How to make midlife feet look good in sandals
A thoroughly good pedicure underpins my entire summer beauty regime. By good I mean one whereby my feet and toenails glisten like perspex. After all, it's the extremities (skin, feet, hair, nails) that give the most bang for your buck. Get these glowing and you can skip all else and remain impeccably groomed. Which brings me to my first point: before you even conceive of the colour, heels and cuticles must be tended to with assassin-like attention.
I call on Milly Mason, a nail artist who specialises in prestige pedicures (including Lily Allen's who incidentally has a 4.9 out of five star-rating on WikiFeet). Interestingly, Mason doesn't recommend removing hard heel skin with any sort of implement (it grows back quicker and thicker) but to nurture feet daily with a foot mask that includes Urea, a byproduct of protein known for its intense hydration. At high percentages (over 10 per cent) Urea acts as a keratolytic, helping to exfoliate the top layer of skin without need for mechanical tools. I've been singing the praises of Eucerin's Urea Repair Intensive Moisturising Lotion for years – it deals with rough patches (elbows, knees, heels) like nothing else I've tried.
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For feet specifically however, Mason suggests something altogether more powerful: the 40 per cent Urea Chapped Skin Cream from German nail brand LCN, which sorted the cracks running up the backs of my heels within a week.
At night I've been doubling up with their Chapped Skin Balm to seal it all in, though I'll hazard a guess that Vaseline is as proficient at preventing moisture from escaping should you not have the latter.
Mason took a gentle electric buffing tool to my heels (Bare Feet by Margaret Dabbs does a good one) and rough outer toe skin before applying the cream, but a rudimentary foot file is all you need at home to keep hard skin from building into a monstrous layer. Mason says to stay clear of blades and rasps which are precarious at best. When it comes to toe length, she assures me that short is best. If you can feel your toenails pressing up against the front of your shoes then you could be causing long-term damage to the nail bed. As for soaking the feet, this should be done last, after filing, shaping and polishing, as painting onto damp toenails can result in a fungal or bacterial infection.
If you're doing your own pedicure – which, provided you have the right tools, is tremendously satisfying – then file toenails with an emery board, says Mason. Disposable ones are generally recommended though it's only really relevant if you're sharing nail files. Before polishing, push back cuticle skin with a cuticle softener and cuticle pusher, then lightly even the surface of the nail bed with a nail buffer (it has a much finer grit than a traditional file). You want as smooth a surface as possible for the polish to look its best – and for it to last.
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Toeanails are generally a zone to experiment with one of the trendier shades (spearmint green and neons are doing the rounds this summer), though if you generally err on the side of restraint as I do, then Precious by The Gelbottle, is a mature ballerina pink worth a look. Alternatively, Mason suggests black. 'It looks crisp and fresh on toenails so long as it has a glossy finish,' she claims. I was unsure at first. Too gothic, too cool. But in reality there's nothing more classic. Even in summer. Just don't forget to drench the toes in cuticle oil and apply foot lotion.
Annabel's picks
Yikes, the sights you see in the foot region when the weather's hot. Can I just say – hello, has everyone folk forgotten about the joys of a good old fashioned nail brush? People spend a small fortune on nail art, but when it comes to £4 for a wooden (rather than plastic) nail brush...
Feet have become a passion I never thought I'd have – possibly because mine keep reminding me they deserve my full attention. Hard skin, corns, a shortened metatarsal that means my feet pronate, a bunion on my left foot (I had the right one removed which was one of the best things I ever did) I've seen and got them all.
That's why these days, I see a podiatrist every few months. I'm about to get orthotics fitted. While they won't alter the alignment of my feet long term, I'm assured they'll help them rest in the correct position while I'm wearing them, so shoes don't rub and callouses and hard skin form less quickly. Using Margaret Dabbs' excellent foot file several times a week and a really good foot cream daily keeps things under control between visits. (Kure Bazaar's is pricy but lasts ages).
Orthotics aren't cheap either but sometimes you can get them on private insurance. Either way they have to be worth it. Foot health is vital to overall health and wellbeing. There's a section of rigorous foot exercises on the Pilatesology app which help strengthen feet and lift arches. Pilatesology is a paid-for app that, despite being a Pilates disciple for 30 years, I've only recently discovered. It has a huge library of classes for all levels, from mat to machines. It's brilliant. If that all sounds a bit much, rolling a simple spiky ball or foot roller under your arches can feel amazingly good.
Meanwhile, I'm wearing my sheepskin-lined Fitflops (good in hot wear, no rubbing) from last year that look and feel like a bed. Surprisingly, I've had a lot of compliments on them and my feet have never been happier. Birkenstock do something similar.
They're not the most elegant footwear, but a good manicure makes a world of difference. Like Annabel, I love natural, buffed, clean looking toenails, but my sensible, low-glam footwear tipped me over into a glossy orange red pedi the other day, and I must say, it's very cheering.
I don't bother with gel on my toes – too much of a faff getting it removed. The exception is if I'm going on holiday and planning on scrambling over rocks, an admittedly niche activity which chips varnish in a nano second.
A few drops of cuticle/almond oil whenever you remember, keeps things looking glossy and healthy.
Lisa's picks
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