Inspired by a Twitter chat I had with the lovely Never2Broke4Beauty and FabFingerTips about winter feet maintenance (I know, charming topic) I decided to delve a little deeper into finding out how we can keep our feet looking passable without putting in much effort. I love having pretty feet to show off in the summer, but when winter arrives and they spend three quarters of the day covered in socks, I tend to lean towards thinking “what’s the point?” Consequently, I’ve put together a lazy girl’s pedicure plan, together with some low-maintenance shade suggestions.
You will need:
Nail varnish remover (if you have any remaining polish from your last pedicure)
Cotton wool (to use with the remover)
Nail clippers (to tame the talons)
All-in-one file/buffer (to stop scratchy nails after clipping and to buff away any dry nail)
Nail polish (more on that later)
1. Start by removing any remaining nail varnish. Yes this is an obvious one and probably contradicts the ‘lazy girl’ approach, but this way your efforts will last longer, meaning you’ll need to do the whole process less often, so it’s forward planning!
2. Clip nails as short as you can take them without it getting uncomfortable/bloody. Again, we’re aiming for longevity so whilst slightly longer nails can look very pretty, shorter nails need clipping less often.
3. Get filing and buffing. Just file enough so that the shape looks reasonable (we’re not aiming for perfection) and the edge feels smooth so it doesn’t catch on tights/socks/boyfriends/cats.
4. Finish with one coat of nail varnish in your chosen shade. Lighter, pearlescent shades work best for not showing up chips or flaws. If you can be bothered, you can add a top coat, but only if you’re not really, really lazy……
Here’s a selection of shades that I think are best for keeping toes pretty with little effort.
For a splash of pretty pink try: Bourjois 1 Second Nail Varnish in shade Pearlised Iced Pink. This is a delicate, petal pink with a slight shine finish. The fact that it utilises a fan shaped brush means your lazy girl pedicure will take even less time.
For a pearly nude try: Maybelline Forever Strong Professional Nail Varnish in Porcelain. This is the shade I’m currently wearing and it’s ideal for lazy pedicures because you can literally splodge it on and it dries to a pretty, girly finish that looks like I’ve made much more effort than I actually have.
For colour with more punch try: Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Ethereal. If you’re keen to go lazy, but still want a bit more colour, this is a pretty, purpley pink that’s still pearly and light enough to not show up flaws.
For a low maintenance nude try: Leighton Denny in Barely There. If you want to keep things as natural as possible (which, whilst in my opinion isn’t is pretty, is probably quite sensible if longevity is your main aim) then this is a lovely shade that’ll keep your toes looking clean and polished for ages.
I did this pedicure this evening and it took just under 5 minutes. That’s me set until 2012….
Petty much how I do mine! Feet are negelcted at best of times let alone in winter. Could I also recommend a warm foot bath with plenty of Epsom salts to soften skin & then Body Shop Foot File to get rid of old skin, or is that pushing it? (!!!) x
Eek now I really need to do mine, especially seen as I got a pedicure set for my birthday! Forever Strong Pro is a good choice because it lasts ages!! Right added to my weekend todo list!! x
Ha ha, Ms Fab I fear you may be asking too much from my readers who I’m guessing will be like me and seeking as little effort as possible!
Looks like we all managed to inspire each other to make some effort to get our feet looking marginally prettier….wonder how long it’ll last?! xx