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Skincare

3 Easy DIY Treatments That Will Get Your Feet Sandal-Ready

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We’ve been patiently waiting to kick off our constrictive cold-weather shoes and slip into an airy pair of sandals. An easy way to give our tootsies some TLC so they’re ready for their big reveal? DIY treatments infused with foot-nourishing fruits. Find the natural foot care treatments that are best for you!

Yellow toenails?

Dark nail polish, hormone fluctuations and friction from footwear can all cause nails to take on a yellowish tinge. But a scrub made of strawberry and baking soda can help! The berry’s malic acid and vitamin C lift stains and brighten nails, while abrasive baking soda removes any discoloring buildup on the nails’ surface.

  • TO DO: Mix two mashed strawberries and 1 Tbs. of baking soda. Buff onto nails with a clean toothbrush for one minute; let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse. Use twice a week for results in one month.

Dry, cracked heels?

Skin along the heels lacks oil glands, making them prone to unflattering dryness and painful cracking. New York City dermatologist Debra Jaliman, M.D., suggests softening them with a banana and honey foot mask. “The potassium in bananas moisturizes skin and the antibacterial properties in honey speed healing.”

  • TO DO: Combine 1 mashed banana and 2 Tbs. of honey. Rub onto heels; cover with plastic wrap. Let sit 15 minutes, then remove and wipe away excess. Use once a week for lasting results.

Rough calluses?

The hardened spots of skin found on the bottom of toes and on feet’s soles form due to an over-accumulation of keratin, a protein that skin creates in order to safeguard itself against friction. Pineapple can remove them! The fruit is a rich source of bromelain, an enzyme that loosens the bonds between hardened keratin skin cells so they can be easily removed, says Dr. Jaliman. Even better? The flesh side of the fruit’s peel can be used like a pumice stone to gently exfoliate the built-up layers of dead skin cells.

  • TO DO: Puree 1 cup of fresh (or frozen) pineapple chunks in a blender, then add the juice into a large basin filled with 4 cups of warm water. Soak feet for 15 minutes, then remove and rinse feet. Next, while feet are still damp, rub the flesh side of a 3″ strip of the pineapple’s peel onto each callus for 1 minute at a time; rinse and pat dry. Repeat twice a week until calluses are gone.

This story originally appeared in our print magazine.

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