How to do a Home Pedicure

Once the skin feels softened, use a foot file or pumice stone to gently remove hard skin, focusing on the heels, balls of the feet and any rough areas around the toes. Work in light motions rather than scrubbing too harshly, as over-exfoliating can leave skin sore.

To smooth the skin further, apply a foot scrub and massage it over damp feet, paying extra attention to dry patches. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a towel.

Massage your feet with deeply nourishing and rich foot treatments such as the Perfect Heels Rescue Balm from This Works. For more targeted help, try luxurious foot products from the Margaret Dabbs range.

Now the fun part of the pedicure: nail polish. Wipe away any moisturiser residue from nails, then apply a base coat (non-negotiable to prevent staining and it will also prolong the life of your polish). Use toe separators or, failing that, tissue paper between your toes to make painting your nails easier.

If your first coat of nail polish looks patchy, don't stress – a second coat will even it out nicely. Noticed pesky bubbles in previous pedicures? Instead of shaking the bottle to mix it, tip it upside down and roll between palms. And if you have shaky hands, try dipping an angled make-up brush into nail polish remover and trace it around nails to clean up any polish that's spread onto skin.

To eke more mileage out of your home pedicure, always finish with a top coat. We love Leighton Denny's Crystal Top Coat – it glides on easily and leaves a super-hard, protective shield.