How to Get Pretty Feet for Summer

You already have a 7-step skin care routine for glowing summer skin, so why not dedicate some much-needed TLC to your feet, too? Getting pretty feet for summer is about more than just a gorgeous pedicure. It also means taking care of your foot health. Check out Foot Petals® tips for pretty, summer-ready feet so you can slip into those summer sandals or wedges with beauty and grace.

How can I make my feet look better this summer?

The best way to make your feet look better is practicing good hygiene, having a foot care routine, and managing your foot health. Never overlook issues like pain, discolored nails, or possible infections. Foot Petals shoe cushions and shoe care essentials help you get feet ready for summer by keeping your feet healthy and pain-free.

10 Tips for Summer-Ready Feet

Summer can be harder on your feet than you might think. Sure, wearing a breezy pair of slides or walking barefoot along soft, sandy beaches might seem like a vacation for your feet, but these and other common summer habits can do more damage than good. From dry calluses to hydrated skin and arch pain to cushioned soles, here are 10 tips on how to get pretty feet this summer:

1. Invest in the Right Shoes

When looking for the perfect vacation shoes or summer wedges, invest in a pair that’s as supportive as they are cute. Sandals and flip flops are summer wardrobe staples, but many lack support or cushion, which can cause arch pain, ball of foot pain, and calluses or blisters from sliding. Open-backed shoes change how the fat pad on your heel naturally spreads, leading to instability and ugly cracking.

Add ¾ inserts or arch booster cushions to your sandals and slides for discreet support and extra cushion. Ball of foot cushions for sandals are the perfect fix for pain and sliding. As for those adorable open-back sandals or slingback wedges? Try a stabilizing air gel heel cup or heel cushion to prevent cracked heels.

Pro Tip: Nothing is more exciting than buying a new pair of shoes for the summer. Just remember to break in new shoes before you pack them for vacation or wear them to a summer wedding to avoid blisters.

2. Use Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a summer skin-care holy grail. If you’ve ever had sunburn on the tops of your feet, then you know how much pain it can cause along with some awkward tan lines. Applying a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to the tops of your feet is recommended when wearing sandals, slip-ons, and slides.

3. Be Active with Support

Starting a new summer workout routine or going for a long day of shopping at the open-air markets for the first time? Try to avoid jumping into summer activities like running, hiking, or sightseeing right away. Sudden overuse or overactivity can cause foot pain like plantar fasciitis. A pair of arch support orthotic insoles are a smart way to get active and prevent pain

4. Avoid Going Barefoot

Walking barefoot in the summer is tempting, but there’s a reason we wear shoes all year round. Shoes protect your feet from hot asphalt, sand, or sharp splinters as well as infections, bacteria, and fungi. Strolling barefoot on a public pool deck or at the beach dock showers can increase your risk of catching some not-so-pretty infections like athlete’s foot or plantar warts.

5. Trim & File Your Nails

Trimmed toenails are healthy and look nicer than overgrown, thick, or cracked and flakey nails. Be proactive about better nail care and give your toe nails a professional look by trimming them regularly. Then, use file straight across the nail with a crystal nail file to promote healthy growth and seal the nail tip for healthier looking toes.

6. Remove Hard Skin

Hard, cracked skin on your heels and along the edges of your feet can keep them from looking their best in the summer. Use a foot file or pumice stone on dry skin to lightly grate away dead skin and give your feet a softer appearance in sandals, slides, and summer heels.

7. Exfoliate

For hard-to-reach areas of your foot with built-up dead or dry skin, exfoliation can help rejuvenate the rest of your feet for more supple, beautiful skin. A simple foot scrub recipe is all you need to exfoliate and moisturize the skin between your toes and other areas of the foot. Just be sure to dry them completely afterward. Here are a few DIY foot scrub recipes to try:

Moisturizing Foot Scrub:

• 1/2 cup of solid coconut oil, softened
• 1 cup of white sugar
• Directions: Mix ingredients together until combined and use as needed. Store in an airtight container for up to a few weeks.

Gentle Scrub for Sensitive Feet:

• 1/2 cup of oats, finely ground
• 1/2 teaspoon of almond oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of water
• 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
• Directions: Combine ingredients and massage onto wet feet, then rinse.

Tropical Foot Scrub:

• 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• Directions: Mix the yogurt, sugar, and pineapple together then scrub for 10 minutes, let sit for another 10, and rinse clean.

8. Try a Foot Mask

Give your feet the spa experience while smoothing calluses and cracked heels with a foot mask or foot peel. Clay foot masks softly exfoliate, nourish, and moisturize your feet, while a chemical peel is recommended for those who need enhanced exfoliation. Look for one that uses AHAs or BHAs to dissolve dead skin as well as peels with exfoliants like glycolic, lactic, or salicylic acid.

Pro Tip: Overusing a foot peel can harm the protective layer of skin on the bottom of your foot. Only use foot peels as recommended, which is usually every few weeks.

9. Hydrate your Feet

In the summer, dry feet can make or break your look. Apply a hydrating moisturizer to your feet every day after showering. Focus on your heels, ankles, and other common areas with dry skin. This can also help make a pedicure last longer. The best moisturizers for feet contain ceramides or hyaluronic acid to soften skin and shea butter or squalene to lock in moisture.

10. Treat Yourself to a Summer Pedicure

A bright and colorful summer pedicure is a fantastic way to kick-off the season and make your feet look gorgeous. If doing it yourself, start with a toe separator. Then, choose a flattering summer color as the base coat, apply a glossy topcoat, and finish off with some cuticle oil. You can browse plenty of summer pedicure ideas on Pinterest or visit your local nail salon and let a professional take care of your toes.

Use Foot Petals® for Pretty Feet this Summer

Healthy, pain-free feet are pretty feet, so get them ready for summer with Foot Petals. Our discreet shoe cushions help fix all your common shoe problems from sandals that are too flat to cracked heels in slip-ons and more. Use our tips for summer ready feet before you head to the beach this season.