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A cooling watermelon pedicure polish is good for your feet as it helps relax tired feet.
Add 1 table spoon of sugar to 1/2 cup of mashed watermelon. Add some plain yogurt if desired. Apply the mixture in circular movements giving a light massage. Rinse and pat dry after 20 minutes.
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A foot soak also known as a foot bath is a wonderful way to repay our feet. Taking care of our feet is not only applying nail-polish, performing a foot scrub, or cutting our toenails. They work hard for us, and although they are a strong and complex anatomical structure, they need that extra step in foot care to make they even more resilient.
These recipes have different effects. A salt foot bath relaxes the feet and takes away the swelling. Essential oils are versatile: lavender essential oil foot bath has a very relaxing effect unlike the peppermint foot soak recipe that rejuvenates the feet.
Baking powder homemade foot soak
* 1/2 cup of rice
* water
* 3 tablespoons of baking powder
Preparation
* Cook rice in enough water so you have rice water left, around 2-3 cups
* Add baking powder into it, let it cool down a bit and soak your fee
* Soak them for as long as the water is warm
* Dry them well
This simple recipe is very effective for smelly feet as baking powder acts as an antibacterial agent preventing excessive perspiration. It kills the existing bacteria and prevents any possible infections. The rice water is good for improving micro-circulation.
To make it into a tea tree oil foot soak, try adding a couple of drops of tea tree essential oil into it. Tea tree oil is one of the best ingredients to use in order to fight fungal infections such as athlete’s foot home remedy.
Chopping some parsley into it also has an antibacterial effect and helps improve the circulation.
Salt foot bath
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup of sea salt or Epsom salt
* Water
Preparation
* Prepare a large pan of water. Boil it and let it cool down to a temperature you feel comfortable with
* Add salt into it, let it dissolve and soak your feet
Salt helps tired, swollen, and achy feet. A solution containing salt and water is hypertonic compared to your skin and skin cells. This means that it drains excess water out of your feet and soaks it up.
Lavender Herbal foot bath
Ingredients
* 5 liters of water
* 2 drops of lavender essential oil
* 1/4 cup of sea salt or Epsom salt
Preparation
* Boil water and cool down a bit
* Add lavender oil and salt
* Soak your feet
Lavender is not only used in relaxing bubble baths and foot massage, it is a wonderful ingredients for your feet. It smells good and provides relaxation your feet need.
You could also try sandlewood or Ylang Ylang oils, they also have a soothing effect.
Peppermint foot soak recipe
Ingredients
* Water enough to cover your feet and reach your ankles
* 3 drops of peppermint essential oil
* 1 drop of eucalyptus essential oil and 1 drop of lemon essential oil (these two are optional but aid the invigorating sensation of this foot soak
Preparation
* Boil water and let it cool down a bit.
* Add the oils and soak feet as long as you like
Skin softening soak
Ingredients
* 1/4 fresh lemon juice
* a bit of cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons of olive oil
* 1/4 cup of milk
* 1/4 water
Preparation
* Mix all the ingredients and soak your feet as long as you like
* In order to maintain the effects this foot soak use it 2 times a week
After you are done with this foot soak, your skin will feel smooth and pedicure will be a breeze. Cuticle care is performed after this, as they are softened and can be pushed back painlessly.
Foot soak combined with reflexology or foot massage is a great way to relax or rejuvenate your feet. You can combine oils, ingredients, and find a homemade foot soak that is perfect for you.
Biljana Drake is an avid collector of homemade skin care recipes. For more great skin care tips, facial masks recipes, homemade remedies, visit her website http://www.skin-care-recipes-and-remedies.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Biljana_Drake
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If you have waded through a puddles of dirty water wash your feet with a mild body wash as soon as you can.
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Bliss For Tired Feet -
Sink your feet in a lukewarm foot bath at the end of a long hard day. Add some petals and 2 drops of lavender essential oil to it. This will not only just relax, reinvigorate your feet but will also get rid of any odour.
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Before going to bed massage your feet with a nourishing foot cream every night. You should notice that you wake up to smoother feet every morking.
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Pamper your feet regularly with monthly trips to a foot spa for pedicure.
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Always trim your nails and paint them in cheerful colors. But once in a while let your nails be bare so that they do not turn yellow.
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Sand and seawater are excellent cleansers of dead skin, dirt from your feet.
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If you have never french manicured your feet then see what you are missing. They make your feet look, healthy, clean, neat and simply beautiful.
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After you have soaked your feet and ankles, it will be much easier to remove dry skin. Enjoy the natural skin enhancers found in water, herbs, fruit, oils, and salts iby adding them in your foot soak.
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You’ll want to scrub the balls, bottoms & sides of your heels & around the toes.
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High heel shoes make woman feel sexy, in-charge, and pretty…but what are we doing to our feet? We all have them, those adorable, had-to-buy-them, high heel shoes hiding in our closets. Sometimes even hundreds of pair, but why do we choose to wear torture devices to look good?
High heeled shoes have been linked to many foot ailments like bunions, hammer toes, neuromas, metatarsalgia, Achilles tendonitis, ingrown toenails, and corn and calluses. Chronic knee pain and back pain can also be linked to high heeled shoes. Is this the price we have to pay for cute shoes? What is a fashion conscious woman to do?
As a podiatrist, I see twenty-something-year old women every day complaining of pain in their feet. Often, they attribute their pain to their exercise regimen or running shoes. After a thorough history examining their pain, we often realize that the shoes they run in are not the problem. It’s the shoes they wear to work everyday.
Wearing high heels changes the biomechanics of walking and can have an impact on the entire structure of the foot and the relationship of the knee to the ankle, as well as your lower back. But there are steps (so to speak) you can take to minimize the damage from your killer heels!
1.Buy shoes that fit! Sounds like a no-brainer, but most women wear shoes at least a half a size too small. Measure your feet every time you buy shoes, even just a few extra pounds can make your shoe size larger. Remember that the number is just a suggestion, different brands can size completely differently.
2.Wear a wider shoe than you think you need. The shoe is not going to stretch that much when you “break it in”. Most women also but their shoes too narrow!
3.Always buy shoes in the afternoon or at the end of the day. Swelling can cause a dramatic change in shoe size, so buy shoes in the afternoon or evening for a better fit.
4.Buy leather shoes, not synthetics. Leather is more forgiving.
5.Beware of the pointy-toed, high heeled shoe! These are a double-whammy! Try to avoid the severe point and go for more of a taper or square toe box.
6.If you have bunions and hammertoes, a silicone protective sleeve can help your pain from rubbing in your shoes. Make sure your toe box is wide enough to accommodate the padding.
7.If you have two different sized feet (and most people do), shoe stretchers can be used to stretch the toe box if one foot is only a little bigger than the other. If you have significantly different sized feet, some stores and websites will sell you two different sized shoes.
8.Try to avoid really high heels. Your feet (and knees) will thank you if you adjust your heel height to lower than 3 inch heels.
9.Try to wear a consistent heel height. Varying your heel height up and down can actually irritate your Achilles tendon.
10.Chunky heels are much more stable than stilettos. Try to wear a wider, more supportive heel or even convert to platforms!
11.If you have to wear heels and have a flexible flat foot, try “Insolia” insoles. They are relatively inexpensive and can make a 3 inch heel feel like a 2 inch heel by distributing stress from your forefoot to the middle of your arch.
12.If you have constant knee pain, avoid heels all together! One study showed a 26% increase in stress on the knee joint in heels higher than 2 inches. Osteoarthritis in the knee has been linked to chronic wearing of high heel shoes.
13.Always have a pair of running shoes or casual shoes in the car or in your desk. You never know when you need to make a mad dash for the airport or get stuck running errands. Always have a pair of Crocs or comfortable sneakers on hand for emergencies.
14.Applying lotion to your feet daily can help with corns and calluses. An emollient lotion with an exfoliant can help with thick, hard skin caused by shoe pressure.
15.Get a regular pedicure. Having a regular pedicure and keeping your toenails in tip top shape can help with ingrown toenails, also caused by shoe pressure. Make sure your pedicurist is using sterile instruments and never let them cut your corns and calluses with a sharp blade!
16.Never perform bathroom surgery on your corns and calluses. Also, never use those over-the-counter corn removers; the acid plaster in these products does not know when to stop and can cause nasty sores and infections!
17.Get a regular massage. Massage can really help with delayed muscle soreness and fatigue from the abnormal stress from high heeled shoes.
18.Stretching your toes after taking off your shoes can be quite helpful. This helps increase the circulation to the poor little tootsies that are cramped in your shoes.
19.Stretch your Achilles tendon and calf muscles at least every day if not twice a day. Regular stretching can help combat the shortening of the Achilles tendon that occurs from chronic wearing of high heel shoes. This shortening can lead to tendonitis and heel pain!
20.Core strengthening exercises can help stabilize your feet and decrease the stress from high heeled shoes. Every woman should do core exercises at least three times a week. They help with back pain, knee pain and foot pain caused by instability.
21.See your podiatrist if you have any pain that last more than five to seven days. A few aches and pains are normal from high heeled shoes, but if you have pain, numbness or burning that persists for more than 5-7 days, you have an injury. If you seek professional help early, many simple solutions may be available at your local podiatrist. A delay in treatment can lead to needing surgery or worse……
Women have been wearing high heeled shoes for centuries, but there are a few things we can do to make our feet more comfortable if we are slaves to fashion….and aren’t we all?
For more in-depth information about foot health, visit www.faant.com or Dr. Crane’s blog at www.myrundoc.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Marybeth_Crane
http://EzineArticles.com/?Killer-Heels—Why-Women-Need-To-Rethink-Their-High-Heels-And-21-Tips-For-Better-Foot-Health&id=1076957
By Anne Clarke
While many women are worried about preparing their bodies for bathing suit season, I cannot help but focus all of my worries on preparing my feet for sandal season! This is not to say that I feel like I have a perfect body: nonetheless, I would almost rather see my bottom in a thong than one of my feet!
My feet have just never looked that great – I have cracked heels, odd calluses, bones that stick out on the top and sides of my feet, bruised toenails, and both my second and third toe are longer than my big toe! Needless to say: my feet are not pretty. Nonetheless, I love the feeling of the summer air on my feet, and I am going to wear sandals during the summer, no matter how many people I offend. The question is, how will I make my feet semi-presentable?
Here are some helpful hints for getting your feet ready for summer:
· Go get a pedicure. This is a luxury that all women deserve to have at least once a year (if not once a month). Perhaps you may be embarrassed to have someone else see your feet at such close quarters – do not worry, though. You can take comfort in knowing that they have seen feet worse than yours. In fact, let me give you the number of my pedicurist, and you can know for a fact that she has seen feet that are worse than yours!
· Alright, so perhaps you do not have the money for a pedicure. Never fear, here are some other helpful hints. Start out by filling a basin full of warm water. Put in it a dab of your favorite bath oil and two dabs of baking soda. You can also include bath beads if you like. Soak your feet for at least 15 minutes, preferably longer. This will clean and soften your feet (and it is especially useful for softening calluses and corns).
· Dry your feet off and then use a skin file. This will help you smooth out those cracked heels. For a little extra help, use a pumice stone. These two tools will help you smooth over all of the rough edges of your feet. A pedicurist will also use a tool that will cut off your calluses for ultra-smooth feet. I, personally, do not recommend this. Yes, your feet will feel great, but if summertime is your playtime, you will regret losing those calluses that you spent so long to build up – your first hike will leave your feet blistered and looking worse than ever!
· Apply a thick foot lotion. I prefer any foot lotion with the refreshing smell of mint.
· Now it is time to deal with your toenails. Use your emery board to shape your toenails. Be sure, though, not to completely round off and shorten the corners of your toenails, this can lead to an ingrown toenail. Rather, try to square off your toenails. Do not leave your toenails long! Long fingernails are alright, but long toenails are disgusting, to say the least.
· Use a cuticle stick or cuticle cutters to minimize your cuticles. Be gentle. You do not want to cause in bleeding.
· Painted toenails are pretty toenails. Just know, before you paint your toenails, that it is a look that you will have to keep up. Toenails with chipped polish look a lot worse than ones that have not been painted at all.
· Use a base coat. A base coat will fortify and protect the nail itself.
· Choose a fun and bright color for your polish. Choose one that matches your skin tone.
· You can separate overlapping toes with a cotton ball.
· For really fun toenails, take a toothpick and dip it into another color of polish. Gently dabble the toothpick on your toe nail, leaving round dot. You can continue this dotted pattern to create a flower – use a different color for the center of the flower.
· Use a clear protective coat to finish.
· Do not even try walking until your toenails are at least dry to the touch (even at this point, though, you must be careful.
The Sandals:
· Now that your feet are looking better, it is time to pick out the right pair of sandals. Realize that different sandals look better on different feet.
· For me, I have the onset of a bunion on my right foot, and I find that a thong flip flop with a thick strap hides this quite well.
· If you have a bone that sticks out on the top of your foot, a slide with a thick strap that covers the top of your foot generally looks good.
· Be sure that you have properly fitting sandals – it is noticeable if your toes or foot gush off the edges. It is also noticeable, on the other hand, of there is more than just a small border of sole around your foot.
· If you have narrow feet, be sure to get a sandal with a narrow sole – it will be obvious if there is a few inches of extra sole with no foot.
· If you are very self-conscious about your toes, it is possible to find a close-toed sandal. There are even some close-toed sandals that are strappy and allow your toes fresh air.
· Distract from less-than-perfect feet by bringing attention to your feet! It may sound odd, but if you have a pair of flip flops with a giant flower or sandals with lots of beads and sequins, the attention may actually be drawn away from your feet and to the sandals themselves.
· A sandal with heel is flattering on women with larger feet – it lessens the size of your foot. It also makes your legs look longer and better shaped.
· Wear sandals that suit the place of event you are headed to. There are so many different styles of sandals now, from very casual to ultra-elegant. And realize, too, that just as jeans can range from casual to formal these days, so can your typical thong flip flop! Some women even wear thongs with their wedding dresses!
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on women’s footwear, please visit Women’s Boots and Sandals.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Clarke
http://EzineArticles.com/?Get-Your-Feet-Ready-For-Sandal-Season!&id=203037
