DIY Spa Worthy Mani Pedi

My high school best friend is getting hitched this weekend and I'm lucky enough to be one of her bridesmaids! Very exciting but a lot of beauty prep work needs to be done leading right up till the moment she says her "I do's" and even continuing through the reception and late night celebration. Of course this week, like most, has been wacko crazy with work demands leaving very little time to get ready. So I find myself 12 hrs before my flight needing a mani/pedi. And not just any mani/pedi but a truly incredible one (read: lasts for awhile, polish is on the nails, fingers and toes radiate)! Easy I think, I will call my favorite nail technician, Sonia, at the neighborhood salon and get one of her fabulous, chip-free, 2 week lasting mani/pedis while I sit back, relax and catch up on my celebrity gossip. Well of course that would just be too convenient...apparently Thursday's are Sonia's day off! In a great panic I try to figure out what to do. I need to get my nails done but have never had much luck with the other nail techs or salons, so I figure I will do it myself. After all I have only watched Sonia do it a million times and if she can do it so can I (there's the competitve edge in me!). Well fellow beauty lovers I'm thrilled to report that my makeshift, homestyle nail salon has resulted in a pretty unbelievable DIY mani/pedi. Listen, in a blind survey I don't think I would be able to tell the difference between what I did and Sonia's work! So I'm compelled to share my technique with you!

1. Shape the nails. Be sure to file in one direction only to avoid causing micro tears that could eventually catch onto something and lead to breakage.

2. Buff nails to remove any ridges.

3. Soak nails in a lukewarm water bath infused with some aromatic bath salts (I like lavender!).

4. Gently push back cuticles but don't cut them, this only causes the cuticle to grow back thicker.

5. Pedi only: with a pumice stone and body polish exfoliate the soles of the feet concentrating on callused areas. Rinse.

6. Clean the nail surface again with nail polish remover. This step is the most important! It removes any remaining moisture, oil or residue allowing the polish to directly bind to the nail surface.

7. Apply OPI Base Coat. I love this product so much I take it with me to nail salon. As in step 6, the key to a long lasting mani/pedi is the foundation. This base coat not only helps create a smooth surface for the polish but also creates a great barrier protecting nails from the yellowing effect. Sonia comments on this during the winters when I'm permanently wearing the darker polishes. She is amazed that my nails don't turn yellow!

8. Apply a thin coat of your desired nail polish making sure to cover the edges and tips of the nails. These two areas are the first places where chipping occurs so it is essential to protect them.

9. Allow 2-3 min (the amount of time it takes to paint the rest of your nails) and repeat step 5.

10. Apply my other absolute favorite product (and another one I take to the nail salon), MiraCote Super Fast Dry Through Top Coat. This little gem not only dries my nails in 5 minutes flat but it is like a sealant protecting my nails from any chipping whatsoever. A mani/pedi is incomplete without this nail changing product.

Usage tip: To maintain the longevity of your $50 looking mani/pedi touch up the tips and edges of the nails with polish 2-3 days later and reapply the top coat to restore that glossy shine and reinforce the polish. This minor step will extend your mani/pedi by days!

The result: Spa/salon worthy nails for free! Just look at this picture of my own feet!