Manicure and Pedicure DIY | Beauty on a Budget

Nothing makes women feel more put together than having their nails and toes done. When my fingernails and toenails look bad, I feel thrown off and not my best. We all know that going into a nail salon to have these services professionally rendered can get quite pricey, especially if you decide to get gel polish or dip powder. For a mani and pedi, going to a nail salon will easily run you close to, if not $100 each visit.

As much as I love being pampered, being a mommy causes me to watch what I spend so that I am not wasting money on things that really are not a necessity and I can do at home sometimes. As much as I have been to the nail salon and seen the nails techs work on my nails, I have gotten the routine down pact on how to achieve a pretty decent looking mani and pedi.

All I needed for my DIY mani/pedi was a few supplies from my local drugstore that did not cost as much as it would have, to have my nails and toes professionally serviced.

All of the following items for your perfect mani/pedi can be found at your local Walmart or CVS:

• Nail polish remover (I like to use acetone because it works faster)

• Cotton balls

• Toenail clippers and a toenail file

• A pumice stone or similar device

• Foot moisturizer

• A cuticle pusher and cuticle clippers

• Toe separators

• Nail polish and top coat

• Q-tips

Using the above list I used acetone nail polish remover and cotton balls to remove any polish on my nails and toes. I then clipped and filed them into the shape I wanted. A pumice stone is great for your feet to remove any unwanted dead skin and to make them soft. Moisturizer also aids in your feet feeling smooth and soft. A cuticle pusher and clippers helps to make the nails look neat and clean. Toe separators allows you to separate your toes so that you do not get polish on any unwanted areas. A nail polish and top coat are essential for obvious reasons if you desire a color on your nails. If not, just use a basic clear coat. Q-tips allow you to remove any polish around the nails that may have gotten out of place, and you're done!

How simple is this? It is much more affordable than spending close to $100 each visit.

For the look I created, I used Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Gel in shade "Flying Colors" and Sally Hanson Miracle Gel Top Coat on top. Using a gel top coat allows your DIY mani/pedi to last longer than it would with a regular clear polish.