A homemade foot soak can help get your feet looking good and feeling good for the summer.

School’s out, toes out! I wish the idea of baring my feet for the first time this coming summer didn’t make me cringe. My feet are pale from lack of sun exposure and worn from the boots, heels and heeled boots I squeezed, squished and tread them in throughout the winter.

Meanwhile, my daily jog has had its own set of implications that I’ve ignored because, well, it was winter for a few months and who was going to see my feet anyway? Pretty feet don’t come with the territory (at least my territory) so when summer is in the air, so too are my plans to give myself the ultimate foot-focused spa day. This DIY foot soak is one of my keys to pretty feet, because considering how much I put my feet through, they sure deserve it.

This foot soak is dedicated to the athlete or always-on-the-feet person among us who hits the ground running, engaging in enough physical activity that may leave the feet throbbing, sore and in need of a day off. The soak includes Epsom salt, which is helpful in soothing aches and eliminating odor. It is also useful in softening up rough skin. Baking soda is a natural exfoliant and also removes odors. The lime and peppermint add quite the refreshing fragrance and are meant to energize, uplift and cool your feet as well as your senses. Sit back and soak!

Homemade Foot Soak for Pretty Feet

Good for 4-5 uses

Ingredients

• 2 cups Epsom salts
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 4 drops lime essential oil
• 4 drops peppermint essential oil

Directions: Mix all together in a large bowl and store in a mason jar or bag. To use, add 1/2 cup to a basin filled 2/3 up with water. Use the mixture for up to one month.

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Photo Credit: susivinh

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Here are five feet-friendly products and tips that will give you healthy feet that feel soft, fresh, and pretty during the season that needs them to be so most.

In the summer, we don flip flops and open-toe shoes, revealing our feet to the sun, outdoor elements, and the occasional bump or scratch. Needless to say, just like in winter, when feet are smothered in boots and unable to breathe, summer-time feet face their own challenges.

For most of us, summer means we spend most of our time in the open air, with lighter and scanter clothing that exposes our skin. Our feet are no exception. In the summer, we don flip flops and open-toe shoes, revealing our feet to the sun, outdoor elements, and the occasional bump or scratch. Needless to say, just like in winter, when feet are smothered in boots and unable to breathe, summertime feet face their own challenges. Here are five feet-friendly products and tips that will keep feet soft, fresh, and pretty during the season that needs them to be so most.

1. Use a Foot File

A foot file is the most basic tool to have around to soften rough, dry heels. They run for about $10, give or take, but will make a dramatic difference in the appearance and texture of your feet. Use a foot file when feet are dry and shower or apply lotion afterwards.

2. Protect from the Sun

Even for those of us who are sticklers about applying sun-protection, the feet are often forgotten or ignored. However, they have the ability to burn just like any other part of the body. And because they aren’t used to sun exposure, especially during the winter, they are particularly sensitive to the sun. So don’t forget to apply your SPF product to your feet as well, making sure not to forget the soles.

3. Pick the Right Shoes

The problem with flip flops and other open shoes with straps is that your feet may pay a painful price. Straps can dig into the heel or irritate between toes. When you are shopping for summer shoes, be sure to jump around in them first and imagine how walking a mile in them would feel before buying.

4. Moisture Socks

Moisture socks are unique in that they are especially soft and lock moisture in. Some come already infused with moisturizing ingredients, such as jojoba, grapeseed, olive oil, vitamin E, or other ingredients. If not, add your own selection. To repair the damage done on your feet from the day, wear socks overnight to reveal softer feet in the morning.

5. Paint Toes Clean

The aroma of nail polish is indication enough that it isn’t the cleanest and most pure product in your toiletry cabinet. The smell comes from three toxins – dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and formaldehyde, also known as the “toxic trio” — that have been deemed by the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database as the most toxic cosmetic additives. Replace your regular nail polish with toxin-free varieties. This will keep your nails in better shape and lessen the risk of your skin absorbing the chemicals in the nail polish that eventually make it to your bloodstream. Explore the natural nail polish options on the market.

Photo Credit: jjay69

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We are anti-comfort shoe here at EcoSalon. Okay, so maybe we’re a wee bit sensitive about the Birkenstock-crunchy-hippie-girl stereotype that is burned into our corneas, often tainting our dreams with wide-splayed toes and collapsed arches. (You think?) But really, it’s because there are some killer eco-options out there for elegant footwear. Olsen Haus or Cri de Couer?

And so, we’ve often wedged our paws into higher heels, only to collapse the next day with numb toes and angry arches. High heels can hurt, and here’s the science as to why. I spent one day last weekend in a pair of three-inch heels. Almost seven days later, the feeling is just coming back in my left toes. (Well played, irony.) Yep, I do admit to spending a large chunk of my time traipsing around in sneakers. But sometimes you just need a dress shoe.

So how best to take care of your toots when embarking on high heels?

Wear a thicker heel.

Yes, stilettos are awesomely chic, and hats off to the girl and inspiring drag queen who can rock them. But the more pressure shoved onto the balls of your feet, the more your balls will rebel. Consider a thicker heel. I’m not saying early 1990s chunky Mary Jane Doc Martin’s thick (yes, I had these and yes, I am old). But maybe not weapon-y thin.

Look at the angle of your foot bed.

A more gradual slope will relieve the pressure on the balls of your feet. Yes, the 4-inch drop will make you look fashionable, but it’s not going to give you a lot of longevity on your feet.

Go open-toe.

A rumor milling about the universe for decades is that Marilyn Monroe got her pinky toes shaved down because she wanted to be more comfortable in her heels. While it is probably not true, (RIP curvy goddess,) it does rank highly in “Oh MAN that skeevs.” The rest of us could just consider open toe heels. They help relieve some of the pressure on your squished toes.

Purchase foot bed cushions.

Thinks about picking up some foot petals. These shoe cushions claim to be made from a breathable eco-friendly material.

Bring flats.

Anyone else ever walk barefoot on New York City streets because you couldn’t bear to take another step in your hells – I mean heels? There are cute portable flats you can carry in your handbag.

Take them to a pedorthist for a custom fit.

A pedorthist (yes, I had to Google this) “is a medical professional who specializes in the use of footwear and supportive devices to address conditions which affect the feet and lower limbs.”  They can also custom fit your heels to your feet, making walking in them much easier.

Foot massage, foot massage, foot massage.

Enlist a significant other or take to your own feet. (We won’t judge. Okay, Christine O’Donnell might.) Add a little eco-friendly oil and you’re good to go. Sometimes the only thing that can restore feet is rubbing the blood back into them.

Buy comfortable brands.

A lot of the traditional “grandma-shoe” brands – Naturalizer, Uggs, and so on – actually make really cool kicks. Want a guide to awesomely eco high heels? Check out our look at some of our favorite brands.

Image: thepresidentwearsprada

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