Keeping those feet pretty and stink-free isn’t as hard as you thought. Shubhra Krishan goes straight to the sole.
If you don’t have it, it can seem trivial. But if you have suffered smelly summer feet, you know it is no laughing matter.

Here are 10 lifetime strategies to help you beat those foul-feet blues.
1 Set your hair dryer on cool, then aim at nails and dry thoroughly after your bath.
2 Change your socks at least twice a day.
3 Sprinkle foot powder into your socks.
4 At home, walk around in open slippers or wear socks only as often as needed. This gives feet and nails breathing space.
5 Wear open-toed sandals and shoes in summer.
6 Choose your shoes with care. If you are comfortable with leather, choose a perforated variety that allows feet to breathe.
7 Dry out your shoes overnight. Air out removable insoles. Stuff sweat-wet shoes with newspaper at night to absorb moisture and odour.
8 Keep at least three pairs of shoes and wear them alternately.
9 Change out of your wet socks and shoes after a vigorous workout.
10 Once every week, give yourself a pedicure.
SHOES YOU CAN USE “It is better to want the horse you don’t have, than to have a horse you don’t want,” said a wise man. The same thing can be said of shoes! How often have you bought a pair not because it is comfortable, but because it is irresistible? You’re not alone.
It’s a common tendency to judge a shoe by its looks. But we all know how a shoe can pinch and poke. Next time you go shoe-shopping, match yourself with the perfect pair.


Make sure your new shoe has the following features:
A front that is wider than the fore-foot. Press the front of the shoe to see if your big toes have space. Don’t be in a tearing hurry. Walk around in the shoe for a while, wiggling your toes as you go along. Check for snug-fitting heels, soles with a good grip and arches that support your foot well. (The arch is the shapely stretch from the heel to your big toe.)
More Shoe-Choosing Tips: Always shop at a store that offers a wide variety of colours and features. The best time to buy shoes is in the evening, when your feet have stretched and swollen to their full size.
Did you know your foot size changes four to six times even during adulthood. So it is important to measure your feet every time you buy a new pair of shoes.
SWEET FEET Problem: Your heels are chapped and cracked. Solution: Soothe your soles with some delicious ingredients. Sugar, for instance, scrubs the calluses right off your heels, while crushed berries contain natural anti-oxidents that revive your skin. Rub the cut half of a lemon on freshly exfoliated heels for great scent and softness.
Problem: Your heels are so unsightly that you cannot wear sandals. Solution: At night, lavish your feet with a cleansing milk, then slip into comfy cotton socks. In the morning, when you have a bath, the dirt and dead skin will slip off, leaving your feet clean enough to slip into sandals.
Problem: Your feet are always tired. Solution: Check your weight. You might be overweight and your feet are tired of bearing the extra burden. So for feet’s sake, re-examine your diet and lifestyle.
Work-weary feet during the course of a normal day like to be propped up on a pillow or two. Put your head down, and put your feet up. Close your eyes, and lie there for 15 minutes, thinking of all the good things in your life. You’ll rise feeling happy — and so will your feet.
HOT BUYS FOR COOL FEET Having paraded around in sandals and open-toed shoes all summer long, you had more than enough opportunity to show off your stunning pedicure. Your feet so long hidden away like an ugly wedding gift finally got their day in the sun. So before you put them away for the winter, take the time to treat them right.
The past few years have seen a glut of foot-friendly products flood the market, so the task of treating your feet can, at first, seem a bit overwhelming. The soothing foot cream put out by Biotherm’s new Aqua Sport line will have your toes tingling in no time. Accompanied by a delicate minty scent, a few treatments will make your hibernating feet feel and smell like a cool spring morning.
For those of you who crave soft, minty feet, but are put off by the price, you might want to try a similar product that’s available from The Body Shop.