Favorite things for at home mani/pedi?

[lilmomma]

What are your favorite things to have on hand for at home manicures and pedicures? I like the wet and wild red nail polish for my toes but haven't found a good color for my hands. I haven't really found a great base or top coat. What do you use?

[Katy]

I use Creative Nails' Sticky or Orly's Bonder for my basecoat (to help the polish stay on longer). I also like a super glossy top coat, so I usually buy one that touts it's shine factor. And a really good moisturizer.

It's also important for me to have good tools - tweezers, cuticle trimmer (even it not trimming cuticles, but the dead skin), a good pumice (Mr Pumice is great). I also recently found a product called Callus Terminator (again by Mr. Pumice that a salon turned me onto). I'm now considering getting one of those inflatable foot tub (http://i5.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/a5/41/9a14_2.JPG) so I can soak my feet (we have sliding doors and its a bit uncomfortable to sit on on the tub).

ETA: I'm also a fan of OPI and Essie polishes - it's all I've used for years now

[Kristy]

I love anything OPI. Nothing ever seems to stay on my nails except OPI. I use Chip Skip to start, and their Natural Nail Base and Top Coat. Great stuff.

I can't remember the name of the cuticle remover I use, but there are a ton of great products at beauty supply stores.

[shopaholic]

I also use OPI products. Chip skip as a base and then their top coats. I have a Dr. Schol's spa pedicure foot bath thing that I use to soak my feet for my pedi's. I also have pumice stone/foot filers and all the usual tools (nail file, clippers, cuticle oil, etc.)