The spring summer season is upon us. Are you excited, because I am SO excited? The sun being out means feet being out. Feet being out means being on top of our footcare game so we look cute in our open sandals.
The assumption is that you have epsom salt in your 'care cabinet' because we love epsom salt at thisgystlife. For a foot soak, add epsom salt and apple cider vinegar to hot water (hot at a safe and comfortable temperature for your feet). Soak for 10-15 minutes. Then proceed with the following items:
Cuticles are dead skin at the base of fingernails and toenails, their function is to protect your nails from infections and bacteria. Thus, cuticles are not meant to be completely non-existent from your nails aka don't cut them off. It is a good practise to look after them using pusher to ensure they are not overgrown without compromising your nails.
We all get loose skin around the edges of our nails, and if you don't then you are lucky. These hangnails can be painful, even progress to open bleeding wounds if you are a biter. That is where a cuticle trimmer comes in handy. It is more hygienic and precise than trying to bite the loose skin off. Be careful not to cut off of all your cuticles because you still need them for the health of your nails, it is just a trim.
Although the usual best practise is to file your feet dry, I prefer filing mine when they are wet after soaking. My justification being that there is less friction therefore less chance of harm but that's just me. Avoid over filing as this weakens the skin on your feet making it susceptible to infections and may make it more prone to cracking. It is important to note that calluses have a purpose, they are your bodies way of protecting against friction and pressure, so don't aim to completely rid your feet of calluses.
Petroleum Jelly
I would say a foot ointment but I think those are a scam. I am a vaseline girlie through and through. After soaking your feet and trimming and filing and buffing, smother them in vaseline. Make sure to pay special attention to your cuticles, rubbing the vaseline in circular motions. Then put on some socks and rest.
These tips can also be applied to your hands although don't file your palms, they are already tender enough. You can use a hand mask instead of a foot mask. Most importantly make sure you thoroughly clean your equipment after every footcare sesh.
Cheers to happy feet
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