DIY mani-pedi

Prep School Pt. 3: I don't know about you, but I'm well past due for my inaugural spring-into-summer pedicure visit. How could I neglect my boot and shoe-encased feet like this, lovelies? Well, it's not quite warm enough for sandals yet and let's just say I've been a tad busy of late. So I got to thinking: what if you could do it all – pedi and mani included – in the comfort of your own home? How blissfully spa-like would that be? That said, with the last post in my Prep School series to help you get summer-ready, I present to you my ultimate guide for delivering your hands and feet from winter's ill effects.

Step 1: Smooth Moves. To get rid of all that unspeakably dry skin, now's the time to exfoliate! One scrub I've always adored is the Body Shop's Pumice Foot Scrub. Made with peppermint oil, it's like a wake-up call for tired feet. Speaking of wake-up calls, I'm also loving OPI's Manicure/Pedicure Coffee Espresso Scrub. It smells like a rich cup of coffee, so it's great in the morning if you need a little extra kick. It's also got natural sugar crystals and AHAs to help slough away winter-feet syndrome. You can use both on your hands as well to help banish rough skin. While you're at it, give your feet and hands a good soaking in warm water to soften cuticles and push them back with an orange stick.

Step 2: Get Rich Quick. So now that the polishing is done, you need to replenish the moisture in your tired, callousy hands and feet (scary, I know!). Look for a super-emollient cream like OPI's Cappuccino Massage Cream (part of a set with the Espresso Scrub) which silkens skin and also has a lovely coffee scent. Creams with natural exfoliators like AHAs, such as Foot Patrol by Bliss, or glycolic acid, like Philosophy's Soul Owner, also work wonders to give you an added exfoliating benefit. And with their pepperminty and eucalyptus scents, they'll help wake up winterized feet in no time.

And don't forget your cuticles! One of my fave recent finds is Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter which revitalizes rough, ragged cuticles and has an irresistible, yummy lemon scent. You can also use it on rough heels and elbows, too. Ready your nails for polish by shaping them with a good emery board - I like the Trind Flexi-File for smooth filing.

Step 3: Lacquer up. Now for the really fun part - you're ready to choose your paint colors! One shade range I'm loving right now is OPI's Night Brights collection. These shades appeal to both dark color lovers and soft shade aficionados. My picks: Light My Sapphire, a shimmery, deep dark blue; Give me the Moon, a soft, silvery blue-lavender; and I Only Drink Champagne, a light pearlescent gold.

Love the french manicure look, but don't have a lot of time? Try Trind's Nail Brightener. Lovelies, this is one of my fave nail finds in a long time! Just paint it on, and in thirty seconds, your nails look you've just gone for a quickie mani at the salon. And if your nails are looking a little yellowish from all the dark colors you've been shellacking them with, this is your answer! It instantly brightens and polishes your talons in a flash.

This is the third post in a three-part series called Prep School, which looks at prepping for summer from head to toe.