Summer is a season when your feet is always on display. It is hard to keep them looking their best when the weather is hot. Exposing the feet to the sun and walking on hot sand could leave them rough and dry.

Beautician Elma Brooks says women should pay close attention to their feet for them to look picture perfect and feel as soft as a baby’s foot the whole summer season.

Exfoliate, exfoliate and exfoliate:

Rubbing the dead skin off will instantly make the skin smoother. “The surfaced dead skin will pile up and harden and will hurt when walking. Exfoliating will activate the moisturizer and will make it easier to absorb. Rather than loading cream on dead skin, just smoothen a fresh new layer,” said Brooks. “You can have them scrubbed at the spa by a professional or do it at home using the foot scrub tool or scrubbing beads such as salt or sugar,” she added.

Stay away from feet soaking:

Many people might think soaking the feet can help dehydrate dry feet. “This is not true, your feet does not crave water, they crave moisturizer after exfoliation and you should dry them off very well,” said Brooks. “Never leave your feet wet, always wipe off the water to stay away from potential fungus and if you plan to sleep in with moisturized feet, wash them off first thing in the morning,” she added.

Shower with a pumice stone:

Any texture stone would do, just take advantage of the wet feet and scrub the callouses off your feet. “You can do this daily or every other day, depending on how dry your feet are. Just don’t put too much pressure on the feet to avoid any external damage to the skin cells,” said Brooks.

Overdose on the moisturizer:

People are overusing their heels and as a result, they tend to dry out more easily than other parts of the feet. “Heels have very thick skin, this means they are less penetrable and need more attention to lock up on moisture,” said Brooks. “You need something thicker than just liquid lotion, try heavy creams and petroleum jelly. For even better results always apply before going to bed and wear thick socks,” she added.

Lather on sunscreen:

Many apply SPF on their face and upper body and neglect their feet, this is a big mistake, according to Brooks. “Every inch of your skin needs protection from the sun, your nails also need to be protected so make sure to lather up on your sunscreen,” she said. “Sunscreen is able to lock the moisture and protect the skin from the burning sun rays. Wind, sand and sun is able to dry the skin, cuticles and nails, which might harm nail growth.

This can be avoided by just following a healthy sunscreen routine,” she added.

Eat clean:

Experts and nutritionists say there are some foods that are able to make your feet swell and bloat. These kinds of food must be avoided as much as possible. “Foods that are loaded with salt are the most likely to trap water in the body causing it to bloat. Try avoiding fried and packaged foods, which are heavily salted,” said brooks. “Sugar-loaded foods can cause foot puffiness, this is a good reason for you to minimize your sugar intake if you are looking for a slim look,” she added.

Let your toes free:

Give your feet a break and let them breathe. “We encourage you to wear flip flops and expose your toes and let them soak up the sun and wind. This will encourage your nails to grow healthy and get rid of chemical residue,” said Brooks. “Give your nails a break from nail polish for at least two days a week to prevent discoloration, especially if you are one of those fashionistas who like to wear a dark nail polish,” she added.

Get regular pedicures:

You don’t need to spend tons of money at the spa doing pedicures. It is easy to get it done at home and be summer ready.

“First, soak your feet in warm water to soften the nails. Dig any dirt out from under your nails with the wooden nail stick and then clip your nails straight across before filing. Don’t cut into the corners of your nails, and don’t clip them too short — that can cause ingrown nails,” said Brooks. “Never, ever cut your cuticles, they help keep germs away from your skin and nails. When you’re ready for polish, don’t forget to use a base coat to prevent yellowing and a top coat after to help your pedicure last longer,” she added.

Remember not to worry when the sand causes your nail polish to lose its shine. Just swipe a layer of clear coat over your nail color after you shower and dry it off. Your polish will go from matte to shiny again in no time!

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