Recently in Feet Category

I'll admit it, when I first heard of Josie Maran's line of products I did not plan to try or buy anything (I know, such the beauty snob huh?!?).  But then I got a sample of the Argan Oil and have decided re-form my opinion on models turned beauty entrepreneurs.  This legendary, lightweight oil, grown organically in Morocco, is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids but does not feel sticky as a lot of E oils do.  I used it this morning as a moisturizer (absorbs amazingly fast) and then used it all over my body from head to toe (including my cuticles) and split ends. For a mom who does not have a lot of time in the morning, this is almost a miracle product.  My skin has had a subtle glow all day but I don't feel greasy. 

Best part is it's 100% organic!  Housed in a recyclable glass bottle with an easy to use applicator, I even used it on my son's rash and the redness went away almost immediatley.  The only drawback is the scent, it stinks.  But god is it good.  Just make sure you spritz on some perfume afterwards.  $48 at Josiemaran.com

Save time and money with the 1 minute Mani/Pedi scrub from Barielle!  The 12oz jar of Dead Sea Salts is a fast-acting exfoliating treatment, it only takes one minute to exfoliate and polish away dry, cracked skin with this luxurious blend of Dead Sea Salts and rich oils. The perfect prep to manicures and pedicures, the exclusive formulation includes the healing and polishing powers of Dead Sea Salts and the hydrating benefits of Soybean, Avocado, Jojoba, Rice Bran and Grape Seed Oils, as well as the ultra-moisturizing effects of Mango Seed Butter. Drench hands and feet in 60 Second Mani-Pedi, concentrating on cuticles and areas prone to dry skin, such as heels, the bottom of feet and backs of hands--even elbows can benefit from this scrub. 60 Second Mani-Pedi's fresh, mandarin scent also offers a relaxing, aromatherapy a-peel!

I love having getting manicures and pedicures but hate that it takes so long to get "groomed". The 60 second mani/pedi is going to be my saviour on days I can't make it to the spa! $25 at Barielle.com

UPDATE: Shoe Goddess responds to Heidi's post! 

As much as I sympathize with Heidi's pain, I wonder if there was any preliminary sign to her foot situation and if she always wore well made shoes? I kind of see the article as a terrible blow to all the women (aged 50+) who gracefully wear high heels without the need of a trainer to teach them how to keep their balance in their high heels. This article also seems complete nonsense to me as a 45-year-old French woman, who has been wearing heels since I was 16 years old. I understand both Heidi and her mother's issues with high heels, but I also wonder if there were any steps that could've been taken before reaching the extreme. Although narrow shoes and high heels can contribute to bunions (hallux valgus) there is also a hereditary factor and choosing the right pair of shoes is really important. (jump to read more!)

Just in time for the cool weather when we all start to cram our feet into stuffy boots and shoes, comes Verikira Naturals Fresh Feet Foot Creme ($26). It's a lot greasier than L'Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream ($25), which I've previously used and it's blended with essential oils of Patchouli, Tea Tree, Thyme, Basil, Geranium, and Cinnamon so it's great for those averse to mint which is what almost every foot product seems to be formulated with! It also helps with fungal issues because its formulation, which is 82% organic, includes vinegar! If you're looking for an even quicker fix, Peppermint Deodorant Foot Stick ($7.99) is technically for men, but ladies can enjoy this as well and the stick is conveniently compact so you can toss it in your bag for on-the-go touch-ups. It contains peppermint oil to help with foot circulation--keeping your feet dry and odorless throughout the day and a percentage of proceeds from the woman's line are donated to a breast cancer foundation:)

I have a personal issue with dry, calloused feet (gross, I know). But the calluses come from my hiking hobby and at this point prevent me from acquiring any new blisters, so when my pedicurist asks me if she can remove them I say "leave 'em on!" This doesn't however, mean that I like my feet to fall into a state of disrepair.  So I have a heavy handed supply of exfoliating scrubs at the ready in my shower. It's hard to get the perfect exfoliator, really, and I think I have come damn close with Tootsie Tune Up ($20 for an 8oz jar) from 5^th Ave Beauty.  I love the course, thick consistency -perfect for the heels and balls of my feet! It makes the skin on my feet feel soft and pampered while allowing me to stay protected from  painful blisters. Follow with Foot and Leg moisturizer to give your feet a minty fresh feel =)

Also, I have been using their Pillow & Linen Spray ($8 for 2oz bottle) a couple times a week and it is so refreshing and relaxing to fall asleep to a light clean scent! Plus, their spray is Alcohol free which means it won't stain your pillow case!!

SpaRitual has just launched some new moisturizing lotions and bath salts! Besides smelling and feeling great (looove Eucalyptus..more on that later in the post!), the lotions are 83% USDA Certified Organic, paraben-free, and infused only with consciously sourced Organic Essential Oils (Australian Eucalyptus, Egyptian Geranium, and Somalian Frankincense), and Instinctual Organic Bath Salts infused with Madagascan Ginger Oil. This line is great because it mixes amazing quality with an eco and spirit-conscious philosophy. SpaRitual claims (and something about the way their creams smell makes me agree...), that their lotions calm the mind, relax the body and recharge the spirit. Read more for a mini-rundown on some of their stand-out products!

How cute and perfect are these? How many times have you walked around after a pedicure with twisted up paper towels in between your toes? Totally not glamorous, although girls see you and understand your pain. These toe separator sandals is the solution to your post pedi blues. You put these on right before the color goes on and walk right out with perfect toes. They come in a variety of colors, even metallic and this camouflage shown here. Now all I have to do is remember to bring them with me. At Pedi Couture for $24.95.

It’s almost embarrassing to say, but I have an aversion to mint to the point where I still use bubble gum toothpaste! That said, when wearing heels is part of your day-to-day life and summer is fast approaching, it’s definitely time to crank up the heat on your foot-care. Mint seems to be especially effective for foot creams (maybe because of the potent smell!?). I’ve tested out a few and one that seems to work well is Peppermint Foot Therapy The line is dedicated solely to feet products, so I figure they must mean business! (More after the jump!)

I am constantly searching for the perfect hand and foot creams. I try everything! I like to slather lotion on my hands and feet at night right before going to sleep. I recently tried Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand and Foot creams, and I’m in love!

My feet get really cracked in the winter, especially since I’m barefoot around the house so much. The Eucerin foot cream felt great on my feet, and I really noticed a difference after using it for a few nights. It is fragrance free and contains Alpha Hydroxy acids and urea to gently exfoliate and moisturize without stinging or irritating the skin, like so many creams. I like to apply it generously, and then put my socks on to seal in the moisture.

My hands are in good shape, but I do like to make sure I moisturize them at night. The problem is that greasy creams can leave greasy fingerprints on my books (I’m an avid reader, and I can’t go to bed without reading!). The Eucerin cream feels luxurious going on, but it dries quickly so that my books are protected! It too contains Alpha Hydroxy acids and urea. I also like to apply it to my knees and elbows.

The best part is that these creams are inexpensive and readily available. At Drugstore.com: Foot Creme for $5.03, and Hand Creme for $4.76.

Never go to Yoga looking slovenly again or leave a pedicure with the ridiculous paper flip flops! Bonnie Marcus has the most adorable line of flip flops and I know you want want to own every pair. I left LA six years ago to move to Dallas but the LA girl inside me still craves the jeans and flip flop lifestyle. Bonnie's Yoga Girl flip flops are super comfy and stylish, I keep them in my car so I can whip them out when ever my feet tire of my stilettos! There are styles for everyone, new brides (Kelly changed into her flip flops at the end of her wedding to dance the night away, her dress was long and no one noticed!), spa girls, expecting girls, etc. Go check out her website and you'll probably end up with more than just flip flops, Bonnie is also the paper guru to celebrities!

At first glance I was completely frightened by MAC's Fafi collection (from the photos of the models with brightly painted faces). I was just discussing my junior high school horror stories in the 80's with you guys and then this showed up at my door. Visions of my Souxie and the Banshees eyeliner with blue eyeshadow and sometimes red lipstick flashed before my eyes as I flipped through the look book. As I inspected the eyeshadow quad, lip glosses, blush and lipsticks I received I realized this was not my 80's rainbow bright make up. The colors are actually very sheer and used with a gentle hand, you can create a lot of fun looks for a night on the town! Okay, so the model in the ad campaign resembles Bozo but click to the jump page and you'll see different ways of putting together dramatic looks without scaring anyone. Eyeshadow Quad above is $36, when blended well, the colors will brighten and lighten your eyes.

I am currently obsessed with the Skin Deep Website, a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products from researchers at the Environmental Working Group. I have been on it all weekend looking up every brand in my bathroom, it was shocking how many items in my bathroom are rated "high toxicity" and that may cause cancer, render me infertile amongst many other scary hazards! Go through the site and search for your favorite products to see what you come up with. I could not find my favorite luxury brands such as La Prarie, Natura Bisse, Sisley or La Mer on the site, hopefully it is because their products are tested extensively to avoid causing hazard? (or maybe they were too expensive for the scientists to buy and test?).

There seems to be a pattern of beauty companies across the board with body lotions being listed as highly toxic even if their other products are of low or no risk (For example, Skinceuticals C&E ferulic is safe but the Skin Firming Body Cream is a high hazard- I am throwing mine in the trash tonight!). In fact, I am so freaked out that I have decided to use my son's baby products from California Baby (rated 0- low hazard) on my body until further notice. I am not one to scare easily and often ignore the urban legends of lipstick accumulating in the stomach etc but this really got my attention! Of course I will do more sleuthing with doctors in order to validate the site's claims, let me know what you beauties come up with.

Here's a thought, perhaps the reason Aveda products tested so high for toxicity is because they do not do any testing on lab rats....

Post by Beauty Snob Michelle

I want to preface this entry by saying that I live in Boston. It gets really cold and really snowy here. That leads to some necessary evils like wearing Ugg boots. I know all the arguments against them. I’ve heard them all and made a few myself. But the fact remains that they are warm and keep my feet dry. While the girl in the cube next to me is peeling her frostbitten feet out of her wet socks, I’m kicking off my comfy Uggs and happily putting on my cute heels. Anyway, the reason for my whole rant is to tell you that I love Bootie Pies! Last winter I treated myself and went for pedicures a lot. But it’s pretty gross to stuff your foot back in a boot after your pedicure is over. Plastic bags ruin your toes and if you wear your flip flops your toes freeze! So, some super smart girls came up with this idea. They’re Ugg-like boots with toes that press down. You put them on before your polish and then you can run to your car with (mostly) warm feet and not ruin your pedicure. It’s starting to get cold here so I wore them to a pedicure last week. I got some strange looks but for the most part, people in the salon kept telling me how great they were and how much they wanted a pair. I highly recommend these fun boots! They’re probably not good for people who have to take public transportation because you will probably look a little silly with your toes hanging out on the subway in the middle of the winter! I was skeptical at first too but if you give them a chance I know you’ll love them as much as I do. They come in five fun colors and they’re $128 a pair. www.bootiepies.com

What do you Beauty Snobs think? Are these booties snob worthy or not?

Don't be like Paula Abdul and go whining to legislators about an infection you got while getting a manicure. If you are that concerned, and you should be, bring your own set of tools. I know most places "clean" their tool, if by clean you mean putting them in a tupperware box marked "clean". It is worth the money and your fingers and toes to get the Cutie Kit for $34.99. It comes with all the goodies you'll need - cuticle nipper, cuticle pusher, nail clipper, nail buffer, nail file, toe separator and pumice sponge. And you should of course always bring a pair of flip flops to walk out of there without ruining your new pretty toes!

There are many things I can live without, I will leave the house with no make up on, my hair is not always done but I always have a nice bag AND I always have a perfect pedicure. Nothing says "I'm unkempt" louder than gross feet. I would rather stay home than be seen with dried cuticles and chipped nail polish! But that would never happen because I get a pedicure once a week without fail (I even went in days before I had my last baby, my husband practically carried me in and out of there but I HAD to make sure my feet looked nice for the hospital!). So because of my obsession I am always willing to try anything that claims to give me nicer feet, like this line of new products from Lamisilk. I was really excited to find affordable drugstore products that can do what my $68 salon pedicure does (I only do the special spa pedicure once a month, the rest of the time I get the quick 30 minutes fix). The Exfoliating Scrub, $5.94 was of particular interest to me because I love to exfoliate so I was really disappointed to find that it was watery and not rough enough. I mean, we're talking feet here that takes a pretty good beating everyday so why spare it with sparse soft granules? It needs to be more substantial, very close to a harsh scrub, to make it do something. And because it's watery, it just runs off before it has a chance to do anything. But it does clean the feet on a daily basis better than just soap and water so for the price it's not bad for that. As for the Daily Hydrating Cream, $8.99, it doesn't do any more than whatever lotion you have lying around. Same for the Overnight Moisture Seal, $8.99. I still prefer my secret weapon against dry feet, Lanolin, for an overnight feet-lift. But if you don't get regular pedicures and need something to get your feet in to shape for the summer, these products are certainly better than not using anything and they are very reasonably priced. You can even get a $4 coupon from the manufacturer.