I love well taken care of feet. Well, my own anyway. I’m not really into feet all that much, I just sincerely loathe the idea of nasty, unkempt, hot-weather hot-mess feet. I might be a foot fetishist’s dream, really, because I’ve spent a good portion of my post-pubescent life devoted to pedicures, proper footwear, and varied foot care practices. Allow me to share:
1. Peppermint Foot Spray. On a hot summer day everyone’s tootsies somehow creep over the boiling point and become hot, stinky bombs from hell- which is precisely why peppermint is perfect. It naturally cools and deodorizes while kicking any growing bacteria in the you-know-what. This one from Elizabeth Grant is pretty delish, and I’ve been known to spritz my husband’s back post-workout with it as well.
2. Fashion Flats. In the arsenal of better foot care we all need a couple really good pairs of flats. The first is a pair you wear non-stop, several times a week with your shorts, colored jeans, dresses, and all sorts of other beautiful frocks. I love these from Yosi Samra. They’re chic, simple, and have just enough detail to say “yeah, I care, but not enough to take me out of the ‘cool kids’ world.”
3. The Flat You Didn’t Know You Needed. These, perhaps, are even more vital to your happy foot existence than any other shoe. Let’s face it: you’re not going to give up heels and wildly uncomfy footwear anytime soon, so let’s find a solution to that dreaded end-of-the-day problem of aches and blisters. Foldable flats can be stashed in your bag, don’t break the bank, look cute, and can get you to-and-fro the subway, the club and your chauffeur, or your car and the front door of your ex boyfriend’s house (wait, what?). I love these by CitySlips… they’re simple, mega comfy, and often leave you feeling tricked into wearing them for a few hours when they go undetected as temporary shoes.
4. When the day is done, keep ’em moisturized. One of the most important steps in pretty, unstinkified feet is keeping them constantly hydrated. That means keeping your circulation good with lots of water (skip the caffeine, ladies!), and having a good, rich foot balm in your bag and on your nightstand at all times. This step is necessary year round, and I love Weleda’s because it softens, hydrates, and gradually sloughs off yucky calluses (which if you keep this routine up, you might never have again). Use it every night for a week and cover with socks and you’ll be walking on clouds.
