. Then rinse your hands.
Next, use nail clippers or small nail scissors to trim your nails; take your time. Then, use your file or emery board to smooth the edges of your nails out. Don’t forget to always file in the same direction.
After, use a little cuticle oil and moisturize your cuticles (the bottom of your nail bed) and then finish off with a small amount of hand cream and apply to your hands.
If you like, you can buff your nails to a shine with your nail buffer by rubbing it across your nails or add a clear or colored polish. Polish not only adds a nice look, but also strengthens nails. For those who prefer an organic, natural vibe, nowadays there are several lines of vegan, non-toxic nail colors to choose from.
Toes
Tools: Nail clippers, cuticle oil, exfoliating scrub, foot cream
Option tools: foot file or callus removing mask, foot powder, nail buffer, clear or colored polish
What to do:
Wash and dry your feet. This next step depends on the condition of your feet: If you have very little callusing and roughness – because you are doing this in between a professional pedicure or are just lucky – you can get away with using just an exfoliating cream to scrub off dead skin.
If you have thicker callusing, you should use a callus remover/foot file after you exfoliate your feet.
If you need to go the foot file/callus remover route, there are several tools to choose from. A foot file is the gentlest and probably safest. These look like paddles and typically are two-sided, with one side much rougher. The less rough side is for the top of your feet and the rougher is better to use on the thicker skin on the soles of your feet. Use this in a back-and-forth motion and you will get rid of your dead skin.
Other options include electric foot files and callus removing masks. If you have these tools, this is when you want to use them.
Note: There are callus removers that are a little more hardcore and almost have a cheese grater effect – but for feet. This should be avoided at home because you can hurt yourself/cut your feet and get an infection.
Next, wash your feet again.
Get those clippers ready and slowly cut those toenails to desired length. Take your time and be careful so you don’t get ingrown toenails.
After you finish, grab a thick foot cream, and apply it to your now smoother, more attractive feet. If you want, you can follow up by shining up those toenails with a nail buffer or adding polish. Before you go out, you can add foot powder for extra freshness.
Now go show off your pretty nails and toes!
