"Top Tips for Perfect Feet"

Over the past few months, your feet will probably have been tucked away in socks and boots – meaning many of us haven’t given our feet the beauty attention they need.  Give them as much love as your hands and you will be pleased to put them on show.

Whilst many of us are feeling the financial pinch - and professional pedicures are seen as a luxury that people can do without – there’s no excuse for un-feminine, callous feet.  The good news is that with a bit of know-how you can get great feet in the comfort of your home, leaving you feeling and looking lovely from the bottom up.

Here’s how:
For a home pedicure start by removing old nail polish by soaking a cotton pad in an acetone free nail polish (this type is less drying to the nail). Press the damp cotton pad against the nail for 10 seconds and it should soak through the polish for easier removal.

Using a hard skin or callus removal tool slough away the hard skin on the heels and balls of the feet. This is best done on dry feet as it won’t shred the skin like it would on softened, damp skin.

Next soak your feet in a foot spa or bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Remove the feet and towel dry, but don’t discard the water just yet. Use a granular foot exfoliator (or make your own with olive oil and granulated sugar or coarse sea salt by mixing 1 heaped teaspoon of salt/sugar with a tablespoon of oil) and massage over tops and soles of each foot before returning your feet to the bowl of water or foot spa to rinse off.

Have two hand towels

ready and wrap each foot to keep them warm.

When ready unwrap one foot and cut the toenails straight across with toenail clippers. Cut them slightly longer than the desired finished length and use an emery board to smooth and seal the cut edges. Apply foot cream thickly over the whole foot up right up to the ankles and including the soles.  Wrap the foot in cling film and put a sock on over this. Repeat with the other foot. Leave on for 10 minutes.

Remove sock and cling film, massage any excess cream into the foot. Push back the cuticles with an orange

stick. If you want to paint your toenails de-grease them with acetone free nail polish remover on a cotton pad first.  Always use a base coat before applying nail colour. Paint 2 coats of your favourite polish and finish with a coat of clear topcoat. Now your feet are ready for dancing!

Tools:
•    3 hand towels
•    Foot cream

•    Foot exfoliator
•    Toenail clippers
•    Emery board
•    Cling film
•    Acetone free nail polish remover
•    Orange stick
•    Bowl or foot spa
•    Hard skin / callus remover

Foot Notes
•    Remove hard skin regularly
•    Always cut toe nails straight across to prevent ingrown nails
•    Push back cuticles regularly to stop them sticking to toenails
•    Use a foot cream containing urea as this also exfoliates the dead skin
•    Always wear socks in boots to stop bare skin rubbing against the sides as this can cause calluses.