Pretty up your feet for spring
It can be a dispiriting moment when you finally dare to bare your feet in the spring sun. As podiatrist Margaret Dabbs says, ‘We all know what it’s like to catch a glimpse of hard dry scaly skin on our feet and then pretend we couldn't see how bad they look’. (Not so much hard skin in Sarah’s case but, oh dear, big toes that her horses love to tread on, breathing fondly, so they end up bruised and purple. Though that’s not likely to be a problem for most of you.)
But, as Margaret goes on to say, it’s actually really easy to give yourself a competent home pedicure. Since a visit to one of Margaret’s clinics - Jo’s favourite thing - is out of the question these days, we think that's A Very Good Idea. (And we’re off to do just that very shortly ourselves.)
And while we think of it, don't miss our Prize Draw running from 8th April 2020, with a fabulous bumper prize from Margaret Dabbs London.
So, right now, with the right basic tools and products, you can transform your feet and toes so they’re a delight to gaze at! You’ll need to set aside a good half hour (a bit longer if you’re going to varnish your toenails) but the good news is that, working with Margaret Dabbs directions, it’s pretty simple.
Firstly, though, do a little bit of prepping. We don't want you doing back flips with wet feet while you skid across the bathroom floor to get something you’ve forgotten… so it’s wise to have your phone to hand too.
You will need…
• Foot file or buffer
• Bowl of warm water to soak feet in
• Exfoliating scrub
• Nice fluffy towel
• Foot lotion/cream
• Cuticle oil, or similar
If you are going to apply polish after, you’ll need:
• Nail file
• Base coat
• Polish
• Top coat
• Flipflops or open sandals
Now for that prettifying pedi how-to…
1. Remove hard skin: use a professional foot file (see details for Margaret Dabbs below) or foot buffer on dry skin.
2. Give feet a scrub! Put them in a bowl of water and rub a dub with the scrub all over, including between your toes, to reveal fresh skin. Dry them carefully after.
3. Nourish feet and legs: apply your favourite foot lotion/cream all over your feet and up legs too, massaging it in slowly and thoroughly. If you’re feeling a bit tense, use the opposite thumb to massage a reflexology point under the ball of the foot straight down from your middle toe. Finish by rotating each toe in turn.
4. For super dry feet, use a foot (or body) oil to help repair damaged skin.
5. Stroke cuticle oil around each nail and push back.
6. Follow a ‘fit feet’ regime from now on! Use the foot lotion daily and the foot file and scrub once or twice a week.
And finally, polish up!
• Wipe over each nail with a damp corner of your towel, and then dry with a towel or tissue.
• File nails straight across; use nail clippers if they’re long, then a crystal file if you have one, if not whatever you have.
• Apply a clear base coat to protect nails from staining. Allow to dry thoroughly.
• Apply two coats of colour, leaving at least five minutes for the first to dry before applying the second.
• Finish with a top coat. Then sit with your feet up for as long as you can, but at least 10-15 minutes. When you get up, put on flip- flops as your polish will need to dry properly for an hour or so to avoid smudges and wrinkles.
• If any polish has strayed on to your cuticles, leave cleaning it up until after the drying time. Then use a cotton bud dipped in polish remover.
• And now - admire….
And here are Margaret Dabbs’s own products, which you can order online:
Reviving Foot Soak/£22 for 200ml – refreshing soak that delivers immediate relief to inflamed, aching, tired or irritated feet and ankles.
Natural Foot Scrub/£22 for 150ml – creamy scrub with a blend of powerful active botanicals and plant extracts to gently buff feet to perfection in seconds, removing layers of dead, dry skin and callus while softening, brightening and rehydrating.
Restorative Foot Lotion/£25 for 200ml – luxurious product formulated with powerful natural plant extracts to deliver long lasting hydration and leave feet looking and feeling restored.
Regenerating Foot Oil/£22 for 100ml – this lightweight, silky oil instantly treats, repairs and regenerated dry, damaged, flaky or cracked skin giving intense, long lasting hydration.
