Feet seem to be very similar to hands. But they don’t always get similar treatment. Because our hands are always on display, we look after them more, treating them with manicures, nail art, and fancy lotions and creams. It’s easy to neglect your feet, but it’s a very bad habit. Neglecting grooming and looking after your feet can result in yellow, chipped, and thick toenails, dry and peeling skin, and altogether, disgusting feet.
Make sure you actually have clean feet. Working with smelly and dirty feet is too revolting for words and a total turn off.
Get a foot file or a chunk of pumice stone and use it to get rid of any hard, dry, or chapped areas of your feet. It’s gross, but your feet will look better than before.
Grab some soap and a small bucket. Fill the bucket about halfway with warm water, and start scrubbing! You will probably need a towel to clean your feet, too.
Wash your feet all over-around the ankles, at the bottom, and near your toenails!
Use an old toothbrush to scrub the toenail, and the part under it. Don’t rush through this step-sit back and enjoy the warm water.
Don’t slack off on any part-clean your feet very thoroughly. In the future, make sure you always wash your feet in the bath or shower. It’s easy to forget, but don’t. It’ll only take an extra minute or so.
Dry off your feet. Don’t rub them; gently pat them dry. Leave them a little moist, not totally dry, or they’ll go all peeling and chapped again. That’s a rule for any drying of your skin — try to leave it a little moist, and gently pat it dry instead of rubbing. However, dry good between toes. Don’t cut your toenails or rub on any foot cream just yet-that comes later on.
Grab something to massage your feet with. Don’t panic, you don’t need the most expensive massaging lotion in the world. You don’t even need massaging lotion. Olive oil is great, as is yogurt, warm milk, or lemon juice. Use your imagination-look around at ordinary household items. Massage your feet slowly, and make sure you don’t miss any part of your feet. Do not moisture between toes.
Rinse off whatever you’ve used in warm water. If it’s olive oil or something that can be rubbed in, don’t wash it off-it’s good for your skin. However, if you used yogurt, rub on a little bit and then rinse off any extra bits.
Rub on a nice foot lotion. You can even use a face cream if you want. There are lots of different lotions, so don’t just grab the first one you see. Read what the lotion says it does. The price doesn’t mean the quality is any better; there are actually some savings brands that are fantastic. Make sure you always test a cream or makeup/skin care product before use, by rubbing a little on your wrist and waiting 24 hours. Rub the lotion in, don’t just smear it everywhere. Don’t forget the back of your feet, the heels, and the ankles. Don’t use a lot of lotion, but at the same time, don’t use a tiny dab.
Grab a pair of nail clippers and trim your toenails. Don’t forget to clean underneath the nail before you cut them. Make sure you don’t cut the nails so short it hurts, and don’t poke your flesh or someone else with whatever you use to clean out your nail. Don’t rush through this step, either. Be careful to cut the nails the same length and shape, and don’t let any scraps of dirt take refuge under your toenails. Nails should be cut as straight over as possible. File down edgy corners.
Put on nail polish. If you’re going out somewhere special, grab a nice colour. If you’re just hanging around and not doing anything fancy, please only use clear polish. Like your fingernails, your toenails need a break from all that strong nail polish or they may turn yellow and get damaged. Be careful not to spill any nail polish on your actual foot-it’s a real pain to wash off. If you’re getting dressed, put your clothes or at least your pants on before start. For coloured nail polish, make sure to sandwich the colour between clear gloss, to protect it and add shine. For clear gloss, simply paint on a couple of coats. There is no accurate amount of nail polish layers-it depends on the thickness of the nail polish. You judge. If you’re going out somewhere special, wait for the nail polish to dry and then carefully put on your shoes. If you aren’t doing anything, slip on a pair of socks-it seems a shame to cover up those beautiful feet, but they need the warmth and nourishment from the lotion.
