Walk away with pretty feet
One in three women forget about their feet entirely until they need to get them out on show, according to a survey from Micro Pedi. A quarter of women also admitted to thinking about their feet less than any other part of their body. Give your toes some TLC with one big pampering session, followed by regular maintenance.
Bad news for feet recluses: sandals with barely there straps are this summer’s hottest footwear. With so much skin exposed, feet need to look impeccable to carry them off.
“It’s so important to do all the foundations in a manicure to make the nails look super-healthy,” says Jenni Draper, nail artist for Micro Pedi.
“Give your feet a thorough exfoliation with a specialist foot scrub to ensure they hold on to a summer glow.
“Buff away dry and hard skin on the soles and heels. You can do this wet or dry, but I always recommend buffing on dry feet so you’re not over-zealous and remove too much skin.”
If foot filing doesn’t appeal, try a hand-held pedicure device which will do all the hard work for you, like the Micro Pedi, €49.99, or Scholl Express Pedi, €49.99 (both from Boots). They effortlessly smooth the skin with a rotating roller for professional pedicure results.
Whether you’re a firm stomper or take feather-light footsteps, dry and hard skin builds up. The skin on your feet is up to 20 times thicker than the rest of your body.
Podiatrist Michael Harrison-Blount says: “The skin on your feet can dry out quickly, especially as the weather gets warmer and you start to wear shoes that leave your feet exposed. Avoid coarse and flaky feet by moisturising them daily with an intensive cream specially formulated to repair dry skin, to keep feet soft and smooth.”
Always moisturise feet when they’re clean, not after a day in flip-flops when your soles are blackened. Fill a bowl with warm soapy water and soak feet for five-10 minutes.
Treat your feet to a massage to loosen any tension and then apply a specialist foot cream.
Enviable feet are always topped off by chic toenails, but just like fingernails they need to be prepped before polishing.
“Always clip toenails nails dry, as they can snag and tear when exposed to moisture,” advises Joanna Czech pedicurist for Scholl.
Before working on cuticles, apply cuticle oil to the contours of the nail to soften. Push cuticles back gently, using a rubber hooded stick or orange stick wrapped in cotton wool. Removing stubborn cuticles creates a smooth finish for nail polish and make nail beds look longer.
For chic feet, Czech advises keeping toenails short and beautifully filed for a fresh, modern look.
If there’s one thing that instantly makes toes look unsightly in sandals, it’s chipped nail varnish. Make the most of your vacation from boots and socks by polishing with a pretty summer shade.
Forget matchy-matchy. “Hands and feet should never match, always clash,” Czech recommends.
Enamel usually lasts at least twice as long on toenails than fingernails, so grab your separators and pick out a colour that pops. For extra longevity, try a gel polish, which won’t wear off in the sun, sea or sand.
The hue you choose can be telling, according to feet reading expert Anne Scardarella. “Green nail varnish means wanting to attract more harmony and calm,” she says.
“Orange is joy, either you’re looking for more fun in your life or you love to be the life and soul of the party. Red shows ambition and dark red is looking for the energy to achieve that ambition.”
