Getting Your Feet Sandal Ready for Summer

Your feet are valuable assets that are unfortunately ignored. If you have been living in socks all winter and spring, you might find your feet in desperate need of air. Don't hide them in Mary Janes this summer, either. Here are few tips on how to get your feet sandal ready for summer.

Adding to your personal foot spa

Most sandal wearers complain about calluses being the most unsightly part of their foot. Calluses can be found on the top of your foot where a favorite pair of shoes rubs or most commonly on the heels. These are fairly simple to soften, but it takes a little preparation. Check out your local drug store to find a Callus softener. Dr. Scholl's offers a corn and callus remover that comes in a small bottle; you use the installed 'eye dropper' top to cover your corns or calluses for removal. You can also get this handy treatment in a bandage type system that you just stick on for a specified period of time. Because it takes a little time, and sometimes a matter of a few treatments over a week's time, you will need to lay off sandals while the weather is still changing. This will ensure that your feet will be callus free at the start of the really hot weather.

A simpler item to have on hand is a foot tub. This will make it more convenient for you to soak your feet in a softening solution to get rid of odors and scaly skin. It is also handy for just washing your feet at the end of the day before going to sleep to prevent skin irritations from shoes worn all day. Keep this tub in your bathroom so you will remember to use it.

Before going to bed, you will want to put a good lotion on that is specially formulated for feet. Purchase some 'footies' to wear to bed so that your feet can fully absorb this lotion without rubbing off onto your sheets while you sleep. In the morning your feet will be smooth and soft for sandal wearing. You can reapply a basic lotion for the day in the morning, but be sure to treat your feet to a specialized lotion in the evening. The Body Shop offers a few items for this use, including a refreshing peppermint lotion that soothes and smoothes.

Another great item to keep on hand is a foot file. These usually have two sides of a sandpaper type texture with a handle for ease of use. If you have a hard time keeping calluses away, than look for one that has a metal side similar to a cheese grater; use this on your heels and other callus prone areas first before using the smoothing side. To keep from causing scratches from these simple instruments, pay close attention not to file the parts that have no calluses; slipping can cause a nasty scratch on your ankles, so don't try to do two things at once with these. Pumice bars will work well for those that have thinner calluses or are just trying to prevent them from building again. Don't forget to add this item to your foot spa or you'll find that those calluses you got rid of will come back with vengeance.

Words of Advice about Foot Decoration

Toe rings look great on most foot types, but if they bother your toes it is best not to use them. It is also best to follow some sanitary rules about using toe rings. Try not to trade toe rings with your friends to avoid passing on foot diseases. Because most toe rings are metal with a coating on them, you will need to protect the coating from wearing away by taking them off when you go swimming or are in the shower. Leaving a toe ring on constantly can cause your toes to be irritated or leave a rusted ring around them. If you wear them at the beach you risk a tan line there as well. You should also buy toe rings that compliment the sandals you will be wearing. For example, don't buy a toe ring that can't be seen over the strap of your sandal.

Painting your toenails can make them look sandal ready in seconds. Try to stay away from dark colors for the summer months. Because you will likely need to refresh your coat of paint every week or so, you should choose a subtle color of pink or get a French pedicure. This way it will not be as noticeable if it begins to chip as the dark colors are.

Summer weather will be hear before you know it, why not get your feet ready for a season of sandal wearing now.