Skin Deep
Treat Your Feet
March/April 2006
By Laurel Vukovic
Warm weather means summer sandals and going barefoot, but if you’re like most people, your feet could use some tender loving care before making a public appearance. Taking good care of your feet is important not only for vanity’s sake, but also for good health. Regular foot and nail care can prevent painful heel cracks, calluses and ingrown toenails.
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Plan a relaxing and rejuvenating pedicure once a week (or every other week). You can keep feet soft and smooth in between pedicures by running a pumice stone or foot file over your heels and smoothing on a rich moisturizing cream at night after washing your feet.
Five Steps to a Perfect Natural Pedicure
Salon pedicures are a wonderful treat, but you easily can duplicate the same treatments at home, using natural, nontoxic products. The following five steps will have your feet summer-ready in about 40 minutes.
Step One: Soak and Relax
Begin your pedicure with a soothing foot soak. A warm foot bath with baking soda and borax softens calluses and makes it easier to remove rough skin. Fill a large plastic basin or foot tub with comfortably warm water. Add 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of borax and stir to dissolve. To freshen and deodorize feet, add 5 drops of lavender essential oil and 2 drops of patchouli essential oil. (For an invigorating foot bath, instead add 2 drops of peppermint essential oil and 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil; to ease aching feet, add 5 drops of rosemary essential oil and 3 drops of lavender essential oil.) Relax, and soak your feet for 10 minutes.
Step Two: Deep Cleanse
After soaking, thoroughly cleanse your feet — the soles, between your toes and around your nails — with a natural bristle foot brush and a mild soap. To make a refreshing foot soap, combine 4 ounces of unscented liquid body soap with 10 drops each of rosemary essential oil, lavender essential oil and peppermint essential oil in a 4-ounce plastic bottle. Apply a small amount of soap to the foot brush and scrub your feet. Gently clean under your nails with the pointed end of an orangewood stick.
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