feet

The weather is heating up, so open-toed shoes are coming out. One day, probably very soon, many of us will be faced with a dilemma: wear cute sandals and risk exposing busted-looking toes, or hide our feet in oppressively hot sneakers. No need to fret. There are plenty of ways to fake pretty, pedicured feet when you don't have time for a pedicure. To find out five sneaky ways to get great-looking feet in a flash, just keep reading.

Slipping your feet into sandals and flip-flops in the Summer is reason enough to keep up with your pedicures. Don't skimp on your feet upkeep once the temperatures cool, though. "Caring for your feet in the Winter is very important because heels can thicken and crack," says Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, codirector of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery in Washington DC. "Those cracks can become painful and infected if left untreated."

Getting a weekly pedicure would be choice. But if you're looking for something a little more wallet-friendly, there are plenty of at-home procedures for those looking to smooth out their soles. "Use a thick moisturizer containing urea or glycolic acid under socks at night," Dr. Tanzi says. Layer on a lotion like Kiehl's Imperial Body Balm ($42) all over your feet, and slip on your favorite socks before bed. Dr. Tanzi also suggests exfoliating with a pumice stone, or using a similar dead-skin-removal method, once a week in the shower. Your feet may be stuffed into your warmest boots, but they'll be healthy enough for a spur-of-the-moment trip to the Caribbean. Hey, it could happen.

As Summer comes to a close, it's time to give your feet some end-of-sandal-season love and care. So before you bust out those boots and wool socks, follow these simple steps to say sayonara to cracked, aching feet for good.

Pull Off Flawless Feet

1. The skin on your soles is thicker than the rest of your body due to heavy use (it has to stand up to your heel-wearing and foot-stomping ways, after all). That's why you'll want to soak your feet in a warm bath for at least five minutes to soften them thoroughly. You can even add an oil or milk to your soaking tub to increase the softness. In addition, an antiseptic essential oil (like tea tree or peppermint) can help to combat minor infections.
2. Next, scrub the feet with a grainy exfoliator, such as a DIY mix of honey, olive oil, and coarse salt (or brown sugar).
3. Rinse the feet and follow by using a wet pumice stone to smooth over rough heels and calluses. Don't apply too much pressure, though. It will take time to get rid of chapped patches completely.
4. If there are extra rough spots, try spot treating with salicylic or citric acid (lemon juice also works well as a DIY remedy).
5. To finish, slather feet with foot cream, like Bliss Foot Patrol ($18), and put on socks to seal in moisture. Repeat the entire process weekly to maintain.

While yoga newbies and old-school veterans will have very different practices, there are plenty of things that they have in common. One of those things is the ability to lay a solid foundation to their practice with their feet. This certainly comes with increased strength, improved flexibility, and sheer practice, but giving sore, achy feet some extra love and attention will only help them open up faster. Giving your dogs a sweet massage is a great place to start for improvement, but there are also some staple poses of a yoga practice that really help you focus on your feet.

Baddha Konasana: Butterfly

Baddha Konasana looks like a laid-back posture, but you're not just hanging out on the floor. For improved foot flexible, press the four corners of your feet together before opening them up like a book; making the physical effort to pull your toes apart from each other helps to activate your foot's arch.

Tadasana: Mountain Pose

Standing at the top of your mat in Mountain Pose is a beautiful time of contemplation and intention. By grounding all four corners of your feet on your mat and really spreading your toes apart, you're prepping a healthy, open foot foundation for the rest of your practice.

Keep reading for two more yoga poses for stronger feet.

Turns out your mom was right: sometimes you have to choose comfort over looks. But thanks to a whole bunch of products and do-it-yourself methods, most of the time, you can wear those cute, warm-weather-appropriate shoes without suffering.

Blisters are caused by friction, so the key is to prevent your shoes from rubbing against your feet. Moisture-wicking socks are used by athletes to prevent blisters from forming, but unfortunately, socks and sandals just don't mix (unless the Clark Griswold look is something you're going for). While it's practically impossible to keep your shoes from touching your skin, you can follow a few different methods to create a thin barrier between you and your sandals. So bust out the espadrilles and huaraches, because it's time to get blister-free this Summer. Get the details when you read more.

Cracked heels can be a problem, especially coming out of the colder months when the air lends itself to dry skin. On top of that, these fissures can worsen as a result of the pressure put on your heels throughout the day — particularly if you're a fan of foot-imbalancing stilettos. Along with being less-than-aethestically-pleasing, untreated cracked heels can split even further, causing pain (and in some cases, infection). Prevention is key: moisturize daily, get pedicures as needed, and drink plenty of water to save your feet. But what do you do when your cracks are already out of whack? Find out how to do your own at-home treatment when you read more.

If the holiday parties have you living in heels, you've probably got some unhappy feet on your hands. Wondering how to beat the suffering? Here are some feet-relieving remedies to help you out.

1. Prevent injuries by keeping your ankles and leg muscles strong. After all, who wants to make a wobbly party entrance? Take a few minutes a day to add some ankle-friendly exercises to your routine, like tiptoe walking, heel walks, and balance exercises. Find out the four important exercises you should be doing if you wear heels here.
2. Don't stop there. If your feet are achy after a night of dancing on stilettos, relieve them while combating the muscle-shortening effects of sporting heels for an extended amount of time. Be sure to stretch them out with these seven stretches for high-heel wearers.
3. Feet still achy? Find more relief with these five things you can do to treat your achy feet, and try to alternate wearing heels with flats to give your feet a rest!

Whether your feet are sore from a long run or a night on the dance floor, there's one thing for certain — achy, throbbing feet can put a damper on your day, not to mention your workout. With Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, chances are you'll be using your feet more and more, whether it's a steady stream of weekend hiking or enjoying the outdoors with longer runs. But before you break out the sandals, check out these tips for making sure you are taking care of those oft-neglected body parts.

• Roll with it. Use an ice-cold water bottle or a fuzzy tennis ball (or buy a Rubz ball) to roll on the bottoms of your feet for the perfect remedy after a long hike or run, or even just from standing for too long. Doing this along with a regular stretching routine will help prevent any overuse injuries.
• Stop the flop. With the weather warming up, you may find yourself reaching for your flip-flops, but reserve them for the gym shower. Flip-flops lack support for your arches and Achilles tendon, and they also cause your muscles to work overtime in an awkward way. Toes need some air? Check out these feet-friendly sandal options.
• Heal your heels. Dry heels can lead to painful heel fissures, which can prevent you from being able to exercise the way you want to (no one wants to endure painful cracked heels while they run!). Summer is prime time for cracked heels since our feet are more exposed to the dry air, so take time and develop your heel healing routine before it's sandal weather.
• Groom correctly. Long toenails aren't just gross to look at, they can cause problems while you're running by cutting into skin around it, but short nails can be a hassle too — they can become ingrown and painful, which also limits your exercising capabilities. Make sure you groom your nails carefully before you have to deal with these issues.

• How to date a man who loves your feet . . . a lot — YourTango
• The reality of reuniting with an ex — Glamour
• Cher from Clueless is still considered a beauty icon — BellaSugar
• "How I knew he wasn't the one" — The Frisky
• When a custody battle involves the dogs — Huffington Post
• Regretting the way you lost your virginity — College Candy

Sometimes stinky feet are a way of life for workout junkies. Instead of tossing out your running shoes or scrubbing toes until they're nearly numb, I've got a little tip that will have your soles smelling squeaky clean.

Steal a bottle of vodka from your liquor cabinet and douse a cotton ball with the clear liquid. Rub it over your tired dogs and let the alcohol do its trick. Get in between your little toes with a vodka-drenched Q-tip. While you may be tempted to pour yourself a cold 'tini, please resist the urge to put an olive on your pinky toe.

If you have any tricks for taming foot odor, please share them in the comments section below.