75 answers

How Do All These Women Do Pedicure?

Hi, it seems like women MUST have their toes painted if they're wearing open toe shoes or sandals. It seems like that wasn't the case a few years ago, but now it's really hard (impossible) find feet without toes painted (when I can see the toes). Is this true?

So, how do all these women have time/money to go have pedicure done or skills to do it themselves so nicely? I've never done pedicure myself and I can't imagine being able to do it myself so neatly like others have it done. Also it'll be hard to find time with our son running around (too tired to concentrate and do well after he goes to bed). And how do all these women (including women with kids) find time and moeny to go in to have it done at a salon every couple of weeks to keep them looking good?

I'm sorry, I'm just flabbergasted - EVERYBODY's keeping their toe nails nicely colored. I didn't do pedicure last year - didn't care - I was too overwhelmed with a new baby. This year, I am still keeping my closed toe shoes becasue I can't show my toe nails - but it's starting to get hot.

I just find this hard to believe so had to write about it. Thank you for reading.

What can I do next?

So What Happened?™

Hi, thank you soooo much for all your responses! Now I know that polish on toes last longer than on figer nails and that people don't look at toenails as close-ups than fingers - I feel much better about painting them myself. It's also good to know if I smudge and put polish on skin, it comes off easily after shower.

Since I've never painted toe nails myself and also since I haven't been taking care of my feet they're in bad shape, I think I'll have my first one at a salon. From there, I'll try to touch up and repaint them myself. Now I'm looking for a good salon (especially since some of you shared that you got infections from getting pedicure!).

Again, thank you for sharing your experiences, methods, and tips!

Featured Answers

Good Morning! I know there are a lot of responses to read through, but thought I'd throw mine in anyway. I buy OPI nail polish which stays on better thatn any other I have tried. And clip and polish them myself. It takes about two minutes, I can do it as I am walking out the door if I get to that point and want to! They have lots of colors to choose from and it cost me $8.50 a bottle. Pretty darn cheap to feel a little prettier, I think! I don't know anyone in my area that gets a regular pedi, but I do live in a small town... Hope you found something in these responses to help you out!!

4 moms found this helpful

Everybody? You haven't seen my feet then. I've painted my toenails (myself), maybe 5 times in my whole life.

2 moms found this helpful

I clip my toes every once in awhile and also use glitter polish because it is more forgiving. If I ever felt like I needed a pedi then I would go down to the cosmetology school at the local community college...it costs about 3 bucks there for a full pedi:)

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

I do my own, it takes practice. I usually pay for one or two a year and then can do the upkeep myself. It's not hard to put on polish. First off pay for a decent nail polish - the 99 cent stuff doesn't work. Here's my how to guide. Shake the polish, unscrew the lid and dip the brush a few times to be sure its got enough paint. When you pull the brush out of the jar drag it along the lip of the jar scraping the bottom half of the brush and half of the polish back into the jar. Now flip the brush over so that the painty side is down and lay the brush at the cuticle and sweep towards the nail tip. Cover the middle first, then do each side. It should only take you 3 swipes to cover each nail. And you should not need to re-dip the brush. do the same to all the nails. Let it set for about 5 minutes. Then repeat adding a second coat. 5 more minutes. Then apply a clear top coat to keep them from chipping. Keep some Q-tips handy soaked in nail polish remover. If you glob it on your skin, this will lift it right off. Once your done, comes the hard part, sit still for 30 minutes - I don't care how quick drying the polish says it is. 30 minutes. I do this at night or nap time, so I have time to let it dry.

6 moms found this helpful

I get pedi's AND I do my own nails. I keep them painted because I think it looks "finished" and "polished"! My feet look "odd" to me when my toenails are not "done".

I am admittedly a reverse-foot fetishist and when I see uncared for, gnarly looking feet on a woman (or a man) it really grosses me out!

It's not all that hard to "do" your own toenails. And if you go the pedi route..once every 6-8 weeks is enough. You can re-polish yourself in between.

If I were you, I'd start with a professional pedicure. Then you can "keep up" easily from there.

It's really not that unrealistic or impossible to find 15-20 minutes to do your own nails even with a little one around.

6 moms found this helpful

I hate/loathe pedicures. I wear open toe shoes without my nails being painted. I don't inspect peoples toes & if they inspect mine & don't like them~oh well too bad. This is the 1st year that I actually have been painting them. I got some OPI & then put a clear top coat & it seems to last about 3 weeks & takes 5 minutes.

You posted this question when you could have been painting your toes, lol.

5 moms found this helpful

I can't believe how women DO NOT take care of their feet..it's not just for show (though ugly/uncared for feet make me think of unclealiness), it's for health! If you don't keep your feet (skin, not just nails) clean, soft and kept, pretty soon the skin will toughen, producing hard spots, toes will begin to twist, bones will poke out, making it hard, while aging, to reverse the process. You don't want to be an old lady and have problems walking around because of your feet. Taking care of yourself is an investment for your future, wether is teeth (also IMPORTANT), feet or other parts of your body. There's a happy medium between going to the salon every other week and, say, once every 3/4 months, for about on hour total. You can do it..come on!

5 moms found this helpful

There's few things more mortifying than crusty or gnarly looking feet and toe nails in the summer time! For me, it's not a luxury, but a hygiene necessity!! It's a priority right up there with hair cuts and daily showering and shaving. I know my husband sure appreciates silky smooth feet and trimmed nails rubbing his legs when we hit the hay at night instead of battling unkept paws and claws tearing his flesh. LOL. So yeah, I make time to work on this...daily.

You do not need a million dollars or 40 plus hours a week to maintain healthy looking toes and feet. My routine is simple.

Each night, or at least 3 xs a week, before bed I use Dr. Scholl's ultra overnight foot cream (costs 4 dollars and last a couple of months) and wear socks so the cream can absorb into my feet. This whole process takes all of 5 minutes and is done right before I pull the covers up for the night. The results are as good as a salon pedicure- no joke. You just don't get all the massaging and pampering you get at a salon. But they look as good as a salon pedi the next morning.

See: http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Scholls-Cream-Overnight-3-Pack/d...

This particular Dr. Scholl's formula has pumice and some sort of special oil in it, so I rarely need to actually take time to sand or scrape callouses off of my feet, and I *never* need to soak them in a foot bath (though that can be a real treat if you have one of those things!). I love the stuff. My feet look silky and smooth with little effort.

Winter time is sometimes a different story. It is nasty harsh and dry here in the north, and it is imperative to up the daily intake of fluids and to lotion relentlessly to stave off looking freeze dried from head to toe. So about once a month or as needed, I will use my electric mani-pedi pumice tool to sand off rough spots on my heels or where needed on my feet. But that Dr. Scholl's stuff I mentioned, is so good, like I said, sanding is rarely required. When it is, it only takes about 5- 10 minutes for both feet followed by the Dr. Scholl's stuff.

I trim my nails at least once a week with a regular nail clipper (costs $2), and follow up with a simple coat of salon quality, one coat nail polish (costs $4-$10) during the summer months. If I don't find time to polish, at a bare minimum, my toes have to be nicely trimmed and moisturized so they look smooth and pretty. With or without polish, it takes about 5-10 minutes to do after hopping out of the shower. I use a salon quality, one coat polish in a nice neutural color so the toes look good with whatever I choose to wear, and voila! Done.

4 moms found this helpful

I don't think pedicures is the issue here. People get pedicures not just because it makes their toes look pretty in sandals it is wonderful "me" time. Find something that you enjoy and get yourself a little "me" time...then you won't be so focused on pedicures :).

4 moms found this helpful

I havent gotten pedicures lately just to save money. But I have 3 kids and girl, I FIND time to make my toes pretty. It doesnt take too long....
Get a GOOD polish and sally hanson clear coat. Piece of cake, and everyone asks when where I get them done. :)

4 moms found this helpful

First, painted toes are just pretty and it makes me feel good to look down and see nicely done toe nails! Second, it really isn't that expensive, depending on where you go. If you can find a nice local salon that is clean and follows good hygiene procedures, you can get your nails done for about $25-30. My toes last at least a month or even 5-6 wks so it costs about $50 dollars a season to keep them done. It is a nice time to recharge and relax and get pampered. Leave the baby with hubby or grandma or trade with a friend and go sit in a nice comfy chair, put your piggies in a whirlpool bath, get them massaged and prettified! It only takes about 30-45 minutes and is Soooo worth every penny! If you can't afford to go somewhere, you could arrange a girl's night out with some friends where you paint eachother's toes because I agree that it is very difficult to do your own toes well. Just do it! You deserve some "me time" every now and then.

4 moms found this helpful

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