First, find a place to do it. I sit on my porch steps, with one foot just one step lower. Sometimes I sit on the rim of the bath tub with one foot on the toilet seat. Lid closed, covered in a towel. Or to make it more fun, find a friend and agree to trade services. Be creative and find the most comfortable spot you have. Gather your tools, take a deep breath and bend over.
The results will be worth the effort. If you polish your nails, it will last about a month and give you a jolt of satisfaction every time you glance at them.
Lets start with your heals. If they are terribly calloused then there is an underlying problem that is causing it. You will need to visit a podiatrist to correct the problem. Never, never, cut it off, it only makes it worse. Your body has put it there as protection and when you cut it off, it goes into overdrive to “heal” it self.
Simply sand it down to make it smooth. If you have a problem with cracking, you can not sand cracks off, and should be careful not to over sand because it is easy to make them too thin and sore. We are just shooting for smooth. The cracks have to heal from the inside out and will demand regular treatment. I put mine on every night just before I get into bed.
Remove any skin that has grown on the top of the nail. Cut the nails, shape and smooth.
If you have old polish on, it is a horrible,( I'm sensing your guilt right now) to try to get away with putting fresh polish on top of it. First, the old polish is dented, scratched and worn, and it will show through the finished color. Secondly, you can’t properly clean your cuticles with it there. Take the old polish off. If your fingernails are polished and you don’t want to ruin them taking off your toe nail polish, then recruit help. I try to take off my toe nail polish just before I am going to do my finger nails.
*Before applying any polish, clean the surface of your nail with alcohol to remove any oils. The #1 Clean pad in our Natural Nail Care System also does a great job at this in addition to removing stains and ridges. Or you could use our Three Way Buffer
*Apply a base coat. Not a clear polish, it is formulated to adhere to the nail and then to the polish. Its purpose is to help polish stay on longer, go on smoother by filling slight ridges and to prevent staining.
*Next, put on two coats of polish. Wipe any polish off the cuticle immediately with a an orange wood stick or our handy Polish Remover Pen. Always start with your pinkies and that way you will not be working over the most recently polished nail.
*Apply a clear top coat. You can wait to ad this coat an hour or so, or even a day later.
You can also add layers of Top Coat to freshen them up a week or so later, as long as the color has not chipped. Polish doesn't usually chip off of toes, it grows off and wears off, and so adding Top Coat will make a difference.
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