I'm passionate about good footcare - from the best foot creams to exfoliating socks - I love it all. Maybe it's the years spent as a beauty editor, or the days spent inspecting other people's feet during my training to be a nail technician, but I just love a good foot product. As soon as the spring/summer season rolls around and I'm living in sandals for months, I follow these six steps to get my feet ready.
In my time doing my own and others' pedicures, I've tried my fair share of footcare products—both old favourites and recent discoveries. I've gathered all of my favourite footcare products in an easy step-by-step guide to help you up your game at home at get those feet sandal-ready.
How to care for your feet
Step 1: Start with the nails
Start by removing all of that leftover nail polish on your nails. If you're serious about your footcare, try and get out of the habit of layering polish over polish. Grab some acetone and cotton rounds to remove all of that leftover nail polish to start fresh. You might even want to let your nails go bare for a few days.
For particularly stubborn nail polish (or glitter formulas), saturate a cotton ball in acetone, put it on the nail covering the whole surface and then wrap each toe in tin foil. Let it soak for 10 minutes and gently pull off and you should find all remaining polish comes right off. Wearing gels? Read this guide on how to remove gel nail polish at home.
Don't get trimming yet, we'll come to that.
These Mylee remover foils make a doddle out of taking off old nail polish and gel polish. Simply saturate the lint-free pad, wrap around your nails, give them time to work and remove. It's that simple.
Obviously to remove nail polish, you need nail polish remover. I don't tend to bother with acetone-free, I find that it just doesn't work as well (particularly on stubborn toe nail polish) and I end up using more of it, so a strong acetone formula like this one is what I reach for.
Step 2: Don't skip exfoliation
Next up is exfoliation and there are a few ways you can do this. I like to start with a little soak because nothing feels more kind to the body and soul than a foot soak. You can do this in a humble washing up bowl or opt for something a little more fancy. This not only feels lovely, but it also softens that hard skin on the feet. Then lightly dry your feet and start with exfoliation (the best bit, in my opinion).
There are a few ways you can exfoliate the feet, depending on your preference and the condition of your feet. You can use an exfoliating product like a scrub or a foot file—if you're careful, you can use both.
I personally would avoid anything electric when it comes to exfoliation because it's quite easy to overdo it and cause more damage than good.
I much prefer a classic manual foot file to an electric one to help rid that rough skin on the soles of your feet. When it comes to finding a great foot file, you want something that's just right. Not too fine so that you don't feel like you're actually filing anything, but not too rough that you're causing unnecessary damage; this Leighton Denny file is the ideal in-between.
I find the ones with a handle easier to hold than a stone and you don't need to be really vigorous with your filing. It'll give you that (hope you're not eating right now) file dust, which you want when getting rid of dead skin.
I can't get enough of a good scrub and love this Beauty Pie one. It has a lovely oily texture that makes it easy to use and the beads get to work in exfoliating without being too rough.
If you want something that isn't so minty, get the brand's Soul Providers scrub for the whole body which smells like a summer dream.
Step 3: Get trimming
Now is the time to trim those nails if they have got a little long. Use a pair of classic clippers to get your nails to a good length. Be careful not to cut too low down or change the shape of how you're cutting them (particularly rounded), going too deep into the sides. This has the potential to cause infection or ingrown toenails. The same can be said for ripping off your nails; it's always best to cut.
Once you've cut, you can gently file your nails to give a smooth edge and take down any further length if needed.
Step 4: Don't forget to moisturise
You're probably not surprised to learn that the feet is where you'll find the thickest skin on the body, meaning it gets a lot drier than the rest of your skin does. That's why adding moisture into your routine can make a world of difference. The great news is that there are so many products and methods out there that you can choose one that you genuinely enjoy using.
My all time favourite foot cream has to be the L'Occitane Shea Intensive Foot Balm. Nothing is quite as rich, thick and comforting as this. So much so that I actually use it as a hand cream every night, too. Thanks to the high concentration of shea butter, this gets to work on that thick skin on the feet soothing dryness and cracked heels. A little goes a long way and the tube lasts months.
This is such a fantastic product to have stashed away at all times. It's a bit of a 2-in-1 giving both moisture to the feet as well as antifungal and antibacterial benefits. You apply it all over the feet, including in between the toes before bed and with each use, you'll notice a huge improvement in things like hard skin, blisters, athlete's foot (we always recommend getting expert advice for your individual situation though), and itching for example. Use this every night for at least two weeks to notice a big improvement.
If you're a fan of the original Margaret Dabbs best-selling Hygiene Foot Cream but find the application from a jar a little difficult, that's where the new Miracle Foot Cream comes in. It's exactly the same formula (think rich, soothing balm) with that classic medicinal tea tree scent but in a handy tube bottle versus the Hygiene Cream's original jar packaging. They're the same formula but now come in a choice of two packaging options depending on your preference.
The cream for people who hate foot cream because it never dries... this dries in seconds and I'm not kidding. I couldn't believe it the first time I tried this but it dries down instantly (which you wouldn't particularly know from the product marketing) making a great option if you hate the feel of greasy or moisturised feet.
The minty smell is fresh without being overpowering like a lot of foot products are.
If you want a really lovely foot cream that keeps your feet in great shape if you don't have any real concerns then this is the one. It's got a light smell (great if you don't love the minty foot cream scent) and a lightweight formula that soaks into the skin quickly and gets to work. Put this on before bed daily and you'll have smoother feet in just a few weeks.
Step 5: Have fun with your nails
Of course, the very very best bit about a new season is the stash of vibrant nail colours you can get out from hiding. As much as I'm a French pedi girl (yep, I've been that way since the 2000s), I can't resist a bright peach as soon as the weather gets warm enough for my toes to be out.
Play around with shades, stickers and nail art pens for a really fun pedicure. Or, you can always stick to a neutral shade if you're not as keen on a bright set in your sandals.
Nothing says sandal season to me quite like neon nail polish and this Nails Inc set screams summer.
Another of Nail's Inc fantastic polish products is this fun nail art pen trio set. Because who said we can't have nail art on our toes?
Step 6: Know when you need a professional to help
Sometimes to get our feet in really good nick, we need a professional's help. In my eyes, there's nothing quite as satisfying than a great pedi. If you're able to, I recommend getting a pedicure at the beginning of the season to have your feet feeling great before continuing aftercare at home. You can also identify any areas of concern that needs extra care with professional help.
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