Sali Hughes on beauty: get your feet sandal-ready with a summer makeover
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Ask your pedicurist to use an e-file (a fine rotating electrical file) on rough heels, dry and jagged cuticles, and calloused toes. I always do this: the increase in smoothness is significant and can be maintained with DIY filing between appointments.
For these intervals, I use the very effective Boots Hard Skin Remover (£3.59) with regular soap in my weekly bath, and Glowxie's Glass Foot File (£16.95; I like its palm-sized design, but any will do) for one session of dry filing between soaks. I never bother with at-home electrical devices. They're nowhere near as effective as either an e-file or a manual file, and are a complete waste of cash and plastic.
I trim any dried, rough outer cuticles on either side of my toes (never on the nail bed itself) with Tweezerman Rockhard Cuticle Nipper (£30), and follow with whichever oil is handy – cuticle oil, or even something like kitchen cupboard avocado oil works perfectly.
In summer, I still can't get behind pastels in my wardrobe or on my extremities. There's something too bridal and conservative about lilac, beige and mauve, at least for my taste and colouring (pale nails make my digits look like rolled mortadella).
Sarah Jessica Parker shares my love of bold lacquer in hot weather. She's been wearing black, burgundy and dark emerald green on her fingers and toes throughout summer 2025, and has looked sensational.
Personally, I've opted for navy, blood red and sludgy green, rarely matching hands and feet. Truly, I've never received as many compliments on my nail colour as I did when wearing Bio Sculpture's Thornbird (£15.50), a deep Barbour jacket khaki available in traditional and gel formats. I became so attached to my GI Joe fingers and their fanbase that I went into my next pedicure appointment a month later and got the exact same shade on my toes.
To keep everything feeling soft and looking smooth in sandals, flip-flops and Birks, I sleep a few times a week in gel heel socks (£6.99 for three pairs from Amazon). No other product offers such long-lasting efficacy for the price. Apply a little body cream before bed, pull on the socks, and wake to marshmallow-soft feet. Just quell any coital ambitions during treatment.
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