This week: Sloughing off that dead skin to get sandal-friendly feet
While on the one hand this winter seems to have lasted forever, the fact that a bit of warm weather is now here makes you (or me anyway!) feel it wasn’t so very long ago that you were last desperately trying to get your body in decent enough shape for the great summer reveal.
If the thought of ditching your 60-denier tights and getting your Birkenstocks (or rather more glamorous strappy shoes) out is bringing you out in a cold sweat, you need to take action.
Heels, ankles and even the tops of feet can look dry, scaly and generally rather unappealing after a winter of thick socks and boots. So what can you do?
If your sensitive skin can tolerate a pumice stone, use it gently on those areas where skin is thick and dry. Afterwards, try rubbing in a super-thick footcream or other cream for very dry skin. Queen Skin Cream (£14.95 for 50g or £23.00 for 100g) is excellent, is specially formulated for sensitive skin, and has a multitude of other uses which makes it an essential component of any beauty bag or dressing table. Let the cream sink in before dressing.
Before you go to bed, massage in more cream so that it can work while you sleep. Ensure that you massage the cream into and around your nails to prepare them for nail varnish, pushing cuticles back gently as you go.
Painting your toenails will give your feet an instant lift. Doing it ahead of time means you can take your time and make sure they look perfect rather than trying to do it five minutes before you’re due to head off to that summer wedding (this always happens to me and I end up trying to do it in the car – it’s not easy to be accurate when your feet are vibrating on the dashboard as you hurtle up the M25). Choose a pale pink or neutral colour to avoid staining and to make removal or touch-ups easier. If you do wish to use one of the many gorgeous brights on offer, use clear nail varnish first to prevent it staining your nails.
Start now and we promise you’ll be well ahead of the pack and can smile smugly as you head out in your fabulous new sandals while your friends wilt in their black opaques.
