Winter’s hard on our complexions – and skin generally - but often we forget about what’s happening to our feet; guess that’s because we don’t see them in the mirror every morning. One woman who definitely hasn't forgotten, however, is leading podiatrist Margaret Dabbs, who is now – hurrah! - an OBE for services to business and podiatry. (See Margaret’s 7 Secrets of Beauty & Wellbeing here.)

As Margaret points out, winter months see an increase in foot problems, mostly due to keeping our feet enclosed in socks, shoes and boots, which lead to – sorree, has to be said - warm, sweaty, moist feet. Plus, feet can easily become soaked as you trudge through rain, slush and snow (bit of a theme on the weather forecasts just now). That means the skin on your feet gets soggy, which can cause fungal and bacterial infections of the skin and also toenails.

And don’t forget that putting damp shoes or boots back on again can have a knock on effect on the skin, not to mention ruining your footwear.

So, to help us keep our feet healthy in the winter months and prep them for summer prettiness, Margaret has put together these tips:

1. Make sure your footwear is waterproof. Wet shoes are a breeding ground for bacteria, creating an increased chance of infection. If your feet do get wet, dry them thoroughly and use a silky foot powder between the toes and all over the feet. (Try Soothing Foot Powder.)

2. Have fresh socks and shoes on hand and change in to them as soon as you can. If your feet get cold, don’t be tempted to warm them in front of a fire or radiator – chilblains will result, Margaret warns.

3. Don’t dry shoes on direct heat either; leave them to dry naturally, stuffed with crumpled kitchen paper if needed to keep the shape.

4. Choose socks that are not too tight around your feet and ankles. They need a good blood supply to keep them healthy so make sure your socks don’t constrict that. [For socks, I swear by Corrymoor mohair socks, which wick away moisture and are wonderfully warm.]

5. Eradicate bacteria and fungus inside your footwear with clinically proven, lemon scented Shoe & Insole Cleansing Spray

6. Symptoms of Athlete’s Foot can be treated with Foot Hygiene Cream. It will also help protect against feet developing this distinctly un-glam problem.

7. If footwear gets whiffy, try Margaret Dabbs new 3-in-1 Shoe Freshener, with innovative Active Oxygen (Ozone) Technology to keep them fresh, clean and pong-free.

8. Damp skin can lead to cracks opening, so use a foot file regularly (on dry feet, not wet) to reduce hard skin build-up – this will prevent cracks forming. Margaret’s Professional Foot File has won multiple awards, including from Beauty Bible.

9. Finally, think of summer! None of us want rough cracked heels. We do want Pure Feet Vegan Cracked Heel Treatment! It gives results in just 24 hours. So you can put your best feet forward.

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