Fancy Feet: Keep Your Toes Sandal-Ready All Year Round

It's September. It has happened, and we all just have to accept it, unfortunately. The colder weather is on its way back (along with plenty of rain), and you'll once again have to surrender the sweet little sandals you've been sporting for some big winter boots. Such is life.

The sandals are great motivators, though, when it comes to looking after your feet. Once we plonk them back into winter shoes, we don't really see them again till next April, and in the meantime, the filing, the moisturising, and the soaking you've done to keep feet smooth and happy over the summer is all going to seed.

If you give your feet some regular care over the winter, you won't have half the work next Spring when you set them free once more. It doesn't involve a huge amount of work or investment. Here's what you'll need:

• A Foot File 

There are all manner of fancy foot maintenance devices out there, but a basic foot file will always do the job. This one, €4.99 from Boots (above) is perfect. Give crispy bits a bit of a rub while you're in the bath, or just out of the shower, and feet will never get the chance to develop a hard crust that some poor pedicurist has to sandblast off come April.

• Foot Serum

This sounds silly, and is obviously an optional step, but I find it quite effective. A rich foot cream takes care of lost oil, but skin on feet gets dehydrated too. Scholl Velvet Smooth Intense Serum is €8.99 and makes feet immediately look less crispy. It also primes them nicely for foot cream - I've noticed that my foot cream absorbs better after I use it.

• A Great Foot Cream

I love L'Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream (€23.00) because it's super rich and effective. It comes in a smaller tube for €10.50, but use any foot cream that suits your budget and feels effective. A couple of nights per week, slather your feet in it and pop on a pair of cotton socks - you'll have baby soft feet by morning.

If you're even more devoted to banishin Frodo Feet, add an exfoliating foot mask to your routine. How are your feet faring in the run up to winter? And do you care for them regularly? Be honest in the comments!