Sandal weather is finally upon us! I donโt know about you, but my feet did not feel ready after spending the spring in rainboots and sneakers. So I tested out a few foot care products to figure out how to get a salon-worthy pedicure in the comfort of my own home.
{Summer Foot Care Essentials:
4 Products to Help You Put Your Best Foot Forward}
Disclaimer: I received the products below at no cost for editorial consideration. All opinions are my own.
Feet are often overlooked in the beauty industry. Sure, many folks will get a pedicure or throw on some nail polish before heading to the beach, but foot care is rarely incorporated into regular beauty routines. Our feet do need some TLC, however, especially when wearing sandals or flip flops.
To get my feet ready for summer, I wanted them to be:
- Smooth
- Moisturized
- Polished
Read on to find out more about each of the products I used to take my feet from sad to fab, all without a trip to the salon!
Step One: Smooth Sailing
Since I’m on my feet all day, my heels and and the balls of my feet tend to be quite callused. To get rid of this tough skin, I started off my at-home pedicure by using Probelleโs Nickel Foot File ($15) This tool allowed me to gently remove my calluses and rough areas so that I could have a softer, more even foot surface. The file is very easy to use, and its two sides (medium and course) allow you to treat different areas of your foot with varying intensity. The shaped handle is comfortable to hold, and the metal is easy to sanitize afterwards. Probelleโs Nickel Foot File definitely did the heavy lifting to ensure my foot care routine got off to a good start!
Step Two: Moisture Must-Haves
Once I had a smooth, even surface to work with, I could turn to the next aspect of my foot care routine: moisturizing. Now, of course, you can put any of your fave lotions on your feet, and it would certainly help, but I wanted to test out options designed for truly dismal tootsies. Enter Legendary Apothecary and Aveeno.
If youโre looking for a product that you can use all summer, Iโd recommend checking out Legendary Apothecaryโs Smooth Feet ($35 USD). This time-honoured recipe is as simple as they come. (And was passed down, the story goes, from the Iranian founderโs great-grandmother, who was given the recipe by an apothecarist in Tehran!) Smooth Feet is a blend of 3 ingredients that serves to soothe and soften dry, aching feet – and it works remarkably well. After massaging a dropper of this treatment onto each foot, my skin felt smooth and invigorated. And the formula works better with every use! As an added bonus, the formula is organic, vegan, and cruelty-free. It’s also free from parabens, phthalates, petroleum, SLS, artificial dye and synthetic fragrance.
For a one-time treat, Aveenoโs Repairing CICA Foot Mask ($5.49) is really fun. The package contains two booties, each of which is filled with Aveenoโs high-powered CICA lotion. Specifically designed to repair extra-dry skin, this lotion delivers some serious hydration. You simply slip on each bootie, hang out for 10 minutes, then remove the bootie and massage any remaining lotion into your feet. The formula absorbs well, doesnโt leave any greasy residue, and has a very neutral scent. Like many well-loved Aveeno products, this formula contains shea butter and oats, both of which are known for being soothing and hydrating. ย Since the package and booties arenโt recyclable, this wouldnโt be a product I would use regularly, but itโs a great option to have onโฆ footโฆ for when I need immediate results.
Step Three: The Perfect Polish
To finish off my at-home foot care routine, I wanted to pick a nail polish that would show off my newly smooth, soft feet. (And my golden sunless tan!) Most nail polishes are packed with harsh chemicals, but Bio Sculpture polishes are cruelty-free, vegan, and 10-free. This means they are formulated without formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, parabens, and other harmful ingredients. Instead, theyโre made with lots of lovely botanical extracts to actually help keep your nails healthy.
Bio Sculptureโs Lavender Base ($23.25) is a pre-polish treatment that contains rosemary leaf extract to strengthen and restore weak and damaged nails. It applies just like a nail polish, and its sheer-pink hue could even be used as subtle polish itself. After the base dried, I applied Gemini Baby Doll Pink ($20.50) for a pop of colour. This double density polish contains hardening plant extracts made from aloe vera, lemon, and ginseng. I needed only 1 coat for full coverage, and the polish has lasted for weeks! (Seriously – Iโm going on week 3, and have had no chipping.)
Whether youโre getting ready to spend summer on the beach, at the cottage, or at home, a proper foot care routine will ensure that your feet stay soft, hydrated, and healthy. No matter what your feet have endured over the winter and spring, youโll be sandal-ready this summer after trying out some of these fabulous foot products.