How to properly care for your feet and what products should you use?
With the onset of the warm season, many women and even men begin to tidy up their legs, because summer is the time for open shoes, short dresses and shorts. Therefore, the legs should look neat and well-groomed.
Peculiarities
Foot care should be equated with skin and hair care. The condition of the legs is one of the indicators of the health of the body, as well as an indicator of a person's neatness. This applies to people of any age, gender and profession. In sandals or shoes, your foot should look beautiful, free from injuries, rough skin, calluses and other defects.
After all, unkempt legs spoil the whole image of both women and men.
Of course, there are many more different procedures for the female sex. It can be all kinds of peels, scrubs, masks and baths. Also, you cannot leave unnecessary hairs on your legs (for this, the fair sex resort to different types of hair removal). Then comes a pedicure with varnish coating to protect the nail plate from damage and give the legs a flawless appearance. Many people are intimidated by such a large list of procedures, but it is much worse to have unkempt legs than to spend some time taking care of yourself.
A person's legs are under daily stress, as a result of which the following problems may arise:
- rough skin;
- corns, scuffs, cracks;
- swelling;
- enlarged veins;
- plantar warts;
- fungal infections;
- Painful patchy skin color
- persistent sweating.
Any of these troubles can affect everyone.All of them spoil the appearance, so you should not forget about the legs. They need proper cleansing, hydration, and other health and beauty treatments. Not only "folk", but also professional remedies, as well as comprehensive care, will help you get rid of hardened skin and other defects at home. Let's consider the main nuances in more detail.
The ways
SPA treatments and the use of special cosmetics designed for the feet help maintain their health and beauty. But there are other basic rules, without which care will be incomplete and even useless.
Recreation
We are in constant motion: we are in a hurry somewhere, we are late, we run in the morning or go to fitness. Because of this, the legs are under severe stress. As a result, edema, corns may appear, veins may expand. Therefore, it is necessary to provide sufficient rest for the legs. This can be as simple as walking barefoot on the lawn or sand. The legs will receive a pinpoint effect of small grains of sand and pebbles, which will have a beneficial effect on blood flow. Also, during the day, try to set aside at least some time to stretch your legs and relax your muscles.
Exercises
Despite the fact that every day the legs are subjected to stress, they need special beneficial exercises. You can walk on your heels or toes, rotate your feet, or grip objects with your fingers. This will stretch the muscles. As a result, the risk of swelling is reduced.
Disease prevention
Compliance with general hygiene rules is necessary not only to keep feet clean, but also to prevent diseases such as fungus and plantar warts. Any lesions and inflammation are dangerous because people do not notice them until the first symptoms appear. And then these diseases can turn into a more severe stage, which will harm not only feet, but also the entire human body.
Treatments aimed at caring for the feet can be both daily and periodic (carried out after a certain period of time).
The procedures that should be performed every day include several basic activities.
- Foot baths. Sea salt, essential oils and dried herbs are great for this procedure. Foot baths cleanse the skin of impurities, relieve swelling after a hard day's work and get rid of the unpleasant smell of sweat. A handful of sea or table salt is added to a container with warm water. Legs are placed in the prepared solution and kept in it for 20 minutes. Salt softens the skin. You can also take contrasting baths with alternating cold and hot water. They do an excellent job with puffiness, but are prohibited for varicose veins.
- Massage. Massaging your feet can help reduce pain and fatigue in your legs. Also, such a procedure will be useful for restoring normal blood circulation. You can use coconut oil or cream to ensure glide while massaging. The cellulite remedy will cause a drainage effect that will help remove fluids from the tissues. The ankles should be massaged smoothly, from the heels to the lower legs. Calves are kneaded with up and down movements. Use your thumbs to knead the area above the knees.
- Skin cleansing with hard brushes, pumice stone. Frequent exposure to dust and fine grains of sand can cause the skin on your legs to become rough and crack. Therefore, every day you need to treat the toughest areas in a circular motion, removing excess skin.
- Nutrition of the epidermis. The skin of the legs needs daily nutrition. To do this, you can use special fatty creams or natural oils that will moisturize your feet, relieving them of rough areas.
Pedicure
Separately, the pedicure procedure should be highlighted. The nail plate, like the skin, needs care.Therefore, it is necessary to regularly visit the master or independently carry out this procedure at home.
A pedicure should be done every two weeks, following a few simple rules:
- the nail must be cut straight without making the plate too round;
- the edge of the nail should be filed so that the plate does not delaminate;
- thumbnails can be made longer than others;
- the cuticle is treated with a specially designed tool;
- varnishing will not only make the nail plate more beautiful and well-groomed, but also protect it from possible fungal infection.
The heels also need grooming, especially in summer. Coarse skin is removed with a special file, a nourishing cream is applied.
In order to avoid cracks and rough skin in the future, you should regularly massage with hard brushes, and then moisturize the treated areas. Scrubs that remove the stratum corneum are effective. At home, it is better to wear socks or slippers made of natural materials (cotton, wool).
Folk recipes
As already mentioned, in addition to cosmetics for foot care, you can use natural oils and herbal decoctions. Natural ingredients have a positive effect on nails and feet.
In addition, most natural remedies can be purchased at any pharmacy at an affordable price.
- Essential oils perfectly moisturize and give healthy shine to the skin of the feet. In addition, they eliminate inflammation and heal wounds. The oils can be added to medicated foot baths or mixed with nourishing creams to enhance the effect. Avocado, peach, almond and rosewood oils work well for feet.
- Herbs have always been an effective remedy for any disease, including those used to maintain leg health. Calendula and chamomile flowers help with inflammation and scratches. Mint, St. John's wort, and nettle reduce sweating. Potato broth with the addition of chamomile softens rough skin. Almost every person has aloe in their home. The sap of this plant heals cracks and scuffs. Celandine has always been prescribed for the treatment of warts. Foot baths with calendula and chamomile have a disinfecting effect. At the same time, it is not necessary to independently collect medicinal herbs; ready-made sets of dried flowers and leaves can be bought.
The herbal collection is brewed in boiling water, and the necessary areas of the skin are treated with the resulting liquid or added to the baths.
- For neglected cracks, prepare a solution of 2 tablespoons of starch and 1 liter of water.
- You can also soak a cloth in a tea brew and lather it with laundry soap. Then you need to wrap your leg with it and leave it overnight. In the morning, the skin will become much softer, and the cracks will begin to heal.
- An apple is added to boiling milk (1 glass) and boiled for 10 minutes. After that, the entire skin is removed from the fruit, and the pulp is turned into puree, adding a few drops of castor oil to it. The resulting gruel is applied to hardened heels and held for half an hour. Then the feet are washed in warm water. This compress relieves fatigue and puffiness.
- An egg foot mask can help fight bad odor. To do this, you need to take 1 raw chicken egg, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and the same amount of vegetable oil. All ingredients are mixed and applied to the feet. Wear socks at night.
- Peeling with orange peels cleanses the skin well. To do this, the orange peel is dried and crushed to small crumbs, adding olive oil to it. The resulting mixture is applied to the skin and rubbed in with massage movements.
Tips & Tricks
In the summer, the legs attract special attention.
If they are well-groomed, you will catch admiring glances.
And if the skin of the feet is rough, there are cracks, and the nails are uneven, of a yellowish tint, then it is better not to wear open shoes, but to take care of putting the feet in order, taking this as a rule. In order to always keep your legs healthy, general recommendations must be followed.
Shoes
Shoes should not cause discomfort. After all, the condition of our legs mainly depends on it. You should not spare money for the purchase of quality shoes. If these are winter boots, then they should be made of natural fur and leather or suede. The heel must be stable so that gait and posture are not deteriorated. For the warm season, you also need to buy shoes only from natural materials, in which the skin will "breathe". Better to spend a little more, but buy a reliable item that will provide you with convenience.
If you choose artificial materials, then be prepared for increased sweating, unpleasant odor and the likelihood of calluses. These shoes are certainly cheaper, but they will only last one season. And the legs in it will experience constant discomfort.
In addition, the shoes you wear every day should be rinsed periodically. After all, the dirt remaining on the insole will accumulate, which will lead to increased sweating and a strong odor.
Daily hygiene
Legs must be kept clean. Shower and rinse your feet thoroughly every day. Cleansing is necessary after a hard day's work or training.
And during the summer season, when dust gets into your open shoes, you can wash your feet twice a day. To take care of your feet, you can use both regular soap or shower gel, as well as antibacterial agents. Antiseptic soap not only washes away dust and dirt, but also removes bacteria, sweat odor.
The water should be warm, but not hot. This is because too high a temperature can wash off the entire fat layer.
It should be borne in mind that hard water dries the skin even more. Therefore, after the procedure, the legs and areas between the fingers are wiped with a soft towel, and then the cream is applied. As an additional measure, you can dilute baths with salt and herbal preparations, which are described above.
Moisturizing
Even if you do not have obvious problems in the form of rough skin, this does not mean that your feet do not need hydration. You can use not only creams, but also coconut or olive oil. These natural remedies are very beneficial.
Self-examination of the legs
It is much easier to identify the first symptoms of the disease than to further treat its chronic form. Therefore, dermatologists advise to independently examine the skin and the nail plate of the feet.
Skin whitening
The skin on the legs is also exposed to the sun's rays, as a result of which it can turn red. To get rid of sunburn spots, you can use rose water, lemon, and glycerin. It is necessary to mix all the components and apply the resulting mask to the reddened skin. The procedure is repeated for 3 weeks.
Control of hyperhidrosis
Excessive sweating causes a lot of trouble for a person. This is not only an unpleasant smell, but also constant calluses. Specialties for hyperhidrosis are sold in pharmacies, but many of them can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is better to wash your feet more often and wear cotton socks. You can also make herbal baths.
Consistency
To keep your feet healthy and well-groomed, you need to take regular care of your feet. Do not think that it is enough to visit the pedicure master once a month. Indeed, even to maintain the external result, it is necessary to make a little effort, not to mention health, which requires prevention and constant various measures.
Therefore, it is worth setting aside time every day for spa and wellness treatments for the feet. The skin needs to be moisturized and nourished daily (especially for women). Keep your nails neat at all times. Remember that varnishing can minimize the risk of fungus, which can easily spread on public beaches or swimming pools. Pamper yourself with essential oils and herbal baths. Do not be lazy to devote time to such procedures, because health, comfort and self-confidence are his best investment.
You can learn more about how to properly care for your feet in this video.
My heels are in perfect order thanks to the use of "Uroderm". I smear them on the corns and leave them for a while, and then I just clean off the softened skin with a pumice stone.