How To Do A Pedicure At Home According To A Pro Nail Artist

As the cost of living crisis continues to thwart our expendable income splurges, it's becoming more and more necessary to find DIY alternatives to our usual indulgent beauty treatments. Which is where at-home pedicures come in. Yes, we love going to the nail salon, sitting back and spending half an hour deciding that Prada loafers really are a bargain when you think about the cost per wear, but we also like putting the heating on, so somethings got to give.

Luckily, at-home pedicures are totally achievable, especially when you're guided by The Corinthia's resident manicurist and nail expert, Julia Diogo. The queen of flawless, Insta-worthy 'juicy' nails, Diogo knows a thing or two when it comes to doing the perfect pedicure.

Read on for the pro guide to doing your own pedicure at home (and treat yourself to a free DIY manicure while you're there)...

Sarah Treacher

Your Pedicure Kit

Elim Medi Heel kit - Cuticle MD, AHA Foot Exfoliant, Foot Perfector
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Body Oil
Small black nail files
Toe separators
Nail polish

Shop Your At-Home Pedicure Kit

Credit: .

Brushworks Toe Separators x 4

£3 at Feelunique

Credit: .

CHANEL Le Vernis 13ml

£24 at Feelunique £25 at John Lewis

Tweezerman Rockhard Cuticle Nipper

£30 at Cult Beauty £34 at Amazon £30 at Sephora

Credit: .

How To Prep Your Feet Before A Pedicure

If a full-on afternoon-length pedicure is what you're after then a soak, heel scrub and satisfying foot peel can help prep your toes for polish.

However, if you don't happen to have several hours to hand to preen your feet, then Diogo approves skipping the heel prep. 'Not much prep is ever needed beforehand - however if you have gel polish on your toes this will need to be removed beforehand.'

Cuticle trimming, however, is a must. Yep, trimming your toe cuticles is a thing. 'Trimming the cuticles allows for better polish application,' explains Diogo. 'Nipping small amounts of cuticle is best, take your time with this as you can easily nip yourself.'

Julia's Top Tip: Try to do a pedicure when you know you won’t be interrupted/distracted - especially when doing any sort of cuticle work.

launchmetrics.com/spotlight

How To Shape Your Toe Nails

It might sound weird to shape your toe nails, but the perfect pedicure requires attention to detail, for the sake of health and aesthetic. Think short, soft and square. 'Toe nails should always be cut and filed straight across into a soft square in order to not cause any ingrowing toe nails,' advises Diogo.

Colour wise, the world is your oyster, although we'd advise steering clear of green-toned yellow shades for obvious reasons... For Diogo, her three fail safe nail polish colours are bright red, soft white and peachy nude.