I live in Arizona - duh.
Here, the lack of moisture in the air sucks the moisture out of everything else, especially places like your feet. Those who live on/near a beach and spend a lot of time there, don’t necessarily need to worry about pedicures. Their feet, moist and soft from the salt water, get scrubbed down and ex foliated as you walk across the sand. Those of us who do not live on the beach don’t have that luxury. Therefore, we must either pay for someone else to get our feet summer sandal ready, or do it ourselves.
Personally, I’d rather save my money for the fabulous shoes of the season rather than give it to someone else to do it for me. I guess I am just selfish like that.
Moisture, Moisture, Moisture!
Start with moisture. Either soak your feet in a light saline solution and warm water mixture, or take a long shower. You know, the kind of shower where you shave every bit, wash every crevis and begin to prune beneath the spray. Me? I prefer the showers, as it is a nice long section of kidless, husband less quiet time. Standing in the shower that long will certainly soften the tough, dead skin on your feet sufficiently enough to begin.
Pumice, Baby!
If your callouses and dried skin aren’t too bad, you might be able to get away with simply using an emery board on your feet before you soak. I refuse to wear shoes at home, and therefore my feet can get quite bad. Bad enough to require a pumice attack. At least once a week. Start with a good pumice stone, like the Sephora Brand Pumice Stone. Personally? I would use that one had I not bought myself one at Fry’s one day that is probably one of the best ones I’ve ever purchased. What kind is it? I have no idea. Anyhow....
Using the stone on your feet in the shower is quite simple. The key is to make sure the water spray is spraying on your feet while you ex foliate. Rub the stone on the rough places of your feet and file away the dead dry skin that makes them icky for summer sandals. You should repeat this process at least once a week, maybe twice depending on how bad your feet get. If your feet are really neglected, you might want to begin with a good callouses file to get the ball rolling. After that, you should only have to use the file if you’ve neglected your feet terribly for weeks on end.
Painted Lady, or Buff and Shine?
I happened to be a painted lady. Some folks prefer the natural look that comes with a good buff and shine. Nothing wrong with that, just make sure that you follow though with the buff and shine so they look clean and pristine. My paint of choice for summer toes is red. Red, red, red. It’s a different red than the red that I would wear during the winter months. No matter what you decide to paint your toes, please make sure that you do not paint the cuticle or the skin around your toe nail. It looks trashy.
More Moisture!
Once your nail polish has dried, or you have finished the buff and shine of your nails, you must moisturize! Yes. Again, and again, and again, and again. Burn it into your brain. For the after pedi moisturizing, I choose Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Creme. Omg, this stuff is moisturizer heaven! I don’t just use it after a pedi either. I slather my feet with this stuff every time I get out of the shower, or out of the pool. Every chance I get.
Before going to bed for the night, however, I rub my feet down with Dr. Sholl’s For Her Ultra Overnight Creme.
PAY ATTENTION HERE!
Ladies, please, please PLEASE! Shave your damned feet! C’mon. Don’t even lie to yourself. You are human, too. We grow hair on knuckles and all kinds of unwanted places, and as women it is expected that we keep that unsightly hair trimmed up. For the life of me, I cannot understand why a woman would religiously get her eye brows and bikini area waxed, and yet walk around with Yeti toes! WTH? And no, just because you are blond and your hair is light like duck fuzz, it does not make it ok to ignore. No, No, NO! Shave that shit. Now. It takes 30 seconds to hit your foot with the razor while you are shaving your legs, taking a shit, watching t.v., whenever you so choose. But, for God’s sake, please quit disgracing fantastic shoes and expensive pedicures with hairy damned toes. /rant
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