Vogue Supporting our entire body includes taking care of our feet too. Feet are among the most used body parts of the body, and therefore, they need extra care and attention. Depending on the season, you need to change some aspects of foot care. In summer, it’s safe to say that our feet are tested: hot sand, seawater, and flip-flops of all kinds. It is, therefore, high time to take care of your feet and pamper them!
Here are tips for getting rid of dry feet and moving towards soft and healthy feet.
Exfoliate regularly
Feet are often the forgotten part of the scrubbing process. Apply scrub to your feet at least twice weekly and massage from toes to heels before rinsing.
Many scrubs are explicitly catered for feet, which have a more pronounced abrasive effect. To take care of your feet, you need to have impeccable hygiene. When you wash your feet every day, pay special attention to them. Apply antibacterial soap with an old toothbrush, making sure to go between the toes and under the nails.
If your feet are dry and rough, use a pumice stone after your shower (to give your skin time to soften).
Once a week, you can also take a foot bath to relax and clean them. Put three tablespoons of baking soda in a basin of warm water (hot water dehydrates the skin). Then dry them well, going between the toes to avoid letting moisture settle there.
Make sure to hydrate
Cracks, cracked heels, calluses, and corn are all the results of feet that often lack moisture.
Massage a moisturizer after showering until the product is completely absorbed using circular motions. These motions will also help boost blood circulation. Pampering your feet means moisturizing them every day. Feet have no sebaceous glands, so they are prone to dryness faster than any body part. After showering or bathing, apply your foot cream, focusing on the soles of your feet. Massage your feet, starting with the arch of your foot in circular motions with your thumbs, then gently massage the top of your feet with your other fingers. Start with the toes and finish with the ankle, stimulating blood circulation. Be careful; avoid sleeping with socks. This would prevent your feet from breathing and your skin from regenerating!
Cut your nails
Ingrown toenails are one of the most recurrent foot problems. To avoid this:
- Cut your nails regularly, taking care never to cut the angles or the small skins around the nail and leaving 1 to 2 mm to prevent the nail from entering the skin when growing back.
- File them in one direction, horizontally.
- Remember to take care of your cuticles.
For example, you can use Chelidonia lotion and equip yourself with a special cuticle file. To have shiny, nourished, and strengthened nails, massage them with organic oil, such as sweet almond or castor oil.
Fight bad odors
Foot odor is the result of bacterial growth due to perspiration. To avoid sweating in this area and keep your feet cool, use anti-odor powders, sprays, or insoles. If you have the opportunity, consider alternating pairs of shoes from one day to the next.
Adopt the proper posture
Standing up straight promotes good posture and spinal support, but it’s also essential for the feet, which are well anchored in the ground thanks to a balanced posture, keeping the right points of contact and not becoming deformed. Hold your head as if a wire were pulling it up to achieve the right posture.
Massage your feet and legs
Massages promote blood circulation, especially if the massage is done from the bottom up.
Use vegetable oil to deeply moisturize and massage, or have someone massage you in circular motions from your feet to your thighs, focusing on your calves.
Grate the calluses of the feet
After getting out of the bath or shower, rub the calluses with a pumice stone or a callus remover when the skin has softened. Quality electric removers are now commercially available and can effortlessly reduce calluses on the feet.
Choose good shoes
The choice of shoes is essential to have beautiful feet. It is best to avoid high heels, narrow shoes, too-small shoes, and shoes that are too flat (such as sneakers) at all times. Remember to take off your shoes and put on comfortable slippers when you go home.
Apply organic nail polish
To finish in beauty, you can use organic nail polish after applying a protective base. With a top coat, it will last even longer! Be sure to let your nails breathe for 1 to 2 weeks between each application. To remove the nail polish, use a gentle organic nail polish remover, non-aggressive and without acetone!
Take foot baths
Footbaths help reactivate circulation and have a strong relaxing effect. Soak your feet in a basin of cool water with three tablespoons of Epsom salts, and let your feet soak for 15 minutes. Commercially available foot massagers have a “whirlpool” function, making your feet feel light.
Make masks
Once a month or occasionally, in case of dry feet, coat your feet with a thick layer of shea butter or olive oil at bedtime, then put on thick socks. Leave it overnight and rinse off the following day. You’ll have soft feet.
Consult a specialist
Finally, consult a podiatrist once a year. They will check and treat foot ailments: corns, plantar warts, and ingrown toenails. They will also determine whether you need insoles to help you maintain a good posture.
With all this pampering, you no longer need to hide your feet. You can even participate in the Are You ‘Foot’ogenic Photo Contest’ Open Voting Period’ from May 1st-15th. The Grand Prize Winner of this content will be awarded the honorable Kerasal “Foot Model of the Year” title and be featured on the Kerasal website. Moreover, the winner will receive gift certificates for footwear totaling $1000 and a year’s supply of Kerasal foot care products
