Every year, when the first signs of warmer weather appear, when the first inklings of spring show, women far and near feel the same little nudging of fear and regret. Why oh why did we not take care of our heels throughout the winter?
You know what I’m talking about. That first day when the winter weather surprises you by actually being warm enough for those cute little sandals. So you pick out a cute spring-y outfit and go to slip on the sandals when that wave of fear creeps over you. As you slowly slip the strap over your heel you lightly feel with your fingers. You then venture to take a peek. “How old am I and who has replaced my young skin with this rhino hide?”
Heels go through their own little version of hell in the winter. They are mistreated and abused and are thought of oh, for about 3.2 seconds. But to me they’re one of the main things that can tell a woman’s age, or how well she takes care of herself. Ladies, heels must be thought about before that first spring-y day if you’re going to freely wear the footwear of your choice. At least a week before.
Many women quickly make an appointment with their pedicurist to take care of winter’s damage. I, however, am cheap frugal and logical and realize that I could do the same thing to myself without having to sit through a session of “what did she just say about me in that language I don’t understand?” You don’t need some kind of paraffin wrap, a leg massage and a dose of unsecure feelings in order to have great looking feet. All you need is this:
Well, something more on the left side of the picture. Those razor things on the right scare me. I couldn’t find my exact model online so I had to resort to picture taking:
This is my pedicure file. This is (hopefully) all you need along with some cute nail polish. Rub your heels (and other stubborn parts of your feet) with this every time you get out of the shower and I promise within a week your heels will feel smoother than a baby’s butt. That’s right, smoother. Then rub on some thick lotion and wear socks (if you can). I use Mary Kay’s Extra Emollient Night Cream:
Heels are smooth and youthful not old and rhino-y. So, while technically not free, a mere one-time $2.50 could get you baby-butt-smooth heels. And with the other $30 you could go buy some cool new sandals.
Do you have any cheap salon tricks to beautify for the spring?
Not So SAHM 
I just bought one of those scrubby things this week and got a little over-zealous with it 😦 I took off a little too much skin 😦 ouch 😦
I actually do all of my own pedicures now. I think I do a much better job (in terms of dry skin removal). You’re right though – you do need the tools. I also suggest a hindu stone to remove dead cuticle skin (after a long soaking of course). I personally think this is the secret to professional looking home pedicures.
Here in the desert, people wear sandles ALL year round! So the pedicure places do great, even during a recession. As for myself, I have a friend who is currently getting her license, so I get free pedi’s so she can get experience – she sure does better than I can!
I would much rather have someone else do one, but I’m too cheap and haven’t found a place that doesn’t stink to high heaven yet (the smell of acrylics and all gives me a horrible headache). I use Aquaphor on mine and it works wonders. I’ve found it also helps to put lotion on in the morning as well if you’re going to be wearing socks and shoes…. the warmth really helps the lotion to sink in.
I have always had a problem with my heels cracking (thanks to my mom’s mom who had horrible heels!), and at one point, a manicurist told me to try one of two things….udder cream (yes, for cow udders!) with socks while I sleep at night, but it made the skin on my heels thick and a little yellowish! Yuck!!! The second was Wesson Oil. Yes, good ‘ol Wesson Cooking Oil! Lather your feet in it before bed, and once again put socks on and in the morning your heels are soft, beautiful…and you have a strange craving for fried chicken! But, hey….nice feet! 😉
My heels are rougher than sandpaper right now. Thanks for the tip…I will start this beauty regimen right away!
I have a buttload of the Extra Emolient night cream – and I bought a pedi egg yesterday! Sounds like I’m on my way to smoother feet! Thanks for the tip!
Hmmm…you know the best way for me to get smooth feet? Wear shoes and socks for a few days. Usually my feet are the nastiest in summer, from running around in flip flops and giving myself cracked heels. Just giving my feet a break in socks and supportive shoes really helps!
I also just discovered a great natural lavander oil at Target (Dr. Watkins? Or something?) that only cost around $6. That stuff is awesome! I pour it in my bath water, or rub it straight on my feet and cover them with socks before I go to bed. Goodbye nasty skin!
PedEgg and lotion and socks at night.
My heels aren’t in bad shape. I just have to start remembering to paint my toes again!
The Ped Egg…greatest invention EVER!!!
And green toenails. That I painted myself, of course. I’ve only had 1 pedicure in my life. No one can ever say I’m pampered!
Last time I had someone else do my feet I got an infection GROSS… I have someone elses foot fungus living on my toe now… I know TMI – I will never have mine done in a salon again!
What a great tip! I discovered those footscraper file things last winter, while battling a plantar wart from hell. (I’m a runner. It was driving me crazy!) I have some of that Mary Kay lotion lying around, and I also recieved a parafin wax bath as a gift a couple of Christmases ago. I’m going to dig out my favorite polish and make my feet pretty again!
Rescue Your Nails by Ji Baek. Her book is just amazing and so easy to follow. I borrowed it from the library and think I need to get my own copy.
Like Sydney, I had a plantar’s wart on my foot that drove me nuts…I couldn’t afford to go to the podiatrist (I’d had it done it that way before). So this time I just used a pumice stone or pedi file on it each time I was in the shower. I can’t remember how long it took, but it did go away….YAY!
The Dollar Store has some beauty sox and gloves for, of course, a dollar and I need to get a couple more pair this weekend. I like to put them on and then put a pair of cotton socks on too.
I got myself a pedi egg for a Christmas present (how lame am I?) and use it.
If you really want to treat yourself, a pedicure at your local beauty school is really inexpensive. My sons got me a gift cert there for my birthday. I can’t WAIT to use it. I do have to grow out my nails a bit, but it will be nice!
I’ve heard crisco on your feet and then socks works well, but never had the guts to do it.
Not that I’m totally impressed, but this is more than I expected for when I found a link on Delicious telling that the info is quite decent. Thanks.