From Flip-Flop Battered to Beautiful Feet

As we move into mid-September and officially change our closets around, there are some summer trends that we can’t get rid of that quickly. We put our flip-flops and sling-backs away for another season, we not only take stock of fall shoes we also look at our feet and see what a summer of flip-flops has done to our feet.

Days spent walking barefoot at the beach, in the backyard and just about anywhere we could get away with it have left our heels and feet a dry, cracked, ugly mess. To help with the seasonal change and getting our feet looking beautiful again, we have put together a simple 5 step end of summer foot care routine for beautiful feet.

Soak Your Feet

The bare-foot and time spent outdoors as well as all the time with flip-flops leave the skin on our feet rough and dry. The first step to repairing the skin is to soak them regularly. While there are a number of fancy foot baths on the market, all you really need is a bucket of warm water or just soak them in the tub.

To increase the healing nature of the soak you can add some olive oil and a few drops of scented essential oil of your choice for some additional luxury. The ideal soak time is about 10-15 minutes; any longer may cause your feet to get pruned, which isn’t very effective for attempting to remove dead skin.

Scrub Your Feet

Now that you have soaked your feet, it’s time to give them a good scrub. This will smoothen any rough or dry areas on your feet. To accomplish the scrub you can use a foot or facial scrub or you can use a pumice stone. A word of advice when using the pumice stone; it is much more effective when your feet are still damp and you should always go with the grain of your feet.

Let Your Feet Breathe

In the cold seasoned months, the opposite occurs for our feet. Instead of being bare-foot all the time, they are covered the majority of the time. Obviously, we are not going to suggest that you walk barefoot in the winter, but you do need to let your feet breathe.

When you get home it’s a great habit to take your shoes off so your feet can breathe. Our feet sweat even in our cotton socks, whether we like to admit it or not, and the sweat remains on our feet even after hours as well. Allowing the dirt and sweat from our day to stay on our feet any longer than necessary can be a breeding ground for athlete’s foot and other diseases.

A very simple solution in addition to not having your shoes on at home is to change your socks. As you change out of your work clothes into more comfortable and relaxing clothes, don’t forget about your feet. Put on clean socks so any moisture or germs from the day are no longer on your feet.

Remove Nail Polish

Summer-time is prime time to show off your fancy toes and pedicures. We love having our feet looking stylish with the latest colours and designs, but over time nail polish can wear down your nails. As our feet most likely will be covered with socks the majority of the time, remove all nail polish and let your toes go polish-free. This allows your nails to breathe and will help to strengthen the nails and ensure there are no bacteria living on the nail beds of your toes.

Moisturize Your Feet

Your feet need moisturizer just as the rest of your body does and in some cases requires more as the skin on our feet is constantly under abuse. For this, you will want to use a high-quality cream, one that is thicker than standard moisturizers. Two types of cream that we recommend are the Skindulgence Moisturizer and the Soothe Repair Therapy.

Both of these creams contain natural herbs and botanicals to ensure that your skin gets the nutrients it needs to be healthy and feel soft and smooth. The Soothe Repair Therapy is a unique hypoallergenic, dye and fragrance-free formula that was specifically designed for severely dry skin. It provides fast and effective relief from the skin that has been subjected to the abuses of flip-flops and bare-footed walks while protecting your skin from further irritation and damage.

Moisturizing your feet after you have soaked and scrubbed them is recommended but should not be the only time you moisturize them. Similar to your hands and other areas that you frequently moisturize, your feet should get similar attention. If you have severely dry or even cracked skin on your feet, apply moisturizer just before bed, then cover your feet with a clean pair of socks. This will lock in the moisturizer overnight and your feet will much softer in the morning.

With these five simple steps, you will be able to have your flip-flop battered feet looking their best once again.

As always we appreciate all your comments and emails, and don’t forget to share these 5 tips with your friends.