Maria ChoeBeautiful toenails peeking out of open-toe shoes! Since toenails don’t get the attention that fingernails get, you might end up with showing your uncared-for feet. Applying nail polish doesn’t solve everything. Basic care should come before painting the colors on. Basic pedicure is slightly different from manicure. Do pedicure that fits your toenail type to show off beautiful feet this summer.
Toenails: Always Straight
In the case of fingernails, the edge can be trimmed in a variety of angles, such as round, square, or almond shape. However, toenails are an exception. Especially for big toes, trimming the toenails in a circular shape can lead to their digging into the skin around the edge. This is called ‘ingrown toenail’, and those who originally don’t have the condition can also develop it if their toenails are not properly cared for. Not only do the toenails become unattractive, but they also give you a lot of pain. Therefore the tip of the toenails should be trimmed straight, and the toenails should be kept in a square.
Cuticle Removal Is a Must
Compared to fingernails, toenails aren’t cared for very often and some people don’t pay attention to their toenails at all, so toenails are more likely to be kept untidy. Like fingernails, toenails have lots of cuticles.Pretty colors are no use if your toenails are full of dead skin and cuticles. Apply the cuticle remover along the edge of your toenails and wait a little for the dead skin to soften. Then, use a pusher or the back of a nail clipper to peel away the dead skin and cuticles, gently pushing them out from the toenail towards the skin. Unlike fingernails, you don’t have to remove the cuticle lines on toenails.
Do Not Trim Them Too Short
If you trim the nails on your toes too short (excluding the big toe), it’s hard to paint and the flesh under the nails might get torn off. Even if you want to trim your toenails straight across, you should not to trim the nails too short. If the toenails are naturally narrow they may look like colorful dots. During seasons where your feet are uncovered, you need slightly long toenails for better-looking pedicured toes.
If Your Pinky Toenails Aren’t Pretty
Uneven and bumpy nail surface and irregularly set nail may be due to shoes rather than natural defects. Pointy or narrow shoes put pressure and rub the pinky toe, and as a result the toe and its nail becomes crooked and deformed. Massage the toes often and put cotton balls or thick tissues between the fourth and the fifth toe to straighten the crooked toe. If the surface of the toenail is bumpy, use a rough file or a buffer on the surface several times to tidy it and apply a nail treatment.
