With the cold weather, comes ice, snow, slush, boots and “sensible shoes”! The opportunity for feet to be neglected is everywhere. Regular foot “maintenance” is essential at this time of the year. Hair skin and nails lose moisture in the winter and a regular pedicure is just as important now as when you are wearing sandals and peep toes.

If you’re cutting out extras like pedicures, it’s not difficult to achieve soft smooth feet at home with a little practice. Here are some tips:

• Get a small rectangular plastic dishpan and keep it filled with the tools and products you’ll need each time you take care of your feet.
• Assemble the following: an emollient liquid soap for soaking (Mango Anti-bacterial Soap), a foot file, pumice stone, exfoliating scrub (Mango Foot Scrub), nail brush, nail clippers, cuticle nippers, nail files and buffer, orange sticks, cuticle remover, nail conditioner, smoothing lotion for hydration and moisturizing (Skin Savers Foot Lotion) and a large terry towel.
• Find a comfortable place to sit and spread the towel on the floor. You’re ready to begin.
• After filling the dishpan with warm water, squeeze the soap in and swish around. Then soak your feet for half an hour.
• When the dead skin on your feet begins to soften, it’s time to begin exfoliation. Start with the foot file and gently begin to remove callouses and dead skin on the larger surfaces of the sole of your foot. Use the coarse side first on heels and edges of the foot, switching to the fine side as the process continues. Be gentle in filing and stop to check your progress. Use a pumice stone to further smooth the skin and finish with an exfoliating all-over foot scrub.
• Next, cut your nails while they are soft and pliable. Wait to file.
• Apply cuticle remover to each toe cuticle and wait a few minutes. Use an orange stick to gently push cuticles away from the center of the nail. Use a nail brush to take away excess cuticle and finish by snipping away ragged cuticle with nippers. Dry your nails with a towel and wait a few minutes before filing any jagged edges left by the nail clippers.
• Apply foot cream or lotion to keep your feet soft and smooth. To help keep them that way, try emollient foot lotion at bedtime with cotton socks.
• Instead of dark polish that can discolor your nails over time, try buffing your nails to remove ridges and restore circulation to the nail bed giving your nails a healthy glow. Use a nail conditioner in place of polish. Or if you must polish, try a baby pink or blush color.

Key West Aloe has the perfect foot care products (mentioned above) that are all natural, gentle and made from the finest ingredients. Order them directly from our website. You owe it to your feet!