Foot Care at Home

I know most of you reading this probably love pecidures.  But I cannot become a fan because I would not want to work on a stranger's feet so I don't think anyone should have to work on mine.  I have had one professional pedicure and it was only because a group of girlfriends took me for my birthday.  So yes, I have had to learn to take care of my own feet at home.  We live in a very dry climate and it does affect your skin and particularly your feet.  We moved here 3 years ago from a very damp climate and I can not believe the difference it makes.  My naturally curly hair is much more manageable here, but my skin, oh boy.  At my age, 57, it starts to become an issue anyway.

I have found several things to help the thick calloused areas I started getting on my feet - mostly on my heels - but really all over.  I don't take bathes, just showers, so I take a washrag, lay it on the drain and stand on it until it sucks down enough to hold water.  Now if you do this, don't forget to keep track of the water level or you will flood the bathroom.  It is a great soak for my feet - and no, I don't do it every time.  I also keep a scrubber in the shower and work the bottom of my feet over with it several times per week.  I now own a Ped Egg which my daughter-in-law bought for me on eBay at a great price!  They really are wonderful.  I keep mine in the car and when my husband and I do a road trip - even a relatively short one I use it.  This type of thing is okay when you have been married for 36 years as we have.  I always have to have something to do while riding in the car anyway, so it is usually makeup, feet, hands and magazines.  Sometimes I take the laptop and try to organize pictures.

Anyway, for the rest of the foot care; when I need new toe polish, I work over my toenail cuticles right after I get out of the shower, buff off some of the old polish, trim the nails, put new polish on and top it with a quick-dry top coat. Since I have just showered, I let the now gorgeous toenails dry while I brush my teeth, do my makeup and flat iron my hair - when finished with all that, I can get dressed without messing them up.  I get compliments on my toes and feet as if I spent a lot of money or time on them.  I must admit that in the winter, I am not as good about it, but in the summer I keep them sandal-ready.  I do not own any fancy stuff; I have used the same 3 bottles of red polish for a very long time; I use a rectangular buffer to take off some of the polish, (and while you are buffing off the polish it buffs off excess cuticle as well); I have the Ped Egg and my favorite thing, the quick dry clear top coat - it is the best - and the cheap brands work as well as the expensive ones.