How to use pedicure kit tools

Over the past decade, we have been thrilled to acknowledge increased interest from people devoting more time and effort into caring for their feet. Truth is, pedicures have been around for more than 4.000 years, but it wasn't until the 1990's that “feet pampering” became more mainstream. Now, with modern technology and sites like Zamberg leading the way, pedicures have become commonplace for those who truly value their feet.

Here, we'd like to talk about the primary tools needed for a pedicure tool set, along with some basic hints to use those tools properly. 

Those Darn Calluses and Thick Toenails.

If your pedicure kit includes something to treat calluses, and a tool to cut toenails, you will be able to effectively care for your feet and toenails. If your feet or toenails require special care, and/or you want to be prepared in case you ever develop ingrown or infected toenails, we have specialized implements available and will discuss them in more detail in other blogs. For now, let's concentrate on the two primary needs which will lead to great home pedicures.

We all get calluses, which is perfectly normal. Only about 5% of us experience painful or infected calluses. For the other 95%, maintenance is the key. The best way to ensure smooth feet is to remove calluses with a thick pedicure bar. It is important to use something that is gentle, and not too abrasive. We recommend glass pedicure bars from GERMANIKURE, featuring chemically etched glass, which are readily included in most manicure kits we offer. These bars come in different sizes, with one side more coarse to remove more stubborn calluses, and a finer texture on the other side for smoothing calluses. The smoother side can also be used to file and finish toenails, making it multi-functional.

Helpful Hint: remember to soak your feet to soften calluses before removing.

For toenails, most people use a toenail clipper. These clippers are a bit thicker than regular fingernail clippers because thicker toenails require more steel and torque to cut them properly. Please do not “bargain hunt” for toenail clippers. Good clippers are made of super hard steel, and are hand-fastened with a pin-and-post.

Zamberg, and other fine retailers, only offer the highest quality toenail clippers. Some people prefer to use a pair of nippers to cut toenails. Unlike scissors, nippers can be used with either hand, but require a little more time and effort than clippers. Whichever tool you decide to use, the glass pedicure bar does an effective job of filing the nails to a smooth edge. Once finished, make sure you wash and dry your tools thoroughly before storing them.

Helpful Hint: Never cut your toenails into the corners, instead cut them straight across. Cutting nails too short, or too deep into corners, is the primary cause of ingrown nails, which can be very painful, take a long time to heal, and often leads to infection.