Alert: Planned Site Outage Tonight: Tue. July 28th, 9pm-Midnight PST
my care2
make a difference
healthy & green living: more than 5,000 ways to enhance your life

customize your free newsletter

Customize your Healthy & Green Living newsletter now


Treat Your Feet Naturally

posted by Mel, selected from Delicious Living Jan 29, 2009 7:00 am
Treat Your Feet Naturally
5 comments

By Adina Licht, Delicious Living

It’s never too early to start thinking about flip flops. Take your tootsies out of winter hibernation and soothe away dryness, calluses, ugly toes, and odor with expert natural tips.

1. Add moisture.
If the cold, dry winter months left your feet parched and flaky, rich natural butters and oils can restore lost moisture. “Shea butter—based lotions provide some of the most effective moisturizing,” says Tara Oolie, founder of Just Calm Down Spa in New York. For a natural moisture boost, she recommends grape seed, sunflower, and olive oils. Try smoothing on foot lotions rich in these ingredients every other day, right after a shower or bath. To prevent fungal infections, wait until feet have absorbed the lotion before putting on socks and shoes.

2. Soften calluses. Extra pressure or friction on the foot creates these unattractive patches of thick, hardened skin. Re-evaluating footwear and gradually soften tough spots with regular exfoliating treatments. Try Oolie’s easy at-home exfoliating routine: Mix 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Apply to calloused spots and gently rub in a circular motion with a pumice stone for a few minutes. Repeat every other day.

3. Buff nails. If you let your toe and nail routine slip over the winter and want to eliminate excess dead skin around the cuticles, moisturize the toenail beds, file the cuticle using a light file or a white buffer block, then gently push back the cuticles. Cutting cuticles isn’t necessary and may even promote more dead-skin buildup. Next, buff down thick nail ridges with a white buffer block until smooth.

4. Eliminate odor. It’s time for minty essential oils and a lot of fresh air—the bacteria and fungus in sweat actually break down dead skin cells on your feet and cause odor. To limit growth of these bad-smelling intruders, let shoes dry out completely before slipping into them again, and avoid wearing the same pair of shoes every day, he suggests. Oolie recommends deodorizing your feet daily with natural products that contain refreshing antibacterial essential oils, such as peppermint, tea tree, and lavender.

Delicious Living is the go-to resource for the natural and organic lifestyle, helping readers eat well, live green, and stay healthy. Visit deliciouslivingmag.com for more articles and free recipes.

More on Hands & Feet (28 articles available)
More from Mel, selected from Delicious Living (46 articles available)

5 comments

5 comments

add your comment »
5 comments add your comment
Reema G.

hey all...
m lovin it nw. gettin used 2 it day aftr day
n aftr a passage f tym i gues ill find ma feet betr than b4..........
ny bdy here leme 9 hw cn v mek our feet softer??

Sharon Hoehner

Smelly feet come from a toxic bowel environment. Clean up the insides to get rid of smell. Eat lots of greens, probiotics, do a colonic, etc. It works!

Pamela C.

Love these ideas, so luxurious!

Caralien S.

"To prevent fungal infections, wait until feet have absorbed the lotion before putting on socks and shoes."

I've been known to slather on oils, creams, balms, gells and whatnot on my feet and calves before putting on a pair of men's socks and going to sleep and I've never had a fungus infection.

The last pedicure I had was in November, with Honeybee Gardens and Acquarella products in tow.

Elizabeth L.

Went to a spa and had a pedicure- it was wonderful.

Please enter your comment.
Or, log in with your
Facebook account:
1500 characters remaining

who's talking about this story?

  • Excerpt: [...] Treat Your Feet Naturally Next, buff down thick nail ridges with a white buffer block until smooth. Eliminate odor. ...
  • Blog: Green Nail Fungus
  • Tracked: Feb 1, 2009 7:43 am

Disclaimer: Care2.com does not warrant and shall have no liability for information provided in this newsletter or on Care2.com. Each individual person, fabric, or material may react differently to a particular suggested use. It is recommended that before you begin to use any formula, you read the directions carefully and test it first. Should you have any health care-related questions or concerns, please call or see your physician or other health care provider.

1011582

Copyright © 2009 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved