Is there an ‘at home routine’ to ‘beat the salon’ and get your feet ready for summer with affordable foot care products? Sarah Jones finds out.
I feel quite glamorous when I make a spring visit to the nail bar to get rid of every trace of winter feet with a pedicure. Ditto before a holiday in the sun too. The price tag makes it more of an occasional treat, but the results have always been worth it. Most experiences have been great, albeit a little heavy-handed with the foot tools at times. There was the one time when a fellow customer flatly refused to put her feet into a wax bath for hygiene reasons, whist I was sat in mine feeling foolish. Whether I’ve booked ahead or wandered into somewhere on a whim, the success rating has been a solid eight.
Until last year when I removed the polish after a salon pedicure, I discovered a discoloured patch on one of my big toenails. It wasn’t the reveal I was hoping for. Nail damage? An infection? An injury? I’m still not sure. I did what many of us probably would: kept my feet firmly to myself and hid the offending nail beneath layers of expensive polish in between tea tree treatments.
I didn’t fancy being turned away from my next pedicure, being judged at the foot spa, or risking making things any worse, so I avoided them altogether. I needed to find the best but affordable foot care products.
So, what has rescued my feet this summer and got me confidently back into sandals? The TAL footcare range.
Swiss family-owned brand TAL has been creating skincare since 1975, combining naturally derived ingredients with science-led formulations. Their products are cruelty-free and feature hydrating urea alongside alpine botanicals including edelweiss, calendula and arnica, olive oil and vitamin E. The formulas are free from parabens, alcohol, silicones and PEGs, making them suitable for sensitive skin. The perfect affordable foot care products.
The bright turquoise packaging is one of my favourite colours and so gave it an advantage. The products are affordable price points and strike a clever balance between medical foot care and a little well-deserved pampering.
Foot care is finally getting the skincare treatment, they say. Instead of relying on harsh scrubs and overzealous filing, the focus has shifted towards hydration, repairing the skin barrier and gentle exfoliation. TAL embraces that philosophy with formulas designed to care for your feet over the long term, while still delivering a spa-like feeling at home.
I was sent the Repair Foot Salts, Repair Foot Mask Socks, Nourishing Foot Cream and Foot Balm Rescue to put to the test.
Digging out my redundant electric foot file, I buffed away rough skin before moving on to the foot salts and moisture mask socks. Full disclosure, I followed the order that felt instinctive rather than follow a set routine.
With my feet soaking in a warm footbath, I finally stopped rushing around, sighed and relaxed. The cooling booties came next. Slippery, soothing and surprisingly luxurious, they stayed on for twenty minutes while I did absolutely nothing. Between the soak and the mask, I’d accidentally gifted myself over half an hour of enforced downtime.
After the booties my feet already felt noticeably softer. My skin felt intensely moisturised, smoother to the touch and looked healthier too. After a few weeks of using these, am I ready to book another salon pedicure? Actually, no. I alternate the nourishing cream and balm daily and do a soak once a week. My tootsies look lovely and I get to feel pampered.
For a fraction of the cost of a salon visit, TAL has earned a permanent place in my routine. My feet look healthier, feel softer and, best of all, I’m happily back in sandals. This summer, my feet are doing just fine at home and so the salon can wait.
Article and images by Sarah Jones. Some images supplied.
For more Beauty and Wellness from bThere Magazine
