I used to get manicure pedicure done at the salon once a month but the manicure never lasted more than a week. Then I started doing it once a week at home and now don't need to go to a salon for it. Money saved... atleast 1000 bucks per month saved. 

Below is the step by step instruction with product details. I chalk out an hour for this over the weekend. 

1) Fill a bucket with hot water... not too hot... enough to be able to dip your feet comfortably in it. I have bought a round, wide bucket specially for this. 

2) Add a foot soak. There such few options in India of this. I generally use Body Shop's Peppermint Reviving foot soak but am looking for cheaper options now. MRP of this is Rs 895. Add a few crystals of the soak in the water and dip the feet in it. And also the hands. 

 3) After 10-15 mins, use a nail cutter to cut nails on toes and fingers. Then I use the attachment below to remove all the dirt from the side of my nails. It is a very helpful tool and effectively removes dirt and dead skin. I use this for my fingernails also.

4) Use a pumice stone or foot scrub like below to remove dead skin from the feet. Scrub well specially on the sides of the feet.

5) Apply a foot scrub to the feet and hands. I use Body Shop's Peppermint Smoothing Pumice Foot scrub priced at Rs 595. It is quite good and a little quantity goes a long way. Scrub well. 

 6) Use the smoothing foot scrub like below to clean the feet and hands. I have the one from OVS and have also used from Oriflame. Any brand should be good. Wash the feet and hands after using this and wipe them with a clean cloth.

7) Use a cuticle remover. I don't have too many cuticles but this does help in cleaning the nails. I use it only on my fingernails and not on toes. Sally Hansen cuticle remover priced at Rs 650 (I think). This bottle should last a year if used once a week. A little goes a long way. 

Apply the gel on the sides of the nails and leave on for 15 seconds. Don't keep it for very long else it will dry off making it difficult to push back.

Use a cuticle pusher to push back the gel towards the nails. Cuticles are effectively removed. Cuticle stick from Colorbar (don't remember the price).

Shown below are pushed back cuticles. Wash the nails in soapy water and wipe with a clean cloth. I clean them off with the water with foot soak.

 8) Apply foot cream and massage feet. I am using Lush fair trade foot lotion which has peppermint and feels very relaxing. Priced at Rs 970 and should easily last a year.

Apply hand cream and massage. I am using Body Shop's Vanilla Bliss. It is limited edition priced at Rs 495. I think I bought it for 50% off. Love it. The fragrance is my favorite... it is thick enough to moisturise but gets absorbed easily.

9) Use a buffer to smoothen and give nails a shine. I use Colorbar's pack of 3 nail buffers priced at Rs 350. The colored side removes ridges and the white side gives my nails a shine.

10) And now the nails are ready for a paint. The base is Sally Hansen miracle cure. I don't think this does anything special and I am trying to finish it off.

And the nails are ready for the paint. I keep my nails short and use a filer only if required.

I use a darker, neutral colour for my feet so that it does need to be changed too often. I have applied Bourjois grey nail paint on my feet.

And a bright fuschia - OPI Dim Sum Plum on my fingernails.

And last... but not the least... Inglot drying drops. The cap is a dropper. 1 drop is enough for 1 nail. This is ok types... nothing great. I went to Inglot looking for a nice drying coat and the SA recommended this. Not too happy with it.

Its done... Leaving the 2nd toe blank is not a trend... the nails have broken off and I don't want to paint baby nails. That is the picture of my happy feet.
I will tell you a secret... I hate my feet specially the toes. They are so ugly. Sigh!!!

Those are happy fingernails...

This is what I tried today.

How to do it:

What you need:

- Base coat. I used Sally Hansen miracle cure... got it in the Vellvette Bag
- Grey nail paint. Inglot
- Dark blackish blue nail paint. Deborah Milano
- Glitter nail. L'Oreal grey glitter
- Top coat. Sally Hansen insta dry nail paint

Step 1) Apply base coat
Step 2) Apply grey nail paint

Step 3) Apply blackish blue nail paint on the top half of the nails

Step 4) Apply glitter nail paint on the darker colour

Step 5) Apply top coat

I have joined a new job and am back at Delhi. Yeah... lots of shopping except I don't feel like it.

Anyway, I have been very lazy and pushed myself to try a new nail art. Since it is my first week at work I don't want to try something drastic and wanted something subtle.

This is what I did- glossy tips on matte nails.

Nail paints used- base coat (Sally Hansen nail whitener- do not like it... trying to finish it off), Maybelline Colorama black nail polish, Inglot matte top coat, Inglot nail art pen in black (you can use a regular black paint also but the thick brush will be tricky to use).

 How to:
- Apply base. Apply black nail paint
- Let it dry. Top with a matte coat
- Let it dry.
- Carefully apply black nail paint on tips
- Do not use any top coat else the matte effect will be gone

This is a very subtle nail art and noticeable only at close quarters. 

I applied this color yesterday... after a long, long time and loving it. My routine for nail paint is Sally Hansen's base coat, nail paint, nail art on thumb and Sally Hansen quick dry top coat.





The shade is rightly named turquoise. It is a different blue and I really love it. It applies sheer in 1st coat and the 2nd coat makes it opaque. The nail paint is also quick drying (not mentioned on the bottle). I love colorbar nail paints. They are the best quality.









Price is Rs 150 (if I am not wrong) for 9 ml.

I apply nail paints quite frequently. I hate chipped nails. But painting nails and giving them time to dry is a boring process. I hate sitting still for 30 mins ensuring the nail paint does not get ruined. Also, I mostly apply nail paint at night... the nail paint generally gets slightly ruined on my toe nails since I cover myself with a sheet when I sleep. Weird thing is that even after a nail paint is dry there is a chance of it getting ruined.

I do not like any of the Indian top coats... they just add shine. A year back my sis sent me Seche Vite top coat from USA. Initially, I used it as a base coat and a top coat. Big mistake... the nail paint would come off just like a papad (don't know a better word to describe it),




Then I started using it only as a top coat and it has become my miracle product... something I cannot live without. It dries instantly... and completely. It is extremely thick... unlike normal top coats.

I checked online and it retails for around 9.95$.

My biggest fear is... what will I do when it gets over. I should start scouting around websites to see where I can purchase it online.