Soft Feet: A Five-Step Herbal Pedicure

Reader Contribution by Kirsten Hudson
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<p>When the weather gets warm, my socks and shoes come off. I like my feet to feel free and therefore spend most of my time barefoot during the summer months. But the constant wear from my lack of shoes leaves my tootsies dry and callused.</p>
<p>If you go barefoot like me and your feet need some TLC, or if you just want your feet to look great in some strappy sandals, try this <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/natural-beauty/skin-deep-treat-your-feet.aspx”>
<font color=”#800080″>five-step natural pedicure</font>
</a>.</p>
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<b>Step One: Soak and Relax</b>
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<p>Light some candles and unwind by soaking your feet in a bath of warm water for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of baking soda and ½ cup of borax to soften calluses to remove rough skin more easily. For a fresh scent, also add a few drops of an essential oil, such as lavender or peppermint.</p>
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<b>Step Two: Deep Cleanse</b>
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<p>After soaking, soap up your feet and thoroughly scrub them with a natural bristle foot brush. To make a revitalizing foot soap, combine 4 ounces of unscented liquid body soap with 10 drops each of rosemary essential oil, lavender essential oil and peppermint essential oil in a plastic bottle.</p>
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<br />
Photo By <font color=”#800080″>Diva Bex</font>/Courtesy Flickr<br />
<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/bexshots/348033365/” target=”_blank”>www.flickr.com/photos/bexshots/</a>
</p>
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<b>Step Three: Smooth Your Feet</b>
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<p>Finish the foot bath with an exfoliating scrub. Try this <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/peppermint-foot-scrub.aspx”>
<font color=”#800080″>Peppermint Foot Scrub</font>
</a>.</p>
<p>• 1/4 cup cornmeal<br />
• 1 tablespoon sea salt<br />
• 1 teaspoon almond oil<br />
• 3 drops peppermint essential oil</p>
<p>1. Combine the ingredients and add enough warm water to make a thick paste. Massage your feet with the scrub, paying special attention to rough, callused areas.</p>
<p>2. Rinse well with warm, soapy water.</p>
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<b>Step Four: Moisturize for Soft Feet</b>
</p>
<p>Pat your feet dry and slather them with a rich moisturizing cream. Massage a small amount of the cream into cuticles and nails or use this <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/body-care/skin-deep-treat-your-feet.aspx?page=2″>
<font color=”#800080″>cuticle and nail butter</font>
</a>. Gently push back cuticles with the blunt end of an orangewood stick; don’t cut cuticles, they help protect the nails and keep bacteria out.</p>
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<b>Step Five: Trim, Shape and Buff</b>
</p>
<p>Trim toenails straight across. Prevent ingrown toenails by not cutting nails too short and rounding the corners of the nails. File toenails with an emery board in one direction, following the natural shape of your toenails. Finish by buffing nails with a nail buffer. </p>
<p>This easy (and inexpensive!) do-it-yourself pedicure will leave feet soft and refreshed.</p>
<p>Do you have any tips for keeping feet from getting dry and callused during the summer? What are your natural foot care remedies? Tell me about them in the comment section.</p>

  • Published on Jul 15, 2009
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
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