Get Pedi Ready for Spring

Hi Loves,

Spring is just around the corner, which means it’s time to say goodbye boots and hello sandals! But before you show off your toes, you probably need to get them ready for their debut. We all know the cost of professional pedicures can add up quickly which is why I am going to give you a few essential pedicure tips so you can give yourself a salon-perfect pedi at home.

Here is my 1 through 9 step-by-step guide that will get your feet ready for all the open-toe shoes spring and summer has to offer:

Step 1: Soak

Fill your bathtub with warm water and add a bath salt that will help you relax while you soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes or until your feet have softened for easy removal of dry skin. I recommend Heel to Toe Peppermint Pedicure Salt which can be purchased at Sally Beauty for $3.99 which helps to soothe and relax tired feet and it’s infused with peppermint for aromatherapy which will help you relax.

Step 2: Clip

After soaking your feet, you can start clipping your toenails. When clipping your toenails make sure you cut them evenly and equally, angling your clippers in the same direction. For clipping your toenails, I recommend Heel to Toe Sure Grip Toenail Clipper which can be purchased from Sally Beauty as well for $3.29.

Step 3: File and Buff

Before you start to file, dry off your toenails. Position the file under your nail and file gently with even strokes, never going back and worth as this can damage your nails. I recommend Les Mirages Antibacterial Nail File which helps provide protection against germs.

Don’t forget to buff! Lightly buff nails in a back and forth motion with a finishing block. This will help prep your nails for nail polish. I recommend the All Season Fine Grit Finishing Block because it has a light abrasive for natural nails.

Step 4: Exfoliate

Wear exfoliating gloves and apply a polishing foot scrub to your feet and massage in a circular motion to get rid of any flaky or dry skin. Any exfoliating gloves and polishing scrub will work just fine. I recommend Bath Secrets Exfoliating Gloves and Heel to Toe Exfoliating Polishing Foot Scrub.

Step 5: Apply Callus Remover

Even if you don’t have callused feet, you want to apply a callus remover to the areas of your feet that are still a little rough before using a pumice tool. I like to apply the remover just before I start nipping my cuticles so the remover stays on my feet a minute. I highly recommend Be Natural Callus Eliminator by American International. This product is amazing and will make your feet baby smooth with little work involved. The directions say to leave it on for 3-5 minutes, but I leave it on for no more than one minute because my feet are not callused, just a little dry in some areas. If you have callused feet, then I would follow the 3-5 minute rule on the directions depending on the severity of your callus.

Step 6: Cuticles

Massage cuticle remover into your nail beds to loosen your cuticles. I recommend Be Natural Cuticle Eliminator.

After letting the cuticle remover sit for a few seconds, it is now time to push them back before nipping. I recommend the Cricket Cuticle Pusher. Make sure to hold the pusher at a slight angle and gently push toward the nail base.

Now it is time to start nipping away! I recommend All Season Cuticle Nipper to safely trim away your cuticles.

Lastly with your cuticles, apply cuticle oil. I recommend Orly Argan Oil Cuticle Drops which helps nourish and hydrate cuticles and nails.

Step 7: Pumice Away

Wipe off the callus remover and start massaging your feet with a pumice stone to make them silky-smooth. I highly recommend the Tweezerman Pedro Callus Stone or the Mr. Pumice Extra-Coarse Purple Pumi Bar. Both products are amazing and give you the outcome of a professional pedicure. LOVE them!

Step 8: Moisturize

Apply a generous amount of moisturizer in a circular motion. I recommend Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Creme.

Step 9: Color

Before you add color to your freshly pedicured toenails, be sure to remove the oil and moisturizer on your nails really well with nail polish remover.

Position a toe separator on each foot to make it easier to paint your toenails.

Now you’re ready to apply your favorite nail polish. Apply a clear base coat, two even coats of colored polish (make sure the first is completely dry before applying the second coat), and lastly apply a quick dry top coat. For a clear base coat I recommend Orly Bonder and for a quick dry top coat I highly recommend Orly Sec ‘N Dry.

And that is how you give yourself a salon-perfect pedicure at home.

All the products mentioned in the blog post can be purchased at Sally Beauty and will last you at least a year, if not longer.

Your beauty addict,

Trisha

XO

Nails of the Day: Essie Need a Vacation

Hello Gorgeous!

This weekend while my husband and I were out shopping, we stopped into my local Ulta so I could pick up a few things. I asked my hubs to pick out a nail polish color he liked for my nails and he picked out the color Need a Vacation by Essie. Normally I wouldn’t wear this color as I usually go for really pale pinks, but after painting my nails, the color grew on me and I really like it. Essie describes the color as a bubble gum pink. And I love the Essie description: “ticket. passport. polish. pack up this bubble gum pink nail color and make a dash for the airport – this gorgeous lacquer is all the wardrobe you need”. All you need is two thick coats and the color is flawless.

With this polish, I picked up a new nail product that I am super excited to tell you about and that is Orly Bonder which is a rubberized basecoat. This basecoat prevents nail polish from rubbing off and chipping. Orly claims it will prevent chipping for up to two weeks. I am not sure about that claim, but I am on day 4 of my manicure and my nails are still in perfect condition (usually I have small chips by day 2 of my manicure). This basecoat seemed to give my nails the same effect as a gel manicure and I highly recommend picking up this product and using it each time you paint your nails to prolong your manicures and pedicures. You can purchase Orly Bonder at Sally Beauty or Ulta (I noticed this was much cheaper at Sally Beauty).

On top of my nails, I used my favorite top coat which is Orly Sec ‘N Dry which dries all layers of polish quickly. This is by far my favorite top coat and I will not paint my nails without it. Usually I find top coats to be thick and sticky, but this one goes on like silk and dries my nails within minutes! It is simply the best top coat and I highly recommend it.

Happy Monday my Loves… Have a great week!

Your beauty addict,

Trisha

XO

OPI Pink Friday Nail Polish Review

Hello Gorgeous!

I thought I would do a quick review on OPI Pink Friday nail polish for you since I am a sucker for pink polish.

Pink Friday is from the OPI Nikki Minaj Collection and the color is a bubblegum pink creme. Normally, I wear lighter shades of pink polish and this one is a medium pink color, but I still think it is a fun color for summer and I always receive compliments when I wear this polish as the color seems to stand out a bit more than others. I was surprised at the formula as it is on the thick side, but very easy to apply and you only need two coats to get the perfect application on natural nails. I didn’t have any problems with the polish streaking either. It also lasted longer without chipping compared to other OPI polishes which is great!

Overall, if you like medium pink nail polish, you will love Pink Friday. It is easy to apply, leaving behind no streaks, and it doesn’t seem to chip easily on natural nails. It is a true Barbie Pink color and perfect for summer.

Where to buy: Ulta Stores or Amazon

Price: $9

XO

Your beauty addict,

Trisha