For presentable feet and polished toenails at home, Yaffa Lieberman, a nail specialist at Salon Blue, in Westbury, New York, suggests this highly relaxing routine.

1. Apply cuticle oil to nails and the surrounding skin.

2. Sink feet into a tub filled with warm water and a foot soak for 10 to 20 minutes. Then gently push cuticles back with a washcloth and remove tough patches of skin with a pumice stone or a foot file.

3. Towel-dry feet thoroughly, then massage in a foot cream, working it up from your toes to your knees.

4. File nails straight across with an emery board to avoid hangnails, infections, and ingrown nails.

5. Wipe away surface oils from nails with a cotton pad soaked in polish remover. Then apply a base coat, two coats of color, and a top coat.