How to Give Yourself a Manicure and Pedicure

With today's economy everyone is looking for a way to save a few dollars. Giving yourself a manicure can cut out an expense of your long list of bills.

Step1: Prep - Smooth the nails with a buffer then rub a bit of olive oil over your cuticles to soften them. No, you don't need to have special cuticle oil....olive oil does the trick! Push your cuticles back with one of those wood cuticle pushers. Swipe away residue with nail polish remover. Next apply a top coat. A lot of people skip this step or don't see why it's necessary but the top coat prevents streaks. it creates a smooth surface for the color to cling to.

Step 2: Paint - Apply two coats of polish holding the brush midcap. This gives you more control over the brush stroke. Finish with a topcoat.

Step 3-Patience - WAIT for your nails to dry! Blowing on them creates bubbles and skip those fast dry oils or sprays....they make polish prone to peeling. Have fun!

Just like giving yourself a manicure, a pedicure can be fun and save you some spending cash!

Step 1: Soften - Slough away calluses with a foot file in the shower or after soaking your feet. It's much easier to do when your skin is moist. Once your feet are dry, lather on foot balm or cream.

Step 2: Trim - Cut your toenails to a length that hits just the tip of your toe. If you go any shorter you risk getting ingrowns. Gently nudge cuticles down. You can use olive oil here too!

Step 3: Position - We all know that finding the right position to paint your own toenails can be tough task. The easiest way is to sit at a desk in a chair and prop your feet up on the desk.

Step 4: Paint - Do a base coat, just like on your manicure to prevent streaking and give the color something to stick to. Next apply two coats of polish and a topcoat. Have fun with color! There is nothing sexier then bright yellow, orange, green or blue peeking out of your shoes!!