No one wants to let their feet hang off the side of the pool with naked toenails.
The pedicure, whether done at home or in a salon, is living out its most popular season. While not a new trend, pedicures techniques and designs are continuing to improve.
Gel polish
Gel polish, often called Shellac, has been used on fingernails for some time now. The technique provides a thick, even gel covering cured with UV lamps, leaving polish shiny and chip-free for weeks. Gel polish pedicures are quickly becoming a favorite this summer as everyone seeks to prolong that fresh, vibrant look.
"It lasts a lot longer," said Artistic Vision stylist Taylor Schaefer, "especially if you're going swimming or to the beach."
Kim Nocula of Kim's Nail Salon agreed, saying, "It stays shiny and looks nice. You don't have to worry about it messing up."
The gel polish is typically a little extra cost added onto a normal pedicure, but its lasting effect is well worth it for many.
Gel polishes are now offered for in-home use as well. Some brands feature a starter kit complete with an LED light. Others don't require a light at all.
Get creative
As with so many things, Pinterest has sparked interest and ideas for painting the perfect pedicure. Nocula said the popular website has generated requests for fun designs more than ever. "Pinterest has made it so easy," she said.
Before, Nocula had to relay design ideas; now, many clients bring in their own. The salon can usually replicate the design, and can also modify it to better fit the client's toes and personal preferences.
Because of the vast array of options, design requests are often as unique as the toes they adorn. "They are really personal," Nocula said.
Bright colors and some pastels are this summer's most popular. However, patriotic colors and designs are also a big hit this time of the year. Other designs often requested include baseball, St. Louis Cardinals, Mizzou, chevron, polka dots, stripes, flowers and palm trees. A go-to classic, French tips continue to be a customer favorite. Using a lighter shade or complementary color for the tip can be a fun way to change it up and stand out.
If you want to try creating fun designs at home, it may be easiest to use the largest nail as the main canvas. Anything with dots and lines should be possible with careful precision and patience. If you can't get the perfect strokes with the polish brush, try using nail polish pens, sold specifically to draw your own designs.
Get the look without the polish
A fairly new craze in all things nails is the use of nail covers or stickers. Jamberry Nails and others like them are becoming a popular alternative to traditional polish.
"With Jamberry Nail wraps there is no dry time, no smell, no chipping; and they last way longer than traditional nail polish," said Emily Prenger, a Jefferson City Jamberry Nail consultant.
The nail wraps come in hundreds of designs with wraps for both manicures and pedicures. They're applied by slightly heating the wrap with a Jamberry heater or blow dryer, then smoothed out. In just a few steps, you can have a long-lasting design that won't chip.
"It's always fun to get to pick out which combination to wear next," Prenger said. "They can be all the same design, or if you like to change things up, you can have accent nail or even every nail a different wrap." The wraps can also be combined with polish.
Keep it fresh
Pamper your feet and keep your pedicures looking fresh by doing a few simple things at home.
"I always recommend my clients keep a pumice stone in their shower," Schaefer said. "Scrub your feet a few times a week with that." Regularly using a sugar or salt scrub can also do wonders.
Using a pumice stone is a great way to take off only the dead skin. Nocula said consumers need to be wary of using callus shavers, which can take off more than needed. "It's easy to get carried away. If you do it too much, it can hurt and actually create thicker calluses."
Nocula said keeping lotion next to the bed and lathering up at night is best.
"I recommend wearing socks with lotion to keep the heels soft," Schaefer said.
When you're trimming your toenails, it's important not to cut too short and to avoid cutting into the sides of the nail, Nocula said.
Other easy ways to keep your toenails looking fresh is to keep the cuticles pushed back and possibly use your own polish when visiting a salon, so you have exact color on hand in case of a chip.