6 easy steps for a pedicure

Spoil yourself with a spa pedicure for a fraction of the cost — right in the privacy of your own home.

Pampering doesn't have to be all or nothing in this recession. There's a way to keep up with spa-quality pedicures at a fraction of the price, which can run $40-$75. Do it yourself.

1. Set the mood. You likely have a perfect pedi spot right in your home — the bathtub. You can easily sit on the edge with your feet inside. Create a relaxing area by lighting a candle, such as the Aveda Caribbean Therapy Soy candle ($30, aveda.com), with hints of vetiver, bay and lime. Pour a glass of wine, and you're on your way.

2. Soak. Fill the tub with enough warm water to reach your ankles, and add a dash of soaping product like Boots Original Beauty Formula Bath Foam ($12.99, target.com). Be careful with water temperature, says podiatrist Roxanne Burgess of Queen City Foot and Ankle Specialists in Charlotte, N.C. Soaking can soften callused areas, but if the water is too hot, it can suck the moisture out of your feet. While you soak one, work on the other, taking off old nail polish using cotton balls and nail polish remover.

3. Exfoliate. Feet get battered in the summer through overexposure and footwear that rubs our toes and heels. To smooth out the roughness, use something with a bit of gentle, gritty substance, such as Queen Helene Footherapy Cranberry Mint foot scrub ($5.49, most drugstores, queenhelene.com). The superfine walnut granules help slough off dry skin, while the mint and cranberry cool and moisturize. No time to get to the store? Head to the kitchen. InStyle magazine recommends adding a scoop of poppy seeds to any lotion to make a scrub. Epsom salt mixed with a bit of olive oil will do the trick as well. A pumice stone or Tweezerman Pedro Too Callus Stone ($12, tweezerman.com) can be used wet or dry to smooth out rough feet.

4. Trim, clean nails. Cleanliness and sterilization are always important, Burgess says, but the risk of toe fungus is decreased in a home setting, where pedicure implements are less likely to be shared. To be safe, give your tools a quick wipe with rubbing alcohol to clean before you start. Dry your foot before trimming nails straight across with nail clippers (Tweezerman Folding Clipper set, $10, tweezerman.com), Burgess says, to lessen the chance of painful ingrown toenails. Toenails should be kept short, she says. If not, they'll rub against shoes and the pressure will turn the nail bed black. Contrary to some advice, Burgess says, do not push back or trim cuticles. "(Cuticles) attach the skin to the nail plate and to keep fungus from getting under the nail," she says.

5. Moisturize. Once you've trimmed and smoothed, dry your feet and add a little extra moisture. Curel Targeted Therapy Deep Penetrating Foot Cream ($4.99, most drugstores, curel.com) has shea butter, coconut milk and vitamin E to help soften and smooth the skin. Give yourself a mini massage, working the lotion between toes, around the ankle and up the calf. If you need an extra boost to keep cuticles pliable, drop a dot of cuticle oil on each toe and work around the nail bed. (Try Boots Original Beauty Formula Cuticle Oil, $7.99, target.com).

6. Polish. Now you're ready for polish. You can use toe separators but a piece of tissue works in a pinch (rolled up lengthwise and woven between the toes to keep them apart). Use a cotton swab dipped in polish remover to make sure the nail bed is clean and dry before applying a base coat. Be bold with toe color — here's your chance to add some trendy zip to your wardrobe. Orly's Brights collection has eye-popping hues with names such as Mint Mojito, Live Wire and OMG ($7.50, Ulta beauty stores, orly.com). All shades are free of DBP (dibutyl phthalate), Toluene and Formaldehyde. Finish it off with a clear topcoat.

Absolutes

• Don't use products that shave your feet using a razor — they can do serious damage and can spread bacteria that lead to fungus. Instead, use a gentle exfoliator like a pumice stone or the PedEgg, says podiatrist Roxanne Burgess.

• To give your feet an intense moisture blast, thickly cover heels and problem areas with lotion and wrap feet in plastic wrap, Burgess says. Then put on socks and say goodnight. In the morning, the dead skin should be easier to take off. If not, a prescription cream may be needed.

• Give your feet time to breathe. Taking a break from socks and shoes gives your feet a chance to dry out, Burgess says. It also helps limit breeding conditions for foot fungus.