Published by PETA.

They’re your most dependable form of transportation and the perfect excuse for buying a closet full of cute vegan shoes. Don’t your feet deserve a special treat? A pedicure is the perfect way to show them some love and put more pep in your step. So put your feet up (literally) and give your toes some TLC with a spa-quality, at-home, cruelty-free pedicure.

What You Will Need

*All products available online at time of writing. Please check your local stores for similar products.

You’ll need to gather the following supplies:

Pillows
A stool or chair
A clean towel
A hair dryer (optional)
Cotton balls
Q-tips
A basin or tub:

Foot soak:

Nail polish remover:

Nail clippers

A nail file:

A small brush:

Cuticle treatment:

Foot scrub:

A pumice footstone:

Lotion:

Base-coat nail polish:

Nail polish

Top-coat nail polish

Procedure

Set aside approximately 45 minutes for your pedicure. Before you begin, set up a comfortable, well-lit area and gather down-free, nonshedding pillows (fluff will stick to polish) and a chair or stool to prop your feet on. Consider playing soothing music for a relaxing ambiance. Then follow the steps below:

  • Fill a basin or tub with warm water. Add Epsom salts or cruelty-free commercial salts and soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Gently pat your feet dry with a clean towel.
  • Thoroughly remove any old nail polish.
  • Clip your toenails straight across with clippers.
  • File the toenails to smooth any rough edges.
  • Gently buff and smooth your feet with a small brush. Make sure to pay special attention to your heels, the balls of your feet, and the outsides of your pinkie toes.
  • Push your cuticles back with the edge of the nail file. Use a cuticle treatment if the cuticles do not push back easily.
  • Exfoliate any dry skin with a foot scrub. Use a pumice stone on rough patches.
  • Apply a generous amount of lotion to your feet. Gently massage it into your feet and calves.
  • Wash away any excess moisturizer from your nails and then separate your toes by placing cotton between them.
  • Apply one layer of base coat. Allow time for it to dry, or use a hair dryer set on low heat.
  • Apply two coats of color. Use a Q-tip moistened with nail polish remover to remove any mistakes. Again, let your toes dry.
  • Apply a clear top coat to add shine and to protect the color from chipping.
  • Apply foot spray in order to cool and soothe fatigued, overworked feet (optional).

Tips for Happy Feet

Here are some ways to keep your feet happy:

  • Don’t toast your toes! Protect them from the sun with a cruelty-free sunscreen.
  • Trim your toenails straight across at least once a month.
  • To give dry feet some extra lovin’, lather them up with lotion, cover them with clean cotton socks, and let them moisturize overnight.
  • Now that your feet are happy and your toes are pretty from your pedicure, show them off with a pair of sexy summer sandals from Moo Shoes.

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