Before You Take Your Shoes Off In Public...
I love being barefoot.
Ever since I was young, my mom told me, that I never kept my shoes on for more than I needed to. And as an adult, wherever possible, I take them off. I love feeling the grass, sand, ground or whatever surface I’m walking on under my feet. But before you ask -no, I’m not one of those who kicks her shoes off at work and smells up the whole office. Nor am I that person makes myself extra comfortable in people’s houses where everyone else has their shoes on. But on my time, in my space - the shoes are off.
However, if you’re like me and you always have your feet out, those feet have to be in good shape. Even if you don’t necessarily like showing your feet, at some point in your life you will find yourself either at someone’s house, a pool, a beach or other places that require you to be barefoot. So instead of letting those situations just spring up on us, let’s be proactive and get started on beautifying those extremities
Source: hanahana_beauty
Now I’ll be the first to admit, the top of my feet are pretty as can be. The bottom however, are a nightmare. Most people’s are. The palms of the hands and the soles of the feet are the only parts of the human body lacking what are known as sebaceous glands. According to a study done by National Institutes of Health (NIH), sebaceous glands secrete oils which “lubricate the skin to protect against friction and makes it more impervious to moisture.” This oil, called sebum, also “possesses an innate antibacterial activity and has a pro- and anti-inflammatory function,” which helps it to play an active role in healing any wounds or cuts the skin may receive. Therefore, the key to helping our feet stay in tip top shape is keeping them moisturized.
Of course, there’s more to keeping our feet moisturized than just lotioning them. And if the feet are crusty or peeling and dry, there’s a few more steps before slathering on lotion. Here are a few tips that can help us upgrade not-so-beautiful feet to those that rival a baby’s. I’ve linked suggested products and information as well.
Source: Basebutter
Removing dead skin There are a variety of ways to do this. One way is by exfoliating them manually, using either a scrub, pumice stone, or foot file to really get in there and slough off the ugly stuff. Another option is exfoliating chemically, using a foot peel or mask, like those by Baby Foot or Sephora.
Cleaning Now that a fresh new layer of skin has been revealed, be sure to wash thoroughly with soap and water. Between the toes and all that good stuff. This is a no-brainer, but this should be done daily.
Moisturizing After washing and drying feet and in between toes thoroughly, now is the time to really get in there and grease them up. Keeping in mind that the only way to retain the moisture you gave your feet in the shower is by sealing it off with oils, it’s important to use a very thick cream or even something like a Vaseline or Aquaphor to keep our feet super soft.
Maintaining Now that your feet have received an extreme makeover, the last thing you want to do is reverse all that hard work we just did. So it’s important to continuously do the steps above, especially moisturizing. We also want to be sure to wear socks whenever wearing closed shoes, to avoid the growth of fungus from sweat and dirt between the toes.
See how simple that was? Let me know if you have tried any of these tips (or any others) in the comments below.
Source: shannyland_
