Who doesn’t love a great pedicure? No one’s feet feel better than when they step out of a salon or spa on that first day, their feet smooth and their toes glossed with the season’s hottest nail polish. To many women’s dismay, within just a short matter of days the nail polish begins to chip, fade, and peel right off so either a nail polish fix is in order or you may need to remove the nail polish entirely.

These women did not learn about the proper pedicure aftercare.

To have that pedicure lasting as long as possible, it’s important to follow some important rules. These steps will also keep your feet in their best shape and will reduce calluses and corns from forming. Let’s begin with rule #1:

Visit your pedicurist regularly. Going for a pedicure twice a year is by no means going to keep your feet in their best shape. Try to go once a month at least for maintenance and upkeep. If you have a lot of thick skin on your feet or toenails that grow quickly, this is all the more important.

Wash your feet every day with warm water and soap and be sure to dry them well after that shower or bath. This will help reduce or even completely eliminate any bacterial or fungal infections. The best way to dry your feet is to towel dry them, and then allow them to air dry for at least ten minutes.

Wear cotton socks and wear a new pair of socks daily. Cotton is a fabric that “breathes”, meaning that it allows air to pass through. This will help keep your feet dry, comfortable, and again help prevent any bacterial or fungal infections.

Make sure your socks, shoes, or any other type of footwear fit appropriately. Wearing tight foot gear will cause damage to your nails, which can lead to a whole lot of other foot related problems. Wearing tight foot gear can also have an adverse impact on your joints and your back.

Use a pumice stone or exfoliating lotion on your feet weekly. This is incredibly important if you are trying to remove and prevent tough, hard skin from forming on your feet. Follow up with a foot cream to keep your skin soft and to help keep the blood circulating properly.

Foot powders are a sweaty foot’s best friend. If your feet sweat a lot, or if you play sports, choose to use a foot powder. In a pinch, corn starch or baby powder are also quite effective.

If you need to remove nail polish before your next salon appointment, use a non-acetone nail polish remover. These tend to be more oily and will help retain the moisture in your toenails.

Always cut and file nails straight across and never use a metal nail file. You want to be sure that your toenails are neither too long nor too short; having your toenails either too long or too short can be equally damaging to your toe’s nail bed.

For a real indulgent treat, try giving yourself hot oil therapy or a foot treatment mask at home too! Your feet will thank you.