Get Your Feet Ready for Summer in No Time with These Tips

It's easy to let our feet go during the winter months. Boots and closed toe shoes keep our feet warm and well hidden. With summer upon us, making sure our feet look great is an absolute must in order to wear the sassy sandal styles that are all the rage this season.

While getting a professional pedicure is something we would all love to do, not all of us have the time or money to get our feet pampered by a pro. You can still achieve a great looking pedicure at home that will make your feet look lovely and polished in a few minutes and very inexpensively.

Start off by soaking your feet for 10-15 minutes in a tub of warm water. You can add a few drops of essential oils such as lavender, mint or rosemary for a more relaxing and aroma-therapeutic experience. The warm water will help to soften any calluses you have as well as soften your cuticles.

After soaking your feet, you want to pat them dry and remove any excess dead skin or calluses that may be on your toes and heels. You can use a pumice stone or the PedEgg which you can buy at local drugstores and which removes calluses and rough skin on your feet like a dream. After smoothing your feet out, use an orange stick to push back your cuticles. If you prefer to use a cuticle remover make sure that it has been sanitized to avoid getting any painful or unsightly infections.

Once your cuticles are pushed back, your toenails are ready to be groomed. It's best to cut them in a straight line rather than with rounded edges. Rounded nails tend to snag more easily as well as develop painful hangnails. Feel free to use a nail file to really smooth out your toenails for really polished and professional look.

Now that your feet are cleaned up and looking great, massage them with your favorite moisturizer. Feet can become very dry during the summer as they are exposed to the elements, as well as to drying agents like chlorine. To keep your feet feeling baby soft, consider using Vaseline or a thick lotion on them at night and then covering them up with socks. When you remove the socks in the morning your feet will be silky smooth and beautiful.

Choosing to use nail polish on your toenails is completely up to you. Nice, nude nails that look well tended and clean are very attractive as are nails that are more bold and jewel toned or just a demure shade of pink. Whatever strikes your fancy is just fine for your pedi.

Making sure that your feet are ready for summer's sandal styles is essential. Nothing is more unattractive then seeing dry, cracked, unkempt feet in open toed shoes. With a few simple steps you can make sure that your feet look great and are ready for the hot, long days of summer. So, put away those boots and get ready to let your toes show in a great new pair of sandals!