What with the rather dubious start we had to spring, it is something of a shock to realise that the season of baring all is pretty much upon us. As it's the feet that are on show before the rest, it's these you should turn your attention to first.
The pedicure may not sound as glamorous as its cousin the manicure, but in my view it's far more fun to do, mostly because a foot massage, even if it's DIY, is unbelievably good for the soul and, of course, the soles. A good pedicure can make dodgy feet look OK, OK feet look lovely and lovely feet look like jewels. "Little and often goes further than the occasional blitz, when people tend to be a little too fierce with the corn plane and callus file," says Sam Pope of Origins.
Moisturise your feet daily and keep toenails short and square - use nail clippers to shorten, then file to get a smooth tip. (For an extra-deep treatment, put loads of moisturiser on, cover with a pair of socks and leave overnight).
As you probably haven't looked at your feet for six months, that's the first thing you should do. I mean really look at them: check for any infections and, if you find anything, make a trip to the chemist. If all is well, let the pampering begin.
No pedicure is complete without a warm water foot soak to get you in the mood. Try Foot Rest by Origins (with eucalyptus and menthol) or OPI's purifying Pedicure Soak (with tea tree oil and grapefruit extract), or pretty much any essential oil you like, as long as it's got a bit of a zing to it. Adding a handful of pebbles to the bottom of your washing-up bowl - sorry, foot bath - will up the relaxation ante even further.
Next, remove the last six months' worth of dead skin from your feet - depending on how bad the damage is, use a foot paddle (wet or dry) or a foot scrub (ideally one containing pumice). If you're really going to town, try a foot mask, too. Finish off with the richest foot cream you can stand, using an orange stick to push back the cuticles (which should by now be soft), and then prepare your toes for the fun bit - adding colour.
