Starting to feel like a troll from the feet up? In mom-life that’s known as a Gruffalo. Perhaps you have the feet of an angel but mine are sure showing the signs of being home all day every day. Even worse, my husband’s paws are revolting against Shelter In Place. I won’t go into details on the process of our footsies morphing into hooves but let’s just say some R&R is on order, stat. Here is an easy recipe for an at-home foot treatment that you can also treat your honey to with supplies you probably already have.
- Set the mood. Play some relaxing music, light a candle, make a cup of tea or pour a glass of bubbly. Let’s squeeze the maximum amount of joy out of this small pleasure.
- Remove any nail polish, trim and file your nails.
3. Fill a flat bottomed container with hot water (I bet my Pyrex never saw this coming) and add 1/2 cup Epsom salt, a 10-20 drops of essential oil and a few tablespoons of carrier oil (such as coconut oil or olive oil). I had a bath salt blend on hand already which made this easy. Epsom salt is the go to for relaxation because the magnesium absorbed through the skin relieves tension, pain, and inflammation. Soak for about 10 minutes. If you don’t have Epsom salt on hand, here are some other recipes with easy ingredients:
Recipe for Better Circulation: Stimulate your blood circulation, relieve stagnation, and bring your body into balance with this invigorating foot soak. Ingredients 1/2 cup ground or freshly grated ginger 5–20 drops essential oil of choice, such as lemon, lemongrass, or clary sage 6 tsp. carrier oil (such as coconut oil or olive oil) What to do Add ginger to a bowl of boiling water Slowly add it to the tub of water Combine the essential and carrier oils before adding them to the bath Healthline
Recipe to Moisturize: Soft, smooth feet are within reach. The moisturizing properties of honey and coconut milk will leave you in for a sweet treat. *Honey is amazing for cracked heels. It's a t’s a natural humectant which means it draws moisture from your inner tissues to the outer layers of your skin. Ingredients 1 cup honey 1 cup coconut milk 1 tsp. cinnamon powder What to do Dissolve the honey and coconut in a small bowl of boiling water Slowly add the mixture to the tub of water Sprinkle the cinnamon powder into the water Healthline
4. Put those muscles to work. Time for that spa scrub. Grab your handy pumice stone and get after those heels like you’re working for a tip. Bonus if you have an exfoliating scrub on hand to add to the relationship but not necessary. No exfoliating scrub? Mix 3 tbsp baking soda with 1 tbsp water for the perfect exfoliating paste. No pumice stone? Chances are, if you are living the hardcore mom-life like me, you have a handy Lego base on hand to sub in. No need to tell your kids, we can keep this little secret between us.
5. Rinse and get ready to moisturize. I grabbed these handy foot mask packets at my local CVS on my last essentials run. Who knew these even existed? They’re even big enough to fit my husband’s feet. Still, I wouldn’t recommend a store run just for these. You can make an easy at home version using 2 Ziplock storage bags, rubber bands to secure them around the ankles and make your own luxurious mixture of melted coconut oil, a few drops of essential oil and a heavy moisturizer like Cetaphil. Slather those puppies in goodness, wrap them up and set the timer for 20 minutes… or maybe one more Netflix episode.
6. Times up! Unwrap and massage in the moisture. Use nail polish remover and a cotton square to prep your nails and apply a fresh coat of polish, or two. Something about having my feet on point makes me feel almost civilized again… Almost.
7. Last but not least, the overnight repair treatment. Before hopping into bed, slather on softening cream and roll on some socks to keep the moisture locked-in. You’ll wake up with soft, adorable footsies that probably look and feel even better than they did before Shelter In Place. Need an easy at home substitute? Vaseline and lemon juice! Vaseline is one of the best moisturizers out there and works especially well for cracked heels. Add in a few drops of lemon juice, the citric acid promotes skin peeling and the regrowth of new skin cells.
Enjoy!
MerWoman 