Wednesday: Questions and Answers

This week’s question comes from Mary who is a teacher and wants to know the very best way to soften and moisturize your feet. As a former gymnast and coffee house serf, I am keenly aware of how important it is to care for your feet. I am also vain. I mean just when it comes to certain things, like my feet. I ALWAYS take care of my feet because I can’t stand rough feet and it makes me feel good. Make taking care of your feet a priority, they will thank you.

The first thing to do is soak your feet in some warm, soapy water. Just sit there and luxuriate for as long as you want or until the water gets cold I guess. A nice vibrating, bubbly feet soaker thingy would be a good investment. After your feet are comfy and plump, take a pumice stone and smooth all the rough spots. You may have to do it a couple of times, each time putting your feet back in the water to continue to soak. As an extra smoothing finish I then will slough off any leftover dry skin with a nice exfoliating scrub. You can try my almond foot scrub or I found this recipe that looks really yummy. Now here’s the part that really makes the difference. Rinse your feet and  just pat them dry. They shoudl still be a slightly damp. Then slather them in a nice oil and just sit there until it is mostly absorbed. The oil locks in the moisture so really be generous with it and massage it in, don’t forget your cuticles. I like to use more sweet almond oil mixed with a few drops of vitamin E oil. From there it’s simply daily maintenance. I use a nice thick lotion or body butter before bed and then put on some socks. I rarely ever wake up with them still on but every little bit helps. A couple of my favorites are Lush’s Running To The Embassy ( keep it in the cute little tin) and Badger Foot Balm.

In gymnastics you develop rough calluses on your hands that you typically don’t want to get rid of. However once I was no longer competing, I wanted them to go away, like yesterday. The thing that worked the best was Corn Huskers Lotion. It came as a recommendation from a friend who was a ballet dancer and was dealing with the same issues with her feet. So if you do have calluses on your feet, this might be something to try. Honestly, it does have a moderate hazard rating, so I would only use it if your problem is severe and I wouldn’t use it for too long.

Stick to this regime weekly and I promise you will see dramatic results immediately. My final recommendation is to invest in good shoes that support your back and give your feet room in the toe box. I can’t say enough about Dansko clogs. They changed my life. Pricey but they will last forever. OK not forever but close.