I have a foot thing. I want them to be pretty and/or groomed. That’s all. It’s not hard to do, and the rest of the world will thank you. There is no need to be uber high maintenace – trust me, for a beauty obsessive, I am probably the laziest around. It’s not about the amount of work one puts into their beauty regime, it’s about quality grooming, and this applies to our feet as well.

Soft feet:

Easy to do – really. Get a foot sander and use it. You can get one for under $10 at The Body Shop, or for around $50 from Sephora. Just get one. They are best used after the bath or a shower, when the skin on the feet is softened. Put a towel under your foot and go to town! You can do this monthly, or bi-weekly if you have a lot of dead skin. Just file away until the crusty dead skin is gone. Another necessity for soft feet is an exfoliating lotion, usually with AHAs or acids of some kind. The best one I have found is at the drugstore and Walmart – Lac Hydrin. It has 12% lactic acid, which removes dead dry skin, and is also perfect for weekly or bi-weekly use. Nightly, and before I wear sandals or shoes that put my feet on display, I use Karin Herzog’s Foot Cream – it has a cooling, moisturizing and slightly antiseptic effect, and will keep your feet at their prettiest!

Pretty feet:

Of course, this is where I tell you that you need a pedicure. Because you do. Even if you don’t go full glam with shiny glossy red toenails, you must do something. I am a DIYer when it comes to my mani -pedis because I am a control freak and no one can do them as well I think I can. Also, it’s easy. Before you take a shower, apply your Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover – everyone should have this in their nail care arsenal. In the shower, use a nail brush and scrub those toes until they shine! Then, when you’ve sanded/exfoliated/moisturized, you can push back the cuticles on your toes for a pretty, groomed look.

Then, carefully shape your toenails. I prefer to file them, but if you have been bad and let them grow too long – if so, tsk tsk, no one wants to see that – then you may have to clip them. Be careful not to go too short, as that can cause ingrown toenails. After you have your desired shape, buff your toenails lightly. For those of you that eschew nail polish, you can stop here, or even apply a coat of clear polish for shine. Your feet will look clean and neat, and that is a good thing.

At this point, we choose our colour. I love drop dead reds and brights on my toes as much as anyone, but know this – if you apply a bright/deep/opaque shade to your toes, you have an obligation to maintain! The richer shades will show wear before a pale or soft shade. Chipped and rough looking pedicures are awful – I’d prefer bare toenails to an awful pedicure. Due to my laziness and desire to only see pretty things, I prefer soft shades on my toes. My personal preference is for shimmery and pearly shades. They are easy to apply, last for ages, don’t show wear and compliment almost every skin tone.

And, last but not least, you must take the Open Toe Shoe Pledge. Say it with me: