Summer is upon us and it’s likely at least some of the time your feet will be in sandals or flip flops or nothing at all, and I have a confession to make:  I have a thing about feet; not only do I want mine to look pretty, I notice if yoursaren’t.

Well, maybe not everyone but definitely those with dry, cracked heels (blech!) or chipped polish from a three-month old pedi (ick).

Age and genetics make it harder to maintain nice looking feet–it won’t happen without intention.  But with a little care and attention, you’ll have pretty feet all Summer (and the rest of the year, too).

First, a few fun foot facts to consider ~

  • The skin on your feet is 20 times thicker than on any other part of your body.
  • The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps in a day.
  • When running, the pressure on your feet is as much as four times your body weight.
  • There are about 250,000 sweat glands on a pair of feet.

Taking care of your feet is simple and yields long-term health results (especially if you have a family history of diabetes).  A professional pedicure is one of my guiltiest pleasures and most satisfying indulgences, but because they’re costly and take time, I do so only as a treat.  In between those special visits, here are my best suggestions for maintaining healthy and happy tootsies:

Five Tips for Pretty Feet

1.  Keep skin soft and smooth. After showering, apply a think layer of lotion on top and bottoms of feet; skip between the toes.

2.  Pumice rough spots 2-3 times a week. Invest in a good pumice stone to slough away the callouses that form over time.  It’s best to soak feet in water to soften them or pumice after standing in the shower a few minutes.  If you callouses and corns are substantial and you’re just beginning treatment, don’t try to remove them in a day!  Gradually wear down the rough areas with consistent use of the stone.  Never rub so hard you break skin.  Be sure to rinse your pumice stone and let it air dry between use.

3. Use a heavier treatment at night. Even though I lotion and pumice my feet regularly, they look best when I take the next step–applying HeelTastic Intensive Heel Therapy at night.  It’s one of those “As Seen on TV” products I’ve tried and seen good results (I like it because it’s easy to apply because of its soft-stick form like deodorant).  You could also try Vaseline and slipping on socks to avoid greasy footprints on your carpet or sheets.

4.  Keep toenails trimmed straight across and file edges.

5.  An occasional cuticle treatment will make an amazing difference in the overall appearance of your feet.

And, of course, the icing on your tootsie cake is sassy and sexy nail polish.  If you’ve read my blog, you might’ve noticed my dream job is OPI Color Namer.  I’ll often choose a color based on the name and not the color!  I still think “I’m Not Really a Waitress” is one of the best names in the history of nail polish, though I haven’t used it in years.

What about you?  Do you have a favorite nail polish color, OPI or otherwise?  Do share!