Our feet take a lot of abuse on an almost daily basis. Whether its being squished into too tight shoes or neglected to the point of no return, our feet deserve far more TLC than they are getting.

With the world on lockdown and a professional pedicure nothing more than a fond memory, it’s time to take things and your feet into your own hands and get them looking sandal ready!

Start Off By Prepping Them

Just like your face, your feet need to be cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturized. The order of these steps depends on your preferred level of exfoliation and what condition your feet are in.

For those of you whose feet are in fairly decent condition, a light scrub, cleanse and soak is all your need. However, if your feet are covered in rough and cracked skin and calluses, use a foot file or callus remover before you wet your feet. This is because water softens the skin and if you’re too heavy-handed with the scrubbing, your feet can get over exfoliated.

To begin, remove any old nail polish, exfoliate with a foot file and callus remover if your feet need it and then fill a tub or bucket with warm water and add some nice skin-softening products, like epsom salt and a few drops of an essential oil of your choice. After a few minutes of soaking, dry off your feet and follow up with a physical exfoliator, like a buffing block, to scrub off any left over flakey bits and calluses. Once you are done, dry your feet and apply a moisturizer all over.

If your toes are hairy, I would suggest shaving off, epilating or plucking the offending toe hairs so they don’t distract from your pretty pedi.

Prep Your Toe Nails For Colour

Before you can start colouring, use a buffing block to buff away any ridges and to get your nails smooth. Take the time to hydrate your nails using a little bit of argan or coconut oil, then shape, and trim them. Using a cuticle pusher, work the oil into your nail beds to give yourself plenty of space to paint on your summer color. After you’re satisfied, wipe away any excess oil and you can start painting.

When you are filing your nails, remember to file in one direction rather than using a back-and-forth motion to avoid causing damage that can wreck weaker nails and result in breakage.

Find Your Favourite Shade

When painting your nails, always use a good quality base coat before you apply any colour. A base coat will keep your nail from discolouring and will help the polish better adhere to the nail.

After letting your base coat fully dry, do note that it has to actually dry to be effective, paint on the colour or colours of your choice. Finally, finish off with a top coat that will protect your colour and make it last.

Keep Your Nails Healthy

Healthy feet and nails require a little bit of care and effort. No matter how pretty your pedicure looks, you need to remove the nail polish after a week or two weeks, to allow your nails to breathe. When nails aren’t properly oxygenated, they start to turn yellowish. 

Every time you shower, give your feet some TLC by exfoliating them using either a body or foot scrub, or even a loofah or body brush with body wash. Before bed, wash your feet with soap and water, apply a thick coating of moisturiser, slip on a pair of cozy cotton socks and let your feet soak in the hydration while you sleep and you will wake up to baby soft and smooth feet the next day!

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