As the British Summer heads towards its peak, the time to put aside thick socks and heavy shoes beckons. In preparation to don our sandals, flip flops and various other toeless shoes for the summer, there is one thing that we ladies cannot ignore – the need for an impeccable pedicure to complete the image.
And during these sunny months, many brides will also opt to wear open toe shoes, and so Black Pearl Weddings take the opportunity to share some of our tips to achieve the Perfect Pedicure, in conjunction with Julep’s “Perfect Pedi” campaign, to help women the world over have the ideal DIY finish to their divine digits.
Our first pointer is a rudimentary one. Ensure you have adequate supplies. Among the items we recommend that you will need are access to a bath or basin big enough for your feet, polish remover, exfoliating foot scrub, Cuticle Softener, toe separators, base coat, top coat, your polish colour of choice, a towel, a foot file or pumice, manicure kit, and Plié Wand from Julep.
When you are satisfied that you have all you need to complete the perfect pedicure, fill your bath or basin with warm water, adding in the soap you have chosen, and soak your feet for up to 5 minutes, to soften the skin and nails and enjoy taking a few minutes to relax.
Having allowed your feet to bathe, gently dry them with your towel so that they are still slightly damp, take your pumice or foot file and rub down the skin around the feet, paying extra attention to those harder areas such as callouses or build ups of hard skin around areas such as the ankle or toes.
Now that you have beautifully soft feet, place them back into the warm water in the bath or basin, and give them a soothing wash with your exfoliating foot scrub which will rinse away any final hard skin or particles that stuck to your feet, leaving them superbly conditioned and pedicure ready. Naturally, after this, it is vital to dry your feet down properly and wash your hands, ready for the next stage.
With gorgeously clean and soft feet, it is now time to pull out that manicure kit to use the clippers and nail file to trim and shape the nails to the style you like. We personally think that toe nails needn’t be cut too short, but not so long as to be impractical, so perhaps a 2 or 3mm lip will be about right. Always be sure to use your emery board to rub beneath the nail while shaping them to prevent breakage or damage to the nail.
It’s now time to put cuticle softener on each nail. Only a small amount is needed, about one drop on each nail, along the cuticles. Leave this for a couple of minutes, and then take out your cuticle pusher from your manicure kit. Softly push the cuticles back as far as you can, and if you choose, trim them down with a cuticle clipper, ensuring it’s only the white loose part you pay attention to, not the living cuticle that protects the nail bed. This will leave your nails now looking pristine, and ready for the polish. But first, another quick wash in the basin or bath to remove the cuticle softener and loose parts of the cuticles.
Begin by applying a base coat, which will be your chosen colour. Always allow each coat the time to dry properly before applying the follow up coat. With the base coat duly applied and set, now add your top coat. To achieve a perfect, equal and longer lasting finish, normally two thin coats are required. To assist with achieving the perfect finish, Juleps’ Plié wand proves an invaluable addition to your supplies.
Finally, once your polish has dried completely, give your feet a massage with your preferred moisturizing lotion/crème to condition them and leave them perfectly pedicured and sandal ready!
