It’s Apple Scrapple time! The annual festival begins in Bridgeville at 4 PM on Friday October 10, 2014, and features crafters and vendors, delicious food, and an 8 PM Street Dance with a local band. More great bands will perform throughout the day on Saturday, with other fun activities as well. You’ll want to look your best from head to toe, so here are some home pedicure tips to get your feet looking great.

Start by removing any old polish from your toenails, and using a moisturizer on them afterwards, since polish remover can dry out your nails.  Follow with a 10-minute saline soak to soften your skin. You want to be very careful when doing anything to your cuticles, in order to prevent infection. Never clip them, and never shove them back hard. Use a cuticle stick and gentle motions.

Next, gently clip your nails straight across, leaving the tips long enough so that some of the white is showing. You can then take an emery board to smooth rough corners, using one-way strokes and gentle pressure.

Rough skin on your feet get your attention next. Use a pumice stone to remove dry, dead skin from your calluses, and follow that up with an exfoliating scrub. Make sure it has natural particles that will decompose in the waste water system. Rub it in to remove the last of the dead skin cells, rinse, and dry your feet. This is the time to lock in moisture with a rich cream or lotion.

Finally, the polish. There are many non-toxic brands out there that won’t expose you to harmful chemicals or fumes. Find a color you like, dip the brush in and apply in even strokes from the cuticle to the end of your nail, starting in the middle and then doing each side. If the color is very bright or deep, you may want to use a clear base coat first, to make sure the dye doesn’t permanently discolor your nail tissue.

There you go! Beautiful nails ready for a beautiful night in Bridgeville! If you need info on safe home pedicure tools or products, or help for other foot issues, be sure to contact Advanced Foot & Ankle Center at (302) 355-0056 to set up an appointment at our Newark, Glasgow, or Wilmington, DE office.

Photo Credit: Maggie Smith - FreeDigitalPhotos.net