Pic credit: Emmy Redman

We tend to concentrate on the care of our face and body and often neglect to properly care for our feet, which can often be trapped in ill-fitting shoes resulting in dry skin, thickened corns and damaged nail,  even more so after the winter season. Feet form an intricate network of bones and muscles, a delicate structure, yet robust and flexible. They deserve the best care we can give them to accomplish the demands of every day.

It’s almost about time for our feet to come out of hibernation and make an appearance in a new pair of sandals for summer. Follow these steps to ensure you have your feet perfectly prepped to be the star of the show this season!

Visit a podiatrist

Taking medical care of the feet is important. It’s essential for treating specific conditions and for a deep clean of the feet to eliminate hard skin build up, cracked heels, calluses and corns. Regular pedicures are a must for keeping the feet in optimum condition.

Invest in foot focused products

The skin under your feet is seven times thicker than the skin on your face, and four times more than the skin on your body, so it makes sense to use targeted products. We all know the benefits of regularly exfoliating our body, but many of us forget to extend this to the feet and toenails, too. An intensive foot scrub will amplify the benefits of a foot treatment cream.

Self-tan

A golden wash to the feet will make any pedicure pop! However, it’s an easy area for blemishes - don’t forget to thoroughly exfoliate your feet and apply the fake tan sparingly, less is more with your feet. Lightly sweep over your toes, backs and sides of the feet and ankles.

Give your feet a break

Take time to relax and soak feet before applying a thick cream and covering in socks overnight. Your feet will be smooth, supple and more comfortable the next day.

Refresh feet daily

Keep feet spotlessly clean and odour-free by using products to refresh feet daily.  Feet can be overworked, hot, sweaty and unpleasantly scented. There are plenty of targeted products available to address these concerns.

Choose the right shade for you

Polished toes have a transformative power on the feet. Your skin tone and personal sense of style will dictate your pedi colour choices this season. You may prefer to stick to nude or classic red or be more adventurous with cobalt blue, bright green or purple. Bright, happy shades are playful and signal fun and optimism – rainbow toes are on trend for this season.

Pic credit: Pamperina

Movement

Regular foot massages and exercises are a great way to relieve overall stress and tension held in the body. It’s beneficial for feet to walk barefoot on the grass or along the beach, not only to connect with nature but also to ‘exercise’ the full foot.