“If any of you have seen my shows, you know that I don’t skimp on them and the same is true for the gym. We spend what it takes to make a globally first-class gym. Our plan is to use Mexico as a place to fine-tune our brand and then expand it to other countries and, in the long term, develop a global brand that includes the United States.”  …Madonna on her newly opened Hard Candy gym in Mexico

The secret to Madonna’s arms and Gwyneth Paltrow’s slender legs…it’s Tracy Anderson.  Take a look at Gwyneth and Tracy in the gym.  The resistance band device is pure genius.  If you’ve ever worked with resistance bands, you’ll know how beneficial they are to looking long and lean.  They are great when you travel, too.  (Note to the Irishman:  I know you could build this…which would score you serious brownie points.  just sayin’.) 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzUwfNQ8gRc

       Don’t you just love a great pedicure?  It’s a feeling of self-indulging, the kind you don’t have to feel guilty about.  I love getting pedicures.  I constantly wear heels, so for me, pedicures are a must.  And if you wear sandals or heels, pedicures should be a must for you as well.  And even if your toes don’t see the light of day on a regular basis, you should still tend to them….if only out of the spirit of “girl” maintenance.  Someone usually sees your feet on a regular basis, and that someone is usually your husband or boyfriend.  You might think he’s not paying attention, and you might be right!  Maybe he doesn’t notice that you’ve changed your polish color from coral to candy apple red.  But what he will notice is toes that look unkempt, paint chipping, and a wife or girlfriend that’s looking like she’s lacking in the maintenance department.  ….don’t be that girl!

If you don’t have the time or finances to hit the spa on a regular basis, it’s easy to do at home.  I know that most of us don’t have spare time in our day, but most all of us watch at least a half hour of television each day, right?  Perfect opportunity to multi-task.   Grab your pedicure kit and get started. 

Get the look: 

1.  Remove any old polish existing on toenails. 

2.  Clip nails with a straight edge clipper.   Don’t dig down into the skin on the edges as this causes ingrown toenails.

3.  Start with a clear, thin coat of polish on each toenail. 

4.  Follow the clear coat by a great red polish.  Many years ago I heard Madonna say that “Red is the only color that works on toes.  I’d never have anything other than red!”  I agreed with her then, and agree with her now.  Red is so sexy and works with almost anything you are wearing.  It can be taken from a formal little black dress to a simple sun dress in the summer.  Red just works! 

5.  Follow with another coat of clear. 

That’s all there is to it.  Those are the stripped down basics of a pedicure.  There are many more ways to indulge, such as a foot soak (try Supernatural Botanicals Bolivian Bath Salts)

Regularly use a pumice stone or pumice board on soles of feet in the shower to keep feet baby soft.  Use moisturizer every day.  And if you are really lucky, you can have the husband or boyfriend give you a foot massage. 

If your feet take a beating after workouts, liberally apply Vaseline to feet followed by your socks during your workout.  It’s not as icky feeling as it may sound.  You can’t even feel the Vaseline, and your feet are super soft after a tough workout. 

Take the time for maintenance.  It makes the difference between blah and wow!  In honor of this pedicure post, I threw on a pair of my favorite heels and snapped this picture for you (nevermind the marks from the socks I was wearing prior to)  …..my point being, you don’t have to have gorgeous feet, necessarily, to get an overall gorgeous look!