Easy At-Home Pedicure Shortcuts

If You Have 35 Minutes...

0:00 to 3:00: Soak

Soften skin by soaking feet in warm water. Add a handful of salts to help soothe tired feet.
RS pick: Pañpuri A Path Less Ordinary Foot Herbal Salt Bath, $28, panpuri.com for stores.

 

3:00 to 6:00: Exfoliate

Pat your feet dry, then slough off dead skin cells with a dry foot file, says Sarah Chambers, a nail technician at Brownes Beauty Lounge, in Miami. Choose a file with a medium grit.
RS pick: Tweezerman Spa Callus Smoother, $20, amazon.com.

 

6:00 to 10:00: Trim and File

Trim nails straight across using a straight-edge clipper. Use three cuts on each nail, as clipping the whole nail at once can cut it too close to the skin. Smooth the edges with a fine-grit emery board.

 

10:00 to 11:00: Moisturize

Rub a rich cream on your feet, top and bottom. Don’t forget your heels and cuticles.
RS pick: Curél Deep-Penetrating Foot Cream, $6 at drugstores.

 

11:00 to 20:00: Polish

Clean leftover cream from nails with a cotton pad soaked in polish remover. Apply a base coat, two coats of nail color, and a topcoat.

 

20:00 to 35:00: Dry

Give nails at least 15 minutes to dry before slipping on open-toed shoes (it can take up to two hours for them to dry fully). To speed things up, apply quick-dry drops after the topcoat.
RS pick: O.P.I. Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops, $24, opi.com for locations.