Sex up your FEET for summer

Dreading baring your battle-scarred tootsies in the sun? From emu oil to lemon juice, how to . . .

The magnolias are out and the sun is reacquainting itself with the sky, but spring also means one dreaded thing — the return of The Bare Foot.

For the past six months, we’ve hidden our feet in thick socks and hardy boots, but now it’s time to slip them back into toe-exposing sandals. If the thought fills you with dread, don’t worry, j ust f ollow celebrity f oot specialist Margaret Dabbs’s guide to spring cleaning your feet . . .

SLATHER ON EMU OIL

FeeT age in a similar way to the face. The skin thins, feet get bonier and sweat glands shrink and become less effective.

As a result, our feet become parched and this can lead to cracking as skin thins, especially around pressure points such as the heel.

To combat this, buy a foot moisturiser — which is more effective than hand, face or body emulsions — and use at least a handful once every day.

emu oil, which is removed from just under the bird’s feathers, is especially effective to boost foot hydration (emu Oil Foot Oil, £22, spacenk.com) and is a favourite of runner Paula Radcliffe’s.

Don’t use thick, clogging foot balms which sit on the outer layer without penetrating the skin at all. They do little if anything to add moisture and if especially heavy can soften and open cracks instead.

Naturally oilier complexions won’t need as much moisturiser as drier skins, which is why those with olive, darker complexions often have less trouble with flaky feet than those who are fair. Keep wrinkles at bay by using SFP 50 without fail every time you flash a foot.

DITCH CHEAP FOOT FILES

Buy a professional stainless steel foot file and use it once a week on completely dry skin to carefully rid your feet of callouses and dry patches (£24, margaretdabbs.co.uk).

The best time to do this is just after you wake up, before moisturising and before your feet have had the chance to sweat. Focus especially on the outer edge of each big toe which thickens due to regular pressure and friction against your shoes.

Always file away from you and towards the underside and middle of the foot. This will ensure rounded edges and minimise unsightly self-inflicted ridges.

If feet are damp or bath-soaked you won’t see the worst areas of dry skin and water weakens skin tissue, so you’ll open cracks and file off chunks. Avoid cheap foot files that look like graters or peelers (or any kitchen appliance, in fact), as they are less precise and shave skin off unevenly, making it grow back in scaly layers.

exfoliating twice a week in the bath or shower will keep foot skin smooth and fresh.

USE LEMON JUICE

AS We get older, toenails can get a nasty yellow tinge, like teeth, because they get thicker and dryer as more layers of tough protective keratin (the protein that nails are made of) build up.

use a glass file, which is the least abrasive, to gently file the top of the nail every couple of months to keep it light coloured and tidy. Lemon juice squeezed onto a toothbrush and brushed over the toenail works as a natural lightener, too, bleaching the surface.

When painting toenails, always use a basecoat first to prevent the colour staining the nail over time and if you have wide nails, apply the colour with gaps at the sides to optically slim the nail and your toe. The result will be more elegant.

Darker nail polishes such as purple and burgundy are more pigmented and therefore more dehydrating on the nail, so stick to lighter shades or have a few varnish free days every week if you have dry feet and nails.

Olive complexions suit deep shades like browns and reds (and as their skin and nails tend to be naturally less dry, they can cope with a bit of extra regular pigment in polish) and fair skin look better with l ess harsh peaches and pinks. Pale blue looks awful on all mature toes.

TRY A MINT BATH

TO IMPROve circulation, make a warm foot bath once a week and sprinkle in some mint l eaves which have antioxi dant a nti - i nflammatory properties and soothe the skin.

Stew for ten minutes, then towel dry and moisturise. your feet will feel like new thanks to the vitamin A content of fresh mint that rejuvenates and strengthens skin tissue.

If your feet are struggling, and look like gnarled tree stumps, a professional pedicure once a year will be a step in the right direction too. For this, a podiatrist removes all hard skin, callouses and corns and gives you a pedicure, reaching the spots that you can’t.

DO TOOTSIE PILATES

LIKe other parts of the body, feet l ose muscle t one with age. Subcutaneous fat (the fat which sits beneath the skin, making it appear plump and acting as padding) on the sole of the foot also slowly depletes as you get older, meaning your foot and ankle are less well supported.

your walk will be affected and you might suffer from increased shoe rubbing and discomfort. It’s the reason many people complain of a feeling like ‘ walking on stones’. Small exercises like picking a tea t owel up with your toes for a few minutes every day will help restore muscle, while massaging the sole of your foot by running it over a tennis ball soothes aches and pains. equally, you can look up mini Pilates exercises and yoga moves for your feet online to really get them in shape.

WEAR HEELS (YES!)

FLAT feet with dropped arches are more likely to get varicose veins in flat shoes because the lack of support can cause blood circulation to be interrupted, making veins swollen, twisted and visible.

It can help to wear a small heel to support the foot’s natural arch. unfortunately, as we age and our skin gets thinner and varicose veins are more visible.

While only expensive l aser treatment works to banish them completely, you can use make-up i n emergencies. u. S. brand Tintalize has pioneered a foot concealer that disguises scars, veins and tan lines.

Failing that, concealer normally used on the face can do the job. Or try Rio Skin Camouflage and Tattoo concealer (£29.99, amazon. co.uk). While there is little you can do to reduce raised veins, drinking two litres of water a day and not standing up for long periods helps.

FORGET PLIMSOLLS

IT ALWAyS irks me that people think plimsolls without socks are perfect footwear for summer. If you want to damage your feet, wear i l l - f i tting canvas shoes without socks every day.

Placing canvas material next to the skin encourages the foot to dry out as it absorbs all moisture, also making them the smelliest type of footwear.

Loose canvas rubs against pressure points, such as the back of the foot, hardening and cracking the skin with wear.

Without socks, feet are toe-totoe with seams, which will encourage corns and callouses. Like a varnished floor, once shoes show signs of wear, you should replace them. As the insides wear, your shoes become more porous, and therefore drying, l eading to increased friction, blisters and tough skin.

SAY NO TO CLOGS

STRAPS are ideal for summer, as they hold the foot but allow skin to breathe without getting too sweaty. Flip-flops should be kept for beach wear only, as they offer no support. Wedges are fine, and preferable to stilettos, but ensure they have a flexible rubber sole, as it allows you to walk better.

Wooden clog styles don’t allow for any flexibility and are heavy to wear. They’re unstable on uneven ground and make you ‘clomp’ your foot down, which doesn’t do you any f avours. I t sounds obvious, but don’t wear shoes that hurt. Pain is there for a reason. Ignore it and your feet will suffer the consequences.

TAN-TALISING TOES

A LIghTLy tanned foot can do wonders, just be careful to use a pea- sized amount of fake tan cream or lotion so you don’t overdo it. If applied to dry skin, the result can be awful, as the skin absorbs too much tan and looks unnaturally dark.

Mix a squirt of fake tan with a dollop of moisturiser to prevent this. even if you have nail polish on your toes, the tan will migrate to the nail, so a basecoat of nail polish is even more essential before tanning.