How to DIY a Salon-Like Pedicure at Home

We can’t think of many more relaxing pastimes than giving ourselves DIY spa treatments. From incorporating gua sha and facials into our skincare practice to taking the time to paint, buff and file our nails, sometimes a self-care day is the reset everyone craves. The luxury of going to the salon is nice, but you can save money, indulge in self-care and spend time in the privacy of your own home when you give yourself a DIY pedicure. Plus, there’s no need to rush to choose your nail polish shade! 

To find out how to achieve a salon-quality pedicure at home, we spoke to Skyy Hadley, owner of As U Wish Spa in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Tina Wang, owner of Lunula Salon in Brooklyn, New York. Below, find out all the supplies you need and the steps both manicurists recommend for a professional-looking pedicure. 

What Do I Need for a DIY Pedicure? 

Before you get started, make sure to gather all the supplies you’ll need for your relaxing pedicure. We suggest the following: nail polish remover, cotton pads, soap (and a tub filled with water!), a foot file for calluses, a nail file, cuticle oil, a moisturizer, toe separators, a nail polish base coat, a nail polish of your choosing and a top coat. 

How to DIY a Salon-Like Pedicure at Home in 10 Steps

Step 1: Remove Old Nail Polish

Completely remove any nail polish that’s still on your nails using nail polish remover and a cotton pad. If you don’t have any leftover polish, you should still run nail polish remover over your nails to remove any excess oil on the nail bed. If you previously had a gel color on your toes, you’ll need to use a 100% acetone remover to get rid of the residue — use this gel nail polish removal guide from a professional nail tech to help you. 

Step 2: Soak Your Feet Like You’re at the Spa

For a DIY foot soak, fill your tub with warm water and soap (body wash will do!), and let your feet soak for 15 minutes. “Oftentimes, people like to jump to the scrub and pampering, but we always feel it's important to begin foot care service with a thorough cleanse,” says Wang. “A foot cleaning ritual is quite therapeutic when done intentionally with an aromatic cleanser.” But, she notes that if you’re planning to apply polish, you should limit the amount of time your feet soak — too much water exposure can expand the nails and lead to more frequent chipping.

Pro tip: While you’re in rest and relaxation mode, break out a face mask. We love the Youth to the People Superclay Purify + Clear Power Mask because it fights blackheads and sucks out any grime and gunk from our pores. 

Step 3: Get Rid of Dead Skin

After drying off your feet, use a foot file to remove any dead skin from calloused areas. We recommend this highly rated file from Amazon. Pay attention to the balls of your feet, the sides of your feet and your heels. Scrape these areas until they feel smooth, but don’t overdo it — you could end up causing irritation. “It's important to realize that our calluses are there to protect our feet, especially for runners, so be careful with pumice stones and any over-zealous foot exfoliation and scraping,” says Wang. “When in doubt, leave the callus removal to professionals; your trusted neighborhood nail salon will know the appropriate level of dead skin to remove.”

Step 4: File and Shape Your Nails

Use a nail clipper specifically for toes (not fingernail clippers, Wang notes) to achieve the length and shape you want. We recommend cutting straight across and then going in with a nail file to buff out the corners. “For runners and those who are active on their feet for work, we encourage a square toenail shape, which helps prevent the formation of ingrown toenails,” says Wang.

According to Hadley, a big mistake people make is cutting their cuticles. “Trimming or cutting cuticles during a mani or pedi is purely cosmetic, and sometimes it doesn’t benefit the nail in any way,” says Hadley. “The cuticle is a barrier to protect your surrounding skin and protect against infection.” 

Wang adds that cuticles can dry out over time from being exposed to things like cold, harsh chemicals and soapy water. This, in turn, weakens that protective barrier. 

If you’d like to remove your cuticles without cutting them, use a gentle formula like the Olive & June Cuticle Remover to melt them away.

Step 5: Apply Cuticle Oil

Apply cuticle oil, like the Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil, to the base of your nail. “Cuticle oil doesn’t just keep your feet soft and moisturized, but it also keeps your polish from chipping,” says Hadley. To keep your pedicure looking salon-fresh, you can massage this cuticle oil on every day until your next polish change. 

“The best time to apply cuticle oil is right after water exposure, up to three times a day,” says Wang. “Just one drop on each digit should do it.”