Know Your Shoe
THE BODY: If a stiff shoe causes blisters, spritz this area with water and use your fingers to mold the softened leather to the shape of your foot or try special inserts to reduce friction.THE BREAST: The inner arch of the heel, which affects stability. The farther forward the arch, the less you will feel off-balance.
THE SOLE: Slipping on slick floors? Pick up a pair of sole protectors or score the soles of your heels with a key to create extra traction.
THE TOE BOX: If your toes feel pinched, have this area stretched out at your local shoe repair shop.
THE INTERIOR: If you suffer from low arches, slip in supports to relieve pressure on the balls of your feet.
Take It Step-by-Step
1. POSTURE: Heels pitch weight forward, so for balance, keep your head up and shoulders back. Tightening your core will offset some of the pressure on your feet.2. STEPS: Striding in a normal heel-to-toe motion can snap a stiletto or twist an ankle. Instead take short steps, going down evenly on the ball of the foot and heel.
3. WEIGHT: As your weight shifts fully onto a foot, spread your toes in the shoe slightly; this will help to distribute the weight onto the ball of the foot.
4. HIPS: When you're feeling off-balance, you tend to stiffen up. For an easy, attractive momentum, let your hips swing in small, sideways, figure-eight motions.
Get the Right Support
1. WHOLE-SOLE CUSHIONS: A comfort insole that's tapered at the front so your toes won't feel crowded.2. WEIGHT SHIFTERS: This sized insert sits in the breast of the shoe, shifting weight off the ball of the foot and back onto the heel.
3. TOE GELS: Provides cushioning under the ball of the foot to protect the area where most of your weight is centered.
4. OPEN-TOE STOPPERS: A shorter insole that provides the same shock absorption without being seen through your peep-toes.
5. ARCH SUPPORTS: If your arches are low or need a boost, these supports will help relieve pressure on the balls of your feet.
6. HEEL PADS: Liners that help keep feet from slipping around inside shoes.
Tone and Train Your Legs
Foot experts warn that the unnatural slope of stilettos puts unnecessary strain on feet and lower leg muscles. Footwear brands like Fit Flop, Reebok and Skechers claim that the specialized midsoles in their toning shoes strengthen leg muscles and improve posture, which could help prevent heel-related injuries.
Take Time to Soothe and Repair
Refresh tired feet with a tingly foot treatment. Peppermint purifying foot mask like this Body Shop mask.Knead away sore spots and stimulate blood flow to help your feet recover from a day in uncomfortable shoes with this porcupine massage ball.
Slip on a pair of socks after moisturising your feet for an instant at-home spa treatment. Moisturise with vaseline petroleum jelly.
Keep calluses and rough spots at bay with a callus stone.
ON EYEBROWS
- If you must shape your brows in between professional visits, only tweeze the obvious hairs closer to the eyelid and avoid taking hairs from the top where it’s harder to determine if they will affect your overall brow shape. And beware of over-plucking! “If the eyebrow has been plucked too thin, it can take over a year to grow them back to their fullest
- Brown pencil is great for filling in sparse areas and has a handy comb and sharpener, too.
- Initial brow shaping should be left in the hands of a pro. Left to your own devices, it’s easy to over pluck. “It’s best to go to a professional.
- For natural-looking, long-lasting coverage, a brow marker will fill in your brows beautifully.
- Threading has become the brow-removal method du jour, it offers the longest-lasting results. “With waxing or tweezing, you often miss the smaller hairs. When you do get them, you don’t get them from the root and the hairs will grow back in a day or two. With threading, it’s really clean and can get even the tiniest of hairs from the root.
- Create natural, full brows with this lightweight, sheer to medium coverage brow compact.
- If you have any sparse areas, fill them in with a brow gel, pencil or by using powder and a thin, angled brush. Avoid using black pencils or powders as they tend to look too harsh and artificial
- Get a touch of brow tint along with a mix of glycerin, honey suckle flower extract, and sage which helps to strengthen your brows. Get a pro to define the shape and then maintain it with tweezers.The best brows follow their natural brow shape, so don’t be tempted to copy a brow shape based on your preferences or the latest trend. “The original shape is the best shape for your face.
xoxo
SC.
