Caring for Dry Rough Feet

With summer right around the corner we will soon be pulling out or sandals, flip flops, and other more revealing shoes. Of course who wants to show off their feet when they are dry and rough. We want our feet to look great in those summer shoes. I have some tips that will have your feet looking their best so you will show them off with pride. They will be soft, smooth , and beautiful. Here are the steps to having beautiful feet. Step one use a pumice stone. Pumice stones can be found at most local retailers such as Wal Mart, CVS, and other drug stores. Use the pumice stone on dry feet at first. Start by rubbing back and forth gently. Rub over your heels and other dry areas of your feet. Rub your feet with the pumice stone for about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not try to remove all the dry skin in one day, it may take several depending on how dry your feet are. Next fill a basin or the tub with warm water add a few drops of body wash or liquid soap and sprinkle in a little baking soda.You may also add an essential oil of your favorite scent to the water. Soak your feet for about 5 to 10 minutes. Be sure to use a wash cloth to clean them and be sure to get between the toes. Use the pumice stone once again gently in the back and forth motion. Rub your feet with the pumice stone for another 1 to 2 minutes. Apply a foot cream, I like the Lamisilk which can be found at most local retailers. I recommend doing this at least twice a week and applying foot cream or moisturizer at least once a day or more. Next if you desire give yourself a pedicure. Remove any old polish or even if you don't have polish on use a cotton ball that is soaked with acetone remover and gently press on the nail and work from the base to the nail tip in one stroke. Clean under your toe nails and then clip them straight across. Gently file with an emery board to smooth away tears and to make sure tip is smooth. Apply a cuticle oil or lotion and gentle massage into cuticle. Apply a clear base coat, then select your desired color of polish. Apply one stroke to the center of your nail from base to tip and then repeat this procedure on the sides. Apply a second coat if necessary, once that is dry to the touch apply another clear coat for protection against chipping. Take a Q-tip that has been dipped in acetone remover and remove polish from areas it does not belong carefully, you don't want to remove it from the nail. Be sure when applying polishes to use thin coats, thick coats will not dry completely and will chip easily. Reapply a clear coat every 2 to 3 days for added protection and shine. Once your nails are completely dry slip on your favorite sandals and show off your beautiful feet. At night I recommend using Lamisilk overnight moisturizing seal or applying petroleum jelly and slipping on a pair of white cotton socks to lock in moisture. Doing this will help keep your feet smooth and soft. Also once a week after soaking your feet use a foot exfoilating scrub. Use the exfoilating scrub according to directions

How to Have Beautiful Feet in Six Easy Steps

I get asked often how I keep my feet so nice. Well, I'm giving up all my secrets here...

Beautiful feet are acquired. They come from attention to details and dedication, but it's not really that hard. Just a few habits you can lean can easily get used to. Soon they'll be second-nature, and you'll be taken by surprise when people compliment your lovely feet!

Now, to be fair, I can't help you if you have some genetic issue that gave you an extra toe, or if you don't like the over all shape of your foot. But I can help you have the healthiest smoothest skin possible, even on misshaped feet.

Air Dry
When you get out of the bath or pool, dry your feet off as much as possible with a towel first. Then, relax somewhere you can prop your feet up while you wait for them to air dry the rest of the way. Don't put on any footwear while your feet are still damp from the water.

Stay Dry
Never wear wet socks or shoes! Whether you've stepped in a puddle, or just sweat throughout the day, try to get your feet dry as soon as possible. Carry an extra set of dry socks in your purse or your car's glove compartment. That way you'll always be prepared if what you're wearing gets wet.

Lotion
This is my favorite tip to having beautiful feet! Every night, right before you go to bed, apply a thick layer of lotion to your feet and rub it in well. The foot rubbing will help your circulation, plus it's very relaxing. Use enough lotion that your feet will still have a layer of it unabsorbed, then slide on clean sock. During the night, the extra lotion will soak into your feet, making them extra soft and well-moisturized.

Wear Shoes Outside
Going barefooted outside is one of the worst things you can do to your feet. Aside from the traditional danger of stepping on things such as rusty nails, there are many other things that you can step on and damage your feet. Your yard may contain stinging insects, fertilizers and pesticides, dog poop, even something and simple as a sharp twig. All of these things can keep your feet from staying beautiful. Keep protective footwear on whenever you're outside

Things Your Toes Absolutely Hate

From About.comWhen was the last time you actually thought about your toes? Most people give them very little thought unless they are on show in your latest pair of sandals. Unfortunately, toes are abused more often than we realize, so here is a what they would like you to know.

1. They don't like the nails to be cut too short. This is a good way to encourage ingrown toenails. Be sure to cut them straight across.

2. Toenails don't like to be stained yellow. That is exactly what happens when you don't use a protective basecoat before applying a dark color.

3. If you are going to remove polish, don't use a tissue. Simply put, it just doesn't work and usually makes a mess. Try both and see for yourself.

4. They really don't like it when they are polished and then forgotten for weeks on end.

Letting polished nails grow out along with the polish... looks horrible.

5. Unkempt cuticles... not pretty with sandals.

6. Pushing them into pointy toed shoes. They hate that the most!

7. Toes also don't like bunions. Your big toe is the target if it is rubbed against your shoe on a regular basis.

8. Plain and simple... toes don't like to be ignored. I know from experience that toes loved to be pampered. A good foot massage on a regular basis is a good way to get back into their good graces!

On Your Feet All Day?

When it comes to working all day long standing on your feet nothing is more important then to have the right pair of shoes.

By Authors

When it comes to working all day long standing on your feet nothing is more important then to have the right pair of shoes.

No matter if you are a Nurse, Doctor, or a Chef for that matter, if your feet hurt then you are running at 75% of your possibilities.

The buying of proper shoes for any of these professionals, or any other for that matter that needs to spend more time on their feet, then they care too, is an absolute must.

Traditionally the Nursing field have used the good old clunky shoes of the past, setting them apart from other professions by just wearing this one type of footwear.
But times have changed, you now see them wearing anything from cheap plastic clogs made God knows where, to regular sneakers, not considering the fact that in order to look stylish they are giving up comfort, and possible future problems with their feet and back.

There is a difference of opinion about which shoes provide you with the best comfort, but in the end it's the user feet that will let them know which brand works best for them.
Some of my wife's closest friends are in the nursing field and this subject of hurting feet comes up regularly. They have tried all the major brands, from Nurse Mates to Dansko with varying results, I often see them wear expensive sneakers to get the comfort they are looking for.

I must admit that Dansko usually gets pretty good marks, but from what they tell me it's a bit too pricey. Some people will go different directions in finding the comfort that they are looking for, we have 2 friends of ours getting costumed made orthotics to wear in their shoes and it did seem to alleviate the problems that they were having, although expensive...but very well worth the price.

When you realize what the outcome could be when wearing ill fitting fashionable shoes, that give you no support or comfort, then you are inviting future health problems with feet, knees or back.

By far the best thing to do is to have your feet measured after a long day at the salt mines.

When your day is done, walk in to your friendly shoe store, and have them measure your feet. This is the best time to get a real true size of your feet. You want to measure them when they are swollen, tired and smelly. We all try our shoes on when it's a fun day at the shopping mall, we are fresh, rested, and in the mood of spending money, after all, we just got paid. Wrong time to do it.

The thing to realize (and I'm sure you do) is that when you spend more time on your feet then your butt, you MUST take care of them.

It doesn't have to cost a fortune. There are quality products out there still made the old fashion way, leather instead of plastic, inner soles that work with your feet, because they are made of leather. Shop carefully out there; there are some great quality products that no one has discovered yet, and they are more affordable then you think. Not all of them are made in China. Happy feet will make you... SMILE.

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Foot massage -a relief for tired feet

A foot massage can be performed at any time you wish or as part of a home pedicure procedure. The following illustrations depict some standard foot massage techniques that a nail technician might perform on a client during a pedicure.

Wear lose, comfortable clothes and sit comfortably with your back supported.

For massage you'll Need:

• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) castor, jojoba, soybean, or extra-virgin olive oil
  

• 3 drops lavender essential oil
  

• 1 drop German chamomile essential oil
  

• 1 drop geranium essential oil
  

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir thoroughly. Yields 1 treatment.

Article Source: http://www.womenfitness.net/beauty/handfeet/foot_massage.htm

Foot problems in women: High heels and your health

High heels and cramped toe space can wreak havoc on your feet. Take steps to minimize foot problems. Save high heels for special occasions.

Shoes are your passion. You love shopping for them, trying them on and — most of all — buying them. High heels are the mainstay of your professional image and a highlight of dressing for nights on the town.

But your feet don't feel so great, and they look even worse. Forced too often into the tight confines of the narrow toe box of your high heels, your toes have bent into an unnatural position. As a result, you've developed bumps and areas of thickened skin that rub painfully against your shoes. Are your beloved high heels the source of your foot problems?

In fact, they probably are. High heels are one of the biggest factors leading to foot problems in women. The other is age. Frequently wearing high heels, along with the natural changes in your aging feet, can set the stage for foot problems.

How aging affects your feet

Over time, your feet become wider and longer and the natural padding under your heel and forefoot thins. Years of standing and walking flatten your arches and stiffen your feet and ankles. When you wear high heels — shoes with a heel 2 inches or higher — your foot slides forward in your shoe, redistributing your weight, creating unnatural pressure points and throwing your body's natural alignment out of whack.

Foot problems associated with high heels

If you frequently wear high heels or shoes that are too narrow or too short for your feet, such as the pointy-toed styles that are so often in fashion, you could be setting yourself up for one or more of these foot problems:

• Corns and calluses. Thick, hardened layers of skin develop in areas of friction between your shoe and your foot. Painful rubbing can occur from wearing a high heel that slides your foot forward in your shoe or from a too-narrow toe box that creates uncomfortable pressure points on your foot.
• Toenail problems. Constant pressure on your toes and nail beds from being forced against the front of your shoe by a high heel can lead to nail fungus and ingrown toenails.
• Hammertoe. When your toes are forced against the front of your shoe, an unnatural bending of your toes results. This can lead to hammertoe — a deformity in which the toe curls at the middle joint. Your toes may press against the top of the toe box of your shoe, causing pain and pressure.
• Bunions. Tightfitting shoes may worsen bunions — bony bumps that form on the joint at the base of your big toe. Bunions can also occur on the joint of your little toe (bunionettes). Experts disagree on whether tightfitting, pointy-toed, high-heeled shoes cause bunions or bunionettes, but such shoes can exacerbate an already existing problem.
• Tight heel cords. If you wear high heels all the time, you risk tightening and shortening your Achilles tendon — the strong, fibrous cord that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. Your Achilles tendon helps you point your foot downward, rise on your toes and push off as you walk. Wearing high heels prevents your heel bones from regularly coming in contact with the ground, which in turn keeps your Achilles tendon from fully stretching. Over time, your Achilles tendons contract to the point that you no longer feel comfortable wearing flat shoes.
• Pump bump. Also known as Haglund's deformity, this bony enlargement on the back of your heel can become aggravated by the rigid backs or straps of high heels. Redness, pain and inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding the pump bump result. Heredity may play a role in developing Haglund's deformity, but wearing high heels can worsen the condition.
• Neuromas. A growth of nerve tissue — known as Morton's neuroma or plantar neuroma — can occur in your foot, most commonly between your third and fourth toes, as a result of wearing tightfitting shoes. A neuroma causes sharp, burning pain in the ball of your foot accompanied by stinging or numbness in your toes.
• Joint pain in the ball of the foot (metatarsalgia). High heels cause you to shift more weight to the ball of your foot, rather than distributing your weight over the entire foot. This causes increased pressure, strain and pain in your forefoot. Shoes with tightfitting toe boxes can lead to similar discomfort.
• Stress fractures. Tiny cracks in one of the bones of your foot — stress fractures — may result from the pressure high heels place on your forefoot.

These problems don't happen overnight, but rather develop over time. And it's not just your feet that are in jeopardy. High heels have also been linked to overworked or injured leg muscles, osteoarthritis of the knee and low back pain. You also risk ankle injuries if you lose your balance and fall off your high heels.

Article Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/foot-problems/WO00114

Pretty Feet for Women

Whether it is summer or winter time, you should take out some time from your busy routine to take care of your feet that have been carrying your load all these years everywhere you wanted to go. Thus, if you are interested in getting instant results, try the steps that follow and your will not have to hide your feet under the covers every night. Feet should be one more part of your body you should be proud of and they should be flaunted and shown off. If professional pedicure in a nail salon is out of your budget you should know that you can treat your feet inside the comfort of your own home.

First you have to prepare your feet for the treatment you are about to give them. Fill your bathtub or a bucket with warm water and your favorite foam bath and soak your feet in there for at least 15-20 minutes. You can also add some bath salts or the desired amount of foot soak into the water and let them dissolve and nourish your tired lower body parts. Instead of bath salts you can try your kitchen's salt; it also works miracles.

After taking each foot out of the water, you should use a towel to dry them very well and then move on to clean and trim your nails. Remember to remove any nail polish from your toes.

Upon completing the nails cleaning process, soak your feet again in the warm water and begin removing the dead skin cells by gently scrubbing calluses and heels with a pumice stone. If you wish to attain soften and touchable feet, this is a very important part of the home-made process. Exfoliating your feet, results in having soft feet.

When the softening step is over, remove again your feet from the water and dry them with a clean and dry towel. Massage each feet with a foot lotion that can sooth and smoothen your feet and apply the lotion to the whole foot, from top to bottom, toes to ankle. End this massage experience with light strokes going from your toes to your ankles.

Now it is time to trim your toenails. Remember that you should always cut them in a square shape, which will prevent problems of ingrown nails. Using an orange stick or a cuticle stick gently push back cuticles. Do not attempt to cut your cuticles or rub them away, as they are necessary for keeping bacteria away from your inner skin. Doing this step right, will allow you to paint the entire nail by guiding the supple cuticle out of the way.

Then it is time to let the artist inside you take over. Pick the nail polish shade of your choice and apply the first coat slowly. The last coat should be applied once the previous coat is completely dry.

Finally, after letting your nails dry for at least half an hour, rub a dab of olive oil into your cuticles and nail beds in order to moisturize them.

Indulge yourself in a home pedicure that resembles that of a professional spa. Pay attention to the atmosphere you create and experience in the comfort of your own home a pedicure that could only be offered in a salon. Listen to some relaxing music and enjoy the process. After all, you will end up with prettier feet than before and you will be able to wear all those cute, trendy and colorful nail polish shades you wanted to try for some time.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Beauty, Cooking, and Women

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kadence_Buchanan