5 Tips For Soft Feet

It's flip-flop time again ladies and we need to get our feet ready. Callused, cracked, or scaly feet in a pair of beautiful sandals or cute flip-flops are not attractive. It ruins the whole look. I am in no way an expert on feet. I just know what has worked well for me and wanted to share the information. I have learned there are inexpensive ways to prepare your feet for spring and summer footwear without having to spend oodles of money. I have listed 5 tips that I think can get you on your way to pretty feet.

1. Do not walk around barefoot. Walking barefoot can not only lead to fallen arches over time, it can also make the bottom of your feet hard and rough. Walking barefoot occasionally is fine but when you constantly walk without anything protecting your feet, it takes some of the moisture out and leads to dry, cracked heels and toes. It is best to always keep something on your feet whether it be shoes, slippers, or socks. I like to wear the fuzzy socks in the winter and ankle socks in the summer. The fuzzy socks not only protect my feet but keep them all warm and toasty in the winter.

2. Soak feet at least once a week. Soaking your feet will definitely make your feet feel and look softer but this is also extremely relaxing. When you have been on your feet all day and your feet are screaming at you for a little TLC, put your feet into a warm, silky, pleasant smelling water foot bath and it will do wonders for your mind and your feet. Your stress level will go way down and you will feel yourself starting to relax with the worries of the day far behind. It's wonderful, for awhile, until you take them out and reality sets in again. But it is nice for awhile anyway. There is a variety of foot soaks that you can buy or you could make one of your own. One of my favorite is the honey-milk soak. It moisturizes well and feels awesome! All you need for this is 6 or 7 cups of warm or hot water, but not scalding hot, 2 cups of milk and about 1 cup of honey. Mix this all together and soak feet for about 15 minutes. After you are done soaking, rinse and dry your feet well.

3. Exfoliate after your shower or bath. Keep a pumice stone or some type of heel scrub exfoliate near your shower or bath. After bathing, use this to slough off the dry, dead skin from the bottom of your feet paying close attention to the heel, ball and toes. There is a variety of heel scrub brands that you can choose from or you could make one of your own. I have made one that consist of 1 cup of lotion and 1/2 cup of sand. You could also add a few drops of essential oil to this mixture for a pleasant smell. Mix these ingredients together and rub into feet.

4. Moisturize. This is important. After you exfoliate, you will need to put moisture back into your feet. Take a foot creme of your choice and gently massage in, allowing it to penetrate the skin. Once a week, after you have applied the foot creme, take a thick layer of Vaseline and apply to bottom of your feet. Put on a pair of cotton socks and leave on all night. When you wake the next morning, wash off with soap and pat dry, making sure you dry them completely.

5. After you have done all this, it's now time to work on those toenails. Clip nails and push back the cuticles. Apply a pretty nail polish or use a clear one. Let this dry and reapply a small amount of foot creme so that they look soft and freshly moisturized.

Now, find your favorite pair of flip-flops or sandals, slide those pretty feet in, and go show them off!