When temperatures rise, our favourite sandals don our feet, putting our summer pedicures on display. And while we love heading to our favorite salon to get our feet pampered, a busy woman doesn’t always have time for weekly professional touchups. That’s why it’s in our best interest to utilize a few tips and tricks that make our pedicures extend beyond our last appointment and continue to shine on. Read our list to see how you can get the most out of your pedi from November - March.
- Remove Calluses – You wouldn’t want dry skin or calluses to detract from your polish color choice. That’s why you should prep feet before your appointment by removing calluses with a pumice stone. Pumice stones are more gentle on your skin than paddles that look like cheese graters. The small blades can nick or cut.
- Consider Bringing Your Own Nail Polish – Some salons thin their polish to provide for more paint jobs, which means the coats they apply on your nails aren’t as long lasting as they could be. If you want to be sure you’re getting the thickest possible application consider bringing your own bottle. If you’re ever in a colour conundrum, we love Butter London’s Ladybird, a classic red. For a soft pink that shows wear less, try Trout Pout also from Butter London. Alternatively, feel free to ask how often the salon changes out its colors and how long yours has been sitting on the shelf. Newer polishes wear longer, too.
- Avoid Heat and Keep Your Toes Exposed for 8 to 12 Hours – Even after you sit under a heat lamp, polish takes up to 12 hours to completely harden and set. For a longer lasting pedicure be extra careful how you expose your feet in those touchy hours. Avoid socks, stockings and closed toed shoes if you can. Avoid saunas, jacuzzis and hot showers.
- Keep Feet Moisturized and Cuticles Healthy – The healthier your skin looks, the better your pedicure will look. While removing calluses is a crucial first step you’ve got to keep your cuticles moisturized too, especially after your nails are painted, to keep them looking beautiful. Use Butter London Handbag Holiday Cuticle Oil with vitamin E with coconut oil and jojoba oils. Apply every night before bed. Don’t forget to moisturize.
- Do a Fast Touch-Up – The quickest way to add shine back into polish that’s lost its luster after a few days is to re-apply a top coat like Butter London Hardware Drying in five minutes, it excludes harsh chemicals typically found in other top coat formulas.
- If You’re Really in A Pinch – Apply a new coat of polish a couple of shades darker than the original color. You’ll get at least another day or two out of your pedicure before it’s time to get back to the salon. If you’re on your way out the door, massage in a dab of body lotion on your toes and feet, giving your skin a healthy glow that makes it look like you’ve just come from the pedicure chair at the salon.