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(Beauty Report Card)

My Trick For A Luxe DIY Pedicure Is This Easy-To-Use Tool — And It's Under $20

Treat your feet.

April 23, 2022

Amanda Ross

Amanda Ross

I would declare sandal season officially underway were it not for the fact that I basically wear sandals year-round anyway — albeit with socks, but still. After a brutal winter (and decidedly temperamental spring), it’s just about safe to tuck the boots away in storage for the foreseeable future, which means toes are on display almost all the time. Even if you’re not posting feet pics on the main, everyone of all genders should embrace the power of a petal-soft DIY pedicure. It’s partially about the look, yes — cared-for, exfoliated, moisturized, well-maintained feet and toes are as important as any other body part. But the best part of a pedicure is how it feels. The gentle tickle of carpet or clean sheets on freshly-sloughed feet is truly second to none.

While the salon is always great for a spa pedicure, sometimes you just don’t feel like forking over 45 minutes and $50 to have your feet caressed by a stranger — which is why everyone who wants to bear their toes needs to get their own version of the DIY pedicure down pat just in time for summer. And as it happens, I’m something of an at-home hand and foot care expert myself.

Personally, I never do pedicures at the salon. I’m there every few weeks for a manicure, but the toes are just something I’ve strictly done at home since middle school — blame it on my ticklishness or impulse to punctuate every service request with “Sorry!” Over the years, I’ve tried and tested what feels like every DIY pedicure product under the sun and learned more than a few shortcuts along the way. Below, browse my time-tested guide to the best at-home pedicure starter pack.

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baby foot foot peel mask

Original Exfoliation Foot Peel

Nothing in this world will prepare you for the Baby Foot peel — even if you think you know how it’s gonna go, you must experience it for yourself. The first time I tried this, it was Social Distancing Season One (so like, April 2020) because the isolation is perfect for what the peel actually does. You’ll stick your feet in the little slime-coated booties and let them chill for a while before rinsing off. It’s later that week that the real magic happens, though. Your entire foot — top and bottom and all your toes — start shedding, lizard-style, in huge sheets over several days. You actually see the fresh, new, baby-soft skin bursting out of the old, nasty skin — it’s truly disgusting but in the more satisfying way possible. You’re not supposed to pick at the peeling skin, but I found sleeping with gym socks on helped lightly exfoliate much of it while also protecting my precious white sheets from the gnarly flakes. | Pros: Highly effective; salon-quality results | Cons: A little gross; takes at least a week to work |

tweezerman nail kit

Tweezerman x Tom Bachik Ultimate Nail Care Set

Celebrity manicurist Tom Bachik’s collab with Tweezerman is the be-all-end-all of nail care sets. Everything you could need for an at-home mani-pedi is included (I’m talking pushies, cuticle nippers, files, everything) and even the box it comes in doubles as a great place to perch your hands and feet while polish dries. Considering Bachik works with A-listers like Selena Gomez, J.Lo, and Margot Robbie, the man knows his tools — and these sterile, stainless steel picks can get just about any job done. | Pros: Robust collection; quality tools | Cons: Sharp points might not be suitable for true beginners |

Splashproof Electronic Foot File

barefoot scientist moisturizing socks

Barefoot Scientist

Overnight Moisturizing Gel Socks

Just like the skin on our faces, many foot skin “issues” are best solved by lots of added hydration. I love a good foot cream (see below) but these moisturizer-filled microsuede socks are so effective, it’s like the foot version of slugging. The inside of the sock is loaded with shea butter, rose oil, jojoba, and nourishing vitamin E for overnight repair and they can even be hand-washed and reworn a dozen times before those ingredients wear off — at which point you’re free to just load them up with the cream of your choice. | Pros: Hydrating ingredients; reusable | Cons: I hate sleeping in socks |

Susanna Kaufmann foot cream

Susanne Kaufmann

Warming Foot Cream

A huge part of the pedicure fun is the experience’s relative decadence — all of this attention and care for the body part we’re roughest with. In that spirit, it’s always fun to opt for a more opulent pedicure foot cream, like this warming version from Susanne Kaufmann. It’s the sort of thing you want to do on a relaxing, languid Sunday, maybe after an indulgent bath. Marigold extract, this cream’s key ingredient, is at once moisturizing, soothing, and anti-inflammatory for a pre-bed ritual that gets you calm and ready for a restful sleep. | Pros: Stimulates blood flow; warming sensation | Cons: Admittedly expensive |

tenoverten base coat

The Rehab Base Coat

It’s easy to think of a pedicure base coat as one of the least important aspects — it goes under everything else, right? But really, base coats are the unsung heroes that can make a dollar-store polish last for weeks. This luxury vegan formula from tenoverten does just that. And thanks to the glow-inducing horsetail leaf extract and vitamin E, you might not even want to cover the radiance up with an opaque polish. In addition to helping follow-up nail polish adhere, it acts as a ridge-filler and a strengthener, both of which will go a long way in extending the life of your DIY pedicure. | Pros: Multifunctional; 8-free formula | Cons: Yellow-tinted when worn alone |

OPI orange nail polish

Nail Polish in PCH Love Song

These days, even the more inexpensive nail polishes have such quality formulas that there’s not a staggering difference in wear time. But the reason OPI will forever be my favorite, even among luxury options, is just how easy the brush is to control. Dense, smooth, and one-swipe perfect, it’s my ol’ reliable. And it helps that the brand keeps rolling out fun, themed collections with breakneck speed. Currently, I’m obsessed with the tangy, popsicle-colored PCH Love Song from the OPI Summer Malibu line. It’s so opaque, just shimmery enough, enhances a tan, and always makes me feel like I’m sitting poolside — even if my reality is decidedly less exciting. | Pros: Accessible; ease of application control | Cons: Can get clumpy and discolored without proper storage |

deco miami nail art stickers flowers

Nail Art Stickers in Wildflower

Finally — the single best part of an at-home pedicure. Nail art is so fun, especially in the warmer months, and there’s no reason why your toes can’t get some adorable adornment, too. These stickers from Deco Miami make it so easy to get the trendiest motifs, shapes, and colors without having to wield those super-tiny nail art paintbrushes. I’ve used Deco Miami stickers every time I’ve done my nails at home this calendar year, and I get compliments every time. With so many different themed sheets, you’ll never run out of ideas. I gently bend the sheet to lightly grab a protruding sticker edge with my tweezers then lay it down on clean, buffed, polished nails. The key here is to layer several coats of sealant over them so there’s no touchable sticker texture — which means they’ll last a while. | Pros: User-friendly; tons of design options | Cons: Delicate stickers can rip |