Relaxing and luxurious DIY pedicure

Pedicures are great for keeping your feet healthy and giving yourself a luxurious treat, but sometimes you don't have the time or money to go to a spa to get one done. An at-home pedi can be a lot of fun with these steps!

Feet are an often woefully neglected part of our anatomy, although they shouldn't be!

• It's always nice to get a pedicure at the salon, but it can really add up.
• If you're on a budget, chiropodists can seem expensive. So, here are some tips for the best way of treating yourself to an indulgent at-home pedicure.

1. Buff feet when they are dry rather than dripping wet to really get rid of dead skin skills. Work with a strong foot file, or pumice stone, concentrating on the edges of toes, and the heels and balls of your feet.
2. Make sure you have taken off any old polish.
3. Next, soak feet for a good 10 minutes in a bowl of hot water with a refreshing foot soak added, ideally a salt-based one to soften cuticles and skin. You could also add some marbles if you have them, for extra massaging.
4. The last traces of dead skin cells can be removed using a foot scrub, before rinsing.
5. Next use a cuticle stick to gently ease back cuticles once your feet are dry.
6. Then you should cut straight across your nails with a pair of clippers. Do it in several smaller snips, instead of all at once, until there's just a small amount of white nail left.
7. Round off the edges of your nails using a file, then, with a luxuriant foot lotion, massage your feet.

For an extra treat, if you add the foot lotion before you go to bed, then wrap up with cling film, pop some socks on and then sleep, you'll wake up with super-soft tootsies.

Feel like adding some colour?

1. Remove the excess lotion with a moist pad of cotton before applying a base coat, a couple of layers of lacquer, and a shiny upper coat.
2. As you work, place the brush right in the middle of the nail where the cuticle is, and bring it towards the tip before repeating at the sides. If the brush runs dry, add more polish.
3. Finally, if you need a low-maintenance finish, you could add a layer of stain corrector to immediately brighten up the tips of your nails. This will make your toes look prettier and pinker right away.