Pretty Pedi

For the most part, I keep my feet hidden. There isn’t anything too horrifying about them, other than the fact that they are freakishly small and Fred Flinstone-esque. On the rare occasion that I do bare my piggies, though, which has almost been a necessity in this hot, humid Michigan summer, I make sure that they are looking their best. And of course, I do it on a budget!

One of my favorite looks is the French pedicure – its classy, natural feel never goes out of style. While I normally use the Stripe Rite paints from Sally Beauty Supply for nail designs (the tiny brush makes it easy to paint in details), this time, I decided to go for something altogether different: fake toenails. For just over $6.00, I purchased the Kiss Everlasting French Toenail Kit from my local pharmacy.

The kit was more complete than I thought it would be. I purchased glue separately, only to find that pink glue was included in the packaging. My biggest apprehension was that the kit might not have the right sizes for my short, chubby toes. That was not an issue either, however, as there were twelve oddly appropriate sizes to choose from. I found that the application was simple, though I had to be careful not to spill the tiny, plastic pieces everywhere, as there were only two of each size. The entire process took me about 10 minutes, and at the end, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised! A lovely French pedicure without the pain of smudges, do-overs, and waiting for several coats of polish to dry. I think it actually looked better than the painted version that I did for my sister a few days later.

before

after

my sister's painted nails

To spice things up a bit, I used a black Crayola Nail Art Pen (available at Walmart for around $5.00) to add a little design and topped it off with a coat of clear polish. I paired my pedi with some open-toed black wedges that I bought at TJ Maxx, and I have to say, I was thrilled with the outcome! I think next time, I’ll just use the Sally’s Stripe Rite paint for the additional designs, even though the convenient shape of the nail art pen made painting my nails feel a bit like coloring with a marker. The pedi lasted for several days before some of the nails starting popping off; rather than re-glue them, I pulled the rest off on my own. In all, I would say that the $6.00 kit is well worth the money, and if you’re going to use the additional paint supplies more than a few times, I would recommend those as well. I’m in a wedding in September, and I’ll definitely be repeating this process!

Do you have any do-it-yourself pedicure tips or horror stories? Have you ever paid to have your toenails professionally painted in a salon? And what is your favorite open-toed shoe this summer?