Ridiculousness avec les pieds

As I live in the city, I walk most places & use public transport.  Most days, I walk about 6 or 7 miles so my feet take a major beating year round.  Although, things really flare up in the summer.   Usually, I get some sort of highly annoying/pain in the ass/really inconvenient foot problem (blisters, broken toenails, cuts, callouses, etc.) around June. This year, I wasn't afflicted with anything until this week - probably because it's simply not been that warm out.

My problem this year was new to me - cracked heels.  I've never had them before as I try to stay on top of my callouses.  A couple of weeks ago, my foot file became unusable and I had no back up.  I tend to view salon pedicures as a real luxury - and finding time is a challenge - so that was a no go.  Randomly, every single drugstore around me was out of home pedicure items.  Finally, this past weekend, I had an epiphany to go to a drugstore in an "affluent" town (Winchester) under the supposition that people there probably weren't doing their own pedicures.  BINGO!!!! Full stocks!

Here's my home pedicure kit:

Fizzing bath tablets - Because they're cool
Rubber Duckie - To keep you company
Coconut Oil - Organic moisturizer that will make you smell like coconut macaroons (not macarons, totally different cookie)*
Zoya Glitter Polish - I was turned onto this brand by a dear friend who is just plain fabulous & gorgeous.  Zoya is salon strength but more of a European formulation inasmuch as it has lot less chemicals than US polish.  They always have some sort of special going on - it pays to show your love for them via Facebook
Aesop Rind Concentrate - Smells wonderful, organic, doesn't test on animals. Everybody to whom I've recommended this L-O-V-E-S it.
Foot File - You just need it
Fancy Case - Keep all your stuff from getting mixed up with your other stuff

*So, the coconut oil came from my frantic search to find something natural to heal my heel in a hurry.  The more research I did, the more I really didn't want to know. Emu fat? (Kevin from "Up" #ugh). European products that don't test on animals? Most cosmetics are now owned by a few conglomerates that do animal testing in other areas.  AAAAND apparently, China requires all cosmetics to be tested on animals before they can be sold there.  Even if the company doesn't test on animals, if they sell in China, they condone it (#ugh #nowiknow #ican't).  File under #ican't & #ican'twin.   I am happy to report that the $7 coconut oil totally worked within 24 hours. While my heel isn't completely heeled, I can walk on it with no pain. However, I did almost slip & fall on some that I spilled.  So, there's that...

Professional & home pedicures aside, if you do find yourself with some issues from summer feet, I recommend the following items:

Wet bandages for cuts & blisters
Liquid bandages (or super glue) for cuts
Neosporin for cuts
Coconut Oil for dry skin, cuts, & scrapes
Ibuprofen for aches
Ice pack because it feels good - when it's hot, you can reduce your overall temperature but putting an ice pack on your feet or your head
Benadryl stick for the 9,863,274 mosquito bites you're going to get on your ankles from standing outside for 20 minutes at your friend's bbq

Of course, once you tend to your banged up feet, it's not like you can really go back to wearing whatever shoes allowed your feet to get banged up in the first place...Sooooo, I recommend these:

Avarcas- Hands down: THE BEST PAIR OF SUMMER SHOES I own - I can walk for miles in these & not get blisters
Espadrilles - Perfect summer shoes: light, cool, fashionable
Mizutori Geta - These are the 2nd best summer shoes I own.  The insoles are hinoki (pine) so they are naturally antibacterial (hello, sweaty feet!) and they are really supportive. P.S. the sandals go on ridiculous sale in January (that's how I got 2 pairs)
Foldable Ballet Flats - Just YES. You need them. Slip them into your purse or work bag year round.

If all else fails & you've still got the banged up feet, the bad shoes, & the uncomfortable weather...I recommend this: