Pedicures at home

[LadyHeather]

Hey, Lovi here from LHC.

I was browsing the drugstore today trying to find toenail scissors or clippers and a foot file. I love to paint my toenails but I hate my feet. The skin gets so dry and looks fugly. So, I'm seeing stone foot files, pumice stones, diamond foot files, wooden foot files, nail scissors, clippers, barrel pliers...

what the heck do I choose?

Now I know some LHCer (Justy?) has a Pedi Egg. I looked at those. LIke egg shape cheese graters for the feet! They look terrifying. Are they good? Do they hurt? They arent like what I'd call a normal file. Not like a rasp on a stick. It's like, well, a grater.

I've started to use coconut oil on my feet at night in prep for summer (already) and sometimes if I'm not at the BFs flat I'll use my Burts Bees coconut foot creme. I love this stuff, but at BF's I use plain oil. I sometimes add a bit of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream (just for my heels).

So can someone give me a lowdown on what it would be best to use? Rasp file, stone, pedi egg? Clippers, scissors or pliers? My toenails can only be cut after a nice long shower, as they're very hard and brittle, and although they're not ingrowing per se, they're hard to cut as they curl under rather than lying nice and flat like the nails on the Trampy Toes pics. :(

Thanks all.

[kimberlily]

My pedicure essentials:

Corn/callus plane (use a new blade every time, and don't use it more than every 6 weeks)
Foot file
Clippers
Cuticle nippers
Files

I've used a PedEgg, and hated it. On the balls of my feet, the skin lifts, so the PedEgg just makes it worse. Rasp files just shred my feet.

Pumice stones disintegrate when I use them. My favourite are the cheap plastic foot files with the sandpapery stuff on them.

[LisaJaney]

I have the grater-type, too, and they work best for me.

Here's a link (http://newfeetnow.com/default.aspx) to how to do a killer pedicure (link to procedure towards bottom of page, but the whole page is good reading) and I have done this pedicure on myself and on my husband and it works WONDERS! Hubs won't allow me to do the plastic baggies on his feet, but even without it, it does okay. It does a lot MORE when you DO use the baggies overnight, though.

[funnybunny668]

My favourite are the cheap plastic foot files with the sandpapery stuff on them.

Mine too! Those foot-shaped files with sandpaper on either side.
I have Avon's version of the ped-egg, but never quite got the hang of using it, so I went back to the faithful old foot file.

[curls2grow]

I use a MicroPlane Orb foot file. Honestly, reminds me of a cheese grater for foot skin. :sick: But it works for me.

Then there's lotion. As long as I apply lotion of some sort regularly it seems to help.

I hate painting my toenails. Hard for me to see, hard to maneuver, etc. I am uncoordinated. I am using a Barielle product with Protein in it to help with the ridges in my nails. It's expensive and I am not sure it's worth it yet, since I can't remember to apply this stuff when I'm supposed to.

[Shermie Girl]

For my feet, sandpaper type files are useless. The Ped Egg is a wonder. :happy: I use my Ped Egg, then slather my feet in unrefined shea butter, then put on cotton footy socks, then thick, knitted slipper socks. Happy, happy feet. :whoohoo: I don't do the plastic wrap or bag thing, tho. The one time I did, my feet slid around in them so much that I fell down.

[Carolyn]

For my feet, sandpaper type files are useless. The Ped Egg is a wonder. :happy: I use my Ped Egg, then slather my feet in unrefined shea butter, then put on cotton footy socks, then thick, knitted slipper socks. Happy, happy feet. :whoohoo: I don't do the plastic wrap or bag thing, tho. The one time I did, my feet slid around in them so much that I fell down. :lafhard: That happened to me too. Now when I want to do the plastic bag method, I wait until I am ready to go to bed and sit on the edge of the bed and put to goo and baggies on my feet. I just stay there. I'm such a klutz.

[Foufie]

Thanks for that website. Awesome info and I can't wait to do a pedi tomorrow. I have until tomorrow to get the things I need.

[LisaJaney]

I was just looking for this pedicure procedure on my computer and couldn't find it (I had saved it as a document, at one point) and so I thank you for bumping the thread, making it easy for me to find this wonderful pedicure again!

[LisaJaney]

Updating: at this month's BUNKO party, I've talked the girls into all bringing a dishpan of some sort and a clean pair of cotton socks and I'll provide the little "cheese grater" thingies to shave off calluses as well as the borax and shea butter and the sugar-scrub stuff. We're going to do pedicures. I'm excited about it! :) I've printed-off the perfect pedicure thing and that's what we'll follow...

[Teacherbear]

Oh, that sounds fun!!! Can I come?!

[Raederle]

What a great idea. As I get the post holiday debris cleared away, maybe I'll borrow that idea, for a marathon DVD session .....

[LisaJaney]

Get yer butt to Idaho by Saturday and you're IN!!! (I'll even be your DD) And Raederle, a marathon DVD session sounds GRAND!

[Natalia]

Hey, Lovi here from LHC.

I was browsing the drugstore today trying to find toenail scissors or clippers and a foot file. I love to paint my toenails but I hate my feet. The skin gets so dry and looks fugly. So, I'm seeing stone foot files, pumice stones, diamond foot files, wooden foot files, nail scissors, clippers, barrel pliers...

what the heck do I choose?

Now I know some LHCer (Justy?) has a Pedi Egg. I looked at those. LIke egg shape cheese graters for the feet! They look terrifying. Are they good? Do they hurt? They arent like what I'd call a normal file. Not like a rasp on a stick. It's like, well, a grater.

I've started to use coconut oil on my feet at night in prep for summer (already) and sometimes if I'm not at the BFs flat I'll use my Burts Bees coconut foot creme. I love this stuff, but at BF's I use plain oil. I sometimes add a bit of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream (just for my heels).

So can someone give me a lowdown on what it would be best to use? Rasp file, stone, pedi egg? Clippers, scissors or pliers? My toenails can only be cut after a nice long shower, as they're very hard and brittle, and although they're not ingrowing per se, they're hard to cut as they curl under rather than lying nice and flat like the nails on the Trampy Toes pics. :(

Thanks all.

Ive tried just about everything there is. Since i live at home and my mother has horrible feet if i dont buy she does and then i try it lol :p. From my experiance i wouldnt bother with the ped egg it can be intimidating to some and even after you use it you have to file your heels smooth with something finer.

The oiling and creams are a great start :). They will work even better if you keep socks on after applying and whenever you can. Personally i find a Mr.Pumice bar (easier to use than the traditional stone) either the single or the double works best for filing. If your heels have scales that catch on things use it on try feet over the tub/shower bottom, if they are just generally rough wet works best though if you have alot of build up try dry as well. If youve got really tough feet you can use a dremel on low speed (4 - 6) with a hard sanding bit (not the hollow paper ones the solid stone) thats what i did when i was dancing alot.

I just started making my own foot bars (like lotion bars just heavier on the butters) and i dont use commerical lotion so i cant really make any cream reccomendations but like i said the oil is a great start to softening :).

Hmm i not so great with toe nails as mine generally behave well. But when my sister and aunt were having issues i would soak their toes in a 1:1 vinager - water solution (straight vinager if they wont soften that way) and that softened them up easily enough to trim. Sine you seem to have a chronic issue i would invest in good supplies that you can get at any beauty supply like Sally's. A pair of cuticle trimmers migth run you 20 - 25 dollors but they will ast a long time and you can have them sharpened.

Oh i almost forgot! A few nicehome remedy for rough heels is to take two juice lemon halfs (use the juice or a scrub or something :) ) and cup them on your heels for fifteen to twenty minutes then put some sugar in them and use it to scrub off the dead skin. The acid sloughs and the sugar exfoliates :).

Good luck and i hope something works for you!

ETA: If you dont mind chemicals try pretty feet. Works well for the price :)