Our feet can take a beating when we’re walking on them all day. And even though professional pedicures can keep feet looking and feeling their best, it can be a challenge to schedule regular visits to the salon. A little bit of home care can make a big difference in your foot and toenail health between pedicures—and you either already have most of what you need around the house or can pick it up on a simple trip to the pharmacy or grocery store.
Ready to get started? Here’s what your foot care routine should look like…
Begin with a foot soak
Care begins with a good soak in a foot bath, which will not only reduce swelling and promote good blood flow, but also help control bacteria and odor that often plague feet kept inside sweaty socks and shoes all day. Create a mix of equal parts baking soda, Epsom salt, and table salt, then dissolve in a tub of warm water large enough to hold both feet. If you want to, you can add marbles to the bottom of the tub to massage the bottoms of your feet while you let them soak. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to perfume your feet. Doing two foot baths per week should be enough to keep your feet clean and hygienic, though soaking them more often could lead to irritation or dryness.
Remove dead or calloused skin
After a 20- to 30-minute soak, your skin should be soft and prime for removing dead skin and calluses. Dry your feet thoroughly and use a pumice stone to gently rub away any calloused parts of your feet. Take note, however: Don’t use a razor to cut away dead skin. Although you may have seen your pedicurist do this, it’s not a safe practice for home use. This is also the point in your foot care when you can trim your nails. Finish off by exfoliating your feet with a homemade scrub. Combine one cup brown sugar, half-cup honey, half-cup oatmeal, and one tablespoon olive oil. Lather the scrub on your feet and massage gently. Rinse off with warm water.
Moisturize and deodorize
Your feet are prone to dryness, particularly during the winter. After soaking and washing them, generously lather them with coconut oil or a medicated foot cream. Soak a towel in hot water and use it to wrap your moisturized feet. Keep the towel on your feet for 10 minutes or until the towel has cooled. While this process is ideal after your twice-a-week foot soak, you should keep your feet moisturized throughout the week. Every time you get out of the shower, lather up with foot cream or balm. You should also use deodorant powder on your feet every morning or more frequently if necessary (especially on sweaty days).
Take care with sensitive skin or wounds
Although properly caring for your feet in this way will keep them in good condition, you may need to take extra care if you have sensitive skin or any kind of wound, like a cut or irritated skin. Consult a doctor before you soak a wound in any kind of foot bath, as this could lead to infection. Additionally, you should make sure you’re not allergic to any essential oils you’re adding to the bath. Redness or swelling could be a sign that your toenails are infected. You should also watch out for ingrown toenails, which will be painful and often show themselves with redness and swelling. If your toenails get thick and take on a yellowish or blackish color, this could be a sign of toenail fungus. Any of these conditions warrants a visit to your doctor for examination.
And finally, schedule that pedicure
No amount of DIY care is a replacement for that of a professional. Pedicures keep your feet healthy by reducing the risk of developing fungus or infection, and by promoting stronger, healthier nails. Removing dead skin from your feet will encourage new skin growth, and the improved circulation from the warm soak and massage will lead to healthier muscles in your feet, so there’s less risk of arthritis and varicose veins.
