In my neck of the woods, it’s that time of year were the weather is just about to break and warm up. We are officially on our way to sundresses, hanging out with friends is the sun, trips to the beach (or lake), and family gatherings in somebody’s backyard. If you are someone who isn’t that into heels, chances are you’ve got a bomb sandal collection and you’ve been WAITING all year to show them off! This summer weather has so much to offer us, more sun, more vitamin D, and more … toes.
Confession: I don’t have “pretty” feet. They’re definitely not the worst toes I’ve ever seen, but I won’t be signing up to model peep-toe shoes anytime soon. Not to mention, I’ve been neglecting my feet all winter (and most of my life), so my feet look like I could perch on a branch somewhere.
We aren’t all blessed with cute feet and perfect toes, but we shouldn’t be forced to wear Chuck Taylors all summer. So, here are 6 tips for us women with fugly feet, and bomb ass sandals:
-Keep you feet de-crusted at all times-
Nothing is worse than to see the most gorgeous shoes, but the feet that are in them are crustier than Italian bread. Ladies, we have to remove any thick layers of dead, crusty skin (especially on the heels) before letting anyone sees our feet.
The “crust” that is often on our heels is actually LAYERS of dead skin cells. This dead skin needs to be removed, ALL THE LOTION IN THE WORLD WON’T CUT IT. You can remove this dead skin by soaking your feet, and using what is often called a “cheese grater” or “cheese slicer” to physically cut away the layers. It is very important to be extremely careful when using these tools, as they are very sharp and it is easy to harm yourself while using them. On the flip side, you can go to a nail salon, or spa, that you trust uses hygienic practices. Ask for their deluxe pedicure (get the works sis!) and ask the technician to use these tools… and tip them well LOL.
*please note* if you are diabetic, you actually should NOT be doing this by yourself. Please seek professional assistance from a healthcare provider for any matters regarding cutting your ANYTHING on your feet.
-Keep your feet Moisturized-
This is a given, but I had to say it. Even if your toes are trimmed, painted, and de-crustified; they’re ALL WRONG if they are dry and ashy. I always make sure to use thicker body butters, lotions, or just plain ol’ Vaseline. Another thing that I like to do is use the LOC method (another confession: I use the LOC/LCO method for moisturizing dang-near everything!). Fresh out of the shower, I use an oil, or two (Vitamin E, Olive Oil, or Coconut Oil) on my feet/whole body and my taxes, and then I follow up with one of my thicker butters. Immediately after, I then put on a pair of fuzzy, cozy socks and allow my juju to soak in overnight. If I don’t feel like using 2-3 different products, I’ll just use Vaseline, or a foot cream that contains skin transforming properties to make my skin nice and smooth.
-Always keep your toenails trimmed and painted-
As ladies with struggle feet, we have to keep our toenails on point, it’s a MUST. Your toenails are pretty much the focal point when you’re wearing sandals. Even more so than those crusty heels because they are behind you! It is important that you keep your toenails trimmed and shaped to a style of your preference.
Another tip that will keep our toes on point is to always keep them polished. This just shows the effort of upkeep. It is the equivalent of putting on a bit of makeup… but for your feet. If your are someone who doesn’t care to polish your toenails often, then I recommend using a clear polish so that it is less noticeable when it chips. If you REALLY hate polishing your nails, then you can always use a 4-sided nail block to give your nail bed a high shine.
-Wear foot/toe jewelry-
As women, adorning ourselves with jewelry is not a foreign practice. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, hair jewels, we’re all about it. But, for some reason, most of us don’t own an ankle bracelet or a toe ring. If you’re like me, you probably feel like jewelry will just draw attention to your feet (which you don’t really want). However, jewelry will do exactly what it is supposed to do: beautify.
When you are wearing your hair pulled back, you put on a pair of earrings. While not wearing earrings doesn’t suddenly ruin your whole look, a cute pair of earrings definitely upgrades it all. Also, if you are looking for something more permenant, get a foot tattoo, or Mehndi (henna) tattoo.
–Remove your toe hair–
While all of the previous steps are definitely important, this one has the potential to make or break even the most gorgeous feet. To have that hair on the knuckle of your toes is completely normal, much like the hair on our face/upper lit, or underarms. But, as a part of ritual grooming and beautifying, we have to get rid of it.
The fastest, and longest lasting way of removing this hair is to wax (I like to use the pre-waxed strips). However, you can also tweeze the hair (ouch!), or just shave it off (almost every day). Removing this hair will help to make your feet look even more delicate and touch-ably soft. My rule is if you wax you upper lip, wax your toes. I like to do them both on Sundays 🙂
The weather has officially warmed up, and we are going to slay from head to toe! We can’t all be foot models, but like my cousin Day Day said:
“okay, they 10’s… but I keep ’em clean”
Chime in! What is your foot care routine?
