What do you do to get your feet sandals ready?

[Marghe87]

I wanted to book a deluxe pedicure before my hols but all salons are very pricey where I live and I feel a bit bad wasting money for something that won’t last long (I wouldn’t get gel nails, just normal polish). I don’t have particularly problematic feet but I would like them to look pretty and polished for the sandal weather. What do you do to keep yours at their best?
The only thing I do right now is use a pumice stone in the shower once a week or so. In the summer I usually wear nail varnish (I am very good at doing my hands but less precise on my toe nails I find). Do you also have tips of what nail varnish to use? I want one that is very shiny and long lasting - I do also use a top coat. Majority of my nail polishes are essie.
Thank you for the tips :)

Tropic foot pumice stone/soap thing in the shower. Pretty good. Margaret Dabbs foot file and cream when I remember. I try to get on sale as on the pricey side, but worth it.

Not if you cut out the first 3 steps

I think you'd notice and judge me in that case! I use Flexitol daily, used to use chiropody sponges regularly too till I couldn't buy them any more so have gone back to trying a pumice instead now and I still have dry cracked heels 😬 - although at least the cracks aren't as deep so don't bleed as they did before I discovered Flexitol. I hate to think how much I've spent over the years on foot files and any number of foot creams. Some people just aren't blessed with nice feet, no matter how well we try to take care of them.

Don’t forget that we have some hard skin on our feet for a reason: to prom our feet from injury from sharp objects. I walk a lot so get hard skin on the relevant places. Yes I use a pumice to keep them from being gnarled but I wouldn’t want baby soft skin, I’d blister after a walk!

Protect not prom

@Hoppinggreen i agree but the OP is looking to ‘prepare’ her feet for public inspection so that should suffice if she’s bothered. Do you reckon men worry about this. 🙄

The thread is in style and beauty yet there are still snippy little responses from women who take pride in having horrible feet. I mean, that's fine, crack on but no need to have a pop at the OP who doesn't wish to follow you with nasty feet.

I don't let hard skin build up in the first place, I am a podiatrist so my 60 year old feet always have to be perfect. I use flexitol 25% all winter everyday so they are as soft as a babys bum by summer then just shape my nails and paint them with clear nail varnsih and they always look nice. Its about long term care rather than trying to get all the hard skin off at the last minute.
If you must then use a metal file on wet feet and it gets more off.

People with diabetes and immune system disorders are much more likely to get ulcers and lesions if they have hard skin on their feet - soft skin is much more healthy and less like to break open. Its a fallacy that we need hard skin, we don't. If your feet are blistering its much more likely to be footwear and socks that are the problem. If you are 5.5 EE then thats the shoe size you need to buy and 1000 mile socks will stop blisters in their tracks.

Its a fallacy that we need hard skin, we don't. If your feet are blistering its much more likely to be footwear and socks that are the problem.

Agree! They've said as much at my podiatry pedicure.

Haven’t RTFT but I’m too lazy to prep my feet myself so I go for a pedicure! Usually have one once a month during the summer ( probably should have one more frequently but don’t want to pay).🤣 I can’t paint my toenails well and they do the full works so the result is pretty good.

Well, there's no delicate way of saying this so I'll just tell you... My local hardware shop had an offer on: 3-4-2 on sanding blocks. It's the best thing I've ever used! For the last few weeks, I've been gently sanding my feet on occasional evenings, followed by moisturising with hand cream. (I possibly do this once a week, maybe twice.) They look great!

Full disclosure: I do have to watch out for slipping on certain floors.

So, tell me... urea cream... is that made from wee?

All the face scrubs I buy thinking this one won't be too harsh, I save and squirt on my feet in the shower. They're great at polishing up my feet.

I don’t get blisters but I wouldn’t want to walk around barefoot without any harder skin on my feet. Barefoot walking is good for your body. Of course podiatrists and beauty therapists will tell you you need their services. My sister is a podiatrist by the way.

Same. Oh ladies, why do we only think we’re ready when we’ve painted and primped our bodies. 😭

A good pummace in the bath with coconut oil, then one of them peeling footmasks, then let that all peel off then a moisturising one and do toenails.

@Therealpink I responded with what I do but I do that year round. Always have feet filed or the hard skin catches and is uncomfortable, always have painted toenails as I prefer how they look (for me!) and I apply lotion so I can check for lumps/bumps and take care of my feet
You only get one pair so I try and look after them

@Therealpink can I ask why you're in style and beauty then?

@Therealpink Ugly feet are the pits. If you can't be bothered to pretty them up then please keep them covered.

Sorry if I'm repeating as I haven't read the answers but after years of having pedicures, nothing made my feet look and feel lovelier than a visit to the podiatrist. They painlessly remove all the hard skin, calluses, trim your nails perfectly and make your feet feel a million dollars. I've never returned to a nail salon since as they're such a waste of money and they never get your feet to feel as smooth. Trick is finding a very good podiatrist that cares not only about the medical side of things, but also the look.

I look after my feet all year round so they don't need an overhaul .. I have a file and I periodically file my heels and moisture! Then I have gel varnishes from beg May over summer !

I also agree with this. I don’t have any hard skin and can walk barefoot just fine.

I look after my feet all year round. I have regular pedicures, use a Footner type thing once or twice a year and regularly apply Akileine cream - very effective and doesn’t smell of urea or peppermint.

I used to get hard skin areas and occasional blisters from (standard) shoes. Since switching to barefoot shoes & actual barefoot in summer I dont get it. My feet are great (and perfectly functional) with minimal fuss and no creams/files(!) etc, though like a PP I do tend towards hobbit-like hairy toes!

True
I asked DH what he was doing to prepare for wearing sandals
He replied “eh?”
As with all these things if you want to do any or all of the things suggested then great but nobody should feel ashamed of wearing sandals if they don’t and perfectly ordinary human feet are not offensive

Don’t stare at my feet weirdo