Health & Beauty
SIMPLY LIVING FRANCE
PAGE 49
Getting Summer Feet Ready
After spending many months with our feet wrapped up in socks, boots or slippers, our feet are often neglected, so now its time to give them some much needed TLC. This month, I am going to give you a guide to giving your feet a pamper. Firstly, take a foot spa or bowl and fill it with 2/3 warm water. Add in your favourite bubble bath or bath oil, with a pinch of epsom salt (or any specific foot soak you may have). Soak your feet for about 10 minutes.
Use a foot scrub (or mix the following;1tbsp grapeseed oil, 2tbsp granulated sugar, 3 drops peppermint essential oil), concentrating on dry skin. If you have a foot file or pumice stone, use it with the scrub to help reduce hard skin. Rinse off. Pat your feet dry. Give your nails a trim if needed (straight across, to minimise risk of ingrowing nails), use a nail file to eliminate any sharp edges you may have. Use a nail brush to remove any dirt from under your nails. Using your favourite foot lotion, its time to give your feet a massage. Warm some lotion in your hands and spread over one of your feet. Starting on your big toe, gently rub from the top down, making sure to pay attention to your toenail and cuticle. Do this for each toe. Gently push your toes up and then down several times, to stretch out the tendons along your foot. Next, move on to the ball of the foot, using your thumbs to make circular motions, and then back and forth from side to side. Move slowly down your arch and mid-foot to your heel, using an up and down motion (if you are ticklish, you can avoid this area). Continue with circular motions over your heel, if you have any areas of tightness here, apply pressure with your thumbs, hold for a few seconds and release. Come around the back of your heel to the achilles tendon. This can be very tight, as it gives us a lot of support, so it may be tender. If this is the case, then massage the area gently. Continue with circular movements around this area and the back of your heel. Place your hands either side of your foot and rub up and down, do the same on the top and
bottom. Finish with a gentle squeeze. Repeat on your other foot. If you wish to paint your nails, firstly you will need some nail polish remover on a tissue and wipe over each nail (do not use cotton wool, as this can leave fibres behind and ruin the finish of your nail polish). Remember to apply a base coat to prevent staining of your nails and follow with two coats of your chosen colour. Finish off with a top coat to seal in the colour, which will help it last longer.
If you find you have a lot of tension under your foot, take a tennis ball and roll your foot over this. If there is an area that is tender, don’t press too hard on the ball. Going barefoot, sitting on the sofa with your feet on the floor, raising your heels, all can help gently stretch out your feet too. Your feet should now be feeling refreshed, and ready for sandals. You can repeat this weekly, however the massage you can do every day. If your nails and cuticles are dry, then apply some oil twice daily (grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil are both very good for this). If your feet are especially dry, and prone to cracking, apply a thick layer of foot lotion to your feet when you get into bed, and cover with cotton socks. This will allow it to soak in overnight and your feet will feel much softer.
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