At top: For tried-and-true beach footwear, rely on flip-flop brands like Flojos to do what they do best. The Caribbean sandal has an inch-and-a-half foam base and plastic straps to provide springy comfort without breaking the bank. Whether you spent a hundred dollars for a pair of flip-flops or several thousand for a fashionable pair of the season's trendiest sandals, have no shame when you bare a good pedicure and perfectly soft feet. Here are some ideas to peel off rough dry skin and to keep your treads pretty and energised this summer:
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Say ahhh when your soak your feet in a warm bath with Lavender or Tea Tree Oil -- 100 per cent -- pure essential oils from Starfish Oils. Plus, try their Blue Mountain and Ortanique brown sugar body scrubs great for pedicures.
Look for Starfish Oils products in local pharmacies, beauty and department stores.
Get cracked heel relief from York Pharmacy in Half-Way Tree, Kingston, with the appropriately named Cracked Heel Relief Cream for $366. Then scrub your feet baby smooth and stimulate tired peds with a dose of Foot Therapy, $350. To soften rough, callused soles, add some Soap and Soap, $190, to your foot bath.
(Products available at local pharmacies.)
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Nars nail polish is formulated for durability (read: no more chipping!) and the vast spectrum of colours guarantee trendy toes or sophisticated simplicity. Our favourites include Schiap (named after Elsa Schiaparelli), a bright, shocking pink; Boccacio, a pearly, pinky-peach; Capri, a bright summer coral; and Hunger, a searing red-orange. (Glittering nail polish in the season's hottest colours are available at pharmacies, beauty counters and department stores.)
baby-bottomsoft feet
Portmore, St. Catherine, manicurist Omelia Plummer, says St. Ives and Barefoot foot scrub are great for
blasting calluses.
Scrub the top and bottom of your feet and between the toes, using a wooden pedifile, sold in stores, advises Plummer.
For soft, nice-smelling feet, add drops of ginseng oil to the foot bath.It's also a great moisturizer.
Foot powders, callus and corn removers, are readily available from pharmacies and beauty supply stores. Get rid of corns by soaking your feet in warm salt water. Buff the affected area with a coarse emery board, and then apply a pineapple slice for five minutes over the corn. The enzymes will help to further dissolve the corn.
Add the juice of half a lime or one lemon and a cup of oatmeal to a basin with warm water to soften your skin. Soak for 10 minutes, while rubbing the oatmeal all over your feet.
Make a highly effective foot tonic by microwaving a cup of milk, one tablespoon dry mint leaves, one teaspoon rosemary & one teaspoon peppermint extract. Apply the mixture to feet with a clean, dry cloth. Brush off residue and wrap feet in plastic wrap. Wait 5 minutes and rinse thoroughly. (http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm/article_id,7728)
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Lather's new Eucalyptus Foaming Foot Scrub with Pumice soothes tired and puffy feet, as natural pumice exfoliates and lavender increases circulation. But if an overwhelming scent of trees is not your thing, then try Jaqua Girls Honey and Almond Foot Scrub. Part of the line's bakery collection, sweet almond, jojoba and macadamia nut oil are the second-best thing to dessert. (Lather Eucalyptus Foot Scrub, US$21 at Henri Bendel and www.latherup.com; Jaqua Girls Honey and Almond Foot Scrub, US$15 at www.nordstrom.com)
Z.Bigatti takes feet seriously. But with a well-touted skincare line used by celebrities, its miracle creams don't come cheap. The 'Footlights' Foot Cream is best used before bed and promises to conquer rough patches, calluses and hardened skin while relieving chapped heels and softening damaged soles. It's priced at $109 for a two-ounce jar, but if you consider what you spent on the Manolos, that seems downright cheap. (Z.Bigatti 'Footlights' Foot Cream, $109 at Sephora stores and www.nordstrom.com)
Fresh's Rice Formula Foot Soak's sake and Siberian fir extract releases their softening and stimulating qualities as soon as they hit a basin of warm water. Enriched with anti-inflammatory Umbrian Clay, this soak softens calloused skin, making it easier to pumice off stubborn areas with Fresh's absolute-must-have Foot File.
(Fresh Foot Soak, $38 for five packages; Fresh Foot File, $14 at Sephora and Fresh stores in the U.S.)
