Treat your Feet to Sandal Season Pampering

Doesn’t this spring weather get you itching for summer? Or, more importantly, the freedom to wear t-shirts and FLIP-FLOPS? I know I’m ready to ditch the thick socks and boots in exchange for some peep toes and sandals! After having our feet hibernate in Uggs for months it’s likely that from heel to toe, your feet need some serious TLC. Get a head start on the warm weather preparations by sweetening up those feet before you go poolside or get cozy with the sand and sea. You’ll be walking on sunshine with these 6 simple steps for fabulous and healthy sandal-ready feet!

1. Soak you Soles: Start spoiling your feet with a soak that puts the spotlight on your kickers. They deserve some special attention after all they do to get us around and the simple act of immerging your feet in water can be relaxing on your feet and your mind. Fill up a small basin with warm water.  Or, I like to fill the bathtub with a couple of inches of water and sit on the ledge for easy clean up. Add about a ½ cup of Epsom salts to calm your tired muscles, detoxify and soften your skin and enhance the experience with a few drops of an essential oil like peppermint or lavender to neutralize odor and boost your energy. Make your soak special for the spring season by adding fresh flower petals and citrus slices to the mix. While you’re at it, light the candles and turn on Norah Jones. Might as well make it a 15 minute head-to-toe soothing experience!
2. Exfoliate your Winter Skin: Winter definitely dries us up, but a good salt scrub and a pumice stone will fix up any cracks and rough spots you may have. Old skin needs to be removed to stimulate cells and “push” new, soft skin to the surface…unless you are the crocodile type and want to show off your dry spots in those DSW wedges. Check out this easy homemade foot scrub. It is best to apply this miracle mixture to your feet once a week, put on socks and sleep your way to softness!
3. Get Cleaning: Unless you frequent the pedicure chair, it is likely that your toe nails have been seriously neglected. Grime can build up over time, but even more so when we are cold and keep our feet bundled up. Keeping your nails clean is an essential component to your foot health. To clean under the nail, simply use a clean pointed end of a cuticle stick and gently work out any debris. Then scrub with some suds!
4. Trim Up and File Down: With your toenails being damp from your relaxing soaking and exfoliating you should easily be able to trim your nails down and then file them to prevent ingrown toenails.
5. Slather those Babies with a Good Moisturizer: To help repair your winter dry skin you should hydrate those feet with some special foot lotion. Some of my favorites are C.O. Bigelow Mentha Foot Cream by Bath & Body Works or good ol’ Vaseline. You want a heavy moisturizing cream to allow for absorption. Plus, you get to really rub it in and give a self-massage to your overworked extremities before calling it a day. Very much deserved if I can say so myself!
6. A Little Color Goes a Long Way: Now that you have your feet and nails in tip-top shape, get ready to show them off by adding a touch of color. I don’t know about you, but I love to see all the new nail designs that Pinterest lovers are coming up with while I daydream about zebra print or cute spring flowers. But since I am not artistically talented that way I normally go with a shade of pink. Pick out one of your favorite colors and you are done!

It is great to care have a sole-soaking ritual at home, but I highly recommend putting your feet in the hands of a professional at least once every couple of months if possible. Make a pedicure a reward after a great race or use that time as an opportunity to connect with your friends.  And be sure to put your best foot forward on the sunniest days by applying sunscreen to your tootsies since flip-flop season means more sun exposure.

Now your feet are looking and feeling fabulous bring on the sandals!

What is your favorite nail polish color? How fabulous do your feet feel after this treatment?!

Feature photo courtesy of yenhoon via sxc.hu
Photo 2 courtesy of  bigevil600 via sxc.hu