Claire Matthews talks to Jenni Baden Howard about perfectly polished pedicures.

Meet the expert: Claire Matthews is the head therapist of Chewton Glen Spa in Hampshire. The international spa cognoscenti flock to this country retreat for first-class beauty treatments, including perfectly polished “Jessica” pedicures (tel: 01425 275341).

Do: use tissues to separate your toes. “Simply tear a tissue in half, roll each piece over and then weave them between your toes,” says Matthews. Always apply a clear base coat before colour. “The pigments in polish – particularly darker shades – will stain bare nails, making them look yellow. Using a base coat helps the colour to glide on more evenly, too, and many of them have treatment benefits – a bonus if your nails are weak, dry or brittle.” There is no need to wait for your base coat to dry before applying polish. “Formulations have become so advanced that this isn’t necessary any more,” she says.

“Dip the brush into your polish, removing any obvious excess before applying. You want to have just enough polish on the brush to coat the nail, too little will mean that the colour will be streaky.” For a professional look, leave a slight gap between your polish and the base of the toenail and each side. “You don’t want the colour to run into the edges,” says Matthews. “To make things easier, first draw a horizontal line of polish along the base of the toenail, and then apply colour in smooth, upward strokes.” Clean up smudges using a wooden manicure stick, dipped in nail polish remover. “Don’t wrap cotton wool or tissue around the tip as this will stick to the polish.”

Apply a second coat of colour, unless you are using a pale or nude polish. “With natural shades, one coat looks cleaner,” says Matthews. Follow immediately with a clear top coat. “This seals in the colour, protects against chipping and adds shine. Finally, a drop of quick-drying oil on each nail speeds up drying time. But avoid putting shoes on for a couple of hours. If possible, wear flip-flops until the colour is completely set.”

Don‘t: shake nail polish before using it. “This gets air bubbles into the polish, which stops it going on smoothly,” she says. “Roll the bottle, between your palms, upside down.”

Don’t use polish that has become gloopy: “It won’t look good – buy a new one.”

Shop like a pro: “You don’t have to spend more to get a great polish with staying power. Nevertheless,” says Matthews, “more expensive brands often contain conditioning ingredients, and provide other treatment benefits.”

Trade secret: if your little toenail is very small, or even non-existent, Matthews suggests creating an optical illusion: “Paint a little colour over the surrounding area, or where the nail would be. This trick, although temporary, works brilliantly.”

Written by Jenni Baden Howard, ccto fashion.telegraph.co.uk