Share the Knowledge- Pedicures

I did my own pediicure again and this is how it turned out.

Here's What I use. Chip skip, China glaze strong adhesive base coat, China glaze Fast forward top coat, Color of nail polish I want my toes, acrylic paint in the colors I want the decorations on my toes. Yes, acrylic paint. It dries quicker, it is easier to fix, easier to conntrol and more predictable then nail polish. Cotton balls, Nail file, buffer, clippers, and tooth picks. I use the tooth picks that are flat and round on the flat end and tiny and pointy on the other end. These tooth picks make very nice uniform circle every time.

Remove old polish. clip and file nails to the length you want. Then with a very fine buffer, buff the top of the nails. Polish adheres better to a rough surface. Chip Skip is optional but after you buff is when you'd use it.

Okay, this part is important. When you start polishing your toenails (or fingernails) you must paint the tip of the nail.

The tip of the nail must also be  painted with the base coat, at least one coat of color and the top coat. Why? This is where your polish first starts to chip and fade. When the tip is polished the chipping and decreases immensely and the pedicure will last at least 6 weeks.

Baby toes as well as big toes.

Also important when you are polishing your toes is to try not to let your polish touch your cuticle. When you do it creates a ridge. The ridge number 1, is obnocious and number 2 can create another area for your polish to chip.

It is better to have your polish 100% dry before you start decorating because then things are erasable, and mistakes are easier to fix. How I do this is, I do a base coat. Your base coat should not have a glossy finish and should dry almost instantly. My fav is the one I mentioned above. Then your first coat of color. Let the first coat dry for at least 15 minutes and then do your second coat. Let your second coat dry for at least 30 min.

I have a paper plate, tooth picks and cotton balls on hand for this.

I always do at least one flower or whatever I'm doing on the plate before I do it on my toe. I also use the plate to decide on colors and design.

On dry polish, dry acrylic paint is erasable. If your do your dots or flower and you dont like it

Let it dry. (usually about 60 seconds)

Then erase it with the small tip of a tooth pick. If you don't want to wait for the acrylic paint to dry, wipe it off with a cotton ball then erase with toothpick.

I clean the tips of my toothpicks with my fingers so they get messy. It seriously washes right off, so don't worry about it. But you can also use cotton balls.

Flowers: for bigger flowers or dots use the large flat end of tooth pick. For smaller flowers and dots use the small pointy end. Put a little acrylic paint in the color of your choosing on your paper plate. Put the tooth pick straght in paint and then touch surface to your toe nail. This is easier if you can brace your hand with your pinky finger. Brace it on floor or toe next to the one you are working on.

See, nice uniform circles. Do one toe and then the other. Then go back to complete the flow.

Complete the flower by connecting the petals. Do this by using the pointy end to drag the paint to the center. If paint is too dry, lightly dip your small end of toothpick back in paint.

Ta Dah. If the edges of your petals converge too much, wipe off your pointy end of tooth pick or use a clean tooth pick and drag between petals to recreate a small space. Sometimes easier if you let it dry for 30 seconds.

If you want a color inside your flower. Repeat what you just did but with new color and pointy end of toothpick. Easier if you let the flower dry for 60 seconds.

Hearts: Two dots right next to eachother.

Then drag outside edge into a V with pointy end of tooth pick.

Then fill in.

Cherries: Two dots side by side but not touching.

Create stem with small pointy end and dragging. Try to do this with a braced hand and one fluid movement. Again, you can use the paper plate to practice.

These pictures are to show you the difference between creating a flower with a second color in the middle and a flower with just the middle dragged out to reveal the polish color underneath.

Flowers of opposite corresponding colors.

Additional decorative dots. Big end of tooth pick for underneath color.

Small pointy pen for inside dot. Clean ends of tooth pick often for more uniform dots.

Then start doing other line patterns. Use small end of toothpick, brace hand and try one fuid motion. However, these are really easy to fix with erasing and tweaking.

This is cute at a diagonal on your toenail.

And once again, my most recent pedicure endeavor. Top coat fixes any small untidyness's. Let decorations dry for about 5 minutes then do top coat. Pretty much dries right away but don't put socks and shoes on or go to bed for at least 30 minutes. Then do your top coat. Your top coat should correct any bubbles, roughness or mistakes you've made, should have a glossy finish and should also almost dry instantly. My fav is the one mentioned and pictured above.