The pedi 'cure'

Polished toes look great peeping out of sandals, but a pedicure can do more than just pretty up your feet. If you incorporate massage, you'll also get health benefits: improve circulation, reduce anxiety and get relief from pain, according to several studies. And the good news is, you don't have to go to a nail salon and expose your feet to sketchy-looking footbaths and communal tools to get these benefits. Use this expert-approved plan and do it in the comfort of your own home.

Clip & file
Start by taking off old polish with a non-acetone remover. You've probably heard that acetone dries out your nails, but breathing in the fumes can also cause throat irritation and even increase your pulse rate, according to the National Institute of Health, US. Instead, try Colorbar Nail Paint Remover which is acetone, toluene and DBP free. Enriched with protein and Vitamin B5 to strengthen nails, it also comes with a natural emollient that conditions nails.

However, non-acetone removers often don't work too well on darker shades. Try Lakme Nail Color Remover that clears every trace of nail paint without drying out nails.

If you have stains on your nails, a great home-fix is to rub a drop of lemon on each toe and rub a buffer back and forth over the nail. This will remove the yellowed outer layer, suggests natural beauty expert Suparna Trikha. Next, use nail clippers to trim your nails straight across, then file the edges smooth. To avoid ingrown nails, cut nail straight across to just above the skin and make sure your nail doesn't extend over the tip of your toe, advises Trikha.

Quick tip: File nails in one direction until they are even and slightly rounded at the corners, for a soft square shape.