Get Your Feet Ready For Sandal Season!

While many women are worried about preparing their bodies for bathing suit season, I cannot help but focus all of my worries on preparing my feet for sandal season! This is not to say that I feel like I have a perfect body: nonetheless, I would almost rather see my bottom in a thong than one of my feet!

My feet have just never looked that great – I have cracked heels, odd calluses, bones that stick out on the top and sides of my feet, bruised toenails, and both my second and third toe are longer than my big toe! Needless to say: my feet are not pretty. Nonetheless, I love the feeling of the summer air on my feet, and I am going to wear sandals during the summer, no matter how many people I offend. The question is, how will I make my feet semi-presentable?

Here are some helpful hints for getting your feet ready for summer:

· Go get a pedicure. This is a luxury that all women deserve to have at least once a year (if not once a month). Perhaps you may be embarrassed to have someone else see your feet at such close quarters – do not worry, though. You can take comfort in knowing that they have seen feet worse than yours. In fact, let me give you the number of my pedicurist, and you can know for a fact that she has seen feet that are worse than yours!

· Alright, so perhaps you do not have the money for a pedicure. Never fear, here are some other helpful hints. Start out by filling a basin full of warm water. Put in it a dab of your favorite bath oil and two dabs of baking soda. You can also include bath beads if you like. Soak your feet for at least 15 minutes, preferably longer. This will clean and soften your feet (and it is especially useful for softening calluses and corns).

· Dry your feet off and then use a skin file. This will help you smooth out those cracked heels. For a little extra help, use a pumice stone. These two tools will help you smooth over all of the rough edges of your feet. A pedicurist will also use a tool that will cut off your calluses for ultra-smooth feet. I, personally, do not recommend this. Yes, your feet will feel great, but if summertime is your playtime, you will regret losing those calluses that you spent so long to build up – your first hike will leave your feet blistered and looking worse than ever!

· Apply a thick foot lotion. I prefer any foot lotion with the refreshing smell of mint.

· Now it is time to deal with your toenails. Use your emery board to shape your toenails. Be sure, though, not to completely round off and shorten the corners of your toenails, this can lead to an ingrown toenail. Rather, try to square off your toenails. Do not leave your toenails long! Long fingernails are alright, but long toenails are disgusting, to say the least.

· Use a cuticle stick or cuticle cutters to minimize your cuticles. Be gentle. You do not want to cause in bleeding.

· Painted toenails are pretty toenails. Just know, before you paint your toenails, that it is a look that you will have to keep up. Toenails with chipped polish look a lot worse than ones that have not been painted at all.

· Use a base coat. A base coat will fortify and protect the nail itself.

· Choose a fun and bright color for your polish. Choose one that matches your skin tone.

· You can separate overlapping toes with a cotton ball.

· For really fun toenails, take a toothpick and dip it into another color of polish. Gently dabble the toothpick on your toe nail, leaving round dot. You can continue this dotted pattern to create a flower – use a different color for the center of the flower.

· Use a clear protective coat to finish.

· Do not even try walking until your toenails are at least dry to the touch (even at this point, though, you must be careful.

The Sandals:

· Now that your feet are looking better, it is time to pick out the right pair of sandals. Realize that different sandals look better on different feet.

· For me, I have the onset of a bunion on my right foot, and I find that a thong flip flop with a thick strap hides this quite well.

· If you have a bone that sticks out on the top of your foot, a slide with a thick strap that covers the top of your foot generally looks good.

· Be sure that you have properly fitting sandals – it is noticeable if your toes or foot gush off the edges. It is also noticeable, on the other hand, of there is more than just a small border of sole around your foot.

· If you have narrow feet, be sure to get a sandal with a narrow sole – it will be obvious if there is a few inches of extra sole with no foot.

· If you are very self-conscious about your toes, it is possible to find a close-toed sandal. There are even some close-toed sandals that are strappy and allow your toes fresh air.

· Distract from less-than-perfect feet by bringing attention to your feet! It may sound odd, but if you have a pair of flip flops with a giant flower or sandals with lots of beads and sequins, the attention may actually be drawn away from your feet and to the sandals themselves.

· A sandal with heel is flattering on women with larger feet – it lessens the size of your foot. It also makes your legs look longer and better shaped.

· Wear sandals that suit the place of event you are headed to. There are so many different styles of sandals now, from very casual to ultra-elegant. And realize, too, that just as jeans can range from casual to formal these days, so can your typical thong flip flop! Some women even wear thongs with their wedding dresses!