30 seconds Prep feet by rubbing a sugar or salt scrub like Tree Hut Detoxifying Mediterranean Salt Scrub ($9, ulta.com) on the heels and callused areas only (skip the tops of feet, where skin is more sensitive). A pumice stone like Revlon Pumice Stone ($4, walgreens.com) can do the job, too. However, if you use it once or twice a week, replace it every six months because bacteria can build up in the stone, says Marc Stock, of The Relaxed Foot, a diplomat of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. If you’re using a heel file, replace the sticky pad weekly if you use it daily (or bimonthly if you use it a couple times per week) for the same reason. Tweezerman’s Spa Callus Smoother ($20, tweezerman.com) comes with twelve replacement pads, so you don’t have to search for them. (Short on time for fitness as well as beauty? Get results with the 10-minute workouts in Fit in 10, available on DVD.) 20 seconds Towel dry feet off and apply a thin layer of coconut oil all over feet and toes, which will soften cuticles and skin and help loosen any grime on your feet. We like Coconut Revolution’s Organice Coconut Oil ($14, shop.prevention.com). MORE: 7 Signs You’re About To Get A Terrible Beauty Service (Run!) 30 seconds Gently push back cuticles with a stainless steel cuticle pusher like the Cricket Cuticle Pusher ($11, sallybeauty.com). Flip to the other side and use the sharper edge to get any grime and debris out from under the nail. (It shouldn’t hurt. If it does, use a gentler touch.) 1 minute Clip nails with a toenail clipper such as Sephora Collection’s Make The Cut Nail Clipper ($8; sephora.com). Make sure to trim them straight across, since curving the nail downward may lead to a nasty ingrown, Strom warns. And keep your clippers free of bacteria by washing tools with soap and water before air-drying or swabbing with rubbing alcohol after each use. 20 seconds Rub more coconut oil onto your entire foot (pay special attention to extra-visible spots like the heel, toes, and ankles) to give feet an I-just-had-a-pedi glow before you polish. 20 seconds Dip a cotton ball in nail polish remover and swipe across nails—this will removes any residual dirt or oil still on nails that may cause polish to chip prematurely. Or, save an extra step with Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads ($4, drugstore.com), which are ready to use as soon as you rip open the packet. Tip: slip feet into sandals at this step, so you can be out-the-door-ready as soon as you’re done. MORE: How To Get Rid Of Those Stubborn Bumps On The Back Of Your Arms And Legs 1 minute Apply a thin layer of a base coat like Cote Smoothing Base ($16, coteshop.com), to help polish last longer and prevent nail beds from becoming stained, using three strokes with the brush: straight down the middle, plus one on each side. This technique allows you to apply polish evenly and up to the border of nails without creating a gloppy mess, Stock explains. 1 minute Brush on a coat of your colored nail polish, following the same pattern as above. 1 minute Wait one minute to allow polish to dry; then apply the second coat. 1 minute Protect your polish job with a topcoat such as Butter London Hardwear P.C. Quick Topcoat ($19, sephora.com), to prevent chipping, using the three-stroke rule. If excess polish gets on the skin, dip a Q-Tip in remover and carefully clean off. Ah! Kick your feet up and relax—or head out, you’re good to go.
