Feet are a tough part of the body to keep in shape. The average person walks 7,000-5,000 steps a day so it’s no surprise that our feet start to look exhausted. There are so many things that can affect our feet; sweating, blisters, dry skin, cracked skin, calluses, discolored toenails, fungal infections and everything in between too. Luckily by adding some of these general upkeep tips to your daily routine, you can keep your feet looking healthy and attractive!
Rotate your footwear!
Most people wouldn’t dare wear the same shirt or dress every day for a week. Eventually it’s going to get dirty, sweaty and not smell too pleasant, and this is exactly the same for footwear. Shoes absorb all the heat and sweat from your feet making them damp and a prime place for fungus infections to grow. Rotating your footwear on a day to day basis will give shoes a chance to air out, eliminating the risk of athlete’s foot and bad odors. On a related bonus, it’ll make all your footwear last longer too.
Pick the right footwear!
High heels are great for a night out to wear for a few hours but the wrong sizedor shaped footwear can damage the skin and your gait. Wrong fitted shoes can cause pressure or rubbing that leads to blisters, which can then harden and turn into calluses. Strange shaped or constricting shoes can do the same as well as affect the way you walk and your posture.
If the chance arises, try to wear open footwear like sandals and flip flops will allow your feet to breath in some natural light. If it’s a sunny day don’t forget to slap a layer of sun cream on too!
Cleanliness
Keeping your feet clean isn’t limited to your footwear and changing shoes/socks on a regular basis. Something as simple as giving your feet a good scrub down (including between the toes) helps the skin to breath, and drying thoroughly afterwards will prevent damp that can lead to fungal infections.
Moisturize
If you’ve got chapped lips you use a chap stick and if you’ve got dry skin anywhere else you moisturize. Just because our feet are hidden most of the time doesn’t mean you should neglect them. It’ll only take a few extra seconds to slap a layer on your feet when moisturizing after shaving or washing so there is no reason not to.
Pedicures and Treatments
This one isn’t a daily task but who doesn’t like to be pampered?! Although the option to go to a professional pedicure or spa is down to you and your budget, they don’t need to be expensive. Actually you don’t even need to leave the house! There are plenty of methods to do a foot pedicure at home using household items and products you more than likely already have in your beauty arsenal.
Another treatment that has become extremely popular in recent years since its inception in Japan and Croatia in 2006 is ‘Doctor Fish’ or fish pedicures. If you’re not familiar with the craze, it’s when you put your feet in a tank of fish called Garra Rufas that eat the dry skin off your feet, leaving the healthy parts to grow.
Regular cutting and filing of the toenails also helps to keep feet looking fresh and attractive.
Although not all of us have the time or money to have regular pedicures and treatments, there is nothing preventing anyone from regularly applying the other four tips above with daily tasks like getting dressed and bathing. A little extra attention to your feet and you can have a set of toes no one would be ashamed of showing off by the pool next summer!
By: Rachel Thomas is a beauty writer and reviewer for Beflattered who offer a great range of foot creams and advice to keep your feet and the rest of your body looking great!
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