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DIY Treats for Feet

By Kitty Magoo, CP Advice Columnist

Dear Kitty,
My feet are sooo not ready for sandal season! Can I pretty them up without springing for a pricey pedicure?

Signed, Scaly in Salem

Dear Scaly,
When you’re sporting cute new shoes, the last thing you want is for your crusty hooves to steal the spotlight! No need to spend money on a pedicure, though, when there are plenty of cheap and natural ways to fancify your feet.

Start with a good soak. In her book, Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair, Dina Falconi recommends filling a tub big enough to cover your feet and ankles with warm water and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Soak feet for fifteen minutes, then use a pumice stone to buff away any calluses.

Using a homemade foot scrub is a great way to invigorate feet while sloughing away unsightly dead skin. Try this recipe adapted from EcoBeauty by Lauren and Janice Cox. Stir together 1/4 cup brown sugar, two tablespoons lemon juice, two tablespoons olive oil, and one teaspoon coconut oil until well blended. Thoroughly massage a dollop of scrub into feet, focusing on rough spots. If stored in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, this scrub should keep for up to four weeks.

Once you’ve soaked and scrubbed your feet, the next step is to moisturize. Natural Foot Care author Stephanie Tourles suggests making a rich cream by blending three tablespoons plus one teaspoon of castor oil with two teaspoons of beeswax in a small saucepan over very low heat until the wax is just melted. Remove mixture from heat, allow to cool a bit, pour into a two-ounce glass jar, and add 15 drops each of peppermint and rosemary essential oil. Apply this magic potion and slip on some cotton socks before bed -- you’ll wake up to soft, sandal-ready feet!

Meow!