Manicures and Pedicures

I thought I post up my instructions for home manicure/pedicures. This can be used on yourself or someone else.

1. Prepare
You need a suitable area. For a manicure, a desk or table, for a pedicure, a hard patch of floor with a cushion to sit on. Set a towel down over your work area to soak up the drips. Get a large bowl and fill it with hot water. Add some oil or bath salts to taste.
Set out your materials. You'll want a dry brush, a metal sander, a pumice stone, and fine sand paper Sometimes you can get a four sided brush. In addition, you'll need a pair of nail clippers, nail scissors, an emery board, nail polish, polish remover, lotion, Q-Tips and cotton balls.


2. Wash
Wash the area to be worked on. Take your time, and use a washcloth or loofah. Scrub off all the oil and dirt. This can be done at the station for pedicures to eliminate dirt collected from walking.

3. Remove
Remove the old polish with some cotton balls and polish remover. Be sure to get all the polish off.

4. Soak
Soak the area in the hot water with the salt or oil. Do so for at least ten minutes continuously before beginning the process. Soaking softens the overgrown cuticles and the rough skin to be removed.

5. Massage
Massage the area thoroughly. If you're giving a treatment to someone else, this can be done while the hands or feet are soaking.

6. Trim
Use the nail clippers to trim the nails, and the grooming scissors to even out the trim. Use the scissors also to trim off any hangnails or loose skin.

7. Sand
Use the emery board to round out the nails and smooth down the cut.

8. Smooth
Use the metal grate to sand down your callouses, rinsing your hands and the tool as you go. Move on to the pumice stone, keeping it wet and buffing the skin.
Finally, use the fine sandpaper to finish it off.

9. Finish
Rinse the area, and use the brush to clean the area of loose dead skin. When finished, dry off.

10. Paint
Paint the nails with a fresh coat of polish, or strengthening oil.

11. Moisturize
After painting, let the nails dry undisturbed. Use the polish remover and a Q-Tip to clean the skin of any spilled over polish. Once the polish is completely dry, moisturize with a lotion.