1) Start by soaking your feet in warm water with bath salts for 5-10 minutes. The Gehwol Herbal Bath is definitely recommended, what it lacks in atractive packaging it makes up for in function. It softened my feet nicely and left them smelling fresh and had a cooling effect – always nice in the summer. Scrub feet and nails clean with a nail brush.

2) With your feet still soaking, use your pumice stone (I love Mr. Pumice, it's the one you often see salons using – the purple one) scrub away at your callouses and hard spots. For extra exfoliating use with a scrub. The Bamboo Scrub by Gehwol was thick (this is a plus in exfoliating your feet – otherwise it tends to slop everywhere but your feet) and effective.

3) Dry your feet off thoroughly with a towel (this is really important – you don't want your feet to harbor moisture as gross things might happen….)

4) Apply cuticle cream/oil to your cuticles and leave to soften. I use this balm by Urb Body, it's handmade, vegan, comes in a little brush applicator pen and is an absolute steal at $4.

5) Next I use my Pedi Egg. Mr. Style popped this in my stocking a few Christmas' ago and I love it…It actually works, and as someone that walks everywhere (and pernates slightly) it's a required part of my routine.

6) Using your orange sticks or qtips, push back your cuticles. Now comes the controversial part. In the UK we don't clip cuticles. So my first mani/pedi here came as a bit of a shock. That said, I liked it and have continued to cut my cuticles (it's also a vicious circle, once you start – you can't really stop) I also use those little slicing tools (I don't know the exact name) they're more precise and you're much less likely to cut yourself. Only cut ragged or dead skin. If you've followed the instructions and soaked your feet, the dead skin should be obvious.

7) Cut your toenails. Toenails should always be cut straight across to avoid painful ingrown nails. You can file any raggedy bits but file straight across.

8) Apply the base coat polish. As this is usually clear it doesn't require much precision, but don't apply it too heavily or you risk your entire pedicure bubbling up and chipping. I get quite a few ridges (apparently a lack of calcium) I've been using the Zoya 'Get Even' after I won a full set of Zoya products in the Fashion Frontline raffle! Let dry – this usually dries very fast so by the time you've done all your toes the first should be dry enough for the next step.

9) It's colour time! Now I'm usually an Essie devotee – I love the colours, the durability and the brush size, but since winning a set of Zoya polishes (well two sets and their colour block system – I'm a lucky duck!) I have been using them and they are equally impressive. I'm left handed so I always paint from left to right, if you're right handed, paint right to left. This way you run less of a risk of smudging your polish with your own hand. I paint in three strokes, centre, left and right this way you get even and full coverage. I always do two coats.

10) Top Coat time! A simple one coat of polish covers this. Armor by Zoya has proved itself fantastic at increasing the durability of my manicures and pedicures.

11) I've been using the 'Hurry Up' oil by Zoya to dry the polish quicker, it works great. Put a drop a the cuticle base and let it spread out. Alternatively the Essie Instant Dry Oil works just as well.

12) Tidy up. Ok, we're not perfect and smudges happen. I fix them one of two ways, a Q tip dipped in remover works well…what works better is a paintbrush (you can buy nail specific paint brushes here or at your local beauty supply store) dip it in the remover and tidy up the edge, it goes nicely under the nail to tidy up there as well – whereas a Q tip might end up smudging your polish further. This paintbrush tip works really well for smudges on your actual nail too. Dip in remover and stoke the nail with the brush until the bump disappears and then touch up again, saves you starting the whole process again.

13) Moisturize your feet with a thick foot cream – I love Gold Bond's Triple Action Foot Cream.

And voila. Spa perfect pedicure, at home!!

(All Gehwol products were provided gratis for the purpose of review – everything else I purchased – or won – myself)

By Kelsi Smith.