With summer right around the corner and the sun already making an appearance, it’s finally time to break out your warm weather clothes! Of course we all think about prepping our “beach bodies,” but it is super easy to forget one important part: our feet. So before you break out that cute new pair of sandals you bought last year, let’s get your winter toes warmed up and ready to shine!

Pedicure

I know pedicures aren’t part of everyone’s monthly budget, but the end of winter is the best time to treat yourself and get a head start on taking care of your feet! It is absolutely worth spending the extra money to have someone clean up your tootsies for you – then all you have to do is maintain! Then throughout the summer (if you don’t feel like going to the salon again), you can give yourself DIY pedicures at home! Give yourself an at home foot soak (try our Revitalizing Foot Soak) and massage and give your feet the love they deserve. Try to cut your toenails pretty much straight across and trim off any sharp edges; cutting them too round can cause them to grow into the sides of your nail bed which is the beginning of ingrown toenails. And don’t forget to use a base coat before you put polish on your toes! Base coats help to protect the nail from staining and help the polish last longer.

Wash and Exfoliate

Our feet go through a lot of wear and tear, especially in the summer. In the warm months when I wear sandals a lot, I try to think of taking care of my feet like taking care of my face. Try to get into a routine of washing your feet and face at the end of every day to remove dirt. Then, two or three times a week, give your skin a little extra love and exfoliate as part of your bedtime routine! A good foot exfoliation product is our Stimulating Food Scrub, and you can also invest in a foot file or pumice stone to help remove hard calluses on the feet. Remember, don’t exfoliate too often or you may hurt your skin!

Moisturize

Feet that are used a lot and that wear open heeled shoes tend to become cracked and dry quicker. So, after you give your feet a wash or exfoliate them, don’t forget to moisturize! Just like the face, the skin on our feet needs to be rehydrated after you strip its natural oils during a wash. You can moisturize after a shower, or right before bed if you don’t like walking around with lotion on your feet. For hydration in the morning, our Exhilarating Foot Lotion will help you feel energized and ready to take on the day. For bedtime, try our Warming Foot Lotion. If you aren’t crazy about either of those, that Rough Skin Cream you used on your dry hands all winter works for dry feet as well! For extra smooth skin, massage your lotion into your feet before bed and put socks on right away. Keep them on all night to help your skin absorb every last bit of hydration.

Sunscreen

Playing under the sun without protection is an obvious health risk. But did you remember to put sunscreen on your feet? Every part of your body is susceptible to sun damage, even your toenails! So, don’t be afraid to be thorough with your sunblock to help keep your skin looking happy and radiant.

Shoe Choice

It is so easy to throw on a simple pair of flat sandals or flip flops to wear during summer, but just because it’s nice outside doesn’t mean we can forget about foot support! Shoes that are too flat can cause tendonitis, stress fractures, and heel pain. So when you’re out shopping for your fun summer shoes, invest in at least one pair of supportive sandals – your body will thank you!